A Couple Cards & a Product Review

Hi all. I want to show you some cards I made for a challenge over at Crafter's Digital Art Centre being sponsored by A Day for Daisies. The challenge starts tomorrow, so don't miss it.  It is a sketch challenge that is quite easy to work with (if I can do it, you all can do it I'm sure). You will also get an amazing free image to work with. How great is that eh? Here are the cards I made. The first one is using the Fall Fun image (this will be the image Tammy is offering for the challenge - its so fun!).

Supplies
Stamps:  Fall Fun - A Day for Daisies digital stamp (main image), Inky Antics (sentiments)
Papers:  Wausau 80# Exact Index cardstock, Recollections, Cat Scrap Fever Designs (me - patterned paper)
Inks:  Studio G pigment ink
Embellishments:  Paper flower, brads, rafia, & silk leaves - dollar store,  button & ribbon - Michaels
Tools:  Craft Robo, pencil crayons (prisma & crayola), oms 

I used pencil crayons & oms to colour the main image.  I also used my Craft Robo to design and cut the pumpkin and leaves.  The little tendrils are created by putting some scrap cardstock in the cutter and then cutting very thin slivers of the cardstock.  They will curl on their own, but I wrapped these ones around a pencil and shaped them.  I don't think they'll stay nice and springy once they've been in an envelope and gone through the mail.  Its a shame because they look so cute.

This next picture is another card using the same sketch, but in a Halloween theme.

Supplies
Stamps:  Pretty Witch by A Day for Daisies (digital stamp - focal image), Studio G (sentiments)
Papers: Wausau 80# Exact Index cardstock, Recollections, K&Company (patterned paper)
Inks: Studio G pigment ink
Embellishments: Paper flower, rhinestones, & brads - dollar store, buttons - Michaels, black & green stickles
Tools: pencil crayons (prisma & crayola), oms 

This card is pretty straight forward.  I coloured the image with pencil crayons & oms.  Other than that, the only thing "special" is that I glued rhinestones into the buttons because I couldn't find my black embroidery floss to thread into the holes.  I also put glitter glue on the hat ribbon & black stickles on the cat on the witch's lap.

I really like this next card because the image is so cute.  Again, I really didn't do anything spectacular for this card, but I did add glitter glue to the wings because all fairies wings sparkle. :)

Supplies
Stamps:  Little Nimph by A Day for Daisies (digital stamp - focal image), Studio G (sentiments)
Papers: Wausau 80# Exact Index cardstock, Recollections, S.E.I. (patterned paper)
Inks: Studio G pigment ink
Embellishments: Paper flower, ribbon, & button - Michaels, pink & orange glitter glue - Studio G
Tools: pencil crayons (prisma & crayola), oms


PRODUCT REVIEW - STUDIO G CRAFT INK 

So, I found a new ink that I'm really liking for my clear stamps - especially the cheap Studio G stamps.  A lot of people have problems getting these stamps to ink up properly and problems getting a good image from them.  I haven't had too much of a problem myself, but sometimes the image isn't just so.  I bought some Studio G ink cubes quite a while ago and just used them the other day - on the cards I just showed you and some Halloween cards I made for my craft show (I didn't have time to take pics before the craft show, but I have one left that I'll post later - maybe tomorrow).  Since my Halloween cards have a lot of black cardstock, I thought I would try out the white Studio G ink cube.  This ink is really really good for a white ink.  If you look at the Halloween card I posted above, the white is bright and crisp.  Most any other white ink I've tried soaks into the paper and doesn't stay nice and bright unless you emboss it.  Also, what is so great about this ink is that it dries completely!  Yes, within minutes I was able to rub my finger over the stamped image without smearing it.  A lot of the other craft inks I've tried always take forever to dry (if they ever even dry) and once they're dry they will still smear.  Another thing that I like about these is the price - $1.50 in Canada (they'll be in the $1 bins in the US).  Plus, they have $1.50 glitter glue to match the ink colours.  Aaaannnd, (I know - it keeps going) it also matches some of the new recollections card stocks.  If you look at the first card, the ink I used for the sentiment matches the rusty coloured cardstock, and on the last card the ink for the sentiment matches the green cardstock (although its hard to tell since I stamped it on blue cards stock - but I did test it out to see how closely it matched).  The only thing is that I haven't seen a black ink cube yet.  If I ever do, I'll be snatching up one of those too.  I'm contemplating going back and picking up a couple more white cubes I like it that much.  So if you see these at a Michaels store near you, give them a try.  I don't think you'll be disappointed - especially at this price point.  Just so you know what you're looking for, here's a picture of what the cubes look like:

Well, that's it for today.  Make sure you get over to CDAC and check out the sketch challenge ADFD is sponsoring tomorrow.  It will be fun and you get a great image to boot!

Talk to you later...

Cat