A New Home

A New Home

At my last craft fair, a customer asked me if I had a card for a new house. I actually had one that said "Welcome Home" but the message wasn't what she wanted her card to read.

I took back the model in my post #269 and just changed the sentiment.

The colored home is actually propped with dimensionals foam and stand out in the line of houses.

I used a clear stamp from TheStampsOfLife.come and colored the home with my Copic Markers.

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Until next time...

Not Sent From My iPhone

Not Sent From My iPhone

I have seen those cards in many different variations, but I wanted a very simple one for those of us that think a pen and a paper still have their place in our world.

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I just rounded the corners after printing the sentiment.

Until next time...

I Am Here For You

I Am Here For You

Clean and Simple... and powerful.

A simple pink ribbon... nobody need an explanation for it anymore, to assure your friend that she is not alone in her fight.

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Until next time...

Good Luck My Friend

Good Luck My friend

A Clean And Simple card... I punched 4 hearts out of green linen and glued them to form a 4 leaves clove.

I chose a handwritten font for the printed sentiment.

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Until next time...

Thinking of You

Thinking of You

In the same spirit than my post #203, another Sympathy card, with a touch of pastel, since it seems I am in a pastel mood lately.

I used two different embossing folder, a tree from Crafts-Too and some bulrush plants from Jim Holtz Sizzix Alterations collection.

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The butterfly is made with a Martha Stewart punch, and the Thinking of You sentiment comes from an older clear stamp set.

Until next time...

(by the way, I am sooo happy my punctuation is back!)

Happy Birthday with a Touch of Pastel

Happy Birthday, with a Touch of Pastel

This is going to be a challenge

Let me explain: my keyboard is not cooperating, or something is living inside and eating little by little, key after key, starting with the bottom left part

As you can see, I am loosing punctuation marks as we speak!

If I wait any longer to post, nobody will be able to understand what I mean

But, a picture being worth a hundred words (and trimming, like punctuation, etc) here is my newest creation

Once I was done with the latest thank you card, I thought of using this flower garland someplace else, and there it is!

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The sentiment was printed from my computer, I then use a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the top three quarter of the card and added the flowers garland (punched with the same EK punch) at the edge of the embossed part

I then used my Copic BG11 to highlight the design

Until next time, and with all my key stokes in play,

A Pastel Thank You

A Pastel Thank You

A CAS card, for a change... Clean And Simple 4bar card in Tiffany Blue color. 

The sentiment printed is actually the same color than the light blue piece and the flowers garland.

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I used an EK punch for the flowers garland, and a Fiskars one for the edge of the top panel.

I then attached a piece of Tiffany blue card stock that I marked twice with an embossed line.

Until next time...

Heart-full Christmas Tree

Heart-full Christmas Tree

Another of my Pinterest inspiration, from another Stampin' Up demonstrator called Margaret.

Check out her blog, Making Papercrafts, at http://makingpapercrafts.blogspot.co.uk/

She had the very clever idea to make a Christmas Tree with upside down hearts... and it worked!

I used the Hearts from Spellbinder Nestabilities for the big heart and the little $1 punch you used to find at Michael's for the little one.

The trunk (which is actually a flower pot) is a stamped image from Martha Stewart clear floral stamps, as well as the bow.

I printed the sentiment with two different fonts and added a little blue with my BG11 Copic marker on the stars to give them dimension.

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Until next time!

Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree

Pinterest is so full of inspiration, but a dangerous pass time.

"Tout en moderation", (everything with moderation) is the key, and I am sticking to it for the time I spend lost in Pinterest.

Still, no place like it to find beautiful idea like the one below:

This is part of a card made by Sharon Cheng, a Stampin' Up demonstrator with a vision, I'll say!

If you want to see how the Christmas Tree is made, here is the link:

://www.sharoncheng.com/2010/12/art-to-go-printers-tray-christmas-joy.html

Or I can try to explain how I made mine: I used some green scrap paper I had and the scalloped circles from Lifestyle Crafts. 

I cut three circles, starting by the biggest one and using the one to the next each time. I then cut them in half and form three cones that I staggered on the front of the card.

I added a trunk for the tree, and used my bone folder to add a 1/2 inch frame around the card.

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Until next time!

Piano Keyboard Thank You

Piano Keyboard Thank You

Because I seem to never have enough of those piano cards... (cf posts: 43, 254, 303)

A change to my usual Piano Birthday card, this time, I made a thank you one.

The web is full of piano keyboards template to print. I made mine to fit a 4bar size card (47/8 inch).

I then printed a sentiment and cut it in 1/2 inch tag. I rounded the corners and propped it with 3D glue dots.

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To finish it nicely, I added a red ribbon.

The inside is lined in white linen.

Until next time!

Birthday Gifts in a Window

Birthday Gifts in a Window

I found that "It's Your Day" flocked paper at one of the Scrap Fair I visited last year but haven't found a use for it in a card so far.

A  Spellbinder Nestabilities rectangle die allowed me to use a small piece of it and make it stand out.

I actually embossed the die in the linen card stock before, and added the cut piece of paper inside.

The sentiment was printed from my computer and I added a little cupcake inked in light blue: it is a Stubby from Stamps By Judith, my go-to little stamp.

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Until next time.

Birthday Ice Cream

Birthday Ice Cream

I used an ice cream stamp from Printworkscollection.com and colored it with my Copic marker.

 I then propped the colored image with dimensionals on the card with a printed sentiment.

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It doesn't get simpler than that.

Until next time.

Anniversary Flowers

Anniversary Flowers

Last year at the sacramento Craft fair, I found those metallic embellishments from Scrapyard 329, and I have been using most of the graduation and party related ones.

This red bouquet just found its place.

I printed the sentiment from my computer, and added a piece of linen run through my Cuttlebug in an embossing folder, at the bottom.

I then glued a small red ribbon.

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A two step card, simple and cute...

Until next time...

Christmas Trees

Christmas Trees

Pinterest is for me a mine of ideas, that I usually pick at,  ending up with a totally different card from the one that inspired me. 

This time, it was just perfection. This card was pinned from a SplitcoastStampers gallery (Biggan: card FS192 Two Treest and a Star), and the artist used corrugated cardboard for the trees and the star.

it is just beautiful!

Here is my version of it, using simple Kraft paper.

I run the white linen through a cuttlebug folder, giving the feeling snow is falling in the background.

The star was cut with a QuickKutz die, and I used puff 3D paint for the ornaments on the tree.

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I also propped the top tree with 3D adhesive. The trees are a little slanted on purpose.

Until next time!

Wishing You a Happy Birthday

Wishing You a Happy Birthday

Simplicity is the word. My favorite cards are the one that scream simplicity.

In the same spirit than my post # 264, 

a nice sentiment and a lightly stamped image.

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I used a studio g stamp, inked in pale khaki color and used puffy paint for the flowers.

The sentiment is from my computer, with two different fonts.

Until next time!

Birthday Candles

Birthday Candles

This must have been the easiest card to make... 

I found this idea on the Hero Arts site: it is from Donna Mikasa whose blog (http://3umbrellas.blogspot.com/2012/05/best-wishes.html) is full of the most simple and yet adorable cards.

The hardest part would be to choose the right font, and on my computer, the sky is the limit. 

I must have thousands of cute fonts I collected over the years.

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Once the card is printed, I took my Viva Paper Pen sunny yellow 3D paint and added some flames for these candles. 

The picture doesn't give it justice, it is really 3D.

A quick and easy one!

Snowman

Snowman..

Ah, this is more of the season.. .although, living in Southern California, I can assure you that our November is pretty summery.

Now, I was surfing the net looking for an idea of Christmas card and this one was just too cute to pass...

Check out Anya Schrier blog:

http://aschoss.blogspot.com/2010/12/baby-its-cold-outside.html

it is full of beautiful cards. 

I was obsessed by the one below:

so striking and yet, so simple to execute.

Here is my version of it, pretty similar.

I run the blue cardstock in a Sizzix folder, and use the Lifestyle Circle dies to make the three circles of the snowman.

I inked the edges in light blue and propped them up with some 3D sticky.

The arms and nose were cut by hands and I taped the two pieces of the  scarves under the top circle.

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I left the cover without a sentiment, because the card itself is pretty explanatory...

Not done just yet... another post is coming right now...

Mother's Day Garden

Mother's Day Garden...

I know Mother's Day is far from now, but I had made that little garden patch with a fence a while back (probably in May when Mother's Day was in the air) and never got to use it. 

Today IS the day.

I used a clear stamp from Martha Stewart for the stems of the flowers, and a Stick Stamps from Stamps by Judith for the flower itself.

The fence is cut with a Papertrey Ink die, out of kraft paper.

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The sentiment was printed from my computer, and I used a Spellbinder Nestability to cut a frame around it.

This framed sentiment is glued on the card with some 3D stickers.

I used a pink paper the color of the flowers to make them stick out, and chose to round up only one corner of the card.

Until pretty soon again....

Happy Birthday in Flip Flops

Happy Birthday...

... in flip flops

-305-

I am back...

After 5 months and 6 days of complete inaction on the posting department, I am almost afraid to post again.

Not that I have been unproductive for this whole time, but my card making has been on the back burner as I was trying to catch up with my kids scrapbooking.

I made this card for a dear friend of mine, she is exactly that: a row of colorful flip flops on a line with a flowery and lively background. Every time I make a card, I have the image of the person it goes to, and this time, it was a no brainer.

I used a Whipper Snapper Designs stamp (www.whippersnapperdesigns.com) that I purchased at the Sacramento craft fair last october.

I then got my Copic markers out, which made me realized that I really need more of those.

The paper I used in the backing is a "Me and My Big Ideas" one that i have also forever but found too "bold" to use. Well when you only leave a little showing it is of the best effect.

Until very soon this time...

Father's Day Card for a Diver

 Father's Day Card...

... for a Diver.

Yes, we have one of those in our home! 

Since I made a Birthday Card for my son (cf post 210) with a diver, and a shark, I already had an idea of what I wanted to do.

Pretty much the same, minus the shark... 

I run a blue card stock through my cuttlebug in a Bubble Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, and added a piece of torn vellum to make the sky.

The Papertrey ink sentiment is printed on a cloud made with a Fiskars cloud punch.

I added some 3D paint to make the bubbles.

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Until next time....

Happy Birthday with a Piano

Happy Birthday...

... with a Piano.

When comes the end of June, I am putting on my thinking cap to come up with an idea of a Piano Birthday Card. Why? Our Piano Teacher Rosemarie's birthday is coming up.

(Check out post #43 and #254 for earlier pop up piano cards.)

This year, I am trying myself at another kind and since my uncle's birthday (Claude Cohen, the very famous pianist of the Puente Romano, Marbella)  is coming up, I made this card in double.

Check it out:

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Another view of it half open: it does look like a Baby Grand, doesn't it?

I made it an A2 card: I folded in two a black card stock 8 1/4 in  by 5 1/2 in, and cut out free hand the shape of a piano on each side.

I then cut the top part at 1 1/4 in of the edge, as to mimic a lid.

The bottom part of the "lid" is then glue down but I scored and folded it at 1/2 in to make a Music desk that hold the simile sheet music up.

I then added a printed keyboard on top.

I found that wonderful LD Music font for the words and added a few notes from another font called Tone Deaf BB, both free on the internet.

On the inside, i added a white lining to write a personal message.

I think Rosemarie is going to like it...

Until next time!

Congrats!

Congrats!

After the tons of Graduation cards I made in the past few weeks, I still was looking for the perfect one for my daughter graduating from Davis on the 15th of this month.

I wanted something that would reflect her personality.

She is... like a flower.

So I put 4 of them, one for each year she was away in Davis, stamped with a Stamp Craft stamp, and colored the heart of the flower with a Copic Marker.

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I then added a piece of Simplicity Class of 2012 silver Ribbon at the edge of the three windows.

The diploma is from Sparkle'n Sprinkle, the cap is a Michael's $1 stamp.

Congrats! is a Vap! Scrap stamp. I attached it to the top part of the card so when you open it, it reveals the UC Davis gold seal: I had some leftover from her graduation announcements... which makes me wonder where I messed up and not put those stickers.

Here is a close up:

A view of the inside: I just added a yellow card stock to remind of the yellow hearts of the flowers.

Here is another version of the same card, I replaced the yellow card stock by a silver one, and used a "stars' stamps from Anita's and a Congratulations sentiment from Stampin'up.

I couldn't resist but adding the "You're the Star of the Show! (from Annette Aden Watkins) on the inside flap.

Until next time...

Father's Day sailboat

Father's Day Sailboat.

As i was looking for a sailboat sticker in my stack for the previous card, I fell upon this embellishment I had for age but never used because I was waiting for the right occasion.

Well, today is the day! 

Another father's day card with a sailboat, but this clipper had to steel the focal point.

Nothing should take away from the majesty of this piece.

How about making her sail on one of the seven seas and catching a snapshot?

On a sky blue background, I torn the outlines of the waves out, and added half a lone cloud to counterbalance my one masted schooner.

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The embellishment is from Jolee's and I used my Fiskars mini cloud punch.

The sentiment is printed before hand with Architect font.

Here is a second version...

Until next time.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day.

Can you believe that Father's day is just around the corner? 

As much as Mother's day card came naturally to me (flowers, flowers and more flowers..), it was very hard to think of something to case for a Dad.

Until now. 

I was checking a blog in Swedish (nope, I am not fluent in Swedish BUT there is at the top of the blog a very useful "google translate" application that works beautifully.)

Anyhow, pictures need no translation.

Do check that blog, though, you are going to be flabbergasted... believe me...

http://bigganed.blogspot.com/2011/07/snoren.html

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I (almost) had a blast rolling this cotton thread around a ring made with 

two Nestabilities circles. It took forever, but I like the results.

I added a Jolee sailboat sticker, and cut out some waves in a blue card stock with a scalloped circle punch.

 I also added half a cloud made with my Fiskars cloud punch, with a small sun behind.

The sentiment was printed beforehand. The font is called Architect.

Until next time.

It's a Boy

It's a Boy!

Long time no see... I know, no posting for close to two weeks, but I wasn't sitting idle on the cards department. 

No card making, it is true, except the one I am here to show you, but I was busy doing an inventory of my cards, and refurbishing this blog especially the postings way at the beginning. I used to stick a picture and add a title and go back to my drawing board.

Then I learnt...

Hence the close to two weeks I just spent arranging those first steps postings.

As a reward for this hard work I allowed myself to make ONE card. Just one.

A baby one by chance, because I do own this Itty Bitty Solar Elem stamp that I never used, until today.

I made it a baby mobile!

I first printed the sentiment on a white linen, and added a green card stock where I punched a window with a 3.5 in scalloped punch.

I stamped my Solar Elem on a striped paper, blue, green and white and cut out all the hanging elements.

I stamped it again on the white linen and added the stamped stars to it..

I then doodled a hanging thread, a bow and dropped a little bit of 3D paint to make a sort of nail.

To finish the card, I rounded the corners. 

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Until next time.

Mother's Day, one more for the road...

MOTHER'S DAY...

... one more for the road

Off to the Craft fair, I am (11 to 2, today May 12, down on Bellevue Av in Bird Rock... hope to see you there), but wait!

One more for the road....

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Another of those flowers pot, on a wooden table, with a beautiful sentiment framed in a Label #10 Nestability.

The opening under the table is made with a label #19 Nestability.

Until next time....

Welcome Little One

Welcome Little One...

Another take on my card # 253, still the same flip card, but this one is neither pink nor blue, a neutral beige that can go for a boy or a girl.

The flip card is from A Cut Above, and the details at the bottom side is made with a Nestability, Label 22.

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The teddy bear is from a Martha Stewart punch and the sentiment is a "rub on" from Scrap Ease.

Thank you Splitcoastamper!

Until next time...

Mother's Day Bouquet

Mother's Day Bouquet...

I guess I was lying to myself yesterday when I said I was done making cards for a while.

My craft fair is tomorrow and I keep wanting to add new models to my already overflowing  baskets.

This time I think I am done. The sun is shining bright outside and I am going to move on to oiling my teak furniture so I will be able to enjoy laying around without guilt this weekend.

OK, one more Mother's day card, same stamp, same circular sentiment, same baker's twine just a different color....

And a lone button to tie up the baker's twine..

Here you go:

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Until next time....

Happy Mother's day

Happy Mother's Day...

They always come in three, right? So, here is my third Mother's day card of the day.

I found that beautiful used stamp at the Craft Fair last week end: as soon as I saw that potted plant I had an idea of a card in my mind.

I used once again those wonderful circular sentiments you can download here:

http://rubberstamping.about.com/od/greetingscards/ig/Birthday-Sentiments/

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I first stamped the image on a silver card stock and kept the pot, then on a white card stock for the flowers bouquet.

I used my Copics on the flowers, and tie a baker's twine around the pot.

The pot is propped with dimensionals on a white card stock, then matted on a yellow one.

Until next time....