Summertime Splendor Checkbook Cover

I don't write checks as often as I use to and when I looked at how ragged my checkbook cover had become I realized I needed to make a new one. And I wanted to make it quick but yet have it look nice.

Well, I searched my computer to see what beautiful downloads I had and I ran across the "Summertime Splendor" one I bought this past spring. I SO love the orchid flower one so I printed it out. I did set my printer to print at it's highest quality and I printed on Whisper White card stock. I did print it just a touch bigger than I needed so I could trim to fit perfectly.

After the trimming was done I used the corner rounder and it was ready for the checkbook cover! The photo is showing the front and back of the checkbook cover. It gets folded in half and most of the flower will show. I think it's a very pretty cover!

SO simple too. I suppose I could have added some verbiage on the front but I liked the look of it just as it was.

These make great gifts and would be fun at a Stamp Camp too. And they may even sell well at a craft fair, you don't know until you try!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Autumn Days Candy Topper

I think the "Autumn Days" set is a pretty versatile one. Plus it's a GREAT set for making masculine cards. You just can't seem to find enough of those, can you?

For this cute little treat bag I started out with some candy pumpkins and a 3" x 4" plastic zip bag. I set the pumpkins inside so they were "tops up."

Next I cut a piece of Pumpkin Pie card stock 3-1/8" x 4". I folded it in half on the long side. I put the zipper part of the bag inside the fold, all the way to the top and I stapled it together using two staples.

Then I cut a piece of Very Vanilla card stock I had decorated with the leaf from the "Autumn Days" set. I stamped the leaves on using Crushed Curry, Cherry Cobbler and More Mustard. I know, there's no Pumpkin Pie ink on the vanilla. It was just too bright of an orange for the topper. This little vanilla piece was cut 1-7/8" x 3-1/8". I cut two and put one on the back. I wanted the staples to be completely covered. I sponged the edges with More Mustard before I taped them in place on top of the Pumpkin Pie card stock.

I stamped the"HAPPY THANKSGIVING" in using Chocolate Chip ink. I punched them out with the Word Window punch and sponged the edges with More Mustard. I taped them in place in the center of the header. SO quick and SO simple! A fun and quick way to make some sweet treat gifts for fall or Thanksgiving.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Under the Stars

This is such a great masculine card. I LOVE this set. I bought this set and have only used it once. I have a fun idea for it and I do need to get it done before the set retires or before I forget I have the set!!! LOL

My downline Teresa made this adorable card. I have seen many cards that Teresa has made and this gal LOVED to cut images out. Or so it would appear. On most of the cards I've seen she's done a lot of cutting. And this card is no exception.

Every item on this card is cut out! And her sense of humor is the same as mine. I thought the bear should be spraying his pits with the skeeter spray too!!! I likehow she used the Dazzling Diamonds to make it look like the sprayer is spraying. And it was used on those dreaded mosquitoes too. I'm SO glad we had gotten a frost to kill them off for the season!

I was guessing that the background was done using webbing spray but it doesn't really feel like it. I will have to ask her what it is and how she did it and hopefully post a tutorial on it!

It's such a cute card and I'm SO lucky to have gotten it from her.
Thank you Teresa!

And I thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Every Little Bit Christmas Card

The "Every Little Bit" set is such a fun set to play with. I use to cringe when I had tiny stamps and really didn't know what to do with them other than to stamp tons of them across a piece of card stock and use it as a background.

This layout is one of my most favorite. It allows me to use those tiny stamps and they become the focal part of the card and not a background!

I have made SO many cards using this layout that I could almost do it in my sleep!

The photo doesn't do this card justice. It makes it look like the Marina Mist card stock doesn't match the decorative paper but in real life they match very well.

I used Whisper White for the base of my card. It is something I RARELY do. The base of my cards is usually a dark color (mostly black) with the white layered on top.

I am having second thoughts now on my choice for our Christmas card this year. I am really liking this one but I have begun cutting the card stock for our card and really can't change now. Bummer!

Oh, I almost forgot. The decorative paper here is from the "Candy Cane Lane" download. It's a piece I had left over from another project. And it's a piece I did before I resized it to make the circles round instead of so elliptical. But I like them both ways so it really doesn't matter. Please remember that if you print these out yourself to use 28 or 30 pound paper. It's a nice quality paper. Set your printer to the finest quality too. You will get some beautiful papers that are easy to work with and have a nice quality feel to them. If you're going to print them out yourself, why not go for the best image you can?

This is a very simple card to make once you know what you are doing!

I'm nearly finished with a fun project to share with you. Hopefully that will be tomorrow!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Greeting Card Kids Christmas Card

This is my card for this weeks Sketch Challenge at SplitCoastStampers. I am NOT thrilled with it at all.

When the sketch came in my email I knew I wanted to use the "Greeting Card Kids" set but I didn't know where I was going with it. And that is obvious by the look so of this card.

I am thinking it's because the background is SO huge and that is why I'm not liking it.

I do like the little girl in the scalloped circle. I colored her coat, hat and wagon using Riding Hood Red ink. The scarf, mittens and her tights are colored in using Bashful Blue. The tree is colored in using Garden Green and I colored in her face using Blushing Bride maker. The background around her and the wagon is done using Daffodil Delight and a blender pen.

I sponged the circle with Riding Hood Red.

I added some ribbon to the strip behind the circle. I needed to tone that spot down. I don't like the looks of it and I taped it on with some really sticky tape so it's not going anywhere!

The snowflake is from the Northern Frost die. It's one of my favorite dies. I LOVE snowflakes!

The background paper is from the "Candy Cane Lane" download. I bought it and just print out the paper as I need it. I LOVE those downloads!

And that was pretty much it to the card. Oh, the wording was done on my computer.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Faux Flocking Technique

I have not forgotten about the technique pages. I have been working on them, just no time lately to post them. So with the holiday season coming I thought I would make a Christmas card and use this fun technique on it.

All you do is use your distressing tool on some card stock. You keep the fuzz and fluff it leaves behind and use it as the snow or whatever it is needed for on your project. Click on the photo for a closer view.

This adorable snowman came from the "Tags Till Christmas" set. I've only used one image in this set and this wasn't it!! I had used the "dec 25" one. I probably bought this set because of this cute snowman!! You know me and snowmen!!

For the base of my card I used Marina Mist. The next layer is a piece of Night of Navy. On top of that is a piece of the "Candy Cane Lane" image. I ran out of that paper a while back so I've been printing some off from the download I bought. I think it's a PERFECT way to keep the card stock you just LOVE. This is a very pretty snowflake background and I'm glad I downloaded it. And tonight I actually tweaked it enough that the round circles in the background are actually round. Here they are slightly oval because I didn't have the image centered on the screen before I printed!! As simple as that! But I'm using this slightly distorted one because I already printed it out and on 32# paper (which I think is a bit spendy) and I had the printer set at "top quality" to get the best printed image.

The word were done on the computer. I printed out 3 pages of them tonight because I decided what card I'm going to make for our Christmas card this year and I need those words for it. If you're curious it is the card I made the other day. You can click here to see it. Now I'd better get cracking on getting the pieces cut and the card put together!!

This was a fun card to make. I do like making the faux flocking but I don't think I'd like to do it for 130 Christmas cards!!! I think it will be fun to use it at Easter time for bunnies oh and on Santa's hat, mitten cuffs, etc.! Lots you can do with it!

This technique makes #10 in this set of 20. I will be posting more soon. I have them set up on my desk. It's just a matter of squeezing them in with all the things I want to show you before Christmas. I have some very fun and unique projects to show you but I have to finish them up first! I've got a TON of started projects. It's going to be great to get them all done and see the top of my desk again!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

Aviary Get Well Card

This is another one of those sets that I think is SO stinkin' cute! It has to be those cages that attracted me to this set. I don't use it very often and I should. I needed to make a get well card and as I was looking through my stamp sets my eye caught this one and I ran with it!

I took a half sheet of Peach Parfait card stock and folded it in half. Then I took a 1/4 sheet of Whisper White card stock and trimmed two sides 1/8". I sponged the edges with Peach Parfait ink and taped it in place on the card base. I cut a piece of Whisper White 4-5/8" x 2" and then I stamped the image on using Chocolate Chip ink. I cut a Peach Parfait layer 4-3/4" x 2-1/8" and layered the stamped piece on top.

I cut a 2" x 2" square and put it in an embossing folder and embossed it. I cut the square in half along the diagonal. I put each triangle on the back side of the stamped image layer and I just taped everything in place on the front of the card.

The words were done on the computer and I punched them out using a 1-1/4" circle. Then I cut a 1-3/8" Chocolate Chip circle. And I layered those two circles on top of a Peach Parfait scalloped circle. And that was it. It was a very easy and quick card to make. Bright and cheery too, perfect for a get well card!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

Jolliest Time of the Year

I am such a snowman person! I just LOVE them and the cuter they are the more I have to have them! When the new Stampin' Up! catalog comes out the first thing I do is look for a new snowman for our Christmas cards. And then if I don't see one I like, I wait (not so patiently!) until the Holiday mini comes out. But there are times I run across these sets I already have and I dig them out and play with them again!

I love this snowman from the "Jolliest Time of the Year" set! I made a card with him last week too. Ok, confession time here. I hadn't put the set away, it was just sitting there begging me to play with it one more time before I put it back on the shelf and forget about it again!

So, onto the making of this card. The base of the card is Marina Mist. On top of that is a piece of Basic Black. And on top of that is a piece of Whisper White that I sponged with Marina Mist ink.
The next layer is Basic Black card stock cut 3-1/2" x 4-3/4". On top of that is Marina Mist cut 1/8" shorter than the black layer. I ran it through the Big Kick with the Northern Flurry embossing folder.

On top of that is a piece of Basic Black card stock cut 2-1/2" x 3-3/4". And layered on top of that is a piece of decorative paper cut 1/8" smaller. The paper is from the "Candy Cane Lane" download. The design prints out smaller because I don't have a printer that prints 12" x 12". And that's ok. I LOVE this paper at any size it would print out! Snowman and snowflakes, you can't go wrong with either!

My wording was done on the computer and punched out. When I do words on the computer I usually set up the page to have several columns and then I print out a full page of words for future use.

The snowman is cut using the wood block to measure it. I do this with almost all of my cards. I measure the block and cut the card stock the same size. It seems to be working for me so I run with it! I sponged the edges with Marina Mist and taped all the layers together.

I really like how this card turned out. It's not going to be the one we use for our family card but it is one I'd consider. I had better get a move on getting those family cards done. I like to get them done by December 1st. I often finish them up the day after Thanksgiving. And usually in October we take a couple of days off and head up to Duluth. While on the way up there I am working on the cards. I didn't bring any part of our Christmas cards with this year. I am still up in the air as to what I want to make. I have no idea why I'm being so indecisive this year! UGH! It's frustrating!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Morning Cup Card

I told myself about a dozen times I was NOT going to buy this set. I think it was out of protest because I liked the other coffee cup sets. But as time went on and I saw so many cute cards made with it, I broke down and bought it.

I have not used it yet! This card was made at a previous DIVA Day event. I believe it was Sandy who designed this cutie!

I just love those stacked cups. Kind of looks like my kitchen on a weekend! LOL

I thought it would be difficult to stamp the words like that but it was actually pretty easy. And it isn't very crooked at all!! Shocker, huh? LOL

I love the colors and how clean and simple this card looks.

Thank you Sandi for letting me show your wonderful card to everyone!

And thank you for visiting today,

Wanda

I have some fun projects I'm working on and will be posting soon but first I have to get through this craft fair weekend and be able to think clearly again!

Baroque Northern Frost Christmas Card

The "Baroque Motif" set is one I like using when making wedding card. I love the swirls in the card and with the winds blowing yesterday this set came to mind! We didn't have snow but it will be here soon enough. It's going to get colder so snowflake cards are a good thing to make right now.

For my card I used Bashful Blue card stock. On top of that I put a layer of Marina Mist. The top is Whisper White card stock.

I stamped the image using the Basic Black ink. Which I regretted after I stamped it and was working on the card. I thought the ink was dry and as I was embellishing it I smeared it. I tried to get the smear off with an eraser. It took a lot of it off but not enough.

I used the Northern Frost die to make my snowflakes. I set them in place on the card near the swirls. In the center of each one I added a pearl. It's a very quick and simple Christmas card.

Thank you SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda

Kind & Caring Thoughts Birthday Cards

Nope, you're not seeing double. I needed to make 2 birthday cards for hubby's twin sisters. Their birthday is on the 9th. I can't believe I'm actually done with the cards before the birthday happens. I was not good all year long about getting birthday cards out on time. And what is REALLY sad about that is, I could have gone into my samples and taken one of them. But no, I always have to make a new fresh card and in this case, cards! And his sisters are identical twins. Twins run on hubby's side of the family. His mom had twins, his mom's sister had twins and one of hubby's sisters had twins. It didn't even skip an generation! YIKES! And they are ALL identical. It is still tough to tell the cousins and the nieces apart unless they are with their hubby's then I can. What is REALLY funny is, when my hubby looks at photos of his sisters when they were kids he can't tell who is who and I can! Anyway, on to this fun card!

The "Kind & Caring Thoughts" is a Hostess retired set. I will be putting that in my web store sometime soon. I need to make more room for the new sets I have that are just sitting on my ledge. I do have some room for them but I'm a bit lazy when it comes to cataloging them and getting them shelved.

These cards were SO simple to make. I stamped the image using Mellon Mambo ink. I did huff on it before I stamped it. I find that if you do that for images that have the flat dark areas on it, the image turns out more solid. I think it looks pretty good!

The words were done on the computer. I had done up a whole page of them so I had them when I needed them. I even printed out a sheet of them on Very Vanilla card stock so I have them in both colors. I amazed myself there, I usually don't think that far ahead when I'm printing out stuff!!

This was an extremely quick card to make too. Just stamp, layer, punch and tape! SO simple and quick!

Thank you for visiting today,

Wanda

Jolliest Time of the Year Split Coast Sketch Challenge

This weeks Sketch Challenge was a real challenge for me. I am SO out of my comfort zone when it comes to square cards. But I stuck with it and played with the pieces and I actually finished my card as you can see!!

I used the snowman from the "Jolliest Time of the Year" set. I SO love this snowman!!!

Tonight I purchased a few My Digital Studio downloads and one of them was the "Candy Cane" decorative paper. I had purchased the pack and went through it pretty fast. SO I thought I would get the download and print out my own as I need it. I especially LOVE the snowflake paper. I have LOTS of plans for that in future projects. I used it on the #1 layer.

My #2 layer is also from that same download. I think these little multi-colored polka dots are just TOO adorable. I can see myself using them for other occasions.

The #3 layer is a piece of Marina Mist card stock. Nothing was done to it, no texture or VersaMark images, just plain.

The #4 image is the snowman from the set. I used a blender pen for the Marina Mist around the snowman body and the rest was colored in directly from the marker. I sponged the edges with Marina Mist.

The snowflake was fun. It came from the "Northern Frost" die. I'm SO glad I purchased that die. I LOVE all of the different snowflakes on it. I picked out the snowflake I thought would fit the #5 spot best. I pressed it on the VersaMark pad and then dipped it in the Iridescent Ice embossing powder. I heat set it and then did it again for a thicker layer. Next I took a pearl, I took the sticky stuff off it and affixed it to the snowflake with Crystal Effects. I wasn't sure the sticky part would stay on the embossing and I knew Crystal Effects would hold! I set it in place with a Zot. I was digging in my stuffed cupboards in my workroom and found a box of them so I thought I should start using these things up. I totally forgot I had them. I guess that's a sign that you have TOO much stuff!

And that was it. The square card was not as bad as I thought it would be. And I am still not fond of them!! LOL

If you have time to play, give this layout a try. I just print them out and cut the layers as close as I can to the size on the printout.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Gifts of Christmas Dove

Sorry I'm late in getting this posted. I've had such a busy day/week and it isn't over yet!

On my weekly surfing the net adventures I ran a cross this wonderful dove card. I found it at Stamper's Pad. It's such a nice clean looking card. A card that is just perfect! I LOVE the gold on white.

The images are stamped with VersaMark and sprinkled with gold embossing powder. The embossing powder is then heat set.

I cut my top layer the exact size of the wood block. Then I stamped on it and heat embossed it. I layered it on top of a piece of brushed gold card stock that was cut 1/4" wider around than the top piece.

Next I stamped the second image in the two corners, sprinkled them with embossing powder and heat set them.

I taped the top layer in place and that was it. SO easy peasy!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Candy Cane Christmas Fabric Tree Ornament Weekend Project

I was having some fun with the Christmas fabrics. I LOVE both sets but I think I am more partial to the "Candy Cane Christmas" one. I think it's just those cute little polka dots that catch my eye.

To make these you will need:
1-1/2" Styrofoam ball

Fabric cut 6" x 6"

1/2" grosgrain ribbon

Cord for hanging (I used Linen thread here)

Sucker sticks

Insert the sucker stick into the Styrofoam ball. You want it to go in about 1/3 of the way. You may want to use Styrofoam glue here. I first tried a glue dot thinking it would hold but it didn't. I ended up using craft glue after I got the fabric on.

Next find the center of the fabric and set it at the top of the Styrofoam ball. Wrap it around the ball and tie it with the ribbon. Tie the ribbon in a bow. This is when I glued the stick to the fabric with craft glue. And then I attached a hanging cord. I used a piece of linen thread. I threaded a needle with it and just took a stitch on the top and tied the ends together.

These are very easy and SO much fun to make. They will look SO adorable on any Christmas tree or even on top of gift packages!

You can do these as a Make N Take, a Craft Fair item, a fun item for the kids to help with and even a Stamp Camp project!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,

Wanda