Nordic Deer

Hi friends!  The sun is finally shining (though a little cold and breezy), a few flowers are blooming, and in the middle of all that I made a Christmas card.  Well, gee, it's high time I started on some of the new Christmas things I collected before, during, and after the previous holiday season.  My motivation comes from the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge which I'm getting into just in time.

Today's card is all Spellbinders, from one of their amazing warehouse sales (last December?) -- Magical Deer, Tinsel Time Sentiments, Ski Lodge embossing folder.  The long rectangle is Spellbinders, too, but much older.  I love how it works with slimlines.  This one is 3 1/2 x 6.  I moved the focal panel off to the side so more of the embossing would show.

There was a lot of "getting acquainted" time during this crafty session.  The Tinsel Time Sentiments, for instance...  as it turns out, those letters are way too skinny for my patience.  It was easiest for me to nest the word and the shadow dies, and cut in white to result in a negative.  Then I cut the shadow again in red and layered the two.  I like the effect of the inset letters.

Peace on Earth Challenge #61 -- I was particularly inspired by the deer in the upper right corner of the board.
NBUS Challenge #61 -- My never before used schtuff is deer, sentiment, embossing folder.

 

That's all for this crafty week.  I'll see you again soon.  Take good care of yourselves and enjoy each day as it comes.

Brushed Butterflies and Tulips

Hello, friends, and welcome!  I think I'd better get busy here before you forget about me.  I never mean to be away this long, but you know -- Life.

Everything is okay.  The tree removal went relatively well.  Some fence boards had to be replaced, which our neighbor kindly pitched in and took care of.  The big crane left a large pothole -- more like a crater -- in our driveway.  It will have to wait a bit to be fixed.  The RV is parked over it so it's out of sight for the time being.

Meanwhile, I've still got some cards I haven't shared yet.  Today's makes were a fun play with some Spellbinders sets on loan from my friend (and yours), Michele.  I'm afraid I kept them a little longer than expected.  It's just like all my NBUS -- I dance around it quite a while before I actually sit down and make anything.  Then I wonder what took me so long.

So here we have the first card with Spellbinders Butterfly Burst die set.  The butterflies come with it.  The sentiment is an oldie Hero Arts.  I wasn't very imaginative considering I very nearly copied the picture on the package.

The next card is Spellbinders Artful Tulip.  The sentiment is Poppystamps.  Once again the idea came from the packaging, but I added a bit more because you know how I am.  I love these pretty little tulips.  The fancy frame is Marianne Designs Anja's Oval, an oldie.

I did the coloring with Copics.  I think that pretty much covers it so I didn't provide a recipe, sorry.  I was looking at my draft posts that need to be written up and I'm a little surprised at how many there are, and not a one of them features anything from my NBUS baskets.  I need to turn over a new leaf and start using that stuff!  See you soon!

Spellbinders Stylish Ovals Collection

Hello friends, and welcome back to my stamp room.  I'm a bit late getting the week started with everything being somewhat upside down and backwards at my house, but it's beginning to look like that's our new right side up and forward.  However, all is well in my Happy Place, and the view out my window is gradually changing to spring, even though it's a rainy one.  I believe that's what influenced me to make such springy cards with the new Spellbinders Stylish Ovals Collection.

(Many thanks to Yana and Spellbinders for sharing the product with me so I can share with you!)

There's much more to this collection than what I'm showing you here, but it's a start.  I chose three products to work with:

• Stylish Oval Birthday Wishes stamp set
• Essential Stylish Ovals die set
• Infinity Punch & Pierce Plate

Gee, I think I have some new favorite things.  For the first card I popped out the center of the punched and pierced panel and replaced it with a smaller plain white oval which allowed a border of blue to show.  I arranged the hand cut flowers over that with the sentiment and a sprinkling of clear gems.

I put those popped out parts from the first card to work on the second card with more hand cut flowers.  A little snip snip on one end of the flowers changed the look just a bit.   I hand cut the sentiment, too, and made a label for it with the smallest oval.  Blended a background panel (I must have been thinking of Easter eggs), added some gems... pretty!

For the next card I left the punched and pierced panel intact by using the die on 110 lb cardstock.  I carefully glued it onto the card front before any little pieces fell out.  I gold embossed the flowers and did even more snip snipping on these.  The two single flowers are a separate stamp in the set.  You can't see it in the photo, but I did the larger flower spray decoupage style -- there is a whole other flower spray underneath, colored and cut out, and the top layer is popped up.  Again, I hand cut the sentiment as well.

Well, that was fun.  I'm pretty sure I'll be going back for more from the Stylish Ovals Collection.  There are two items in particular...  It's just that they all work together so well.

See you again soon!

CAS Mix Up: Paper Piecing

Hi, there!  It's time for another CAS Mix Up challenge, and this time our host, Linda, is asking to see our cards featuring the paper piecing technique.  I can do that and I'll bet you can, too!  It's an old favorite.

Remember to follow the easy rules as listed on each of the two graphics shown here:

 

Video Tutorials:

Paper Piecing by Beate Splitcoaststampers

Stamped Paper Piecing - Jennifer McGuire

Stamping on Patterned Paper (Paper Piecing) - Kristina Werner

Paper Piecing Outside the Lines - Gina K Designs

Paper Piecing Tricks - Melanie Muenchinger

Easter is fast approaching and my card has already been mailed.  I decided to paper piece with dies this time.  The bunny die cuts an outline, which I did in white.  I cut two more times from two different patterned papers so I could piece the polka dot body areas.  The fancy egg turned out with some pretty shading from the blue paper.  I cut it again just so I could trim out a pink bow.  I'm not sure if the egg is technically paper piecing, but the bunny is, for sure.

A couple more notes:  The pink outline under the bunny was done by drawing around the bunny die on pink card stock, then cutting with scissors.  Been wanting to try that.  It helps it stand out from the background.  Also, I hope you can see in the photo that I embossed the egg die on the card stock and then set the die cut egg into it.  Learned embossing with dies from another CAS Mix Up challenge which linked to this Embossed Impressions video.

I'm looking forward to seeing all the fun cards in our CAS Mix Up Paper Piecing gallery.  The team and our talented guest designer, Bonnie (Paper Crafter at Large), have some fabulous inspiration for you.  Wishing you a happy day!

Stamps:  Hero Arts Easter Greetings sentiment  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest super smooth solar white, lime green scrap, retired SU designer paper  Ink:  SU Not Quite Navy and Pink Pirouette  Dies:  Spellbinders Small Die of the Month 2019 'Hop into Spring', Die-namites Delicate Egg, Impression Obsession Grass Border  Other:  Pink & Main Glossy Dot

Ranunculus Under Vellum

Hello, friends!  It's been a week or so since I did much of anything in my room and that's only because other projects around home needed attention.  When I think about all the stamps and dies waiting for me...

  😢

Then I saw this post by my friend, Maria.  Seriously, you have to see how many colored or partially colored images she has in her pile.  I have two very small drawers of UFOs (unfinished objects), but only 3 colored images I've been on the fence about.  Well, I was inspired to make some very CAS cards, one of which I'm sharing today.

The UFO is the colored image already die cut with vellum glued over top.  The Thinking of You die cut was also in the drawer.  You know how it is... an idea I was playing with that I wasn't sure I liked enough to turn it into a card.  If only the vellum hadn't been cardstock weight.  Turns out I like it just fine and it's already in the mail.

So now I'm linking to the challenge:

Shopping Our Stash #422 -- UFOs (unfinished objects)

Card details are listed below.  Thank you for visiting.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Power Poppy Ranunculus digi set  Paper:  X-Press It for image, wood grain textured cardstock for base, cardstock weight vellum, black  Ink:  Printer  Coloring:  Prismacolor pencils  Dies:  Spellbinders Thinking of You Woodland Scene  Other:  Rhinestones, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Twofer Card Challenge #16: Things with Wheels

It's time for another Twofer Card Challenge, friends!  We're doing "Things with Wheels" this time, so put your thinking caps on and go traditional or unconventional with your trains, planes, and automobiles, bicycles, wheelbarrows, lawn mowers, whatever... you get the picture.  This should be fun!

Below are the rules in a nutshell, but please see the Twofer Blog for more info.

I used another one of my new acquisitions for my Twofer cards.  It's Spellbinder's Truckin' Through the Seasons, which was the October 2018 large die of the month.  It was available for a while to non-club members, then not available, then available again... I kept missing out.  This time when it became available I snatched it right up, no hesitation.  As I write this it appears to be unavailable again.  Whew, I feel lucky!

So... I have a birthday card and a baby card:

The birthday card will be mailed to a guy friend in July.  Nothing like stamping ahead!  I put a frame over a pre-made Distress Oxide ink background, then the truck over that.  I had to slip a dog from another die set into the truck.  Wally or LuLu?  Our friend will appreciate it.  Frame is Memory Box Pine Forest Frame and dog is Amy Designs Cats and Dogs.  Sentiment from Poppy Stamps Sending Scribbles set.

Baby boy gets a plaid truck.  Why not?  Wouldn't it be fun to see this driving down the street?  Maybe I'll do polka dots next.  I have a feeling I'll use this truck a lot!  Banner is La-La Land Random Flags Banner and sentiment is an older Impression Obsession set called Straight From Heaven.

Well, that was fun!  I just know we'll see all kinds of your fun wheeled things in the Twofer gallery before it wraps up on the 24th.  You'll get a kick out of all the team samples on the Twofer Blog, so be sure and pop over there.  We have Hilary Jane and Cornelia guest designing for the May challenge, too.  Happy day!

See you again soon.  Wishing you all things wonderful!

Woodland Scene Shadowbox and Card

Happy Friday, all!  I'm back for one more share with the Shadowbox Collection by Becca Feeken.  Again I'm using the Adjustable Shadowbox Frame with 1/2" Border, but this time with the Layered Thinking of You Woodland Scene.

Just for fun I made a Christmas scene for the shadowbox.  No snow, just a woodland scene with green foliage, much like we'd see here on the Oregon Coast.  A brown deer and a white bunny.  I thought about cutting the bunny off, but there's no reason why you can't have a bunny in a Christmas scene.  Additional dies for dress up are Layered Poinsettia and Foliage.  I fashioned my own red polka dot corners.  Not sure it was a good idea, but they're not coming off now.

I made a card, too.  It's all guy with browns and wood grain card stock, but color added in the sponged background and the candy dot embellishments.  It took every ounce of self control I had to not make this all girly-cute.  I just know it would be so adorable with sweet colors and wildflowers!  We do have to think of the guys sometimes, though, don't we?

With these scene dies you can make such nice cards with minimal effort.  Seriously quick.  Maybe this weekend I'll make that sweet, feminine woodland scene with wildflowers.

Thanks for looking at my playtime with the Shadowbox Collection!  I sure had fun and it won't be the last of it.  I'll see you next week!

Sweet Birdie Shadowbox and Card

Hi, everyone!  I have the pleasure once again of designing with Spellbinders beautiful dies.  This time it's the Shadow Box Collection by Becca Feeken.  That link will take you to the entire shadowbox collection.  Specifically, today I'm sharing the Shadowbox Frame with 1/2" Border and the Layered Sweet Birdie Thanks Scene.  Let's start off with the shadowbox.

Isn't that the sweetest little spring scene?  I don't make many 3-D items, but I'll tell you these shadowbox scenes are addictive.  Instructions and videos are available at Spellbinders when you click on each shadowbox.  I watched a video once and closely followed step by step, and a few days later made another frame without looking at the instructions.  Easier than you might think!  These dies are an engineering marvel.

For this one I used a soft yellow-green card stock for the frame and covered just the front of it with designer paper, which I did before it was folded up.  All the parts for the scene were cut from card stock and designer paper, keeping it soft and simple.  The flowers and leaves in the corners are extra dies included in the set, and I dressed them up further with Spellbinders Bird Scrolls.

Not just for shadowboxes, the Layered Sweet Birdie Thanks Scene makes a darling card.  For the shadow box I left off the "thanks" die, but you can see it here, sentiment and scene in one arched window.  So cute!  I cut a paper panel with Scored and Pierced Rectangles, then cut the arched window into that.

I wanted to show you the inside of the card, too, so you can see an additional birdie die that comes with the set.   There's an even smaller bird, too.  Love!

Use one layer or all three.  Make a shadowbox any size and put anything you want in it.  Mix and match.  Personally, I 💗 these dies!

I'll be back Friday with more of the Shadowbox Collection by Becca Feeken.  Heads up:  It's Christmas and masculine, same shadowbox die, different scene.  Hope to see you then!

Hop into Spring!

Hi there!  I've been playing with bunnies and feeling like a kid again.  Oddly, I don't remember my kid toys being as much fun as my grown up toys.  Could it be that I'm more appreciative in my (ahem) maturity?

I'm using Spellbinders' March Small Die of the Month, called "Hop into Spring", and, gosh, I'm sure ready for that.  Bunnies and flowers and twiggy branches, a happy sentiment.  I've started with Easter colors and a bunny in a garden patch.  Small tulips on tall stems, green plants with flowers nestled in, a few carrots...

Then I thought I'd try some soft, muted colors.  Truthfully, I started out to make a baby card, but after cutting the two bunnies I was afraid I'd be locked into twins so I went with Easter instead.  Not your usual Easter colors, but I like it.  As you can see, I cut the bunnies in a white panel over designer paper, then fit the bunny outlines back into it.  It's so super easy I could do this over and over, and they're actually my favorite of the bunnies.  Add an eye dot and it brings them to life.  Imagine them with different colors and patterns.  I'm definitely going to make a baby card.

Finally, I set the bunnies aside, but used the same soft colors to make a spring card with a white twig wreath.  If you color the branches brown and leave the tips white they resemble pussy willows.  Yes, I did that, but it's another card for another day... along with the baby card I'm going to make.

The stamped sentiments are from my stash, but all dies and more are in the "Hop into Spring" set.  You can find information about the Small Die of the Month club here and see a nice variety of samples with this set.  It's adorable!

Thank you for your time.  Wishing you a very happy day!

Spellbinders January Small Die of the Month

Hi there!  Keeping the crafting momentum going...  Do the holidays knock the stuffing out of you the way they do me?  It was a longer than anticipated Christmas break, but I'm happily getting back into the swing of card crafting.  Today I have cards for kids courtesy of the January Spellbinders Small Die of the Month.

Have you ever looked at their Small Die of the Month Club?  It's a sweet deal, actually.  Every month a new set of small dies with big possibilities.  As I investigated and became more familiar with the club I was surprised that it's never just one die, but a whole set of dies the perfect size for cards.  If you don't want the particular set of the month, you have the option to click and skip.  More information here.

First, a birthday card:

As it happens, this die set tickled my fancy, considering the three little girls next door and many friends wanting cards for kids.  It was like playing with paper dolls.  Do they still make paper dolls?

My second card is for a kids' Christmas.  It's never too soon to get started, is it?  I know... groan... we just finished!  With a little change here and there, the Christmas card could be turned into a Valentine.

Peace on earth... it's a nice thought.  These kids aren't exactly dressed for the cold weather, but when they woke up and found the landscape had changed overnight into a winter wonderland they got all excited and ran outside.  Popped their heads back through the window -- created by nesting Spellbinders Scored and Pierced Rectangles.   Overhead the window blind has a ruffled edge made with the girl's skirt ruffle x 3, and a blind pull courtesy of the balloon string.  Fun stuff!

Many thanks to Spellbinders for giving me the opportunity to play with this month's adorable Small Die of the Month set, and thank you for helping me start off a new year of crafting.  Have a happy day!