Monday, December 29, 2008


Here is a standard 4.25 x 5.5 Top fold card using the Key to My Heart stamp set.
The colors used are Tulip and Creme Brulee.
The technique used on this card is faux stitching.
The card sketch is from SCS card sketch 208.
To get the details of doing the faux stitching, please go to my technique page and clck on faux stitching.

6" X 6" Top Fold Card


Here is my first creation from the Heart Of Winter Special, "Key t my Heart." This is a 6"x 6" top fold card. I just don't like this card but I don't know how to make it better. I played with it for weeks. Maybe it's just me.

Colors are Juniper, Sorbet, & Tulip.

The techniques used is called faux embossing. I stamped using the white pigment pad and then over stamped, but slightly offset using Juniper ink.

I also used gold embossing powder for the key and around some of the edges, although it looks black in the picture.
To learn how to do the faux dry embossing, go to my techniques page and click on Faux Dry Embossing.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Chillin'

This card is made using the Chillin' Stamp Set. Don't ya just love these little guys!!!
This is a monochromatic card using just Outdoor Denim Cardstock and ink and White.
The background is done using the cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder. It was so hard for me to leave this card nice & white. I'm so used to sponging the edges of everything.

There is white liquid applique for the snow with glitter on top. I chose not to heat it for this card.

Merry Pursuits


Here is another card made using Merry Pursuits stamp set and the Evensong Creative Basics Paper Pack. I've included the tree from the Evergreen Stamp Set also.

The snowflakes are cut using the Cricut Christmas Solutions Cartridge.
I've owned my Cricuit for 1 1/2 years and have never used it before this.
I guess that's what happens when you love cutting things out as much as I do.

Merry Pursuits


Here is one of my Christmas Cards for this year. These went out to the Humble Artists swap members for 2008.

I had planned on this being our family Christmas Card this year, however, they take so darn long to make. AND, Christmas is only two weeks away and it's just not happening. I need to find a quick fast card to make at this late date.

Evensong Creative Basics paper packet used along with Cranberry Cardstock.
The red CS was sanded in both direction.

Stamp sets used are B1313 - Merry Pursuits and D1298 - Beautiful Things.
Liquid applique was used on the Pine Boughs and then glitter.
All edges sponged with Desert Sand.
The button is actually cranberry cardstock and a Sizzlets die.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Heart Throb


Here is a Valentine that my card club made this month using the Heart Throb Stamp Set.

The colors used are Juniper, Sorbet, Colonial White, Cocoa, and Desert Sand ink for distressing.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Heart Throb

Here are the two layouts that I'm doing for Tomorrow's Workshop.
I used the Dec 2008 Stamp of the Month - Heart Throb
Cardstock - Sorbet, Juniper, Cocoa, & Colonial White
B&T is from the Perfect Day Paper Pack - X7100B
Inks used - Sorbet, Juniper Cocoa, & Desert Sand for distressing edges.
Sparkles were used in the centers of the tiny flowers on edges of photo mats.
Dimensional Elements Ribbon Accents used on left page along with Colonial White Ribbon.


Close-up Of Left Page

Close-up Of Right Page

Friday, November 14, 2008

All Decked Out

Here is an Acetate Card. My technique club made this card this month and loved it. It's made using CTMH "All Decked Out", the November Stamp of the Month. You can use any type of clear Transparency film that's thick enough to be used as cardstock for the base of the card.

If you search the Internet, you can find Clear Cardstock. I used Over head transparency Film.

Cute acetate sheet in half and fold in half to form a standard A2 card base. Stamp any image onto the front of the acetate using StazOn Ink in any color. I used Opaque White.

The trick to making this card successfully is to start with the very first layer of cardstock and mount it to the front of the acetate. The mount a slightly larger piece directly behind the top piece concealing the adhesive on the top layer. Continue on with the card in this manner. The last piece of paper gets mounted on the back of the card.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

All Decked Out

This is the left layout.
Designed from Page 29 of Reflections Book.
Bottom Border - Base.

This is the right Layout
Designed from Page 70 of reflections Book.
Front & Center - Trio

Two layouts that I made for a November Workshop.

Stamps used were:
All Decked Out - Nov08 SOTM
Feathery Flakes - D1317
December Word Puzzle - D1313

Also used was the Aspen Level II Paper Pack
Twilight, Black & Creme Brulee Ink Pads.
Also Desert Dans Ink Pad for distressing around every piece of paper.

Liquid Applique - heated and puffed
Liquid Glass added on top of puffed Liquid Applique and Prisma glitter added.
White 3/8 Organdy ribbon dyed using the Twilight Ink Pad.
Twilight Corduroy Brad from the Winter Cozy Collection
White Mini Brads

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Bethlehem

This card was created using the Simple Pleasures Paper Pack along with Desert Sand and Twilight cardstock.

I used the Texture Tool sea sponge to very lightly sponge some desert sand into the white cardstock under the building and the black stupple brush in the sky area.

Bethlehem

This is a simple card made with our retired B&T paper.
It is a super fast card to create.
I used the color Petal for the papers and ink.

Bethlehem

This card was created completely by accident. The card I had planned for a make & take at a gathering was left sitting on my table at home. Ink pad included. Luckily I had extra card bases in my bag and a Twilight pad and paper from a project I had just demonstrated. So, after I calmed my self down, I created this card on the fly.

But, I think it was a good accident because I rather like it. I've always heard that there are no accidents in life!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Playful Petals

Here is a card I made with my club. It's a turkey made using the Playful Petals (C1288) stamp set.
The feathers are the petals.

The feet is using the tiny flourish stamp in the set.

The body is a 1 3/8" circle punch. The head is another punch but I'm not sure of the size. May be 3/4".

The beak is just the small part of one of the feathers, like the ones right behind his body.

The wattle is a photo turn.

The background was embossed with a cuttlebug embossing folder but you could take the New England Ivy Cardstock and sand it to distress it slightly if you don't have an embossing folder.

The Happy Thanksgiving is retired.

Take Flight

This is another card I made for Christmas Last year.

The is a 3.5 x 8 card.

The red background was done using the resist technique.

Using a piece of Glossy Cardstock, I inked the poinsettia stamp with VersaMark ink and stamped it randomly over the entire piece of glossy paper.

I then inked up my rubber brayer with cranberry ink and rolled it back and forth over the glossy CS re-inking when necessary to get full coverage.

I let it dry for a few minutes and took a tissue and wiped off the excess red ink from the glossy.
This reveled the stamped imaged that was stamped with the VersaMark.

Let it dry for a few hours or overnight.

Whipe over it with a used dryer sheet to eliminate embossing powder from sticking where you don't want it.

Ink then Poinsettia stamp back up with the VersaMark Ink and stamp it randomly three times on the glossy in a triangular pattern.

Cover with white embossing powder and shake off excess. Heat with Heat tool.

Liquid applique was added to the branches and also to the top scallop of the card then heated slightly to puff up.

I then went over it with a glue pen and added some glitter.

Take Flight

This was one of my Christmas Cards last year.

I used the cardinal from the Take Flight Stamp Set.

Papers used are Everlasting B&T, New England Ivy & Cranberry Cardstock.
I used the White Daisy Pigment Ink Pad and white Embossing Powder and heat set for Merry Christmas.
I used Desert Dand Ink to sponge the edges of the papers and card.

Black Archival Pad was used to stamp the Cardinal and color in with Holly Berry Red and Cranberry Markers.

I punched a circle out of Cranberry CS, folded it in half and adhered it to the left front edge of the card and attached an edge anchore to the circle.

Red Gross Grain Ribbon was attached to the card front right where the B&T and red cardstock meet. Knot a small piece of ribbon onto the ribbon.

Take Flight

This is the inside of the "Z" Fold Card

This is a "Z" Fold Card I did with my club.
The cardinal is from the Take Flight Set (D1234)
I used the Peace on Earth Sentiment Set (D1243) for the inside of the card.
The B&T paper is from the Everlasting Paper Pack (Z7085B).
Also used New England Ivy Cardstock.
Inks used were Archival Black, Cranberry and new England Ivy.
Cardinal was colored in with Holly Berry Red and Cranberry Markers.
The directions will come later in the Technique Section of my Blog.

Snow Friends

Cardstock used is White, Amethyst, and Crystal Blue.

Cut Crystal Blue Cardstock 1/4" smaller then card base.
Stamp snowflakes and snowballs on it with Daisy White Ink. Set aside to dry since the white is a pigment ink and takes longer to dry.

I used Hydrangea Ink to stamp Let It Snow on White Gross Grain Ribbon.

The snowman was stamped with black in the upper half of a piece of white CS.
It was stamped again on a piece of Vellum Paper.

Color in both with Amethyst marker.

Flip vellum over to wrong side and adhere to the white CS under the upper snowman to get a reflective look.

Use white Liquid Applique to fill in the area between the two snowmen, which will also hide the adhesive. Use the liquid applique on the snow balls also. Heat both.

You can add glitter to the snow before heating or you can go over the snow with a glue pen after it's heated and add glitter then.

The ribbon was cut about 1" longer then the card. Adhere the stamped ribbon to the right front of the Crystal Blue cardstock. By doing this, you use less ribbon and the ends are concealed behind the blue CS.

Now adhere the Crystal Blue CS to the card front.
Tie a knot of white ribbon where ever you would like it.

Assemble the rest of the card as shown above.

I also lightly swipped Crystal Blue Ink around the edges of the card. May be done before or after assembly.

Snow Friends

Colors used is White, Crystal Blue, Amethyst, & Blush Cardstock
Inks used are Crystal Blue and Black.
The snow and snowballs were done using white Liquid Applique and glitter. Then heated slightly to get a puffy look. Be careful not to heat too long or too close ot it will scorch.

New Fallen Snow

The background of this card was made using the Polished stone technique.
Use a cotton ball and put alcohol on it. Then a drop of Crystal Blue Re-inker and a drop of Twilight re-inker.
Now start daubing the cotton ball over over a piece of Glossy Cardstock cut to the size you want to use.
Completely cover the CS to your liking. Add another drop of re-inker or more alcohol as needed
Set aside to dry completely. Best if let set for a few hours or over night.
You can wipe a used dryer sheet over the top when dry to prevent any embossing powder from sticking where you don't want it.
Then using the VersaMark pad, Ink up the largest stamp from the New Fallen Snow (D1171) set and stamp it in the upper half of the card.
Immediately cover it with white Embossing Powder.
Tap off excess powder and heat using a Heat Tool.
Next, take the word Merry Christmas from the Wonderful Season (C1293) set and ink it with the VersaMark pad.
Stamp it on the bottom of the card and cover with white Embossing Powder.
Tap off excess and heat.
Add a strip of white sheer ribbon across card and use edge anchors on the ends.
Tie a knot in the middle of the ribbon.

New Fallen Snow

Cardstock Used: Colonial White, Heavenly Blue, Twilight & Desert Sand.
Background on top of card was made by embossing snowflakes with white EP on Heavenly Blue CS.
Then sponging Desert Sand ink over embossed snowflakes.
Stamp other snowflakes around it with Twilight ink, first and second generation. Then with a few smaller snowflakes in Desert Sand.
Top the one snowflake with a round window charm and add Desert Sand Bow to top.
If you don't have the color you need for the bow, just ink Desert Sand ink over White Sheer Ribbon.

Winter Memories


This card uses just Twilight & Creme Brulee Cardstock.
The background is done using pearl paint and re-inker mixed together and sponged on.
This was a Sketch Challenge from SCS.

Winter Memories


This card is from a sketch challenge I participated in from "Take Ten" Magazine for the Spring 09 issue.
I haven't heard back from them yet, so I doubt mine was chosen.Glitter was used on the snowman.
It looks much better in person.

Winter Memories


The background of the snowman and the shading on the snowman was done with chalks.
The snow under the snowman is liquid applique heated.
The snow around the snowman and on the background of the card is done using the liquid applique and the black stupple brush.
Small snowflake stamp is from Feathery Flakes.

Winter Memories 9x9


This 9x9 Layout is using Liquid Applique and glitter on the snowman then heated to get the puffy look.

Paper was torn with glitter on the edges to resemble snow drifts.

The snowflakes on the background were stamped using the Feathery Flakes (D1317) and Outdoor Denim and White Daisy Ink.

The trees on the left side is B&T paper from the Aspen Paper Pack (X7103B)

Shining Star


Here is a side fold card made using the Aspen Paper Pack (X7103B) and the Shining Star stamp set (D1320).

The star was stamped with Bamboo Ink then embossed with clear embossing powder.

A Bigger Brad was placed in the center and a brown rub-on from Nature's Ambiance was applied to the brad.

The word celebrate was first stamped with white daisy then over stamped with outdoor denim but moved slightly down and to the left before stamping.

The stitching on the bamboo cardstock behind the star is actually faux stitching done by using the paper piercer to make holes, then using a white gel pen to mark lines between each hole.

Colors used on this card are Twilight, Bamboo and Outdoor Denim.

Whooo Loves You


Here is a card that I made for my son-in-law for his birthday last week.

I used some retired B&T for the background and a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the Birthday words.

The leaves on the branches are from the Sept.08 SOTM-Treasure Life.

This card is a top fold 5x7.

Annotations & September Word Puzzle


Well, here it is the end of October and I haven't gotten around to playing with this stamp set except for this card and a two page layout that I will post as soon as I get some pictures on them.

I also used the September Word Puzzle set (D1313) for this card.

I wish you could see it in person. The slight glitter on the apples & flowers adds such charm to it.

All Decked Out


Here is my first card using the November Stamp of the Month.
This was done for my sideline's unit swap.
I used the back side of the Evensong Level II paper (X7104B). The front side of the papers are mainly Cranberry, & New England Ivy with some Olive & Sorbet. But the reverse sides are two different designs in Olive and two different designs in Sorbet.
Since I didn't want Christmas Colors for my winter birthday card, I used a little Cranberry and mostly Sorbet papers.The snowman was stamped on white CS in black and the scarf and hat were stamped on the cranberry side of the B&T paper.
A fine line of glue was added to all parts glittered using the write n' rub pen then prisma glitter was applied.
Liquid applique and glitter were added to the pom pom on his hat and the ends of the scarf and heated slightly to puff up the liquid applique.
The glitter is hard to see but in person, it really sparkles.
The carrot nose was stamped on Sorbet cardstock and cut out.
The arms were stamped on Chocolate CS with black ink and cut out.