#526 the little gift

MFT sketch challenge #252 was the inspiration for this cutie.  I wanted a Christmas card to add to my Caring Hearts collection. I took a present stamp and replaced the pile of snow that the little MFT girl was holding.  Just a little altering to extend the way to use a stamp.  I cut around her mittens and arms with a craft knife and inserted the cut out present giving a bit of dimension on the card.  I wanted to use sequins for the card and I have some clear ones that I have cut with the MFT sequins die but these are going to the elderly in nursing homes and I didn’t want them to maybe pick them off and be a choking hazard.  In place of that idea I chose to use my Viva Pearl Pens (my best friends in the craft room. ) I really like how soft this little card turned out.  I am also trying to use up the pile of things on the side of my desk and this shimmering background made with a Tim Holtz stencil has been sitting in that pile since February, I think.  Mission accomplished.  I also used two pieces of water color paper scraps from that pile.  Success feels so good.

 

#525 Simon Exclusive stamp

It was so exciting to get a free November 2012 card kit from Simon.  Included it there were some very cool stamps.  I used this large heart to create a shabby chic card.  Well it didn’t start out to be shabby chic but…..what does a person do when they drop a black stamp pad on the front of an already created card?  Well, shabby chic of course, and then you don’t even have to say a bad word.  The black distressing really added to this card.  can you tell which one was the accidental mark?  Nope? I didn’t think so and the recipient won’t know either.

Work it Wednesday is to make a thank you card.  This doesn’t say it on the outside but there is a thank you sentiment inside.  I have had so many caring friends helping me along in an emotional journey we are in currently I want to send some cards out to them.  We do so appreciate those good friends.

Caring Hearts add on

I will be making a few more cards for the caring hearts drive as I have most of my own holiday cards finished.  This way I can play with all the new things that I bought on sale back in January of this year.  how fun is that? 

But this card has a stamp from GKD that has already been used and recorded on here.  Just thought it would make a cute card to add to the challenge over at  Stamp TV.  Also, Simon’s Wednesday challenge is ANYTHING GOES.  Hop on over and add your card to the link!  I used Simon’s falling snow stencil with paste to create the background.

Simon’s Throw Back Challenge

The Monday challenge at Simon this week is to choose a challenge from their archives.  I chose this one that was Countdown to Christmas from  November 27, 2013

I used a new Dylusions stencil with some Ranger products.  Stains, inks and sprays.  Then spritzed with water.  I found this count down list, that I filled in myself,  in the Be Merry 6 inch paper pack from Kaisercraft.  I added the balloon string and bow from some velvet paper.  Voila, it too me longer to type this up then to make the card.  I am including this in Jennfer McGuires Caring Hearts drive.

thankfulness with die cuts

I was able to purchase these spellbinder dies at a rummage sale.  It is really fun to get quality things at such good prices.  I didn’t know if I would ever use them much but so fun to have them as part of the collection for those times you might want them.  This is a good example.  My husbands first sergeant from Vietnam days is having some severe health challenges.  He is the most kind and caring man and I’m thankful to have met his sweet wife several years ago.  I will really miss him.  This is not something he will recover from.  He reminds me so of my dad though he is not old enough to be my dad, just his ways and sometimes his looks. I want to get this out to him while he is still able to appreciate how much we care about him. 

Life has many blessings but it also comes with much sorrow.  Thanks for stopping by.

Making a few more Christmas Cards for the Caring Hearts Drive Stamps #525 #526 #527 #528 #529 #530 #531 #532

Jennifer Mc Guire and friends have done this card drive for nursing homes the last five years.  I decided last year that I would be a part of it this year.  Here are my beginning projects.  I have made ten cards all similar to the ones I am posting here.  I hope to make another batch and get them sent out to the coordinating person before the middle of November.  Dug into a whole bunch of un inked stamps.  The set of four was done with a stencil and a stippling brush.  I made several varieties of the candle one and I enjoy each one.

Using Gina K Designs Stamps #522 #523 #524

It was so much fun using my stamps from Gina K Designs.  I always love how crisp and lean they stamp and the very pretty images she has designed for her.  She’s got these amazing tutorials too that are helpful for stampers at any level.  These stamps are all from her kit from fall last year called the Simple Things.  Her kits are the only ones I have truly felt that I got my entire money’s worth.  I will qualify that by saying I do not work for Gina, have never been on her design team, and receive nothing in compensation for that statement.  I just really like her simple style.   The fox and tree and the leaves are all stamps that I have never inked up before.  Yep, I’m still counting.  I’m having fun seeing which stamps I continue to pick up and re-use in addition to seeing which ones I have yet to ink up.  Oh the challenge, I have many many more stamps to go.  Thanks for popping in.

MFT challenge for fall

The MFT sketch challenge #251 is a very cute layout.  I used all MFT images and die cuts from various sets.  I used their stencil and used a light layer of embossing powder in various spots and then sprayed over the stencil with some Glaze to tone down the white paste a bit.  I had this DP hanging around in my stash and decided it would be bright and cheerful with the darker colors of the other papers.  I cut the sentiment apart from one of the sets and layered them instead of having the be horizontal. I really like this sketch.

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dressed up flamingo

My MFT flamingo wanted to get dressed up like a pumpkin.  Who was I to tell her nay!!  I used the sketch challenge over at MFT and all MFT dies.  I hand lettered the sentiment and we’re good to go.   Of course she wanted a mask. 

more birds

Color Inspiration

I got all the colors in and a bit more.  These Tim Holtz birds are so fun to play with.  This is for my Ohio friend who LOVES Halloween and has a birthday next week.  I am entering this in Simon Says Color Inspiration Challenge.

 

CAS Christmas

Simon’s challenge for CAS Christmas went together quickly because I already had the honey comb gold piece stenciled.  I added a Christmas tree that was cut from a die that I won and I cut another from a piece of fun foam.  Added a ribbon and some DP and it’s done.  not much fuss but still a nice card.

simple card

when I receive an order from someone, I like to give a little also.  I make simple cards to add a free card to their order.  these whimsey greetings were perfect to cut out and add some pizzaz to a simple card.   And here is another pink one that went into the order.  I thought this technique that Jennifer McQuire just revisited was such a cool look.  You can see her post HERE.  The background color is done with a distress ink pad direct to paper and then the pearlized water stamped image removes the color.  I guess this would count for the water color challenge on Simon.  I used Victorian Velvet distress ink and made my own pearlized water spritz to spray my stamp with.

Water coloring for Simon

Love playing in Simon’s challenges.  This Monday challenge is to use water color.  It’s my favorite technique.  this was done on regular paper using distress inks smeared on my craft sheet and colored with different size brushes.  Okay, I’m feeling old now.  I went to this girls wedding.  Her mother has been a friend of mine for years.  Seriously, how did this happen? I also used rubber cement for masking and then coloring the sky in with a brush as I though it looked way too white to be the moon in a white sky.

I used her wedding colors.

MFT on line sentiment dies and blueprints.  Image sits on a Prickley Pear die.