Friday, February 14, 2014

Hearts and Snow

Oh my gosh, but I am tired of snow!!  Snowstorms and ice storms and more snowstorms, one after another.  I have to say we've been lucky.  Our power has stayed on and everyone was safe at home.  But I am ready for spring!!

Here are some cards I made while we were stuck inside over the last few days.
The first card is for a SPARKS challenge over at Paper Smooches.

This is the inspiration photo.


                                                      Play along with THIS week's challenge! 


Here is my take on it.


I did some paper weaving with shades of pink and gold cut at random widths.  The sentiment is from Sentiment Sampler and the teeny little hugs and kisses stamp is from Chubby Chums. Be sure to stop over at the blog HERE for more inspiration!  Also, check out the awesome selection of stamps and dies in the shop HERE.  They have great customer service and lots of great deals.  Put this website on your favorites!

Here is the next card.  I made it as a thank you to the custodian at our school.  He has been working around the clock these last few weeks keeping things plowed, shoveled, salted, etc.  He is definitely an unsung hero and truly deserves the thanks of all our staff and families.  Anyway, I thought he'd appreciate the humor here.

The Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is Get Krafty so I thought I would enter it there.  Again, all the stamps on this card are from Paper Smooches.  I told you I love them!!  I stamped the Thanks sentiment from Sentiment Sampler with Versamark ink on kraft cardstock.  The snowflakes are from the set Fresh Snow and the You Rock sentiment is, again, from the Sentiment Sampler Set. 

Check out the Simon website HERE and the challenge blog HERE


Now, one more card.

I really liked the way that background came out on the last card so I tried it once more on a 4 1/4" square thank you card.  And, three for three, this also features Paper Smooches stamps!



 This time I tried a "floating" feature.  I paper pieced the big apple from the Falling for You set. The littler heart is from the same set.  I stamped in red and then brushed clear Wink of Stella over the heart and front and back of the apple.  The photo doesn't capture how sparkly it is.  After die cutting a circle from the front of the card and framing it with another die cut piece in red, I suspended the heart with a piece of fishing line.  The line is hidden in the back of the apple with another piece of the pattern paper.  I finished the card off with some linen thread. It was my first try with this kind of card.  I think it turned out pretty cute.

I am submitting this to the Fun and Cute challenge on the Paper Smooches blog. Another wonderful place for great stamps and loads of inspiration!

Now that was a long post, but it's been a long couple of days.  Here is a picture of me in our driveway yesterday morning between bouts of snow.  

We got 14 inches and had to call the farmer down the street to bring in a heavy tractor plow (we've got a long driveway).  Tomorrow we're only supposed to get four more inches.  Sigh......



Sunday, February 9, 2014

Watercolor Thank You

I can always use thank you notes!
Today's card is featuring Paper Smooches products.

 

I painted nice big rainbow splotchies on watercolor paper. After it dried I die cut using the Power Rays die. The trees are from the set, Warm Hearts. I stamped and heat embossed in black and cut out around them.  The heart was also heat embossed and popped up. I used a bit of the watercolored scraps.  The sentiment is from Sentiment Sampler.  Finally, I added the enamel dots for interest. 
 

Enjoy your Sunday. We're supposed to get more snow. UGH!


Saturday, February 8, 2014

Crafty Saturday


It's been a crazy, snowy, ice week in southeastern PA!  So many of my friends are without power. My sister and nephew have been camping out for the last few days because they have no power. We were lucky! I hope that wherever you are, you are warm and safe!  My project today is for my kids' Valentine's Day gifts.  


I followed a tutorial HERE.  This is the first envelope punch board project that I've made.  I used almost all SU product with the exception of the sentiments. They are from Lawn Fawn.  I love the versatility of this project and the way the insert slides up to reveal the gift card!


 

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Dots and Hearts

Here is a card I made using Lawn Fawn products. 

 I used paper from the Bright Side collection and stamps from Into the Woods, My Silly Valentine, and Love 'n Breakfast.  All of the images, with the exception of the sentiment are embossed.  I repeated the heart stamp from Into the Woods using versamark and black embossing powder.  This was tricky and a little frustrating.  I was as careful as I could be, but that powder sure likes to go where it's not supposed to!  The heart was stamped on black paper and embossed with white, then coated with Glossy Accents to give it that shiny look.  The whole thing is mounted on black SU cardstock with a bit of white baker's twine wrapped around for a bit more interest. 
Here is another view. In this shot I lowered the bigger heart a bit.

I am entering this in the Lawnscaping challenge here (Dots and Hearts) as well as the Simon Says Stamp challenge here (Have a Heart).  Both sites are chock full of inspiration!  Check them out!


Monday, February 3, 2014

Coffee, Tea, or Me?

What do you know??  Another snow day!  Yeah!  I hope I'm as happy about this in June when we are making these days up and it's ninety degrees in my un-airconditioned classroom! But I'll take my crafty time when I can get it.

The card below is for the Naughty or Nice challenge HERE. What a fun idea for a challenge, huh??  


 I used two older SU sets, Tiny Teacup and Around and About.  The background frame is embossed in silver and the teacup in black.  The hearts are from a Jane's Doodles set as is the sentiment. The hearts have been popped up and brushed with Wink of Stella clear and then coated in Glossy Accents.  Just enough naughty and nice, don't you think?  

Pop over the challenge blog to check out the other cards.


Sunday, February 2, 2014

Curly Ribbon Wreath

Happy Sunday!
Just wanted to quickly post a picture of the curly ribbon wreath I made with some old  SU dsp. There are a ton of tutorials out there on how to make this.  It's a great way to use up the designer paper you've been holding on to!
It's a good project to work on while you're watching the game tonight!

Have a good week!