Sweet Birthday Wishes

If you are like me, there is always a need for birthday cards, so I am sharing the latest one I created for a friend. 

The Floral Wreath image from Just For Fun Rubber Stamps was colored with Tombow markers.  The yellow card background was created with a die cut and then layered on Persimmon cardstock.  To create more dimension I chose to die cut a window and layer this over the image.  The same circle die and a slightly larger scalloped circle die were used to create the border around the window.  If you wanted a less labor intensive version, you could simply die cut the image with a circle die and layer on a scalloped die cut and add to the card front.  I also chose to have the bow at the top of the floral wreath.

The JFF sentiment, Sweet Birthday Wishes, was stamped in black on a hand cut banner and layered across the image.  This helped fill the open window without covering up to much of the lovely floral wreath.  I think I will be using versions of this card more often.  

Have a great week.

Winter Cardinal

Even though the weather by me has been really nice, we ended up with cold rain and a little ice this weekend.  Perfect time to share a winter card.  The Large Cardinal stamp, from Just For Fun Rubber Stamps, was used on this card and even though this is in their Christmas themed images, it can be used for so much more.

A white, embossed background was created to show off this brightly colored cardinal.  It was colored with Copic markers and die cut with Spellbinders’ Label 4.  After adding to the card front, it was surrounded by additional die cut/punched snowflakes and a simple sentiment (from JFF's Sentiments 1 Unmounted Sheet).  This card is perfect for this time of the year but can be used for any occasion – Birthday, Get Well, Sympathy - by simply changing the sentiment.

Have a wonderful week.

Winter Wonderland

I had to work really hard to produce this card this weekend.   I had been sick earlier this week so I decided I would make a lot of cards while playing with my friends at our favorite scrapbook store this weekend.  We showed up late, ate a fantastic lunch, celebrated a birthday, and then the store closed early due to a coming snowstorm.  Didn't leave much time to get creative.  Today with all the ice, snow, and wind our power kept going on and off and it took some real determination to get out of my comfy chair and go to my chilly craft room and get creative.  Sure had fun once I got started. Since a winter storm is very unusual for our area, it seemed the perfect time to share a winter card.

The Pines along Stream Silhouette image from Just For Fun was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and a portion was die cut using Spellbinders’ Label 4 Nestability.  Then a mixture of Stormy Sky and Shaded Lilac Distress Ink and Paris Dusk Memento Ink were sponged around the edges. The Winter Wonderland sentiment from JFF's The Seasons Word Block, along with the bird section of their Lighthouse Silhouette, were stamped with Paris Dusk ink.  A little white “snow” was added to the trees and ground.  I wanted the snow to pop a little more but my poor white gel pen dried up on me and all the stores were closed (not that I could even get out of my neighborhood as the streets are still totally packed with ice/snow).  

The die cut image was layered on a larger white die cut that was embossed with an embossing folder.  This was added to blue layers on a white card base.  It is hard to see there are two different shades of blue used for the layers but these add to the winter chill of the scene.

Have a wonderful week.

Just For Fun Rubber Stamps August Monthly Challenge

It is time for a new monthly challenge at the Just For Fun Rubber Stamp Blog.  The theme for the August challenge is

For inspiration, I decided to create my “stripes” with a die.  I die cut the top white layer with two different dies, creating the angled stripes and the oval center window.  This was sponged with red ink on the edges and added to a red layer, also inked on the edges.

The Lighthouse image from Just For Fun was stamped on watercolor paper and lightly colored with Zig Watercolor Markers.  This was die cut with an oval die slightly smaller than the window and added to the card center.

Head to the Just For Fun Blog for more inspiration and details.  We would love for you to join the challenge with your own striped creation.

Split Sillhouette

I wanted to share an easy silhouette card.  Just For Fun has so many great silhouette images and today I used the Dolphins-Palm Silhouette.  It was stamped in black and I love to use my Tim Holtz Stamp Platform with these solid stamps.  You can stamp it several times to get a dark, crisp image.  It was cut into three rectangles, splattered and distressed, and layered on white rectangles.

The background layer was created by smooshing white cardstock into various spritzed Distress Oxide Inks on a craft mat.  After this dried, it was die cut with an old Spellbinders’ Frame Die.  The three image rectangles were layered on top of this.

Have a great week.

Just For Fun April Challenge

Happy Easter!

This is one of my favorite holidays.  It is a celebration of new beginnings, offered to each of us through God’s love and sacrifice. 

It is also a new month, with the beginning of a new challenge at Just For Fun Rubber Stamps blog.  We are celebrating Spring, bringing new beginnings for plants, trees, and flowers, so we are looking for your projects featuring “Spring Flowers”.

My card features Just For Fun’s Lily image.  A portion of this image was stamped with Rich Cocoa Memento Ink on the edge of a piece of white cardstock.  This was masked and the image stamped again.  The flowers and background were colored with Copic Markers.

After layering on purple cardstock on the white card base, a simple die cut cross was added.  Spellbinders’ Shapeabilities Crosses die was used and a little gold was rubbed on top to bring out the design and give it an aged look.

Have a lovely Easter.

E. Marie

Diagonal Valentine Treat Boxes

Is Valentine’s Day sneaking up on you?  Here are some little treat boxes that you still have time to make.

This first box is only 1 ½” on all sides.  It is created with two-sides cardstock and tied shut with pink polka-dot ribbon.

It opens up with diagonal edges to reveal a treat for your sweetie.  The inside shows the 2^nd coordinating design and a solid colored insert stamped with the Valentine saying from Just For Fun's  Sentiments 1 Unmounted Sheet.

A 3-D heart was created by combining three folded die cut hearts to embellish the top.

 

This second box uses the same design but is a 2” cube, making room for larger treats.  One of the hearts from JFF's Sentiment Hearts Mini Cube was stamped for the sentiment.

To create the flower embellishment on top, the flower from JFF's Brushed Floral image was stamped three times, fussy cut, and the edges inked.  These were shaped with a stenciling tool on a foam pad, layered, and added to the box top.

I found the instructions and video links for these boxes here.  I hope you enjoy making them.

E. Marie

Waves, Bubbles, and Turtles

It has been a bit chilly so I am ready for some warmer beach time.  I’m thinking waves, bubbles, and sea turtles.

This card starts with the Loopy Loop Memory Box Die.  This was cut from white cardstock and layered on a large blue circle, cut with a Spellbinder’s Circle Nestability Die.

The Just for Fun Sea Turtle Seascape was stamped on decorative paper, then die cut with the Loopy Loop Die.  The center section was added to the center of the white die cut on the card front.

The same decorative paper was used for the card background.  The Voice of the Sea sentiment, also from JFF,  was stamped on the bottom of the card.  Some Hero Arts sequins from my stash were added.

Hope you have a fantastic week.

E. Marie

Just For Fun December Challenge

I know we just celebrated Thanksgiving, but December has snuck up on us and it is time for a new challenge at the Just For Fun Blog.  It will be so easy to enter this challenge with the theme of “Happy Everything - Holiday of your Choice”

I am in the Christmas spirit, so I am sharing a Christmas card.  Just for Fun Rubber Stamps has this new image, Silhouette Pines, and I had two Snowflake Ring Memory Box dies I couldn’t wait to use.  Both size ring dies were cut from white cardstock.  The pines image was stamped and heat embossed with detail white embossing powder on blue cardstock.  This was cut out with a Spellbinders’ Classic Circle die and the large Snowflake Ring was layered on top.  The sentiment, from the JFF Sentiments1 Unmounted Sheet, was stamped with Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink onto the white center of the smaller Snowflake Ring.  This was inserted back into the die cut.  Additional ink was lightly sponged on both die cuts.

The blue cardstock for the background was run through a Sizzix Holiday Knitembossing folder.  The edges were sponged with white ink.  Both Snowflake Rings were added to the front and this was added to a dark blue layer and the white card base.

Head on over to the Just For Fun Blog to be inspired by more holiday cards and find all the details for the challenge.  I will be looking for your creations.

E. Marie

Just For Fun November Challenge

Halloween has flown by and it is time for the November Challenge at the Just For Fun Blog.  The theme is Thanksgiving, along with Family and Travel.

I used three different Just for Fun stamp images for this card.  The small Stamptangle Pumpkin and the Stamptangle Tall Pumpkin were stamped with Versamark ink and heat embossed in gold on decorative cardstock.  The corn and wheat from the new Harvest Bounty were also heat embossed in gold and colored with Copics.  All were fussy cut and layered on a large red circle, die cut with a Spellbinders’ Circle Nestability.

The background is layers of two designer cardstocks, brown cardstock and a cream card base.  The front yellow layer was edged with Versamark Ink and heat embossed with more gold EP.  The JFF Happy Thanksgiving sentiment was added to the top.

We would love for you to share your cards for the JFF November Challenge.  Find more details, inspiration, and the link on the blog, here.

E. Marie

Just For Fun October Challenge

Time is a flying and now it is time for bats and witches.  October has arrived and Just For Fun Rubber Stamps has a new challenge for this month on their blog and it is all about “Halloween”.

My card uses JFF’s new Witches Magic.  After stamping with Memento Ink, the image was colored with Copic Markers and die cut using Spellbinders’ Nestabilities Art Deco Astoria Labels Etched Dies.

Ink was sponged around all the edges and the image was added to layers of designer paper.  I had this cute little vial of little black star sequins that were added to the card.

Head on over to the Just For Fun blog to see more creations from my fellow designers, along with all the details of the challenge.

E. Marie

Not Lost

The new Lighthouse Silhouette is today’s featured image.  Instead of using the usual black for this silhouette image, I chose to use a dark brown.  The image was stamped with Rich Cocoa Memento Ink on decorative cardstock from K & Co.  This was die cut with Spellbinders’ Valiant Honor Card Creator Etched Die and ink was sponged around the edges before removing the die.  This was added to layers of dark brown and light blue.

The sentiment, Not All Who Wander are Lost, goes so well with the lighthouse, that guides the way.  It was heat embossed in light blue to coordinate with the light blue layer.

There are still a few days left to enter the current sketch challenge.  Find more information here.

E. Marie

Happy Anniversary

This month’s challenge theme is “Wedding”.   Just For Fun has many lovely images and sentiments that are perfect for those wedding cards, along with cards for anniversaries.  Today’s card design could be used for either by simply changing the sentiment.  I made this card for my daughter and son-in-law's third anniversary, which they recently celebrated.

I used some black and cream coordinating cardstock to create the card background.  Cracked Pistachio and Broken China Distress Oxide Ink were used to add a pop of color.  I sponged them on the edges of a piece of cream cardstock to create the layer.  I also sponged them on sheer white ribbon to create the coordinating bow.  Then I picked up the spritzed colors from my craft sheet with a piece of cream cardstock.  When this was dry, the JFF Celebration image was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and cut out with Spellbinder’s Label 5o.  I used a small paint brush to add some water to areas inside the glasses and touched these areas with a paper towel to remove some color.  Then I colored over them with a Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen.  The “happy anniversary” from JFF's Sentiments 1 Unmounted Sheet was stamped above the glasses.

Have a great week.

E. Marie

Just For Fun July Challenge

Where did June go?  July snuck up on us and it is time for another challenge at the Just For Fun Rubber Stamps Blog.  The challenge theme for July is “Wedding”.

I had this cream and black coordinating cardstock that created a lovely background for Just For Fun’s Wishing You Joy sentiment.  After stamping it with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink, it was die cut with Spellbinders’ Label Four.  The edges were sponged with ink and it was centered on the card front.

To add a splash of color, I fussy cut the JFF Brushed Floral image and colored it with watercolor markers.  I popped it up along the bottom of the sentiment and added a die cut butterfly to the top.

We would love for you to join the challenge.  You can get all the details on the blog, here.  You will enjoy seeing the beautiful projects from my fellow JFF designers.  

E. Marie

I entered this project in the following challenge:

Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge – Anything Goes

Double D Challenges – Anything Wedding