A Peek Into My Stamping Room

A Few More Christmas Card Ideas....

Hello friends!  It's November and the weather is more like December or January!  It's been pretty cold, wet and overcast.  Plus this week we are supposed to get some snow.  I am not enjoying the idea of that, that's for sure!  But it does really help you get in the mood for the Holiday season, doesn't it?  I asked my hubby when he is putting up the Christmas tree.  He looked at me kinda funny but I think I can get it put up in the next week or so!  LOL

I have been working on Christmas cards this week and have a few more to share.  I will tell you that, for the most part, I have used craft supplies that are in my stash.  I have so many wonderful crafting supplies and it's a shame to not use them.  Remember that I am selling my cards now and have a Facebook group you can join to see them.  Just let me know in the comments or shoot me an email if you are interested.

Here are my cards.....

This card features my favorite stamp set from Hero Arts called Color Layering Cardinal.  It's a multi-step stamp set with matching dies.  I really love it!  I stamped the images and die cut them.  I used a stitched rectangle and circle die on the white layer of the card and added some soft blue patterned paper in the circle to simulate a sky behind the cardinal.  This will definitely cost extra to mail but it's totally worth it!  LOL

For this card, I used the Neat & Tangled Nativity Play set with the matching dies.  I colored the images using my Spectrum Noir Tri-Blend markers.  Those markers are really awesome, since all three blending colors on in ONE marker!!  I added some gold mirror cardstock and heat embossed the stars with gold embossing powder.

I am selling both of these cards in sets of 4 or 8.  Just let me know if you are interested or would like to be added to my Facebook group!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Some Christmas Cards to share...

Hello friends!  Now that it's getting colder and the leaves are starting to fall, it's time to start thinking about Christmas cards.  I have been creating some cards from my stash and been having a really good time doing it!  I have a Facebook group where I showcase the cards I have for sale this holiday season.  If you want to join my group, just shoot me an email and I will send you an invite!

Here are a few I have created so far.

For these three cards, I used a new sentiment set from Simon Says Stamp called Holiday Greetings Mix 1 - Cheer and Joy.  I had plenty of cardstock, patterned paper and other embellishments to create alot of cards!  These are all fairly simple and I am hoping they will not require extra postage.  All three of these cards are the A2 size - 4 1/4 x 5 1/2".

The next two cards use the same sentiment and the Christmas Foilage wafer die set.  I thought the Christmas Foilage die set would be very versatile and I was right.  It works with so many stamp sets and other stuff in my stash!

For this card, I die cut the Christmas Foilage die set from glitter and mirror cardstocks.  I have tons of Christmas colors in these cardstocks from Crafter's Companion.  I used white glitter, gold, red and green mirror cardstocks.   I heat embossed the sentiment onto white cardstock using gold embossing powder.

Like I said before, I have a Facebook group where I sell some of these cards.  Just let me know, if you would like to join my group!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Elegant Wedding Card

Hello friends!  My last blog post showcased an anniversary card I created for a friend.  This blog post I have a wedding card that I created using some cool corner dies from Crafter's Companion.  Here is my card.....

This card measures 5 1/4 x 5 1/4".  I used the Die'sire Elegant Trellis Die set.  There are so many ways to use this die set.  I have three or four other sets in this style and I am going to explore the different ways you can use these in the next few weeks.  I really love how the dies cut so easily using my Gemini!   Here is a look at the packaging so you can see some of what you can do with this die set.

 

 

Here is a closer look at my card....

Thanks for stopping by today!

A Golden Anniversary Card

Hello friends!  I have been having so much fun this summer with my family.  I hope you have been having a good summer, too.  Summer is almost over and it has gone by so fast!  In just 2 weeks, we will be moving my youngest daughter to college.  Then in just a couple of months after that, our middle daughter will be getting married.  Life is moving by fast here at my house even if I don't want it to move that fast.

This past weekend, we had a bridal shower for my middle daughter.  My oldest daughter came home for the week to help me get things ready and it was really fun.  Everything turned out so nice and it was very nice to have all my daughter's home!    Here is a picture of the centerpieces I created using my Silhouette and some Rose Gold Luxury Cardstock (Crafter's Companion).  My daughter has loved Toy Story since the first time she saw the movie and when she became engaged her fiance' ingraved "To Infinity And Beyond" inside her engagement ring so we decided that was a great theme for our shower.

 

But now it's time for me to get back to creating.  A friend of mine needs a 50th Anniversary card for some friends.  So I got out some supplies from Crafter's Companion and created something simple but elegant!

The supplies I used are mostly from Crafter's Companion.  I used the Die'sire Classic Flourish classiques dies for the flourish inset.  The numbers are from the Die'sire 1" Numbers & Punctuation Decorative die set and the sentiment was stamped using the Crafter's Companion Decadent Flowers clear stamp set.  I used black cardstock for the base, Gold - Matte & Mirror - Luxury Cardstock plus some Spectrum Noir Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock for the main panel.  I will put a piece of white cardstock inside with a simple Happy Aniiversary sentiment just printed with my computer.  Here is a closer look.....

This card measures 5 1/4" square.  That is a favorite size for me but will require extra postage if you mail because it's a square.  I think my friend will really like this and you could definitely make this into a wedding card just by changing the colors and the sentiments!

Thank you for stopping by today!

Lot's of Thank You Cards

Hello friends!  Hope you have been having a good summer so far.  I can tell you that for me,  the summer is going by really fast.  My youngest daughter is already packing for college.  Move in day is about one month away.......I can't believe it!   I haven't been feeling very crafty lately but decided to sit down at my desk and see what I could make.  These thank you notes will come in very handy for two of my daughter's.  One needs to send thank you's for graduation gifts and the other will need to send thank you's for bridal shower gifts.  

I decided that a monochromatic color scheme would be best.  I absolutely hate to make the same card more than about 10 times.  But when you change up the color scheme, it really helps!

Here is what I came up with........

Here are the supplies I used.........

Crafter's Companion Supplies:

• Crafter's Companion Vintage Chic Clear Acrylic Stamp set
• Gemini Stitch Edge Square Dies
• Gemini Stitch Edge Rectangle Dies
• Harmony by Spectrum Noir ink pads - Plum Jam, Sandstorm, Green Topaz
• Gemini Die Cutting and Embossing Machine

Other Supplies:

• Merry Merlot, Pool Party Cardstock
• twine
• Rich Cocoa Memento Ink Pad
• foam squares

Thanks for stopping by today!  

Patriotic Birthday Card!

Hello friends!  Happy birthday to my husband, Keith!  His birthday falls just one day before July 4th so I created a card with a bit of a patriotic theme. I grabbed some of my favorite dies from Crafter's Companion and created this card.

The supplies I used for this 5 x 7" card are from Crafter's Companion.  Here are the supplies:

• Gemini Elements Stitch Hexagon dies
• Gemini Expressions - Everyday Sentimentals 1
• Crafter's Companion Kraft Cardstock 
• Neenah Classic Crest Cardstock
• Collall All Purpose Glue

Other supplies:

• burgundy and navy cardstock
• red and gold sequins
• mini brads
• 3d foam squares

 

I cut my white cardstock to 4 1/2 x 6 1/2".  I die cut a bunch of  small hexagons from the kraft, navy and burgundy cardstock.  Using a liquid adhesive, I adhered the hexagon into a pattern.  I overlapped the edges to give it a better look.

 

 

Now it's time to trim the edges!!

I added the sentiment and then the sequins!  Hopefully my hubby will appreciate them and not complain they are too girly!  LOL

Thanks for stopping by today!!  Hope I gave you an idea for a masculine birthday card!

A Flowery Thank You Card

Hello Friends!  Today I have a thank you card to share with you today.  I used a new-to-me collection from Crafter's Companion called Spring Is In The Air.  I haven't really had time to play with everything in the collection but did pull out a few things that I thought would make a cute thank you card.  

 

Here are the products I used from Crafter's Companion:

• Spring is in the Air - 12 x 12 paper pad
• Spring is in the Air - Primrose die and stamps
• Crafter's Companion Thank You Sentiment and Verses Clear Stamp set
• Spectrum Noir Watermark Ink Pad
• Crafter's Companion Clear Embossing powder (not pictured)
• Crafter's Companion Heat Gun (not pictured)

    

 

I stamped the flower images using embossing/watermark ink and then sprinkled on the clear embossing powder.  After I heat set the flowers, I used the matching dies to die cut them out.  So simple!  You can do it either way, die cut then stamp or stamp then die cut.  It's up to you.

This card measures 5 x 7" and the base of the card was created from Kraft cardstock.  If you mailed this card, definitely add extra postage!

Thanks for stopping by today!  I will be working on some quick and easy thank you cards for my daughter's to send out.  Lot's of thank you's needed this month!  LOL

 

 

 

 

 

How to Create a Tri-Fold Wedding Invitation

Hello friends!  I have been working on wedding invites for my daughter's wedding this fall.  It took awhile to settle on the design (her tastes are very different from mine) and now I have started creating 80 invites.  We decided the Tri-Fold type of invitation would work best.  My daughter showed me some designs she liked on Pinterest and I looked thru my crafty stash and then got busy!  We both decided that the Die'sire Floral Bouquet Create-a-card die (Crafter's Companion) would be the perfect first fold for the invite.   So here is a tutorial showing exactly how to create a Tri-Fold Wedding invitation.

Here are the supplies you will need:

• 8 1/2 x 11" cardstock - 1 sheet cut to 10 x 7" scored at 5; 1 sheet cut to 5 x 7"
• Die'sire Floral Bouquet Create-A-Card metal die
• Gemini Die Cutting & Embossing Machine
• Metal Shim for Gemini
• removable tape
• something to pick out all the paper bits
• paper cutter
• score board with bone folder
• red liner tape or Score-Tape

Position the die onto the 5x7" piece and hold it in place using the removable tape.  For this project, just use one of the outside edge dies.

 

Using this sandwich - purple cut plate, plastic shim, magnetic shim, die with cardstock, metal shim, cut plate.  It is very important that when cutting with this sandwich that you are very meticulous about rotating/flipping all of your plates so they don't get super warped.  Also I have used plates and shims that were well used to begin with because I knew that they would be ready to throw away after die cutting 80 wedding invites!  These are my plates after cutting 80+ Floral Bouquets....I can still use them but will probably set them aside to use with fabric or felt, etc.

 

 

Once you have carefully removed the die from your cardstock, use a sharp tool to poke out all the little bits.  Maybe you know of a way to get those bits to fall out easier than I found, if so, please share in the comments!  I have used my scissors to trim the edges on this piece.

To add this piece onto the tri-fold, you will need to score along the bottom edge at 1/4".   Then put the red tape on that little flap so you can adhere this to the 5 x 7" piece.

 

Now you can leave your tri-fold like this but when folded it will bulge a bit.  I wanted our invites to lay flat and to make that happen, I trimmed just a small bit from the right side.  Here is the invite all adhered together and you can see the little strip of paper that I trimmed off the one side.

Now it's time to add the pocket.  You will need to cut a piece of cardstock to 5 1/4 x 2 1/2".  Score around three edges at 1/4".

Add the red line tape to the 1/4" flaps.  Cut out the little boxes where the scorelines meet.

Adhere the pocket into place!  You could get fancy with this pocket flap, if you want.  I may end up adding a scalloped edge or something on the top of the pocket.

So here is the finished Tri-Fold invite.  I didn't add there names on the square yet.  My daughter liked the burlap ribbon wrapped around and you can just slide it off.

Thanks for stopping by today.  If you have any questions, please leave a comment or shoot me an email!  Have a great day!

When You Need Lots of Thank You Cards!

Hello friends!  The countdown is on until May 19.  That is the day my youngest daughter will graduate from high school!  I can't believe how fast time flies.  It seems like just yesterday, she was starting kindergarten.  Now we will start planning and getting things ready for her to attend college in the fall.  She will be studying Graphic Design in college and I am really proud and excited for her. 

Graduation parties are starting and that means it's time for a bunch of thank you cards.  My stash of cards has gotten seriously low so it's time to get busy making some quick and easy cards!

For today's stack of cards, I am using supplies from Crafter's Companion.  I have many 6x6 paper pads from Crafter's Companion that would be perfect for some thank you cards.  Today I am using the Signature collection by Sara Davies - Parisian Collection 6x6 paper pad and the Gemini Thanks Stamp and Edge Die to create these cards.  

Here are some of my supplies.......

I didn't put any Kraft cardstock in this picture but that is what I used for my card bases.  I also used some Luxury cardstock that I had in my scrap pile.  I think these sheets were from a Christmas collection by Crafter's Companion.  

Here are my cards.......right now I have 9 cards made!!  Here are two of them.

These are just very simple cards that can be made assembly-line style.  I just die cut as many of the "thanks" edge die as I could from the glitter cardstock I had.  Then I cut the 6x6 papers into 4" x 3" pieces.  That left me with a 2" long piece that I cut to 5 1/4".  That piece makes up the landscape card!  I wanted to use everything I could.  I think I will even see what I can do with the little scraps left over!!  That might be my next blog post.

Here are the pieces I cut from the 6x6 patterned paper pad.

In the paper pad I used for these cards, there was 3 pieces of each design so I can make quite a few cards from those 3 sheets.  I will be trying to use the whole pad because I will need alot of thank you cards!

If you have questions about how I created these cards using my Crafter's Companion supplies, just shoot me an email or leave a comment here on this post!!  Hope you have a great day!  Thanks for stopping by!

Hello Friends!

Wow!  It's been a while since I have posted on my blog.  It's been awhile since I even created something crafty!  I have been helping my my aunt with her tax business and my family with different things while trying to find a balance has been almost impossible.   Now I am back to working in the crafty room.     

Right now, I need to create an anniversary card for my hubby.  On Saturday, April 27, 1991, we will be married 28 years.  Here is a picture of us on that wonderful day!

This was after the marriage ceremony.  We left the church, released some balloons in the air and then got into Keith's dad Model A car.  It was such a wonderful day!  Sometimes it seems like just yesterday!   It's hard to believe that it's been 28 years, 3 daughters - one married, one engaged and one off to college in the fall.  Life moves fast in ups and downs.  I am thankful to God for the blessings of this man in my life and the wonderful family I have.

Sometimes it can be hard to create a masculine card when alot of the supplies that are out there are really feminine  plus my style is more feminine.  So creating this card was a bit of a challenge for me.  I probably used the wrong colors for 28 years but I really like how this card turned out!

For this card, I used the Crafter's Companion Gemini embossing folder - Patterned Swirls.  I used some silver gilding wax applied with just my finger to highlight the embossing on the black cardstock.  I used the Love Stamp and Die set for the sentiments.  The love is a die cut that cuts along the top and inside of the letters.  I used the Stitch Edge Oval die to cut it the rest of the way out and to cut out the white layer that is underneath.  The Matte Silver Luxury Cardstock looks just right for this card, not too flashy!  After stamping the sentiment onto white cardstock, I used my scissors to cut the edges.  I adhered it all together and will write an appropriately sappy love letter to my sweetie!  LOL

If anyone is actually reading this blog and wants some in depth instructions/tutorial on the details of this card, just let me know!

Thanks for stopping by today!