Workshop cards

I went to a Holiday Card Workshop at my Stampin' Up demo's house last Friday and made five cards amidst lots of laughter and snarky commentary. I had so much fun! Amy (my demo) is amazingly creative and had us trying several techniques, one of which was completely new to me.

I did this card first and it is definitely my favorite. I love the soft colors and the sponged torn edges, not to mention the adorable snowman. (You're wicked, Amy! I was trying very hard to ignore this stamp set despite my weakness for snowmen.) I haven't used chalks in ages and after doing this card, I need to break them out again. It's such a soft, pretty look! I embossed the brown panel using a folder and then sponged it before layering everything together.


I love the embellishment although it makes the card more of a hand-deliver type. The inside was torn and sponged like the front panel, and it looks so neat against the dark cardstock. Just ignore the crooked sentiment. (ugh!)

I was also trying to ignore this next stamp set with its matching punch. (Thank you SO much, Amy! Can you hear the sarcasm? lol) It's just way too cute with that silver glitter paper and the teeny jingle bells. Darn those holiday mini catalogs!

I absolutely loved making this card. It took the longest, but it was so worth it! First I embossed the card to get that great border and then sponged the paper with Crumb Cake ink and some fabulous Soft Champagne liquid ink stuff that added tons of shimmer. The image was stamped with Stazon ink and then I used watercolor crayons and an aquabrush to add color. I've seen the watercolor crayons before, but had never tried using them until now. I loved the process and how pretty it looks. (Curse you, Amy! You know those are on my wish list now, don't you? I'm sure that was your plan all along.) :P Seriously though, I really like them and need to add them to my stash.


These are my last two cards. They took the shortest time to make, and that's a good thing for mass Christmas card production. One of the fun things about doing workshops is that I don't have to design anything. It's already done for me! :) So thanks, Amy, for a really fun night out getting inky!


Stamps: Snow Much Fun, Stitched Stockings, Aviary, Festive & Fun, Bells & Boughs, Beautiful Season
Embossing folders: Vintage Wallpaper, Petals A-Plenty, Framed Tulips, Perfect Polka Dots
Punch: Stocking Builder
(all supplies Stampin' Up)

One last nod to Halloween

I wanted to post a couple more Halloween cards and meant to do it yesterday, but ran out of time. Too busy! But hey, better late than never. :)

I made this card at my Stampin' Up demo's house several years ago. It uses Booglie Eyes, one of my favorite Halloween stamp sets. I kept the card because it's just too cute to give away!

Stamps:  Booglie Eyes (Stampin' Up)

Paper/Ink:  Stampin' Up 

The second one is a strange little card.  lol  I was following a sketch (a Verve Stamps sketch challenge, I think) and was trying to use a snowflake image in a different way since I only had one of their sets at the time.  I put the eye from Wise Owl over the snowflake and this is what resulted.  I also paper-pieced the 31 image.

Stamps: Wise Owl (Papertrey Ink); Winter Wonder (Verve); Oct 31 (Studio g)
I had plans to make lots of Halloween cards this year but I ended up just sending the four cards I made along with older ones like these from my stash. I'm pretty sure the cards didn't make it in time either, but at least I SENT them this time. That's progress!

PTI Blog Hop

I forgot about the Papertrey Ink monthly blog hop until last night, so I whipped up this little card after volunteering in the box office this afternoon. I'd still be tweaking it if there wasn't a deadline. I'm not 100% satisfied with it. But hey, my kids think it's cute anyway! :)


Here's the inspiration photo for the blog hop. I liked the pieced pattern look of the pumpkins, so I used three different patterned papers to make the pumpkin on my card. I also used an embossing folder to add swirly texture and then added polka dots like in the photo.


Stamps: Halloween Treats & Sweets, Polka Dot Basics (Papertrey Ink); Perky Upper (My Sentiments Exactly)
Paper: White, Orange Zest, Dark Chocolate, New Leaf (Papertrey Ink); patterned (KI Memories)
Ink: True Black, Orange Zest, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink); VersaMark Dazzle Frost
Dies: Ribbon Tags Trio, Classic Ovals (Spellbinders); Vintage (Cuttlebug)
Misc: D'vine Swirl embossing folder (Cuttlebug); brown gingham ribbon

My daughter Emily likes to craft with me and was excited to try out my new Favor It Box 6 die from Papertrey Ink. She made a white cat treat bag with just a little help with the assembly. She also made her own card and has been asking me for several days to post them on my blog, so here they are! :)


Stamps: Halloween Treats & Sweets (Papertrey Ink); Tinkerbella (Stamping Bella); Ghost (A Muse)
Paper: Harvest Gold (Papertrey Ink); patterned (unknown)
Ink: black
Misc: Classic Oval die (Spellbinders); Favor It Box 6 die, Mega Halloween Treats & Sweets die (Papertrey Ink)

Out Of This World

I got my card done early for this month's SFYTT sketch challenge! One of my favorite stamp companies, Waltzingmouse Stamps, is the sponsor. I went in an unusual direction since I only have a few of their stamp sets (so far!) and most of them are frames made to fit Spellbinders Nestabilities dies. I dearly want Halloween Party, Midnight Feast, Rescue Remedies, and many others! Eventually they will be mine, but for now I improvised with what I have.

Since I'm currently fixated on Halloween, I just couldn't help but see a robot in the Nestie Eggs set. Surely you see it too? :D


Isn't that fun! I ran into a snafu with the sentiment though. I thought for sure that somewhere in my stamp collection that I had an appropriate phrase. Nope, not at all. I finally just printed one out for the card using the Droid Lover font.

So there you have it. I bet you will never see that particular stamp image quite the same way again!

Stamps: Nestie Eggs (Waltzingmouse)
Ink: Basic Gray (Stampin' Up)
Paper: Soft Stone, True Black (Papertrey Ink); Basic Gray (Stampin' Up); Rockstar Stack (DCWV)
Misc: Nested Eggs die (Spellbinders); Droid Lover font

Colorful Halloween

Warning! Crazy Halloween card ahead! The patterns and colors are an eyeful and quite different from my last post. Ahem....I had fun with it as you can plainly see.

I used more digital paper from the same kit as before, and then repeatedly stamped the word BOO behind the witch. She's another Stamping Bella image from my collection. Too bad there's not one dressed up like a skeleton. It would look cute with this paper. Any excuse for a Bella, right? :)

Stamps: Witchybella (Stamping Bella); Spooky Sweets (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper: True Black, Harvest Gold (Papertrey Ink); Spooky Treat digital kit (Betty Lynns Design)
Copic: E000, E00, E30, E42, R20, V06, E59, YG11, YG13, Y35, YR12, YR15, YR18
Misc: Labels Ten dies (Spellbinders)

Damask Washi Tape Card

I just had to try this week's Make It Monday technique on making your own washi tape. It's so easy and has so many possibilities! The card itself is quite simple since I wanted an elegant look.


I managed to stamp the sentiment slightly crooked (ugh!), but I'm letting it go. lol I don't have the PTI Half & Half dies, so I improvised by partially cutting the blue strip with one of my Spellbinders dies. It's a happy coincidence that the damask image is shaped perfectly to fit the curves. :) I love it when that happens!

Stamps: Damask Designs, Year of Flowers: Violets (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Enchanted Evening, Fresh Snow (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Enchanted Evening, White (Papertrey Ink)
Misc: Labels Four dies (Spellbinders); 1-1/16" Terrifically Tacky Tape

World Cardmaking Day

During General Conference sessions today (which I love watching at home!), I stamped this little Halloween card. I couldn't let World Cardmaking Day go by without making at least one! I used digital paper from a cute freebie kit called Spooky Treat by Betty Lynns Design.


The vampire cupcake image is from a Taylored Expressions stamp set. I have a huge weakness for Halloween stamps and I was so thrilled to find both of the cute Trick or Sweet stamp sets for a great price second-hand. I had been wanting them ever since their release! I paper-pieced the cloak with paper from the same digital kit, and then used my Copic markers to add some color.

Stamps: Trick or Sweet (Taylored Expressions); sentiment (Studio g)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper: Harvest Gold, True Black (Papertrey Ink); Spooky Treat digital paper (Betty Lynns Design)
Copic: 0, T1, T4, C1, V06, E41, YG23, YG25
Dies: Standard Circles, Small Classic Inverted Scalloped Circles (Spellbinders)