Here's to You, Dad

Did you see the big news??  I'm thrilled to be joining the Mojo Monday team!!  I've been a fan of Julee's sketches pretty much since the start, back when she hosted Mojo Monday on her own personal blog, so it's pretty exciting to be a part of the team now.

And speaking of Mojo Monday, here's my card for the current Mojo sketch.  It's also my entry for this week's masculine themed blogger challenge.  I used the sketch for a masculine card in a neutral color palette.  My focal image is a pair of beer bottles made with Avery Elle's The Man stamp set.  After stamping the bottles with the help of my MISTI, I cut them out and used foam tape to adhere them to a white panel.  The "here's to you, dad" sentiment was stamped just beneath the bottles.

I matted the image panel on a piece of brown cardstock, then adhered it to a kraft panel. I edged the kraft panel with a strip of dotted patterned paper, using more brown cardstock along the patterned paper's left edge for a finished look without adding bulk.  I accented the image with a die cut gold star, then arranged a trio of woodgrain enamel dots around the image and star.

Materials Used:
The Man stamp set (Avery Elle); Vivid Tuscan Tan ink (Clearsnap); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (IMAGINE Crafts/Tsukineko); Soft Suede cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Kraft cardstock (WPlus9); Record It-Here is Happy 6x6 paper pad (My Mind's Eye); woodgrain enamel dots (Studio Calico); foam tape

Hello Darling

This week's Blogger Challenge theme is girlfriends. I combined the challenge theme with this week's Mojo Monday sketch for this pretty, feminine floral card.

I stamped the "hello darling" sentiment from Avery Elle's Fabulous Florals set in gray pigment ink on a cream cardstock circle, then added a cluster of pretty flowers to the edge of the circle. After matting the circle on pink cardstock, I adhered it to a moss green cardstock strip.  To bring in more of the pinks from the flowers, I layered pale pink and bright pink strips at the bottom of the green panel.  The finished panel was adhered to a green dotted patterned paper panel.  I layered the finished panel on to a cream card base.

Materials Used:
Fabulous Florals stamp set, Fabulous Florals dies (Avery Elle); Memento Luxe Rose Bud, Angel Pink, Pistachio, and Gray Flannel inks (IMAGINE Crafts/Tsukineko); Spring Moss, Sweet Blush, and Raspberry Fizz cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Lush Green Houndstooth designer paper (My Mind's Eye); circle dies (Spellbinders); foam tape

Wishing You Fair Winds

This week's Blogger Challenge theme is travel.  I combined the challenge with the current Mojo Monday sketch for this nautical themed design using stamps from Waltzingmouse Stamps.  Waltzingmouse is having a release tomorrow and I'm looking forward to checking out the new sets and maybe doing some shopping . . .

I used a red and blue striped panel to cover most of a large kraft panel.  The patterned paper is from an Americana themed paper pad, but it seemed to work well with my nautical theme.  A wide strip of red cardstock beneath it sets it off from the kraft just a bit.  I stamped the sentiment from the Ocean Bound set in red ink on a white circle, then matted it on a contrasting navy blue circle.  The circle was adhered to the striped panel over a long kraft fishtail flag strip.  Since the card is narrower than a standard A2 card, it'll still easily fit in a standard sized envelope.  I added a wood veneer anchor to the left edge of the sentiment panel as an accent.  The kraft panel was adhered to a navy card base.

Materials Used:
Ocean Bound stamp set (Waltzingmouse Stamps); Wild Cherry ink, Persimmon cardstock, DieNamics Fishtail Flag Stax die (My Favorite Things); Kraft cardstock (WPlus9); Night of Navy cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Americana 6x6 paper pad (Pebbles); circle die (Spellbinders); circle punch (EK Success); wood veneer anchor (Studio Calico)

From Here to . . .

This week's blogger challenge theme is "love is in the air."  I combined the theme with the current Mojo Monday sketch and stamps from Clear and Simple Stamps to create this love themed design.

I stamped the United States image in a kraft-like ink on a cream panel, then stamped the sentiment at the top of the panel in contrasting red ink, overlapping the upper left hand portion of the image.  I added the dotted flight trail over the image in the same red ink.  A wood veneer plane was set at one end of the trail.  It's been a while since I used anything from my stash of wood veneer pieces--I'd almost forgotten how fun they are to use!

I matted the panel on kraft cardstock, then added a narrow strip of red cardstock across the bottom of the mat to add a bit of contrast.  The image panel was adhered to a red panel with a piece of arrow patterned paper at one end.  The seam between the patterned and solid papers was hidden by a strip of brown cardstock.  I adhered the finished panel to a kraft card base.

Materials Used:
The States Too stamp set, Haute Red Couture, On the Catwalk Cream inks, Rouge Ruffles, On the Catwalk Cream, Brown Leather Satchel, and Kraft Like a Rockstar cardstock (Clear and Simple Stamps); Urban Traveler 6x6 paper pad (Simple Stories); wood veneer airplane (Studio Calico)

Here's to You

This week's blogger challenge theme is "cheers to you."  I combined the challenge with this week's Mojo Monday sketch and stamps from Clear and Simple Stamps for this tall and skinny celebratory card.

I stamped a pair of glasses from the Taglines:  By the Glass set in black ink on a white oval, then used Copic markers to color in the glasses.  The teeny, tiny bubbles above the glasses were stamped in shimmery silver ink.

I used two coordinating prints from a Fancy Pants paper pad to make a backdrop for the image panel. The panels were arranged on a piece of blue cardstock.  Once they were in place, I adhered a narrow silver Favor Flag die cut strip across the image panel beneath the glasses. The "here's to you" sentiment from the By the Glass Sentiments set was stamped in black ink on the strip--it just fit!  I arranged a trio of silver sequins around the image panel, then layered the finished panel on a gray card base.

Materials Used:
Taglines:  By the Glass and By the Glass Sentiments stamp sets, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, My Style Blueprint, I Steel Got It, Sterling Silver, and A Blanc Check cardstock, Favor Flags dies (Clear and Simple Stamps); markers (Copic); Delicata Shimmery Silver ink (IMAGINE Crafts/Tsukineko); Collecting Memories 6x6 paper pad (Fancy Pants); oval die (Spellbinders)

You Anchor Me

This week's blogger challenge theme is "by the sea."  I used the Paper Smooches Wicked Nauticool set and this week's Mojo Monday sketch for this nautical themed design.

I die cut the sailboat from white cardstock using the Nauticool die, then stamped the matching image on the die cut in black ink.  It was colored with Copic markers, then adhered to the round background panel using dimensional dots.  To get the wavy "water," I used the scallop die from the Borders 2 die set.  I filled in the empty space at the top of the panel with a cloud die cut from shimmery white cardstock.

I covered a red card base with a blue cardstock panel that matched the color of the water on the image panel.  The blue panel was topped with a harlequin After matting the round panel on red cardstock, I adhered ti to a blue cardstock panel topped with a red harlequin patterned paper panel.  After running an ivory twill strip across the top of the panel, I added the image panel on top.  The set's "you anchor me" sentiment was stamped beneath the image panel directly on the patterned paper panel in black pigment ink.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers:  Paper Smooches Wicked Nauticool stamp set, Nauticool, Spectrum Icons and Borders 2 dies; Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink and Memento Luxe Tuxedo Black ink; Fancy Pants Everyday Circus 6x6 paper pad; May Arts ivory twill; Sticky Thumb dimensional dots

other:  Soft Sky, Real Red, Shimmery White, and Pacific Point cardstock (Stampin' Up!)

Let's Talk

This week's blogger challenge theme is girlfriends. I used the current Mojo Monday sketch along with some supplies from i {heart} papers to put this cheery card together.

The old-fashioned phone is from an older Hero Arts stamp set, Just Saying Hi.  I stamped the phone in gray pigment ink on white cardstock, then heat embossed it with clear embossing powder to give it a shiny look.  The "cord" was made from a piece of twine, twisted around the end of my paper piecing tool to make it curly.  I used dimensional dots to adhere the phone to an orange cardstock strip stamped with the "let's talk" sentiment.

The sentiment panel was adhered to a pale gray cardstock panel over a strip of solid orange cardstock and a floral paper panel.  The orange panels were edged with narrow strips of pale lemon yellow cardstock.  I added a little sparkle with a trio of yellow sequins.

Be sure to stop by i {heart} papers to check out the big liquidation sale.  Use the coupon code BYEIHP at checkout to get the current discount on your order.  As of today, the discount will be increasing to 40%.  Because of the steep discount being offered, free shipping is no longer available.  Shop now while supplies last!

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers:  Hero Arts Just Saying Hi stamp set; Tsukineko Memento Luxe Gray Flannel ink; Chickaniddy Crafts Date Night 6x6 paper pad; yellow sequins

other:  Grout Gray, Lemon Chiffon, and Orange Fizz cardstock (My Favorite Things); Summer Sunrise cardstock (Papertrey Ink); clear embossing powder (Michaels)

Warm Winter Wishes

This week's blogger challenge theme is holiday cards.  I thought this would be an appropriate time to share the prototype I made for the holiday cards that I intended to mass produce and send out this year.  Yes, I said "intended."  Due to keeping up with stuff for work and being sick on top of that, cards just didn't happen this year, even though I had a design planned out and all of the materials on hand.  So, people will have to settle for a virtual greeting card this year via my blog, Facebook, and/or Instagram!

My design is pretty simple.  I topped a dotted patterned paper panel with a pierced circle die cut.  After stamping a sentiment from the Reverse Confetti Seasonal Sentiments set on the panel in red ink, I added a strip of red glitter tape just beneath it.  The tape strip was accented with a silver die cut snowflake, adhered with foam tape for dimension.  The finished panel was adhered to an easy to write on card base.  Maybe I'll hang on to the supplies and get these done and in the mail next December . . .

Materials Used:
Seasonal Sentiments stamp set, Confetti Cuts Let It Snow die (Reverse Confetti); Cherry ink (Avery Elle); Die-namics Pierced Circle Stax die (My Favorite Things); pink dotted patterned paper, self-adhesive clear crystal (Michaels); silver paper (Target); red glitter tape (Target); foam tape

Unwrap the Magic

This week's blogger challenge theme is holiday packaging.  This simple, festive package is yet another reject from a Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking magazine call.  It uses stamps and dies from Clear and Simple Stamps and a seasonal red, white, and silver color scheme.

I die cut the flap top pillow box from red cardstock, then assembled the box using CSS's Simple Adhesive.  To dress it up, I wrapped the box with some red and white baker's twine.  A trio of stacked elements were threaded on to the twine/  I started off with a  snowflake cut from sparkly silver glitter cardstock.  I added on a tag, stamped with a holiday sentiment from the All Wrapped Up set, then topped it with a red button.  The twine was tied on top in a simple bow.

Materials Used:
All Wrapped Up stamp set, Dare to Be a Diva Red ink, Dare to Be a Diva Red and A Blanc Check cardstock, Party Favor 15, Tags 1, and Flurries dies, red baker's twine, Dare to Be a Diva Red button, Simple Adhesive (Clear and Simple Stamps); glitter cardstock (Michaels)

Winter Woodland Holiday Ornament

This week's blogger challenge theme is ornaments.  I made the ornament I'm sharing today for a Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking magazine call, but it didn't make the cut.  I liked it enough to share it here today.

I used a birch bark circle I found at the craft store as the base for my ornament.  I stamped a deer from the Clear and Simple Stamps Oh Deer set on the tag in brown pigment ink, then added a sentiment from the Winter Woodlands set along the top, curving it to match the shape of the tag.  After the ink set, I added some texture courtesy of a little snow made from light modeling paste.  The modeling paste was sprinkled with glitter for an ice-like sparkle.  I used a heavy duty staple gun to attach a red ribbon loop to the back of the ornament so it can be hung for display.

Materials Used:
Oh Deer and Party Elements: Winter Woodlands stamp sets (Clear and Simple Stamps); Memento Luxe Rich Cocoa ink (Tsukineko); red grosgrain ribbon, birch tag (Michaels); light modeling paste (Liquitex); Dazzling Diamonds glitter (Stampin' Up!); staple gun

You Are the Best

This week's blogger challenge theme is red, white, and blue.  I combined the colors with the current Reverse Confetti Sketch for You to Try for this fun design.

I used Reverse Confetti's Love Note and Class Act dies to make the sentiment panel. The white panel was adhered to the red scalloped panel using foam tape for dimension.  The "you are the best" sentiment from the All About You set was stamped on the panel in navy ink.  I accented it with a trio of white enamel dots and a sparkly white star.

The panel was adhered to a white card base over a pair of red, white, and blue chevron patterned panels, matted on navy cardstock.  I adhered the finished panel to a navy card base.

Materials Used:
All About You stamp set, Confetti Cuts Class Act and Love Notes dies (Reverse Confetti); Real Red and Night of Navy cardstock (Stampin' Up!); white glitter cardstock (Michaels); Americana 6x6 paper pad (Pebbles); stitched star die (Lil' Inker Designs); Chalk Studio enamel dots (My Mind's Eye); foam tape

Give Thanks

This week's blogger challenge theme is leaves.  I put together this texture filled design with a little inspiration from the current Curtain Call challenge and this week's sketch at Retro Sketches. 

My leaf is a large maple leaf from the Papertrey Ink Leaf Prints stamp set.  I die cut the leaf from orange cardstock, then stamped the solid image on the die cut piece in orange ink and added the veins on top with kraft pigment ink.

To make a backdrop for the leaf, I die cut a large stitched circle from a kraft cardstock panel.  The panel was backed with a piece of burlap, then wrapped with some orange twine.  I stamped the "give thanks" sentiment from the Falling Leaves set in brown ink on the kraft panel, then added the leaf on top.  The panel was adhered to a piece of cream cardstock, then adhered to a dark brown card base.

Materials Used:
Leaf Prints and Falling Leaves stamp sets, Leaf Prints dies (Papertrey Ink); Memento Luxe Toffee Crunch and Rich Cocoa ink (Tsukineko); Fizz ink (Avery Elle); Pumpkin Pie and Close to Cocoa cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Desert Storm cardstock (Neenah); stitched circle die (Lil' Inker Designs); burlap (Michaels); orange baker's twine (Divine Twine)

I Thank My Lucky Stars

This week's blogger challenge theme is stencils.  I used a star stencil and some embossing paste for this friendship themed design.

After the embossing paste I applied to the white paper dried, I used two shades of blue distress inks to cover the panel.  The stars resisted the ink, popping nicely against the blue background.  I stamped the friendship sentiment from the WPlus9 Lucky Stars set in navy blue ink next to the stars.  To bring in some contrast, I added a pair of narrow cardstock strips to the panel, anchoring them with a blue button tied with sparkly baker's twine.  The panel was matted on blue cardstock, then adhered on an angle to a navy panel on a white card base.

Materials Used:
Lucky Stars stamp set (WPlus9); Memento Luxe Nautical Blue ink (Tsukineko); Tumbled Glass and Salty Ocean distress inks (Ranger); Night of Navy and Pacific Point cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Maya Road silver twine; blue button (Michaels); star stencil (Memory Box); embossing paste

Be Afraid

This week's blogger challenge theme is Halloween.  I made this card for the most recent release at The Cat's Pajamas, but hadn't shared it here yet, so I thought I'd show it off for the challenge.

I combined a bunch of different inks to make my background panel.  The big yellow moon was masked off while I did the rest of the background, then filled in with bright yellow ink. To add interest and texture to the background, I flicked a few drops of irRESISTible texture spray randomly across the panel.

Once the background was done, I filled in the scene with some die cuts.  I die cut the Birds from several pieces of black cardstock, then layered the die cut pieces for dimension before adhering them to the panel.  I used the new CutUps Slime/Icicles die as grass along the bottom of the panel. After the die cuts were in place, I stamped the "be afraid" sentiment from the new Boo Y'All set on the panel.

Materials Used:
Boo Y'All stamp set, CutUps The Birds and Slime/Icicles  dies (The Cat's Pajamas);Steel Grey cardstock (My Favorite Things); Basic Black cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Memento Tuxedo Black ink, IrRESISTible texture spray (Imagine Crafts)

Best Wishes

This week's blogger challenge theme is wedding and anniversary.  I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch and stamps and dies from Clear and Simple Stamps to put together this elegant wedding card.

I used the By the Glass dies to cut a pair of glasses from shimmery white cardstock, then stamped the matching images from the By the Glass set on the die cuts.  The glasses were arranged on black cardstock, using foam tape to adhere the top glass for dimension. 

I adhered a strip of elegant black and white damask patterned paper across the top of the cardfront, then added a trio of different sized Favor Flag strips to the panel as an accent.  The "best wishes" sentiment from the Wrap-a-Round set was heat embossed next to the glasses in shiny gold.







Materials Used:
By the Glass and Wrap-a-Round stamp sets, Perfect Little Black Dress and Golden Tiara inks, Perfect Little Black Dress and 24 Karat Gold cardstock, By the Glass and Favor Flags dies (Clear and Simple Stamps); Shimmery White cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Delicata Golden Glitz ink (Tsukineko); Lola and Luca matstack (The Paper Studio); Gold embossing powder (American Crafts); foam tape

I Think You're Spectacular

Here's my card for this week's My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club sketch challenge. I combined the sketch with this week's blogger challenge--black, white, and a pop of color--for this adorable card.

I was able to put the card together in just a few minutes by using the Die-namics 18 set to cut all of the panels.  The fun eyeglasses patterned paper was a perfect match for the "I think you're spectacular" sentiment from the Geek Is Chic set.  The stitched detailing on the circle panel helps to set it off from the background.  Before I added the sentiment on top, I wrapped the angled panels with two strips of red twill.  Once the sentiment was in place, I used foam tape to attach a pair of eyeglasses, die cut with one of the dies from the Geek Is Chic Glasses set, at the top of the panel.

Materials Used:
Geek Is Chic stamp set, Die-namics Blueprints 18 and Geek Is Chic Glasses dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); Basic Black and Real Red cardstock (Stampin' Up!); silver paper (Target); Cut and Paste-Flair 6x6 paper pad (My Mind's Eye); red twill (Papertrey Ink)

Thinking of You

This week's blogger challenge theme is fall colors.  I combined the challenge theme with the current sketch at Retro Sketches for this earth toned design.

I used a few different distress inks to make a warm, sunset-like background panel.  I hand cut a piece of olive cardstock to make grass for the bottom of the panel. The deer from Avery Elle's Storybook set was adhered to the panel using dimensional dots.  Instead of coloring the deer, I took the wasy way out and stamped the image on kraft cardstock, then cut it out with the matching die.  I wrapped the panel with a bit of rustic looking twine, then added a few white sequins around the deer.

The matted image panel was adhered to a kraft card base over a piece of golden yellow hexagon patterned paper.  I stamped the  "thinking of you" sentiment from the Modern Leaves set beneath the layered panels in black ink.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Avery Elle Storybook and Modern Leaves stamp sets and Storybook dies; Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Carta Bella Boy Oh Boy 6x6 paper pad; Hemptique Bronze twine; white sequins; Sticky Thumb dimensional dots

other:  Old Olive and So Saffron cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Desert Storm cardstock (Neenah); Wild Honey, Dried Marigold, Scattered Straw, and Mustard Seed Distress inks (Ranger)

Oh Snap

This week's blogger challenge theme is "alter it."  I altered a simple photo album by dressing up the cover with a fun die cut cameral and speech bubble.

The album had a black cover, so I started by covering most of it with a red cardstock panel with a strip of sparkly silver glitter tape stretched across it.  I topped the sparkly tape with a camera made with the Cute Cameras 2 die set from My Favorite Things.  To go with the camera, I die cut a speech bubble and stamped the "oh snap" sentiment from the Paper Smooches We Totally Click set on the bubble.  A few black enamel dots completed the design.

Materials Used:
Paper Smooches We Totally Click stamp set; My Favorite Things Steel Grey and Electric Red cardstock, Die-namics Cute Cameras 2 dies; Clear and Simple Stamps Sterling Silver cardstock; Papertrey Ink Bubble Talk dies, Memento Luxe Love Letter pigment ink; American Crafts silver glitter tape; foam tape

Love Beyond Measure

This week's blogger challenge theme is "a stitch in time."  I used a sewing themed stamp set, measuring tape patterned paper, and some machine stitching along with this week's Mojo Monday sketch to answer the challenge.

I matted the measuring tape patterned paper with coordinating red cardstock, then adhered it to a kraft panel.  I ran a strip of beige twill tape across the panel, securing the ends on the back of the kraft panel.  Once the patterned paper panel and twill were in place, I topped them with a pair of layered blue panels.  The top panel has a faux suede look that I got by gently roughing up the edges of the cardstock, then carefully peeling apart the layers to reveal the fibers inside.  Machine stitching the panel to the mat helped it to lie flat since the peeled paper tends to want to curl. 

I stamped the "love beyond measure sentiment from the Clear and Simple Stamps On the Mend set on the blue panel in black ink.  A pair of die cut red hearts and a twine tied button added on top completed the design.

Materials Used:
On the Mend stamp set, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, Dare to Be a Diva Red, My Favorite Blue Jeans, True Blue Fan, and Kraft Like a Rockstar cardstock, Shapes:  Hearts dies (Clear and Simple Stamps); Paper and Glue 6x6 paper pad (Echo Park); twill (Martha Stewart); sewing machine; foam tape

Love Always

 This week's blogger challenge theme is buttons.  I used the current sketch from The Paper Players to put together this clean and simple design for the challenge using a single button and a great sentiment-filled stamp set from Winnie and Walter.

I stamped the "love always" sentiment from Winnie and Walter's The Big, the Bold, and the Happy stamp set in red ink on a white circle.  After matting the circle with red cardstock, I adhered it to a patterned paper panel from a Fancy Pants paper pad.  I ran a narrow black fishtail flag strip across the cardfront just beneath the sentiment, then anchored it with a red button tied with black twine.  The patterned paper panel was layered on contrasting black cardstock, then adhered to a red card base.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers:  Winnie and Walter The Big, the Bold, and the Happy stamp set; Avery Elle Cherry ink; Fancy Pants Burlap and Bouquets 6x6 paper pad; Hemptique black twine

other:  Riding Hood Red and Basic Black cardstock (Stampin' Up!); red button (Michaels)