project red

Dream in Color Classy hand-dyed yarn in Lipstick Lava

Seems all my projects this weekend involve red. Not a color I usually choose first. But I'm liking it! The yarn above is beautiful....Lipstick lava. I bought it sight unseen - I had seen a similar version of it but it is a hand dyed so there was no telling what it would be like. I love it. It is for a Chic Knits knit-a-long at my LYS where I will be working on the Mondo Cable Cardi. This week I have to do a guage swatch after I buy the correct size needle...the knit-a-long starts Tuesday but I will be celebrating my Dad's birthday so will have a good reason for  late start!

I also worked on some Valentine's this week. I have not made any for years...except I usually make one for my guy each year. While on vacation I bought some patterned papers from Little Yellow Bicycle and Basic Grey and some Hero Arts stamps and finally got a chance to play around with them this weekend. I also used a bunch of other Valentin-y stuff I had in my stash...

At my LSS I bought a pack of Hero Arts cards and envelopes...they are great! I usually buy cards and envelopes in bulk from Clear bags...they are a great company and I am loyal to them. But I did enjoy using the colored cardstock of Hero Arts cards and I like the fact that the insides are white so they are easy to write messages on. And the envelopes are cute...the flap has a flourish shape to it. Nice detail.

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"Be My Valentine" - This one is for my guy...I had fun working on it and it was the first one I made. I used an idea from Kristina Werner to make a "banner" using cardstock and pop dots to make it looks as though it is waving...

Supplies: Hero Arts Card & Envelope,2 Hearts cut out of Patterned paper (Little Yellow Bicycle - Sweet Love), background patterned paper (Basic Grey - Sugar Rush), XOXO and "Be My Valentine" clear stamps (Hero Arts), Checked Heart stamp(Impression Obsession), pink cardstock,Basic Grey rhinestone, red chalk

ink, clear embossing powder, Sepia Archival ink, pop dots.

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"Your Friendship" - This one I made for a friend of mine I have had since high school. Recently she decided to go back to a professional program to make a very brave career change. She is working all the time and interning so we never get to see each other. I miss her and wanted to make her this! I don't usually make Valentine's for friends (at least not since grade school!) but was thinking of her...I kept it very simple with stamps and white embossing powders...

Supplies: Card & Envelope (Hero Arts),Owl stamp (Basic Grey), "Your Friendship..." clear stamp (Hero Arts), Heart clear stamp in background (Hero Arts), Versamark watermark ink, white embossing powder, edge punch (EK Success).

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"Happy Valentine's Day" - I think this one will be for my parents. The patterned paper is fun. The hearts have a silver foil effect that you can't really see in this picture. I played around with clear embossing powder and a heart stamp I have had for awhile. I bought it on sale awhile back and like how it came out. When I finished it I thought it was missing something so I added the flourish in a pink chalk in...

Supplies: Card & Envelope (Hero Arts), Patterned paper (Little Yellow Bicycle - Sweet Love), "Happy Valentine's Day (Hero Arts), small heart stamp (Hero Arts), Large heart stamp (Heidi Swapp), flourish stamp (unknown source), Versamark watermark ink, clear embossing ink, black Archivers ink, pink cardstock, pink chalk.

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"Polka Dot Valentine" - I'm not sure who will get this card. I played around with white embossing powder and one of my favorite new-to-me stamps - the Hero Arts polka dot background stamp. I also used the Heidi Swapp heart stamp again with clear embossing powder but this time did it on pink cardstock and cut it out. Layered some cardstock and patterned papers along the center...

Supplies: Polka dot background stamp (Hero Arts), Large Heart stamp (Heidi Swapp), "Happy Valentine's Day clear stamp (Hero Arts), strip of Patterned paper (Basic Grey- Sugar Rush), Versamark watermark ink, clear embossing powder, white embossing powder, red chalk ink, edge punch (EK Success), pink cardstock.

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Unfinished - This last one is a work in progress. I was experimenting. With one of my recent Cocoa Daisy kits of the month I got this beautiful ornate frame clear stamp. I have been trying it out with various inks and effects recently. This time I wanted to try white embossing powder on the red card. I love it! But am not sure what else I will do with it yet...

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Today I also took a class at my LSS - Great Impressions. Had so much fun! Made 6 cards...some I like better than others but mainly I liked getting out of the apartment, being around others who share my hobby and learning a few new techniques. Of course I left my LSS with more "stuff!" I really have to work to sticking to a budget from here on forward. I have not been doing well with that.

But as part of the class we got to take home the background stamp we used a Damask Background

...and I bought another stamp we used at a 25% off discount...a chandelier stamp.

I will take photos and post tomorrow!

Well I'm hoping to do some knitting and relaxing. Tomorrow I have off but have to print out my syllabii and stuff for classes that start on Friday! Bring on Spring semester...

Happy Sunday!