Reindeer Head Birthday

Hello!  It's Colleen with you again during the Topflight Stamps Celebration Week!  I've got a masculine birthday card to share.

I started with this realistic brick background paper from Craft Consortium Brick Textures pad, and pulled colors from it for the rest of the card.  This paper pad has a lot of different brick textures, in all kinds of colors, so versatile.  This cute Dixi Craft Reindeer Head die became the focal point of the card.  I die cut multiples and stacked several on top of one another, to give dimension.  The sentiment is from Visible Image Go To Words, a staple in my stamp stash.  After stamping it, I fussy-cut and lightly inked the edges with light brown.  The final touch was some burlap ribbon trim I had on hand.

Supplies Used From the Topflight Stamps Store:

Dixi Craft Reindeer Head Die

Visible Image Go To Words Stamp Set

Craft Consortium Brick Textures Paper Pad

Thanks so much for joining me today!

Have a blessed day!

Winter Birthday Wishes

Hello friends!  Just popping in with a wintery birthday card.  I designed it with my father-in-law in mind; he's got a winter birthday.  I like the dapper plaid background with the pinecones and sprigs.

Stampin' Up! Peaceful Boughs dies, Close to Cocoa grosgrain ribbon; Inspired By Stamping Heartfelt Greetings sentiment, Fancy Labels 18 frame; Spellbinders Labels Eighteen die

I'm going to enter this at a new-to-me challenge, found it thanks to my friend LeAnne. 😊

It's Inkspirational - and they're looking for plaid.  How perfect!  

That's it for me today, keeping it short and sweet.  Hope your Thanksgiving was lovely (to my American friends)!

God bless you!

Inspired By Nature

Happy weekend!  I've got 3 cards to share, that all seem to fall into a nature theme.  Two of the cards use stickers that a friend gave me, so they are rather simple cards.  The middle card was a special commission for a family member who adores outdoor life. 

stickers truck, flowers; rhinestone; Momenta Hello sentiment

The card below is the custom card for a family member's son.  He LOVES being outside.  I used Paper Rose tree dies and a My Favorite Things bike die to create a little scene, complete with rolling hills, water in the background, and a sunny sky.

Paper Rose Stitched Trees dies; My Favorite Things Bicycle die; Stampin' Up! My Wonderful Family sentiment; Papertrey Ink In The Meadow dies

sticker watering can; rhinestones; Momenta Hello sentiment

Short and sweet today.  Enjoy your weekend! 😊

From Cristabel to Dad

Hello there!  Recently I shared a card that Cristabel, our cat, "made" for Dad's birthday.  Well, this one below was "made" by Cristabel for Father's Day!  My husband really likes the color purple, so that's where I - ahem, Cristabel - began.

Papertrey Ink Cat's Meow cat, ball of yarn and matching dies, Tiny Tags sentiment and tag; generic cloud dies; twine

It's not a showcase kind of card, but sometimes I really have a hard time making cards for my guy.  But, it had to do. It's like I get stage fright as it's time to make a card for him.  This is alllll in my own mind!  

My Dad, My Anchor

Hello there!  Yesterday I shared cards for dad, and today, yet another to share.

This was for personal use, as well, and I'm happy with how it turned out.

Papertrey Ink For The Boys 'Dad' die; Stampin' Up! Smooth Sailing anchor & rope dies, Sailing Home compass; twine

In one of my Stampin' Up! scrap bags were these Paper Pumpkin pouches, or envelope sleeves.  Best way I can describe it.  The striped paper you see above was part of the bunch.  I cut it apart so all that was left was a panel, and - it was already slanted like you see, and with rounded corners.  From there, I built my card on a black cardstock panel (glued to a white card base).  I like to let cards 'speak' to me.  Often I've got no plan in mind, things just evolve.

Thanks so much for joining me again!

Daddy Deer-est

For Father's Day this year, I created one of these for personal use, and one for the shop (for next year!).  I love that woodgrain patterned paper from Stampin' Up!  Looks really appropriate with the Paper Rose buck die.

Paper Rose Deer Family die; Verve Strong Anchor sentiment; EK Success Rock Fern punch; My Favorite Things Pierced Oval Stax die; Stampin' Up! patterned papers

With a change of sentiment, these will work for Christmas, too.  But for now, they're for dear old dad!

Luke 15:20

So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

Wishing you a beautiful day, and thanks for your visit!

By Land and By Sea - Masculine Cards

Hello!  For my husband's birthday this year, I made him the first card you see here.  The sentiment cracks me up.  I'm actually two weeks older than he is, so of course, I am old, as well.  LOL

The mirror cardstock works so nicely with the Diamond Plate embossing folder and looks very automotive.

Unity Stamps Consider Yourself Vintage cars, sentiment stamps; mirror cardstock; Darice Diamond Plate embossing folder; My Favorite Things Slanted Sentiment Strips die

The next card was made for the shop.  The vintage sail ship stamp was in an assortment of maritime stamps I bought from an online yard sale kind of website.  I colored in a sun behind the boat, and I'm pretending it's a sunset, though I guess it could also be a sunrise?

Stampin' Up! High Seas 3D Embossing Folder; Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags star tag and sentiment; linen twine; Dragonfly Laser Vintage Sail Ship rubber stamp

Isaiah 46:4

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Thanks for joining me today!  

Whale of a Day!

Happy Sunday!  I'm sharing a nautical-inspired card today.  See the little whale?  He came in a Stampin' Up! scrap bag from my demonstrator.  Adorable!  I don't own that stamp set, so I needed to pair him with something else from my own stash.  The older set, By The Tide, was a good match.  And it gave me a chance to break it in, too.  I had purchased BTT from an online 'garage sale' app.  It was barely used, or brand new, can't recall, but I'm tickled to have it as a go-to for masculine cards.

Stampin' Up! By The Tide seahorse, sea fan, fish, anchor in circle, background script; also the whale and the patterned paper, but they came in a scrap bag so I don't know the names!

Proverbs 30:4 ESV 

Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!

"Sea" you soon!  Thanks so much for your visit!

Howdy Farm Animals

"Hay" there!  😆 

I'm sneaking this farm-inspired masculine birthday card into The Male Room challenge with a day to spare!

Papertrey Ink On The Farm animals, sentiment, checker, 100% circle stamp; natural twine; My Favorite Things Pierced Traditional Tags tag die; ivory candy dots

I'm also entering this at NBUS Challenge, where we need to use our never-before-used-schtuff.  For this card, I had the chance to use the Papertrey Ink On The Farm set's many images.  Previously, I had purchased the animal dies, and also the accompanying Barnyard Sentiments set...but not the main set!  I had to get it so they can all tie together nicely. 😊

And I'm also playing at Krafty Chicks, where the current challenge #544 is "Any Occasion".

We've got snow coming down, but not sure where we'll end up.  We sit in a rather protected area, geographically, and don't usually get slammed with big snow totals.  I think we have about 4" out there now.  

I just took this last photo as I type this post, so you can see how it's coming along!

Psalm 51:7 NIV

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Thanks so much for your visit today!

God bless you!

Cool Cat

Hello friends!  It's a sunny and cold Sunday here, and I plan to go on walking trail with my daughters this afternoon.  They have been there before, but I never have.  I'm very much looking forward to it!

Oh, and I did make the Pumpkin Rocks from the Maida Heatter's Book of Great Cookies yesterday.  They are delicious!  Upon request, I substituted chocolate chips for the raisins that the recipe calls for.  My family doesn't like raisins much, but I sure do!  My daughter found a copy of the book for under $10 if you are interested!  (Remember in my previous post I mentioned that Amazon sells it for $104?!) I shop for a lot of my books at Thrift Books.  Some are used, some are new, but even the used ones can look brand new.  

I'm playing in a new-to-me challenge today:  The Male Room!  Masculine cards only are accepted, and I think that's a fun challenge.

Isn't this dapper black cat adorable?  He's wearing a black glitter bow tie!  I found this little bow tie in one of the Stampin' Up! scrap bags I get from time to time.

Memory Box Large Sitting Cat cat die; My Favorite Things BB Cool Cat sentiment and paw print stamps, Stitched Sentiment Strips banner die; Stampin' Up! bow

Check out his tie....awww.

The Male Room is also looking for new Design Team members!  

Here's a link to this particular challenge, which is Animals.  

Wishing you all a beautiful day - no matter what you are going through, or where you are.

Sending love to you!

God bless you,

For The Guys - Family Ties

Hello everyone!  How have you been doing?  Hard to believe Christmas is (she squints at calendar) 17 days away.  Yikes.  We've got our house decorated inside and out, but no Christmas tree yet.  We live in a small-ish home, and the dining room is where we need to put the Christmas tree.  My husband and I are working in the dining room as our home office.   It's going to get mighty tight in this room once we put the tree up, so we're waiting just a wee bit longer to do that.  😆

I wish I had some Christmas cards edited to show you today but a few masculine ones will have to do!  There is a 'guy' theme to this post.  I've covered husband, brother and father.  The first card was for my hubby on our anniversary in October.  He has taken up serious cycling during the pandemic.  When the gym was closed back in the spring, he began riding his bike for exercise.  He rides as many as 65 miles in one trip.  One trip!  I'm impressed and exhausted just by thinking about it, all at once. 😂  So I made a very customized anniversary card that features a bicycle and a night sky, filled with stars (rhinestones).  The sentiment is not quite the best for a couple that has been married over 25 years ("as hand in hand we start"), but the part about the road matched well with the bike, and hey, isn't each day the first day of the rest of our lives?

Papertrey Ink The Best Is Yet To Be sentiment stamp; My Favorite Things Bicycle die, Grassy Fields dies; rhinestones; Spellbinders Grommet Tags banner die

My brother has a birthday this week.  I admit to having a weakness for leaf dies when it's time to make cards for guys.  This one was no exception.  It's simple in design, and muted in tone.

Gina Marie Designs Big and Little Chain Rectangles die; Inspired By Stamping Masculine Tags sentiment stamp; My Favorite Things Falling Leaves dies; banner from Stampin' Up!

And the last card was made for the shop around Father's Day.  It's another clean and simple design, with texture that is subtle:  the gray cardstock has a weave to it, the 'rope' circle frame and shadowed anchor provide a bit of visual interest.

Stampin' Up! Sailing Home anchor stamp; Verve Strong Anchor rope circle stamp; Papertrey Ink Family Ties: For The Guys 'dad' die

And that's it for now!  Wishing you well with your holiday preparations in this oh-so-interesting year!

God bless you and thanks for the visit!

From Shabby Chic to Clean and Simple

Hey there!  It's Friday, the weekend is here, and I'm grateful for that.  And I'm here again to share cards.  Hope you don't mind.  

We've got a busy day ahead tomorrow.  My daughter has to move from one dorm building to another as Temple University has all students condensing to one side of campus.  Right now, they're spread out all over, and with many students having gone home already, there are a lot of empty beds and rooms.  Our girl is mostly packed and ready to go, and she'll need our help to load it all up and bring it to the new dorm building.  Both of her roommates had gone home a few weeks ago, and she was sad about that.  Now, she'll have two other girls to move in with, and she already knows them.  I pray all goes well.  One thing is for sure, we are not in control of most things that happen in our lives.  Our times are in His hands.

PinkFresh Playful Animals 2 sentiment; Stampin' Up! Stitched So Sweetly, Ornate Frames dies; pearls; Papertrey Ink The Sweet Life rose and matching die

Anna Griffin flourish stamp; PinkFresh Playful Animals 2 sentiment; crochet lace; picture from magazine; Stampin' Up! Ornate Frames die, Framed Tulips embossing folder

Poppy Stamps Town Houses die; Papertrey Ink Boards and Beams sentiment, Tag Sale #10 die; black sparkle ribbon  

Stampin' Up! butterfly patterned paper, Stitched Nested Dies die, Blissful Blooms sentiment; blue rhinestones

Below, this is the card our cat, Cristabel, 'gave' to Daddy for Father's Day. 

Stampin' Up! Top Note die, Nine Lives cat, bowl, yarn ball; Papertrey Ink Everyday Cat Sentiments sentiment

For my oldest, sparkly-lovin' daughter's birthday this summer, I made her two cards, both below.  Plenty of bling and shine on each of them! 

Gina Marie Designs Flower Pleated Lace Nested Rectangles die; Memory Box Precious Hearts, Scalloped Banner dies; pearls; green rhinestone; My Favorite Things Stitched Mini Scallop Rectangle die; Papertrey Ink Year Round Puns sentiment; gold cord; gold glitter paper and royal blue mirror cardstock (both Stampin' Up!)

Stampin' Up! Absolutely Fabulous sentiment, Beautiful Friendship rose stamps; Spellbinders Fancy Tags die; pearls; hot pink glitter paper

Stampin' Up! Happy Birthday To You cake stamp, Petal Burst embossing folder; doily; clear rhinestones

Stampin' Up! Blissful Blooms sentiment, Sailing Home sailboat stamp, Smooth Sailing boat, rope, wheel dies, Stitched Nested Dies die 

Well, that's it for now.  May this post find you healthy and well.  😀

God bless you,

Cards From The Heart (Still catching up!)

Hello friends!  I'm back with even more cards to share, as I try hard to catch up!  Not just cards today, there are a couple of other artsy projects in the line up.

The first card was made with lots of scraps, and I "shabbied" it up for a shabby chic vibe.

Stampin' Up! Butterfly Thinlits dies, Butterfly Basics lace butterfly stamp, Bliss solid butterfly stamp, Framed Tulips embossing folder, Itty Bitty Banners sentiment stamp and matching die; pearls, old book page

Next up is my mother's Mother's Day card.  My mom adores the colors of black and white, mixed with a bright pop of color.  I chose a bright blue, because I thought of the beach and a most beautiful blue sky!  I added seashore elements, using new to me dies from Gina Marie Designs.  Gosh, I really love her dies!  I'm amassing quite a nice collection, and the prices are really good.

Papertrey Ink Family Ties: For The Girls word die; Gina Marie Designs Starfish, Sand Dollar, Fan Coral dies; pearls; gold sequins

And, yes, it's similar, but this card below was for my mother-in-law.  She loves the color yellow, and she likes black and white too.  And she likes the beach.  😉

Papertrey Ink Family Ties: For The Girls word die; Gina Marie Designs Starfish, Sand Dollar, Fan Coral dies; pearls; gold sequins; EK Success Swirl Border punch

The next card came straight from the heart for a friend who lives on a mountainside in Colorado.  The deer visit her and her husband every day, and they've named them all!  They are like family to her, and she shares pictures of them on Facebook.  Always makes me smile and warms my heart.

Hero Arts Deck The Halls deer stamps; Stampin' Up! Woodland embossing folder, Lovely As A Tree tree stamp; Echo Park Trust In The Lord sentiment; iridescent glitter

A girly-girly birthday card...

Papertrey Ink Garden Garland flower frame and flower dies; Gina Marie Designs Small Butterfly die; Power Poppy Dynamic Duos: Peonies and Tulips sentiment; Stampin' Up! Flower Trio punch (pink flowers); rhinestones

...and a very simple thank you card.

Papertrey Ink Penned Elegance sentiment; Stampin' Up! Vintage Leaves stamps; Gina Marie Designs Big and Little Chain Rectangles die

Really gave my Soft Suede ink pad (Stampin' Up!) a workout on the next card!

Inspired By Stamping Guy Sentiments sentiment, mustache, top hat, bow tie, pipe stamps; Spellbinders Labels Fifteen dies; natural ribbon

Next up is a notebook, something different for me to make.  I decorated a marble composition notebook, and it is now a prayer book.  I love the gray damask patterned paper and how it pairs with whitewashed woodgrain paper, too, along with lots of lace, and a pretty tag.

Gina Marie Designs Flower Pleated Lace Nested Rectangles die; Sizzix Crochet lace border die; Memory Box Precious Wedding Rings die (bow); marble composition notebook

And this is the back.  I ran out of that pretty gray damask paper (darn) so I had to use a different scrap along the spine.

My daughter's friend graduated from college this summer, and she loves purple, so I personalized this for her.  Not school colors at all.  LOL

Impression Obsession Mortarboard and Scroll die; Gina Marie Designs Big and Little Chain Rectangles die; pearls

And finally, some paintings that I did with my youngest daughter this summer, before she left for college.  It was such a pleasure to paint with her.  We sat at the dining room table with our paints and canvasses, and she had the TV remote next to her as we watched an old Bob Ross (from PBS) painting video.  Have you ever watched his shows?  Sadly, he passed away in 1995, but his videos are still available online.  His calm voice is very soothing, and he creates pure magic with just a few painting supplies.  His directions are easy to follow as well.  The first painting shown here is Kerry's second to make, and the one below hers, is my first and only.   

Thank you so much for joining me yet again in the last couple of days!  I'm not finished yet, and I hope to share more soon.  

God bless you,