Happy Birthday

Recent experiments with vivid colors produced ghastly results instead of the lovely backgrounds I was aiming for.  So this idea became my solution . . .

 . . . die cut a busy background and attach it to the disaster!  This allows enough of the colors to show through to influence the color scheme but without overwhelming it.   

Cardstock:   Bazzill Purple Pizzazz, Canson Mixed Media #98, 

Strathmore #140 Watercolor        

Inks:             Ancient Page Reinkers Leaf Green, Foxglove

Colorants:    Stamp Zia spray Moss

Dies:            Taylored Expressions Stitched Frame Stacklets 1, 

Hero Flower Garden, JustRite Stitched A2 Banners &

Rectangles Set, Paper Smooches Butterfly Duet, 

TRoyal Room Happy Birthday       

Stencil:        TEMU Leafy Array

Doo Dads:    Metalix Glitter Moondust, Wink of Stella Silver  

With Love

My love affair with Foamiran continues . . .

Foamiran is a unique thin-foam product that is fun to work with and gives reliably great results.  Do NOT confuse Foamiran with Fun Foam as they are not at all the same.  Foamiran makes great dimensional flowers which stay perky even after the post office gets their mechanical mitts on them.  It’s easily punched or die cut, can be colored with anything, and there are a number of online tutorials to coach you through the easy ways to work with it.

Many of the tutorials suggest using an iron to heat the flowers and make them even more shape-able.  I think it’s easier, quicker, and takes way less electricity to simply use my heat gun for 3-5 seconds on the die cut flower shapes.  The heat curves the petals up so they look more realistic.  Best of all, those curves are permanent, even after being squished in an envelope.  Therefore, I’ll never bother making paper flowers again . . .

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute 

Stamps:       Amuse Script Background

Inks:             Distress Mowed Lawn, Brushed Corduroy, American

Girl Blue, Green, Purple

Dies:            Spellbinders Floral Berry Accents, Papertrey Ink 

Swoosh Set: “With Love”, Scrapbook Bow Toppers       

Doo Dads:    Foamiran, Metalix Glitter Moondust, Wink of Stella 

                      Silver         

Journey

My very young friend Leon is a staunch practitioner of Taekwondo, a highly principled martial art that is instrumental in building character in those who pursue its many disciplines.  I bought a great Taekwondo die last year in anticipation of Leon’s Spring birthday this year and cannot find it for the life of me.  So I went with an Asian theme instead . . .

There are both Chinese and Japanese elements on this card and I thought these choices covered the martial art bases rather well.  Having just ordered a large collection of Taekwondo dies that I have no intention of misplacing, I will soon be well equipped to return to Taekwondo illustrations in future.

Cardstock:   Wausau Firecracker Red, Strathmore #100 Bristol Smooth, Scraps Black  

Stamps:       Red Pearl Asian text: “I have loved this all my life”, 

MJ Barber Chinese Horseman, Glitz Distressing, 

Tin Can Mail Chinese Chop

Inks:             Gina K Amalgam Black, Copic Warm Gray #3, 

Distress Fired Brick

Emb Pwdr:  Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            Frantic Stamper Journey             

Doo Dads:    Chinese coin, American Crafts Jute Red

Memories

My friendship with Sandy dates back to the 7^th grade and I thank God we’ve stayed in close touch for lo these many decades.  She surprised me with a lovely gift card recently, hence the following Thank You note . . .

As she lives near the ocean in Southern California, I thought a beachy theme would work well.  The seashell background layer has been languishing in my scrap box for awhile, just waiting for the right use.  I think I found it . . .

Cardstock:   Neenah Desert Storm, Scraps Light and Dark Brown  

Inks:             Distress Ground Espresso, Gina K Charcoal Brown

Dies:            Taylored Expressions Stitched Frame Stacklets, 

Love Nicole Shells Scalloped, Nautilus, Elizabeth

Designs Words 4 Remember: “Memories”               

Stencil:        The Crafters Workshop Mini Nautilus

Doo Dads:    Metalix Glitter Moondust   

Hugs

This one was done with a brand new and ingeniously designed bundle from Taylored Expressions . . .

There are five different butterflies and they are all arranged on one stamp.  Once stamped, the three coordinating stencils are designed to color all of the butterflies at the same time.  After the coloring is done, the one-piece die fits perfectly over all of the butterflies.  The stencils are numbered and each piece includes a trio of tiny squares that align with stamped squares included on the image.  These make for easy and perfect alignment.

The butterflies were covered with Micro Glaze, a product I’ve had for decades but fell in love with only recently.  I’ve no idea as to why the delay.  That stuff is fabulous, especially on die inks that emerge looking flat and lifeless.  A sponge dauber works perfectly to apply the merest amount of Glaze in a swirling motion.  When done, buff lightly with a tissue.  The Glaze enriches the ink colors and provides a very subtle sheen with no shiny glare.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Puppy Love, Raven, Strathmore #100 Bristol

Smooth, Scrap Sage Green         

Stamps:       Taylored Expressions Whimsical Wings

Inks:             Superior India Ink Black, Distress Dusty Concord,

Fossilized Amber, Pine Needles

Dies:            Taylored Expressions Whimsical Wings, Memory Box 

Weeping Willow Branch, Recollections Word Fetti: “Hugs”     

Stencil:        Taylored Expressions Whimsical Wings

Emb Fldr:     Taylored Expressions Brick

Doo Dads:    Judikins Micro Glaze, Metalix Glitter Moondust 

Beech

This is one of those rare cards I’ve done that the more I look at it, the more I really like how it turned out . . .

The stenciled leaf and green sidebars were done with sprays which I love because you can get such wonderful, smooshy looks with them.  I love the varied depth of color that is easy to get with sprays.  This leaf is part of a set of four that include both the leaf and the mortise, which opens up a variety of creative options.  These leaves are beautiful and will be used many times in future . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Ivy, Strathmore #100 Bristol Vellum       

Stamps:       Lost Coast Vertical ABC, Stampin Up Itty Bitty

Backgrounds

Inks:             ColorBox Frost White

Colorants:    Stamp Zia Sprays Sapphire, Olive

Emb Pwdr:   Hero White

Dies:            DieVersions font Noodles            

Stencil:        A Colorful Life Beech

Doo Dads:    My Mind’s Eye Wood Dots

Happy

While my own dear Mother is gone, that needn’t stop me from celebrating the Mothers among my friends . . .

Lately, I’m loving shredded edges, glitter sprinkled onto wet embossing paste, and Foamiran flowers.  Foamiran is a wonderful thin foam that takes inks and coloration of all kinds, die cuts easily, and when heated for 3-5 seconds, gets perky and actually survives the US Postal Service!  With the heat, the petals curve up, get a little firmer, and after mailing, they pop right back up when removed from the envelope.  Amazing stuff!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Fire Hearts, Strathmore #140 Watercolor         

Inks:             Distress Tattered Rose, Victorian Velvet, Worn Lipstick

Dies:            Taylored Expressions Stitched Frame Stacklets 1,

“Happy”, Spellbinders Layered Poinsettia, AccuCut

Tile Blocks #2

Stencil:        Hero Leaf & Flourish

Doo Dads:    Golden Light Molding Paste, Sparkle & Sprinkle

Fantasy Gold Glitter, Foamiran       

This is one of those layouts that started off in one direction and wound up in another . . .

 

It started with a layered stencil background that I came to decide was too intrusive.  So I covered most of it with a plain piece topped with a mesh texture.  Then I decided a single stemmed rose retired from the Spellbinders line ages ago would work.  I’m quite happy with the results . . . what say you?

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Neenah Desert Storm       

Stamps:       Taylored Expressions Flower Patch

Inks:             Distress Peeled Paint, Candied Apple, Forest Moss,

Spiced Marmalade

Emb Pwdr:   Whispers Clear Glitter

Dies:            Waffle Flower Lacy Layers, Cugap Flower (mesh)

Background, Spellbinders Rose, Memory Box Stitched

Rectangle Trimmings, TEMU Words Set: Happy Birthday            

Stencil:        Taylored Expressions Flower Patch

Doo Dads:    My Mind’s Eye Wood Dots

Doce No Mas

“Doce No Mas” means “Twelve No More” in Spanish.  He was a lovely cat and the twelfth of the strays and rescues that my friends have loved and cared for over many years.  The “No more” part of his name meant he would be the last of the rescues, as twelve cats were more than enough to take care of . . .

 

As the card will be hand delivered, I had fun with a square shape as the need for additional postage will not be necessary.  I went for a subtle ombre effect with the sun’s rays and am rather pleased how they turned out.

Doce No Mas was a real sweetie will be missed for a long time . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Capri Sea, Strathmore #140 Watercolor,

                     Scraps Black

Colorants:    Copic Cadmium Yellow, Napoli Yellow, Honey, Chrome

Orange, Mint Green

Dies:            TopUnder Sun’s Rays, Frantic Stamper Ten Fun Felines,

Memory Box Alphabet Soup, Tim Holtz Alphanumeric

Tiny Type Upper