Heat Embossed Leaf Thank You Cards

Did some stamping with Betty yesterday. 

I finished the Thank You cards for Emily's wedding. 

They are simple, but elegant. I made 40 in one afternoon!

Betty also taught me how to make a necklace. 

My first attempt. 

I couldn't believe how many beads, findings, chains, and more she

has! Looking forward to doing some more beading. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Butterfly Thank You Cards

I made 16 of these thank you cards yesterday. 

John called and said him and Emily were already

receiving congratulations cards from family members, so

they needed thank you cards. 

Since Emily selected gray, white, and gold for her colors

I kept with that while making the cards. 

Used SU Butterfly, and Adorning Accents thinlits to create the cards. 

Inside view. 

Taking them to Sarah's on Sunday as everyone is meeting there. 

Hoping Em is happy with the cards. 

Big changes with cable yesterday. We cancelled

Spectrum, and got Dish. Using WOW for internet. 

Will take me awhile to get use to all the channels with Dish. 

I miss the days when all you had to do was turn on the set, and

flip through a few channels. Everything is so complicated now.

Or maybe I'm just getting older, and have a hard time coping with change. 

Nope everything is just more complicated now, can't be me! 

Stamping trails

Karen

Paris Themed Thank You Card

Cute little Paris themed thank you card for my 

friend Betty. She gave me the die set for my birthday. 

 

The little dog stamp is by Julie Nutting. 

Got some great crafting time in today with Betty. I'll

take photos, and post pics of the Fall cards I made tomorrow. 

Well we are finally getting our Fall season here. In the 50's for the rest 

of the week, and into the 40's at night. I'm so ready for it!!!!!

I can start baking again, and enjoying all the fall favorites. 

 

At the time I'm writing this I'm listening to Magic 105.7 and 

 

they are playing Michael Jackson's Thriller. Perfect! 

Stamping trails

Karen

Easy Thank You Card

Well this thank you card was made in 2 minutes flat. 

The folded flower Kym had sent me, and the lattice layer is a die

cut that Kathleen sent me. Only thing I had to do was glue it down, 

and add the greeting. 

Love fast cards!

Thanks girls! 

Went to Pat Catan's. They have a ton of stuff on clearance, but I was

 

good got out of the store with only spending 8 dollars. That must be a new record low 

 

for me! LOL 

 

Woke up to some snow the trees were so pretty, but it melted off 

 

pretty fast. Hubby has a birthday coming up next week so I stopped and

 

got cake mix to bake him a cake. Kids are coming over Sunday for a pizza party for him. 

 

Guess I should clean the house this weekend. JOY! 

 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Bless Your Heart Mason Jar Card

I did find some time to stamp yesterday. 

This card was made using a stamp set I picked up on

the shopping trip Betty, and I went on. Set from Stampabilities called

Mason Jar/Banner. The set was on clearance, and I got it for a whopping

.75 cents. Just can't pass up a deal like that! 

Don't know who the little girl is holding the baby doll. It is from 

the stash of my mom's black and white photos. I thought

she was so cute with the baby doll so she got incorporated on the card. 

Hearts were made with different sized punches. 

The background was stamped with a script stamp. 

and here is an inside view. 

 I did have fun shopping with Betty yesterday. We got caught in the rain

every time we came out of a store, but at least it wasn't too cold out. 

Speaking of cold....today it will not be, as the forecast calls for temps in 

the lower 70's. Can you believe that one? Hope it doesn't trick the 

flowers to start poking their heads out, as I'm sure it won't last. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Thanks You's All Around

These are the thank you card I sent out last week. 

Needed to send them out to special people who helped make

my birthday Happy! 

I used Tim Holtz thinlits on the white layer, and 

misc designer paper to back the layer. This is a great way to 

use up some of that designer paper that I know we all have tons of! 

Stamp set is by SU! 

I also want to send out a big THANK YOU to my buddy Joe for designing the new 

image header for my blog. Did you notice it? Scroll up and take a look. 

It has my updated artwork, and matches the background for the bog. Love

the pinks and grays together. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Thanks a Bunch Grapes

I used the grapes from Market Fresh stamp set for today's card. 

Base and layer are Blackberry Bliss cardstock. 

Larger white layer was embossed with Decorative Dots folder but 

it does show up very well in the photo.

 

To finish I took some stands of burlap (as I have many of them from 

 

making the wedding invites!) and knotted it across the top.

 

I colored the leaves with Pear Pizzazz. The grapes were colored using Rich Razzleberry, 

 

and a blender pen. The darker grapes were stamped on Blackberry Bliss then cut and

 

and glued on the stamped image. Added highlights with a white gel pen. 

 

Skip is taking me out to Ruby Tuesday today for dinner. 

 

I need a break from cooking. Always nice to get out, and get away from 

 

the daily dish pile up! 

 

Stamping trails

Karen  

Lace Doily Card

I found some battenburg lace doilies in a drawer. 

Thought I could use them on a card. 

Base card is Gray, layer Blushing Bride.

I stamped the butterfly in the center of the doily using 

Jet Black StazOn ink. 

Added the greeting, little flower trim, and rhinestones. 

I just got back from doing some wedding planning with Sarah. 

Lots to do!!!! 

Stamping trails

Karen

Note Card with Box

I used the Lotus Blossom stamp set to crate these cute little 

note cards. Ink is from the in line colors: Blackberry Bliss, Mossy Meadow, 

Tangerine Tango, Hello Honey, and Lost Lagoon. 

And here is the box that holds the note cards. 

The bottom is BlackBerry Bliss cardstock and 

the top was created using cardstock weight vellum. 

I have a busy morning. PT at 10:30, then off to the hospital to pick 

up a prescription, and finally to southern Medina to take back the 

 

transfer bench that I borrowed to take showers with. I don't need it now. 

 

I will be using a bath chair. I can raise my leg safely to get into the tub, but

 

still need a chair to sit in. 

 

I'm still working on Sarah's wedding invites. Which means I need to plan a 

 

trip to Pat Catan's and Hollo's to pick up supplies, but I think that is going to 

 

wait till Wednesday. Busy, Busy!!!! 

 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Sheer Perfection Butterfly Thank You Card

I like the Sheer Perfection designer vellum pack so much

that I put in a small order just to get another one before the

end of March before its gone. 

I colored the back with Wisteria Wonder, Blushing Bride, and So Saffron.

Layered that on white, then layered again on Hello Honey. Base card white. 

On the front I added a burlap strip and a strip of Blushing Bride rosettes from 

the Artisan kit. Which I also have to buy another one of those kits, because

I like what came with it. Wish I could get a ton of the Blushing Bride rosettes. 

Seems like Blushing Bride is my favorite color lately....could it be because 

Sarah is getting married this year? Yep I'd say so. 

Greeting is from Painted Petals. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Thank You Card, and Trivia

I braved the cold of the lower level of the house to stamp. I had to break out my fingerless gloves.

What a trooper! 

Stamp set Oh Hello, and Festive Flurry

Color Palette: white, Real Red, Old Olive, Marina Mist

Since today obscure holiday trivia, I thought it would be fun to do some trivia for New Years.

1. When do the Chinese celebrate their New Year?
2. The first New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square happened in?
3. The Jewish New Year is called?
4. What does Auld Lang Syne mean?
5. Where is one of the largest annual New Year's Eve celebrations?
6. How many fireworks are set off from the Sydney Harbour Bridge?
7. How do they celebrate the new year in Edinburgh, UK?
8. Where is a centenary clock is lowered at 23:59:48 on New Year’s Eve?
9. On New Year’s eve what is a First Night celebration?
10. Name five of the top 10 New Year resolutions. 
11. What percent give up their New Year's resolution after 3 months? 

Stop back tomorrow I'll have the answers listed.

Stamping trails

Karen 

Clear Block Stamping

For this card I broke out an old ink pad. Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves by Tsukineko. 

I inked up a 3x3 clear block with the pad then pressed in on a vanilla panel.

I used Chocolate Chip, Cherry Cobbler, and Old Olive for the leaves.

After the stamping was done I ran the panel through the crimper, then sponged the edges with Old Olive. 

This was layered on Old Olive base card. 

I just added the greeting from Perfectly Penned and a few vanilla candy dots to finish it. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Great Pumpkin Thank You Card

How about a great pumpkin card? This reminds me of the Great Pumpkin with Linus sitting in the pumpkin patch. Pumpkin is made with large oval punch and Pumpkin Pie cardstock. 

Stamp sets: Everything Eleanor, and Harvest of Thanks. 

The edges of the ovals were sponged with Cajun Craze ink. The center oval was popped over the two ovals on the bottom. Completed panel was layered on Early Espresso, base card vanilla.

Stamping trails

Karen

More Butterflies

Another swallowtail card. This one is using emboss resist technique. 

I inked the stamp with VersaMark on a white layer. 

Then embossed with clear embossing powder. 

I first used a sponge with Blushing Bride ink to add the color to the image. This is best done using circular motions, and its okay to color outside the lines. 

Next I repeated using Soft Suede just to the center of the butterfly. 

Added a greeting and mounted on Soft Suede base card. 

And seeing how I liked the colors so much on the outside card....I saw no reason not to carry it over to the inside! 

Stamping trails

Karen

Something Different

My friend Kat wrapped my birthday gifts using this pretty wrapping paper. She used matching tulle to tie a bow around the packages. 

I was thinking that the wrapping paper would look so pretty on a card. I was right! 

This was just layered on a white base card, with a simple greeting. 

I think what I may start doing is using the wrapping paper that is on my gifts to make thank you cards for the person who sent them. Cool idea... what do you think?

Stamping trails

Karen

Oval Punch Bow

Back with another Harvest of Thank card. I used Spice Cake designer paper (retired)

Base card More Mustard, layer River Rock (both retired)

The bow was made using the large oval punch, but you could make the bow with any ovals

Need to punch four. On two of them use a 1 inch square punch to punch out the pennant shape. Or hand cut with scissors. For the remaining two oval punches round them in half being careful not to crease them and adhered them with glue dots. 

Match up the round ovals to the cut ovals and adhere together with glue dots. 

I used a pressed clay flower in the center of this bow but you could also use a button or brad. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Adding Machine Tape with Lace Ribbon Punch

I like the look the lace ribbon punch gives to a card, but I don't always like

to punch it using cardstock. 

I picked up a roll of adding machine tape at Hollo's paper store for .45 cents. 

It works so well with the lace punch. 

I also think that once the piece was punched I could use an ink pad and brayer to add 

color if I didn't want it to be white. I'll have to try that. 

Greeting is from Perfectly Penned.

Weight loss inspiration for the day:

"The biggest weight loss secret? Manage your emotions or they will keep mismanaging you."

-Brian Vaszily

Stamping trails

Karen

Harvest of Thanks Note Cards and Jar

Now that it is August my mind is turning towards Fall. 

Fall is my favorite time of the year. I just love the deep rich colors. 

Of course I'd like Fall much better if it was not followed by the 

dreaded Old Man Winter. 

Okay I will not think of Winter while it is so nice outside! 

The note cards are 9 1/2 x 2 3/4, and 

I'm using coin envelopes for them. The coin

envelopes are 5 x 3

I used Spice Cake designer paper (retired SU) for the cards and envelope flaps. 

Stamp set Harvest of Thanks (holiday mini catalog)

I purchased a wide mouth mason jar at Pat Catan's last week and thought it would make a perfect container for cards. 

Burlap was used to cover the top lid of the jar.
Natural ribbon was wrapped around to hold the burlap in place. Then I added

A thanks tag along with some Sweet Buttons embosslits. 

I enjoyed changing gears from Christmas cards to make the Jar of Note cards.

So I was gathering veggies from the garden to make a salad last night. I forgot to pick the romaine lettuce so I sent Skip out to pick some. He brings me this nice full bowl of leafy greens and I start to wash them one by one. The first one was washed fine. I wash the top of the second leaf....turned it over only to discover a very large......I mean very large.....SPIDER!!!!!!! Of course I started screaming threw the leaf back in the bowl and was yelling for Skip to come kill it. Which he did....but I'm thinking I'm not going anywhere near the romaine lettuce again!!!!!!! Darn near had a heart attack.  Its not easy being a gardener when you are afraid of things with 8 legs.

Weight loss inspiration of the day:

 "My advice is, never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time."

 ~Charles Dickens

Stamping trails

Karen

Simply Sketched Thank You

Happy Thursday! 

I really like Simply Sketched. It is a new Hostess set from SU.

Color palette: Crumb Cake, Blushing Bride, Perfect Plum, Old Olive, Early Espresso, and Very Vanilla.

I first stamped the leaves and berries then ran that layer through the hexagon embossing folder. 

Blushing Bride was punched with scallop border punch then layered with Perfect Plum. 

Added a cream vintage button.

Yesterday I went to have my orthotic adjusted. I felt the arch was just to high. Felt like I was walking on a rock. Much better today. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Collage Card

I love vintage collage cards. This one starts with a vanilla base card, and uses a color pallet of Baja Breeze, and Cherry Cobbler.

I just had fun with it and used what I had on hand. Trying to use some older supplies like the clip in the lower right hand side. I have a ton of clips! 

Stamping trails

Karen