Birthday by the inchies

I'm trying to use older items in my room...paper, stamps, etc.  What's old is new again!  I was tickled to find the inchie stamps fit perfectly on many of the squares on this paper.  Serendipity!

Products used:  Sizzix (mini movers & shapers cameo die/Word Play die); Ranger archival inks; unknown inchies, words, decorative paper; Bazzill card stock

Wonderful moments in my life

Here's my entry for Tim's May tag of the 12 Tags of 2014.  The tag features favorite trinkets and embellishments that I've been hoarding saving for just the right moment and the use of his brand-spanking new ShadowPress dies.  They are really unique!

8 = my birth date; 6/23 = wedding anniversary; s = my initial

#8 tag; paint marbling technique on the base (Ranger distress paints: picket fence, mowed lawn, peeled paint, forest moss distress paints); Lost & Found paper stash; ShadowPress 'documented'; Sizzix Movers & Shapers Cargo Stencil (8); idea-ology (star, word token, stencil, heart adornment, bingo game piece, long fasteners, mini pin, linen ribbon, remnant rub-on: numbers [6]); chipboard; red ribbon; Jet Black Archival Ink

Creating this tiled tag has given me an idea...if it works I'll be posting about it soon.  It uses another new release from Tim.

Happy birthday, little girl!

My Brazilian granddaughter turns 4 today.  I thought it would be fun to create an educational card for her so the balloons are numbered in Brazilian Portuguese.  And who doesn't like seeing their name on a card, front and center (all right, off to the side!  lol).

Products used:  Stampin' Up 'More Kids at Play'; unknown card stocks and decorative paper; Ranger (Jet Black Archival ink/distress ink); colored pencils, Sizzix (Word Play/Alphabetical dies); white and black Sharpie markers

College graduation

My, how the time flies!  Another niece is graduating from college and has taken the next steps to get her masters degree.  She was offered two grad assistant positions (she needs to choose 1) in her field that will not only give her a stipend but also tuition waver help.  AND she was in the top 3% in her field of study so her name will be engraved on a bronze tablet at the UofI.  Yay!!!  All her hard work and efforts have paid off!  Here's the card I made to recognize all her accomplishments.

I turned to this card for inspiration.  I know many people go to Pinterest for ideas but once you've pinned an item, do you ever go back and work with it?  I do quite frequently, so 'thank you' to all those pins that have been shared!

Products used:  K & Company 'Life's Journey decorative paper; Studio 490 'Nature's Art' LCS 009; black/off-white card stock; Bazzill card stock (green); Jet Black Archival Ink; twine; silk ribbon; Idea-ology (long fastener/gear/game spinner), 'Travel Signs' Alterations Texture Fade; Hero Arts 'Congratulations' C2734

Happy anniversary!

I love going to Pinterest for inspiration!  At first I couldn't see myself doing it and now I am there a lot!

Nice and simple and so different from the usual anniversary cards I have made in the past.

Products used:  Stampers Anonymous CMS126 -Wallpaper & Wood; Ranger (distress inks/Jet Black Archival ink); white card stock; Bazzill card stock; ribbon; Sizzix mini movers & shapers heart; Hero Arts (Printers Type LL761/Petite Wishes C3352)

Happy Halloween!

I know, I know...it's only mid-April but the temps this week feel more like fall.  Here's the tag I'm entering in Linda Ledbetter's Compendium of Curiosities #3 challenge to use Distress Glitter on a project.  The 'how to' can be found on page 56 of Tim's 3rd book.  This challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie...she's giving a $25 gift certificate to the store to one lucky (randomly chosen) winner.  All entries are also eligible to win a prize package from Tim & Mario; this winner will be chosen by the Curiosity Crew.

#10 tag (my first!); paint marbling background (picket fence/mustard seed/wild honey/spiced marmalade/ripe persimmon/black soot); Sizzix Candlelight Fright die; chipboard; Ranger (Jet Black Archival Ink; Glossy Accents; distress inks:walnut stain/black soot; distress paints: black soot/pumice stone/mustard seed; distress glitter: black soot/pumice stone/mustard seed/clear rock candy); Stampers Anonymous stamps (Trick-or-Treat CMS 050/Simple Sayings CMS 155); Numbered stencil; miscellaneous twine, ribbon, tinsel

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm giving my mom some designer hand soap along with coordinating towels but thought I needed something else so I constructed a box to hold 3 dark chocolate truffles using the Sizzix Box 3 die.  I decorated it using Sizzix lattice strips around the edge (no inserts) and on the top (stamped inserts separately).  The large rose is from Susan's Garden (Sizzix), the smaller ones are from the pine cone die.  The branch, fern and leaves were also cut from Sizzix dies.  I stamped 'Happy Mother's Day!' in archival inks all over a sheet of tissue paper and crumpled it so the truffles will nest in it.  Of course I now needed a gift tag so from coordinating paper I cut a rectangle, folded it in half, then die cut the Sizzix movers & shapers cameo and stamped 'Happy Mother's Day' inside the frame.  All card stock is Bazzill.

Lucky me!

I was a recent winner on theartfulmaven's blog.  While I sent an email letting her know the prize package of awesomeness had arrived I always like to follow up with a snail mail proper thank you note.

On husk colored card stock I pounced Iced Spruce through the Bubble stencil then smeared Wild Honey on the Arrows stencil; spritzed it with water then placed it on the card, pressing carefully and wiping with a towel.  (Reverse look, cool, huh?)  Still using the Arrows stencil, I pounced Barn Door through the dotted arrow to form the bottom border.  This is an A2 card front so they lined up so neatly, just like little soldiers should!

The Petal Drop die was in the prize package so I wanted to incorporate it somehow.  Previously I had smeared distress ink on the Burlap stencil, spritzed it then placed it a piece of manilla card stock.  Cool, the reverse look!  I was able to cut 2 petals; edged them with Walnut Stain distress ink.  To one I stamped 'me' in Barn Door using CMS156 Worn Text by Stampers Anonymous.  The other I ran through the new debossing folder from the Authentic set then traced the shadow with my Barn Door distress marker.

Thank you, Anita, for such a super prize package!  And thanks to Ranger for all their awesome inks and to Stampers Anonymous for great stamps and Sizzix for their stencils and folders!

Live, Love, Life

Don't know if you saw this TCW stencil being used over on the eclecticpaperie blog but it is gorgeous!!!  I couldn't wait to get the smaller version (6x6) and create some plaques to give as presents.

The wood plaques I picked up at Michaels in the unfinished wood department.  They were stamped with lots of stamps so I didn't keep track...sorry!  All ink was archival.

I used distress inks on the stencil...they are so blendable and super to work with.  The color palette is amazing...they are my 'go to' inks for almost every project.  It took very little time to color the stencil but looks like I spent hours because of the multiple shades of each color used to create depth.  The mats are Bazzill card stocks.

Smile

A simple card made more interesting with the use of a stencil and a sentiment that was cut apart.

I created a dozen of these in varying colors.  They'll make a nice RAK, don't you think?

Products used:  Ranger (distress and archival inks); Bazzill card stock; decorative paper; Studio 490 (Lovely Large Flower stencil WVSFA024); Dylusions 'The Right Words' stamp DYR34520