Winter Thank Yous

 I was actually in the mood for stamping yesterday afternoon, and Wyatt cooperated by taking a nice long nap! :) I needed a couple thank you cards and also wanted to check the challenges on SplitCoastStampers. The Ways to Use It Challenge is to use snowmen, snowflakes, etc. Perfect!

For both of my cards, I used a Dreamweavers brass stencil and white embossing paste. After using the stencil and paste, I sprinkled with ultrafine crystal glitter. The navy paper has slight texture and the snowflake paper is from a matstack by Recollections.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

SplitCoastStampers Ways To Use It Challenge

This was for last Thursday's Ways to Use It challenge on SplitCoastStampers - to use a bird on your card.


Both stamps I used are from a set by Fiskars. I had used the background before, but not the peacock. I used a small purple ink pad that must have come with some stamps some time. I matted with Stampin' Up! purple - I think Lovely Lilac. I cut the peacock and matting with Nestabilities and mounted on Pop Dots.


Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

SplitCoastStampers Challenges Card - Lots of Layers for a Boy

I started this card Thursday morning when Owen (my grandson) was napping, but he woke up when all I had done was stamp the robot and cut him out.  So, yesterday morning while he was napping, I finished the card.

When I started it, it was for Thursday's SplitCoastStampers Ways to Use it challenge - to make a card for a boy.  Friday's Free4All challenge was to use lots of layers.  So, I made a boy's card with lots of layers and got them both in:)  The robot is from a Recollections set. I stamped him on silver mirror paper twice and on white once. I cut the entire image out of the silver, the head out of silver, and his "control panel" out of white. I glued on the white piece and used foam squares to add the popped up head. I also added "googlie" eyes. The papers are from an old Sizzix pad. I embossed the black with a Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirls folder and sanded it down. I cut the circles with Nestabilities. The circle layer is mounted on foam squares, also. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Birthday Basics set.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

SCS Ways to Use It Challenge - Vacation

  Last week's SplitCoastStampers Ways to Use It Challenge was "vacation" - either a past vacation or a "virtual vacation."  I thought it was a great chance to do something that I've been meaning to do for a long time - use some of our photographs on a card.

   These are all photos we took of sunsets on our vacation in Florida at the beginning of March.  I simply printed them on cardstock and added the "Wishing You" sentiment from Verve, and they will be completed by stamping the rest of the sentiment on the inside.
   Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

SCS Ways to Use It Challenge - and a 2RedBananas update

   I made this card for another challenge on SplitCoastStampers.  This was a "Ways to Use It" challenge, which was to mix patterns.
   All of the papers on this card, and the flower, are from a Deja Views pad I got at Archivers.  I used the same sketch challenge as the card I posted yesterday.  The sentiment was embossed with a small Cuttlebug folder.  Then I sanded it down with a sanding block and rubbed ink (Versamagic Purple Hydrangea) on it.
   Here is an update on 2RedBananas.  I'm so sorry to see 2RB close, but I'm hoping it will just be temporary.  I'm looking forward to working with Jeanette again when they reopen! In the meantime, they are liquidating their inventory, and everything is 20% off if you use code 2RB20 when you check out.  The store is here.  Thanks for everything, Jeanette!!!
   Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Lacy Birthday

 

I made this card for the SplitCoastStampers Ways to Use It Challenge #259.  The challenge was to include lace on your card, and it was flexible!  My lace is the vellum punched with a Martha Stewart lace border punch.

The main panel is stamped with Rich Razzleberry and my Stampin' Up! Romance wheel. It's matted with Rich Razzleberry, also. The sentiment is from SU!'s Sincere Salutations set. The butterfly is double - one layer of Rich Razzleberry and one layer of vellum which I embossed with my Swiss Dots folder and added a couple pearls.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Simple Sticker Card, and a Happy Anniversary ...

This card is for the SplitCoastStampers Ways to Use It challenge #243 - to use stickers. I made it to let my friend Cheryl know that I was thinking of her.

The paper is from Debbie Mumm - Baby Girl. The sticker is by Mary Englebreit. (It says "Friends are family you choose for yourself.") The sticker is matted on cardstock cut with Nestabilities. I used my Scor-Pal beside the center strip. The sentiment is computer-generated.

And the "Happy Anniversary," you may ask? That is to ME! :) and my husband, Jim. Today is our 35th Anniversary. Amazing!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon.

Six Cards!

Above and below are six cards that I have made recently. I just thought I would share them with you, with no specific details. I have made them for various challenges - Clean & Simple blog's Fall-to Layout, SplitCoastStampers Ways to Use It challenge, and SplitCoastStampers Limited Supplies challenge. They don't really require much explanation, but I would be very happy to answer any questions you may have - just drop me an email or leave me a comment.

Edited to add: Thanks for the comment, Sam! I guess maybe I should do a little explaining. :) The first card is a pre-embossed card from Die Cuts With a View. One of the challenges I made some of the cards for called for a pre-stamped notecard. The first, fourth and fifth cards are notecards I already had. The challenge for the second card is to use leaves. (These are from my friend, Vicki - thanks Vicki!) They are cut and embossed with a Cuttlebug die/folder. I sponged several colors of ink on them. The third card is a Fall-to Layout from the Clean & Simple Stamping blog. The theme for the last card is "Travel." The paper is some beautiful hand-made paper that my daughter and son-in-law brought me back from their trip to Korea and Japan a couple years ago.




Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

SCS Ways to Use It Challenge - Sanded

(fThis card is for SplitCoastStampers ""Ways To Use It Challenge" #234 - to use sand or to sand something.

I started with a piece of textured DCWV green cardstock. I embossed it with my new Victoria Cuttlebug folder. Then I sanded it with a Stampin' Up! sanding block. I thought it looked 'elegant' so I had to do the rest of the card elegant, too:) I stamped the sentiment (from Stampin' Up!'s Elegant Greetings) with Adirondack Bottle Green ink, then cut it out with a scalloped Petite Oval Nestability. I placed a plain Petite Oval Nestability over it and sponged on the inside of the oval, then sponged lightly around the edge of the scallops. The white border across the middle of the card is embossed with a border folder from Organic Flourish set, and I used my Scor-Pal to score double lines on each side of the embossed border. I brayered over the embossing with the same Bottle Green ink. I added eyelets to the scalloped sentiment (I was going to add ribbon, but it didn't work out.) and popped it up with Pop Dots.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

WT231 - hello

This card is for SplitCoastStampers Ways to Use It Challenge #231 - to use variegated color. I chose to use my variegated thread again:-) I started this on Thursday morning, but just finished it up Friday night. (My sister was moving to Atlanta, and I was busy with her, helping her and having her stay at my house, then taking her to the airport at 3:30 a.m. this morning! I'm going to miss her:( )

The stamp is a stampoff from last year in Des Moines. I know it's from Stampin' Up! - a hostess set, I believe. I colored the flowers with Stampin' Up! markers, and watercolored the background with Barely Banana and a paintbrush. The background papers are from DCWV and the matting is Brilliant Blue. I'm still working on the challenge to use patterned paper!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back again and visit again soon!

SCS Ways To Use It Challenge - Charmed!

Today's card is for this week's SplitCoastStampers "Ways to Use It Challenge" - to use a charm. It's also for the 2RedBananas challenge for the week - to 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.' You can find the 2RB challenge here.

My charm came on another item and I've had it for over a year, waiting for an opportunity to use it. I've also had the Amuse orange ribbon for over a year.The embossed background was done with a Sizzix texture plate. (I always mist my paper before embossing for a deeper impression.) I punched the bottom border with an EK Success punch, and sponged the edges with Stampin' Up!'s Only Orange ink. The charm is tied on with the orange ribbon. I crocheted a flower to match (with embroidery floss that I've had for YEARS!!) and added a pearl to the center. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up!'s retired set All Occasions and is stamped in Only Orange.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

SCS Ways To Use It Challenge - Seeing Double

This card is for the SplitCoastStampers Way to Use It Challenge #227 – to use two identical items or images. I chose to use two of the small tulips.

The stamps are from Papertrey Ink's “Wishing You” set. I used Versamagic inks in the following colors: Purple Hydrangea, Spring Pansy, Pixie Dust, and Aloe Vera. I used a Martha Stewart punch for the border at the top and another Martha Stewart punch for the butterfly. I mounted that panel on Plum Pudding cardstock from Papertrey. I added the pearls to the butterfly body, and that’s about all there is to it

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

SCS Ways to Use it Challenge - with Edgeabilities

Another SplitCoastStampers challenge card – the Ways to Use It challenge, this week to use a frame of some sort. It was inspired by Deb (who was asking me questions about Edgeabilities and just uploaded a beautiful project) and Harriet (whose immediate reaction to the “frame” challenge was to use Edgeabilities.) So, here’s mine.

I used Papertrey Ink Stamper's Select white cardstock to emboss my daisies. (I’ve had a few questions on embossing Edgeabilities. They are the only thing I emboss with my BIGkick that I have to add extra pieces of cardstock to, to make the embossing deep enough.) I colored them with chalk. I know Spellbinders suggests leaving the die in place while coloring, but I prefer to remove the die before carefully coloring. The sympathy stamp is from Paper Inspirations, and I stamped it with Baja Breeze on Soft Sky. The trim piece on the bottom is also Soft Sky, and I embossed it with a Cuttlebug border folder. The daisies towards the bottom of the card are on Pop Dots.

Thanks so much for looking, and I hope you’ll come back and visit again soon!

SCS Ways To Use It Challenge - Stickers

This card may not have arrived yet, either, so no personal wishes this time.

I made this card for a Ways to Use It Challenge (#210) on SplitCoastStampers a couple weeks ago. The challenge was to use stickers. The butterfly sticker is by Studio 18 and I purchased it at Michael’s recently. I used Oval and Long Oval Nestabilities to cut all the oval mats. The colors are Stampin’ Up!’s Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss and Rose Red – I chose them to match the sticker. I used my Swiss Dots CB folder for the Kiwi Kiss layer, and Kiwi Kiss ink for the sentiment, which is by Studio G.

Thanks so much for looking, and I hope you’ll come back and visit again soon!

Another SCS Challenge Card

This card is for yesterday’s SplitCoastStampers’ Ways To Use It challenge – to use colors from the Soft Subtles family and a spring flower.

This card actually gave me some problems – probably because I should have been getting ready for company instead of doing the challenge! I did a card in my head while I was walking on the treadmill, but this isn’t it! The flowers I chose didn’t work, so I had to figure out something different. Then the layout didn’t work at all, because this flower was bigger. And so it went! But after lots of moving these elements around, I finally settled on their placement. I tied the ribbon where I wanted it and mounted the white on the green. Then I adhered it to the base of the card – upside down! So now, instead of the ribbon being towards the top with the knot on the right side, it was bottom left. I would have preferred it the way I planned it, but this is an acceptable second choice!

The tulip stamp is from Stampin’ Up!’s Garden Whimsy set – colored with a Lavender Lace and a Mellow Moss marker. The sentiment is by Inkadinkado, stamped with Mellow Moss. I sponged Mellow Moss around the edge of the tulip layer. The ovals are all cut with Nestabilities. I added dots with two different white gel pens – different tip sizes. The mats are Mellow Moss and Lavender Lace. I don’t remember where I got the ribbon – probably Michael's.

Thanks so much for looking, and I hope you’ll come back and visit again soon!

Three "Stickered" Cards

Three cards to share with you today. The “Ways To Use It” challenge on SplitCoastStampers yesterday was to use stickers. (WT210) I actually have quite a few stickers and I don’t use them very often. Kind of seems like “cheating.” :) So this was like “permission” to use them!

The first one uses a Mary Engelbreit sticker. I mounted it on Rose Red cardstock, then a scalloped white mat. The white mat qualifies this card for Sharon Johnson’s (No Time To Stamp?) challenge, found here. Then I embossed a frame in the Pink Pirouette card base. All mats and frames are done using Rectangle Nestabilities. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink’s Mixed Messages set and is stamped with Rose Red ink. It seemed to fit perfectly with the sticker sentiment.
The second card uses Cuttlebug folders and stickers from K&Co, and a computer-generated sentiment. I had to hand embossed the dots on the bottom, because I didn’t think of adding them until I had already added the stickers! I used a stylus with the CB folder.
The third card also uses stickers from K&Co. I drew the stems and leaves and added the sentiment from Stampin’ Up!’s All Occasions set.

OK. Now just a couple quick miscellaneous things. Yesterday was an awesome “blog day.” I think I had about 500 views and I went over 20,000 hits. I am blown away by this, and I thank you all VERY much!

And one more thing – something personal to one visitor. I see I have a fairly frequent visitor from Fergus Falls. That is my home town! I was born there and lived there until after I finished ninth grade. So, a special hello to you, whoever you are! (I even had a visitor from Dalton one day. Both of my parents are from there, originally.)

Thanks so much for looking, and I hope you’ll come back and visit again soon!

A "Green" Challenge

I made this card for another SplitCoastStampers challenge – the Ways to Use It one, this time. The challenge was to use “green” – either just the color green, or to use recycled or re-used items. I did both.

The patterned GREEN paper is from packaging from a Papertrey Ink set. The gold is a chocolate wrapper which I embossed with a Cuttlebug folder. The black are scraps I bought at a paper store, and the butterfly has been in my “card parts” box for a long time (gold embossing on a pearlescent vellum). I put it all together and added the sentiment – freshly stamped!

Thanks so much for looking, and I hope you’ll come back and visit again soon!