Sunday, July 29, 2012

Noble Deer Birthday Card

Busy time again. Was at my daughter's until 1:30 this morning as both she and husband were working, and still was awake at 7am today. So I have a bit of time to post this before heading off to church.

My husband's brother is turning 80 this week and we are having a get together this afternoon in his honor. A lot of out of town company to keep us all busy the past few days, and most likely into this coming week, so I probably won't get much 'play' time. But I did get some time last week to work on this card. I will enter it in the MOJO251 sketch challenge, and also the Deesigner's Choice Challenge DCC718 over at The House that Stamps Built (Repeat Impressions) Blog- a wildlife or outdoors challenge.



Here is my card:








I borrowed this SU (Noble Deer) stamp set from a friend. It's a retired set, and extremely hard to find at a decent price (I've been looking), but I can always borrow it! :) I love the image here. It was really fun coloring it-trying to get that sky and water just right was the biggest challenge. I like how it turned out.

I stamped the image with Memento Black ink on Beckett Expression white cardstock and colored most of  it with Copic markers. I used Pebbles Pastel Shimmer chalks for the sky, and added some white gel pen lines to the water. I cut the image out with Spellbinders Labels 9, then traced around the die on Bazzil cardstock and cut it out for the mat. I stamped the sentiment (CTMH Just A Number) on a white scrap with Memento Rich Cocoa and cut it out with Verve Charming Oval Die set, mounted it with dimensionals and added some altered copper brads. The DP is from my scrap basket, the only one I know for sure is the plaid is from Paper Pizzaz by Hot Off the Press-Masculine pad. 



On the inside I stamped the rest of the CTMH sentiment and the row of pines from the SU set with the Rich Cocoa ink. It looked a little bare so I dug around until I found the larger tree stamp and added it to balance out the design.
Hope you like. Leave some love. 






Wednesday, July 25, 2012

4U

Hello. It is a beautiful day here in the UP-it's much cooler and rainy!  Welcome relief from the brutal heat and humidity we have been experiencing. We had some pretty good down pours the morning, so things should really start growing again.
Today I have a card for the Sweet Shop Sketch challenge SSS168 over at Sweet n Sassy stamps. I really like this weeks sketch, it was really fun to play with.



I used the poppy image from the Poppy and Greetings Set, stamped it on Beckett Expressions White twice with SU Chocolate Chip ink. I colored it with Copic markers (R20, R43, R35, G24, G94, YG13, E37, C0). I cut the 3 flowers out from one of the images and mounted them with foam dots for dimension. i added some brown flower soft to the centers. I cut the image out with ScrapyLand exclusive Spellbinders Wavy Squares die, then traced around the die on the Bazzil Passionate Pink cardstock and cut it out by hand.

The DPs are: CTMH Dotty for You, Echo Park Sweet Summertime Sunny Spots, and DCWV. I punched a border from white CS with a Martha Stewart scallop border punch.

Now, I had not read the challenge requirements all the way through to begin with, and had completely missed the 'spin'-to have numbers on you project. I had already stamped the sentiment in the lower right hand corner. Luckily I was able to place a little label over it with a number:), and cut it out with Spellbinders Labels 14, and again traced around the die on the pink and cut it out to mat it. The ribbon is Offray Straight n Narrow.



On the inside I stamped the poppy image with TH distress ink-Antique Linen and stamped the sentiment from Flourishes With Gratitude set with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.
A pretty thank you card for a friend who brought me some pretty 'tree jewelery' when I missed a trip to a garden fair with them because I didn't feel good. 

The sketch:  


Monday, July 23, 2012

More Get Well

Okay, so, the piece I had set aside from the last card was laying on my table, and wanted to use it right away so  it wouldn't get messed up or lost. I pulled out some DP that had all the colors of the Copics I used. The challenge at Crazy 4 Challenges was to use stitching on your creation.


Now, I am currently without a sewing machine as the foot control for mine is kaputz. I brought it to a repairman 2 weeks ago and still haven't heard back from him. Sure hope he can fix it. As I am not the best at  faux stitching, so I searched through my stamps and found this border stamp that is like a zig-zag stitch. I layered the stamped image on blue CS, then on some Coree'dinations Nassau Blue cut with Spellbinders
beaded Ovals. I attached that to the DP square, then mounted it on a square white card base. I stamped the stitch line with Memento Bahama Blue. I used a corner stamp from HOTP Corners and Medallions and stamped it in Memento Bamboo leaves, Added stickles to the dots on the flowers, and I was done. Quick card and cheery.

Stamp- Hampton Arts Outline clear
Ink: Memento Bahama Blue, Memento Bamboo Leaves, SU Chocolate Chip
Copic Markers, RV02, RV14, Y11, Y18, E29, BG13, BG57, YG23, C0
DP: Echo Park Sweet Summertime Sunny spots
CS: Beckett Expression white, Recollections White (card base) & Blue; Core'dinations Nassau Blue
Accessories: Stickles Glitter Glue, Spellbinders Classic Ovals Lg & sml, and Beaded Ovals



Get Well

Another hot day in Michigan. I checked the outdoor thermometer at 3 a.m this morning and it was still 76° outside! And the humidity is up again. So I am staying inside as much as possible, although I do need to go out and water pots. But first............

I have a card made for the Pals Paper Arts sketch challenge PPA139 . I picked up this little clear stamp at Michael's on clearance the other day. So cute. And makes a really cheerful get well card.



My Card:



.So I stamped the image on Beckett Expression white with SU Chocolate Chip Ink, colored with Copics and cut it out with Spellbinders. First I cut it out with ovals, and matted it with Beaded ovals. It was too big for my card. So I set that one aside and did another, and cut it with Spellbinders Classic Labels, and that worked better. I cut the flower embellishments from some of the DP, stacked them and added stickles in various colors. Bright and cheerful, don't you think?

the sketch:

PPA139

The Ingredients:
Stamp: Hampton Arts Outline Clear stamp 'Get Well'
Ink: SU Chocolate Chip
DP: Imaginisce Lucy Bird-Twinkle Twirls and Daisy May
DCWV
Cardstock: Bazzil Chablis, Recollections, Beckett Expressions
Accessories: Spellbinders Classic Labels Lg & Sml; Copic Markers- RV2, RV14, Y11, Y18, E29, BG13, BG57, YG23, CO; Stickles Glitter Glue-Pink, Aqua, Cinnamon, Yellow, Lime Green, imaginisce Hotfix crystals, EK Success border punch




Friday, July 20, 2012

Happy B-day to You

Okay, so this was supposed to be for the Clean & Simple Challenge 199 - One Layer Challenge - a sketch challenge (below). Also for the -Less is More Week 76 -Three of anything.




Well, I can't begin to tell you how many times I attempted to stamp this silly card. It got to the point where I was soooooo upset with myself I HAD to conquer it! First off, I had trouble with the first embossing folder I tried-couldn't get the stamps inside the frame, and I really wanted to use a frame! Okay, so, switch frames. Hmmm-Cuttlebug Pinking borders-this one should be easy. Ohhhhh, nooooooo! I tried stamping individually. I tried all three mounted on one stamp block. How can something so simple be sooo hard to do???? I think I stamped this one 5 times. Use your Stamp-a-ma-jig, dummy! Finally I get it pretty close- Sooo, then I go to open the card----------Yup, You guessed it-stamped it upside-down! Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! So I gave up, cut the card apart and layered it on turquoise base 6 x 4.5 card and added some bling. So it is no longer a one layer card-anyway-I am going to link it up so you can see how something supposed to be simple is not always as it seems, at least for this gal! And it still is not stamped exactly evenly! Pretty & cheerful, though.


Cheers!

Ingredients:
Stamps: Birthday Assortment-Stampendous; and I could not identify the flower stamps. They are cling mount, some of the first ones I bought and the packaging is long gone. Anyone know what they are?
Cardstock: SU Tempting Turquoise (?); Wasau Brite White
Ink: Memento Rose Bud, Cantalope, Bahama Blue, Tuxedo Black
Accessories: BAsic Grey Rhinestones, Cuttlebug Pinking Borders Embossing Folder
             

Soaring

Great Day! Went to a garage sale this morning and scored a WHOLE BUNCH of scrapping goodies, some to keep, and some to share with my crafting group. Lots of stickers and some stamp sets, as well as some storage items. WooHoo!
Today I have a card for the 'Clean & Simple FTL199', a sketch challenge (below), and 'Less is More Week 76, (3 of anything) challenges.

Here is my card:



The sketch:



My card base is Wausa Paper Brite White CS. I ran it through the cuttlebug with a CB embossing folder-Confetti border from the Disney Mickey Mouse set. I turned the sketch on its side and I used the kites from the SU set 'Send Me Soaring' stamped in Momento inks Rose Red, Bahama Blue & Cantalope. I added some Turquoise Stickles to some of the confetti border. I stamped the H. B-day from 'Birthday Greetings' (Stampendous) with SU Chocolate Chip. When I stamped the tails on the kites I had a bit of a 'boo-boo', so I added some rhinestones to cover them up :) It probably took me longer to figure out what I was going to do on this card than it did to make it!

Enjoy!



Thursday, July 19, 2012

Rainbow Birthday



The challenge this week over at CAS-ual Friday CFC61 (Clean and Simple Challenge) was Use strips of color or pattern in your Clean And Simple creation. So I thought What better strips of color than a rainbow?  The July Diva Dare at Verve Stamps was to make a Birthday card. Well I needed a belated b-day card, so here it is!



 I used a floral border clear stamp for the strips. I have no idea what company this stamp set is from-one of those first sets I bought when I first started stamping that I no longer have the packaging for-so no name:( I used Stampin' Up inks for the colors of the rainbow: Real Red, Only Orange, Summer Sun, Garden Green, Ballet Blue, Brilliant Blue, Lovely Lilac, using the 'ROY G BIV' for the colors of a rainbow.

I stamped the sentiment from Verve's 'Big Wish' with Brilliance 'Graphite Black, added clear embossing powder and heat set. I then added some starlight Stickles to the center of the flowers. I love the clean, simple lines of the layout and just the tiny bit of added sparkle to the center of the flowers. Very simple, but pretty. I'm thinking it would also make a really cheery get well card!

Enjoy!

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Heartfelt wishes

Well, today was not quite as hot as yesterday, but the humidity makes it miserable outside. After church this morning I came home to my nice cool, dry house to play with paper :)
I had started to work on this card yesterday afternoon, but was unable to finish it in time to enter in the ColourQ challenge. I had to go take care of my grandsons in the evening, so I had to wait until today to finish it. I used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches #43, and the colors from ColourQ. I didn't have exactly all the colors called for, but I was able to come close. The colors called for were : Daffodil Yellow, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Pear Pizzazz and white.  Here is the sketch:



And here is my card:



I used my new Close to My Heart stamps on this card. I love how nicely they stamp. I used the 2 step rose from 'Rosy Regards', a border from 'Eclectic Edges', and the sentiment from 'Card Chatter-Sympathy'. I stamped the roses on white cardstock in SU More Mustard and Yo Yo Yellow, and colored in the white spots with Copic Y11 pale Yellow, then cut them out. For the leaves I used a scrap of green from my stash and stamped them with Lucky Limeade and cut them out. I stamped the borders on a piece of Bazzil white linen CS with Memento Dandelion ink. The DP used is SU Pear Pizzazz Designer series, the floral print is K&Co. Julianne, and the brown stripe and backing is SU Chocolate chip. I added faux stitching around the floral print paper with a paper piercer and brown marker. I popped the sentiment panel and the rose up with foam dimensionals. A trio of Basic Grey green rhinestones and the outside was done.


Here is the inside.


I added the border stamp on the top and bottom with the Memento Dandelion, and stamped the sentiment (from Inkadinkado) with Chocolate chip on a scrap of the Pear Pizzazz DP, and added the rose.









Saturday, July 14, 2012

jar of posies

Wow, I can't believe it! 4 posts in 2 days! Life has been busy-been spending lots of time in my gardens. But this 90 degree weather is killing me. But I did have some time this week to play, and here is another card I made for a challenge.
Now, the colors are for the Play Date Cafe Color challenge 144. And the sketch is from Freshly Made. Except it's the wrong week's sketch! It was last week's and I didn't realize it until I was nearly done. Oh, well, I still like the sketch!


The focal element is another one that I had stamped sometime ago and was in the mess on my table. I do not know what the stamp is-I searched all through my stamps and couldn't find it. So it's possible the stamp belonged to one of my craft group and I just stamped up and colored it at one of our meetings. It's stamped in Staz-on black (I did note that on the back of the scrap-should have written the stamp name too!) and colored with Prisma Colored pencils. That much I know. It has been hanging around for quite some time. When I was looking through my papers for something to match the PDC colors this just kept popping up-and it fits the colors, so I used it!
I paired it with some DP from Colorbok (Sorbet-the turquoise) and DCWV Baby boy stack (the yellow and the stripe). I used a Versa Magic Pen and clear embossing powder to make the jar look like glass. I added some yellow Flowersoft to the centers of the daisies. I cut the image out with Spellbinders Long Deckled Rectangles and backed it with a rectangle of Bazzil turquoise. The Sentiment is from Stampendous 'Orchid Greetings' clear stamp set. The tan base is from my scraps, so I don't know what it is. The dragonfly sticker is Jolee's Boutique. I added 3 hotfix rhinestones (imaginesce). Soft and pretty.

Love Story

Another 90° + day here. I am so ready for a cool, rainy day for a relief from the heat, as well as the fact that we really need rain. On the other hand, it's a good excuse to stay inside and play with paper.

I made this card for the Verve Week 1 July sketch challenge. The challenge to myself this week however was to use up scraps and pieces from my work surface. I colored the little mice up some time ago with Prisma colored pencils and odor-less mineral spirits and cut it out by hand. I came across it in a box of scraps I had, and it matched the scraps I had left from a card I had just made-ergo-a card was born :) I reversed the directions of the sketch, otherwise the turtle on the DP looked misplaced.

Here is the verve sketch: 

 And here is my card. 


I used the same die-cut shape as on the from for my inside sentiment. This card could be used for either a wedding card or anniversary card. I like when they have multiple uses.


Ingredients list:

Stamps: Verve Love Story set & Vintage oval border stamp, Penny Black 'Micey Day'
Ink: SU Rose Red, Versa Magic 'sea breeze'
DP: Fancy Pants Designs 'Beach Babe' (this was free paper with my last Cardmaking and Paper crafts Mag), SU black cardstock, Recollections white cardstock for base of card
Accessories: Verve Vintage Oval die, Card making & Papercraft ribbon, Basic Grey rhinestones, Spellbinder M-bossiblities Mystic folder

Friday, July 13, 2012

No Cool Down today!



Well I guess I spoke too soon this morning. Temp made it up to 92° here at home today. We (hubby, daughter & 2 grandsons) went into Marquette this afternoon to watch the Brig NIAGARA come into the harbor. What an awesome sight. It was really hot in town, too. Up to 95° away from Lake Superior. But it was beautiful on the lake shore. Nice wind off the lake, and it was so cool to see all those tall sails unfurled. The ship sailed back and forth across the harbor a couple times before it came into the dock at the marina. A great sight to see.

Now, on to another card challenge. I am entering this in the MOJO Monday 249 . I used the colors from the Crazy 4 Challenges (red, white, blue) which sadly, I missed. Oh well, I still like how the card turned out. Love the color combinations here.
       
        here is the MOJO sketch.

And here is my card.  The outside


The DP is Shabby Green Door-Farmer's Market 'Strawberry Jam'. The cardstock is Beckett Cambric Linen  Blazer Blue. I absolutely love this cardstock. it is so rich and elegant. Can you believe it is being discontinued! Anyway, The focal image is CTMH Quick Cards-Shell stamped with SU Real Red. The sentiment is from JustRite stamps Botanical Medallions and Banners. The focal is cut with Spellbinders Deckled Rectangles. The sentiment banner is SB Vintage Label and Banner. I cut the border from Bazzil Red cardstock with SB Floral Doily Accents. 
Here is the inside of the card.


The sentiment is also from the JustRite set Botanical M & B. The H B-day is from Sweet n' Sassy's 'Birds & Roses' set. Stamped with SU Night of Navy on Bazzil Smooth white CS. I ran a Lapis Lazuli (B18) Copic marker around the edge to set it off, and mounted it on a scrap fo the Farmers market DP.
Hope you like. Love to hear from you.
Hugs and blessings, Jackie


Lighthouse Sympathy

Another super hot day in the U.P of Michigan. 95° on Wednesday, 91° yesterday, 89° today! Maybe we're cooling down? Too hot and humid to work outside for this gal. So I am inside working on challenges and postings.This card is made with the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches #43. I'd also planned to enter it in the Crazy 4 Challenges 144, to use colors of our country flag (red, white, blue), but, alas, (always wanted to use that word!), I forgot to enter it when I came home from craft group last night, and the challenge ended last night. I hate it when i do that. I will enter it in ODBD Shining the Light Challenge ODBDSLC115, to have distressing or tearing on card.

  Here is the sketch from FMS. And here is my card:


I was in need of a sympathy card this week. And although I have plenty of them in my stash, I always find myself making one specifically for the family when I am in need of one. 
I flipped the image on it's side for my card. I stamped the image on white CS with SU Night of Navy. Then I stamped it again to make a mask. With the mask in place I sponged on chalks in yellow, orange, and pink for the sky, blue on the water, and soft tan for the land around the lighthouse. I distressed the edges of the DP , and I cut some of the loops off of the label. Overall, I like how it turned out. 

Ingredients:
Stamps: Our Daily Bread "Light of the World'; JustRite 'With Sympathy'
Ink: SU Night of Navy
DP: Kaiser Craft 'On the Dot-Sphere; Basic Gray 'Boxer'
CS:  Bazzil, Beckett Expressions Linen, Recollections white
Accessories: Pebbles Chalks-Pastels; Spellbinders Fancy Tags (slightly altered), Deckled Rectangles Sm; Fluer de Lis Rectangles, Mark Richards Metal Nailheads, Cuttlebug border embossing folder



Monday, July 9, 2012

Red & Yellow!

Hey there blogger friends. Two posts in one day for me! Hopefully now that company is gone and summer is settling in I will find more time to craft and post! With the heat & humidity we've been having I will spend more time inside!
 I made this card using the sketch from Sweet N Sassy Stamps challenge at the The Sweet Stop-SSS166 and the color challenge from Create for Fun CR84FN58 challenge-to use Red, Yellow and Neutral. My neutral in this case is mostly black, with just a bit of white.






The picture of the Galardia Daisies was sitting on my table-I had been doing some sorting of embellishments and scraps and this was in the scrap pile-perfect for the color challenge! No idea where it came from, but I most likely printed it off clip art as it is on cardstock and not glossy paper. The black background with the border was also in the scrap pile from another project.
Here is the inside of the card:


The  ingredients...........
DP & cardstock:  Hot off the Press, MME Home-red; DCWV-Red, Bazzil black
Ink: SU Real Red
Stamps: Sentiment  Poppies and Greetings-from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps
Accessories:  Spellbinders Big Scallop Circles small, Labels 4 lg & sml; EK Success Scroll border punch; Imaginessience  hot fix crystals  and applicator; Sizzix embossing folder

Hello again! Quick & pretty cards

Wow, it's been awhile since I posted here. Been a busy spring and summer. However, I haven't been neglecting my crafting! Just haven't taken the time to post. Lots of outside work to do. Have completely reworked 3 of my flower beds, and have a new one in the works, which I will finish as weather permits (can't take the heat & humidity!)

One of the projects I was working on was these  cards to use a game prizes for my granddaughter's baby shower.  I picked up 4 sheets of stickers from the Dollar Tree because they were so pretty. Now I have LOADS of stickers in my stash, so I really didn't need them-but..............they were so pretty!
 Anyway, I sat looking at the new ones one evening, and I had a frame embossed piece of cardstock sitting on my work area from another project that I hadn't used. I put one of the stickers inside the frame, and that's all it took! I was on a roll. I made 23 cards using a variety of embossing folders, some simple added embellishments like pearls and peel-off stickers & I completely used up all 4 sheets of stickers! In fact, I went back and bought some more of the stickers to have on had-they made such pretty & simple cards. Here is just a sample of them:










Hope you find some inspiration in my work. And I always love to hear your comments!
Blessings on your day, Jackie
.