To Save or Throwaway

Hello! Are you one of those card makers, like me, who is always seeing an item that could be repurposed on a card and hoard all sorts of items for that purpose?  I am trying to use up some of these saved items instead of just throwing in a box.  This week I purchased a garden flag and the picture on the package was perfect for a card.  (See photo below) So I trimmed the glossy photo from the package and attached to a scrap of blue cardstock and then to a card base of Textured Green CS from my stash.  Stamped the sentiment from my stamp stash with GKD Blue ink and heat embossed with Clear EP to create a Birthday Card. 

Challenge:
As You Like It Challenge: To recycle or buy new.  My card is made from a recycled package. I really like to buy new but there is a great satisfaction when I can salvage something and create something without spending money.  And it's also a challenge to my creative side to do so.  

Photo of Flag Package

Praying for the people of Ukraine. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Hugs, Theresa

Using Up Old Stash

Hello! One of my goals this year is to use up some of my cardmaking stash.  I have spent several hours making many Christmas cards using pattern papers, cardstock, stickles, embellishments, embossing folders, etc that I have had for a number of years. Today, I am sharing 4 of the cards that I made using HFC pattern papers with white card base and red mats and embossing with Cuttlebug Allegro EF. Three of the cards are stamped with Creative Vision Stamp (2009) with Memento Red ink.  The 4th Card was finished with a die cut from Creative Expressions that I cut from scraps. I added Glossy accents to the berries and Cardinals but that is hard to see in the photos.  

Challenges:

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge: Anything goes with Patterned Paper

ABC Christmas Challenge: A is for Anything Christmas

Dies R Us Challenge: #185 January Challenge is Anything Goes With a Die

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge: #578 Anything goes as long as it's Christmas

Use Your Stuff: Challenge #440 Embossing. Used dry embossing on the cards. 

Stay Safe and Healthy! Thanks for stopping by. I love reading your comments. Theresa

Trying Retiform Technique

Hello! Wednesday I posted a card that was very quick to create and today I have 2 cards that took quite a bit of time to create. Just finding the stamps that I used took a bit of time.  I used the retiform technique that I saw on a Gina K video.  This technique uses sticky notes and sponges to mask off areas of the card and then stamp in each area.  I used mostly Gina K Design stamps from Gifts from the Sea for my first try at the technique.  The sentiment is from another GKD set. The bird head on left is a Repeat Impressions stamp. Other Supplies: White CS, Brown CS, Memento Inks, Distress Oxide Inks.  

Challenges:
Krafty Chicks Challenge: 506 Week Stamp Act-use some form of stamps.

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: LTCCB #46 Anything Goes

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: MIUCB#37 Anything Goes + Masking. Lot of masking on this card.

My second card using the Retiform technique was made for Mother's Day.  I used stamps from several GKD sets including Whimsical Wildflowers, A Year of Flowers 2, Birds & Blossoms, Handmade Botanicals, and Needle Works. Other supplies: White CS, Coral CS, Memento Inks, Distress Oxide Inks, Copics.  

Challenges to Enter: 

Always Fun Challenges: #161 Female or Mom Cards

Artsystamper Digitals Challenge: #15 Mum's the Word

Use Your Stuff: #397 Flowers and/or Butterflies

Shopping Our Stash Challenge: #419 Happy Mother's Day

Modsquad Challenge: Mother's Day- use word Mother.  Hope word Mom counts. 

Stay Safe!
Stay Healthy!

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

A Little Birdie Told Me

 Hello!  Welcome to my studio.  I am still working on using some of my surplus papers and never before used items such as the ones I used to create these Birthday Cards with Bird themes.  I pulled out a gift pack that was a freebie with the Spring 2017 edition of Make Special Cards magazine.  Yes, I have had it almost 3 years.  The pack included Patterned Papers, Die Cut Shapes, Gems, Card stock, envelopes,  and a stamp set. For the first 2 cards shown. I used patterned paper, strips of card stock, gems, and a bird stamp all from the kit. Using white card stock for the card bases, I stamped the bird with black ink and colored with Copics and stamped the sentiment from a very old set in my stash.

The next 2 cards utilize the same patterned paper with some of the die cuts from the gift pack but I used Turquoise CS from stash with Birthday stamps from  Little Claire Designs and GKD.

 For the next 4 cards, I switched to another of the Patterned Papers using more of the die cuts with solid card stock from my stash and birthday stamps. These cards came together fairly quickly and added to my supply of birthday cards ready to send.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my Birthday cards.

Challenges to enter:

Sweet Stampin' Challenge: Things with Wings

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge: Always about using Patterned Papers.

Stay safe! Stay healthy!
Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Bird in the Berries

Hello! This card was made using the Bird and Berries image from the Power Poppy Summer Berries set.  I stamped the image on a white cs panel with black Memento ink and colored with Copic Markers.  To add interest to the design I embossed a frame with layered dies using a rubber mat.  I used a corner punch to round the edges and then attached to a Green card base.  I tried to make the bird a Goldfinch but I think I colored too much black on his head... maybe I should call him a warbler. I may or nay not add a sentiment to the front when I use this card. 

Challenges: 

Creative Confetti Challenge: Free for all-create anything using Power Poppy Stamps. 

Happy Little Stampers: March Anything Goes with Dies. I used the dies for embossing not cutting. 

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

4th Day of Christmas

Welcome!  I am a bit behind posting cards.  I was about to post a card for the Fifth day of Christmas when I realized I had not posted this card for the Fourth Day so I am doing this one first. These cards are made with a set called "Twelve Days of Christmas" from Creative Stamping magazine that I got last Christmas.   I stamped the image for 4 Calling birds with Memento Rich Cocoa and colored with Copics.  I trimmed this with a Spellbinders die and placed on a mat of GKD Red CS.  I added this to a musical background that I created with a GKD stamp on White CS with Memento Tuxedo Black. I attached this with the sentiment to a GKD Red Card Base.

Challenges: 

Crafty Creations Challenges: #395 Anything Goes

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge: 448 Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas

Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog: MLCCB #12 July Anything Christmas Goes

As You Like It Challenge: Favorite Bird or Beast and why?  I spend a lot of time watching birds in our yard and at the feeders especially in the summer. And the birds wake me up in the morning with their songs. Never saw a beast that could sing.

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

The Third Day of Christmas

Hello! I am continuing my  task of making cards with of the stamps from a set called "Twelve Days of Christmas" from Creative Stamping magazine that I got last Christmas.   Today we are stamping Three French Hens and I ended up with 2 cards since I tried doing both vertical and horizontal layouts. 

 On both I used white cardstock using masking to stamp 3 hens.  

On the top card, I used Memento Tuxedo Black ink for the images and colored  just a bit with Copics. Stamped the words with Versamark and heat embossed with Red EP and Gold EP. Used a Patterned Paper  background with White Card Base.

For the bottom card, I used Memento Rich Cocoa ink for the hens and colored with several Copics.  I sponged around the images with DOI Antique Linen to give a vintage feel before trimming and attaching to a Musical Patterned Paper(from stash). Placed this on Red card base.  The words were also heat embossed using Red EP and Black EP.

Challenges:

Crafty Catz: Challenge 471 Anything Goes Optional Christmas in July

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge: July-Always about using Patterned Paper

Crafty Sentiments Designs: Challenge Christmas in July

Shopping Our Stash: Challenge #400 Christmas in July

Mod Squad Challenge: Christmas in July

CRAFT Challenge: #522 Christmas

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Zooming with Binoculars

Hello!  I was playing with the CAS Challenge at CASology to use the cue card Zoom and came up with this entry.   I thought of birdwatching which involves zooming in to see birds up close with binoculars  so I dug out some stamps that I have never used.  I used the Binocular stamp from Repeat Impressions, the Birds (part of a stamp) from Inkadinkado, and letters from an Alphabet Set by Fiskars all with black ink.   Framed the images with a Black CS mat and adhered to a White card base.  Added a bit of red and yellow with pencils to the black and white.

Challenges:
CASology: Week 307 Cue Card Zoom

AAA Cards: CAS Game #118 Use a Frame

Addicted to Stamps and More: Challenge #299 CAS

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Just Ducky Card

Hello! In keeping with my plan to use more of my unused supplies,  I am using NBUS Repeat Impressions Bottoms Up stamp with another RI Duck Stamp and a new Gina K sentiment from Scripty Sentiments.  I stamped the images with Memento Tuxedo Black and Cottage Ivy (Green head only) inks on White CS and the embossed with Clear EP.  The heat embossing was not really necessary but it gave a sharper image.   I then colored with Copics and a white pen. Did some doodling for waves.  Embossed some clouds with an EF just for the fun of it and then attached the image to a Spruce Green card base....picking up the color on the Mallard duck.  With this sentiment choice, I thought the card would be appropriate for someone moving or going on a trip or just achieving an accomplishment. Or whatever makes one happy!  This card made me happy!

Challenges:

The House That Stamps Built: Designer's Choice Challenge DCC13 Things with Wings
Stamp, Ink, Paper: Challenge 131 Emboss It.  Used both heat and dry embossing.
The Male Room: Challenge 76 New Beginnings.  My card would be appropriate for some one starting a new beginning such as a new job, etc.  This is the first time for me to enter this challenge. Just found it.

 Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Christmas Cardinal

 

Hello!  There's no better way to keep cool on a hot day than thinking of Christmas.   Since there are several challenges this month to create Christmas cards, that is what I did using GKD Stamps from Peace and Joy set.  I colored the Cardinal with Copics after stamping on GKD White CS with Memento Tuxedo Black.  To "dress up" the card I added 2 strips of Red Foil using Clear Snap Foil and double sided tape.  I attached to a card base of Black CS.

Challenges:
Stamp TV: Mix It Up Monday challenge - Christmas in July
Addicted to Stamps and More: Challenge #203 Holiday
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge: #291 Use Sentiment
Simon Wednesday Challenge: Simon says Anything with Wings

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Tweet Card!

Hello! I have been busy outside the last few days but took time to make a card using From the Heart digital stamps from Apple Blossoms Birds.   After printing the image, I colored it with Copics and fussy cut leaving a white outline. Following the I (heart) Sketch with a tWist # 154 I created my design . The twist  is to show off your coloring skills.  I actually used  coloring skills with Copics on the image  but also colored a white ribbon with a blue copics to match the birds and also colored the edges of the white card base with the same blue. I assembled the card using pattern paper from Graphic 45, the image, and ribbons from my stash.    The From the Heart Digi sentiment was printed with the computer.
Challenges:
From the Heart Blog: I (heart) Sketch with a tWist # 154 shown on left
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge: June challenge
Doodle Pantry Blog: ANTS IN MY PANTRY DIGITAL CHALLENGE 18-anything goes with a digital image.

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Back with Another Hummingbird

Welcome!  I just had to make another card with Flourishes Humming Along stamp set. For my other Hummingbird card click here.  This set was illustrated by Marcella Hawley and is one of my favorites.  This time I wanted to feature the Honeysuckle stamp (stamped with Memento Espresso Truffle) along with the Hummingbird (stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black) .   The images were colored with Copics and some Wink of Stella added to the bird for iridescence. Finished with a Yellow Satin ribbon and a green CS layer and Coral Card Base. I hope we will have a lot of Hummers stopping by to say Hello.

Challenges:
Fusion Card Challenge: Sweet Orange Blossoms. I used the photo inspiration for this card.

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Humming Along

Hello! Happy Mother's Day to all Mothers......you are all so Special!   I have ben playing with an old stamp set from Flourishes called Humming Along. I was inspired by the challenge at Fusion for both the theme, colors and layout.   I found a "tag" or whatever it is framed with metal in my stash.  I stamped honeysuckles with Memento Espresso Truffle ink on the frame and colored with Copics.  I stamped 2 Hummingbirds with Memento Tuxedo Black and colored with Copics and added some Wink of Stella and Stardust Pen to give some shine and iridescence to the birds.  Hope you can see that. Attached the frame with orange satin ribbon and placed this on an orange card base but only showed the orange on the fold side.  The sentiment is from Power Poppy Hens and Chicks by Marcella Hawley who was also the illustrator of the Flourishes stamps.

I love Hummingbirds and have seen one already in our gardens.   Time to get more feeders out.

Challenges:
Fusion Card Challenge: Sweet Orange Blossoms. I used the sketch and photo inspiration shown left.
Tuesday Throwdown: Challenge 292 Welcome Spring.  Hummingbirds are a sign that spring has arrived.



Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Playing Around

 

Hello!   This card was not made for any special purpose.  I had been looking for a Window Die to buy and finally realized why not just use the Cameo to cut a window.  That way I can adjust the size, style, and design to fit whatever I need.  There were several files to choose from and I chose one that has 4 different designs.  I cut several frames from one piece of paper so now I have a stash on hand.
I made this card (just playing around) using 2 embossing folders-Gingham EF for the wall to place my cut window and Birds and Swirls EF for the window scene.  Simply colored the birds and branches with marker after embossing blue CS. Finished by stamping sentiment (Repeat Impressions stamp) on a piece of the white CS left over from cutting the windows.
Challenges:
The House That Stamps Built: WIW Anything Goes Challenge
Less Is More: Color Challenge 270 White Space but not White

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Masculine Birthday

Hello!  What could be more masculine than a card with a Duck???  I stamped this Repeat Impressions Duck stamp with Memento Toffee Crunch ink and colored with Copics  to look like a Male Mallard duck.  After cutting the image with an Oval Die I inked the edge.   I used bright Green card base with embossed layers of Kraft and a layer of Pattern Paper from DCWV Safari Chic pad.  The sentiment is  part of  a Repeat Impressions verse.

Challenges:
The House That Stamps Built: What If Wednesday? Sketch #J2716
Mod Squad Challenge:  Challenge is Masculine Birthday
Addicted to Stamps: Challenge #118 Theme is Masculine

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Happy New Year

Hello!   Another rainy day!  Better to stay in and play with paper.  

I was playing  with some embossing to make a card for Stamp TV's Mix It Up Monday Challenge-Emboss is Boss.  I stamped the Cardinal from GKD's Peace and Joy with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then embossed with Clear EP.  I like how clear embossing on black ink  looks and use it often rather than using black EP which can be messy.  I learned that tip from some of my stamping club friends.  After coloring with Copics, I added versamark to the Holly leaves and embossed with the Clear EP to give shine.  I used Versamark Pen on the uncolored berries and embossed with Red EP. If that was not enough embossing, I dry embossed the Pattern Paper that I used as a frame with Cuttlebug EF Gingham.  Sorry to say the embossing does not show up as well I'd like, but it is there. I also heat embossed the Peace and Joy Sentiment with Gold EP....this shows up well enough. 

Other Supplies: Neenah White CS, Pebbles Pattern Paper, Spellbinder Die, Wink of Stella, Misti.

I included this second photo to give another angle ( for some reason the left edge of the card shows a camera distortion that I could not straighten).

 

Other challenges:

Crafty Sentiments: Happy New Year Challenge

Stamp Ink Paper: Challenge #28 Anything but Christmas.

 

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa



Framed in Gold

Hello!  My plan today was to rake leaves but my DH says it's too wet so I have an excuse to stay inside and play in the studio.   I created this card for some Christmas challenges using GKD Stamps and Gold Metallic CS with Blossom and Circle Dies to frame my image.   The stamps are from GKD Peace and Joy.  To the Frame, I added a sprig of Holly that I stamped, colored and fussy cut.
Other Supplies used: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Copics, Gold Metallic CS, Gold EP, Versamark

Challenges:
Merry Monday Christmas Challenge: #157 Frame It
Stamp TV: Mix It Up Monday Challenge Red and Gold
Papertake  Weekly Challenge: All about the Base
Addicted to Stamps and More: #167 Make your mark.  Used Copics .
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra: Anything Christmas
Addicted to Stamps: Challenge 112 Things with Wings

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Birds All A Glitter

Hello!  I am not a glitter kind of crafter.....too messy.....but for the Mod Squad Challenge I decided to use some glitter to bring Sparkle to my Card.  I printed Birds on a Wire and a Sentiment digitals from Sparkle and Sprinkle Bird Song Digital file that I won from a challenge on Mod Squad.   I actually recolored the birds to red before printing on White CS.  I added Gina K Prismatic Red Hot Glitter to the birds and colored beaks and feet with Orange glaze pen.  I simply finished by adding to a Red Card Base.

Challenges:
Mod Squad Challenge: Sprinkle Your Sparkle. Add Glitter to your card.
Simon Wednesday Challenge: Simon says no designer paper.
Cute Card Thursday: Challenge #392 Things with wings.


Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Blue Bird of Happiness

Hello!  That is what the Blooming Bird digi from A Day for Daisies is tweeting.  My card was made for the challenge at A Day For Daisies to use newsprint on a card and also for Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge.  The pattern paper newsprint is from 7 Gypsies Conservatory pad and the image was colored with Copics after printing on GKD Ivory CS.
Other supplies: Memento Rich Cocoa Ink; Distress Ink Antique Linen; Ribbon from stash; Power Poppy Sentiment; Blue CS Scrap; Lawn Fawn die.

Challenges:
A Day for Daisies: Use A Day for Daisies image and add some Newsprint
Sweet Sunday: Sketch #278
Shopping Our Stash Challenge:  Don't get Stressed. Get DE-Stressed.  Make a project that shows how we relax.   Bird watching is a favorite past time that makes me relax so I am showing a bird in a tree that I may have spotted.  And I used distress ink on the edges of the layers.


 Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa