More Christmas Cards - Snowman!

I have a NEW technique on today's cards.  I made each of the backgrounds from watercolor paper!

 Notice each one is different on the melting snowman.  My niece sent this card many years ago as a Christmas card with the melted snowman, and I LOVED it!!  I've made many since then. (Thanks, Alex!)

 I ordered something called Color Burst.  It's a product from Ken Oliver.  I saw a super, SUPER cool idea using it and had to try it.  Each design comes up different every time. 

 I also ran the watercolor paper through my die cutter with no dies after it dried to flatten it out and thin it so it wasn't so bulky on the card. I LOVE how these designs turned out!  It's the coolest technique!

HERE is a link to the first YouTube video I watched showing these amazing Color Burst paint pigments. 

2017 Annual Calendar Project January - March

Here they are!  I know - I posted them in descending order - BUT with a purpose!  In the past, I posted the calendar's in order, and when you scroll through, the months are out of order!  By posting October - December first, they actually end up in correct order when all the pages post!  Whew!

Here they are all now in proper order. 

 Last year I used this melted snowman on Christmas cards, and received my very first one the Christmas before it from my niece who also makes cards!  It's been a favorite every since.  I used the stamp set Invisible Snowman from Kitchen Sink Stamps.  They're fantastic...  GREAT quality stamps!

 The vertical hearts have appeared on many calendars, and will continue on every February as long as I make these calendars.  I really LOVE this vertical hearts cut!

March contains many different elements.  An Irish blessing stamp I picked up on our travels many years ago; a shamrock stamp I've had for many years, and the Cricut shamrocks border cut. 

Christmas in July - July 6

This card is made entirely from Kitchen Sink stamps.
Kitchen Sink Stamps are different from usual stamps in that they are layered!  Instead of stamping one image, you stamp over the same image to build up depth of color and image.

The poinsettia you see here was 5 layered stamps, and the leaves were 4.

A few years ago I went to an event they sponsored in Houston.  One of the many things I learned was when stamping so many layers, always line up three points on the stamp.  It helps!

Christmas in July - July 5, 2015

I've seen these snowman cards circulating the past few years.  The first one I received was from my niece.  It was SO cute!  She did a great job with it.
The next one I received was from my craft friend Melissa.  Hers was great too!

I thought it was time for me to finally dive into these snowman cards.  After looking through my stamp stash, I found my set of Kitchen Sink Invisible Snowman stamps.

 They were PERFECT!  I stamped the hat separately and fussy cut it, but the eyes, nose, and pipe are stamped right on the stacked snowman.

Stamp Recipe:  All inks Stampin' Up except the black.
Eyes:  Crumb Cake, Soft Suede
Nose:  Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, Tangelo Twist
Pipe:  Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Tsukineko Tuxedo Black
Hat:  Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Basic Gray, and Tsukineko Tuxedo Black

January:  6 cards
February:  6 cards
March:  6 cards
April:  6 cards.
May:  5 cards
June:  6 cards
July:  6 cards
Total:  41 Christmas cards!**Plus the July cards!  Total at the end of the month.

Christmas Card Order

The February Christmas Card Challenge was Winter Birds.

Shortly after the challenge posted, I got a call from my favorite uncle....   with an order for 10 cards!

I had to change the Design paper background, but used the same ribbon and stamp sets.

Kitchen Sink Stamps Winter Cardinal set is what I used for this card:
Cardinal - Pretty in Pink (ret.), Riding Hood Red (ret.)  Cherry Cobbler, and Basic Black ink stamped in that order form the cardinals.
Pine Bough - Pear Pizzazz, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake, and Early Espresso stamped in that order make the pine branch.

The tricky part?  Make sure all the layers line up while you're stamping, otherwise it's a do-over!  I took a little extra time with these, and was a little extra careful and was please I didn't have to do any of them twice. :)

Please enjoy!

2013 Christmas Card Challenge - February, 2013

 Happy February!  Remember, Christmas is coming! 

January's passed, and we are all settling into 2013...  hopefully everyone's had some form of snow or other.  We haven't had much here yet, but I always hope!  If it's very bitter cold, I believe we need some snow just to make it pretty outside since we have to deal with the cold temps.  BUT that's my opinion!  I grew up with snow every winter, and have been missing it a lot of late.

So, first a big THANKS to the participants in the January challenge!  You'll be even happier with those cards when you get to November. :)

Our February theme is inspired by winter.... but not just white or something boring... it's inspired by winter's birds!  I just love seeing Blue Jays and Cardinals out in the snow, their colors so bright against the white background!

February's Challenge:  Winter Birds!  I've included a picture to get you started.  :)

 

Remember, follow the rules of 6 cards with the exception that if you need more than 66 cards to send, adjust your monthly totals.  Stamp the insides and envelopes as well!  Take your pictures and get them posted in the Linky at the bottom of this post by midnight Feb. 20th.

You can use any type of winter bird stamp for these cards, any company, any..... anything as long as it follows the winter birds theme!  Your imagination is your limitation!

Click HERE to view the entire post with all the rules, including small changes for 2013.

Here are my cards...  I used my Kitchen Sink Stamps to make the cards, and some of my Stampin' Up inks and papers to make it special.  Recipe for the inks follow at the bottom.

Here you can see the 6 cards for the set.

 This is the inside of the card - I used the other Cardinal image, and some darker inks, as well as one of my Stampin' Up sentiments.

 I do have the envelope done, but the photo I took was blurry, and I didn't want to post a blurry pic..... it is finished though, and matches the red Cardinal theme.

 Here is the recipe I used for the Cardinal on the front of the card:
Pine Branch:  1.  Certainly Celery  2.  Wild Wasabi   3.  Close to Cocoa (ret.)  4.  Early Espresso stamped off 1x.
Cardinal:  1.  Riding Hood Red stamped off 1x  2.  Riding Hood Red  3.  Cherry Cobbler   4.  Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Sentiment:  Stampin' Up - Riding Hood Red.

Recipe for the inside of the card:
Cardinal:  1.  Riding Hood Red  2.  Cherry Cobbler  3.  Bravo Burgundy  4.  Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Sentiment:  Stampin' Up - Riding Hood Red

Please leave a comment. Thanks so much!

2013 CD Case Calendars - September/October

 The fall of the year begins with September where I grew up, and we used to go apple picking almost every year.  It might have been a lot of work, but it was awesome having fresh crispy apples to munch on the way home!

 I used Stampin' Up as well as Kitchen Sink Stamps on this page - fall leaves and apples just seem to go hand in hand.  We've used this leaf technique before, and it is so impressive in person!

I still can't quite figure out why the October calendar always turns out so cool.... must be Halloween.  There are so many different images and icons to pick from.... I especially had fun with the two ghosts in the graveyard.  It's a Cricut cut, with an orange circle on the back, and a 1/4 inch circle glittered to look like the moon in the distance.  Of course, I had to include a Halloween kitty!


Please leave a comment. Thanks so much!

Cards for Soldiers - February Happy Valentine's Day!

I haven't made Cards for Soldiers in awhile simply because it's been crazy busy here. I missed crafting a lot so I decided to make some Valentine Cards.

LOVE the Kitchen Sink Stamps, and I haven't used them in awhile. There are so many pretty heart/rose images from this company! I also got out one of my favorite heart wheels and used a darker pink just to be able to see the hearts running across the background!



Here is a set I made similar to last year - One Sheet Wonders using red and pink roses with the Romance embossing folder.



Please Enjoy!

Your comments are always appreciated!

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The Oklahoma Chinese Connection

I just had to share this card. There will be another post with all kinds of cards my friends and I have made as a fundraiser to send my friend's daughter to China through a school trip.

Seems that's quite the popular thing to do here in Okielandia - my school has an exchange program with a Chinese school every year, allowing our kids/teachers to go there, and a group of their students/teachers to come over to the states and visit.

Since the kids have to pay their own way, we decided to help raise money for the trip and have been spending one day every weekend making cards to sell at a craft show on February 25th and Jenks East Intermediate. If you are in the Tulsa area and know where that is.... come on by and take part helping to send some kids to China!!!!!

This card is one that just popped into my head one morning - I have the awesome Kitchen Sink stamps - the cowboy hat and boots sets as well as some Chinese Kanji character stamps... and I thought this would be a cute design. After stamping, matting, embossing, and hand-cutting the boots, this is was the creation!

Your comments are always appreciated!

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Two Commissioned Cards!

I had 2 commissioned cards this week! I find it so exciting! I like working within tight parameters - BUT in the same way getting to be creative at the same time.

First, a birthday card for a lady that gave my mom our absolute FAVORITE Christmas candy recipe... Angel Food! Mom has to make lots every year since 1. she gets lots of requests for it, and 2. if she doesn't she get's yelled at! :) This also makes a wonderful surprise for me in packages during that time of year.

This first card is a combination of lots of techniques. I again used a cased image from the Kitchen Sink Crew - {Thanks, Lynn!!} The roses on the front of this card are Kitchen Sink Stamps. Don't know what they are?? Check 'em out!! They are fantastic stamps! I also used my newest Cuttlebug embossing folder for the background, and 2 cardstock and ink colors... Pretty in Pink for the card base, and Melon Mambo for the frame.


The inside of this card is ALL Stampin' Up! I used my new lattice die to cut the inside 'pop-up' piece... and the Sizzlits die to cut all the butterflies in Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, and Lovely Lilac (ret.) I just LOVE the color combination!!! Diamond Stickles added the perfect touch of sparkle!


This second commissioned card is for our school librarian. We had a Will Rogers "impersonator" come talk to the 4th graders this week, and they were very impressed with his knowledge of the man and his life. He really did a fantastic job!!!

I used my Cricut for this card - the Old West cartridge. I bought it about a year ago knowing I'd have need of it at some point, and here was my opportunity. :)

The framed piece is the negative cut from a Stampin' Up die - more to come on the inside!


Here you can see the 'positive' cut from the Stampin' Up die as an area for a personal message. I had a great time with these cuts from my Old West cartridge!!! Thank goodness for 5 x 7 cards!!! Otherwise it all wouldn't have fit!

I used different techniques with Close to Cocoa ink... sponging, burnishing, and marker highlighting.


Your comments are always appreciated!

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Mother's Day 2011

Here are samples of 2 cards I cased from the Kitchen Sink Crew.
LOVE how they look like the flowers are lying on a surface....
I made a few variations of these for Mother's Day cards.





Your comments are always appreciated!

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Birthday Cards

Here are two birthday cards I made recently.

I've been having a good time taking 'old' stamps, and using them with new punches! It seems to give them new life, and makes the cards more interesting.

I'm also LOVING the new ribbon technique! Tying bows on cards doesn't always fit with the style, but running this line of ribbon really adds something elegant to the card. I find myself using it QUITE often! Plus, you can use those small ends that can't be tied into bows, and don't fit around the card bases! :) What a great way NOT to waste the ribbon!!


I really LOVE my Kitchen Sink roses stamps! They fit perfectly for any occasion!


Your comments are always appreciated!

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Husband's Checkbook Cover

I'm not sure how many of you are aware that my husband (who spoils me quite well) does not support my hobby of stamping and Cricut paper cutting.
He's not violent, but he does like to yell sometimes about it.

Imagine my complete shock when he REQUESTED.... yes, there it is again, requested a checkbook cover after he saw the one I made for my dad!

He's got a good collection of cowboy boots since he dresses western style most of the time, and he did find me when I was living in Texas!!!

Here's the checkbook cover I made for him.


**and a closeup of the front.


Your comments are always appreciated!

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Cards for Solders 12/10 - 1/7/2011 Valentine's Cards!

Now that the holidays were over, I could again work on my CFS project!!
When I checked the messageboard, the theme was Valentines. I immediately thought of the KSS 3 step Hearts and Roses stamp set! How perfect.... flowers for Valentine's day!!

I've included the recipe at the end of the post. Please enjoy!!






Here are the color recipes for the Roses.

The Red Roses
Step #1: Riding Hood Red
Step #2: Cherry Cobbler
Step #3: Purely Pomegranate
Step #4: Rich Razzleberry

The Pink Roses
Step #1: Pink Pirouette
Step #2: Pretty in Pink
Step #3: Pretty in Pink stamped 2x
Step #4: Melon Mambo

The Leaves:
Step #1: Certainly Celery
Step #2: Wild Wasabi
Step #3: Old Olive

The Hearts:
Step #1: Real Red
Step #2: Riding Hood Red
Step #3: Rich Razzleberry

I also took one of my rose flower wheels, and with the Pretty in Pink, ran the wheel over the entire sheet before I cut it. You can faintly see the pink designs in the white spaces.

Your comments are always appreciated!

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Starting out 2011 with a Checkbook Cover for Dad!

I sent Mom a checkbook cover for Christmas, but thought Dad wouldn't be too excited about one... until I found out that she changed hers over for the new one, and Dad's is now all taped and barely holding together.

This will fix that problem!!
It's already in the mail, Dad!!
:)

Here are the color recipes for the stamped items:
Light Brown boots:
Step #1: Desert Sand off 1x
Step #2: Desert Sand
Step #3: Potter's Clay
Step #4: Rich Cocoa off 1x
Step #5: Rich Cocoa
I then re-stamped step 5 with Tuxedo Black.

Dark Brown Boots: I used an unusual recipe for these since Dad's got a pair of boots that aren't black... aren't gray... Hmmmmm :)
Step #1: London Fog off 1x
Step #2: London Fog
Step #3: Potter's Clay
Step #4: Tuxedo Black off 1x
Step #5: Tuxedo Black stamped twice, full strength.

Longhorn Steer:
Step #1: Desert Sand off 1x
Step #2: Desert Sand
Step #3: Rich Cocoa off 1x
Step #4: Rich Cocoa
Step #5: Tuxedo Black

Cowboy Hat: I used Stampin' Up inks for the hat...
Step #1: Crumb Cake
Step #2: Soft Suede off 1x
Step #3: Soft Suede
Step #4: Close to Cocoa
Step #5: Chocolate Chip

Your comments are always appreciated!
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Christmas Gifts - Checkbook Covers and Bookmarks

A few months ago for our Stampin' Up Card Club, our Demo Kathy had these checkbook covers for us to decorate. She also had some samples of the bookmarks she'd made for us to look at.
My first though (along with some of the other girls) was 'What GREAT gifts!!'
So this is what I came up with:

This set is for my cousin's new wife Olga.


This set went to my nephew's wife Alex... she LOVES
daisies, and the color turquoise!


This set is for my sister Gail. She loves flowers and
always has cardinals out her door where she feeds them.


Sunflowers?? Has to be for Mom!!! She also sews constantly
so I thought the buttons would be lots of fun.


This set went to my Aunt Nancy... she loves kitties too!!!
and I also know how she loves purple.


I sure hoped they like the checkbook covers and bookmarks!!!

Your comments are always appreciated!

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Cased Card Challenge! KSS # 30

The latest Kitchen Sink Challenge is to 'case' a card, and make it your own.

My card (below) is dated December 2010, but I actually made it this past summer when I first received this stamp set... (I could have Christmas all day, every day - I love it that much!)

I liked this card from the second I saw it, and used a few more colors. I LOVE red and green for Christmas, but I want colored lights!!!


Here is my cased card. I hope you like it!! Click HERE for a tutorial I wrote on all the different colors of lights using Stampin' Up inks!!



Your comments are always appreciated!
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2011 Calendars; Part 1 of 3 - and a Blog Hop!!

Here are the first 4 months of 2011; Jan., Feb., Mar., and April - These calendars have become an annual project for Mom and me. It takes us about a week to get all 20 of these calendars assembled though I start cutting and organizing in October. I've even got an awesome organizational system to keep everything straight.

We used lots of techniques with these calendars! Each calendar page (except October) uses a stamp wheel based on the theme of the month.

January's calendar consists of cuts from 3 cartridges: Designer's Calendar, Wild Card, and Celebrate with Flourish. We used Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Nestabilities, and Martha Stewart's newest snowflake punch. January includes snowflakes with Versamark ink on the background.


February's Calendar has cuts from 2 cartridges, Designer's Calendar, and Love Struck. The double heart punch is a Martha Stewart edge punch, and the background is inked in Versamark with the Candy Hearts wheel. When we had this finished, it just seemed to need something, so we added a bow to each calendar... then it was just right!


March's calendar page is cut with Designer's Calendar. The medallion is edged with a Martha Stewart PATP punch set. Since the bluebonnets bloom in Texas in March, I just has to use one of my newest Kitchen Sink Stamp sets - Bluebonnets! The background Versamarked image is a Stampin' Up wheel; called Field of Daisies.


April's calendar uses 2 catridges; Designer's Calendar, and Celebrate with Flourish. Isn't that the cutest Easter Basket? I stamped the Chocolate Bunnies with my Stampin' Up stamp in Chocolate Chip ink, and took a bite out of his ear with my Nestabilities scalloped punch. The background is inked with an Easter Egg wheel. Can you see them?

BLOG HOP!!!
Stay tuned for a very special Blog Hop - coming soon! More information as it becomes available.

Your comments are always appreciated!

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