Bird Setting

Boy was the Sketch Challenge today totally out of my norm. I must of started this card 5 times with all completely different ideas. Looking at the sketch I just could not get my head out of the flower mode. I never look at the gallery before I finish my card, but today I did and it seemed like so many of them where flowers so I once again put it all away and started again. As I was putting my large scallop circle die cut away I moved the bird and leaves die cut and that is when my final idea popped into my head. After I had cut the leaves away I used the cut out part as a stencil to do some leaves on the background. I had never tried cutting more than one piece at a time but this was my chance. I layered the wing, bird and beak all on top of each other and only had to run it through the Big Shot once! I used the Coluzzle to cut the circles. I cut them both the same size as I wanted more of an offset look than a shadowed one. Since it seems like I just cannot make a card without sponging I had to sponge around the edge of the card, the bird, and the lighter of the rectangle panels.

Stamps: Stitched Background

Paper: Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss, Apricot Appeal, Res Riding Hood Patterns Designer Paper

Ink: Mellow Moss, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Big Shot, Birds w/ Leaves & Flower Die, Coluzzle, Large Scallop Circle Die

Long Sihouettes

Well, here is the second card for my October stamp night. I ordered these envelopes by accident so I planned on purposely designing a card that could go with the long Kraft envelopes. So I get an idea and get to work. I finish the card and go to put it in my project box (I set aside one for each project planned), only then do I remember that the envelope is not the same size as the regular invitation envelopes...So I begin again and measured the envelope first! This is the same concept, I just had to put the elements on top of the ribbon instead of above it. I sponged Always Artichoke around the edge of the card front. The image rectangles are 1" x 2" before matting.

Stamps: Stitched Background, Pocket Silhouettes

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Kraft

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Small Oval Punch, Word Window Punch, Chocolate Chip Double Stitched Ribbon, Kraft Small Open Ended Envelopes

Quilted Card

So with this card I decided to play around with Scoring and embossing. I wanted the background to look like a quilt. I used the scoring blade on my Fiskers cutter and scored every 1/2". I then used the piercing tool and pierced a hole in each corner of the diamonds. I embossed the 2 different flowers from the Pick a Petal Brass Template to emboss. I then used the same template to pierce the small flower and the 1/16" circle punch to make the holes in the larger embossed flower. I stamped Happy Birthday on the card stock before I dry embossed it or punched it out with the scallop circle punch. It is hard to see in the picture but I used my regular stylus and made small circles in the edges of the edge scallops. I used the ticket corner punch in 2 of the four corners and Double Circle Punch to make the faux brads in the 2 corners and the center of the flower. I do not know if I will every get sick of the Red Riding Hood. I am going to run out before I can even officially order it. I also used one of the new buttons that will be coming out int he new catalog.

Stamps: Stitched Background, Think Happy Thoughts

Paper: Red Riding Hood, Whisper White, Pacific Point

Ink: Red Riding Hood, Pacific Point

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, 1 1/16" Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Pick a Petal Brass Template, Fiskers Scorer, SU Button, Black Twine, Ticket Corner Punch

Thank you

Well, I'm so thankful that when I had the strength last week that my wonderful family allowed me to spend the day making cards so I could pre-post some posts for here and get some of my cards caught up for the month of July. I have the most loving and helpful family and friends. I am greatly blessed!!!

This is a card I made for our church as a thank you for all of the thoughtful acts and wonderful prayers while I am getting back on my feet. My MRI turned out normal so they are treating me for the migraines which have been daily (minus 2 or 3 days) since June 21st. They figure this is what caused the paralysis and that I should regain the use of my left side soon.

I saw this layout somewhere (sorry still foggy on the memory) and thought it would be great to duplicate. I used the end of the snail adhesive to get my arch on the top and bottom and then my ruler to do the straight edge. I stamped with the Sanded background and then sponged the edges with Chocolate Chip ink. I did the faux stitching with the paper piercing template and the Chocolate Chip Marker.

Stamps: Sanded Background, Stitched Background

Paper: Cameo Coral, Red Riding Hood, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Versamark

Accessories: Gold Embossing Powder, Large Oval Punch, Label Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Word Window Punch, Gold Brad

Thinking of You

So yesterday I got my workshop order in. I ordered a couple of sets that I have wanted. I thought this one would do some great simple cards. I saw a card that used the Define your Life set with it. I just had to have that set but do not use it as much as I thought I would. I think it will be great paired with Take Three. This was for the Limited Use Challenge today. The challenge was to use brads. The extra touch was that the brads had to be the only embellishment used and had to be used within the image. I thought they would go great as flower centers. The hardest part was to pick out what colors I wanted to use. Can you tell I am an Earth Tone kind-of-girl? I did the background dots with the piercing template from the mat pack and the Stylus. I got the idea from Diane. What a fabulous idea, and so easy! I stamped the image in the Groovy Guava and then went over what I wanted to change with the Really Rust marker. I also sponged around the edge of the background with Groovy Guava.

Stamps: Stitched, Take Three, Define Your Life

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Groovy Guava, Really Rust, Very Vanilla

Ink: Groovy Guava, Really Rust, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: More Mustard and Ruby Red Brads, Sylus and Mat Pack for dry Embossing

Circle Sketch

Did I go overboard on the sketch challenge? I just kept adding and adding and adding. I tried to keep the image simple. I have vowed to stop hoarding the hodge podge hardware since I read the the finishes in the current catalog will retire with this catalog. I cannot wait to see what they are coming out with to replace it. I guess the layout kind of reminds me of my schedule fo rthe next 2 weeks before school gets out.

Stamps: Stitched Background, Short and Sweet, A Tree for all seasons

Paper: Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Groovy Guava, Bali Breeze DSP, Whisper White

Ink: Always Artichoke, Groovy Guava, Close to Cocoa, Soft Sky, Mellow Moss

Accessories: Coluzzle, Photo Corner Punch, Large Oval Punch, Hodge Podge Hardware

Pretties

So after I finish my cards my kids insist on seeing what I made. Today was not "Great card mom!". It was more like "It is nice, but it is not you." Today's Limited Supplies Challenge was to use an embellishment you just had to have but never use. It had to be a floral card too. I just had to have the Pretties kit but am never fully satisfied with how they turn out. I can never get them to be the exact color I want them to be. So can you tell I tried dying the flower More Mustard? If there is a trick, I would love to know it. I use re-inker and a small amount of water in an old brad container. I used the Spritzer again to add some more color to the flower. So it will fit again for the Ways to Use it challenge from yesterday. The Old Olive one I colored with the marker. I never know what to do with the hat pins, so this was another reach for me. I bought the Silver Hodge Podge kit because I love the elements ,but I am just not a silver person. I thought since the Pretties Kit was silver this would be a good time to use them some more. I love the rub-ons but just do not use them as often. I wanted a little more around the words than just the hardware so I used the small and large oval punches to make a frame for around the hardware and words. Have a Great Weekend!!!

Stamps: Stitched

Paper: Ruby Red, Old Olive

Ink: Ruby Red, More Mustard, Old Olive

Accessories: Eastern Elegance Rub-Ons, Pretties Kit, Silver Hodge Podge hardware, Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon

Flip Flop

So today was the color challenge day. I've wanted to do a swing card for a very long time and just have never gotten around to it. Of course I choose a Tuesday, the only day I get to stay home all day, to do it. I usually give the kids bigger school assignments on Tuesdays since we have no schedule interruptions. So the idea of making a new technique card today was out of my mind. Next time remind me not to try to cut and measure while trying to help with a chemistry lesson, too many numbers for my mind...this is the second card.

Stamps: Stitched Background, Little Pieces, Hugs and Wishes

Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Basic Gray, Basic Black

Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Basic Gray, Basic Black

Accessories: Flower Fusion, Build a Brad, Photo Corner Punch, Black Brads, Tool Kit for Piercing

Buttons and Rub Ons...

Today was the Sketch Challenge on SCS. I really struggled with the up and down layer of this sketch. I have so many new scraps of ribbon I cut for this. They just did not look right. I wanted something that would not take away from the rest of the idea. Then I remembered I had saw on someone else's blog that they had used the rub ons on the clear buttons. I thought this would be perfect for what I had in mind. It would fulfill the sketch and yet not take away or make the card too busy.

Stamps: Stitched Background

Paper: Pale Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Garden Green, Whisper White

Ink: Whisper White Craft, Basic Gray, Pale Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Garden Green

Accessories: Clear Buttons, Eastern Elegance rub-ons