I Had Fun With This One!

Today I made a card using a QKD digi image called Mermaid Braids by the lovely Maigan Lynn.

I decided to use an embossed card front that I "tweaked" by coloring the unraised parts and Stickling the raised parts (I thought these looked like waves).

I colored Maigan's mermaid with Copics, then fussy-cut her off of the rest of the image.  I adhered her to my card with dimensional tape.

To embellish, I lined up some like-colored ribbons and covered the staples I had used to fold them with a spray of flowers.  A few clear skittles add to the underwater look of my card and it's finished.

Oh, and I added a tiny starfish charm to her wrist.  Uh oh, looks like she lost an eyelash!!  Better do an emergency make-up recovery job on her before she gets mailed out!

Like what you see?  Go on over to the ALL NEW Queen Kat Designs Shop to choose your favorites!!  Tell them Pat sent you!

Beach Birthday Party

Some people think that when you live in Chicago, a beach party is impossible.  But Chicago lies on one of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan, and our beaches are elbow-to-elbow packed with families, jocks and swim bunnies.  So I had to come up with an appropriate package for my birthday present for an upcoming party at the beach.

For this project I used a Maigan Lynn digi image called Mermaid Braids.  I colored her with Copics and framed her with coordinating cardstock.  I have had a couple wooden boxes/containers in my craft room forever, so I grabbed one and Mod Podged some hound's tooth-patterned tissue paper to cover it.

After adhering Maigan's image onto the front, I had my way with the embellishments!  I'll be dropping a gift card to Bubba Gump's Restaurant into this handmade box.  I know she'll like it!

Check out all of the July releases from the Queen over at the Shop today!!  For more inspiration, check out our Facebook Fan Page.

And as always, keep crafting!!

Under the Sea with A Maigan Lynn Mermaid

I am just loving the new July releases from Queen Kat Designs.  Here's another one I got to play with and want to show off.  It is called Mermaid Braids by the very talented Maigan Lynn.

I made a mixed media card using patterned papers, lace, ribbon, wired jewels and Stickles.  I colored my mermaid with Copics and placed her in a tropical setting using those patterned papers.  I adhered her with dimensional tape.

The wired jewels came off a frame or basket (that was butt ugly).  Its only saving grace was the wired jewels, which I of course threw into my crafting stash, throwing away the basket (frame?).

Maigan is one of the many artists at QKD whose images I love to play with.  And this one is a new DIGI!!  Digi's are very versatile, because you can print oin any type of paper, resize the image and even flip it to face the other way.

Go check out the QKD blog for loads of inspiration this month using the new releases!! Our design team, which we refer to as the Royal Stamping Maidens, has been super busy showing off their creativity.

Sweet (Pea) Valentine

One of my 2013 crafting goals is to play in more challenges, so here's a card for the February Sweet Pea Challenge Blog.
Their theme is anything Valentine.  I used a Sweet Pea stamp from artist Terra Bidlespacher called "The Shore".  Her stamp is a beach scene, but I fussy-cut her out along with a crab and a starfish.
I colored her with my trusty Copics and adhered her to my card base of ripped papers-some distressed core-dinations cardstock and some CTMH paper.  I stickled the ripped edges to look like sea foam glittering in the sun.
I added some ink to the card edges and to the "Sandy" cardstock.  I tied a bow and put it in the sky, as well as some seagull buttons.
I added a computer-printed sentiment, part of the lyrics of a song from Disney's Little Mermaid:  "Go on and kiss the girl".  A lone (punched) heart puts the final touch on my card, and I'm ready to play in the challenge!
A random winner will receive a gift certificate for their store, so what are you waiting for?  Everyone can use another stamp (or seven). LOL

Day 3 of QKD's 13 Days of Halloween Blog Hop

Good morning, crafters!  Today is Day Three of the Queen's 13 Days of Halloween Blog Hop. If you've come here from BETH's blog, you're on the right track.  If not, start your adventure at the QKD Main Blog, We have a fun line-up of cards to inspire you using the color purple, and you don't want to miss out on any of them!

My card today uses a lovely QKD stamped image from artist Maigan Lynn.  I colored my mermaid with Copics and framed it with a diecut lacy frame in purple.  A little Stickles in her hair gives it a bit of dimension.  Embellishments include a knotted ribbon, a stapled snip of same ribbon, and a handmade candy corn tag.
Now onto another great card at VIKKI's Blog (otherwise known as Queen Kat).  Before you leave, please leave a little love!  Enjoy your hop today!!

If you get lost, here's the Blog Hop Order:
October 3: The Color Purple
QKD Blog http://qkd.blogspot.com
Beth http://www.inkcoveredgirl.com/
Pat http://patacakespages.blogspot.com/
Vikki http://qksc.blogspot.com
Sue http://cardandjewelrycorner.blogspot.com/
Teresa http://mommameasfavoritethings.blogspot.com/
Janie http://charisma3103.blogspot.com/
WIS 2.0 http://whimsicalinksorority.blogspot.com
Stephanie L http://stephscreativechaos.blogspot.com/
Maria http://riacreations.blogspot.com/
Emily http://emsmanythoughts.blogspot.com/
Kristi http://kristiscreativecafe.blogspot.com
QKD STORE http://www.katstamps.com

Mixed Media Just Because card

My crafting has mood swings.  Sometimes I'll enter a CAS period where less is better, and clean lines and white spaces are beautiful.
Then there are my periods when I use up a certain embellishment, like lace, or flowers, or buttons.  And let's not forget color obsession.  I was on a Teal kick for weeks!
Well, today I was inspired by Jean Blenkhorn's artwork, and tried my hand at a multimedia card.  It's 5x7, because if I'm going to throw on all the elements that move me, my card has to have room for them!

I started with a Queen Kat Designs stamped image called  Porcelain Mermaid by Terra Bidlespacher.  I colored her before even looking for a theme or patterned paper to use.  I just wanted my muse to take me wherever it wanted.
Once she was colored with my copics, I found a piece of amazing seashell patterned paper.  I built on this base, weaving raffia to look like a net, adding tiny seashells and ocean-themed buttons.  I ink-distressed the image, the sentiment and the card base with both Distress Inks and chalks.
I found a Tim Holtz embellishment--a tiny corked bottle, and cut and rolled some printed paper to stuff inside it.  The bow is tied brown netting, and the seagull perched on the sentiment?  Another ocean-themed button.
I'm not used to throwing everything but the kitchen sink on a card, but the embellishments called to me.  Who knows?  From this project I might start using paint and mod podge and all sorts of items.  Or I might go back to simple, pretty, whimsical, clean.
Wherever I go, it will be to follow where my muse leads.
Where does your muse lead you?  If it takes you to the beach, then Terra's Porcelain Mermaid is a great starting point.  You can find her and her salty friends HERE.