Feminine cards

This is the card I've created to take to our May shoebox gathering. I needed to get this done early because I know I won't have much time before we meet in May.
An oval nestabilities was used to cut a pink oval which I embossed and then shaded with raisin adorondack ink. I then stamped the dress image once onto the pink oval and then onto a piece of patterned vellum paper. I cut the dress out of the vellum paper, ran it through my xyron sticker maker and attached to the image on the pink oval. A wine colored layer was cut (5 5/16 x 4 1/16") and then punched with a decorative corner punch. That layer was attached to the pink card. A piece of pink patterned decorative scrapbook paper was cut (5 x 3 3/4") and then a different corner punch used. I used a nestabilities scalloped oval to cut an opening in the decorative piece slightly higher than center. Before attaching that layer I placed it on top of the wine layer, positioning it in the appropriate place so that I could glue the pink oval in place onto the wine colored card stock first. Once that was done I attached foam mounting tape to the decorative frame and then attached to the card so that the frame is raised adding dimension to the card. The pink bow was created with my bow-easy and attached to the bottom using glue dots.

I created this card a couple of weeks ago. It is one of several different styles of feminine cards I created when a friend asked if I would make a 'Sweet 16' birthday card for her to give to her granddaughter. I combined some of the elements of this card and the one that my friend chose for her granddaughter to create the style I'll take along for our May shoebox night.
In this card none of the layers are raised even though the picture may make it appear that they are. I think the various die cuts, paper colors, ink shading, and embellishments make it appear more dimensional than it is. This may be the card I sent to my great niece when she turns 16 later this year! Or is she going to be 15???

Gatefold with a twist

I found this card design on Stamp TV. Here is a link..
http://stamptv.ning.com/video/gatefold-card-with-a-twist
I used my scor buddy to create these cards... that makes it so easy! I used a stamp I hadn't used yet... it is actually one stamp with three bird images. I stamped the image onto glossy card that contained an alcohol ink background I had made months ago. Then I cut the 3 bird images apart and mounted onto black card stock. I used some decorative card stock as the background on the right and left panel of the gatefold. I had found some square metal embellishments for $1 at Michael's and thought they'd look good on this card. It needed something to perk it up a little since the paper I used to cover the panels seemed a little dull to me.
Here's another look at that card so that you can see how the card opens up. The top and bottom bird images are attached only to the left hand panel and the middle bird image is attached only to the right hand panel.











Here's another gatefold card using the same stamp, but different card stock on the panels.

Here's another look at the card so that you can see how the images are attached to the panels of the card.
I like the background paper I used on this 2nd card better than the 1st card. I think it makes the bird images stand out more.

Distressed Newsprint

I was searching for some techniques to try and found this one on Stamp TV. It is called distressed newsprint.
Cut a piece of newsprint the size you need; this one is 5 1/4 x 4". Using 3 colors of distress inks, first apply tattered rose in a direct to paper fashion. You do not need to cover the entire piece of newsprint. Next, using a foam sponge applicator, apply tea dye pouncing the applicator over the piece of newsprint. Again, you do not need to cover the entire piece. Now, crumple up the newsprint tightly and then smooth out on a flat surface. Take the 3rd distress ink, vintage photo, and gently apply over the top of the newsprint with the sponge applicator. What you are doing is applying the color to the raised areas of the crumpled paper. Here is a link to the technique as shown on Stamp TV...
http://stamptv.ning.com/video/distressed-newsprint
I used nestabilities dies to cut the 2 layers. For the blue piece I also embossed so that I could apply ink to the inside edge of the label.

I know golf is not just a 'man's sport', but it still makes a nice masculine card. I used a couple of oval nestabilities to cut the layers for the golf club image. A little brown ink was used to shade the inside edge of the smaller oval. I like how that color makes the image and the layering pop off the card.
I will definitely used the distressed newsprint technique again!

Special Thank You's

On April 9th our local Rotary with assistance from our local Lions Club held a fund raiser for an organization called 'Seniors on the go'. 'Seniors on the Go' provides a taxi service for local residents when they need transportation for various reasons (doctor visits, grocery shopping, etc). The fund raiser consisted of live music and dancing, as well as, raffle prizes and a silent auction.
I thought it would be a great idea to send Thank You cards to the various individuals and businesses that donated items for the raffle and silent auction. Here is a look at the card I created. I made a copy of a portion of our local area map to use on the cards. And I thought it was a cute idea to add a sign on the side of the car indicating the organization that benefited from this very successful event.

Folded ATC's

This first panel of my folded ATC is purple vellum. I stamped a moon image in the top. I had hoped the vellum would look more transparent so that the scenery image stamped on the second panel would be more apparent. AT this point I'm not sure I like this ATC.


Here is a look at the folded ATC with the first panel opened. I had stamped one of my stampscapes images onto this panel and then colored with watercolor pencils.



Here is the ATC fully opened. My wolf stamp was stamped onto a piece of alcohol ink background and then mounted in the center of the folded ATC. I also stamped the 2 word stamps onto the back of the panel on the left.

I wasn't happy with the result so I waited a day or 2 and then worked on another folded ATC.



Here is my second attempt at a folded ATC. I stamped monarch butterfly wings onto purple vellum and used embossing powder on them. I cut the wings out leaving a small tab that I could tape under the center piece. I also punched 2 small butterflies out of a scrap piece of vellum that had also been embossed.
On the center piece I stamped a new hero arts stamp I had recently purchased onto a piece of card stock that I had sponged distress inks onto. I taped the butterfly wings behind the center piece and then mounted that onto the purple card stock.





Here is the ATC with the butterfly wings opened. I like this second attempt much more than my first attempt and will mail this ATC to my partner. I'm not sure what I'll do with the first attempt... I'm thinking it is going into the bin!

A labor of love

This collage of pictures of our dog, Molly, was a labor of love for me and helped me to deal with her unexpected death. Molly died a month ago on March 3 of a heart attack. On March 14 Molly would have been 8 years old. We miss her so very much; she was such a big part of our lives. We took her on every trip we possibly could. My friend, Bert, said she was envious of all the places that Molly was able to travel. That gave me the idea for this collage which is now hanging on our wall. Within a couple of days of her passing I began searching for at least one picture of her on each of the trips we took together. I also added some pictures of her at home on the lake and in the yard doing her agility tricks. And if you look at the bottom picture of the blond and red retriever puppies, the little red head is Molly's sister, Augie.