Thinking of You Card and Envelope

Hello! Thanks for joining me again to take a look at what's been happening on my craft desk! I wanted to join in the fun at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge for Create your own background! I have been wanting to try to create my own stencils using some Inkjet Transparencies I found in my stash, but quite honestly, have been too chicken to do it. Once I saw Caryn's wonderful creation I knew this was the chance I'd been waiting for and took it...and am I glad I did! So much fun and I love the results! So, here you go... 
Like I've said, I started with some old transparency film I found.

I used two of my Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Circles and die cut random circles from the transparency. I even kept the pieces that were cut from the plastic in a little baggie to use as masks on later projects.

 After I was satisfied with the pattern I started using my Tsukineko Sponge Daubers to fill in the circles using Tim Holtz Distress inks in Dusty Concord, Tumbled Glass, Tattered Rose, and Antique Linen. These are not usually colors that I reach for ( I love bright colors) but I think the combination is eye pleasing.

 I used a little washi tape to keep my stencil in place, but then ended up moving around quite a bit to cover the whole background. Here is the final background. I think it is happy and fun!

 I selected the Simon Says Clear Stamp Sending Happy Thoughts for the beautiful Thinking of You sentiment along with Versa Mark ink and Zing White embossing powder. I added a few pearls from Michael's Recollection line, and used foam adhesive to attach the sentiment.

 Lastly, I created an envelope for my card because I didn't have one big enough to fit it! The measurements were 4.5"x 6". Ooops. :) Thanks for joining me! What is something You've been wanting to try, but find yourself too 'chicken'?

Shaker Card- Anywhere with you!

Last night I wanted to try something a little different for me...so I created a shaker card with a scene! I love the end result and intend on doing another one very soon! I got so involved in the process that I forgot to take pictures as I went along...but here is what I have...

I first drew my scene by hand. I knew I wanted a mountain scene, as that is where hubby and I went for our honeymoon, and we now have a funny little story to tell about driving up the mountains!
I also got out my Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Circle Dies to find which circle would fit my need the best. I traced the inside of the circle so I could place my card and trailer stamps in it to make sure they fit properly.
Next, I created a mask for the mountains and sky and with a mini sponge dauber added Tumbled Glass to the sky and Pumice Stone to the mountains.

 Here is the scene starting to come together. This is where I started getting really caught up in the process and forgot to take pictures. :( After I was satisfied with the sky and mountains I used the EK Success Writer Metallic Silver to create a guard rail, then colored my road black and added some dash lines. I finished the scene by adding more Pumice Stone Distress Ink to the bottom part of the card.

 I then ran the card through my Sizzix Big Kick with the Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Circle Die. Using Tombow Mono tape runner I adhered the circle to the base of the card. I added some clear plastic (I cut from a package)behind the front layer, and put some Duck Brand Mounting Foam on the rectangle part of the card.  I stamped, colored, and fussy cut the little car and trailer from Lawn Fawn's Happy Trails, which I glued to the front part of the plastic packaging. I added my punched out hearts and silver sequins to the card and layered the outside part of the scene back onto the card base. Here is my finished happy little card. On the inside I have written, "I'd go anywhere with you."

I'm entering this shaker card into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge. It's Anything Goes!

A Little Play Goes A Long Way

Hello everyone, I wanted to share a card that was inspired by the 88th Lawnscaping Challenge! 

The theme is TEXTURE! Now, I've always been a little wary of using textures because I find that it can sometimes overtake the rest of what is happening on your project. So, I really wanted to try my hand at it and see what would happen...I started rummaging through my craft stash and came across jar of Deco Art Snow-Tex. I knew I had found my texture, but then I needed to decide...did I want to create a desert scene and use it as sand? Or design a house and use it as brick? That's when I saw my Love You S'more stamp set from Lawn Fawn and I knew I wanted textured bears! And yes, I wanted plural...so, I stamped Mr. Bear on white card stock in Black Soot distress ink, placed a clear stamping block behind it, held it to the light and traced the image so I could have the bears facing each other! (genius I know.)

 After I had multiple bears to play with I scooped a small amount of the Snow-Tex into my paint tray along with a few drops of tan acrylic paint and mixed them together. I used the tip of my finger to spread the mixture onto the stamped image. This did obscure the lines so after I dried it with my heat gun I drew over the image with a ball point pen. The dark brown bear (because he is facing the right direction) I simply restamped the him with the stamp again.

 To create my scene I used two old 'masks' I created from simple white card stock and washi tape. I used Mowed Lawn and Peeled Paint for the grass area.

 Then Tumbled Glass for the sky.

 Here is a photo of the card. I handwrote "Love bears all things" along the top of the grassy area. Added a little heart punch with some Glossy Accents on it.

 Here is a close up of my 'fuzzy' bears! I love them! So, in the end I'm very glad I played along and took a chance with texture!

In Hopes of Touching A Heart.

We recently had a friend of the family suddenly pass away. He left behind a wife and two children in their 20's. I wanted to be an encouragement to his family, so I created a card to send to them. I once again used The Sea Stamp set from Sweet 'N Sassy stamps along with the Sympathy set from My Sentiments Exactly.
This card while emotionally difficult to make is rather simple. I stamped the boat and sentiment with VersaMark Ink and then heated clear embossing powder over it.

The clear embossed image.

 I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Tumbled Glass, Mustard Seed, Faded Jeans, and Pumice Stone to color the image and reveal the stamped scene.

The image with the sentiment was slightly too big to fit a typical A2 card, so I matted it with gray card stock and used an adhesive tape runner to attach it to a 5x5 card base.

The final card

I did decide to post this card as an entry to my first challenge ever over at Word Art Wednesday! I love that I have found an uplifting place that encourages learning and reading God's Word and creating!

 In closing, a reminder- You never know which day might be your last. Take time every day to hug and kiss your family and friends. Tell them you love them.

^{God is in control. God is good. All the time!
8} For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9