Love

Jennifer McGuire came out with an idea for a super-dimensional card that collapses into an A2 size and fits easily into the envelope.  I had to try it out . . .

 

 

It works – and beautifully!  The die set is well designed with plenty of pieces to expand your creativity.  The single stencil contains all of the openings needed to decorate the entire two piece frame.  Best of all, they are laid out to match the die cut exactly, which makes placement for coloring easy. 

 

I am so looking forward to exploring all of the creative opportunities this die and stencil set has to offer!

 

Cardstock:   Strathmore #140 Watercolor, Tim Holtz Silver Sparkle

Inks:             Distress Oxide Pine Needles, Faded Jeans, Dusty

Concord, Bundled Sage, Stormy Sky, Peeled Paint

Dies:            Waffle Flower Poinsettia Frame, Hummingbirds,

 Memory Box Pinpoint Leaf Plate, TEMU Rectangle

 Dotted Effect, DieNamics Stitched Oval Scalloped

 Edge Frame, Darice Nesting Scallop Hearts, 

TKOnline Celebration Set: Love

Stencil:        Waffle Flower Poinsettia Frame

Doo Dads:    TEMU Wobble Springs     

Cheers

While I’m a freak for mushroom images, it appears I haven’t used them in awhile.  So it’s time to put a few of them to work . . .

 

The background was done with a really fun layered stencil set while the three mushrooms in front are die cuts.  In order to prevail over the busy background, I attached the die cuts over a popped up and framed piece of vellum.  It softened

things just enough to give each element its day to shine . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Cinnamon Stick, Strathmore #100 Bristol

 Smooth, Stampin’ Up Vellum

Stamps:       Stacey Stamps Distressed Frame, Art Tour Dotty Snow

Inks:             Distress Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Wild Honey,

 Frayed Burlap, Peeled Paint, Gina K Charcoal Brown

Dies:            TEMU Wood Grain Frame, Simon Says Cheers,

 Bunny Moon Cute Mushrooms            

Stencil:        Recollections Mushrooms

Autumn Greetings

This was my maiden voyage with a new stamp/stencil/die bundle and I had a wonderful time from start to finish!  But after I thought I was done, I realized I wasn’t . . .

 

The problem in this case was a background that was way too starkly white.  I needed to tone it down but I’d already stamped, embossed, and stenciled the leafy layout.  Coloring in between the leaves would have taken forever and brush strokes would have looked bad. Happily, I thought of a solution I’d never tried before. 

 

Thankfully, one of the stencils in this set features all of the leaves laid out exactly as they are arranged on the stamp.  So I turned the stencil over and brayered a light brown ink on the back.  Then I turned it back, aligned it with the leaf images, and pressed down to transfer the ink.  I did a repeat and got exactly the look I was after:  dotted, slightly splotchy, all of it neatly between the leaves, and an artsy mottled background with a lot less glare.  A very handy and time-saving workaround for sure . . . yay for me!

 

Cardstock:   Bazzill Rain Forest, Strathmore #100 Bristol Smooth

Stamps:       Kristina Werner Thankful Leaves

Inks:             Encore Gold, Distress Oxide Antique Linen, Spiced

Marmalade, Peeled Paint, Rusty Hinge, Wild Honey,

Fired Brick, Pine Needles, Dusty Concord,

Villainous Potion

Emb Pwdr:   Ranger Gold

Dies:            Kristina Werner Thankful Leaves           

Stencil:        Kristina Werner Thankful Leaves

Thank You

Due to the ever-lurking time crunch, I pulled this one from my stash . . .

 

I still like it, even though I would do things a little differently today.  And isn’t that how it should be?

 

Cardstock:   Unknown Cocoa, Handmade paper        

Stamps:       All Night Media Fern

Inks:             Vivid Taupe, Green, Aqua, Distress Mowed Lawn,

Peeled Paint

Dies:            Bottone Stitched Ovals, Spellbinders Four Petal Thank

You Floral, Unknown Leafy Sprig

Doo Dads:    Green fibers, Copper Dragonfly charm   

Yum Yum

BLUE RIBBON #9

This year’s recipe card submission was done in a gatefold style which made it very easy to display . . .

Keep scrolling for the recipe . . .

As the recipe inside is for Carrot Mashed Potatoes, I figured some die cut carrots on the front panels should lead the way.

I think the speckled dots are a little overdone, but I didn’t think about adding them until after the card was put together.  So the control of my speckled stamp was a little limited.  I should have thought to add them first . . .

And that’s it for the 2025 NJ State Fair fun . . . now we start planning for next year’s event!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Pear, Cutie, Rain Forest, Strathmore #100

Bristol Smooth        

Stamps:       Stampin’ Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Inks:             Superior India Ink Black, Distress Wild Honey

Dies:            Studio Calico Nested Rectangles, TEMU Carrots, 

DieVersions font Noodles            

Stencil:        a Studio Calico Nested Rectangles

Life

BLUE RIBBON #8

The spoked wheel was a mysterious resident in my scrap box and I had no idea how to use it . . .

 

But I had some fun with alcohol inks on Yupo paper one day and the two pieces seemed made for each other.  As with the Art category, the “Other” category invites a departure from the norm.  So that’s what I did.  The butterfly charm started out in brass, but some copper embossing powder led to a quick metamorphosis . . . which is what butterflies do anyway, right?

Cardstock:   Bazzill Cheddar, Raven, Yupo     

Stamps:       Judikins Origami Background

Inks:             Encore Copper, various alcohol inks

Emb Pwdr:   B’Muse True Gold, True Copper

Dies:            DieNamics Horizontal Stitched Strips, Unknown 

Spoked  Wheel, Memory Box Brilliant Circle Border Outline, InLoveArtShop “Life”            

Doo Dads:    Copper Butterfly     

Get Well Soon

BLUE RIBBON #7

Green is a peaceful color and I thought it would be just right for the Get Well theme . . .

The wide, stitched frame helps balance the small size of the water colored background, plus the large scripted sentiment ties all of the proportions together.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Rain Forest, Lima, Strathmore #100 Bristol

Smooth        

Inks:             Distress Peeled Paint, Black Soot

Colorants:    Stamp Zia Olive Spray

Dies:            Papertrey Ink Pierced Feature Frames, Paper

Smooches Get Well Phrase, Tattered Lace “Soon”             

Doo Dads:    Waffle Flower Enamel Dots White

SOAR

BLUE RIBBON #6

The Art category is a signal to go wild, and I certainly did with this year’s layout . . .

I painted a  twig silver and sewed it with silver thread to a bubbled Tyvek background made from an old mailing pouch.  One side got painted with three colors of Lumiere pearled paint and was then blasted with my heat gun.  The splotchy, bubbled result was just right for this year’s artsy category . . .

Cardstock:   Neenah Emperor, Tyvek Mailing Pouch  

Inks:             Lumiere Pearl Turquoise, Pearl Violet, Pearl White

Dies:            Scrapbook.com Slim Nested Rounded Rectangles, 

InLoveArtShop English Letters               

Doo Dads:    Silver painted twig  

Sweet Beginnings

BLUE RIBBON #5

I love using a mattress ticking image for wallpaper – it gives a timeless classic look that goes with almost any design. . .

I decided that this year’s baby card submission would be for a girl – next year I’ll do one for a boy . . .

Cardstock:   Strathmore #100 Bristol Smooth  

Stamps:       Hero Large Canvas Stripes, Designer Woodgrain, 

Cloud 9 Stamp Baby: “. . . Sweet Beginnings”

Inks:             Distress Victorian Velvet, Brushed Corduroy, Gina K 

Charcoal Brown, Pilot Marker Silver

Dies:            Qianziqianse Baby Carriage Stroller, DieNamics 

Stitched Mini Scalloped Rectangle, Glitz Cartoon

Clothes Hanger (just the rattle)            

Journey, Memories, Love

BLUE RIBBON #4

I’m a sucker for leaves and love to use them on any card theme I can . . .

This design combines a die cut leaf and a stamped one.  I like the contrast . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, White, Strathmore #140 Watercolor 

Stamps:       Judikins Four Leaves, Making Memories Magnetic

Stamps: “Journey, Memories, Love”

Inks:             ColorBox Black

Emb Pwdr:   Judikins Detail Black

Dies:            Spellbinders Long Classic Scalloped Rectangles Large,

Classic Scalloped Rectangles Short, Maya Road 

Geometric Leaf               

Doo Dads:    White Blossom Jewel Stickers Black      

Love

BLUE RIBBON #3

This one was outside my wheelhouse but I’m quite happy with the results . . .

The thatched background had been residing in my scrap box for a long time – all it needed was a little purple glitter and some love . . .

 Cardstock:   Orion Silver  

Stamps:       KaiserCraft Marble

Inks:             Encore Silver

Emb Pwdr:   Stampa Mania Silver Dollar

Dies:            Stampin’ Up Lattice Rectangles, Papertrey Ink Mega

Gracious Vases, Penny Black Bamboo Foliage, Avery

Elle Peace, Love, Joy set: “Love”        

Stencil:        Tim Holtz Thatched

Doo Dads:    Faber Castell Texture Luxe Embossing Paste Silver   

Noel

BLUE RIBBON #2

I found these colorful scraps and decided to use them for a Christmas themed card, even though the color scheme isn’t exactly traditional . . .

 

Keep scrolling for a look inside the little folder . . .

Cardstock:   Strathmore #140 Watercolor, Wausau #100 Haute Red, 

Scraps Burgundy, Orange 

Stamps:       Tim Holtz Mini Handwritten Holidays: “Noel”

Inks:             Distress Aged Mahogany, Gelly Roll Clear Star

Colorants:    Gelatos Blood Orange

Emb Pwdr:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            Memory Box Poinsettia Ribbon, Spellbinders Layered

Poinsettia, La La Land Pretty Poinsettia (flower center), 

Arich Rounded Corners Stitched Rectangles, Lil Inker 

Stitched Mats Rectangles, Marianne Holly Branches, 

Ellentina Nesting Tag #4     

Stencil:        Tim Holtz Mini Leafy

Doo Dads:    Golden Light Molding Paste         

Happy Birthday

 BLUE RIBBON #1, plus a Show Special Ribbon!

Our annual North NJ State Fair has come and gone and now I get to share with you my submissions and how I did in the ribbon department!  I went for some rather unusual and non-traditional looks and wondered what the judges would think.  Evidently, they liked the break in style – I submitted nine entries, was gifted with nine blue ribbons and was even graced with a Show Special (best in its category) which means they awarded me a gigantic pink ribbon.  HUZZAH!

Most of my nine submissions began with a deep dive into my scrap boxes.  I collected two or three pieces I thought would work well together and these laid the groundwork for the final designs.  It was a great way to get focused and saved me a lot of time in trying to think up stuff.  So let’s get started:

This card began with a rather staid design . . .

Hopefully, the addition of the large gold crystal and the red flowers perked things up a bit.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Rain Forest, Cheddar, Handmade paper,

Scraps Red   

Stamps:       Impress Row of Flowers

Inks:             VersaMark

Emb Pwdr:   B’Muse Midsomer Green Metallic

Dies:            TEMU Vertical Words: Happy Birthday, Cheery Lynn 

Tiny Flower Kit       

Doo Dads:    Green ribbon, Yellow crystal

Welcome Home

My baby brother Gordy had a dreadful stroke three months ago.  After countless hours of PT, numerous tests of all kinds, and many steps backwards as well as forwards, he is finally coming home . . .

 

This second pic shows a view of the back where the message goes.  I put mine into a top-folded panel to add a little more interactive fun to the card.

 

I used one of Jennifer McGuire’s Bridge Card ideas for his card.  She has several videos on this super-fun technique and I highly recommend watching them.

 

Gordy lives in Washington, a state saturated with gorgeous evergreen trees, so I put an entire row of them on the card front.  The card stands up so very nicely for display yet it easily collapses to fit inside an A2 envelope.  Bridge cards have scores of design possibilities and I plan to try as many as I can!

 

Cardstock:   Neenah #110 Solar White, Bazzill Rain Forest, Scraps

Green, Black, Marcos Jute

Stamps:       CC Rubber Stamps Fibers

Inks:             Distress Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn, Tea Dye,

Spun Sugar, Weathered Wood, Zig Clean Color Lemon

Yellow, Haze Blue, Oatmeal, VersaColor Chateau Gray

Waterclrs:    Zig Clean Color Lemon Yellow, Haze Blue,                                                                 Oatmeal, Tombow 055, Inktense Saddle Brown

Dies:            Impression Obsession Town Builder, TEMU Christmas

Trees, Tree Design, DieNamics Stitched Snow Drifts            

Stencil:        Printworks Clouds

For You

This tag set started out life as a gift tag . . .

 . . . but I think it works well as the focal point on a birthday card, don’t you? As this card is for an Autumn birthday, I thought some textured browns, autumnal colors, and bits of wood fit the bill.

Cardstock:   Goefun Tan, Marcos Jute  

Stamps:       Prickly Pear Oak & Maple Leaf, Unknown “For you”, 

Stampin’ Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Inks:             Distress Fossilized Amber, Mowed Lawn

Emb Pwdr:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            Papertrey Ink Tag Sale #3, Prickly Pear Oak &

Maple Leaf             

Emb Fldr:     Taylored Expressions Weathered

Doo Dads:    Jute cords, wood buttons  

Journey

Years ago, my dear friend and stamping buddy Carol gave me this gorgeous botanical background stamp.  It is so big that I didn’t know what to do with it, so it has been in respectful repose in a drawer.  Then I got the bright idea that as it’s too beautiful to cut down, I could simply wrap it around the card base . . .

       

Here’s the full effect when opened up . . .

 

However, the fold is now double-layered which means that the card would rather stay open then submit to closing nice and flat.  So I dug out a decorative paperclip in order to show the card who’s the real boss.

It is so beautiful when opened up that I think I’ll stamp the whole thing and frame it!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Scrap Cream        

Stamps:       Magenta Botanical, 7 Gypsies Distressed Words

Inks:             Superior India Ink Black

Dies:            TEMU Exquisite Three Butterflies, DieNamics 

Sentiment Strips

Doo Dads:    EK Success Nostalgiques Paper Clip     

Happy Birthday

This entire card was designed around the mesh background:  a humble envelope liner that once encased an insurance bill.  At least I got some fun out of the bill that day . . .

 

The white flowers are made from Foamiran which can be heated after die cutting to make the petals curve up.  The best part is that after being flattened into an envelope and making it through the mail, they will perk right back up again when removed from the envelope.  LOVE that!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Admiral, Commercial envelope liner, Foamiran 

White, Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink Cardstock Silver Shimmer         

Inks:             Ancient Page Indigo

Dies:            Pink Fresh Slim Stitched Rectangles, Kokorosa 

Rectangle Flowers, TEMU Layered Stitched Daisy,

 TRoyal Room “Happy Birthday”, Marianne Butterfly          

Doo Dads:    Couture Creations Glitter Silver Shimmer, Nuvo 

Glitter Gloss          

Hello Fall

Here is the second card I made with tiny tags I’d put together for a stamping EXPO years ago . . .

I hope you’re not bored with my current fascination with tags . . . I’m certainly not and I’ve got hundreds of tag design ideas I still want to try.  ONWARD!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Capri Sea, Stedner Bright White  

Stamps:       Unknown Splatter

Inks:             Ancient Page Pine, Vivid Assorted Colors

Dies:            Elizabeth Stitched Rounded Rectangles, Unknown 

Assorted Tags, TEMU Autumn-Themed Set: Hello Fall                    

Doo Dads:    Stampin’ Up Nature’s Twine: Blackberry Bliss