"We do not remember days, we remember moments." Cesare Pavese

Sunday, June 1, 2025

Wanderlust Explorer Birthday Cards

 Hello!  Popping in with a couple of cards that I made using papers and laser cuts from the 49 and Market Wanderlust Explorer collection.  Let's have a look at what I made.


For the last few years I have been making birthday cards for my mom to give to her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  So these two cards will be going to her to give to her grandsons (my boys).  I used the sketch from Sunday Stamps for this card.  Pretty simple.  Die cut a piece of patterned paper, roughed up the edges and added a little ink to the edges.  Adhered to a kraft cardstock base and then added the laser cut pieces.  Finished with a Memory Box tab that I inked up with some ink left on the blender brush I use for brown oxide inks.   Going to add this one to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge, too.


Next up is a card for Freshly Made Sketches.  Let's have a look.


Another very simple card.  Die cut patterned paper, adhered it to a panel of off white cardstock that was slightly larger and then cut the panel in to two pieces.  Adhered to a kraft cardstock base and then added the airplane that was popped up with thin foam squares.  Finished with the banner sentiment from the Simon Says Stamp Banner Sentiments stamp set.  Stamped it on a scrap of Wanderlust Explorer patterned paper, trimmed it out and then adhered it with glue.  


Thursday, May 29, 2025

Simon Says Stamp Moments in Time Release!

 Hey friends!  Popping in to share four cards that I made with a stamp set from the new Simon Says Stamp release called Moments in Time.    Simon was so generous and sent me the super versatile Banner Greetings stamp set.  Let's have a look at what I made.


First up is a sympathy card.  The stamp set has two different banners and then sentiments that fit inside. I used the Simon Says Stamp Etched Eucalyptus Wreath and the Blossom Swag embossing folder.  After embossing my panel I splattered it with watered down Bundled Sage distress ink.  The wreath was die cut from a mint green cardstock and vellum, layered and then adhered to the card front.  I stamped the banner and sentiment and trimmed it out.  I wish I had placed the banner a little bit differently, but overall happy with the design. 


I went with a more monochromatic look for this card.  I think it is perfect for a guy or a gal.  I die cut the Etched Berry Branch from dark gray cardstock and adhered it to a panel of light gray cardstock that I embossed with the Simon Says Stamp Geometric Lattice embossing folder.  The sentiment and banner were stamped on the same light gray cardstock as the embossed panel, trimmed out and adhered.  


This card happened because I already had the two little buttercups diecut!  I just needed to put them together, add some patterned paper, the sentiment and I was done.  I did add a little bit of interest by embossing the patterned paper panel with another Simon Says Stamp embossing folder.  I like the subtle look

This final card didn't start out being my favorite, but once I had it all put together I love it!  I started by stenciling a panel of white cardstock with a poppy stencil from Simon Says Stamp.  I used Candied Apple distress oxide ink.  I then die cut the panel with the Simon Says Stamp A2 Nesting Frames die set.  I die cut a panel of white carstock and adhered the frame.  I then die cut additional panels to fit behind the inner panel so that it would be slightly popped up from the frame.  I adhered that to my white panel.  Then I die cut the flower (SSS Sunrise Stem) from white cardstock, inked up just the flower with Candied Apple and adhered the pieces to my card front.  I stamped the banner and sentiment, trimmed it out and then inked up the banner with the residual ink on my blending brush.  The banner was adhered and I was done.  I like the rather striking and unusual look of this card. 

Well, that's it for me.  Don't forget to check out the release.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!


Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Birch Press Design Blog Post #2

 Hello everyone!  I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today and here is a little peek at what I made:


I hope you will head over to the blog to check out my project. Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

last minute cards...

 Hello!  Popping in with a couple of cards that I made at the last minute for two challenges:  Pinkfresh Studio May challenge and Altenew monthly challenge.  Let's have look at what I made.


My first card is for the Altenew challenge.  Back at the end of April I received a surprise in the mail.  A personalized stamp set from Altenew!  That is the stamp I used for my card.  Sadly as I was stamping the image I realized that there is a flaw in the image.  I was able to fix it so I will still be able to use the stamp in the future.  I stamped the image on watercolor cardstock using VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink, applied clear embossing powder and heat set.  I colored the image with Tonic Studio Aqua Flow pens.   Once the image was dry I die cut it with a Memory Box arched die.  Two more of the arched dies were cut and adhered behind the main one.  I adhered the panel to the kraft cardstock base and then added my sentiment.  I used the Altenew Fancy Thanks die and cut it from glossy black cardstock from Memory Box.   Two additional layers were cut and adhered for a bit more dimension.  Will add this one to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge



My next card is for the Pinkfresh Studio monthly challenge that is closing tonight!  Yikes... talk about last minute, lol!  Let's have a look.


The challenge at PFS is frame it up so I pulled out a couple of my favorite PFS stand alone dies and the pretty Amazing Things suite of products.  I used the Fancy Rectangle Frames and Nested Rectangles:  Postage Edge dies to frame up my floral image.  I stamped the image using Memento Tuxedo Black and colored it with Copic markers.  I layered up the frames and then added the die cut image and the sentiment.  The Fance Rectangle was die cut from pretty white glitter cardstock from Simon Says Stamp.


Well, that's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!


Thursday, May 22, 2025

Just Us Girls - Challenge #776 - Anything Goes with Stencils

 Hello, hello!  I'm back for my final turn as a guest designer for Just Us Girls.  Boy has it been a fun month for sure!  As my blog post title says it is anything goes with stencils.   Let's have a look at what I made using stencils.


Last fall I purchased the beautiful Waffle Flower Sunflower Cluster die and the matching stencils.  I have been wanting to use the two products ever since then.  JUGs provided me with the perfect opportunity.  As you can see, my sunflowers are not yellow, but coral.  I thought since it is spring I would go for more of a gerbera daisy look than a sunflower.  I used distress inks in Saltwater Taffy and Abandoned Coral for the main body of the flower, Scattered Straw for the centers and Mowed Lawn for the leaves.  Stenciling the die cut piece was so easy once I realized I had the die cut upside down, lol!   I die cut several additional clusters from thin cardstock and adhered them to the back of the main piece to give it a bit more substance and dimension.   I found a piece of gingham patterned paper in a similar coral color and die cut it for the background.  I used the Happy Mother's Day sentiment from the Simon Says Stamp Timeless Blossoms stamp set so I will have another Mother's Day card in my stash.  I finished with the twine bow and sentiment in the center of the cluster.  Going to add this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.


Well, that is it for me.  A huge thanks to Vicki and the JUGs design team for having me as a guest designer this month!   You are the best!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.


Monday, May 19, 2025

believe in yourself...

 Hello!  Popping in to share a clean and simple card for the following challenges:  Paper Players and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.  Both are asking for "things with wings".  Let's have a look at what I created.


Once, again, I looked to my collection of 49 and Market papers and ephemera pieces to create my card.  This time I used the Kaleidoscope collection.  I die cut the light blue patterned paper, added it to a cardstock base and then picked out the pieces I used for the card from the Kaleidoscope chipboard pack.   The layout I used is kind of a "go to" layout for me when I want to make a quick clean and simple card.  I added twine to the tag and then adhered all the pieces.  Super quick and super simple!


That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!