Bee Happy!

For today's card I am revisiting an old favorite stamp set, accenting with some cute coordinating Eyelet Outlet brads in both funky and mini versions.  

These mini bee brads are absolutely adorable!  

The minis are the smaller version of our traditional bumble bee brads, but I love the funky bee brads version, and spring bubble brads are the perfect companions for a fun sentiment inside.  

When the days get short and gray, a happy yellow card is the perfect perk-me-up!  

Visions of Sugarplums

Today's Stamp Simply card was inspired by the sugarplum colors of this Bo Bunny designer paper, by the idea of looking through a window at a lovely Christmas tree, and by the 12 Days of Christmas (see the ornament in the bottom right corner?).  In our family we celebrate the 12 days from Christmas until Epiphany...sometimes we do something daily and sometimes we just do something super simple like (gluten free) King Cake.  One year for the month of December we did The Advent Jesse Tree devotional, which is a wonderful study of the names of Christ and their symbolism.  That also played a part in the choice for the verse on the inside of this card.  

This frou frou bow was fun to make!  I knotted a short piece of tulle, then stretched the edges into a ruffly flower, layering two with some faux canvas ribbon, adding bits of frayed sparkly cording and pretty pink mini blossoms.

The tree is colored with Copic markers, given a bit of sparkly garland and some glittering rhinestones.

Here's the inside, with a verse from Isaiah about the names He shall be called.  I love Messiah Chorus and every time I see this verse I pretty much have to sing it.  ;)

Here are the supplies I used, all from Stamp Simply:

Bo Bunny Carousel Christmas
Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Combo/Stamp/Die Christmas Trees
Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Jesus
Spellbinders Die - Classic Ovals Large LG
Spellbinders Die - Classic Ovals Small SM
Memento Full Size Dye Ink Pad - Tuxedo Black
Kaisercraft Mini Paper Blooms - Fairy Floss
Original Bow Easy
May Arts 5/8" Faux Canvas - Spring/Summer Sampler
May Arts 3" Tulle - 5 yard Bundle
May Arts Metallic String Ribbon - 5 yard Bundle
Rhinestones - Light Pink
Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
Scrapbook Adhesives-3L 3D Self-adhesive Foam Squares - Mix

If the Shoes Fit...

A Pinterest pin of a Halloween wood project inspired my potion-y, rebus/pictogram card for today!  Distress oxide inks have made creating "witches' brew" backgrounds so much fun, and Eyelet Outlet brads are perfect for spelling out a Happy Halloween phrase!  

Witch Leg Brads

Witch's Hat Brads

Monster Brads

Glitter Washi Tape - Purple

Purple Jewel Bling Strips

Skinny Washi Tape

Enjoy your weekend!

Love*Joy*Peace

I was recently browsing FB and saw my friend Lois Bak's panel pull-out card, so I had to look up the SCS tutorial and try one myself for today's Stamp Simply project.  This fold looks impressive but is incredibly easy and is a great way to feature coordinating prints of designer paper.

I love that this paper is a kind of transition paper with prints that work from Fall through Christmas, so if you still have Fall projects to finish before you move on to Christmas cards, this pad would be a great choice.  Another bonus is that the colors of the Christmas prints are a bit unexpected and not quite traditional.  The same goes for the Petaloo Sugared Minis...the pack includes these pale green flowers that work with the Christmas prints, along with some beautiful gold ones that coordinate with the Fall designs of this paper pad.  I just love the green and bright turquoise together!  (If you're wondering why I am still stuck on Fall...the high yesterday here was 79, which finally is a little cooler than it has been for a while!  Maybe I can finally get out of Summer mindset, leave Fall behind and begin thinking more about Christmas!  Maybe!)

In the fancy fold tutorial, the fourth panel of the fold is stamped at the bottom, and I was delighted to find that one of the sentiments in Stamp Simply's O Christmas Tree set fit there just perfectly!

Here are the Stamp Simply supplies I used:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamp O Christmas Tree combo
• Altenew Tropical Forest ink cube combo
• Delicata Non-Tarnishing Ink Pad - Golden Glitz
• Zig Wink of Stella Brush - Clear Glitter Marker
• Spellbinders small and large classic oval dies
• Spellbinders Die - Creative Page Tabs
• Rhinestones - Ice Blue
• Kaisercraft Sparklets Rhinestone Clusters - Fern
• Petaloo Botanica Sugared Minis - Gold Sienna
• Bo Bunny Dreams of Autumn
• May Arts 5/8" Faux Canvas - Spring/Summer Sampler
• Original Bow Easy
• Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
• Scrapbook Adhesives-3L 3D Self-adhesive Foam Squares - Mix
• Tim Holtz Tonic Stamp Platform
• Copic markers

Hello!!

Hello!!  I'm here with a CAS vintage kraft, black and white card with just a tiny pop of color.  The outside is clean and graphic with a sentiment in an old-fashioned font accented by a telephone brad from Eyelet Outlet's telephone/fan brad set.  

Inside there are some torn strips of vintage washi tape and phone washi tape, along with a punny sentiment built from typewritten words, a couple of stamps and a fan brad.   We have so many selections for coordinating tapes and brads, it really makes your creative options practically limitless!  

Enjoy your weekend!  We have forecast highs around 87 degrees so I'll be enjoying some craft time in the comfort of the AC!

So Blessed!

I love the colors of Fall!  Even though Florida does not get all of the full-fledged flaming colors of Fall at this time of year, the light still changes to a more golden hue and the air has a clear crispness (even if it's hot!) that is noticeably different than summer.  As November and the end-of-year holidays approach, my heart always turns toward giving thanks for being "so blessed!"

Isn't this BoBunny paper gorgeous?!  It has beautiful yellows, golds, oranges, pinks, reds, purples, and even a few flecks of green and makes for an elegant Fall card, especially when paired with shimmering ink and satiny two-toned ribbon.

This is a asymmetrical design that begins with a narrower-than-usual card base.  Then an overhanging element brings the overall finished dimensions to the traditional 4.25 x 5.5 inches that will fit in a standard envelope.

Here you can see the hint of gold on the underside of the rust colored satin bow, and Darsie's beautiful stick pen that reflects the pops of pink and green in the designer paper.  There are lots of layers using simple shapes with just enough fancy.

Here are the supplies I used, all from Stamp Simply:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps Welcome Fall
• Delicata Golden Glitz ink
• Tim Holtz Tea Dye distress ink
• Ranger Mini Ink Blending Tool
• BoBunny Dreams of Autumn
• Petaloo Botanica Sugared Minis Blooms
• May Arts 5/8 inch Reversible Satin Ribbon Rust/Gold
• Stick Pin by Darsie
• Spellbinders dies:
• long rectangles
• triple tear
• small classic circles
• Mono Multi liquid glue
• dimensional adhesive squares

Swept Off My Feet!

Halloween card-making is so much fun!  The colors are so bold and quirky.  Silly, punny and even downright corny can work for Halloween when it would fall flat for other holidays.  On top of all that, it is just fun to stretch your non-holiday stamps and supplies and use them in unexpected ways.

I've been sewing clothing for a Colonial era historical reenactment, and so I guess petticoats and bumrolls are partly what inspired today's card!  I looked through all of my stamps and found an image and sentiment that I thought would go with these witch's legs brads, and then sketched a bodice and some poufy purple hair to go along with them. 

The witch's bum is a small piece of tulle stitched and gathered and knotted, then positioned so that the broomstick barely peeks through from underneath...hopefully it looks like she is comfortably seated and flying off into the night. Of course, her little black kitten had to go along for the ride!

Bright purple glitter washi tape frames the design, echoed in her glittery purple hair and the colors of the designer paper bodice.  

Certainly silly and sure to bring some Halloween smiles and snickers (pun intended!)!  Have a great weekend!

Keep Christ in Christmas

I love this sentiment from our new Stamp Simply Clear Stamps O Christmas Tree set, and that's what inspired this project.  When I sat down to play, these not-quite-traditional Christmas colors were calling to me!  I love the soft pinks and blues of this designer paper.  So pretty!  

Even the unassembled cross shape of the box goes along with the sentiment!  ;)  The box was cut from heavyweight card stock, and then assembled with scor tape.  Spellbinders square dies made the designer paper part of the decorating easy.  (Cut the paper to 7.5 x 10.5 inches.  With the long side against the top of the scor pal, score at 1/2, 3, 5 1/2, and 8 inches.  Rotate 90 degrees and score at 2 1/2 and 5 inches, then trim away the flaps as shown).

The soft pink and the shimmer of silver are simple and elegant.  

Here are the Stamp Simply supplies used to make this project:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - O Christmas Tree
• Coredinations white heavyweight card stock
• Bobunny Carousel Christmas designer paper
• Delicata Silvery Shimmer ink
• Abandoned Coral and Iced Spruce distress oxide ink pads
• Ranger mini ink blending tool
• Spellbinders classic squares small
• Spellbinders long classic rectangles
• Spellbinders Crosses 2 dies
• Chevron Twill ribbon (382-34-17)
• pink burlap string (MA-SM-10y 17)
• light pink rhinestones
• 1/4 inch scor tape
• Mono Multi liquid glue
• dimensional adhesive squares

Cinema: Admit One

I love going to the movies!  It has been a couple of months since we've been because we all seem to all be going in different directions with hectic schedules, especially since school started again.  I'm hoping to go soon to see the one with Judi Dench.  I love her!

Our new movie brads and this retro designer paper are what inspired today's card.  

I adhered some wide ticket washi tape to some white card stock and bordered it with some skinny washi tape, adding a little red pearl heart and a tiny red bow because that little bit of red in the washi tape design caught my eye. 

 

Don't you adore these brads?!  Against some black, white and retro they really stand out!

Inside there's a little heart jewel bling atop black and white layers for another pop of color.

Happy Friday!  Have a great weekend!

Welcome Fall!

Fall is gradually starting to make its appearance here in our household.  I really LOVE these colors and this time of year gets me even more excited to craft.  Today I am sharing a Welcome Fall insert for a frame that remains on display year-round, next to my daddy's typewriter.  The images, new stamps from Stamp Simply, were stamped with Stazon ink and "painted" with distress oxide re-inkers on watercolor paper.

Once again I am using Simple Stories double-sided designer paper. It was perfect for this project because even though the backside of the frame is not meant to be on display it is visible, and so the double-sided paper made very easy to quickly add something attractive to that side also.

I confess to being an impatient stamper!  I thought the distress oxide ink "paint" splatters were dry when I flipped the piece over, but they weren't and of course, they smeared a little bit.  I am trying to be okay with oopsies like this, but UGH, they bother me!

Supplies:
Stamp Simply Clear Stamp Set Welcome Fall
Stamp Simply Clear Stamp and Die Combo Harvest
Spellbinders Small Standard Circle Dies
Simple Stories Hello Fall designer paper
Hello Fall matching enamel dots
Stazon ink

Ranger watercolor paper
Tim Holtz distress oxide ink reinkers (Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, Twisted Citron, and Peeled Paint)
Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Ranger Mini Ink-blending tool
Tim Holtz Tonic Stamp Platform
hole punch
3/8 inch ribbon bittersweet
Mono Multi liquid glue
self-adhesive foam dots