Welcome!

Welcome to my blog. Over the years that I have been stamping and paper crafting, I have so often been inspired by the ideas on other sites and blogs. I hope I can pay that back in some measure with my own. (In between laughs -- or cackles as my son calls it!)

November 25, 2012

Autumn Maple Leaf

I think this Autumn Leaves set by Sheena Douglass is my new favorite set.  I'm sorry to see autumn end and with it occasions to use it.  It is really versatile -- I even used it on a wedding card!

I started by using a few brayered backgrounds in autumn tones that I had dome in a big batch a few weeks ago.  I spritzed them with stamp cleaner (yes, stamp cleaner!) and got the water drop look.  You can do this even if the backgrounds have dried for several days.

On one, I heat embossed the maple leaf with copper embossing powder.  This was trimmed and layered on to an olive green mat, and then on to a black mat.

The second background was layered on to a black mat.  The next step was to use three copper brads in the lower right.  (Tip:  use a paper piercer and hole template to keep the brads straight and evenly spaced.)  Finally this was mounted on to a rust A2 card base.

Simple - but striking.  Hope you enjoyed it!

November 18, 2012

Baby's Best Friend

I'm loving the new S.W.A.L.K Pawfect Pals set, Pedigree Chum.  Isn't it wonderful?

The image of the dog and baby made me feel homey and cozy -- so I chose a crazy quilt background paper to carry that feeling through.  I used the warm golden brown, teal and burgundy tones as I colored with my Spectrum Noir markers.  I edged the image all around with IG1 grey to shadow it.

I layered the image on a dark green mat, and then blanket stitched in golden yellow embroidery floss around the edges.  This stitching echoes the stitching in the background paper.  (Tip:  Use a paper piercer and hole punch template to help get more even spacing for your stitching.) This was then layered on to a burgundy mat with dimensional foam circles.

Meanwhile, I prepped a folded 5.5 inch square card base in tan.  I layered the background paper on to a square burgundy mat which then went on to the card base.

Final assembly included mounting the focal image and adding some buttons in tan, burgundy and teal green.  I "faux-sewed" the buttons with the same embroidery floss as the stitching.  I adhered them with glue dots -- I tried hard not to have them in a straight line; once again I was emulating the crazy quilt feel.

I had a lot of fun making this card.  Hope you enjoyed it!

November 16, 2012

Mallard and Mill

I made this card at a 3 day stamping retreat in October, hosted by Peddler's Den.  It was held in Yorkville, IL, and the focus was on Stampscapes (although you were free to create with anything you'd like!).

I stamped the mallard duck in the foreground, masked it, and then added the mill, rocks and trees in the background,  The color is a combination of Spectrum Noir markers and stippling with Marvy inks.  I highlighted the white on the duck with a white gel pen.  The final touch was autumn Flowersoft on the trees and reflections in the water.

I did a simple black mat and mounted it on to a folded 5.5 inch tan card base.

This card is destined for my friend Trena's birthday.  She is a fellow Stampscapes fan and I figured she would appreciate it.

November 14, 2012

Autumn Wedding


Here's an autumn wedding card that uses Sheena Douglass' Autumn Leaves set.  I kept the color scheme to ivory and metallic.


I started with a purchased card base that already had the trellis die cut on the right.  I then heat embossed in gold the fern-looking leaves in a right angle on the bottom left.  On scraps of SU Confetti Cream card stock, I heat embossed several leaves, some in gold and some in copper.  

Then I cut (and cut) out the leaves.  I arranged them in a spray radiating out from the bottom left corner.  A purchased paper rose anchors the corner.  Everything is adhered with glue dots.

I heat embossed the greeting (from the retired SU set, Elegant Greetings) in golds, and die cut it with my oval Nestabilities.  I layered this on to an oval mat of SU Brushed Gold card stock.

Finishing touches were tiny coppery-brown pearls at the intersection of the trellis.  Hope you enjoyed it!

November 11, 2012

Embossed Wildflowers

Hello!  Today I have a pair of embossed wildflower cards to share with you.  I really love silhouette stamps, because they are typically so easy to work with and give dramatic results in a short time.  The Silhouette Grasses set by Sheena Douglass is a perfect example.

I started with brayered backgrounds (which is another tip if you need a quick but dramatic card).  One I brayed in apricot and pink; the other in blue and greens on to a coated semi-gloss card stock..

Next I stamped the sentiments in black.  I did the sentiments first; that way if they turned out crooked I didn't waste a lot of time!

Then, I shadow stamped the wildflowers - one in a pinkish-plum and the other in turquoise.   When that dried (give a little extra time on coated card stock), I stamped the wildflowers a bit lower down with Versamark ink, and sprinkled with silver embossing powder.  Use your heat tool to melt it.  The shadow effect is an easy way to add depth.

I'll let you in on le booboo that I made.  I accidentally sprinkled some gold powder on to the turquoise card. I decided I liked it and went with the flow.  In fact if I did it again, I would be more liberal with an intentional mixed metal look!

I finished the cards simply with a black mat and then mounted them on to coordinating folded A2 card bases.  Enjoy!

November 4, 2012

Snowflake bookmarks

Here are three bookmarks that I made with Sheena's A Little Bit Scenic Ornate Snowflakes set.  Sometimes I like to give people tags or bookmarks instead of a traditional Christmas card - and these are sized to slip in to a legal sized envelope along with my annual Christmas letter.


These were quick and easy, and done with emboss resist.  I started with white coated card stock (use glossy or semi-gloss to help the ink blend when stippling).  Then, using Versamark ink and clear embossing powder, stamp your snowflakes and the swirl design up and down the bookmark.  Avoid going in a straight line, and try to have some go off the edges.  Use your heat tool to melt the embossing powder.

Your next step is to use any water-based dye ink and a stipple brush and stipple color around the snowflakes, going from dark to light as you work outwards.  I used two coordinating colors on each, for example, pink and lavender  red and rose; light blue and darker blue.  Be sure and leave some white space as contrast. Then take a tissue and wipe excess ink off of the embossed snowflakes, revealing the white underneath.  That's the resist part.

Finishing touches were to round the corners and thread ribbon and fibers of your choice.

Try it -- these are surprisingly quick and easy!  These would be equally as pretty done for Spring with Sheena's Silhouette Grasses set that has those gorgeous wildflowers.