My Salvation

The stamped phrase is by Our Daily Bread Designs. The corners on the white cardstock were rounded with a discontinued corner rounder by Creative Memories. A small corner rounder was used on the dark brown layer.

The pink scalloped oval layers and the large embossed green leaf are a product of Spellbinders. The small glitter paper leaves are from a Punch Bunch punch. The dark brown branches are the EK Success Martha Stewart line. The smaller dark brown branch that is an extension on the larger branch on the left is from Punch Bunch.

Papers are DCWV.

This card reall does not require directions. It's all right there in front of you. I am sure there are many many variation on this theme. This card is a little outside my usual box. Not my favorite colors, but it was fun. We all need to stretch a little every now and then. Stay tuned for more of my stretching. Some of it was very pleasing and some of it was . . . well I'll leave that up to you to decide.

Faux Metal Lace

Here is another example of a technique I first saw on USArtquest. It is fairly simple. Apply double sided tape to cardstock in almost overlapping strips. Rub across the tape in both directions, causing it to roll up slightly.

Now you can apply metallic flakes, foils, mica powders and embossing powders. Anything that will stick to the tape.

I found that it was still sticky after the flakes and foil, so put on a sparkly embossing powder and embossed to finish off. The embossing powder seemed to find those little nooks and crannies that the other products couldn't get to.

On a whim, the black flourish was added. I still don't know if I like it or not. Guess it depends on the day, LOL,

He Has Made Everything Beautiful

What can I say? More Our Daily Bread Design stamps with DCWV Tahiti stack papers and Spellbinders Labels dies. So much fun!!!!

The base oval was cut with a Coluzzle. This one was constructed from parts laying around and playing with them. I am very satisfied with the results. Hope some of you are inspired by it as well.

Stamp Camp background

When attending stamp convention in August at Loveland CO I visited the booth of Stamp Camp. I could spend hours at this vendors display, drooling over her fantastic product.

This image was stamped in dark brown dye ink and then lightly colored with colored pencils. The edges where heavily sponged with that dark brown ink to soften the borders. It was then layered on cream and then brown card stock.

The scalloped border of dark brown card stock is a border punch from EK Success Martha Stewart line. I have found the best selection of these punches at Michael's. (another product I just drool over, those are some great innovative punches) The punch around the page punches are great. (especially when you have a 40% off coupon, LOL)

When I Pray

I do love my scripture stamps. Pen pal alert, you will be getting a lot of these cards in the future! Our Daily Bread Designs is one of the many scripture stamp sources available today. If you have a good source please share it in the comments. If I remember I will add them to my links section of the blog.

Here again are the fantastic Spellbinders dies, Labels and Nestibilities. The scripture phrase itself has been accented by a corner rounder and sponging the edges with black ink.

Strength I Need

This wonderful scripture stamp is from

Our Daily Bread Designs. I would love to have one of every single one of their stamps. The phrases and images are great and the quality of the deeply etched rubber is perfect.

The die cuts are by Spellbinders. From their Label and Borderabilities lines.

The phrase was stamped on cream card stock. A white gel pen was used to highlight some of the bold letter.

The card base is a duplex paper of black and beige. The advantage of this paper is that I don't need an insert of light paper insert or a light gel pen to write my greeting inside. This is especially important when you give your cards as a gift. Most people that I gift with a card set don't have gel pens and won't buy one either.

Butterfly Collage Stamp

The card base of this design has been covered with scrapbook paper and the edges sponged lightly with a dark brown ink.

Spellbinders made the die for the die cut on the right side of the card. It was cut and embossed, then lightly sponged with dark brown ink to accent the embossing even more.

I can not tell you who made the stamp. The butterfly itself is accented with a clear sparkle gel pen to pop the butterfly image in the collage. The square edges have been distressed with a thread cutter and then heavily sponged with black ink to give a burned and vintage look.

You Answer Me

Layers, wow, do I like to use layers! I used the parts of the pendant that are cut out and made them accents. Spellbinders Label and Pendant dies were used. The papers are from DCWV Tahiti stack and the stamped phrase is made my Our Daily Bread Designs.

The stamped phrase has been accented with a white pen.

A black card base was used. More to come, I am still creating with my paper, stamps and dies.

Die cuts, stamps and paper

With some great dies, high quality stamps and gorgeous paper you can create so much. Dies by Spellbinders, stamps by Our Daily Bread Designs and papers by DCWV.

The pieces on the far left and right are a Spellbinders Borderabilities that has been cut in half. I do like the framing effect that it gives.

Hope this has inspired some of you. I have certainly had a great time creating with these tools.

Everything Beautiful

Oh, oh, oh, oh........I have been having sooooooo much fun. Our Daily Bread Designs stamps that I got myself for Christmas. (yes, I was a VERY good girl, just ask Santa), Spellbinders Labels and Pendants dies and DCWV Tahiti stacks.

The perfect adhesive backed half pearls are from Creative Impressions. This was a very fun and elegant card to create.

Faux Lace

A few weeks ago there was a video on USArt Quest on making faux lace. Double sided tape is laid down on the card stock. You can tell from the pictures of the cards that the rows of tape were fairly close together. I had to try several kinds of double sided tape before I found one that would "roll" when I rubbed over it.

I rubbed over the tape going both directions. Next was a mica powder that I dabbed on here and there with my finger. After that I put some metallic flakes on and rubbed off the excess with a stiff brush. To get rid of that finally little bit of tackiness a sparkly embossing powder was applied and heated.

The die cuts are from Spellbinders Label Series. The texture is from a Cuttlebug A2 Embossing Folder.

This is a fun new technique that is easy to do and impressive when finished.

The Last of the Christmas Cards

I was sorting out my stash of cards and found some older cards that I had done. The red and black card was so dramatic and elegant. I think I need to use my mulberry paper more often.

The collage stamp was used over a Glimmer Mists shimmery background. Sadly the pictures just can't do justice to the beauty of the Glimmer Mists. The stamp is unmounted and I have no idea who is the maker.

A piece of scrapbook paper attached to the front of a card base, an evergreen tree embossed with green sparkly embossing powder and a Christmas phrase. A quick, easy and elegant card.

This is a window card. The snowflake is a Sizzix cut and emboss die. Two snowflakes glued together with the fishing line in the middle. The frame hides where the glue has been applied to hold the snowflake in place in the window.

The phrase is computer generated. I have no idea who is the maker of the snowflake stamp. Another of those purchased years ago at a convention as an unmounted.

Let It Snow

Since I know very well that I can't prevent the coming predicted snow I have decided to be happy about it. Okay, not happy, but at least accepting.

Here again the Spellbinder's Impressibilites was used to create the raised snowflakes. The raised image was lightly brayered over with a medium blue ink. The oval, scalloped oval and the dark blue border on the right of the card to the left were all from Spellbinders dies. The dark blue snowflakes are from various punches and die cuts.

The second card is the same Spellbinders Impressibilites. It has been layered on dark blue and white then mounted on a meduim blue card base.

Even More Blue Snowflakes

Cut up a dry embossed panel into three rectangles, mount them on some K & Company paper from the latest Christmas stack then layer onto dark blue. Dark blue ink was sponged around the edges.

A second example of my blue snowflake frenzy is also in this post. I created the multi-shaded various blue snowflake paper. You can read the basics of how it was done in yesterday's post.

More Blue Snowflakes

The white and dark blue card stock layers have been die cut with a Spellbinders Labels die. Now that white card stock has been a little "altered". I got out my snowflake stamp collection and went a little over the edge. (aka - out of the box) I also used some white sparkle embossing powder for one snowflake. There are also die cut and punched snowflakes floating around on it too.

The label was cut in half so there are two cards. Note the epoxy bubble over the snowflake on the phrase. It is left over EnviroTex from my last Friendly Plastic session. I used Crafter Pick Ultimate glue to attach it.

Blue, Tan and White

This color combination and the use of snowflakes was inspired by my stamping friend's blog. Carol Norby has a blog called Stampin Hot In Arizona and it is a "hot" blog. Carol has some great ideas, so stop by her blog and be inspired.

The shades of blue paper used here is from K & Company. I stamped one of my many snowflake stamps on the paper and embossed with a sparkly blue embossing powder.

The Sizzix die cut snowflake is dark blue cardstock. VersaMark ink was brayered on then holgram embossing powder was used.

The ink used on the rest of the stamped images is Blue Iris Chalk ink.

Glimmer Mist Background

The stamp used here is a background stamp, but is now the focal point of the card.

I used Glimmer Mists to create a shimmery background, then stamped the Merry Christmas stamp with VersaMark and embossed with fineline black.

The layer in is black, gold gift wrap and a nutmeg brown. A white card base was used.

So background stamps are not just for backgrounds. Hmmm - I have been told by an authority that a true crafter disregards all the rules and voids all the warranty's when they are truly creating. Yup, I agree.

AND boy is it a lot of fun.

All three cards were created using Spellbinders Impressabilities. These are amazing embossing templates. They can be used as I did as a whole or cut apart.

When using any type of embossing plate or folder I would recommend that you use some type of "softener" for the paper. My preferred product is Wonder Goo. You can also spritz or mist lightly with water. This gives a much crisper finished product.

The Merry Christmas was stamped on the first card before embossing. To make the embossed snowflakes stand out even more a brayer inked with light blue dye based ink was used.

Best brayer method, a very very light touch. This keeps the brayer on top of the embossed image. I just hate it when the brayer inks the valleys.

The second card has layering and a punched out glitter snowflake that has been encased in EnviroTex resin.

This third card has an added snowflake that is covered in metal flakes. The layering here is very basic. A little darker blue ink was used to enhance the embossed snowflake design.

Nativity Card

What a fun card to make? I had to save just one to look at all through the year.

This is a die cut set from Quickut. I have no idea if they are still selling it. I got it over a year ago.

The card base is a tan with a mountain scene stamped in a tan that was several shades darker. I did use a gel sparkle pen on the star.

Beautiful Little Girl

Another stamp by Second Star On The Right. The stamped image did not turn out well when I reduced the size of the photo.

The die cuts are from Bosskut. The card base is paper from a DCWV (Die Cuts With a View) stack called Old World. The three pearls are from Creative Impressions.

The edges of the card base and the oval stamped image have been sponged to give vintage look and to add depth.

I usually stamp the highly detailed "art" stamps on glossy paper and put the ink on the stamp with a brayer.