A Classic Quilted Card Set

 To those who know me, it is no secret that I enjoy quite a few different crafty hobbies.  One hobby that I enjoy, but don't often do is quilting.  I'm not such a fan of sewing together the quilt, but find the actual quilting of the project the most enjoyable.  Before I was married, I completed the quilt that I used on my bed for two decades.  It took me over a decade to complete this quilt (and an in-process check from 2015 here).   I've previously attempted a quilt-like card front and struggled to get a cohesive look (you can see these poor attempts here and here).

Waffle Flower's new Color Combos die set and Channin Pelletier's inspiration caused a burning desire to make a card that wouldn't let me go until I got it out of me.  This first card was made using the larger triangle and an old Teresa Collins paper pad.  The paper piecing was easy to do and inspired the next two cards as well.

For this second card I used a modified Log Cabin style pattern made with the long rectangle, shorter rectangle and square dies.  This was a little more fussy, but I really like the patterns that I was able to create here.

For all three cards, I made some paper flowers with my IO spiral flowers die.  A few small Prills for the center of the flowers and the burning inspiration was out of me.

Huge thanks to Channin for the inspiration.  It warms my quilting heart to make such a pretty card set and I'm sure more are in my future.  There is so many patterned paper pads which would work to create a lovely backdrop.

Since all those lovely shapes in the background are die cut, I'm entering this card into Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge Simon Says Add a Die Cut.

Welcoming a Baby Girl

I've had this lovely creation by Brandy in my text messages for weeks and am finally getting around to posting it.  The background was made using the SSS Kaleidoscope Background stamp to white emboss onto watercolor paper.  The background was colored with her Mission Gold watercolors to stunning effect keeping the design simple with a stamped entiment on layered cardstock edged with gold embossing.  Some IO die cut Spiral Flowers makes a small and delicate accent to this overly lovely card, don't you think?

Join me in admiring this wonderful background stamp.  It is sure to make a lot of great patterned paper to be used on card fronts.

Andie for 

Gorjuss Girl - Ladybird

Brandy's image imspired me to find and share this photo of a card made a while ago.  I used my Gorjuss Ladybird stamp with Archival black ink onto Bristol paper.  I colored the image with my Inktense pencils and then die cut with a Spellbinders die.  The background paper is from the stash and made a perfect setting for this lovely girl.  The flowers were cut with my IO Spiral Flowers die and the butterfly cut from patterned paper using my Prickly Pear Mini Butterflies die.  Some floral sprig die cuts and a sentiment frame from the coordinating paper and this birthday card is done.  I am so pleased with how this turned out and I think the lovely lady who received this card felt special.

I hope March finds you happy and healthy.  I fly to Denver tomorrow to visit with my grandparents.  They will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary Sunday and we'll all be there to mark and remember.  This is a monumentous occassion and I can't wait to see them!

Let's Celebrate!

I'd been on such a good run there, posting reguoarly.  Work caught up with me and so I have been delayed in posting some of the projects I've been working on.

Today, I'm sharing a card made with my Gorjuss stamp, The Fox.  I colored the image with my set of 12 Inktense pencils and then fussy cut the image so that she can be t he centerpiece of thus birthday card.  I then layered her on some patterned paper with vines cut from green cardstock.  The teeny blue flowers were cut using my Inspiration Obsession Spiral Flowers die.  A few A Penny Saved prills in the center of the flowers to finish them.

I'm going to enter this in Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #209 Anything Goes.  Come join the fun.

I a m saddened by the news from Paris, horrified by the violence there.  My thoughts and prayers go to the people of Paris, to those who lost someone and to those who survived.

Baby Shower Card

I made a card to go with my shower gift.  That pink handmade paper called my name so I decided to feature it greatly in the card.  I think it really works here - adding a bit of softness and texture that allows the teeny, tiny flowers to be the star.  Here's the details:

• The patterned paper in the background came from the Echo Park Bundle of Joy 6 x 6 paper pad. 
• The frames were cut using a Spellbinders set.  I've lost the labeling and so I'm not sure which set, but I had to hand trim the frame out as it doesn't cut all the way, but leaves the image in the center of your paper.
• The sentiment is cut from white cardstock using my Penny Black Words of Gratitude die.
• The leafy swirl is cut from white cardstock using my Spellbinders Sprig D-Lites die.
• The flowers are cut out of pink cardstock using my IO Spiral Flowers die.  I used a little TuTu pink prills in the center.

Inside I used one of the leftover chipboard sentiments paired with a stamp from the stash.  I thought this card a perfect blend of soft and sweet, just right for a baby shower card.

ETA:  I'm linking up to Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #200 Let's Celebrate.  Come join the fun as we celebrate their 200th challenge.

A Second Tea

Um, yeah.  I am absolutely in love with my new Papertrey Ink Tea for Two stamp and die set.  I used a similar layout to create this card as the previous card.  Here's the details:

• The teapot was die cut out onto white cardstock and the outline stamped with black Archival Ink.  The pattern was stamped with the coordinating stamp using Worn Lipstick Distress Ink.  I really loaded the stamp with ink to get this deep color from Worn Lipstick.  Worth it!
• The lace is a white cardstock die cut using my Heartfelt Creations Raindrops on Roses die.  
• The teeny flowers were cut from pink cardstock scraps using my IO Spiral Flowers die and complementary Leaf Cluster die.  The centers of the flower is Tu Tu Pink prills.  
• The sentiment was stamped with black Archival Ink (I used a sticky note to cover up the "mother's" part) and a second stamping with Worn Lipstick Distress Ink (this time using a sticky note to cover the "happy" and "day" parts).
• A piece of glittery, gold ribbon was added to the card which really sets off the patterned paper in the background.  

Isn't it fun when a tool or stamp catches your imagination.  Not sure if I'm done yet, but I might need to move on to other projects...

Mother's Day Tea

Getting ready for the big day next month and using my new Papertrey Ink Tea for Two stamp and die set.  Truly, the patterned paper with the stamp and die resulted in this card flying together on it's own.  Here's the details:

• The teapot was die cut out onto white cardstock and the outline stamped with black Archival Ink.  The pattern was stamped with the coordinating stamp using Peacock Feathers Distress Ink.  Oh my but I love the finished look.
• The lace is a white cardstock die cut using my Heartfelt Creations Raindrops on Roses die.  
• The teeny flowers were cut from pink cardstock scraps using my IO Spiral Flowers die and complementary Leaf Cluster die.  
• The sentiment was stamped with black Archival Ink (I used a sticky note to cover up the "mother's" part) and a second stamping with Worn Lipstick Distress Ink (this time using a sticky note to cover the "happy" and "day" parts).  Shore do love this effect.  Gonna keep that in the back pocket...

This will go out next month when we'll be grateful to celebrate the mom's in our lives.  Until then, I think I'll use this as inspiration!

Happy Birthday to My Sister- and Me!

I will happily announce that this card was made to celebrate my sister's birthday- sending her warm wishes for a very happy birthday.  The trick is that this is also a celebration of my birthday- we're twins and have shared celebrations on this day our whole lives.  This certainly called for something special.  Here's the details:

The circles were cut out for another project long ago.  I pulled them out of the shapes scrap heap as they fit this card perfectly!  They are edged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

The clock was stamped with my Heartfelt Creations Alarm and Watch stamp using brown Archival Ink.

The border was stamped with my Heartfelt Creations Summer Season border stamp in brown Archival Ink.  I embellished this stamp with a glue pen and glitter as well as pearl accents.

The tiny flowers were mad using my IO Spiral Flowers die.  I cannot get over these flowers- they are my new favorite.  Pearl accents perfectly fill the centers and a few floral leaves from die cuts create just the right finish for this card.  Some Vintage Photo Distress Ink along the bottom to soften and forgive my poor stamping techniques and this card is done.

Happy Birthday, sister!  I wish us both a grand day of celebration with the party to follow later this weekend.

A Golden Birthday

I've mentioned before that I signed up to sponsor a child with Compassion International.  I've enjoyed the first 2/3 of the year and found that it was time to send my child a birthday card.  One of the reasons that I chose Yuli was because she shared a birthday with my son.  I didn't get the card mailed on time, though we did send a birthday gift to Yuli and her family.  This card was made to celebrate Yuli's golden birthday- the year when her age matched her date of birth.  So I made this gold card.  Here's the details:

• The background is a piece of glitter patterned paper from Hobby Lobby.  It is perfect, though you can't see it's charm in these pictures.  Trust me- it is shiny enough to charm any young lady.
• The sentiment is stamped in brown Archival ink on a shimmery piece of solid paper and die cut with my Our Daily Bread Designs Elegant Ovals die.  A frame was cut with the matching dies from a piece of gold paper and a cream cardstock.
• The greenery is cut out of scraps of green cardstock using my Fancy Foliage die and another die I've lost track of the name.  
• The flowers were cut using my IO Spiral Flowers dies using the coordinating papers including a vellum.  The tiny flowers set as a base is an old Quickutz die.  The centers are pearl accents.
• Add a pearl swirl and I think this is just about perfect.

I hope Yuli had a very special birthday this year.  I hope, though this card is late, that she feels how special she is to me and her family.  I'm off to get this into the mail with a small gift.

An Encouraging Time

Ack!  I was on a roll there.  Guess I have to admit to being human.  It isn't that I have not been crafty.   Just a lack of time to get posts edited and up.  I've been going through some life changes and had commitments that gave distracted me and eaten up quite a bit of time. I made this card during all this change.   I intend to use it to encourage sometime remembering how making it encouraged me.   Here's the details:

• The papers are from MME'S Now and Then collection.   They came in the Simon Says Stamp June card kit. The coordinating dark brow card stock also came in the kit.
• The angel whoa die cut is made using my new Our Daily Bread Designs Angel Wings dies.  The detail here is stunning. 
• The floral pieces are cut using my Our Daily Bread Designs Fancy Foliage dies. 
• The little tiny flower is cut from a teal cardstock scrap using my Io Spiral Flowers.  So cute with those A Penny Saved copper prills.
• The sentiment is from Word Art Wednesday and was printed on my printer and die cut with my Spellbinders Labels 17.

I'm going to link this up over at Word Art Wednesday for their  Challenge #143: Anything Goes and the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday blog Anything Goes.  Come join the fun.

Happily Ever After

This is an anniversary card I made last month for a dear couple that Dan and I have regular Bible study with.  I believe it was somewhere near 37 years of marriage that needed celebrating and so I dreamed up this soft confection so that the day would not be missed.  Here's the details:

• The paper is from Heartfelt's Raindrops on Roses paper pad.  Yikes, this stuff is so good I feel a small whiff of sadness to see it go... then I get over myself when I look at the amount of paper in the pad and on my shelves (notice the use of the plural!).
• I stamped the border on the bottom in green pigment ink using my Summer Season border stamp.  It sorta matches the preprinted border at the top of the page.  I needed it for balance- the card might not have needed it...
• I cut the lacy medallion Raindrops on Roses die out of coordinating pink paper and then cut it in half, mounting behind my stamped sentiment. 
• The sentiment frame was stamped in brown Archival Ink using my Stamping Up Apothecary Art stamp.  The sentiment stamped with my All Occasion Banners stamp in the same ink.  I colored all the leaves with Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters Distress Markers.  
• The tiny flowers were cut out of coordinating pink patterned paper using my IO Spiral Flowers die.  The centers of the flowers were filled with a Viva Decor Pearl Pen. 

A few pearl accents on the lacy die cut and we're done!   I really do like how this turned out and it makes me smile that my two lovely friends have something beautiful to tell them how special marriage is.  I'm struggling through some life change right now (hence the week long departure from posting).  Usually crafting is my way to unwind.  I've been crafting, it's just getting to the posting with all my other commitments right now.  I'm going to make more effort to catch up and share with you.  I'll also catch up on your happenings more regularly as well.  My return to normal will be my witness how much I appreciate the online community.  See you on your blogs soon!

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?