Reunions of Tomorrow

While I love Gelatos, I haven't always had 100% reliable results with them.  A little more practice would undoubtedly tip the scales in my favor.  But, a one minute video HERE

from Unity has increased my chances of success with this quick and super-simple technique . . .

 . . . take a Gelatos crayon and rub it a few times over the textured surface of a small, dry sea sponge.  Mist it with water and dab onto your watercolor cardstock. Layer with another color or two as desired, using the same dabbing motion for nice, lacy results.  Use the same sponge to enhance blending, or switch to a different sponge for each color for more distinct layering – your call.  It's my new favorite technique with Gelatos:  hard to fail with this one!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Lilac, The Paper Cut Watercolor paper, Strathmore

                           Soft White, Stampin’ Up Vellum

Stamps:        Wordsworth Christ Has Made

Inks:               Encore Silver, ColorBox Dragonfly Black, Gelatos Metallic

                           Grape, Boysenberry, Raspberry, Black Cherry

Emb Powder:   B’Muse Sterling Silver

Dies:              EK Success punch Tomato (I used just the starry leaf cluster)

Doo Dads:    Purple brads

Grateful Hearts

A day of gratitude . . . may we make the time to be grateful every day of the year . . .

 Gold is very much on trend for stampers this year so I am making the most of it with my favorite embossing powder:  Gold, by Ranger.  Unlike all other powders I've tried, this one cures to a non-smooth finish – much like hammered gold.  The texture is amazing and works beautifully on any image except for those with extremely fine detail.  It's also best to use conventional detail powder when working with very small text.  Other than that, this stuff is my go-to for anything gold.  Gorgeous!

Cardstock:   Marcos Speckletone Cover, Generic Cream, Brown,

                           Wausau Firecracker Red  

Stamps:        B&J’s Art Stamps Corn & Pomegranate Wreath, Creative

                           Imaginations “Grateful Hearts”, Meer Image Small

                           Speckle Edger

Inks:               ColorBox Gold

Markers:        Clean Color Wine Red, Yellow, Olive Green

Emb Powder:   Ranger Gold

Dies:              Lil Inker Stitched Mats Squares, Hero Small Tag Frame,

                           Memory Box Branching Out, Quickutz Vases

Impression Plate:     Cheery Lynn Burble

Doo Dads:    Marvy Marker Liquid Gold

Check Mate

My husband's birthday is always the opportunity for me to have fun moving chess pieces around on a checkerboard surface . . .

This is as close as I ever get to actually playing the game!  My husband is a rated player, but I much prefer to play with paper . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Cinder, Strathmore Soft White

Stamps:        Above the Mark Chessboard, Chessmen, Stampin’ Up

                           Buttons, Quiet Fire Crown, Clearly Besotted

                           Diagonal Stripes

Inks:               ColorBox Dragonfly Black, Cream White

Emb Powder:   Powder Keg Antique Copper, Stampendous Ivory Pearl

Dies:              Spellbinders Standard Circles, Classic Rectangles, Verve

                           Banner Bundle, Lil Inker Stitched Mats Squares, Hero

                           Alphabet Uppercase

The Happiest

More fun with dried die ink powders!  I dearly love their intensity, but decided for this card that a muted approach would be worth a try . . .

 . . . hence the vellum overlay.  Because the powders are so saturated with color, the background still has some oomph left even when covered with vellum.  Still and all, I used some leftover scraps for the flower and banner, just as a reminder of what riotous glories lie in wait under the vellum panel.   Yes, I do love robust color!

Cardstock:   Champion Cover Snow Day, Stampin’ Up Vellum White,

                           The Paper Cut Watercolor paper

Stamps:        Stampington Button Mums, Simon Says Sketchy Banner

                           Greetings: “Sending you the happiest”

Inks:               ColorBox Frost White, Color Burst Powders Ultramarine

                           Blue, Orange, Lemon Yellow

Emb Powder:   Judikins Opaque White

Dies:              Simon Says Sketchy Banners, Top Dog Pretty Petals

Doo Dads:    Square brads Blue Past Time Stamps Ultra Fine Glitter, 

                         Tulip Hot Fix Jewels Orange

Birthday Celebration

This card is a re-vamp from an excellent class I took from Stacy of Stacy Stamps.  If you ever have the opportunity to take a class from her, you really ought to jump at the opportunity . . .

 Stacy excels at giving you terrific design ideas and then encourages you to depart from form and wing it in other creative directions.  On this card, I kept the basic layout, but I changed out the three bottom images, added a few embellishments, and had some fun at the top with a narrow striped strip.  Stacy gives you a great start, and then you get to spread your own wings.  This means that when the project is done, it's yours.  I like that. 

Cardstock:   Generic Kraft, Bazzill Raven, The Paper Cut White

                           Matte Coat

Stamps:        Stacy Stamps: text and shrub The Woods, Hero

                           Silhouette Burst, Clearly Besotted Diagonal Stripes

Inks:               Distress Black Soot, Brushed Corduroy, Bob Ross Black

                           Gesso spatters, Gelly Roll pen White

Dies:              Spellbinders Classic Squares

Doo Dads:    Tulip Hot Fix Jewels Black

Justin is 5!

As a former TWA Flight Attendant, I'm always happy to come across aviation-related images that I can use to send cards to my airline friends.  However, this adorable airplane die cut went on its maiden voyage to an equally adorable 5 year old . . .

Once in awhile, I forget to work on the background until after I've stamped the foreground images.  On this card, the trees were in place against a naked white sky.  Not good.  Since I had nothing to lose if it didn't work, I decided to sponge on the sky with a light blue ink, starting at the top and swirling my way down into the trees.  It worked!  The trees are still green and I got the dark-to-light effect I was after.

I really love it when I can bail myself out after screwing up . . .

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut White Matte Coat, Generic scraps Silver,

                           Red, Green

Stamps:        Stampin’ Up Evergreens

Inks:               Ancient Page Pine, Distress Weathered Wood

Dies:              Impression Obsession Plane with Banner, Fiskars

                           punches Clouds, DieVersions letters Hint of Lime,

                           Tim Holtz Alphanumeric: “5”

Live For Today

I've a very dear friend who's in a Twelve Step group where strong encouragement is given to take things one day at a time . . .

In between significant events at church one Sunday morning, the idea for the layout and the color scheme popped unbidden into my head.  I kept it company long enough for me to commit it to memory and then I got back into worship mode.  Truly I did.  But when I got home, I quickly sketched out my idea to make sure it wouldn't slip away into the ever-increasing haze of Senior Citizendom.  Three weeks later, I was finally able to sit down and turn it into a reality.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Smoky, Vanilla, Cinder, Juneberry

Stamps:        Studio G "Live for today"

Inks:               Distress Antique Linen, VersaMark

Emb Powder:   Judikins Garnet

Dies:              Simon Says Stitched Hills & Borders, Memory Box Tall

                           Birch

Doo Dads:    1/8" ribbon Burgundy, Simon Says sequins Moonshine

A Message

While this card was sent to our granddaughter on her 10^th birthday, it's actually perfect for a wide variety of events for someone of any age – male or female . . .

This typewriter die and stamp set is a real treasure . . . besides being so stinkin' cute, it comes with a choice of six messages you can stamp on the little sheet of paper.  It fits perfectly into a slit in the typewriter that the die has thoughtfully made for you.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Purple, Black, Strathmore Bright White

Stamps:        Marianne Design Eline's Typewriter, Stampendous

                           Dream Text Background            

Inks:               Hero Black

Dies:              Lil Inkers Stitched Mats: Rectangles, Marianne Design Eline's

                           Typewriter, McGill punch Mini-Envelopes, Marvy punch Heart

Emb Folder: Sizzix Dots & Flowers set               

Baby

We're in the process of welcoming our fourth great grandchild to the family . . .

 . . . so a bright and sunny greeting with a little tasseled fanfare is certainly in order, don't you think?

Cardstock:   Bazzill Intense Yellow, Strathmore Bright White

Stamps:        Hero Striped B, Dotted A, Plaid B, Striped Y, Cat’s Life

                           Press Baby Flower Face

Inks:               ColorBox Black, Distress Spun Sugar

Emb Powder:   Judikins Detail Black

Dies:              Spellbinders Victorian Tassels, Lil Inker Dual Stitched

                           Rectangles, Mama Elephant Dainty Bow

Watercolors:     Peerless Jackqueminot Red, Hunter’s Green, Marigold

                                Yellow, Cobalt Blue

Markers:        Pitt Artist Pen India Ink Blue 110, Zig Brushables Spring

                           Green, Apricot, Pure Pink

Emb Folder: Sizzix Dots and Flowers Set        

Doo Dads:    Glossy Accents