A Mother's Love

Hi Friends!

Today I am sharing a quick card designed with the new Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps A Mother’s Love Clear Stamp Set from the SNSS April Release and the previously released stamp set, Grunge Elements 2.

A Mother’s Love is such a wonderful set with several silhouette images and sentiments about motherhood- perfect for Mother’s Day as well as for new Moms or just encouragement cards!

For the background, I used a “smooshing” technique that I love to use so I am linking to the AAA Cards #112 “A Favourite Technique” Challenge and am also participating with the CAS on Friday #130 “Mother’s Day” Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to visit the above challenge sites or the SNSS Blog/FB Page yet, I encourage you to do so- fabulous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

1). Pat your ink pad onto a silicone crafting mat (I used Distress Ink), lightly spritz with water, press white cardstock into the ink, lift the panel and re-position in the ink.  Continue to press and lift until you are satisfied with the background.  Dry with a heat tool.

2). De-static the panel with an embossing powder tool, ink the image and sentiment from A Mother’s Love with archival black ink, stamp onto the panel, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.

3). Ink the hearts from Grunge Elements 2 with distress ink and stamp onto the panel. Wipe off any excess ink from the images with a paper towel.

4). Die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle die, mount onto black cardstock and adhere to a white card base.

5). Finish off the card with a few sequins.

Stamp Sets: A Mother’s Love, Grunge Elements 2 (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Tim Holtz® Distress Ink- Candied Apple, Abandoned Coral

Paper: Whisper White.  Basic Black (Stampin’ Up!)

Accessories: Big Shot™, MFT Stitched Rectangle STAX Set #1, Embossing Buddy®, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Sequins

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by! I hope all of you have a great week/week and visit again soon- hugs, sweet friends!

Be Unique- Have a Magical Birthday

Hi Friends!

Today I am sharing a quick card designed with the new Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps Be Unique Clear Stamp Set from the Sweet ‘nSassy Stamps April Release.

The Be Unique Clear Stamp Set has such a cute images- lovely unicorn, rainbows, flowers, jewels as well as many fun sentiments! Perfect for so many occasions as well as Bible Art Journaling :-)

I am participating with the INKspirational #157 Mythical Challenge, the Simon SaysWednesday “Happy Birthday” Challenge and the Tuesday Throwdown #386 “RainbowColors” Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to visit the above challenge sites or the SNSS Blog/FB Page yet, I encourage you to do so- gorgeous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

1). De-static a piece of white cardstock with an embossing powder tool.  Ink the unicorn along with the rainbow with clouds images from Be Unique with archival black ink, stamp onto the prepared cardstock, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.  Watercolor the image with water-based markers (see list of colors used below) and fussy-cut the images.

2). De-static a piece of pale yellow designer paper with the embossing powder tool.  Position where you would like the unicorn and rainbow/cloud images and using a stamping positioning tool, place the sentiments.  Remove the unicorn and rainbow images, ink and stamp the sentiment images with archival black ink, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool. 

3). Color the sentiments with the same markers as the rainbow/unicorn images.  Use the markers to color the star images from Be Unique and add to the panel.

4). Trim the panel and mount onto a piece of white cardstock, trim again and mount onto a piece of black cardstock, trim once more and add to the white card base.

5). Adhere the rainbow/cloud images directly to the card front and mount the unicorn image with dimensional foam.

6). Finish off the card with a few sequins.

Stamp Sets: Be Unique (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Tim Holtz® Distress Markers- Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn; Stampin’ Write Markers- Peach Parfait, Real Red

Paper: Whisper White.  Basic Black, misc pale Yellow Designer Paper

Accessories: Embossing Buddy®, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Sequins

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by! I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend and visit again soon- hugs, sweet friends!

TCC90 The Lord Directs His Steps

Hi Friends!!

Woohoo! It’s time for the new #90 Sweet Treat Challenge at The Card Concept!   Look at those gorgeous cupcakes- the flowers look so real, don’t they? 

I was inspired by the bright spring colors of berry, yellow ad blue as well as the pretty flowers to create a Mixed Media card.  

Don't be frightened of Mixed Media- usually it is a card using two different inks  and/or mediums (in this case archival ink, distress inks and markers, white paint pen, glitter pen) plus other mediums (I used heat embossing and stenciling on this card). 

Since I add heat embossing to almost every one of my cards lately, they all qualify as Mixed Media :-)

Just a reminder that The Card Concept is a bi-weekly challenge that has an inspiration photo along with a number of design styles that you can choose from to create your card- Clean and Simple, Clean and Graphic, Clean and Layered, Shabby Chic, Freestyle Collage, Classy and Elegant and Mixed Media (or you can combine several styles for your own style).

I am also linking this card to the Hand Stamped Sentiments #286 Sketch Challenge, the Double “D” “Twine” Challenge and the CAS-ual Fridays #196 "Spring Fever" Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to check out the rest of the Design Team cards at The Card Concept or visit the other challenge sites yet, I hope you will find time to do so- wonderful inspiration from all!

To create this card:

1). Ink the floral image from Rhododendron (Technique Tuesday) with archival black ink, stamp onto a piece of white cardstock, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.  Once the embossing has cooled, color the flowers with distress inks, markers and other water-based markers (colors noted in card recipe below).  Add a few highlights to the flower centers with an extra fine white paint marker. Fussy-cut and set aside.

2). Stamp the verse sentiment from Scripture Medley 3 (Verve Stamps) with archival black ink, stamp onto a piece of white cardstock, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.  Once the embossing has cooled, die cut with a stitched rectangle die, mount onto a piece of berry cardstock.

3). For the panels on the background, die cut various rectangles from yellow and white cardstock (dies are listed below), layer onto berry cardstock, add the hemp twine strands (wrapping the ends behind the panel) before mounting onto the white card base.

4). Add the sentiment panel and the fussy cut floral image with dimensional foam to the card front.

5).  Use a stencil with a stencil brush to add distress ink over all the panels.

6). Adhere the hemp twine bow with button.  Add pearls to the corner of the sentiment and upper right-hand corner of the card.

7). Use a clear glitter pen to add shimmer to the flowers to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Rhododendron (Technique Tuesday), Scripture Medley 3 (Verve Stamps)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Tim Holtz® Distress Markers- Picked Raspberry, Mowed Lawn; Tim Holtz® Picked Raspberry Distress Ink, Zig© Clean Real Color Markers- Light Pink, Green; SU! Markers- Blush Blossom, Berry Burst; Spectrum Noir® Clear Glitter Pen, Sharpie® Extra Fine White Paint Pen

Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Berry Burst; retired So Saffron and Soft Sky Designer Series Paper (all Stampin’ Up!)

Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot™, My Favorite Things™ Dies- A2 Stitched Rectangles STAX Set 1 & 2, Horizontal Stitched Strips STAX, Stitched Square STAX; Embossing Buddy®, Heat Tool, Clear Embossing Powder, Claritystamps™ Stencil Brush, Memory Box™ Heartwood Stencil, Polished Hemp Twine, retired SU! Button, Pearls

Thanks again for stopping by! I had fun designing this card and hope you will have a chance to come play along with us at The Card Concept!!

Because He Lives

Happy Easter Weekend Friends!

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps released a new set in March- Timeless Hymns and I absolutely love some of the verses from the hymns in this set!!  

"Because He Lives, I can face tomorrow" and "It is well with my soul" reflect how I feel this Easter Weekend. 

Jesus Christ took on our sin when He died on the cross and rose again on Resurrection Sunday!!  We celebrate Jesus' Death and Resurrection this weekend and my heart is signing these hymns as I create this post!!  

I decided to design a few more CAS Mixed Media cards using Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps Timeless Hymns along with the new March stamp of the month- Texture Tiles I (today is the last day to receive this set free with your $75 US order) and the previously released stamp set, Landscape Silhouettes for a few online challenges.  

The card below will be linked to the Simon Says Wednesday “Anything Goes” Challenge and the card above to the Word Art Wednesday #328-#329 “Anything Goes” Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to visit the above challenge galleries yet or the Sweet ‘n Sassy blog/FB page, I encourage you to do so- wonderful inspiration from all!

To create the Brusho® background:

1). Lightly spray a piece of watercolor paper with water, sprinkle Brilliant Red and Turquoise Brusho® onto the panel, allow the powders to spread and use a brush to blend. Dry with a heat tool and repeat until you are satisfied with the color.

2). De-static the panel with an embossing powder tool, ink the image from Landscape Silhouettes with archival black ink, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.  Trim the panel and mount each landscape onto black cardstock.

3). De-static a piece of white cardstock with an embossing powder tool (in the area for the sentiment), ink the sentiment from Timeless Hymns with archival black ink, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.  Add additional distressing with hickory smoke distress ink using images from Texture Tiles I and use a water brush to apply additional Brusho®.

4). Trim the background panel, mount onto a piece of black cardstock, trim again and mount onto the white card base.

5). Mount the landscape panel onto the card front with dimensional foam.  Use the Extra Fine Sharpie® White Paint Pen to add a few "stars" and sporadically  adhere some sequins to finish off the cards.

Stamp Sets: Landscape Silhouettes, Timeless Hymns, Texture Tiles I (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)

Ink: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Tim Holtz® Hickory Smoke Distress Ink, Colourcraft Brusho®- Brilliant Red, Turquoise; Extra Fine Sharpie® White Paint Pen 

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black

Accessories: Embossing Buddy®, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, AquaPainter,  Sequins

Thanks again for taking the time to visit!!  I hope all of you have a blessed Easter Weekend and Resurrection Sunday!!  

CAS Mixed Media- Landscape Silhouettes Sympathy

Hi Sweet Friends!

This evening I am sharing a Clean and Simple (CAS) card that I designed using the  Landscape Silhouettes and Tender Thoughts stamp sets from Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps for the AAA Cards #111 "Use Only One Third" Challenge and the Retro Rubber #83 “Anything Goes” Challenge.

I have owned both stamp sets for several years and they are so versatile for many occasions. I love the silhouette images and while I had Landscape Silhouettes out, I created four additional cards that I will share in the next day or so :-)

If you have not had a chance to visit the above challenge galleries yet or the Sweet ‘n Sassy blog/FB page, I encourage you to do so- gorgeous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

1). Tap a few colors of Distress Oxide onto a silicone mat (see below for the colors I used), lightly spray with water and press a piece of watercolor paper 4 ¼” x 5 ½”.   Lift up and continue to re-apply ink until you are satisfied with the background.

2). De-static the panel with an embossing powder tool, ink the image from Landscape Silhouettes with archival black ink, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.  Trim the panel and mount onto black cardstock.

3). De-static a piece of white cardstock with an embossing powder tool (in the area for the sentiment), ink the sentiment from Tender Thoughts with archival black ink, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.  Trim the panel and mount onto a piece of black cardstock, trim again and mount onto the white card base.

4). Mount the main panel onto the card front with dimensional foam to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Landscape Silhouettes, Tender Thoughts (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)

Ink: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Tim Holtz® Distress Oxide- Twisted Citron, Broken China, Picked Raspberry

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black

Accessories: Embossing Buddy®, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by!!  I am planning on sharing a few more CAS cards featuring easy backgrounds this weekend- hopefully you will be able to visit again soon!  Hugs and I hope you have a wonderful weekend reflecting on Christ's sacrifice and Resurrection- Alleluia, what a Savior!!

SC690 The Word of the Lord is True

Hi Friends!

It’s time for the weekly sketch at Splitcoaststampers!  Allison is our #SC690 sketch artist this week and think her sketch is perfect for so many occasions- don't you?

I decided to use bees versus the butterflies in the design and pulled out the several sets from Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps- Sweet As Honey, Grunge Elements 2 and the March Stamp of the Month, Texture Tiles I to create a Mixed Media Shabby Chic card.  I have mentioned before that my hubby and I collect antique honey dishes and one of the requirements is that the dish has to have a bee on it :-)  In real life I am afraid of bees (since I am allergic to their stings), but I do love bee images- go figure :-)

I also love using Scripture on the front of my cards and hope that the recipient can display the card for a longer period of time (if they wish) than just a few weeks for their birthday, etc. and thought that this verse would be one that could be displayed year round:-)

Psalm 19:10 is perfect for memorization and reflection- God’s Word is Truth and is sweeter than honey!!   It is a comfort to know that He will never leave us or forsake us- What a Savior we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord!

Don’t forget- you only have a few more days to be able to receive the March Stamp of the Month, Texture Tiles I free with your net $75 order (US$$- after all other discounts are applied) from Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps! I love all four of the texture tiles in this set and the offer is available until March 31^st.  Plus with $75 (US order- after all discounts) you will receive free shipping!!

I am also linking this card to the Double D Challenge “Just Wing It” and the Word Art Wednesday #328- #329 “Anything Goes” Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to visit the Splitcoaststampers’ Sketch gallery or other challenge sites yet, I hope you will do so- beautiful inspiration from all!

To create this card:

1). On a silicone craft mat, press Tim Holtz® Fossilized Amber and Wild Honey Distress Oxide Ink, lightly spritz with water and press a piece of coated white cardstock into the ink.  Dry with a heat tool and continue to add color with additional Distress Oxide Ink as well as Faber-Castell® Gelatos™- Gold Champagne and Iced Coffee (this adds a bit of shimmer).

2).  Ink the honeycomb image from Sweet As Honey with Tim Holtz® Vintage Photo Distress Ink and stamp repeatedly over the panel to create the background.  Add additional shadows with Derwent® Watercolor Pencils (I used Deep Cadmium and Burnt Sienna).  Add additional distressing with the splatter image from Texture Tiles I with Brushed Corduroy and Walnut Stain Distress Ink along with the large splat image from Grunge Elements 2 using Wild Honey Distress Oxide Ink.  Stamp the script image from Texture Tiles I with Fossilized Amber over the entire panel and heat set with a heat tool.

3). Trim the panel and die cut a rectangle shape from the upper left (you will use this for layer #3 in the sketch).

4). De-static the lower part of the panel with an embossing powder tool, ink the verse from Sweet As Honey with Versafine™ Onyx Black Ink (I carefully cut the first line apart from the stamp to use separately), stamp onto the panel and heat set with clear embossing powder.  Once the embossing powder has cooled, layer onto a piece of black cardstock, trim and mount onto a white card base.

5). Layer the die cut rectangle onto a piece of black cardstock, hand tear the bottom edge and use a distressing tool to distress the edge a bit further.  Mount onto the card front with dimensional foam.

6). De-static a piece of white and black cardstock with an embossing powder tool.  Stamp three of the bee image from Sweet As Honey with Versafine™ Onyx Black Ink and the top part of the verse sentiment (that you had cut off in step #4) with Versamark™ ink.  Apply clear embossing powder to the bees and white embossing powder to the sentiment, heat all with a heat tool to melt the embossing powder.

7). Once the embossing powder has cooled, watercolor the bees using Fossilized Amber Distress Oxide Ink and use a slate marker to add shadows to the wings.  Fussy-cut each of the bees and hand trim the sentiment.  Add the bees directly to the rectangle panel and the sentiment with dimensional foam.  Add a bit of shimmer to the bee’s wings with a Spectrum Noir™ Clear Glitter Pen.

8). Add “drips of honey” with Nuvo™ Limoncello Jewel Drops to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Sweet As Honey, Grunge Elements 2, Texture Tiles I (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)

Ink/Mediums: Versamark™, Versafine™ Onyx Black, Tim Holtz® Distress Oxide Ink- Fossilized Amber, Wild Honey, Vintage Photo; TH Distress Ink Walnut Stain, Brushed Corduroy; Stampin’ Write Smoky Slate Marker, Faber-Castell® Gelatos™- Gold Champagne and Iced Coffee; Derwent™ Watercolor Pencils- Deep Cadmium, Burnt Sienna, Nuvo™ Limoncello Jewel Drops, Spectrum Noir™ Clear Glitter Pen

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black (Stampin’ Up!)

Accessories/Tools: Big Shot™, Spellbinders™ Rectangle Dies, Embossing Buddy®, Heat Tool, Clear and White Embossing Powder

Thanks again for taking the time to visit! If you have a chance, we would love for you to join us at Splitcoaststampers for this week’s sketch challenge!  Hugs and I hope all of you have a blessed Easter week, sweet friends!