from my ink pad to yours

Blogger's Swap: Michelle and Julie

Michelle Laycock really makes these paisley images from Polka Dots and Paisley and Polka Dots and Petals harmonize in her lovely patterned piece.  (One of my hesitations in using patterned paper is that it is SO fun to make your own).  Other details to note are her use of the word window punch tab and the delicate way she incorporated hardware with her ribbon.  Here is a direct link to her card recipe.

I think Michelle was the first rubberstamper to blog, having been at it for over 4 years now. Her blog is Ink Artist and you will find lots of great stuff on her blog including a late April  trip down memory lane: entries about her early blogging.

This is a card you could actually send to it's creator, Julie Masse, who just gave birth to her 4 child, Aaron last week.  You can see him and more of her work  on Julie's blog, Stampin with Julie.

I really like Julie's use of tabs on this card and the darling ric rak running down the side. Let's all hope that Julie's feeling as good as this card looks!

Bloggers Swap: Leslie and Mimi

What punch this card has! This clever little beauty was made by Leslie Brown.   One more reason I should be thinking harder about the tab punch. My picture doesn't do justice to all the detail Leslie gave this card.  She even used the paper piercer on the right edge  of the inside.  It really compliments the dots she stamped from Paisley and Polka  Dots.  You can see more of Leslie's beautiful stamping world on her blog, Continuing to Create. Check her out soon and you might get in on some blog candy.

Here is Mimi Hornberger's Bubble Bath card! While the picture is beautiful to look at you don't get the full effect until you touch it.  She has sewn tulle over the white cuttlebugged layer that is awash in Pretty in Pink punched flowers.  What texture! The stamp is from JoAnn's.  Take a look a Mimi's great blog,  Stamps-a-latte Stamp Cafe.  Today she features a gorgeous Beautiful Beach card which also uses one of my favorite backgrounds, Cheesecloth.

Blogger's Swap: Fairle and Donna

I sure hope I got my camera to do justice to this pretty card by Fairle Beaman Carroll, Fairle on SCS.   Can you see the glitter on the pink petals? And, how clever was she to spell out her cheerful "Hello" in the centers of those flowers. The background is glossy cardstock stamped with Polka Dots and Petals.  You can see more of Fairle's lovely work at her blog, Stamping 101.  She also did something I try to do when I use black in a card, especially one as softly colored as this: repeat any you use color more than once.  She could have just used black on the letters but can you see how she creates a little rhythm and focuses her work by repeating the black with a very thin border?

Today's other Blogger's swap card is from Donna Baker.  This was the swap that allowed the participants to use products from any company.  Donna used background(Canvas and Paisley and accessory word stamps (Expressive Flexible Phrases) from Stampin' Up! but the main image and message are Map Girl and Scenic Route by Inky Antics. Such a fun card - Donna's going to convince me to order that tab punch yet! Isn't the ribbon tied around the tab with the brad cute?

Donna's blog is Serenity in Stamping. Go check it out!

Bloggers Swap: Amber and Anna

This lovely card is by Amber Porter. I'm really impressed by the way that she drew black into her design to bring focus even though black is no where to be found in the patterned paper, Petals and Paisley, that she features.  And you've just gotta love the ticket corner punch!  I'll have to try some of my patterned paper with colors that aren't actually in it and see if I can get results like Amber's. You can see more of Amber's wonderful creations on her blog, Ramblings of a Sassy Stamper.

Isn't this fun! Anna Zuniga, whose blog is StampAnna, made this with the boot stamp from Papertrey's Green Thumb set. Note how the second boot is raised with dimensionals for just the right touch. And, her dotted background is perfect with the boots! Make sure you give Anna's blog a visit to see more of her creative stamping!

Julie Purdam, featured blogger

Here is the first of  many fantastic cards from the Blogger's swap I participated in earlier this month. Julie Purdam, of Rubber Room Ramblings,  is the creator.  I just love her fresh colors and the whimsical feel she gives this card.  You can read more about this specific card here, on her blog.