Stamp 413 PPRS

Did I mention I’m in the Christmas mode and I’m making ahead for next year.  Somehow I can’t bring myself to make winter cards in the summer, my heart is just not in it.  I receive orders for Christmas cards about mid-November and if I don’t have some done up already, then I panic. 
I still have a couple of these music sheets left.  I just love the added touch they give to these cards.  A bit vintage but not way too vintage.  I’m not really a lacy, buttony, frilly, swirly type personality and it’s difficult for me to do a really vintage card. 
Here’s that sweet snowflake die from PPRS and their scalloped circle die which I cut the middle out with one of the layers and used it for something else.  The snowflake looks at home nestled in there and layered on top of that piece of embossed gold mirror paper.  I stamped that little bow with the sweet Snow Flake insert stamps they have that just fit perfect into the snow flake.  I want to use the rest of them yet this year.  So while you are putting your Christmas decorations away, I will likely still be stamping Christmas cards for 2015.   After completing the card it still looked a bit lacking……ah, Washi tape, I love you.  a bit translucent, a bit of pattern, a lot of PUNCH.  perfect.

The last post

Another year is past.  In just a couple of hours we will be seeing a brand New Year.  2015…I can hardly believe it.  It seemed we just went through Y2K.  Are you old enough for that to have had an impact on you?  We all had a party where our son worked at that time.  We were in the break room and he had to be watching the computers to make sure everything transferred correctly to a brand new century.  Yes, I know people who had food stored up and generators ready.   Not us, but there were some people that were really cautious.  And now, wow, fifteen years already since then.
I decided to make that image that Sarah colored into a card and let that be my last holiday card for the year.  I have put all my Christmas stuff away but it is mostly all together so if I feel inclined to make a Christmas card during the year everything will be easy to locate.  There is a challenge out there somewhere that you make a card a week.  I know SCS has one but there are others too.  Maybe I will hop onto one of those.
So here is Sarah’s pretty little girl and I adore how this turned out.  Maybe it was so much fun because she and I were able to color together.  It’s been a long time since she and I did something crafty together.   Happy New Year everyone.  Make this year a great one.  Be happy with your decisions.  Step out in confidence.  BE YOU!!  Hugs!    I will submit this to Simon Says Wednesday challenge Anything goes.  Come and join in there is a full week left yet and there are two prizes this time.

Stamps 424,425,426 Some Odd Girl

Well, I simply MUST enter this card into Simon’s Anything Goes Wednesday Challenge.   I won these images from them for getting inspired by all their designers on the last release and making comments.  What a fun thing to do and it can be rewarding with free stamps besides all the great ideas.   Thank you Simon for the very sweet gift.   My daughter and I sat down on Christmas day in the afternoon and each colored up an image of little miss Tree Trimming Kaylee.  (the green spots on the stamps are my way of indicating that I have used this image) I now have some very fun new stamps to make cards for next years holidays.  and eeps….I have been wanting some of those veneer embellishments and whaddayaknow, they appeared!!



She is such a sweetie.  I was trying out some Stampin’ Up water color paper, I guess for me, I like the stuff I get from Michaels better.  This seems really coarse on both sides and was not real easy to move the color around.  I used pencils and a Ranger water color brush and Sarah used pencils and blender pen.  Neither of us was really happy with the results but felt the blender pen worked better. You can see how coarse the paper is on this image. 

Breezy Christmas

 

Wishing each and everyone of you a peaceful and Joyous Christmas holiday.  Be safe and treasure the memories you make.

I thought this Prickley Pear set would make a beautiful card to wish you all A Merry Christmas with.

One thing we get a lot of in Wisconsin winters is cold blowing winds and snow.  I thought this water stamped background would portray that. Stamped in Peacock Feathers distress ink gives it a hint of blowing snow. First step was to spritz the water color paper with a fine mist of water.  Then stamp off the  snow swirl image and stamp to the paper.  Using a paper towel I quickly daubed up the excess water. I continued stamping and turning the stamp in different directions.  Ticket punched corners seemed a good thing to add to this card.

Next I die cut the Scalloped Oval Die out of teal.  I chose two stamps to add to the center part of the oval. That beautiful lamp post and the oval image with the similar snow flakes were perfect for this. The sweet sentiment worked well with this too.

This Oval 3’s set is a great little set with beautiful images.

 

Stampin’ Up #423

I saw this layout in the 2011 Stampin’ Up catalog and just had to try it.  It looks completely different than the picture shown in the catalog and I love the collage look of it.  Something completely different for me.   My goal for the new year is to start using up the textured Core’dinataions cardstocks that I have.  Here’s my first go at it.  I am entering this into Simon’s Anything Goes Wednesday Challenge.

the details:

Prickley Pear, Spellbinders and Provocraft dies

Image: Stampin Up

crimper

Image is painted with Distress Inks scribbled on a Kraft mat and wink of Stella for the “water”  Love the look.

Finishing up a page of Susan Louise Arts

I am having so much fun designing with these vintage looking pre-prints from Sarah Louise. There are so many ways they can be used.  This sled sits on top of a nicely textured piece of velvet card stock and then show cases itself with a beautiful gold glimmer paper.  Simon Says Double stitched dies really add to this creation.






The chickadees on the mail box were just asking for a frame to highlight them.  I distressed the frame with Tim Holtz Pumice Stone ink. Taking advantage of the Ranger Specialty Paper they are printed on, I used Tea Dye ink and sponged the outside edges of the cut out piece.  I then laid a mask over the image and sprinkled generous amounts of water all around and let it set a bit before pressing a paper towel on it to dry.  The water reacts with the ink and makes white spots like big thick snowflakes.  I finished it off with some snowflake punches and Viva Pearl pen and a tiny piece of ribbon.  I really like how this turned out.  Thanks for looking.  Enjoy you holidays how ever you spend them.
I will enter this as one entry into the Simon Says Anything goes Challenge for Wednesday.

www.susanlouisearts.com

422 unknown

Ha, that title looks like an internet error.   However, this teeny little snow man ornament is in my stash from I have no idea where.  I don’t ever remember purchasing him.  He may have been part of another set or maybe he just came to live with me because he felt so at home with all the other snowmen hanging around.  And it does stay cold and snowy here for a long time.
He looks right at home here with that icy blue flourish,  made from Simon's Sea Glass card stock,  blowing in on him and surrounded by icy cool silver.  I think he is just the cutest.  So tiny.  The black snow flake paper is all sparkly too.  I will enter this into the ANYTHING GOES WEDNESDAY CHALLENGE WITH SIMON SAYS.

421 Prickley Pear

Using ‘em up, Yep, Using ‘em up.  I have these beautiful Christmas stamps from Prickley Pear and I can’t bear to put them away without stamping them first.   I know, I know, you’re probably all tired of holiday cards by this time.  I just don’t want to wait until next year to post these.  Well I guess I could start scheduling blog posts for December 2015 but that just seems WRONG.  Also, if I did that I wouldn’t be able to enter this into Simon’s Wednesday Inspiration Challenge.  You saw that beautiful cardinal picture, right?

#420

Mixing up the companies again.  My new double stitched dies from Simon Says.  This is what I purchased with my “winning” fifty dollars from them.  Then added MFT bow, Prickley Pear sentiment and Stampin Up basket of poinsettias.    So fun to keep this challenge of using all my stamps going.  Come with me into the new year and see what we can create.  Come on over and let’s play in the stamping room together or let’s do it by Face Time.  That’s the next best thing.  Enjoy the season everyone.

I am entering this into Simon’s Wednesday Inspiration Challenge.

That clump of berries picture inspired my ribbon.

Thank You #418 &419

I am getting quite a collection of die cuts and designer paper too.  It’s time to put those things to use more regularly.  This scalloped circle clear stamp was a Good Will purchase in one of the packs that I bought.  I used seedless preserve distress mini ink pad and swirled it onto the stamp to give it some character.  The word stamp was in that same pack and when I used the same distress ink with it it almost looks stitched, which made me very happy.  I love this beautiful Tattered lace flourish and the edge from Spellbinders.  It all just went together so well.  Add a bit of  Washi tape in a contrasting color and SWOON, I am in love with this card.

Stamp #416 & 417

This looks so pink but in real life it is a beautiful sea glass blue base from Simon Says Stamp and bright white.  It’s very striking.  I used pearlescent embossing paste over Simon Says Falling Snow stencil.  Prickley Pear circle die cut and snow flake circle and Door County Rubber Stamps beautiful little snow flake.  Another free one from our weekend retreat back in November.  I used my Viva Pearl pen for the blue pearl.  I love how this turned out.  The Birthday sentiment words are dies from Cheery Lynn.  Okay, I’m not partial that’s FIVE different companies all on one card.  LOL 

I am entering this in Simons Wednesday Inspiration Challenge.

Playing with Susan Louise image

I am surprised how many cards I  can make from one sheet of Susan Louise images.  I still have two left on the sheet.  I want to get those made into cards today.  Looking forward to more crafting time now that my cooking helper stint is over for the year.  Being away from home really cuts into crafting time.     It’s been fun but I am always glad when it is over.   Princess Judy, were you the one who sent me that sweet die cut?  It worked perfectly for this card and looks like the blustery winter wind blowing.  We used to do a lot of skating when we were kids.  Was I nuts???

414 & 415 PPRS

Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps really makes the cutest little images.  I am enjoying working with them as I have always been drawn to small images but never really “used” them.  I love their circle die that allows the images to fit perfectly into them.  They have such a wide array of little decorative edges to play with.

I got to use my new Simon Double Stitched dies that came in the mail yesterday.

I am entering this into the Simon Wednesday Inspiration Challenge.   Inspired by the swirly looks of the pine trees in photo one.

MFT Sketch 207 and Color Challenge

This is a stamp that I have used previously but I wanted to play in MFT color challenge and I don’t have a lot of their winter dies.  I used distress inks to water color in the required colors for the pallette challenge.  I got creative with the scalloped edge to us only MFT products on this card.  Look how I used this part from Blue Prints 1.  I use BP1 and 15 the most.

I am also entering it into Simon’s Winter Inspiration Wednesday Challenge,  I was inspired by the mittens and her little handful of pine cones which is snow in this picture.   

 

MFT 207 Sketch Challenge

Home for the Holidays with Prickley Pear

I wanted to try something a little bit different and use some non-traditional colors for a card.  I chose a graphite gray card stock for the main panel.  I used a stencil and my white color box pigment ink to create the bricks.  Then I chose  a chip board circle and covered it with a rust colored cut out. 
I love this sweet little collage musical image from Prickley Pear.  Its called Collage Pinecone Tag.  Because the stamp is rounded on the corners I wanted to round the edges of my two layered pieces but my corner chomper cuts too large for this delicate piece.  Hmmm….aha, I have done this before but not for a long time.  I still have some of those scalloped scissors that don’t cut worth a penny but they do make nice little curved edges on card stock.  Here’s how you do that?  Isn’t it fun???

Once that was completed I flicked spatters on the layers with a tooth brush.  I kind of protected 2/3rds of the green layer to keep the image clean.  I went digging in my stash and found the perfect little banner accent piece from My Mind’s Eye (clearanced after last Christmas at Michaels)  remember to go looking for the clearance stuff.  don’t you just love a bargain?  Seems like I just bought that though and here it is time to use it already.
I then added this pretty little ribbon from Hobby Lobby’s one dollar ribbons.  The colors were perfect for this.
Oh yes and that sweet little cardinal, he’s from Prickley Pear also.  He comes from the Scalloped Oval 3 Winter Stamps set and I fussy cut him out to perch right on that little sentiment from the same set.  So what do you think?  Does the non-traditional idea work? 

Frostyville

had an idea in my head that I wanted to use this Frostyville Border die from Memory Box. I purchased this die from Simon. I was very careful how I heat embossed on that foil.  I didn’t want it bursting into flames.  The image is PPRS and the sentiment is SU.  I am entering this into Simon’s Inspiration challenge.  Inspired by the snow flake on wood. 

Stamp 412 DCRS

Isn’t she sweet?  In her little apron and cookies in hand?  I love aprons.  I wish I would have kept some of the ones I made when I was in eight grade home ec.  I think my mom might still have the one I made for her.  It was purple and it was kind of sheer.  completely useless as an apron but still pretty. 

You know, it’s going to take me awhile to get through all the stamps we were given and what I purchased on that very fun weekend.  They offered us such discounts it was hard to say to NO to things I had had on my list over the years.  It was so fun to get free stamps.  That’s fun to me, because it is a challenge to use something that I didn't pick out.  Can I make it work?

I did choose this one though.  I chose the small one, it comes in a full size image too.  I just love how this all came together.  I had to think about it and try a couple of different things.  I’m glad for all the “schtuffs” I have on hand to make things work.  so fun

Stamp #411 Snow much fun

Another free stamp from our weekend retreat with Door County Rubber Stamps.  Isn’t he adorable?  I needed to make a CAS card for Split coast.  I didn’t have the exact saying I wanted so I hand wrote in the word “prosperous”  It just fish with this guys catching of a good fish.  I used MFT Blueprints 15 for the die cuts and the design.  I water colored my paper and image even though it isn’t water color paper.  It still worked okay.  Your paints don’t “move” on this regular cardstock like they do on water color paper.  And this will also go into Simon’s Monday Anything goes challenge.

Stamp #410 a wee little one

We got this little candy cane stamp as part of a gift bag at the Door County Stamping retreat back in October.  It’s  Door County Rubber Stamp original.   I was wondering how I would be using it.  Then I picked up these balsa wood tags at Michaels the other day for 50% off.  Best time to try something, right?  Wasn’t sure how I would like a “dark” holiday card but I love what the bakers  twine did to this creation.  Now I need to make more of them.  I am now working on my holiday cards for next year, while I’m in the mood and have all the supplies out. I will enter this in Simon Says Monday Challenge Anything goes.

using up a set Stamps 408/409

Yay! I got the entire Ginger Bread set from Mark’s Finest Papers used up.  These two little holly branches were in that set and needed using but to me they didn’t look at home with the ginger bread man.
I had embossed this house mouse image earlier (when I made my other similar card a couple of weeks ago)  You can see that card HERE.  But I smeared the embossing powder and ended up having to cut them out.  I didn’t want to throw them away.  (gasp)  I like how the holly really pops right off the page and looks realistic.  I added sequin berries for a bright little touch. I am entering this in Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Monday challenge.

Stamp #405 Playing in a new challenge

I found this new challenge blog that seems as if it must be always an inspiration challenge.  I am gonna hop right in with this one and play along.  I think their design team is fabulous. Here’s the link, feel free to join in with the rest of us.  It’s called Curtain Call. Here’s the inspiration they are challenging us with this week.  And here is my creation.
I used Mark’s Finest Papers little ginger bread boy along with a Top Dog Die to place him on. It took a while to make this all come together but in the end I liked it.  I thought the scallop edge with the Stampin’ Up coffee cups added a bit, you know, like cookies and coffee.  Especially with ginger bread, right?  I used a bit of distress markers to color in the coffee mugs and tie them in with the doily. The scalloped edge reminds me of the curve on the candy canes and I had to get a bit of embossing in there because the door on the inspiration photo looks embossed.  I am also entering this into Simon Says Monday Anything Goes challenge

Beautiful Christmas Stamps #406 &407

A person never knows how a card will turn out.  I started with just that foil banner that I had cut from a scrap.  I have that beautiful embossing folder from Coutre Creations and it embossed that foil card stock beautifully.  After trying a couple of things that just looked blah, I decided to use my sold stand by cuttlebug embossing folder on some highly glittered white card stock.  mmmm…I love that.  I distressed that beautiful music stamp from Mark’s Finest Papers (retired set) and wrapped it with gold cord.  It still looked a little not quite done.  I wanted to add the holly leaves but didn’t want them plain white and the colored ones just threw off the entire color scheme.  hmmm…what to do?  I saw my Clear Star pen in my holder and that was the perfect answer for some frosty looking holly and I used my gold gel pen for the berries.  Now it looks so much more finished, but still lacking something.  Enter the pearlized Candies up there in the corner.  I am so in love with this creation.  It’s one of those you want to keep because you created it, and you like it so much.  but then…if I mail it, the enjoyment will be extended because I get to enjoy the creation of it and someone else will also enjoy it.  Yes, I think I will mail it.  I am entering this into Simon Says Anything goes challenge for Monday.

MFT Sketch 206

It’s bee a while since I played in MFT sketch challenge.  I am so happy to have the time this week.  I flipped the sketch and made both top layers out of the same card stock.  I bout that wonderful embossed paper last year at a local store and I still have a couple of sheets left of it.  I made the vellum ribbon and the stars from Blue Prints pieces and then tucked that little chip board button on the top.  I embossed the vellum  in the Swiss dots embossing folder before die cutting it.   I really enjoyed this simple sketch.  The sentiment is from an MFT set also.

snow man fun and stamp #404

This is a GKD stamp that I used recently for one of her challenges.  He’s just too cute not to use again.  For this card, I used a torn scrap of paper to mask the tag off and give it some soft snow drifts.  I added the little holly leaves up top with a new stamp from Door County Rubber Stamps.  It looked kind of out of place just hanging there on nothing so I drew in a little bow.  There, that looks better.  I backed my tag with a piece of Gold Foil cardstock and sponged the tag and that was it.  Oh yes, and then that perfect ribbon from Ribbon Carousel.

stamp 403 Northwoods Rubber Stamps

How exciting!  This was just one of the free stamps we received at the stamping workshop sponsored by Door County Rubber Stamps and Scrapbooking back in early November.  I’ve been waiting to use this guy.  He loves birds, just like I do.  Colored with Distress markers on Northwoods water color paper and then sprinkled with Art Impressions Glitter.   I used stickles to bling up the little chip board accent piece and added a sweet button at the top.    I love snow men or ladies.  The very appropriate sentiment is from a Simon Says Sentiments set.   I am entering this into Simon’s Wednesday Challenge, to bling it up.  I think this is a snow lady, she has such a fancy hat.  I added a shiny button bling and also a chipboard bling that i painted with shimmery stickles for some added sparkle.

Northwoods Rubber Stamps #402

I love this stamp on the scroll.  It is so pretty.  For this years offering I embossed it with black embossing powder, colored it with distress markers and then used spray adhesive on it and sprinkled Art Impressions crystal glitter all over it.  In real life it is AH-mazing.  The little button tree just seemed to fit up there in the corner and on the bottom left I added a multi-layered brown snowflake created from a Sizzex die from long ago.  You can’t see it very well on the snowflake in the picture but the addition of a tiny silver star gives this just the touch of bling it needs.  The gold in the ribbon kicks it up a notch.

I am entering this in Simons Bling it on Challenge for Wednesday.

Stamp 401 Stampin’ Up

This pretty pine cone is from a SU set that actually has the image in a square.  I just carefully rubbed off the VersaMark ink from the frame it was in and used only the pine cone.  I have had a vision of making these white embossed pine cones for a while but never quite got the right mojo going for them.  Then I saw this scrap of card stock left over from a previous creation and, well, it just worked. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  I sure am loving the gold foil card stock I picked up at Michaels.  Just adds the perfect touch of elegance and moves the card up a notch in “coolness”, eh?  LOL

Thanks for stopping by.

repurposing

I’m a card maker.  I can’t stand to throw away something that might be useful in the craft room. I usually try to save a couple of cards from the previous year to re-purpose them.  Like this one.  It came in handy today when I really didn’t feel like I could put my mind to crafting, but I have a CAS challenge commitment as part of the hosting team on Split Coast.  The challenge is to be Clean and Simple and be shimmery.
This image came in all it’s glittery goodness and I just felt it had to be repurposed.  I cut out the cute image, layered it on to some shimmering gold reflective card stock added the perfect snowflake charm I have been trying to get off my desk for two years, stamped a sentiment and it’s ALLLLL good.  I love how it turned out, it meets the requirements, I can no go to bed in peace. 
Have a wonderful Sunday everyone. Thanks for dropping by.  I know your schedules are busy this time of year. Image is by Fantus Paper Products.  I don’t know if you can see that what looks like texture is ALL glitter, it is so sparkly, I love it.  I am entering this into Simon's Bling it On Challenge for Wednesday. 

Having so much fun with Prickley Pear Holiday stamps

Don’t you think these choraling kids are the cutest?  I love the little puppy who went to sing along.  When we were children, before it was dangerous out there, all five of us used to go and carol around the neighborhood.  People would invite us in and give us hot chocolate or apple cider and lots of them gave us money in the form of coins.    We always had so much fun doing that.  It was my four brothers and me.  I know it was before I was ten because that is when we moved and we didn’t do it any more after that. I used to have a little muff thing like that to keep my hands warm too.  (I told you I was and advanced in age stamper) 
This stamp is called Bundled for Winter and it is one of the red rubber stamps they sell that stamps so crisply.
I embossed the main panel and the white panel and then just used a white gel pen for some faux stitching on the gray panel.
To give a bit of added interest I cut the image out with the largest of the Scallop Nesting Die Set also from Prickley Pear.
Here’s a close up to see some of the detail  I used Staedler Water Color pencils to color with.  I just in-lined the images a bit and used a blender pen to pull the color.


 

Stamp 400

LOL, you would think for a milestone marker of 400 different stamps used this year that I would have some grand stamp to show off.  Well the 400th stamp is that little stamp that went into the basket on the sled.  Yep, you can put different stamps for the different seasons into the basket.  Since Simon’s Monday challenge is all about Transportation, I thought I would enter this sled image in for that.   You can’t see the Wink of Stella very well on the snow but it does add some glitz to the card.  Happy Stamping

Technorati Tags: SU,Winter,Christmas

Stamp 399 from the same MFP set

From the same MFT gingerbread set comes this tag image.  I fussy cut it out and using up scraps of everything made it into this nice home spun feel happy card.

Technorati Tags: Christmas,Tags,Winter,MFP

Stamp #398 Ginger Bread Mark’s Finest Papers

I received this set of stamps one year when I was designing for MFT.  I think it is so adorable.  all those happy gingerbread men.  I had seen this cord technique uses on Lols @ Lorraine’s Loft Blog and I loved it.  It is so hard to tie that frustrating cording.  I knew right away I wanted to try it.  Check out her beautiful cards. I am entering this in Simon's Wednesday Challenge Holiday Cards. 

Technorati Tags: Christmas,Mark's Finest Papers