Leaves In Oval

Spellbinders beaded oval was used to
cut the dark plum card stock.
I then used the die itself to cut the
Karen Foster scrapbook paper.
A Coluzzle cutter used on the inside
of the die made a perfect oval.
I have found that the Coluzzle cutter works best
when used with the foam sheet that they recommend.

The leaf "ribbon in the center of the oval
is an EK Success Martha Stewart punch.
It was glued to the oval and the parts
that extended past the pink paper
were carefully cut with a straight edge.
I rather like the results.

The striped background paper is
another fantastic Karen Foster paper.
I have no idea if they are still making it.
I have had it for a number of years.
OK, I have hoarded it for a number of years.

More Christmas Ornaments

Christmas Ornaments

The flowers are made with Sculpey clay
or Makin' Clay air dry clay.

They have all been painted with Lumiere metallic
or pearl paints.

The silver ornament is one that hangs in my window.

The rest of the ornaments will be Christmas gifts.

Rejoice and Be Glad

It is amazing what a big difference
a slight change in design can make.

On the above card, the pine bough
was stamped with VersaMark
and embossed with clear embossing
powder. This creates a "shadowed" look.

The same basic design can be seen above and below.
One difference is the punched pine bough.
I personally like both looks.

Folded Christmas Tree

The basic instructions for the folded
Christmas tree can be found at
Connie Babbert's blog Inkspired Treasures.
While the instructions are for a plain edge,
I used one of Spellbinders scalloped circle
Nestibilites and sponged the edges.

The white oval that the tree is mounted on
is also texturized in an embossing folder.

Bathing Cowboy

The above card has a hammered metal accent
under the layered cowboy image.

Isn't this cowboy just simply hilarious?
I love the spurs hanging over the edge of the bath tub.
Viva Las Vegas Stamps is the manufacturer.
The phrase comes from Claudia Rose.

The cowboy was colored with colored pencils
and blended with a stump and baby oil.
Square Nestibilities from Spellbinders was used
to die cut the cowboy image and a
Spellbinders Label was used
on the cardboard.
Both the cardboard and the image
have been enhanced by sponging
dark brown ink around the edges.
This was also done with the card base.

Sutter Enterprises is the maker of the retreating rider.

Rejoice

I have a LOT of Christmas stamps and
have been very careful about my purchases
of those stamps because I have to many.
Christmas and the Holy Days
(aka Holidays to the politically correct)
are my yearly reminder of God's unending
love for me and all humanity
by the fulfillment of the promise,
the gift of His only Son, born a man,
to die and shed his blood for me.
Because of this great gift and sacrifice that
followed I have eternal life.
So I Rejoice!!!!!!!

The branch in the upper left corner
has been stamped with VersaMark
and embossed with clear embossing powder.

Big Merry, Little Christmas

Four very similar cards with the same basic design.

Begin with a computer generated "merry".
It took a little experimenting to get just the right size.
I worked in landscape format with two columns
in Word 2003 and got four "merry"s per sheet of card stock.
The "merry" was then cut out with a
Spellbinders Label die,
then embossed in a Cuttlebugembossing folder.

The "Christmas" is also computer generated.
These were cut out with Spellbinders oval Nestibilities.
Some were layered onto the coordinating scalloped ovals
and others had ink sponged around the edges to make
them stand out slightly from the "merry" label.

The gold card is gift wrap that has been attached with
spray glue to card stock. It was then embossed with
a Cuttlebug folder as was the "merry" label.


The blue backgrounds are K & Company scrapbook paper.
This design has endless possibilities.
My husband has an anniversary card the
has a big "happy" and a small
anniversary. The design is done is black and white.
This design is easy to mass produce and
great fun to give.

Western Flavor

Begin with a fantastic image from
Wildlife Enterprises stamped
with black Ranger's Archival ink.
Why archival? So when you smooth
out the colored pencil with a stump soaked
in baby oil the black ink doesn't run.
A non archival water based ink
will "move" and smear when it get
wet with the baby oil.

Cut the finished image to a rectangle,
punch the corners and sponge the edges
with a dark brown ink.
Layer onto a dark brown card stock,
trimming the left side with a decorative scissors.

The faux snake skin is also layered onto
dark brown card stock with
the bottom edge cut with the
same decorative scissors as the
hat and gloves image.
Place three brads at the top and
some type of decorative western
embellishment at the bottom.

Attach the faux snakeskin and
stamped image as shown in the picture.
I used a beige parchment card stock for
my card base. The edges of
the card have also been sponged with
dark brown ink.

Cheery Thirds Cards

Both cards are made using the thirds theory.
1/3 and 2/3 division between colors or papers
is very pleasing to the eye.

The textured portion does not extend to
the entire piece of card stock.
On what remained of the flat part,
I used two different punch designs.
A narrow strip of the scrapbook
paper was attached to the unembossed
area between the embossing and punching.

Peek-a-boo Card

This card begins with a piece of scrapbook
paper attached to the lower 1/3 of the card base.
A coordinating plain card stock
is embossed in an embossing folder.
A portion is then punched in an
EK Success Martha Stewart border punch.

Note that one of the diamonds on the embossing
has been cut out and a piece
of the scrapbook paper is glued underneath.

Now glue the card stock to the card base.
You now have an "Any Occasion" card.
The greeting that you stamp or write
on the inside determines what kind of
card it is.

Glorious Cowgirls

Here are some more of those glorious cowgirls.
The detailed instructions for the hinge part can
be found in yesterdays post.
YeeeeeeHaawww!!!!!
Cowgirl Up!

There Is A Season

There is a season for everything and it is in
God's good time, not ours.

The textured background for this card was
done with a piece of white text weight paper
that was folded and put through a corrugator.
After it was attached to the card base,
the edges were sponged.

The phrase is computer generated, cut out
with a Spellbinders oval.
The K & Company scrapbook paper under the
scripture was also cut with a Spellbinders Label die.
The edges of both have been sponged.

After attaching the scripture layers to the card front,
silk leaves and "jewels" were added.

Cowgirls

This was a complicated card so I will number the instructions to help you and me keep it straight
First step is the cowgirl image and the riders.
1. Stamp cowgirl image with Range Archival Black ink.
2. Color image with colored pencils.
3. Using a stump, gently rub baby oil over colored parts.
This will create a much smoother look to your coloring.
4. Center Spellbinders Square Nestabilities over the cowgirls image.
Tape it in place with a low tack painters tape. You may have to "desticky" the tape by sticking
it to your arm several times.
5. Cut and emboss, leaving the image in the die, carefully remove the tape and lightly sponge from the edges in
with a medium brown ink. When you remove the paper from the die you will have a white "frame".
6. Now cut out a brown card stock square from Spellbinders Lacy Squares.
7. Mount the cowgirls image on the brown lacy square.
8. Stamp the retreating riders image (from Sutter Enterprises) and cut out with a Spellbinders oval.
9. Color with colored pencils and finish off with a baby oiled stump.
10. Sponge edges of oval with dark brown ink.
11. Attach oval behind the lacy square cowgirl piece.

The card base or parchment card stock and making the hinges.
1. Cut a piece of leather look scrapbook paper (Karen Foster) 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches.
2. Sponged all four edges with dark brown ink.
3. Attach to far left side of card. (by the fold)
4. Lay ruler over leather, using a stylus, gently impress a line on the paper.
5. Fold back on the impressed line.
6. On the inside of the card glue the portion of the card that is under the leather to the back of the inside of the
card. When opened the card should fold open on the impressed line.
7. Sponge around remaining three sides of card front with dark brown ink.

Hinges
1. I used a leather look gift wrap, since it is fairly light weight I attached the gift wrap to card stock.
2. Cut the hinges out using Sizzix die or any hinge die cut that you have on hand.
3. Fold hinges in half, this will make it easier to attach to and open card.
4. Place brads in all four holes of each hinge. You will have to cut off one of the little "arms" of the brads
as they will stick out past the edge of the hinge.
5. Glue hinges to card, matching the fold in the hinge to the fold on your card base.

Finishing
1. Attach cowgirl layers to card front.
2. Stamp horse shoes towards bottom of card.

Cowboys

Don't throw away that cardboard box!
It can become a rustic background.
I use a "floss pick" meant for dental use
to separate the top layer of flat paper from
the corrugated part.
Place the point of the pick in the valley
of the corrugation, hold it parallel, slightly tilt
towards where the paper is still attached
and slide the floss pick down the valley.
Keep repeating until the top
layer of flat paper is removed.

The mini corrugated paper on this card
was part the packing on a fragile Christmas gift.
It has been cut out with a Spellbinders Label,
as has the Wildlife Enterprises hat and gloves
image. Both have had the edges sponged
with dark brown ink to add depth.

The western medallions at the top and bottom
have been created using three different punches.

The oval rider silhouette image from Sutter Enterprises,
has been stamped in dark brown,
cut out with a Spellbinders oval
and the edges sponged.

The entire card base was sponged with
brown ink to give a mottled look.
Corners were stamped with B & J Art Stamp's
barb wire in dark brown ink.

Autumn

I had some dry embossed pieces left over from
another card design and just hated to throw them away.
So three of them were cut the same width
and the corners on one end rounded.

The card base is covered with paper from the
same stack as the printed paper that is under
the computer generated phrase.
The corners on the card base have been rounded
and then the edges sponged with
dark brown ink.

The phrase is cut out with a Spellbinders Label
and it and the layer under it have been sponged.

The silk leaves are from Michael's store brand.
The colors are so lovely, I just had to buy them.
Three pearls were attached to the joining
point of the two leaves.

Thanks For Sharing - 4 versions

Sometimes you come across a design sketch that triggers all kinds of ideas.

I stamped off the phrase, cut it out with one of Spellbinders many wonderful Label dies and began to play.

Various DCWV stacks were used, some of them I had never envisioned turning out like this. It is a wonderful experience to take the paper from the the stack that you like the least and attempt to create something with it.

While I like plaid, I have a hard time making cards with it.

Who would have thought that cutting the points off a diamond die cut would be striking?


Sometimes the very simplest usage is the most elegant. The leaf is hair Highlighting Foil that has been glued to card stock with Ultimate Crafters glue, then cut and embossed with a Spellbinders leaf die. This foil should be available at any beauty supply.

Howdy Y'all

Another use of those fantastic five step boot stamps from Kitchen Sink Stamps.

The boots have been stamped in shades of brown using Ranger's Distressed Inks. Cut the image out in a rectangle, layer onto brown card stock and trim the brown to a narrow border. Now layer onto a wood look paper. This is a digital down load and I have no idea where I got it. If you know of a place that has a wood look digital down load please leave me a comment.

Now the wood layer goes onto a medium brown card stock, cut with a decorative scissors, then layer onto the dark brown card stock again. Attach to the top portion of a card base.

Stamp B & J's Art Stamps barbwire image under the boots. Final step - stamp the words at the bottom. I arrange both words on my acrylic at the same time to get them perfectly lined up and spaced.

More Paper Quilting

All three cards use the paper quilting technique. It is what is done with the paper quilting after completion that is fun.

Embossing folders where used to add texture to all examples. The two green cards were lightly sponged with medium brown ink after wards to make the embossing stand out a little more.

On the pink card, the corners were rounded. The other two cards were cut out with Spellbinders Labels. They are all layered with coordinating card stock.

Stamp credits: on the pink card unknown, Stampendous and Our Daily Bread are the other two.

Ephesians 2:8

Such an easy card to make!
Begin with K and Company scrapbook
paper. Attach a piece about 2 or more inches
wide to the bottom of a card base.

Use one of Our Daily Bread Designs
scripture stamps.
It has been cut out with Spellbinders
nesting rectangle die, while
the piece is still in the metal die,
use a gel pen draw around the inside of the die.
Mount the phrase on the same
paper as that used on the card base
and trim to desired border width.

The dark brown card stock was cut
with a Spellbinder's Lotus Borderabilities,
then run through an embossing folder.

The leaf has been cut and embossed
using a Spellbinders leaf die.
This was done using Highlighting Foil
that had been glued to card stock.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

A plain white card base is the start of this design.
I used acrylic flourish stamps by Basic Grey,
inked with a light brown.
The entire card front was stamped with the flourishes.
I wanted a very soft subtle background.
This is barely noticeable.

The scripture is a computer generated image.
It has been cut out with a Spellbinders Label die.
Next cut another Label in scrapbook paper.
On coordinating card stock,
I drew around the outer edge of that same Label
and cut it out. This resulted in a slightly larger label,
but not as large as the label that is one size larger.
I wanted a narrow border around the label
and this gave me exactly what I wanted.

The edges of the scripture label and the
scrapbook label have been sponged with
dark brown ink.

With a matching piece of scrapbook paper,
create a strip that will cover from the top
to the bottom of the card.
The width should be what looks best to you.

With a border punch and the coordinating
card stock, punch two border the
length of the scrapbook strip.
Attach the borders to either
side of the strip.

Now put your card together as shown in the pictures.

Some More Paper Quilting

Above is a very simple basic design.
The quilt squares have had the edges sponged
to add depth. After assembly it was
texturized in an embossing folder, then
sponged lightly to make the embossing stand out.
The rest is simply layering and die cuts.

In the above card, the phrase has been
computer generated and cut out with
a Spellbinders Label. The leaves are
die cut or punched.

Stamp a small phrase (Stampendous)
on a coordinating piece of card stock.
I used the Spellbinders Leaf die to
cut a leaf from my quilted piece.
A matching leaf was cut and embossed from
Highlighting Foil (get at a beauty supply)
that had been attach to card stock.

The quilted portion was raised with
a 3-D foam and placed over
the stamped phrase.

I Cor 1:4

Often the simplest cards are the most dramatic.
The card front has been covered with a visually
low impact scrapbook paper.
The maroon and tan square is scrapbook paper
that is from the same stack as that that is
covering the card base.
I used a delicate filigree-vining
background stamp and embossed with
a dark red embossing powder.
It has been layered on a red/brown
piece of card stock.

The phrase is from
Our Daily Bread Designs,
which has light tan fine lined
flourishes stamped as a background.
This has been layered over a dark brown card stock.

The Sizzix die cut in the lower right hand
corner is made from dark brown card stock.

HINT - for coordinating papers, use scrapbook
paper stacks with matching plain card stock stacks.
While these are a little expensive, they go a long way
when making cards.