Catching Up

Hi, everyone! Things have been so busy for me lately; I am getting behind in everything it seems. I haven't had much free time this week to visit many blogs, but I will try to catch up with you soon. The other thing I'm behind on is uploading cards to my own blog and on-line galleries! LOL!

My first card is one I made for the Splitcoast sketch challenge this week. I thought this was a really cool sketch design, and it was conducive to my using this Penny Black image for my sympathy card. The sketch design Roxie used was inspired by a card my talented friend, Dawn (Flowergal36) made. I colored the flower image with my bravo burgundy and always artichoke markers and stamped onto very vanilla cardstock. The beautiful background designer paper is Cosmo Cricket. I pierced the outer edge of the dp, as well as one side of the image panel, and faux stitched with a bravo burgundy marker. Oh, and that ribbon......to-die-for May Arts silk ribbon I purchased from Sharon Johnson this past summer when I was up at a Michigan stamping event. The May Arts silk ribbon is THE BEST ribbon with which I've worked! It's not bulky--which, again, helps with mailing--and it is easy to manipulate when using it on the Bow Easy, as I did here.

These next few cards are a series of sympathy cards I made for a customer. This first one was made using SU rub ons, the wide oval punch, and this pretty translucent yellow silk flower that came as a package my friend Joanne (JoJot) sent to me. I layered the SU flower punch on top of that, along with using the 1/4" black circle punch for the flower center. I hate wasting cardstock, so, as much as I can, I try to use cardstock I've saved after using my Nestabilities. The white layers are actually frames. That helps to cut down on the thickness of a card, too. When making cards for customers, I always try to keep layers and chunky embellishments to a minimum for their mailing purposes.

I was inspired to make this card after a beautiful card I saw in CardMaker magazine. I have to hunt down the issue and give the original artist credit for this beautiful card. I used my SU floral bg stamp in black onto kraft cardstock, this In Full Bloom flower stamped in black onto white and cut out, the square steps punch for the corner, and the Sizzix flourish die. The sentiment is from Warmest Regards.

I was inspired to make this card after seeing this technique used on Splitcoast by a few talented stampers. Most recently, it was Harriet's (hskelly) card using the Upsy Daisy set that really motivated me to try this technique. I stamped my Petal Prints flower in Going Gray, rocked the outer edge in Basic Gray and stamped them onto Sahara Sand cardstock. I then took my white Prismacolor pencil to color over the gray. I just love the soft effect it gives these flowers.

One of my favorite stand-by stamp sets for sympathy cards is The Art of Life. I love it's simple elegance. I colored my stamp with SU markers and then stamped onto white cardstock. I even pulled out my Crop-a-dile to use these pretty eyelets....something I don't use much anymore, but need to. I have to say of all the Cuttlebug embossing folders, the one I love the most is the dotted swiss folder.


Thanks for looking! I always appreciate your visits and comments. I hope life is treating you well, my friend. If you've got a moment, tell me something good that's happened to you lately.

Two Inspired Features

I've been pretty busy this weekend filling an order for sympathy cards, which I'll probably get uploaded tomorrow, and hubby and I were gone most of the day today. However, I did manage to squeeze in some time to case two featured stampers this weekend.

My first one is in honor of our Doubledog Dare Challenge leader, Julia (aka artystamper). Joan Ervin challenged the Doubledog Dare Challenge group to case a card from the gallery of our fearless leader, artystamper (Julia). Julia started the group almost two years ago, and we rotate issuing our weekly challenge every Tuesday. As Joan wrote:

"We have been together for almost 2 years and there is one super AWESOME lady who had kept us on our toes!!! This particular lovely lady has kept up with the challenge schedule, created a database with birthdays, addresses, and much more."

Here's the beautiful card of Julia's that I cased. I was drawn to the clean, simple lines and the purple!!

And here's my case of her card. I stamped my A Year of Flowers tulips on Ridinghood Red polkadotted designer paper and cut them out. I used a Marvy LePlume black fine point marker and a rectangle Nestability to draw my black frame around the flowers.

My second card is in honor of the featured stamper this Sunday over at Splitcoaststampers. I met Jen (aka Miss Boo) a couple years ago at a Michigan Mingle event. She has such a sweet smile and personality, and she makes some of the cutest and prettiest CAS cards ever. I chose to case her strikingly pretty Have a Terrific Day card. I was so drawn to the pink and black combo, as well as her use of the topnote die.

Here's my case. No stamps....just the circle scalloped punch embossed with my dotted swiss embossing folder and lightly sponged on the outer petals with Ridinghood Red ink. I cut between the scallops toward the center of the punch to create flower petals that I could bend for greater dimension. The pretty designer paper is Bella Rose by Stampin' Up. Oh, and see my black buttons? They were made with the little Sizzlit button die from Stampin' Up. I know I'll get a lot of use out of this die making my own buttons to fit the colors or patterns I need at any given time.

I hope you've had a great weekend enjoying the things that make you happy. As always, I appreciate your visit to my blog!

Snugs, snorts, chuckles, and giggles!