Birthday Blooms to Cheer You!

It was my daughter's birthday in early April, and she and her husband went off into the wilds to do a little quad riding in the sand dunes of eastern Washington.  As we would not be seeing them with their mini vacation and social distancing going on, I had a bit of time beyond her birthday to complete her card.  This was great for me, because I just had no creative mojo...social distancing seemed to take every creative bone in my body to some distance beyond my reach.  But, I had the new Stampin' Up Painted Poppies paper and dies, and I thought I'd see what I could come up with.

I attended a class card several months ago, and we made a card using some these materials, including a fishtail banner.  I liked that look so well, I thought I'd do a wee bit of casing of our hostess, Luci Kirschenbaum's design.  But, I decided my new card would be a larger horizontal card rather than vertical and with a lot more color layering.  Take a look at my finished card for daughter, Jackie:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Basic Black, Mossy Meadow, Flirty Flamingo, Poppy Parade, Whisper White.  Pattern--Peaceful Poppies dsp (2019 Jan-June Mini).  Stamps--Seaside Notions (sentiment)(2019-20).  Dies--Poppy Moments dies.  Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black.  Peaceful Poppies Sequins.  Other:  Pink Posh Evergreen Sparkle sequins.  Chatterbox verse.  Size A6: 4-1/2 x 6-1/4 inches.

A Little Happy Birthday!

I bought a kit, Made to Bloom, from the Stampin' Up 2019 Jan-Mar Mini catalog and had not opened it.  Here it is in late March 2020, and I thought it was about time.  I'm not having much mojo with the Covid-19 isolation requirements, so thought I'd try to see if kit pictures would give me any incentive.  I did find that though there were ready made pictures to follow, I was inspired to use the parts to make something totally different.  What a relief...some sort of creative mojo going on!

First of all, since I like card more closely in size to A7 (4-1/2" x 6-1/4") than the more common A2 (4-1/4" x 5-1/2"), I was able to cut the card bases, which were patterned on front and back in half, giving myself the opportunity for twice as many cards.  I used a white iridescent oval with a patterned edge creative when making a frame with an inside scalloped edge to host one of the gold foil, yellow floral die-cuts that I cut down to fit inside the oval and added blushing pink pearl embellishments.  I add a new cardbase and a Blushing Pink patterned dsp below the Calypso Coral, white flecked card front paper.  I used the same Blushing Pink pattern with double fishtails for the stamped happy birthday sentiment.  Voila, a card is completed with my own design using the card kit parts.  Take a peek below:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up:  "Made to Bloom" Card Kit parts--Calypso Coral dsp, yellow/ foil die-cut floral (fussy cut to size).  Papers--Whisper White cardstock, Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer, 2018-2020 Subtles Color Collection dsp/ Blushing Bride Lattice.  Ink--Blackberry Bliss.  Pearls (Copic-colored).  Other:  ColorBox Cat Eye--Chestnut Road ink distressed edges.  Scrap: oval negative die-cut leftover.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

A Peaceful Snowy Night!

I still have a few more Christmas kit designs in my "To Do' Stash, but I'm getting close!  This is another Dar Peterson/ Luci Kirschbaum card kits from 2017.  Some of my parts were missing, probably due to long-time storage, but I had taken a picture of the original design and had already die-cut my village scene.  

I made a new and larger Shimmery White card base than the original card.  I added a Misty Moonlight mat layer and another white layer beneath my blue night sky card front.  I used Misty Moonlight ink on the sentiment rather than the brown on the original design.  I also added white craft ink to the embossed snowflakes to make them stand out more.  This was such a fun die set, which was part of the 2017 Stampin' Up Holiday mini catalog.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up Products:  Cardstock:  Whisper White, Misty Moonlight, Shimmery White.  Stamps--Star of Light.  Ink--Misty Moonlight, White Craft Ink.  Dies--Hometown Greetings Edgelits.  Embossing Folder--Softly Falling.  Size:  4-3/4 x 6 inches.

Christmas with Snowflakes and Gold Bling!

Here are a couple of cards from my "To Do" stash, I made from a card kit I bought from Daralee Peterson and Luci Kirschenbaum back in the fall of 2017.  I'm still working on my unfinished card kits, and with these two completed, I only have ONE more!  

I embellished a bit on the original card designs, thus enlarging each card to a size I favor more, plus these additional modifications:  

On Card #1, I added a white and gold foil patterned dsp mat layer and a sponged gold metallic mat layer (outer edges only that show), plus I did not offset my snowflake to the right as much; therefore more snowflake embossing was included.  See the finished card below.

 On Card #2, I added a Gold Glimmer mat layer, sponged my snowflake and distressed my sentiment banner with gold metallic ink.  See the finished card below.

Card #1 Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Shimmery White, Gold Foil, Copper Foil.  Stamps--Christmas Pines (sentiment). Ink: Metallic Gold Ink;  Dies--Seasonal Layers Thinlits (copper snowflake), Stitched Shapes (circles, ovals, squares).  Embossing Folder--Winter Wonder.  Embossing Powder--Gold.  Washi--Year of Cheer (2017 Holiday).  Embellishment--Foil Snowflakes (2017 Holiday).  Other:  DCWV Paper Pack--Gold & White.

Card#2 Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Shimmery White, Rich Razzleberry, Gold Glimmer.  Patterned--Year of Cheer Specialty dsp--Checkered (2017 Holiday).  Stamps--Star of Light (sentiment).  Punch--Duet Banner.  Embossing Folder--Winter Wonder.  Embossing Powder--Gold.  Washi--Year of Cheer (2017 Holiday).  Gold Metallic Thread.  Rose Red Rhinestones (Copic-colored).  Other:  Encore Gold Metallic stamp pad (sponged snowflake).

Let's Go Plaid for Christmas!

I love the plaid paper stack that was in the 2019 Stampin' Up Holiday mini catalog.  The two cards below were card kits I purchased from Dar Peterson and Luci Kirschbaum that I didn't finish for this past Christmas; therefore, it was now in my radar for finishing up partially completed cards that were cluttering my "To Do" stash.  

I thought their design was a lovely look in plaid, so I finished them up without making any changes to the original card front design, though I did add two additional cardstock layers in white and green to both.  I also designed an inside with layers and simple punched corners around my computer-made Christmas verse.   Take a peek at the two different plaid versions below.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Whisper White, Night of Navy, Shaded Spruce.  Patterned Paper--Wrapped in Plaid 6x6 Paper Pack (2019 Holiday catalog).  Stamps--Merry Christmas to All (sentiment--2019-20 Annual).  Dies--Layered Ovals (plain + scalloped).  Punch--Curvy Corners (inside verse corners).  Other:  EK Victorian Corner Punch (inside verse corners).  Chatterbox verse.  Size 4-3/4 x 5-1/2 inch.

Poinsettias = Christmas!

My enthusiasm to finish all of my Christmas card in my "To Do" stash is waning, but I only have a few left, so I will persevere and try to get them all done!  This one is a Dar Peterson 2018 design that I was unable to finish back in 2018 with my hand issues that were finally resolved by hand surgeries on both in April and July 2019.  

I tweaked this card just a bit by adding a red foil layer and using Shimmery White on the card front.  The little pearls are Copic colored and can be done with any alcohol marker.  I have to say I really like the added red foil, it really dresses up the card quite lot, plus it allowed me to enlarge the card, which most of you know by now...I prefer larger cards!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Whisper White, Shimmery White, Shaded Spruce, Cherry Cobbler, Red Foil.  Stamps--Peaceful Poinsettia (2018 Holiday).  Ink--Cherry Cobbler.  Dies--Detailed Poinsettia Thinlits.  Pearls (Copic colored).  Gold Metallic Pearl.  Size:  4-3/4 x 6 inches.

A Christmas Sing-A-Long...Simply Add Music!

Still working on finishing up some old Christmas card kits.  This is another Luci Kirschbaum 2017 card that I did a little bit of changing to.  It had a single layer white cardbase, and I decided it needed a bit more color.  I added the Old Olive cardbase and the black mat layer before adding the card front pieces in the kit.  These I kept the same as the original design.  By adding colors, I also achieved enlarging my card to my favorite size.  Take a peek below:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Old Olive, Basic Black, Whisper White.  Patterned paper:  Merry Little Christmas dsp; Merry Music Specialty dsp (2017 Holiday).  Stamps--Snowflake Sentiments (2017 Holiday).  Rhinestones--Black Jewels (2017 Holiday).  Size: 4-3/4 x 6 inches.

Memories to Remember a Milestone Birthday!

A card for my husband's February birthday, which was a BIG milestone achievement this year.  Take a peak at his card below:

Unfortunately several family members were ill on my husband's birthday weekend, so it ended a small, home dinner gathering.  As each of our children, their spouses, or their children got better, they celebrated him in separate festivities which included dinner and breakfast outings.  Unfortunately, I was absentee all of the extended celebrations as I made another trip south to California for a female four-generation pre-planned get-together with our newest three-month old granddaughter.   We got a few casual shots of the four-generations...my 94-year old Mom, myself, my oldest daughter, and three-month old Evie.  Take a peak below...

But, I digress...back to my husband's birthday card!  For me, masculine cards are always more difficult to design, but Stampin' Up's new Mountain Air scenery stamp was a perfect time to recreate our first cross-country trip in our motorhome where one of the major highlights was our week-long stay around Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.  That was quite the memorable trip, traveling from Washington State mostly along the I-90 corridor.  We made several stops along the way, including Milwaukee for a wedding, and on eastward to the Richmond, Virginia area to visit my husband's brother and wife, returning the southern route and angling north going to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons and back home to Washington.  What a marvelous trip and such beautiful mountain scenery...as I remember we were gone for almost four weeks!

The interesting thing about this new Mountain Air stamp is that it is a two-sided stamp...one side with a detailed stamp image and the other with a muted shadowy look.  I cut my center white panel 3-3/8" x 4-3/8", allowing me to trim it to a perfect size after I finished all my scenery stamping.  I also cut 3 white strips 1-3/4" x 3-3/8" to stamp my detailed navy mountains and my two green tree-line overlays.  I also cut a 3-1/4" x 4-1/4" Balmy Blue panel to mat my scenery panel when finished with its stamping.

I made my mountains in the background using the reverse side of the stamp to give them that muted shadowy look that mountains seem to have when seen from a distance.  I applied my Night of Navy mountains first about 2" down from the top of my white panel, stamping off once before inking on my white panel.  My Balmy Blue top mountain range was inked and stamped off once before applied over the Night of Navy range and just above it.  You can do this because the Balmy Blue is lighter and its inking does not show where applied over the navy.  My third mountain stamping was done using the detailed side and was fully inked before stamping on one of the narrow white strips.  It was then die-cut out and adhered below the other two rows of mountains.  See the card for placement ideas.

Next I stamped the tree lines, using Garden Green ink, on the two remaining white strips (1-3/4" x 3-3/8").  The first tree-line is fully inked and stamped on a strip, and the second tree-line is stamped off once before stamping on the final white strip.  I adhered the stamped-off tree strip first because it seemed it would appear lighter in the distance and finally adhered the fully-inked tree strips to finish my panel.

I used the reverse side of the clouds and sun to stamp these onto the top portion above the mountains.  I used Balmy Blue for the clouds and Crushed Curry for the sun.  I used Memento Tuxedo Black for the birds.  Both the clouds and the sun were stamped off once before stamping on the scenery panel.  Be sure you stamp the sun far enough in on the right to allow for trimming your scenery panel to fit your Balmy Blue mat layer when done.  The final step is to trim your scenery panel and adhere it to the blue mat layer, and voilà, I was done.   Take a peek below at the ingredients below:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--So Saffron, Night of Navy, Balmy Blue.  Stamps--Mountain Air, Itty Bitty Birthdays (sentiment).  Dies--Majestic Mountain, Stitched Rectangles (1/2" x 2-1/2".  Inks--Night of Navy, Balmy Blue, Garden Green, Crushed Curry.  Other products:  Patterned paper--Basic Grey "Adrift" paper pack.  Die--Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Borders #1 (stitched zigzags).  Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black (birds).  Chatterbox verse (inside).  A6 Size: 4-1/2' x 6-1/4."  

A Lucky Birthday Card!

One of my good friends and cardmaking buddies has a birthday in February. I needed to put on my thinking cap very quickly, there was no time to waste! I was going to be leaving for a four-generation get-together with my youngest granddaughter and my daughter to visit my mother in northern California. We really need to get some four-generation pictures taken while there.

In looking through my stash, I found a BINGO card in soft aqua, vanilla, and black. I love BINGO cards, so I decided with its colors, it would make a pretty feminine card. I also love to make a card style that I call vintage simple. I've named it this, because for me, it is a vintage card, but without an excess amount of extra fussy feminine this and thats that are often added. It was definitely time to breakout some fun, vintagey papers and embellishments and make a card using this style! I was excited to get started.

Between taking a peek at the Splitcoaststamper Ways to Use It challenge for the week...Button It Up, and finding our old DYMO Labelmaker about a month ago, my creative juices were beginning to flow! The challenge made it an absolute must to include buttons, as they would make perfect BINGO markers, and I decided to make the sentiment using the labelmaker and 3/8" black tape with white embossed lettering in a fishtail cut design. I have always loved that look! With the BINGO card, my color scheme would be Pool Party, Black and Very Vanilla cardstocks, along with several coordinating patterned papers.

I could not find just the right aqua flat buttons for my BINGO markers, so I decided to use clear buttons and adhere them to one of the patterned papers to jazz them up. With a dark aqua Copic marker, I drew dark aqua circles on my chosen patterned paper. I fussy-cut the paper circles and adhered the buttons in the center of the circles. Finally, I distress-frayed the edges with the sharp edge of a scissor blade. The rest of the card design fell into place quite easily, and I was really pleased with the results.

Take a peek below at my finished card inside and out. I love that perky triple-looped bow and the labelmaker tape sentiment! Don't you think my friend will be happy with her lucky birthday card?!

Ingredients: SU cardstock--Basic Black, Pool Party, Very Vanilla, SU Color Collection dsp (2014/2015/2016 - Pool Party Dots), Patterned paper scraps (3/ 3/4" x 4-1/4"). EK Victorian Corner punch. Colorbox Charcoal pigment ink (edge distressing). Pool Party seam binding ribbon. Black & White Baker's Twine. Dynamo Labelmaker/ 3/8" black tape. Stash button/ clear. Black/rhinestone trim (cut apart). Dimensional Foam tape (sentiment). Copic marker outlining (Bingo button markers). Chatterbox verse. Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

I Love Me A Christmas Tree!

Here is a one of my 2019 Christmas cards that I am finally getting posted to my blog.   I check some of the SCS Challenges to see if it would fit as I knew there are usually categories in bling, paper tearing, Christmas themes, etc. 

I remember I was running up against a tight timeline to finish my cards and get them delivered on time.  I dug out some old Liz Thayer Christmas kits that I almost forgot about and decided I really should try to use at least one of them.  I decided on this Peaceful Pine beauty.  I was excited to use the die with the pop-out branches.  I tweaked the card a bit, adding a white cardbase and a Gold Glimmer layer between the base and the card front.  I also added a popped and ink distressed Merry Christmas die-cut to the inside.  I like the end result and made several more to add to my stash of cards to give.  Here is the result below:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Garden Green, Cucumber Crush, Mint Macaron, Whisper White, Glimmer paper-Gold.  Stamps--Peaceful Pines (2016-17 annual/ verse), Perfectly Plaid (2019 Holiday/ Merry Christmas).  Dies--Perfect Pines Framelits (2016-17 annual).  Ink: Cucumber Crush (sponging), Garden Green (sentiment stamping), Crumb Cake (ink distressing).  Winter Wonderland Washi tape (2015 Holiday). Other:  Dies--Spellbinders Petite Labels One (inside).  Crystal Effects (clear droplets).  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".  (Thank you Liz Thayer for the original design, which I modified a bit).

Pines at Christmas!

This card came together with a multitude of Stampin' Up products from lots of different catalogs and years, starting way back in 2012!  I have always loved the old Evergreen tree stamps and really wanted to find a way to use it again.  After deciding on my basic layout and to using the Ornamental Pine stamp as may oval's background, I had to find a way to make the tree stand out.  Gold embossing seemed just right and allowed other elements of gold to be added...a gold foil layer and oval frame, plus the gold metallic stamped sentiment.  Take a peek below at the finished card and simple inside card design to coordinate.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Mossy Meadow (2014-16 In Color), Whisper White, Gold Foil.  Patterned dsp--All is Calm Speciality (2014 Holiday).  Stamps--Bright & Beautiful (sentiment), Ornamental Pine,  Evergreen (gold embossed tree/ 2012 Holiday).  Dies--Layering Ovals.  Ink--Mossy Meadow; Encore--Gold Metallic Ink; Versamark.  Embossing Folder--Tiny Triangles.  Embossing Powder--Gold.  Other:  Recollections--Mini Snowflake.  Ribbon--1/4" vanilla sheer.  Chatterbox verse.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

A Beautiful Frosty Non-Traditional Colored Card!

My daughter-in-law loves purple.  Deciding which Christmas card to give her and my son was not a difficult choice that's for sure.  I made some Christmas card at a September 2019 card class, and this design by Luci Kirschbaum was one of the cards we could make.  The Feels Like Frost dsp patterns are so pretty and just stand alone without almost any embellishments or add-ons needed.

I loved Luci's design so much I decided to keep it pretty much as she presented, but I did add a Purple Posy mat layer and increased the size of the white card base to accommodate that addition.  This card was made by stamping the white card front with the snowflake grouping in the Frosted Foliage stamp set with the Purple Posy ink.  A 1-3/4" vertical panel of the Feels Like Frost dsp was adhered about 3/8" from the left side.  The sentiment was stamped with Basic Gray ink and die-cut with the ticket stub corner stitched die.  Snowflakes were added to the corners with Purple Posy ink.  The Purple Posy mat layer was added and Purple Posy die-cut snowflakes using the Snowfall Thinlit dies from the November 2019 Showcase Snowflake Promotional stamp and die sets. 

Take a peek at my finished card with my coordinated inside design and Christmas verse:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Whisper White, Purple Posy (2019-2021 In-Color).  Patterned dsp--Feels Like Frost (2019 Holiday).  Stamps--Frosted Foliage (2019 Holiday).  Dies--Frosted Frames (2019 Holiday); Snowfall Thinlits (November 2019 Snowflake Showcase Promotion).  Ink--Purple Posy (snowflake card front); Basic Gray (focal sentiment).  Rhinestones.  Other:  Recollections punch--Mini Snowflake.  WRMK Corner Chomper--Stub/Deco (style used--Stub).  Chatterbox verse.  Size:  4-3/4" x 6."

A Lovely Christmas Card to CASE!

I went to a card class by Daralee Peterson & Luci Kirschenbaum by in November, 2018.  Luci presented a lovely card that she had cased, but wasn't sure who the author was.  On Pinterest, I found a similar card that was used in the flyer presentation for the special offer by Stampin' Up of their Snowflake Showcase of stamps and dies during November 2018.  Luci's card was a two-layer card using a snowfall embossed vellum card front with notched corners and a pale Balmy Blue cardstock base.  I believe the cased card, also with notched corners, used the velveteen sheets sold as part of the showcase.

I pulled out the pieces of Luci's card kit and decided it was time to finish my own card.  I made several changes to my four-layer card, though the original design still shouts out loud and clear.  Following are the changes and additions that I made.

1) I  enlarged my card by adding a White Shimmer cardbase and a silver glimmer mat layer, then my Balmy Blue cardstock and vellum front layer.  I chose not to notch my corners.

2)  I turned my embossed snowfall with the heavier embossing at the top as though a heavy snowfall was just starting.   

3) I used silver embossing powder for my sentiment and a wider sheet and silver ribbon.  I also trimmed off the stem on my top snowflake flourish.  

4) I finished off the inside of the card with my own verse, cardstocks, distressed edging and snowflakes.  

Take a peek below at this lovely card...I just love this design.  Kudos to whoever made the original design.

Recipe Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Shimmer White, Balmy Blue, Silver Glimmer, Vellum.  Stamps--Snow is Glistening (sentiment-Snowfall Showcase/ Nov. 2018).  Dies--Snowfall Thinlits (Snowfall Showcase/ Nov. 2018).  Embossing Folder--Falling Snow.  Ink--Versamark.  Embossing Powder--Silver.  Other: Recollections punch--Mini Snowflake (retired).  Lion Brand Bonbon Yarn--White.  Colorbox Ink--Charcoal (ink edge distressing-inside).  Chatterbox verse.  Size-A6: 4-1/2 x 6-1/4 inches. 

Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours!

I needed several more cards for Christmas this past year, so I went hunting through my "TO DO" of partially finished cards in my stash to see if there were any easy to finished or that I could replicated fairly easily and quickly.  I found one I loved and away the finishing, paper measuring and cutting began.

This one is a beautiful Christmas card design by Daralee Peterson from a card class that I attended back in 2018, prior to hand surgeries, when my crafting time was very limited.  I LOVED the browns, greens, and copper tones together on her lovely card, so I kept my card very similar, but added a few more colors and layers just because I love layers and it also increases the size of the card, both of which just suits my style more.  I designed a simple inside to coordinate with the outside with my own Chatterbox verse and a scattering of copper punched snowflakes.  Take a peek at the finished card below:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products: Cardstock--Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Tranquil Tide, Copper Foil.  Glimmer Paper--Copper, Tranquil Tide.  Patterned paper:  Joyous Noel dsp (2018 Holiday).  Stamps--Snowflake Sentiments (2017 Holiday).  Dies--Stitched Shapes (circles, squares, ovals).  Ink--Tranquil Tide.  Embossing Folder--Tufted 3D.  Ribbon--1/4" Copper Trim.(2019-20).  Punch--Recollections Mini Snowflake (inside).  Size: 4-3/4 x 6 inches.

Minty Softness @ Christmas...

This card is another take-off from a 2018 card design by Stampin' Up demonstrator Luci Kirschenbaum with these added modifications.  

1)  I loved the soft coloring of Luci's card, so I stayed with the Mint Macaron and White cardstocks, but I added a third layer of Copper Foil sandwiched between.  I really like the additional copper enhancements that I added besides the original copper-embossed bauble.

2)  I enlarged my card from the traditional A2 to A6 size (4-1/2" x 6-1/4").

3)  I changed to a simple Merry Christmas sentiment that I centered and copper embossed instead of the original Christmas/ New Year stamp in Mint Macaron that was offset to the right.  

4)  I used Copic Markers in different combinations of light to dark minty shades plus grays to color my copper embossed vellum bauble that plays peek-a-boo in the center of the lacy die-embossed aperture.    Take a peek below at my finished card:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up Products:  Cardstock--Whisper White, Mint Macaron, Copper Foil, Vellum.  Stamps: Beautiful Bauble (die embossing) (2018 Holiday); Perfectly Plaid (2019 Holiday/ sentiment).  Dies: Detailed Baubles.  Punch: Curvy Corners (retired).  Embossing Powder: Copper.  Ribbon: 1/8" Coastal Cabana Tea Room.  EK Punch: Victorian Corners.  Copic Marker Vellum coloring.  Chatterbox verse.  Size-A6: 4-1/2"x6-1/4."