They Say....

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

It has been some time since I blogged. I've been making cards but just haven't been up to getting here and sharing any. Life happens!

This is a card that I made with a Yupo Paper panel and alcohol inks. I do love that stuff, I just hate what it does to my manicure!

The fun corner die is from Papertray Ink (Cornered Die). The stars were in my die-cut stash.

I wish this had more contrast - the background is pretty overwhelming. Next time.

Take good care and have a wonderful week,

I know, right???

It has been far too long since I've posted. It appears that my blog layout and settings have disappeared. Reestablishing them will be for another day (maybe!)

I was having so much trouble with finding the right photo set-up in our new house (where we have now lived for 3 years!) that I kind of gave up. I just used my phone in my craft room for this one. Sorry.

Also, while I am making lots of cards, my focus has been more on techniques rather than products and challenges. I love all the new things - the Fuse Tool, inter-active cards, Oxide Inks, the layering stamp sets, etc.

For the past couple of days I've been playing with the Distress oxide Inks. I am so crazy about them that I'm hardly sleeping! Here is a background that I made which I used for a card for a sweet Mermaid friend of mine.

She is colored with Copics, the wave is heat embossed on vellum with comic coloring behind and I've used Wink of Stella. Very straight-forward.

Stamps and dies: Neat and Tangled, Mermazing; PTI, What the Doodle - Waves.

Thanks for the visit - keep crafting!

Clear and Sheer

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

I just completed the "Online Card Class" called "Clear and Sheer". The class shares how to make cards using clear and sheer products, such as vellum (scary stuff!) and acetate. It is taught by some grand ladies of card making - Kristina Werner, Jennifer McGuire, and Debby Hughes.

I was able to find a set of Hero Arts acetate cards (the last one!) at my LSS, the Stamp Art Shoppe. I've been wanting to give this technique a try, so since I was awake at 1:30 AM, I decided I may as well stop thinking about it and get up and give it a try. Crazy, eh?

For this card I used a Sizzix embossing folder on the card. I colored the raised stars with Copic pens. Then I die-cut four stars from white and silver cardstock (Lifestyle Craft die set). Two stars sandwich the acetate (using Score Tape) to create a solid panel on the front and the back.

The front sentiment is cut from glitter paper (DCWV) with a Spellbinders script die. I applied it to cardstock and ran it through the Xyron Machine and it adhered well. There were the typical little "glue buggers" that one gets with the Xyron, but I was able to remove them from the acetate with an alcohol swab (but carefully, as it will also remove the Copic coloring!).

My inside sentiment, "America the beautiful" is from an old Cornish Heritage Farms set by Kim Hughes (now of Paper Smooches fame). 

I lined the envelope with some coordinating paper using the Hero Arts Envelope Template and stamped some stamped on stars with an old PTI set.

This was a learning process and I will make some minor changes the next time. It is a fun technique with lots of possibilities. I urge you to consider the class - it is full of great ideas.

At least I'm ready for the Fourth of July! And I bet there is a nap in my future later today.

Thanks for the visit - hope you are having a star-studded week, 

Happy Cat

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

Hope all is well and you are enjoying the start of summer. Heat has hit here with a vengeance, and we are still suffering from our serious drought.

On a happier note, I put together this card for a cat-loving young lady. I hadn't dry embossed vellum in ages, so I gave it a try for some special texture. I thought the wash went really well with the design on this Hero Arts "Happy Cat" stamp from 2007. The greeting (inside and out) is from Papertrey Ink's "Wet Paint" set. The flower is a die cut from my stash.

Take care and thanks for the visit!

Smile

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

I sure hope you have had a great weekend. We sure did - it feels like Spring, but we continue to pray for rain.

Today I am sharing a fun little card that incorporates products from several companies. The sentiment is from a fun set by Inkadinkado called "Kid Quotes, Friendly Advice". These just make me chuckle. The crazy rabbit is from paper Smooches "A Little Lovin" and the matching dies. Finally, the vellum circles, called "Circle Scribbles" are from Papertrey Ink.

These are all mounted on a background that is water-colored with Distress Inks (but I just got a new set of great water colors - can't wait to try them).

Thanks for the visit and have a wonderful week.

It's Heart Time!

Dear Bloggin' Buddies:

I love hearts! And, it is that time of year - yay! My cards have been made, mailed and received, so I can now share some with you. I had so much fun making them this year.

This adorable guy is from a new set from Stampin' Up - such sweet critters! I got this set from my friend Dottie, who was also the recipient of this card. I changed his banner into a string of shimmery hearts and used the "stacked shape die technique" featured by Jennifer McGuire.

The stitched heart dies are from Memory Box and the sentiment is a die from the Wet Paint collection by Paper Trey Ink. Love it all!

Happy Heart Week and thanks for the visit!

Rock Star

I love stars (almost as much as I love hearts - I am just not on the hexagon wagon - sorry!) and the Simon Says Stamp Star Challenge at Lily Pad Cards has had me seeing stars for days now. This little number features a great set by Papertrey Ink called Star Prints. I love all the different stars and sentiments. The other stars are Hero Arts (A1498 & A1493), oldies from 1998. Stars never get old! Just ask Mae West.

The background is a Cuttlebug embossing folder done on aluminum foil - I love the look! Lots of shine.

This also qualifies for the Simon Says Stamp Sporty or Patriotic Challenge! Cuttlebug products are even featured. Fun!

Just a fun little card for a super-star.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Going Postal

Hero Arts S5215, Papertrey Ink "Fly Away"

Good Morning - hope you all had a lovely weekend. We celebrated Memorial Day here in the USA and it was the coldest I ever remember. This usually marks the start of summer, but we had our heater on. Crazy!

I recently wanted to recognize the exceptional work of my local postal worker, so I made him this little card (I also wrote a complimentary letter to the Postmaster).

How many canceled stamps do we toss out everyday? And stamps are so cool - great colors, great images (who designs them, anyway?) and different sizes. I have a whole box of them!

Here I used stamps as an abstract skyline, paired with a Hero Arts background stamp and a Papertrey Ink airplane.

I am submitting this to the Moxie Fab World's "Postal Challenge" and  the Simon Says Stamp "Father's Day/For a Special Male (Mail?) Challenge" .

Take good care and have a great week!

Cute as a Bug!

Happy Monday morning! One of my dearest friends, Sylvia, drives a cute Volkswagon Beetle and her favorite color is purple. So, when I recently made a gift set of cards for her I used both the "Bug" image and the color purple. I made two of each style and packaged them for my friend.



      I used Papertrey Ink's "Enjoy the Ride" set (stamps and die), a sentiment from Hero Art's Everyday Sayings (CL342) and some great retro patterned paper. I think these colors look great on the kraft card stock. The labels are Memory Box dies and the scalloped circles are Spellbinders.

Now, some exciting news. My dear friend and blogging buddy, Barb is having an amazing giveaway! Barb is not just an amazing card-maker, she is the dearest lady ever. She is so inspiring and so very generous - you must get to know her! Check it out and follow her blog - you will be simply delighted!

And, I hope you remember to pause today and think of justice, empowerment, love and peace.

Have a wonderful week and thanks for checking in here.

A New Car!

The young gal down the street passed her driver's test and, for her 18th birthday, got a new car. A VW Bug. Seriously - I got a dictionary for my 18th birthday. Nonetheless, I wanted to make a card for her to celebrate these big events.

Cath at Moxie Fab World has been featuring the new November/December Paper Crafts Magazine (get your hands on this for great inspiration). And, there is a series of challenges. I have made this card for the "Championing Award Medallions Challenge " which ends today.

I used my Tim Holtz die for the medallion. The paper is from DCWV's Travel Stack and the stamp and matching die is from Papertrey Ink's "Enjoy the Ride". I added Stickles for some glitz and a key from my stash. Thanks for looking and have a great week!