More Flowers...

One last pretty flower card for the month. Of course, as I sit here typing this, there is a snowstorm bearing down on us - looking to drop 5-12" of the white stuff on us by the time it is all over - no foolin'!

I started with an open flower image by Penny Black. Colored with watercolor pencils and a blender pen. Then a did a free cut with a pair of scissors. I attached a silver strip of cardstock down the cut side and trimmed the silver to match the cut line of the white. Then I layered it to a piece of pink cardstock that was stamped with a Printworks vine stamp with VersaMark ink. I added 3 flowers made from punches and a saying to the bottom.

Thanks for coming by!

Jeannette

Large Cut-Out Flowers...

This flower stamp is one of the newer stamps released from Penny Black early this year. I love to cut out big flowers and layer them onto cards - the cut-out petals give some extra pop! The card was made with a Spellbinders large die - to make a completely shaped card, I first score and fold a piece of cardstock in half - this is out of a white piece of cardstock, that you will not see from the front. I place the die so that the fold is slightly below the top edge of the cutting edge of the die. Now when I cut it out, the upper edge has the fold and the rest of the card is cut to the shape. The front of the card that you are seeing is a single cut of a pink cardstock that is layered to the top of the folding card. Before I attached it to the folded card, I stamped and embossed the same large flower image with white embossing powder. The white and purple strips running across the card are also cut with the die - so that that edges match perfectly. This can get a little tricky for this card, because you want the edges of the strips to be even but then you want to emboss the white piece with an embossing folder. The best way I have found to do this is to use SMALL quantities of removable tape. Once you run this through a die cutting machine, the pieces are harder to get apart, so be careful when separating them. Then you can emboss the white layer. the other option is to emboss the white piece before cutting, but it tends to destroy the embossed look when it goes through with the cutting die. Now it is just a layering game and you attach the flower and fluff out the petals!

Have a great day! Jeannette

April Calendar Cat...

Time for the monthly cat calendar page! This month features my other cat - who LOVES to jump into any open box or basket that she can fit into - including laundry baskets. Why cats like to do this, I don't know, but many cats cannot resist the urge to jump into an open box.

For this page, I used a Spellbinders 12" border die and cut it down to fit. I used a BoBunny double-dot cardstock in one of the green shades and stenciled the cardstock before removing it from the die. After attaching it to the page and trimming it to fit, I added some pink punched flowers for added embellishment. I love taking various flower punches and adding them together in different colors (or sometimes coloring them). It's a great way to add a zip and use some of the many cardstock scraps we all have!

Thanks for stopping into my little world today!

Jeannette

Ranger Perfect Pearls...

This is a project I made today in a class with Ranger. We used Perfect Pearls in many different ways and also used the new misters at the end. This project also uses a new paper from Tim Holtz called Kraft Glassine. Very interesting paper. Many years ago we used a glassine paper - similar to vellum, though I don't think this is the same stuff. Reportedly this paper is used like brown kraft paper is used in the United States - they wrap stuff with it like we use kraft paper. It has some very interesting qualities. I am looking to do something similar to this in a class - this project was done on a 2" deep canvas - we are looking to do it maybe on a lidded box. Stay tuned!

Thanks for coming by today!
Jeannette

JustRite Daffodils

This is another image from the JustRite Breath of Spring stamp set. I LOVE daffodils - they are a happy flower and one of the things that we look forward to seeing every spring!

For this card, I started with the daffodil pitcher image and one of the borders that comes with the set. That was cut out with a Spellbinders classic oval die. The image is colored with Copic markers. I like to do the cutting first, just in case something moves when going through the machine, I have not spent a bunch of time coloring yet! That piece is layered to a blue cut out from the Spellbinders Labels Ten die set. The "background paper" underneath that is actually a very light striped designer paper that I stamped over with a Penny Black stamp in Ranger "Stormy Sky" Distress ink. It was just enough color. After that, I punched a border design out of navy cardstock and layered that to the stamped piece. I wrapped some May Arts ribbon around the layers and attached a bow with a glue dot. Layer that all up to a card with some KaiserCraft paper, add a few pearls and you're done!

Thanks for stopping by!
Jeannette

Pantone Colors for Fall 2011...

Pantone has released the Fall 2011 color palette! Lots of luscious colors. I especially like the honeysuckle and cedar colors! These are the colors you can expect to start seeing in papers and fashion! I know, we are just getting to Spring and this is already talking about fall!

Thanks for checking out the blog today!

Jeannette

Exploding Flowers...

Wow! Where did the week go? Not to mention the Spring weather! We got 2-3" of snow on Tuesday and are looking at a couple today! Yikes! It was in the 60's last Friday!

This stamp is one that I have used several ways over the years. This time I colored it with pinks, blues and purples - and painted the flowers with Tombow marker ink painted on with a waterbrush. The harlequin row stamp was inked with a light pink Ranger Adirondack lights ink and stamped over the stems of the flowers. I added a soft ribbon and wrapped it around the design. Add a few brads and you have a good all-purpose card.

Thanks for coming by today!

Jeannette

The New Spellbinders Accent and Motif Dies are IN!

Yes, this is the order that got lost, but Spellbinders shipped it out quickly and these wonderful new dies are now in the store for you to take home! We have been watching the members of the Spellbinders Design Team create wonderful cards with these dies for months - now you can start creating yourself!

Have a wonderful day!
Jeannette

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I hope everyone is enjoying the day! This is a fun little image from Stampendous. Nothing like a cheery leprechaun enjoying the holiday! I stamped the leprechaun in VersaFine ink - colored with watercolor pencils and a blender pen. I punched several size circles out of Bazzill Ivy cardstock and attached them in a line formation along the front of the card (I used Ranger Glossy Accents as an adhesive). Then I layered the leprechaun piece to a piece of black cardstock and aligned it to the left edge of the card. There's a little green rhinestone in his hand - for luck!

Have a great St. Patrick's Day!
Jeannette

Memory Box March Project of the Month!

This month's Memory Box Project of the Month features a great technique that adds an interesting dimension to the card. The journey image is stamped first, then the checkerboard image was inked with VersaMagic Thatched Straw ink, stamped over the journey image and then embossed with clear embossing powder. The ink color almost seems to tint the embossing powder and it really adds a lot to the card. The bright red butterfly is a great contrast to the card - it really pops out!

Get ready for Spring - it's coming!
Jeannette

Sweet Birthday Tilda!

Deanna brought this sample card in last week - using the Birthday Tilda stamp from the You Are So Special collection by Magnolia. Tilda has the cake and she is ready for the party! She is colored in soft pink and accented with flowers made from punched paper - colored and a little glitter added for some sparkle. This is a great way to create flowers - allows you to get them in the exact color and size you need. The print paper in the background layer is from the Pixie paper collection by Memory Box. The final touch is a couple glittered swirls and four corner pieces - which add just the right amount of color and bring the whole card together. This would make a wonderful birthday card for a little girl! Or big girl!

Thanks for making us part of your day today!
Jeannette

Riley Celebrates St. Patrick's Day!

In honor of St. Patty's Day, Riley is toasting with a glass of Guinness! Or at least I think that is what he has! Who knows, maybe it is a Black and Tan. Remember, this is coming from a non-beer drinker!

I started with a green Bazzill base card and scatter stamped some shamrocks in Tsukineko Green Tea pigment ink. Then I stamped and colored Riley. I tried stamping in brown ink, but that did not work out at all! Went black to my favorite ink - Onyx Black Versafine. Colored him with watercolor pencils and a Dove blender pen. Next I stamped the wording from Stampendous in Green Tea ink on a piece of lighter green and added the ribbon (one of my favorite patterns from May Arts!). Layered the who thing and up and, voila! A pretty quick card!

Hopefully you're seeing more green in your life. The snow here is slowly melting. I am probably down to a foot on my lawn! Come on Spring!

Jeannette

Don't forget to "Spring Forward!"

Can you believe that THIS coming weekend we move the clocks forward? I can't! What does that mean? Spring is SURELY coming! I know, those poor folks in New York State and Vermont that go dumped with snow might not believe me, but I am a believer!

In honor of that thought - another Springy card using an image from JustRite - showing one of the signature flowers of Spring! Tulips and daffodils are what I think of when someone says "Spring flowers." This is another image from their "Breath of Spring" stamp set. Even though the stamp is cut oval shaped, I stamped it on a square of cardstock and colored with Copic markers. The base card is a pink Bazzill and I added a striped paper layered to green Bazzill cardstock. The green ribbon is attached under the strip, then attached to the front of the card. The square with the image is attached with foam tape. The pink bow is then attached on top, along with some pearls.

Have a wonderful day!
Jeannette

Wouldn't we all like a day at the beach...

You know, if you're in the snowy northeast, we are ready for some beach weather! Of course, it was a balmy 50 degrees this morning, so that felt pretty nice.

This stamp is a Leigh Hannon image from Impression Obsession. I just loved the fun cupcake design and the saying was perfect! Of course, WHY can't it always be a day at the beach? :) The image was stamped with black Memento ink and colored with Copic markers. Then carefully cut out. To make the background, I took 3 colors of Bazzill cardstock and cut a strip 4-3/8" wide. I made several different sizes and "puzzled" them together to get the striped background. The easiest thing to do is run about 4 strips of adhesive (I use 1/2" wide Scotch ATG tape) then start at the top and work my way down. When you get to the last strip, you cut it the width you need to keep your margins straight. The brown underneath is 4-1/2" square. After all the pieces were attached, I stamped the words with Black Versafine ink. I added a brown Bazzill button with some ivory string from May Arts tied through it.

Thanks for making me part of your day today!
Jeannette

Memory Box March Color of Month...

We just received the box with the Memory Box March Color of the Month. And the color is - MOSS! It is a rich green and the sample card showcases a large fern. This card color coordinates with Tsukineko Brilliance Pearlescent Thyme ink. We have 6 packs of cards - when they are gone, they are gone! Come in early to get yours!

Enjoy your day!
Jeannette

Let the Good Times Roll!

I needed a card for a guy's birthday - and one that owns a Harley! The new Penny Black images just came in last week and this biker hedgie is one of the new images! PERFECT! I stamped the image with black VersaFine ink and colored it with watercolor pencils and a Dove Blender Pen. The DP is both by BoBunny. I added a dark blue strip punched with an EK border punch and a birthday sentiment layered with a couple Spellbinders dies. A fun little card that was quite easy to make!

Have a GREAT day!
Jeannette

JustRite Breath of Spring...

Well, if Mother Nature won't give us Spring weather, we'll just have to create Spring in our cards! This image is from the "Breath of Spring" set from JustRite Stampers. Colored with Copic markers and layered to a fun stripe DP from Memory Box and then some blue Swiss Dots from Bazzill. The ribbon is fun colored edge ribbon from May Arts. I added some tiny adhesive pearls to the centers of flowers facing forward. I stamped the image with Memento ink and then cut it out with a classic ovals Spellbinders die - then layered to a slightly larger oval cut from a blue Bazzill cardstock. This is a great all-purpose card - the kind you can keep in your drawer and use for almost any occasion!

Thanks for checking the blog today!
Jeannette