Wednesday, October 31, 2012

HAPPY HALLOWEEN


This is my favorite of the cards I made this year.  The design had been colored already with Copic markers.  Edges were sponged with SU Pumpkin Pie ink.  I had some dp that had a small design on a black background so I mounted the Kitty design on it  Both of those layers had been cut with the Spellbinders Classic Scalloped Ovals.
 
It isn't very often that I combine so many different papers but this one just seemed to fall together.  I hope you like it too.
 
Thank you for stopping by!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

SMILING JACK-O-LANTERN


This cute little guy was stamped with an old Hero Arts stamp and colored with Copic markers.  The rest of it is pretty self explanatory.  Let me kow if you have any questions.

Thank you for stopping by!

Sunday, October 28, 2012

TWO HALLOWEEN CARDS TODAY


Still another left over piece from previous Halloweens.  The circle had all been cut and the cute little witch was colored.  (I am pretty sure the samp is from Penny Black, but I believe I sold the used stamp.)  Once again I sponged around the stamped design with SU Pumpkin Pie ink.  I mounted it onto a piece of SU Pumpkin Pie card stock which was cut with a Spellbinders classic scalloped circle.
 
The dp I used for the background is left over paper that I cut to 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches to attach to the front of the white card base.  I had one of those black spiders left so I stamped a spider web in the upper left corner and then added the spider leaving room for the image with the witch.  And there was still room to stamp "Trick or Treat" which is a stamp from Paper Inspirations.

 
This image was from a Penny Black clear stamp set.  It had already been stamped and colored so I followed the same procedure as above.  The dp for the strip behind the image is from an Authentique paper pad and the orange checked paper is from an 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" Lasting Impressions paper pack of "Pumpkin" card stock.
 
Thank you for stopping by...........your comments on my cards are always appreciated. 

Saturday, October 27, 2012

HALLOWEEN VAMPIRE


I started this card by embossing white card stock with a Cuttlebug spiderweb folder.
 
This cute little vampire was another of the pieces that were left over from a previous year.  The white scalloped oval with the design had all been colored.  (The stamp is from a little clear Stampendous set.)  I sponged around the design with SU Pumpkin Pie ink and then added it to the striped orange dp.
 
The sentiment was stamped on a scrap piece of the dp and then I simply rounded the corners and attached it to the card.
 
Your comments are always appreciated!  Thank you for stopping by!

Friday, October 26, 2012

THREE GHOSTLY GREETINGS


The papers for the card bases are all from one of the 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" paper packs of Lasting Impressions "Pumpkin" card stock. 
 
When making Halloween cards this year I had a lot of left over parts from previous years.  The designs on these cards were all made using the Lasting Impressions Colored Impressions software.  I printed them off, cut them out and then arranged them on the cards.  These made some very quick and easy cards for the youngest of the children who will be receiving them.  Since I haven't heard from either of the Great-Grandmas as yet, I may send a couple to children of my niece and nephew.
 
Let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

HALLOWEEN GHOST

 
The background dp and the checked piece for this card are from an Authentique paper pad............great papers for Halloween.  The ghost is a stamp from Paper Inspirations which I stamped in VersaMark on black card stock and then embossed with white powder.
 
Comments are always welcome and appreciated!  Thanks for stopping by!  

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

HALLOWEEN CARDS


Our oldest granddaughter may be past the cutie Halloween designs so this is the card I made for her.  The dp is from an Authentique paper pad.  The stamped sentiment is from Ann-ticipations.  Inside the card I stamped a couple of Jack-O-Lanterns.  A very simple card but I like it. 


 This cute little kitty is from a set of Penny Black clear stamps.  I colored it with my Copic markers and then cut it out with one of the Spellbinders Petite Ovals.  The edge was sponged with SU Pumpkin Pie ink.  Then I added it to a white piece which had been cut with a Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Oval.

HALLOWEEN SPIDER!


This card was super easy!!!  The dp already had the design across the top and the rounded design on the upper right including the tiny spider.  All I had to do was run the large spider through my Xyron, attach it and stamp Happy Halloween.
 
This year I made 22 Halloween cards.  I need 6 for our grandchildren.  My mother and my mother-in-law usually call at the last minute for cards to send to their great-grandchilden and each of them now have 8.  If they don't call for them this year, I'll have a great start on next year because by then I'll need 2 more!!!  :)
 
Comments are always appreciated.  Thank you for stopping by!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

COOKIE MONSTER


Isn't this a cute card?  I can say that it is cute because it wasn't my idea.  This card was made at the Stampin Up workshop.  I have a nephew and a niece who have very young boys and I think this will be so fun to send them for their birthdays when those dates roll around.
 
Your comments are always welcome!  Thank you for stopping by!

Monday, October 22, 2012

FALL LEAVES


At the last Stampin Up workshop that I attended, this was one of the designs that were available for us to make.  A maple leaf was randomly stamped around the background using three fall colors of ink.  The pieces on top were then double stamped with a second leaf design and added to the top layer.
 
The actual sample had even more detail to it.  She had wound some twine around each of the leaf layers (I forgot to do that).  The three leaves on top also had a glaze over them.  I didn't do that because I was didn't want to take a chance it wouldn't dry before I wanted to go home.
 
If you have any questions, be sure to email me.  Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, October 19, 2012

AUTUMN LEAVES



The alcohol inks I used for yesterday's card were the perfect colors for some Fall leaves.  I found this in one of my tubs of "Nature" stamps.  The dp on both cards is the same although it looks a little different for color.  The top design done with brown embossing powder instead of the Egypian Gold embossing powder.

Thank you for stopping by!

Thursday, October 18, 2012

AUTUMN CARD using alcohol ink

 
A few days ago I had dug out my alcohol inks to use again for the first time in months and I mentioned that I thought it would be fun to use them with a pumpkin as one idea.  I actually found this pumpkin in my supplies and was not sure if I had ever used it.
 
I used three colors of the alcohol ink on a piece of vellum and then embossed the pumpkin design with Egyptian Gold embossing powder.  (It does show up in real life better than the photo.)  The striped dp is from a sheet of Reminisce "Jack Stripe" card stock that I had in my holiday papers.  The off white card stock for the card base is from Papertreyink and was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder.
 
Thank you for stopping by!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

AUTUMN CARD


The stamp I used for this card is from Serendipity.  I used SU Chocolate Chip ink to stamp the image on Kraft paper and then just colored in the pumpkins and the grass with Copic markers.  I didn't want the entire image colored.  The image was trimmed down and then mounted onto a piece of SU Chocolate Chip card stock and then onto a Kraft card base.  I thought about using an embossing folder on the front but decided I liked it the way it was.
 
Your comments are always appreciated!  Thank you for stopping by!


Tuesday, October 16, 2012

ALCOHOL INK ON VELLUM

A few days ago I posted a card with a card part I had found on my craft table that had used alcohol ink as the background for the image.  Seeing that reminded me that I hadn't used those inks in a long time.  I turned to YouTube.com to refresh my memory of how I had made that background.  I found other ideas that I had never tried.
 
One of those ideas was to use alcohol inks on vellum.  As a rule I don't tend to try a lot of new ideas, but this was basically the same idea as using it on glossy paper so I pulled out a sheet of the heavier vellum that I had in my "stash".  I chose Adirondack Stream, Lettuce and Cranberry inks and went to work. 
 
The first piece I made is darker than this and I hope to show a project using it in a few days but that project is incomplete.  After inking the first piece, I added a little blending solution to the felt pad and colored a second piece.  The solution had the affect of lightening the colors that were already on the pad.
 
OK........alcohol ink dries very fast on the surface so then I tried to find an open flower design so that the colors of the inked vellum would show through.  I was surprised that I had few choices to choose from in my stamps.  This tulip stamp is a little out of season for now but it was a perfect fit for the piece that had been inked.
 
The next step was to stamp the image onto the vellum using VersaMark and emboss it with white embossing powder. 
 
When I do this the next time, I will definitely be checking to see which inks go with the colors of card stock that I have.  A third piece I did with this same design may not get used because I cannot find any card stock that compliments the colors.  Fortunately, the Lettuce ink seemed to go well with the Stampin' Up! Mellow Moss card stock that I had.
 
After finishing this card, I thought it would be fun to do this with a butterfly design but using a different color of embossing powder.   I am also going to check my stamp collection to see if I can find a design to use with Fall colors.   It is best to find a design that is very open.
 
This is a fun technique so if you have some alcohol inks, give it a try!  I appreciate all comments that are made so let me know what you think.   Thanks for stopping by!

Monday, October 15, 2012

TWO CARDINAL CARDS



For some reason I think of Cardinals as more of a winter bird but not sure why because we have them stop here at our feeders now and then through the summer months as well.
 
I had purchased this used stamp a long time ago and had never used it so I decided to sell it on eBay.  Before doing that I thought I'd stamp off a couple of the images.  The stamp sold for nearly retail even though I had listed it as used.
 
The two stamped off images were still on my table so I decided I would get to it and get them onto projects.  I pulled out my Copic markers and naturally chose the "Cardinal" red for the bird.  A brown and green Copic marker were used for the branch.
 
I felt the "Cardinal" red was a little darker than I would have preferred so I chose a brighter red color (sorry I don't remember which one) to color the second image.  Both images were cut out with Spellbinders dies as well as the Forest Green card stock for the layering.  White card stock was chosen for the two card bases and each was run through the Cuttlebug with an embossing folder.
 
Thank you for stopping by...............won't you tell me what you think?

Sunday, October 14, 2012

MORE PAISLEY PAPER


Using more paper from the Authentique "Loyal" paper pad, I made this card to use the rest of the paisley piece of dp that was used on yesterday's card.  For this one I chose a third piece which is the green strip at the top.  A piece of Stampin' Up! Baja Breeze card stock was cut and embossed with one of the Spellbinders "Butterflies Circles".  This butterfly is from the same package as yesterday's butterfly from Archivers but is a darker color and was the perfect finish for this card.  The sentiment was added using SU Pacific Point ink.

Thank you for stopping by!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

AUTHENTIQUE 6x6 "Loyal" Paper Pad

 
As I have said a number of times......I love using papers from paper pads because of the coordinating colors and patterns.  I hadn't used any out of this paper pad and it was laying on my craft table.  The paisley pattern caught my eye right away but I wasn't sure what I would have to go with it.  The off white distressed piece also came from the same paper pad. 
 
I found that the dark turquoise went well with the Stampin' Up! Pacific Point card stock so I used the SU piece as the card base and ran it through the Cuttlebug with the paisley embossing folder.  After assembling the pieces on the card base it needed something for the focal point and I found this butterfly in my supplies. The butterfly picked up the lighter color of turquoise from the dp and was one of those things that I had purchased at Archivers when our Yahoo group of ladies met.
 
I always appreciate and welcome your comments!  Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, October 12, 2012

STAMP SALE BARGAIN


For the last couple of years I have been taking some of my stamps that I no longer use and some new items to a stamp/supply sale.  One is held in April and another one in August or September.  Naturally when I deliver my things to the sale I find it necessary to look at the other things that are already there.  At one of the sales I found the Stampin' Up! "God's Beauty" for a great price and it is now part of my collection.  However, I had never used it until a couple of days ago.
 
I had a white oval left over from the mask I had prepared for the two previous cards I posted here.  I didn't want to let it go to waste so I started looking through my stamps and found this butterfly was a perfect fit.  Continuing with sponging colors I chose SU Baja Breeze and then the lower portion of the oval was sponged with SU Pacific Point.  The butterfly needed to be darker so I experimented with SU Not Quite Navy.  I liked the result.
 
The oval needed to be added to another layer so I just cut a Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Oval which was just was just slightly bigger.  The card base is Pacific Point card stock and was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder.
 
Your comments are always welcome and appreciated!  Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

VERSION #2 OF YESTERDAY'S CARD


I don't think this card needs any explanation but yesterday's card  does have an explanation of how I did this.

Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.  Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

SPONGING COLOR

 
 I think I have done something like this before but it's been a while and I love the look of it.  To get the oval, I used a Spellbinders Petite Oval and cut out the shape from a piece of white card stock.  I put the cut out shape aside.  You will see it in another project in a couple of days.  I used the open area as a mask over this card base.  I sponged SU Melon Mambo and Pefect Plum ink into the exposed area.
 
Among my many supplies I have "had to buy" are some Gina K stamp sets which I love but just hadn't used.  The butterfly and the sprig of tiny flowers are from the Gina K "Dogwood and Butterfly" stamp set.  The "Flutter by" image is one I have used many times and is from My Sentiments Exactly.
 
Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

ALCOHOL INK CARD PART

 
While I was trying to straighten up my craft table which gets to be VERY MESSY every time I make cards, I  found a piece of glossy card stock which had two of these stamped images on it.  The background had been done with alcohol inks and then I had stamped the Penny Black image on it with Staz-On Black ink.
 
I didn't want to use both of them at the same time so I separated them and trimmed this one down.  I noticed that some of the color from the alcohol inks had a hint of a shade of green.  I turned to my supply of Stampin' Up! card stock and found that Certain Celery seemed to pick up that color perfectly.  I also found a piece of a lighter celery shimmer paper to mount the image on.  I have no idea where that piece of shimmer paper came from but it seemed to work well.
 
The front of the card was embossed with a Crafts-Too embossing folder.  The folder actually has an embossed square but the layer I have was just the perfect size to cover it.
 
Your comments are always welcome and appreciated!  Thanks for stopping by!

Monday, October 8, 2012

ONE MORE USING...... Tell Your Story

 
 
After making cards that have been posted in the last few days using paper from the Teresa Collins "Tell Your Story" paper pad, I had pieces left from the chevrons I had cut. 
 
I cut a 4  1/4 x 5 1/2 inch piece of the solid orange paper.  The top piece of paper was trimmed down slightly so I could punch three 1 inch squares in the upper right hand corner.  In order to get the squares spaced correctly, I had to use a ruler and a pencil to give me a guideline for where the punches should be made.
 
The tiny butterflies are from the sheet of Teresa Collins "Tell Your Story" sticker sheet.  I stamped the sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly on a piece of white card stock and then punched it out with a Marvy Uchida scalloped rectangle punch.  SU Pumpkin ink was sponged around the edges and then added to the card with pop dots.
 
Your comments are always welcome and appreciated!  Thank you for stopping by!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

"FOR YOU"

 
Today's card was made using items from Stampin' Up! at the last workshop I attended.  I think it is just so pretty and I love the color. 
 
If you have any questions about the card, please just email me at the address which appears in the right hand column of this blog.
 
Thank you for stopping by!
 

Saturday, October 6, 2012

NEW PENNY BLACK STICKERS

 
I have these stickers in a limited quantity right now. 
 If you are interested in purchasing. they are $2.00 a sheet plus shipping. 
 
 (Cost to send them can be minimal if you give me permission to cut the around the stickers and send them in a regular letter envelope with reinforcement.  This in no way hurts the stickers.)
 
Just email me at the address shown on the right hand column of my blog.

BEAUTIFUL PAPERS

 
This is another example of a card that can be made with beautiful designer papers.  I posted a picture (I think last month) using this same dp.  The striped portion is the back side of the flowered design.  The striped paper makes me think of a wall papered background for the framed flowers.  I chose a section of flowers to cut out with the Spellbinders Classic Oval and then mounted it onto a coordinating piece of cardstock that had been cut and embossed with the Spellbinders Classic Scalloped Oval.
 
Your comments are always welcome and appreciated!  Thanks for stopping by!
 
 


Friday, October 5, 2012

USING UP SUPPLIES

 
The card above and the card below were both made using some of the large supply of papers I have from Lasting Impressions.  This one is called Melon.  I had some flowers that blended very nicely with the paper so I was able to use items that I have had for quite some time.
 
For the 1st card, I used a die from Papertrey Ink to cut the three open squares from the layer of Solid Melon paper and then attached a flower in each of the openings.
 
For the 2nd card (below), I cut the open squares right out of the card base and mounted the flowers on the inside of the card to show through the openings.
 

Sentiments: Happy Birthday (top card) from My Sentiments Exactly
Birthday (bottom card) from Paper Inspirations
Thank you for stopping by!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

ANOTHER CARD FROM TELL YOUR STORY paper pad


Yesterday I posted a card using these same supplies but while I was at it I made this card as well.  This time I used a larger dimensional butterfly sticker and attached it to a piece cut from the Spellbinders Butterfly Circles die set.  I like this card too.
 
Your comments are always appreciated!  Thank you for stopping by!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

TIME WITH TARYN

 

On Saturday I received a phone call from our Granddaughter, Taryn.  She was wanting to know if she could come to our house for a "Play Date".  At first I told her I didn't think that it would work out for her to come for the weekend.  The school system where four of our grandchildren attend didn't have school yesterday so we worked it out for her to come on Sunday and go home late yesterday afternoon.  How could I resist when she referred to coming as a "Play Date".  (This is the same granddaughter who hears me say "see the rabbits" when I am referring to the city near us Cedar Rapids.  She is a real hoot!)
 
While she was here we naturally had to make chocolate chip cookies for Grandpa.  We also read a lot of books, played house, put puzzles together, played with Barbie dolls and Polly Pockets.  She did watch a couple of movies so I could get meals and do dishes.  :)  Her main focus however is "making cards".
 
Taryn has acquired a real "love" of operating my Cuttlebug so one of the first things she insisted on playing with was making a card with embossing folders.  She ran her card through with a "Craft Concepts - Daisy Do" embossing folder.  As you can see from the first picture she was working very hard to add the coloring.  She was so proud of her finished product.  :)
 
It did give me the idea though to emboss the front of a card with that folder and then to just color in the centers of the flowers for a wonderful background.  I'll have to try that some day soon.
 
Thanks for coming by! 

TERESA COLLINS - Tell Your Story Paper Pad


A few months ago I saw a card that my friend, Harriet, made using the My Favorite Things "Chevron Stripes" dies.  It made such a fun card and one day when I was shopping on line, these dies just leaped into my shopping cart.  I didn't have the heart to delete them.  :)
 
For my card I used a variety of the pattern papers in the Teresa Collins "Tell Your Story" paper pad.   The butterflies are from a Teresa Collins dimensional sticker sheet that coordinates with the paper pad.   (If you are interested, I can order the Teresa Collins items for you at a discount.)
 
This was an easy card to make and I like the results.  Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.  Thank you for coming by!

One of the cards made on  this  vi.deo used this stamp from the Flowing Flowers set.  This isn't a two-step design and I wasn't sure...