Christmas Cards

Here are some of the Christmas cards I made for this year. Of the 26 different designs (some very similar) I created, these were my favorites.

This one is a Penny Black hedgie image that I colored with my copics and Bic markers, matted on generic red paper and then music paper I've had forever and don't remember where I got it.

The SU roller "Candy Cane Christmas" was used with Real Red for the background. The House Mouse Image HMJR1020 and colored with Bic Pens.

This one was sooooo simple. I was running short of time and so the cards like this helped! The background is embossed with the Cuttlebug Embossing Folder "Joy and Cheer". I don't remember where the sticker came from.

This card used the Cuttlebug Embossing Folder "Snowflakes" and the SU set of unknown name...it's my mom's and I don't recall what it's name is. The hat and mittens are stamped with Adirondeck's Cranberry. The hat is edged with flocking and the mittens are strung together with yarn.

Another simple card. I used the Cuttlebug Embossing Folder "Holly" and red Stickles. I think the paper is SU Forest Foliage.

I got this super shiny gold paper from someone via Craig's list and I don't know what company it is. I used the Cuttlebug Embossing Folder "Joy and Cheer" and used my Sizzix original die "Holly" with SU's Real Red and Forest Foliage.

House Mouse Halloween Cards

I love Halloween and these HM stamps are adorable. The first 2 cards I made the fronts as backgrounds, but then thought they were too cute to cover up so I added the mice to the insides.

For these cards, I used Perfect Plaids for the backgrounds:

I love this stamp, "Sweet Find", probably because I love candy corn, so I really enjoyed making these:

I got this background in a Splitcoaststampers Swap and thought it was perfect for this House Mouse.

Fall Cards

Halloween Cards

I made Halloween cards over the weekend whilst watching TV with Johnny.

Baby Announcements

In a previous post I mentioned that I was making baby announcements for friends. Well, it took some time, but they (all 25 of them) are done. What should have been a simple thing was not. I stamped all the images I needed and then took them with me out of town to color. After coloring them all, I started cutting them out. I got all of the safety pins cut out and about a quarter of the babies by the time I got home. I started to put together the first card and discovered that the colored images didn't match the paper (both were Pretty in Pink). Shock and horror! So my first thought was that my pen was running out of ink, so I used my reinker to reink it. This still didn't work, so I borrowed my demo's pen. I very carefully checked the color with the paper after each image (yes, I'm a bit OCD haha) and it matched perfectly. So, I relaxed and colored in all 25 babies and 25 safety pins, and then cut out all 25 safety pins - they are the easiest. I also ordered another pen. The next morning, to my horror, they didn't match! Well, there are only 2 variables to this...the pen and the paper. I always buy GP cardstock, so I didn't think that would be the problem, but I had used a new ream of paper. So I went to Michael's and bought white cardstock. Guess what - it WAS the paper. The image matched the paper perfectly the next day, (I finally smartened up and only colored one image as a test!) so I finished the cards. What a mess. But, finally, all 25 are done and delivered. The moral of the story? Even if the paper is the same, it's the paper's fault! :)

Stamp A Mania's Eagle

I love this stamp! I made these while my mom was here. The first one is Embosses on black and matted with Tempting Turquoise. The EP is a mix of Stamp A Mania's silver and Desert Sky. The second card is embossed in black on a shimmery, almost metallic green paper matted with black.

New House Mouse Stamps

My mom got me some new House Mouse stamps at the convention. All Fired Up and All Fired Up 2, Count Mouse and then I bought The Graduate from HL's clearance.

French Lavender Fields

While watching the Tour de France ride through the lovely lavender fields, I decided to get this out and make a card. I used watercolor pencils and then painted water over it. I backed it with purple and used a darker purple for the photo corners.

B & J's Art Stamps

I made this at the B&J Make and Take while at the convention. I believe this is a new stamp, because I don't remember seeing him before. He is awesome and I will probably be buying him soon. I inked up the background stamp with a yellow, a blue and Indian Rouge. After stamping the Indian (oops Native American) I embossed it all with Fire EP. You can't tell in the scan, but it is clear with iridescent sparkles in it. I then stamped the swirlies in the blue before embossing the edges with the Indian Gold EP.

I've had this stamp for more than 2 years and it has never been inked before this. I saw a card example at the convention using browns like this and thought it was so wonderful, so here is my version. The cat is from After Midnight and I used my new Copics...E57, E29 and E33 to color it. The background cardstock is from a Neutrals pack I got at Michael's by AC. I added the three black brads and was finished.

Hopi Kachina Card

I just love this Hopi Kachina from Stamps Galore. I've had him for several months now, but this is the first time I've used him. The background and the swirls are from B & J's Art Stamps and the background speckles are from SU's Prehistoric Paintings. I used Inkcredible inks...Desert Peach for the center, Harvest Gold for the edges and speckles and Passport Green for the very edges and the swirls.

New Abbey Stamp

I used my new abbey stamp from Magenta for this card. Once again, I used both the Harlequin (Lost Coast) and Italian Script (Judikins) backgrounds, stamping both with the Dune from ColorBox. Both the abbey (Magenta) and the saying (Stamp Camp) also were stamped in Dune.

Flowers...Really, A Flower Card

I know, me making a flower card is surprising. But I do...on occasion. I was showing Mom how to use the Stamp-a-ma-jig and this is one of the sets I have that needs it. I used the harlequin background in Pretty in Pink and the Italian Script background in Purely Pomegranate. The hollyhock is from SU's Spring Garden set and is stamped with both of those colors and Glorious Green for the stem. I used the Victorian scissors to trip the edge before double matting it with both colors.

Petroglyphs and Pots

These two cards are made using tan/cream paper - the tan just happens to match the Dune ink from ColorBox. The background is the Relics wheel from Stamp A Mania and the pots are Marvy punches. The first card uses the swirl and background from SU's Ancient Art. The second card has the hand stamp from B & J's used on the pot.

Cards, Cards and More Cards

While Mom was here, we made cards...lots of cards.

This is one of my medieval cards. Da Vinci's Leda is from Lost Coast and the saying is from Stamp Camp. I used SU's basic brown and brown and cream paper from a set by AC Paper I got at Michael's. I used a duster to add the brown to the whole image and then the inkpad to color the torn edges. I didn't have the right color brads, so I used embossing powder to get a good brown.

Stamping Convention

My mom came to town for the stamping convention and some stamping. We met up with Amy and Sharon and had a great time at the convention, getting new stamps, punches, paper and ideas.

Purple/Green Card

Last night as we were watching Torchwood (yeah!) I made this card. I've had the fiber thingy for several years - a make 'n' take at a convention (and yes, I bought the fibers and haven't done anything with them) - and finally decided to use it. I have some green shimmery paper that I thought would be great with it, and sure enough, it's perfect. The picture isn't very clear and the color is sorta off, but the purple in the fibers is a perfect match for the purple paper.

Baby Announcements

I am making baby announcements for a couple of friends and I gave them a choice of several designs. They chose the top left.

Top Left:

SU "Cuddles and Tickles"

Cuttlebug embossing folder Swiss Dots

Pretty in Pink paper/ink

Spellbinders scalloped rectangle dies

Top Right:

SU's "Cuddles and Tickles"

Spellbinders scalloped rectangle dies

white ribbon

SU roller "Hand Prints"

Pixie Pink paper/ink

Bottom Left

SU "Cuddles and Tickles"

Pretty in Pink paper/ink

Scallop die (Cuttlebug?)

white ribbon

Safety pin and pink beads

Decorative scissors

Bottom Right

SU "Cuddles and Tickles"

Cuttlebug embossing folder Swiss Dots

SU scallop circle and circle punches

Paper from ???

Today's Cards

I found a package of patterned paper that I really like. It's not my "normal" type, but I was drawn to it. So far, I've made a few cards with it. I also used flowers from Michael's with brad centers and the Swiss Dot Cuttlebug embossing folder. The last one uses ribbon from the $1 spot at Target and the SU stamp set "Everyday Expressions". I used Fiskar's Victorian deco scissors for the edges.

White Cross Card

Here is a card I created for a swap on Splitcoaststampers. It was a White only swap and I had a hard time coming up with an idea. To make matters worse, there are a couple of *very* creative ladies in the swap that have signed up for (and created cards) for 11 spots! Their cards are amazing and I was always thinking that my ideas wouldn't measure up. Then inspiration hit and I came up with this card. I've had this stamp for several months and not used it, so it was nice to come up with a design using it. The cross is from Stamp A Mania (I love their stamps!!) and I used SU Dazzling Diamonds. The background is the Swiss Dots embossing folder, cut with the Victorian scissors. The cross has been cut out and popped up.