Anniversaries

Two of our married children have their anniversaries this month. I really had an idea in my mind to use the Madison window die and make a card ... looking through the window into each house, seeing them on the inside with a picture from when they were married. Easier said than done!

Here are the results:

Jess and Steve have been married 16 years! So hard to believe it has been that long. Their house now is a warm brown with white trim and cranberry shutters. I found this old photo of them at their first condo in Virginia Beach... Don't they look so happy? And I do believe they still are! Makes me think it's today's house looking back at where they started.  I used SU Crumb Cake, Cranberry Crisp and White for the windows.

Love the die and window... Wplus9 Fresh Floral Cuts stamp with matching dies made up the window box flowers. LOVED playing with them! Lots of different colors and layers to make the flowers. The lilacs actually have three layers to the stamp.  I did use dimensionals to give them a 3D look.  I layered the window to give added depth and used plastic to give a real window look. I love the result... much more like what I was thinking!

Next is our son John, and his wife Erica, who have been married nine years. The photo is from their rehearsal dinner nine years ago... and you can see that I was trying to have the same plan of their house, looking back to that fun evening...

I really love the way this one came out, even though it is difficult to see with that glare from the plastic "window." I used the same procedure as before but used more dimensionals to give the added depth to the flower box.  In the next photo I think it is easier to see what the layers added to the card. 

The colors are SU So Saffron, and SU Cranberry Crisp for the house. The flowers are various colors, and at least two layers of stamping to each one. I will use these flowers many times I am sure...

The last family anniversary is our daughter Stephanie's on August 5th. I'll be making another window card with those fun flowers for sure! 

John's Birthday

My husband's birthday is July 9th and he LOVES baseball- especially the Mets! So the 7th Inning Stretch set from PTI with the matching dies was perfect for his card . I also watched Julie Davison's video (www.juliedavison.com) from her 5 favorite cards from last year. I could just "see" the baseball diamond on the front.  Here's my result:

The first picture shows the fold from the angle to see the inside. The front of the card made with SU Crumb Cake and is cut to make a baseball diamond. I cut a square from SU Garden Green paper, added strips of SU Very Vanilla, and punched the 1st, 2nd and 3rd base edges. Then I added a pitcher's mound and home plate with a circle punch. Bryant Gumble's quote is stamped on vellum with Staz-On black ink.  

I do not have the Stampin Up scoring tool, so I had to compute the dimensions of the fold from the size of the square. Julie's video is so great that a little math was not too difficult! The inside of the card is on Whisper White cardstock. The dies made the rest of this card so easy to put together... Adding the Mets-color cap and glove ... then I put dimensionals under the baseball allowing the flap to just barely go under it to close. The sentiment says, "Here's hoping your birthday is a Grand Slam!" I stamped "Happy" at the base spots around the sentiment and birthday at home plate. I used "stitching" around the inside to add some color.

It was fun to do, but not sure that I would try it again... It didn't quite match my vision!

Sympathy Card

It is always difficult for me to get the energy to do a sympathy card when i need one... so I always try to have some on hand. The last time I went to a Stampin Up card activity we made cards that are perfect for this occasion. It also made me love the herb expression set! The demonstrator was a teacher and did cards as a hobby with her business side as a way to support the card making! Anyway, it is totally her materials and ideas...

I really don't remember the colors or much of the stamping. I just wanted to get the design here, so I can use it as an idea again. I did like the white stamping on chocolate chip.

Friend Birthday

My roommate from college and I have recently started connecting after over 20 years. Not sure how we lost each other, but sure glad we're found. It has been so wonderful to make those links to what seems like a lifetime ago! Here is a card I made to send for her birthday:

My new set from PTI just arrived Pedal Pusher with stamps and a coordinating die set. It is as fabulous as I wanted it to be! I could see this bike when I first saw the set...

I stamped the bike on white paper... just to the right so the whole image didn't show. Then I die cut each of the components separately and added them to the original with dimensionals. The finishing touch is the brad center! I hope you can tell how it looks like it is moving on the paper...

I also sprang for the word dies and you can see that I put them to good use! The Fancy Fold Card is a new favorite of mine because it has so many options to add parts!

The paper is cut to 5.5"x 12" and then folds on 2, 4, 8, & 10" Then with the paper the long way you cut on the trimmer from the first fold (at 2") to the last fold (at 10") - turn the paper and do the same on that edge. Then by folding you can make three panels within the card.

As you can see on the last panel I die cut "birthday" and used another bike that was die cut and added to close on the fold to show when the card is opened. The flowers are from PTI Happiness in Bloom and layered on the paper. The paper colors are SU Pool Party and SU's DSP... The inks are Melon Mambo, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Cajun Craze for the basket and Brilliance Graphite Black.

Happy Birthday, Cathi!

92!

Hard to believe but our neighbor will be 92 on August 2nd! He is a tough Old Brit as we affectionately call him!  He has quite a year so far, since he moved into assisted living. We were very happy to have him decide not to drive anymore, and since he is alone, this was the right thing to do. What an adjustment though. 

He just loves to watch the RedSox on TV. So this PTI Seventh Inning Stretch was perfect for his birthday. 

The card base is SU Crumb Cake, the white is dry embossed with the Happy Birthday embossing folder. The stamps were each die cut and stamped with VersaMark ink and added to the card with dimensionals. The hat was stamped in Midnight Muse with the Real Red "B" added, the baseball was stamped on red and heat embossed white, which allowed the red stitching to show through. The Bakers twine is red striped from Martha Stewart. The sentiment inside is.. hoping your birthday is a grand slam!"

July 1

My sister and her husband have their anniversary on July 1st. We have become very close over the last year or so due to my mother's condition. It forces us to take the time to connect almost every day. The burden really has fallen to my sister and I try to do my best to help lighten her load. So for her anniversary, I wanted to be sure to let he know how much she means to me.

I am loving the peach parfait color! I used the same technique on this card with the center oval dry embossed. Then sponged with Peach Parfait, the three 1.25" squares masked and sponged. Then the sentiment and the silhouettes were stamped in black. I also added the bow with peach parfait. Then rounded the corners with the corner chomper. It has a very soft look.

Happy Anniversary!

My husband and I owe a great deal to a couple that will be celebrating their anniversary on June 20th. They have treated us to a dream vacation not once, but twice in the last few years. I recognize that there isn't really a way to thank them and they will never truly understand how much their kindnesses have meant to us! Really life changing ... This card is a bit late but I think they are out of the country and will get it on their return. 

First I dry embossed the oval in the center of the card. Next using a mask of three 1.25" squares, I sponged Peach Parfait and Summer Starfruit in the spaces and the center of the oval. Then I stamped with Staz-On black ink the Pocket Silhouette designs and the sentiment. I stamped the hot air balloon on another piece of paper once in peach parfait with the basket in black. I cut that out and then stamped it again in peach and  then the second layer with black on top. Cut that out attaching it to the first with dimensionals. It is hard to tell in the picture but the bakers twine looks authentic as the ropes when landing!

The significance is that on our last trip with them we went on a hot air balloon ride and landed in a field that was just so amazing! Again, life altering - such wonderful people!