Thank You

Wishing everyone peace & joy in 2023.  I used a gift certificate for a small order that included Altenew's Berried Cotoneaster embossing folder & stencils.  It arrived cross country in 2 days!  I had been trying to decide what to use for a thank you card for someone who belongs to the Garden Club & takes vacations to see gardens in various towns.  Not a hard decision to use my new goodies!  I looked at the year's monthly challenge photos & found the perfect color combo in May.  Now I have a last minute entry for Altenew's A Year in Review Challenge.

The short videos on the website are so helpful in deciding if you really want an item & showing how to use it.  I tried to find the right color inks & then realized I have the Altenew inks Terri used:  Magenta, Fuchsia, Fresh Leaf & Lime.  For the gold in the photo I used DO fossilized amber.  I cut the panel down & mounted it to a card whose front edges I inked with Fresh Leaf.  Love the beautiful font of the word from the Teeny Twigs mini set.  

I gold embossed the word & die cut it with Altenew Nesting Ovals.  The panel was splattered with Gansai Tambi light gold watercolor which is so beautiful in person.  I used my favorite Lucy's Iridescent Gems for embellishment.

Thanks to all of you for another year of friendship & support.  I'm going to try & keep up better on blog reading next year.  

Valentines and Christmas

We survived an ice storm without loosing our electricity.  So happy we could just stay home safe & sound.  Then we had a wind storm, but power was only out 3 hours that morning, so not a big deal.  So many people had major issues--hope it wasn't you!

I've joined in at The Snippets Playground for several years & have a lot of friends because of it.  The only stipulation for the current challenge is that you use your snippets (scraps) for a non-Christmas project.  I had something else in mind, but then I saw SSS Heart of Flowers die in my stash.  Decided to make a Valentine & ended up with 2.  I pulled out 2 beautiful scraps of Bazzill textured cardstock--pink & purple. 

I won't go into how I did the diecutting & saving the pieces to inlay as it was NOT the best method--haha!  Would have been best to attach the cardstock to double sided adhesive before diecutting.  But, all's well that ends well & I do love the final results.

For the first card I die cut the heart from a white scrap to use as a guide & used the white cardstock dots brushed with a silver shimmer pen.  The embossed frame panel was given to me by a friend.  After everything was in place, I decided to add Shimmer Pico Embellisher to the pink & purple pieces.  Held my breath, afraid I'd mess it up.  Actually, I did 2 coats to get a nice, smooth glaze.  You can see a picture in my IG post.  The old MFT sentiment was stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturne.  Couldn't let the leftover pieces go to waste, so I die cut the heart from another white scrap & attached all the pieces to a soft gray panel.  Again I used the white dots, but this time I brushed them with a clear shimmer pen.  Really like the look of stamping the sentiment along the side of the heart in Versafine Clair Morning Mist.  

Most of you probably know I make Christmas cards all year long.  I was happy to see the theme for CAS on Friday is Christmas.  Really wanted to see if I could use an image from Penny Black xmas sprig stamp set.  My last try ended up in the trash & so did my first one this time.  But, I didn't give up & actually like the final result.  

I used markers & a little ink cube along with spritzing & a wet brush.  Can't see in the picture, but I overstamped in Delicata Golden Glitz for a beautiful shimmer.  The PTI sentiment was stamped in Versafine Clair Acorn & I splattered a brown Zig.  I distressed the edges, inked them in DO vintage photo & used cardstock scraps for dimension that doesn't require extra postage.  Fun to use a red panel for my "white space" this time--love the festive look!

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

Joy to the World, The Lord is Come!

I was inspired to use my Stampendous nativity stamp & an Elizabeth Craft Designs oval die because of a beautiful card made by Claudia.  I black embossed the image & blended DO fossilized amber, vintage photo, faded jeans, prize ribbon & wilted violet.  The halo was colored with a gold glitter gel pen & covered with glaze.  The white sections on the robe & blanket were colored with a gray fineliner pen.  I carefully drew over the big star with a black glaze pen.  The little PB stars were stamped in Delicata Silvery Shimmer.  I stamped the HA sentiment in Versafine Clair Nocturne onto the PTI Rustic Cream card.  The edges were inked with DI old paper & antique linen.  Finished by tying on kraft colored hemp.

Almost forgot, I'm entering Christmas Kickstart. 

Wishing all of my dear blog friends a blessed Christmas and wonderful 2023.  Thank you so much for your continued friendship & support.

 

Pinkfresh Studio, Altenew, Taylored Expressions

Hard to believe it's almost Christmas.  We're hunkered down with freezing rain outside, so thought I'd share some recent cards.

First is my entry for PFS December Challenge to make a holiday card.  I ended up using more of my hoarded PFS Christmas Wishes paper pack to make hubby's card.  

I used circle dies to cut out parts of 2 different papers & used the sketch at FMS to make my card.  One of the PFS Layered Snowflakes was die cut from super sparkly silver glitter paper & the sentiment was made with Heidi Swapp alpha stickers.  

The PTI Soft Stone panel was splattered with white gouache & I added tiny PPP iridescent stars.  Glad this one is staying at my house--haha!

Next is my entry for the Altenew December Challenge with a card based on the October 2022 inspiration photo & colors.  I began by using the Dotted Swirls Debossing plate on a green, textured panel.  

Then I die cut blooms & leaves from Climber Flowers die set using white cardstock scraps.  I colored the floral layers by brushing them with PTI Lovely Lady, varying the amount of ink to get 3 shades.  The leaves were colored with PTI Harvest Gold & Distress Ink fossilized amber.  The sentiment from Essential Sentiment Strips die set was cut from a black scrap & backed with a white strip inked in Lovely Lady.

I added a gold thread bow & light pink sequins.  The card is mailed, so can't try for better pictures.  The blooms are really pretty in person.  I'm also entering Snippets Playground.

Last time I had my laminator out, I foiled several Foil-It panels in the TE Modern Eucalyptus kit.  Thought the one I did using teal foil would make a pretty birthday card stenciled with shades of purple.  I used PTI Lavender Moon, Winter Wisteria & Lilac Grace. 

I used my old Lil' Inker stitched rectangle die to cut down the panel & added it to Winter Wisteria & black mats.

The kit includes Scripted Sentiments stamp set which I really love. I stamped the birthday sentiment in Versafine Clair Nocturne & added Hero Arts Ombre purple sequins, thanks to a sweet friend sharing with me.

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

A Few More Christmas Projects

Hubby got the outside lights up a few days ago & I'm slowly decorating inside.  The tree makes me happy just with the lights, but I will add the balls tomorrow, hopefully!  I've gotten a lot of cards mailed, but I'm not finished yet.  I started with the ones going the farthest & I'm working my way west.

Amy has a monthly challenge called Woodblock Wednesday & I loved pulling out Art Impressions Small Pine Spray (over 10 yrs old) & the 2010 DeNami sentiment.  

The Spellbinders square & Fleur de Lis dies are also old.  I used 3 off white papers--something I would never have done when I started stamping.  The card is PTI Rustic Cream, the image is gold embossed on watercolor paper & the fancy mat is Michael's cream cardstock.

I used markers scribbled on an acrylic block & picked up with a damp brush to do the watercoloring.  Just flicking the end of the marker with the damp brush gave me the little brown splatters.  I do love simple & elegant, so this is my kind of card.  I'm also entering SSS Monday.

I love PPP Layered Tree die which can be used for many different looks depending on colors & techniques.  This time I wanted a special card for a relative who is big on Christmas trees & uses only traditional green & red for all her decorating.  

I double embossed a white panel with Zing green glitter ep & then die cut the sections.  There were a couple little spots where the embossing came off, but they were easily repaired.  The trunk was die cut from a brown scrap & the star was stacked 3 high with the top layer being silver metallic cardstock.  I've never used the little ornaments in the set & they're so cute.  I die cut them from red metallic cardstock which stood out perfectly with the shimmery tree.  

Discovered that glue dots were an ideal way to attach the star & the ornaments.  I like the subtle white embossed snowflake background & only an inside sentiment to let the tree take center stage!  I'm entering SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday & Christmas Kickstart.

My final project is for the December Poppystamps challenge.  This may be the most fun I've ever had making a tag!  I pulled out Poppystamps Tunnel Tags & Sloping Hillside dies. 

Amazingly, what I had in mind worked without having to redo anything!  I used some of my overflowing white scraps & a piece of Memory Box blue glitter cardstock I'd already cut into.  First I partially die cut the tag & moved it up before finishing diecutting to make a slightly shorter tag.  Then I die cut Sloping Hillside from the tag.  Next I needed the same size tag for the back & managed to get it right--whew!  I glued a piece of the glitter cardstock to the back tag where the opening would be & then glued the top tag in place.  The trees were brushed with a shimmer pen & covered in Shimmer Pico Embellisher.  I'll have a short video on IG if you want to see the shimmer & sparkle.  Another little scrap of the glitter cardstock was die cut with circle dies for the hole reinforcer & I added white crochet thread.  The perfect sentiment from a Winnie & Walter set was stamped in Versafine Clair Morning Mist.  I'm also entering SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday & The Snippets Playground.  

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

Freshly Made Sketches

FMS gallery is minutes away from closing, so here's a quick post with my entry.  

I used a TH silver metallic wreath I die cut long ago.  The other products are SSS Village dies & Peaceful Christmas stamp & die set.  I added black & silver splatters to the PTI Soft Stone card front.

I was going for a neutral, wintry look.  Really had fun making this card.

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

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm so grateful for all my cardmaking friends around the globe.  You truly are a blessing to me.  Here are a couple Thanksgiving cards made from diecuts I brought home from my Indy retreat in 2019.  I borrowed the Lawn Fawn pumpkin dies & cut them from a beautiful Fall paper on clearance at a store where we shopped.  

The leaves may also be LF.  I inked the stems, leaves & tendrils & added gold Stickles.  The pumpkin without any black was mounted to a brown cardstock square embossed with TH inked woodgrain folder.   Just love how the darker brown on the folder brought the panel to life.   The pumpkin with some black in the top layer was attached to a Spellbinders large scalloped circle black diecut.

The sentiment is from SSS October kit & the card bases are PTI Rustic Cream.  A feeling of accomplishment to have turned these diecuts into cards, finally!

Next is my card for Poppystamps Fabulous Fall challenge using 4 Poppystamps dies.  I love the look of hydrangeas in the Fall when they have shades of purple, rust & gold.  I used direct to paper with VersaMagic Dewdrop ink pads in Eggplant, Purple Hydrangea, Gingerbread & Pumpkin Spice to color Layered Lovely Flowers & it worked great to get the look I wanted.  I used a sponge dauber to blend any sharp color edges.  

Garden Lantern was embossed in Liquid Platinum & Copper ep.  I also used the copper ep on a round embellishment to make it match.  Scribble Hello was stacked & inked with the 2 purple shades.  I inlaid heavy weight vellum for the glass.  

Lattice Small Curve was die cut from the same brown cardstock & inked with Versamark Dazzle for a subtle background.  I added a tiny brown pearl to the flower center.  

I'll close with my Pinkfresh Studio felt Layered Wreath Christmas card.  Hard to believe I wasn't really into felt on cards when I first saw it used in a stamping magazine many years ago.  It certainly grew on me & I ended up buying quite a few colors from several companies.  

I attached the lighter green MFT felt to copy paper.  Then I die cut the wreath.  I happened to have the perfect darker green from TE, so die cut a bunch of the little leaves to layer on top.  I had a couple of the red glitter dots in the package & they looked perfect for the berries, so I diecut a few more from the same glitter tape.  PFS Nested Diamond background makes a beautifully subtle background stamped in Delicata Golden Glitz.  Wish the pictures showed it better.  I didn't want a bold sentiment, so I stacked PFS Classic Holiday Words 4 high & covered the top layer with Shimmer Pico Embellisher. 

The vellum shadow was just what I needed & using rolled glue dots behind the letters worked great to attach the sentiment to the wreath & card!  That's a trick I learned from my talented friend, Rosemary.  I'm entering Color Hues, Just Us Girls & PFS Add Texture.

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