Retro Rectangles

You know how you keep (well, I do, at least) printouts of older projects, especially of cards that show ways to use the myriads of stamps you have bought?  I was looking through my old files and a card showing this technique (and layout, if I may be truthful) caught my eye.  The stamp (and idea) is from Hero Arts, and it has been just sitting in a drawer and was calling out to me--"I'm here--don't forget about me!"  it said in a loud annoying way (you know how they can whine!).  So I pulled it out and made a couple of cards.  The tree images are stamped on glossy white cardstock with Versamark and then inked over with shades of Colorbox chalk ink.  They look like the weather lately--a hint of fall in the air with the cooler air from the hurricane (although the sun is out bright today).  My ribbon got a wrinkle in it on the right side as I applied it, due to running out of xyron before running out of ribbon.  So I hopefully camouflaged it with some adhesive felt--don't tell me it doesn't go with the card--don't want to hear it.  I think this will do for an all-purpose male birthday card, even though it screams "Happy Autumn!"   I like the texture on this card--the ribbon, the thin mulberry mat, the embossed section, and the glossiness of the trees.  Very tactile!

Don't worry, BEE happy!

I have been spending hurricane time in my craft room--cleaning, organizing, and a little crafting.  Not that we are really affected by the hurricane--just gloomy weather at my house and some fierce shaking of the trees every once in a while.  

So this little card I put together with the inspiration of Lindsay Weirich, who you know I love.  Here is her original at her youtube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBfGXwrni-k

I used my Cricut Explore (of course!) to cut out my hexagons.  So super easy!  Here is my finished card front:

And of course I have some boo-boos, like using the wrong side of the embossing folder, for starters.  But it looks ok I think.  Also, if the card is sitting up, like it is in the picture, all my stamping of the far right window is obscured by all my shaker elements.

I had so much fun putting this together!  And I will add sentiments when I get the stamp set from Rubber Stamp Tapestry, which should be arriving tomorrow, should we have mail service.  And I think this card is mailable, because I used only one layer of foam tape.

And as Lindsay always urges us to "use what we have".  I used an older beehive stamp by Stampourri and assorted RST peg stamps.  Luckily I found a bee!

BTW, if you are interested in the Cricut Explore file, just message me in the comments and I will be happy to share.  Sorry, but it doesn't do the embossing--you have to have a folder for that.  I think I used one for Cuttlebug by ProvoCraft.

A Warm Hello via Cute Dog Images!

I again needed some "thinking of you" or "feel better" cards, and I had come across Audrey Pettit's wonderful dog tags featuring Tim Holtz' Mini Cats and Dogs stamps.  So I decided to start with her idea.  These dog images are just wonderful--by themselves they convey a sense of fun and friendliness and that all will be better.  Here is her original post:

https://audreypettit.wordpress.com/2016/10/28/smile-crazy-dogs-tags-with-sizzix/

And here are my cards I generated from her fabulous idea and some found papers in my stash:

Like Audrey's, I used Lynda Kanase's for Sizzix photo frames and props.  I added washi tape to my found papers along with the Tim Holtz borders of hearts and some text stamps I found in my stash.   The dogs were easy to color with Copics and I cut them out by hand.  I can't wait to make more of these adorable cards and I know the recipients will get a smile.  Happy dog days of summer to you!

Happy Summer Cards!

I have been in re-make mode this summer.  Here is a truckload of watermelon/fruit cards I made from older Denami stamps and papers.  I thought it was so much fun to bring out these fun summer themed supplies and make a fresh batch.  I can use these as birthday/thank you, etc.  and the colors are so uplifting.  
   Thanks for looking!

Lemonade Stand!

We had the lemonade stand at Children's Church today.  Here is our spread, but the lemonade is not quite ready.  The kids had a great time, and the adults certainly enjoyed watching them serve.  Our lesson was on "Self-Control" and everybody did a fabulous job letting the guests be served first!  I made the banner pieces with my Cricut Explore but I got lazy and used a yellow Hobby Lobby banner backdrop from their party aisle.  The paper I used for the banner is the new Cricut printed paper which I found at JoAnn's.  Yummy colors!  Yummy lemonade!

Getting Ready for Lemonade Stand

I have been seeing such cute lemonade stands on line, that I decided the church kids should get in on the act.  We have been studying "The Fruits of the Spirit" this summer, and I thought it would be cute for them to host a lemonade stand at fellowship for their last Sunday lesson on this topic.  Of course, we are serving, not selling!  along with chocolate chip cookies!

I made these aprons for the kids to wear.  I had a bunch of leftover sheeting (from when I hosted Roman toga parties for the kids in Latin club days!) so I stitched them into serving aprons.  The design was made on Cricut Design Space and cut on Cricut Iron On Light Printable Vinyl with my Explore Air.  I just love how vibrant the design turned out!  Of course, I wanted pink, but so many of the kids are boys this summer, so I went with blue and orange.

I wanted to make a few more aprons last minute, but I had run out of Cricut printable iron on vinyl.  The Jo Ann's near me was out, but they had a different brand of inkjet printable vinyl, so I tried that.  It was a total flop--it didn't iron on nearly as well as the Cricut brand.  I will definitely be getting some more printable iron on from Cricut and keeping it in my stash.  If I were not such a hoarder, we wouldn't have these cute aprons!  And did you check the price of fabric???!  $12.99 a yard???!!  I am so glad I have fabric in my stash to last my old age!

Church lemonade stand is Sunday.   I will post pictures--it will be trey cute!

Feeling Vintage

Lately I have been wanting to get back into using my Tim Holtz stash and getting all inky with the Vintage look.  I just had a birthday--I wonder if I am feeling "vintage"?!!

So I have been looking through the blogs and found some wonderful inspiration.  Now, keep in mind I haven't been keeping up with Tim's stuff for a while, so while many of my new "finds" are new to me, they may be a couple years old in terms of the craft market, and some may even be already discontinued--a constant reminder to "get it while it's here!"

One of new inspirations is a blogger named Audrey Pettit.  Love her stuff--she is a guest designer for Sizzix and also Thermo-Web, and she is not only getting me hooked on Sizzix dies but also some of the new DecoFoil products.

Here is a link to her card that inspired my first creation below:   https://audreypettit.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/sizzix-tutorial/

And here is my card:

I used the Tim Holtz Movers and Shapers typewriter for this card.  Finally found on some blog post somewhere how you can use Ranger adhesive foil to cut the handles, space bar, etc  and still paint the typewriter black (which I cut from grungeboard--do they even make that anymore?)  The large postage stamp background die is from Hero Arts, but the inside postage stamp die I just got from Sizzix.  I am really loving this die.  Here I just inked with Vintage Photo and stamped inky blots all over it.  And you will see I am using my stash:  washi tape, mica die cut shape, baker's twine, metal finding, vintage stickers, and of course burlap.  I am sending this card to my sister Cindy who worked as a secretary her whole life.  (I think "secretary" is now a politically incorrect term, but she was one for many years.)

And here is my companion piece using the vintage phone from the same Movers and Shapers set:

I die cut the phone before I discovered the foil trick, so the center of the phone appears as a white painted blob, which of course, it is.  Again using vintage stickers, washi tape from my stash.  Here is the inspiration for this card from Audrey, who inspired me to color the individual squares from the postage stamp die:

https://audreypettit.wordpress.com/2015/04/13/sizzix-tutorial-lets-explore/

Do take a look at her projects--she is the professional--I'm only sharing my takes on these.

BTW have you seen the new Tim Holtz Halloween idea-ology?  I am sure I have to have all of it.  Brother, can you spare a dime--I have to do online ordering!