The Easter Collection - Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of my Easter Collection!  This week, I'm sharing all the Easter cards I've made over the last month.  Many of them went to Arts Plus Gallery for sale, and I kept a few to send out to loved ones.

This sweet bunnies-and-tulips stamp is an older Stampin' Up! image, but I have no idea what set it came from.  Does anyone know the name?  I'd stamped and colored this a few years ago, and it felt nice to finally put it on a card.

For my birthday, I received some more rolls of Hug Snug seam binding.  This one is Pansy Purple, and oh is it a luscious color!  The sentiment and tag are also birthday gifts; both are by Papertrey Ink.

Stamps: 'joy' - Tag-Its #8 - PTI; image - Stampin' Up! Paper: Orchid Opulence, Mellow Moss - SU; white - PTI Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Antique Linen - Ranger; Ballet Blue, Old Olive - SU Fibers: Pansy Purple seam binding - Hug Snug; vintage thread Accessories & Tools: Pearls - Queen & Co; Copic markers; Tiny Tags die - PTI

Same spring image, same layout, but in a different colorway this time:

Stamps: sentiment - Something To Celebrate; image - SU Paper: Pretty In Pink, Sage Shadow, Whisper White - SU Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Sage Shadow - SU Fibers: Metal Green - Hug Snug Accessories & Tools: Copic markers; pink gems - Queen & Co.

The next one really makes me happy.  It's bright and fun!

The sentiment and bunny are from Stampin' Up!, and all those flowers are from Wplus9's Fresh Cut Florals, another birthday gift.

Stamps: flowers - Fresh Cut Florals - Wplus9; sentiment - All Holidays - SU; bunny - SU Paper: polka dot, yellow floral, Summer Sun - SU; white - PTI Ink: Summer Sun, Green Galore, Gable Green, Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Pink Pirhouette, Rose Red - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: circle punch, Summer Sun marker - SU; White Opal, Petal Pink Liquid Pearls - Ranger

I'll be back with more tomorrow!  Thanks for popping in.  :-D

The Easter Collection - Part 1

Hello!  I'm batching together some Easter cards I made during the last month or so, and will share these with you this week.  Here's Part 1 of the collection.

Up first, a gold and purple card using a stamp from Inspired By Stamping's Easter Labels.  

I used a pretty piece of shimmery paper from DCWV Chateau Lavender stack, a golden oval die cut (from a $1 Scrap Bag), and a stamped purple label.

Stamps: Easter Labels - Inspired By Stamping Paper: white, Vintage Cream - PTI; pattern - Chateau Lavender - DCWV; gold - SU Ink: Purple Hydrangea - Tsukineko Fibers: Cameo Beige - Hug Snug Accessories & Tools: purple gems - Queen & Co.; oval die - Spellbinders

I made the next card while the supplies from the above card were still out on my desk.

Stamps: Easter Labels - Inspired By Stamping Paper: kraft, white - PTI; patterns - Chateau Lavender - DCWV Ink: Purple Hydrangea - Tsukineko; Walnut Stain - Ranger Fibers: Mottle Brown seam binding - Hug Snug; crochet trim - Hero Arts; twine - Creative Impressions; vintage thread; cream twine - American Crafts Accessories & Tools: purple gems - Queen & Co.; vintage buttons

The next one uses papers from Girls' Paperie, and a freebie egg wreath stamp from Verve.  "Joy" is from IBS's Elegant Christmas Sentiments.  The pink patterned paper was from a large piece of shaped paper, not your standard 12 x 12 square sheet.  I trimmed off one corner of it and kept those fancy

I added some subtle pink shading around the egg wreath while the die was still in place, and after coloring the eggs, added some Liquid Pearls.

Stamps: 'joy; - Elegant Christmas Sentiments - IBS; egg wreath - Easter Joy - Verve  Paper: white - PTI; patterns - Girls' Paperie Ink: Tattered Rose - Ranger; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: white seam binding - Hug Snug; white crochet trim Accessories & Tools: circle die - Spellbinders; Petal Pink, Lemon Yellow Liquid Pearls - Ranger; Copic markers; pearls - Queen & Co.

Thanks for checking out my Easter cards today.  I really appreciate your visit!

So, a frog, a rabbit and a dragonfly walked into a blog...

Nope, I don't have a punchline for that set-up, but I do have a couple of "un-Colleen-like" cards to share, and a frog, a rabbit and a dragonfly are making an appearance here.  :-D

This elongated card, featuring a frog and dragonfly from Stampin' Up!'s Unfrogettable, was sent to my nephew for his birthday.  He's 11 now, and I know this might seem a bit 'juvenile' for a tweenager.  After the Masculine category of cards, Kid cards are my second-least-favorite to make.  I'm just no good at them.

I had a large scalloped-circle die cut in my Bits & Pieces stash, and it made a good tree canopy.  I just added some cartoonish foliage, and cut brown cardstock to make a tree trunk.

I'm entering this card in a challenge which is new to me, and sadly, is already closing soon - for good.  It's called Just Punch It.  The theme is 'Free For All.'

Also entering at A Blog Named Hero, where the challenge is 'Build a Background.'  I hope this counts, creating a background scene for my critters.

The next card using skinny strips from the ol' stash, and a bunny and sentiment from Lawn Fawn's My Silly Valentine.  This was sent to my niece for her birthday a few months back.  She turned 9.

I'm entering this at Seize The Birthday, where the theme is 'Anything Goes.'

Let's pretend that I meant to place this bunny on a 'rug', when really it was to cover a stamping mistake. Ooops!

I'm skipping the usual supply list on this post.  I am waaaay behind on photo-editing all the things I've made in the last month or so, as well as preparing blog posts.  I worked SIX days this week, and it looks like next week will be the same.  For this homebody, 6 days is a LOT to be away from my nest.

I'm rather anxious for the tax deadline of April 15th to roll around so life can get back to somewhat normal for me.  Looking forward, though,  to whatever job the temp service will have for me next.  Earning regular paychecks is a wonderful thing!

A Christening Card

The bridal shop owner suggested I make a christening card, since she sells a few christening gowns.  This is the one I delivered back in January.  It hasn't sold yet, but the shop is just getting into a busier season now, so we'll see.

Used lots of white (of course), with just a hint of gray in the cross (Verve Notes Of Prayer), and a signature pearl.

I tied in the religious theme with a fleur de lis embossing folder, and the Parisian Motif round die-cut has a similar element along its edges.

When I attended my niece's christening several years ago, I was really struck by the priest's stole.  It was so beautiful, with lots of gold, blue and fleurs de lis.  It so inspired me, I made a card based on it.  You can see it HERE.

ETA:  I'm entering this at Verve's April Diva Dare:  the theme is Little Things...make a card for a child or baby.

Thanks for your visit today!  Be well.  :-)

Stamps: Notes of Prayer - Verve Paper: white - PTI Ink: London Fog - Tsukineko Fibers: white satin ribbon Accessories & Tools: pearl - Queen & Co.; Fleur de lis embossing folder - Cuttlebug; corner rounder punch - Fiskars; Parisian Motifs die, Labels Four die - Spellbinders

A Tiffany-Style Wedding Card

Tiffany Blue is so pretty, isn't it?  Like the hue of a robin's egg, it speaks of elegance and new beginnings.

I found a piece of cardstock in my stash that is a close match to that blue.  I have NO idea where I got it. I'd like more!  LOL  Now that I think of it, it might be from Mark's Finest Papers, when I was on their team years ago.  Anyway, I also happened to have ribbon in the same color, and this card was born:

I heat-embossed some Hampton Art Wedding rings in silver near the Hero Arts sentiment, and added rhinestones in the top corner.

Less than two weeks to go at my temp job, at an accounting firm.  With the April 15th deadline looming, we're busier than ever.  I have the utmost respect for anyone who is in this line of work full-time.  Tax season is grueling for accountants and their staff.  The partners at the firm where I temp are working 6-7 days a week, for months on end, and their days are really, really long.  Well, at least they get to come up for air pretty soon, on April 16th.  :-D

Stamps: rings - Wedding - Hampton Arts; sentiment - Best Wishes - Hero Arts Paper: robin's egg blue (?) Ink: Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: robin's egg blue satin ribbon - Offray Accessories & Tools: silver embossing powder - SU; Diamonds & Dots embossing folder - Lifestyle Crafts; rhinestones - Queen & Co.

Baby Elephant

I've had this little elephant in my stamping stash for a number of years now, ever since I was on The Play Date Cafe design team.  Paulina of DeNami Design generously gifted our team with her adorable stamps at the time.

I stamped him on purple polka dotted paper from Nana's Nursery - DCWV, trimmed and mounted on a doily die cut.  The striped background is also from the same paper stack.  You can see some elephant rump inside the card, too.  ;-)

The sentiment and little flowers are from Inspired By Stamping's Oh, Baby!  The yellow Gingham is from Market Street Stamps (oh, how I miss them!).  See how the doily die cut extends over the edge of the card?  This means I need to use a bigger envelope, and I use an A6 (4.75" x 6.5").

By the way, I found a very useful Envelope Size Chart HERE.  I keep a copy near my crafting supplies, as well as in my Evernote program.  I've blogged before about Evernote, and I can't say enough good stuff about it.  It keeps my stamp, die, embossing folder and punch inventories in an easy-to-use format.  I can access the program via my computer, phone and tablet.  If I am looking for a particular stamp, or a particular sentiment, I type in the keyword (say, "giggle" for example) and Evernote shows me all the sets I own that have the word "giggle" in them.  I've started uploading my recipe cards and magazine pages featuring recipes we like into the program, too.

Stamps: flowers, sentiment - Oh, Baby! - Inspired By Stamping; Gingham - Market Street Stamps; elephant - DeNami Design Paper: white - PTI; Pear Pizzazz - SU; stripe, dots - Nana's Nursery - DCWV Ink: Lavender Lace, Barely Banana - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: Certainly Celery twill - SU Accessories & Tools: crochet tape - IBS; doily die cut - My Favorite Things; heart border punch - SU; pearls - Queen & Co.

Baby Boy Onesie

Even though I tend to make the baby girl cards with more fervor, the baby boys need cards (at the shop), too.  So, I came up with this one day in January:

The onesie is from Inspired By Stamping, the sentiment by Verve.  And look!  I used a sewing machine on this card!  Whoo hoo!

No banner dies here....just some hand-trimming for the banner effect.

Thanks for joining me today!

Stamps: Oh, Baby! - Inspired By Stamping; Munchkin Phrases - Verve Paper: So Saffron, Very Vanilla, patterns - SU Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain - Ranger Fibers: twine - SU Accessories & Tools: sewing machine; Fancy Label 2 die - Inspired By Stamping 

Somebody's Home

Soon after Christmas, I spent holiday gift money on some Papertrey Ink stamps.  Boards & Beams really called to me, since I have a "New Home" category at the shop.

Everything you see on this card comes from that set.  I stamped the house once on blue patterned paper, and once on white.  I trimmed out one window to paper-piece on here, and colored the door, shutters and roof with Copic markers.

Something about blue, green and kraft makes me really happy.  Hope it appeals to customers, too!

Stamps: Boards & Beams - PTI Paper: kraft - PTI; green damask, blue pattern - SU Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories & Tools: corner rounder punch - Fiskars; Copic markers

Bits & Pieces Make For A HUGE Post!

Okay, so about a month ago, before I started the new job, I was on a ROLL with my cards.  The creative juices just burst forth, and I was cranking them out.

Believe it or not, all the cards you are about to see were created in the span of less than a week.  AND, I used TONS of 'Bits & Pieces' that were cast-offs from other projects.  I am so proud that I was able to successfully work them into new creations.

Bits & Pieces used:

•  a panel stamped with Market Street Stamps' Vintage Wallpaper (brown ink on white cardstock).  It looked too stark, so I inked up a piece of waxed paper from the kitchen with Tattered Rose Distress Ink.  I let the ink bead up, then wiped the cardstock through the ink.
• a hand-trimmed banner stamped with a Hero Arts sentiment. 

 Bits & Pieces used: 

• panel of white cardstock stamped with Market Street Stamps' Grace background, in navy.
• a scalloped square punch, stamped with a Stampin' Up! image/sentiment.  I don't know the name of this set, because this little piece was in a Scrap Bag from my SU demo.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• the Verve Joy For The Journey sentiment, already stamped on an oval die cut
• a butterfly from Lost Coast Designs' Butterflies that was colored and trimmed

Bits & Pieces used: 

• Stampin' Up!'s Eiffel Tower from Artistic Etchings, already trimmed.
• clouds from Inspired By Stamping's The Sky's The Limit.
• a bit of twill tape - I stamped a sentiment from IBS's Celebrating Two Years.
• shimmery aqua cardstock from California Paper Goods.  It was sent as a sample with an envelope order years ago.  I used an oval die to cut it and made it part of the background.
• a manilla tag from one of my daughters' clothing.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a flower from Stampin' Up!'s Sweet Summer, already stamped and colored.  I added a sentiment from Wplus9's Fresh Cut Florals, surrounded by a Darice Doily Lace embossed background.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a cream-colored panel, stamped with I think a Stampin' Up! flower spray.  I cannot recall where this came from!
• the sentiment from Verve's Joy For The Journey, done up on two sizes of oval punches.
• a bit of burlap ribbon, which I had hacked up for use on another project.  The ribbon had French wire along the edges.  On the other project, I did not want the wire, so I cut out the center portion of the ribbon only.  I was left with a raggedy edge of burlap with wire.  I wound it around and around to make a nest.  Pearls became eggs. 

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a pale yellow die cut tag from Stampin' Up! from a LONG time ago, stamped with a Verve Joy For The Journey sentiment.
• white Lattice / EK Success strips to use as edging.
• K & Co. photo mat paper, already cut up from another project.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• another bit of twill tape, again stamped with the same IBS sentiment mentioned up above.
• the vellum flower with gem, lifted from a store-bought card that was sent to my daughter a few years ago.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• an embossed panel of cardstock from a Stampin' Up! Scrap Bag.  I added iridescent Stickles to parts of the snowflakes.
• a piece of shimmery mint cardstock, sent as a sample from California Paper Goods years ago.

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a red die cut, made with Spellbinders' Persian Motifs.
• pipe clean candy canes, lifted from a store-bought Christmas card we received.
• a scrap of floral Real Red patterned paper (SU).

Bits & Pieces used: 

• pretty much the whole front panel!  LOL  A thoughtful friend, unwilling to throw away the Christmas card I made for her, asked if I would like it back so I could use parts of it for a future card.  I cut off the back of the card, trimmed the front panel a bit, and mounted it onto a Soft Suede card base.  I added a few red gems to the corners. 

Bits & Pieces used: 

• a sliver of fancy black striped Stampin' Up! designer paper.
• a scrap of white cardstock that had been stamped in black with Market Street Stamps' Vintage Wallpaper.
• a black panel, featuring a poinsettia image from Mark's Finest Papers, which had been stamped and embossed in gold.  I added a little gold bow. 

Whew!  Because of the quantity of cards in this one post, I am not going to list all supplies used.  If you're wondering about any particular item, please leave a comment with your question (and a way to reach you), and I'd be happy to answer!