Polaroid Birthday

Still playing with that Doodlebug birthday set I got last weekend. I "borrowed" a scrapbook-style layout for this card. (Imagine a filmstrip of photos in place of the stamped images, with a Polaroid-style frame highlighting one photo.) I think it works here, too.

I have a question to throw out there. I've "collected" acrylic stamps for a while, but only recently have I started actually using them. I'm having trouble finding a permanent black ink to use with the images I want to color). I usually use Staz-On (as I did here), but I've read in places that the solvent ink can damage the acrylic stamps over time. I just picked up a Brilliance Graphite pad (I think), but it ends up stamping like a pale gray most of the time, instead of a crisp black. (I'm stamping on a cushion, too.) I'm looking for the Palette Noir pad next.... any tips, suggestions, recommendations?

Stamps: Doodlebug Birthday (Doodlebug Designs); Everyday Flexible Phrases (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Brocade Blue, Real Red, Barely Banana, Mellow Moss, Jet Black Staz-On
Paper: Real Red, Brocade Blue, Barely Banana, Mellow Moss, Confetti White
Accessories: dimensionals, Spica clear glitter pen, yellow "bigger brad" by Close to my Heart, distressing tool, flower by Close to my Heart, word window punch, red gingham ribbon

Cupcake Birthday

I finally made it to Recollections this past weekend. The good news is I got a lot of cool stuff. The bad news is that they're closing! I know, I know, we all know that, but I *still* can't believe it! Among other things, I got this cute birthday stamp set made by Doodlebug Designs at 30% off, and had to use it right away.

I used one of my favorite color combinations along with Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge #30 to create this card. The images are colored with markers, then colored over with a clear Spica for some sparkle. Circles are done with Nestabilities, and the scallops along the blue vertical strip are done with scallop scissors. The large jumbo brads in the bottom right corner are by Close to My Heart. I used the template from the mat pack for placement, I really did!, but they still landed on there crooked. Grrr.

On a different note, guess what?! Julee T. has another Mojo Monday sketch posted today ... which means ... she picked her winners from last week. I was one of them!! I'm totally flattered, completely humbled, and wickedly excited to go shopping for my free Verve set! Thanks so much to all of you who left such nice comments here when I posted my entry last week. I was smiling from ear to ear with each new comment.

I checked the other entries a couple of times during the week and really felt like it was anyone's game (good stuff, check out the slideshow)... until last night, when I saw JanTink's out-of-this-world amazing card. Julee described it best: "dripping with the kind of mojo that just leaves you begging for more." Lucky for me, Julee picked two winners ;)

Have a wonderful week!