Perk Up!

Several months ago I watched my crafting BFF make the cutest coffee mug 'shaped' card for a swap challenge.  I've been just waiting for the right time to try my hand at that technique.   

Polka Dot Orchard has just released Merry Little Coffee Digital Stamp Set and it has the cutest coffee mug with two beautifully drawn poinsettias on the side ~ it will be just perfect!

Here's my completed card and just a couple of the steps I took to make it. 

I did my image two different ways, so you may want to play around and see what works best for you.  I made the image approximately 3" square and duplicated it twice on an 8.5 x 11 paper, positioning one image with 3" to the left of it to allow for the fold.  The second image  was positioned to the right to color and cut out separately.  I printed this page on Neenah 110# card stock.

I used Copic Markers to color both images.  The poinsettia is colored using Copic R29, R35 and R37; Leaves are YG61 and YG63; Mug is R20 and R21; and the Coffee area is shaded with C5.

For the first image,  I used my score pal to get my fold line, then folded the new card and cut around the mug shape leaving the folded area.   

I cut out the second image leaving ~ 1" around, and glued it to a prefolded card base.  Then I cut around the cup image on the second image, leaving the folded area.

At this point, I basically have two identical cards, however, the second card is a lot more stable with the card base added.

I used a small oval die cut for the 'Perk up!' sentiment that is in this digital package, and added a frosted enamel dot.  I also added gold glitter Stickles in the center of each flower as the final touch. 

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you will check out this package and others available on Polka Dot Orchard to use on your cards.  

Serving a Risen Savior,

Pam

Coffee With My Sweet Friend

I have been anxiously waiting to post today's card, to show you my first card using one of Colorado Craft Company's (CCC)  "Legs" stamps.

It's a fun posting also as this card was made and sent to a friend of 40 plus years!  

Happy Birthday today to Ann!!!

This image is CCC's Friends  & Coffee clear stamp. Although I selected a sentiment from Unity Stamp Co, this set comes with six great friend sentiment stamps.

To make this card, I stamped the image on 110# Neenah card stock and used my Copic markers for coloring.  If you don't use Copics, I'm sure you will be amazed that there are 30 different markers used for this image!  I love the detail CCC has given to this image which allows tons of opportunities to shade.  I used Gina Marie Designs Loopy Square die for both the image and the sentiment.  The sentiment was overlapping too much onto the image, so I trimmed the top and both sides and left the bottom as a fringe.  On the blue stripped background piece, I used Whimsy Stamps Stitched Border Die around the edge before adhering to the 5 1/2" square card base.  Once assembled, I added the enamel dots, from Gina Marie Designs, and the white organza bow as the finishing touches. 

Thanks for stopping by today to see what's on my desk.  Your comments are always welcome. 

Serving a Risen Savior, 

Pam 

Copics Used:

Bricks: E07, E08, E09, E17, E18; Table: E23, E25, C4, C5; Stools: C5, C6, C7, Skin: E000, E51, E53; Right Gal ~ Shirt: BV02, BV63, BV66; Jeans B41, B45, B91; Boots: E31, E35

Left Gal ~ Dress: R20, R21, R22, R14; Shoes R14; Flooring E70, E71, E74, Light Y21, BV02, BV63, Mugs: BV02, BV63, Food, Y21, C4

Products Used:

 

Happy Birthday Fall Style

Today I'd like to share with you a birthday card  I made for one of my sweet church lady friends. 

For this card I selected Great Impressions' stamp, Harvest Fence.  I purchased this from one of the crafting sellers on Facebook.  Although I hesitated because it was a wood mount stamp, the red rubber came off without any problem.  No room for 'wooden blocks' over here!

The image is stamped on Neenah 110# card stock and I used Copic Markers for my coloring.*  The Happy Birthday was stamped using Versa Fine ink. The background die is Tattered Lace Nested Chain Rectangle die and the image is die cut using Gina Marie Designs Wonky Stitched Oval.

I applied the image to the background paper and then made my webbing bow with three knots.  I use Washi Tape to hold the back of the string until I can get everything glued where it needs to be.  When added to the 4" x 6" card base, I have the completed card. 

Thank you for stopping by today ~ Your comments are always welcome!

Serving a Risen Savior, 

Pam 

Copics used:* Fence: E70, E71, E74, Jug: N0, N1, N3, N4  All greens: G94 or YG61; Pumpkin: YR02, YR04, YR14,  Hat: E42, E43, Ribbon, B63, B66, B69, Flowers Y17/E43 sunflower, R35, Y25 and V15

Products: 

Birthday Stacks

One of my friends, who is very involved in the Sea Turtle Conservation Program, spends most of his Fridays following them during the season of laying and hatching of their eggs.  He has quite a following as we watch for his photo posting to see if he or his teammates were lucky enough to capture a sighting.

Well of course for his birthday, he must get a Turtle themed card.  When he framed the first one I sent him, I was quite taken back!  But this year, celebrating his last year of his 50's, I decided he needed a humorous card, which of course led me straight to my collection of Art Impression stamps and Turtle Stackers (4741).

There are several versions on Pinterest of this pull tab card using this cute set that caught my eye today.  I decided to give it a try, add my twist, and make this design for my Turtle Loving Friend's Birthday card.    

Here's my Interactive Birthday Card ~

The four solid squares down the left side are each raised with foam tape.  The black rectangle frame is also raised and there is a pull tab at the bottom on the candle paper.

As you pull the tab down, you see the rest of this cute stamp set ~ all six turtles stacked up to wish him the happiest birthday ever!

And on the inside I added two more Art Impression Stamps.  The top is an AI Sentiment stamp (G4992) and the cake with overflowing candles (H5017) is AI as well. I used Gina Marie Designs, X-Stitched Oval Die for this image also. 

Hope he likes his interactive Turtles for his Birthday this year. 

Thanks for stopping by today.

Serving a Risen Savior,

Pam 

Copics Used:

Turtles: YG61, YG63, YG67, E11, E21, E23

Products Used:

 

Announcing New Design Team and a New Blog Challenge

I'm so excited today to tell you about a new Digital Design Online store called Createful Heart Design.  Mary Smith and her husband Mark are both artist on the site which is full of images from flowers to vehicles, and birds to vintage.  

I'm proud to announce also that I've been asked to be on their Design Team!  I'd like to invite you to 'like & follow' their Facebook page so that you can see my cards along with the other Design Team members.  I know you will be inspired to purchase images for your crafting!  Their Facebook page is Createful Heart Digis & Design.  

Another exciting part of Createful Heart is that each month on the 15th, they have a Blog Challenge that is open for almost a month.  Currently the challenges are Anything Goes.  Be sure to LINK UP your projects for your chance to WIN!

Now after all my NEWS!!!!... Finally I would like to share with you my FIRST image from Createful Heart Designs.  This is 

 Hummingbird & Morning Glory. 

When I flipped through the digital images to select my first image, and got to the hummingbird, there was no more searching.  I knew this was my project for September.  My love for hummingbirds goes very deep and strong.  I wouldn't consider them the easiest to color however, but all being beautiful in God's sight, I'm proud of this card as well.  

I enlarged the image to 4.25 x 4.25 and printed on 110 # Neenah card stock.  I used Copic alcohol markers for coloring (referenced below) and the image is die cut with my Tattered Lace Lacy Days Square die.  Next, I put the image in my Misti and positioned my sentiment.  For all of my sentiments, I use Versafine ink as it seems to give a clean and crisp image every time.  

For the assembly, I added a 1/4" solid mauve pink liner mat to the image.   I found a morning glory print that matched perfectly and cut a 6" square with my Tattered Lace Beaded Nesting Chain Square die.  I tied a yellow organza double bow on the floral mat piece before gluing it to the 6" square card base.  Then I added the colored image and solid mat on top the floral piece and secured.   For the finishing touch, I added three mini sunshine yellow pearls from Gina Marie Designs.

Thanks for hanging with me through this very long blog today! 

Your comments are always welcomed. 

Serving a Risen Savior, 

Pam 

Copics Used: 

Leaves G40, G82, G85  Flowers  R81, R83, R85, R56;  Bird YG03, YG17, YG67, G45, BG01, BG05, E23, W6

Products Used:

 

'Wet' Doggy Kisses

I can't help but think of this doggy chasing his tail around in circles as I made this get well card for a challenge using CIRCLES.   You know he would be all excited and just ready to give you bunches of 'Wet' Doggy Kisses to make you feel  better!

For this card I used Art Impressions' Doggy Kisses (AiCS38).

A quick and simple Copic colored image using E21/E23 for the dog, B00 /B01 for the water, W3 /W2 for the shadow, and R35/R37 for his tongue.  I used Gina Marie Designs Stitched In and Out Wonky Circle Dies for the image and a standard straight circle die for the sentiment.  After assembling then I added a thick coating of glossy accents to his tongue and set aside to dry overnight before preparing to mail.

Thanks for stopping by to see what I'm working on tonight.

Your comments are always welcomed. 

Serving a Risen Savior, 

Pam 

Products Used:

Happy Birthday Girlfriend!

It's always fun to make a birthday card for a special girlfriend. Today's card definitely fits FUN with Stamping Bella's Pattie and Dottie all dressed up and ready to celebrate.  

 These cuties are from the Friends Forever set and can be purchased on StampingBella.com.  Like many of Stamping Bella's images, these gals are large ( 3" x 6").  After stamping on Neenah 110# card stock, I used Copic markers for coloring.  The dies are Tattered Lace Nesting Beaded Chain Rectangles.  The 'FUN' die cut is by Spellbinders and the aqua enamel dots are "Little Man" from Gina Marie Designs.

Thanks for stopping by today - your comments are always welcome.

Serving a Risen Savior, 

Pam 

I Will Walk by Faith...

Today's card is one I made for a recent swap using a Western Theme.   I really was pleased with the end results so I thought I'd share it with you and give you a few details on how I made the card.

I started by using Tim Holtz Oxide inks to cover an area about 7 x 7.  I took a piece of washi tape and added it across the center of the card stock.  Starting with the Orange Marmalade in the center making a strip about 2".  Then I blended Fossilized Amber,  Squeezed Lemonade, and Tumbled Glass out to the edges of the paper (both towards the top and the bottom).  Then I removed the center mask, and used Copic E41 to lightly fill in the center to look like water.  I die cut the background piece using my Tattered Lace Lacy Days Square die.

The cowboy is a silhouette die, cut out of black.  After placing the cut piece on the card, I positioned it where the sentiment is also able to fit in the top corner.  I used Versa Fine Black ink for stamping the sentiment, then glued the silhouette die down .  I added a black 1/4" bigger mat behind the image, then cut two additional coordinating mats and mounted all of this on to a black 5 1/2" square card base.  

I believe this will be another card I'd like to repeat. 
Thanks for stopping by to see what I've been working on. Your comments are always appreciated. 

Serving a Risen Savior, 
Pam 

Products: 

Courtney's Covered with Cuteness!

I made today's card especially for my bonus daughter's birthday.  Her love of animals started young and hasn't slowed down.  Stamping Bella's, Courtney Loves Kitties,  with all these fur babies climbing all over her, is the perfect image for her birthday card. 

 To make this card I stamped the image on Neenah 110 lb. card stock and used Copic Markers for coloring (referenced below).  Both the image and the balloon background piece are die cut using Tattered Lace Nesting Rectangle Beaded Chain Dies (retired).  After stamping the sentiment, I used a book page die to cut in, then hand cut the Aqua background piece .  The lighter Aqua background is trimmed to 1/4" smaller than the 6" x 6" card base. Once assembled, the cheerful card is ready to be mailed.

I also used this card in the CCM Challenge for Labor Day - Occupation, Vet Tech.

Thanks for stopping by today to see what I've been working on.  Your comments are always welcomed.  

Serving a Risen Savior
Pam

Copics Used:
  Skin E50, E51, E53, cheeks 0/R30; Hair: E06, Y21, E42, E23;  Ears & Paws R30, R21;  Grey cat: N1, N4;  White cat:  N0, N1, N4; Yellow Cat: YR20 YR21, YR23;  Orange Cat: YR21, YR23, N04; Clothes BG23, BG13;  Shadow W4, W2

Products Used:

 

On Your Birthday - Mini Images

For today's card, I fell into the trap of "my image won't fit" when I tried to match up a die with these cute little Penny Black images from their stamp set It's Your Day.  I'm sure you've been there if  you are a card maker...this die is too small or this one is too large to show your work. 

Here's the completed card and my solution for this card below.

Using a multi-frame die, is normally the top choice when you have small images.  

For this card, I used the above frame and removed the panel divider on the bottom right to allow plenty of room for the cupcake mouse.

The sentiment is also from the same stamp kit; mounted on the same burgundy paper.  Although this is not the case on this card, IF the cupcake mouse paper had been too short, this wide sentiment would have covered the open area at the bottom.  Just a side thought to remind you how your sentiments can really help you fix many card issues.

This card was sent to The Cards for Soldiers Overseas for their availability in sending cards back home to their families.

Thanks for stopping by today. Your comments are always welcomed.

Serving a Risen Savior,

Pam

Can't 'Beet' A Friend Like You!

Today I'd like to share a little card I made for a Swap Challenge ~ Embossing on Vellum.

What I really loved about making this card however, is the play on words by artist Joslyn Nielson.  This Unity Stamp kit, Beets For You, has three equally witty sentiments to go with the single BEET image.  

Here's the card I made for the Swap.

It's amazing that the deep reds of a beet would turn out to be such a cute card!  As you can see, I simply layered three die cut papers onto an A2 card base and tied with a red organza ribbon.    

I heat embossed the sentiment onto vellum and then cut using a fish tail die.  I've found that heating from the back of the vellum works the best for me.  I applied my book binding glue lightly behind the words, knowing it was going to dry clear anyway, but not wanting any glue to show through.

Thanks for stopping by to see this and my other cards. Your comments are always welcomed.

Serving a Risen Savior, 

Pam