Happy Birthday

This musically-themed card is going to Bill Hall, our much loved former choir director who wielded a mighty baton at church when I was in high school . . .

I doubt there are many church choir directors in the country who are remembered with such joy by their high school students some sixty years later.  But Bill is an extremely unique guy who provided a wonderful influence on our young lives so many years ago.  It's a delight to be a small part of his special day!

The striped part of the card front brought a piano keyboard to mind, so I added a snippet of a musical score, an eighth note tied with some exuberant floss, a little sparkly bling, and a very emphatic Happy Birthday sentiment to finish things off. 

I don't know if Bill will burst into song when he opens the envelope, but I do think it will bring a smile to his face . . .

Cardstock:   Papers by Catherine White, Love Nicole Licorice,

                     Strathmore Ultimate White, Love Nicole         

Stamps:       Outlines Triple Stripe Background, Great Impressions

                     Music Note, Poppy Stamps Happy Birthday Background,

                     Stampin Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Inks:             Hero  Black, ColorBox Black

Emb Powder:   Judikins Detail Black

Dies:            Kiwarm Modern Music Score Butterfly (sans butterfly),

                     JustRite Charms         

Emb Folder: Taylored Expressions Weathered

Doo Dads:    Kat Scrappiness Sequins Shimmering Platinum, American

                     Craft Jute Red, Embroidery Floss Silver  

Thank You

Our local power company ran a contest in their newsletter and on a whim, I decided to enter.  It paid off:  I won a $50 gift card!  When I went to pick it up, the employees were as happy as I was and it made the whole event even more fun. 

My Thank You card features birds gathered on a power line . . . appropriate, yes?

This turned out to be one of the rubber-free cards that occasionally emerge from my worktable;  it features no stamping - just a lot of die cuts in cheerful colors and an embossing folder to add texture to the background.  Time was spent on sticking tiny window bits back into their openings with needle-nose tweezers.  I wanted the homes to look as if the power was on, so the windows are yellow or white.  It never hurts to remind a power company of how much we need their services . . .

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Scrap White, Green, Blue Yellow  

Dies:            AliExpress Bird in the Bole, Impression Obsession

                     Town Builder, Tim Holtz Tree Line, We-Buys Curves,

                     Spellbinders Celebration: “Thank you”              

Emb Folder: Taylored Expressions Weathered

I Am the Way

Time was getting short and I wanted to use this image of the empty tomb, as it speaks so eloquently of the foundation of our faith . . .

However, there was no time to individually color the stones, so I opted for a smooshed and mottled background that I hoped would give the same aged impression.  The folded napkin was inked with a white marker in order to emphasize its traditional significance:  when one leaves a folded napkin at table after a meal, it means that they intend to come back.  

Blessed be our Lord and Savior who suffered so that we might have eternal life in His presence . . .

To all who celebrate, I wish you a wonderfully blessed Easter . . .

Cardstock:   Papers by Catherine White, Strathmore #90 Watercolor

                     paper          

Stamps:       Purple Daisy Empty Tomb, Stamp Magic “I am the Way…”

Inks:             Hero Black, Distress Pumice Stone, Picked Raspberry,

                     Twisted Citron, Uni Posca paint marker White

Dies:            Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges                      

Blessings

Several occasions have arisen which call for quick cards, so I've taken a little break from my series of Concord and 9th's Turnabout Collection.  I have one more sample to go, so stay tuned!  

Meanwhile, Hero's Agapanthus stamp set is getting a lot of attention on several blogs and for very good reason:  it's gorgeous!  Here's my take on one of the images . . . 

I thought the delicate flowers would look nice when contrasted against a rough stone wall.  There are several lovely images in this set and my only complaint is that there's no matching die set.  I fussy-cut this bouquet and it turned out OK, but I would have loved a quicker solution via a matching die . . .

Cardstock:   Papertrey Ink Soft Stone, Scrap Purple   

Stamps:       Hero Beautiful Day-Agapanthus

Inks:             ColorBox Black, Copic V12 Pale Lilac, V17 Amethyst,

                     BV04 Blue Berry, C1 Cool Grey #1, Gelly Roll White

Emb Powder:   Judikins Detail Black 

Dies:            Spellbinders Blessings Vine Frame: “Blessings”                      

Stencil:        Tim Holtz Stone

Emb Folder: Taylored Impressions Weathered

Doo Dads:    Faber Castell Whipped Spackle: Opaque White Matte,

                     Offray ribbon Lilac, Nuvo Dream Drops: Cloud 9 

On the Mend

When news of Tim Holtz' open heart surgery appeared on his blog, I was vastly relieved to read at the beginning of the post that it had a happy ending.  He's doing fine but will need to take things slowly for the next few months.  During all of my twenty years of stamping,  Tim's creations and clever innovations have given me thousands of hours of happy stamping, so I thought a Get Well card was certainly in order . . .

My objective was to use as many of his products as possible, so everything except the heart and the texts are his.  The patched and mended heart image seemed exactly right for this card.  I hope Tim takes his time to make a full recovery:  he has created more than enough fantastic tools to keep all of us busy for years to come, so there's no need for him to rush back into the saddle again.  May he get the rest he needs and come back when the time is right for him to do so . . .

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Legion #140 White  

Stamps:       Rubber Cottage Mosaic Heart, Tim Holtz Pine

Inks:             Distress Fired Brick, Barn Door, Brushed Corduroy,

                     Ancient Page Chocolate

Emb Powder:   Distress Walnut Stain

Dies:            Lil Inker Stitched Mats Squares, DieVersions A Hint of

                     Lime: “Ouch!”, Noodles: “On the Mend”            

Emb Folder: Tim Holtz Riveted Metal

Doo Dads:    Nuvo Crystal Drops Dark Walnut 

Praying for You

My latest writing assignment for the Fall 2019 issue of RubberStampMadness magazine involved putting together a homemade wreath builder template.  It was easy to do and I had a wonderful time stamping a wreath that actually turned out round and with images that were properly spaced . . .

The stamp set I used has matching dies which bailed me out of a color scheme that didn't work.  Frankly, the dark brown I used on the flowers was flat out ugly, so I die cut the flower shapes instead and positioned them right over their stamped counterparts.   The "Praying for You" sentiment in the center of the wreath doesn't show up very well, but IRL, it does.

As the card corners looked a little naked and forlorn, I die cut some lacy corners out of the same cardstock as the card and glued them down.  I love to do that when I need some texture that doesn't compete with the focal point.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Leapfrog, Strathmore Ultimate White     

Stamps:       Verve Poppy Birthday, Praying for You

Inks:             Distress Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick, Twisted Citron,

                     Mowed Lawn, Bundled Sage, Memento Cottage Ivy

Emb Powder:   Sweet Stamps Fine Detail White

Dies:            Lychee Flower “Stitched Circles”, Prickley Pear

                     Poinsettia 2 Holiday, Cheery Lynn Lace Corner Deco B

Doo Dads:    Wink of Stella Clear, Past Time Stamps Multi Fine

                     Glitter, pearls      

Peace

This card came out of my emergency stash - basically, a shoe box I consult when Time has backed me into a corner and I absolutely must  get a card out:

I collected these leaves one fall and painted two of them black for drama.  This helped set off the red leaf quite well.  After stamping a randomly dotted background, I then brushed on a clear decoupage glue and covered the whole thing over with a very wispy Japanese rice paper, adding more glue to seal.

This one is going to a nature lover and I think he'll enjoy it . . . I hope you do too!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Strathmore #90 Watercolor paper,

                     Japanese Rice Paper

Stamps:       Stampin’ Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds, Purple Daisy Sand

Inks:             Hero Black

Emb Powder:   Stampin' Around Gold Dust

Die/Punch:   DieVersions A Hint of Lime, EK Success Corner Adorner Slots, 

Doo Dads:    Making Memories Antique Brass Label Holder, Leaves

Seas the Day!

In a fanciful moment, the Marbled Turnabout image I used for the background here suggested swirling water to me, so I decided to make a beach-themed card for a dear friend who grew up on the Jersey shore . . .

I decided to try a random sprinkling of embossing powder for some added glimmer and I chose my favorite Gold powder from Ranger.  It comes out textured, even when used sparingly, and I love the effect.  I took the merest pinch of powder and dusted it over the background. 

As I didn't use any ink to hold the embossing powder to the cardstock, I heated it from beneath.  I'm sure the camera doesn't pick it up, but the final effect is like looking at glimmering grains of sand as seen through swirling shallow water.  It was a result I never expected and I'm delighted to have stumbled onto it!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Fawn, Smoky, Strathmore Ultimate White         

Stamps:       Concord & 9^th Marbled Turnabout, Impress “Seas the Day”

Inks:             Memories Soft Wheat, Soft Stone, Hero Soft Brown,

                     ColorBox Dune, Frost White

Emb Powder:   Ranger Gold, Judikins White Diamond

Dies:            Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges, Memory Box Delicate

                     Sea Fan, Love Nicole Scalloped Shell, Nautilus Shell,

                      DieNamics Basic Stitch Lines, Creative Expressions

                     Embroidered Elements, Arich “Rounded Corners

                     Stitched Rectangles”            

Live For Today

This one is for a dear friend who is celebrating an incredible forty eight years of rock-solid sobriety . . .

What you are looking at is the result of three days of dithering over multiple design choices, most of which didn't work.  After having fun with the dotted Roundabout background, nothing else seemed to come together.  It's still not together.  I've had lots of trouble in the past while working with circles and have no idea why.  But I'm calling it quits with this one as I have no clue how to make it work.  As with other rubber artists, I am my own most severe critic, so before I get down in the dumps, it's time to move on to the next challenge. 

Regardless of the final result on this card, my friend knows that I value and love both him and his successful recovery, and that is all that really matters.

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Bazzill Admiral, Fox River #130 Tiara White      

Stamps:       Concord & 9^th Bitty Burst Turnabout Set, Studio G “Live

                     for Today”

Inks:             Ancient Page Cardinal, Indigo, Leaf Green, ColorBox

                     Gold, Frost White

Emb Powder:   Ranger Gold, Vippies Transcendence ColorBox Gold

Dies:            Lychee Flower “Stitched Circles”, Gina Marie Stitched

                     Rounded Squares, Simon Says Sentiment Labels    

Emb Folder:    Darice Argyle

Doo Dads:    Viva Pearl Pen Ice White,  Jute cord