A gaggle of Springtime Cards!

Hero Arts Blog (http://www.heroarts.com/) is running a challenge this week to make a Spring or Easter project, and since I am anxiously awaiting Spring to get here and stay (that's the difficult part in our neck of the woods!), I couldn't help but make a few projects for the challenge.

But first, who said stamps can only be used for "fun" projects? My hubby needed a dry erase board to keep track of sales of a certain thing at his work, and I quickly volunteered to help him. So, after drawing all the lines, I grabbed my Inkadinkado "Be Yourself" alphabet set and some Staz-On black ink and went to work...and here's the finished project:

Isn't it cool?!?!?! I loved being able to help him with something for work and be able to use my stamps!

Now, onto my Spring projects. The first card I made with a sticker that my mom got me for Christmas. I used Icicle Stickles to accent the flower petals. I am in love with scalloped borders right now...and I just love to add a little bling to the scallops! The circle is stamped with one of the little flowers from the Hero Arts Elephant set, and the edges are inked (of course) with some purple chalk ink.

Stamps: Hero Arts Elephant Set (CL280)

Ink: ColorBox Chalk Ink Lavendar

Ribbon: Offray

Sticker: Penny Black

Other: Clear Rhinestones, Icicle Stickles

The next (Z-Fold) card was inspired by Cherry Blossom trees...which are super springy to me! To make my own version of the cherry blossoms, I tore a page out of an old book (one I've been using for projects just like this) and dabbed some lime chalk ink on it. Then I punched out the flowers with the Martha Stewart Cosmos Punch. I stamped the flower border, attached the little rectangle piece onto the Z Fold, and then glued down the flowers. To make the Japanese Doll's adorable little dress, I used some Basic Grey and did some paper piecing. I also used some waterfall Stickles on her belt.

Stamps: Hero Arts Japanese Dolls (CL297)

Ink: VersaFine Jet Black

Other: Basic Grey patterned paper, flower bling, Martha Stewart Cosmos Punch, clear rhinestones, and ribbon

My favorite card of these three is this next one...I just love the springtime feel! I want to go sit under the tree (it's not often that I fall in love with one of my cards, so I am enjoying the feeling!)

To make the tree, I took some cardboard and peeled the top layer off so the middle was exposed, then I dabbed a little Chestnut Roan Chalk Ink on it to give it depth. On the leafy part, I used the water splash from the elephants set, stamped the Happy Happy Day and the bird from a Hero Arts set I got a while ago (I can't remember which one! I'm sorry!).

I attached it to the circle that I made with BasicGrey patterned paper for grass and made some clouds using a masking technique. I put some Basic Grey paper behind the circle, glued it all down, added the stitches (doodled), and topped it off with a butterfly made from the Hero Arts Woodland Creatures set and some BasicGrey paper, a few rhinestones on the butterfly wings, and some Icicle Stickles on the background paper and on the cute little birdie's wings!

Stamps: Hero Arts Tweet, Tweet; Woodland Creatures (CL261) and Elephants (CL280)

Ink: VersaFine Jet Black, ColorBox Chalk Ink Olive Pastel, Blue Lagoon, VersaMagic Aegean Blue

Paper: BasicGrey

Other: Icicle Stickles, Pink Rhinestones

And, last but not least, my favorite project of all of these...my springtime checkbook cover!!!

A while back, I picked up some clear checkbook covers at a stamp store with my mom (which I found out today, sadly, that said stamp store is closed.) I almost forgot about them, then thought I lost them in our most recent move, but I was thrilled when I found them. And this Hero Arts Challenge motivated me to make a Springtime cover.

I used the same masking technique on this as I did the previous card, but this time I used glossy paper so I could blend it a little better. Then I used the tree stamp from the Hero Arts Elephant set to make those little shrubs, stamped a few flowers on the shrubs, and glued them down. I followed that with some BasicGrey grass :) and glue it down. I doodled the stitches in on the clouds, shrubs, and grass, and accented the shrubs with some Gelly Roll Shimmer pen. Next, I stamped that adorable racoon onto 3 pieces of paper: white, BasicGrey Urban Prairie Bluebird, and Basic Grey Urban Prairie Harvest. I cut the tail pieces out of the Harvest paper, and his little mask out of the Bluebird paper and glued them on. Then I colored him with a Close to my Heart Sorbet marker, and topped him off with a little bitty brown diamond nose. :) I put a flower bouqet in his hands, and voila! Super adorable springtime checkbook cover!

Stamps: Hero Arts Woodland Creatures (CL261) and Elephants (CL280)

Ink: VersaFine Jet Black, ColorBox Chalk Inks Blue Lagoon, Lipstick Red, Lime Pastel, Orchid Pastel, and Olive pastel, VersaMagic Aegean Blue

Patterned Paper: Basic Grey Urban Prairie Bluebird, Harvest, and Corn Husk

Thanks for looking at all these and have a great day!!!! Spring starts tomorrow!!!!!

Spring Spring Spring is in the Air!

Hi everyone! I just love this time of year...the anticipation of warmer weather, the blue skies and green grass. I love the changing of seasons-it's that short moment where the old season is passing away, and the new season is heading on in with promises of a great few months, you know?

So, to celebrate the change of seasons, and the fact that I have an awesomely unique little sis, I made a springy Trifold card to send to her. I forgot to take a picture of the card fully closed, so you'll have to imagine it...sorry! And I only got a mediocre picture of the inside. But, here's the card:

Stamps: Hero Arts Spiral Flower (D4741), Woodland Creatures (CL261)

Ink: ColorBox Chalk Inks and Versa Fine Jet Black

Patterned Paper: Basic Grey

Thanks for looking!

St. Patrick's Day

Good evening everyone!

I made a card today for a friend of mine who is very Irish...both his first and last name are extremely Irish. And he loves St. Patrick's Day...



I made this Z Fold Card...and I wanted it to be pretty monochromatic. I am obsessed with monochromatic cards lately. Something about the simplistic beauty appeals to me.

And, in an effort to use up all my scraps before I start using full sheets of paper, I used the green and black scraps from my scrap bin. I'll make a dent sooner or later!!!!

Thanks for looking!

Stamps: Studio G
Ink: Versafine Jet Black and ColorBox Chalk Inks Lime
Patterned Paper: K & Company
Ribbon: Offray

Welcome Home!!!

Hello everyone!

My dear hubby is away on business, and gets home tomorrow, so I thought I'd make him a "Welcome Home" card. He's only been gone a few days, but I've missed him tons!

I made this a slider pop up card, and it took just a little bit of tweaking to get it to work with the house shape. To make the door and windows, I used the "Hope your birthday is Huge" sentiment from Hero Arts Elephants set, inked only the border and stamped it. Then I cut Basic Grey curtains to make fabric. Oh, and that little mouse that's jumping for joy used to be wearing pants, but I just had to make her "girly"....so I changed the pants into the skirt and made her shirt all ruffly!

Thanks for looking!

Stamps: Hero Arts CL261 Woodland Creatures and CL280 Elephants

Ink: ColorBox Chalk Ink Olive Pastel and Chestnut Roan, VersaFine Jet Black

Patterned Paper: Basic Grey

Markers: Close to My Heart

Sunday Faithfulness...

Good morning everyone! And happy March! Can you believe it is here already?

I wanted to share one of the cards I made for one of the WinterHaven challenges over at stamphaven.com. I made this card for the Naked Stamping Challenge, and the rules were that you could only use:

1) White and/or cream-colored cardstock
2) At least THREE stamps
3) Ink - brand(s) and color(s) of your

I thought this one would be really hard, but it turned out being one of my favorite challenges. Normally I love using tons of bling and BasicGrey paper :) but it was a nice change to use my own style and make a card completely unique to me.

So, without further ado, here it is:



I used three stamps: Autumn Leaves Flowers, Autumn Leaves scrolls, and Stampabilities sentiment.

I used the flower for the background of the card...and used masking to make all the different colors. I have three colors total used on the card: Olive Pastel, Cocoa, and Dark Brown. (All ColorBox inks)

To make the strip, cut the cream cardstock, and pressed the cocoa ink pad directly onto it. Then I stamped the scroll in cocoa and Olive Pastel ink, and inked the edges with the dark brown ink.

After that, I finished up by stamping the flowers with Olive pastel, cut them out, inked the edges with Dark Brown, and used dimensionals to stagger the flowers.

Last, I stamped the sentiment on with Olive Pastel Ink, inked the edges with cocoa ink, and put the card all together!

Thanks for looking!