Happy Christmas

I usually mass produce Christmas cards, and it becomes a chore. So this year I think I'll just create some cards and see how many I can make before panic sets in and I have to resort to Plan B - the assembly line.

This card came together just as envisioned, beginning with the Musical Score stamp by Stampendous. LOVE this stamp. I have other music background stamps, but the small scale of this one makes my heart go pitter pat. The holly branch is from Impression Obsession, and I colored it with Copics. The sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly is stamped in VersaMagic Spanish Olive on white card stock, clear embossed and popped up on a Stampin' UP! ornament punched from Cherry Cobbler (my new favorite red). A little red Copic Spica sparkle on the holly berries to complete the look. Part of me toys with adding more red bling in the bottom left corner to complete the visual design triangle, but it just didn't feel "right" to me - maybe later . . .

Thank you for your visit today.

Hugs,

Colleen

Additions to CAS Card Set and a Tip

 

Here are some additional cards for my gift set (see previous post), and again clean and simple is the design. Copic coloring of Stampin' UP! sets "Fruit Stand" and "Sun Ripened" (both retired) and sentiments from Papertrey Ink.

And now for my Tip of the Day. For those little smudges of ink that find their way on a finished card, try erasing as much of the smudge as possible (I use Sanford Magic Rub), then giving it a light scuffing with a sanding block - sanding first in one direction, then the other. Or, if it's more than a smudge, try using the very tip of your craft knife to lightly scrape the offending blob and then smooth the surface with afore mentioned sanding block. This has worked for me numerous times and worth a try. Here's another idea. Where you suddenly have a mysterious black dot on your base card, add to the dot and make it a design feature (see example in pear card). I created a triangle of dot groups to disguise one little black dot that was annoying me. I used a Copic Black Multiliner. What do you think? I like the look.

Thank you so much for stopping by today.

Hugs,

Colleen

Card Set CAS

As promised in yesterday's post, here is a set of cards I made recently. I cannot remember the name of the Stampin' UP! set I used, but I know it is long retired. If anyone really needs the name, I'm happy to look it up in some past catalogs, so just email me.

I'm still working on adding to this set  . . .  I like to give at least six cards . . . and I'll post those when I finish.

Thank you for stopping by. And a big THANK YOU to those who have become "Followers" of my blog. It really helps me be a better blogger. 

Hugs,

Colleen

Alayna is 7!

A very special young lady turned 7(!) on Monday, and this is the card I made for her. Depending on what day you ask this girly-girl, pink is (sometimes) her favorite color. The first time I saw layered scallops on a card, I knew I wanted to replicate that idea for Alayna's birthday card. It's so her.

I used pop dots between the scallop layers, and the sentiment is a rub-on. I cut the number freehand from a lightweight coaster.

Thank you for stopping by. I'm still fighting a sinus infection that just won't give up, but I have been creating some card sets that I'll share tomorrow.

Hugs,

Colleen

Welcome Madelyn Rose

My niece, Ashley, and her husband are expecting their first child in November. There was a baby shower Sunday, and I made this card to go with the gift. Inspired by my girlfriend, Carol, I added a "pinafore" type layer from dotted vellum and secured it with ribbon. The dress began from the Sizzix Baby Onsie, but I only used it as a pattern for the top of the dress and then used a Spellbinders Mega Scalloped Oval nestie to create the hemline. No pattern for the pinafore . . . just a series of trials and errors, but I'm pleased with the result and, more importantly, so was Ashley. The little rose bud on the bow was added for her middle name, and just polished off the card . . . imho.

Thank you for stopping by today.

Hugs,

Colleen

Look Who's Turning 4 - Peyton!

Sometimes a card comes together just as envisioned. Other times, like with this card, it evolves. And what started out in my head as a very girly card, ended up gender neutral leaning toward boyish. Hey, there is a pink balloon in the bunch . . . Anyway, after investing so much time in the process, I opted to send it on its way - not completely satisfied with the final product, but realizing it will serve its purpose. Hey, I can't be Julie Ebersole or Susan Raihala everyday, right?

The balloon is an old  (1995!) stamp from CC Rubber Stamps with a matching punch from Punch Bunch. Sentiment is from Impress Rubber Stamps, and for information on the fabulous background stamp see this post.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,

Colleen

Masculine Card

Feeling a little under the weather today, literally.  Louisville has gone from daily high temperatures in the upper 90's to frost advisories tonight, and it's creating havoc with my sinuses. So a simple card it is... This beautiful stamp is from Inkadinkado, and I just stamped it and highlighted a few areas with Copics. Sometimes that's all that's needed. Then again, tomorrow I may look at this card and feel differently. . .

I appreciate the visit today.

Hugs,

Colleen

OLW21 Inspired By Nature

Another fabulous challenge by Susan this week. I'm a little late to the party because I was out of town and am still rushing to get caught up.

This butterfly stamp from Inkadinkado jumped off the shelf and insisted on coming home with me on a recent shopping trip. For someone who is not particularly crazy for butterfly stamps, I certainly have amassed quite a collection.

The coloring (Copics) is not my best. The prototype actually looks better. This one needs more blending, but it was either use this or skip the challenge. My husband expects dinner when he comes home from work. LOL

Thank you for the visit. I hope to spend lots of time in my stamp room in the next few days. I absolutely go through withdrawal after being away from it so long.

Hugs,

Colleen

It's Your Day!

A real quick post - limited internet access. Shoe stamps by Hero Arts. I'll have to get back to you if you want the manufacturer of the the sentiment stamp. Copics utilized for coloring. Apologies for the hit and run.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,

Colleen

More of the Same.... Almost

I like love the card from the previous post, so decided to make a few more but with some variations. I need to make some card sets for Christmas gifts, and these may fit the bill. Sentiment used on the middle card is from River City Rubber Works, the bottom card is from A Muse. I used Stampin' Up! kraft card stock for the card bases, except for the one I screwed up and salvaged it by adding it to a white base.

Now . . . do you see the reverse grid background stamped on these? Isn't it just awesome?!! I have been on the hunt forevah for just such a stamp with no luck so my friend, Carol, made it for me! Can you believe it?! Carved that sucker with her two bare hands, I tell ya! And it is absolutely perfect! It measures a whopping 6x6 (swoon), all the lines are exactly measured and straight, and it stamps beautifully. I am still speechless. Talk about priceless . . . Consider this fair warning - you'll be seeing a lot of cards using this background. Mucho thanks, Carol! You're the bestest.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Hugs,
Colleen

OLW20 Three Plus One

More evidence of my recent A Muse splurge (see post below) and again inspired by the fab Julie Ebersole. I embossed the Queen Anne's Lace with white embossing powder . . . don't you just love how white looks on kraft?! The leaves are also from A Muse and stamped in PTI Ripe Avocado. The sentiment is Savvy . . . a previous splurge . . . 'nuf said.

Thanks for the visit.

Hugs,

Colleen

A Muse Goodies

Inspired by Julie Ebersole during the A Muse release a few months ago, I invested in some A Muse goodness and tried today to channel the great Julie HRR (Her Royal Rubberness). Using Memento inks, this is what I came up with. As much as I'm drawn lately to CAS designs, I think the card with the layer of PTI Orange Zest debossed with PTI's Canvas impressions plate is my favorite.  What do you think? I hope Julie HRR would approve.

Thank you for your visit today.

Hugs,

Colleen

Surprised and Honored!

I had the most wonderful surprise this morning! Bonnie Klass honored me with the One Lovely Blog Award. How sweet is that?!  Now the pressure is really on . . . to live up to that. Thank you Bonnie.

I do have a card to share with you today. I confess to being a little on the fence about this one . . . I've had this patterned paper from 7 Gypsies on my desk staring at me now for weeks, so I decided to get out "Sew Artsy" from Hero Arts and make it earn its keep. A little faux stitching and Copic enhancement and voila! The addition of ribbon just didn't work for me. I think all the CAS style I've been cultivating lately is starting to take root LOL

Thank you for stopping by today.

Hugs,

Colleen

OLW19 Black and White with a Spot of Color

Another great challenge this week over at Simplicity's blog. I went looking through my stamp stash for something with polka dots and found this butterfly stamp from Michael's $1 bin begging for ink. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Round and Round anniversary set and the tiny magenta gemstones that don't show up well in the photo are from Hero Arts.

Thanks for the visit today. Have a good 'un.

Hugs,
Colleen

FOUR Posts In One Week and the "Followers" Widget Added

I'm so on the ball this week . . . four card posts, and I added the "Followers" widget to my sidebar. I'm starting to feel like a real blogger. Any day now someone will share the secret handshake with me lol 

I may have mentioned before that I have a few birthdays and anniversaries in September, so today's card is for an upcoming birthday. I colored this Kim Hughes owl with Copics and then took the white crayon still laying on my desk from the crayon resist technique used below to soften some of the browns a bit. I like the result. You just can't go back to the Copics after adding colored pencils or crayons or it will ruin the nib of the Copic. I used pop dots to layer the party hat and an additional layer for the pom pom. IRL it's very dimensional. The branch is a piece of a limb from a Spellbinders die.

As for the "Followers" widget . . .  I'm not exactly sure how it works, but apparently some people use is to keep track of blogs they visit regularly. Anyway, I'm on board, so come along. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,
Colleen