OLW-9 Flourishes

I can't believe I've done Simplicity's challenge 4 weeks in a row and actually gotten the cards posted on the blog! Yippee!
This was a fun challenge....again, a one layer card, free of extraneous embellishing...but, this week, using flourishes.
So here's my take....it evolved over the last several days, and what I ended up with in my mind actually worked out on paper! Yeah!
Used a script background stamp from SU!, flourish from Stampabilities, and sentiment from Impress Rubber Stamps.
Thanks for peeking!

A Little Birdie....

A quick post to keep the ol' blog going.....

A simple birthday card for my brother in law and a friend, using Inkadinkadoo stamps, Memories ink, and SU! kraft and black cardstock. Liked the masculine feel...I always struggle with masculine cards.

Thanks for peeking!

OLW-8 Masking a Background

Well, if I get 2 posts up in a month, I consider myself quite lucky.

So, is today the end of the world? After all, it is my 2nd post of THE DAY!!! Hmmm.... Will wonders never cease? Scroll down for the first post, OLW-7.

Today is One Layer Wednesday, Week 8, Masking a Background over at Simplicity's blog. I needed a sympathy card, so I worked with it. And here it is.

The flower image is from a Gina K set, Comfort & Peace, and the sentiment is from Amuse. My masked background is the result of using a Spellbinder's die, Labels 4. I used chalk again for the subtle background, because I couldn't find a complementary, pale ink in my stash that wouldn't overwhelm the delicate flower and sentiment.

Thanks for peeking!

OLW-7 Repetition

I really like this card. It's the third rendition of what was playing around in my head when I read about Simplicity's One Layer Wednesday, Repetition, LAST Wednesday. Well, I never quite got it loaded up on the blog before today's new challenge, but then, better late than never.

The gorgeous palm tree is by Rubber Soul, and the sentiment is from Amuse. I used my Marvy markers to ink the tree(s) prior to stamping. Love using those when I need to ink small spots with different colors. They stay pretty wet so I don't need to huff on them to rewet the ink before stamping. The sand/water horizon was created with chalk....remember that? When I need a light hand in doing some kind of background like this, chalk is definitely my friend. If I had tried sponging with ink or airbrushing, I am sure I would be on my 43rd rendition and I still wouldn't have it up on my blog. So, chalk it is.

Thanks for peeking!

Fluttering by...

In order to get the ol' mojo going, my friend Colleen and I talked awhile back about doing some of the card challenges out there in blog world. Well, we talked, but never produced. This past Wednesday, Simplicity, aka Susan Raihala's blog, posted her 6th in a series of one-layer card challenges. This particular challenge requires the use of a single card, no matting or layering, no embellies if at all possible, and the technique of stamping an image or sentiment partially over another stamped image or sentiment. (Whew! all that make sense???) Her past challenges have been intriguing me, but, there was always some excuse not to participate. But! This week was different. I decided to overcome my fear of one-layered cards and just do it. And, the result is not too shabby. I can live with it. In fact, I've already sent it on to my sister in law. And in the midst of all this decision making, who should call out of the blue, but my dear friend Colleen, to challenge me to do the Simplicity challenge. Ha! I said! I already had mine done, photographed and mailed out! I really put the pressure on her. And wouldn't you know it, she beat me to the posting!

Well, enough of the chit chat and on to the card. Old image and sentiment.....image of the butterfly is from Inkadinkadoo and the sentiment is My Sentiments Exactly! Cardstock and ink are from SU!

Thanks for peeking!

Will you be mine?

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
I wanted to share some valentine's I made this year. First up is the one I made for my honey. This is a rather simple card...I didn't want to make it too frou-frou-y. So, I used real red and kraft cardstock from SU! The embossed dots on the kraft are courtesy of a Quickutz embossing folder. The heart is an EK Success punch. Used a scrap of burlap...even the bow is made from a fiber pulled from the burlap. The background to the heart/burlap is a piece of corrogated box, cut into a square with red DMC floss wrapped in the valleys. I thought it was a neat effect. The stamp is a $ one from Mike's.

Next up is another very simple card utilizing the hearts embossing folder from Cuttlebug. I used a $ stamp from JoAnn's...isn't it just adorable? I LOVE it! The sentiment is by My Sentiments Exactly!. Cardstock is from SU! Used a Nestie rectangle around the heart image.

Another card I made this year (yes, they were all quite simple) again uses SU! cardstock. Those polka dots (aren't they fun?!?!?!) are from Impress Rubber Stamps and the Tart of Hearts is from Karen Lockhart. Colored the image with my Copics. The "you're sweet" sentiment is from a clear acrylic set from Rubber Soul and the "happy valentine's day" sentiment is again from My Sentiments Exactly!. I used a circle nestie to cut out my image and 2 sizes of scalloped nesties to double mat the image. Used my smaller oval punch from SU! for the "you're sweet" sentiment and popped it up with dimensionals.

This valentine uses another JoAnn's $ stamp. Those Studio G stamps are so darn stinkin' cute this year! Again used the My Sentiments Exactly! sentiment. Used a rectangle nestie to frame the image and used SU! cardstock.

Thanks for peeking!

A Daisy Birthday

Another birthday card made with a fun, bright paper I just love. Unfortunately, I made it awhile back and I can't remember the manufacturer! I do know the yellow polka dots on the bottom are from Bo Bunny (LOVE their dot papers!). The image stamp is from Make an Impression and the sentiment is from Rubber Soul. Can't remember what media I used to color with, but I did use Diamond Glaze to give the appearance of water in the vase. Used my nesties to cut out the image and sentiment, and used Fiskars Apron Strings border punch for the scallops below the ribbon. Found ribbon, a button and some dmc in my stash to round things out.

Thanks for peeking!