May Kindness Return

Hello!  

Today's card is super simple and easy.  I loved the resulting card so much, that I'm sharing an alternative version that is even SIMPLER - for those times when you need to stamp and be done quickly.

I started by stamping the floral image from the Grateful for Everything Stamp Set from Concord & 9th, in black ink onto Denim Days card stock.  Then I grabbed my FSJ Color Burst pencils, and colored in the image.  I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment onto a strip of vellum, and then wrapped the vellum around the colored panel.  The panel was adhered, with foam squares, to a card base made from Whip Cream card stock.  A few scattered rhinestones finished the card off.

I wanted to show how this card worked, in an even simpler version.  By stamping and heat embossing the floral image in gold - without coloring - you still get a beautiful card, and one that you can throw together when you see the postman working his way up the other side of the street, and have in the mailbox before he gets to your house! For this version, I swapped out the rhinestones for Fashion Gold pieces.

Are you back in the swing of things after the holiday season?  I'm starting to feel like there's a rhythm working out to our days here.  I'm able to sneak into the craft room more frequently - which is so nice!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:

Use this easy list to find the products I used in my projects. (Contains affiliate links - where I earn a commission from purchases made from my links, at no cost to you. Your support helps me keep this blog going, and continue to create - Thank you! Affiliates and disclosures can be found here.) 

New Year, New Tools (A Crafty Christmas Haul)

Hello!


I hope you have been having a wonderful holiday season.  Happy New Year!  I'm so excited for this New Year.  Twenty-eighteen was a "meh" year, and I'm looking forward to seeing what 2019 brings. Christmas came and went in a blur at my house.  With it, came some fun new crafty tools.  I love snooping on what others are buying/getting, and since this is all coming in a short period of time, I wanted to share with you what I received, either as gifts, or purchases with gift cards.  It may seem odd that so many things are basics for a craft room, however, after several years in the direct sales market, I'm finding loads of things that I want, that others have had for some time!   You'll start seeing these tools pop up in my videos and supply lists very soon!   (Contains affiliate links - where I earn a commission from purchases made from my links, at no cost to you.  Your support helps me keep this blog going, and continue to create - Thank you!  Affiliates and disclosures can be found here.) 

Lets  start with this fun item!  I got a MISTI Stamp Positioner!  My other (different company) stamp platform broke along the hinges, recently, and when my husband was looking for ideas for me, this was at the top of my list.  I'm excited to break it in with some fun layering stamps - or a Concord & 9th Turnabout!  To go with my new MISTI, I purchased the Wipe Off Mouse Pad insert.  This will allow me to stamp cling stamps onto a washable surface, rather than the standard foam insert that will soak up the ink.  



Another fun item I received, was the Tonic Studios Guillotine trimmer.  I have a larger size guillotine style trimmer, but it's rarely on my desk, unless I'm doing a larger project.  It just took up too much room.  This smaller size trimmer only cuts up to an 8.5" tall piece of paper, but that is perfect for cutting card fronts.  I tend to keep a stack of card bases on my desk anyway, so for those larger pieces, I can pull out the bigger trimmer.  If you're not into the orange color, another option that is similarly sized, is the Tonic Studios Tim Holtz Comfort Trimmer.   I also ordered the We R Memory Keepers Score Board.   Again, I have another score board in a larger size, but don't typically pull it out a lot due to the amount of space it takes up.  This score board is sized perfectly for card making, and you can use the score tool that comes with the board, or your own bone folder (I'm still in love with my teflon bone folder).  One of the first things I found when I was removing the Score Board from the packaging, is that on the back side, there are a few cute shapes, and a diagonal line, so that you can score or emboss those onto your projects as well.   These jumped right into my cart, as I was placing an order for something else.  I've used the Ranger Multi Medium Matte in the past, and I love this product.  It's a liquid glue that dries completely matte - so if you get a little seepage as you are adhering elements, it will blend in with your paper.  It's got a small tip, which it great for using with more intricate die cuts.  It's strong as well, so it works great for adhering elements to your project.  It's a great adhesive for mixed media work.  Truth be told, I've also used it for some household repairs with success (It's actually really good for repairing broken ceramic pieces that the cats knocked over - let's not get into the details of how I had to figure that one out).  To go with the Multi Medium Matte, I ordered these Darice Ultrafine Tip Applicator Bottles.  All I really wanted was the top.  I took the tip off of the Multi Medium Matte bottles, and attached these ultra fine tips.  This gives me even greater precision with where I apply the adhesive.  There is a pin in the top, which helps to keep the tip from getting clogged up. 






I have a few more things on order, that haven't yet arrived, that I'm excited to try.  Some I ordered because I've heard great things about them - and some just because they caught my eye - and I want to try them: Neenah card stock (this is supposed to be great for stamping on); woodgrain card stock (pretty!); Bazzill Pale Rose Card Stock (I'm always on the hunt for that "perfect" pale pink card stock); Nuvo Aqua Shimmer pens (sparkles - you know I had too!); Nuvo Crystal Drops in some pretty, neutral, colors (I'm anxious to try these, and I think the neutrals will be used most frequently); Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear Jewels (more pretties!); and some ultra thick envelopes (I want to do some more mail art in the coming year, and the thicker envelopes may work better to hold the inks from stamping, etc.  At least, that's my theory!).

Thanks for stopping by!

Mixed Metallics Embossing

Today's cards feature backgrounds created with the Concord & 9th Deck the Halls Turnabout Stamp.  I absolutely love the concept of the Turnabout stamps (there are several different patterns to choose from).  They create super fun backgrounds, and you can stamp each turn with a different color - giving you a unique and fun print.

These stamps work best with a stamp tool, and unfortunately, the one I'm currently using is discontinued (I also discovered, while making these cards, that it's broken - ugh!).  However, there are other options still on the market - for instance the MISTI, or the Tim Holtz Stamp Platform.  Also, be sure to grab the templates for these stamps, that are available for free on the listings.  The template will help you in lining everything up correctly.  

I started the cards by stamping the Turnabout stamp with Clear Pigment Ink, onto both Fresh Forest, and Pomegranate Splash card stock.  I stamped once, then heat embossed the image in gold, then rotated my panel to stamp and heat embossed in Rose Gold, Liquid Platinum, and Silver embossing powders, each in turn.

Once the panels had been fully stamped and filled in, I trimmed them down to size (3.75" x 5").  I wrapped each panel with a 1.5" wide strip of vellum, and added a die cut Merry, also from Concord & 9th.  I dotted the wide strokes on the letters with Fashion Silver pieces (Nuvo drops would also be a great way to add this detail, if you prefer). The card panels were added to top folding A2 sized Whip Cream card bases.

These cards are so striking with all that mixed metallic embossing.  When they hit the light they really shine.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:

Use this easy list to find the products I used in my projects. (Contains affiliate links - where I earn a commission from purchases made from my links, at no cost to you. Your support helps me keep this blog going, and continue to create - Thank you! Affiliates and disclosures can be found here.) 

Pretty Poinsettia Card

I want to thank you for your patience with me during the recent bloggy absence.  My mother has been ill, and wound up in the hospital over the Thanksgiving holiday.  She is now living with me until she can get her strength back up.  We spent the last week getting settled, and now are working on finding our routine that works for us.   My time for creating will be limited for the time being, but it will be oh-so-important for me to have that creative escape!

Are you done creating your Christmas cards, or are you still finishing them off?  I used to be pretty
"on the ball" with my cards, and got them in the mail the day after Thanksgiving, but the last couple years, it seems that I'm still creating cards up until a few weeks before Christmas.  I do tend towards a slightly more "generic" Christmas card during this time frame though - something I can use as a thank you card or for well-wishes.

Today's card was very simple  I started by stamping my poinsettia images, and the leaves, then die cut them out.  I also dry embossed a piece of Whip Cream card stock while I had my machine out.  Then I layered everything together with a piece of printed paper from the Cheer paper pack.  A few sequins, and a little sparkle silk applied to the flowers with a blending brush and water, finished the card off.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Much love,                    

Supplies Used:

Use this easy list to find the products I used in my projects. (Contains affiliate links - where I earn a commission from purchases made from my links, at no cost to you. Your support helps me keep this blog going, and continue to create - Thank you! Affiliates and disclosures can be found here.)