Birthday Wishes

Hi everyone.  I've been MIA for a few days ... life has been getting in the way of my card time :)  MIL went into the hospital on Sunday, but thankfully she is feeling better and was released yesterday.  A stressful and hectic time for all of us, especially hubby and I hope now that his mom is feeling better, he will take some time to relax.

I missed getting a chance to wish my American friends a happy Thanksgiving ... so hope you all had a wonderful day and are maybe even having some fun shopping today!  We had our Thanksgiving last month ... and I'm already looking forward to our turkey dinner at Christmas!

Today I made a card just for the fun of it ... not a DT card, not for any challenge ... just for the heck of it!  I thought I'd make something with this beautiful color combo - just love the deep teal and the lime green together.  I do love this fern die from Cheery Lynn and today I've cut it out of fabric.  This lime green fabric was a piece that came wrapped around a pot of flowers I received as a gift ... it's almost like facing material ... quite stiff, but a little transparent.  I glued it onto a piece of white card stock and then die-cut the fern.  Worked beautifully.

I have shown the card in a larger size on the blog in the hopes that you can see more detail.  My concern is that the image will be too large for some computer screens ... and it's important that you can see the card all at once (don't want to have to scroll down to see the bottom of the card).  I would love some feedback so I know if this is better ... or if I should go back to my old size.  Thanks in advance!!! :)

More on the card ... I used a Certainly Celery Stampin' Write marker to draw in the veins of the leaves to give them more definition.  The Bermuda Bay card stock was run through the Big Shot with the woodgrain embossing folder - love it done in this color! ... and this was Jer's suggestion as he was over when I was making this and I originally had a white woodgrain piece with a BBay border - this is so much better - thanks Jer! :)  A simple sentiment finishes the card.

Stamps:  Happiest Birthday Wishes (SU!)
Paper:  White; Bermuda Bay (SU!)
Ink:  Certainly Celery, Bermuda Bay (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, Green material, Fern die (Cheery Lynn), Woodgrain embossing folder (Sizzix), glue, adhesives, and dimensionals

____________________

Just a quick note to say that I might not be posting as much over the next little while.  Christmas is getting close and I have lots of shopping, baking, etc. to do.  As well, I have dinner parties booked for the next three weekends ... and a bake day with a friend.  So my time in the studio will be limited, but hopefully I'll have some time to play.  There will be the scheduled design team cards as well.

____________________

On to the Card Candy.  Lots of interest in the snowflake die-cuts ... they are so pretty!!  I used the True Random Number Generator to pick the card candy winner:

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 56 

 ... and the winner is:

Anne (Stamps and Paper)

Congrats Anne!

Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Hi everyone.  Today I used the snowflake die from Stampin' Up!  I have had a lot of fun working with watercolor paper lately, and I continued with my same technique, randomly sponging a watercolor paper die-cut.  This time I used Baja Breeze and Bermuda Bay inks on the snowflake and then misted with water.  Once dry, the snowflake was covered with lots and lots of Dazzling Diamonds ... LOVE how glittery it turned out.

I took a close-up view of the snowflake on an angle so you can see all the glittery goodness:  :)

I mounted the snowflake onto two more layers of snowflakes cut from white card stock, so the snowflake has lots of thickness and depth.  I also popped it up on the card front with dimensionals.  The sentiment is a digital one from Pink Petticoat.

Stamps:  Traditional Christmas Greetings (Pink Petticoat)
Paper:  White, Watercolor
Ink:  Baja Breeze, Bermuda Bay
Accessories & Tools:  Snowflake die (Sizzix for SU!), sponges, water mister, dazzling diamonds, adhesives, glue and dimensionals.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Festive Friday (Final challenge for 2013) - I chose the snowflake element

Muse #45 - Lucy F

CAS on Sunday (#22) - Winter

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - November

White Christmas

Hi everyone.  Time for a new challenge for Merry Monday (#85).  This time it's a color challenge ...

I only used a little brown for the sentiment ... otherwise my card is all white.  I used my favorite watercolor paper (Arches 140 lb. cold press - natural white) to create my card.  I love the thickness of the watercolor paper ... really makes crisp and clean die-cuts.  I used two die-cuts for the my card - the Madera corner which I made two layers thick and glued together; and the Blooming Poinsettia (love this die!) that I shaped with my stylus and mat.  A simple and small sentiment in brown balances out the card.

Here's a close-up:

Stamps:  Short and Sweet (SU!)
Ink:  Soft Suede (SU!)
Paper:  White (card base); watercolor paper
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, Madera corner die (Memory Box), Blooming Poinsettia die (Poppy Stamps), stylus, mat, Stamp-a-ma-jig, glue, glue dots, sticky strips and dimensionals

I hope you'll join us for this week's challenge.  Check out Lesley's blog (Always Playing with Paper) to see the rest of the beautiful cards from the Design Team members.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Rudolph Days (November)
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra (November)

Thank You!

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a wine bottle tag that I made yesterday.  We were heading to our friend's Lance and Lili's place for dinner, and instead of taking a card, I made a CAS tag for the wine we took.  This is my first time making a wine bottle tag and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.  The leaves were made the same way I did this card ... so check it out if you want instructions on how I made them. :)

I visit a lot of wonderful blogs ... and always appreciate seeing how other's do things, new techniques, new stamp sets ... and this week I learned a new tip that I want to pass along to you.

I have several sets of clear stamps, but I haven't bought many over the past while, because I often have a problem getting a clean stamp with them ... I end up with either a partial stamp or a very light stamping and end up throwing the card stock away and starting over.  I've started avoiding using those stamps ... which is a shame.  Not any more ... :)

Darlene DeVries (DarleneDesign.com) has a video each week, giving the steps she uses to make her amazing cards.  This week was special, as she shared four cards (and four videos), using a card kit from Simon Says.  In one of the videos, she mentions about how she sometimes doesn't get a clean stamp when she uses clear acrylic stamps.  Here's what she does ... with her clear stamp mounted onto an acrylic block, she inks the stamp and stamps onto her card stock ... before removing the stamp (while it is still on the card stock), she places her Stamp-a-ma-jig in place, removes her stamp, re-inks and stamps again over top.  This way she get a clean, dark stamping that is always lined up ... so easy, and it works so well!!  Thank you for that tip Darlene.  I used it with today's tag, stamping the "thank you" and then re-inking and stamping again using your tip - it worked perfectly!! :)

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Edited to Add:  Nancy asked for dimensions of the wine tag.  I'm not exactly sure of the size of my panel as I've already given it away :) ... but I believe it was approx. 3" x 7".  Scoring for the fold is 3" from the top and the hole punched for the neck of the bottle is 2" in diameter.  I think I might make it a bit slimmer next time (maybe 2 3/4" or 2 1/2") and try the hole a bit smaller as well.  I also rounded all the corners because I thought it looked better.

Playful Cat

Hi everyone.  Today is the latest challenge at Addicted to CAS (#27).  Our host this week is the mega-talented Vicki (All I Do Is Stamp).  She has chosen this fun code word ...

This challenge is being sponsored by:

Prize:  CAS Perfectionist gets to choose 5 of their wonderful images

(please follow the rules to be eligible to win)

This adorable image is from Bugaboo.  I printed it onto watercolor paper and colored it using the marker layering technique.  I cut it to size and added some fun yellow gingham and raffia.  A simple sentiment finishes the card.

Here's a close-up:

Stamps:  Garden Cat - Pots (Bugaboo); Sweet Summer Sentiments (Amy R)
Paper:  White, Yellow Gingham; Watercolor
Ink:  Black, Smoky Slate, Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, Cajun Craze, Gumball Green, Garden Green, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Pink Pirouette, Tempting Turquoise, Soft Sky (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Blender Pen, Raffia, Stamp-a-ma-jig, adhesives, and dimensionals

I hope you'll join us for the fun challenge.  Check out the details for the ATCAS - code word:  Pet challenge and see all the fabulous cards by the rest of the Design Team.

Tattered Leaves

Hi everyone.  Another day of experimenting with my water color paper and inks.  This time I used the colors from the current challenge at Color Q (*** correction, as I went to upload this, I realized this was last week's challenge and I missed it -- oophs!).  LOVE these colors together!

I also used a die-cut from Tim Holtz called Tattered Leaves.  This is a NBUS for me ... as I've had this for a long time and don't think I've used it before.  Darnell will be proud! :)

I used the same technique as my Splattered Maple Leaves that I posted a few days ago ... and it worked perfectly again today.  I feel like I have a little more control with this way of coloring water color paper ... and since I am a bit of a control freak :) ... it's really works for me.  I'll experiment with more colors soon.

Here's a recap on how I watercolored the leaves:  I randomly sponged dry water color paper die-cut leaves with the four colors in the challenge ... heavier with the Curry and Pumpkin inks ... and lighter with the two darker inks (Razzleberry and Burgundy).  Then I sprayed with my water mister until the inks became wet and started to run together slightly (don't soak the leaves as the ink will run off and you'll loose a lot of the color).  Once it was dry, I splattered the leaves using a toothbrush loaded with water and Burgundy re-inker, pulling my thumb across the bristles to spray the ink onto the leaves ... yes, it's very messy and ink flies all over the place, so if you give this a try make sure you don't have other projects nearby or they may be ruined.  Also, my thumb is a lovely shade of burgundy :) ... and it will take a few days for it to wash off completely.  But, the results are worth the mess!! ... at least I think so. :)

Here's a close-up:

Paper:  White, Watercolor paper (Arches 140lb. cold press - natural white), Modern Medley DP (SU!)
Ink:  Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry, Bravo Burgundy (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, Tattered Leaves die (Tim Holtz for Sizzix), sponge daubers, water mister, toothbrush, distressing tool, glue, adhesives and dimensionals

I hope I have inspired you to give this a try!

This will be my second entry into the Paper Players #172 - CAS Leaves challenge.

Card Candy Giveaway #9

Hi everyone.  Just a quick post today ... time for my next card candy give-away.

I made up packages of three different colors of snowflakes (white, silver, silver glimmer).  Each package contains five of seven different snowflake dies ... that's 35 snowflakes in each package ... so over 100 for the pack of card candy! :)

I used the Faceted Snowflake die from Simon Says (largest) ... and the others are the Small Snowflakes die set from Impression Obsession.

Here's a picture of the different snowflake dies (sizes range from approx: 3/16" to just over 2" in diameter):

____________________

Would you like some of the card candy above??

I'm offering the above to one person that leaves a comment on this posting before Nov. 27.  I will use the "True Random Number Generator" to determine which comment will receive the candy.

Thanks and good luck! :)

Splattered Maple Leaf

Hi everyone.  A few weeks back I did some experimenting with water color paper.  I had so much fun!!!  The one consistent thing about water color paper is that it's not consistent!! :)  The results can vary so much.  I wanted to see if I could find a more consistent way to color ... and I think I have, but it may just be with these colors because I have yet to try it with others.

I die cut my maple leaf using my favorite water color paper (Arches 140 lb. cold press - Natural White).  Then I took sponge daubers and randomly sponged the dry water color paper with Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie and Real Red (heavier with the first two colors and less with the red).  Then I misted the leaf with water until the ink became wet and ran into each other a bit ... but not soaking wet.  I let it dry and then splattered with watered down Early Espresso ink, using a toothbrush.  LOVE how it turned out.  Will try it with other colors to see if I can get more good results.  I'll keep you posted!

Here's a close-up:

I added a strip of woodgrain embossing white card stock under the leaf and then stamped a simple sentiment.  Lots of white space so that the leaf is the star of this card.

Stamps:  Elements of Style (SU!)
Paper:  White, Watercolor
Ink:  Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Early Espresso (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, Large Leaves #2 die (Cheery Lynn), Woodgrain embossing folder (Sizzix), sponge daubers, water mister, toothbrush, sticky strips, adhesives and dimensionals

I'm entering this card into the Paper Players #172 - CAS Leaves challenge.

____________________

Here's a picture of Evan at our family birthday dinner on Sunday.  He wanted a Black Forest Cake for his birthday cake - yum!!  Sorry it's so dark, but my dining room is dark orange, so all pictures seem dark ... and the one with the flash wasn't as nice ...

Glittery Christmas Trees

Hi everyone.  Here's my Design Team card for the latest challenge at Merry Monday (#84).  Today it's a theme challenge ...

I just love this inspiration photo ... and plan to CASE it in the next couple of weeks! :)

I wanted to come up with something a little new for me.  So today's card has trees die-cut from gold matte card stock, which I dry embossed with the Musical Flourishes folder from Cuttlebug (LOVE the elegant design from this embossing folder).  Then I squirted gold stickles onto the raised portions of the embossing.  LOVE how this turned out.  The card is so much better in real life ... the glittered trees are so pretty!  I wanted them to be the focal point, so left the rest of the card fairly plain, just adding a couple of banks of snow (with clear stickles along the top), the sentiment ... and a knot of twine (natural twine with a gold thread running through it).

Here's the close-up:

Stamps:  Handy Christmas Greetings (Amy R)
Paper:  White (C.C. Designs); Gold (SU!)
Ink:  Early Espresso (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, Tree dies (Holiday Cheer set from Hero Arts / Sizzix); Musical Flourish embossing folder (Cuttlebug), gold stickles, clear stickles, gold hemp twine, Stamp-a-ma-jig, adhesives, glue, and dimensionals

I hope you're inspired by the photo challenge and will join us at Merry Monday this week.  Drop by Lesley's blog (Always Playing with Paper) and check out the amazing cards by the rest of the Design Team.


I'm going to enter this card into the following challenges:
CAS-ual Friday (CFC120) - inspiration photo
Curtain Call - inspiration photo
Christmas Card Challenge (#51 - Bling)
Addicted to Stamps & More - #71 - Anything Goes

Robin Caroler

Hi everyone.  Today I'm honored to be part of SCS's All-Star Alumni CAS Challenge Team.  For the months of November and December, past CAS Design Team members were asked create a card for inspiration for one of the CAS challenges during the two months.  I was thrilled when Jen (Miss Boo) asked if I would like to join in and I quickly said "YES".  So this card for the the Nov. 18th SCS CAS challenge (CAS247 - be inspired by music).

I bought the sweetest set of digital images from DigiStamp Boutique and this is from the set.  I just love the robin caroler.  He is colored with Copics and I added glitter topped with white Flowersoft to his hat cuff and pompom for some fun and texture.  I paper pieced the carol book, and popped it up to add dimension.  A little more glitter was added to the holly, star and the bank of snow..  The holly embellishment that is on the twine is the same as the one one the carol book cover, I just increased the size and fussy-cut (again, covered with glitter).

Here's a close-up:

Stamps:  Cute Robin Collection (DigiStamp Boutique); Handy Christmas Greetings (Amy R)
Paper:  White (C.C. Designs); Winter Frost DP (SU!)
Ink:  Real Red (SU!); Copics:  R29, R59, E44, YG67, W4, YR24
Accessories & Tools:  White FlowerSoft, Dazzling Diamonds, Maraschino Twine (The Twinery), Stamp-a-ma-jig, glue, adhesives and dimensionals

I hope you'll join us for this fun CAS challenge at SCS.

I'm entering this into Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for November where Anything Goes.

Patchwork Christmas

Hi everyone.  Just a reminder that my friend Nonni is holding a challenge on her blog right now - Scrap a Happy Christmas - use scraps to create your Christmas card.  There's still lots of time to play - the challenge runs until Dec. 24th ... and there are some great prizes from Stamplorations up from grabs.

I still have bits and pieces of SU! Christmas papers from last year which are now retired (Be of Good Cheer).  I love these papers and want them to last as long as possible, so I keep every little scrap. :)

I took some of my small scraps and and cut them into 1/2" x 1" strips.  Then I glued them onto a white card stock backing in a pattern to create my own "quilted" Christmas designer paper.  I used the paper to die-cut a stocking, added two holly leaves and a rhinestone berry to the top ... and placed it on my main panel which has faux stitching.

Here's a close-up:

I was so happy with how this turned out that I made a second card the same way.  Great to be able to use lots of tiny scraps that I had kept ... :)

This card is the exact same layout and design and I made the same "quilted" paper for my tree.  I've added a little glittery star at the top to give it some shine.

Here's a close-up:

Stamps:  Christmas Sampler (Paper Smooches)
Paper:  White; Be of Good Cheer DP - retired, silver glimmer (SU!)
Ink:  Real Red, Gumball Green (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, Christmas Stocking die (Sizzix), Christmas Tree die (C.C. Designs), Holly Vine die (Memory Box), tiny red rhinestone, glue, adhesives and dimensionals

I hope you'll come and check out the challenge on Nonni's blog and join in the fun!!

Edited to add:  I'm going to enter this in the CAS-ology Challenge (#70) - triangle ... thanks Anita! :)

Happy Birthday Evan!!

Hi everyone.  Today is my oldest son's birthday ... and he's turning 30th!  Wow ... where did the years go??!! :)

I made him a card in August when we went to a "Surprise Birthday BBQ" that his girlfriend was throwing to celebrate.  She justified it being early as she wanted to have a BBQ (which Evan loves) ... so it all made sense.  And as some of you know that read my blog post in August ... it turned out to be a surprise wedding for all the guests! :)  So today, it's official ... and so I made him another card - a guy can never have too many birthday cards, right??!! :)

Evan is a coffee drinker ... he can't let a day go by without having his beloved Timmy's ... or several for that matter.  So I saw this fun digi at Bugaboo and knew it would be perfect for his card.  The layout is something different for me ... and I CASE'd it from my good friend Kylie (link to her card here).  I loved the DP strip and how she popped it up from her card base and then the main panel was popped up again.  I have done that also, although it's hard to tell in the photo (still need to get on the light box but I have been WAY too busy).

Here's a close-up:

I paper pieced the mug, sponged around the edges of each piece, added piercing to the "steam" and crystal effects on all three hearts.

Stamps:  Cocoa (Bugaboo); Bitty Birthday (SU!)
Paper:  White, Generations DP (Simple Stories)
Ink:  Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Black, Smoky Slate; Copics:  R59, W4
Accessories & Tools:  paper piecing tool and mat, crystal effects, glue, adhesives, and dimensionals

This also qualifies for the SCS TLC challenge (TLC455 - paper piecing).

____________________

I have another card ... I know, two cards in one day is not the norm for me, but I've been on a roll! :)  Today the challenge at SCS Way's to Use It (WT453) is add a wreath.  I made this very CAS Christmas card, using the felt again for the holly leaves (love playing with felt!).

I added the sentiment in the middle and some pearl "berries" and twine bow.  Fun, and easy to make.

Here's a close-up:

Stamps:  Merriment (SU!)
Paper:  White
Ink:  Real Red (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, Holly die (C.C. Designs), Green felt, red half-pearls, Maraschino twine (The Twinery), Circle Nesties (Spellbinders), glue, adhesives, and dimensionals

Inspired Wreath

If you are looking for my Merry Monday card, please click here.

Hi everyone.  A second card for today (that doesn't happen too often!) :)  ... this is for the latest challenge at SCS - CAS (#246 - inspired by Pinterest).  Jen gave us three different photos from Pinterest and I chose this one as inspiration for my card.

I die-cut two layers of the wreath in soft suede card stock and sponged the edges for interest.  I die-cut the ornament border from both gold and silver glitter card stock and used the pieces to decorate my wreath.  A simple sentiment to finish.

Here's a close-up:

Stamps:  Christmas Greetings (SU!)
Paper:  White; Soft Suede (SU!), silver and gold glitter papers
Ink:  Soft Suede (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, Breezy Wreath die (Poppy Stamps), Ornament Border die (Memory Box), sponge, glue, glue dots, and dimensionals

Very fun challenge with lots of options from the three different photos for inspiration!

Snowy Christmas

Hi everyone.  Christmas is not very many weeks away now ... still making cards, but getting close to being finished.  Won't be long before I need to start getting these in the mail!

Today's Merry Monday challenge (#83) is both a theme and color challenge ... check it out ...

Honestly, I was stumped with this one for a while.  Once I figured out that my fence is stripes, I was off and running :)

Here's a close-up:

I added snow texture to the tree and fence.  And I added dazzling diamonds to the top of the snow bank for a little added glitter.

Stamps:  Snowman Sayings (Amy R)
Paper:  White, Real Red, Chocolate Chip (SU!)
Ink:  Real Red (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, Four Seasons Fence Die (C.C. Designs), Birch Trees die (Impression Obsession), Small Forest Tree die (Simon Says), Holiday Shapes die (Simon Says), Sparkle Texture Effect (Martha Stewart), Dazzling Diamonds (SU!), Stamp-a-ma-jig, glue, adhesives and dimensionals

I hope I have inspired you to join us for this fun challenge.  Check out Lesley's blog (Always Playing with Paper) to see the amazing creations from the rest of the Design Team.


I'm entering this card into:
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #150 - Outdoors

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra

Simon Says - Keep it Clean and Simple

... and because I used several little snippets for this card, it's also headed to the Crafty Snippets Playground (#98).