Americana Bike

  This card was made from a Woodware USA sketch.  I thought it would be just right to compliment this bike image and I used my Johnny Luv's favorite red, white and blue.  The bike was colored with Prisma pencils and OMS after laying down the navy blue on the fuel tank and fenders blue crystal lacquer was laid down on top.  It really brought a new bike shine to the image.  In this picture, you cannot see all the glitter that is on the chrome.  I used a Sakura glitter pen and it truly sparkles like chrome ought to shine. My clearance papers were used again for all the background papers so another economical card for me.  That probably brings my card costs down to something like $500 per card counting everything invested in this hobby.

All American Mermaid

     I love this color combination and since I married Capt. America I get to use it a lot.  We are even planning in redoing our kitchen with an Americana theme.  BTW do not tell any one that you know Johnny Luv is Cappy.  It is a secret and he cannot battle the forces of evil if everyone knows who he is, but I trust you all.

    Johnny Luv purchased some crystal lacquer for me at the last scrap convention as well as the little anchor charms.  Both were used on this card.  The lacquer really makes the mermaids tail shine and the color is so rich.  The paper was a wonderful find in the clearance aisle, where I recently hit a mother load of red, white, and blue papers. 

      The embossed ship on the inside of the card was part of the same design paper that was used to mat the different layers.  Some room was left to add a sentiment that will probably be embossed in white or else a little white tag will be added with the sentiment stamped onto it.

Barbie Bombshell

     This was a super fun card to make, I mean, who doesn't have fond memories of Barbie.  My oldest daughter, Bonita, actually came up with the idea and I love it because I did have this Barbie many (too many) years ago.  The card was created for a pink, black, and white challenge and Barbie's black and white swimsuit was perfect.

     All the pink design papers are from Paper studio basics pad.  The black design paper is from a pad I purchased on clearance, Slice black and white pad.  Boy have I gotten my moneys worth out of both pads.  I went for tons of layers as usual and some black and white ribbon to add just that little touch of black that was still needed.

Modern Vintage - Bombshell Style

Ok... at least this is my take on modern vintage! :-)

I love the black and fuschia combo. I keep gravitating to the pink and black shades.  Every time I look at the Girls Ruin stamp I imagine her going up the stairs. . . so I had to try my hand at it. I seriously contemplated doing a side, stair step card, but I just couldn't get it to look the way I wanted it to.

I used Copics to color the lovely lady. I tend to color more with the lighter, darker then blend technique, and that is what I did here. The shoe and her accessories (Uh... clothes) are colored with RV63, 33, 39. Her skin is E0000, E000, E00, E01 and R20. I colored her entire body up first, including under her hose and top, as if they were not on... to get the shading right. Then I went back over the hose with the grey C1, C3. It gives a little bit of the skintone showing up through the hose.  The black part of the heel is C3, 5, 7, 9.

Once I was done, I kind of went Embellie Crazy. The bottom  black swirls are from Jolees, and the cameos were some buttons that I cut the back off of. Added a couple of dark fuschia flowers, and voila... Vintage looking - only modern.

Hope you liked this little bit of inspiration! Keep coming back to see what the other Bombshells are putting together.  And for more inspiration head on over to the Bombshell Gallery and look at all the fun you can have with these lovely ladies!

Bombshell Bunny

This card I made for my brother.  I'm thinking he should really like it. Inside the sentiment is "Some bunny loves you"  I have been thinking about this card for about a month.  I have had the bunny ear punch since last year.  I couldn't resist it!  I had loads of ideas of stamps to use it with but not as much time as imagination.  At least I was able to use it once this year.  I used one of my favorite Bombshell Stamps, Bombshell Angel,  for this card and paper pieced her swimsuit to match her ears.  I used a Sakura glitter pen to add sparkle to the suit, although it just doesn't show in the photo.  I really love the effect of the glitter pen and tend to add it to quite a few of my cards.

It's Here It's Here - The Blog Hop is Here!

Hello Bombshells!

Yahoo! I'm so excited because today is the ~ Blog Hop ~ :-D
I can't wait to see all the crafty goodness that everyone has come up with! So let's not delay, let's start right
now!

To hop, click the link below which will take you to a Bombshell's post. Get wowed, and leave some love, if you're so inclined. ;) Then, click the link at the bottom of each post to hop on! :-D

Here we go with the first link, my blog! :)

Rachael's Handmade Designs

Here is the entire blog hop list in case you get lost along the way:

Kelli
Cheryl

Anita-Marie

Alison

Katie

Sparkly Mary

Alaine
Stempelientje

Emily

Raven

Kathi

Mary G.

Simple Metal Heart Embellishment

Hello, beautiful Bombshells!  This is my first post to the Bombshell Stamps Blog and I thought I would share a simple method for creating a cool heart embellishment.  This post is picture heavy and I have a tendency to be a bit verbose, so you might want to pack a snack and grab a cool libation before we get started ;D

Step one:  You'll need a few things for this project...a Staz On Jet Black stamp pad, a fat paper stump, a small stylus and/or a teflon refiner, a ball/cup tool (not pictured), and a small piece of 36 gauge aluminum (not to be confused with the foil stuff you wrap up leftovers in...lol!)  You'll also need something spongey to work on.  A mouse pad or a thin piece of foam works great.  And finally, you'll need an image for your metal piece.  I used a heart from the All My Heart Bombshell Stamps set. 

Step two:  Stamp the heart on the aluminum using a Staz On Jet Black ink pad.

Step three:  Closely trim out the heart using a good, sturdy pair of scissors.  Don't use your detail scissors on this.  I trimmed off the arrow portion of the image.   

Step four:  On a hard surface (table top works great) outline the main details of the heart using a teflon tool or a small stylus.

Here's what it looks like from the back.  We'll be spending an equal amount of time on the back and front of our embellishment embossing and debossing the image.  Embossing is the act of raising the image above the paper and debossing is the act pushing the image below the paper.  A combination of both, results in lovely details on your metal.

Step five:  Working on a soft surface (mousepad) and the back of the metal, press the ball end of the ball/cup tool into each of the scalloped sections around the heart.  The ball/cup tool is the coolest of all the metal tools.  I lucked into an inexpensive basic set from 10 Second Studio when a craft store closed in town.  

Step six:  Working on a hard surface (table top) and the front of the metal, use the cup end of the ball/cup tool to define the impressions you made in Step five.  You can achieve a similar look by using a medium stylus to create the impression and a small stylus to define around the impression.

Step seven:  Working on a soft surface (mousepad) and on the back of the metal, use a small stylus to emboss the area around the ball/cup impression you just created.  It will looked slightly raised from the front.  Go back and forth until you are satisfied with the results.

Step eight:  Working on a soft surface (mousepad) and the back of the metal, use the fat paper stump to puff out the center of the heart.  Work it until it is nice and smooth and raised.  This picture is from the front.  Finally, using a sponge or soft cloth, rub a little bit of the Staz On Jet Black ink onto the heart to emphasize all the nooks and crannies you created.  Gives it a lovely aged look.  Careful not to bend it, as it's quite delicate.  Fill the back with dimensional lacquer and let it dry overnight to give it a bit more body. 

Here's how it looks on my project, but you'll have to come back tomorrow and hop with us in order to see the entire card.  See you then ;D

Red Hot Hearts and Skulls

Hey there everyone. I hope you all had a GREAT weekend. My oldest daughters birthday was last Friday. Yes - we call her our little income tax deduction since that is the day taxes are typically due in the US! I used the spicy Bombshell Sacred Hearts and Sugar skulls together to make this card. I really like to mix and match, and I can almost always find a way to mix in the Sugar Skulls with the other stamps. :-)

I colored with Cx greys, R2x and B2x. I then cut them out, and then used Crystal Effects on the top to make them shiny! I stamped on black paper the sugar skulls with Imprintz White, and embossed with white. I mounted the hearts on the top of this with pop up tape.

Then on the inside I repeated the excercise, and stamped in black on white the sugar skulls, slightyl askew. YAY... I had a birthday card for my daughter!
I hope you all enjoyed this little inspiration. I think it is really neat to use different sets of the Bombshell stamps together. They don't always have to be used alone.
Have a great week, and MAKE SURE you check back on Wednesday for the Blog Hop and fun times! See you then.

~ MissAlaineous

No Longer Hoarding her: Butterfly Queen

Sometimes, you need to challenge yourself, and try something new. Sometimes, you need to step out of your comfort zone, and try new things. In my case... I had to try out the Butterfly Queen.

I have had her for months, and yet, I have never taken ink to her. (Hey atleast I cut her out!! That is a big step!) For me its like hoarding paper. Instead of hoarding paper, I guess I hoard stamps. My BFF who got me started in stamping makes fun of me for this crazy habit of mine. She will text me, or facebook me asking me if I had used my ______ (fill in the blank) stamps yet. Typically I say no... but NOW!!! I can say I did. I am addicted to her. I plan on stamping out more of her, and making some rockin' cards.

Card 411:
Paper: Recollections, Bazzil Basics, and I think K&Co (patterned paper). It came out of my stash.
Stamp: Duh, Butterfly Queen (main image)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Prismacolor Brick Beige, SU Stampin Write markers.

Easter Bunny....

Images are Bombshell stamps (Bombshell Angel and Banner Sayings).The background spring definition is a Purple Onion stamp.The bunny ears are part of a Penny Black stamp.Heat-embossed and coloured with distress ink.Stickles on the border around the card.

Vintage Butterfly Queen

This is one of my newest Bombshell Stamps, Butterfly Queen.  I couldn't wait to play with her, in fact, I had the papers all picked out and waiting for her to arrive in my mailbox. My poor postman is becoming used to being stalked.  I am going to have to give that man something special for Christmas this year, Valium maybe?

At any rate,  I thought these papers gave my image a vintage look and I loved adding all the bling and flowers.  Homemade flowers are new for me but I think I am beginning to really learn their charm and they will be showing up more often.  I actually stamped this image in two different colors of ink.  I used a sepia for the main image and then I used Stazon for the paper pieced skirt.  The sepia ink just wouldn't show in the pattern.
I did two different wing styles before I settled on this.  The other was gold embossed and a rose metallic.  It just didn't fit the image in my head.  I did add the rose metallic to the spots on these wings though it is hard to see.  After I cut out my image and went to place it on the background, I decided it was too stark and added some flourishes in Milled Lavender Distress ink. 

Gotta love the Easel Card :)

Okay, I have to admit... I THINK I am starting to love the paper piecing technique.. I know what I did on these two cards are super simple... but man this girl has curves!!! :) Gotta love the girl with the healthy curves! I have yet to post these on the forums... but I need to get on the ball and get them posted on the site. I am having some computer difficulties, so please bare with me! :) First of all, I love LOVE LOVVVVVE!! The Easel Card technique. I know it so well, I know it just like the back of my hand.  Both cards measure at the average A2 size, which make for easy mailing (even though neither one of these cards were/ are being mailed off. They are being hand delivered).

My go to stamp is the lovely, Bombshell Angel. She was my very first stamp, and well.. if you ever see her on my craft table, you can tell she is very well loved :) She is stamped in Versafine, and colored with Prismacolor Brick Beige, and or Eggshell ---> My go to colors for the fairskinned ladies. Their features are colored with Stampin Up Stampin Write markers. All papers are: Recollections, or Me & My Big Ideas. Oh and of course I used my Stars CB embossing folder. It is the perfect accent with almost all the lovely Bombshells.   I love how both of these cards turned out. One is for a new friend I have made (above) and the other (flower embellishment) is for my daughters babysitter's 18th birthday coming up. Both ladies are pretty rockin in my book, so they deserve some Bombshell Lovin! 

I hope you enjoy, because I sure did. I didnt want to part either one of these cards.... luckily they are going to a good home.

xox,

Em <3

April Sketch Challenge!

Here's the sketch! Here's my take on the sketch!

Check out what the other Bombshell Girls and Pin-Ups did with April's sketch! Feel free to play along by including your project in the links below. Remember: each project you post will earn you a chance at a fabulous prize!

etsyketsy

Stempelientje

Anita

Alison



Alaine

Cheryl

Kelli

Announcing a Bombshell Blog Hop!

We're going to be hosting a blog hop on Wednesday, April 20th!

If you all want to hop along with the Bombshell Girls and Pin-ups, go to the forum to check out the theme of the hop and to sign up. Here's a LINK to make it all easy-peasy for you!

You must sign up by Monday, April 18th, so we can get everything sorted.

A Rose by any Other Name...

Hi All!
I wanted to share one of my favorite creations with you. This was my first attempt at an Accordion Card, which didn't really work out as such, but its still pretty cool, I think! I used some upcycled lace, which was my inspiration, for this project What do you think?

Cheers!
Xo, Rachael

Tiki Time

     When I was a little girl, I live in Hawaii near Pearl Harbor.  It was a memorable time in my childhood and I remember soooo many things even though I was very young.  Ever since then, I have loved all things Hawaiian and Spam is one of my favorite foods. lol.  This image fromBombshell Stamps reminds me of the old postcards that used to be for sale so many years ago.

  I found this paper at a clearance sale and instantly thought of this stamp.  It is hard to see on the photo but the orange and blue papers have a monochromatic Hawaiian motif as well.  The orange border flowers were on sale from a different manufacturer but they fit perfectly.  The twine came off a package I received and seemed just right for the bottom edge of the card. 

Birthday Bombshell

Birthday Bombshell

I just love making tri-shutter cards.  It doesn't matter what your skill level is or how simple you make them.  Tri-shutter cards always come out looking awesome.

I made this one for a friend of mine in college.  She is a real live bombshell and as pretty on the inside as she is on the outside.  Pink is one of her colors so I used an awful lot of it.  I think this is the pinkest card I have ever made.  Pink is one of my least favorite colors but for some reason I have a major box full of pink "stuff" and I'm always buying more.  Maybe I like pink more than I think?

This card used loads of different pink rhinestones and glitter on this card.  The stamp image is the Bombshell Angel stamp and I paper pieced a part of the background paper as her swimsuit.  I had the darnedest time trying to come up with the right pattern on her swimsuit till I tilted the paper.  I was really pleased with the result.  The Sentiment is from a Stampin' Up set.  I don't remember what set as I have disassembled it and sorted the stamps into different categories.

I have been inspired!

Greetings from sunny Northern California!!!

I recently saw the "If The Shoe Fits", Girl's Ruin post by the spectacular Sparkly Engineer, Mary; and it inspired me to pull out this set and get to work on some birthday cards. I never realized how many friends I have and or family members with birthday's in April. It is one of my most birthday filled months by the looks of my planner! I am always looking for new ways to get more uses out of my lovely ladies, and as much as I have no patience for paper piecing, I decided to take a chance with this set. Honestly.. I love how it turned out! I mean who wouldnt want a crazy patterned heel? (As this comes from a crazy Californian who wears flip flops everyday!!) This card that I have featured here is probably my favorite one out of the three I made this evening, and it was also the first one. I personally love the flower in her hair, as I love wearing my GIANT flower hair clips in my hair. The lucky birthday recipent of this card is a breast cancer survivor, and I wanted to incorporate as much pink in there as possible with out making it too cutesy- bubble gum- pink. I am sure she is going to love it!! :)

Now here is a picture of all three that I made this evening. **Sidenote: Sorry it is a terrible photo. ** I cannot wait to make more of these lovely ladies. :) I love how unique each one is, as they do incorporate the same colors, but neither are identical. They have made me change my opinion on paper piecing. Enjoy your weekend, and take some time for yourself :)                                                 

xox- Em <3

Meet Mary, aka Sparkly Engineer!

Mary, aka Sparkly Engineer, was Ms. November. Somehow her interview got lost in the shuffle via a state of shared confusion. Now Mary is one of the full-time Bombshell Girls! Mary is seriously talented and makes awesome projects that reflect her engineering skill as well as creativity galore!

Here's her interview!
1. Brief info about yourself, including your name, where you live, your family (if you want), etc.
I am Mary Anne also known as Genghis Mom to the members of the Harmon Horde. I am married to my knight in black matte leather -- Johnny Luv. We live happily ever after modified by real life.

2. How long have you been stamping and/or crafting?
I have been stamping for about 12 years. I really began getting serious with it about six years ago and I think within the last two years I have finally begun to produce some stamping art.

3. What are your favorite Bombshell sets and why?
My favorite bombshell sets are, uhmm, this is hard. I truly like them all although the pinups are my absolute favorites. I find the western stamps appealing the most because I have a western background -- dad's a cowboy, but then again, I really like the mermaids -- remind me of growing up a navy brat, or maybe it's the hula dancers from my time in Hawaii or Cherry Bomb since I have a passion for tail art or .... OK I give up all the pinups are my favorites.

4. What kind of projects do you like to do?
I like to do lots of different projects. I like making gifts for friends. I love to do the anything-but-a-card thing. But most of all I enjoy making cards. It's why I started stamping and what I still enjoy the most. I love to receive mail and I love to send mail. Email is great but something fun in the mailbox cannot be beat.

5. What are your favorite coloring mediums?
My favorite coloring medium is Prismacolor pencils with mineral spirits. I am experimenting with Copic markers but only as they add to the Prismas. You cannot beat the cost or the color ranges.


6. Describe your crafting "style".
I really didn't know what to call my stamping style so I asked the horde and they call my style "Glittery Pop". I love glitter and bling and I am always layering and popping up parts of my cards.

7. Describe your crafting process. Do you start with a stamp set? A sketch? A technique you want to use?
When I start a card I usually start with the stamp and then go through my papers for colors to match and add embellishments as I go. If I'm doing something other than a card usually some object inspires me, an empty bottle, and wooden barrel, a bottle cap, in that case I ususally match the stamp to the object. Generally it takes me several hours to figure out a card or project. Once I have a design in my head I can finish up fairly quickly.


8. Do you have any other hobbies?
As far as other hobbies go, I just haven't had time for them this past year or two. My mom was pretty sick. When I have time, I enjoy riding the motorcycle with Johnny Luv, biking with my youngest daughter, and I really want to get back to my Kendo. I miss it quite a bit.

Now that you've learned more about our Sparkly Engineer, feast your eyes on some of her favorite Bombshell projects!






I know you'll want to see more of Mary Anne's fabulous art, so check out her blog and her Bombshell Gallery!

Relief Work with Bombshells

Hi All and Welcome!

Today I'm going to teach you how to incorporate relief work into your handmade cards! There are a couple of things that you're going to need:

1. Clay, artists cements and/or pastes as your relief material - this particular type of artists cement dries to an opaque matte and is carvable. (US Art Quest 101 Artist Cement)

2. A stencil - plastic or brass works best. (*you can make your own out of your favorite bombshell stamp or using a cricut machine.) or there are some on etsy;

3. A knife;
4. Small particles such as mica, beads, rocks, or glitter. You can even use pigments or shadows from leftover makeup.

If you're going to make your own stencil, make sure that you make it out of something that has a bit of strength to it, like a heavy poundage cardstock, or even cardboard or chipboard. You may have to skip over some of the finer details of the bombshell stamp you decide to use, depending, but using a craft knife you can cut details into the cement later.

How-To
1. Lay your paper down with the stencil over it. Spread the cement evenly and in one swipe, if possible.
2. Gently lift off and immediately clean the stencil.
3. While the medium you used is still wet, sprinkle your embossing material (mica, beads, rocks, or glitter, etc.) When the design is completely covered, allow it to dry.

You're done!

You can even make it more interesting by color blocking the background with inks or water colors and then applying the stenciled design.

Cheers!
Xo, Rachael