Congratulations - Times Two

   Two cards again for you today.  They both use an image stamp from Repeat Impressions called Celestial Positive and a sentiment stamp from Stampin' Up!
   This first one has embossing done with Jeweled Gold embossing powder.  I used two strips above the sentiment, in different widths and lengths.

   For this second one, I used detail silver embossing powder.  I matted it on shimmery silver paper, which I embossed with a Cuttlebug border embossing folder.  The sentiment is stamped with Versamagic Night Sky ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.  On both cards, the blue cardstock is lightly textured.
   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!

Another Glittery Card

   So many times I find myself writing in comments on others' cards saying, "I love the sparkle!" but I either forget or choose to not make the mess using glitter myself.  However, I've decided to change that, and add the "sparkle" that I do really like.  So, here is another one.  It is done for this week's color challenge on SplitCoastStampers, which is Ballet Blue, Barely Banana and Old Olive.
   This card is done differently than those from yesterday.  I started with a daisy stencil by Dreamweavers.  I taped it to the Ballet Blue cardstock with removable tape.  Then I stippled Versamagic Spanish Olive, PTI Fresh Snow and Color Box Canary pigment inks through the stencil.  (I generally use dye ink, but I thought the pigment ink would cover the blue better.)  I added the embossing paste, carefully removed the tape and the stencil, and then added the glitter.  After it had dried, I didn't think the color was intense enough, so I put the stencil back over the paste and stippled on a little bit of Old Olive and Barely Banana ink.  The Barely Banana strip was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and my Scor-Pal.  The sentiment is from Repeat Impressions and is stamped with Old Olive ink.  I added a little bit of Stickles to the centers of the embossed flowers.  (If you are interested in this technique, I have a friend who sells the necessary supplies.  She also sells what you need for yesterday's cards, and just about anything else you might be interested in!  Here is a link to her blog:  Heartwarmers From Vicki.  Tell her "Lynette sent you!" LOL!)
   Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Two Glitter Cards

   Just a card for no reason. :)  But, actually, I'm linking it up to the CAS-tastic challenge, which you can find here.  Even though it's a little detailed, I think the overall effect is "Clean and Simple."

   I used a brass stencil by Anna Griffin for the rose.  I used double-sided sticky paper and Martha Stewart glitter.  It's matted on purple cardstock, which was punched with an SU! border punch and embossed with my Scor-Pal.  I used a Sizzix (actually it says "Ellison."  Same thing!)  texture plate to emboss the white matting layer.   The sentiment is by Papertrey Ink, and is cut with a Spellbinders tag die.  All those layers are then mounted on the card base.

   This second card uses a small brass stencil by Dreamweavers and the same technique.  I very carefully added the different colors of glitter to the stencil.  The background paper is from a pack I got at Costco a while back.  The middle layer is a shimmery copper paper which I embossed with a Fiskars texture plate.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink and is embossed with black detail embossing powder.
   Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Repeat Impressions Stamp of the Week - Rebecca

   Repeat Impressions has a "Stamp of the Week!"  You can find the details on the Repeat Impressions blog: The House That Stamps Built.  Each week there will be a featured stamp at 50% off, available to RI blog readers only.  This week's stamp is Rebecca.  (Scroll down on the page just a little ways to find her.)  Be sure to check out the fabulous cards the Design Team has created with this wonderful stamp! 

Ayana Posadas

Dana Joy
Lynette Neus (me!)
Joy Hadden
Julie Smith
Michele Greenwood
Darsie Rose Bruno
Harriet Skelly
Robin Kirkpatrick

   I couldn't stop myself, and made three cards using her for today's post:)  For this first one (and the third one, too) I paper-pieced her dress, pinafore and hat.  The little bit of coloring was done with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol.  All the papers for this card (except the white) are from an older Sizzix pad.  The sentiment is also from RI.

   For this card, I colored Rebecca with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol and cut her (carefully!) out.  She is mounted on Pop Dots and then on an oval cut with Nestabilities.  The matting cardstock is from Papertrey Ink.  I used a QuicKutz embossing folder, which I cut out.  The sentiment is from RI, and I added a couple brads to the oval.  The background is from Die Cuts With a View - Pocket Full of Posies matstack.

   This card is the same as the first one, done with different papers and without the bottom layer.  The papers are from the same Sizzix pad.
   Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Crepe Paper Carnation Birthday

   I saw a flower like this on Cammie's (Carolyn King) blog last week, and knew I had to make one.  Here is a link to her post.  It was really quite simple to do.

   I had some crepe paper left over from my parents' anniversary party last June.  I knew I saved it for a reason!  I cut ten layers of crepe paper at one time with a Spellbinders Blossom die, left them layered and used a paper piercer to make a hole in the center, and added a brad.  I crinkled up the layers one at a time, and behold - a carnation!  (At least, I think it looks like a carnation.)    I used some bright pink cardstock for matting the layers.  For the flower layer, I also embossed it with a Script folder (from Cuttlebug) and rubbed the embossing with white ink.  The green layer is from from Die Cuts With a View Nana's Nursery.  The sentiment is from Repeat Impressions.  I drew the stem and leaves with a Certainly Celery marker.
   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!

Birdhouse Sketch Challenge

   I made this card for Sketch Challenge #277 on SplitCoastStampers.
   The birdhouse stamp is from Repeat Impressions.  I stamped it three times and hand drew the posts.  I colored them with Stampin' Up! markers - Mauve Mist, Bliss Blue, Certainly Celery, Pale Plum and Perfect Plum.  The matting for the layers is the corresponding cardstocks from SU!  The center layer is embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder.  The sentiment is from Repeat Impressions, also.
   Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

Oh, Deer!

   I don't have a card to share with you today, so I thought I would just share a photograph I took on Monday.
   This was taken out our bedroom window - the back of our house.  The deer (can you see them?  There are at least three in the picture.  There were at least five of them out there.) are actually in our neighbor's yard, but I zoomed in on them.  The mama deer was looking right at me, not sure if I was a threat or not. I saw her stomp her foot several times.  I love where we live.  We're five minutes from most anything, ten minutes from downtown Minneapolis, yet we have lots of wildlife in our yard.
   Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!

CAS63 - and a Bonus Card

I made this card for SplitCoastStampers Clean and Simple Challenge #63, which was a sketch.  It's also for SCS Technique Lovers Challenge #269, which was to use piercing.


The stamps I used are both from Repeat Impressions.  I stamped the daisy multiple times on a strip of white cardstock.  I used three of them for this card, and then I decided the others ones were evenly spaced well enough to use for another card.  I cut the three for this card with a Circle Nestability.  I colored them with with Stampin' Up! markers and sponged the edges.  I pierced the line of holes, then sanded down the back with a sanding block so that it would lay flat on the Almost Amethyst matting.

Like I said, I had these flowers left over from the previous card.  I used a dotted circle stamp from Papertrey Ink to stamp around each of the daisies.  I matted it with Barely Banana cardstock (SU!) which I embossed with a Cuttlebug border folder.  I also added Stickles on the flower centers of the stamped flowers and the embossed flowers.  The sentiment is from Verve.  (The inside of the card says "a Very Happy Anniversary.)  I also added another layer of Barely Banana matting.


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

My First Repeat Impressions Card

Well, here is my first card using Repeat Impressions stamps!  I've had fun trimming (they come mounted or unmounted) and organizing them.  It was finally time to put ink to them - and they stamp so nicely!


The flowers are a stamp called Morning Glories.  I colored them with my Stampin' Up! markers - Old Olive and Lavender Lace.  Oh, and little Barely Banana in the center.  I cut the image and the mat (Old Olive) using Circle Nestabilities.  The border is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and matted with Old Olive.  The sentiment is also from Repeat Impressions.


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

Another Daisy Card

I don't normally post (or even make!) such similar cards, but this is all I have to share with you today:)  Between being out of town, having plans in town, and making some special-order cards (Hi, Gloria!) there just hasn't been time to stamp anything new.  So, this is what you get today - the card I made for my niece, which is very much like the anniversary card I posted a couple days ago.  I did, however, get a large packet of stamps from Wendy at Repeat Impressions on Friday afternoon, and I'm very eager to start using them!  Maybe today - we'll see!


So, here is the scoop on the card.  The flowers and leaves were stamped on Kraft cardstock with Papertrey Ink's set called Floral Frenzy using ink from PTI - New Leaf and Fresh Snow and Color Box Canary yellow.  The sentiment is also from PTI - Birthday Basics.  The edges have been rubbed with New Leaf ink, the corners are pierced, and that layer is mounted on Pop Dots.  The bottom layer is embossed with my Swiss Dots folder.


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

Side-Step Birthday

This card is for my dad.  It's his birthday tomorrow.  Can you guess how old he will be?  Good guess! :)

I'm sure I've seen these cards before, but I was inspired to make one by my new Repeat Impressions Design Team-mate, Dana Joy.  Here is a link to her card.  She has a couple links to You Tube videos, but this is the one I found to be the most helpful of the two.  I started with a tree I had already stamped, colored and cut out.  Then I cut out the letters and numbers using a new Cuttlebug die cut set (Hippie Chick) I got from Oh My Crafts. (On clearance for $15, with free shipping!  The free shipping special is done now, though, I believe.)  I embossed the Kraft cardstock with a Cuttlebug folder.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Birthday Basics.  I did the scoring with my Scor-Pal, including the decorative scoring on the "DAD" layer.  The tree is mounted on Pop Dots.


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

Happy Anniversary, Lucy and David!

This card is for my friend's anniversary.  Lucy and I have been friends for over 45 years - amazing!  Enjoy your day, Lucy!


It's a very simple card, but I like the way it turned out, and I finally used another Papertrey set I got for Christmas.  All of the stamps except the sentiment are from PTI's set called Floral Frenzy.  I used a couple PTI inks, too - Fresh Snow and New Leaf.  The yellow is from Color Box.  The sentiment is by Hero Arts.  The card base and main panel are PTI's Kraft, and I matted the image panel with white.


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

An Announcement!

I have some exciting news to share today.  Check this out!  I have been chosen to be on the Design Team for Repeat Impressions!  Very cool!!  I am so excited to be a part of this team.


You can find the blog here.  The rest of the team is pictured and the links to their blogs are all there.  And here is a link to the store.  Check out all the great stamps!  I can't wait to get started creating with them!


I'll be back tomorrow with a card:)


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

SCS Color Challenge Thanks

Well, I'm back from Chicago.  We got to meet our new (adorable!) granddaughter!  It was awesome.  We also got to spend time with our grandson.  This is the last card that I have already made, so I guess I'll have to get busy today and do some stamping! :)  It was made for SplitCoastStampers Color Challenge #265 from last week - Tempting Turquoise, Certainly Celery and Soft Suede.

I got a small order from Oh My Crafts last week, and I used a new Cuttlebug embossing and die cut set. The embossed flowers background, the die cut flower and the die cut "thanks" are from the same set. I also used a Swiss Dots folder. The sentiment panel is mounted on Pop Dots.  The cardstock is all from Stampin' Up! in the challenge colors named above.


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

Embossed Dragonfly Thanks

A simple Thank You card for today.  It's kind of a "green" card, too, as it "re-purposes" materials.


The purple is actually part of a bookmark that I got at Barnes and Noble a couple weeks ago.  It's a little bit shiny. I punched the dragonflies out of a Priority Mailing envelope  (more recycling) and used my BIGkick with the rubber embossing mat to emboss them on the purple.  I matted it with black.  The sentiment is done with a Die cut from a set from Cuttlebug.


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

Birthday Daisies

Just a quick post today - a birthday card for another member of our Yahoo! group.  Happy Birthday, Andrea!


The stamps are from Verve.  I stamped the stems with green and the flowers with black.  i colored pearls with a yellow sharpie and used them for the flower centers.  I added Stickles to the petals.  I matted on yellow and on Old Olive which was embossed with my Swiss Dots folder and did a little hand-doodling with a black gel pen.  The bottom layer is from a Die Cuts With a View matstack.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts.


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

SplitCoastStampers Sketch Challenge - Baby Girl

This card is for this week's SplitCoastStampers Sketch Challenge - #275 and also for this week's Flutter By Wednesday, which is to use sparkle and a butterfly. It is for the birth of our new granddaughter. (It also works for the CAS challenge - to only use stamping for the sentiment.)

The papers are from Debbie Mumm's Baby Girl cardstock pad. The solid pink is from Stampin' Up! I think it's Positively Pink. The bottom patterned paper had a little sparkle, but I added Stickles over the existing sparkled spots so they would show more. The sentiment is done with my JustRite Stamper. (In real life, it has her last name on it:) ) I added tiny pearls on each scallop. It is mounted on Pop Dots. The butterflies are punched with a Martha Stewart punch and have pearl bodies and Stickled wings. The larger one is on a Pop Dot piece.

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

SplitCoastStampers Clean and Simple Challenge - Best Wishes

This card is for SplitCoastStampers Clean and Simple Challenge #61 - make a card with the only stamping being the sentiment.

The periwinkle paper is from Lasting Impressions. I embossed it with a Cuttlebug folder and sanded it down with a Stampin' Up! sanding block so the white backing showed.  I added Stickles to the "dots" of the dandelion. (I think it's a dandelion!) The sentiment is from Sincere Salutations by SU! and is stamped with Versafine Onyx Black.  I adhered it to the white card base.

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

Happy Birthday, Georgia!

Another birthday girl in my Yahoo! group:)  It's not her birthday until tomorrow, but I know she has already received it.  Happy Birthday, Georgia!


I used a stamp from Stampin' Up!'s set called Thoughts and Prayers.  I colored it with SU! markers - Soft Suede, Certainly Celery and Melon Mambo.  The sentiment is from SU!'s set called Sincere Salutations, stamped with Soft Suede.  I cut the image and sentiment panel out as a rectangle, but left the leaves "outside the box."  I added some rhinestones to each flower and also a strip of them under the sentiment.  I matted the panel with Melon Mambo.


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

SplitCoastStampers Color Challenge - Owl

This card is for last week's Color Challenge (#264) - Bermuda Bay, So Saffon and Basic Gray. I also cased a card by my stamping idol - Sue Nelson. Here is Sue's card. I don't have Basic Gray - I only have Going Gray. So, I used some dark gray paper from Lasting Impressions and a charcoal gray card base. I also only have Bermuda Bay cardstock and marker - no ink pad. And since I needed to sponge with it, I used the alternative - Taken With Teal.

I first embossed the LI paper with the owl Cuttlebug folder. I had to do the owl first, because I didn't want blue on the owl. After I embossed, I sanded it down. (The LI paper has a white back.) After sanding, I sponged So Saffron on the white areas. Then I embossed with the Diamonds in the Rough folder, sanded again, and sponged with Taken With Teal - avoiding the owl. I matted the owl with Taken With Teal and then on to the card base. The sentiment (from Hero Arts) is stamped with Taken With Teal on So Saffron, cut with a square Nestability, sponged with an Antique Pewter pigment ink, and matted on a scalloped square cut from Taken With Teal. The sentiment panel is mounted on Pop Dots.


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

Happy Easter!

Just a very short post to wish a Happy Easter to all of my blog readers that celebrate Easter.  I hope you all have a wonderful day, and safe travels to anyone who is on the road.


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

Happy Birthday, Joanne!

This card is for Joanne - a member of my Yahoo! group.  Happy Birthday, Joanne!  I sure hope the card arrived on time yesterday.


The card base and layers are Stampin' Up!'s Very Vanilla.  The matting is a brown.  I embossed the background with D'Vine Swirls folder from Cuttlebug.  The corners of the image panel were punched with a Marvy punch.  The tree stamp is from Verve and is called Whimsy Tree.  I stamped it on the vanilla and also on Certainly Celery, then cut it and the grass out of the celery and adhered them to the Vanilla.  The sentiment is from SU!'s Sincere Salutations set.  I also added a thin strip of brown and scoring with my Scor-Pal.


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

Clean and Simple Sketch Challenge

I made this card for SplitCoastStampers Clean and Simple Challenge #60, which is a sketch. It's also for the Curtain Call Color Challenge (kraft, white, black and Pretty in Pink) which you can find here.

I first stamped the pink squares with a stamp from Stampin' Up!'s Little Shapes - using my Stamp-a-ma-jig to line them up. I added the hippos from a clear set I got at Michael's on Sunday. I colored the flowers, ears and teeth with gel pens. The bottom layer is Papertrey Ink's Kraft and is punched with an SU! border punch and scored with my Scor-Pal. The hippo layer is matted with Pretty in Pink. The tag sentiment is from the same clear set and is cut out with a tag die from Spellbinders. The ribbon is from PTI. I added a little darker pink flower with a black brad to match the flower on the hippo.


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

April Calendar Page

Well, now it's time to be amazed that it's April already!!  So, here is my calendar page.  As usual, I will offer my Excel file to print the blank calendar pages.  If you would like it emailed to you, send me an email at LJNeus@hotmail.com.


How about a weather update first:)  I slept in summer pajamas with the window open and just the sheet for covers!  That was March 31 in Minnesota!!!  It was 75 degrees on Tuesday and 76 yesterday.  Gorgeous!  And, we did not have even ONE snowflake the whole month of March!!


OK - on the page.  Not much too it.  The basket stamp is from Stampin' Up!'s A Flower For All Seasons.  I stamped it on white and also onto some tan-ish paper.  I cut the basket (with the bird included, but not the handle) out of the tan and glued it to the white and colored with markers.  I used a Martha Stewart punch to punch the border on the yellow layer and matted them on to some shimmery pink paper.  The Happy Easter stamp (I believe - I'm too lazy to get up right now and check!) is from an Inkadinkado set I got at Costco.


Is anyone else having problems seeing the photos on my blog?  I had a comment that someone was not able to see them the last couple days.  I'm not doing anything different.  Can you see this one, Annie?


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