PAPERLICIOUS

Happy Birthday x 90

Happy Monday!  My mom turned 90 over the weekend.  Her comment?  "90 must be the new 89."  She is doing well.

Since her favorite flower is the daisy, I used one of my favorite Flourishes sets, Gerber Daisies. 

In a bit of a rush, so I'll just mention that I colored with Prismacolor pencils and also sponged over the background a bit with Distress Inks.  As you can see in the close up, I didn't fuss.  Also used an Impression Obsession background on the yellow LilyBee Designs Homemade patterned paper.  

MOOD WHEN DONE = flowery

ps.  Got so many questions/emails about the Silhouette/Cameo, I'll try and post my thoughts (pro and con) later this week.  Thanks for reading and thanks for the comments.

 

The Stockings Were Hung...

Colored with pencils.  Die cut the kraft panel and popped it up with dimensionals.

<-----Accented with Micron Black pens from Sakura.  (After I colored the image, I traced the image with these fine black pens.  This set was about $16 and worth every penny.  Really helped make the image pop.  Got mine at Angela's, my LSS. 

More accents with Ranger Glossy and Black accents. Adhered kraft panel onto an A Muse Studio black card. 

Image from Impression Obsession; sentiment from PTI.

MOOD WHEN DONE = Merry!

Substitute Stamping...Debbie's Christmas Tag (and an update on life...)

Found this pretty Christmas tag (scroll down to the second tag) that Debbie Olson made last year and decided to substitute my supplies and make something similar. 

Here is my version:

Card Construction Details: 

1.  Die cut ornament (Memory Box).  Stamped part of Holiday Cheer from Impression Obsession and colored with pencils.

2.  Die cut tag (PTI) and stamped flourishes from Waltzingmouse on to kraft tag.

3. Stamped A Muse Studio sentiment in Versamark and embossed in white. Trimmed and adhered to tag.

4.  Adhered ornament with dimensionals and added Rangers Glossy Accents.

5.  Adhered strip of red cardstock.

6.  Added ribbon (SU) to tag and adhered tag to card. 

7.  Rounded edges of card.

MOOD WHEN DONE = Relaxed from all that coloring.

If you are interested in reading about my Mom and life, read on. Otherwise, hope your week is a good one.

Distressed Leaf Prints

Oh this was an inky fun mess to make.

Card Construction Details (just the hightlights)

1.  Die cut leaves and stamped veins (PTI Leaf Prints).

2.  Rubbed Distress inks onto a craft sheet, added Bronze Perfect Pearls powder, misted with water, and swirled the leaves onto the mess.

3. Let dry and went over veins with a fine black marker.

4.  Made background panel by covering white cardstock with Distress Inks and misting.  (Was going for the rain dappled look...).  Let dry.

5.  Stamped background with one of the awesome Impression Obsession cover a card sets and black ink.  Wiped off some of the ink on the stamp with a baby wipe prior to stamping to give a more blotchy look.  Love this large script.  Distressed edges with more ink...

6.  Stamped cream card with Hero Arts woodgrain background and a strip with a Hero Arts sentiment.

7.  Assembed as shown.

MOOD WHEN DONE = one big fall inky mess

***

Thanks for the comments on my Mom.  Took her to the doctor yesterday.  She put her on an antibiotic just in case this confusion is caused by an infection.  Will know within a day or two, but given the length of the problem, the doc doubted it.  But I'm hopeful.

The doctor and I talked to my Mom about a nursing home.  This is more complicated than I wish due to financial concerns.  I'm living in the moment for now.  How's that for zen whatever!

Apples, Blackboard, Gingham

Don't usually make black cards, but in this case, it worked so much better than the original vanilla base I tried.  And, with the apples, I see a blackboard and a thank you note for a teacher.

Or, since I think sending a thank you note to a college professor just isn't the same as sending one to a 3rd grade teacher, this will go to someone who did something nice for me.

Card Construction Details:

1.  Stamped apple from Flourishes Apple of My Eye repeatedly on a die cut piece of A Muse Studio Vanilla cardstock.

2.  Colored with Copics.  HINT:  Adding yellow to most fruits and leaves helps.  Also, for apples, add a bit of green at the top of the apple and blend (forms a soft reddish brown that looks like a real apple).

3.  Die cut another piece of Vanilla cardstock.

4.  Trimmed piece and stamped with an Impression Obsession Gingham Cover A Card background stamp and Memento Pear Tart ink. 

5.  Searched for a sentiment that worked.  Settled on Waltzingmouse Rescue Remedies Addition.

6.  Adhered gingham piece to apple die cut and wrapped ribbon.

7. Adhered with dimensional to an A2 card made with Onyx A Muse Studio cardstock and rounded corners on card. 

8.  Stamped an extra gingham piece and die cut with the Papertrey Ink envelope liner die.  Love this die!

SUGGESTION:  if you are going to make a black card, consider buying this Onyx cardstock.  The white side makes the entire card much softer looking than a black interior with a white layer inside.  If you don't want to go the A Muse Studio route, you can get the same cardstock from Memory Box through Ellen Hutson or Impress Rubber Stamps.  Or, layer the black front onto a white card.  Not my preference, but still nice.

MOOD WHEN DONE = Happy.  Life is good right now -- I'm taking off 2 entire weeks from work later this month and I'm feeling grateful for good health and a good job.

 

When All Else Fails, Copy

and copy I did.**   From Amber a/k/a Damask Love.  Her work always delights.  And she's funny.  I adore her blog.  So I copied this card.  If you leave a comment for Amber on her awesomely cute card, please tell her I said hi!

However, I don't have the DeNami stamps Amber used.  So I "shopped" my stash and came up with my own version.  Hand cut the elephants (watching Say Yes to the Dress and it took about 5 minutes...). 

Enjoy!

MOOD WHEN DONE = Grateful

**  All else did fail.  I have the cards to prove it!!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Technique Tuesday Zoology, Impression Obsession Borders, and A Muse Studio Sweet Love
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo and Versafine Onyx  (a/k/a two black inks)
Cardstock:  A Muse Studio Latte and Pink Gingham (love)
Other: Corner Rounder, white cotton floss, burst of energy

 

Blackberry and Lime

A very nice person reached out and did something very sweet for me.  Thus, the card!  Hard to photo Blackberry, but I tried...

Card Construction Details

1.  A2 A Muse Studio Blackberry card, cut at 4.25", scored and folded so score on side.

2.  Score again 1/4" in from fold to leave room for A Muse Studio Lime paper.

3.  Ink Impression Obsession Cover a Card Gingham stamp with AMS Blackberry ink and stamp part of card (covered part that I did not want stamped with paper).  (Versamark does not work well with A Muse colored cardstock -- the image is too faint, but tone on tone works great.)

4.  Repeat with polka dot background from Cornish Heritage (retired).

5.  Stamp berry leaves from PTI Everyday Button Bits with AMS Lime ink.

6.  Die cut "buttons" with scraps, including a blackberry piece stamped with gingham.  PTI Button dies.

7.  Stamp sentiment in Lime ink, trim and adhere to Lime cardstock.

8.  Sew die cut buttons (such a great invention as buttons are so hard to mail!) with white cotton floss. Stamp Lime cardstock with polka dots, trim and adhere.

9.  Rounded corners to balance the lime strip.

MOOD WHEN DONE = Sweet

And here's a picture to show how the card lies so flat.  This is one reason why I love this cardstock!  Funny how such a little thing makes me happy!

 

Before and After: Soft Shell

Looks like a 10 minute card but lots of colored shells, backgrounds, etc. Here's 2 of them.

First up is the blue version -- the rectangle is A Muse Studio Sky ink stamped on an acrylic block and then stamped directly on the card stock.  Nice, but the sentiment is not centered.  Will still use this card.

And on this version the sentiment is centered.  Different background. Used one of the Impression Obsession Cover a Card background stamps.  These are amazing and include a variety of classic and not so classic designs.  Wish I had all of them!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Flourishes Seaside Life, Impression Obsession Cover a Card Gradation ; Technique Tuesday set (name unknown)
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo; A Muse Studio Sky (can't remember what ink I used on the second card)
Other:  bling, PTI cream cardstock, random coloring tools

Christmas Thank You

Card size -- 6.5" x 3.75"

Felt flower adds some fun texture to this holiday thank you card.  Hand cut the leaves.  Curved the dotted stamp. 

Debating whether sentiment should be lower.  I say yes, husband says no.  He's just being nice however, so his view discounted. 

 

 

 

 

Mood When Done = thankful

EDITED TO ADD -- just looked at this again.  UGH.  That sentiment is driving me nuts, nutty, batty, whatever.  Consider this the BEFORE pic.  Revised version coming soon!!!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Impression Obsession Borders; Technique Tuesday Thanks

Paper:  Kraft

Ink:  Memento Bamboo and SU Craft White

Other:  random felt, button and PTI twine, corner rounder; PTI flower die

Project 100 6/100: Love You and My View

Here's another quick and fun card and one of my favorite layouts.  You can substitute so many stamps for the Impression Obsession Autumn set that I used with this one.  The squares are 1".  Even patterned paper would work here.

Although I like the layout, I'm a tad iffy on this card.  Oh, I will use it, but not sure that the color combo is working.  A bit dull...

Card Construction Details:

1.  Up slightly before 4 am.  Card making time!

2.  Stamped images onto PTI Kraft cardstock with SU Craft ink. 

3.  Punched images with 1" square punch and rubbed edges on SU Pumpkin Pie ink.  White from images ran onto the ink pad.  Wait longer to do this.  Should have stamped the images the night before.  Pad salvageable.

4. Adhered squares with dimensionals.

5. Stamped sentiment with Versamark ink.  Sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps Say It With Style

6.  Embossed sentiment with Seafoam White Ranger embossing powder.  (Covered squares with scrap paper before sprinkling on embossing powder to avoid getting powder on the squares.)

7.  Added dots with gel pen.

8. Rounded corners. 

I'll line this with white paper inside before sending a note.

Mood when done = Happy

****

And on a totally unrelated note, I brought my camera to work today by mistake.  So, I took this unedited pic of the view from my desk chair (when I'm not facing the computer).

It's a view of part of the Air and Space Museum and behind that the National Gallery of Art and the East Wing of that gallery.  And behind that...more Washington DC stuff.  Just thought I'd share!  (And yes I'm a bit of a mess at work too...)