Wonderful Father

I know this is a challenge for many to what to do on a man's card.  I find this set to be my go to set for the cards I make for guys.  This is a very simple card.  I also noticed the guy cards I have been making the last few weeks I have been using the twine on instead of the ribbon.

Card Details:
Stamps: Nature Silhouettes, Inspired by Nature  (on tag),  Wonderful Favorites
Paper: Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla
Ink: Early Espresso, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Big Shot,  Twine,  Top Note Die, Woodgrain Texture Plate,  Antique Brad

Grandpa and Grandma

I love working on this book.  I never got to meet my Dad's Mom as she died when he was just 15 yrs old.  I have been told by my Dad's siblings that we look very much alike.  This is the only picture we have of just the two of them. Doing this book makes me feel so much closer to her.  For those of you who have not seen my Heritage Room, take a look.  I love learning and teaching my kids about where they came from.  This was a fun page to do. If you have not yet learned how to put the picture into the punch shapes check out the Picture In Punches tutorial in the side bar under the MDS certified gadget.  I knew that I wanted a black black background for this page but when I clicked on black in the background paper it was more a gray than a black.  So I put a stamped image up and then used the color picker on the background paper which turned it a much richer, deeper black.  I used the Offset Stamping on the Life Happens stamp to give it a bit of dimension. I also used the Opacity bar to lighten the flourishes around the picture.

Digital Details:
Stamps: Vintage Vogue
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Whisper White
Accessories: Modern Label Punch, Basic Black Brads

Ruffles Galore

I saw this idea in the new catalog.  If you have yours (my cases are scheduled to arrive today!) check out page 186. I love the ruffled look.  When I went to make the one I pictured I saw it with eyelet ruffles.  This was a super easy card.  I chose my colors, cut it all 4.25" wide, punched two edges and cut them in half.  I layered and glued it all together, did my piercing and then added my impressed, punched hearts with dimensionals cut in half.  Simple and Sweet!


Card Details:

Stamps: Heard from the Heart

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Pacific Point

Ink: Cherry Cobbler

Accessories: Piercing tool and mat pack, Big Shot, Small Heart Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Perfect Dot Impression Folder

Razzleberry Roses

Off this morning to do the Sketch Challenge...I knew right away right set I wanted to use.  I needed to make an anniversary card so I wanted it warm and romantic.I also knew that I wanted to use the impression folder that matched the set but I did not want to cover it up with the top 2 layers.  I then decided to use a transparency sheet as one of my layers.  I stamped the rose in White Stazon and sponged some around the layer of transparency and card front.  The focus rose was stamped in Versamark ink and embossed with Whisper White Embossing powder.  I then just painted over the whole thing with re-inker and an Aqua Pen.  I went back and filled in some of the areas with a deeper amount of re-inker. I added a flying butterfly in the upper corner to add just a bit more dimension and color.  To add the transparency on without being able to see the adhesive I stuck the focus rose where I wanted it on the transparency and they added the adhesive to the back of the transparency only where the focus rose would cover.  I guess I am still in my monochromatic mode...

Card Details:

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Old Olive, Regal Rose, Transparency Sheet

Ink: Versamark, White Stazon

Accessories: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Two-Step Bird Punch, Word Window Punch, Beautiful Wings Embosslit

MDS Monday

Wow, I have not had a MDS Monday in quite a while but then I realized that I had been working on my family genealogy book in the evenings and since I have been working on it in MDS that it would qualify for MDS Monday (duh!).  I made my Dad a scrapbook a few years back and searched his family tree back to the 1500's.  After I got into digital scrap booking I decided that I wanted to make one of my own that his siblings would be able to get a copy of.  I had already scanned all of the pictures when I did his because his oldest sister had helped me find them.  So I was all set to go. (click to enlarge image in a new window/tab)  I do 8.5" x 11" so this is a 2 page spread.

Digital Details:
Stamps: Vintage Vogue, Enjoy Every Moment
Paper:Summer Home DSP, Whisper White for matting, Presto Pattern Overlay
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Whisper White Satin Ribbon, Pink Pirouette Button Bouquet, Whisper White Brads, Scallop Trim Border Punch

Graduation Thank You

I had a son graduate from 8th grade this year so I got a chance to make graduation thank you cards.  I just love the new colors!  I hope I can make it to the catalog release before I use up the colors I bought.  I will not place another pre-order!!!! Oodles of sponging! I love this little hat cut out and popped up.  The sentiment is layered and then popped up too.  Off to reproduce a bunch of these.....have a great weekend!!

Card Details:
Stamps: Sanded Background, Go Graduate
Paper: Peach Parfait, Cajun Craze
Ink: Cajun Craze
Accessories: Big Shot,  Twine, 1" Circle Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, Scallop Trim Border, Thanks Embossing Die, Magnetic Movers & Shapers

Father's Day Pheasant Card

I just realized I was behind on getting my father's Day cards in the mail...and I thought I was doing so good on keeping up. So I went straight to the Sketch Challenge for some help.  I did lots of sponging.  I double layered the images color on color.  I have been meaning to do this for a long time but I am not sure if I ever have.

Card Details:

Stamps: Nature Silhouettes, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Paper: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, River Rock

Ink: Always Artichoke, River Rock

Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Perfect Dots Impression Folder, Mat Pack & Piercing Tool for Piercing, Curly Label Punch, Twine, Large Oval Punch

Lattice Butterflies

When I saw this Lattice Die in the last Catalog I just had to have it but once I got it I was stumped with how to use it..until I saw this blog post.  I loved this idea for a pop-up card.  It was so quick and easy and a wow result.  Let's  see what else I can make pop-up?  I love, love, love the new colors!!!

Card Details:
Stamps: Woodgrain Background, Whimsical Words, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Early Espresso, Bashful Blue, Cherry Cobbler, More Mustard, Concord Crush, Certainly Celery
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: Big Shot,  Beautiful Wings Die, Lattice Die

Blog Set Up

I have been working on a new blog design. I have been wanting to give this checkerboard design a try. It was time consuming but I think it turned out great. The little envelope on the banner was very fun to make. If you have any questions or comments please let me know!  If there is something you need to know about designing blogs or working with MDS just ask. I LOVE to help!!

Colorful Butterfly

Here is another idea that I saw in the new catalog.  I have never used the large butterfly from this die and it was a lot easier to do than I had thought.  To do the butterfly I used a piece of Very Vanilla card stock.  I then stamped the swirl with versamark ink and clear embossing powder.  After I folded the piece in half and lined it up on the die, ran it through the Big Shot I was ready to add some color.  I used my Sponge Daubers to rub the colors where I wanted them. I sprayed a spritz of the Smooch Spritz (my first try...boy was I nervous).  It is hard to tell but I punched the borders of both the designer paper and the Bashful Blue paper under it.  I offset them just a smidge.

Card Details:
Stamps: Baroque Motifs
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue, Designer Paper printed from MDS, Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla
Ink: Bashful Blue, Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron. Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, Versamark
Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Beautiful Butterflies Die, Beautiful Wings Die, Clear Embossing Powder, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button

Button Flowers

I needed a card for an anniversary so I had to make time to stamp.  I plan on doing some major organization this week so hopefully I can get back in the swing of things again and be able to have more time to stamp.  I got my pre-order for the new catalog (love it!) and just had to try out this idea I saw in it.  I have had this button die since the beginning of last years catalog and just loved the idea of using them as flower heads. The stems are just thinly cut card stock with the leaves added on. Edited to add that it is on page 210 of the 2010 catalog.

Card Details:

Stamps: Tiny Tags, Woodgrain Background

Paper: Marina Mist, Whisper White, Old Olive, Regal Rose, Bashful Blue, Rich Razzleberry

Ink: Marina Mist, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Regal Rose

Accessories: Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper Impression Folder, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Little Leaves Die, Buttons #5 Dies, Whisper White Organza Ribbon, Jewelry Tag Medium Punch, Heart Small Punch, Sewing Thread

New Blog Design

A few weeks ago I finished another MDS blog for Karen. MDS is so fun to work with. Don't forget to check out the tutorials on the sidebar or look at the MDS project in the labels.  You can check her blog out here.  If you have any MDS questions or requests please contact me!

Belated Mother's Day

This is the card I made for my Mother and Mother-in-law.  I cased a card from here.  It was so beautiful I could not help but copy it.  My recipients loved it too. It was a very simple card to make.  The flowers were stamped in the Sage Shadow ink and then the edges where rolled in the Chocolate Chip ink.  I then cut out the flowers and curled them after I layered them on the Rhinestone Brads.  Of course I mailed it out late, because I just cannot keep up with my own schedule.

Card Details:

Stamps:  Vintage Vogue, Well Scripted

Paper: Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa,  Sage Shadow

Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow

Accessories: Two Step Bird punch, Rhinestone Brads from the Pretties Kit

Sparkly Birthday

This one was made the beginning of April. Can you tell I am just cleaning off my camera card? I am so glad I at least took the time to take the pictures before I sent out the cards.  The bummer with the sizzlet alphabets is that they only cut one at a time, so to do a card like this my Big Shot got a workout :)  This whole card was sprayed down with Champagne Shimmer Spray.  It just shimmers and sparkles beautifully!


Card Details:

Stamps: None

Paper: Almost Amethyst, Lovely Lilac

Ink: None

Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Dots Impression Folder, Eyelet Border Punch, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Big Shot, Naturally Serif Die, Whisper White Organza Ribbon

Scientist Build-a-Bear

Here is another card that I had forgotten to post.  I made this card sometime in March.  Our Home Educator's group was able to go to the school and the science teacher taught the kids how to make silly putty and goo.  I wanted to come up with a science themed card for the kids to sign as a thank you.  I found this saying on a Google search and printed it for the clip board.  The test tube was also printed off the computer and then colored with re-inker.I tried to make his jacket look like a lab jacket.  What I needed to do was find a pair of goggles.  He was very adamant on that, but I forgot....next time!  The Always Artichoke card base is stamped with Woodgrain.  This is a full size card.  I used a full 8.5 x 11 and just folded in in half.  I pierced all the way around the Chocolate Chip frame. The show laces are very thin cut card stock.

Card Details:
Stamps: Think Happy Thoughts, Woodgrain
Paper: Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Bravo Burgundy, Whisper White, Basic Grey, Basic Black, Real Red, Creamy Caramel
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke,
Accessories: Circle Punch, Round Tab Punch, Big Shot, Build-a-Bear Dies, Perfect Dots Impression folder, Piercing toll and mat pack for piercing, Wide clip from clip assortment, Circle Brad

Eggplant Blooms

Wow, I found this card in my drafts that I guess I never got around to posting.  I made this months ago, probably sometime in March.   I really liked ow it turned out.  It was a very simple card to do and I used colors I questioned about to begin with but I have since used them again.

Card Details:
Stamps: Bella's Bloom
Paper: Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Basic Grey, Whisper White
Ink: Eggplant Envy
Accessories: Orchard Ribbon Original Eggplant Envy Ric Rac Ribbon

Anniversary

I am SOOOO far behind in my card making.  I had to stay up late last night and make a bunch to get caught up.  I tried to get pictures of them all before they went out in the mail so I hope to get the time to get them posted soon. This was a fun one to make! I hit the Sketch Challenge at SCS.  I usually hate doing 3-D layers and bulk because I never know how they will survive the mail, but I gave that up.  I have so many embellishments that never get used and it only cost me just a few cents more to mail.  This one (ok, I made 2) will go to my brother-in-law & sister-in-law and once of my close friends and her husband who both had anniversaries last weekend....today I NEED to get a name plaque and a wedding card done for a wedding on Saturday.

My Big shot sure got it's work out last night! Of course I had to use dies that would only cut on piece at a time, but it was worth it.  I did do a bit of sponging on this.  I sponged around the outside of the heart and the stamped vines.  The flowers I stamped in the Regal Rose and then rolled the edges in the Chocolate Chip.  The butterflies are adhered with mini glue dots with their wings folded up just a bit.  I do not know if you noticed but split the layer behind the vines so that it would show up on each background piece better. I covered the splits with the flower and the heart.

Sorry for the poor photo.  The sun has not shown it's face here for a few days and I was not able to get to my photo box this morning. I am re-arranging and it was too hard to get out right now.

Card Details:

Stamps: Vintage Vogue, Well Scripted

Paper: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Ink: Regal Rose, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Big Shot, Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder, Naturally Serif Sizzlet, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Scalloped heart of Hearts Embosslit, Corner Rounder Punch, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button

Popsicle

I have had this thought on my head for a Popsicle for a long time now.  So this morning after I saw the sketch challenge and decided that I did have some time to do a card today that I wanted to incorporate this into the sketch.  I have not used the Rich Razzleberry very much.  I ted to want the In Colors and then not use them because I do not want to get attached to something that will not stay around. Well, since the Rich Razzleberry is now staying around I just had to put it to good use.  I though it was the perfect color for this Popsicle.  I cut out the rectangle that I wanted and then used the corner rounder on one end and the scallop circle punch on the other.  I layered a section of white behind the bite area to give it a bit of dimension.  I then sponged all around the edges and right down the center.  I cut the stick out of Kraft paper and used the corner rounder on the end and sponged around the edges.  The textured background I sponged across the top and around each square with the Rich Razzleberry ink. The heart is popped up with a glue dot but the shadow makes it look more than it actually is.

Card Details:

Stamps: Think Happy Thoughts

Paper: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Rich Razzleberry

Ink: Rich Razzleberry

Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Dots Impression Folder, Corner Rounder, Scallop Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Heart Punch. Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon

Bugs N Kisses

Another easy card to whip together.  I know I have used this layout before and was a quick "go to" again.  This was another of the cards that went into that door prize basket I mentioned a while back.

*Side note: I apologize for my lack of posts recently. Many of you know that we adopted my nephew (hard to refer to him as that since he has been our son now for so long) after his family was killed in a car accident 7 years ago this summer. He has had major growth issues besides his autism/brain injury. He will be 9 in June and only wears a size 3T. So we finally found a doctor who would pursue the issue further than, "oh, he is just small". We have been running an hour away once a week or so for tests, besides tending to all of the other activities my other 3 at home still have and boy do they have activities.... We found out last week that his pituitary gland does not function. He had 40+ stitches to put his head back together after the accident. Thankfully he is otherwise healthy or it could have been deadly for him. So now I am learning how to set medication schedules, and when , in severity, to submit injections. So please do not give up on my blog yet. I pray I will get back in the swing of things sooner or later. At least now, after fighting doctors for the last 4+ years, we have an answer and get to move forward to help him get a more normal life.


Have a great weekend and Happy Stamping!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Bugs N Kisses

Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Brilliant Blue, Summer Sun, Only Orange

Ink: Real Red, Only Orange

Accessories: Big Shot, Finial Press Impression Folder, Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder, Circle Punches, Piercing Toll and Mat Pack for Piercing

Butterflies in Flight

Could this card get any simpler?  I actually had a bag of butterflies cut out left over from a big project I had just finished so all I had to do is cut and fold the card base, cut and adhere the card front, stamp the sentiment and attach the little sparkley butterflies. (yes they are sprayed with shimmer paint spray).

Card Details:

Stamps:  Well Scripted

Paper: Whisper White, Perfect Plum

Ink: Perfect Plum

Accessories: Big Shot, Champagne Shimmer Spray, Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die

Simple CASE

This is another of the cards that I included for the ladies door prize basket.  I once again hit the galleries to find some ideas. This card was so nice and easy to make.  I just punched out the colors I wanted to use that went with the colors in the felt flowers and added a scallop border punch to the bottom..  I had the Regal Rose already embossed in my scraps so it was super easy to put together.

Card Details:

Stamps: Tiny Tags

Paper: Rose Red, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie Patterns Designer Paper, Old Olive Patterns Designer Paper

Ink: Rose Red

Accessories: Flower Fusion, Rose Red Brad, Big Shot, Finial Press Impression Folder

Wolf Sketch

Well, there was no band for my son today so I got to stay home and actually make a card. Of course I had to jump right over to the Sketch Challenge and see what they had there.  I have been playing with my Circle Scissors, which I have had since it came out, and found out how easy it is to work.  Now to only keep my desk cleaned off enough to use on a regular basis. I've seen this banner thingy used for awhile now and have been wanting to use it on a card and this sketch worked out perfect for it.  I used the Photo Corner Punch to make the tail part.  I made the wave by just weaving it back and forth over my fingers. I did sponge around the wolf circle and the wolf is embossed.

Card Details:

Stamps: Sanded Background, Natures Silhouettes, Short and Sweet

Paper: Kraft, Sahara Sand, Garden Green, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Chocolate Chip Craft

Accessories: 5/8" Jumbo Brad, Twill Tape, 1" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, 1-3/4" Circle Punch,Circle Scissor Plus, Big Shot, Texture Plate Kit #4, Photo Corner Punch, Clear Embossing Powder