I decided to go with the blue background for these Baby Shower invitations instead of the pink shading. I will never again underestimate the value of good quality cotton. The cheap bobbin cotton was wrecking my cards. The stitching was loose. As soon as I upgraded to my good embroidery cotton, the stitching sat properly.

I had a bit of trouble with the double embossing technique, however after running 30 papers through the wizard I was not about to do them again. I realized in hindsight that next time I may have to try a bigger cut out for the cardboard tool.

See Beates tutorial for more information:-

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/doubleembossing/

Stamps: SU fun and fast notes, crafty secrets, papertreyink
Paper: SU whisper white & pretty in pink.
Ink: SU bashful blue, pretty in pink, pink pirouette, versamark fine onyx black.
Accessories: Silver embossing powder, nestabilities, SU ribbon, SU punch, SU embossing folder.

I am a firm believer, that in card making almost any mistake can be repaired. The silver embossing "over spray" was really bugging me. So, I decided to have a go at scraping it gently with my cutting blade/craft knife. I'm happy to say that it worked fairly well. The front wheel is more clearly defined now.

Here are the pens I used for this card.

A copic coloured outback scene from downunder Australia. Inspiration was taken from a recent camping trip with friends. The caption relates to an insider joke :)

I think that I over did the silver embossing powder on this one, but I didn't have a versafine watermark pen, so I had to improvise - kinda wish I took the time to duck out to the shops.

I always use versafine onyx black, it's a pigment ink and the best to work with to obtain a clear crisp image that seldom bleeds. I always heat set my ink with a heat gun as an extra precaution. It won't work on as many surfaces as Stazon black, but it is da bomb when it comes to paper creations!

Stamps: SU love defined, Hanna stamps route.
Paper: SU whisper white & cajun craze.
Ink: Copic sketch markers & versafine onyx black.
Accessories: Silver embossing powder, white pen for hair highlights.

Just a quick post of a Christmas card for our God Daughter made while on our Chrissy camping trip. Hoot Hoot Hurray for the holidays. The 2nd part of the sentiment was just added with co-ordinating Stampin' Up! markers. Now I just need to finish renovating my craft room so I can make this years cards! Keep posted for photo's of my new craft workshop to come.

Recipe: Stamps: MFT, Paper: Stampin' Up! co-ordinating ink and cardstock, Ink: versafine onyx black, Accessories: Copic markers, felt die, microbeads.

These gift tags were made with Christmas bells on for the Papertreyink blog hop.

Stamps: Papertrey ink & Inky Antics
Paper: SU, DP Ki memories Joyful twinkle.
Ink: Stazon black
Accessories: Cuttlebug, corner rounder, white 3D paint+dazzling diamonds, bell charms+thread, Prisma color pencils, ice stickles.

Inside peek

Inside MFT stamps. But I need it! Sounds like me, he, he. The verse says, "There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them - Vicki Baum". Sponging around the edges with colorbox chalk inks. I used my practice run background paper for the layer behind the cream paper. You can't tell how horrible it was now that it is all neatly stitched up :)

Shoe label says DIVA AC. Personalized with my friends initials :)

Put on your dancing shoes

This card was inspired by the www.splitcoaststampers.com faux leather technique. I was up late last night finishing off this card for my girlfriend. She loves dancing and singing with her kids. She is a true Diva and wonderful friend. It is an honor to have such an interesting and vibrant friend. I made these shoes from my own design, I created a template to use myself.

The background paper is also designed and created by me. Firstly, I used shimmer paper then clear embossed curlicue stamp. Then used pink and apricot colorbox chalk inks on SU linen background stamp. Allow to air dry and then buff with a dry cloth. This doesn't allow the ink to ahere too much to the clear emboss. I have found in the past if I heat gun the ink, it makes it set firm to the clear emboss. I wanted more of a resist effect, so this is how I achieve this particular look. Then I used my DIVA stamp with a pale red colorbox chalk ink. I used the "stamp off" technique here. This means I stamped the image once on the design in full and the next image is stamped off once on a scrap sheet of paper and then applied to the background paper. This gives the background a muted, antique look. I heat set this layer, as I did want it to be a bit bolder. Finally, I give it all another good buff with the clean cloth. Chalks inks work really well on shimmer paper for a reasonably subtle background paper that still holds it's own.

The shoes were made with SU brilliant blue. I ran it through a cuttle bug floral and vine folder and then shaped it a bit. Then I used clear embossing with the heat gun it to make it leather faux.

Stamps: Curlicue, SU linen background, DIVA.
Papers: SU brilliant blue, cream, Bazzil basics watermelon red, cream shimmer paper plain & pin stripe emboss.
Ink: Colorbox chalk - pink, apricot, pale red.
Accessories: Cuttlebug floral vine folder, ribbon organza unknown, SU brads, Swarovski Crystal - Summer Collection (MFT), various paper molding tools, 3D tape, clear embossing powder, liquid glue, copic markers, copic spica pens.