FLOWERY EDGE

 This was a really complicated card to photograph. If you look through all the photos, you will see why.

Being a fussy cutting maven, I felt moved to give this card a try. It was a fair amount of work, especially the figuring out of sizes and placement. But I think the final result is worth all the stress.

I knew I wanted a fussy cut flower edge, but wasn't sure how to proceed. 

I cut  a piece of white cardstock to 3 3/4" x 5". I stamped the outlined flowers (from the Color & Contour set, page 97) in black ink towards the bottom of the long side of the piece. I then stamped the color -- Balmy Blue -- and used the Dark Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blend to give the centers a pretty yellow.

Next step was to fussy cut the lower portions of the flowers. These flowers are really simple to cut.

Since I'd used Daffodil Delight for the flower centers, I thought a card base in Daffodil Delight cardstock would be just the ticket. However, I wanted the flowers to hang sort of loose, not attached to the yellow. so I trimmed off 1" from the front of the card base. 

Since I didn't have any ribbon in Balmy Blue, I used my Light Balmy Blue Stampin' Blend to color some white ribbon. After the ribbon had dried I added it above the flowers, taping the ends on the back. 

I knew I wanted to use the beautiful "thanks" from the Amazing Thanks dies (page 169) and cut the large portion from Balmy Blue cardstock and the more detailed piece from Daffodil Delight. I adhered these pieces togehter and mounted the word above the strip of ribbon. 

Once I knew how much space the "thanks" was taking up, I was able to add the second piece of colored ribbon above it, taping the ends to the back of the white cardstock. 

I cut a piece of Balmy Blue cardstock to 3" x 4" and adhered the completed white piece to it.

The final step was to attach the blue piece to the card base, leaving an even margin at the top and the sides and keeping the lower edge even with the cut-off Daffodil Delight .

Voila! All my fanagling resulted in a successful Flowery Edged card. 

Flowery

Smiles.

SMILING HEART

Have you heard of CAS cards? Clean and Simple? They are cards that have the merest basics, lots of white space, but classy in their own right.

I usually don't see myself as especially talented in this area, preferring lots of layers, embellishments and techniques.

Well, seen below is one of my takes on the CAS card.

When I saw the precious stems with added flowers from the Wildflower Path stamp set, I was moved to use these stamps in a clean and simple way. I then finished it off with the beautiful sentiment from the set.

Basically a one layer card, sans extras, it is the type of card that is a dream to mail. Although the sentiment probably dictates that it is a thank you card, I can think of other occasions for which it would be suitable. 

Following is a tutorial on how to make this quick, but effective, card.

SUPPLIES:

White cardstock

Wildflower Path stamp set (page 106, Annual Catalog)

Soft Succulent ink

Flirty Flamingo ink

Die Cutting/Embossing Machine

Subtle Embossing Folder (unfortunately retired. Hope you have yours!)

Wink of Stella

DIRECTIONS:

Fold a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of white cardstock in half, creasing it well with a bone folder.

Cut another piece of white cardstock measuring 4" x 5 1/4". On this piece, in Soft Succulent ink, stamp one of the branches from Wildflower Path across the bottom and one across the top, flipping the image. In Flirty Flamingo ink, add flowers to the stems.

Add a little Wink of Stella to the flowers.

In Soft Succulent ink, add the sentiment right above the branch on the bottom, but to the right.

Run this piece through an embossing machine inside the Subtle Embossing Folder. It is important to do the stamping BEFORE you emboss the cardstock. Did you ever try to stamp on embossed paper?

Adhere the embossed sheet to the card base.

Send it to someone who makes your heart smile!

Heartful

Smiles.

PEONY LOVE

My mom is so precious to me, so for Mother's Day, I wanted to create for her a very special card.

Using my Stampin' Blends to add color to the beautiful retired peony made it easy to create a quite realistic and lovely flower.

The flower cut with an oval die, then set atop a scalloped rectangular piece of Flirty Flamingo cardstock, gave this blossom ample importance. The little touch of love at the bottom makes sure she knows how I feel about her.

Wishing a very Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there, whether your children have two or four legs, give or take. Love to you all!

Love-ly

Smiles.

#dailycreating DECEMBER 2021

All I can say is that December 2021 must have been a horrible month for me as far as drawing went. And I didn't realize that until I was leafing through my December sketchbook. Yuk.

As a result of my slacking, I only have a measly seven drawings to show you as part of Terry Runyan's #dailycreating group. The members of Terry's Facebook group are encouraged to create something every single day. 

At this point in time yet, I have been pretty faithful about following her prompts.

Only sharing such a small handful of creations for the month, it shouldn't take you just too much time to browse through them.

As I always do, I will note above each drawing what the prompt of the day was and any other interesting information I may have on my subject matter.

#thing on thing

malachite kingfisher/africa

#let's hug day

meerkats

#meerkat-urday

meerkat

#scarf

#thing on thing

#otter-urday

otter

#cardinal

I feel I must say something about a few of the prompts that included "urday". On Saturdays, if we choose not to do #caturday or #dogurday, we can do any #animal-urday. I love that!

Just today, I have started to have prints made of some of my drawings. I am not doing them as Giclee prints, because they are so costly. I have opted for a much more reasonable print. If you would like prints of any of my drawings, please let me know. 

Please keep in mind that these are my original drawings, and are not to be copied or used in any fashion without my express agreement. Thank you for respecting that!

Keep your fingers crossed that the month of January saw me doing better drawings. 

Thanks for looking!

Daily

Smiles.

SPOTLIGHTED THANKS

 Are you familiar with the Spotlighting Technique? Often in doing this technique, you stamp a larger image in black, then stamp a portion of it again in black. Leaving the main image in black only, you color in the smaller portion. After the coloring is completed, the creator uses a punch or a die to cut out only the colored portion, usually in a circle or square. A narrow border in the same shape is often added. 

Awhile back I'd stamped a group of Christmas-y characters, coloring in only part the Santa, which appeared in the approximate center of the image. By adding the colored Santa over the black and white Santa, it gives that portion of the image more focus and importance. You can see this card here

While I didn't do exactly that with this card, the effect is the same.

I had some gorgeous black and white floral Designer Series Paper that worked very well for this technique. Rather than piecing the colored portion back on top of its identical component, I merely colored in a random section of the DSP, die cutting it and matting it with a scalloped white circle. I then popped it up with a couple Dimensionals so it was evenly spaced at the top and sides of the black and white piece.

A closeup of the coloring:

I finished the card with the beautiful two-layered "thanks" die cut and added to the bottom.

Do you want to discover how to do this take on the Spotlighting Technique? Read on for a tutorial!

SUPPLIES:

White cardstock

Black cardstock

Black and White Designer Series Paper (There is a perfect DSP in the new Annual Catalog, Perfectly Penciled, on page 133!)

Stampin' Blends (I used Dark Pineapple Punch, Light Granny Apple Green, Dark Pale Papaya, Light Flirty Flamingo and Light Cinnamon Cider)

Die Cutting/Embossing Machine

Amazing Thanks Dies (page 169, new Annual Catalog)

Layering Circles Dies (page 172, new Annual Catalog)

Stampin' Dimensionals

INSTRUCTIONS:

Fold a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of white cardstock in half, creasing it well with a bone folder.

To this card base, add a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of black cardstock.

To this, adhere a 3 3/4" x 5" piece of black and white Designer Series Paper.

Use one of the circle dies from the Layering Circles that measures 1 5/8" and cut out a portion of the black and white DSP. Color this small circle any way you want, using bright stand-out colors. I used my Stampin' Blends. (See above for the colors I used.)

Using the same dies, cut a scalloped circle a little larger than the colored circle from white cardstock.

With the scalloped circle as a frame, adhere the circles together. Pop the completed piece to the card with a Stampin' Dimensional, leaving even spacing at the top and the sides.

Using the Amazing Thanks Dies, cut the detailed "thanks" from white cardstock, and its shadow from black cardstock. Carefully adhere these two "thanks" together.

Adhere the sentiment to the lower portion of the card.

Spotlighted

Smiles.

RECYCLED STARBURST

I just love to use surprising materials in my cards. Especially those things that would normally be thrown in the garbage by any other normal human.

Do you recognized the "Designer Series Paper" I used in the starburst for my card?

I'm sure you guessed, but, just in case you didn't, I used cut up kleenex boxes. Yessss! The prints on these throwaway boxes are so attractive, I just cannot bring myself to throw them away. Anyone else like me out there?

Well, my stash of broken down kleenex boxes was growing, so I thought I should really do something with at least a few of them.

After digging through them, I arrived at an assortment of prints/colors that seemed like they would play well together.

After I had cut them into various widths with pointed ends, I cut a piece of scrap cardstock to 4" x 5 1/4". 

Starting with the central piece, I worked first towards the top, and once I finished that, I worked the bottom half, butting the pieces up to each other.

You can see in the photo below that, where they all met in the center, it was sort of messy and uneven looking. That was OK, because I knew I was going to cover it all up with my sentiment piece.

The next photo shows the scrap cardstock with the glued pieces in place upside down. Notice how they all hang haphazardly beyond the edges of the base cardstock. 

Using sharp scissors and being very careful, I trimmed the kleenex box pieces close to the base cardstock.

You can see in the photo below, flipped right side up, how much improved it all looks.

Now I was ready to proceed with my card.

I discovered that Coastal Cabana cardstock and ink coordinate well with the colors in the boxes.

Unfortunately, the stamps I used for my sentiment piece will be retiring in about a week. <sob>

On a piece of white cardstock, I stamped the watercolored look blob from Textures & Frames. Atop that, in black ink, I stamped the sentiment from the Season's Blessings set.

Two of the Layering Circles dies came in handy, one to die cut the sentiment itself. Then another to die cut a little larger cute scalloped circle from Coastal Cabana cardstock.

To finish off this piece, I added a trio of Matte Black Dots.

With Stampin' Dimensionals, I added the circle over the messy looking central area.

Attached to a white card base, I had a cute -- recycled -- card that I felt good about. 

Now, tell us, and be honest, have you ever used portions of kleenex boxes in a card? Any other crafting project? Do you ever save anything that others would consider garbage for use in a <possible> future project? What? Please share with us!

Recycled

Smiles.

THOUGHTS WITH YOU

I love the combination of red, black and white on a card. It's so traditional and striking, I don't think you can possibly go wrong.

To make this card was a bit time consuming, although it looks shockingly simple. You see, each of the stems had to be stamped individually, and turned with each stamp. Thus, it was eight lines of stamping. Then to come in with the individual red flowers. The challenge came in trying to keep the stems evenly spaced. 

I must admit that another huge retirement regret is the loss of the Ornate Frames dies, one of which is shown in red below, as well as the white piece on which the actual sentiment is stamped.. I could honestly just cry every time I think about those dies not be current anymore. I am warning you though that I will be using them forever and forever,, retired or not. If you don't have this die set, it is truly a must have. Quickly grab it before its retirement. Seriously 

This card is completely flat -- so would be a dream to send through the mail -- in that even the sentiment is adhered flat to the card.

Following is a quick tutorial on how this card was made. Enjoy!

SUPPLIES:

White cardstock

Black cardstock

Real Red cardstock

Black ink

Real Red ink

Wildflower Path (Page 106, new Annual Catalog)

Prized Peony (on the retirement list!)

Die Cutting/Embossing Machine

Ornate Frames dies (retiring. sob)

DIRECTIONS:

Fold a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of white cardstock in half, creasing it well with a bone folder.

To this card base, add a layer of black cardstock that measures 4" x 5 1/4".

Then comes a Real Red layer of cardstock that measures 3 3/4" x 5".

You will be doing the majority of work on a piece of white cardstock that measures 3 3/8" x 4 5/8". Equally distanced, stamp in black ink the branches down the entire piece, flipping the stamp each time.

In Real Red ink, add flowers to the branches.

Adhere this stamped piece to the card.

On white cardstock, stamp a sentiment in black ink. Using the appropriate frame from Ornate Frames dies, die cut the sentiment.

From Real Red cardstock, die cut one of the curly frames.

Adhere the sentiment piece to this.

Attach the completed sentiment to the front of the card, raised somewhat from center.

Thoughtful

Smiles.

DUCKY GREETINGS

I realize that the sentiment on this card reads "Happy Easter," but don't you think this card would also be darling for a new baby or a youngster's birthday?

When I spotted Easter Friends in the mini catalog (page 27), I immediately fell in love with these cuddly critters.

The dimension in this card comes from a handful of Stampin' Dimensionals. They pop up the cute swirly circle on which the duck rests, as well as the ducky himself. His baker's twine bow adds a little interest too.

I thought the beautiful spring-y floral of the Daffodil Afternoon Designer Series Paper I got during Sale-A-Bration added just the right touch of whimsy/realism.

I did have a difficult time stamping this duck image. I couldn't get enough detail no matter what combination I tried. I ended up adding a bit of detail with a black Fineliner pen.

If you would like to make a card like this for an occasion other than Easter, here is how to do it:

SUPPLIES:

White cardstock

So Saffron cardstock

Daffodil Afternoon Designer Series Paper

Gray Granite ink

Black ink

Stampin' Blends in Dark So Saffron and Light Pumpkin Pie

Easter Friends stamp set (page 27, Mini Catalog)

Die Cutting/Embossing Machine

Lakeside Framelits dies (retired)

Painted Labels dies (page 172, new Annual Catalog)

Iridescent Rhinestones (page 9, Mini Catalog)

Pink/White baker's twine

Stampin' Dimensionals

Thin black marker

Paper Snips

DIRECTIONS:

Fold a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of white cardstock in half, creasing it well with a bone folder.

To this add a piece of So Saffron cardstock that measures 4" x 5 1/4".

Add a 3 3/4" x 5" piece of the DSP.

From white cardstock, die cut a squiggly frame using one of the dies from the Painted Labels Dies. Set this aside for now.

On white cardstock, stamp the duck in Gray Granite ink. Color in the duck with So Saffron and Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Blends.

Because the features of the duck don't show up terribly well, use a fine tipped black pen to add in a few lines here and there, especially on his eyes and bill.

Tie a pink and white piece of baker's twine into a small bow and adhere it to the duck's neck.

With Stampin' Dimensionals, add the duck to the squiggly frame. Add this to the card front, keeping even margins at the top and sides.

On white cardstock, stamp the sentiment in black ink. Using the label die from the Lakeside Framelits dies, die cut the label.

With Stampin' Dimensionals, add the sentiment towards the bottom of the card.

Add an Iridescent Rhinestone on each side of the sentiment.

Ducky

Smiles.

HOPEFUL DAFFODILS

Middle of April. Day before Easter. Spring is almost a month old. Still snow on the ground here and there. The high for tomorrow, Easter Sunday, 44 degrees. 

WHERE ARE THE DAFFODILS?

Well, I guess I'll just have to create my own:

Digging through retired stamp sets the other day, looking for something specific, I came across this bright and fresh looking daffodil image. It is from the set You're Inspiring.

Wishing to bring at least the feel of spring into my life, I stamped it in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and went to town coloring it in with my Stampin' Blends. I used Light and Dark Granny Apple Green, Dark DAFFODIL Delight, Dark Pale Papaya and Light Pumpkin Pie.

After I finished with my coloring, I die cut the image with one of the Stitched Rectangles dies. I also die cut a scalloped frame from Granny Apple Green cardstock using one of the Scalloped Contours dies. I cut that frame a little bigger than it needed to be for the size of the daffodil piece. I popped the daffodils up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

The finishing touches were little circle clusters from the stamp set in Daffodil Delight. And then I added a few yellow pearls I'd had left from a past Paper Pumpkin kit. 

Sitting near my computer I feel that spring is SOMEwhere, even if it's not exactly HERE. Maybe before it's summer?

Wishing you a safe and blessed Easter.

Spring-y

Smiles.

BUNNY AND EGGS

While scrounging through my kitchen drawer the other day, I came across something I'd completely forgotten that I had. It was a package of treat bags with Easter eggs on them. The eggs were so cute, I decided there and then to use the bags somehow on my Easter cards this year. 

The cute treat bags:

After deciding to use them, the next question was: BUT HOW?? Working with a cellophane bag is just like working with anything clear in that adhesive shows through. Think working with vellum. Yuk.

My first thought was to wrap the cellophane around the edges of a base piece of white cardstock. Making multiples of the card though, I couldn't imagine how much of a challenge that would be. And to try to miter those slippery corners. Nope, I decided that wasn't the way I should go.

I cut a piece of white cardstock to 3 1/2" x 4 3/4". I put a thin strip of dry adhesive along the edges, just enough adhesive to make the cello stick in place. Once that was accomplished, I thought I could trim the excess with my guillotine paper cutter, but that wasn't going to do a neat enough job. So I hand trimmed all the edges with a pair of scissors. 

The photo below shows one completely trimmed 

and another with only one side left to trim away.

 

I had decided to cover the adhesive with a "frame", and used two dies to accomplish this. The largest of the Scalloped Contours dies was the first step,, cut from white cardstock. I then inserted the proper size of the Stitched Rectangles dies inside the scalloped portion and cut out the inside. That gave me a beautiful white scalloped from.

Since my base cardstock was cut to the dimensions I've mentioned, it was fairly easy to fit the frame cleanly over the egg pieces. You see, the base measurers the same as the squared off portions of the scalloped frame. 

The photo below shows how neatly this worked out. 

The shiny plastic was tricky to work with. 

I just needed to be extra careful.

The star of the card was to be the sad-looking bunny from the Easter Friends stamp set in the Mini Catalog. I chose to stamp him in Melon Mambo because it was a pretty close match to the pink in one of the eggs on the treat bag.

After fussy cutting the bunny, I used a couple Stampin' Dimensionals to mount him atop the egg-y background. I tied a cute yellow bow and added it to the bunny with a Glue Dot.

In the next photo, I tilted the card towards the sun 

so you can see the glare on the plastic.

The only thing left to do was to mount all my work onto a yellow card base. 

I know Easter is actually a religious occasion. I, however, chose to use something funky and fun to express my greetings. 

Easter

Smiles.