50TH ANNIVERSARY

Some of our friends are celebrating their 50th Anniversary today.  The picture makes the card stock I used appear to be white but it is actually Lasting Impressions "Snickerdoodle" which is off white.  A Golden Anniversary is the perfect time to use my Gold Mirricard card stock.

I embossed the front of the card with an elegant Cuttlebug folder.  Then I cut two Spellbinders Lotus dies - one gold and one off white and attached them to the front as shown above.  The sentiment stamp is an old Ann-ticipations stamp that I have had for a very long time.  It was embossed with Egptian Gold embossing powder, cut with a Spellbinders Classic Circle and then mounted onto a Spellbinders Scalloped Circle that had been cut with the Gold Mirricard card stock.  The circle layer was attached to the center using foam pop dots.

I'd love to hear any comments you have.  Thank you for stopping by!

GRANDCHILDREN VISITING

One week ago today our daughter Jennifer's children came to visit - their ages 13, 11, 6 and 4.  The first night they all stayed with us but then they stayed in various combinations with our other daughter Jamie, the other Grandma and us.  We had someone here with us for most of five days. 

Allissa is the oldest and had asked me prior to coming if I would help her make invitations for her 14th birthday party which will be the middle of August.  I was quite flattered because she isn't typically interested in crafting.  She had done some searches on the Internet and found a really cute idea. 

We knew this was going to take some time so she very generously allowed her cousin Emma to help.  Using only supplies that I had here without buying anything special, we made two of each color combination.  I thought you might like to see................

Allissa will put the information on each of the flip flops and hand deliver them to her friends. 

Before she came I did make up a sample just to see how it would go.  A fun variation on this would be to use a "brad" in the center of the flower and just put it through the top layer so that the top layer would "swivel" and more information could be put on the bottom layer of the flip flop.  We decided to take the easier way and just attach the top layer to the bottom and leave it at that.

This would also make a fun birthday card to give someone.  Since she is having a "beach" theme for her birthday party, I may just have to make up a special one of these for her card from us.

I'm still recovering from their visit and catching up with some other things but hope to be posting cards again next week.  Thanks for stopping by!

A DIGI IMAGE

In the past I have downloaded more than one digi design, but once I dowload them I tend to forget about them.  This was one of those images.  I printed off several of them and colored them in different colors.  This image was colored with Copic markers.   The yellow I used went very well with one of the light yellow SU cardstock colors.

The design was cut out and embossed using the Spellbinders Classic Oval and then mounted onto the yellow layer which had been cut with the Spellbinders Classic Scalloped Oval die.

Another item I have that has not been used very often is the embossing folder with the dragonfly design which is what I used on this card base.

One nice thing about digi designs is that you can resize them.  The card on the right show the image in a smaller version. 

Thank you for stopping by!

MORE GOLD FINCH

When I was in Des Moines in June with the friends from our Yahoo Group, I stamped off some of this image.  At the time I was a little disappointed in the way it looked once it was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  It just didn't seem like the design of the birds was very well defined.  The other day I ran across the pieces I had stamped off and decided to color one to see how it would look.

Using Copic markers I colored the birds, the leaves and the inside of the feeder.  Then I used my gold glitter pen to color the top and bottom of the feeder.  I did touch up the "black" portions of the birds a little by adding a little Copic C5.  After I finished coloring, I sponged some SU Marina Mist ink around the design to soften the white background.  I rounded the corners and then mounted the image layer onto the SU Wild Wasabi layer. 

The card base was something that I wasn't sure about but decided to use Kraft Card Stock from PapertreyInk to go with the brown in the bird feeder.  I wanted to use an embossing folder and the SU Tulip folder proved to give a perfect border for the matted image.

Thank you for stopping by!

A LITTLE TOO BRIGHT..............

The stamp store in Branson MO which I visited in June had a sample card on the wall showing this image.  We have a finch feeder outside our bow window in our living room.  Although we haven't had as many Goldfinch this summer for some reason, I decided to purchase the stamp and I took a picture of their sample card.  (You can see a picture of the sample card below.  I wasn't real crazy about the glittery portion but used it as a guide. They didn't have the vertical sentiment stamp .)

I stamped the image using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored with Copic markers.  Since the image has a black fine line around the bird feeder design, I trimmed it leaving a border of white around the outer edge and then colored that border with the yellow Copic marker.  The colors I used just happened to go well with the SU papers that I used for the card base and green strip.

The card is pretty bright so not real crazy about the end result.  One thing I would have done differently though would be to emboss the white layer with a texture of some kind.  If you have any suggestions to improve how to use this image, I would welcome anything you could offer.  Thank you for stopping by!

BUTTERFLIES GALORE

Recently I did a little favor for one of the ladies on our Yahoo Group.  As a "thank you" for doing it, she sent three sets of layered butterflies to me.  They are all beautiful!!!  The butterflies were made using Bazzil shimmer cardstock.  They are very pretty!

Next I needed to find the right dp that would compliment the die cuts.  I have a lot of paper pads and found this particular one in the BasicGrey "Green at Heart" pad.  It was perfect with all of the little pink butterflies in the pattern.  Then I chose the two solid color papers and punched the top edge of the green strip with the Martha Stewart butterfly border punch.  I love using papers from the paper pads because of the way they coordinate the designs.

I have some papers picked out to use the other two sets of butterflies.  Thank you so much, Vicki, for the butterflies.  It was totally unnecessary but I do love them.

So tell me what you think..............thank you for stopping by!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOYCE

Today is my friend, Joyce, is hopefully celebrating her birthday.  This is the card I made for her.

The House Mouse image is from Stampabilities and I purchased it in Branson, MO.  I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored with my Copic markers.

I purchased the Labels Collection Framelits from Stampin' Up! recently and the sizes of them worked so well with this image.  I ran the pink layer and the card front using two different embossing folders.

I hope Joyce is having a wonderful day!!!  Thank you for stopping by!

ANOTHER PIECE FROM ANNIE

One of the pieces in the envelope from Annie, was this beautiful stamped and embossed design.  It is embossed in white and on the black paper it is just a really neat piece!!!  I mounted the image onto another piece of white card stock and then had to try to find some card stock or designer paper to use as the background.  I couldn't find one of my paper pads with all black and white designs but ran across a Martha Stewart paper pad that I had forgotten about.  I decided that this piece of dp was pretty busy but most of it would be covered and it kind of carried through the theme of the flowers on the stamped design.

That left a space on the right hand side of the card for a sentiment.  I used a punch to edge both sides of the white piece of card stock.  Then I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to center the vertical Happy Birthday.

Comments are always welcome.................thank you for stopping by!

SAME STAMP - TWO LOOKS

A few days ago I posted a card I made with this same stamp but using SU Cherry Cobbler ink.  For this post I did the cards using SU Night of Navy ink and cardstock along with the off white card stock.  It gives two different looks by using the off white card stock or the Night of Navy card stock for the card base.  I like it both ways.

I am trying really hard to remember to do a little added embellishment to the sentiment inside the cards.  Carrying through with the butterfly on the design on the front, I stamped these two cute little butterflies with the Night of Navy ink.  The little butterflies are from Inkadinkadoo.  There is a third butterfly to go with these and I think it was a set. Not sure if it is still available or not.

Let me know any comments you might have.  Thank you for stopping to take a look!  

BLACK, RED AND WHITE

The last time I was in Des Moines, I made a very quick stop at Hobby Lobby.  I had a 40% off coupon which was itching to be used.  It didn't take me long to find more than one stamp though that I "had to have".  This is one of them.  The stamp is from Stampendous - P107 Agapanthus Cluster.  (I think the design is much prettier than the name.)

I wasn't sure what ink I was going to use but decided I was in the mood to make a black and white card with a touch of red.  I stamped the design with VersaFine Onyx Black ink.  In fact, I stamped it off onto more than one piece of white card stock.  The ink took completely different on the two pieces.  The piece I used on this card is very vivid even if it may not show up that way on the picture.

The stamped image was trimmed down and then mounted onto pieces of red and black papers from a 6 x 6 paper pad (KaiserCraft "Shaken Not Stirred" Collection).  When I added the layers to the front of the card it looked terribly plain, but I found a bright red butterfly in my collection and it seemed to finish the front just right.

When I started thinking about how I wanted to do the card it was my intention to use a strip of red which had been die cut with the Spellbinders Grand 12" Classic Lace Border but that didn't work out so I trimmed it to the appropriate size and used it on the inside of the card instead.  I rarely take the time to decorate the inside but I didn't want to waste the piece.

So, tell me what you think of the finished project.  Thanks for taking the time to stop by!

50th ANNIVERSARY CARD

We just discovered that a classmate of my sister is going to be celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary this coming weekend.  The groom is 5-6 years older than me but my husband happened to mention that he was the one who lined them up on their first date.  There is going to be an Open House next Sunday so we are going to plan on seeing them then.

I used off white cardstock for the card base and for stamping the design.  The first thing I did was to stamp the rose design with VersaMark and heat embossed with Egyptial Gold powder.  I trimmed the design down to leave an even margin around the entire design.

Next I cut a piece of off white card stock slightly larger than the stamped layer and used my gold leaf pen around the four sides - just enough that it would make the layer look like gold paper.  I could tell then that there was enough room to emboss the edge with a narrow Cuttlebug folder.

In the past I have tried to ink the image with red and green and was never happy with the result.  I think I have now found a great way to use this stamp by heat embossing it in gold. 

Your comments are always welcome, so tell me what you think.  Thanks for stopping by!

THANK YOU, ANNIE!

On several posts I have mentioned the Yahoo group of ladies who meet in Des Moines once a year.   One of our members is from Canada and has been unable to join us but she so generously made up little packets of "pieces" for each of us to use on our cards.

Today's card (4 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches) is made with two of the pieces that were in one of the packets.  I embossed the front of the card with the Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirls folder. 

The gold embossed design is actually two separate circles from my Annie.  I mounted the smaller circle onto the larger one with foam dots.  Next I cut out two pieces using the Spellbinders Lotus die - one in white and one in Gold Mirracard cardstock.  As you can see I placed the white one off center on top of the gold piece and then added the two embossed pieces.

Thank you, Annie, for your generosity and taking the time to cut out so many of the pieces that were sent to us. 

I always appreciate your comments, so please tell me what you think.  Thanks for stopping by!



WITH MUCH APPRECIATION

Today's post is the card I made for us to give Fr. Brian at the Farewell Dinner tomorrow.  I know I've posted cards like this before, but I really like the design.  The front of the card is embossed with the SU Tulip folder.  Even though the design is "tulips" I don't think they necessarily will look flowery.

The two gold glossy layers and off white layer were cut with the Spellbinders Labels Eleven.  I layered three of the cross die cuts from the Spellbinders Cross Collection which is now discontinued.  I'm sure glad I have it.  I added a small shiny "class a'peel" sticker from Stampendous in the center of the cross.

Inside I stamped the sentiment "With Much Appreciation" for all Fr. Brian did for our parishes while he was here.

Your comments are always welcome.  Thank you for stopping by!

MAY GOD BLESS YOU

Sunday will be the last Mass and a Farewell Dinner for our priest.  We have only had him with us for two years and he is being moved.  I think there are big plans for him in the future.  We were so fortunate that he was with us long enough that he led our pilgrimage to Rome in March.

My mother-in-law asked me to make a card for him.  I heat embossed a very pretty Eucharist design with a stamp from Our Daily Bread using VersaMark ink and then Egyptian Gold embossing powder from Judi Kins.  Since I wanted to add a gold sheer ribbon to the side, I stamped the design a little off center.

Next I took an 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 piece of vellum and scored it so it would go over the card base.  The sentiment "May God Bless You" was centered over the design which appears underneath it. 

Tomorrow my post will be the card that I made for us to give Fr. Brian.  If you have any questions, please be sure to ask.  Your comments are always welcome so let me know what you think.  Thanks for stopping by! 

CASE OF FRIEND'S CARD

My friend, Lynette, recently had a card on her blog My Stamping Addiction which I really liked.  I knew when I saw it that I would want to case it.  The card above is basically the same as the one she made except I used a different sentiment on the front.

The card below is one I made thinking that it would also make a good birthday card.  I made the birthday one up in green but also in brown since I thought it would make a good one to send to the guys on my list.

I know this is a card I will be making again and again because it goes very quickly and can be made upon a last minute request from my mother or mother-in-law.  I can see it being made up using various stamped designs as a background.

Your comments are always very appreciated so I hope you will take a moment to tell me what you think.  Thanks for stopping by!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

LET FREEDOM RING!!!

INSPIRED BY GINA K

If you haven't ever watched Gina K's videos, you are really missing some great ideas.  I found a card she made very similar to this and loved the look of simply stamping an outline image and leaving it at that.  I made two cards like that using this image.  After stamping it and trimming the image, I scored a single line 1/8" from each of the edges.

For a third card I stamped an extra butterfly and the lower flower - cut out the one wing and the center of the flower.  The flower center was simply popped with a foam dot.  For the butterfly, I ran a narrow line of Diamond Glaze along the lower edge of the wing but put a foam dot just above that so the wing would give dimension.

The image and sentiment were stamped with SU Cherry Cobbler ink.  Papers are  SU Cherry Cobbler, PTI Off White and Kraft.

I really like the look of just stamping an outline image like this.  What do you think?  Thanks for stopping by!

EMBOSSED IN WHITE

The pretty border stamp I used for this card was one I purchased in Branson MO.  With a nice wide border like that a card really doesn't need much else.  I decided to stamp it with VersaMark and then emboss it with Opaque White embossing powder.  Two butterflies were made with the Martha Stewart Monarch Butterfly punch and then one was added to the other with Diamond Glaze down the center.  I love layering butterflies like this so they look like they are flying right off the card.  The sentiment is perfect for any card using butterflies, birds, etc.

After making this card last week, I decided I would send it to a niece who is celebrating her birthday today.  Thank you for stopping by!

FAUX CLOUDS

I should be using some of the stamps that I have had for a long time which still have never seen ink, but..............this is a stamp I purchased in Branson MO last week.   There was a sample of it on their wall and it was just too cute to pass up.

The stamp could actually be used and colored just the way it is once it is inked and stamped onto card stock but I wanted to have some dimension like their sample did by adding tiny punched flowers. 

I started off by stamping the image right onto a piece of 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 white card stock.  The punch I used for the little flowers didn't quite cover the portion of the stamp that showed the flowers so I inked it again but wiped away some of the ink of the flowers and it worked much better.  The birdhouse and vine were colored with Copic markers.

The little bird was stamped in the upper left portion of the design.  I wanted another bird on the right hand side of the birdhouse.  When I took the Michelle Zindorf class I learned how to do a "mirror image".  I stamped the bird again onto the smooth side of the clear sheet that is used with the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then quickly flipping the sheet over onto the card stock.  The image isn't as crisp as if it had been stamped right onto the card stock and it isn't as dark.  I used the fine tip of the Memento Tuxedo Black marker and went over the outline which helped and once it was colored it looked a lot better.

So..........tell me what you think.  Thank you for stopping by!