Pretty Frames

Happy Sunday.

I'm putting off the evil hour when I will have to go shovel our way out of the driveway after yesterday's snow.  Not fun.

I've got two cards to share today.  Both have a popped up frame that was inspired by Sandy Allnock's card HERE.  She is just amazing and full of inspiration, but you probably already know that.

Card One

I had made the tag a while ago and it was sitting on my desk waiting for the right card to come along.  The image and sentiment are from Purple Onion.  I used Distress Inks smooshed on my work surface to create the background, then die cut with SSS stitched frames.  The middle frame is popped up with foam tape.  I am in love with this technique!!  Thank you, Sandy!!

Card Two

I used the same technique but with patterned paper.  This paper is from an American Crafts pad.  I used prismacolors to color the Purple Onion image.  Little Rosie was just the breath of springtime I needed!  The banner is from Lawn Fawn. I stamped and white embossed on vellum. I added a stamped and embossed heart as well. I decided to keep it pretty plain other than that; no sentiment on the outside of the card this time.

I know I will be using this background technique over and over again!!  

Ugh, my back and shoulders are already hurting just thinking about that driveway!
Have a good day!
Mary

Merry Monday # 146 Santa!!

Hi!
Our first snow day!  That makes it a four day weekend here!  Apologies to the northeast (Boston, etc) who, I'm sure, are completely over it!

I'm having so much fun playing along with the Merry Monday challenges!  I've never participated before and it's nice to see my stockpile of holiday cards growing each week.

This week's theme is SANTA.  Do you know I only have one Santa image.  One.  That seems hard to believe.  This is from an old Stampin Up set called Holiday Tag Team.  I'm so happy with the way this card turned out, simple and fun.  

I colored with my Spectrum Noir markers and then debated on what to do with the background.  I started drawing little dots in pink and gray, then added a bit of yellow.  It just took on a little, happy life of its own!  It kind of looks like he is dancing amidst confetti or something, doesn't it? The sentiment is from Purple Onion Designs and the die is from Simon Says Stamp.

Come play along with the challenge!  At least come check out the entries from the design team and the other entrants!!

 

Hope you find time to do something creative today!

Mary 

Shaker Thank You

Hello!
Pretty day, but SOOOOOO cold! 
I'm spending the day cleaning, not card-making.Boo! But it has to be done.

I'm playing along with the Paper Smooches Anything Goes on the SPARKS Challenge blog.

I made this card to thank a co-worker who is way more tech savvy than her grade partners.  She took the reins last Friday when we were entering scores and assessment data.  All I can say is thank heavens for Melissa!!  We would have been there for hours figuring out columns and percentages! 

She is a big morning coffee fan so I thought she would enjoy this.

  

I hit up my Pinterest boards for inspiration on this, but used Spectrum Noir alcohol markers to color a bunch of the coffee cups from the Paper Smooches Warm Hearts set and piled them in the shaker instead of sequins or glitter.  So cute!! The PS Thanks die is cut from black CS and the paper is American Crafts.

I'm also playing along with Virginia's View challenge since the theme there is shaker cards.

 

Have a good day!  
Stay safe and warm!!

Merry Monday Candy Canes

  Brrrrrrrrrrr!!! 
A bitter, bitter cold day here!  The wind is howling!  I am not setting foot outside today!  

This little guy is much braver than I am!  Of course, the only thing blowing there are cute little candy canes!  

        That's the theme this week at the 
         Merry Monday Challenge Blog!  

         Candy Canes!     

 

I had fun making this card!  I used stamps from Paper Smooches and Lawn Fawn.  I masked a bit and colored a bit, added some sparkle and there you go!
Head over to the Merry Monday Challenge blog for some more fun and inspiration!

Stay warm, folks!!

Last Minute Challenge

Hi!  Super quick post before I lose my internet connection again!!  Grrrrrrr!!  Is there anything more frustrating!  For some reason my PC won't connect but  my iPad will. I've never posted using my iPad.  Here goes nothing! 

I'm entering this in the  Paper Smooches SPARKS Challenge for this week.  I loved the inspiration photo.  Orange and pink is one of my favorite color combos.  All the other entries are so pretty and creative.  I decided to just go uber literal. :)

                                   

I used stamps from two Paper Smooches sets, Hang Ups and Smarty Pants.  The black vase is actually the push pin stamp from Smarty Pants!! I embossed in black, cut it out, and turned it upside down.  I paper pieced the stack of books using paper from American Crafts and used gold sequins to create the bouquet.

  This post has been absolutely crazy!  I uploaded the photo at least five times! By the end of the post, my ipad lost connection but the PC was back.  Sigh.....

Anyway,

Check out the other amazing entries on the SPARKS Challenge Blog!

Stay warm!

Watercolored Valentines and Some New Techniques

Hey there!

 This blog has been a wonderful way to share this hobby with others, but it's also a way for me to document my own crafty journey.  So today, I'm posting more for myself.  I tried a few new techniques recently and just got the cards completed today.  I wanted to take a few pics so that I can remember them.  

The first card...

I used a very old, never used Sizzix die that I bought on clearance years ago. I die cut it from watercolor paper and then used Distress inks to smoosh color on the flowers, heart, and curly cues.  I also inked the original panel and in-laid the die cut pieces.  Next, I gold embossed the edges of the panel and the card base, a technique I saw Kristina Werner use on holiday cards this year.  I also used the eraser tip of a pencil to paint on some versamark on the flower centers so that I could also emboss them a bit as well.  It's a large card due to the size of the die.  I did not add any dimension as I will be mailing this to my daughter.  I'm happy with the results.  It was fun being 'artsy' and loose!

Next...
 

I tried some no-line Distress ink coloring, again as seen on Kristina's blog.  I don't know if this was the best image to try the technique on, but it was fun.  You can still see lines even though I did stamp off as suggested.  The image, by the way, is from Jane's Doodles. I embossed the sentiment in gold and added the gold sequins to brighten up the overall look and make it a bit more Valentine-y.

I have to work on getting a better lighting set up.  The sun is just not that reliable in February!! 


 As always, when trying something new the results can be hit or miss.  There are elements of these cards that I love, and things that I am definitely not happy with.  I will absolutely be trying these techniques again!  As I tell my students, practice makes progress!

                                               Have a great day!

Birthday Card

There are so many birthdays coming up!
You'd think I'd have lots of cards ready to mail, but the truth is I have none!
Crazy!  

So here is one that I made today for my brother-in-law.
 

I have had the Stampin Up set, Dotty Angles, for months and months and have never used it.  I stamped on watercolor paper with my new mini Distress Inks (holiday gift card still going strong!) and misted with water.  Next, I stamped with my much used SU set, Gorgeous Grunge, and an old Hero Arts sentiment.

A nice mix of old and new!

Have a great day!

Merry Monday Guest Designer

Another Monday! 
It's gray and rainy here but I'm feeling very happy and bright because I'm sharing a card as a guest designer for the Merry Monday Challenge!!! Thank you Kristie for choosing my card as the winner last week!!

This week the challenge entries must have a bow. 
The challenge photo was also the inspiration for my color choices.

I chose paper from a Doodlebug 6 X 6 pad.  I'm working hard to use supplies from my stash!  It's one of my New Year's resolutions! I cut the paper on an angle and adhered it to the card base like a sunburst.  I also included some black card stock.  I like the bright, graphic look of this design!  
 

 The image and sentiment are from Hero Arts.  If you are familiar with this set, you'll see I did a little masking. The stamp of the girl has her holding a Christmas tree and I wanted the little girl to be holding the present with the giant yellow bow!  Once again, there were crossed fingers and do-overs as I put this card together, but you don't need to hear about all of that!

I like how it turned out!  Bright and merry!!  Perfect!

Be sure to stop by Merry Monday to see what all the designers have created!  I love seeing how they are inspired!  Come play along, too!


Have a great day!
Mary