Just for Fun

I made this fun little card just because I loved the paper and wanted to make a card where the paper was the star.  This worked out well and will go into the stash to be used to write someone a note of encouragement or just to say Hi!  Here is the details:

• Given that the patterned paper was the inspiration and I had a bunch of Majestic Blooms flowers were inked with some Ripe Persimmons and Worn Lipstick Distress Ink. 
• The die cuts- ODBD Fancy Foliage and a flowery stem I've long since lost the name for were cut out of coordinating solid patterned paper.
• The sentiment is a tag from the paper collection.  A little twine to tie it all together along with some distressing on the edge of the papers and we're done.

My stash of pre-made cards has grown low.  This will work nicely as a seed for more to grow.  I'm feeling the mojo, rolling on to the next project...

A Heartfelt Get Well

I decided to give my precut flowers from working with Heartfelt Creations a good run of cards.  Here's the first I've made.  This card was a get well card for my sister-in-law.  It went with the set of bicycle note cards I made to cheer her up after surgery.  Here's the details:

• The patterned paper was the inspiration.  The Majestic Blooms flowers were inked with some Ripe Persimmons and Worn Lipstick Distress Ink.  Neither were just the right color, but together I think they hit the right note.
• There is a few die cuts- ODBD Fancy Foliage, a flowery stem I've long since lost the name for and the lace work behind the white frame is from my Heartfelt Creations Raindrops on Roses die.  They are all cut out of coordinating solid patterned paper from the collection.
• The frame was cut with my Labels 18 die and then stamped with my Stampin' Up Apothecary Art stamp using Peacock Feathers Distress Ink.  I colored the image with my Ripe Persimmons and Peeled Paint Distress Ink using a water pen.

I didn't purchase the Majestic Blooms stamps and dies, however, like all good tools once I worked with some of these pre-made flowers They have come to grow on me in a significant way.  They look very different depending upon how you shape them.  I like this version a lot.

Traveling through our days

Earlier this month it was Keri's birthday.  Keri of the infamous Bubble Guppies party.  Keri, a good friend with a ear to hear all a girl's trouble and a keen mind quick to offer sound guidance and advice.  I had just gotten back from the convention with some new goodies and couldn't resist playing around. 

The bike is from the Heartfelt Creations Balloon and Bike stamped in black Archival Ink.  I colored the image with my Weathered Wood, Peeled Paint, Mown Lawn, Worn Lipstick, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress markers. 

Those little tiny flowers were cut using my new Impression Obsession Spiral Flowers dies.  Can we all say Awww!  Those are tiny little copper Prills in the center, the perfect accent to these tiny flowers.  I see many tiny flowers in my future.....

Thus, the delay in getting this posted.  I ended up making a passel of these cards using various sentiments.  I bundled them up into sets of four to give as gifts.  As it turns out, I sent a batch to my sister-in-law who recently had surgery.  I figured she might need a pick-me-up with some usefulness- note cards to say thanks or bring folks up to speed on her recovery.  They are lovely, don't you think?

A Beautiful Christmas Mini-Album

Hold on folks, I have the distinct pleasure of sharing one of Brandy's stunning creations with you today.  I don't get pictures of all her creations, but when I do... Wowza!

Today I'm sharing a handmade bound mini-book Brandy recently finished.  She followed two different tutorials, making the design her own with a major flair!

Ginger at My Sister's Scrapper
 and
Stack the Deck Mini-albums with Laura Denison

Click the links, but be warned.  Addiction to making mini-albums might follow.  I'm going to try to point out some features on each page, but forgive me if I miss something.  This project is chock full of goodness. Grab a coffee, a couple of doughnuts (or other sustenance) as this is one picture heavy post. 

On the front cover we have the Spellbinders poinsettia die cut flowers overlaid on some Heartfelt Creations Ornamental Add-on holly leaves die cuts.  What do you love more- the sentiment oval or that fabulous mini-banner across the top?

Each paper bag page folds out to reveal extra photo and journaling opportunities.  Each of those patterned papers can be slid out to add a photo or some journaling.  The tree is strategically glued to act as a fastener for the photos within the pocket.

Between Cricut die cuts, border punches, and packages shape embellishments, each page has enough interest to keep you looking for several minutes and this is without pictures in the album.

Brandy stamped and colored Santa with her Copic markers.  There's glitter in that beard- partly responsible for the glare. The sleigh is cut from Cricut's Christmas Cheer cart.

Don't you just love that corner punch?  A small circle punch was used to create the concave cuts on the patterned paper to highlight the corner punch.  Marvelous, yes?

Within each paper bag, a tag was made.  Brandy die cut the presents using Cricut's Christmas Cheer cart  and then cleverly glued them onto a tag shaped piece of black cardstock.  The matings on these tags really provide a beautiful backdrop for photos and journaling blocks.

These musical die cuts were made using Cricut's Quarter Note cart.  They are beautiful accents for this very vintage page.  The angles were stamped using a retired Elegent Angels stamp from Heartfelt Creations and die cut using her retired Heartfelt Creations Christmas Cheer die.  Brandy then colored each image with her Copic markers.

The polar bear and other accents were cut from Cricuts Joys of the Season cart.  Isn't he a cute little bear with his darling red glittered scarf?  Perfection!

Those reindeer were cut from kraft paper using the Cricut Joys of the Season cart.  They are removable so you can place them in front of pictures and other mementos in those pockets.  Fair leaping out of the page.  Opposite, Brandy created this waterfall photo album right in the back of the book.  The hinge system allows enough depth to the binding that you can actually get away with a mini-album inside your mini-album.  Again, beautiful layering of papers from within the book.

It took Brandy a bit of time to complete this project that was originally intended for a work gift share at the end of last year.  Still, she finished it.  That's saying something grand, don't you think?  Brandy has been my friend for more than a decade and she still amazes and inspires me.  She has a flair and a touch that I strive to duplicate in my own way.  Whoever is the recipent of this gift will be blessed, truly blessed.

I'm entering this into Inspiration Journal's June Monthly Challege: Christmas in June, Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge: I Ought to Use This More and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #137- Anything Goes.   Come on over and join the fun!

Your Friendship Means the World To Me

When I worked the scrapbook convention at the end of May, I had the great fortune to take some some of the pre-cut flowers.  How lovely is that- all the beauty with little effort.  Yay me.  This card from comes from Heartfelt's Majestic Morning paper pad.  The card front comes pre-printed with the patterns and the flower stamped oval.  With a few embellishments, this card looks like I spent some time putting it together.  In reality it probably takes less than 20 minutes to make this beauty.  Here's the details:

• The flowers are part of the pre-cut Majestic Blooms that I got to take home.  
• The flowers centers were inked in orange and then colored with Rose Stamp Paint.  This media goes on like a dream adding color and shimmer all in one step.  I think some Michaels carry this product.  Definitely one of my favorite new toys as I picked up a considerable collection during the show.
• The flower centers are made using a newer product for Heartfelt, Prills.  These little beauties are very much like micro-beads only better.  They don't roll around and bounce in the container and they come in a variety of sizes which gives some amazing depth and character to the finished product. 
• The sentiment is stamped with a new-to-me stamp set from Simon Says Stamp, Friendship Phrases in black Archival Ink. 
• A little strategically placed glitter on the preprinted card front and this lovely card is done.

I sent this card to a dear lady from our Bible study group who recently had surgery.  I am certain it cheered her up as her healing has gone incredibly well.  Thanks for stopping by today!

Our Beautiful World- #51 By the Seashore

Wishing I was there right now!

This week at Our Beautiful World, the word prompt is By the Seashore.  I'm totally tracking with them as my daughter returned from a trip with her Girl Scout troop on Saturday.  They stayed for a week on Tybee Island twenty steps away from the beach.  I'm sharing a few photos taken on her trip. 

Katie Lynn

Always the birds...

Girl Scouts Having Fun

Girl Scouts are always inquisitive!

My beautiful girl!  She is growing up and I have to let go.  The process feels like the scene at the end of the movie Titantic.  Modern day Rose takes out the Heart of the Ocean, which she had all along, and drops it into the sea over the wreck site. The actress gave a heartfelt gasp as she let that treasure go.  That depicts what it feels like to watch my girl grow up.  She is a treasure, but one best let go with a heartfelt gasp. 

Having her gone for 7 days without phone calls and very limited text contact is a small learning opportunity for her mom.  Her dad enjoyed the quiet!

Come join the fun everyone is having over at Our Beautiful World.  The community there is small, but warm each person ready to contribute a kind and encouraging word.  Last week's post about our darling Jilly was a huge healing and something I won't soon forget. Stop by to contribute by sharing a picture from your part of the world or just view the beauty shared by others.

Best Wishes for the Best of Followers

In the next few months, this blog will realize our fourth anniversary of blogging.  We've not grown a lot of followers, but the followers we do have are loyal and encouraging.  I'd take these few faithful and encouraging women all day long.  One of the most faithful from a very early point is Karon of Karon's Krafty Korner. She reads faithfully, comments faithfully and encourages me from a distance such that I know her as friend even though we could pass on the street without recognizing each other.  This caused me great distress when we recently held a contest for some blog candy and restricted it to mailing within the US.  *Frowny Face*  So, I thought that I might bless her with a unique gift all her own.  At the scrapbook convention at the end of May I picked up the Delicate Asters stamp and die set from Heartfelt Creations.  Karon had her eye on a couple of my cards and indicated she might want them as a Christmas present.  Christmas was just too far away so I made this card to express my fondest wishes and sent a little care package all the way to Canada.  Here's the details:

• The papers are from the MME Forgettable 6 x 6 paper pad edged with Peacock Feathers Distress ink.  
• The flowers are stamped in black Archival ink and die cut using my Heartfelt Creations Sun-kissed Fleur.   I then used copper stamp paint to color the flowers.  The centers are made with some Peacock Feathers Distress Glitter.  
• The flourish is green cardstock cut with my ODBD Fancy Foliage die. 
• The patterned paper was cut using my Labels 18 die and the white cardstock sentiment cut with my Labels 17 die. 

This is truly a very small gift to have made and given to such a loyal follower.  I received a grateful and humble email from Karon this weekend.  While my weekend was full of activities and commitments, I literally bounded around the room waving my hands in the air like a 5 years old chanting She Got It! She Got It! She Got It!  That my friends is what joy looks like. Karon inspires joy like she is a pro.  I'm so grateful for her.  Check her out, she will not disappoint you!

I've entered this card into Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Anything Goes and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #136: Anything Goes. 

One last Father's Day Card

This one last Father's Day card is for my dad.  He is a carpenter and so the woodgrain embossing folder was a go to.  The papers are from the MME Unforgettable 6 x 6 paper pad.  It is a simple card, but I think he'll like it.

A Most Happy Birthday Card

My husband is going to celebrate a birthday next week.  I sat down this weekend to make a card to celebrate his birthday.  I reached for my supplies and a Mojo Monday sketch and this is what I whipped up.  Here's the details:

• The patterned papers are from an Authentique Seasons 6 x 6 paper pad.  I believe these come from the summer and winter sets. All papers are edged in Vintage Photo Distress Ink.
•  The clock was stamped and cut with my Numeral Clocks stamp and Once Upon a Time die.  They were stamped in brown Archival Ink.
• The sentiment came from a Fiskars set from the stash and is stamped in brown Archival Ink.  

• On the inside is a lovely quote and my heartfelt sentiment printed out using my computer.

 I hope he likes it.  I also hope he's not suddenly checking out my blog.  Since I used the sketch Mojo Monday #349, I've linked up with them for the week.  I've also linked this card up over at Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday blog: Father's Day - Masculine and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #135- Anything Goes.  Come on over to get inspired and join the fun. It just so happens that I needed to make both a masculine and a father's day card this weekend!

Our Beautiful World: Animals

I share tonight that we had to put our beloved pet, Jilly, to rest today.  She has had a autoimmune problem for several years and the medication finally got to her.  When I checked in tonight on my blog friend, Kirsty, I noticed that this week's Our Beautiful World word prompt is Animals.  That seemed too fitting an opportunity not to memorialize Jilly here on the blog.  We loved her so.

Sister Abby is in the background

Easter tradition- the smelling of the eggs.  Jilly is watching from a distance as Abby checks them out

Her last days saw lots of rest. 

This isn't the happiest post I've ever made, sorry for that.  However, I am grateful for the opportunity to share our little sunshine.  Jilly was the happiest dog you've ever met.  A big ball of love and joy, mostly at eating time.  I hope you enjoyed my pictures despite my somber tone.  Head on over to Our Beautiful World, Week 50 Animals.  I promise the photography won't disappoint, but will lift your spirits.

Another Father's Day Card

I'm trying to get ready for Father's Day later this month.  Here's a card I made using the same Word art from my last card.

The Colorbok paper pad was still on my work table, so I used a few scraps and the background paper to make this card.  The chevrons was created using some teal Glimmer Mist and my chevron stencil.  All papers were distressed and then overlaid with Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  A little brown thread from the stash and I've my second Father's Day card.  This masculine card hits just the right note.  Only a few more to go...

I've linked this card up over at Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday blog: Father's Day - Masculine and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #135- Anything Goes.  Come on over to get inspired and join the fun.