Running With Scissors...

Always, Forever

 

I’m taking Kathy Racoosin up on her 30 Day Coloring Challenge this month.  It started on the 5th, which is when I colored this, but I had other posts scheduled so had to wait to share.  The idea is to do at least a little coloring every day, even if only for five minutes.  I don’t imagine I’ll be able to finish a card every day, as it takes me almost as long to decide what to color as it does to actually color it.

 

 

From among the many stamps I had out on my desk I chose to use Heartfelt Creations Home Sweet Home and colored with Copics.  The image worked with the card parts I’d pulled out of the basket.  Call them card parts, spare parts, leftovers, set asides, temporary rejects… you know what I mean.  I’m trying to use them up.  Today it’s the card base, which is very old cardstock weight double-sided designer paper by My Mind’s Eye.  Additionally, I used a Cheery Lynn Dutch Daisy A2 Stacker Frame, also from the basket.  By the way, there’s not a daisy in sight on this die.  I do see tulips.  At any rate, it’s a pretty die.  I cut the largest die, then placed the next size in the middle of that die cut and ran it through again, which is how I got the double border.  Pearls and ribbon finish it off.

 

 

I may be doing so much coloring you’ll get fed up with me.  I’ll be back soon!  Till then, have a happy day!

 

Stamps:  Heartfelt Creations Home Sweet Home  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, My Mind’s Eye Kaleidoscope designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Pool Party, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Pearls, ribbon, Spellbinders Labels Twenty Eight, Cheery Lynn Dutch Daisy A2 Stacker Frame, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Playful Asters

 

Hello, there!  I’ll just pop in with a quick post today to share this Delicate Twining Asters card I made a couple of weeks ago.  They were still on my desk from another card I shared previously and I decided to have another go before setting them aside again.    I went a little playful by using a cheerful Stampendous sentiment and dotting around all the curves and curlicues.

 

 

I do make a lot of get well cards for my one customer.  She picked up a sizeable order recently so I’m starting to work on the next batch.  No hurry necessary, but she sends a lot of cards and will take all I can possibly make for her.  I love that she corresponds the old school way with cards and letters.  She even sends cards and letters to me, so I reply to her the same way.  If we’re going to make cards we might as well send them, right?  I’ve mailed out no less than 10 cards this month, and they were all for specific reasons – thank you, get well, thinking of you, birthday…  I need to replenish my own stash as well as hers.

 

I’ll list all ingredients in the recipe below my signature, but pictured here are the Copic markers I used for coloring:

 

 

I'm so glad you could stop in!  I’ll be along with more stamping shortly.  Have a happy day!

 

Stamps:  Heartfelt Creations Delicate Twining Asters, Stampendous Hope You’re Better  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Amethyst Bazzill  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Barely Banana (sponging on butterfly wings), Copics as pictured above  Accessories:  Stickles Stardust glitter, Impression Obsession Medium Butterflies die, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Framed Asters

 

Hey, there!  I finally stamped!  A girl can only go just so long without getting inky, so that’s what I did for today’s card – some good, old fashioned “ink rubbing”.  That’s what I’ve always called it because I don’t use a sponge.  I rub the ink into the paper using a wad of bathroom tissue.  Paper towel would work, too, but that roll of bathroom tissue is so handy on my stamp table.

 

 

The ink rubbing started with an old SU! color called Gable Green.  Remember that one?  I’m loving it all over again.  Gable Green in the lower left corner, then Barely Banana blended into it.  I always start with the darker color, then rub over the whole thing with the lighter color.  Stamped Heartfelt Creations Script Aster in the corner with Versamark, then embossed with white.  Added a touch of color with a Tombow marker.  Don’t know why the uppermost aster looks so “ewwww”, but I think it reacted with the glitter glue to turn brownish, tsk tsk.

 

To finish it off quickly and avoid a too-busy look I used all white in the design.  For the frame I cut a Spellbinders Grand Square, then cut into that with Impression Obsession All-in-One-Frames-Square.  A pretty Tutti Designs Butterfly Corner and a glittered Little B butterfly sticker with a rhinestone body are accents.  I wanted a sentiment on the front, but couldn’t see where it would work, so I saved it for the inside.  The sentiment comes with the Script Aster set, but the faint green asters inside are from the Heartfelt Delicate Twining Asters set.

 

 

I’ll wrap up now and return on Wednesday with a new Double D challenge.  Have a fabulous day!

 

Stamps:  Heartfelt Creations Script Aster (front and sentiment), Heartfelt Creations Delicate Twining Asters (inside floral)  Paper:  Neenah 110 lb white, Bazzill textured white  Ink:  SU! Gable Green and Barely Banana, Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black, blue Tombow marker  Accessories:  Little B butterfly sticker, white embossing powder, Stickles Stardust glitter, Scotch brand foam mounting tape  Dies:  Tutti Designs Butterfly Corner, Spellbinders Grand Squares, Impression Obsession All-in-One-Frames-Square

A Room with a View

 

I have some brand spankin’ new dies I’d like to try out, but first I thought I’d better have a go at a die that’s one step removed from brand spankin’ new.  I tend to tip toe around my new stamps and dies before I get to actually using them, but I’m trying to do better about that.  Before I finished up my term with Dies R Us I collected quite a few dies, most of which are smallish accent pieces for use with colored images, so they don’t make a big splash, but this one is fairly significant.  It’s Memory Box Florina Corner.  It covers a good deal of the card front, but I wanted to color something, too, so I looked to my never been used stamps and came up with Heartfelt Creations Home Sweet Home, which fit nicely in the opposite corner.

 

 

I wanted to keep the die cut white, but give it a little somethin’ somethin’ so I smooshed my Versamark pad all over and embossed with an iridescent embossing powder.  Maybe you can see the sparkle on the die cut a little better in this photo:

 

 

The image is watercolored with Stampin’ Up! inks.  A landscape artist I am not, but just so I could have color showing through the die cut I colored the whole panel.  I think this image is so sweet and pretty.  I wonder how long it will take me to get around to the second image in the set?  The sentiment, by the way, is an ancient wood mount stamp from a D.O.T.S. set (now called Close to My Heart or CTMH).

 

I’ll drop in again on Wednesday.  Hope to see you then.  Enjoy your day!

 

Stamps:  Heartfelt Creations Home Sweet Home, D.O.T.S (CTMH) sentiment – very old  Paper:  140 lb hot press watercolor, Neenah 110 lb white (for die cut), Memory Box Sage cardstock  Ink:  Palette Noir, Stampin’ Up! inks for watercoloring  Accessories:  Iridescent Peacock embossing powder, Memory Box Florina Corner die

Guest Stamping at Color Throwdown Challenge Blog

 

I was honored to be asked to join the gals at the Color Throwdown challenge blog for the month of March.  This week’s colors are hot pink, green, black, and white.  It’s okay to throw in a neutral as necessary, too.  I couldn’t help but think “flowers” for the pink and green, so I watercolored some fuchsias and put them on a white card with just a bit of black trim.

 

 

The fuchsias are Heartfelt Creations Fuchsia Clusters.  I stamped the image outline in Palette Claret (deep pink) and used Tombow markers for the flowers and Stampin’ Up! inks (from reinkers) for the background.  Cut an oval in a fancy die, mounted on a black mat and then a white card.  Check out these pretty colors:

 

 

And check out the inspiration from the team (swoon!):

• Barbara Anders
• Broni Holcombe
• Joan Ervin
• Jodi Collins
• Lisa Henke
• Amy Rysavy
• Lori Tecler
• Lynn Put
• Vickie Zimmer
• Wanda Cullen

I’ll sum it all up in the recipe below.  Thanks for your time, and I’ll see you again soon!

 

Stamps:  Heartfelt Creations Fuchsia Clusters  Paper:  140 lb cold press watercolor, linen texture white, black  Ink:  Palette Claret, Tombow markers and SU! reinkers for watercoloring  Accessories:  Spellbinders Divine Eloquence and Grand Ovals dies

Framed Asters

 

Well, here we are at Monday again and time for a little Dies R Us inspiration.  Today I’m sharing a card using Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters and a Hero Arts sentiment. 

 

 

I love the way the image curves in the oval.  I chose it specifically so I could use my new Memory Box Thicket Frame which I absolutely adore for floral or nature images.  Under the frame I created an oval mat with the smallest of my Spellbinders Grand Ovals.  I’ve only just realized that Memory Box makes an Oval Master Frame to coordinate with all of their A2 frames, so it’s on my wish list.  It could be used very nicely on it’s own, too.  In the corner I’ve added an aster-like Prima flower with a Flower Soft center and two of my Frantic Stamper Trio of Swirls cut in bright blue.

 

I made the card from 140 lb cold press watercolor paper and colored directly onto the card base with Prismacolor Pencils and odorless mineral spirits.  I’m not sure I’ll use this particular paper with my Prismacolor pencils and a detailed image again.  There was much toil and trouble trying to get it to look passable.  Live and learn.  The shadowy look around the sentiment is actually dots of glitter.

 

Well, there you have it, friends!  Don’t forget to check the Dies R Us Challenge Blog and the Inspiration Blog to see what’s up.  Today starts a new challenge and a chance to win.  The theme is “Love (use hearts)”.  Enjoy your day!

 

Fuchsia Garden

 

Hi, friends!  It’s my day to post on the Dies R Us Inspiration Blog and I’m happy to be able to share this card today because I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to finish it.

 

You see, after I stamped and die cut this gorgeous Heartfelt Creations fuchsia image, I sat back and saw how off center it was.  Now, there’s nothing wrong with off center or lots of white space, but this was so out of balance it would definitely need some fixing.  There was a big ol’ empty space that didn’t look like it belonged there at all.  I tried sentiments and ribbon and all kinds of things, but nothing was working for me.  It was either wait for an epiphany, or trash it.  No big loss since I hadn’t started coloring yet, but I was compelled to wait for an epiphany.  Time to walk away.  You know how it is, right?  Well, then it came to me:

 

 

Flowers and foliage and butterflies to create a mini-garden beneath these fabulous hanging blooms.  I wonder how many times a card design comes about simply as a way to fix something?  Plenty, I’ll bet.

 

I used the same designer paper collection throughout (BasicGrey Euphoria) so it tied everything together as though I’d planned it that way to begin with.  I’ll tell you, though, I cut plenty of flowers and butterflies in different Euphoria colors before I settled on this combo.  Sheesh!  Dies used are:

• Spellbinders Elegant Ovals
• Sue Wilson Delicate Fronds
• Elizabeth Craft Bunch of Flowers 4
• Impression Obsession Medium Butterflies

If any of the dies I used are unavailable at the time you’re reading this, please know there are plenty of flowers and foliage and butterflies and frames and mats and you name it in the Dies R Us store.

 

 

I touched here and there with Stickles Stardust glitter glue – the tips of the flowers and leaves, the flower centers, and the butterfly wings.  I also dotted glitter around the fuchsia image.  In real life it’s absolutely magical.

 

I used these Copic markers for coloring:

 

 

I’m so glad you dropped in and I hope you enjoyed your visit.  I’ll see you again soon!

 

 

Stamps:  Heartfelt Creations Fuchsia Clusters  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, Rose Red, Key Lime, BasicGrey Euphoria designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers as pictured above  Accessories:  Stickles Stardust glitter, dies as listed above

A Tisket, A Tasket, a Little Flower Basket

 

Hello!  I enjoyed a nice three-day holiday weekend, but it’s back to the reality of Monday today.  Only five more Mondays till retirement, though!  But, who’s counting?  Me, that’s who!

 

I’d like to share the card I made for today’s post on the Dies R Us Inspiration Blog.  This one was extra fun to create, using pretty stamps from the Heartfelt Creations Sun Kissed Fleur Collection and several fabulous Dies R Us dies.

 

 

After coloring the flower basket with Copic markers I cut it out and set about arranging the parts I had chosen for my design.  I layered a base of orchid and green, then covered that with a panel of Cuttlebug Wicker Weave embossed white.  Now, for the really fun part. . .

• Impression Obsession Rectangle 6-in-1 Frames --  This die cuts six frames all at once.  You can use one frame individually or piece a few together, as I did here.  I cut two frame sets, one from white and one from purple polka dots, and sandwiched the purple in the middle.  So many cute possibilities with this die set!
• Spellbinders Sprigs and Impression Obsession Grass – I taped these die cuts to the back of the flower basket before adhering the basket to the card.
• Die-namites Beautiful Bow –  Pretty and playful, it seems a fitting accent for the whimsical nature of the frame.

 

 

I added a little glitter to the flowers, too.  With all these pretty parts I didn’t pop up a single thing or use any hardware on the card, yet it’s loaded with texture and dimension.  I do love a card that fits easily in an envelope!  Thanks for joining me today!

 

Pink Fleur Swirls

 

Hello, and happy Tuesday to you!  I have a floral card to share today, just because I felt like coloring flowers, and it’s pink because I actually started this in October, thinking I should make at least one pink card during Breast Cancer Awareness Month (I had my mammogram, did you?).  One thing after another and I didn’t get it done until the weekend just past, but it will still be a nice card to send to someone who needs a little TLC.

 

 

I thought it would be lovely to color these flowers with the no-line technique, so I stamped in a light green -- Stampin’ Up! Certainly Celery -- and colored with Copic markers.  The pretty flowers are Heartfelt Creations Sun Kissed Fleur Swirls and the sentiment is from Whipper Snapper.  I used these markers:

 

 

I used gray for shading around the flowers, and sponged gray around the image panel and over the white card base.  The speckles were added with an old Stampin’ Up! Itty Bitty Backgrounds stamp.

 

 

The pewter heart with embedded rhinestones is so pretty, isn’t it?  I’ve had a pack of those for years and have just now used the first one.  I wonder what I was waiting for?  I’ll see you again on Friday, I hope.  Until then, take good care and have a lovely week!

 

 

Stamps:  Heartfelt Creations Sun Kissed Fleur Swirls, Whipper Snapper sentiment, SU! Itty Bitty Backgrounds  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White (card base), Pretty in Pink, BasicGrey Sultry designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Certainly Celery, Soft Gray, Gray Flannel, Copic markers as pictured above  Accessories:  Making Memories metal heart, SU! large oval punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Delicate Asters Accordion Card

 

Hi, there!  I’ve been MIA for a while, but I hope I’m back in business, now.  I had to tell myself I either have time to stamp and blog or I don’t, and I guess you can tell which way I went with that.  I’ve been busy with a variety of things but it came time to leave all else alone and finish up a project a friend asked me to make for his parent’s November anniversary.  He wanted an extra large card that the whole family could sign, and after thinking about it for a while I decided to make an accordion card with 5” x 7” panels.

 

I received the most amazing gift recently – the entire Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters collection, including the matching papers and dies – and since my friend’s mom is fond of blues and purples, it was the perfect choice for this project.

 

Pictured first is the card front with the Delicate Asters Vase colored with Copic markers and accented with silk ribbon and a Prima butterfly (two layered together and body replaced with pearls).  You can see some of the folds beyond the card front.  I covered the front and back panels with designer paper, but everything else in between was covered with CTMH Smokey Plum cardstock embossed with a Cuttlebug Wicker Weave embossing folder.  The die I used on the front is a Spellbinders Timeless Rectangles.

 

 

A closer look at the beautiful stamp image:

 

 

I colored with these markers:

 

 

The inside is decorated with flowers cut with the Delicate Asters matching dies from the more blue-violet shade of the designer paper.  I put Sunshine Yellow Flower Soft in all the flower centers.

 

                         

 

Here’s the inside all opened up.  Not easy to get a good photo of this.  It will enlarge if you click on it.  The design is simple and symmetrical.  The idea is that it will be filled with the family’s signatures and sentiments.

 

 

I made a box for it, too.  The sides are designer paper, the bottom is Smokey Plum cardstock, and the top is entirely clear.  I added a flower to the clear top, which plays nicely with the image.  I nested the card on crumpled tissue paper.

 

 

And that’s it for today.  I hope it won’t be so long before I post here again, and I do hope you enjoyed today’s project.  Wishing you happy days till we meet again.  Take care!