Left Over Pieces + New Pieces = Finally-Finished Cards

Welcome, Blogging friends! I have missed you!

Still plugging along in my "unfinished stuff" boxes, these creations have been in the works for the last 6 weeks. I came across some pink and white Spellbinders decorative squares elements already cut out - probably 15 years ago - they were crying out to put put on a project! So I added some Impression Obsession butterflies and Tattered Lace flowers, enjoying designing The Old dies with The Virginal dies. The designing was fun, too - especially with the addition of sparkle in one of my favorite colors PINK!

Here are some of the pieces I started with before adding the whimsy:

Because the bottom layers overlapped in some places, shims were needed:

With the shims prepared and glued in place, the diagonal square in the middle could be added:

Next... to adhere the fun die cuts:

To shade some of the pink areas (included the pink glitter paper), Worn Lipstick DI was applied. See the difference?

The vellum "butterfly shadow" is pearly, so it picked up the pink tones without coloring. The other butterflies with pink frames around them were "inked" with Worn Lipstick atop pale pink cardstock. The die cut sentiments were cut from pink glitter paper, darkened with Copic Marker RV32, and shadowed with a pale slate blue cardstock:

Two more cards, one using Ana Griffin's sentiment set:

Upon finishing the cards, I decided some pop up elements on the inside would be fun. It sure would have been easier had that been done before adhering all the layers! Front facing:

Top facing - notice the notched element under the butterfly to minimize the popup feature:

Thanks for visiting my little blog! Your encouragement and friendship means so much. I am permanently homebound, leaving only for medical appointments. Each excursion takes tremendous toll on my body, but I'm still able to do "small things with great love".  I'm so grateful to still be living in this wonderful world, surrounded by beautiful people!

Products: Anna Griffin "You Are" sentiment stamps (set of 9), Inks: VersaFine Clair Nocturne, Distress Worn Lipstick, Dies: Tattered Lace Michaelmas Daisy, Imp Obs Butterfly DIE059-N, SB Marvelous Squares, SB Adorning Squares, LifeStyle Nesting Frames 7, MS Floral Crochet PAP, MS lace heart edge punch, Die-Versions Express Banners "Happy Day" and "Make a Wish", Cardstock: pink glitter, pink, white, white glitter, slate blue (shadow on sentiment) Other: Gold Detail EP, Copic RV32, 

May I please play in the following challenges?

1. Seize the Birthday #303 Layer it Up Birthday 4/2 (each card has multiple layers inside and out)
2. Triple B Challenge (April 3) inspiration board for birds butterflies blooms 5-1
3. Crafting A Cut Above (April 7) Spring Time with Dies 5/1 (Dies used: Tattered Lace Michaelmas Daisy, Imp Obs Butterfly DIE059-N, SB Marvelous Squares, SB Adorning Squares, LifeStyle Nesting Frames 7, MS Floral Crochet PAP, MS lace heart edge punch, Die-Versions Express Banners "Happy Day" and "Make a Wish")
4. Colorful Options (April 1) choose color(s) from the inspiration photo. I chose pink. 5/1
5. The Four Seasons Challenge (April 1) Anything Goes Spring 5/1
6. Craft Rocket Challenges #124 "Layer it Up" 4/28 (each card has multiple layers inside and out)
7. As You Like It Challenge (April 17) Fussy & Fancy and Why 4/30 (while CAS are amazing, I have trouble keeping it simple. It's always satisfying to add more layers, more sparkle, unexpected details, and products to cards, and see the faces of the recipients - or to hear their sweet voices - exclaiming "how did you do that?" giggle)

Thanks for stopping by!

Butterflies and Snowflakes and a freebie

 Hello, blogging friends! It's the beginning of a new year, and I sincerely hope 2024 is good to you.

My cards today were inspired by a card from the very talented by Shwu-Miin Tang

She created a lovely gatefold card with monochrome leanings, borders and beautiful butterflies! Having been awarded this card at the recent TSA auction, organized by Lori Kobular, I showed it to some friends in November. Gasping at the beauty, they declared they most certainly could not make anything that pretty. But they did, when they came over in December, and I did a surprise class using die cuts. Apologies that the photos are not very clear.

The cards are 5"x7". We started out with plain white-on-white (monochrome will hide any mistakes). The card base is cut 7" x 10" and scored at 2.5" and 7.5". Each card then required 2 white pieces 6.75" x 5". We used Martha Stewart punch-around-the-page punches after dry embossing them, but any appropriately sized die or punch would work. One whole embossed piece is adhered on the interior and the other cut vertically for the 2 sides in front. 

Using white glitter card stock, solid butterflies were die cut. With white card stock, the filagree butterflies were attached in the centers of the glitter pieces. Butterfly "bodies" were also die cut with glitter card stock, and adhered. 

Recycling the tin seal from the inside of Whey Protein Powder, lots of delicate snowflakes were cut. Using a Japanese Screw Punch two snowflakes were hole punched. Then the butterflies' center of the 3 layers was punched. A brad was looped into the snowflake center, and then through the butterfly center. One butterfly was adhered to each side of the gate fold.

Pale Pink Copic Markers (any alcohol markers will do) changed the white glitter to pale pink.

While it is easier to open and close the cards where the butterflies were adhered "straight", we found it more forgiving and whimsical to place the butterflies on angles. Some of the cards were inked around the edges, while others only slightly tinted the butterflies. Here are a few color options:

Lavender and Pink (inked around the edges):

Blue and Pale Gray without any other ink:

The interior has a heat set stamped sentiment embossed in silver to coordinate with the snowflakes. I made up another sentiment we printed on vellum, which is now available to you as my gift at the bottom of this post:

I am deeply, humbly, gratefully blessed by dear friends such as yourselves. Your cards, IMs and phone calls helped me through a very difficult 2023; though the sentiment seems "sappy or corny", it is the truth, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you, Shwu-Miin Tang, for the inspiration. And many thanks to dear friends such as yourselves for lifting my spirits on many a difficult day.

These are going to a few friends. Wish I could send at least 50!

My gift to you - 

For use on the inside or outside of your projects: Please do not sell these Sentiments. Use on any of your projects, including projects involving any design teams you might be on.

Click on the image to bring it to full size. Because of the changes Google Made with Blogger (June 2020), your image will appear to be solid black. Don’t panic. Right click and do a SAVE AS PNG. Once it is saved on your hard drive, you can open it and it will have a transparent background. I create PNGs instead of JPGs so they can be placed anywhere on a scene or project, and so backgrounds can be made using them. Please let me know if you have any problems. I hope you enjoy! 

Products: Dies (Die-Versions Wee Petites WP-004 Snowflakes, Memory Box Lydia Butterfly, MB Sorona Butterfly, MB Delia Butterfly, Spellbinders Labels 23-for the decorated interior-- Martha Stewart Punch-Around-the-Page Lace Flowers), Coloring (Copic Markers atop glitter cardstock, Oxide ink, Distress ink), Papers (110lb white, clear and silver glitter, recycled silver metal foil from Whey Protein Powder, white and pearl vellums, ) Embossing Folder: Couture Creations "Flamingos & Hedgehogs"

I would like to play in the following challenges please:

1. Crafty Animals AG with Animals or Insects  2/1 
2. Triple B Challenge with Mood Board 2/2  (see the pretty frosty mood board below)
3. Craft Rocket Challenges  #10 Use Embossing (background is an embossing folder and interior background is an EF. The die cut butterflies are also dry embossed. On the interior, the top sentiment is heat embossed. 1/28  2/1
4. Pammie's Inky Pinkies Anything Goes 1/18
5. Creative Inspirations #9 Anything Goes 1/25 (2-1)

Stamping Hugs,

Anything Goes at Jan's Digi Stamps #2

A Hearty Welcome to my Blogging Buddies!
Thanks for visiting today - I am sharing some Christmas cards.

It's time for another ANYTHING GOES Challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps!

Facebook - Shopping - Pinterest - Challenges

My card features the pre-colored version of Santa's List #3186. It's a fantastic image for making either colored or sepia toned Vintage cards:

Anyone who knows me realizes that I have difficulty making A2 size cards but here are two quickie creations in that size using the pre-colored images:

For the green stripes, I used the "line" option in my word processor to make wallpaper. The Floor (free clip art on-line) was lightened by using the "opacity" option. 


After die cutting the frame, I burnished white microfine glitter in the frame's details:

The red creation is simple with a glittered frame:



Lastly, I have a 5x7 card. On my word processor, I change the color to Sepia then inked the areas with Aged Mahogany Distress ink.


The frame was distressed with Brilliance Gold and the glasses were highlighted with an aqua pencil.



Now for my boo-boo:

Somehow, I crookedly adhered the oval of my Santa inside the frame. It looks like he is in a haunted house - levitating:

Now that I've pointed it out, you can clearly see that Santa is "floating" in the air in an un-level manner. To be honest, my card was nearly completed, and everything had already been glued down.

So I cut out some gold flourishes and positioned them in a way that sorta-kinda hides my huge blunder. You can still see the boo boo because you know about it. But maybe my recipient won't notice it (giggle).
Haunted Santa (laughing)



Hop on over and play with us - who knows?
You might be the winner of the $10 store gift voucher!

Products Used:

Jan's Digi Stamps Santa's List #3186

Other Digital - Floor (free clip art on-line)
Red Oval Card:

• Dies: SB Floral Ovals (glittered)   Punches: 2 Circle Punches
• Paper: White, Red, old DP
• Inks: Black Soot Oxide, Tea Dye Distress, Rain Forest VersaFine Clair

Green Stripe Card:

• Dies: Tonic English Picnic Layering set,   Punch: SU Modern Label
• Paper: White, Green     Inks: Rain Forest VersaFine Clair
• Microfine white glitter (in the frame)

Sepia Brown Card:

• Dies: SB Victorian Crest, SB Classic Ovals, DieVersions "Tis the Season", Cheery Lynn Holly Lace Flourish
• Paper: Black, White, Burgundy, Pale Taupe, Gold Vellum, Gold Glossy
• Inks: Digitally made Sepia Tone Image from colored image, then used distress and oxide inks on image, Brilliance Gold on frame and Copics (RV32, E16) PrismaColor Pencil aqua (glasses)     
• Embossing Folder:  Crafters Companion Stone Wall

Challenges I would like to play in please:

1. Sparkles Christmas Challenge #106 Santa 12/1
2. Crafty Friends #123 Christmas 12/1
3. Pearly Sparkles #46 Christmas 12/1
4. World Wide Open DT Challenge #11 AG DT related 12/15
5. Kerst/Christmas FB Challenge #11 AG Christmas 11/30
6. Make My Monday #109 Red, Green and White (my red card) 11/20

Inky Hugs,

Monochromatic Challenge at Cardz 4 Galz - Stampendous

Hello, Blogging Friends! It's great to see you again.
  In case I do not say it often enough - I am SO GRATEFUL for your friendship!

There's a new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz Challenges today!

Badges are awarded for the Spotlight Winner and Top Picks.

Challenge #58 is chosen by designer CHRIS - and the theme is:

  MONOCHROMATIC  

show us your Paper Crafting projects using any technique and medium, 

AS LONG AS IT USES A SINGLE COLOR FAMILY!

Challenge ends on OCTOBER 25th.

My color theme is Autumn Brown Tones.

Today's card is another "different-for-me" technique with the moistened paper being rolled, and lots of distressing.

The pearlized dark chocolate brown cardstock is dry embossed and further enriched with goldish specks. The holly flourish was also die cut using that cardstock. 

The pretty Stampendous Cling Snowy Postcard rubber stamp has been stamped on Neenah White Cardstock with Timber Brown Staz-On ink.

All the other papers are a neutral ivory color with distressing, including Nuvo Cosmic Brown Embellishment Mousse. 

The mousse was used on one of the die cuts in the lower left corner, part of the image for shimmer, and on one of the torn background panels to achieve more pearlized brown tones.

I used Merry Monday Christmas Card Club's sketch as part of my inspiration:

I like being able to frugally place the more expensive papers in the Stamp Platform and eek out every little bit. It doesn't matter what size the paper is. Because I am Staz-On ink challenged, I needed to restamp this image five times. I was so grateful to be able to finally use the Staz-On, however, because I wanted to color with distress inks:

A little vintage lace, and the vintage Season's Greetings for the post card.

Thanks for popping by today!

And be sure to add your pretty monochromatic project to the

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge.

Products Used::

• Stampendous Cling Snowy Postcard rubber stamp
• Dies: Tonic English Picnic, Cheery Lynn Holly Lace Flourish, Die Versions "Season's Greetings" Sweet Wordlets
• Nuvo Cosmic Brown Embellishment Mousse
• Tonic Stamp Platform
• Inks: Staz-On Timber Brown, Memento Rich Cocoa, Distress inks Tea Dye, Antique Linen, Aged Mahogany, Walnut Stain
• Paper: Neenah White, Pearlized Brown, Ivory
• Embossing Folder: Crafters Companion Elegant Snowfall, Craftwell Modern Stripes

Challenges Playing In:

1. The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #16 Anything Christmas Goes 10/15 (sep post) 15C
2. Christmas Cards All Year Round (Oct 1) Christmas in Monochromatic Browns 11/1 (bottom of post)
3. Classic DT Open Challenge (#17) Anything DT Goes 11/1 (sep post)
4. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #1471 Anything Goes 10-16 (sep post)
5. Monochrome Magic #5 Anything Monochrome 11/1
6. Kerst/Christmas Challenges  #10 Anything Christmas Goes 11/1 (sep album)
7. Winter Wonderland Challenge Blog (Sept 27) Anything Christmas Goes 10/27 (sep post 11-3)
8. Merry Monday Christmas Challenge #260 Sketch 10/15 (sep post)

Stamping Hugs,

Showing the "Cool" in your die cuts!

Greetings, Sweet Blogging Friends!

So excited to say: this is my first post as a DT member for Cardz 4 Galz!

Such a great group of card enthusiasts who want to see artwork based on a special theme using "stuff in your stash!".

I am especially excited because this challenge blog is all about sharing!

Badges are awarded for the Spotlight Winner and Top Picks

Playing couldn't be easier or more fun! Just check out the theme for this fortnight, and do your magic!

This challenge's theme is courtesy of DT member ALY:

USE AT LEAST ONE DIE CUT

I'm bringing out "winter's cool" in my regular (NON-CHRISTMAS) dies.

These fun layers bring out a snow flake theme to keep the darling Snowman and his friends comfortable.

A variety of shaped layers brings visual interest:

A few interior uses dies were used as well, with plenty of room for a message:

Fun textures help keep the card flat for mailing.

Beautiful Pamellia at "My Little Craft Things"

  coerced me (we all know how forceful she is - LOL - NOT!)  

into trying the Snow Writer!

Oh! It's a must have!

How easy it is to apply, 

even for those who have fumble fingers or difficulty keeping their hands from shaking!
Are you surprised that there is glitter on the snow sections?

Here... let me enable you.

snow writer here

so cute!

This darling little Two-Turtle Doves Snowman image is from The Stamp Boutique.

Hoping you will join us at Cardz 4 Galz!

Products Used:

• Image: The Stamping Boutique - Two Turtle Doves Snowman
• Copic Markers
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities Pendants "Fair Isle" S4-270
• Spellbinders Scallop Squares
• Spellbinders Labels 27, and Decorative Labels 27
• Die Versions Snow Flurries
• Martha Stewart holly punch
• Embossing Folders: Craftwell Delicate Dots, Cuttlebug Swiss Dot
• snow writer (from Michaels)
• Sparkle N Sprinkle Starfire glitter G1017

Challenges I'd like to support with this card:

1. October Anything Goes Link-up at "Just Keep on Creating" (11-1 tab)
2. Addicted to Stamps #133 Embossing (dry embossed 2 blue panels and the white die cut panel) 10/23
3. Classic Design Team Open Challenge Anything Goes 11-1
4. Craft Your Passion Challenges - #333 Anything Goes 10/17 (sep post)
5. Crafting from the Heart #131 Anything Goes 10/17
6. Crafting with an Attitude #20 "Anything Goes" 11/3
7. Crafting with Friends #29 anything goes 10/21
8. Crafty Girls Creations Challenges #27 "Anything Goes" 10/19
9. Crafty Hazel Nuts Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes 11/1
10. Inspiration Destination #107 Anything Goes 10/19
11. One Stitch at a Time Challenge - #272 Anything Goes Monochromatic 10/16 (sep post 10/23)
12. Simply Papercraft #38 anything Goes 10/21
13. Sparkles Christmas Challenge - #69 Show me a Snowman 11/1
14. Sunny Days #18 Anything Goes 10/18
15. The Twelve Months of Christmas Linkup #22 "Anything Goes" 11/1
16. ABC Christmas Challenge (Oct 12) U is for Under the Pile! (use an item in my stash for more than a year - it is the blue ribbon! Gosh, years and years! I was so glad to find a way of using it). 10/25
17. Vilda Stamps Challenge Blog #1 Anything Goes 11/1

Snowman hugs,