Done in love

I'm back today to share more of the valentines I made for Meals on Wheels. These cards, however, have a clean and simple design that could work for many occasions.

Supplies:
Stamps: Done in Love (Unity Stamp Company)
Paper: Crumb Cake card stock (Stampin' Up!), watercolor paper (Strathmore)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), color Burst powders - Rich Moroccan shades (Ken Oliver Crafts)
Accessories: Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables dies (Lawn Fawn), clear droplets (Pretty Pink Posh), Sparkle Silk (Fun Stampers Journey), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute), foam tape (3M), Aqua Painter (Stampin' Up!)

I love these stamps, and while they aren't traditional Valentine's Day images, I think they work well for the occasion.

To make these cards, I first die-cut the stitched rectangles from water color paper. Then I set up the image and sentiment stamps in my stamp positioner and, using black pigment ink, I stamped all the panels and set them aside to dry.

Once the ink was dry, I painted water on the flowers with an Aqua Painter. Then I lightly tapped Color Burst powder over the water. I was envisioning a loose, flowy water color look, but I must not have applied enough water, because the color didn't spread much. So I used the water brush to spread and paint the color in the flowers.

When the flowers were dry, I repeated the steps with the leaves and finally the envelopes. Originally I wasn't going to paint the envelopes because I really wanted the flowers to pop, but in the end I really like the blue, and I'm glad I added it.

Using foam tape, I adhered each panel to a Crumb Cake card base. To add a little embellishment, I splattered a bit of Sparkle Silk over just the flowers and then added three clear droplets.

I've actually managed to finish all the valentines I need for Meals on Wheels, so I just need to sign them and drop them off at the local rec center next week. I made several different card designs, so I'll be sharing them over the next week or so. Now I need to make my own Valentine's Day cards! Thanks for stopping by!

January Christmas card: Winter pine boughs

I'm taking a little break from valentines to share my Christmas card design for January. I've ordered a few new holiday stamp sets recently -- one of the benefits of making Christmas cards all year long! -- so I was excited to get a chance to play with them.

Supplies:
Stamps: Winter Blessings (Unity Stamp Company)
Paper: Crumb Cake card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Shaded Spruce (Stampin' Up!), VersaFine Clair Pinecone (Tsukineko)
Accessories: White heavy gesso (Art Basics), Timeless Label punch (Stampin' Up!), green organdy ribbon (Stampin' Up!), foam tape (3M)

I love the detail in these images, so I kept the card design very simple. I stamped the pine boughs and pinecones on Crumb Cake card stock using (appropriately!) Shaded Spruce and Pinecone inks. Then to add the look of snow, I diluted some white gesso and splattered it across the card. I discovered that because the gesso is water-based, it reacted with the green ink, which is a dye ink. So I tried to keep the "snow" on the unstamped parts of the card or on the pinecones (the brown ink is a hybrid ink and not affected by the water).

I stamped the sentiment on Crumb Cake card stock and punched it with a label punch. I added some of the gesso around the punched label; I purposely made it look a little messy so it would look like snow collecting around the edges. I attached the sentiment to the card using foam tape, with a little piece of dark green organdy ribbon behind it to help it stand out.

I added a Christmas sentiment inside the card, but without that, this card design would be great for a general winter-themed card. And now my first six Christmas cards are done!

Thanks for stopping by!

My 'type' of valentine

Over the past couple of years I seem to have developed a need to buy all the typewriter stamps. I'm not exactly sure why I'm drawn to them; maybe it's because I like words and writing. Or maybe it's a reminder of a simpler time. Whatever the reason, I just love them. And the stamp I used for today's cards is one of the newest additions to my collection.

Supplies:
Stamps: Typewriter Love (Unity Stamp Company)
Paper: Thick Whisper White, Whisper White card stock; Patterns Stack - Brights Collection (all Stampin' Up!)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), PC924 colored pencil (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Stitched Nested Labels dies (Stampin' Up!), red/white twine (unknown), foam tape (3M), Glaze & Glue (Craft Fantastic)


For this layout, I started with a white card base and added a layer of red polka dot paper. I stamped the typewrite and sentiment on white card stock and cut it out with a label die. I colored the heart with a red colored pencil and coated it with a glaze to add a little shine and dimension. I trimmed off the top point of the label shape and then used foam tape to adhere it to the card base so it was flush with the top of the card. To finish the card I wrapped twine around the front of the card and tied it off in a bow. (I didn't take a picture of the inside, but I stamped a simple "Happy Valentine's Day" sentiment.)

Supplies:
Stamps: Typewriter Love (Unity stamp Company), Secretary Pool (Artistic Outpost)
Paper: Whisper White, Crumb Cake card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Crumb Cake (Stampin' Up!), PC924 pencil (Prismacolor)
Accessories: White Tea Lace Paper Doilies (Stampin' Up!), red/white twine (unknown), Holiday Rhinestone Basic Jewels (Stampin' Up!), foam tape (3M)

After I finished the last batch cards, I had a couple of typewriter images left over so I decided to try a different layout. Using a Crumb Cake card base, I stamped a collage-style image twice with Crumb Cake ink to create a subtle background. (I rotated the image 180 degrees before stamping the second time, which you can see if you look at the oval detail in the bottom right and top left parts of the image.) I glued a little piece of doily over the background image and then placed the typewriter, with foam tape on the back, so it was sitting on the doily. For finishing touches I added some red-and-white twine and a few red rhinestones. I think that this design has a little more of a feminine feel, but I like the way both designs turned out.

Thanks for stopping by!

Bee mine

I love all the hearts and flowers and pinks, reds, and purples of Valentine's Day, but I also think it's fun to take a non-traditional approach. Yellow and black might "bee" a little too non-traditional for some people, but I think it works.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Honey Bee, Pick a Pennant
Paper: Thick Whisper White, Whisper White, Basic Black card stock
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody ink pads; light Daffodil Delight Blendabilities marker
Accessories: Detailed Bee dies, Beach House washi tape, Regals enamel shapes, Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute). foam tape (3M)

When I saw the Honey Bee Bundle in the latest Stampin' Up! catalog, I thought it was so cute. I love the images and sentiments in the stamp set, and I love that the dies cut out the stamped images as well as a couple of coordinating images, including the honeycomb shape on my cards. I cut two honeycombs out of black card stock for each card (I made four of this design) and adhered them near the middle of a white card base.

I inked up the hive stamp with Daffodil Delight ink, added a bit of Mango Melody around the edges, and then stamped the image on white card stock. I looked through some of my alphabet stamp sets and discovered that the letters in the retired Pick a Pennant set were the perfect size to fit between the lines on the beehive. Yes! So I stamped the punny "bee mine" on the right side of each hive.

I stamped two bee images using black ink (the stamp is designed to create the color gradation on the wings) and colored the stripes with a yellow marker. I die cut the hives and bees and used foam tape to adhere them over the honeycombs on the card bases. I placed a strip of yellow washi tape along the bottom of each card and, to create a little more valentine-y feel, I added a little enamel heart just below the sentiment.

What do you think? Do you gravitate toward red and pink for Valentine's Day, or do you like to try something a little different? Thanks for stopping by!

Viking valentine

Can you believe Valentine's Day is less than a month away? It always seems to sneak up on me after Christmas. Again this year, I'm making valentines to donate to local Meals on Wheels recipients. When I contacted the local organization last week to see how many cards they would need, I found out they still had some cards left from last year, so they only need fifty cards this year.

Fifty cards may sound like a lot, but last year I made over a hundred cards. And since I make multiples of each design, fifty cards really isn't too bad. Best of all, it means I have time to make the card designs a little more involved, like this punny card:

Supplies:
Stamps: Viking (Avery Elle)
Paper: Whisper White, thick Whisper White, Basic Black card stock; Wood Textures Designer Series Paper (DSP) Stack (all Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); colored pencils - PC943, PC1065, PC901, PC924, PC927, PC946, PC1084 (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Viking dies (Avery Elle), Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables dies (Lawn Fawn), jute twine (May Arts Ribbon), mini Action Wobble spring (Art Impressions), Gamsol kit (Taylored Expressions)

I love this little Viking, and I thought he would be perfect for some masculine Valentine's Day cards. I stamped the image -- and all the little hearts -- four times on white card stock, colored them with colored pencils, and used Gamsol to blend the coloring. (I would have done more, but I'm not the fastest color-er, and I didn't want to get overwhelmed.) Then I used the coordinating dies to cut out the images.

After trying out some different ideas for the background, I settled on a panel of wood texture DSP backed with a layer of black card stock. I wrapped jute twine around the front of a white card base and then and adhered the panel over the twine in the center of the card.

I adhered the Viking to a mini Action Wobble spring and then attached the spring to the wood texture DSP. Now he can do a little Viking jig! For a final touch I glued the die-cut hearts around the image to give the cards a little more Valentine's Day feel.

I'll be sharing more Meals on Wheels valentines over the coming weeks. And I need to get started on my monthly Christmas cards, too! Thanks for stopping by today!

This and that

Here they are! The last of my cards of 2019. These didn't all fit into one nice category, so I'm just calling it "this and that."

Supplies:
Stamps and dies: April 2019 My Monthly Hero kit (MMH)
Paper: Whisper White card stock (Stampin' Up!), Twilight Mirri Sparkle glitter paper (The Paper Cut), Rustic Wrinkles textured paper - Nutmeg (Snickerdoodle Scraps)
Ink: Faded Jeans Distress Oxide ink (Ranger); VersaMark, Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: White embossing powder (Hero Arts), blender brushes (Picket Fence Studios), foam tape (3M)


I don't make a lot of scene cards, but the dies in this kit made it pretty easy. Instead of die cutting all the pieces from white card stock and then coloring or painting them, I used some special papers: glittery paper for the water and crinkle card stock for the buildings. (I did leave the laundry white.) I also left in some of the little die-cut openings for a little more texture.

The sky background is sponged, and the clouds and sentiment are embossed.

Supplies:
Stamps: Mod (Avery Elle)
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black card stock (Stampin' Up!); Sea Glass card stock (Gina K Designs)
Ink: Sea Glass, Key Lime, Passion Pink (Gina K Designs); Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Moonshine confetti sequins (Hero Arts), foam tape (3M), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute)


I love the bright colors in this card. I also love that this stamp set has images to stamp the diagonal lines and to fill in the areas where the lines intersect. This is the first (and so far only) card I've made with this stamp set. I need to play with it some more to see if I can create more patterns or looks.


The rest of the cards were all made with background panels that I made ages ago, using Distress Oxide inks, Color Burst powders, and alcohol inks. They've been hanging around on my desk, and I don't remember the specific colors or techniques I used for the backgrounds. But I did list the supplies for the rest of the card.

Supplies:
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes (Stampin' Up!), Tiny Words (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper: Grapefruit Grove, Brocade Blue, Flirty Flamingo, Bermuda Bay, Poppy Parade, Ballet Blue, Peach Parfait, Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Black, Soft Suede (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Soft Suede (Stampin' Up!), Distress Oxide inks (Ranger)
Accessories: Small Stitcched Rectangle Stackables dies (Lawn Fawn), Hugs Sugar Script die (Birch Press Designs), Hearts dies (Little B), Nested Banners dies (Simon Says Stamp), foam tape (3M)

This is a sampling of cards I made to donate to the Live Like Roo organization, which provides support and financial assistance to families whose pet is facing a cancer diagnosis. The organization sends care packages and includes a card in each package. I had wanted to make pet-themed cards, but I was pressed for time and couldn't come up with a design I liked. So I went with general get well/sending love cards.

Supplies:
Paper: Cajun Craze, Lost Lagoon, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Distress Oxide inks (Ranger)
Accessories: Bird Builder punch and 1-3/4" circle punch (Stampin' Up!), Woodland Silhouettes 2 dies (Taylored Expressions), Box of Chocolate sequins (Craft Medley), Art Glitter Glue (Art Impressions)


The die-cut bear and branches were also left-over pieces hanging around my desk. I just added the punched circle to help the bear stand out against the colorful background. I ran my bold folder along the edges of the card base to distress it a bit and then added a few sequins. I was going for a masculine card, but I wonder if the sequins are too much.

Supplies:
Stamps: Simple Strips Background (Taylored Expressions)
Paper: Thick Whisper White, Basic Black, Lemon Lime Twist, Vellum card stock (Stampin' Up!); alcohol ink paper (YUPO)
Ink: Alcohol inks, VersaMark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Simple Strips die (Taylored Expressions), "It's your day" die (Simon Says Stamp), black enamel dots (Eyelet Outlet), shimmer mist (made with shimmer liquid watercolor from Taylored Expressions), white embossing powder (Hero Arts), foam strips (3M), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute)


This card used several leftovers, too: the colorful background, the die-cut letters, and the embossed sentiment strip.

To adhere the vellum, I first used tiny dots of Art Glitter Glue to adhere the letters and the sentiment. Then I added drops of glue to the back of the vellum that were hidden behind those pieces and placed the vellum on the background layer. I also added splatters of shimmer mist to the green background:

Supplies:
Stamps: Itty Bitty Birthdays (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Teal card stock (Archiver's), watercolor paper (unknown), Daffodil Delight card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Color Burst powders (Ken Oliver Crafts), Reactive inks (Hero Arts), Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Butterflies dies (Stampin' Up!), Birthday Basics dies (Concord & 9th), black enamel dots (Eyelet Outlet), shimmer spray (made with shimmer liquid watercolor from Taylored Expressions), foam tape (3M), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute)


I wanted a bright color to contrast with the orange background, so I used a second background piece (made with blue Reactive inks) to die cut a large butterfly. The yellow letters were more pre-cut pieces -- these letters were actually from the word happy. I just turned one of the ps into a d -- and stamped the first two words to finish the sentiment.


And that's it! It feels good to wrap up 2019 and get all of these posted. I'll have new things to share soon -- I'm getting a start on valentines, and of course there are always birthday cards. And I have lots of stamps I ordered this fall (and probably earlier) that I haven't used yet. So many possibilities!

Thanks for stopping by!

Twin baptism cards

Just before Thanksgiving, one of my cousins had twins. Today is their baptism, and although I wasn't able to attend, I wanted to make them cards. And since they are twins, I used the same card design in two different colors.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Hello Friend, Happy Wishes (Wplus9 Design Studio)
Paper: Whisper White, So Saffron, Petal Pink card stock
Ink: So Saffron, Petal Pink, Soft Seafoam
Accessories: Lattice die, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, 1-1/4" scalloped circle punch, Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), Share What You Love Artisan Pearls, Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute)

I wish the lighting was better in these pictures, but I had to get the cards in the mail, so I didn't have a chance to retake them. At any rate, if you are a regular visitor at my blog, this layout may look familiar. Religious cards are the most challenging ones for me to make because I don't buy many religious stamps. So for these cards, I fell back on my tried-and-true method of trimming down a Lattice die cut into a cross. (If you want to see the other cards, check out these posts: Baptism times three, Soft and simple baptism card, and First communion card.) I do try to change up the backgrounds so the cards aren't exactly the same.

For these cards, I used soft pink, yellow, and green to stamp a wreath and flowers on panels of white card stock. I rounded the corners and adhered each layer to a coordinating card base. I added a punched scalloped circle in the middle of the wreath and then glued down the cross. In the center of the cross I added two small white flower punches and a tiny colored pearl.

Inside each card I added a white panel stamped with a sentiment in the coordinating ink. I also stamped a couple of leaf clusters to fill in the space a little and to bring in another color.

Thanks for stopping by!

Flowers and foliage

I'm finally nearing the end of my 2019 cards. Just a few more posts, and then I can move on to new projects. So without further ado, here is a collection of cards featuring lots of flowers and foliage.

Supplies:
Stamps: Crimson Morning 1001, Distress Frame 985 (Rubbernecker Stamps)
Paper: Royal Ultra White Felt watercolor paper (The Paper Cut); Lemon Lime Twist, Basic Black, Real Red card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Color Burst powders - Lemon Yellow, Marigold, Fuschia, Chartreuse, Pthalo Green (Ken Oliver Crafts)
Accessories: Scripty Hello die (Lawn Fawn), Go Green sequins (Craft Medley), Art GLitter GLue (Art Institute), foam tape (3M)


I made this card after I took a couple of classes with Rubbernecker Stamps at the Stamp and Scrapbook Expo last summer. I still need to practice more with my Color Burst Powders, but this one was better than some of my earlier attempts.

The "hello" was cut out of red card stock multiple times and then layered together to help it stand out.

Supplies:
Stamps: From the Vault Aged Shadow, Antique Bee and Flowers (Hero Arts)
Paper: Thick Very Vanilla card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Sandy Beach (Gina K Designs), VersaFine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), metallic art pencils (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Clear embossing powder (Stampamania), All Year Cheer washi tape (Stampin' Up!)


I love this stamp image, and apparently a lot of other people do, too, because for a long time every time I tried to order it, it was out of stock. Once I finally got it, I had to use it to make a couple of quick, clean and simple cards.

This card was inspired by one I had seen online (and can't seem to find again to provide a link). It's one layer, with a neutral color palette and metallic accents - a good all-occasion card to have on hand.

Supplies:
Stamps: Antique Bee and Flowers (Hero Arts)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Crumb Cake card stock (Stampin' Up!); gold foil sheets (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Crumb Cake (Stampin' Up!), gold paint pen (Sharpie)
Accessories: Clear embossing powder (Stampamania), Circles Collection and Deco Labels dies (Stampin' Up!), Bitty Banner punch (Stampin' Up!), foam tape (3M)

This card has a similar color palette, but I added a few layers. It's hard to see in the photo, but I also added gold splatter to the card base.

Supplies:
Stamps: Happy Wishes (Wplus9 Design Studio)
Paper: Cucumber Crush, Whisper White card stock (Stampin' Up!); Neutrals Designer Series Paper (DSP) Stack (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Cucumber Crush (Stampin' Up!), Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Wreath Builder Template (Gina K Designs), Finishing Touches edge dies (Stampin' Up!), Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), twine (unknown), pearls (Stampin' Up!), foam tape (3M)


For this card and the next one, I used my Gina K Designs Wreath Builder template to create the focal images. On this card, I positioned the stamp so the stem part of the repeated image forms a circle. I left the wreath green and accented it with a few pearls.

Supplies:
Stamps: Happy Wishes (Wplus9 Design Studio)
Paper: Cucumber Crush, Whisper White, Flirty Flamingo card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Cucumber Crush, Flirty Flamingo, Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Wreath Builder Template (Gina K Designs), Circles Collection dies (Stampin' Up!), Happy Wishes Words die (WPlus9 Design Studio), white tea lace paper doily (Stampin' Up!), 2016-18 In Color enamel shapes (Stampin' Up!), foam tape (3M)

For this wreath, I angled the leaf image so they aren't connected when stamped with the template. I filled in the empty spaces with little pink, red, and yellow flowers and pink enamel dots.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Hope for Comfort
Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White card stock; Pocket Blossom card stock stack (DCWV)
Ink: Crumb Cake
Accessories: Detailed Floral dies, Bitty Butterfly punch, pearls, foam tape (3M)


The flowers are more subtle on this card, but I think that and the soothing color palette are appropriate for the sentiment.

Supplies:
Stamps: Mondo Wildflower (Essentials by Ellen)
Paper: Thick Whisper White, Basic Black card stock (Stampin' Up!); watercolor paper (Strathmore)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); ZIG Clean Color Real Brush markers - 021, 020, 050, 052, 040, 036, 037, 067, 041, 065, 043, 803, 080 (Kuretake)
Accessories: Mondo Wildflower dies (Essentials by Ellen), Frame in Frame 2 Cutting Plate (Taylored Expressions), jute twine (May Arts Ribbon), clear droplets (Pretty Pink Posh), sequins (Craft Medley), clear embossing powder (Stampamania), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute), foam tape (3M)

I'm happy with how the large flowers turned out in these images, but the cluster of little flowers gave me fits when I made these cards. I could not figure out what colors to use for them, and I'm not crazy about either of my choices.

Supplies:
Stamps: A Happy Hello (Gina K Design)
Paper: Whisper White card stock (Stampin' Up!), Slate card stock (Gina K Designs)
Ink: Slate, Lucky Clover, Tangerine Twist, Coral Reef (Gina K Designs)
Accessories: Happiness Blooms enamel dots


My plan for this card was to have an all-flower background with most of the flowers in a neutral and a pop of colorful flowers. I didn't like the end result as much as I'd hoped, though; I think because the gray is a little too dark and it detracts from the color.

Supplies:
Stamps: Wild at Heart (Gina K Designs)
Paper: Whisper White, thick Whisper White, Basic Black card stock (Gina K Designs)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineno); left card - Crushed Curry (Stampin' Up!); right card - Passion Pink, Sweet Mango, Wild Dandelion, Key Lime, Sea Glass (Gina K Designs)
Accessories: Sparkling Silk (Fun Stampers Journey), black and white twine (Stampin' Up!), sparkling clear sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), rhinestones (Stampin' Up!), foam tape (3M), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute)

This background stamp is so pretty, and it comes with some wonderful sentiments. For the card on the left, I applied ink to the stamp with ink cubes, dragging each cube across the stamp in a straight line and overlapping the colors just a bit. I think it will be fun to try some other inking techniques with this stamp, too.

Thanks for stopping by (and making it through another long post)!

Bookmarks and rainbow cards

I have a friend who teaches yoga, and for the last several years I've created little gifts for her to give her students over the holidays. This past Christmas we decided to make bookmarks with space on the back for people to record the books they read during the year.

Supplies:
Stamps: Struggle Is Part of It (Unity Stamp Company), Book Club (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Whisper White, Lemon Lime Twist, Brights Collection card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Poppy Parade Blends markers (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: ZIG Wink of Stella clear glitter brush pen (Kuretake), scalloped circle punch (Stampin' Up!), silver elastic cord (Stampin' Up!), Mono Multi liquid glue (Tombo)

I played around with many different designs, but because I would be mass producing the bookmarks and time was limited, I decided to go with this clean and simple layout. I trimmed all the white layers and then stamped the stack of books and the sentiment using black ink. (I used a stamp positioner so it was easy to get the images stamped correctly every time.) I colored the little heart with a red marker and added clear glitter over the pages of the stamped books. It's a nice subtle sparkle; I wish you could see it in this picture.

To add a pop of color, I mounted the bookmarks on a rainbow of card stock. I used all the colors from the Stampin' Up! Brights Collection and added in the retired Lemon Lime Twist. (I made four of each color for a total of 44 bookmarks.)

I created the layer for the back of the bookmarks on the computer. I set up a table in a Word document and sized the table cells to fit the back of the bookmark (I think I was able to get four per page). In each table cell, I added the heading at the top and blank lines all the way down. Once that was set up, I printed the pages, cut apart the cells and glued them to the back of each bookmark.

I also added a coupon for a free yoga class to each bookmark. I typed and printed the text, cut it out with a scalloped circle punch, and tied it on a length of silver elastic cord. Then I slipped the elastic around the bookmarks.

I think one of my favorite things about these bookmarks was seeing them all stacked together in this gorgeous rainbow. Isn't it pretty? That rainbow inspired me, and since I had lots of uniform card stock strips left over from cutting the bookmark bases, I created a few rainbow cards.

Supplies:
Stamps: Dance, Sing, Love (Penny Black), Simple Strips Background (Taylored Expressions)
Paper: Whisper White, thick Whisper White, Basic Black, vellum, Lemon Lime Twist, Brights Collection card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Smile die (Gina K Designs), Simple Strips die (Taylored Expressions), black enamel dots (Eyelet Outlet), foam tape (3M)

Oh, I love these cards! They're so simple, but very striking. I adhered skinny strips of the colored card stock at a diagonal on white card bases and then trimmed off whatever went past the edges. (For one of the cards, I glued the strips on white card stock and then adhered that to a white card base. For the other, I adhered the strips directly to the white card base.) I finished the first card by adding a layer of vellum card stock stamped with a quote. For the second card I added a die-cut word and a stamped sentiment strip. I added a few black enamel dots to each card. (The dot on the letter I in smile is an enamel dot. I always seem to lose track of those little pieces, and enamel dots are a great solution.)

Supplies:
Paper: Whisper White, thick Whisper White, Lemon Lime Twist, Brights Collection card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Signo white gel pen (Uni-ball)
Accessories: Hello die (Gina K Designs), Bold Butterfly dies (Stampin' Up!), rhinestones (Stampin' Up!)

I really wanted to make a card with all the colors together, so I went with this long layout, sometimes called a slimline card. It's about 4" wide and 9" tall and fits in a business-sized envelope.

For this card I glued the card stock strips onto a piece of white card stock which I adhered to a  white card base. Using white instead of black as the accent color, I doodled a border around the edges with a gel pen and then added two die-cut butterflies and a die-cut hello. I placed two rhinestones along the body of each butterfly and then scattered a few more rhinestones around the card.

I wanted to make a second card this size, but after I glued all the strips down to a white layer, I discovered that one of them must have been cut just slightly crooked. The top half of the strips was straight, and the bottom half was definitely not! So I cut that panel in half, trimmed the wonky half so the strips were straight and created two cards instead.

Supplies:  
Paper: Whisper White, thick Whisper White, Lemon Lime Twist, Brights Collection card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Hugs Sugar Script die (Birch Press Design), Birthday Pop-Up dies (Stampin' Up!), ZIG Wink of Sella cclear glitter brush pen (Kuretake), white enamel dots (Eyelet Outlet), foam tape (3M)

I finished these cards in basically the same way as the others: die cuts and enamel dots. I like how the colors of each card combined with the font of the sentiments gives one card a more feminine feel, and one looks a little more masculine.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a day filled with rainbows!

Animal antics

I'm back with another group of cards from 2019, and this bunch is all about the animals. (Most of these are also birthday cards because that seems to be what I always need.)

Supplies:
Stamps: Say What? Pets, Critter Chatter: Pets (Lawn Fawn)
Paper: Gray Granite, Whisper White card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Gray Granite (Stampin' Up!), alcohol markers (Artify)
Accessories: Say What? Pets dies and Speech Bubble Backdrop die (Lawn Fawn), Mini Strips die (Taylored Expressions), foam tape (3M)

And here is the inside:

Supplies:
Stamps: Say What? Pets (Lawn Fawn)
Paper: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Whisper White card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), alcohol markers (Artify)
Accessories: Say What? Pets dies (Lawn Fawn), Wonky Stitched Circles dies (My Favorite Things), clear droplets (Pretty Pink Posh), foam tape (3M), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute)

Supplies:
Stamps: Paw-some stamp and die combo (Taylored Expressions)
Paper: 110-lb Solar White card stock (Neenah); Balmy Blue, Granny Apple Green, Daffodil Delight, Poppy Parade card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); Blends/Blendabilities alcohol markers - Poppy Parade, Mango Melody, Granny Apple Green, Balmy Blue, Soft Suede, Mocha, Smoky Slate (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Partly Cloudy dies (Honey Bee Stamps), Grassy Border die (Lawn Fawn), clear droplets (Pretty Pink Posh), Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute)

Supplies:
Stamps: February 2018 My Monthly Hero Kit (Hero Arts)
Paper: Thick Whisper White, Basic Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: VersaFine Clair Nocturne (Tsukineko); Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide inks (Ranger)
Accessories: Wonky Stitched Circles dies (My Favorite Things), clear embossing powder (Stampamania), Go Green sequins (Craft Medley), Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!)

This card is similar to one I submitted for a card contest last summer (see Aug. 3, 2019, post). I decided to submit the other card because I thought the circles and feathers on this one covered too much of the bird background.

Supplies:
Stamps: Backyard Party (Essentials by Ellen)
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Bermuda Bay card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Colored pencils (Prismacolor), Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Backyard Party dies (Essentials by Ellen), Bright Candy Dots (Stampin' Up!), Banners dies (Stampin' Up!),Taylored Expressions), Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute)

This last group of cards all feature the same images. I stamped, colored and die cut a whole bunch of the animals and accessories, divided them up and then worked them into cards.

Supplies:
Stamps: Backyard Party (Essentials by Ellen)
Paper: Whisper White card stock (Stampin' Up!), 120-lb white card stock (Purely Simple Paper)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), colored pencils (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Backyard Party dies (Essentials by Ellen), black and white baker's twine (Stampin' Up!), sparkling clear sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), Gamsol kit (Taylored Expressions), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter), Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!)


That little tuft of grass stamp makes a perfect little background accent.

Supplies:
Stamps: Backyard Party (Essentials by Ellen), Distressed Dots (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Real Red (Stampin' Up!), colored pencils (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Backyard Party dies (Essentials by Ellen), Wonky Stitched Circles dies (My Favorite Things), black enamel dots (Eyelet Outlet), Gamsol kit (Taylored Expressions), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter), Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!)


There are all kinds of circles on this card: focal layers, balloon, enamel dot, the background, and even the snail's shell and the chipmunk's hat.

Supplies:
Stamps: Backyard Party (Essentials by Ellen)
Paper: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Whisper White card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), colored pencils (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Backyard Party dies (Essentials by Ellen), Frame in Frame 2 Cutting Plate (Taylored Expressions), Dazzling Metallic sequins (Craft Medley), Gamsol kit (Taylored Expressions), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter), Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!)


I love how the die-cut frame really brings attention to the owl.

Supplies:
Stamps: Backyard Party (Essentials by Ellen)
Paper: Whisper White card stock (Stampin' Up!), 120-lb white card stock (Purely Simple Paper)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), colored pencils (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Backyard Party dies (Essentials by Ellen), washi tape (Stampin' Up!), Baby mix sequins (Craft Medley), Gamsol kit (Taylored Expressions), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter), Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!)


I used a strip of washi tape to make the ground. The stripes make me think of Abbey Road!

Supplies:
Stamps: Backyard Party (Essentials by Ellen)
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Pacific Point card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), colored pencils (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Backyard Party dies (Essentials by Ellen), Wonky Stitched Circles dies (My Favorite Things), Decorative Dots embossing folder (Stampin' Up!), Gamsol kit (Taylored Expressions), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter), Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!)


I love all those little critters with their party accessories!











Thanks so much for stopping by for another card smorgasbord. I've still got a few more left, and then I can finally start working on some new cards and projects!