Monday, November 30, 2015

Reunions of Tomorrow

While I love Gelatos, I haven't always had 100% reliable results with them.  A little more practice would undoubtedly tip the scales in my favor.  But, a one minute video HERE
from Unity has increased my chances of success with this quick and super-simple technique . . .

 . . . take a Gelatos crayon and rub it a few times over the textured surface of a small, dry sea sponge.  Mist it with water and dab onto your watercolor cardstock. Layer with another color or two as desired, using the same dabbing motion for nice, lacy results.  Use the same sponge to enhance blending, or switch to a different sponge for each color for more distinct layering – your call.  It's my new favorite technique with Gelatos:  hard to fail with this one!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Lilac, The Paper Cut Watercolor paper, Strathmore
                           Soft White, Stampin’ Up Vellum
Stamps:        Wordsworth Christ Has Made
Inks:               Encore Silver, ColorBox Dragonfly Black, Gelatos Metallic
                           Grape, Boysenberry, Raspberry, Black Cherry
Emb Powder:   B’Muse Sterling Silver
Dies:              EK Success punch Tomato (I used just the starry leaf cluster)
Doo Dads:    Purple brads

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Grateful Hearts

A day of gratitude . . . may we make the time to be grateful every day of the year . . .


 Gold is very much on trend for stampers this year so I am making the most of it with my favorite embossing powder:  Gold, by Ranger.  Unlike all other powders I've tried, this one cures to a non-smooth finish – much like hammered gold.  The texture is amazing and works beautifully on any image except for those with extremely fine detail.  It's also best to use conventional detail powder when working with very small text.  Other than that, this stuff is my go-to for anything gold.  Gorgeous!

Cardstock:   Marcos Speckletone Cover, Generic Cream, Brown,
                           Wausau Firecracker Red  
Stamps:        B&J’s Art Stamps Corn & Pomegranate Wreath, Creative
                           Imaginations “Grateful Hearts”, Meer Image Small
                           Speckle Edger
Inks:               ColorBox Gold
Markers:        Clean Color Wine Red, Yellow, Olive Green
Emb Powder:   Ranger Gold
Dies:              Lil Inker Stitched Mats Squares, Hero Small Tag Frame,
                           Memory Box Branching Out, Quickutz Vases
Impression Plate:     Cheery Lynn Burble
Doo Dads:    Marvy Marker Liquid Gold


Monday, November 23, 2015

Check Mate

My husband's birthday is always the opportunity for me to have fun moving chess pieces around on a checkerboard surface . . .


This is as close as I ever get to actually playing the game!  My husband is a rated player, but I much prefer to play with paper . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Cinder, Strathmore Soft White
Stamps:        Above the Mark Chessboard, Chessmen, Stampin’ Up
                           Buttons, Quiet Fire Crown, Clearly Besotted
                           Diagonal Stripes
Inks:               ColorBox Dragonfly Black, Cream White
Emb Powder:   Powder Keg Antique Copper, Stampendous Ivory Pearl
Dies:              Spellbinders Standard Circles, Classic Rectangles, Verve
                           Banner Bundle, Lil Inker Stitched Mats Squares, Hero
                           Alphabet Uppercase

Thursday, November 19, 2015

The Happiest

More fun with dried die ink powders!  I dearly love their intensity, but decided for this card that a muted approach would be worth a try . . .


 . . . hence the vellum overlay.  Because the powders are so saturated with color, the background still has some oomph left even when covered with vellum.  Still and all, I used some leftover scraps for the flower and banner, just as a reminder of what riotous glories lie in wait under the vellum panel.   Yes, I do love robust color!

Cardstock:   Champion Cover Snow Day, Stampin’ Up Vellum White,
                           The Paper Cut Watercolor paper
Stamps:        Stampington Button Mums, Simon Says Sketchy Banner
                           Greetings: “Sending you the happiest”
Inks:               ColorBox Frost White, Color Burst Powders Ultramarine
                           Blue, Orange, Lemon Yellow
Emb Powder:   Judikins Opaque White
Dies:              Simon Says Sketchy Banners, Top Dog Pretty Petals
Doo Dads:    Square brads Blue Past Time Stamps Ultra Fine Glitter, 
                         Tulip Hot Fix Jewels Orange

Monday, November 16, 2015

Birthday Celebration

This card is a re-vamp from an excellent class I took from Stacy of Stacy Stamps.  If you ever have the opportunity to take a class from her, you really ought to jump at the opportunity . . .


 Stacy excels at giving you terrific design ideas and then encourages you to depart from form and wing it in other creative directions.  On this card, I kept the basic layout, but I changed out the three bottom images, added a few embellishments, and had some fun at the top with a narrow striped strip.  Stacy gives you a great start, and then you get to spread your own wings.  This means that when the project is done, it's yours.  I like that. 

Cardstock:   Generic Kraft, Bazzill Raven, The Paper Cut White
                           Matte Coat
Stamps:        Stacy Stamps: text and shrub The Woods, Hero
                           Silhouette Burst, Clearly Besotted Diagonal Stripes
Inks:               Distress Black Soot, Brushed Corduroy, Bob Ross Black
                           Gesso spatters, Gelly Roll pen White
Dies:              Spellbinders Classic Squares
Doo Dads:    Tulip Hot Fix Jewels Black


Thursday, November 12, 2015

Justin is 5!

As a former TWA Flight Attendant, I'm always happy to come across aviation-related images that I can use to send cards to my airline friends.  However, this adorable airplane die cut went on its maiden voyage to an equally adorable 5 year old . . .


Once in awhile, I forget to work on the background until after I've stamped the foreground images.  On this card, the trees were in place against a naked white sky.  Not good.  Since I had nothing to lose if it didn't work, I decided to sponge on the sky with a light blue ink, starting at the top and swirling my way down into the trees.  It worked!  The trees are still green and I got the dark-to-light effect I was after.

I really love it when I can bail myself out after screwing up . . .

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut White Matte Coat, Generic scraps Silver,
                           Red, Green
Stamps:        Stampin’ Up Evergreens
Inks:               Ancient Page Pine, Distress Weathered Wood
Dies:              Impression Obsession Plane with Banner, Fiskars
                           punches Clouds, DieVersions letters Hint of Lime,
                           Tim Holtz Alphanumeric: “5”


Monday, November 9, 2015

Live For Today

I've a very dear friend who's in a Twelve Step group where strong encouragement is given to take things one day at a time . . .


In between significant events at church one Sunday morning, the idea for the layout and the color scheme popped unbidden into my head.  I kept it company long enough for me to commit it to memory and then I got back into worship mode.  Truly I did.  But when I got home, I quickly sketched out my idea to make sure it wouldn't slip away into the ever-increasing haze of Senior Citizendom.  Three weeks later, I was finally able to sit down and turn it into a reality.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Smoky, Vanilla, Cinder, Juneberry
Stamps:        Studio G "Live for today"
Inks:               Distress Antique Linen, VersaMark
Emb Powder:   Judikins Garnet
Dies:              Simon Says Stitched Hills & Borders, Memory Box Tall
                           Birch
Doo Dads:    1/8" ribbon Burgundy, Simon Says sequins Moonshine

Thursday, November 5, 2015

A Message

While this card was sent to our granddaughter on her 10th birthday, it's actually perfect for a wide variety of events for someone of any age – male or female . . .


This typewriter die and stamp set is a real treasure . . . besides being so stinkin' cute, it comes with a choice of six messages you can stamp on the little sheet of paper.  It fits perfectly into a slit in the typewriter that the die has thoughtfully made for you.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Purple, Black, Strathmore Bright White
Stamps:        Marianne Design Eline's Typewriter, Stampendous
                           Dream Text Background            
Inks:               Hero Black
Dies:              Lil Inkers Stitched Mats: Rectangles, Marianne Design Eline's
                           Typewriter, McGill punch Mini-Envelopes, Marvy punch Heart
Emb Folder: Sizzix Dots & Flowers set               

Monday, November 2, 2015

Baby

We're in the process of welcoming our fourth great grandchild to the family . . .


 . . . so a bright and sunny greeting with a little tasseled fanfare is certainly in order, don't you think?

Cardstock:   Bazzill Intense Yellow, Strathmore Bright White
Stamps:        Hero Striped B, Dotted A, Plaid B, Striped Y, Cat’s Life
                           Press Baby Flower Face
Inks:               ColorBox Black, Distress Spun Sugar
Emb Powder:   Judikins Detail Black
Dies:              Spellbinders Victorian Tassels, Lil Inker Dual Stitched
                           Rectangles, Mama Elephant Dainty Bow
Watercolors:     Peerless Jackqueminot Red, Hunter’s Green, Marigold
                                Yellow, Cobalt Blue
Markers:        Pitt Artist Pen India Ink Blue 110, Zig Brushables Spring
                           Green, Apricot, Pure Pink
Emb Folder: Sizzix Dots and Flowers Set        
Doo Dads:    Glossy Accents