Christmas Card Challenge - June - Silhouette

I chose this gold debossed star designer paper in 12x12 cut into 6 pieces.

I created the blue with Tim Holtz Distress Stains in blue tones.  Faded Denim, Broken China, Tumbled Glass was applied to a piece of glass, spritzed with water and then I laid my star paper into it.  Once dry I iron them flat.

I chose a warm light blue card base.
Die cut the black with the Taylored Expression Bethlehem border and added the bank with Creative Memories Decorative Trimmer.  Adhered a Stampin Up Modern Label greeting with an offset of turquoise.  Star cut with Sizzix Star die. Both adhered with 3D foam tape.

I adhered the star layer, I cut a white bank layer with my Creative Memories 12 inch Decorative Trimmer and adhered to blue star layer.

I then adhere my Taylored Expressions Bethlehem Border diecut in black which I cut the bottom edge with the CM Dec Trimmer.

I added a Artisan Label greeting and the a gold star cut with the Sizzix Star die.

For this card I used the QuicKutz Nativity die with the black card stock.

The gold star is created with the Creative Memories Sparkle punch.

A Stampin Up Artisan Label Punch greeting.


Feels good to have a few more Christmas cards in the box.

What will Christmas look like this year?

Coffee Stains

Another card for the Coffee Loving Cardmakers' Summer Blog Hop.


I started with the cup and steam cut with the Cricut and the Joy of the Season cartridge at 1.75 inches.

I chose a blue card stock for the background layer.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Stains to add color to it with the Mini Coffee Splotch stencil by Rebekah Meier for The Crafters Workshop. I used Vintage Photo, Tea Dye and a bit of Tattered Rose distress stains on the blue applied with a sponge through the stencils and applied directly to the paper. I selected a warm toned peach colored card to which I applied Tea Dye and Tattered Rose to tone down the color.

I added a length of taupe seam binding to give the cup a place to sit.  I ran double sided tape across the blue layer then added pleats to the ribbon as I pressed down onto the adhesive.

I did touched the edges of the cup and steam with a bit of Vintage Photo Distress Stain applied with the sponge.

Baby Boy - Shower Gift - Yellow Duckie

I made this card for my nephew and his wife who had another baby boy recently.  This is #2.

I created a watercolor background with Tim Holtz Distress Stain - Faded Jeans, a bit of turquoise liquid acrylic ink and a couple of scribbles of Not Quite Navy watercolor crayon.  The color was applied to a acrylic sheet and spritzed with water.  I laid my 4x6 card stock into it and pulled it away.  It curled but when left to dry it flattened again.  Once dry, it was cut to 4.00 x 5.25 inches and adhered to the navy card front.

I found a clipart image of a yellow duckie which I printed and then cut with a smooth oval from the Spellbinder Nestabilities set.  I then cut a scalloped oval a medium blue card stock with the corresponding oval.  This was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

I printed a greeting in navy and yellow and fussy cut the banner with scissors.  It was adhered with 3D foam tape.

Books are my go to gift for babies.  I hope that books will always part of our culture.  I think parents reading to babies is valuable time spent.

You will notice a theme of yellow ducklings in this gift.

This is a great book with a nice plasticized cover so it can handle sticky fingers and it is easily wiped clean.

The illustration in the book is wonderful and the colors are lovely.

I chose the same duckling graphic for the frame for his room.  It contains the details of the day he was born.

It is a yellow good quality metal frame with a brilliant blue mat and a coordinating yellow mat.

I designed the information layer to fit in the 4.75 x 6 inch opening in the mat.  It was printed on white card stock and adhered behind the mat.

I hope it holds a place in his room for years to come.  I did similar item for his dad when he was born years ago.  It makes a nice keepsake.

R2Go Christmas Kit - Peace on Earth Dove

I created some Distress Stain backgrounds with Faded Jeans and Pine Needles.  Once dry, I die cut the greeting with the Sizzix Peace Phrase #2 die.

I designed the background by adding an earth clip art on the bottom left hand side which contain similar colors.  It was adhered to the green card front.

The PEACE die cut was adhered to the top center of the card.

The "in Earth" banner was color printed on white card stock then the end was flagged.  It was adhered just below the die cut.

I cut the dove with the Sizzix Dove die from white card stock.  It was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Christmas Card Challenge - April - Scallop Circle Purple

This is the card for my monthly blog Christmas Card Challenge.  The theme for April is Scallop Circle and Purple.

I started with a tall top fold card measuring 4.25 x 11 inches. I printed the greeting onto the card front and folded it at 5.5 inches. I then selected a thin die from the Spellbinder Nestabilities Scallop Circle set and cut a hole in the card front. 
I used my Tim Holtz Distress Stain background method to make the sky paper with purples and blues.  The colors used are Faded Jeans, Dusty Concord and a bottle which changed colors over time so it's a turquoise like color.  Ranger replaced the bottles but if I am not aiming for a certain color they do the trick.  I designed some triangle trees which I printed onto my background paper.
I cut the little house from white card stock at 2" with my Cricut and the Winter Woodland cartridge. I adhered the house next to the trees. I ripped the snow bank which I placed in front of the house.  This layer was then adhere to the back of the card front with double sided tape.  Once the card was assembled, I used a couple drops of the distress stains a drop of water and dipped a old toothbrush into and spattered the card front to add a bit of texture.

Cup of Thanks

I started with the cup.  I cut it with the Cricut and the Joy of the Season cartridge.  I chose some bright spring paper and cut the cup at 2.25 inches.  I added a narrow strip of blue card stock along the top and bottom of the cup.  I added 3 tiny yellow handmade paper flowers along the blue held in place with 2 tiny brads. The sentiment layer was created with a greeting from the Stampin up Tea Shoppe digital set.  Printed in Island Indigo and clear embossed.  The banner is 2.75 wide and 4.25 tall.  The tail was cut by hand.  The cup was adhered to the vellum with 3D foam tape.  The watercolor background was created by smooshing 3 colors of Tim Holtz Distress stains onto a waterproof mat. I used Crushed Olive, Mustard Seed, and Peacock Feathers.  I spritz the ink and then laid my glossy white card stock into it to capture the color.  Once dry, the layer was cut to 3.75 wide by 5 inches tall.  It is adhered to a card of Bazzil textured card stock in a bright warm yellow.

Submitting to the Coffee Loving Cardmakers 2017 Spring Blog Hop.
This card is number 885.

Card Club - March - Bird on a Branch

I started with a ginger colored card which coordinated with the rusty color in the designer paper.  The designer paper is by Authentique - Collection Hope - Adorn.  I cut it to 3 x 5.5 inches and ripped the top half in off making sure not to leave a white ripped edge. I trimmed it slightly and adhered it to the bottom of the card front.
I cut the Bird Branch by Tim Holtz from kraft card stock.  I then cut just the bird from blue card stock.  I applied Tim Holtz Distress Stain - Gathered Twigs onto the branch to give me some variation in color on the branch.  I glued the branch to the card front and trimmed it to the edge of the card.  I trimmed the bird die cut to ensure I only had legs and adhered him directly over the kraft colored one.  I used a push pin to make a hole for the eye and placed the tiny brad and pressed the prongs apart inside.
Option: A greeting could be added to the right of the bird.

Card Club - February - Jalopy

I started with old dictionary pages. 
To apply the color I applied 3 Tim Holtz Distress Stains to my acrylic plate. Walnut Stain, Antique Linen, and Faded Jeans.  I spritzed that with a bit of water.  I laid my page onto the plate and carefully removed it.  I set it aside to dry.  Once dry, they were flat again.

I ripped the edges to make them fit the card front.  I chose a blue green card which coordinated with the color on the printed page.  I applied a background with a brown marker before gluing down the dictionary page. 

The greeting was color printed in the Early Espresso and Island Indigo on vellum and clear embossed.  It was trimmed close to the border.  It is held in place with a coordinating mini brad. 

I cut the Tim Holtz Jalopy and Arrow Mover & Shaper dies from a warm brown textured card stock.  I adhered the Jalopy in the bottom right hand corner and the arrow in the top left hand corner.

I love to decorate my own paper.  This one turned out really nice.

Decorative Set - Set 1

This sunburst layer was cut from decorative paper made with technique using Alcohol Inks and Floor Wax.  My mixing of colors had created some muddy colors so it was a challenge to decide which color to highlight.  I tried warm pink, kelly green, yellow cards and finally settled for this warm green card.  I cut the decorative layer with the Stampin Up Sunburst Thinlit.  I adhered it to the card front then trimmed the rays to the card edge.  I added several Prima Flowers as an accent held in place with a gold flower sequin on a gold tiny brad. I added a greeting with the SU Decorative Label punchie and a SU Word Window greeting.  These were adhered together then glued to the card with 3D foam tape.



You can check out my other cards made with this great die by following this link.

On this card I used decorative paper made by spritzing color from a spray bottle through stencils and other materials to create decorative patterns.   This piece includes yellows, greend and blues.  I chose a pale blue textured card onto which I adhered the decorative paper.  I then spread a piece of metallic ribbon across the bottom third of the card and taped the ends to the inside of the card.  I layered several Prima flowers with other silks and held them all in place with a tiny gold star brad.  Great any reason card.

This card features a clear embossed color printed greeting in bold red letters on vellum.
Once printed I decided to create a custom background. I trimmed a piece of photo paper to leave a small border then applied Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Stain to the center and Walnut Stain to the edges.  I made sure to touch the cut edge of the paper was well.  This leaves the sentiment very visible against the background with a great dark brown border on the red card.
I chose a red card to repeat the color in the greeting.
The background was adhered to the card then the vellum was held in place with tiny gold star brads in the corners and other areas.  This makes a great card for a guy's birthday. 

Coffee Card Challenge

I created this card to join the challenge at the Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.

I started with a graphic of a coffee cup which I downloaded from the internet.  I used pencil crayons to color the cup.  I filled a circle from the stencil onto the front of the cup. I added the Coffee Co. words free hand with the dark brown Staedtler Karat watercolor pencil.  I sponged on some Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Antique Linen to warm it up as it appeared too white against the background.  I kept adding shading until I was happy with it.

I started the background on a piece of taupe skytone card stock cut to 4.0 x 5.25 inches.  I used the The Crafter's Workshop - Mini Coffee Splotch stencil to create the coffee rings.  I dabbed some Tim Holtz Distress Stains in Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Gathered Twigs, and Walnut Stain from lightest to darkest onto a palette.  I applied the 2 medium stains with a sponge through the stencil making marks on the card stock.  I sponged a bit between the rings. I rubbed the edges with the Walnut Stain.  I wrapped a piece of ivory seam binding around the background and tied it on the front to the left leaving room for my cup.

I glued the back ground to a deep brown almost Espresso card.  Adhered the coffee cup focal element to the card front with 3D foam tape. I trimmed the ends of my seam binding.   I then spattered the card front with a wet toothbrush dipped into the 2 medium colors which unified the elements.   I'm super happy with the results.

Sympathy - Canvas Butterfly

This is a sympathy card for a friend who lost her husband Ray this week.  I'm attending his funeral today and we will celebrate his full life of 93 years.

I spread some Tim Holtz Faded Jeans Distress Stain onto my acrylic plate then just pressed the kraft card front onto it to create a mono print.
I created the tag by cutting a strip of navy card stock to 2" wide and punched the end with the Stampin Up Banner Triple Punch.  The kraft layer was cut to 1.5" and punched the same way.  These were adhered together. I stamped the sentiment from the SU Simply Sketched stamp set in SU Night of Navy ink.  I adhered the canvas butterfly above the sentiment with Zots. I punched a hole in the upper left hand corner and added a cotton string matching the butterfly.  The tag is adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Submitting to the following challenge:
Tag You're It Challenge #45

Enjoy - Retirement

I'm attending a retirement celebration for a friend today.  I made a card to let her know she needs to enjoy the next stage of her life.  Time will be available for family, friends and fun.

I started with the hot air balloon which says Let's Fly Away and symbolizes leaving the current behind.  I found here at Altered Artifacts.    I trimmed it and inked the edges with a deep eggplant color.  I chose a page from the spanish dictionary which I trimmed then painted with Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet Distress Stain.  Dried it and then inked the edges with the same ink pad as the balloon.  I adhered the words then the balloon image.  I added a scalloped handmade paper circle in a brown.  I added a circle colored with the same distress stain as before.  Once dry I adhered it to the brown.  The greeting is vellum so I applied snail adhesive to all the back then placed it in the center of the pink circle.  Really happy with this one.

Share Your Cup - This Week

I made a proposal early in January in hopes of getting an order for my photo calendars.  I had been thinking about changing the first sheet and I took the opportunity to try it out.  I replaced the front photo with a small sheet of vellum with the pertinent details.  It goes over the dates of the calendar till it's time to start using the calendar.  This will help for customers to immediately recognize it as a calendar.


The photo on the right is the first sheet for the 2106 Garden calendar.  I know it says photo calendar but I think it's better to actually let me see the calendar part.  We'll see if it helps for the sale of the 2017 ones when they come out later this year.

Check out my feature post and you could win a 2016 Up Close calendar in my blog giveaway. 

This week, I was working on preparation for Card Club which I will teach on Monday.  I wanted to create a card which would work of Valentines, Wedding or Anniversary.  I decided to use paper heart doilies.  The designer papers I had selected were all in the warm tones so I wanted to warm up the white doilies. I pulled out my trusty Tim Holtz Distress Stain Antique Linen to just change the color a bit.  This is what I got! Green!!  Needless to say I had to change my strategy to one that would work with white hearts. 
After a search on line I found this post which identifies the same problem. The Tattered Rose has turned green as well.  Once I check all my bottles I guess a call to Ranger will be in my future.
UPDATE:  My replacement bottles of Tim Holtz Distress Stain arrived today, March 3, 2016.  Ranger provides great customer service and stands by their products.

I store my 12x12 designer paper in plastic drawer organizers.  One drawer holds my DSP scraps, in hopes that they will be used in another project.  This week I just had to clear out the paper scraps I was never going to use.  Some of these I have been looking at for at least 5 years and every time I would come and look for a scrap I would see them.  I was able to let go of them this week and put them in a bag headed to the ReUse Centre.  I'm sure some teacher looking for scraps for her grade 1 class will appreciate a nice collection of small pieces which can be cut up into a mosaic, a paper strip project or something else which I can't even conceive.  I can close the drawer with out doing the shuffle.  I can easily see what I have because this is much less of it, and I'm feeling lighter.
The next task in the de-stashing is gift wrap rolls.  More about that later.

Submitting to Share Your Cup hosted by Carol at Art and Sand.

Joy to the World Challenge

I started with the Tim Holtz JOY Mover & Shaper cut from green card stock.  I then cut the word out of the piece of card stock with one of the Spellbinder Smooth Oval Nestabilities.  I cut a scalloped oval with the corresponding SB Nestabilities from gold card stock.  These were adhered together.  I cut the TH Ornamenal die from ivory music decorative paper.  I chose a deep red card onto which I stamped some washi tape from the Stampin Up Tape It stamp set in black ink.  I colored printed the "to the World" greeting in black and I applied a bit of TH Antique Linen Distress Stain to just remove the whiteness of the card stock. I flagged the end of the banner with the SU Chevron punch.   I then layered it onto the same green card stock as the Joy die cut leaving a tiny border. I adhered the Ornamental die cut to the card front then adhered the banner in the bottom third of the card.  I then adhered the Joy scalloped oval with 3D foam tape.

Submitting this card to the following challenges:
Sparkles Christmas Card Challenge - Anything Goes
Holly Jolly Christmas Card Challenge - Inspired by a Christmas Carol

Cards - Tab Closures

I made a couple of cards for my exchange group.  A Stampin Up Card Base Pop 'n Cuts XL die has come my way and I didn't know it created a card which closes with slits and tabs.  That was a super surprise. I've done some research and there are interesting projects to come.
For these cards I cut the double sided card stock with the card base then folded it in half.  For the blue one I used Make a Wish Dandelion paper from Pebblesinc.  I cut a SU Lattice Die in white and adhered it to the card front in the tall orientation.  I punched a couple of SU Five Petal Punchies in deep brown then 2 small white Five Petal punchies and adhered them onto the brown ones.  I added a bit of a centre with a marker.  These were mounted with 3D foam tape. I added a greeting in the bottom right hand corner with a SU Modern Label punchie in white stamped with a stamp from the Small Script Stamp Set. I punched a brown punchie same card stock as the flowers, cut it in two crosswise and offset them to the back of the greeting layer.  This layer was then adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

 This second card was cut with the same card base die.  I used this map card stock with a deep red on the back side.  I cut the Tim Holtz Camera Mover & Shaper from the same card stock but with the red in front.  I cut it twice and then layered some pieces from the second onto the first so I would have map accents on it.  I used a strip of white card stock which I put Distress Stain in Antique Linen and Gathered Twigs to help it coordinate with the card stock.  I then cut the sentiment with the Stampin Up Little Letters dies and adhered them onto the colored strip.  I ran the edges of the strip into the dauber of Gathered Twigs stain.  I adhered the strip to the card front. I wrapped the card front with several layers of kraft twine and knotted it on the front. I then adhered the camera to the left of the sentiment with 3D foam tape.  Note the card is being used in the reverse manner from the first one hence you only see the red tabs showing through the slits.  Very versatile die.

Card - Deer in Neutrals

I took a sheet from a Spanish dictionary and applied Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Antique Linen and Gathered Twigs.  I dried it with the heat tool and then used TH Distress Stain in Walnut Stain with a brush to paint the landscape and the trees.  I ripped all the edges.  I stamped the greeting in the top right hand corner with Versafine Vintage Sepia with a clear stamp. I chose a Bazzill Pinecone card stock for the card. This layer was adhered to the card front with glue stick which helped to smooth out the wrinkled paper. I punched a 1" circle from Champagne pearl card stock for the moon and adhered it with 3D foam tape.  The chipboard deer is left over from this card project. I applied a bit of bronze shimmer on them with a dry brush but it does not show up in the photo.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges.
52 Christmas Card Throw Down - Coffee and Cream
Hazels Christmas Card Challenge - Anything Goes

Card - St. Patrick's Day Birthday

I made these two cards for a friend who requested special cards for a relative that celebrates her birthday on March 17th.  I started with the Spellbinder A2 Ribbon Threader die which cut some DSP by Echo Park - For the Record2 - Damask - this is the flip side.  It gave me some illusion of movement with it's diagonal lines.  I trimmed the holes at the bottom of the die which here is the right hand side.  I then found this wonderful soft green image of a shamrock wreath to which I added the greeting then color printed it.  I added notches on the corners with a punch.  I had some mint colored seam binding which was too clear a color for the rest of the card so I colored it with Tim Holtz Bundled Sage Distress Stain to give it some warmth in color.  I ran one length through the slots and taped the ends to the back.  Then, I pulled a second piece through behind the first one and tied a nice soft bow.  I found a card in the coordinating green but it still needed something.  I decided to add a layer of DSP by Basic Grey - Porcelain - Chintz which supported the warm greens in the rest of the card.  This layer was adhered to the card, then the ribbon threader then the wreath was added with 3D foam tape.

Card - Challenge - HB Envelope

I made this card to meet a few challenges.
Designer Paper - I started with the patterned paper by Webster Pages - Kickball.
Envelope - I made the envelope with the Sizzix Scallop Envelope Bigz die by Stampin Up.  I used a watercolored turquoise paper which I warmed up with Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Stain because it was too white for the DSP.  I stamped the greeting in warm green with a small SU stamp.
Masculine HB - The colors were quite masculine, so to add to that feeling, I hid the scallop edge of the envelope with a small card which was the same color as the card and just fit inside.   I cut the letters HB with the Sizzix Shadow Box dies in complementary colors of light and dark blue green.
Ribbon - I added a length of caramel seam binding across the DSP which I knotted before I adhered the envelope to the front.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:
1. Daring Card Makers - Envelope
2, Hazel's Patterned Paper - February
3. Crazy For Cards - C4C271 - Masculine HB

Cards - Shrink Plastic Flowers

Here are the cards I made with my shrink plastic flowers. Check this post for details on how to make the flowers.

I found yellow buttons to put in the centre of the flowers which I will string into the holes I made in the shrink plastic flowers.  I made a background starting with a white quarter sheet which I sponged with Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Tattered Rose (light) and Victorian Velvet (darker). I stamped the SU Background Builder (script) stamp with Paprika ink in several directions. I glued this layer to a warm rosy ginger card leaving a small border. I cut the stem and leaves by hand and glued them to the card front.  I tacked the flower in place, used a push pin to make the holes through the card front using the holes in the flower.  I strung yellow thread through the button, the flower and the card front and tied in a knot on the front.



For the card on the right I used  Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Antique Linen (light) and Crushed Olive (darker). I stamped the SU Background Builder (script) stamp with Paprika ink in several directions.

These cards likely will not go through the mail without extra postage.

Card - Sympathy

I made a few cards for family who are attending my Uncle Joe's funeral today.
I started with a grey card and added a designer paper in grey and ivory florals.  I added a length of ivory twill tape about 1" below the top and tape the ends to the back.  I stamped the sentiment with a Stampendous stamp in Sahara Sand on ivory.  I used a corner punch then rubbed the edges with the same ink pad. Sentiment mounted with 3D foam tape.

 These cards start with a
deep muted grape color card stock.  I added a vellum layer cut to leave a small border.  I added a square of designer paper which I warmed up with a bit of Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Stain to go with the ivory greeting I had in my stash.  I added a SU Five Petal Punch in ivory rubbed with a purple ink pad.  I added silk flower flower with a deep purple brad holding all pieces in place.  I added the sentiment with 3D foam tape.  It was color printed and punched with the SU Decorative Label punch.