How Many Circles Do You See?

Happy Thursday!  Wow, the past week has just flown right by and I've had very little crafting time.  We've had two major snowstorms which have resulted in many, many snow days at my house.  I figured snow days would mean plenty of crafting time, but I've hardly had a moment to step foot in my craft room!  My kids have had a blast playing in the snow and it's been fun to have the whole family home together, but I'm glad the snow is starting to melt and we're getting back to our routine again.

I created this card for three challenges.  The Try a New Technique challenge at Splitcoast Stampers this week asks us to use circles on a card.  The Teapot Tuesday challenge (also at Splitcoast Stampers) asked us to use circles while drawing inspiration from this week's tea set.  And for the first time ever, I am entering the weekly challenge (Week 61) at Pixie's Crafty Workshop because I used snippets of scraps from my craft drawer for several pieces on this card.  Those girls with their snippets are such a hoot, and I'm so glad I get to join them this week!

Here's my card:

Another view, which hopefully shows the inlaid embossing better:

This card uses one of my favorite techniques, the inlaid embossing technique.  I saw a card using the technique with solid-colored circles on Pinterest, so I drew my inspiration for my background circles from that card, which can be seen HERE.  I love it when I can CASE (Copy and Share Everything) a card or idea and change it a bit to create something of my own!

I started by die cutting several circles out of snippets of paper from one of my favorite matstacks.  I adhered them to a piece of pale purple card stock, then ran the entire panel through my Big Shot and the Square Lattice embossing folder.  I embossed a piece of shimmery pale purple paper with the Spots and Dots embossing folder, then adhered that over the circles.  I attached the entire piece to an Elegant Eggplant card base.  I stamped the verse in Elegant Eggplant on Natural White card stock, then die cut it and attached it to a die cut piece of Elegant Eggplant.  I attached this panel using Stampin' Dimensionals.  I added several sizes of pearls to the circles on the shimmery pale purple panel for a final "circles" touch.

I've lost count of how many circles are on this card!  Too many?  I hope not!  

I have a couple of square cards that I'm finishing up today.  I'm planning to post them tomorrow, so I hope you'll visit again soon.  Thanks for stopping by!

Products Used:

Stamp: Scripture Series 3 (Our Daily Bread Designs)

Ink: Elegant Eggplant (Stampin' Up!)

Paper: Latte Matstack (DCWV); Elegant Eggplant card stock (Stampin' Up!); Classic Crest Natural White (Neenah); shimmery pale purple paper (from a scrap bag at cutcardstock.com); 

pale purple card stock (unknown)

Tools and Accessories: Nestabilities Standard Circles Large (Spellbinders); Square Lattice embossing folder (Stampin' Up!); Nestabilities Labels One (Spellbinders); Spots and Dots embossing folder (Provo Craft); 

pearls (KaiserCraft)

Comfort for Kay

It's finally snowing!  We really need the moisture and it just hasn't felt much like winter this year, so the snow is pretty exciting!  School has already been canceled for tomorrow and I'm hoping my husband will work from home so we can all hunker down for a good, old-fashioned Snow Day!

Last night I received a card drive request for a sweet lady named Kay.  Kay turned 60 years old earlier this week and had been looking forward to retirement with her husband.  Sadly, Kay was diagnosed with a very rare and very aggressive cancer a couple of months ago.  Treatment has been unsuccessful and the cancer has now invaded almost every part of her body.  It appears Kay's battle will be coming to an end soon, as the doctors believe she has a month or less to live.  We've been asked to send cards to make her birthday week very special and to show her some love, comfort and encouragement in her final days.

This was a very, very hard card for me to make.  What comfort can I offer someone who is nearing the end of life, especially someone I've never met?  I turned to the greatest source of comfort I could offer: the promises of Scripture.  I hope this verse will bring comfort to her in her final days.

Here's my card:

I wanted to keep this card Clean and Simple (CAS) and make the verse the focal point.  I worked from the inside out this time, starting with the verse.  I stamped it in black ink on white card stock, then die cut it with a scalloped rectangle die.  I had a scrap of shimmery black card stock in my stash, so I die cut a larger scalloped rectangle and attached the verse to it.  I used another scrap of shimmery black to die cut my flourishes.  I found a lovely scrap of magenta-colored patterned paper in my stash, so I wrapped a piece of ribbon around it and layered it on the card front.  I adhered my sentiment panel over the ribbon, then gently slid my flourishes into place and attached them to the card.  Finally, I added a few tiny rhinestones to the flourishes for just a little bit of sparkle (this photo doesn't do the sparkly rhinestones justice).

This verse brings me comfort and hope every time I read it, and I pray that its message will help Kay, as well.  If you are so inclined, please say a prayer or send comforting thoughts out to this sweet lady and her family.

Thanks for stopping by today, and extra-special thanks to those who take the time to leave a comment!

Products Used:

Stamp: Scripture Series 3 (Our Daily Bread Designs)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)

Paper: Jubilee Magenta Accent (K&Company); black shimmery card stock (from a scrap bag at cutcardstock.com); black card stock (unknown)

Tools and Accessories: Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Rectangles - Small and Large (Spellbinders); Scribbles Swirls Sizzlets (Sizzix); ribbon (Offray); tiny rhinestones (unknown)

Roses for Denise (Teapot Tuesday)

It's time for another Teapot Tuesday challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers.  This week's recipient has been dealing with some serious medical issues lately and could use a little happy mail.  She is an artist who paints a lot of trees and landscapes, and she loves tulips and roses.  I had some gorgeous rose paper in my stash, so I knew right away that I would feature this paper on my project.

Here's my card:

I started with a black card stock base.  I cut a panel of patterned paper slightly smaller than the card front (about 1/8" smaller on all sides) and attached it to the base.  I stamped my sentiment on vellum and heat set it with clear embossing powder, then die cut it.  Because it was difficult to see the sentiment against the patterned paper, I also die cut a piece of black card stock in the same size to layer behind it.  I attached the vellum to the card stock with tiny black brads.  I wrapped black fiber around the card base and added my sentiment over the fibers using dimensional foam tape.  Not much stamping on this card, but I love how the paper really steals the show!

We still haven't had much snow or rain where I live (and we desperately need it), but I heard we may be getting a storm in the next couple of days.  I'm hoping for snow, but at this point I'll take whatever moisture we can get!  

I hope you are staying safe and warm, and I hope you'll visit me again.  Thanks for stopping by!

Products Used:
Stamp: Sincere Salutations (Stampin' Up!)

Ink: Craft Black (Stampin' Up!)

Paper: Red Roses (Recollections); black card stock, vellum (unknown)

Tools and Accessories: Nestabilities Labels Eighteen (Spellbinders); black fiber (On the Surface); clear embossing powder (Mrs. O'Leary's); dimensional foam tape (Scotch); tiny black brads (unknown)

Valentine's Day Card for My Husband

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you're having a fun, relaxing day with the ones you love.  This is just a quick post to show you the Valentine's Day card I made for my husband:

I wanted something masculine but still romantic, so I avoided hearts and lace and stuck with basic ribbon and brads.  I "roughed up" the pretty paper with some distressing, so hopefully this is manly enough for my big bear of a husband (who's really more "teddy bear" than "growly bear", but don't tell him I shared that secret!).  I waited to post this until after I gave it to him, thinking it would be a surprise.  He opened it and said, "I figured this one was for me."  That's when I realized it had been sitting in plain sight after I took pictures for the blog.  Oops!  But at least I know he pays attention to what I'm crafting!

I started with a natural white (almost ivory) card stock base.  Then I used two-sided paper from Authentique: one side I stamped on for the card front, and the other side is the dotted panel, which I heavily distressed to darken the dots and mute the red a bit.  For the larger piece, I used a script stamp and Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  To get the softer effect, I stamped off first on a piece of scrap paper, then stamped on my card piece.  I used a Nestabilities die to cut my scalloped piece.  I stamped my sentiment in Rich Cocoa on another piece of natural white, then added more distressing with Tea Dye and Walnut Stain Distress Inks.  I attached the sentiment piece to the scalloped piece and added the brads.  I wrapped a piece of brown ribbon around the dotted piece, then adhered the scalloped piece over the ribbon using foam dimensionals.

Thanks for taking the time to visit me on Valentine's Day! 

Products Used:

Stamps: Old Letter Writing (Hero Arts); Be My Valentine (Hambo Stamps)

Paper: Authentique Collection: Lovely (used "Greetings" and "Crush" 2-sided paper); Classic Natural White 80 lb. card stock (Neenah)

Ink: Tea Dye and Walnut Stain Distress Inks (Tim Holtz/Ranger); Memento Rich Cocoa (Tsukineko)

Tools and Accessories: Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Rectangles Small (Spellbinders); ribbon (Celebrate It Basic-Basic); brads (Recollections); dimensional  tape (Scotch)

Valentine's Day Treats

Happy Wednesday!  Valentine's Day is almost here, which makes me a little sad because I love Valentine's Day crafting.  My son needed valentines for his classmates this week and I found a fantastic tutorial for adorable treat holders, so I just had to make some fun little packages for his class.  A friend recently lamented that her child's school doesn't allow candy at their Valentine's Day class parties.  Oh, the horrors!  As a dedicated chocoholic, I cannot imagine this holiday without candy.  Thank goodness my son's school isn't so strict!!

Here's what I made:

The kids are asked to give signed but unaddressed valentines.  
I substituted my name for my son's name just for these pictures. 

Here's a side view, so you can see how they stand:

(I have to apologize for the quality of the pictures.  I finished them late at night and sent them to school with my son in the morning, so I had to photograph them without natural light.  Nothing like last-minute crafting!)

These treat holders come together very quickly and Angie's tutorial is really easy to follow.  The tutorial shows how to make a Halloween treat package, but as you can see it can easily be adapted to other holidays.  Here's the tutorial and video I followed, which includes measurements and assembly instructions: Chic' n Scratch. (While you're there, check out some of Angie's other tutorials.  She has over 400 of them!)

If you use an 8.5 x 11 piece of card stock for the base you can make three packages from one piece of card stock.  I also had some 12 x 12 card stock that I wanted to use, so I was able to get more packages from a piece that size.  I made 12 packages for my son's class and only needed one piece of 12 x 12 patterned paper (I only used the patterned paper on the front side of each package).  I filled them with the snack size bags of candy, which cost me less than 20 cents each.  I decorated mine by making a bow from baker's twine and attaching it with a mini glue dot to the tag, then attaching the tag to the package with dimensional foam tape (all things that I had in my stash of supplies).  This is a very cost-effective project!

I chose to staple the candy to the package to keep it in place, but forgot to staple it before adhering the patterned paper.  Quick fix: I adhered the tag over the staple.  Easy peasy!

I hope you're enjoying your Valentine's Day crafting!  Tomorrow I will post one final Valentine's Day card, so I hope you'll visit me again.  Thanks for stopping by!

Products Used:
Stamp: deadbeat DESIGNS

Paper: Red card stock (Bazzill); Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb. card stock (Neenah); 
Candy Pile (EK Success, Ltd.) 

Ink: Real Red Classic Ink (Stampin' Up!); Pure Black Writer (Zig)

Tools and Accessories: Small and Large Tag Punches (Stampin' Up!); baker's twine (Strands Etc.); 
mini glue dots; foam tape

Clean and Simple Fairy Tale Wedding

Happy Sunday!  I rarely post on the weekends, but I'm so excited about the code word this week at CASology that I'm hurrying to post my card before the challenge deadline.

I just love a good fairy tale!  I bought a wonderful set of stamps several years ago that I used for my wedding, and I thought they would be perfect for this challenge.  The CASology challenges call for Clean and Simple (CAS) cards, and I chose to make a *very* CAS card for this one:

Here's a better view of the scored lines:

I started by die cutting a scalloped square from white card stock.  I stamped the church image in Craft Black ink, then sprinkled it with clear embossing powder and heat embossed it.  I chalked over the piece with Mauve Mist chalk.  I stamped the sentiment in Craft Black directly on the card base and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I scored lines on the card and adhered a piece of black shimmery card stock to the card front.  I adhered the scalloped square over the shimmery black piece using Stampin' Dimensionals.  I added Glossy Accents to the church image, then wiped most of it away with my finger, leaving a very light layer of satiny finish.

I'll be posting some Valentine's Day projects this week, so I hope you'll visit me again soon.  Thanks for stopping by!

Products Used:

Stamps: Fairy-Tale Wedding (Stampin' Up!)

Ink: Craft Black Ink (Stampin' Up!)

Paper: Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb. card stock (Neenah); Shimmer Matstack (DCWV)

Tools and Accessories: Bigz Scallop Squares Duo (Stampin' Up!/Sizzix); clear embossing powder (Mrs. O'Leary's); Mauve Mist Stampin' Pastels (Stampin' Up!); Glossy Accents (Ranger); 

Stampin' Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!)

Monochromatic Thinking of You

Happy Thursday!  It sure feels good to be getting this close to the weekend.  We've been awfully busy at my house lately, and I could really use some down time!

This week's Clean and Simple (CAS) challenge at Splitcoast Stampers is a "limited supplies" challenge.  We are challenged to use only monochromatic colors (and one neutral, if we wish).  I chose to use shades of purple, and I added some tiny rhinestones in place of my neutral.  Since it's a CAS challenge, we are supposed to have lots of open space and use few very layers and embellishments.  

Here's my card:

(There's a tiny smudge on the "T", but it's not really noticeable in person.)

I started by stamping my image in Lovely Lilac on Almost Amethyst card stock.  I covered the image in clear embossing powder and heat set it.  I stamped my sentiment in Elegant Eggplant and attached the stamped panel to an Elegant Eggplant card base.  I added tiny rhinestones to the centers of the flowers for just a hint of bling.  Quick and easy!

I love the simplicity and versatility of a monochromatic CAS card.  Elegant Eggplant is one of my favorite Stampin' Up! colors, and sometimes it's nice to use something other than red and white at this time of year.  I'm in the middle of making Valentine's Day treat packages for my son's class, so it was nice to add a little purple to my crafting time this week!

I hope you're having a fun, crafty week.  Thanks for stopping by!  

Products Used:

Image Stamp: Gina K. Designs

Sentiment Stamp: Sincere Salutations (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Almost Amethyst, Elegant Eggplant (Stampin' Up!)

Ink: Lovely Lilac Craft Ink, Elegant Eggplant Classic Ink (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder (Mrs. O'Leary's); tiny rhinestones (Offray)

Mixed Media Valentine

Happy Tuesday!  After a few days away from crafting while I nursed a migraine (oh, those evil weather changes) and rushed my way through a busy weekend, I finally had a chance to play in a brand-new challenge at Splitcoast Stampers, the Mix-Ability Challenge.  This one is so much fun!  It challenges us to use mixed media in projects, but even better, it teaches us how to use mixed media in projects.  Lydia even created a fantastic video for the challenge, which you can see HERE.

This week's challenge is "Yin Yang".  We're asked to use something matte and something shiny on our cards.  Since Lydia's video showed how to use gesso and I've been wanting to try gesso on a card, I used that medium to create a matte background for my heart.  I have two "shiny" things on my card, one subtle and one not-so-subtle.  I used heat embossing on my heart and I created a "raindrop" background using crinkled paper, Versamark and Glassy Glaze.  

Here's my card:

Here's a close-up of the heart:

And hopefully you can see the shiny background a bit better here:

I started by applying gesso to a piece of patterned paper that was black with white hearts.  (I was hoping a bit of the pattern would show through, but I was a bit too heavy-handed with the gesso.)  I used a heat gun to dry the panel because I'm too impatient to watch paint dry!  I stamped my image over the gesso with Rose Red craft ink and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder, then cut around the image to create the heart shape.  Because the patterned paper is very light-weight, I cut a smaller-sized heart from chipboard (so it wouldn't be noticeable) and adhered it to the back of the stamped heart to give it some stability on the card.

Next I got to work on my shiny panel.  I spritzed a piece of black card stock with water, then crumpled it.  Once it was nicely crumpled, I flattened it out a bit and ran my heat gun over it to be sure all the water had dried.  I rubbed Versamark all over it using the direct-to-paper method, then applied Glassy Glaze, which is like a chunky, shiny embossing powder.  I heat set the Glassy Glaze to create a shiny, wet look that reminds me of raindrops. 

I wrapped red and white baker's twine around the black piece.  I adhered the black piece to a panel of red card stock, then adhered the red piece to a black card base that was cut to 4" x 5 1/2" (slightly smaller than an A2 card). I attached the heart to the shiny black panel using thick foam dimensionals and placed Zots on top of the dimensionals to really help the heart stick to the black panel.

I had so much fun playing with new tools for this card!  I have really enjoyed making different styles of valentines over the past couple of weeks, especially since I can use my favorite color combo (black, white and red) so easily at this time of year!  If you want to learn how to use new mediums and explore your creativity a bit, too, I hope you'll give the new Mix-Ability Challenge a try!  

Thanks for stopping by today!

Products Used:

Stamp: Amore HeartPrint (Hero Arts)

Ink: Rose Red Craft Ink (Stampin' Up!). Versamark (Tsukineko)

Paper: B&W Doodle Hearts (The Paper Studio); red and black card stock (unknown)

Tools and Accessories: Gesso (O'Leary Paint); clear embossing powder (Mrs. O'Leary's); Glassy Glaze (Stampin' Up!); baker's twine (Strands, Etc.); 3D Foam Squares and Zots (Therm-O-Web); chipboard