A Just Right Day!

My daughter-in-law's birthday falls in mid-August two days after my Mom's birthday. I went to a card class back in March or April and several of those cards remained unfinished because I wanted to change them a bit rather than follow the original design exactly. As Ginger loves flowers, and I think she would love to have a greenhouse added to her backyard, I decided one particular unfinished card lent itself well to Ginger, as well as several challenges I wanted to enter.

First, I add a few more flowers and extra foliage inside my greenhouse, plus one more blossom outside as I like the look of an odd number of blooms rather than just two, which is an even number. I finished the greenhouse and attached it to the planned white stitched rectangle panel.

The original cardbase design used the same Just Jade cardstock color under the Just Jade embossed brick layer. I wanted to add larger underlying layers and more color. I decided on a Pale Papaya cardbase to match the sentiment die-cut and to use this new cardbase in a picture frame look with an added white mat, and then the Just Jade Brick & Mortar 3D embossed layer. 

I trimmed brick embossed layer about an 1/8" smaller all the way around. I decided to add Clear heat embossing over the 3D bricks to give them a bit of sheen and bring out the texture. I added a little sponged Pale Papaya ink to a recycled scalloped doily for the edging that peeks out just below the greenhouse white stitched panel.  I shaped the doily into a double fan look.  

Next, I offset this same white mat panel quite a bit more to the right than in the original card design to accommodate for the sentiment overlap, which was placed in this location with a specific challenge requirement in mind. I really like my changes and additions to the larger card size, the new Pale Papaya cardbase, the white mat layer, the Clear heat embossing over the 3D brick dry embossing, the extra blooms, and the fan-like doily as I think they all added and enhanced the original card design, which was presented by Luci Kirschbaum!  Take a peak below at my newly-made finished card inside and out:

Ingredients: Stampin' Up: Cardstock--Pale Papaya, Whisper White, Just Jade, Soft Succulent, Vellum. Stamps/Dies--Garden Greenhouse/ Greenhouse Dies. Dies--Stitched Rectangles, Message Dies. Ink: Just Jade, Pale Papaya, Versamark. EF--Brick & Mortar 3D. Elegant Faceted Gems. Other: WOW Clear Matt Embossing Powder. Rectangle doily from stash. Chatterbox verse. Size-4-3/4" x 6".

Hugs for Kandie!

An SCS Alpha friend recently lost her husband, and we are sending her well wishes and thoughts via the Splitcoaststampers' (SCS) Teapot Challenge, 7/5/22..."In A Word!"  Each of us is challenged to choose a WORD theme for our cards that represents what we want to say to Kandie.  Mine is "Hugs" and goes along with my inside verse of sending along thoughts, prayers and hugs to let her know I care.

My card is made with a stencil and blender brush inking. I made the stencil from the lacy flower die, Artistic Dies, by Stampin' Up, deliberately using white cardstock so that the leftover stencil would finish with lots of inks and could be converted into another card, which can be seen here: [URL=https://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2022/06/my-daughter-grows-beautiful-flowers.html][COLOR=#6A5ACD]Hugs to Kandie![/COLOR][/URL]

The idea for my design came from a card class (by Luci Kirschbaum) that taught this clever die-cut stencil and two-card idea! I've cased the original cards with changes to both to make them more me. I love larger than A2 cards, more color mat layers, added embellishments, and often a sentiment change as well. For these cards, my tweaking involves all of those listed changes above. Take a peek below at my finished card and its inside verse:

Ingredients: Stampin' Up: Cardstock--Basic White, Polished Pink, Starry Night, Parakeet Party. Glimmer--2022-245 In-Color 6x6 Ombre Glimmer (butterflies), White Glimmer (Hugs). Dies--Artistic Die (Artistically Inked), Butterfly Wings (Butterfly Brilliance). Inks--Orchid Oasis, Polished Pink, Parakeet Party. Banners Pick-A-Punch. Ribbon--1/8" Metallic Woven-Orchid Oasis. Basic Pearls. Other: Dies--Cottage Cutz Expressions (Hugs). Copic markers (pearl coloring).  EK Punch--Victorian Medium (inside corners). Chatterbox verse. Size: 4-3/4 x 6 inches.

My Daughter Grows Beautiful Flowers

 In the middle of thinking about and making Father's Day cards, I realized I also needed to be thinking about my oldest daughter's birthday card! I attended a June card class where we learned to make two cards in one by die-cutting a lacey floral die out of white cardstock to use as a stencil on another white card front panel, creating a negative inked floral bouquet. We were to use our blender brushes to ink and colorize our blossoms with three lovely ink colors, but I decided to use four: Polished Pink, Orchid Oasis, Starry Night, and Parakeet Party for the leaves.  What gorgeous colors these are together.  Our white cardstock stencil ended up very prettily ink blended as well and became the focal die-cut for the second card.  This is the card I decided to finish for my daughter! 

I adhered four 1/2" black paper strips spaced 1/2" apart and horizontally across the white cardstock front panel, starting in the middle...find the card front middle before starting.  Next, adhere two 1/4" black strips at the top and bottom, but also leaving 1/2" of the white cardstock showing. I adhered this card front panel to a black mat layer with a narrow 1/8" border. I add two more base layers...the 4-3/4" x 6" black card base and a Gorgeous Grape cardstock cut to 4-3/8" x 5-5/8". I positioned the inked Artistic lacy flower die-cut where I liked it, allowing for my sentiment strip toward the bottom and offset to the left. 

To finish, I added a 1/4" x 1" tiny black strip to host three medium rhinestones colored with Copic markers to match the Parakeet Party ink and positioned the strip toward the upper right corner of the card front. I punch my white cardstock sentiment strip with the Lovely Label Pick-A-Punch and popped two rhinestones beside the stamped "Happy Birthday".  I also added two Glitter Enamel Gems to the flower centers, coloring them with Copics to accent the inked blooms.

I was super pleased with the look...black and white always dresses up any card...such a classic combination!  Take a peek below and my finished card and my inside Chatterbox verse:

Ingredients: Stampin' Up products: Cardstock--Basic White, Basic Black, Gorgeous Grape. Stamp/ Dies--Artistically Inked (sentiment)/ Artistic Dies (lacy floral). Inks--Polished Pink, Parakeet Party, Orchid Oasis, Starry Night. Punch--Lovely Labels Pick-A-Punch (sentiment label). Glitter Enamel Gems (flower centers). Basic Rhinestones--medium & small. Other: Copic marker (Rhinestone & Glitter Gems coloring). Blender Brushes. Chatterbox verse. Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

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);

Being A Dad is Whiskey Business

 I went to a card party a few months ago, and my Stampin' Up demonstrator duo (Daralee Peterson and Luci Kirschbaum) had a card design using the new "Whiskey Business" stamp set.  I loved their card design idea, but decided to enlarge it and tweak it here and there to make it more mine.  

I gave it a new, enlarged and ink-distressed white card base, a new, ink-distressed punch size panel to host my changed sentiment, re-positioned brads, plus a pale blue decanter, glass, and ice shaded with Copic Markers.  I also used Copics to color my whiskey and highball drink, getting better shading, blending, and highlights than could be achieved with the water-base markers provided.  My finished card, inside and out, can be seen below:

Ingredients: Stampin' Up: Cardstock--Basic White, Early Espresso. Patterned dsp--In Good Taste (retired). Stamp--Whiskey Business. Dies--Stitched Recentangles. Inks--Mango Melody, Daffodil Delight, Cajun Craze; Memento--Tuxedo Black; Versamark. Punch--Lovely Labels (sentiment label). Embossing Powder--White. Round Brads (colored with Cajun Craze Dark Blender). Other--Copic markers. Brilliance Gingerbread ink (edge distressing). Chatterbox verse. Size: 4-5/8" x 5-7/8".

So Cool...It's Your Birthday!

 It's birthday time again for another crafter, and I needed to finish a past due challenge.  Ideas had been mulling around in my head of how to meet the challenge requirements of using lots of color, yet making a fun birthday card as well.  I also wanted to throw in as many other new or make-up challenges as I could.

I also had some Paper Pumpkin kits that I had not even opened the packages, much less given them any thought to doing something with them.  I decided this would be where I started by looking for one that used a lot of color.  I found that the "So Cool" April 2021 would probably work really well. Then, true to my usual mode, I did not want to make one of the kit designs, so I needed to keep that in mind as I search for challenge ideas. 

I did a bit of modifying of the kit pieces I used to make my card.  The envelopes were lined with the striped design.  I cut one open and used it for my striped pattern paper.  I took one of the popsicle stickers and made it into a jpeg image and printed it on the White Metallic paper to give it a sheen...so pretty in RIL!  I took the sentiment stamp You Are So Cool and careful cut it in half for my So Cool sentiment.  Take a peek below at my "So Cool" alternative birthday design, plus my inside design and Chatterbox verse:

Ingredients: SU cs: Coastal Cabana; White Metallic Shimmer cs (Amazon); SU Paper Pumpkin April 2021--So Cool stripe paper (envelope inside design), Popsicle sticker (size modified), "So Cool" sentiment (modified); SU Ink: Melon Mambo (splattering), Bermuda Bay (sentiment), Burnt Brown Sugar (ink-edge distressing; Reverse Confetti die: Cuttlebug EF: Happy Birthday; Recollections: Aqua Pearls; Chatterbox verse; Size: 4-3/4 x 6-inches.

February Birthday Happiness!

 I have another friend and cardmaking buddy whose birthday is in mid-February, so yet another birthday card is needed.  I was in the mood for flowers, so I thought I'd look for a Splitcoaststamper Inspiration Challenge to get me started.

While in my E - F stamp set boxes back in January, I ran across a wonderful flower stamp set, Field Flowers, that I had used for its flourish in the past but not the flower.  I pulled it just in case I found that I could use it in the near future and here was my chance.  After finding the SCS Inspiration Challenge, I was delighted to know that this stamp set would work, but I would be able to add other challenges if I added butterflies and glitter as well.  Take a look at the finished card inside and out below:

Ingredients: SU Cardstock--Sahara Sand; Retired: Always Artichoke, Lucky Limeaide, Tempting Turquoise. Stamps (retired)--Field Flowers, Elements of Style. Dies--Sizzlits Embosslit/ Beautiful Wings. Inks--Sahara Sand (over-the-edge stamping/ distressing), Old Olive (distress L. Limeaide cs), Early Espresso (distress T. Turquoise).  SU White Embossing Powder.  SU Dazzling Diamonds glitter. 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon--Gumball Green. Punch (retired)--Scallop Trim Border.

Love of Chocolate & Friends

I needed a little friendship appreciation card for someone who is always helpful, kind, and makes my life easier whenever she can!  I always have it in the back of my mind to use old stuff in my stash whenever I can probably because of the Splitcoaststampers' Use It Challenge, which requires just that...bring out the dusty old stuff and use it!   Read on to find out why that's just what I did for this card.

My friend and I have a love of chocolate, plus we are both involved in Stampin' Up products and cardmaking.  Thinking about chocolate, brought to mind a stamp set from way back when...2011 as it turns out!  Pulling out these old stamps led to using other old and retired items as well!  Take a peek below at the inside and outside of the finished already mailed and on its way!

Ingredients:  SU Cardstock--Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip & Pretty in Pink (retired).  Ink: Early Espresso, Soft Suede (ink distress).  Retired SU products: Stamps--Eat Chocolate (2011 Occ.-retired); Decorative Label punch; Polka Dots Embossing Folder; 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon (stash).  Zutter Corner Rounder punch.  Size: 3" x 6" Mini Slimline.

A Happy Day Birthday! (Paper Pumpkin--March 2021--"Here's to You" Alternative #3)

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up Products--Cardstocks/ Papers: Old Olvie, Pretty Peacock, Basic White, Copper Foil; Paper Pumpkin March 2021--Here's To You (scenes, die-cuts, dsp=envelope inserts, fussy-cut scene pieces). Stamps: Itty Bitty Birthdays. Die: Stitched Nested Labels. Ink: Early Espresso, Pretty Peacock, Old Olive, Seaside Spray. Embossing Folder: Subtle Dynamic Textured. Sequins: Artistry Blooms.  Other-- Colorbox Chestnut Roan pigment ink (inked edge distressing); Maya Arts Hemp Twine; Copic Markers (sky, water enhancement); Chatterbox verse (inside); Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

CARD STORY & CONSTRUCTION NOTES

My friend's birthday was yesterday while I am away at a crafting get-away with my long-time group of crafting buddies.  This hobby event has been a long time coming as the last was pre-COVID (over two years ago)!  Now that we've all been vaccinated, we've been anxiously awaiting getting together again! So, while I am here, my primary project was to make this needed birthday card.  I wanted to keep my crafting supplies to a minimum, so I've decided to take Paper Pumpkin kits that either were not finished or ones not started, along with their coordinating papers, inks, extra sentiment stamps, ribbon, and other embellishments that I might need.

For this first project, I decided to use a kit I had already made two alternative cards from...the Paper Pumpkin--March 2021 - Here's To You. It, of course, is Alternative Card #3.  I used the cloud-meadow scene that I have not yet used.  Like I did previously, I fussy-cut scenery parts to double layer these areas in the scene in order to add more depth, texture, and color. For this Alternative #3 card, I focused on the clouds, lake shadows, green trees, and meadow with flowers leading to the lake.  

Onto the fussy-cut pieces, I sponged on more ink for color depth, plus I ink-distressed the edges with the Colorbox Chestnut Roan ink that I loved to use when I want ink edge distressed this effect.  Notice that I sponged Pretty Peacock on several of the cloud formations and Old Olive onto the green trees before double layering them onto the scene.  I Copic-colored the fussy-cut lake shadows as I did not have an appropriate ink color to use and double layered them as well.  

Next, I embossed the card base front and the copper foil layer with the SU Subtle 3D embossing folder.  I really like the copper foil with this particular kit as it enriches and brightens the entire look of the completed card.  To finish, I added my trio of twines and adhered all layers including the card front together.  I stamped the sentiment, added the copper die-cut layer pieces, attached the sentiment layering, and finished with sequin embellishments.

October Birthday with Paper Pumpkin--March 2021--Here's to You Alternative #1!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up Products--  Cardstock/ Papers: Old Olive, Pretty Peacock, Basic White, Copper Foil, Paper Pumpkin March 2021 - Here's to You--envelope inserts used as dsp.  Stamps: Itty Bitty Birthdays.  Dies:  Layering Circles Framelits (circles/ scallops).  Ink: Pretty Peacock, Early Espresso.   Embossing Folder: Coastal Weave 3D.   Other--  Trim: Maya Arts Hemp Twine.  Punch: EK Medium Scallop Corners.  Chatterbox verse (computer).  Size: 4-3/4x6-1/4-inches.

THE CARD STORY WITH CONSTRUCTION NOTES!

I have many October birthdays and time has marched along at quite a steady pace, so I must get started before I'm late!  My plan is to make a series of Alternative Paper Pumpkin cards, based on the March 2021 kit, Here's To You.  Early on when I subscribed to Paper Pumpkin, my purpose and focus was to get myself back into my craft room by challenging myself to make alternative designs rather than those provided in the kit instructions. 

Though I was not enamored with this kit when it first came, it grew on me as ideas began to percolate.  I was gifted refill kit, which would help with those ideas.  I've fussy-cutting parts of kits in the past to add layering and depth and I've loved the look it gave.  I realized that with kits, what was missing for me was that depth which many kits to not give because flat pictures that are many times part of kit designs.  

I decided that this particular kit's mountain-sunrise scene could make a nice masculine card, but without the Petal Pink edging!  Ugh!  As I wrestled with design thoughts, I pulled cardstocks of the prescribed companion colors.  I really loved the greens, blues, and blue-greens with both scenes provided in the kit.  I also found Copper foil looked absolute marvelous with these color combinations and the kit elements.  I would definitely include them all!  Here is what I did:

1.  Use two mountain-sunrise scenes to accomplish the layering I used.  On both mountain-sunrise scenes, I chopped off the Petal Pink cardstock surrounding the scenes in order to work with just the scenes alone.

2.  On one scene, I fussy-cut and removed the sunrise from the mountains, preserving the mountains and below as the top layer of scene.  I ink distressed and sponged these mountains lightly with Pretty Peacock near the top and edges only.  This brought more color, shadowing, and depth, plus when I used to offset layering for the mountains, it would give the whole scene more texture, depth, and definition.  We'll call these "#2 mountains" when referring to them below.

3.  With the second trimmed mountain-sunrise scene, stamped a set of birds from the kit stamp set with Early Espresso ink.  Let dry!!  Using a sponging brush, add a little color to the edge of the mountains with the Pretty Peacock ink.  (This can be difficult on a flat surface.)  Let dry!! 

4.  Now, it is time to glue your "#2 mountains" onto this new scene by positioning the "#2 mountains" about 1/16" below the ones on the newly sponged scene.  Whoa is me, and then I made a mistake!  When trying to glue the mountain layering, I accidentally ink-smudged the sun!  I had to use a new bottom scene, and once again, position my mountain layering.  Be sure to let all inks dry before working with the piece.

5.  Die-cut the double layer scene, created in #4 above, with a 2-7/8" circle die making sure to position the die so the sunrise and rays are preserved at the top.  Remember it is thicker than one piece of cardstock so you may have to work with your die-cutting sandwich if you cannot just use your regular 2 cutting plates.

6.  Take one of the evergreen tree die-cuts provided in the kit and fussy-cut off the three trees removing them from their land base.  Sponge Pretty Peacock ink onto the tree edges and surfaces (again for texture and depth).  Let the ink dry.

7.  Glue the trees to the left of the sunrise circle and trimmed their bottoms to fit the circle curve.  With Early Espresso ink, stamp a set birds flying near the mountains using the kit's stamp set. 

8.   Die-cut a 3-1/16" scalloped circle from copper foil to use as a border layer underneath.  Attached the copper scalloped circle underneath.  I was stoked with the results!  I really loved the look the foil gave!

9.  For your cardstock layers, cut an Old Olive card base, plus Pretty Peacock and Copper Foil pieces for added background layers.  My card base is 4-3/4 x 6-inches.  The other two layers are cut according to the amount of edge you want to shown between each layer.

10. For your patterned paper (dsp) card front layer, my card uses the kit's multi-colored rectangles envelope inserts.  

11. Next, cut a 1-1/4-inch wide Pretty Peacock band (length will be determined by your card front horizontal width).  Emboss with the Coastal Weave 3D embossing folder.  Adhere it to the card front dsp (see card picture for positioning). 

12. String three strands of hemp twine across Coastal Weave approximately 1/4-inch apart (see card picture for positioning).  Tie in the middle with a piece of twine to create the criss-cross configuration and then add more tied twine to make a thick knot for visual appeal. 

13.  Adhere all your layers on top of each other in this order:  layer 1 = Old Olive card base; layer 2 = Pretty Peacock; layer 3 = Copper foil; layer 4 = Dsp card front.

14.  With Pretty Peacock ink, stamp sentiment; let dry!  Add to a Pretty Peacock under layer. 

15. Finish the card by positioning and popping up the mountain-sunrise circle and the layered sentiment.  

 

I was super enthusiastic about my son's finished card made from a kit that I was originally super unenthusiastic about when I first received it in the mail!!  My son was super pleased with his card, but I wasn't super pleased that it ended up a little late!

Just an FYI, below is the kit's design version, using what I call the sunrise-mountain scene:

Christmas Stars Shining on High!

These next cards are for my four children for Christmas and they are all using the same design, but with a different color scheme using their favorite colors.  This design was presented at a monthly Stampin' Up card class hosted by Dar Peterson and Luci Kirschbaum in the fall of 2019.  I believe the original design was Luci's, and my thanks to Luci for her design, which I am casing with some modifications.  

I  added more layering, making the card larger, changed the sentiment tag shape, the colors, star positions, and ribbon placement.  I also used a ribbon knot rather than a bow.  The large center star uses beautiful silver Mercury Glass Acetate backed by the darkest color shade.  I have made an inside verse and design which focuses on the bright star seen on Christmas night...the Star of Bethlehem.

The first card is navy and periwinkle (Seaside Spray) and was made for my oldest son David:

The second was made for my oldest daughter, Michele, using Bermuda Bay and Pool Party, since aquas and turquoises are her favorite colors:

The third card is for my youngest daughter, Jackie, and her husband, Josh.  Jackie has always loved red and black and you will find her wearing those colors often.  They were even the color theme for her wedding:

The final card is for my youngest son, Mark, and his wife, Ginger.  Ginger's favorite color falls in the purple hues, and though she likes the lighter shades, I believe she really loves the darker ones more.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Silver Glimmer, Silver Mercury Glass, Night of Navy,  Seaside Spray, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Gorgeous Grape, Purple Posie, Whisper White.  Stamps--So Many Stars.  Dies--Stitched Stars Dies; Chalk Talk Framelits (sentiment dies/ modified).  Ink:  Delicata Metallic Silver, Night of Navy, Bermuda Bay, Memento Tuxedo Black, Gorgeous Grape.  1/4" Seaside Spray Metallic ribbon.  Basic Rhinestones.  Other:  3/8" Offray ribbons--turquoise, black & silver, lavender.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6-1/4".