Easter and Birthday

Happy Easter Sunday.  I have many happy memories of Easter's growing up.  Often it would rain, so my folks would send the 3 of us to the basement while they hid the eggs inside our house.  Our church youth group always went to the community-wide sunrise service together.  Then we met at one kid's house for Easter breakfast prepared and served by the parents before church.  Such love I probably didn't really appreciate at the time.  Today, I wake to an unhinged rant including an expletive by the US president.  I can only pray that God opens the eyes of my fellow Christians.  The character of our president does matter.

A friend recently sent me a card she made using multiple thin Washi tape strips.  That inspired me to pull out my box of tapes I pretty much never use.  I didn't find a variety like she used, but I did see 3 beautiful ones with gold foil.  So I switched gears and made a card with my new SSS Nested Eggs.

I covered a scrap of cardstock alternating the 3 designs.  I had already planned which egg dies I wanted to use for the focal point, knowing the Washi egg would be the top layer.  I dry embossed the white egg and cut the largest one from a soft gold glitter paper.  The very old sentiment was gold embossed, including the top and bottom edges of the strip.  I can't wait to make some more cards with this die set and be ahead for next year.  I'm entering JUGs, SSS Monday, WAW and SSS Flickr.

I watched Jo Simons video a long time ago, thanks to someone referring to it in their blog post.  Unfortunately, I can't remember who it was.  Finally decided to make a card using her technique of embossing cardstock and vellum at the same time.  It truly did work perfectly.  Here's one of the cards I made using Altenew's Dreamy Daylilies folder with a satin vellum.  Soon I'll show you what I did with the cardstock embossed in the same run through my machine.

I used the matching lily stencils and very lightly brushed on pink, green and yellow inks.  I added Champagne Stickles to the ends of the stamens and used a PTI frame diecut.  Altenew's Essential Sentiment strip was die cut from matte champagne and white cardstocks.  Another Spring BD card ready to mail.  I'm entering DCD and WAW.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Card Chain Challenge and Easter

I signed up to send my March CCC card to my friend, Mia.  Knowing it takes a long time for her to get mail from me, I sent it pretty early in the month.  So far, she hasn't gotten it, but hopefully she will soon.  

The card front is cardstock covered with a piece of rice paper from an older SSS kit.  All I did was splatter the beautiful paper with light gold watercolor.  I randomly brushed the Alexandra Renke wreath with the same watercolor.  

The Memory Box word shadow was lightly brushed with Distress Oxide vintage photo.  After I added the cream cardstock letters, I brushed the whole thing with the light gold watercolor.  I'm entering WAW.  

I made a couple of blue and white Easter cards this year.  When I was a kid, navy and white was a popular color combo for Easter.  The first card was made with the reverse piece after I foiled a Unity toner card front with a beautiful blue specialty foil.  It foiled perfectly to a white Poly-Glaze sheet.

I'm entering WAW from another platform.

My other card was made with SSS Cherry Blossom embossing folder.  I simply added a dot of blue Stickles to the center of each flower.  As you've probably noticed, Poppystamps Proper Happy Easter got a lot of use this year!

I'm entering SSS Monday.  

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Birthday and Easter

I seldom make shaker cards, but here's my second one this year!  Arlene recently posted a card made with a large balloon die.  That reminded me that I have an old one by Winnie and Walter.  I didn't use her design for this card, but that will be coming.  I got a wonderful surprise when I pulled out my die set.  Stuck to the back was a small poinsettia die set I lost at least 3 years ago.  I accepted that I'd never see it again and now it's back in my stasht!  I have several poinsettias, but I was really sad to loose this one because it's size is just right for many cards.

Anyway, my shaker is for Time Out's In the Clear Challenge.  I wanted more of an elegant look, so I die cut the balloon from SSS Matte Champagne cardstock. 

The background is a beautiful printed paper a friend gave to me.  I used an assortment of goodies for the shaker element and a piece of packaging for the cover.  

The bow and the Altenew Essential Sentiment Strip were cut from a scrap of the same printed paper.  Now to make something with the pretty metallic balloon diecut!

I'm also entering SSS Wednesday and WAW.

This is one of the quick Easter cards I made using the other panel of gorgeous Washi from The Ton that my friend Betty gave me long ago.  

I used a scalloped Elizabeth Craft Design rectangle die, SSS butterfly die cut from vellum and Poppystamps Proper Happy Easter.  I'm entering SSS Monday since I heat embossed the sentiment letters with Avery Elle Rose Gold powder.

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I will return the favor.

Easter Cards

I definitely waited too long to finish making Easter cards this year.  Should know to plan for unexpected delays, including a day sick in bed. 😞 So I ended up with some quick cards and put off making the card I had in mind when I first saw the Color Hues combo of Purple and Marigold.  I didn't pay attention to the challenge dates and it closed.  But luckily I combined it with JUGs Stencil Week and I'm also entering SSS Monday and WAW.  

A dear friend gave me TE My Redeemer Lives stamp/die/embossing folder years ago and I use it every Easter.  There are several crosses in different sizes, but I always seem to use this one.  I stamped the white diecut in Encore Metallic Purple and clear embossed.  Then I brushed it with PTI Amethyst Allure making the edges darker.  I stenciled TH Rays with PTI Summer Sunrise using a heavy hand at the top and lighter to the end of the rays.  I added small splatters of the ink and die cut with a Pinkfresh Diagonal Stitch Rectangle.  I had enough PTI matching cardstock to use for the mats and I remembered to cut out the centers.  A sentiment from the set was stamped in Amethyst Allure and cut with a small circle die.  A single purple gem finished off my card.  I'm glad to have this one ready for next year.

I'll share more of my Easter cards soon.  For now, here's one of the quick cards I made using one of Stamplorations beautiful card fronts.  

I embossed it with SSS Dibble Tile folder and rubbed over the raised edges with a white pigment ink pad.  I found just the right shade of blue cardstock in my stash and used it for the mat and Poppystamps Proper Happy Easter.  I'll enter SSS Monday from a different platform.

Basketball was my favorite spectator sport growing up and I still enjoy it.  We don't usually watch games, but this year it's a fun diversion from the sad times we're living in.  Would have loved to watch the Purdue men's exciting Sweet Sixteen win with my Dad.  He would have been so happy.  

Thank you for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Easter Cards

I've made quite a few birthday cards and got behind on making Easter cards.  Here are 2 I finished in the last few days.  First is my entry for Pinkfresh March Challenge using Dainty Blossoms and Elongated Ovals die sets. 

I colored the bouquet with metallic pink and green watercolors.  The light pink cardstock panel was splattered with gold watercolor.  Love the tiny Heidi Swapp gold alpha stickers I've had forever. 

The shimmer and shine is really beautiful in person.  You can see it better in my IG video.  I'm also entering WAW.

A few years ago, my friend Betty gave me a couple cardstock panels covered with a beautiful wide washi--might be from The Ton.  I remember that she used the eclipse technique with a panel and I love the look.  Thought this large Penny Black butterfly die would be perfect and it was, in my opinion.  

I backed it with 2 additional layers and spritzed it with a shimmer spray before gluing it back in place.  The washi's foiling looks rose gold to me, so I pulled out my 2 embossing powders and one was an almost perfect match.  I used it for Poppystamps Proper Happy Easter outline and background diecuts and used white cardstock for the letters.  Finished off with a few pretty pink sequins.  I'm entering Allsorts Challenge. 

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Easter and Birthday

A friend surprised me with a little gift.  A simple act of kindness in a very unkind world.  

Here's a card using some of my foiled pieces of plain toner paper done with white, fancy pink, fancy green, silver and teal foils. 

I purposely cut a piece of white foil that was big enough for the Poppystamps Nordic Basket die.  It is so neat in person!  The fancy foils used for the eggs from the set have a sparkly pattern.  The little bow is from The Greetery.  The bunny from Poppystamps Nordic Bunny Trio was die cut from Soft Stone cardstock which I covered with matching ink using direct to paper.  I brushed the ears with pink ink and covered the tail with a bit of a cotton ball.  

The tone on tone background was made with PTI Weathervane cardstock, Brilliance Starlite Black ink, which is pearlescent, and Poppystamps Fanciful Flowers stencil set.  I used iridescent paste for the flower centers.  I've gotten a lot of use from Poppystamps Double Stitch Scalloped Rectangle Frames.  This one was die cut from Weathervane, inked with Starlite Black and backed with vellum.  Decided to put the Easter sentiment only on the inside.  I'm entering Poppystamps, DCD and WAW.

I missed the last challenge, but couldn't miss JUGS Word Week Emboss.  Dry emboss is my favorite card element and is the reason I got my first die cutting machine.  I still remember the first time I saw a stamped and colored panel that had been dry embossed.  

For my card I stenciled a panel using SSS Layered Flowers.  I wanted to try Kelly Lunceford's PTI color combo of Aqua Mist, Hibiscus Burst, Pure Poppy, Olive Twist and Ripe Avocado.  My card has a different look because I did the stenciling on a panel of Aqua Mist cardstock rather than white.  Figured I'd turn the panel over if it didn't look good, but I actually love it!  I did add Scarlet Jewel for the layer with the flower centers and added white and green splatters.  Looked through my embossing folders and decided to use SSS Blossom Field because the pattern looks similar to some of the stenciled flowers and leaves.  The addition of that beautiful texture makes a huge difference in person.  

SSS Happy Birthday Brush Script is my favorite BD die.  I cut the shadow from white cardstock and the words from Aqua Mist.  Then I heat embossed it with a clear sparkle powder.  I wanted to leave as much of my panel showing as possible, so I just added 3 vellum blooms die cut with the ones included in SSS Cherry Blossom embossing folder.  Due to mailing costs, I seldom add my beloved pearls to cards, except for the tiny ones I used in the centers.  

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Friendship and Christmas

As soon as I saw Stef's inspiration card at Time Out Challenge 308, I thought of Altenew's Pink Star Tulip die, which I haven't used for awhile.  Decided to use the Altenew March Inspiration Challenge colors.  

I inked the bloom with Altenew Baby Pink and Fuchsia and the leaves with Mountain Pine.  The elements of Stef's card that I incorporated in mine are the large floral, dry embossing, splatters, small stamped/die cut sentiment and the mat just at the top and bottom.  Altenew's Deck Planks 3D embossing folder was used with white cardstock and I splattered it with Honey Drizzle ink.  The colored strips for the top and bottom of the card front were inked with Honey Drizzle.  I love shimmer and shine, so before attaching my focal point, I sprayed it with Lindy's Gang Pixie Dust Glitz Spritz.  Oh my goodness--it's so beautiful in the light.  Check out my IG post to see it.  I like using generic sentiments on the front of my cards so I can put whatever I need on the inside.  This one may be a birthday card or even for Easter.  Love the font of this sentiment from Altenew's Morning Glory stamp set.  I haven't been using embellishments much lately, but thought these beautiful iridescent gems were perfect.  They pick up the ink colors and are soft enough not to be distracting.  I'm also entering DCD, as flowers mean Spring to me.

Next is my entry for Christmas Kickstart: Out of the Woods.  During my recent foiling session, I cut a piece of blank toner paper the size needed to die cut my three IO deer.

I used bronze foil and it came out great!  Running everything through my laminator twice seemed to make a difference as the only things that didn't foil perfectly were small toner sentiments.  They never are perfect in my experience.  Anyway, finally got around to die cutting the deer and the shine is so beautiful!  

I used the old MB Garden Birch Landscape stencil, which I love.  The Altenew inks are Caribbean Sky, Persian Blue and Sapphire.  I added small white splatters and spread Snowfall Grit Paste at the bottom.  The sentiment combines the BP word die and W&W stamp.  Peace--what we all need, not just at Christmas.  I'm also entering WAW.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.