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Monday, February 9, 2015

March Birthdays

Although our daughter-in-law, Erica's birthday is March 1st, I think of it as February to get my card mailed on time! So I have included her card at the end of this post since I created it for OCC #4 and have already shared it there. The next birthday is our daughter Jessica, who hits a big number this year which will mean something to her as she is going through lots of changes right now.

While walking on the treadmill, I watch YouTube videos. I saw one today from one of my favorite card makers, Jennifer McGuire, about stamping and watercoloring with Distress markers. So that inspiration led me to this card. 

Here's my card for Jessica ...



The SU Flight of the Butterfly  stamp set, is stamped with different Distress inks and then watercolored with Distress inks on Tim Holtz watercolor paper. I used the dotted butterfly impression and then put down just plain water, adding the color slowly and letting the water do the mixing.


I masked off the area for the sentiment just as Jennifer did. I wished that I stamped the butterflies in Antique Linen instead of colors, because I think it would have made the lines disappear. The background wash is Distress Salty Ocean done very lightly. I do like the result and will use this technique again.

Now for a quick look at Erica's card...

From PTI's Uncorked ... I used the faux ceramic tile idea from Julie Ebersole in OCC Day 2 - used the wine and red stemmed wine glasses, spattering black in the background of a white card base. The sentiment also from a PTI set, is gold embossed on a heavy vellum strip and gold and silver sequins were added for a touch of bling. I just love the shine on that faux ceramic tile technique!


Happy, happy birthday to two people I am very blessed to have in my life!

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Valentine's Day

Again this year I made valentine cards for the grandkids and put them in the envelopes BEFORE taking pictures! So I can't document them here... I may yet decide to open those envelopes...

For the kids that can read... I made joke cards with Wplus9 Knock Knock Valentine set that was so cute! For the preschoolers, I made cards with a faux ceramic tile from the OCC #4 in Julie's lesson. I used a set from SSS Fun Images for them in a smaller size, 3x3.

The idea for John's card also comes from an OCC lesson, Debby Hughes and paper cutting...


The smart thing I did with this card, was to use self adhesive paper! It made the card so much cleaner when assembling! No showing glue on the edges. I did add some white gel dots to fill in some empty spaces though...


Without giving too many details for the integrity of the class, it was so much easier with adhesive paper! Inside I included the white embossing on "Always" ... 

Tell you what... that class was just great! So many ideas and lessons to look back on for new ideas. Well spent treat for myself!

Talk about brave...I'm also entering the Simon Says Monday Challenge for "H"... Hearts and Husband!

Saturday, February 7, 2015

February Birthdays

In the Wright family we have three birthdays in February- all belonging to our son's family! Mason will be seven on the 6th, John will be 38 on the 11th and Carter will be 9 on the 16th...

Mason and John's card I made during the Online Card Class, so the new one I did was Carter... our baseball enthusiast! He just loves pitching and can't wait for the season to begin this year...

I made a shaker card and actually made baseballs small enough with a paper punch to fit in the shaker! I also added some beads and sequins so it would really shake!

The stamp set is PTI's 7th Inning Stretch, which I have used a lot with the dies, too!I made the shaker first on the white card base, surrounded it with 3 layers of foam tape, and covered it with plastic paper. The "sandlot" is PTI Classic Kraft, the bases are die cut with the smallest double stitched square die from white. I even made a pitchers mound, knowing Carter would be looking for it!

The pattern paper was added around the frame. The bat is attached with a piece of folded plastic to give it the appearance of hitting the baseball on the front for a grand slam! 

Here's a closer view... you can see how it moves...



The greeting is clear embossed on vellum after stamping in black ink. The "diamond" made the card a bit wider than a standard A2, so I had to make my own envelope, 6 x 6 1/2."

Happy nine year old birthday, Carter Thomas!

Here's another shot of Mason's card... a shaker from PTI's A-maze-ing stamp and die set. I followed an idea from Laura Bassen and made a real maze shaker... not an easy task for me! Using five die cuts that are glued together, and covered with plastic sheeting, the smallest seed beads are the inside of the shaker.

The greeting is right on the pattern paper with black ink, and a piece with "MAZE" is white embossed on black paper to stand out of the word, A-MAZE-ING!

Hope he likes it!


And John's card... taken from a lesson in OCC #4, it was perfect for John! All the paper pieces are glued in place, also not an easy task, but I love the look of it!


Happy birthday Wright's!

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

OCC- Day 7 One Stamp Set - Three Ways

What a great challenge! And after yesterday's fun card, I decided to use PTI's Flipping Out stamp and matching die set...

Here's a quick shot of all three...


This is a partial die cut with the flip flops on the "sand" added with foam tape on top of the white card base, partially sponged with the blue water.  I added the flip flops  with foam tape atop the partial die cut.


Here I used the overall pattern from Kristina's example, choosing the middle pair of flip flops to highlight. The colors are SU Summer Starfruit and Tangerine Tango. 


The anniversary wishes card highlights the simplicity of two pairs of flip flops with lots of white space. I like the elegance of this one on black...


So sorry to see this class end... I have really enjoyed every day's activities! Thanks so much to the instructors and the participants that shared so many examples in the galleries!

OCC- Day 6 Striped Background

For class today the background that Tasnim created was just amazing! I could envision a sandy beach and tried to create that for my card...


Love, love this technique! I used a white card for the base and sponged Distress Salty Ocean in "waves" making the curve go in one direction and then the other. It looked like a pool...

With another white cardstock, I partially die cut the flip flops from PTI's Flipping Out, creating the panel to be the "sand." Using the same curved line paper cut and a brown Distress ink to sponge the sandy waves, I sanded the area near the flip flops to appear as the foam on the shoreline. Stamping the flip flops separately, I added them with foam tape for dimension, with the straps and flower separately.

The water was sprayed with Shimmer Shine and the greeting embossed in white. The panel with sand was added with foam tape to rise above the water. 

Love the way it came out and will use this set for tomorrow's challenge of one stamp set three ways!

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

OCC- Day 5 DIY inkpad

This technique has never captured my interest mainly because I don't have reinkers for my ink pads ... except for some old Bold Brights from Stampin' Up. After watching Laura Bassen's video, I was ready to give it a go! She is just so incredible, and got such amazing results- I had to try it...

Here's the result:


Not the same result for me for sure! I used SSS Nautical Borders stamp set, and repeated the dots from my DIY ink pad from the SU reinkers; Tempting Turquoise,  Real Red and YoYo Yellow. Not impressive... but wait...

Here's what I did with it!


Now I think that looks better! Using the PTI Amazing stamp and die set, I cut the die from foam twice and glued it together to make a shaker card! It is placed on top of the sheet of colored paper that I made with the reinkers! Really like the result but...

...that ** BLASTED ** shaker wouldn't work and I knew Mason would be disappointed on his birthday card! I used some very small shaker materials from the PTI kit. Too small and had so much static for the maze. Poor choice on my part... SO I had to regroup...

Here's my card...


SO I had to scrap my homemade design and start again! Using 5 diecuts from white 120# cardstock, I glued them to get the depth for the shaker. (Messy!) Then I layered a fun foam sheet under the patterned paper with a die cut for the circle. Building the shaker inside the cut on the foam, I made the rest of the card. 

The circle diecut around the shaker is cut with two of the new double stitched dies... which I love... cut from the same pattern paper pack "All Seasons" as the snowflake paper. It is a coordinating paper which looks great with the snowflakes. Makes me realize how I should use the pattern paper more often, with such a great result!

The greeting is popped up only on the word MAZE and white embossed on black paper. The word reads.. A- MAZE-ING... Here's a close up of the beads... and they do shake :) 


The inside greeting says... "have an amazing 7th birthday!" Mason has always loved mazes and I knew this card would just fit him perfectly! 

Sometimes when I have a real vision it makes the job ten times harder... I hope he likes it!