Notecards from the Stash

I went through the stash this weekend and sifted out some supplies that have been languishing for far too long.  In this case, I'm pairing the last 6 x 6 pages of a patterned paper pad with some watercolored birdies stamped using my Greeting Farm Tweety Pie stamp set, some felt doilies from a give-away at a play all day event and some ephemera from a card kit.  All things I could have easily discarded, but hoarded instead because who knows when you will need a felt doily - can I get an Amen!?!

In each case, I fussy cut my tweety birds out, embellished one with eyelashes because one of those birds is supposed to be a male bird, but I wanted a feminine touch for these friend based cards.  I simply matched ephemera with the color scheme of the patterned paper and tried to find a sentiment worthy of the card.  Simple, but cute enough to give away.

What supplies are in your stash crying out to be put to good use?

Happy Birthday Card Using Studio Katia Blooming Bunch

OK - so I've been a little obsessed with my Studio Katia Blooming Bunch stamp set.  Maybe it is a measure of the stress/intensity at work or maybe I just love coloring this image.  Either way, I'm back today with another card colored with my Zig Clean Color Brush markers onto Bristol cardstock and finishing with a white embossed sentiment on vellum.  The accents are using Nuovo drps and fit the color scheme fantastically.

So fun!

Congratulations to the Happy Couple

I needed a wedding celebration card and since I had stamped a few images using Studio Katia Blooming Bunch stamp it seemed a quick and easy way to make a beautiful focal image for the card.  I stamped onto Bristol cardstock and colored with my Zig Clean Color Brush markers using a waterbrush to keep the coloring very light. 

I used the SSS Floral Bliss sentiment stamp to white emboss onto vellum making a strip sentiment to cover the image.  I was so inspired by recent cards I made using this technique and the result is fantastic.  A few Studio Katia Sparkling crystals as accents finish the front card design beautifully.









On the inside, I used the sentiment and some cut small flowers from the Floral Bliss stamp set, coloring the flowers lightly with the coordinating pink marker.  A cute, simple finish and I sent this off to my SIL who will be coordinating a group gift purchase and attending the celebration where she will give the happy couple our gift. 

Cards Using Art Impressions Rustic Cabins and Fir Trees Stamp Set

So, I picked up the Art Impressions Rustic Cabins stamp set at one of the craft shows last fall.  They sat around unused for a bit.  I can't explain why because I simply love them.  I can only say that I've been distracted by shiny new stamps and left these to languish.

This tiny cabin is my favorite.  A little tough to get the brush strokes right, but when I did the result was fantastic.  Ultimately, I "painted" a set of four cards for my SIL who actually owns a cabin in the woods in Eastern Arizona.  Her cabin is nicer than these, but I hope she'll still put them to good use.

I used my Distress Inks for the watercoloring.  If you haven't tried out out the watercolor stamps from Art Impressions, my suggestion is that you do.  They are easy to use, forgiving for a hack like me and create a wonderful scene.  Some of the most relaxing times spent crafting are with my Art Impressions watercolor stamps.

Happy Valentine's Day

A couple of girlfriends saw this post and asked if they could come one night and make some Valentine's for their work chums.  I, of course, said yes and promptly began some die cutting using my Honey Bee Coffee Cup card die and Papertrey Ink You Have My Heart die so that we would have plenty of pieces to put together.



















I used various leftover pieces from paper packs that have coordinating solid and patterned paper and then we stamped the heart and valentine sentiment to coordinate with the shade or pink in the card.  Sorry for the photo quality - I had to snap these in artificial light because my friends took them home to hand out. 

We find ourselves celebrating the day of love again.  I hope those in your life shower you with love and attention today!

Wedding Shower Card Using Concord and 9th Blooms Fill-in

My nephew is getting married in South Carolina in a few weeks and I, delightfully, was invited to the bride's wedding shower.  Sadly, I could not make it, but collaborated with my SIL's to combine for a very nice shower gift from the 5 families and offered to make the card for the shower. 

Kelsey's shower was billed as a tea party and I couldn't resist pulling out my Papertrey Ink Tea for Two stamp set to coordinate with my Concord and 9th Blooms Fill-in stamp and die set.  The invitation was a combination of pink, lime green and grey/black.  I think we did a halfway good job mimicking the style...

On the inside, a simple sentiment that leaves room for a nice note from all of us who cannot attend, but send our love.  This was super fun and I'm now thinking through the wedding celebration card for a similar set up - we're going together again to get one of the nicer gifts on the registry and I get the pleasure of "representing" by making the card by hand.  Ooooh, I've ideas...

Pink Blooming Bunch Birthday Card

I'm back to share a pink version of the card I made earlier this week using my Studio Katia Blooming Bunch stamp set.  Same basic design - so I can add this card to the stash and use it in the weeks to come.  Colored with Zig Clean Color Brush markers on Bristol cardstock and finished with some Studio Katia crystals this time.  There is no way to show off the shine these delicate little crystals add.  My photography just isn't that good!

Hope your week is ending on a strong and satisfying note.  This card sure fit the bill for me.

Would a Cupcake Help???

So, I picked up these two stamps at a local Rubber Stamp show from Stamps By Judith and Heather.  They have sat languishing in the stash low these many months and I decided to campaign their use for a set of cards.

I was just so tickled by the sentiment - many of their stamps have clever or witty sayings and this seemed to cover a multitude of uses.  They are rubber stamps, something I try hard not to buy because storage is such an issue.  However, they stamp perfectly.

Ultimately, I decided to stamp with Archival black ink onto some white cardstock A2 top folding cards to create this one layer design.  I used my Zig Clean Color Brush markers to shade and color, topping with a glitter brush marker.

This last didn't quite turn out, but I left it in so you can always know that I'm not perfect :)

These were a delightful departure from my usual and now I have a set of cards to send for an open ended occasion.  Perfect!

What supplies do you have that you need to put to good use?

Blooming Bunch Birthday Card

I decided to splurge a bit and picked up the Studio Katia Blooming Bunch stamp set.  This floral cluster stamp is a large size stamp that dominates an A7 size card, something that I've wanted for a long time, but couldn't take the plunge.

I'm sharing my first attempt at coloring this stamp.  I stamped with Archival black ink onto Bristol cardstock with the intention of using my Zig Clean Color Brush markers.  There are flaws in my coloring performance here, but overall the result is stunning.  I kept the rest of the card simple to allow the flowers center stage.

I so enjoyed this foray that I've stamped a few more and left them in my working stack to pull out and color on a night after work where I simply need the relaxation that can come from a bit of crafting without the stress of needing a card designed and sent.  So, I'm sure there will be more of these to come in the following weeks.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Word Art Wednesday's Week 320/321 Anything Goes challenge

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge:  Anything Goes

A Farmer's Market Floral Valentine

I have so loved playing with my Papertrey Ink Farmers Market Florals stamp set and combining it with the Papertrey Ink You Have My Heart die is a perfect marriage of love inspiration.  This collage contained in a heart was one of the inspirations for me to purchase the stamp set and I can tell you that stamping these out was simple, easy and results in a final image that is more stunning than these photos allow you to see. 

I super love this one combined with some seam binding ribbon.  The background kraft is die cut using my WPlus9 Sunshine Layers die, an oldie but a goodie!

On the inside is a valentine's sentiment from Papertrey Ink's January bonus stamp set.  I think I need to pull myself away from the valentine making into some other crafting.  I'm pretty sure I've crossed over into a slightly wacky excess.