Christmas in February

Just a quick post to show the Christmas cards I made for February. Off to a good start for the year - I have 12 (six each of 2 designs) done!

Stamps: Greeting Card Kids, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Watercolor Paper, Jolly Holiday DSP
Ink: Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip, and Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pads
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Blender Pens, Spellbinders Nestabilities Dies

Strawberries...(Copic Creations Challenge No. 8)

... are just about my favorite fruit, along with peaches, blueberries, cherries, grapes, apples, plums, melons, anything citrus.......aw heck, let's just include everything except bananas! :)

So I was delighted when Flourishes released this stamp set, featuring STRAWBERRIES! They look so yummy, and are so yummy to color with my yummy Copic Sketch markers. *grin*

Purely by coincidence, this week's Copic Creations Challenge is Botanicals, and irony of ironies, the sponsor this week is Flourishes! You'd think they planned to get that stamp set in my hands just in time to play, lol.

As soon as I got my order from Flourishes (a few days ago), I stamped out three of these using Memento Tuxedo Black on Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock and went to town on 'em!!!

After it was colored, I cut it out with a Nestabilities Large Deckled Rectangles die, then edged it with Copic YG17.

I used the Copic markers on the strawberry charm, purchased from the Hobby House, UK. That is also where I found the Papermania Pearl Brads. The filigree flower is from Flourishes Finishing Touches.

After running the bottom half of the SU Very Vanilla cardstock through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots embossing folder, I added the red polka dot ribbon and "popped" the image using SU Stampin' Dimensionals for some depth. The card base is Stampin' Up! Real Red.

Copic colors used: Y0000, R14, R24, R27, R29, YG17, YG67, G20, W-1, W-3

Birthday Fishes! (July Card Swap)

I have to make this real quick, because we're on our way to our son and new daughter-in-law's for supper.

This is the card for our stampin' club swap for next month. The theme was "wet", any interpretation, birthday card, with 2 layers and an embellishment.

I sponged VersaMagic Ocean Depth on the background and stamped the swirly seaweed in VersaMagic Hint of Pesto on Neenah Solar White cardstock. The little bubbles were stamped in CTMH Heavenly Blue.

The fish were stamped and reverse stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers. The glued-on party hats were also colored with Copics. Little "Sun" Swarovski crystals are their eyes. I just had to add some bling, lol. After they were cut out, they were "popped" from the background with Stampin' Dimensionals.

The sentiment was printed on my computer (the font is called Curlz), cut with a small Nesties Deckled Rectangle die, inked on the edge, and "popped", like the fish. The ribbon is supposed to be seaweed (or maybe a sea urchin, lol). I just knotted it and then cut the end to make it fray a bit. It's held on with little Glue Dots under each knot.

I found the crushed shells in the floral department at Michael's - I think they're used in the bottom of vases, but as soon as I saw the bag (and a good-sized bag, at that!) I knew what I was going to use them for! The blue-green "coral" was cut with a Martha Stewart punch and glued down with JudiKins Diamond Glaze.

Cardstock: Neeneh Solar White
Designer Paper: Sandylion
Stamps: Fish & Seaweed-SU Ocean Commotion, Party hat- SU Favorite Teddy Bear, Bubbles- Hero Arts Sea Life
Sentiment: printed on computer
Inks: Memento, VersaMagic, CTMH
Embellies: Offray ribbon, Swarovski Crystals, crushed shells (Decor Sand), Martha Stewart punch, Nestabilties Small Deckled Rectangle

Christmas in June

Okay, okay, I'm well aware that Christmas in May didn't happen here at Heart's Delight, so to make up for it, I'm making eight of these cards, instead of my usual four per month. I'll still be on track for getting Christmas cards sent on time this year....with one teeny-tiny problem. It's miniscule, really. When I figured out how many cards I needed to make on a monthly basis, I didn't know I'd be getting to know so many new card-swapping friends this year. I think what I really have to do now is make six or eight Christmas cards per month. Just need to find the time, LOL!

For a while, I wasn't too pleased with the way this card was looking, because it started out really too plain. I just kept adding to it, starting with VersaMark swirls on the Real Red cardstock base. That was a good beginning, but the white layer on top of it lacked something. Edging it with the snowflake border punch added some more detail, but it still needed a little more. I didn't want more red swirls on the main white background, so I stamped the swirls with the VersaMark and heat embossed with JudiKins Clear Detail embossing powder. Subtle, but nice. I don't know how well you can see it in the photos.

The main image, from Stampin' Up! was stamped in Real Red Classic ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock, then cut and embossed with a Nestabilities Labels Four die. I used the next larger die to cut/emboss some Real Red cardstock, and the next larger die to cut more Solar White cardstock. Swirls were stamped on that last layer in red ink, and the edges were also inked.

The sentiment, from the same SU set, was cut with the SU large oval punch. The edges were inked and I used the Making Memories slot punch tool for the holes through which the ribbon was threaded. The edge of the die-cut image was glittered with Martha Stewart Crystal Fine glitter, as was some of the image, and red pearls from Sally completed it!

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Real Red, Neenah Solar White
Stamps: Main image and sentiment- Stampin' Up! 'To You & Yours', Background swirls- Inkadinkado 'Warm Holiday Wishes'
Ink: Stampin' Up! Real red Classic, VersaMark
Embellishments and tools used: ribbon from Michael's, glitter- Martha Stewart, JudiKins Clear Detail EP, JudiKins Diamond Glaze, Fiskars snowflake punch, SU oval punch, Marvy Uchida corner punch, Nestabilities Labels Four dies (run through the Cuttlebug), SU Stampin' Dimensionals popped the image up, Making Memories slot punch tool, Sally's pearls

J & K Wedding

I'm just getting around to posting this card that I made for my son and his bride. I got my inspiration from this card at Waltzingmouse Makes. I just adore the knotted ribbon border! (I apologize for the card looking so dark. I even lightened it some in PhotoShop. *sigh*)

The image in the center looks very similar to the ones they had on their wedding invitations, so that's why I used it.

The instructions for making the ribbon border card are at the link above. Here's another card Claire made with the ribbon border. It's so darn cute!

Here's the happy couple! >>>>

Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White Cover, DCWV black
Stamps: Image- Hampton Art Carpe Diem 1, Sentiment- Inkadinkado Wedding Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black
Embellies: Nestabilities Long Rectangle, black 3/8" grosgrain ribbon

Happy Mother's Day 2009

This is the card I made for my mom this year. I was going to wax rhapsodic about what a wonderful mother she is, but I'm getting a lump in my throat and can't see through the tears, so I won't. I miss her so much! She lives about a 10 hour drive away, so we don't get to spend as much time together as we would like. She has to take care of her husband, who has many mental health problems. *sigh*

Anywho, I used Whiff of Joy's Confirmand Melinda for the image, because I wanted to link it to the sentiment inside. I stamped her with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on SU Very Vanilla cardstock. She was colored with Copic markers, her wings painted with Shimmerz Blingz Pixie Dust, then cut with the Nestabilities Petite Oval die. The mat behind her is SU Baja Breeze (I'm lovin' that color lately!), cut with the Nesties Scalloped Petite Oval, and run through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots embossing folder.

I think the textured ivory background paper (Paper Company Ivory Weave) matched the Very Vanilla really well, and the ecru lace was a nice contrast. The ribbon is SU Very Vanilla Taffeta.

I didn't have any gemstone brads that matched the colors, so I took some clear ones and colored them with a Copic Sketch BG72 Ice Ocean marker. The same marker was used to line the inside of the SU Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware and color the brads over the sentiment.

The Prima Flowers matched everything perfectly, but I needed some smaller ones for filler, so I grabbed my little flower punches (EK Success) and made my own. Some of them got colored with the Copics, too. ;-) And Sally's Pearls added just the right touch to them all.

The cover and inside sentiments were printed on my printer. The Little hearts adorning the inside were Nesties Classic Hearts and Classic Scalloped Hearts run through the Cuttlebug.

Copic Colors used>>>>>



Cardstock: SU Very Vanilla and Baja Breeze, Paper Co, Ivory Weave
Stamp: WoJ Confirmand Melinda
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Friendship

I've been thinking about true friendship quite a bit lately, and how there are people one calls friends, but who are really more like acquaintances. Pleasant enough, and fun to be with, but not necessarily someone with which you felt you could completely be yourself, warts and all.

And then there are Friends, with a capital F. Those are the people who are sometimes more like family than family; people who will always be there for you, no matter what. Someone you could call at 3:00 a.m. if you had an emergency. I am blessed to have a few Friends, and every day I am thankful for it.


Which leads me to this card (great segue, 'eh?). I've had this stamp since I started card making a year ago. I bought it on ebay, and it's probably from a set, but I don't know for sure. There's just something about those two girls that makes me smile.

I started by cutting out the panel with the Nesties Labels One before I stamped the image. I've had some trouble getting the cut cardstock to stay in the
die when I emboss it, and I didn't want to color the image only to screw it up later. So, Stamp-a-ma-jig to the rescue!

After coloring (with Copics, of course), I matted it on Basic Black cut with the next larger die. The Tempting Turquoise was edged with a new border punch I just got, made by EK Success. I actually used two border punches. The double line of tiny holes with an embossed line between them is also by EK Success.

The edge of the scalloped border was accented with small black self-adhesive pearls from Sally. She has the best prices, shipping and customer service! You really have to check it out.

Copic colors used>>>>>

Cardstock: SU Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black and Whisper White, the Paper Co Weave Black
Stamp: Stampin' Up!
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Embellishments: flat back pearls, ribbion, Nestabilities dies, EK Success punches, Prime flowers, sugared brads

Happy Birthday, Little Sister!

You can click on any image for a close-up.

Today is my kid sister's birthday, so I wanted to make something sweet, yet funny. She never fails to remind me that I'm the older sister. (Keep in mind, this is the sister that had a heart attack last September. Smoking cigarettes is very bad for your health, dontcha know.) I hope she liked it. I can get my little digs in, too, heh heh!

This adorable Sugar Nellie image is called Daisy (Sugar Nellie stamps are available from Funky Kits). I can think of so many uses for this stamp! She was stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers.

The image was cut/embossed with the Nestabilities Labels One die. I used the next larger size to cut the brown mat, and the panel for inside the card. Don't you just love that inside sentiment? LOL That one comes from Hambo Stamps Fractured Funnies (where I also got a great one for Mother's Day, hehe!).

Copic colors used>>>>

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla and Cameo Coral, The Paper Company Weave Ivory, The Paper Company Textured Brown
Stamps: Image- Sugar Nellie "Daisy", Sentiment- Hambo Stamps
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin' Up! Cameo Coral
Embellies: Prima flowers, punched flowers, brads, ribbon, rhinestones, jewelry findings and wire

On Track for Next Christmas, LOL!

This year I am determined to make at least four Christmas cards per month, between now and November. So far, so good! I made six of these and they went together pretty quickly, even the coloring. I love this image from Stampendous, called "Merry ChrisMoose". After stamping it and coloring it with Copics, I used the Nestabilities Labels Two die to cut and emboss the image, and the next larger die to cut the background mat. The paper with the silver sparkles was from a pack of hand made papers I bought at Costco a while back. I finally got to use it!

The snowflake eyelet on the red ribbon is from Eyelet Outlet. I used JudiKins
Diamond Glaze on the ornaments hanging from the moose's antlers and a Stardust Gelly Roll glitter pen at the top of the ornaments.

Cardstock: SU Whisper White, Die Cuts With A View textured "Robin #2"
Stamp: Stampendous V163 "Merry ChrisMoose"
Ink: SU Basic Black Classic
Embellishments:JudiKins Diamond Glaze, Stardust Gelly Roll glitter pen, Martha Stewart ribbon, Sugar Coating Lily White glitter, snowflake eyelet

Here It Is!

Entry deadline has now passed!

As promised, here is the blog candy I will be giving away next Friday, January 16th! Katharina Frei, owner of Whiff of Joy Stamps, generously included the "Willow With Hot Chocolate" stamp with my last order, and since I already have that stamp, I just had to include it in the candy. :-D

So, this is what is in the package:

• Whiff of Joy "Willow With Hot Chocolate" new, unmounted stamp
• Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels One set
• Spellbinders Nestabilities Curved Rectangles set
• Pearlescent Watercolors 16 color set
• Prima Hydrangea Blossoms, large tin (shades of pink/magenta)
• 4 spools of ribbon
• Tombow Mono permanent adhesive refill for runner
• Mini Heart Punch (just in time for Valentine's Day!)
• Flower Soft, Ivory (great for adding texture to your creations)
• Mini fine mist sprayer

There are two ways you can win. The first is to mention my blog candy (with a link to it) on your blog and leave a comment here with the link to your blog.

Don't have a blog? No problem! Just leave a comment here with a suggestion about how I can improve my blog, like things you'd like to see or learn (maybe tutorials, more close-up photos, different layout/background/text colors, etc.). If my blog is already perfect *snicker*, you can say that, too. (LMBO!)

That's all you have to do! Just be sure to enter before midnight Pacific Time (GMT -8) Thursday, January 15th. I will use Random.org to determine the winner the following morning and announce it here.

PLEASE, ONLY ONE ENTRY PER PERSON! Edited to add: Please make sure you leave your name in the post - otherwise, how will I know who to contact? ;-) There are already 3 "Anonymous", only 2 with names!

Good luck, and THANK YOU ALL so much for visiting my humble blog! (And especially to those of you who take the time to leave comments.)

Happy New Year!

Adios 2008, and hellooooo 2009! I think this is going to be an exciting year of card making adventures. My resolutions are to try to make several cards per week and post them here, improve my photography skills and (I hope, I hope!) be on a design team and/or get published. Not too ambitious, am I? Tee hee!

To start, I want to share the card I made for my stamp club's swap. I so much enjoy being a part of the swap, because I get inspiration from other people's works of art, and I learn about new tricks or must-have tools. (Pam, I found the tiny scallop scissors, woohoo!)

This month's theme (thanks, Linda!) was flowers, flowers, flowers, with a rhinestone or brad embellishment. I started with Stampin' Up!'s Artfully Asian set, stamped in Old Olive on Very Vanilla cardstock. The rectangle was cut/embossed with my Nesties long rectangle set, and backed by Kiwi Kiss. I colored the leaves with an AquaPainter and Old Olive ink, and the berries with a Copic Sketch marker. The Prima flowers were glued on, with a dot of Ranger Gold Pearl in the center of each, except the one with the clear rhinestone.

The lovely green pattern paper is from a 6x6 stack by Black Market Paper Society, called "Letters From Paradise". It matched the Kiwi Kiss perfectly, and added more flowers to the card. The edges were inked in Old Olive, as were the edges of the lighter green textured background cardstock from DCWV.

The yummy red pattern paper is from Stampin' Up!, called Bella Rose, and the ribbon is from Stampin' Up!, as well. It's the Kiwi Kiss/Very Vanilla 3/8" satin ribbon.

Something a Little Different!

Today I went to a gift box class put on by my Stampin' Up! demo (Hi, Rosalie Sweetie!). She showed us how to make a gift card holder, a CD holder, a rectangle box, a square gift box, a tall box and a triangle box. Whew! I had to wait until I got home to put the finishing touches on them, because I'm such a slow poke, and this is what I've done so far. The paper is Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper called Ski Slope. Lots of neat colors and prints in there!

I stamped the image (SU "Friendship Blooms") and sentiment (SU "Best Yet") for the square gift box in Old Olive ink on Curious Iridescent Cryogen White cardstock. You can really see the subtle sparkle in the close-up photo. It still needed a little more bling, so I adhered a red rhinestone in the center of the flower. The plain and scalloped ovals were cut and embossed with Nestabilities Petite Ovals.

For the triangle box, I just punched out the pattern from a scrap and used a scalloped white circle (Nesties to the rescue again!) behind it. Once again, I thought it needed something extra, so I used a light blue rhinestone in the center of the design. The ribbon is so cool - it's both satin and organdy, with a little silver thrown in for good measure. {Hi, my name is Cindy, and in addition to my stamp addiction, I am also addicted to ribbon. LOL}

The CD holder has a strip of pattern paper cut to look like ribbon, but it is backed by real ribbon as well. The snowflake eyelets, from Eyelet Outlet, have light blue rhinestones added to the center. Yeah, 'tis the season for sparklies!!! I can't help myself! The sentiment was stamped in Night of Navy and cut with a Nestabilities Label One die, then edged with more Night of Navy ink and a gold UniBall pen.

Where did the time go?!

Wow, I can't believe it's been over two weeks since I last made a card! I think I was suffering from withdrawals!!! Anyway, life does sometimes get in the way of things we'd rather be doing, doesn't it? After finishing the costumes, and sending them FedEx overnight (way too much $$$), my husband and I drove to visit my father for a long weekend. Dad has been battling Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma for a number of years, so I take every opportunity that I can to spend time with him. On to brighter things...

This card was made for my BFF Barb's birthday this week. She's the culprit responsible for my card-making addiction. :-D LOL!!! I wanted to do something kind of elegant, so I went with gold heat embossing and gold braid/ribbon combo.

The lovely "Willow with Hot Chocolate" (Whiff of Joy) image was colored with Copic markers and cut out. I stamped SU's Bella Toile background stamp in VersaMark on Bordering Blue cardstock, then heat embossed with gold EP. After cutting it out with my new Mega Nestabilities Curved Rectangle die (great prices at Paper Dreams!), I inked the edges for more definition and adhered the image using pop dots.

Cardstock- Stampin' Up! Bordering Blue
Pattern Paper- Debbie Mumm "Noah's Ark" stack
Stamps- Image: WoJ "Willow with Hot Chocolate", Background: SU "Bella Toile", Sentiment: Penny Black "Bubbly"
Ink- VersaMark, SU Not Quite Navy
Embellies- Gold EP, gold organdy ribbon, gold metallic braid all from Jo-Ann, Dew Drops by Robin's Nest

Got to Meet a Splitcoast Stamper!!!

Jen White, a fellow SCS member, is in town with her DH and adorable baby daughter (and 2 Great Danes!) to visit her DH's family for a couple weeks. I was so excited to get to meet her, since I feel like I already know her from her posts on SCS. She's so sweet and funny and nice! Anyhoo, we weighed in together at Weight Watchers and then went to Souplantation (fabulous salad bar) for lunch. Next week she's going to WW with me again, and then we'll hit the local stamp stores. Here's a quickie card I made using the same image from the blue Thank You card below. (I usually stamp a couple extra images as long as I have the stamp out.) This one looks completely different.

Cardstock: SU Always Artichoke and Mellow Moss
Pattern Paper: Colorbok Sage Stripe
Stamp: Stampin' Up! "Beary Best"
Sentiment: Penny Black "Salutations" stamped in SU Close to Cocoa and heat embossed with clear EP
Ribbon: Coffee grosgrain from JoAnn
Wooden heart button: Blumenthal
Stickles, Judy Kins Diamond Glaze
Spellbinders Scalloped Circle Nestabilities