Friday, October 28, 2016

Thanks card for my dear friend Peggy!

Hey y'all....gotta tell you that this blog post is really going to be graphic intensive!!!  I felt I had to take a lot of photos to capture this card and still don't feel like I captured good enough photos of it.  I made this card for my dear friend Peggy Dollar and I wanted it to be really special, like her!!!  She is one of the sweetest people I know, not to mention one of the most talented when it comes to card making.  Here is a photo of the card.


All of the patterned paper is made by me on watercolor paper using some Tim Holtz Distress Inks (I think I used "Forest Moss", "Fossilized Amber" and a little of the "Worn Lipstick" in some areas) and a lot of the Heidi Swapp "Gold Color Shine", which I just love!!!  To make it I just put some of the Distress Inks on a ceramic tile, sprayed some water and smooshed!  After I dried it I then used the Color Shine and it turned out SO gorgeous.......I am afraid my photos don't do it justice.  After using the "Mixed Media 2" die to cut the bottom left corner, I saved ALL those tiny pieces to inlay....man what a job!!!  I then cut the "Mixed Media" die in the top right corner and used foam tape for dimension prior to adhering the top panel to a panel of my "smooshed" watercolor paper.  I die cut a Gina Marie die and then altered it to make a frame for my "faux" mirror to  place behind my vase of wheat.  I scanned a die cut of the wheat and made a cut file to use with my Cameo, because to die cuts of the wheat are quit large.  I cut the vase out of same of my "smooshed" watercolor paper and then used a couple of stamps to decorate it using gold embossing powder.  I cut different size circles to make my own "enamel" dots out of my paper for the top left and bottom right corners using thick embossing enamel and my heat gun.  I also used the thick enamel on my "thanks" after first embossing it with gold and when I heat set with the thick enamel it kind of gave it an "old tarnished" look, which was what I call a , "happy boo boo".  Here are a few close-up photos.




For the inside of the card I cut a panel of the 90# water color paper.  I cut a couple of stencils using the two "Mixed Media" dies to use my same "smooshing" technique to decorate the inside and then sprayed it with my gold "Color Shine".   I cut three strips of my "smooshed" paper to add decoration at the bottom right of the panel.  The text is computed generated and printed with my Canon ink jet.  For the top of the inside I used another piece of  my "smooshed" paper to die cut the gorgeous Gina Marie flourish.  I want to add here that I am absolutely loving the Gina Marie dies....if you have not purchased any from her, you need to go here and check them out.........they are great and her prices and very reasonable!!!




For my "signature label",  I die cut a frame using some more of my "smooshed" paper.


For my envelope, which I made using my envelope punch board,  I cut a label using the 90# watercolor paper and three more of my "smooshed" strips and sprayed it with some more of the gold Color Shine.....I do LOVE that stuff!  I used some of my new Altenew "Magnolias for Her" stamps to decorate the envelope.  Peggy's husband, Ed, says she and I are the only ones that decorate envelopes...but I know other do too!!!


Peggy loved her card and I SO loved making it for her!!!  Til next time........

Finished Card Size:  5.5" Square


Supplies List

Papers:   110# Recollections "Ivory" (card base), Canson 140LB Watercolor Paper, 90LB Strathmore Cold Press Watercolor Paper, "Silver" mirror cardstock

Stamps:  "Lotus Greeting Stamps" by Amy Butler, K&Co. (two on the vase), Altenew "Magnolias for Her" & "Peony Bouquet" (envelope)
Inks:  Tsukineko "VersaMark Watermark", Tim Holtz "Distress Inks"
Cut Files:  "Thanks" and "Vase" made by me

Dies:  Spellbinders 6 inch "Square Card Creator" dies, Sizzix "Mixed Media" & "Mixed Media 2", Gina Marie "Fancy Floral Frame" & "Flourish", Impression Obsession "Wheat Die", "Fran's Make it Pop" Cutting Dies by Stampendous (signature label)    

     Fonts:  "Joe Hand 2"), "Janda Stylish Script" ("and" on signature label)

    
Tools: Silhouette "Cameo",  Martha Stewart "Score Board", Ranger "Heat It", WeR Memory Keepers "Envelope Punch Board", Tim Holtz "Vagabond 2"

Accessories:  Heidi Swapp "White" & "Gold Color Shine",Suze Weinberg "Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel"



Saturday, October 1, 2016

Two Cards that I made recently and forgot to post!!!

First of all I want to mention that on August 3rd we found out that my darling husband has prostate cancer and on September 6th he took his first of 45 radiation treatments.....so please keep him in your prayers!!!  So far, everything is going pretty well.

This first card is one that I made for him for his 77th birthday which was on August 27th.  Some time back I had seen that "Even when it rains" phase and thought what a great idea for his birthday card...so here it is!


I found the image of the couple under the umbrella somewhere online and turned it into a "cut and print" file to cut on my Cameo.  I also found the puddle and cloud images online and made them into regular cut files to cut on my Cameo.  I made a "raindrop" stencil and used embossing paste to make the raindrops.  I used some liquid pearls on the girl's dress and boots.

For the inside of the card I found the "sun rays" and "you are my sunshine" images online and made them into cut files for my Cameo.  I used some Wink of Stella on them.  All of the "text" was computer generated.


Finished Card Size:  A7 (5"x7")

Supplies List

Papers:  Recollections 65# Grey from the "Dreamy" Collection ", Recollections 65# Blue from the "Seaside" Collection ", Neenah "Yellow Jaune" from the Midtone Creative Collection, 110# Recollections "Black" (card base), Neenah 80# White cardstock

Inks:  Tsukineko "VersaMark Watermark", Tim Holtz "Black Soot" Distress Ink
Cut Files:  "Cloud", "Couple with Umbrella", "Puddle", "Sun Rays", "You are my sunshine" and mat all made by me.

     Fonts:  "Clarity Gothic Light SF" (Even when it rains...), "Corinthia" (Happy Birthday Darling)
    
Tools: Silhouette "Cameo",  Martha Stewart "Score Board", Ranger "Heat It", 

Accessories:  Ranger "Petal Pink" Liquid Pearls, Teresa Collins "Modeling Paste", "Clear" Wink of Stella Brush Tip Marker


The second card is a "thank you" card for my oldest brother and his lovely girlfriend!  They were here from Alabama for a brief visit the end of August and I had them here at our home for a luncheon and they brought me a lovely bouquet of flowers.


I scanned a die cut of the large rose from the Stampin'Up "Rose Garden Thinlets Die Set" to cut different sizes of it in the same pink color as my pink panel, cut them with my Cameo and adhered them using matte glue to make it look like I had embossed it.  I used Lil'Inker dies to make the frame and added the lovely Gina Marie oval die ("Fancy Floral Frame") and butterflies (from JustRite "Elecant Garden Label Dies") and after making a mat to go under the Gina Marie "Thank You" I added them to the outside of the frame.


For the inside of my card I used an extra pink die cut on the left side and I made a rose background that I printed on my Canon inkjet for the right side.  The message is computer generated.



I altered another die cut of the Gina Marie oval frame to make my "signature label" for the card.


 I just want to add that Ron & Ann loved their card and I also want to make mention of how much I am loving the Gina Marie dies that I have been purchasing and I love that they are SO affordable!!!

Finished Card Size:  5.5" Square



Supplies List

Papers:  Recollections 65# Pink from the "Dreamy" Collection ", 110# Recollections "Ivory" (card base & frame

Inks:  Tsukineko "VersaMark Watermark", Tim Holtz "Vintage Photo" Distress Ink
Dies:  Gina Marie "Fancy Floral Frame" & "Thank You", Justrite "Elegant Garden Label Dies" (butterflies), Stampin'Up "Rose Garden Thinlets Die Set", Lil'Inker Designs "Stitched Marts Square"

     Fonts:  "Yellow Daisy" Silhouette Font (card message), "Corinthia" & "Frosting for Breakfast" (signature label)

    
Tools: Silhouette "Cameo",  Martha Stewart "Score Board", Ranger "Heat It",  Tim Holtz "Vagabond 2"


Accessories:  "Clear" Wink of Stella Brush Tip Marker, Recollections "Pearls"

Saturday, September 24, 2016

My 1st Project using my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens!!!

I am SO excited!!!  I have been eyeing the Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens for what seems like ages and my birthday is on Monday......so that is what my husband got me (of course, I had to order them...lol) and they arrived this past Saturday.  At any rate, I played with them a bit and decided to make a card using them.  I was so inspired by Kristina Werner's  YouTube video here!  I decided to make it a "friendship card" for my dear friend Marti.  We have been best friends for 35 years!  Here it is!

I stamped my Altenew "Peony Bouquet" stamp set using some "Vintage Photo" Distress ink as my "Antique Linen" was too dry and I had to order a reinker for it.  I have to say that I am in LOVE with those brush pens!!!  I masked the image and did some "splatters" using one of my Gansai Tambi watercolor pans (I think it was a copper metalic) from my  water color set.

Here are a few more photos.




I hand-delivered the card to Marti a little while ago and she loves it!!!

Finished Card Size:  A2(4.25"x5.5")

Supplies List

Papers:  Recollections 65# Grey from the "Dreamy" Collection ", 110# Recollections "Ivory" (card base), Canson 140LB Watercolor Paper, Recollections "Garden Florals" Paper Pad (envelope)

Stamps:  "friendship is the sweetest flower"  from "Green Thumb Stamp Set" by Papertrey Ink, "Peony Bouquet" stamp set by Altenew
Inks:  Tsukineko "VersaMark Watermark", Tim Holtz "Vintage Photo" Distress Ink
Cut Files:  Signature Label by me, made from Altenew  "Peony Bouquet" stamp set

Dies:  Gina Marie "Stitched Rectangles", Avery Elle "Custom Panels, A2 Die", JustRite "Pinwheel Daisies Dies" (flower on envelope flap)    

     Fonts:  "Ambarella" (card message), "Annie BTN" (signature label)

    
Tools: Silhouette "Cameo",  Martha Stewart "Score Board", Ranger "Heat It", WeR Memory Keepers "Envelope Punch Board", Tim Holtz "Vagabond 2"

Accessories:  Tsukineko "Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens", Kuretake "Gansai Tambi" #90 watercolor (splatters)

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Happy Birthday Marti!!!

My best friend, Marti's birthday is in less than two weeks and prior to her birthday she is going out of town.....so I made her birthday card early and hand delivered it to her last Friday.  I used mostly dies on it and most of them I had never used before.  Here are some photos.


I love my "Wildflower Corner Die" by Memory Box [MBC-DIE-98895], but it is way too big for the corners of my card.....so I made a scan, took it into my Silhouette Studio Designer Edition software and modified it just using the larger flowers to make it fit my card.  This is what the actual die looks like and it is lovely,

but 3.8 inches which will not work for four corners on a six inch card.  If I had just resized it, it would not have cut well with my Cameo, but the modified design cut beautifully on it.  I love the finished look that you get with dies and I now buy them often.... the beauty of them is that when you have to you can scan them and resize the design to fit your card design!  Here is a close-up of my modification of the die design.


The gorgeous circle die I used is one by JustRite that I just recently purchased...there are actually five different dies in the set, called "Elegant Garden Label Dies".  The "blue pearls" I used in the flower centers and on the Spellbinders "Ironworks Accents" die cut were made using my 'nuvo Crystal Drops"....love that stuff!!!

The message on the inside of my card is computer generated.  "Happy Birthday" is a Spellbinders die that I have had for a while but never used and the beautiful flourish is my brand new Gina Marie die and I think it is one of the prettiest that I own!  Here is a photo.


I used my JustRite die set again for my signature label and the text is once again computer generated.  You can see a list of all the fonts I used on this card in the "Supply List" below.


For my envelope I looked through my designer paper "stash" and found one from the Rhonna Farrer "Autumn Leaves" paper pack that really matched the colors in my card.  Please excuse the quality of my photo of the front of the envelope....you can tell the color better in my photo of the back of the envelope.



I just want to add thank you for stopping by and Marti loved her card!!!

Finished Card Size:  6" Square

Supplies List

Papers:  Recollections 65# Pale Blue from the "Dreamy" Collection ", 110# Recollections "Ivory", Designer Paper from the Paperbilities Rhonna Farrer "Autumn Leaves" paper pack (for envelope)

Stamps:  "Happy Birthday"  from "Persian Motifs Stamp Set" by Altenew, "Sophisticated Script Stamp Set" from Concord & 9th (marti) on envelope
Inks:  Tsukineko "VersaMark Watermark"
Cut Files:  "Wildflower Corners", made from a scan of my "Wildflower Corner Die" [Memory Box MBC-DIE-98895] cut that I modified in my Silhouette software to utilize just the lovely flowers that I could fit in the corners of my card panel.

Dies:  Spellbinders "6x6 Matting Basics A & B", "Happy Birthday" from the "Sentiments One" die set [S2-082] and "Ironwork Accents" [S5-058], Gina Marie stitched oval from  the "Fancy Floral Frame" and "Flourish",  JustRite "Elegant Garden Label Dies".    

     Fonts:  "Corinthia" (inside message), "Allure Script" (signature label), "Ambarella",  "Arabella" (~2016~)
    
Tools: Silhouette "Cameo", Brother "ScanNCut", Martha Stewart "Score Board", Milwaukee "Heat Gun", WeR Memory Keepers "Envelope Punch Board", Tim Holtz "Vagabond 2"

Accessories:  Tonic Studios "Wedgewood Blue NUVO Crystal Drops"

Monday, August 1, 2016

Jennifer & Andy's Wedding Card


Our youngest granddaughter just recently got married and I wanted the wedding card I made for them to be a "keepsake", so it is totally my design (one of a kind)....in fact a lot of the cut designs were designed by me.  These are photos of the card front.



The inside is a little different because I wanted an element to "hide" the check that I gave them for a wedding gift and I got my inspiration from Jennifer McGuire.  Just recently she did a video called "Money Holder Cards - Three Ways"....you can see it here.  Thus my making the scalloped circles and using the "Congratulations" to hold the check!  Thanks, Jennifer (also my granddaughter's name)!!!  The "double pink hearts" are inlaid.  Here are a few photos:



Here is a close-up of the scalloped circles "money holder".  I made the "x's" for the cross-stitched look by using my EraserMate pen in my Silhouette Pen Tool to draw them and since the ink stays wet for a bit, I was able emboss them in silver....I did the same thing with their names and the date.  I have to mention that my "Congratulations" die was way too big for my card, so I scanned it and made a much smaller one to cut using my Cameo. 


Here is a photo of the "signature tag" I made for the back of the card.


This card was very time consuming due to all of the design work I put into it, but it was well worth it to give them a "keepsake"!!!
Supplies List

Papers:  Recollections 65# Pink from the "Dreamy" Collection ", Silver and White Shimmer Cardstock (from my stash), DCWV "Glitter" paper

Cut Files:  "Mr & Mrs Sentiment" Set by Kolette Hall  [Design ID #57724], "Heart Frame", "Scalloped Circles Heart Frame", "Cross Stitched Circle & Mat" by Me, "Double Hearts" and "Wedding Rings" made from images found on line

Dies:  "Congratulations" from Simon Says Stamp, "Stitched Rectangles" from Gina Marie

     Fonts:  "Italianno" (message inside card), "LDT Kids" (the "x" on my scalloped circle), "LDT Flirt" (for everything else)

    
Tools: Silhouette "Cameo",  Brother "ScanNCutt",  Martha Stewart "Score Board", Ranger "Heat It", WeR Memory Keepers "Envelope Punch Board", Tim Holtz "Vagabond 2"

Accessories:  Ranger "Silver Stickles", PaperMate "EraserMate" Pen, Stampendous "StampNStuff Detail Silver" embossing powder

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Happy Birthday "Dr. Kim"!!!

The Physician's Assistant in my doctor's office is Kim Bravo and I absolutely adore her.  She is the one that "got the ball rolling" when she realized that I may have a malignant tumor.  At any rate she had a birthday on July 1st and this is the card that I created for her!  The inspiration for it came from a Christina Griffiths card that I saw on Pinterest....she is SO talented!!!

Card Front


Supplies List

Papers:  Recollections 65# White & Navy, 110# Recollections "White" (card base)
Stamps:  "Happy Birthday"  from "Birthday Stamp & Stencil Stamp Set" by Hero Arts
Inks:   Hero Arts "Unicorn" embossed with WOW Embossing Powder
Cut Files:  "Butterfly" from Brother ScanNCut, Daisies by Hero Arts [Design ID #28925], "Vase", from online image traced by me
Dies:  Spellbinders "A2 Bracket Borders 1", Lil'Inker Designs "Bow Die - Mini", MFT "straight line stitch die from "Die-namics Blueprints 13 " used for stitching on navy stripe, top & bottom 
Tools: Silhouette "Cameo",  Milwaukee "Heat Gun", WeR Memory Keepers "Envelope Punch Board", Tim Holtz "Vagabond 2"
Accessories:  Darice "Stripe" and Anna Griffin "Poppy" and Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots" embossing folders, Recollections "Half Pearts",  "Clear" Wink of Stella Brush Tip Marker,
Inside Views



Supplies List

Cut Files:  "Birthday Wishes" is a cut file made by me, but I'm sorry that I can't remember what I made it from!
     Fonts:  (see list below)
  
Tools: Silhouette "Cameo"

Signature Label Back of Card


Supplies List

Dies:  Spellbinders "Labels 42"
     Fonts:  "Corinthia"

Envelope


Supplies List
Stamps:  "Peony Bouquet" by Altenew, JustRite "Times New Roman Font Set" (KIM)


I guess y'all noticed that I have kind of changed the format of my blog posts....from now on I will be posting the supplies used under each photo.  Kim loved her card and I hope you liked it.  Thanks for stopping by and hurry back as in the next day of two I will be posting my granddaughter's wedding card!!!

Finished Card Size:  A7 (5"x7")




Thursday, April 28, 2016

Better late than never!!!

Hey y'all.........I think maybe my mojo is finally back!!!  Back in February, right after I got out of rehab from my last surgery, my dear friend Peggy had a birthday and I told she would be getting a card made by me, but it would be quite late and here it is!  First off, I want to say that I cased this card....it is what gave me the mojo.  I used one of the "Regal Borders & Pockets Die Set [HCD1-799] by Heartfelt Creations....I scanned the die to make the gorgeous frame for my card that I cut with my Silhouette Cameo.  The actual die is a little larger than I needed for my card size.


I used a lot of dies for this card, in addition to the Heartfelt die.  For the "Happy Birthday" label, I used a couple of dies from my newest set called Fran's "Make It Pop Cutting Dies" by Stampendous [DCP1004].  You can see what the set looks like here!  For the white leaves I used Elizabeth Craft Design "Curvy Leaves".  For the leafy swirled flourishes I used "Vintage Swirls Anja's Creatables" by Marianne Design [LR0271] and I just want to add  that that set was a gift to me from Peggy and is one of my favorites!!!  The lattice panel is the "Moroccan Template" by Momenta [25131]. The lovely butterfly is the Leanna Butterfly Die [S171] by Simon Says Stamp.   I also used a number of 
Spellbinders dies from the 6x6 Card Creeator die sets.  I used the "Happy Birthday" stamp from the "Persian Motifs" stamp set by Altenew.  The flowers were cut using my Cameo......I am sure it was one from a free set but I cannot remember the file name.  I used Hero Arts "Tide Pool" ink to ink the flower centers and tips using a finger dauber.  I used a Copic marker (BC15), as well as my Wink of Stella Marker to enhance the color of the butterfly and to custom color the three pearls on the frame and I used "Mint Green" liquid pearls on the body of the butterfly.  Here is a close-up photo.


For the inside design of the card, I wanted to incorporate a "striped layer" because Peggy and I had just discussed how much we had been seeing the done, so I cut stripes of the sea foam cardstock and glued then in a diagonal order to a square of the white cardstock and then used one of my Spellbindes dies to cut the panel for my card.  So there is a layer of the sea foam, a layer of the striped, another layer of the sea foam, and a layer of the white in which I "inlaid" a die cut from the Spellbinders "Labels 42 Decorative Accents" die set.  The text is computer generated using "Frosting for Breakfast", "A&S Black Swan" and "AR Bonnie" fonts and once again I used some liquid pearls.


For the back of the card, I used another layer of the lattice panel as well as a couple more of dies from my newest set called Fran's "Make It Pop Cutting Dies" by Stampendous [DCP1004] to make my computer generated "signature label" using the "Arabella" font.


I wanted to make an envelope that "tied in" with my card design so I used some of the stamps from my newest Altenew stamp set purchase, "Peony Bouquet" using some more of the "Tide Pool" ink.  I made the address label using some of my sticker paper.......I got the idea from Peggy!  For the "PLEASE HAND CANCEL..." I used the "Andalus" font and for the name and address, which I blanked out, I used the "2Peas Blessing" font.



Peggy just received her card yesterday and she really liked it!!!  Thank you so much for stopping by for a visit!

Finished Card Size:  5 1/2" x6" Rectangle

Supplies List

Papers:  Recollections 65# White & "Sea Foam Green" from the "Soda Pop" Collection ", 110# Recollections "White" (card base)

Stamps:  "Happy Birthday"  from "Persian Motifs Stamp Set" by Altenew

Inks:  Tsukineko "Versafine Onyx Black", Hero Arts "Tide Pool"

Cut Files:  Flowers cut on my Cameo.

Dies:  Spellbinders "6x6 Matting Basics A & B",     "Regal Borders & Pockets" die set by Heartfelt Creations,  label for for "Happy Birthday", Fran's "Made it Pop Cutting Dies" by Stampendous, Elizabeth Craft Desigm\n "Curvy Leaves", "Vintage Swirls Anja's Creatables" by Marianne Designs,   "Moroccan Template" by Momenta,  "Leanna Butterfly" die set by Smon Says Stamp,  Spellbinders "6x5 Card Creator" die set, Spellbinders  "Latels 42 Decorative Accents"    

     Fonts:  "Frosting for Breakfast", "A&S Black Swan", "AR Bonnie",  "Arabella" & "Andalus"
    
Tools: Silhouette "Cameo",  Martha Stewart "Score Board", Milwaukee "Heat Gun", WeR Memory Keepers "Envelope Punch Board", Tim Holtz "Vagabond 2"
Accessories:  Ranger "Mint Green" Liquid Pearls, Recollections "Half Pearts",  "Clear" Wink of Stella Brush Tip Marker,