MASCULINE CARD

I have spent nearly the entire day in my craft/computer room today.  The wonderful reason is because our new carpet and linoleum are being installed.  During all of this time, I have only managed to make one card. 

The stamp I used is from Northwoods Rubber Stamps and was stamped with SU Chocolate Chip ink and VersaMark.  I then heat embossed the design with clear embossing powder.  The design was stamped on a piece of Papertrey Ink off white card stock and looked so plain.  I happened to have a thin wood frame (I think you would call it chip board) that had the perfect cut out for the oval.  The layer was put into a Cuttlebug embossing folder and then the wood frame was placed over top of the image.  By doing that only the outer edges were embossed.  I trimmed down the layer so that I could attach it to the front of a card base of SU Chocolate Chip card stock.

Ok, so you ask what else did you do with the rest of the day?  I kept up with my emails, I worked on my mother's income tax information and I did some organizing..........with more organizing to do.  I am trying very hard to go through some stamps etc that I know I'm not going to use or use any longer.  I am so fortunate to be able to take items to a Stamp and Scrap sale the end of April.  I just have to make room for some more new "stuff".  :)

Not sure if I'm going to be able to get to my kitchen to make supper (or darn) so we may just have to go somewhere to grab a bite.  Such a hardship.

Thanks for stopping by................hope you are having a great day.

FUN BIRTHDAY CARD

I have an expansion folder FULL of stamp offs that I have made from my own stamps or stamped off design from stamps of friends.  Today I decided to get into that folder and find something to color.  I had several of these stamped off and thought he was so cute that I'd pick this one for today.  This one is a design that I used from a friend of mine when our Yahoo Group gathered in Des Moines, I think.  At least I don't remember that I have that stamp. :)

I colored the design with my Copic CIAO markers and then cut it out using the Deckled Edge Oval from Spellbinders.  The top 3/4 of the card base was stamped with a large stamp of the sky with clouds using a light blue ink from SU.  Then I decided to sponge some of that same light blue ink onto the oval piece around the colored image.

The image was attached to the card and then a green strip of SU Wild Wasabi card stock was punched with the Martha Stewart grass punch.  It felt like the green areas was too wide so I took a piece of white card stock and stamped the Happy Birthday.  Using one of the new Spellbinders Banner dies I cut and embossed that piece.

Two more days until our new carpet goes in.................Thanks for stopping by!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRIS

My friend, Kris, had a birthday on Sunday and this is the card I made for her.  The embossing folder I used is one of the new Sizzix embossing folders.  It is part of the 2 piece set "Flourish, Floral #2 and Flowers #6".  The sentiment is from Make An Impression stamps and was stamped with VersaMark and heat embossed with Egyptian Gold embossing powder.

The sentiment was cut and embossed with a Spellbinders Classic Oval.  It was then mounted onto a Spellbinders Classic Scalloped Oval of Gold paper.  The picture tends to make it look brown.  The dragonfly is from a set of K & Company stickers that also includes butterflies and bees.

If you are interested in the new Sizzix embossing folders, let me know.  I can now order them for you.

I always love reading comments that you leave so if you are seeing this card in an email, just click on the heading and you will be able to tell me what you think. 

I am so ready for our new carpet to be put down.  We took the old out 17 days ago.  Painting the walls and ceiling has been done for over a week.  Nearly everything was removed from the living room so the old carpet could be taken out.  Almost every room has items in it until we can get moved back in. I've been more patient than I thought I would be but I will thoroughly enjoy having things in an orderly fashion again. 

Thanks for stopping by!

SUNDAY'S SUNFLOWERS

Northwoods Rubber Stamps have a lot of great designs.  I believe I found this beautiful bouquet of sunflowers in a stamp store in Branson MO last Fall.  A few days ago I finally got it out to use and stamped the design using Memento Rich Cocoa Ink.  I colored it with Copic CIAO markers. 

The design sat on my table for a few days and today I took the time to use it for a card.  I decided to add some Ranger Distress Ink (Brushed Corduroy) using a sponge.  It helped to soften the look of the off white card stock.  The image is mounted on SU Wild Wasabi card stock.  The image seemed to be a good one to stamp an extra sunflower to mount on the center flower. 

I was going to adhere the layers onto the card base and then decided the edges of the card base needed to be distressed as well.

Hope you've had a great weekend.  Thank you for stopping by. 

ANNOUNCING NEW PENNY BLACK

Yesterday I received a new "The Charm of Spring 2011" catalog from Penny Black and there are some really great new designs.  I am planning to submit an order and if you are interested in any of the new items you can let me know no later than Friday, March 25.  I am also going to take orders for Hero Arts stamps and if I have enough interest will also place an order for them at the same time.  You can see the new items for both companies by clicking on these links:

Penny Black Spring 2011 Catalog

Hero Arts 2011 Catalog

I am beginning to receive the new Spellbinders dies as well as the new Sizzix Embossing folders.  If you are interested in any of those let me know any time.  Orders are submitted to that company 2-3 times a week and my orders are processed very quickly.  This is also where I purchase the Copic Sketch and CIAO markers.

THINKING OF YOU

One of our Yahoo Group's monthly swap cards was an "anything card"........meaning we could send one to our partner for any occasion.  We leave the inside blank so the swap partner can enter their own sentiment.

I stamped the image and sentiment on the front with Memento Rich Cocoa ink.  The Memento Tuxedo Black ink is a little too dark for this image for the coloring to show up nice.  I colored the image with Copic CIAO markers.  The butterflies were stamped, colored and then cut out to attach them.

Image is mounted on SU card stock.  Sentiment is from Peddler's Pack in Beaverton, OR.    I love vertical stamps.  After stamping the sentiment the front looked like it still needed a finishing touch so I scored double lines on each side of the sentiment. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you'll come back soon.

CONGRATULATIONS

The flourish I used on this card is larger than the one I used yesterday and I think it is so pretty.  The silver is a great ink to use on a dark colored card stock.  Once again, the card was made using the Quickutz/Lifestyle Crafts Letterpress.  You can buy supplies here:  Creating Everlasting Memories

We're still in a mess waiting for the carpet and other floor covering to be put down.  That is scheduled for next week on Thursday.  One of our daughters was so wonderful to paint the ceiling and walls for us last Saturday.  Because we had only natural light in the room and it was a cloudy day, there are some places that need to be touched up but we have plenty of time to do that. 

Hope to get some more cards posted in the meantime, but there are still things calling for attention.  :)  Thanks for coming by today!

THANK YOU

I have been doing some experimenting with the Letterpress that I recently received.  I just received some of the gold and silver inks and I knew I wanted to get something done up with them right away.  This is a Thank You note card I made up today. 

Letterpress products can be found here:  Creating Everlasting Memories  More items will be added to the store soon.

Thank you for stopping by..........tomorrow I will post a card made with the silver ink.

QUICKUTZ BUTTERFLY

I've seen several cards recently where the paper or flower was attached to the front of a card and then the entire front embossed with an embossing folder.  The light blue paper with the flower is a piece from a KaiserCraft 6" Paper Pad - "Tea at Elsie's Collection".  It doesn't show real well in the picture, but there is kind of a Lacy-look border around the dp.  The butterfly was cut with a Quickutz die using paper from the same paper pad.

While we are updating our living room and other area of our home, I may be a little sporadic about leaving posts.  Right now everything is in disarray around here.  I'll get here as often as I can.  Don't think I've disappeared.  I will be back!

Thank you for stopping by!

SUNFLOWERS

For a long time I have wanted to make a "shaped" card.  They are so easy to do but I just dont' usually remember to do it when I get time to make a card.  Today I got out my Spellbinders Labels 17 which is a perfect size.  I cut the shape placing the die slightly above the fold line, cut and embossed the edge.  The embossing edge doesn't show up well on this picture.

The sunflowers are from a die which came from Creating Everlasting Memories.  The stamp is from a Canadian stamp company...."The Stamp Barn".  I love the font on it.  Papers used for the flowers were just scraps from my container. 

Thanks for stopping by..........remember there is still time to participate in Joans Gardens blog hop.

MARCH CALENDAR

It's a little late but I did get my March calendar made a couple of nights ago.  With yesterday's big announcement about the Blog Hop, I decided to wait until today to post this.  Last year I did the St. Patrick's Day theme.  I couldn't come up with any great ideas for this one but I have a retired set of SU stamps that have the "flower of the month".  After the winter we have had, I thought flowers sounded great and the "flower of the month" for March is the Jonquil.  It is such a hopeful flower. 

I stamped with VersaFine Black Onyx ink and then colored with two "yellow" SU markers and one green marker I had from a mixed lot.  The gold layer is SU paper and the green is a light weight card stock I have in my "stash". 

Thanks for coming by.................So did you decide to take part in the blog hop? 

JOAN'S GARDENS BLOG HOP - Join the fun!

I don't think this card needs much explanation, so I will just give you the materials I used.

Webster Pages Paper "Hollywood Vogue & WonderFall"

Spellbinders Lotus Die, Classic Circle Die and Classic Scalloped Circle Die

JustRite Stampers  JB-09835 "You're So Sweet Sentiments and Borders" - 2" Round

Memento Rich Cocoa Ink

Copic G85, G94 and Y17

This is a challenge I am sure you are going to want to participate in because JustRite Stamps has provided an amazing prize for one lucky winner who participates in the Challenge.  This week only  stamps from JustRite can be used in the challenge, so to give you ideas, Joan has invited twelve guest designers to create cards using JustRite stamps to give you lots of inspiration.  The Grand Prize from JustRite, shown below, is valued at $191.50.  Be sure to go to Joan's Blog to get complete information on how you can win this fabulous grand prize. 

Acrylic Block Set - $8.95/Mini Binder Box - $9.95

Mother's Natures Gifts - $16.95/Fancy Tags $19.95

Happy Everything $32.95/Nested Frame Dies $24.95

Nested Sentiment Dies $24.95/ 3 1/4" block $12.95

Fancy Frames $19.95/Inspires Me $19.95

There is another way to win additional prizes.  Below is a link to all the guest designers, Selma and Joan's blog.  There are two mystery blogs that will give you a chance to win a wonderful prize from Joan's Gardens.  You will need to visit each blog, and leave a comment on each, for a chance to win one of the additional prize packages.  You can read the complete information about this challenge and how to win one of the prizes on Joan's blog.  Here is the list of blogs:

Carla:  Carla's Stamping Spot

Donna:  Indiana Inking

Giovana:  A place to praise and craft

Glenda:  MagPie's Corner

Gretchen:  Gretchen's Closet: My First Blog Entry

Kris:  Visions in My Heart

Lana:  Blest With Stamps

Mary Anne:  Lakeside Stamping

Nancy:  Windstar Creations

Selma:  Selma's Stamping Corner

Sharon:  an artist at work

Sue:  A Consuming Passion!

Vicki:  Heartwarmers from Vicki  (you are here)

Joan's Gardens:  Joans Gardens  (The End)

This should be fun.................good luck to all!!!

And now that you found my blog I hope you'll come back again.

I WAS DISAPPOINTED - NOW IT'S BETTER

I love the SU Stamp Set "Inspired by Nature" and today I saw a card with the stamped images combined together like this.  I made my changes in the card itself by adding distressed ink to the background so the contrast of colors was not quite so stark.  After preparing the stamped layer for the card I knew I wanted to do something else so I punched the right hand side of the card front using a Martha Stewart punch and added a butterfly made with a Marvy Uchida punch which also embosses at the same time.

In looking at the picture on this blog page I'm disappointed in the distressed ink.  Maybe I added too much because on here it give a "dirty" appearance.  I also would have chosen a more delicate butterfly.

P.S. It is now a few minutes later. I simply was not satisfied with the first version so I changed the butterfly and like it better.  It also seems to go with the delicate border better as well.

If you have any suggestions for other changes, they would be most welcome!  Thanks for stopping by............be sure to stop back again soon!