Christmas Cards 1

Hello all!

Sorry for the lack of posts.  I have had a long run of colds this past few weeks culminating in the flu this past week.  I can honestly say this is the longest run of feeling bad I've ever had...  Anyway, the lesson here is: REST!  If you don't, you get sick!

I thought I'd show you the cards I created this year for my mom to send out at Christmas. I have my mom pick out her choice of images and greeting each year from my collection and then I get creative! 

This year she picked a Mulburry Wood set (from the UK) and because of the letter image, I decided to go postal!  I coloured all the images with my watercolour crayons and water brush.  For the French version I used Friskars postal scissors to edge the images.  The smaller postoid is an older Stampin' Up set.  The bottom edge is the Tim Holtz Alterations border die.  The card is 4 1/4x 5 1/2".  I wrapped the top with some small ric rac ribbon. 

 The inside panel was cut out with the pop up die from Sizzix using some Magenta printed paper.  On the pop up is a greeting from Magenta, trimmed with the scissors and then a Spellbinders Postage Die.

 The English version was similar only using the Spellbinders Postal die for the main image and the greeting is from the same set as the puppy.

The inside greeting for the English cards is from an old set from Close to my Heart.

Mojo Monday 319

Hello all!

I had this card made a couple days ago but got distracted! :)  Only 2 more days until I have a table at the Edmonton Twins and Triplets Christmas Show! 

This card is using the sketch for this week's Mojo Monday.  I've been going in so many directions lately, it's nice to have a sketch to start with.  Half the work is done! 

Those who know me, know I am NUTS about giraffes!  This sketch let me use some of my tons of ribbon and papers...  The card is 5x6.5"  Background paper is Karen Foster Spots, followed by a scrap of upholstery fabric trimmed with my deckle scissors.  The large circle is cut from unknown beige shimmer paper, the smaller giraffe paper is also unknown.  The giraffe sticker is from Karen Foster Wild Things... Too funny!  I really didn't plan to use the same designer, it just happened! :)  I cannot remember who makes the giraffe print ribbon, but the one above it is Maya Arts. 

Red + Green + anything Christmasy

Hello!
I am a day late posting these cards!  Too involved in making more cards to sell at the Edmonton Twins and Triplets show in 10 days!  Eek!  Then I forgot to post... Ooops!  Sorry for the lateness.

This week Priyanka asked us to pick an image to create something Red + Green + anything Christmasy.  So I chose to use one of her free images: Love Me Not.  I coloured the images with my watercolor crayons and a waterbrush.

After colouring, I cut out the image with Spellbinders Labels 20 and hand cut the red velvet mini mat.  The largest green mat is cut out of gold textured paper. (gold just does not photograph well!)  The 5x6.5" card is covered with red shimmer paper I put through my Cuttlebug and the Spellbinders M-Bossabilities Mystic folder.  I tucked a gold ribbon behind it before adhering it to the card front.  To finish it off, I added a Making Memories 'Merry Christmas' fabric label.

For my second card, I decided to use Mojo Monday's weekly sketch.  So I am also entering it in this week's challenge.  I used Spellbinders Labels 28 to cut out this coloured image and the mat is red mulberry paper.  The 5x6.5" card was covered with red shimmer card then an layer of green Sizzix cardstock that was run through my Cuttlebug 'Christmas Countdown' embossing folder.  Michaels ribbon is down the right side and top and some poinsettia flower charms someone sent me are the finishing touches.

Hugs to all!  Have a great weekend!

Edmonton Twins and Triplets Club Christmas Sale

Hello!

Looks like I will have a table at the Edmonton Twins and Triplets Club again this year!  I SO enjoyed the family feel of this club last year, I sought them out again this year.  I'll have some completed albums that only need pictures to be added and some handmade cards for sale.  If you get a chance, please come out and support these amazing and strong families! 

Here is a teaser of some of the items I will have for sale...

 



Happy Halloween!

Hope you and your mini Halloweeners are having fun!
Here is one last project I did this year for Halloween:

I was lucky enough to have it published in the Vamp Stamp News E-Article Gelatos, Gel Sticks and Stamps. 
This is close up of the process of rubbing the gellatos onto an embossed surface:

 

You basically just rub the sticks across the raised surface then use either a blending stick (or I prefer my finger) to combine the different colours.

 

Have a great day!

Boo!

Halloween is coming!!!!

I love Halloween!  I love to dress up and see kids all dressed up.  Too bad here in Edmonton, Halloween is usually accompanied by cold weather and sometimes even snow! 

I stamped the basic alphabet blanks for these cards years ago and then promptly 'lost' them in my stash of projects 'to do' :)  I refound them and decided to finish them off.  The big alphabet is retired from Stampin' Up!  The cards are all 6x 17" cardstock folded into 3. 

The 'Blood Card' was rubbed all over with Distress Inks (Barn Door & Vintage Photo) and a sponge.  Then I stamped the blood drips (Martha Stewart) in red all across the panels.  I used Basic Black and SU! markers to colour in the stamps.  Left to right the stamps are as follows:  Dangling Spider (Martha Stewart), Pumpkin (We Are Memory Keepers), round web (Inkadinkadoo), Trick or Treat (Inkadinkadoo) and the Spider (Inkadinkadoo).

The bright card was rubbed over with sponges and Distress Inks (Ripe Persimmon, Seedless Preserves, Mowed Lawn)  I then stuck with Basic Black to stamp the following:  Corner Web (SU!), Small cat (SU!), Round Webs (Inkadinkadoo), Swirl cat (Inque Boutique), Word Cat (SU!), October (Hero Arts).

And this Spider card was rubbed over with SU! Basic Black and Momento Black.  The winding spiders are by Inkadinkadoo and stamped in Basic Black.  The other stamps were stamped in Brilliance Black Ink: Spider Swirl (Inkadinkadoo), Mummy cat (Magenta), Hanging Spider (Inkadinkadoo), Mummy (Craft Smart), Flying Witch (Inkadinkadoo), Coloured Witch (SU!), Ghouls Greeting (Craft Smart).

Everything Christmas!

Hello!

Priyanka at My Heart Pieces challenged us to come up with a project for Christmas this week.  Hard to do with Halloween a week away, but here's what I came up with...

I used Tim Holtz's large tag as a template for this project.  Then I traced it onto old Karen Foster December Doodle paper, cutting it out with deckle scissors.  I edged the base with red ink, then placed the patterned paper over top.  Wide Recollections Washi tape was wrapped twice at the bottom, then accented with some Christmas bias tape at the edge.  I printed out the 'Party Time' image from My Heart Pieces and coloured it in with Prismacolor pencils.  I fussy cut the image out and placed it on the tag.  Finishing it off is a Merry Christmas Page Pebble by Making Memories and a handful of different ribbons from my stash.
All ready to adorn a gift of a bottle at Christmas!

May Arts Halloween Challenge

Hello All!

In September, 20 people were offered a chance to create something special using some of May Arts newest ribbon!  I was chosen with my idea of making a mini spiral book to be used for pictures or for journaling. :) Check it out: 

I started with 2 pieces of 5x8" grunge board by Tim Holtz.  I trimmed both sides to give it a dress shape.  It has a spiral pattern embossed on it so I rubbed Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink over both sides of the covers.  To add some depth and interest, I used a black sharpie to trace some of the design on the front and back.  I used some of the Black Satin ribbon, folded in half lengthwise and adhered to a 2" glue dot to make a flower.  The center of the flower is a bat charm from Tim Holtz Adornments. 

Along the bottom of both covers I used double sided tape to wrap the Orange Ribbon with Black Pom Poms.  Then another row of tape.  This time I gathered the spider ribbon to create a ruffle.  To finish it off, I wrapped the Black Twine over the ruffle a few times and tied it in a knot.  

I used the cover to create a 5x6.5" template to cut out orange pages out of cardstock.  The Bind It All was used with a 1/2" coil to punch and connect everything together.  

Of course I had some ribbon left over so I created a couple more items...

Most of the left over Black Satin ribbon was wrapped around a 5x6.5" card.  A strip of the orange/pom-pom ribbon across the center, then a strip of the Spider Ribbon above that.  I covered a 3.5x4.5" piece of orange cardstock with torn purple mulberry paper.  I stamped the image by Inkadinkado with black ink, then purple Encore ink and embossed with Kaleidoscope embossing powder.   On the bottom right, a scrap piece of the grunge board was coloured with Seedless Preserves Distress Ink, swirls traced with a white then orange sharpie. An owl charm from Tim Holtz Adornments was attached with glue dots.  I tied a small strip of the Black Satin ribbon in a knot and attached it to the top left for accent. 

The last item is an award ribbon for Halloween!  Start with a 2.25x5.5" orange card for a base.  Adhere a 2" glue dot center top and gather the spider ribbon around the edge.  Spray the left over pieces of grunge board with Fully Purple Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist.  Trim and make a flower-like center to the spider ribbon.  Finish off the center with another charm from Tim Holtz Adornments.  I folded a strip of the Orange/Pom-Pom ribbon under the center charm.  It was finished off with a pin on the back with scrap cardstock and glue dots. 

 

Sympathy

Hello!

Sympathy cards are cards I take very seriously.  In 2009 our family had a horrible year with the loss of two parents and our 12 year old dog.  I took great comfort in receiving a note and or a card from my online friends.  Don't get me wrong!  Family and close friends were there for us too, but these ladies who only know me by my online presence touched me with the effort they made to create and send me a card.  3 such friends recently experienced a loss and I needed to create some cards.  I created a couple extra to have on hand next time.   When I create sympathy cards, I am constantly thinking of these and other friends/family who have lost someone.  These are truly works of love.  Peace to all who have had to go through this life changing event. 

This card is 5x6.5". I cut a 4.5x6" piece of Stampin' Up paper, covered with a 4x5.25" piece of SU! paper from the same set. 
I stamped this little Asian girl (cannot remember where she is from!)  onto Sizzix peach paper, then masked her as I stamped the text stamp by Stamp Magick over top.  Stampin' Up markers were used to colour her in, then I used my tearing ruler to rip the edges and rubbed them against a red ink pad.  I placed this collaged image on the matted card. 
Red crocheted trim down the left and a button brad finish off the card. 

Think Pink!

Hi there!

I am not a pink person in general, but love to play with the colour when doing special projects like this!  As Lisa from Digi Darla said:
These days it is getting harder and harder to find someone who hasn't been touched by cancer.  It is breast cancer awareness month and it is the perfect opportunity to create a card letting someone know we are thinking about them.  The card doesn't specifically have to be for someone dealing with cancer, it could just be for someone that is dealing with some sort of difficulty, or a project that lets someone you care about, know that you are thinking of them.  However, in honour of breast cancer awareness month, we do ask that you include lots of pink on your creation.

This week's challenge is to use as much pink as possible, and I do LOVE a challenge!  So here's my 6x8"card:

I started with Digi Darla's two images, 'Fairy Love' and 'Miracles Are Everywhere'.  I printed 2 3.5x5" of the Fairy and 2x3" of the saying.  Prismacolour pencils were used to colour both images and the hand/heart of the second fairy.  I used Labels 22 to cut out the fairy and then Decorative Labels 22 to cut out the mat out of a scrap of pink card.  A hand cut second mat was done out of a lighter pink card.  I placed this onto an old printed cardstock piece from my stash.  I believe it is from Die Cuts With A View.  I cut apart the greeting then reassembled it overlapping the matted image. 

The card is an 8x12" piece of pink Bazzil cardstock folded in half.  Then placed a 5.5x7.25" piece of Think Pink paper by Me & My Big Ideas.  A strip of SU! Purely Pomegranate satin ribbon was wrapped around the card front, then the layered panel on top of that.  A strip of flower ribbon was placed across the front to add more detail.  As a finishing touch I cut out the heart and hand from the second fairy image and pop-dotted it over the original, then added stickles (Cotton Candy) to her wings and (Magenta) to the flowers in her hair.
Enjoy and challenge yourself to create something pink!  Hugs!

Anything Goes!

Hello!

At My Heart Pieces this week we have an easy challenge: Anything Goes!  I have been admiring the image of "Pretty Noyontara" for a while and decided to play with her. 

Since she is dressed up as a mythical creature, I went all out and used fun colours to depict her.  I also used a technique called 'Spotlighting' where you only colour in part of the image. I printed two copies of the image 3.5x5" on white cardstock. Labels 20 from Spellbinders was used to cut out both the spotlighted part and the entire image.  Prismacolor pencils were used to colour in the spotlight.  Once coloured I pop dotted the smaller image on the larger, matching up the image.  Then I hand cut two mats for the image with papers I created using my Gelli Plate.  The card is 5x6.5" covered with another Gellied paper.  I layered Glittery purple ribbon on top of gold accented 1" cut our ribbon, then on some Michaels sheer purple ribbon.  I placed the border on the left side of the card front, then placed the matted image centered.  Final touch was a circle stamp from the set 'Magical Mini Letter Seals' by Whimsey Stamps,  I stamped and matted this with scraps from the handmade paper.  I punched the greeting with Family Treasure's 1 1/4" circle punch and the mat with Punch Bunch's 1.5" circle punch. 

Until next time!

Using up personal stock

Hello!

I am finally able to post after being out for a week with a cold/flu!  Hope you all are all keeping healthy. 

I bought a couple kits a few years ago from Moveable Parts.  I never did get to assembling them.  Last month I finally did.  My sister's birthday was coming up and she is very much a kitty person.  She also turned the big 4 0 !  I am not famous for following instructions at the best of times, since as soon as I see what we are doing, I tend to tweek it a bit to see what happens.  So here are the results of my purchased kit: Pack of Cats.

Card one is my sister's 40th card.  The left side is accordion folded and a kitty has been placed on each fold.  I made the card fold over from the right, making it backwards from normal, but I like this quirk!  On the folding side I only adhered the kitty paper top, bottom and left side, making a pocket to insert a gift card.  The score lines were made at 2"/2"/2"/2"/2"/2"/2"/5"/5".  Then I folded the top corner at the end.  I used paper from We Are Memory Keepers called Friends Furever.  The HB stamp is by Stampin' Up!  The inside words I created using the Dial-Up A Word Band Stamp DUS300

 

The second card was folded as per instructions, sort of, and the rest of the kitties added in the accordion folds as required.  Same paper used to embellish the card.

The score lines were 1 3/4",1 3/4",2 1/2",1 1/2",2 1/2",2",6",2",2 1/2",1 3/4",1 3/4"

 



 

No my usual work, but quick and fun!

Happy Halloween!

Hi there!

This week at My Heart Pieces the challenge is Halloween!  As we all dress up at Halloween I thought I'd use Priyanka's "Jungle Queen" image for this challenge.  I think I might make myself a costume along these lines!  Both these images were printed to 4x6" size onto white cardstock on my Laser Jet Printer. 

This first card was coloured with my Prismacolor pencils.  I find I am beginning to like these more and more...  Once coloured I used the Spellbinders Labels 28 to cut it out.  I matted her onto Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells paper and hand cut the mat.  Then repeated the process onto black shiny packaging.  I used a piece of felt and a black ink pad to dry rub some black along the edges for a more grungy look.  I also added a gold hat charm that happen to fit her perfectly!  I used a black Sharpie to colour in the hat.

 

The card is 5.5 x 8.5".  I placed some Darice Steampunk Washi tape down the side of a 5.25 x 8.25" piece of Fanciful Floral paper (same line as above) then adhered the matted Jungle Queen.    The ribbon is from Michaels and the Mini Gears are from Tim Holtz.  I am liking this Steampunk thing!

 

Card #2 is more of a general card.  I loved the idea of 'Jungle' and so tried to make her truly jungle-like.  I coloured her in with my watercolour crayons and water pen then cut her out with Spellbinders Labels 20.  This time I did not use the largest size so I was able to cut the appropriate mat out of Karen Foster 'Spots' paper.  I edged both layers with a black marker. 

 

This card is 4x8" made from an 8x8" piece of printed cardstock in my stash.  I wrapped the front with 1.5" ribbon from Michaels then placed the matted queen on top.  I found that one piece of vellum showed through too much so cut out a second one then secured them with the EK Success Fastenaters.  The greeting is one from a set I've had for a while but not used!  the Word Art Stamps v.1 by Autumn Leaves. 



Heartfelt Creations Application

Hello!

Last week I applied to become a Design team member for Heartfelt Creations.  I love these stamps especially since quite a few of them come with matching dies which makes it easy to cut out!  I started with HCPC 3325 Daisy Bouquet and the HCPC 3318 Daisy Patch Flowers and stamped off a few of each on white cardstock.  I used my Prismacolors pencils to colour in the flowers then the matching die set HCD 703 Daisy Patch to cut out the individual flowers. 

I used the second bouquet to create a mask in order to spray the background.  I used Forest Green Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist and Lindy's Stamp Gang Moon Shadow Mist - Treasure Island Turquoise.  I took a 5.25x7" piece of brown Mulberry paper and cut out the largest Labels 20 die to make a mat. Then pop dotted a 5.5x7" yellow embossed oval mat over that.  Green Maya Arts lace ribbon was adhered around the edge of the card and I made a bow of unknown ribbon and Maya Arts Mini Rik Rak to place in the top corner.
 

I used Irredescent vellum to cut our some flowery corners to accent top and bottom of the matted flowers (Cherry Lynn DL161 Lace Corner Deco A) and left over paper to cut out the quote panel (Spellbinders Fancy Labels).  Both were coloured in with my Bic markers.  The quote is by Stampin' Up. 

 I am trying to finish off the inside of the cards as well lately, and so I used scraps and leftovers to decorate the inside.

Happy Anniversary My Love

Hello!

It is our 19th Anniversary today.  19 years ago, we had eloped and made our way to Florida from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.  No we were not running away, but trying to save some money and meet as much of our family as possible.  In the end we spent the same amount on this wedding/honeymoon as we would have on a one day event in a church and dinner.  After 1 week in Walt Disney World, we spent 2 weeks in Ontario and Quebec meeting each others' extended family.  Here is our official wedding photo so long ago!

For his anniversary card, I wanted to remind him of our time in the Disney parks.  I had found this button that played "It's a Small World" a while ago and wanted to incorporate it in the card. 

 

So I collected some papers and some cork to create an extra high pop up bar to accommodate the musical button.  The map is something torn from a magazine a while ago.

 

 

I went through my stamps, both traditional and digital to find as many different world wide characters I had.  I ended up with:

MacKenzie by Sugar Nellie

Ukrainian Doll by Studio G

Canadians by High Hopes

Japanese Doll by Hero Arts

Rajrupa by My Heart Pieces

Lil' Indian Harvest by Digi Darla

 

I stamped and printed them all on white paper then coloured them in with my watercolour crayons and water pen, accented by markers.  Fussy cutting them was a bit of a challenge, then I overlapped them trying to make up for different sizes by depth of field. 

 

I covered the 5.5x5.5" map panel with a same size printed vellum in order to reduce the brightness of the map but still show it.  Once the different characters were added, I placed the music button behind the Canadian. (We ARE Canadian after all!) Then I placed the cork supports as well.  This was all placed on the yellow 6x6" folded card front.  I finished off the card with some green Candi pop ups on three corners. 

 

Now I got to go get ready for dinner out.  Thanks for joining us on our special day!

 

Oh!  And I am entering this card with the 'It's a Small World" challenge at Quirky Crafts.





Shimmery Christmas Card

Hi!

I've been working on cards for another design team application this week in between starting my first week back at work.  Whew!

This is something I've been wanting to try and so I did!  Elizabeth Craft Designs has these Shimmer sheets that look quite luxurious!  I was wondering what would happen if I tried cutting out some shapes with it.  So I used the Shapeabilities Layered Poinsettias and cut out the flower petals with the red metallic and the leaves with the green metallic sheets.  I did not get the embossing on the cut outs, so I used Bic markers to add some vein details on the leaves and petals.  I also tried cutting out a frame with dark copper metallic shimmer sheet. 

I took a 4 3/4x  5 1/2" piece of DCWV Embossed Glitter cardstock, stamped and embossed a Stampin' Up! reindeer stamp then placed the die cut frame around it.  I placed this onto a 5.5x 7" pieces of Magenta printed vellum, then onto the finished 5 3/4x 7 1/4" card.

I placed a recycled piece of ribbon down the left side of the card, then assembled my shimmery poinsettia!  The finishing touch is a 'Joy' fabric label I've had in my stash for quite a while...