Watercolor Tulips "Happy Birthday" card

Hello Crafters!

A couple of weeks ago my wonderful Mother-in-Law celebrated her birthday.  For her birthday I made a bright and cheerful spring inspired birthday card.

The card used the lovely watercolor tulip stamp from Penny Black (4384K "promise me").  Distress Markers in Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Abandoned Coral and Candied Apple were used on the stamp.  It was die cut using Memory Box Stitched Square Layers (see Scrapy Land for more Stitched Die sets).

The tulips were mounted on patterned paper from Graphic 45's Botanical Tea.  Pleated material (Recollections) was adhered as shown.  A wee white bow was added to the center.

The inside was Quietfire Design's lovely Happy Birthday stamped using the Abandoned Coral marker.  A piece of Graphic 45 Botanical Tea was adhered to the bottom.

Thank you for stopping by!  I do hope you enjoyed the card. :)
Have a happy, crafty day.
Big Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
Scrapyland, AG using a die brand they sell
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday, Happy Birthday
Word Art Wednesday, AG
613 Avenue Create, AG
Penny Black and More, Birthday
Crafting for All Seasons, Use a die cut

Favorite 15 of 2015

Hello Crafty Friends!  As promised, today's post is a recap of my 15 favorite projects of 2015.  The recap is a long post so I will list my New Year resolutions tomorrow.  :)

 

Above is the first favorite project of 2015: You are Sunlight to my heart.  Loved how the card turned out- especially the colors against the ivory and gold.

The Love Lives Here wall art used some of my favorite Graphic 45 papers (Bird Song), Tim Holtz' Butterfly Bigz die set and stamps from Quietfire.  The wall art is hanging in my craft room and I plan to always have it there.

The vintage style masculine gift card wallet was time consuming to make but once I figured out dimensions, I was happy with the results.

Loved the colors of the pop up box and fussy cutting all of the wee bits to make the French Country scene.

I was very fortunate to be a Guest Designer at Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine.  The card used Quietfire's Believe die- my fave!  The brick background was stamped and embossed with fired brick embossing powder for a tres cool texture.

How could I not choose Pepper's scrapbook page?  She is such a beautiful kitty and Graphic 45's Raining Cats and Dogs papers matched her photo perfectly. 

The above butterfly creativity card had so many different layers, techniques and products used.  It took a few nights to complete and was well worth it.

I dwell in Possibility card used not only one of my favorite new release stamps from Quietfire but also used Marion Smith's Junque Gypsy papers and Ranger ink products such as Crackle and Stickles.

Sometimes the simplest card sketch results in a favorite card.  The above Friendship card used Quietfire's lovely stamp and Graphic 45 bold papers.  And butterflies.  Who doesn't love butterflies?

Talking about butterflies, the above miracles card is another favorite project from 2015.  Love the sentiment, the Tim Holtz distress colors and the Thinlits Mixed Media die corner. 

I am beginning to realize I may have an obsession with butterflies...and saying the word "love".  Another butterfly project using Tim Holtz inks, a mixed media corner die and the fave Believe die from Quietfire.

At first I thought that I had a project without a butterfly but I forgot I adhered one above the stamped sentiment.  But, the butterfly was a sweet touch to the Paris themed Friendship card.

Oh look!  A project without a butterfly. LOL.  This Halloween themed tag is definitely in my top fave projects to make in 2015.  My hands were covered in ink and I so enjoyed grunging up the embellishments and placing crackle on the owl eyes.

The blessing fall card was picked for a few reasons: it was fun to make, the colors are fabulously fall and I made this at my first papercrafting weekend retreat with my friend, Janice.  The weekend was a blast and I will always remember that crafty weekend!

Lastly- but not leastly- was this upcycled wall hook using many Tim Holtz products from glitter and paste to ink, corrugation, crackle, dies and paper.  I look forward to hanging it up again next year.

 

Thank you for stopping by and looking back at my favorite 15 of 2015!  I appreciate you taking the time to look back at the projects of 2015.  I also appreciate you being a follower to my happy crafty blog space!

 Have a great day!

Big Hugs,

Kathy Jo

Merry Christmas

Hello Crafty Friends!

Sharing a "quick-to-make" Christmas card today and it is the last of the Penny Black Christmas sticker cards.  The sticker set has proven to be a great purchase!  The images are so pretty- especially loving the bird stickers.

In addition to the image on the card front is Quietfire Design's beautiful "Merry Christmas" from the Merry Christmas Plain and Simple set:

The sentiment was heat embossed onto Kraft card stock using red glitter embossing powder.

Red twine was tied along the spine... 

Stickles in Candy Cane was applied to the berries and Peacock applied to the bird.

Distress inks (Vintage Photo, Tea Dye and Walnut Stain) was applied to all edges.

The card was completed in a flash!  And the heat embossed stamped Merry Christmas matched the berries so well.  Another Christmas card complete.  (Yay!)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a happy crafty day.
Big Hugs,
Kathy Jo

"Being Thankful...for you"

Hello Crafty Friends!

It is a beautiful day here in Nova Scotia.  Earlier today two of my friends and I went north to Truro for craft supply shopping.  Lovely drive and temperature was perfect: 21º C (70ºF).  So nice! Although the calendar and fallen leaves say it is late fall, the temperature proves otherwise.

I would like to share a card I completed using Quietfire Design's sweet Being Thankful stamp set:

Below are the steps used to create the card:

• Create tent fold 4.25" x 5.5" Kraft card stock base.
• Stamp Being Thankful on ivory card stock. Die cut.

• Stamp For You on ivory card stock.
• Die cut hearts.
• Assemble patterned paper and Kraft card stock on front and inside as shown

Products used:

• Quietfire Design stamp set (Being Thankful)
• Cheery Lynn dies (Two of Hearts, Dutch Daisy Doily)
• Bo Bunny paper (Juliet)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Kraft card stock, antique button, gold twine

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a great day!

Big Crafty Hugs,

Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:

Cheery Lynn, Thankful

Kraft Journal, Blessings

Simon Says Stamp, Thankful

Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper November

"Snowflakes are kisses from heaven"

Happy Friday, Crafty Friends!

The leaves may still be falling here but I am thinking of snowflakes.  I am not a huge fan of snow- mainly the shoveling of it- but I do think falling snow is very peaceful and beautiful.  I also like the fact that the snow hides any weeds that are in my lawn.  :)

Today's card is all about snowflakes.  It's focus is Quietfire's oh-so-sweet stamp, Snowflakes are kisses:

The goal of the card was to make it elegant yet simple.  This card is easy to mass produce.  

Here are the steps to make this card:

• Stamp sentiment onto white card stock. Die cut. Die cut decorative oval.
• Emboss white card stock with snowflake embossing folder.  Cut to size and add Stickles to snowflakes and border.

• Create tent fold white card base. Adhere black card stock and embossed card stock. Using foam tape adhere oval die cuts.
• Adhere sheer bow.

Quick and easy!

Here the list of products used:
Quietfire stamp (Snowflakes are kisses)
Martha Stewart embossing folder (Snowflake Design)
Ranger Ink (Stardust Stickles and Jet Black Archival Ink)
Spellbinders dies (Ovals, Oval Bliss)
Sheer ribbon, white and black card stock, foam tape

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a happy crafty weekend!
Big Hugs,
Kathy Jo

"When in doubt...twirl!"

Hello Crafty Friends.

Are you into watercoloring?  Every so often I pull out the watercolor paper, my water based inks (love using my Distress Markers), and stamp images to color.  This wee toad in a tutu stole my heart- she so had to be colored.  Her happy image pairs up perfectly with Quietfire's "Twirl & Enjoy" stamp set:

What a happy set, indeed. :)

Below are the steps used to make this card:

• Stamp frog image onto watercolor paper using Archival Ink. Dry. Watercolor. Dry. Apply Glossy Accents on frog body, add Stickles to tutu and crown.  Dry.

• Die cut image. Outline window die onto pink paper and fussy cut. Mount on patterned paper and on tent fold card. Add flowers.

• For inside of card, stamp text onto card stock and mount onto patterned paper. Add coordinating strip on bottom as shown.

Materials used:
Quietfire Stamp (Twirl & Enjoy set)
Stampendous Stamp (TuTu Toad)
Spellbinders die (Arched Window One)
Ranger Ink: Distress Markers (Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Mustard See, Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Broken China), Glossy Accents, Stickles (Stardust), Archival ink (Jet Black)
Other: misc flowers, patterned paper, ivory and pink card stock

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you have a happy, crafty day.
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday, Glossy/shiny (leaves)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday, AG

613 Ave Create, AG

Word Art Wednesday, AG

"Friendship isn't a big thing"- Graphic 45 and Quietfire Design

Hello Crafty Friends!  Today is my day to post at Quietfire Creations and I used one of my favorite Quietfire Design stamps, "Friendship isn't a big thing":

The card used patterned paper from Graphic 45's paper pad "Kraft Reflections".  (The paper pad is available at the Quietfire store and is on sale right now for 30% off.  Great price...especially if you are a U.S. customer because the Canadian dollar is quite a bit lower than the U.S.!)

The card also used Spellbinders dies Labels One Card Front and Labels 47 Decorative Elements.  Feel free to hop on over to Quietfire Creations for more card details.  :)







Thanks so much for stopping by!  I do hope you enjoyed the card and don't forget to check out the sales right now at the Quietfire store.

Big Crafty Hugs,

Kathy Jo

Autumn "Wish you were here"

Hello Crafty Friends.

SToday in Nova Scotia it is starting to feel a little like fall.  The leaves have not started to change but the temperature has dropped ever so slightly.  I don't mind as fall is a lovely time of year and I believe it may be our Saint Bernard's favorite season.  Summer takes a toll on Ella and she is constantly stretched out in front of a fan, is laying on the cool concrete floor in the basement or is in the lake taking extra long soaks.  But fall breathes life into Ella and the mild temperatures allow her to take long doggy walks in the cool air with her two BFFs.  We take a lot of photos of Ella in the fall as the forest provides a beautiful background against her white and brown coat.  It really is a wonderful season.

I tried to capture the changing leaves in my "Wish you were here" card. Wendy Vecchi's stencil Layered Tree was used with Distress Inks (Peeled Paint, Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade and Tumbled Glass)  The gold leaves were made using Imagine Crafts' Creative Metallics in gold.

Quietfire Design's "Wish you were here" from the In a perfect world stamp set with Ranger Ink's Coffee archival ink provided the card sentiment:

Seam binding was dyed using Peeled Paint Distress Stain.  The sentiment was fussy cut and Wink of Stella in gold was applied along the edges.

The tent fold card base was made from Kraft paper.  It matched the Coffee ink perfectly.

Thank you so much for stopping by for the visit.  Have a happy crafty day!
Big Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
Kraft Journal, Autumn
Word Art Wednesday, AG
613 Avenue Create, AG
Sister Act, AG
TTCRD, AG

"Thank you" card using Graphic 45's French Country

Hello Crafty Friends.

It has been a few weeks since I participated in Cheery Lynn's Challenge- things have been quite busy on this end of the computer but I found time this week to play in the craft room.  Of course, the CL challenge was on my list of crafty things to do.  The challenge this week is texture.    The texture on the card is mainly provided by the corrugated paper and crinkle ribbon but other textures are present, such as vintage lace and twine.

The card front also has a Kraft pocket with a Thank You card tag (the sentiment is from Quietfire Design).

Cheery Lynn's Chicken Wire die (FRM144) provided the black patterned background.  The lovely lacy heart die from Two of Hearts (DL128) die cut Graphic 45's French Country paper and was adhered onto the front of the Kraft tag bag.  All of the paper is fro Graphic 45's French Country except the black tent fold card base.

I hope you like this French Country Thank You card.  Thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a happy crafty weekend!
Big Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
Cheery Lynn, Texture
613 Avenue Create, AG
Word Art Wednesday, AG