Take Three

A recent challenge at Stamp TV was to take only three colors besides white or black and make a card. I went with a Christmas design as I know I will not be making near enough as I plan to just instead put more effort into the upcoming visit of my son and grandsons from Japan. I will instead send a simple Christmas letter or wait until New Years. And, might even use purchased cards. Yes, I know I feel guilty about that thought but I just might have to  resort to that plan. At any rate here is the card I made today.

I used two of the older sets I had purchased in the past to make this card. I love those trees and that sentiment and they are from the Gina K. Designs duo set called Merry Tree. The background was made with another Gina K. Designs duo set called Snowflake.

My three colors used on this card are Ocean Mist for the snowflakes, Christmas Pine for the trees and Cranberry Tart for the sentiment and the added card stock layers. I also used Rouge Liquid Pearls which were a very close match to the Cranberry Tart for the centers of the stars on top of the tree.

A different perspective might show off the various layers I added to the card. All the trees are layered on but only the middle one is popped. The sentiment is added to the Cheery Lynn Designs banner. I used the smallest banner. I then outlined it with the Cranberry Tart card stock before I popped it up.

So I think with the trees and  the layered sentiment and card base layer I ended up with seven layers on my card. That is pretty good for me and as you can tell I still am with the CAS style of card design.

Well, we are off to a good start on another week. And, tomorrow is June 1 already. It is my hubby's birthday but we already celebrated it when the kids were home for the weekend. It was indeed a fun time!

I am entering this in the Cheery Lynn Designs Blog challenge in which we are to use layers. I only used the DL303 Pierced Banners set on this card.

Thanks for dropping in and checking out my latest project.

God bless,
Verna

Red-Faced Warbler

I decided to get out a never before used stamp set called Summer Warbler by Inspired by Stamping. It was one of the first sets I purchased and just now am using it. I brought it out many times and debated over it but had no idea what warblers looked like. Well it seems there are many variations and I chose to use the Red-Faced Warbler which is found mainly in New Mexico, Arizona and Mexico.

I also chose to use products that I had not used in years and years They are embossing fluid and colored pencils. The embossing fluid is a clear fluid and you rub it on with the dauber bottle that it comes in. It had been sitting in my cupboard for a long time. And, colored pencils had not been used very much by me lately either so both products got to see daylight from behind cupboard doors. After I had colored the image and stamped the sentiment I applied the embossing fluid and clear embossing powder. I then heat set it.

The last step I did on this single layer card was to add some blue rhinestones. They are a dark blue and a light blue.

I am entering this card in the Mod Squad Blog Challenge for this week in which we are to use products that have never  been used or not been used for a long time. I knew I had items that would certainly qualify for the challenge. How about you? I am sure there are things in your supply drawers or cupboards that need some loving too! If so, go for it!

Well, I hope all have had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. I thought these colors chosen for the warbler were right on target for the red, white and blue holiday.

Have a good week and God bless,
Verna

Dahlia Sympathy

I got new stamps from Altenew in the mail and had to use one of the sets to create another sympathy card. I saw online the most beautiful red and white dahlia and I wanted to create that with this stamp set and I think I did succeed. I sure am happy with it at any rate.

The set has multi-step stamping images and I skipped the first step and just did the second step and the outline step to create my red and white dahlia. I masked that off and then added the leaves using all three steps for those. I fussy cut this design out and then set it aside until I had my other layers all assembled.

The polka dot pattern paper is from my stash and I don't know for sure where it came from. But I felt it was a perfect background. I then layered that onto black card stock and finally onto the main card of white card stock.

The final step was stamping the sentiment onto white card stock and then die cutting it with a Cheery Lynn Banner die. I then added a thin outline of black card stock to that before adding it to my card. The last step was to pop the dahlia over the top of this banner and the polka dot pattern paper.

I ended up with five layers on my card. I counted the dahlia design as my fifth layer. I debated about adding rhinestones but decided that with the polka dot pattern paper it was okay to just leave it more as a CAS look.

The stamps used are from the Altenew Dahlia Blossoms set and the Inspired by Stamping Big Sympathy set.

Dies used are:

Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame Borders Style No. 99124

Cheery Lynn Designs Pierced Banners DL303

I am entering this in the Scrapy Land Blog Challenge.

I don't know if I will be doing any more posts this week. I am getting company this weekend so I need to clear the deck again. Also Thursday both hubby and I have medical appointments so that will take up one whole day for us. And possibly I might do some baking if time allows.

In the meantime until I post again, I hope you have a wonderful week. 

God bless,

Verna 

Several Layers Card

The last couple posts were with a single layer card design and so today I made a sympathy card which uses several layers......or at least for me this is what I consider several. I also added the inside verse to a layer too!

My base card is ivory card stock. I then added a card front design panel which was die cut with Wild Lilac card stock. Then I die cut a layer of Eggplant card stock and again another just a shade smaller of Lovely Lavender card stock. My flowers and leaves were stamped on ivory card stock with shades of purples and greens, I took the same cross stitched die and cut just a portion of the stamped panel and fussy cut around the flower.

Once all of these were layered together I then added my sentiment which was inked with Eggplant dye ink. On the lovely lavender card stock panel I added a cascade of lavender rhinestone gems on the right side.

The flowers and leaves are from Altenew's Beautiful Day stamp set and the sentiment is from Inspired by Stamping's Big Sympathy set.

Dies used are:
Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame Borders Style No. 99124
Cheery Lynn Designs French Lattice Small Frame FRM132

I am entering this in the Scrapy Land Blog Challenge.

We sure have had a lot of friends pass away this past year. Maybe it is the age range we are in now that we are in need of more cards of this kind. So for this reason I like to have a few of this type of cards on hand.

Well, another week is begun and before we know it May will be a thing of the past for this year. Hard to believe how fast time is flying by. I guess we are having fun, right? LOL Well hopefully this week will be a fun filled one too!

God bless,
Verna

Another One Layer Card

Again I worked with just one layer and did a birthday card using stamps from the Concord & 9th Flourish Stamp Set and the Eat Cake and Celebrate Stamp set. I am enjoying using these images and I used my MISTI for a good portion of the design.  I am entering this in the Mod Squad Blog Challenge for this week.

The base of the card is ivory and using my MISTI I only stamped a portion of the Flourish design on my card. After I added the sentiment then I finished the card by adding a few rhinestones to match some of the colors in the card design.

A very simple card design but with enough color to make it seem cheerful and uplifting.

I have to quit making birthday cards now for awhile and concentrate on other types. I think we got all the graduation ones done for this year too. We had five invites so we were busy. We took in two open houses today.

Well, thanks for stopping by and have a great Sunday.

God bless,
Verna

One Layer Birthday

The challenge at the Mod Squad Blog Challenge for this week is to make a one layer birthday. I chose to use images from Inspired by Stamping for this card. And, I should have quit when I had less detail on it. My shaky arthritic hands and my part blind eye did not want to cooperate when I added more to it. I was trying to make it look more layered without actually adding layers.

I took an ivory card base and with black Versafine ink I stamped the cherry blossoms. I colored them in with my Zig markers. I also did a shadow technique around them. Next I die cut a mask with a Cheery Lynn Designs oval die and covered up the flowers before I started to sponge on Gina K. Designs Dusty Pink ink all around the outer edge. When the mask was removed I had an oval of ivory with my blossoms enclosed.

Now there is where I think I should have stopped but no, I had to go and take a black pen and try to make it look like another layered oval was behind it. I wanted it to look like it was scalloped but for some reason I was too shaky and after looking at it so long my eyes got blurry. But the deed was done and therefore this is the way it ended up.

My last step was to take the sentiment from another stamp set and add that to the bottom of the card with black ink.

I used the Inspired by Stamping Cherry Blossoms set and the Inspired by Stamping Wishing You sentiment set.

If I get time this week I will try to do another one layer card. Hopefully, that one will work out better.

Thanks for checking in and for taking the time to leave comments. I appreciate and read all of them.

God bless,
Verna

Patriotic Thank You

Well, ever since I got the Beautiful World Collection by Catherine Pooler I have been wanting to work with the GeoBuilders set in making a card. So when the Double D's Blog Challenge popped up in my inbox with a support our troops theme I decided to use that set and a sentiment from another stamp set in the collection called Sugar Pea Designs Enchanted Garden to join in on the fun. With Memorial Day coming up soon I can see this being a nice way to thank our military past and present and I think this would also work well for the Fourth of July too! Just add a different sentiment.

I stamped the builders design on the card and did it with a red followed by a blue line. I followed this pattern until about a third of the way up the white base card. As I built it up it created a gorgeous design pattern. I also added a strip of denim blue card stock and over that I added a red and white ribbon using the Cheery Lynn Designs Allison's Ribbon die. The sentiment was stamped first in the denim blue and then I over stamped it again with cheery red ink which are both from the Gina K. Designs line.

The finishing touch was to add three blue star rhinestones around the sentiment and also some red rhinestones at the top of the builders block design.

I can see a lot of different options for a quick and easy note card with the builders set. And, one can vary the colors for a unique look each time.

Well, between a lot of phone calls today I managed to get one card done at least. I hope your day is turning out to be a fantastic one too!

Take care and God bless,
Verna

Masculine Birthday

I had to sneak in some birthday card making while hubby was still planting his fields. His birthday is coming up June 1 and I didn't want him to see the card ahead of time. I try to plan a few surprises but most of the time he sees what I am working on. When he unexpectedly came in I had to quick turn the card upside down and pretend there was nothing out of the ordinary going on. LOL

I chose to use the images and sentiments from the Gina K. Designs Spring Blessings set. I went with the colors of blue denim, turquoise sea, and dark chocolate for inks. I also used the blue denim, turquoise sea and ivory card stocks which matched. I stamped the bird on ivory card stock with dark chocolate and then die cut it with a Spellbinder die called Lacey Ovals. I did another die cut of the same size in the turquoise sea and then offset them slightly so that there is a layer of both colors showing. Another version of staggered dies I guess. On the ivory oval panel I also stamped the sentiment with blue denim ink.These were all added to a blue denim panel and then placed on the base card of ivory.

Below the oval die cut I added flowers from the set which I had stamped on ivory and then fussy cut out. In the center of the flower I added a light brown pearl. And, close to the edge of the blue denim panel I added a Vintage Cut which was purchased from Gina K. Designs already cut out as I don't have a Silhouette or other type of image to do that type of cutting. I left just a slight part of the ivory base showing so that it would look better with the Vintage Cut design. I finished the outside of the card by adding some turquoise rhinestones to the ivory panel.

I carried the theme of the flowers into the inside of the card too.

I added flowers to my masculine card as I know my husband loves flowers. He is always on the lookout for some sort of wild flowers or tame ones that are growing nearby to bring me a bouquet so I thought I should give him a few on paper as well. Below is another view of the card from a different angle.

This card is being added to the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamps Challenge: Flowers
Dies R Us Challenge-Birthdays
Mix It Up Monday Challenge at Stamp TV

Thanks once again for visiting my blog and I hope you continue to stop in now and then. I love to read your comments as well.

God bless,
Verna

Beautiful Day Birthday

The Altenew Inspiration Challenge was what prompted me to make this card today. The inspirational photo had such wonderful colors in it that I just had to try and see if I could make something from it.
I came up with this card design.

Here is the photo that inspired me to use these colors.

I used a base card of ivory card stock. I also used some basket weave patterned vellum and layered that first onto ivory to give the paper more stability before I layered it onto the black layer. These three layers were then added to the base card.

My flowers from the Altenew Beautiful Day set were stamped onto blue vellum with Versamark and then embossed with white. I also did the same with the leaves which I put on green vellum. With my Zig markers I added some additional colors to the flowers and leaves so that I had captured more of the essence of the inspiration photo. A little hint of yellow was added to the white centers of the flowers but it is not very bright looking. 

My big sentiment is a die cut from Cheery Lynn Designs called Happy Birthday CARA-10. I wanted a bigger sentiment and this worked nicely. I finished the card by adding blue rhinestone gems.

I carried the theme of the card over into the inside by just stamping the flower and leaves with black ink. I also added the sentiment from the same stamp set.

Another angle of the card might show more of the details and colors better as well.

Isn't that a beautiful floral design. I just love that stamp set. One can also make a flower using a step method too, but for this particular one I wanted to use just an outline image.

I am entering this in the Dies R Us Challenge as well as the Altenew Challenge.

Well, thanks for looking. I hope you are having a great Monday. And, tonight is DWTS so I will be glued to the TV. LOL

God bless,

Verna

Cash Card

The Mix It Up Monday Challenge at Stamp TV was to make a cash card. The details can be seen at the challenge. I had never made one of these before so it was a learning experience but I did enjoy it.

I used Gina K. Designs Vine & Butterfly set which is illustrated by Theresa Momber. I had some pattern paper in my private stash that I used with it. I also added some black rhinestones to accent the design.

I also carried the design over to the inside of the card. And, with that slot for the cash or a check it is ready to give for someone's birthday. I know everyone who has a birthday in my family loves the color green. LOL

Well, surprisingly this was a very easy card to do and I did it in just an hour. I think I might have to do this more often for family birthday cards since after they reach their teen years and beyond cash is what they get from us.

Well, have a great weekend.

God bless,
Verna

A quick card

I recently won a set of Hero Art stamps from Simon Says Stamps so I had to try out them. This is the card I made with the set called Dauber Bunch. I will be adding this card to the Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge and the Scrapy Land Blog Challenge.

Since this seemed to be a more artistic type of stamp set I wanted to achieve a more loose artistic style. I used my Zig pens and just more or less scribbled the colors in but by using two shades of pinks it looked better. Originally my main panel was bigger but I die cut it down so that I could use another piece of card stock as a layer before I added it to the pink card base. I over stamped the individual circles again on the blossoms after I had them colored and also over stamped the leaves. My final touch was to add the sentiment and some yellow rhinestone bling.

Die used:
Die-Namics Wonky Stitched Rectangles MFT-839

Thanks for stopping by. I always love it when you visit and leave such nice comments.

God bless,
Verna

Staggering Dies

I just had to try this neat idea that I saw on Donna Ellis's Blog post recently. She staggered the dies and made such gorgeous designs. Well, I tried to do that too, but I am afraid my card fell short of the beauty of hers but at least I tried.  Maybe next time I will do better. But I am going to share this card with you anyway and enter it in the Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge for this time around.

I used a white card base. To this base I added two frame dies which were cut in red and blue and then staggered so that a smidge of the blue showed underneath the red frame. They were glued to the white panel.

I also pulled out one of the sets in the Catherine Pooler Beautiful World Collection called All About You Stamp Set which was designed by CAS-ual Fridays. I combined two of the elements to create the sentiment which was stamped in blue and red onto white card stock and then die cut in an oval shape. I also cut two other ovals with one in red and one in blue to stagger for a frame for the sentiment. They were then attached over the staggered frame dies.

Next I took some red, white and blue dotted pattern paper (company unknown) and die cut my flowers. I debated whether I should have used pattern paper but decided as long as I was doing a red, white and blue theme card these would work fine. I did the leaf portion of the die set in blue card stock and the center was die cut in red and then I placed a pearl over that to give a bit of bling. These were all arranged below the die framed sentiment.

Another view will show more of the dimension and details of the card design. For some reason a flat photo always shows a better view.

Since I had some of the pattern paper left I aligned a strip of that onto a red and blue  border and placed that inside the card to tie the front panel to the inside. I think building a connection between the two looks cool on a card.

Cheery Lynn Dies used are:
French Lattice Small Frame FRM 132
Oval-Inverted Scallop XM-9
Oval-Classic XM-7

Die'sire Die:
Lace Bloom

Well, another day is nearly done and once again it is time to fix the evening meal. It seems I never can accomplish much in a day anymore. I guess maybe my age is showing.  I definitely am slowing down.

You have a good evening. I plan to sit in my recliner and watch TV. Or take a nap! That happens a lot too, so maybe it is another sign of old age. Oh, well! Such is life!

Take care and God bless,
Verna

Retiform Card

The Mod Squad Blog Challenge is to make a retiform card. I think I pulled it off.

I used the CAS-UAL FRIDAYS stamp set called Casual Elegance. I used Post-It notes to block off areas and then sponged on various colors and then stamped the leafy designs from the stamp set. I also added a bit of the foliage inside the card too. After I had all of the areas colored I then added a die cut ribbon of black card stock which is from the Cheery Lynn Designs Allison's Ribbons die set. This panel was then added to a black panel and then mounted onto the white card base.

This is again a card that could work for any gender but I have an idea I might use it for a gentleman's card and perhaps as a Father's Day one.

Well, it is early evening and I have not made any evening meal yet so I better clear the deck and get with the program. You have a great night too!

God bless,
Verna

Happy Mother's Day

To all the mothers and motherly friends out there I wish you a wonderful Mother's Day. I used my afternoon to create a poster for my craft room wall featuring some of my favorite cards. I wanted to share it with you too!

That was a fun project. It took me longer to do the photos of each card and print them then it did to assemble the poster together. In case you are wondering it is an 8 1/2 x 11 size poster.

I got cards from my kids and hubby took me out for supper Friday night. Then yesterday he picked me a beautiful bouquet of lilacs. And this morning he made breakfast and gave me a card. What a guy! No wonder I love him! He is so sweet!

Well, enjoy the day and I hope you have a wonderful week as well.

God bless,
Verna

Lots Of Layers

Normally I am usually a few layers type of card maker but I tried to stretch myself to add more layers to this card. I used some of my favorite colors as well for it. I hope you like what I worked up today.

The base card is white card stock. I also made a pattern background using Color Bursts in the blue and purple colors. This was added to the white base and only a thin strip of the white base card showed on the right side. Other photos will show it better I think.

I die cut the butterfly design out on light blue card stock. This was then placed over the Color Burst background. I just love those butterflies. Then along the edge of the butterfly panel I added a double scalloped die cut in white.

The sentiments are from the Gina K. Designs Simply The Best set which was in The Simple Things Stamp TV Kit. They were stamped in violet onto white card stock. I cut this out with a circle die. For a more layered affect I punched two scalloped ovals with a Marvy Uchida punch for the Thinking of You sentiment in blueberry and eggplant and placed them behind the white layer. I also stamped the other sentiment with the violet on white and layered that also onto blueberry and eggplant. White pearls were also added to the butterflies. I thought it dressed the card up a bit more with them.

I think if I counted correctly I ended up with nine layers. That is a lot more than I usually do. But I really like how this turned out. I tried to find card stock that corresponded with the Color Bursts background.

Dies used are:
Cheery Lynn Designs Circle-Classics XM-4
Cheery Lynn Designs Double Scalloped Border B465
Memory Box Reverse Butterfly Collage Style No. 99145

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Stamp TV Kit Addicts Friday Challenge
Scrapy Land Blog Challenge

As always I love to have you visit and I so appreciate all the wonderful comments you leave. I hope you have a great weekend.

God bless,
Verna

Blossoms

I used my MISTI for a good portion of the design on this card. I only used small stamps on acrylic blocks to add accents to the blossoms such as the dots and the veins in the leaves and other small elements. This card is suitable for Mother's Day or for any special occasion such as a birthday, anniversary or graduation when you use a sentiment like this one.

I also added some of the design inside the card in the lower left corner. The stamp set used for the flowers is called Flourish Stamp set and it is from Concord & 9th. I like that the flowers are somewhat interchangeable as to where you add them to the stems and leaf flourish. The sentiment is from a Gina K. Designs set called Birds & Blossoms. And all the inks used are from Gina K. Designs.

I used the Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame Borders for the stamped and black layers. And, the sentiment was stamped in black on white card stock and fussy cut to fit inside the Pierced Banner Die from Cheery Lynn Designs.

Once the card was all assembled I added three black pearls to the upper right corner.

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Mod Squad Blog Challenge
Double D's Blog Challenge
Dies R Us Blog Challenge
Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge

Well, I sure enjoyed doing this card. I love all the colors and how it is such a bright and cheery design. I hope  you liked it too.

Well, it is time to quit for the day and concentrate on the evening meal. I thank you for stopping by and for all the comments.

God bless,
Verna

Floral Congratulations

I made a simple floral designed card which involved lots of stamping for the background and I decided it should be a general congratulations type of card. It is a design that can work for anniversaries, job promotions, graduation, etc.

All the stamps are from Gina K. Designs. Stamp sets used were a single Congratulations stamp set, the little white flower with an orange center from the Simple Flowers set and the rest of the flowers and foliage were from the Made With Love set.

I started out with Peach Bellini card stock for the card base. Then I stamped with lots of different colors using various flowers and foliage randomly all over the card front.

I then added a lovely die tag from the French Collection by Sue Wilson. On this tag I stamped the sentiment and also added some orange rhinestones. I then added some white pearls to the darker red flowers and an orange center to the white flowers with an orange Galaxy pen.

I lined the whole card with a sheet of white copier paper so that it would have a more finished look. Depending on what the occasion will be will be the determination of what I put for the inside verse.

Thanks for stopping in and looking at my Tuesday afternoon card making. I had fun too!

God bless,
Verna

Birds Anniversary

I just learned about a new challenge which involves the use of dies so I worked up a card for that special anniversary edition at the Dies R Us Blog Challenge.  And, the theme is Anniversary so I made my entry into an anniversary card. Congratulations to Dies R Us on their second anniversary.

The only stamp used is the sentiment. It is from the Gina K. Designs The Northwoods set. And, so far I did not put one inside the card because sometimes I do personalized inside verses so I will leave that blank until I figure out for whom I will be giving this card.

The base of the card is an A2 size or 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches. I used white card stock and it was in that base card that I die cut the birds. If you look close you will see that the birds only die cut so far and end up still attached to the base card.

My next step was to place a piece of scratch paper behind the birds and then I took my Zig water color pens and colored in the birds. I made mine into robins. I was then ready to slide the inside blue panel under the birds which I had die cut out using a cross stitched stacker die. But before I slid it under the birds I first added my sun and cloud dies. Oh, and I propped up the wings on the birds with some pop dots. That created more dimension.

Once the blue panel was slid under I then finished off the card by adding a few leaves which were from a Cheery Lynn Die. They were aligned right up with the little brown branches and I really like how that turned out. The sentiment was stamped with black ink on the cloud.

In order to cover up the back side of the bird die inside the card I added a panel of yellow card stock. Not only does it cover up the backside of the die but it gives me a lighter place to add a sentiment and special note.

A photo of the card laying down might show off more of the elements I used to create it. I just took those dies and made a cute little scene.

Dies used are:
Concord & 9th Side Bird Die 10044
Die-Namics Sunny Skies Die
Die-Namics Stitched Cloud Edges
Cheery Lynn Designs Flourish Leaf Strip B178
Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame Borders Style No. 99124

You know I really had fun making this card. And, the bird die came from a company I had never heard of before but one which I will be carefully checking out from now on as they also have stamp sets. I think those birds will be seen on many cards from now on since they can be used in different ways.

Thanks for stopping in and I hope your week is off to a great start. And as always I love to read your comments. They are all so appreciated.

God bless,
Verna