CAS-ual Friday Challenge 05 (2 Cards)

These are the two cards I've done so far for the CAS-ual Fridays challenge 005, which is a sketch.  For the top card, I used  Pink Pirouette base cardstock, Pure Pomegranate cardstock (SU), and a butterfly that I embossed from Magenta.  The doily half is from WalMart.  To do the butterfly, I inked it with pigment ink, heat set, edged it in white, heat set, then stamped the flower (Hero Arts) in Black Staz On ink.  I then covered the butterfly in Versamark ink, then used UTEE to emboss 3 times... I learned this technique from my friend Elaine R, who owns Scraps N More. I foam mounted the butterfly to the doily, then finished the card with some sheer white ribbon from Michaels.

For the second card, I started with a base of Real Red cardstock (SU), then cut the front about 1.5 inches from the top.  I took a piece of white cardstock, and adhered it to the red flap to make a full card.  Using the leftover piece of red cardstock, I cut the piece to size, and rounded the corners.  I added the white doily, which I stamped the flower (Hero Arts) in Mustard Seed distress ink. I stamped the sentiment (Hero Arts) in Colorbox Frost White ink.  I completed the card by adding some yellow ribbon from Michaels.

CST Challenge Card

CST is a group on Yahoo Groups for Canadian Stampers.. I have been a member there since 2003.... it was the first group I joined, with some prodding from friends who were already members.  The challenge for this week was to use ribbon or buttons.  I used both.  I started with So Saffron (SU) cardstock, cut, scored and folded to a standard sized card.  I stamped the Hero Arts stamp Envelope Pattern in Scattered Straw on the card.  I found a 2.5 inch circle of Apricot Appeal cardstock, and a 2 inch white scalloped circle blank.  I stamped the Poinsettia (SU) in Scattered Straw, and did the over stamping in Wild Honey Distress ink.  I stamped the sentiment (Inkadinkado) in Scattered Straw, realized it was too pale, so I over stamped it in Wild Honey.  I had some scrap ribbon that I used to anchor the layered circles to the card.  To finish the card, and add some interest, I added 3 red buttons, tied with pale yellow embroidery floss.  I also added some red Stickles to the poinsettia.  I happened to be working on Christmas card designs when I saw the challenge, hence a Christmas card in May.

CAS-ual Friday Challenge 2

 This is my entry for the CFC2 challenge this week, which was to use twine and buttons.  Well, I needed to make some Christmas cards, so I did.  I started with some Cool Caribbean cardstock, cut to 5.25 x 4 inches.  I used my SU paper piercing set to pierce around the edges of the card, having the pokey side up for the front.  After that, I ran my Broken China Distress ink over top of the raised cardstock, and I also did a bit of sponging on the edges of the cardstock.  Then I took some Antique Linen Distress Ink, and sponged some ink on some other spots.  I took the sentiment (Inkadinkado) and stamped it in Broken China ink.  I found some hemp twine, and ran three lengths of is across the Cool Caribbean cardstock, putting it at angles.  I used a now retired SU set to stamp the poinsettia on Antique Linen Distressed cardstock, in Tea Dye and the over stamp in Walnut Stain.  Foam tape over a section of twine I taped together made  the focal point.  To finish, I cheated and used three button brads that I had in my stash on the bottom right hand side of the cardstock.  I took a white cardstock base, sponged Antique Linen Distress Ink around the edges, then I foam mounted the Cool Caribbean piece to the sponged card base.

One of my friends got some Craft Concepts Embossing Folders, and I was blessed enough that she ran a few pieces of cardstock through it for me.  This card is the result of one of those run throughs.  I used some DCWV cardstock from "The Four Seasons" pack (it's the Love scrapbook page) and cut it to just under standard cardstock size.   My friend ran it through the "wings" embossing folder (at least I think that's the correct name). I rounded the corners, then I decided to highlight the butterflies by rubbing Tattered Rose Distress Ink all over the raised areas.  Using some SU Victorian crochet lace, and Victorian Velvet Distress Ink, I inked up a piece of the lace, and adhered it to the butterfly layer.  I used another die cut for the flower (or was it a punch?? can't remember) and punched out a flower in pink Bazzil bling. I attached the flower to the card by using a button brad in cream.  To add the sentiment, I took some white cardstock, rubbed it with Tattered Rose Distress Ink,  then stamped the sentiment (Inkadinkado) in Victorian Velvet.  I put the butterfly layer onto the red card base, and I rounded the corners on the red cardstock.

The Play Date Cafe Challenge #78

This is my card for the Play Date Cafe Challenge #78.  I wasn't sure if my blue was close, but it looks like it... I started with Regal Rose SU cardstock, and stamped Antique Letter Writing (Hero Arts) using Victorian velvet Distress Ink.  I layered some butterfly patterned paper in blue on the left hand side of the card.  I took some white scrap cardstock, and stamped the flowers (Penny Black) in Barn Door Distress Ink.  I edged the white cardstock with the Barn Door Distress Ink as well. With a scrap of the blue patterned paper, I used a SU punch, and punched out the label, stamped the sentiment (Hero Arts) in Victorian Velvet Distress Ink, and also inked the edges with the same ink.  I  adhered the white panel to the base cardstock, then foam mounted the sentiment.

The Lily Pad - Kathy's Colour Thrown Down

This card is my entry for the Lily Pad Colour Throw Down. It was to use Lilac, Sage, Lime green, a bold yellow and a bold orange. I don't have much but cardstock in those colours, so I did something quite different for me. I took some 1.25 inch strips of cardstock in orange, yellow, sage green and lime green, and stamped different patterns on them. On the orange, I used the Envelope Pattern stamp (Hero Arts). On the lime green a leaf cluster from Delicate Clusters (Hero Arts). On the yellow, the Eiffel Tower from Paris (Hero Arts), and on the sage green French Script (SU). I then took the strips and cut them to .25 inch wide. I already had a lilac patterned paper piece on some Kraft cardstock from a card that didn't come together for me, so I used that as my base, and added the .25 inch strips, trimming to size. I stamped “Best Wishes” (Inkadinkado) in Dusty Concord Distress Ink. I tied the card all together with a lime green ribbon, tied in a knot at the top of the card.

The Play Date Cafe Challenge 71 Card 02

This is a card that I did that works for both the Hero Arts birthday card challenge and the Play Date Cafe Challenge 71.  For this card, I started with a standard card base from shimmer black and white cardstock. Using some textured white cardstock, I stamped the Large Fabric stamp in Regal Rose ink (SU). I took a scrap of that black and white shimmer cardstock, and cut it to size, rounding the corners.  I cut scrap white cardstock a little smaller, rounded the corners, and stamped Happy Birthday in Regal Rose ink.  I taped it to the Large Fabric stamp, added some sheer white ribbon, and adhered it to the black and white cardstock. All stamps are Hero Arts.

A Very Productive Stamping Day :)

I was at a friend's house today stamping, and made some cards that fit in with the Hero Arts challenge this month, Birthday cards.

This is a card I made today.  I started with a 10x 5 inch piece of DCWV Luxury cardstock in light green, and scored it to make a 5 x 5 inch card.  Using some scrap white cardstock, I inked up the Musical Walk and Happy Birthday stamp ( from the clear set of birthday wishes) in Shabby Shutters Distress Inks.  I used a 2.5 inch circle punch to punch out the Musical Walk image, and I trimmed the sentiment image to size.  I then punched a 3 inch circle from dark green cardstock, and took a piece a little bigger than the sentiment.  I layered the white circle on the dark circle. I rounded the corners of the base cardstock, and the sentiment layers.  I adhered the Happy Birthday flat to the card, but after adding some sheer white ribbon, I foam mounted the Musical Walk image on the card.

For the Poppy card, I started with white cardstock, I used a SU background stamp (I think it's French Script) and stamped it in Barn Door Red. Taking some textured red cardstock, I stamped Poppy Background in Versafine black ink. I rounded opposite corners and adhered to the card base.  Using a SU punch, I punch out the label shape in the same red cardstock as the Poppies.  I edged it in black, and stamped Happy Birthday on it. I foam mounted the label on to the card. The Poppy and Happy  Birthday stamp are Hero Arts.

I started with some pink Bazzil bling cardstock.  I rounded opposite corners.  I stamped Silhouette Bells in Versafine Black ink on white textured cardstock, colouring in with Regal Rose and Green Galore markers (SU).  I rounded all the corners, then mounted it onto some light green shimmer cardstock.  I rounded the opposite corners again, making sure that I did the reverse of what was on the card base.  I added some sheer white ribbon, and stamped Happy Birthday on the bottom right. All stamps are Hero Arts.

I used some blue Bazzil cardstock, cut at 4 1/4 inches by 11 inches, scored at 5 1/2 inches.  I took the Dots cling stamp, and stamped it in Memories Soft Baby Blue ink. I then used Walnut Stain Distress ink to stamp the typewriter and Happy Birthday sentiment from the Type clear set.  I punched the typewriter out with a 2 1/2 inch  circle punch.  With some scrap brown ribbon I had on hand, I wrapped it around the front of the card, and adhered the Happy Birthday to it.  I edged the circle in Walnut Stain Distress ink, and foam mounted it onto the card.  All stamps are Hero Arts.

Valentine's Mingle Cards

These are a couple of cards that I did for Valentine's mingles this year.  The top card was for a local mingle, so I did a 6 x 6 card.  I started with some Die Cuts with a View cardstock from the Luxury Pack, and cut it to 12 x 6, then scored it so it was a 6 x 6 card.  I then took a 5.5 inch square of white cardstock and stamped the Hero Arts Friend Definition stamp on it.  I took a 1.5 inch  x 5.5 inch piece of cardstock from DCWV The Four Seasons pack, and edged it with a Martha Stewart Doily punch.   I added some scrap white lace underneath  the punched piece, and foam mounted it to the right hand side of the white cardstock.  I then adhered the white layer to the base cardstock.  I took a Tim Holtz Rosette and double foam mounted it to the top right hand corner of the white layer of cardstock.  Then, using a scrap piece of white cardstock, I sponged Spun Sugar Distress Ink along the edges in a bit, then over stamped with the small flourish heart from Quietfire Designs. in Worn Lipstick Distress Ink. I added the sentiments (Hero Arts and Studio G), in Barn Door Red.  There was still a lot of white space, so I used the MS Doily punch again and punch the bottom edge of the cardstock.  I adhered the sentiments to the white layer of cardstock.

For the second card, I started with black as my card base.  I took a 1.75 by 4.75 piece of white cardstock, and used the retired SU Wrought Iron corner punch to punch a corner.  I used some patterned paper, and rounded the two right hand side corners.  Using scrap white cardstock, I used the Stitched Heart stamp from Hero Arts, and stamped the heart twice in Victorian Velvet Distress Ink, and cut out.   With one heart, I stamped the squirrel and partial sentiment in Versafine Black, showing the stitched lines ( Stamps are Hero Arts).  I flipped the other heart over, and trimmed to the second heart, so it was a bit smaller.  I used an Autumn Leaves Alpha set and stamped the U in Versafine black.  I then adhered the white punched corner piece to the patterned paper, and adhered to the base cardstock. I coloured the squirrel in with a marker, then used SU's Crystal Effects to make him glossy.  Once that dried, I stuck the heart with the U on the bottom towards the right hand corner, then foam mounted the squirrel on top of that.  To finish the card, I added some gems.

One Sheet Wonder Card Set 02

This is the second set of 16 One Sheet Wonder cards that I did from Jessica Taylor's blog HERE.  This time I used all SU cardstock and patterned paper.  I did mess up the cutting of the paper this time, so I had to improvise.  I am still very pleased with the results.  This time, instead of leaving a lot of white space on the card, I used Versamark ink and stamped some backgrounds on to the cards.  And I used a 2.5 and 3 inch circle punches to do the layering.    All stamps are Hero Arts,  ink is Distress ink ( Worn Lipstick and Walnut stain) as well as the Versamark, and the punches are from Marvy.  Sine February was Love and Friendship month at the Hero Arts blog, I entered these cards in there.

I am liking this particular One Sheet Wonder so much that I am going to do one set in Christmas, for a Christmas card challenge :D

One Sheet Wonder Cards Set 01

These are some of the cards that I made using Jessica Taylor's One Sheet Wonder HERE.  I made 16 cards, and I am very pleased with them.. rather than doing a bunch of different themes, I used two images and two sentiments, and made 8 cards of each.  So I ended up with 8 sympathy cards and 8 birthday cards.  I  found that it took me, from beginning to end, having done NOTHING to prep for it, just over 3 hours.  A lot of that was the cutting and scoring.. being that I double and triple checked before I cut :)  The base cardstock is SU Cool Caribbean,  the navy is from the printer's shop, as is the white Neenah cardstock, the patterned paper I believe was some Collage Press. All the stamps, minus the sympathy sentiment are Hero Arts.

A Stampin Up Class - Masculine cards

These cards were done in a Stampin Up masculine card class on January 22.  Yes, I know, I have just now gotten them photographed and uploaded the cards.  Sue M did the class.  The bottom card we did first, and I was told that it was a challenging card... I didn't find it challenging, just a bit fussy and time consuming, but I LOVE the results.  I did learn a bit about colouring as well, which helped, since I don't colour well at all.  The top card was the second card I made, and it was a much easier card, but I still like the results.  I must admit, I am not huge on twine on cards, but I like the twine that is on the green and cream card.  The top card went to my father in law for his birthday this week :)

February's Christmas Card Challenge

This is Norma's entry for the ornament challenge.  She's used ornament patterned paper, the SU ornament punch, a MS punch, and gems for the card.
For February, the challenge to make cards using pink and ribbon.  The whole card doesn't have to be pink, there just needs to be some pink on the card, as well as some ribbon.  Here are my cards:

I used a grey cardstock for the base. I added some pink glitter cardstock and left a 1/4 inch edge around the card.  I stamped an Inkadinkado stamp (I think it's called Angels and Crowns) in black ink on pink cardstock, which I then punched out using a 3 inch circle punch.  I added some sheer pink ribbon to the lower 1/3 of the glitter cardstock, and layered the circle on top.

What will you do for the pink and ribbon challenge?

ATCs!!

These are some ATCs that I did for a vintage collage swap.. when I'm in the mood, I try and get several months worth done at a time, and then I mail them off to the hostess.  Funny thing is, Blogger put them in reverse order.. The snow ATC is for January, the love for February, and the friend for March :)

And since January 31st is the middle day between mine and hubby's birthday, I am going to give away some blog candy!!  Just leave a comment about the most romantic thing your hubby/ SO has done for you, and I'll draw the night of January 31st.  You have until 6pm Pacific on the 31st to leave your comment.  I don't have a picture of the candy, but it's lots of neat small stuff:)

Blog Candy Winner and More Christmas Cards

Sorry that the draw didn't get done yesterday, between the really far away child and football, I  forgot to do the draw.. and every time I thought of it, I couldn't do it.  I went to random.org to  pick a winner.....and, the winner of the surprise candy is judy!  Judy, please email me HERE and I will get your package off to you!

So about a week and a half ago, a friend called, and asked if I could make about a dozen cards for the next day... YIKES!!! I said sure, it might take me a bit into Friday to get them done... so I used the same sketch ( I believe it's a Clean and Simple sketch) and just changed the cardstock, ink, stamps and paper.  I am very happy with how they turned out.

Where do I start? The top card is white striped cardstock, with some K&Company paper on the side.  The poinsettia is SU, and the sentiment is Digital Princess Designs. The blue card is navy cardstock, a Hero Arts sentiment and ornament, and Heidi Grace snowflake paper.  The Kraft cardstock base has some unknown paper, a Quietfire Design stamp for the mittens, and Hero Arts for the sentiment.  The pink, grey and black card has unknown paper, SU Snowflake, and a Hero Arts sentiment.  All of the bling is from the local dollar store.  I used Black Versafine ink, and Distress inks for stamping with.  I ended up on a roll, and in total, I made 29 cards in one day!!! I had to finish the insides  the next day, I was too tired from all this stamping and creating to stamp the inside sentiment properly.

Christmas Tags!!

These are the ATCs/tags that I did for my Patterned Paper as the focal point of the ATC swap (which is due in my hands Dec 31).  I started with some Kraft cardstock, cut to 3 1/2 inches x 5 inches, scored and folded at 2 1/2 inches, to make it ATC sized.  I then took Tea Dye Distress Ink, and stamped the Hero Arts Musical Background stamp on the front of the ATC.  Once that was done, I took the SU ornament punch, and punched out an ornament shape on the left side of the ATC.  I then took my Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses reindeer paper, and cut out 2 inch circles with a reindeer in the centre.  I lined up the reindeer to be in the centre of the ornament, then I taped it down to the inside of the ATC.  I took some white cardstock, cut it to 1 1/2 x 3/4 of an inch, and stamped Peace from Hero Arts Merry Christmas Tree set in Aged Mahogany. I foam mounted that to the front of the ATC.  All that's left for me to do is stamp the To and From on the inside of the ATC.  I did 10 of these.  Very simple to make, and are perfect for gift tags, as well as ATCs.

The Play Date Cafe Challenge 55

This is my take on the PDCC55 challenge.  I started with a Kraft cardstock base and rounded the corners.  I then added a burgundy layer, which had silver web spray on it... I rounded ALL the corners on the paper and cardstock today.  I then added a pale blue panel, which was stamped with the Hero Arts Musical Background stamp in Tumbled Glass.  On the left side of that, I added a piece of bright blue paper with silver snowflakes on it.  I punched out four ornaments, two in red, and two in pink.  I put one of each colour ornament flat against the pale blue panel, then I stamped on the second ornaments, and foam mounted it over the first one.  I also added some silver thread for the ornaments to hang on.  I used a Hero Arts snowflake, and a retired SU saying for the ornaments.
Thanks for looking!! I have more photos to take and upload.. I hope to get on it tomorrow.

A Clean and Simple Christmas Card

This is the Christmas card I really mass produced this year.  I love it.  I had this poinsettia paper that I just didn't know what to do with.... until I purchased Wild Honey Distress Ink.  The colours were so complementary that I HAD to use the paper up somehow.  Well, I had this sketch from some time ago, I used it on another set of Christmas cards, but I like the idea so much I used it here too.  I used some Barely Banana and Cream cardstock for the base ( I quickly realized I would have no Barely Banana left  if  I only used that, so I went with Cream for the base about 1/4 of the way in).  The cream base cardstock is cut landscape style.  I used the poinsettia paper 1 1/2 inches wide and the height of the cardstock.  I taped it down well.  I used Fired Brick Distress Ink to stamp the Merry Christmas (Inkadinkado) on the base cardstock.  I took my Marvy 2 inch circle punch, and punched out the circle on cream cardstock (with the number of cards I made, it was easier and saved on paper to punch out first, then stamp the image on).  I stamped the solid poinsettia in Wild Honey Distress Ink, and went with the outline poinsettia in Fired Brick.  The poinsettia stamps are from SU, but I don't remember which set. I then edged the circle in fired brick, and foam mounted it so that just a bit of the right hand side was over the patterned paper.  I finished the card off by adding three golden gems to the top left hand side.

Hero Arts Pairing Challenge Week 7 - Birthday Card

This is our final week of the Hero Arts pairing challenge.  I've really enjoyed making the cards for the challenges, and seeing how Mary Dawn does her cards.  For this final challenge,  we had to do a Birthday card... Now unlike some other challenges where I'm really really stumped on what to do for cards, birthday cards to me are fairly simple, and I love to play, trying out things and new to me techniques.  For this card, I started with kraft cardstock standard card size, and rounded the corners.  I then took some dark brown cardstock and cut it to 4 x 5 1/4 inches rounding the corners. I then took the Friend Definition stamp, and stamped it in Moonlight White Brilliance ink. I then took some Pink Pirouette cardstock, and cut that to 3 1/2 inches by 4 3/4 inches, rounding the corners.  I took Pink Pirouette ink, and stamped Antique Lettering  on the Pink Pirouette cardstock.  I went and stamped just the butterfly again in Close to Cocoa ink on Pink Pirouette cardstock, and cut it out.  I used a small SU stamp for the sentiment (stamped in Close to Cocoa ink), and foam mounted the butterfly over top of the butterfly on the Pink Pirouette cardstock.  To finish off the card, I made the foam mounted butterfly's wings bend just a bit, and added 4 pink gems to the wings.

I hope you've enjoyed looking at the cards Mary Dawn and I have done in the last 7 weeks.   This was a really, really fun challenge to do :)

October Christmas Card Challenge!

Wow, this month has flown by so fast.. it's hard to believe that it's the last day of September already.  And this Saturday, will mark the 4th Saturday that my baby left the nest.  I'm doing well... it helps that we can chat on IM and the occasional Skype call.  It makes life much easier.. that, and I read my kid's blog... all on school life :)

On to this month's Christmas Card Challenge.  This month's theme is BIRDS.... you can use any bird, any number of birds, as long as there is at least one bird on your Christmas card.  For this card, I used a technique called Faux Linen.  I took glossy white cardstock, cut it to 3 3/4 inches square, and ran a piece of sandpaper vertically and horizontally on the glossy cardstock.  I made sure that there were a lot of grooves.  I then sponged Bashful Blue (SU) Ink over the textured cardstock, and got a nice result... kind of mixed shades of blue.  I then took two Inkadinakado stamps, one form Winter Birds, the other from..... Can't remember, but I set them up on the cardstock.  I then pressed my Fiskars stamp press on the stamps, so that I could stamp them at the same time.  I then used SU's Night of Navy ink, and inked the stamps, and pressed onto the Faux Linen cardstock.  I added a silver brad to the middle of the words, and mounted the card onto a 4 1/4 inch square card base, which is navy with silver specks in it.  You just can't see the specks in the photo.

Have a wonderful day, and don't forget World Card Making Day on October 2!!!