Blocks Card

Something different today...a block card. A super easy card to make and folds up flat for mailing. Want to know how to make your own block card? Check out papercrafter45's video. Her videos / tutorials are awesome. Always easy to follow, fun , inspirational and sometimes with a bit of humor! She is one of my fav you tubers!

I would also like to share a link to my Pinterest board, "Block Cards", full of fun and inspiration of block cards that I have pinned.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my block card!

For today's post I would like to share with you a card I made using inchies...7 inchies to be exact! I had so much fun making this card. I used watercolor paper with Ranger's Distress Ink to create the background. The inchies were made using the same background technique and then stamping my image of the dragonfly before cutting into 1" squares. I used a bit of Stickles added to the wings to add just a bit of sparkle to my card. Clicking on the photo will allow you to view a larger version of the photo.

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to view my card.
Happy creating!

Vase With Flowers Card / Embossing Resist Technique

What started out to be one thing...ended up another and that is what happened when I made this card for the "Neutral Colors" challenge over at ScrapZee.com. I had something totally else in mind which wasn't working out and this card ended up being plan B...and something I really liked after I finished it!

I used the Hero Arts and Sizzix Floral Stamps and Framelits to make my flowwers. I stamped them with Versamark ink on cream color cardstock then embossed them with clear embossing powder. I then inked them  with Walnut Distress ink by Ranger. This is called the  embossing resist technique. After inking them I then cut them out with the coordinating Sizzix framelits. The vase was made using a Spellbinders classic oval die and the background was embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. My son calls this "the seventies meets Japanese"! It was a fun card to make and I hope to make more in other colors.

Happy crafting!

House Mouse Tent Topper Card and Grand Madison Window Die Card

Hello! I meant to post these awhile ago. I actually have been making cards lately...well a few but just haven't been getting around to posting them. Things have been kind of chaotic and hectic in my life for awhile. Anywho....the card pictured above was made using the Grand Madison window die from Poppy Stamps / Memory Box. I fell in love with this window die and have pinned many examples of it being used on Pinterest. I have a lot of ideas for it and sure hope I find time in the near future to try out all of those ideas. The sun and sunrays were made with Colorbox pigment inks. The landscape is a die also by Memory Box called Country Landscape. The DP is by Basic Grey.

The next card below was for a challenge I hosted over on Card Swaps on the CardMaker site. The challenge was to make a tent topper card. The image I used is called O Happy Day....a House Mouse stamp by Stampabilities. I colored the image with Prismacolor color pencils. Embossing folder is by Cuttlebug and the cardstock is by Bazzill.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer and staying cool. It has been a hot summer so far here in the Midwest!

Cards from the Time To Shine crop

A quick post to post some more of the cards from the Time To Shine crop over at Card Swaps that was in May. Sorry, I promised these with my last post over two weeks ago! The card pictured above was for a challenge to create a card using stars. I painted mine with Lumiere paints and added some glitter.

The next card was to make a pattern design with rhinestones...such as the swirls I made.

Next up is a card that was for Ana's challenge....embossing foil or metal. I used some brass tooling foil and a Dreaweavers brass stencil to make my card.

Last but not least is a card for Judy's challenge...spotlight technique. I used an Asian theme stamp and spotlighted a small part of the pear which I gold embossed and colored with distressed inks.

Thanks for stopping by!

Starburst Cards

Hello! Have you tried making a card using the starburst pattern? I have seen it on many blogs and it was featured along with a tutorial on the Operation Write Home site. You can find that tutorial and samples HERE. Also my friend Judy sent me a Christmas card last year using this patter. You can see her gorgeous card HERE. So this pattern has been on my "to try" list for awhile. I finally chose to use it for a challenge a couple of weeks ago on the Card Swaps forum and also chose to send it to my friend Judy for her birthday last month.

It is such a fun and easy pattern / design to make. I had so much fun with it that I chose to make a second one to send to my mother in law for mother's day.

I'm sure I will be using this pattern again in the future. Check out the tutorial from OWH in the link above and give it a try if you haven't already.

Have a great weekend!

Pig Tent Topper Card

Hello! I am entering this card into two challenges.
Charisma Cardz Challenges - the challenge is stitching , real or faux. I hand stitched the card and the matching envelope.

CardMaker's Card Swaps Forum Weekly Challenge - Hosted this week by Deirdre who challenged us to make a matching envelope to go with our card.

The image I used is by Stampabilities and is called "Precious Pig". I colored the image with Prismacolor color pencils. Designer paper is by Basic Grey and the cardstock by Bazzill. I challenged myself to go one step further and make a style of card that I have never tried before. I chose to try the tent topper card. Super simple and a fun style to do. I will most certainly be making more cards with this style in the future. If you would like to try the tent topper card you can find instructions HERE courtesy of SCS. Their tutorials are awesome!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Party Preparations / Gruffie - House Mouse

This must be a super Sunday because I'm posting twice today!

I am entering this card into the following two challenges:

House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge: The challenge is to make a birthday card with the option of adding flowers. I chose not to use that option as I just couldn't seem to get flowers to looking right for me on this card. House Mouse and Friends is celebrating their 3rd year as a challenge blog with not only this challenge but also with prizes and a blog hop! You can check out all the fun HERE.

CardMakers CardSwaps Forum Weekly Challenge: The current weekly challenge is being hosted by Linda Jo and she challenged us to make a multi panel card using a pattern by Dawn's Stamping Studio. You can check out the challenge and other participant's creations HERE. To view the how to tutorial and video to make this multi panel card, click HERE.

The image used is a Gruffie by Stampabilities called Party Preparations. I colored it with Prismacolor color pencils. Designer paper is the Lime Rickey collection by Basic Grey. Cardstock is DCWV. Sentiment is by Studio G clear stamps. Below is a side view of how the card is folded.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fabulous week!

Happy Easter

I'm sliding in at last minute here with a card for the current House Mouse and Friends Challenge Blog. The challenge is Easter and you can find it HERE. I chose to make a joy fold card for this cute image. If you have never made a joy fold card you should try it. It adds a fun spin to the traditional top or side fold card. You can find the directions HERE courtesy of Splitcoast Stampers. Below are some additional pictures to show you how the card opens.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Designer Paper: We R Memory Keepers
Tools: Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, SU slot punch
Ink: Colorbox Pigment Ink and Memories Black Ink
Techniques: Image colored with Prismacolor Color Pencils. Jellybeans also have a clear glaze added to them with the Sakura Glaze Pens for added extra shine.

Wishing you all a Happy and Blessed Easter!

Summer Tilda and a Childhood Memory

Hello my crafty blogging friends! I am entering this card into the Paper Sundae Challenge Blog which this week the challenge is "childhood memories". My image is actually two Magnolia stamps that I masked together to create the scene. The background is Magnolia's "fence and summer background" from the Summer and Sea collection. Tilda who is perched on the fence is "Jam Tilda" from the Yummy for Your Tummy collection. I decided to make an easel card but chose to keep it pretty simple with no designer papers and very few embellsihments. I wanted to keep the image as the main focus. Cardstock is by Bazzill and the border punch is by Martha Stewart. I colored the image with Prismacolor color pencils. I also used my Spellbinders Nestabilities for cutting the ovals and fancy tag shape.

You can find the Paper Sundae Challenge HERE. My mother was born and raised on a farm In Kentucky and my father was from Southeast Missouri. I grew up in a suburb of Chicago but I spent many a summer in Kentucky and Missouri visiting my relatives who had farms. One of my favorite memories was visiting my great grandmother who had a farm in Lutesville Missouri. I often would sit on the fence and watch the baby pigs. One summer I got a bit daring and actually climbed over the fence to try and go pet the baby pigs. I found out real fast that mama pig was not going to have any part of that. She chased me all the way back to the fence where luckily my older brother appeared in time to pull me over the fence before mama pig got a hold of me! I learned pretty fast that the fence was there for a reason.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope everyone is having a great week!

Butterflies Easel Card / Mother's Day

I am entering this into the challenge this week for Our Creative Corner Challenge blog which is butterflies. I really have been loving the easel cards lately and I am hoping my mother in law will too as I made this for her for Mother's Day. Printed papers are by Basic Grey's Ambrosia collection. Cardstock is by Bazzill. Butterfly was made by using Spellbinders Butterfly 2 die set.

This is only my second time to participate in a challenge with Our Creative Corner. I follow them weekly though as I find tons of inspiration on their blog and they have the most amazing and talented design team. I hope you will take the time to check them out. I guarantee you will love what you see there!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Magnolia Easel Easter Card - 5 Challenges

This started out to be for one challenge and next thing I knew...I had 5 challenges in one card! This is my first time to try making an easel card. I have been so intimidated by them but then finally took the plunge and decided to try one. OMG! They are so fun and I can see how they could become addictive. I went simple for my first one but I already have ideas for making more and a bit more involved too with embellishing. I could see making an easel ATC too! I think I will have to try that next. If you haven't tried making an easel card and would like to, here is a link to a video tutorial on SCS. EASEL CARD VIDEO

I am submitting this for the following challenges:
Magnolia Down Under: a fabulous sketch which I used for the front / top part of my card. You can also see the sketch below.
Roses On Paper & Belles N Whistles Combined Challenge Blog: Punch It! (punches)
Cute Card Thursday: Dimensions
Just Magnolia: Easel Card
Stampin' For The Weekend: Challenge #35 Easter - I went for more of a Spring look for my Easter card and was quite pleased with the end results.


My images are Magnolia's Jam Tilda and daisy images that I used the masking technique to combine them. I then colored the image with Prismacolor color pencils. Printed papers are by Basic Grey from their Urban Prairie collection. I used my Spellbinders Nestabilities and Martha Stewart scallop border punch. Sentiment is computer generated.

Thanks for dropping in and checking out my blog!

One Mouse - 4 Challenges!

Hello my "Blogging Friends"!
I am submitting this card for 4 challenges:

House Mouse & Friends - Folds, more than one fold. This gave me the opportunity to try making a "Joy Fold " card which I have been wanting to try for awhile. The pictures below show the different folds. You can find a tutorial HERE on how to make a joy fold card. Tutorial is by Splitcoast Stampers.

Cupcake Craft Challenge - Keep it simple. This is actually pretty simple for me. I usually like to throw on some ribbon, flowers, maybe some bling. Avoided that for this challenge.

A Spoon Full Of Sugar - Spring is in the air!

ClubCK / Cards, Crafts & Decor (hosted this week by Geminijen) - Spring and at least one element of the card "popped" with a pop dot or dimensional. I popped the circle at the top that holds the flap down.




Inside of card.


Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Image: House Mouse / Flower Drop by Stampabilities
Ink: Memories
Sentiment: Computer generated. Font from dafont.com
Printed Paper: We R Memory Keepers
Cardstock: Bazzill
Tools Used: Spellbinders Nestabilities and Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
Embellishment: Pearl by Kaiser
Technique: Image colored with Prismacolor color pencils
Completed card size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Just Magnolia Challenge #7 Animals & Insects / CK / PC Different Folds Challenge

I have a twofer.....two challenges in one:

The challenge this week at Just Magnolia is Animals & Insects. I chose to use one of the newer Tilda images from the Chasing Butterfly Collection....Tilda with Ladybug.

Over at Creating Keepsakes / Paper Crafts forum the weekly challenge was to make a card that had more than the one traditional fold down the middle. I chose to make a"notealope" to house my Tilda. A notealope is a way of creating a note or card with its own envelope. To learn how to make this easy notealope watch this video by Dawn Griffith.

This picture shows the opening of the card and you can see where the flap had tucked into the fold on the front keeping the card / envelope closed.

Here is the inside of my notealope. Hope you liked it! Don't forget to check out the video for easy instructions on how to make your own.

Supplies Used:
Image: Magnolia / Tilda with ladybug
Sentiment: Studio G clear stamps
Cardstock: Bazzill
Printed Paper: Doodlebug Design, Inc.
Ink: Memories
Spellbinders Nestabilities
Technique: Image colored with Prismacolor Colored Pencils and blended with Gamsol

Faux Postage - "Snowflakes"

With the hustle and bustle of Christmas, I haven't had much time for card making this past week. So I thought I would post another one of my older cards but still a favorite of mine.

I often frequent a site called SplitcoastStampers that is just chocked full of information, inspiration, tips and techniques for the paper crafter. One of the sections on SplitcoastStampers is a technique how to section. This past year I hosted a series of swaps featuring several of the techniques that are found on the SplitcoastStamper site. The first technique swap I hosted was for the "Faux Postage" technique. I chose to do snowflakes. The background snowflakes on the card base are stenciled on using a brass stencil by Dreamweaver. The snowflakes used on the faux postage are by Hero Arts. All ink used to stamp and stencil with are Versafine Pigment Inks. I enjoyed trying the faux postage technique and it is a technique that I have used a couple times since my first adventure of trying the technique. If your looking for something new to try or feeling adventuresome, I recommend checking out the SplitcoastStamper site for ideas and inspiration!