Wild Rose Stamper

Buttons on Display

 

 

I've definitely caught the button card bug.  They're all over the card-making blogs right now and I really really (really) want the PTI Button card stamp set.  But, I'm on that spending freeze I mentioned in my last post, so I got creative with what I own (what a concept!) and thought buttons in a frame would look just as cool. 

I'm having fun creating from my stash of hoarded stuff, such as the ribbon rose (probably had for over 5 years) and the little tags, and I even managed to part with some of my beloved Girl's Paperie.  Can I just say that I'm dying over not allowing myself to buy the new GP release yet?  Ok, I'll live, but you all understand.  I know you do!

Thanks so much for visiting!  Please come again.

 

 

Materials:

Stamps: Frame by Glitz Design

Paper: Girl's Paperie dp, Kraft cardstock, white

Ink: Palette Dark Umber

Accessories: Tags to Go by K & Company, crinkled seam binding, flower from a fake hydrangea stem, ribbon rose, white doily, white craft paint, various buttons, sewing machine, Martha Stewart Doily Lace edge punch

Lullaby Lane

 

See, I said I'd be back soon!  :) 

A sweet little baby card, one of my favorite kinds to make.  I love that little fairy on the turtle and had to cut it out of some Webster's Pages paper to use as a focal image.  Some buttons, Stickles, and crinkled seam binding finish it off.

I'm on a self-imposed (stamping related) spending freeze for a while and I'm trying to actually USE the things I've been "saving" for that special project.  Hence, all the buttons, gorgeous paper, and those little tags.  The tags are from a K&Company box of tiny tags I've had FOREVER.  Most of the tags have words on them I'd never use, but these worked out perfectly.  There's even a tiny green safety pin attaching the tags to the ribbon, another thing that's been languishing in a drawer.

Thanks for visiting!  I'll try not to stay away for too long, Lord willing.

Materials:

Stamps: Glitz Design (frame)

Paper: Neenah Solar white Classic Crest, Webster's Pages Lullaby Lane 6x6 pad

Ink: Antique Linen Distress for sponging, Certainly Celery

Accessories: Tim Holtz's Foam Ink Applicator, Martha Stewart punch around the page, buttons, K & Company tiny tags, Shabby Shutters Distress Stickles, Crystal Stickles, green tiny safety pin, crinkled seam binding

Sweet Snowglobe

When I chose this image, I knew I wanted to make a snowglobe, but I didn't have a stamp or die for the base.   I'm not usually one to think outside of the box, so when I figured out that the bottom of the santa hat from the Mistletoe design card would be a great snowglobe base, I felt pretty proud of myself. ;)

I got even more excited (I tend to get excited when I create!) when I remembered my Liquid Applique would be great for the "snow" and the Papier glaze for the ice.  Well, nix the last part.  The Papier Glaze warped my paper and dried with a yellowish cast.  I was not a happy stamper.  So, I don't recommend it on white paper in large areas.

I mulled over several options for the blue background of the snowglobe and decided upon reinkers.  A couple drops on my non-stick surface and a waterbrush and I was good to go.  Remember, the ink will blend more uniformly if you dampen the paper first with a paintbrush wetted with water, then let the paper dry before you paint on it.

So there you have it.  I think it looks like a snowglobe, don't you?  And did you notice the matching ribbon on the bottom with the little snowglobes?  They gave me the whole idea.  I got this gift box of Christmas ribbon for Christmas last year and have hardly touched it, so using the ribbon was the whole point of making this card! 

Thanks so much for visiting!  I hope to get at least one more post in before Christmas, but if I don't, I want to wish you all a very merry and Blessed Christmas.

 

 

Materials:

Stamps: Penny Black

Paper: Neenah Solar White, SU Real Red, SU retired Christmas dp

Ink: black dye, Bashful Blue reinker for watercolor technique

Accessories: ribbon, Martha Stewart corner punch, Papier glaze, white Liquid Applique, EK Success snowflake punch, Copic markers, Slice Mistletoe design card (santa hat), ribbon, Melissa Frances half pearls, Frosted Lace Stickles, Nestabilities Classic circles

Hedgehog's Stocking

Two cards in one post!  Can you believe it?  I couldn't decide whether to make a simple card or more elaborate one so I did both.  Which do you prefer?  Little details make such huge difference, don't they?

 

 

Thanks for visiting!

 

Materials:

Stamps: Penny Black, SU

Paper: Real Red, unknown green, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Bazzill white

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: Marvy scalloped punches; Platinum, Christmas Red, and Gold Stickles; Martha Stewart punch, Michaels Dollar bin gem, ScorPal scoring board, Copic markers

Sketch rose card and giveaway winner!

I thought I'd try my hand at one of those large bows I've been seeing around blogland.  What do you think?  Does it work?  I think I like it and might add a couple of decorative stick pins in the center of the bow.

Now, I want to announce the winner of my giveaway!  ****Brenda!!****  Thank you so much for giving to help ME/CFS research move forward.  Every little bit helps. 

There are three big reasons I believe in supporting the Whittemore-Peterson Institute. 

1. It was founded by the parents of a young woman who has had ME/CFS since she was 12, so they have a vested interest in producing real results. 

2.  It is affiliated with and is located at the University of Nevada's medical school campus at Reno.

3.  WPI is producing stunning results, beginning with their paper published in the prestigious Science journal, revealing their findings of XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia-related virus retrovirus) in 67% of chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Thanks for visiting!

Materials:

Stamps: Inkadinkado

Paper: White card stock, Chocolate Chip, Webster's Pages 6x6 Life's Portrait pad, Melissa Frances, vintage sheet music

Ink: Always Artichoke

Accessories: Copics, MS border punch, Nestabilities, self-adhesive half pearls, Certainly Celery striped grosgrain

Remembering Grandad

I promised myself that today I would get this post done!  No more procrastinating.  Last week, my 89 yo grandad passed away after a short battle with colon cancer, so I wasn't up to posting.  Do you mind if I tell you a little bit about my Grandad?

Grandad was a quiet, but amazingly talented man who loved and was very proud of his family.  I think what I'll always remember about him is how he was always there for us.  If something needed to be fixed or built, he fixed it or built it.  It seems like he knew how to do everything, and could even do the entire crossword, in pen.  He had a beautiful tenor voice and sang in several churches on Sundays and in productions of the Messiah and other oratorios throughout his life.  I probably got much of my musical talent from him and it just broke his heart when I became too sick to play the piano anymore. 

My dad left us when I was 5, and I feel like my grandfather really filled in the gap.  I don't know if I ever told him that.  What I am most thankful for, however, is that Grandad received Jesus as his Savior two days before he died.  We prayed for his salvation for many, many years and I can't count the number of times I witnessed to him and my grandma, often with tears.  So, while I'm sad and will miss him a lot, mostly I'm relieved that his suffering is ended and rejoice that he's in Heaven and I will see him again someday!

Thanks for letting me share about Grandad.  He enjoyed seeing my creations and even indulged my addiction by building all my awesome stamp shelves and laying the floor in my stamp room, at age 85, no less.  He even signed up for addictedtorubberstamps.com's newsletter to get the latest sales and would buy things off my wish list for my birthday and Christmas.  :)  I am so blessed to have had such wonderful grandparents who loved me and would have done anything for me.  I'll leave you with a photo of me and Grandad together in the summer of 2008 (and Izzy, the chihuahua.)

Copics: R81, R83, R85, R39, G21

Materials:

Stamps: Impression-Obsession rose

Paper: Melissa Frances, white card stock

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Pink Pirouette for sponging

Accessories: Martha Stewart punches, Tim Holtz Antique Linen Stickles, pearls, Copic markers, seam binding, Crystal Stickles, sewing machine

Horses in Heaven

Sure wish I didn't have to make this card.  It's a sympathy card for my sister who had to have her horse, Omni, put down a couple weeks ago.  He was actually a very lucky horse, because he was a racehorse Gillian rescued from being sold to the meat market over ten years ago.  Never mind that, at the time, she could barely afford to support him and herself.  Omni lived a life of luxury after Gillian saved him, able to graze with his buddies on 40 acres in Virginia Beach for many years.  Now he's kicking up his heels in heaven, happy that his leg doesn't hurt anymore.  (When I get to Heaven, I need to ask God why he made horses'  legs so darn delicate and breakable!)

I actually colored the horses over a year ago and I can see where I have improved my technique since then!  I should color the image again and see how different it looks.  Do you color images to use for cards, but then end up sticking them in a drawer, too?  I must have dozens of images that are ready to use, but for some reason I just never have! 

After I punched out the flowers, I cut in between each petal, being careful to leave the center intact.  I then placed the flower on a squishy mouse pad and rubbed the back of each petal with my embossing stylus to give them shape.

Thanks for visiting!

Materials:

Stamps: Inkadinkado

Paper: Soft Sky, Neenah Solar white Classic Crest, Afternoon Tea dp

Ink: black unknown

Accessories: Copic Markers, Martha Stewart picket fence border punch and Butterflies punch, Fiskars Apron Lace border punch, SU Trio flower punch, SU rub-ons from past Sale-a-bration kit, adhesive pearls, buttons

Chipboard Birdhouse Card

 

So I've had this Maya Road tin of chipboard houses for several months and finally got the chance to play with them.  I just love the tins that Maya Road packages their chipboard in and I could really get addicted to collecting them.  Then again, when it comes to paper crafting, it doesn't take much to get me addicted!  I know you can all relate.

Now that I look at it, this card incorporated a lot of current trends: birds, chipboard, glitter, border punches, big bows, stitching, and felt.  Hmm, did I go a bit overboard?  Maybe, but it was a lot of fun playing with all my toys!

As fun as this card was to make, I'll be stamping on my next one, because not using my stamps just didn't feel like "me."  And I felt a little like a traitor to my stamps!  ;)

Thanks for visiting!

Materials:

Stamps: None!

Ink: None!

Paper: white Neenah, Real Red, Bashful Blue, unknown designer paper

Accessories: Maya Road chipboard house, Basic Grey chipboard flourish, paper flower, Martha Stewart punches, craft felt from Michaels, embroidery floss, satin ribbon from Ribbons and Bows Oh My, Crystal glitter by Sulyn, Prima flower, Melissa Frances pearl, button

Glittered Rose

I brought together so many of my favorite things in this card: Diamond Dust glass glitter, roses, K&Co Madeline paper, pearls, banners, and one of those Tattered Angels' frames I've been seeing everywhere and had to have!  I'm such a follower!  lol. 

I got this card sketch from Kelly Lunceford's web site and loved the banner-style layout.  I also like how Kelly often glitters around the edges of her card and tried that out, too.  I do wish I'd had a more opaque glitter for that, so that will be on my next shopping trip to Michaels!  Amazing to think that there's something I don't own, but opaque glitter is one of them!

Here's a close-up of all the pretty sparkle!  And yes, I did have glitter on my face that day, as my mother was so kind to point out.  Isn't this Madeline paper gorgeous!  I don't usually buy a lot of things in a product line, but I got a bunch of the Madeline product, including those gorgeous paper rosettes.  I haven't been able to bring myself to use one, yet.  Maybe this week.  Or maybe I'll just frame them.  ;)

Thanks for visiting!

Materials:

Stamps: A Rose is a Rose by Stampin' UP!, So Many Sayings (hostess set cut apart)

Ink: Rose Red, Purely Pomegranate, Certainly Celery, Memento brown

Paper: ivory, Purely Pomegranate, Pink Pirouette, K&Co Madeline 8x8 paper pad

Accessories: Diamond Dust glass glitter, Art Institute fine crystal glitter, large corner rounder, leaf Sizzlet die by stampin' UP, adhesive pearls, Martha Stewart pine branch punch, Tattered Angels Frame Fonts

Sweet Peas

It seems like I've been on a big paper buying kick, lately!  (I'm not exactly sure why, since I like making my own backgrounds with stamps.)  Pretty paper is just too hard to resist, especially when it comes in a gorgeous box and I have a 40% off coupon!  Michaels has two different boxes full of 150 K&Co. papers.  I got the romantic one (I think it was called) and the other had more contemporary-style patterns.

Tall skinny images can be a little challenging for me, so when I see a card that has a great layout for such an image, I make sure to save it.  I found this card on Splitcoaststampers by Doodledop and knew it would be perfect!  Actually, this card started with a gorgeous iris image that I was watercoloring for my cousin, Rebekah's birthday, since the iris is her fave flower.  Unfortunately, just before it was almost done, I botched it up and couldn't do another, since I don't own the stamp.  So I hope Becky likes sweet peas!  ;)

All the shading around the flower is done with chalks and various sized sponges.  That square thing in the lower right corner is actually a silver brad with an "R" for Rebekah!  I just couldn't get a great photo of it.

Thanks for visiting!

Materials:
Stamps: Penny Black
Paper: Sage Shadow, ivory, K&Co designer paper
Ink: Antique Linen Distress ink, Sage Shadow, Mellow Moss, Lovely Lilac, Lavender Lace markers
Accessories: SU! chalks, Basic Grey chipboard, Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch, lace, ribbon, Sewing machine, Prima flowers, brad