August Patterned Paper Challenge - Bird Thank you note set

I am happy to share this card set with you as part of CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge for August which starts right now :)  July went by so fast!

I stamped my bird stamp four times, each onto a different subtly-patterned paper from Prima.  I then cut them out, mixed and matched to get 4 cards.  Each background was made a touch differently, and then I added the sentiments.

Supplies: Crafty Individuals Four Little Song Birds stamp, Archival ink, Prima Nature Garden 6x6 paper pad, cardstocks from my stash, Cuttlebug and Elizabeth Crafts Embossing folders.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see your entries into this challenge.
I will be back again tomorrow with another card!

Stenciled Spring

I have a quick share today with a stamp from a retired set from Gina K.- Stenciled Spring.  This was one of my first online stamp purchases ever, and I still really like the set.

I created the background by first sponging 2 colors of Distress ink and then using a stencil to go over it with a third color.  I used a sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches, but didn't get it submitted in time.

Thanks for stopping by!  I will be hopping around to visit people today and then back later on with another post.  Have a great day!

Oops! Belated Birthday Balloons

I always hate to say it, as a cardmaker, that I miss too many birthdays.  That is why I like to have a couple belated cards ready.

The background was made with the Cuttlebug Wax Paper technique and Peacock Feathers distress ink.  Then I stamped the balloons and colored them with markers and stamped the Oops stamp with the distress ink.  I used grey for my neutral contrast because I wanted this to be a little cleaner of a look.

Supplies: Gina K Designs Happy Birthday To You stamp set, Memento and Versafine black inks, Distress Ink Peacock Feathers, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Grey Kraft Recollections cardstock.

I would love to play along with the CASology 5-Year Celebration Balloon challenge and StampTV's Inspired by a Video challenge.

Christmas in July - Part Six - Let Earth Receive her King!

Welcome to my Christmas in July series! I just realized that I had not yet shared this card!  It is non traditional, and, in fact, the map stamp in the background is not a Christmas stamp at all.  

The sentiment panel is one that I had prepped for last Christmas (glitter and all) and then didn't use.  I liked the way it looks here and am glad I found a place for I it!  I would like to share this with SimonSaysStamp's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes!

Supplies: Stampendous Tin Can Mail map stamp (old wood block stamp), Our Daily Bread Designs Earth Verses, Black inks, stickles glitter glue, My Mind's Eye All is Bright 6x6 paper pad. 

I would love to enter the July Rudolph Days challenge!

Thanks for taking a look today!  Boy, July is going fast!  I was hoping to get one more Christmas card done, but we will wait and see!  Have. A great day!

Tweet Tweet

Welcome to my blog. I have a quick share of an all purpose card I made this morning.  I just LOVE this sweet image and was happy to color it up.

Supplies: Purple Onion stamp, Just for Fun Rubber Stamps sentiment, Memento black ink, alcohol markers, My Mind's Eye Summer Fresh paper pad, Avery Elle Wonky Stitched Rectangles dies, Spellbinders Circle and Lacy Circles dies.

I would love to play with Tuesday Morning Sketches 412 and CuteCard Thursday Summer Colours.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Christmas in July - Part Five - Peace on Earth

Hello!  A quick share with a couple more Christmas cards for the stash.   My card box is definitely fuller!

I made two cards using the same stamp and layout.  I am always trying to use up patterned paper, so I used some non-traditional paper here, adding sponging with distress inks, stickles and sparkley embellishments.

The grey background was made with an embossing folder and grey pigment ink with the letterpress technique.

Supplies: Stampendous Classic Peace stamp, Versafine Onyx black ink, Stickles, Distress Ink Peacock Feathers and Tumbled Glass, My Mind's Eye All is Bright 6x6 paper pad, Creatology Foam snowflakes, Martha Stewart snowflake embossing folder, Cuttlebug embossing folder.

I would love to enter SimonSaysStamp Wednesday challenge We're Seeing Stars !

Thanks for stopping by!  

Happy Camper!!

One thing I think would be really fun to try is to take a road trip in a camper.  Well, I am not sure I would feel comfortable driving it, but I love nature, hikes, walks, boating, so a camper trip sounds 

great!  Have you tried it?

I colored this camper with alcohol markers, then paired it with some fun patterned paper and a super cute sentiment.

Supplies:  Just for Fun Rubber Stamps Square Camper, Happy Camper sentiment, Memento black ink, My Mind's Eye Happy Camper 6x6 paper pad, Gina Marie X Stitched Rectangles dies, other cardstocks from my scrapbox

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today!!

Partial Stamping

In my stamping group, we were trying out this technique for partial stamping of your background stamp.  You can see another card on my friend, Connie's blog.

I used a slightly neglected background stamp for this and two colors of teal ink.  It was very easy and took no time to try it out.

The flower was stamped on green vellum and heat embossed.  I added a sentiment from another slightly neglected set. I believe I used up all my thank you cards last week, so it will be a priority to build up a new stash.  

Supplies:  Hero Arts Four Leaf Grid stamp, Hero Arts CL325 Paris stamps set, Gina K Designs Heart Blooms stamp, Hero Arts Mint Julep & Tide Pool inks, Versafine black ink, Versamark ink, White detail embossing powder, Avery Elle Wonky Stitched rectangles dies

I would love to participate in these challenges:

A Blog Named Hero Florals

Flower Challenge - Embossing (Heat or Dry)

Christmas in July - Part Four - Sentimental

I am continuing making Christmas cards this month!  For this one, I used a sketch and an older stamp.  I inked it up with red ink and then went over certain parts of it with a green marker.

Supplies: Inkadinkado A Very Merry Christmas stamp, Hero Arts Red Royal ink, Tombow green marker, American Crafts Wish List paper pad (I did choose from the scraps), Doodlebug twine

I would love to play along with these challenges:

CASEthisSketch #230

ModSquad Challenge Blog - Sentiment as Focal Point

Pixie's Snippets Playground 289-290

Christmas in July - Part Three - Snowy Friends

Hello stamping friends!  Today I have two Christmas cards to share using the same image & sentiment, but two different sketches.

I colored the images with alcohol markers and then cut and embossed with a square die.  I used plaid patterned paper here.

Challenges:

Happy Little Stamper Christmas in July

Freshly Made Sketches 

SimonSaysStamp Wednesday Challenge - Use Plaid

For the second card I got to use up even more patterned paper.  

Challenges:

Happy Little Stampers Christmas in July

Tuesday Morning Sketches

Supplies:  Deep Red Stamps Polar Friends, Memento Black ink, Heidi Swapp Marquee Love patterned paper, American Crafts Let it Snow pattenred paper, Just for Fun Rubber Stamps Sentiments 3, Versafine Onyx black ink

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Card Drive - One Layer Distress Oxide Floral

Hello stamping friends!  Today I am asking for your help with a card drive organized by my blogging friend, Carole from My Carolina Home.  You will want to visit her blog to see her amazing quilting projects, tablescapes and cards.  She has a need for encouragement cards AND monetary sponsors to complete care packages for women in a domestic abuse shelter.  

Here is the link to her blog post with all the details.  There will be a really great prize for one lucky donor and donations are needed by August 1st.

Here is a card I created and will send in.

(Click to enlarge photos.)

It is a one-layer card on a light blue cardstock with a tiny bit of speckles.  I inked up my stamp with Distress Oxide inks, adding a touch of darker pink and green marker to portions.  Then I sprayed the stamp with water and stamped onto my blue card base.  I love the variation of color where the ink oxidized and then other areas where you can see the marker.  Finally, I added Nuvo drops for embellishment.

I used an uplifting sentiment and then matted that with navy cardstock.  I will write a little note inside.  Carole asked that we not write anything religious because we won't know who our recipient is.  When I have trouble figuring out the right words to write inside, I often do a little internet search. There are lots of ideas out there that are simple or complex, depending on what you are going for.

I do hope you will consider sending a card or supporting this drive monetarily!  I am so glad Carole asked me to be a part of this drive, it feels good to do good.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies: Inkadinkado Flower Blossom by Brenda Walton, Gina K Designs Inspiration Mosaic stamp set (sentiment), Distress Oxide ink Worn Lipstick and Peeled Paint, Tombow markers, Versafine Onyx Black ink, cardstock from my stash, Nuvo Crystal drops

I would love to enter this challenge:
Tuesday Throwdown - One Layer

Christmas in July - Two (Candy Canes)

Here is my second card for my Christmas in July series. I don't have a specific goal of how many I want to get done this month, just want to get lots done!

I had this candy cane digi stamped leftover from last Christmas so I colored it up with pencils.  I was inspired by a decorated cookie tin project from Allison Cope and changed it to be a card design.

Supplies: Power Poppy Candy Cane digistamp, Hero Arts Joyful Christmas Season stamps, Versafine Ink, Prismacolor pencils, Heidi Swapp Marquee Love paper pad, EK Success tag punch, Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle dies, Gina K cardstocks

I would love to participate in the following challenges:

Power Poppy On the Case
Happy Little Stampers Christmas in July

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Christmas in July 2017 - One

My mom was really surprised to hear I was working on Christmas cards. I told her that if you wait till November and do them all at once, it is a chore.  If you do them a bit at a time (I do make them all year long) they are fun!  The traditional "Christmas in July" gives me a bit of a push to get a bunch done.

This is a new stamp I recently acquired. I simply colored it with pencils and die cut it with a cross stitch die.  Super cute, I do love the crafty looking stamps!

Believe it or not, the kraft card base with the patterned paper already on it has been sitting in my "half done" pile for nearly 2 years.  I can't even remember what I originally was going to use it for!

These embellishments are actually soft to the touch so I think they will mail well. I stocked up on Christmas embellishments at Michaels after the holiday.

Supplies: Deep Red Stamps Snowman with Birds, Just for Fun Rubber Stamps Sentiments 3, Versafine Onyx Black ink, Prismacolor pencils, Gina Marie X Stitched circles, patterned paper was My Mind's Eye unknown pad, Recollections stickers

I would love to play along in the Happy Little Stampers Christmas in July challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thank your lucky stars!

Hello!  It is a super dreary day here, but that gives me a good excuse to stay inside and make some cards.  I used a fun sketch for this one.

The stars were cut from some panels I made a while back with dendritic painting.  They weren't large enough for a full card panel so I was glad to use them here.  I used iridescent pearl paint, which I think you can see better in the second photo.  I had a scrap of patterned paper that had all the colors in it and finished it off with a fun sentiment.  Some stars were part of the sentiment stamp and the others I used versamark ink.

Supplies: Hero Arts CL582 stamp set, Darice star dies, My Mind's Eye Hootenanny patterned paper, Versafine Lagoon ink, Versamark Ink, score board, Golden Iridescent Pearl acrylic paint

I would love to play along with:

Tuesday Morning Sketches #410 (something extra this month, check it out)

Splitcoast Stampers  You're a Star

Beachy Collage - Masking Background stamps

Hello! I hope my US stamping friends had a lovely 4th of July!  It is certainly up there with Christmas for my favorite holiday!  I have a beachy card to share with you today.

I made a mask with a sheet of copy paper and tore a random looking shape to create the "net" in my collage.

I stamped and fussy cut the shell and colored it with irridescent chalks.  They are an oldie but a goodie for coloring - they blend really easily and I thought it added to the beachy look.  I stamped more images on the background, added a sentiment, and finally added some Nuvo Pearl drops.

Supplies: Just for Fun Rubber Stamps Beach Unmounted Sheet, Voice of the Sea sentiment, Tattered Screen background stamp, Hero Arts Soft Sand Ink, Versafine Vintage Sepia and Toffee inks, Pebbles Irridescent Chalks, Nuvo Drops in Pearl

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I appreciate it very much!

Patriotic Birthday Card

The 4th of July is one of my very favorite holidays and while there are lots of family birthdays near to it.

I started with a card idea from Rubber Stamp Tapestry's facebook page (link here, not sure if it is a public or private photo) and decided to take my own spin on it using supplies I already had.

Supplies: Rubber Stamp Tapestry A Spot of Tea and Holiday Stockings stamp sets, Avery Elle Pigment inks, Darice star die, My Mind's Eye Summer Fresh paper pad, Hero Arts Happy Stamp n Cut die and stamp set

I would love to participate in the following challenges:
Curtain Call Red, White and Blue
SimonSaysStamp Monday Challenge Red White and/or Blue
Cards In Envy Patriotic Please

Thanks for stopping by! I hope my cardmaking friends in the USA have a wonderful Independence Day!  Come back again soon!

What a Wonderful World

Hello!  I am sharing another shiny card today, very hard to photograph.  I used a printed acetate sheet with a silver dots on it.  I adhered that to my card base on the left side and then covered that adhesive with patterned paper.  

The card design came about by mistake. I kept changing my mind about how large my black circle mat would be.  It I cut it down 2 or 3 times, thus I had these scraps left.  I decided to use one of them to create this offset circle. I like it!  

Supplies: Our Daily Bread Designs The Earth stamp set, Versafine black ink, Gina K Innocent Pink ink, WeRMemoryKeepers acetate pad, Spellbinders circle dies

I would love to participate in the following challenges:

Our Daily Bread Color challenge

SimonSaysStamp Wednesday Challenge Anything Goes

Tuesday Throwdown Creative Borders

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Wedding Card Challenge

The challenge theme for the Just for Fun Rubber Stamps June challenge is... 

Wedding Time!

What a perfect time to stock up on these special cards.  I made two with heat embossing over some Distress Oxide backgrounds I had made.  The first card was just pink and orange Distress Oxide layered in the background and then I used ivory cardstock and pearls for the accents.  

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

The second background was made with pink and orange Distress Oxides and then added Pickled Raspberry Distress ink because I really wanted something brighter. (I am really hoping that Ranger is going to add this color when they expand the line later this summer.  I have a whole wish list including black and blueprint sketch.). I used white for this card base and an older vellum butterfly for my embellishment.

There is a random prize draw for JFF's monthly challenge (and you should know that while you are encouraged to use JFF stamps if you have them, it is certainly not a requirement) so I do hope you will play along!

Supplies: Just for Fun Rubber stamps Flora and Fauna sheet, Sentiment sheet 1, Versamark ink, Recollections White detail embossing powder, Distress Oxide inks Orange Marmalade, Worn Lipstick, Distress Ink Pickled Raspberry, Gina Marie Loopy Rectangle die set, Avery Elle Wonky Stitched rectangle dies (banner)

Thanks for stopping by!