Another Squirrel

Since I had taken out a variety of things to complete our current Squirrely Challenge, I decided to make another card.

My photo ended up crooked, but you can see the card. I really love the clock embossing folder - maybe I should use it more often!

Squirrely Challenge

It has been a while since Nancy posted a Squirrely Challenge. Instead of a technique, we had a list of requirements to meet. The card needed to be masculine. It also needed to have been made using a tool, an embossing folder and something from your stash.
For my card, I chose a leaf punch for my tool. (technically not new, but then again I haven't bought any new tools in a while!) The wood banner was from my stash, as was all the card stock!

You can see Nancy's cute banner card here.

Tuesday's Tag

For this tag, I decided to play around with a technique I saw on Claudine Helmuth's blog. I used a Prima stencil and a sponge with acrylic paints to create a background on cheap white tissue paper. By sponging on the paint, you have more control as the amount applied (which impacts bleed through and drying time). After I let it completely dry, I place a tag under the tissue to see where I wanted the design to fall. Once I like the placement, I cut out the tag shape.
A little gel medium on the tag was all it took to adhere the tissue to the tag. In smoothing it out, I did tear a bit of the tissue. So, I decided to add an image:

I stamped the Tim Holtz umbrella man in Archival black. I re-stamped the umbrella portion in Marvy red and cut them all out. I used mounting tape to attach umbrella man to the tag. This will probably end up in an art journal.

Simple

After stamping for many years, I always feel inclined to make elaborate cards. Unfortunately, my time is short and I would rather do a little something, rather than nothing at all. I'm sure there are others out there who feel the same. Plus, sometimes clean and simple is kind of a fun a change of pace. The cards below fit the bill - and will most likely be sent to Operation Write Home:

The sentiment is made from letter stickers.

The bottom curly line is a portion of paper tape. Both cards were made from kits from SimonSaysStamp.

Going with the simple theme of yesterday's card, I used a punch out, Baker's Twine and Washi tape to create the details of this card. The only stamped images were the line with dots and "hello".

Loved how it came together!

I was working through part of a SimonSaysStamp kit - just using items from the kit. For me, it's a good exercise in using imagination. It limits me to what is in front of me - any ideas on other images, embellishments are ignored. I thought this particular card came together nicely. Being a stamper, I tend to use stamped images as my focal. Not with this:

The bird image on the bottom is part of the patterned paper. The large heart was cut from a traced pattern. This card will go into a batch for Operation Write Home. Pull a patterned paper from your stash and give it a try.

Tuesday's Tag

My friend, Nancy, gave me this wonderful collection of patterned papers and embellishments from My Mind's Eye(Ruby). The papers colors of reds, pinks, white/cream and gray are very versatile. I decided on a French twist - I think this will make a fun addition to a card!

Unpacking...

I spent Friday through Sunday at a Crop. Some Close to my Heart demonstrators sponsor a "Diva Crop" - art space, hotel room and food for one reasonable cost at a local hotel. My main goal was to get some photos scrapped on to pages. Not complete pages, but just onto pages. Scrapping is my least favorite paper arts activity. Unfortunately, I have a bunch of photos that need a home. So, I decided to match up photos with pre-made pages and bring them along. I figure I can go back when I only have a limited amount of time ad title, journal and embellish. It was quite successful:

Photo one is a top view of the 2 12 x 12 packages of layouts and photos. The lower photo is a side view of the completed pages. It took me Friday (started around 4:30pm) and most of Saturday, but they are done to the point I wanted. Then, I dove into some SimonSaysStamp cards kits to play:

I made these rather simply so that I can send them to Operation Write Home. Thus ended a very satisfying weekend (can't wait to do it again!)

Thank You

I'm slowly, but surely, getting my holiday thank you cards done. After cutting and matting some patterned paper strips, I decided I needed a variation. Using some of the same strips and adding some stamps:

The background stamp is by Hero Arts and has quickly become a favorite!

I wasn't quite ready to put away my holiday patterned paper. So, with a bit of mixing and matching, fun winter card fronts. I cut 5 strips into 3/4 x 3 3/4 (or close to it) and mounted them to a black mat.

I added a snowflake stamp from Stampin' Up and a little "thank you". Some of my Christmas "thank you" cards are complete. And, it all came from my stash!

Tuesday's Tag

Tuesday's tag was a throw back to my scenic stamping days (albeit much more simply done). I stamped a Hero Arts chevron/snowflakes background in Versa Mark ink. After it was dry, I added a few colors of blue Distress Inks. The trees and deer came next:

I used white acrylic paint to add some snow to the trees and ground. I flicked a bit more paint on the background. Lastly, I added a Stampin' Up  sentiment and baker's twine (that I didn't have to make!) Trees are by Stamper's Anonymous/Tim Holtz and the deer are CTMH (Close to my Heart).

Journaling

It has been awhile since I did anything creative. The holidays, family, and mom's trust business have taken up my time. I did get a few minutes recently to work on journal pages for a swap. With all the travel over the past months, this is what came to mind:

 Now, this is a fairly simple page for me. I did a bit of layering of mists and inks on the background. I stamped a new Unity cloud background to add some interest. Of course, I needed to add a bit of a twist, so I added a heart from Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers...

The house stamp is from Hero Arts -it's one that I have frequently used!

Ready!

Tags are done and gifts are wrapped. I even have a few left to add to a stash for next year. Hope all your Holiday plans are proceeding smoothly!

We wish you....

I finally finished my Christmas cards. It was rough going as I just had no idea what I wanted to do. Since getting into the Holiday spirit has been difficult, I decided to go very simple this year. So, I used some pre-cut card kits (leftovers from Club Scrap kits) and stamps from Close to My Heart:

The nesting dies are by Stampin' Up! Not one of my more spectacular efforts, but at least they are done!

Gift Tags

I think I've made enough gift tags for Christmas. My goal to use my stash of patterned paper has worked well. I have also been using die cuts quite a bit. For the gift tags below, I folded patterned paper in half and positioned in in the Sizzix/Tim Holtz ornament die so that the fold was below the to cut line. Thus, it makes a mini ornament card. I ran a complimentary paper through the die again to cut out the top of the ornament.

I stamped and punched put the center circles. Super easy! I made the tag below similarly using the Sizzix/Tim Holtz dwellings die:

You can see the top is a bit flat due to the fold. Take a look at your dies - there may be some that would make a perfect fold over card.

Tuesday's Tag

For today's tag, I took out (of the package) a couple of new stamps. The background is by Hero Arts - love it!

It was stamped in Distress ink, but seemed a bit too dark for what I wanted to do. Enter Distress Stain in Picket Fence - it toned it down a bit. I stamped the bird (My Mind's Eye from the Merry and Bright collection) onto the tag in black. I then re-stamped it on a separate piece of card stock in Barn Door Distress ink. I cut out the bird and mounted it over the black image with mounting tape. The flowers were also re-stamped onto white card stock, cut out and mounted over the original image. I added some Straw Distress Stickles to the center.
From a scrap of Merry and Bright paper, I die cut the lace edge on the left. I used the same print to punch out different size snowflakes. I added a smear of glitter glue to the snowflakes. Here's a close up:

Last of all, I stamped the sentiment (My Mind's Eye Merry and Bright) and cut out the banner. It was also added to the card with mounting tape. Finally, I stained some cream ribbon with Stormy Sky Distress Stain. I did use the papers and tag from my stash, only the stamps were new!

Some Favorites

A few years back, I was debating about getting a Big Shot by Sizzix. After all, I didn't like to use die cuts. I had steered clear of them for decades. But, I did like embossing folders, so I figured why not get the Big Shot. One of the best tools I ever bought. I think this is pretty funny since almost all the cards and tags I have been making use a die cut!
I made the card below for a friend. The snowman in the fold-over card. I folded white card stock in half and the put the fold just below the top of the hat. That way, it doesn't cut through:

After die cutting, I opened the snowman up and placed the front into a snowflake embossing folder. I slightly inked the raised snowflakes and smeared on a bit of glitter glue. The photo below shows how the snowman opens. The banner is made from a SimonSaysStamp thin die (a new favorite!). I mounted the snowman to the card with mounting tape.

                                          

Sweet Treats

I had invited my gym buddies over for a lunch, a thank you for all the support they have given over the past half year. I was thinking of making a cute holiday favor for them to take home. Opening my drawer of dies, I embarrassingly recalled that I had bought the Stampin' Up matchbox die and never used it! No time like the present...
I used a couple of patterned papers, instead of card stock. I wasn't sure how sturdy they would be so I did make a test box. Thankfully, they worked beautifully:

I made the lid from printer transparencies. It was thin enough that I didn't need to score it to wrap it around the little box. I used my ATG gun to adhere it together. Since you can still see a bit of the glue line, I placed the ribbon around the box at the seam and tied a bow. Below is the bottom view, you can see I still needed to adjust the ribbon:

They were a big hit, thankfully. And, I stayed with my resolution to use my stash - including old "new" dies!

Tuesday's Tag

I had a weekly feature, Tuesday's Tips, for a couple of years. I haven't really posted any new tips for awhile - been distracted with real life. So, for a twist, I thought I would have Tuesday's Tag. I figure it will help me get tags done for Christmas. Plus, I can make some for gift tags for a variety  of occasions. For the tag below, I used a Darcy's Christmas set:

I stamped a swirl in gold and silver inks, then lightly sprayed with Glimmer Mist. The tree was stamped with Bottle Adirondak. I stamped the frame and greeting, cut them out and mounted it to the card with mounting tape. Quick and easy - which is something I need!