Curly Cute Thinking of You Card

If you need a fun and yet quick card, this is the one to make.  You can use any size flower punch you have.  If the flowers are larger than you may want to use only 3 of them instead of 5.  

I punched out my 5 little flowers added a white brad on each one.  I did this after I put the flowers in place on a piece of white card stock.  Then I taped the white card stock to a piece of Cherry Cobbler that was cut 1/8" larger so it gave it a slim looking border.

I did tape the white piece on with Sticky Strip because all of those brads didn't allow the regular tape to stick.  Then I taped the Cherry Cobbler strip to the card.  I did this before I added the white flower strip.  It was much easier to add to the card when you do it that way. The scary part of this is that you could screw up the words and then you have try to get the strip off and start again.  You could always just use a couple of tiny pieces of tape to hold the top layers in place and then stamp the words.  Doing that would take a lot of the scare out of it, wouldn't it?  Too bad I didn't think of that while I was making the card!!! LOL

This is a very quick and simple card to make!  

I've made so many cards lately and I'm itching to do a weekend project or something else, so I think I will get something going to share with you soon!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Fabulous Florets Thinking of You Card

Well, here you go!  Another card with a layout I didn't think I was going to be able to do.  Let me tell you, I struggled with the corner and border punch.  I just couldn't get them to match up once I got across one edge of the card stock.  I ended up punching out a corner first (which I did every time I tried this) then I worked my way along the edge of the card stock.  When I got near the end to where I was ready for the corner punch, I took a piece I had ruined and lined it up to see how much excess I should trim off so the edges and corners will line up.  After trimming it I was able to go all the way around the card.  Talk about a tedious job that was.  The rest of the card was quick and easy!!!  SO that all makes up for the edges being such a bear to do!! LOL

The flower is from the "Fabulous Florets" set and so are the leaves.

The words are from my favorite "Sincere Salutations" set.  

I used a piece of decorative paper in the Real Red color from the Decorative Paper "Brights" pack. I added a strip of black 1/4" grosgrain ribbon to it for a little texture.  I taped it in place and then added the flower and leaves. 

Other than the punched edges and corners I did stress a bit about the words. I no more got done finally getting the edges and corners done right and I actually hesitated with the words.  I thought, "What if I screw up the words."  Especially after finally getting the punching done right!!!  But I stamped them and it worked out fine.  I was thrilled to say the least.

On a personal note here, I would make another one of these cards, now that I have a "template" from one of my many attempts!  And when it was all put together, I did like the end result!  This card will be going out in the mail on Tuesday.  Off to a friend I have not talked to in a while!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Sailing at Sunset

I told you the other day that I knew how to do a proper sunset on water!!!  Well, here it is.  I used the "Sailing" stamp image again and this time I made a smaller sun. 

I think this is the first time I've ever used More Mustard as the base of my card.  It was interesting but after adding the Marina Mist and smudging it up with Not Quite Navy, it worked out just fine.  

The colors on the sun were sponged in using Daffodil Delight, More Mustard and Pumpkin Pie.  I sponged a little Daffodil Delight into the water area.

Then I covered the sun with the circle I had punched out and proceeded to color in the sky and water with Marina Mist and then Not Quite Navy.  I added some Garden Green in the water so it was easier to tell where the water started and the sky ended.

Next I added a little more Daffodil Delight because I had muted the original sponging too much.

Once all that was done I stamped the boat on using black StazOn.   I stamped the boat one more time on a piece of scrap white card stock. I only stamped the sails part so I didn't need a huge piece of scrap.  I cut the sails out.  I sponged on a little Daffodil Delight on the one side of the sails and towards the bottom I sponged in some Marina Mist.  I set them in place over the stamped sails on the card front. I used Dimensionals to put them on the card.  I wanted them raised a bit.  It was just enough to give them the look of "catching the sunlight."  

The words were done on the computer and sponged with Marina Mist on the edge.  They were set in place on top of a More Mustard punched scallop and set in place on the card with Dimensionals too. 

I had a lot of fun making this card.  And I really do like the way it turned out.  It's fun when you have some great masculine cards in your stash!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Flower Fest and Circles!

This is SO out of my element.  Not the layering or the cutting out of the flower but the circles "thing."  Though I do like the results of it.  I did try to do a card with punched circles before and just struggled SO much with it that I became frustrated.  This card was not frustrating to do.  I had a bunch of flowers and leaves cut to with that out of the way the rest of it is suppose to be easy or easier, right?  Well, it was easy but yet not.  

All I knew about the outcome of this card was that I wanted the rose and leaves to be on the edge of a circle and the circle would have words stamped on it.  I got the words, the circle, the rose and the leaves.  Now how to arrange them so it doesn't look silly or like you just stuck them there because you didn't know what to do with them?  I finally got that flower circle done and then it started all over again.  What to do with the rest of the card.  I actually thought of just leaving the flower circle and calling it done.  But it looked to blah.  It needed more.  SO I mustered up some courage and a few circle punches and then scrounged around for some paper to work with.  I ended up using some decorative paper pieces from the Subtles decorative paper pack.  And a piece of Cherry Cobbler.

I punched out some circles and moved them around on the card.  Layered them.  Took layers off.  And then played around with them on the card front a bit more and this is what I came up with.  I actually think I like it!  Shocker!!  I know!! LOL

My biggest problem with this card was the bottom part where it was so open.  After I added a piece of ribbon the card just all of a sudden went together!  Imagine that. I could have saved myself a half hour if I had just added that ribbon on right away!!! UGH!

SO this is the card I came up with and I am pleased with it!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Sail Away Birthday Card

I saw a card similar to this on the Late Night Stampers (LNS) Demo's Only site.  I thought it was SO pretty.  It was made by a gal named Eileen.  Her sun was a bit smaller and her layout was from a recent sketch from somewhere else on the Internet.  I know of three places doing sketches, one of course is SplitCoastStampers and then there is the Mojo Monday sketch and this one.  Her post said that she made the card for this weeks sketch, so I am assuming it is from the LNS group but I could be wrong.  I do recall seeing that sketch but didn't make any mental notes of it and I wonder if I had would I remember it?  LOL

SO my card!  I really do like this sun in the background concept and I want to make another card using that theme.  I do know how to do a setting sun on the water and this card isn't even close!!  We have no plans for the Memorial Day holiday weekend other than having our son and his fiance over for grilling on Sunday.  A quite weekend.  I'm hoping to get the rest of my flowers in.  Hubby can plant his own tomatoes and peppers!!!  I don't like to get my hands dirty.  I don't really like outdoors in the summer either.  I will go outside in the spring for a while and in the fall but summer I can be found indoors with the air on!  Anyway, back to my card.  The stamp set is called "Sail Away" and it's just the one stamp in the set, which makes it a fairly reasonable stamp to buy if you want to make masculine cards.  Though I think you could make a nice sympathy card with this too!

I took a half sheet of Basic Black card stock and folded it in half.  I then cut a piece of Marina Mist to measure 4-1/8" x 5-3/8" and I ran it through the Lattice embossing folder.  Next I cut a piece of Whisper White card stock to measure 3-1/8" x 4-1/2".  I stamped the ship on using black StazOn.  Then I stamped the ship again on another scrap piece of card stock so I could cut out the sails. 

The moon was done by punching a 2-3/4" (or whatever size circle you want) out of scrap card stock and using it as a template to sponge in the colors.  I sponged in Daffodil Delight, More Mustard and Pumpkin Pie.  I also sponged in a little Pumpkin Pie in the water.  And I sponged a little Marina Mist in the water too.  Then I sponged the edges and the second set of sails with Marina Mist since I had the ink out and the sponge was ready to go.  I cut out the second set of sails and set them in place on my card using Dimensionals.  I taped the layer on and then taped that piece onto my card.

The words are from some I had printed out on my computer. I sponged the edge of that in Marina Mist too.  I set it in place on top of a black scallop circle.  I set that in place using Deminsionals. 

This card was actually pretty quick to make  and it turned out just fine.  But like I said, I want to try one with a better setting sun!  And of course I will share it with you!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Apple Blossoms Card

As I look at this card I am thinking that maybe I should have just left that rectangle of circles off the white piece.  They were such a bear to get on straight as it was. It took me 3 times to get it right and the third time I ended up using the Stamp-a-ma-jig.  I don't know why I hate to dig it out but I do.  And once I have it out I use it and the card is just fine.  Who knows what that is all about!!! LOL

SO for my card I used the "Apple Blossoms" set.  I stamped the flower from the set 3 times.  I cut one out so I had a full image.  Then I cut the next layer out and one more layer in.  I set them in place on top of each other using Dimensionals. And in the center of the flower I put a small pearl.  

Next I stamped the words on (which are from the same set!!!) and then I added the ribbon.  I taped the ribbon ends on the back and then tied a small piece of ribbon on the front for the bow.  Now adding the bow should have been done after the card was taped in place on the folded half sheet of Cherry Cobbler card stock.  But did I do it that way?  No of course not, that would have made more sense.  I put all the elements on the card and then tried to use my snail tape.  I ended up using some double-sided adhesive from a tape dispenser.  It was either that or glue.  And then once I got it all together I liked everything but the rectangle of circles.  I may have to try this again to see if I really would like it without the circles!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Flower Fest Sketch Challenge

I just loved this weeks Sketch Challenge at SplitCoastStampers.  I loved it because it had LOTS of layers.  See the sketch below.  Six layers, count them, SIX!!!  How fun is that?

So what was I going to make?  I still  had the words from the "All Holidays" set sitting out and it fit perfectly in the #6 spot.  I colored the words in using Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler and a Basic Black marker.  I sponged the edges using the Cherry Cobbler ink pad.

The flowers were made using the "Flower Fest" set.  I had not used the big Mum looking flower yet.  There's a few other pieces in that set that I have not used yet too.  The butterfly and a 5 point flower.  I'll have to use them in a card soon so I can say I used every image in the set.  I don't often use every image in a set.  I often buy a set just because of one image in it!!!  Anyone else do that???  I don't want to be alone in that!  LOL  The flowers were made by stamping VersaMark on Cherry Cobbler card stock and then sprinkling white embossing powder on it and heat setting it.  I then cut the three of them out.

The leaves are done the same way as the flowers.  I used Pear Pizazz card stock for them. 

The #2 and #3 layers are done using the Neutrals pack of decorative paper.  

Assembly was easy, I just followed the layer placement on the sketch.  If you have time play with this sketch.  I'm looking forward to seeing what others on SplitCoast have done with the sketch.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Flower Fest CASE

For those of you who don't know what CASE means, I was told it meant Copy And Study Everything.  And I did copy this card.  Most of it that is.  I didn't have the ribbon that was used in thee original card by Regina at Stamps Alot.  My card is close and I like how it turned out.  

When I first saw this card I just fell in love with the look of it and I knew I HAD to make it.  I found some time this evening and headed to my workroom to get this card made so I could quit obsessing about it.  I kept the link open on my computer because I didn't want to lose it and it was also a reminder to hurry up and make this card.  Obsessing sounds like such a strong word but when you are thinking about a card a lot during the day and it lasts for a few days, well.... I call it obsessing!!!  Now that I have the card done I can obsess about something else!!! LOL

This card was made using the "Flower Fest" set.  I am now finding more and more samples I like that use this set.  What a fun set this is.  Though I am starting to get tired of cutting out roses and leaves!!! LOL  

I am going to be hanging on to this card for quite a while.  I may even just set it out so I can view it every time I am in my workroom!!  And it does feel good to get that card off my mind.  Last night I embossed the flowers and all the leaves and I even took a few minutes to cut them all out so I could actually finish the card tonight.  I was glad I did because I'm so pinched for time tonight.  I had a busy day and now I have to go finish cleaning up my kitchen and dining room so the appliance guy can come and remove the "other" dishwasher and install the new (hopefully working perfectly) dishwasher.  I have been dealing with Bosch and our new and damaged dishwasher since February.  Talk about a runaround.  And the time I've had to sit here waiting in those 4 hour windows for the repair guy to come.  UGH!  After the 6th time the repair guy said it's unrepairable.  But Bosch didn't believe him so we had to get a second opinion.  Fortunately this company is nearby and I am the first call in the morning for them!!!  And I won't even tell you the hoops that Bosch makes you jump through.  I just shake my head at all the stuff I was told, even the part where the repair guy said "it's an installation problem.  You need to cut part of the cupboard off, it's squeezing the machine so it makes the door read it's open."  It turns out the machine was damaged ("it looked like it had been dropped").  Good thing we didn't cut the cupboard, huh???  I shake my head as I type that.  Before any repair person tells you to cut your cupboards, get another opinion!  Anyway, a replacement dishwasher is being delivered at 8:30 am so I will have most of my morning plus the rest of my day to get my usual things done!  Let's hope this one works well!!!  Ok, enough whining.  More info than you wanted to know!!!  LOL

Take a moment out and hop on over to Regina's blog and see her card.  It's SO pretty!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Awash With Flowers Birthday Card

I ran across an old card layout.  For all I know it's one of the SplitCoast challenge ones from before I started doing them.  Not that I remember ALL of the layouts I've done....  but I don't recall doing this one.

I had a lot of fun playing with this layout and this stamp set.

"Awash with Flowers is such a fun set to play with too!"  For my card I did stamp the tulip type flower on card stock and cut it out after coloring it.  I'll tell you how I colored it later in this post.  The other flower is actually 3 flowers cut and assembled to resemble one.  I had made a card using that same flower a few weeks back. That pretty card can be found here.  It was one of the most favorite cards I've ever made.  Though it was mostly a copy it doesn't matter, I still like the looks of it.  You can see on the original card how one of the flowers were cut into two pieces and used to complete the "circle."  The other two flower pieces had the small petals cut off so they only have 3 petals each.

Ok, now I'm sure you want to know how I made this!!  And I'll share that with you.  First I started out with a piece of Basic Black card stock and I folded it in half.  Then I took a piece of decorative paper from the Neutrals Decorative paper pack and I cut it just a little shy of 5-1/2" and just a little shy of 4-1/4"  I just wanted the smallest sliver of black showing on the edge.  

The panels are very easy to do too.  The large one on the left is cut 3-5/8" x 1-7/8".  The Regal Rose piece behind it is cut 3-3/4" x 2" and the Pretty in Pink piece behind that is cut 3-7/8" x 2-1/8".  The top panel is cut 1-1/4" x 2-1/4" and I just added 1/8" to the next two layers.  And the flower panel on the bottom right is cut 1-7/8" x 2-1/4" and the next two panels I added 1/8" to when I cut them, just like I did for the layers on the long panel on the left.  These top panels are cut using Whisper White card stock.  

After I got all of the pieces cut I got my black StazOn ink out and was ready to stamp.  First I stamped the stem on the long panel.  Next I stamped the words on the top panel.  The words are from the "Sincere Salutations" set.  Then I stamped the tulip type flower and 3 of the other flower along with 3 leaves.  I cut out the tulip type flower, the other flower and the 3 leaves.   I cut the petal on the right side off on two of the flowers.  On the third flower I kept the petal on the left side and the next one. After all the cutting was done it was time to color!!

I sponged the color in on the flowers by first using Pretty in Pink ink.  Then I added just a touch of Regal Rose (sponged on) in the center of the flower and on the edges.  I colored the tulip type flower the same way except I was careful not to color in the center part of the flower.  I used the So Saffron marker to fill in the yellow center of that flower and I used the Pretty in Pink marker to color in the dots inside the yellow part.  The stem was colored in using the Pear Pizazz marker.  And the leaves were colored in by sponging them with Pear Pizazz.  When I was all done coloring the pieces I assembled the flower on the bottom panel and I taped it to the Whisper White card stock.  I taped the tulip flower in place and then I set the three panels on a piece of scrap copier paper.  I took my Silver Smooch Spray and gave the three pieces 2 sprays all at one time.

I taped the panels on their layers.  Then I set them in place on the card.  With a pencil I marked where I wanted to make small slits for the ribbon to go through.  The ribbon does show through on the inside of the card.  It was something that would be very difficult to do through just the decorative paper. I liked the ribbon there on the inside, it makes a nice holder for folded money!  Ok, back to the front.  I did add the ribbon after I made the slits and then I added the panels.  

The button is from the Subtles Designer Buttons pack.  I set it in place with Crystal Effects. You can also use a tiny glue dot to do this too.  After I got it all assembled it still looked like something was missing.  Especially in the bottom right corner of the left panel.  SO I decided to punch out some black dots and I glued them in place.  After doing that I felt the card was complete. 

Oh, I did forget one thing.  The sponging of the white panels.  I sponged them with So Saffron.  I sponged over the stem area about 5 times.  I had set the tulip flower on the stem and saw where it would be, I removed it and sponged outside that area a bit so when the flower was added it looked like I had sponged around the outside of it.  And I sponged the edges of the 3 white panels with the So Saffron.  Then I added the flowers!  There, I think that about covered everything!

This was a very fun card to make!! A bit time consuming but I had fun making it and that is what is important. 

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Circle Circus Meets Fast & Fabulous

A long time ago I had a card with a background similar to this but the circles were made using a round background stamp.  These stamps have long since been retired.  I always liked the look they created.  SO I hunted through the catalog to see what round stamp I could find and I came up with this circle one from "Circle Circus."  I have not played with that set much and I really should, it's got such fun possibilities to it.  Like this card for instance!

The flowers are from the "Fast & Fabulous" set.  I just stamped them in black.  The image from the Circle Circus carried the color for the card so nothing was needed on the flowers.  

And the words are from the "Sincere Salutations" set.  One of my favorite word sets! Hope it's in the next catalog.  I know it's been around for a while but it's such a wonderful set to have on hand for all of your greeting card needs.

My card was made using a half sheet of Pear Pizazz folded in half.  The white was cut at 4-1/8" x 5-3/8".  The colors on the circles is as follows:  Pretty in Pink, Pear Pizazz, Daffodil Delight and Bashful Blue.  Black StazOn was used for the words and the flowers.  The Basic Black pad takes a little longer to dry for me so when it comes to black I can almost always be found using the StazOn.  And that's it.  It's a very quick and simple card to make. Oh and don't forget versatile too.  This could also be used for a sympathy, get well, Mother's Day, thinking of you and friendship.

edited on 5-23-11: I had the set listed as "Fabulous Florets" and it's really "Fast & Fabulous"

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

It's Graduation Time

My sweet friend Leah is among the talented stampers I get to be with monthly.  This month she was working on graduation cards.  At first I thought she was making them to sell but as it turned out she needed a bunch.  I believe she had over 10 going when I looked over.  WOW!!  

She was kind enough to let me share her wonderful card with you.  They are basically simple yet some elements do require a bit of time.  The word piece not only required cutting the piece but also clipping the corners.  And also the layer behind it!  

Then there's the scalloped piece which needed to be punched out along with the white circle. 

The graduation cap is from some sticker set she had gotten at the local stamping store.  She just set them in place on the circle.  

She added a piece of black decorative paper and a ribbon to cover the edge of the black paper.  I don't remember what school she said these colors were for but I'm sure for those of you not in our area school colors don't mean a thing to you since each school in any state has it's own colors!  I just love the concept of using stickers like that on cards!  Her cards were adorable and all ready to go for the upcoming open houses she will be attending.  I hope they are not all in one day!!

Thank you Leah for sharing your card with everyone!
And thank you everyone for stopping by today,
Wanda

Flower Fest Frienship Card

Thursday night at Stamp Till You Cramp, Sharon and I worked on this card.  It was one of those inspiration card.  I saw a card on Vicki's "It's a Stamp Thing" blog and I liked the upper part of the card. Well, I liked the lower part of the card too but I didn't want to do them together.  Plus I didn't have all the "stuff" to do the bottom part. 

I am not sure the size of her card.  It appeared to be longer than my card.  But then again the oval on my card is bigger so who knows the size of the card. Ok, I'm sure Vicki knows!! LOL

Anyway, this is what we came up with.  We used Cherry Cobbler card stock instead of the Poppy Parade.  I would have liked to use the Poppy Parade but I didn't have any decorative papers that would match so I went with the Cherry Cobbler and I liked it just fine.

I did the wording on the computer.  I had downloaded the "All Holidays" word images and I was able to scale it down a bit to fit in the oval.  The stamp image was just a bit too big.  

We arranged the flowers but felt that something was missing from the bottom of the oval.  We set pearls there but they just didn't do it, nor did the rhinestones.  I took out a small paper punch and punched out a bunch of black pieces and set them in place around the oval.  After a lot of moving them around this is what I came up with and I liked it.  It was just what the oval needed. 

The flowers were pretty but I thought they could use a bit of sparkle so I covered up all the paper around them and used the "Vanilla Shimmer" Smooch Spray and gave each flower a shot!  I removed the protective papers and was very pleased at the final outcome.

It's such a pretty card and Vicki had a great concept going there!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Flower Fancy Birthday Card

Need a birthday card quick?  Or maybe not a birthday card.  This is one of those very versatile cards!

For my card I used the "Flower Fancy" set.  Just one little flower from the set was all it took.  

I lightly drew a line where the ribbon was to be placed and then added the flowers.  I'm not sure if I erased the pencil mark or not but it doesn't matter, it's hidden behind the ribbon and if the one who got the card is snooping behind the ribbon, well then shame on them!!!! LOL

You can do this card in any of your favorite colors and use it for any occasion you need.  It's quick and simple to make too!

Want the measurements?  The base of the card is a half sheet of Whisper White card stock.  The pink layer is Pretty in Pink and cut at 5-3/8" x 4-1/8".  The top Whisper White layer is cut 4" x 5-1/4".  Simple as that!!  Now go make one!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Fabulous Florets Sketch Challenge

 It's Sketch Challenge time!!!  I do like this sketch but I'm not so thrilled at what I did with it.  This is another one of those cases where it looked SO much better in my head than it does on paper!

I used the

Fabulous Florets set.  I stamped the images on Whisper White card stock and cut each piece out.  Thankfully I only made one card with all that cutting.  I wouldn't want to make that many cards for a swap!

Actually I don't mind cutting pieces out, it is fun.  I just wish it would have turned out nicer. 

What is nice about this card is it is very versatile.  It can be used for birthdays, thinking of you, thank you, Mother's Day, get well and even a sympathy card.  I LOVE it when I find a set that I can get a lot of occasions out of.  I often purchase those more than ones that are limited.  Well, except for ones with snowmen in the set!!! I'm a sucker for snowmen!

If you have time give this sketch a try.  I really look forward to Wednesdays and the Sketch Challenge.  It was many years ago that I started doing the challenge and I don't know what impelled me to start. Perhaps it was from surfing SplitCoast (SCS) site for the days posts and I noticed all the cards with the same layout.  I do remember that weeks before that I did see a lot of cards made with the same layout and I really liked the layout so I gave it a try and it was a matter of a week or so that I figured out it was a Sketch Challenge and the next thing I knew I was working them and posting them in my gallery at SCS.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda