GETTING MISTY

It was fun going to the post office this week with new toys arriving!  One packet had Dylusions ink spray, another had Mister Huey's Color Mist and another had a Hero Arts stamp set and some gems.  What inspiration!

This card started out with a piece of soft green cardstock that I trimmed to fit the space.  After using my Fiskar's edge punch on the right side, I rounded the corners on the left side and placed it in a cardboard box for misting.  First I sprayed it with Dylusions Cut Grass, then with Mister Huey's Orchard and Opaque White.

The designer paper is from the Mabel collection by My Mind's Eye, cut to fit the card and corners rounded.  Punches were used for the leaves and flowers from scraps.  Once the inks were fully dried, I assembled the card as shown using dimensionals for the misted piece and the oval.

Now I know firsthand why misting is all the rage lately--it's just plain FUN!

EMBOSS RESIST CHALLENGE

This card was created for the Emboss Resist Challenge HERE.  I'm glad this wasn't also a CAS challenge since I used three layers and added the flowers and butterflies to fill the empty space.

First, I stamped the Hero Arts large flower background on the card base with Versamark, embossed with clear ep and sponged Peeled Paint Distress Ink on the edges.  The next layer is a dsp pattern from My Mind's Eye.

Next, I stamped the Bible verse, clear embossed it and sponged with a mix of  Peeled Paint and Wild Honey Distress inks.  After stamping the flowers and painting them with the same distress inks, I attached it with SNAIL and added the butterflies (SU Embosslits Beautiful Wings.)

Finally, I attached the top layer to the card with dimensionals and placed gold beads on the butterflies and 2 flower centers.  Unfortunately, I needed this card and Bible verse for a sympathy card today.

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge

This week's challenge was to make a CAS card using trees or flowers.   You can see the other entries HERE.

This flower was done with red cardstock strips that were quilled to form the petals and buds.  Pearls were added to accent the centers.

Quilling is a fun way to make flowers and other images--try it!

NEW BABY HAS ARRIVED!

Sometimes you want to say something special, but don't have a stamp for it.  There's no reason why you can't just write something on the card, even if you have to practice on scrap paper first.  This bouncing baby boy was delivered last week, so this shaker card will be going out tomorrow.

The inside is stamped with SU "Congratulations," and I added a brief welcome in my own handwriting again.

Penmanship doesn't have to be perfect to make a card more personal!

A HAPPY HELLO

Inspiration for this card came from a new pad of paper from Die Cuts With a View, "The Green Stack" which I picked up at AC Moore last week. The design is from a sketch HERE at CAS-ual Fridays.

First, I used my Scor-Pal to make diagonal lines, highlighting the pattern on the animals.  I then cut out two circles and mounted them on the card front, one with glue dots, the other with dimensionals.  The greeting is from a Hero Arts clear stamp set.

Rounding the corner and adding the lime green embroidery floss finished the card, keeping it clean and simple.

SUMMER PASTELS

To get the watercolor look on the base cardstock, I used three Distress Ink pads (Peeled Paint, Broken China and Tea Dye.) I smeared a patch of each color on an acrylic block, added some water and used a wide paintbrush to swipe across the card.

Next, I took white cardstock (cut down to 5 x 3 3/4") and used the CB butterfly to make the cutout. Then I stamped the Hero Arts "Manuscript Background" at different angles and applied Broken China distress ink to the edges. Before attaching it to the card, I placed it in position and marked a few tiny dots down the middle of the butterfly before stamping with black ink. I had planned to use one of the Pocket Silhouettes, but couldn't find it*; so I used this image from the SU "Autumn Days" set.

The sentiment is from another SU set, which I mounted with SU dimensionals. After adding a variety of gems from a collection I purchased at Michaels, I mounted the overlay to the card with SU dimensionals.

We are finally getting some much needed rain here--good stamping weather!


 *My "Tower" is in need of cleaning up so I can find things easily again...

WDW Photos

A few select photos have been posted to my family blog HERE if you'd like to stop by!

Herringbone Design

After watching Beate's video tutorial, this card was a cinch to put together!

AC Moore had designer papers on sale for 40% off, so I took advantage of the opportunity to purchase some My Mind's Eye 6x6 pads. I used one of them for this card, cutting strips of various widths. Besides having nice designs, the pages are also reversible in these pads.

If you watch the tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers, the rest of this card is pretty much self-explanatory. I plan to use this for our next Mothers Class.

I'M BACK (Almost...)

Check back tonight for some news and new posts!

Greetings from WDW!

Having a magical time at Disney World! The weather has been perfect, and it's been wonderful to spend so much time as a family. The grandchildren have been having fun both at the parks and at the pool.

Haven't missed stamping (sorry...)

Shaker Card Tutorial

I recently came up with an easier way to make shaker cards. I love using pouches from Impression Obsession that are thin for mailing, but deep enough to hold most fillings. (To follow this tutorial, each step comes after the photo.)

I start by assembling all the supplies I'll need. I also wiped a dryer sheet on the inside of the pouch to remove any static that might make the beads cling to the cup.

After stamping and coloring in the image, I peeled back just 1/2 of the protective liner on the back of the pouch. Holding the liner up away from the card, I attached the bottom of the pouch to the cardstock as shown. Notice the other half of the liner sticking up from the pouch.

Holding the cardstock away from the unattached portion of the image, I added the beads.
With the filling in place, I pulled the liner completely off and carefully pressed the cardstock to the pouch, keeping it upright so the beads stayed in the bottom.
Then, I added a small piece of double-stick tape in each corner of the top of the image cardstock and placed the overlay (which I ran through a CB folder first) over the pouch, forming a "sandwich" of image, pouch and overlay.
Finally, I attached the "sandwich" to a red card. I plan to embellish and add a greeting later.

I hope this helps make it easier for you to enjoy making shaker cards!

Sympathy Cards

Sadly, today I needed to make not one, but two sympathy cards.

For the top one, I used a Bible verse from my collection of Our Daily Bread Designs stamps. They have a wonderful variety of verses in beautiful fonts. I left the inside blank to write a personal note.

The second card has a Stampin'Up saying, and "With Sympathy" (also SU) on the inside.

I used Tim Holtz distress inks on the white edges of each saying. The blue/green butterfly was also sponged with Peeled Paint and Broken China distress inks. The other was stamped on coordinating background paper from K & Co.

When making sympathy cards, I like to put whatever encouraging verse I've used on the outside so that if the card is displayed, people will be reminded of their source of comfort.

CASE-ing the Catalogs--Repeating

The apple card on page 96 of the SU Idea Book reminded me of the value in repeating an image 3 times (or sometimes 5, usually an odd number.) Here's a card that repeats one of the blossoms from the SU "Growing Green" set.

With Spring around the corner, I thought yellow flowers would be appropriate. After stamping them on a scrap piece of dsp and cutting them out, I painted them with yellow Twinkling H2O's. For the centers, I used green mini beads held down with Crystal Lacquer. Once they dried, I mounted them on the card with dimensionals.

The ribbon on the side was glued down in one flat strip. The "bow" is actually another piece of ribbon, knotted and attached with a glue dot. Very handy way to do that for those of us who are "bow impaired!"

The greeting was stamped, cut down and mounted onto the card. Then the flower strip was mounted over it with double-stick tape so that just the words would "peek" out.

CASE-ing the Catalogs--Scallops

I got the idea for this card from the Christmas card on p. 69 of the SU Idea Book. Since I used such a dark cardstock for the base, I went bananas with the scallops to lighten it up. It makes me think of all those crinolines we used to wear under our full skirts--remember???

The stamp I used is "Elizabeth" from Stampin'Up and a Hello! stamp from Hero Arts. The brown gems add a little sparkle.

Watercolored Flowers

Last week I taught the Mothers Class how to watercolor using markers. We first made a palette by scribbling, very precisely, of course;) on a non-porous surface such as the lid of an ink pad or the back of an acrylic block. We then used our brushes to pick up the color to apply to the image.

For the class, I die cut some watercolor paper using a Nesties label die. They stamped the image in class with India Ink Black, a good ink to use that will not run or bleed. For shading, we added more of the same colors to parts of the petals and the envelope. Then we spread some gray ink at the bottom to "anchor" the image.

As a final touch, we added gold Stickles to the centers of the blossoms and mounted the finished label to the card with dimensionals. Some dsp, self-stick ribbon and a Bo-Ho Blossom all added to the finished look.

CASE-ing the Catalogs

Thanks to the card shown on P. 110 of the SU Idea Book, here is the card we'll be doing in Mothers Class next week. Since I wanted to use blue for the card base, I used blue chalk in the one flower. There is also a blue gem in the center, surrounded by mini-pearls.

The stamp sets I used are Fabulous Florets for the flowers and Abundant Hope for the words inside and out. I also used a crimper for the green floral strip, and added three larger pearls beneath it.

Just for variety's sake, I also made another card using the same pattern but different flower and greeting. Isn't it amazing how the same sketch can look so different!

HERE'S A TIP: When I need to make sure I stamp a greeting perfectly straight, I mount it on an acrylic block with grid lines etched into the other side. When I go to stamp it, I look at the grid line instead of the stamp itself. Works every time!

NEW SERIES

Here's the first card for a new series I'm featuring called, "CASE-ing the Catalogs." (CASE stands for Copy After Someone Else.)

The idea for this card came from Page 12 of the 2011-12 Stampin'Up Idea Book. I especially liked the texture on the long strip. It is shown there vertically, but I turned it around to make a horizontal card. The stamped piece was on a card I received from one of my Silver Stamper friends (thanks Alice.) The rest was added using the bird punch for the leaves and a Martha Stewart edger punch.

Enjoy!

CASE-ing the Catalogs

Here's another CASE of a card in the SU 2011-12 Idea Book, page 74.

What drew me to this card was the color combination of the red and lime green, which I also carried through in the embroidery floss on the side. Although I basically used the same color scheme, I did move the side strip to the opposite side and placed it under the label image instead of over the point.

I like the idea of cutting the words apart and placing them where I want them. That's nothing new, but I always forget to do it.

It's also handy to make a card with just one set, don't you think?

FEBRUARY BLUES BASH #14

Today was the day to "Leap into Leap Year." For photos and further details, click HERE.

HI!

Here is my card for the Impression Obsession challenge using their stamps and the word "Hi" (or hello, etc.) The diamond impression folder was the ideal backdrop for this coffee mug with the diamond design. Since I don't have an I.O. "Hi" stamp, I used letter stickers instead.

This is one of the images from the set, "Smell the Coffee." For another card using the same set, go to my January 21, 2011 post HERE and scroll down 6 posts. For other entries using I.O. stamps, click HERE. I bet none of them feature purple coffee!

(Next time I think I'll use SU's Early Espresso and Crumb Cake cs.) Hmmm...now I'm hungry...

HELLO!

This shaker card features a square opening turned on the diagonal, which was the perfect match for the dsp I had on hand.
Using a shaker cup with straight sides makes it a bit easier to fold back the paper around the opening than with a circle or oval. (See Feb. 6 post.)

The tuxedo cat is from an old set by All Night Media that I've had for years and still enjoy using. The dsp is from Basic Grey.

SIMPLE SATURDAY #25

TIP: To save time, assemble all supplies before starting.

Click on photos for a clearer view.

Another Way to Step It Up

Here's the first Easter Card I made for the Less Is More challenge, until I realized the color was supposed to be aqua; so I made the one in my previous post. Meanwhile, I decided to add some depth to this card. As you can see, initially it was "flat" and decidedly ho-hum.






However, just a few slits with a craft knife changed the look to a 3-D effect that is much improved. Hopefully, you can see the dimension added by cutting along three of the petals and lifting them up without foam tape. I also lifted the top of one of the leaves.



Just this little bit of extra effort makes a big difference!

Stepping It Up

1st photo: Since I wasn't happy with the card I made for the Less Is more challenge in the previous post, here is my attempt at taking it to the top.

2nd photo: I restamped the flowers, colored them, cut them out and popped them up on the card. I offset them a bit to create a "shadow" around the top and left sides. I then added yellow Stickles in the centers and rounded the top corners of the card.

3rd photo: Since I had some dsp that matched the color of the flowers, I used my rick rack die and placed the strip across the bottom of the image to ground it. The bold color also added some life to the card without overdoing it.

This is still a simple card, but I think it's better than before.

LESS IS MORE--Aqua

One-layer cards always are a challenge for me, especially when the card seems so empty when I'm done. Nevertheless, here is my entry for the latest challenge, using the color aqua.

First I sponged aqua ink around a scalloped oval mask as a background. Then I stamped the flower and the greeting over it. The floral image is from Gina K and the greeting is from StampinUp. After coloring the flower and rounding the bottom corners, the card was done...for now. I plan to step it up later, so check back for another post.

Meanwhile, the other entries can be found HERE.

Easter Shaker Card

Here's another shaker card where I stamped on the overlay instead of covering it with dsp. (See previous post.) I guess you could say I'm on a shaker card roll!

Before sealing up the shaker cup, I wiped it off with a dryer sheet to remove the static and used sequins and micro beads to shake. The shaker and overlay are from Impression Obsession, which sure makes it easy.

SHAKER CARD HOW-TO

First, select a card base, the overlay and a shaker cup.
I've chosen to use pre-made shakers and coordinating overlays
rather than making my own.

Next, cover the overlay with lightweight dsp (or use a background stamp.)
After gluing it down, turn the piece over and make an X with a craft knife. Then cut away most of the dsp to about 1/4" from the edge of the oval, make slits 1/4" apart all the way around, and bend them all back over some snail. (Shown in photo further down.)
Then stamp the image and color it in with markers. It must be one layer so that none of the contents will get hung up inside.

Next, place the overlay on the image, moving it around until it's centered where you want it. Holding it firmly, turn it over and mark all four sides with a line as shown so that it will line up the same way after putting the shaker contents in the cup.

First, place the cup into the opening, turn it over and wipe the inside with a dryer sheet to prevent static. Then add beads (or whatever else to shake) and remove the liner that covers the sticky strip around the cup. Using the marks made earlier, line up the image piece again.

You'll now have a "sandwich" with the shaker between the overlay in front and the image piece on the back. It's time to mount it to the front of the card base.

Here, add a greeting and some gold twine with glue dots and a dimensional.

Please let me know if this helps get you started making shaker cards. They're so much fun and not as difficult as they look. Once you've done one, you'll realize how easy they really are!

(Shaker pouches and overlays are from
Impression Obsession HERE.)

SPLIT COAST TO THE RESCUE!

Split Coast Stampers is such a wonderful resource, which is where I went for ideas to make a birthday card using the SU "Greetings, Earthling" set. Thank you, Understand Blue for your ideas.

I posed my alien under the moon on another planet where balloons could easily float upward. There are three for my grandson's third birthday.

Starting with a white card for the base, I tore the brown cs and pasted it onto a piece of black cs. I then punched a circle out of a piece of grayish cs, sponged it with black and white inks, and attached it with double-stick tape. I then sprayed my "scene" with Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Mist.

After stamping the alien on yellow dsp, I cut it out and colored in the circles with a purple glitter gel pen. While that was drying, I punched out the three balloons and placed them in position with mini glue dots, then added the embroidery floss strings, using TomBow glue. By then, the alien was dry enough to mount him to the card with a thick foam square over a black oval "shadow." I added his eye and glued the ends of the strings to the underside of his hand. (That's how they hold balloons on other planets...so I've heard.)

I could have stopped there, but I wanted to add some depth to the card. Using a Nestabilities die, I cut the opening and mounted the frame to the card front with black foam strips. Lastly, I added the greeting.

Children's cards are always a challenge for me; but I love how this one turned out!

LESS IS MORE--Sketch

This time the challenge was a one-layer card using the sketch shown HERE.

After masking the strip on the left side and sponging it with red ink, I spritzed it with Glimmer Mist Dazzling Diamonds. Hopefully, you can see the shiny spots in the photo.

Next, I stamped the small hearts down the strip and the line of hearts (one stamp) across. Using black ink, I overstamped "love" across the bottom. The results were very dull, and I was unhappy with the card. So I took my black marker, adding the tiny hearts and dashes by hand, and outlining the arrows and "tails." Now I'm happy with it.

Making one-layer cards truly IS a challenge!

Birthday Cupcake

When I realized I missed a friend's birthday on Jan. 2nd, I made this card using a cupcake clear stamp set (Hero Arts, I think.) The sentiment is from Impression Obsession, which I divided into two parts using a black marker. The inside reads "...the other food group."

I also divided the cupcake in two parts, using a piece of leftover chevron for the icing and a scrap of brown cs for the cake--chocolate, of course! The cherry is also from the same set, stamped on a piece of leftover red cs and colored over with glitter gel pens.

Hope she gets a chuckle out of this one!

Another Valentine

Here's what I came up with to make a chevron-like card for the upcoming Mothers class. Using the rick-rack die will make things go a lot faster! Moms in the class will have a choice of gems, hearts and pearls to embellish as they please

The Catalina wreath die is from Memory Box and is attached with Tombow multi glue, as are the zig-zag strips. The bottom corners are rounded, and they'll add a sentiment inside. Using kraft paper (SU Crumb Cake) will make it more masculine. We may also add a twine bow or knot later, too.

I'm looking forward to classes starting up again!

Chevron Design Card

This top fold Valentine card was inspired by Jennifer McGuire's video HERE.

After following her instructions for making the chevron strip, I added a Hero Arts flower with some red pearls, stamped "Love" on the front and attached a felt heart.

Next, I used a Fiskars corner edger scissor on the top right just to finish it off.

Although this was not difficult to do, it was too time consuming to use for a class. I'll be working on another design for Moms Club, which resumes on Feb. 1st.

Mothers Class Valentine

Here's the first card I designed for the Moms Club which starts up again on Feb. 1st. I started with a packet of single layer heart-shaped cards and envelopes, which really keeps it simple.

First I stamped the large scribbled heart in the middle. The stamp is from an Inkadinkado set, appropriately, "Hearts." Next I stamped "Love" from a SU set across the bottom. The "Be Mine" heart is a sticker I purchased at Hobby Lobby, to which I added a heart-shaped gem. The key is from a die cut set by Memory Box, which coordinates with their "Lock and Key" stamp set. The message I chose (from 7 in the set) is stamped parallel to the key on the card.

This should be a fun project!

TIP: When stamping close to something on a card, like the key here, mount your clear stamp upside down on the end of your acrylic mount and stamp from the open side.

FROM THE SCRAP DRAWER #12

It's been awhile since I raided the scrap drawer for a card! After sorting through all the scraps and pulling some out to give away, I cut down a few for this Valentine card.

To make the stripes for underneath the heart, I cut thin strips, lined them up the way I thought looked best and attached them to a scrap of white cs with double stick tape. Then I cut off the excess around the edges and taped it to the front of the card. Using a Cuttlebug die, I cut out the heart in the center of a square scrap, placed dimensionals in each corner and mounted it to the card. Not having a stamp small enough, I wrote "love" by hand with a Gelly Roll glitter pen on a narrow piece of white scrap cs. After embellishing with pearls and gems, I rounded the top corner and cut away some of the white space at the bottom of the card.

I'll be using up some more scraps later! Meanwhile, I'm determined not to buy any more dsp until I use up more of what I already have. Yeah, right...

I'VE BEEN PUBLISHED!

Imagine my surprise when I received this complimentary copy of "Just Cards!" magazine in the mail yesterday with a letter informing me that one of my cards was published! I'd forgotten that I sent it in; but there it was on page 51!

The only stamping on this card was the greeting inside (not shown.) To make it, I used some punches and a woodgrain folder for the birdhouse.

After running the red cs through the Cuttlebug, I punched a hole for the "door" and placed a small piece of black cs behind it. Then I cut the top corners at an angle for the roof and covered it with scalloped oval "slices." After punching out the bird and leaf (SU bird punch) and a small heart, I mounted everything to a kraft card using SU dimensionals and glue dots.

With the heart at the peak of the roof, this could make a cute Valentine!

TIP OF THE NEW YEAR!

Got a die that keeps hanging up on one side or section? Here's the solution: run it through your die cut machine with a piece of foil to sharpen the edges. Works like a charm!

CFC33--Kraft and Twine

First Challenge for me in the New Year!

Casual Friday's challenge is to make a clean and simple card using kraft paper and twine. I just reordered more Crumb Cake cs from SU, since I'm completely out. Fortunately, I had one last piece of scrap to use on this card.

Using stamps from two SU sets, I used the heart flowers from Valentine Defined and the greeting from Have a Heart (2002.) I then colored in the hearts with a red star gel pen for just a touch of sparkle. The tiny pearls are from a letter set (see my post on Nov. 19th.)

Check out the other entries HERE.

SPECIAL CARD

Joan came over today and asked me to design a thankyou card for her to give to her son. After hinting that her toilet seat was deteriorating, she came home the other day to find he had purchased a new seat and installed it for her!


I think these pictures speak for themselves!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hope you're all having a wonder-filled Christmas and that Santa brings you lots of new stamping toys!

Don't forget to take the time to remember what it's really all about...

HELLO AGAIN!

We're back from Prague, but one of my "souvenirs" was a bad cold which developed into an ear infection on the plane ride home (ugh.) I'm finally over the worst of it, but now I'm way behind in my Christmas shopping. That's why I haven't posted lately.

The tree is up and decorated, the weather has turned mild again, and I'm slowly getting caught up with everything that needs to be done. I'm looking forward to doing some stamping later on today, just for my sanity.

Stamping withdrawal is a serious malady that can only be cured by--you guessed it--stamping! I'll have some new posts later on tonight...

HAPPY DECEMBER!

It's beginning to feel like Christmas. All 100 of my cards were either mailed yesterday or hand-delivered earlier. Whew! I'm glad that's done so that I can move on to other things.

First, we head for Prague this afternoon for a week with family there. After spending Black Friday addressing Christmas cards, I spent all day in the malls on Cyber Monday. It was great! I had the stores to myself, with sales people eager to help me find what I needed and sale prices still in effect...to say nothing of less exposure to flu viruses...works every year.

As soon as we get back, I'll finish Christmas shopping for family on this side of the Atlantic...after I put up the tree, that is; then concentrate on enjoying the season for its true meaning: the birth of our Savior.

Oh, and I'll be stamping, of course! Stay tuned...