Thanks

 Happy Friday Peeps,

Before I get to my card post, I have some news. Last Friday was my last day of work. I've joined the officially retired set, and I couldn't be happier. No more driving the freeways of Southern California, no more getting on planes. 

So, how did I spend my first week at home? Lots of reading, I started walking again each morning, and of course some stamping and craft room organization. I'm kind of home bound for a few months without wheels. I've had  company cars for the past 30 years, and my last one was picked up last Friday at 8:00 am. I have ordered a new car, but due to the micro-chip shortage, it doesn't go into production until June 14. Denis, Mr. Personal Chef as I usual refer to him, of course has a car that I can drive when needed, but this first week, I was very content to hang at home.

On to my card, I received some retirement gifts from friends that I wanted to make "Thank You" cards for. Using this week's polka-dots theme at the Paper Players Challenge, I made a few cards. Along with polka-dots, this is also CAS week, and this card is the most CAS of the cards that I made. It's a one layer top folding card base that I embossed using an older SU large dot EF.  The flags are cut from a panel that I made using the C&9th Scattered Dots Turnabout stamp, stamping each rotation with VersaMark ink, then heat embossing with gold EP. The Thank You die is also an older SU die, and I added the gold twine because it just needed a little something more.

You'll notice that the background in my picture looks different than usual. Denis surprised me with a small foldable light box to take my pictures. I usually take my cards out to the deck and take pictures in the sun, so he thought I needed a better setup. It's a small white plastic box that can be folded flat for storage, and it has several colors of fabric to use for the backgrounds. It also has a strip of tiny LED lights that uses a USB connection to turn them on. I can see a bit of a shadow behind the cards, so I clearly need some practice. 

I hope you all have nice weekend plans. Our surrogate daughter's family arrived yesterday to her parents house from NYC. Due to COVID, we've yet to meet her new son, who will turn 1 year old on Sunday. A beach party has been planed. Our plans are to spend as much time as possible with them over the coming week, starting with dinner tonight. Today's plans are to make his BD card. I'm thinking Lawn Fawn jungle animals. We'll see what I can come up with. 

Thanks for checking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Concord & 9th Scattered Dots Turnabout stamp, SU Powder Pink, Basic Black, and Gina K Designs Layering Weight white card stocks, SU Large Dots Embossing Folder, VersaMark ink, Gina K Designs Fine Detail gold embossing powder, heat tool, Gina K Designs Stitched Flag die (Master Layouts 2 Dies Set), SU Thanks die, gold twine, Misti, Gemini Jr, liquid glue

Hi There!

 Hello,

Did you see this video on Jennifer McGuire's blog. She teaches us a cool way to do ink transfer using Distress inks, heat embossing, stencils, water and a die cutting machine. It looked like a super fun technique so I decided to give it try Friday evening after work. I ended up with several panels, some that look pretty good, others not so much. Two that worked well, I've used on these two cards.

The darker one on the right is the panel that I applied the ink to and then embossed with the background stamp. The lighter card on the left is the ink transfer card. For these two cards, all of the stamped images are from Hero Arts.

As the Hero Arts Background stamp is bee themed, I combined it with another Hero Bee themed stamp set to make a card using this week's Freshly Made Sketches layout. I used the Hero Infinity Hexagon die set for the focal element in the sketch.

For the second card, I use the SSS Hexagon Hi die, in keeping with the bee theme. Using a gold gel pen to make the bee's trail on the "Hi" cutout, and then I popped the little bee image like he's "flying off."

This ink transfer is a really fun technique, and once you get going, it's kind of hard to stop, LOL. In Jennifer's video, she uses some stencils in the process. I tried those too, and mine turned out pretty well. Now I just need to make some cards with them.

Happy crafting all, and thanks for checking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Hero Arts stamps Bees & Flowers Background, Bees & Flowers Wreath set, My Monthly Hero Jan. 2021 set, SU Bumblebee, Daffodil Delight, and Basic Black card stock, Gina K Designs Heavy Weight white and Honey Mustard card stock, VersaMark, Tim Holts Distress Inks in various gold and yellow shades, Gina K Designs Black Onyx, Copic markers, clear embossing powder, heat tool, Hero set dies, Hero Infinity Hexagon dies, Simon Says Stamp Hexagon Hi die, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 1, 2 and 4 die sets, Misti, Big Shot, Gemini Jr, enamel dots, gold gel pen, SU mini Dimensionals

Stay Cool!

 Hello peeps,

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I spent most of Saturday sewing some face masks for a friend who asked me to make her some more. We are all vaccinated, but think we will feel comfortable with face masks in crowds through the summer. Today, I set the sewing machine aside and did some stamping.

As Sunday's bring us the new Paper Players Challenge, I like to see what the ladies have cooked up for us. This week, Joanne is our hostess with a fun "card for boys" challenge, and indeed, I had loads of fun crafting this card.

This stamp set by Avery Elle is called Stay Cool, and it's perfect for boy's cards. Today, I made a fun fold card with a belly band. The card is the "mini" slimline size, 6 inches by 3.5 inches. The patterned papers are older SU called Bubbles and Fizz.

For the focal image on the belly band, I stamped the skateboarding bear with Memento tuxedo black and colored him with Copics, then cut the image out with the corresponding die. The circle of stars die is also from Avery Elle and I cut it twice. Once in white card stock and once with holographic card stock. On the white one, I colored the starts with Copics to co-ordinate with the stripes in the patterned paper. I used some foam squares to pop the bear over the star circle cutouts, then used some orange Stickles on the wheels and some Stardust Stickles on the board. I also added some Glossy Accents over his sunglasses. The rectangle base is cut from Gina K Designs stitched rectangles.

Here's the inside of the card, which uses another of the animal images from the set.

I hope you all have a great week! Thanks for checking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Taylored Expressions Lime Green card stock, SU Bermuda Bay card stock, Gina K Designs heavy weight white card stock, SU Bubbles and Fizz DSP, Avery Elle Stay Cool stamp set and dies, Avery Elle Circle of Stars die, Gina K Designs Single and Double Stitched rectangle dies, Memento Tuxedo Black, GKD Stormy Skies, SU Bermuda Bay and Lemon Lime Twist inks, Copic markers, Stickles, Glossy Accents, Misti, Gemini Jr, Foam tape and foam squares