Stay Cool

I used a set of cat stencils for the background paper and then colored the stamp with Copics.  The stamp is marked MJ Stamps with a phone number.  I tried searching the company, but it doesn't look like it's in existence any longer.  It's a really nice, old, wood mount.  I miss the rubber shows and I know a lot of people who have unmounted their rubber from the wood, but I haven't been able to do it, myself.  I like the old school sometimes.

 

Hello!

I'm back into production in three's again.   When I only make two, you can tell that one of them was a total failure, because I almost always do three cards at the same time.

For these, I first used some stencils to make the background paper.  That proved to be fun but I had to learn to keep my fingers clean between colors.  Easier said than done.   All I needed to add were the hello and cat head die cuts.  East and fast!
 

Just A Little Note

Looks like I ended up slacking off on my posting again.....  Yard and garden and weeds have been taking over all the cardmaking time.  

For these two cards I used stamps from Colorado Craft Co.  and some really old papers from unmarked 6x6 tablets.  

Thanks for looking!

 

Fairies and Dandelions

I needed to make a couple of quick cards - so I cut out a circle from a piece of cardstock and used that for the template to brush on some distress oxides.  The fairies are from Viva Las Vegas, the sentiments are from Scenic and the dandelions are Rubbernecker.  I can't believe I actually kept track of some of those things!

 

Another Birthday Card

May seems to be a big month for birthdays.  The background was done with a stencil set from Frosted Pearl and the donut stamps and sentiment are from Crystaline Stamps.  I added some glossy accents to the icing on the donut.  

 

 Someone Has a Birthday Today

Nope - not me!  Joanne is having one today.  This is the card I sent her.

Bela Lugosi is my most prized stamp and of course, my favorite.  I use him on every card that I send to Joanne.  He appears for every holiday.  Sometimes subtly, sometimes not.... I was thinking of making this a shaker card, but it was already kind of thick from the flowers.  The photography was not so good on this one, the details in the window box and shutters aren't really showing up very well.  Must try harder next time...

 

 LET'S GO FLY A KITE

In honor of our cold, blustery weather today, I made a bunch of kites.  I think the die is from Hero Arts, and the stencil for the clouds is from Rubbernecker, which I believe was bought out by another company.  Thanks for popping by. 

Funky Florals

I used a die set from Sizzix called Funky Floral for these two cards.  They were out of my norm, but I ended up liking them anyway.  😏

 

JUST FISHING 

Because it seems like the puddles here are big enough to fish in, I grabbed a set from Whipper Snapper called Hooked on Fishing and turned it into a tiny shaker card.  The background is from a stencil that I picked up at a yard sale or thrift store or somewhere I don't remember.  If it doesn't stop raining soon, I may go looking for an ark!

Just a Quick One

I've been organizing dies and found this one and wondered why I didn't use it for Valentine's Day.

Fast and easy cards!  

 

The Rabbit Is On The Way 

I haven't had a lot of time lately, but I managed to squeeze out this quick card.  I've been in a sidecar, it's really awkward!  Everyone else on the road is smiling and pointing at you...  

What's The Buzz?

I went through a big shaker faze a while back.  Just found this one in my stack of cards.

It's from a kit from Queen & Co.  

 

Sending Smiles 

I made a second attempt at using a stencil over a piece of cardstock where I had put down some of the same color.  I had the sentiment already in a drawer, so it was easy to pick the colors.  I wasn't happy with how it turned out, it seemed bland, so I used a white gel pen to outline the sentiment and it looks a little better.   I did a big cheat on the music card.  That was pre-printed paper and I printed the sentiment on the computer.   I'd like to get back into making a card a day but today the weather is great, so maybe not today.  

 

I've been watching youtube videos for inspiration.  Kristina Werner did a video on laying color on paper and then putting a stencil over the top and laying down a heavier layer of the same color.  So that's what I did.  I had this sentiment already in a drawer from a previous failed card (tons of those) and so I used it here.  Fast and easy, except I got a lot of ink all over my fingers.

Free Hugs 

I made these a couple of days ago and I just tried to find the set so I could post info on the manufacturer and I can't find the stamps or dies.  That just shows you the condition of my stamping area.  Not good!!  I may need to focus on organization for a day or two, the only problem with that is, I find things and decide to use them right then and there and so the organization thing takes a back seat.....

It's Been Awhile!

Sadly, I didn't really remember how to log in and I'm not sure I remember even how to post but we'll see how it goes.  

I have been making cards - I never stopped!  But, Joanne and I started this blog together, and I felt and still feel, a bit guilty posting things on my own because she hasn't been making cards for a few years.  

Anyway, I couldn't find inspiration this morning and I decided to try looking up blog hops for something like that to light a spark.  I couldn't find much except Christmas stuff, so I remembered that Carol still posts a card just about every single day, so that's where I went.  And it worked!  Thanks, Carol!!!!

Mouse Love

I'm working on my coloring and I find that the house mouse stamps are quite difficult, but I'll keep practicing.  I used a heart embossing folder in the background and a very old house mouse stamp that came from "I don't know and I don't remember buying it."  I actually always stayed away from buying these because I knew the coloring was difficult for me, but there it was......in a drawer.... 😊 

Let's go fishing....

 

Nothing spectacular here, just going through the masculine drawer and found the fishy papers and thought it was time to use them up.  The top stamp is from Heather.  The bottom is Stamping Sensations.  I think I got them both at the last stamp show they had in Allentown.  It looks like this year's show has been cancelled - they are using the building at the fairgrounds for vaccinations. 

I do miss rubber stamp conventions, even though I have enough stuff to last a lifetime.  Seeing all the new products was always inspiring.  Maybe we'll be sort of back to normal in another year or two....

Hello

 

....Housebound for a couple of days last weekend, due to some (a lot) of the flying white stuff.... 

 I played with a gel press for the first time.   I had no clue what I was doing and my next attempt will be a lot different.  I tried it with stencils and with stamps.  I wasn't thinking about how everything was going to be reversed, so my music clefs are backwards and I didn't realize it until I was taping it down to the paper. Oh well.  I used another unmarked stamp for the filigree, embossed it with white and topped it with a die cut of curly stems and leaves and a die cut hello.   I had expected the gel press to be messy, but it wasn't and I'm anxious to play with it again.  Hopefully not due to another over zealous snow storm.

~Nancy

Rainbows

Another unmarked set of dies and stamps!  So frustrating!   I've had these for a long time and I wish I had a clue where they came from.  When I started "accumulating" things to make cards, I never bothered to write down the companies and now I'm certainly regretting it.   They were fun, although gluing the rainbow pieces was a bit frustrating. I didn't like the plain sun, so I gave it a smiley face.  I'm not sure if it's better that way or not.  Easily corrected by just gluing a plain sun on top, but for right now, I'll keep the face.  The world needs some smiley faces.