ANOTHER ALL ABOUT AUTUMN

FAREWELL TO SEPTEMBER!  This year is flying by!  

I cut a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of the same pattern that I used yesterday.  Then I cut off 1 1/4" and flipped it to use the reverse side.  The reverse side on these papers are sometimes my favorites.  I did add the sentiment this time and used one of the gold foil pieces from the retired Expressions in Ink Ephemera package.

Thank you for coming by today!

 

ALL ABOUT AUTUMN DSP

Recently I had tried twice to get some of the All About Autumn dsp and it sold out twice within 3 days each time.  I was very disappointed.  I contacted another demonstrator and voiced my frustration with all of the out of stock new items.  She was so generous to share half of a package with me.

Tuesday morning I decided I really wanted to start using some of it.  The 6 x 6 papers are gorgeous!  I don't like to waste a lot of time trying to come up with something on my own most days so I went to Pinterest and found a picture.  When I clicked on it I dicovered that there was video by Simply Kards by Kathi.

This is the card I made following her video.  Instead of a 4" x 5 1/4" mat, I made my ivory layer 4 1/16" x 5 5/16".  Why?  I'm not sure but it definitely made it harder to get it placed on my card base!  I don't think I'll do that again!  I did use her measurement for the matted panels on the front.  She used a stamped leaf from a new set.  Since I didn't have that one (yes, I don't have all of them.) I pulled out one the lovely Poppy Stamps dies - Majestic Maple.  I popped it with dimensionals and then added the little twine bow.  Kathy added a sentiment to the front but I decided I didn't want to cover up any more of that gorgeous paper.

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3RD EARTHEN ELEGANCE CARD

Two of these cards were made.  Once again, this card is just a little too much for me.  It's really thick with all of the layers and I would probably have just used one vase on the front.  As you can see there is another layer under the piece with the vases.  It is another flip piece.

This shows the front of the inside piece that flips open.  Here you can see that the reverse side of the dsp (Gray Granite) is definitely darker and clashes a bit with the Smokey Slate that I have.  I just wanted to complete the card while I had the pieces.

This is the inside of the card for the sentiment and room for a note and signature.  In all there are 8 layers to the card..........too much.

Although these are not my typical cards, I wanted to show what I had made even though I'm not really fond of them.  Once again I would simplify them and probably use different dsp.

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2ND DESIGN FROM EARTHEN ELEGANCE

I'll say it right off the top --- This card is too top heavy!  In fact, I can't even get it to stand.

My card is different than Glenda's in a couple of ways.  She had used Gray Granite card stock and ink  since that is the color of the reverse side of the Moody Mauve dsp (on yesterday's card).  I had used Smokey Slate thinking that was the right one.  Gray Granite is darker.  

On the front panel Glenda had used the reverse side but it looked terrible with my Smokey Slate so I had to adjust.  I used a piece as a mat but it seemed too busy so I add another layer of white for all of the vases.......which I think is just too much.  I would definitely have kept it to just two.  This card proved to be a disappointment.

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STAMPIN' UP! - Earthen Elegance DSP

A couple of nights ago I watched this video.  I'm always a little intrigued when I see a One Sheet Wonder idea.  "The Stamp Camp" has other videos like this.  Glenda Calkins made 5 cards using this sheet from the Earthen Elegance dsp and Earthen Textures stamps/dies collection.  There were two each of two of the designs and then just one of the fifth card.  

While I like most of the papers from the dsp collection, this was not one of my favorites.  This is one of the two that were made like this.  It is my "favorite" of the ones she demonstrated.  As you will see in the other two designs that I post tomorrow and the next day, they are "a little too much" for my liking.  But I wanted to make them basically the way Glenda had.  Any future cards of the next two designs, I would simplify.  You'll see why when I get them posted.

I do love the stamps and dies from this set and will certainly be making more cards with them.  

Thank you for coming by today!

 

CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR VETERANS HOME #1 and #2

I believe I mentioned on my blog a while ago that I had decided to make Christmas cards for the staff to hand out to residents at the Iowa Veterans Home.  I only have a few more to make.  I am at 310 as of now.  Since I didn't have anything lined up for today's blog, I thought I would give you a sneak peek of what I am doing.  

By making so many cards for the veterans, it also gives me an opportunity to really use a lot of the Christmas papers that I have.  These two were made using some of the "Feels Like Frost" dsp with an added leafy piece that was die cut from the "Forever Fern" collection.

I have made a wide variety of designs.  At first I concentrated on making 12 of each design I came up with but as time went on I do have a lot of 1-of-a-kind as well.  I have so many Christmas papers, dies and stamps that it has been really fun making these.  I'll be showing more here.

 Thank you for coming by today!

SPLENDID DAY - DSP and Die

 The white mat was embossed with the "Subtle" 3D folder.  Using one of the Styish Shapes dies, I cut the 3 squares from Splendid Day dsp and added them along with the white die cut from the Splendid Day dies.  The sentiment was also cut from a Stylish Shape die.

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN CARD

This is another Halloween card my friends and I will make for one of the nursing homes.  I believe I have supplies ready for 50 of these.

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HALLOWEEN CARDS

Two of my friends are coming Monday to get the cards ready that we donate. I mentioned a few days ago that I had committed to 170 cards for 3 nursing homes and a care center.  These will go to two of the care centers.  At the time I wondered if I knew what I was doing!  In my Halloween supplies I ran across a card I had made years ago using a Lasting Impressions program.  The program allows you to print off designs that coordinate with the brass stencils.  That made doing cards for two places extremely easy.  

I didn't use the matching stencils to dry emboss the designs because the program makes it possible to resize the designs.  I wanted to make it possible then to use a punch to just punch them out instead of using a die to have to die cut so many pieces.  And to make these even better, I was able to use some of my "stash" of Lasting Impressions card stock.  Win/Win!

That's not all.......I was able to run each card through before decorating with the sentiment on the outside and one for the inside.  No stamping necessary.  How much easier can it get?!?!

We're off to another Volleyball Tournament for our granddaughter today.  We'll  miss their first game because it starts at 8:30.........no way I would be ready to go that early for a game an hour away.  We'll catch the second game at 10:45 and then more. 

Thank you for coming by today!

 

STAMPIN' UP! - Splendid Day collection

I almost forgot to put something up as a post for today!  A while back Stampin' UP! had a clearance on the Splendid Day stamps, dies and dsp.  It was too good of a deal to pass up.  I used a card I saw on Pinterest to make this card.

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STRIP & FLIP SCRAPPY CARD

 

I watched Rita Holmes make a card like this recently.  The idea is to cut strips that are 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4" x 4" with several coordinating designer papers.  Then you randomly add them to a piece of 4" x 5 1/4" piece of white card stock.  The next thing you do is cut off a 3/4" wide vertical strip and a 1/2" wide vertical strip.  It also helps when trying to space these if you cut of a sliver from the remaining largest piece.

To assemble you flip the middle strip upside down and it gives an interesting dimension to the look of the card.  I didn't get as much variance in the stripes with mine, but it is still a fun card to make.

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ART GALLERY STAMP

I used Calypso Coral card stock for the card base and layer.  I added a layer of acetate with the gold design over the 4" x 5 1/4" mat. I sent this card to a friend for her birthday and made a second card which is shown below.

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FINE ART FLORAL DSP

 Several weeks ago I made this card using retired paper.  I still have more of this paper so you will be seeing more at some point.  

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CHEERFUL DAISIES

 

This card was the inspiration for the card I made.  I love daisies and I really love this stamp and die set!

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USING THE SKETCHED PLAID STAMP

Another CASE from Pinterest.  Jennie Maier had a card done with the new Lemon Lolly card stock.  I only have a small amount of that paper so I decided to make mine using the Seaside Spray but used the yellow for the flower.  You can see Jennie's card HERE.

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SPLENDID DAY BUNDLE

Debbie Chronister has a video on YouTube showing how she made this card using the Splendid Day stamps and dies.  When I ran across her video, I had just purchased this bundle and decided to use her idea.  I did use a different sentiment on mine. Don't you just love Pinterest and YouTube?

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CHEERFUL DAISIES DSP

This was a card I found on YouTube when searching for ideas to use one of the sheet from the Cheerful Daisies collection. You can see the video here.  The flowers are fussy cut from one of the sheets.

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ONE 6 X 6 DSP = 4 CARDS

 These were some of the 17 cards that my friends and I made one morning recently.  By changing the sentiment on the front for each one, you can be ready for several occasions.

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AWASH WITH BEAUTY

These are very simple cards to use more of the discontinued dsp.  I still have a little more of that package left but that's on hold for now.

Thank you for coming by today!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMIE!

Our daughter, Jamie, is celebrating her birthday today!  We'll see her this evening when we go to a granddaughter's volleyball game at the school where Jamie works.  Taryn will be play for the visiting team but Jamie promises to sit with us to cheer for Taryn and her teammates.  She said her fellow workers will give her a hard time at work the next day for sitting with the opposing team's crowd......but family is family.  

NOTE:  I now have 302 out of 350 Christmas cards made for the Iowa Veterans Home.  Taking a break to get things lined up for the Halloween cards my friends and I will make for the independent living center and now 3 nursing homes instead of 2!!! When I called to check on the numbers for two of the places that are connected, the lady asked if we made cards for the Memory Care Center.  I explained that we hadn't and that I had chosen the other two because my mother had been a resident at those two facilities.  Afterwards I felt bad and since all three places are next to each other on the same street, I told her we would add them as well.  It's only 35 more cards.  That means we are now up to 170 cards this year!  Yikes!  But I have all but 7 ready to assemble with my friends......some are VERY simple.

 Thank you for coming by today!

9/11

 

LIFE'S A BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY

Kit #10:  I had all of the pieces for this card kit (except for the sentiment) cut for probably close to a year but I just couldn't figure out how to finish it.  I had forgotten that I had the stamp set to go with the paper and dies.  When I ran across the stamps, it all came together.  

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LET THE PAPER DO THE WORK

 Kit #9:  Unfortunately, my sentiment on this card is crooked!  

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USING "HUES OF HAPPINESS" DSP

This is Kit #8: I was going to add the link to the video I watched for this card but I have scrolled down through the history of videos I've watched clear back into March.  I cannot find it!  Fortunately even though my friends and I made this card a while ago, I still have the actual card.  If you are like me, you have a lot of designer series paper and this is a great way to use up a large piece.

You start with a 5 1/2" x 12" piece of designer series paper.  

Score at 2", 4", 6" and 8".

Add this piece to a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of card stock to give it stability.

My white squares are 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"

The mats of colored card stock are all 3" x 3".

I believe the video I watched didn't add the third square on the far right panel.  I mistakenly added glue to the entire back side of the second square so I lined it up to lay completely behind the front one.  Then I cut new pieces for the middle section and decorated all of the panels.

Thank you for coming by today!

 

RADIATING STITCHES DIE

Starting September 1st I have been showing cards that my friends and I made a few weeks ago.  This is the 7th card kit that my friends and I made.  For this card we combined the Radiating Stitches Die with one from the Color and Contour set.  I love adding the punched daisy to cards.

While I love using the new papers as they come out, my friends are really helpful in getting some of my retired dsp used.

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TWO-TONE FLORA FLOWER

This is another card that my friends and I made up from the kits I assembled.  The dsp used is from a collection that had been retired and this particular sheet was a hard one to use up but it worked well with this card.

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ANOTHER "PEACHY" CARD

 This card used Petal Pink, Calypso Coral and Pear Pizzaz card stock for the layers.  Very quick and easy card to make.

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YOU'RE A PEACH DSP

I used the "postage stamp" punch for the pieces.

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PINK AND BLACK

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USING HAND-PENNED FLOWERS DSP

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CASING MY WEDNESDAY CARDS

When I made the cards that were posted a couple of days ago, I had a some of this daisy paper left.  I had two friends coming to make cards at that time so I made up kits of this one for the three of us to make. If you didn't check out Thursday's post, go back and you'll find the link to the video.

Over the next few days I'll be showing pictures of the cards my friends and I made together.

Thank you for coming by today!