Healing Hugs

I made this card for a female relative who is going through cancer treatment.  The lacy die on the front is by Sue Wilson over an embossed background made with a Tim Holtz 3D embossing folder on metallic cardstock.  I added a die cut sentiment inside the oval opening and some sparkly gems.

Holly Christmas card

I keep adding to my cards as I begin getting them in the mail.  This one uses more dies.

The white lacy background die is owned by a friend and designed by Sue Wilson.  I put it on a red card base and added the holly on top.  The holly is cut with a Tim Holtz 3D die and uses green metallic cardstock.  I used a Sharpie pen to add the berries and stem.  The oval is cut with a die from Karen Burniston, called Crosshatch Ovals.  The little gems were sent to me from a friend in Canada.

Healing wishes

My daughter in law received her final dose of chemo this week.  It's been a difficult few months and I'm hoping she will begin to heal now.  I made this card for her.

This card was made using lots of dies and some pretty glitter paper.

A few more Christmas cards

I needed a few more cards to finish up my Christmas list.  These cards are made with a combination of dies and stamps.

Shadow box card for man

My brother will soon be 98 years old, I so wanted to make him a special birthday card.  Since I find shadow box cards special, I decided to make one for him.  I learned this technique from Jennifer McGuire.  I used a variety of dies for this card.

Front of card

Inside shadow box

Back of card

Balloon birthday

I had to change gears from Christmas cards to birthday cards  This card combines a House Mouse stamp with some balloon dies.

Holly Christmas cards

For some reason, I have been motivated to make Christmas cards, using holly.  As I grew up, the holly trees were so much a part of the holidays that it reminds me of happier times.  This large background die is by Taylored Expressions.

I mounted the holly die on red cardstock and wanted to add some red holly berries.  My first attempt was to use my old Liquid Pearls, which resulted in a big blog near the upper left corner.  Since this didn't work for me, I changed to a Viva Pearl Pen.  This worked a bit better, but I still felt it lacked something.  I added the die cut Merry Christmas by Tim Holtz (Sizzix).

I made the other cards with little gems that were tedious to place, but added a bit of sparkle.  I mounted this piece onto a white card base.  Both of these cards are the same color cardstock, but my lighting makes them look different

 

Swing Reveal Card

I've been having trouble getting motivated, so I once again looked to Jennifer McGuire for inspiration.  She showed a technique for Swing Reveal Cards, so I decided to give it a try.  I found an old unmounted stamp of a wreath and used my Misti to stamp it on watercolor paper.  It takes several stampings to get a good image on this rough textured watercolor paper, so a Misti is helpful.  I then taped the watercolor paper to a piece of hardboard and colored it with watercolor crayons.  I hadn't use them for years, but they worked well for this project.

You will need to watch Jennifer's video to learn to make the swing feature. It involves layers, circle dies, a button and some glue.  If you are like me, you will need to watch it more than once to do it yourself.  The wreath swings to reveal the message under it.  Good luck.

Look to the future

While trying to encourage a female relative as she goes through chemo for breast cancer.  This is a very discouraging time for her.  I asked when the chemo will be finished.  The final dose of chemo will be given in December.  I suggested she look to the future when this will finish.  Since it will end this year, I suggested she think about how it will feel in the new year.  I searched for clipart that would help me design this card.  Here is the result:

We all must continue to hope for better times ahead.

Christmas cards

I recently ordered and received some new toy.  I made some Christmas cards with a couple of the dies.  This first card is made with a die from Memory Box.  Since the pieces could be separated, I cut it from 2 colors of metallic cardstock by Tim Holtz and changed some of the parts.

The diecut was then adhered to an embossed piece of shimmer cardstock and mounted on a similar colored card base.  The sentiment was stamped with a clear stamp that could be curved to fit the space.

The holly die is a 3D die by Tim Holtz.  I used it to cut the shape from green metallic cardstock, also by Tim Holtz.  I then use a Sharpie to color the berries and stem.  I used a variety of colors to mount them, along with some other dies.  I have more to finish, but this is it for now.

Butterfly card

I'm still using some of the supplies I got in the September card kit from Simon Says Stamp.  One of my favorites from the kit was the metallic cardstock by Tim Holtz.  In fact, I liked it so much that I have ordered more of that metallic cardstock.  You will be seeing more cards made from this stuff.  For this card, I also used the 3D embossing folder, also by Tim Holtz that was in the kit.

I also added a butterfly I made several months ago, using Memory Box dies, and a friend die by Heffy Doodle.

Squirrel card

This has been a tough week for me with the loss of my brother to cancer.  I did manage to make one card for a friend who is struggling with health issues.  She told me about a chipmunk or squirrel that has been showing up with the birds to get food.  I just got this squirrel stamp and thought of her.

The embossed metallic paper made a fun background for the squirrel.

Resist watercolor

While trying to get motivated to make an anniversary card, I saw Jennifer's McGuire's blog and video on Effortless Watercolor.  My first attempt was a total failure, probably because my Versamark ink pad was too dry.  The second one looked iffy at first, but as Jennifer says, "It looks like a hot mess, but wait until it dries."  It's hard to get a good stamped image on textured watercolor paper, so I stamped several times with my wetter Versamark ink pad and added white embossing powder.  I added Distress ink in several shades of green, then spritzed it with Perfect Pearls water.  When dry, it didn't impress me, so I added some blue and purple colors.  When completely dry and flat, I cut the piece to size and glued it to a white card base, then added a frame and die cut sentiment.

Look for the rainbow

I have too many relatives fighting cancer these days.  I made another encouragement card for lady going through chemo.  Once again, I used the card kit from Simon Says Stamp.

front of card

inside sentiment

back of card

Card for struggling friend

My neighbor is struggling with some health problems and needs some encouragement to continue treatment.  I made this card for her from the Simon Says Stamp September card kit.  The paper and sentiment stamps are from that kit.  The wreath die is from Hero Arts.  I cut the wreath from watercolor paper and watercolored it with Distress inks.

Birthday cards for men

I recently bought a card kit from Simon Says Stamp.  I was mostly interested in the nice sentiments on the stamp set, but decided to try the 3D embossing folder with the metallic cardstock.  I cut the 8" X 8" metallic cardstock in half and ran the first piece through the Big Shot.  I realized I had placed the cardstock in upside down, so my design was debossed.  I turned the other piece over ran it through the correct way.  I decided to make cards from both pieces.  Since this was copper colored, I made birthday cards for 2 male family members with birthdays in September.

front of card - debossed

Inside of card= lined

front of card - embossed

Inside of card = lined

Gate fold hugs

A female relative is having a difficult time after surgery for breast cancer.  This card is to let her know that I understand, as she goes through chemo.

The flower cluster die on the front and the sentiments are from Simon Says Stamp, while the scalloped oval die on the inside of card is by Poppystamps.

 

Sending hugs

I'm sorry I haven't posted lately, but I've had a lot on my mind.  I've had problems motivating myself to make cards.  Too many family illnesses.  I've spent time with my back yard and enjoying my little friends.

I decided to order some new dies to help me create cards that I can send.  I sometimes have problems with the size of dies I order.  These sentiment dies arrived much larger than I had anticipated.  I decided to make a different size card to accommodate them.  This card will fit in a business size envelope.

Front of card

Inside of card

Hang in there

While I was caring for my dying husband, a friend used to send me Hang in there cards.  Now, I find that sending cards like this are appropriate for others going through difficult times.  Since I have friends and family going through trying times, I decided to make this card.  I may make several more of these for others.

I stamped the image in black ink, then masked it and did some ink blending around it for the sky.  I then colored the hummingbird and mouse with colored pencils.  Finally, I added some Nuvo Glitter Gloss over the hummingbird.  I cut out the image with stitched rectangle die and added a framing layer with pearlescent cardstock.  All was mounted on a white card base, with the sentiment stamped inside the card.

I decided to make another card, but framed it in an oval, so I could add a sentiment on the front of the card.

Bird birthday card

I always enjoy making cards more when I'm making them for a specific person.  This one is for a special female relative.

I've had this cling mounted rubber stamp from Our Daily Bread for quite a while, but don't think I've used it before.  I used the Misti and stamped it several times to get a good image.  I then colored it with Prismacolor pencils.  I rarely use them any more, so it took a while and certainly isn't perfect.  I don't even attempt shading.

The inside of this card is a shadowbox.  The background is watercolored with the use of Art Impressions rubber stamps for the birdbath, birds, grass and branch.  The opening of the green layer was cut with a die from Simon Says Stamp, called Everglade Collage.  The sentiment is from Our Daily Bread.

Sentiment dies

I've been browsing and buying different brands of sentiment dies.  This is my newest set and it surprised me.  I was just looking for dies of words.  This is what I received.

When I cut out the sentiments, I realized they were double.  When cut in 2 different colors, you can make unique layered sentiments.  The single line can be used without the shadow die, but they cut together.  The outer double layer is difficult to read without the inner single layer.

The words can be stacked or combined single parts.  The hello diecut is shown with single and double.  The hugs and thanks are just layered on top (not glued yet).  The hi has the parts separated and laid flat against each other.  The other 2 pieces are shown on this card.

This card is made with an alcohol ink background, with flowers from watercolor paper that were cut with Tim Holtz dies.  I showed how I made them here.