A first Muse

A second post today, I am so excited that I am actually playing along with Muse #55, this week.  I vote almost every week at Muse; I love seeing everyone creations.  Having just gotten over the nasty ick-ness at the end of January and trying to get Valentine Cards made and ready to mail, I was not able to play in challenges much which I really want to concentrate on in 2014.

I loved Marion Vagg's card for this week's Muse.  I love the rainbows, and the die cut and especially the lay out.  I also have an unused Simon Says Stamp February Card kit sitting waiting to be dug into. 

So I jumped in and grabbed the Candy Necklace card stock by Bazzill, and made it into a top folding card. Two of the very fun patterned papers had that same teal-ish look to them.

The pattern on one patterned paper reminded me of Marion's card. I added the Simon Says Stamp Small Hello (stacked several times) die cut as well as a sentiment from their Happy Every Day Stamp set.  Some teal dots from Stampin Up and my MUSE inspired card is complete.  I really love this card, Thanks for the inspiration Marion!


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Retro Sketches 102

Part of my 2014 goals is to participate in more challenges. So far I have not been doing so well.  So yesterday, I prepared Hubs letting him know it was a card making day. I prepped lunch and dinner and made brownies while I was downstairs for breakfast. 

I selected several challenges to play in over the next couple of days.  First up is a new to me challenge Retro Sketches.


I flipped the heart image in the smaller panel and made it a flower, and I can't help but add a bit of string or ribbon to a card.

This card is 4.25 by 5.25 inches to accommodate the petal overhang.

Materials: Recollections Flowers, Colorbok bling, Techniques Tuesday Sentiment, WRMK string, Hero Arts Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink, Neenah Paper, as well as two scraps, and Modern Mosaic embossing folder by Stampin Up/Sizzix.

Just for You

One of my BIL's is celebrating his birthday today, so this card was sent on its way to him last week.  The guy cards are still the tough ones to make; but I was pleased with this one. Happy Birthday Dear Brother!

Materials: Papers-Simon Says Stamp, Stampin Up, Neenah; Die- Spellbinders; Stamps- Stampin Up; Inks-Distress, Versafine; Wood Veneer- Studio Calico

Thank You

I made this card as a thank you for a recent blog candy win (Thank you Barb). I utilized some of the techniques from the Stenciled class in the construction of this card.

I loved the blues, and the texture provided by the embossing paste with the embossing powder overlay.  I have no patience to wait for it to dry completely, so there are always little bumps -- but I love the feel of it under my fingers.

Supplies: Kite Stencil, Vellum, Stampin Up Sentiment, Gems (colored with Copics), Ribbon by American Crafts, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder.

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Happy Valentine's Day

One more Valentine to share. Hubs really dislikes pink, but on Valentines Day I can get away with it. Besides, I have another Valentine for him, and its manly. The stamp set is from Simon Says Stamp.

I made quite I few Valentine's this year, not as many as years past but it felt like a whole  bunch because they were all different cards as opposed to the same card 15 times.  

Below is a recap, and the lovely bouquet hubs gave me early, in case the weather impacted our Valentine's plans.

 Have a wonderful Valentines Day, and thanks for stopping by.

Round Heart

This bit of pink and glittery goodness was so much fun to make.  It all started with that circle scrap in the center.  I found it to be a perfect fit for the center of a Spellbinder Die with hearts around it. 

I cut 3 hearts from memory box's precious hearts, lopped the bows off of two of them.  I ran them through my little Xyron sticker maker and then dumped Distress Glitter in clear rock candy over them. Wow love that look.  Next I decided the bigger circle need to sparkle too.  I used some Be Creative adhesive sheet on white card, cut the die, then peeled back the liner paper from the die cut and dunked it into the glitter.  A piece of pink AC Cardstock was dry embossed with a Cuttlebug swiss dot embossing folder.  To cover my almost but not quite seamless joining of the three hearts, I used a glittered pink heart brad. I couldn't bear to put a sentiment on the front, so that is going on the inside.

I am entering this in a new to me challenge, the card concept. Challenge #3 is Monochromatic pink.  The style on this card is either clean and layered or classy and elegant. I'm still a bit new to the styles and haven't quite found mine yet. They have the styles defined at their blog, it makes for informative reading.

Below is a close up of the glittered bits.

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Glam Pink

I was browsing the Flickr groups and noticed the Love!-Handmade Cards, ATC's and other Crafts group was having a Valentine exchange. I immediately signed up for it.

One of the first stamps I purchased was this cutie from Whipper Snapper Designs -Valentine Bouquet.  It is fun to color and not super difficult.

I used Spectrum Noir markers IG1, IG2, IG4, FS6, BP3, CG4, CR8, DR2 and OR1.  I cut the image using a Spellbinder Die-Long Classic Retangles, matted it with another Spellbinder Die-Scalloped Long Classic Rectangles.  The sentiment is from Stampin Up Teeny Tiny Wishes.  The card front was dry embossed with Darice's Heart Background folder.  The card front was trimmed a bit to show just a tad of a pink strip of paper from Doodlebugs Sweetheart collection.  The smaller heart flower was topped off with Glam Pink Stickles. I love this little Valentine. You can see all the posted cards here.

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Fillagree Valentine

Once more with the Stampin Up set You are loved (retired). This sentiment image fit perfectly into an oval shape and I thought it would make a lovely focal point for this card.

All dies used are Spellbinders, White embossing powder from Hero Arts, pearls from Stampin Up, papers Stampin Up as well.

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Heart Tree times two

I picked up this Heart Tree die from Taylored Expressions while hubs and I visited Ohio at Thanksgiving. I cut two out while deciding on a card. I ended up using them both. Today its a two-fer.

Supplies: Patterned paper by Authentique - 6x6 Smitten pad, Martha Stewart ric rac trim, Craft Smart sentiment stamp. Cardstock by Stampin Up.  I am entering this one in the Shopping Our Stash's Love Me Tender challenge.

Supplies: Patterned Paper by Doodlebug 6x6 Sweetheart Pad, Spellbinders edge die, versamark and white Hero Arts embossing powder, Celebrate Ribbon, papers by Recollections. Craft Smart sentiment stamp. I think it fits the clean and layered definition. I am entering this in a new to me challenge, the card concept. Challenge #3 is Monochromatic pink. Here is the challenge graphic.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

A Second Look...

Yesterday I played in Barb Engler's Scramble over at the Hero Arts Flickr group. I love scrambling with these uber talented ladies.  Barb required the following items in our card creation: Pink, Heart, Silver and of course a Hero Arts stamp that was more than just a sentiment (easy to do they have such a wonderful selection and my collection is taking up a box and 2 bins).

It took me about 80 of the 90 allowed minutes to make my card, photograph it and upload it.  I had trouble with the sentiment and I did far too much heat embossing for a scramble, not to mention the fussy cutting which I detest!

I stamped 5 floral hearts from the Hero Arts Set LP269 in Pearlescent Coral and heat embossed them with clear powder. Then cut them out. Next I punched a small circle and layered the hearts around it to create a flower. A sliver brad was placed in the middle. Next I inked a white doily with Memento Angel Pink ink and heat embossed that. The doily had a slick surface so the ink wasn't sticking well. It was fine after the heat embossing.

My card base was silver heat embossed Hero Arts Hexagon Background. This just seems like such a masculine stamp, but I love the mix with the girly flower and pinkness.

I wanted a bit more punch so I layed the doily on a piece of scrap glittered cardstock (again with the fussy cutting...)  My sentiment was silver Hero Arts ink on a pink inked scrap of white and then whole thing heat embossed with clear powder.

I plopped that flower piece in the midlde and offset the sentiment, looked at the clock and panicked... 75 minutes gone...I quickly photographed it , uploaded and posted to the group.

After the challenge I looked at the card, and while it is a fine card...I wasn't happy with the design.  So I decided to take a second look.  Hmm.... it needs something...

I moved the flower piece, and added a sweet patterned organza ribbon in a soft pink shade.  Now I feel it is more balanced, and I love the result.  Now it can go on its journey to its recipient!

Which one do you think looks more pleasing?
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