Lavender Sympathy Card

Since I am still short on sympathy cards I decided to make a CAS one and enter it into the Gina K. Designs February Release challenge. The deadline is midnight so I am getting it in under the wire so to speak. I used stamps from the Flowers & Frames TV Kit. That kit also had dies so I die cut the leaves and the rose for my focal image. And, I also used a Gina K. Designs Small Circle die too. All the card stock and inks used are also from Gina K. Designs.

I originally was going to use several rose blooms but I accidentally dropped the largest one on top of the leaves when they were just sitting there and I decided that was a very pretty arrangement already. So I went with it. That stamp set is a multi step one so I used three shades of inks from the purple family for the roses and two shades of green for the leaves.

Thanks for stopping in. I had no idea I would get two cards made today but that is fine. It is always nice to have a productive afternoon.

God bless,
Verna

Black & White

Ever since I purchased a Gina K. Designs die called Birds & Branches I wanted to make a card using it. The first time I die cut it out I colored it in but the more I looked at the white version of it the more I liked that better and by placing it against a black card base I loved it even more.  I think it works for a great CAS design using the die as the focal image. I added a white embossed sentiment from a Gina K. Designs stamp set called Massive Messages and used her white detail embossing powder to emboss it. The last item added to the outer design was some pearls from Eyelet Outlet.

I added an extra portion of the die cut branches along with the original in the left upper corner. It is a large die so a bit of each edge was cut off so that I could fit it to my card.

Inside the card I went the opposite way and stamped some branches in black onto white card stock and also the sentiment. These branches and the sentiment are from the Whimsical Spring stamp set. Of course, I used my MISTI for the stamping and to add the die cut designs I used the new glue from Gina K. Designs called Connect. I really love that glue and it works so well for adding layers and dies.

I think this may work great for a masculine birthday card. So that will no doubt be the way I use it. I am in need of a couple of them for March.

Well, that does it for me today. It was a fun afternoon project to do. I hope your week is off to a good start. And, thanks for visiting!

God bless,
Verna

Rudolph Days Challenge-February 2018

The very first time I saw a card made with this Stamplorations stamp set I knew I wanted to own it. And, not long afterwards I won a gift certificate and decided to put this in my cart for purchase. It seems there were lots of others who loved the set too as it was out of stock. I was so glad the GC was good for a year so I waited patiently (not) until it was once again in stock and then I ordered it. It is from The Bees Knees line and is called Layered Holly. I love the big sentiments too.

I used Gina K. Designs Grass Green, Lipstick and black ink to stamp the design. And, I love that the layers are purposely off kilter as I think that is such an artistic look. I really love the way this looks. I also used Gina K. Designs White and Lipstick card stock for the card. So very easy to do and with the aid of my MISTI I was able to do multiple stampings to get a good color and impression.

Anyway, this is my offering for the Rudolph Days Challenge-February 2018. If you don't know, this is a challenge for Christmas card designs only. I thought it a good way to get a few basic designs down pat for future use. I know this one will be used often as it works up so quickly and ends up looking great besides.

I am also entering this in the Stamplorations CAS Challenge and The Never Ending-Anything Goes challenge.

Thanks so much for your visit and for you wonderful comments. Until next time, take care!

God bless,
Verna

Milton

I recently learned of a new company called White Rose Crafts that sells stamps from Europe which are shipped from the United States and they had some really darling images. One set I particularly liked was a Wild Rose Studio stamp set called Milton. Milton is a darling bear image and on this particular set he is huge. I only make A2  (5 1/2" x 4 1/4") cards so a portion of the design had to be cut off. But even so this made into a beautiful card design. And I think that is the cutest bear image and gorgeous flowers he is holding. The set also includes more floral images and also sentiments.

I used my Misti to stamp this big image as I just knew with my arthritis in my hands I might not get it dark enough the first time. I was right as it took another stamping to get it the way I wanted.  I also did a water coloring of this design using Gina K. Designs inks and water mixed together. I took my little stamp cubes and swiped some of the color onto waxed paper, took a spritzer and added water and then picked up the color with my fine brush. This allowed for me to get a more softer look and I love it. 

I added this panel to a Gina K. Designs Dusty Rose card base. For the sentiment I used Versafine black ink and stamped it onto white card stock. I then used a Cheery Lynn Designs oval die and cut it out. I cut another oval out with Dusty Rose paper for a frame and then popped the sentiment up onto my card panel with some Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares.  And, that is the way I made this card.

I am entering this card into the following:
Mod Squad Blog Challenge-Animals
Double D's Blog Challenge-Woodland Creatures

Well, that will do me this week. I more then likely will take the weekend off from stamping and making cards unless the mood hits me again before Monday. Hahaa! One never knows! Regardless though I hope your weekend is a great one. Thanks for the visits and comments too.

God bless,
Verna

Baptism Card

Our little Jack will be baptized in March so I was debating on how to make a card for his special day. I finally decided to go fairly clean and simple with the design and I really love the way it looks now. I used the Sparkle N Sprinkle Stamp Set 362 Crosses.

First I took white card stock and used an anti-static pad to remove any moisture and oils from handling it. Then with a Versamark clear ink pad I stamped the cross onto this card stock panel. I added Sparkle N Sprinkle Gold Detail (EP168) embossing powder and then heat set that. With two shades of blue I colored in this gold cross with some Bic alcohol ink markers.

My next step was to die cut this cross out with a Gina K. Designs Small Double Stitched circle die and I also die cut a Gina K. Designs Large Single Stiched circle die for the blue layer around it. I set these aside and then used a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder to make a pattern on a piece of white card stock. I cut that embossed panel to the size I wanted and then added that to a layer of blue card stock.

For the sentiment I stamped it with black Versafine ink onto white card stock and after fussy cutting it I layered that to  blue card stock. I assembled the various layers onto a white card base, The circle was popped up but I left a bit of room so that I could slide one end of the sentiment underneath it. The last addition to my card was to add a small blue and white gingham ribbon.

Well, we are getting snow. Sounds like we are in for quite an accumulation too. I so wish it was a nice soft spring rain with warm enough temps to not freeze instead of snow. I guess I am never satisfied. But I thank the Lord regardless for the moisture we are getting.

I hope you had a great week. It seems the days just fly by. I can hardly believe the weekend begins again tomorrow.  Thanks always for your visits and wonderful words about my cards. I very much appreciate them.

God bless,
Verna

Deer Sympathy

I made another sympathy card and went with a more masculine style. I chose to use an old wood mounted stamp set that I purchased many years ago called Doe and Fawn and was made by Stampabilities.

I stamped the image onto Gina K. Designs heavy weight white card stock using brown ink. Then with various colors of brown I swiped the ink pad onto some wax paper and then spritzed with water to make a watered out brown. I used a fine paint brush to add extra brown color to the deer and fawn. For the grass I did the same technique of water coloring only using some Memento green ink and a few swipes of brown. And, the last water coloring I did was add watered out blue shades for the sky using Gina K. Designs inks. I filled in the nose and eyes on the fawn and doe with a black fine line permanent marker from Zig.

When I was satisfied with my little painted scene I then die cut it with a Gina K. Designs small double stitched rectangle die. I also die cut a Gina K. Designs single stitched edged rectangle die from black card stock to make a layer. These two stacked rectangle layers were then placed onto a Spellbinder die frame called Polka Dots. The last step with my design was then to add these layers to a white card base.

I am not much of a water color artist but since most of the details are so well defined with this stamp image it was fairly easy to get the look I wanted. The sentiment I added is from Gina K. Designs.

I just love to use deer on my cards as we always have them roaming around a lot here. Almost every night they are grazing in our fields or running through the yard. And, that keeps our dog on patrol as well during the night and she is always barking up a storm. I am so thankful I have gotten used to her constant barking or I would not get a wink of sleep. We do get complaints from guests however. Haahaa!

I decided to enter this card design into the Double D's Challenge-Woodland Creatures. It should qualify.

Well, thanks to all who have come to visit and I hope that your week is going well. I love to see all the wonderful comments you leave too.

God bless,
Verna

Sympathy Card

Today I used some NBUS (never before used schtuff) which was a tea rose die set and along with some other dies and a stamp created a sympathy card. It seems I am short on that type of card again so thought I best get some added to my stash.

The sentiment was stamped onto white card stock and then was die cut with an oval die. Another oval die was used for a layer. And, the background was a leafy vine design which I thought would look great and be a compliment to the flowers. The card base was using plain white card stock.

I used complimentary Memento inks and sponged the background and also on the flowers and leaves. I thought it added a lot to make them appear more realistic. Once the flowers were assembled I added a gold rhinestone to each center.

The sentiment is from A Jillian Vance Design Simply Said: Sympathy stamp set. I love that big sentiment and I also used another sentiment inside the card.

Dies used:
Gina K. Designs: Small and Large Oval Die Sets
Impression Obsession: Lg. Flourish Background
Cheery Lynn Designs: B436 Tea Rose Medium

The white and green card stocks are from Gina K. Designs and the purple is from Stampin' Up!

I will add this design to the Scrapy Land Challenge #84-Anything Goes.

Jack Update:
Our sweet Jack came home Sunday afternoon from the NICU and we took his big sister Anna to their home as she had been spending the weekend with us. So now they are getting adjusted to being a family again. We are so happy for them and for us too!

Thanks so much for your visit and lovely comments. Also thanks for all the good wishes and prayers for Jack. They meant so much to all of us.

God bless,
Verna

Peaceful Winter

I thought I would join in on the Mod Squad Blog Challenge in which the theme is Winter. So using Kitchen Sink Stamps I made this simple little scene.

Stamp sets from Kitchen Sink Stamps were Multi Step-Tree Friends, Multi Step-Snowy Pine Trees and the Greetings From The Woods. I sponged on my sky line first using Andirondack Lights Cloudy Blue and Gina K. Designs Ocean Mist. Then the trees were stamped with Gina K. Designs Moonlit Fog, Jelly Bean Green and Grass Green. The deer were stamped with Gina K. Designs Kraft and the sentiment was done with Gina K. Designs Lipstick. I used Versafine Onyx Black ink for the birds. The whole scene was placed on a White card stock panel and then layered onto Lipstick card stock before adding it to a White card base. All the card stock is from Gina K. Designs. The focal panel was die cut with a Memory Box Cross Stitched Border die.

A very simple scene but it really depicts winter in a lot of areas. Thanks for visiting and for your lovely comments always. I hope all of you are having a great week.

God bless,
Verna

February Twofer-Hearts

I had so much fun last month so I decided to join in on the Twofer Card Challenge #2 for February using hearts in two different kinds of cards.

The hearts I used on my cards are from the Gina K. Designs Small Double Stitched Circle die. With that set is a nice fun open heart design which when die cut leaves an open heart and a solid heart.

Using these hearts I made a golden anniversary card. I used a sentiment from Tonic Studios which was cut from gold glitter paper from Stampin' Up! I also used ivory card stock for the base and the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossed panel. On the Swiss Dots panel I added my glittery sentiment and the open part of the hearts and made them to look like two heart rings joined together. I framed the panel then with a My Favorite Things Die-Namic Stitched Rectangle Scalloped Frame using the glitter paper as well.

The Thinking of You card also used those same heart dies but they were instead cut from scraps of pattern paper and card stock and made to look like butterflies. The Gina K. Designs Large Single Stitched oval die was cut from white card stock and then onto that surface was stamped the sentiment from Gina K. Designs. Next on that same oval panel I added the butterflies and used some gems to add the body to each. The antlers were hand drawn by me. This was all added to a black card stock base. And in each corner of the card I added a decorative die from Cheery Lynn Designs.

I am not really into a card making mood but I found it does help me keep my mind off my little grandson who is getting some better but still has some breathing issues. But I guess as long as he making progress that is a good thing. He is still in the NICU at this time. 

Thanks for your visits and also for all the good wishes and prayers for Jack. I so appreciate each of you. 

God bless,

Verna

Non-Traditional Valentine and Jack

Once again I have pulled out the Geo Thanks set from Gina K. Designs and used that geometric heart design to create a valentine in non-traditional colors. I stamped the heart with a Hero Arts Ombre Meadow ink pad and then added the outline image with Versafine Black ink. I used some pattern paper from My Favorite Things and card stock from Gina K. Designs.

After placing all the panels on and the hearts I then finished the card by adding some sequins. And thanks to my Mom I did find a few sequins. She was a great crafter and after she died I kept a few of the items I thought might work on cards. I am so glad I did as the green sequins worked great with my design.

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Mod Squad Blog Challenge-Have a Heart
Double D Challenges-Sequins

Baby Update:
Well our little grandson Jack arrived Wednesday morning and his big sister Anna says "He's so cute". But the little guy is having some health issues with breathing. I think this often happens with a C-section birth but even still we and his parents are very concerned. He has been taken to a larger hospital where we are hoping they can get him on a normal breathing pattern. So I am hoping I can count on you who are prayer warriors to keep him on the prayer chain.

Here are a few pictures and the first one is Jack right after he was delivered.

Next is his big sister Anna who was visiting him. She is so proud of him and loves him already.

And lastly here is Grandpa and Grandma who both got to hold him for a little while. And we certainly agree with Anna as to how cute he is. But then we may be a bit biased. LOL

Thanks so much for your visits and comments and your prayers that all will be okay for Jack in a few days. We so appreciate all of you.

God bless,
Verna

Artsy Valentine

Once again I pulled out the Gina K. Designs Geo Thanks stamp set which is illustrated by Claire Brennan. I just am so enthused about those images and since I was short of a valentine card yet I used it to create a card and a matching envelope.  I confess normally I don't decorate my envelopes but I was challenged to do it so this time my envelope has some design on it.

The sentiment is from the same stamp set and was inked up with Versafine black ink. I also used that same black ink on the hearts and flower outlines. I never seem to get all the black outlines to match up every time but I think that only adds to the artful look of the images. And, if I am satisfied then it is always a "go" for me to make use of the end results.

For the die cut layers I used both the large and small sets of Gina K. Designs stitched rectangle dies. I sponged on the colors of the ombre pad, die cut it and then layered it to black.  I also used Gina K. Designs gingham ribbon. The hearts and blossoms on the flowers were inked up with a Hero Arts Ombre Spring stamp pad and the leaves were inked up with Gina K. Designs Grass Green ink pad. The last addition was to add a few black rhinestone gems to the card panel.

Well, I hope to get all my valentines in the mail tomorrow as I might be preoccupied otherwise with welcoming a new grandson into the world. He is due any day now and when we hear about that no doubt we will be going to visit him and his family. So if I am missing for a bit it could be due to that. I can hardly wait and hope all goes well with his delivery.

Well, everyone have a great day. And, thanks for coming by.

God bless,
Verna