New Year. . . New You

For the last challenge of 2014 I decided it was time to look forward to 2015.  Mindy here, with my card that celebrates that it is Time for a New Year and a New You!  Many folks make resolutions at the New Year, but I don't have much luck at sticking with them. But then again, there is always next year.

I am sharing the how-to's of this card on the Classy Cards n' Such Blog this afternoon.  I hope you will drop by and see just how I made it, and all of the wonderful products I used from the Classy Cards n' Such online store. You can click HERE to visit the online store, and if you use the coupon code MINDY-10 at check-out you will receive a 10% discount on your entire order.  Happy New Year 2015 to all our friends, from Classy Cards n' Such!

See you all again soon!
Mindy

Gelli Plate Fun!

Hello friends!  Christmas is just around the corner, and luckily I have finished making and addressing my holiday cards, so all I have left to do is mail them.  Today's post is two pictures of a print that I pulled from my Gelli Plate. I hope you enjoy viewing it.

This print was made using three colors of acrylic paint on my Gelli Plate. I then positioned the Bloom plastic stencil from Color Box on top of the plate, and pressed a sheet of white card stock down on it.  This is what they call the first pull.  For the second print from this same plate, I removed the stencil and then pressed another sheet of white card down on top of the plate and pressed on it again.

This is what they call a second pull.  Most artists like the second pull better than the first, probably because it has more color and texture to it.  It really depends on the stencil used and the color saturation on the Gelli Plate.

On my first print above, I didn't get a clear print in the center of the design. So I used a small flourish swirl stamp to stamp a design in the center. You can see on the second pull where the center came out complete.  The pressure you use when pressing the paper on top of the stencil and plate depends on how much paint or ink is pulled up by the paper.  That's what makes this technique so much fun, you never know what to expect when you pull up a print.  Some you like, and some you don't!

I happened to like both of these, and have made cards from both of them. Stay tuned to see the completed cards in a day or two. Thank you so much for stopping by, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas Week filled with happiness and blessings for you and your families.

Mindy

Stocking Wreath

Greetings friends. Welcome to the Classy Cards n' Such blog, Mindy with you today sharing a bright and cheery holiday card that is so much fun to make.  One of our challenges recently was to use bright colors for Christmas, instead of the traditional colors used.  I had some bits and pieces left from that card, so I made another with a wreath on it this time.

For all the details on how this card was made and the supplies I used, please check out our afternoon blog post on the Classy Cards n' Such blog.  Remember if you are still shopping for supplies for cards and gifts, the online store has many new and fun products for you.  Just type in the code: MINDY10 in the coupon box to receive a 10% discount on your entire order at checkout!

Thank you for visiting today!
Mindy

Warm Wishes

This is my message to One and All this wonderful holiday season. Hello friends, Mindy with you today to share my version of "A Night Before Christmas", our challenge at the Classy Cards n' Such Blog.

My card starts with a pale pink background card base that I embossed with the Rose Pavilion Embossing folder border by Anna Griffin at the top, and made a chair rail border about a third of the way up from the bottom of the card. For the chair rail, I used the Stripes Embossing Folder by Darice on a scrap of white card stock, beginning the embossing about one half inch below the edge of the scrap.  I then placed it on my ScorBoard and embossed a score line at the top of the stripes.

I then started with the card decorations. For the Classic Brick Fireplace by PoppyStamps I added a mantel and hearth with wood grained printed paper, and chamber backing with black card stock. I then added the Fireplace Logs and Warm and Cozy Fire both from PoppyStamps inside the fireplace chamber.  I added a little sparkle to the mantel and floor by applying Silver Stickles glitter to the Evergreen Tree die cuts by Impression Obsession cut from printed scrapbook paper.  I also hung a garland of Cheerful Stockings by Memory Box from a length of twine with bows on the mantel. Two small cats and sentiment of Warm Wishes were added to complete the card.

May you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday with family and friends, and may the Blessings of the Season be upon you.

A Rosy Get Well

This trellis of Roses brings a message of Get Well wishes to someone special, from your friend, Mindy.  Making the dimensional Susan's Garden flowers are one of my favorite pastimes, along with card making.  So when I can combine the two, I am very happy!

Today's card starts with a background paper made by inking an A 2  size panel of card stock with Evergreen Bough and Shaded Lilac Distressed inks by Tim Holtz and Ranger. I used the Mini Ink Blending Tool to apply the inks through a plastic stencil,  then trimmed the white card to fit the card base.

The next layer is a die frame cut from double-sided blue card stock using Fiona's Window by Cheery Lynn Designs, and a trellis also from Cheery Lynn.  They were attached to the card front with Joy! Foam Pads - Small to give the card depth and dimension. I also wound some strips of brown paper twine cording by Maya Road in and out between the trellis boards to look like canes for the climbing roses.  The roses were made from the Susan's Garden Mini Petals Thinlits by Sizzix.  I followed the assembly instructions that come with each die set, using the Susan's Garden Tool Kit to shape and mold each petal. Although there is no special die for the tiny flower buds, I used some of the extra petals to shape the small buds and add them to the trellis with the open flowers, leaves, and stems. I also used the Art Institute Dries Clear Adhesive to assemble the petals and adhere them to the card front.

To complete the card front, I added a sentiment swatch with the message Get Well die cut from the Everyday Compliments die from Die-versions, and Baby Rhinestones- Silver attached to the corners of the Fiona's Window die.

I hope you have enjoyed this card, and drop by the Classy Cards n' Such Online Store to check out all of the New Products available for sale.  Don't forget to use the code MINDY-10 at checkout to receive your 10% discount on your total purchase.

Merry Christmas

Hello friends! I have been playing with my Gelli Plate that I purchased recently. I have been learning how to apply the paint and inks, how much pressure to apply to the paper when pulling prints, and ways to use the prints on cards and projects once they are done. Here is a card I printed and pulled recently.

This was the first pull of a design I did on my 3"X 5" gelli plate.  I laid down 3 shades of pink and red paint on the gelli plate.  I then laid the 6" Bloom plastic stencil from Color Box on top of the plate.

I scored my 5.5" X 8.5" piece of white card stock at the center (4.25") then laid the card down on the stencil so that the floral design would be on the front right corner.  I then applied light pressure to the card so that it would pick up the paint through the flower stencil.  That is what you call the "first pull."

While the print dried I die cut the words Merry Christmas using the Holiday Compliments die from Die-versions, and glued it to the card front with white craft glue.

I also have two cards that will show "first and second pull" on one plate, that I will share on Sunday.  

Please come back for a visit then.  See you soon.

Mindy

Special Wrappings

Greetings, friends. Mindy posting today wishing you a Happy Holiday season.  Today's challenge at Classy Cards n' Such is #62 Wrappings with an inspiration photo to inspire you.  I had a little trouble with this challenge, just no inspiration happens sometime. We all go through this stage at one time or another. Instead, I decided to do white-on-white with just a POP of color and a little bling.

I started with a white card stock rectangle 4"X 5.25" that I embossed with the Lattice Embossing Folder from Crafts Too! and cut a frame from the large die in the Decorative Labels Eight by Spellbinders.  For my packages, I cut three squares, 3"X 3", 2.5" X 2.5", and 2" X 2".  I embossed the large square with the Crowned Medallion Embossing Folder by Anna Griffin, the middle size with the Lattice Embossing Folder from Crafts Too! mentioned above, and the smallest square with the Vintage Flowers Embossing Folder by Crafts Too!

I then embellished the boxes (squares) with two large bows cut from the beautiful Large Bow die by Impression Obsession, and two bows from the Fancy Ornament die set also by Impression Obsession.
I also shaded around the squares with Fired Brick Distressed Ink and the Mini Ink Blending Tool by Ranger. The packages were attached to the card front with Foam Pads Large by Joy! overlapping each square while attaching the Sleek Silver Rhinestones from Want2Scrap for sparkle. For a little touch of whimsy, I added a Teddy Bear in Gift Box from the clear stamp set titled Stampets: The Gift, from Winnie and Walter.

I hope you will drop by the Classy Cards n' Such Online Store and check on all of the New Items we have in store for your holiday decorations. Thanks for stopping by.

Merry and Bright

I just received my order from Classy Cards 'n Such Online Store and have so many New supplies to play with.  Mindy here, to share a card that came to mind as I was looking through my purchases.

I noticed the beautiful colors of the Frosted Lace paper pack by Wild Rose Studio and was glad that I ordered some of the Stardream Fuse Vista Metallic Paper because it matched perfectly. I made my card base from the metallic paper, and adhered a sheet from the Frosted Lace pack as a background.

I had also ordered the Tremaine Square die from Memory Box, so I die cut it three times from green card stock. I backed each square with Double sided adhesive Scor-Tape and then adhered one square to opposite corners of the card front. The third square I adhered to a scrap of the metallic blue card stock. I then dusted the die cut pieces with Cloud Nine Velvet (Microfine) Glitter and burnished each square with my finger before shaking off the excess glitter.

The final glittered Tremaine Square I attached between the two corners, and popped it up with Joy! Foam Pads -large.  To embellish the rest of the card, I shadow stamped the open areas with the Bare branch Tree from The Woods set by Stacy Stamps, and added a few assorted tiny flowers by Cheery Lynn Designs, Bitty Blossoms by Spellbinders, and a Small Blooming Poinsettia by Poppystamps.
The tiny flowers from Cheery Lynn Designs fit perfectly over the flower on the Tremaine Squares.  I added a tiny dot center to each tiny flower with the Viva Decor Pearl Pen - Pink.

To complete the card, the sentiment word Merry, was cut from the Merry Christmas Background die from Poppystamps.  I hope you have been inspired by my card, and will shop our Online Store for fun New Items we have just received.  Remember to use my code; MINDY-10 at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your entire purchase.  Have a great day!

Holly Day Tag

Our challenge this week at Classy Cards n' Such is all about Christmas Tags.  Mindy here, to share a  tag from my collection with you today.

This one is a very simple, yet elegant tag featuring a beautiful, lacy mini doily from a set by My Favorite Things. On top of the doily I placed holly leaves cut from Stardream Emerald Metallic paper, and the Ho Ho Holly Leaves by Memory Box.  I outlined the tag with White Cluny Lace and then adhered the doily, holly leaves, and set of Peace Dove die cuts from Impression Obsession.

The sentiment was die cut from red card stock using the Holiday Complements die from Die-versions.  Silver Rhinestones, and Red Stickles glitter were used to add sparkle and shine to the tag, while scraps of ribbon were tied to the top of the tag matching the other embellishments.

Tags at Christmas come in very handy, for identifying gifts and adding a little decoration to gifts that are too awkward to be wrapped.  Thank you for visiting today!

Sunflower Birthday

I am featuring one of the new Sunflower stamps from Heartfelt Creations available in the Classy Cards 'n Such online store.  Mindy here, with one of my favorite New stamps for coloring with Copics, colored pencils, or watercolors.

I started with a fall background colored card stock base, Mandarin Curious Metallic card stock in the A 2 size. I stamped a background on white card stock with the Heartfelt Creations- Rye Grass Flourish Set,  no longer available at the Classy Cards store, in light blue and orange Memento Ink. I then stamped the Large Sunflower Stem PreCut Set in the center, and the butterfly on a separate piece of white card stock. I then colored in the flower and butterfly with my Distress Markers by Tim Holtz, and fussy cut around the butterfly.

Before adhering the background to the card base, I used my X-Acto knife and cut a slit on both sides of the flower and inserted a strip of Stardream Fuse Vista metallic paper as a ribbon.  I then attached the butterfly to the card, and stamped the birthday greeting from the Mums stamp set from JustRite Cling stamps and added Amber Rhinestones and darkened them with a copic marker before attaching them to my card.

Have a Sun- shiny and Happy Day!

Holiday Delight

Everything is beautiful in it's own way, are the lyrics to an old song I sang while growing up. Hello friends, Mindy here with you to share a bright and beautiful card with you that is made using bright and cheery colors.  Our challenge this week at Classy Cards n' Such is Christmas Brights.

Of course, these are not your traditional Christmas colors, but are fun to work with anyway. If you would like to have a list of the products I used and how I put this card together, visit the morning blog entry at Classy Cards n' Such Blog to see more.

I hope you have enjoyed this card, I sure had a great time creating it, and thanks so much for visiting with me today.

Create in Color

Hello Everyone!  Happy Thanksgiving Week!  I decided to start off the week with a playful little card full of color and creativeness.  I have been playing with acrylic paints and Distress Inks on my Gelli Plate, trying out the transfer tape technique.  

The basis of this technique is that you put down color on your plate, letting it dry between layers.  The layers are built from the background toward you, because what you see is what you end up with.

When all of the layers are dry and you are pleased with how it looks, you adhere your packing tape to the top burnishing it down to the paint layer.  You then lift the tape,  the paint sticks to the tacky side and that is what you create with on your cards, canvases, and art journals.

When your paint layers are dry on your Gelli plate you can also stamp on top with Archival Ink  (permanent) and rubber stamps.  If you look closely at my tape strip, you can see where I stamped a musical stamp, and a Hero Arts Flower before applying and lifting the packing tape.  It is so much fun, yet time consuming, when you have to let all the layers dry before proceeding to the next step.

I also stamped a Frida stamp from Paper Wings Productions and colored her with Pitt Pen markers from Faber-Castell.  After fussy cutting around the image, I spattered some Distressed Ink on the card to give it a little dimension behind where I was placing the stamped image. I finished off the card with a sentiment strip created with lettering from the Everyday Compliments die from Die-versions.

Of course, the artist, Frida Kahlo was known for her bright colors she used in her artwork, so it was only fitting to use her image on my card with the bright colors transferred with my packing tape. There are several videos on YouTube that describe the Transfer Tape technique using the Gelli Plate.

If you have several hours to waste, (ha ha!) check them out, and have a great day!

Mindy

Garden of Life

I love this stamp set so much!  Not only are the sentiments so beautiful, the rose is one of my favorite flowers. Hello, Mindy here, to share a card that I truly believe is the epitome of beauty and class.

I started with a green card stock A 2 size card base and matted a piece of rusty red card on top, leaving a small border. The color combination was so nice, I decided that I wanted some of it to show through, so after stamping my image from the Hope and Love Vintage Labels set and coloring with my Distressed Markers, I decided to die-cut it with the A 2 Card Creator- Filigree Delight from Spellbinders. I also cut one of the Filigree Frames from camel brown stock and trimmed out the center so the stamped image would show.

I lined up the two layers and glued the camel frame on top of the white layer. Then using Joy! Foam Pads- large I adhered the lattice layer on top of the matted card stock layer for dimension. To complete the card, I added a small sheer bow and Allure Swirls -Silver Rhinestones, cut apart and placed on the stamped flourishes for added sparkle.

Have a wonderful day, and In the Garden of Life, Let Love Grow!

Bougainvillea

Our Card Challenge #59 for this week at Classy Cards n' Such is Christmas Blooms. Hello friends, Mindy with you today, to share a different bloom for Christmas with you on my card.   I live in So. Texas and winters are normally very mild here.  We usually don't get the colder weather until January or February.  My mother had a very beautiful bougainvillea in her yard that bloomed into December.

I am using the die set by Susan Tierney Cockburn, Bougainvillea Thinlits by Sizzix as the focal point for my card.

To find out more about materials used for this card, check our Monday (pm) blog post for more.

Of course, this card will need to be hand-delivered or mailed in a 3-D plastic box, because of it's dimensional flowers, but with all of the beautiful details, it will become  a showpiece wherever it is displayed.  Thank you for joining me here today!

Lacey Ornaments

Once in awhile my mind comes to a halt when creating cards for my Design Team duties.  This was one of those times,  and I started playing with some of the bits and pieces from my Goodie Box where I put die cuts as I try them out, and stamped items, along with paper scraps large enough to do something with.  It's Mindy here with you today, sharing a card made from bits and pieces.

If you would like the directions of how this card was made, or the elements used in making it, check our blog at Classy Cards 'n Such Blog. The afternoon post will explain the procedure and list all supplies.

If you are in the mood for a little shopping, be sure to visit our online store. There are so many New and awesome products available, click HERE, to begin shopping and don't forget to use coupon code MINDY-10 at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your complete order.  Happy Holidays!

Thanks for stopping by and visiting today!

Dotted Trio

Greetings, friends.  Mindy with you today, sharing a holiday card that sparkles and shines with ribbons and ornaments.  Our challenge this week at Classy Cards 'n Such is Ornaments and Ribbons, and I selected both to feature on my card.

For more information on all of the supplies used, and my step-by-step guide, check out the Tuesday morning entry on our blog at www.classycardsnsuch.blogspot.com.

Ornaments are so much fun to create on cards, why not make a card with ornaments and submit it to our challenge?  Be sure to check out the requirements necessary to play along, and show us what you create.

Have a Happy Day, and Keep On Creating!
Mindy

A Cup of Love

A pretty pink card in remembrance of Breast Cancer Awareness, this is Mindy with a card made for a dear friend who is a Breast Cancer Survivor.

I started with this lovely pink card base that I stamped with the ribbon symbol from a rubber stamp I have had for many years. I'm not sure who made this stamp, but with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, there are many companies that are promoting their sets with the ribbon image. I stamped the image with Versamark clear embossing ink and embossed with Clear Fine Detail embossing powder by Sparkle 'n Sprinkle.

I then stamped the cup of daisies from the Daisy Bouquets by Inky Antics and colored with Distress Ink Markers from Tim Holtz.  The Tiny Doilies from My Favorite Things were die cut and adhered to the card with Art Institute Dries Clear Adhesive and embellished with Baby Pearls- White. I fussy cut around the cup of daisies and used  Foam Pads- Large by Joy! to adhere the cup to the card front.

On a small tag, I stamped the sentiment from the set Hope and Love by Just Rite clear stamps and attached it with foam tape around the cup handle.

Thank you for joining us on the blog today. I hope this card inspires you to make a card for someone special today!

Sparkle and Shine

Hello friends, Mindy with you today, to share a sparkling and shiny card that reminds me of the old Aluminum Christmas Tree of years past.  Our challenge this week is to create a Gold or Silver or both, Christmas Tree as per our Inspirational Photo.

As you can see from my drawing, I started my card by mapping my tree form with strips of matching card stock to the front panel of my card.  Then I used my Ponderosa Pine Sprig from Dee's Distinctively dies to die cut three sets of the sprigs (approximately 24) from the Tinsel Holographic Paper from The Paper Cuts.  I then cut each sprig in half lengthwise, and began gluing the sprigs to the card stock branches with the Dries Clear Adhesive from the Art Institute of Glitter.  This adhesive dries clear and quickly and makes assembly of the tree a snap!

For more information on the supplies I used, and how I used them, you can check our blog HERE!

I hope you have enjoyed my card today, and will create a card to submit to our weekly challenge called Trim-A-Tree, Gold and or Silver!
Mindy

Creative Blog Hop

Hi, I am Mindy, welcome to my blog! I hope you stay and look around awhile, I have many handmade cards and goodies to share with you. I am retired, so I have plenty of time to play with my stamps, paper, inks, and paints. I also love TV and movies, and music is a form of inspiration I use in my Art.

I was invited by my friend and fellow Design Team member, Graciela Chavez de Mejia, to participate in this Creative Blog Hop.  It was created so fellow artists and crafter's could get to know each other. I am enjoying my time here, because even though we all may create some sort of greeting cards or art, everyone has their own styles and artistic techniques they like to use. So let's get busy with today's business.

1.  What am I working on right now?  I have sample card obligations for the design team I am on, and still participate in several weekly card challenges.  I try to complete one mixed-media canvas a week and make entries in my art journals daily.

2. How does my work differ from others in my genre? I don't know that it does differ, but I try to use my years of experience in the retail crafts business to promote products and techniques that are popular, or ones that other crafters  may have forgotten.

3.  Why do I create what I do?  I have always loved making and sending greeting cards, and try to personalize each one to the party it is being sent to.  Greeting cards are also a perfect size project to try new products and techniques on.

4.  How does my creative process work?  Most of the time my creative process works on the spur of the moment.  I find out about a challenge or project I am interested in, and my brain kicks in and starts picturing products or techniques that I have seen demonstrated or published. I then try to work those thoughts into a greeting card size project and begin to gather and create pieces that will work together for my card.  Many artists used sketches or drawings to inspire them, but drawings don't help me in the least. Photos and images inspire me to dissect and remove parts of a picture to use in my work, or to create from something I have recycled or refurbished.

I would now like to introduce you to three talented friends who also love the arts and to craft.  They will be sharing their answers to the questions and their friend list next Monday, November 10, 2014 so be sure to visit their blogs and say Hi!

Diane

Diane Hover - Michigan, USA   Diane is a Design Team member for a handful of companies and keeps very busy with her design team duties.  She enjoys paper crafting, sewing, reading, her grandchildren and gardening. She also has a great love of animals, including many cats and her dog-child, "Nellie" of whom her blog Nellie's Nest is named. She was one of my first mentors when I began my blog, and I cherish her knowledge and artistic skill that she readily shares.

Julie

Julie Mogford- Texas USA   School teacher by day, crafter, artist, and creativity explorer by night. Julie loves playing with stamps, paper, paints, and other mixed-media supplies along with watching TV/movies, reading, and listening to music.  She also co-owns her own business, and online company Winnie & Walter, that sells clear stamp sets, digital cut files, dies, and stencils that she and her business partner design and create themselves.  They are a fairly new company yet have customers and stores all around the world they sell to.  

Julie and her husband have one perky pup named Walter, who is a mascot for their company.  Visit Julie on her blog; www.starlightwindsong.blogspot.com and don't forget to say hello, and leave some love.

Carrie

Carrie Edelmann Avery- Texas, USA   Carrie is one very talented and hard working woman, and in her words, "I think of myself as a modern day renaissance woman." "I juggle all kinds of crazy interests and endeavors in order to do all things that make my life fulfilling."  She now owns and operates an online store, Paper Wings Productions, from which she sells a variety of unique art supplies, along with her own line of clear and cling mounted rubber stamps, many of which she designs with some of her friends.

 She is also a remarkable teacher and continues to teach a wide variety of classes and workshops that feature different paper and mixed-media products and techniques including bookbinding and jewelry making. She has also had many articles published in numerous magazines and booklets, and her extreme knowledge of papers and art supplies, taught me much of what I know today.  Carrie has also been kind enough to offer a shopping discount at her store, Paper Wings Productions, for followers of my blog. Use the code " PWP*FAN" at checkout to receive a 25% discount on your order.

She is married and has two children at home that keep her extremely busy. Check out her blog;      Art and Classes of Carrie Avery at www.carrieavery.com.


Thank you so much for stopping by for a visit during this Creative Blog Hop.  I hope you have enjoyed getting to know a little about me and my "Friends", and that you will visit with them next Monday on their own blogs.  Have a very nice day, and remember to Keep Creating!

Floral Fancy

Mindy with you today, sharing a card I made recently for a dear friends birthday.  As you may well have noticed, I love flowers of all types to stamp on cards and color. When I saw this Iris set by Our Daily Bread Designs, I knew I must purchase it from the Classy Cards 'n Such Online Store.

Good Saturday afternoon friends! I hope you will join me on the Classy Cards Blog to find out which wonderful products I used to make this lovely card.

Thank you for visiting with me today, and I hope you enjoy your stamping time!

Season's Blessings

Hello Friends, Mindy here with you to share a card that I had been wanting to make for quite some time.  I purchased this  Window die in the Classy Cards 'n Such Online Store and I thought it would be lovely on a card for the holidays.

Here is how I started.  I cut the Grand Gothic Stained Glass Window by Poppystamps from black card stock. I then had to decide what other colors I wanted to cut the die from to get the stained glass look. The technique used is called Colored Die-cut Inlay, and Jennifer McGuire has several videos on YouTube demonstrating it. After the background (black) was cut, and the negative area removed, I covered the back of the die in a Double sided adhesive Scor-Tape sheet and pressed it down firmly. I then fussy cut around the frame so I would only be working with the image itself. I then started placing the colored wedges and shapes where I wanted them in the design.  It's like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.

After all my areas were filled with the colored segments, I then sprinkled the remaining openings with Crystal Ice ultra fine glitter mixed with a little light blue glitter. The ultra fine glitter sticks well on the Scor Tape if you burnish it with your bone folder or finger.  Tap off the excess glitter and return it to it's jar.  You can then peel off the liner of the double sided paper and have a sticker to place on your card.

I forgot to mention that I ran the front of my card through the Lattice Embossing Folder by Crafts Too! before placing my sticker on it.  To complete the card, I ran a strip of card stock backed with double-sided Scor Tape through my die-cut machine along with my Season's Greetings die.  (I made a sticker of it) Then by removing the paper backing I could place it on my card without any trouble.

I hope you have enjoyed this card, and maybe learned a new technique.  See you again soon.

Peppermint Posies

Peppermint Posies

Anyone out there having Candy Cane cravings yet? Our challenge at Classy Cards 'n Such Blog this week is Candy Canes!  I wanted to use my Poinsettia Die, so I started looking for some red and white striped paper that looked like a Candy Cane.

It's Mindy here, sharing my peppermint  poinsettia's with you today. The frame strips and poinsettia petals were cut using the Poinsettia die by Spellbinders and stripped Noel paper from My Minds Eye and Teresa Collins.  The Spellbinders die is not available in the Classy Cards Online store at the moment, but the Blooming Poinsettia die by PoppyStamps would look just as nice.  I shaped the flowers and petals with the Susan's Garden Tool Kit that has all the tools you need to shape and bend the paper petals and give them a natural look.

The rest of the background is decorated with a flourish die from My Favorite Things and some Ponderosa Pine Sprigs by Dee's Distinctively cut from Champagne Pearlized Metallic Card Stock. To finish my card, I took some green scrap card stock and cut the tiny holly leaf cluster from the Twig Wreath Die Set from Impression Obsession, and attached them to each corner of the card, with berries made with the Viva Decor Pearl Pen- Pearl Pink.

I hope you have enjoyed my card today, and will submit your card or two, to our challenge this week!

Bath Time

Happy Saturday Friends!
I have been playing with some of my New Die-cuts received from the Classy Cards n' Such online store.  Mindy, with you today, to share a card made with a handful of dies.

I started with the Woodland Tree Silhouette from Memory Box, cutting it from a sheet of brown card stock. I  found a sheet of  patterned paper with clouds on it and knew this would work well behind the tree. These were then both adhered to the card front. Then came the decorating.  I used Small Leaf Set and Small Grass Border both from Impression Obsession, Flock if Birds and Small Kittens dies from Memory Box to cut the many small figures.

The bird bath/ watering can/ potted plant cluster is a rubber stamp from the Garden Try-Folds Set from Art Impressions, and the Why Do Birds stamp from Impression Obsession I stamped on the cloud background paper. The wooden Bath sign  was handwritten on a scrap of wood-grain paper to complete the card.

I had so much fun piecing this card together like a puzzle.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Thanks for visiting.

Leaves Fall

Fall is finally here in several areas of the country. Leaves on trees are turning wonder shades of orange, yellow, brown and gold.  Mindy here with you today to share a card that reminds me of this most beautiful time of the year.

I started this card on a manila tag.  I would like to invite you to join me at the Classy Cards 'n Such blog for my "Leaves Fall" card project and step-by-step of how I did it.

I hope you enjoyed this card, thanks for stopping by to give it a look!  Have a wonderful day!
Mindy

An Apple a Day

Our challenge this week was very easy for me once I saw the inspiration photo of the Fall Picnic. Mindy here, and that basket of apples on the bench up front caught my eye immediately.  I love the fall because apples are in season and there are so many different types available.

I started my card by cutting my apple tree and background from The Lake House paper pad from Kaiser Craft.  The Woodland Tree Silhouette die from Memory Box was cut from the dark brown print and adhered to the lighter grey print.

 I then got out my favorite Impression Obsession dies and went to work cutting out all of the smaller embellishments. I used the Large Fence die, the Bushel of Apples, Small Leaf Set, and  Bunny Set cut several times each to build my story card, shading the pieces and using markers to add stems and veining to the apples and leaves. The small bunny took one of the Pink Lady apples just for himself.

To finish the card, I cut a sentiment banner from the A2 Card Creator Set- Tranquil Moments by Spellbinder's and hand lettered An Apple A Day!  This set is not currently carried in the Classy Cards 'n Such Online Store, but the A2 Card Creator Set -Divine Eloquence could be substituted for it.

I hope you have enjoyed my card this week, and that it has inspired you to make a card or two of your own to submit in our challenge.

A Bunch of Daisies

Hello Friends, I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.  I have a lovely card to share today that I hope will inspire you to make a few cards of your own for the upcoming holidays.

I started this card with a lovely piece of red and gold Christmas paper from the Teresa Collins "Noel" Christmas paper pad.  I used the A 2 Card Creator- Tranquil Moments Die Set from Spellbinder's to cut the details in the background. I then held a piece of Neenah white card stock under the opening and traced in pencil around the opening.  I took the Daisy Bouquet stamp from Sweet Stamps and stamped it within the pencil lines, and colored the image with my Pitt Artist Pens by Faber Castell.

I then cut around the image leaving a small border around it which I then colored in with a #R27 red Copic marker.  I then put the marker in my Perfect Airbrush and spritzed over the image with tiny red dots.  I then mounted the colored image on top of the die-cut and centered  my sentiment banner with my "hello" die from The Crafters' Workshop on top.  The banner was made from the center portion of the background die that was removed.  I trimmed the detailed flourished ends from the tag and used them inside the card for decoration. 

I hope you have enjoyed this card, and that you enjoy your weekend wherever you may be. Please visit again soon.

Merry Christmas Tree

Happy Holidays one and all, Mindy with you today sharing a card for the upcoming holidays.

I started with a piece of white card stock cut to an A2 size 5.5" X 8.50".  I scored it at 4.25 inches and placed the New Grand Merry Christmas Script die from Memory Box with the card line on the score line. I then ran the white card stock with the die through my Cuttlebug machine, cutting out the phrase when the card is folded shut. I then cut a red stock liner and used double stick tape to tape it inside the card.

Then using branches of fir and pine from the Foliage die set by Spellbinders, I created a tree shape down the right hand side of the card, alternating fir branches with some pine branches, and even a pine cone or two.  This die set has more dies than those pictured on the web site, but it is a very popular set with many great leaves and branches. I chalked and inked some of the branches and the pine cones to give them more depth and dimension before gluing them to the card base. I also used the Paper Blossom Tool Kit to emboss and shape the branches and sprigs.

To complete the card, I cut the Large Bow die from Impression Obsession and glued it to the top of the tree. Snow or sprinkles could then be added to your card if you wish.

I also wanted to mention that there are many NEW items available in the Classy Cards 'n Such Online store.  As you shop, keep in mind the themes for the upcoming card challenges on the Classy Card's blog. When you get ready to check out, remember to add my checkout code- MINDY-10 to your order and you will receive 10% off your complete order.

 Happy Holidays from all of us at Classy Cards 'N Such!
Mindy

Spotty the Reindeer

Polka dots, polka dots, everywhere I look!  This week's challenge is Polka Dot Christmas, and the inspiration photo tells it all. The colors in the photo guided me towards this card filled with dots.
Mindy here, with Spotty and all the polka dots.

The yellow background with red dots spoke to me right away. So that is how I started my card. If you would like to see how I put this card together and the products I used from the Classy Cards Online store, please check our blog at www.classycardsnsuch.blogspot.com to see my Tuesday post.

I hope you have enjoyed today's card and tip, have a great week and join us for our challenge!

Have a Daisy Day!

I love these large flower stamp sets from Stacy Stamps sold in the Classy Cards 'n Such Online Store. Today I have used the Daisies set. Mindy here, showcasing this two piece stamp set containing a daisy bouquet and single daisy flower head stamp.

Good Thursday Morning, I would like to invite you to join me at the Classy Cards Blog for my  "Have a Daisy Day" card project and listing of supplies used.

While there don't forget to check out all of the NEW items in the Classy Cards shop, when you checkout, don't forget to use my coupon code MINDY-10 to receive a 10% discount on your entire order.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a great day!

Hope and Love

The subject of this week's challenge is Think Pink- Support for Breast Cancer Awareness.  My card celebrates Pink with things that I love, roses, dainty laces, ribbons, and thoughtful poetry.  This is Mindy, sharing my Hope and Love with those who have suffered with this cancer or know someone who has.

I just received this New stamp set from Just Right Clear stamps Hope and Love, and the main anchor stamp is a verse that touched my heart, suitable for someone tackling Breast Cancer. I knew I wanted to use it as the anchor of my card.


I hope you will join our challenge this week, and create a card that reminds us all to Think Pink!
Thanks for joining me, and if you want the steps on how I created this card, and the supplies I used,
check out the Classy Cards 'N Such Blog.  Hope to see you again soon!
Mindy

WCMD 2014- Play Outdoors

Hi, It's me again, with another of my challenge cards for World Card Making Day 2014 Challenges at the Winnie&Walter blog.

This card is for Sketched w/ Julie- Challenge #5.  The sketch for this challenge is;

 And this is my entry!

The Spotlights were cut with Standard Circle dies from Spellbinder's and stamped with Scenery: Big Bang Confetti set by Winnie&Walter,

Ribbon:  Fireworks paper from Hot Off the Press,

Stamped image: Pure Innocence Cowgirl from My Favorite Things colored with Copic markers,

and Sentiment: "Play Outdoors" from The Big, The Bold & Fun set from Winnie&Walter.

Embellishment: Stickles by Ranger

I got the sentiment to curve around the bend of the card by snipping between the letters with my Cutter Bee scissors, just enough to let it bend. I didn't cut all the way through the stamp though.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing all the cards I had fun making this past weekend.  Again, as I mentioned in the first post today, the challenges are still open and you can post your entries or comments on the design teams projects any time between now and Saturday at 11:55 pm.

To visit Winnie&Walter's blog, just click HERE! See you again soon.
Mindy

WCMD 2014- Thanks

I'm back again with another challenge card for World Card Making Day 2014, with my friends at Winnie& Walter.

This card is for Challenge #4- Color Combo Challenge w/ Gayatri

The theme of this challenge was to use the colors of  Gold, Blush Pink, and Peach.

 I brought these colors in with my printed and metallic papers.

Cameo: stamp from The Write Stuff- Leave it to Mom by Winnie& Walter,

Sentiment: stamp from The Big, The Bold & You set by Winnie&Walter,

Embossing folder:  Juliet Damask by Anna Griffin,

and Embellishment: Liquid Pearls-petal pink by Ranger.

This is a very elegant card that could be used for any time of the year, especially Mother's Day, a special birthday, Thanksgiving, or sent to anyone you are thankful for. I hope you have enjoyed this card. Have a wonderful day, and "Thanks" for visiting my blog.

Mindy

World Card Making Day 2014 - Review

Hello Friends!  I hope you all had a wonderful and productive World Card Making Day this past Saturday.  I participated in the Online Challenges with my friends at Winnie & Walter !  It was such a jam-packed morning full of hourly challenges, it was hard to keep up AND create.  Therefore, they are extending the card making FUN throughout the week.

Yes, you can participate even now for some wonderful prizes, just as long as you submit and link your cards before Saturday, October 11, 2014 at 11:55 pm.

Here is one of the cards I am submitting to them.     On Trend w/ Lea -Challenge #2

The current trend of Camera/Photo themed cards was the challenge of this card.

The stamp I used for the image is Pure Innocence - Love is in the Air by My Favorite Things,
The Frame and Speech Bubble is from The Write Stuff- Leave it to Dad by Winnie&Walter,
and Sentiments from The Big The Bold & Fun and The Big The Bold & You also by Winnie&Walter.

They specified that you didn't have to use their stamps, but it sure helps promote their business if you do!

Thanks for joining me today, I will share a few more as the week goes by, See you again soon.
Mindy

Set Sail

Warm days around water always makes it feel cooler. I love to spend time at the coast, or at the lake enjoying the slapping of the waves, and the breeze blowing off the water. So, if only in your mind, today let's set sail!

Good Saturday morning, I would like to invite you to join me at the Classy Cards 'n Such blog today, for my card project "Set Sail", and to remind you that when you shop at the Classy Cards Online Store, and fill in the code MINDY-10 at the checkout, you will receive a 10% discount on each item purchased. Now that's a deal!

Sailing is a sport that can be enjoyed any time of the year, but during the summer and early fall it is much more relaxing and soothing to the soul. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

By the way, TODAY is World Card Making Day!  There are many shops celebrating the day, as well as many online stores.  Get out there and make a card or two!

Snowy Wreath

Hello Friends, Mindy with you today, sharing a snowy Christmas Wreath card I enjoyed playing with this week. It is an assembled wreath with lots of tiny pieces to cut, but once the pieces are cut it is easy to put together.

I would like to invite you to join me at the Classy Cards 'n Such Blog for my "Snowy Wreath" card project and step-by-step instructions.

I really enjoy making frosty, snowy cards for the holidays because we don't see much snow down in South Texas where I live. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a snowy, happy Christmas wherever you are!

Summer Daydreams- Repost

Hi Friends,
Today over at the Classy Cards 'n Such Blog, my first ever card created for the Design Team is featured.

It wasn't used on the blog that first week, and that was before I knew all the where-fore's and how-to's of Design Team work. It was saved, and used today as a fill-in between our weekly challenges.  You can check the blog for the steps on how I put this card together and the supplies I used, just by clicking on the link above.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Christmas Cardinal

It will soon be time to begin decorating for the holidays, So, now is the time to make your holiday cards. This is Mindy, joining you with a cozy little Christmas Cardinal card suitable for your seasons greetings.

I started by die cutting the cute little Right Facing Cardinal from Dee's Distinctively Designs  out of Christmas red card stock. I highlighted the die with dark grey pastels from the Landscape Starter PanPastels set sold in the Classy Cards 'n Such Online Store. After gluing the segments together, I put the little bird aside to dry completely.

Next, I built the card's layered background.  I used a kraft colored A2 card stock base, and adhered a dark brown rectangle cut from the Spellbinders A2 Card Creator Die set called Distressed Edges. Using double-sided Scor-Tape to adhere the layers, I the cut the next layer from my cozy plaid paper sold by Graphic45 with the Decorative Labels Eight die by Spellbinders. I also cut one small oval from the Classic Ovals Set, also by Spellbinders.  Classy Cards carries many different Spellbinders dies, but if there is one you need that you don't see pictured, you can Special Order it by contacting the store.

After chalking the oval, the cardinal and branch were attached with Joy! Foam Pads Large and the entire unit then attached to the card front. The sentiment banner and red plaid paper were from the Graphic45 Twelve Days of Christmas paper pad I had left over from last year at Christmas.

Happy Holidays to One and All!

Reindeer Rendezvous

Mindy visiting with you today, featuring a card that might be used for the Holidays, but could also be used for a masculine birthday.  My Reindeer Rendezvous is made from some of the beautiful  metallic papers sold in the Classy Cards 'n Such Online Store.

I started with an A2 size Nude Curious Metallic card front and embossed it with a Spellbinders Twig embossing folder. I also cut a card base from Pink Lemonade card stock and die cut it with the A2 Filigree Delight Card Creator  by Spellbinders with the center oval removed.

I then stamped the Majestic Deer stamp from Memory Box twice with Color Box Chalk ink- Sea Crystal and fussy cut around both. Assembly was quite simple, the embossed rectangle was adhered with 1/2" Scor-Tape, then using the Joy! Foam Pads Small I attached the filigree frame. The deer were adhered with sticky dots, and they can be positioned inside the frame to your liking.

The oval frame was then embellished with Steel Blue Baby Pearls and glitter and I added two pearls colored red for reindeer noses. Two small bows were tied from twill tape and adhered to the front of the card.I hope you have enjoyed today's card.