Messy Leaves

Hey there!  Happy Friday!  Today's card was fun to put together.  Boy, did I make a mess!  Usually, I like staying very clean; yeah, I'm one of those folks.  ;-)   But on the day I made the card below, I wanted to play with inks and paints and embossing powders.  What resulted is a pure, lovely mess....

I used Rubber Stampede's embossing ink refill (liquid form) to sprinkle splotches on the card base, then embossed with gold embossing powder.  The ink saturated the card a bit too much, making some areas a little buckled.  Oh well.

The Tattered Leaves die cuts (Tim Holtz/Sizzix) were inked with so many things, I don't even recall.  I do remember using metallic gold paint on here, smeared around a little.  There are some Onyx sequins from Pretty Pink Posh added around the leaves, and a sentiment from Inspired By Stamping was added to an acorn die cut.

So there you go!  A messy one from me.  :-)  Thanks so much for your visit, and have a fabulous weekend!

Stamps: Happy Fall - Inspired By Stamping Paper: True Black - PTI; dots pattern, Crumb Cake - SU Fibers: black seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: Onyx sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; Tulip embossing folder, acorn and small leaf die cut - SU; Tattered Leaves die - Tim Holtz/Sizzix; gold embossing powder

CASEing a Crafter: At home, under the stars

Hello friends!  I pinned an adorable card by Paula of Stampinantics on my Pinterest board entitled, "Cards - New Home" a while back.  Recently, I had a chance to become inspired by it, and create my own version:

I love the Stampin' Up! set, Good Neighbors.  That's what drew me to Paula's card in the first place. She created a lovely, large moon behind her houses, and I riffed on that by sponging lots of dark plum and black inks around the edges.  Speckled stamps from SU's Itty Bitty Backgrounds became stars.

Just so happens that I had these little houses in my box of cast-offs from a project long ago.   I lined them up along a dark 'street', and stamped a Papertrey Ink sentiment there.

A big thanks to Paula for sharing such an awesome creation with all of us.  It's a neat idea!

And thank YOU for coming to see my creation today!  Have a wonderful day!

Stamps: Good Neighbors, Itty Bitty Backgrounds - Stampin' Up!; Daily Designs Sentiments - PTI Paper: white, True Black - PTI; Elegant Eggplant - SU Ink: Lavender Lace, Perfect Plum, Lovely Lavender, Basic Black - SU; Versamark - Tsukineko; white craft ink - Ranger Accessories & Tools: white embossing powder; corner rounder punch - Fiskars

Hello, Teal

Hi there!  One of my not-so-fave retired colors from Stampin' Up! is Taken With Teal. Always kind of avoided using it, but I do hate waste.   I made a few cards with the teal cardstock, and this is one of them:

And you know, it kind of grew on me.  :-)  It ain't so bad after all.

The sentiment from Fiskars' All Year Greetings says "hello," but this is actually a birthday card.  I like being able to stretch my stamps as much as I can.  A Spellbinders' Corner Flourish die cut in black -- times 2, placed end-to-end -- helped create the central focal point.

Thank you so much for coming by today!

Stamps: All Year Greetings - Fiskars Paper: Taken With Teal - SU; True Black, white - PTI Fibers: black seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: Corner Flourish die - Spellbinders; blue gems - Michaels

Baby card re-do's

Hello everyone!  These baby cards have been with me for, oh, let's just say...TOO long.  ;-)  The reason I saved them is because the sentiments stamped inside had bled through to the back of the card.  NOT COOL.

When I first began stamping, the only black ink I had was from Stampin' Up!  Over time, I noticed that a stamped image/sentiment would bleed around the edges, and through to the other side, on white cardstock.  Ditched that. Found other inks that work better and stand the test of time (Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black - both by Tsukineko).

So, what to do with the cards that looked crummy?  Re-do!  Yaaaayy.....just what I always wanted to do.  Not.

For both baby cards here today, I trimmed off the front of the card and mounted the whole panel on a white card base (using Papertrey Ink's white cardstock -- seriously the best I've found, and want nothing else.  The white is so crisp, and the heavyweight paper makes a great base.)

Inside the 'new' cards, I stamped a great sentiment from Ali Edwards / Technique Tuesday's Sweet Baby set.  Doesn't it just make you say, "Awww"?

And now, to say "bye-bye baby" to these cards.  They are off to the shop!

Stamps: Simple Shapes, Simple Somethings - Stampin' Up!; Sweet Baby - Ali Edwards/Technique Tuesday 

For The Happy Couple

Happy Monday!  I'm still working my way through posting all of the cards I've made over the last couple of months.  Yes, I was in the attic studio a lot. ;)

Here is a beach-themed creation that went to A Beautiful Touch in Westmont, NJ for sale:

To help speed things up, when it comes to creating cards in a certain theme, I've devised a little system:

• I keep a container with certain elements that I know I'll use again and again -- for example, the branch punch-outs -- near my desk at all times.  I use different colors of cardstock that reflect nature (various greens, browns, tans) and keep them all together.  

• Since the beach theme seems so popular with brides right now, I stamp images such as shells, sand dollars, starfish, etc. on scrap pieces of white or cream cardstock.  I may color some, or leave them as-is, then trim and put into a small clear envelope (I save all the clear poly bags that pearls/gems/stickers come in, and use those).

• When it's time to make a card, I pull out those supplies, choose papers in colors of the sea and sand, and begin.

ETA:  adding this in to the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge, at the suggestion of my friend Donna!  The theme is "Stamps."  Yay!

I hope you have a wonderful week, my friends!

Stamps: sentiment - Happy Ever After - Papertrey Ink; sand dollar, shell - Blockheads Paper Arts

Paper: River Rock, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip - SU; pattern - Seashore - Prima Fibers: abaca fiber ribbon Accessories & Tools: branch punch - Martha Stewart; pearls; Swirl border punch - EK Success

A birthday for Handsome

Happy Halloween, if you celebrate that holiday!  I've got a non-Halloween, yet still autumnal, card to share with you today.

Once again, I delved into my bits & pieces to try to use up scraps of paper and stamped items that had no home.  Threw them all together on a Taken With Teal card base, and added a sentiment from Hero Arts / Year Round Sentiments.  Boom, done!

Even the pre-threaded corduroy button was in my scrap bag, already secured to the sweetest little die-cut envelope.  My Stampin' Up! demonstrator had threaded the button with a super skinny strip of paper.  How clever is that!

Not sure just how masculine this card is, but there's gotta be a guy out there somewhere who would appreciate this birthday greeting!

Have a wonderful weekend,

Stamps: sentiment - Year Round Sentiments - Hero Arts; acorn - Autumn Harvest; brown long leaf - Natural Beauty - SU; Polka dot maple leaf - Happy Fall - Inspired By Stamping; large yellow maple leaf - Thankful Leaves - My Favorite Things Paper: Taken With Teal, all patterns, Naturals White, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip - SU Ink: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, Close to Cocoa, More Mustard - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: brown corduroy button, envelope die - SU; white gel pen - Marvy; Labels Eight die - Spellbinders

Leaves Aglow for You

Hello!  For those of you who have followed my blog for some time, do you remember THIS card from 2013? I had made a few originals in 2009, and did a dressed-up version last year.

Well, this is another re-do/update for today's post.  I think this one's my favorite so far.

What the pictures don't show you is how the leaves on the large panel are clear-embossed, and all the 'glowing light' between them was sponged on after the leaves were in place.

For the update, I added some sparkly gold glitter tape from Inspired By Stamping, as well as some newly-stamped leaves from the original Autumn Fest set / Stampin' Up!  The sentiment is from IBS, as well.

Raise your hand if you sometimes save cards you've made, just 'cause you like how they turned out. (Raising hand here.)  Yep, that's what happened with this autumn card.  Saved it for 5 years.  Ahem. Proud to say today's card DID finally go to someone else, so that she can share it with another person.

Thank you SO, so, SO much for joining me today!

Stamps: sentiment - All Year Wishes 1 - Inspired By Stamping; leaves - Autumn Fest - Stampin' Up! Paper: More Mustard - SU; white - PTI Ink: so many! all Stampin' Up!; Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: vintage thread Accessories & Tools: gold glitter tape - Inspired By Stamping

The Card Concept #22 - Thank-Fall

Welcome!  Time for another Card Concept challenge, and the theme is "Thank-fall."

Here's the inspiration photo.  I picked the colors and pumpkins as the basis for my card, and made sure to keep the elegance factor going, since that is my style for the challenge (Classy & Elegant). You can see the whole list of styles here, if you'd like to play along with us.

This punch art pumpkin is very easy to make.  I have a quick tutorial in THIS post to show how I made mine.

Sure hope you get a chance to come play with us.  The challenge is open for two weeks, and it's just for fun.  Fall fun, that is!

Celebrate A Fall Birthday x 4

Welcome, friends, and happy Tuesday.  :-)

I really like the autumnal birthday cards I'm sharing today, because they totally remind me of my friend Stella's style.  And I adore Stella.  In fact, the Papertrey Ink sentiment (Think Big Favorites #15) is one she uses often, and upon seeing it at her blog, I just had to have it.  You know how that goes.

The little felt leaf stickers were a gift long ago from my friend Emily.  They go perfectly with a smattering of sequins on a manila tag from Staples.

Stamps: Think Big Favorites #15 - Papertrey Ink Paper: Cajun Craze, Soft Suede, pattern - SU; manila tag - Staples Ink: black - Rubber Stampede Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories & Tools: felt leaf stickers - Target's Dollar Spot; Matte Gold sequins - MJ Trimming; Sand sequins - Pretty Pink Posh

I thought I'd add in all the other cards I made that same day, which include many of the same ingredients.

These leaves have a little somethin'-somethin' going on.  One features crackle paint and distress ink, the other is painted in a shimmery champagne color.

Thanks so much for your visit today!

Bits & Pieces of Lovely Leaves

Hi there!  Recently, I made this card using many pieces from a $1.00 Scrap Bag that I bought a while back from my Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  I love how they all came together for a pretty autumn birthday:

The embossed leaves from Autumn Splendor came as you see here.  The die cut circle in a text pattern was in the scrap bag, as were the skinny strips of autumn patterned paper.

I added some sequins (including some from Pretty Pink Posh), and a seam binding bow from Martha Stewart.

This was easy-peasy to put together.  I love those scrap bags!

Stamps: Autumn Splendor - SU Paper: Fine Linen - Papertrey Ink; patterns, text, blue, orange, brown - SU Ink: Versamark - Tsukineko;  Frayed Burlap - Ranger Fibers: rust seam binding - Martha Stewart Accessories & Tools: Matte Gold sequins - MJ Trimming; Sand sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; circle die 

Damask Pumpkin Tutorial

Happy Friday!  Have any good plans for this weekend?  My eldest daughter and I plan to visit a craft fair, in search of Christmas decorations, and really just to look around.  Can't wait to see what they have!

Today I'm sharing easy-to-make pumpkin cards:

• Choose cardstock or patterned paper for your pumpkin.  I chose a black and orange Halloween damask from Stampin' Up!  
• Using any size oval punch, punch out 5 pieces.  Ink the edges in a coordinating color.  I used black.

• Using a die-cut wreath (Breezy Wreath / Memory Box), snip off small sections to use as greenery on the top of each pumpkin.  One wreath helped me make 7 pumpkins.

• Layer the oval pumpkin pieces so that they overlap each other slightly; use your favorite adhesive to secure the pieces together.  I like Tombow's Mono Adhesive refills.  I buy them at officesupply.com because the price is so good.

• Stamp a sentiment on a card base. Center pumpkin over sentiment and adhere using foam tape.
• Use a bit of liquid glue to add the 'greenery.'
• Use a small scrap of brown cardstock (approx. 3/4" x 1") - ragged edges are good.  Start at one corner of the scrap, and roll diagonally into a tube.  Squish the tube around until it develops wrinkles, then unfurl it back to the tube shape.  Trim tube length if necessary.  Use a few drops of glue (I like Aleene's Quick Dry Tacky Glue) to secure under top of pumpkin.

I know this is not a photo-heavy tutorial, and I apologize for that.  As I made the cards, I forgot to pull out my camera.  Duh!

I'm not the first to create a pumpkin in this way.  Plenty of versions exist on the Internet.  I might be one of the few to do it in damask, though!

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes - SU Paper: kraft - PTI; Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, orange/black damask - SU Ink: black - Rubber Stampede Accessories & Tools: Large Oval punch - SU; Breezy Wreath die - Memory Box/Poppystamps

Black Cat On A Fence

Hi!  Using just two colors for this Halloween card made the creation of it happen pretty quickly.

I stamped a circle from Halloween Tags / Inspired By Stamping as a moon, and added bats from that set as well.  Over top, I spritzed some Khaki glimmer mist and added clear glitter to the moon.

The cat and sentiment are from Stampin' Up!, and the die cut fence is from Memory Box.

It's a square card, which I rarely make anymore.  A mishap along the bottom of an A2 sized card necessitated some chopping off...and thus the square was born!

Stamps: black cat - Autumn Apparitions; sentiment - Teeny Tiny Wishes - SU; moon, bats - Halloween Tags - Inspired By Stamping Paper: kraft, black - PTI Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories & Tools: crystal glitter - Martha Stewart; Estate Fence die - Memory Box; Khaki Tattered Angels spray mist

Bits & Pieces Make Elegant Cobwebs

Hello!  Halloween is next week, and I'm wondering how that happened so fast?  Seems it was the end of September just a few days ago, and I was putting out the Halloween decorations.  Time flies when you're having fun...

I'm sharing an elegant card for the October holiday, made with bits and pieces from my workdesk.

The sentiment (Autumn Apparitions/Stampin' Up!) has been hanging around forever, and the black die cut circle + cobweb patterned die cut circle were also languishing for far too long.

Threw them together on an embossed card base, along with some black seam binding and gems.  Ta da!  Done!

Thanks for dropping by today.  :-)

Stamps: Autumn Apparitions - Stampin' Up! Paper: white, black - PTI; Tangerine Tango, cobweb pattern - SU Ink: black - Rubber Stampede Fibers: Black seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: circle dies; black, orange and clear rhinestone gems; Lacy Brocade embossing folder - SU