Celebrate - Birthday Card

I seem to have a thing for flamingos lately - ever since we bought our winter home in Florida :). More on that another time!!

I had to have this Stamping Up clear stamp set Fabulous Flamingo!  It uses a 3 step process to stamp the body.  I've always wanted to try a set like this.  This card was for my MIL who also loves our winter home.  

Christmas Cards

Just sharing a few cards I made this past Christmas.  I didn't get nearly as many made as I usually do. Busy with wedding plans these days.  I just can't seem to settle down in my craft room and get things done!!  I haven't even done my art journal page which was due at the end of December.

On to the cards:

For the first card I used Simon Says Stamps November 2014 Kit Winter Jubilee.  Those Lawn Fawn papers are just adorable!!  The ornament dies are from Stampin Up.

For the second card I used Simon Says Stamp January 2015 card kit Winter Wonderland.  My MIL loves purple so I thought these Bo Bunny papers were perfect.  I love the shimmer created using the Grape Purple Pearls.  Again the ornament dies are from Stampin Up and the Merry die is from Simon Says.  You can tell I was kinda on a roll with that ornament die :)

And the third was super simple.  A little water colouring with my Gansai Tambi Watercolor paints and some stamping and done!!  I fell in love with this pretty blue and it just so happened that it matched this paper from Doodlebug 'Frosty Friends' perfectly.  And those matching Sprinkles!!!  The stamps are from Unity Stamp Co.

Hopefully I'll be back in my crafty place again soon!  Happy New Year!!

Happy New Home

Just sharing a quick card I made for my mother in law.  I was inspired by a card I saw here using a Unity stamp set and figured I could do the same with my Stampin Up set I have.  It took a little practice to get the masking figured out as each of the three houses are a separate stamp but I got it :)

It's been a while again since I coloured with my copics, it was fun to do that again. 

Stamps:  SU Holiday Home

Paper:  PTI, SU Baked Brown Sugar

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories:  CTMH Enamel Heart 

Oh What Fun!

Owls!!  I love owls and some day soon when my scraproom is re-done I will show you some of my critters.

This card was quick and simple and makes me smile, love how it turned out.  The pewter embossing powder is beautiful, I didn't expect it to look this good!  The last to be added was the corners - remember that punch?  I think it was the perfect finishing touch for this card.  I just kind of relied on the paper to be the focus.

I'm entering my card in the following challenges:

Christmas Card Challenge #48 - Anything Goes

Jingle Bells Challenge - Not a CREATURE Was Stirring

The Pink Elephant Challenge #274 - Anything Goes

All products Stampin Up (except where noted):

Stamps:  Christmas Messages
Paper:  Snow Festival dsp, Raspberry Ripple cs, Baja Breeze Textured cs
Ink:  VersaMark, Baja Breeze
Accessories:  Apothecary Accents Framelits, Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack, Pewter Embossing Powder, Baja Breeze Seam Binding Ribbon, EK corner punch

Congratulations

Sharing a card today I made for a friend who has recently purchased a new home - like brand new!!  It's gorgeous but she's been struggling as she's been through some very difficult times recently the most difficult being losing her husband to cancer early this year.  She has two beautiful young girls and is now trying to take small steps forward - although this is a huge step!

I used Stampin Up's 'Up in the Air' stamp set and stamped using Basic Grey ink onto some watercolour paper.  I then used my SU markers and a blender pen to add colour to the image.  I used a watercolour wash of Baja Breeze ink on the back background.  Love how this turned out, especially using the Basic Grey ink as it seemed to soften the image.

One of the unintentional but really cool things that happened when stamping the image was the little birdhouse didn't come out as solidly inked as I had wanted.  But then I realized it actually looked like it had a lot of texture, as if it was shingles or something, so I was quite impressed.

I'm entering this in Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.

All products Stampin Up:

Stamps:  Up in the Air
Paper:  Twitterpated dsp, Baja Breeze textured cs, Certainly Celery cs, watercolour paper
Ink:  Basic Grey and Baja Breeze ink, Old Olive and Real Red markers
Accessories:  Certainly Celery ribbon, watercolour brush, blender pen

Time for a change....

I've decided to take a new job and I'll be saying good bye to my co-workers of the last 5 1/2 years in a couple days.  I made these cards for my 4 favorite people at the office. Luckily we keep in touch away from work too so it's not a final good bye!!  Wish me luck at my new job :)

All products Stampin Up, except where noted

Stamps:  Just Sayin

Paper:  Fresh Prints dsp and Baked Brown Sugar cs, PTI Stampers Select Choice White

Ink:  Soft Suede

Accessories:  Linen Thread, Sycamore Street Designer Buttons, Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon, Pool Party Sycamore Street 1/4" Ribbon, corner rounder punch

Faceless Beauty

I have to say, I absolutely fell in LOVE with this stamp when I first saw it on the Scrapbook & Cards Today Blog here - Faceless Beauty by Unity Stamp Co.  And it was perfect for my niece - she's 14, on her third hip operation and just going through some really tough times these days.  

Something else I've been eyeing up for a long time was the embossing paste!!  Super excited about that.  This was the first time playing with it, I used the white, and OMG, so much you can do with this stuff.  I've been seeing it everywhere in blogland.  I picked up some clear too, I want to use it on every card :)  I added some Martha Stewart glitter while it was still wet and it clings great!!  This was my first time colouring black hair too, and I must say the copics were very forgiving, I went over it a few times and finally settled on the way it is, I'm satisfied.  

The challenge at Simon's Monday Challenge Blog is 'The Artsy Stamp'.  I think this is soooo 'Artsy'!  I wanted to keep the card simple and clean so that the image stayed the focus of the card.  For the inside though, I added a bit of We R Memory Keepers Chalkboard paper to match the envelope I made, just so it all ties in together.  Some more encouraging words inside from Stampin Up's Feel Goods stamp set.

Stamps:  Unity Stamp Co. Faceless Beauty, Stampin Up Feel Goods
Paper:  WE R Memory Keepers Chalkboard, PTI Stampers Select
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, copics
Accessories:  Wendy Vecchi white embossing paste, Martha Stewart white gold glitter, Wink of Stella clear glitter pen, Taylored Expressions Label Stacklets 1 die, Hero Arts white embossing powder

 

Hello Baby

In April I was at a local crop fundraiser for Autism.  While there, I created this card with my new Simon Says stamp and die bundle Baby Love.  It has the Baby Clothes & Crib dies and the Tiny Ray of Sunshine stamp set.  This is for my BFF who adopted a baby boy 'Joseph' in March.  I'm finally going to Minneapolis to see them in a couple weeks :)  Can't wait to meet him!!!  It's been a long, long wait.....

I used Stampin Up Sunshine and Sprinkles dsp for the front of my card and the liner of the envelope.  When creating envelopes I always wonder, how do I want the envelope to close?  I went through my stash and found these awesome corduroy brads that I've had forever - they were perfect with a little baker's twine (next time I'll add the brad before the decorative paper inside the envelope).  The inside sentiment is from Amy R's Baby Sentiments, and the little duck and hearts are from the Simon Says stamp set again.

While at the crop, I was commissioned by two friends to make them a baby card each as well, of course I obliged :)

Stamps:  Simon Says Tiny Ray of Sunshine, Amy R's Baby Sentiments
Paper:  SU Sunshine and Sprinkles; SU Baked Brown Sugar, Marina Mist and Naturals White cs
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, copics
Accessories:  Simon Says Baby Clothes & Crib dies, Hero Arts white embossing powder, SU Summer Sun Corduroy brads, The Twinery bakers twine, Uni-ball white pen;

 

Sending Good Thoughts Your Way

The sketch over at Mojo Monday caught my eye, and then I came across Simon Says Monday Challenge and put them together and came up with this card.  I love the spring feel of the colours and I finally used some Vellum.  I've been wanting to emboss Vellum with white ep for quite a while and I finally picked up a new Versamark stamp pad.  That made all the difference since I haven't been happy with my embossing lately and I knew it was the Versamark ink pad.  It was old and needed replacing.

So Mojo Monday's Sketch 343 is Tall and Skinny.  I decided to try the 3 1/2" by 6" size, and I like it!  And Simon's Monday Challenge is Yellow.  I love the wood background papers in the My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline papers so I used the yellow paper for my background and of course had to add some bling so the Doodlebug Bumblebee Sprinkles were perfect.

Stamps: Stampin Up Perfect Pennants
Paper: MME Miss Caroline 'Dolled Up', PTI Stampers Select Choice White, SU Vellum and Pool Party cs
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: MFT Fishtail Flags STAX, Mister Huey's Color Mist Seafoam, Doodlebug Sprinkles 'Bumblebee', MME Miss Caroline 'Dolled Up' button, MME Follow Your Heart 'Be Amazing' Twine, White embossing powder, Glue Dots Vellum transparent adhesive

Good Life

I wanted to share a fun project I completed recently.  I actually got it done in time for Easter and gave it to me sister in law.  It's pictures of my nieces and her.  She loved it - and now she says she takes back all her comments about my geeky hobby!!!  I love her :)

This was a My Paper Pumpkin kit from Stampin Up - Good Life Brag Book.  There was quite a few leftover stickers so I gave them to my younger niece along with the stamps since she loves to craft.

 

Easter Treats

Happy Easter!  Had to share these adorable treat bags I made for my neighbor's granddaughters.  Everything used was Stampin Up except for the tags, those are my new My Favourite Things Traditional Tag and Pierced Tag Stax dies, LOVE them.  You can see the piercing in the close ups.  I had so much fun making these.  It was my first time using the Designer Frames embossing folder too.  I added some Wink of Stella around the embossed frame for a touch of bling, girls gotta have bling. The sentiment was actually punched out using the Word Window punch, but I didn't like the rounded ends, so I made them into flagged ends instead.

And of course my daughter asked me to make a card for her boyfriend, so I cased this, you can find the original here, Bada-Bing!  Paper-Crafting! - another one who always inspires me.  We thought the colours were good for a boy card.