Congrats using SC841

 

I flipped the sketch and made a horizontal card. Used some single sheets of dp that I bought a gazillion years ago from a Scrapbook Expo when SEI was selling variety packs of their gorgeous 12 x 12 papers. It's always fun to dig out some old supplies - I forget what I have stashed away. Thanks to Splitcoaststampers for the inspiration! 

Supplies Used: 

Stamps: Close to my Heart: Celebration

Dies: Spellbinders: Card Creator A-2 Matting Basics A & B; 

Sizzix: Stars #2

Paper: SEI: Various

Ink: Memento: Paris Dusk

EF: Darice: Stars

Joyful Christmas

I fell in love with this stamp set from the Stamp Simply Ribbon Store when I first saw it. I was so inspired by the designers' cards, that I was actually convinced that I could pull off making my own Christmas cards for 2020. That was way back in September when the illusion of having plenty of time made my goal seem like a realistic possibility. Fast forward to December, after which I had changed my mind at least half a dozen times, and there I was, stamping, embossing and coloring like there was no tomorrow. This was my first attempt at making a significant number of cards (50). It took way longer than I anticipated, but I was happy with the results. Still love the stamp set bundle. Motivated to do it again for 2021....promising myself I will start much early, though!

Once I decided on the design of my card and arranged all the pieces, the blank background was too boring for me. That's where a little bit of ink through a stencil added just the right amount of interest and color.  Since the stamp set contains only two ornaments and one string & one bow, the embossing took several iterations. The gold embossing really adds a classy look, so the effort was well worth it. Next, I had to color all of those tiny little diamonds....it took about 10 minutes per card to fill them all in! My Prismacolor colored pencils finally got a workout, and they didn't disappoint. Matted the panels on gold foil cardstock, which added another elegant touch. TFL!

Supplies Used: 

Stamps: Stamp Simply: Christmas Joy, Woodware: Sketchy Pine Branch

Inks: Distress: Mowed Lawn, Broken China; VersaMark; Stampin' Up: Real Red

Stencil: Picket Fence Studios: Points of Interest

Other: Ranger: Gold Embossing Powder, Prismacolor Colored Pencils, Nuvo Crystal Drops: Gloss: Red Berry

CTS #337

Lots of patterns on this one even while trying to keep it clean & simple. Used the sweetest thing paper pad from My Mind's Eye and coordinating brads. The flowers were stamped using TSOL's flower2doodle and cut out with coordinating dies. The sentiment is from another TSOL stamp set (tv2stamp) - I just had to bravely snip the longer sentiment into two. Used sketch #337 at Case This Sketch:

Supplies Used:

Paper: My Mind's Eye: the sweetest thing

Stamps: TSOL: flower2doodle, tv2stamp

Dies: TSOL: flower2doodle

Ink: Stampin' Up: Calypso Coral, VersaMark 

Other: Stampendous! PEARLustre Aventurine EP, My Mind's Eye Brads, BasicGrey Candy Buttons

Wishing On a Star

Made these two cards for My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge #435. I have a ton of cards to make for the month of May, but sometimes when I HAVE to make a card, it isn't as much fun as just making a card because Inspiration hits. So rather than setting out to make one of the cards on my To-Do List, I set out to see what supplies I had that could fit this sketch. My recently purchased Stargazer Paper Pad made me think of my Rocket Scientist Niece who currently works with satellites (but whose birthday is not until August). While I was at it, I did manage to make a second card for a May Graduate so I get to check one off the To-Do List and I am actually ahead-of-the-game for August! Woo-hoo!

These cards were made very similarly, using string (embroidery floss), a die-cut star and a full moon (cut from a one of the papers) for the three circle shapes on the sketch.  The stars were colored by using a Brush Strokes stamp - the card above was embossed in Sapphire, while the card below was embossed with VersaMark then topped with Perfect Pearls. Both sentiments were embossed in Sapphire. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:

Paper: The Paper Studio: Stargazer Foil Pad

Dies: Sizzix Originals: Stars #2, Simon Says Stamp: Wishing, Wplus9: That is All (amazing)

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp: Sending and Wishing, Wplus9: That is All, Hero Arts: Brush Strokes (inside of Star)

Ink: VersaMark, VersaFine Onyx Black

Other: Perfect Pearls, Sapphire Embossing Powder, Fun Foam (behind the star)

SC736

I'm entering this in Split Coast Stampers Sketch Challenge #736. Grateful for the inspiration! I wanted to use some of my newer supplies, especially that marble background stamp. I started out by clear embossing the marbled image and inking over that with a few distress inks. I die cut a heart, then popped it up with foam to add dimension. I remembered that I had a stash of left-over little hearts, to which I added a few white highlights. However, when I went to adhere them, I somehow lost one of them....which happens too often! This time, I eventually found the missing heart (while cleaning up of course) stuck to the underside of my craft mat. Ugh. 

Supplies:

Paper: Recollections Valentine's Day

Stamps: My Favorite Things: Marble Background

Ink: Distress: Candied Apple, Worn Lipstick, Festive Berries, VersaMark

Dies: Sizzix Originals: Heart #2, My Favorite Things: LLD Hot Cocoa Cups Die-namics, Simon Says Stamp Mini Hearts Set

Other: Altenew: Splatter Stencil, washi tape, white colored pencil

I made a second card by adhering the marbled panel w/the heart cutout on red cs, then heat embossing a sentiment in white. Scattered a few mini hearts in white, red and worn lipstick to finish this card.  Thanks for stopping by!

Mojo Monday #509

I needed some inspiration to jump start my Valentine's Day cards...Mojo Monday 509 came to the rescue! I embossed the background, die cut a big red striped heart and added a second white heart to help the striped one stand out. Looking forward to playing along with more sketches!

Supplies Used:

Paper: Recollections: Valentine's Day Paper Pad

Dies: Sizzix Originals: Heart #2

Other: Cuttlebug: Swiss Dots Embossing Folder

Mojo Monday #491

Created this using the layout from Mojo Monday's Sketch Challenge #491. I love this sketch because it really inspires me to use some of the many dps I have accumulated but haven't used in awhile. To coordinate with the star dp, I embossed a white-core cardstock panel, sanded it, and distressed the edges. I stamped and embossed the cake, then colored it with copics. For the sentiment, I created a shadow by using the MISTI and stamping it first with black ink, then stamping a second time, slightly offset, with VersaMark and heat embossed with Leaf Green embossing powder. For a final touch, I added three star brads - one was a little too pink, so I colored it with a copic.  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:

Stamps: WeRMemoryKeepers (sentiment), Hampton Art (Cake)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaMark, Copics

Other: Darice stars ef, Nestabilities Circle Die, star brads, Zing! ep

Triple Play

I am the most inefficient card maker out there; I can't seem to make a decision and stick to it. In order to produce more in less time, I again tried to make duplicate cards. I came pretty close this time, but I still ended up changing my mind and using different things on each card. 

I started things off by using the sketch from this week's MFT's Sketch Challenge:

Stamped a baseball image three times and colored all with Copics (more or less all are the same at this point). Then I had to choose what size circle to mount the image on....chose two sizes and embossed them both. For Card #1, I popped up them main image and the banner, but the star paper ended up making the banner a bit uneven, so I didn't pop up anything on the other two cards. Since Card #2 was larger, I changed the sentiment and added the Banner Stamp. The blank white was begging for embellishment, so Card #1 got stamped Stars while Card #2 got die cuts. Card #3 got an embossed background panel with ticket-punched corners and a white circle. I think Card #3 is my favorite, so I am posting my photos in reverse order. 

While it still took me forever to create these cards, at least I managed to complete them, put away all the supplies used, AND post the blog entry all within 24 hours. I think that's a record for me! Maybe 2017 will be my year for efficiency....or at least a year for making lots more cards!! Thanks much for sharing my trials and tribulations. Happy Crafting!

Card #3

Card #1

Card #2

Supplies Used:

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, VersaMark, White EP

Stamps: Power Poppy Play Ball

Dies: Nestabilities Circles, Stars EF, Star Punch, Sizzix Doodle Dots, Tonic Ticket Punch

Horse Love

Adding these cards to the Mix It Up Challenge #8 at Sugar Peas Designs. Their sketch was a good starting point for me as I knew I wanted to use these horse stickers (since my girls are at Horse Camp this week), but I just needed a sketch idea to get a design going. I've been trying to figure out how to add a little something to get that 'complete' look to my rather simple cards, and for these cards, distress inks seemed to do the trick. They make all the elements pop - a big difference in real life I took a photo of a before shot to help illustrate what a little distress ink can do. I just love my distress inks (perhaps that is why I own so many!!). TFL!

Before & After Inking:

Supplies Used:

Dies/Punches: Sizzix Heart #2, Simon Says Stamp Mini Hearts Set, Fiskars Bubbles Border Punch, EK Flourish Scroll Border Punch
Inks: Distress: Mermaid Lagoon, Walnut Stain & Wild Honey
Darice Wood Grain EF
Paper: We R Memory Keepers: Happy Campers
Other: the Paper Studio Puffy Horse Stickers, Darice Twine

Embossed Flourishes

Created this lovely panel using the detailed Texture Flourish stencil from memory box. I stamped VersaMark over the stencil, sprinkled it with clear embossing powder, heat embossed it and sponged distress inks over the panel. I love the look of the finished panel! I added some flourishes, flowers and a button to complete the card.  I used TSOL's swirl stamps and a sentiment stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs to decorate the inside of the card. TFL!

SUPPLIES USED:

Stencil: memory box: Texture Flourish

Inks: VersaMark, Distress Evergreen Bough & Tumbled Glass

Stamps: Sizzix Swirls, Our Daily Bread Designs Flourished Verses

Dies: MFT Die-namics: Medium Fancy Flourish, Spellbinders Twisted Metal Tags & Accents

Other: teresa collins Tell Your Story Die Cut Flowers, button, embroidery floss

Paper: Bazzill Frosted Teal textured cardstock

Birthday Wishes

I followed the Sketch 575 from Splitcoaststampers. Lots of embossing and stenciling on this one! I used my new MISTI tool for all the stamping - every image is perfectly stamped and lined up. I love my new MISTI! Also got to use some new stamps and dies from Simon Says Stamp (SSS) along with some older ones from The Stamps of Life (TSOL). TFL!

Paper: The Paper Company (blue background), brown & white cs

Ink: VersaFine Vintage Sepia and Distress: Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick and Barn Door

Embossing: VersaMark, Clear EP, Wendy Vecchi Studio 490 Embossing Paste 

Stamps: SSS: Sending & Wishing, TSOL: hot4balloons

Dies: SSS: Wishing, Spellbinders Circles

Stencils: TSOL: Cupcake Die, small split chevron stencil from my stash

Happy Thoughts

Created this card using the sketch at Fusion. Several different blues going on here: Background is a blend of Distress Blueprint Sketch, Salty Ocean and Faded Jeans. I first stamped the flowers in a random pattern with VersaMark then embossed with Clear EP & heat set. The individual flower die cuts were also embossed but with Sparkle N Sprinkle's Royal Blue EP. The sentiment was stamped using Simon Says Stamp's Happy Stamp Set and heat embossed with White EP. The word Happy was die cut from a Spellbinders Sentiments One 'Happy Birthday' Die. I glued three of them together for added dimension. Added some flourishes, a blue brad, scroll border & ribbon & done! TFL!

Supplies Used:

Paper: Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper & Royal Blue & White cardstock

Ink: Distress: Blueprint Sketch, Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans

Embossing: VersaMark, Sparkle N Sprinkle Royal Blue EP, Clear & White EP

Stamps: Heartfelt Creations Botanical Floral1 & 2, Simon Says Stamp Happy

Dies: Spellbinders Labels Eleven, Rose Creations, Sentiments One, & Twisted Metal Tags & Accents

Punch: EK Flourish Scroll

Bubbly Birthday

Made this birthday card using the  Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 287. Thankfully, that challenge is always open, as I didn't upload it before the next sketch was posted. Inspired by my paper pad from We R memory Keepers, I set out to use a bubble stencil & my distress inks to make my own version of their dotted paper. Only AFTER painstakingly sponging individual circles, I realized I should have just sponged the whole stencil in one color, then repositioned the stencil & sponge a second color - this would provide random colored dots much, much, faster than coloring the dots individually. Then the saddest realization hit me: why didn't I just USE the dotted paper provided in the paper pack?!! Ugh!!! Although, I did have fun sponging/stenciling and as practice makes perfect, my future attempts will now be easier & nicer (hopefully). 

I used an embossing folder for the background, embossed a cake image and colored it with the coordinating distress inks, added a border, sentiment & enamel dots. TFL!

Supplies Used:

Paper: We R Memory Keepers: Happy Campers

Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Inks: Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint, Peacock Feathers, Mustard Seed, Walnut Stain

Stamp: Hampton Art

Dies: Spellbinders: Circles, Classic Edges One, Sentiments One

Stencil: Heidi Swap

Embossing Folder: Darice Diagonal Stripe

Other: Recollections Enamel Dots 

The paper that inspired me to make my own version

Blue Grad Card

Love the new Dreamweaver stencil I picked up the other day. I don't have much experience with stencils yet, but I did learn that there is an enormous difference when you use the right paper with distress inks. The Ranger Speciality stamping paper (matte coated cardstock) allows the colors to glide over the paper so beautifully. Definitely going to have to stock up on that paper!

Supplies Used:

Paper: Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper, teresa collins Everyday Moments

Dies: Spellbinders Sentiments One, A2 Curved Borders One, Labels One & Circles, Sizzix Stars

Stamp: Northwoods

Ink: Distress Faded Jeans & Salty Ocean

Other: Sapphire ep, Dreamweaver Stencil

Hot Air Balloon Card

I'm happy that I got to create another card for Summer School! I am entering this one in MFT's Focal Point Challenge. It is also another father's day card, so I am entering it into the Challenge at Classy Cards 'n Such, too. I was inspired by the beautiful card created by cards4joy, which I have posted below.

Thanks for looking!

Supplies Used:

Paper: teresa collins Everyday Moments

Stamps: TSOL hot4balloons

Ink: VersaMark

Dies: A2 Curved Borders One, Labels Eleven

Other: Sapphire and Denim embossing powders

Challenges:

Classy Cards 'n Such

MFT's Summer School: Focal Point

Card inspiratin can be found at Splitcoaststampers from cards4joy:

Aloha Aqua Flower

Today's post name comes from the creativity of my ten-year old. My creativity is better expressed in card-making (I would've called it Aqua Hello Card. Pretty boring, I know.)

I did have a lot of fun with the Fusion Challenge -- I just love the aqua ombre wedding cake! I tried to fancy up my card by using the lacy swirly circle die along with a background stamp that I got at 70% off after Valentine's and have finally gotten around to using. (It's so hard to justify buying more stuff when I haven't used what i own, but who can pass up a 70% off clearance bargain?!).

I started by creating the narrow panel by clear embossing the stamped image then blending three shades of distress inks, from lightest to darkest, over that. The darker panel was created by first covering the paper with distress ink then stamping the background pattern with Brilliance Moonlight White Ink to give it a subtle shimmer. I had in mind to use the same flowers for both cards, but I ran out of white flowers so I had to improvise. I use coffee filters to catch my embossing powders or glitter, so I just grabbed one, die cut the flowers from it, then inked them with distress inks and Brilliance. I also added another wish-list item from this card: I wanted to stamp 'thinking of you', but I didn't have a stamp with just the right font or size for this label. Who knew that having several of the same sentiment stamps would STILL not be enough?! And the stash will continue to grow....can't wait for Christmas!

Supplies Used:

Inks: Tumbled Glass, Broken China & Peacock Feathers Distress Inks; 

Brillance Moonlight White, VersaMark

Stamps: Recollections Background Stamp, Verve & TSOL sentiments

Dies: Heartfelt Creations Layered Elegant Swirl, Sizzix Swirls, 

ODBD Vintage Flourish Pattern, Nestabilities Rose Creations

Other: Spare Parts Flowers, Clear Embossing Powder, Forever in Time Gems

Watercolor Background

The Crooked Stamper's Card

Here is the last card I made for an October 11th Birthday. I copied the technique of watercoloring the background from The Crooked Stamper. I love her blog as it is very inspirational and quite entertaining. She was right in that this is rather time-consuming, but I had a lot of fun doing it. TFL!

Supplies Used:

Paper: Watercolor Paper & scraps from my stash

Stamps: Penny Black Allover Pattern, Hampton Art Birthday Cake

Color: VersaMark,  Embossing Powder, Watercolor Pencils

Other: Tonic Studios Ticket Punch, SEI gems

Celebrating Seven

Card #2 for today....this one is for my seven-year-old nephew. I used Sketch #508 over at Split Coast Stampers. What a great place to get inspired! I had fun pulling out my old Sizzix Gifts dies and was happy to find a yellow number seven sticker. And, I got to use some scraps for all the die cuts!

Supplies Used:
Paper: from my stash
Stamps: TSOL
Dies: Sizzix Gifts, Nestabilities Labels Eleven
Other: The Paper Studio Medium Polka Dots EF, The Paper Studio Twine

Happy Summer Cards

 Finally got to use my TSOL stamps: flipflops2stamp. Had the perfect paper to use for this set! First up is a Thank You which follows the SC489 Sketch over at Splitcoaststampers. 

Supplies Used:

Paper: TPS

Stamps: TSOL flipflops2stamp & freebie Thank You

Ink: TH Distress Inks: Picked Raspberry & Salty Ocean

Dies: Spellbinders: Scallop & Classic Circles, Sizzix: Frames, Circle Combo

Other: VersaMark & white embossing powder, Ribbon, Sequins

Next, is a pair of cards all ready to send to my daughters while they are away at camp this summer. (There is much to do to get the girls ready for their week-long stay, but somehow making them at least this one card was the priority at the moment!) These flip flop stamps are so fun! I used my other TSOL stamp sets for the clouds & suns. I did have a bit of a disaster happen though: I'm a very messy stamper and once the creative juices start flowing, I pull out EVERYTHING all AT ONCE - and so I nearly lost one of my clear stamps! I spent nearly an hour going through EVERYTHING but no luck. Then, the next morning, there it was: staring right at me, attached to a laminated card I had propped up on my desk. I need to have a dedicated craft space already. Seriously!!

Supplies Used:

Paper: TPS

Stamps: TSOL flipflops2stamp, crazy4daisies, back2basics, happyBday2you

Ink: TH Distress Inks: Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry & Salty Ocean

Other: CM tearing tool

Polka Dot Thank You

My card for the day:

I entered this in three challenges: First, I was inspired by these colors at the Color Throwdown Blog: 

The second inspiration was this sketch (SC489) over at SCS:

The third challenge I entered was at Sparkle N Sprinkle. It was fun to use their tip of applying adhesive tape to the top of the paper that you are going to die cut. So easy to simply cut your shape, then remove the backing paper so that you can apply the glitter right on top of your shape!

Supplies Used:

- the Paper Studio's A2 Medium Polka Dots ef

- TSOL crazy4daisies sentiment Stamp and back2basics for the water-marked background

- Spellbinders Circles & Scalloped Circles Dies

- Queen & Co. Green Twine

- Peridot Glitter

- VersaMark & TH Tumbled Glass Distress Inks

- DIY paper button