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!

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!

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!

Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude

Inspiration

Early in April, I received a request for a “Jimmy Buffett” beach birthday card.  We wanted to create the feel of a tropical get away even though we still had FREEZING temperatures in Dallas in April!

I used real shells I picked up a couple of years ago on the shores of Panama City, FL, and a sand-patterned paper to get the beach effect.

Ingredients

CARDSTOCK: Tempting Turquoise (SU!), Very Vanilla, (SU!), DSP (SU!), patterned paper – sand (DCWV)

STAMPS: All Night Media

INK: Basic Black (SU!)

ACCESSORIES: Prisma Color pencils; Gamsol; Paper stubs; Sea Shells; glue; Scor-Pal; Foam tape; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight and deckle blades (Fiskars)

 

Instructions

BASE CARD: Cut a turquoise card measuring 4 1/4” x 11”, and score it in half at 5 1/2”.

MAT LAYER: Cut a rectangle of the patterned paper measuring 4” x 5 1/4” using the deckle blade. Mount it on the front of the base card.

BEACH LAYERS: Cut 2 right triangles of the printed sand paper using the deckled blade. These triangles are the same size (4” on the long edge, and 1” on the vertical side), and they are cut to be mounted facing each other as shown. Mount the left triangle first flat on the patterned paper, then use foam tape to mount the right triangle to create some dimension to the scene.

PALM TREE: Stamp the palm tree image twice on the vanilla paper, using black ink. Color the image using colored pencils and use Gamsol and paper stubs to blend the color. Trim the images – one including the tree trunk, and the second using only the top of the tree. Mount the tree with trunk flat on the left triangle of sand, and the second tree top using foam tape to create dimension.

FINAL EMBELLISHMENT: Add small seashells below the tree using a clear-drying glue.

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!