fresh & fun

I created this card last Wednesday after I received my Verve order in the mail. I had to use the gorgeous Blessings set right away. It was perfect for the Sketch challenge that day.

I cut an oval out of Neenah Solar White cardstock with Petite Oval Nestabilities, stamped the sentiment with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink, the swirl with Shabby Shutter Distress ink and sponged the oval with Antique Linen.

The card base is a 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Core’dination cardstock folded in half. A 3 3/4″ x 5″ piece of Webster’s Pages paper was stitched to a 1/4″ bigger piece of black cardstock. A black piece of cardstock cut with Label 8 Nestabilities and adhered in the center of the paper.Melissa Frances lace was adhered over the lower half of the paper, partly over the black label. The oval was adhered over the label with dimensionals.

I created another tissue flowerwith the Lacey Circle Nestabilities, secured the layers with a Recollection Brad (Michaels) and sponged it with Fired Brick Distress Ink. It was adhered to the lower left of the oval. Snow Kaisercraft pearls were added to the right of the oval and Rose Kaisercraft pearls on the top right corner to finish off the card.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!
Hugs and smiles

Today’s tutorial on SCS is written by Lydia Fiedler and it called “Blended Pencils“. You stamp a silhouette stamp with a light colored ink and add colored pencils over it.

For my sample I used Verve’s new set Kind Words and this weeks Midnight Madness sketch. I stamped the image in Antique Linen Distress Ink on Neenah Classic Creamand colored it with Prismacolor Pencils. It was cut with Classic Circle Nestabilities and spongedwith Antique Linen Distress Ink and layered on a Chocolate Chip cardstock circle. One of the sentiments of the set was stamped in Antique Linen over the image and the edge of the layer was paper pierced.

The card base is a 4 1/4″ x 6 1/2″ piece of Old Olive cardstock folded in half. A 3 3/4″ square of Cosmo Cricket Togetherness patterned paper was stitched to a 1/4″ bigger piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock. On the left is another patterned paper from the same pack measuring 1 3/4″ x 3 1/2″. Three sides of that paper strip were stitched and three green buttons were added to the top left of the strip. Lace was added to the lower half of it.

A Lacey Circlewas cut and embossed out of Neenah Classic Cream cardstock and adhered to the card base a bit off center. The patterned paper strip was adhered over it with dimentionals and the main image was adhered over it. The sentiment is also from the set Kind Words. Look what it says!!! How cool is that? And I didn’t even notice it until I was stamping with the set today. Made me smile big time!

I had to ink the sentiment in parts and stamp it a bit closer together with Rich Cocoa Memento Ink on Classic Cream cardstock. It was cut with Petite Oval Nestabilities and sponged with Antique Linen cardstock. The sentiment was adhered over the image circle to finish off the card.

The inside of the card was decorated with same patterned paper and stamps as the card front.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day
Hugs and smiles (*grin*….I can stamp that now! LOL)

Sunday last week the Featured Stamperon Splitcoast was Heather Prince. She is a very sweet fellow challenge chaser on SCS and a wonderful stampers. I picked this card of hers to case. I kept the colors, the Christmas theme and even the pink paper. I added sewing, switched the ribbon to a different spot and exchanged the main image shape to an oval.

For my main panel I cut an oval with Petite Oval Nestabilities out of Classic Cream Neenah cardstock. With the die still on I stamped the music background from the Crafty Secrets set Vintage Christmas in Antique Linen over it. Then I sponged the oval first with Antique Linen, then with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. The sentiment is from the same set stamped in Walnut Stain Distress ink.

The oval was layered on Canyon Brown Neenah cardstock cut and embossed with Label 11 Nestabilities. A bow was tied with the Bow-Easy and Stampin’ Up! Espresso Ribbon and attached to the ovals with a Recollection Brad (Michaels). Scor-Tape was added the the lower edge on the backside of the oval. Crochet Trim was folded over it to add a ruffled edge.

The card base is a 4 3/4″ x 9 1/2″ piece of Neenah Classic Cream Cardstock folded in half. A 4 1/4″ square of the same cardstock was embossed with the Snowflake Impressabilities. I left the Impressabilities on and sponged Antique Linen Distress Ink all over it. The layer was stitched to a 4 7/16″ square of Canyon Brown cardstock.

The edges of a 2 1/2″ x 3 3/4″ piece of Very Merry October Afternoon Paper were sponged with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and stitched to a 3/16″ bigger piece of Canyon Brown cardstock. Two 1 1/2″ x 3″ pieces of Good Cheer October Afternoon paper were stitched to Canyon Brown cardstock pieces cut with Long scallop Rectangle Nestabilities. The layers were adhered on top of each other. Latte and Champagne Kaisercraft pearls were added to finish off the card front.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day. Hugs and smiles

I created this card as a sample for the video for the Faux Stitching tutorial. It was very hard for me not to use my sewing machine instead.  I used three different stitches on the card to show them off. On the top right corner I used a non continous stitch, zigzag on the upper edge of the horizontal strip, continous straight stitch on the bottom of the strip.

The image is from JustRite Stampers Autumn Blessings. It was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock and colored with Copic Markers (Apples: YR31, R22, R27, R39, Berries: R29, R59, Leaves: G82, G94, G85, Basket: E31, E34, E35, E37, E39, Ground: W1, W2). The image was cut with Classic Circle Nestabilities and airbrushed with YR31. It was then layered on a piece of black cardstock, cut and embossed with Lacey Circle Nestabilities.

A  4 1/2″ wide black cardstock strip was cut and embossed with Lotus Borderabilities and adhered under a 1 7/8″ x 4 1/2″ strip of Early Bird Cosmo Cricket Paper. The strips were adhered to a 4 1/2″ square of different paper from the same pack. After adding the faux stitching May Arts gingham ribbon was tied over the horizontal strip. The main image was adhered over the ribbon with dimensionals.

The sentiment is from JustRite stampers set Seeds of Kindness. It was stamped on Neenah Solar White with Tuxedo Black ink and cut with Spellbinders Tag die. The center was airbrushed with YR31. The sentiment was adhered under the bow with dimensionals. Champagne Kaisercraft Pearls finish off the card.

Here is a video for the visual learner:

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!
Hugs and smiles

I created this card for Friday’s Free for All Challenge on SCS as well as the Friday sketch from OCL. I used an image from the new OCL set Penguins at play. It was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock and colored with Copic Markers (Penguin N0, N1, N3, Beak: YR21, YR23, Snow B0000, Scarf: YG21, YG23, YG25, Sign: E31, E33, E35). The image was cut and embossed with Classic Circle Nestabilities, the sky airbrushed with Copic Marker BG01 and then layered on a black piece of cardstock, cut and embossed with the Fair Isle Pendant die.

A 2″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Good Cheer October Afternoon paper was adhered to a 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece from the same collection. The paper was sanded, then stitched to a 1/4″ bigger piece of Basic Black cardstock. White May Arts ribbon was tied around the horizontal strip before the layers were attached a 5 3/4″ x 9 1/2″ (folded in half) piece of Core’dination cardstock.

To dress up the card Basic Grey and My Mind’s Eye buttons were stitched to the pendant die. 1/2″ linen ribbon was colored with R59 to match the paper and button and placed under a button on the top left of the black frame. Stardust Stickles was added over the snow drift and snow balls.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful Sunday!
Hugs and smiles

Check out this darling little fairy. She is from Crafty Secrets Fairyland set. She was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock. The image was cut with Classic Oval Nestabilities, colored with Copic Markers (E0000, E00 skin, Y23, Y26 hair, B21, B00, wings, R30, R32, R35 dress) and airbrushed with Copic Marker Y21. The image was layered on a black piece of cardstock cut and embossed with the second largest of the Crowned Oval Nestabilities. Each crown piece was topped with a Rhinestone from Stampin’ Up!.

A 2 3/4″ wide cardstock strip was cut and embossed with Kaleidoscope Borderabilities and adhered under a 1 3/4″ x 2 3/4″ strip of Cherry Hill October Afternoon Paper. The strips were adhered to the left hand side of a 3 3/4″ x 5″ piece of Material Girl Cosmo Cricket Paper, which was stitched to a 1/4″ bigger piece of Basic Black cardstock.  Melissa Frances white lace was taped on the Cherry Hill strip. A hole was punched over the lace and blue silk ribbon was tied around it. The main image was adhered over the end of the lace with dimensionals.

The sentiment is also from Fairyland. It was stamped in Tuxedo Black memento Ink on the lower left hand side. More Stampin’ Up! Rhinestones on the lower left and upper right hand corner finish off the card.

The inside of the card is kept very simple, like all my cards. I just can’t leave them empty anymore. They feel naked if they are not tied into the card front with matching paper.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day! Hugs and smiles

I love Mona Pendleton’s use of Spellbinder dies. Her work is beautiful. While working on this card, it reminded me of her work. Probably because Mona uses a lot of ivory cardstock and soft patterned paper. She also wrote the Tissue Flower tutorial for Splitcoast, which I used with the new Lacey Circles to create the flower on this card.

I started by cutting and embossing the biggest of the Crown Oval Nestabilities out of Very Vanilla cardstock. I left the die on and sponged over it with Vintage Photo Distress ink.

A smaller oval was cut out of Vanilla cardstock with Classic Oval Nestabilities. It was sponged with Antique Linen Distress ink. The sentiment is from Flourishes new set Fine Herbs. It was stamped in Walnut Stain Distress ink. An herb from the same set was stamped in Bundled Sage Distress ink. The oval was attached to the crowned oval with dimensionals. Champagne Kaisercraft pearls were added into each center of the crown pieces (all but two on the bottom right where the flower was placed).

I used the two smallest Lacey Circles dies to cut several layers of tissue paper. The tissue circles were first connected with an Antique Brad (Stampin’ Up!), then the edges were sponged with Vintage Photo.

 A 1 3/4″ x 4″ strip of Kraft cardstock was sponged with Vintage photo. A 4″ long strip of Vanilla cardstock was cut and embossed with Eyelet Borderabilities. That strip was taped underneath the top of the sponged Kraft strip. Beige Melissa Frances Lace was taped on the lower edge of the strip.

The layered strip was adhered to a 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Fly a Kite October Afternoon Paper, which was stitched to a 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ piece of sponged Kraft cardstock. The layers were adhered the card base,  a 4 3/4″ x 11 1/2″ piece of Very Vanilla cardstock folded in half.

A Eyelet Pendant Die cut out of Vanilla cardstock and sponged with Vintage Photo ink was attached to the upper left hand side and topped with a Chino Kaisercraft Pearl. Champagne Kaisercraft pearls on the upper right and lower left finish off the card.

The inside of the card is pretty simple. A 4 1/4″ wide strip of Kraft cardstock was cut and embossed with Eyelet Borderabilities and sponged with Vintage Photo Distress ink. It was adhered underneath a 1 3/4″ x 4″ strip of Fly A Kite paper. The strips were adhered to a 4 1/4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Vanilla cardstock. It was stitched to a 1/4″ bigger piece of Kraft cardstock that had been sponged before.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day! Hugs and smiles

For yesterday’s product review we ran a tutorial by the sweet and talented Linda Duke. I had seen her gorgeous embossed Vellum Nestabilities die cut during the Spellbinders blog hop and asked her if we could run it for our review. She graciously agreed. I loved her card so much, that I had to try it out right away. I didn’t have the beaded Oval Nestabilities dies Linda used, so for my sample I used the largest of the Crowned Oval die.

For my Frosted Nestabilities I used a small stamp from Verve’s Accent Notes. I drew it on the back of my vellum cardstock with my white opaque pen after I cut, embossed and paper pierced it. The Vellum was adhered to a Bermuda Bay Crowned Oval. I don’t have Vellum tape yet (I know, I need some), so I just added adhesive where I later placed my smaller white oval, that had been cut and embossed with Classic Oval Nestabilities. The classic oval was stamped in Tuxedo black Memento Ink with a sentiment from Verve’s Beautiful You.

The card base started out as a 5 3/4″ x 10 1/2″ piece of Evergreen Core’dinations cardstock. It was folded in half and the bottom edge was cut and embossed with the Jumbo Scalloped Borderabilities. The edges of a 4 1/8″ x 5 1/8″ piece of Webster’s Pages patterned paper were sanded before the layer was stitched to a 1/4″ bigger piece of Neenah Solar White cardstock. White lace (Jo’Ann’s) was adhered horizontally and Antique Rose Sheer ribbon was tied around it and topped with one of Tim’s gorgeous button.

The Crowned Oval die-cuts were adhered to the card base with dimensionals. Butterflies were punched out of the retired Blush Blossoms cardstock (Stampin’ Up!) wand adhered to the sentiment. The wings were covered with Stardust Stickles. The center of the bigger butterfly received Pearl Kaisercraft pearls, the smaller one White Opal Liquid Pearls. More Pearl Kaisercraft Pearls were added to the top right as well as on the top of each scallop to finish of the card front.

The inside of the card was kept was very simple. A 1 1/2″ wide strip of Webster’s Pages patterned paper was stitched to a white piece of cardstock. Pearl Kaisercraft Pearls were adhered to the top of each scallop.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day! Hugs and smiles

Update:

I just saw the new Beaded and Lacey Decorative Nestabilities in the Flourishes store. Along with two of the new label dies. I so ordered them already!

Today’s Product Review on Splitcoast is on the new decorative Nestabilities dies from Spellbinders. Oh…that was a sweet product to review!!! You all know how much I LOVE Nestabilities. Now these new decorative dies are a wonderful new addition. They really dress up the Classic Nestabilities or to create some gorgeous card bases.

For my first sample I folded a 4 1/2″ x 9″ piece of Neenah Solar White cardstock in half and cut and embossed it with the biggest Lacey Circle Nestabilities die. You might have to cut your cardstock twice to get the paper all cut, especially if you are using thick cardstock like the Neenah one I used.

The image is from the new Flourishes set Kids at Play. It was stamped in Jet Black Archival Ink along with a sentiment from the same set. I placed the die back on the card base and airbrushed the top with YR31, the bottom with YG95 Copic Markers.

Because when you cut card bases with dies, you can’t cut the top completely. one of the lace tops was missing. I covered it up with a bow tied with black and white gingham ribbon that was topped with a Recollections brad (Michaels).

I know, I know…I DO have a sweet job! Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day. Hugs and smiles

Today is Lydia Fiedler’s, aka. UnderstandBlue on Splitcoast, birthday. Lydia is our website manager on Splitcoast and blue is her favorite color! So I created this card for her. I used the sketch challenge from Waltzingmouse because I LOVE circle cards. I really need to get some of their stamps. They go so well with the Nestabilities dies. I also used colors from the Inspiration challenge and made it work to fit for the Free For All Challenge, by using Verve and Crafty Secrets stamps.

The card base was created by folding a 4 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Sno Cone cardstock in half and cut and embossed with the biggest of the Big Scalloped Nestabilities die.  A 1 1/8″ wide piece of 365 degree Pink Paislee paper was adhered to a 4″ square of a different pattern from the same paper pack and cut with Classic Circle Nestabilities. A thin strip of Lace (Walmart) was adhered on the lower edge of the horizontal trip. Then the layers were stitched to a white circle, cut with the next size up circle Nestabilities die.  The circles were then adhered to the card base.

The sentiment is from Verve’s Celebrating You was stamped in Chipped Sapphire on Neenah Solar White cardstock. The swirl from Crafty Secrets Cupcake Party was stamped in Shabby Shutter ink. The sentiment was cut with Classic Circle dies, then layered on a Big Scalloped circle cut and embossed out of Sno Cone paper.

Tissue paper was cut with the two smallest dies of the Big Scalloped Nestabilities dies, connected with a Reconnection brad and sponged with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. The flower was adhered to the lower right edge of the sentiment . Snow Kaisercraft Pearls were attached to the left side of the green paper strip.

For the inside of the card I adhered a 1 1/8″ strip of 365 degree Pink Paislee paper on a white cardstock square and cut it with Classic Circle dies. I stamped another swirl in Shabby Shutter to the right side of circle and added three Snow Kaisercraft pearls.

Thank you for stopping by! If you have a minute, hop on over to Lydia’s blog and wish her a happy birthday!
Have a wonderful day! Hugs and smiles