THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL,

...BUT THE STAMPING IS DELIGHTFUL!




A package of three new quilt dies arrived yesterday, and I used one of them for these two cards.  I'm off now to try another one.




TIP:  When I die cut and glued the greeting on the front of each card, there were shiny spots from the glue around some of the letters.  So I dabbed the spots with my anti-static brush.  The powder stuck to the glue and eliminated the shine!

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!

 Snow is blowing horizontally across the yard,

 outside the stamping tower window.

 The front porch through a snow-covered window.

...and a lonely little birdie trying to find

some bird seed.

No way to measure how much snow we got due to high winds and heavy drifting,

but it's a LOT!  There's more coming, too.  Thankfully, we still have power.

This is definitely GOOD STAMPING WEATHER!

FLORAL VALENTINE

This card came together really quickly.  Starting with a light green card base, I added a panel of metallic gold lacy flowers from SU!.  The oval, laying on my table from a previous project, was ready to use so I stamped the leaves on it and added the flowers.  To finish it off, I sponged the oval with olive green ink and added sequins to the flower centers.

Finally, I die cut the word "love" from a scrap of metallic purple. Scraps really do come in handy!

CASEing the iPad--Simon Says Stamp

For the Critter Challenge on SSS, Lois made the most adorable goodie bags.  I decided to mimic that look in a card.

For the "handle" I used the word window punch and tied the white twine around just the front so it could be opened.  I then rounded the bottom corners to make it look a little bit like a bag.

Using the stamps and dies from the "Hello Foxy" set by Papertrey Ink, I created a gray fox for my critter and popped him up on a punched pink heart.  The love die, from Winnie and Walter, cuts/releases perfectly.

This card will go to my granddaughter!

FIRST VALENTINE THIS YEAR

Since all my friends know I avoid the "dreaded pink" whenever possible, it's not surprising that I would use red roses on this card.  I keep coming back to this SU! set, even though the flowers have to be fussy cut, which really doesn't take long.  The image is from a hostess set called "So Very Grateful" and is popped up with dimensionals.
 
I stamped the image with Versafine Black and then painted the flowers with Twinkling H2O's to make them shine.  The greeting is from another SU! hostess set, "Wacky Wishes."  I'll probably make a few more of this design since it was so easy to do.

QUILTED STAR PATTERN

After gluing the 6 punched pieces of dsp to a scrap of white cs, I cut it out and punched a hole in the center.  I then found a brad that I've had in my stash for years that turned out to be just right for this design!  Then I mounted the "quilt" to the yellow panel and light blue cs. Finally,  I added "stitches" around each segment with a black pen.

Later on, I came up with the idea of using all the so-far-unused stamps and patterned papers in my tower before buying any more new ones.  That idea lasted all of three seconds!

LESS IS MORE--Kissing

What a fun way to use solid stamps!  Just ink one up, then ink up another stamp and "kiss" them together to get one image on top of another.  Then stamp.

For this card (and technique) I pulled out an old SU! set, Best Blossoms.  I combined it with the script in the SU! French Foliage set.  The greeting is from another company and has a variety of saysings for the inside.

Less Is More can be found HERE.

VALENTINE CHALLENGE

The hardest part of this card was photographing it!

This will go to one of our grandchildren, but meanwhile it is for the Valentine Challenge on the Paper Players here.

The stamp set I used is from Stampin' Up, "Nuts About You."  The red hearts are shiny stickers.

Enjoy!

MORE PASTOR CARDS

A package of stencils, some sponges and inks, and just one stamp set and, as Frenchie would say, "Voila!"
Since I had made a bunch of similar cards the other day, it took very little time to do these.

Here's a secret:  Since only a border of dsp shows around the edges, I die cut the middles out to use on other cards!

WINTER BIRTHDAY CARD

This would certainly work for a masculine card!

First, I stamped the trees with gray ink and added the snow flakes with white ink.  Then I covered the "ground" with snow, making sure that when I glued the bottom piece, there was room at the top for the deer feet to be inserted.  I then added "a happy hello" stamped with dark brown ink.

When done, I noticed that the ends of the tied knot and the deer's antlers mimic the tree branches!

STAMPING WITH JOYCE

 Joyce needed to make some cards yesterday, so she came over after lunch for help.  Wanting to keep it clean and simple, I brought out some stencils, pre-cut designer paper  and a couple of stamp sets.  First we sponged some stencils, making some spots darker than others.  Then we stamped the leaf and berries, coloring them with Distress markers and adding some Wink of Stella on the berries.  After stamping the greeting, we mounted the panel on the dsp and attached it to the card front.

 Next, we repeated the process with a different stencil and stamp.

Finally, we stamped the leaves, colored them in with Distress markers and added some yellow in the centers.  Joyce went home with five cards, ready for anything!

Stamp sets used were:  Serene Silhouettes and Awesomely Artistic

SECRET OF HAPPINESS

I got some more use of all my floral punches today!

Since the back of the greeting can be seen when the card is opened, I stamped "Happy Birthday" and attached it to the back.  The colorful strip is the leftover piece of blue and brown floral which you can see on a previous card.

There's just enough room underneath the tan panel to write a personal note.  The torn piece was used on another card front.

The sentiment on this one is so true.  What would the world be like if everyone stopped complaining and developed a thankful attitude instead!

PASTOR CARD--Psalm 124:8

This was a super easy card to design and make.  Starting with a white card base, I added the dsp on the front.  The more colorful strip is just a piece of the reverse design.

After a quick search through my cardstock scraps, I pulled out this matching gold one and die cut the oval for a background.  I used a smaller oval for the verse and glued them together.  Then I mounted them on the front with dimensionals.

For the only embellishment, I made a slit on the left fold and wrapped the jute around the card front, tying just a knot.

It really is amazing how using some dsp and a little twine can make such an impact on a card!

SCRAPS GALORE!

Here's a pastor card I made after reorganizing my scrap box.  The green strips on the sides are only 1/2" wide--that's all I had left of that cardstock.  The piece on top was mounted on top of the strips, and the map piece was glued on top of both.  Using a confetti scrap, I stamped the bird, colored him in and fussy cut him, mounting him with dimensionals.  Next, I stamped "Blessings" on a small piece of leftover confetti cs.  After winding some jute around the panel, I attached everything to the card front.


TIP:  To organize my scraps, I first dumped them all on my table and separated them into color groups.  Any pieces that had jagged edges or punchouts, I trimmed to a neater rectangle.  Pieces that were big enough to use on a card front, I moved to pre-cut dsp collection. (Some are 4 x 5 1/4, some smaller.)

I placed each color pile into open quart-sized zip lock bags:  one for blues/purples, one for reds/pinks, one for greens and one for neutral/metallic.  Anything smaller than a business card went in the trash.  Whites/ivory/confetti went into a plastic drawer where I can grab one when I stamp a greeting (like the one shown above.)   

Once I was finished organizing, I was able to quickly use them for 6 pastor cards.  January and February are good months for de-cluttering!  (Hint, hint...)

BIRDIE BIRTHDAY

I really have enjoyed using this set, especially the bird.  He (or she) is very easy to watercolor.

The card base is white cardstock on which I glued a torn piece of Crumb Cake cs over a piece of dsp.  After painting the bird, I glued the white cs to a scrap of dark brown and popped it up on the card with dimensionals.  The greeting is glued flat, tucked under the bird a bit.

Since this is a side folding card, I made a tiny slit in the fold to enable the jute to be wound around the front and tied in a knot.

The Crumb Cake card from which this was torn was used for another card--coming soon!

FANCY FOLD CARDFRONT

This is the card I made for my son's birthday which we'll be celebrating on Saturday.  He'll be 45 on Friday--where have all those years flown???

When it comes to cardstock and designer papers, I've always said StampinUp is the best.    Their cardstock is solid core, and matches their inks and dsp colors perfectly.  (No, I'm not a SU demonstrator.)  The double-sided dsp was just perfect for this masculine card.

After cutting part way in, I folded the paper to form flaps.  I think the technique is called a "collar fold" when used horizontally; but I chose to use it vertically.  The wooden greeting also adds to the masculine look.

For embellishment, I used a variety of sequins, a couple of gold stars and some jute.

INTERACTIVE WINDOW

Using a set of Interactive Window dies from Die-Namics, I ran one of them through the Big Shot, cutting three sides of the square.  The die also scores the 4th side at the same time.  For this card, I chose to place the score on top.


After stamping the inside message on the white cardfront, I glued the panel to the front so that it could be read when the window is flipped up.

After embellishing with a strip of the reverse pattern and adding some "sunny" die cuts from another set, the card was done.  I left the inside blank to write a personal note to someone later.

When adhering the circles to the front, I used glue dots and positioned them strategically so that they would allow the bottom of the window covering to be tucked in and lay flat.

Interactive cards are always a delight to make.  This one was very easy to do!


(The saying is from a set entitled "The Future" by Sweet & Sassy.)

BACK TO STAMPING!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

After cleaning up my stamping tower from the rush of Christmas cardmaking, I'm finally able to do some stamping again.  Today I pulled out this set I got months ago that I  never even opened.

I made two cards, one with olive branches and this one with blueberries.  The greeting at the top and scriggles on the bottom are from the "Tin of Cards" stamp set.  I like the bold lettering, which is what attracted me to that set in the first place.

The holidays were wonderful here, but I'm glad I can relax now that it's over.  My usual plans for January are to hibernate.  The good thing about winter is that it's good stamping weather!

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT

How blessed we are to have been given the most wonderful gift of all--Christ Himself. Merry Christmas!

5 Ways to Get Better Service at the Mall

1.  WEAR A SMILE:  People are naturally attracted to happy people, so avoid looking rushed, annoyed, or stressed out.  A warm smile, but not a big grin, goes a long way to lighten things up.  You might start feeling more cheerful yourself!

2.  FIX YOUR HAIR AND MAKEUP:  Check yourself in the mirror before you leave the house.  Since I'm allergic to most makeup, all I can wear is lipstick; so I make sure to keep it freshly applied during the day.  Pay special attention to your hair as well.

3.  DRESS WELL:  It's amazing what a difference a nicer coat or jacket can make.  In warmer climates, a pretty blouse or shirt with sleeves looks dressier than a tank top or sleeveless shirt, especially when paired with lightweight slacks or crops instead of shorts. 

4.  FRAME YOUR FACE:  Now that you're smiling, choose simple accessories that you enjoy wearing.  Earrings, a nice scarf or necklace, or a pretty pin make a simple outfit a little more attractive.  Don't overdo it, though.  Think office look rather than party!

5.  LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD:  Too many bulky packages can not only make you look stressed, but also make you feel that way--because you are!  Either bring a tote bag with you to consolidate packages, or take a few minutes to put them in your car before continuing your shopping.  If you're shopping at a large mall, it might be a good idea to move your car to the other end for a shorter walk.  Sounds crazy, but I do that all the time.  Not only does it help my feet, but I also get to sit down for a few minutes in the car.

These tips are from my own experience on both sides of the counter.  I learned this years ago when I stopped at a department store one night after work.  Since I was still in office clothes, I got noticeably better service that day than ever before.  From then on, I've followed these guidelines whenever I shop!

BTW, salespeople get stressed too, especially at this time of year.  You can help by being patient, having your cash or credit card ready and being polite.  Happy shopping!

I'M BACK!

My computer has finally been fixed (for now, anyway!)  I'll catch up with you later to share some of the Christmas cards I made.

Meanwhile, this is a card I made for my friend, Joan, who loves horses.  The stamp is from Our Daily Bread Designs, and I used colored pencils on the image.  I'm making a set of six with matching envelopes as her Christmas gift.  Each card will be embellished a little differently as I go along.

Speaking of colored pencils, I really enjoy using them.  I find it very relaxing to sit somewhere and color with them.  They're very portable, so I can even take a few with me to a friend's house or even a doctor's office for the waiting room.  They also blend very nicely.    I used 3 shades of brown for the horses, 2 shades of green for the grass, and purple for the flowers.  That's just 6 pencils and the pre-stamped  images to carry with me, plus a clean eraser.

Next is the box and belly band I made to go with it.  The horses on the oval aren't as faint IRL as they look here.  Since I won't be mailing it, I was able to use heavier twine on the box.

By the way, have you seen all the adult coloring books that have been popping up on all the magazine racks?  I've even seen them in the supermarket!  A little too busy for me, though. However, I do have a beautiful butterfly coloring book that shows the correct colors for each butterfly and blank ones to color that are simple and fun for practicing.

That's it for now.  I still have lots of Christmas preparations to take care of (like you, I'm sure...) so it may be a few days before I post again.  Thanks for checking in!

COMPUTER PROBLEMS

My PC won't let me log in anymore, so I'm unable to post pictures.  I'm just writing this update through my tablet to let you know why there haven't been any recent posts.  Hope to be back up soon....waaah...

PINWHEEL FOLD

Brenda Keenan has done some fabulous videos on YouTube, and this was one of them.  Since I don't have a diagonal insert for my ScorePal, I used my Envelope Punch Board for the necessary diagonal lines.  Here's how:

First I chose an 8" square of dsp that was double sided.  Next, I got out my Punch Board, lined up the dsp with the 3 3/8" mark and (without using the punch,) scored on the diagonal line for each side of the paper.  Then I cut out the triangles created on each side and scored the "tabs" (shown green here.)

After flipping the paper over (so that the design I wanted would be on the outside) I scored at 1" for

each of the tabs created.  I then folded the 3" score
lines inward and the tabs outward.  The final step was to fold the card like a cardboard box top.

After stamping the inside, I embellished the outside
with tiny white pearls instead of a belly band.  For the video, just go to YouTube and type in Pinwheel
Fold card and look for Brenda Keenan.  She's very
easy to follow and has lots of other videos worth
checking out.

Enjoy!

FUN TECHNIQUE

After watching her video where Jennifer McGuire shows how to make her monochromatic cards, I came up with two of my own.  Although they are not monochromatic, they are quite similar and were a lot of fun to make!

 I started with a new cardstock pad I picked up at Hobby Lobby last week.  The colors are definitely ideal for Fall, so I wasted no time using them.  Since they are white on the back, they can be used as card bases with plenty of  room to write a note inside.

For the first card, I started with a greenish color panel and stamped the leaves in various Fall colors.  The large ones were stamped first and the smaller ones fitted around them.  Next I added white lines and dots, as shown on Jennifer's video, a technique which really livens up the card.

Next, I stamped the vellum banners with white pigment ink and embossed with white.  To mount the banner, I creased it at the top so that I could adhere it to the back of the panel with no tape showing on the front.  The wooden embellishments at the bottom helped keep the tag from popping up, again with no adhesive showing.

The second card was done the same way but with a brown panel from the same cardstock pad.  These were fun to make--thanks, Jennifer!

BIRTHDAY BEAR

One of my grandsons is turning 11 next week, so I made this card for him.  No more babyish cards....

While at Hobby Lobby the other day, I picked up a pack of stencils, used one of them here and stamped the bear once on the front. Then I stamped it again, cut it out and mounted it over the first bear with dimensionals.
After adding the greeting and a few embellishments, the card was done.

Meanwhile, my oldest grandson has been checking out colleges already.  Where do the years go???

THREE OF A KIND--QUILTED LEAVES

Evelyn and I did a bunch of these with my new quilted leaf die, and I love how they turned out!

Enjoy!

(Click to enlarge.)

PAPER PUMPKIN ALTERNATE

September's kit included this Autumn-y stamp set, just a bit bigger than my peg stamps.  I made this simple card in less than five minutes with three tiny stamps, the Cajun Craze ink spot and the yarn.

The sentiment is from a different set (Autumn Collage by Sweet & Sassy.)

THREE OF A KIND--HALLOWEEN

Just gotta love those bats!

Spidey, from an old SU! set, makes another appearance.   This time he's mounted on a piece of dsp web, sporting some Wink of Stella.

The third card will go to my youngest grandsons who really are sweet.

All three cards took very little time to make--the dsp does all the work.  The BOO!'s were die cut with my Big Shot, and Spidey was quickly fussy cut.

Happy Halloween everyone!  Don't eat too much candy!

BEFORE AND AFTER TABLETOP

BEFORE...

AFTER (finally!)

JOSEPH'S COAT LEAF

This is my way of doing the Joseph's Coat technique, using the colors in a piece of dsp.  This one is done with a piece from the SU Bohemian dsp collection.

First, I stamped over the dsp with Versamark and then clear embossed it.  Next I sponged it with Tea Dye Distress Ink and then Walnut Stain Distress Ink, being careful to let some of the lighter color show around the edges.  After rubbing the excess ink off with a tissue, I tied the jute around it and mounted it on the card as shown.

This will make a nice masculine card.

SEPTEMBER PAPER PUMPKIN ALTERNATE

The September Paper Pumpkin from SU had everything needed to make goodie bags for Halloween treats that looked like witches' brooms or haystacks (depending on how you used the kit.)  Since I only needed four, I decided to make cards with the leftover materials. 

The birch trees on the card were actually straws that were to be the broom handles.  After checking out the alternate projects posted on YouTube, I saw someone cut the straws, smooth them down with a bone folder and glue them to a card.  I couldn't resist doing the same thing and attaching them with glue dots to hold them securely.

The pumpkin stamp, Cajun Craze ink and sentiment were provided.  I added the blue ink and the die cut deer.  The slightly curved tree trunks and the brown "grass" give this card a lot of texture.

Stay tuned for more alternatives...I feel a shaker card coming on...

AUTUMN-Y FRIEND

Now that "butterfly season" is over (summer) I've turned my attention to bird stamps. This one is from the old SU set, "Touch of Nature," combined with the newer "Awesomely Artistic."

It all started when I found this Crumb Cake card base already embossed and cut.  Now that I've cut my dsp down to 4 1/4' x 6" and have them on my table top, it was easy to flip through and find one that would work.  After trimming and attaching it to the inside of the card, I used a strip of white stamped with the light blue design for the edge of the top piece.  Next I stamped the bird, "friend" and circular design in blue and added some light tan on the bird and branch.

After taking the photograph, I stamped a birthday greeting inside and added a few sequins on the front for a "Postage Friendly" finish!

AUTUMN POSTCARD

This was very easy to do.  I just heat embossed the postcard image in white and sponged Distress Inks over it as shown.

Instead of attaching the postcard to the orange panel with dimensionals, I glued a slightly smaller piece of fun foam to the back and glued that to the orange panel.  This will keep it firm while going through the mail.

After roughing the edges of the panel with a distress tool (you can also use your finger nail) I tied the jute around it and attached the panel to the card front.  I then added it to my Thanksgiving card collection.

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN--The Rule of Thirds

Using a panel from the SU English Garden dsp collection, I put this card together using the rule of thirds. The floral dsp covers the top 2/3 of the card, while the slanted stripes and cardstock strips filled the bottom third.

When using the rule of thirds, the "sweet spots"  are where the (undrawn) vertical and horizontal lines meet. In this case, that would be where the flower and the greeting are placed.  I don't know why this works, but the use of thirds is more pleasing to the eye.  From left to right, your eye is drawn first to the flower and then to the greeting, a very logical progression.

An easy way to test this is to draw lines on a piece of vellum that you can see through when placed over a card.  This is a helpful way to make your cards look more balanced.

HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY!

Since Christopher Columbus made his way here in a trio of ships, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about another element of design:  ODD NUMBERS.

Why odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye than even ones, in design that is, I don't know.  I just know it works.  This card shows both.  The three pearls at the bottom work very well, but the two at the top look out of place (to me.)  Even the single sequin works better than two would.  So once I finish this post, the two upper pearls will be removed.


One of the most common mistakes beginners make on cards is to over embellish, especially with gems and sequins.  If the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria were good enough for Columbus, then 3 is good enough for me.  Happy Columbus Day!

OAK AND ACORNS

Since the dsp is a heavy weight with white on the other side, I used it as the card base.  I stamped the oak leaves in black, then used a black pen to draw matching details on the wood embellishments (SU) below.  Although it doesn't show up here, I also used some clear Wink of Stella on the wood pieces.

The striped dsp has some sparkle in it, which adds just enough accent to the card front.  Another easy card!

WIND BLOWN LEAVES

Since the dsp used on this card suggested the wind, I arranged the leaves to suggest their being carried along.  I may change the sentiment later to something a bit larger... not sure yet...  

THANKSGIVING CARDS

Since I received over 50 birthday cards and like to respond, I will be sending a bunch of these out for Thanksgiving and include a thank-you.  The leaves and embossing folder eliminate the need for stamping, except for the inside.  Thanks to Evelyn who supplied the pre-cut leaves and the embossing folder.  The card base is Tip-Top Taupe from SU.

The hardest part of this card was gluing down the leaves with TomBow Mono glue.  Once I run out of these, though, I will use solid ones.  That should cut down the time to under 5 minutes per card!

VICTORIAN BIRTHDAY

Since this is a card for one of my friends who loves the Victorian style of decorating, I changed it up a bit after the photo was taken.  After carefully peeling off the scalloped square from the card front, I replaced the two ribbons with one organza ribbon that went around the card just above the square.  (It is a top fold card.)  I tied a big bow and reattached the square just below it.  It looked much more feminine after that.  I plan to hand deliver it tomorrow.



TIP:  I came up with a better way (for me) to store my 
12x12" dsp.  Since I no longer do scrapbooking, I cut each sheet into 4x6" panels for cards and store them upright in a clear plastic container on my table.  This makes them handy and keeps them in plain sight.

THANKSGIVING WREATH

Gotta love those peg stamps--they come in handy for so many card themes!

To make this wreath, I punched out a circle of fun foam to use as a guide for my "twig" base.  I loosely traced the first circle around it to avoid making a wreath that was oval or square-ish.  After making several circles in three different browns with SU markers, I used peg stamps for the leaves.  Then I splattered the card front with brown Distress Ink, added the "thanks" and attached the embroidery floss bow.

This makes for a quick and easy Thanksgiving card with lots of variations.  As shown in yesterday's Simple Saturday post, it also makes an even quicker Christmas card.

BTW, I'm still having to get a lot of rest because of the Epstein Barr virus, but I cut back on my activities for awhile.  This leaves more time to spend stamping in the "Tower."

SIMPLE SATURDAY #40--Christmas Wreath

HAPPY WORLD CARDMAKING DAY!