Vintage Peach Thank You Card

The idea for this card came from Theresa Kline's

 sketch #274 for

 Mojo Monday's challenge

 and the fact that I needed to make some

 thank you cards to send to some

 special people for their very thoughtful

 Christmas gifts. 

Challenges I'm entering with this card are:

(Mojo) Monday #273 @ http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/

http://www.oldbackporch.com/ - 52 card pickup

http://www.lisasomerville.com/2012/12/sparkle-and-shine-bloggers-challenge.html - Sparkle and Shine Blogger's Challenge

http://movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/thank-you.html - Thank You

New arrivals!!! I'm so psyched!!! I LOVE to craft!

I just love it when the mail man honks his horn at my gate! 

 I know that there is a new crafting medium to try. 

 Especially when it's a package from blitsy.com

Guess what I'm going to be doing today? 

 I just HAD to try out the new stains immediately upon unpacking them (like a kid at Christmas).  

Will post some pics of today's projects a little later on. 

 Right now, I have some SERIOUS crafting to do!!! 

You know, if I would break down and try a heat gun (instead of my stove) - some of these projects might go a little quicker.

  Any recommendations?

 Have a super Saturday - and be kind to each other!

Faith

The inspiration for today's card came from  a digi quote I found by  Helen Keller.  

I used 4 alternating layers of grey and pink cardstock which I embossed and cut with a Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics B Nestabilities die set (spellbindersPaperArts.com).  Boy does it ever make quick layers with out all the measuring.  I can't wait to find the Basics A on sale somewhere so I can add them to my collection.

Each layer was treated a little differently.  The sentiment layer was distressed a little with pink and ice Color Box Pigment Stamp Pads (www.clearsnap.com)

The second layer (which is actually grey cardstock) was distressed with the Color Box ice but then distressed with a Ranger Adirondack Earthtones Cranberry Pad (www.rangerinks.com). For the final touch I sprayed with water and used a Tim Holtz Distress Metallic Stain in Brushed Pewter (www.rangerink.com).  The metallic stains in this line are becoming one of my favorite new purchases.  I bought the pewter and the antiqued bronze (although the bronze has something wrong with the applicator and it is difficult to apply) from Scrapbook.com after trying for hours to purchase them on sale on the Blitsy site (www.blitsy.com).

The third layer was lightly inked with the Color Box Ice.

Layer four was heat embossed with an old star stamp that I've had for years using Zing Embossing Power in Silver 9 (http://www.americancrafts.com).

All four layers were attached to the card base with crafter's tape and poinsettia flowers cut with a Spellbinders die cut set and stamped with a matching Hero Arts stamps set. 

 They were embossed using the same Zing silver powder and a couple of dots of Liquid Pearls  Flamingo (www.rangerink.com) finished them off. 

 Some old silver ribbon was inked with the pink pad, shaped into the Awareness Ribbon and all attached with  Aleene's Original Tacky Glue (www.duncancrafts.com).

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Craft Us Crazy@  http://craftuscrazy.blogspot.com - anything Christmas/New Year/Altered,etc

Bugaboo @ http://www.catchthebugblog.blogspot.com/ - use a border

 Milk Coffee Challenge @ http://craftuscrazy.blogspot.com - Christmas or Winter Holiday

Stamping Dragon Designz @ http://stampingwithdragon.blogspot.com/2012/12/stamping-dragon-challenge-waiting-for.html - Waiting for Christmas 

Card Crafters Circle @ http://cardcrafterscircle.blogspot.com/2012/12/challenge-54-its-christmas.html - It's Christmas (opps - forgot about the time difference in Australia - missed this one)

Crafts for Eternity @http://crafts4eternity.blogspot.com/2012/12/r103-anything-goes.html - Anything goes

Sweet and Sassy Digi Stamps Challenge @ http://sweetnsassydigis.blogspot.com/2012/12/snsdc85-favorite-color.html - Favorite Color

For Fun Challenges @ http://forfunchallenges.blogspot.com/2012/12/wishing-you-very-merry-christmas.html - Christian Christmas

Creative Craft Challenges2 @ http://creativecraftchallenges2.blogspot.com/2012/12/non-traditional-christmas.html - Non Traditional Christmas

The Paper Make Up Stamps @

http://papermakeupstamps.blogspot.com/2012/12/digi-makeover-challenge-68-anything-goes.html - Anything with digi download Challenge #68

Di's Digi Designs @ http://disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.ca/2012/12/christmas-challenge.html - anything Christmas

Craft Door Magazine @ http://www.craftdoormagazine.com/2012/12/ttcrd-challenge-50-dec-26th-dec-31st.html - Anything goes challenge #50

Tuesday Alchemy @ http://tuesdayalchemy.blogspot.com/2012/12/challenge-46-anything-goes.html - Anything Goes Challenge #46

Perfect Sentiment @ http://perfectsentimentschallenge.blogspot.com/

Aud Sentiments @http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/use-any-sentiment.html - anything with a sentiment

Card Makin Mamas @http://cardmakinmamas.blogspot.com/ - Happy Holidays

http://christmasblogchallenge.blogspot.com/

Have a fantastic Friday!  

Be kind to everyone and everything you come into contact with today!

White on White Christmas Tree

I love the look of white on white with just a few embellishments.  

I will be entering this card in:

Simon Says Stamp http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/ (anything Christmassy)

Card Makin Mamas http://cardmakinmamas.blogspot.com/ (Happy Holidays)

Sending Caring Thoughts Your Way

The Christmas season does not make us exempt from heartache, which comes in many forms. 

 I wanted to make something very special for a person who is one of those special friends. 

You know the ones, you may see them only once every year or so, but it doesn't matter, because the "ship" is so close that you just take up like it was yesterday. 

 Facebook keeps us all aware of events in each other's lives, even if we don't have the time or ability to see these friends face to face as often as we wish you could.

 Unfortunately, this week, my friend has suffered the horrible loss of her family pet - her "furbaby" has passed on to Rainbow Bridge.

  I know, I know - you're thinking "why not some sort of rainbow, or paw print"?

  I thought this too, originally, but also wanted to keep a bit of the current season in the card as well and not JUST make it a "sympathy" card.  

I'm not photographing the inside of this creation, for obvious reasons.  

The "scalloped" is embossed with a Cuttlebug "frills" folder

 and

 inked with gold Colorbox Pigment Brush Pad www.colorbox.com

The edges were "distressed" with and the sentiment was stamped with

 Stampabilities Acid Free Pigment Ink Pad in Brown www.stampabilities.com using a

 Hero Arts With Sympathy image (#CL476).  www.heroarts.com

The snowflake was cut on my Cricut using the Best Images of 2007 cartridge. 

 The circles and tag were cut using the Best Images of 2006 cartridge.  

Some discount store ribbon and acrylic jewels were attached with Tacky Glue www.duncancrafts.com

I used 1/8" ScorTape for a border of gold glitter

 (I absolutely LOVE this product!!!)

. www.scor-pal.com

The entire layout idea came from

 Card Sketch #25 from the 

September 2011 CardMaker Magazine

 www.cardmakermagazine.com

I am realizing that if I actually USE the layouts that it cuts my time by about 50% in making the cards. 

 I'm so very glad I found this library of sketches.

  I printed out all 33 of them and keep them on my desk for inspiration now.

As always, I have a recipe card available, if you want it just drop me a line.

Have a special Sunday.

Be kind to everyone and everything you see today!

Trudy

Submitted to:
  http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/ for the Snow Flake Challenge
and
http://cardmakinmamas.blogspot.com/ for the Gold and Silver Challenge

Snowflake Challenge - My First!

Today I found a card challenge on Simon Says Stamps and decided to enter my very FIRST one! 

 For those of you interested the link is:  http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/.  

The creation had to be anything at all with snowflakes - and since I'm busy trying to make and perfect my Christmas cards, I thought, "why not".

Here is the process as I pulled the papers, ribbons, scraps and ideas together.

I really wanted to try some colors that weren't so "traditional".

 I brushed on tacky glue with a small paintbrush (oh how I wish Santa would bring me a Xyron). 

The process of cutting these snowflakes on my Cricut was a bit of a chore (there are MANY) 

pieces to remove both from the image AND the cutting mat.

 I used the Best Images From 2007 cartridge for the die cut. 

I found this scrap of old Christmas ribbon in a box - perfect!

 Close up showing the dry embossing with a Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls folder and the shimmer on the blue cardstock. 

I was in such a hurry to post this today that I didn't even wait for the glue to dry on the rhinestones -

 silly me.

Have a wonderful Wednesday 

and

 remember to be kind to everyone you encounter today!

Embossing Problems

Advice, please....     I'm trying (really) hard to emboss some burgundy card stock for today's project. and after numerous attempts, I  keep getting the "stray" flecks on my paper.  

Not to be one to give up too easily, I began my search on the internet to find a solution.  

I found Linda Isreal's Blog( http://lindaisrael.com/2010/06/13/how-to-make-an-anti-static-bag-for-embossing/).  Ok - now I'm excited since ya'll have to remember that I live in the Country (and I say that with a capital "C") - being approximately 50 miles (one way) to the nearest crafts store and the fact that I dont' have the financial ability to purchase all the supplies and tools and trinkets I wish I could,  I have to make do with with I have on hand and improvise on the rest quite often.

Now that I FINALLY received my Spellbinders Grand Calibur https://spellbinderspaperarts.com/Home.aspx) which I bought from someone on ebay (and I say finally, since it took the person almost 3 weeks to send my item, I was really beginning to think I had been "taken").  

I was so psyched since I had purchased the Spellbinders Shapabilities Layered Poinsettia dies from Marcy's Stop N Shop on Ebay (http://stores.ebay.com/stampingit) the same day. 

 I had a coupon from Cut @ Home and bought the Heartfelt-Creations Petite Pointsettia PreCut Set and the Spellbinders Grand Raspberry Plate  

(You can become a VIP member simply by signing up here:  http://www.ucutathome.com/vip.php).  

I had all of these great new toys and not the machine to operate it.

 Now that I have it I am trying everything I possibly can with it and loving it!

I knew I wanted to make the poinsettia flowers but that was the entire card idea, period......

Thus the fun in pulling together various items in the crafts room.....

Using a Ranger Adirondack Earthtones Dye Pad in Cranberry and Currant 

(purchased from Blitsy from one of their GREAT sales - https://blitsy.com)

 on pink cardstock gave me just the look I wanted.

I got to use the Just My Type Cuttlebug Embossing folder (dotted swiss) and the Frills (scalloped border) for the first time and have to admit it was a little confusing trying to remember which plate to load in which direction, but loved the results.

Of course, I had to use glitter and absolutely love the clean lines that I get from using the 1/8"  Scor-Tape (http://scor-pal.com/store/).

The rest was just a matter of playing with the arrangement until I was satisfied.  A few more sparkles and a bow and it is ready to send.

Wishing you a beautiful day full of crafting!

Be kind to everyone!