It's A Shaving Cream Birthday!

Another October birthday, and I'm running late (but what is new with me)!  This crafting friend's birthday happens to fall on my anniversary as well.  My hope is to finished and at least to take it with me to our early November crafting retreat, which I was able to do, but I was late posting it here (and even later posting it to my Splitcoaststampers gallery)!

I found a shaving cream technique YouTube by Darla Watson...Scrap Happens with Darla!  She is my Mom's Stampin' Up demonstrator and mentor and I've had the pleasure of crafting with her and her group when visiting Mom, though that has not happened now in several years because of Covid!   I love Darla's color combination and card design, so I thought I'd follow along with the video and make my own changes to make the final card more me.  

For my shaving cream BG, I chose to use watercolor paper (video showed regular cardstock).  I adjusted the layout and placement of the elements.  I raising my horizontal strip and lowered my circle of flowers so it sat more right centered than almost above the horizontal strip.  I added several more background layers...Gold Foil and an additional Lovely Lipstick.  

Additional additions are, ink-distressed edging, a Gold Foil Starburst BG layer beneath the Stitched Circle flowers, gold metallic Gilded Gems for flower centers, and a Gold Foil strip to the top edge of the horizontal decorative heart border.  I chose to use 4 strands of Linen Twine and center my 4-strand bow in the left negative space rather than right next to the flower circle.  I love my shaving cream background, and really like my changed layout, layering, and bling additions.  I think my crafting friend will like it as well...take a peak below at the finished results:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up: Cardstock--Lovely Lipstick, Very Vanilla. Other Paper--Watercolor, Gold Foil. Stamps--Parcels & Petals. Dies--Delicate Lace; Stitched Shapes-circles; Starburst Framelits. Inks--Mango Melody, Flirty Flamingo, Lovely Lipstick, Mossy Meadow. Linen Thread. Gold Metallic Gems. Other: Colorbox Chestnut Roan (ink edge distressing). Technique: Shaving Cream BG--2 drops ea. ink (no Mossy Meadow). Chatterbox inside computer verse. Size: 4-3/4 x 6-inches.

Hugs for a Friend!

One of my good friends is always so good about making sure she touches base, lends an ear, and brings cheer when I need a little "pick-me up."  She did just that when my brother had his heart attach while I was away visiting my Mom.  I wanted her to know how much I appreciated her and her thoughtful ways, so I made her a little friendship hugs card.

The original design for this card was from Darla Watson's October Stampin' Up card kit.  I loved the basic color design, the country-style flowers in a can stamp, and the puff paint, but I wanted larger, with more layers and colors, plus some personal touches to make the card fit my occasion and reflect more of my style and design.  I added an Early Espresso cardbase with a Crushed Curry mat layers beneath the original Granny Apple Green cardbase/ front, creating a three layer base rather than one and add more bright colors as well.  I corner punched the curry and green with two different styles of corner punch designs.  I cut down the size of the flower can white background to eliminate some white space and allow for a sentiment to be added, and  I rounded and design punched the corners to add interest.  I incorporated the puff paint idea from the original card, and I colored my flowers and the can to incorporate the bright colors of the added cardstock layers, plus shadow-colored the blooms with a  pale yellow-green. 

 

The original card did not have a sentiment, but I added an Early Espresso, rectangle mat-layer beneath my water can with my "hugs & kisses" sentiment...just the right message for my friend.

Prior to starting my card and design changes, I have reviewed some Splitcoaststamper challenges to see where this card might fit.  I will be posting later to my Splitcoaststamper gallery and to challenges.  Take a peek below at my finished inside and outside design.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Early Espresso, Crushed Curry, Granny Apple Green, Whisper White.  Stamps--Country Home, Good Greetings (sentiment- Oct. 2014).  Ink--Soft Suede.  Punch--Curvy Corners (retired).  Snowfall Accents Puff Paint (2019 Holiday).   Other:  WRMK--Deco Corner punch.  Zutter Corner Rounder punch.  Copic Markers.  Colorbox Ink--Chestnut Roan Edge Distressing.  Inside--Douglas Pagels verse.  Size--4-3/4 x 6 inches.

Bubble Over with Happiness!

I wanted to make a happy and encouraging birthday card bubbling over with sunny thoughts for my  youngest daughter for her recent birthday.  Mom is a little behind playing catching with hand recovery.

I visited several SCS challenges to come up with some ideas, and I settled on two happy colors that kept popping up in all of my browsing. . .a rosy pink and yellow combination.  Those two words bubbling over stuck in my brain, and I remember a stamp set with a similar name.  A little research gave me Stampin' Up's Bubble Over set that features soda bottles, bubbles, and a bubble over sentiment.  That also brought to mind a card I started at a card class by Liz Thayer way back in early 2018 with this same stamp set.  I dug it out of my unfinished To-Do Stash, and I loved the look, so decided to continue with Liz's idea, though I liked a few more stamped bubbles and Glitter Enamel dots, as well as one more colorful mat layers and some corner punching to dress it up.  Take a look below at my Bubble Over card for my daughter's birthday.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White.  Ink--Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight.  Stamps:  Bubble Over (2018-19 Annual retired), Life is Grand (2019 Occasions-retiring).  Dies:  Bottles & Bubbles Framelits (retiring June 2019).  Glitter Enamel Dots (retired).  Other:  1/4" ribbon (unknown).  WRMK Corner Punch: Deco.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

Let's Celebrate in Epic Style!

My oldest son is having a birthday this week, and I needed to get a birthday card completed.  This will be my third card in a month because of my left hand surgery, and it is a slow and methodical process!  I am still in a cast that covers my left thumb and extends 3/4 of the way to my elbow.  This Friday is removal day, and I can't even express how glad I am!  I digress...back to my son's birthday card.

As is my usual process, I checked Splitcoaststamper challenges to get some inspiration on where to start.  None of the current challenges spurred any masculine card thoughts, so I branched out to play challenge catch-up, and I found some ideas that sparked my creative mojo!  An old December  inspiration challenge that I was not able to play in when introduced had me deciding on using a guitar for my card.  I did some collage grunge stamping to replicate the look of the guitar poster as seen on this website:  Watercolor Guitar Abstract.  I am pretty happy with my results and I think David will be as well!  Take a peek below at the finished card inside and out:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Papers~ Cardstock--Basic Black, Whisper White.  Pattern:  Pick A Pattern dsp (stripe); Wood Textures Paper Stack.  Stamp--Epic Celebrations (2018 SAB); Timeless Textures (2019).  Ink--Crushed Curry; Smoky Slate.  Washi Tape--Myths & Magic/ silver glittery (Copics Gold colored)(2018 Occ).  Embellishments--Hearts & Stars Wood Elements (star-Copic colored center); Metallic Enamel Shapes (stars-silver/ Copic Goldcolored)(2018 ret). Other:  Paper--Recollections Gold Frosted Shimmer.  Memento Tuxedo Black Ink.  Dies--CraftsSuppliesForU/ Vertical Happy Birthday.  Punch--WRMK Stub Corners.  Wink of Stella/ Clear (black circle mat, HB sentiment die-cut, edge of Gold Shimmer paper to add more sheen.).  Copic Markers--Guitar coloring. Stars and glimmer star washi (silver to gold) + Wood star center to dark brown.  Chatterbox verse.  Size: 4-3/4" X 6".

Showering Sienna's Coming!

Sorry that I have been AWOL from my blog due to a flair-up in my arthritic and tendon-deteriorated hands, which prevents me from crafting.  My hands had already been earmarked for surgery for several years prior to my knee replacements, but the knees took precedence.  Since my stop-gap cortisone shot wore off in October, I needed to make a hand specialist appointment to determine a surgery schedule, but I procrastinated with the holidays.  By mid-December, I could feel the handwriting on the wall.  I really hoped to put surgery off until late April or May because of a list of personal commitments and obligations that I felt needed to come first, but that really has become almost impossible.  A doctor appointment in a few week's will determine the plan.  Meanwhile, cardmaking has been almost impossible without severe pain, but despite this, I did get one done in the past few days.

My youngest daughter is expecting her first child in March. . .a second grandchild for my husband and me.  We are very excited for Sienna Rose to make her permanent home in our family.  As traditionally happens, the mother-to-be and baby were to be feted with a shower; therefore, I really needed and wanted to make a card!

I mulled over possibilities, letting some Splitcoaststamper challenges influence my final decision.  I decided on a vintage style after browsing through my baby papers and chose an old paper that I have loved for years and never had the occasion to use it...now was the time!  Because the paper was very pale, I colored the dress ruffles, collar, and cuffs to brighten it up.  I even colored the little fussy cut flowers that I used on the card face and inside decoration.  I was pleased with the results and Jackie was too!  See the finished card, inside and out, below:

Ingredients:  SU Papers: Cardstock, Gingham Gala (2019 Occ./ balmy blue).  Other: Patterned Paper.  Dies:  MFT Stitched Scalloped Edges; Eyelet Oval; Hero Arts: Thank You Messages Frame Cuts.  Punch: WRMK Corner: Deco.  Copic Coloring (paper dresses, flowers, gems).  Ribbon: 5/8" seam binding.  Pearl Gems (natural & colored).  Chatterbox verse.  Fussy-cutting.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6."