Snowbird

Good morning!

We've got ourselves a blizzard coming tonight, so it seems very appropriate to share a Snowbird card post today!

This sweet little bird image is from, ironically enough, Spring Song by Stampin' Up!  He's colored with Copic markers, and topped with a bit of Snow-tex paste, topped with crystal glitter.  

I used a gold leaf pen around the edges of the scalloped oval die cut -- can you see it?  Maybe it's better here....

I'm glad this snowstorm - Jonas - is happening during the weekend so as not to affect work and school for most.  My kids are not happy about it; they'd rather miss some school!  I plan to bake cookies (fingers crossed we don't lose power due to heavy snow on power lines), light my Yankee Candles, and make cards. :-D  That's close to heaven for me.

Stamps: Spring Song - Stampin' Up! Paper: white, kraft - Papertrey Ink; Soft Suede, Close to Cocoa - Stampin' Up!; pattern - Calisto - Anna Griffin Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Antique Linen - Ranger Fibers: red, kraft twine - American Crafts Accessories & Tools: red gems - Queen & Co.; Branch punch - Martha Stewart; Snowtex paste; Copic markers; scalloped oval die - Spellbinders; 18k Gold Leaf marker - Krylon; Crystal glitter - Martha Stewart; snowflake die cut border - K & Co.

Orange you glad I'm thinking of you?

Hello my friends!  This card is quite clean and simple: I'm on a CAS roll so far this week, here on my blog. :-)  Just getting around to posting things from months ago.

All this white reminds me that we are expecting a bit of snow this coming weekend.  I love snow! It's a beautiful blanket for the earth. It makes me want to get all comfy and cozy inside my little home, my sanctuary.  

I used Sizzix Flower Layers & Leaves to create the orange blossom, and topped it with an orange gem.  I do not have any banner dies, so created my own, using a patterned paper scrap from Stampin' Up!, backed with gray cardstock.  The sentiment is from Power Poppy.  Have you stopped by Power Poppy before? The design team's creations are AMAZING. Marcella Hawley, chief of PP, is one classy, down to earth, fresh-spirited, talented, generous, funny lady.  I am in awe of her. :-)

Thanks for coming by today.  Have yourself a beautiful, wonderful, blessed day, friends!

Stamps: Dynamic Duos: Peonies & Tulips - Power Poppy Paper: Basic Gray, Pumpkin Pie, pattern - Stampin' Up!; white - Papertrey Ink Accessories & Tools: Flower Layers & Leaves dies - Sizzix; orange gem - Recollections

Yellow Roses

Hello, friends!

Another simple birthday card to share today (yesterday's card was similar) using a few of my favorite things:

pearls, anything Anna Griffin, a bit of K & Co., and a clean design, to make my heart happy. :-)

A little bit about yellow roses....

Long associated with the sun and its life-giving warmth, yellow is the age-old spokes-color for warm feelings of friendship and optimism. In many Eastern cultures, the color represents joy, wisdom and power. But while any yellow flower will send a lighthearted message, the history of the yellow rose in particuar has an optimistic, serendipitous character that really makes it the complete package.

By the 18th century the worldwide love of roses was in full swing, but they were only cultivated in shades of pink and white. At last, the elusive yellow rose was discovered growing wild in the Middle East, and the European love affair with yellow roses was born. The early yellow rose lacked the sweet scent for which the rose is famous, however, which was not to be tolerated. So, as cultivation methods were developed and refined, the beloved sweet-and-spicy rose scent was soon introduced and the yellow rose achieved all its optimistic and aromatic glory.

{source}

Stamps: sentiment - Blessings - Verve Paper: patterns - Julianne - K & Co.; Sahara Sand - Stampin' Up! Accessories & Tools: yellow rose sticker - Anna Griffin; pearls - Recollections; corner rounder, Postage Stamp border punches  - Fiskars

Magnolia and Finch

Hello everyone! 

I'm sharing a rather simple card today for someone who loves magnolias.

It doesn't need much explanation!  A large sentiment (Papertrey Ink) paired with magnolia-patterned paper and a magnolia/finch sticker from K & Co., a few gems thrown in for good measure, and that's it.  This was made months ago (um, August, I believe), and I can tell from the composition that I was short on time that day. :-)  That's a telling sign with my cards:  if they are fairly simple, I was short on time or short on brain cells (aka, exhausted), guaranteed.  

Stamps: Think Big Favorites #12 - Papertrey Ink Paper: Julianne pattern - K & Co; Sahara Sand - Stampin' Up!; Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink Accessories & Tools: bird/magnolia sticker - K & Co.; pearls, bronze gem - Recollections

Hello, Yellow {butterflies}

Hello!

It will be a while before I see real butterflies in my backyard, so I pulled out the paper version and made a card.

Shades of yellow and green remind me of spring or summer.  And these Mossy Green sequins from Pretty Pink Posh are so, well, pretty!  I think it might be the first time I've used this sequin color.

This card came together quite easily, thanks to a $1.00 Scrap Bag from my Stampin' Up! demonstrator: the patterned papers and die-cut butterflies play nicely together.  I added machine stitching, and the sequins, Liquid Pearls, and a sentiment from Altenew.

“I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days - three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain.” 
― John Keats, Bright Star: Love Letters and Poems of John Keats to Fanny Brawne (source)

Stamps: Label Love - Altenew Paper: patterns, Daffodil Delight - Stampin' Up!; kraft - Papertrey Ink Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: thread Accessories & Tools: Beautiful Butterflies Bigz dies - Sizzix/Stampin' Up!; Mossy Green sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; sewing machine, thread; pale yellow Liquid Pearls - Ranger; corner rounder punch - Fiskars

Kitty Sympathy

A dear friend of mine was saddened in the fall because her family's beloved pet had passed away, and so I made a card for her.

Can't remember now if I sent her a white version, or a dove gray version. (Ha. My memory isn't what it used to be!)

In both versions, I used the Memory Box Small Gothic Window die to create a perch for kitty (Large Sitting Cat / Memory Box) to look outside. I cut 5 window arches, all out of white cardstock, and then glued them to one another in a stack. Love that technique of creating a sturdy, dimensional die cut.

The "outdoor" scene is from Lovely As A Tree by Stampin' Up!, colored with Copic markers.

My friend's cat was gray, and so I die-cut the paper kitty out of a pretty gray pattern.  Trying to keep the details meaningful for the recipient. :-)

Thank you so much for joining me!

Stamps: Words of Comfort - Papertrey Ink; Lovely As A Tree - Stampin' Up! Paper: gray pattern - Recollections; Soft Stone, white - Papertrey Ink Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Accessories & Tools: Copic markers; Large Sitting Cat, Small Gothic Window dies - Memory Box

Leaf Cluster

Happy Monday!  I hope you had a good weekend.

Today, I am sharing an all-occasion card that uses coffee filters. :-) 

I truly enjoy making leaves with the Tattered Leaves die by Sizzix/Tim Holtz and coffee filter paper (fresh, unused). The paper is thin, with a crinkly texture that lends a neat feel to the leaves. After die-cutting them, I laid them on a large piece of cardboard and spritzed various hues of Distress Ink sprays on them. Love seeing what colors emerge from this haphazard application. ;-)

One of the sprays has a bronze metallic tint to it, which is best seen in the photo above.

Thanks so much for coming by, and have a blessed week!

Paper: Chocolate Chip texture, Rich Razzleberry - Stampin' Up!; coffee filters - Melitta; gold pattern Ink: various Distress Ink sprays - Ranger; Bronze spray - Tattered Angels Fibers: burgundy hemp twine - Stampin' Up!; taupe hemp twine - Hemptique Accessories & Tools: Tattered Leaves die - Sizzix/Tim Holtz; oval die - Spellbinders

Vintage Santa

Happy Weekend!

I've still got a handful of Christmas cards from my 2015 Collection to share with you, and this is one of them.  I do love a vintage vibe, and this one's got it goin' on. My inspiration piece was this Santa die cut from Bo Bunny.  I added some stamped snowflakes from Winter Post / Stampin' Up!, and a sentiment tag from the same set.

Add to that some punched greenery and "berries", buttons and lace, a bit of an old book page....lovely little things to up the vintage pizzazz.

I am getting closer to starting an Etsy shop of my own. It's one of my goals for 2016 (hopefully sooner than later!). I'll be sure to announce it here on my blog when it's open for business!

Thanks for coming by here today.  Have a blessed day!

Stamps: snowflake, tag - Winter Post - Stampin' Up! Paper: vintage book paper; Creamy Caramel, Very Vanilla, Mellow Moss - SU; pattern - Holly Jolly - My Mind's Eye (I think!) Ink: Close to Cocoa, Soft Suede - Stampin' Up!; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: crochet trim - Hero Arts; twine - May Arts; vintage thread Accessories & Tools: Branch punch - Martha Stewart; red gems - Recollections; Designer Label punch - Stampin' Up!; buttons; Santa die cut tag - Bo Bunny

Merci

Bonjour!

After I had added sequins to the older card I shared yesterday, I was inspired to play once again with the oldie-but-goody Stampin' Up! set, Carte Postale. 

After stamping the sprig of greenery, I used Copic markers to give it a little more depth, and placed it in the bird's mouth. It's carrying a message of thanks (merci!) to the recipient, tied up with a little bow. 

Thank YOU for coming by for a peek today! Have a blessed day!

Stamps: Carte Postale - Stampin' Up! Paper: kraft, white - Papertrey Ink; Mellow Moss - Stampin' Up!; Julianne - K & Co. Ink: Soft Suede, Bordering Blue, Not Quite Navy - Stampin' Up!; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Frayed Burlap - Ranger Fibers: vintage thread Accessories & Tools: oval, Labels Eighteen dies - Spellbinders; Scalloped Tag punch - Martha Stewart; Sparkling Clear sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; Copic markers; Scallop Circle Bigz die - Sizzix/Stampin' Up!; Copic markers

Hello, Bonjour!

Bonjour! The card I'm sharing today was made years ago, but very recently I added some sequins to give it a little facelift. :-)

This card must hail from my Splitcoaststampers days, before I had a blog. I thought it had already been posted here (pre-sequins), but no.

Believe it or not, there is not one shred of patterned paper on here: it's all stamping. Check out the close-up shot below:

Though I don't rely on it so much anymore, the technique of layering stamps is my favorite. But with oodles of patterned paper stacks, and less free time than before, I don't do this as often as I used to.

Thanks so much for coming by today! :-D

Stamps: Carte Postale, En Francais, Linen background - Stampin' Up! Paper: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke - Stampin' Up! Ink: (gah, too many!) Fibers: braided trim - Waverly Accessories & Tools: Sand sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; Oval, Scalloped Oval punches - Stampin' Up!

For a baby-on-the-way

Hi!  I'm dropping in with a super-simple card I made for my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, who recently shared their blessed news with us.  A baby is on the way!!

I used Whimsical Banners by Inspired By Stamping for the sweet little pennants, and a sentiment from Stampin' Up!'s Absolutely Fabulous. Tiny bows were attached to the left and right of the pennant garland, using vintage thread (my go-to fiber). Told ya:  super-simple!

Catching Up On Christmas, part 3

Hello again!

Boy, you don't hear from me for almost a month, and suddenly, I'm piling it on!

Noel (my personal fave)

Vintage Christmas

(Camera not liking the red paper; see photo below for actual hue.)

(This is the actual tone of the red patterned paper, above. They look like two different cards, don't they?)

Peace and love

Um, real mixed bag here. :-P

Thanks so much for joining me as I've been "Catching Up On Christmas"!

Catching Up On Christmas, part 2

Happy New Year, and Welcome, 2016! 

May this be a year filled with more blessings, more joy, more goodwill to our fellow man, a year that overflows with kindness toward one another. 

Silver Snowflakes

I'm back with a few more Christmas cards that I never had a chance to share during the month of December (what month of December??  It feels like we launched straight from Thanksgiving to January!).

Believe

Nutcracker Suite

These little Nutcracker figures are fancy toothpicks, meant for cupcakes. I'm not much of a baker, so I thought I'd incorporate their sweetness in a paper confection instead. Hopefully, you can see into my imagination, that I had tried to create a theater scene.

As always, if you'd like to know the name of a particular supply used for these cards, just email me ("Contact Me" tab at the top of the blog) or leave a comment with a way to reach you.

Thanks so much for coming by!