Winter and Snow

We started the new year out with some snow.  I was thankful it was on the week end so my driving could be limited.  I had wanted to do some visits but that will wait for another day. My snow shoveling fairies came through last night but I should go out this morning and do it again.  More snow fell during the night.  Of course, one must make a snow card during this time.  I am getting caught up on cards I did not get sent during the holidays.

This stamp is from My Favorite Things.  It is such a sweet image.

I colored the image with distress paints and gelatos.  Embossed my white cardstock with a snowflake folder.

I am entering it into two challenges.  The first challenge is the Friday Mashup.  Winter theme and snowflakes.  I think I have both of those covered.

The second challenge is the weekly challenge from The Paper Players.   Their challenge is to make a card using a recycled or repurposed item.  The cardstock used in my card - the base and the embossed layer - are recycled cardstock from commencement programs.  It is a wonderful heavy cardstock and every year at the graduation ceremonies I can't stand to watch all those programs get thrown away.  I now have people who are so into my recycling of these programs, in May, we have two ceremonies - when I get to the 2nd ceremony to work, they will already have a cart full of the programs for me.  As I wait for the graduates to arrive, I pull out the insides and save the covers.  It has saved me so much money over the years.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I have enjoyed playing with my paper and having some well earned paper therapy.

Keep It Simple and Mash It Up

Doesn't that Title sound like a good idea for dinner.  Hmmm - mashed potatoes and some chicken.  Oops - I digress - we are talking about card making and two different challenges.

I just found another new challenge called Keep It Simple.  Their challenge for the last two weeks is

Turquoise is one of my favorite colors.

The challenge at The Friday Mashup is color wash and a CAS project with minimal layers.

I dug out my distress inks and starting making color wash backgrounds.  I smooshed the ink on my work area and spritzed it with water.  I also spritzed the watercolor paper and then put the water in the distress ink.  On the Sympathy card, I rolled the ink around so that I pooled ink in some of the areas of the paper so it got a darker in some areas.  I really like how it turned out.  The birthday card started the same way but I got a more even color on this panel.  While the panel was still wet, I sprinkled salt on top and let it dry.  Once dry, you brush the salt away.  It gives a great finish to the color washed panel.   I am entering one of my cards in the challenge on Addicted to Rubber Stamps challenge to Make Your Mark - well I made my own color wash paper.  Hope that counts.

I used the same stamp set from Hero Arts on the cards.  The birthday card uses the outline stamp.  I then colored the flower in the distress ink.  When you use the distress ink without water, it gives you a deep rich color on the flowers.  I added some black gems in the center.

I stamped the flower on this card with the stamp that gives you the all over color.  Sorry the proper name escapes my mind.  I matted the image.  On this card I cut the top edge shorter than the back.  I lined the inside of the card with the same color as the mat.  It makes a very pretty card but it is very hard to photograph.  I added clear gems to the center of the flowers.

Both cards have a embossed background (white on white).  All the white in the cards, is recycled cardstock.  The sentiments are SRM Stickers.  I just cut off an edge on each color washed panel to get a strip that matched the cards.

Sorry for the long post.  I actually have one more card with the same color wash and flower stamp.

Thanks for the great challenges.  I am happy I was able to combine them and also I now have a sympathy card for my own supplies and a belated birthday card.  Numerous people could receive this card since I am a little behind on my birthday cards.

Friday Mashup Word Bubble

The weekly challenge on Friday Mashup always has three options with it:.  This week it is color, word bubble, or color and word bubble combined.  I seem to always forget the second part of the challenge.

My Silhouette Cameo can cut so many different shapes and I love all the different word bubbles I can but.  I found this design.  I had to size it down so it would fit on an A2 card.  My card is slightly smaller than 4.25 inches.  The white and purple are both recycled cardstock from commencement programs.  I have lots of this paper - especially the white so I make my own white cardbases all the time.  I stamped a couple sentiments to pop on top of the word bubble.  I cut out a couple little hearts to add around the sentiments.

This card will go in my next Operation Write Home box.

Oldie Moldie Monday and Friday Mashup Collide

When I saw the challenge on Friday Mashup - I got so excited.  Mix patterned paper.  Sometimes I think I am the queen of combining patterned paper.

We have a new co worker starting in the office.  Several years ago I started making monkey cards for the new employee and leaving it on their desk for their first day.  Welcome to the jungle is what it says on the inside.

I am slowly working on this 6 x 6 pad of Basic Grey paper.  I don't seem to get more than one card made a week out of it.  Busy times here and lots of cards to make.  I finished up a canvas this week for a graduation present and am working on a wedding card for this upcoming week end.

Here is my card with lots of layers of patterned paper.  How many layers are on it?  There are only six layers on this card.  What is your record for layers on a card.

The monkey is from Stampendous.  The patterned paper is from Basic Grey.  I cut the hello from recycled card stock and glued 4 layers together so it has some dimension.  After I glued them together, I used the pile on lots of weight to make sure it dried flat.  The card is a little smaller than the standard A2.  I like it when you can let an element hang over the edge of your card.

Everyone enjoy your Monday.  Another day of peddle to the metal this week at work and home.

Virtual Card Party

Gee I am doing the first challenge from the virtual card making party with Operation Write Home.  This challenge is to "zig zag your card" - this piece of zig zag paper was laying on the design table so I decided to use it - I used the Silhouette to cut the banner.  The car image is a $1 stamp I bought somewhere - another stamp I have gotten my money's worth out of - it was colored with Copics and I chalked the white paper around the car.  The Hello is another $1 stamp - stamped with $1 ink.  Just call me cheap.  The gold and black circle are debossed using a large dot folder.   

This could also qualify for the "things with wheels" challenge.

I am also entering it in the Friday Mashup Challenge - to use your markers and texture.

OK back to work.