Air Mail Birthday Card

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with a fun masculine card using a vintage-look airmail sticker.....perfect for this birthday card that I will be mailing. :)  I had this emboss-resist starry background in my reject pile on my craft table.  It hadn't turned out like I wanted for a different project a week or two ago, but I knew it would come in handy sometime soon!

My card is fairly self-explanatory, so I will just give you my supply list and make this post super-short!

Supplies used include the following:
Art Anthology - Twilight Stencil
Distress Ink - Stormy Sky, Chipped Sapphire, Black Soot
Versamark Ink
Embossing Powder-Translucent Sahara (Lost track of orig jar and can't remember what brand it is! Eeek!)
Sizzix - Circles, Scallop
My Favorite Things - Blueprints 7 die set
Waffle Flower - On My Mark stamp set
Versafine Ink - Majestic Blue
Darice - Diagonal Stripe Background

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I hope you stay cool in the heat!!  Have a wonderful weekend!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Frosted Designs Friday Challenge - Summertime Blues (the starry blue sky reminds me of summer!)
2. Cards in Envy - Red, White, and Blue Challenge
3. The Paper Girls Challenge - Happy Birthday
4. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #159 - Red, White, and Blue
5. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
6. The Male Room Challenge #13 - Up in the Air (No Birds)
7. DRS Designs Challenge #180 - Oh, My Stars!!!

Look for Stars -- Friends with Flair 6-25

Awww.....My kitties like to play with my craft stuff, too!!

Hi, Friends......

I am here with my Friday project for Unity Friends with Flair.  I used a little bit of everything on this project and had a lot of fun making it.  My sentiment is from a Unity grab bag, but I tracked it down to their Nov. 2014 KOM.  Really love its message!  I stamped it with Memento ink in London Fog. 



For my background, I masked off each half diagonally and sponged with lots of Distress Ink (Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire, Black Soot, Weathered Wood, and Pumice Stone).  I stamped some raindrops with Pumice Stone Distress Ink and my Hero Arts background stamp - Rainy Day Bold Prints. (THANKS, HA!!!) Then I sprayed the whole surface with Tsukineko Goosebumps Shimmer Texture Spray and followed that by misting with Clearsnap Smooch Spritz in Ginger Ale.  Then I misted with water to let the inks react and blend.  What resulted was a nicely textured and very shimmery background.  LOVE!!!

Next I used my Crayola Watercolor Pencils and drew in my rainbow over the top of the texturing.  I wasn't sure how it would work, but it was perfect.  I blended the colors with my waterbrush.  Then I dabbed Beacon 3-in-1 Craft Glue here and there over my night sky and poured my star confetti over it....allowing the pieces to stick where they might....sometimes in clusters, sometimes singly.

My die-cut clouds are from Lil' Inker - Rainbows and Clouds.  I love the sweet little stitched clouds!!!  I cut them from the silver reverse of some white Add a Little Dazzle - craft metal sheets and from vellum for the night sky part.  I enhanced the faux stitching on the vellum with a Sakura Gelly Roll 08 gel pen in white.  I also drew in some circles around the texture bumps in the night sky with that same pen.

I matted my sentiment panel on navy cardstock and mounted it all on a matching card base.  I think that about covers it. I went a little crazy with my products, but I really like how it turned out.  I hope you like it, too.  :)

Have a wonderful weekend.  It's supposed to hit 100 here, so I plan on doing ZERO cooking!!  lol..  Salads and sandwiches will be it, I think.  Stay cool, everyone!!!  Thanks for dropping by!

<3
Janis


Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Unity - Friends with Flair 6-26
2. Power Poppy - Power Spark - Can You Pencil Me In?
3. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Stamp + Mist
4. MAWTT - Sewing and Stitching
5. Hero Arts - Tic Tac Toe Challenge (I used the Circles, Background Stamp, and Watercolor)
6. SSS June Work it Wednesday - Refreshment (I went for emotional and spiritual refreshment with my sentiment.)
7. The Male Room Challenge #13 - Up in the Air (No Birds)
8. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
9. DRS Designs Challenge #180 - Oh, My Stars!!! 
(I don't usually enter this many challenges at a time, but please indulge me because there were a whole bunch of my regular stops that had applicable challenges.  Sometimes there are barely 4 or 5!)

Sand Dollar Card

Hi, Friends......

I am here with another white on kraft card for the MFP Speedy Fox and Friends challenge.  I am just loving this fabulous color combination!!  This time I went with a masculine and slightly nautical look adding red, white, and blue to accompany the focal panel.

I used my Mark's Finest Papers Sand Dollar Mini stamp set and heat-embossed with WOW! Embossing Powder - Opaque Bright White Regular.  The white mat is dry embossed with my Darice - Diagonal Stripe Background folder.  I tied it with some baker's twine and mounted on a royal blue card base.  I stayed with a simple, classic style for this card....which I think gives it more of an open beach-like look.  

Hope you are having a wonderful week!!!  Thank you for visiting and for leaving your lovely comments.

<3
Janis 

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #267 - White on Kraft  
2. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #158 "For a Man or Boy" 
3. Inspired by Stamping - IBSIC #95 - Use String 
4. Wow! Embossing Powder June Challenge - Summer 
5. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes 
6. Frosted Designs Friday Challenge - Summertime Blues

On Your Wedding Day

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with another white on kraft card for the MFP Speedy Fox and Friends challenge.  I love the look of this color combination so much that I thought I would try making a wedding card with it....since I will have need of one of those next month for the son of some friends. 

I used my Mark's Finest Papers Lily of the Valley stamp set.  Do you like how it turned out heat embossed on the kraft?  I really do.  I used my very favorite white embossing powder: 
WOW! Embossing Powder - Opaque Bright White Regular.  Love the fabulous clean white it gives me.  I did the butterflies on the vellum with the same EP, too.  

The background piece is from my DCWV Printed Burlap Paper Stack.  Love the floral print with the "white on kraft" look that echoes my stamping.  The burlap and the thrift store fiber yarn give just the right amount of natural texture for a rural Idaho wedding card.  The thrift store lace adds a feminine touch.  I mounted this all onto a textured eggshell white card base and then applied some adhesive pearls to help balance the design.

I was trying for a summer breeze blowing through an open window look with butterflies and flowers outside....that makes the oldie by Seals and Crofts - "Summer Breeze"  go through (the jasmine of) my mind!  I wish the white on white photographed better, but I love how the card turned out.  Hope you do, too!!

Hope you are having a good week!!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #267 - White on Kraft
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Favorite Product or Technique (Heat Embossing)
3. Wow! Embossing Powder June Challenge - Summer
4. Butterfly Spot Challenge - F is for Flowers
5. Moving Along With the Times - Inspired by a Song  "Summer Breeze" by Seals and Crofts
6. Little Scrap Pieces - Show it Off Saturday Linky Party

Happy Father's Day - To My Husband

Happy Dad's Day to my dear Jim, who manages all the many crises of our life with a unique blend of panic and stoicism!!  lol...

Hi, Friends.....

I am here with a Father's Day card for my dear hubby.  He was so sweet and encouraging about my hand-lettered tag that I decided to make a hand-lettered card for him, too.  I think it adds a personal touch....even if my handwriting isn't perfect.  He will love it and keep it forever.  (Awww....he's such a romantic!!  <3  <3  <3)

I stamped a wonderful vintage truck image from Mark's Finest Papers - Big Boy Toys stamp set with Versamark Ink and heat embossed with WOW! Embossing Powder - Opaque Bright White Regular onto kraft.  Love the white on kraft look!!

I wrote out my sentiment with a black permanent marker onto a leftover bit of acetate and mounted it onto a scrap of white cardstock with tiny brown brads.

These panels were mounted onto brown cardstock dry embossed with my Darice - Checkered Folder.  This was put on a kraft card base.  I think hubby will like the clean crisp lines of this card and the vintage image.  

Happy Father's Day, Darling!!!  So glad you are the dad of my kids!!! 

<3
Janis


Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges
1. Tombow - Words of Wisdom Challenge
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Favorite Product or Technique (Heat Embossing)
3. Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #267 - White on Kraft
4. Pixie's Snippets Playground Week 181-182 - Use snippets
5. Mod Squad Challenge - Happy Father's Day
6. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #158 "For a Man or Boy"

You Make Me Smile Tag

Try multiplying this by our 3 youngest cats who usually spend the night inside!!!  lol....

"The great charm of cats is their rampant egotism, their devil-may-care attitude toward responsibility, their disinclination to earn an honest dollar."
                                                                                  ----------Robertson Davies


Hi, Friends.......

I am here with a pretty tag I made for the Tombow - Words of Wisdom Challenge that asks you to hand-letter some quote or encouraging sentiment.  Eeek!!  My handwriting is not very attractive, but I practiced and gave it my best shot.  I think it will be okay for a tag that will get only a cursory glance before the recipient opens the gift!  Ha.

I used a pre-printed journaling oval piece from the DCWV Solstice Stack and a long scrap from the same pad.  I got super-brave and tried stenciling with my Dreamweaver Embossing Paste in the original flavor.  lol...  This was the first time I had ever tried it.  When it was nearly dry, I brushed some Perfect Pearls Pigment Powder in Forever Green, Perfect Gold, Perfect Pearl over the embossed squiggles.  

The little vellum butterfly (heat-embossed with yellow powder) didn't photograph very well, but I think it looks sweet lifting gently off the tag.  

Do you like my string ties?  I used thrift store yarn, May Arts vine ribbon, and Prima flowers with sequin centers.  Love how it turned out....it's my favorite part of the tag!  :)

Other supplies:
Doilies from stash
Adhesive rhinestones
Tombow Multi Mono Glue
Beacon 3-in-1 Craft Glue

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Your comments mean a lot to me!!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this tag in the following challenges:
1.  Tombow - Words of Wisdom Challenge
2.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Favorite Product or Technique (Heat Embossing) 3.  Wow! Embossing Powder June Challenge - Summer
4.  Pixie's Snippets Playground Week 181-182 - Use snippets
5.  Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Don't Cut, Just Paste  (I used Embossing Paste)
6.  Butterfly Spot Challenge - F is for Flowers  

Vintage Mother Bird with Nest - Friends with Flair 6-19

"Do you see that kitten chasing so prettily her own tail?  If you could look wih her eyes, you might see her surrounded with hundreds of figures performing complex dramas, with tragic and comic issues, long conversations, many characters, many ups and downs of fate."

                                                                                     --------Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hi, Friends....

I am here today with my Unity Friends with Flair project.  I felt the urge to make a fancy card this time, so I played around with some fun products and used dies to make pretty things for this summery nature-inspired card.

I love heat embossing of all kinds...in fact I am crazy about heat embossing.  It is my favorite technique.  I did an emboss resist for the lovely bird/nest image from Unity - Love, using Versamark Ink and clear embossing powder on a scrap of patterned paper.  I love the effect of the pattern showing through the embossed image!!

I also heat embossed using my clear Ranger - Ultra-Thick Embossing Enamel.  Oh, my goodness....I LOVE this stuff!!  This makes a gooey globby glossy gob of goop on everything it touches.  Just my kind of thing!!  lol....  :)  To me, this turns projects into instant mixed media because the large particle size is not really used to emboss in the traditional sense.  It is like a medium of its own.  

I used it on my green background by Versamarking through a thrift store stencil and layering the UTEE on.  When it liquefies upon heating, you can gently push it around with the air flow from your heat gun.  It adds some super-duper shine and texture, too.  And.....(this is important if you craft the way I do!)....if I accidentally touch it before it is all the way set and leave a fingerprint, I can zap it again with my heat gun and it remelts and fixes itself!!  Hooray!!!  :)  What is not to love about this wonderful product???? 

However, what I was really excited about doing with my UTEE was coating my die-cut flower with it.  I cut several different scraps of patterned paper with my Spellbinders - Heartfelt Creations - Majestic Blooms die set.  I did some texture stamping with a Unity grab bag leaf stamp and Antique Linen Distress Ink.  Then I Versamarked the three pieces and heat embossed with UTEE to get a glossy rain-washed or dewy effect.  LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!  You can see it in the photo below.  While it was still warm and pliable I could shape the petals, too.  How fab is that???!!!! 

 
I will mention one other special technique I used.  My butterfly was a little too bright and too green for the other colors on the card, so I toned it down and defined the veins in the wings with Distress Ink in Antique Linen, Tumbled Glass, and Crushed Olive.  Then I brushed on some Perfect Pearls Pigment Powder in Mint to give it that iridescent shimmer that real butterflies have.  The inks were still a bit damp, so it set the powder without additional misting.  Love this pretty sheen!!!




Other products used include:
Spellbinders - Lace Doily Motifs die set
Sizzix - Fancy Labels Dies
Want 2 Scrap - Adhesive Pearls
Misc. scraps from my stash (K&Co. and DCWV)


The effect I was hoping to achieve with this card was of a birdnest hidden away in a leafy arbor.  I love how the tendrils of my swirly Memory Box - Gwyneth Flourish die cuts spring up when I use a light-weight cardstock.  The 3-D effect makes this look even more like the nest is in a secret place.  Sweet!

That's all for this card.  It was fun letting my alchemist alter-ego out while I was playing with the different products I used.  I hope you like the results of my experimenting.  :)  

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Unity Friends with Flair Link Up
2.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Favorite Product or Technique (Heat Embossing)
3.  Wow! Embossing Powder June Challenge - Summer
4.  Blog Quick Quotes Friday Challenge #52 - Use Handmade Flowers
5.  Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Don't Cut, Just Paste  (I used UTEE for a thick texture product similar to paste.)
6.  Butterfly Spot Challenge - F is for Flowers
7.  Pixie's Snippets Playground Week 181-182 - Use snippets  (All die cuts were made from scraps.  Hooray!!)
8.  Unruly Paper Arts - June Art Quest 2 - The Great Outdoors