Simply Sketched Sympathy & VLVJun2013, Week 3

 

         It is never a happy day when you need a sympathy card to send to a friend or relative, but that is where I found myself earlier this week.  I know that the colors I chose are not the usual for a sympathy card, but as a Christian and as I heard more about how my friend’s 16 year old grandson died, I didn’t feel that a somber sympathy card would be appropriate.  This wonderful young man is now home with his Heavenly Father and the girl he went into the surf to save is alive.  We rejoice with her family while feeling the pain and loss of our friend’s family.  It just didn’t feel right to make a somber card to me, so this is what I chose - a sunny yellow and green to symbolize the Son of Man and green for my friend’s grandson’s new life in Heaven.  The card is 5” x 7” with a top fold.

·       Stamp set(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Simply Sketched(new); Heartfelt Creations Cross & Lilies

·       Ink(s):  SU Pear Pizazz    

·      Paper:  Prima, Sun Kiss Collection “Sweet Tea”;  Stampin’ Up! – Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizazz, Core’dinations Early Espresso, Whisper White, Floral District DSP(retired)

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Circles & Ovals Large; Stampin’ Up! Embossing Folder Fancy Fan

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  White Velvet Ribbon – Basic Grey; SU Seam Binding Ribbon – Pear Pizazz; SU Basic Jewels Pearls, Large; Martha Stewart Doily Lace Border Punch

The card design is of course from Viva la Verve’s June Sketch Challenge.  The layout is straight forward, although I did move the circle – pieced with Daffodil Delight and Floral District paper – to the middle of the layout.  The yellow circle is a deliberate allusion to the sun, and I just wanted it centered.  I liked the sunflowers on the Prima paper and wanted the viewer to be able to see them as well. 

Thank you for taking a look at my card today!  I hope that you enjoyed your time here.  Please feel free to leave me a comment.  I’d love your feedback!

Many Blessings,

Donna

PS:  Below is the inside of the card.

Sycamore Street Perfect Day

This was a fun card that I did quite a while ago for a stamp class that I ended up not being able to do because of my husband’s hospital stays in February.  I found these colors very cheerful and light hearted.  I found the card set aside when I was putting together my husband’s birthday card.  Very similar colors and same sentiment – just down right cheerful!

·         Stamp set(s):  Stampin’ Up! (SAB) Vintage Verses

·         Ink(s):  Both SU inks – Tangerine Tango & Midnight Muse

·         Paper:  SU (SAB) Sycamore Street DSP, Pool Party, and Midnight Muse

·         Dies & Embossing folders:   Vine Street TIEF from SU, Window Frames Collection Framelits from SU

·         Embellishments/Other things of note:  Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button Pack, SU Basic Jewels Rhinestones;  Copic Markers in Y17 & 110

This card is an A2 size card:  5.5” by 4.25 “.  I made the card base from a piece of paper that was 4.25” by 11”.  The 2 score lines were placed at 3.25” and 2.25”.  I also embossed the two sides of the front on the card before I scored it so that I would be assured of having both sides of the front of the card completely embossed.

I hope that you have enjoyed this fun card.  It was quick & easy to do.

Many Blessings,

Donna

MOJO Monday 287 & Just For You

 

Just For You just sort of all came together after deciding to enter the MOJO Monday Blog Contest.  I knew of course that I wanted to do some flowers on such a beautiful spring day here in the Piedmont of NC.  As I went thru my Scrap Rack, this lovely MME paper grabbed my attention.  I loved the colors and they were so warm and bright after a long, cold March!  I’ve listed below the items I used to create this card that I think turned out OK (except for this:  I did not notice until I finished the card that I too quickly worked on the silhouette I’d stamped in Tangerine Tango as it smeared a little because I had not left it to dry!  Bummer, but I still liked the results!)

·         Stamp set(s):  SU Just Believe & SU My Little Valentine

·         Ink(s):  SU Tangerine Tango, SU Marina Mist(sentiment), SU Baja Breeze

·        Paper:  My Mind’s Eye “Pretty Please:  Full of Flowers” Paper, SU Whisper White, SU Baja Breeze, & SU Tangerine Tango

·        Dies & Embossing folders: Cuttlebug Kassie’s Brocade Embossing folder, Heartfelt Creations Die #713 Decorative Lace Border, and 3 Spellbinders Dies – Beaded Circles, Classic Ovals Large, and Classic Scalloped Ovals Large

·         Embellishments/Other things of note:  SU Basic Jewels Rhinestones, corner rounder punch, SU Stampin’ Dimensionals

The card base is 4.25” by 5.5” made from Baja Breeze.  I used Baja Breeze also for the lace die after which I trimmed 2/3 of the lace trim away with scissors.  I used my Cuttlebug to cut out this very intricate die so that I could use a thin metal plate to get a good cut.  I use this metal plate when I want to use really intricate dies to make sure I get a really clean cut.  Also, a doubled piece of wax paper also helps my cut image to release easily from the die.

The beaded circle was cut from Tangerine Tango CS.  The MME paper was cut to 4” by 5.25” and the corners on one vertical side were rounded – I like the softness that pairs well with the flower theme of the paper and stamped image.  Both the beaded circle and the floral paper were run thru my Big Shot.

I stamped the sentiment, cut it out, and then trimmed the outer edge off so that the Tangerine Tango mat would be more visible and play off the silhouette stamped in ink of the same color as the die.  I used pop up foam to make the sentiment jump off the card for added dimension on top of the layers.  I inked around the edges of the main stamp with Baja Breeze ink and the MME paper with Tangerine Tango ink.

Here is the inside image of my card!  Below is the original sketch for this week's MOJO Monday Challenge.  Here is the link to MOJO Monday's blog:  http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/2013/04/mojo-monday-287-contest_1.html

I hope that you like this offering and thanks for taking a look!

Many blessings,

Donna



Anniversary Card For My Guy

         Thom & I recently celebrated our anniversary – had a lovely time in Charleston, SC!  (It was a wonderfully romantic time away from home in a beautiful city!)  As I’ve mentioned previously, guy cards can be a challenge for a woman who loves flowers and bling, but I hope that I rose to the challenge.  I used the same stamp set as my previous post; just used the bicycle this time.  Thom & I like to bicycle when time and health permits so it just seemed to work for me.  I wanted to use my new Spellbinders Die Page Maps (designed by Becky Fleck) and the banners in SU DSP Pool Party seemed a perfect fit!  So here is my list of products used!

·        Stamp set(s):  SU Feeling Sentimental (SAB)  & Word Play

·        Ink(s):  SU Midnight Muse

·       Paper:  All from SU – Whisper White, Midnight Muse, DSP Pool Party, and DSP Pattern Stack, 2012-2014

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  All Spellbinders dies – Classic Scalloped Squares, Classic Scalloped Ovals, Large and Page Maps

·        Embellishments/Other things of note:  DMS Embroidery Floss # 311, Recollections Super Fine Glitter, SU Jewels Basic Rhinestones and SU Buttons, Bitty

Sometimes, we are our own worst critic.  At first I wasn’t satisfied with this offering, but the more I looked at it the card, the more I realized that I was looking at it through my FLOWER Glasses – the lens that I use for most of my designs.  I like the flow of the smaller banners on the paper when juxtaposed to my larger banners that I cut out with my new die.  I used the ric rac die that comes with the set to add some movement across the bottom of the card where I used a 1.75” strip of striped paper – say that fast – that I added glitter to.  Even my husband needs some bling now & again!  LOL  With a couple of heart buttons from the Bitty Collection, I felt that I completed the project.  Thom liked the card, too, and when it really comes down to it, that is what matters most!

Thanks for stopping by my little part of the web to take a look!

Donna

Celebrate Birthday Card for Your Guys

 

Being a lover of flowers and bling, I have found myself drawn most often to choose flowers and similar type stamp sets, but during SU’s recent Sale-A-Bration, I really fell in love with the Feeling Sentimental SS, so I choose this to send out to our son-in-law for his recent birthday!  So here is the list of what I used to create this card:

·         Stamp set(s):  SU Feeling Sentimental

·         Ink(s):  SU Early Espresso, Clear Embossing Powder

·         Paper:  Core’dinations Early Espresso CS, Crumb Cake CS, Very Vanilla CS (thru here by SU! and from my stash, 7 Gypsies, Louvre

·        Dies & Embossing folders:  SU Framlits Apothecary Accents & Labels Collections, SU Chevron Embossing folder

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  SU’s Linen Thread, SU Basic Jewels Rhinestones (I had to get some kind of bling going on!), SU Designer Buttons Brushed Bronze, Stamping Sanding System block, SU Stampin’ Dimensionals, Sizzix Big Shot

The card is 4.25” by 5.5” and opens on the right.  The card base is made from Crumb Cake CS.  The panel that was embossed is 4” by 5.25”.  The sentiment is popped up.  The linen thread was wound around the embossed and sanded panel prior to fixing it to the card base.

I hope that you have enjoyed the card.  I’d love to know who you are and please feel free to leave me a comment.  I’ve begun to get the Botanical SS from Technique Tuesdays and will try to get around to making some samples next week.  Until then, have a blest Easter!  He is Risen!

Donna

You're In My Thoughts

 You're In My Thoughts Card was made for a dear friend and brave woman who is battling ALS.  Catherine is a real prayer warrior and is facing this awful disease with such grace and faith.  She inspires me!  Here is my supply list for this card!

• Heartfelt Creations HCPC  3301 Hydrangea/Posy Branch PC Set & HCPC 3450 Cross & Lilies PC Set (Inside verse)
• Stampin' Up! Word Play #120651
• Dies:  Stampin' Up! Edgelits Large Scallop, Framelits Labels Collection & Framelits Window Frames Collection
• Sizzix Framelits Frames, Decorative #2
• Cassie's Brocade Embossing Folder from Cuttlebug
• Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black & Stampin' Up! Old Olive
• Twinkling H2Os
• Papers:  Bazzill Dotted Swiss (green), Core'dinations Marine Blue, & Basic Grey's LilyKate which were all in my stash, and water color paper from Stampin' Up!
• Misc.: SU sanding block, SU Basic Jewels and gold ribbon also from my stash!

This is a 6" x 6" card and was easy to put together after the painting was done.  It is a bit hard to see, but in the center of some of the hydrangea blooms, I added some bling to add some extra sparkle to the card. 

It has been awhile since my last post.  Home renovations, my husband's health issues, and life in general seem to have gotten between me and my new craft room.  Stay tuned for more posts as time goes by!

Blessings and thanks for stopping by my blog!
Donna