Leafy Sympathy

I was in Des Moines last week with six other members of my stamping group. We always have such a wonderful time! Also, there are so many wonderful "goodies" that everyone brings to share. This die is one of the dies that I used. You will be seeing more! I used the die on some very old Stampin' Up! paper and matted with matching cardstock. The sentiment for both cards is from Kaisercraft and is mounted on foam squares.

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

Color Swap - Bright Green and Navy

Here is the card I made for our group's Color Swap. The colors this month are navy and bright green. I decided to add a bit more blue than just the navy. The flower and leaves stamps and dies are all from Gina K Designs. I ordered the Stamp TV kit for fun:) The sentiment is from Rubbernecker and was given to me (and others in our group) by our dear former member of the group who passed away over four years ago. I used clear embossing powder on it for more emphasis, although it's not really visible in the photo. The two smaller flowers are mounted on foam squares.

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

Friends #1

My first card with the Stampin' Up! set called "Friends." Even though I made this one first, I decided to show it last:) I had considered using this image for my next year's April calendar page. However, after coloring it - and using twenty Copic markers! - I decided I didn't want to do that much coloring on fourteen more calendar pages. And, after reading one of the sentiments that came with the set, I decided to use it for my swap card at our Group Gathering, which is taking place now. So appropriate - friends.

It's done very simply. I stamped the image with Memento black ink and colored with Copics - as I mentioned above. I matted with matching cardstock and mounted the image on Dimensionals. I cut the sentiment with a stitched square die and matted with the same color cardstock.

This set also has another sentiment which says, "After the rain ... rainbows!" It also has a stamp with a bunny and a basket of tulips. 

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

Feathered Hope #1

I still had two Stampin' Up! sets sitting on my table, waiting to be used. The stamp on this card is from one called "Feathered Hope." This is the only stamp that I used from the set, though. It's not a Christmas set, but I liked this image for a Christmas card. I stamped with Versamark and embossed with detail gold embossing powder. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink. I matted with shimmery gold paper.

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

Nature's Sketchbook #1 and #2

Another Stampin' Up! set done. I also used this set for my June calendar page this year. I chose not to use the rest of the stamps.

For the first card, I colored with Copics and added Wink of Stella. I cut the image panel with a stitched square die and mounted on Dimensionals. The purple background was embossed with a Darice folder.

This simple leaf stamp with lady bug is also in the set. I colored with Copics and used Wink of Stella. The sentiment is from Papertrey. I matted with black.

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

Left-over Sticker Cards

After making cards using larger Penny Black stickers, I had these four stickers left over. Today was the day to throw them on cards and get them off my table! Very simple, but good enough. I liked this oval placed at an angle, so I did that for both of the cards. I had these white rectangle pieces cut for a calendar page that I didn't end up using yet, so I used them for all three cards. For this first one, I matted the image panel with matching cardstock, added the sentiment (from Papertrey Ink), and mounted on Dimensionals.

 Same image panel and Papertrey stamp. Also mounted on Dimensionals. The orange piece on the left is embossed with a Darice embossing folder.

Two butterfly stickers, sentiment by Papertrey Ink, matted and popped up.

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

Faux Embossing

 

Someone in my stamping group asked me to demonstrate what I call the "Faux Embossing" technique when we go to Des Moines next week. So, I've been working on it. Here are two cards I made using the technique. It's just stamping, but it really does look like it's raised embossing. All you do is stamp a fairly solid stamp with ink matching the cardstock you are stamping on. Then, using a Stamp-a-ma-jig or a MISTI, you stamp the image again with white ink, moving it slightly one way or another from the original stamping. 

The image I used on these cards is from Gina K. The sentment on this first card is from The Paper Company.

On this one, I used my Score-Pal to make a border around the outside. The sentiment is from Gina K.

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

Friends #3

I wasn't going to use this cute stamp (from the Stampin' Up! set called "Friends"), because I was too lazy to color it! :) So, I thought about just stamping it and showing it, but then decided that I could use it this way. I stamped it with Versamark ink on pink cardstock, then embossed it with detail white embossing powder. I cut it with a Memory Box stitched rectangle die. I matted with a thin border of white, then cut another pink layer with a slightly bigger stitched rectangle die. The sentiment was cut out of silver metallic cardstock and has been sitting around on my table for a few months.

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

Friends #2

Here is my second card made with the Stampin' Up! set called "Friends." (You'll see the first one in a couple weeks.) It's very, very similar to a card I made a few weeks ago, but I do like the layout and it works so perfectly with this little stamp. I cut the opening with a die. The bow was also done with a die. I mounted the top panel on Dimensionals. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink. I colored with Copic markers and used some Wink of Stella.

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

Cute Christmas Reindeer

All of the stamps and dies that I used for these cards are from the same Hampton Arts set. I got it when I was at Michael's when we were in Chicago the week before last. They are all basically the same with different placement of the image panel. The die cuts are all mounted on Dimensionals. I used Wink of Stella on them, too.

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

Christmas Tree

I made six more Christmas cards yesterday and this morning. The five I am sharing with you tomorrow are my favorites. This one came about because I accidentally cut an extra matting panel and felt I needed to use it right away. :) The stamps I used for this card are from Recollections. I stamped the tree on scratch paper before stamping on this panel so that I could stamp the sentiment over it. I added the trunk of the tree with a marker. The whole panel is mounted on Dimensionals.

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

Oriental Paintings - #1, #2 and #3

Another Stampin' Up! set finished. I continue to make progress on my quest to use all of my SU! sets, although I will admit to cheating a bit! For today's cards I used the set called "Oriental Paintings." For this first one, I used Versamark on black and embossed with detail gold embossing powder. The background paper is also shiny gold and black. It is paper our daughter brought me from her visit to Japan. The image panel is mounted on Dimensionals.

For this second card, I used watercolor paper. I colored the image with Spectrum Noir Glitter Sparkle pens. I mounted the panel on Dimensionals. The background paper was given to me by our daughter-in-law who got it in Japan.

And the third stamp of the set. I colored with Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers. It's also mounted on Dimensionals. The patterned square underneath was cut with a stitched square die. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.

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

Happy Graduation, Emma!

Our niece's youngest daughter graduated this year. Here is the card that I made for her. Her school colors are red and white. The background was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder. The circles were cut with Nestabilities. I popped that panel up on Dimensionals. The graduation hat and diploma were cut with Quickutz/Lifestyle Crafts dies. The diploma is also mounted on a Dimensional.

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

June Calendar Page

Here is my calendar page for the month of June. I used a stamp from an old Stampin' Up! set called "Nature's Sketchbook." I cut it out with a stitched rectangle die and colored with Copic markers.

If you are interested in making your own calendars and using my files, you can find them at the top of my blog page under the title. I'd love to hear from you if you do!

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

Heartfelt Thanks - #1, #2 and #3

Another Stampin' Up! stamp set done! :) And this time I even used all of the stamps. The set I used for today's cards is called "Heartfelt Thanks." It consists of three two-step flowers, a flower center and two sentiment stamps. For this first card, I used a two-step flower, the flower center and both sentiments. The image panel is matted with black and mounted on Dimensionals.

 For this second card, I used a different two-step flower and one sentiment. The sentiment is popped up on Dimensionals.

For this third card, I used the last two-step flower, the flower center and both sentiments. I used one sentiment as a stem for the flower. I matted with matching green and mounted the "Thanks" panel on Dimensionals.

It's been a while again since I had time to spend in my stamping room. Two of these cards have been done for a while, and one I did yesterday. We just spent a week in a Chicago suburb with three of our grandkids. Our daughter and son-in-law were on vacation for their fifteenth wedding anniversary and we were watching the kids. Fun ... and a bit tiring! :)

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

Not So Short Notes - Stair-Step Card

Finally, another post! I haven't been in my stamping room for what seems a long time! This card was almost completed a couple weeks ago, and I finished it up last night. Not sure when I'll get back in my room again, either. Oh well - that's life! And it's summer:)

Another stair-step card. For this card, I used the Stampin' Up! set called "Not So Short Notes." I used two of the stamps - the image on the front and the sentiment/image on the inside. There are two more stamps, but I'm not planning on using them at this time. One is an image very similar to the mailboxes, but it's three bird houses. The other is a very long and thin angel.

The sentiment was cut with a die. To make it fit, I cut the "BIRTHDAY" into two pieces. The little birdie on the bottom of the front is from the sentiment stamp. Not my favorite card, but after having it sit around almost finished for quite a while, it's good to have it in the "done" box!

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

Evergreen Tree - Times Four

It may not look like it on my blog today - but Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there. And to everyone who has ever had a mother:)

I have four cards for you today, all using the same two-step tree stamps. They are from a new-to-me stamp set by Recollections/Michael's. It's hard to tell, but three of these are stamped in green with white stamped over them. The sentiments are all from the same set. I added trunks on all of them, and a little shadow on most with either light blue or gray.

The embossing on this matting layer was done with a Sizzix folder. The stitched circle die-cut is left over from my card from a couple days ago. It's mounted on Dimensionals.

 The panel is mounted on Dimensionals.

For this one, I stamped with green and then stamped again with the second stamp in a darker green. I added Stickles dots, also.

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

Penny Black Sticker #4

The last of the four large stickers from a Penny Black sheet. I mounted the sticker on cardstock and trimmed around the edge. I mounted that panel on Dimensionals and added it to colored cardstock. The sentiment is from a new-to-me stamp set from Recollections.

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

Penny Black Sticker #3

Another Penny Black sticker from the same sheet as a few days ago. I matted with two colors of cardstock and mounted on Dimensionals. I added some patterned paper and rick rack. The sentiment is a sticker, also. I added a couple black gems, too.

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

Petal Prints #2

The other card I made using the Stampin' Up! set called "Petal Prints." I stamped the flower and the leaves using two of the stamps in the set. I "sloppy" colored them with Copics. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.

Normally I like two-step stamping, but I wasn't particularly fond of the way the outline stamp matched up with the solid stamps.

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

Petal Prints #1 Stair-Step

Moving along with my quest to use all of my Stampin' Up! stamps (and "cheating" by passing up several of them), I present to you this card using the SU! set called "Petal Prints." It consists of three outline stamps, the three more solid stamps to stamp under the outlines, and one background stamp of three leaves. I am only going to use the outline stamps in my two cards using this set. I stamped the flower and then colored it using Copic markers. I decided to use one of the stair-step cards that I cut quite a while ago. (If you want my instructions for this card, and to see other stair-step cards I have made in the past, you can use this link.)

The background was embossed with a Cuttlebug Anna Griffin folder. The sentiment was cut with a die.

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

Another Penny Black Sticker

Another Penny Black sticker from the same sheet as yesterday. I cut a circle with a stitched circle die that was just the right size for the circle sticker. I cut that panel slightly smaller than the card front, mounted it on Dimensionals and placed it over the card front with the sticker on it. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink. 

I have two more stickers from this sheet to use, and you'll probably be seeing them very soon. There are also two small stickers on the sheet, and I still have those same two stickers left from a previous sheet of the same designs. Some day I'll use those stickers, too.
  Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Penny Black Sticker

I decided to use up a couple Penny Black stickers that I dug out a few weeks ago. The entire image is one sticker. I added it to cardstock and trimmed around the edges. I matted with colored cardstock and mounted on Dimensionals. I decided to add it to the card base at an angle. I often "threaten" myself to do that, but then I usually end up putting it straight:) The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.

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

Beary Best #4

The last card you'll see (for now) from me using the Stampin' Up! set called "Beary Best." Again, simply stamped, colored with Copics and cut with a die and mounted on Dimensionals. The sentiment is from the same set. I added a little color to the sentiment, but it's hard to see in the photo. The sentiment is also popped up.

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

Beary Best #3

Card #3 using the Stampin' Up! set called "Beary Best." Another very simple card. The image is from the set. I colored with Copics, cut it out with a stitched rectangle die, and mounted on Dimensionals. I also added Star Dust Stickles to the bees' wings. The sentiment is from Papertry Ink.

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

Beary Best #2

My second card using the Stampin' Up! set called "Beary Best." The birthday party image is from the set, and so is the balloon. I added the strings free-hand. I colored the images with Copics. I'm not sure what this kind of card is called, but I've gotten a couple of them from friends and thought I would make one of my own. The sentiment was die-cut twice and glued together for extra thickness.

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

Beary Best #1

The set I used for this card, from Stampin' Up!, is called "Beary Best." It consists of several bear stamps and two sentiments, plus a balloon. I used the cute bear in an envelope for this card, plus one of the sentiments. I colored the image, cut it out, and placed it on a "card part" that's been sitting on my table for a few weeks. I rounded the corners of the kraft cardstock to match the white rectangle.

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

Basket of Blossoms

Not my favorite set or card, but I got another Stampin' Up! set done:) This set is called "Basket of Blossoms." I stamped the basket on kraft cardstock and cut it out and popped it up on Dimensionals. The flowers and leaves were stamped with die ink and then colored in with Copic markers. I cut the flowers out and popped them up, too. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink, is matted with kraft and is popped up. The kraft background is embossed with a Darice folder.

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

May Calendar Page

Here is my calendar page for the month of May. Pretty simple. The tulips are from Inkadinkado. I colored them with Copic markers and cut them out with a stitched rectangle die.

If you would like to print and make your own calendars using my blank calendar file, you can find the Excel file and the cutting instructions in the Calendar tab under my blog title. I'd love to hear from you if you do! If you have problems with the files, please let me know and I can email them to you.

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