The Amy Doodle Of It All . . .

Product Review: Simon Says Stamp

I'm loving this new stamp by Simon Says Stamp Ice Cream Dream! I love the cute popcicles and even cuter sayings! You get 17 stamps for only 14.99! Awesome-sauce! I love the graphics and it's perfect for some fun summer cards!

My First Digi Stamp!!!

I'M SO EXCITED! I've always want to have my own line of stamps (but who can really afford to do that!) So I'm going to try my hand at Digital Stamps. Today is the day I shall introduce my first Digital Stamp to the world!!! She's everything I dreamed she would be! Be kind . . . if she's an ugly stamp than at the very least say "Oh my, she's so sweet." and I'll know what you mean ; )

I labored for 3 hours, and here she is, my first Digital Stamp.....

Queen Bee

 

Stampendous Stack Art

I sure love it when a product gives you lots of WOW factor, and cuts your time creating that WOW in half! Stampendous has these playful kits called Stack Art. Stack Art Kraftboard kits include four sheets of die-cut kraftboard with tag shapes, frames, and embellishments. Four matching, die-cut sheets of double-sided adhesive paper, and four sheets of printed greetings.

They pair nicely with Stack Art Elements kits. What are those you ask?...ONLY THE YUMMIEST COLLECTION of glitters, embossing powder, mics fragments and more!

After you have assembled them, you can use them on cards, layouts, or what ever you can imagine! I decided to use the Stack Art kit to create a candle holder that holds a battery operated tea light candle.

It looks very pretty and sparkly in the dark!

 

Why not try making your own! Here's what you'll need:

1 Stack Art Kraftboard Royal Heart Kit

1 Stack Art Cling Rubber Stamps Royal Heart Kit

1 Stack Art Elements 70's

Double Sided Adhesive tape or sheets

Acetate sheet

StazOn black ink

Rhinestones

1 Gold Jewel Border Dazzles™

 

Here are the instructions:

1. Use WeRMemory Keeper Gift PunchBoard to creat a 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 2 1/2  box from transparency sheet. Using black StazOn ink, stamp box with Stack Art Royal Heart cursive stamp.

2.Fold box, and secure edges with double sided adhesive tape.

3. Cut circles into solid kraftboard shapes. Add matching adhesive shape, and cut out center of adheisive. Burnish with Citrus Orange at the bottom, and Pink Micro Glitter at the top and middle.

4. Add matching adhesive shape to small frame, and burnish with Sea Green Jewel Glitter. Adhere onto pink/orange solid kraftboard aligning holes. Adhere onto transparency box with double sided adhesive tape, and embellish with rhinestones.

5. Use Gold Jewel Border Dazzles™ to hide seams.  Add battery operated tea light candle.

Maybe you've never done mixed media, and that's okay. These sets take all the guess work out of it for you! I dare you to go try one of Stampendous's amazing Stack Art sets, and see just what incredible mixed media pieces you can make! Happy Crafting!

Elements	Stack Art Kit	Stack Art Stamp	Tape Sheet
Punch Board	Gold Dazzles	Rhinestones

Technique Tuesday: Coloring

 To color or not to color? That is SO NOT the question! Of course you should color! The question then becomes "What should I color with"? I love all coloring mediums, so trust me when I say you won't get a bias opinion from me. I love Copics, Colored Pencil, Distress Markers, Spectrum Noir, you name it I love it. Each has pros and cons, so rather than debate on whats the best I'll just show you the differences and what I like about them. I'll also show you one of my favorite shadowing techniques!

Here you can see Spectrum Noir colors blended together. They blend great, they have 2 different nibs to choose from, refillable, and best of all they are AFFORDABLE! The down side is that they don't have as many colors as Copic, but I think they have enough colors to create the blended effect we all love!

 

Colored pencils are great for achieving a blended textured look. They are cost effective, and you can easily replace them. The downside is that you don't get that same blended gradient like you do with markers.

 

Distress Markers are wonderful for a beautiful soft watercolor look. You can color solid images with them as well(Just don't activate with water). Affordable, but they do run out and are non refillable.

Each one is fantastic in their own way, and I can't really choose between them because I LOVE THEM ALL!

Get out some white card stock with a cute stamped image stamped on it, your favorite Copic colors (If you want to use my color sample for your colors you'll be needing: V09,V06, RV04,R22,R21,E11,E01, and for shading B00, Y11) I'm using a super cute stamp called "Time for a Cuppa" from Lili of the Valley.

 

Let's get started . . . I like to color a simple little sun to remind me how and where my light source is coming into my picture. You can see my light is coming from the top right corner.

 

I color in my image remembering to use darker colors on the left side, and the lighter colors on the right side.

 

Repeat this with every part of your image. Remember to look at your sun and let your eyes follow it down to your image. The light won't hit some places, for example: the light might hit the bottom right side of her face, but not her hairline because the sun would be blocked by her head scarf. Because she's in front of the tea pot, the light would only reach the top right of the teapot, etc.

 

Now she's finished, and it's time to move on to shading! You'll need B00, and Y11.

 

I like to start with my shadows. Take the light blue and go over the edges on the left or anywhere the light won't reach.

 

Do the same on the other side using yellow for your light

 

I make sure the yellow is really heavy on the top of her head where she's closest to the sun. 

 

Look at the side by side comparison : )

       

 I really love the difference in the images and how it really makes your image POP! Remember there is no right or wrong product to color with, so pick your favorite and get to coloring!

Color Me Monday

I swear this is this last time I'll do a NEON card! . . . . alright, I'm totally lying, but I'll do my best to try to stop being NEON OBSESSED! I saw this fabulous Neon Party idea on Kara's Party Ideas, and new exactly which image I wanted to use!!! Its an adorable image from Saturated Canary called Party Hardy!

I thought what is more perfect than neon, and a party girl!

 

Sketchies: Set 1

I thought I would start sharing some of my favorite card sketches with you! So I'm starting off with 3 sketches, and one sample. I used a stamp set from one of my most favorite stamp companies....Simon Says Stamp! The stamp set is called "Love This", and I combined it with Echo Park Everyday Eclectic 6x6 paper pack. Please enjoy the Sketchies, and may they inspire you to create something wonderful!

Feel free to post your card inspired by Sketchies on my Facebook page:

Amy Hurley Purdie Card Making & Crafting

 

Love This Stamp	6x6 paper pad	Slate Ink Pad	DoodleBug Buttons

Hero Arts Fancy Dies

I'm just wild crazy in love with the Fancy Cutting Dies from Hero Arts! Thery're small, have intricate designs, and are totally affordable! I'm using Floral Lace for my project today. For a really intricate cutting die, it cuts remarkable well. I found that if I cut 2 layers at a time the die cut came out perfect!

 I used double sided tape to create this glitter focal point for my card. It cut right through the double sided adhesive with no problem what so ever. There are alot of beautiful to choose from. I don't know how I'm ever going to choose just one!

 

Floral Lace	Doodlebug Glitter	Happy Everyday Stamp	Tape Sheet

Color Me Monday

This wonderful image has lots of bright colors, but I wanted to pull out some of the more subtle colors in the photo to create my card.

 I had to use Darcie's Blow Bubbles stamp set for my card (Because the Jellyfish are so stinkin' cute)!  I wanted it to look like a porthole, so I cut out the circles with Spellbinders Circle cutting dies and backed it with a transparency sheet that I stamped bubbles on. I then foam taped my circle over my stamped and colored image. It really gave the card some great dimension! I finished it off with silver Liquid Pearl dots to look like rivets!

 

Blow Bubbles Stamp	Dot Embossing Folder	Spectrum Noir	Liquid Pearls

Thrifty Thursday Packaging Fun!

Being the thrifty girl that I am, I am constantly looking for ways to use what I've got! One of my favorite ways to re-purpose is by using the packaging that my crafting goodies come in! I love to turn them into cute little gifts that I keep on hand, so I can pull one out at a moments notice! Everyone will think your a genius!!!( but secretly you'll know it's because you had one too many caffeine/chocolate filled al nighters!)

These are great for filling with candy!

Stamp packaging is great for holding gift cards or jewelry.

Heres the back . . .

 

Re-purposing packaging for Halloween is so much fun, and my kids love it!

 

What imaginative ways can you use the packaging in your house?

 

Technique Tuesday

So. . . . I have no camera to film this weeks video because I gave my camera to my kids so they could take pictures of my newest Granddaughter! (definitely worthy of missing a week of videos). Since I have no camera I thought I would have a throw back Tuesday instead! Here is a post I did back in 2010. It's a simple ice cream cone stamp that I colored with Copics and added Glossy Accents to create the hot fudge effect. Makes me hungry!!!!