Saturday, May 11, 2013

Hello! Welcome to my blog and thank you for stopping by. I design and create handcrafted greeting cards. I like to call this passion of mine "visual poetry" ....imagery on paper. Please feel free to browse the photos of my cards and leave a comment.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Autumn Sunflower and Pumpkin Birthday


 

Here is the other autumn themed card I made for a friend whose birthday falls this month as well. This one was made for my college roommate from way back when. Our birthdays are 4 days apart.

I began with die cutting the large pumpkin in white card stock and coloring it with Copic markers. The sunflowers were die cut in yellow card stock and its leaves in green while the fall leaves and acorns were  die cut in white card stock and were colored with Copics. The wheat image was cut in some gold card stock I had in my stash. These were all put aside in order to prepare my base card

The base card was prepared in white card stock and layered with brown. The focal panel, in white card stock, was then adhered to the prepared base card.

Now it was time to put it all together. The pumpkin was adhered to the focal panel using dimensionals. All the other elements were positioned and adhered as shown in the photo. As a final step, the sentiment was die cut in brown card stock and added to the panel. My project was complete.

Here are the products used in creating this card:

Card Stock:  GKD white, sweet corn, dark chocolate; SU garden green; gold (my stash)

Dies:  Honey Bee Fall Bouquet, Cottage Cutz Sunflowers, IO Wheat, Spellbinders Woodland Acorns, Memory Box Lovely Happy Birthday.

Other:  Copic markers, dimensionals, adhesive


Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you will stop by often. Until next time, Happy Fall!

 

This card was entered into the following challenges:

Mod Squad Challenge Blog - Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere

Double D Challenge Blog -  Owls and/or Pumpkin

Four Seasons Challenge - Anything Goes Fall


Autumn Wreath Birthday


  

Happy Fall everyone! My favorite season has finally arrived. I just love the colors of autumn and the crisp air blowing the leaves off the trees. And fall themed cards are my favorite to make. This is one of two fall themed cards that I created this month for friends' birthdays.

For my first step, I die cut the wreath four times in brown card stock and adhered them together to give the wreath bulk.  Next,  the leaves, acorns, pumpkin and sun flowers were die cut in white card stock and colored with Copic markers. These were then used to position and layer over the twig wreath using adhesive.

The base was created using  white card stock and layered with dark chocolate followed by honey mustard card stock. The focal panel was die cut in ivory card stock and adhered to the base.  The finished wreath was then adhered to the focal panel using dimensionals. I added another pumpkin and leaves as well as some acorns and leaves on either side of the wreath to complete the theme I wanted to create. The sentiment was computer generated on ivory card stock, die cut and adhered to the middle of the wreath with dimensionals.

 

Here are the products used in this project: 

Card Stock:  GKD Pure Luxury White, Ivory, Dark Chocolate, Honey Mustard

Dies:  IO Twig Wreath, IO Fall Icon Wreath, Hero Arts Nesting Postage Stamp Infinity Die Set, Hero Arts Rectangle Infinity Die Set

Other:  Copic Markers, dimensionals, adhesive 


Hope you enjoyed this post and will be inspired to create some fall themed cards. 

Thank you for stopping by and and please stop by again to view the other fall card I created.


 This card was entered into the following challenges:

Mod Squad Challenge Blog - Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Everywhere

 Double D Challenge Blog - Owls and/or Pumpkins

Four Seasons Challenge - Anything Goes Fall


Friday, September 17, 2021

Sunflowers and Wheat Thank You

 

This card was created for my dearest friend who has been my best friend for over 60 years. There was a recent death in my family and she was there to share in my sorrow. I wanted to thank her from my heart.

I knew I would need a square layout so I created my 6x6 base card in ivory card stock. I layered it with Blackberry Bliss card stock followed by another layer of ivory card stock. This was put aside so I could work on my focal point.

The sunflowers were die cut in yellow card stock. After these were assembled I used a reddish brown velvet card stock that I had on hand to create the centers and adhere them to the sunflowers. The leaves were die cut in green card stock from the same die set. I used a subtle gold card stock to die cut the wheat heads. Blackberry Bliss card stock was used for the sentiment.

The die cut sunflowers, leaves, wheat and sentiment were then positioned on my prepared base card and adhered with dimensionals and glue dots. This completed my project.

 

Here are the materials used in this project:

Card Stock: GKD Ivory, Sweet Corn; SU Wild Wasabi, Blackberry Bliss; Velvet scraps

Dies:  CottageCutz Sunflowers, Impression Obsession Wheat, Sue Wilson's Shadow Box - In the Garden

Other:  adhesive, dimensionals  

 

Thanks so much for stopping by. Autumn is beginning next week and it is my favorite season. I will be making a couple of autumn birthday cards in the next couple of weeks so be sure to visit.

Until then.....make it a great crafting day!         


Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Gear up Birthday


 One of my nephews' birthdays fell this month. What to make?  What to make? Masculine cards take a lot of thinking to come up with unique themes. This is what came to mind for me.

I began with creating the base card in white card stock. Then it was layered with black card stock. I wanted to add some contrast to the black and white and thought the plaid layer would fit the bill. This was put aside while I worked on the focal panel.

I first die cut the racing flags, gears and race car. The flags were cut using black and white card stock, the gears with black mirror paper and the race car with black, silver and turquoise mirror card stock. I cut a strip of black card stock and created dash lines with a white gel pen to simulate a race track.

For the focal panel a piece of white card stock was cut using a stitched rectangle die. The black strip was positioned and adhered . Next, the race car die pieces were arranged and adhered to the black strip.  The race flags were positioned and adhered using dimensionals. The sentiment was computer generated, die cut and then positioned on the card with dimensionals. The gears were randomly placed to finish the theme.

Listed below are the products used:

Card Stock:  GKD white, black onyx; black, silver and turquoise mirror card stock, plaid digital paper

Dies:  Sue Wilson Double Stitched Rectangle, CottageCutz Race Car and Flags, Cheery Lynn Gears

Other: adhesive, dimensionals, Unibal white gel pen

 

Thanks for visiting! My next project will be fall birthday cards. Hope you stop by to view them.

In the meantime, enjoy the last several weeks of the hot summer! Stay safe!


Friday, August 20, 2021

Butterfly Glittered Birthday

 



Hello, crafting friends!  Hope everyone is safe and healthy. 

I had several birthday cards to make this month. This one was for my daughter. I wanted to make something different and special. So I decided to create this large butterfly card. Unfortunately, the camera did not capture the glitter which peeked through the top butterfly layer.

I began with creating the base card. White card stock was folded in half and the solid "scalloped" butterfly die was positioned on the folded card stock with the top of the die slightly above the fold, and cut. This created the base. Next, the same die was used on a piece of white card stock to cut another image which was layered on the base card in order to ensure a complete butterfly edge on top where the base was folded.

In the next step, the large butterfly image from the stamp set was stamped on vellum using Versamark ink, embossed with white embossing powder and then cut with the solid outline butterfly die (not the scalloped one). Using Distress Oxide inks, the back of the vellum image was sponged with various shades. Adhesive was applied only to the center of the butterfly wings (the body) and and then adhered to the base card. At this point glitter was added to the vellum image and set to dry.

For the final step, the top layer of this card was cut in white card stock using the intricate die. Adhesive was applied only to the center of the wings (the body) and then this was layered over the vellum. This completed my project.

Here are the products used:

Card Stock:  GKD White; Vellum

Stamps:  Heartfelt Creations Large Floral Butterfly Stamp Set

Dies:  Heartfelt Creations Large Floral Butterfly

Inks:  Versamark, Distress Oxide Gathered Twigs, Wild Honey and Fossilized Amber

Other:  embossing powder, glitter, adhesive, sponge daubers 


I hope you enjoyed this post and will visit often. Thank you for stopping by.

Until next time........stay safe and keep on crafting!

 

Friday, July 23, 2021

Chess Board Birthday

 

Hello, fellow crafters! Do you find it hard to come up with many different themes for masculine cards?  I know I do. I have 3 males that I make birthday cards for each year and each one is different. Trying to come up with ideas each time is not an easy task. The card above is a birthday card I made for my brother whose birthday falls this month and I decided on a chess theme,.

I began by creating my base card in ivory card stock. This was matted with a panel of kraft followed by a panel of black card stock. I searched on line for a chess board image and printed it out. Then I cut black squares and adhered them to the chess board image to give it some dimension. The chess board was then adhered to the prepared base card.  The chess pieces were die cut in black mirror paper and adhered to the chess board using dimensionals.  The sentiment was computer generated and adhered to the chess board with foam tape.This completed my project.

Here are the products/materials used:

Card Stock:  GKD Ivory, Kraft, Black Onyx; Black mirror paper

Dies:  Yvionne Creations Chess Game, Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges

Ink:  GKD Sandy Beach (for sponging sentiment edges)

Other:  adhesive, dimensionals, foam tape, sponge dauber

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Come back again soon.

  In the meantime.....get creating!



Hang in There (Encouragement)


 

 A friend of my daughter's is going through some tough times and my daughter asked me to make a card. I thought this card would put a smile on their face and let them know that someone cares.

To create this card, I began with die cutting a front panel in blue card stock. Next, I cut out a cloud shape on the panel. At the same time, different sizes of cloud images were die cut, to be added to the panel later.

The tree image was stamped on white card stock, colored with Copics and die cut. The owl image was die cut and assembled. The sentiment was computer generated and die cut. 

Now it was time to put it all together. The base card was prepared in white card stock. The focal panel was adhered to the base using fun foam. Finally, the tree image, owl, clouds and sentiment were positioned and adhered using dimensionals. My project was complete.

Here are the materials/products used:

Card Stock:  GKD White, Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Pumpkin Spice (used my last sheet of this one...no longer available at GKD's; SU Spring Rain

Ink:   Distress Oxide Vintage Photo  (to sponge edges of the bird images)

Stamps:  Heartfelt Creations Sugar Hollow Hangout

Dies: Sue Wilson Double Stitched Rectangles, A Little Birdie Told Me; Poppy Stamps Fancy Clouds; Memory Box Mini Clouds; Elizabeth Craft Poppy the Owl; Heartfelt Creations Sugar Hollow Hangout;  MFT Die-Namics Inside & Out Diagonal Stitched Rectangles

Other: adhesive, fun foam, dimensionals, Copic markers, sponge dauber

 

Hope you enjoyed this post. Thank you for visiting and stop by again soon!




Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Vase of Flowers Birthday


 Hello again! I forgot to mention this birthday card that I created recently as well. This  one took me a while because those flower images were just to tiny for my hands. I somehow managed to get them die cut and positioned. But it was worth it because I was very pleased with the result.

 

Listed are the products used:

Card Stock:  GKD White, Blue Lagoon, various for floral images

Dies:  Sue Wilson Fancy Cut Border, Elegant Arrangements, IO Bouquet

Other:  adhesive, dimensionals, Wink of Stella 

 

Once again, thank you for visiting my blog. Hope you stop by again soon.

Happy crafting!


 

Thinking of You Get Well and Butterfly Birthday



 Hello Crafters! My sister-in-law fell and sustained an injury to her upper arm. Surgery is not an option at this time and her physicians want to wait and see if it heals on its own. Also, her birthday fell this month. Thus, these are the cards I made for her...one get well and the other a birthday card.

 Here are the products used for the get well card:

 Card Stock:  GKD white, Innocent Pink

Inks: GKD Passionate Pink (to blend around perimeter of card front)

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Garden Greetings

Other: Versamark, Gold EP, adhesive, blending brush

 

For the birthday card, these products were used:

Card Stock:  GKD White, Sweet Mango, Dark Chocolate 

Dies:  Sue Wilson Stamp Cuts Butterfly, Hero Arts Postage Stamps Infinity Dies,  Memory Box Lovely Happy Birthday

Other:  Distress Oxide inks to color butterfly, blending brushes, adhesive, dimensionals

 

Thank you for stopping by! I will have 3 more cards to post next month, all birthday cards. 

Hope you stop by to visit.  Until til then....make it a great day!

 

Monday, May 10, 2021

New Home Welcome



 

 Hello, crafting friends!  Just recently I was asked to create a card welcoming new neighbors that moved in next to the property belonging to a friend of mine. My friend went to welcome them and introduced himself and discovered that they were a young Ukrainian family with a young son and another child on the way. He requested that I make a card that would welcome them so that he could present it to them along with a welcoming gift. Being Ukrainian myself and fluent in the language and culture I came up with this card.

Since I don't have Ukrainian themed stamps or dies (and don't know if I could even find any) I had to improvise to achieve the idea I had in mind. I wanted it to represent the Ukrainian culture in both symbols and language. 

I began by creating the focal panel. I wanted to create a sentiment that wished them happiness in their new home. I personally composed  the sentiment and printed it on white card stock. I also computer generated an image of a vase of flowers to add alongside the sentiment. Than I searched for Ukrainian embroidery images and chose the blue and yellow border strips. (Blue and yellow are the colors of the Ukrainian national flag).  I printed them out, cut them to size and then adhered them to a the white card panel on either edge. This completed the front panel.

Next, I worked on the inside of the card. Ukrainians regard the round bread (called a korovai) as a symbol of hospitality. It is presented to visitors as a welcome greeting on an embroidered ritual towel along with salt which represents friendship. If you welcome people with bread and salt, this means you respect them for what they are.

With this in mind I found an image of a young Ukrainian woman presenting bread and used this image on the inside of the card. I added some red poppies as well. I created the sentiment above the image in Ukrainian. It interprets as:  "We welcome you and wish you good fortune, happiness and memories in your new home" 

With the focal panel and inside panel completed I prepared the base in white card stock, matted it with GKD Blue Denim and then adhered the focal panel and the inside panel. This completed my project.

I was pleased with how it turned out. I just wish I could find Ukrainian themed stamps and dies. I'm on a mission to see if these are available anywhere. If not, one can always improvise with what they have on hand.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hope to have another post very soon.

Til then....make it a great day!

Monday, May 3, 2021

Recover Quickly


 Hello, crafting friends! Today I'm sharing a card that I made for my brother who recently had shoulder surgery. As you can see this was not a difficult card to make. So instead of providing the steps I took to create this, I am listing the products/materials used.

 

Card Stock:  GKD Pure Luxury White, Cherry Red, Kraft, Black Onyx. Sweet Blush; Pale Yellow (scraps from my stash), silver mirror paper; burlap panel

Dies:  Frantic Stamper Nurse's Gear, Jumbo Bandage, Sue Wilson Double Pierced Squares

Other:  Adhesive, dimensionals, foam tape, computer generated sentiment (on bandaid and medicine bottle) 

 

Hope you enjoyed this post and were inspired to create.  Stay tuned for another post coming soon. Until then, make it a great day!


Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Speedy Recovery


 Hello, crafty friends!  I'm sure some of you have had knee replacement surgery. Well, a friend of mine just had her knee replaced and I decided to create a get well card for her using knee replacement as my theme.

To begin, I created the front panel using white card stock and an embossing folder. This was matted with red card stock followed by a panel of red and white striped digital paper. Then it was adhered to a white card base.

The die cut images, such as the wheelchair, crutches and cane were a challenge because each of them came in several pieces and had to be assembled. The parts are small and my hands are not.

The images were then adhered to the front panel. The "store" sign was composed and computer generated on white card stock layered over red. This completed my project.


Here are the materials used in creating this card:

Card Stock:  GKD Pure Luxury White, Red Velvet, Kraft;  PTI Dark Chocolate, SU Pink Pirouette; Black and Silver Mirror papers; red and black velvet (unknown manufacturer); red and white stripped digital paper

Embossing Folder:  Taylored Expressions Bead Board

Dies:  Cottage Cutz Wheelchair, Cane & Crutch, Sue Wilson Feel Better Soon, Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges

Other:  adhesive, foam tape, dimensionals

 


Monday, March 8, 2021

Fluttering Butterfly Birthday


 
 
 
 Hello crafters!  This card was made for the wife of one of my nephews whose birthday falls this month. Now, would she be considered my niece even though she is not a blood relative?  I've wondered about this for some time.

To make this card I began with creating the base card in yellow. This base was then layered with black card stock using dimensional tape. Next, my sentiment was computer generated on white and then adhered to the black layer. The frame was created in yellow and popped onto the prepared base card with dimensional tape. The cut-out butterfly was die cut in black. This was adhered to a solid die cut butterfly which was created using vellum stamped in white with a floral design wood stamp that I had on hand. The finished butterfly was adhered to the frame and my project was done.

 I loved the look of the butterfly with the vellum floral "underside". I think it added some elegance to the entire card.

 Here are the products used in the making of this card:

Card Stock:  GKD Wild Dandelion, Black Onyx, Pure Luxury White; Vellum

Dies:  Rubbernecker Rectangle Combo #3, Memory Box Vivienne Butterfly, Daria Butterfly

Stamps:  Floral design wood stamp (brand unknown)

Ink:  Versamark, GKD White,

Other:  Adhesive, dimensionals, embossing powder, heat gun

 

 Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, have a happy crafting day! 


This card was submitted to the following challenge:

Mod Squad Challenge  -   Beautiful Butterflies

 

Monday, February 1, 2021

Bloomin' Heart Birthdays

 February is Valentine's month and heart themes would be quite appropriate for any birthdays that fell this month. I made two heart themed cards for February.  The one above was created for my dearest friend whose birthday falls at the beginning of February.

 

 

This second card was created for a friend whose birthday falls right on Valentine's day.  How lucky can you get?? 

Here are the products used:

CARD #1

Card Stock:  GKD Pure Luxury White, Sweet Mango

Dies:  Punch Around the Page Swirling Lace Corner Punch, Marvy Corner punch, Stampin' Up Blooomin Heart Die, Spellbinders Ribbon Tag Die  

Stamps:  SU Bloomin' Love, Cake Soiree

Inks:  Memento Tangelo

Other:  adhesive, dimensionals, pearl half-heads


CARD #2

Card Stock:  GKD Pure Luxury White, Ocean Mist

Dies:  Sue Wilson Ornate Pierced Rectangles, Stampin' Up Bloomin' Heart

Stamps:  SU Bloomin Love, GKD Massive Messages

Inks:  GKD Ocean Mist 

Other:   adhesive, dimensionals, pearl half-heads, ribbon


Thank you for visiting my blog. My next project will be 2 birthday cards in March.  Please stop by again and..... in the meantime......get creative!


 



Saturday, January 30, 2021

Birthdays Are A Big Deal

Hello, fellow crafters! The holidays are over and it's a new year, hopefully better that 2020. My first card for 2021 is a birthday card for one of my nephews. I had to put a lot of thought into what theme to use for this masculine card. This is what I came up with.

I began with deciding what images I would use for my theme.....playing cards and poker chips. First, the base card was prepared in GKD Pure Luxury White card stock. Next, the base was layered with GKD Red Hot card stock followed by a layer of GKD Black Onyx.  The sentiment was computer generated onto a panel of plaid digital paper which was then layered onto the base card.

I chose the main suits from a deck of cards and adhered them to the front panel as shown above. The poker chips were digital images that I cut out with my circle dies and arranged on the card.

This completed my project. I was quite pleased with the final product. It was not difficult to create and it was a lot of fun to design.

Thanks for visiting!  Hope you were inspired to create. 

Stop by again soon.  Door is always open!