Count Your Blessings

Greetings All! Enjoying the bright sunshine this afternoon, after a few days of cold and dreary weather. Wishing for rainbows and flowers that show in the spring.

Today's post is a bright and cheery tag, reminding you to "Count Your Buttons (. . .and Blessings) everyday!
The base tag is from one of Julie Nutting's Tag Pad. I used my Gelato's from Faber Castell to draw circles on the tag.  Then using a moistened baby wipe, I blended the colors together to make a colorful background. As I blended the colors, the background started to look like a rainbow, so I decided to enter it into the Classy Cards N' Such blog weekly challenge #23 Rainbow colors.  I started embellishing my tag with the French Lattice small die from Cheery Lynn Designs, sold in the Classy Cards N' Such online store. I cut it from Neenah white card stock, and also ran a piece of the same card stock through my Cuttlebug machine with several Cuttlebug embossing dies.

The little girl image and sentiment is from the Pure Innocence line of stamps from My Favorite Things, titled "Cute as a Button".  If you have ever ordered from My Favorite Things, you probably know that most of their embellishments, buttons, papers, and felt are all color-coordinated so they blend well together. I colored the girl with my Copic markers and then adhered the corresponding color of buttons on the lattice work to match the rainbow.  I then cut the embossed paper into strips and attached them to the tag.  The sentiment and large button at the bottom was attached with foam tape to give the tag some dimension. To complete the tag I added a decorative ribbon bow to the top.

Bright and cheery colors always put a smile on my face, and help me feel much better. I hope you all have a nice weekend and can enjoy a few days of warmth, before the next COLD BLAST comes through.
Mindy

Live, Laugh, and Love

Birthday Greetings, sent to someone special. I created this card for someone special who had a birthday this past week. I began by folding a sheet of printed scrapbook paper from the Ledger Stack Paper pad from DCWV, Die Cuts With a View. I took one of the 6" X 12" sheets and trimmed it to 6" X 8", and then folded it at 3 1/2", leaving approximately 3/4" for the back of the card which I then added a strip of blue and green swirly washi tape.

Then using the Live, Laugh, Love Clear Stamp Set from Oriental Trading Co.stamped the phrase on the front panel using the Memento Rich Cocoa ink. On a separate sheet of white card stock, I stamped the Pure Innocence "Love is in the Air" girl from My Favorite Things and colored her in with Copic markers. I then fussy cut around the figure and stamped a "Happy Birthday" banner, and cut around it, too.  To attach it between her outstretched arms, I cut a tiny slit in each hand and slipped each end of the banner through the slits.  I then cut a slit in the front of the card and slid the little girl image in the opening.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. The weather was beautiful here in Texas. Friday, the temperature never rose past the high 30's, yet today it was up in the high 60's.  Sunday it is supposed to be up near 72, bright and sunny.  Monday another Polar Blast will come through and drop the temps down into the 20's and 30's again by Tuesday. Roller Coaster weather here in So. Texas, and they wonder why we are always sick!  Take care, and stay warm.

Mindy

Sending You My Love

Happy Hump Day, bloggie friends!  Today, I am "Sending All My Love to You!" (and I am singing at the same time!)  I love that song!  

The card, features another stamp set from My Favorite Things; Pure Innocence "Will You Be Mine?"

I started with an A2 size card, and stamped the Zebra animal print background stamp from Anna Griffin, twice across the top in ColorBox Orchid ink.  I then adhered a half sheet of paper from  Martha Stewart's Valentine paper pad set.  I stamped the girl's image with mailbox on white smooth card stock with Memento black ink, and colored her in with my Copic markers.  The sentiment is also from the same stamp set, and I stamped it on white also, cut around it in a banner shape and highlighted the edges of the banner with the Orchid Colorbox ink. The sentiment banner and image were attached to the card front with foam tape, to give it some depth and dimension.

The remaining sentiment included in this stamp set, "Special Delivery" was stamped inside the card along with the remaining heart stamp. The tiny hearts inside were colored in with the pink Wink of Stella glitter marker.

This is such a cute card, and would be suitable to send to someone far away!  Remember a family member or friend this Valentine's Day, by sending them a handmade Valentine card. You will be so glad you did!  See you again, soon.

With All My Heart

Happy Friday, one and all! My first Valentine of the season, I love you "With All My Heart" which is the name of this Pure Innocence stamp set from My Favorite Things.  The little girl is so cute hugging the giant heart, especially when colored with my Copic markers. 

This card is an A6, a little larger than I am used to making.(4 1/2" X 6 1/2") The white card base with red front background has a pre-cut window in which I have to find a certain size design to fit the window. Luckily, the Pure Innocence Girl fits just fine. I have a few more designs coming up before the Rodeo here in San Antonio.The other card color combinations fit better with the Pure Innocence Cowboy and Cowgirl images I purchased. They will be featured soon, the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo begins February 6.

Anyway, back to the Valentine card.  I stamped the image with Memento black ink on a scrap of white card, then colored it in with Copic markers. I also used the Wink of Stella glitter pen on the heart to really make it sparkle. I fit the image in the pre-cut window, and taped it down with double stick tape. I cut a piece of hearts printed paper and attached to the inside front of the card to hide the layers of stock.  To finish off the card front, I attached a flourish of pearls along with a tiny shaped heart button.

I hope you all have a wonderful day, and wonderful weekend. If the weather has warmed where you are, enjoy the outdoors!

Time to Say Hello!

Hello, to all my friends in bloggie land!

The first week of a new year is usually a busy time for me, taking down and cleaning up from the Christmas festivities. But since I really didn't do too much decorating this year, I have a lot of free time to make cards, and play with my new stamps. 

The ladies over at My Favorite Things stamps had a big closeout sale last week, getting ready for their new release this month. I, of course, had to shop and found several sets that really touched my soul. I will be featuring them later this next week, but for now I wanted to play with my little " Warm Wishes" girl from Pure Innocence.  She looks so cute in her hat, boots, and jacket trimmed with fur that I just had to put her in a snowstorm and send her to a friend up north, where the snow is falling like crazy.

I used two dies for the embellishment, a Sizzix Thinlits word die, "Hello Friend" along with the tag die from the Spellbinder's Asian Motifs die set and attached it to a piece of dotted ribbon with a beautiful teal stone brad from Creative Imaginations. The embellishment was then attached to the ribbon accent using foam tape, along with the Warm Wishes girl fussy cut from white card stock and colored with my Copic markers. The tiny snowflake was an accent stamp from the Hot Off the Press Winter Mitten clear stamp set. Using two shades of blue Memento Dye ink, I stamped the snowflake randomly all over the card front. Inside the card, I stamped the corresponding phrase from the Warm Wishes stamp set, which says "Your Friendship Warms My Heart!"

With a big blast of Artic air expected later today, I am all snuggled up in my warm robe and slippers, with a nice cup of hot tea and ready for a wonderful day of Art and card stamping. Stay warm wherever you may be, and have a great day creating wonderful works of ART!  

Diva . . . . Who Me?

Today is the second day of the New Year, and I have decided to feel more "Diva-like" in 2014.  I may not look more diva-like, but will try to FEEL more Diva-like in my everyday endeavours.

I fell in love with this Pure Innocence Dress Up Diva stamp set from My Favorite Things. The Pure Innocence designs are so cute I have started to accumulated a rather large collection.  I love to color them with my Copic markers, where I can shade and highlight the images to my own likes. I used to love to play "dress-up" when I was younger, but it was difficult to do, especially since I was an only child.  My Mother would always help me "create" playtime outfits out of everyday items, and I think that is how my creativity was spurned at an early age.

The card today was created using a white card stock base A2 size card and adhering a scrap of printed paper 1/2" smaller by length and width.  Then using my Spellbinder's Decorative Labels Eight die, cut a rectangle from pearlized white card stock. I then cut another scrap of printed paper that fit inside the solid part of the die.  The little diva image was then stamped on white card, colored with Copics, and cut out with a Spellbinder's Classic Oval die. I then cut another oval just a bit larger in darker card stock to back the image with, so it would stand out on the front of the card. The oval embellishment was then mounted with foam tape on the front of the card.  I also had a scrap of the printed background paper, and adhered it to the inside of the card, just to add a little decoration.

I hope you have enjoyed today's card, and will try to feel more "Diva-like" in your daily adventures.

"Happy Stampin' Everyone!"

Taking Time for Thank You's

Happy Saturday Everyone! Christmas festivities are past, and the New Year 2014 is just around the corner, so it is time to send Thank You's to those who thought of me this year.

I have a list of notes to send, and of course each must have their own "special" note, so off I stamp!

Today's card is stamped on a white card stock base using the starburst dot background stamp from Paper Wings Productions. I stamped it in Versamark embossing ink and then sprinkled on Geranium Coral Blush two-toned embossing powder from Lindy's Stamp Gang, and then heat embossed.  Next, I took red striped washi tape and mapped out a grid on my card base.  I then stamped the image from Pure Innocence Crafty Friends clear set and colored with my copic markers. The flowers were

 stamped from the Hero Arts Printed Flower clear set. I then fussy cut out the oval and flowers and adhered them to the front of the card with dimensional foam tape.  

The inside sentiment was stamped with a wood mounted red rubber stamp from Club Scrap, Inc. and accented with another strip of the washi tape.

I also took one of the "thank you" stamped images and highlighted it with a few die cut corners and adhered it to the front of the card.  To complete the card, I added some twinkle to the girl's blouse with my pink Wink of Stella glitter pen, and some acrylic stones to the centers of the flowers.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and take the time to send out a few "Thank You's" of your own today.  See you again soon,
Mindy

Wishing You the Happiest. . . .Merry Christmas

Happy Monday before Christmas!  The big day is only hours away, and I want to take this opportunity to wish you the happiest Christmas ever!

This last minute card uses a family photo and a special memento to decorate it's cover.  The background paper is from the Graphics 45 -12 Days of Christmas paper pack, and is centered on an A2 size red card stock base. The scanned photo is matted with a large tag from the Prima Co. then highlighted around the edges with Wild Honey Distress Ink from Tim Holtz and Ranger.  After mounting the photo onto the background, I cut a thin slit in the fold of the card and ran a 3/8" sheer organza ribbon around the front of the card, and tied it in a lovely bow.  To complete the card, I added an embellishment of a Toys for Tots medal from the United States Marine Corps, backed with a punched scalloped circle. The greeting, "wishing you the happiest. . . " is from a My Favorite Things clear stamp set, along with the "Merry Christmas" stamp used inside.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!

Crafty Friends

Hello Friends!

Today's quick post is a "Thank You" for a friend, Mark Jetton from Deadbeat Designs Stamps.  He sent me two of his newest wood mounted stamps, Thelma, and Small funky glasses.

I love these new designs, but hadn't had a chance to order them yet. Thelma is so cute, and there are several styles of her that Mark designed. There is also a full length version, called Thelma leaning, that is so creative and fun to work with in your card making.  The Funky Glasses also come in two sizes, and just add that special touch to your backgrounds and other images. You can view Mark's Gallery at his above mentioned web site, just click on the link and it will take you there.

To make this tag, I first took the Thelma stamp (in the square) and stamped it in the middle of the tag.  I then stamped a mask on a sticky note, fussy cut around it, and then placed it on top of the tag image.  I then inked the small glasses stamp with Tuxedo black Memento ink and stamped it around the masked image.  I then removed the mask, and colored in the image with my Copic markers.  To add some interest and texture to the background, I swiped the Old Paper Distress Stain from Tim Holtz around and then lightly spritzed the entire tag with Lindy's Stamp Gang's Desert Moon Purple Sage Glitz Spritz.  For bling, I added tiny pearls to the glasses frames, and a shiny ribbon to the top of the tag.  I then stamped the "Crafty Friends" sentiment from My Favorite Things, PI Crafty Things Stamp Set.

This saying is so true, one of my favorites: "Crafty Friends are the Best Friends!"  See you all soon! Keep on Craftin'.

Mindy