Happy Birthday- Cardabilities #113

Hello! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  I have a couple of cards to share today.  First up is a birthday card I created for my brother-in-law using this sketch from Cardabilities:

I pulled out my gear embossing folder and embossed a piece of yellow cardstock. I inked it using an ink blending tool and Forest Moss, Wild Honey, and Weathered Wood Distress Inks.  I then splattered some Sugar Maple Glimmer Mist on it.  To make the gears, I cut the tractor tires using my Cricut from the Boys Will be Boys cartridge.  The clock face was cut with the Edge to Edge cartridge. I stamped a texture stamp and heat embossed the gears before attaching them to the card. A couple of brads and a length of ribbon finished off the card.

I also made a wedding card this weekend for my husband's brother and his new wife. I used the Edge to Edge cartridge for the white cut background (I really love how this one looks against the black). The bracket was cut from vellum using the Storybook cartridge.  I cut the bell with the Stretch Your Imagination cartridge.  I added some sparkle to the bell using Platinum Stickles. The sentiment was stamped and heat embosssed with silver embossing powder.

A Couple more quick cards...

These two cards were put together fairly quickly and were inspired by product.  For the first card, I pulled out a snowflake stamp set and covered the card in snowflakes, stamped in Versamark Dazzle and light blue ink.  I stamped the sentiment and decided the card needed a bit more.  I cut the ornaments with my Cricut and the Holiday Cakes cartridge.  I cut one layer in blue and the other in gray.  All the gray areas I covered in Platinum Stickles to add some shine. To finish it off, I made lines with the platinum Stickles (which are not as straight as I would like them to be).

My second card is a card for my brother-in-law on his birthday.  I bought this gear embossing folder a few weeks ago and had been looking forward to using it.  I covered a piece of cardstock with aluminum foil and then ran it through my embossing machine.  To add some color, I dropped red, yellow, and silver alcohol inks on the panel.  I blended them a bit with an ink blending tool and let it dry. I don't have any Cricut cartridges with gears, so I used the wheels from the tractor on "Boys Will Be Boys" instead. I stamped my sentiment on the larger one and heat embossed it.  I rubbed the edges of both "gears" with Versamark and then heat embossed them with silver to make them fit in with the background better.  I used a screw head bread on the smaller gear to finish it off.

Baptism Card- Sketch Saturday #340

Merry Christmas!  I am back today with a baptism card I created for a friend's little one.  I used this week's Sketch Saturday sketch:

To create the ombre effect on the background of my card, I sprayed the piece of cardstock with three different colors of spray mist.  I wasn't happy with the blotchiness of it, so I then drug a card across the panel starting with the light colors and going to the dark. That was what I was looking for! The bible image and sentiment are stamped and heat embossed.  I inked the edges of the piece with the bible.  A length of ribbon and a brad finished off this card.

Bachelorette card- CAS(E) this Sketch #104

Well, it's time to catch up! Let me start by saying Merry Christmas Eve Day!  It has been a crazy month around here with not a lot of paper crafting happening. I have made a few cards which I will share over the next few days. First up is a Bachelorette party card I made for my future sister-in-law using CAS(E) this Sketch #104:

I decided to go with the soft, feminine colors and patterns of Basic Grey Porcelain for this card. I layered up a few pieces of patterned paper.  I colored the flowers to match using spray ink and topped them off with a button.

Stay tuned for some more cards over the next few days!

Happy 8th Birthday!

Friday was my oldest daughter's 8th birthday!  I can't believe it has be 8 years since she was born! For her card, I used this week's sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch:

I started by embossing a white panel for the base of my card front.  I cut butterflies using my Cricut and the Storybook cartridge from a rainbow of colors.  To make the sentiment stand out but not cover up the embossing, I used some vellum with colored flecks in it. I used light pink ink and iridescent embossing powder for the sentiment. I then arrange my butterflies in the rainbow on the card front. 

I wanted to add the frame detail, so I turned to my glitter glue.  I started with my clear iridescent Wow! glitter glue.  I have had trouble getting the glue to come out of that tube since the day I bought it.  I shoved a pin in the tip, pulled off the tip to see if I could see what was clogging it.  Nothing worked.  Finally, I just decided to squeeze.  And. it. exploded. EVERYWHERE. I had it on my clothes, the desk, the carpet. Ugh. So I got that cleaned up. Word to the wise: if you are looking to buy glitter glue, just buy the Stickles. I have never had a problem with them and they are beautiful. That's what I ended up using here, Platinum Stickles.  I don't love how that turned out, but oh well, it's done. :)

First Birthday- Mojo Monday 374

Hi, I'm back today with a card to share.  I based it on this week's sketch at Mojo Monday:

 I pulled out a fishy Stampin Up set for this card. I stamped it in navy blue ink and colored it in using colored pencils.

I also tried a new technique and, I am happy to say, it worked! After I finished coloring my fish, I decided I wanted it to be shiny.  I colored over it with my Versamark pen and then sprinkled clear embossing powder on it.  I heated the powder and viola! a shiny fish! (And another used for the Versamark pen.)

My Do It- My Scrap and More Sketch #95

It's the first Friday of the month, which means a new sketch at My Scraps and More! This week's sketch is brought to us by Audrey Yeager:

As you can see, I stuck pretty close to the sketch.  I added another photo, and reduced the angle a bit. most of the papers and embellishments are from the Scrapbook Circle kit I received several months ago. This layout came together so quickly! I think the combination of the fun sketch and the already coordinated elements in the kit really helped.  I debated what colors to go with because there are A LOT of different colors going on in the photos. I am really glad I settled on the pink, black and white color scheme because it doesn't compete with all the other color going on. 

Materials:
Patterned paper- Bella Blvd., American Crafts, Echo Park
Vellum- Crate paper
Transparencies- Heidi Swapp
Photo Corner- Webster's Pages
Tape- K and Company
Pearl- Michaels
Pen- Newell Rubbermaid
Stamp- Stampin Up
Ink- Clearsnap
Embossing Powder- JoAnn Crafts
Software- Adobe, Crafters Edge
Photoshop Action- Coffeeshop Blog
Font- Anke Hand
Die Cutter- Provo Craft

December calendar page

Hey, my calendar page is done on the 1st! I'm not going to say much about it, I have so much other stuff to do, but here is the sketch from Stick it Down:

And here is my layout:

Some close ups of my clusters:

 We finally got "Sure Cuts A Lot loaded onto our new computer, so I used that to cut my title.  I didn't like how the painting on the chipboard piece in the photo below turned out, so I covered it up with a tin pin (make it work!).

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and have had a blessed start to the Advent season!

Materials:
Cardstock- American Crafts
Patterned Paper- Michaels
Chipboard- Making Memories
Ink- October Afternoon, Imaginisce, and Studio Calico
Die Cuts, Tin Pin, and Rub ons- October Afternoon
Brads- Basic Grey
Pen- Sakura
Tape- Pink Fresh Studio
Die Cutter- Provo Craft
Software- Crafters Edge
Font- Backhand Brush

November Calendar Page

Yikes! Is it really November 19th already?! Time and mojo have not been easy to come by this month. I finally finished my calendar layout for the month... just in time to start working on next month's!

I started with the two page sketch from Stick it Down for October:

I didn't have any fall paper with the bright green in it, so I took some bright green patterned paper and made it fall-ish.  I used a water brush and picked up yellow and brown ink from some Distress Ink pads and painted it over select leaves on the patterned paper.

I cut some leaves from patterned paper using my Cricut and the Doodlecharms cartridge to tuck behind my flowers.  I finished off a couple of my clusters with some twine.

I used both patterned paper and cardstock for the banners by my title.  To add some interest to the cardstock banner, I dry embossed it and inked it with brown Distress ink. Since my title letters have a slight pattern on them, I decided to put some paint down to make them stand out.

Well, there you have it!  Hopefully my December calendar page will be done close to the beginning of the month and not on Christmas!

Materials:
Cardstock- Bazzill Basics
Patterned Paper- October Afternoon, K and Company
Embossing Folder- Ellison
Felt- Basic Grey
Transparency- Hambly
Tape- My Mind's Eye
Letters- American Crafts
Flowers- Prima
Chipboard- Studio Calico
Font- Aramis
Paint- Making Memories
Glitter Glue and Ink- Ranger
Die Cutter- Provo Craft
Cartridge- Doodlecharms
Embossing Powder- Stampendous
Vellum, Twine- unknown

Another card catch up!

 Phew! Another week has gone by! I am finally back and sharing the cards I have made over the last month!

Up first is my most recent, a shower card for my soon-to-be sister-in-law. I used this month's card sketch from Stick it Down.

The colors for the wedding are black, white and red, so I stuck to that color scheme.  I dry embossed the gray cardstock and heat embossed the hearts on the red cardstock.  For the white hearts, I cut them from white cardstock using my Cricut and then heat embossed them repeatedly with some glitter embossing powder.

 Next up is a card using last month's card sketch from Stick it Down.

This card was for my daughter's 6th birthday. I used some old K and Company papers. The banners were cut with a punch and the present was cut with my Cricut. I added accents with red and white gel pens/

 I didn't use a sketch for my last two cards, but I played around with techniques a bit.  This card was an anniversary card for my parents.  I started with watercolor paper. I stamped some leaves on it with Versamark and then heat embossed it with the clear glitter embossing powder (I'm really loving that stuff!).  Then I sprayed a couple of different colors of Glimmer Mist over the paper.  I let that dry and rubbed the excess off of the heat embossed leaves.  I then stamped some more leaves with some dark brown ink.. I finished it off with a die cut panel for the sentiment and some ribbon.

My final card was inspired by this card by Jennifer McGuire. The background was stamped with an October Afternoon background stamp.  I LOVE how it turned out, it reminds me of those old metal ceiling tiles. I then punched and die cut some hearts and flower from white cardstock.  I also die cut the sentiment in two layers. I heat embossed the "ever" layer and then glued it onto the rest of the sentiment. I sewed the vellum onto the card front to hold the confetti in.

I'm hoping I can get a back into creating this week. I still don't have a calendar page for this month and it is half over!

My Scraps and More Sketch #93- My Prayers

 Hi all!  Wow, it's been quiet around here!  I have been so busy taking and editing pictures and just doing life, that I have had no time for creating or blogging!  I am back today with a layout created with the new sketch on the My Scraps and More Sketch blog. Here is the sketch, created by Audrey:

 Since it was a single photo sketch, I decided to do another prayer page for one of my kids.  This time for my second oldest, using her 4-year-old portrait (she just turned 6!).

I got to check out the October Afternoon warehouse sale last month and I picked up these beautiful Daily Flash Apple Cider papers.  I saw the tree paper on their blog and knew I had to have it!  I ended up fussy cutting a few of the trees as embellishments.  I also fussy cut the pie charts from another sheet of patterned paper. 

I found some old Hambly rub on frames that worked well with the patterns and used those over some stamped leaves to add some interest.  I used a couple of different foam adhesives to give different pieces some lift and dimension. I hand wrote my prayers on strips of paper that I edged with some distress ink.

I have a couple of cards I have made and I am working on my calendar page for November, so hopefully I should get back into this blogging thing a bit! Make sure you head over to the My Scraps and More Sketch blog and check out what everyone else did!

Materials:

Cardstock- Bazzill

 Patterned Paper- October Afternoon, Provo Craft

Tape- My Mind's Eye

Ink- Ranger

Tin Pin- October Afternoon

Wood pieces- Jillibean soup

Paint- Liquitex

Rubons- Hambly

Stamps- Hero Arts, Stampin Up

Pen- Stampin Up

Washi Tape and Cards

I have a couple of cards from last week and the week before that I never shared.  The first is one that I made using Tracy F.'s sketch from the My Scraps and More blog hop from last weekend.

I had just received this fun washi tape by Pinkfresh Studios, so this sketch was the perfect way to show it off!  I really let the tape shine by adhering it to a black background.  I heat embossed the sentiment.  I also heat embossed the die cut number charms before stringing them on to my bow.

For my second card, I was inspired by this sketch from a few weeks ago on Case this Sketch:

Again I used some washi tape and some patterned paper scraps for the the strips.  The sentiment was cut and then I outlined the letters to make it more readable.  I used some Liquid Pearls for the frosting on the cake.

October Calendar page

**If you are looking for the My Scraps and More Sketch Blog blog hop, click here.**

I am a few days late getting this posted, but it has been a busy week!  As you probably know, another of my hobbies is photography and this time of year is prime time for family pictures so I have been preparing to take photo, taking photos, and editing photos, and I am just beginning!  

Anyway, for this month, I used this sketch from Stick it Down:

I used Bella Blvd. Trick or Treat collection for my layout. I used a star mask and some white spray mist for my background paper.  Then I used the Studio Calico circle graph mask and some black mist. 

I used a 7 gypsies stamp for my photo labels.  This cute little spider is from the "Stretch Your Imagination" Cricut cartridge.

For the title, I had to mix letter stickers and chipboard letters. I have to use up my stash somehow!

Thanks for stopping by to check out my layout!

Materials:

Cardstock- Stampin Up, The Paper Company, American Crafts

Patterned Paper- Pink Paislee, Bella Blvd.

Stickers- Bella Blvd.

Buttons- Jesse James Co., Daisy D's

Pen- Zig

Stamp- 7 gypsies

Ink- Clearsnap, Studio Calico, Tattered Angels

Ribbon- Robin's Nest

Chipboard- KI Memories

Glitter Glue- Ranger

Masks- Crafter's Workshop, Studio Calico

Die Cutter- Provo Craft

Cartridge- Stretch Your Imagination

My Scraps and More Sketches Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to the My Scraps & More Sketch Blog blog hop!! Today, each design team member has created a CARD sketch to celebrate World Card Making Day. That’s TEN different sketches!!!


There will be TWO prizes given out for the blog hop: 

1. One person will win a $10 gift certificate to the store just for commenting on one of the designers blog posts. Audrey will choose one of the DT members blogs and then choose a random commenter from that post. 

2. Another winner will be chosen from all the card sketch entries uploaded to the In Linkz on the My Scraps & More Sketch Blog. For each card sketch, create a DIFFERENT link up. So if you complete all 10 sketches, you will need to do 10 link-ups! (On your card link please be sure to mention whose sketch you used and link back to the My Scraps and More Sketch blog. If you’d like you can also leave the DT member a comment with a link to your card so they can see what you did with their sketch.)

Here is the prize for the card sketch blog hop:

All comments and card sketches for the Blog Hop must be linked up by Monday, October 6th at 12 pm EST.

BUT, if you don’t complete all the card sketches by Monday, that’s OK….you can still upload them through the end of the month for the monthly prize drawing on the sketch blog! The more sketches you do, the more chances you have to win!

Here is the monthly blog prize:

And now let me share my sketch and card with you:

I made a shower card for a friend who is adopting a baby at the end of the month.  I tried a new ink blending technique for the dots.  I used a circle mask and then blended Distress Ink onto the paper using an ink blending tool.  I took a second color to add some shading to my circles.  I think it turned out pretty cool, I will definitely be trying this one again! I then added some patterned paper circles, washi tape, a few eyelets and a die cut sentiment.

To see all the other sketches, check out the other DT members blogs below:

Audrey Y. 

Nadine C.

Wendi R.

Lisa M. 

Jessica S. 

Michelle G.

Tracy R.

Tracy F.

Jenessa F.

Missy W.

Thanks for hopping along with us!

Card Catch Up

Sorry, I've kind of fallen off the map this month. I guess I just haven't wanted to spend the time to post my stuff on the blog.  Well,  Here I am, catching up with a few of the cards I made this month. 

First up is the card I made for my husband's birthday earlier this month.  I used Case this Sketch #92:

I played a bit with my collection of pennant stamps and Distress Inks to make this masculine card.

Next up is a baptism card for my nephew.  The background is watercolor paper that was dry embossed. I rubbed Gelatos over it, sprayed it with water, and then ran a brush down the page to spread the color.  I stamped and heat embossed the banner.  I finished it off by blending Salty Ocean Distress Ink onto the banner.

Last is a thank you card.  This was from a group, so I used a full sheet of paper folded in half to give everyone space to write inside it. For the background, I stamped and heat embossed the "gratitude" definition stamp.  I stamped over that with light pink ink and a "paint print" flower stamp. I created the banners with some patterned paper and a punch.  I fussy cut one of the circles and popped it up with foam tape for dimension. I finished it off with a stamped sentiment and some twine.