*AAA Colourful #17*

 There's a new colourboard challenge that starts today at AAA Colourful.  We challenge you to find inspiration in the colours in our colourboard to create something wonderful!

I had fun with these colours and a simple stencil.  I almost feel like I did some graffiti on this card or something!  

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Stamps:  Visible Image Best Birthday Ever

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry, Candied Apple, Wilted Violet, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade

*Stencil:  Lawn Fawn Brick

*Embellishments:  Michael's Bridal Flowers; Robin's Nest Dew Drops

*Ombre Creation*

When I saw this ombre paper from Stampin' Up! a while back, I had to have it.  I couldn't wait to get it.  And when I got it in my hands, I didn't know what I wanted to do with it.

Fast forward several months and I saw a card on a Facebook group by Martha Lucia Gomez Hernandez and suddenly, I knew what I wanted to try.  Her card was done with ink blending, but I thought I'd try this ombre paper instead.

The paper is really too thin to be used with these 3D embossing folders....  I tried it with dry paper and paper spritzed with a little water, and there were creases and rips in both.  I think if I were to try this again, I'd use a regular embossing folder instead (you'll see another card with this tomorrow).

Card Info

• Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black
• Paper:  Stampin' Up! Ombre
• Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Birthday
• Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
• Dies:  A Jillian Vance Daisy
• Embellishments:  Robin's Nest Dew Drops
• Tools:  Simon Says Stamp Kaleidescope 3D Embossing Folder; Perfect Layers

*Let's Celebrate You*

I haven't done a lot of stamping with Tim Holtz Distress Inks as I don't think that stamping is their strong suit.  But I had these five colours sitting on my desk so I decided to try it out for this card.  The ink isn't perfect but the colours are LOL!

I wanted some colourful "bling" on my card but wasn't getting what I wanted with Copics on clear gems so I dug in my drawers until I found my VERY old Robin's Nest Dew Drops... I found a few colours that worked and adhered them to my card.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up Gorgeous Grape

*Images:  Altenew Splash of Color; Uniko Wonderful Day

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress in Picked Raspberry, Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet

*Embellishments:  Robin's Nest Dew Drops

*A Quick Thanks*

I need a few thank you cards to send out to some people who have been there during my shitstorm these last 9 months (almost 10!)....  I was inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest for this one. 

The floral background is by CASual Fridays and I stamped it with VersaFine ink on Stampin' Up Whisper White cardstock.  It took a bit to dry so I set it aside while I got out my computer and Silhouette to create the "thanks" which I cut out of white cardstock and layered together 3 for dimension.  I then used three Distress Inks and blended them on the word and set it aside.  I attached the stamped panel to a blue piece of cardstock and used my Perfect Layers Tool to create a perfect 1/16" border around the stamped panel.  I put it on to a white top fold card, added the thanks to the front of the card and a few Dew Drops to the stamped panel for colour.

*Thank you Cathy Zielske!*

I love some of the stamps that Cathy Zielske has designed... some of them are completely inappropriate and so totally me.  I added some other stamps to her "beyotch" stamp to create the sentiment on this card.  I added some images stamped with Catherine Pooler inks, a 1/16th blue layer and a few Dew Drops to give some sparkle...  Now to figure out who I can send this to without offending them LOL!

*New Year!*

As I finished up making my 2016 Christmas cards, I was thinking about how much I was enjoying creating again.  Years ago, I would stamp many days of the week, for at least a little bit.  I made cards just because I wanted to make cards.  Then I started making cards only when I needed cards (plus Christmas cards).  And in the last couple of years, I have only really made Christmas cards.

So I decided that I would make an effort to make more cards.

I put a call out on FaceBook to my family and friends, inviting them to send me their address and birthdate if they wanted to get a handmade card from me.  I did this last year and then we decided to do the big house renovation and my craft space became a make-shift living room.  So instead of making new cards, I used cards from my stash to send out.  While there are still a few cards in my stash, most are cards I wouldn't want to send out.

So last week, I sat down to start creating.  I have some great new stamps and the new inks from Catherine Pooler and I decided to pull them out and see what I could come up with.

For this card I used an old embossing folder and some Dew Drops that I haven't pulled out in forever along with the new Catherine Pooler ink in Pool Party and a stamp from My Favorite Things.  I used my Misti to ensure that my greeting was exactly where I wanted it.  I also used my Perfect Layers Tool to cut that orange layer.

As of the day I am posting this card, I have made a total of 5 cards in two different times sitting in my crafty space... fingers crossed I stay motivated to keep this up!