Distress Inks and Embossing

I just love the Ranger distress inks and I pulled out my inks, white embossing powder and versamark ink to create some cool backgrounds.  For card 1 I used peeled paint, wild honey, and tumbled glass.  Card 2 uses peeled paint,crushed olive and mowed lawn.  The last card I made I added wild honey,spiced marmalade and peeled paint.  I also sprinkled a little bit of water, to give a watercolor look to the card.

Use Your Scraps part 2

As promised, I have another card using the scraps of paper I have left from card making.  I decided to
grab some scraps that I had left over from embossing projects.  I love bright colors, and I decided to
go with some fresh Spring colors.  I used different embossed papers to give my card some variety of texture.  I recently purchased new stamps on clearance and I loved the sentiment.  My Martha Stewart butterfly punch finished off the card nicely with some tiny pearls.  I punched two butterflies and
glued them together to give the illusion of flying.

Christmas card using Alcohol Inks

I love to create backgrounds using Ranger alcohol inks.  I decided to run the glossy card I made using some green and butterscotch inks and emboss the piece using an embossing folder.  I then pulled out my Sizzix dies and cut some leaves.  The berries were created using some different shades of red, cranberry and currant inks.  I used my Spellbinders die to create the scallop and Creative Memories to cut the oval.
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What to do with all Those Scraps

Like most papercrafters, I have a lot of scraps of paper.  After awhile, I seem to accumulate quite a lot of leftover embellishments, stamped items, etc.  So today I pulled out my pile of leftovers, and challenged myself to make some cards.  On the first card I found a piece of kraft paper, 2 yellow die cut flowers, a white piece of punched trim and a strip of brown paper.  All very blah - so I decided to pull out the ink and stamps.  First, I stamped the large kraft piece with an distress stamp with walnut distress ink.  Then I pulled out a stamp that has elegant lettering and I stamped the flowers.  I then used a decorate scroll to stamp the brown strip of card stock.  Finally, I took the white trim and inked it up with frayed burlap and old paper distress inks.  The center of the flowers were leftover from flowers I punched from coffee cup holders!  They fit just perfect.

On the next card I began with the embossed dragonfly.  I sometimes stamp something, and for whatever reason I decide not to use it.  But I hate throwing any stamped piece out!  I trimmed the dragonfly and then found the scrap piece of tiny flowered print paper.  The purples matched nicely.  Lastly, I had another piece of trim.  I sometimes punch a large piece of trim and don't use it all.  Nothing goes to waste.  I added a purple ribbon and tiny purple rhinestones to give the card a little pizazz.

The last card I did was created when I found a stamped Buddha already cut and the Happy Birthday O' Ancient One also stamped and cut.  I just added a piece of Asian themed paper for the background.
I even found a oriental coin embellishment in my scrap box. (Not shown in picture).  I think the key to using up your scraps to create a great card is to find like components and colors.  I can't wait to try this again. 

So check out your scraps and leftovers and see what you can come up with.  There really is great satisfaction in creating a new card from pieces of leftover scraps of paper and stamped images.  I think I'll try to do this one a month, and keep my scrap pile from growing too large!

Old stamps - new card

I pulled out a few old stamps that I haven't used in awhile.  When I attended the Allentown PA Stamp convention, I found some great background stamps from Impression Obsession.  I also purchased their Mega Mount which is great for large stamps.  I combined an old background stamp with a new one to give this card a vintage foreign look.  I then stamped the eiffel tower stamp and framed it with a dark chocolate paper.  Finally I stamped the label and found the perfect word to stamp inside - merci. 

I'm eating a cheesesteak and heading to work shortly - multitasking.  I have painted frames upstairs drying and small notebooks ready to be made.  The Burlington County Market is Saturday and I'm trying to make as much as I can.  The market is located on a working farm.  The vendors are inside a small barn structure, and some are outside in front of silos.  No one realizes how much farmland there is in South Jersey.  People picture New Jersey as the opening credits of The Sopranos - turnpike and industrial wasteland.  Ahhh....time to leave for work.  I'll have to post some pictures - I'll take some shots this weekend. 

Where did the month of May go?

I am in the midst of switching jobs, so for the last few weeks I have been working 2 part time jobs, as well as a weekly farmer's market in Moorestown, NJ.  I wake up and have to figure out where I need to be that day!  Fortunately, I will be down to one job soon and the market.  Then I can focus on my Etsy shop which has been depleted with lots of sales at the farmer's market.  I've got so much to make!  I wanted to share a card I made this past Friday.  I worked 10am - 10pm, and I'm still trying to recuperate!  I purchased a Personal Cricut Machine last year on sale with my employee discount.  My favorite cartridge is Create a Critter.  I love owls and just thought a blue owl would be a perfect color to coordinate with my background paper.  I found a company named The Pink Stamper which has stamps made specifically to go with the Critter images.  The stamps are great quality polymer stamps and I love the adorable sayings.

A few rhinestones and glitter add a wonderful look too.  I use my odds and ends of embellishments to add  extra pizazz.  Ever wonder what to do with left over alphabet stickers?  I mixed and matched 2 different sets for the hogs and kisses card.  I hate to waste anything!

I hope to post at least once a week, now that my crazy schedule is getting a little bit better.  I'd like to get out some of the supplies I've purchased and never used.  Another idea I have is to show one stamp used in  different cards or layouts.  The Scottish have a saying about "make do" - use what you have.  What supplies and materials do you have that can be used in a new and fresh way? 

I'm back!!

April was a busy month!  I took a long girls weekend to Chincoteague, Virginia and then I was gone over a week to Morehead City, NC and Wilmington, NC.  After a much needed vacation, I am excited to get back to creating and doing what I love - making cards.  I decided to make a few wedding cards.  I have a few decorative punches and I have always loved the look of mixing different trims. I also love finding speciality paper - on sale of course!!  So I combined punches and paper and came up with a beautiful Bride and Groom card.