A Gorgeous Grunge Get Well Masking Tape Technique

Gorgeous Grunge is one of my favorite stamp sets this year.  I've had a lot of fun playing with it and I've seen lots of beautiful and fun cards made using it too. This card was made by Nancy from Terri's down line.   

The instructions for the Masking Tape Technique can be found here.  It's an easy technique to do but a bit messy.  I should wear rubber gloves but I don't!!!  Just be mindful that your fingers may have ink on them before touching your work.

We have no big plans for New Year's eve.  A pretty mellow night for the two of us.  I have plans on sitting on the couch and spending some time with my computer doing a little bit of work and then surfing Pinterest till the new year is rung in!!!  I can spend hours upon hours on Pinterest.  I should really be spending some time playing with the things I find on there!!!  Maybe in 2014!

I wish you all a VERY Happy New Year and stop back in 2014!
Wanda

Masculine Card Using Starburst Technique

Today's card came from a swap I participated in at Terri's last Technique Night.  Tanya is the creator of this beautiful card.  One can never have enough masculine cards!

This is a very fun technique to do but only if you are making a few cards.  It gets to be long and tedious when you have to make a lot of them but in the long run they are SO worth it.

You can find the instructions for this technique here.  

This post is short and sweet today!!  I don't know much about the materials made to bring this card into being, sorry!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Gift of Kindness Masking Tape Technique

This is a card made by Shelly from Terri's down line.  I had gotten in on the "Masking Tape Technique" swap and had a great time doing it.  You can see the card I made for the swap here.   I love it when I have time to get in on these swaps.  There is a multitude of talents in that group!  And a very friendly group too!  I love going there!

Ok, today's card is made by using the "Gift of Kindness" set.  This set was on my wishlist but only because I LOVED all the words that went with it, not so much the flower.  

The base of the card is made using Old Olive.  The decorative paper is from the "Season of Style" Designer Series Paper Stack. Cherry Cobbler was used for the Framelit part and Whisper White was used for the focal piece.  

My photo didn't turn out so well, the bottom masking tape color is Soft Suede, here it looks like a dirty olive color.  Then Old Olive was used and the top strip it looks like it's Crumb Cake.  Though I think you could get by "stamping off" using the Soft Suede strip again.  

It's such a pretty and cheery looking card!  

Now I'm off to warm my hands up and do some of my own stamping!  It's -7 here in Minnesota and I'm freezing!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Wetlands Masculine Card

Today I am going to share a masculine card I just made.  This card didn't go in the direction I had first planned but I do like how it turned out.  I tried to stay away from buttons and bows and yet make it look nice.  I think I accomplished that.

First I used the Soft Sky ink pad and the Aqua painter.  Then I used the Soft Suede ink pad and the Aqua painter on Whisper White card stock.  Once it dried I stamped the birds from the "Wetlands" set using black StazOn.

I used the decorative papers from the Designer packs.  Those packs have a lot of paper in them and I've hardly put a dent in them!!!

I cut the back panels 4" x 1-3/4" and the Chocolate Chip layer behind them is cut 1/8" larger.  The bird panel is cut 3" x 2-1/8" and the Chocolate Chip layer is cut 1/8" larger.  It is set in place on top of the two other layers using Dimensionals.  It's a pretty easy and quick card to make.  I think it could be used not only for a Birthday Card but also for a Father's Day card and even a masculine Get Well card.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Blooming with Kindness Birthday Card

With Christmas behind me, I thought I would try to get a jump on my birthday and misc. cards I am going to need throughout 2014.  Doesn't that sound funny?  2014???  WOW!  

Today I just thought I would make a simple card.  And believe me, this was simple.  I used Real Red, Basic Black and Whisper White card stock.  

I used Real Red ink for the flower.  And the words were printed from my computer.  I like to run off a page of them to have on hand for when I am in a pinch and want to make a quick card.  You can buy the download for those words plus 9 other greetings.  You can print out as many as you like, though there are 24 greetings on each page, so one page will last a while.  And they can be punched out with the 1-1/4" circle punch or the oval punch.  

I actually tore the Basic Black card stock just under the word part.  I have not made a card with torn paper in a very long time.  

I used the Dotted folder on the Real Red card stock to give the bottom panel some texture.  Wouldn't this be a pretty Valentine's Day card too?  

One card down MANY more to go.  I need some masculine ones for January!  

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Sir Windchill Beaded Pin

Today I am going to share with you the beaded snowman I designed.  I had a lot of fun making him and he is not that hard to make.  It does help to know how to do a Cubic Right Angle Weave (CRAW).  You have to really think 3-D when you are doing it but once you get the hang of it it goes really fast.  

I had made about a dozen of these for the craft sale.  And I've made a few more since.  I have a few finished ones I will be putting in the web store too but today it's just the pattern for sale.  You can purchase it in my web store.  The snowman measures approximately 1-3/4" tall by 7/8" wide (at the bottom body part).

I wanted to share my creation with you.  It's a little break from stamping.  Sometimes we ju

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

If you have any problems getting the pattern in the web store, please email me.  I use PayPal for payment.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you and yours!  As I usually do for my Christmas day post I share with you the card I sent out.  I had a wonderful photo opportunity last March during a huge wet heavy snowfall.  I went out the next beautifully bright morning and took some photos of the heavy laden snow.  I have a pretty solar powered candle on a shepherd's hook that just caught my eye.  I had taken several photos and when I saw them on my computer I knew that this was the card I wanted to use for our yearly Christmas card.  I normally make a snowman card but the beauty of the snow on everything in this photo convinced me that the snowman can wait a year!  I'm sure we'll get more wet snowman snow!  It usually comes at the end of winter here in Minnesota.

I wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas.  Have a wonderful holiday filled with fond memories (to scrap!).

Merry Christmas,
Wanda

Snow Day Winter Card

This is one of those cards you don't define as a Christmas card.  It's more of a "winter" card.  It can be used throughout the month of January as a thank you, a thinking of you or a birthday card.  And of course you can use it as a Christmas card in December!  Or a belated Christmas card!!! LOL

I more or less copied this card from Connie at Inkspired Treasures.  I tend to stalk her blog a lot.  Perhaps it's because I signed up for her emails and I get to see the new items as she posts them!!  There's a few changes to the card but the most of it is very similar to hers.

It's Christmas Eve and I'm off to get a few things done before the afternoon and evening festivities begin.

Have a fun and safe Christmas Eve,
Wanda

Starburst Technique

Isn't this card pretty?  Terri made it.  This was the card she used in her demo on the technique. I just LOVE black and white cards.   You can find the directions to this fun technique here.

I just wanted to share a quick card with you today. It's such a busy time of the year.  I'm scrambling to get things done.  Gifts to wrap, baking to do, cleaning and then the snow.  That can stop anytime now.  As much as I LOVE winter, I'm tired of all of this snow!!!  LOL

Okay, I'm off to put a dent in my To Do list!

Have a great day and thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Winter Frost Decorative Paper Starburst Technique

Today I am going to share with you the card I made for Tuesday's technique swap.  The swap was to make a card using the "Starburst" technique.

You cut your card stock 4" x 5-1/4" and score one end at 1-3/4".  Then you cut your designer papers at 4" x 1-1/2" and then cut that strip on the diagonal.  Turn one half of that diagonal cut over and you now have 2 different designs for your card.  Repeat that with 3 other designs for a total of 8 different designs.  

Next you will apply adhesive to the entire card above the score mark.  Start in the center and add your wedges.  Work the wedges all around the piece.  Pieces will stick over the edges, it's ok, you will be trimming them off.  

Once you are done, trim the edges around the card.  Add your border, ribbon, embellishments, etc.  

This is a fun and pretty easy technique to do too.  I shouldn't say "pretty easy"  it was easy, I had made 11 of them and after half way through I wasn't having as much fun as I was when I made the first ones.  But I managed to make 11 of them and was SO glad when I had finished them!!  I did like how it turned out though!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Mini Elf Kisses

I had made Elf Kisses last year and I spent a little time using punches to make the elves.  I didn't have that kind of time this year so I cheated.  I found a printable one and went with it!!  You can find that here.  

I was able to print out 6 per sheet.  And as far as those mini kisses go.  Well, they are just chocolate chips wrapped up in foil.  Don't use regular foil though, it's too thick to work with. Use the foil that you get in the candy section at Michael's or JoAnn's.  It even looks nicer too.

I just thought little kisses would be cute for a change.  I didn't have to make a lot of these and personally I don't think it would be fun making a lot of them.  I made enough for 6 bags and that was it.  By the time I was done with them I was sick of looking at them!!! LOL  But once I got them bagged and the topper on I was happy again and actually glad I did make them!  They make very fun gifts for the kiddies!

And you can see the elf kisses I made last year.  You could combine the two if you want.  Make your elves by hand and add the tiny kisses!!!  Be creative!! Click here to view the last years elf kisses.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Snow Day Christmas Ornament

Ok, I know you've been sitting on pins and needles waiting to see what I had put in the snowflake box I made yesterday!  

Some of the gals at the Technique Night check in on my blog from time to time and I didn't want to reveal what I had made until after the exchange so I waited to post it.

So here it is!  Everything on this ornament is made using Stampin' Up! products.  

I have composed a list of all of the materials.  This was a fun ornament to make.  It's got LOTS and LOTS of layers but it was SO worth it!  You can click on the photo for a closer view.

Here is the materials list for this ornament:  Snow Day set, Festive Flurry Set & Die, Frosted Finishes Embellishment, Christmas Messages set, Silver Glitter paper, Candy Dots - colored with a black Sharpie because I didn't have any black ones.  Whisper White and Basic Black card stock, Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red and White Craft ink.  Natural Composition DSP, White embossing powder.  Thick cardboard from the back of the Winter Frost Specialty DSP.  And some linen thread for hanging.  And you will need a paper punch to make the holes to hang the ornament.  I did use a sponge with the White Craft on it to get the chalkboard effect on the black card stock.

I used 3 layers of the thick cardboard packaging material.  As far as the card stock layers go I used 4 layers and they were all glued, not taped.  You will need to press the glued pieces as you make them so they don't curl up.  It's not as bad as it sounds.  I first cut out my snowman after he was embossed.  Then I glued him to a piece of Whisper White card stock and cut him out again.  I repeated this for a total of 4 layers.  I did the same with the hat and arms.  Each time I finished doing one item I stuck it under a book to press it while I moved on to another part.  For the snowflake I glued two pieces together before I cut them out.  That way I had less gluing to do.  The only card stock that didn't have more than one layer was the Natural Composition paper that looks like wood and the Basic Black card stock.  

When I assembled the ornament I used glue to hold it all together.  I didn't want any lose pieces.  Taping the small arms on the embossed body wasn't going to stick.  So glue is the way to go.  

A tip or two to remember when you are making this.  Once you cut out your thick cardboard pieces, set your snowman and snowflake on top so you can see where to punch the holes.  Punch your holes in the thick cardboard packing material as you layer them.   And I think that about covers it!  Have fun making this.  I sure did!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

Envelope Punch Board Festive Flurries Christmas Gift Box

Last night I participated in a Christmas ornament exchange at Terri's Tuesday Technique Night.  I made my ornament and it needed a box.  I was just going to hunt for one around the house when I remembered that I could make one using the "Envelope Punch Board".  I found a great tutorial on how to make a box on the internet.  You can view it here.  I found it a bit confusing at first but only because I keep thinking square.  The paper is cut square but when it's scored it becomes rectangle!  So once I got past that square thing I was able to make my box.  

For my box I used Whisper White card stock.  Then I just decorated it.  The card stock alone was too flimsy to be a sturdy enough box.  But once I embellished it with all sorts of stuff it was pretty firm.  I started out with a Silver Foil Sheet cut down to fit the front as a layer.  Then I added a piece of Whisper White card stock that I had stamped with the largest image from the "Fabulous Flourishes" set.  I used the new Smoky Slate ink and stamped off once.  Then I added 3 snowflakes that were made using the Smoky Slate ink, the silver glitter paper and Dimensionals.  Then I punched out 3 different size circles using the silver glitter paper and put them in the center of the snowflakes and all over the front.  

For the thin sides of the box I just added a little strip of the Silver Foil paper.  On the back I cut triangles of the Silver Foil paper and layered a piece of Whisper White (cut in a triangle as well) on top of that.  

For the closure on the back I just made another snowflake like I did in the front and placed it on the back so the tip of the envelope looking part of the box could be kept in place allowing the box to stay closed.  

Now you will have to tune in tomorrow to see what went inside the box!!!  

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Baby's 1st Christmas

Today I am going to share with you an ornament I made for my granddaughter.  I had found an ornament much like this on the internet a while back and I had saved it for this very moment.  I'm not sure if the ornament I found was from last year or a couple of years ago.  I don't have a link to it and I don't know who is the original designer of it.  I do think though that it was a manufactured ornament.  I LOVED it and saved the image.

So I made this for my granddaughter and I thought I would share it with you.

The pea pod is made using polymer clay.  I poked a hole in the end with a wire so I could add beads to a longer wire and insert it in the clay once it was baked.  For me, that was the most difficult part of the ornament because I had trouble getting the wire into the clay without the beads getting gaps in them.  There was nothing to grab onto to hold the wire and I couldn't use a tool because the wire was too thin and it would bend and crimp.  That was not a good thing.  But I finally managed to get it into place and all was well with that part of it.

The baby face is also made from polymer clay.  I tried sculpting it but I am not great at sculpting realistic looking things so after several hours and many attempts I opted for a more whimsical look.  The hat and the blanket are pieces of a knitted glove.  The body part was filled in with some fiberfill and everything was glued into place.  

On the ribbon (and of course it doesn't show in this photo) I ironed on the words "Baby's 1st Christmas".  I used some iron on paper that you can put in your printer.  You print in mirror format so it's backwards on the paper but once it's ironed on it's correct.  I trimmed it very close to the words so I could get it all on the ribbon.  I tied the ribbon on and it was all done.  I did forget to mention that the polymer clay is baked.  I have a toaster oven that is used only for polymer clay.  I'm sure there is years of polymer clay film in that oven.  It can only be used for the clay.  Clay bakes at 257 F and most foods cook higher than that.  When the clay is baked at 275 F it is non toxic but at higher temperatures it isn't.  So that also includes the film inside the oven.  So it's just best to bake only the clay in this oven.  It's a designated oven!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda