Thursday, June 28, 2018

Happy Birthday


It was time to break out the dried die powders again . . .


I absolutely love the strong, intense colors you get with these powders.  They are lots of fun and very quick and easy to use  - best of all, you never know exactly what you're going to get, and that certainly adds to the excitement!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Lemon Tart, Strathmore #90 Watercolor paper 
Colorants:    Ken Oliver Color Burst: Alizarin Crimson, Orange,
                        Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine Blue
Dies:            DieNamics Stitched Mini Scallop Rectangles, “Birthday”,
                        Memory Box Tall Umbels Left Corner,                        
Stencil:        The Crafters Workshop Mini Chicken Wire Reversed
Doo Dads:    Fanci Qwik Stencil Paste  

Monday, June 25, 2018

Explore


My Scrap Stash yielded two small pieces of mahogany-colored paper printed in a foulard pattern that I thought would make a great background for a guy card.  But I needed a bigger piece for the layout I had in mind . . .



 . . . so I spaced the two pieces where I wanted them, covered the opening with a textured strip, and embellished with a couple of die cut leaves.  Now the printed papers look like one single piece.  I absolutely love how you can cheat while rubber stamping and have it be the right thing to do!

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute  
Inks:             Distress Aged Mahogany, Brushed Corduroy
Dies:            DieNamics Horizontal Stitch Strip, Kaiser Craft Cobblestone,
                       Tim Holtz Handwritten Journey: “Journey”, Prima
                        Forest Leaves, Studio Calico Small Leaf, WeBuys
                        Cute Ovals               
Emb Folder: Spellbinders Horsehair
Doo Dads:    Adirondack Acrylics Raisin           

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Flowers


A few more rescues from my Scrap Stash found their happy new home on this card . . .


With a fuller calendar than usual, and time therefore at a premium, it is a real help to get a head start by digging into that box of previous work that is way too good to throw away.  The stenciled flower background was used on my Valentine's cards this year and I had a few test runs left over.  So it seemed just right for this card:  lots of texture, a smooth hemstitched oval to set it off, and this card came together rather well, I believe.  I hope you think so too!

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Wausau Firecracker Red   
Stamps:       Raindrops on Roses Watercolor Splashes, Serendipity
                        “Flowers”
Inks:             Distress Brushed Corduroy, Hero Shadow Ink Soft Brown,
                        Ancient Page Cardinal
Emb Powder:   B’Muse Raspberry Dazzle
Dies:            Spellbinders Hemstitch Ovals, Anemone Flower Topper,
                        Floral Berry Accents, Momenta Thanks set: Label, Punch
                        Bunch Flower Centers                   
Stencil:        Tim Holtz Doily
Emb Folder: Sheena Snowfall
Doo Dads:    Delta Texture Magic: Country Red           

Monday, June 18, 2018

Happy Birthday


One of the many neat things about our hobby is the tremendous opportunity to recycle and re-purpose materials at hand.  In this case, the floral banner . . .


 It started out as a lovely bow that was attached to a huge basket of flowers a friend gave to my husband.  To get rid of the wrinkles, I dipped it in water and draped it over a rod to dry.  Then to give it body and keep it from curling, I used my Xyron to glue it to a scrap piece of cardstock.  This trick will work with almost any fabric and for very thin decorative papers, such as Asian ones.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Velvet, Pear, Leapfrog, Strathmore Ultimate White,
                        #90 watercolor paper  
Stamps:       Stacy Stamps Antique Lace, Seth Apter Edges, Technique
                        Junkies Simple Sentiments: Set 1
Inks:             Distress Peeled Paint, VersaMark, ColorBox Silver
Emb Powder:   Delafield Silver
Dies:            DieNamics Wonky Stitch Rectangle Stax, Sentiment Strips,
                        La La Land Stitched Ribbon, Elizabeth Craft Ribbons 1,
                        Tim Holtz Labels, Spellbinders Shoot!, Marianne Butterflies  
Doo Dads:    Flowered fabric ribbon        


Thursday, June 14, 2018

Persevere, Play, Live


With Father's Day just around the corner, this is the card I'm sending out this year . . .


I've seen many lovely cards featuring black and white layouts with just a partial coloring of a few elements.  So I thought I'd give it a try.  I'm quite happy with the look, and if you're on a time crunch as I am at the moment, it does save some valuable time . . .

Cardstock:   Neenah Desert Storm, Generic White, Black    
Stamps:       Magenta Golfer and Caddy, Starving Artistamps
                        Positive Words: “Persevere, Play, Live”
Inks:             Hero Black, Distress Old Paper
Watercolors:   Zig Clean Color Brick Beige, Oatmeal, Haze Blue,
                           Flesh Colour
Dies:            Goodculler Stitched Rectangles               
Emb Folder:   Stampin’ Up Blistered

Monday, June 11, 2018

Thank You


As a Staff Writer for Rubber Stamp Madness magazine, I've had numerous interviews with other rubber artists.  Barbara Jean is one of them and this card is for her . . .


When she found out that my husband was in Hospice, she sent me a lovely card filled with uplifting sentiments and promises of prayers to sustain Igor and me through this heavy journey towards the end of his life on earth.  As Barbara Jean's kind outreach demonstrates, the stamping world is a vibrant and loving community - how very blessed we are to have each other . . .  

Cardstock:   Bazzill Buckeye, The Paper Cut watercolor cardstock,
                        Strathmore Ultimate White
Stamps:        Wendy Vecchi Berry Tree, Silver Crow “Thank You”
Inks:               Distress Chipped Sapphire, Faded Jeans, Walnut Stain,
                        ColorBox Frost White
Emb Powder:   Sweet Stamps Fine Detail White
Dies:              Family Treasures punch Scalloped Rectangle,
                        Impression Obsession All-in-One Frames:
                        Rectangles Two                  
Doo Dads:    Antique brass brads           

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Happy Birthday


As promised, here's another slightly different look with the Hero's Formula Fun background stamp . . .


My friend Richard loves cats so it's pretty much a given that his cards will feature at least one of them.  This one is sitting on the windowsill, enjoying the flowers and the butterflies, and happy to be living in a house that has mathematical formulas for wallpaper!

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Strathmore Ultimate White, Generic scraps
                        Black         
Stamps:       Hero Formula Fun, Art Impressions Background #2,
                        ZimPrints Cat, Verve Poppy Birthday  
Inks:             Hero Black, ColorBox Black, Distress Brushed Corduroy
Colorants:    Zig Clean Color Light Pink, Inktense Watercolor Pencils
                        Hot Red, Tangerine, Golden Yellow, Hooker’s Green     
Emb Powder:   Distress Black Soot
Dies:            JustRite Four in a Square, Verve Poppy Birthday, Marianne
                        Butterflies, AliExpress Happy Birthday  

Monday, June 4, 2018

Always


A rare card for me, as this one has no stamping . . .


My husband Igor is in Hospice care now and his lucid moments are becoming less frequent.  So this card is a very simple one and I hope he'll be able to feel the main message - that I have loved him with all my heart and I always will . . .

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Wausau Firecracker Red, The Paper Cut
                        Eames White
Dies:              Our Daily Bread Ornate Hearts, Dee’s Distinctively
                        “With Love”, Die Versions Noodles: “Always”                    
Emb Folder: Spellbinders Blistered