Blue jean tulip

This card answers the weekly challenge for Craft Roulette.  They have a live card making show most Fridays, and it's a new discovery for me. I like that they challenge you to use what's in your stash, rather than promoting the latest releases. 

For this mini slimline card, I used a flower die that I haven't used in quite a while. Card dimensions:  3 1/4 x 6 1/4 inches.

Craft Roulette #151 challenge parameters:

• Project: card for friend(s)
• Element: Starts with F (flower)
• Color: Blue jeans + 2 (blue, purple, white)
• Random: Stacks (stacked die cuts)

I did a little die cutting and ink blending with five distress oxide inks. I cut the flower die multiple times and glued them together to create some dimension. I was using an A2 rectangle set, so I partially die cut the panel, moved the die locking the "stitches" into the already cut portion, then partially die cut again to create a mini slimline layer. If you need to do partial die cutting like this, I suggest die cutting first and inking second. My first panel didn't line up quite right!

I thought I was finished. But when I took the picture below, I decided that the card needed a little something more. So, I added a few clear droplets from Essentials by Ellen.

Dies:  SSS Sweet Tulip, Lawn Fawn Outside In Stitched Rectangle Stack

Paper:  Accent Opaque Digital Smooth cardstock 100lb. 

Supplies:  Ranger distress oxides (Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky, Blueprint Sketch, Chipped Sapphire, Villainous Potion, Black Soot), crystal clear droplets from Essentials by Ellen

Clean and simple hello!

 MFT is having their annual Card Design Superstar contest.  This is my entry in the "Clean and Simple Genius" category.  I used MFT alphabet die sets for die cutting and embossing then cut my squares with my paper trimmer.  

Letters in "hi" colored with an alcohol marker and then a few swipes with Wink of Stella.

Good luck to everyone who enters the contest!

#MFT #cleanandsimplegenius #2021carddesignsuperstar

Dies:  MFT Little Lowercase Letters, MFT Impact Alphabet

Paper:  Glitter paper from DCWV, Accent Opaque Digital Smooth cardstock 100lb. 

Supplies:  Wink of Stella, Studio 71 marker B15/Lapis

Cute bear card!

Since I last posted, I resigned from a place I worked for over 20 years, moved 300 miles back to Syracuse and started a new job.  This whole time -- before the move and after -- I've been making cards but not posting.  Birthday cards, Valentines, Christmas cards, "just because" cards for friends.  Last Christmas and for Valentine's Day this year, I made over 200 cards for nursing home residents for each holiday.  I sent some to the place where my mom used to live, as well as giving some to a local non-profit that shared them locally.  It's nice to know that I can brighten the day of someone I don't know with something I colored/glittered/watercolored.

I watched a video by Natasha Foote, and she used square dies and a corner rounder she had on hand to mimic some of the newer dies that are available that cut 2 pointed corners and 2 rounded ones.  I used her basic design to create an A2 birthday card to add to my stash.  

It's a fairly straight-forward design and easy to adapt to make it cute like this or elegant with leafy/floral stamps and more muted colors.

The card also answers a challenge from Call Me Crafty Al to shop your stash and use dies never used before.  I've had the Spellbinders Classic Squares for FOREVER, but I hadn't actually used these little squares.  Sometimes it's nice to shop your stash! #SYSS2 #ShopYourStashSeptemberCMCA #SYSSCMCA 

Paper:  Doodlebug Custom Rainbow 6x6, DCWV Holographics Mat Stack, DCWV Fall Cardstock Stack, Accent Opaque Digital Smooth 100lb.

Dies: Spellbinders Classic Squares small and large, Catherine Pooler celebrate, Lawn Fawn Outside in Stitched rectangle stax

Stamps:  MFT Bitty Bears

Ink:  Versafine onyx

Tools:  EK Success corner rounder, Spellbinders Platinum 6

Ribbon Framed Card

This is the first card I've made since 2010!  In the interim, I've worked a lot and spent a lot of time taking care of my mom, who is now in nursing care.  Because I've been away so long, I really wanted to have many layers and lots of glitter and stamping.  Then I got practical!  So, I started with something to challenge myself without getting too frustrated... and something I could send to my mom.  She loves mail! 

This card also answers a few challenges:
     365 Cards:  4-color challenge
     Cute Card Thursday:  Butterfly Kisses
     Flutter by Wednesdays:  butterfly or fairy
     Card Crafter's Circle:  die cut or dry embossing
     Card Mania:  punches or die cuts

After dusting off EVERYTHING and locating the cutting plates for my Grand Calibur, I started with the Spellbinders scalloped border.  I used tacky tape to keep the ribbon in place on the reverse side.

I used a reverse stenciling & embossing technique for the butterfly.  Dabbed on ink, taped the butterfly to the paper and embossed.  Then I positioned the image within the inside of the Spellbinders scalloped border and cut.

Close up after assembly, with pearls and bling.

Next up, a card for my father.  He's been complaining that he hasn't gotten any handmade cards in forever.  He's right, but that's gonna change!

Supplies:
Cardstock: The Paper Company
Stamps: Inkadinkadoo Personal Impressions - Expressions (sentiment)
Ink: Color Box pigment ink in Cyan
Dies: Spellbinders Butterflies Shapeabilities, Scalloped Edge Frame
Accessories: rhinestones, pearls, ribbon

Heartfelt Flowers

When I was at the Creating Keepsakes Convention in July, I did a lot of window shopping and some SHOPPING shopping! One of my finds was a stamp set from Heartfelt Creations. They have several stamp sets that coordinate perfectly with Spellbinders. Here's a card I made using my new toys!

The card answers a few challenges:

Papertake Weekly: Something Old, Something New (old paper, new stamps!)

Allsorts: Paper piecing

Mark's Finest Papers: Think Flowers

Pile It On: Get into Shape. ***********BONUS********* Check out their blog for details on how to win a Limited Edition Workbox. It's a fantastic prize that can help you organize your crafting AND looks like premium furniture! There are several beautiful finishes and comes from the folks at The Original Scrapbox. You can also enter at this blog: Rachelle's Writing Spot. Now for details on the card! I used the largest and smallest stamps in the set to create a background paper. I used the smallest stamp to create the border on the base of the card.

I stamped the largest flower on orange paper and on ivory. The smallest flowers were stamped on ivory. Then I fussy cut or die cut them all, applied bling and layered with pop dots. Here's a shot to show some of the dimension.

Thanks for looking and please leave a comment!

Cardstock: The Paper Company

Ink: Colorbox Fluid Chalk dark brown, Whispers butterscotch and orange

Stamps: Heartfelt Creations Sunburst Flowers 2

Dies: Spellbinders Dahlia

Accessories: rhinestones, pop dots

Birthday Card for Cliffington

I have a great friend who deserves a great birthday card, and I was inspired by something I saw on the Spellbinders blog. I put this together and tore it apart three times before I was happy with it. You know how carpenters measure twice and cut once? Let's just say I'll try to dry fit a lot and glue just once next time!

I've been working on this on and off for a while, and I'm glad I'm finished! In addition to being a card for a special guy, the card actually answers a few challenges:

Creatalicious: 3D

Caardvarks: Birthday

Practical Scrappers: Use supplies you've had more than a year. Hmmm... I think only the broze ink is new!

The card is dimensional, with the medallion raised on pop dots. And it's actually part of the inside of the card. Here's the card open:

It's not a typical card , I'm going to write in atypical circles in the border. Here's a closeup of the medallion. The sentiment is from JustRite, and while hard to see here, I sprayed the Fleur de lis die cuts with gold glimmer mist.

Another angle shows some of the dimension. I used a geometric stamp and clear embossing powder to create more texture on the blue cardstock.

I used a lot of Spellbinders dies for this card. It didn't seem like this many when I was cutting things out! These cut the parts for the front and the window.

I used these dies for the inside.

Here's a look at stamp I used and the image it makes. Blurry, yes! It's not just the picture. I blurred the image when I stamped it, which is why I stamped it again for my project. But I really like the design to create background papers. This stamp is great on gold paper for elegant holiday projects.

Thanks for looking, and I'd appreciate a comment!

Supplies:

Cardstock: The Paper Company, DCWV

Stamps: Just Rite (Just a Note Set), Autumn Leaves (Block Stamps 2), Holly Berry House

Ink: Versamark, Colorbox bronze pigment, Colorbox French blue chalk ink

Dies: Spellbinders Doodle Parts, Scalloped Octagons large, Octagons large and small, Fleur de lis pendant, classic scalloped circles small

Accessories: clear embossing powder, 1/16" and 1/8" pop dots, gold glimmer mist, copper pearls (Queen & Co.), rhinestones, Zig glue

I'm alive and blog hop!

I can't believe it's been a month since I posted anything! Work has been busy, but I've found time to have some fun. My dad came to visit, I went to a graduation and then a great graduation party and I've probably driven 2000 miles since the beginning of June! I hope to have something to show later today, but I just finished a great blog hop for Our Daily Bread Designs.

You can get there by CLICKING HERE!