Nobody Else

Inspiration

The second Wednesday of the month is always fun with Heartfelt Creations! It's NEW RELEASE day!! The Western Elements Collection is new this month, and coordinates beautifully with last month's release. There are 5 new PreCut Stamp Sets and one beautiful new exclusive Spellbinders die designed for Heartfelt Creations.

As always with a new release, leave a comment on the HC blog by April 17 to be eligible to win the entire release valued at $109.99. The winner will be announced on April 18 on the HC Blog.

And remember that it is only a few more weeks until Heartfelt Creations chooses a new design team - the team will be announced April 25th. This time, they are asking YOU to help them decide on the team - they would like your votes for your top 5 CURRENT design team members, AND your votes for the top 5 SEMI-FINALISTS. Your votes will determine the style of creations you will be seeing on the blog for the next 6 months!

Here's my first card with the new release. I used another technique from the Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry 101 class - creating a blended background using Distress Stains.

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size: 5" x 7"

Heartfelt Creations Products

HCPC 3464 Barnyard Elements PreCut Set	HCPC 3463 Western Elements PreCut Set	HCPC 3461: Western Sentiments PreCut Set
HCPC 3459: Scenery Builder PreCut Set	HCPC 3457: Birch Tree PreCut Set	HCD 720: Western Broncos Die
HCD 721 Rustic Western Elements Die

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Paper

Kraft (SU!)	7" x 10", scored at 5"
Watercolor Paper (Canson)	4 1/2" x 6 1/2"
Early Espresso (SU!)	1 1/4" x 3 3/4"
Vintage Ivory (PTI)	4 1/4" x 5 1/2", and 1" x 3 1/2"

Ink

Jet Black Archival (Ranger)

Sepia Archival (Ranger)

Distress Stains (Ranger): Broken China, Dusty Concord, Crushed Olive, Wild Honey

Distress Ink (Ranger): Vintage Photo, Pumice Stone, Black Soot

Accessories

Stamp-A-Ma-Jig stamp positioner

Heat Gun

Colored Pencils (Prisma Color)

Gamsol

Paper stubs

Chocolate SPICA pen (Imagination International)

Ink Blender with foam (Ranger)

Mister (Ranger)

Brad

Paper Piercer

Scissors

Scor-Pal

Rotary Trimmer (Fiskars)

Instructions

BASE CARD

Cut a piece of kraft card stock measuring 7" x 10", score at 5" and fold.

BACKGROUND

Cut a piece of watercolor paper measuring 4 1/2" x 6 1/2". Mist with water, then spread Distress Stain ink to create a landscape: Broken China, then Dusty Concord, then Crushed Olive, and fill in with Wild Honey. Dry with heat gun. Use the blender tool to add Vintage Photo ink around the edge of the background.

IMAGES

Stamp the fence and ground images in Sepia ink on the background. Stamp the windmill tower in jet black. Stamp the fence again onto a piece of ivory card stock, and trim closely. Color with colored pencils, and blend with Gamsol on a paper stub. Stamp the boot image twice in Sepia on ivory card stock. Cut the images out with the matching die. Color with colored pencils, blend with Gamsol, and decorate with Chocolate SPICA pen.

Stamp the solid windmill blade in Pumice Stone on ivory paper. Use the stamp positioner to stamp in Black Soot the windmill blade outline over the solid image. Use the matching die to cut out the blade. Use a paper piercer to put a hole through the stamped windmill blade, and through the background at the top of the tower. Fasten the blade to the background using a silver brad. Use Zip Dry to glue the fence onto the background, and glue the boots to the picture, as well.

SENTIMENT

Cut a brown card stock piece measuring 1 1/4" x 3 3/4", and an ivory card stock piece measuring 1" x 3 1/2". Stamp the sentiment in Sepia onto the ivory piece. Mount the sentiment onto the brown piece, then mount this to the upper left of the card front.

Thanks for stopping by!

Get Well Wishes

Inspiration

Here's a card I made for a friend who had a serious surgery last week - I thought it was a cheery image perfect to send to make her feel better.

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size: 5 1/2" x 5 1/2"

Stamps

You Are the Bestest (Penny Black)

Paper

Daffodil Delight (SU!)	5 1/2" x 11", scored at 5 1/2"
Certainly Celery (SU!)	5" x 5"
Delicate Dots DSP (SU!)	4" x 4 1/2
Stamper's Select White (Paper Trey Ink)	3 1/2" x 3 3/4"

Ink

StazOn Jet Black (Tsukineko)

Accessories

Ribbon (SU!)

Peg Bow Maker (Unity Stamps)

Colored Pencils (Prisma Color)

Glue dots

Zip-Dry Glue

1/4" Double-sided tape (PK Glitz)

ATG (3M)

Scor-Pal

Rotary Trimmer (Fiskars)

Instructions

BASE CARD

Cut a piece of yellow card stock measuring 5 /12" x 11", score it at 5 1/2", and fold.

MAT LAYER

Cut a piece of green card stock measuring 5" x 5", and a piece of patterned paper measuring 4 1/2" x 4". Mount the patterned paper on the green mat so that when you place it on the card, the green mat will be centered, and the patterned mat will reach the left side of the card. Mount a strip of ribbon vertically along the left side of the mat using double-sided tape, with a twist in the ribbon where you will adhere the bow. Tie a bow of matching ribbon, and use glue dots and Zip Dry glue to mount it on the twist in the ribbon.

IMAGE

Using StazOn ink, stamp the image on white card stock measuring 3 1/2" x 3 3/4". Color with colored pencils. Mount on the card front so that the image panel is centered over the patterned paper, and reaches the right side of the card.

Thanks for stopping by!

New Beginnings

Inspiration

Here's my third Heartfelt Creations card for this week, using more stamps from the Chateau Gate Collection. I love the sentiment about obstacles being doorways to new beginnings, so I created a formidable door for the front of the card, and a pleasant scene inside to go with with the sentiment.

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

HCPC 3441: Chateau Gateway PreCut Set	HCPC 3446: Doorway Trimmings PreCut Set
HCPC 3444: Scenic Vista PreCut Set	HCPC 3449: Door to My Heart PreCut Set

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Paper

Kraft (SU!)	4 1/4" x 11", score at 5 1/2", and 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink)	4" x 5 1/4" (2 pieces), and 3" x 4", and 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Ink

Memento Rich Cocoa (Tsukineko)

Accessories

Petite Scalloped Ovals - Large Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Petite Ovals - Small Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Grand Calibur (Spellbinders)

COPIC Markers (Imagination International)

Prisma Color Pencils

Gamsol

Paper Stubs

Gold Gel Pen (Uniball)

Sponge

3-D Foam Squares (Scrapbook Adhesives)

Scissors

Scor-Pal

ATG (3M)

Rotary trimmer with straight & deckled blades (Fiskars)

Instructions

BASE CARD

Cut a piece of kraft card stock measuring 4 1/4" x 11", score at 5 1/2" and fold.

CARD FRONT

Stamp the brick wall door image on ivory card stock in brown ink. Trim with a deckled blade to measure 4" x 5 1/4". Sponge the edges with brown ink. Color the mortar between the bricks with an E43 COPIC marker. Use a colored pencil to color the bricks - I used Siena Brown. Blend the color with Gamsol and a paper stub. Color the door with a colored pencil and blend with Gamsol - I used Dark Brown. Color the hinges with COPIC E49 and the gold gel pen. Mount the image on the front of the card.

Stamp the topiary image twice on ivory paper, and trim closely. Color with COPIC markers. I used these colors:

• Leaves: YG93, YG95
• Pots: E08, E09
• Sand: E33
• Stems: E35

Mount these on either side of the door using foam squares.

CARD INSIDE

Using a deckled blade, cut a piece of ivory card stock measuring 4" x 5 1/4". Sponge the edges with brown ink. Stamp the image in the upper left area in brown ink, and color with COPIC markers. I used these colors:

• Table/Chairs: B93, B99
• Teapot, Cup: C3
• Flowers: R32, YG09, Y13
• Grass: YG07, YG09
• Trees: YG13, YG17, E35, E47
• Path: E30, E34

Cut/emboss an ivory oval, and cut/emboss a kraft scalloped oval. Use a sponge to add brown ink around the edges of the scalloped oval with brown ink.

Stamp the sentiment in brown ink on the ivory oval. Mount the ivory oval on the scalloped oval, and mount in the lower right of the image panel. Mount the image panel inside the card.

Thanks for stopping by!

You Are My Friend

Inspiration

This is my first time to play along with "Mojo Monday", although I look at the cute sketches every week! I got a last minute order for a birthday card for a "long time girl friend", and thought where to start???? So I turned to the Mojo Monday #212 sketch. Here's my take.

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size is 5" x 7"

Paper

Elegant Eggplant (SU!)	7" x 10"; scored at 5", and 2 3/8" x 5 1/8"
Pale Plum (SU!)	4 3/4" x 6 3/4"
Lap of Luxury DSP (SU!)	2 1/2" x 6"
Watercolor Paper (Canson)	2 1/2" x 5"
Vintage Ivory (Papertrey Ink)	1 1/2" x 5"

Inks

Jet Black (StazOn)

Elegant Eggplant (SU!)

Stamps

There's a Season (Stamps Happen)

Only Ovals (SU!)

Accessories

Twine - Buttercream (The Twinery)

Bow-easy

Watercolor pencils (Staedtler)

Watercolor brush

Oval punch (SU!)

Brads (Paper Studio)

Paper Piercer

Tim Holtz Paper Distresser (Tonic Studios)

Glue dots

3-D Foam Squares (Scrapbook Adhesives)

Zip-dry glue

ATG (Scotch)

Scor-Pal

Scissors (Cutter Bee)

Rotary trimmer - straight & scallop blades (Fiskars)

Instructions

BASE CARD

Cut dark purple cardstock measuring 7" x 10", score at 5" and fold.

MAT

Cut light purple cardstock measuring 4 3/4" x 6 3/4". Mount a 2 1/2" x 6" strip of patterned paper vertically on the left side of the mat. Punch 3 holes vertically in the upper right corner of the mat and place 3 purple brads in the holes. Wrap twine around the card 3 times crossing it at the right of the patterned paper and secure. Tie a multi-loop bow and adhere with glue dots. Hint: I use a little Zip-dry glue in addition to the glue dots, just to make sure the bow won't fall off! Mount the mat layer on the front of the card.

IMAGE

Stamp the image flower using StazOn black ink on watercolor paper. Use watercolor pencils with a watercolor brush and a little water to color the image. Distress the edges of the watercolor panel with the distressing tool.

Cut dark purple cardstock measuring 2 3/8" x 5 1/8", cutting one short edge with a scalloped blade. Mount the watercolored image on this panel, and mount on the front of the card, allowing some patterned paper to show on the left of the image.

SENTIMENT

Stamp the friendship sentiment oval twice in dark purple ink on ivory paper. Use the oval punch to cut out the oval on one image. Trim the label from the second and mount on the punched oval. Mount the sentiment on the front of the card under the bow using foam squares.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cardinal Keepsake Box

Inspiration

One of the requirements for being on the Heartfelt Creations design team is to make at least one altered item a month. This is a real challenge for me! I'm a card-maker through and through, and creating other items - even scrapbook pages - are a stretch. SO, dear blog readers, you will be witnessing my experiments first-hand!

My first altered project featured on the HC Blog is a decorated paper mache box using images from April's Spring Cardinal release, and some others. I'd love to hear what you think!

 

Ingredients

Paper

Fleur Des Jardines patterned paper - Cranberry (CTMH)

Stamper's Select White (Paper Trey Ink)

Inks

Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)

Stamps

HCPC3384Cardinal Posy Wreath PreCut Set

HCPC3353 Cardinal Family PreCut Set

HCPC3303 Posy Patch Flowers PreCut Set

Accessories

HCD706 Cardinal Family Dies (Heartfelt Creations)

Grand Calibur (Spellbinders)

I-Rock Heat setter & Jewels (Imaginesce)

Masking Magic (ThermoWeb)

Colored Pencils (Prisma Color)

Gamsol

Paper Stubs

Foam Tape

Paper Mache Box

ModPodge

Foam Brush

Scissors

Instructions

Image for Top of Box

Stamp the cardinal wreath in black ink on white paper. Color the image with colored pencils and blend with paper stubs and Gamsol, then carefully trim the entire image. Stamp two individual cardinal images, and color. Use the dies to cut out the individual cardinals.

 

Images for Sides of Box

Create masks for the three posy images by stamping the images on the masking paper, or a post-it note, then cutting them out. To create the group of posies for the box sides, stamp the largest image first, then cover it with the matching mask. Then stamp the smaller two images on each side of the larger image, overlapping one or two petals. Remove the mask, and you have a grouping of three posies. Color with pencils and Gamsol, then trim the grouping closely. Repeat this technique to create a group of flowers for each side of the box.

Cover the Box

To cover the box in the red paper, start with the lid. Use the lid as a pattern, trace around the lid on the backside of your paper. Cut out the paper to cover the lid, leaving a wide margin around the traced pattern. Using a foam brush, cover the top of the lid with ModPodge. Apply more ModPodge to the backside of the paper. Place the lid top side down on the paper, and press to smooth it carefully. Fold the excess down over the sides of the lid, trimming at the corners to make the paper cover the edges entirely. Once you have it trimmed to fit, use your foam brush again, to cover the box lid sides and the paper, and smooth paper over the sides of the lid. Now, cover the whole lid with another coat of ModPodge and let it dry. Follow the same procedure for the box itself. If you're feeling ambitious, try covering the inside of the box, too!

Decorate the Box

Use ModPodge to adhere the images to the box - adhere the wreath to the top of the box and a group of flowers to each side of the box. Add more layers of ModPodge, letting each layer dry before adding another.

When the box with images is completely dry, heat set yellow jewels in the center of the flowers in the wreath, and in the groups of posies. Using foam tape, add the single cardinal images on top of the wreath.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sunset Sail

Inspiration

I usually have to cast around to find ideas for a masculine theme for cards. Here’s one that came to me as I searched through seldom-used stamps for ideas to use on the several March birthdays that require a masculine touch. 

Of course, the technique is from Michelle Zindorf – on this one, I used a sponge instead of the brayer to create a color gradient across the card. I also came across a technique on Splitcoast Stampers that incorporates COPICs and colored pencils (2 of my favorite ways to color images) on the same image.

 

 

 

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Paper

Bashful Blue (SU!):  5 1/2” x 8 1/2”, scored at 4 1/4”

Whisper White (SU!):  4 1/8” x 5 3/8”

Stamper’s Select White (Paper Trey):  4 1/8” x 5 3/8”

Inks

Versamark (Tsukineko)	Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Apricot Appeal (SU!)	Bashful Blue (SU!)
Pumpkin Pie (SU!)	Brilliant Blue (SU!)
Dusty Durango (SU!)

Stamps

Medallion (SU!)	On Your Birthday (SU!)
Seagull (CC Rubber Stamps)	Sailboat (PSX)
Sand (CC Rubber Stamps)

Accessories

Colored Pencils (Prisma Color)	Gamsol and paper stubs
COPIC markers (Imagination International)	Clear embossing powder
Sponge	Heat Gun
Scor-Pal	Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch)
Rotary trimmer with deckle and straight blades (Fiskars)

Instructions

Sunset and Sea 

Step 1: Stamp the medallion sun in embossing ink on the left side of the white panel and emboss with clear powder.

Step 2: Sponge the sunset colors starting with the lightest orange color over the upper left 2/3 of the card.  Add the darker orange colors to create a gradual darkening in color as you move away from the sun.  After sponging on the color, you may want to “polish” the sun with a paper towel – this will remove some of the orange color from the embossed image, but still leaves a glow.

Step 3: Sponge the sea using the blue inks, again going from lighter near the sun to darker in the lower right corner of the card.

Step 4: Stamp the sand dots over the sea with the darkest blue color to add a little texture and movement to the water.

Step 5: Stamp the sentiment and the bird in black to the right of the sun.

Sailboat

Step 1: Stamp the sailboat on the heavier white cardstock using the black ink.  My sailboat image also has clouds and water – when I cut the image out, I eliminated the clouds – nothing to “block out” the sun!  I left the water around the boat as part of the image.

Step 2: Color the image with COPICs.  I used these colors:

• Sails: BG0000
• Boat: E30, E31, E37

Step 3: Add color shading using the colored pencils, and blend with mineral spirits and a paper stub.  I did all of the color for the water with pencils, but you could easily pick a blue shade of marker to lay the base color for the water.

Assembly

Step 1: Mount the sunset panel to the front of the card.

Step 2: Add the sailboat, using foam tape for a little bit of dimension.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sympathy From Friends

Inspiration

I used this as my third project submittal to the Heartfelt Creations design team contest. This card was created for a coworker who had lost his father-in-law, and has many close friends in our workplace. I wanted something that would be big enough for several people to sign, and would let my friend and his wife know they have the support of the friends he sees every day at work.

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size is 5” x 7”

Paper

Kiwi Kiss (SU!)	7” x 10”, scored at 5”
Soft Serenity patterned paper (Provo Craft)	4 1/4” x 6 7/8”
Very Vanilla (SU!)	4 1/4” x 5 1/2”
Vellum (unknown)	4 1/4” x 4

Inks

Soft Suede (SU!)

Creamy Caramel (SU!)

Stamps

Ancient Scroll (Heartfelt Creations)	Easter Lilies (Heartfelt Creations)
Wrought Iron Cross (Heartfelt Creations)	Leafy Swirls (Heartfelt Creations)

Accessories

Colored Pencils (Prisma Color)	Gamsol and paper stubs
Edge Punch (EK Success)	SPICA glitter pens (Imagination International)
Bow Easy	Foam tape
Ribbon (Michaels)	Glue dots
Scor-Pal	Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch)
Rotary trimmer with deckle and straight blades (Fiskars)

Instructions

Step 1: Stamp the lilies on the vanilla cardstock using the caramel ink. Color with pencils, and blend with mineral spirits and paper stumps. Embellish the flowers with glitter pens. Trim the image closely.

Step 2: Stamp the scroll on Vellum in the suede ink, and the sentiment in the middle of the scroll in the same ink. Let the ink dry, then cut the scroll out.

Step 3: Cut and score the base green card. Use the edge punch to shape the bottom edge of the front of the card.

Step 4: Using the deckle blade cut the patterned paper. Add a piece of ribbon horizontally across the patterned panel, and adhere the panel to the front of the card.

Step 5: Stamp the leaves in caramel on the lower corner of the scroll, and embellish with a gold glitter pen. Stamp the leaves again on a piece of vanilla cardstock, and color the leaves with pencils and blend with mineral spirits. Cut the leaves out, and mount them over the image on the scroll with foam tape.

Step 6: Mount the lilies image on the left of the scroll with foam tape.

Step 7: Tie a double-loop bow using the Bow-Easy, and mount with a glue dot on the right of the scroll on the ribbon line.

Final Notes

This card could easily be used for an Easter card, or anytime you have someone who needs some encouragement.

Thanks for stopping by!

Snowmen Melt Your Heart

Inspiration

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas celebration with family and friends. Joe and I had a quiet day, which was a real blessing.  We cooked our favorite breakfast (waffles), and dinner (traditional turkey & dressing dinner), and watched “It’s A Wonderful Life” – which IT IS!

The last Christmas card I'll share this season is the one I made for Joe.  It's based on the "funky fold" design I found by "Sweet Designs by Cheryl".  She has an instructional video on the design here (Cheryl's blog) that really helped me out.  I’ve put in my instructions below, but if you like a more visual instruction, check out her video.

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 6” x 6”

Baja Breeze textured (SU!)	6” x 12”
Chocolate Chip (SU!)	a) 3 1/4” x 4 3/4” – 1 piece b) 1” x 4 3/4” – 2 pieces c) 3/4” x 5 3/4” – 1 piece
Ski Slope DSP (SU!)	a) 3” x 4 1/2” – 1 piece b) 3/4” x 4 1/2” – 2 pieces c) 1/2” x 5 1/2” – 1 piece
Real Red (SU!)	small scrap
Whisper White (SU!)	4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Ink

Real Red (SU!); Chocolate Chip (SU!)

Stamps

Snowmen Melt Your Heart (Heartfelt Creations)

Accessories

Colored pencils (Prismacolor); Baja Breeze and Real Red markers (SU!); Red Grosgrain ribbon (Ribbon Warehouse); Bow-Easy; Snowflake charm (Hobby Lobby); Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch); Foam tape; Glue dots; Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Image

Stamp the snowman in brown on the white panel, color with pencils and markers, and trim closely.  Stamp the sentiment in red on the remaining white paper, and  trim it closely.  Adhere it to the red scrap, and trim it again.

Assembly

HINT: Once the base card is done, the rest is very simple - just lots of glue!

Step 1 Measure 1” from one end of the card, and 1 1/4” in from the side.  Cut from that point down the length of the card for 6” (this makes the cut from 1” to 7”). Repeat on the other side of the card.
Step 2 Score from the outside of the card to the cut line at the 1” end of the line. Repeat on the other side of the card.
Step 3 Score from the outside of the card to the cut line 1” from the first score (2” from end of card). Repeat on the other side of the card.
Step 4 Score from the outside of the card to the cut line at the other end of the cut. Repeat on the other side of the card.
Step 5 Score between the cut lines at 6” from the end of the card.

All of the score lines are “mountain folds”, except the ones at the 2” point – this one is a “valley fold”.

Mount the patterned paper on the brown mat pieces.  String the charm onto a piece of red ribbon, and mount it around the largest piece.

Mount each patterned stack onto the card in the appropriate locations.

Now add a red bow above the charm using glue dots, and mount the image using foam tape.  Add the sentiment in the lower left area.

Final Notes

Inside

For inside, I needed a “mushy” sentiment to make my hubby smile!  I happened to have a font on my computer that closely matches the font of the “Snowmen” sentiment.  The font is called Scriptina.

Using Word, I created a text box sized 4” x 5”, and typed the sentiment in red, and formatted the text box with a triple border in blue.  Now, since I’m a nerd, I had to make the red and blue MATCH Real Red and Baja Breeze!  A set of RGB codes for SU! colors (and many others are available on Splitcoast here.  If you’re not into that much detail, just pick what looks best to you.

I printed it out on white card stock, and cut it out, sizing it to 4 1/4” x 5 1/4”. I stamped the snowflake in Baja Breeze in the corner.  This snowflake is from the Heartfelt Creations set called “Snowflake Medley”.

I cut a solid brown panel (4 3/4” x 5 3/4”) and mounted it inside, and added the printed/stamped greeting on top of the brown mat.

Again, I hope you have all had a Merry Christmas.  Thanks for stopping by.

Scarecrow

Inspiration

Another fall card – I’m really enjoying the fall season this year1  This one is fun, and could be used for either a man or a woman.  It employs some really rich fall colors – I especially like the dark purple.

The special touches in this card are: a) using Gamsol (mineral spirits) to blend the colored pencils in the image, and b) punching out the stamped leaf image.  I bought the stamp and punch set years ago.  The leaf stamp (by CC Rubber Stamps) was made to match the leaf punch. I think the punch is from Marvy, although it is not marked anywhere on it.

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Elegant Eggplant (SU!): 8 1/2” x 5 1/2”, score @ 4 1/4”; Autumn Traditions DSP(SU!): 4” x 5 1/4”; More Mustard (SU!): 1” x 5 1/4”; Ruby Red (SU!): 1” x 4”; Soft Suede (SU!): 2 1/2” x 3 1/4”; Very Vanilla (SU!): 2 1/4” x 3”; small scraps of Ruby Red, More Mustard, and Always Artichoke

Ink

Soft Suede (SU!); Always Artichoke (SU!); Ruby Red (SU!); More Mustard (SU!)

Stamps

Happy Blessings (SU!); Leaf (CC Rubber Stamps)

Accessories

Prisma Color Pencils; Gamsol; Paper stub; Leaf punch; Foam dots; Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Images

Stamp the image using the brown ink on the vanilla panel.  Then color using colored pencils.  Use the Gamsol on a paper stub to blend the colors, and achieve the shading you desire.

Stamp the leaf 3 times using matching colors – green ink on green paper, etc.  Then punch out the leaf image with the matching punch.

Assembly

Quick & Easy!  Build your card layer by layer:

1. Base card
2. Patterned paper
3. Yellow vertical strip
4. Red horizontal strip
5. Brown mat for image
6. Image
7. Add the leaves using foam dots

Hope you are enjoying your autumn, and this card gives you some inspiration to try some bright fall colors.

Thanks for stopping by!

Heartfelt Fall

Inspiration

I love fall! I’ve always seen fall as a new beginning—maybe even more than January bringing in a new year. It might be a holdover from starting the school year in September as a kid, or the changing of nature’s colors into one of my favorite palettes, or maybe the switching over what we wear, or perhaps the impending switch of the time off of Daylight Savings time. Whatever it is, I love the feeling, and since I live in Texas, October feels much more like fall than September does. So this week, I have a fall-themed card to show you. I used it as a birthday card, but it would work for many different occasions.  I’ve CASEd a card from the Heartfelt Creations website (one of my FAVORITE places for ideas)—click here to see the original card.

Ingredients

Paper

Note:  The finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Color	Size
Kraft (SU!)	a)  4 1/4” x 11”, score at 5 1/2" b)  3” x 3 7/8”
Cajun Craze (SU!)	a)  4” x 5 1/2” b)  3” x 5”
Bashful Blue (SU!)	a) 1” x 4 7/8” – 2 pieces
Whisper White (SU!)	a)  3” x 5” b)  scrap – at least 2” x 2”
Autumn Traditions DSP (SU!)	a)  3 7/8” x 5 1/8”
So Saffron DSP (SU!)	a)  2 7/8” x 3 7/8”

Ink

Rich Cocoa (Memento), So Saffron (SU!), Cajun Craze (SU!)

Stamps

Daisy Patch Swirl (Heartfelt Creations)

Accessories

Acrylic block (SU!); Masking Magic (ThermoWeb); Deco Fans Punch Around the Page (Martha Stewart); Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Oval Large, and Scalloped Classic Oval Large; Cuttlebug; Pearls (Crystal Stickers); blue ribbon (Hobby Lobby); Prisma Color pencils; Spica pens in Mint & Sand (Too Markers); Sticky Tape (PK Glitz); Scor-Pal; Foam tape; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blades (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Paper

Cut all your pieces of card stock to the sizes outlines above.

Run the 3” x 5” piece of rust-colored paper through the Cuttlebug twice, using the large scalloped oval Nestabilities die - once to cut and once to emboss.

Using the edge punch, punch one long edge of each of the 2 blue strips.

Image

Stamp the daisy swirl image in brown on the 3” x 5” white panel.  Then stamp the flower in the middle of the image again on the scrap of white.  Cut out the flower from the small image.  Use the largest plain oval Nestability to frame and cut out the full image from the larger stamped image.

Make a mask for the flower portion of the image, by stamping the flower on the masking sheet, or a post-it.  Then trim your mask closely and cover the flower on the oval panel.  Using a sponge with the yellow ink, sponge around the flower, with outward strokes so that the ink is lighter as it approaches the outer parts of the oval, and darker near the center.  Then with another sponge, lightly stroke some of

Hint: The tricky part about using Post-It notes for detailed mask is that the final mask is sticky only on one edge of the mask.  If your goal is to be able to use the mask cleanly without holding it down with your finger, try out a masking medium that is sticky across the entire image.

Using the colored pencils, color the petals of the both flowers blue, and the centers yellow.  Color the leaves on the full image green.  Using the SPICA markers, cover the green leaves with Mint, and outline the petals and centers with Sand.

Attach the pearl stickers to the dot swirls in the image, and mount the trimmed flower to the flower on the image using a foam dot.  I rotated the flower slightly so that the petals alternate with the base image to make the flower look more full.

Assembly

Score and fold the large Kraft panel for the base card. Mount the rust paper on the base, followed by the green patterned paper.

Now mount the yellow patterned paper on the smaller Kraft piece.  Mount the punched blue strips to the back of the Kraft paper so the fans show along the edge.  Using the sticky tape, mount the ribbon across the front of this stack of paper.  Then mount the whole set onto the base card.

Then mount the rust colored scalloped oval to the left of the card, and the image on the oval.

Tie a blue bow, and mount it to the right of the image, on the blue ribbon stripe.

Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by.

Hummingbird Dreams

Inspiration

For this card, I found inspiration on the gallery of “bossbuddy” on Splitcoast.  She made a beautiful card that I had to try.

I changed the colors based on those used in the Walk in the Park designer series paper from SU!, and I used the hummingbird stamp that comes with the Dream A Little set.  I loved the original, and I like my result, too!

Ingredients

CARDSTOCK (all SU!): Baja Breeze, Cameo Coral, Very Vanilla, Walk in the Park DSP

STAMPS: Dream a Little (SU!)

INK (all SU): Basic Black, Cameo Coral, Baja Breeze

ACCESSORIES:  Post-It notes (3M); Gelly Roll Clear Star sparkle pen; Colored pencils (Prisma Color); Gamsol; paper stubs (Hobby Lobby); Gel Ivory ribbon (Ribbon Retreat); Sizzix Top Note die (SU!); Foam tape (3M); Cuttlebug Die Cut matching (Provo Craft); Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight and pinking blades (Fiskars)

Instructions

BASE CARD: Cut a piece of blue cardstock measuring 8 1/2” x 5 1/2”, and score it in the middle at 4 1/4”.

MATS: Using the pinking blade, cut a piece of patterned paper measuring 5 1/4” x 4”.   Using the Cuttlebug and Top Note die, cut a coral die cut, and a vanilla one.  Trim the vanilla one just inside the border line allowing it to fit on the coral die cut.

IMAGES: Stamp the large flower on the vanilla top note die cut in coral ink.  Stamp the same flower on 2 Post-It notes, then cut each one out to use as masks.  Place the masks over the flowers on the die cut.

Stamp the flowers on stems above the large blossoms, and create masks for these stamps and place them on the images on the die cut.

Stamp the buds on stems to complete the picture.

On extra scraps of vanilla cardstock, stamp another large blossom in coral, and the hummingbird in blue.  Trim both closely.

Color the flowers using colored pencils, and blend with Gamsol using paper stubs.  This creates a very nice, soft effect.

Although it is difficult to see in the photo, I outlined the flowers and hummingbird with the sparkle pen.  I also used a black pen to make the hummingbird’s eye stand out.

ASSEMBLY: Mount the patterned paper on the base card, then center the coral top note die cut on the patterned paper.  The die cut with image is then mounted on the coral die cut.

Add the hummingbird using foam tape in a position as if it is visiting one of the flowers.  Place the trimmed large blossom in the lower left corner, also using foam tape.

Add a nice bow in the middle of the raised blossom.

Thanks for stopping by!