Heartfelt Wishes...

Wow...Friday already, and almost the last day of August!  Here in the U.S., we're getting ready for a 3-day holiday weekend...the last of the summer.  We have a big block party scheduled this weekend in our neighborhood to celebrate the end of summer (although the crowd does seem smaller these days as so many of the young people who grew up here are now away at college, or moved on with young families of their own).

Today's card is an A2 size (4-1/4" x 5-1/2") but the sentiment block extends over the edge on the right side, so it will need to be mailed in an envelope normally meant for a 5" x 7" card.  But that's not unusual. I often have to mail my cards in envelopes that are one size larger, since there's so much dimension on them.  Yes, all that dimension costs a little more in postage, but I reason if the person is special enough for me to make a handmade card for them, they're special enough for the few extra cents it costs to mail it to them. :)

So here's a shabby and sassy little number to end the week on...

The cheesecloth under the floral cluster is colored a very pale pink using a spritzer filled with Spun Sugar Distress Ink. I almost didn't purchase the bundle of the pink and plum stamens...wondered if I'd get enough use out of them. I'm sure happy I hit that "buy" button now, LOL.  They were the perfect fit for this card...

The Maya Road chipboard heart was painted white, distressed with a few swipes of Gingerbread VersaMagic ink, then coated with clear German glass glitter for just a subtle hint of sparkle...

I love using pearl sprays (you can usually find them in the wedding section of large craft stores).  They're just the ticket when you want a light touch of gems to cover a large area, and when adhesive-backed pearl flourishes seem too "heavy" looking...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   Prima Botanical collection (pink text);   My Minds Eye Miss Caroline/Fiddlesticks collection (gold stripe);   

Authentique Cherish collection (tan rose print)

Chipboard heart:   Maya Road          Sentiment stamp:   Hero Arts          Die:   Sizzix Flowers Branches & Leaves

Roses:   Wild Orchid Crafts          Stamens:   ChocolateLetters on Etsy          Pearl spray and lace:   local craft store

Pearls:   Recollections          Miscellaneous:   cheesecloth (dyed)

Thanks so much for visiting today...have a great weekend!

Another Lovely Day...

Happy Friday, all!  The card for today is filled with lots of die-cut edges and layers of die cut frames...all in monochromatic tones of cream and tan...just perfect for several different card occasions - birthday, hello, even a wedding or anniversary card...

Leaves and florals on both sides of the center frames...accented with pearls, of course...  :)

A peek at the inside...the decorative lacy die cut edge is only on the front...the inside has the punched scalloped edging...

Supplies:

Dies:   Spellbinders A2 Scalloped Borders One, Opulent Ovals, Classic Ovals Small, Classic Ovals Large;

Sizzix Flowers Branches & Leaves

Embossing folder:   Cuttlebug Swiss Dots       Sentiment stamp:   Papertrey Ink

Paper flowers:   Wild Orchid Crafts       Stamens:  local craft store       Pearls:   Recollections

Thanks for stopping by today!

A Lovely (Mon)Day...

Happy Monday!  I'm starting the week off by sharing a softly colored, slightly shabby, totally "girly" card with a sentiment that works for so many occasions, from friendship to birthday to anniversary, and maybe a few more.  I guess that's why it shows up so often on my cards. :)

I cut the Quinn Flourish die in half, and glued one half to each end of the larger sentiment block, then added two mirror-image floral clusters on either side of the block . Each of the three layers of the sentiment blocks are popped up just a bit with foam tape...

  

And, well, there must be pearls... :)

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   Graphic 45 A Ladies Diary collection/Afternoon Tea, Focal Point, La Gazette

Dies:   Memory Box Quinn Flourish;   Spellbinders Timeless Rectangle

Punch:   Martha Stewart Doily Lace       Flowers:   Wild Orchid Crafts       Pearls:  K&Company

Lace:   TheFunkieJunkie.com        Sentiment stamp:   Papertrey Ink

Thanks for visiting today...I hope your week is starting with a smile!

Best Wishes...

Today's wedding themed card isn't quite as elaborate as Wednesday's, but it's just as elegant. It would make a wonderful anniversary card, too, don't you think?  The colors are more subdued, but the details are all there.  I used a large rectangular label die, but cut only the bottom edge with it...it made a fun and different detail on the bottom edge...

A simple trio of paper roses sitting on a couple white seam binding bows and white paper leaves are highlighted with a pearl and silver stick pin.  They're all sitting on top of a white felt doily...

...and the simple sentiment block accented with pearl trios...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:  Echo Park Melody of Life collection      Crocheted lace:  Venus Ribbon/Jay Co.

Dies:  Spellbinders Grand Labels 23 (bottom edge), Labels 10;  My Favorite Things Decorative Doily Duo

Edge Punch:  Fiskars Threading Water      Sentiment stamp  Papertrey Ink

Pearls:  Recollections      Leaves:  Prima      Roses:  Wild Orchid Crafts  

Handcrafted stick pin      Hug Snug seam binding

Thanks for stopping in for a visit today...I hope you have a wonderful weekend. (And for my U.S. friends in states that participate in Daylight Savings Time...don't forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour Saturday night!)

Song in My Heart...Take Two...

Happy Monday, all...I hope you had a great weekend!  Thank you for your kind get-well wishes...and I'm feeling a whole lot better now that I've had more time to heal...almost back to eating more than the soft foods and liquids I've been on the last week or so. Yay!

I have one more card from last week to show you...and then I have to get busy in the Korner again and get my mojo workin'!  I used this sentiment on a card last year, but nothing about the card was the same except the sentiment tag.  This time I played up the "heart" portion of the sentiment...I think it will make a fun Valentine, as well as a great anniversary card...

The mid-sized heart is covered with a basket of flowers image from Dover Publications...and the tiny one is covered with a scrap of patterned paper (Basic Grey, I think)...both are topped with a spray of mini roses with one dark blue rose bud in the center...all atop a couple dyed Hug Snug bows...

The larger chipboard heart frame is painted, inked, and coated with clear coarse glitter...and a couple handmade pearl wire spirals accent the inside of the heart and flower spray...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:  Echo Park Melody of Life collection (grey text), Be Mine collection (music), 

Dots & Striped/Candy Shoppe collection (dot)

Dies:  Spellbinders Classic Ovals Small, Classic Ovals Large;  Papertrey Ink Heart Prints

Large chipboard heart frame:  Maya Road      Floral image:  Dover Publications

Flowers:  Wild Orchid Crafts      Mini pearls:  Recollections      Hug Snug seam binding

Miscellaneous:  Handcrafted pearl wire spirals

Thank you so much for visiting today...I hope you week starts with a smile!

Celebrate Your (Mon)Day...

Happy Monday, everyone! Today's the last day of the final 3-day holiday weekend of the summer...so it's been filled with a little work and a little play...all mixed up so far...but definitely no time to sit around and be bored!

I recently won a set of stamps from Debbie at Paper Sweeties that I couldn't wait to start using...so fun! Little did I know until I contacted her to say "thanks!" that this is a brand new set, due to be released in the Paper Sweeties store on September 15 - so I did make sure it was okay for me to show part of the set to you now. :)  There are multiple sentiments within the set, so you'll see more cards using it in the future, too.

Once again I pulled out some of my new Graphic 45 papers and added some shabby touches...

Months ago I sat in front of the tv crocheting little flowers, some single layer, and several double and triple layer - and "put them away" - and then couldn't find them the next time I wanted one (insert red-faced shame emoticon here).  But they were found last weekend, hiding in the wrong storage basket...and now reside in their little zippered pouch in the basket with the fabric flowers...where they should have been all along.  Here's a cream single-layered one, layered over some gathered tea-dyed crochet lace trim and under a blue paper rose...

and here's one of the sentiment stamps from the new Paper Sweeties set...love that all the sentiments in this set are a mix of text styles.  I especially like this particular sentiment because it opens up the possibilities for the use of this card - it's appropriate for a birthday, wedding, anniversary, or any other day that's cause for celebration...

Supplies:

Patterned papers: Graphic 45 A Ladies' Diary collection      Sentiment stamp: Paper Sweeties

Dies: Sizzix Flowers Branches & Leaves; My Favorite Things Royal Leaves      Chipboard sentiment chip: Studio G

Scalloped lace: The Funkie Junkie on Zibbet      Paper rose: Prima      Pearls: Recollections

Miscellaneous: hand crocheted flower, tea stained crocheted lace trim

And I have a second card to share today - a frilly little pretty using some new Echo Park papers. 

When it first came out, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch...so I purchased it as soon as I saw it hit the stores.  It's gotten a lot of use the past few years, but about a week ago, I punched down through a piece of paper, and heard a crack...the punch was dead...and the paper inside it irretrievable, even after all sorts of pries and pokes and pleas.  Not only did something(?) inside apparently die of old age (and probably overuse), but the heavy plastic housing broke.  Funny how you miss something once it's gone...I went online last week and got one shipped to me in two days.  So, of course, I had to check out the new punch to make sure it works, right? 

It does...

This is a pretty simple flower cluster ...a piece of white lace trim gathered so it becomes "frilly," a piece of heavily gathered tulle, topped with a small yellow rose and a couple Prima mulberry leaves...so I "gussied it up" a bit by taking a cue from a recent wedding photo I ran across, and scattered some tiny pearls randomly around the tulle layer...

Once again, my favorite scroll die topped with bits of pearl flourishes to go with the lacy paper edges...

Supplies:

Patterned papers: Echo Park For the Record 2/Documents collection

Dies & punches: Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch; Memory Box Elegant Scrollwork die

Pearls: Recollections      Paper flowers, leaves: Prima      Sentiment stamp: Papertrey Ink

Miscellaneous: cotton eyelet trim, tulle, crocheted lace, handcrafted stick pin

Thanks so much for visiting today...I hope your week is starting with a smile!

Love is a Flower...

I'm on a "shabby" roll these days...more so than usual, I guess. So when the new challenge at The Shabby Tea Room had "distressing/shabby elements" specifically as part of the challenge requirements, I knew I'd have some fun with this one, too.

This card, with all its inked, dry-brushed, and distressed edges and "shabbied" embellishments...

resulted from this inspiration photo...

There were lots of little details on the card that I pulled from the picture, just none of them exactly as seen in the photo...simply "inspired" by.  Of course, there were the colors...and the whitewashing on the cabinets. And I couldn't help but notice the gold accents back on the sideboard...which meant that the little gold key was a perfect touch atop the resist canvas heart lock. :)

and a little peek at the inside...

Supplies:

Patterned papers: Echo Park Victoria Gardens collection (pink); Echo Park Dots & Stripes/Metropolitan (aqua);

Basic Grey Cappella collection (white on white pattern)

Sentiment block: Crafty Secrets      Rolled fabric rose: Creative Imaginations      Chipboard Frame: Tattered Angels

Canvas resist heart lock, paper leaves, paper rose: Prima      Pearls: Recollections      Hug Snug seam binding

Dies: Spellbinders Floral Ovals, Classic Ovals Lg      Edge Punch: Martha Stewart Eyelet Lace

Miscellaneous: metal key charm, cheesecloth, handcrafted pearl wire spiral

Thanks for visiting today...I hope you're having a great week so far!



The Song in my Heart

...is a little off-key tonight.  Have you ever had a little misstep, and after you recovered from the shock, wondered "how did I DO that?"  Yeah...that's me.  A simple step the wrong way, one ankle twists to one direction, the other leg twists in the opposite direction, and the end result? Me on the floor.  And now I'm friends with the ice pack and the Advil bottle.  The good part?  It happened after the house was cleaned and vacuumed...so at least I'm not feeling guilty...just clumsy and silly and sore. LOL  So, more computer time tonight for me!

The other day, a box arrived in the mail, and inside were some wonderful new Echo Park paper packs.  One was this Melody of Life Mini Theme pack. The papers are beautiful shades of taupe and grey and white, and I immediately started designing cards in my mind.

For this first card, I kept to the music theme of the papers and cardstock stickers in the pack, but added a little "love" to the mix...

I backed the treble clef cardstock sticker onto white chipboard, then trimmed it, to sit on top of the chipboard heart and white bows...

and printed the sentiment onto a tag to slide under the sticker...

Supplies:

Patterned Papers: Echo Park Melody of Life, "Journaling" "Words" & "Piano;

Echo Park Victoria Gardens collection (yellow pattern on chipboard heart)

EK Success Diamond Lace edge punch      Pearls: Prima      Lace: Little Red Cottage on Etsy

Hug Snug seam binding      Handcrafted stick pin using Maya Road heart pin as base

For the second card, I wanted to make a monochromatic wedding/anniversary card. I say "wanted" because once again, while I started with just the beautiful taupes and soft whites, the dark rose found its way right onto the card...I tried to resist, but it was useless! LOL  I was so tickled to find that I had some Prima roses that were the perfect shade of taupe to match the papers.

On the bottom edge, I once again used Spellbinders' Grand Labels 23...but only one edge of the rectangle... to form the shaped bottom edge.  That's one of the fun things about the larger Grand Labels...they're more than just the entire shape...they're large enough for many card shapes to fit inside the die so you can cut single edges only.  This one has a bit of a different twist on the traditional scalloped edge...

I stamped the sentiment onto a Spellbinders Labels 10 backed with white chipboard: 

Supplies:

Patterned papers: Echo Park Melody of Life "Words" ("b" side) & "Piano"

Spellbinders Grand Labels 23 and Labels 10      EK Success Threading Water edge punch

Felt doily: My Favorite Things Decorative Doily Duo die      Paper leaves & roses: Prima

Pearls: Recollections      Handcrafted stick pin      Hug Snug seam binding

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Since it looks like I'm moving slow the next few days, I'm thinking more card making is on the schedule, especially since I still have several new paper sets to play with!



Never say "never"...

A couple posts ago, I showed two all-occasion cards that I had made a while back, and forgotten to post. They'd both gone on to their intended destinations already...that's how long ago they were first made.

I had a request from a friend to remake those two cards, only with "happy anniversary" sentiments, and two additional anniversary cards.  I like all my cards to be one-of-a-kind, and often, don't have the supplies to duplicate cards exactly, unless I know ahead of time that I'll be making them in sets or pairs (as with the Easter cards posted recently).  But this was a special request, and remembering to "never say 'never,'"with a little bit of digging through my stash, I was able dig up supplies to come close to what I'd already made. The clipart can be reprinted, of course...and often the flowers can be made to closely resemble others.  The papers are slightly different, but if you don't look too closely, the "second generation" of the two cards looks very much the same as the originals, but just different enough not to be exactly the same.

Supplies:

Patterned papers: MyMindsEye Stella Rose/Hazel (aqua tone-on-tone); Basic Grey Hello Luscious (aqua print);

Graphic45 Once Upon a Springtime/Spellbound (coral)

Felt doily: My Favorite Things Decorative Doily Duo die       Paper flower: Prima      Pearls: Recollections

Laces and tulle: local craft stores      Clipart: The Vintage Workshop blog  

Sentiment stamps: Papertrey Ink ("happy""wishes"); Hero Arts ("anniversary")

On this next card, the doily's a little pinker, and the background paper's a bit greener, and the flower uses different laces and trims...it's kind of fun how those slight changes can change the overall appearance, even using the exact same placement/layout as the original:

Supplies:

Patterned paper: Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden/Nature Sanctuary      Butterfly punch: Martha Stewart

Clipart: The Feathered Nest        Paper doily: Wilton      Pearls: Prima and Recollections

Pearl brad: Gartner Studios      Laces: local craft stores      Hug Snug seam binding

Sentiment stamps: Hero Arts ("happy""anniversary"); Papertrey Ink ("wishes")

Because the request included two additional anniversary cards, I sent along pics of two cards that I had already completed except for the sentiment, just in case one or both were acceptable.  And they both were!

The original heart clipart (from The Graphics Fairy) used on this card has a Christmas sentiment on it, so I did some editing in Photoshop Elements to remove that...

Supplies:

Patterned papers: Prima Flights of Fancy/Tiptoe (pink dot); Fancy Pants Aged Florals/Beloved

Heart clipart:  The Graphics Fairy       Paper doily: Wilton      Hug Snug seam binding

Scalloped lace:  LittleRedCottage on Etsy      Pearls: Recollections      Tulle: local craft store

Scalloped edge dies: Spellbinders Classic Scallop Edgeabilities and insert      

Sentiment mini block: Spellbinders Blossom & Tags Accents die     

Handcrafted stick pin (made with Maya Road heart pin base)

    

I've always liked the floral pattern on the paper used for the next card, and it was fun to use my homemade mists to try to match and blend the paper colors onto the Prima Resistant Canvas corner flourish - I wanted some texture up in the corner, but didn't want to take away from the colors of the paper.

Supplies:

Patterned papers: Glitz Designs Laced with Grace Floral; Cosmo Cricket Haunted/Ominous (scalloped border)

Pearl flourish, resistant canvas corner flourish, paper leaves: Prima

Chipboard frame: Tattered Angels      Pearl cluster & mini pearls: Recollections

Lace flower applique: Jolee's Boutique      Scalloped edge die: Spellbinders Classic Scallop Edgeabilities

Sentiment stamps: Papertrey Ink      Crocheted edge trim:  LittleRedCottage on Etsy     Handcrafted stick pin

Thanks for stopping in for a visit.  We're in for some very rainy days the rest of the week...sounds like the perfect time to "hole up" in the Korner and make some more cards.  See you soon!