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

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Wise Men Still Seek Him...

 Popping in with a card that I made with the Simon Says Stamp Wise Men Still Seek Him die and a very old Hero Arts stamp set called Heavens Rejoice.   I made a card using the die and another Hero Arts stamp set that came out at the same time several years ago and decided I wanted to make another for Christmas.  I never gave anyone the first card I made, and I may keep this one, too!  Take a look. 


The card is very simple as you can see.  I pulled out my favorite red cardstock, Cherry Cobbler, from Stampin Up! and die cut a piece with a rectangle die and the Wise Men Still Seek Him die.  I left all the words in place and added washi tape to the back to keep them in place.   I placed the piece in my stamp positioning tool and stamped the three wisemen and the star using Cherry Cobbler ink.  Then I die cut the words from additional Cherry Cobbler cardstock and gold mirror cardstock.  Those were layered on top of the panel and I finished with a little mirror star on the stamped star.  

I hope that everyone had a lovely Christmas with family and loved ones.  Wishing you a safe and peaceful season.  Thanks so much for stopping by!



Saturday, December 17, 2022

sending hugs...

 Hello!  Popping in with a quick share.  I made this card for several challenges:  Freshly Made Sketches, Color Throwdown and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.   I used a mix of products and even did a little bit of mixed media!   Take a look. 


It is dark and gloomy here in the Pacific Northwest, so my photo isn't the greatest.   When I started to make this card, I was going to use completely different snowflakes, but the scale of the die cuts didn't work for my card.  So, I went through my Simon Says Stamp dies and found two that would work well together for what I wanted to do.  After die cutting the snowflakes I thought I would add some snowflakes in the background using my favorite snowfall grit paste.  But I picked up crackle paste instead.   I realized my mistake as I was opening the jar but decided to go with it.  I added it to my panel that I die cut from woodgrain cardstock.  I had to let it dry overnight before I could finish the card.  In the morning I decided to add some additional color to the background using distress craysons in Winter Frost and Cocktail Party.  These distress crayons have mica in them so the background has some sparkle.  I scribbled the colors on to my glass mat, added water and then applied the color.  I love the really light wash.   This did warp the cardstock, but I was able to fix that a bit.  Once completely dry I added the snowflakes and the sentiment that is from Pinkfresh Studio and was foiled using gold foil.  I finished with the little gold pearls. 


Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!


Friday, December 16, 2022

Simon Says Stamp Hugs Release!

 Hello and happy Friday everyone!  Simon Says Stamp has a new release called Hugs and I have two cards to share that I created with the Jumbled Hearts background stamp from the release.   You can find the entire release here.  (An affiliate linked list of products is at the end of this post.  Using my links allows me to earn a small commission at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.)


For my first card I stamped the Jumbled Hearts background stamp on dark red cardstock using a dark red ink for a tone on tone look.  I die cut the piece and adhered it to a white cardstock base.  I used the CZ Designs Chunky Love You die for my sentiment.  I die cut the shadow from vellum and the sentiment from dark red and gold metallic cardstock.  The little gold heart was die cut using Simon Says Stamp Word Mix 1 die set.  I popped up both the sentiment and the heart with SSS foam squares.


For my second card I stamped the image on white cardstock using VersaMark watermark ink, added white embossing powder and heat set.  I then inked up the cardstock with Kitsch Flamingo and Lumberjack Plaid distress oxide inks.  When I was done I wiped off the excess ink and die cut the panel.  I used a sentiment from the SSS Picnic Floral Sentiments stamp set, stamped it in Lumberjack Plaid, die cut it with the circle die from the Word Mix 1 die set and then inked up the edges with Kitsch Flamingo.  I used the SSS Fruitful Berries die to die cut the branches from vellum.  I used a pink Nuvo drop for the berries on the branches.  Once the drops were dried I layered up all the elements on the panel and then adhered it to a white cardstock base. 

Affiliate linked list of supplies:

VersaMark Watermark ink

Make sure you check out the new release!  Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

One More Christmas Card

 I hadn't intended on making another Christmas card.  I don't need anymore, but when I saw the Paper Players challenge was a color one and the colors were Cherry Cobbler, Evening Evergreen, Very Vanilla and gold I just had to make a Christmas card!


Last year I purchased a bundle of products from Stampin Up! that consisted of the Merriest Moments stamp set, Merriest Frames die set and Merriest Frames Hybrid embossing folder.    Unfortunately, when I got the products, I think the only thing I did was create the gold embossed piece (and two others) that you see on my card front.  Thankfully, I had it to make this card.  I used the embossing folder to emboss off white cardstock and then layered on the gold piece.   The sentiment was stamped in Cherry Cobbler (my very favorite red ink!) and die cut with a rectangle die from the die set.  That was popped up in the center of the gold frame.  I stamped the poinsettia in Cherry Cobbler and the leaves/branches using Evergreen ink from Altenew.  Die cut all the pieces and then layered them up in the corner.  Finished with some gold Stickles glitter glue to the center of the poinsettia. 


Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Sunday, December 11, 2022

joy to the world

 Hello!  Hope all is well in your world.  A little rainy and dreary here in mine, but that is the Pacific Northwest in late fall!   Popping in with a card for Color Throwdown, Freshly Made Sketches and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.  I used lots of different products on this one.  Take a look.


I used dies from Poppystamps and a stencil and sentiment from Simon Says Stamp.  The Layered Holly Branch was die cut from gold mirror cardstock and green glitter cardstock from Simon Says Stamp and layered.  The die also cuts out the layering sections of the leaves.  I used the gold on top of the glitter cardstock.  I die cut the shadow layer of the Holiday Joy from black cardstock and the word from Cherry Cobbler cardstock.   The sentiment was stamped using Cherry Cobbler ink.   I started building up the card and decided that the background needed something else.  So I pulled out the Simon Says Stamp Delicate Snowflake stencil and the Snowfall grit paste.  I just love the texture it adds.    After adding all the elements, I realized that alot of my die cut holly branch was covered up, but I guess that is what happens in cardmaking!



Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!



Sunday, December 4, 2022

Spellbinders December Clubs

 Hello!  I'm popping in on this very snowy afternoon to share the cards I have made with this month's Spellbinders clubs.    This month's clubs are all about love.  I know, I know... we haven't even had Christmas yet, but Valentine's day will be here before we know it.   My cards aren't done in traditional valentine colors though.  Take a look.


This first card features the December Glimmer club called Floral Framed Glimmering Heart.  The large floral heart and sentiment were foiled using blush foil on Glacier cardstock.  I love the look.   The floral heart panel was die cut down to fit my card front and adhered.  I then die cut the sentiments with the included banner die and popped them up in the center of the heart.   There are also die included that die cut flowers and leaves.  I die cut a flower and leaves from the Glacier cardstock then adhered them below the sentiments.  A little blue gem was added to the flower for a finishing touch.  I'm going to post this one to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.


The second card also uses the December Glimmer club and the embossing folder club called Heart Blooms.  Isn't it pretty?!  I die cut the panel of Glacier cardstock and then embossed it with the folder.  I flipped the panel over because I wanted to use the debossed side.  Another look I really love!   The Glimmer club includes the solid heart and scalloped heart.   I foiled each one separately and then die cut them.  The scalloped heart had the center die cut out so I could place the solid foiled heart in the center.  I die cut additional hearts to layer in the center to give the foiled heart more dimension.  The sentiment is another die from the Glimmer club.  I really like how it embosses the sentiment into the center of the banner.  I adhered the hearts and then popped up the banner in the center. 


This card is a little departure from the other two cards in that I used a completely different color scheme.  This card will be posted to Color Throwdown as I used those colors for my card.   The December stamp and die club is called My Forever Person and features two heart images as well as images that spell out the word love.  I used the large floral heart image for this card.  I stamped it with VersaMark watermark ink and then embossed it in silver.  I did simple Copic coloring for the image and then die cut it with the matching heart shaped die.  The sentiment was stamped in VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink and die cut with a sentiment strip.  That was popped up in the center of the heart.  I die cut white cardstock and then embossed it with the embossing folder.  This time I used the embossed side.  


All three cards are very clean and simple, but I hope you like them.  Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Thursday, December 1, 2022

It's DieCember!

 Happy 1st day of December everyone!  And with it being the first day of December that means over at Simon Says Stamp it is DieCember!   There are tons of new dies and other products available right now at Simon Says Stamp, just click here to see the new products.   I have two projects to share with you today, so let's get started!  (An affiliate linked list of products is at the end of this post.  Using my links allows me to earn a small commission at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.)

Simon was so kind and sent me the new Fir Sprig die.  I just love this delicate little sprig!  I needed to make some cards for my mom to give to her grandchildren and great grandchildren for Christmas and birthdays.  This card is for my niece, Una, who has a birthday at the beginning of December (just two days after mine!).  I die cut the Fir Sprig from silver and green glitter cardstocks and then adhered them together.  I used a Simon Says Stamp embossing folder from last year called Faceted Snowflakes to emboss a piece of white cardstock cut to fit a mini slimline card.  I adhered the panel and the fir sprigs to the card base and then added the white twine bow.  The sentiment is from the Simon Says Stamp Hexagon Greetings stamp set.  I stamped it on vellum using watermark ink and heat embossed using silver embossing powder.    The sentiment was die cut with the hexagon die and popped up on the card using rolled up glue dots placed behind the words.   Going to add this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.

I have really been into creating projects using different Tim Holtz products and when I saw the Fir Sprig die I knew I had to make one of those kinds of projects to share.  I knew I wanted the sprigs to be sturdy, so I started by spraying sheets of watercolor paper with Rustic Wilderness distress spray stain and distress mica sprays in Tree Lot (from the 2021 Tim Holtz Holiday collection), Frosted Juniper and Fresh Balsam (both from the 2022 Tim Holtz Holiday collection).  I never thought I would be such a fan of the distress spray stains and the mica sprays, but I AM!  Can't wait to see what Tim comes out with next year!   I sprayed up all the pieces and then set then on my crafting desk to dry.  I thought they would be fine there, but they weren't.  Our Doberman, Sparky, is a funny guy.  He often sneaks into the craft room and steals pieces of cardstock or paper from my scrap bin.   On this particular night he snuck in and stole two of the pieces I had created!  I was a little upset with him when I discovered his misdeed in the morning!   I had to spray a few more pieces before I could get started!  Now I know to put them out of his reach!  After die cuttting all the sprigs I added some multi medium matte to the sprigs and poured on Rock Candy glitter.  So pretty in real life!   I let them dry and got started on the base for my wreath.  I covered a square vignette box with paper from the Idea-ology Christmas Worn Wallpaper pack.  Then I got to the fun part of distress up the box.  I added some crackle paste and let it do its job.  Once all the crackles appeared I rubbed on distress crayon in Ground Espresso.  I also added some Walnut Stain ink and then I added some mica sprays in the colors I used for the sprigs, as well as the Rustic Wilderness spray stain.   

Once the box was fully dry, I started arranging all the sprigs in my wreath.   I adhered the sprigs using distress collage medium.  Once the wreath was dry, I added the little baubles that I made by adding them to a dish and coloring them with alcohol ink in current.  I adhered them with the distress collage medium, as well.  I finished with the little candy cane/velvet bow center piece.  I aged the candy canes with some walnut stain before adhering them together and adding the bow.   I let the piece dry completely and then finished things off with lots of Snowfall grit paste.  I added the paste to the tops of the candy canes, as well as the baubles and to the corners of the piece.  

Affiliate linked supply list:

Simon Says Stamp Fir Sprig die

Simon Says Stamp DieCember release

Spellbinders Platinum 6

Simon Says Stamp Faceted Snowflakes EF

Simon Says Stamp Hexagon Greetings Stamp/Die bundle

Rustic Wilderness Distress Spray Stain

Mica Sprays Set 3 - Holiday 2022

Mica Sprays Set 4 - Holiday 2022

Ranger Silver Embossing powder

VersaMark Watermark Ink

Snowfall Grit Paste

Distress Texture Paste, Crackle 

Rock Candy Glitter

Distress Collage Medium

Multi Medium Matte

Idea-ology Confections Candy Canes

Idea-ology Worn Wallpaper Christmas

Idea-ology Baubles Findings

Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink - Current

Distress Crayon - Ground Espresso

I hope you enjoyed my projects.  Don't forget to head over to the Simon Says Stamp website to check out the new release.  Have a wonderful day!