A Chalkboard Birthday!

I was SO excited to see the Chalkboard Technique as the Technique Lovers challenge over on Split Coast this week.   I've had this tutorial by Betsy Veldman printed out on my desk for a while now.
 
So Joan's challenge made me finally sit down and try to do it!  You'll find all kinds of chalkboard cards in the SCS challenge gallery here.

 If you look at Betsy's birthday sample - you'll see I pretty much copied it!! Using stamps that I had from Cas-ual Fridays Stamps and Taylored Expressions - I created this chalkboard card (well it's actually a 3"x4" tag type creation - it doesn't open)

 What you see here is my third try at it - the first one wasn't spaced well and the 2nd one I tried over stamping the white embossing with Fresh Snow ink and I WAY OVER over stamped it! So - it's a process that I think you get better at the more you do it!

First I stamped the sentiments with Versamark and embossed them in white. Then I stamped the banner over the HAPPY BIRTHDAY using Fresh Snow - I didn't get it quite centered over the sentiment so I added the pink heart gems to off set it!  I cut off the side edges up to and around the banner ends so they stick out.  Next I drew the framing lines with a white Prismacolor watercolor pencil and drew some red lines around NOISE and yeah BABY. I rubbed a little bit of Fresh Snow Ink around the edges and open spaces and finally added the ribbon and buttons with twine.

Pretty cool huh??!!

Stamps: Banner and Happy Birthday from It's a Banner Day 1 - Taylored Expression, all other sentiments from Woot Woot by Cas-ual Fridays Stamps

Paper: True Black, Hibiscus Burst, Hawaiian Shores - PTI

Ink: Versamark, Fresh Snow - PTI

Accessories: caribbean  and; pink sorbet twine - The Twinery, buttons - PTI, ribbon - PTI, glue dots, heart gems - Amuse, white and red Prismacolor watercolor pencils, white embossing powder, hot gun

A 10 Minute Anniversary

I made this clean and simple anniversary card for the Color Challenge over at Split Coast this week - Hostess Vicki asked us to use silver, gold and white.

Once I decided on the design - it was a snap to create -  I used a Fleur de Lis square Nestability for the silver piece, a stem from the Foliage set by Spellbinders and I cut the sentiment with a Labels 14 Nestability.  Then I just layered them all to the card base with foam tape for dimension and popped three clear heart gems onto the sentiment from the Cameo to Go set by Waltzingmouse..  VERY quick - VERY easy!

It was SO quick and easy that I decided to make another one since I had all the dies out on my worktable.  This time I used patterned papers instead of gold and silver and added just 1 red heart gem to the sentiment.

I sent this to my stamping buddy - Anne Harada - as she and hubby celebrated their 24th anniversary yesterday -  yes - they were married on New Year's Eve!. Using patterned paper instead of gold and silver makes this Anniversary card a little more casual.

I'm entering my gold/silver card in this weeks CASology challenge Week #25

I just purchased my brushed silver and brushed gold papers  - so they are new!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Cameo to Go

Paper: white - PTI, brushed silver and brushed gold - SU, 2nd card - vintage cream - PTI, Simply Chartreuse Pattern Pack - PTI

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories: foam tape, foliage - Spellbinder, Fleur de Lis Squares and Labels 14 - Nestabilities, heart gems - Michaels.

A Snowman Valentine

Ok - so I've waved goodbye to Christmas, Welcomed in 2013 and am already saying 'hello' to Valentine's Day!

We had a fun Queen for the Day challenge last week over on Split Coast - Trisha posted a list of all the Queens for 2012 with the date they were queen - and we were to CASE a card from the Queen closest to our birthday!  My talented stamping friend Peggy (pegmac71) was queen the day after my birthday last year.

I cased her adorable Top Note Snowman card First, because it is SO totally CUTE - and second because she sent it to me for Christmas!

I needed to change some things - so I made mine a snowman Valentine - using red and pink papers, clear heart gems for the pupils in the eyes and sparkly hearts for the hat and nose!  The sentiment is from a lovely new Valentine set called My Heart from Waltzingmouse.  I embossed the hat with the Square Lattice Emb folder from SU.

 AND I got my chalk out for the light dusting on the cheeks - my tray of chalk hasn't seen the light of day in years! I must remember to use them for coloring images! I also used my Top Note die from Stampin'Up - which I used ALL the time when I finally purchased it (after holding out for quite a while!) but hadn't used lately at all.

I know we don't necessarily think of snow being associated with Valentines -  but Valentine's Day does occur in February when we often have snow on the ground (depending on what part of the world you live in).   Here are a few free vintage images I found on line

So there you go -  snow/winter and Valentine's Day! 

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - My Heart

Paper: white, Raspberry Fizz, Pure Poppy, True Black, Sweet Blush - PTI, glitter paper - Michaels

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories: pink chalk, glue pen, Top Note Die - SU, Small oval punch - SU, small heart punch - McGillo, large heart punch - EK Success, 1/4" and 1/8" punches - Fiskars, 1/2" circle punch McGill, square lattice embossing folder - SU, clear heart gems -Michaels

A Cardinal in the Woods

I was so happy to see Sabrina (Cook22) as the Featured Stamper over at Split Coast this week!! As soon as I saw her Winter Bird in the Woods card I knew I wanted to CASE it.

I have the same Aspen Trees template from The Crafter's Workshop  and I loved how she used it on her card.

Things I changed - I sponged my trees on white cardstock instead of patterned paper - I used a different bird (the cardinal is my favorite!) and made the snowy ground with a torn piece of white card stock covered with Crystal Ice Stickles instead of paint. I had a little trouble masking and sponging my moon behind the trees with the template despite 3 tries! - it's not quite a perfect circle (!?!) and my colors kept mixing when I was sponging the different areas. I'll have to keep working on thatA!  My card is 4 1/4" x 4 1/4"

The cardinal is a mini die from Tim Holtz - I colored the black bit on his face and feet with a marker and I sponged all the edges with Ranger Distress Brushed Corduroy. He's popped up on the snow with foam tape.

Wishing all my stamping and blogging friends a Happy, healthy and very crafty 2013!  Please stay safe tonight everyone!

Stamps: none

Paper: white, true black, pure poppy - PTI

Ink: Ranger Distress - Faded Jeans, Mustard Seed, Brushed Corduroy

Accessories: cardinal die - Mini Cardinal and Poinsettia Tim Holtz Alterations, foam tape, black marker, Crystal Ice Stickles, Aspen trees Template - The Crafters Workshop

The End of 2012

Wow -  I can't believe I haven't posted all week!   I've been home on vacation - and stamping - but not posting here -  so -  I have a few things to share as the good old year of 2012 comes to a close!

First I have a Christmas Day family picture to share - unfortunately DH Kent had to work (!) - so he is missing from the pic.  I did bring him home a Christmas dinner and we opened our gifts Christmas night.

 Back row - April and my son Josh, Greg (DH of Katie), sister Marcia, her DH Bob, Nate (DH of Christie)

Front row - Landon & niece Katie, Me and Mila, niece Christie & James

My first card to share was made for the Split Coast Inspiration Challenge - inspired by this white, gold and black East Six invitation from the Wedding Bells web site.

I've been needing Anniversary Cards for my stash - so that is what I made for my card.

I gold embossed everything on this card!  The camellia flower, the sentiment and the lovely background.  I die cut the sentiment with Labels 25 Nestabilities and popped it up on the card with foam tape.  I added a little red heart gem for just a touch of color!

I made this second card for the Ways To Use It challenge on Split Coast -  to show what your 2012 Resolution had been -  mine was to USE MY STUFF!!  I used this Poppy Patch Spellbinders die that I purchased some time ago and hadn't used yet!

 

After I die cut the poppy patch - I sponged the poppies with Ranger Distress Festive Berries and the ground with Iced Spruce before removing the die.  I embossed a Nestability square on the front of the card and layered the poppy patch inside the frame with foam tape. Then I just stamped the Thank You in the corner.

So - what are your plans for New Year's Eve???    Kent and I are both working on Monday - so we are going out to eat early when we get home around 6 - then sitting on the sofa and watching the festivities on TV -  locally Boston has a great events going on and then fire works  (we used to go in to it but it can get really cold being out there!) and of course, NYC has the traditional falling ball at midnight!

Anniversary Card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Vintage Christmas Backgrounder, Camelia, Happy Anniversary from Cameo to Go.

Paper: white- PTI

Ink: Versamark

Accessories: Gold embossing powder, hot gun, foam tape, red heart gem - Michaels, Labels 25 Nestabilities,

Poppy Thank You:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Vintage Garden Seed Packet

Paper: red poppy, white - PTI

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress Festive Berries and Iced Spruce

Accessories: Poppy Patch die - Spellbinders, square Nestabilities, foam tape.

A Blessed Christmas to All

Wishing all my fellow stampers and bloggers a most Blessed Christmas Eve as Christians around the world begin to celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ.

I have a few things to share with you for Christmas.

First is this wonderful picture of my 1 1/2 year old grandnephew, James - fast asleep on Santa's lap.  They were on vacation in FL at Disneyworld.  After a busy day at the park they got in line to visit Santa -  and James just couldn't say awake any longer -  so his parents just put him in Santa's lap sound asleep -  isn't this just precious?!

And here are some holiday card/projects I've recently made.   I'll just post the pictures with a brief description and list the supplies at the end.

I made these tags at the request of my friend Elizabeth.  Santa is bringing her 7 year old twins, Paige and Gwen, scrapbooking boxes and he needed some tags to put on the handles so they would know which box belonged to who.  So "Mrs Claus" made these tags for them.

 Stamps used:  letters from Vanity License Plate MFT, handmade with love from Make Your Mark WMS, Mrs Claus and silhouette from Candy Jar Christmas WMS.

I made this blue tag for last weeks Split Coast Free 4 All challenge to make a one layer tag.  I simply stamped the image from Seasonal Remedies, die cut it, sponged the edges before removing the die punched a hole at the top and added the wrinkled seam tape.

 

Here's another card I made for this weeks Split Coast Featured Stamper challenge.  I.picked out Sylvia's wonderful CAS Enjoy This Day card to CASE.  It's also for the Inchie on a Twinchie Technique challenge.  I stamped my 2" 'Twinchie' with a lovely Vintage Christmas Backgrounder stamp from Waltzingmouse and used the Memory Box Country Landscape die.

I'm entering my simple Christmas tag in the Cas-ual Friday's Dashing Thru the Holidays Challenge -  to make a card within 10 minutes  and also the 10 minute Craft Dash challenge - -  I think this took me all of 5 minutes to create!

And finally - a simple winter Thank You card combining 4 of last weeks Split Coast Challenges.The CAS challenge was a photo inspiration of a potted candle with greenery, the Ways to Use It challenge was Glitz and Glitter, the Free 4 All challenge was a Simple Thanks - and for the Inspiration Challenge I was inspired by some blue shoes.

We will certainly all need Thank You cards with all the gift giving and party hosting going on this month and this one whips up quickly!  The candle stamp is from Bright Season and the Thank You is from Vintage Garden Seed Packet - both by Waltzingmouse.

I'd like to take a moment to thank you all for stopping by my blog and leaving me your lovely comments over the past year.  I am so grateful for you - my stamping/blogging friends -  I love coming to visit you and being inspired as well!

Wishing you all a most blessed holiday season!

Mrs Clause Tags:

Stamps:  Letters from Vanity License Plate set My Favorite Things, Handmade with love from Make Your Mark set Waltzingmouse, Mrs. Clause and silhouette from Candy Jar Christmas set Waltzingmouse.

Paper:  grunge paper (base) Ranger, bitty dot basics - PTI

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories:  scallop tag die - Spellbinders (retired I think), cropadile, key chain - Tandy Leather, Xyron 510 laminator.

Pure Christmas Spirit One Layer Tag:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Seasonal Remedies

Paper: Blueberry Sky - PTI

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress Faded Jeans

Accessories: scalloped tag die - Spellbinders, wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop

Country Landscape:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Vintage Christmas Backgrounder

Paper: white, spring rain - PTI

Ink: Memento - Teal Zeal

Accessories: Country Landscape die - Memory Box, boam tape

A Candle Thanks:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Candle from Bright Season, Thank You from Vintage Garden Seed Packet

Paper: white - PTI

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Grey Flannel, teal zeal, cottage Ivy, Cantaloupe,

Accessories: silver ice Stickles

A Neutral Thanks

Karen's color challenge this week over on Split Coast was to use only neutrals - white or ivory - well I couldn't decide so I used both!

 To set off the neutrals I used a lot of texture - the embossed background, the Tim Holtz Alterations wreath die and the wonderful L'll Inker Designs bow die. I bought the bow die SO long ago and never used it (I'm saying that a LOT lately!) and decided now was the time to get it out! and I just love it - what a great bow it makes and it's SO simple! 

The Thanks is from Waltzingmouse.  It's nice to have winter Thank You's on hand!
.

Stamps: thanks from Dainty Doilies Large set - Waltzingmouse

Paper: white, vintage cream - PTI

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: glue dots, foam tape, L'il Inker Designs Small Bow Die, Holiday Wreath - Tim Holtz Alterations, square lattice embossing folder - SU