Little Card, Big Thanks 2

Well here it is.  I said I was going to try this

and it's "okay".  

Nothing I am wild about.

I think I like the white and yellow better.

It would probably be good for a man.

What do you all think of it?

Little Card, Big Thanks

 Same basic design, just different colors

and different Washi tape.

 The center card is a cream base while the top and bottom

cards a white.

I used a different embossing folder

with each card.

I do like the washi tape in the horizontal

better than the vertical.

The square that the Washi tape is wrapped around

is thick cardboard.

The phrase is raised with my usual

flat pieces of paper egg cartons.

While I am not a big fan of bright yellow,

I just love the yellow card.

Next I want to try some with the phrase

printed on kraft paper card stock.

Still working on the particulars of that one.

Oh Baby!

Well, much to my shock, I am going to be a grandma.

Our daughter announced the first of August that

she was expecting.  This is a much desired and

planned for baby.  She is 37 and our unwed son

is 41, so we never expected to be grandparents.

Above is the quilt that I have been working of for the last month.

Had to take my trusty 39 year old Bernina 830 Record

to be cleaned as I had moved my sewing room to the basement

and then discovered that I absolutely hated working in the basement.

My son and husband helped me move the

oak sewing cabinet up to a spare bedroom.  I have been 

sewing like a maniac for the past month

with several other projects rattling

around in my mind.

(not all of them baby either)

I found these panels at Pat's Creative.  This is an amazing

quilt store that is way way out in the boonies.

There was no sample sheet, just the large panel

and the six little ones.  I spent nights pondering

just exactly how to make the perfect

little girl baby quilt.  

Forgot to mention this baby is

a girl, due the end of February.

My Life?

So in the middle of October we had this little doggie show

up at our place in the middle of the night.  

Now you have to realize that we are 20 miles from the

closest town and 6 miles from an oil road.

Our house half a mile off the gravel county road and

we do NOT have a yard light on at night.  

If you are out on this lonesome road in the middle

of the night we don't want you to know

that there is even a place here.

Pixie came through the cattle panel dog yard fence (she is

very slender) at 11:30 pm when my husband let the

Scottish Terrier, MacDuff out for his final potty break

of the day.

Pixie immediately began to "fatten" up and 

four weeks after her arrival had four puppies. 

One of them died shortly after birth, but

the rest as of today are double the size shown in last 

weeks picture.  They are keeping my husband

up at night and we have had to find somewhere 

to keep them with higher sides than the original box.
We don't want to have to crawl under the bed

to dig the little rascals out.  In about four to six weeks

the two males and one female will be up for adoption.

And shortly after that Pixie will be spayed.

Christmas Cards Part 5

A black card base.

Now add an image cut using Cricut's Inspired Hearts.

Place the image on brushed silver gift wrap.

Very simple, very elegant.

Christmas Cards Part 4

Green sponging around the edge of the card base.

The snowflake embossing folder layer was cut to

4 x 5.25 inches and the edges were sponged with green.

I used a Spellbinders ornament die in three different sizes.

They are raised over the card using the flat portions of

paper egg cartons to create the 3-d look.

The oval has been cut out of the center of the largest

ornament.  I used the ovals to cut the very narrow

dark green oval the frames the word.

The word has been embossed with fine line gold.

I love the design, but will not be making very many of them.

The design is very intricate and time consuming.

As I have orders for seven dozen Christmas cards

they are going to have to be a little easier to produce.

Christmas Cards Part 3

 The phrase is from Cricut's Beyond Birthdays cartridge.

Snowflakes are Spellbinders.

The bottom care is not black, but burgundy.

The snowflake layer and the colored layer under it are

raised using the flat portions of paper egg cartons.

Christmas Cards Part 2

The phrase stamp is by My Sentiments Exactly.

The pine bough stamp is from Hero Arts.

The phrase is stamped in Ranger Archival Jet Black,

trimmed and the pine bough stamped over the

words with Ranger Distressed Ink Sage.

The edges were then sponged with

Ranger Archival Coffee and layered over

a shiny gold gift wrap that had been spray

glued to light weight card stock.

I trimmed it to a narrow border,

using my trusty layering rulers.

I attached pieces from flat parts

of a paper egg carton to give the 3-d look.

The plaid strip is washie tape over the same gold

gift wrap as was used under the phrase.

The card base also had the edges sponged with

the coffee ink.

Christmas Cards Part 1

The beginning of several designs.

This one is not going to be in the final designs.

There is just something about it that does not

do it for me.  

I am not saying that I don't like it, I just have

other designs that I like a lot more.

Elk Silhouette

A little faux snake skin, couple strands of

Cheery Lynn Designs barbwire 

and an elk die from Cricut Wildlife.

The Bronc Rider

 Images are by Rubber Stamp Avenue, stamped in

Versa Mark and heat embossed with fine line copper powder.

Barbwire is a die from Cheery Lynn designs.

There is a faux snake skin strip towards the 

bottom which adds a real western/man flair.

The phrase is computer generated and is

the cowboy point of view.

Boots

A simple western card.

The boots stamp is from Kitchen Sink.

The labels are from Spellbinders.

The mesh grid and the barbwire

are from Cheery Lynn Designs.

More Chalked Embossing Folders

 I will tell you that I much much much

prefer using Stamp N Plus powdered chalks.

They go on so smooth and even.

Much easier to work with than the regular chalks.

Chalk An Embossing Folder

I embossed the white card stock.

Cut the paper to 4 x 5.25 or slightly smaller.

Now come the stamping part.  I strongly recommend

that a stamp positioner be used.  Of course

you have to realize that if I stamp it crooked, I will 

toss it.  That's my OCD kicking in.

Next is the chalking.

Then layer on a colored card stock

that accents whatever colors you have used

in the chalking.

I added some glitter glue dots

to the upper left corner.

I tend to mass produce these

type of cards.  So there are three different

versions.  You will be seeing the other two in the

days to come.

Here Fishy, Fishy, Fishy

Well I finally did it.  I bought a Cricut.

Is there a learning curve?  Oh yeah!

Is is fun?  Oh yeah!

The background is various fish stamps scattered

at random.  The edges have been sponged heavily

with light ink applied in the center.

I stamped the fish in various shades of brown, using

the stamp off method make the

stamped images faint.

Just A Little Glitz

Here is another Rubber Stamp Tapestry design.

I have a huge stash of glitter glue and have
found that that is just the perfect finishing touch

for these wonderful tiny stamp pictures.

The phrase is an old old old one from Stampendous.

A healthy stash of small phrase stamps is

a  must for any stamper.

The Lacy Oval  framing the stamped oval

is from Spellbinders.

The layering of papers adds a lot.

I think leaving a narrow border of white

from the white card base pulls the whole
design together.

Whitewash Dogwood

Stamped with Versa Mark, heat embossed with 

fine line white embossing powder on craft colored 

card stock.

I used water colors that were very watered down

for the soft delicate whitewash appearance. 

Note the layering.

The craft paper was sponged with dark brown, 

layered onto white, trimmed to a narrow bordere,

the white was sponged with dark brown.

There is another layer of craft paper,

trimmed to narrow border, sponged and yet

another narrow border of white.

This is place on a pale pink card stock

that has been cut to 5.25 x 4 inches.

The lovely lace border at the bottom is

another Cheery Lynn Designs die.

Cheery Lynn Designs Bow Part 3

 Two slightly different takes on the same basic design.

Sponging the edges of all layers adds subtle definition

and a more vintage look.

The paper is from Graphic 45.

The scalloped ribbon was cut using my 

Create A Cut guillotine cutter. 

Cheery Lynn Designs Bow Part 2

Pink and ivory DP with a scalloped paper 

ribbon and a Cheery Lynn Designs Bow die.

The corners are rounded.

Using the Cheery Lynn Design Bows, Part 1

I have to say that I really really like the 

Cheery Lynn Designs bow die.

It even comes in two sizes!

Manly Cards

 There is a lot to be said for the dies that allow one to

emboss and ink.  These old cars are just fantastic.

The background paper is from Paper Studio.

The card base has the edges sponged with dark brown ink,

as does the map paper and the ivory paper that the cars 

are mounted on.  

Note that the map paper is on a dark brown card stock

that has been trimmed to a narrow border.

Simple

 Using an Anna Griffin die that covers the whole 

front of the card.

It was embossed and the open areas

of the die were sponged with inks.

I glued tiny pieces of the flat part

of a paper egg carton in various 

places on the back to create the 3-D.

A frame was cut with Spellbinders

Basic Matting dies.

The frame was attached to the die before 

being placed on the card front.

Using An A2 Border Die

 Some basic designs that have so many

possibilities using Spellbinders A2 Border dies.

I have FIVE sets and am anxiously awaiting their

next round of new dies.

 The phrases are computer generated using the Word program.

If you try this you will have be sure to leave

plenty of room between the phrases so 

that your dies will fit.

 I have used a little longer phrase

and repeated a short phrase.  

With the longer phrase you do have 

to be careful to center your die with the

center of the phrase.

 The possibilities are endless with these dies.

I am hooked!!!!

A design without a phrase.

New Die!

 Here is the new die from Joy Craft.

The bottom picture is of the die cut with our

sponging ink on the portions of the die 

that are cut out for embossing.

I really really like the sponging.

The top card is the last one made.

While I like the green one, the texture of the

dotted Swiss embossing folder really adds a lot.l

 The addition of pearls does add a lot.

Which one is your favorite?

Using An A2 border

The die cuts are Spellbinders A2 Border.

I love these dies, there are just so many different ways they can be used.

The paper is a double sided K & Company.

Using the double sided paper makes it easy to

match the various shades of color.

The light liner of the die cut is silver metallic

gift wrap.

The scrapbook double sided paper cover a white card base.

I very seldom use the dp as a card base.

For one thing it is just not heavy enough and

I am stingy with my precious lovely dp.

Celia's Card

My pen pal Celia sent me this card.

I just loved what she did.  

She is so talented and jerks me out

of my safe little box with her great ideas.

Thanks Celia!

Love Glitter Glue

 I have been playing with my Rubber Stamp Tapestry stamps.

They sat ignored in my studio until a few weeks ago.

While I don't have that many, what I do have is more

than adequate for making some great cards.

The texture on the card base on both cards is

from some Anna Griffin embossing folders.

Then I used a sponge with purple ink to

make the raised embossing stand out.

This required a very light touch.

The glitter glue on the Rubber Stamp Tapestry images

really pops them.  They go from ordinary to wow.

A Spellbinders Lacy Ovals die was used to cut the

oval under the stamped oval.

On the bottom card I fussy cut the scallops.

Small Stamps

 The individual tiny stamps on these cards

are from Rubber Stamp Tapestry.

After stamping various colors of 

glitter glue were applied.

 The phrase was computer generated and die cut before

stamping.  A Spellbinders Lacy Oval die was used to accent

the oval.  The background design paper is by DCVW.

The above card is on a different background paper.

It is far to busy.  I much preferred the top two cards.

I tried the dark purple under the lacy oval to make

the stamped oval stand out, but it just did not work.

Another White Wash Techniqe

The white wash technique is relatively simple.

Begin by stamping your image with Versa Mark

or white pigment ink on craft paper.  

Use fineline white embossing powder.

Now using some type of water color to

"wash" the image and then add soft accents

of color.  I like to start with the color

at the bottom of the petal and

use a fairly damp brush to pull the

color outward until it blends into the white.

The stamp is a PSX or Personal Stamp Exchange.

They have been out of business for a number or years.

This series of stamps are known in the older stampers

world as "The Botanicals".

The ribbon at the bottom was die cut

from Cheery Lynn Designs Alison's Ribbon.

Hint - water colors can be pencils, crayons, 

markers scribbled on plastic, kids water colors,

tubes of water colors, pull ink from water based

ink pads, re-inkers.

White Wash Tulips

 The tulips are from a company that was called
Stampa Rosa.  The date on the wood is 1999.

I loved their stamps.  The company is no more.

White washing - easy, fun, fast.

Stamp you flower image on craft color card stock

and heat emboss with fineline white embossing powder.

Now us a wash of white water color over all the images.

Now water color in pink (in this case that was the chosen

color) at the bottom of the flower petals.

Now use a brush wet with plain water to

softly pull the color up the petals

till if fads into the white.

I used a very light wash of green on the leaves.

The dainty pink and white border is

a Cheery Lynn Designs die

named Alison's Ribbon.

I love this set and am going to have

a lot of fun playing with it in the future.

Big Bad Buffalo

I have no clue where I got this stamp.  I do know

I have had it for a long time.

It has been stamped with Ranger Archival Jet Black ink.

The coloring was done with Prisma colored pencils

and blended with baby oil.

A Spellbinders oval die was used to 

cut out the image.

Coffee and Jet Black Ranger Archival inks

were sponged around the edges to "burn" them.

The edges of the cream card base were also sponged

with the Coffee ink.

The faux snakeskin was made using a

Fiskars texture plate with

various brown inks and water based varnish

for a glossy finish.

Barbwire is a Cheery Lynn die.

Bronze brads are in all four corners of the

faux snakeskin.