Pages

Monday, December 26, 2016

*Boxing Day*

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas spent with friends and family yesterday!  We had a great day...  a few presents, some great food, games with family and friends.

Now, just in case you got some cash for Christmas....  Scrap 'n Stamp in Vancouver is having a Boxing Day Sale!!!

You can go visit them at http://www.scrapnstamp.ca/store/pc/home.asp?idaffiliate=7

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #33*

Well friends... I think that this card will be the last of the Christmas cards for 2016.... it's been a long time since I've stamped regularly and I am really hoping that I can get back to it in 2017.  I won't be stamping every day, but I sure do hope to stamp a few times a month at least.... and I will pop in to share those cards with you.

I needed one more card... and I got inspiration from Amy Rysavy over at Prairie Paper & Ink....
(sorry for the craptastic photo)

I never thought to do the tone on tone with the silver and gold cardstocks... but you can bet I'll be doing it again!

I stamped the image on silver cardstock with Versamark ink and embossed it with detail silver embossing powder.  I used the Perfect Layers Tool for a 1/16th edge along the silver piece and then layered it on to the red side fold card.  I then cut out the Simon Says Stamp believe die in black and put it on top.  Quick, easy and pretty!

From our house to yours.... Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #32*

When I saw this stamp set and dies by Simon Says Stamp, I knew I had to have them.... but the dies were out of stock.  My favourite thing about the Simon Says Stamp website is that you can easily request to be notified when an item is back in stock... so I did that (I just wish they had a wish list feature too!).  And as soon as I got the email, I went to the website, clicked on "add to cart" and finished the transaction without another thought.

Sadly, it's been about a week since they arrived...  I finally had a chance to sit down to play today.

The idea for this card came to me last night...  I should have added a gold element as I really wanted this to scream "Santa" as inspiration....

My first idea was to use the red sparkle on the black, but I really ended up loving the black on the red sparkle instead.  I ended up not using the stamp set at all, just the two dies that come in the set.

Sunday, December 11, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #31*

I don't remember buying this snowflake and swirl embossing folder... but I am so happy I found it in my stash when I went to play the other!

I had an idea of a card from Pinterest that I wanted to play with so I cut the "merry" out of silver glitter paper.  I then started to figure out how the card would go together and realized that I, the Queen of Snowflakes, did not have a snowflake that was going to work for the design.

I knew I wanted to do silver, white and red so I pulled out a few things, put them back... pulled out a few things again and came up with this card.  I added some clear Wink of Stella pen to the embossed image and a thin line of silver glitter gel pen around the end of the embossed layer.

And you know what?  I really like it!

Saturday, December 10, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #30*

I love love love this Telluride snowflake from Memory Box...  its just such a beautiful snowflake, with or without the "chain" attached to it.

For this card, I cut it out of red shimmer cardstock and layered it on to a piece of black.  I used my Perfect Layers Tool to cut a red shimmer layer and put it all on to a white card.  I stamped the sentiment with Versamark ink and embossed it in white to make it pop out.

Friday, December 09, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #29*

When I got this beautiful die, I didn't realize why there was a second piece in the package.  The second piece is a simple rectangle, a little larger than the fancy die.  Well DUH!  It's to create a panel to use on a card instead of just cutting out a piece in the front of a card.

I used a glitter paper for the fancy die, and two shades of blue shimmer cardstock for the rest of the card.  I stamped the sentiment in blue Encore Metallic ink and embossed it in blue pearl embossing powder.

I wonder if it needs a ribbon....

Thursday, December 08, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #28*

This card was created with a little inspiration from a card I saw on Pinterest...  it turned out better than I had hoped it would considering I didn't have exactly the branch stamp I wanted.  I like the combination of craft and red.

Wednesday, December 07, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #27*

Calgary is "enjoying" a cold snap this week that is supposed to continue on to next week.  I don't think we got this cold at all last winter.  It's only the beginning of December and I am already done with winter.

This is another quick and easy card that I created when Bonnie came to visit last week.  The Memory Box die was cut out of white sparkle paper.  I added a white gel pen line to the ornaments.  I realize now that one of my bows fell off LOL!

Tuesday, December 06, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #26*

Sorry for the break for a bit there... I had a few cards made but not photographed.  And sadly now, all of the cards I have made so far are photographed and I have less than a weeks worth left to share.

I'm not sure whether it's good news or bad news that I still have to make about 16 Christmas cards.  I've made multiples of a few of my favourite designs and now I need to come up with a few more ideas that I like enough to share with people.

Last week, my friend Bonnie came over to play for a few hours.  It was SO awesome to have a friend to play with in my craft cave.... and also so very awesome to come up with some original ideas instead of borrowing ideas from Pinterest and blogs.

This is one of the cards I created that day with Bonnie.... all from my head.
I wish you could see how much sparkle is in that Impression Obsession die I used.  The paper is an embossed silver one that I've had in my stash forever!

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #25*

I love it when cards in your head turn out when you finally get around to playing!

I saw this great Simon Says Stamp stamp and I *had* to have it....  so very very pretty!

For this card, I used some assorted snowflake stamps from my stash to create the background on Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake cardstock using white craft ink.  I set it aside for a day to dry fully before finishing the card.  I used my Mini Misti for the Simon Says Stamp greeting to ensure I got a good deep and solid red impression of the greeting on top of the snowflakes using Red Brilliance ink.  I layered a piece of Real Red Stampin' Up cardstock behind the panel and put it all on to a side fold Crumb Cake card.

And of course, I had to add some sparkle to the card... I added some bling to the centres of some of the snowflakes.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #24*

This card came to me one night as I was falling asleep...  I wanted to run down and put it together before I forgot it, but I knew that was crazy (right?  it was crazy, right?).  Thankfully I was able to get to my creative space the next day and it only took a couple of minutes for me to remember this idea....

I used a scrollwork frame Cuttlebug folder to emboss the background on a dark blue shimmer cardstock.  I cut the Memory Box hanging snowflake from white shimmer cardstock and glued it to the framed piece.  I put it all on a white top fold card and finally added a little gem to the centre of the snowflake.

Quick.  Easy.

And for the first time in forever, an idea I had in my head worked when I put it on paper!

Monday, November 28, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #23*

I'm not sure about this card yet.... I saw one like it on Pinterest and I wanted to try it.  I cut out two of the Impression Obsession snowflakes in white and glued them on the bottom right of a white card.  I cut the word "greetings" out of silver paper using the Tim Holtz script holiday set.  I then used my Mini Misti to perfectly place (and mask) the word Holiday... it was part of a saying from a Lawn Fawn set so I had to remove the "S" at the end of the word as well as the rest of the greeting.

Now, I will admit I fudged up a bit....  when I went to stamp the word Holiday, I started to put the lid of the Mini Misti down and realized just a tad too late that I forgot to remove the tape masks I put on while inking... so that gem on the left side is to try to hid a little black ink that got on the card.

Oops!

Sunday, November 27, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #22*

When I first saw this Stampin' Up Stamp Set and tree punch, I thought "why bother?"....  but then I started seeing cards done with it and I *had* to have it.  And I truly do love that it is so versatile!  You can use the stamps without the punch, the punch without the stamps... and if you google it or search on Pinterest, there are SO many ideas!

For this card, I used a piece of red on red patterned paper from an old 6X6 pad I had laying around.  I used my Mini Misti to help me not only place the red baubles on the trees perfectly, but to stamp and restamp the green tree to ensure I got a good inking each time.  I added the Lawn Fawn greeting from Scrap'n Stamp in Rocket Red Brilliance ink.  The tree in the front is popped out with pop dots for some dimension.

Friday, November 25, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #21*

More white space on today's card....  lots and lots of white.

I love this set of Impression Obsession snowflake dies....  There are three different sized ones in the set and not only are they beautiful, they cut so nicely!

I added two strips of patterned paper to a piece of silver cardstock and stamped the Honey Bee greeting and embossed it in silver.  The snowflake is attached to the front of the card with tiny little pop dots.

Sale at Scrap'n Stamp!

Head on over and do some shopping!!!


Thursday, November 24, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #20*

I can't believe we're a month from Christmas Eve!  I have no idea where 2016 went!

We had a big year...  we did major renovations to our house from May to mid-July, we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in June and then did a 17 day trip to Europe to take a Viking River Cruise as an anniversary present to each other, we threw a big party to reveal our renovations to friends and family, I took a trip to visit my sister in October....  and POOF, it's almost 2017!

Another quick card for you today... I used a scrap of patterned paper from my days at the Scrapbook Pantry, layered it on a piece of red cardstock (have I told you lately how much I LOVE my Perfect Layers Tools to create even borders on layers??!!??) and put that panel on a white top fold card.  I used the Stampin' Up! tree punch on green cardstock and ran it through my Big Shot with an embossing folder for interest.  I then cut the word believe using the Tim Holtz dies I bought from Scrap'n Stamp out of the same green cardstock and attached it to the card.

I'm trying hard to not be afraid of the white space LOL!

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #19*

I was on a roll on the day I made this card and the card I posted yesterday.  I love both of them.  We won't talk about the first card I attempted that ended up in the garbage....

Anyway... when I made the card I posted yesterday, I managed to cut the Telluride Snowflake out of plain white cardstock when I wanted it out of shimmer cardstock.  I love this snowflake... you can use it as it comes or use it as I did here... and cut off the line of dots that connects to the snowflake.

I took a piece of snowflake washi tape and put it on to a strip of white cardstock and cut it out to size.  I then put that on to a piece of patterned paper from a 6X6 stack I've had for a few years and used my Perfect Layers Tool to create a matte.  I added the sentiment from Lawn Fawn Merry Messages stamped in black Versafine ink and put the snowflake on the card with a pop dot.  I added a white pebble to the front of the snowflake.


Tuesday, November 22, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #18*

I am so thrilled with how this card turned out!!

I started with the strip... it was white.  I used a sponge dauber with whatever blue ink was left on it and sponged up the front a little.  I then sprinkled this thick embossing powder (by thick, I mean the grains are different sizes, and some of them are large) that I think is by Stampenous on the front and heated it from the back to create the look of snow falling.  I used my Perfect Layers Tool to create the black Matte and attached it all to the card from.  I used my Mini Misti to ensure I got the placement of the Lawn Fawn sentiment.  I cut the Telluride Snowflake from white glimmer cardstock and attached it to the front with a pop dot.


Monday, November 21, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #17*

I bought this Memory Box die last year and never got around to using it.  And now that I have, I'm not sure I love it.

I cut it out of a red glitter paper and layered it on top of a white card with a silver glitter strip.

I'm not sure I love this card....


Sunday, November 20, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #16*

I love the sentiment stamp on this card... just can't remember who it's by!

I cut the Impression Obsession snowflakes out of silver glitter cardstock and layered them on to the centre of a piece of glittered patterned paper.  I stamped the greeting in VersaFine black and then created a thin matte on black using my Perfect Layers Tool. before putting it all on to a green card.


Saturday, November 19, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #15*

I just love love love this Sue Wilson die that I purchased last year.  I ran it through once with a dark blue shimmer cardstock and again with a great silver glitter paper.  I cut out the Let It Snow in the silver and layered it on top of the dark blue.  I added some Stickles to the centres of the snowflakes and a sheer white ribbon with a silver accent to finish off the card.



Friday, November 18, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #14*

Such an easy card to put together.  I did two, using up the last of this beautiful patterned paper I had in my stash.  I used a great metallic red cardstock to cut the Telluride Snowflake from Memory Box.  Once again I used my Perfect Layers Tool to create a thin green border before putting it all on a white card base.


Thursday, November 17, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #13*

So quick and easy... and I even used a patterned paper that I thought I didn't like.  This was a green and silver glitter paper from a stack I bought at Michaels last year... and as a whole sheet, I truly dislike it a lot.  But as a little accent as a matte (using my Perfect Layers Tool of course), I love it!

I also used the Mini Misti again... I used masking and the tool to create the multi-coloured sentiment.


Wednesday, November 16, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #12*

I played again!  I had fun with this stamp and die set from Honey Bee Stamps.  I also used a Lawn Fawn stamp set and a die from the Tim Holtz Holiday Words set.  Once again, I used the Mini Misti to get exact placement of the stamp on the die cut piece.


Tuesday, November 15, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #11*

This was my first attempt at using a stamp and die set... or at least the first attempt in a long time.  The last stamp and die sets I bought were flowers by Heartfelt Creations and the dies were solid metal which made them difficult to use.  I love these new thin dies that are simply the design outline and nothing more.  I wasn't perfectly centred, but I was close.

One thing I did with this card is I finally used the Mini Misti I bought from Scrap'n Stamp.  I used it to make sure I got a nice clear and dark image for the penguin.  So many times I stamp something and don't get a good impression.  So with the Mini Misti I was able to stamp and stamp and stamp again to get it good and black.

I also used the Mini Misti to help me position the stamp on the die...  I cut the die first and put the scrap in to the Mini Misti.  I put the stamp in the hole it had created and then picked up the stamp with the lid.  I then put the die cut piece back in to the hole and stamped the image.


Monday, November 14, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #10*

OMG, what a quick and easy card... and I love how it turned out!  I used the Stampin' Up! tree punch on three different glitter papers I had in my stash....  added a silver embossed sentiment and VOILA!


Sunday, November 13, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #9*

Another new purchase...  I love his Memory Box die.  I cut it out of white shimmer paper, put it on blue shimmer paper and then did a thin matte of silver before putting it all on a white card.   Once again, you'll find some Stickles (silver this time) in the centres of the snowflakes.

It's these white cards that really scream to me that I used the wrong lighting for my photos!!!

For any of you reading from Canada, please be sure to check out Scrap'n Stamp... they are a great store located in the Vancouver area and they have an online store as well.  Raya carries a lot of great stuff, is very easy to deal with and shipping is quick and reasonable!

Saturday, November 12, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #8*

I combined dry embossing and a die cut on this card...  a great Impression Obsession snowflake on a snowflake embossed background.  I added a black layer under the white and made a conscious decision to to the top thinner than the bottom with my Perfect Layers Tool.  I added some red Stickles to the middle of the snowflake.

I'm not sure how I feel about a red, white and black snowflake card... I see it and I think "santa".


Friday, November 11, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #7*

I. Am. In. Love.

I bought this die when I was in Ontario visiting Heather.  We took a trip to Stamp Art in London Ontario and I found this beautiful die.  I don't know what else I want to do with it, but I had to have it...

I used a shimmer white and a shimmer dark blue cardstock on top of a plain white card.  The sentiment was stamped and embossed in silver and I added some little pearls to the centres of the three snowflakes.


Thursday, November 10, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #6*

I love sparkle at Christmas time....  It's just so pretty!

This was a pretty easy card to throw together... I used a great Memory Box border die and layered some blue glitter paper under it.  I stamped the greeting in blue Encore Metallic ink and embossed over it with blue pearl embossing powder.  That combination of ink and embossing powder is my snowflake go to and has been for a very long time.


Wednesday, November 09, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #5*

I used a patterned card base for this card...  and it looks similar to what I had hoped it would look like when I dreamed of it.

I stamped the sentiment on black and embossed it in white embossing powder.  I put it on the card with pop dots.  I added some die cut snowflakes and a little Stickles for some sparkle.


Tuesday, November 08, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #4*

And this is the card that Irena demanded I make....  I like the black, but I'm not sure how I feel about a black Christmas card....




Monday, November 07, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #3*

So after the first one was voted down, I created #2 in to a square card.  It was liked better, but it still wasn't right.  There was a voice in my head (coming from Irena who was sitting to my right) telling me to try the card with a black base.....


Sunday, November 06, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #2*

First let me start by apologizing for some of my photos... I changed up my lighting in my craft space and didn't realize until it was too late that my colours are a little off.

I made three versions of this card at the retreat in October... and this one was the least favourite of my critics.  I have had this ornament paper from Stamp It Australia since I worked at the scrapbook store.  I used my Perfect Layers Tool to create the sparkly silver matte.  I stamped the sentiment in silver and embossed it in Stampin' Up! Iridescent Ice embossing powder.


Saturday, November 05, 2016

*2016 Christmas Cards #1*

It's November.... and it's time to start sharing Christmas cards again.  I was in Ontario visiting my sister a few weeks ago and spent a weekend starting my Christmas cards during a retreat with a group of wonderful ladies.  This group gets together twice a year and I've been joining them every fall for the last several years.  It's a pain to pack for a 4 hour flight, but it's worth it to spend the weekend laughing and creating with these ladies. 

I have no idea how many Christmas cards I will actually make this year, but I will share whatever I do created.... starting now...

I absolutely love this die from Simon Says Stamp.  What you can't tell with the photo is that this is a shaker card.  I filled it with some silver glitter and clear microbeads.  The die is cut out of a beautiful light blue glitter paper.


Friday, November 04, 2016

*Perfect Pearls*

Another card from months ago...  I decided to play with a technique with Perfect Pearls.  It's been a LONG time since I played with them!  I used an embossing folder on black cardstock and then tried to carefully wipe Versamark ink over the raised areas.  I then dusted the Perfect Pearls over the top.  I used my Perfect Layers Tool to create a small matte of blue and layered it all on to a black card.


Thursday, November 03, 2016

*Wishing You Everything Good*

I really do like how this card turned out...  I love this flourish stamp (as I love most flourish stamps), I really like the colour combination (don't ask me what it is LOL), I like that the black layer makes it all pop, and I like that I stamped the greeting in black over the swirls and flowers.

This was a Stampin' Up! stamp set that I haven't pulled out in a long time along with a new set I bought from Mama Elephant.


Wednesday, November 02, 2016

*Fabulous!*

I created this card back in the spring... I took a photo and never even though to blog it.  Nothing too exciting but I do like how bright the pink is with the black.


Tuesday, November 01, 2016

*Colourful Birthday*

Don't fall over... I know I haven't been here a lot.  It's nothing new, really.  Since I went back to work full time, 5 years ago, I haven't been stamping and card making nearly as much as I used to.  In fact, for the most part, I only ever make Christmas cards any more.

I have purchased some new stuff that isn't Christmas and winter related and I plan on creating more, just because, in 2017.  I really do miss it.

I created this card last month...  It combines and old piece of black and white Imaginesce paper that I have had since I worked at the Scrapbook Pantry and a new birthday stamp set.  I coloured the flowers with markers and then added some shimmer with a clear Wink of Stella pen.  

I'm not thrilled with it, but it was a start....


Saturday, February 13, 2016

*Pop of Colour*

Calgary has been experiencing a wonderfully warm winter this year....  I can count on one hand the number of times I've needed to wear something more than a sweater and a scarf (granted I'm not out for long walks or waiting for a bus).  Yesterday we were socked in with fog all day and today it is bright and sunny and warm.

I was fooling around with the idea of pops of colours.... not sure it turned out has I had though it would.

I used this great patterned paper (it's from like 6 years ago) and I punched holes where there were dots in the design to let the hot pink show through.  I cut a larger hold and layered the bright blue behind it and stamped the greeting.

Sunday, February 07, 2016

*Another Christmas Card*

This is another card using that great Simon Says Stamp snowflake die...  again, cut out of patterned paper.  I didn't like the design of the paper so I sacrificed it in trying to figure out why this die didn't work.  But I loved how it looked once it was cut out!
My only complaint about this die?  It's tough to use once it's cut out.  It's very delicate which means it's difficult to keep the edges straight.  And the only real way to get adhesive on it is it put it through the Xyron.  I don't find that the Xyron adhesive has much "play" so you have to be VERY careful in putting it down on your cardstock.

Monday, January 25, 2016

*Welcome to 2016*

I am really hoping to get to crafting a bit more than I have in the last several years.  I don't think I will do nearly as many cards as I used to do, but I sure hope to do more than Christmas cards in 2016.

I did buy myself a Silhouette Portrait and once I get that figured out, I hope to be using it in my card making.

I find myself really missing the feel of the paper and the joy that comes with being creative.

When my sister was visiting after Christmas, we did manage to spend a bit of time in my creative space......  so I actually have something to share!
Yes, it's a Christmas card.... but I was *dying* to play with this new die that my sister got me for Christmas from Simon Says Stamp.  I was having a bit of trouble getting it to cut through cardstock so I tried it on a scrap of patterned paper and ended up loving it (Simon Says Stamp has since replaced the die for me).  I layered the snowflake panel on to a white piece of cardstock, then used my Perfect Layers tool to create the red layer.  I added a belly band of Stampin' Up! Gumball Green that I ran through my Big Shot with an embossing folder to add a little texture.

I am now curious to try more of my dies with patterned papers.  This was a patterned paper that I never thought I'd use (thus I sacrificed it when trying to see if I could get the die to work).  But I love how it looks with these snowflakes!

I hope that 2016 is treating you all well so far..... so hard to believe we're in the last week of January already!