Chill Out, Take It Easy

Chill Out Folks, Take It Easy! Spring officially starts today, and I am looking forward to warm sunny days and evenings so nice you can sit outdoors and "Take It Easy"!  

This is a card I submitted in the Texas Independence Day Card Challenge at Deadbeat Design Stamps the first of March. I started by cutting a piece of lavender card stock 4" X 5 1/4", and using the Relax Background Stamp from Deadbeat, stamped an all-over background using Versamark clear embossing ink and Lindy's Stamp Gang Two-toned embossing powder to cover the card.  I then took a large heart shaped Spellbinders die and cut-out the heart shape in the middle.  Using another white card stock piece, I used my Gelatos to add sunset colors and then with a baby wipe blended the colors to make the evening sky. Then, by stamping the adirondack chairs stamp from Deadbeat Designs, I colored them with my copic markers and fussy cut them out. Using 3-D pop dots, I adhered them right inside the heart cut-out. I also added a few flourish swirl die cuts from Memory Box in a purple translucent paper, and added the banner on which I stamped one of the phrases from the background stamp, "take it easy".

I saw this card base done on YouTube, listed as a File Folder Card.  Using my We R Memory Keepers Envelope board, the indention's cut at the top of the card make it look like a triple-cut file folder. Something different to send your friends and family.

Have a great day, and enjoy the weather, if it is nice where you are.

I Heart Texas!

Boy, where does time go when you are busy with other projects?  I started in January posting on a rather frequent basis, but somewhere in February I went terribly wrong. Of course, sickness will do that to you sometimes. Well, now I am feeling much better, and hopefully back in the groove of blogging!

Today's post is a card I have been working on for celebrating Texas Independence Day, which is March 2, 2013.  I decided to make a business size card or #10, therefore having lots of space to decorate about my home state!  I started with a piece of 12"X12" scrapbook paper that I cut down to 8"X9" to fit inside the business size envelope. I then scored it in half width wise, and used a circle template to round off the left side to make the front of the card.  Using stamps from Deadbeat Designs, I stamped the barbed wire, Republic of Texas post mark, and the open star, on the beige background with Pumice Stone Distressed ink. I also stamped the Texas Forever Star, and the pick-up truck on white card stock before coloring the star in with prismacolor pencils, and the pick-up with copic markers. I cut around the Texas Forever star and mounted it on a scrap of the Country Heritage stripe scrapbook paper, and mounted the pick-up truck with foam adhesive to make it stand out from the card. I then went to work with my Cricut machine, and the Going Places cartridge.

For the inside of the card, I cut a half circle of card stock to display activities one may partake of to celebrate the holiday. Along with more background stamping, I cut out a tent, a fisherman with his boat, a camper,  a hiker, a young couple (for inside the pick-up) and the words "ENJOY" for the card front, and  "INDEPENDENCE DAY" with two stars for inside the card. The small lettering was from a Cricut cartridge called Word Collage.

After adhering the blank card inside for a handwritten message, I closed the card and glued the tiny Independence Day letters so they would be visible from the front of the card. I am entering this in the following challenge:
           
                +Deadbeat Designs- Texas Independence Day Card Challenge

I even decorated the envelope, which was not required, but every little bit helps! Right?

I hope you all have a wonderful day, and take a little time to enjoy the place where you live!