Gearing it up Birthday

It's been a while since I last posted. I needed a break from holiday card making as well as the holidays themselves. I'm rejuvenated and ready to go  So here is my first card of the year.....a masculine birthday card.

I wanted to use gears in my project. However, I wanted to have them copper colored. So......I took a piece of white card stock and embossed it with copper EP and then cut the gears with dies from Cheery Lynn. They came out looking very realistic.

Next, I prepared my focal panel using ivory card stock and had my sentiment computer generated. Then I adhered the gears randomly on the panel and put it aside to work on the base.

The base card was prepared in ivory card stock and layered with gear patterned digital paper that I found on line. In my final step I popped on my focal panel using dimensional tape. And that completed my project.

Hope you enjoyed today's project and were inspired to create. And thanks for stopping by! 

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #107 - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments  -  Challenge #123 - Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #43 - Anything Goes
Creative Moments  -  Challenge #60 - Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday  - Challenge  #69  -  Anything Goes
Sister Act  -  Challenge #90 - Anything Goes
Sisterhood of Crafters  -  Challenge Jan 14 - Anything Goes
TTCRD  -   Challenge Jan 20-25  -  Anything Goes
One Stitch at a Time  -  Challenge #128 - Anything Goes

Christmas Cards 2014

Merry Christmas! I have been so busy trying to get my personal Christmas cards done in time to mail them out. I didn't want to post them on my blog until they arrived at the recipients' doors. So here are some of the cards I made for this Christmas.  Hope you enjoy them.

Poinsettia on Shimmery Tree

Blue Poinsettia on Shimmery Tree

Blue Christmas Wreath

Christmas Angel in White

Christmas Greeting Bells #1

Christmas Greeting Bells #2

Golden Holly Christmas

Red Poinsettia Outline

White Poinsettia Outline

Happy Holidays

Happy Holiday Bells

Nutcracker

Red Snowflake Ornaments

The Three Wisemen

Warm & Cozy Fire

White Wreath on Red Velvet #1

White Wreath on Red Velvet #2

White Deer Christmas

White on White Ornament

Red Snowflake Trio

White Mosaic Poinsettia on Red Velvet

Thank you for stopping by and please come again! . 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my Facebook friends! Hope your holiday is a joyous one and the New Year showers you with good health and prosperity!

Orange Poppies Easel Card

Hello, crafting friends! Today's card is an  easel card that I made for my DT entry in this week's The Outlawz Twisted Thursday "Anything Goes" Challenge....with the "twist" being an easel card.

I began with preparing and scoring my base card which would be the easel part of my card. The shape was cut using  a  Spellbinders Stately Circles die. (Here is a video tutorial on making a basic easel card. There are other videos on line demonstrating how to make shaped easel cards). I cut another identically shaped panel with the same die, stamped my image (from GKD Stately Flowers 1), colored it with Copics and added black glitter to the center of the poppy image. To add a bit more interest I adhered a small butterfly in black which was cut with a die from a Tattered Lace Butterflies. This would be my focal panel which would later be attached to my easel base. I put this aside to continue working on my base.

I layered the bottom of my "easel" with dotted swiss pattered paper. Next, I cut a smaller die cut piece, which was cut from the same Spellbinders die, and stamped my sentiment (from the same stamp set as my focal image). I added 3 black half-pearls above the sentiment which would serve as the "stopper" for my easel card. As a final step, I adhered my focal panel to my base card and my card was  complete. 

For mailing, the easel card folds flat as seen in the photo below:

 NOTE : Copic colors used for poppy:  YR07, YR04, Y17, YG61,YG63

 
If you are interested in complete details on how to create an easel card, make sure you view the video tutorial. There are many different styles and shapes of easel cards and you can find tutorials for them on line. Seeing how one is done is much easier than trying to read instructions. If you haven't made one yet, hope you will give it a try.

Thanks for visiting! And make it a great day!

Poinsettia on Shimmery Tree

Hello everyone! Here is one of my first Christmas cards for this year. I usually make a different card for each recipient. There are so many beautiful possibilities that it is truly hard for me to choose to make just one type of Christmas card. But this year I am way far behind in my Christmas card making so I will have to limit myself to just a few different kinds.

I began with preparing my base card in white card stock. Next, I cut a panel in white a bit smaller than the front of my base and had my sentiment computer generated. My panel was then embossed with a Nellie Snellen Christmas Square 2 folder. 

The tree was cut with a Memory Box Winterland Tree die and covered with glitter. The poinsettia was cut with Sue Wilson's Mosaic Poinsettia die in red suede and Ranger Liquid Pearls was added to the center. The tree and poinsettia were then positioned and adhered to the focal panel. As a last step, the panel was adhered to the base with dimensionals and this completed my project.

Hope you liked this post. Thanks for stopping by and please come again. And I love to receive your comments so please feel free to add your thoughts.

This card was entered into the following challenge(s)

Stamp TV  -  MIUM Challenlge - Christmas Comes Early - STV14MON41
TTCRD  - Challenge Oct 21-Oct 27 - Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #58 - Anything Goes - Twist: Add flowers
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #155 - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls  -  Challenge #29 - Anything Goes

Spooky Halloween

Hello everyone! Halloween is just a little over a week away. Is everyone ready for the little goblins that will be appearing at their door? I enjoy the littlest ones trying to walk up my front steps and saying "trick or treat". They are the cutest!

Since there is NO twist for this week's Twisted Thursday Anything Goes challenge at The Outlawz, I decided to make a Halloween card. And I really had a lot of fun making it.

I wanted to create a Halloween night scene so I began by cutting a 4" x 6" piece of white card stock for my focal panel. I wanted to have a large moon portrayed in my project so I created a mask with a Spellbinders Standard Circles die and positioned it on my panel with removable adhesive. This would serve as the area that would be left uncolored while I sponged my panel. I used Memento Sweet Plum ink to sponge over the entire panel. Then I went over parts of the panel using Memento Summer Sky ink. This resulted in a pretty purplish/pink night sky.  I removed the mask and there was the big beautiful moon.

In my next step I used a branch stamp from PTI Trees stamp set and stamped the branch a few times on both the right and left edges of my panel using GKD Black ink. Using both the bat stamps and owl stamp from GKD Celebrate the Season stamp set, I positioned these on my panel in various spots and stamped them with the same black ink. The picket fence is a die from Impression Obsession and was cut in black card stock and adhered to my panel with dimensionals. I used a pumpkin image from GKD Always Autumn stamp set, colored it with Copics, cut it out and then used a Memory Box Perky Pumpkin Face die to cut out the face. I added a black layer under the finished pumpkin face and popped it on to the fence with dimensionals. At this point I matted my focal panel with black card stock. My sentiment was composed on my computer, printed out and then cut with craft scissors and sponged with black ink around all four edges. My focal panel being completed, I matted it with black card stock and put it aside to work on my base card.

My base card was prepared in black  and layered  with purple. The focal panel was adhered to my base and my project was done. I was happy with the way it turned out. Spooky, but with a soft look.

 Thanks for stopping by. And......hope you have a Spooky Halloween!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

TTCRD  -  Challenge Oct 21-Oct 27 - Anything Goes
Creative Moments  -  Challenge #54 - Anything Goes - Halloween
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #155 - Anything Goes
Dies R Us  -  Challenge #12 - Halloween
Crafty Girls  -  Challenge#29 - Anything Goes
The ABC Challenge - Challenge Oct 15-Oct 31 - V for Vibrant
The Sisterhood of Crafters  -  Challenge Oct 22 - Fall Colors
Tuesday Throwdown  -  Challenge #218 - Halloween Colors

Harvest of Wishes

 

Hello everyone! Today's card is one where I used one of my favorite coloring techniques: Prismacolor pencils and OMS (Odorless Mineral Spirits). The "twist" for the Anything Goes challenge at The Outlawz this week was to use your favorite technique and this is the one I chose for my Design Team project.

I stamped my image (GKD Always Autumn) in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white card stock. Next, I colored the image using several different shades of Prismacolor Colored Pencils and OMS. (For anyone interested in how to do this technique, here is a link to a video tutorial).

After coloring, I cut my image panel using Sue Wilson's Innsbruck die and sponged around the edges with Memento Tangelo ink before removing it from the die. For my sentiment, I used a stamp from GKD's Harvest of Wishes stamp set and cut it with a small die from the same Sue Wilson die set. 

My base card was created from white card stock and layered with warm cocoa card stock. An orange layer was embossed with a Cuttlebug Gingham EF and adhered to my base card. My focal panel and sentiment were then popped on with dimensionals and a bow made from jute twine was attached to the sentiment for a finished look.

Hope you enjoyed this post and will check out the tutorial. If you've never used colored pencils and OMS, I think you'll find it a fun technique. Just make sure you have quality colored pencils and card stock. It makes a world of difference.

Until next time............make it a great day! 

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

613 Avenue Create  - Challenge #93 - Anything Goes

TTCRD  - Challenge Oct 14-20  -  Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #154 - Anything Goes

Sister Act  - Challenge #78 - Anything Goes 

One Stitch at a Time  _  Challenge #221 - Anything Goes with color Orange 

Fantastic Tuesday  - Challenge #57 - Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #40 - Anything Goes

Aud Sentiments - Challenge #117  Week Two - Anything Goes

Wags 'n Whiskers - Challenge #139 - Fall Colors

No One Like You

Hello fellow crafters! This is my DT card for this week's challenge at The Outlawz! The twist was an "outdoor" theme. I chose to use this image from Lee's Digi Shop who is this month's sponsor at The Outlawz.

I began my printing out my digital image on white card stock and coloring it with Copics. Next, I cut it using Spellbinders Decorative Labels Thirty Four. Before removing it from the die, I lightly sponged Memento Summer Sky ink around the edges (which isn't very visible in the photo). My sentiment was composed and printed out on my computer and cut with a die from Spellbinders Labels Thirty Six. I added a floral image that I had cropped from the focal image and colored it with Copics. I put this side while I prepared my base card.

I used white card stock for my base and layered it with denim blue card stock from GKD. Next, I cut a layer of GKD pumpkin spice card stock and cut a pattern using an Impression Obsession Fancy Cutout Border die. This was adhered to my base card. As my final step, I popped on my focal panel and sentiment panel using dimensionals and that completed my project.

Thanks for stopping by! Make it a great day!

This card was entered in the following challenge(s):
613 Avenue Create  -   Challenge #92 - Anything Goes
One Stitch at a Time  -  Challenge #221 - Anything Goes with Color Orange
Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #39 - Anything Goes
TTCRD  -  Challenge Oct 7 - 13  -  Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #56 - Anything Goes with Wings
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge # 153 - Anything Goes

Creative Moments  -  Challenge #53 - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls  -  Challenge #28 - Anything Goes
Sister Act  -  Challenge #77 - Anything Goes

Birthday Ride

Hi there! For this week's Twisted Thursday "Anything Goes" challenge at The Outlawz the twist was "take a ride". Here's my Design Team entry using an image from Lee's Digi Shop, which is this month's sponsor for The Outlawz. 

I chose  an image titled "boy on present" and colored him with Copics. Next, I cut out the panel with a die from Spellbinders A2 Valiant Honor. Before removing the panel from the die, I sponged around my image with Memento Cantaloupe and Tangelo inks. Since the little boy image was dressed in a long sleeved shirt and pants, I added a falling leaf, colored with Copics to show that autumn had indeed arrived. I used the wagon stamp from GKD Beyond Baskets stamp set and colored it with Copics and used a stamp from GKD Signs of Spring as my birthday greeting which I stamped on the wagon. I embossed the wheels and wagon handle to give them a shine. After cutting out the wagon, I adhered it to my focal panel with dimensionals to create the illusion that the little boy was sitting on a birthday present in the wagon.

I made my base card in white card stock and added a layer of patterned paper from my stash. I then adhered my focal panel to my base and my project was complete.

I hope you enjoyed this post and were inspired to create. Thanks for stopping by!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

Golden Autumn

Hello, everyone! A very long time ago there was a cologne by Prince Matchebelli called Golden Autumn which I loved. I wore it all the time. When it was discontinued I was very disappointed. I still remember it to this day.  Hence, the theme for my DT project for this week's "Anything Goes" Twisted Thursday challenge at The Outlawz. NO optional twist this week.

I knew what I had in mind to create so I began with  my focal point, cutting a tree image from a Memory Box Swirly Tree die in brown card stock. Next, using gold Glitzy Glitter card stock, I cut several maple leaves using an Impression Obsession Leaves die. I chose GKD Pumpkin Spice card stock and then cut and embossed it with Sue Wilson's Spanish Collection Seville die. I then adhered my tree and leaves to this panel. I composed my own sentiment and printed it out on my computer on ivory card stock and cut and embossed it with Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges die. After removing it from the die, I used a Versamark pen to dab around the edges and embossed them with gold EP. This was then popped onto my focal panel.

 I then prepared my base card in brown card stock and layered it with ivory card stock which was cut and embossed with the larger die from Sue Wilson's Spanish Collection Seville set. As a final step, I adhered my prepared focal panel to my base card.

(By the way, I discovered that Golden Autumn cologne is available as a vintage item on Ebay. However,  I don't think I will be buying any.)

Thanks so much for stopping by. I always appreciate any and all comments so please feel free to drop me a note. And finally....wishing you a "golden autumn" of a day!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):
Repeat Impressions   -  DCC924 ~ Fall

Autumn Greetings

 

Hello, crafting friends! Autumn is my favorite season. Maybe it's because my birthday falls in the autumn, I don't know. But I love the crisp air, the palette of different hues of color, the sound of walking through the fallen leaves.....To me it's the most beautiful season of the year. 

And "the first day of fall" happens to be the optional theme this week at The Outlawz Twisted Thursday challenge. So this is my DT card that I created for this challenge.

I took a 4.5 W x 5.0 L ivory panel and used Spellbinders Die D-lites Medallion Seven to cut the center designed circle. I added my sentiment, which was computer generated. Next, I stamped the leaf stamp, from GKD Falling For You STV Kit, in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on to several different colored pieces of card stock. I embossed the leaves with copper EP and cut each one of them out (this was the hardest part). The acorn was cut using a Memory Box Nutty Acorn die. The leaves were then positioned and adhered to my panel and the acorn was popped on with dimensionals.

(I could have used a die to cut out all the leaves and save my hand from all the cutting, but I wanted to use the copper EP to bring out the veins in the leaves and the copper EP does that beautifully)

For the base card (5.25 W x 5.75 L), I used red card stock and matted it with kraft (5.0 W x 5.5 L). As a final step, my focal panel was popped on to my base with dimensionals.

Hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for stopping by.

 Remember to make it a great day!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):
Dies R Us  -  Challenge #10 - Fall Festival

Creative Moments  -  Challenge #51 - Anything Goes - Fall Colors

One Stitch at a Time  -  Challenge #219 - Anything Goes - With a Die

613Avenue Create  -  Challenge #89 - Anything Goes
Sister Act  -  Challenge #74 - Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #36 - Anything Goes
TTCRD  -  Challenge Sep 16-22  - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #150 - Anything Goes

Autumn Leaves Birthday

Hello everyone! Autumn is just a few days away and I'm waiting for the leaves to start turning colors. I love the beautiful palette nature creates for this season. I feel it is the most beautiful season of the year. And I love making autumn cards. This one was made for a friend's upcoming birthday. I was inspired by GKD Designer Theresa Momber's Wonderful Family fall card.

My base card was made using GKD ivory card stock. I layered it with GKD brown and then added another layer of honey mustard. Using a gold Gelly Roll pen and a die from Spellbinders Matting Basic A, I outlined the die both on the outside and inside. I put this aside to work on my focal panel.

Using ivory card stock and a stamp from GKD Always Autumn stamp set, I stamped my sentiment in Memento Espresso Truffle. Next, this panel was cut with Spellbinders Decorative Labels Thirty Four and, before removing it from the die, it was sponged around the edges using GKD Sweet Corn and Memento Rich Cocoa inks. Using the same stamp set, the leaves were stamped on different colored card stock, embossed with copper EP and then each was cut out. 

Finally the focal panel was adhered to the prepared base card using dimensionals. The leaves were positioned around the panel and also adhered with dimensionals. This completed my project.

Thanks for visiting! Hope you come back often to see what I've been creating. 

Make it a great day!

This card was entered into the following challenges:

Dies R Us  -  Challenge #10 - Fall Festival

613 Avenue Create  - Challenge #89 - Anything Goes

Brown Sugar Challenge  -  Challenge #111 - Celebrations

Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #36 - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls  -  Challenge #26 - Anything Goes
TTCRD  -  Challenge Sep 16-22  -  Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #53 - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #150 - Anything Goes
Creative Moments  -  Challenge #51 - Anything Goes/Fall Colors
Sister Act  - Challenge #74 - Anything Goes
One Stitch at a Time  -  Challenge #219 - Anything Goes / With a Die
Love to Create  -  Challenge #133 - Add Some Lines

Fall Mailbox Thank You

Our neighborhood mail carrier is having his route changed and will no longer be delivering our mail.  He has been a great carrier and one of the best we've had in this neighborhood. He will be missed. So, I decided to make him a card and include a small gift to show appreciation for his excellent service.

My image is a digital stamp from From the Heart Stamps called Fall Mailbox. I thought it would be the perfect image for my card. I printed it out on white card stock. Before coloring it with Copics, I printed our street name and city on the mailbox. I stamped a falling leaf from GKD Celebrate the Season stamp set which I also colored with Copics. The sentiment was computer generated. Next, I die cut this using Spellbinders Labels Thirty Four and, before removing it from the die, I sponged around the edges with Memento Cantaloupe and Tangelo inks.

I prepared by base card in white card stock. I cut a layer in brown card stock, slightly smaller than my base card. I added two score lines in opposite corners of this layer and then adhered it to my base. As a last step, I popped on my focal panel using dimensionals.

I hope our mail carrier knows how much we appreciated him, especially in our cold and snowy winters and our hot and humid summers. We wish him "happy trails" and success on his new route where he won't need to get out of his mail truck to deliver mail.

Thank you for stopping by! 

Your comments are always appreciated!

Hope your day is a creative one!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #89 - Anything Goes
Sister Act  -  Challenge #74 - Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #35 - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls  -  Challenge #26 - Anything Goes
Creative Moments  -  Challenge #51 - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #149 - Any6thing Goes
One Stitch at a Time  -  Challenge #219 - Anything Goes
TTCRD  -  Challenge Sept 9-15  - Anything Goes

Blue Daisies

Hello everyone! Before I introduce my card project I'd like to draw attention to this day, September 11, on which we honor the memory of all those that perished in the four terrorist attacks 13 years ago launched by Islamic terrorist groups upon the United States in New York City and the Washington, D.C. metro area. Young or old, this is one day in our lives that will remain in our memories forever.

As to my card.....this was my DT project for this week's Twisted Thursday challenge at The Outlawz. The optional twist for this week was to "add a ladybug".

I used an image from Oak Pond Creations (one of our sponsors for this month). The lady bug is an image that I found on line and added to my OPC image. I colored the daisies with Copic markers and paper pieced the bow using some gingham patterned paper. This was then cut and embossed with a die from Spellbinders Opulent Ovals.

Next, I used GKD Sweet Mango card stock and embossed it with a gingham design embossing folder from Cuttlebug. I matted this with GKD Blue Denim card stock and adhered it to a white card base.

My sentiment was stamped in black ink using a stamp from GKD Elegant Florals stamp set and cut with another die from Spellbinders Opulent Ovals. After adhering the sentiment, my focal panel was then popped onto my card base with dimensionals and my project was complete.

I hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for visiting my blog!


This card earned me the title of Designer of the Day on Sept. 12 by 613 Avenue Create.
I am appreciative of and thankful for the honor!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):
613 Avenue Create - Challenge #88 - Anything Goes
One Stitch at a Time  -  Challenge #219 - Anything Goes  with a Die
Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #35 - Anything Goes
TTCRD  -  Challenge # Sept 9-15  - Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #52 - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #149 - Anything Goes
Creative Moments  -  Challenge #51 - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls  -  Challenge #26 - Anything Goes
Sister Act  -  Challenge #73 - Anything Goes

Speedy Recovery

Hello everyone! A friend of mine is having foot surgery (on her left foot) in a few days and this is the card I made for her. It was a very CAS card and fun to make as well. My sentiment and the "ouch" were all computer generated.

I prepared my base card in GKD ivory card stock and layered it with GKD sweet corn and black onyx. My sentiment was computer generated on an ivory layer which was then cut using Spellbinders Adorning Squares and embossed with a die from Spellbinders Classic Squares Small. The left foot image was cut in sweet corn with a die from Marianne Design Creatables Feet and popped on with dimensionals. This focal panel was then adhered to my prepared base.

I think my friend will get a "kick" out of this card and I hope it will bring a smile to her face through the pain. 

Thanks for stopping by and hope you stop by often. 

And remember to make it a great day!

 

Congrats

Hi, everyone! Hope you had a safe and fun Labor Day holiday weekend and are rested and ready to join in the fun at The Outlawz Twisted Thursday challenge. "Make it sparkle" is the optional twist this week.  The sponsors for this week are Oak Pond Creations and Paper Temptress.

Here is my DT card I made for this challenge. Although the glitter is not very visible in the photo, it was applied around the rim of the glass and on the little floating circles.

The products I used for this card are as follows:

Image: Jeni's Margarita by Oak Pond Creations
Die:  Spellbinders Decorative Labels Thirty Four
Card Stock:  GKD pure luxury white, blue denim
Sentiment:  GKD Fabulous Frame
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Summer Sky
Other: embossing folder(unknown brand), Copics, BIC markers, glitter, craft sponge

This was a fairly easy card to create. It could be used for an anniversary, wedding, milestone birthday, New Years or any congratulatory theme depending on the sentiment used.

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! Hope you were inspired to create and make it a great and productive day today!