A Happy Birthday Card

Brandy shared this creation with me and so I get to share it with you.  This card was created using MFT's Die-namics Blueprint 26 die set.  She created the white cardstock patterned paper using Distress Inks and various sequins.   So fun,  festive and happy!

We're off to Flagstaff today to drop my daughter at NAU to start her college days.   Exciting,  bittersweet and joyful.   She's ready and I'm hoping these next years fill her with confidence,  knowledge and a strong sense of who God made her to be.

Andie for  

Tulle Birthday Balloon

I had some pieces out on the worktable and decided to throw them together to make this tulle shaker card.  I've been working these simple sentiment stamps and think that this one fits together with the tulle shaker making something not too girly out of tulle.  The window was cut using my Studio Katia Dotted Balloons die and a mix of silver and royal blue confetti to dot the inside of the shaker.

The bold sentiment was stamped using the MISTI so that I could be assured a crisp, black sentiment.  I'm pleased with how well this turned out and it wasn't made in a hurry.  It'll go in the stash for that day when I need a card, fast!

A Cheerfully Sherbet Kind of Card

So, I'd picked up the first 12 of the Distress oxide inks and thought to create something stunning with them.  I'm not sure that this qualifies, but I really enjoyed the creating.

The Distress Oxides are so creamy and smooth.  They go onto Bristol paper (all elements in this card...) so well and they stamp neatly too.  I die cut the balloon using my Studio Katia Dotted Balloons dies to cut one big balloon out of the center of my card.  I then layered the Distress oxides, creating a smooth transition by going back over the areas.  A little splattered water makes a nice finish.

I just love how the ink coordinates to stamp the sentiment.  Crisp, clear and easier to read in person than my photography shows.  I've wanted to make a window card like this for quite a while and was pleasantly pleased with how this turned out.

Wow, a second card this week with no flowers.  I'm going to link up to the City Crafter Challenge Blog: You Don't Bring Me Flowers challenge, Simon Say Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: Add A Sentiment and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge296/297: Anything Goes.

Simple Masculine Birthday Card

I had to rush a masculine birthday card together.  It's amazing how helpful some pre-stamped balloons can be in the process.  This worked to deliver the warm birthday messages and a gift.  I'm finding my mojo is off and I think it might be that we're preparing to send my daughter off to college.  The prospect of all my "chicks" not being home at the end of the day is daunting.  I'm working it, but the stress cracks show in odd ways - maybe slightly lower drive to create.

Ah well, I'll have a little more time to myself in the coming days too!  Always look for the silver lining!

Since this card qualifies, I'm going to link up to the City Crafter Challenge Blog.  There are certainly no flowers on this one, a bit unusual for me.

Shaking It for a Happy Birthday!

I had made a shaker frame a while back and didn't know what I was going to do with it.  I had the supplies out on my workbench and didn't want to waste the opportunity.  The shaker frame sat in the pile for a while and I decided I needed a card, so I rifled through the leftovers of premade flowers and came up with this beauty.

The flowers were white embossed onto watercolor paper using my Altenew Peony outline stamp.  I used my Mission Gold watercolors to color the image - keeping the colors very light.  The leaves were done the exact same way, but didn't get as much color definition.  I searched and found some accent pieces - this time stamped onto Bristol paper using ink rather than watercolors.  I think the two media work well together and create a fine accent.


On the inside - a very simple sentiment because the front was so busy.  Happy birthday, period!  Its a wonder I don't have more cards made considering how many odd bits and pieces are in the stash.  It's one of the things that having a Scrapbox allows - the stashing of supplies in zippered bags inside the front doors.  I'm hopeless! :)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge: Happy Birthday!

Word Art Wednesday's Challenge 294/295 Anything Goes

Happy weekend, all!

Tulle Shaker Notecards

I paired some more of the Altenew Vintage Flowers I had stamped and die cut and left for dust in the stash with my Studio Katia Dotted Balloons die cut to make a tulle shaker card. I used Jennifer McGuire's technique.  I decided to leave this card without a sentiment so that I could add this later when I really need a card in a hurry.

The shaker is so compact, it folds nicely into a card and though I haven't put one through the mail, I'm thinking it would go nicely.  Great technique and it was a ton of fun to put these cards together.

Brandy's Freehand Watercoloring!

Brandy was ever so kind to send me these picks of some card fronts that she freehand watercolored on a business trip recently.  She has a travel size watercolor ink palette that travels with some watercolor paper that is cut down to A2 card front size.  This way, it doesn't take up much space in the suitcase, but is there to fill a couple of downtime hours on the road.  Heaven knows its a wonderful stress reducer and often works to invigorate after long hours of work.  These pink flowers are adorable.

This second set of flowers are a little more abstract.  Brandy stated she wondered what she was thinking.  This is my favorite, the petals are so delicate.  I did a bit of research and I think these are called spider flowers.  Creepy name, but beautiful result.  If Brandy finishes these into formally finished cards, I'll be sure to snap a photo and post it here on the blog.  Until then, we'd all do well to be inspired by her creativity.

Another Take on the Tulle Shaker Card Theme

I warned you I'd be back.  I had most of these supplies just left out on the work table, so I smashed them all together to make another tulle shaker card.

The technique is the same used by Jennifer McGuire here.  I had some pink tulle and thought to use it.  It worked wonderfully since you can't really see the color when there is only one layer.  Still, there is a hint of color on this all white card front.

The flowers were some more of the Altenew Vintage Flowers that I stamped and die cut.  

I had these Altenew Vintage Flowers in the stash from a previous project.  They worked very well with this theme.  It's always good to put those bits and pieces you thought to be scrap to good use.

I decided to dress up the card front using gold glitter to make a small strip along the right side of the card that carried into the inside.  A touch to jazz up this very simple, elegant design.  It also makes the theme of the card (sparkle) a little more obvious.  

I really had fun making the tulle cards.  The Studio Katie Dotted Balloons die set is so adorable, I'm just itching to make some more fun.

Tulle Shaker Card

It took me a bit, but I was so impressed with Jennifer McGuire's technique using tulle as a shaker media, I picked up the Studio Katia Dotted Balloons die set and gave it a go.  Here I paired the die cuts with some Altenew Vintage Flowers I had previously stamped and die cut.

Inside the shaker is some gold and soft pink sprinkles - very sparkly to make the card stand out.  On the inside, a simple sentiment you can sort of see through the window.

This was so simple and easy to do that I'm inspired to make some more.  I'll give it a try and see if I can't be more regular about posting here on the blog.  What has inspired your latest crafty endeavor?