Loving Thoughts

Tomorrow is our local stamp meeting and we have a card swap theme of Sympathy.  While I was relaxing at my friend’s house the other day I decided to work on my swap cards.  I had a new JustRite stamp set and matching Spellbinder Die that I wanted to play with.  Since Bonnie has almost all of the JustRite stamp sets, I knew she would have anything else I might need to go with it.  I was right.

I started with a stamped floral image from JustRite’s Greatest Joy Borders & Centers.  I stamped it in black ink and colored it with my Tombow markers.  I cut the image out using a Nestability Oval die.  I used foam tape to pop this up on top of my new stamp from JustRite’s Vintage Oval Labels set.  I stamped and embossed it in white on some lovely purple decorative paper and cut it out with the coordinating Spellbinder die.

I stamped the sentiment “Loving Thoughts”, from JustRite’sHeart to Heart Borders & Centers set, in purple on white and layered this on a Spellbinder label.  This was cut out of purple using a die that is exclusive to JustRite.

My card base is white covered by purple cardstock.  I took some white cardstock and punched around it with a lovely Martha Stewart corner/border punch set and then embossed it with a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  I added both the floral image and then sentiment to the center and then added flowers and jewels.  The flowers are yellow paper flowers with white loopy felt flowers.  They came with a clear crystal in the center but I removed it and added a purple floral jewel.  I decided not to add anything further, which took a lot for me, because I loved the simple elegant look and all the white space.

This card is entered into the following challenges:

Paper Romance Challenge #44 – Bling (gems)

One Stop Crafts Challenge #125 – Spots & Dots

Delightful Challenges – Flowers

The Cuttlebug Spot Challenge – Felt plus Embossing

The Creative Cottage Challenge #36 – White/Blank Space

The Corrosive Challenge #110 – Pastel Colors

The Crafty Pad Challenge #115 – Flowers

All Sorts Challenge #97 – Blooming Blossoms

Aifactory Challenges AIF#074 – Bright as Day
Catch the Bug Challenge - Anything Goes

Going Green

Last minute today I decided to go visit a dear friend of mine.  She lives way out in the country toward the mountains and, though it is a bit of a drive, every time I go I come home with a real sense of peace.  We spent the day playing together.  I shared my new Sweet Stamps with her and she made the most gorgeous cards.  Check out her blog here.  She shared all her dies, inks, cardstock, and anything else I needed that didn’t come with me.  They own an organic farm and recycle so I knew I would find something I needed for a card using "Recycled" items.

This card was so fun.  I love Penny Black stamps and this little guy is one of my favorites.  I started with a white card base, then added a lovely cardstock that is close to periwinkle.  I fear that my pictures did not quite do this card justice.  I added a layer of lovely yellow floral cardstock from Basic Grey.  It is one of my favorites.

I stamped the image in black on white and colored with my watercolor pencils.  I sponged a little yellow around the edges and layered it on a periwinkle Spellbinder die using foam tape to pop it up a bit.   I ran some wide ribbon across the card and layered this image on top of it.

I tied the same ribbon into a lovely bow, then layered a smaller sheer yellow bow on top of this.  I added a small flower with a homemade yellow dew drop in the center.  I sued a Justrite charm stamp and added one of their messages, stamped on the charm in yellow.  I cut this out and adhered it to the bow.  I apologize that the sentiment is so hard to see.  It says “A Gift for You”.  This makes it perfect to use for Birthday, Mother’s Day, or any other special occaision.

For final touches I added some yellow embroidery floss to the bow and strung some homemade paper beads on the ends.  These are another item Bonnie was so kind to share with me.  They are made out of left over scraps of paper.  They are really quite pretty and a great way to recycle your paper scraps,  I added a cute little butterfly to the corner of the image and then some more homemade yellow dewdrops along the bottom left side of the card.  I found these really cute wired crystals at A. C. Moores the other day in the wedding aisle.  I cut one apart and tucked it behind the bow.  It actually has a very light lilac color to the crystals.

This card is entered in the following challenges:

Basic Grey Challenge #40 – Recycled

Penny Black Saturday Challenge Week 144 – Recycling

Aifactory Challenges AIF#074 – Bright as Day

Crafts and Me Challenges #28 – Use Yellow

Delightful Challenges – Flowers

Sentimental Sundays Challenge #48 – Cute & Cuddly plus a Sentiment

Trusting God

This has been a rough week.  I have previously shared about my sister, Eileen, who had colon cancer.  She discovered this just over a year ago, right after she had moved to Israel.  It has been very hard because she was so far away.  We received the news on Tuesday that she had passed away and was now with the Lord.  Her whole life, including the time she struggled with this awful disease, she was determined to share how wonderful her God was and wanting others to know Him, too.  Her faith was so strong and unfailing.  One of the best things we ever did for our parents was to purchase a web cam that allowed them to Skype with my sister the last four months.  Her last words to my father last week was to quote a scripture to remind him that he would see her again and they would sit together at the Lord’s table.

 

Tonight I felt the need to do something to keep my mind busy so I headed to my craft room.  I had recently found this really cute new frame idea that I wanted to use.  I also had some wonderful scripture and saying stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs.  I realized that this would be perfect for one of their challenges and went to work on this card.  This saying by Corrie Ten Boom just seemed to jump out at me and touch my heart.  We never know what our future holds but we do know that we can trust God with it and not fear what is to come.  I spent too much time making it look just like I wanted and, once again, missed the challenge but I did not really care.  The time I spent gave me a real peace and met the challenge of my need.

This card started with a cream base.  I had some lovely, embossed, bright green cardstock that was new and I have been wanting to use, so I used that for the next layer which was the perfect accent for the following layer of light pink.  I sponged maroon ink around the edges of the pink cardstock and then used the same ink to create the butterfly background using the stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs’ Faith set.

The center section started with the new frame made from a cream 5” square.  I folded each corner to the center, slightly overlapping.  Then I folded them back, leaving about 1/4” border.  This raises the corners up.  Then I punched all around the square with a butterfly corner/ border punch set from Martha Stewart and sponged the butterflies with the maroon ink.  I placed a green square in the center and then layered a smaller pink square on top of it, stamped with the wonderful sentiment.  This sentiment is part of the As You Graduate set.  I have used the other stamps from this set many times but had never used this saying.  I took a square of decorative pink cardstock and cut out the center using a Spellbinder die.  I sponged ink around the edges and placed each corner on top of the frame corners.  I finished it off with a bow and flower at the bottom and pearls in the various corners.

This card is inspired by you, Eileen.  I love you.

This card is entered in the following challenge:

Our Daily Bread Designs Stamping In Time: On Assignment Challenge (SNTODBD31) -  "New to You"

All Sorts Challenge Week #96 – For a Special Lady

Delightful Challenges – FLOWERS

Little Claire’s Challenge #3 – Pink and Green

Paper Romance Challenge #44 – Bling

The Shabby Tea Room Challenge Week #55 – Flower Palette (inspiration picture) plus flowers

Totally Gorjuss Challenge 73 – Spring is Sprung
CES Challenge #29 - Die Cut
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge (FTTC111) - Use some of the other stamps in your stamp sets (ones you do not usually use)

Sweet Birthday



This card is a center step card that I made using Sweet Stamps Dresden Rose Circle.  This card is for a very dear friend of mine.  We have both shared some tough times that were similar and have been able to come to each other for support and prayer.  She has been there for me when I was at my worst, especially when recovering from surgery.  Her birthday is coming up this week and I want her to know how much I appreciate her.

I used a cream base and layers of pink, green, and blue cardstock.  On each side I used a Martha Stewart Corner/Border punch on the green layer to create the birds and branches.  Then I punched out the corner in blue, trimmed the bird and layered it on top of the green bird.  Next I used a butterfly border punch from Martha Stewart to create the second layer of pink.

For the center I did a layer of the green.  Then I stamped and embossed the image in gold on blue cardstock.  I cut it out and layered it on the front.  I used a Cuttlebug Cut/Emboss folder to create the decorative pink frame and added it to the center with foam dots to pop it up.  Then I stamped and embossed the same image in gold on another piece of blue cardstock and then on pink and green.  I cut out the center flowers and leaves in the green and popped it up over the blue center.  Then I cut out the blue flowers and the pink rose and popped these up on top of the green.

At the bottom of the card I added a cream label cut out with a Spellbinder die.  I stamped the sentiment in maroon and sponged blue ink around the edges.  I added pearls on each end of the bottom section and a sheer pink polkadot bow at the top of the card.  Then I used my Sakura Glue Pen to add Waterfall (G1071) and Bubble Gum (G1088) semi-transparent glitter, from Sparkle N Sprinkle, to various sections of the image.

This is entered in the following challenge:
Sweet Stamps Challenge - Center Step Card
Allsorts Challenge Week #96 - For a Special Lady
Bunny Zoe's Crafts Challenge #10 - Birthday with pearls
CraftyCardmakers Challenge #42 - Special Birthday
Delightful Challenges - Pastels and Ribbon
Little Claire's Designs Challenge #3 - Pink and Green
The Shabby Tea Room Challenge #55 - Photo Inspiration/Flowers

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Mother's Day/Girlie (cards for a special girl in your life)

Stamp Something Challenge - Spring

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #104 - Birthday/Adult only

Flying Into Spring

I found this adorable House Mouse stamp and just had to play with it.  The temperature dropped and it rained all weekend so I really wanted to make a card to remind myself that it really is Spring.  My sister in Omaha, NE was actually getting snow so I try not to complain.  Hopefully when you see this card it will “warm” your heart like it did mine.

The card base is white and then I added a layer of green.  On top of this I used some beautiful floral cardstock from K&Co.  A dear friend of mine had just posted on her blog how she has such a hard time using certain papers because she loves them so much, but the whole reason you buy it is to use it.  This was one of those papers for me.  I ran it through a Cuttlebug folder and sponged a little pink around the edges and over the butterfly images.

In the center I started with my House Mouse design stamped in dark brown on white cardstock.  I colored it with my Tombow markers.  I rounded the corners and layered it on a pink layer, then a green layer.  Both were cut out using Spellbinder label dies.  I layered this onto the front of the card, tucking a lovely pink flowers behind it at the top and added a jeweled flower in the center. 

The sketch I was using showed that I needed something from side to side across the center image.  I did not want to cover up my cute little mice so I added a pink jeweled swirl to add to the look of their flying up through the air.  At the end of the swirl I added another jeweled flower.  I needed something in both of the top corners but did not want just two little dots, nor did I want it to be too noticeable and take away from the center of my card.  I decided to add a small green button in each corner and then added some small pink pearls on each side of the buttons.  My last touch was, of course, glitter.  I used my Sakura Glue Pen on the embossed swirls, edges of the silk flowers, and the wings in my image.  Then I added Bubble Gum Semi Transparent glitter [G1088] from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  It was the perfect final touch.

This card is entered in the following challenges:

CES Challenge #29 – Die Cuts

Crazy Catz Weekly Challenge #75 – Pearls and Swirls

Creative Cottage Challenge #35 – Spring

The Cuttlebug Spot Challenge – Buttons plus Embossing

DYSU Challenge #12 – Sparkle and Bling

Flutter By Wednesday’s Challenge #147 – Anything Goes plus Butterfly

House Mouse Challenge #91 – Welcome Spring

Paper Pretties challenge #146 – Spring

Phindy’s Friday Challenge #49 – All about Animals

The Pixie Cottage Challenge #62 – Sketch and Sparkle

The Shabby Tea Room Week #53 – Bingo (Buttons, Flowers, Glitter and Punches, Flowers, Gems)

Stamp and Create Challenge #9 –Spring Break

Stamp Something Challenges – Spring

Totally Gorjuss Challenge #73 – Spring
Stamping Vacation:  Pick 3 Challenge for the Month of March (Yellow Floral Cardstock, Buttons, Green)
Stamping Vacation:  Embellish It Challenge - Glitter

Birthday Bee

What a great weekend.  Friday was a gorgeous day and Saturday started out pretty good until the rain moved in.  Even then it was pretty nice and cooled off a bit.  Today was a bit cooler but still lovely.  Saturday night I went with my husband to a company dinner at his boss’ house.  They live right off the lake and it was so pretty.  They have two cherry trees in their front yard and it almost looked like it was snowing as we walked to the front door.  Of course my hubby wasn’t too thrilled when we were ready to leave and he saw that his car was totally buried under little white petals.  I thought it was funny.  The evening was lots of fun and the food was great.  The best was the little individual white chocolate chip cheese cakes she had purchased from someone in Hilton Head, South Carolina.  They were lighter in consistency than usual and absolutely awesome.

Well, speaking of goodies, make sure you check out the fantastic blog candy being offered at Angel Wood Crafts.  She is offer not just one, but three!!  One of the things you need to do to get a chance at the blog candy is to leave a comment at her daughter’s blog.  She is amazing.  Check out her cards – her mother has some real competition there.  It really brought home some memories of when my girls were younger.  They loved to play with me and our school projects always had to be a big production.  I will never forget getting up during the night and realizing my daughter was still up working on a math project.  She had to put together a booklet with different math themes using all 26 letters of the alphabet.  It wouldn’t have been so bad except she was making each page an amazing creation.  We ended up working together,  with her telling me what to cut for her and she put it all together.  I still have that project.  Now that the girls are older I don’t get to spend that kind of time with them.  However, when my oldest daughter was home from college this last Christmas, she would come over to me and say, “Let’s go play” and we would go bury ourselves in the back room and create.  It was so nice.

Well, I did do some creating this weekend.  This card is a fun little birthday card.  I guess I was in the mood for some bright colors.  The image is a digital stamp from Bugaboo Stamps.  I colored it with Tombow markers and layered it on bright pink and teal cardstock.  I added a yellow rectangle behind it, embossed with a birthday themed Cuttlebug embossing folder and sponged with some light orange ink.  I ran two strips of polkadot ribbon and a bright yellow border of stars behind the image.  The star border was created using a Martha Stewart border punch and I took the punched out little stars and glued them around the digital image.  All of this is layered onto some decorative purple cardstock and then onto a teal card base.  The sentiment is created by embossing the words “Happy Birthday” into a small rectangle of teal cardstock, using another Cuttlebug folder, and then rubbing over with purple ink.  As a last touch, I added some small pink pearls in the middle of the decorative circles on the purple cardstock layer and also on the party hat and gift bow of the digital party bee.

This card was entered into the following challenges:

The Crafty Pad Challenge #113 – Digital Image

Simon Says Stamps Challenge – Happy Birthday

Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge – Stars

The Shabby Tea Room Challenge #53 – Party Time

Sketch Saturday Challenge #146 - Sketch

Delightful Sketches Challenge  - Show some Green

Paper Cutz Challenge #83 – Your Choice

Stamp Challenges – Something Sweet (sweet image)

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #25 – Happy Birthday

Art Impressions Stamps Challenge #8 - Gettin' Punchy (use punches)

Bunny Zoes Crafts Challenge #10 - Birthday Creations with lots of pearls
AiFactory Challenge #072 - Things with Wings
Stamping Vacation:  Inspiration Station (Purple & Yellow colors from photo)

Orange and Blue for Spring

When we went to the stamp convention last month, one of my favorite booths was Sweet Stamps.  Not only do they carry the most awesome embossing folders and dies, but their stamps are absolutely gorgeous.  Since I spent too much on their dies, I did not get any of their stamps.  Something I truly regret.  Thank goodness my friend, April, had purchased a gorgeous one the last time we saw them at convention and let me borrow it for the weekend.

The theme for the Sweet Stamps challenge was to use vellum.  I used to do a lot with vellum but then kind of forgot about it.  Just lately I have been pulling it out and playing with it again, so I enjoyed this challenge.  The image was stamped and embossed in gold on vellum and colored using a blender pen and Tombow markers.  I colored on the front of the vellum so the coloring and shading would be more intense, though the use of the blender pen helped keep the colors from being over powering.  This stamp is so lovely and feminine and the subtle look of vellum was perfect.  After coloring it, I layered it onto a blue Spellbinder die.  This is layered on some beautiful orange floral paper I purchase when I was at Scrapbook Creations and sponged the edges with distress ink.  It was so nice to just walk around and find the exact paper I wanted to compliment my image and card.  This is layered on blue and then a white card base.

I added some lace in each corner that was white but I sponged lightly with orange distress ink.  Peaking out from each lace strip is a Spellbinder border.  The sentiment is stamped in blue on an orange circle that I layered onto another Spellbinder die.  All the pieces were sponged around the edges with either blue or orange distress ink.  I added flowers and pearls to complete this delicate look.  These are not my first choice for colors, but I was pleased with how it came out.  It reminded me of bright spring flowers that peak out as the weather warms up..

This card was entered in the following challenges:

Sweet Stamps Challenge #5 – Vellum

Totally Gorjuss Challenge #71 – Pearls and Lace

Stampin for the Weekend Challenge #5 – Springtime

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #101 – Sketch

Simon Says Stamps Challenge – Anything Goes

The Pink Elephant Challenge #95 – Spring Time

Phindy’s Friday Challenge #46 – Thinking of You

Joan’s Gardens Weekly Challenge #9 – Orange and Blue, Spring Theme, Die Cut, and Circle

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #41 – Fabric

Things With Wings

This card was inspired by a sketch at Sweet Stamps Blog.  I needed a card design for my stamp club meeting tomorrow night for a “shoe box” project.  I had played with several ideas and then saw this sketch and decided to build from there.  I started with a yellow card base and added a layer of orange.  The three rectangles are a combination of purple cardstock and a lovely yellow floral cardstock from Basic Grey.  I layered them onto the card and added a strip along the bottom using the same yellow cardstock from the base card layered on the purple.  For the image I used a hummingbird from InkaDinkaDo and stamped it in purple on a white circle.  I sponged yellow around the edges and layered it on a purple lacy scalloped circle cut with a die I purchased recently at the convention from Sweet Stamps.  It is called 020 Flower Multi Frame from Nellie Snellen.

  

I added purple flowers and leaves that I punched out with a Martha Stewart punch.  To give the card a little bling, I added purple glitter to the flowers (G1093 Purple Dust semi-transparent glitter) from Sparkle N Sprinkle and some dew drops that I made using alcohol ink.

This is a second version I made using a green cardstock base and green floral paper.

This card was entered in the following challenges:

Sweet Stamps Challenge 4 – Sketch

Basic Grey Challenge – Wings

Little Claire’s Challenge 2 – FLOWERS

Stamping Vacation:  Inspiration Station Challenge - Photo

Spring Blues

Today was one of those dreary days but with the feel of spring.  All the Pear trees have started to bloom and my Camellias are also starting to bloom.  This is the inspiration for this card.

This is a 6” x 6” card with a deep blue card base.  I used a Martha Stewart corner/border deep edge punch and light blue cardstock for the second layer.  Love the look of this punch set.  To create the next layer, I used my favorite light blue glossy cardstock ($2 special at Big Lots last year - should have bought more) and used Adirondack Denim ink pad to stamp a fabulous Impression Obsession background stamp called CC039 Cover-a-Card Lg. Paisley.  It stamped so beautifully on the glossy cardstock.

For the main floral image I stamped another Impression Obsession stamp called F1103 Primrose & Butterfly.   I stamped it with Versamark ink on white glossy paper, then brayered over it with the Denim ink.  I cut around the image and layered it with foam tape on a light blue strip punched and embossed using another Martha Stewart border punch.  I added a little denim ink to the punch edges.  This was layered in the center of the card.

For embellishment I added a sheer blue double bow and a small pearl heart pin I bought in the sewing section at JoAnn’s.  For the butterflies I embossed vellum with a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, cut out the image, and lightly sponged the edges with the Denim ink.

This card has been entered in the following challenges:

Impression Obsession Challenge – Blues

Cute Card Thursday Challenge 154 – Signs of Spring

The Cuttlebug Spot Challenge – Ouch! Pins, pins,…pins  

Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge Week 31 – Embossing

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge #83 – Spring is in the air

Lexi’s Creations Challenge 34 – Flowers

Paper Romance Challenge #40 - VELLUM

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #24 – Favorites (Martha Stewart punches, embossing, flowers, and butterflies)

Little Claire's Designs: Challenge 2 - Flower
Delightful Challenges - Welcome Spring

JustRite Thinking of You

Ok, I must start this post with an apology.  My daughter claimed her camera back tonight so  I was forced to take a picture with my phone.  I tried scanning but the phone pictures came out better.  Just not as nice as the camera.

This card was made using one of my new JustRite stamp sets called Kindness (CL-02095).  I started out with a dark green card base and layered some lovely floral cardstock from K & Company on top.

I took a piece of vellum and ran it through the Rose & Heart Frame Embossing Folder that I purchased at the convention a few weeks ago from Sweet Stamps.  I colored the embossed rose and stems with tombow markers.  I layered the vellum onto a dark green piece of cardstock and layered this onto the front of the card.

I used the Thinking of You stamp from the Thinking of You Borders & Centers set (JB-08740).  I used tombow markers to color the image, using dark green for the flowers and leaves on the left side and maroon on the actual words.  I stamped this on white paper.  Then I ran some green around the inside edge of the largest frame stamp from, the Kindness Set (CL-02095). and lined it up with the sentiment and stamped it to provide a small green border.  I cut it out right on the edge of the green border and layered this on the same frame image which I stamped onto green decorative cardstock, using the maroon on the stamp and then running the green around both the inside and outside edges.  I had really hoped to have my Spellbinder die to cut this out with but it had not arrived yet so I cut it out by hand. I layered all of this on top of a lacy scalloped circle cut out with a Flower Multi Frame Die I also bought from Sweet Stamps.  This is all layered onto the front of the card.

I added some green ribbon and a green bow.  Then I added some silk flowers on top of the images shown with the sentiment.  I added some pearl flourishes and a vellum butterfly.

This card was entered into the following challenges:

JustRite Friday Challenge #49 - Direct To Rubber with more than one color

Crazy4Challenges C4C76 – use flowers  
Flutter By Wednesday's Challenge  144 – Anything Goes  
One Stop Craft Challenge Week #120 – Spring Flowers
Stamp Something Challenges – Flowers
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge Week 31 - Embossing
Lexi's Creations Challenge 34 - Flowers
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #44 - Anything goes
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #100 - You've Been Framed
Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #24 - Favorites ( Flowers, Dies, Embossing)
Totally Stampalicious Challenge - Recipe 1-2-3 (1.  Ribbon, 2.  Different Patterns of Paper, 3.  Embellishment
Stamping Vacation:  Get The Music in You Challenge - The Rose