SPECIAL DELIVERY: Family Cards for 2018

I love being a nanny to our only grandchild, a little girl named Malin.  She is her Nanny’s – that’s me – sunlight and sunshine.  Just looking at her pictures and videos bring me so much joy.  I like to do special cards for her that are age appropriate.  She will be 4 in April, 2019.  This year I just fell in love with Papertrey Ink’s Bear Hugs released this month and though it’s really a Valentine’s set, I saw STARS instead of hearts.  This bear is just too cute!  Lots of possibilities to color too with multistep stamping or other coloring mediums with the outline stamp.  There is even a die to cut slits for his arms to hold a heart or in this case a star!  Too, too much!!!!  Here is my enabler’s list!

·      Stamp set(s): PTI – Bear Hugs SS, Botanical Blocks IV SS

·      Ink(s):  PTI – Cocoa Bean, Dark Chocolate, Sweet Blush, Ripe Avocado

·      Paper:  PTI – Blueberry Sky, Ripe Avocado Gingham, Rustic Cream

·      Dies & Embossing folders:  PTI – Bear Hugs Die; Verve – Starry Die; MFT – Stitched Scalloped Basic Edge Die; Copic Spica Glitter Pen, Black

It really is Gold Foil!!1

Cards for the adult kids are all the same basic card this year which I created while playing around with one of the PTI’s Christmas release sets this fall and the new Spellbinder’s Glimmer Machine at a friend’s house.  (She has In2stampincards.com, an online papercrafting and card making store.  I ended up buying one from her and then decided to make multiples of this card because I just loved it!)  It’s simple but I just loved the way “Making Spirits Bright” just popped off the cardstock.  It got even better when I used some dies from MFT that made a frame and cut out the sentiment on the card front all at the same time! A little bit of crafting foam behind the sentiment really added the dimension I was looking for.  I used holly stamps and dies for the red cards and pine boughs and pine cones for the dark green.  I hope that you like them as well.  Maybe a bit late for Christmas this year, but the layout would lend itself to any occasion! Here’s my enabler’s list!

First Up: the Green card

·      Stamp set(s): PTI-Sincerely Yours: Sending Joy

·      Ink(s):  Pinefeathers, Dark Chocolate

·      Paper:  PTI – Pinefeathers, Classic Kraft

·      Dies & Embossing folders:  MFT – Single Stitch Line Rectangle Frames; Darice – Diagonal Stripe EF

·      Embellishments/Other things of note:   Wink of Stella Clear; Spellbinders – Glimmer Plate Making Spirits Bright with Gold Foil; Verve – Sequin Mix

Second:  the Red Card! I added an additional frame to the red card using the same die from MFT.  The contrast between the Pinefeathers and Classic Kraft cardstock seemed enough but the blank space was too blank on the red card.  I think that this solution worked really well!

·      Stamp set(s): PTI – Sincerely Yours: Sending Joy

·      Ink(s):  PTI – New Leaf, Olive Twist

·      Paper:  PTI – Rustic Cream, Pure Poppy, New Leaf

·      Dies & Embossing folders:  MFT – Single Stitch Line Rectangle Frames; Darice – Diagonal Stripe EF

·      Embellishments/Other things of note:  Spellbinders – Glimmer Plate Making Spirits Bright & Red Foil; Wink of Stella Clear; Pretty Pink Posh – Raspberry Sequins 6mm

       I hope that you've enjoyed this post!  I'm finally done; the notes are written on the inside for each recipient and ready to give to my loved ones tomorrow.  They wouldn't know what to do if Mama didn't make their cards for Christmas and throughout the year!  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Many Blessings!

Donna

A Pair of December Cards

My husband’s niece got married this December in Michigan.  When I saw Papertrey Ink’s Bold Borders: Flurries Die I thought a snow flaked themed card would be perfect.  I LOVE this die!  Perfect for any winter or Christmas card.  Just pair it up with the perfect sentiment for the occasion and it’s done!  Simple but compelling.  And the glitter card stock was stunning for this wedding card. Our niece and her husband loved it, and their combined family of three were stunned that it was made by hand! Handmade cards are just perfect as they are gifts from your heart to the recipient!

·      Stamp set(s): PTI – Sincerely Yours: Sending Joy; Make It Market Mini: Garden Gild

·      Ink(s):  Pure Poppy, Enchanted Evening, New Leaf

·      Paper:  Doodlebug – Light Blue Glitter Paper

·      Dies & Embossing folders:  PTI – Bold Borders: Flurries Die; Sincerely Yours: Sending Joy Die

·      Embellishments/Other things of note:  Wink of Stella – Clear glitter pen

Inside card

And now for the Christmas card.  I used basically the same idea without the glitter paper since I was making cards ahead and hadn’t decided which card was going to who yet. I also used the pine branches and pine cone instead of the holly for the wedding card.  Another elegant but easy card to make!  This flurry die could be a perfect match for all of your card needs thru February or March this year.  Just put several together and finish it off when you have a need for a quick card!  And use any color to make it pop.  Card making is after all interpretive, right? 

·      Stamp set(s):  PTI – Sincerely Yours: Sending Joy SS

·      Ink(s):  PTI – Enchanted Evening, Cocoa Bean, Pinefeathers

·      Paper:  PTI – Spring Rain, Stampers Select White

·      Dies & Embossing folders:  PTI – Bold Borders: Flurries Die; Sincerely Yours: Sending Joy Die

·      Embellishments/Other things of note:  SU – Frosted Sequins(ret.)

 Thank you for taking the time today to spend some time on my blog.  I really appreciate it.  Big things are coming for me next year.  I’m relaunching Ink(lings) Artistry and considering an Etsy store or selling on Amazon. Plus, my big organizational item should be here next month – a beautiful white Shaker Style Dream Box from the Original ScrapBox.  I’m hoping that being so beautifully organized will increase my time in my craftroom and productivity.  I’ll take some before and after photos along the way.  It’s already inspiring me to put stuff away as I go and make notes on my project pages as to what I was using and all the info for posting on social media.  A messy craftroom seems to deter my artistic mojo!  LOL

Many Blessings,

Donna

Christmas Cards of 2018

I know it’s been a while since my last post.  I fell at the end of September, broke my jaw, got stitches in my chin and killed two teeth – all from one stumble in the semi darkness in a direction that was not to the bathroom?  TMI????  Well that explains where a lot of my energy has gone rather than blogging.  But I have been making cards.  This is a long post but I don’t know when I’ll have a chance before Christmas is here!!!!  I hope you get a little inspiration whether for your last minute projects or for next year. There are a lot of pictures, so be prepared.

First up is my husband’s Christmas card.  One of the last to be completed.  I used a digi set from Power Poppy and colored it with Copic Markers.  I haven’t colored with them in a while.  I’d forgotten how much I enjoy doing it!  I got my inspiration for the coloring from the Bloom Brigade at her website!

• ·      Stamp set(s): Power Poppy – Snowy Church Digital SS; PTI-Botanical Blocks (sentiment)
• ·      Ink(s):  PTI – Enchanted Evening
• ·      Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card; PTI – Spring Rain
• ·      Dies & Embossing folders:  Spellbinders – Card Creator Dies: A2 Matting Basics A; PTI – Skinny Mini Banners Die                                                                                          
• ·      Embellishments/Other things of note:   Copic Markers-See Picture below; Wink of Stella Brush Pen-Glitter Clear; Signo Uni-ball Pen-White; Pentel Sunburst Metallic gold; Hobby Lobby-Metallic Ribbon

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There you have it for this one.  I need to color more with my Copics.  My blending wasn’t the best but I’m trying to not let my perfectionism upset my creative juices here!

The Merry Bright Die from Dawn McVey at Papertrey Ink is featured on this card along with one of Betsy Veldman’s Seasonal Border stamp &  die sets. I debated about the background paper but with the snow flakes in both the paper and the Seasonal border, I asked myself why not!  I like how it turned out.  Quick and easy.  Always good at anytime of the year, but especially good for turning out my Christmas cards.  I usually only do one detailed each year and that’s for my husband!  The rest of the family get their more involved cards at birthdays!

·      Stamp set(s): PTI – Seasonal Borders-Winter SS

·      Ink(s):  PTI – Pure Poppy, Scarlet Jewel, New Leaf, Pine Feather, Dark Chocolate, Spring Rain 

·      Paper:  PTI – Rustic Cream, Text Style: Christmas Prints

·      Dies & Embossing folders:  PTI – Say It Siimply: Merry & Bright Die; Seasonal Borders: Winter Die

·      Embellishments/Other things of note:  Wink of Stella Brush Pen-Glitter Clear

The Merry Bright Die from Dawn McVey at Papertrey Ink is featured on this card along with one of Betsy Veldman’s Seasonal Border stamp &  die sets. I debated about the background paper but with the snow flakes in both the paper and the Seasonal border, I asked myself why not!  I like how it turned out.  Quick and easy.  Always good at anytime of the year, but especially good for turning out my Christmas cards.  I usually only do one detailed each year and that’s for my husband!  The rest of the family get their more involved cards at birthdays!

·      Stamp set(s): PTI – Seasonal Borders-Winter SS

·      Ink(s):  PTI – Pure Poppy, Scarlet Jewel, New Leaf, Pine Feather, Dark Chocolate, Spring Rain 

·      Paper:  PTI – Rustic Cream, Text Style: Christmas Prints

·      Dies & Embossing folders:  PTI – Say It Simply: Merry & Bright Die; Seasonal Borders: Winter Die;  Embellishments/Other things of note:  Wink of Stella Brush Pen-Glitter 

Poinsettias and pine are two of my favorite decorating items.  The pine is a staple in the landscape here in the Carolinas – I say that now that we are moving to Greenville, SC next year to be closer to family as my husband and I get older.  Ugh! Where did those youthful years go? LOL  To the kids we raised; the reason for all of my white hair!  Anyway, at Christmas, I love poinsettias.  The deep reds are so gorgeous – my fav color! Now they come in all sorts of colors! Putting them together in one mini set was brilliantly done by Betsy Veldman of Papertrey Ink.   Easy and fast card, too! So here are the deets!  Simple but beautiful don’t you think?

·      Stamp set(s): PTI - Make It Market Mini Kit: Poinsettia and Pine 

·      Paper:    PTI - Make It Market Mini Kit: Poinsettia and Pine; Pure Poppy

·      Dies & Embossing folders:  PTI - Make It Market Mini Kit: Poinsettia and Pine; Mix & Mat: Pinked Edged Die

·      Embellishments/Other things of Note:  Pretty Pink Posh sequins; SU-rhinestones

My close friend and crafter, Nancy, has started up an online papercrafting store.  This is a poinsettia I water colored using Altenew’s new water color palettes (both of which and more are available at her store, www.in2stampincards.com) which I made for her store.  I got a new 3D embossing folder from Hobby Lobby.  I’d never tried to emboss glitter cardstock before, but this is gorgeous with just the beautiful flower and Joy from a PTI die. It was easy to do and makes a gorgeous glamorous card, don’t you think?

·      Stamp set(s): Altenew - Build-A-Flower Poinsettia 

·      Paper:  Paper Studio – Gold and Green Glitter Paper

·      Dies & Embossing folders:  PTI – Bold Borders: Flurries Die (Joy die); Sizzix – Tim Holty 3-D Texture Fades Botanical

·      Embellishments/Other things of note:  Altenew – Watercolor Palette

If you've gotten this far, thank you for stopping by!  I do so appreciate it.  This is it for this picture heavy blog post.  Have a very Merry Christmas!  I love that Christ is the center of Christmas even after a difficult and trying year for me and my family.  Somehow, knowing that we get a fresh start each year shortly after Christmas Day is encouraging to us this year.  Happy and Prosperous New Year to you all!

Many Blessings,

Donna