Fun

 Start with a colorful, smooshy background rescued from 

my Scrap Box . . .

 . . . add some glittery fireworks and some cheerful text, and we have a layout fit for a sixteen year old boy, yes?

Cardstock:   American Crafts Brights set: Blue, Strathmore 

#100 Bristol Smooth, Ranger Silver Sparkle, 

Scrap Black    

Stamps:       Eureka Fireworks, Impression Obsession Oh Happy

Day!

Inks:             Distress Wilted Violet, Salty Ocean, Superior India

 Ink Black, ColorBox Silver

Emb Pwdr:   All Night Media Silver Sparkle

Dies:            Lil Inker Stitched Mats Rectangles, Our Daily Bread 

Sparkling Stars, Recollections Word Fetti Set: fun

250 YEARS!

The Glorious Fourth is especially glorious this year as our wonderful country celebrates its 250^th year . . .

As I often do, I’ve used USPS postage stamps from my own incoming mail to add to the layout.  I love the designs and colors and I think they add a lot to the look.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Admiral, Strathmore #100 Bristol Smooth, 

Wausau Firecracker

Stamps:       Eureka Fireworks

Inks:             ColorBox Silver

Emb Pwdr:   All Night Media Silver Sparkle

Dies:            TEMU Creative Grid, DieVersions Noodles, 

Our Daily Bread Sparkling Stars                 

Doo Dads:    USPS Postage Stamps, Wink of Stella Clear    

4th August

My middle brother lives near the beach in sunny Southern California, so I always use at least one of those themes in designing his birthday cards.  This year, the sun won out . . .

The little brass charm of a crown acknowledges that he is indeed King for the day.

Happy Birthday dear Bro!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Carrot Cake, Canson Mixed Media #98  

Stamps:        Impression Obsession Summer: August, Motivet 4th

Inks:             Ancient Page Saffron, Mandarin, Sunburst, 

ColorBox Gold

Emb Pwdr:   Ranger Gold

Dies:            TEMU Rectangle Dotted Effect, TEMU Circular          

Stencil:        Honey Bee Radiant  

Doo Dads:    Nuvo Gold Leaf embossing paste, Prima Say it in

Crystals: Brass Crown embellishment

UH OH

 Having some computer and camera problems - will be back on schedule ASAP!

It's the Journey

More fun from my Scrap Box . . .

This is a Guy Card, so I kept the basic layout fairly simple and with a minimum of fuss.  The background is the piece from my Scrap Box and I liked the gentle energy it adds to the composition.

Cardstock:   Unknown Brown textured, Canson Aquarelle #90        

Stamps:       Purple Daisy “It’s not the destination…”

Inks:             Distress Black Soot, Brushed Corduroy, Walnut Stain,

Tea Dye, ColorBox Gold

Emb Pwdr:   Hero White, Ranger Gold

Dies:            Lil Inker Stitched Mats Rectangles, DieNamics 

Stitched Mini Scallop Rectangle, Marianne Rectangles             

Stencil:        Hero Zig Zag Pattern

Doo Dads:    Prima Say it in Crystals     

DAD

Dads are famous for being able to fix just about anything.  My Dad sure could!  So I thought a few tools might bring back memories of how grateful we always were for their skills . . .

The faux magnetic panel behind the tools looked a little flat, so I took small pinches of silver embossing powder, scattered them over the panel, and heated to fuse.  I left the particles grainy instead of heating them until they were smooth . . . the slightly rough texture seemed right for the theme.

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut Fossil, Bazzill Raven      

Inks:             Superior India Ink Black, Distress Brushed Corduroy, 

Encore Silver

Emb Pwdr:   StampAMania Silver Dollar

Dies:            Sizzix Sassy Labels & Stitched Frames, TEMU Gear, Repair

                    Tools, DieNamics Bright Lights Alpha: “DAD”

Emb Fldr:     Spellbinders Blistered

Make A Wish

After a deep dive into my scrap box . . .

I unearthed a few textured pieces I thought went well together.  A few added inks to enrich the colors, plus some shredded edges for added dimension and a bit of bling at the top, and my card is complete!  I think I’ll keep my Scrap Box on my worktable for the time being . . .  

Cardstock:             Bazzill Tan, Scrap Box: Matted Background     

Stamps:                Unknown Texture

Inks:                      Distress Walnut Stain, Brushed Corduroy, Peacock Feathers

Dies:                     InLoveArts Make a Wish   

Doo Dads:              Prima Say it in Crystals

Happy Birthday

My first birthday card to my new nephew-in-law . . .

My niece Becky really scored when she met Mike, our newest addition to the family.  He's a great guy and just right for her.

I thought a leafy spray against a brick wall background would work for this Guy Card.  A raffia tied knot instead of a bow also seemed to fit.

Welcome to the family, Mike!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Palo Verde, Scraps White 

Inks:             Distress Peeled Paint, Mustard Seed

Dies:            Ellentina Whimsical Brick, Lil Inker Stitched Mats

Square, Memory Box Lorelai Leaf, TEMU 

Happy Birthday                  

Doo Dads:    Sparkle & Sprinkle Fantasy Gold, sequins        

Cheers!

My latest craze?  Layouts with some fun stitching on them . . .

A stitched panel topped with a Foamiran flower  adds some cheery perkiness to the layout.  Stitched cards take a little longer to make, but the needlework is so therapeutic that I think it’s well worth the time.

Cardstock:   Recollections Purple, Strathmore #184 Mixed Media, 

Bazzill Rainforest    

Dies:            Tim Holtz Stitched Rectangles, Pink Fresh Nested

Squares Diagonal Stitch, AlteNew Cute Open Rose,

 Simon Says “Cheers”                 

Doo Dads:    Foamiran White      

A Starlit Strip

This sympathy card features my all-time favorite sentiment for such cards . . .

I was hoping for subtle shades of color for the background.  Unfortunately, the purple and green shades were too intense for a sympathy card.  My favorite solution to this problem is either a vellum or Dragonfly tissue layer on top of the coloring.  The vellum wasn’t sheer enough so the Dragonfly tissue was the answer.  I got just the soft results I was after.

Cardstock:   MatteSilver, Strathmore #184 Mixed Media,

 PaperArts Dragonfly tissue

Stamps:       Wordsworth Christ has made

Inks:             Superior India Ink Black, Encore Silver, VersaMark

Colorants:    Lindy’s Stamp Gang Pop Rock Purple,

Merry-go-round Green

Emb Pwdr:   Stampamania Silver Dollar

Dies:            Lapoo Scallop-Top Frame, Spellbinders 

Sparkling Stars         

Emb Fldr:     Sizzix Starry Night

Thinking of You

My dear friend and stamping buddy Carol has really been through the medical mill lately, and has had a variety of issues to deal with.  Hence the card . . .

After stenciling the flowers and butterflies, I felt the need for more definition around the edges.  So I used some coordinating markers around most of the edges to set them off a bit more.  I’m not sure it worked as well as I’d hoped, but I still think it’s an improvement.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Leapfrog, Strathmore #184 Mixed Media

Stamps:       Judikins Celtic Background

Inks:             VersaColor Cyan, Lagoon Blue, Marigold, Rubber

                    Stampede Wheat, ColorBox Chalk Yellow Ochre,

Olive Pastel, Moss Green, Encore Gold

Dies:            TKOnline Celebration Set: Thinking of You                 

Stencil:        Waffle Flower Butterfly Blossom

Emb Fldr:     Spellbinders Fabric Weave

Doo Dads:    Gold mini beads     

With Sympathy

It seems the month has ended before I was ready to let it go.  Having broken an ankle last week, I am somewhat discombobulated, which likely explains my lack of perception re the fleeting days of May.  So to compensate, I’ve decided to re-print a posting from my early years of blogging.  This one comes from February 24, 2014.  Hopefully, my skills for stamping, blogging, and photographing have improved since then . . .

I thought the only annoying thing about my camera was the fact that sparkle and shine rarely show up in my photos.  Now, I’ve another annoyance to add to the list:  Color Corruption!  The phlox are actually purple – not the blue that is pictured . . .

 . . . OK, I guess this is a good time to use your imagination.  Think a rich dark purple with a few mauve accents to match the butterfly . . . whose color reproduction is accurate.  Go figure . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Rope Swing, Beckett Candlelight

Stamps:       Inkadinkado Tall Phlox

Inks:            Marvy Wet Looks Markers #8, 11, 72, Copic G24

                          Willow, V15 Mallow, Distress Stain Dusty Concord,

                          Distress Old Paper

Emb Powder: Vippies Transcendence

Dies:              Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Ovals, Grommet tags,

                           McGill Butterfly punch

Doo Dads:      Gelly Roll Clear Star, Light Green grosgrain ribbon

 

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