Daisy and Cone Flower Thank You

Sunflowers, daisies, cone flowers - all my favorites!  I used a V.E.R.Y. old CTMH acrylic stamp set that was first released in rubber.  I have them both somewhere.  Whoops-a-Daisy was in the catalog the year I became a Consultant (17 years ago).  But, the design papers are brand-spankin' new!  They are Fundamental Basics and are very useful for both scrapbooking and card making. 

I used Saddle ink on the lighter part of the daisy centers.  Nutmeg ink on the sentiment.  In the image of the card standing up, you can see I repeated the diagonal stripe inside. 

Then, how about the same template with a cone flower from Tim Holtz?

 

I'm crazy about this cone flower image!  It required some masking, and I used my Derwent Inktense pencils to watercolor the images.  Everything else is the same as the Daisy card.  Completely different look!  There is a house near our home in MN that has a very lovely garden of cone flowers - this color!  They are simply breathtaking! It has encouraged me to get out for walks more often!

Birthday again . . .

The yellow roses paper is from the same package of scraps that I found - and under each of the ribbon roses is a pink rose on the paper.  I decided that I like the dimension the ribbon roses adds to the card.  Simple!

Happy Birthday!

Sometimes when you are looking for something, you find other treasures!  At least that is true in MY studio!  I came across a partial packet of retired CTMH paper - and decided to use it to create some Birthday cards!  This one is probably my favorite - I'm guessing it's because of the green silk ribbon (green is my favorite color and silk is just so delicious for decorating cards!).  

Today is my birthday!  I'm celebrating by protesting at my Senator's offices.  Then my Beloved with make lunch for me and we'll play the rest of the day by ear!  

Hugs!!

Shifting to Thank You!

This card only used the cardstock base and pearls from CTMH.  The design papers are from years ago - in my stash - and I think they were Stampin'Up.  The Thanks die is from My Favorite Things.  The card is smaller than the standard A2 - it measures 3 1/2" tall by 4 3/4" wide.  It fits an A1 envelope.  I had a smattering of them left over from the wedding RSVP cards.  

They went together fast, and I love the card - the sweet leaf color and chocolate are so pretty together!  The inside of the card base is the new cardstock feature where one side is lighter than the other.  So, no need to add a piece of white paper for writing, the inside is about the color of the pattern under the word "thanks".  

Hugs!

And maybe some Birthday cards

I used some scraps from a CTMH paper pack, actually two of the items are from Bats & Cats (the Halloween paper) and the others are from the Falling for You package.  The cake stamp set is a retired one that I STILL pull out and enjoy!  The sparkles actually show up on the candles for this card - it's Stickles - Crystal.  I think it could work for a masculine card, don't you?  

Just a few more Christmas cards . . .

Just in case I've missed anybody and need a last minute card I put together these variations on a theme.  

The borders were done with "zip-strips" off of the CTMH Beary Christmas paper pack.  The ribbons from my stash.  The coloring was done on the wreath with Derwent Inktense pencils.  (I really LOVE those pencils!).  

We have a series of entertaining starting tonight.  I'm excited to see our friends, and Steve seems comfortable with all the extra cooking!  Can you believe how close we're getting to Christmas?!  Woot!!

Behold I bring you great tidings of Joy

More of my Christmas cards for this year.  I've been making them in batches  of whatever I have in the paper stash (meaning, I was limited to just 8 of this particular card because of the paper).  I used the brand new Hallelujah stamp set from the Seasonal Expressions catalog.  It's a "C" size set with three stamps - the word Hallelujah being the third image with these two. The ink used was Outdoor Denim (retired CTMH) and I don't know why it looks so black in the photo.  It is really dark blue. 

I think this is called a gatefold card, but not sure.  I was just trying to wean myself off of the other fancy fold card that I was stuck on!  It's still an A2 size, and shows off the pretty papers so nicely!

My cards are mailed, presents wrapped (except for Mr. Baggins' - I still need to stitch his toy together!).  Most of the obligations are completed so I have some play time this week (good thing, I need birthday and thank you cards badly!).  Sending love -

The Angel card

This card uses the CTMH Hostess only "Angel" stamp from two years ago - I still love the angel image.  The "Rejoice" is also from that set but the sentiment on the inside of the card "Behold . . ." is in the current Seasonal Expressions mini-catalog and available until the end of this month.  I've used that stamp set on LOTS of cards this year!  It's fantastic!  

Anyway, Bashful and Pewter are so lovely together.

Some fun Christmas cards

A dear friend gave me a birthday card last year that was this type of card design - I copied it for some fun cards to add to my stash this year for the holidays.  I used the remainder of my CTMH Cranberry color patterned treat bags (approx. 4 x 6").  The bag is folded up and tacked under the belly-band with a little piece of tape.  

I used mostly the Beary Christmas paper pack that is retiring end of the year.  I love it so much I'll probably order another pack - as the first one I got is completely gone!  The scalloped circle element on the front (bottom layer of mat) is made in three different styles - cork, felt, and an dry embossed design paper.  My favorite is the cork.  The little packet of joy fits into an A2 envelope.  😆

So,we are coming up on our 6 year anniversary;  I've gone from about 120 handmade cards for Christmas, down to about 20, and now I'm back up to 70.  I think it's just too much fun to make Christmas cards and I should start sooner and just make enough for everyone!  (We send about 50 store bought cards, too.)  

Have an excellent week.  Hugs!

Masculine birthday

I'm thinking you might be getting tired of this fancy fold card!  LOL  I'm not.  It is so much fun and it really shows off the papers!  The little pieces on the left end of both focal pieces are zip-strips from the papers.  The ink used was Outdoor Denim. I used two sets of (retired) CTMH stamps and a retired paper pack.  But everything is CTMH product.  I will probably be showing a lot of retired stuff - if I've bought it, I still plan to use it!  So there.

We are in the middle of putting up our tree and stuff - so I've gotta run - just wanted to share and say "hello"!

Another fancy fold card like the other ones - Beautiful You

This card uses the same fancy fold as the ones previously posted this month - just different stamps, papers, inks.  

The "Thanks" is a retired stamp - just right for this card!  The roses are three step layered acrylic stamps.  I used Baby Pink, Pixie, and Smoothie. The leaves were Sweet Leaf and Olive.  The sentiments are in Olive ink.

The paper pack is also retired (love that paper!).  I used a dab of washi tape, and the medium size rose on the inside.  The set includes three sizes of roses, with three steps for each of them.  There are three different leaves as well - they are two step.  

I've not had much time to create things - seems like I'm working on our Advent newsletter to family/friends and cards more than anything else these days.  Hope you are enjoying this special time of year!  Hugs!

Gift Tags

My church's outreach committee is doing some fund-raising by having a gift-wrapping station at a popular local bookstore (Changing Hands - Tempe).  I guess I agreed to coordinate it (a moment of weakness!).  So, I felt I should make some hand-made gift tags to have for people to use; there are 20+ of each style of tag for a total of approximately 100.  The backside of the tags is shown in the same order in the 2nd photo.  

I used all CTMH stamps.  There is some ribbon from my stash, and some washi tape, too.  You can't see, but the stars on the christmas trees have crystal tickles, as do some spots on the teal/blue ornaments.  The berries on the holly have liquid glass.  The backside of the holly tag has shimmer tape (so pretty in real life).  They aren't very big - and are fairly simple but they should do the trick.  Come by on 12/16/17 between 2 - 6 PM if you are local.  Hugs!!

Starry night

This card simply didn't photograph very well.  I even used my light box!

The color of the cardstock for the "sky" is Outdoor Denim - a retired CTMH color that is a dark blue.  (it looks black here, huh).  The background die cut makes circles (snow) and stars.  I also had trouble capturing what I did for the stars, but I'll explain.  I put the die-cut cardstock over the card front (with a piece of washi tape) and made a light pencil circle inside each star.  Then I folded the cardstock back and one by one erased the pencil mark and made a circle of Crystal Stickles. In real life the stars are sparkly.

The snowy hills with trees are a die cut from Penny Black.  I watercolored the trees using my favorite Derwent Inktense pencils.  The sentiment is from Penny Black as well.  

I have about a dozen of this design to use for Christmas.  Making progress!!

While I was playing with the fancy fold design, then I made another card with some scraps of paper in my stash.  You can't see it, but the "light" around the flame has wink-of-Stella on it so it glimmers in real life.  

I wish I had more of these papers leftover - I would add this design to my annual Christmas card preparations!  I usually make about a dozen of each design.  

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!  My gratitude to you all for your support and love over the years!  It is fun to share with each other and learn new things - you all inspire me SO much!  Hugs!!

A Month? Have I really not posted in a MONTH?

I prepared this card for my Open Stamping group.  The technique to learn is really just the way the card folds - and they get to use the new CTMH Beary Christmas paper pack and the Hallelujah stamp set.  The little "rejoice" is from a Hostess set two years ago.  

I've been super busy playing with my friends and working on a big scrapbook (or two!) and haven't posted because everything seems to be still "half-done"!  I'll try to wrap up some pages and share those with you!  My Beloved arrived from the frozen North last week and it's so good to be together again.  

Card 2 - Falling For You

The second card, again copied straight out of the Seasonal Expressions mini-catalog, uses the Falling For You card kit.  I will probably use darker color on the big "so Grateful" circle next time - it looks very bright yellow (even in person!).  This is the real reason I make a sample card ahead of time - so I can warn my friends of the potential pitfalls!  

Falling For You card kit

The new Seasonal Expressions includes an Autumn paper pack called Falling For You that is so pretty!  I copied the card from the mini-catalog.  This is one of the two choices people will have for Open Stamping on 10/29/2017.

The only ink used was archival black.  The flowers and the colors added to leaf and the "day" circle are all from the watercolor set available from CTMH.  Pretty!

This little box card was a lot of fun - I think I'll do something similar (in a gratitude theme) for my friends at Open Stamping later this month!  This one is for me - to remind me that I'm perfect - with all my warts!

The back part is scored to come around and make the bottom box. It's a little hard to see with that diagonal stripe paper!  I'll make one with another paper and post the details about size and scoring lines.  

So - how could this get better?  By being able to fold it up and put it in a regular A2 envelope!  No kidding!  

I used CTMH stamps (all retired Halloween - from two sets I believe) and the sentiment is one I found in a local scrapbook store in Superior, WI that is closing.  I got a big set of these cool "statements" for $4.  I quickly overcame my aversion to red rubber and snatched them up!   They are from a company called Dylusions.  The paper is from the new Seasonal Expressions mini-catalog "Cats & Bats" and the CTMH ink colors are Champagne, Black, and Goldrush rolled in Sunset. 

It feels great to be HOME and back in my studio.  It took many days to get things sorted out around the house here to a point that I felt like I had earned some craft time.  Woot!!  Hope you like it!

Travel time

I travel tomorrow back to Arizona - to my HOME.  I'm excited and sad.

Today I drove back and forth to the post office (I could have taken a third suitcase!) and found these three trees in our neighborhood.  Since the sun was shining, and the sky blue with pretty white clouds - how could I resist?!?!? 

Give me a few days to unpack and get back to making things!  I'll post as soon as possible!  

Hugs!!

Sunflower Garden - an OLDIE

This beautiful multi-layer stamp set is an OLDIE!  I first bought it from CTMH perhaps 16 years ago - just before I became a Consultant!  Those were wood-mounted rubber stamps and I still have them (💚).  The set I found in the closet today in my MN studio and used for this card are Acrylic - and they are still so amazingly beautiful!  I put this on watercolor paper because I thought I might just use part of the set and watercolor in between - but I quickly decided against that plan.  It's just so easy to layer these.  If you've been aware of CTMH for awhile you remember this stamp; and if not, then you're probably wishing they would bring it back!  Me too, me too, just so I can play with them more!

Colors were Saffron, Canary, Champagne, Saddle, Garden Green, Sweet Leaf and the sentiment in Nutmeg. The design paper is from Cats &Bats, and the card base is Kraft.  

September Special, From The Heart - ends 9/30/17

The cone flowers again . . . but this time I used a lovely new sentiment from CTMH that is in the September special campaign - From The Heart.  If you want it, you'd better drop everything and order it today!

Here is what the special looks like - it's two stamp sets in one; flowers with layering, and lovely sentiments with more flowers.

The cone flowers were stamped with Momento Tuxedo Black ink, then water colored with the CTMH set.  The sentiment is stamped in one of the new colors, Nutmeg.  This one is already on it's way to the recipient.

Another pinterest card

This card was inspired by Pinterest, and it looked like it would be SO-oooo easy!  Hahahahaha!  Maybe I complicated it by first creating my own colors of paper by putting Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks direct-to-paper.  Then, because I thought the circles looked too perfect, I hand cut some of them so they would be more random.  I spritzed them to try to create different shades of color, and then came the assembly!  Aiaiaiai!  My card turned out to be a rather un-conventional size.  

But it's cute!  I just wouldn't do it again.  Nailed it!

Inspired by Pinterest

I've saved a card idea on Pinterest that has been re-pinned from my folder at least a hundred times!  No kidding!  I didn't think of this, and the original (see below) uses Altenew stamps and w/o the additional design papers.  Anyway, I'm pretty pleased with the end result.  The flowers are from the "Here For You" set and the sentiment is from another retired CTMH stamp set. It does have a little wink-of-stella on the flowers but you know how that doesn't show up.  *wink* 

Colors were Momento Tuxedo Black, and watercolored with the water brush directly from the Pomegranate ink pad.  

The inspiration.