Thursday, July 30, 2015

Luxe Mr. & Mrs.

Hello, so glad you came by today!


I'm sharing a wedding card I made using scraps.  The patterned papers (I just left them as-is, in rectangular panels, but I did distress the edges of the scrollwork piece with ink) were layered in a skewed way, atop a damask-embossed card base.  Bits of a golden Christmas tree die-cut (Memory Box Flowering Christmas Tree) were tucked behind the panels.


And a small piece of that gold Christmas tree was added to a tiny die cut tag, along with pearl-topped pins, and a bit of white twine. Scattered sequins in a variety of colors (matte white, shiny gold, matte gold) were added below the sentiment tag.


I think that'll do it for me this week. It's Sunday night as I type this post, and it is almost my bedtime. So very grateful you came by to say hello. I wish you a beautiful rest of the week, and weekend!


P.S. So glad you all like the larger font on my posts.  Me too!



Stamps: All Holidays - Stampin' Up! Paper: shiny gold - WorldWin; black flocked, tan scroll - Stampin' Up!; Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Frayed Burlap - Ranger Fibers: white twine - Stampin' Up!; black seam binding - Hug Snug / The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: Flowering Christmas Tree die - Memory Box; gold, Marshmallow sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; matte gold sequin - MJ Trimming; Textile embossing folder - Cuttlebug; Tiny Tags die - Papertrey Ink; pearl-topped pins - Dritz

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Dress-form For You

Hello!


You're going to be sick of seeing my Mother's Day 2015 Collection cards!  Here is yet another, and I had oh-so-much fun putting this one together.  It began with a gray doily die cut from a $1.00 Scrap Bag from my Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  Took me a while to poke out all the little pieces, and I decided to even keep some in there because my hand was getting tired.  :-)

I had the dress form panel in a drawer, which was from a friend. With a tiny bit of fancy lace and a paper flower around the waistline, it looked even more beautiful.


The die-cut spool was from another friend (she used cardboard), and a while back, I had painted it with Ranger's Crackle Paint in Picket Fence.  When it was dry, I used Distress inks to rub gorgeous 'vintage' color into the cracks and along the edges.  For this card, I dressed it up by winding actual vintage thread around it and tape on the back, then glue on some pearl-topped pins from the notions section of the sewing store.  As a final touch, I added a junk bow made from a snippet of seam binding, and some netting from my daughter's prom dress.  


What do you think of the larger font I'm using in this post? I'm just experimenting. My eyesight ain't what it used to be, and perhaps some of you may be feeling the same way. Thoughts?

Thank you for coming by today!



Stamps: sentiment - Elements of Style - Stampin' Up! Paper: Smoky Slate - Stampin' Up!; Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink Ink: Basic Gray - SU; Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain - Ranger Fibers: netting, seam binding, lace snippets, vintage thread Accessories & Tools: Picket Fence Crackle Paint - Ranger; spool die cut, dressform panel - crafty friends :-) ; Marshmallow sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; pearl-topped pins - Dritz; circle punch, Large Paper Doily Sizzlit die - Stampin' Up!; white flower - iamroses.com

Monday, July 27, 2015

Avian Love

Welcome and Happy Monday!


Though this card could be used for a variety of occasions, it was part of my Mother's Day 2015 Collection.  It had an appropriate sentiment inside.  I relied heavily on the Kaisercraft Lady Rose suite to put this together.  The patterned papers, bird and bird cage come from it.  I wiped a white craft ink pad along the edges of the card to distress it a bit.  And for the die cuts, I inked those edges with a kraft-colored Distress ink.  The sentiment and tiny little pal-pink heart border (on sentiment tag) are from Papertrey Ink's Tag-Its #11.


I gave the bird some leafy branches to nestle in, and added a bit of lace underneath.  This must be a lady-bird. ;-)


Did you have a good weekend?  What did you do?

I packed a lot into mine, and yet still had time to unwind and relax.  Love it when you can strike that combination.  :-)  I exercised, weeded, mulched, did laundry, went to church, helped the Vacation Bible School crew with a few things, enjoyed an impromptu visit from my sister-in-law, went out to dinner, cleaned the bathroom, changed bedsheets in two bedrooms, took photos of cards, made two cards (!), and -- favorite part -- swam in the pool with hubby and one of my girls.  My husband and I even had Happy Hour in the pool with a couple of martinis.  That was well-earned!




Stamps: hearts, sentiment - Tag-Its #11 - Papertrey Ink Paper: Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink; Always Artichoke - Stampin' Up!; patterns - Lady Rose - Kaisercraft Ink: Frayed Burlap, Crystal pigment - Ranger; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Pink Pirhouette - Stampin' Up! Fibers: crochet lace - Hero Arts; vintage thread Accessories & Tools: Branch with Leaves Sizzlit die - Stampin' Up!; bird and bird cage die cuts  - Lady Rose - Kaisercraft;  Tiny Tags die - Papertrey Ink

Friday, July 24, 2015

Rooster Retirement

Hello!


Some very AMAZING teachers in my girls' lives all retired at the end of this past school year.  It was my absolute pleasure to create special cards to celebrate their new chapters in life.

I had bought a pack of this fabulous French Country rooster paper by Graphic 45 at Tuesday Morning.  From there, I worked the color palette around the designs.


A smattering of sequins and a topaz gem were sprinkled on the top half of the card.  Oh, and you see that coppery glittered strip by the ribbon?  It's trimmed from a store-bought card.  Sure do hate for anything pretty to go to waste!

Honestly, the three teachers, who each received one of these cards, are so very cherished.  They've each touched our lives in profound ways, and are such giving souls.  It feels good just to be around these ladies.  They impacted so many childrens' lives, and we are incredibly blessed to have had them all together in our tightly-knit little elementary school.  Thank the Lord our girls were instructed by them.  Our family wishes N., D. and O. all the best in their retirement!



Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes - Stampin' Up! Paper: rooster patterned paper - Graphic 45; Crumb Cake, Not Quite Navy, Naturals Ivory - Stampin' Up!; cinnabar/copper strip (by bow) - store-bought greeting card Fibers: Mottle Brown seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: Metallic Gold sequins - MJ Trimming; Bronze sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; topaz rhinestone; Modern Label punch, Scalloped Oval punch - Stampin' Up!; corner rounder punch - Fiskars; Labels 13 die - Spellbinders 

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Paris in Spring for Mother's Day

This Mother's Day card does remind me of Paris in the spring, with the butterfly, subtle fleur-de-lis and Eiffel Tower.  It was my inspiration the day I made this.


There are golden highlights on the Leafy Vine background by Hero Arts, hard to capture in the photo above, but better appreciated below.


If this pink and gold panel looks familiar, you may remember this card of mine.  I had made a few panels like this in 2014, and the last one worked nicely here.  The butterfly is textured with white raised dots, and I hand-trimmed it from a store-bought greeting card.


There is a subtly-stamped fleur-de-lis on this little die cut tag below.  I used a marker to add faux stitching along the top, added a bow made of vintage thread, and stamped a sentiment.


As I type this post, we're having a heatwave.  It's a high of 96 degrees F today and tomorrow, and very humid.  Feels like over 100 degrees.  Sheesh!  I'm more of a cooler weather person, so I hope this heat wave doesn't last too long.



Stamps: sentiment - Tag-Its #5 - Papertrey Ink; Leafy Vine background - Hero Arts; Fleur-de-lis - Classic Icons - TPC Studio; Eiffel Tower - Mon Ami Paris - Technique Tuesday Paper: Regal Rose - Stampin' Up!; Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink Ink: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap - Ranger; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Crumb Cake - Stampin' Up! Fibers: vintage thread Accessories & Tools: gold embossing powder - SU; marker; butterfly from store-bought card; Mix-and-Match Banners die - My Favorite Things/Die-namics

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Burlap-and-lace Inspired Bridal Shower

Hey there!  I believe that burlap-and-lace is still a popular theme for weddings.  Hoping so! I made this card for some special bride-to-be.


Doilies make me happy, so I stamped them in white on a kraft card base.


I made a Colleen Bow, and added some Venise lace along the bottom edge of the ribbon (that lace was an eBay find a few years back).  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Happily Ever After.

Thanks for coming by today; I really appreciate your visit!



Stamps: Delicate Doilies II - Inspired By Stamping; Happily Ever After - Papertrey Ink Paper: kraft, white - Papertrey Ink Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Crystal white pigment ink - Ranger Fibers: white seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop; Venise lace - eBay Accessories & Tools: tag punch - Martha Stewart; pearls; heart punch - Stampin' Up!

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Chair-ishing Mom

Hello!


Still sharing Mother's Day cards here on my blog.  It's taking me a while to get them all photo-edited and ready for posting.  After working on a computer for 40 hours a week, being on my laptop at home is not high on my list of exciting things to do. ;-)  I'd MUCH rather be in the craft room, and that's where you'll find me most of the time.


I am very fond of this Stampendous Damask Chair stamp.  I used it on a card in 2013, too.  It's elegant, and fancy, and don't all moms deserve something like that?  This Mother's Day card design was the only one that did not sell at the shop.  Oh, well.  I enjoy it!

Thank you so much for dropping in today.  Have a blessed day!



Stamps: Damask Chair - Stampendous; sentiment - Strawberries - Flourishes Paper: Soft Stone, white - Papertrey Ink; chair pattern - Recollections Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Antique Linen - Ranger Fibers: black seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: Gunmetal sequin - MJ Trimming; Silver sequin - Pretty Pink Posh; Copic markers; Lots of Tags Sizzlit die - Sizzix/Stampin' Up!

Monday, July 20, 2015

Wonderful Friend

Hello there!  


I made this card for a sweet friend's birthday earlier this year.  It was the first time I used a Labels 27 die from Spellbinders, which I bought on clearance at a local craft store. Doesn't it look pretty with this 'vintage' Anna Griffin sentiment?  That script font tugs at my heart.


The papers are from DCWV's Garden Party, and the pale blue houndstooth's flowers are shiny-embossed, just the way that they came.  I added some sequins and two little die-cut butterflies from Stampin' Up!'s Beautiful Wings Embosslit, and colored them delicately with a Copic marker from the W family (maybe it was W00 or W01?).

Wishing you a beautiful day!



Stamps: sentiment - Anna Griffin Paper: Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink; patterns - Garden Party - DCWV Accessories & Tools: Sparkly Clear sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; Labels 27 die - Spellbinders; Beautiful Wings Embosslit butterflies die - Stampin' Up!; pearls - Queen & Co.; Copic marker

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Baby Blossoms Revisited

Welcome!


If you've been a visitor to my blog a long time, you may remember this very card from 2011.  I created it for a Play Date Cafe challenge, and these were the colors we needed to use.  I've saved this card, for I love the sweetness of it.  When I look at it, I also think about all the work that went into it. The stamps are from Baby Blossoms / Stampin' Up!, and they're rubber.  Which means, I needed to use a Stamp-a-majig to line everything up.  And I mean everything!  Those flowers each involved two-step stamping, in two different colors each.  And then all the hand-trimming....oh, my hand cramped a bit when I was finished!  It was worth it, though.


While I've got plenty of newer creations to share, I just wanted to give this "oldie" one last hurrah. Thanks for taking a look today!



Stamps: Baby Blossoms - Stampin' Up! Paper: white - Papertrey Ink Ink: Bashful Blue, Tempting Turquoise, Pixie Pink, Pink Passion, Mellow Moss, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust - SU Accessories & Tools: pearls - Recollections

Friday, July 17, 2015

Roses for Mother's Day

Hello!


So, here I am, still trying to catch up by blogging about some of the cards I've made for the past six months (!). These are Mother's Day cards, using the Lady Rose collection by Kaisercraft (a gift from a friend).  I love these roses!


I'm told these did sell in the shop, so that makes me pleased.  :-)
I hope they made some special mothers very happy!



Stamps: (top card) Fancy Sentiments - Inspired By Stamping; (bottom card) Happy Phrases - Verve Paper: Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink; Purely Pomegranate - Stampin' Up!; patterns - Lady Rose collection - Kaisercraft Fibers: crocheted lace ribbon, Cameo Beige seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: die cuts - Lady Rose collection - Kaisercraft ; pearls - Queen & Co.; gold sequins - Pretty Pink Posh, MJ Trimming 

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Geraniums for Mother's Day

Hello!


Obviously, still sharing Mother's Day cards from May here on my blog.  This one is about as simple as it gets, and yet I really, really like it.  On a natural cardstock base (so there are little flecks of "impurities" in the paper), I stamped the Dictionary background from Stampin' Up!, and over-stamped a sentiment (also by SU).


The last element:  beautiful geranium (pelargonium is the Latin term) sticker from K & Co.
And. that's. it.

Perfect, just this simple.
I hear it sold, so that means someone else liked it too.

Have yourself a beautiful day, wherever you are!



Stamps: Something to Celebrate, Dictionary - Stampin' Up! Paper: Naturals Ivory - Papertrey Ink Ink: Crumb Cake - Stampin' Up!; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: geraniums sticker - K & Co. 

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Black & Cream Mother's Day

Hello!


I made this card for my mother for this past Mother's Day.  She ADORES the color black, so I always keep that in mind when crafting things for her.  I used a flocked (fun!) piece of patterned paper from DCWV - La Creme - and topped it with a cool black flower.  After adding a sentiment from Papertrey Ink's Daily Designs Sentiments, all that was needed were gold sequins.


Pretty easy, and yet I think it still has some elegance to it.

I made another version with a cream colored flower instead, and added some punched leaves (Rose Leaf Punch by Martha Stewart):



Which one do you like better?

Thanks for taking a look today!



Stamps: Daily Designs Sentiments - Papertrey Ink Paper: La Creme matstack - DCWV; Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink; Old Olive, Always Artichoke - Stampin' Up! Accessories & Tools: black and gold flower - The Paper Studio; gold sequins - Pretty Pink Posh, MJ Trimming; Rounded Rectangles die - Wplus9; Rose Leaf punch - Martha Stewart; cream flower - iamroses.com

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

For You, Mom

Hey there!  So glad you came by for a peek at today's card.  It's not my usual style, but I was trying on something different for a change.


This Mother's Day card did sell.  :-)  I was inspired by the many wonderful cards my friend, Amy Tsuruta, makes.  I just LOVE her style!

I used fun patterned papers from American Crafts Dear Lizzy / Lucky Charm collection, and even threw in a wooden butterfly (just like Amy would do).


I had to line the back of that navy floral piece with some cardstock so it wouldn't be too flimsy when I popped up the panel with dimensional stickers.

Thanks so much for your visit today!



Stamps: Tiny Tags - Papertrey Ink Paper: Dear Lizzy - Lucky Charm - American Crafts; white base - Papertrey Ink Fibers: vintage thread Accessories & Tools: gold sequins - Pretty Pink Posh, MJ Trimming; wooden butterfly - American Crafts; Rounded Rectangles die - Wplus9; Tiny Tags die - Papertrey Ink; pink Copic marker

Monday, July 13, 2015

Green with Happiness

Hi there!  Welcome!  


Back around St. Patrick's Day, I made this card for the shop.  I was highly influenced by the color green at that time. ;-)

I combined fresh, earthy tones of green and brown.  I kept it pretty much based in nature, with flowers and a leaf and a smidgen of burlap peeking out, too.  Well, sequins aren't very earthy, but, hey....


A girl's gotta have some artistic license! :-)



Stamps: polka dot circle - Daisies - Inspired by Stamping Paper: Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, floral pattern - Stampin' Up! Ink: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip - SU Fibers: burlap Accessories & Tools: Happy die - Avery Elle; brown leaf, paper roses - iamroses.com; green sequins

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Wrought Iron Gothic Window

Hey, yes, you're in the right place!  I was just trying something different...


It all started with the sentiment tag from Stampin' Up!'s You Brighten My Day.  I had stamped a few on white cardstock, then hit 'em with assorted Distress spray inks from Tim Holtz/Ranger.  In fact, you've probably already seen another card on my blog using this tag.

So, the vibrant colors were my jumping-off point, and lying on my desk near this tag was a snippet of an old store-bought greeting card, whose orange color seemed perfect (along bottom of card).  Then out came a ruby card base, and that made me think of bricks, so out came the embossing folder, which made me think of a city wall, so out came the window and flower box dies.


Originally, I had planned to put the sentiment tag inside the window frame, but it didn't look right. The idea of wrought iron popped into my head, so I used a flourish die from My Favorite Things to achieve it.

And what's a flower box without some greenery?  My Martha Stewart Branch punch got a good workout here.


Kind of a long-winded way to explain my card, but I wanted to explain the thought process on this "un-Colleen-ish" card!



Stamps: You Brighten My Day - Stampin' Up! Paper: snippet of old greeting card (along bottom of card); Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Basic Black - Stampin' Up!; white - Papertrey Ink Ink: assorted spray inks - Ranger; Whisper White - SU; Black Soot - Ranger; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukienko Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories & Tools: Fancy Flourish die - My Favorite Things; Gothic Arch Window & Small Flower Box dies - Memory Box; Branch punch - Martha Stewart; red rhinestones - Queen & Co.; Bricked embossing folder - Tim Holtz/ Sizzix 
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