Lucy Loo 'Magnified Star'

There's a new release at The East Wind Shop today; Lucy Loo 'Magnified Star'.  I so love the funky Steampunk reference that I just HAD to create with her.  I've made a giant tag using star studded DP I've had in my stash FOREVER, and a cool portion from the DCWV Tattered Time stack.

I've colored lucy with Copics and metalllic gel pens and used epoxy rounds on her goggles and tiny gauge.  On top of the rounds, I've layered a small mirror round and star as well.

The sentiment was computer generated.  The dimensional star behind her is from a Brenda Walton for Sizzix die cut from matte metallic CS and grunged up a bit with Distress Inks and Rub'n Buff.  The silver flake stars are from Sticko and the bronze one in the middle of the bottom was cut with a Spellbinders star die and scored and made dimensional as well.  Thought it might be cool for graduation for that special Steampunk lovin' gal.  Be sure to check out our Facebook Group where you can get all the scoop on brand new digi's each Monday and Friday.  There's a great contest ,"Something Out of the Norm" going on through June 17th, and there's just one day left for our current Blog Challenge, Embossing Wet or Dry.  Hope to see you there.

I'm entering this in the Flat Friends Anything but a Card Challenge, CCC Digi Creations Use a Digi/Die Cut, Desert Islands Crafters Challenge #78 (using 1,2,3,4 and 8), and Craftitude Pop it Up.

"All Aflutter" For a Few Challenges

I've been dying to enter a number of my fave challenges again and life seems to always get in the way, but when I saw the Beating Hearts ATC Challenge at Smudgy Antics and the current itinerary at Desert Islands Crafters sponsored by Smeared Ink along with the month long February Challenge on the Smeared and Smudged Facebook Fan page I thought I could sneak in a threefer.  The heart and wings are from the Candy is Dandy Rubber set from Smeared Ink which is currently retired, but may become part of the Rubber Club at some future date.  It is, however, available as digis HERE as a set and HERE and HERE as individual stamps.  The heart was heat embossed in red and colored a bit with Copics.  The wings are from the flying ice cream cone and stamped with Versamark and heat embossed in white for the chalkboard technique for the Feb Facebook Challenge (ask to join the group, if you haven't already).  I didn't have any white ink so I used a white pencil to shade and give it more of the chalkboard effect.

 

For the Desert Island Crafter's Challenge I've used #'s 1,2,5,7,8,9, and 10.  Please visit their blog to see the fab work by the DT and Guest Designers from Smeared Ink and to see the fun itinerary for this challenge.  The ATC was sort of difficult to  photograph because the heart is on an Action Wobble which cast a shadow so here you can see a bit more of the texture by way of the cool web ribbon and Goosebumps Texture Spray and the distressed edges done with the Tim Hotz tool.  Gotta love that Tiny Attacher, too.

 

I'm also adding this to the Outlawz Paper a la Mode Challenge which is Movement (anything that moves).

Chapter 24 Romance in Wonderland

...next [came] the ten courtiers; these were ornamented all over with diamonds, and walked two and two, as the soldiers did. After these came the royal children; there were ten of them, and the little dears came jumping merrily along hand in hand, in couples: they were all ornamented with hearts. Next came the guests, mostly Kings and Queens...

The theme of this quote is couples, and that's what we celebrate in February with Valentine's Day. For the month of February, we are celebrating Romance in Wonderland! As always, you may enter any project that fits the challenge theme, but those that feature Wonderland will have two chances at the prize instead of one. Multiple entries are encouraged but each must be on a separate post; enter by Feb. 23.  One lucky winner will receive a $15 store credit to Simply Betty Stamps.

We are using the fabulous Steampunk Romance images by Simply Betty Stamps [ Store | Blog,  Challenge Blog, and new Steampunk Challenge Blog ]. The people pictured in this stamp line resemble grown-up characters in Wonderland, don't you think?

You should also check out the whimsical Alice in Wonderland collection. Here is what the oh, so talented Betty has to say:

Simply Betty Stamps started in 2010, when I was forced to close my little scrapbook store due to my last baby coming early. I was home, with a preemie couldn't do much but draw, craft, and had just discovered blogging! I started to nose around about digis, how could I do this, how could I do that? Slowly but surely Simply Betty Stamps was born! I have a quirky sense of humor and I believe it shows in my images. I have immortalized my kids in my images as it is what I love creating with, their everyday shenanigans and goofy ways. I love sharing my creativity, I can't tell you how awesome it is to see others creating with SBS images! I look forward to continuing to bring in the quirkiness to crafters across the globe and look forward to many years of fun images.

Today's project for The Altered Alice features the gorgeous Romance Emma.  Doesn't she just make the perfect Alice?  Alice has just found a love letter in her Wonderland mailbox.  I wonder who it's from.  A secret admirer?

I love the expression on her face, so touched by the loving words. The man who can truly express his feelings in writing is a rare one.  He obviously holds the key to her heart (and mine).  I've colored her with Copics in the traditional Alice blue and added a key ring charm.  The heart doily behind her is a Cottage Cutz Die.

The mailbox is a $1 one from Target.  Alice's name is done with the Cuttlebug Embossing Plus Postage Alphabet.

 

The heart border is an MS punch to which I've added tea party charms and pearls.  A blue and white gingham bow and trim seemed fitting.

Finally, on the back is the addy.  14 Love Lane, Wonderland.  Please visit The Altered Alice to see more Romance in Wonderland projects (a bit later since we all run a bit late in Wonderland) and check out the winner of last month's challenge (up NOW!) The new linky will be up with the Romance post so hurry and get started for a chance to win the $15 voucher and choose some gorgeous Simply Betty Stamps of your own.  Remember, Wonderland related projects are not a requirement, but we love to see them and they're counted TWICE!

I'm also adding this to  the Simply Challenged Anything Goes Challenge, The Simply Steampunk Anything Goes Challenge  first ever!  WooHoo!, A Gem of a Challenge Gingham or Checks, Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes, Moving Along With the Times Punch it Out Challenge, The Inky Chicks Bingo Challenge (using Ribbon, Image and Pearls), the Desert Islands Crafter's Challenge #47 using #1,2,3 and 5 (thinkin' the die cut doily is lacy) and the Outlawz Paper a la Mode Love Challenge (a new group for me, go check them out)

For a Bunch of Challenges

Here's a fun one (at least I think so) for a bunch of challenges.  Ever wonder why your kitties are sooo interested in your Christmas balls?  Pehaps they know something you don't.  I'm thinkin' they can hear the little creatures that live inside and can't wait to break them out.  A crash sends them scurrying to parts unknown, but not before they've grabbed their shades.  They're not used to the bright lights of Christmas.  My first inspiration was the Stampotique Designer's Non-Traditional Christmas Challenge  where you use a non Christmas stamp to make a Christmas card.  I've used the Stampotique 3 in a Round, one of my faves!  They're peeking out of a shaped card I've made with Spellinders 2011 Heirloom Ornaments Die (sorry, still no Cricut).  Making shaped cards is my all time favorite things and it's even easier using Nesties dies to do so I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Favorites Challenge.

I used another Nestie and embossed the circle on my ornament and then cut it with a craft knife after taping the back with foil tape to look like it was broken.  The pieces are all triangles so I'm entering this in the Octopode Factory Shape Challenge (Use Triangles).  (Hope it counts.  I really would love to do another with the new Octopode Factory stamps I just got but I don't even have my tree up yet.)  YIKES!  How do you spell proscrastinate?  D O N N A!  (However, I've always been told I work best under pressure)

I've used #'s 1, 2, 3, and 10 in the Desert Islands Crafter's Itinerary.  Winter holiday (Christmas, silver (the foil tape) and gold (the ornament hanger), magical creatures (they look pretty magical to me living in an ornament and all) and a non craft item (the foil tape which really isn't meant for crafting and the ornament hanger).

The sentiment is computer generated the I've colored acetate with my Bic Markers and glued them to an eyeglass brad to make the shades.  Personally, the whole thing makes me giggle so I'm also entering this in the Christmas Crackers Challenge at Moving Along with the Times. Phew! that oughtta do it.

Dilly Beans Seeing Red

Well, I'm finally back in business after our relaxing spa visit. The new challenge at The Dilly Beans Designers and Challenge Blog is Seeing Red. It's no secret that red is my FAVORITE color, but this also posed a bit of a problem as many of my Copic reds are running pretty dry. I had already chosen one of Megan's new images, Frida's Roses and decided to paper piece nearly the entire design using old retired Stampin' Up DP I've had for at least 3 years. The only parts of the design that are colored are the eyes, lips and leaves, with a bit of chalk blush on her face.



I printed the image twice in white for the background and leaves, once in cream for the face, once in polka dot for the hair, and twice for the stripes and layered roses which I popped for dimension. The bolder lines on this image is quite forgiving, but the real secret to "seamless" paper piecing is to go around all of the edges of the cuts with black marker so the white cut rim doesn't show. I used the side of the brush tip of a Memento Dual Marker because it doesn't bleed into your paper like a Copic can. It was a bit time consuming but I really love how it came out. My fabulously talented sisters have lots for you to OOOh and Ahhh over so be sure to visit the Challenge Blog and play along. I am also entering this in the Desert Island Crafters Challenge #25 using 2 or more patterned papers, green (barely), and polka dots, The DYSU #59 Layers Challenge, and te Digital Tuesday Challenge #147, Use Your Stash.

A Tiddly Inks Halloween

Oh what fun we have at the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog today. We're celebrating Halloween in major style and I really think the Tiddly Inkers have outdone themselves. There are so many cute Halloween images in the SHOP that it was tough to choose, but when I saw Sugar Angel and Angel Spice with their little treat bags (and their fab haircuts, LOL, available individually, as well, but the set is such a DEAL!), it brought back fond memories of trick or treating with my BFF, so I thought I'd create a little scene. The house and fence are Tim Holtz dies and the grass and kitty, MS. The little row of pumpkins are felt from Queen & Co.

I merged the two images in my Printmaster Program. This is SOOO easy to do with the PNG version of the images in any computer program like Photoshop etc. Then I colored them up with Copics and cut them out with my Nesties Grand Oval. The top of the sentiment is done with my trusty Alpha Beads.

The easel card is done with my Nesties Labels Three Grands. The fun candy DP is an older K&Co stack. To hold the easel up, I've added a row of adhesive beads and completed the sentiment with a puffy sticker from atd. I just know you'll want to play along with this fun challenge AND on Christy's BLOG you can see the new images as well as a contest for Fall cards that you won't want to miss. See ya there! I'm also entering this in the Simply Betty's 12 Days of Halloween Day 2 Challenge,The Crazy Challenge Halloween, Paper Sundaes Halloween or Fall, The Sparkles Forum Halloween and Desert Islands Crafters using 1, 3 (orange at the moment), 5, 6 and 7 (the fence looks like stripes to me).