Winter Birthday

Hi everyone.  I'm back to card making with today's card.  I started off by sponging a background using three DI inks (Salvaged Patina, Peacock Feathers, Mermaid Lagoon) onto white cardstock.  It was then dry embossed with the Snowflake Oval Frame Folder from Simon Says Stamp and white pigment ink was tapped over top.

I topped the card front with a silver foil die-cut group of trees;  then added a simple Winter Birthday sentiment in more of the Peacock Feathers ink.

Close-up ...

The close-up shows the shine from the silver foil trees. :)  Sorry about the photos ... looks like my camera is on its' last legs. 

Today's card was made following two challenge:

Seize the Birthday #318 - Blizzard of Snowflakes 

Double D 10 Year Birthday 2026 - Anything Birthday Goes

   

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Festive snippets (Penny Black); Birthday sentiment (unknown)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.) - card base;  Silver foil card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Salvaged Patina, Peacock Feathers, Mermaid Lagoon (Tim Holtz); White Unicorn ink (Hero Arts)
Accessories:   Snowflake Oval Frame embossing folder (SSS); Christmas Grove die (Temu Canada)

Challenges:

Seize the Birthday #318 - Blizzard of Snowflakes - Make your own Snowflake Background

Double D 10 Year Birthday 2026 - Anything Birthday Goes

Glitter Trees

Hi everyone.   I've been sick with the flu for a few weeks now and just starting to feel better.  This is why I haven't been by to visit and stopped posting.  I'm doing a bit better and hope to be fully recovered in time for the big day.  Don't want to miss out on the delicious turkey dinner!! :)

I came across a youtube video on this beautiful way to show off a tree die.  The video (by Pete Hughes - 24:01) is fairly long, but the technique is so pretty!  It has different ways to colour tree die-cuts and add glitter.  It's an easy technique, so I made multiples of this card. :)

I blended shades of purple onto the tree die creating an ombre effect.  I left a bit of space at the bottom white.  Then I sprayed the trees with adhesive and sprinkled with glitter.  The adhesive only held onto a little bit of the glitter, so I added a layer of white glue and more glitter ... thankfully it worked.  For the final step, I sprayed shimmer spray over top to seal the glitter.  I'll have to find a better spray adhesive for next time or maybe use glossy accents.

I die-cut a small circle from a post-it note (including the sticky strip on the back to hold it in place) and used it to mask my "moon" before sponging lightly over top with soft purple and pink.  Once the mask was removed, I added some very light shading to create shadows on the moon. 

I added a simple sentiment with gray ink to finish.

Close-up ... this shows how lovely and glittery the tree really are.

Sending the above card to ...

NBUS Challenge #81 - first time using this die

Peace on Earth Challenge #101 - Anything Christmas Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Christmas Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry, Shaded Lilac, Wilted Violet, Villianious Potion (Tim Holtz); Shadow Grey Archival (Ranger)
Accessories:   Christmas Trees die (Temu), sponged, post-it note for masking, small circle die (Spellbinders), Spray Adhesive, Clear glitter, Shimmer Spray

Challenges:

NBUS Challenge #81

Peace on Earth Challenge #101 - Anything Christmas Goes

Peace on Earth

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing my latest Christmas card.  It is a CASE (copy and share everything) of a beautiful card made by my friend, Hilary.  I just loved her card and the technique she used for making the beautiful night sky (Direct to Paper Inking).  Here's a link to Hilary's card post.  Thank you for the inspiration, dear friend!

I used the stamp pad to go direct to paper with three colours for the background (Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Unchartered Mariner).  Because of the saturated ink colours, this background is very bold and dramatic.  Adding in the black die-cut trees and white die-cut sentiment creates even more contrast.  I finished the card with simple white acrylic ink splatters.  This was so much fun and easy to do. :)

Close-up ...

Sending this card to the Peace on Earth Challenge #100.

Thanks for stopping by!

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)

Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Unchartered Mariner (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Row of Trees die (Memory Box - retired); Peace on Earth sentiment die (gift from a friend many years ago), White acrylic paint (diluted) for splattering

Challenges:

Peace on Earth Challenge #100

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #104

Hi everyone.  

I had to play along at Christmas Kickstart Challenge #104 - Just Add Antlers.  I have quite a few reindeer dies and stamps.  The hard part was figuring which one to use. :)  I ended up pulling out my favourite die that I've had for several years.

I started by cutting a panel to the size I wanted and blending with distress inks.  Once the ink was dry, I splattered with frost white paint.

I centered the panel on my card base, leaving more space at the bottom so I could add my die-cut reindeers and trees (cut from silver matte foil card stock) ... and stamp the sentiment (Christmas Sentiments - Penny Black).

Close-up ...

* * * * *

Sharing the latest photos of Jessie and Violeta.  They were on their daily walk and stopped at a park near our house.  They do love their walks with "Poppy" (aka Alejandro). :)

You can just see the benches in the background.

They are situated right above the ocean and

it looks as though Jessie was getting a whiff of

the ocean breeze! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Christmas Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Silver Matte Foil card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Salvaged Patina, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Reindeer die (AliExpress), sponges, Frost White acrylic paint for splattering

Challenges:

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #104 - Just Add Antlers

Inspiring Iris

Hi everyone.  Before I get to today's card, I will be signing off for a few of weeks as we move to our new home.  I'll be back before you know it! :)

Today's card is a CAS design using a lovely stamp set from SU (Inspiring Iris).  I've had this stamp in my NBUS (never-before-used-schtuff) box for a LONG time! :)

I started by masking a rectangle using Background Basics stencil (Penny Black) and a sponge brush with Salvaged Patina Distress Ink to create an ombre background.  Then I stamped the outline image of the irises.  There is a matching stamp for the flower heads, but I couldn't get it to line up, so I watercoloured with more Distress Inks (Milled Lavender, Wilted Violet, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn).

To finish, I stamped the sentiment (Super Day - Penny Black), in black ink.

Close-up ...

I'm sending the above card to the following challenges:

1) NBUS Challenge #71

2) CAS on Friday - Challenge #301 - Flowers

3) We Love Stamping February Challenge - CAS

  

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Inspiring Iris (SU!); Super Day (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Salvage Patina, Milled Lavender, Wilted Violet, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:   Background Basics stencils (Penny Black), sponges, watercolour paint brush

Challenges:

NBUS Challenge #71 

CAS on Friday - Challenge #301 - Flowers

We Love Stamping February Challenge - CAS

Happy New Year!!

Hi everyone.  I hope you had a wonderful Holiday season and are starting off 2025 happy and healthy!!

Last year was a tough year for me.  I had more medical issues to deal with and ended up having surgery near the end of July.  It's taken most of the remainder of 2024 for me to recovery, but I am now feeling much better. 

On a positive note ... we found our forever home and get the keys a few days ago! YAY!  We sold in May last year and weren't able to find what we wanted so leased a rental house for a year.  Thankfully, we now can take our time moving into our new house since we still have the rental house until the end of March.  It all worked out in the end!! :)

On to today's card ...

I was inspired a three challenges to create this card using some new-to-me Christmas gifts. :)

I started by sponging the background of my card front panel with distress inks (Salvaged Patina, Wilted Violet), then ran it through my Gemini with the Comfy embossing folder (Penny Black).  I used my white pigment ink pad to lightly tap over top of the embossing, which left white ink on the highlights of the texture.  I tore two strips of white card stock to create the snow hills at the bottom and added a die-cut reindeer, (Antlers - Penny Black), cut twice and glued together to create a thick die-cut.  The sentiment (Festive Snippets - Penny Black) is stamped at the bottom in more Salvaged Patina ink.

This card is made with all Penny Black products. :)  Speaking of Penny Black, I have been a contributor for them since 2018, along with many other talented card makers.  This year they have switched things up and are not using most of the past contributors.  I'm a little sad that I won't be designing for them.

Close-up ...

Sending this card to the following challenges:

1)  NBUS Challenge #70- never-before-used schtuff

2)  Can you Handle the Pressure - Anything Goes Embossing with a Twist of Winter

  

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Festive Snippets (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Salvage Patina, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz); Unicorn pigment ink (white) - Hero Arts
Accessories:   Comfy embossing folder (Penny Black), Antlers die (Penny Black), sponges 

Challenges:

NBUS Challenge #70

Can you Handle the Pressure

Ombré - Group of Seven

Hi everyone.  This month we are working with the Ombré Technique (shades of colour) to create a light to dark background or main focal point.  There are a variety of ways to create theOmbré look in card making ... sponging, die-cutting, watercolouring, stamping, or stenciling.  I have done Ombré before on cards, but when experimenting this month, I realized that I need to do this technique more often!! :)

Please check out the details for the Design Element - Ombré and link to videos on the blog ...

Group of Seven Cardmakers

Here's what I learned when I experimented with this technique ...

• Ombré is achieved in many different ways, so it is very versatile.  You can stamp, sponge, stencil, watercolour, and die-cut to create the look.
• Shades of one colour is most common for Ombré.  However, shades of a few colours that are in the same colour family (Anagolous), also work well.  You can check you the Anagolous Colours HERE.

For the card above, I created an Ombré background by sponging four colours on distress inks onto vellum.  I flipped it over to so that the front of the card doesn't have the exposed ink, which can rub off.  I layered the vellum between two snowglobe frames and then added the deer/tree die-cut.  I also used the snowglobe die to out my card base, making sure to have the top of the snowglobe well above the fold, leaving the fold intact.

To finish, I splattered diluted white gouache paint and also added silver drops using a metallic pen.  The sentiment (long retired) is stamped in Delicata Silver to match.

Sending this card to Rudolph Days December Challenge. :)  Thanks Helen!

* * * * *

I then created three more Ombré backgrounds using smaller pieces of card stock (1/8 of a sheet) ...

The card below is sponged in shades of blue (Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire) distress inks.  The blue background is topped with a black die-cut, framed tree.  I cut two and glued them together to create a thicker die-cut.  The main panel is popped up over top of a black card base.

Sending the above card to the Simply Clean & Simple December challenge.

The card below is sponged with Saltwater Taffy, Abandoned Coral, Candied Apple distress inks.  The coral background is stamped in black with a silhouette stamp (Just Because from Uniko).  The sentiment (Happy Messages - Stampendous) is stamped at the bottom and a thin piece of black card stock is added to separate the image from the sentiment, as well as grounding the image so it doesn't look like it's floating on the panel.  The main panel is popped up over top of a black card base.

 

For the third and last card for this post, using a smaller ombre background, I used three colours instead of shades of one colour; yellow (Mustard Seed); orange (Carved Pumpkin); and red (Candied Apple).  I adhered the background to my black card front, popping up a black die-cut (Birch Tree Window - Simon Says Stamp) that cuts out the background, letting the Ombré sky show through.  I stamped the sentiment in Silver Delicata Ink.  I think this sunset is so pretty!! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Christmas Sampler (Paper Smooches - closed)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Vellum
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire (Tim Holtz); Delicata Silver (Tsukineko)
Accessories:   Snow Globe dies (Honey Bee); Deer & Tree die (AliExpress), sponges, splatter brush, White Gouache Paint, Silver Metallic Pen

Card #2:

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts) 

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)

Accessories:  Sponges, Framed Tree die (AliExpress)

Card #3:

Stamps:  Just Because (Uniko); Happy Messages (Stampendous) 

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); 
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Saltwater Taffy, Abandoned Coral, Candied Apple (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories: Sponges

Card #4:

Stamps:  Cosmos (Technique Tuesday)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Carved Pumpkin, Candied Apple (Tim Holtz); Silver Delicata (Tsukineko)
Accessories:  Sponges, Square Tree Frame die (AliExpress), White embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:

Group of Seven - Ombre

Rudolph Days December Challenge

Simply Clean & Simple December challenge

Penny Black - The Star

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a card made with an adorable, new image from Penny Black called The Star (31-182).  I watercoloured the image with distress inks and used the matching die (The Star Cut Out - 51-845) to cut out and pop up over top of my background.

The background is done on vellum, stamped multiple times with three different snowflakes from Snow Charm (Penny Black).  I stamped them in Versamark and heat embossed in white.  I flipped the vellum over and sponged Salvaged Patina randomly over the background.  The background was splattered with white ink to create falling snow and heat embossed to dry before mounting it between two frames (Semi-Circle Stackers - 51-706) from Penny Black. The Star image was adhered to the front of the vellum and a simple sentiment (Full of Christmas - 30-734) Penny Black, was stamped in black.

The whole panel was popped up with 1/4" adhesive foam strips on the back of the frame.  This allows the dreaminess of vellum to show.

Close-up ...

Sending card #1 to the following challenges:

1) NBUS Challenge #67

2) Merry Little Christmas Challenge #58 - Anything Christmas Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Penny Black Store

 

                                            The Star (31-082)                       The Star Cut Out (51-845)

                                            Snow Charm (30-772)            Semi-Circle Stackers (51-706)

Full of Christmas (30-734)

Stamps:  The Star (Penny Black); Snow Charm (Penny Black); Posted (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Thick Vellum (Oplymio - Amazon)
Ink:   Black Pigment (Versafine Claire Nocturne); Shadow Grey (Archival - Ranger); Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Salvaged Patina, Black Soot (Tim Holtz); Zigs - flesh (Kuretake)
Accessories:   White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, watercolour brushes, sponges, diluted white ink, Semi-Circle Stackers (Penny Black)

Challenges:

NBUS Challenge #67

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #58 - Anything Christmas Goes

Penny Black - Messenger

For the above card I started with stamping the main image, Messenger (Penny Black) onto mixed media paper using black pigment ink.  The image was heat set before watercolouring with Distress Inks and Zig markers.  The small rectange stencil from Background Basics (Penny Black) was placed over top before sponging with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink around the inside edges.  The Double Frames (Penny Black) were cut from red card stock and patterned green card and layered over top of the image.  To finish, the sentiment (from the same stamp set) was stamped in more black ink.  The sponging and double frames give this a vintage look.

Made a second card using everything the same as above, except for reversing the order of the card used for the double frames ...  

... and one more using this beautiful image ...

I fussy-cut the bird and pinecone after watercolouring with Distress inks on mixed media paper.  The full image was stamped again onto a patterned paper leftover cut from the center of the frame in card one.  The fussy-cut cardinal and pinecone were adhered over top of the bottom image to add depth (paper piecing).  I used my zig markers to add colour to the pine branch.  The sentiment from the same stamp set was stamped in Candied Apple Distress ink to finish the card.

Sending the above card to:

1) Rudolph Days Challenge - September.  Thanks Helen!

2) Simply Clean & Simple Challenge - September

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Penny Black Products

Messenger (31-085)

Background Basics (25-021)

Double Frames (51-825)

Stamps:  Messenger (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Real Red card stock (SU!); Always Artichoke patterned paper (SU!)
Ink:   Black pigment ink (Versafine Clair Nocturne); Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Black Soot, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs (Tim Holtz); Zig watercolour markers
Accessories:   Watercolour paint brushes, Background Basics (Stencils - Penny Black); Double Frames dies (Penny Black)

Challenges:

Rudolph Days Challenge - September

Simply Clean & Simple Challenge - September