Saturday, January 30, 2016

My Two Favorite Holidays

My favorite reason to make cards is Christmas & right behind is Valentine's Day.  For today's post I made one of each with very old stamps & they both turned out one layer!
The Christmas card is one of my favorite DeNami stamps which I embossed in gold. Then I wet the inside of the trees, lightly sprinkled on Ken Oliver Pthalo Green Color Burst & lightly misted with more water.  When dry, I added Stickles Frosted Lace to give a glistening, snowy look. Finished off with  splatters of Distress Stain Tarnished Brass.  I'm entering the new Tic-Tac-Toe challenge (top row), One Layer Christmas Card challenge, SSS WednesdayATSM Holiday & Merry Monday
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Next up is the Valentine made with this wonderful Hero Arts stamp.  I embossed it with JudiKins Black Diamond powder & watercolored the large heart with Distress Ink Festive Berries.  I colored the hearts with the same ink full strength.  The sentiment is by A Muse & is stamped in Versafine Onyx Black. 
The big heart & all the white hearts are covered in Wink of Stella.  Finished off with black gems around the big heart & a few tiny red ones. Kind of makes me think of the adult coloring books you see everywhere right now.  I'm entering these challenges: a2z Scrapbooking, Chouxchoux, SSS Monday & Word Art Wednesday.  Thank you so much for taking time to visit my blog.
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Thursday, January 28, 2016

First Christmas Cards of 2016!

I haven't made a Christmas card this year & it's almost February!  Decided to take a break from Valentines & participate in these challenges: SSS Flickr, Merry Monday & One Layer Christmas Card.  
This is actually take 2. The tree is a very old wooden stamp & I tried to skip using my stamp positioner--bad idea!  I did salvage the tree & used it for my second card.  The tree is embossed with Zing Green Metallic powder & the sentiment from Clearly Besotted Tiny Trees (used my gc from Tracey's Tags challenge) is gold embossed. I used the SSS Falling Snow stencil with embossing paste & Rock Candy Distress Glitter. Love how this turned out & it's flat for mailing! 
Decided to immediately make use of the tree I cut out of the messed up card with a Spellbinders oval. It's backed with fun foam & attached to a Spellbinders scalloped oval.  I used a piece of Washi (only 2 miles more to go--haha!) & added the Savvy Stamps sentiment. I rounded all the corners & decided to keep it very CAS with no embellishments.  For some reason, I like it that way.  I'm entering SSS Wednesday, The PlaygroundRudolph DaysStamping Sensations & SSS Work It Wednesday (new Washi Tape).  Thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog.
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Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Winter Thank You Card

I've had this SSS Snowflake Block die cut laying on my desk for a couple weeks.  I had soaked up the Distress Inks from smooshing projects on scraps of cardstock & watercolor paper & added a bit of Ken Oliver Color Burst.  The other pieces are waiting to be used, but I cut this from the watercolor piece the same day.  Finally decided to use it for a thank you I need.  The die cut is backed with a piece of Heidi Swapp glitter paper & the front of the card is embossed with my new Darice snowflake folder which I'd wanted forever & finally got with a coupon. The thanks die is also new--part of a big sale at the end of the year.  It's by Elizabeth Crafts & I love it's small size & how easy it cuts.  I stacked several & clear embossed the top one. This design would work for Christmas cards with a different sentiment & it's flat for mailing!  I'm entering these challenges:  SSS Flickr, AAA Cards & Happy Little Stampers CAS.  I so appreciate your visit--thank you.
 

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Gilding Flakes

I love when a challenge theme helps me use a product or technique on my "to do" list, so a big thank you to Twofers Metal Heavy or Not challenge!  I've had a little metal box of gilding flakes for many years & I don't think they were used until now.  I cut the MB Grand Heart from black self-adhesive fun foam & it worked great.  I also used a long neglected Flourishes heart stamp with Delicata Golden Glitz on ivory cardstock. The scallops are cut with a Spellbinder die & I used score tape to attach 2 small pieces of the beautiful lace--no need to have it covered up by the heart! Same with the black gems which were only $1, but I've now used over 1/2 of them & wish I'd bought 2 packs. Finally decided how to position the PTI love die on the heart & the inside says "to call you my friend." I'm also entering Chouxchoux, SSS Monday, Word Art Wednesday & The Playground.  We've got a break from the rain, so better take Fritz for a walk!  Thanks so much for taking time to check my blog.
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Monday, January 25, 2016

Papertrey January Blog Hop Challenge

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January inspirationPlato said "Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder."  Today's PTI Blog Hop inspiration is a perfect example.  Isn't it great that we all have different taste? Honestly, when I first saw the photo I thought this might be a Blog Hop I had to skip.  Of course, that really wasn't an option for me--haha! Last night I decided to see if I could come up with something using PTI Watercolor Wonder. When I dabbed Canyon Clay & Hawaiian Shores on my scratch paper they were really pretty together, so I chose 2 images & started stamping.
I added the sentiment from Flower Fusion #8 in Versafine Onyx Black. Still needed something, so added black splatters.  Not sure I'll ever send this card, but it's growing on me--haha!  
Grab our badge:I'm also joining in at Word Art Wednesday.  Enjoy the hop & thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog.

Friday, January 22, 2016

Shades of Blue & Green

Hoping everyone in the path of the big winter storm is staying safe & warm & maybe enjoying a craft day!  Not to make you jealous, but somehow we're having 12 hours of Spring before the rain hits again & Fritz has had 2 sunbaths on the deck so far!
We need a card for a lady having knee replacement surgery & thought the beautiful color combo for the MFT Color Challenge would be perfect.  I don't have MFT inks or cardstock, so came as close as I could using PTI products.  The background is made using the MFT Concentric Circle stencil.  I inked the stencil with Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist, Spring Rain & Blueberry Sky, spritzed with water & laid my wc panel on top--one of my favorite ways to use a stencil.  I did add a light layer of Gesso around the edges & watercolored with the same inks to soften everything. Hard to tell I used 4 ink colors so I pulled out the matching cardstock & cut MFT Layered Rose & Layered Leaves plus Prima Donna Petals for the flower center.  All the pieces except the top layer of the leaves were brushed with Wink of Stella.  I stamped my old sentiment from Just For Fun in Brilliance Starlite Black. The final touch was splattering Heidi Swapp white Color Shine, even letting some go on the flower & leaves.  The mats are done by sponging the 2 darker inks on cardstock.  It gives a softer look than colored cardstock & ties in with the background.  I'm thinking this is close enough to enter the MFT Sketch challenge & I'm joining the Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media challenge. Thank you so much for stopping by.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Shimmery CAS Thank You

I try not to miss the SSS Flickr challenges & finally got something made just in time. One Layer cards are challenging for me so I went with my tried & true technique of masking an area for sponging.  This time I used Distress Inks peacock feathers & evergreen bough.  The sweet images from my new SSS stamp set called Hello Friends were stamped in the same 2 inks & brushed with Perfect Pearls.  The tape was removed & the sentiment from the same set was stamped in Memento Gray Flannel.  I added Stickles to the dots & sentiment & added some white dots with my gel pen. This is a late Christmas thank you, so gotta get it in the mail. I'm also entering at ATSM & a new challenge called Paru's Card Making Challenges.
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Wanted to also share my wonderful retirement cards from blogging friends.  I feel so blessed to have all of you in my life--thanks for visiting!

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

More Valentines!

First is another shaker using the "Greta Shaker Mix" of Stampendous! Shaved Ice, Clear Seed Beads & White Sequins. Gotta say, putting foam tape around straight lines is way easier, but I do love the look using my Memory Box heart die. The circles are cut with a Lifestyle Crafts die.  I finally have a Paper Smooches stamp set thanks to a recent sale. I used 3 images from Friendly Flowers with PTI inks Berry Sorbet, Hawaiian Shores, Plum Pudding & Limeade Ice to meet the requirements of the current challenge.  The sentiment is also from the set & is stamped in HA Wet Cement.  I trimmed the white & SSS Fog cardstock flags & added Stickles to the open letters--so fun!  First time to cut the PPP bows (thank you again, Cat, for the blog candy!) & used the Fog cardstock. The card front was a bit plain, so dotted it with the Stickles.  I always say I don't need to buy anything, but if I sure do go through foam tape & doubly so with shakers!  Entering at Memory Box, Paper SmoochesChouxchoux & CropStop.
First time making matchbooks & oh what fun! Love the PTI MIM challenges--learn so many new things!  I'm heading to Girl's Night Out with my 2 friends & it's been months since we've gotten together.  I'm taking them each a mini York Peppermint Patty in a matchbook made with images from the PTI set Tag It's 3 inked in Memento Love Letter & VersaMagic Pixie Dust. The sweet Martha Stewart Washi tape is in a set of 4 I bought years ago & have barely used.  A bit of Stickles for sparkle--very simple & quick once you figure out the measurements. I'd make one for hubby's Valentine, but not sure it'd work too well as a carrot wrapping & candy is off limits--haha! I'm also entering at SSS Monday. Thanks so much for your visit--I know there are tons of blogs you could choose.
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