New Sherrif in Town

Greetings Friends!  Or should I say, Howdy?  Here is another A2 size card using my "Howdy" die from Die-Versions. This time I lined it up on the folded edge of the card and punched through both layers of the card. (both front and back, see inside picture below) Here is how I made this card.

I placed the top edge of the letters of the die right off the edge of the fold, before running the die and card through the Cuttlebug machine. I then cut 1 1/4" off the front flap of the turquoise card.  I then cut a piece of floral scrap book paper 3 5/8"X 5 1/2" to cover the back of the card.  I also stamped "Becky" the cowgirl, one of Julie Nutting's new Doll Stamps from Prima on Neenah white card stock. I then colored her with my Copic markers and fussy cut around her.  The wood block and sentiment stamps are from My Favorite Things "Howdy" clear stamp set. I stamped the phrase first on a manila tag, masked it with a post-it note, and the over stamped the wood block stamp in Sepia brown Archival ink from Ranger. I trimmed around the stamping, and placed foam tape on the back to pop it up.  I also used foam tape to attach Becky to the front of the card.  You can't see it well, but I used several star stamps from the MFT Howdy set to stamp a background on the card flap, before attaching the doll and the sentiment block.

To complete this card, I stamped the sentiment "Yee Haw" on the printed paper inside, and used Dark Bark chalk ink to add a distressed edge to the letters "H*O*W*D*Y" on the outside of the card. Thanks for visiting my blog, and be sure to leave me a comment below. See you all again soon.

Mindy

Hello, My Friend!

My friends over at Winnie & Walter, are announcing their Second stamp and cut-files Release, March 15, 2014. This card was made from two stamp sets from their First Release, The Big, the Bold, and the Happy, and You've Got Love Mail. Their clear stamp sets are made in the USA, and are very good grade polymer.

Also, using a new die I recently ordered, "Howdy" from Die-Versions, I die cut along the folded edge of the card, so when the card was closed, the word Howdy pops up along the spine. When the card is open, it does not show.

By placing the sheet of orange card stock over the punching, I had room to add a strip of pink/brown dotted rick-rack along the edge of the card.  While the card was closed (pictured above) I stamped the heart line right below the flap.  I also stamped the words along the flap edge.  The dove was stamped with Tuxedo black Memento ink, masked, and then stamped the heart image in Love Letters Red Memento ink over the top.  When the mask was removed, it looks as if the dove is carrying the heart.  To bling up the card a little, I used my clear glitter pen to edge each of the letters in Howdy, and along the embossed edge of the front flap. I also outlined the dove and heart with the glitter pen.

Winnie & Walter's Second Release is all about Family, so go check out their blog to see the teasers, and register for their Big Giveaway! Happy Stampin' and have a great week!

Mindy

Card using Susan's Garden Flower Dies

My next project is a A2 size greeting card, using some scrapbook paper from the Introspection 6 X 6 paper pad by Prima, #PR-845742 sold in the Classy Cards n' Such shop. The flower is a Dahlia from Susan's Garden #SZ-658859 also from the Classy Cards n' Such shop.  I added extra petals to the flower so it would be nice and full, and also used an oak leaf punch edged with Dark Bark chalk ink from Prima. I adhered them to a manila tag, also edged in the Dark Bark chalk ink. I also used a grid background clear stamp from the Prima Finnabair Collection to add a little depth and dimension to the manila tag. To finish off the tag, I added a quote from Langston Hughes, and a bow tied from thin brown ribbon to the tag, and my card was completed. 

I really enjoy making these dimensional flowers, and hope they interest you, too!  The dies from Sizzix are much easier to use now, if you own a die cut machine. Before the dies came out, we had to use single punches to punch each petal when making the flowers. Now, just a pass or two of the die cut machine, and you are on your way to creating beautiful flowers for your garden. Be sure to click HERE to see more entries in the Classy Cards Challenge, and maybe you will want to start your gardening soon.

Mindy

Scrapbook Page using Susan's Garden Flowers

My last project using Flowers from Susan's Garden, is a scrapbook page with more paper from the Introspection 6 X 6 paper pad from Prima, and Classy Cards N' Such.  This paper is so beautiful with all it's colorful flowers, it really gives your projects a touch of spring and summer. 

The arrangement of flowers are all from Susan's Garden. I was lucky enough to take a flower making class from Susan Tierney-Cockburn years ago, when she was still making her flowers from single metal paper punches. Of course, I had to buy many of them, and still have them in my stash. The violets, and the clay pot, along with the oak leaves are from the previous paper punches. The Dahlias are made from the smaller dahlia petals from the die set #SZ-658859 sold in the Classy Cards N' Such shop. I also used a sheet of Plum Iridescent- Curious Translucents paper #XP-37017950 sold in the CCNS shop, to accent the background of the flower arrangement against the floral scrapbook paper. To give the plum paper a little texture, I used the "Howdy" word die from Die-Versions, and a pair of deckled edged scissors to trim the paper edges and make the whole scrapbook page POP!

I submitted this project in the Classy Cards N' Such Challenge, click HERE to visit their challenge page to see other entries, and have a nice weekend.

Projects using Flowers from Susan Tierney-Cockburn and Sizzix Dies

Today's post will be a jumbo post, jam packed with flowers galore from Susan Tierney-Cockburn and her Sizzix dies.  My friends at Classy Cards n' Such had a challenge this week on their blog, and the theme was projects made using the flower dies from Susan' Garden.  Here are the projects I submitted.

This is a tiny wicker tote bag decorated with two of the Mini Petal Roses from Susan's Garden, #SX-658409 sold in the Classy Cards n' Such shop. I needed a small gift bag to enclose a pair of delicate earrings in that I am giving a friend for her birthday.  This friend is also an avid gardener, and loves roses, so I knew I had to decorate the tiny bag with some tiny roses. 

The next two posts are also projects I submitted to theClassy Cards n' Such blog challenge, and hope you will visit the link to see more entries in this weeks challenge. Enjoy your weekend, and I will visit with you again soon.

Mindy

Celebrate Mardi Gras!

It's Fat Tuesday!  Do you celebrate Mardi Gras?  It's Party Time in New Orleans, or anywhere else you happen to celebrate. Here in Texas, we party anytime we can find an occasion. Mardi Gras is as good a time as any! We have parades, wear masks and beads, eat King's Cake and party just like they do in  Louisiana.  

I started this card by cutting two background papers from the Color Me Collections carried at Paper Wishes/Hot Off the Press. Color Me pages are scrapbook sized pages that have designs pre-embossed on them in various colors of embossing powders. You can then color the images or backgrounds using various mediums and coloring agents, including ink pads, chalks, markers, mists, or watercolors.  I used different shades of Gelatos from Faber Castell to color my backgrounds. I scribbled the Gelatos on the paper, and then used a moistened baby wipe to distribute and blend the various colors. By using the baby wipes, the moisture in them removes the Gelatos color from the raised embossed image.

I then stamped my "Skulls About Town"stamp from Impression Obsession, using black Memento Ink on Neenah white card stock. I colored in sections of the images with Copic markers and metallic markers,  and attached my sentiment "Celebrate" colored with my red Le Plume pigmented marker. The images were fussy cut around and mounted to the card front with foam tape, to give it depth and dimension.

I hope you all have a festive week, and if you can't find some occasion to celebrate, party with the hearty in New Orleans, and Celebrate Mardi Gras!

To Be Fond of Dancing. . .

Happy Saturday! Today's post is another entry in the Classy Cards n' Such challenge #21- Vintage Hues, using three colors from their posted image, and the 6X6 Elementals Doily stencil available in their shop.

I started out by spritzing the doily stencil on a sheet of silver gray card stock using the Tattered Angels- Patina spritz.  I then fussy cut around the doily shape and adhered it to the card front using a permanent adhesive. I then attached a strip of sheer pink two-toned ribbon and a strip of lace ribbon vertically on the card front.  The sentiment label was pre-printed on a sheet of  12X12 scrapbook paper from the Dear Jane collection from Die Cuts With a View.

I popped up the sentiment label with foam tape to give the card dimension, then attached a piece of silk ribbon tied in a bow to the top of the label. A butterfly die from Hot Off the Press was then cut from metallic white Neenah card stock and a background of pink.  It was then attached to the sentiment label with pop dots.  I left the wings loose so they would wiggle in the breeze.

 I hope you all had a wonderful day. The weather was wonderful here in So. Texas. Spring is on it's way, but at least one more shot of winter is expected tomorrow.  Stay happy!
Mindy