a birthday wish --

it's safe to post this now, i made it for my sister, and she has already gotten it - so she won't see it before she gets it ;)

love how this card turned out --

the card itself is from the Stampin' Up  - simply sent kit.  the ribbon also came with the kit, as well as the tiny pearls on the flowers.






the stamp set on the front is also from SU - apothecary art.  i also used the labels framelet to cut it out.

the ink is soft suede, and i added some color with colored pencils (pale pink and olive) and gamsol.







the inside is stamped with the branch from the easter blooms SU set, and colored in with the same colored pencils and gamsol.  the sentiment is also from SU - an older set,  i'm not sure of the name.

i added a piece of pink vellum notched with the
SU punch to add a gift card.














it's hard to see the small pearls on the inside of some of the flowers.

i love how this turned out -- the pics don't do it justice.





hope you enjoyed today's project.
thanks for stopping by!  hope to see you soon!  happy stamping!

in deepest sympathy ---

i seem to be making alot of sympathy cards lately -- and i tend to use the same stamp set each time -- HERE is an example --- so, i decided to try something different this time -- i love how these turned out.  i need 2 cards - 2 different families  had a loss within a few days of each other. 

this is an old stampin' up set -- i love it, i use it alot.  but what i like most about these cards is the coloring - it looks water-color like, but it's not - and it's so easy.   i used gamsol, and colored pencils.  gamsol - is a type of mineral spirits.  you add a little color - i usually outline the object, and then use paper stubs dipped in the gamsol, and rub the color from the pencils to achieve the look you want, adding more color if needed.

i like this technique because it doesn't leave the paper wet, or ball it up.  HERE is a link to a gamsol starter kit at amazon.

i also like the effect of cutting the picture and spacing it out a little -- almost a window effect.

love how these turned out.
thanks for stopping by -- hope you drop by again soon, more projects to come!

happy stamping ---

--d

a cup of tea ---

(wow -- 2 posts today - hehe.)

i decided to play along with a challenge today at Splitcoast Stampers -- haven't done that in awhile.

This card is for the clean and simple (CAS) challenge #151 .  the challenge was to use something "beverage" related - and to keep it clean and simple.

here's the card i did ---

sorry -- the picture isn't the best.  the stamp set is from stampin' up - called morning cup. i colored it with colored pencils and gamsol.

think i might need to get myself back into doing challenges this year -- got away from them toward the end of last year -- they are always lots of fun!

thanks for stopping by --- happy stamping!

apple picking --

another reason i love fall is all the harvest -- apple picking, apple cider - pumpkins and cornstalks.  i love the colors of the season -- earthy and warm

here is another fall card -- another card i sent to my splitcoaststamper secret sister --

another simple card -- it's done on ivory cardstock, and i like the texture of the brown band and the circle.  the apple bucket is from the give thanks SU set.  the ribbon and green pearl accents  are some things i had on hand.  the circle is also popped up with dimensionals.

i colored this in with colored pencils and gamasol.  i really like the look i can get from this product - without pilling the paper, or getting it really wet.

to finish the card i used some espresso ink (SU!) around the edges of the card.

another fun, quick and easy fall card.

stop bac again soon -- i have a cool project to share with you next time!

happy stamping!

trying something different . . .

one of the "newest" things in stamping is digital stamps -- or digi stamps.  i'm not sure what i think of it -- to me, it's not stamping, it's clipart.

well, i caved in and tried 2 images.  i bought them from bugaboo  stamps.

my dad asked me to make him a card for my nephew (his grandson).  he graduated today from pre-k.  dad couldn't find a card he liked - or one that said pre-k and grandson.

so -- when i checked my stamps the only graduation stamps i had seemed to old for an almost 5 year old.  so -- i remembered seeing bugaboo -- and loving the cute images - i also remembered they did a freebie on fridays.  so i went to check it out - and found 2 great images.  i love the cards -- they turned out great.

here there are -- the owl is the card i made for my dad -- the turtle i did for him and another little boy.

too cute!

the papers were some i had on hand.  i colored the images with colored pencils and gamsol.  i printed the sentiments on the computer. the shape around the image was cut with nestabillities.  the inks are SU - parfait peach, and marine blue.

i don't think i'll go all digi anytime soon.  i miss inking up a stamp - and it seems, like i said before - like clip art.

but -- these did turn to great -- and they were just what i was looking for.  so -- once in awhile it's fun.

thanks for stopping by!  and happy stamping!

note cards for a friend --

a friend of mine was looking for a note card with a sunflower.  she is a big fan of the movie 'under the tuscan sun' and loved how the woman wrote note on note cards with sunflowers.  she asked me if i could make a card with a sunflower - no words, just the flower.  well -- i thought i had a bigger sunflower stamp, but this was all i could find.  i'm still not convinced i don't have one somewhere, and if i do i'll make another one ;)

this is a simple, but cute card - just like she wanted.

i'm not sure where the image comes from, and the papers are just scrap i had on hand.  i colored the image with colored pencils and gamsol.

she also mentioned that black-eyed susans are one of her favorite flowers, so while i had my SU inspired by nature stamp set out i made this one for her too.

this isn't something i do very often -- simply stamped right on the card.  i usually like to layer things and make colors pop.  but this seemed to work nice - it looks water-colored, but i simply used markers directly on the stamp.  the colors used were also from SU - old olive, summer sun, and close to cocoa.

hope she likes them!

thanks for stopping by!  happy stamping!

happy spring!

I don't know what the weather has been like in your neck of the woods, but here it is finally beginning to look like spring after a REALLY long winter!

I've noticed I've been using a lot of pink and brown, or brown and blue lately - and this card is an example of that.  I love these colors together, and the texture adds so much.

Here is how it all went together: 

• The image and greeting are from the Stampin' Up! set Easter Blossoms.
• The card staock, ink and ribbon are also stamping up.  I used Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, and Cameo Pink.
• I also used colored pencils and Gamsol to color the flowers. 
• The texture is from the Square Lattice SU! embossing folder.
• I also used the medium oval SU! punch.

I began by stamping the branch image which chocolate chip, and then coloring in the flowers and  some leaves with colored pencils and Gamsol.  I then used a dauber to rub Cameo Pink on the outside edges.  The white card stock is then placed on the lighter brown.  Be sure to glue it down firmly.  Then the whole thing is placed through the Cuttlebug in the embossing folder. Then it is placed on to the dark brown card stock.

The Chocolate Chip ribbon was placed on the pink card stock using the 1-hole ribbon technique and then the other piece added.

Please let me know if I can help with any questions! 

happy stamping!  hope to see you again soon!