Great Job!

I'm still here getting my fingers inky every now and then.  I made several cards over the last few months but haven't gotten around to posting them. I hope to upload them within the coming weeks. 

This card I made for a co-worker who was recognized by management for doing an amazing job and excellent team work. For the occasion I'm using an old SU set, Happy Hour.  I created the background by stamping the glasses with silver pigment ink then heat embossed them with silver EP.  I did the same with the sentiment and the accent glass. The accent glass was cut out with my Scan n Cut because I hate fussy cutting. The colors I chose are appropriate for a masculine card.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Happy Hour
Paper:  All SU
Ink: Encore Silver
Accessories:  Silver EP, Heat Tool, Brother Scan n Cut, Stick on Pearl

The Lord is My Helper

I haven't posted a card in several months.  A few events have kept me too busy to make cards.  In fact, I didn't even get to make Christmas cards.  I took an online class in August and September.   Then I was offered what I thought was a new and exciting opportunity at work.  I also started the process to purchase a new home.  The opportunity at work was a disaster and I ended up losing my job.  I have been looking for a new job since but I haven't been hired anywhere yet.  I am supposed to settle on the new home in April but that is dependent on if I can find employment in the next couple of weeks.  In preparation for purchasing a home, I gave the notice to vacate my apartment a couple months before I lost my job.  The leasing office found new renters in less than a month, so I had to leave by the date I had indicated on the intent to vacate notice.  Oh, and I started a relationship with a guy in the fall, but he decided to end it about a week after I lost my job.  

When people ask me how I am dealing with all of this, my response has often been from Job 1:21 "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”  I'm not bitter about it, as it is true that everything I have (or had) really belongs to God and is used for His purpose.  Through this time of difficulty, I believe my relationship with God has grown stronger as He is providing for everything that I need.  A very good friend has taken me into her home and is letting me stay for as long as I need to find a new job.  Other friends have treated me to meals and other outings.  I have some money in savings to pay some bills and other needs.  I was able to refill all of my prescriptions for the next few months using my FSA and did not have to pay out of pocket.  The loan officer for the new home is a believer and praying for me to find a new job soon.  She is giving me more time to find a job so I can still get the house. 

I do not understand why all of this is happening to me, but I know that God is carrying me through this.  He is my helper and is always faithful to care for His children.  This card uses verses from Psalm 121.  I wish I had a stamp that had the entire chapter as it is one of the many reminders that God is always with me and never fails to help me.

Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

2 My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, He who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;

the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

6 The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;

He will keep your life.

8 The Lord will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Psalm 121:1-2 - ODBD

Paper:  WW, Bermuda Bay, Raspberry Ripple

Ink:  Tuxedo Black - Memento, Distressed Cracked Pistachio, Distressed Mermaid Lagoon, Distressed Seedless Preserves - TH

Accessories:  Brother Scan n Cut, Butterfly Embossing Folder, Butterfly Embossilits, TH Blending Tool, MISTI, Sequins

Happy Cupcake Day

Here is a card I made for a friend's daughter's birthday.  I CASEd this card I found on Pinterest using a stamp set I recently got from My Favorite Things.  I used my Brother Scan n Cut II to make the round edged rectangle and the scallop border, and to cut out the stamped images.  The dress was paper pieced and I pierced the edge of the rectangle.  The images were colored with Chameleon Pens and Spectrum Noir alcohol markers.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Cupcake Day - MFT, Express Yourself - SU

Paper:  Smooth White - MFT, WW, DP

Ink:  Black Licorice Hybrid - MFT

Accessories:  Brother Scan n Cut II, Chameleon Pens, Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers, Sequins, Word Window Punch, MISTI 

This Girl Just Wants Coffee

Here is a third card I made for this year's Summer Coffee Lovers Bloghop.  Sometimes I just am in the mood to color images without having a card design in mind.  I keep these pieces in a box and I pull them out when I have an idea for a card or other project that a piece go with.  This MFT Pure Innocence image was colored with Prisma Pencils and paper pieced a few years ago.  For this card I cut out the image with my Brother Scan N Cut and then I cut off the flower in her hand to attach the mug.  The mug was colored with Chameleon Pens. 

Recipe:

Stamps:  Pure Innocence Water Lily - MFT, One Cup, Coffee Helps - Verve

Paper:  WW, So Saffron, DP

Ink:  Black Licorice - MFT, Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories:  Prisma Colored Pencils, Gamsol, Chameleon Pens, Ribbon, Prima Flowers, Brother Scan N Cut, Sequins, Nuvo Crystal Drops

Tea...Enjoy Every Sip

The Summer Coffee Lovers Bloghop has begun!  Here is the first card that I made for this season's bloghop.  

Since it is summer I decided to stamp a tea cup with the summery flavors of lemon, lime and strawberry (ink).  I used my Brother Scan N Cut to fussy cut the lemon and lime wedges, and to make the banner around the sentiment.  Rather dig out my dies, I also used the SNC to cut a perfect circle around the teacup and the green circle layer.

Recipe:

Stamps:  A Nice Cuppa - SU, Get Together - Verve, Pick Me Up - Sweet 'n Sassy

Paper:  WW, Cucumber Crush, DP

Ink:  Strawberry Slush, Daffodil Delight, Cucumber Crush, MFT Black Licorice

Accessories:  MISTI, Brother Scan N Cut, Nuvo Glitter Drops

Hello Baby Boy

This is a card I made for a friend who just had a baby boy last month.  I found this card on Pinterest and CASEd it.  I used the same stamp set but I changed the colors and papers.  I cut the onsie and bib with my Brother Scan N Cut II so I wouldn't have a white border.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Something for Baby, Teeny Tiny Wishes - SU

Paper:  WW, Lucky Limeade, DP

Ink:  Marina Mist, Midnight Muse, Lucky Limeade

Accessories:  Brother Scan N Cut, Button, Twine, Tag Topper Punch, Ribbon

At the End of My Rainbow - Spring2017CLH

... there is a pot of coffee!  This fun card was created for the Spring Coffee Lovers Bloghop.  I used MFT Die-namics to make the rainbow and cloud.  The pot of coffee was made using an SU punch.  The sun is from a Verve die. I used coffee colored Tear Drops to create coffee drops coming down the rainbow.  The word "coffee" in the cloud was stamped with Smokey Slate and Illuminate inks then clear embossed.  The grass at the bottom was from a cutting file included in the Brother Scan N Cut II and alcohol markers.  I coated the coffee beans in the pot with a little Wink of Stella for some shimmer.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Coffee - Verve, Sprinkles of Life - SU

Paper:  WW, Chocolate Chip, Pool Party, Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight

Ink:  Early Espresso, Smokey Slate, Illuminate, Memento London Fog

Accessories:  Chameleon Pens, Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers, Sharpie Markers, Die-namics, Verve Die, SU Punch, Brother Scan N Cut II, Tear Drops, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, MISTI, Wink of Stella

The Lord is My Portion - Spring2017CLH

This is another card for the Spring Coffee Lovers Bloghop.  I used a Scripture stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs as the sentiment, along with a MFT flower set, and a Verve coffee stamp.  The frame around the verse was created from a cutting file included in my Brother Scan N Cut II.  

Recipe:

Stamps:  Lamentations 3:24 (Scripture Collection 5) ODBD, Flashy Florals - MFT, Better with You - Verve

Paper:  WW, Early Espresso, Certainly Celery, Crisp Cantaloupe, DP

Ink:  Crisp Cantaloupe, Calypso Coral, Certainly Celery, Pear Pizzazz, Early Espresso, Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories:  Brother SNC II, Die-namics, MISTI, Ribbon, Chameleon Pens

Coffee and Tea...How Sweet! - Spring2017CLH

  

   

These two cards I created for the Spring Coffee Lovers Bloghop that is going on now. The first card uses the mug from Verve's Delightful & Delicious.  The second card uses a similar tea cup image from Verve's A Cup of Life stamp set.  

There is plenty of time to get your caffeinated creative juices flowing and join in on the fun!  The Spring Coffee Lovers Bloghop runs until Friday, March 31st.

Recipe:

Stamps: Delightful & Delicious, A Cup of Life - Verve

Paper:  WW, Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, DP

Ink:  Gumball Green, Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories:  Sequins, Ribbon, Brother Scan N Cut II, Word Window Punch

No Coffee, No Wakey - Spring2017CLH

The Spring Coffee Lovers Bloghop is still going strong and I have another card created for the event.  This card uses the current Paper Craft Crew Sketch Challenge #236.  

I used Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Chameleon pens to color Flopsy, his mug, and his fuzzy slippers.  He was cut out using my Brother Scan N Cut II.  

Recipe:  

Stamps:  I Need Coffee Flopsy - MFT, Morning Cup - SU

Paper:  WW, Basic Gray, DP

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories:  Brother SNC II, Nestabilities, Dew Drops, Chameleon Pens, Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers, MISTI

Thanks for the Pick Me Up - Spring2017CLH

I am having a lot of fun using my coffee stamps for this year's Spring Coffee Lovers Bloghop.  This coffee inspired creation uses the current Freshly Made Sketches #280.  

To keep with the Spring theme of the bloghop, I stamped the mug in a bright pink and used a strip of designer paper with pink and orange dots.  The sentiment was done in the same pink as the mug but heat embossed with clear powder to give it a little pop.  I used Wink of Stella on the coffee in the mug.  The mug was cut out with my Brother Scan N Cut II machine.  This card is just one single layer for a clean and simple design.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Pick Me Up - Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, Timeless Textures - SU

Paper:  WW, DP

Ink:  Regal Rose (Classic and Craft, Chocolate Chip

Accessories:  Brother SNC II, Wink of Stella, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool

Happy Birthday with Sprinkles

In continuing to replenish my stash of birthday cards I chose to use SU's Sprinkles of Life set again.  The current Splitcoast Stampers sketch challenge 632 is a perfect fit with the stamps and colors.  I love how this card turned out with the fun colors and matching the DP.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Sprinkles of Life, Party This Way - SU

Paper:  WW, Gumball Green, Crumbcake, Crisp Cantaloupe, Island Indigo, DP

Ink:  Crisp Cantaloupe, I sland Indigo, Gumball Green, Close to Cocoa, Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories:  Buttons, Ribbon, Brother Scan N Cut II, Punches

Hooray for Birthday

I needed to replenish my stash of birthday cards and I saw it as an opportunity to use my SU Sprinkles of Life set.  I cut out the cone, the sentiment and sentiment outline with my Brother Scan N Cut II.  The sketch is from Mojo Monday 480.  

This card is being entered in the Stamp Junkies Striptease Challenge hosted by Gina K. Designs.  If you would like to play along search for the Stamp Junkies group on Facebook to join in.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Sprinkles of Life, Happiest Birthday Wishes - SU

Paper:  WW, Crumbcake, Poppy Parade, Wisteria Wonder, Soft Sky, DP

Ink:  Wisteria Wonder, Poppy Parade, Soft Sky, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories:  Brother SNC II, Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Ribbon, Punch

Steaming Thanks a Latte

This card I made using a free SVG file I found on the internet.  I used my Brother SNC II to cut out the steaming cup of coffee then mounted it over DP.  I am entering this card in My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge 319.  

Recipe:

Stamps:  Latte Love - Fiskars, Better with You - Verve

Paper:  Early Espresso, VV, DP

Ink:  Early Espresso, Ivory Pigment - GKD

Accessories:  Clear Embossing Powder, Brother SNC II, MISTI, Heat Tool, Tear Drops, Free SVG

Little Night Fairy

These stamps I picked up last week when I went with my sister to her favorite craft store, The Queen's Ink.  The little sleepy fairy is so cute.  The moon dangling from the her cap and on her dress give me the impression that she does her magic at night when most others are sleeping.  So I set her to take a nap under the mushroom in a daytime background. She kind of reminds me of myself when I worked night shifts and slept during the day.

I colored the images by water coloring with my clear Wink of Stella pen and Spectrum Noir Aqua Markers.  I love how it turned out, especially the shimmer.  The shimmer is a little easier to see in the picture below.

I made faint clouds in the sky with Whisper White Craft ink and a sponge.  The grass border is from one of the cut files included in the Brother Scan N Cut II.  The mushroom and fairy were also cut with the SNC II.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Little Angel, Mushroom - Pink Your Life Stampendous
Paper:  Canson Mixed Media, WW, Green Galore
Ink:  Versafine Black Onyx, WW Craft - SU
Accessories:  Wink of Stella Clear, Spectrum Noir Aqua Markers, Brother SNC II, MISTI, Sponge

Hippity Hoppity Birthday

This is a fun birthday card I made for my cousin.  I cut Flopsy out with my Brother Scan N Cut and colored him with Chameleon Alcohol Pens.  The sketch is from Mojo Monday Week 34 way back in 2008.  The sentiment was placed perfectly with Gina K Designs Ivory Pigment using the MISTI.  I heat embossed white embossing powder over the sentiment.  The candles were glazed with Wink of Stella, and the flames coated with gold Stickles.

Recipe;
Stamps:  Birthday Flopsy - MFT, Number of Years - SU
Paper:  Coastal Cabana, Soft Suede, WW, Cherry Cobbler, DP
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Ivory Pigment Ink - GKD
Accessories:  Brother SNC II, MISTI, Nestabilities, Chameleon Pens, Buttons, White Embossing Powder, Nestabilities, Wink of Stella, Heat Tool, Stickles, Buttons

SNC Thank You

I have been playing around with my Brother Scan N Cut II and made this simple Thank You card.  It was really easy to create in Scan N Cut Canvas and download to my machine.  I saved the file so I can use again and again with different papers.

Recipe:

Stamps:  None

Paper:  Always Artichoke, WW, DP

Ink:  None

Accessories:  Brother Scan N Cut II

Bestest Birthday Present Ever!

For my birthday this year, my sister did an amazing thing.  SHE GOT ME A BROTHER SCAN N CUT!!!!!!!  This very generous act has earned her the Bestest Sister of the Millenium Award, if there were such an award.  My crafting buddies on Face Book even agree.  Many of them are asking if she would adopt them.

This card is the first card I made using my new favorite toy.  It is a thank you card for my sister for the wonderful birthday gift.  The flower, layered frames, and "thank you" were all cut out on the Brother SNC.  It is so easy to use and no more fussy cutting!  

The Brother Scan N Cut was not the only gift she gave me.  She game me some inks and made this beautiful coffee-themed mixed media clipboard art. 

My sister is the one who first got me in to card making several years ago.  Her style is more mixed media and altered objects, while mine is mostly clean and simple cards.  Over the years she has given me some supplies to broaden my crafting style.  This year I want to branch out using different tools and techniques to create other projects in addition to more cards.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Fabulous Florets - SU

Paper:  WW, Pool Party, Garden Green

Ink:  Versafine Black Onyx, Christmas Pine - Gina K Designs, Tattered Rose Distress Ink

Accessories: Brother Scan N Cut, Embossing Folder, Spectrum Noir and Chameleon Markers, Ribbon, Stickles, MISTI