A Savior is Born.....

    Once again I will say I just love my Silhouette Cameo.  This sweet and lovely poinsettia was cut on it from a Lori Whitlock cut file.  It is framed beautifully with a little extra greenery from my Cheery Lynn die as well.

     If you saw my previous post you may have read that it was a busy day in my Stamp castle recently.  I can be forgiven for thinking it is Christmas since I work in the retail world and as we ramp up for the holiday it sometimes feels like its already here.  I used my Spellbinders Radiant Rectangle die to create this in the same manner I created the one for the Halloween post earlier. The pages have Collal Silicone glue between them to keep them raised. The great thing about the poinsettia is I can make it ANY size I want using my Silhouette Cameo.  This whole card is no larger than 6.25 x 4.25 and has an easel stand I made with my own design on my Silhouette.  

    After making one in blue I just knew I would want one in red as well.  On this particular one I used my fave Krylon Gold Leaf pen around the edges of the outside of the red back.  Every time I look at these I make myself crazy - I think, "Oh I love the blue" - then I think, "Oh I love the red" - then I think "No I love the blue".  I swear each one is my favorite.  These to had to have boxes made to transport them in....still decorating those.  

     I have some more ready to assemble as I post this - think this will be a special Christmas card for some people close to me.  Not saying who, you know if you've been naughty or nice - just saying!!

Supplies:  Silhouette Cameo, Lori Whitlock File, Cardstock, Krylon Gold Leaf Pen, 

Trust

     My oh my, how the weeks are flying by.  I am finally using both arms after my surgery - not that being one armed stopped me from doing some stamping......stamping is a real form of relaxation for me.  I just had to plan my cards out and take my time, and use a lot of straight cuts.  Nice to feel comfortable using all the tools I have at my disposal, and be able to color with my Copics again.  This card is for the church bookstore.....they tell me they need some more and I am happy to oblige.  I will also put it in a few challenges because its always fun to put your name in the pool to win something.
     I really like this Lattice Motif die and think it looks great using matching papers.  Of course, its always fun to have an excuse to make some flowers.  These were cut with a die from white cardstock, then I put a little ink on the edges, rolled, layered, and then spritzed them with some Shimmer Sparkle.  The vines are from my Cheery Lynn die, and I edged the card, and die with my gold leaf pen.,

Supplies:  Spellbinders Lattice Motif, Cheery Lynn vine, McGill Stylus, Gold Leaf Pen, Mango Frost Matstack, Stampin' Up Trust God.

Challenges:  Simon Says Anything Goes,  Perfect Sentiment PSC47, Stampin' Sisters In Christ #154

By His Wounds

      As I got some cards ready for Easter this was one of several I put together. For my background I used an Our Daily Bread Designs Stamp of three crosses, and repeatedly stamped across some kraft card stock in brown ink.  The sentiment, from the same Our Daily Bread Design set, He will Rise, is stamped on a coaster that I ran through my Grand Caliber with a Spellbinders die and then used some gold Krylon to ink the edges.  I cut several leaves from a Cheery Lynn die that I positioned in the corner, and then put a flower I made in the center of them  (a picture tutorial of how I make my flowers is posted on this blog).  The inside reads "Alleluia, He is Risen".
     I also used this sentiment on a cross I made that I purchased from Michael's. The cross was edged in gold so I used gold leaves below the sentiment.  Instead of cards I made a few versions of this cross and sent them to friends.

Thanks for stopping by,

Materials:  Our Daily Bread Designs He Will Rise, Spellbinders Die, Cheery Lynn Die, Krylon Pen, Pearl, Cross from Michael's

Challenge:  Word Art Wednesday Challenge 22, Incy Wincy Designs Challenge Easter

Rejoice

     The last few trips to the craft stores have found me looking through non stamp aisles with ideas flowing through my mind.   When I saw this inexpensive metal cross at Michael's I bought a few to play with and decorate.  This is my favorite, using stamps from Flourishes He is Risen set.  I used a Krylon Pen to edge the cross and the Spellbinders die that has the sentiment on it.  I have found that a quick spray with some clear Krylon helps set the gold leaf keeping it from rubbing of.  The flowers were colored with my Copics and then cut out by hand, some are mounted with foam, while others aren't.  I played with some leaf ideas but really felt like it was getting too busy.  I'm thinking of sending this in place of a card to someone - overall it is 8 inches by 6 inches and would ship pretty easily.
     I have also been working on a small oval box with my favorite Mustang stamp and some awesome leather ribbon around the outside.....hopefully that will be done soon.   Purchased some nifty wood frames that I have covered in paper, hoping to stamps some images and sentiments and mount them inside with some embellishments.  All this playing means I need to catch up with cards that need to get sent but it has been fun.

Thanks for stopping by,

Supplies:  Metal cross from Michael's, Spellbinders Die, Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Flourishes Stamps, Krylon Gold Leaf Pen, Copic Markers

Butterfly Blessings

     Wow, its been a crazy week!  For some reason my last two trips to the craft store I was drawn to aisles that didn't have stamps or paper in them.  Instead I found myself purchasing crosses, frames, and wood with a gazillion ideas of what I hope to do with them.   They are all now, laying around my work space, in various stages of completion.  I think overload hit on Thursday - at that point I just had to take a break.
     There were also some cards - almost done - laying around as well.  Today I got a message from a friend at SCS about someone in need of prayer.....and sending a card would be nice too!  Finished this card up and will put it in the mail Monday.  I am excited to send this - when I recently purchased this stick pin at the Our Daily Bread Design booth at the Lawrenceville show I couldn't wait to use it.  It is the kind of embellishment that called me outside of my comfort zone of how I usually design.  I hope the recipient of this card smiles as much as I did when I sat back and viewed it after I finished it.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day,

Materials Used:  Our Daily Bread Design Stamps, Ribbon, Pin, Stampabilities, Gold Embossing Powder, Spellbinders, Krylon Gold Leafing Pen, Brilliance Galaxy Gold

Challenges:  Stampin Sisters In Christ #129 Wings, Do You Stack Up #61 Wings, Paper Crafting Journey Anything Goes, Paper Play Challenges Wk 9, Stamp N Doodles Embossing of Any Kind, Party Time Tuesdays Anything Goes

Easter Flowers

     While running around last week I managed to sneak into my new favorite stamp shop nearby.  They had the new Flourishes set He Is Risen.  Easter will be here before I know it so I grabbed the set and found some time this weekend to work in my stamp room (LOL, like I need an excuse).  It was my hope to CASE Christine Okken at ChristineCreations....but the more I worked at trying the more obvious it became that this card had a mind of its own.  Instead of the lovely card she made with a cut out frame, I ended up with a round scalloped card and no frame......best of intentions don't always work out the way you think they will.  Nonetheless, I am very pleased with how this turned out and look forward to sending it out for Easter.
     I colored the flowers with my blue, green, and yellow Copics - then cut them out.  None of the blue paper I had really rocked my boat so I found this lovely soft green patterned CS that appealed to me more.  I'm pretty sure I will never grow tired of my Cheery Lynn Border Flourish die that I used, it is a favorite of mine.

Thanks for visiting, have an awesome day,

Materials:  Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities, Copics, Flourishes Stamps, CS, Krylon Gold Leafing Pen, Cheery Lynn Die

Challenges:  Stampin Sisters In Christ Challenge 127

  

WINTER challenge...

     It has been a busy, crazy week!  When we moved to Georgia last summer after 17 years in Missouri, it was a little overwhelming to say the least.  With so much going on, the bedroom and living areas are where I concentrated my efforts first....lots of other 'stuff ' got put in closets - after all, "out of sight is out of mind".  Lots of my stamp stuff got shoved into the craft room closet and other things laid around as I worked on Christmas cards and gifts.  In the back of my mind I knew that January would be the perfect time to regroup and start the organization process - being a little selfish I decided to start in my stamp room first.  I spent Monday and Tuesday of this week building a cabinet to hold my stamp storage containers, they are an unusual size and required a hand crafted cabinet. (I have a picture posted below - I'm pretty pleased with my work.)  Then I organized the closet and rearranged my counter top area.  There is still more to do but I just can't be in this room without doing a little stamping :)
 

 Today's card is with the new stamp set I recently ordered from Our Daily Bread Designs called Never Give Up and includes a fabulous Grunge Cross.  This particular stamp has a die you can purchase to cut out the lovely cross for a very nice layered effect.  I stamped white paper with the Grunge Cross Background and layered it over some red that is spritzed with gold glimmer mist and edged with my gold leafing pen.  I layered the Grunge Cross with three papers and edged also edged the outside black paper with the gold leafing pen.  The challenge this week was to use the word "WINTER" and take three of the letters and use a technique or tool to create your card.  My goal was to use all the letters - a challenge indeed.  Its a stretch but I did it.  White paper and card, Ink, New stamp, Triangle corners, Edged with gold leaf pen, Red paper and cross!!  I said it was a stretch!!  

Supplies:  Our Daily Bread Design Stamp and Die, Glimmer Mist, Copic Red marker, Gold Leafing Pen.  


Challenges:  Our Daily Bread Design SLC92

Thanks for stopping by - have a great day!

Thinking of You.....

     There are a lot of changes when you make a move to a new State....giving up visiting your favorite stamp stores is one of those changes.  What a thrill when through Splitcoaststampers I learned from Jenny Gropp about a store not far from my new home.  I made my second visit there today and spent over an hour wandering and looking.  This card was made using a new stamp I purchased by Outlines Rubber Stamp Company.  Jenny does tutorials for the Outlines newsletter as well as working at the store and I was able to see several ways to use this stamp, but more important I learned about a wonderful dimensional silicone to pop the petals of the flower up.  Hopefully in the second picture below you can see how nicely this gives dimension to my flower.
     What fun it was playing with this stamp and I must warn you that I will probably do a few more cards to post as I keep thinking of new things to do with it.  This card will be entered in the Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge this where they are looking for cards that are "Thinking of You" themed......how convenient that I needed to make a card for that very purpose.

Thanks for stopping by:

Materials used:  Bo Bunny Sunflower Double Dot CS, Mango Frost CDWV CS, Metallic CS, Rhinestones, Endless Creations Sentiment, Outlines Rubber Stamp Striped Petals Med and Large,  Copics, Decoupage Glue, Spellbinders Floral Doily Motif Die, Sparkle Shimmer Mist, CL Die, Gold Leafing Pen.  

Challenges:  Stampin Sisters In Christ  - Challenge #121.  Dream Valley Anything Goes 23, Hooked on Crafts Try Something New. 

Metallic Butterflies

     Since my butterfly die arrived in August I have pulled it out to use several times.  Each time I run it through the Grand Caliber and prepare to place it and I change my mind, the color doesn't seem right, it won't work with the rest of the layout.....as excited as I am by the die, I just couldn't seem to find a way to get it to look or work the way I picture it in my mind.  Then along comes the challenge over at Our Daily Bread Designs to use metallic.....I knew I wanted to use my butterfly embossing folder and when I cut the butterfly die out in that wonderful shiny gold I knew I had exactly what I wanted.  Topped it off with a great scripture and now I have the card I was hoping for.  I am pretty low on my stash of this great paper and will need to find some more.

Thanks for stopping by:

Challenges:  ODBDSLC 84 Metallic


Materials:  Sizzix EF, Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection 7 Stamp and Butterfly Stamp, CS, Gold Pen, Spellbinders Die, Memento Black Ink and Brilliance Pearlescent Jade.

Small Packages....

     Like to follow Selma's Stamping Corner and she had the cutest little box posted with a tutorial.  There was a challenge over at Joan's Garden so I just had to play and make one of these.  Already thinking of papers to use to make more and fill them with goodies for stockings and friends at Christmas.  Selma has a step by step tutorial if you have never done this before. The red band slips over the whole box and serves as a great decoration piece as well as keeping the box closed.

Materials:  Bo Bunny Paper, McGill Pine Punch, Marvy gold marker, some sale bling laying around.


Challenges:  Joan's Garden (JG1103)