Up and Away with a Bunny

Hello, Friends!

This is another card I created before surgery.  I actually created it quite a while before surgery.  I was practicing and learning how to use my Copic markers for better shading.  The balloons were the perfect opportunity to try and shade different colors.  If you look closely, some turned out better than others!  I also made the cloud background using Copic markers.  I used a scalloped piece of card stock and laid it on my white paper.  I put the marker down and as I made a stroke, pulled my marker up from the paper to practice getting a lighter stroke as I pulled up and away from the paper.  This is a great way to shade using one marker.  It also ends up making clouds if you use a blue color!  I added the bunny with the balloons to my cloud background and that made my card.  To give the card a little bit more excitement, I stamped the strings on the cloud paper, but put the bunny and the balloons on with foam tape.  This gave an otherwise simple card a little bit more texture and design to it.

The stamps and the die-cuts that cut them out came from Mama Elephant.  This was one of the first stamp sets I had ever seen from Mama Elephant and instantly fell in love with it.  When you like to make cute cards, this bunny is a must have!

Hopefully, I am still recovering from back surgery and will be back to posting new cards again, soon.  Until then...

Happy Stamping!

I used the following products to make this card:

Up and Away Stamp Set by Mama Elephant

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink by Tsukineko

Copic Markers

Pure Luxury White Card Stock by Gina K

Tempting Turquoise and Basic Black Card Stock by Stampin' Up

Up and Away Creative Cuts by Mama Elephant

Scotch Double Sided Foam Tape by 3M



Sassy Birthday Card

Hello, Friends!

I'm still recovering from surgery, so here is another card I made and never posted on my blog.  It was for my uncle's birthday which was in September 2014.  It was actually one of my favorite cards that I had ever made up to that point, because I thought it was so funny.  I combined products from several companies to put it together.  The sentiment came from The Cat's Pajamas.  It was all one stamp but I divided it up into the two parts on the front of the card in the clouds and one part on the inside.  They have a lot of funny sentiments available.  Another funny one in this set says, "You're NOT getting older.  You're getting a LOT older."  The cute dog came from Paper Smooches.  I thought the look on the dog's face was perfect- like he was looking at someone and talking to them.  This set has a great wiener dog stamp in it!  I made the background using Distress Inks.  It was my first time to try and blend them.  They are definitely a product that I want to spend more time playing with and learning how to use.  Maybe while I'm still recovering from surgery, I can watch some YouTube videos on them!  My Favorite Things made the die that cut my sky into a "wonky" shape.  I used a "Word Bubble" Framelit from Stampin' Up to make my clouds.  So many companies have so many great products.  Don't ever be afraid to mix and match them so you can get your project to turn out the way you want it!   

So what makes this card so funny?  Why is it one of my favorites?  It was the rest of the stamp that was featured on the inside of the card.  "Know what you are getting for your birthday?"

Ha!  The actual sentiment said, "Older" but I just inked the first three letters so it said, "Old."  Luckily, he thought it was funny, too, and didn't disown me as his niece! 

Happy Stamping!

I used the following products to make this card:

Sassy Birthday Stamp Set by The Cat's Pajamas

Woofers and Tweeters Stamp Set by Paper Smooches

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink by Tsukineko

Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Crushed Olive and Mowed Lawn Distress Ink by Ranger

Pure Luxury White Card Stock by Gina K

Tempting Turquoise Card Stock by Stampin' Up

Wire Fence Embossing Folder by Darice

Word Bubbles Framelit Dies from Stampin' Up by Sizzix

Blueprints 15 Die-namics by My Favorite Things



Congratulations Wedding Card

Hello, Friends!

First, let me apologize because this is not the best picture ever to grace my blog.  It may be comparable to some of the very first pictures I ever put on here, but I'd like to think I've come a long way since then!  Unfortunately, I could not get a good picture with the embossing powder if I just took it straight on.  Finally, I held the card with one hand and tilted it while I took the picture with the other hand.  This was the best I could do.  However, it was a really pretty card, so I wanted to share it with you. 

I made it last October for one of my relatives who had gotten married.  My Mom needed a card to send but was sick, so I said I'd make one so she didn't have to go out and get one.  It IS what I do, after all.  :)   I loosely based it off of a card I made that has been the most popular card on my blog, ever.  It ends up as one of the three most popular posts frequently, even though I made it back in 2011.

Here is that card and you can see the details for it here. 

You can see the cards are similar in that each of them are primarily white.  For the wedding card, I added embossing powder for my flower centers and for the word, "congratulations."  I learned about the color, Liquid Platinum, from watching a video on another person's blog and I love it!  I truly wish it would have shown up in the picture as well as it looked in person.  It made the word "congratulations" look very classy on this wedding card.  To break up the majority of white on both cards, I used an embossing folder to add texture and a second layer.  For the wedding card, I made two smaller flowers and put them at the top of the card instead of one larger one at the bottom.  To get the flower centers, I stamped my Versamark Ink Pad directly onto the white card stock and embossed it with embossing powder.  Then, I cut the flower centers out of that embossed card stock.  This was much easier than cutting out the centers and then putting the Versamark ink on them, the embossing powder and then trying to hold and melt the powder, which I tried first!  Instead of two lines of dry embossed card stock like on the first card, I put my sentiment.  While the cards are different and I knew I wanted to make them different, I used what worked on the first card to help me plan the second. 

If you're struggling to find a card design that works or you just want some fast ideas, go back and look at other cards you've made or older cards on a blog you like.  It may give you a base for a brand new card without having to completely start from scratch! 

This is another post I wrote before surgery.  Hopefully, I'm still recovering and will be back to stamping soon!  Until then, you'll have to make some cards in my place!

Happy Stamping! 

I used the following products to make this card:

Curly Cute Stamp Set by Stampin' Up

Versamark Ink by Tsukineko

Solar White 110 lb Card Stock by Neenah

Liquid Platinum Embossing Powder by Ranger

Gerbera Daisy and Pierced Fishtail Flag STAX by My Favorite Things

Wire Fence Embossing Folder by Darice



Getting Well Soon

Hello, Friends!

Hopefully this is what I look like (more or less) right now!  This was the last card I made before my back surgery.  I made it and am posting it before surgery but I am praying ahead of time this is accurate.  You see, I wanted to show you all how I look at home recovering.  There are a few problems with the card.  This isn't the color of my bedroom or bedding, it's not what I look like, and I'd be holding my iPad or iPhone instead of a book.  Otherwise, this looks exactly like me.  Ha Ha! 

Actually, before surgery, I've been sleeping on the couch for months because that's where I've been the most comfortable.  I'm hoping after surgery I am in a cozy bed like this.  My actual bedroom is pink- remember this is the room I grew up in at my parents house where Frank and I are living while I've been hurt, but it seemed like I'd been using a lot of pink, so I went with a coral color instead.  I stamped on patterned paper to give the comforter and lamp matching patterns.  I gave them just a little bit of shading with my Copic markers.  I didn't want just plain card stock for the picture frame, so I stamped the die cut with a lighter colored ink and the Linen Background Stamp from My Favorite Things.  This just barely gave it a pattern and a texture but helped it stand out from the rest of the card.  I tied a matching chevron bow around my card and it was complete.  I put away my markers, told them I'd miss them, and I'd be using them again as soon as I could.

Although the stamp set I used is called "Bedtime Story," in the future, I'll be able to stamp a different message inside the card.  I'll probably put a message of "relax and get well soon" or something like that and maybe send it to someone else who is recovering from surgery or an illness.  Until then, I should be continuing to recover and will be back to stamping and my blog soon.

Happy Stamping!

I used the following products to make this card:

Pure Innocence Bedtime Story Stamp Set and Linen Background Stamp by My Favorite Things

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink by Tsukineko

Blushing Bride Classic Ink by Stampin' Up

Copic Markers

Pure Luxury White Card Stock by Gina K

Blushing Bride and Calypso Coral Card Stock by Stampin' Up

Garden Party 6x6 Paper Pad by Pebbles

Calypso Coral 3/4" Chevron Ribbon by Stampin' Up 

Blueprints 1 Die-namics by My Favorite Things



Bread and Butter Pickles...Mmm Good

Hello, Friends!

This is another card I made before surgery.  I wanted to have new projects post on my blog, even though I wouldn't be able to make them myself right now.  Some of them I made ahead of time.  Some of them were cards I had made months ago and never posted for one reason or another.  This is a card I had made shortly after this stamp was released.  It's called "In a Pickle" and according to the Unity Card Company website, it was introduced in January 2014! 

First, let me share with you, I have loved pickles since I was a little kid.  I used to drink the pickle juice that was left at the end of the jar when all the pickles were gone when I was younger.  That's how much I love pickles.  Second, let me tell you that my Dad goes out to coffee with friends he used to work with every week.  One of the men and his wife love to garden.  They grow tons of cucumbers, tomatoes, and all kinds of other goodies.  Then, they can them.  Some of the cucumbers they make into Bread and Butter pickles.  It just so happened that one night my Dad asked if there was anything I wanted from the grocery store and I told him I'd like some bread and butter pickles.  That's when he told me that the man he has coffee with offered him homemade bread and butter pickles.  Third, let me tell you the worst answer to the question, "Would you like some homemade bread and butter pickles?"  The worst answer is, "No, thank you." which is what my Dad told him.  No.  Ahhhhhh!  You never say "no" to pickles, especially homemade, cucumbers grown from your own garden, pickles!

So, the next week at coffee, he amended his answer and said that I would like a jar of pickles.  Bless this sweet man and his wife because they sent me two!  The best part is after I ate one of them, they sent me a third jar.  They are delicious.  I don't mean good.  I don't mean okay.  I mean, they are mmmm good, delicious. 

So, when Unity came out with a jar of pickles stamp, I needed to have it because I love pickles and because I wanted to make a thank you card for my pickles with it.  Unfortunately, I made this card long before I was very good with my Copic markers.  I didn't shade the stamped image except for a little bit on the jar lid.  I could color it so much better now, but I guess that comes with more practice and learning how to use my markers for more than just "standard" coloring.  If I hadn't already given the card away, I'd try and fix it up, but it has long been sent as a thank you for my delicious pickles. 

I admit, I haven't found a lot of use for this stamp after the thank you card, but I think it would be the most fun for a pregnant friend, as one of the sentiments says. 

I'm proof though, that you don't have to be pregnant to love a delicious pickle!

Say a prayer that I'm still recovering nicely from surgery and I'll be posting new cards myself, soon!

Until then...

Happy Stamping!

I used the following products to make this card:

In a Pickle Itty Bitty Stamp Set by Unity Stamp Company

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink by Tsukineko

Copic Markers

Pure Luxury White Card Stock by Gina K

Petals and Wings Card Stock Assortment by Gina K

Green Card Stock (sorry don't remember which one) by Stampin' Up

Petals and Wings GKD Patterned Paper Packs by Gina K

1/8" Taffeta Ribbon by Stampin' Up

Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder by Stampin' Up

Labels Collection Framelits from Stampin' Up by Sizzix

In Color Dahlias by Stampin' Up



Award Winners

 

Hello, Friends!

 

Before my back surgery, some of my cards were chosen as award winners in the challenges that I entered them in.  It is always a huge honor when I am looking at the winners of a card challenge and see one of my cards has been chosen.  It always surprises me and puts a big smile on my face!  Here are the cards that I've made and the challenges that gave them an honor!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This funny card with stamps from My Favorite Things won an honorable mention award from the Friday Mashup Challenge here.  The challenge was to create a project with a farm animal.  The mashup was to also include bling on the project, which mine did not.  I thought about giving the little girl earrings or something like that, but it just didn't look right.  Besides, the person who received this card would have no idea why the farm girl had on bling!  The original details about my card are located here.   Cynthia, from the Friday Mashup design team chose my card and said, "Angela did an amazing job with her coloring and her little farm pig is just so cute."  Thank you so much Cynthia and the Friday Mashup for the honor of being a Glamette!

 

 

 

 

 

My slinky dog card, featured on my blog here, also won an award.  While I was very happy with this card, the person in our house that liked it the most was my Dad.  All week long he kept asking if the wiener dog card had won an award.  I was so glad when I got to tell him that Shopping Our Stash had chosen my card as one of their top three for their Big Screen Challenge.  I chose the slinky dog from the Toy Story movies as my entrance into this challenge.   You can see where this card was honored on their blog here.   Thank you, Shopping Our Stash, for choosing my card as one of your top three!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, my "Donut Know What I'd Do" card won an honor at the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge- Donut Delight.  My card was posted on my blog here.  There was a lead card chosen and then my card was one of the other top three chosen as a show stopper on the Curtain Call blog located here.  Donut stamps and dies are super popular right now, not to mention that donuts are super delicious.  This was a fun challenge to enter.  It was also a big honor have my card chosen, which I was not expecting at all.  Thank you so much to the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge.

 

I wrote this post before I had back surgery so you wouldn't forget my blog while I was gone!  I will add these badges to the side of my blog when I am feeling better after surgery.  Hopefully when this is sent, I will be home from the hospital and  recovering in my own bed!

 

To all of you, until I can stamp with you again,

 

Happy Stamping!   



Smile

Hello, Friends!

Just a couple of days until I will be on surgical leave.  :)  Truth be told, I'd rather be making cards than having back surgery.  I definitely don't want to be in pain any more.  I want to be able to do things again.  I want to be able to go places again.  I really want to be able to see people again besides doctors and nurses.  I'd just prefer not to have to have back surgery to be able to do it!  I think that's understandable.  I don't know for sure how long it will be until I can stamp again.  The entire recovery is supposed to be six to eight weeks but I think I'll be back to card making before then.  I don't know if I'll get to make many spring or Easter cards though.  So, I decided to make at least one before surgery.  With another eight and a half inches of snow on the ground to start the month of March, I think we could use a "Spring" card no matter what!
 

This bunny is from The Cat's Pajamas Rubber Stamps.  They have stamps with cats, dogs, penguins, flowers, and more, but the bunny stamps are my favorite.  The bunny's name is Bun Bun, although I don't know if Bun Bun is a boy or a girl.  I've seen Bun Bun colored brown like I did, gray and white and this bunny is cute in any color.  I also love the font for this sentiment "Smile" as well, which came from the same stamp set as Bun Bun.  With this sentiment, the card can be used for months, even though I made it to celebrate spring!

Besides my brown bunny, the colors for my card came from a challenge on The Cat's Pajama's blog.  Aren't they perfect for a spring card? 

There are other challenges going on that I want to enter while I have the chance!  The Paper Players challenge is to "Think Spring."  It may be hard to do when all we see is snow again, but hopefully this card will help. 

Finally, I'm going to enter my card in the Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday Challenge which is also "Spring."  This challenge is for the entire month of March. 

Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I have surgery on Wednesday morning.  I'll have posts on my blog randomly while I am gone, so be sure to check back in from time to time.  I'll update you on my health as soon as I can.  I love you, friends!

Happy Stamping!

I used the following products to make this card:

Kick Some Grass Stamp Set by The Cat's Pajamas

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink by Tsukineko

Frost White Pigment Ink by ColorBox

Copic Markers

Pure Luxury White Card Stock by Gina K

Pastel Assortment of Texture Card Stock by Doodlebug Design Inc.

Coastal Cabana Card Stock by Stampin' Up

2013-2015 In Colors Backgrounds Designer Series Paper Stack

Bitty Butterfly Punch by Stampin' Up

Pierced Fishtail Flags STAX and Pierced Oval STAX by My Favorite Things

Lacy Baroque Textured Impressions Embossing Folders by Stampin' Up

White Opaque Finish Zing! Embossing Powder by American Crafts