All About You (Masculine)

5/04/2-16 Update: This card was in the Top Three at AHSC157!






Another masculine card - they seem to becoming my specialty. I guess that's to be expected when you've been raised with three brothers and a father who were active in aviation and sailing.

When I was earning my Pilot's License in the 1960s, a friend of my father took me flying in his 1930-era British-made Tiger Moth bi-plane with the open cockpit powered by the famous de Haviland Gipsy engine. The owner gave me a leather helmet with goggles to wear, as well as a leather jacket with a scarf. (It did not make me feel like a WWII Flying Ace.)

When I first saw this stamp set, I was reminded of the fun I experienced in that bi-plane. The pilot performed all kinds of loops and other aerobatics, much to my delight.

To make this card, a panel of cardstock was texture embossed and adhered to a black card base. Additional panels were cut, corners rounded, matted and adhered to the embossed panel. A die-cut cloud was ink dusted and popped up with craft foam on the card front. The plane was stamped on white cardstock, colored with markers and fussy cut before being backed with foam tape and popped up on the cloud. A sentiment

was stamped to create a banner. Two additional banners were grouped with the sentiment and backed with foam to adhered to the card. An enamel dot was added. A strip of black cardstock was added to keep with the sketch design and then three black candy dots were added to balance the black color. The inside was stamped with an image of the plane using a stamping off technique and then the Happy Birthday was stamped over the plane image.

The design was based on the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #157. Be sure to take a look at their blog for some clever creations.

Techniques: Stamping, ink dusting, coloring, die cutting, fussy cutting
Size: A2 (4/25" x 5/5")

Stampin' Up! Materials
Stamp sets: Sky Is the Limit (airplane), Birthday Blossoms (banner sentiment), Watercolor Words (inside sentiment)
Inks: Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz; Stampin' Write Marker in Pear Pizzazz
Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz, Marina Mist
Misc.: Dimensionals foam, Candy Dots (Basic Black), Zig-Zag TIEF

Other Materials:
Ink: Stazon Jet Black
DSP: Lawn Fawn
Die: Memory Box Marshmallow Cloud (large)
Misc.: large enamel sticker (black), Judikins Ink Dusting Brush

Spring Birthday - CAS

My daughter-in-law has a birthday in May and the card will need to be mailed so I kept this design low profile. I chose to omit a sentiment from the front because I wanted to keep the card uncluttered. I like to make landscape cards with a side opening rather than a bottom opening because they are sturdier to stand up for display.

A panel of cardstock and a panel of DSP were adhered to the card base. Two ribbon banners were added. After die cutting two fancy labels, one was die cut again for the flowers, sponged, then adhered to the second, larger label. The piece was backed with foam tape and adhered to the DSP layer with the banners in the background. Enamel dots were added. The inside of the card was lined with a panel of white cardstock that was die cut with a flower, sponged and an enamel dot.

The colors were selected based on the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge #297.





The design was inspired by the Fab Friday Sketch Challenge #85.





Techniques: Die cutting, sponging, stamping, CAS
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamp: "Sassy Salutations"
Inks: Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Memento Tuxedo Black (inside sentiment)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder
DSP: scraps in Daffodil Delight
Dies: Deco Labels Framelits; Simon Says Stamp Partial Cut Flowers
Misc: chevron ribbon in Wisteria Wonder, satin ribbon in Pool Party. Dimensionals; Paper Studio enamel dots

Mother's Day - 2016

This card was selected as a favorite for the Featured Stamper of the Week.

Although my own mother has passed away, I enjoy sending Mother's
Day cards to my Aunt Millie, my sister, my sister-in-law, my niece and my daughter-in-law, because they all have children. I usually make them different cards but they all live far apart from one another so this year the cards will be similar. This is my "prototype" card - it's a card within a card.

Lessons learned: I should have used an acrylic (photopolymer) stamp set so I could more closely align the embossed card front with the inner card. I used the MISTI but still did not have it perfectly aligned. In the end, I still like the card and will make the others using a different stamp set. Next, I was so glad that my folder of vellum paper included 43-lb. vellum cardstock. Anything less than 40-lb. is too flimsy and your card will not stand up. Third, exercise caution when heat embossing on vellum to avoid scorching and warping.


A small piece of white cardstock was stamped, then masked to stamp a
second flower behind the first. The images were colored with markers and ink dusted. The card was then adhered to the inside of the vellum card base. This can be placed anywhere on the inside that one chooses. I set it slightly higher than center to ensure there was space on the vellum card to add a sentiment. Once the floral card had been adhered on the inside and using the mask again, two flowers were stamped as precisely as possible on the vellum with Versamark ink but aligned with the images on the inside. The card was heat embossed with white powder. A sentiment was added by heat embossing.

Typically, when using vellum, it's a good idea to cover the back outer surface with a another panel of cardstock to cover the adhesive used when the small card was adhered. Because this cardstock was of a heavier weight, it was totally unnecessary to do that. I did it anyway so that I had a place to add my personal stamp.

To view a video of this technique that I found while I was composing this post, click HERE.

The colors were selected by the Color My Heart: Color Dare Challenge #190. Be sure to visit their blog to see fabulous cards!

Techniques: Stamping, coloring, ink dusting, heat embossing, masking, vellum
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials:
Stamps: Best Thoughts (flowers) & Made for You (sentiment)
Inks: Stazon Jet Black, Versamark, Hello Honey, Markers (non-alcohol) in Hello Honey, Pear Pizzazz, Wisteria Wonder and Real Red
Cardstock: Whisper White, Vellum
Misc.: White & purple embossing powders, Judikins Ink Duster

You're So Tweet!

4/27/2016 Update: Top Three winner at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge!






One of the sweetest sounds to me is that of birds "singing" early in the morning. I enjoy taking my coffee (and the cat) onto the screened porch, where she and I listen and watch the birds. Living in Arizona makes it possible to enjoy most of the year.

On a panel of cardstock, the images were all stamped in black ink and then colored with dye markers. The ribbon was tied along the lower edge and the panel adhered to a panel of black cardstock and then adhered to the card base. The inside of the card was lined with a panel of white cardstock and stamped and colored with markers to coordinate with the card front. The card was finished off with a soft dusting of blue ink with a brush on both the front of the card as well as the stamped corner on the inside.

No sentiment is stamped inside in order to have sufficient space to write a note. I'm going to mail this to my elderly aunt so kept it low
profile. I try to send her a card every few weeks to brighten her day and she
loves to receive them!

My design was inspired by the sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #156 and the butterfly challenge at Creative with Stamps #1. Be sure to take a look at their blogs and consider having some challenge fun.



Techniques: Stamping, coloring, ink dusting
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

CTMH Materials
Stamp Set: "Sunshine Birdies"

Stampin' Up! Materials
Inks: Bashful Blue; Stampin' Write Markers in Bashful Blue, Crisp Cantaloupe, Daffodil Delight, Hello Honey, Poppy Parade, Pistachio Pudding, Lucky Limeade, Sahara Sand, Basic Black
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red

Other Materials: Stazon Jet Black Ink, Judikins Dusting Brush, ribbon from stash

Ink Dusted Poppies

4/25/2016 Update: The Poppy card won the Emerald Award in the Color Dare Challenge #189.







Poppies are such a magnificent flower. My grandfather's garden was full of them and I remember they were huge and colorful. I decided on a stamp set I've had for at least three years and have never used. It is comprised of four layering stamps. The stamps are made of rubber and I was unable to get them to line up properly, no matter what I did, even with my MISTI tool. So I finally decided to watercolor instead.

The poppies were stamped and heat embossed with black embossing powder on watercolor paper. They were watercolored with ink direct from the ink pad using an Aqua Painter brush. When dry, the poppy centers were darkened with black marker and white dots added with a gel pen. An ink duster was used to dust the background and flowers with ink. I like this so much more than sponging because of the softness of the color. The speckles were

stamped, rather than spattered. The art piece was adhered to a panel of cardstock to provide a slim mat around the image and backed with foam tape. It was then adhered and popped up on the stamped panel of cardstock and all was adhered to the white card base. I've been trying to keep my cards CAS but I could not resist adding the Sparkles. The inside of the card was stamped with the small blocks along the edge and a thin strip of cardstock was added.

My card is being entered into a color challenge. Be sure to stop by the Color My Heart: Color Dare #189 to view some beautifully created cards!

 

Techniques: Stamping, watercoloring, heat embossing, emboss resist, ink dusting
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

CTMH Materials
Inks: Hollyhock, Thistle, Juniper
Cardstock: Thistle, Juniper
Misc.: Sparkles stickers

Other Materials
Stamps: Rubbernecker Layered Poppies, Stampin' Up! Gorgeous Grunge & Timeless Textures
Ink: Stazon Jet Black, Versamark, Stampin' Write Black Marker
Cardstock: SU! Whisper White
Misc.: SU! Aqua Painter, SU! Dimensionals, Signo Uniball Gel Pen (white), Ink Dusting Brush, SU! Black Embossing Powder

To every thing there is a season... (CAS)

4/21/2016 Update: This card was selected for the "Chic of the Week" Award!









Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
² A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
³ A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴ A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵ A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
⁷ A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

This scripture inspired Pete Seeger to compose the music, "Turn, Turn, Turn," recorded by the Byrds in the mid-1960s. Seeger put the scripture into song as a protest to war but I just love the scripture. I admit when I read the scripture,  I have the tune in my head for a few days.

I recently found an old rubber stamp set at a garage sale and was initially attracted to the dragonfly. I have no idea what the name of the stamp set is but the stamps were labeled as Stampin' Up! I am very pleased with them - not only because the stamps were in pristine condition but also because of the verse from Ecclesiastes 3.1.
 

I purposely wanted the card to be CAS and the colors to be soft. Two panels of DSP were adhered to a card base. The image was stamped, dusted with peach ink and die cut. It was adhered to a panel and backed with foam tape for dimension. The inside was also stamped and dusted.

The colors for this card were in keeping with Just Us Girls Color Challenge #339. Visit their blog to see the creativity!

Techniques: Stamping, ink dusting or stippling, die cutting, CAS
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Stampin' Up! Materials
Stamps: Measure of a Life (Thanks to AmyK for the info.)
Inks: Wisteria Wonder, Peach Parfait (retired)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Wisteria Wonder
DSP: SU! stack in Peach Parfait and Concord Crush (all retired)
Misc.: Dimensionals

Other Materials
Die: Spellbinders "Marvelous Squares"
Misc: Ink duster

Just Swimmin' By...

After deciding to make a card with a goldfish, I thought I would also try the gel technique, which seemed like a good idea at the time. Here's the result:

I found that 24 hours after making it, it seemed to have grown a little in size, developed wrinkles, and had many more bubbles. Perhaps I have too much gel - I really don't know. I do like the bubbles and, of course, they move as you move the card. I know of someone who mailed 25 gel cards and one leaked. I think this card may require hand delivery, not only because of the possibility of leaking, but also because it weighs 1.7 ounces so would require additional postage.

First the bag of gel was created and sealed with lots of tape. The image was affixed to the white card base, then the gel bag laid over and adhered. Using the circle die, a hole was cut in the Calypso Coral and DSP panels. The DSP corners were fussy cut. The Coastal Cabana piece was created with a ruler, pencil and some fussy cutting, then stamped with texture. A die was used to cut the hole. This was adhered to the DSP. The die cut wavy pieces and sentiment were also adhered and the enamel dots added. This entire stack was backed with craft foam and popped up onto the white card base to give the gel bag space as well. The inside of the card was decorated with coordinating wavy die cut pieces.

This card is being entered in the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #155. Stop by and view the blog.

Techniques: Stamping, sponging, coloring, die cutting, fussy cutting, downloading, gel card
Size: 5" x 6.5"

Stampin' Up! Materials:
Stamps: "Chalk Lines" (texture lines)
Inks: Coastal Cabana; Stampin" Write Markers in Tangerine Tango & Daffodil Delight to color the fish image
Cardstock: Whisper White. Calypso Coral, Coastal Cabana
DSP: stash
Misc.: Dimensionals

Other Materials:
Image: Fish download from Bugaboo Digital Designs; sentiment computer generated
Dies: Spellbinders Classic Circles; Reverse Confetti "Doin' the Wave"
Misc.: Enamel stickers, husband's shaving gel

At the Sea-Side

4/19/2016 Update: This card was a Ruby Award winner at Color Dare Challenge #188.







A favorite poem from childhood by Robert Louis Stevenson:

At the Sea-Side

When I was down beside the sea

A wooden spade they gave to me

To dig the sandy shore.

My holes were empty like a cup.

In every hole the sea came up

Till it could come no more.

As a child, my mother and I spent a great deal of time at the shore, digging in the sand, watching the Fiddler crabs dart about, collecting shells and exploring the array of items that washed ashore among the tangled strands of seaweed.

My love of the sea is probably the reason I bought this collection of DSP and now this whimsical paper has inspired my card. How many times have you seen an octopus with a smile?

The fold technique has been around for a while and is simple to make. I like the way it ties together when it's closed. The technique can be viewed HERE. Various panels of DSP and cardstock were applied to decorate the card and as an extra bonus, the porthole was die cut through the front and framed in order to see the octopus on the inside. The starfish and sentiment were popped up on foam tape for dimension. On the inner flap is a place for a personal note. Thick twine was used for the tie instead of ribbon in keeping with the nautical theme and to avoid looking too feminine.

My card is being submitted to the color challenge at Color My Heart: Color Dare #188. Visit the blog for some creative ideas and consider joining in the challenges!

Techniques: Stamping, die cutting, fussy cutting, punch cutting, fun fold
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

CTMH Materials
Cardstock: Sapphire, Pomegranate, Glacier, Flaxen
DSP: Flaxen scrap from friend's stash (porthole)

Stampin' Up! Materials
Stamps: "Remembering Your Birthday"
Inks: Not Quite Navy
Cardstock: Whisper White
DSP: Maritime Collection
Punch: Scalloped Tag Topper
Misc.: Dimensionals, Thick Baker's Twine (Coastal Cabana)

Other Materials
Dies: Gina K Designs stacking and nesting circles

When Pigs Fly #2

4/15/2016 Update: The "Pig" card won a top three at the theme challenge.



A while ago I received a sheet of crazy paper with a sheet of coordinating designs as a gift from a scrapbooking shopkeeper. I've made a card once before using the paper and when I saw the Cut It Up Theme Challenge #93, I decided to use it again.

The challenge theme is April Fool's Day and runs from April 1 through April 13. The project must include something of humor or a joke and at least one die cut. (The three small clouds on my card are die cuts.) I was also forced to eat four little chocolate bars in order to have the labels for my card.

I promise to give up chocolate!   (When pigs fly.)

On a white card base, the DSP panels were adhered. The large cloud was cut freehand to look like a large cloud and to feature the "When Pigs Fly" theme. The cloud was matted with cardstock and popped up with foam tape. The pig was  fussy cut and also popped up with foam tape. The foil labels were adhered to scraps of cardstock for stability and then popped up on the card as well. The three little clouds were die cut and adhered. The sentiment was computer generated and the cardstock cut into a banner. The inside of the card was decorated by adhering a strip of cardstock and a strip of DSP.


Stop by and visit Cut It Up for challenge fun!

Techniques: Die cutting, fussy cutting, freehand cutting, computer generated
sentiment
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamp: Computer generated sentiment
Ink: Stampin' Write Markers in Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Lost Lagoon
DSP: Graphic 45 - Olde Curiosity Shoppe Collection "When Pigs Fly"
Die: Simon Says Stamp "My Heart Soars" (small clouds)
Misc.: Dimensionals foam, candy bar labels