Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday!

We have a pretty important birthday coming up this week at our house.  Our oldest son will be turning 16!  Dear Husband asked if we could turn back time! 

A clean and simple design was the plan with some left-over scraps from My Mind’s Eye Deena’s Penny Lane.  Perfect bright colors but not too whimsical!  I used Technique Tuesday’s Say It Happy die and stamp set to create this fun card.  The brown card stock was die cut with the “happy” outline and then adhered on the teal card stock with temporary adhesive to hold it in place.  The “happy stamp was then stamped in Technique Tuesday’s Red ink in the spaces.  The banners were hand cut from the Penny Lane scraps.  One of the “happy outlines” was adhered with the matching teal card stock die cut “happy” adhered on top.  My favorite glue to use with this type of die cut is the Sakura Quickie Glue pen.  The remaining parts of the sentiment were stamped around the “happy” in Technique Tuesday’s Red ink.  Strategic placement of dimensional adhesive adds a bit of visual interest to the finished card. 

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Scrappy Land #18 Birthdays / Celebrations ( I am also interested in becoming a Guest Designer!)

AAA Game #40 For the Guys

Crafter's Cafe Challenge #118 One for the Boys

DRS #176 Easy as 1-2-3 (one sentiment, 2 die cuts, 3 patterned papers)

Vintage Lace for Retro Rubber Blog Challenge 15

For the next two weeks the theme at Retro Rubber Blog Challenge is to create a vintage feel card and/or incorporate lace.  There are many ways to interpret this challenge and I choose the Retro Rubber stamp version myself!

 I have had this lacey frame image set for a very long time, probably since the late 1990's to early 2000's, and I am not sure if I have ever used it!  I purchased it unmounted at a rubber stamp convention and unfortunately do not recall the manufacturer.  The stitched frame is by Great Impressions purchased around 1997.  The baby toys are Peddler's Pack, a local Oregon stamp manufacturer, and some images are still available even though I purchased them in 1997 to make baby shower invites for my niece!  The sentiment barely qualifies as Retro, but it is Technique Tuesday's Happy set.

All the images are stamped in Tsukeniko Memento Tuxedo black.  The stitched frame is stamped first, far enough from the edge of the card to accommodate the lace frame images.  The lace edge and corner was stamped with Tsukineko StazOn Jet Black on clear acrylic sheets using the stamp positioner.  Careful stamping and masking created the lace frame.  Then the baby toys were stamped into their positions.  After I was satisfied with the design of the card I folded and trimmed it to size.

The background is colored with EK Success craft chalks which allowed for easy shading especially with the lace frame.  The toys were colored with Chameleon pens:  YL3 Summer Sun, OR4 Seville Orange, RD4 Crimson Red, BL3 Sky Blue, PK3 Bubblegum, BR2 Hot Cocoa, YG3 Spring Meadow.  To add the finishing touches the booties have added flocking around the cuffs from a Recollections set of flocking, and several toys and the hearts have glossy accents added with Ranger Inkssentials.

The die cut background for "happy" is cut from white velvet paper and chalked the match the color of the frame.  The inner "happy" is die cut and chalked in yellow.  The "new baby" is stamped in Tsukineko Memento Luxe Pear Tart and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

Come join the fun at Retro Rubber Blog Challenge and show us what you can create using vintage lace!  The rules are simple:  follow the current theme AND use your retro rubber (more than a year old).

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments Cute and Sentiment

The Crazy Challenge Ribbon or Lace

KBD Aloha Friday Challenge #48 Sew Cute

Masculine Best Wishes Birthday Card

It was time to make a masculine birthday card and my new collection Everyday Heroes from Heartfelt Creations came in handy.  Actually I was itching to get it inky and cut up, so this card was fun to make.

I started by masking the HC My Anchor stamp so only the sailboat would stamp.  It was stamped with Tsukineko Tuxedo Black on cream card stock.  The anchor was also inked up separately and then die cut with HC Everyday Heroes die set anchor.  Then the images were colored with EK Success Craft Chalks.    The sentiment from Everyday Heroes set was inked with Tsukineko Tuxedo Black on cream card stock and then die cut with the banner.

It was easy to select a paper from the Everyday Heroes paper collection that had three different designs on one sheet.  Perfect for card making!  The image and layers were die cut with Cut Mat Create Die Set 1A and 1B.  Using the remaining dies from Everyday Heroes the accent papers were die cut.   I will admit to asking my husband to tie a bowlen knot with the hemp cord on the anchor die cut.  It should look realistic! 

After adhering the bottom two layers to the card base (8” x 6” folded) half of the iron works die cut was adhered.  The next two layers are adhered with thin dimensional foam adhesive.  The buckle and banner die cuts were assembled and adhered with thicker dimensional foam adhesive.  The anchor is adhered and the hemp cord is glued into place with Art Glitter Adhesive dries clear glue. 

This was a really fun and simple card to create and is a perfect masculine birthday greeting!

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Come and Get it Challenges Tic Tac Toe (Design Paper,Sentiment, 2 or more layers)

Crafting By Designs use a Sentiment

Wags ‘n Whiskers Stamps #154 Lots of Layers

  Creative Knockouts #90 Sentimentally Yours

      

CAS Spring Thank You

Time is fleeting and crafting time is even scarcer!  I had a need for a Thank You card and made time last night to create this springy version.

The Techno Stamper Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 363, the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 310, and Artistic Inspirations Challenge 131 Anything Goes with a Twist of Swirls inspired me. 

The images are by Unity, Blossom Stackers by Samantha Walker and are stamped in Tsukineko Versa Magic Key Lime.  They were then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I purchased the Unity Company stamps after I found the Spellbinder’s Blossom Tags and Accents set by Samantha Walker.  I’ve had fun using these sets together over the last few years.  The die perfectly die cuts that shape.  First I made a mask of the die cut from scrap paper and then carefully aligned the die.  Since the stamps are red rubber it is difficult to stamp the image on the die cut without using a stamp positioner and StazOn ink.

The add the swirls to the back ground I choose two papers from my scrap stash in “graphite” and “sky” and pressure embossed them with Cuttlebug’s D’Vine Swirl. The graphite is 4” x 5 ¼” and was embossed first.  The sky is 2 2/4” x 5 ¼”, and was placed over the graphite while it was still in the die, and then held in place with removable painter’s tape.  The graphite was removed and the sky was embossed and distressed with a sanding block to reveal the white core of the paper. 

The edges of the standard A-2 card base (4 ¼” x 5 ½”) were inked with an ink blusher and Tsukineko Versa Magic Key Lime to match the sentiment panel.  The layers are adhered together and the sentiment is adhered with dimensional foam adhesive. 

As mentioned above, this card was inspired by and is entered into the following challenges:

The Techno Stamper Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 363 

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 310 

Artistic Inspirations Challenge 131 Anything Goes with a Twist of Swirls

Even though crafting time is hard to come by this spring it is always good to spend a few minutes in my craft cave getting crafty!

May Flowers at Retro Rubber Blog Challenge

You still have a few more days to play along at Retro Rubber Blog Challenge, your entries can be linked through Friday 5/22.

Come and play along and show us your wonderful creations with May Flowers over at Retro Rubber Blog Challenge!

Missing EWE

I have been super busy with family and farm chores the last few weeks and have not been able to spend much time in my craft cave.  I was really feeling the drain due to the lack of creative time, and jumped in to make a quick card for Operation Write Home.  Latest news from OWH is they will be closing their doors as a 501C3 on August 1st.  It is good news that many of our troops are headed home.  I plan to have my box shipped before the deadline and include this fun little card in the mix.

I started with the color challenge over at Pals Paper Arts and the sketch challenge from CAS(E) this Sketch.

The cute little sheep and sentiment are from the OWH Hero Arts Missing You set along with the Cuts die.  The sheep was stamped in Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black on white card stock and then colored  with Chameleon pens.  I made small random circles with a 3 second tone using the NU1 Bisque and PK3 Bubblegum.  Then I went over the image with CB Colorless Blender.  The hooves are colored with a 5 second tone using CG8 Cool Grey.  I love the versatility of the Chameleon pens and the fact that I only need the one set to color images.  The draw back is that they work best with smaller images.

All the papers are from my scrap stash and were selected to work with the color challenge. The "Melon Mambo" was trimmed to 2" x 4 1/8" then punched with the EK success mini scallop edger punch.  The Missing EWE sentiment was first cut apart so I could use it in a straight line then stamped in Colorbox Blue Lagoon.  The "Tempting Turquoise" was trimmed to  3 1/2" x 4 1/8".  The "Daffodil Delight"  was trimmed to 5 3/8" x 4 1/8".  All the layers were adhered together with the sweet little sheep being mounted with dimensional foam adhesive.

This card was a quick creative break that took about 15 minutes to put together!  Love when things work just right, especially when I am tired.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

CAS(E) this Sketch #123

 Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge #251

Southern Girls Challenge #110 Animal Crackers

Addicted to Stamps Challenge Blog #144 Clean and Simple

Retro Rubber Blog Challenge May Flowers

The Retro Rubber Blog Challenge for the next two weeks is a project that includes flowers.  Remember to use your retro stamps and please tell about how retro they might be!   I am featuring the 2015 version of my Mother's Day card . . . after the fact, but now the recipients have them in hand!

When I heard about this challenge I immediately thought of my first Heartfelt Creations acquisitions that can be used to make three-dimensional flowers.  At the 2011 Portland CKC I first saw the wonderful combination of dies and flower stamps used to make incredible flowers for cards and layouts. They started with existing Spellbinder's dies and drew images that could be stamped then die cut.  Brilliant idea! Now their dies are custom to their images, and are very beautiful.  They were not in my budget that year, but the next year I went for broke and joined the Heartfelt Creation's Platinum Club and dropped a wad on the start of my stash by HC.  Now they have many collections to choose from that include very intricate dies, dies that match stamps, inspiring stamps, and paper collections and designed to work together and create amazing projects.

Using Spellbinders Grand Labels Four and Labels Four I created the card base and layers from Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret paper pack.  In truth I practiced three times with plain card stock to decide on the dimensions of the card and which dies to use for the base and layers.  I started with a tutorial video over at Splitcoaststampers, and modified the design to fit the dies that I own.  

The card base is 4 1/2" x 12" and is scored at    3 1/2", 4 3/4", 7 1/4", and 8 1/2".  The sections are folded and taped with removable painters tape to hold the layers together.  I used the Grand Labels Four die that just fit the now folded card stock, the third size.  The next size smaller die was used to cut the next layer, which was then cut in half to layer on the card base.   The smallest die was used to cut the front label.  Labels Four die cut the sentiment labels and the backing layers.  Each layer was edged with a sponge dauber using Viva 3D Stamp Paint in Walnut Brown Metallic.  Love the metallic sheen of this paint, plus it dries very quickly!

The front sentiment is by Heartfelt Creations and is in the Inspire Me Sentiments Pre-cut set.  It is stamped on Labels Four third size, and mounted with dimensional foam adhesive on the next size up.  The "Happy Mother's Day" sentiment is from a set I have had since about 1998 by Dream Ink.  I have over 220 words that can be combined into sentiments for ANY occasion.  Both are stamped in Tsukineko StazOn Saddle Brown.  I used my stamp positioner to place the Mother's Day in the proper position on the label.  Once these were adhered together the labels were trimmed to fit in position behind the panel as to not show until the card is opened.

The front of the card is decorated with a variety of Heartfelt Creations dies and stamps:  Vintage Floret Die, Mini Vintage Floret Pre-cut, Open Vintage Floret Pre-cut, Leaf Medley Pre-cut, Cut Mat Create Dies 1B and 2A.  Spellbinders Foliage die was also used.  I used pink and green card stock from my stash to die cut all of the layers.  I die cut the flower layers BEFORE stamping, see this post about the quicker way (for me) to stamp and die cut multiple times. For the bud, opening bud and rose I die cut 4 of the smallest, 4 of the next, 3 of the next, and one each of the next two.  I did not use the largest die in the set.  All of the flower layers were die cut from one 4" x 12" strip of card stock.   The flowers were stamped in Memories Sand and the foliage was stamped in Tsukineko Spanish Olive, Niagara Mist and Jumbo Java.  Heartfelt Creations has a number of video tutorials on how to shape flowers, this is a basic rose shape.  All of the edges were inked with the Viva 3D Stamp Paint in Walnut Brown Metallic.

The inside of the facing panel was left blank so we can write our own messages.  I made two of this card at the same time, one for each Mother, my Mom and my Mother-in-Law, and it took the better part of one afternoon to design and complete, but the end product is well with the effort.  

So now it is your turn!  Come show us your flower creations using your retro stamps and join the fun at Retro Rubber Blog Challenge!  

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Fab and Funky challenges #258 May Flowers

Lil Red Wagon #288 Distress It (with the Viva 3D Stamp Paint)

Deep Ocean challenge #103 Flowers

Brown Sugar #145 Layers (I used a ton of layers!)

Fussy and Fancy #138 Lots of Flowers

Creative Knock Outs #88 Distressing
Scrapbooker PhD #23 Mother's Day (with optional Flowers)

Honorable Mention at:
Scrapyland Blog #17 Use Dies 

End of year add on!
Clear It Out Challenge Blog Favorite Card of 2015 

Anything But a Card Challenge #47 Inspired by the Masters

First off, Happy Mother's Day!  This is a gift that I did send to my mother . . . which she has now, so I can post about it's creation!

This month at Anything But a Card the theme is inspiration from the Masters.  I immediately thought of French Impressionist Claude Monet (1840-1926) and an exhibit of his paintings I was fortunate to view at the Portland Art Museum sometime in the 90’s.  

The image that I associate with Monet is one of water lilies.  No surprise when I researched the topic that Monet painted approximately 250 oil paintings of the lovely Water Lily.  His main focus of his art in the last thirty years of his life was his gardens and ponds that he created around his home.

Naturally I wanted to use an image of Water Lilies that is similar to Claude Monet’s Impressionistic style, so I “had” to go shopping, and found this image at Serendipity Stamps.  The next conundrum to what to stamp the image on . . . on a trip to the local M’s and I found this ceramic wall hanging in the perfect size.  I pulled out my StazOn inks and decided on Forest Green to stamp the image.   I truth I practiced on some paper by tracing the circle and stamping the image and practicing the water color technique discussed below.

 

I colored on my craft mat with Faber Casteel Gelatos and spritzed the colors with water to activate them.  I used Cotton Candy, Boysenberry, Blueberry, Lime, Green Tea, Spearmint, Lavender, and Guava.  Using quick strokes and two sizes of brushes the wall hanging was complete in less than 20 minutes!  I tested the surface to see if the gelatos would rub off or be moved on the ceramic with more water.   With the StazOn permanent ink and gelatos the pigments are staying put!  I am going to have to try this technique on a few more ceramic items!  To add a finishing touch I stamped Heartfelt Creations Uplifiting Scripture in Tsukineko StazOn Forest Green.  It doesn't seem to matter if the Gelatos are used under or over the stamped images.  Give this a try and see how easy it was to create a simple but beautiful gift!

Come on over and join us at Anything But a Card and make a creation inspired by the Masters! 

I would also like to enter the following Challenges with the project:

Deep Ocean challenge #103 Flowers

Crafting By Designs Just One Layer

Tuesday Throwdown #243 Flowers for Her

Loves Rubberstamps Challenges #150 Anything Goes

Best Friend

In among the outdoor chores of the weekend I did manage to get one layout done on iNSD!   I am also working on a couple of other projects, which will be posted in the near future.  With the nice weather and immediacy of needing to get the irrigation up and running to water the fields so the steer will have something to eat in a few weeks required my attention on Saturday.  So glad that the pump and irrigation folks are working overtime this time of year!  Plus the poults (young turkeys), chicks, ducklings needed to be moved to the outdoor chicken pen . . . yes, just snippets of time to get some crafting in this weekend.  Fast forward another few days and still working on irrigation issues, working a sub job, and working on stuff for the business.  Finally have time to write a blog post! 

Found this nice little sketch (which I tweaked to use for two photos) from Stick It Down.

These photos are taken just two days after my son came home from Russia, and depicts the close bond he had already developed with our two German Shepherds.  (Gotta love his hair cut, short all over with bangs in front, very popular in Russia at the time even with the adults!)  

I used papers and scraps from the Die Cuts With a View Pet Stack.  The bones and hearts die cut is by KI Memories.  It is the reverse side with a bit of creative sniping to shape the die cut to following the diagonal shape in the sketch.  The front side is a brown (see this post and layout), and the reverse is white.  To help it match the color scheme of the papers I inked it up with a bit of Colorbox Dune.  

Spellbinders Lacey Circles die cut the scalloped circle.  From the Queen and Company Dog themed Chip board a set I have had for years and qualifies as NBUS (never before used schtuff) I found my title, Best Friend plus the cute heart.  A bit of Ranger Sunset Orange on the heart and Pantone Tria (alcohol inks available before Ranger's) in Teal (320Ti) were used to color the chipboard.  The paw print die cuts are from my stash.  

The journaling stripes are white card stock that has been inked with Colorbox Dune and the edges are inked with Colorbox Terra Cotta.  The journaling is done in Zig Ocean.  I think it all matches and ties the layout together!  The vellum quote is from Flair Designs and fits the theme of layout very well.

Glad I got at least one layout done on iNSD!  

This layout is entered in the following challenges:

Stick It Down

The Paper Girls Challenge  #79 Cute Critters

Challenge Winner at:
Bimini Moose Scrapbook Challenges Pet Pages

RRBC #13 Anything Goes Reminder

It is time for new challenge over at Retro Rubber Challenge Blog.  This time the theme is Anything Goes and we already have many crafters playing along.  So why don't you pull out your Retro Stamps (preferably older than a year!) and come and join the fun!