Something to Brighten Your Day!

I missed my Mom's birthday...shame on me!  I decided to send a little “I love you” card,  day brighter, belated birthday card, thinking of you card, and thank you card all rolled into one!  I also enclosed a little shopping money, hoping she might visit her favorite boutique and pick up a few pieces of jewelry, (she loves to add to her stash), or even some cardmaking supplies from Stampin' Up.  My Mom is a 96-year old youngster and still going strong.  She has always been able to shop the socks off of me that is for sure.

I made her card from the last pieces I had left from the June 2020 Paper Pumpkin kit.  This was the first kit I purchased, and I loved its bright and cheerful papers and sentiments.   Of course, I can never make the cards as they are suggested in the kit, and this one is no exceptions, though since it was my first kit, I did not make any extravagant additions.

Here is what I did to add more color and pizazz to my card.  I enlarged my card to 4-3/4 x 6-inches by adding a new black card base and Poppy Parade color layer underneath the simulated alcohol-ink background paper provided.  I added some ink-distressing to the paper edges and sequins to add sparkle.  I finished off an inside design and verse to suit the occasion.  I was happy with the additions as it really made my cards POP!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  June 2020 PP Box of Sunshine--AI-style dsp, black & white dot dsp, sentiment stamp/ die-cut shape, and lemon die-cuts.  Cardstock--Basic Black, Poppy Parade, Whisper White, and Gold Foil.  Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; ColorBox Chestnut Roan pigment ink (edge distressing).  SU: Artistry in Bloom Sequins.  EK Corner Punch--Victorian Medium.  Chatterbox Computer verse.  Size:  4-3/4" x 6-1/4". 

Warm Up with Christmas Mittens!

I needed more Christmas cards for my stash.  I decided to check out my Christmas scraps to see if there were any pieces that I could use for another card.  I found the sentiment stamped vanilla strip, the stamped/die-cut mittens, and the scalloped cherry cobbler circle.  I had written Gumball Green on the back of the mitten die-cuts, so I would know what color of ink they were stamped with, which helped me locate an old 2012 Christmas dsp that I thought would look great with my pieces.  This gave me some building blocks for card design ideas.  

Next, I visited my list of old Challenge Catch-ups for inspiration on just what I might need to do to meet some challenges and lots of ideas began to percolate!  Take a look at my finished card...I was happy with the finished design and salvaging and cleaning out some old scraps that either needed to be used or tossed!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Very Vanilla, Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, and Silver Foil.  Patterned dsp--Be of Good Cheer.  Stamp--Make A Mitten... Punch--Mitten Builder, 2-3/8" Scallop. Embossing Folder--Snowburst (scallop-punched border). Rhinestones. 

A Sea Life Birthday to You!

 My daughter-in-law's birthday is in a few days, so I needed to get busy with a card.  My son built her a fish pond in their backyard a few years ago, so I thought a card using the new Stampin' Up Seascape stamps and Sea Life dies, which includes a koi-style fish, would make a great card!  I saw two cards that gave me great ideas for using this stamp and die set.

I borrowed some of the colors and card design from Luci Kirschbaum's Sea Life card from a card class from several months ago, plus from SCS Featured Stamper ksenzak1/ Karen Ksenzakovic's Sparkly Fish Birthday card.  Here is a link to my card with a link in challenge #7 to Karen's card: (under construction).

I used the school of fish stamp, bubbles, and the small fish and sparkly goldfish dies from idea cards.  My card changed up the fish and bubble layout, plus I added a gold foil die-cut mat, and  grassy overlays for more texture and dimension.  I wanted depth and texture in my card without using the diorama dies, so I added a wonky stitching gold foil mat layer and two-layer sea grass to the card front.  I accomplished the grass overlays by stamping the first layer onto the card front with a very light stamp-off technique.   I also stamped my fish schools and water bubbles at this point as well.  Then, I  stamped a second set of sea grass onto scrap cardstock and fussy-cut each blade overlaying with a slight offset onto those already stamped on the card front.  Now I was ready to add the die-cut fish, my goldfish, the bubble gems and the happy birthday sentiment.  Take a peak below at the finished card plus the inside design and verse.  I think Ginger will be pleased with her pond-life card!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Mint Macaron, Just Jade, Bumblebee, Gold Foil, Very Vanilla.  Stamps--Seascape, Peaceful Moments (sentiment).  Dies--Sea Life, Stitched So Sweetly (sentiment).  Ink--Mint Macaron (fish/ bubbles), Tranquil Tide (grasses--stamped off, sentiment).  Genial Gems--mint macaron, pale papaya.  Other:  EK Punch--Victorian Corners.  Reverse Confetti--All Framed Up Confetti Dies.

Non-Traditional Christmas Dove!

More Christmas cards to do!!  This card's original design idea came from my Stampin' Up hostess duo's 2020 Covid Christmas Card Make-It @ Home Kits, by Dar Peterson.  It was time to get the last card finished and posted.  I tweaked the card to fit the ideas circulating in my head: enlarged the card, tweaked the dove placement, added more gems, more silver foil, and changed-up color layers...  explanations below:

I scrapped the white cardbase, changing to the dove's Roccoco Rose and enlarging the card to 4-3/4" x 6", which I prefer.  I enlarged my border layers to 1/4" on the bottom two color layers.  I added a silver foil sentiment backing to coordinate with the silver olive branch in the dove's beak.  I added three vertical rhinestones to the upper left corner, coordinating with those in the sentiment.

As I "tweaked and built" this card, its color scheme grew on me.  At first, I wasn't sure I even like it, though I loved the card design.  Now, several months later, I actually really liked it!  Thanks Dar for the original card design and always encouraging us to change-up, tweak, and "build" our cards to fit our own creativity!  See my finished card below: 

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Roccoco Rose, Gray Granite, Whisper White.  Ink--Gray Granite.  Patterned Paper--In Good Taste dsp.  Stamps/ Dies--Dove of Hope (sentiment)/ Detailed Dove, Wreath Builder, Ornate Frames (sentiment shape).  Basic Rhinestones.  Recycle: Silver Foil (from package backing).