Undersea butterfly!

This one was really fun to do combining the undersea with the Happy Birthday Butterfly and getting what I think was a very effective result.

It uses the Sweetpea phrase "If I counted every drop in the sea, It wouldn't match what you've given me" with the butterfly birthday however you don't see the happy birthday at all. Then the border is filled in with the undersea plants and some positive and negative punches making the whole card very busy but striking in my opinion.

1.  Stamp butterfly birthday on glossy cardstock and heat emboss with clear powder.

2.  Brayer background with "bouquet" kaleidacolor pad over the butterfly and borders. Polish ink off embossing with a kleenex

3. Stamp background over and over with undersea plant stamp from Sweetpea.

4. Stamp sentiment on blue cardstock, layer on a longer strip and punch out a branch.

5. Punch additional branches from 3 colors of cardstock. 

6. Layer and attach, adding a couple of pearlized translucent brads.

card by cat gondek

Plates #3 & #4

Plates 3 & 4 were used for the following card recipes.
These plates can be purchased through the link below:
http://www.sweetpeastamps.com/category_16/Full-unmounted-sheets.htm

Party Divas

In a hurry for cute party invitations but don't want a bunch of cards that look like they were done on the assembly line? Try these two samples. They are made using the same supplies, making them easy and efficient while not all looking the same.

Supplies:

Bodacious Mermaid Stamp
Party Time Stamp
Black VersaFine Ink Pad (Tsukineko)
Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves Ink Pad (Tsukineko)
Copic Markers (Imagination)

• G94 Grayish Olive
• G24 Willow

Peach PhotoTwinn Marker (Zig)
Adirondack Markers (Tsukineko)

• Mushroom
• Rust
• Ginger

White Cardstock (Unknown)
Printed Cardstock (Unknown)
Green Card Stock (Bazzill)
Double Sided Tape (Provo Craft)
Sticker Maker (Xyron)
Mod Podge (Plaid)
Scissors
Paper Trimmer

Instructions:

1. Stamp the mermaid image on white card stock, trim out neatly and color. Use the greens for the tail, the pink for the shell top, peach for the skin and the remaining colors for the hair.
2. Cut the green card stock to 4.25" x 11" and fold to 4.25" x 5.5".
3. Ink the party time stamp using the Kaleidacolor ink pad, make sure to use all the different colored inks and the letters are all coated. Stamp the image on the white card stock.
4. Stamp the image parallel to the first image about .5" away from the first stamped image.
5. Continue to stamp the image at least 7 times. Try to move the words of the image up and down each stamped line to give the card more interest.
6. Cut the back ground paper to 4" x 5.25" positioning the stamped images within the area in a pleasing manner.
7. Attach the background paper to the front of the card with double sided tape.
8. Attach the mermaid to the card front with Mod Podge.
9. Cut a 1" x 2" strip of the printed cardstock, run through the sticker maker and cut into two 1" x 1" pieces.
10. Cut the one inch printed cardstock pieces at a diagonal to create corners and attach to the card front.
    

***********************************

To create the second card:

1. Ink the party time stamp using just the red color from the Kaleidacolor ink pad and stamp.
2. Trim away the excess paper from the stamped image allowing for a .75" strip.
3. Cut a 1" x 5.5" strip of the printed cardstock.
4. Run both the printed cardstock and stamped image strip through the sticker maker and attach the stamped image onto the printed strip.
5. Create another green card as before and attach the matted, stamped image to the front about .25" away from the left hand edge.
6. Create another mermaid image as before and attach to the card front.
7. Enjoy Sharing!

Bookmarks are FUN !

These were really fun to create and I will have a great way to remember my place when I read my summer novels ...

1. Use sea bottom stamp and a kaleidoscope pad to create floor of ocean about 1 1/2 inch up from the bottom.
2. Use same stamp to create borders up the sides. Yes, one will be upside down, but could you see that before I told you? Just keep close to the edge and nobody will know.
3. Stamp same image on acetate and turn over, place carefully and rub the ink off to create illusion of a reflection
4. Use torn paper and a cotton ball to create rows of fluffy clouds
5. Create central image. Color if needed.
6. Add a bunch of glitter glue to the reflection in zigzags. Stickles is my favorite brand.  This doesn't show well in the scan, but try it on yours and see the difference it makes.
7. Insert into a SweetPea bookmark sleeve and choose your fibers for the top.

Introducing Cat

Here's a quick note about me since Lynette thinks you are eager to know ... Cat is short for Cathy but I am a cat lover too, currently trying to keep fur and feathers off my stamping table which is hard with 2 cats, 3 birds and a dog in the house.     I beach and teach between Florida and Michigan.  When I am not walking the beach, I am teaching English at Saginaw Valley State U.  Been stamping for 30 years ... which is exactly half my life. You do the math; I haven't had enough coffee to count that many years.

Priceless !

Love these long strippy sayings - they could go down the card but I thought something like PARTY TIME had to be screaming across the card. This card will be a birthday card for a JULY 4 birthday.

1.Wet a watercolor marker ( crayola fat markers work fine) and spatter across white cardstock.

2. Cuttlebug Birthday across white

3.  Stamp "Party Time" and add more color with a contrasting color marker

4. Layer and adhere; add some punchies and brads for more fun.

I love the "priceless" stamp for the back of a card, but decided to try putting it on the front. I was kind of tickled with how this turned out.

1.  Stamp the mermaid on fish images randomly with a dark color leaving large gaps between

2.  Repeat with 2 lighter colors and fill in the gaps

3.  Layer with solid and coordinating print cardstock

4.  Stamp "Happy Birthday" using quick dry pigment ink on colored twill tape

5.  Stamp "Priceless" on scrap of print background

6.  Highlight just ONE of the fish/mermaid images with glitter glue, dazzles, or sparkle of your choice. Mine doesn't show up in the scan but is pearlized with twinkling H2O's and does stand out from the crowd.

More fun with the fish and mermaid pair.

1.  Use the seabed stamp and a kaleidoscope pad to create an underwater hillside for the fish to swim down.

2. Color fish and mermaid with prismacolor pencil

3. Deckle cut edges and rub with dabber or cosmetic sponge

4. All images have been sparkled with a variety of glitter glues; my scanner doesn't like sparkle

5.  Stamp sentiment on scrap; attach and border with brads. Again these are sparkly metallic brads but my scanner is keeping that a secret!

If I counted ...

This thank you card was for a very dear friend who took me out to lunch on my 60th birthday. We have been friends and did lunch together wayyyyyy back on my 40th!

1. Choose 3 coordinating papers.

2 Cut squares and rectangles and back with solid paper 1/4 inch larger.

3  Layer

4. Stamp sentiment on white and layer

5. Assemble and add brads

This is based on the splitcoast sketch challenge # 232. See splitcoast for more details.

Sentiment stamp is from SWEETPEA, of course.

sample by cat gondek

Welcome

I am Jennifer, a stay at home mom of two beautful girls. I have been involved in paper art and crafts for many years off and on. I enjoy rubberstamping, creating collage art, scrapbooking, atc's and more. I am so happy to be able to share ideas for Sweet Pea stamps with you.

Kaleidoscope dreamy mermaid

This is a fun way to use the wedge design of the Dreamy Mermaid stamp -

1... Stamp image 8 times

2.  Fold a paper in quarters and then fold it once more to get a pattern for your 8 wedges.

3.  Position your paper till you like the placement on the stamped image and cut out 8 of them

4.  Color images with colored pencils

5. Arrange in a circle. I put double stick tape on a punched circle of cardstock to help in arranging the wedges

6.  Mat and embellish

card by cat gondek

No one can rain - again

This card uses the splitcoast sketch challenge # 232 - and the spattered background and metallic ink backgrounds from before.  I made it from scraps by my paper cutter.

sample by cat gondek

Stamps Sheets

Plates 1 & 2 were used for the following card recipes.

These plates can be purchased through the link below:

http://www.sweetpeastamps.com/category_16/Full-unmounted-sheets.htm

No one can rain

I love this stamp for a cheer-up card plus it was great fun with a new technique I have been playing with from my latest technique junkies newsletter.

Inside text could be computer generated or hand written and my card says " Except Mother nature. She can rain on anything she wants ! "  I was thinking of incorporating my mermaid stamp as Mother Nature but that may have to wait till tomorrow.

1.  Drop some metallic craft paint into a coke can and add a few drops of water.

2.  Splatter over your white cardstock and let dry

3.  Stamp and mat your text

4. Use your paper punch to add interest and to create 2 tabs over your matting.

card by cat gondek

Butterfly Thank You Card

Supplies:

Butterfly Thank You Stamp
Brilliance Ink Pads (Tsukineko)

• Platinum Planet
• Galaxy Gold
• Cosmic Copper

Black Card Stock (Bazzill)
Bravissimo Verdi Gris Vellum (Emagination Crafts)
Metallic Card Stock (DCWV)
Ultrafine Clear Embossing Powder (Ranger)
Double Sided Tape (Provo Craft)
Sticker Maker (Xyron)
Glue Stick (Scotch)
Ribbons (Unknown)

• Light Green 1/2" Wide
• Dark Green 1/4" Wide

Heat Gun (Marvy)
Scissors (EK Success)

Instructions:

1. Stamp the butterfly image one time with each of the three colors ink on the vellum. Coat with embossing powder, remove excess and heat to set.
2. Cut away the border of the gold stamped image leaving the center.
3. Cut out the butterfly from the platinum stamped image.
4. Layer the three images with the copper image on bottom, the gold in the middle and the platinum butterfly on top being careful to align each image neatly.
5. Cut a 3.25" x 3.25" square from the metallic card stock and mat the stamped image on top, centering.
6. Cut the black card stock to 4.25" x 11" and fold to 4.25" x 5.5" card.
7. Position and adhere the matted butterfly image on the card front, positioning the card to lay with the opening at the bottom.
8. Run the .5" ribbon through the sticker maker and attach to the left side of the stamped image, centering in the open area.
9. Tie a knot with the loose ends of the dark green ribbon and cut open the loop in the center. Run the glue stick down the back of the dark green ribbon and attach on top of the lighter one, centering.
10. Enjoy sharing!

Happy Birthday Card

Supplies:

Sea Goddess Stamp
Daydreamer Stamp
Happy Birthday Stamp
Black Versa Fine Ink Pad (Tsukineko)
Blue Card Stock (Bazzill)
White Cardstock 4.25x5.5 (Unknown)
Double Sided Tape (Provo Craft)
Foam Tape (Miss Elizabeth)
Glue Stick (Scotch)
Water Color Pencils (Stampin' Up)
Stickles - Icicle and Gold (Ranger)
Brads (Unknown)
Water Brush (Unknown)
Petite Mulberry Paper Flowers (Prima Mktg)

Instructions:

1. Stamp the mermaid images on white cardstock and trim neatly.
2. Color the images using a pink and yellow for the torso and arms, blue green for the tails and dark green for the fins, yellow for the hair and brown for the rock.
3. Cut a piece of white card stock to 4" x 5.25", using the water color pencils fill in the paper with a light brown up to about 2" from the bottom and then go back over the area with some dark brown.
4. Above the brown, fill in 1" with two or three shades of blue.
5. Next add a sunrise to the area above the water that stretches up about an inch, by starting with a yellow. Layer orange and red on top.
6. The remaining area of the white card stock should be colored in with blues, beginning with a light blue above the yellow and ending with a dark blue along the edge of the paper.
7. In the area where the blue and yellow meet in the sky, add some purple.
8. After the paper has been colored, go over the colors with a water filled brush, using the water sparingly. Allow to dry.
9. Using the water brush, blend the colors on the mermaids. Allow to dry.
10. Once everything is dry, add the brads to the corners of the background paper.
11. Cut the blue card stock to 4.25" x 11" and fold to 5.5" to create a card base.
12. Attach the back ground paper to the card front with double sided tape.
13. Attach the Daydreamer mermaid to the back ground paper with the glue stick, positioning her to the left along the upper area of the brown.
14. Using the foam adhesive, attach the Sea Goddess image on the card front on the right side overlapping the Daydreamer image slightly.
15. Add Prima flowers to the the neckline to create a lei, on the Sea Goddess and place small dots of gold Stickles to the flower centers.
16. Lightly squeeze gold Stickles out of the tip of the bottle and dot the brown area of the painted paper.
17. Place small dots of the icicle Stickles randomly to the top of the back ground paper in the blue area. Allow everything to dry.
18. Stamp the "Happy Birthday" image to the left side of the card above the Daydreamer mermaid.
19. Enjoy Sharing!

One layer mermaid

Here's the Daydreamer mermaid again, this time for a one layer challenge over at splitcoast.

1.  Punch circle to mask sun; place on corner and brayer tap using a multi color stamp pad.

2. While your brayer is inked, mask the edges and create a 1/4 inch border

3. Stamp image and color with markers

4. Stamp image on acetate, turn over and rub ink under original image to create reflection; color it lightly.

5. Sponge in the sky using a cotton ball or cosmetic sponge; sponge in the water using circular motions, color in the sun. You can outline it with a black gel pen to make it coordinate with the black lines of the stamped image.

Reflecting Mermaid

This lady has a lot to think about, as she sits and holds her head.  To get her reflection, follow these steps:

1.  Stamp Daydreamer mermaid above the center on your white cardstock.

2.  Stamp mermaid again onto acetate. I used versafine quick dry pigment ink.

3.  Position  your stamped acetate image under the original and rub your finger on the back to transfer the ink. The color will be somewhat muted.

4.  Color your main image with bold colors and your reflection with the same colors but lighter tints.  Use a lot of white space and horizontal lines to give the illusion of water and waves.

5.  Accent your work with clear dimensional lacquer. I used crystal effects.

Inside text could certainly be Thinking of you, or Missing you, or even the cute Sweetpea stamps that says D R E A M ...

Sample by cat gondek

Feeling under the water?

This Daydreamer mermaid get well card was fun to make -- my mermaid is holding her own piece of kleenex and has a red runny nose. Poor baby, she also has her box of tissues sitting just below the rock where she is trying to get some rest.

1.  To get her to hold the kleenex, use your smallest punch and punch a row of 3 dots at her hand.

2.  Poke the corner of a piece of tissue through the hole and secure with tape from the back.

3.  Kleenex box is a square with left top and bottom right diagonal corners snipped off.

4.  Draw lines on the back connecting diagonals to see where to cut and create your box.

5.   Mount the pieces on a contrasting color leaving a margin of color showing through.

6.  Cut with a scant 1/8 inch border.

7.  Mount that on a punched circle or 2.

8.  Dimensionally mount on the corner of the cardstock.

Inside text ideas .... Feeling under the water? Hope you feel on top of things soon.

Or ... ( my personal favorite ) Nothing magic, nothing fishy --- Just a little get well wishy.

Sample by cat gondek

Butterfly Thank You

Card created by Cat Gondek

• Stamp background (Butterfly Thank You) in two colors, staggering placement
• Stamp central image and color
• Embellish with pearls and ribbon

Butterfly Thank You

Card by Cat Gondek:

• Stamp Image (Butterfly Thank You)
• Cut image in quarters and mount pieces with 1/8" space to create window
• Cut out curtains and mount
• Use 'Flower Soft' to create window box

Let Us Celebrate

Card by Cat:

• Cut wine glass stencil out
• Wipe ink onto cardstock with cotton ball
• Stamp Text
• Create grapes from punchies, doodle stem
• Use marker on stamp (Let Us Celebrate)

Sweet dreaming mermaid

This mermaid is floating on a sea of torn paper waves - After stamping and embossing mermaid in black, tear a piece of paper with several bumps and valleys and cotton ball your blue ink off the edge in several places on white cardstock.  Mermaid is colored in with markers and glitzed up with shimmery glue.

To create the "dream" in several colors, stamp the image several times in different colors then cut out individual letters R E and M.  Attach those to a base stamped in green or the color of your choice.

I wonder if my mermaid is dreaming of summer beaches, or if it is merely the dream of having a body you can show off with swirling golden curls.

Sample by cat gondek

Butterfly Birthday Card

Supplies:

Butterfly Birthday Stamp
Hunter Green Pigment Ink Pad (Clearsnap)
Clear Ultra Fine Embossing Powder (Ranger)
Teal Cardstock (Unknown)
Floral Printed Cardstock (Stampington)
Gold Bravissimo Vellum (Emagination Crafts)
Double Sided Tape (Provo Craft)
Heather Petite Flowers (Prima Mktg)
Gold Stickles (Ranger)
Heat Gun
Scissors
Paper Trimmer

Instructions:

1. Cut the teal cardstock into a 4.25" x 11" piece and fold in half.
2. Stamp the butterfly image onto the floral cardstock in hunter green ink, coat with clear embossing powder, dust off, heat set and trim the image out neatly.
3. Cut a piece of the gold vellum to 3" x 3.75".
4. Adhere the stamped image to the vellum with double sided tape.
5. Center the stamped image on the card front and adhere with double sided tape.
6. Adhere three flowers to the upper left corner of the image and the lower right corner with double sided tape.
7. Place a dot of stickles in the center of each flower and allow to dry.
8. Enjoy sharing!
   

Butterfly Thank You Card

Supplies:

Butterfly Thank You Stamp
Clear Emboss Ink Pad (Stewart)
Gold Ultra Fine Embossing Powder (Ranger)
Copic Markers (Imagination)

• RV95 Baby Blossoms
• E04 Lipstick Natural
• G94 Grayish Olive
• G24 Willow

Forever Violet Perfect Pearls (Ranger)
VersaMark Pen (Tsukineko)
White Cardstock (Unknown)
Teal Cardstock (Unknown)
Verdigris Bravissimo Vellum (Emagination Crafts)
Gold Bravissimo Vellum (Emagination Crafts)
Double Sided Tape (Provo Craft)
Dew Drops (Robin's Nest)
Heat Gun
Scissors
Paper Trimmer

Instructions:

1. On white cardstock stamp the thank you image in embossing ink, coat with gold embossing powder, remove the excess, heat to set and trim out neatly.
2. Color the butterfly's wings with the VersaMark pen and brush the Perfect Pearls lightly over the area.
3. Using the Copic markers, color in the flowers with the pinks, alternating colors and the leaves with the two shades of green alternating colors.
4. Cut two pieces of the verdigris vellum, the first should be 3" x 3.125" and the second is 1" x 3".
5. Cut two pieces of the gold vellum paper, one piece is 3.25" x 3.625" and the second is 1.25" x 3.25".
6. Mat the vellum pieces of paper, layering the verdigris on top of the gold and centering. Adhere with double sided tape.
7. Mat the thank you image on the larger vellum mat, centering and adhering with double sided adhesive.
8. Cut the teal cardstock into a 4.25" x 11" piece and fold in half.
9. Adhere the matted thank you image in the upper 2/3 of the card front with double sided adhesive.
10. Adhere the remaining layered paper below the stamped image, leaving about .25" from the bottom of the card.
11. Attach 3 dew drops, spacing evenly, to the lower layered paper with double sided tape.
    
12. Enjoy sharing!