and even more grads

When I first started in the stamping world the SU demo person told us we could NEVER have too many alphabet stamps…and I listened.  and though I am glad I purchased a few sets I really don’t use them as much as I thought I would.  I guess because I left off traditional scrap booking and had really planned to have multiple varieties for that purpose.  I am glad I have this chunky set from SU though.  It comes in handy every so often.  Often enough that I don’t want to let it go.  Like this, it was the perfect bold offset for this sketch from MFT blueprints 4 and then that perfect little mortar cap and tassle from Whimsey…I’m not done yet with all these grad cards.  Hang with me!!

More Grads and stamp # 467

 

and so…we have lacy feminine high heeled grads and we have cow girl I love my horse grad…got it covered.  I had fun stretching my creative brain on these polar opposites.  I know all of these young ladies will, indeed, love their cards.  The horse is the new stamp used from my stash.  It is a MFT stamp.

Grads Grads Grads

Thought I would pop on over to MFT Sketch Challenge and see if I could be inspired for some more Grad cards.  I thought this weeks sketch would make an excellent masculine grad card.  I used MFT stamps and also die cut a circle stamp to lay down as a template and then used my Viva Pearl pen to go around the outside of it for a perfectly lined up circle.

I first stamped the sentiment on the green card stock and then lined it up and stamped again on the gray banner piece.  that was the tricky part but it worked.  I embossed both sentiments.  (I bet it would have been easier if I had already had my MISTI.

I love this set for grad cards.  Thanks MFT.

Still playing catch up

Wow, when you are out of commission for months, a lot of lists get made.  I didn’t want to forget sending greetings to people and life and death too, unfortunately, keep going on.  I am slowly getting through my list.  Still have one baby card to make for a set of twins.  (eeps how exciting) and five grad cards.  Then I get to start on two orders for grad cards and an order for  twelve birthday cards.  It’s fun to keep this brain challenged.

I rarely do this, but in the spirit of catching up , I made two of the blue card as they were going to two different families.  I would like to do this more often,  but since I make cards as I go along w/o a plan in place, I have to see if I like it before I make another and usually I just like to start fresh.   I really liked how it turned out though and it was simple enough to recreate.  Both cards use only My Favorite Things Dies.  I used the Blue Printss # 3 and used one of the sketches they provided.  Two really different looks and the same blue print. I used the Paper Studio embossing folder for the horizontal bricks.  These are five inch square cards.

fun water color technique Stamps #462-463-464-465-466 Judith Stamps

My friend JoAnn sent me this link for a new technique for water coloring.  It’s one of my favorite color applications.  I love how simple this was and how softly pretty it turned out.  Here’s the link if any of you would like to try.  https://www.facebook.com/SCRAPBOOKEXPO/videos/10152789469141771/?fref=nf     I have several stamps from Stamps by Judith.  She is the first one that taught me about interactive stamping with your images.  Waaaaaay long time ago during the big old cassette videos.  I ordered one from her catalog.  She still makes stamps.  Here’s the link.  http://www.stampsbyjudith.com/

461 SU bird and basket

Here’s a card with a bit of interest because of it’s unusual size.  I did it in 3 x 6 and it fits into a standard size letter envelope.  I used die cuts from Whimsy for the sentiment and cut them out twice and layered them.  It  was fun to make this out of the ordinary size.  I used paper twine and wrapped it around a small paint brush handle to curl it and then sprayed it with hair spray to keep it.

#459 simple silhouette

Another SU favorite.  I love silhouettes for sympathy cards.  I usually use this as a full large stamp.  It was a refreshing change to stamp it on a bit of a square and stamp it in Close to Cocoa.  I also used SU lace background in Creamy Caramel.

#460 SU simple lily

My niece used this set on her wedding invitations about fifteen years ago.  I loved the simplicity of it and had to make that purchase.  I still love it but it rarely gets love anymore.  I need to remedy that.   I needed a pile of sympathy cards this past week and then had orders to make several all going to the same families.  that was a challenge.

and just for fun

MFT sent me a $10  gift certificate for my birthday and it was the same week as their new release.  I just fell in love, I tell you, with these oh so fun flamingos and the sentiments that go with.  I cut this sentiment to fit.  That’s what I love about clear stamps.  My MFT stamps always stamp perfectly, every time.   I am entering this into the Simon Says Sentiment challenge this week. Aren’t they a hoot??

Having fun with MFT

Feels good to have the desire to play in challenges again.  I’ve missed having the energy to think about sketch challenges.  Here’s the MFT Wednesday challenge for this week.  I used the sentiment from  Pure Innocence chrysanthemum girl but I cut it apart to fit.

#458 mini tag SU

Slowly but surely still making my way through my multitude of stamps.  It’s a fun journey and stretches me to create.  I’m wondering if I should start going by company”s and get through the rest that way?  I am going to enter this into the Simon Says Wednesday challenge for Use a sentiment on the front.  I really liked how this turned out with the Paper Studio Pocket full of Posies Kraft paper.  Faux stitching with a white gel pen and then gone over with a spica glitter pen in green.   Thanks for stopping by.  It feels so good to be stamping again. 

Stamp #457 tag stamp again

A similar card as a thank you for help given during that long illness.  I didn’t know when I purchased the Heidi Grace paper pack how I would use it but I sure am glad I picked it up.  Adding this to the Simon Says Sentiment Wednesday challenge.   The DP has sentiments that are meaningful and the little thank you tag just adds a bit of pop. 

Stamp #457 SU tag stamp

Wanting to join in the Simon Says Sentiment challenge for this Wednesday.  I used Heidi Grace papers with pre-written sentiments and then let the simple tag sentiment say it’s thing!  Fun Challenge.  I am so belated with so many cards.  I know they all understand but it makes feel behind.  I sure appreciated those who visited and brought gifts or did things for me while I was under the weather for so long.

#454-455-456 Mark’s Finest Papers

 

 

Back to “work” if you call this work!  I have really missed creating with my heart.  I did it while I was ill as a distraction from feeling sorry for myself but my heart wasn’t in it.  Today I am working on an order for a sweet friend.  She needs some sympathy cards and birthday cards.  My sweet friend Angela Bode sent me that beautiful yellow and black creation back in January when a very special friend of ours died.  I loved it so much I wanted to use her design and I CASE-d it.  It was such a comfort at the time and I hope my recreation of it brings the same comfort to others. I made three different varieties of it.  ~~Now the wisteria card is all MFP stamps that have rarely been used but how beautiful of a Sympathy card they make.  I used a Spellbinders die to show case them.  The butter fly is flat against the card stock but I cut the upper wing out and used the “faux tole” technique to pop it up.  The sentiment is stamped in Lovely Lavender from Stampin’ Up.   The teeny bow is made with the bow easy.  I am so pleased how this turned out.

Happy Birthday to me

and how many others on this day.  It was a great day for babies to be born.  My friends, Ruth, Faye, Rachel, Elisabeth, Jodie, we all share the same birthday.  Using a Mark’s Finest Papers stamp I made us all a cupcake card.  This has been used in the count already so no number.  I am entering it into Simon’s Anything Goes Wednesday challenge.   I used MFT fishtail banners for the sentiment stamp and Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps sweet scallop circle die.  I popped up the cupcake.  Colored it with gamsol and koh hi noor pencils.

Stamps 451, 452, 453 SU

Well that little burst of energy I got back on April 9th sure didn’t last long.  Two days later my temp spiked up to 104.3 and stayed elevated close to 102 for ten days.  If anything sounds funny on my blog from here on out, it’s because I burned some brain cells, I’m sure!
I do think I am on the mend now though temp has gone the other way and hovers around 96.4  That leaves me feeling a bit weak, a bit tired, and not a whole lot of motivation.  I did manage to water color this relaxing scene.  I was so pleased with how this turned out.  I got  some new curved border dies from Spellbinders and I love them.  I embossed the panel after cutting it with the curved pierced scallop.  A nice little water color background done on plain 110 pound cream card stock and we have a card.  I used my Viva pearl pen and then some half pearls on the ribbon. 
First time I’ve used my script die from Simon Says.  I cut it in black and cream and layered them.  Love that die in Kristina Werner’s beautiful handwriting.  I am entering this in Simon's Challenge DUE DATE.  Spring is long over due here in Wisconsin.

Love CASEing

Laura Bassen made this gorgeous card and I knew I wanted to CASE it the moment I saw it.  I never thought to use that pearlescent paste in such a way. 

I enjoyed every step of the process to make this card and I am so pleased with how it turned out.  Princess J.  note the vellum!!

Love this set

This set from Great Impressions gets a real work out for sympathy cards.  the inside sentiment says “What a beautiful difference one single life made.”  It’s perfect for Edith’s family

I am entering this into the Simon Says Wednesday challenge Spring Flowers or Showers.  Dandelions are always the first spring flowers we see. I don’t care what anyone says, I love them.  I tried taking the picture with the card standing upright and it didn’t turn out right.  I didn’t have the energy to re-do it once I saw it on my computer.  My apologies.   Embossed with Hero Arts Violet embossing powder on vellum and added Whimsy Vellum corners.  Thanks for stopping by.  I’ve missed you all.  

Trying again

Well, it seems that other burst of energy was short-lived.  But any-hoo bit by bit, I think I am coming along.  Today was the last day of the anti-b so let’s hope it kicked butt.  I had a bit of time this afternoon and the house was very quiet.  It seemed a good time to finish those sympathy cards that are need to get done and in the mail. 

This one is an embossed front that a friend of mine gave me.  I thought it would look good with some pastel water colors.  Edith always had to have a bow and ribbon just didn’t look good on here and I opted for some blue twine that I scavenged off a package somewhere along the line.

It’s been sooo long #450

My apologies for falling down on the blog end.  It has been a long winter.  I truly was SICK all winter.  No details, I am just so glad to be feeling better.  Still on an antibiotic but I think it is doing the trick this time. 

I felt well enough to create today.  While moving into my new crafting space I found some die cuts I wanted to use up.  It made for a quick baby card.  While I was in California, my good friend, Edith died.  I wasn’t able to attend her funeral.  She was my stamping buddy, my adopted mom, and my very  good friend.  She died peacefully at age 97.  She still lived alone and still drove her car.  I will be making sympathy cards for her family.  Here is the first with Tim Holtz stamp number 450 from my collection.