Happy Halloween!

If you've been getting sick of seeing Halloween cards for the last few posts you'll be happy that these are the last ones for the year since today is Halloween. I made these two cards using Tim Holtz masks and Ranger Distress Inks in orange and purple colors. I believe I used Rusty Hinge and Dusty Concord. Both cards have stamps by Artistic Outpost. I cut around the one with the boy to show a bit more of the background. I added a bit of Stickles to the one with the girl on the fence and Distress Stickles to the spider web as well.

Until my next post,
Diane

Witches ATC

Here's a change from the Halloween cards I've been posting, it's a Halloween ATC! Actually the theme for this Stampers Corner Yahoo Group is "Witches" not Halloween. I got this image from the internet but can't remember where so I can't give credit. I can give credit for the stamp though. I used a portion of an Artistic Outpost stamp and then cut around the swirls to tuck the printed image through it. After stamping the image I added some Stickles to the stamped potion. I wanted to color the background blue to match the sky and had some leftover homemade shimmer/glimmer that I made with Ranger Distress Inks and Perfect Pearls. My mister clogged so I decided to pour the remaining contents onto the cardstock so the whole thing is very shimmery/glimmery.

Until my next post,
Diane

Happy Halloween Preview #4

Only two more days to Halloween and here's two more cards. For these I used more of the Studio G stamps and embossed the Versamark ink with clear embossing powder. After that I used some orange and purple Ranger Distress Inks to color in the backgound. When you get the color you like rub the surface with an old t-shirt or paper towel and the ink comes off of the embossing powder area since it acts as a resist. Both of the cards have images by Crafty Secrets.

Until my next post,
Diane

Happy Halloween Preview #3

Here's two more cards I made for Halloween...it's only a few days away. The background on both of these was made using various Studio G stamps, VersaMark and clear embossing powder. It's a great way to make a solid paper into a subtle patterned paper. The one on the top I finished off by using some ric rak and an image by Crafty Secrets. The one on the bottom has some rub on images.

Until my next post,
Diane

Age is only a number..

Here's a simple layout card I made for my niece that is hitting the big "40". How she ever got older than me I'll never figure out. I'll have to teach her the fine art of static age like my forever 29. This card was made using patterned paper by K&Co along with drywall patch overlayed with a Spellbinders frame. On top of that is the focal point image by Crafty Secrets. I added a couple of buttons to finish it off.

Until my next post,
Diane

Happy Halloween Preview #2

Here's two more Halloween cards I made using an owl theme. The inside has a cutout from my Silhouette that says Happy-Owl-O-Ween. The one on the top uses a faux postage stamp by Just For Fun. The owl image is actually an old card reused. The bottom one uses stamps by Inkadinkado and a Spellbinders cutout.

Until my next post,
Diane

Birthday Spinner Card

Here's a card I made for a Grand Niece. I used a template by Art Gone Wild. I took a class last year at the Hampton Stamp Scrap Art Tour and made one pretty much like it but it had been a while so I was a bit rusty since I'd only done it once. Good thing Jan taught us well and of course there was a great set of instructions for us to follow. The class included enough paper materials to make 7 more cards so I decided to stick with pink since the card is for a girl. This time though I stamped the Birthday Wishes phrase by Inque four times around this circle. The Make a Wish stamp is by Just Rite. I used my own brads and ric rack to jazz up the card.

Until my next post,
Diane

Happy Halloween Preview

Halloween is a few days away so I thought I'd take the next few posts to show the various cards I made for my family. This one is a very simple layout using a combination of patterned and solid papers. I stamped and embossed with white powder the Jack-O-Lantern image. I stamped the Studio G pumpkins then cut them out and raised them with pop dots. I finished the card with a bit of faux stitching on the brown cardstock and the peel off trim accented with a Sakura gel pen.

Until my next post,
Diane

Paris ATC

Paris is often used for ATC themes. Recently the Altered Designs Yahoo Group used Paris as a theme for one of their weekly TGIF mingles. I wanted to do something a little different but that is difficult. I started with a piece of Mrs. Grossman sticker paper that I've had for a while. I stamped two images with an Inque set called French Fancy. On top of that I used a portion of a piece of scrapbook paper that is laid out almost like inchies. I cut with Fiskars Stamp scissors to give it the illusion of a large postage stamp. My embellishment is a disc called The Little Classic Sealing Wax. They came in a package of 10 wafers and you just heat them up and them press your seal. Since I had a seal of the Eiffel Tower I knew I had a great matching embellishment.

Until my next post,
Diane

Fall Colors ATC

The theme for this ATC at the Altered Designs Yahoo Group was Fall Colors. I had made a bunch of alcohol ink backgrounds a while back. I layered them with quotes that I printed on acetate. The colors on this one definitely fit the theme, now I needed a few other things to complete the ATC. I brayered a background using a Ranger hand made rainbow pad. Not much of it shows but I wanted to make sure any part that did fit the theme. I cut out the extra off a few leaf die cuts to make them look more realistic. I layered them with the quote and then use a clear Sakura glaze pen to highlight portions of the leaves, pine cone and acorn.

Until my next post,
Diane

Jeweled Birthday Card

I made a series of cards using this stamp a while back. I embossed this image by Impression Obsession using black detailed embossing powder then colored it in with watercolor markers. I added an embellishment by K&Co to finish it off.

Until my next post,
Diane

Open Theme ATC

For this Altered Designs Open Theme TGIF I used one of my recycled cereal boxes with the Portfolio Oil Pastels. After the background was complete I stamped a Stampers Anonymous image and then added a few old buttons and old mini ric-rac.

Until my next post,
Diane

Annie Oakley Card part 2

Here's another card I made with the Tweety Jill Rodeo Sweethearts card kit. The kit contained eight images of rodeo girls, four different ones twice. There were extra papers and embellishments to create more cards so I'll be using some images I've downloaded from the internet when I make some more. As I've mentioned in previous posts I have the stamps that coordinate with the theme so it was fun to use them together.

Until my next post,
Diane

Gorgeous Geishas ATC

I made this ATC for the Stampers Corner Yahoo group using the Glimmer Lace technique by Technique Junkies. I made with the Glimmer Lace technique by Technique Junkies. I made my paper with Ranger Distress Inks and Perfect Pearls instead since I had those supplies on hand. The theme for this ATC was Gorgeous Geishas and I used a stamp by Inkadinkado and made an attempt at making a knot with mizuhiki cord.


Until my next post,
Diane

Applicants for Stop Loss pay have new extension to apply for back pay

Below is a reprint of an email regarding an extention of the stop loss special pay.

Until my next post,

Diane

RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFRNS) – Eligible Airmen, veterans and their beneficiaries now have until Dec. 3 to apply for retroactive stop loss special pay following an extension in the continuing resolution signed by the president Sept. 30.

The new Dec. 3 deadline extends the original Oct. 21 cutoff for applications and allows eligible recipients more time to apply for the benefit.

Airmen eligible for the benefit include active, retired and former members as well as Reserve and Guard component members who served on active duty while their enlistment or period of obligated service was involuntarily extended, or whose eligibility for separation or retirement was suspended as a result of stop loss.  Legally designated beneficiaries for Airmen affected may also apply.

To file a claim, eligible individuals may download a stop loss claim application at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss.  Applicants who were serving in the Reserve or Guard at the time of stop loss may apply by visiting the Air Reserve Personnel Center website at https://arpc.afrc.af.mil/vPC-GR.

Because the benefit period is coming to a close this year, officials at Air Force Personnel Center here have seen an influx of applications, which has lengthened the processing period to eight to 10 weeks from the date an application is received.  After processing, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service may require an additional 21 days for processing the payment. 

Those found to be eligible are entitled to receive $500 in retroactive special pay for each month they were affected by stop loss.  Those who accepted a selective re-enlistment bonus subsequent to being affected by stop loss are not eligible for the special pay.

More than 3,700 claims by Airmen have been approved for retroactive stop loss special pay since officials here began accepting claims in September 2009.

Air Force officials used stop loss for Operation Enduring Freedom from Oct. 2, 2001, through Jan. 31, 2003, and Operation Iraqi Freedom from May 2 through Dec. 31, 2003. Individuals who were deployed during either operation may be eligible beyond the inclusive dates depending on their Air Force specialty and deployment return date.

For more information on program eligibility and claims instructions, call the Total Force Service Center at (800) 525-0102.

Another Glimmer Lace card

This technique by Technique Junkies is called Glimmer Lace. I made a few too many backgrounds and the lace was not giving the best masking effect BUT I kept it since I liked the colors and the glimmer/shimmer. Like others I made I used Ranger Distress reinkers and Perfect Pearls. The stamp is by Hero Arts.

Until my next post,
Diane

Dragonflies ATC

The theme for the ATCOTM at Stampers Corner was Dragonflies. I wanted to give the illusion that you were looking down at a pond and saw dragonflies at different levels. I've got the very small silver ones in groups of three. Next is a larger one stamped with Brilliance Ink and embossed with clear. The largest one, the one closest to you is black. It is stamped and embossed in black. The two larger ones are stamped on vellum and cut out. The paper is some I had left over from marbling. All stamps are by Altered Arts.

Until my next post,
Diane

Faux Domino Card Egyptian Style

I made this card using a technique in the June issue of Technique Junkies. It is called Faux Domino. I used paper by Club Scrap. I actually used the background paper inside out since it came embossed on one side with cartouches so I wanted them to show on the inside. The stamp is by Non Sequitur and the embellishment is by Fancifuls.

Until my next post,
Diane

The World on a card

A few weeks ago I made a bunch of backgrounds using the Glimmer Lace Technique Junkie technique. I used Ranger Distress Ink refills in the mini mister with a bit of water and Perfect Pearls. I made too many impressions without letting the lace thoroughly dry and I wasn't happy with this one. After it dried I decided to use it anyway and I thought the Inkadinkado stamp of the world would go well with it. I used another stamp with postmarks (manufacturer unknown) and then a bit of paper from the DCWV Travel theme to complete the card.

Until my next post,
Diane