Monochrome Ladies

Hi Friends!

I am sharing a card this evening that was designed using retired Stampin’ Up! sets, Blessings from Heaven and Timeless Textures along with Crafty Individuals Love Letter Ladies stamp set.

I am slowly working my way through the over 800 sketches at Splitcoaststampers (a personal goal) and this card uses the SC123 Sketch for the layout.

I am also participating with the Stinkin’ Inkers August “Monochrome” Challenge along with the INKspirational #219 Word Prompt “Face” Challenge.

I hope you have had the chance to check out the above challenge sites, gorgeous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

De-static a piece of vanilla cardstock with an embossing powder tool, ink the Love Letter Ladies images with a black archival ink, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.

Once the embossing has cooled, use brushed corduroy ink to watercolor and distress the images, allow to dry and trim close to the edges of each image to create four separate squares.

Mount each square onto black cardstock, trim close to the edge.

Using an acetate envelope (slit open on the side so you can open like a book), tap brushed corduroy ink into the center of the envelope (on one side of the flap), lightly spritz, insert a piece of vanilla cardstock (approx. 4 x 5 ¼”) into the envelope, close the inked flap and “smoosh” the ink over the cardstock. 

Dry the panel with a heat tool, ink and stamp the Timeless Textures image with vintage tea archival ink.

De-static the lower part of the card front, ink the sentiment from Blessings from Heaven with archival black ink, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.

Mount onto a piece of black cardstock, add a strip of ½” black seam binding (wrapping the ends behind the panel). 

Mount the entire panel onto a white card base, sponge brushed corduroy ink over the edges.

Add the stamped squares with chipboard (or dimensional foam) and adhere the black seam binding bow to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Blessings from Heaven, Timeless Textures (retired Stampin’ Up!), Love Letter Ladies (Crafty Individuals)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black; Tim Holtz® Brushed Corduroy Distress and Vintage Tea Archival

Paper/Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Basic Black

Accessories/Tools: Embossing Buddy®, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, AquaPainter™, ½” Black Seam Binding, Acetate Envelope

Thanks again for taking the time to visit- I hope you have a fabulous week!

Cast Thy Burden

Hi Friends!

I am finally able to get caught up (a little bit) with posting the cards that I have designed this past week :-)

This card was created with the retired Stampin’ Up! (SU) Countryside and Blessings from Heaven stamp sets along with retired SU Designer Series Paper from my massive stash, lol!

As I have also shared in previous posts, in addition to trying to use older stamps and “stuff” (as my hubby calls it, lovingly) in my designs, I am also trying to create a card for each of the over 800 sketches at Splitcoaststampers.

For this card, I incorporated the Splitcoaststampers SC112 Sketch Challenge (this sketch is from 2007) for the layout along with the Splitcoaststampers CC755 Color Challenge (including the dessert option of plaid) into the design.  

I am also participating with the SUO Challenges #254 Coloring Challenge along with a new to me challenge site, Craft Rocket #72 “For the Men/Boys”.

To create this card:

If you have the stamp image (which I do but used the digi version for this card), you can ink the image using a waterproof black ink and stamp onto white paper.  FYI- This image was one I found in my stash during my re-organization process.  Once I had imported the Countryside truck digi image into the retired My Digital Studio™ program, I enlarged it a bit before printing out onto white cardstock.  Usually when I print digital images, I print a few extra to have on hand and this image was in my stash just waiting to be colored, lol!

Use Stampin’ Write water-based markers and watercolor pencils to watercolor the truck and grass areas,  Use a basic black watercolor pencil to add the darker clouds (for this I actually scribbled the pencil onto my craft mat, added a bit of water to dilute before creating the cloudy sky).

Trim the truck image by hand, mount onto black cardstock and create the little photo corners (I created these by hand as well, cut a small square diagonally and snip to create the corners).  Add the retired black brads and set aside.

Stamp the sentiment from Blessings from Heaven onto the lower right of a piece of 4” x 5 ¼” white cardstock.  

Layer a piece of green designer paper (very old SU hostess level I paper- do you remember that?) onto the top half of the panel.

Mount the plaid designer paper onto black cardstock, trim close to the edges and add to the background panel.  Trim the entire panel and mount onto black cardstock, trim close to the edge before mounting onto the A2 (4 ¼” x 5 ½”) white card base.

Add the truck image using chipboard or dimensional foam.

Using a black Sharpie®, color the Rhinestones before adhering to the card front (hopefully this touch would be still considered masculine, lol!)

Stamp Sets: Countryside (retired digi image- Stampin’ Up!), Blessings from Heaven (retired Stampn’ Up!)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Printer Ink- Black, Stampin’ Write Markers- Granny Apple Red, Call Me Clover, Real Red; Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Pencils- Real Red, Basic Black; black Sharpie®

Paper/Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, retired Pear Pizzazz (Hostess Level I pack), retired Warmth Designer Series Paper

Accessories/Tools: AquaPainter™, Heat Tool, Rhinestones, Black Brads

Thanks again for taking the time to visit- I hope all of you have a creative week!

A Day At the Beach

Hi Friends!

I hope all of you had a great weekend! Today I am sharing a card that was designed with the retired Stampin’ Up! Summer by the Sea and Blessings from Heaven. 

I am making a concentrated effort to use my "unloved" stamps and supplies and incorporated some scrap pieces of designer paper and cardstock as well.

I also have a personal challenge to create a card for all of the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenges (over 800 sketches and they do not expire- here is the link to all of their sketches). 

I decided to use the SC252 Sketch for the layout on this card (this sketch was from 2009).

Since I also love to participate with online challenges, I am linking this card to the Simon Says Monday “A Day At The Beach” Challenge along with Try It OnTuesday “Summertime” Challenge and the TGIF Challenge!  #274 "Paper Scraps!" (I used a few scraps of the retired Epic Day This 'n That designer paper for the embossed panels and bits of black cardstock to create the photo corners).

If you have not had  a chance to check out the challenge sites yet, I hope you will do so- fabulous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

Ink the Summer by the Sea image with Versamark™ Onyx Black, stamp onto white cardstock, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.

Once the image has cooled, watercolor with water-based markers and distress oxide ink.

Die cut with a stitched square die, mount onto black cardstock.  Using scraps of black cardstock, create the photo corners and add to the corners (I created these by hand- cut a square in half on diagonal, and trim to create the edges and center).

De-static a piece of white cardstock with an embossing powder tool, stamp the sentiment from Blessings from Heaven with Versamark™ Onyx Black, stamp onto white cardstock, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.  Trim the panel and mount onto black cardstock.

Emboss a few pieces of scrap designer paper with a lattice embossing folder, trim and mount onto black cardstock.

Add the layered cardstock panels to the background panel, mount the focal image with chipboard (or dimensional foam) and add a few black rhinestones near the sentiment.

Using a clear glitter pen, add shimmer to the water and sand to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Summer By The Sea, Blessings from Heaven (retired Stampin’ Up!)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Stampin’ Write Markers- Calyspo Coral, Early Espresso, Pool Party, Soft Suede, Pretty in Pink; Tim Holtz™ Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide; Clear Glitter Pen

Paper/Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, retired Epic Day This ‘n That designer series paper

Accessories/Tools: Gemini, Jr™, retired Square Lattice Embossing Folder (Stampin’ Up!), My Favorite Things™ Stitched Square Dies, Embossing Buddy®, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Black Rhinestones

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by- I hope all of you have a wonderful week!

Cast Thy Burden

Hi Friends!

This evening I am sharing a card that was designed with the retired Stampin’ Up! sets, The Wilderness Awaits and Blessings from Heaven.  I have not used either one of these stamps in quite a while :-)

Unfortunately, I needed a few more sympathy cards for my stash and thought that this image looks so peaceful and would be appropriate for a sympathy card.

I incorporated the Splitcoaststampers SC148 Sketch Challenge for the layout and will also be participating  for the SUO Challenges #253 "Animals" Challenge, the Watercoolor Wednesday #279 "Helen's Challenge: All About Occasions" and the Word Art Wednesday #446-#447 "Anything Goes" Challenge.

If you have not had chance to check out the above challenge sites yet, I hope you will do so- fabulous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

Ink the fox image Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink, stamp onto white cardstock and heat set with a heat tool.

Using ink from ink pads and water-based markers (see colors below), watercolor the image.

Die cut with a stitched rectangle die, mount onto black cardstock, trim close to the edge.

Add a scrap piece of black cardstock on the back of a piece of green designer paper, adhere to a piece of white cardstock and mount the entire panel onto a piece of black cardstock.  Trim close to the edge and adhere to a white card base.

Stamp the sentiment from Blessings from Heaven using Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink onto the card front in the lower right hand corner. 

Add the fox image using dimensional foam to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: The Wilderness Awaits, Blessings from Heaven (both retired Stampin’ Up!)

Ink/Mediums: Memento™ Tuxedo Black, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive Classic Ink; Stampin’ Write Markers- Pool Party, Melon Mambo, Mossy Meadow, Pretty in Pink, Gray Granite, Smoky Slate

Cardstock/Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black; retired Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper

Accessories: Gemini, Jr.™, Stitched Rectangle Dies,  AquaPainter™, Heat Tool

Thanks again for taking the time to drop by- I will be sharing a few more cards this weekend and hope you can visit again soon!

Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord

Hi Friends!

I pray that all of you are staying safe and well with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.  One benefit of being retired is that we stay home most days throughout the week unless we have an appointment, and of course, church activities primarily on Sunday. 

I am thankful that my husband and I have both accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, so we know the One Who holds the Future!  Therefore, we are being cautious but not fearful and I have peace knowing that "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain"  (Phil 1:21- one of my favorite verses).

As I hope all of you are doing, we are also taking precautions with being careful regarding hand shaking, and of course, washing our hands more frequently than normal!   

In the meantime, I am still trying to ink up some of my stamps that have not seen ink in a while as well as use some of my other supplies.   I have been stamping like crazy and am having fun, but unfortunately, I am not the quickest typist in the world and it seems to me that posting to my blog takes so much time, lol!  

I now have over fifty different cards photographed and ready to share, so I need to get busy posting!

So, in an effort to post the many cards that I need to post, I am going to try to simplify my normal “step by step” process.  

I originally started my blog ten years ago in an effort to help newcomers learn the techniques and steps needed to create a card, but I believe that most of you that visit my blog are now “experienced”.  If you have a question on any of the steps taken, please ask in the comments and I will give you more details.

Tonight I am sharing a card that I designed using the retired Stampin’ Up! sets, Countryside and Blessings from Heaven along with the SU! Warmth and Wonder designer series paper stack. 

I have not inked up either of these sets in a while and while I had them out, I stamped several of the truck images for future cards (I need to replenish my masculine card stash).

Many of you that follow my blog also know that I am also working my way through the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenges (in my personal effort to create a card for each of their 790+ sketches ) and used the SC106 Sketch for the layout.

In addition to the SCS Sketch, I am participating with the SUO Challenges #244 “Coloring” Challenge, the Cards 4 Guyz #240 “Something that starts with an “F”” Challenge (“F”= Farm Truck, Farm Apples sign) and the Simon Says Wednesday “Use Some Green” Challenge.

To create this card:

The images were stamped with an archival black ink and the truck was water colored with pencils and markers.  The plaid background panel was embossed with an embossing folder and a few rhinestones were added to finish off the card (see all items used below).

Stamp Sets: Countryside, Blessings from Heaven  (both retired Stampin’ Up!)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black; Stampin’ Write Markers- Granny Apple Green, Call Me Clover, Real Red, Smoky Slate; Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Pencils- Real Red, Basic Black; Clear Wink of Stella™

Cardstock/Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black, retired Warmth & Wonder Designer Series Paper Pack (all Stampin’ Up!)

Accessories: AquaPainter™, Heat Tool, Big Shot™, retired Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Black Rhinestones

Thanks again for taking the time to visit my blog- I hope all of have a wonderful and healthy week, sweet friends!

Two Horses for Two Special Young Ladies :-)

Hi Stampers! 

It has been a busy weekend for me as I was having fun designing and creating cards for several people on our prayer list along with our Awana ministry.

I created two cards using the same stamp set for the horse image for two special 6th grade Awana girls.  They both completed their Timothy Awards and have been so sweet to have in our club for the last two years :-)  They will be "moving up" but I should still be able to see them occasionally on club night- I will miss spending time with them each week for sure!   

I incorporated the Splitcoaststampers’ CC532 "Coastal Old Vanilla" Color Challenge with "dessert" :-) (see details here and gallery here) for both cards  and the first card uses the SC530 Sketch Challenge (see details here and gallery here) and the SC538 Sketch Challenge (see details here and gallery here) was used for the second card (modified both sketches a bit :-).

If you have not had a chance to do so, I hope you will find the time to visit the Splitcoaststampers’ galleries to check out all of the inspiration from the color and sketch challenges!

Shared steps to create both cards:

Ink the Inkadinkado® horse image from the Horses stamp set using Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink and stamp onto two pieces of Very Vanilla cardstock.

Color the horse image with Faber-Castell® Polychromos Black colored pencil, the grass with the Stampin’ Write Old Olive marker and use the Big Shot™ with the My Favorite Things® (MFT) Stitched Rectangle Die to cut out each horse image.

Mount the images onto Basic Black cardstock and trim to create the frame.

To finish Card #1:

Emboss a piece of retired Jr. Varsity Designer Series Paper (DSP) with the Big Shot™ and retired Lacy Brocade Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, trim the panel and mount onto a piece of Basic Black cardstock.

Lightly sand the embossed DSP with the Sanding Block to bring out the white core.

Stamp the sentiment from the retired Blessings from Heaven stamp set using Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink onto a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock, insert the sentiment panel into the Stylish Stripes Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder (keeping the sentiment portion outside of the folder) and emboss with the Big Shot™.

Add the Coastal Cabana Thick Baker’s Twine over the panel at the edge of the embossing, mount onto a piece of Old Olive cardstock, trim the edges, add the retired Antique Pewter brads and mount onto the Basic Black card base.

Create the banner from retired Afternoon Tea DSP using the Hexagon Punch, mount onto Basic Black cardstock and create the banner points with the Hexagon Punch. 

Add the Coastal Cabana Thick Baker’s Twine with the retired Antique Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware clip and mount the banner onto the embossed Olive Green DSP panel.

Mount the embossed Old Olive DSP panel to the card front using Stampin’ Dimensionals® (I angled it a bit from the initial sketch :-)).

Add the horse image to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals® to finish off the card.

Stamps: Blessings from God, Horses (Inkadinkado®)

Ink: Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink, Stampin’ Write Old Olive Marker; Faber-Castell® Polychromos Black Pencil

Paper: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Old Olive; retired Jr. Varsity and Afternoon Tea DSP

Accessories: Big Shot™, MFT Rectangle Stitched Dies, Stylish Stripes and retired Lacy Brocade Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders, Sanding Block, Coastal Cabana Thick Baker’s Twine, retired Antique Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware

To finish the second card:

Lightly sponge Ranger® Tim Holtz® Antique Linen Distress Ink onto the horse image.

Using My Digital Studio (MDS), insert the Word Art Wednesday Proverbs 17:17 verse and print out onto Whisper White cardstock.  Use Ranger® Tim Holtz® Antique Linen Distress Ink to “antique” the paper and match the Very Vanilla cardstock.

Emboss a piece of retired Jr. Varsity DSP with the Big Shot™ and the Modern  Mosaic Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, lightly sand with the Sanding Block, trim and mount onto the Basic Black card base.

Adhere the Coastal Cabana pieces of Afternoon Tea DSP to Basic Black cardstock, trim and create the vertical and horizontal panels on the card front.

Add the portion of the White Tea Lace Doily (this was an afterthought since I originally had a bit of Hot Glue on my card front and when it was removed, the DSP tore so the Doily is covering up the mistake- lol!).

Mount the verse onto a piece of Basic Black cardstock and adhere to the horizontal panel.

Add the horse image using Stampin’ Dimensionals® , Pearls to the verse and the retired Antique Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware clip to finish off the card.

Stamps: Horses (Inkadinkado®), Digital Verse from Word Art Wednesday

Ink: Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink, Faber-Castell® Polychromos Black Pencil, Stampin’ Write Old Olive Marker; Ranger® Tim Holtz® Antique Linen Distress Ink

Paper: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Old Olive; retired Jr. Varsity and Afternoon Tea DSP

Accessories: Big Shot™, MFT Rectangle Stitched Dies, Modern Mosaic Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder,Sanding Block, White Tea Lace Doily, Pearls, Sponge Dauber, retired Antique Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware

Thanks again for stopping by- I will share more later today    Have a wonderful  week, my friends!