"Friendship is Golden" Slim Line cards

 Happy New Year, friends! Before my six cards are shared, may I ask a big question?

Has anyone heard from Carol Hurlock? She is a fantastically gifted crafter/artist who is quite unique and prolific in her endeavors. She is awe-inspiring! Carol stopped posting in 2022 (during Pandemic). She is such a gracious, kind, beautiful soul who is wonderfully talented in every way, and I miss her. Please let me know if you have heard anything. Thanks!

Hoping your family is safe and healthy, enjoying all the good things Life has to offer. Yesterday at Dusk, we had several "dancing deer" skylarking across the front pasture. It's always fun watching them, especially when frolicking is the main activity at the moment! 😁

 Slow and steady eventually gets to the finish line, right? Today's share is six "skinny" cards 8.5" x 4", using Anna Griffin dies in the background and an assortment of patterned papers and vellums.

Three cards sport woven satin ribbon frames. This is one of my favorite techniques, especially if the ribbon is "puffy" and "imperfect" in its display of shiny fabric. I start in one corner, and slowly make my way around the frame:

Once the ribbon has traveled around the die cut, it is cut in the corner and "tucked under" to look finished:

The smaller, focal die images are mostly from Gold Glossy card stock, and shadowed with black card stock:

First, ink some of the background papers for better dimension and a more finished look:

For some of the shadows, I outlined the die with a light-colored pencil, and fussy cut them out. This made the black portion slightly larger than the die cut itself:

These two cards show off dimension and texture by using glitter on the leaves, dimension tape circles, and glitter behind the glossy card stock. The second card has three butterflies with three layers, each featuring vellum or patterned card stock. It also has printed vellum in the background.

The first card (also shown below) has glitter on the glossy card stock (in real life, it is quite shiny and sparkly). The "dots" are 1/8" high dimensional dots that have been dredged with glitter. Notice the butterfly on the right side has been dimensionalized a little differently, with the butterfly body glued flat to the base, puffed up in the middle, and then flattened again on the edges. Not sure how that will make it through the post office machines, so it may be hand delivered. 

sigh...

I long for the "olden days" post office when we could send anything through the mail as long as long as we put enough postage on for weight. (do you?).

Sometimes, less is more:

Alas, I decided MORE is more:

more sparkle

more glitz

more shine

more butterflies

more jewels...

This one escaped the glitter, but the vellum under the butterfly is shimmering gold with bejeweled brads, shiny ribbon, and a sentiment made on the label maker:

Layers include the base, printed Vellum card stock, gold Anna Griffin solid piece, an ivory filagree die cut, ribbon, Spellbinders glossy leaves, label maker sentiment, hand traced and cut black shadow, hand traced and cut sparkling vellum, and finally patterned paper, frilly butterfly die cut:

This card showcases textures:

The sixth card:

The interiors are just as unique:

The interior here is glittered on one side:

Thanks for wading through all the photos.

Thinking of you all, with gratitude. Thank you for your fabulous inspiration, and caring comments.

Products: Stamps A-Line Stamping F-487 (2000? or 2001?), Penny Black 1785E Lovely Day (2000),  Really Reasonable Satin Ribbon ButterCup 5/8", Dies: Anna Griffin AG-1239H-AS Slimline Concentric Die, IO Monarch DIE059-N, Cheery Lynn Butterfly, Tonic Studios Celebrate, Cardstock: pattern paper (REALLY OLD from a store in Tampa called "Tamp-a-Stamp" back in 2001.), Marcos Gold Glossy, Bright Ivory CS, Golden CS, Inks: Walnut Distress, VersaMark, Acorn VersaFine Clair, Other: (mixed gold and clear glitter). Dimensionals

Gratefully playing in the following fine challenges:

1. A Perfect Time to Craft #1 (Jan 1) AG 2/1 (sep post 3/29)
2. Crafts Galore Encore #143 (Jan 1) AG (sep post 2/1)
3. Love to Craft Challenges #90 (Jan 1) AG 2/15 (nxt chal 3/1)
4. Mix It Up Challenge #81 (Jan 1) AG with Ribbon  2/15 (nxt chal 3/1) 3 cards have ribbon woven in them.
5. Moving Along With The Times #185 (Jan 1) AG us stencils and/or dies (several layers of dies on each card). 1/31 (sep post 1-2 weeks later)
6. Paper Rocks Scissors Challenge #12 (Jan 2) AG using Paper and/or Scissors 1/31 (The shadows have been fussy cut, to make them slightly larger than the die itself. The Cheery Lynn butterfly die only had the frilly version, so the background vellum was fussy cut, then the shadow also had been fussy cut slightly larger. Several types of papers/card stock were used.
7. A Cut Above (Jan 5) AG with die cuts (used multiple dies: Dies: Anna Griffin AG-1239H-AS three Slimline Concentric Dies, IO Monarch DIE059-N, Cheery Lynn Butterfly, Tonic Studios Celebrate 1/28 (sep post 2/1)
8. Pammies Inky Pinkies Challenges #2602 AG 1/18
9. Cut It Up Challenges #347 Favorite Dies 1/19 (Gosh! It was fun looking at everyone's favorites this time. My favorites are my butterfly dies, but I also love my Spellbinders foliage sets. Both are featured here. Are we allowed to have lots of faves? LOL Thank you for the fun challenge.
10. Elliebelle's Garden Party #11 (Jan 8) Anything in or from a Garden 2/9

fondly,

Good Morning Magnolias

Good Morning, my friends! It's taken over a month, but I have completed a card to share! (I did have four lumbar injections last month which have taken care of a good 50% of pain, and I am beginning to be able to walk in the house again. The resulting "flares" from my other diseases from the trauma of the procedure are also beginning to abate. FINGERS CROSSED!)

I hope this finds you doing well, and not being too adversely affected by the recent flooding and heat wave. You, my blogging friends, are always in my thoughts with deep gratitude.

Today's card is the result of an image stamped eons ago at a friend's house. It's from my "unfinished box" of stash, and is colored with Copic Markers. The pretty rectangular lace die was much too long, so I snipped a portion out of it and taped it together in a shorter version:

The sentiments are from a virginal Penny Black set that is at least 5 years old. I'm so happy to finally ink it with Forest Green Versafine Clair and heat set with clear detail EP! A little of my Great Aunt Agnes' pink lace shows (from the 1940s), and an inked Die'sire EF called Regency Swirls adorns the side:

The right side of the pearl green card base has been stripe embossed with a bone folder, but the photos don't reflect the deep grooves very well with the shine from the cardstock finish:

This card is for a dear friend who has the most amazingly generous spirit of kindness. Through no fault of her own, she has found herself victim to Florida's double-digit inflation, and skyrocketing home costs. It's no where near as pretty as her creations, but with my current situation of just being able to do things a little at time, she will treasure the card.

Products: Dies: Spellbinders S5-357 Chantilly Paper Lace, Grands (Ovals, and Scalloped Ovals); Stamps: Stampin' Up Good Morning Magnolias, Penny Black Heartfelt Clear Set 30-286, MISC: Great Aunt Agnes' Antique Lace, Copic Markers, Distress Inks, Versafine Clair Forest Green, Clear EP

Please scroll on down for some personal photos.

Challenges I would like to play in:

1. Craft Rocket Challenges #95 Flowers 8/28
2. Paper Funday Challenges #44 Friendship 9/4 (This card is for a dear friend who has the most amazingly generous spirit of kindness. Through no fault of her own, she has found herself victim to Florida's double-digit inflation, and skyrocketing home costs. It's no where near as pretty as her creations, but with my current situation of just being able to do things a little at time, she will treasure the card.)
3. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2232 AG 8/15
4. A Perfect Time to Craft #8 AG 9/1
5. Classic Design Challenge #8 AG 9/1
6. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #187 AG 8/20
7. Tic Tac Toe Challenge #174 Use the graph (I used diagonal right to left pink, pattern paper (in oval die cut), and 3 die cuts 8/18

May I share a few other interesting things from central rural Florida?

Just down the drive, Jack found this rattle snake. It is about 2.5 feet long. Age is determined by the number of rattles on its tail. This one has 11 rattles. Rattles are formed as the snake sheds its skin, which takes place 2-3 times a year. We have friendly black snakes in our "yard" which help keep venomous snakes away:

For those of you who enjoy the Monstera Philodendron plants, this is one commonly called "Swiss Cheese" for obvious reasons. I rooted this plant from another that is at least 35 years old. This spring it sported an unopened bloom:

Then there were three flowers! Since they are in the pool cage (lanai), I hope they can pollinate one another:

The plant is so large, I've had to severely prune it two more times, and it is still larger than this:

Wishing you a beautiful day!

hugs,

Looking in all the Right Places?

Greetings! And Big Hugs to you each! It took me a month to create these cards, but slowly, if I am persistent, in one-to-five minute increments, I do manage to accomplish things around the house and in my craft room. Hopefully better days are around the corner. Thanks for your kind friendships, endearing thoughts, and for keeping in touch.

Today's cards are silly, inspired first by my husband for our 46th wedding anniversary last month. The other four are "thinking of you" and "birthday" cards. 

Colored simply with Copic Markers and Distress Inks, each card was stamped in a different color VersaFine Clair ink and heat embossed with clear detail EP. All the cards contain the same elements, except the sentiments differ:

Purple Lovers "Thinking of You" (inside "Enough about me - thinking of you and wondering what you have been up to." The front sentiment always makes me laugh:

The Penny Black border actually only cuts on one side. The stitched side needed to be hand cut:

Blue & Tan Birthday card for Color Hues Color Challenge:

Jacky's Anniversary card - he's been such a marvelous person, friend, hubby, lover and caregiver over the decades. Yes, the inside is mushy (giggle):

Green Thinking of You with a different front sentiment. Each card was dry embossed with the same striped folder. This card and the purple one were also inked:

Lastly, the pink birthday card:

Thank you for not giving up on me, and for visiting today! I miss you all!

Products: Images: Bear in Trash Stamps by Judith, Dot Peg Stamps by Judith, Digital Sentiment, 2 fun sentiments by Custer's Last Stamp, Dies: SW Double Pierced Squares CED5509, SW Pierced Flags CED4304, IO Small Grass Die178-C, IO Grass DIE038-J, Penny Black Border Edgers 51-231, Taylored Expressions Banner Stacklets, SU punch, Other: Copic Markers, Distress Inks, VersaFine Clair Inks, Clear Detail EP, Embossing Folder by Tonic "Simple Stripes".

Fine Challenges I'm playing in:

1. DRU Challenge #192 AG with metal die they carry 5/13 (Dies: SW Double Pierced Squares CED5509, SW Pierced Flags CED4304, IO Small Grass Die178-C,  IO Grass DIE038-J, Penny Black Border Edgers 51-231, Taylored Expressions Banner Stacklets) 05/15 (sep post)
2. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2219 AG 05/16 (sep post)
3. Critter Crazy Challenges #62 AG with a critter 06/01 (sep post)
4. Color Hues Color Challenge #40 Blue and Tan 05/15 (blue and tan card shown)
5. Crafty Animals #61 Anything with an Animal 05/27
6. A Perfect Time to Craft #5 AG 06-01
7. Classic Design Challenge #5 AG 06-01 (2 thinking of you, 2 birthday, 1 anniversary)
8. Crafty Friends #155 Animals 06/01 (scroll down)
9. The Paper FunDay Challenges #41 06/01 (anniversary card for hubby)

Stamping Hugs,

Perhaps they are not stars (and freebies)

Waving "hello" to you all, my dear friends! 

Oh HOW I MISS YOU AND MY CRAFTING TIME!

Today's card is for a sweet friend whose husband passed away a few months ago. Instead of saying "sympathy", I'm using a different salutation. This card was months in the making.

I had an idea for masking to try, but I probably went about it illogically, doing things the hard way (giggle).

First, I created masks. The "negative" mask was used for inking. The larger positive mask was used for stamping. The card is 5x7, so I cut the negative mask to fit a 5x7 panel, and centered the die cut:

After inking the background, my VIRGINAL SU Francais background script was inked, face up, and the panel was pressed atop. Several VIRGINAL stamps were used in making the custom background paper. Then the VIRGINAL Penny Black Sunflower stamp was inked with VFC Shady Lane, and colored with Zig watercolor markers:

Here is the masked panel, and a three layer frame (for dimension):

The white card stock is also virginal, SU Sparkle White. Can you see the sparkle show through the colors:

The sentiment was heat embossed, and some grass was added:

Ta-daaah!

Products Used: Stamps: Penny Black Hello Sunshine Flowers 3874K, Stampin' Up En Francais background script, SU Elegant Cheer sentiment, SU Petite Patterns background, Impression Obsession C2041 Sm Flourish Four (background), IO B2010 Sm Paisley Two (background), Dies: IO Grass DIE038-J, SB Labels Four & Grand Labels Four, Inks: DI Forest Moss, Shabby Shutters, Sq Lemonade, Scattered Straw, Tea Die, Versafine Clair Shady Lane, OTHER: Freebie Digital images, Clear Detail EP, Zig Watercolor Markers (I do not recommend), Paper: SU Sparkle White, Mossy Meadow, Celery

Challenges I would like to play in, please:

1. Cut it Up Challenges #234 Fall is in the Air 09/22 (sep post)
2. NBUS #30 (most of the stamps have never been used before) 10/1
3. Creative Inspirations Challenge (Sept 2) Fabulous Fall or Happy Halloween 11/1
4. Paper Funday Challenges #33 AG with optional twist Autumn/Fall 10/2
5. Crafty Gals Corner #223 Hello Fall 10/3
6. Crafting Happiness #113 AG 9/20
7. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2137 AG 9/20
8. Dies R Us #176 AG dies they carry (SB & IO) 9/15 (sep post)
9. Penny Black Friends Saturday Challenge (Sept) AG or Flowers 9/30
10. Tic Tac Toe Challenge #130 (bottom row) 9/16 (sep post)

My gift to you - Sentiments for use on the inside or outside of your projects. Please do not sell the 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 in 2020, your image will appear to be solid black. Don’t panic. Right click and do a SAVE. 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 they serve you well!

Enjoy!

The first sentiment can be used for wedding, friendship, thank you, sympathy - it's pretty versatile!

ON A PERSONAL NOTE (please don't let this happen to you or a loved one):

I have been severely ill the past several months, relegated to the bed and wheelchair. Some different tests were finally run, with results showing some inflammatory factors higher than my doctor ever remembers seeing. So far, they have determined I have an autoimmune disease called PMR Polymyalgia Rheumatica. The good news is that it is treatable and normally takes 12-18 months to go into remission. Unfortunately, I am having extreme reactions to the medication. Those reactions are disabling in themselves, but I have no choice. I'm grateful for some badly-needed pain relief. It is important for all of us who already have certain diseases/conditions to not allow ourselves to be "pigeon-holed" into thinking "oh, this is probably just such-and-such". Looking back, we believe this has probably been a gradual issue for me for nearly 3 years or so, but we blamed it on my other diseases - so be aware of that for yourselves and your loved ones, to keep an open mind that it could be something different happening, even when the symptoms are similar to what you already deal with, and regardless of what doctors may say.

Leaving you with hugs and friendship,

Monochromatic Theme at Christmas at Sweet Stampin' Challenge

Good Morning, fellow crafters!
I'm starting the day with lots of glitter - are you surprised?
Please see my STAMPING ON GLITTER TUTORIAL HERE.

Today begins a new challenge at 

Christmas at Sweet Stampin'!

My marvelously brilliant teammates have fantastic samples to share! We hope to see your imaginative artwork each month in our "Anything Goes Christmas" Challenges. The challenge is for ANY Christmas theme craft project. April's Challenge is open until May 7 and has an option of monochromatic theme.

Technique: STAMPING ON GLITTER

if you're reading on my blog, enlarge the photos by clicking on them:

BOO BOO TIME

Having watercolored with this technique frequently, I was surprised at a huge boo-boo this card ended up having. Where the "crack and peel" portion of the sticker paper had been, some watercolor puddled there, leaving a visible line:

After waiting overnight, and the line not disappearing, I tried fixing it by hiding part, and adhering the other part. You can still see it a little bit when the light hits just "so":

The brads were dipped into the same pretty Mediterranean Star embossing powder as the frame.



To customize the "snowy" background, I used the same ink as the sentiment on an embossing folder:


All Done! It's quite sparkly in person:

Some Products Used:

Images: Penny Black Winter Song, SU Beauty of the Season, Glitter: Cloud Nine Microfine Glitter, Inks: Staz-On Azure Blue Ink, Adirondack Pool, Warm Breeze VersaFine Clair, EP: Mediterranean Star embossing powder, Dies: Surprise Creation Polygon Square Double Stitch die set, SB Grommet Tag Set

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenges (April) Use Glitter and EP 5/1
2. Classic DT Open Challenge (April #4) AG DT 5/1
3. Sparkles Christmas Challenges #93/99 Feature a Creature 5/1
4. Tuesday Throwdown #429 AG (rubber stamp on glitter) 4/23
5. Holly and Ivy Christmas #47 AG Christmas 4/23
6. Merry Little Christmas #9 AG Christmas 4/30 (sep post 5/5)

On a Personal Note:
Early Spring Morning last week facing the tree line as the sun greets me with a myriad of birds singing "Good Morning!":



Thanks for popping by today!
hugs,
de