Give Thanks

7/12/2015 Update: "Give Thanks" was selected as a Design Team Pick at Can You Case It? Challenge #77.

This time of year we are so blessed to have such a wonderful bounty of colorful and delicious fruits and vegetables! My card was inspired by the sketch at Can You Case It? #77.

Three panels of DSP were cut and adhered to three panels of cardstock. They were backed with craft foam for dimension and adhered to a green card base. The trim was cut with a die from two pieces of coordinating DSP and adhered with a shadow effect one on top of the other then offset.

The sentiment was stamped with green ink on die cut ovals of DSP. The sentiment was popped up with craft foam. The inside of the card was lined with white cardstock and a piece of die

cut DSP was added along the edge.

Be sure to stop by and visit the CYCI? challenge blog!

Techniques: Stamping, die cutting
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: Good Greetings
Ink: Mossy Meadow
Cardstock: Whisper White, Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey
DSP: Farmers Market Collection
Dies: Verve Award Banners & Scalloped Trim Trio (inside), Gina K. Designs Classic and Scalloped Ovals
Misc.: Craft foam

Silver Sparkle

My Sparkle card was inspired by two challenges: Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge #259 and Sunday Stamps Sketch Challenge #104.

The focal panel was made by die cutting red cardstock and foiled cardstock with scallops. The foiled cardstock was purchased with a wavy design already embedded but the red cardstock was embossed with a diagonal stripe. The sentiment, Sparkle, was die cut from the silver foil and adhered to the red. The stars were punched and adhered. The red panel was adhered to the foiled die cut panel.

Using a white card base, a piece of silver foil was adhered to the card front. A piece of wet watercolor paper was colored using refill ink. Once dry it was trimmed to size and adhered to blue cardstock, then adhered to red cardstock. A piece of wired silver ribbon was tied around and it was all adhered to the card base.

A piece of craft foam was adhered to the back of the focal panels and adhered to the card base. The inside of the card was decorated with three punched stars.

Visit Pals Paper Arts and Sunday Stamps for challenge fun!

Techniques: Die cutting, dry embossing, water coloring, punching
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: none
Ink: Pacific Point refill ink
Cardstock: Pacific Point, Real Red, Whisper White, watercolor paper, foiled embossed silver cardstock from stash
Dies: Crafter's Companion Die'sire Scalloped Rectangles
Punch: Star from Itty Bitty Accents Punch Set
Misc: Wired silver ribbon from stash

Needlework Samplers

In 1988, my husband was quite ill for a few months. During that time, I found needlework was something I could do to pass the time at the hospital. I made these two items during that time.

I especially like samplers such as these and they were designed by Linda Coleman, founder and owner of Jeremiah Junction Designs and Cross Country Stitching magazine.

They were stitched on 14-count Aida with DMC embroidery floss. I later had them framed in my favorite shade of blue-green, which I call spruce, and they hang in my bedroom.

 



 

The Flower Baskets

During the years immediately following my husband's death, I had time to do a lot of stitching, sewing and quilting.

The following floral baskets are framed to coordinate with one another and I hung them in my bedroom. At that time my bedroom was decorated in dusty blues and pinks with ecru. Although those colors have long since been replaced, I now have these pieces hanging in the guest bedroom.

They are all stitched on 14-count Aida cloth with DMC embroidery floss. I selected Aida cloth because I wanted to complete these pieces quickly and Aida is the simplest cloth to use to accomplish that goal.

These patterns were designed by Linda Coleman, founder and owner of Jeremiah Junction Designs and Cross Country Stitching magazine.

Made in 1990:

 

 

Made in 1991:

Hen & Rooster Cross-stitch

One of the first projects I made when I learned about counted cross-stitch was to make these for my mother in 1983. I already knew how to embroider so it was an easy transition to x-stitch. My parents had built a lovely home in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and I made these to match the new kitchen decorated in cobalt blue, rusty red and off-white.

I have no recollection of who designed these or where I purchased the patterns. Because I was still new at x-stitch I made these on 14-count Aida cloth. My mother displayed these proudly in her kitchen and after she passed away they came back to me.

They were framed to match the kitchen using navy blue mats on the Aida cloth and then rusty red mats lifted to give depth and to prevent the glass from flattening the stitchery.

 





 

Boho-Chic Inlay

This card is a departure from my usual style. I was inspired by the sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #114 , which has multiple layers and elements. In my mind, the paper, "Bohemian," translates to gypsies, flower power and hippies using rich colors, multiple layers and many shapes all used together.

The lower right corner of a panel of DSP was rounded and then adhered to a white card base. Two additional panels were cut in white with coordinating DSP adhered to them. The left panel was backed with craft foam to lift it from the card base. Wavy stripes were cut using a die and adhered along the lower edge.

Multiple flower shapes, dots and leaves were die cut from matching cardstock. The same die was used to cut shapes into a panel of white. The upper left corner of the white panel was rounded. The panel was backed with tape and colorful shapes were inlaid. Additional shapes were backed with foam and popped up on the white panel.

Candy dots were added and the panel was backed on the right side with craft foam so it would be popped up from the panel on the right and match the height of the left panel. The inside was decorated with leftover flower die cuts and a wavy stripe.

Go to AHSC and join the challenge fun!

Techniques: Die cutting, inlay

Size: A7 (5" x 7")

Products are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: none
Inks: none
Cardstock: Whisper White, Blackberry Bliss, Island Indigo, Coastal Cabana, Delightful Dijon
DSP: Bohemian Collection
Dies: Lil' Inker Designs "Perky Posies" and Reverse Confetti "Doin' the Wave"
Misc.: Candy Dots, craft foam

Happy Birthday - UR GR8

It's time to enter a card into the color challenge at colourQ.

On a panel of white cardstock, geometric images were stamped using Night of Navy and Marina Mist inks. A die cut of geometric design was adhered to the stamped panel, craft foam was added to the back and it was adhered to the navy card base. The craft foam lifts the panel to add dimension.

A banner was cut from Soft Sky and stamped with a sentiment and some hearts and the edges sponged. A yellow heart was cut freehand and stamped with a small sentiment and the edge sponged. The heart was adhered to the banner. A piece of navy seam binding was tied to the banner with a simple square knot. The banner was backed with craft foam and adhered to the card.

The inside of the card was lined with a panel of yellow and stamped across the bottom edge with simple hearts.

Techniques: Stamping, sponging, die cutting, freehand cutting
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Products are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: What's Your Type? stamp set for background, Simon Says Circle Sayings for sentiments
Inks: Night of Navy, Marina Mist
Cardstock: Night of Navy, Soft Sky, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Die: Reverse Confetti Geometric Design
Misc.: Night of Navy 1/2" Seam Binding

Bluebirds Make Me Smile

6/30/2015 Update: This card was selected as an Artist Pick in Hand Stamped Sentiments #214!

6/28/2015 Update: This card was selected as a Favorite of the Week at Splitcoast Stampers!

The deadline for submitting a card to the Hand Stamped Sentiments Sketch Challenge #214 is approaching so I spent some time today thinking about the sketch. Here is my submission:

A die was used to embellish the yellow panel. Dotted DSP was also die cut
and adhered to provide a round frame for the focal images. A strip of blue was added to the right edge. The yellow panel was backed with craft foam for depth and adhered to the gray card base. Coordinating DSP with birds in flight was adhered to a blue panel. A tiny sentiment, Smile, was added in gray ink then the panel was adhered to the card base with foam at the left edge to lift it to the same height as the yellow panel.

The birds and large flower were stamped with gray ink, colored with Spectrum

Noir alcohol markers, fussy cut and edges sponged. They were backed with craft foam to give them dimension then adhered to the card. The small flowers were punched from blue and yellow cardstock, edges sponged, adhered to the card and decorated with pearls.

The inside of the card was lined in yellow cardstock and decorated with flowers punched from dotted DSP and blue cardstock. Visit HSSSC214 for creative card ideas.

Techniques: Stamping, coloring, fussy cutting, sponging, die cutting

Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Products are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: Close to My Heart "Happy Birds"
Ink: Basic Gray, Spectrum Noir alcohol markers
Cardstock: Soft Sky, Basic Gray, Barely Banana (retired)
DSP:  Modern Medley Collection (retired)
Dies: Circles Framelits, Avery Elle Burst Die
Punch: Flower from Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack
Misc.: Basic Pearls, craft foam

Nautical

When I saw this challenge I was fairly sure I would go with a masculine card because I knew I wanted to use the compass charm I had found. This is my submission to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #113.

Three panels of white cardstock were cut and the edges sponged with navy ink. Three strips of DSP were cut and adhered to the white panels. Craft foam was adhered to the back of each white panel and they were adhered to a panel of Coastal Cabana cardstock.

Hemp was used to string the charm and a few knots were tied in the hemp to add to the nautical look. The loose ends of the hemp was attached to the back of the panel. The sentiment was added along with a medium metal stud stick-on. The layers were all adhered to the navy blue card base. A white panel was adhered to the inside then decorated with strips of coordinating paper.

Consider joining in the challenge fun at Atlantic Hearts!

Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")
Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: Computer generated sentiment
Inks: Night of Navy
Cardstock: Night of Navy, Coastal Cabana, Whisper White
DSP: Maritime Collection (retired)
Misc.: Metal stud stick-on, compass charm, hemp, craft foam

Hello Sweet Friend

This card is my submission to The Paper Players Theme Challenge #250. The theme is clean and simple (CAS) "Summer Treats."



The image "Poppy Sundae" was downloaded from A Day for Daisies onto white cardstock and colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers. Clear Wink of Stella was added to the glass dish and cherry then finished with Glossy Accents. By clicking on the close-up photo, one can see the sparkle mimics an icy dish. Sequins were added. 

Dies were used to cut the ovals. The sentiment is computer generated using the Harrington font. It was popped up with foam tape. The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock and strips of matching cardstock and DSP.

Visit The Paper Players for challenge fun!

Techniques: Die cutting, coloring
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials are Stampin' Up unless otherwise indicated:
Stamps: A Day for Daisies "Poppy Sundae" digi-stamp
Inks: Spectrum Noir alcohol markers
Cardstock: Coastal Cabana, Whisper White
DSP: Birthday Bash Collection
Dies: Spellbinders Classic Ovals & Lacy Ovals; Lawn Fawn scallop border
Misc.: Blushing Bride sequins, 3M foam tape, Wink of Stella (clear), Ranger Glossy Accents

Congrats - You Did It!

Occasionally I use digital stamps. I downloaded this one from A Day for Daisies to use in the Can You Case It? Sketch Challenge #75.

Using a pink card base, a panel of blue cardstock was adhered to the front. The inside was decorated with a white cardstock panel stamped with a border design.

The image was printed on white cardstock and colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers. The sentiment was stamped and the right edge of the panel was cut using a cloud border die. The panel was backed with craft foam to lift it off the card. The white panel was adhered to the card base and a blue pearl was added next to the sentiment.

For some lovely digital images, visit A Day for Daisies and for challenge fun, drop by CYCI#75.

Techniques: Stamping, coloring, die cutting, sponging
Size: A2

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: A Day for Daisies "Umbrella Dreams" digital, Altenew "Hennah Elements"
Inks: Bashful Blue (retired), Memento Tuxedo Black, Spectrum Noir alcohol markers
Cardstock: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Pink Pirouette
Die: Lawn Fawn Puffy Borders
Misc.: MS pearl, craft foam

Triple Banners

The Pals Paper Arts Challenge #256 provided inspiration for this card. I recently purchased Spectrum Noir colored pencils so this is my first time using them. I think I need a little practice.

Three banners were cut from DSP in varying widths and lengths and trimmed up a little differently, The banners were adhered to gray cardstock strips, backed with craft foam for depth and adhered to the pink panel. A strand of pink sequins was adhered across the banners and three pieces of strand were left free to partner with the three banners. This was all adhered to the gray card base.



Three flowers were stamped on vanilla cardstock, colored with Spectrum Noir colored pencils and fussy cut. They were popped up on craft foam. Pink pearls were added to the flowers. The inside of the card was decorated with a panel of Very Vanilla cardstock stamped with coordinating flowers.

Be sure to visit PPP for great challenge fun!

Techniques: Stamping, fussy cutting, coloring
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: Altenew "Hennah Elements"
Inks: Pink Pirouette, Spectrum Noir colored pencils, Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Basic Gray, Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla
DSP: Black & vanilla print from stash
Misc.: Sequin trim in Blushing Bride, MS pale pink pearls, craft foam