Have a "Flippin' Awesome" Birthday | Lawn Fawn

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

Sadly, I missed Halloween this year. I did have a video all set up, just had to do the voice over, but then I got ridiculously sick and couldn't record. I ended up going to the doctor a couple of days ago, apparently my cold turned into "quite a severe sinus infection"; so now I'm on these crazy antibiotics. The doc says they are the strongest antibiotics she can prescribe for a sinus infection and then went all mom-voice on me about taking so long to get into see her.

Anyway, I may still do the voice-over and video, even though Halloween is over because it's fun and I love Halloween, but for today I have a super fun birthday card featuring the new Flippin Awesome die and add-on, as well as the Yeti or Not stamp set. (Best part about this? All the extra pictures! Yay!!!)

I created the background panel using the largest of the Large Stitched Rectangle dies with some Spiffy Speckles paper. I wanted something that would compliment the card without taking away from the star of the show.

All the images are stamped with Simon Says Stamp Intense Black Ink on 110lb cardstock, coloured in with Copic markers and then fussy cut out.

I used the scalloped rectangle from the Flippin' Awesome Add On to die cut the dark blue from Perfectly Plaid Chill paper.

The Flippin' Awesome mechanism is cut from 65lb white cardstock. I know, I typically use the same 110lb cardstock for everything, but with this many moving pieces, I knew it wouldn't work as smoothly. The 65lb holds up really well and allows for easy movement.

The smaller squares are cut from some of the blue paper from Perfectly Plaid Spring paper. I used the same die to cut two squares of glittered cardstock then used the Stitched Border dies to cut the snowbanks.

Once the backgrounds were put together, I started to add my trees, then cut the Yetis in half so that I could create a fluid scene. First he's coming in, then he's leaving each square. This really creates some movement and allows for an animation feel.

So it wasn't until I was stamping the greeting on the very last panel that this became a birthday card. It *WAS* going to be a fun Christmas card, but sometimes you just grab the wrong stamp and then it's just too late.

I didn't want to add anything else to the front, so I decided to offset the rectangle instead of having it straight across the card.

I added my sentiment to the inside of the card, then decided to stamp one more yeti to add some flare. And nothing says flare like a yeti doing a flip on the inside of the card. Amiright?

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar, over on Facebook and on YouTube! Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

This card is for:

Lawn Fawn "Oh Gnome!" | Masculine Birthday Card

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

I know it's been a little while since I posted, it's been kinda crazy around here. If you remember last year when my full time job was part time and I got that other full time job, then my part time job offered me a full time position, so I left the original full time? Catch all that? Well the original full time job called and offered me an amazing opportunity, so I've moved back to that company full time. It was a difficult transition because I wasn't looking for a new job, it all happened very fast, Friday was my last day at the one and yesterday was my first day at the other, as well as having my older daughter's 13th birthday, then my birthday and we all have this dreadful lingering cold.

Lemme tell y'all, it's all I can do to even stay awake.

So today, while I have a couple minutes of quiet after delivering the youngest to daycare and before I head out to work I wanted to share a masculine birthday card I created using Lawn Fawn (shocking, right?) stamps and dies.

To begin, I stamped the gnome from "Oh Gnome" with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on 110lb Copic-friendly cardstock and masked him off, I then stamped the large mushroom over him, so it would appear that he is sitting. I also stamped the other two mushrooms because they are just too darn cute! I removed the mask and coloured all the images with Copic markers.

I used the grassy hillside border dies to cut two levels of grass, and the new mushroom border die to cut out some mushrooms from cream cardstock and the caps from some deep red cardstock.

I pieced all the mushrooms together and adhered them behind my grassy pieces. I used my Lori blending brushes (dollar store FTW) to add colour to both the grass and the sky. I had some extra clouds lying around from another project so I added those to the sky just to fill in some of the space.

I die cut a balloon from the same red cardstock, then ran the mushroom cap die over the cream cardstock so I could use the little spots to make the balloon look mushroom-y as well.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar, over on Facebook and on YouTube! Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

Clearly Besotted | Masculine Birthday ft. "Hip Hip Hooray"

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

Today I want to share a masculine birthday card I created using the Clearly Besotted "Hip Hip Hooray" stamp set. When I first saw this set, I couldn't wait to use it; and now, all this time later, I still turn to this one when I'm looking for inspiration in masculine cards.

I started by stamping the little viking man with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on 110lb Copic-friendly cardstock. I then masked him off and stamped the mountains across the background along with the greeting, then I masked the mountains off.

I used Distress inks in Stormy Sky to create my sky and a very light hand of Gathered Twigs to create the ground. Once that was dry, I removed the masks and coloured my images with Copic markers.

I used the stitched note card die to cut down my panel and adhered it to a piece of subtly patterned paper. I then mounted the entire piece to the front of a standard A2 sized card base.

To finish off the card, I used clear Wink of Stella over the metal parts of the image and black Nuvo drops to create some interest and dimension.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar, over on Facebook and on YouTube! For those of you that follow me on Google+, please subscribe directly to the blog so you don't miss out on any future posts. Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

International Sloth Day - Happy (belated) Birthday | ft. Lawn Fawn Stamps and Interactive Dies

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

Today I wanted to share a card (and video) for an interactive, masculine and SUPER cute belated birthday card, featuring Lawn Fawn's "Double Slider Surprise" die set, "Hang in There" and "Critters in the Jungle" stamp sets, all in honour of International Sloth Day. That's a thing. You can Google it.

So I had a completely different card in mind when I woke up this morning, and not gonna lie - it took a bit for me to get that one out of my head, or at least off to the side, so I could create this one. Sloth Day only happens once a year, and I'll not miss it. They are, after all, my most favouritest of animals.

I recommend watching in HD over on YouTube!

In the video you'll see the list of Copics that I used to create this card, I also discuss why this die set gives me the most trouble out of all the interactive sets I have. As well, in the interests of full disclosure, I do go off on a pretty long tangent about the value we put on our work, and why it is important that we continue to do what we love BECAUSE we love it, not to make everyone else happy. Oh, and you'll also see me make a bit of a masking error and how I fixed it. This video is loaded with stuff today; I didn't even list them all!

I really wanted the sloth to be the star of the show, not counting the interactive element, as that generally steals the show. We all love a little interaction in our cards!

I kept the colouring super simple on all of the elements, all of which are stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on 110lb Copic-friendly cardstock.

So while we're chatting about mistakes (in the video) I also didn't really put the card together the way I wanted. The pull up panel goes waaaay further than I wanted because I didn't use the stopper mechanism - and they provide it for a reason. Sooo maybe next time. Whoops!

I hope you like today's card (and video) and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar, over on Facebook and on YouTube! Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

This card is for:

Interactive Masculine Birthday Card | ft. Lawn Fawn Stamps and Dies

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

Today I have a masculine card (and video) featuring -- SURPRISE!!! Lawn Fawn Stamps and Dies. I needed to create a birthday card for my grandfather who turned 86 this year! 86!! And still strong as an ox. He's totally one of my favourite people in the whole world and he got a real kick out of this card. We had his birthday dinner on Saturday (Chinese food - because that's what he loves) and he thought it was great. He even texted me during dinner to say thank you.

I recommend watching in HD over on YouTube!

When you watch the video, you'll see that my process isn't really as smooth as it generally is. Or at least as smooth as think I am because I had a little person talking at me and asking me questions and trying to get me to do stuff for her. 

I used Distress Oxide inks to create a simple background so that my little scene wasn't just floating in the middle of nowhere, I used Cracked Pistachio and Tumbled Glass; there is absolutely nothing special about this. I just wanted to get colour on my panel.

I used Lawn Fawn Dye Inks to stamp my little water patch from the Dad & Me set, I knew that it wasn't going to be a solid stamped image and tried to use that to my advantage by restamping the image a second and third time with a lighter colour ink to make it look more like actual water.

I wanted to finish off the inside of the card, something I don't typically do. For this one I stamped the images in second generation Distress Oxide ink and then stamped the sentiment from the Reveal Wheel Sentiments with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

For the grass and dragonflies around the little scene I used Peeled Paint and Black Soot Distress Oxide ink. This isn't in the video because of a certain little person who just *needed* to have my attention. But I do talk about that in the video.

I hope you like today's card (and video) and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar, over on Facebook and on YouTube! Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

Leafy Birthday | Ft. Lawn Fawn "Stitched Leaves Dies"

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

My super awesome Aunt asked me to make some masculine birthday cards, and today I'm going to share one with you featuring Lawn Fawn's "Stitched Leaves Dies". These leaves are fantastic for both positive and negative space use, and I have several cards that use them both ways. Today I'm going to be using the positive portion of the die cut (so the piece you actually cut out).

To begin, I created my top fold A2 sized card base from a piece of 65lb Kraft cardstock from Recollections. This was originally intended to stand upright, but I decided on a greeting that worked better this way. Just gotta roll with it.

I then used the Stitched Leaves dies to cut these leaves and used Distress Ink to give them some fall colours.

For the accent strip I cut a piece of dark brown cardstock to just under an inch wide and adhered 9 lengths of neutral bakers twine with a piece of 1/2" Skor Tape. I then adhered down the leaves using Nuvo Deluxe Liquid glue - which has become one of my most reached for liquid adhesives. It's so fantastic and I don't have to worry that things are going to wiggle loose.

I stamped the greeting using CTMH Cocoa ink - I did this in the MISTI so I could stamp it twice to get a really good impression.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar, over on Facebook and on YouTube! Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

This card is for:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

For the Boys

Bitty Birthday | ft. Mft's "Bitty Bears"

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

It has been an amazing level of chaos since I got this new job. I mean "mom-ing" is great, but I always loved working, I knew I missed it but I had no idea how much I missed it. I had forgotten how good it feels to get dressed up in the morning and spend the day doing something outside of the house, and then get paid for it!

That being said, I seem to have lost some of my crafting mojo. I used card making as a way to feel accomplished and fulfilled, but now I need less of that so I have to find a different motivation. It's a hard feeling when you sit down with all the wonderful art supplies and stamps and paper and there's just nothing there. Perhaps now that training is over, I can get back into a regular routine with the kids at school and a couple hours to myself in the morning.

To begin, I stamped bears from MFT's "Bitty Bears" stamp set. I started with the one in the middle and the two on the outside, then masked them off and stamped the second and the fourth one, all using Memento Tuxedo Black ink on 110lb Copic-friendly cardstock.

I removed the masks and coloured all of the images in with Copic markers. I wanted all the bears to look different, in the end I'm most pleased with my little polar bear on the left. I remember a time when I would have left any white space blank; I think my greatest lesson in my card making journey is that nothing is white. The difference some light grays make to an area is amazing, and it makes me pause every time.

After I was finished colouring the images, I used some Salty Ocean and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink to add a bit of a sky. I then trimmed down the panel a bit further and mounted that to a piece of light blue patterned paper and then adhered the whole thing to a standard A2 sized card base.

I'm actually really excited to recreate this card in other colours. It's a fantastic example of how a colour palette can change how this card looks. Make it in pinks with a "Happy Valentine's Day" at the bottom and you have the cutest card for a little loved one.

I hope you liked today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar or over on Facebook, so you don't miss any future posts. Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

Masculine Monotone | ft. Stampin' Up "The Open Sea"

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

Today, I wanted to share another masculine card that I created. This time using "The Open Sea" stamp set by Stampin' Up. I discovered, once I found the design that I liked, this card is very easy to reproduce and can be done so in any colour palette. It doesn't have to be monochrome, but I think it lends a very classy look to it.

This design could easily be used for any occasion, it all depends on what you put on the inside. I used this one for a birthday card.

To begin, I stamped the ledger image using CTMH Chocolate ink in the upper left corner of my panel, I then stamped it a second time offset down and to the right - without reinking my stamp. I love the way second generation stamping gives that antique faded look.

I then stamped the ship on a scrap of cardstock and cut it out using one of my oval dies from Spellbinder. I cut a cross piece from the same white paper.

I used a very dark brown cardstock to create border layers for all my pieces and then assembled them on the front of my standard A2 sized card base.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar or over on Facebook, so you don't miss any future posts. Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

Masculine In Green | ft. Inkadinkado

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

Sadly, the last few days have been rather off for me, so I don't have a product review for you today. I am hoping to put one up in the next couple of days to make up for it.

I do, however, have a masculine (or autumn) card to share today. This card is quite simple to make, and if you use a stamping tool like the MISTI you could easily mass produce a card like this.

To begin, I cut a piece of 110lb Copic-friendly cardstock to a standard A2 size, then stamped the maple leaf image in the middle with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, masked that, then stamped the one above and below it, masked those then stamped the top and the bottom.

I removed the masks and coloured the images with Copic markers.

I used a Happy Birthday Die from Spellbinders to cut out three or four layers of cardstock. I used liquid adhesive to hold them together then used the same shades of green to colour the top layer.

I ran the words through my Xyron "X" sticker maker and adhered them to the panel. I then mounted the panel on the front of a standard A2 sized card base.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me over on the right side bar or over on Facebook, so you don't miss any future posts. Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

Silhouette Stamping | ft. Distress Inks

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

Okay, so I know it says "Happy Father's Day", but really this greeting could be swapped out for any occasion. I didn't really do a lot of blogging for the first half of the year. I was making cards, I just couldn't really bring myself to do the blog. I don't know why, and I'm certainly making up for it now.

I guess I was in a bit of a funk. We all have them. There are times when I sit at my crafting desk and just look at all the stuff and sigh. Sometimes, there are just too many ideas in my head that I can't work on any one in particular. We've all been there.

Today, I wanted to share a card that doesn't really have a lot of colouring. None, actually. But it's still colourful and was fun to create.

To begin, I prepped a piece of Strathmore Bristol Smooth cardstock with my powder tool. I then stamped the short grassy border stamp from Inkadinkado's "Meadow" set with VersaMark ink and heat embossed with detail black embossing powder. Because this is a short stamp, I had to repeat the stamping next to the first to get a solid border along the bottom of my panel.

I then cut a circular mask from a Post-It note to hide where I wanted the sun to be. I used Scattered Straw, Fossilized Amber and Wild Honey Distress inks to create a halo around my sun. I removed the mask and sponged Squeezed Lemonade and then more Scattered Straw to fill it in.

For the rest of the sky, I used Salty Ocean and then with a heavier hand I used Faded Jeans Distress ink over top of that.

For the greeting banner, I prepped a smaller piece of Bristol with my powder tool, then stamped my greeting using VersaMark ink and heat embossed with detail embossing powder. I used the same blues so that the piece would coordinate with the rest of the panel. I popped that up on foam tape and then adhered the whole panel to a standard A2 sized card base.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar or you can follow me over on Facebook so you don't miss any future posts. Toss me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

This card is for:

Fusion Challenge

Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

Simon Says Stamp

Work-It Wednesday August and September

Masculine Watercolour in Browns

Hi everyone, thank you so much for stopping by, I hope you are all having a great day.

Generally when I think of watercolour, I think of soft edges with delicate colours. But that doesn't always have to be the case.

Today's card is a masculine watercolour using only browns. I've said before that I find it very difficult to create masculine cards, and I find the best way to overcome difficulty is to practice, practice and practice.

I created the panel by applying a generous, even layer of clean water on 140lb watercolour paper. Then I dropped in my first (lightest) layer of brown, and allowed that to mostly dry. When the paper was a bit more than damp, but not really wet, I added the next shade of brown. Because the paper wasn't as wet, when the colour spreads you get harder lines and less of the ethereal look that I typically have in my watercolour backgrounds. I repeated the process with the darkest shade.

Once the panel was completely dry, I used the water droplet technique to wick away some of the colour randomly. Then I hit it with my heat gun to make sure it was very dry.

For the image, I inked up my stamp using Lawn Fawn's Walnut ink and stamped it once in the corner. I used the same ink for the greeting, but stamped it twice in place to make it very dark.

Hope you all like this card, and are inspired to create your own.

Don't forget to follow me by clicking the little blue button on the right sidebar.

Masculine Birthday Card in Greens

Hello again! I hope you are all having a great day. I've been working like crazy to get birthday cards and Valentine's day cards stocked up, and it's nice to sit down with my computer. Ahhhh technology...

With Christmas over and Valentine's day right around the corner, it's no wonder we're all thinking spring. Maybe that's just me? I don't know, anyway I've been putting a lot more bright colours into the cards and trying to stay away from the winter themes. I don't like winter at the best of times, so if I have an excuse to look forward to spring, I'll take it.

Today's card is for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, and their theme this week is Ombre. Which was just wonderful for me because I've been using it so much in my backgrounds lately, so I didn't even have to switch creative gears in order to participate this week. Always a win!

All inks are Tim Holtz distress inks on 140lb coldpress watercolour paper.

Update: I just wanted to let you all know that I won the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Ombre with this card!

Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement! It means so much to me.

(Mostly) Single Layer Masculine Card

I have found that one of the more difficult things to do as a card maker is to create cards for men. Most of the stamps and sentiments out there are very feminine. And while it is perfectly okay to give a man a card with flowers and butterflies or cute little critters, it has been far more challenging to create a "manly" card. 

Today's card was created using earth tones and minimal embellishments. Swapping out ribbon for bakers twine takes out some of the femininity that so many of my cards have. Using neutral colours in place of my usual rainbow pallet gave this card a more rustic feel.

(Mostly) single layer card using ombre strips with black heat embossed greeting and focus.