Birthday Beer for Ron

 A friend asked me to make a card for her husband for his 70th birthday coming up in September - she said "maybe have fireworks or balloons on it?"    I asked her if he liked beer as I had a new die set that I was dying to try out - she said "yes" - and so this is the card I created.

I sponged through a Brick Wall Stencil from Sweet Poppy for the background.  I used The Greetery pinwheel stencils and dies as well as her Shiplap Builder dies., I punched the circle and tag, and die cut the beer tap and mug from Gina Marie Designs.

To make the mug look like a frosty glass, I die cut the mug 3 times out of vellum and inked the three mug pieces with Aqua Alcohol ink and let them dry (it was quick being AI!) I glued two of the mugs together and glued a rectangle of Summer Sunrise cardstock (the beer) in the center of the top mug and then glued the final vellum mug over that.  I white embossed the foam piece and adhered that on top of the mug.  The mug is popped up on foam dots as is one of the pinwheels.

I'm linking my card to The Paper Players

I used the middle row across - Birthday - Die Cut/Punch - Masculine

Seize the Birthday

Stamps:  Pinwheel Party - The Greetery, Haunted Headstones Sentiments - PTI.

Paper:  Fine Linen, Vellum, Summer Sunrise - PTI, Brushed Silver - SU, Brown Coredinations.

Ink:  True Black - PTI, Pumice Stone, Gathered Twigs, Salty Ocean, Festive Berries - Ranger Distress, Versamark, Aqua Alcohol Ink - Ranger.

Accessories:  Brick Wall Backplate Stencil - Sweet Poppy, Beer Tap and Mug Dies - Gina Marie Designs, Pinwheel Party Dies and Stencils,  Ship Lap Builder dies - The Greetery, Alphanumeric Tiny Type Upper Dies - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, heat tool, White Wonder Molten Dimensions Embossing Powder - Eileen Hull/Emerald Creek, Blender Brush, foam dots, Enamel Dots - Altenew

Eileen Hull's New Stamps Release Party

 Eileen Hull has collaborated with Maker Forte Stamps and today they are releasing three stamp sets designed by Eileen.  Eileen is hosting the release on her FB Eileen Hull Designs 8/27/21 at 1 pm EST.  Check it out - you could win the new stamps!

There are three stamp sets being released today and here are the projects I made!

For my first project I made a box using Eileen's Tiny Book Case die and filled it with Library cards I made with one of the stamps from the Buttons Cards and More set, where I can write down the names and a brief synopsis of the books I've read and tuck the cards into the box.

Here's the Tiny Book Case that I assembled and adhered some Tim Holtz DP to all the outside surfaces.

I stamped and adhered one of the 'library cards' to the back of the box labelled with what 's inside, using the OVERDUE stamp from the set and Big Chat Stickers and Label Letters from Tim Holtz.

I colored the inside of the box and the exposed edges with a Brushed Corduroy Ranger Distress Marker. I filled in the library cards with the title and author and a brief synopsis of the books I've read recently and slipped them inside the box!

Next I made a card using a button card stamp from the same set - Buttons, Cards and More.   I stamped one of the button cards in the set onto yellow dotted DP.  I had some sweet tiny buttons in my stash in pastel colors that I adhered over the stamped buttons.  I added some Clear Glitter Wink of Stella over the 'sun' rays on the top button for a little sparkle.  I adhered the stamping over some stitches DP.

And for my final project today, I made a card using the beautiful Vintage Damask stamp along with most of the stamps in the Snail Mail - Everyday Sentiments stamp set!  

There are so many versatile stamps in the Snail Mail- Everyday Sentiments set including the wonderful framed grid and the Vintage Damask made a gorgeous background for the other stampings and is, of course, gorgeous all by itself!

First I stamped the Damask using Pink Pearl Ink on a panel of white card.  Then I stamped the grid in black ink.  And finally, I stamped the images and sentiments using Fuchsia Ink.  I trimmed the panel to the edge of the frame and layered it over a Raspberry Fizz card with foam dots.  I added rhinestones and tiny gems to several of the images for a little sparkle.

We hope to see you over at Eileen Hull Designs FB at 1 pm EST today (8/27/21) to see Eileen's live release party - there are stamp sets to be won!

Library Card Box

Stamps:  Buttons, Cards and More - Eileen Hull/Maker Forte

Ink:  Cocoa Bean True Black - PTI

Paper:  Little Sizzles Matboard - Sizzix, DP Tim Holtz single sheet (from my stash).

Accessories:  Tiny Bookcase Die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, ScorTape, Utra Bond Adhesive - iCraft, black elastic round cord - JoAnn, Big Chat Stickers, Label Letters - Tim Holtz/Idea0logy.

Sunshine Buttons Card

Stamps:  Buttons, Cards and More - Eileen Hull/Maker Forte

Ink:  True Black - PTI

Paper:  white - PTI, DP Modern Homemaker, Farm House - October Afternoon (older paper pads),

Accessories:  Tiny buttons from stash, foam dots, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, Tombow Glue.

Happy Birthday Card

Stamps:  Snail Mail - Everyday Sentiments, Vintage Damask - Eileen Hull/Maker Forte.

Ink:  Pink Pearl, Fuchsia, Obsidian - Altenew

Paper:  white, Raspberry Fizz - PTI.

Accessories:  rhinestones - Dollar Store, Tiny Twinkles - Taylored Expressions, foam dots.

Faraway Places

 Today I'm joining in with the Paper Players Challenge 

A one layer card in black and white, stamped with 3 images of capital cities, Paris, Sydney and London along with a simple sentiment.  I think this qualifies as a masculine card with it's architectural buildings.

The Paper Players Challenge:

Stamps: City Scapes, Tiny Text - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Obsidian - Altenew 

Mid Month Reminder - CAS Christmas Card Challenge - Decorations

 I'm posting today with a mid-month reminder about the CAS Christmas Card Challenge - you have until 8/24 to link your card!   Our theme this month is Decorations!  

For my reminder card, I used a Toy Soldier Die from Sizzix.   It's an older die and was on sale last year at Sizzix for really cheap! (It's still on sale for $8.00!)  He's the perfect size for an A2 card too!

I simply die cut the pieces out of the colors I wanted and assembled the Toy Soldier.  I used 3 of the frames from Stitched Rectangle Scallop Frames from MFT to place behind my soldier, one cut from metallic gold and two cut from white card.  At first I just had the white frames - but felt I needed the outer frame in gold to define the space better.  I adhered the soldier with foam dots over the frames.  I added a tiny yellow rhinestone to his hat plume.

We hope to see your decorations on a CAS Christmas card over at the CAS Christmas Card Challenge!

Paper: Red, Black - Ranger Distress Core-dinations Collection, Metallic Gold - Park Lane/Joann, white - PTI.

Accessories:  Toy Soldier Die - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, Stitched Rectangle Scallop Frames - MFT, foam dots, Tiny Twinkles - Taylored Expressions.

Minnie or Mickey?

Today I'm sharing two birthday cards.  I made the Minnie card for a friend who requested a card for her grown daughter that loves Disney!    I didn't have any specific stamps or dies for these two so I checked out Amazon and found some cute stickers and I used that idea for my design.

I  die cut a 3" circle for each face out of black, and then one from dotted red DP for Minnie and one from one from red for Mickey (cut in half and layered over the black circles) I die cut two 1 7/8 circles for the ears.  I used a bow die from The Greetery for Minnie and a really small oval die for Mickie's buttons.

I'm linking my card to:

Inspired by Challenge

Stamps: Birthday Cheer - PTI
Paper: White, Pure Poppy, True Black, Pure Poppy and Black Bitty Big Patterned Paper - PTI
Ink: True Black - PTI
Accessories: 3" circle die, small oval die, 1 7/8" circle die - Nestabilities/Spellbinders, Bow die (on Minnie) - Fit to Be Tied - The Greetery, Birthday Cheer Die (on Minnie) - PTI, Happy Birthday Combo die ( on Mickey) - Poppy Stamps.

Boo Treat Box for Halloween

 This month Eileen Hull's Inspiration Team is creating with the theme "All Season Crafting!"   

I decided to make a Halloween Treat Box using her new Chapter 3 Box Ornament Die.

I used the box piece, the circles and the moon shaped piece from the ornament die for this project.

I had this black net bag in my stash, I think it held some Halloween skulls I got at Joann last year.  The uneven open edges worked perfectly giving it a spooky 'rising smoke' look.  I filled the bag with Hershey Kisses.  

If this was traveling to someone,  I'd tie a ribbon of some sort around the top to keep the candy inside!

The Happy Halloween sentiment is from Midnight Feast - a retired stamp set from Waltzingmouse.

Here are a few photos on how I colored the box pieces.    I cut everything out of matboard.  I had already colored the circles and the moon piece but will show you how I colored the box sides.  I colored the circle in the same way I'm showing coloring the box sides below.  For the moon, I just sponged with Squeezed Lemonade and Spiced Marmalade.

Here is how I inked the box.  First, I sponged over the panel with Squeezed Lemonade.

Then I added some Salty Ocean

Next I sponged with Seedless Preserves.

And the final color added is Black Soot (mostly along the edges-  all this to create a night sky!

On the inside of the circles and the box piece, I sponged black, just so it wasn't stark white inside!

 The boo is a die from Ellen Hutson and I cut it out of a holographic silver paper (so it shimmers IRL!), the tiny silver stars are from Honey Bee Stamps, the bats and owl on the branch are from an older slim line die strip from Tim Holtz.  

So be sure to check out Eileen Hull's Blog every Wednesday this month to find lots of All Season inspiration from her design teams!

Stamps:  Midnight Feast - Waltzingmouse (retired)

Paper:  Little Sizzles White Matboard - Sizzix, Kraft Stock Black Metallic Paper - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology, Holographic Silver paper - Park Lane/Joann.

Ink:  True Black - PTI, Ranger Distress Black Soot, Squeezed Lemonade, Spiced Marmalade, Salty Ocean, Seedless Preserves.

Accessories:  Box Ornament Die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Boo Die - Essentials by Ellen/Ellen Hutson, Halloween Shadows Strip Die - Tim Holtz/Sizzix (retired), round sponges and applicator - Ranger, ScorTape, Ultrabond Adhesive - iCraft, Zig Glue Pen, Silver Stars - Honey Bee Stamps, Tiny Tinkles - Taylored Expressions, black netting from stash.

August CAS Christmas Challenge - Decorations

How can it already be August? Have we had summer yet??

At the CAS Christmas Card Challenge, we are also looking way ahead to Christmas and the August Challenge has just posted today!

Cathy is our creative hostess this month - and this is her challenge.

So I made a card featuring tree decorations -   ornaments hanging on a pine bough.

I used a lovely image and die from Rubbernecker Stamps called Ornament Branches.  

I bought it at least a year ago but never got around to using it and I just LOVE how it looks!  I ended up making 5 cards while I had all the supplies out.   

I put the stamp in my Misti, colored the parts of the image with Ranger Distress Markers (which are water based), spritzed the stamp lightly with water and pressed it onto a panel of water color paper.  If the color wasn't dark enough in any area, I went over the area again with the appropriate color marker and pressed it onto the watercolor panel again.  

I die cut the image with the coordinating die and layered it over a panel of textured linen paper (unknown brand) with foam dots.   I stamped the sentiment  from Christmas Cuts Sentiments (retired) from PTI with black ink.

So what Christmas decorations will you feature on your CAS Christmas design?   You'll find lots of inspiration from the rest of the Design Team along with our talented August Guest Designer Lucie, over at the CAS Christmas blog!

Stamps:  Ornament Branches - Rubbernecker Stamps, Christmas Cuts: Sentiments (retired) - PTI.

Paper:  Watercolor paper - Canson Cold Press, Linen Texture paper - unknown, white card base - PTI.

Ink:  True Black - PTI

Accessories:  Ornament Branches Die - Rubbernecker Stamps, foam dots, Ranger Distress Markers Peeled Paint, Barn Door, Faded Jeans, Ripe Persimmon, Mowed Lawn, Walnut Stain, water mister, Misti, foam dots.

July Card Chain Challenge Reveal

 Today the July Card Chain Challenge Reveal has been posted. This month I sent my card to Gail in Norway - and I received a card from Marianne in Greece!   I love this fun monthly international Card Chain challenge - if you are interested in joining in, please check out the blog!

Here's the card I sent to Gail in Norway -  

in which I used the suggested colors (on the sentiment), the sketch (turned) and the theme: Friendship.

                                                             

Stamps:  Sentiments Squared, Opposites Attract  - The Greetery.

Ink:  Pink Pearl - Altenew, Buttercup - Wendy Vecchi Archival, Terracotta Tile - Papertrey Ink.

Paper:  White, DP Petite Places Patterned Paper - Papertrey Ink.

Accessories:  Sentiment Squared dies, Opposites Attract Dies - The Greetery, foam dots.

Beneath the Sea Thank You

 I'm lately obsessed with Lavinia Stamps and have been avidly viewing YouTube videos by Eileen Godwin and others for ideas on how to use the stamps and learn the wonderful background techniques they use as well.

I made this card using the beautiful Sebastion after watching one such YouTube video!

Along with the Sebastian stamp I also used  the Sea Algea stamp along both the top and bottom of the panel.  Before I did any stamping I breyered the background using Distress Inks Blueprint Sketch, Peacock Feathers and Squeezed Lemonade graduating from dark to light.  Then I stamped Sebastian with Obsidian ink and the Sea Algea with Elements Blue Laggon ink.

I added white Nuvo drops on Sebastian to lighten up his body a bit in the dark water and added a double layer die cut Thank you across his body.

I'm linking my card to:

The Paper Players Theme Challenge

Stamps: Sebastian, Sea Algea - Lavinia Stamps

Paper: Multifarious Smooth - Lavinia Stamps, White card base, True Black - PTI

Ink: Ranger Distress Peacock Feathers, Blueprint Sketch, Squeezed Lemonade, Elements Blue Lagoon - Lavinia Stamps, Obsidian - Altenew
Accessories: Breyer, Thank You Die - PTI, Gloss Simply White - Nuvo Crystal Drops