Snarky Birds

If you are a reader of my blog you know I have been trying to use up some of my images that I've pre-colored; when I am in the mood to color, no image is safe, regardless of if they are old or new, and the crazy animals in the Tim Holtz line are some of my favorites to color.  Perhaps it's because I basically learned how to color on them, or because they have an expression that fits almost every occasion, but I have more birds, cats, and dogs than anything else.  So today you get a twofer; two for the price of one!

What I Used to Make my Cards:
Pre-Colored Bird Crazy Birds, Stamp Set {CMS212}& Die Set {660954}
Hero Arts Ink in Navy Blue
Light Blue Card {for sentiment}
Dylusions Say It How It Is stamp set, #DYR37774
Dylusions Shut Up & Color stamp set, #DYR55525

These cards were actually inspired by the card bases.  I got them years ago {at least 10 years ago now!} and I recently came across them.  So, in trying to use up the old {to make more room for the new}, I put them on my desk and resolved to use them.  It just so happens I found a few Bird Crazy birds that I had colored ages ago and the shades of blue were perfect for the card blanks.  Off I went. 

Nothing beats a snarky sentiment {I am a huge fan of the sarcastic and snarky} and Dylusion Stamps has the best sentiments.  For these cards I stamped the sentiment on light blue card and hand cut them.  Then I put the first part of the sentiment on the front of the cards; the last part on the inside.  I rarely put anything on the inside of my cards, I like to leave them blank so I can write whatever I wish, but these cards were calling out to be snarky!

Here are the insides of the cards.

Card A

Card B

Since they use practically identical products, I've called the card on the left Card A and the card on the right Card B.  I honestly can't choose which one I prefer; both of the sentiments work for me and I adore both of the birds. How about you? Which one do you prefer? Which of the sentiments speaks to you the loudest? 

I'm going to give these cards to the troops.  I figure there has got to be a deployed person who's significant other would appreciate getting one of these in the mail.  They are such a nice change of pace from all the feminine flowers and syrupy sentiments!  

Thanks for stopping in! Please consider following me and, if you do, let me know and I will follow you back.  Not only is it good Blogging karma but I'm amassing quite a huge giveaway and you will want to know when it's announced {and you'll have to be a follower to win}.  Have a snarky day! Christi

I'm Entering my Snarky Birds in the Following Challenges:
Cards in Envy - No Patterned Paper
Addicted to CAS - #132, Birds
International Art & Soul - #29, Add Humor 
Daring Cardmakers - Watch the Birdie!
The Sisterhood of Crafters - M, Birds
Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - #105, Z is for Zig Zag (Jane pointed out to me that my frames are zig zag!)

I got featured AGAIN! Woo HOO!

I am SO thrilled to be a featured post at Unruly PaperArts again! This site is SO inspiring and they have some great challenges - here is a link to the Postcards from the Edge Challenge - mine is the last postcard:
Unruly PaperArts Postcards from the Edge

And here is a small image of the card itself:

Thanks so much for stopping by & I would love to visit your blog - leave me some blog love & I will do the same ~ Blessings!

Alcohol Ink Postcard

I love Unruly PaperArts and I promised myself I would enter as many challenges as they’d let me.  Well, this month’s challenge is “Postcards off the Edge” – I still have a whole bunch of ideas with that in mind, but one stuck out so far I had to make it today.

This is what I used:

• 1 piece of Priority Mail box cut to 4 x 6
• Dylusions by Dyan Reaveley Stamp Set “Say What You Mean”, #DYR34551
• A whole bunch of alcohol ink background papers – all different colors (I used inks from many different companies to make these backgrounds)
• The little pad you swipe on the stuff you are gonna emboss so the powder doesn’t stick where it isn’t supposed to
• Extra Fine Detail Embossing Powder, Black, from Stampin’ Up!
• Top Boss Embossing Pad

The computer cannot due these justice - they are beautiful if I must say so myself :)

First, I cut 2 x 2 squares out of the background papers.  I tried to look for lighter colors because I wanted to be able to see embossed sayings.  I finally ended up with six squares that I liked.

I then went to my “Say What You Mean” stamp set and chose sentiments that would fit on the squares. I didn’t even look at what they said, if they fit, they were in.

Then I swiped my squares with that anti-embossing powder pad thingie, stamped each square with a sentiment with the embossing ink, sprinkled on the embossing powder and embossed with my kick ass Weller Heat Gun.  I have had this heat gun for 10 years and I LOVE it – It cost a lot of money, but it was SO worth it!

After a slight mishap where my quote literally chipped off my square, I cut a new one and all was good again.  This time the embossing held up fine.

I put them on my 4 x 6 postcard and there! I love this because it is so colorful – and if I am going to do color, you are gonna see it – no mamby pamby color here! OK, I think it’s time for bed. . . 

If I can't decide between pictures, you get them all

I dunno, maybe this one is the best pic so far

 I am entering this fabulous postcard in Unruly PaperArts: RAQ 1 - Postcards from the Edge Challenge and I have a feeling there will be more. . . ;)

You Can't Skip & Be Unhappy. . .

Dyan Reaveley is so hot right now (and it is HOT in Aurora, we have been hitting high 90’s and I have NO AC) & I just got my first set of her stamps, the “Say What You Mean” set (perfect for my sense of humor!) - I had to break into them right away. I love this saying – it’s SO true and while me trying to skip is a sight to see (it’s hard to skip with a few steel rods next to your spine) I sort of take it not so literally and make the saying mine, like it’s hard to be in a bad mood if you are smiling – OK, I can smile & be mad, but I digress. .  . I made this card out of cream card stock, the stripes are a bunch of strips (you KNOW we always have a ton of strips!) that I put on a piece of paper that I ran through my Xyron, then I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of cream cardstock, mounted on some left over kraft card stock and mounted that on the card – bingo!  Making the striped panel is SO easy & it gets rid of all those scrap strips and you can do it while trying to catch up on all your shows that you DVR’d ‘cause it’s summer!! 

 Hope you enjoy the strip stripes (I hadda say it once) card - I am on a creating bender! Take good care & stay cool (or if you are in the other hemisphere, stay warm!) Thanks Christi :)

Oh of COURSE I forgot to mention I am entering this Strip of Stripes card
in the Simon Says Stamp & Show: Stripes Challenge - must be the heat - LOL