Let's Party with Dinosaurs!

My oldest son is newly engaged, and they intend to tie the knot in June 2023 if everything goes according to plan.  Through this union, I have acquired what would be a great granddaughter.  She will be  three years old on her birthday in a few weeks...the same age range as are my three natural granddaughters, which is 2-1/2 to 5 years.  Her Mom and grandmother (who is my son's fiancé) planned a dinosaur-themed birthday party.  So, needless to say, I needed a birthday card and wanted to try my hand at the dinosaur theme.

I found a darling little cartoon line-art baby dinosaur, who had just hatched from his uniquely designed egg.  I thought this would be a good place to start.  Next, I found some pink, white, and green digital dinosaur  paper to add to the plan.  My next task was to search out some Splitcoaststamper challenges to fit this card into my "challenge catch-up" goal.  With all these thoughts in mind, I came with up my card design, which started with the Standing Pop-Up card fold technique. 

 

The face of Amara's card got so heavy, the card wouldn't stand up, so I invented a little paper fold "hinge" to insert into the hollow box-like rectangular front platform that allows the card to fold down flat to insert it into an envelope for mailing and also to pop-up and open to allow the card to stand on a flat surface.(1)  My "hinge" isn't a terribly difficult addition if you can do it before you form the box and while the cardbase is still flat, but it becomes much more tedious  to insert the "hinge" with the attachment flat covered in glue after the box is formed! 

With all that was said above, take a look below at Amara's finished baby dinosaur Standing Pop-Up card when finished.  I think she will love it, as well as Mommy and her grandmother!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Papers--Garden Green, Basic White cardstocks, Subtles & Brights Patterned DSP Stacks (Garden Green + Wild Washi--pattern years unknown);  Stamps/Dies--Dino Days(4), Little Letters Framelit dies; Cloudy Day EF--retired(5); Ink--Smoky Slate, Garden Green; Other: White Metallic Shimmer cs (Amazon), Digital paper(2): Cute Baby Dinosaur Dinosaurs s & Confetti Rain-Pink(2) (source unknown--computer stash); Dies--Spellbinders Grand Labels Eleven (retired); Lawn Fawn Grassy Hillsides; Copic Markers; Fussy-cutting; Verse--Chatterbox design(6); Card Size--4-3/4" x 6".

Construction Notes:  1)See "hinge" note for Standing Pop-up fold in dialogue above.  2)Digital papers printed on Amazon White Metallic Shimmer cardstock .  3) Confetti Rain-Pink die-cut letters Copic colored to change to a Rose color.  4)Palm trees from Dino Days stamp/dies; leaves die-cut from SU DSP Patterned Stacks listed & then overstamped with palm stamp.  5)Embossed Clouds: inked raised or positive side of folder to give clouds a gray outline for a typical northwest cloudy day.  Added additional very light brushed ink blending to add more grey to background and edges as well.  6 )Inside "verse" with computer = Chatterbox design (that's me);

Under the Weather?

My youngest son has been quite sick for going on his second week.  I thought I'd make a fun card to get a little smile and give some encouragement to get well.  I've been wanting to finish off some OLD Alphabet Challenge Rounds using the letter Z for Zany, so I purposeful sought out a zany, quirky digital image to color with my Copics.  I think I found the perfect image to make a fun card and to fulfill zany all rolled into one!  Take a look below at the finished card inside and out!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up:  Cardstock--Real Red. DSP--2012-2014 In-Color Stack (Midnight Muse Stripe, Summer Starfruit Dots). Dies: Reverse Confetti Lacy Scallop Frame; Lawn Fawn--Grassy Hillside.  Digital image: source unknown.  Copic Markers.  Journal Black Pen.  White Gel pen. 

Birthday Jazz for Youngest Son!

SMILES ABOUND!  

THIS CARD IS NAMED A

SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS FAVORITE OF THE

WEEK ENDING - SEPTEMBER 16, 2017!!

When making birthday cards for people I know well, I try to choose a theme for the card that relates to that person in some way.  For my youngest son, and the youngest of my four children, I thought I would make a card focusing on his talent as a musician.

During his youth, in elementary school and as a teenager, he was very much into music.  He first learned how to play the clarinet and was promoted the next year to a saxophone.  He was really very good and became a member of the jazz band and concert orchestra starting in his junior high years.  With the jazz band, his focus was on his alto sax, but for concert orchestra, you could see him on his sax, playing the oboe, or any of a variety of other reed instruments in which the orchestra might be short of instruments for a particular piece of music.  Mark was a quick study and able to pick up many other reed instruments very rapidly.

I wanted to enter Mark's card into several challenges at Splitcoaststampers, so I did a little research before beginning.  The result was a Nu-Jazz style focus, using black, white, cream, tans, and reds.  "The Story" follows below if you are interested in more tidbits about the whys and wherefores of this birthday card.  Meanwhile, take a peek just below at the musical, jazz card that I ended up making for Mark's birthday...I think he will really like it!

Ingredients:  Papers: Stampin' Up--Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler cardstocks; Recollections--Antique Parchment stack.  Patterned paper: Graphic 45--Fashionista Collection/ Debutante (stripe); A Proper Gentleman (paisley).  Googled digital images.  Ink: Colorbox Chestnut Roam (age distressing).  Dies: Reverse Confetti--Edge Essential (black square edges); My Favorite Things--First Place Ribbon (fishtail).  Darice Foam Sheets.  Pink Posh: sequins.  Stash: black/ gold metallic baker's twine.  Knit fabric covered button.  Computer-made sentiment (Font: Budmo Jiggler/ 32).  Stampin'Up Marker: Cherry Cobbler (sentiment circles colored...very difficult to see).  Size:  5" x 6-1/4".

"The Story"

Because I wanted this to be a birthday card for son, Mark, about his musical talent, but I also wanted to enter it into SCS challenges, I did a little research on the challenges available before beginning my card.  For the Alphabet Challenge - Round 7, I needed a card using some element that starts with the Letter N, with the double challenge that it be "not feminine."  Well, that one was easy...a card for Mark would not be feminine and because his jazz band played a great variety of types of jazz, including the Nu-Jazz style, my card would focus on that style of jazz.

The second challenge I wanted to enter is the Inspiration Challenge, using inspiration from the website Design Seeds and their color palettes.  From their coffee hues, I decided to make my card, black, white, creams, tans, and reds.

The third challenge that would work well is the Mix-Ability Challenge, which requires the card to focus on Black, White, and "Read" All Over...a challenge all about colors as well.

The fourth and final challenge is the Featured Stamper, who is Rachel (stampinrachel).  The goal is to visit the Featured Stamper's gallery and find a card for inspiration in making your own card.  I chose a card from Rachel's gallery that used the inchie-style for the layout.  It was the inspiration to use that style in my card as well...check out Rachel's card with this link: Winter Thank You by stampinrachel.

A Special Card for Mom's Birthday!

As is true every year. . .I always want to make an extra special card just for Mom for her birthday.  It needs to be something pretty and feminine that she will love.  My gosh, it is difficult to believe, but Mom will be 91 this year!  I just returned from a long and wonderful visit during May and the first half of June, and I am happy to say that she is just as spry as she has always been.  She always was able to walk my legs off on any mall shopping trip.  

For her card, my creative juice have been fermenting for quite some time while I was busy making other cards.  I had definitely decided that somehow I was going to use flowers on her card by using my new Stampin' Up Botanical Builder framelits that I had purchased in the early spring and somehow had never gotten around to using them!  Shame on me!  Take a look at my finished card that I finally decided upon, as well as the finished inside to coordinate with my outside creative design.

Ingredients:  Bazzill Platinum Frost Vellum.  DCWV: Watercolors Stack.  Darice Glitter Silk: Opulent Opal (glitter paper).  SU products:  Pretty in Pink cardstock, Gold Foil, Pretty in Pink Ink, Botanical Builder framelits.  Digital image by 2 Cute Ink: Pretty Ostrich.  Copic Marker coloring.  MFT dies: Zigzag Stitched Ovals.  Spellbinder dies: Big Scallop Ovals SM (largest).  EK punch: Arrows.  Wink of Stella: Gold.  Technique: Cloud Sponging.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

The Story + Tidbits

Not only did I know I wanted to add flowers made with my Botanical Gardens thinlits, I also wanted to use a flamingo, which seems to be all the rage right now.  I found this darling flamingo paper in a DCWV stack called Watercolors.  It was shade in the ombre style in a light pink-violet shading into almost white at the bottom.  It was really just was I was looking for except I was looking for more of a real pink shade without the violet tinge.  My solution was to choose the perfect pink for my cardbase, which turned out to be Pretty in Pink (a retired Stampin' Up color).  I then sponged the flamingo paper with the Pretty in Pink stamp pad ink until I got the depth of color I desired.

In my mind's eye I had light pink vellum mixed with Pretty in Pink shaded petals and gold foil for the leaves and flower centers to match the gold foil flamingos.  I had some really pretty frosted platinum white vellum that looked pearlescent.  I sponged the back and the front of the flower petals with the Pretty in Pink stamp ink, which doesn't really show up in the picture.  Next, I chose Pirouette Pink cardstock for the base of the flowers and shaded them with the Pretty in Pink ink as well so it had different shadings of light and darker rather than a flat color by just using the color of the cardstock.  It made for a prettier more realistic flower, though I don't think the picture does it justice.

I colored my 2 Cute Ink digi image with Copic Markers to match my cardstock and patterned paper colors, choosing a darker shade for the head flower and body flowers on the little flamingo.  I also used Wink of Stella: Gold on the digi images flower centers.  Except for the larger head flower, I'm not sure this gold glittery effects shows up elsewhere.  Next came the background behind my flamingo digi.  I didn't think just a brushed light blue with my Copic markers would really look that good and I thought it needed clouds.  So, I used the cardstock template idea made with a scalloped die to get the look you see on the card picture.  I had seen several YouTube videos showing this technique, but never tried it myself.  I think it turned out okay, but feel I still need a bit more practice to feel totally comfortable.

I Come With Birthday Tidings!

One of my very favorite people is having a birthday this month, and I was still in the mood for more coloring.  In searching through my stash, I ran across this little Precious Moments - Bringing Gifts digital image, which I've had for over five years.  I had wanted to color it up and make a vintage birthday card, so almost give years ago, I sized it, printed it, and put it in my stash to take to a three-day cropping event with my Mom and sister.  Lo and behold, Mom saw it and whined until I had to let her steal it to make a little birthday card for one of her great granddaughters.  Well. . .how dare she. . .this meant I could never use it on a card for any of my nieces or grand-nieces on that side of the family, because it had been seen by all!

Well, guess what, with Bringing Gifts once again in my hands, I decided I could use it for my dear friend and cardmaking buddy's birthday.  I was stoked!  I already had a piece of vintage tiny rose  patterned paper that I was itching to use.  Of course, with the layering I like to do, I needed several other companion patterns that would go with it, and some coordinating cardstock.  That done, I started coloring.  Red is a challenge to work with, but I finally managed to get my image to a point where I was satisfied with it.  Meanwhile as I colored, I came up with the layout ideas, and the card was done in no time.  I'm pretty happy, and I would like to share it with you below:

My final challenge to completely finish every card is to create an inside design and verse that compliments my recipient's personality and the occasion for giving the card.  Here is a look-see at my finished inside:

Recipe:  Papers:  SU cardstock--Old Olive, Real Red, Very Vanilla; Cosmos Cricket/ Odds & Ends-Remnant; Pebbles Basics/ Gingham Check; DCWV Dots, Stripes, & Plaids stack.  Digital image:  Precious Moments/ Bringing Gifts.  Spellbinders die:  Big Scallop Oval SM.  MFT die: Stitched Oval STAX.  SU punches:  1" Circle, 1-1/4" Scallop Circle, Curvy Corners, Open Scallop Trim Border (retired).  SU ribbon: 3/8" Old Olive Stitched Grograin (retired); Stash ribbon: 5/8" cream metallic organza sheer.  Buttons: SU/ stash.  Pearl.  Computer sentiment/ verse: Font-Baroque Antique Script/ 12.  Copic Markers:  Face--E0000, R0000, E00, R000, R00.  Cheeks--R20, White Gel pen.  Golden Chestnut Brown Hair--Y21, 623, YR23, E35, E99, E18.  Hair Ribbon/ Package Ribbon/ Pantaloons--YG01, YG03, Y21, YG25.  Present--B0000, BG11, BG13, BG07.  Dress Collar/ Lace/ Lower Sleeve--RV01, RV21, RV11.  Dress Skirt, Pinafore Ruffle/ Upper Sleeve/ Bodice--R20, R21, R22, R24, R29, R46.  Shoes--C0, C1, C3, C5.  BackgroundBase--C0 feather lightly horizontally. Blend horizontal BG0000.  Sky--E40 feather horizontally, lightly (image cardstock white...needed to be vanilla).  Size: 5-1/4" square.

Puddles & Puddles of Birthday Wishes!

My youngest daughter has an April birthday, and she loves umbrellas and goulashes.  Several months ago, I bought a cute little ladybug digital image with the cutest polka dot umbrella and goulashes through my 2 Cute Ink Stamp Club's 75% off coupon.  When I saw it, I just had to have it, because take a look at the picture below and you will fully understand!  It is one of my daughter's engagement pictures, and true to her style, she brought an umbrella and her roses for props! 

I was really anxious and excited to get started on her card, but several holidays and earlier birthdays intervened and kept me from jumping right in after downloading the image!  I knew I had to wait. . .I just had to be patient!   Bummer, I just had too many others cards to finish first!  Meanwhile, my creative juices were flowing on the back burner while waiting, and my layout plan has been all set way back when.

Finally, the day arrived allowing me to get started. . .I just couldn't wait any longer!  My first task was to find the perfect red, black, and white patterned papers and red cardstock to use according to my "back burner" layout plan, and then I could begin my coloring.  Once the papers were chosen, I was able to begin selecting the perfect Copic marker shades of red needed to match my paper reds and begin coloring my little bug.  She colored up really nicely, and the rest of my card just fell together very quickly.  I'm pretty please with the outcome, so take a look at my little Puddle Bug card below:

I finished off this little bug card with a bit of inside decorating and a verse to coordinate with the front design.

Recipe:  Paper:  Stampin' Up/ Real Red cardstock; Bazzill/ Basics Patterned Stack (black); Echo Park/ Love Story (red banner).  X-Press It Blending Card/ White (for Copics).  Royal Lace 5" Doily.  Dies: PrettyPinkPosh/ Stitched Borders 4; My Favorite Things/ Stitched Square STAX.  Pretty Pink Posh: Metallic Silver sequins.  Stampin' Up Silver Cording Trim.  Ribbon: stash (Copic colored).  Copic Markers:  Background: C0, BG0000.  Puddles/Raindrops: BG01.  Umbrella/ Ladybug Shell/ Goulashes:  R22, R24, R27, R29, R46.  Ladybug Face/ Body:  C0, C01, C02, C03.  Polka Dots: C0, C01, C02, C03, C04, C05.   Goulashes soles: C04, C08.  Sentiment: Computer Font/ Penshurst 16 Bold.  Fishtail Flags/ Banner: handcut.  Banner stitch: PPP Stitched Borders 4 (straight).  Size: 5-1/4" X 5-7/8".

Easter Kangaroos in Australia???

As I've mentioned before, I joined the 2 Cute Ink Digital Stamps Club, which has a monthly fee of $5.00, though you can sign up and pay for more than one month if you choose.  For this fee, you receive five free 2 Cute Ink images, plus one exclusive to the club, for a total of six each month.  In addition, you receive a coupon to use in the 2 Cute Ink Etsy Shop.  The coupon varies monthly, but has been 75% off purchases from the shop of already published images.  There are also several challenges available through 2 Cut Ink, one of which is open to club members using the exclusive monthly stamp.

I've not made it a habit of entering challenges very often simply because I never seem to have enough time to make cards that fit a challenge requirement and my personal cardmaking obligations.  But, for some reason with these 2 Cute Ink digital images for Easter, I have entered two other cards into challenges so far!  Now that has to be an all-time record for me, and guess what, I'm about to submit my Easter Kangaroo card that I just finished to the club's exclusive challenge.  It seems I'm on a roll wanting to color, color, and more color my 2 Cute Ink Easter images.  I'll even be able to put this one away in my card stash to give out next Easter!

I found getting my coloring and shading for my kangaroo to where I would be satisfied was a difficult thing.  I finally called it good before I totally messed him up and had to start all over!  Ever been there. . .done that???  Though the picture does not show it well, I made a lightly colored blue mottled sky, which was really easy, as it turned out, and I added a bit of Wink of Stella--Clear on my eggs and chicks and also in my grass just under my kangaroo.  In real life, it looks pretty cool!  Love that Wink!!!

Recipe--  Papers: Stampin'Up Gumball Green cardstock; DCWV Dots & Stripes Stack; Recollections Mom's Diner/ Cone; AdornIt Vintage Groove Collection/ Vintage Polka Dot Green-side 2 (frame).  2 Cute Ink digital image: Easter Kanagroo.  Dies: Spellbinders--Big Scallop Ovals LG; My Favorite Things--Stitched Oval STAX.  Ribbon: Celebrate It 360--7/8" Metallic Gold Sheer; Waverly--5/8" Satin Metallic.  Lion Brand Bonbons Yarn: Celebrate (Copic colored).  Crafter's Square Sequins.  Wink of Stella/ Clear.  Colorbox: Chestnut Roan (distressing).  Copics:  Kangaroo Tummy: E50, E51, E53.  Kangaroo Body: E21, E53, E55, E23, E25.  Ears/ Nose: R02, RV11.  Chicks--Y00, Y08.  Eggshells--BG000, BG13, BG57; YG11, YG09; R00, YR04.  Sky: B0000. Grass: YG03, YG17.  Ground: YG03, YG11, G0000.  Size: 5-1/2" square.

Hippity Hop to Easter with 2 Cute Ink!

I have just finished my final needed Easter card, and this one was made with another 2 Cute Ink digital stamp named Hippity Hop.  I think I will enter this final card into the 2 Cute Ink Challenge #133, which makes my second and final entry.  You can take a peek at my card, as well as all the other cards that have been entered into this challenge at the following link:   http://2cuteinkchallenges.blogspot.com/2016/03/challenge-133-easter-theme-new-digital.html.  Reading on below will given you more particulars about the making of this card, as well as a picture of my finished card inside and out.

This Easter card will need to lean a bit toward the masculine theme as it will be for my husband.  Since I wanted to continue to try my hand at more coloring and also use more of my 2 Cute Ink digital images, I chose 2 Cute's Hippity Hop image for this card.  I'm sure this digital bunny is a masculine bunny, because he is wearing pants and flexing his muscles while carrying such a big heavy egg!   

I had a picture lurking in my mind for my layout, so to start, I needed patterned papers that would be really colorful, with one blue as one color in them, and they needed to coordinate well together.  Blue was necessary for Hippity Hop's planned blue jeans and a number of other colors for my egg, flowers, and grass.  The striped pattern was perfect, and the word paper coordinated with it quite well.  I'm was excited and ready to begin coloring my bunny!

When Hippity Hop was finished, I moved on to choose by cardbase and mat layer cardstocks.  I settled on a grass green as the cardbase and a warm yellow for my contrast mat layers, but I changed my mind mid-stream.  My final decision was a yellow cardbase, because I liked the green as the mat layer for Hippity Hop and as the layer under the word patterned paper.  Somehow, the yellow didn't look quite right under either, but the green looked great, and the yellow was good under the striped pattern.  Once that was decided, the card went together very easily and quickly.  Take a look below at my finished Hippity Hop card.  Isn't that little bunny just too cute!

Following my longstanding tradition, I completed my card by finishing off the inside with a design and verse to coordinate with the outside creativity.

Recipe:  Papers:  Cardstocks--Paper Company pack/ In Full Bloom (green); Stampin' Up Daffodil Yellow; Patterns--DCWV/ Easter Words, Reminisce/ Happy Easter Stripe.  Digital image: 2 Cute Ink/ Hippity Hop.  Stamps: Stampin' Up--Indescribable Gift (sentiment), Suite Sayings (verse).  Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black.  Dies: MemoryBox--Cross Stitched Frame Borders.  Punch:  EK CardCreator-Basketweave Corner (inside).  Wink of Stella/ Clear.  Recollections: Pearls.  Colorbox: Chestnut Roan/ distressing.  Copic Markers:  Pants--B41, B32, B34. Shoes--T0, T1, T3, T5. Egg--R22, R24, R27, R29; Y11, Y13, Y15, Y35. Flowers/Grass--YR00, YR12, YR18; V000, V01, V05; YG01, YG03, YG17.  Bunny-- C0, 0 (Blender).  Nose--R22.  Size: 5-1/2" x 5-3/4".

An Easter Waterfall!

I know the Waterfall technique was introduced as a tutorial on Splitcoaststampers way back in 2007, so it is definitely not a new technique, but one of my cardmaking buddies just introduced it to me last week. . .so it is brand new to me.  I just love it. . . such a clever idea.  After making a introductory card last week with her tutelage, I loved it even more.  Though it looks very involved, it turned out to be relatively easy to assemble, and I thank my friend Charlene for sharing her expertise.

This week, I challenged myself fly solo and create and cut my own waterfall card all by myself with no help.  Easter is looming; therefore, I decided my theme for my solo waterfall flight should be just that, an Easter card.  I went in search of the perfect images and papers to make my design.  I also decided to enter my end result in the 2 Cute for Ink Digital Stamps Challenge #133 - Easter Theme.  You might want to zip on over to their site and see all the cards submitted at: http://2cuteinkchallenges.blogspot.com/2016/03/challenge-133-easter-theme-new-digital.html.

Now, on with the search for items needed for my card.  In my Easter digital image stash, I found a simple Easter basket that I thought would be perfect with the Three Bunnies digital images by Beccy Muir.  Way back in 2011, she offered these fat little egg-bunnies as a free offering on her blog, and I knew they would be perfect for my Waterfall squares.  From my Easter paper stash, I decided on Doodlebug's Hello Spring--Easter Bunnies patterned paper, using the baby carrots as my focal paper and teaming it up with Stampin' Up's Cucumber Crush cardstock and an orange and cream small gingham check as a companion piece. 

 
I have an idea to make a bordered edge on my waterfall slide, but decided to wait until I felt I had mastered this technique first.  I am pretty happy with my second Waterfall attempt all on my own.  I even enlarged my card, waterfall squares, and the slide just a bit from my original "training" card.  I think my solo waterfall flight was successful and I'm pretty happy with my first Easter card.  Take a peek below!

The following pictures shows the card as the ribbon tab at the bottom is pulled to expose the hidden pictures one at a time creating the waterfall effect.  I love the impact you get and it isn't even difficult to do!!

I finished off my card by completing the inside with a simple Easter sentiment and decorative corner punching dressed up with bitty orange rhinestone flowers.

Recipe:  Papers:  Stampin' Up--Cucumber Crush cardstock; Doodlebug--Hello Spring/ Easter Bunnies; Orange/Cream gingham check (from stash).  Beccy Muir digital images: Three Bunnies; Easter Basket (from stash).  SU punch: Pinking Hearts (retired) (aka EK punch: Arrow Edger).  Recollections: 1/4" brads.  Copic Markers.  3/8" ribbon (from stash). Wink of Stella-Clear.  Size:  51/4" x 5-3/4".

The Force is With Him on His Birthday!

Happy Days!  This card was chosen as a

SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS FAVORITE OF

 WEEK ENDING - MARCH 13, 2016

My oldest (son) has a March birthday, so it was time to put on my thinking cap to come up with the perfect card for this year's celebration.  As you know if you've read my blog a bit, I like to make cards that suit each person's personality, hobbies, favorite things to do, etc.  Over the last seven years, I have made him a Space Invaders card, a computer geek card, a movie mania  card, a Game On t-shirt card, a game controller card, and last year depicting one of his favorite foods. . . a pizza card.  What to do this year????

While browsing in Pinterest and on different blogs, I found a challenge blog where one of the cards had a Star Wars theme, using a Star War's character digital image from the challenge sponsor: Sassy Studio Designs.  Stars Wars...OMGosh, one of David's all-time favorite movies!  Like a magnet I was drawn to go to the Sassy Studio Design website, and lo and behold, their new monthly issue of digital images was based all around the Star Wars characters, from R2D2, to Chewy, to Yoda, to Princess Leia, and more. . .just waiting for me to bring them home . . .and home, I did bring!

My choice for my son's card was Yoda, so the search was on to learn Yoda's authentic color shades, which seemed to vary quite alot from gray green to green with tans, etc.  Even with these variations, finding Copic markers along the right hues was a bit of a challenge, because though I have over 300 marker colors, none were exactly along the right greenish to tan color lines that are depicted as Yoda's colors.  I had to select a variety of different shades and combine them to try to come out with the right greenish-tan for his face and hands.  For his robe, I decided it would be a bit more colorful than his regular robe for two reasons:  primarily, I didn't want my card to be totally drab, and I decided he would be dressed up in his best robe for a special occasion. . .David's birthday!  (Whatever works. . .right!)

After I got him all colored, then I went in search of the right cardstock colors and patterns to use for my card.  When I saw the black with gold star patterned paper, I knew I was on the right track.  I wanted some glittery stars, but decided to keep them subdue by using the Stampin' Up retired Brushed Gold for the stars, my planet, and the middle layer between the card front pattern and the cardbase.  Take a look at the crinkled planet surface.  I was able to achieve these crinkles by running my die-cut planet through on my Big Shot on the old crackled sandwich plate and adding a cardboard shim to make a really tight fit with lots of pressure as I rolled it through.  I put it through twice for good measure, and I thought it turned out pretty cool.

After putting my card pieces all together, and adding a touch of Wink of Stella-Clear to my planet, stars, and light-saber to give them a little more sparkle, I decided my card turned out better than I thought it might, and I know David will be thrilled with his Yoda card.  Take a peek below!

My finishing task was to design a creative interior with a birthday verse that coordinates with my card theme.  Take a peek at the finished interior design.

Recipe:  Papers:  Stampin' Up cardstock--Basic Black, Delightful Dijon, Pear Pizzazz (sponged), Very Vanilla (sponged), Brushed Gold (retired); DCWV pattern: Gold Stag Star.  Sassy Studio Designs digital image: Yoda Honey.  Dies:  Spellbinders--Small & Large Classic Circles; MFT--Sun, Moon & Stars, Stitched Snow Drifts; IO--Instant Photo Frame.  Punches:  Stampin' Up--Washi Tape, 1/2" Circle, Itty Bitty Accents/ Star, Itty Bitty Circle, 1/8" Circle.  Wink of Stella-Clear.  ColorBox: Chestnut Roan Ink (distressing/ sponging).  Copic Markers: Face--YG11, E81, Y11, E84; Eyes--YG11; Neck Cravet--E21, E95, E97; Robe Stripes--G99; Robe--E30, E53, E35; Saber--YG11, Y17, T7.  Size: 5-1/2" x 5-3/4".  (SplitcoastStampers Thread: March 13, 2016/ #11).

Happy Belated Birthday Cousin!

My cousin, Junie, had a birthday, and I missed it by a mile!  I had her card all finished, including having the birthday verse composed and printed.  It was all ready to complete the inside design features and then add the my verse, but I dropped the ball.  I set it down, and it got buried on my craft table.   When it resurfaced, I was already three days past her birthday.  .  . my bad!

I originally made Junie's card at my Girls' Get-Away weekend in early May.  It was one of our shoebox swaps, and for this card we simply had a bare bones sample, almost like a card sketch.  The card creator forgot some of the extra paper pieces needed for her card, plus punches, in rushing to get away for our week-end.  She decided she would present her original card design sample and then allow us to develop our own card from there by starting with a variety of printed papers she brought for us to use.  

I chose the Wisteria Wonder stripped paper, which created my top angled paper and then shows through the peek-a-boo area under the negative cutout of the word "happy."  I die-cut out a new "happy" from white cardstock in order to fill in the missing pieces in the pre-cut "happy" on the white paper she brought.  I added an eyelet border across my angle from a piece of Wisteria Wonder cardstock that I had with me and then added several double layered butterflies with pearls for their bodies.  I colored the pearls with my Copic Markers in a lavender shade, and added Iridescent Stickles (glitter glue) to the butterfly wings and a bit on the white cardstock around the "happy" word.  I thank Dara Peterson for her unique Shoebox Swap.  It turned out to be a fun experience, as she forced us to think outside the box and create with an idea and only a few scraps of paper!  The ladies around my table came up with some totally unique ideas for their cards and each was quite different.

I was very pleased with the way I dressed up my "happy" card, and I decided this was a great choice for my cousin's birthday card.  I think she will like it, but might have liked it even better had it been delivered on or before her birthday instead of after. :-) :-)

Here is a peek at the finished inside design with my verse added by incorporating the digital BIG BIRTHDAY WISHES image that I so love, along with my own little rhyming poem.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up papers:  Cardstock - Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder; 2011-2013 In-Color Background Stack (Wisteria Wonder stripe).  Punches:  Stampin' Up Eyelet border (retired); Elegant Butterfly; Bitty Butterfly.  EK Triple Layer Butterfly.  Stampin' Up: Pearls (colored with Copic Markers).  Stampin' Up: Beautiful Wings Embosslit.  Stampin' Up: Hello You Thinlits (hello).  Stickles Iridescent glitter glue. Computer verse with Digital image.  Size: 5-1/2" x 4-1/4".  

My Son-in -Law's Special Birthday Card!

My son-in-law, as I've mentioned in a few posts in past years, has a great love of fishing, but it seems there has not been time in his life lately to do much about that; therefore, I thought a fishing card with the BIG CATCH depicted would be appropriate this year!  And, need I tell you, there is a bit of humor attached by using Karen's Doodles digital image: Who Caught Who?

I decided to use the diagonal quarter-panel paper layout that I have used in the past and always enjoyed the end results.  Please note that I do not know the official name for this type of layout, and maybe there isn't any, but I think my name suits it just right.  I wanted my background behind my popped up digital colored image to be a nature scene that one would see while out fishing.  I wanted the top panel for the sky, the side panels for a patterned paper of trees, and the bottom panel for a dock.  I have to tell you, I just love my finished dock with its roped pilings on each side.  I have seen this embellishment technique on Pinterest, and one of my cardmaking buddies used it as well several months ago on a get well card for my husband after his knee surgery.  My dock is a diagonal view, so I decided there would be pilings on both sides of the dock for balance.  

Once I decided on my papers to use, I was able to begin the coloring of my chosen digital image with Copic Markers. . .the poor guy was so successful in landing the BIG CATCH, but unfortunately, his aim in reeling him in was to land him on his head rather than in the boat!  Though you can't see it in the photo, I used Wink of Stella: Clear on the fish to add a sheen to his scales.  (This is a brush-tip glitter pen.)  I know my son-in-law will get a kick out of the man with the fish head and will be intrigued by my clever little dock.

At the stage in the birth of one of my card, I turn to the inside to create a design that compliments the outside and to make a verse that goes with the theme of the card.  I have now finished this step and will share it.  I have to say I'm in love with my little acrostic verse, using the word FISHING. . .it's all about fishing bait.  I feel sure that my son-in-law will love his birthday card.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up cardstock: Old Olive (card base); Night of Navy.  Bazzill Basics: Avalanche (sandable).  Reminisce: Dog Park/ Scentral Park.  Recollections Signature Especial Textured Cardstock: Tan (like SU/ Crumb Cake).  SU Embossing Folder: Clouds.  Karen's Doodles: Who Caught Who?  Wink of Stella: Clear (on fish).  SU Stamp: Hardwood; Guy Greetings (sentiment).  SU Ink: Chocolate Chip; Soft Sky (sponging image area).  Spellbinders dies: Labels Three #6/ #7.  Maya Arts Hemp Twine.  Distressed edges.  MFT dies: Photo Corners (inside).  Size = 5-1/2" x 5-7/8".

Belated Big Birthday Wishes for My Little Niece!

Still playing catch-up with my cardmaking, and with this heat we are experiencing in the Northwest, it feels like I'll never get there!  We don't have air conditioning in the northwest corner of our United States because it's not supposed to be in the 90's for weeks on end, and with it not cooling off much at night, it's difficult to get the house cooled down overnight for the next round!

Enough grousing and procrastinating!  I finally got my little niece's birthday card finished. . .her birthday was June 17th!!  ABOUT TIME, I say!!!  Now, don't get me wrong, I have been thinking about it since I got home in mid-June from my little venture to Seaside, Oregon to help my daughter with beach house bedroom redecorating/painting work, but we came home into high 80's heat, and it continues on, so putting thoughts into actions has been difficult.  

I had decided on a little ballerina card for niece Audrey, and of course, knowing me, I had to research just what digital images I had or could find online before making a final decision.  I found lots to choose from, but when I found a free Precious Moments ballerina color book image, I just had to use it.  Then, I couldn't start to color her until I came up with my card ideas because I had to size the image to fit the size of the card I would decide to make.  That done, digital image sized and printed, but my little ballerina still couldn't be colored until I searched for and found just the right patterned papers to combine with her.  

Finally, I had the papers and even decided to make my own piece for one of the layers by using one of my My Favorite Things big background stamps in a diagonal check.  I found Memento's Sweet Plum was the perfect shade to stamp it with.  I tried Stampin' Up Perfect Plum, but it was too dark, but I did decide it was perfect for my card base.  I finished coloring my ballerina and was really excited to begin to decide on the exact layout and put the paper layers together.  I'm pretty pleased with my final outcome. . .such a sweet little card and SO MUCH FUN to make.

I chose papers for the inside design from those used on the outside, and then made up a little verse for the inside, using my favorite BIG BIRTHDAY WISHES digital image grouping it into my words for my verse.  I then colored my wishes words with my Copics to match the little ballerina on front.  I was quite pleased with the outcome, and I'm sure Audrey will enjoy her little card from Auntie Carlene. . . better late than never!

Recipe:  Papers - Stampin' Up Perfect Plum (card base/ layers); Basic Grey: Koshi/ Lily Child (front & back); Authentique: Renew/ Rejuvenate (back).  Precious Moments Ballerina color book digital image.  AGW Stamps: Big Birthday Wishes.  Copic Markers.  MFT stamp: BG Fine Check Background (diagnonal check).  Ink: Memento: Sweet Plum.  Dies: Spellbinders - Big Scalloped Ovals SM; Classic Ovals SM.  Fishtail: handcut.  Stash:  Lilac lace, 1/2" Plaid Taffeta ribbon, Iridescent enamel dots.  Colorbox Chestnut Roan distressing.  Computer sentiment: Baroque Antique Script/ 14.  Inside verse: Andalus/ 13.  Size:  5-1/2" x 5-7/8".

A Lovely Daughter's Birthday!

We celebrated my daughter, Michele's, birthday yesterday so we could all gather as an entire family to mark her special day.  Michele's request for the day was that it be casual and relaxing.  A simple day of lounging on the deck, pizzas to munch, favorite beverages to quench our thirst, family games (both board and lawn games) to play, and banana split extravaganzas, including all the toppings imaginable as a finale.  With these notable facts in mind, I came up with just what I wanted to do for her birthday card.  A card depicting a banana split!

I found just the right digital image I wanted to use, and as I did earlier this month for my friend's card, I grouped all four images together into one, using PaintShop Pro.  I sized all my images to their appropriate sizes and then grouped them.  As before, it took a bit of work with the images as they were all different dpis and sizes and rotations.

My next step was to decide on the papers for the card.  I decided to use a technique called Angled Background, which I have not used in over a year and one-half (last on my husband's birthday card published Feb. 2, 2014).  I found a pretty little flowered paper by Echo Park in reds, pinks, greens and a tiny bit of yellow.  I decided that this would be the piece to build from and found four other papers to blend with it.  I chose two shades of cardstocks by Stampin' Up: Strawberry Slush for the cardbase and Gumball Green for the next layer.  For my third layer under my angled background papers, I used a red glitter paper.

Knowing the paper colors made it easy to then choose the Copic Markers to use on my banana split digital image.  I used a bit of Crystal Effects on the cherries and some puffy white Flower Soft on the whip cream.  I'm pretty happy with the way it all turned out, and I think Michele will be thrilled!

One of my signature cardmaking styles is to always create an inside decoration to coordinate with the outside design and complete a little verse that fits the occasion for the card being given.  Michele's card is, of course, no exception; therefore, my final step was to do just that.  It is finally completely done and ready for your inspection. . .see below:

Recipe:  Cardstocks: Stampin' Up - Strawberry Slush, Gumball Green (both retired), Red Glimmer.  Pattern papers: Echo Park - This & That/ Wooden Nickel Red Floral, Hello Spring Floral (back) ; My Minds Eye - Find Your Wings/ Up & Away (back), Nostalgia/ Scallop Paper.  Digital images (online freebies).  Spellbinders dies: Ovals, Lacey Ovals, Circles, Scallop Circles.  EK punch: Scallop Photo Corner.  Copics Markers.  Stampin' Up Pearls: copic colored.  Stash: Ribbon, Lace.  Homemade "flower soft" w/ styrofoam shavings. Computer-made sentiment and inside verse.  Font: Gisele Script/ Bold.  Technique: Angled Background strips.  Size: 5-1/2" x 6".

Many Belated Birthday Wishes!

A good friend and cardmaking mentor had a birthday yesterday, and I have been away on a re-decorating project with my daughter at her Oregon beach house rental.  It was a sudden decision on her part to make the trip, and she needed my help and my company as she did not want to make the trip alone.   This put me behind in my cardmaking projects for June, and I just finished my friend's card after returning home from my trip.

I had actually been thinking about Liz's card for some time.  I wanted to do something with dogs as she has two Labradors that are dearly loved from the bottom of her big heart, a male yellow Lab and a female chocolate Lab.  I was on the lookout for an outline digi image that I could use to represent her dogs.  I found a dog image that I decided was close enough to use.  I made a mirror image by flipping the image in PaintShop Pro so that I had a right-facing dog and a left-facing dog.  I wanted to put a cupcake or a birthday cake in the middle between the two dogs and put birthday hats on them.  My search was rewarded with a black and white birthday cake outline and three styles of birthday hats.  

I went to work re-sizing the images and grouping them together into one image in PaintShop Pro.  I thank my son, David, for his instruction on how to accomplish this as the hat images were sized in pixels per centimeters and the rest in pixels per inch.  He showed me how to make them all in inches and also how to find a "average" dpi for my new grouped background, as they all varied in dpi.  I was so very pleased with the outcome and really appreciate his help.  I have typed a detailed instructions sheet so that maybe next time I can accomplish it all by myself!

I selected my birthday background paper and dog paw paper and chose my Copic Marker colors to color my new image based on the shades in the papers, plus making the smaller female a chocolate lab and the large male a yellow lab as Liz's dog are.  I hope she is pleased with the end results!

  

Next, I wanted to create an inside that coordinated with the outside already finished design, per my usual card projects.  I found a digi "Big Birthday Wishes" in my stash of online free digis and decided to use this with a human vs. dog years in the birthday sentiment for a little humor.  I colored "BIG" with the same Copic Markers in the same color scheme on the card front.  Below is the design I came up with!

Recipe:  SU cardstocks: Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise.  Fancy Pants/ Cake Time dsp.  Basic Grey/ Max & Whiskers Tiger.  Outline Black & White digital images.  Copic Markers.  Lifestayle dies: Ovals, Scalloped Ovals, Rectangles, Scalloped Rectangles.  WRMK Corner Chomper/ Deco.  EK Punch: Large Scallops.  Stash: Tone-Tone ribbon. Computer-made sentiment.  Computer-made verse.

Easter is Coming!

Yes, Easter is less than a month away!  Time to get out the Easter mojo and get my cards done.  Since I didn't get my Valentine's card done and sent due to my mouth surgery, I really must get with it for Easter!  What I also needed was to find that darn Easter bunny, and I think I found him lurking behind that watering can, peeking out among the flowers.

This is the cutest darn digi image...I just had to color this little bunny up with my Copics and start my Easter card with him.  After I decided to use the Stampin' Up Watercolor Wonder dsp from last year's Occasions catalog, the colors for the digi image (from an unknown source) and the card just fell together very quickly.  I spritzed my doily with my homemade spritzers in just the right shades to match the designer paper.  I even had some shaded ribbon in my stash that was a perfect match, is that serendipity, or what??!!

For me, to complete inside design to coordinate with the outside look of my card and to compose or find just the right verse is to actually finish the card in its entirety.  I compose most of my verses myself and print them out using my computer. 

Recipe:  Papers: Darice Kraft cs; Stampin' Up: Calypso Coral cs, Blushing Bride cs, Watercolor Wonder dsp.  Digital image: unknown source.  Copic Markers.  Wilton 4" doily.  Spritzers: SU ink: Calypso Coral, Daffodil Yellow.  Spellbinder die: Eyelet Squares.  SU framelit: Bitty Banners.  SU Finishing Touches Edgelits (petite pinking).  PTI sentiment stamp: Scrambled Eggs.  Prima flowers and roses.  SU: Dazzling Deails Glitter Glue (image flower centers).  Inside:  SU Labels framelit.  (Size: 5-1/2" x 6").

Another Wee Niece Has a January Birthday!

As mentioned earlier in the month, I have two birthday nieces in January, and they are both in the same family!  My second little niece is going to be two this year!  I made her new sister a baby card earlier this month as well, though she was born in September.  (I was a tad late welcoming her to the world.)  This new little sister got a cute little giraffe card, and while searching for just the right giraffe for that card, I came across this pack of zoo animals going to a party.  I thought it would be just right for Paisley's second birthday!

My method for coloring my digital images is to find the paper first that I think will go with my digital image, and then, the coloring seems to fall in place.  So, I settled on this cute glittery polka dot paper in pastels, and chose to bring out the pinks in the paper since the card is for a wee girl.  

I just bought the Stitched Curved Rectangle STAX from My Favorite Things, and knew the largest would work out perfectly for cutting out my little animals.  I was super happy to see that my large corner punch fit the curves on the rectangles perfectly to use on an underlay mat.  I also recently bought some Cottage Cutz word dies that I had been dying to get my hands on, so, I was equally anxious to try out the happy birthday words on Paisley's card.  I hope Paisley finds her card as much fun to look at, as I had fun making it.

And the inside:

Recipe:  Paper - SU: Whisper White cs, Strawberry Slush cs.  Darice: Pastels Patterned cs, DCWV: Dots, Stripes, and Plaids Stack.  MFT die:  Stitched Rounded Rectangle STAX.  Martha Stewart Large Corner Rounder.  Stampin' Up Punch: Scallop Edge Border.  Cottage Cutz Word dies: Happy, Birthday.  Digital image: unknown.  Copic marker coloring.  Queen & Co. Pink Twinkle Goosebumps.  Stash: 7/8" Pink Satin Sheer ribbon.

Welcome to My Newest Great Niece!

My little niece, Adelyn, was born at the very end of September, and I fully planned to get a card made and sent off with a gift right away, because I so love making baby cards!  Somehow, here it is in the middle of January and I'm just finishing her card now!  Yikes. . .what happened???

Some months back (imagine that), I decided I wanted to make a baby card with a little giraffe on it.  First, I was going to use Stampin' Up's Zoo Babies, but then I saw a card on Pinterest with a cute little digital image giraffe that was paper pieced.  I tried to find that giraffe, but the card was made about four years ago, and the company was no longer in business.  Just the other day, I did a Google search for giraffe black and white illustrations, and that search found me many cute giraffes to choose from.  I love, love this little girl giraffe that I chose, and when I found the papers that I ended up using, I knew just what I would do with my coloring for this cute little creature!  I'm pretty please with the end result, and I hope my niece enjoys her baby's little card as well.  I'm going shopping tomorrow for a gift card to tuck inside for something that's just right for Baby Girl Adelyn.

Card inside greetings:

Recipe:  Stampin' Up cardstocks: Whisper White (base), Daffodil Yellow, Pretty-in-Pink (ret.).  K&Co.: Susan Wright Spring Blossom Specialty Pad.  Spellbinders die: Romantic Rectangles. Giraffe Digital image: Thingkid.com Coloring Page.  Copic markers.  Elmer's Craft Bond Spray Adhesive.  Stampin' Up Dazzling Diamonds Glitter.  WRMK Corner Deco Chomper.  Stash: organdy scallop ribbon/ yellow glitter heart button.  Ribbon tonal color change with Copic RV-11.  Handmade Fishtail Flags with computer-sentiment - Tempus Sans ITC 14 Bold.  (Inside: WRMK Corner Deco Chomper.  EK Medium Scallop Corner punch.)   Size: 6" x 5-1/2."

Our April Birthday Girl!

April brings the celebration of our youngest daughter's birthday, who is our third child of the four.  This lovely young lady has brought many wonderful times and loving memories to me and the entire family.  She is my gardener, who loves to plant my spring flowers in my oak barrels on the front porch, and always brings more planters and hanging baskets to make a colorful display.  So, now I will take the time to make her a special birthday card to celebrate her special day.

Jackie has a special friend, who is often glued to the nearest soft spot close her as she watches television, reads, plays video games, paints her toenails, or studies diligently to complete her R.N. program.  That friend is her kitty, Sphinxi, so I thought I would make a card with this little friend in mind.  I already had an idea for the card layout I wanted to use, and when I found a cute little digital image of a kitty peeking over a flower pot, I knew it would be just right.  We often find Sphinxi in the living room bay window peaking around the many houseplants while laying in the filtered sunshine (if and when available in our rainy northwest). 

I chose my paper colors knowing I needed to be able to coordinate these colors into the flowers in the pot.  My mind has also been on Easter cards, and I was working back and forth between Jackie's card and Easter, when I realized one of the vintage Easter digital images I was thinking of using would go perfectly with almost the same design and papers as Jackie's, so I tested the idea on the Easter card first, and it worked beautifully.  You will find that card post to my blog on April 1, entitled "Easter's Coming...Let's Get Started!"  Here is Jackie's card, and I know she will love the little kitty image!

Recipe:  Papers: Darice Kraft cardstock (base); DCWV Everyday Essentials; Jillibean Southern Chicken Dumpling Soup Coordinating stripe; Stampin' Up Coastal Cabana cs, Pretty in Pink cs.  Digital kitty image colored with Copic markers.  Spellbinders Ribbon Banners die.  Stampin' Up Dazzling Delights. Machine stitching.  Computer-made sentiment. Sponge distressed edges w-Stampin' Up Burnt Brown Sugar ink.  Vintage Bingo card and Tape Measure (colored with Copics).

Birthday Groundhog!

My husband is a Groundhog baby!   I've been thinking about making him a birthday card since I started making cards five years ago that depicted a groundhog on his card, but did not have an image to use.  I have a subscription to Elizabeth Dulema's Coloring Pages, which is free.  I get a free image once a month in her newsletter along with information about her children's books as well.  Finally, this year she sent a groundhog image, and he was too cute!  I decided then and there it would definitely have to be the theme of John's card this year!  

I dove in ready to make John's card a few days ago.  I cleaned up Mr. Groundhog a bit in PaintShop Pro and dropped him into Microsoft Word to resize him to fit the oval Spellbinder dies that I decided to use for his frame.  I found some papers I wanted to use, and colored Mr. Groundhog with my Copics to coordinate with these papers.  I decided on the navy glitter paper for his frame, but it was there my mojo came to a standstill.  I mulled it over for several hours, trying this and that, and finally went to bed.  

Sometime, in the middle of the night, I woke up thinking about a video I had seen a few weeks ago of Ashley Newell's "Angled Background" technique that she recently published through Papertrey Ink.  I turned on my light and fiddled with the papers on my craft table to see what I thought.  I was indecisive and too groggy to make much sense of it, and I thought I'd better wait for the morning.  In the light of the day, it seemed like just the right thing, and viola, here he is:

And, following is the finished inside to coordinate with the outside, and the little Groundhog Day poem for John.  I hope he like his card.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up papers:  Night of Navy cs, Gumball Green cs, Print Poetry dsp, Subtles dsp stack, In-Color 2012-14 dsp stack; Jillibean: Macho Macho Soup/ 2 Parts Boy (chevron); Core'dinations Glitter cs: Ball Gown.  Elizabeth Dulemba digi.  Copic Markers.  Spellbinders Ovals SM, Deckled Ovals LG.  EK Scalloped Photo Corner punch.  Stash:  Ribbons, Button, Scrapper's Floss.