A Garden of Thanks

Long-time lovers of Stampin' Up! may recognize this garden image from Best Borders.  That's a really old set, and I just recently sold it on eBay.  The borders don't fit on a size A2 card without having to trim off some of the image.  Bummer.  This stamp was my favorite in the set, and I found two of these already colored in my spare Stamped-Images box.  I had used SU markers and a blender pen, because it's all I had back then.  Have to admit I'm more fond of Copic markers now.

"Thanks" is from All Year Wishes I by Inspired By Stamping.  Because I am a pearl addict, I added some Liquid Pearls along the punched Garden Gate border.  ("Hello, I'm Colleen, and I have a pearl problem...")

Well, that's about it for today!  Thanks for your visit.  :-)

Stamps: All Year Wishes I - Inspired By Stamping; Best Borders - SU Paper: Bashful Blue - SU; white - PTI Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: white ribbon - Offray Accessories & Tools:   White Opal Liquid Pearls - Tsukineko; markers - Stampin' Up!; Garden Gate punch - Martha Stewart

Pomp and Circumstance

Big surprise:  it's another graduation card here at Dietrich Designs.  ;-) This one went straight to the shop and sold within the first couple of days:

I had these little red and blue banners left over from THIS card.  The stamp is from Unity's Fright Night set. Having these already stamped and trimmed out made today's card a breeze to put together.  Some red / white twine and red gems dressed them up a bit.  It's got a little "pomp and circumstance" feel to it, doesn't it?

I'm so glad you came to visit today!



Stamps: Fright Night - Unity; Purely Sentimental - Verve Paper: white - PTI Ink: Riding Hood Red, Not Quite Navy - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: Maraschino twine - The Twinery Accessories & Tools: Labels Eighteen die - Spellbinders; red rhinestones - Queen & Co.

Believe In Your Dreams, Once Again

Graduation cards are a big seller at the shop this time of year, so I made a simple one that has a lot of impact (well, soft impact):

I based it on THIS card of mine.  It's a nice, easy sketch that makes great use of just a few materials.  I must say I am loving the K & Co. die cuts that help me create without a lot of time and fuss.

Well, thanks so much for your visit today!  Have a wonderful day!



Stamps: Fairy Tales - Verve Paper: white - PTI; Naturals White - SU; green damask Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: floral die cut - K & Co; Labels Eight die - Spellbinders; pearls

Graduation Balloons

Hello everyone!  I've got a graduation card to share today, using the colors of the grad's school:

This was fun to make.  I adore the Inspired By Stamping set, The Sky's The Limit.  It's just perfect for encouragement cards with those hot air balloons and polka dot clouds.  I chose a saying from Inspiring Sentiments, and can you see the subtle doilies I stamped behind everything?  It's from Delicate Doilies II, one of my fave IBS sets.  It's indispensable!

Check out the bling.  I had to restrain myself from using pearls.  ;-)  And that thread is vintage...I know, I use it a lot.  It's just so soft and keeps cards flatter for mailing.

The grad happens to be my youngest daughter, who moved on from elementary school last week.  Sigh.  Oh, how the years are flying by! Middle school will be a very good experience for her.  These past 7 years in her tiny school, there were only three girls in her class, with her being one of them.  Let's just say....things were rough for my kid a lot of the time. :/

Here's the graduate, surrounded by my husband, me, my other daughter and my sweetest little niece:

I love my family, and give thanks for them everyday.  :-)

My foot surgery is tomorrow.  Wish me luck!  Since I don't know how long it will be until I can navigate steps successfully, I've prepared posts and scheduled them for random days.  Everything that has to do with my card-making and blogging obsession hobby is located on different levels of my house:  crafting studio = attic, light tent for photography = basement, computer = dining room on first level.  Where's my bedroom?  The second level, of course.  At least I'll have the bathroom close by.

Thank YOU so much for visiting me today!  I am thankful for you, too, my crafty friends.

Stamps: The Sky's The Limit, Inspiring Sentiments, Delicate Doilies II - IBS Paper: Ruby Red - SU; Vintage Cream - PTI; ledger, medallion, stripe - Lost & Found Union Square - My Mind's Eye Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Antique Linen - Ranger Fibers: vintage thread Accessories & Tools: red rhinestones - Queen & Co.

A Berry For You

Berries are one of my favorite things about summer.  Sweet, juicy, low in calories, great alone, on cereal and yogurt or paired with desserts....oh boy!  When I saw that Simon Says Stamp has a challenge called Summer Fruit, I was in!

This is rather a fancy strawberry card, isn't it?  The delicious berry is from Mason Jar Summer Add On by Inspired By Stamping.  I made my own 'patterned paper' with a houndstooth stamp from their Background Basics II set, and added a sentiment from Small Fancy Labels II.  I layered them on a fleur de lis frame from Fancy Labels 2, on a Fancy Labels 2 die cut.   See, I told you this was fancy!  Hee hee.

Mind if I show you the cutest strawberry I ever saw?  This is my oldest daughter when she was almost 5 months old.  I made her costume from a little red sweatshirt, tights, and a bathing suit hat, some black fabric paint and green felt (looks black in the picture, though).  

Oh, this brings back wonderful memories!

Stamps: Mason Jar Summer Add On, , Background Basics II, Small Fancy Labels II, Fancy Labels 2 - IBS Paper: white - PTI Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Rose Red, Blush Blossom, Going Gray - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: white seam binding - Hug Snug Accessories & Tools: Fancy Labels Dies 2 - IBS; Persian Motifs, Labels Eight dies - Spellbinders; Fleur de Lis embossing folder - Cuttlebug; pearls

Congrats To The Grad & Found Vintage Goodies

I forgot to include this card in Tuesday's post, which was all about graduation cards.  This one uses the same line of designer patterned paper from Stampin' Up! (retired, of course; it's all I own) and a 3D butterfly sticker from K & Co. as the other cards, but I used a Verve sentiment this time.

I thought the kraft bottom looked a little bare, so I added a doily stamp from Inspired By Stamping with kraft ink.

The twine on this card is old, and it's from Ireland.  I'm going to assume maybe there's linen in it, since Ireland is known for that.   I'm going to enter this card at Make It Monday / The Kraft Outlet.  Their challenge is to include kraft cardstock as well as Felt, Twine or Burlap.

Check out the goodies I unearthed from the trash when a neighbor down the street moved into a retirement home:

It was a quiet thrill, finding these old sewing items.  I almost let out a 'whoop' on the street, but waited until I was back inside my own home before doing that happy dance.  ;-)

Stamps: Delicate Doilies II - Inspired By Stamping; Purely Sentimental - Verve Paper: Crumb Cake, Garden Green, patterned - SU Ink: Walnut Stain, Antique Linen - Ranger; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Crumb Cake - SU Fibers: vintage twine; white seam binding - Hug Snug Accessories & Tools:  Classic Tags die - Memory Box; doily die cut - Martha Stewart; butterfly sticker - K & Co.

Quick Graduation Cards

I made some quick (relative term) graduation cards today using similar elements:  fresh, modern, patterned papers, dimensional butterfly stickers, a similar color palette, and a fabulous sentiment from Big Congrats by Inspired By Stamping:

I think the card above is my favorite.  Which one do you like better?

I'm entering the above card in the Lawnscaping challenge:  "Dimension and Layers".  I believe this qualifies with the different ribbons, popped-up butterfly sticker and various papers layered onto each other.  I'm also entering in a new-to-me challenge:  Word Play Saturday.  Their June challenge is "Summertime".  Graduations remind me of summer, for sure.

Big Congrats  has become a go-to set for me.  I can make New Home cards, Graduation cards, New Job, New Baby, and Engagement cards, all with one cute little set.  And if I use "Congratulations" all on its own, I can congratulate anyone for anything!

Well, my surgery creeps closer.  It's just a week away now.  Anyone else had a bunionectomy?  How long did it take you to heal?  The surgeon is putting some metal pins in a foot bone or two, also.  I'm trying hard to prepare things ahead of time around the house, but I've decided whatever doesn't get done, stays undone.  I can't worry about it.  It will all be waiting for me when I am up-and-around again.  :-)

Thanks for joining me today!

Inspired By A Wine Barrel

Happy Father's Day!  I'm sure I don't have too many dads reading this blog, but wanted to shout out to them just the same.  :-)

My husband makes delicious wines as a hobby:  chardonnay, pinot noir, merlot, shiraz, pinot grigio, valpolicella and more.  I gave a nod to that hobby by making this card the other night, while brownies were baking for my 15 year old's birthday party (just watch me juggle!):

I was inspired by this photo, found online:

Photo Credit

I used the grapes, the colors in the photo, and the lines of the wooden barrel are echoed in the striped paper.  I used a couple of metal brads, a reference to the bands around the barrel.  The round sentiment tag (that's a word from Technique Tuesday's Simply You) reminds me of the circular shape.

This is genuine vintage twine, found at a thrift store in North Carolina.  I love the creamy patina that time has given to it.  The grape stamp is one of my oldie-but-goodies from Stampin' Up! (Sun Ripened II).

Inside, I paired Technique Tuesday with some Verve.

I'm linking up at City Crafter:  "All About Him".

The Disney-themed costume birthday party was a hit last night, and I hope to post pictures sometime soon.  The birthday girl had lots of fun, and isn't that what it's all about?

Stamps:  Sun Ripened II - SU; Simply You - Technique Tuesday; Purely Sentimental  - Verve Paper: Crumb Cake, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Going Gray - SU; stripe - Julianne - K & Co. Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Antique Linen, Walnut Stain - Ranger Fibers: vintage thread Accessories:  brads - SU; distressing tool - Tim Holtz; Copic markers; Classic Tags die - Memory Box; Postage Stamp border punch - EK Success

Dear Father(s)

Hello everyone!  I'm sharing some quick and easy Father's Day cards today.  Over the course of several days, I made some multiples of the ones below using scraps of retired papers from Stampin' Up!  These are a great way to use up some of those skinny 1" scraps we all seem to have.  I challenged myself to use some hardware that has been lingering in my stash for a long time, too.

On this card I used a sentiment from Well-Scripted (SU), dies from Spellbinders and Inspired By Stamping, hardware and twine.  I like the clean, elegant look of it.  Not every dad is a rugged hunter or fisherman!  LOL

Challenges entered:  City Crafter - It's All About Him; Crafting By Designs:  Anything Goes with a Twist (Masculine)

Stamps:  Well-Scripted - SU Paper: Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, patterned - SU Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories: Labels 25 die - Spellbinders; Fancy Labels 1 - Inspired By Stamping; corner rounder punch - EK Success; bronze brad and "other thing" - SU

Another clean and simple variety below, using another SU sentiment, this time from All Holidays.  More twine, more hardware.  (not rushing to use up my twine, but I wouldn't mind putting a dent in my brads!)  Other than the twine, this card is totally Stampin' Up!

Stamps: All Holidays - SU Paper:  Sage Shadow, Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, patterned - SU Ink: Close to Cocoa - SU Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories:  bronze brads - SU

A similar color palette was used on the card below (notice I'm using up some Sage Shadow paper, too), but this time I've added a corduroy button, grosgrain ribbon, and some leaves that were in my box of already-stamped-images.  The sentiment is from Something To Celebrate.  And THIS one is 100% Stampin' Up!

Oh, by the way:  when I stamped this sentiment, a bit of black smudge wound up next to "Happy", so I covered it with a hand-drawn bracket.  I didn't do the greatest job on that, but sometimes you just have to move on!

Stamps: Something To Celebrate, Natural Beauty - SU Paper:  Sage Shadow, Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, patterned - SU Ink: Chocolate Chip - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon - SU Accessories:  corduroy brad - SU

This past weekend, I took part in a special event at the store where I sell my cards.  Every second Saturday of the month, a few of their featured artists (and that was me) sit at a table outside the shop, while hundreds of folks walk the avenue looking at goods for sale, dining in the many fab restaurants, and listening to live bands playing on street corners.  The weather was great, the people were friendly, the music was mood-lifting, but the sales were kind of stinky.  Only sold 4 cards, and three of them were to my in-laws!  Ha!  I had a couple of glasses of red wine, compliments of the shop, so I was happy anyway.  ;-)

Ever feel like you're on a hamster wheel, just running and running and there seems to be no end in sight?  That's me right now.  My 5th grader will graduate next week, and there's been a flurry of school-related activities nearly every night and/or day that I've been involved with.  My now-15 year old is having a big birthday party this weekend, here at my house, and there's so much to prepare.  I had a job interview a week ago, and am keeping my fingers crossed to get a second interview.  And I'm having reconstructive foot surgery in less than two weeks, so there's been prep to do for that, too.  Aye yi yi!  Calgon, take me away!

Whoo Hoo Wednesday - Sponging with Dies

Hello everyone!  It's my turn at Inspired By Stamping for Whoo Hoo Wednesday, a weekly feature where our design team shares a technique or tip with you for inspiration.

Today, I decided to show how easy it is to sponge a frame and background using dies.

Cut a scrap piece of thin paper (like printer paper) to the size of your card front.  My card is 4.25" x 5.5". To save on paper, I used an old envelope to create my mask.  Position the die - featured here is Fancy Labels 2 - where you'd like your sponged shape to appear on your card.  Run through your die cutting machine according to the directions from the manufacturer.

Position your mask over the card front, and attach with temporary adhesive.  You want it to be secure so it does not move as you sponge ink. (The blue cardstock is just there so you can see how the mask covers the card front completely.)

  

I used dye inks in three shades of yellow and one deep brown for this project.  The lightest one was swirled on first, in the center of the opening.  Use a light hand when swirling.  You can always add more color if needed.

Before putting ink on the cardstock, dab off  first onto a scrap piece of paper.  Here are my "first dabs".  There were a lot. ;-) 

Continue swirling inks in order from lightest to darkest, moving from the center and then outward to edges of frame with the darkest inks.

When you peel back your mask, this is what you see.  Set card base aside.

For the embellishment, stamp a flower -- this is a zinnia from Summer Flowers -- on a scrap of white cardstock.  I used shades of yellow, orange and red alcohol-based markers to color it.

After coloring random petals with yellow, I filled in the white areas with a light shade of orange. 

Go back with the yellow marker and blend.

I'm a big fan of the "flick" method with markers.  I used both a deep orange and a light red to flick color on various petals.  The final touch:  brown marker in the center of the flower.  Trim out and it's ready to be added to your project.  I also used a leaf stamp from Summer Flowers to create two leaves to accompany my flower.

The sentiment is from Beautiful Iris, and delivers such a delightful message.  Oh the many occasions this can be used for:  a sick loved one, a friend who is job-hunting, a student awaiting acceptance from college, and so on.  This card is sure to brighten someone's day!

  

I did add some glossy glue to the center of the flower, and you can see it best here.

  

Thanks for your visit today!