Hello!

Recently, I watched THIS Jennifer McGuire video on YouTube.  I immediately fell in love with the dimension of the word "hello" done by stacking several layers of the die cut.  The only difference is that she carried her background design onto the letters.  I tried that, but had to change it.  My background is way too busy and bright and the word got totally lost on the card.  I really had to struggle to see the "hello" on my card.  The background of her card is soft and subtle and it just "worked" to continue her background onto the letters and it was still very easy to read.  I also have to thank her for enabling  - now I "need" that new leaf stamp set by Hero Arts!  LoL!

I used the Snowflake Flurries set by Papertrey Ink for this card with the new Memento Luxe inks.  They are so pretty and so vibrant!  I also used Wink of Stella on the "hello" to add some pretty shimmer.

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great week!

Papertrey September Blog Hop Challenge

"Dig out a favorite wreath stamp set, layer small die-cuts & punches or even use unconventional materials like buttons or rhinestones to create a wreath on the front of a festive card.  You can choose to make your card fall-themed, embrace the upcoming holidays or just something pretty to use for an everyday greeting.  Have fun experimenting with fun color combinations and layers of texture!"

So, with that said..... Here is my card:

As many rubber stamps as I have, I've realized that I do not own a single wreath stamp.  I remembered seeing wreaths made out of leaves or snowflakes before, so I opted to try my hand at a snowflake wreath.  I used a matching green circle ring as my guide and I began to layer the snowflakes.  The card came together pretty quickly once the wreath was finished.  I bought this patterned paper just last week -  it's the new 6x6 Doodlebug Christmas pad and I was way too excited to break it open!   I used some ribbon from my stash, cut the scalloped edge in my Big Shot, added some bling and called it DONE!  Oh, and the cute little red bow?  Courtesy of my Bow-Easy!

Thanks for stopping by!  I'm off to do some wreath blog hoppin!

Make It Monday #133

Another Monday.  Another challenge!  Today's challenge over at Papertrey Ink is to use a cover plate as a stencil.  This sounded like fun, but I had no idea of where I would go with this, since I have never done any stenciling. Period.  I have a few in my collection of "stuff", but that's as far as it goes!  Does that count?  I have to admit, making this card was quite fun.  Anything that gets your fingers dirty and stained has to be fun, right?

To begin my card, I first ran a half sheet of white cardstock through my Xyron.  Then I placed the hexagon cover plate from PTI over it and ran it through my Big Shot, and voila,  I now had a stencil.  I peeled off the backing and adhered it to a card-sized piece of Neena solar white cardstock and braced myself for a new adventure!

Next I got out three colors of distress inks... tumbled glass, peeled paint and dusty concord.  Working from top to bottom, I applied each color and blended them together.  Then came the fun part.... peeling away my white, xyroned , homemade stencil.  Got adjectives?  This process was purely exhilarating as I watched this background come alive, hexagon by hexagon!

I wanted to keep this card simple as not to take away from the background, so I embossed the word "thanks" (from SSS) in white embossing powder on a banner of kraft cardstock.  I added the green button and thought it still needed a little "something", so I thought to add a tiny gemstone in each of the hexagons.  And I liked it!  Here's my card:

                                                                                

 

And the BEST news?  I am no longer a stencil-virgin!  LoL!  As always, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Guido from Toledo

Happy Monday!  I am here with a new card after a brief hiatus.  Thanks to Jennifer McGuire, I have been in massive organizing mode.  I have been transferring all of my clear stamps and dies to her awesome system seen here:  STAMP STORAGE and here: DIE STORAGE.  What fun I had today making a card and being able to find everything so easily with this new system!  It is pure perfection!

First off, I think my card needs a little explanation.... here's the story.  My husband and I went out to dinner with some friends this past weekend (Peggy and Mike).  During our conversation over dinner, Mike mentioned a couple times about a ficticious "friend" of his who is in the "mafia"!   For example, if one of us was being hassled, Mike would say that he would have to call on his friend, "Guido from Toledo" to get things under control!  I also realized that evening that Mike had just celebrated his 60th birthday.  I had no idea that he had a birthday recently and I felt badly that I didn't send a card.  On the way home, I thought it would be funny to send Mike a birthday card, from none other than Guido from Toledo!

Lord knows that I don't have any mafia-related rubber stamps, so I did the next best thing and turned to Google.  I found the cutest little "Guido" and so I began.....

It was a little tricky with the cut-out circle on the front and getting Guido centered on the inside.  I had to print him 3 times before I finally got it right.

 

There are a couple things that I would change on the inside if I were to do it over, but DONE IS DONE.   The "Happy Birthday" is from Paper Smooches and the GUIDO text on the bottom is done with individual letter stamps from Hero Arts.  This will be a fun card to give, sure to give Mike a chuckle!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great week!