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

Just For You

 Hi all,

Happy Monday. It was rainy and windy in my neck of the woods this morning, but now the sun is shinning, although it is still windy. Luckily, I worked at home today and didn't have to drive anywhere.

Before I get to my cards, I have been doing more craft room organizing. I have many, actually very many, SU DVD boxes that the stamp sets now come in that are empty. If anyone is interested in them, they are free. Just email me at cbegley@cox.net. We can work out the postage.

I have a couple of cards that I made using Claire's sketch for the new Paper Players Challenge.  I love the layers and elements of the layout and I put it to use for two cards. 

On this first card, I ink blended two white card stock panels with GKD Sandy Beach, Sea Glass and Peach Bellini inks and blending brushes. On one panel I stamped the silhouette image from an older SU set called Just Believe using Black Onyx ink, then cut it out using a stitched oval die. Using the other inked panel as a background I layered it and the oval with black card stock onto a Sea Glass card base. For the horizontal element, I used some SU black beaded cording, and finally added some black enamel dots for embellishments.

For the inside of this card, I used another of the silhouette stamps from the Just Believe set along with a greeting from the SU Happy Thoughts set.

The second card uses the "Kraft Magic" technique. The flower images are stamped with VersaMark ink and heat embossed with white EP, then colored with pencils. The background wood paneling is made by scoring the kraft card stock with a Scar-buddy then dragging an ink pad over the panel. I used both white craft ink and dark gray ink. The horizontal piece is made the same way, but I used a kraft ink pad to rub over the paper. The flower and leaf images are cut out with the corresponding set dies and glued with foam squares to the oval. I found some matching kraft enamel dots, (that look blue in the photo), in my stash for embellishments.

This card is going to a good friend and, one of my co-workers who had ankle surgery on Friday, so the inside is Get Well themed.

All supplies on this second card are from GKD.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week. Thanks for checking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Just Believe and Happy Thoughts stamp sets by Stampin' Up, Gina K Designs Layering Weight white, black and Sea Glass card stock, Sandy Beach, Peach Bellini, Sea Glass and Black Onyx ink, blending brushes, GKD Master Layouts 2 dies, GKD Stitched and Double stitched oval dies, SU black cord, enamel dots, Misti, Gemini Jr, foam squares

Elegant Asters, Easter Blessings and Take Care stamp sets by Gina K Designs, Kraft and Layering white card stock, Kraft ink, Hero white craft ink, GKD Stormy Skies ink, VersaMark ink, GKD white detail embossing powder, heat tool, GKD Master Layouts 2 and Stitched oval dies, Scor-buddy, Faber-Castell colored pencils, Misti, Gemini Jr, foam squares, kraft enamel dots

Hope You Have a Great Birthday

Hi Peeps,

Spring has definitely come to the Southern California coast. It's after 6:00 pm and it's 77 degrees. Not a cloud in the sky. I hope the weather is equally as nice wherever you are.

I enjoyed the afternoon by having the door and windows wide open in my craft room while I stamped and watched baseball. My two favorite springtime activities.

I wanted more practice coloring images with colored pencils and this Lotus image from Gina K Designs is a good image to use for it. I made two cards, one which fits Laurie's CAS Birthday theme for the new Paper Players Challenge, and another using dies and layers.

The GKD stamp set has two sizes of both the lotus flower and the lily pad images. On the Clean and Simple card, I stamped the smaller images in the bottom part of a single layer card base, masking where needed. I colored the images with colored pencils, then put masks back on the images so I could do some ink blending over them. After the blended ink dried, I stamped the sentiment using the Misti.

Here is the inside of this card. The sentiment is and dragonfly are from two other GKD stamp sets.

The second  card uses the larger lotus and lily pad images. They are stamped, colored and cut out with the corresponding dies. The theme and layout are basically the same as the first card, just more layers, so less CAS. 

Here's the inside of this card.

Have a great week, and thanks for checking in!

Colleen

Supplies

Most all supplies are from Gina K Designs

Lovely Lotus, Beautiful Wings, Petals and Wings, Spring Tulips, Bitty Blossoms, and Wishes stamp sets, Heavy and Layering white card stock, Black Onyx, Sea Glass, Ocean Mist, Blue Raspberry and Blue Denim ink pads, Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils, Gamsol and blending stumps, blending brushes, Lovely Lotus dies, Masking Magic, Misti, Gemini Jr

Happy Birthday

 Hi all,

I've got a couple cards to share with you today. Both are made using LeAnne's color theme for the Paper Players Challenge, and one uses the sketch for the Sunday Stamps Challenge.

The large sentiment letters are dies from Concord & 9th. I cut thin strips from card stock in the three challenge colors and glued them onto a piece of thin computer paper at an angle then cut the letters out. The back ground is made by ink blending Crumb Cake ink over a SSS star stencil with a blending brush. The layers are cut with Slimline layering dies from Kat Scrappiness. 

The second card is a CASE of a card that Gina K. demonstrated on her Thursday noon (central time) Stamp and Chat Live segment. 

The stamp set is from Gina K Designs. The images are stamped on a panel of white card stock and then again on a panel of kraft card stock in exactly the same positions. I used black ink to stamp the white panel and kraft ink to stamp the kraft panel. Using the Misti makes this super easy. The images on the white panel are colored with colored pencils. Once the coloring was finished the center of the panel was cut out with a stitched rectangle die. The cut out piece is matted with a piece of Merry Merlot card stock and then layered over the kraft panel so that the stamped images match up. This kraft panel is also matted with Merry Merlot card stock, and the card base is Misty Moonlight card stock.

Two completely different looks using the same color palette. 

TGIF tomorrow! Have a great one, and thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

All the Letters dies from Concord & 9th, SU Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Merry Merlot and Misty Moonlight card stock, Simon Says Stamp slimline stars stencil, SU Crumb Cake ink, blending brush, Slimline dies from Kat Scrappiness, Gemini Jr, Connect liquid glue

Heartfelt Bouquet and Lace Flowers stamp sets by Gina K Designs, Black Onyx and Kraft ink by Gina K Designs, VersaMark ink, Gina K Designs Fine Detail white EP, Heat tool, Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils, Gamsol, blending stumps, SU Misty Moonlight and Merry Merlot card stock, Gina K Designs Kraft and Layering White card stock, Misti, Gemini Jr

Thanks A Latte

 Hello peeps,

Some late evening stamping after having pizza with some friends. I saw Cecile's interesting sketch for the The Freshly Made Sketches Challenge for this week and I wanted to see what I could do with it. After looking through some of my older SU stamp sets, I saw this tiny cup in the Merry Cafe set and thought it would work just fine. I also had in mind this week's Retro Rubber Challenge where the theme is Pastels.

Using an older SU circle punch, I punched a few pieces of scrap card stock to use as stencils. Then I choose  some SU inks in pastel colors and applied the ink with blending brushes and the punched stencil. After the circles were made, I stamped the cup using black ink into each circle. Super simple really. The greeting is from a Verve set called Better with You.

I cut the stamped panel and a black mat out using the Gina K Master Layouts 2 die set and glued them to a Purple Posy card base, and added some pastel pearls for a little embellishment.

On the inside, I stamped the same cup using Purple Posy ink and stamped a greeting from the Paper Smooches Caffeinated Two stamp set.

Simple and cute.

Have a nice Thursday!

Thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Merry Cafe stamp set by Stampin' Up, Better With You stamp set by Verve, Caffeinated Two stamp set by Paper Smooches. SU white, black and Purple Posy card stock, SU Purple Posy, So Saffron, Pink Pirouette, Pistachio Pudding, Lemon Lime Twist, Balmy Blue, Powder Pink, Crisp Cantaloupe, Soft Sky inks, Gina K Designs Black Onyx ink and Master Layout 2 dies, SU circle punch, GKD blending brushes, Misti, Gemini Jr, pearl embellishments