Gratitude

The Stamp Squad has taken over the Penny Black Blog this week. Here's a peak at the  
card I have posted there & I hope you'll go check it out. 
I began stamping over 15 years ago when I walked into the stamp store in my little town.  I was immediately hooked going every day at lunch or after work (kept them in business that year--LOL!) often purchasing Penny Black stamps.  
Soon they asked me to teach a Christmas class. Why I tried to color, who knows, but I still love this simple card with the adorable Penny Black 
image, now retired.

Here's my bonus card for today using the old Single Iris stamp & the new Iris Creative Die. This sparkly blue paper was still on my table from cutting snowflakes, as was the white scrap I'd used to die cut the iris for another card. I stamped Single Iris in a soft gray on the panel before dry embossing & attaching it to the glitter paper.  The shimmery charcoal scrap with the negative die cut was also laying there so I popped it up as a frame. Finished off with a few white sequins. 

I've been so privileged to be a part of the Stamp Squad & hope you've found some inspiration in my Penny Black projects. Wishing you a creative & fulfilling 2014!

Trip to the Beach & Hubby's Card

My friend, Stacy, could work for the Chamber of Commerce! She takes wonderful pictures, often of places in our state I've never seen. When I saw THIS POST of the holiday lights at Shore Acres Botanical Garden, I determined to go see the display & hubby agreed.  Turned out my day off yesterday was "perfect" Oregon beach weather.  For those of you who don't live here, that means no rain or heavy fog & we actually had sunshine much of the day!  I love Christmas lights (my dad always drove the family around town to see them) so it was really special for me. 

Today I got hubby's Christmas card done using Penny Black's holly berries die, 51-019 & stamps flourish holly, 4339K & the wonder, 30-040. The holly is stamped in the upper corner using Distress Ink antique linen & the edges are sponged with the same ink & a bit of vintage photo.  The sentiment is stamped with Versafine Vintage Sepia & the embossing folder is Tim Holtz.  I used watercolor paper for the die cut & then colored it with Gelatos blended with a damp finger. Stickles are added to the berries.  
I'm entering the challenge at Through The Purple Haze where the prize is 3 new Penny Black stamp sets! Since I used a scrap of wc paper, I'm also entering at Pixies Snippets Playground & the stamping qualifies for SSS Monday & the Stickles qualifies for SSS Wednesday.
I know you're busy--thank you so much for visiting my blog.
Edited to Add: Entering Paper Crafts December Gallery Challenge.

Happy Birthday Carol

Today several of us are saying Happy Birthday to our friend, Carol. The complete list can be found HERE (thanks to Bev for organizing this!) 

I don't know how Carol found my blog, but some time ago I started getting her exuberant comments always lifting my spirits. We became friends & hope to meet in person when she's back in my neck of the woods.  She's not a fan of the cold, snowy winters where she lives, so decided to make her a card looking toward Spring. I die cut the Penny Black iris, 51-005, from old purple glitter paper I've had for years.  The negative was cut with Spellbinders Labels 10. Then I die cut the iris again from white cardstock & stamped it lightly in aqua with Penny Black's music background, 2025M, before putting it in the negative cut. The card front was dry embossed & the edges were sponged with the same ink. The sentiment from Penny Black's friendship, 30-160, was stamped on vellum, cut into a tag, matted with vellum & attached with a bow. 
Happy, Happy Birthday, dear Carol!  Hugs, Greta
Edited to Add: Playing along with SSS Monday--use a stamp.

Season's Greetings

Not sure my shades of pink & green are close enough to count, but I'm entering the challenge at Dynamic Duos. I love this color combo, but not sure I've ever used it on a Christmas card.  I made the background panel by covering watercolor paper with Gesso before blending 2 green & 2 pink Gelatos. The Penny Black holly from christmas wishes, 30-196, is black embossed & I added Stickles & some pink dot stickers. The sentiment (isn't that font gorgeous?!) is from Penny Black's yuletide greetings, 30-192. 

I'm so glad I finally realized you can dry emboss over a sentiment without hurting it.  
Although this is a very non-traditional look, I actually like it for a change. What do you think? Since I made the background using a scrap of watercolor paper, I'm also entering the challenges at Pixies Snippets Playground & SSS Wednesday. Edited to add: Also entering Penny Black Saturday Challenge.
Edited to Add: Also entering Paper Crafts December Gallery Challenge.

  

Elegant Deer

Quiet holiday weekend with just the 2 of us and today hubby got the outside Christmas lights up--yah! Lights are my favorite decoration & I don't think he's ever gotten them up before Dec. 1st. I got most of the dusting done so tomorrow I can decorate inside. Decided I'd earned a break & made a card tonight. My stamps are by Penny Black: dancing deer, 40-258; lace trims, 30-181; the wonder, 30-040. The printed paper is MME & the inks are Memento Nautical Blue, Rhubarb Stalk and Distress Ink spun sugar. The deer is sprayed with Glimmer Mist for a lovely sparkle I can't figure out how to photograph, unfortunately. I'm entering the challenge at Freshly Made Sketches, SSS Monday and SSS Wednesday. 

Thanks for stopping by--I always enjoy reading your comments.

Sneak Peak

Hope you'll check out my card on The Penny Black blog today.  The Stamp Squad is playing along with the challenge at Designed to Color where the prize is 3 Penny Black stamps! If you know me, you know coloring is not my strength, but I was pleasantly surprised with how this card came out using Gelatos to watercolor. I'd love for you to come back & let me know what you think.

Penny Black Blog Hop

Blog hops are always fun--glad you joined in as the Stamp Squad celebrates this week's Fan Favorites Event. JUDY started us off with her amazing work--you don't want to miss it!  My card uses Penny Black's "kind wishes, 40-080" which I stamped in Adirondack Cranberry--an old favorite. Then I covered the panel with Therm-O-Web Glimmer Dust, Gold--a new favorite! For the background I used some molding paste with a stencil on my printed paper & sponged with tea dye ink when dry. Then I dry embossed & inked the edges with Golden Glitz before matting the piece with dark red cardstock.  A gold bow & sequins finish off the card.  Hope I've given you some inspiration.  Next stop is LIN--bet you'll be adding to your "must have" list!  If you get lost just head to The Penny Black Blog for all the links.  

Happy Birthday Tracey!

Tracey was one of the first stampers I met when I started blogging. Her sweet comments always encouraged me & I love her card-making style! Couldn't pass up the chance to join in her birthday Linky Party this week.  I went completely away from the fall/winter color schemes & made a soft, feminine card.  The background stamp is Penny Black's sweetness, 40-208. I clear embossed it on light lavender paper & spritzed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Glacier--a light blue.  Hard to get a good picture as the result is a subtle design.  I really like this sentiment from Penny Black's friendship, 30-160. It's white embossed on the same lavender paper, die cut into a circle & popped up. I'm entering the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge. 
Hope you're having a terrific birthday week, Tracey!
Edited to Add: Also entering Penny Black and More.

Joy

There's still time to sign up to be a Penny Black Club Member so you can shop the Fan Favorites sale on Friday, Nov. 8.  Some of the stamps are being show-cased all week on The Penny Black Blog. Maybe you'll want to add ornamental, 40-160 to your collection.  I made a bright & simple card, but you could get so many different looks with this one stamp. I silver embossed & trimmed the bottom edge by hand so that the sentiment from joyous, 30-037 would fit on the card front stamped in Memento Love Letter.  I colored the ornament dots with a marker before adding prisma glitter using a glue pen.  The panel is mounted with foam tape & embellished with red & white ribbon tied in a knot.  I'm entering the challenge at CAS-ual Fridays and Die Cut Divas.  Edited to add: Also entering at Penny Black & More.  Thanks for stopping by--I always appreciate it.

NOEL

If you haven't, be sure to sign up now to be a Penny Black Club Member. Then on Friday, Nov. 8, you will receive an e-mail with a link to shop the Fan Favorites sale. You can see examples on the Penny Black Blog all week & today I'm joining in the fun. Here are 2 cards using the gorgeous 
antique noel, 4340K.  
The first card is white embossed on water color paper & then spritzed with red, green & gold Tattered Angels mists.  I filled in the berries & ovals in the letters with my white gel pen. Hard to tell, but I used markers to give some more color to the flowers, leaves & pine cones before a bit of Stickles was added. I thought Spellbinders Resplendent Rectangles made just the elegant frame it needed. Pearls & ribbon finish it off.  Edited to add: I'm entering the challenge at Penny Black & More.

My second card is also white embossed, but then Distress Inks festive berries, evergreen bough & iced spruce were sponged onto the panel before diecutting into an oval.  Stickles & tiny red gems provide the embellishment. Spellbinders Labels 10 is used for the mat which is mounted with foam tape to the card front embossed with a Cuttlebug Anna Griffin folder & sprayed with Therm-O-Web Glitter Dust.

Hope I've given you some ideas.  Be sure to join the club so you'll be able to shop the sale.  Thanks for taking time to visit my blog.

Christmas Carol

I love to play along in the Merry Monday challenges & this week the theme is music or a Christmas carol.
I had several ideas, but ended up using 2 of my older Penny Black stamps: good will to men, 2758J & snow scroll, 3892K. The background is made with silver embossing snow scroll, sponging on Distress tumbled glass & then dry embossing the dots. The carol is stamped in VersaMagic Purple Hydrangea with Memento Lulu Lavender sponged around the edge. 
I matted it with a vellum scalloped oval die cut & mounted it with foam tape. This will be my last entry for the Penny Black & More challenge. Thanks to Sandie's suggestion, I'm also entering the challenge at Let's Get Inky. Edited to add: This is my first entry for a challenge at Word Art Wednesday.
Thanks so much for stopping by.

Same Stamps, Different Styles

I made a CAS card with stitching for CAS-ual Fridays challenge (posted on Flickr with minutes to spare!) The challenge theme at Merry Monday was my inspiration & I decided it'd be fun to make another card with more of an elegant style. The stamp set is Penny Black's crystalline, 30-018. The fancy gray mat is stamped with diamond pattern, 400-169. Here are both cards.  Do you have a favorite? 

By the way, I think I've finally found a white gel pen that works--Uniball Signo. Two busy days at work & looking forward to the weekend. I know, I only worked 2 days so shouldn't complain--LOL! I do appreciate all your sweet comments--thank you for visiting my blog.
Edited to add: Entering this in the challenge at Penny Black and More.

Oh Tannenbaum, Oh Tannenbaum

The current Simon Says Stamp challenge simply requires that you use a rubber or clear stamp.  I don't use digis, so easy for me to enter.  I know it's time to make Fall cards, but I really wanted to ink up my new Penny Black tannenbaum, 40-262. This stamp would work for a more whimsy sort of card using different colors, but I ended up with my favorite style which is more toward elegant.  Penny Black Music Background, 2025M, was stamped in Memento Toffee Crunch on white cardstock cut with Spellbinders Labels 17.  The tree is clear embossed & then Distress Inks bundled sage & iced spruce were sponged over the entire piece & the Toffee Crunch was inked on the edges.  The die cut mat was stamped with Penny Black diamond pattern, 40-169, in Toffee Crunch, embossed & the edges were inked. I used a COPIC marker to color my white sequins, added Stickles & ribbon and popped up the panel.
Sun is out so gotta work in the roses for awhile.  So glad you stopped by. 
Edited to add: Entering this card in the challenge at Penny Black and More.

A Wish for Peace

As soon as I saw the Merry Monday color challenge, I knew this week I had to get a card made. Classic & gorgeous--just what I like! 
Christmas is my favorite reason to make cards & therefore I have hundreds of stamps (probably not an exaggeration!), but that didn't stop me from getting new Penny Black stamps. I used christmas wishes (30-196) & christmas harmony (30-194) for my card.  The embossing folder is an old one by Cuttlebug that I often end up using. The holly images are colored with markers (Memento Bamboo Leaves & New Sprout and Distress barn door & worn lipstick) and I used a small, wet paintbrush to blend the greens.  The area around the images was watercolored with worn lipstick & I added some Stickles to the berries.  Versafine is a great ink to use with clear stamps & I love being able to dry emboss after stamping a sentiment.  
I thought ribbon would be included, but it just didn't work.  Rain Dots in pink & red did the trick. The matted panel is popped up for dimension, but this will still be pretty flat for mailing.  I really like the look of this card. Don't you love when that happens?! Now it's back to Fall cards.  Our change in the weather has me wanting to pull out the felt & burlap--how about you?
  

My Turn to Travel

Very early in the morning hubby takes me to the airport & I'm off to see my Indiana family--the only ones left on my Dad's side of the family.  My cousin's wife has scheduled fun activities for the whole time I'm there.  If everything works out, I'll also get to meet some card-making friends in person--always such a treat! I won't have much computer time, so hope you understand when I don't visit you for awhile.

Here are the last of the Penny Black Color Challenges cards my sister & I made.  Laurie's Day 4 card uses an Impression Obsession tree die & a Penny Black sentiment from "in a pear tree", 30-035.  I stamped & trimmed the flag for her & she sponged the snow & did everything else.  Hard to tell, but she added Shimmer Spritz to the tree & the snow.

Laurie's Card

My card is for Day 5.  I stamped "melle papillon", 4300K in Delicata Golden Glitz.  I purposely used the Spellbinder Lacy Circle die so her dress would go past the circle. The butterflies were very lightly colored with a Faber-Castell colored pencil & her hair was lightly watercolored with Memento ink. The labels die is a Spellbinder & the embossing folder is Cuttlebug.  Thanks for all your sweet comments & you will hear from me when I get home.

Greta's Card

Less is More with Penny Black

Penny Black is playing along with the Less Is More challenge this week, so I joined my Stamp Squad sisters (Judy, Penny, Rosemary & Lin) and came up with this CAS card in Fall colors.  I used Penny Black's "berry wreath" (4200K)--a stamp I was immediately drawn to the first time I saw it.  I colored directly on the stamp with Distress Markers bundled sage, barn door, spiced marmalade, dried marigold & fired brick.  Did you know these markers do not cross contaminate--no idea how that is possible!  Anyway, after inking, I spritzed & stamped on watercolor paper.  I die cut it with a Spellbinders circle, glued it to one corner & trimmed it even with the edges of the panel. After doing the same thing with what was left to the opposite panel corner, I used a smaller circle die on the 2 corners.  This stamp is beautiful with Stickles added to the dots, but you then loose the watercolor effect.  The sentiment stamp is also Penny Black ("moment of joy", 4303F)--one of my favorites) & I stamped it in Versafine Vintage Sepia. The panel is mounted to a kraft card & this will probably be a Thanksgiving card to one of my on-line stamping buddies. Hope I've inspired you to play along.  All the details are on the LIM Blog.  So glad you took time to visit my blog.

Thanksgiving Without A Thanksgiving Image

I enjoy making holiday cards from non-holiday images & I love flourish stamps.  That led me to pull out my Penny Black footnote (3857H) & some Zing! embossing powders: Rouge, Apricot, Leaf & Brown Sugar.  This is an easy stamp to line up using a stamp positioner. The embossed panel & card are edged with Delicata Golden Glitz.  I was delighted to find this sentiment in the Penny Black clear set friendship (30-160)--perfect for a Thanksgiving card going to one of my cardmaking friends.  It may have been better to heat emboss the sentiment, but too late now that the panel is attached with foam tape.  I decided against ribbon & just used some gems for embellishment.  Since the Simon Says challenge is Anything Goes, I'm linking my card there. They carry Penny Black & I have my eye on the new complimentary die for this stamp--fancy flourish, 51-020. Hope your weekend includes some fun, relaxation & craft time. Thanks for brightening my day with your visit.
Edited to add: Putting this into the collection at The Simplicity blog to save Thanksgiving.

The Secret Is Out!

I am thrilled beyond words to be a member of the first Penny Black Stamp Squad!  I've loved Penny Black stamps since I began stamping years ago & now I get to share that love with you "officially" with lots of Penny Black creations in the months ahead.  Here's a sneak peek of my first stamping project using fabric, Gelatos, Gesso, dry embossing and, of course, Penny Black stamps!  Hope you'll check it out on today's Penny Black Blog. Thanks for sharing in my excitement today--everything's better shared with friends!