Running With Scissors...

Glitter Pooch

 

This card was created with love for the little girl next door who turned 2 years old on Sunday.  For what was supposed to be a relatively simple card I sure spent a lot of time trying to make this right.  Cards don’t always happen as easily as we’d like, do they?  In the end it came out better for all the trouble it gave me, and I love it!  I hope you do, too.

 

 

My troubles began with the coloring of the pooch.  I went ‘round and ‘round with it until I ended up glittering over the whole thing.  I wouldn’t have thought to go that direction with a dog, but it somehow works, and I think my little friend will love it.

 

The sentiment gave me fits because I didn’t like how I’d stamped it, so that’s how the hearts came to be (now, why didn’t I think of that in the first place?).  I colored their edges to make them stand out, arranged them over the boo boo, and added the bone.

 

Finally, I was getting somewhere, but I wasn’t happy with the gap between the image and the sentiment, so I added the pink paw prints.  An easy fix.  Poodles of love!

 

 

I seriously thought this card was going to wind up on the scrap pile, but I’m glad I managed to save it, even if it did take all morning.  The stamps, by the way, are from Inky Antics Puppy and Kitty Love #2 – very cute!  Have a good day!

 

Stamps:  Inky Antics Puppy and Kitty Love #2  Paper:  Classic White, pink textured, Bo Bunny Soft Shades Double Dot designer paper  Ink:  Memento London Fog (to stamp poodle), medium and dark gray, pink, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, rhinestones, Spellbinders Large and Small Standard Circle dies, Standard and Scalloped Heart dies, A2 Curved Borders One, Scotch brand foam mounting tape (to pop up one heart)

Circus Critters

 

I have another happy card today.  I was asked to make a birthday card for a little boy who’s turning one year old in July.  Honestly, I dragged my feet for a month or more on this one.    It had to be cute and fun and boyish, and nothing in my collection seemed quite right.  Apparently I just wasn’t in the mood because, as it turns out, these cute OCL Circus Circus critters were perfect!

 

 

I was inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest – similar, but different.  I’d give you a link to the original, but it’s another one of those Pinterest photos that doesn’t link to anything.  I’m not sure how that happens.  At any rate, it was the spark I needed, and I very much appreciate it.

 

So. . . I colored up every critter in the set with Copic markers, and then designed the card, coordinating colors with this very old (possibly DCWV?) designer paper.  The banner flags were made with an oval punch folded in half.

 

 

I stamped three cards while I was home on vacation last week and I enjoyed it very much.  There’s nothing like a little stress-free time and some new goodies to get you out of a stamping slump.  I fear I’ll slip back into it now that vacation is over. . . but I do still have those new goodies.  In fact, I have quite a few stamps and things which are new or not yet used.  I’m very good at collecting things.  My mission now is to apply something new or not yet used to every card I make until I run out of new or not yet used things.

 

So what’s new or not yet used on this card?  It’s the star dies (new) and the inside sentiment (not yet used).

 

 

I picked up the long-on-my-wish list MFT Die-Namics star dies on last week’s shopping trip.  They’re my first MFT dies and probably won’t be my last.  I’m very pleased with their quality and functionality.

 

Well, that’s it for me today.  Stay well, and to all those who celebrate it, have a safe and happy 4th tomorrow!

 

Stamps:  Circus Circus (Our Craft Lounge), Hooray Blast sentiment (Stampendous)  Paper:  Flourishes Classic White, So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi, other miscellaneous colors for banner, designer paper of forgotten origin  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, miscellaneous inks to match cardstocks, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Twine, brads, oval punch, label punch (both Stampin’ Up!), MFT Die-Namics star dies, Martha Stewart decorative edge punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

The June Christmas Card

 

Hello, there!  I hope to finish up a few made-to-order cards this week (yesterday’s guitar card was one of them), but I had to set aside those projects temporarily for the monthly Christmas card.   To save time I’ve gone all simple again with blue and white.

 

 

This Gifts of Christmas from Stampin’ Up! is such a pretty stamp I can hardly believe I let a whole Christmas go by without using it.  So easy to simply stamp and do a little embossing in the background.  I pieced together an embossed panel and an embossed border and covered the seam with ribbon and silver thread.  I thought I’d try to keep this one reasonably flat, so no lumpy embellishments.  The blue flower was cut from a leftover scrap of the embossed panel, then colored with a marker.  I added silver glitter and some branches covered with clear glitter.  All done!

 

 

I’ve listed everything used in the recipe below.  Thanks for joining me today!

 

Stamps:  The Gifts of Christmas (Stampin’ Up"’)  Paper:  Whisper White, Bashful Blue (Stampin’ Up!)  Ink:  Bashful Blue  Accessories:  Ribbon, silver thread, Petals A’Plenty embossing folder (Stampin’ Up"’), Organic Flourish border embossing folder (Cuttlebug), Spellbinders Labels Four Nestabilities, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

For a Relay for Life Rock Star

 

Hi, there!  I had some fun making this shaped card for my friend’s son.   He’s a team captain for Relay for Life, and the team’s theme this year is “Rock Star’.  The colors I used match the faux guitar he’s using as part of his costume.  I believe this is his fourth year as a team captain, and he’s only 12 years old.  His teams' efforts over the years have raised more than $10,000 for the cause.  Go Andrew!

 

 

I searched Pinterest for “guitar cards”, not certain exactly what  I wanted to do, but I found several examples of both acoustic and electric guitar shaped cards and that decided it for me.  Since there were several of this style I don’t know who the originator of the idea was, but I sure do appreciate it.

 

I drew the shape myself, creating a black layer on a gold mirrored cardstock base, and I thought it would totally rock to give the black layer an embossed texture.  The neck of the guitar has gold sticker strips for frets and gold elastic cord strings which can be plucked like real guitar strings.  The strings are threaded through punched holes on the lower end, taped in back to hold in place, then gold brads inserted in the holes.  On the upper end the strings are sandwiched between cardstock layers.

 

Gold brads on punched gold circles create the control knobs, and then it was just a matter of adding the sentiment, stamped in black and cut by hand.  Overall the card measures 4 1/4” x 6”.

 

Thanks a bunch for stopping by!  See you soon!

Birthday Boy

 

Hello, and happy Monday!  Today’s card is an eclectic mix of critters colored up to send a birthday greeting to a four year old boy.  I made it quite a while ago and wasn't sure I was going to post it, but, oh, what the heck.

 

The stamp is Penny Black Party Animals and the designer papers are glittery, fun, boyish DCWV Animal Crackers.  The textured brown cardstock has a shimmer to it, as well.

 

 

I used a birthday sentiment from Stampin’ Up! and filled in the blank with a 1/4” circle punched number 4.  Since I got myself overstocked with photo turns when they were all the rage, I figured I’d use a few for a colorful embellishment.  Three down, a gazillion to go.

 

Coloring was done with Copic markers on Flourishes Classic White cardstock.  I hope he likes it and I hope you do, too.  Have a great day!

 

Stamps:  Penny Black Party Animals, Stampin’ Up! On Your Birthday (sentiment)  Paper:  Shimmery Bazzil textured, Classic White, DCWV Animal Crackers designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Tangerine Tango (for the #4), Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Photo turn mounts, brads, 1/4” circle punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Vintage Kids at Play

 

Hello!  Today I’m focusing on an image I colored weeks ago and just now got around to giving it a home on a card.  It’s another wonderful free vintage digital image from Digital Two for Tuesday, and you can find this particular image right here.  Just click on the image and then right click and save to your computer.

 

 

I printed this on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper at a time when I thought I might try water coloring, but regardless of the heat setting after printing I found my ink jet ink would still smear.  However, Copic markers work very nicely on watercolor paper, so I fell back on those once again.  I matched up the designer papers with the colors and the era of the image as best I could.  I even used vintage buttons from my Mom’s button collection.  Hoping to keep it gender neutral I didn’t get too frilly with the design.  The image is circa 1900, so it’s a little before the time of my circle of friends, but if I like it I hope someone else will like it, too.

 

There are more details in the recipe, below.  Thank you for visiting and for your comments which I always enjoy so much.  Happy day!

 

Stamps:  Free Digital Kids at Play  Sentiment from Flourishes Kid’s Play Two   Paper:  Crumbcake, Kraft, Webster’s Pages designer paper, 90 lb hot press watercolor  Ink:  Printer, Chocolate for sentiment  Accessories:  Ribbon, buttons, linen thread, Herringbone embossing folder (for the two Kraft horizontal strips

Baby’s First Easter

 

I’ve been feeling the urge to make some baby cards lately, but I’ve needed first one card and then another, and no time for baby.  So when my friend asked me to make her grandson’s first Easter card, I thought this was as close as I was going to get to a baby card for a while.  In fact, I used baby papers and I almost set it aside because I thought it looked a little too much like baby and not enough like Easter.  Sweet, though.  It will have to do, I guess.  I’ve had my hands pretty full stamping-wise this month.

 

 

This is Crunchin’ Carrot Bunny from Peachy Keen stamps.  He’s colored with Copic markers on Flourishes Classic White cardstock and popped up on foam mounting tape.  I’ve listed all the ingredients in the recipe, below,  so I won’t keep you longer.  Thanks much for stopping by.  Wishing you a sweet and special day!

 

Stamps:  Crunchin’ Carrot Bunny (Peachy Keen), Somebunny Special sentiment (Stampendous)  Paper:  Bazzill shimmery blue textured, Classic White, DCWV Nana’s Nursery Baby Boy designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Polka dot brad, Spellbinders circle die, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Musical Memories

 

Hello, again!  I’m back today with a birthday card for a four year old girl.  Musical Memories is the name of this stamp from the Laurence Collection by Stampavie.  I think it’s the sweetest image and since I make so many children’s cards I didn’t hesitate to drop it in my basket the last time I was out on one of those fun shopping trips at our local scrapbook store.

 

 

I colored with Copic markers on Flourishes Classic White cardstock.  Must have sweet papers for a sweet image so I used these from the My Mind’s Eye Howdy Doody collection.  I like how the rose in the dog’s mouth somewhat matches the rose in the paper.  I hand cut the banner for the birthday sentiment (something retired from Inque Boutique), and added ribbons and brads to match the paper.  And that about sums it up.  I’m off and running with my scissors to get more cards made before the end of the month.  Enjoy your day!

 

Stamps:  Musical Memories (Stampavie), Card Wishes (retired Inque Boutique)  Paper:  Sage, white, My Mind’s Eye Howdy Doody designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, brads, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Getting Inky

 

Hello, and happy Monday!  I need to make several children’s cards for March and April, so I’m getting an early start on those.  Seems like a good chance to use another lovable critter from my Inky Antics Delightful Dogs #3.

 

 

I chose these colors to suit the preference of the little girl who will receive this card.  I wasn’t sure I’d care much for the combo at first, but in the end I’m happy with it.  I stamped on Flourishes Classic White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers.  The Deconstructed Sketch #89 was perfect for the image, and thanks to the sketch artist I felt like I was halfway done before I even started.

 

                                           

 

The flower accents were made from white cardstock with an old Stampin’ Up! punch, colored to match the image, and Rain Dots applied to their centers.  The image and sentiment are both popped up on foam mounting tape.  I think that about does it.  I’ll sum up all the ingredients in the recipe and leave you with a wish for a happy day.

 

Stamps:  Inky Antics Delightful Dogs #3  Paper:  Memory Box Granny Smith, CTMH Spring Iris, Classic White, BasicGrey Sugar Rush designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, oval punch, flower punch, scallop edge punch (all punches from Stampin’ Up!), Rain Dots (tinted resin flower centers), Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Carousel

Here’s another one of those children’s birthday cards and the last one I’ll share for a good long while.  I’ve finished the last of them and I’m all about grown up cards as soon as I can work up enough energy to get to it.  Today’s card was made with a favorite set from Flourishes -- Enjoy the Ride.

I’ve also used another new-to-me embossing folder, called Rebecca (Cuttlebug).  I colored the embossed design with a Copic marker and did a little trimming along the edges.  The horse was also colored with Copics.  I stamped and colored one image, then stamped and colored another (just the horse) and cut it out and popped it up over the first image.

The awning was made by scoring the panel of designer paper at 1/4” and 1/2”, then folding into awning shape.  Three layers of Scotch brand foam mounting tape hold the awning out from the card.

That’s it for today.  I’m out of steam and heading for the couch.  Thank you for joining me!

Stamps:  Enjoy the Ride  Paper:  Aqua, chartreuse, Flourishes’ Classic White, old My Mind’s Eye desgigner paper from my stash  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Cuttlebug Rebecca embossing folder, ric rac, tiny silver brads, scallop edge punch, Spellbinders Nested Lacey Pennants S5-029, Scotch Brand foam mounting tape