Monday, October 31, 2016

Celebrate

Lucky you:  today is another two-fer, so be sure and scroll down for the second card!  I was having fun trying out various ideas and decided to make a second card with the extras.  The top card shows a completely exposed wreath which sort of ties the various elements together.  . . .


On the second card, I thought it would be neat to actually use the wreath to ground the various leaves.  But when the wreath was completely hidden, the leaves just made a rather aimless circle on the card front. . .   


So I tucked in several twiggy sprigs facing out from under the leaves and it changed the whole look.

Moral:  let some of the wreath show here and there between the leaves.  It's likely to look a lot better that way . . .

First card:
Cardstock:   Marcos #110 Jute, Wausau Firecracker Red, Generic Gold,
                           Green
Stamps:        My Favorite Things Burlap Background, Clearly Besotted
                           Diagonal Stripes, Printworks “Celebrate”
Inks:               Papertrey Ink Classic Kraft, Ancient Page Chocolate,
                           VersaMark
Emb Powder:   Ranger Butterscotch
Dies:              DieNamics Falling Leaves, Stitched Traditional Tag Stax, 
                           Spellbinders Classic Rectangles, Memory Box
                           Grapevine Wreath
Doo Dads:    May Arts Jute, Glossy Accents


Second card:
Cardstock:   Marcos #110 Jute, Wausau Firecracker Red, Generic Gold,
                           Green
Stamps:        My Favorite Things Burlap Background, Clearly Besotted
                           Diagonal Stripes, Stampin’ Up “They say it’s your birthday!”
Inks:               Papertrey Ink Classic Kraft, Ancient Page Chocolate,
                           VersaMark
Emb Powder:   Ranger Butterscotch
Dies:              DieNamics Falling Leaves, Pierced Rectangle Frames,
                            Impression Obsession Twig Wreath, Spellbinders
                           Dragon Delight
Doo Dads:    May Arts Jute, Wink of Stella Clear, Glossy Accents

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Witchin'

This one did not come together smoothly, and it was all because of a few color issues . . .


And here's a look at the inside . . .


If I stamped the hat in black over black cardstock, I'd get wonderful texture but no visible design.  And since I wanted the card itself to be black, I was in a pickle.  I tried stamping on a gray cardstock background, but that fell flat.  Then I tried stamping the hat on white cardstock and coloring in with gray.  That seemed to work.  The clincher was when I did some grunge-style (ie: artistically sloppy on purpose) silver embossing  around the two main elements.  That tied everything together and yet provide some needed contrast.

Happy Halloween!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Strathmore Ultimate White
Stamps:        Unity You Witch!, Stampington Fresh Flowers (broom)
Inks:               ColorBox Black, Silver
Emb Powder:   Distress Black Soot, Delafield Silver
Dies:              Spellbinders Fancy Tags 2, Deckled Rectangles Large
Colored Pencils:     Inktense Tangerine, Apple Green, Neutral Gray
Markers:        Copic Tuscan Orange, Chrome Orange
Message:      Amuse Witch Feet, DRS Shoe Fits Greeting 

Monday, October 24, 2016

A Time of Gratitude

I've said it before and I'll say it again:  never underestimate the power of your Scrap Stash . . .


On this card, the four squares began life with high hopes.  Unfortunately, they turned out to be failed attempts that didn't work in their original state.  So I gave them a time out in my Scrap Stash box.  Then I experimented:  cutting them up and arranging them quilted-style changed everything.  Some copper brads and an antique-y gold button finished the transformation . . .

Cardstock:               Bazzill Bon Bon, Yam, Generic Chocolate                    
Stamps:                   Hero Wavy Gratitude
Inks:                           ColorBox Gold
Emb Powder:          Ranger Gold
Punches:                  EK Success Tree, Scalloped Corners
Doo Dads:                Gold button, Copper brads

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Thank You

Here's an early Fall card with a bit of a twist:  the sunflower petals are white and it's the background that shows the traditional orange and gold colors . . .


This is a resist method which is really easy to do:  stamp and emboss the image, and then color in the petals with a regular white crayon.  Then, sponge on the warm colors with a circular motion.  User a paper towel to gently remove any ink from the petals. 

The crayoned and embossed areas will resist the color and the rest of the cardstock will pick it up.  Easy and fun!

Cardstock:              Bazzill Raven, Beckett Candlelight, Generic Pumpkin
Stamps:                   Peddler's Pack Sunflower, Hero Precious Thank You
Inks:                           ColorBox Black, Distress Wild Honey, Spiced
                                       Marmalade
Emb Powder:          Judikins Detail Black
Colored Pencils:     Prisma White
Dies:                          Spellbinders Standard Circles
Emb Folder:             Cuttlebug Tiny Mesh
Doo Dads:                White stitched 3/8" Black grosgrain ribbon

Monday, October 17, 2016

Happy Birthday

While I rarely use patterned paper, I had a yen for a bit of plaid in order to make a few cheery December birthday cards.  Pre-printed papers seemed to be the way to go and I am happy with the cozy results . . .



The bottom of the card features snowflake dies that were used with an embossing sandwich instead of a die cutting stack:  this gave the panel some wintery-themed texture which I hope the camera is kind enough to pick up . . .

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, My Mind’s Eye Pajama Plaid, Generic
                           Textured Cream
Stamps:        Prickly Pear Poinsettia 2, Hero Wavy Birthday
Inks:               Archival Rocket Red, ColorBox Gold, Distress Brushed
                           Corduroy
Emb Powder:   Ranger Claret, Unknown Detail Gold
Dies:              DieNamics Horizontal Stitched Strips, Mama Elephant
                           Peek A Frame, Prickly Pear Poinsettia Flower,
                           DieVersions Snow Flurries
Doo Dads:    Adirondack  Acrylics Cranberry

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Thanks

This last of my Thank You note series features one of my favorite backgrounds . . .


Here are the simple instructions:
1. Crumple a piece of waxed paper.  Smooth it out and lay it on your cardstock.
2. Sandwich this between two sheets of typing paper and iron – no steam.
3. Let cool and sponge on your favorite soft colors of any dye ink.
4. Overstamp and/or embellish with whatever images you like.

The crumpled wax will act as a resist and give you a softly textured background.  This is a quick and easy method that never fails.  Try it!

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, generic textured Oatmeal, Beckett Candlelight
Stamps:        Stacy Leaf Border, All Night Media “Thanks!”
Inks:               Stampin’ Up Always Artichoke, Hero Soft Brown, PTI Chai,
                           Chamomile, ColorBox Cream White
Emb Powder:   Stampendous Ivory Pearl EP
Dies:              Cheery Lynn Small Exotic Butterflies #1
Doo Dads:    Antique Gold frame, Crackle Accents, Distress Antique
                           Linen Stickles


Monday, October 10, 2016

Thanks

This card is for the second wonderful neighbor Bob who helped me out by walking our happy little dog Tater during my broken ankle follies of summer's end . . .


It features four of my favorite leaf designs which I thought Bob would appreciate as he loves to take long walks in our beautiful countryside every day.  Tater loved them too!

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Bazzill Julep, Generic Green scrap
Stamps:        Judikins Four Leaves, Starving Artistamp Zig Zag Stitch from
                           her Altered Stitches Sheet, Lawn Fawn “Thanks”
Inks:               ColorBox Frost White, Stampa Rosa Blanco Opaque White
Emb Powder:  Judikins Opaque White
Impr Plate:    Papertrey Ink Woodgrain
Pencils:         Derwent Inktense Felt Green, Sherbet Lemon,
                           Apple Green
Dies:              Papertrey Ink Angled Label, Memory Box Lorelei Outline
                           Leaf (portion)
Pens:             Gelly Roll White & Clear Star 

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Too Cute

When one of our parishioners had her first baby recently, this was the card I sent . . .


It will be a good while before Baby Alexa will be jumping rope like the little golden charm girl is doing, but she's definitely on her way!

Cardstock:   Coordinations Just Peachy, Champion Snow Day, Strathmore
                           Ultimate White
Stamps:        Stampendous Baby Girl Block, Studio G Too Cute
Inks:               ColorBox Black
Emb Powder:   Judikins Detail Black
Dies:              Lawn Fawn Say Cheese, DieVersions Hint of Lime (“Alexa”),
                           Tim Holtz Labels
Watercolors:     Zig Clean Color Light Pink, Yellow
Doo Dads:    White paper lace trim, gold charm, Stickles Buttercup

Monday, October 3, 2016

Hugs & Kisses

I've been having fun lately with border stamps, banners, and birds.  The fact that all of these elements begin with the same letter is merely a whimsical coincidence . . .


The color choices of lime, black, white, and deep red were borrowed from a very attractive commercial sign I pass by frequently . . . it was such a fresh combination that I always wanted to try it out on a card. 

So here it is:  a little art deco, some loving, time-honored text and a soaring red bird of happiness . . . I think we're done here, folks!

Cardstock:   Bazzill  Parakeet, Strathmore Bright White
Stamps:        Judikins Bollio Whimsy, Stampendous Wedding Vow,
                           Marianne Collectables Banners & Text “Hugs & Kisses”,
                           PSX Screen Background
Inks:               ColorBox Black
Emb Powder:   Judikins Detail Black
Dies:              My Favorite Things Vertical Stitched Strip, Lil Inkers
                           Stitched Mats: Rectangles,  Stampin’ Up Itty Bitty Banners,
                           Signs of Spring 1 (bird)
Watercolors:     Zig Real Brush Geranium Red, Yellow Green, Inktense
                                Poppy Red
Doo Dads:    Wink of Stella Silver, Inkssentials Enamel Accents Black