Happy Birthday

I love playing along with Cardabilities challenges because they stretch in ways I may not create otherwise.  Maybe it's that I'd like to create that way all the time.  There is nothing I love more than just lingering over paper and ink, fussy cutting, and then putting it all together.

This is very old paper and because I love it so, I have been hoarding it.  For those of you that have known Close To My Heart for several years, perhaps you remember this one - Key To My Heart.  It was a January special in 2009, and I have three sheets left along with some scraps.  It came with matching stamps, and that is how I created the journaling box, heart, and vines.  If you look closely (you can click on it to make it larger), you will see that I did some light stamping on the background.  I used the script in Universal Backgrounds and the diamond pattern in Geometric Backgrounds to make a tone-on-tome base.  I inked color ready seam binding with a juniper marker. 

It's cold and rainy/snowy here in Minnesota.  It's a good day to be in my craft room.  I hope that you are having an awesome day!  Thanks for stopping by!

Pin It

God Bless You

It's my turn to reveal at Rose Blossom Garden today.  Have you visited us over there?  I can't tell you how fun it is to work with my team in this way.  I hope you'll go and visit us - we love to bring our followers new artwork!

This is what I created for the Artiste "K" key challenge using the card image:

I love the card base, the butterfly, and the flower on this key, so I found a way to combine all three with Avonlea paper.  This is such beautiful paper, and I am sorry to say that it is gone.  (I do have one left to sell, so if you need it, please let me know!)  I think the interest on this card is the ribbon cluster.  I used color ready and rosette ribbon coloring both of them with a whisper marker.  The slate trinket pin and grey sparkle finished off the card.

Thank you so much for stopping by on this wonderful Friday!  I hope that you have a most blessed weekend!

Pin It

Christmas in July

It's pretty hot and humid here in Minnesota today, so it was a pleasure to pull out the new winter paper that will be released on August 1st.  I grabbed the Mojo Monday sketch, and did a little work with Frosted.  

If you read my blog, you will know by looking at it, that this WILL be one of my favorites!  I love the soft muted tones of the paper.  The color ready ribbon inked with cashmere was a really nice match.

I am also going to enter this into:

• The Paper Players (Christmas in July)
• Simply Create Too (Christmas in July)
• City Crafter (Photo Inspiration)

Pin It

Friendship

Do you know that it's just 

3. More. Sleeps.

until my husband and I leave for the Southern Caribbean cruise?!  

I am not packed (I have always been a "last day" packer).

I don't have my documents printed yet (but I did register us, so it's just a matter of hitting the "print" button).

Instead, I am in my craft room just enjoying some time creating!

Heart 2 Heart has a fancy fold challenge going on, and I was so happy to see that!  I have been thinking about the Joy Fold card lately, and this prompted me to finally sit down and put one together.  I haven't made one of these in years, and I don't know why.  They are so pretty!  

I think the best thing about this card is the ribbon.  I've used Color-Ready Seam Binding and colored it with a Sorbet Alcohol Marker.  Oh, Sorbet is such a pretty color for spring!  The next photo will help you see what it looks like when it's opened.  The paper is just so lovely!

Lest you be worried about me, I really have been preparing for our upcoming cruise!

My hair has been cut and colored.

I've been tanning for a couple of weeks.
Mani-Pedi appointment for Friday afternoon.

My fancy dresses and shoes have been purchased for formal night (and are they ever fancy!).

The house sitter, dog sitter, cat sitter are in place.

And I am over-the-top-cannot-wait-to-get-on-that-ship excited!!

Watch for my post tomorrow because you are going to love my personal special!  

It's just my way of saying a 

BIG. THANK. YOU.

for the part you played in helping me earn the cruise!!

Items used on this card:

• X7156B   Clementine Paper
• X7156C   Clementine Canvas Shapes
• Z1794      Cottage Assortment
• Z2407      Sorbet Alcohol Marker
• Z1732      Color Ready Seam Binding Ribbon
• Z1369      Sorbet Buttons

Pin It

Sympathy Card

I have been looking over my card rack in the last week, and noticed that it's getting awfully lean for my customers.  I set it out at classes and clubs, and it's an easy way for people to pick up a card or two for the month.  I noticed especially that I am out of sympathy cards, so that is one of the cards I put together today. I wanted to use the inspiration from Authentique because I don't often use blues.  And I don't know why because I love them!

This is the card I came up with using Authentique's Genuine collection and a few CTMH supplies:

The banners are cork, and I cut them from larger pieces of the Color Ready Evergreen Shapes.   The sentiment is from the Words of Comfort stamp set.  I have never inked the Color Ready Seam Binding Ribbon with outdoor denim ink, but boy, did I like the result. As long as I was sponging, I distressed the edges of all the pieces with outdoor denim.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Color Ready Seam Binding and a Gift Bag

I have been wanting to put together a little picture tutorial of how to use our Color Ready Seam Binding.  It is such a nice product.  I love it because it is one ribbon that easily be 60 colors!  Let me show you how...

Start out with ink, a sponge applicator, and the color ready ribbon.  You can use any kind of sponge you would like.  I have been using the Tim Holtz applicator for many years and have grown accustomed to it.

In this next photo, you will see that I am pushing the applicator tool quite firmly into the ink pad.  It's all right to do that because both the tool and the ink pad can take it!

Now it's just a matter of transferring the ink to the ribbon.  You can make your ribbon as dark or as light as you wish.

I wanted to take this next photo to show you the ribbon up close and to show you that my fingers are clean.  When using this process to color the ribbon, it dries right away, and it can be picked up and used.

Now I'd like to show you why I needed the ribbon.

This is a gift bag from the Art Philosophy cartridge.  I cut it "fit to page" so that I could have the largest bag possible.  I've used Sonoma paper for this project - one of my favorites!  I fussy cut the scalloped border, and used my finishing files to distress all the edges on the bag with those and smikey plum ink.  I cut a tag with the AP cartridge and the sentiment is one of the matching stickease.  I finished this little birthday bag with a little bling by adding purple sparkles and a couple foundry pin clips.

I made this card for the distressing challenge at Heart 2 Heart and the birthday gift bag challenge at Papercraft Star.

50

Every once in awhile, you get those great pictures but were taken in poor lighting or without flash.  That is what happened on my birthday.  Guess what?  I scrapped them anyway!  I had an exceptionally wonderful birthday this year, so I wasn't about to let some bad lighting stop me from scrapping these pictures.

Items used for this layout that can be found on my website:

• X7153B Florentine Paper
• X7153C Florentine Stickease
• Z1686 Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge
• Z2167 Creme Brulee Ink
• Z1732 Color Ready Seam Binding Ribbon
• Z1333 Mocha Opaque Gems

March Stamp of the Month - Potential

I wanted to take a minute to show you another example of the March Stamp of the Month.  It's just so pretty and elegant!

Along with black and white daisy cardstock, I used an argyle scrap from the Cruisin' paper packet.  Those stamps are so bold and beautiful!  Let me tell you about the ribbon.  I've used the color ready seam binding ribbon that starts out like this:

I simply sponged it with black ink to give it that beautiful deep black color.  It's so easy to use this ribbon!

The stamp of the month is such a fabulous on-going special!  When you place an order of $50, you get the stamp of the month for $5.  What a great deal!

Just a Little Prayer

I needed a sympathy card this week, and I decided to take out a little Lucy paper.

I used the color ready seam binding ribbon on this card, and I used grey wool ink to color it.  It makes it look like silver.  So I inked the edges, too.  I cut the tag and flowers with the Art Philosophy cartridge.

I have to get back to my retreat now!

God's Gift

I have a card to share with you today using the new Florentine paper.  This is such a beautifully warm paper, and I think it's just lovely for any kind of project.

Let me tell you a little about the card.  I cut the card base, flowers, frame, and heart (do you see it tucked behind the ribbon?) with Art Philosophy cartridge.  The sentiment is from a new stamp set called Family Love, and I do believe that it's one of my favorites:

I want to show you a little close up of the flowers.  It's so fun and easy using the Art Philosophy cartridge!  I tucked Mocha Gems in the middle of the flower and little bitty gems in the area for a little added interest.

I also want to tell you a little about the new Color-Ready Seam Binding Ribbon.  WOWIE, so I love this product!!  You don't have to dye it to color it.  You simply sponge the color on it.  So easy and so beautiful!  One product ($6.95 for 10 yards) and you have the option of have 60 colors - brilliant!!

Sometimes paper and color just speaks to you, doesn't it?  That's exactly what happened for me when I saw this paper packet.  I am sure you will see a lot of it!!

Don't forget - if you need a new Idea Book, just let me know!