Full of Thanks

Hello!  I was trying to come up with a design for the latest challenge   Anything Goes Embossing at Can You Handle the Pressure?  We are to use an embossing folder with a Twist of Sentiment as the Focus. Well, I came up using the simple sentiment of Thanks both as the stamping on the card and also the embossing part. Guess you might say I overdid the sentiment, but it certainly is the focus of the design.  Added some touches of gold to center of embossed flowers and edges of cut panels.

Supplies used: Sizzix Thank You EF (on the bottom part of the card), Cuttlebug Border EF from With Love, Repeat Impressions "Thanks" large stamp (embossed twice with Clear EP), Memento Potter's Clay ink (used for stamping and for inking raised areas of embossing, GKD Faded Brick CS, White CS, Versamark Pen, Gold EP, Pilot Gold Metallic Pen (for edging panels).

Thanks for stopping by. I love reading your comments.

Hugs, Theresa

Beautiful Days

Hello! We have been having some beautiful sunny days here in Ohio.  That made me think of the verse that I used in creating this card for the Double D Challenge Book Covers. I stamped the verse from Repeat Impressions in the center of my panel and framed it with Lilies that I stamped with a Gina K Design stamp in Memento Black ink and colored with Copics. The layout was inspired by the book titles that were all centered and surrounded by images. The lilies in the upper book cover inspired my choice of flowers.  I originally was going to color my lilies orange but strayed off to pink. I used dark navy cardstock as my base. 

If my card was the cover of a book, wouldn't it be fun to read about beautiful days and happy tomorrows?

Stay Safe and Healthy! Thanks for stopping by.

I love reading your comments. Theresa

Wishes for You

Hello!  My card today was inspired by the Inspiration Palette Challenge J1720 at The House That Stamps Built shown below.  I used a old stamp from my stash that I stamped on white cardstock with Memento inks and colored lightly with Copics.  I trimmed the image and matted with 2 cardstocks with colors inspired by the photo.  I attached this to a darker color mat and then to a card base.  I stamped one of my favorites sentiments from Repeat Impressions with Versamark and heat embossed with Green Pearl EP.  This is a card that can be used for several events. 

Other challenges:
Crafty Sentiments Design: Anything Goes: 

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

More Pink Tulips

Hello! I do love pink tulips and I use the color combo of pink and green a lot. I have several favorite stamps with tulips and one of them is this one from Repeat Impressions.  I stamped it on white cardstock with Memento Black ink and colored with Copics.  I stamped the vase portion again on patterned paper from DCWV and then fussy cut  and paper pieced on the image.   Used the same pattern for the background but embossed it with an Argyle EF.  I trimmed the image with an oval die and cut a pink mat with an  Eyelet Oval die both from Heartfelt Creations.  I assembled the card on a pink card base. 

Check out the Pink Tulips in my blog header.  They are the Angelique tulips blooming in my garden.

Challenges:

The House That Stamps Built: Challenge DCC M620 Spring Flowers

Happy Little Stampers: May Challenge Anything Goes with a Die

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

Stay Safe!
Stay Healthy!
Have a great day!
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

Chill Out

Hello!  I was inspired to make this card by the Inspiration Palette Challenge A1520 at The House That Stamps Built.  As I often do, I literally duplicated the photo using a Chickadee stamp from GKD's Winter Wings set.  I found a patterned paper from Pink Paislee Color Wash pad that picked up the colors in the palette to use as a background. I stamped the bird with Memento Black ink on White CS and heat embossed with Clear EP and then colored the image with Copics and added some snow with a Snow Marker.  I trimmed this with a Spellbinders die and attached to the patterned paper background.  I added some interest to the patterned paper by dry embossing with a Darice EF Pine Branches. I also cut along the embossed pine cone so I could slip the corner of the image underneath when I attached the image.  I think this is the first time I did that. Finished with a Repeat Impressions sentiment stamped in Gray ink and a card base of Dark Brown.
Challenges:
Alphabet Challenge: A is for Anything Goes
Always Fun Challenges: #158 Clean and Simple
Simon Monday Challenge: Simon says E is for? I used embossing - both dry and heat.
Cute Card Thursday: Challenge #630 Wings
Modsquad Challenge: Birds
The House That Stamps Built: Inspiration Palette Challenge A1520

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

Cards That I Made

Hello! Hope everyone is healthy and coping with all that is going on in this troubled world.  I have been spending a lot of time in the studio but not posting much.  I have several cards to share.  I will begin with a card that was inspired by St. Patrick's Day, a truck die, and shamrocks.  It began with a leftover from making a background with acrylic paints that reminded me of a sunny day.  I die cut the truck with Cheapo Dies in green and silver card stocks and filled the bed with shamrocks cut with the cameo and from an assortment of metallic confetti. I assembled that on the background. I added the word Lucky cut with Cameo(Left from another project). I stamped the sentiment from Repeat Impressions with black ink.  I tore the edges of the image and attached to a green card base.
Challenges:
Cute Card Thursday: Challenge # 626 Just for Fun.  Made this card just for fun.
Die Cut Divas: Challenge is anything goes with a die cut.

Another card that I made but not posted is shown above.  I used this month's free digital image from Beccy's Place to create the design with a digital check paper. I printed the color image of the pie but changed colors a bit before printing.  I stamped the sentiment from stash in black on white cs and matted it on black cs. Used a white layer and red card base to finish.
Challenges:
Artsystamper Digitals Challenge: #12  Lots of layers.
Beccy's Place: March Challenge Create a card using a Beccy's Place stamp. The optional element is food.

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

Christmas Wreaths

Hello! How was your weekend? Today I am sharing 2 similar Christmas cards made using GKD Stamps from Holiday Wreath Builder set for the wreath.  The top card uses a sentiment from Repeat Impressions.  Sentiments were stamped with Versamark and embossed with Gold EP.  Both panels with images were edged with Pilot Gold Metallic marker before attaching to card bases. 

Challenges:
Modsquad Challenge: Sentiment says it all. 

The House That Stamps Built: Challenge O2319 Anything Goes

12 Months of Christmas: #59  Optional Twist Red and Green

Stamping Sensations: November Traditional Christmas Colors Red, Green, Gold

Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog: MLCCB #15 Anything Christmas Goes

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

Recyled from Another card

 Hello!  I save elements from cards that we have received over the years with the intention to recycle on cards that I create.  Recently I took time to put some of these to use.  For the top card I trimmed a foiled panel with embossed  snowflakes and attached to a red card base that I stamped and embossed with Silver EP a sentiment from Repeat Impressions.  I also embossed the edge with Silver EP.

 For this card I trimmed a wreath from a larger card and attached it to a 4.25" x 5.5" card base and added die cut words from Metallic Gold CS and a strip of metallic trimmed from another recycled card. Used Cheery Lynn dies.

 I started with a GKD Red CS base for the above card which I inked the edges with Pilot Gold Metallic pen.  I attached a Tree of  Gold Metallic paper that I fussy cut from a recycled card.   The sentiment on Red Foil with Gold Metallic words was fussy cut from another card and added atop the tree.

The last card that I am sharing used the embossed tree panel from a recycled card that was trimmed and edged with Gold and attached to a white card base.  The lower strip embossed with words Family, Friends, Christmas came from another saved card. 

I love being able to put these items to use in some ways rather than just throwing away. 

Challenges to enter:

ABC Christmas Challenge: U is for Upcyle
The House That Stamps Built: Anything Goes O2319. Top card used Repeat Impressions stamp.

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

Autumn Brings Pumpkins

Welcome to the studio!  Playing with a Pumpkin stamp from Repeat Impressions to create a Clean and Simple card for a couple of challenges.  I stamped the Pumpkin on the corner of a white card stock with Memento Tangelo ink and  colored with Copics using colors from the graphic below. I added die cut leaves in 2 shades of green (from my leftover stash of die cuts).  The Autumn Stamp from stash was stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa ink. Attached to a Dark Brown card base.

Easy as Pumpkin Pie!

Challenge:
AAA Cards: CAS Game #151-Use just One corner of the corner.  I also used colors from the optional twist color palette.

The House That Stamps Built: Inspiration Palette Challenge 01619-see graphic below

Alphabet Challenge Blog: O is for One word sentiment

Addicted to Stamps: Challenge 178  Add a Pumpkin

Make My Monday: Challenge #107 Fruit and / or Vegetable.  I used pumpkin which is a Fruit!

Use Your Stuff Challenge: 378 Use a Pumpkin

Shopping Our Stash: #406 It's Pumpkin Spice Season

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

All About Circles

Hello! Back with another quick post.   This card was made with a Pumpkin stamp from Repeat Impressions that I stamped with Memento Tangelo ink on white card stock and fussy cut.  I simply attached a panel of orange and white dotted pattern paper from stash to a white card base and stamped a GKD sentiment with  the orange ink and heat embossed with clear EP.  I attached the pumpkin and glued on some orange dots punched with a hole punch.  Made it look like one of those fancy designer pumpkins! Easy, peasy!

Challenges:

Double D Challenges: Orange and White
The House That Stamps Built: Challenge DCC 0219 Circles

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

It's Harvest Time

Where did September go?  I've been looking for it but lost track of time and it's already the third of October!!! Speaking of October, this is a month for harvesting fall pumpkins so that is the theme of this card that I made for the challenge at The House That Stamps Built made with a Repeat Impressions Pumpkin stamp.  Using masking, I stamped 3 Pumpkins on white CS and colored with Copics but varied the coloring of each one.  Have you seen the wide variety of Pumpkins at the markets?  I still favor orange pumpkins but I love the white and multi colors ones. My card did not turn out as originally planned …..I kept changing the layout and papers.  For the final card, I fussy cut the upper edge of images and attached it to a mat of  Kaiser Craft Specialty Paper with Orange circles with a bit of shine on some of the circles(think it is called spot varnish.) Attached this to a white card base.
Challenges:
The House That Stamps Built: Challenge DDC 0219 Circles.  Started with Pumpkins as my circles and added pattern with more circles.
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge: October-Always all about using Patterned Papers.
Make My Monday Challenge: #106 Autumn
Retro Rubber: Challenge 120 Anything Goes.  Stamp is over 5 years old.

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

At The Beach

Welcome to my studio! Today I have a card made with Repeat Impressions Sandcastle stamp (Year 2016). I stamped the image with Memento Toffee Crunch ink on White CS and colored with Copics and sponged the sky with Memento Summer Sky ink.  I stamped the image a second time and fussy cut the star fish and added glossy accents to it.  I attached the star fish, 2 real seashells, and a real mini sand dollar to give dimension to the scene.  Stamped the sentiment with DOI Vintage Photo. I finished with a Blue card base and mat of Kraft CS.

Challenges:
The House That Stamps Built: Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge A1419.  Used Row 1 Down-By the Sea, Sponging, Dimension.

Retro Rubber Challenge: #RRCB118 Sketch Challenge.  The sandcastle stamp is 3 years old or older.

CASology: Week 350-Water

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

Hello with Bubbles

Hello!  I am playing with another technique that I have never tried - using bubble wrap with ink.  I have a ton of bubble wrap since I never seem to throw it away and seldom use it.  I took a section of the bubble wrap and inked it up with Distress Oxide Ink Picked Raspberry  and pressed it on to a white card stock panel to create a background.  Trimmed this and attached to a White Card Base. I then reinked the bubble wrap and inked and stamped a Repeat Impressions stamp Hello on to white card stock.  I liked the textured look that this achieved and this bold stamp was perfect to use  with the bubble wrap.  Attached the word to Vellum and popped up on the card with foam.  
Quick and Easy card!

Challenges:
The House That Stamps Built: Challenge DCC A719 Try a new technique.
The Paper Girls Challenge: #181 Vellum. The touch of Vellum added a lot to my design.
Just Us Girls Challenge: Trend Week #500 Circles.  Lot of circles from the bubble wrap.

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

Sparkly Flowers for a Birthday

Welcome to my studio this Monday!  Cannot believe July is almost over.  Today I have a card made with Repeat Impressions stamp Flower Power Background.  I stamped the image on Watercolor paper with Versamark ink and heat embossed with Stampendous White Pearls Translucent  EP and then water colored with DOI Picked Raspberry, Squeezed Lemon, and Spiced Marmalade. I added some sparkle to some of the flowers with Sakura Clear Star Pen.  Stamped a strip of Vellum with a GKD sentiment with the Spiced Marmalade and heat embossed with Clear EP.  Wrapped this around the image and  attached to a White CS panel and then a Yellow Card Base. 

Challenges:
The House That Stamps Built: Anything Goes Challenge J2419

Modsquad Challenge: All That Sparkles.  Used Clearstar Pen on selected flowers

Simon Monday Challenge: Simon says Bright and Cheerful.

Color Throwdown: Challenge #553 Orange, Pink,  Yellow 

Flight Across Africa

Hello!  I had fun with the latest challenge at The Library Challenge which features the book Five Weeks in a Balloon.  I was not familiar with the story but did some research and learned it was about
"a scholar and explorer, Dr. Samuel Fergusson, accompanied by his manservant Joe and his friend professional hunter Richard "Dick" Kennedy, who set out to explore and travel across the African continent  in a balloon."   I took inspiration from the colors and layout of the cover but added reference to the story by including a map of their travel in Africa. 
Supplies used:  Balloon stamp from Repeat Impressions; Memento Toffee Crunch Ink;   Copics for coloring; Distress Oxide Ink Broken China for Water Coloring the Sky; Cloud EF from Darice; Explore sticker from stash;  Aqua and White Card Stock; Map printed from Internet; Foam.

Challenges:
CRAFT Challenge: #520 Inspired by a Film.  There was also a film "Five Weeks in a Balloon" directed by Irwin Allen and starring Red Buttons, Fabian, Barbara Eden, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Peter Lorre, Richard Haydn, Barbara Luna
The Library Challenge: #37 Five Weeks in a Balloon

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

When You Wish Upon a Star

Hello!  This card was inspired by the Inspiration Palette Challenge J1619 at The House That Stamps Built (shown below).  I found 3 Colors of Cardstock that seem to match up with the inspiration colors.  I used the darkest as a card base and layered the other two.  I embossed the top layer (before layering) with a Stars EF setting it at an angle and added some score marks.    I die cut 3 sizes of stars out of glitter paper and arranged them and then added a precut star of multi colors with glitter accents from leftovers from a kit.  Finished with some plastic confetti stars touched with Diamond Stickles for more shine.  Used DOI Fossilized Amber to sponge around the sentiment and on some of the stars. The colors in  my photo did not run true to the real colors …..seems to have a yellow cast that I could not edit out.  Trust me, the colors are more similar to the inspiration colors.  I used a Repeat Sentiment....thought it tied in with Dreams and Wishes and Stars. 

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

Winter Snow Globe

Hello!  I was not sure where I was going with this card but wanted to use a Repeat Impressions Snow Globe stamp for the challenge at The House That Stamps Built.  I used the Lighthouse Snowglobe stamp but modified it by eliminating Santa and his sleigh.  I first stamped the globe on Vellum and heat embossed with Clear EP.  I stamped it again with Black ink on white CS and a second time with Memento Nautical Blue( coloring over Santa).  I colored in the image stamped in Black ink with Pencils. I trimmed both of these images and layered under the image on Vellum.  I die cut a circle opening on the Yellow Card base and added the layered snow globe underneath.  I stamped the base of the globe on a Wood Grain Patterned Paper with Versamark and heat embossed with Brown EP.  I fussy cut the base and attached on the card front below the Winter Scene in the globe. Stamped a sentiment from my stash with DOI Walnut Stain and added some die cut vellum snowflakes.   

I could have used acrylic instead of vellum and just stamped and layered the stamped scene under that, but the heat embossed vellum gives a nice texture in real life. 

Challenges:

The House That Stamps Built: Challenge DCC12 Snow Globes

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

Christmas Poinsettias

Hello!  Christmas is almost here. Just had to make this Christmas card for the Inspiration Palette D1918 challenge at The House That Stamps Built.  I used Creative Dies Poinsettia Nesting dies (a freebie) with various pink card stocks to create Poinsettias with Green metal brads.  I rubbed  Perfect Pearls on the petals for some shine.   I attached the flowers to a Mint Green Cardstock (Brazzill) layered with a strip of embossed Cranberry CS.  I finished with a Repeat Impressions sentiment stamped in SU Bravo Burgundy ink. 

Other Challenges to enter:

Modsquad Challenge: Christmas or Winter Theme Project with Metal Die

Die Cut Divas: December Challenge Theme is Winter/Winter Holidays

Happy Little Stampers: December Anything Goes with Dies

Dies R Us Challenge: #111 Anything Christmas

The Flower Challenge: #27 Use older stamp or die. Dies are a couple years old.

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

Leaf as a Stamp

 Hello!  The other day I saw a video with Gina K using actual leaves and Distress Oxide inks to make cards.  It reminded me of doing that several years ago as well as scanning leaves to create my own digital papers.  This week I picked up some leaves (boy was it cold outside!) and pulled out some distress oxide inks to play with.   To make the card shown above, I used a Coleus leaf (pictured below) with Twisted Citron and Aged Mahogany and white cardstock.  I added the word Thanks with a Repeat Impressions stamp and the Aged Mahogany ink.  Placed this on card base of GKD Faded Brick CS. A quick and easy card and certainly one of a kind.
Challenges:
 The House That Stamps Built: Anything Goes Challenge 02418.
As You Like It Challenge: Clean and Simple or  Fussy and Fancy and Why?  I seem to have gravitated to Clean and Simple more lately...like to focus on the images and the coloring.
Modsquad Challenge: Make a Fall Thank You card.




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