Retirement Watch

Hello everyone! Happy Friday!

A friend and former co-worker retired a few days ago and this is the card I made to send him. 

I began by creating my focal panel in a wood panel digital paper pattern. Next, I made the watch band using a strip of brown card stock and then adding a stitch pattern along the edges using a die from Paper Smooches Dots & Dashes. I found a clock face on line that I thought would match my color scheme and cut it with a Spellbinders Standard Circles die and matted it with ivory card stock. Then I cut several gears from a Cheery Lynn Gears die set, adhered the clock face to the largest gear and then to the watch band which was popped on to the focal panel with dimensionals. The other gears from the gear die set were adhered randomly on the panel. The focal panel was then matted in ivory card stock and adhered to a brown card base.

My sentiment was composed and printed on ivory card stock and then all four edges were trimmed with craft scissors. On the inside I added my message/verse on an ivory panel that also had all four edges cut with craft scissors. Some gears were randomly adhered there as  well.

This completed my project. Thank you for visiting and leaving any comments. I sincerely appreciate them. Until next time, make it a great day!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):
613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #121 - AG
Brown Sugar - Challenge #144 - AG
Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge 83 - AG
Inspiration Destination  -  Challenge #31 - AG
Sister Act  -  Challenge #104 - AG
ABC Challenge  -  Challenge 5/1/15 - I is for Inspire
TTCRD  -  Challenge 4/28 - 5/4
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #181 - AG

Bargello Birthday Card

Hello crafting friends! I enjoyed this week's challenge at Stamp TV so much that I decided to make another card using the "bargello" technique.

This time I chose some brown and turquoise digital patterned papers and created my strips. The inspiration came from a unique card I saw on line using this technique. I used the step layout to present the bargello pattern. My sentiment was computer generalted and then cut with a die from Spellbinders A2 Tranquil Moments. I added some little flower petals that were cut from some Leane Creatief dies and added a pearl in the centers. The butterfly was cut with a Memory Box Kensington Branch die using one of the digital papers that the strips were created with. When my focal panel was done it was matted with turquoise card stock and then adhered to a brown card base.

This was such a fun card to make. What makes it fun is that there are so many variations to this technique. I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't already. You will be pleased with the results.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you'll come back often! Make it a great day!

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

Stamp TV - STV15MON16 - Hello Bargello
Sister Act  -  Challenge #103 - AG
TTCRD  -  Challenge 4/21-4/27  - AG
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #180 - AG

Bargello Technique Card

Hello crafting friends! This week's MIUM challenge at Stamp TV was to make a card using the bargello technique. There are a few different ways to do this technique. One way involves cutting strips of one or several different patterned papers and adhering them to a card panel in a staggering manner to create a bargello pattern. Here is a video tutorial on the bargello technique.

I decided to use a little different bargello technique. I created my own patterned paper by using the emboss resist technique .Next, my patterned paper was cut into 1/2" and 5/8" strips and adhered in a staggering fashion (one strip higher, one lower) to a piece of  card stock and then cut with a die from Spellbinders Labels 36 die set. This was then matted with GKD Sweet Corn card stock. I put this aside to prepare my base card.

GKD Fresh Asparagus was used for the base card and layered with GKD ivory card stock which was die cut with a Lil' Inker Stitched Rectangle die.My focal panel was then popped onto my base with dimensionals. 

The sentiment is from GKD Dogwood and Butterfly stamp set and was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on ivory card stock which was then die cut with a die from Spellbinders 5x7 Detailed Scallops. The sentiment was then adorned with Marianne Anja's Vintage Swirls dies and all was adhered to the focal panel.

I felt something else was needed to make the project look finished so I decided to stamp a floral image in opposite corners of the ivory layer in GKD Fresh Asparagus ink using a stamp from GKD Fabulous Frame Fillers. That little "something" did the trick and made my eyes "happy".

Hope you enjoyed this post and will try this great technique. Thanks for stopping by and always make it a great day!

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

Stamp TV - MIUM Challenge - Hello, Bargello!
Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #82 - AG with Twist: Stitching

Birthday Blossom

Hello! It is windy as heck over here today. I went outside for a moment and was almost blown away by the strong gusts of wind. I just hope nothing comes falling down. Last time we had this kind of wind a tree branch hit my window and put a hole in my screen. Fortunately, the window was in tact but the screen had to be replaced.  Sigh.....Mother Nature can be cruel at times.

This was a a good day to stay indoors and so I made this card for this week's "Wheel in the Color"  challenge at Mod Squad. The requirements were to use any 3 colors of the color wheel. I chose orange, green and blue.

I created my base card in white and layered it with orange vellum. I cut another panel and used an IO Fancy Cutout Border die to create the pattern on the left and adhered it to my prepared base.

The flower was hand made using orange vellum and adhered to my front panel. The foliage was cut using  Memory Box Delicate Fern, Poppy Stamps Leafy Sprig and Pine Sprig dies and attached to the flower. The butterfly was made from GKD Ocean Mist card stock and cut using a die from Tattered Lace Butterflies. Black ink was sponged around the perimeter of the butterfly to make it stand out a little more. The sentiment is from GKD Signs of Spring stamp set and was stamped in black ink

Thanks for visiting my blog! And be sure to make it a great day!

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

Mod Squad  -  Wheel in the Color Challenge
Dies R Us  -  Challenge #24 - April Showers Bring May Flowers
Sister Act  -  Challenge #102 - AG
The ABC Challenge  -  H is for Happy Birthday
TTCRD  -  Challenge Apr 21-27 - AG
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #179 - AG
Aud Sentiments  -  Challenge #129 - Birthday Celebration

FB Challenge  - Challenge Apr 15 - 21  -  Birthdays

Take This Waltz

Hello! I'd like to share a card I made today for Monday's challenge at Stamp TV. We were to create a card that reflects a movie, any movie. I chose Take This Waltz  (2001) as my theme for this card. Here are the products used:

Card Stock - GKD white, dusty sage
Ink  -  GKD Black, Moonlit Fog
Stamps  -  GKD Because of You, Just a Note
Die  -  Spellbinders A2 Valiant Honor
Other  -  sentiment computer generated, adhesive, dimensionals

This really was a fun challenge. There were so many movies to choose from it was hard to choose just one. If you'd like to see the other entries for this challenge, here's the link. Or if you'd like to join in, you have until Sunday night to submit your creation to the Stamp TV - Let's Go to the Movies Challenge. 

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great day!

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

StampTV - STV15MON15 - Let's go to the Movies
613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #119 - AG
Inspiration Destination  -  Challenge #29 - AG
Sister Act  -   Challenge #101 - AG
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #179 - AG

Feel Better Soon Ferns

 

Happy Spring! It has finally arrived. Today we are enjoying beautiful sunshine, the wind is blowing and the temp is a fabulous 82 degrees in my backyard! It feels soooo good to open the windows and feel the breezes flowing in, freshening everything up. I love it!

This lovely weather has its perks. It motivates me to create. And so I was inspired to make this card after viewing a video on Stamp TV hosted by Gina K. I only wish my camera had captured the true color of the ink I used to create the fern images and background. Here are the products I used for this project:

Card Stock:  GKD white, black onyx
Ink:  GKD Black, Moonlit Fog
Stamps:  GKD Triple Play Frame, Signs of Spring

 I just love how this turned out. And thanks to Gina for the great video.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a wonderful and creative day!

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

613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #119 - AG
Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #55  - AG
Crafty Cardmakers & More  -  Challenge #136 - Wings
Inspiration Destination  -  Challenge #28 - AG
Sister Act  -  Challenge #101 - AG
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #178 - AG

Flowers for You

Hello again! Here is the second card I made for this weeks Stamp TV challenge. Again, the criteria were to use black, red and white in our cards. This is what I came up with.

The products used in this project were as follows:

Card Stock - GDK white
Patterned Paper - dotted swiss (from my stash)
Stamps:  GKD Flowers Bloom, Signs of Spring
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Die - Spellbinders Opulent Ovals
Other - Copics, embossing powder, ribbon, adhesive

I am delighted that you stopped by. Thank you! And  please come back again. 

Hope your day is filled with creativity!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):
Stamp TV  -  MIUM STV15MON14 - Riddle Me This
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #178 - AG
Sister Act  - Challenge #100 - AG
613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #118 - AG
Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #54 - AG
TTCRD - Challenge 4/7-4/13 - AG
Fantastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #80 - AG

Thanks a Bunch

Hello everyone! Today I made a couple of cards for a challenge at Stamp TV in which the requirements were to use the colors of black, red and white. This is one of the cards. The other is shown in the next post.

Here are the supplies I used:

Card stock - GKD white and black onyx
Stamps - GKD Flowers Bloom, You're My Favorite, Sending Sunshine, Thanks a Bunch
Inks - Memento Tuxedo Black, GKD Cherry Red
Dies - Spellbinders Radiant Rectangles
Other  -  ribbon, adhesive

Please go to my next post to see the seond card I made for this awesome challenge. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you make it a great day!

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

Stamp TV - MIUM - STV15MON14 - Riddle Me This

Word Art Wednesday  - Challenge #178 - Anything Goes

When Flowers Bloom

I thought I'd share another card I made using the same cherry blossom digital image. In this card my image was sized and positioned on a panel of white card stock. Then it was embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. The sentiment is from GKD Flowers Bloom stamp set and was stamped in black ink.

This was then adhered to a black card base.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cherry Blossoms

Hello everyone! Today I'd like to share a card that I made using one of my favorite images....the cherry blossom. I have several cherry blossom stamps and I decided to use this digital one from Stampin' Up. I thought it would look great using black and white and that's what I went with.   

I began with a white piece of card stock. I sized my image, positioned it on the card stock and then generated it. Next, I used a die from Spellbinders Majestic Labels to create the embossed frame.  My sentiment, from GKD Framed Greetings, was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Having completed my focal panel, I adhered it to a black card base and it was done. I love how it turned out. 

Thank you for visiting my blog. I love to read your comments, so please feel free to do so.

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):
The Outlawz  -  GCC Challenge - GCC0330 - AG
613 Avenue Create - Challenge #117 - AG
Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #53 - AG
Simply Create Too  -  Challenge #82 - AG
Aud Sentiments -  Challenge #128 - AG
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #176 - AG

Faux Laser Cut Birthday Card

Happy Sunday! Today I made a card using the faux laser cut technique. Here is a video link showing how to make this type of card.

This photo illustrates the faux laser cut a bit better

I used the following products in my project:

Card Stock:  GKD white, blue denim
Dies: Spellbinders Standard Circles, Memory Box Bella Bouquet
Stamps:  GKD Vertical Greetings 2, Mountain Wilderness, and Fabulous Frame Fillers
Ink:  GKD Blue Denim
Other:  adhesive, dimensionals, clear EP

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my post.
Get creative and have a great day! 

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

613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #117 - AG
Sentimental Sundays  -  Challenge #252 - Springtime Flowers
Sister Act  -  Challenge #99 - AG
Aud Sentiments  -  Challenge #128 - AG plus a Sentiment
The Crafter's Cafe  -  Challenge #109 - Spring Flowers
Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #52 - AG
Crafty Cardmakers and More  -  Challenge #135 - Spring has Sprung
Inspiration Destination  -  Challenge #26 - AG
Papertake Weekly  -  Challenge Mar 24 - A Cut Above
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #176 - AG

Easter Blessings

Hello! In one week Easter will be upon us. Although it is a holy season for Christians around the world it is often considered the harbinger of spring as well. We expect to see robins, the birth of flowers as they come up from winter's frozen ground, fresh green grass and sunshine. As we celebrate this holy season I think of excited children dressed in their finest going to Grandma's house for a meal of their families' traditional Easter foods, of Easter egg hunts and lots of chocolate bunnies with the ears still intact. That's what I think of when Easter nears. 

This year we just may have a white Easter. I was thinking positive when I made this Easter card even though when I look out my window my green grass is covered in white. Sigh....

I began with creating my focal panel. I used white card stock and embossed it with a die from Spellbinders Radiant Rectangles. Next, I cut  a large cross from Spellbinders Crosses die in white and another smaller cross in purple card stock. I adhered the two crosses together, the smaller over the larger, and added a white pearl in the center. I put this aside.

Using a Memory Box Lavish Branch die, I made 2 cuts...one in green card stock and the other in purple. I cut off  the flowers of the purple die cut and adhered them over the flowers in the green die cut.  This was then positioned around the cross and all was adhered to the card. Tiny pearls were added to the centers of the visible flowers. Finally the focal panel was adhered to a white card base and that completed my card.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting  my blog.  Wishing everyone a happy and blessed Easter. May you be surrounded by family and friends and good food and drink. 

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):
613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #116 - AG - Opt Twist: Purple
Sister Act  -  Challenge #99 - AG

Brown Sugar  - Challenge #139 - Easter

Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #52 - AG

Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #78 - AG - Opt Twist: Easter
Inspiration Destination  -  Challenge #26 - AG
Mod Squad  -  March 25 Challenge - Easter

Papertake Weekly  -  March 24 Challenge  - A Cut Above

TTCRD - Challenge - Wk of  Mar 24 - AG

Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #176 - AG

Spotlight - Apple of my Eye

Hello everyone! I hope spring has arrived in your neighborhood. My area is expecting snow this weekend. Do you believe it! And there's a possibility that snow will be coming for Easter Sunday! Mother Nature just won't give in to Spring. 

Apples always remind me of fall even though they are around all year. So I decided to use this apples image in a card I made for Stamp TV's Monday's Challenge where the theme was to use a technique called "spotlighting".

The image is from GKD called Harvest Memories which I stamped on GKD white card stock in black ink and then cut the panel with Spellbinders Adorning Squares. Before removing it from the die I sponged around the edges with GKD Sweet Corn ink.  I also punched some holes around the edges of this panel to add a bit more interest. 

Next, I stamped the image again on another piece if white card stock and colored it with Copic markers. This would be my "spotlight".  I used a circle die to cut out part of the image. Using another circle die just a bit larger, I cut another circle in patterned paper. The "spotlight" was matted with the patterned paper circle.

I used GKD Sweet Corn card stock as my base card and added a layer of the patterned paper. Then I adhered my focal panel with dimensionals. The "spotlight" circle was then lined up with my focal image and adhered. 

The sentiment was computer generated and cut using Spellbinders A2 Modern Stationary die. I punched  some holes in opposite corners and that completed my project.   

Hope you enjoyed this project and will consider trying the spotlight technique if you haven't yet. There are a couple of different ways to do this technique. I provided a link above to one of them.

 I love your comments so please feel free to leave them. Until next time, 

think SPRING and make it a great and creative day!

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

Stamp TV  - MIUM Challenge - STV15MON12 - Spotlighting

613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #116 - Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #52 - Anything Goes
TTCRD  -  Challenge - Week of March 24  -  Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination  -  Challenge #26 - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #176 - Anything Goes
Kraftin Kimmie Wonderful Wednesday 25 -  Anything Goes

Screen Divider Card

I think screen room dividers are so beautiful. Many of them have panels with asian art or Japanese motifs. I decided to make one as a birthday card. 

My base card is white card stock and the panels are GKD Cherry Red card stock. The pattern on the panels was created with some floral stamps I had using Versamark and embossed with white EP.  The sentiment was computer generated and die cut with an oval die. Various size butterflies were added to finish it off.

Just fold the card and place a ribbon around it and it's ready for mailing.

I hope you enjoyed this post and will be inspired to make one of these beautiful screen fold cards. Here's a link to instructions on how to create one. I'm sure you will be pleased with the result.

Thanks for stopping by and please stop by often. And your comments are always most welcome.

This card was entered into the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments  -  Challenge#127 - Week 2 - Anything Goes

Brown Sugar Challege   -  Challenge #138 - Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #51 - Anything Goes

Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #77 - Anything Goes

Inspiration Destination  -  Challenge #25 - Anything Goes
One Stitch at a Time  -  Challenge #233 - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly  -  Challenge 3/17/15 - Happy Anything
Sister Act  -  Challenge #98 - Anything Goes
TTCRD - Challenge Mar 17-23 - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown  -  Challenge #236 - More Than One Fold
Wags 'n Whiskers - Challenge #150 - Monochromatic
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #175 - Anything Goes

Thoughtful White Butterfly

Hello, my crafty friends!  I've been on sabbatical for a while. Had  a lot going on and on top of that my mojo decided to take a leave of absence as well.  Hopefully it's back, although not in full force.

I saw a card on line that inspired me to create this one. It's a  pretty simple card made with an embossing folder, patterned paper and a couple of die cuts. And I die cut and embossed using my new Crossover die cutting machine by Cheery Lynn. It does quite a nice job of cutting and embossing. I did have trouble cutting a Spellbinders die (not shown) which was intricate with thin stems of flowers. I found that the machine would not make a clean cut in the middle. I tried various tactics but still did not get the result I expected. I will have to look into how to correct this. Other intricate dies have cut out perfectly. Here's a photo of the Crossover.

I hope my mojo sticks around so I can get back to doing what I love and sharing it with my crafting friends.

Until next time, have a wonderful and creative day.

I am thrilled to announce that my card was selected as one of the TOP THREE in the  Dies R Us Challenge.

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

613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #115 - Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #51 - Anything Goes

TTCRD  -  Challenge Mar 17-23  -  Anything Goes
Creative Moments  -  Challenge #64 - Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #77 - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #175 - Anything Goes
Sister Act Challenge  -  Challenge #97 - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination  -  Challenge #25 - Anything Goes
The Crafter's Cafe  -  Challenge #108 - What Season Are You In
Crafting for All Seasons  -  Challenge #98 - Pastel Hues
Dies R Us  -  Challenge #22 -Shades of Green
Great Inspirations  -  March Challenge - Go Green