Birthday Balloons

Although my baby brother has passed the midpoint of his 60’s, I still think balloons are suitable for a guy who’s young at heart, don’t you?

Cardstock:         Bazzill Sunshine Crosshatch, Black Canvas          

Stamps:              All stamps from Hero’s Wish Big set

Inks:                    ColorBox Black, Ancient Page Coal          

Emb. Powder    Judikins Detail Black

Doo Dads:          Silver Stickles, White-stitched Yellow ribbon knot

Charisma

Although this card was made for a friend’s birthday, it really would work for many celebratory events.  Who wouldn’t like to be told that they have charisma?

Cardstock:         Paper Cut Tivoli Garden, Beckett White, Bazzill Leapfrog

Stamps:              Lawn Fawn Chevron Border, Raindrops on Roses Reverse Fern Spray, Another 

                              Stamp Company “Charisma”

Inks:                   VersaMark, Ancient Page Palm Leaf

Emb. Powder     Vippies Transcendence, Judikins Opaque White                  

Colored Pencils: Prisma Kelly Green, Kelp Green, Limeade:  blended with Gamsol

Die/punch:         Wplus9 Banners, EK Success Small Arrow

Doo Dads:          Deckled scissors, White wired cord, Pearl Pen White

Love Grows

One of my favorite things to do (and I have Jennifer McGuire’s oft-published encouragement and permission to do this) is to use stamps in ways rather different from what they were designed for.

The sheaf of rice was probably a stand-alone that worked very well here as an enthusiastic background for the flower heart.  Covering the flower pot with a small background pattern and a silver bow embellishment balanced off the rather outspoken flower heart and kept it from being too top-heavy.  Anyone getting this card will surely know that they’re loved . . .

Cardstock:     Beckett Iceberg, Confetti Red

Stamps:         Hero Rice Sheaf, Stamp Pad Flower Heart, Art Gone Wild Swirls Background

Inks:                 ColorBox Red, Silver

Emb. Powder  B’Muse Ruby Red, Silver

Punches:        Family Treasures Medium Flower Pot, Five Heart corner punch    

Doo Dads:      Deckled Scissors, ¼” silver ribbon

Hope

As an angel’s chief purpose is to reflect the glory of God, there is no better time to be reminded of this than when a loved one’s sagging spirits need a boost.

My own hope with this card is that anyone receiving it will feel the love that went into it, and will come to know Him as our one true source of comfort and healing.

Cardstock:    Marcos’ Kraft, Hanko’s Ivory Snowflake, generic dull gold cardstock

Stamps:        Just For Fun Fractured Background, Earthtone Hope, Stampink Unlimited Solid Angel, Stampa Mania Starburst

Inks:                Ancient page Cobalt, ColorBox Gold, Rub ‘n Buff Gold, Marvy Gold marker

Emb. Powder B’Muse Polished Brass, Eggplant

Punch:          Primitive Star

Doo Dads:     Gold Stickles, deckle edged scissors

100 Lucks

One of our favorite Chinese take-outs is less than a mile away.  After more than a year of bureaucratic and construction struggles on every front, they’ve finally managed to open up a restaurant in the space next door . . . I thought that the event was certainly worthy of my best efforts.

The background stamp is one I just picked up at Heirloom’s Allentown PA show last month and according to the label, it features one hundred ways to say ‘Good Luck’  in Chinese.  At least, I hope that’s what it says.  I also hope I’ve got it right side up . . .

Cardstock:     Bazzill Black, Cheddar, Wausau Firecracker Red, Stampin’ Up Always Artichoke

Stamps:         Local King 100 Lucks, Lost Coast Bamboo (Asian set), Stampin’ Up Chinese Joy

Inks:                 ColorBox Black

Emb Powder:   B’Muse Black

Dies/Punches:  Die-Namics Fly a Kite, Punch-a-Bunch Mini Sun

Doo Dads:        Black cord

Heartfelt Sympathy

After being blown away by Vicky Papaioannou’s exquisite card just below . . .

 which was featured on the Lily Pad Blog post of April 29, I headed to my Laughin’ Place downstairs to see what I could do with her ideas.  As the supplies in my stash contained neither the dies nor the stamps she used, I dug out what I had and came up with the following interpretation . . .

The changes I made are more in line with the softer needs of a sympathy card – but I’m very happy with the fact that Vicky’s basic idea can be used in a number of applications.  The patterned background is propped up with foam tape and the butterfly bodies have their own narrow strip of foam tape.  The wings are also guaranteed to stay aloft with another smidge of foam tape placed on the card front right next to the body.  I still want to do the card with Vicky’s original supplies, so if you’ll please excuse me, I need* to go and order them!

*”Need” is a relative term in the stamping world – it’s on a par with “I need to pay the rent”, or “I need to buy groceries”.  Among real stampers, those two events are often rescheduled . . .

Cardstock:     Bazzill Latte, Beckett Candlelight

Stamps:         Prickley** Pear Mini Butterfly set, Impression Obsession Swirl Background, My   Sympathies Exactly Sympathy Sentiments Set

Inks:                Distress Antique Linen, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers YG03, Y15, V22, and P83

Dies:              Prickley** Pear Mini Butterfly die

** Yes, “Prickley” may be misspelled, but that’s how the company has done it . . .

Beaded Dragonfly

I went through a beaded dragonfly phase not long ago and had a ton of fun doing it! 

The job is easy enough to figure out by sight, but if you Google for directions, you’ll find a lot of them.  I made them in all sizes and colors and now have a stash to use on cards, boxes, gift packages, etc.  It’s good TV work to do and takes just 20 minutes apiece to finish.  They are fastened onto the card at the head and tail only and can be detached so the recipient can wear it as a pin or put it to other decorative use.  One of my friends wore hers as a hair ornament at her high school reunion – she said it matched her new dress perfectly!

Cardstock:     Bazzill Rain Forest, Purple, generic Red, Beckett Iceberg, watercolor paper        

Stamps:         Stampin’ Up It’s our day!, various solid leaf images

Inks:                 Vivid Red, Green, Yellow, Purple

Emb Powder:  Clear

Doo Dads:      Beaded dragonfly

Elegant Chess

Here’s an over-the-top treatment of a chess piece!  It’s the King image which is certainly appropriate for my chess-loving husband’s birthday . . .

The image was stamped and glittered on the back of the acetate window – this ensures that it will never flake or rub off.  After making a frame out of the Gold-embossed border, the visible diagonal cuts bothered me, so I covered them up with Gold mini beads:  that’s known as hiding in plain sight.  As for the pearl bauble, who says you can’t put jewelry on a man’s card?

Cardstock:     Metallic Tuxedo-striped Bronze CS, generic Black, acetate

Stamps:         Stampers Anonymous Stitched Border, Art Impressions King Chess Piece

Inks:                 Staz On Black, ColorBox Metallic Bronze

Emb Powder:  B’Muse Detail Pale Gold

Doo Dads:      Black tassel, Gold & Pearl button, Stickles Tiara glitter glue

The Perfect Day

Here’s a Father’s Day image that Dad doesn’t have to pretend to be excited about!

The background was done with a discontinued tool called the RolTap and it’s too bad that it’s no longer available.  It was a mini (½” wide) sponge brayer that allowed you to roll out soft color in a variety of patterns.  Great for borders or backgrounds, it came in handy a number of times.  I suppose you could try Tsukineko’s finger brayers instead,  but I think your best bet is to get a sheet of rubber gasket material from a home supply store and cut yourself your own shadow stamp:  try ½” wide by any length you’d find useful and attach it to cling mounting foam.  Use soft inks and try second generation stamping for a diffused/distressed effect.

Cardstock:     Beckett Iceberg, generic Blue

Stamps:         ColorBox RolTap (discontinued), Stampin’ Up Father’s Day

Inks:                 Encore Gold, Green, Vivid Rainbow, Marvy Marker Gold

Emb Powder: Generic Clear

Dec Scissors: Fiskars Deckled

Doo Dads:      Gold bird charm, narrow Gold & Green ribbons, Green eyelets