Butterfly wishes

Hero Arts:  Monarch Butterfly and coordinating die (color layering)

Cardstock:  white, Bazzill

Ranger:  distress inks (Rusty Hinge, Fossilized Amber, Tumbled Glass); clear embossing ink; clear embossing powder

Taylored Expressions Prairie embossing folder

30th birthday

My niece/god-daughter turns 30!  Gasp - that just doesn't seem possible.

Ranger:  distress oxide inks (Worn Lipstick, Dried Marigold, Mustard Seed); distress inks (Worn Lipstick, Dried Marigold, Mustard Seed); Wendy Vecchi blendable ink (Prickly Pear)

Hero Arts white pigment ink

Simon Says Stamp Abstract Triangles stamp SSS101638

Stacy Stamp 105B (corner clock)

Stampers Anonymous:  Mini Media Marks CMS364, Theories CMS329; Arrow Stencil THMS025, number stencil THMS001; Mini Bird & Crazy Things CMS250

Sizzix: Mini Bird & Crazy Things 660949

Black micron pen; orange marker

It's snow delightful

White cardstock; corner rounder punch

THMS 050 stencil with Adirondack Stonewash ink

Adirondack cardstock (gray, light blue, medium blue)

Sizzix:  Winter 663093

Hero Arts: January

Ranger:  Hickory Smoke distress oxide ink; Distress Glitter and glitter duster

JustRite: Winter (Delightful)

Each month I send out 10 cards to people who otherwise probably don't get much mail.  Hopefully I can bring a smile to their face when they look inside their mail cubbies and find a greeting card from me.

Inside the card I stamped 'leave a little sparkle where you go' (or something like that) in Shadow Grey archival ink (from CMS218 Handwritten Thoughts).  I went over the word 'sparkle' with a glitter pen (probably Gelly Roll by Sakura).

Use your S**t challenge - time

I forgot about posting this entry...oops!  Sorry about that!

Two-page spread using Sizzix dies, archival inks, distress inks, distress oxide inks, a graphite pencil, distress crayons, distress markers, shifter stencil, Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous stamps, Hero Arts stamps, adhesives, vellum, miscellaneous stamp on the lower left page, cardstock scraps

Thank you

to all who sent expressions of sympathy, whether it be comforting words, memorial donations, food, or time.  There are hardly any words to express my heartfelt thanks for the sympathy you have extended me during this difficult time.  I realize how truly blessed I am to have such wonderful family and friends during times like these.  It's still so very hard to think that he's been gone a month.

White cardstock

Stampers Anonymous 001 - Nature's Moments, Mini Slate layering stencil THS085

Hero Arts C3964-Thank you

Ranger: Pumice Stone distress ink, Jet Black archival ink

April wishes

the month is nearly over but wanted to share the card I had made back in mid-March.  I try to make all my cards 4-6 weeks in advance so that I don't have to worry about getting them out on time.  This time I'm so very glad I did as my husband's cancers became very aggressive requiring a short stay in the hospital before going home under full hospice care.  A week later he passed away.  Since then I've been pre-occupied with the responsibilities that come with the loss of a loved one and had no mojo to be creative. 

White cardstock, Cherry Vanilla Bazzill cardstock, White Bazzill cardstock, heavy duty mixed media cardstock (Ranger)

Sizzix Mixed Media #2, Celebration Words: Script

Hero Arts C3895-April

Distress oxide inks: Worn Lipstick, Fossilized Amber, Cracked Pistachio, Broken China

Super Bowl 51

It's Super Bowl Sunday!  The Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots are meeting at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas to determine who's the better team this year.  I've never been a fan of the Patriots, and that goes even more so for Tom Brady.  You can do this, Falcons!!!

This card has red and gold fireworks going off while Matt Ryan, Atlanta's quarterback, has the game-winning football in front of him.

Stampers Anonymous:  CMS212 Bird Crazy

Sizzix:  660954 Bird Crazy, Ticket Strip, Typeset, Football & Helmet, Grass, Snow/sand mound (the last 3 old yellow dies but still have plenty of use left in them!)

Ranger:  Jet Black & Red Geranium archival inks, Shabby Shutters & Tumbled Glass distress inks

black, brown & white cardstock..Uniball Signo white gel pen...Micron black pen...ColorBox Gold Pigment ink...Hero Arts Printer's Type & Lower Case alpha stamps...Art Impressions H-1100

Happy anniversary

Celebrating a fall anniversary...or 2...actually 4 this month among my circle of family and friends!

Yes, this is virtually the same card as the 10/12 birthday card post.  I was on a roll, fell in love with it and kept on creating!

Decorative cardstock (base); kraft paper colored with Walnut Stain distress stain for the layer; mixed media cardstock for the top

Stamp Camp "Love" and Hero Arts heart (found in the Sunny Lower Case Letters set) in Ground Espresso archival ink on Recollections cork tape.  The edges were smudged with the same ink.

Washi tape gave me a an area to merge 3 of my favorite fall colors using a blending tool (Wild Honey, Ripe Persimmon and Fired Brick).

Sizzix Fall Foliage thinlits die (leaf) was cut from mixed media cardstock.  Before the die cut was popped out of the die I smeared Tree Branch archival ink onto the veins of the leaf.  I puddled Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Forest Moss distress stains on my nonstick craft sheet, spritzed with water and drug the leaf through the mix.  I let them air dry so the color would be more dramatic.  CMS266 Newsprint & Type was stamped over the dry leaf using Ground Espresso archival ink.

Hint for the color-blending:  if you lightly go over the entire strip with the lightest color (presuming you are using the a range of similar colors) then any 'lines' will be kept to a bare minimum.  They really do gradiate nicely if you go in with a gentle touch.

75 years young...

My hubby is 75 today!!!!!!  I had fun creating a special card to mark the occasion.  Deboss or emboss?  Can't decide?  Then do both (as seen in Tim Holtz' Creative Chemistry Class 103 on Day 6).  I probably should have lined the center of the dapper gent on one of the vertical lines.  Oh well. 

And then decided our cat needed to get in on the action so he made his own (all right, with a *lot* of help from moi!)  The fish makes the best lettering...one of those fun and creative ideas that came to me in a flash.

My card

coordinating envelope

Casey's card

coordinating envelope

Why does Blogger have to be so ignorant when it comes to formatting???????  Grrrrr!!!!

Ranger:  distress crayons, inks, stains, paints, markers, embossing ink; Black Enamel Accents, embossing dabber, Inkssentials embossing pen-black, ultrafine gold detail and clear embossing powders, archival ink (watering can, shadow grey--love this!, tree branch--hate this has been discontinued!), sticky back canvas

Sizzix:  celebration deboss folder, dapper bigz, tailored textured impressions, typo upper bigz xl, handwritten: celebration thinlits, shape strip thinlits

Stampers Anonymous:  dapper cms267, mercantile cms189, label frames cms264, crazy cats cms251, mini cats and dogs cms272, crazy things cms237,

Misc.:  core'dinations kraft-core nostaligic collection by tim holtz, #5 manila tag, dreamweavers crackle embossing paste, Hero Arts lower case alpha, chipboard, tsukineko encore ultimate metallic ink-gold, Bazzill cardstock (tan, gray)

Happy birthday!

I couldn't wait to use the Mosaic die to create this birthday card.  The purple cardstock was stenciled with Stampers Anonymous 006-mini using Wilted Violet distress ink.  It was then run through the Mosaic die as was a piece of white cardstock.  On each of the white tiles I added them back to the purple layer, carefully adding the images to create my message.

Ranger:  Jet Black archival ink; Wilted Violet distress ink; Wilted Violet, Cracked Pistachio, Wild Honey distress markers; Yellow Stickles; Glossy Accents; Multi Medium (Matte)

Stamps:  Hero Arts alpha "u" Signature lower case letters; Stampers Anonymous Simple Sayings, Bird Crazy, Crazy Talk, Mini Bird Crazy Things

Stencil:  Stampers Anonymous 006-mini

Sizzix:  Thinlits dies: Bird Crazy, Mini Bird Crazy Things, Alphanumeric 1"; Bigz die 'Mosaic'

EK Success punch: leaf/feather

With deepest sympathy

A2 white cardstock base

core'dinations Adirondack collection (brown cardstock) run through We R Memory Keepers 'Woven' embossing folder

Sizzix Wildflowers Thinlits dies 661190; bow punch (colored with distress inks...whatever was on the foam applicator)

Hero Arts sentiment C2727 inked with Jet Black archival ink

I recently got this 6"x6" embossing folder and was anxious to test drive it.  Adding a bouquet of flowers seemed the perfect add-on.  I did find it thicker than other folders so I had to use a Premium Crease Pad instead of one of the acrylic plates in my Big Shot Plus.

Holy crap!

I'm pretty sure I got the general idea off Pinterest but when you have certain stamps by Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers just itching to be used...well, this came together pretty darned quick.  And I have quite a few upcoming birthdays when this can be used...age 45, 65, two 75 year-olds...especially since they have my sense of humor!

The image was stamped in Jet Black Archival Ink onto mixed media cardstock and colored with distress markers.  The plunger and toilet paper holder and yes, and extra sheet of toilet paper is a separate stamp(!!!) were stamped in JBAI and colored with distress markers.  And who doesn't have a stamp of poop with fumes?  Come on...surely there's someone else who has my sense of humor!

All this is layered onto a light blue sheet of Bazzill cardstock.  Perfect for the unsuspecting 65 year old!

Holy crap!  Look who's 65!!!

Happy Father's Day!

Or in my case...step-father's day.  My step-dad has his hands full with 3 of his own children and 4 of us.  But he keeps us in line and on our toes.


I did see a similar card on Pinterest but neglected to write down the location.  Heavy sigh.

My basecard is off-white with a layer of blue cardstock before holding the blue-speckled cardstock.  The sentiment (Hero Arts) was stamped in Cobalt Archival Ink.  I die cut the circle using a Spellbinders die then embossed it using a slightly smaller scalloped die.  From black wire I fashioned a clothes hanger to hold the ties (Sizzix Crazy Things die).  Miscellaneous stamps and inks were used to decorate the ties. 

My step-dad certainly doesn't need more ties IRL so these paper ones will work perfectly.  To coordinate the envelope I stamped one of the Crazy Things tie stamps in Cobalt AI in the lower left hand corner.

Sending sunshine & smiles

From mixed media cardstock I die cut 'Birds on a wire' by Sizzix and colored them with distress markers.  Onto a mixed media card I stamped Hero Arts H2659 that had been colored with Antique Linen distress ink and misted with water.  I sketched around the edges with a graphite pencil and smudged it with my fingertip.  I stamped the sentiment (Wordsworth S 169 F) with a light ink then went over it with a Sakura glaze pen.  I die cut the card with an On The Edge scallop die.

Do not stand by my grave

Hero Arts S2057, H3251
Inky Antics 'Do Not Stand'
Ranger:  Jet Black Archival Ink, Old Paper Distress Ink, distress markers (Forest Moss, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lipstick)

I smeared Old Paper DI onto the background stamp, misted water and stamped the image onto mixed media cardstock.  Using distress markers I colored the flower, misted it, then stamped over the background tiles.  Over this I stamped the sentiment in Jet Black AI.  There's a peach/bronze layer of cardstock as well as the green A2 card.

This technique lends itself well to many occasions; I see myself using it when I need to come up with a card rather quickly.  It could easily be embellished with die cuts of butterflies, grass, etc.

In search the world over

I used Watermark Ink on the Traveler stencil; heat set.  From distress watercolor cardstock I cut the Sizzix globe die.  After scribbling the markers on my non-stick craft sheet I picked up the colors with a waterbrush and kept layering (light to dark) until I was happy, heat setting between each color.

The Fiskars hand held heart punch created the tiny heart in the approximate space where we live (east central Illinois).  I stamped my sentiment using the Hero Arts alphabet stamps and JBAI on white cardstock.  The words were cut out and one of the above named blue distress markers was used to draw around the word boxes.

Silver distress paint was applied several times over the gray cardstock scrap to achieve a metal look; Hickory Smoke distress marker was run along the underside of the plane for shadow.  The rest of the sentiment was stamped on more white card stock then cut out and edged as above.  I folded over the one end and ran a snippet of gray embroidery floss to create a banner being flown across the sky.

My hubby and I used to travel a great deal but can no longer do so because of his health.  I hope this brings a smile to his face and some memories of our days abroad.  Happy Valentine's Day!

-Sizzix:  Globe, mini airplane
-Stampers Anonymous:  Traveler stencil
-Fiskars heart punch
-Hero Arts Printer's Type upper/lower case alphabet
-Ranger: Jet Black Archival Ink; distress markers (broken china, mermaid lagoon, Peacock Feathers, Faded Jeans, Twisted Citron, Peeled Paint, Vintage Photo, Hickory Smoke, Ground Espresso); distress watercolor cardstock; silver distress paint; Watermark Ink
-Miscellaneous:  cardstock (gray, white, red); gray embroidery floss

Hoping for a better day

than the one this crazy bird is experiencing.  I saw a similar card on Pinterest and knew I had to recreate it.

The base card is red Bazzle; the next layer is white card stock that was run through the Checkerboard Texture Fade (inked with brown distress ink).  I edged the layer with more brown and black distress inks.

The bird was inked with Jet Black Archival and stamped twice onto watercolor cardstock.  I used the coordinating die to cut him out.  Clear Rock Candy distress stickles was used on his eyes; Fired Brick distress stickles on his wings and head feathers.  His beak and wings were elevated with tiny foam dots.

I colored white card stock with Hickory Smoke distress ink; heat set then colored again with Brushed Pewter distress ink; heat set again.  Stamped Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers can in Watering Can archival ink; cut out; edge with brown and black distress inks.

Using a small Vial Label I wrote 'chicken soup' with a black Fude Ball pen.  While cutting it down to size the ink smeared.  So I continued dabbing at the label so it would look intentional.  Then I heat set it before applying it to the can.

On a scrap of water color card stock I traced around a Claudine Hellmuth stencil of word bubbles.  I inked 'Marty???' using Hero Arts alphabet stamps and Jet Black archival ink.  I added a bit of brown and black distress ink to shade the edge.

I edged the Adage Ticket with brown and black distress inks then crumpled it before adding it behind the tin can.

A friend is going through a rough patch; I hope this brings a smile to her face.

My altered puzzle is nearly complete

We're on the 12th week of altering a puzzle piece; my theme is 'These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things' so it's been difficult choosing just one for each piece, let alone making sure I have stamps, stencils, and embellishments that support my choice.

Top: Hero Arts C2604 (Winter's Butterfly); Ranger archival inks (Cornflower Blue, Sky Blue); Picket Fence Distress Paint; Clear Rock Candy Distress Glitter; distress inks (blue, purple); Tsukineko Sheer Shimmer Spritz Frost;  Sizzix mini move & shaper snowflake; Stampers Anonymous snowflake stencil; white cardstock scraps, washi tape, foam dot, doily

Bottom:  Lasting Impressions with Panache stamps (Small Rooster 167-003G, text 176-001F); watercolor paper; vellum; Ranger (Jet Black Archival Ink, Superfine Black Detail Embossing Powder, distress inks, distress markers), foam dots

Next week altered pieces will complete the puzzle for many participants.  I will still have a remaining piece which I shall use for my theme title.  This has been a fun and unique challenge and one I can see doing again but perhaps I would use each piece to support one overall theme.  Something to think about!

Week 11 - Altered Puzzle Pieces

Last challenge before some time off...need rejuvenation, room needs overhauling, etc.  You can see Christine's samples here.

I used archival inks and distress inks (including all the newest colors) to create my background color.  Hero Arts stamps (E3375 Fall Memories, LL762 Printer's Lowercase, LL761 Printer's Type); Stampers Anonymous stencils (Hearts THS017, Burlap THS007) and stencil (Falling Leaves CMS072); Spellbinders classic oval die (S4-110); Idea-ology (rub-ons); handheld punches (oval, 1/8" circle); misc. leaf punch; cardstock scraps; watercolor paper scraps

Already wondering just how much I'll really accomplish in my art room.  Hmmmmmm.....

18 pieces down

Week 9...continuing with the altered puzzle piece challenge.

I didn't look at the completed pieces before I started these two.  I used the same 'by the sea' theme and colors last week.  Sheesh.

My collection of embossing pastes only includes white crackle, no clear, so I used Distress Crackle Paint (Clear Rock Candy).  Wish I would have had stamped the map to cover more of the piece; oh well.

Here's what I used to alter my puzzle pieces:  Stampers Anonymous CS124 Warehouse District stamps; Stampers Anonymous stencils (Splatters, Bubble); Ranger distress stains (Tumbled Glass, Shaded Lilac); Sea Brights ( Pool, Purple Twilight); archival inks (Aquamarine, Deep Purple, Jet Black, Watering Can); distress stickles (Antique Linen); Studio 490 crackle embossing paste; Sizzix mini airplane; My Sentiments Exactly (H179); Hero Arts Printer's Type alpha stamps; paper starfish (gift from The Funkie Junkie)