Friday, February 26, 2010

Whimsically Elegant

Okay, so I don't know how to title this. But as I look at my card, this title still comes to mind. The challenge today on Splitcoast is to use textures (think embossing folders, ribbons, and/or flowers, etc. – most embellishments fit into this category!), and at least ONE color that is one you don’t NORMALLY use (be sure to identify it in your card description). The third part, though optional, is to use some patterned paper in your creation. Without further adieu, here is my card for the very first F4A1 Challenge.

The base is a 6x6 white card. Black 6x6 cardstock was placed over the top for the first layer. Someone gave me this paper recently and I love it. The thing I love about it is the sparkle which gives it a feel of silver. This is one "color" I do not use much. The patterned paper was cut an 1/8" smaller than the black piece. I wrapped white organdy ribbon around this piece finishing it with a bow in the front. I cut a piece of silver cardstock from the Labels I Nesties. A large white flower chipboard was raised with foam adhesive and centered on the Label. The center is black glitter. It came together well.


Stamps: None
Paper: Patterned Paper (unk.), silver cardstock, black, white
Other: Labels I Nestie, large flower chipboard, white organdy ribbon, foam adhesive

I hope you like this and look forward to knowing what you think.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Pink Cards

Today I have a couple of cards I want to share with you that use shades of pink.

The first one is for Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge to use flowers of any kind on your card. Beginning with a white card base, I chose this beautiful Basic Grey paper to begin with. I stamped a sentiment from Verve's Beautiful You set in Mellow Moss, cut and embossed using Labels I die cut and sponged Pretty in Pink along the edges before removing the die. The second piece was cut and embossed using an Octagonal die, sponged with Mellow Moss and lightly stamped in PIP with SU's retired floral stamp from Petite Patterns. The sentiment was placed on the octagonal piece with foam adhesive. Martha Stewart's edger was punched on the bottom of the designer paper and laid on top of the PIP cardstock. After placing a strip of Mellow Moss along the bottom edge, the patterned paper piece was placed above it. Pink taffeta ribbon was then wrapped around the card and run through a floral ribbon slider by SU and tied in a knot. Tiny pink rhinestones were added to the octagonal piece. MS triple butterfly punch was punched out of PIP cardstock. To small pearls were added to the large butterfly and raised with foam adhesive; then put on the corner of the sentiment. Inside (not shown) a piece of Mellow Moss was placed on the bottom edge with a scrap piece of Basic Grey pink on top of it. The two smaller butterflies that were punched out of the PIP for the larger butterfly on the front is gracefully put at different angles along the left side above the double strip.


Stamps: Beautiful You (Verve), Petite Patterns (SU, ret.)
Paper: Basic Grey Porcelain, Mellow Moss, Pretty in Pink, white
Ink: PIP, Mellow Moss
Other: Octagon and Labels I Nesties, tiny pink rhinestones, small pearls, MS triple butterfly and edger punches, SU pink taffeta ribbon, SU flower ribbon slide, foam adhesive

The second one is Flopsey with pink cheeks holding "her" pink cup of coffee and wearing pinky Spring Mix Flower Soft houseshoes. She was fun to color, too. Just look at her sweet little cheeks and inner ears! Aren't they worth kissing?? Flopsey was stamped first on a piece of white cardstock; then stamped a second time, colored, cut out, raised on foam adhesive and placed over the first one. A scrap piece of white cardstock was embossed with the D'Vine Swirl EF and cut a little smaller than the card itself (4.25 x 4.25).A smaller piece of Creamy Caramel was wrapped with SU Chocolate Satin ribbon and placed on top of the embossed piece. The top layer was then placed on top.


Stamps: Flopsey (My Favorite Things)
Paper: White, Creamy Caramel
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Other: D'Vine Swirl EF, Copics, Spring Mix Flower Soft, foam adhesive

I hope you like these. I welcome any constructive criticism. I'm loving these Copics!!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Floral Cards

These were made for a couple of challenges, but since I made several cards at one time, not at home, and was not where I could post them then, I forgot which ones they were for. NOTE: Keep post-it notes on hand to document the names of challenges!!

I wanted only a little bit of the black showing under the main panel as if it was a shadow, so I took 2 black scalloped Nesties, pieced them, then taped them together to give it that look without looking like a completely different panel. The top piece (white) was embossed, raised on foam adhesive and placed on the Baja Breeze piece.


Stamps: Inspired by Nature (SU)
Paper: Basic Grey Two Scoops, Baja Breeze, Basic Black, White
Ink: Ruby Red
Other: Rhinestones (Mike's), Square and Scalloped Square Nesties, foam adhesive

This one was, also, for a challenge, but didn't get posted as such. I used More Mustard and Kraft to bring out the colors in the patterned piece. This stamp set is so versatile and a must-have. I stamped the flower in black on More Mustard and cut out. Three Kraft leaves were attached to the back of the flower and raised on foam adhesive. Rhinestones were placed in the center of the flower and the edge of the Label 1 piece. A piece of Basic Grey golden patterned paper was embossed with the Dotted Swiss folder.


Stamps: Beautiful You (Verve)
Paper: Kraft, More Mustard, Basic Grey Two Scoops
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Other: Labels 1 Nestie, Very Vanilla Grosgrain, Studio 18 Rhinestones, Dotted Swiss EF, MS Leaf and Edge punches, foam adhesive

Friday, February 19, 2010

'Specially For You

Throughout the next week I'll be posting cards I made at the Crop last weekend. Here are a couple.

The first one I used a Naturals Ivory 4x4 card base layered with some Basic Grey Two Scoops. I thought Blue Bayou and Wild Wasabi colors matched this paper well. The main image was stamped in Blue Bayou and watercolored using the ink pad method. It's a little hard to tell but the center flower was lightly watercolored using Wild Wasabi. The flower was cut out and "formed" by bringing the petals up in order to give it more character. A large brad was added to the center of the flower. Square Nestabilities were used to cut out the Blue Bayou and Wild Wasabi pieces with the WW piece embossed before adding the flower, which was pop dotted to the center.

The sentiment piece was stamped on NI in Blue Bayou. This was punched out using SU Oval and Scalloped Oval punches. A small black Kaiser pearl was added to the "so" of You're So Special. One of the trio of flowers stamp in that set was punched out using the corresponding SU punch. It was then raised on foam adhesive. A piece of Blue Bayou double stitched ribbon was wrapped around the bottom and layered with the main image on top.


Stamps: Boho Blossoms (SU)
Paper: Basic Grey Two Scoops, Naturals Ivory, Blue Bayou, Wild Wasabi
Ink: Blue Bayou
Other: Square Nesties, Oval, Scallop Oval and Boho Blossoms SU punches, Blue Bayou double stitched ribbon, Black Kaiser Pearl, Brad, foam adhesive, brush for watercoloring

The next one was made using NO stamps. Actually I just love making cards with or without stamps. This one is very simple as you can see. I found these gorgeous flowers from a vendor at the Crop last weekend. I got one of every color they had. They are large and came with the large, pretty colored brad in the center and only for 50 cents! Just couldn't resist these. A scrap piece of the Cranberry Crisp was punched with the SU scallop edge. A string of rhinestones were placed on it. This was as straight as I could get them; even though they were not cut apart they look crooked. It doesn't show IRL as it does here.



Thank you for looking!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

The Last of 'em

Here's the last two Valentine's cards I came up with. I think my hubby is Sweet Stuff and remembered I had this cute little stamp retired from SU. I used Glossy Accents to top the lollipop and give it some shiny dimension.


Stamps: Very Puny (SU, ret.)
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Real Red, white
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Other: 2 shades of pink Copic markers, Glossy Accents, Circle and Scalloped Circle Nestie, D'Vine Swirl EF, Red and White striped SU grosgrain, foam adhesive

A new found friend at the Crop saw my cards and wanted me to make her husband a card. We came up with a design and she chose the cardstock. No stamps were used on this one. I'm really liking the square cards and can see more in my future, ha!


Paper: Pink and Red (unk. source), Note dsp (DCWV Music Stack)
Other: Labels 1, Heart Nesties, White sheer ribbon, heart brad, double sided and foam adhesive

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Crop Connection 2010

Last weekend was so much fun! Revisiting friends and making new ones were great! Though this was a Crop, I attend so I can have dedicated time to spend making cards. As a matter of fact, I think I'm the only card maker there. Not to say some don't make them, but that's all I do. I was productive in making many cards and am pleased with that. In the next few days, I'll be sharing them as I upload them to my site.

For now, I want to share some pictures of my friends!

Beth and Me

Amanda and Tiffany

Amanda and Me

Tiffany and Me

Fantastic Tablemates: Me, Terri and Caroline

Jo (who is trying to figure out how she can say that SHE made my cards...) Jo worked the Crop and wasn't able to "play" with the rest of us. Glad to get to see her; she's so sweet!

A Little Birdie Told Me

If only I would "practice" more with my Copics. This is a new tool, if you please, for me and I haven't spent enough time playing with them. BUT, every time I do I fall more and more in love with these. They are wonderful!

I got this sketch from SCS somewhere and really liked the layout so I thought I'd give it a try. It really makes a statement and so easy to do. To me, anything layered on even a tad of black makes the layer "pop".


Stamps: Martha Stewart Clear Bird Stamps
Paper: White, SU Apricot Appeal 6x6 DSP (ret.), Black
Ink: Silver Craft
Other: Silver Detailed EP, Copic Markers, Textile EF, tiny blue and clear rhinestones, black grosgrain (SU), foam adhesives

Friday, February 12, 2010

Comfy?

I just love PTI's stamps or have I told you that yet? They are so "me" and I find I reach for those quicker than any other stamp line. Can't wait to get more...I AM making a new list. Waiting for the new sets to be available. Okay, now on to my card.

This one uses the On My Couch set. I paper pieced the couch using SU dsp paper. Using one piece of Apricot Appeal, I embossed the top with the Dotted Swiss folder and the bottom part with the Textile folder. These are my two favorite folders, too. Don't you just love the sentiment?


Stamps: On My Couch, PTI
Paper: Black, Apricot Appeal, White, SU DSP
Ink: Memento Black
Other: White polk dotted black grosgrain ribbon, Labels 1 Nestability, small SU corner rounded, Dotted Swiss and Textile EF, foam adhesive

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

One More, I Think

Needed another Valentine's card (at least I think one more). The card base is a Pretty in Pink 5x5 card. A smaller piece of white cardstock was embossed using the Dotted Swiss Cuttlebug embossing folder. Hearts were punched out of Martha Stewart's Holidays Punch Pad using her heart punch. The center heart (For You) is raised on foam adhesive. The only stamps used was for the sentiment inside.


Stamps: Sentiment inside (So Many Sayings, Ret. SU)
Paper: Pretty in Pink, White, MS Holidays Punch Pad
Other: Dotted Swiss EF, foam adhesive

CAS

Just a clean and simple (CAS) card for you today. I saw this on Splitcoast and just had to do one. I WILL do more of this soon! It makes such an elegant statement. Thanks for looking!


The base card is 6x6 out of Naturals Ivory. Cut another piece of NI 1/4" shorter around two sides. Repeatedly stamp Damask design in Summer Sun. I wanted mine to look like an aged piece of handwork so I didn't press hard nor did I line up the images "perfectly". Then the Linen stamp was inked with Summer Sun and pressed lightly over the Damask image. Piercing edged this panel and finally I roughed the edges with my scissors. This is my favorite way to distress. I've tried other tools and continually come back to this way of giving a rough look to my pieces. Place plenty of foam adhesive on back and place on main card.

Die cut a scrap piece of NI with the Fancy Tags from Spellbinders. Stamp "Just Because" in Pumpkin Pie. Add pearls. Raise the tag with foam adhesive and adhere to card.

Stamps: Damask Designs (PTI), Linen (SU)
Paper: Naturals Ivory
Ink: Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie
Other: Fancy Tags (Spellbinders), piercer, Basic Grey tiny pearls, foam adhesive, scissors for roughing edges

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Note Cards

These two cards will be for friends I will soon get together with this weekend. I can hardly wait to see them again. These as well as one I posted yesterday are cut using the largest Labels One Nestabilities being sure to leave an edge to make the fold for the card. Double is the word for the first card. There are two Labels One cuts, two hearts and two butterflies. Have I told you how much I love my Nesties!! This one should justify what I mean. Actually, I didn't realize all I used were Nesties on this card until I began describing it! And I certainly didn't realize I had so many doubles, ha! It just happened. The only thing you may not notice is the sponging I did on the white base card inside the larger die.


Paper: Basic Grey Two Scoops, Bravo Burgundy, Pretty in Pink, Vellum, White
Other: Nestabilities: Labels One, Hearts, Butterflies, foam adhesive for the butterflies

I just love the softness to this next one. Pink, pink and more pink. Delicate, feminine and whimsical. Turning the card on its side made this a landscaped card. The base was lightly sponged in Pretty in Pink with tiny flowers stamped in second generation PIP. A couple of Martha Stewart leaves (one of my favorite punches) were punched out of PIP. A Labels Three was punched out of PIP to "house" the main image. An Oval was punched out of white c/s, stamped, sponged and placed on top with foam adhesive. Only two of the three layered stamps were used from the Cutie set of Stampology. The first layer is in PIP and the outline was in Rose Red. This oval was edged in PIP. The small flower of the Flourish Accent Spellbinders die was cut, embossed and then stenciled in the Rose Red.


I hope you enjoy these little cards. Thank you for your sweet comments!

Monday, February 8, 2010

More Valentine's Cards

I Love the Martha Stewart's Holidays Punch Pads for Valentine's Day. The DSP is shiny and the red strips are reflective as well. I punched out 3 hearts from the heart page and added pink rhinestones.


Stamps: So Many Sayings (Be Mine, row of hearts) SU, retired (used inside)
Ink: Real Red (inside)
Paper: Martha Stewart, white
Other: MS heart punch, pink rhinestones, MS heart border punch

The next card was cut in the shape of the largest Labels One Nestie being careful to leave a little outside the cutting line to make a fold for the card. Pretty in Pink and So Saffron was sponged inside the template. The cup was stamped onto designer paper, cut out and raised with foam dots.


Stamps: Coffee with Friends (Flourishes)
Paper: White, Basic Grey Two Scoops
Ink: Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Real Red
Other: Labels One Nesties, foam dots

Sunday, February 7, 2010

So Much Fun!

Well, yesterday was a fantastic day of card making for me. FINALLY.... I got my mind together and made several cards and had the best time in a loooonng time! The first two I want to share are for a couple of challenges.

I love Cindy Haffner's cards and her challenges (though I've not participated in any lately). This one is for FTTC52A


I loved the pinks, red and white colors. I used some new paper from Martha Stewart's Holidays Punch Pad for the dotted squares as well as the pink sparkle strip along the bottom. Nesties are my favorite tools now and I used my new Labels Three and layered a red and pink Octagonal embossed shapes on top. The double heart is from K & Company, Wild Raspberry adhesive chipboard set. It had the pink rhinestone on it and I added clear rhinestones in the corners of the Label Three pink piece. This piece along with the octagonal piece are raised with foam dots.

"Hugs & Kisses" is from SU's retired So Many Sayings Set. I used SU's oval and scallop oval punches to cut the sentiment out; this was raised on foam dots, too.

Stamps: SU So Many Sayings (ret.)
Paper: MS Holidays Punch Pad (dotted and pink paper, pink sparkly strip), textured pink c/s (unk.), white (base card), Real Red, Pretty in Pink
Ink: Real Red
Other: Nesties (Labels Three & Octagons), SU Oval and Scallop Oval punches, double heart (K & Company, Wild Raspberry adhesive chipboard), clear rhinestons, foam dots

The next card is so soft. I used Bravo Burgundy I think for the very first time. It seems soooo dark but seemed to go well with the Basic Grey cupid sheet from the Two Scoops pad. This card is for SSNOTIME124.


Using three Nesties made this card come together quickly. The Labels Three piece was sponged with Pretty in Pink.

Stamps: MS Small Christmas Phrases for "Love", Row of hearts from SU's So Many Sayings (ret.)
Paper: Basic Grey Two Scoops, white,
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Bravo Burgundy
Other: Nesties (Labels Three, nested Hearts, Labels One, Dotted Swiss EF, white ribbon, clear rhinestones, foam dots

I hope you enjoy these. I'll be uploading more in the next few days. Thanks for looking! Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Crazy!?!?!

That's the best word I can come up with. I'm just about to go crazy over here! [No comment on the normal status!] I've bought SEVERAL things lately and am dying to jump in and use them. To begin with, I've been trying to re-organize my stamping room and since I can't work in chaos I'm trying really hard to get finished along with doing many other things at one time; i.e., cleaning the house, increase my running (time consuming), going through a huge amount of daily e-mails, updating ALL of our blogs, etc., etc., etc.

I'm also beginning to get ready for a large crop weekend in less than two weeks. I'm the only card maker/stamper there, but we share all the same tools and I love to be with other ladies. It is 3 days of never ending fun, food, creativity, laughter, making new friends and visiting with old friends!!! I'm going to take some things to give away as well as try to sell a few tools I've upgraded from.

Now, for the dilemma: I've recently got some new things: Nesties (my most favorite tool evah!!), a new paper trimmer (this is different from any I've had in the past and is a learning curve as it does several things), new stamps, new punches, new papers and some new embellies. I can hardly wait to get it together enough to actually do something. With bated breath, I'm anxiously pushing to get through this needed change of cleaning out, reorganizing and straightening so I can starting creating again. As long as things continue to go as in the previous couple of days, it won't be long before things return to normal ... is this really possible??