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.

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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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.

Pinkfresh Studio

I have such sweet friends and they often share with me.  Luckily, I hadn't used all the PFS Washi diecuts Vikki gave me, since that's the theme for Pinkfresh Studio August Challenge.  

I added a couple cardstock layers behind the Washi bouquet for dimension.  Then I attached a few PFS Dainty Blossoms vellum diecuts.  PFS Braided Tag was die cut from light gray cardstock and splattered with gold watercolor.  The focal point was attached along with a sheer gold bow and the PFS foiled sentiment strips--also from Vikki.  

The Washi is beautiful, as is, but I decided to add gold Stickles to 3 flower centers.  I also splattered the white card front with gold watercolor and added beautiful iridescent gems that pick up all the colors in the light.  I'm also entering WAW and 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.

Christmas and Friendship

I finally got some pictures of cards today so I can enter some challenges.  One is about to close, so I'll start with Caffeinated Christmas Card Flower Challenge.  I love fancy cups & mugs.  Boy would I love to have one like this...and a whole set of china! 

I used Pigment Craft Co Cup of Happy die & a beautiful sheet of paper from Spellbinders Merry Wishes pad.  I added some gold foil accents with my Quickie Glue Pen--so fun & easy.  The W&W sentiment is gold embossed on a piece of my favorite pink cardstock--Romance by Bazzill.  I colored the cup's handle using Distress Inks evergreen bough & pine needles to match the printed paper.  Finally got to use a strip of this fun, gold & white Altenew Washi tape. 

The card front is dry embossed with an evergreen branches folder & really adds something when you see it in person.  I didn't like any embellishments I tried.  Finally, I decided to add my old gold glitter dots to the rim of the cup.  It'd be hard to drink from, but we can do what we like creating cards--right?!  

Next is my entry for Woodblock Wednesday & Rudolph Days.  I still have a lot of Woodblock stamps to choose from.  This time I chose to use Penny Black's 2013 stamp called Christmas Reds & Greens along with the 2009 PB sentiment.  

I stamped the leaves in Avery Elle Celery pigment ink & embossed with Hero Arts Sparkle powder.  I covered the berries in Christmas Red Stickles & added some splatters of the green ink. 

Originally I planned to center the panel on the black mat, but I really liked it this way for a change.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday.

Hero Arts was one of the first companies I was introduced to about 25 years ago.  I still have many, many HA flower stamps--some woodblock & some cling.  Decided to use the Zinnia Style bloom from the 2005 Fashion Flowers woodblock set.  This card design was inspired by Cecile, whose work I admire so much.  

I began by blending Pigment Craft Co Himalayan & Blush inks through The Greetery Color Spots stencil onto a square of Bristol paper.  Then I stamped the bloom in Versafine Clair Nocturne.   The little sentiment from Altenew's Floral Frame was stamped a couple times in the same black ink.   I added a black satin "tab" & a couple cardstock layers for dimension before adding it to the 4 inch square mat of Bristol.  Finished off with a black enamel dot.  I'm entering the flower challenge at Stay Crafty with a Blog Named Hero & SSS Wednesday.

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

January Challenges

Thank you for the well wishes concerning my upcoming surgery.  I'll let you know how I'm doing.  Actually, I'm more concerned about hubby & Fritz adjusting to the changes we're going to live with for awhile--haha!  Seriously, hubby has been wanting me to have the surgery for over a year & Fritz adjusts easily as long as he's with his folks.  

Here are the cards I made for a few more January challenges.  First is my PFS Challenge Review entry.  I chose the August theme of Beautiful Backgrounds so I could use one of my favorite stamps:  Lush Vines.  

I gold embossed it & added a vellum Braided Tag diecut to the center.  I used more of the beautiful PFS Washi diecuts my friend Vikki gave me at our retreat last year.  Really love the font of the sentiment from Sweet Friend Floral.  The thick letters made it perfect for gold embossing multiple times to get a smooth, thick, shiny finish.  

Didn't like any embellishments, so just added yellow Stickles to the flower centers & attached the panel to a black mat.

Next is a simple Valentine using AJVD heart dies taped together & die cut from a red scrap to make outline hearts.  The pretty scalloped, mini slimline frame is from Trinity Stamps.  

I stamped the very old MFT sentiment in Versafine Clair Acorn & clear embossed.  Fun look to have the heart centers filled with Nuvo Glaze.  

I'm entering Die Cut Divas & TTTC192 using Hearts, Free, Shade of Red.  Great TTTC board designed by my good friend, Betty.

And one more Valentine.  Had to use some of the little red hearts left from the previous card.  I noticed cards on Pinterest using scrolls & hearts together, so I pulled out an old MFT scroll die.  This time I went with a red, white & gray color scheme. 

Luckily, I kept my old fashioned stamp positioner which I used to stamp an old favorite Amuse wood mounted sentiment.  Christmas Red Stickles glitter glue was added to the hearts which gives beautiful sparkle & shine in person.  

I added cardstock layers to the gray panel for a bit of dimension, but no extra postage required.  I'm entering JUGs & DCD via Flickr.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  I'll get back to leaving comments on your blogs as soon as I can.