"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,

Dimensional Inchies on an Easel Card - and freebies

Hello, my friends! Hoping you are not uncomfortably dripping wet from the sweltering heat (here in the northern hemisphere) - I also hope that our friends Down Under are escaping the wrath of the current explosion of influenza cases. May you be well soon if the flu has come to your home.

Do you know what "inchies" are?

Before I became "house-bound", 20+ years ago, I had the pleasure of working in a brick and mortar store called THE PAPER PLAYHOUSE. There I taught classes and designed the free, weekly Make N Take, instructing about new products and how to use them. It was a great opportunity to meet people and enjoy our hobby!

Do you remember when...

In those days, designer paper was scarcely a "thing". So we stamped our own background papers, embellishing them with inks, glitters, embossing powders, etc. It was great fun cutting them for One Sheet Wonders or Inchies-Twinchies creations. 

 My card shares today involve some of the oldest designer papers of day - lovely K&Company designer paper, which was also VersaMark stamped with an Impression Obsession image and heat embossed with clear EP containing glitter, to give the paper some extra pizzazz. 

First up are some "Just A Note" cards - with die from Sue Wilson Script collection. Cut once on white cardstock, a lavender glitter layer was attached - it has been adhered to vellum for a bit of texture and mystique.

I was inspired by a friend recently who took an "Inchies Class" involving 3-D appearing shadows without actual dimensional adhesives:

The ribbon, also 25 years old, was fed through a slit in the vellum:

Has this ever happened to you? 

The "colored powder" of a die flaked off, onto the paper. It is deeply embedded in the white and is quite noticeable. It worsened with each pass through my Gemini Junior machine. If it happened to you, how did you remedy it? The folks at Creative Expressions told me to use wax paper, which Spellbinders always said not to do (at least when they were a new company) (you may have to click on the photo to enlarge it).

Two very special birthdays in blog land are soon coming! 

I'm all set for them:

flat for mailing:

Also a little sentiment on the card backs, which I've included as a gift to you below:

This project, while challenging for not-so-nimble fingers, was SO FUN, and brought back happy memories of laughter, fun and dear people in the classes!

Products: Die Sets: Sue Wilson Scripted Just a Note, Double Pierced Circles and Scripted Happy Birthday, Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities Scalloped Squares, SB Classic large scallop rectangles, Sizzis TH Garden Greens, Cottage Cutz Greenery 4x4, Papers: Lavender, Pacific Blue, White, Black, Purple, Green Glitter, Vellum, Lavender Glitter, K&C patterned papers, Inks: Pumice Stone DI, Fantasia VersaFine Clair, Versamark, Misc: EK Success 1-1/4" punch, Clear EP containing glitter, stamps: SU Elegant Greetings stamps, IO Alesa Baker Large Flourish Three E2036, my digital sentiment stamps

I'd like to play in the following challenges, please!

(many thanks to challenge owners and design team members who create fun for us!)

1. The fabulous DOUBLE D CHALLENGES (Aug 21) Use Shapes (I used multiple 1.25" squares from an EK Success Punch, 1/2 circle scallop layers, circle sentiments on the back, and shaped rectangular layers) 9/1
2. Darling "I Spy With My Little Eye" challenge #18 Something from the garden (flowers, leaves, dragonfly) 9/17
3. Lovely Creative Inspirations Challenges #17 - Anything Goes 9/1
4. Love Those Pretty Papers 8/3 Used the option anything goes 9/1
5. Word Power #8 7-31 Sentiment is Focus of Card (words on front, sentiments on bottoms and backs) 9/1
6. Paper Minutes #860 Birthday 8/27
7. Creative Moments #261 Patterned Paper - inchies are punched from patterned paper. 9/5
8. Creative Creases #89 Anything Goes with a Fun Fold Card 9/1

My gift to you - 

Arrangements of the same sentiment 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 they serve you well!

Enjoy!

   

Sending you Joy,

A Little Rain Does Us Good - Jan's Digi Stamps

Hello, friends! I hope this finds you well, and enjoying some crafting time.

Today's card is for March's mid-month reminder at the Anything Goes Challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps!  If you use a JDS image in your card, please mention it. There is a 2nd draw specifically for those who use one of Jan's fun images.

Jan's newest sets are 25% off, and this month's Spring Flowers Sale, 

including 24 sets, are also 25% off.

To create my card, three sets were used (just click on them to enlarge):

Rain Dance 4070 *NEW* with 12 images & sentiments.
On sale this month for $3 

April Showers 920 April Showers Promise.
I used several of the sentiments inside and out.
This set contains 25 images and sentiments.

Wild Flower Blossoms 3310 for the single flower

I punched out the turquoise background, adhered to white card stock, and adhered organza ribbon to break up the horizontal lines. 

 

I still mourn the day Martha Stewart ceased production of her quality punch-around-the-page products! 

The top two layers are die cut with SB Labels Four and Grand Labels Four (for a 5x7 card). 

Jan's pre-colored raindrops were used (such little lines to stay in!).

The rest is colored with Copic Markers and Distress Inks.

For a quick and easy card interior:

Four sentiments and two images were used from: April Showers 920

Looking forward to seeing your creation in the Anything Goes Challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps!

Products Used: Jan's Digi Images: Rain Dance 4070, Wild Flower Blossoms 3310, April Showers 920, Broken China and Shabby Shutters DI, colored with Copic Markers, SB Grand Labels 4 and Labels 4, Martha Stewart punch

Playing in the following challenges:

1. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2309 AG 3/13
2. Krafty Chicks #653 Week 1 Stamp Act (use a digi or rubber stamp) 3/9 (tab on top)
3. CD Sunday Plus Challenge #105 AG (1 of 3) (each sentiment was copy and pasted into the background and made 66% transparent. The rain images and umbrella were put on a tilt so they would appear vertically straight. The flower was from a different set, and placed at different angles to make it appear they were raining down. Lastly the "April Showers" sentiment was layered digitally to make our minds think of the rest of the saying, "bring may flowers". However the interior does give the full verse) 3/19
4. Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #2 AG  (3 of 3) 3/12
5. Crafts Galore Encore #109 AG (1 of 3) 4/1
6. A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge #3 AG 4/1 (UE)
7. The Outlawz Challenges Twisted Thursday (March 2-April 5) Use at least 2 items from your stash that are over a year old.  Then tell us, in your post, what items you used and the approximate ages of the items!  Love this Challenge! (1) Offray Ribbon is at least 15 years old from a big box store, (2) Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page border & corner punch. These were very popular before die cutting became important and was purchased at big box store about 13 years ago, Spellbinders dies (Grand set - 10 years old - and A2 set older than that), Set 920 is 5 years old, Set 3310 is 3 years old (distress inks over 3 years old). (4/5)
8. Classic Design Challenge #3 AG 4/1 (UE)
9. Ally's Angels #67 AG 3/9 (2 of 3)

Stamping Hugs,

My Besties - Get Well

Waving "Hello" to each of you, and wishing you a great week.
Today's card share is a sweet image from the Get Well Besties line, for a card swap - theme was to have a person on the front.

The card is 5.5" x 7" with a woven die cut frame and glittered leaves:

She is so cute! I also colored this image in bright green and pink on an oval shaped card here.

The sentiment is heat embossed. A rectangle containing the image was distressed and then popped up on another distressed die cut:

Thanks for stopping by!

Products:

• Dies: SB Bow Elegance S6-017, SB Mega Class Long Scallop Rectangles Nestabilities, SB Leaves So Very Gorgeous S5-353,
• Stamp: Get Well Besties, SU Sweet Little Sentiments set
• Ink: Distress Milled Lavender and Spun Sugar, VersaFine Clair Monarch
• Coloring Medium: Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 Color Pencils with Gamsol and  Copic Markers
• Satin Ribbon, Flower, Glitter, Clear embossing powder

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. Mybesties3DdecoBlog Challenges #8 AG with a Bestie 9/1
2. My Besties Aussie's Challenge #8 AG with a Bestie 9/1
3. My Besties International Challenge (Aug 1) 
4. Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges #1931 Anything Goes 8/11
5. Crafty Gals Corner #197 More than 3 layers (2nd entry) has 5 layers 8/14

Stamping Hugs,

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - A Little Sunshine

Hello, Christmas Lovers!
If it snowed in Florida, would we still be called The Sunshine State?
I hope so, and so do my little characters today.

Today begins a new challenge at 

Christmas at Sweet Stampin'!

My brilliant teammates have fantastic samples to share! The challenge is ANYTHING GOES for ANY Christmas theme craft project. July's Challenge is open until August 10 and has an optional theme of Sunshine!

This cute Snow Couple was colored with Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 Color Pencils and Gamsol.  Such a loving couple, I cannot help but be attracted to them. 



The sunshine is stenciled, contrary to our Florida Sunshine, which is vibrant all year!

• Bugaboo Snowmen Couple
• Dies: SB Scallop Labels One, SB Grand Scallop Squares
• Inks: Adirondack Stonewashed Denim and Pool, Distress Lemonade and Straw, Memento Tuxedo Black
• Colored with: Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 Color Pencils and Gamsol

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. Merry Little Christmas Challenge #12 Anything Christmas Goes 8/1
2. Cute N Crafty Challenge #29 Christmas in July 7/28 (sep post)
3. The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #52 Anything Goes Christmas 7/28
4. Kerst Christmas FB Challenge #7 AG Christmas 8/2
5. Crafty Calendar Challenge (July) Christmas in July 8/3
6. Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge #445 Christmas 7/14
7. CCC Digi Creations #105 Christmas in July 8/3
8. Jingle Belles Rock (July 5) Tie-Tac-Toe (diagonal Snowman, Red or Green, Diecuts) 7/18

Wishing you a great day!