Favorite Card

We've come to that time again.  The end of a year and the eve of a new one.  It's a time of reflection for me.  One of the things I was thinking about was what cards I had done this year that I really liked.  This one came to mind right away.  It was done with Dylusion sprays and Crafter Workshop stencils.  Also used a white opaque pen.  This was a year of stretching myself in the stamp world.  Bright colors, art journaling, canvas creations, and new techniques with embossing paste are some of the things that come to mind.  All, I'm happy to report, I found enriching and broadened my horizons.  I hope this new year you'll find the courage to try something new and I hope the journey becomes part of the joy of discovering new things that make life a little more fun.  Happy New Year!

Blessings card

How's your year been?  No doubt there has been some good and some bad.  All in all though, I find it good to focus on the good and let go of the bad.  For me, I find this time of year a good time to count my blessings.  This card is a reflection of that.  The words are by Hero Arts.  Once all the paper was placed, a fine gold spritz was sprayed over the card to give it that gold sheen. 

Embossing Folder Background

Don't know about you, but it's been a pretty snowy winter for us.  When it's first coming down, it sure does look pretty.  I love how the snow sparkles at night-which was the inspiration for this card.  The background is made up of snowflakes which was layered onto sticker paper that has the edge sticking out under the embossed paper.  Loose glitter was poured over it.  More sticker paper was placed on the embossing and more glitter added under the printed blue paper.  Some with the words piece. (Words are by Printworks)  You can't see it here, but the stars have some stickle iridescent glue added to them.

Stampscapes Peace Card

Hope you are having a wonderful Christmas.  Our holiday season has been fraught with some unexpected challenges, so for those of you who have had a similar time, I offer this card.  Joy is the feeling most often expressed at this season for good reason, but the Son of Man grew up to be a man acquainted with many sorrows.  He certainly understands our grief, pains and fears.  Which is why he often spoke peace onto his followers.  Praying for peace on those who need it today, and hoping you can have a Merry Christmas.

Stampendous Stamp

Did this nice little image with some water and water base ink pads and a Dove blender pen.  Simple is good.

Christmas Humor

Sooooo, I'm back after making a very early run back up to PA to greet Dad at the ER.  Good news is that they sent him back home, and thus I'm back home as well.  I'm mentioning this because thus has gone the way of the month and with it, all stamping time.  So here is a repeat from a while ago because I need to add a little humor to the day.  Hope it brings a smile to your face as well.

Sympathy Card

Since my mother-in-law's death earlier this month, we've been getting sympathy cards.  Wanted to share this one since it was hand made and besides, it was breath takingly beautiful!  Impression Obsession is creating stencils now, and my friend who made this is one of their designers.  Lots of sprays on this one. Not sure how all else she made it.  Been too busy admiring it.

Stampendous Stamp

Yesterday I showed a very labor intensive card.  Today I'm showing a very quick and easy card that is a good one if you are still making cards!  The image is inked with a Momento Luxe pad.  Then around the edges a line of a red gelatos was made and then rubbed to smooth out line.  A decorative ribbon finishes off the card.  Need an extra card for Christmas?  Come to Angela's Happy Stamper store today and you can do one for free any time between 10 and 8:30.

Dry Chalk Wise Men

A blast from the past today.  This was a labor of love card I did a few years back.  Really enjoyed it though.  I stamped the image and the took an exacto knife to the edge of the image starting from about the middle of middle man.  It made folding the paper easy.  Once the men were unfolded, the inside message could be seen.  A Q-tip was used to move the chalk around.  Once the chalk was done, a two way glue pen was applied to spots where glitter was then applied.  Every year I vow I'm going to start early on cards... We'll see how I do this coming year.

Pink Ink/Lockheart stamp

So, a half an hour before leaving for my mother in law's memorial service, my husband asked for two more thank you cards!  What to do?  I quick pulled out this stamp.  Violets were one of her favorite flowers.  Once stamped on the white paper, I colored in the picture with Copic markers and stamped the words on a Memory Box card.  Done!  -And we left on time.

Glass Basket Card

One of the big benefits of stamping is being able to make very personal cards.  My mother in law was known for her love of glass baskets and for the color purple.  My husband needed some thank you cards to give to the workers who had cared for his mother who recently died.  This glass basket stamp combined with a Hero Arts flower made a perfect card.  All color was added with Copic markers.

Dreamweaver Embossing Paste Horn

Yes, I'm back to a red Christmas card.  Can you blame me?  Sometimes a tradition look just can't be beat.  The horn was done with gold embossing paste.  Once dry, extra color was added with pigment stamp pads.  Because brown ink was added to shade the horn, a bronze paper worked best under the white paper.  The red paper is actually a metallic paper as well.

Snowman Embossing Folder

Tim Holtz does this folder.  I added a stamp from Printworks above the image and called it done.  Was never so happy!  I'm not big on doing multiples of a card, but I do like to send out my own cards at Christmas and so I need something that won't drive me crazy.  This was perfect.  I'll say it again, simple is good!

Hero Arts Card

Did sneak in some red on this card, but there is also lots of blue.  This was a quick and easy card to do.  The ornaments were inked with a dye red pad and stamped on.  The snowflakes were inked with a light gray.  Some stickles sparkly glue added a touch of glimmer to the middle of the snowflake.  The tag was attached with foam tape.

Gift Embossing Folder

I've been showing lots of fancy cards this week.  They have all been fairly labor intensive.  Just a reality check to remind you that these are NOT the ones I send to lots of people.  THIS is the card that I did this year that was for most of my friends.  A labor intensive card is great for a few special folks.  Will show the other card I did many multiples of tomorrow.  Simple is good!

Spray and Stencil Card

A pewter shimmer spray was sprayed over a stencil on this light blue paper.  Once the paper was dried, this stamp was inked in blue, and then inked again with a Versmark pad and embossed with an iridescent embossing powder.  This paper was mounted onto a silver metallic paper and then on to a navy paper.  Words are by Memory Box.

Embossed JudiKins Tree

This retro stamp was embossed twice.  On the one piece, silver sparkle embossing powder was used.  On the other tree, pink sparkle embossing powder.  Both trees pieces were cut out and used together on the silver paper.  Under the silver paper is a pink paper.  The words are by Hero Arts and were stamped with silver ink.  Some small clear gems were added last.

Dreamweaver Paste card

White paste is spread over the this stencil onto dark blue paper.  Once the stencil is removed, loose glitter is poured over the paste.  After the paste is dry, the blue piece is mounted onto white paper, and then onto the blue card.

Embossing Paste Trees

These trees by Dreamweaver are a staple in the store.  So many ways to use them.  On this card, we spread black paste over a silver paper.  Once the stencil was removed, glitter was poured over the paste.  After the paste dried, the paper was mounted onto a granite metallic paper and then onto a silver mirror paper.  This is always a crowd pleaser card.

Embossing Paste Pine Cones

Bit the bullet and did a class on embossing paste not too long ago.  Had a very enthusiastic group who did a fabulous job using the paste.  This is one of the cards we did.  It is using a Dreamweaver stencil and copper paste spread onto this gold paper.  Once the paste was placed, ultra fine colored glitter was sprinkled over the paste.  After the paste was dry, the gold piece was mounted onto a copper paper, and then onto the bronze card.

Amuse Card

Copics and punches helped make this card.  Little bit of printed paper and another ribbon finished it off.  Words are also by Amuse.

Magenta Holiday Card

Have you noticed my tendency towards red cards?  Yeah, me too.  What can I say, it's a great color!  On this card some printed paper was placed and then the words were stamped in green.  A strip of glittered sticker flourishes pull it together.  The red card was stamped with a background stamp in Versa Mark to give it a subtle tone.  Will move on to some other color cards tomorrow.

Stamp Barn Card

This is one I sent a few years ago, but, oh happy day, I found a few more in my box!  I keep track of what card I send to folks.  That way I can still use this card for someone who I didn't send this to before.  It was inked with brown ink and the quilt patch was colored in with a water color pencil.  Then a two way glue stick was drawn over any where loose glitter would go.  Add the glitter, and it's done.  Words are by Memory Box.

Memory Box Holiday Card

We're on the count down now!  Our weekend was filled with focus on getting all our decorations up and tree trimmed.  When I needed to sit and take a break, I've been working on getting the Christmas cards ready to send.  I have a box where I keep all my cards.  When ever I make some cards, into the box they go.  When I opened the box, I was happy to find some of these that I'll be posting over the next week.  Hope you enjoy.  This card used printed paper which was mounted onto the light card stock.  After the ribbon was added, a MB stamp was placed at the bottom.

Embossed Flower Bracelet

Wow has these great silicon flower molds and a handy technique for creating these great flowers.  We found a supplier for the bracelets, so I'm offering a chance to make one this week as a Mini Lesson.  If you need a nice hand made gift for someone on your list, this might be the thing to help you out.   Call the store to see if space is available.  Class is this Thursday at Angela's Happy Stamper store.

Art Journal Entry

As promised to those who take my Art Journal class, here is the posting of the page we will be doing in January.  We'll be using water color crayons, gesso, acrylic paints, die cuts, stamps, washi tape, and matte medium.  Class will be on Thursday, January 9th, and there is a day as well as a night class.  Come join the fun!