Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you all a blessed and happy Thanksgiving. We were lucky to celebrate Thanksgiving at the Assisted Living with my adopted family on Saturday. Company was awesome as we still have the older relatives and food was good. They even have a teenage boy playing the violin which I thought it was great that he was spending his time with the old folks. Nowadays kids don't like to be with family specially with elderly. Today was another gathering but very small, again my chosen family.

For my card, I loved Altenew's released from last month, I think, because it was all about fall and no flowers. I have nothing against flowers I love flowers but seems like every company is coming out with only flowers and you can only have so many and at some point they're all the same no matter how pretty they are. This release were pumpkins and leaves. The leaves have been on backorder forever but the pumpkins are available and if you took the Cozy Comfort retreat there were more great products again fall theme that match with this release. I picked pumpkin patch bundle which includes embossing folder, simple coloring stencils and stamp set (and three matching word dies which again backorder forever) but not using these, also using also pretty pumpkins layering die set & stylish greeting die set to make cards. For inks decided to play with PinkFresh Studio’s dye inks got them for their last retreat and been trying to play with all colors to get used to their tones as ink wise they're pretty much the same as Altenew's just a bit lighter I think and they have some other colors to complement so you can mix and match.

Started by embossing 6x6 panel then used the stencils to color with berrylicious, coral reef, clementine, marigold, Spanish moss, grassy knoll, citron, lemon whip, sunshine, doe.

at this point decided image it's too full and I can get two cards out of one panel so cut it in half then on another white panel using infinity nested rectangle die set by HA made a frame which glued on top then picked two colors of cardstock that went with the colors I used and die cut it with Cindy Echtinaw Designs Card Creator Perfect Layers A and mounted to an A2 white card base. Then die cut in white the pumpkins and color with same colors but used 3 tones for each pumpkin. For all steams used doe, for the orange card: sunshine, sweet mustard, marigold; mimosa, mango sorbet, fruit punch; peach fuzz, apricot, clementine. 

and for the pink card coral reef, passion fruit, berrylicious; citron, bay leaf, Spanish moss; peach fuzz, apricot, clementine

for the message die cut 3 layers of scraps of brown cardstock. Didn't make give too many cards this year but did gave these cards to the heroes in my city the Algona Police Department.

Feliz Día de los Muertos

Today is Day of the Dead, day to welcome for one day & honor our loved ones that have passed on. Over the last several years there has been lots of things for this holiday so I have been able to do a big Altar to honor my deceased family & friends. 

    

I don't make many cards for this holiday but made these which were so much fun, dies by Spellbinders. One was with the Dancin' girl Day of the Dead and the other Dancin' boy Day of the Dead cutting dies by Spellbinders. Both backgrounds are the same started by masking part of the layer and then with ray of light mix-ables stencil by MFT and distress ink tea dye removed the stencil but kept the mask and without adding ink on brush added more tea dye ink so the background wouldn't be white. With the rosette stencil set & coordinating die cuts by Pinkfresh Studio made bunch with distress inks twisted citron, tumbled glass, wilted violet, milled lavender, carved pumpkin, kitsch flamingo, mustard seed. Glued the rosettes in different layers covering mostly the upper part. Mounted the layer to an A2 black layer and an A2 white card base. Die cut the boy & girl in white and colored with distress inks 

Girl candied apple, fossilized amber, picked raspberry, mermaid lagoon, mowed lawn, spiced marmalade, twisted citron, black soot. Also, added some essential ice clear drops from Pinkfresh Studio

for the mechanism used 5/8" circle punch and MFT spin & slide discs

Boy: black soot, candied apple, tea dye, salvage patina, dusty concord, mustard seed, twisted citron

for the mechanism used 5/8" circle punch and  MFT spin & slide discs 

Happy Halloween

Hope you all have a fun Happy Halloween! This is my second favorite holiday, lots of Snoopy decor so I'm able to decorate almost as big as Christmas.

I got this die set on clearance or discount at Spellbinders last year after the holiday and couldn't wait to play with it so of course first Halloween card was with it. The set is Boo-licious fall cupcake large die of the month September 2023 (there is an add on for Christmas/Winter and Valentine's) used distress inks to colored my die cuts villainous potion, carved pumpkin, black soot, lost shadow, milled lavender; for the bats and the top of the eye used glitter cardstock black and for the cupcake purple

On a Hammermill layer used Glimmer rainbow foil and dazzling diamonds hot foil plate then mounted to an A2 card base, then die cut black frame from ornate rectangle essentials frame die set by Pinkfresh Studio in black twice and mounted with foam strips then mounted the cupcake with is very dimensional

made another with the jack-o-lantern which I colored with wild honey then mowed lawn towards the top and carved pumpkin towards the bottom, black soot for hat with a bit of purple glitter cardstock 

Boo

I got this die set on clearance or discount at Spellbinders last year after the holiday and couldn't wait to play with it so of course first Halloween cards was with it. The set is Boo-licious fall cupcake large die of the month September 2023 used distress inks to colored my die cuts villainous potion, carved pumpkin, black soot, milled lavender, wild honey, mowed lawn; used glitter cardstock purple and black for the top of the eye.

Die cut background paper & black layer from stash with HA infinity rectangle dies & Cindy Echtinaw Designs Card Creator Perfect Layers A then punched mice edge punch by Martha Stewart mounted to the bottom with foam to be same level as the cupcake then mounted to an A2 layer from the purple passion paper pack and then to an A2 white card base

Another 4th of July

Wanted to make a card with my new June 2024 large die of the month summertime vacay by Spellbinders. Started by die cutting the wave & sea confetti die by HA on ocean cardstock then cut just below half and blended a bit of distress ink prize ribbon set aside and then die cut the pieces of club’s die set all in white card stock. Colored with distress inks on the clouds and water breaks or whatever is called used the leftover of the brush from lost shadow, on the chair and pole of the umbrella full straight with lost shadow, for the chair and umbrella candied apple, prize ribbon for the inside of the umbrella fired brick, for the sun fossilized amber and spiced marmalade, for the sand brushed corduroy and gathered twigs.

Placed everything on the card on another layer of ocean cardstock then mounted to an A2 white card base

4th of July

It was time to make cards for the Heroes in my city the Algona PD this time around used sketched flag background stamp by Taylored Expressions with classic stampin spot cherry cobbler and distress oxide prize ribbon then die cut with infinity nested rectangle die set by HA then mounted to some cardstock that had given to me by a friend that was already cut so just had to cut a bit more, this card was just over A2

For the center die cut the map from stars & strips stamp & die combo also by Taylored Expressions three layers blended with distress ink vintage photo and stamped message with prize ribbon 

while was making these decide to also make a couple cards for 4th of July so used message from july2stamp set by The Stamp of Life

 

Happy Birthday

Today is Bret's birthday and for his card I wanted a fun fold and using multiple dies that either haven't used or barely used. My original plan was a regular A2 card but very quickly decided that A2 was not going to fit so played with die cuts and figured out the size with that so card it's big but since it's not going to be mail didn't matter. All panels were mainly made the same used distress oxide inks. For the sky masked the sun and horizon and blended with dried marigold, carved pumpkin and tumbled glass then removed the horizon mask and blended the water with tumbled glass, broken china, mermaid lagoon, salty ocean & peacock feathers then removed the sun mask and added scattered straw. 

All dies were cut in white cardstock and colored with distress inks. From wooden rowboat die set by Altenew used hickory smoke, scorched timber, vintage photo, ground espresso, tea dye

For the fishing pole from lovely layers rod & reed by Honey Bee Stamps used hickory smoke, vintage photo, ground espresso, old paper

Caribbean dreams die set also by Altenew used lost shadow, Copic marker, calligraphy pen

Underwater marine life cutting die set by Spellbinders used hickory, candied apple, mustard seed, twisted citron and pearls by Recollections

Mounted the panel into a layer of light blue from ocean pack by Recollections

Caribbean dreams die set also by Altenew used lost shadow, Copic marker, calligraphy pen, vintage photo, candied apple. Crisp dye inks dark night, misty morning, cloudy sky, nimbus

For the background did the same but skipped the salty ocean

I also mounted the layer to the light blue cardstock from ocean pack this layer is smaller than the first.

for this is again same background as second but also added whatever red I had in the blending brush on the sun and the two leftover seagulls from the dies. The 63 and message are from number of years stamp set by SU with VersaFine clair nocturne 

This layer once again is smaller than the other two and was glued straight into the card base

the first layer was glued to the top flap, the second to the second flap so when you open you see one then the other and finally the 3rd

Happy St Patrick's Day

We are not Irish or really celebrate this holiday but it's always fun to make cards for any fun holiday.

Wanted to make Bret’s card using a new fun fold that was in my to do list so checked Jeanie Stark tutorial from Just Stampin here for this cards.

Started by cutting my card base then cut the guava 65 lb. Core’dinations cardstock then from scraps cut another layer which ran through simple charmed set embossing folder 1 by Cuttlebug & Provo Craft then blended some distress oxide mowed lawn. This is the back with except for one panel and the center was almost identical. 

I added a notecard on back for personal message as I don't like the personal message to be on the open. Thought of covering the other panel but this way Bret would know that only the one panel opened and it closes with magnets. 

Cut another panel of white and green for the front panel. With some more white scraps used the leprechaun2stamp coordinating die set by The Stamps of Life which colored with Copic markers E23, E25, G43, G46, E000, E00. E01, C9, C7, C5, C6, C4, C1, Y28, Y26, Spectrum Noir sparkle Crystal clear glitter brush, and then also die cut a piece of green with pasture grass steel craft die by MB mounted all to the front panel and finally stamped with Memento dew drop cottage ivy the message from shake your shamrocks stamp & die combo by Taylored Expressions.

The card folds flat for mailing, it folds under the front panel. Due to the card base weight and all the layers I used this card is too heavy so it does cost extra IF I was mailing but if you used lighter cardstocks maybe it would be normal postage as it does fit in regular envelope. 

Happy St Paddy's

For this quick & simple card, started by embossing a layer of white cardstock with one of the embossing folders in the simply charmed set by Cuttlebug & Provo Craft cut just a bit smaller than an A2 size then added distress oxide pine needles ink all over the border and mounted to an A2 white card base. Die cut the hat in black, the belt in gold, three buckles in black, four shamrock die cut. one in green and the others in whatever scraps I had closed by some were white some black didn’t matter as they weren’t showing. For the message stamped the happy on half of the rounded tab punch by SU and then stamped the rest of the message on the modern label extra lg. punch also by SU they were from shamrock top hat stamp set by Clearly Whimsy Stamps with VersaFine Clair nocturne ink. Finally added some rhinestones

Hello

Wanted to play with this new die by Spellbinders which is older die hiking through the meadows that was the small die of the month September 2023, die cut all the pieces in white scraps of cardstock then colored then colored with distress inks fired brick, fossilized amber, vintage photo, mowed lawn, vintage photo, mustard seed, spiced marmalade, tea dye, scorched timber, mowed lawn, rustic wilderness, peeled paint, crushed olive, scorched timber, vintage photo, tea dye, fired brick.

Then on a layer white layer blended some distress oxide salty ocean and, on the bottom, added rustic wilderness and mounted the boot. Finally added message from drawers which is from HA

 

With caring thoughts

Started with a layer of white cardstock then with botanicals and butterflies layered stencil set by Pinkfresh Studio and Altenew crisp dye ink added color. Leaves: grass field, shadow creek; Flowers: lavender fields, deep iris; Butterflies: rocky shore, pink diamond, pinkalicious, rubellite

after I was done found out needed the stamp because the butterflies didn’t have the antennas as well as some of the greenery but decided to just get the stamp and only used it for the butterflies for this card, and did it with VersaFine Clair nocturne ink using a mask by die cutting and masking everything but the butterfly areas

Finished the card by die cutting the layer with Cindy Echtinaw Designs Card Creator Perfect Layers A then added dryer sheet to make I think was called faux silk technique and mounted to a die cut layer of lavender cardstock with infinity nested rectangle die set by HA and mounted to an A2 white card base finally just picked a message from drawers. 

Thank You

It was time to honor the heroes in my city, the Algona Police Department, we now have 12 people in the department 9 officers, the Chief and two people in the office. For this time around I made simple clean and simple card which end up having extra cards for my donation box because when you cut paper of one color and you mix and match the papers you end up with more cards. 

The message is from timeless sentiments die set by Altenew the shadow in vellum and 2 black and finally added some primary pack diamond dotz freestyle black or orange rhinestones

You are a survivor

I had forgotten to post this card I sent to a great lady that is now 25 years brain cancer survivor. Started by stamping the butterfly from the stamp set Operation Save 2^nd Base by Color Play with MFT Hybrid black licorice ink on a white layer then colored with Copic Markers N1, N3, N5, BV11, T1, T3 then restamped the butterfly with VersaFine Clair nocturne ink and the message with this same ink then die cut with oval collection Framelits by SU also, added the 24^th that was her anniversary 2022 from Journal stamps calendar in English by P13

On another white layer used book cover engravings 3D embossing folder by Altenew and mounted to an A2 white card base finally embellished with Pinkfresh Studio clear drops iridescent

I also made a card for someone that recently celebrated her first year breast cancer survivor. Started by stamping the butterfly from the stamp set Operation Save 2^nd Base by Color Play with MFT Hybrid black licorice ink on a white layer then colored with Copic Markers RV21, RV23, RV25 & BV11 then restamped the butterfly with VersaFine Clair nocturne ink the message also with that same ink then die cut with Nesting circles dies by Lifecrafts

On another white layer used book cover engravings 3D embossing folder by Altenew and mounted to an A2 white card base finally embellished with Pinkfresh Studio clear drops iridescent

Happy Anniversary

For this card, was another simple card that made with leftover Making memories stardust hearts pastel pink paper after making the Valentine’s card also used Cindy Echtinaw Designs Card Creator Perfect Layers A and B then added the heart rate die and the heart from Hearts2diefor die set by The Stamps of Life which die cut 4 layers. This one used it for anniversary so added the years on the heart

Valentine's Day

For us Valentine's Day is a bittersweet day as we celebrate the anniversary of my youngest sister's death, this year is the second year without her.

I love making fun fold card and when I say Rachel Tessman's star card I had to try it. I don't have lots of DSP but had one that liked the flowers and Bret doesn't mind if I give him flowers as he always says as long as I make the card, he loves anything I make. If you like to see her tutorial, please check her out here 

I used an old SU petal promenade DSP for the main star fold then decided that I wanted a heart shape so die cut 4 of the scallop heart set by PPP two were attached back-to-back in full the other two just the frames were attached to another frame cut out of fresh fig cardstock stamped the message with Valentine's Day lovely legs set by Colorado Craft Company with VersaFine Clair nocturne ink on the full hearts then attached the frames. Attached to card as a pop-up element. When making this card again would make the pop-up element a note card as there is no place to write a personal note

it folds flat for mailing and as long as you don't put too much embellishments you should be find with one oz postage but this one due to my pop-up element it does require the extra 44 cents IF I was mailing but since it's for Bret doesn't matter. Also, if you notice when watching Rachel's tutorial my card it's a bit different but no one would notice the difference unless you point it out

Bestie Valentine's with Pam

Took a workshop with Pam Boedeker educator from Altenew called Bestie Valentine’s coloring with alcohol marker. The workshop was mainly coloring with alcohol markers but she did show 3 cards to make with the images although in class there was only time to color two images. I used Copic markers for my images and used tulip bouquet by HA and matching frame cuts die first stamped with Memento tuxedo black.

For first card decided to color each flower different color as I hadn’t colored in a while so I could use more markers. For the leaves had started with G14 but turned out it was dry and didn’t want to mess with refilling so just switch to YG06, G19, G16 for the tulips BV000, BV02, BV04, BV08, V91, V93, V95, V99, Y11, Y15, Y17, YR12, R12, R14, R17, R59, BG05, BG07, BG09, BG49 then restamped with VersaFine Clair nocturne and die cut. Normally I die cut first but since I wasn't sure what we were doing when she said we had to stamp 3 images I stamped them without thinking but all worked out well. Then Die cut from nesting hearts infinity dies by HA a full black heart and white heart then did two frames in black which glued together then glued everything onto layer putting the stems of the flower in between the full hearts and frame as if the flowers were coming out of the heart. Also, added some white gel pens for high lights. Since haven't decided if I'll use it for Valentine's or anniversary just added a love from timeless sentiments dies set by Altenew

for my second and last card, decided to make it shaker card. Pretty much the same as the card above except embossed the white layer with organic linen one-of-a-kind 3D embossing folder by Altenew, my coloring was leaves same colors YG06, G19, G16 for the tulips decided to do every other with V20, V25, V22, V28 and V12, V09, V06. 

Die cut from nesting hearts infinity dies by HA six frames in black maybe more which glued together then glued to panel and an acetate heart except for two frames which I glued together on top of the acetate and added the stems of the flowers in between the acetate and hearts frame as if the flowers were coming out of the heart. Again, didn't know what I'll be using it so added same message

Love triple slim

I decided to get some of the stencil by Taylored Expressions as they seem fun how you can make multiple cards with one set. For this one is 3 mini slimline cards. Used a full white sheet then with hearts in bloom triple slim layering stencil and distress ink for the flowers picked raspberry, for the leaves peeled paint & rustic wilderness, and stems rustic wilderness, for the big hearts kitsch flamingo & barn door and for the little hearts milled lavender for the dots fossilized amber.

Then cut the sheet in the 3 panels that they were meant.

For the first panel mounted to a layer of lavender cardstock to bring out the lavender on the small hearts. Then die cut 3 hearts from the triple slim hearts in bloom coordinating dies and then stamped the message from love stamp & cut set by HA with Memento dew drop grape jelly twice to make it more sharp and finally mounted all to a mini slim line card base

For the second panel, die cut the middle heart with coordinating dies and also die cut 4 more mounted the layer to a red layer cardstock and mounted the middle hearts. Added the message from the hugs heart craft die by Poppy Stamps but only used the hugs from die twice and finally mounted all to a mini slim line card base 

For the last panel, die cut the flower with the coordinating dies then decided that I would use a sky background so used a blue cardstock layer where I added clouds with DIY stencil and distress oxide salty ocean ink then mounted the flowers and added a bow of melon mambo taffeta ribbon by SU; the message is from anniversary2celebrate stamp set by The Stamps of Life with VersaFine Clair nocturne ink and finally mounted all to a mini slim line card base