It's Your Birthday

A backyard scene ought to work well for a guy card, don't you think?

A trio of brightly colored birdhouses has been popped up over a pebbled background that I used instead of an image featuring sky and clouds because I liked the texture - even though it doesn't make much sense in the real world. That's OK - I'm the artist and I get to call the shots!

LOVE this hobby!!!

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut Eames White, Strathmore #90 Watercolor

                        paper, Generic scraps Brown  

Stamps:       Tim Holtz Crazy Talk: “It’s your birthday . . .”

Inks:             Distress Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Mowed Lawn

Colorants:    Inktense Poppy Red, Iris Blue, Golden Yellow

Watercolors:   Zig Clean Color: Geranium Red, Bright Yellow, Dull Blue,

                          Deep Brown

Emb Powder:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            Impression Obsession Birdhouse Set, Beach Fence,

                        Grass Border, Pine Branch              

Emb Folder: Carabelle Mini Pebbles, Memory Box Resting Birds

The Star

This card was inspired by another blogger's posting a few days ago.  The layout featured a recessed die cut and I thought it was very attractive . . .

I doubled the top layer in order to give the smaller cut out areas better support after popping up the layer with foam tape.  The bottom layer holds the die cut butterflies.  In order to avoid having to deal with tricky coloring of seven small butterflies, I simply scattered die powders in a loose ombre fashion on another panel and then used the die to cut them out.  I got an imprecise look which was exactly what I was after. 

The more I stamp, the more I appreciate the many adventurous aspects of this wonderful hobby!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Kachina, Strathmore Ultimate White      

Stamps:       Impression Obsession Ink Splatter, Technique Junkies

                        Simple Sentiments Style C/Set 3

Inks:             Hero Black, ColorBox Black, Frost White

Colorants:    Lindy’s Stamp Gang Magicals Shabby Turbine Teal,

                        Tibetan Poppy Teal, Witch’s Potion Purple

Emb Powder:   Stamp Zia Black Sparkle

Dies:            Simon Says Butterfly Drift, Spellbinders Hemstitch                                 Rectangles (outside frame only)                     

Doo Dads:    Ranger Enamel Accents Black    

With Sympathy

The year is turning into a very sad one for our family.  We're experiencing the second death in one week:  this card is for our nephew's wife who just lost her father . . .

This image is one of my favorites to use for condolence cards - just as the bird is returning home, I love the idea that our deaths are actually a homecoming 

for us too.

Memory Eternal for everyone who has lost a loved one . . .

Cardstock:   Beckett Candlelight

Stamps:       Rubber Stampede Fly Away Home

Inks:             Hero Black, Distress Black Soot, ColorBox Black

Emb Powder:   Distress Black Soot

Dies:            Lil Inkers Stitched Mats: Rectangles, Spellbinders A2

                        Curved Matting Basics B, DieVersions Hint of Lime

Emb Folder: Spellbinders Tweets and Twigs: Design A

Thank You

This is one of the Thank You notes I made for those who sent flowers to the funeral of my beloved husband, Igor . . .

I lost him at the end of June due to a variety of health issues that at 87, simply overwhelmed his ability to fight back.

The sunflower was his favorite flower because his birth country - the Ukraine - is overrun with them.  He always said they meant home to him.  As he has been called home now, this is my last chance to honor him.  

Memory Eternal, sweet guy . . .

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut Eames White, Strathmore Watercolor paper   

Stamps:       Hampton Art Willowy Sunflower, Hero Circular Designs,

                        Stampin’ Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Inks:             Ancient Page Chocolate

Watercolors:   Gansai Tambi 43 Mid Yellow, 33 Orange, 54 Olive Green,

                           47 Dark Brown

Emb Powder:   Zing Chestnut Opaque

Dies:            Gina K Rectangle Small Set, Waffle Flower Lacy Layers                    

Live

I seem to be in monochromatic mode lately . . .

With the lacy background piece that I'd unearthed from my Scrap Stash, I thought it would be neat to continue the Kraft and cream colors throughout.  I like how it turned out, even though I started with a very different layout in mind.  It's amazing how often I get sidetracked like that . . .

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Beckett Candlelight 

Stamps:       Stacy Antique Lace

Inks:             Distress Brushed Corduroy

Dies:              Waffle Flower Lacy Layers 2, Elizabeth Craft Small

                        Butterfly, DieNamics Falling Leaves, Prima Forest

                        Leaves, Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Pieces, Word

                        Fetti “Live”              

Emb Folder: Sheena Snowfall

Doo Dads:    Wink of Stella Clear, Viva Pearl Pen Cream           

Possibilities, Courage, Persevere

This is actually a birthday card for a dear friend who is going through some rather tough times and needs to make some difficult decisions.  I thought a little encouragement might be worth passing along . . .

I chose gentle colors for this card and as always, I love the contrast of the smooth focal point background against the texture of the card front.  I was deeply influenced by Rodin's statue of The Kiss at an early age and as a result, it factors in to nearly every card creation I make.

Cardstock:   Strathmore Ultimate White, Bazzill Pear 

Stamps:       Stacy Antique Lace, Era Graphics Turkey Feather, Guinea

                        Hen Feather, Stampin’ Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds,

                        Starving Artistamps Positive Words

Inks:             Distress Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage, Peacock Feathers

Emb Powder:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            DieNamics Single Stitch Line Rounded Rectangular Frames  

Emb Folder: Taylored Expressions Weathered

Doo Dads:    DecoArt Paper Effects Peacock Gold     

All the Best

With free time continuing to be at a premium, I'm still having fun looting my Scrap Stash.  The things I unearth are real time savers.  I hate to rush my card making, but when it's necessary to maximize my time, I'm happy to have a head start . . .

The two green pieces, the leaves, and the white frame are what I excavated.  I cut them down by using stitched dies to coordinate the three pieces, and used an Italian script stamp on the largest piece.  As the recipient is Italian, I thought that bit of subtlety would be fun.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Kachina, Beckett Candlelight         

Stamps:       A Stamp in the Hand Words Background, Script

Inks:             Distress Mowed Lawn, Broken China, Mermaid Lagoon,

                        Lucky Clover

Dies:            DieNamics, Pierced Rectangle Frames, Vertical Stitched Strip,

                        Marianne Flower and Leaves, Mama Elephant Femme

                        Frames, Impression Obsession “All the best”                 

Stencil:        The Crafters Workshop Mini Cubist

Garden

More fun with some purple, white, and green . . .

 . . . some lovely old fashioned flowers against a softly colored mesh background, a few pearls, and a sparkling butterfly . . . seems like a good choice for a summer's birthday card, don't you think?

Cardstock:   Bazzill Purple Pizzazz, Cocoa, Beckett Candlelight,

                        Neenah Naturals        

Stamps:       Inkadinkado Tall Phlox, Fiskars brayer Mesh, Unknown

                        “Garden”, Stamps by Judith Dots

Inks:             Distress Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy

Colorants:    Marvy Wet Looks Embossing Markers #8, 11, 72

Emb Powder:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            Lil Inker Stitched Mats Square, Creative Expressions

                        Chantilly Lace Edger, Marianne Butterflies, Yalatan

                        Stitched Tags

Emb Folder: Spellbinders Horsehair

Doo Dads:    American Craft Jute: Green, Viva Pearl Pen Cream,

                        Wink of Stella Clear  

Igor Jaworowsky

My cherished husband Igor went peacefully into the arms of Jesus in the early evening of June 29, 2018. He was an incredible person, a deeply loving husband and father, and a man of strength and integrity who made a huge and worthy mark on this world.  May his memory be eternal.

I will resume posting on Thursday, July 5 . . .