A Roller Coaster Birthday!

My son-in-law has a mid-October birthday.  Since my daughter and her husband will be taking a mini-vacation to southern California to visit the theme parks in all their Halloween glory as his birthday gift, I wanted to use a Halloween theme park with scary rides as the subject of his card.  I found the perfect roller coaster die made by Simon Says.

With the help of peeking at some Splitcoasterstamper challenges, I decided on a late evening sunset sky with the roller coaster and other card elements in a subtle black glimmer paper in silhouette fashion.  I watercolored my sunset sky with Stampin' Up inks starting at the bottom in this order:  Daffodil Yellow, Tangerine Tango, Rose Red, Wisteria Wonder, Marina Mist, and Night of Navy, and then reapplied different colors where I thought certain colors were needed.  I applied the inks with water-wetted brush and misted over with water spritzing.  I moved the colors around with a paint brush until I was happy with the color combination.  I blew it dry with my heat tool (back and front).  I lightly spritzed my homemade White Pearlized Mist (made from water and Folk Art Metallic White Pearl acrylic paint) to give it a sheen and starry look.  I sponged a separate small piece of watercolor paper with yellow, orange and a bit of rose-red and finished by pearl spritzing to make my 3/4" punched circle for my moon.  I ink distressed its edges lightly with Crumb Cake ink.

I am super pleased with my results!  I think it is the perfect card for Josh. . .the family, theme park enthusiast!  Take a peek below at my finished outside and inside coordinating designs with my Chatterbox verse.

Ingredients:  Watercolor paper.  Stampin' Up cardstock:  Basic Black, Hello Honey.  Gold Glimmer?, Black Glimmer?  Stampin' Up Inks:  Daffodil Yellow, Tangerine Tango, Rose Red, Wisteria Wonder, Marine Mist, Night of Navy.  Homemade White Pearlized Spritz (water/ Folk Art Metallic White Pearl Acrylic paint).  Dies:  Simon Says--Rockin' Roller Coaster; Impression Obsession--DIE096-D/ Grass; Memory Box--Stitched Halloween Circle Frame (just bats).  EK Punches:  Hole punch (people heads); 3/4" Circle; Victorian Corners (inside).  Background: Watercolor Sky.  Chatterbox verse.  Size:  4-3/4" x 6".

Happy New Home!

My Stampin' Up Upline and cardmaking mentor has just moved into her first new home. . . a cause for celebration!  Having moved a number of times in my married life, I know what an exhausting, though joyous, undertaking it is; therefore, I wanted to make a new home blessings card, sending along a little pizza gift card as well.  Finding enough time in the day to work, unpack, and find the perfect place for everything unpack, pretty much fills up a 24-hour day.  I remember there is barely time to sleep let alone cook, so the pizza gift card should come in handy any night in the near future, right!

I have to say I procrastinated a lot on this card, changing my mind numerous times.  Even when I decided on my general idea of the card's creative design, I struggled with what papers to use. . .one with houses on it, flowers...hmmm???  I finally threw out the idea of any flowers on the paper since this card would be for Liz and her husband.  When I finally decided on the paper with the cute houses, I thought, "Great, not too feminine."  But then as my design changed and evolved to fit the colors in the paper, etc. and I just couldn't throw out the pink.  I did try to stick with a border punch that wasn't too frilly, but the layout screamed for a more pizzazz, like a spritzed doily and 3D flowers.  You'd think I could have stuck to the blues, reds, and greens in the paper, which would have made the card a bit more masculine, but they just weren't as pretty as the pink. . .sorry Pat!

I spritzed the white doily with my homemade spritzing formula:  water and acrylic metallic paint.  I didn't have any shades of pink mixed up, nor did I have a pink metallic paint.  I had to get creative and mixed a combination of Metallic Bright Red and Metallic Pearl White metallic acrylic paint to come up with my Shimmery Rose-Pink color.  I was pleased with the outcome, as it made a  perfectly lovely shimmery rose-pink spritzed doily.  (The picture does not show off the shimmery quality of the spritz, though it is quite apparent when you see the card in real life.)  I do hope Liz enjoys her home blessings card and her pizza!  Now, all she needs is a wee little glass of wine to go with!

Following my tried and true method of cardmaking from beginning to end, it was time to tackle the inside design so it would compliment the card front.  This would, of course, include a verse or poem befitting the card's occasion theme.  I had a couple of strips of the ZigZag punched pink gingham plaid left over, so I decided I should certainly use those and not waste the extras.  I really like how it sets off my chosen verse.  Voila, the card is done and ready to show off!

Recipe:  Stampin' Up cardstocks: Very Vanilla, Blushing Bride, Wild Wasabi.  Echo Park dsp: Life is Good/The Neighborhood (both sides).  My Mind's Eye: The Sweetest Thing/ Honey 'Love' (check).  Stampin' Up stamps: You Brighten My Day (2015 SAB).  Martha Stewart punch: ZigZag border.. Stampin' Up punches: Bird Builder; What's Up (house).  Spellbinders dies: Labels 4; Labels LG.  MFT dies: Photo Corners (inside/modified).  Wilton: 4-1/2" Doily.  Prima: Mini roses.  Recollections: pink flower.  Spritzer (homemade): Shimmery Rose-Pink (doily).  Copic Markers (house).  Computer sentiment/ verse (font = Santas Sleigh Full Bold: 26/18 sentiment; 20 verse).  Size: 5-3/8" x 6-1/4".  

Swallowtail Sympathy Card

One of my husband's cousins that he grew up with past away this last week after a prolonged illness.  It is of some comfort that his cousin is now at peace and in a place more restful than his last months here.  I needed to set my mind to a sympathy card design.  Sometimes, I find it difficult to do sympathy card, but I've found that if I focus on a card that will be elegant, but restful and peaceful, the mojo flows.

I made a sympathy card for a long-time friend several months ago when her mother passed, and I really like the color palette for her card.  I decided to use it again:  black,  Crumb Cake, vanilla, and gold metallic, but change it up with a little pastel yellow instead of cream.  I had used the Stampin' Up Swallowtail stamp before, but never on a sympathy card, but I thought with this color palette it would be really pretty.

My previous sympathy card used a patterned paper in blacks and tans that I spritzed with my homemade Inca Gold Metallic spritzer.  I decided to use this idea on the Crumb Cake cardstock onto which I planned to stamp my Swallowtail butterfly.  I spritzed the cardstock and dried it, and I was ready to stamp.  I off-centered the butterfly to the right side of the card and stamped with Memento Ink, because I planned to color in parts of the wings with Copic markers.  

I designed a little multi-layer fishtail sentiment tag.  The sentiment is computer-made and punched out with the SU Word Window punch.  I trimmed off one curved end and fishtailed it to match the black and yellow layers below.  The other curve end (under the ribbon) is finished off with one of the onyx rhinestones...it looks really cute, if cute is the right word for a sympathy card. 

Now that the front design was complete, I set my efforts to creating a coordinating inside design and finding just the right sympathy verse.  I came upon this quote from Isiah 40:11 that I thought was perfect.  Using the computer, I decided to print my verse onto a piece of gold metallic spritzed Crumb Cake cardstock made just as I did for the front before I stamped the Swallowtail.  I placed the pre-prepared, dried cardstock in the printer and printed the verse.  I was very pleased with the results.

Recipe:  SU papers:  Basic Black, Crumb Cake. SU stamp: Swallowtail. SU Antique Brad. SU punch: Word Window (sentiment/ one end fishtailed).  Darice Core’dinations Glitter paper: String of Pearls.  Memento Ink: Tuxedo Black.  SU: Vintage Brad.  Ribbon Stash: 5/8” Gold metallic; 1/4” Gold Metallic edged black satin. Y08 Copic marker. Black rhinestones. Computer-made sentiment. Homemade Fishtail tag.  Homemade: Inca Gold Metallic Spritz (FolkArt Metallic Inca Gold Acrylic paint). Becca’s Bowmaker.  Inside: EK Victorian Photo Corner punch.

Mom Deserves a Beautiful Birthday Card!

My mother's birthday is coming up in mid-August, and with the title of this post in my mind, I wanted to do something really special for her, while venturing into new cardmaking realms that I had not traveled before.  Foil seems all the rage right now, so I decided I would try using foil paper for her card.

Stampin' Up has a beautiful set of papers out in their new catalog, named "Gold Soiree," that I recently purchased and absolute loved the look of it...gold metallic with a creamy white petite rose print.   I thought it would be fun to try and make my own patterned paper using an embossing folder and brayering white over top.  My first learning experience:  white Craft ink pads do NOT work on foil papers, because they never dry!  My next thought was white StazOn, which worked really well and dried in less than 30 minutes!  But, it was a bit messy to clean the brayer when finished.

Here we go back to my same dilemma, I like cards that are at least 5-1/4" x 5-1/4," and am not overly fond of the basic A2 sized card (4-1/4" x 5-1/2"), because they just seem too small.  Embossing folders are generally about A2 sized; therefore, I realized right off the bat this was going to be a problem to emboss my entire 5" by 5-1/2" card front layer.  The embossing folder I chose, was not a repetitive pattern like wallpapers, so I could not place the paper back in the folder and match up the already emboss image along its edges.  Fortunately, to solve my problem, I was able to turn my embossing folder sideways as its pattern could be used either way.  I then used a border embossing folder to finish off this unembossed area bottom at the bottom and planned to use a vanilla cream satin ribbon to cover the area where the two types of embossing met cover up the seam and any "messy and unbeautiful stuff."

I also had not worked a lot with vellum and embossed sentiments.  That was pretty easy, but adhering it to my frame was a little tricky as the vellum wanted to pucker with the glue...I probably should have used a tape runner or only attached the top and possibly the bottom, but not the sides as that is where the puckering happened.  Also, anything below the vellum showed right through, making it very "busy," and thus, the sentiment didn't stand out.  To solve this issue, I adhered a piece of vanilla cardstock beneath the vellum...this worked really well.  The rest of the card went together very quickly once I finished the embossing texture, white brayering, heat embossed sentiment, and die-cut its frame.  

I am pretty pleased with the results, considering the cardmaking process was not at ALL smooth, but it was certainly a "learning lesson."  I finished the card off by creating a birthday verse for inside and decorations to compliment the outside design.  I hope my mother loves her card and knows it was made especially for her with love in my heart.

Below is a peak at the inside verse and coordinating design, where I used a gold metallic spritz before printing the verse.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up papers:  Very Vanilla cs, Foil Sheets, White Vellum.  Stampin' Up stamps:  Happiest Birthday Wishes (ret.), Flower Shop, Petite Petals.  Ink:  Encore Gold Metallic; StazOn White (brayered).  Stampin' Up punches:  Pansy, Petite Flower.  Sixxiz Sizzlit:  Little Leaves (ret.).  Martha Stewart Butterfly Double Punch. Lifestyles die: Eyelet Squres.  Stampin' Up Folder:  Lovely Lace, Delicate Designs borders.  Other Stampin' Up: 5/8" Vanilla Satin ribbon;  Half pearls; Gold Embossing Powder.  Stash:  Metallic Inca Gold Spritz (homemade). (Card size: 5-1/2" x 6".)

Birthday #93!

My husband has another aunt who has lived a long and lovely life, and she will shortly be celebrating her birthday.  Her children, my husband's cousins, have decided to "shower" her with cards to mark her 93rd birthday and have asked all of the family to send birthday cards to create the "shower."  With all of her relatives, I think it might be more like a monsoon as my husband comes from a large family with large families!

I made this card last spring knowing I would find just the right person to send it to because I really wanted to try out the Stampin' Up Dress Up framelits.  As Margaret always looks like she just "stepped out of a band box," I thought this dress was probably one we could easily have seen her wear on a warm summer Kansas evening.  I hope she enjoys her little "dressed up" card and has a wonderful birthday.

Recipe:  SU papers: Not Quite Navy cardbase/ mat, Pool Party cs, 2011-2013 Pool Party In Color dsp stack, Very Vanilla cs. DCWV stack: Glitter Polka Dot. SU stamp: Flowering Flourishes. SU Dressed Up framelits. Spellbinders Labels 4. SU Argyle embossing folder. SU Ink: Island Indigo (sponging), Pool Party (flourish). SU Glimmer brad. SU adhesive pearls. Spritzer:  Metallic Aquamarine (homemade). SU ribbon: 5/8” Vanilla Flower trim, 1/8” Pool Party taffeta ribbon. Stash: Stripe ribbon, Baker’s twine (necklace).  3M foam tape, 3M tape runner.  EK punch: Fancy Corner (inside).

Sister-in-Law Birthday...#8 and Final for 2013!

One of my many sister-in-law's just returned from a vacation in France.  She absolutely loved it, and divulged that to her surprise France was absolutely beautiful!  One of the many, many sites they saw, of course, was the Eiffel Tower.  I completed a card this last spring while in California, and I posted it on my blog on June 2 after coming home.  There is a lot of information in that post about how this card evolved, but after all that I had done, I still wasn't happy with it.  I know you have all been there...a card that just doesn't "jell" well, and there is this sense of dissatisfaction with what you've done and how it turned out!

Surprisingly, when I decided I would give this card to Judy for her birthday, because it depicted Paris, IF I could do something to it to be more pleased with it, then a creative light bulb went on!  My creative juices seem to work better when I am making a card with a specific person in mind.

All of a sudden, I just knew it needed a flower that blended with all the papers on the front; that meant I had to make the flower myself from the card papers.  My final decision was to use a soft gold metallic paper to blend with the metallic look in the ribbons used and just one of the papers (Graphic 45 Birdsong-Joy Luck).  I was able to peel off the bow that I had previously adhered with hot glue by heating it well with my blow dryer.  The bow peeled off looking like new, so I would be able to re-use it.  Since I knew the card was to be for a birthday, I was also able to add a mini sentiment flag to add a bit more color to the front, which I also felt was needed.  I really hope Judy likes my Eiffel Tower card, as I go to bed pleased with the way it finally turned out!

Recipe:  Bazzill cardstock: Starburst-base, Blackbird, Straw (embossed); Graphic 45 Birdsong-Joy Luck (layer #2).  Extras: Sizzix TH Eiffel Tower Embossing Folder; Spellbinders-Rose Creations die; Recollections Black pearls, Fleur de lis; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink (sponging/ distressing); Trims: 1" black lace, 3/8" gold sheer/ satin edge ribbon, 1/4" Black satin/ metallic gold-edge ribbon.

My Lovely Daughter-in-Law's Birthday!

Ginger loves all things French, except maybe French Poodles. . .not sure about that.  She and my son took a trip to Europe about two years ago; her only wish was that she could have stayed longer and seen more!  

As I am generally known for making cards with the person in mind by thinking about what they like, their hobbies, their dreams, their bucket list, etc., I thought I would make a card that definitely says France. . .with the Eiffel Tower as the focal point.  I wanted the card to be immediately recognizable by almost anyone in our immediately family that this card was definitely for Ginger!  

I have a couple of Eiffel Tower stamps and even some dies, but I was looking online and at Pinterest and found many graphics and vintage pictures depicting various French items and scenes that I really liked.  In the end instead of using my stamps and dies, I went with a colored graphic that immediately brought to mind some papers I had in my stash that were begging to be used. . .and, voila. . .here is Ginger's card! 

Recipe:  Cardbase-Recollections: Spice Market-olive; Stampin'Up: DSP Patterns-Raspberry Ripple, Very Vanilla cs ; BoBunny Jazmyne-stripe/ floral vine. Colorbox Chestnut Roan (distress). Martha Stewart Corner punch. Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles. Stampin'Up Vintage Resin Rose. Inca Gold homemade spritz. Recollections colored half-pearls. Ribbon (stash): 5/8" Raspberry Organza, 3/4" Olive Organza. Glues: 3M Tape Glider, 3M foam tape, Glue gun.