Day 4 one more

When I made the clean and simple card for the previous post, I had one die cut ellie left over. The idea is to make two cards so here is one more for you! 

The simple sketch made it easy to color up the elephant add a die cut and some DSP and there's one more birthday card in my stash. 

You know I love flowers but it's been nice to find some of these other cute images and work out ways to use them on a card. 

I'm in lift off mode with my mojo, feel it coming in for a landing! 

Playing with the folks at CAS(E) This Sketch who inspired the layout. 

See you tomorrow!

Day 4 Clean and Simple

Nothing beats making a Clean and Simple card as inspired by Julie Ebersole. We got great tips and samples at today's Spring Card Camp class. I am so grateful for the timing of this class. I've really been in stay-at-home mode since January and I absolutely need something to help me be motivated. 

Here's my card for today, using the Unforgettable stamps and dies from WPlus9. I went looking through my stash for a line drawing so that I could color with my Polychromos pencils, and matching dies. These elephants have long been some of my favorite images. 

I kept the front very simple, with a strip of DSP and a die cut through to the inside of the card. I intentionally wanted to create the feeling that this guy was sort of just suspended there in space. That would be unforgettable! 

On the inside you get the rest of the picture and the sentiment. 

The key to a well-designed CAS card is having an image with enough details to make it interesting. I used Glossy Accents to add to the elephant and made sure it was a strong focal point for the card front.

The only other embellishments are a bit of shimmer and the twine bow. I am trying not to feel guilty about all this craft time, but grateful instead that I have this mental challenge to keep me engaged! 

But OH, I miss our children and grands. Seems like it's been SO LONG since we've had hugs. I've been doing lots of talking to myself lately. 

Thanks for your visit today, I sure appreciate you dropping by. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Cut Paper Background Scenes

Hello there! For Spring Cards Stamp Day 3 I was busy creating all afternoon. We used an abstract background stamp to create scenes and it was quite a challenge for me. 

My background stamp (SU retired) has wild animal stripes on it. Stamped on different colors of paper, can you see the possibilities? I cut it out and pieced layers for each card. 

An ocean voyage?  For a birthday card or just, thinking of you.

Spacious skies, fields of grain and rolling hills? 

Well you have to use your imagination. 

What I liked about these cards is that they are very colorful. What I didn't like? They were time consuming. But I am reminding myself that learning something new takes time, especially the process part of wondering what to use and how to make it work with what I have. 

The sense of accomplishment is nice. Sharing is fun! The best part is getting two cards for one technique and it really does get my brain thinking about how to make the next one. I know it will get easier. I also know that I could have cheated and used a die to create the same look, or nicer actually. But I wonder, what's the fun in that?

Thank you so much for visiting and listening to me think out loud. You are so kind! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Spring Card Camp Day 2

Hello, welcome back to my blog! Our Easter day was very quiet but we enjoyed special face time and calls with our loved ones. 

I've taken many Online Card Classes and loved them, so I was excited to sign up for the Spring Card Camp when Kristina and Jennifer announced it. I always love learning new techniques or just having the prompts to make cards that aren't in my usual wheelhouse. 

I enjoyed using the My Whole Life stamps from WPlus9 to stamp once and then make two panels with the cards.  After randomly stamping I stenciled soft yellow dots in one area to pull it all together. Using a sponge dauber, I blended a second layer of inks on some of the images. I kept them very simple and one layer. 

The class goes on all month, it's not to late to join in! A great value and they are geared towards using supplies that we already have. Just the kind of diversion I need now while stuck at home.

I'll be keeping these posts short so that I have more to time to stamp and keep up with posting. I'd be happy to answer questions if you have any in the comments about the supplies I used. Thanks so much! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Budding Beauties Cherry Blossoms

Our flowers and trees are blooming so beautifully right now! Our redbuds and azaleas, and beautiful dogwoods have been so pretty this week.  

I went to clean up yesterday's supplies after posting THIS card and decided to make one more card with this fun stuff before putting it away! 

The Halfsies Diamond die always makes a clean and elegant card, enabling the focal point to shine. I kept that very simple, inking up one cherry blossom branch image, die cutting it and adding an olive green thread bow. 

Another special die cut, *new* to me, is the Brick Layer Die. I placed the die on the card front itself.  The Halfsies panels were inked with Distress Oxides and placed over the card front. Adding an inked panel inside the top of the card adds depth and hides any writing on the inside of the card. Hope that makes sense. 

I wanted the look of warm stucco for the card front, so I let my inking be a bit mottled. I really liked how that turned out, but it was difficult to photograph!

This is my second card made for the Freshly Made Sketches this week. This take on the sketch is much more CAS. 

Thank you so much for your visit and kind words. Take care and I pray that you will stay well.

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: The Greetery - Budding Beauties Spring Stamps, Sentiment Suite: Birthday Stamps and dies

Paper: Neenah Solar White, Pear Pizzazz

INK: Versamark, Altenew - Warm Mocha, Rouge, Crimson, Frayed Leaf: Distress Oxides - Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Aged Mahogany

Accessories: Altenew - Rose Gold Embossing Powder, The Greetery Dies: Halfsies, Brick Layer

He Cares for You

I am back in the craft room today. Had time to putter around tidying up and then make this card. It began with pieces on my desk that I decided to work on before putting them away. Things went on from there and here you go! 

The tulips were stamped the day my recent Greetery order arrived and I decided to add some details with colored pencils.  Went looking for a sentiment, and found this one already stamped and embossed on vellum. As you can guess the die cut was also already prepared. 

You'd think I just put this together quickly, but I know you know how long picking paper and arranging everything can take. HA! I don't think it's just me, am I right?

Anyway, I'm glad you're here today to see my card so I'll surprise you with the next tidbit. I even finished the inside. 

I'm joining the challenge at Freshly Made Sketches today, although I'm hoping my card isn't too busy. 

That's it for me today, I hope that you are able to enjoy peace of mind in these trying circumstances. Thanks for coming! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: The Greetery - Budding Beauties Spring, Comforting Commands; and coordinating dies

Paper: Neenah Solar White; DSP is Lovely Day by Mintay Karola

INK: assorted inks from Altenew

Accessories: Cozy Cup Coaster Die and Sentiment Suite; Basics dies from The Greetery

Stamps, Markers, Scissors and Glue

Hello again! I'm having a return to the basics for my stamping this week, and today it's stamps markers, scissors and glue and just a bit more. I feel a bit like a hamster on a wheel rattling around in my house but I enjoyed putting this card together and thinking happily of the sweet girl who's first birthday is coming up. 

I started with stamps from Birthday Bears (MFT) which an oldie that's been in my stash since 2015. Instead of using the dies, I did some masking enabling me to position the gift, the hat, and balloons, then cut it out. Colored with Copics. 

One thing about Copics - I used to try and make coloring with them SO COMPLICATED that I stressed out over using them. I'm over that now. Two layers and I'm done, simple. The black and white strip of paper was on my desk, so I glued that on and added some translucent stars. Believe it or not, I don't think I've ever used them. And I think they add just the right bling. 

I'm playing with The Paper Players, who have a theme week: Zoo, and Retro Rubber Challenge whose theme is squares. My square card measures 4.25 x 4.25. 

Enjoy your day! Thanks for your visit. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!