It's Been a Dozen Years!

My little niece Sweepie is turning 12! I made this card to celebrate her big 1 - 2.  She has grown to be a very smart and beautiful young lady and is a constant joy in my life.

For this card I used Julee's Mojo Monday sketch #512.  I used my MISTI to stamp the image and sentiment in colored ink then went over it with Versamark & clear EP, then finished it off with a few sparkly flower gems.  

Recipe:
Stamps: Patterned Party - SU, Birthday Surprise - Verve

Paper: Old Olive, Island Indigo, Pool Party, DP
Ink: Island Indigo, Versamark
Accessories:  Clear EP, Nestabilities, Clear EP, Heat Tool, Stick on Gems, MISTI

Mojo 498 Masculine Birthday

This card was made for 2 challenges.  The first one is the Splitcoast Stampers Technique Lovers Challenge #639.  The challenge was to make a card using the Smack Down Technique.  You can find out more about it here.  The 2nd challenge is this weeks Mojo Monday 498 Sketch Challenge.  

Coming up with masculine design cards is sometimes tricky for me.  The smack down technique provided the opportunity to use the Stampers Best Gears Background stamp to create this masculine birthday card.  To keep with the theme, I used a Tim Holtz embossing folder with gears.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Gears Background - Stampers Best, Party Punch - SU

Paper:  WW, Baked Brown Sugar, Basic Gray, Basic Black

Ink:  Tip Top Taupe, Smokey Slate, Basic Gray, Color Box Wicked Black

Accessories:  Embossing Folder, Ticket Punch, Brads

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

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

Mojo 478

Happy New Year everyone!  My first card for this year is for the Mojo Monday 478 sketch challenge.  This weeks sketch is actually a contest to win a free Verve stamp set!  The contest runs until January 9th so there is plenty of time to enter.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Painted Petals - SU

Paper:  WW, Early Espresso, So Saffron, Island Indigo, Pumpkin Pie, DP

Ink:  Early Espresso

Accessories:  Nestabilities

FBW is Coming Back!

I am so excited that Danni is bringing back her Flutter By Wednesday challenges!  In the past I have participated in many of the weekly challenges using butterfly stamps, butterfly punches, butterfly dies, butterfly papers, and butterfly embellishments.  Danni has put out a call for new design team members so I made this card as my entry.  

The sketch is from this week's Freshly Made Sketches 266 and the colors are from this inspiration piece I found on Pinterest.  I embossed the textured grey card stock with a butterfly folder then distressed it with sandpaper.  I die cut the butterflies from DP.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Happiest Birthday Wishes - SU
Paper:  Pool Party, Midnight Muse, Going Grey, DP
Ink:  Midnight Muse
Accessories:  Butterfly Embossing Folder, Embosilit, Butterfly Die, Scallop Circle Punch, Stick on Gems, Fine Sanding Block

There's Always Time for Tea

It seems weird for coffee freak like myself to create a tea-themed card.  While coffee is my number 1 choice of starter fluid in the morning, I do enjoy a hot cup of tea in the evening.  After all, coffee and tea are caffeinated cousins and can be enjoyed together.

The idea for this card is from the sketch challenge at the Coffee Loving Cardmakers blog.  All caffeinated drink themed creations are welcome.  I added a little sparkle to this card by spraying the embossed layer with Glimmer Mist and went over the words in the cup with a Gelly Roll pen.  I coated the tea tag with Wink of Stella.  Unfortunately the sparkle touches do not show up well in the photo.

Recipe:

Stamps:  A Nice Cuppa - SU

Paper:  Bermuda Bay, WW, DP

Ink:  Bermuda Bay

Accessories:  Embossing Folder, Wink of Stella, Gelly Roll Pen, Glimmer Mist, Bakers Twine, Stick on Pearl

Merry Christmas Tree by Michele

My friend Michele came over this afternoon to play in my craft room and get her fingers ink.  Here is the Christmas card she designed.

She chose the current Freshly Made Sketch 238 and used Peaceful Pines stamps by SU and the sentiment from Verve's Weary World.  Michele used my MISTI and loved how she could easily line up the stamps for perfect placement, even when re-inking the stamp.  She doesn't have a blog (yet) so I am posting this for her so she can participate in sketch challenge.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Peaceful Pines - SU; Weary World - Verve

Paper:  WW, Handsome Hunter, So Saffron, DP

Ink:  Handsome Hunter, Rose Red

Accessories:  Dies, Star Punch, Ribbon, MISTI 

Birthday Balloons

August is a big birthday month for my family and circle of friends.  This is one of the cards that I made for the celebrations.  For this card I used the current Kraftin' Kimmie Wonderful Wednesday sketch and used various shades of browns for a masculine look.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Party This Way, Punch Bunch - SU
Paper:  Soft Suede, River Rock, Early Espresso, VV, DP
Ink:  Early Espresso, Close to Cocoa, River Rock
Accessories:  Ribbon, Square Punch, Stamp Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, MS Balloon Punch, Fibers

Storms of Life

This is one of the first card I made with my new Chameleon pens.  They are alcohol markers like Copics or Spectrum Noirs but the difference is that you can get several different tones of a color from one marker.  Like all alcohol markers, there is a learning curve to these but its not that difficult to get a beautiful shading effect.  Chameleon pens can be used with other brands of alcohol markers.

I dug out one of my MFT Flopsey stamps to practice coloring with the Chameleon pens.  The background paper is something I made several years ago with my sister's Tim Holtz re-inkers, alcohol drops, and metallic pens.  This piece does look like a heavy rain storm.

The sketch is from is from Split Coast Stampers SC597 and SC600.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Rainfall Flopsey - MFT
Paper:  WW, Glossy Paper, Island Indigo, Pool Party, Summer Starfruit, Handmade DP
Ink:  Color Box Wicked Black archival dye, Tim Holtz re-inkers
Accessories:  Chameleon Pens, Nestabilities, Metallic Butterfly embellishment, Stick on Gems, Ribbon, Corner Rounder Punch, Embossing Folder

Taste and See that the Lord is Good!

It has been a productive holiday weekend for me when it comes to making cards.  This one is for the Mojo Monday 455 sketch challenge.

 This week's challenge is a contest. There will be one winner for every 50 entries.  Winners will get a free Verve stamp set of their choice.  I love Verve stamps and there are a many sets on my wish list.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Psalm 34:8 - Verve

Paper:  WW, River Rock, Pool Party, Rich Razzleberry, Daffodil Delight, DP

Ink:  Pool Party

Accessories:  Partly Cloudy dies - Verve, Paper Piercing, Tea cup button

Summertime Joy

My new craft room is pretty much set up and I can find everything I need to make a card when inspiration strikes.  For this card I used Prisma and Koh-I-Noor color pencils on this summery House Mouse image.  The sketch is from Mojo Monday 454.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Flower Raft - House Mouse, Serenity - Verve

Paper:  WW, Bermuda Bay, Calypso Coral, Gumball Green

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, WW Craft Ink

Accessories:  Prisma and Koh-I-Noor Color Pencils, Gamisol, Framelits, Embossing Folder, Ribbon

Thanks A Latte

I had some time today to make this coffee-themed card following a couple of card making challenges.  This week's Color Throwdown #377 uses kraft, yellow, and grey.

The sketch is from this week's Mojo Monday 432.  

Recipe:
Stamps:  Perfect Blend - SU, Latte Love - Fiskars
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Basic Grey, WW, DP
Ink:  Basic Grey, Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Embossing Folder, Sizzix Button die, Bakers Twine

Hebrews 11:1

I love using Bible verses in the cards I make.  It is a way to encourage the recipient to grow in their faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  For those who do not know Christ, it is a way of sharing Gospel, or opening the door for a conversation about the Gospel.

This card was made for a friend of mine who has displayed great faith in trusting God for the desires of her heart.  I am so excited for her that she was accepted into a educational missionary program and is raising money to go.   I used the Hebrews 11:1 stamp from Verve as I love the decorative style it is written in.  The sketch is from Sketch Saturday #311 and the colors are from SCS CC535.  It was a fun card to make as the colors, stamps and sketch fit so nicely together.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Hebrews 11:1, Filigree Fantasy - Verve
Paper:  WW, Rich Razzleberry, DP
Ink:  Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay
Accessories:  Ribbon, Nestabilities, Button, MS Punch, Stick on Gems

Three Cheers for You

A friend of mine just finished grad school and this is card I made for her in celebration of her hard work.  I used beverage stamps and a sentiment from the new to me SU set Happy Hour.  I used Seize the Birthday Sketch #13 that I found on Pinterest.  The colors I chose myself from what have in my scrap folders.  This was a fun card to make using scraps from my horde of DP.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Happy Hour - SU

Paper:  VV, Old Olive, Peach Parfait, Regal Rose, DP - SU

Ink:  Old Olive, Regal Rose, Calypso Coral, Melon Mambo

Accessories:  Dies, Stick on Gems, Border Punch, SU Markers 

Quarterfancy's Ark

I broke out my Spectrum Noir Markers for this one.  I had this stamp for a while but haven't done much with it until now.  This is the type of image that is best colored with a blend-able medium like colored pencils or alcohol markers, so I dusted off my case of Spectrum Noirs and went to work.  I decided on the colored papers after I had finished coloring the image.  I went with patterns all from SU's Quarterfancy Specialty as it had all the colors I wanted in one package.  The sketch is from Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge SSS160.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Two by Two - SU
Paper:  WW, Early Espresso, DP - SU
Ink:  Memento Black
Accesories:  Spectrum Noir Markers, Buttons, Bakers Twine, Embossing Folder, Nestabilities

Waiting for Snow

This card was actually made last month but I didn't get to photograph it until now.  Winter is here but where is my snow?  The weather in my neck of the woods has been very mild; some days I can go outside without a jacket.  I am hoping for a white Christmas this year, even if it is only just a dusting of snow.  I have to work Christmas night so if we get a nice storm of several inches after I get home in the morning I would be very happy!  This card fits with the Freshly Made Sketch challenge 65.

Speaking of Christmas, all of my cards for this year are stamped, assembled, stuffed in envelopes, addressed, and packed up to go out to the post office tomorrow morning.  I will post the photos next week.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Bold Snowflake, One of a Kind, In the Spotlight - SU

Paper:  Crumb Cake, WW

Ink:  WW Craft, Crumb Cake

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Punches, White EP, Heat Tool, Ribbon, Stick on Gems, Glimmer Mist

Just Because You're You

My Water Lilyz table has been very blessed to meet at the same restaurant since we started almost 3 years ago.  The managers and the wait staff have always been so kind and attentive to us.  The staff always have our favorite table ready and waiting for us each Wednesday evening.  They even bring us our favorite beverages when they see us come in.  We regularly pray for the staff and ask them if they have any needs that we can help with or pray with them about.  So the sad news we got last week is that one of the managers is moving on to another job.  We are all so happy for her but we will definately miss her and her warm smile and greeting. 

This card is made for the manager whom we will dearly miss.  I used this stamp because of the waterlily and chose the DPs for the purple which is the Water Lilyz official color.  I used SCS Sketch Challenge 244 which was originally posted about 3 years ago.

Recipe:
Stamps:  Waterlily - My Favorite Things, Circular Sayings - Verve
Paper:  WW, Early Espresso, DP
Ink Memento Tuxedo Black, Calypso Coral
Accessories:  Spectrum Noir Markers, Nestabilities