Medallion Christmas Card

This "Medallion" stamp is a fun stamp to play with. I thought I would try to give it a wintry Christmas look.

First I stamped the image using VersaMark. Then I sprinkled white embossing powder over it. I heat set it and when it was cool I cut it at 3-1/2" x 3-1/2".

In the center is a snowflake from the "Northern Frost" decorative strip die. I was thinking about adding a pearl or rhinestone in the center but decided not to. Now that I see it on the computer I think that center needs something and I will be dressing it up a bit with a pearl!

The words were done on the computer and printed out on Whisper White card stock. I punched out a Marina Mist circle and a Whisper White scalloped circle and layered them together. I set the scalloped layers on the card using a few Dimensionals.

It's an easy enough and quick enough card to make but not in the running for the 2010 Christmas card.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Wednesday Sketch Challenge Card Dasher

This is my card I submitted for this weeks Sketch Challenge over at SplitCoastStampers. I must have taken a dozen photos of this card. I was having such a difficult time trying to get the rhinestones to sparkle enough, especially the ones in the antlers.

This was an extremely fun and easy sketch to do. I have a lot of stamp images that will fit in that #3 space. There were so many beautiful cards people submitted using this sketch! I can see myself using it for other cards I make in the future.

My card was fairly simple to make too. I used the beautiful paper from the "Deck the Halls" pack. This particular piece was from the edges of the sheet. I thought it was bright and pretty enough for these two strips.

I added rhinestones to the centers of the flowers but they didn't show up very well. I had such a time taking the picture of this card. And the rhinestones on the antlers and snowflakes hardly show up at all. But in person they are very pretty.

I added a black satin bow because that area was a bit empty looking. This card went together very quickly too! Gotta LOVE that!

If you have time give this sketch a try. It's fun and quick! And if you have time head on over to SplitCoast and see all the samples there are using this layout! It's so fun to see all the different ideas people have for a single layout.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Northern Flurry Snowflake Card

I am still trying to work out our 2010 Christmas card. I know I want to use the "Northern Flurry" embossing folder. I am still leaning towards the one I did back in August. I like the simplicity of it plus it has a snowman on the inside. Our Christmas cards HAVE to have a snowman on them (inside or out, doesn't matter).

I do like this card but I know I won't have enough of those cute little clips from the "Clip Assortment" package.

After the piece of card stock was embossed I added a piece of 1/4" Marina Mist grosgrain ribbon. I tied a bow to it and then added the clip.

The snowflake is from the "Northern Frost" decorative strip die. I just had to get it because it had snowflakes on it! I'm such a snowflake, snowman person!! I LOVE winter and look forward to it, especially by the end of May!!! LOL

I picked out a snowflake that I could run through the clip. I needed it to hang nicely. I added rhinestones to the open spot on that particular snowflake. Click on the photo for a closer view.

It's a very quick and easy card to do. I will probably send it out to a special friend but am thinking it won't be our Christmas card for this year. Unless I figure out another way to dangle that snowflake!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Apple Blossoms Thank You Card

I needed a thank you card but I didn't want to take one from my drawer of samples. It's not that I didn't want to let go of sample cards, it's just that I wanted a "fresh" card! I know, I'm weird that way but I just wanted this card to be a new and fresh card!

SO I got out some Real Red card stock and looked at it for about 10 minutes before deciding what to do. I got out my Apple Blossoms Hostess level 2 set and thought I would try a fun technique on the card. I took the flower image, inked it in VersaMark and stamped the image all over my piece of white card stock. Then I took my brayer and inked it up with Real Red ink and went over the stamped area. Of course it doesn't show up here. But trust me it is a nice effect on the card!

This card has lots of layers too. I first started out with a 1/4 sheet of Real Red. Then I layered on top of it a piece of Whisper White. Then I cut another piece of Real Red card stock and folded it in half and taped it to the top of the large white layer. I took the brayered piece and layered it on top of a piece of Whisper White. I taped ribbon around it and then taped it in place on top of the folded card part. I tied a bow and taped that on after I stamped the wording from the "Heard from the Heart" set.

It was a very easy card to make. I wish the VersaMark flowers would have shown up better, it's such a great effect. Oh well. You'll just have to try that technique yourself and see how pretty it looks!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

Candy Wrapper Die Halloween

I got the new "Candy Wrapper" die on the 14th and hadn't had much time to play with it. Actually I had put it with my other dies and forgot about it. Plus I really didn't have any free time to play with it until tonight.

I wasn't sure where I was going to go with this wrapper so I thought I'd use some black card stock and go Halloween. I'm still unsure as to where to go with it. I was just excited that I was able to put it together. The ends were a bit tricky but after making one the second one was a breeze.

On the second one I made I thought I would try to put a window in it. I used an oval punch and a piece of window sheet behind it. I closed one end, filled the box with candy and closed the other end. You don't even need to use tape, glue or even a tied ribbon to hold the ends shut. They twist shut. SO cool! And if you look close enough you can see that I didn't get my oval centered. If I had centered it the seam that holds the box square would have shown. I suppose that could be trimmed up too but I didn't think of that, plus it's extra work! So I left it off center and it's ok.

I didn't have any small Halloween images at hand to decorate it. I added a ribbon to the solid one and I figured the colored candies in the other one would carry them for my task tonight. I can see myself making more of these and playing with some fun small images for Christmas.

I just thought it was time to play with the die. I have several new items I have not had a chance to play with so within the next 10 to 14 days I will be playing with them and sharing my results (good or bad) with you here!

Thank you SO much for vi sting today,
Wanda

Batty for You Halloween Card

At our last DIVA day event the theme for the shoe box swap was "Halloween." It was a very fun day of making cute and clever Halloween cards.

This was the card that Angie had designed. I LOVE all the cute little characters on it. I've wanted to get this "Batty for You" set for a long time but every time I think about getting it I think it's going to retire the next catalog year and I don't buy it. I hate it when I think like that!!! I didn't buy a new Halloween set this year. I did buy the bat punch and the decorative papers though. I still have the wheel and another set that is current so I just let this set go (again!!) UGH!!!

This card was fun to make with all it's cuteness and charm! Thank you Angie for allowing me to share your card with everyone.

Stay tuned, I have been playing with some dies and have a fun weekend project to share with you!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

Deck the Halls Designer Fabric Pouch Weekend Project

Here's a fun weekend project. I made a pouch using the new "Deck he Halls" designer fabric.

The one picture is with the pouch open. I used one of those pot scrubber things to prop it open so you could see the inside. I used some muslin for the inside. I didn't want to use up all of my wonderful fabric on something you wouldn't be seeing!!

Now I have not sewn in years and after I got this little gem put together you could see that I have not sewn in years!!! The top hem is not equal on both ends. I wasn't paying attention to that when I sewed it together. I forgot that you are suppose to line up "stuff" when you are sewing. I just folded edges and sewed without giving anything a second thought. After it was all done and I turned it right side out I could see all my mistakes and all those things I learned in sewing class (back in the dark ages) came back to me! SO should I ever make another one I will be paying better attention to these little details. I even forgot to sew the button on so I used a glue dot!!! I know! I need to sew it on. And I can still do it but I wanted it put together so I could show it at our last DIVA Day. No one noticed the button wasn't sewn on!!! I didn't tell anyone until last week when my stampers were here and they saw the pouch and the button fell off!!! I hate it when that happens!! LOL To tell you the truth I wasn't even sure my sewing machine would work. It's been hanging upside down in the cabinet for years. Who knows if something hanging that way for so long would ever work again. I know I wouldn't!

So now that I know the machine works I will be making another one but I will be paying better attention to the finer details! And I will get some thread that matches too!

This was a fun project. It took longer than I thought it would because I had a little bit of trouble following the instructions. But once I got it all figured out it went quickly.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Long Fellows Turtle

Sharon (who is such a sweetie) had gotten this as her Hostess level 2 set! I put the set together for her and I got to play with it! See, she's such a sweetie! I stamped a few images up and gave her back the set so she wouldn't forget to take it home with her. Though she did offer to leave it here with me to play with!!! I was fine with the images I stamped up so I let the set go home with her!

While she was here I did make her a card. If the images I stamped I picked the turtle to play with because I thought the Cuttlebug Square Texture background would fit perfectly with this. And I thought too, that this would be a fun birthday card for a child. It was a given that it was a birthday card because the wording is "birthday wishes...a little late." So it's a belated birthday card! Story of my life here lately, it seems that about all of my cards are late! A perfect image for me to use on cards! LOL

I colored the turtle in with various greens. I colored the shell in with the lightest green so the squares that were colored in show up better and they did!

The balloon image is from the "Family Accessories" set. I wanted to do something on that panel that was in "birthday" theme! It was just what that panel needed!

There was not a whole lot to making this card. It was quick and simple! And I sent it home with Sharon! I have a few more images to play with using that set once I find them on my messy worktable! I'd sure like to know who comes down in my workroom and messes it up when I'm sleeping! LOL

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Wednesday Sketch Challenge Crazy for Cupcakes

Another one of my favorite stamp sets! This is such a fun birthday set.

I wasn't sure I was going to get to play with the sketch today. I was having computer issues. Apparently some websites usdate their pages. I was able to get to my gallery but I wasn't able to get to the main page nor the sketch challenge page at SplitCoastStampers. And apparently my computer has never been able to download updates. SO when all was said and done there were 42 updates to be downloaded to my computer. I was amazed that it really didn't take as long as I expected it to. I'm SO grateful my son was able to just connect to my computer from his computer and fix everything and set up the installation. And I was also grateful that it wasn't something I had done to the computer. I hate it when I get the computer to the point to where I can't use it! I've done some pretty "interesting" (and creative) things on computers that my son had to fix for me! And he's SO nice about it too. Yesterday was his birthday. We went out for dinner on Sunday to celebrate it because it's too difficult to do during the week. I did text him today and wished him a happy birthday.

SO onto my card. I used the "Crazy for Cupcakes" set. One of my favorite sets! I usually pick my sets by the size of the focal piece on the sketch. The balloon was perfect for this sketch and it had words in the set too. The only problem with the words was they were not long enough for the piece in the sketch. SO I just stamped a cupcake from the set and cut it out. I punched out a 3/4" and a 1" circle and layered the cupcake on top of them. I like how it turned out.

My papers were Basic Black, Whisper White and decorative paper from the Regals pack. I'm having fun using those packs of decorative papers and it's great to have all the colors I need too!

If you have time play with the sketch! I find it a fun challenge to do these every week. I am especially challenged when it comes to square cards. Not my favorite to do but I will at least give it a try!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Jolly Jingles Simple N Quick Christmas Card

I just love it when I can do a card that doesn't take long at all to whip up. But yet it doesn't have the look of being "whipped up!"

For this card I used the "Jolly Jingles" jumbo wheel with Riding Hood Red ink. The words came from the "Heard from the Heart" set. Perfect for this card! I made a card with this layout a couple of weeks ago. You can view it here. I didn't realize when I found that card that I would be using it again on another card. Now that's a real find!!!

I was digging in my stash of ribbons and was fortunate enough to find some 5/8" grosgrain ribbon that matched the Riding Hood Red ink perfectly! It's not close, it's a perfect match!

And for the final touch on this card I added 8 of the tiniest pearls from the "Basic Pearls" pack to the bulb in the center of my card. I didn't plan for the pearl to be there, it just happened that way but I do like how it turned out. Now if I were to try to get the bulb there I wouldn't be able to do it!

If I were to make more of these I would try to get the bulb centered and I would dye some white ribbon with the Riding Hood Red to match.

It was fun and quick card to make!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Friends 24-7 Weekend Project

A while back I had downloaded a card with a bird on it and some fun background papers. It had gotten misplaced (imagine that in MY workroom!!!). A week or so I ran across the card I printed out and realized I didn't have the bird. SO I had been using the bird from the "Friends 24-7" set and thought I would work it into an altered notebook.

I have had these notebooks for a while now and I thought it was time to work with them. I would really like to get the ledge in my workroom cleared off, even it it means working on things like this one at a time! I altered 3 notebooks so now there is a little space on the ledge. The REAL trick here is to NOT put anything else in it's place!! Wish me luck on that one!

For my fun altered notebook I opened up the prongs just enough to slip my punched piece of Crumb Cake card stock in place. I had punched the holes with my Zutter punch and binding machine. I have yet to bind anything with it since I've just been altering stuff that is already bound. One of these days I'll get to break open the package of metal binders I have!! But for now I'll just alter until I have used up the notebooks I've purchased! I have stopped purchasing them. It's great when you can get these fun notebooks for a dollar but how many do you really need???

On the bottom of the cover I ran the "Very Vintage" wheel over it using Crumb Cake ink. Then I added a piece of Marina Mist satin ribbon just above the edge of the wheeling. I stamped, colored and layered the bird and words and taped them in place as you see on the cover. On the inside I added a piece of Whisper White card stock to cover the edges of the ribbon. I wanted the inside cover to have a clean look. And for the final touch I added 5 pearls from the "Jewels" pack. I am having SO much fun with those pearls and rhinestones!

And that is it. It was a very quick altering job and I like how it turned out.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Cute Aviary Set Owl Card

Today I have a fun card to share with you. This card was made using the "Aviary" set. It is a set I have had a lot of fun playing with. It was actually the first set I ordered when the new catalog came!!! There was just something about it that made me want to have it.

I did not design this card. It was done my the ever so talented Angie, a sister stamper in our DIVA group!

I LOVE the little strip of decorative paper on the right side. And of course the Bashful Blue is such a fun color, among my favorites.

I LOVE how this little owl is spotlighted near the center of the card. What an adorable focal point on the card. And it doesn't help that the owl is SO darn cute!!!

The base of this card was made using a half sheet of Crumb Cake card stock. It was cut on the short side at 4-1/4". The little strip is about 1-1/2" wide and 4-1/4" long. The Bashful Blue piece is cut at 4-1/4" long and 1-5/8" wide.

The birds were stamped using Bashful Blue ink. The cages were stamped using Crumb Cake ink. The owl was stamped using Soft Suede ink. The own was punched out with the 1" circle punch and the words were punched out using the Modern Label punch.

It was such a fun and adorable card to make. Thank you Angie for allowing me to share your fabulous card with everyone!

Thank you SO much for visiting to day,
Wanda

For All You Do Card

Here is a card that is TOTALLY out of my element! I saw a card done like this a long time ago and had admired the layout. I have always wanted to make one but just never took the time to do it. It was SO long ago when I saw this layout that I don't know who to give credit to! So if you know who did a layout similar to this please let me know and provide me with the link and I will be more than happy to give credit where credit is due!

For my card I used a half sheet of Bravo Burgundy. On that folded piece I stamped the swirl from the "Priceless" set. I took a 2-1/4" piece of Basic Black card stock and ran it through the embossing folder. I then taped it in place. I did leave a space not taped for the ring to go under.

I stamped the words and punched them out. Then I stamped the center design (from the Circle Circus set) and next I punched out the ring. I taped the punched pieces in place. The center piece is set in place using a Dimensional. I did sponge the circle with a little Wild Wassabi and then some Bravo Burgundy.

And finally I just added a bunch of pearls. I LOVE those pearls, as you can tell!!! I had fun just placing them everywhere I thought they would look pretty on the card. The card is one of those "kind of pretty, kind of plain" cards.

I thought it was a nice "thank you" card but I think this could be a VERY pretty wedding card with the right wording and some brushed silver card stock!!! Hmmm, I think I may have to give that a try the next time I need a wedding card!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Simple Halloween Card

I don't usually do very many Halloween cards. I do like how quick and simple this one is. Though I think I would be much happier trying this out with other decorative papers and making it into a birthday or thank you card.

For this quick card I just cut some strips of Halloween decorative paper and taped them together on the back. I measured the piece and cut out the Pumpkin Pie layer for the back.

The base of the card is white and I taped the Pumpkin Pie layer on towards the bottom.

The "Have a Wicked Halloween" is from the new "Wicked Cool" set. I just stamped the words and punched them out. I layered them on a piece of Pumpkin Pie card stock to tie it in with the layer around the strips and I punched out a Basic Black scallop and layered the words on top of that.

This is a very simple card to make. But like I said I would like to use some DP and make this card for some other occasion.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda