Running With Scissors...

Baby Boy, Baby Girl

 

Hello, friends!  Even though my to-do list is full of garden chores, I took some time to stamp.  It’s not like when I was working and I had such limited free time.  I can pick and choose now that I’m retired.  Love that!  My friend asked if I would make her a twins baby card, so that’s what I chose to do.  A boy and a girl.  So sweet!

 

 

You can see I kept it simple.  Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to do for a twins card until I remembered my Stampin’ Up! Zoo Babies set (critters) and Impression Obsession Straight From Heaven (sentiments).  So I die cut some squares and stitched them on.  The critters are popped up.  Added the sweet Poppystamps Clothesline Hearts for a banner.  I even used a bit of ribbon from my endless stash.  The hearts and banner are cut from glittered DCWV Animal Crackers designer paper ‘cause this friend simply requires glitter on everything.

 

I’m heading out to the garden now.  Watering and fertilizing today and that always takes plenty of time.  I hope to see you again soon.  Take care!

 

Stamps:  Stampin’ Up! Zoo Babies, IO Straight From Heaven (sentiments)  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, CTHM Sunkiss Yellow, DCWV Animal Crackers designer paper  Ink:  Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink, Versafine Onyx Black  Accessories:  Offray ribbon, Spellbinders Classic Squares Small, Poppystamps Clothesline Hearts, Paper Smooches Hearts

B is for Baby

 

Hello!  Welcome to Monday and my day on the Dies R Us Inspiration Blog.  Babies don’t stop for Christmas, do they?  I had the great pleasure and infinite FUN this month of making a baby card to celebrate a new arrival, so that’s what I’m here to share today.  First, the card:

 

 

Bees buzzing over the card front, a popped up frame, a banner cut from designer paper and decorated with tiny flowers. . .  Everything I used is listed in the recipe at the end of this post, but I’ll share the list of dies here:

• Impression Obsession Rectangle 6-in-1 Frames
• La-La Land Random Flags Banner
• Frantic Stamper Ladybug & Bee
• Impression Obsession Tiny Flowers
• Impression Obsession Leaf Cluster

And the inside:

 

 

To decorate the inside I cut the bee bodies again from the yellow designer paper.  Also used one of the tiny hearts that dropped out of the banner when I cut it – see it there at the end of the bee’s flight trail.  The sentiment was colored directly on the rubber with individual markers.

 

We start a new challenge tomorrow on the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  The entries are always so fabulous and inspiring and I’d love to see yours there, as well.  You might win!  Have a good day and a beautiful Christmas season!

 

 

Stamps:  Retired Stampin’ Up! “Just B” (front), Darcie’s “Play Time” (inside)  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Apricot Bazzill, heavy vellum, Fiskars Heidi Grace baby designer paper  Ink (front):  Apricot Appeal, Certainly Celery, Copic YG61 to color frame  Ink (inside senti):  SU! markers Old Olive, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie  Accessories:  Pearls, Scotch brand foam mounting tape  Dies:  As listed above

Teddy Bear Baby

 

Hello!  Well, here we are at Monday again and time for a little Dies R Us inspiration.  Today I’ve made a baby card using an older Crafter’s Companion set called Bundle of Joy.  It’s a plain fact that I love baby cards and I also love anything swirly and curly, so I put the two together.

 

 

My swirls and curls today are Memory Box Big Splash Border.  With such a name you can guess it’s meant to resemble splashing waves, but I thought if I turned it vertically and added some tiny flowers it would make a pretty border for just about any cute image.  My itty bitty flowers are Impression Obsession Tiny Flowers.  This die cuts a mass of flowers all at once, which is definitely a time saver.  All the little pearls in the flower centers were made with a Viva Décor Pearl Pen.  The sweet banner is La-La Land Random Flags w/Hearts Banner.

 

By the way, loving this retirement thing, even though it’s only been a weekend and it hasn’t quite sunk in yet.  Enjoy your week!

 

Sweet Dreams Baby Card

 

Hello, and good Monday to you!  I’m here to share a baby card today.  I’ve had this Wild Rose Studio New Baby image watercolored and tucked away and I thought it would be perfect for our Flags and/or Banners Challenge which starts today on the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  If you’d like to play along you might win a Dies R Us gift voucher to use with your next order, and all you have to do is use dies on your card or project.  How easy is that?  The challenge runs for two weeks.  See more details here.

 

 

The dies I used are Whimsy Stamps Build a Banner and Wild Rose Studio Blossom Burst.  I topped it off with a Spellbinders Ribbon Banners die and a sentiment from another baby set (love making baby cards).

 

The Blossom Burst was cut in white, then colored with Copic markers and the flower centers dotted with a white Viva pearl pen.  Can’t forget the glitter which helps the flowers stand out from the background.

 

 

The pretty designer paper is Whimsy Stamps New Beginnings.  Love that Teddy bear face peeking out from under the banner.  By the way, I call this my “cheater banner”.  Each of the separately cut flags is glued in place directly onto the image panel with bows glued onto the ends.  Much easier than trying to hang the flags on a length of ribbon.  Also, I cut two sets of flags from two different papers and inset the shapes from the alternate paper.

 

The Dies R Us Inspiration Blog has something different to see every day and we always link up so you’ll know just where to find it.  Now, how about that Flags and/or Banners Challenge?  Are you in?  Have a happy day!

 

Use it or Lose it: Buggies & Booties

 

Hello!  Pardon my week long absence.  Just going with the flow of things and it didn’t allow time for finishing up any stamping projects.  However, I did reorganize my stamp room closet, which was a good thing.

 

Over a period of time I worked on another of my Stampin' Up! A-Z projects.  It’s about time!  I see it’s been three months since I last applied myself.  Today it’s three cards with Buggies & Booties.  They’re all made in essentially the same style – distressed edges, die cuts, pastel colors, and all using Whimsy Stamps New Beginnings designer papers.  The first card is for a baby boy:

 

 

I put Stickles Stardust glitter on the bow and on the little stars which dot the innermost die cut.  The die cuts are Spellbinders Floral Ovals and Standard Circles Large.  Inside is the sentiment which comes with the set:

 

 

Thought I’d share the envelope, too.  Each envelope was embossed with this Cuttlebug Anna Griffin Wildflower Gate border:

 

 

The pink card uses Spellbinders Radiant Rectangles dies:

 

 

The booties are inside with a simple “Congratulations” from another SU! set:

 

 

I made the third card in a gender-neutral yellow.  These dies are Spellbinders Marvelous Squares.  I included the rattle on a little tag tucked under the ribbon.

 

 

I didn’t use the “Date, Time, Place” stamp, but all other stamps in the set were used on these cards.  Coloring was done in soft, somewhat faded colors with Copic markers.  I have one more “B” set to work with and then my SU! sets skip up to “F”.  I started this SU! A-Z endeavor in August 2014 and I’m still in the B’s?  But I persevere.  Thanks for dropping in!

 

Nine Months

 

The nine months I was waiting for the birth of our son seemed an eternity.  I wasn’t working at the time.  A young family could manage nicely on one income in those days.  Then came 1975.  My husband lost his job in my 9th month.  The price of everything went through the roof.  I’m sure many of you remember those days.  We got back on our feet, but it was a struggle, and then when our son was 2 1/2 years old I went to work and I’ve been working ever since, always with the notion that, if push came to shove, we must be able to survive on the smaller of our two incomes.  Sure, we could’ve had a better house and nicer things. . . maybe. . . but that would mean giving up some of the security.

 

Now we’ve entered a different nine month phase of our lives – that of waiting for my retirement.  November 1st is the target date.  Again, it seems an eternity even though the last 30+ years have gone by in a flash, sigh. . .  Well, the nest is feathered, and thank goodness for the frugal living which has prepared us for this eventuality.  We shall wait. . .

 

In the meanwhile, I couldn’t help but make a baby card since I had that nine month gestation period on my mind.  I’ve used a new-to-me stamp, new paper, a new die set, and a new ink pad.  I didn’t know anything about Wild Rose Studio stamps, but I kept seeing them (and loving them) at my local paper craft store.  You can never be sure about clear stamps, whether they’ll stamp well or not, but here’s my testimonial:  They’re not only adorable, they stamp beautifully.

 

 

My new ink pad is Ranger Archival Watering Can – a dark gray – chosen because it’s waterproof, not quite black, and makes a good outline for watercolor images.  I’ve been missing watercoloring.  I did this in only three ink colors – all Stampin’ Up!:  Not Quite Navy, Certainly Celery, and Going Gray.

 

 

The, oh, so beautiful paper is Whimsy Stamps New Beginnings, and the banner was created with Whimsy Stamps Build a Banner die set.  The sentiment is from a Crafter’s Companion baby set.  You do know how I love making baby cards, don’t you?  It’s been too long since I’ve made one.  I have another of these images colored in pinks to match some of the pink papers in this collection, but I’ll have to put it together later.

 

All of the ingredients will be summed up in the recipe below my signature.  I’ll return with more stamping on Friday.  Nine months from now I should be doing a lot more stamping. . . I hope. . .  See you soon!

 

 

Stamps:  Wild Rose Studio New Baby, Crafter’s Companion Bundle of Joy (sentiment)  Paper:  140 lb hot press watercolor, Soft Sky textured, Whimsy Stamps New Beginnings designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Archival Watering Can, SU! Not Quite Navy, Certainly Celery, and Going Gray  Accessories:  Organdy ribbon, pearls, mini-diaper pins, Spellbinders A2 Curved Borders One, Whimsy Stamps Build a Banner die set, Martha Stewart scallop daisy border punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape (to pop up sentiment)

Use it or Lose it: Along the Same Lines

 

Well, hello and happy Monday!  With today’s cards I have embarked upon an ambitious project which I’ve been thinking about for a long while but have never seemed to have the spark to get me started.  It’s nothing world changing. . .  I’m not that ambitious. . .  It’s just that I thought it would be fun to go through my Stampin’ Up! sets – A to Z – and create with each set as I come to it, using every stamp in the set before I move on to the next one.  Or something like that.

 

So, what finally sparked me?  Well. . . I saw this post by Lynette where she is doing exactly what I have heretofore only thought about doing.  I asked if I could play along – no challenge or anything, no time frame or deadlines to stick to.  Just playing.

 

My Stampin’ Up! sets have been purged and purged again until I’m left with what’s pictured below – 32 backgrounds, 44 sentiment sets, and 40 image sets.  The bottom row shelves the image sets, and that’s what I’ll focus on, though I do plan to use the backgrounds and sentiments off and on as I go along, too.  Of course, I still purchase the occasional new set and I’m not going to wait all the way till “Z” to use my Zoo Babies, for instance.

 

 

Does it sound like fun?  I guess we’ll see. . .  The first set in the A to Z arrangement is Along the Same Lines, copyright 2005 and retired, but I still love it.  I used each stamp in the set, kept the cards clean and simple and all the same design, but changed up the colors.  Each uses the Cuttlebug Rebecca embossing folder, the images are stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White and colored with Copic markers.  First up is a baby card. . .

 

 

Next, a wedding card. . .

 

 

And finally, birthday and Christmas cards.

 

 

I thought I’d minimize the photos a little by combining the last two, especially seeing as how they didn’t photograph well.  The glitter looks like blobs but is actually pretty in real life.

 

I just hope my enthusiasm for this project doesn’t wane too quickly.  39 more image sets and 32 backgrounds – really?  Wish me luck!  Thanks for dropping in!

 

Twins!

 

Over the weekend I had to take a side trip to a baby card which my friend asked me to make for twin boys.  She hoped I could match the material she’s using for blankets – brown, green, blue, yellow.  I used a Darcie’s stamp set called Play Time.  I bought mine at our local paper crafts store, but you can see the set here if you’d like.  It is adorable.  I bought this set, not just because it’s cute, but because I thought the solid image stamps would make for quick cards without the coloring I normally do. Well, then I did all the stamping and cutting and layering and stitching and adding on of different elements. . . not a quick card at all, but very fun to create.

 

 

The polka dot paper along the bottom of the card is an almost perfect match to one of the blankets she’s making.  It barely peeks through the pompom trim, but, gosh, I just had to finally use that bit of trim that’s been lingering around my stamp room forever and a day.  The paper shows more inside.  You can see it’s sparkly, too.  The “Congratulations” is an old Stampin’ Up! stamp.

 

 

I love the sentiments with this set.  For both the leafy branches and the sentiment I colored the stamp with markers directly on the rubber.  I stamped the ornate “C” a second time, cut it out and popped it up.

 

 

 

Just for fun I’m linking this to the 613 Avenue Create Challenge #55 – Anything Goes w/optional twist to use shades of blue.

 

I’ll sum it up in the recipe below and leave you with a wish for a beautiful day.  Take care!

 

Stamps:  Darcie’s Play Time, Stampin’ Up! greeting  Paper:  Blue and yellow textured, Stampin’ Up! Whisper White, DCWV Animal Crackers designer paper  Ink:  Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Brilliant Blue, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa (both inks and markers, all SU!, some retired, I think)  Accessories:  Chocolate organdy ribbon, pompom trim, rick rack, Spellbinders Grand Squares, Grand Scalloped Squares, Curved Rectangles, Timeless Rectangles

Singin’ in the Rain

 

In my memory this was a ducky image.  Well, you can see it’s not a ducky… it’s a chick.  It wasn’t until I’d printed it that I realized it’s a chick.  Oops.  I needed to make a ducky baby card in bright colors, and I thought I had my bases covered, sigh…  Not to worry.  I went digi shopping and found a ducky which I’ll color up and share soon.  But, for now I can always use another baby shower card, and I love this image for baby showers.

 

 

This is a digi stamp called April Showers.  I found it at Designed to Delight, which is now called From the Heart, and I do not see this image there now.

 

It’s a good thing I learned that I can color satisfactorily with Copic markers on my Staples cardstock because to my dismay I cannot print anything heavier on the new printer I purchased to go with my new computer.  This isn’t an option I would have preferred, but it will have to do for now.  I printed the image twice and colored the umbrella a second time, cut it out and popped it up over the first one.

 

The very cute designer paper is another collection I’ve targeted for use in order to lighten the load in my scrap drawer.  It’s perfect for a cheerful chickie shower card!

 

 

That wraps up this week’s stamping.  I’ve sure enjoyed myself and I hope we can meet here again next week.  Take care!

 

Stamps:  April Showers digital stamp, Birthday Pennants sentiment (Flourishes)  Paper:  Red, Staples white cardstock for image, Flourishes Classic White for sentiment, My Mind’s Eye designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Memento Tuxedo Black (for sentiment), Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, buttons, waxed string, linen thread, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Just Ducky

 

This is one of two ducky baby cards I’m making for a friend who has gathered up a nice little collection of ducky-themed baby gifts just in case she needs them.  Well, you know there’s always going to be more babies, and she’ll be ready for them, matching cards included.  Some of the items she’s collected are in soft ducky colors, and some in brights.  This card was made with the soft colors in mind.

 

 

I don’t have much in the way of ducky stamps, and this one is a very small image, but with some framing to set it off the tiny ducky becomes the unquestionable focal point.  Isn’t that the way with babies?  So tiny, yet they so easily draw your attention.

 

I colored with Copic markers and added many of the things I love for baby cards – lace, ribbon, pearls, Swiss dot.  There’s a complete list in the recipe, below.  Have a lovely day!

 

Stamps:  Popcorn the Bear Little Cutie  Paper:  Classic White, pale yellow Bazzill, designer paper of forgotten origin  Ink:  Ranger Distress Vintage Photo, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, lace, Kaiser self-adhesive pearls, Spellbinders Labels Eighteen, Fancy Tags Three, Standard Circles Small, Scotch brand foam mounting tape