It's a ZOO in here!

(A short tent topper tutorial is included with the last card in this posting!)

I love making elegant cards. I love making pretty cards. I love making baby cards. But my favorite cards to make are cutesy cards with animals. Here are some animals you might find at the zoo.

I love this Hokey Pokey saying. I knew what card I would make first with it as soon as I saw it in the catty! This card uses SCS sketch challenge #168.

Stamps: Tickled Pink, Smarty Pants
Paper: kraft, chocolate chip, pretty in pink DSP, white
Ink: black, brown stazon
Accessories: pretty in pink & apricot markers, Copic gray marker, taffeta ribbon, paper piercer & mat stack



I wouldn't be "lion" when I say that you are welcome to visit any time.... at my blog. Now, if you wanted to visit me at home, you have to let me know in advance if you're a neat freak.... because then I would have to clean my house. LOL!

This color combo and sketch are from a demo Stampin' Success magazine. I wish I had thought to layer the mane on the lion. I'll have to go back and do that.

Stamps: Wild About You, Be Design
Paper: ruby red, brocade blue, more mustard, white
Ink: more mustard, brocade blue, craft white
Accessories: ribbon, WWC, slit punch, eyelet, paper piercer & mat stack, dimensionals





This last card is called a tent topper. You start with a 4.25 square card that opens at the bottom. Then you add the topper. Your topper can be any shape you'd like. Use a standard A2 card (5.5 x 4.25) as your guide so that it isn't too tall for the envelope.

Stamps: Zoofari, Canvas, Short & Sweet, Crab & Company (hat), Great Impressions (paws)
Paper: chocolate chip, ruby red, more mustard, white
Ink: brown stazon, chocolate chip, ruby red
Accessories: SU markers, cutter kit, CM custom cutting system, Marvy scallop punch, hemp
Technique: distressing, tent topper

All supplies used are from Stampin' Up unless noted differently.

13th Birthday

How in the world does the time go by so fast? I can't believe that my son is going to be 13 already! And like a typical teenager, he wants video games and money. LOL! He's spoiled rotten... he's getting both.

Thanks Dawn for the Limited Supply Challenge - Make a shape card that isn't a square, rectangle, or a circle! This was the perfect challenge I needed to make a unique birthday card for this special occasion. This took forever to think, design, create... and redo, but I think it was worth it. For sizing, I used a standard A-2 card as my guide.

I've been informed by my hubby as well as friends on SCS that this also looks like a "B". I was hoping the ribbon made a separation. Oh well. B is for birthday and my son's name starts with "b". So it works out either way you look at it!

Stamps: Brushstroke Numbers
Paper: real red, white
Ink: bashful blue
Accessories: gingham ribbon, paper piercer, ballet blue marker
Techniques: faux stitching

For more great weekly challenges on blogs and around the web, click here.

All supplies were from Stampin' Up!

More Great Tutorials on the Web!

Jeanne Streiff is a marvelous stamper & artist! She also has some great tutorials on her blog, Inky Paws. Click on the link for a complete listing.

Here are some of my favorites.

Paper Piecing

Paper Piecing Part 2

Animal Print Background

Layered Reverse Masking

Birds of A Feather Flock Together

There is a short easy tutorial with card #3!

This first card is another card I made using yesterday's sketch challenge on SCS. The sentiment is handwritten. I wrote it before stamping the birds so that I could cut the paper afterward... therefore no slanted writing. (wink) But now that it's done, I think the writing may be too big for the birds. That's why I added the ribbon.

Stamps: Zoofari
Paper: white, basic black, certainly celery DSP, Petals & Paisleys DP
Ink: black stazon
Accessories: gingham ribbon, apricot & pumpkin SU markers, Copic gray markers for the grounding



The next 2 cards I made some time ago; therefore the use of WWC. But I still like the uniqueness of them. The sentiment on the Treasure card is handwritten.

Stamps: Ahoy, Matey, Matey's Map jumbo wheel. Cheesecloth
Paper: more mustard, buckaroo blue, white
Ink: brown stazon, buckaroo blue
Accessories: WWC, brads, marker, Cutter Kit
Techniques: distressing









This last card uses a technique I call faux layering. You simply mask around the area you want "layered" with sticky notes. Then stamp your images. I chose to use ink that was a shade darker than the cardstock. Next, sponge the area taking care to sponge the edges. I chose to use ink that was the same color as the cardstock. Lastly, remove the sticky notes. Paper piercing the edges will help emphasize the faux layer.

Stamps: Natural Beauty, Best Blossoms, sentiment from A Muse
Paper: chocolate chip, mellow moss, always artichoke, very vanilla
Ink: brown stazon, mellow moss (for sponging), always artichoke (for the leaves)
Accessories: WWC, Offray ribbon, paper piercer & mat stack
Techniques: faux layering

All supplies from Stampin' Up! unless noted differently.

Before & After Challenge #1

Welcome to the new Before & After Challenge!

Each week, I'll have you choose card to redo. Each week there will be a different element to change. The rest of the card should stay the same or close to it. For fun, tell us why you chose the card you did! Post it back to this thread for everyone to see. If you use SCS, please use the keyword: BAC01.

This week, we are changing the colors. I chose this card because I just wasn't happy with the apricot. Maybe so saffron would have looked better? Don't know. But when I saw the color challenge on SCS yesterday I thought it might work better.






How do you think I did? Does it look better? I like the layout. Now that I've changed the colors, I'm not sure I like the extra layer and the dots around the edge! LOL!

Stamps: Simply Said, Priceless
Paper: kraft, basic black, soft sky
Ink: black, soft sky
Accessories: gingham ribbon, marker, soft sky reinker, paper piercer & mat stack
Techniques: faux stitching

For more challenges this week on the web, click here.

All supplies are from Stampin' Up!

Radar from Rubbernecker

I just love this guy! He's got the cutest expression on his face and of course the sentiment is too funny! I really wanted to use my new stamps so I'm glad the sketch challenge worked because the image was bigger than I expected and I wasn't sure how to use it. This sketch was just right! This also qualifies for this week's Rubbernecker challenge! Woo Hoo! A double decker!

I'm thankful for friends because I don't own a Cuttlebug.
Stamps: Busy Bees Radar & sentiment from Rubbernecker
Paper: basic black, white, yoyo yellow
Ink: black
Accessories: Copics, brads, dimensionals, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots

Cowboys and Cowgirls

I'm not sure how I thought of making pink cowgirl hats and boots, but I think they are so cute! The hat & boots were paper pieced and colored with a cocoa marker. The boots card is made with SU's scallop note cards.

Cowgirl Boots

Stamps: Wild West by TAC
Paper: very vanilla, regal rose, close to cocoa DSP
Ink: brown stazon
Accessories: circle & scallop punch, taffeta ribbon, close to cocoa marker, very vanilla scallop note
Techniques: doodling, paper piecing







Cowgirl Hat

This card is 4.25 square. I use 4.5 envelopes from A Muse.

Stamps: Wild West by TAC, Smarty Pants by SU
Paper: close to cocoa, regal rose, white, Loves Me DP, close to cocoa DSP
Ink: brown stazon
Accessories: taffeta ribbon, paper piercer & mat stack, chocolate marker, Marvy scallop punch
Techniques: Faux stitching, paper piecing







Little Dude Birthday

This card is also 4.25 square. It uses SCS sketch #118. I made these cowboy cards awhile ago before I had Copics. Wow! There is such a difference. The coloring with watercolor wonder crayons doesn't look as nice. I think I'll need to trade them.

Stamps: Wild West by TAC, sentiment by A Muse, Cheesecloth by SU
Paper: buckaroo blue, creamy caramel, chocolate chip, white
Ink: brown stazon, buckaroo blue, creamy caramel, chocolate chip
Accessories: WW crayons, brads, hemp
Techniques: sponging

Journey Cowboy

This card has a cool double background. You can right click on the photo to get a better view. This card uses SCS sketch #116. Again, the coloring is awful... I should have waited and used these cowboy cards for my first Before & After Challenge... Coming tomorrow!

Stamps: Canvas, Wild West & sentiment by TAC
Paper: chocolate chip, buckaroo blue, creamy caramel, white
Ink: Brown stazon, buckaroo blue, creamy caramel, chocolate chip
Accessories: WW crayons, hemp
Techniques: sponging



All cardstock and colored ink are from Stampin' Up!

Stamping Bella Challenges

Have you see the new SCS gallery? They have company galleries! I am so excited about that!

This first card was made for Bella sketch #19 (Topper Card).

Stamps: Stamping Bella, sentiment from MFT
Paper: close to coco, white, cool caribbean, pretty in pink DSP, Loves Me DP
Ink: brown stazon
Accessories: Marvy scallop punch, CM custom cutting system, SU markers, cool caribbean reinker, ribbons, eyelets
Techniques: Topper Card




The second card was made for today's Bella sketch challenge #33.

Stamps: Stamping Bella
Paper: white, bashful blue, bashful blue DSP, real red, real red DSP
Ink: black, bashful blue
Accessories: Copics, photo corner punch, gingham ribbon, white gel pen
Techniqes: sponging


All cardstock and colored ink pads are from Stampin' Up!

A Sporty Father's Day

We have a sports minded family. I can't keep track of all their fantasy teams. LOL!

Stamps: Sporting Goods, Holiday Blitz, Canvas, golf bag from Great Impressions
Paper: blue bayou, soft sky, white
Ink: black, blue bayou, soft sky
Accessories: not quite navy marker, soft sky reinker, blue bayou ribbon
Techniques: sponging






I love coloring Riley! You can find a Copic blending & coloring tutorial here. I sponged the grass with wild wasabi and the sky with bashful blue. The golf ball is popped up on a dimensional. This card would also make a great retirement card.

Stamps: Sporting Goods, Golf Riley from Hannah Stamps
Paper: chocolate chip, wild wasabi DSP, white
Ink: black, chocolate chip, wild wasabi, bashful blue
Accessories: Copics, dimensional
Techniques: sponging








The baseball was made using the Creative Memories custom cutting system. I used a circle template to guide my red "stitches".

Stamps: Sporting Goods, sentiment from Great Impressions
Paper: brocade blue, close to cocoa, white
Ink: brocade blue, chocolate chip
Accessories: eyelets, red marker, gingham ribbon, CM custom cutting system, ticket corner punch
Techniques: sponging

All cardstock & ink are from Stampin' Up!

Inspired Birthday Cards

In my family, Father's Day means birthdays, too. I have an abundance of birthday cards ready and stored in a box. I let my son pick them out this time.

The first card was inspired by Carole Richardson.

Stamps: Watercolor Garden, Cheesecloth, Warmest Regards, Shower Flower from Stampendous
Paper: chocolate chip, creamy caramel, so saffron, very vanilla
Ink: chocolate chip, creamy caramel, so saffron, mellow moss
Accessories: ribbon, dimensionals, paper piercer
Techniques: distressing



The second card was inspired by TERRORE3.

Stamps: Roses in Winter, Cheesecloth, Birthday Best
Paper: pretty in pink, river rock, white
Ink: regal rose, pretty in pink, river rock
Accessories:taffeta ribbon, paper piercer & mat stack
Techniques: faux stitching, distressing


All paper and ink from Stampin' Up!

Free Tutorials on the Web

I found some great tutorials by Jackie Topa. You can find a complete listing of her tutorials at Addicted to Stamping. Here are my favorites that I need to try.

Stationary Box

Photo Wallet

Faux Carousel Notes