Dove of Joy

Happy Friday!  Today's Christmas card share came about by piecing together various odds and ends I had on my desk.  The card base, already stamped with Bella Toile background (Stampin' Up!), sat for months, unused.  The red fancy die cut...same thing. 

Then I spied some red glittered cardstock on my shelves, and an idea was born.  The different reds were married to together with a beautiful dove die cut sticker from K & Co., and a sentiment from Flourishes' Paperwhites. 

It sure is festive, isn't it? 

Thanks for taking a peek at it during this oh-so-busy holiday season!


I am taking a break until after the 25th, so I will wish you a Merry Christmas now.  Hope you enjoy this blessed season, rejoicing in our Savior's birth, and spending quality time with the ones you love.  :)

Stamps: sentiment - Paperwhites - Flourishes; floral - Bella Toile - SU Paper: Real Red, Cherry Cobbler - SU; striped red glitter cardstock - American Crafts Ink: white - Ranger; black Fibers: silver twine Accessories & Tools: circle, Parisian Motifs dies - Spellbinders; tag punch - Martha Stewart; dove die cut - K &

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Welcome!  This may be my favorite of the {few} Christmas cards I made this year.  It made good use of items in a Stampin' Up! scrap bag from my demo:  a fancy embossed oval frame on golden cardstock, and a punched-out sentiment. 

All I did was trim the oval, add a golden bow, some gold sequins and pearls, and pretty poinsettia and holly die cut stickers from K & Co. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing this as much as I did making it!

'Twas the night before Christmas

Hello all!  I am finally getting around to sharing cards that I had made in October, before life became so crazy-busy.  This Christmas creation went to the shop a while back.  Fingers crossed that it sold!

I was in my Mellow Moss phase, having used up a bit of my cardstock stash during the time I made this.  The sentiment-on-a-scroll stamp from Stampabilities was a gift from my friend, Benzi, a few years ago.  Love the vintage vibe of it, and I think it pairs well with the ornament and holly die cuts from K & Co., and the old book page.

Thanks so much for giving me a bit of your time today.  I know extra time is especially precious right now! 

Stamps: sentiment - Stampabilities Paper: Mellow Moss, cream - SU; vintage book page; green marble - Old World stack - DCWV Ink: Close to Cocoa - SU; Frayed Burlap - Ranger Fibers: Mottle Brown seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop Accessories & Tools: Metallic Gold sequins - MJ Trimming; ornaments, holly die cuts - K & Co.

Delphiniums in December

Hi.  :)  What can I say?  I love flowers too much to wait until after Christmas to share a card like this.

It's simple, isn't it?  Not too many adornments.  But I love it, because it combines delphiniums, Pretty Pink Posh sequins, and purple.  :-)  Purple is my favorite color from childhood.  I know it's not for everyone.  I've got a good amount of retired purple cardstock that I need to use up.  Bet many of you do, too.

Be blessed, my friends!

Stamps: A Lovely Birthday - Inspired By Stamping Paper: Lovely Lavender - SU Accessories & Tools: flower die cut stickers - K & Co.; Sparkling Clear sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; corner rounder punch - Fiskars

Homespun Christmas

Hello again!  Between the traditional Christmas colors of red and green, paired with some plaid, today's share has a cozy, homespun feel to it.

The Just Rite O Christmas Tree was stamped on a vintage book page and backed with a bit of scrap cardstock to keep it stiff.  Sequin ornaments are scattered about, and die cut border trims from K & Co. are behind the tree.  A sentiment from Holiday Sentiments / Inspired By Stamping was embossed in gold.

A tiny punched star received a coat of gold Smooch ink, and tops the tree.

Plaid is not my favorite, so I'm not sure how much I'm loving this card.  Just sayin'.  ;-)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Stamps: O Christmas Tree - Just Rite; Holiday Sentiments - Inspired By Stamping 

Encourage and Support, using Sage Shadow

Hello friends!  The cards I am sharing today were a gift to a loved one, earlier this fall.  The birthday girl had requested an assortment of cards to mail out, and these two were part of that gift.

I had a few odds and ends from a marvelous scrap bag (my Stampin' Up! demo, Gail Murray, is THE best :) that inspired me to play:  leaves from Gently Falling, already stamped - and some already trimmed out, oval die cuts (love the brushed gold ones), and pretty patterned paper scraps.  I used Sage Shadow card bases for each card...the soft color lent itself well.

The sentiment on this card is from Verve's Notes of Prayer.  The sage satin ribbon is vintage, from my beloved mom-mom.  Can't believe how perfectly it matches the card base.

More of the same goodies used on the next card.  The sentiment is from SU's Teeny Tiny Wishes.

This brushed gold oval from a scrap bag had already been edged with gold embossing.

Thanks so much for letting me share these with you today!

Shells for the Mr. & Mrs.

Howdy!  Amidst the Christmas hustle and bustle, I would still like to share some non-holiday cards with you.

This is a soft, soothing beach-themed card for a wedding, delivered to A Beautiful Touch a while ago.  (hope it sold!)

My friend LeAnne often uses stamps from a company called 100 Proof Press, and she inspired me to shop there.  This beautiful Shell Plate 17  helps me make a great wedding card.  :-)  After stamping it in a dark brown, I overstamped Wonderfully Worn background by Stampin' Up! in various places, using a kraft-colored ink.  The sentiment from Wplus9's Fresh Cut Wreaths was stamped in a "something blue" ink, for that extra special meaning.

Have a wonderful day, and thank you so much for coming by!

Stamps: Shell Plate 17 - 100 Proof Press; sentiment - Fresh Cut Wreaths - Wplus9; Wonderfully Worn background - SU Paper: kraft, vintage cream - PTI; Best of Damask - My Mind's Eye Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories & Tools: Sand sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; distressing tool - Tim Holtz

Pomegranate and Chocolate Christmas

Hello, friends!  It's been a while since I sat at this computer and typed up a blog post.  Things you've been seeing here at Dietrich Designs were scheduled waaaay ahead of time, a while ago.  I haven't even made a new card in, well, too long.  Life's been incredibly hectic and unusually full for more than a month now.  By the grace of God, we're getting through something very, um, large.  He is seeing us through to the other side of a big storm that hit us completely out of the blue (I guess that's how many storms hit.)  Light is at the end of the tunnel, at long last.  Still a ways to go, but things are lightening up.

You're here for a card, I'll bet.  :) I've got two today.

I pulled out some hoarded Purely Pomegranate Stampin' Up! papers from a retired Christmas collection, and paired them with Chocolate Chip.  The ornament stamp is also retired (I think I'm Queen of Retired Products, LOL!), from Flourishes All That Glitters.

I had two of these already-colored ornament images in my box for a LONG time.  In fact, looking at the picture above, I can see there's some glimmer to it, but I don't remember how I did that!  LOL  I do not own a Wink of Stella pen, which I hear everyone talking about.  So how did I do it?  Ha ha, not sure if I'll ever remember!

This card is similar to the one up top, but features a bit of crochet lace and more pearls.

Keeping up my blog posts is especially important to me right now, because it reminds me of good, happy things.  I've got more scheduled ahead, so you'll still be seeing activity here.

Thanks so much for your visit today.  Have a BLESSED day!

Stamps: All That Glitters (ornament), Paperwhites (sentiment) - Flourishes Fibers: Argentina seam binding - Hug Snug - The Zipper Stop; crochet lace

A Custom Creation: a baby girl is born

Hi there!  A sweet friend of mine asked for a custom card for folks she knows, who had a baby girl. Whenever I receive a custom request, I always ask about the recipients:  what are their favorite colors?  Are they formal, casual, modern, or prefer vintage things?  Do they like flowers?  If so, which ones are faves? These answers help me determine the look of the card.

For the new parents, my friend suggested to go "girly," use purple (my fave color, besides taupe), and personalize it with the baby's birth info.  Here is the result:

First off, isn't the baby's name gorgeous?  I love it!  In order to personalize, I needed to rely upon Microsoft Word.  I chose a neat font called Poison Apple, found at www.dafont.com.  I printed the info on printer paper that is heavier than the norm, but not too heavy because my printer is fussy.  (grrr....) Then, using a stamp from Verve called Vintage Oval Frame, I went right over top of the printed words.  I used Memento Tuxedo Black ink because I knew I'd want to distress the edges with Frayed Burlap ink by Ranger, which I did after hand-trimming the image.

On a scrap of cardstock, I stamped the vintage carriage from Unity's Delight In The Little Things. It also got distress ink along the edges after trimming first.  

I love how it turned out, and I hope it is something the baby's family will treasure for a lifetime.

Stamps: carriage - Delight In The Little Things - Unity; Vintage Oval Frame - Verve Paper: Chateau Lavender, Once Upon A Time, Luxury stacks- DCWV; River Rock, Whisper White - SU Fibers: crochet lace - Inspired By Stamping Accessories & Tools: White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger; Elegant Scrollwork die - Memory Box; pink paper rose - www.iamroses.com, Poison Apple font - www.dafont.com

In everything, give thanks

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends!

I'm thankful for YOU.  =)

Enjoy your holiday weekend!  See you soon.

Stamps: Happy Harmony (sentiment), Autumn Splendor - SU 

Thanksgiving Leaf Cluster

Hello!  I hope today finds you well, and preparing for Thanksgiving tomorrow, if you are one of my American friends.  As I write this post, I'm not sure where we will spend this holiday, but I'll be giving thanks for the many blessings in my life - no matter where I am.

Today's card reminds me of a cornucopia, with bounty from the land (if you eat leaves and acorns), with rich colors thrown in. I fell in love with this card.  The leaves, the jewel tones mixed with neutrals, and the tiny details add up to something that pleases me.

Some Stampin' Up! Tulle Ribbon, found in a scrap bag (I live off of those scraps, as you can see from post to post), was pleated and added to the back of the plum panel with glue.

I leave you with a quote I found online:

"Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting."--Unknown

Be blessed, my friends.  :-D

Paper: kraft - PTI; Perfect Plum, Purely Pomegranate, River Rock - SU Fibers: Tulle Ribbon, gold/cream twine - SU; scalloped lace; twine - Creative Impressions Accessories & Tools: Tattered Leaves die - Sizzix/Tim Holtz; Matte Gold sequins - MJ Trimming; small 4 mm Sand sequin - Pretty Pink Posh; acorn die - SU; Picket Fence Crackle Paint - Tim Holtz/Ranger; silver, gold Smooch inks

Hello, Mixed Media

Hi.  :)  I've been dipping my toe in the waters of mixed media, just a little at a time...as with this card here.  I slopped up this card below pretty good the day I made it:

The vintage book page was spritzed, wiped, inked, painted and heaven knows what else.  Not sure I'm loving it.  The taupe flowers were a gift from my friend, Sindhu, of Trapped In Craft.  I clustered many together to make one larger one, and surrounded them with Rose Leaf punch-outs.

I'm becoming a fan of Altenew, a stamp company that has really fresh ideas.  This sentiment is from Label Love.   I've got two Altenew sets filled with sentiments, but I've reserved an order for Vintage Roses.  Finally:  a two-step stamping set, in clear poly that helps build gorgeous flowers with lots of depth.  I have a few old sets from Stampin' Up! like this, but you need a Stamp-a-majig, and sometimes I'm not in the mood to fiddle with that.

Life has been incredibly busy for me this past month or so.  I've had my blog posts all lined up for a while now, and glad I did so, because I've had no free time at all to craft.  I'm aching to get back into my studio again.  I'm also sorely behind on visiting blogs!  Please know I think of you all - my blogging friends - often, and miss visiting to see what you've created.

I hope you have a wonderful day, and an equally wonderful week!  :)

Stamps: Label Love - Altenew Paper: vintage book page; kraft, Vintage Cream - PTI; patterns, Always Artichoke - SU Fibers: crochet lace Accessories & Tools: taupe paper roses - www.iamroses.com; pearl flourish - Want2Scrap; Rose Leaf punch, silver & white craft paints - Martha Stewart; Khaki ink spray - Tattered Angels

Christmas Paperwhites

Hello.  :-)  In the years before I had children, I used to force paperwhite flowers to give as Christmas gifts.  It's really easy to do, and makes an incredibly lovely presentation for someone (even yourself). I would scour thrift stores to find vessels for the bulbs to grow in, but the one I always used for myself was from my dad.  It's a decent size, made of glass, and Dad told me it was an antique battery holder.  It's one of the few treasures I have of his, and reminds me just how much he loved shopping for antiques (though, at the time, I thought it was just old junk; what did I know?).

The Christmas cards I'm sharing today feature a Flourishes set, Paperwhites.  I was lucky enough to win it one November a few years ago.  Each of these two cards have the same color palette:  warm grays and cream.  Even the same Copic markers were used on each one, but with quite different results.

The first is my favorite, and that of my 13 year old daughter, as well.

A smidgen of a vintage book page peeks out at top and bottom behind the main panel.  A vintage button and thread adorn it.  I've stamped the "Season's Greetings" sentiment from the Paperwhites set across the bottom, over the flower stems.  Finally, a coating of crystal glitter over the flowers gives it a subtle, festive feel.

I used a colorless blender pen by Copic to create some random dots amidst the background.  Love how it turned out.

On the next card, I used a smaller bouquet stamp from the set to create a background for the card base.  The main panel was colored with the same markers as above, but see how much different it looks when on cream cardstock?

Same greeting, stamped in the same way, but this time I also stamped it in black on a mini circle tag. It was popped up on foam dimensional stickers, and tied with the vintage thread.

Which one do you like better?

Before I go, I just want to share a pic of my girls when they were younger.  Why?  Because this mother's heart is bursting with gratitude to be entrusted with these precious lives.

I love my girls so very, very much.

Thank you so much for visiting me today.  I really appreciate it!

Stamps: Paperwhites - Flourishes Paper: Sahara Sand, Basic Gray - SU; Vintage Cream - PTI; vintage book page Ink: Sahara Sand - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: vintage thread Accessories & Tools: Classic Tags die - Memory Box; Copic markers; vintage button; Crystal glitter - Martha Stewart