Good Vibes

What more appropriate background on the card for my computer-savvy friend and neighbor Richard than a circuit board?

I used a favorite technique to add definition to the dry embossed background:  I inked the convex side of the embossing folder, added the cardstock, and ran it through my machine.  Normally, I repeat the inking 2-3 times in order to get an even coverage, but I inked this one only once.  The color dispersal is uneven and I really like that!  I also love the partial, grainy look the single ink application rewarded me with.  To heck with evenly applied coverage . . . this is far more interesting!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Marcos Jute, Scrap Metallic Gold         

nks:             Superior India Ink Black

Dies:            Impression Obsession Mid-size Frame, Tim Holtz 

Gears, Memory Box Alphabet Soup                  

Emb Fldr:     Tim Holtz Circuit

Doo Dads:    Marvy Marker Liquid Gold 

Alexa

My very dear and lifelong friend Sandy gifted me with an Alexa+ recently and for her Thank You note, I had fun replicating this amazing machine in cardstock . . .

 . . . right on down to the plus and minus signs it uses for volume control.  My Alexa has a textured surface so I used a spatter dot image to suggest that.  My card is very close to square, so I’ll mail it in a slightly larger rectangular envelope.  Postal sorting machines go bonkers trying to figure out which way is up on a square envelope.  This is why they charge extra postage in order to cover the labor of hand cancelling.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Admiral, Strathmore Mixed Media #184 

Stamps:       Purple Daisy Sand

Inks:            Distress Candied Apple, Chipped Sapphire, Faded

Jeans, Peeled Paint

Dies:            TEMU Love, Honey Bee Blanket Set: “my”, Hero 

Alphabet Uppercase “Alexa”, Cheery Lynn Lace Corner Deco B           

Doo Dads:    Wink of Stella Clear

Stand Tall

My friend Sandy loves all things African, so I’ve invested in a number of images about that breathtaking country . . .

I doubt we’ll ever encounter whimsically decorated giraffes like these, but they are surely fun to see here . . .

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, The Paper Cut Fossil, Bazzill Raven      

Stamps:       Judikins Tribesmen, Technique Junkies Stand Tall Set, 

KaiserCraft Marble

Inks:             Superior India Ink Black, Hero Soft Brown

Dies:            Tim Holtz Stitched Rectangles               

Doo Dads:    Darice Hemp Black, Berwick Wraphia Tan, Candi

Sticker Black 

Tempus Fugit

“Time Flies” says the sentiment, and indeed it does.  Amazingly, the older I get, the faster the clock spins.

Allan, my computer guru without whom I would never be able to successfully compute for any length of time, is a steam punk fan.  So I always like to use that theme when I make his birthday cards . . .

Anything with gears would seem to fill the bill and as I have lots of gear dies, I think we’re good to go for a number of birthdays yet.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Marcos Jute         

Stamps:       KaiserCraft Marble

Inks:             Distress Brushed Corduroy, Wink of Stella Black

Dies:            TEMU Steampunk Clock, DieNamics Pierced Circle

Frames, Tim Holtz Gears, W+9 Banner Trio, 

DieVersions font Noodles                    

Doo Dads:    Sparkle & Sprinkle Glitter Fantasy Gold 

Take Good Notes

This one goes to a very bright 15 year old.  I think he’s just old enough to appreciate the life lesson in the text . . .

Since the foliage was too narrow to prop up with pop dots, I decided to curve them a bit with my fingers and hope they survive the post office’s tender loving care.  

I guess I’ll find out when it reaches the other end . . .

Cardstock:   Strathmore #184 Mixed Media. Marcos Jute, Neenah

Desert Storm

Stamps:       Annette Watkins Take Good Notes, Purple Daisy Sand

Inks:             Distress Brushed Corduroy, Tea Dye, Superior India

 Ink Black

Dies:            Memory Box Sketch Frame, TEMU Mushrooms,

 Impression Obsession Grass, Bodoao Greenery 

 Spray                    

With Love

Another look at The Greetery’s stunning Rosemal Collection . . .

I thought some sweetly peachy colors would work well for the Mother’s Day theme.  Actually, I seem to gravitate towards this lovely color every year for this special celebration . . . it just seems like the perfect fit for this loving occasion.

 

          Happy Mother’s Day!

 Cardstock:   Bazzill Light Rosy, Dark Rosy, LCI Paper Tindalo

Brown, Marcos Jute 

Stamps:       The Greetery With Love

Inks:             Distress Brushed Corduroy

Emb Pwdr:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            The Greetery Rosemal Reflections, Rosemal

Reflections Details, Sentiments, Capsule Fixed

Borders Small, Capsule Basics, Capsule Filigree Borders

Doo Dads:    Kat Scrappiness sequins Shimmering Platinum 

So Many Candles

One of my friends is a chef, so naturally I like to use cookery-type images for his birthday cards . . .

Once I got everything cut out and glued down, I thought I was done.  But then I figured out a much better layout.  After some judicious and very careful removal, the cake stand is now grounded instead of floating in the air.

Cardstock:   Folder* Navy Blue, Strathmore #100 Bristol Vellum, 

Tim Holtz Silver Sparkle

*Every year, my accountant returns my tax papers in a linen-textured navy blue folder.  The cardstock used is #80 and there’s plenty of blank space for me to cut them up into cards and card front layers!

Stamps:       Hero Large Canvas Stripe, Savvy Cherry Cake,

Impress “So many candles…”

Inks:             VersaFine Majestic Blue, Hero Soft Brown, Distress 

Carved Pumpkin, Chipped Sapphire

Emb Pwdr:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            TEMU Garden (Apron), Kitchen Tools, Rectangle

Candle Window, Savvy Cake Plates                  

Birthdays are the best

How I love the vibrant colors Washi tapes are famous for . . .

I decided a black background would be a great frame for those colors and little glittery interest on top would also work well.  

Hope I was right . . . what do you think?

Cardstock:   Bazzell Raven        

Dies:            Elizabeth Craft Stitched Rounded Rectangles,

 InLoveArtShop Simple Clover, Creative Expressions 

“Birthdays are the best days”    

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes,  American Crafts Jute Green,

Wink of Stella Black     

Happy Birthday

A blogger inspired me to try a novel little trick with this one . . .

I used a label die to cut a narrow horizontal window into the Washi tape panel.  Then I raised the panel with pop dots to frame the Happy Birthday sentiment.  The camera may not show this very well, but in real life, it looks great!

Cardstock:    Bazzill Raven        

Dies:             DieNamics Traditional Tags Stax, TEMU Words Set:

 “Happy Birthday”

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes, metallic dot stickers

Birthday Cheers!

Lots of text and lots of texture . . . what more can a stamper want?

I had fun embedding the Cheers text in the bottom of the frame.  The wavy cancellation image was added at the last minute to cover up a boo boo.  Lots of action going on here and I am happy with all of it!

Cardstock:    Marcos Jute, Strathmore Ivory

Stamps:        Stampers Anonymous Newspaper Scraps

Background, Impression Obsession Bark, Studio

Borders L2E, Studio Borders VI, Stampin’ Up Trefoil

Border, Ornamentum Cancellation, Hero December

Postmark

Inks:             Hero Black, Distress Brushed Corduroy

Dies:             Lawn Fawn Say Cheese, Simon Says Cheers!, 

Tattered Lace Everyday Sentiments: “Birthday”,

 Impression Obsession Flags

Doo Dads:    May Arts Jute, Distress Stickles Black Soot

Celebrate

For this one, I wanted to experiment with using an accent piece made of just one light color family atop a black and white Washi tape panel . . .

I like it, but I think a more vibrant color family on the accent piece would have been better.  That’s because the black and white background is awfully loud and likely needs a stronger color accent to balance it out.  We live and we learn!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Steel Blue, Splash, Ash   

Dies:            Memory Box Stitched Rectangle Trimmings, Tim Holtz 

Feathered Friends, TEMU Sentimental Shadow Words:

 “Celebrate”

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes      

Hello Fall

My friend Bonnie isn’t enamored of birthday acknowledgements, so I’m sending her a Happy Fall card instead . . .

I’ve covered rows of very colorful Washi tapes with an openwork leafy die cut panel.  This tones down the exuberance somewhat but still allows plenty of color to shine through.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Capri Sea, Strathmore #100 Bristol Smooth, 

Strathmore #140 Watercolor, Scraps Red, Orange      

Stamps:       Impression Obsession Bark

Inks:             VersaFine Majestic Blue

Dies:            AlteNewStriped Leaf, DieNamics Layered Leaves, 

Marianne Decorative Tags, TEMU Autumn-Themed

set: “Hello Fall”          

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes, Gelly Roll pen Silver    

Smile

Early into my current love affair with Washi tapes, it occurred to me that a picket fence would be a lot more fun if it wasn’t always white . . .

Of course, your local autocratic Home Owners Association might react with horror. But as artists, we creative types can do what we like.  YAY!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Splash, Unknown Rich Cocoa, Scraps Green,

Purple, Yellow, Orange, Pink, White         

Inks:             Distress Vintage Photo, Tea Dye, Lost Shadow

Dies:            Impression Obsession Large Fence, Sea Birds, 

TEMU Flowers, Sweet ‘n Sassy Fence, Grass, &

Border Dies, Clouds & Raindrops, Recollections 

Word Fetti: “Smile”              

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes, Fun Flock     

Celebrate

My adventures with Washi Tapes continue . . .

Black and white are warmed up with a few gold glints plus a creamy textured background.  Yum!

Cardstock:   Marcos Speckletone Cover — Cream         

Stamps:       Judikins Origami Background

Inks:             VersaMark

Emb Pwdr:   Stampendous Aged Black

Dies:            Frantic Stamper Deckled & Torn Edgers, Memory Box 

Cordon Butterfly, Darla Butterfly (body only), 

TKOnline Celebration Set: “Celebrate”      

Emb Fldr:     Taylored Expressions Rosy Posey

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes      

Love

Here’s another example of dry embossed Washi tapes . . .

After applying various lengths and widths of Washi tapes to a panel, I dry embossed it with an embossing folder.  Those tapes are there to stay!

The smoothness of the envelope makes it stand out against the textured background – at least it does in real life.  I hope the camera makes this distinction . . .

Cardstock:   American Craft Primaries Set: Blue, Neenah #110

Solar White

Inks:             Distress Peeled Paint, Candied Apple

Dies:            Mama Elephant Botanic Envelope, TEMU Flowers, 

Recollections Word Fetti: “Love”            

Emb Fldr:     Stampin’ Up Fancy Fan

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes      

Hosanna

The primitive rendering of the cross image is a stark reminder of what our Lord willingly endured for us . . .

I wanted the cross to be elevated, but because the cross pieces are so narrow, even my tiniest pop dots would have shown.  So I backed the cardstock with double-sided tape and then die cut the cross pieces.  After peeling off the release paper, I added lengths of dark brown jute cording which, happily, stuck firmly to the tape.  This gave me just the height I needed for the cross to stand out from the fern background.  Best of all, the cording doesn’t show . . .

~ A most blessed Easter to each and every one ~

Cardstock:   Neenah Desert Storm, Marcos Jute, Recollections 

#110 Dark Green, The Paper Cut Orion: Bronze       

Stamps:       Rollagraph Wheel Texture

Inks:             Ancient Page Pine, Superior India Ink Black

Dies:            InLoveArts Simple Cross, Hero Palm Fancy, Nellie’s 

Straight Dotted Oval         

Emb Fldr:     Taylored Expressions Weathered

Happy Birthday

For this one, I thought it would be fun to use some Washi on a slimline window card . . .

 . . . as the windows are on the small side, it was a good time to use my narrowest tapes in order to fit in a variety of designs.  They provide a fun backdrop to the Foamiran flowers I perked up with a 3 second blast from the heat gun.  They will stay perky even after a coast-to-coast romp through the postal system.

Cardstock:   Neenah Desert Storm, Scrap Red, Foamiran    

Inks:             Distress Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo

Dies:            Rubbernecker Rounded Square, Nellie’s Photo  

                    Frames, TEMU Flower, Divinity Designs 

“Happy Birthday”        

Stencil:        Concord & 9th Splatter Texture

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes      

Celebrate

This one provided me with such a fun and unexpected surprise . . .

After laying down the Washi tapes onto a small panel, I ran the panel through an embossing folder.  I then cut a window into the card front, mounted the panel, and added a frame.  What I was not expecting to see was the backside of the Washi panel . . .

I framed it too and I love the added fun the inside of the card now provides.  I am going to be doing this maneuver scores of times in the future . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven

Inks:             Wink of Stella Black

Dies:            Arich Rounded Corners Stitched Rectangles,

 Impression Obsession Congrats Word Set: “Celebrate”                

Emb Fldr:     Tim Holtz Lace

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tape, Hero Arts stickers Gold 

With Love

A variety of blue Washi tapes sparked with white . . .

 . . . plus a wonderful Chrysanthemum die I’ve never used.  Until now.  Better late than never, yes?

Cardstock:   Bazzill Emperor, Kachina  

Dies:            Memory Box Prized Chrysanthemum (Outline &

Background), TEMU Label Strip, Dee’s Distinctively 

“With Love”                

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes, Waffle Flower Enamel Dots:

White