Happy New Year's Eve

Here is a card I made for the Enjoy Michael Strong Yahoo Group's challenge 68.

It's a simple Z-fold card, based on Hetty's tutorial.

I used Mike's cloisonne numbers stamps and a paper shapers punch, 3/4 x 1-1/2".

Cascading Birthday Card

Made this birthday card for our daughter, whose birthday is today!

I hope my she doesn't mind me stamping her age, 33.

I am SOOOO HAPPY that she has blessed us with these 33 years!

We are going out to dinner with both of our daughters and their husbands tonight to celebrate! I can't wait!

Although I have made several cascading cards before, I referred to a tutorial.

Used Jan Farring's tutorial great tutorial. There are a few other tutorials listed on my old blog post here.

The paper I used was a thinner type and the back was tipping backward. 

So I reinforced the 2 back pieces with a strip of cardstock.

Maybe my add on pieces were too heavy or maybe I should have used a thicker cardstock.

Stamps: Hero Arts, Michael Strong, Savvystamps, Stampin' UP!

Inks

Versafine Onx Black, 

Distress barn door, weathered wood, wild honey

Circle Flip-Its

Yesterday I treated myself to the Sizzix Circle Card Flip-Its die set, using my 50% off coupon at Michaels.

Here are two birthday cards I made, one for a friend and the other for my brother-in-law.

These are so easy to make. The dies are designed to cut the base and the layers.

I have lots of printed paper in my stash to use!

Thanks for looking!

Pin-Spiration Christmas Card

Don't you just love Pinterest for Card Inspiration!

My Pin-spiration for these Christmas cards came from 

Amanda Mertz' blog, Did You Stamp Today?

Her green, blue and pink snowflakes caught my attention!

I used Michael Strong's Christmas tree, 

stamping it in mowed lawn then coloring it with colored pencils,

A Gelly Roll Stardust clear glitter pen was used to add a little sparkle.

This tree above was cut fussy cut to be a shorter tree.

 

Using mowed lawn ink, I sponged the edges of the trees 

and also the edges of the cream layer.

For the background, I used a creamy white layer on a green Bazzill card.

Added a pink ribbon and stamped Merry Christmas on it.

Stamps:

Michael Strong-Christmas Tree

Comotion #741 Snowflake 2

Stampin' Up! Lace Snowflakes

 

Inks:

Distress-mowed lawn, spun sugar broken china, tumbled glas

Versafine-onyx black

Card Captain Day 5

Happy Friday!

A special THANKS to my stamping friends from the Enjoy Michael Strong Stamps Yahoo group!

You've been so supportive with wonderful compliments this week! 

Thanks for your emails and for leaving blog comments!

Today, I have a Christmas card and a holiday gift card holder to share.

I CASED the idea of the Christmas tree made from Mike's Cloisonne Fan stamp.
But I am not sure exactly where I saw it. It may have been on Joanna Crafty Jo blog.
I am thinking of using this design for the 100 Christmas cards I sent out.
I know it's very simple, but I love the look of that little tree.
The cream cardstock base had little flecks in it.
I think it's called stardust.
Michael Strong's mini fan is used to make the tree. I drew the tree trunk with markers.

STAMPS-Michael Strong, Hero Arts,

INKS

Versamark black onyx

Distress-mustard seed

Stampin' Up!-old olive, rose red

Distress Marker-vintage photo for tree stem, white for the lines
 The other stamps are from Hero Arts.

This gift card holder is an embellished envelope made with my envelope board punch
by We R Memory Keepers-thanks for recommending it, Dena!
I used Mike's cloisonne Christmas tree, adding color with an aqua painter
then sponging the edges.
I drew some white lines on the red scalloped oval with a white distress marker.
Used the sizzix snowflake embossing folder on the white nestabilities layer.
Punched the tag and stamped with a Hero Arts stamp.
Made a bow with the wooden bow maker--thanks Hetty!
For the envelope part I used a 5-1/2 inch square of green cardstock,
punched at 2-3/8 inches.
The final dimensions of  my envelope: 2-7/8 x 4 inches.
My friend's envelope measured 2-1/2 x 3-3/4 but it was a tight fit for the gift card.
Maybe that's a good idea, so the gift card doesn't fall out?

Here is the inside view.

STAMPS-Michael Strong, Hero Arts

INKS

Versamark black onyx

Distress-shabby shutters, dried marigold, festive berries, seedless grapes

Stampin' Up!-old olive

Distress Marker-white for the lines on red layer

Card Captain Day 4

Happy Technique Thursday! to my Enjoy Michael Strong Stamps Friends!

 These my little "techniques" today:
* making my own "tag reinforcement"

 * using an aqua painter to color stamped images 

* making my own "hill stencil".

 Here you see a close up of my "tag reinforcement".

I cut my own tag 7 x 3-1/2 inches from white cardstock.

Trimmed the top corners as shown and used a 1/4 inch punch for the center hole.

I added a home made "reinforcement" by punching a 1/4 inch circle
into a separate piece of cardstock. 

Then I punched a 5/8 inch circle around that.
Glued my reinforcement onto my tag.

To make a "hill" stencil simply cut a curvy line on cardstock scraps-Super simple.
Using this, I sponged mowed lawn ink to create my hills.

Coloring with Aqua Painter...
For the Vase, I stamped it on a separate piece of paper using Versafine black onyx ink.

When it was thoroughly dry, I used an aqua painter and distress inks to color it.
Just dab your inkpad to a craft sheet or similar surface.
Dip your aqua painter brush into the ink to pick up color.
Have scrap paper handy to test out the color's intensity.
Use a paper towel or old rag to pinch the brush and remove color
before going on to the next color.
I fussy cut the vase and attached it with foam tape.
I used the aqua painter to color the  the dragonfly and the cat.

To finish off my tag, I added assorted fibers from my stash!
Thanks, Lynette for sharing your fibers with me!

STAMPS-Michael Strong, Stampers Anonymous

INKS

Distress-mowed lawn, scattered straw, tumbled glass,
rusty hinge, seedless preserves, spiced marmalade, tea dye

Card Captain Day 3

Happy Wednesday! Is it me, or is time just speeding up?
Eight more days till Thanksgiving!

Today I have a series of Vertical Cards

using Michael Strong's Cloisonne Flower and Mini Flower stamps.

 (Click on any image to enlarge)

The measurements of all three cards are listed here:

For the card base, I used a piece of 7-1/2 x 9 inch card stock
folded it so my card measures 3-3/4 x 9 inches.
Added a white layer of card stock, measuring 2-3/4 x 8 inches.
My cards will fit into a 4-1/8 x 9-1/2 inch No. 10 business envelope.

Stamped Mike's large cloisonne flower with Distress festive berries ink.

Stamped Stampin' Up!'s  French script stamp with iced spruce a couple times in the background.
Then stamped the Hero Arts sentiment with Versafine onyx black.

For the inside, I used a 7 x 8-1/2 inch piece of computer paper (text weight).

With festive berries ink and Mike's large flower stamp, 

I stamped 3 times so each image became lighter.

I like to attach the inside layer with double stick tape on the left  half, close to the fold.

For this card, I kept the gray base
but used dried marigold, rusty hinge and spiced marmalade distress inks
to stamp the flowers.
The Stampin' Up! leaf is stamped in iced spruce.
Sponged iced spruce as shown with stencil-like material that a friend gave me.

On the inside I stamped "off" with the same 3 orange colors above
to give a faint flower image.

My third card has a gray-green base.

All three cloisonne flowers were stamped in dried marigold.
The Stampin' Up! leaves and curlicues are stamped in iced spruce.

Here is the inside, stamped in dried marigold.

Card Captain Day 2

Tuesday's card features Michael Strong's cloisonne pumpkin,
a free digital image.
I printed Mike's pumpkin on lighter weight card stock with the laser printer.
Once thoroughly dry, I used an aqua painter dipped in inks to add color.
Used bister papers from yesterday,
embossing them with the Sizzix Thankful set
which includes the Rickety Fence.
Pieces were fussy cut as shown.
I added punched leaves and a mini tag,
sponging inks on the edges of the layers.
INKS:
Versafine onxy black
Stampin' Up-pumpkin pie, old olive
Distress-wild honey, spiced marmalade, tea dye

Card Captain, Day 1, Nov. 17, 2014

 This week I am card captain at the Enjoy Michael Strong Stamps Yahoo Group.

Today I have two cards to share.

Here I'm using Michael Strong's Mini Flower and his Leaf stamp.
For my background I started by sprinkling some bister granules on my craft sheet.

Spritzed them with water and placed my paper onto the color on the craft sheet.

Let it dry thoroughly, then dry embossed with the Sizzix Thankful folder.

Used a distress tool to fray the edges, then sponged edges with distress ink-forest moss.

INKS:

Distress-dried marigold, wild honey, forest moss

Mike's mini flower stamped in distress dried marigold and wild honey.

Mike's leave stamped in distress peeled paint.

Velvety fiber tied on bottom.

I had some left over "bister and water solution" on my craft pad 

so I kept making bister backgrounds with scraps of paper.
INKS:
Distress-forest moss, rusty hinge, dried marigold and wild honey.
Added green gemstone to the flowers and wrapped fibers around the fold of the card.

EMS group Oct.-Nov. 2014 Sketch

This is the October-November sketch from the Enjoy Michael Strong Stamps Yahoo Group

My card measures 4-1/4 x 5-1/2 inches.
I stamped Mike's Cloisonne Mosaic Frame on 3 white pieces measuring 1 x 3-1/2 inches each,
placing them "together" and stamping Mike's Frame stamp on them.
It would have been better to leave the piece "whole" before stamping.

The word stamp is from PrintWorks.

INKS

Stampin' Up!-old olive, so saffron

Distress-shabby shutters

Maple Card and Envelope

Stamped a maple leaf on a bister background.

Sponged several inks on it for additional color.

STAMPS

Stampers Anonymous, Stampin' Up!

 INKS

Memories-soft rose

Versafine-onxy black

Distress-spiced marmalade, scattered straw, wild honey,

shabby shutters, pumice stone

 

I splurged and bought the 

We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board.

So far I like it. Fast and easy!

They call this a 6-Bar envelope.

It's made with a 9-1/4" square piece of paper, 

using the 4" score line for a card size of 5 x 6-1/2". 

I needed a larger envelope because the "thanks" tag extended past the card.

November 5th Stampfest with Lynette

Lynette and I spent the day stamping at her house last Wednesday.
You can see our cards and also her latest amazing Owl ATC printer's tray.

Inspired by Jette Pedersen's Flickr Card.

STAMPS
Hero Arts- Real Dill

Stampin' Up!-Garden Silhouettes,
Aged to Perfection (oval),
Travels Abroad (postage stamp),
Carte Postale (Bonjour)
Inkadinkado-Chelsea Sentiment (merci)
Wendy Vecchi-A Form of Art (ledger text)

INKS
SU-creamy caramel
Distress-faded jeans, pumice stone

Inspired by Margaret's Isle of Scraps Autumn Leaves card

A variety of stamps used along with the faux postage template.

 INKS:
Distress-scattered straw, ripe persimmon, spiced marmalade, wild honey, rusty hinge
SU-old olive and mellow moss

 

Inspired by Sylvia Nelson of Sylvia's Stamp Corner

STAMPS-Rubber stampede

INKS

Distress-tumbled glass for background

spiced marmalade, rusty hinge, wild honey, 

peeled paint including the peeled paint marker.

Inspired by Lisa Addessa's I'm In Haven

Trimed off portions of Tim Holtz Branch Tree

Punched leaves from printed paper

INKS-really rust, rusty hings

When Lynette showed me the leaf card she made, I just had to make my own.
We used the marker thumping technique with her distress markers.
Debbie Naylor of Unfrogettable Stamping! has a nice video tutorial.

Here is Lynette's latest and greatest AMAZING

7 Gypsies Printers Tray

featuring her little Owl Friend.

Here we are after a great day of stamping and visiting!

Bister Thanksgiving Card

This bister background was made with an assortment of left-over bister granules.

I emptied the remaining granules of some bister samples onto a craft sheet, 

then spritzed with water.

A 4 x 5-1/4" piece of cardstock was placed on the dissolved bister water.

Once dry, I dry embossed it with the Sizzix Thankful texture fades folder.

Distressed the edges with a tool, then sponged with spun sugar ink.

Attached this layer to a card made with light pink cardstock.

Added a home made lace flower and some fibers.

The Hero Arts " happy thanksgiving" sentiment was stamped with Stampin' Up! really rust ink.

Then I sponged  distress spun sugar and some SU creamy caramel on the edges.

Halloween Pumpkin Cards

Thanks to my stamping friends, 

Heidi Wegman, Lynette Stewart and Michael Strong 

for motivating me to make Halloween cards.

How did they do that, you ask?

Heidi sent me Bister samples.

Lynette shared her Sizzix Branch Tree die and wanted to try the Bister.

Michael Strong generously shared his digital cloisonne pumpkin image on his blog.

 Here you can see that I printed Mike's digital pumpkin and colored it with an aqua painter.

Just touch the brush to an ink pad directly, or add some ink to a non-porous surface. I used my craft sheet. The brush picks up color and you "paint" it on the paper. Easy-peasy!

 The pumpkins in the two cards above were cut from left over pieces from our Stampfest. 

The set is Lynette's. I am not sure of the name of it.

When I ran out of die cut trees I cut my own branch trees, 

then dry embossed them with Woodgrain by Sizzix Tim Holtz.

I hope I have not overdone it with too many cards here. 

Wanted to show the various Bister backgrounds.

Materials

Sizzix Branch Tree Die

Bister-various colors

 1-3/4 inch circle punch

  Stamps: Hero Arts, Stampin' Up!

 Inks

 Stampin' Up!--Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Romance, Wild Wasabi

Distress-- Dried Marigold, Seedless Preserves, Stormy Sky, Walnut Stain, Frayed Burlap, Pumice Stone, Black Soot

Stampfest with Lynette Oct. 22, 2014

 Lynette and I enjoyed a day of stamping last Wednesday.

 We thoroughly enjoyed working with the Bister from my friend Heidi at The Reluctant Blogger.
We made some Pin-inspired cards too.

Below are some close-ups.You can always click on an image to see a larger view.

Lynette started this card with a bister layer, adding 3 Michael Strong's Cloisonne Leaves
stamped with

Brilliance Pearlescent Purple
Distress Walnut Stain
and Distress Seedless Preserves.
Coordinating fibers were added.

This card was inspired by Krystie Lee's Clean and Simple Cards blog.
In two places we stamped a rectangular shadow stamp, inking just the edges to create a "soft frame".
Stamps:
Dimensions Clear-on-Clear Dawn Houser
Hero Arts rectangular shadow stamp
Stampin' Up! Nature Walk
Inks:
Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip, Blue Bayou
Color Box Yellow Ochre chalk ink

Our pumpkin card was inspired by Lisa Johnson's Poppy Paperie post.
Lynette stamped repeatedly with a harlequin stamp on a cream strip, 2' wide by 5-1/2" long.
We punched three 1-1/2" wide circles in it.
Then we stamped the pumpkins on a layer behind it.
We made pencil dots on 4 places on each circle to guide the stamping of the pumpkins.
With a Peeled Paint Distress marker, we drew the pumpkin stem and curlicue.
Stamps:
Hero Arts Harlequin Border C3192
Stampin' Up! Little Layers II for the middle pumpkin
I am not sure of the name of Lynette's pumpkin stamp-1st and 3rd image.
Inks:
Stampin' Up! Creamy Caramel, Pumpkin Pie

This design was inspired by Heather Telford's Autumn Reflections post.
We stamped the trees in brown on the paper.
Then we stamped the trees in brown on an acrylic block and pressed that below the trees for the reflection.
Inking the tree stamp in orange, we stamped the trees again, between the brown trees.
Using a post it masks, we sponged brown distress ink at the center.
From the edge of card to the center, we sponged Distress Inks-
Stormy Sky, scattered Straw and Dried Marigold.

And here is a special treat...Lynette's amazing 7 Gypsies Printers Tray all ready for Halloween!
Her little Owl Friend has many Halloween Costumes!

Here we are with our cards at the end of the day.