TEBBLF Challenge # 6

For TEBB Challenge #6, a fabulous sketch, I've chosen 3 of my favorite colors to work with, black, white & raspberry. This was a fun, fairly simple card to put together, but then it's always easier when you have coordinating papers, both plain & patterned. Of course simple, classic stamps & colors don't hurt either! I used PTI's Everyday Classics again for my flower in this challenge, as well as their papers and ink. The flourish stamp from Technique Tuesday works well as a stem and the pearls are from Kaiser Craft. Okay, 11 down & 2 to go!!! Whew!!!

PTI's With Sympathy: Loss of Pet

Another fairly simple card for my 2nd try @ Guest Star Stamper on PTI's forum. This one-layer sympathy for the loss of a furry friend card is one I just wanted to make because I thought that little paw would look so cute flocked. In the creative process it occurred to me to do the same flocking on my flowers. I decided to keep the tone muted, clean and simple. Let me know if you like it!

I actually had to remake this card, once I learned the "secret" to using Palette's Stamp & Stick Gluepad with flocking -- "ink" your stamp with the gluepad & pour on your flocking BEFORE heating! Yep, that's the key to make your flocking stick and it will not hurt or change the flock at all! I heated both from underneath & from the top. I even went back and added a bit more flock to my paw & reheated a second time. Try it; you'll love it!!!

Paper: PTI's Kraft Cardstock
Stamps: PTI's With Sympaty: Loss of Pet
Ink: PTI's Dark Chocolate; Colorbox Pigment: Eggshell White; Palette's Stamp & Stick Gluepad

Embellishment: Doodlebug Designs: Flock; MS's Embossed ZigZag Punch

PTI Friends 'Til the End & BB: Retro Card

A simple card for my first attempt @ Guest Star Stamper on PTI's Forum features Friends 'Til the End and Background Basics: Retro stamps. I decided to use this particular background stamp and my Michaels' Black, White & Pop ribbon that mimic each other! I knew my Friends "Til the End flower would "pop" stamped in Palette Noir ink on Raspberry Fizz. I restamped the flower center, added black glitter in the middle, followed by 3 shades of pink glitter, pop-dotted it over my ribbon and added a single pink gem over the "i" in Friend to finish it off!
Paper: PTI's Raspberry Fizz & Stampers' Select White Cardstocks
Stamps: Friends 'Til the End & Background Basics: Retro
Ink: PTI's Palette Noir & Raspberry Fizz
Embellishments: Michaels' Black, White & Pop ribbon; gem & glitters from stash

Simple Merry Christmas

Between my quest for simple, elegant Christmas cards for this year & a challenge I saw yesterday for a simple one-layer card, I dug through my stash and came up with this one. Sadly, it's too late for the challenge, but I do like its simple elegance. I've had this stamp since 2005 when I took several DeNami classes @ a local LSS and bought most of their Christmas stamps. Sorry to say that I've not used several . . . yet! :~) The gold/deckle-edged cards & matching gold-lined envelopes have been in my stash for several years also! I merely inked the stamp in two colors, added green Spica to the leaves & went over the phrase in red Spica. Though not discernible in the photo, in real life, it's so pretty! Simple & easy, yet elegant -- exactly what a Christmas card should be, I think!!! I'm sending a special "thank you" to Gwen too for recommending the Spica Pens -- they're AWESOME!!! ;-)
Stamp: DeNami Design
Ink: PTI's Ripe Avacado & Pure Poppy
Tools: Spica Green & Red Glitter Pens

Simple Diamond Fold Card

This simple little diamond fold card is another I found the tutorial for on http://www.youtube.com/watch entitled Diamond Fold Card. The finished card is 4" x 4" except that mine's a bit smaller because I chose to finish it by using my Fiskars edge punch on each side. I've had this hand-crocheted flower for probably 6 years (yikes!), but I thought it was a cute embellishment for this card. I still have 2 left!!!
Paper: Lavendar cardstock from stash; DCWV Flower Names DP
Tools: Bone Folder; Fiskars Edge Punch; hand-crocheted flower

The Heat Is On!

I know most of the country is still looking forward to spring, but after the nicest spring I can recall in 17 years, we are ready for summer here in Phoenix! Okay, that's not entirely true -- WE'RE not ready, but apparently Mother Nature is because our first 100-degree day is expected this Sunday!!! ;-)

Here I tried a fun technique made possible by my Designing Diva friend, Judy, who gave each of the Divas a strip of sequin waste, the hole-y strip left over after the sequins are cut! I actually used a raspberry Dauber Duo to sponge the dots all over my cardstock -- really fun and super easy! It actually looks better if they're not perfect, but instead some are lighter/not completely there. I thought it needed something else, but wasn't sure what, so I just decided to just leave it simple.

Paper: Hot Pink & Green cardstocks; DCWV's Extreme Paper Stack DP

Ink: Tsukineko's Dauber Duos

Another Father's Day Card for Heroes

Another quick, simple Dad's Day card from the DP I used yesterday. I really like this paper & think it's manly, but had trouble finding papers to match up with it. Would have liked more layers here, but not having much luck finding the right shades to do that. You'd think I don't have a lot of paper, but that's kind of like saying I don't have a lot of ribbon. . . !

Papers: Speckled cardstock; DCWV Extreme Paper Stack

Ink: Tsukineko's Vintage Sepia Versafine

Embellishments: Making Memories Staples; JoAnn Craft Essentials Rub-Ons

Spring is Here card!

Here again is another of my current favorite simple cards which I shared yesterday with my stamp group! Just a 5 1/2" x 4/1/4" card with a 5" by 2 1/4" piece of DP. Punch out a portion of whatever corresponding shape fits your stamped image! (See my previous post under my Tutorials label to place the punch closer to punch edge.) I've made similar cards using round, oval scalloped and heart punches also. What could be simpler? Then embellish with whatever you've got handy to finish it off & you've got a simple/quick card ready to mail!

Paper: The Paper Company Mandarin Cardstock; DCWV DP

Stamp: Studio G $1 stamp from Michaels

Punch: Marvy Uchida 1 3/4" square

Embellishments: Dew Drops by The Robin's Nest; Fibers by Making Memories

Some Bunny Loves You!

Ever had one of those days where everything hits you wrong & you just want to cry because you feel like you can't cope & you're such a disappointment to everyone you really care about? That was my yesterday, but I talked to everyone I felt like I'd disappointed/failed and by the time I went to sleep, I knew it will all be okay. Just take each day one at a time & stop stressing over things in life that come up & you just cannot control/change -- seems so simple/logical now! Stuff happens & it always will -- all at once in a big lump too; never slow/easy/one thing at a time -- nope, not gonna happen that way! ;-) Thank God for sweet, understanding friends/family that make it all worth it & who are there for you when you truly feel like a failure. Crying sometimes helps, but mostly it just causes me sinus congestion & a headache, but that's just another one of those things I can't control.
Soooooo, my solution to getting over my headache was to papercraft, of course! Everything else got put on hold last night & I got out my new little $1 Studio G stamps and my bright, spring colors and Some Bunny Loves You is the result! Hope you like him because he made me feel brighter & more hopeful, just like spring does!!! I have to tell you this simple card layout is becoming an all-time favorite because it's so adaptable to so many punch shapes & so easy to dress up or down/make cutesy or elegant, as my friend Ilene just mentioned yesterday. It's the same basic layout I used for Simple Punched Thank You Card posted on January 9th and the Black & White Floral Rosette card posted on January 3rd! I'm lovin' it!!! Hmmmm, would maybe be a good one for an SBS8 Challenge!!!
Paper: DCWV Spring Easter DP; The Paper Company Color Connect Texture in Lilac
Stamp: Studio G
Punch: Marvy Uchida 1 3/4" Square
Embellishments: Colored Pencils/Chalks; Making Memories Funky Fibers in Watercolor Brite; $ Store small q-tips for nose & paws

Simple/Easy Christmas Cards & Stickles!!!

Some simple & easy cards for the holiday! All you need besides what comes in the paper stack is a little Stickles for excitement (thanks Ilene & Deva, the Stickles' Queens)!!! For other Stickles' Queens out there, I've discovered that once I get even my old bottles (you don't want to know how old, trust me) to flow easily ALWAYS, insert a "short" straight pin in the neck before you screw the cap back on. I believe I found the pins @ Joanns, but they're like straight sewing pins, except shorter & they have a smaller, flatter head, which allows you to put the cap back on & your Stickles will always be ready to use -- easy & very time-saving!!! Also, my original reason for purchasing them, obviously, was to secure the ends of ribbon & they work great for that too, assuming your eyesight is good enough to find them once you drop them, that is!

Paper: DCWV Christmas Scrapbook in a Stack (includes textured cardstock, tiny brads, alpha stickers & velllum quotes

Stamp: Merry Christmas - DeNami Design

Embelllishment: Stickles by Ranger Industries - Lime Green, Xmas Red, Green

A simple little five-inch square card made from cards I received as a gift quite a while ago. I tend to hoard my supplies; I have no idea why. Some of the paper I loved when I purchased it is now out-of-style. This simple card uses the Heidi Grace Designs flowers and American Crafts rub-on letters in brown. I love being able to find rub-ons in colors other than black! Now if I could just find a dark brown gel ink pen to sign my brown cards with, I'd be a happy camper!!!