Time for a Christmas Card

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.  We just returned from our trip to my brother's in Minnesota.  It was great to be with our whole family for the holiday.

This card was a few weeks in the making.  I am so out of card-making shape!

In its first phase, the wreath was stamped on a white card base, but it was so blah and boring.  I even stamped a wreath on another card and added rhinestones thinking that would dress it up a little.  But I couldn't make either one of them work, so I tossed them aside knowing something would come to me.

And it did!

Voila!  So much better!

Supplies used:
Stamps - PTI Wreath for All Seasons, Mega Mixed Messages
Paper - Pear Pizzazz, GKD PL white
Ink - Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories - Nestabilities scalloped and regular circle dies, Big shot, taffeta ribbon, dimensionals, corner rounder

Now that December is almost upon us, I must get busy making my Christmas cards for this year.  Do you have yours made yet?

K

Embossed Tree

In keeping with my promise to post more cards, here is a really quick one I came up with the other day.  As usual, it isn't exactly what I visualized, but I think I like this better than my original thought anyway.  I love it when that happens.

Very simple, but simply elegant!

My original vision had an embossed frame all the way around the tree panel.  Once I trimmed the panel down, the tree was no longer in the center.  So I just embossed one edge and echoed it on the card base.  I rather enjoy the asymmetry of it!

I used a ruler and my Versamark pen to ink the edges for embossing.  That way, you can make the stripe as wide or narrow as you would like.

If you look closely, you can notice tiny little bubble holes left in the embossing powder.  I won't be sending this card to anyone because of them, but I have never had that happen before.  I know EP can bubble if you overheat it, but mine barely got melted before it was bubbling up.  I have had this EP forever, so maybe it is just past its prime.  Have you ever had embossing powder go bad?  Do tell.

More cards to come as soon as I get them made - I've been busy playing with my new sewing machine!

K

Faux Washi Tape

After reading some discussions on faux washi tape, I thought I'd give it a try.  I haven't jumped on the washi tape bandwagon; given my completion tendencies, I refuse to go there.  So faux it will have to be!

I used paper tape from the dollar store.  It took a few tries to get it torn the way I wanted it.  Funny how it never tears straight when I go to put it on a patient's dressing at work, but that is all I could get it to do when I was trying to tear my drifts of snow.

Nichole posted a very cute snowman card and tag set that I styled my card after.  I loved the simple snowman stamp she used, but didn't have any similar to it, so what else was I to do but make my own!  I punched out a circle and two different ovals, taped them together and traced around them on my card.  Then I added his face, buttons, and mittens.  So fun!  I also made my own polka dot stamps a long time ago by punching out a piece of scrap rubber with both size punches from my Crop-a-dile, and glued each 'dot' to opposite ends of a chopstick.  *patting self on back*

Isn't he cute as a button?  Haha!  Get it?

I think it's past time for me to go to bed!

Supplies used:
Stamps - Hero Arts holiday sayings, home made polka dot stamp
Paper - Pool Party
Ink - white craft, Memento black
Accessories - 3/4" circle, large oval and wide oval punches, paper tape, markers, baker's twine, button, dauber

K

Christmas in January (No, I'm not kidding!)

I have some cards made that I could have posted today, but I ended up going through a box of random stamps that I had purchased as a lot on e-bay a couple years ago and made a couple new cards.  Every once in a while I find something in there I want to keep, and since my 'style' is still evolving, stamps I would never think of using become just what I was looking for.  My purchase gets more valuable every time I go through that box!

I came across the complete set of SU's Holiday Blocks that has been retired for a while now, and I managed to use every image on these two cards.

I really like the purposeful random placement of the squares on this one.  (How's that for an oxymoron?)  I was able to triangulate the images even though there are five squares.  There is good flow and color balance, and that makes me very happy.  I do wish the holly image was a little closer to the left edge.  It's funny what a difference 1/8" would make.

Supplies:
Stamps - Holiday Blocks, Hero Arts Holiday Sayings
Paper - GKD PL white
Ink - Riding Hood Red, Old Olive, Memento tuxedo black

Here is my second card before.  Before what, you ask?

The SMUDGE!  I was stamping my last word - joy - and noticed a big black thumbprint on the front of the card.  It doesn't look that noticeable here, but you could definitely see it IRL.

UGH!!!

I finished stamping the word, and salvaged the card by cutting the images and sentiments into a panel which I popped up on another card base.

Disaster avoided!  I kinda like it better, anyway!

These images were first inked in Versamark, then in colored inks so the Dazzling Diamonds could be used.  This is a great technique for adding sparkle to your project, and this card really sparkles.

I used my SAMJ in conjunction with a quilting ruler (thanks, Susan, aka LateBlossom for that tip) for placement of the images and words.  Those are two of my most valuable tools.

Supplies:
Stamps - Holiday Blocks, Hero Arts Holiday Sayings
Paper - GKD PL white
Ink - Versamark, Razzleberry, Daffodil, Pacific Point, Memento tuxedo black
Accessories - Dazzling Diamonds EP, heat tool, dimensionals, SAMJ

Another reason I wanted to stamp some Christmas cards is to help clear out my new stamp basket.  The Hero Arts sentiment set was part of my clearance purchase a couple weeks ago (it was 75% off!), and I couldn't wait until Christmas to use it.  So far this system is working well for me.  It has pushed me to used stamps that would otherwise get lost in the rest of my rubber.

My challenge for you is to find a stamp set you think isn't your style, and use it to make a card or two.  My two cards today are proof that you might just make something you like.

Have a great day!

K

Farewell CAS Design Team

It is really hard to believe my time on the CAS DT has come to an end.  This week was our final post, and I am quite sad.  The new Design Team will be revealed this Friday.

The challenge for this week was to use some type of flower accent.  I have some Prima flowers that are severely neglected and decided that didn't need to change so I used punched flowers on my cards.

I don't quite remember how I thought to use my 5-flower punch to make a poinsettia (I made this a couple weeks ago since we were going to be out of town), but I really like how it turned out.  After I punched the 3 layers of the flower, I trimmed one flower down and scored veins in all of the petals.  Then I shaped them to curve down a little bit.  I had planned on sponging the edges for a little definition, but in my haste to assemble the flower I forgot.  The center is made from 1/8" punches grouped together and topped off with a little diamond Stickles.

I realize poinsettias don't grow on pine trees, but the pine branches were the shape I wanted for a corner focal point.  I really liked the card when I made it, but the more I look at it, the more it bothers me.  It's a good thing I'll be sending out my Christmas cards soon!

Supplies used:
Stamps - Pines, Many Merry Messages
Paper - GKD PL ivory, cherry cobbler
Ink - cherry cobbler, old olive
Accessories - 5-petal flower punch, 1/8"punch, ScorBuddy, diamond Stickles, glue dots, SAMJ


I made another card with flowers that was inspired by one of the cakes in a recent OLW challenge.

The flow of flowers is exactly as it was on the cake.  I wish I could take credit for the arrangement, but I'm not that creative.  Mine would look like a jumbled mess.

Supplies used:
Stamps - PTI Mega Mixed Messages
Paper - marina mist, baja breeze, daffodil delight, GKD PL white
Ink - craft white
Accessories - 5-petal flower, scallop circle, trio flower, small flower, and 1/8" and 3/8" circle punches, mini scallop deco scissors, 2-way glue pen, yellow glitter, white EP, heat tool


By the way, while we were at my parents for Thanksgiving, we continued to whup up on the boys in euchre.  The final score was girls 8, boys 6.  They almost caught us, but never got ahead.  I think that is the first time they haven't pummeled us.  And it's not because we don't know how to play.  It's because my husband is lucky at cards and my Dad saves his hiney every time he gets the bid!

Hope you're having a great week!

K

Vintage Santa

As soon as I saw this set in the Holiday Mini, I knew I had to have it.  This Santa reminds me of a mug my Mom has had forever that always decorates the mantle at Christmas.  I have seen newer mugs in the same style, but they're just not the same.

Since the Santa reminded me of my Mom's vintage mug, I wanted to make a vintage style card.  There is only one problem; vintage and CAS aren't very compatible.  I gave it a try anyway.

Not too bad.  This definitely has a vintage edge to it, but it's still pretty CAS.  It's almost as close as it can get without stepping out of bounds.

The Ho!Ho!Ho! was made by masking off the "Hol" from the Happy Holidays stamp and stamping it three times.  The dot on the exclamation point is the dot from the "i" of the same stamp.  How creative of me!

Supplies used:
Stamps - Jolly Old Saint Nick, Jolly Bingo Bits, Season's Greetings
Paper - naturals ivory, cherry cobbler, kraft
Ink - Memento rich cocoa, cherry cobbler, espresso
Accessories - cherry cobbler, blush blossom, and pretty in pink reinkers, aquapainter, white gelly roll pen, blue marker, 2-way glue pen, white flock, dauber, edge distresser tool, lace, dimensionals

I'm pretty sure I won't use the other 2 images in this set (I think they're kind of ugly), but I'm glad I have this Santa.  Have you ever bought a whole set for just one stamp?  Do tell.

Have a great weekend!

K

OLW27 Holiday Card

I'm sorry it's been a while since I've posted.  I have been fighting my second nasty cold of the season, and haven't been doing much stamping.  I've been sleeping instead.  (And irrigating my sinuses - yuck!).  I decided I had to stamp something for the OLW challenge to get me out of my rut.

This week the challenge was to make a one layer holiday card suitable for the inmates in the North Dakota State Penitentiary to send to their friends or family.  One of Susan's blog readers heads up a group that makes cards to send to the inmates, and her letter to Susan inspired this challenge.  In addition to being a one layer card, we were not to use any metal (wire, brads, etc.), gemstones or pearls, and limit the glitter.  We could use ribbon, but I chose not to.

Here is the beauty I came up with.

The scored frame was an afterthought that totally makes this card.  (At least for me).  I like the clean lines of the card and scoring with the fancy font of the sentiment.  A single gold star adds just enough interest.

I am bummed I sold my long rectangle Nestabilities sets because I wanted to use one to emboss the frame.  I didn't think I used them enough to justify keeping them, and I have 'needed' them ever since.  I can't tell you how many times I've eyed them at Hobby Lobby when I have a coupon burning a hole in my pocket, but they never make it home with me.  Something else always wins out, and I end up eyeing them the next time I go.  I know I don't need long rectangle Nestabilities - it's pretty easy to cut a rectangle - so we'll see how long I last before I cave.  : )

Supplies used:
Stamps - Many Merry Messages, Patterned Pines
Paper - GKD PL white
Ink - Cherry cobbler, Encore gold
Accessories - Scor Buddy, SAMJ

If you haven't checked out Susan's blog for the challenge, go there now to get all the details.  Let's allow these inmates to send some love to their loved ones this holiday season.

Make it a great day!

K

OLW in Two Minutes

I almost cried when I read that Susan was going to take a break from her OLW challenges on her Simplicity blog.  Seems popularity is running it's course with her, and she had to cut back somewhere.  I wish I had that problem!  heehee!  But then Jennifer Styles stepped up to the plate and is going to be posting the challenges for a while.  I'm grateful for her!  Thanks, Jennifer!

The challenge this week is to make a one layer winter holiday card without using white, cream, red, or green for the base.  When I first read it, all possibilities went out the window.

Then I had an idea.

This is possibly the fastest card I have ever made.  I think it took me longer to ink up my new silver Stazon pad than it did to make the card!  Even the simplest card I make can take me a while before I get it 'right'.  This just happened, and I love the result!

Isn't it cute that Dasher is looking at the Merry Christmas aimed right for his back end?  I think he's thinking "I'd better get out of here!"

After I lined up the image and sentiment on my background-sized acrylic block, I inked them both with silver Stazon, and presto!  It was almost done.  It still looked a little flat to me, so I sprayed some sparkle shimmer spritz over it, and that was just what it needed.  That stuff has to be my favorite new product.  I find myself reaching for it very frequently.

Supplies used:
Stamps - Dasher, Christmas Greetings
Paper - Concord Crush
Ink - silver Stazon
Accessories - sparkle Shimmer Spritz

What is your favorite new product?

K

ETA - Silver and gold Stazon inks are a good alternative to embossing when using on dark cardstock.  The embossing buddy leaves a little powder behind that I can never seem to get rid of, and no matter how careful I am about removing any errant flakes of EP before heating, there are always a few that show up after the image is embossed that 'ruin' the card for me.  Stazon eliminates all this and is still fairly shiny.  I will still use EP on light colored card stock, but for darker colors, I will always use Stazon for metallic images.

K

The Final Round

I was picked as one of the 10 finalists in the CAS fall DT search!  Yea!  I was quite shocked and became giddy with excitement when I found out.

The last few days my head has been filled with ideas of twos.  Our card for the final round has to have a 'couple' of something on it.  It wouldn't be hard to make a card with two brads, or pearls, or images, but when you have to make one with two of something, it becomes exponentially harder.  You all know how that is!

I had several ideas, but only made two (a couple - heehee!) of cards.  I knew I would never be able to make a decision if I had more than two to choose from.  They are both very different, and I hope I picked the right one to submit.  You never know what the judges will be WOWed by.

Here is the first one I made.

I wanted to do everything in two's, so I have 2 pumpkins, 2 fibers in a double bow, 2 mini rhinestones, and a sentiment with 2 words.

I like it.  Kind of.  I think the bow looks out of place and competes with the pumpkins.  It didn't WOW me, so I made another completely different card.

There are two 'couples' on this one.  Two bulbs, and a two word sentiment, but I think it has a lot more WOW factor.  At least I hope it does, because this is the one I submitted.  The bulbs are sponged around their perimeters to make them glow, and are accented with glossy accents.  I hand drew the cord.  I'm hopeful they will be judging on creativity, because this is about as simple as it gets!

Supplies used for pumpkin card:
Stamps - autumn harvest, teeny tiny wishes
Paper - GKD PL white
Ink - Memento black
Accessories - Copics, taffeta ribbon, hemp twine, bow easy (my knock-off), mini rhinestones, SAMJ

Supplies used for bulb card:
Stamps - jolly bingo bits, Christmas greetings
Paper - GKD PL white
Ink - real red, garden green
Accessories - artichoke marker, glossy accents, daubers, SAMJ

I feel just like I did in high school when I was trying out for something...nerves, adrenaline, self-doubt, excitement, hope. ACK! The anticipation is killing me!  My stomach will be in knots until Thursday night when we all find out!  This is going to be a looooooong week!

So tell me. Did I submit the right card?  What do you think?

K

Gingerbread Men make me Happy!

The CAS challenge on Splitcoast this week was a sketch challenge.  And one I am very familiar with.  It has been my go-to sketch for a while now.  So it wasn't really a challenge to make the card, but it was a challenge to find the time to do it!

I decided to use one of my many neglected wheels for this card.  Now I know what I can do with all of my other wheels...use them to make cards!!

The hearts are glittered with dazzling diamonds to make them look like sugar cookies - yum!  I want to eat them up!  And the little gingerbread men make me smile.  (Probably because I can imagine the taste when I bite their little heads off!)

Would somebody please get me some sugar... chocolate... anything?

Supplies used:
Stamps - gingerbread man wheel, so many sayings
Paper - GKD PL white, cherry cobbler
Ink - Memento black, Versafine black
Accessories - Copics, glue pen, DD glitter, wavy border punch, ribbon

Have a happy day!

K

Jolly Ornaments

This is my second post today...I'm on a roll!

This is for Susan's OLW15 challenge to use color in an unconventional way.  Pink and Christmas is about as unconventional as I could think.  Ornaments come in all shapes and colors, but if it weren't for Susan's challenge, this card would have been shades of red and green.

Don't you love how challenges make you think outside the box?  I sure do.

I made my little ornament hooks out of my wire works that I've had for over 5 years.  Even though they get used very rarely, they always come in handy for something.  The hardest part of this card was getting the bows tied at just the right spot.  That took more time than anything else!

I think if I did this over again, I would leave out the embossed oval.  I really don't like it on this card.

Supplies used:
Stamps - Jolly bingo bits, teeny tiny wishes
Paper - GKD PL white
Ink - markers:  regal rose, razzleberry, pumpkin, turquoise, melon mambo, pacific point
Accessories - nestabilities oval die, big shot, linen thread, wire works, SAMJ

Hope this inspires you to use color in a new way!

K

I'm on a Roll!

I made another Christmas card today!  Woohoo!  I've never had so many cards (two, to be exact) done this early in the year!  I don't know what I'm going to do with myself!  heehee!

This was for Susan's OLW challenge on her Simplicity blog to use outline stamps.  My Little Layers II set was still sitting on my desk because I have some ideas for it that I still need to get on paper.  When I was trying to decide what outline stamp to use for Susan's challenge, this card just popped into my head.  It took all of about 3 minutes to make.  And that is only because I had to use my SAMJ, to get both the image and sentiment perfectly centered.  Pencil dots are perfect to use as a guide, then just erase the evidence.  Just make sure you let the ink dry COMPLETELY before you erase.  Don't ask me how I know!

I put a little Sakura jelly roll pen on the hanger thingy to make it shiny, but it didn't photograph well.  Also, make sure your jelly roll pen is completely dry before you smudge it with your fat fingers.  Don't ask me how I know that, either!  This time, I got lucky and was able to remove the smudge with my adhesive remover/eraser thingy.

(Thingy - is that even a word?)

Supplies used:
Stamps - little layers II, PTI faux ribbon
Paper - GKD PL white
Ink - real red, old olive
Accessories - SAMJ, Sakura jelly roll pen

Ta ta!

K


Edited to add:

Well, duh!  When I went to link my submission to Susan's blog, I read that the other part of the challenge was to make a square card.  So I just chopped the bottom off!  Then I rounded the corners just because I wanted to do something different.  The image would look better if it was up higher on the card a fraction of an inch, but it will have to do for now.  If I make more of these (and don't think I won't - what a quick and easy card), I'll fix the image placement.

I kinda like the A2 size better.  What do you think?  A2 with rounded corners?  That's the ticket!

Ta!

K

Christmas in July

I figured since one of the major craft related chain stores has had their Christmas merchandise out for 3 weeks now, I might as well start stamping a few Christmas cards myself.  My real motivation, though, was Susan's OLW13 challenge to make a Christmas/Holiday/winter card.

I cased one of my own Christmas cards from last year, but this one is much more CAS.  I might even make a few more since it was so quick and easy.

This is my card from last year.  A little too busy for CAS, and hardly any 'white space'.  I still love it, though.  (It was cased, but I can't remember from whom.)

This is this year's CAS version.  So simple, and Susan is sure to love all the 'white space' on this one!  I didn't even stamp a sentiment; there's plenty of room on the inside for that.

Supplies used:
Stamps - patterned pines
Paper - GKD PL ivory
Ink - garden green, old olive, real red markers, encore gold
Accessories - detail gold EP, heat gun, red rhinestones, nestabilities rectangle die, Wizard

Hoping thoughts of winter help to keep you cool in the summer heat,

K