OCCC The Sea

I have been away for way too long. I have been so busy - went to Vermont with my boys to visit my dear friend Carol and her wonderful family. I went for Copic Certification (woo hoo!!), and I have been crazy busy with all sorts of things. What else is new?? Anyway, I was so happy to have the time to do the OCC challenge today, and I needed to use my new found Copic skills. They surely need to be honed, but I am working on it. This week's OCC Challenge is a sketch - You can find it HERE. Here in NJ, we say "down the shore" for "going to the beach". There is no place I would rather be than down the shore. I bought this stamp set a couple of months back. It was perfect for this sketch, and for working with my Copics.

Here is the recipe:
Stamps: Clear Art Stamps ~ Seaside.
Paper: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, SU Petals & Paisleys DSP (retired), Barely Banana, Riding Hood Red, White, Cool Caribbean (retired), Neenah Solar White.
Ink: Tsukineko Tuxedo Black.
Accessories: Copics, MS border punch, Riding Hood Red ribbon, Dimensionals, Mat Pack and Piercing Tool, Atoyu Spica Glitter Pen, Corner Rounder Punch, Sponge.

Keep Me In Your Heart

It's late, and I always struggle with night time pictures, but I wanted to get this posted. Tomorrow I have to work on valentines for my boys - that ought to make me choose a color other than pink - LOL!! I have to admit though, I love a man who feels comfortable with pink... anyway, I digress. This card is for Julee Tilman's Mojo Monday #73. Ever since I got this wonderful Verve set (aren't they all so incredibly wonderful???), Hundred Hearts, I have been wanting to emboss this hearts border and use it for a frame. This week's Mojo Monday Sketch really lent itself to that idea. I pretty much used the sketch as is for my card - even the colors, which is kind of funny - with just a couple of changes. I love this sentiment so much, and I love the filigree heart from Verve's Hearts on Fire stamped in light pink behind it. The base of the card is Whisper White, topped with a layer of Basic Black. I used SU's Raspberry Tart DSP AGAIN for the background for my beautiful embossed heart frame... I can't help myself. The hearts border is embossed with Versa Mark and White Embossing powder on basic Black card stock, cut out and fashioned into a frame. The sentiment is stamped with Classic black ink and the filigree heart is stamped with Pretty In Pink ink. The 5/8" Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon is adhered with Sticky Tape. White Taffeta Ribbon is tied around that and secured with a Euphoria Collection Designer Glazed Brad from Basic Grey. I pierced a border around the card to add a little dimension. Thanks for stopping by!

Voila Valentine

This week's OCC Challenge - Crazy for Hearts - is to create a card using two hearts or more. I watched Ratatouille with my son on Saturday night. I love that movie... The culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau, always puts me in mind of the SU "Voila" Chef. I love him too! I knew just what I would do for my OCCC card... so I got to work tonight on it. The base of the card is Rose Red. I used a strip of Raspberry Tart DSP and bordered it to the left with a strip of Regal Rose punched with Martha Stewart's lace border punch. The main image is stamped in black Stazon, and paper pieced with Basic Grey Bittersweet and SU Raspberry Tart DSP. My chef's platter is silver metallic paper from Creative Memories. I love it because it is so shiny. The hearts on the tray are from "Loads of Love". They are colored with re-inkers and an aqua painter and topped with Stardust Stickles. I used the MS lace punch again to make a "doily" to line the tray. My chef's buttons are black brads from Karen Foster Desgin, Inc. The sentiment is from MFT's Hearts Galore. It is framed with Hodgepodge Hardware and finished off with some Kiwi Kiss satin ribbon. I pierced the top and bottom right corners to add some texture. Voila!