Running With Scissors...

Purple for Christmas

 

Hi, there!  Are you making Christmas cards yet? I know. . . not in the mood and neither am I.  I want flowers and critters and springtime!  However, I keep repeating "I'll be glad I did, I'll be glad I did...".  Sometimes I have to talk myself into stamping something in particular, but once I get started I always enjoy it.  I just love to stamp!

 

I thought I would make simple Christmas cards with my Reindeer Magic embossing folder (Spellbinders), and when you consider there’s no coloring involved, these are somewhat simple cards.  Cut some paper and die shapes, emboss, sand, put it all together. . . not so much, really.  They’ll require extra postage, but I don’t mind, as long as they can be mailed as a letter rather than a parcel.  For the first card I cut the embossed panel into a square.

 

 

 

Reindeer Magic is one of those reversible folders – flip it inside out for a different pattern.  They work beautifully.  I used a little bit of designer paper that’s been in my scrap drawer for years, as well as shiny gold cardstock – also on my list of things to use up.  The purple is Stampin’ Up!’s Core’dinations cardstock.  The next card, below, shows the other side of the embossing folder.

 

 

Okay, back to the land of sunshine and warmth. . .  Have a happy day!

 

Stamps:  Old retired sentiment from my collection  Paper:  Glossy gold metallic, glossy green metallic, white, ivory, purple Core’dinations, ancient designer paper  Ink:  Eggplant  Accessories:  Gold cord, ribbon, rhinestones, Spellbinders Create-a-Flake Five, Scotch brand foam mounting tape.  First card uses Spellbinders Labels Eighteen and Labels Twenty, and Cottage Cutz Fall Vine dies.  Second card uses Spellbinders Labels Four and Double Ended Tags.

Christmas Magic

 

I thought it was about time I got some more Christmas cards made, so I spent a little time on those over the weekend.  I’m sharing two of them today, but with quite a few photos.  It wasn’t a good picture taking day, so please bear with me.  I photographed four cards and was stunned to find it amounted to 55 photos, most of them crummy.  I’m almost embarrassed to admit that, but you’ve probably been there with me, haven’t you?  Close, maybe?

 

The first card was made using Spellbinders Reindeer Magic embossing folder and a Flourishes’ sentiment.  I cut down the embossed panel and added a curved border and a few other elements which I’ll list further down.

 

 

I used glossy cardstock for the white embossed panel and the snowflake.  In the photo below you can see how oddly colored the reindeer is.  Just thought I’d try coloring the reindeer with a Copic marker and when I saw how it was turning out on the glossy cardstock I wasn’t entirely displeased with it.  Unusual, to say the least.  It grew on me.

 

 

The curved border is made of glossy white cardstock, too, but when I put the curve and the embossed panel together I saw that the two whites didn’t match exactly, so I colored the curve with Copic markers, also, just letting the streaky, earthy, kind of funky look have its way.

 

 

Recipe for reindeer card – Stamps:  Flourishes’ Christmas sentiment (retired)  Paper:  Glossy white, classic white,  Cherry Cobbler textured, brushed metallic copper  Ink:  Cherry Cobbler (for sentiment), Copic markers E25, E23, YG99  Accessories:  Ribbon, copper cord, button, Martha Stewart branch punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape, Spellbinders Reindeer Magic embossing folder, Spellbinders Labels Eighteen, Create a Flake Five, Standard Circles Large, A2 Bracket Borders One

 

It’s a rare occurrence for me to find time to just goof around and experiment, but I wanted to try a little more of the Copics on glossy cardstock, figuring it was the kind of thing anyone could do without any special coloring skills.  No worries about blending or having it come out perfectly.  The idea is for it to simply be “different”.

 

I used Flourishes Dove and Holly for my experiment.

 

 

I don’t know what you’d call this.  I do love the glossy frame colored with the E29 marker.  The bird image looks almost like an oil painting done with a palette knife.  Not very expertly done, but, hey, it’s an experiment.

 

 

 

So that’s art for you.  Do whatever strikes your fancy and enjoy the moment.  It does “wash away from the soul the dust of everyday life”.

 

Well, after taking 55 photos and trying to make excuses for explain what I’ve done here, I’ve used up my evening and must take my leave.  I’ll wish you a beautiful day and hope to make it back here again before the week is over.  Take care!

 

Recipe for dove card – Stamps:  Flourishes retired Dove and Holly,  Flourishes retired Christmas sentiment  Paper:  Brushed metallic cardstock, Cherry Cobbler textured, glossy white, classic white, extinct designer paper  Ink:  Cherry Cobbler for sentiment, Memento Rich Cocoa for stamping image, Copic markers E13, E23, E25, E29, G28, G94, R89, W3, W7  Accessories:  Copper cord, rhinestones, Spellbinders Floral Ovals and Standard Circles Large

Wisteria Vine

 

Hello, again!  Today’s card was made with a new-to-me Beeswax wisteria stamp.  The Beeswax link will take you to their flowers and plants category where you just have to scroll down to see the wisteria.  They have some stunning florals.  I’ve never seen much in the way of wisteria stamps, so I was pretty thrilled to have found this one.  I also picked up a large fuchsia stamp while I was there, and hope to try coloring it soon, as well.

 

I went with a pretty shape for this card, using the largest Spellbinders Timeless Rectangles die.  The image was stamped on Curved Rectangles.  As you can see, it’s a rather large image and this isn’t even the largest of the Beeswax Wisteria stamps.  The card measures approximately 5 3/4” x 4 1/4”.

 

 

I cut two of the Timeless Rectangles from Pale Plum and joined them with a folded white card base.  In this case the card base was cut 10” x 3 1/4” and folded at 5” to fit within the die frame.  I lined the die cuts up carefully when I adhered them to the card base.  Once again I challenged myself to make a no-extra-postage card which is also interesting and pretty.  The sentiments are from a Stampendous Sincere Sentiments set – good for sympathy or for when words of encouragement and support are needed.

 

 

In order to show the full die cut on the front and still allow the card to open properly I sliced off a portion of the die cut on the back side, as shown below.

 

 

Coloring was done with Copic markers.  The shading in the stamped image guides your coloring, though I’ll admit I nearly lost my way in the detail where the leaves are heaviest.  I just kept on coloring what I thought should go where and in the end I can hardly tell I was confused a time or two.  I don’t think you can go wrong coloring this, actually.  Put dark on dark and light on light and it simply comes out looking like a beautiful wisteria vine.

 

 

By the way, this is stop #6 on my stamping itinerary – “Other new” -- meant to include any of my new stamps not otherwise categorized, but it could be anything, really, as long as it’s a newish acquisition which has seen little or no use.

 

I hope you enjoyed!  Have a beautiful day!

Celebrating 200 Posts at Digital Two for Tuesday

 

Hello, and happy new year!  Today is the first day of a brand new year, with fresh beginnings and a sense of all things new again.   With that in mind I’m celebrating with a vintage image from the Digital Two for Tuesday blog where Cora works her magic to make these vintage beauties fresh and new, bringing them back to life in the 21st century where they can be enjoyed over and over again.

 

I first discovered Digital Two for Tuesday when doing a Google search for free digital images.  I couldn’t believe my good fortune when I unearthed Cora’s gold mine and I’ve been a fan ever since.  Today I have the honor and privilege of helping her celebrate her 200th post.  I was hardly prepared for how difficult it would be to decide which image to select from among all the gorgeous, sweet, whimsical, masculine, feminine, you name it choices over there.  I settled on this big, bold petunia, loving as I do the sketchy-style illustration which produces a no-line image when colored.

 

 

The image is from an 1894 Burpee catalog.  Flowers are timeless and they’re among my favorite finds at Digital Two for Tuesday.  This particular image is here.  Placed front and center on my 5 1/4” square card, I popped up every other layer and colored the edges of the die cut frames with a Copic V0000 marker.

 

 

These are the Copic markers I used for coloring the petunia (V0000 was only used for the cardstock mat edges):

 

 

I thought it would make a nice Mother’s Day card.  My own mother has long since passed, but I have a friend who will appreciate this.  Inside:

 

 

I had a spare white box just sitting around waiting to be decorated, so I decided to finish it up for the card (in line with my new resolve to finish what I start).  The box has a clear cover under the frame.  I shared instructions here. 

 

 

Following are a few particulars.  It’s so much nicer sometimes to just look at the pictures, but I wouldn’t want to leave anyone guessing in case you really want to know what was used where.

 

I used quite a few different Spellbinders dies:

 

• Marvelous Squares
• Grand Squares
• Floral Flourishes (pink flourishes on card front)
• Parisian Motifs (box corners)
• Grommet Tags (box sentiment)
• Parisian Accents and Standard Circles Large (both used inside to frame sentiment)

 

The sentiments are both from Flourishes – Around the Arbor on the box, and Motherly Love inside.  The designer paper is something old and retired from Stampin’ Up!  All the white, including that on which the image is printed, is Neenah Classic Crest Solar White.  The pink cardstock base and accents are a Bazzill textured, a perfect match to the V0000 marker.

 

 

I’d like to finish up with a big thank you to Cora for all she does for us on Digital Two for Tuesday.  Bless her generous heart.  And I thank all of you for continuing to visit me here, even though I’m no longer on any design teams, my style is inconsistent, I use a lot of old stuff and, well, I’m just a regular old stamper having fun.  Bless your hearts!  Have a lovely day and a fabulous new year!

Sentiment Focus

 

Well, here we are in that beautiful, peaceful time after the Christmas rush is behind us.  The holidays are a lot of fun, but I can only handle so much fun and I’m happy for things to return to their normal state.  It’s even better that I’m enjoying a little vacation time till the 6th.  I could get used to this!

 

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions because resolutions are an ongoing thing for me, and my current resolution is that I’m going to try and commit myself to finish what I start in regard to stamping.  Unfinished projects are the main contributor to my stamp room disarray with this and that sitting around in piles, set aside and pushed around, more and larger and messier piles growing by the day.  Today’s card has been sitting around since summertime, waiting for me to finish the inside and photograph it.   I seem to not feel right about a card if it doesn’t have a colored image on it.  Silly, I know, since many cards these days are made with die cuts and sentiments only, and they are no less beautiful because of it.  It’s just me.  I like to color, but finally I’m sharing my no coloring, die cut, sentiment focus card:

 

 

The fancy oval was pressed into a Versamark ink pad, then heat embossed with white.  The original color of the die cut was pink.  A second coat of embossing powder would have given better coverage, but I settled for a mottled look with some of the pink showing through.

I layered an oval and a scalloped die atop the two fancy shapes, added some pearls and flourishes and a resin rose.  The sentiment is a JustRite Birthday Centers.  The resin rose was made with one of those molds and modeling compound from Stampin’ Up!.  I colored the rose with Stampin’ Up! markers and shaved off the back of it with a craft knife to make it skinnier.

 

 

The Spellbinders dies used are:

• Classic Ovals Small
• Scalloped Ovals Small
• Floral Ovals
• Labels Twenty

The designer paper is Prima Annalee, and the textured cardstock is Bazzill.

 

I’ll see you again soon with coloring.  I have an unbelievable number of stamps and digital images waiting to be used for the first time.  I’m so good at collecting, and my dreams are bigger than the amount of time I have.  It’s good to dream, though, yes?  Have a happy day!

Summer Blossoms and Using Up Scraps

 

Hello!  I did a lot of stamping during my five day Thanksgiving holiday, and since most of my Christmas cards are done I turned my attention momentarily to flowers.  In my heart they’re always in season. 

 

 

I’m making another attempt at using up this particular designer paper collection, something retired from Stampin’ Up!  The name escapes me.  If I can finish up with five cards I’ll turn them into a boxed gift set.  I’ve been working on this paper for a while, so we’ll have to see how that goes.  I plan to use my Flourishes Summer Blossoms set for all of them.

 

Aside from the designer paper scraps,  reached into my card parts scrap box and pulled out all three of the die cuts which are layered under the flowers.  It was a happy coincidence that they all worked together to set off the image nicely.  One of my greatest pleasures in card making is working with my Spellbinders dies and their endless layering possibilities.

 

 

While the Swiss Dot embossed oval is made with my favorite Flourishes Classic White Cardstock, the flowers (gasp!) are not.  I keep some Staples 110 lb white cardstock on hand for stamping “prototypes” and for various other behind the scenes uses.  I had stamped the outline of this image and loosely cut around it to see how it fit on the die cuts, and when I tested some Copic colors on it I just kept going.  The paper quality and texture is not as fine as Flourishes, but it did color up satisfactorily.  Might as well not waste it!

 

I used these markers:

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this little flashback to summer.  Our late fall weather has been relatively mild, but just inclement enough to give me more indoor time for stamping and homemaking.  I love it all -- any season and everything that comes with it.  Have a good day!

 

Stamps:  Summer Blossoms (Flourishes)  Paper:  Bazzill in shades of peach, Flourishes Classic White and Classic Ivory, retired Stampin’ Up! designer paper  Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Silk ribbon, pearls, Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder, Spellbinders Twisted Metal Tags and Accents, Standard Ovals Large, and Curved Rectangles dies, Scotch brand foam mounting tape to pop up flowers

Christmas Stockings

 

Well, here we are at the beginning of December already, and I might as well start it off with a Christmas card.  Most of my Christmas cards are done – I’ve made more than I’ve posted – and now I’m just having fun.  If I don’t use them this year, they’ll be ready for next year.  After all, now is the time I’m in the mood to make Christmas cards.

 

 

This is one of my favorite Impression Obsession sets, Holiday Cheer.  The image is very detailed and I didn’t remember how large it was until I went to frame it.  I colored it to match the designer paper, and then I covered most of the paper.  By making the card 4 1/2” x 6” I gave myself a little more room to work.

 

The frame was cut with a Spellbinders Timeless Rectangles die, then layered over another negative cut from Labels Eleven.  The outer frame was dark green.  I used a Ranger Snow Cap (white) paint dauber to give it the appearance of a dusting of snow.  While the paint was still wet I sprinkled on fine glitter, and then for good measure I gave it a quick spray with a matte sealer just to assure that the glitter would stay in place.  All the other glitter you see (and there is plenty) is Stickles glitter glue.

 

 

Coloring was done with Copic markers on Flourishes Classic White cardstock.  For a little something extra I wrapped silver cord around the die cut snowflake and “hung” a snowflake and sentiment -- Hero Arts and Stampin’ Up! respectively.  The “Joy” is a larger square solid image stamp (retired Glad Tidings) which I almost always punch into a smaller shape.  Both the snowflake and the sentiment are adhered in place.

 

I had the most wonderful Thanksgiving and I hope you did, too.  Now . . . on to Christmas!  What a busy season this is.  Happy holidays!

 

Stamps:  Impression Obsession Holiday Cheer (main image), Hero Arts small snowflake, Stampin’ Up! sentiment  Paper:  Red Bazzill, green, Flourishes Classic White, Wild Rose Studio Annebelle’s Christmas designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Palette Reflection Blue, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Silver cord, rhinestone, Stickles Glitter Glue in gold, red, and Stardust, Prisma glitter, Ranger Snow Cap paint dauber, spray matte sealer, 1/2” circle punch, Spellbinders Timeless Rectangles, Labels Eleven, and Snowflake Wonder dies, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Frost on the Pumpkin

 

Hello, my friends.  Frosty mornings do create some beautiful scenes, don’t they?  If I had a pumpkin patch I’d like to imagine it just like this, touched with glitter and with pearls scattered about.  One last Thanksgiving card is done in time to reach its destination.

 

 

My intention starting out was to finally use the pretty pumpkin leaf paper I’ve had sitting on a shelf for a couple of years.  I collect paper like art pieces – tuck it away and then pull it out of the vault to admire it once in a while.  The anticipation of using it is almost as enjoyable as the moment I actually begin to work with it.  When I placed it on my table it rested atop the designer paper I used on the baby card in my last post, and I couldn’t help but notice how one blended into the other with perfect color and delicacy.

 

The prettiest paper called for the prettiest patch of pumpkins in my collection, another oldie but goodie from D.O.T.S. (now called CTMH).  I watercolored on 140 lb hot press paper with Stampin’ Up! inks, using Pumpkin Pie, Mellow Moss, Close to Cocoa, and Pale Plum.  The sentiment and its leafy frame are Flourishes’ Country Charm Labels, designed for use with Spellbinders Grommet Tags.  

 

 

I don’t imagine I’ll be back until after Thanksgiving.  I’ll work the first two days this week and then I’m off to enjoy the holiday until the following Monday, and I can tell you with certainty I’m looking forward to it.  Grocery shopping and baking and cleaning will commence on Wednesday in preparation for our son’s visit and all the friends and family dropping by.  I’m sure I’ll make it to my stamp room before the weekend is over, too.  Happy days!  Wishing all my American friends a happy Thanksgiving and I’ll look forward to seeing you again soon!

 

Stamps:  Old CTMH pumpkins, Flourishes Country Charm Labels  Paper:  Mellow Moss textured, Pale Plum, 140 lb hot press watercolor, Classic White, Bo Bunny pumpkin leaf designer paper, Little Yellow Bicycle striped designer paper  Ink:  Palette brown, Mellow Moss, Perfect Plum (sentiment), various Stampin’ Up! inks for watercoloring  Accessories:  Plum taffeta ribbon, gold thread, pearls, Stickles Stardust glitter glue, Spellbinders Grommet Tags and Floral Flourishes dies, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Tea and Roses

I don’t know if anyone still looks at this blog, or subscribes, or views it in a reader, but I’ve decided to come back here for cards and whatever crafty projects I may dream up.  My other blog, Goldens and Garden, will be just that – a blog for Wally and LuLu (my two Golden Retrievers) and the happenings around the garden.  Though everyone has been kindly tolerant of me, so patient and indulgent while I find my way – to blog or not to blog, and what to blog about – I’ve never felt quite comfortable about posting cards on Wally and LuLu’s blog.  And, let’s face it, I love to stamp and I miss my stamping blog.

 

So, here I am, back on TypePad.  I lost some of the functionality when I downgraded to a free blog, but I think it will suffice.  Are you still with me?

 

So… I’m not sure what led me to create this card.  I think it was the Lace Edges border stamp which, for some reason, I felt compelled to use.  Looking for an image to pair it with, I thought of the stamp set, Let’s Have Tea, which I believe Flourishes has retired.  Once I got those two together, it seemed the perfect sentiment was this one from Around the Arbor.  It’s always been one of my favorite quotes and I believe it wholeheartedly.

 

 

I hadn’t planned on cutting out the Lace Edges, but card making can be full of twists and turns and I rarely end up where I initially intend.  I needed someplace to put the pretty velvet ribbon, and this is where it looked best.

 

 

The center embellishment is a piece cut from a length of trim to create a ribbon slide.  Its make up of gold with a clear rhinestone decided the tone of additional embellishments.  The vertical lace trim is edged with foil sticker strips by Flower Soft.  Spellbinders dies (listed in the recipe, below) gave the center panel some graceful curves.

 

The images were stamped in Ranger Distress Vintage Photo and colored with these Copic markers:

 

 

That’s it for today.  I’ll be back when I have time.  Thanks so much for visiting, and I wish you a beautiful day.

 

Stamps:  Lace Edges, Let’s Have Tea, Around the Arbor (all Flourishes)  Paper:  Caramel textured, Flourishes Classic Ivory, Prima Romantique designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Distress Vintage Photo for stamping images, SU! Chocolate Chip for sentiment, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Velvet ribbon, ribbon slide, lace, rhinestones, brads, gold foil sticker strips, Scotch brand foam mounting tape, Spellbinders Curved Rectangles (curved edge), Labels One (frame), Labels Eighteen (sentiment panel)

One More Easter Card

I couldn’t let the occasion pass without using this beautiful set from Flourishes called He is Risen.

I’ve gone a little muted in the colors, and not a lot of embellishment.  I almost left the ribbon off, but added it at the last minute.  My sewing machine has been giving me fits lately, and the decorative stitching down the side looks more like a tangled fishing net than anything decorative.  I’ll have to take some time to figure out what’s wrong.  It may be something as simple as a dull needle, but the thread seems to be catching somewhere.  Darn.

I watercolored the image on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper, then cut it out and mounted on Scotch brand foam mounting tape.  The design is so simple there’s not much more to say about it, and I seem to be plum out of words at any rate.

Thanks so much for dropping in for a visit.  I’ll see you again soon!

Stamps:  He is Risen (Flourishes)  Paper:  Beige textured cardstock, 90 lb hot press watercolor, My Mind’s Eye Rosy designer paper  Ink:  Palette Umber, various SU! inks for watercoloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, gold cord, Spellbinders Standard Circles Small, Scotch brand foam mounting tape