Sympathy Card for Sibling-in-Laws

As I mentioned in several posts in the past few weeks, my son-in-law's father passed on to the Lord after a few years of dealing with a terminal illness.  My son-in-law has three sisters, and I wanted to send each of them a sympathy card to let them know that they and their families are in our thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time.  

I made a card for their mother that I delivered while at the funeral, but I did not have time to make enough cards for each of the siblings before we left for Oregon.  I so liked the card I made for their mother that I decided to make three more cards using the same design but changing the color on each of them.  Take a look below at my finished cards for each of the sisters and their families in pastel shades of purple, pink, and soft greens and blues.  See: http://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2016/08/a-sympathy-card-for-family-in-law.html for the original card post.

Ingredients/ All Cards:  SU Stamps-Simply Sketched (ret./ sentiment).  SU Dies-Butterflies & Bold Butterflies.  SU Glitter-Dazzling Diamonds.  Elmer's Spray Adhesive.  SU Punch-Curvy Corners (ret.).  Spellbinders dies-Roman Trellis Background; Classic Ovals SM; Scalloped Ovals LG.  Recollections-Flower.    Computer-made verse.  Wink of Stella-Clear.  Technique: Frosted Glittering (spray adhesive and glitter).  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

Purple Ingredients:  Paper products: Bazzill cardstock-Purple Palisades.  SU cardstock-Whisper White.  DCWV-Pocket Full of Posies dp.  Memento Ink-Grape Jelly.  Recollections Purple Pearls.  Offray Ribbon-5/8" Stitched Satin; 5/8" Two-tone Sheer.

Pink Ingredients:  Paper products:  SU cardstock-Pink Pirouette, Whisper White.  My Mind's Eye-Everyday Tango Stack 2010.  SU Ink-Pretty in Pink.  SU Pearls (Copic colored).  SU Ribbon-Pink Pirouette Seam Binding.  Stash: 5/8" Metallic Stripe Sheer.

Soft Green/ Blue Ingredients:  Paper products: SU cardstock-Soft Sky, Whisper White.  Melissa Frances-Heart & Home Collection/Amanda.  Recollections Blue Pearls.  SU Ribbon-Pistachio Seam Binding.  Offray Ribbon-3/8" Two-tone Sheer.

A Sympathy Card for a Dear Husband. . .

My daughter's father-in-law just passed away from a long and painful illness.  With his type of illness, as time passes, it is a blessing for him to find peace in heaven with the Lord.  I wanted to make a special sympathy card for my son-in-law's mother so that she would know she is in our thoughts and prayers in hope that she will soon overcome her pain and be able to cherish the memories of her long married life of well over 50 years with her dear husband.  Take a look below at my finished card inside and out.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Shimmer white (cardbase), Daffodil Yellow, Whisper White.  Stamps--Simply Sketched (retired/ sentiment).  Punch--Curvy Corners (retired).  Dies--Butterflies & Bold Butterflies.  Glitter--Dazzling Diamonds.  Pearls (Copic colored).  Others:  Ink--Memento-Tuxedo Black.  Dies--Spellbinders: Roman Trellis Background; Classic Ovals SM; Scalloped Ovals LG.  Elmer's Spray Adhesive.  Recollections: Flower.  Stash--5/8" Trimmed Satin.  Computer-made verse.  Wink of Stella-Clear.  Technique: Frosted Glittering (using spray adhesive and glitter).  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

Tidbits

To make my background die glittered, I used what I call Glitter Frosting.  I have no idea if this is considered a technique, and if so, I have no idea what it is called; thus I named it Glitter Frosting.  

After you have cut out your cardstock with your die and Big Shot machine (or other die-cutting machine), place the die-cut in a protected area and spray it with a spray adhesive, which works better than trying to apply craft glue or liquid glue.  I use Elmer's Craft Spray Adhesive, which I purchased at WalMart.  (I also use a cardboard box lined with scratch paper to catch the excess adhesive over-spray.  I also do my spraying outside as the spray adhesive has a pretty powerful odor.  You also do not have to worry about the adhesive over-spray to much if it gets on your grass or driveway.)

After spraying on the adhesive, I gently pick up the wet die-cut with craft tweezers and move it to a clean piece of printer paper or other scrap paper about printer paper size.  Next, I sprinkle it with Iridescent Glitter (Stampin' Up Dazzling Diamonds) making sure all areas of the wet die-cut are liberally and thoroughly covered with glitter.  Again, I pick up the die-cut with the tweezers and tap it on its edge to shake off excess glitter.  I set it aside for about 30 minutes to be sure the adhesive is dry and the glitter is well set.  

Finally, I take a paint brush and gently brush the entire surface to further remove any more loose glitter.  When finished, you can pour the glitter off the printer paper back into your glitter bottle to be re-used in the future.

Bring on the Easter Eggs!

I must be on a roll.  This is my fifth Easter card using a vintage image.  There are so many cute ones to choose from.  Again, this little hen image was too narrow in height; and therefore, it needed a lot of work in PaintShop Pro to add size above and below the hen image in order to fit it into a rectangular frame.  I added size to the sky and the path at the bottom, making sure to get the shading just right.  I learned a lot, and I am happy with the finished product.

My first step in all my Easter card has been to decide on the image I was going to use and the type of frame or background mat best suited to the size and dimension of the image.  My second step was to choose papers that would enhance the image without taking away from it.  In this case, my image was pretty colorful and bold, so I was able to pick up those vibrant colors from the cart and the Easter eggs to use in the papers.  Again, I used the frosted glitter adhesive technique over the image, but because it was such a colorful image, it really didn't tone down much as this technique often does to softer color shades.  

I've decided that even though it is a female hen, this card is bold enough that it takes on a masculine feel; therefore, I will reserve it for one of the fellows on my Easter list.  This was definitely a delightfully fun card to make.

The last step to complete the card and be able to say it is definitely finished is the inside coordinating design with a little verse.  I usually look at the picture or image and imagine a story based around the image.  Then, I try to choose just the right message to bring home the picture's story.  Indeed, those Easter bunnies need lots of eggs to color.  I see Mrs. Hen as part of the egg coloring production cres.  She is very busy, just as those bunnies are, making sure Easter is a joyful occasion for every little boy and girl! 

Recipe:  Papers:  Stampin' Up-Early Espresso cs (card base), Tangerine Tango cs; My Minds' Eye-Stella Rose: Hattie/ Happy, Gertie/ Friends & Delightful, Forever/ Dots.  Vintage online image.  Elmer's Craft Adhesive Spray.  JoAnn's Iridescent Fine Glitter.  Spellbinders die: Lattice Rectangles; Rectangles SM.  MFT dies: Accent It Labels & Tags.  PTI stamps: Scrambled Eggs-sentiment.  Michael's: Song of Springtime Trims.  Favorite Finding Buttons (mini).  May Arts: Jute Twine.  (Size: 6" x 5-1/8").

Little Easter Girl Bunny Delivers Eggs!

My next Easter card uses a vintage little girl bunny all dressed up and delivering eggs.  This vintage image was not really "built" to make a square image so I had to do a bit of doctoring in PaintShop Pro to add to the background areas of sky, bushes and path.  I was pretty pleased with the way it turned out.  I framed her in a glittered frame made with my Lifestyles Eyelet Squares dies.

I found the perfect paper aqua background paper with pink flowers in the same pink shade as my bunny's dress.  From there, the lace, ribbon and vintage embellishments just fell into place without any hard work.  I love it when that happens!

Once again, creating an inside coordinating design and just the right verse has finished off my card.

Recipe:  Papers:  Stampin' Up-Whisper Whiter cs (card base), Pretty-In-Pink cs; Subtles DSP Stack-Pool Party Chevron; Jillibean-Southern Chicken Dumping Soup: Celery Stocks (back); Making Memories-Garden Party Stripe (back/ check).  Lifestyles die: Eyelet Squares (frame).  Stampin' Up dies:  Finishing Touches Edgelets; Bitty Banner framelits.  Elmer's Craft Adhesive Spray.  JoAnn's Iridescent Fine Glitter.  PTI stamps: Scrambled Eggs (sentiment).  Stampin' Up ink: Cajun Craze.  Recollections: Vintage Resin flowers.  Prima Vintage Wood embellishments.  Stash: Lace; Ribbon.  (Size: 5-1/2" square).

Easter Bunny Takes Tea!

On  a roll, here is card number two for my Easter Stash.  This cute little Easter vintage image several years ago and stashed her on my computer for future use.  Do you ever find you are surfacing the web and find freebie images and put them away for a rainy day?  Along with Pinterest, this is another of my favorite past times.  I, of course, at this stage have more images than I'll ever use, I'm sure!

I thought this little bunny would be very cute with pastel Easter paper to add color to my card as there weren't many colors depicted in the image itself.  What better way than to do a ray card with multiple design paper patterns.  My next step was to address my little teatime bunny.  I sprayed my little image with adhesive spray and then dipped it into iridescent crystal fine glitter to make an almost frosted look to its surface.  I don't think the photograph really shows that detail much, and I apologize.  I then cut a circle frame using my Spellbinders Eyelet Circle die.  I also decided I wanted to use colored tickets for the sentiment, so I stamped up several different colors of cardstock with Easter sentiments, die-cut them with my Tim Holtz Ticket Strip, inked decorative lines around the edges, and added ink distressing.  Voila. . .three tickets just perfect for my card.   I think someone will be please when they receive this little bunny card!

Again, the final touch to complete the card is to decide on the inside creative design and the verse.  When that is finished, I know the card is totally done.

Recipe: Papers:  Stampin' Up - Pretty in Pink cs (card base), Pear Pizzaz cs.  Ray papers:  Imaginesce-For Peep's Sake: Spring Fling & Hot Chicks; WRMK-Cottontails 6x6 pad; Angel Co.-Country Cottage/ yellow; Authentique-Promise/ Four.  Spellbinders die: Eyelet Circles.  Sizzix/Tim Holtz die: Ticket Strip.  PTI stamps fr tickets.  Recollections: pink pearls.  Elmer's Craft Adhesdive Spray.  JoAnn's Iridescent Fine Glitter.  Stash: Lace, Organdy Glitter ribbon, vintage bunny image.  (Size: 5-1/2" square).  

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."

A Decorative Glittery Easter Egg!

I bought two egg dies last year after Easter, and I was anxious to try out at least one this year.  I decided to go with the larger of the two dies and make it the focal point of my card.  I chose a cheerful pastel polka dot to peek through the decorative cutouts in the egg.  I like the way it turned out, and I think it looks very elegant.  I decided on an embossed raised layer mat behind the egg to add depth in this almost monochromatic card...white with a pinkie-coral.

When I finished my card, I decided it suited the current Shabby Tea Room challenge: #213 - Floral Fantasy, which requires you to create a project inspired by the beautiful colors in the photo and include flowers and ribbon/ lace.  

There are many beautiful cards already posted for this challenge, plus design team sample inspirations. . .be sure to check out the website by clicking on the link below:

http://theshabbytearoom.blogspot.com/2014/04/week-213-floral-fantasy.html

Submitting my card for this challenge was of secondary importance, because the original purpose in making it was to send it to a family members as a way to let them know I am thinking about them during this Easter season.  I hope they are as please with it as I am!  (Of course, I also hope the Shabby Tea Room thinks its a winner as well!)

Recipe:  Papers: Stampin' Up Whisper White cardstock (base); Staples Cherry cs.  DCWV Stripes & Polka Dots Stack.  Spellbinders M-Bossabilities: Splendid/ Design B.  WRMK Deco Corner Chomper.   Lifestyles QuicKutz die: Doily Egg.  Elmer's Craft Bond adhesive spray.  Stash: Fine Iridescent white glitter (JoAnns).  Stampin' Up stamp: Delightful Dozen.  Stampin' Up punch:  Modern Label.  Stampin' Up Ink: Basic Black.  Stampin' Up 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim: Strawberry Slush.  Stash:  white lace; Cherry plaid ribbon.   Recollection pears (R20 Copic marker colored).

Easter's Coming...Let's Get Started!

I've been working with digital vintage Easter images for the past three days.  I've found quite a stash of them, but had quite a bit of work to do on them to size them and get their background colorized to be able to use them in a frame without hiding the picture.  Out came PaintShop Pro to add an additional border around many of the images, but then I had to work with the background colors and images to clone the right textures and colors into the border to blend into the existing image.  I have finally finished all that grunt work and should be able to get started with some mojo to actually come up with a design, but I've had my daughter's birthday card that I need to get finished on in mind as well.  

While letting my juices mull on her card, I had a yen to use a BINGO card and I found a cute little kitty digital stamp to Copic color, so I pick the paper colors.  In the midst of finalizing her papers, I realized the one of my little vintage Easter chicks would be perfect with the same colors.  After finishing the sketch for Jackie's birthday card, I pulled out that little chick and realized not only would all the paper colors go just perfect, but Jackie's birthday card design would be perfect as well.  So, I decided to use it on my first Easter card to see how it would look.  I did some work on my Easter card's BINGO card and blended too images to make an EASTER bingo card, colorizing it, and a little tape measure I wanted to use, in PaintShop Pro.  I am really pleased with my BINGO Easter card, and I know the design will be cute on Jackie's birthday card as well.

Recipe:  Papers: Darice Kraft cardstock (base); DCWV Everyday Essentials; Jillibean Southern Chicken Dumpling Soup Coordinating stripe.  Lifestyles dies: Lace Circles & Circles.  Elmer's Craft Bond spray adhesive.  Stampin' Up Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  Vintage Easter Chick image (Graphic Fairy).  Vintage Bingo card and tape measure (found online).  Colorbox Chestnut Roan sponge-distress edges.

Happy Birthday Little One!

Two great nieces, who are sisters, share January birthdays.  I was starting to think about Paisley's first birthday coming up at the end of the month,when I came across this cute little vintage baby girl image.  It inspired me to do a very girly vintage card in pinks...a color I don't seem to have used a lot in making cards, so I was excited to get started.  

After trying out a sunburst ray background card a few weeks ago and enjoying its effect and how easy it was to do, I was anxious to try it again but with sewing stitches.  I really thought this would be a very cute idea with this little girl image.  So, the hunt was on for papers in pink to fit the image.  I got a little carried away and used six different papers for my rays, plus another for a background mat as well.  I got out my sewing machine and added the machine stitching down the rays and zigzags to finish off the outer perimeter.  I think it really adds to the finished look of the card, and I am please with the results.

For the image framing and the sentiment background, I reinforced the cardstock weight by adhering the pink cardstock to a cream cardstock using an adhesive spray glue.  I used Spellbinders Lattice die to cut out the frame.  After cutting the lattice frame out, I sprayed the front surface with adhesive spray. While it was still "wet," I sprinkled it with fine iridescent white glitter with pink sparkles and tapped off the excess. A friend told me how she used adhesive spray to create the snow falling glitter on her Christmas cards. "The cheapest brand works great," she said.  And, it does work great and is very easy to do!

Below is the finished front and inside of Paisley's little birthday card with papers and embellishments to coordinate.  I hope Paisley likes her little "Can Can Cherub!"

Recipe:  Paper: Darice Kraft-base, BoBunny-Vicki B./ Perky-mat, Scrapbook Walls/ Rosey Bouquet, DCWV: Le Tres Chic Stack, Authentique: Cherish Two, Crate Paper: Farmhouse/ Handpicked, Anna Griffin: AG1467, DCWV: Garden Tea Party Stack, Authentique: Cherish One. Darice Pink cs.  Spellbinder Dies: Lattice; Rectangles SM. Stampin'Up punch: Modern Labels. Offray crochet lace. Stash: Satin-sheer 1" ribbon. Computer-made sentiment: Christine font. Homemade crochet flower.