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December 29, 2013

This is a new stamp called "Vivid Vases." It's really fun to color with my Copic markers. I used it on the front of a Joy Fold card. This design is great when you want to send a card but don't have much to say! The stamped layer has a fold on the right side and the little button holds the flap in place. Then the pink flap on the left opens to reveal a small message under the flowers.

December 20, 2013

This card features an old set, but one of my all-time favorites, "Blossoms Abound." I needed a large card for a bunch of people to sign, so I made this sort-of free form--it ended up 5-1/2" x 6-1/2", and I made a custom-sized envelope for it with my Envelope Punch Board, which is a very neat toy! The sentiment is from another oldie-but-goodie set, "Curvy Verses." I scored a double line on each side to act as a border.

December 17, 2013

This is a new set for me, "Wetlands." The images are so beautiful, and perfect for both men and women. Masculine cards are such a challenge for us all. I was inspired to make this card from an almost identical one designed by Julie Davison.

November 24, 2013

A friend has requested some cards, including some sympathy cards. I really do not like making sympathy cards, so as usual, I went to Splitcoast for inspiration. This is almost an exact copy of a card I found there. Simple, subdued, and lovely.

October 31, 2013

Still inking up new stamps, this set is called "Road To Happiness." It's such a cute and versatile set, because it has various stamps that can go in the car. This one is for our friend, Dave, for his birthday.

October 30, 2013

I finally got around to using the new-to-me Chalk Talk stamp set and coordinating Framelits dies. This card is for our granddaughter, Amanda, for her 17th birthday.

Inside of the card: The design on the left side is popped up on dimensionals, and her birthday check is tucked behind it.

October 15, 2013

Stampin' Up! has come out with new dies to create a card that flips open. This is my first attempt, for my niece, April. Cardstock and paper are Melon Mambo, with a flower made from the Fun Flowers die. The "xoxo" and the scalloped circle are part of the die set. Fun!

October 9, 2013

I have been very busy tending to my other hobbies, and my cardmaking has been neglected for quite a while. But a good friend's wedding anniversary is coming up, and Mo Manning has just come out with this perfect image for me to use, colored with my Copic markers.

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July 14, 2013

I have been busy with needlework, bobbin lace, and a bum knee, which is why it's been over a month since I last posted. Oh well! I need three birthday cards for three special people, coming up very soon. I can't take credit for this design. I found it online, and thought it was just lovely; and, I had all the materials I needed to duplicate it. So here's my version, using the Norrland Flower die and some sponging. Oh, and a Copic marker to color the rhinestones.

June 20, 2013

If you'll forgive my immodesty, I love this card! I used a digi from Mo Manning, Baby Fairy Bee, and also some desginer paper that Mo created some time ago to go with a different image. The flower was made from a Memory Box die, Fabulous Phlox. I colored the pearls with a Copic marker, and computer generated the sentiment.

June 16, 2013

I combined two clever techniques for this card. The first is a pinwheel, where you place alternating squares of patterned paper to form a pinwheel shape. You can put lots of things in the center. Today I decided on a flower, with greenery and a little pearl center. The second technique is a "spring" card. It fits flat into a regular envelope, but when you take it out, the center diamond springs up to almost vertical while the base sits on the table.

June 6, 2013

This card is for my DH, Jim, for our 50th wedding anniversary, which is this Saturday. Since we live in the Seattle area, I thought the sentiment on the front and inside were perfect!

The inspiration for this card came from Loll Thompson. I used a slightly different technique and different stamps and die, but this card looks a lot like hers. I started by spraying a piece of watercolor paper with water, then used a few drops of reinker and an AquaPainter to apply the streaks of color. After letting it dry, I cut three strips, 1" x 3", and applied them to a piece of cardstock, lining them up as perfectly as humanly possible. The leaf is a die from Poppy Stamps, Gentle Leaf.

Earlier this month, Gina K. designs had a promotion where you'd get a certain stamp set for free with any purchase. I looked around the website and found a pack of printed paper that coordinated with the stamp set, and ordered them. Here's a card I made with the stamp set and paper. I paper pieced the balloons and owl's hat using the paper pack, and I colored the rest of the owl with Copic Markers.

I've been looking back through cards I made some time ago, and came across this card, which I really like, but which somehow never got on my blog. I'm about to make a duplicate of it, so here's the original. The flower on my card was made with four cuts of the smallest flower in the SU Fun Flowers die. I cut two Pink Pirouette and two Pretty in Pink. Then I used the Faux Suede technique, giving me 8 layers. I sponged the Pink Pirouette layers with Pretty in Pink, and the Pretty in Pink layers with Regal Rose ink, alternated the layers (suede side up) and secured with a shiny pink brad.

Mo Manning drew this adorable little boy with his gigantic balloon. She calls it Going Up. But I made the card for my grandson, who has been ill, and I've renamed it, "Hang In There."

Rearranging! A few days ago, I made a gift bag, and today I made a card to go with it. The card is made with the SU set, Fresh Vintage, and the bag is made from matching paper called Everyday Enchantment. The bag is made from directions provided by Gretchen Barron.

Three cards today: Two oldies and one new! First, my 2012 Christmas card--or rather, one of them. This one was fun to make, and I liked the finished product, but so time consuming.

Then yet another version of Mo Manning's "Tall Cake." This one was for our daughter, for her birthday in January.

And last, this card, which I saw on Tami White's blog and had to copy, almost exactly. I changed the greeting--mine says the same thing, but is larger type, and the leaves, which I cut from a die.

A card that I've made several times, a great one for a guy. It uses the stamp, Leaf Clusters, from Hero Arts.

I am loving my new Memory Box Dies. This flower is called Fabulous Phlox. I cut the flower from Pink Pirouette, sponged with Pretty in Pink. Center and leaves are Old Olive. The embossing folder is from Sizzix, Corners and Lattice set.

Today is Valentine's Day! I had no ideas for this year, that is until Mo Manning gave away a wonderful free image called "Stole My Heart." I printed it out, colored it, and the card sort of made itself. Thanks to my sweet SU demo, Janell, for the gift of the silver glimmer paper!

I wanted to make a special hostess gift for our daughter (and son-in-law)(is that a host gift?) to thank them for inviting us to spend a week with them in Hawaii. I covered a regular composition notebook with paper I decorated myself with a leaf stamp and sponging, then colored this adorable Pineapple Girl digi from Mo Manning, and some little Honus cut from a Memory Box die.

A sympathy card. I used the Very Vintage wheel with Not Quite Navy craft ink, then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. Colored the background with Copic B41, and the flowers, butterfly and pearls with Copic B45. The card is white, although it looks blueish in this photo.

A good friend has asked me to make some cards for her. She picked this image as one of her favorites. Mice aren't my favorite critters, but I do have to admit that he's kinda cute.

Here's the birthday card I made for my grandson, Trent. He's 10 today!