Tuesday, January 31, 2012

TST#51


This week at Try Stampin on Tuesday we had a square card.

I don't do many square cards even though I do like the appearance of them.  I just find it harder to get envelops to fit them.

Maybe that should be MY next challenge, making envelops to fit the cards!

I wanted a vintage look to the card so I went with the MS Double Scallop Punch.  I love this punch, but it can sometimes be a bother to use if your paper cuts are not just right.  Once I added the medallion on the front of the card I knew that the bow had to be more of a Winner's Ribbon style of bow.

In the end I didn't end up with quite the vintage look that I was going for but I was quite happy with the outcome of the card.

Hope you enjoy!

Nancy

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

TST #50

Today's sketch over at Try Stampin on Tuesday was similar to my black and white Birthday card for a fellow co-worker which was posted the beginning of the month, but I had to change it up. I took a piece of beige CS cut 1/8" smaller than the 4 1/4"x5 1/2" card front and ran it through the Cuttlebug using the Top Note Die. This allowed me to give just a hint of a border on the outside, but it also gave me a "Top Note" to use elsewhere.  This is a great way to stretch your cardstock as you don't see what is hiding behind the card front anyway. Then I layered the Chocolate Chip CS on top of that again. Taking a small strip of beige CS again I made a ribbon and ran it through the Cuttlebug with an embossing folder.  The decorative element in Old Olive was from a Cuttlebug die called Floral Borders.  The medalion on the front of the card is made using a Cricut and then the butterflies are from the Beautiful Wings embosslit. 
 
Remember the Top Note that you cut from the front of the card.  Here it is on the inside of the card and again embellished with the remainder of the die fragments from the front of the card.

Hope you enjoy!

Nancy

Monday, January 23, 2012

Get Well Sharon

As we get older, our body begins to talk back to us and a dear friend of mine will be undergoing knee surgery this week, so this card was made with her in mind to cheer her up.  I thought using a nice bright colour it would bring a smile to her face.

I have been experimenting with bow making and the bow here was made with a salad tong.  Haven't quite got the hang of it just yet, but it will come in time.

I know she will enjoy this card and smile whenever she sees it.

Hope you enjoy!

Nancy

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Boy or Girl? Final Card

So with the arrival of my Grandson (seems funny to say it) I came up with two cards, very much the same just gender specific.  I started with the male version and my daughter said what if it's a girl (I knew it was a boy) so I made a female version as well.

The final card was the same as the first male card I just removed the bow and added a more masculine embellishment and Edwin's name.

Hope you enjoy!
Nancy
                                             

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

More Scraps...

I cannot believe the amount of scraps that I have.  I have taken the time to go through all of them and separate them into size and useability.  No new cardstock has been cut since the new year (other than the occasional card base). 

Todays card is another birthday one, again for a co-worker.  Working with Whisper White for the card base the purples used were scraps that I had from my scrapbooking days.  I like the way the edges are distressed on a lot of cards, but I don't seem to be able to accomplish the same effect.  I think I did pretty good here, but in order to achieve this I used a pair of decorative edge scissors and then my Tim Holtz Distress Tool. Using My Friend and stamping on an incline on the paper to give a staggered effect.  Satin ribbon was used to tie a double bow and then accented it with a purple button and rhinestone.  Smaller rhinestones were used on the stamped backdrop.

Hope you enjoy!

Nancy

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Technology is Great...When it works!

Sorry for the lack of posts over the past week.  Any posts that have come through were done prior to my computers hard drive crashing.  They say things come in threes and that they do.  First the hard drive crashes, only to find out that my extended warranty had run our 20 days earlier.  Having pleded with the fellow at Apple they agreed to cover the cost of a new hard drive.  Then when I got the computer back we could not transfer the information made from my backup to restore the computer.  Back to Mac to have them try and fix it, they couldn't so they kept it again to see what they could do.  Hopefully they will have it fixed within a day or so and they said they would help to reinstall the information from my backup.  See it pays to be kind and bat your eyelashes once in a while.

As for the winner of the Free pass to Stampin Fun and Friends "Sweet Spring" it was a 50/50 chance as there were only two entries (the benefits of following a new blogger).  With that being said the free pass goes to Marina.  Marina had this to say...
 
MarinaJan 9, 2012 01:37 PM

Nancy, I enjoy your blog and your creations very much. I know that you also scrapbook occasionally, and this this something I would like to see on your site too.
As to the free pass draw, I would like to be included, please. Never ever participating in online classes, I feel quite intimidated. So if I win, it'll be a good opportunity to try it.
Thank you for your talent with you followers!
Marina please email me with your email address so that I may pass it along.  Thanks.

On a happier note...Drum Roll Please..............I became a Grandma for the first time on Sunday, January 15th.  Yes Edwin Malcolm Seed was born right on schedule. He is the exact image of his father at birth and named after his Great Grandfather on Moms side and Grampa (or Papa Smurf as we lovely call my husband) on Dads side.  Everyone is healthy, happy and if I do say so myself he is the best baby going, but then I could be a little biased.

Hope to be creating and posting again soon.

Nancy

TST #49

Today on Try Stampin on Tuesday the sketch just did not talk to me.  I really struggled with this one and after a couple of attempts this was my result.

I had lots of Real Red scraps in my scrap pile so that was the colour I wanted to work with.  Hmmm! Red...Valentine!  I think what I struggled with the most on on the sketch was the bottom portion of the sketch.  So I kind of changed it up a bit to suit what I thought worked.

The recipe for this card was again use scraps so cutting a piece of Real Red 4 x 5 1/4 and set aside.  Cut a piece of Whisper White 2 1/2 x 4/12.  Stamp the French Script on the Whisper White using Real Red.  Sponge the edges of this piece with Real Red. Adhere this piece to the Real Red CS. Now if you have a heart punch use that, but believe it or not I don't...but I do have a Cricket so I cut 2 Real Red hearts and 2 Whisper White hearts. The hearts were cut from Plantin Schoolbook - shaddow/heart set at 1 1/2". Stamp one of the Whisper White with a heart from the I (Heart) Hearts stamp set and adhere it to the front of the White CS. With the small "love" stamp and "forever" from the Fabulous Phrases stamp set stamp your second heart. Punch a small hole in the top of the second one and attach a small piece of ribbon through the top.  This piece actually will float and can be taken out of the heart pocket.  Now with the two red hearts place them point end to point end and overlap, then wrap the rounded edges over the front of the second heart to form a pouch. Once it is shaped the way you like adhere the two together and then adhere to the card front.  Place your ribboned heart inside the pouch.  Attach your accent ribbon to the bottom and you are DONE!

Again this was a challenge but I did keep my resolution and used up scraps!  Wonder how much longer I can continue to work with scraps...they are getting smaller and smaller.

Hope you enjoy!

Nancy

Monday, January 16, 2012

MIA

My am  current MIA because my computer hard drive crashed and burned.  I hope to be back up and running in a day or so with more regarding the "Stampin Fun and Friends" free pass and other exciting events that are going on.

Thanks for being patient!

Nancy

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

TST #48 & Makeover Monday Challenge #9

This weeks challenge over at Try Stampin on Tuesday was an instant choice.  What I mean by that is I am trying to use up scraps that I have already available and only cutting the base of the card (part of my New Years Resolution).  So once I went through my scrap box I came up with this card.  I also came across another challenge over at Paper Crafters Library that I thought this same card fit into.

I already had a top note cut out in Old Olive then I had to choose a card base and second accent colour.  I had ribbon that I found at the Dollar Store that matched the Old Olive and it had flowers on it that looked a lot like those from Fabulous Florets.  From there my accent colours had to be Old Olive and Chocolate Chip.

To put this card together start my spritzing the background of the card base then adhering just over 1/2 of the Top Note.  I stamped the leaves from the Fabulous Florets and then stamped them off two more times for a faded effect. Cut a piece of Chocolate Chip CS 1" wide. With the Old Olive punch using the Scalloped Edge Punch. One side was not enough so I punched the adjacent side as well and then adhered the ribbon down the centre.  Stamp twice on a scrap piece of Whisper White CS and using the largest flower from Fabulous Florets cut them out.  Shap them with a pencil and adhered them together.  Punching a hole in the centre of the flower I took a strip of Chocolate Chip and made a fringe for the stamens of the flower and put it through the hole in the flower to secure it. Glue Dots were used to adhere the flowers to the card front.  Added my brads to the top and DONE!

So proud that I once again used up scraps.

Hope you enjoy!

Nancy

Friday, January 6, 2012

Sweet Spring is Coming!

OK ladies, Christmas and New Years are over and it's time to get back to card making and crafting.

SWEET SPRING with Stampin Fun and Friends is coming and you will not be disappointed so register now as registration this time is on a limited basis.

Not familiar with Stampin Fun and Friends then let me explain.  You get 15 projects in 15 day.  Sweet Spring begins February 1st.

EARY BIRD REGISTRATION at $15 HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO JANUARY 10th.

To go along with this I have a FREE PASS to give away. Just let me know that you are a follower plus what you would like to see from me this year on my blog.  A winner will be selected on January 15th.  If you have already signed up your registration will go towards the next session.

Waiting to hear from you.....

Nancy


Wednesday, January 4, 2012

TST #47

This week on Try Stampin on Tuesday's the challenge was very similar to the card I had just made for a co-worker, so I decided to repeat it to fit the sketch challenge background.  

Using Whisper White as the base of the card I scored it at 2 1/8 from either side to make a centre opening card.  

Cherry Cobbler was the accent colour used along with Love Letter DSP from my MDS program to make the rosette.  I love how you can print your own DSP's with this program.   Some say that the colours are not true to form unless you have a good printer, but really unless you know exactly what the original looked like who would really know! I have an Hp and it works just great for me.  Daisies #2 die was used again to make an accent on top of the rosette, and birthday wishes were stamped using the Happiest Birthday Wishes stamp set. 
Very Vintage wheel was used on a piece of Whisper White and cut to size for the left side panel.

Don't forget you envelops.  They are a very important part of your card as well!

Hope you enjoy!

Nancy


Happy New Year & a New Card

First of all I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.  The time comes and goes so fast.  So have you made your New Years Resolutions?  or better still are you still on track or have you broken them  already?  Mine is to try and use what craft products I have on hand before I run out and buy more.

January is a busy month for me with lots of birthdays at work so this first card is one for a co-worker.

Using Whisper White as the base of the card I had a few scraps (New Years Resolution at work) of Basic Black so I used them to make the "ribbon" in the back ground and then used the Daisies #2 Die to add an accent in front of the rosette, finished it off with a swirl from the Sizzix Decorative Flourishes set.  Stamp set used was Happiest Birthday Wishes.  It still looked a little blaw so I spritzed it with the spritzing tool.

Hope you like!

Nancy