Congratulations, Love Birds

I made this card for my son and daughter in law for their anniversary. I thought it turned out cute. The MFT "Tweet Friends" is a versatile stamp set and I just love the coordinating dies of the "cages" which you can use with it. I cut my cage out of silver card stock so it looked like metal and removed two of the slats like the door was open. The branch is from Art Impression and I made some clouds in the background with distress ink and MFT "Mini Cloud Edges" Stencil. It's hard to see in this pic, unfortunately. The birds were colored with copic markers and I used Nuvo drops on the wing for some dimension. I am using this card for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Anything Goes."

Thanks for Everything

One more card for today which I made after watching one of the Altenew instructional videos. Their videos show you how to use the layered stamps and give you ideas for projects. This card project uses the Altenew Layered Lily and four Altenew inks - Velvet, Crimson, Rouge, and Blush. I double matted it and adhered it to the card base. The sentiment is from the same stamp set. The most difficult part about making this card was finding the right shades of gray ink since I do not own Altenew gray inks! I DO like this design and think I will duplicate it with other flower stamps. Entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Anything Goes."

      

With Sympathy

Another type of card I like to keep on hand - sympathy cards. No one wants to make one of these at the last minute. This one turned out quite nice.

I cut the Altenew Leaf Frame two times out of two different card stock colors, added this to a blue panel on which I had stamped the Just Rite script backgraound. This sentiment, from Hero Arts, is black heat embossed on velum and adhered to the lower left corner. 

On the upper right corner I added die cut flowers and leaves from Altenew Sakur Blossom Set. The clear drops are from Pretty Pink Posh just to finish off the card. Thanks for viewing my blog. This card is for Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Anything Goes."

Healing Hugs

Simon Says Stamp put out this new set "Healing Hugs" for STAMPTEMBER and I knew I had to get it right away. I like to keep "get well" cards on hand. Once you reach my age, you will understand why!

So I stamped the large image, colored it with copic markers and used the matching die to cut it out. I put the whole thing back in my misti and use clear embossing powder so it would have a bit of shine. Hard to see in this pic though.

Some lace and ribbon from my craft stash was enough to finish this card. I'm entering it in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Anything Goes."

Curl Up With a Good Book

Tonight I have a all occasion card for my cat loving friends (which there are a few!) This one feature's the kitty from Newton's Nook and the image from "Newton's Book Club." I colored this with copic markers and cut it out using two rectangle dies to form a frame from Spellbinders. Also from Spellbinders - the scalloped circle die around the sentiment tag which was added with dimension tape. The sentiment is from the same Newton set. Both look great on the patterned paper I purchased at my local box store because I too am a cat lover and couldn't resist it! In the background is the envelope which I also stamped with a kitty. Because of the fall colors, this card can qualify for Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Fall/Autumn Colors."

Autumn Thanks

This Thank You card is one of my favorite kind to make. 

I just enjoy coloring flowers and then arranging them, especially if there is a container involved. 

This basket is from Gina K Designs and I've used it many times in the past. The flowers are from Catherine Pooler's "Enchanted Garden" stamp set colored in fall shades and added with dimensionals to look like they are tumbling out of their contained space!

Entering this card in the SSS Wednesday Challenge "Fall /Autumn Colors."

The background of this card has several different stamps applied in an uneven fashion across the front to add interest. One is Just Rite's Scripty Background stamped in a light tan color and the other is tiny hearts stamped in Gold Delicata Ink. First, I added some Squeezed Lemonade Distress Ink to my water color paper by dipping the card into it on a piece of plastic where the ink had been sprayed with some water. The "thanks" die from Lawn Fawn allow the recipient to view the brown card stock layer behind the top layer. And both layers are adhered to a golden color card base. Thanks for visiting!

Sending Healing Hugs

Here's a get well card which I gave my neighbor who came out of the hospital today after 2 weeks. I live in a community for people over 55, and many of them have been here longer than I so get well cards are good to keep on hand. This one was made with the Altenew Leaf Burst Stencil, which I love, colored with Distress Inks and a make up brush. I used an ivory base and double matted it for more color; used a sentiment from the new SSS Healing Hugs set and added some ribbon from my stash and a bow made out of jute. Entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Fall/Autumn Colors."

I'm So Grateful

Back in September I used the Gina K Wreath Builder with some flower stamps from MFT. We all know that if you go to that much trouble, you might as well make more than one wreath, so I made two. One card was a birthday card back in September. Today's card is a Thank You card with a different card design. This one is for Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Fall/Autumn Colors."

Using flowers and leaves from Beautiful Blooms, Fall Florals, and Mini Modern Blooms MFT stamp sets, I arranged each element into the wreath using the Gina K. Wreath Builder template. I used fall colors: peach, deep orange, kraft, yellow, and a bit of teal.

The card base made from persimmon card stock was stamped with an Impression Obsession stamp "Vines" in the same color for a subtle effect, and I scored it to create a space for the sentiment below the wreath. The sentiment stamped in brown is from MFT.

I popped up the wreath panel after cutting it out with a stitched square die and added a some Nuvo drops in the teal color to tie it all together and add more dimension.

Celebrate Your Day!

Today is my granddaughter's 5th birthday, so you know the rest... and I am entering this card in two challenges, Simon Says Stamp Monday "All Things Pink" and My Favorite Things Sketch #459.

The lucky girl is in Disney so she will get the card upon her return!

I started with pink card stock and checked my scrap drawer for some coordinating paper. Found some flowered patterned paper and polka dots which I always love for "girly" cards. I added some detail to the edges with Paper Smooches "Dots & Dashes" die and stamped the number 5 all over with MFT "Fabulous At Any Age."

I freehand drew the large 5, cut it out and then glued it to some "Craft A Board" to make it sturdy and add dimension. The little girl is from MFT Pure Innocence "It's A Sign," copic colored and popped up with dimensional adhesive. Of course, I made her hair similar to my granddaughter's! On her black board I used a stamp from Penny Black called "Sweet & Cute" with white embossing powder. I put the Happy Birthday on the inside of the card.

Celebrate with Hollyhocks

Pink flowers! I make a ton of cards with pink flowers. This one is for any general occasion to celebrate and the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "All Things Pink."

For the first layer of this card I used Simon Says Stamp "Large Morrocan" Stencil sponged on with Distress Ink. It's a little hard to see in the photo. The idea was to create a trellis like effect for my hollyhock-likeflowers. I stamped these using the Impression Obsession stamp across the card at various heights. 

Next I cut the panel with My Favorite Thing's "Wonky Stitched Rectangle" die.  I used the Impression Obsession matching flower die to cut some hollyhocks and adhere them on top of the stamped flowers on the left side of the card to add dimension and interest. 

The large black sentiment is a die cut from Sugar Pea Design and the small sentiment strip is from SSS 3x4 "Birthday Messages" set. A few black butterflies and the black layer finished this card perfectly.

Celebrate in Pink Daisies

This fairly simple card was fun to make. It's perfect for a young girl's birthday or a graduation. Who doesn't love gingham in white and pink.

I used the Simon Says Stamp "Simple Poinsettia Cutouts" die diagonally across the panel and added a big daisy flower in the corner made from SSS "Stitched Daises" with the coordinating paper. The sentiment cut out allows the pink paper to show through just like the small poinsettias (in this case daisies!) The sentiment die is from Sugar Pea Designs.

I mounted the panel onto the solid pink base cut with Lawn Fawn's Scalloped Rectangle Stackables Dies and both onto a white card base. The centers of the daisies were made with Nuvo drops.

I am adding this card to this week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "All Things Pink."

To the Happy Couple

My niece just got engaged so it gave me a chance to make a very specific card for a change. I gravitated toward pink, probably because of the hearts, so it ended up being the perfect card for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "All Things Pink."

First, I took a piece of yupo paper previously"colored" with alcohol inks in pink & yellow which had a ton of shine and cut out the large heart from a Hero Arts Kit called "Make It Personal" a few years ago. The little hearts on it are partially cut so they open up. On top of them are stamped tiny Valentine sayings like "love", "kisses" and "XO." I used the same Yupo paper for the Congratulations Sentiment. Both sentiments on the front are from a Taylored Expressions set called "In & Out Wedding Words." I used a Martha Stewart heart punch around two sides of the white card base and ran it through my Big Shot in a Darice Embossing folder (but you can't see it in this photo; ) then mounted that onto a pink layer with a small scallop design at the bottom from Lawn Fawn. The inside of the card has the Hero Arts "Stacked Hearts" die and a rectangle from Penny Black.

      

Masculine Happy Birthday

Here is a masculine birthday card for the current 

My Favorite Things Color Challenge #127 and Sketch Challenge #458 -

(see below for the design and colors.) I actually turned the sketch image on its side for my design!

For this card, I used a stamp which is one of my favorites from MFT called "Spotlight Sentiments." It's stamped in BlueYonder ink. "Celebrate with Cake" stamped in Blue Breeze and Steel Gray for the dish & candles completes the focal image. I used the little star stamp with Blue Breeze around this panel for an additional accent, picking up on the stars in the Spotlight Sentiment. I used my wink of stella in gold to color the fire of the candles, and it "burbed" on me (but I decided to keep the card anyway!) Next time I will check them first on a an extra piece of paper! I bet you have all learned that lesson the hard way. LOL

For a coordinating patterned paper on the left side, I used the Country Fair 6x6 paper. The panel is mounted on solid blue first then adhered to a white card base, which is my standard greeting card preference.

Love

My Favorite Things has a new Color Challenge #127 and Sketch Challenge #458
- so I created this card with those two challenges in mind. See below for the design and colors.

Products for this card:

"Things with Wings" by MFT (stamps & dies)

LOVE die by Die Namics from MFT

Copic Markers 

Mini Cloud Edges Stencil by MFT

Grassy Fields die by Die Namics from MFT

Country Fair Plaid 6x6 Paper Pack, MFT

Blueprint 27 Dienamics Scalloped Rectangle die

Seasons Greetings

Another card for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Christmas." 

For this design, I masked off an area which left the triangle open for stamping and chose several stamp sets with small holiday designs to create the effect of a Christmas Tree. "Deck the Halls" from Lawn Fawn, "Holiday Petals & Leaves" from Hero Arts are two with lots of those little stamps good for this effect. I used one of the pine cones for the tree trunk. Then I added little dots to any areas which seemed a little bare when I finished.

The sentiment is from Hero Arts "Stamp & Cut Christmas Tree" stamped in Versafine Black Onyx Ink and popped up slightly on top of the tree. For extra little something I used a Echo Park Diagonal Stripe Stencil on the card base. I made several of these cards in both red and green.

Autumn Greetings Maple Leaf

One more entry for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "Fall/ Autumn."

I left the background of this card white because the huge Simon Says Stamp "Giant Maple Leaf"

deserves all the attention. Using water color paper, I added lots of Distress Ink in fall colors and 

then applied Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint - clear Rock Candy.

Hard to see in the photo, but the leaf has a distinct surface which adds to the appeal.

The Gina K Mini Fanciful Flourishes add a special touch along with the Nuvo drops.

The embossed greeting is from an older Inkadinkado stamp set.

Jolly Holly Days

Another card project created with pattern paper background for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Christmas" and the Kickstart Christmas Challenge #21 Woodland Creatures.

The effort here went into the water coloring of the stamped image from Penny Black called "Deck the Halls." To embellish the focal point, I used Spellbinder's Scalloped Circle die in red to encircle the white card stock. I added the "Holly Leaf Branch" die cut from Poppy Stamps on the left corner and the tag with the sentiment from Concord & 9th. Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Dashing Through the Snow

This card consists of a "tag" adhered to a patterned paper background. This is one way of creating cards faster because you are not starting from scratch making your own background panel.

This background paper shows different animals enjoying the snow on sleds, so I created the tag to match with Sunny Studio's "Snow Kissed" stamp set, coloring the image with copic markers and cutting it out for the tag. For a fitting sentiment I found "Dashing Through the Snow" from the Ton stamps, and finished the card with a few red glitter snowflakes cut from Lawn Fawn's snowflake die set. This card is entered into Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Christmas." Visit the link and view many creative projects.

Handcrafted Sentiment Background

 Another card project for the holidays. 

This card would have been easy except I made the background myself with lots 

of different stamp sets containing words related to the holidays! 

I used black ink and a ruler to align them across a light blue piece of card stock. 

For the focal point, I used Hero Arts stamp and cut Christmas Tree, 

copic colored it and added some sequins. 

This card is for Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge "Christmas".

Although I enjoyed making the background, I think the card looks a little bare 

without a popped up sentiment near the top. I might go back and add that on!

Autumn Hello

This card project started with a piece of water color paper to which I added shades of orange and pink for a background; plus I used two large background stamps. I used the swirl stamp first (not sure which company made that one as I lost the label.) Then, I stamped with the script from Just Rite mostly in the middle of the panel. I didn't apply the stamp to the entire panel, a technique I learned at a card making class last year.

The three feathers were made with a Spellbinder's Stamp & Cut set and embossed with some powder which has mixed colors of brown and orange, perfect for fall projects. I adhered them with the bown My Favorite Things "Pierced Fancy Flourish" die cut and added the brown Nuvo drops.To complete my card for many different occasions, I used a "Hello" sentiment die.

Entering this card in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Fall/Autumn Colors."

Another Happy Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving card was inspired by Kristina Werner.

Her you tube video for Simon Says Stamp called Autumn Stamping with Distress Oxides 

from last October is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viEvh879vpA. 

Going through my stamps, I found a set I could use from Hero Arts 

called "Layering Grateful Leaves," but I didn't use all the layers. 

I used very similar Distress Inks as Kristina, but I eliminated one row 

because my card is a standard A2 and hers was a 5x7 card (bigger.) 

For my greeting I created a tag with an older Hero Arts "happy Thanksgivi ng" stamp 

and a Reverse Confetti label strip, embossing it with whiteon orange card stock.

Another perfect card for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "FALL/AUTUMN."

Happy Thanksgiving

I am working on a few Thanksgiving cards nice and early. 

Here's one using a stencil I love from Echo Park of acorns. By masking off a row at a time, 

I was able to sponge on different colors of distress ink from Tim Holtz. 

The large oak leaf is a stamp from Inkadinkado and the sentiment is from Hero Arts, 

both older sets from my stash. This is a perfect card for the 

Monday Challenge from Simon Says Stamp
and the Let's Craft and Create Challenge # 152.

Thanks in Olive

A quick blog post tonight. This olive card was made with an embellishment a friend gave me when we spent an afternoon crafting together. I don't know the origins of the round, brown filigree type embellishment, but I wanted to use it as the focal point for a card and this is how it turned out. I used "Script Background Stamp" from Just Rite and "Thanks Scallop Border" from Simon Says Stamp. I added 4 Nuvo drops in the gold color and a bit of jute twine for the bow, and the card came together. Entering this one in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "Fall/Autumn."

Season's Greetings

One more Christmas card for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "Let's Get Ready for Christmas." I don't use many cards which are not white or ivory. This was my attempt to use light brown card base. The pattern patter I selected looked great on this base along with the cream color on top and the cream colored snowflake. This is a fairly simple card so I made a handful for the holidays.

     I ran the top section through my Big Shot with an embossing folder of snowflakes. The large snowflake is from Lawn Fawn "Stitched Snowflake" dies. I heat embossed the greeting with olive hybrid ink and added a green embellishment in the middle of the large snowflake. If I made this card again, I would add a layer of olive card stock with a stitched border between these two layers.

Stinkin' Cute

This card was left over from last Valentine's Day but I never posted it on the blog or a challenge. It's perfect for this week's Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Think Pink. The base of the card was created with Stampin' Up's Heart Swirl stamp. Then I used some pattern paper with Reverse Confetti's "Greetings Frame" for the second layer. The critter is Lawn Fawn's Stinkin' Cute skunk; the sentiment is from the same set. I arranged the hearts from several stamp sets including one very old one from Inkadinkado all on one side of the panel and popped the skunk up on dimensionals.

Happy Birthday in Pink Balloons

While searching on You Tube for some inspiration for a card design, I stumbled upon an old video by Barbara Anders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIOX7ofBpl8&feature=youtu.be from 2015 which impressed me, so I decided to find products in my craft room which would work to duplicate her idea. The multi-step process took me out of my comfort zone a little bit, but it was very enjoyable. Here is what I came up with. The photo is darker than the actual card which was made with shades of pink; hence the entry into "THINK PINK" for Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.

       

First Step - stamp the base with Stampin' Up's Swirl Heart stamp in light pink 

and three balloons from My Favorite Things "Bundle of Balloons" in SSS color "Hot Mama." 

Second Step - Use Gina K Design's "Tiny Textures" rectangle stamp three times 

over the area of the balloons in three colors ranging from light to dark pink 

(I used MFT Pink Lemonade, Tickled Pink, and Hero Arts Soft Pink) 

AND stamp a second time with Versa Mark clear ink to add the glossy effect. 

Cut the panel with MFT Blueprint #27 scalloped die and add the Lawn Fawn die cut 

in the same color as the layered dark pink panel.

I created the panel inside to match, but forgot where that sentiment came from...

I Miss You!

My daughter called yesterday from CA. I'm in NJ and she moved there 5 years ago. 

I miss her of course, and we don't talk as often as you would think mothers and daughters would ... 

so it was great to catch up. I decided to send her a card and made it with the colors for the CURRENT My Favorite Things Color Challenge #126 and
My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge #457.

I used two Birdie Brown sets from MFT, "Can't Wait to See You" and "Thankful Friends." The card stock is Orange Zest and Milk Chocolate. The focal image is colored with copic markers; I heat embossed the leaves on the bottom portion with 2 colors of embossing powders. For an added touch, I adhered a small branch and decided to add a small cardinal because I knew my daughter would like that! Below are the colors for the Challenge.

Peace & Joy

Getting ready for Christmas ahead of time with another card. I made three of these by starting with an adorable "Deck the Halls" stamp from Penny Black colored with copic markers. When I purchased the Holly Oval Frame from Simon Says Stamp, I knew it would be a perfect way to highlight this image.

Additionally, I used a technique by Jennifer McGuire to add snow to my scene. She used laminator pockets and embossing powder to sandwich the powder between the clear layers so it looks like snow.  Here is a link to the video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op6PI5KpARw I thought this would be the easiest way to create a snowy background!

So, I sandwiched the laminated pocket full of "snow" between my scene and the dark green Holly Oval Frame with strong adhesive. I didn't need to use dimension because this is not a shaker card. The "snow" is stationary.

The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn's "Snowy Backdrop" stamp set. I used white embossing powder and heat embossed it for an added glossy effect and to highlight the white background of the scene.

This card is being entered in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "Get Ready for Christmas."

Hello You

This card project was a bit more intricate than my usual card, but I had fun arranging all of the flowers on one side of this frame and using the vertical sentiment on the other side.

I started by masking off a rectangle the same size as the Simon Says Stamp "Sketch Frame" die so the center would remain clear and stamped all around it with Just Rite's "Script" stamp on the pink panel which had been cut with a scallop die.

The flowers were stamped in two colors and then die cut using Altenew's "Vintage Flowers" set.
The leaves are from a Martha Stewart punch. The little stems are from an older die I had in my stash. The sentiment, from Avery Elle, was stamped with white embossing powder and heat set for a glossy effect.

I like to make "generic" cards like this so I can make the inside greeting more personalized. When I need a card for a special occasion, I simply create a panel for the inside and it's perfect for whatever I need!

This card fits the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "Think Pink." Thanks for visiting.

With Sympathy

A mostly pink card today using stamps and dies from Altenew: "Vintage Flowers" 

and "Leaf Canopy." I added these to some pink and white patterned card stock 

along with the Spellbinders "Filigree Side Pocket" in glossy white cardstock. 

This reminds me of a trellis. The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp.

Entering this card in SSS Wednesday Challenge "Think Pink"

because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Thanks for visiting.