Red, Pink & Gold

Thanks to Maria (Madcat2002-Flickr)I learned about a new blog called Muse.  I love that it's a Card Club & the members are active participants including voting for the winning cards.  Unfortunately I missed the first challenge, but I hope to join in from now on.  This week's inspiration card by Suzanne really caught my eye--the design with the rounded top, the grouping of 5 different flowers, the use of printed paper & the double interest at the seam.  If you go to Suzanne's blog you can watch a video of how she made the rounded top.  I love seeing something that I can do, so immediately I went off to try it.  My oval Nesties don't include one quite big enough, but Labels 10 worked great! I tend not to use my printed paper, so got out 2 in my Valentine's section that gave me 3 colors to work with.  I covered the seam with 2 ribbons (it's taking over my house, so have to use it!)--a red velvet rickrack & a somewhat shiny soft pink with subtle darker vertical lines.  I've been making a lot of flowers since I now have dies, but decided it was time to use up some of my stash.  This is the first time I've used a variety of different blossoms on a card & it was fun choosing the ones that worked.  I had to use gold Tattered Angels on an ivory one, but the rest were the right colors.  For the centers I used a velvet brad, heart sticker, heart button (inked with Brilliance pink & clear embossed) & gold ball stickers.  I love flourishes but for some reason I have a hard time getting the gem ones positioned.  Fortunately, this time it worked!  The only stamping will be the greeting inside.  I hope my card-making friend will like it.  I have some new followers which is so gratifying to me.  

Suzanne Dahlberg's card

Thank you all for visiting & giving me your opinion. 

 

PS--Go Niners!  Super Bowl should be fun this year!

Splash of Emerald

I'm one of the many people who love the splash of color challenges.  This week's PDCC splash is Emerald Green.  It just so happens that I have 8 jars of Lumiere Metallic Acrylic paints including Pearl Emerald.  I've had them for over 10 years & they just sit in my craft closet.  I've admired some backgrounds done with paints & decided this was the time to give it a try.  I used a foam brush to swipe it onto a scrap of white cardstock & let it dry over night.  It has a gorgeous shimmer you can't really see in the photo unfortunately.  Then I stamped & embossed the fun sentiment from Hero Arts Find Joy clear set.  I wasn't happy with the plain white card front, so I stamped the Hero Arts Fabulous Flourish (admired it forever & finally just broke my "no more woodblock stamps" rule--LOL--won't be the last time either!) in Memento Tuxedo black in 2 corners.  Took me a long time to decide whether to add the strip of ribbon & if so, which one.  In the end I chose this simple stitched grograin & was happy with the result.  Finished off with clear gems & attached the focal point with foam tape.  Since this is my first card using paint & the Flourish stamp, I'm also entering this month's Hero Arts challenge.  Thanks so much for taking a look at my work & letting me know what you think.

Valentine Wishes

I love participating in the PTI Blog Hops & I have a lot of their stamp sets that would be great with a black background.  My newest one is Quilled Elegance & since I hadn't had a chance to ink it yet, that's what I chose to work with.  2 of the images were randomly stamped with Brilliance Platinum Planet on black cs to make the background--love the soft shimmer!  For the sentiment piece I stamped the image in Brilliance Rocket Red onto white cs, but it was a little too large for my card, so I trimmed it down.  Then I sponged on the same ink, shading a bit darker in the centers.  The sentiment is one of my old favorite stamps by Savvy Stamps & is stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  I added some Stardust Stickles & 3 tiny red pearls & popped it up before attaching the entire piece to a white textured card.  I'm also entering this into the  Make Your Own Background Paper Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.  Thanks for checking out my work & enjoy the rest of the hop!

Love in Miniature

My cards are often not A2 size as I just cut what looks good--sometimes a problem to mail--LOL!  When I saw CAS-ual Fridays challenge to make a card with 1 short side & 1 long side, figured it was a good one for me.  It's been awhile since I played along with PDCC, so I'm using those colors: plum, mustard, rose. My stamps are old ones by Hero Arts, so this is another entry for A Blog Named Hero's current challenge. Just for fun, I decided to make a miniature card--5x2.  The heart branch is stamped in Versafine Toffee after wiping the ink off the hearts.  Then the hearts were colored with 2 Memento markers & I stamped again using my positioner.  I punched 2 tiny circles, colored them with the same markers, attached clear Rain Dots & glued them for the embellishments.  Stickles Star Dust is added to the hearts & 3 scored lines finish it off.  I think this will go to the Card Drive, as a kid might get a kick out of the unusual size.  So glad you took time to come by.  I always look forward to reading your comments.  Have a wonderful week.

Love in Blue

Decided to try another CASology challenge--this time the word is Blue.  I also wanted to play along with A Blog Named Hero to use an old stamp since I have many old Hero Arts stamps--this solid heart being one of the oldest.  I don't make many 1 layer cards & maybe it helped that I really wasn't thinking about it this time.  My sister's favorite color is blue, so I knew I wanted to make her Valentine.  I used the kissing technique by inking the heart in Memento Nautical Blue (covered the solid stamp easily without putting down a layer of Watermark ink!), pressing it onto the Classic Fabric Design & then onto the card that I had already scored.  "Love" is from another old HA set that has 4 little word stamps & I used the same ink. Finished it with a single tiny gem.  I love how this came out, as in real life the heart looks textured & the blue is a gorgeous, rich shade I didn't capture well in the picture.  Think I'll make some more in different colors.  Thanks for coming by & leaving me a comment.  

Time to get ready for the championship football games--yes, I'm a fan, not just hubby!  I grew up going to sporting events from a young age with my dad who was a radio sportscaster, so guess it's in my blood.  Good thing I can watch it in my living room as my cold is in full force & I look terrible!

Love & Kindness

Here's my card for the Impression Obsession Sweet thoughts challenge.  It's not a typical Valentine, but think it will work for one of my card-making friends.  The embossing folder is by Cuttlebug.  I used Encore! Ultimate Metallic Purple, Satin Rose & Teal for the sweet IO Flowers from Petite Flowers 1, CL179.  I wanted to keep a softness to the card, so the quote (IO C8356, Love & Kindness) is stamped in Brilliance Starlite Black rather than my usual "go-to" Versafine Onyx Black.  The circles & scalloped circles are Spellbinders dies.  I debated about embellishments & ended up deciding to only add a single tiny pearl to each flower.  I'd love to hear what you think--suggestions are welcome! Hope you found something inspiring from your visit today.  I've come down with a bad cold, so couldn't go with my friend to see Les Miserables--maybe later this week.  Hope you're all avoiding the bugs going around & are having some fun this weekend.

  

Grateful for You

PTI MIM is celebrating their 100th video, so the prize is a $100 gift certificate!  Couldn't let that go by without giving it a try.  I started with an A2 kraft card & my Lovely Layers stamp set & dies.  I love Brilliance inks & had 2 new ones sitting on my table--Pearlescent Rust & Pearlescent Lime, so decided to use them--not a combo I've ever done before, but good to stretch one's self--LOL!  For the little detail stamp on the "leaves" & the sentiment I used Pearlescent Chocolate.  I shaped the die cuts with my fingers to add some dimension & they are attached together & to the card with foam tape.  The center embellishments are Mark Richards Cream Mosaic stickers.  Since the images go beyond the edges of the card, I used a larger envelope--5 1/4 x 7 1/4--one of the solutions in the video.  I added a little stamping--still plenty of room to write since it's so big.  This card could go to all of you since I really am grateful for your kindness, encouragement & friendship. 

 

DeNami Wonderful Washi Blog Hop

I signed up for the DeNami Washi  blog hop so that I would be forced to open my package of Martha Stewart Valentine Washi tape that I bought a year ago!  I kept planning to use it, but never came up with what to do.  I'm looking forward to getting inspiration from today's participants.  In the meantime, at least I've gotten a start.  3 different tapes were attached on the diagonal, slightly overlapping, to a piece of cardstock.  Then I die cut the piece using Spellbinders Labels 18--one of my favorites.  The DeNami Daisy Stamps were inked with Distress Ink barn door & embossed with clear ep on vellum, fussy cut & attached in pairs.  I'm sending this Valentine to the Cards From the Heart card drive, so I couldn't add anything that could be a choking hazard to a child.  That meant I couldn't use a brad, pearl or gem for the centers.  Instead I used my hole punch on the scraps from my die cut & actually I really like how it ties the flowers to the background.  What do you think?  The little heart (an old one from Embossing Arts who is no longer in business) on the card front is stamped using the same ink after being stamped off twice to make it lighter. Not my best card, but hopefully it will brighten the day of a child dealing with illness.  

All the Hop details are HERE, including how to qualify for a prize & the entire list of participants.  If you came here in order, you arrived from Amy's fun blog & now it's time to see what the super talented Dana is sharing with us.  Have fun & thanks so much for stopping by!

Valentine for a Card Drive

I haven't been able to participate in many card drives, but when I read about the Winter Wonderland Cards from the Heart Card Drive for kids (thanks, Lai-Yoke) I decided to at least get 1 card made.  The cards cannot have anything that could be removed by a child & swallowed, so no pearls, buttons, etc.  That made me decide to challenge myself to make a 1 layer card--not my strength--LOL!  The Impression Obsession challenge this week is "Your Choice," so decided to make my card work for both.  I began by white embossing one of my newest IO stamps, D2145 Heart Flourish.  Since the card needs to work for a boy or girl, I chose blue & green for my main colors.  I never use my colored pencils, but I remember seeing someone use them on kraft cardstock & I like the effect.  Just the top 2 words of the greeting stamp (D5541, Valentine Wishes) are stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia.  To add a little texture, I finished by stamping Screen CAC, CC049, on top of everything using Distress Ink old paper & then sponged the ink around the embossed images.  This was fun--challenging myself instead of just doing what I'm comfortable with.  Since I have 2 rounded corners, I'm also entering the 365 Cards Day 7 challenge.  I'm also entering the Simon Says New Something Challenge since I used a new stamp & new to me technique of colored pencils on kraft.  Thanks for stopping by & letting me know what you think.  Hope your week is going well.

Roses are Red...and White!

I've missed several MFT Wednesday Stamp Club challenges & I was determined to get something done using the current sketch.  I'm never sure how much leeway is allowed, but I'm hoping my "circle" of Die-namics mini rolled roses is acceptable.  I love using them for felt roses as they are so easy to roll.  Here I used MFT Puff Cloud White & Wild Cherry felt.  My latest order just arrived, so I used a sentiment from Lovey-Dovey Sentiments for my focal point & die cut it using Spellbinders Labels 13.  The little hearts that are white embossed in the background circle are from the same stamp set & the circle is cut with a Spellbinders die.  The embossed panel is made with a Cuttlebug folder.  I used my new Die-namics Open Bracket Border to cut 2 pieces out of the same white cardstock which I then taped together before adding red & white pearls down the center.  I added pearls to the roses & then mounted the entire piece to a red card using foam tape.  Now I just need to find a man who wants to give this card to his honey since it's too feminine to give my hubby.

In case you don't know, Impression Obsession is having a CHA Winter Blog Hop with $25 gift certificates as prizes from Jan. 7-11!  The DT will be showing the new Spring Catalog images & I know there will be some "must haves!"  
Back to football--it's play-offs so the season is winding down.  We had a happy Thursday as our Oregon Ducks won the Fiesta Bowl.  We're anxious to see what their final rating will be--2 or 3.  Hope 2013 has started well for you.  I look forward to your continued support & encouragement.  You all inspire me--thank you so much!