Cute bear card!

Since I last posted, I resigned from a place I worked for over 20 years, moved 300 miles back to Syracuse and started a new job.  This whole time -- before the move and after -- I've been making cards but not posting.  Birthday cards, Valentines, Christmas cards, "just because" cards for friends.  Last Christmas and for Valentine's Day this year, I made over 200 cards for nursing home residents for each holiday.  I sent some to the place where my mom used to live, as well as giving some to a local non-profit that shared them locally.  It's nice to know that I can brighten the day of someone I don't know with something I colored/glittered/watercolored.

I watched a video by Natasha Foote, and she used square dies and a corner rounder she had on hand to mimic some of the newer dies that are available that cut 2 pointed corners and 2 rounded ones.  I used her basic design to create an A2 birthday card to add to my stash.  

It's a fairly straight-forward design and easy to adapt to make it cute like this or elegant with leafy/floral stamps and more muted colors.

The card also answers a challenge from Call Me Crafty Al to shop your stash and use dies never used before.  I've had the Spellbinders Classic Squares for FOREVER, but I hadn't actually used these little squares.  Sometimes it's nice to shop your stash! #SYSS2 #ShopYourStashSeptemberCMCA #SYSSCMCA 

Paper:  Doodlebug Custom Rainbow 6x6, DCWV Holographics Mat Stack, DCWV Fall Cardstock Stack, Accent Opaque Digital Smooth 100lb.

Dies: Spellbinders Classic Squares small and large, Catherine Pooler celebrate, Lawn Fawn Outside in Stitched rectangle stax

Stamps:  MFT Bitty Bears

Ink:  Versafine onyx

Tools:  EK Success corner rounder, Spellbinders Platinum 6

Birthday Card for Cliffington

I have a great friend who deserves a great birthday card, and I was inspired by something I saw on the Spellbinders blog. I put this together and tore it apart three times before I was happy with it. You know how carpenters measure twice and cut once? Let's just say I'll try to dry fit a lot and glue just once next time!

I've been working on this on and off for a while, and I'm glad I'm finished! In addition to being a card for a special guy, the card actually answers a few challenges:

Creatalicious: 3D

Caardvarks: Birthday

Practical Scrappers: Use supplies you've had more than a year. Hmmm... I think only the broze ink is new!

The card is dimensional, with the medallion raised on pop dots. And it's actually part of the inside of the card. Here's the card open:

It's not a typical card , I'm going to write in atypical circles in the border. Here's a closeup of the medallion. The sentiment is from JustRite, and while hard to see here, I sprayed the Fleur de lis die cuts with gold glimmer mist.

Another angle shows some of the dimension. I used a geometric stamp and clear embossing powder to create more texture on the blue cardstock.

I used a lot of Spellbinders dies for this card. It didn't seem like this many when I was cutting things out! These cut the parts for the front and the window.

I used these dies for the inside.

Here's a look at stamp I used and the image it makes. Blurry, yes! It's not just the picture. I blurred the image when I stamped it, which is why I stamped it again for my project. But I really like the design to create background papers. This stamp is great on gold paper for elegant holiday projects.

Thanks for looking, and I'd appreciate a comment!

Supplies:

Cardstock: The Paper Company, DCWV

Stamps: Just Rite (Just a Note Set), Autumn Leaves (Block Stamps 2), Holly Berry House

Ink: Versamark, Colorbox bronze pigment, Colorbox French blue chalk ink

Dies: Spellbinders Doodle Parts, Scalloped Octagons large, Octagons large and small, Fleur de lis pendant, classic scalloped circles small

Accessories: clear embossing powder, 1/16" and 1/8" pop dots, gold glimmer mist, copper pearls (Queen & Co.), rhinestones, Zig glue

Pink Birthday

UPDATE: I'm so proud that this card was chosen as one of the Top 5 in the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge at Hope Stamps Eternal. Click here to see the other fabulous creations!

Here's a fun card for my boyfriend's daughter. She went to prom last weekend and she's graduating from high school in June. She's getting ready for college in the fall, but first, she celebrates her 18th birthday in just a few days. She's a girly girl who loves pink and purple, so this is just her style.
To keep the tension, I tied the clips together with narrow ribbon behind the main image, which is colored with watercolor pencils. The colors were blended with damped cotton swabs.

This layered card answers several challenges:

Pile It On: photo inspiration
Secret Crafter: Metal
Stampin Moments: scallops
Hope Stamps Eternal: cupcake inspiration
Spoon Full of Sugar: Cute and girly
Stamp Something: Celebrate something
ABC: U is for Unused Stash (swirly stamp)
KL Stampin and Scrappin: Animals
Stampavie: pink
Gingersnap Creations: pencils
Practical Scrappers: patterned papers

My point of departure for the design comes from 2 Sketches 4 You.

Here's a better look at the layering and the embossing.

I have only recently started using clear embossing powder. Love it! Plus, there are fewer problems with stray specks, which can be an issue when using colored embossing powders.

Supplies:
Cardstock: The Paper Company

Paper: Tinted Medallions, reverse of Drooping Vines (Rose Colored Glasses Collections -GCD), Dennison sketchbook/watercolor paper, gold Canford
Stamp: Hearts Away (Penny Black), So Swirly Stampin’ Around Wheel (SU)
Ink: Stazon black, VersaMark
Accessories: Staedtler watercolor pencils, clear embossing powder (Stampendous), pop dots, curly paper clips, ribbon, rhinestones

Birthday Bling -

This is a birthday card based on the 2 Sketches 4 You challenge 49. The above picture shows the detail. The whole card is shown below.

Using sketches makes card making so much easier. It can take one step out of the process. Choosing colors, textures and embellishments is still hard work. ;)

Supplies:

Cardstock: The Paper Company

Paper: Michaels

Stamp: Studio G

Ink: Stazon black

Dies: Spellbinders Fancy Tags, Cuttlebug Herringbone embossing folder

Accessories: rhinestones, ribbon

Challenge Card - Lacey Happy Birthday

This is another challenge card. I usually don't use lace, but it adds femininity to a card that could otherwise be unisex.

The rub on is an adhesive rub on. These are fun because you can use glitter or foiling to make the rub on coordinate perfectly with your project. I used Martha Stewart glitter on my rub on here.

I had a little trouble getting the glitter and dimension to show up in the pictures. So here's a different view and a close up of the glittered rub on.

One of my very best friends has a birthday coming up this summer. When I started designing this card, I thought it would be perfect for her. So, I am ahead of the game... as long as I remember to mail it in time!

Supplies:
Stamp: Just Rite

Ink: Stazon Black

Cardstock: Basic Grey, Paper Company
Dies: Spellbinders scalloped rectangles large & small
Accessories: Adhesive rub on, Martha Stewart glitter, lace, pop dots