Hope, Peace and Love

Hi Y'all,
Happy Holidays! With only a few days left we're all trying to get those last-minute cards done. Today's card is a very quick and easy card.

Stamp and emboss May you have the gladness of Christmas rubber stamp (Quietfire Design) on Bazzill Bling cardstock. Cut out using Spellbinders Labels 15. The decorative paper is Kanban Paper, English Riviera - Pink. Cut out elements and use double-sided tape to attach to base card. This is a lovely paper and each sheet will make at least 6 cards with plenty of scraps to spare.

This card is for the Created Byhand Challenge.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season.

Christmas in the Heart

Hi Y'all,
Is everybody busy creating holiday cards? Or are you just starting? Quietfire Design has a great new collection of holiday stamps for your enjoyment. The theme for the Created Byhand Challenge this week is Dear Santa.

Stamp and emboss images on white cardstock. Color with pearlescent chalks and Sakura gel pens. Cut out with Spellbinders Labels 18. The background is done using a technique called Pounced Pearls. Use small wads of plastic wrap to pick up three colors of chalk ink and press onto glossy cardstock, then dust with Perfect Pearl. Spray with Workable Fixative to set. Cut out with Spellbinders Grand Labels 11. Mount layers on silver 5x7" card. Use pop dots to mount the saying layer for added impact.

Don't forget that Quietfire Design is now giving prizes for the Created Byhand Challenge.

Enabler's List:
Rubber Stamp, It is Christmas in the heart
Rubber Stamp, Christmas Dreams, Paula Best
VersaMagic Dew Drop Inkpads (Red Magic, Oasis Green, Purple Hydrangea)
VersaMark Inkpad
Perfect Pearls (Perfect Pearl)
Glossy Cardstock
Spellbinders Labels 18
Spellbinders Grand Labels 11

Thanks for looking.

Witchy Woman

It's the witchy, spooky time of year again. Here's a card that uses some images from the new Wicked Halloween plate from Quietfire Design.

The background was created using several colors of Vivid mini inkpads and a craft sheet. Press inkpads onto craft sheet, spritz with water and press glossy cardstock into inks until you have full coverage. Stamp and emboss images. Cut out front panel using Spellbinders Grand Labels Eleven. Create shaped card using Grand Labels Eleven and adhere front panel. Use silver gel pen to create faux stitching and adhere square purple bling.

Single images from the Wicked Halloween plate will be given away this week as prizes. More details can be found at the Created Byhand Challenge blog.

Thanks for looking.

The Origin of Love

The theme for this week's Created Byhand Challenge is Mango Sunset or Orange and blue. This is a rather quick and easy card, except for the vellum layer.

Brayer a piece of glossy cardstock in a crosshatch pattern using Kaleidacolor Desert Heat rainbow inkpad, heat set and emboss with Tim Holtz Rays folder. Use a tiny stipple brush to add Brilliance Sunflower Yellow Dew Drop ink to the raised rays and heat set. Rub edges with Tim's Paper Distressor and Sunflower Yellow ink.

Stamp Flourished Corners and The Origin of Love (Quietfire Design) on vellum using Brilliance Graphite Black ink and clear embossing powder. I stamped the left corner, then the saying and then the right corner to get the spacing I wanted. Only took three tries, lol. Cut out on an angle with Spellbinders Labels Four. Attach to background with pieces of double-sided tape behind the Fourished Corners and attach to blue base card.

Enabler's List:
The Origin of Love rubber stamp
Flourished Corners rubber stamp, set of 3
Tim Holtz Embossing Folders, Rays
Tim Holtz Paper Distresser
Spellbinders Nestabilities, Labels 4
Brilliance Dew Drop Inkpads, Graphite Black and Sunflower Yellow

Thanks for looking.

The love we give away...

Today's card was created when hurricane Irene was wrecking havoc. Rather fitting that the theme for this week's Created Byhand Challenge is Hurricane/Swirls.

The background was created using Portfolio Watersoluable Oil Pastels. Lay down light layer of Brilliance Sunflower Yellow Dew Drop inkpad on white cardstock. Draw swirls with red, oranges and yellow Portfolios and use fingertip to blend. When you're happy with your results use a waterbrush to lightly wet surface then heatset. Use Tim Holtz Paper Distresser on edges, then rub edges with yellow inkpad. Ink front edges of prepared base card with yellow inkpad and attach background. Stamp and emboss saying (Quietfire Design), cut out with Spellbinders Small Deckled Mega Rectangle, and ink with yellow. I added some Sea Oats seedheads to a round (spiral) clip and attached it to the corner. Add a dab of white glue behind each seedhead and lightly brush a bit of glue over the fronts to slow drying and preserve the color.

Enabler's List:
The love we give away... rubber stamp
Portfolio Watersoluable Oil Pastels
Spellbinders, Small Deckled Mega Rectangle
Brilliance Dew Drop Inkpads, Graphite Black and Sunflower Yellow
Sookwang double-sided tape
Tim Holtz Paper Distesser
Round paper clip, copper

Thanks for looking.

Bog Garden Encounter

Hi Y'all,
The other day I was working around my bog garden and paused to catch my breath. I looked up to see a brilliant turquoise dragonfly sitting on a leaf watching me. So cool and a great inspiration for this card.

This was a quick card to put together, great stamps from Quietfire Design, Perfect Pearls, VersaMark and layers. The base layer is done with Perfect Ink Refresher and a wash of turquoise Perfect Pearls. The gold accent lines are done with double-sided tape and embossing powder. A bit of bling and call it done. This card is for the Created Byhand Challenge which has the theme of triangles for this week.

Enabler's List:
Rubber Stamps, Butterflies/Dragonflies Set of 7, Quietfire Design\
Perfect Pearls, Pastels
Perfect Ink Refresher
VersaMark Inkpad
Sookwang Double-Sided Tape
Glossy cardstock, black

Thanks for looking.

Trees and the Listening Heaven

Last week I read about a great tree vs. man story. An 800 year old oak tree in a village in Turkey was in the path of road construction. The villagers and environmentalists worked to get the tree declared a "monumental tree. Sometimes progress is to take a step back.  One of the newest stamps from Quietfire Design couldn't be a more fitting sentiment to reflect this story.   Glad the Universe was listening.

The Created Byhand Challenge this week is to use only ovals.   Stamp and emboss saying on white cardstock; cut out using Spellbinders Lacey Ovals. Sponge lightly around saying with Brilliance Sunflower Yellow. Use tip of Brilliance Pearlescent Ivy Dew Drop inkpad to color edge and lace. A Q-tip helps get the tight spots. Stamp and emboss three oakleaves; trim closely and paint with Twinkling H2O's. Use a stylus to trace veins and gently crease and curl to give depth to leaves. Add a piece of decorative paper to light green 5x7" base card. Attach saying with pop-dots and leaves with strips of double-sided tape at stem and main vein. Add three pearls in upper right corner.

Enabler’s List:
Trees are the earth's endless effort

Tim Holtz Acrylic Grid Block Set of 9

Spellbinders Lacey Ovals

Brilliance Dew Drops Pearlescent Ivy Inkpad

Sookwang Double-Sided Tape

Green textured cardstock and decorative paper

Twinkling H2O's (Golden Jade, Olive Vine, Wild Vine)

Corner Rounder, Martha Stewart

Oak leaf stamp, Creative Images

By the way, I have so far resisted the urge to unmount my stamps.  The acrylic blocks I've had for ages are uncomfortable for me so don't get much use.  I spotted the Tim Holtz grid set and decided to give them a try.  I am very pleased with them.  They're thin, lightweight and easy on the fingertips.  The grid really helps get things straight.  Hmmm, I may be sliding towards umounting at least some of my stamps.  Need to explore indexing and storage solutions for unmounteds.

Thanks for looking,
Hugs
Monica

The doors we open

Hi Y'all,
I hope everyone had a wonderful July 4th holiday. My husband had Friday through today off so we decided to tackle a huge project we've been discussing for some years. We started earlier this summer building a rock wall around the inside of our 2,500+ gallon earthen koi pond. This weekend we did the other 2/3rds and finished up a couple of hours ago. Whew! What a lot of work but it is well worth it. When we've filled and drained it a time or two to get the water clear we'll put our koi back in the pond. They're not happy in their temp tanks so I know will be thrilled to get back in their home. I'll take pictures once Zippy and Company are back in and things have settled a bit.

Now back to stamping...

The theme this week for the Created Byhand Challenge is fireworks or metallics. I chose to use metal for my sample.

I started out with a Pepsi can I had carefully cut apart, cut is with Spellbinders Labels Eight #4 and #6, then embossed it with Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. Sand both inside and outside edges for safety. I used a piece of duplex cardstock, possibly Stardream, that is silver with metallic blue on the reverse. Stamp and emboss saying (Quietfire Design) on piece of silver cardstock large enough to fit behind metal frame. Attach frame to saying layer with double-sided tape. Trace around inside edge of frame with blue gel pen, then while ink is still wet use fingertip to draw color into saying layer and onto frame.

Cut a piece of cardstock to 5"x7" and another to 4 1/4"x5 1/2". Use Scor-It and Scor-It Ruler to create starburst on both pieces. A wonderful tutorial for this can be found at Indigo Inklings. Look under Scor-It Ruler. Thanks Jay! Since the two sizes of layers didn't line up exactly I added lines as needed using the Scor-It and Ruler and just eyeballing it. Add ribbon to both layers, assemble with double-sided tape and attach to 5"x7" card.

Enabler's List:
Rubber Stamp
Spellbinders Labels Eight
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Swiss Dots
Scor-It
Scor-It Sliding Ruler
Gel Extreme Pen, Blue
Sookwang Double-Sided Tape

Thanks for looking.
Hugs,

Sunlight to My Heart

Hi Y'all,
Good morning and Happy Solstice. I glad to see the sun peeking through the clouds today after several days of very soggy weather. The theme this week at Created Byhand Challenges is Sun/Moon or yellow.

I started out by creating the background paper. I'm running low on colored cardstock and instead of rushing to buy more I'm using up some of my supplies to create my own background papers. This time I used Ecoline Watercolor Ink, Turquoise Blue. I used a Pipette, Shortie, to add the ink to a mini-mister, added water, then misted a piece of watercolor paper. Dry and repeat until you get the shade you want.

The sun was created by running a piece of yellow cardstock through a Cuttlebug using the D'Vine Swirl embossing folder. Cut out 4 pieces using Spellbinders Labels Three #2 and 1 piece using Spellbinders Standard Circles Large #2. Add a few drops of Brilliance Pearlescent Yellow ink to a dauber and sponge onto edges of all Labels Three pieces and all over on the circle. Stack the Labels Fifteen pieces in offset layers and put the Circle on top using double-sided tape.

Cut a Spellbinders Standard Circles Large #2 to use as a mask and use Painter's Tape to attach it to the area you want to position the sun. Use Brilliance Dew Drop inkpad, Sunflower Yellow, clear embossing powder and parts of the smaller Flourish (Quietfire Design) to create rays. Remove mask and daub Sunflower Yellow ink around center of rays, then attach sun.

Here's a closer look at the sun and rays:

Stamp and emboss saying (Quietfire Design) on white cardstock with Brilliance Graphite Black ink. Cut out using Spellbinders Labels Fifteen. While the cardstock is still in the die, daub edges with Brilliance Sunflower Yellow.

Attach Sun and background layer to 5"x7" piece of yellow cardstock, add a piece of lace and attach saying. Attach to base card.

Hop on over to Created Byhand Challenges to see what others have done with this them.

Enabler's List:
You are Sunlight
Flourishes 1
Spellbinders Labels Three
Spellbinders Labels Fifteen
Spellbinders Standard Circles Large
Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirl Embossing Folder
Ecoline Watercolor Ink
Mini Misters
Pipettes, Shorties
Brilliance Dew Drop Inkpads
Embossing Powder
Arches Watercolor Paper
Sookwang Double-Sided Tape

Thanks for looking. I wish everyone a very happy Solstice, first day of Summer.

Hugs,

New Beginning

Hi Y'all,
Circles and Dots is the theme for the Created Byhand Challenge this week.

The background is white cardstock run through a Cuttlebug with Tim's Retro Circles embossing folder. It was colored using Portfolio Pastels. I scribbled on the various colors and rubbed them in with my fingertip, then spritzed with water to blend and set. Cut out using Spellbinders Labels Seventeen. Stamp and emboss saying (Quietfire Design) on a piece of light green textured cardstock. Tip: if you have broken lines fill them in with a Sakura Glaze pen. Cut out with Spellbinders Lacey Circles. Create basecard and emboss with Cuttlebug Swiss Dots. When assembled, add tiny rhinestones to saying layer.

Enabler's List:
Rubber Stamp
Portfolio Pastels
Tim Holtz Retro Circles
Spellbinders Labels Seventeen
Spellbinders Lacey Circles
Cuttlebug Swiss Dots

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Hugs,

Beautiful Flowers

Hi Y'all,
Flowers are bursting into bloom to compliment the many shades of green of the new growth on evergreens. Fitting that the theme this week for Created Byhand Challenge is flowers.

The decorative paper is Kanban Papers, Salerno, Beige Metallic Glaze. I cropped the two flowers using Spellbinders Labels Two #5. The third flower was trimmed closely. Cut a 1 1/2"x 5" strip of the background portion of the Salerno paper. Stamp the Rumi quote on a piece of the background and cut out using Spellbinders Labels Eighteen #4. Cut layers of light Bazzill Bling cardstock using Spellbinders Labels Two #5 and #6. Use a VersaMark Pen and Ranger's Super Fine Gold embossing powder to edge the quote, background strip and Bazzill layers. Assemble on darker green Bazzill Bling cardstock.

Enabler's List:
Rubber Stamp
Kanban Papers, Salerno, Beige Metallic Glaze.
Spellbinders Labels Two
Spellbinders Labels Eighteen
Embossing Powder

Please take the time to visit the Created Byhand Challenge blog to see the other beautiful submissions.

This card will also be submitted to the Anita Be Stampin Challenge #22- Layer It On.

Thanks for stopping by today.
Hugs,

Created Byhand Challenge

Hi Y'all,
This week's theme is White/Breathe. Here's my card:

Sponge Lumiere Pearl White on piece of white cardstock. Stamp and emboss saying (Quietfire Design). Cut out with Spellbinders Labels Seventeen. Emboss a piece of white cardstock using Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirl. While cardstock is still in folder tamp over raised area with Brilliance Moonlight White Dew Drop inkpad. Round corners. Create card base and sponge Lumiere Pearl While around edges. Assemble layers.
Enabler's List:
Rubber Stamp
Spellbinders Labels Seventeen
Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirl Embossing Folder
Lumiere Pearl White
Brilliance Dew Drop inkpad, Moonlight White

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Hugs,

Cats Rule

Hi Y'all,
The theme for this week's Created Byhand Challenge is Queen/Purple. In our house, cats rule and purple is my favorite color so this was an easy one for me.

When I started to create this card I discovered I didn't have exactly the color of purple cardstock I wanted so I went exploring in my supplies. The base layer is Lumiere Pearlescent Purple paint sponged on watercolor paper. Two pieces of Stardream Gold cardstock were cut using Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Pendant die. Mount one piece directly to base card; rotate other layer and mount with popdots. Stamp and emboss "Queen of" and "All She surveys" (Quietfire Design) on lavender Stardream text weight paper. Cut out using Spellbinders Fancy Tags dies and mount as shown with popdots. The "Queen" is from a package of Movable Parts Just Cats diecuts and is mounted with popdots. Use sections of popdots waste to attach crown charm.

Enabler's List:
Rubber stamps
Watercolor paper
Lumiere paint
Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Pendant
Spellbinders Fancy Tags
Crown Charm
Stardream cardstock
Just Cats diecuts

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Perfect Butterflies

Hi Y'all,
This weekend I decided to play with Perfect Pearls to create some background papers. The technique I used on today's card is a variation of Northern Lights from Paper Transformed by Julia Andrus. Here's my creation:

Spray two pieces of black cardstock with Perfect Ink Refresher and buff with tissue. Mix Perfect Pearls with water and brush onto first sheet of cardstock. Spritz lightly with more Perfect Ink Refresher. Press other sheet of black cardstock on top of first sheet, then pull apart from one of the corners. Allow to dry, then spray with water to set Perfect Pearls.

This technique makes the cardstock very fragile so adhere backgrounds onto another piece of cardstock before continueing. This is a good way to use up those pieces of carstock from variety packs that don't appeal or failed experiments. Useful tools for this technique are Little Bitty Scoop and Pipettes Shorties.

The base background is made using Green Patina, Blue Patina and Heirloom Gold Patina. Butterfly was stamped and embossed in the center and small butterfly was stamped repeatedly over background with Brilliance Graphite Black ink.
 
The frame layer used the second sheet of background created. I added a wash of Forever Green, spritzing with water to set. The frame was cut using Spellbinders Labels Twenty-One and attached with pop dots. The small and large butterflies were stamped on pieces of scrap background and embossed with gold embossing powder. Trim closely. Brilliance Pearlescent Yellow from a reinker was brushed around the edges and on antenae for highlights. Butterflies were mounted with popdots.

This card is used for the following challenges:
Created Byhand Challenge
Our Creative Corner

Enabler's List:
Stamps from Quietfire Design
Perfect Pearls Aged Patina Kit
Perfect Ink Refresher
Little Bitty Scoop
Pipettes, Shorties
Spellbinders Labels Twenty-One

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Created Byhand Challenge

Hi Y'all,
This week's theme for the Created Byhand Challenge is Mom/pearls. My mother passed away in 2007.  I chose the word Memories as this week's challenge has brought even more loving memories of Mom to the forefront of my thoughts.

Memories, from the Life Journey Words set from Quietfire Design, was stamped and embossed on Waves, Silver Snow decorative paper. It was cut out using Spellbinders Labels Four #5. A frame was created using Labels Four #4 and #5. Cut and emboss cardstock using Spellbinders Contemporary Hearts. Before removing cardstock from die, trace over swirls below hearts using the gold Gel Xtreme pen. The next layer is Edera decorative paper. Assemble elements, including faux pearl flourish, on base card measuring   4 1/4x5 1/2".    This scan does not do justice to the decorative papers used in this card. 

Thanks for looking.
Hugs,

Created Byhand Challenge

This week's challenge is to use circles. I think this is a perfect theme for this saying. I wanted to show off some new decorative papers recently received from Quietfire Design so this is a quick and easy card.

The decorative papers are from Magic Happens Collection paper pad by Kaisercraft. The saying (Quietfire Design) was stamped, embossed and cut out using Spellbinders Standard Circles Large. The next layer is Brilliance Bling cardstock cut with Spellbinders Lacey Circles. Corner elements were created with Cuttlebug Vintage die. The Brilliance Bling cardstocks matches the decorative papers better than this scan shows. The base decorative paper has a silver metallic pattern and the Bling has a sheen. Both gave my scanner fits.

Thanks for looking.
Hugs,

Hokey Pokey Dancer

Hi Y'all,
This weeks Created Byhand Challenge is to use Dancing Shoes/Vintage. I immediately thought about my Hokey Pokey stamps. Here's what I created:

The dancer and saying (After Midnight) were stamped and embossed on white cardstock. The dancer was colored with Twinkling H2O's Baby's Breath, Jasmine and Wisteria. It was cut out using Spellbinders Labels Five. The saying was cut out using Spellbinders Labels Fifteen. Both were stippled with Brilliance Pearlescent Orchid.

The background was created using a thick restaurant napkin and Radiant Rain Pink Azalea. I spritzed the napkin with water and daubbed on the Radiant Rain. When dry I tore out the size of background needed.  One of the images from Quietfire Designs Flourishes 1 was stamped all over the background with Brilliance Pearlescent Purple. A light pink top fold basecard was created using Spellbinders Labels Eight.

One of my youngest cats is named Hokey Pokey and she does the dance quite often, purring madly as I sing the song for her.

Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs,

Created Byhand Challenge

The theme for this week's challenge over at Created Byhand is Spring Fever/Pastels. I just love this Anais Nin quote. Right now things are still tightly in the bud here in the northeast Tennessee mountains but it won't be long before things burst into flower.

The quote was cut out using Spellbinders Small Deckled Mega Rectangle #4. The background layer was brayered on white glossy cardstock using Kaleidacolor Bouquet inkpad. It was cut out using Spellbinders Curved Rectangles Mega #6. The flower was cut from a scrap of cream Embossed Paper. I used a Q-tip and the Kaleidacolor inkpad to color the flower. The base care measures 5x7".

Welcome Spring!
Hugs,