Happy Fall

My dear friend Bonnie isn’t comfortable with birthday celebrations because she has experienced some unhappy times with hers.  But she will let me make her a Fall card to mark the season . . .

Some lovely warm colors, a stitched triple window die to showcase three of Gloria Page’s carved leaves, and a lacy vine background to set things off.  I think she’ll smile when she gets this . . . 

 

Cardstock:   Bazzill Sunshine, Nicole Premiere #140 Watercolor,

Licorice        

Stamps:       Gloria Page Leaves

Inks:             Hero Black, Distress Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge

Dies:              Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Pieces, Impression Obsession

Small Flourish Background, Carta Bella Hello Fall Set:

“Fall”, Tattered Lace Everyday Sentiments: “Happy”                 

Doo Dads:    Inkssentials Enamel Accents Black

In the Swim

As my middle brother Don lives on the California coast, I often like to use beachy themes for his birthday cards . . .

Gloria Page's graphic grasses used on a previous card have become underwater reeds for this one.  They make a great background for her silver scaled fish, a happy little guy who looks to have set out on a journey of exploration.

I used Tim Holtz’s new Media Grip Mat to anchor the two Distress inks I used to brush on the blue-green background.  Even though the mat was designed to work in conjunction with his glass mat, I found that it has plenty of cling and works beautifully with my Waffle Flower silicon Water Media Mat.  My two ink pads never budged, even while firmly swirling my Life Changing brush to pick up the ink. 

Tim’s Media Grip Mat deserves an award for solving the long-annoying problem of the migrating ink pad . . . LOVE IT!  And it is extremely affordable as well, costing right around $10.  Bravo!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Nicole #140 Watercolor, Tim Holtz

Silver Sparkle        

Stamps:       Gloria Page sets: Cranes in the Grass, Magic Tree

Inks:             Distress Pine Needles, Salty Ocean, Hero Black,

ColorBox Silver, Gelly Roll Silver

Dies:            Fonts: DieVersions A Hint of Lime, Memory Box

 Alphabet Soup

Doo Dads:    Ranger Glossy Accents     

Journey, Discover, Rejoice

This oversized card was so much fun to make . . .

Working with highly textured handmade paper makes me ever so grateful for the invention of the MISTI – multiple repeat stamping is a must on uneven surfaces and that would be impossible without a positioner.

I took my cue from the ladybug and made a bright red oversized envelope out of two sheets of handmade papers.  Adding a little more width than I actually needed helped me get a rectangular envelope which should mean I don’t have to pay extra postage.

 

Cardstock:   Nicole #140 Premier, Handmade paper Green    

Stamps:       Gloria Page Get Into Nature, The Artful Stamper

Celebrate Werdz, Inkadinkado Ladybug

Inks:             ColorBox Frost White, Ancient Page Pine

Waterclrs:    Inktense Hot Red, Zig Clean Color Geranium Red

Emb Pwdr:   Stamp-N Stuff Ivory Pearl, WOW Clear Matte Dull

Doo Dads:    Clover seam marker

Love, Live

Another great carved image by Gloria Page, this time done in chocolate ink on colored handmade paper . . .

Because there is so much action going on in the upper left corner, I felt there needed to be some balance in the lower right.  My favorite trick in these situations is to add a small die cut in the same cardstock as the background.  This adds a little weight and some subtle textural interest, but doesn’t detract from the focal point.

 

Cardstock:   Bazzill Pinecone, Scraps: Handmade Paper, Brown    

Stamps:        Gloria Page Magic Tree

Inks:               Distress Ground Espresso

Dies:              InLoveArtShop English Letters, Cheery Lynn Lace

Corner Deco G                 

Doo Dads:    Gelly Roll pen Silver

There Find Him

I tried a couple of different things for my Easter cards this year . . .

 

 . . . my stash of handmade papers fills two drawers and it’s time to mow it down.  So I used a lot of it for my card bases and had fun with a variety of colors and textures.  I also thought it would be neat to cut the base to make an almost square card.  I’ll be mailing these in regular A2 envelopes in order to avoid extra postage.

The sentiment was stamped on matching pieces and because of the MISTI, I was easily able to do the repeat stamping that textured papers always require.

The heart die cut may confuse viewers into thinking I got mixed up with Valentine’s Day.  But it was the sentiment that drove the idea to use the heart.  In case the photo isn’t clear, here’s what it says: 

And He departed

From our sight

That we might return

To our heart

And there find Him

 May you find Him in your hearts as well . . . a most blessed Easter to all!

 

Cardstock:   Various handmade papers, Mohawk Carnival Cover

Red, Neenah Quest Ivory, Scraps Gold

Stamps:       Lizzie Anne “There Find Him”

Inks:             Hero Black

Dies:            Memory Box Shaker Heart, Spellbinders Crosses Two,

Classic Rectangles Small            

Emb Fldr:     Taylored Expressions Weathered

Doo Dads:    VIVA Paper Pen Gold

Happy

This leafy tree image is another Gloria Page carving that works so well with rustic handmade paper . . .

I added some copper shimmer to the sun and traced the leaf veins with some clear shimmer which the camera has chosen not to record.  Overall, however, I’m enjoying this journey through Gloria’s images – more to come!

 

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Nicole #140 Watercolor, Scrap handmade paper 

                      Cream

Stamps:       Gloria Page Get Into Nature set

Inks:             Gelly Roll pens Copper, Clear Star

Dies:            Bo Bunny Nested Terrific Tags, DieVersions A Hint of Lime 

                     font                

Doo Dads:    May Arts Jute         

Shades of Green

Stamp carver Gloria Page makes some of the most graphically beautiful images ever.  I’ve had a nice collection of them for a long time, but as they’re quite different from my usual style, I was afraid I might not do them justice.  But it’s time to work with them and see what happens . . .

  . . . so bear with me while I do a series of cards that will shake up my style and get me out of my own box.

 

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Nicole #140 Watercolor   

Stamps:        Gloria Page Feelings of Nature set, Cranes in the

Grass set

Inks:               ColorBox Cream White

Waterclrs:     Inktense Felt Green, Beech Green

Emb Pwdr:   Stamp n Stuff Ivory Pearl

Dies:              Studio Calico Nested Rectangles, Memory Box

Alphabet Soup 

Doo Dads:    Inkssentials Enamel Accents Black         

Happy Birthday!

A Guy Card using one of my favorite die parings:  a bare tree surrounded by a leafy canopy that I’ve backed with a glittery green layer . . .

 

Very uncluttered, and as close to Clean and Simple as I’m ever likely to get . . .

 

Cardstock:   Neenah Desert Storm, Marcos Jute, Scrap Green       

Stamps:       Elizabeth Craft Banner Sentiments

Inks:             Ancient Page Chocolate

Emb Pwdr:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            Memory Box Twiggy Tree, Leaf Canopy, Mama Elephant

Femme Frames, Elizabeth Craft Banners         

Doo Dads:    Elizabeth Craft  Silk Microfine Glitter: Cool Highlights