Popsicle Shaker Card

I am finding that I so enjoy making shaker cards now. I even have proper supplies on hand now with more on the way. So I may be posting a lot more from now on. I also look at dies in a whole new way too to see if they would work well on a card of this type. Today I am very proud as to how this one turned out and I wanted to share it with you.

Oh, looking at this card just makes my mouth water for a cool popsicle. And, I chose my favorite flavors of orange, lime and grape. The stamps and die set are from Sunny Studio and is called Perfect Popsicles. The shaker elements are from Doodles Paper Playground and this Sparkle Blend is called Purple Passion.

I took a close up picture so that you can see the beautiful blend of beads and fun sequins in the mix. I had added some light weight purple card stock behind the die cut so that it would look like a grape popsicle. I also added some kraft card stock to the stick area of the die cut popsicle. This card sure makes me think of warmer weather and summer fun!

Well, outside it is windy and chilly today. But in South Dakota we know that the weather can change in a flash from one type to another. So I guess we are used to it. I hope you are having a great Sunday. And, thanks for the visits and comments you leave. They mean so much to me.

God bless,
Verna

Pocket Full of Posies

The challenge at the Mod Squad Challenge is to use flowers on your card or project and then water color them. The sponsor this month is Stamplorations. So I used some scraps and the Stamplorations clear stamp set called Pocket Blooms to make my card. I used Tim Holtz water color paper for my card. I tried to keep my paper from curling but it seems it still has a curve and did not lay quite flat.

I used the Zig Clean Color markers for my water coloring. I stamped onto the card stock using Gina K. Designs Amalgam Jet Black ink using my Misti as with the rougher surface of the water color paper I needed to stamp more then once to get an impression I was satisfied with. I took the Zig pens and scribbled onto a double folded piece of wax paper and then spritzed water on them. Then with a fine detail paint brush I proceeded to color in my image and the white area around it. I then die cut it with a Memory Box Cross Stitched Border die and placed it on another layer of Slate card stock cut with that same die set. I added some black and white twine around the combined layers and then added it to a white card base. Along the sides and the bottom I added strips of striped black and white pattern paper (unknown brand) for contrast. I also added some inside. The sentiment is also from the same stamp set. I wanted to add some splats of black or gray color so I took the paint brush and tapped on it. Again, trying to get a bit of an artistic look to it. I am not sure I achieved that, but I still like this card regardless.

I am also adding this to the Stamplorations Never Ending Anything Goes challenge.

Sunny, warm and windy was the weather today. I got a hair cut this afternoon so I feel quite light in the head. I also did some shopping so I think this evening it will be just a relaxing evening of watching (sleeping) in front of the TV with hubby. Hahaa!

I wish all of you a pleasant evening and I thank you for stopping by to visit and comment.

God bless,
Verna

April Rudolph Days Challenge

Once again it is the time of the month to join the April Rudolph Days Challenge. I went with a CAS card using die cuts and some sequins. I chose to use a snowflake design.

The dies used on this card are:
Memory Box Hanging Evelyn Snowflake
Cheery Lynn Designs B186 Merry Christmas Set

And the snowflake sequins I found at Kat Scrappiness. I thought the snowflake ornament, the sentiment with the snowflakes added and those sequins all worked great together. I placed them all on a duplex navy and white card base. The card was finished by adding a rhinestone gem to each snowflake on the card.

I am also entering this in the Scrapy Land Challenge #88-Anything Goes.

No more snow can be seen around here now. It has all melted with the 60 and 70 degree temps we have enjoyed most days. Yesterday was a rainy one but today it is nice and warm again. I hope the Spring has finally arrived in your area too. And, it was so nice of you to visit me and leave such lovely comments.

God bless,
Verna

Shower Shaker

I was in need of a shower card for a young lady who is getting married soon. I struggled with this type of card until I found this cute designer paper and decided that it would work well for my card and could in fact, work for either a bridal shower or a baby shower. And, I also found some sentiments that worked great with it too. Inside I added a cut out portion of the pattern paper and another sentiment from the Enjoy the Sunshine Kit.

The pattern paper is from the Gina K. Designs Spring Parade pack. And the sentiments are from the Gina K. Designs Enjoy The Sunshine Kit. I stamped the sentiment inside the shaker which was framed with a cutting of several layers of  MFT Die-namics Single Stitch Line Circle Frame dies. Inside the shaker I added various elements from my Mom's stash of confetti designs.

As I mentioned before I had no sequin mixes for shakers so I resorted to checking into my box of goodies I inherited. But I will soon be having proper shaker elements to use in my cards as I finally placed an order for some sequin mixes.

Also required for the bridal shower was for each person to include a recipe. So I even decorated my recipe card using a stamp from Embossing Arts in the corner and along the top I added a swirly designed stamp from Gina K. Designs.

Along with the recipe card and card will be a gift of money for the bride-to-be to spend anyway she wishes.

Well, today we are cloudy and having a few showers of rain. It is still a fairly warm temperature but since it is windy it doesn't feel that way. So I am staying inside and might work on a card or two as well. I hope your day is going great and thanks for the visit and lovely comments.

God bless,
Verna

Graduation Card

Well, the graduation announcements are starting to arrive so I figured I had better start working up a few cards for that occasion. For this card I used stamps from the Sparkle N Sprinkle Stamp Set 435-Graduation.

After I stamped the background and colored it I sponged lightly around the edges with some light turquoise ink. Next I layered it to some Slate colored card stock. I also stamped the center panel and added the words before sponging around the edges of that. I also placed that on a layer of the Slate card stock. All were added to a white card base. I added the diploma which I fussy cut and popped up onto the center sentiment panel. Last I placed some rhinestones onto the center panel.

The pens I used to color the background in were from a set of Sharpie Fine Point pens that I got for Christmas from my daughter. I really like these and know I will be using them a lot for some straight coloring projects.

I am entering this in the Words Art Wednesday challenge #332-#333 Anything Goes..

Well, we are having sunshine and warmer temperatures and it sure makes one feel more energetic and less blah feeling! So that is a great thing. I hope the sun is shining for you as well. Thanks for visiting and until next time take care.

God bless,
Verna

Square Birthday Card

I wanted to enter a card into the Mod Squad Challenge which calls for a birthday theme but the extra rule is that you have to add a balloon to the design. I decided since I had my wreath builder template out I would try to do a card using that method and I ended  up with a very different look then I had anticipated but it is gradually growing on me.

I used images from the Gina K. Designs Scooter Diva set for the balloon and presents. And, the circle frame and the sentiment is from the Wreath Builder stamp set. I die cut the circle frame and the orange layer with Gina K. Designs small and large stitched dies. I colored the balloons and gifts designs with Bic Mark-It pens.

I got this birthday card done yesterday evening and then later on I read a message where we were invited to attend a birthday party for a cousin of Arlin's. So this will be a card for that occasion.

Well, I hope you are having a happy Friday. The weekend arrives too soon each week. And, my Friday will be spent getting ready for company that is arriving Saturday morning. I thank all of you for your visits and comments and I hope your weekend is a great one.

God bless,
Verna

Springtime Friendship

Today I used up some scraps of card stock and using the Gina K. Designs Wreath Builder template and Wreath Builder stamp set made a square card. Normally, I don't use square cards but this will fit into an A2 size envelope so I decided to make one anyway.

The center circle frame design I die cut with a Cheery Lynn Designs small circle die set. It worked perfectly for that stamped frame. And, the sentiment was made so that it would fit right into that frame as well.

I love the flowers which are always a great reminder to me of Spring. And, the colors were chosen by whatever scraps I found to use. But sometimes that works out quite well and in this case, I think very much so.

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Double D's Challenge-Friendship
Dies R Us Challenge #95-Springtime

Thanks for the visit and for the wonderful comment. The latest round of snow missed us so we feel quite blessed about that. And, it sounds like things will be warming up now. That really makes me happy! I hope the weather is improving for all of you as well.

God bless,
Verna

Double Slider Motion Card

I had to laugh. When I told my hubby I was making a double slider he immediately thought of hamburgers. But, no, this is not a hamburger, but instead it is an animation card I made from a new die set and stamp set from Motion Crafts by Uchi's Design. The stamp set I used is called Hello Friend.

Here is the way the card looks closed. I am not saying it is perfect as I think I misaligned some of the dies but I was still able to make it work well enough that I was satisfied.

The next photo shows how it looks when the sliders are pulled out.

And this third photo shows the way I did the inside. All of the images and sentiments are from the Hello Friends stamp set which is so handy. It makes it much easier to design a card with that feature.

The pattern paper I chose is some I had for a long time and it is from a pad by Die Cuts With a View. I really had to search for some pattern paper that was big enough and luckily these pads were 8 x 8 so they worked just fine.

I am entering this in the Dies R Us Challenge #95-Spring Time. I know a lot of the critters are coming out and being more visible in the Springtime. And I loved the Spring Green color in this pattern paper.It goes so well with the navy color. 

Well, that was my afternoon activity. It involved a lot of running back and forth to the computer to view the video showing how it was done. But I think I have a much better idea on how to do it now. 

Thanks so much for your visit. I love to see all the wonderful comments you leave too. Have a great evening now!

God bless,

Verna

April Twofer Challenge #4

Before the newest round of April snowstorms blocks my internet I thought I best get the Twofers posted as no doubt with the predicted 12+ inches of snow it most likely will take care of the internet and TV. Oh, one of the joys of country living. I hope we don't loose electric power too!

Anyway, the theme this time for the Twofer Challenge #4 is Pets.  We have only a dog and lots of barn cats. When I say lots, I mean LOTS! In fact, one of my daughters calls it a Herd of Cats. And, my hubby is usually the one who feeds them in the barn area and if he is not out there when they think he should be they come up the driveway from the barn and sit and wait outside our kitchen door.

For the barn scene I used an old wood mounted stamp from Stampendous for the background. I colored it with a combination of Bic Markers and Copics. Then I  used the cats from Gina K. Designs in the foreground of the scene. I thought this depicted them sitting and waiting for their master to show up and feed them. This will eventually be a birthday card for my hubby!

My next card used one of the same cat images on it and I combined it with some Halloween elements to create a Happy Halloween card. I sure struggled trying to get my cat to look black but still be able to see the features of it. I finally after several attempts settled on this one. And, the pumpkin I made into a Jack O' Lantern. I never was very artistic when it came to hand carving a pumpkin and the face hand drawn on this one looks like a Grumpy Gus. LOL But it is what it is. The cat and pumpkin images are from Gina K. Designs and the sentiment, spider and web are from a set by Rosewood Stamps. I added them all to a wood grain background that I made by taking a score board, added lines and then swiped my ink pad down it until I felt it looked okay.

If you get a chance, I encourage you to join in on the fun of the Twofer Challenge that Darnell Knaus has sponsored. It sure is a fun thing and having a theme to follow is always an incentive to be creative.

Well, the first flakes are falling so I guess the fun will begin with another snow storm. Just in time for the weekend again. But I guess we do need moisture so I won't complain too much as long as we can stay warm and safe inside. I wish all of you a great weekend and I thank you for the visit and wonderful comments.

God bless,
Verna

Xavier Zebra

I made another simple little scene card using the Gina K. Designs Xavier Zebra stamp set and the masking technique. It reminds me of Spring too with that pretty flower I added. I am entering this into the Mod Squad Challenge-Simply Clean.

I think he is so cute and the first time I saw this set and little cutie I started to smile. He sure makes a cheery card. Once I had my panel stamped and colored with some Bic Markers I then die cut it with a Cottage Cutz Double Stitched Die. I layered it to a panel of black card stock and then onto a white card base.

Well, no snow yet but sounds like in the morning (Sunday) we are to start in again with more Winter type weather. They predict 5-8 inches. I guess time will tell if that will be the case. But we are still having very cold weather yet. Last night the temps got down into the single digits again. I hope wherever you are that you can stay warm and cozy. Thanks for the visit and lovely comments.

God bless,
Verna

Simply Clean

I just had to join in at the Mod Squad Challenge called Simply Clean. So for that challenge I chose to do a sponged oval design (used a negative die cut) and added some color to it on my card panel. Then I simply stamped the silhouette images in with black ink. I used my MISTI to do this which made it easier on my arm which is gradually getting better each day.

I die cut the stamped panel out with a My Favorite Things die from the Blueprint 29 set. I then layered it to black card stock before placing it on a peach colored card base. The stamps used are from Gina K. Designs Window of Wishes set and the Doodle Sayings set.

This little scene reminds me of all the birds that are slowly returning to our area after being absent this winter. I am so glad you stopped by and I love the comments you leave me.  Have a great day!

God bless,
Verna

Fancy Flowers

I did a fairly quick design using a masking technique and the Fancy Flowers set from Gina K. Designs. I used all inks from Gina K. Designs too.

Once I had the stamping done I then die cut the focal panel with a beautiful die from Gina Marie. I just love the edging on that die. I then added some black and white twine and placed it on a white card base.

I am entering this in the Double D Challenge which calls for the use of twine on the card.

I hope all had a great Easter. We certainly did and especially enjoyed playing Pass The Baby. I think everyone took turns holding Jack. You just know he was the hit of the party! 

Sorry I was a bit slow on making any cards or blog posts. Apparently I over did it with my one arm when cleaning and scrubbing and it has been really bothering me. Of course, having snow storms doesn't help matters either. But it is slowly getting better especially after I use it for a while. In the morning is the worst time for it hurting.

Well, thanks for you visit and I so appreciate all the wonderful comments.

God bless,

Verna

Happy Easter!

We have a risen Savior! Praise the Lord! The cross is empty and the tomb is open! And the price is paid for all of us sinners. We just need to believe.

I used the Darice embossing folder called Crosses and the stitched rectangle die from the My Favorite Things Blueprint 29 and the Top Dog Dies cross die. Top Dog Dies is no longer in business.

God bless you and Happy Easter everyone!

Verna