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

Easter Wedding Anniversary

My husband and I just celebrated our 11^th wedding anniversary this past Easter weekend.  We met in person on Good Friday of 2004 and were married on Saturday of Easter weekend of 2005.  This year was the first time that our anniversary fell on Saturday of Easter weekend so I decided that a fun card with a bit of bunny business was in order.  I had just received these two stamp sets and coordinating dies from Verve so why not! (I seldom buy a stamp set that doesn’t have coor-dinating dies as I hate to fussy cut and love to layer to add texture!) Here is my enablers list:

• Stamp set(s): Hip Hop Bunnies & Rise Above (Verve); Vintage Linens          (Papertrey Ink)
• Ink(s):  Memento Tuxedo Black; Daffodil Delight (Stampin’ Up)
• Paper:  Gumball Green (ret.), Daffodil Delight, Soft Sky & Whisper White (SU)
• Dies & Embossing folders:  Bunny Hop & Partly Cloudy Dies (Verve);  Stitched Basic Edges Die (My Favorite Things); Foliage Border Die, Diagonal Stripes EF, & Chicken Wire EF (Darice)
• Embellishments/Other things of note:  Wink of Stella Clear; Copic Sketch Markers – R21, 22; E00, 02,23, 31, 33   

I added additional texture through the use of embossing folders – the striped on the “grass” to make it look freshly mowed and the chicken wire one to give texture to the background.  The white clouds added the perfect touch to the sunny effect.  But my favorite part of the whole card is the precious little bunny that I colored in Copics.  He turned out really well and might be some of the best coloring I’ve done since picking my markers back up after a long hiatus.  The next use of these bunnies comes next weekend when I’ll be using them for our granddaughter’s first birthday.  Malin has captured my heart and I love being Nanny to her!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!  I know it’s been a long time since I regularly posted on my blog, but I’m trying to get back in the swing of it now that things seem a little calmer with family doings.

Many Blessings,

Donna

Good Things From Brighter Days

 

If I get this posted on time, it may be the first time or at least the first time in a long time that I’ve been able to get all of a month’s sketches done and posted.  Yeah for me!  This card is for my youngest daughter.  She’s been having a difficult time post graduate school with work, studying for a national licensing exam to be a pediatric nurse practitioner, and dealing with migraine headaches while looking for a new job to use her new skill set.  Whew, it makes me tired just to think about it!  She’s a wonderful, caring young lady and I know that the Lord has the perfect job for her out there even if she can’t see it right now!  Please be praying for her!  Her licensing exam is coming up on July 9^th!  My girl is a girly girl but very modern so while I went with flowers I did try to go with some more graphic papers but you can’t put down your style too much.  I love those Starry Dies.  I wanted to add a bit more sparkle to the card and with this being the week of the 4^th of July, stars were just the thing!  Have a wonderful week and holiday!  God Bless the USA!

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Brighter Days & Dream Big

·       Ink(s):  Memento – Tuxedo Black; Stampin’ Up! – Melon Mambo & Wild Wasabi

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Wild Wasabi; American Crafts – Amy Tangerine Yes Please 6x6 Pad; X-Press Blending Card; The Paper Studio – Champagne Glitter Paper

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Verve – A Cut Above – Scalloped Flower & Starry Die; Stampin’ Up! – Cloudy Day EF (ret.)

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Copic Markers – RV29, R32, & $11  

Many Blessings,

Donna



Welcome Baby with Viva la Verve

 



          Our church family has grown by two precious little ones in the past few weeks so I needed to send some cards out to welcome the new additions to the church!  The first card goes to the family with the little girl since ladies go first!

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Be Blessed; Stampin’ Up! – Petite Pairs

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Strawberry Slush & So Saffron

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Very Vanilla, Strawberry Slush, So Saffron & Lucky Limeade (ret.); My Minds’ Eye – Bloom & Grow Eye Candy (2009)

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  A Cut Above by Verve – Petal Points Die, Sprightly Sprigs & Banner Bundles; Stampin’ Up! – Sizzlits – Beautiful Wings; Spellbinders – Labels 10; Provocraft – Polka Dots EF

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon(ret.)  & Subtles Candy Dots; Verve – Shine Bright Sequin Mix   

         If you have read any of my past blog posts, you know that I am a self-confessed paper hoarder.  I buy paper with one project in mind, especially the older papers when I thought I was going to be doing a lot of scrapbooking, and then don’t want to use it.  But this piece of paper was a single piece of this lovely collection hanging around in my Scrap Rack so I pulled it out.  I love the sketch that Chaitali did for this week and had some trial and error coming up with the curve for the papers.  I found that the Spellbinders Labels 10 cut the paper to the curve and size I wanted when the width was 4 1/8”.
          I’d been really wanting to pull out my newly arrived Be Blessed set and those lovely flowers.  Add some greenery using the Sprightly Sprigs die, a butterfly, some sequins, ribbon and my new candy dots from Stampin’ Up! for the flower centers.  I love those things.  Just got those in for the first time from SU.  They will be a regular from now on.  They are so easy to use and love them with flowers.

 

For my second card, I had a little boy to welcome into the world so I changed up the colors, kept the layout the same and changed up the elements a bit.  Here are the supplies that I used:

·       Stamp set(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Petite Pairs

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Bermuda Bay & Rich Razzleberry

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Whisper White, Old Olive, Bermuda Bay, Rich Razzleberry, & Daffodil Delight; Basic Grey – Lemonade Picnic Table (2009)

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Cut Above by Verve – Banner Bundle, Sprightly Sprigs; Spellbinders – Labels 10; Stampin’ Up!  - Embosslits/Sizzlits, Beautiful Wings, Buttons #5,  Floral Fusion & Chevron EF                                  

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Brights Collections Buttons, Jewels Basic Rhinestones & Lucky Limeade Bakers Twine (ret.)

         I wanted to make a less feminine card yet keep it young since a baby whether boy or girl is such a precious soft bundle with no hard edges.  So I used some less traditional colors but still added some softer touches, after all butterflies are still technically bugs!  LOL  Instead of flowers, I used some button dies and a simple flower with a button center for some layer and depth.

I know that this is a longer post than usual but with the cards being so similar, I wanted to post them together.  I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit!

May you and your family have a safe and blessed 4^th of July as we celebrate our nation’s birthday!

Many Blessings,

Donna

 

Beautfy For Ashes (VLVJune2014, wk1)

          I was in need of another sympathy card this week for my church card ministry.  Always a sad time for our families when they lose a loved one, but she is now waiting for them on the other side of the veil; they will be reunited!  I seem to be in my purple faze right now so again, I did a purple flower but this time, I had the dies to cut it out! 

          My care is 4¼” by 5½” with a left hand fold.  I did use the Viva la Verve June 2014 week 1 sketch for this and was also going to enter it in the Wings Diva Dare, but I did not have the time to get it posted.  Too, too busy!

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Scripture Medley 1 & Chevron Love; Papertrey Ink – Delightful Dahlia Addition; Stampin’ Up! – Simply Sketched (Hostess, retired on inside)

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Pear Pizazz, Wisteria Wonder & Elegant Eggplant

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Whisper White, Pear Pizazz, & Elegant Eggplant

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Verve – All A Flutter; Papertrey Ink – Delightful Dahlia Die; Stampin’ Up! – Adorning Accents Edgelits & Bigz Top Note

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Buttons Vintage Faceted; Recollections - Pearls   

          My card was fairly straight forward as I followed the sketch.  The focal image of the scripture was a bit bigger than the sketch, but I really wanted to use the Top Note die with its stitching and the gorgeous blooms from Papertrey Ink’s Dahlias.  I tried to do the 3 layer stamping on the images without success.  I just need to play with the some more and find the PTI tutorial on the image again!  I’m always open to suggestions!  The pattern paper for the back ground is made from stamping the dahlia images onto Whisper White card stock.  I really love making my own background papers at times to get the perfect match!

          That’s all for now.  Thanks so much for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment as I love hearing your feedback!

 

Many Blessings,

Donna

 

Viva la Verve June 2014 Fathers' Day

 

          Would anybody believe that I have made a card without one bit of bling?  I can do it when it’s for the very special man in my life, my husband Thom.  I really appreciate his love, deep caring and responsibility he displays as a loving husband, father and stepfather!  He leads our family like the man of God he is.  When I first saw this Jeremiah 17:7, I knew that I had to get it for this Fathers’ Day!  It is a perfect sentiment to describe this man of mine!  Thank You, Lord, for the gift of a loving husband and father!

          I used the Viva la Verve June 2014 week 2 sketch!  I really love the off angle panels, but they are a challenge for me; I like how the panels turned out!  I did take a little license with the sketch to accommodate the scripture’s size using the ovals with a mat, and the banner was moved to the back of the sentiment panel!  My card is 4¼” by 5½” with a left side fold.  I will be posting this to Splitcoaststampers, VLV June 2014 and the Verve Diva Dare, “A Man’s World”.

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Jeremiah 17:7 Plain Jane; Stampin’ Up! – Oh, Hello

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Night of Navy & Real Red

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Night of Navy, Sahara Sand & Real Red card stock; Denim Stars and Stars on Gray – from my old stash – I mean seriously old!!  LOL

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Verve – Starry Die & Banner Bundle; Lifestyle Crafts – Nesting Ovals; Stampin’ Up! – Square Lattice Embossing Folder   

          Once I decided on how to accommodate the size of the scripture that I chose for this card, I needed to up the color quotient from the navy and gray colors.  I little pop of red for the banner really livened things up without one bit of bling!  BUT, it still needed a touch of color and some embellishment.  I pulled out the Stampin’ Up! Oh, Hello set that has a chevron oval stamp in it.  I inked it up in Real Red & Night of Navy; they were stamped on the Sahara Sand cardstock and used the Starry Die to cut out the stars.  I also cut out some stars in the Real Red and layered them as you see them.

          I am very pleased with this afternoon’s time in my craft room, and it is done a day early!  Even better!  Thanks so much for stopping by and looking at my take on this week’s VLV sketch. 

Many Blessings,

Donna