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

Tim Holtz "JOYFUL" Upcycled Holiday Wall Hanger

Hello Crafty Friends!

Although I have spoken off and on about this for a couple of years now, it looks like I will be moving my crafty space to a larger area of our home.  It will be a lot of work but will be well worth it!  My current craft area has a usable work space that is smaller than a 12" x 12" scrap page- which makes working on some projects very difficult.  The new craft area is a guest room/storage room and requires items in the room to be removed.  One of those items is a wall hanger that hung behind the entry door.  It was about to be wrapped and added to the Salvation Army donation bin when I realized that it would be a great upcycle project.  It took many fun steps to create this project and it felt good to breath life into the old hanger.

First I applied white Distress Crackle to the frame and when dried I lightly applied Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink to accentuate the crackle.

White card stock had Distress Paint in Twisted Citron, Peeled Paint and Crushed Olive applied.  After drying, Tarnished Brass Paint was applied, spritzed with water, dried slightly and a paper towel used to remove the wet ink.  It gave the tree an aged metallic appearance.  It was die cut with Sizzix' Christmas Tree #2, Ranger Texture paste applied and sprinkled with Tim Holtz' Clear Rock Candy glitter. Tim Holtz' Alterations star was adhered on top.

TH stencil (Speckles) and more embossing paste was used on a piece festive paper from TH' Yuletide paper pad.  Rock Candy glitter was applied.

A piece of corrugate was torn, embossing paste and glitter applied. 

Chevron paper from the yuletide pad was cut and used as a border around the image.

"JOYFUL" from TH flash cards was mounted on a frame from Yuletide paper.  Silver glitter paper was die cut using Sizzix' snowflake background die.  Red dots were created using Stickles in Candy Cane.

 A big double bow was added to the bottom and the wall hanger was complete!

The wall hanger will be hung in the entryway this holiday season and I will smile thinking about how I found a new use for the old wall hanger.  :)  

Thanks for stopping by!  I do hope you enjoyed the upcycled project.  
Have a happy crafty day!
Big Hugs,
Kathy Jo

Tim Holtz Thankful Fall inspired card

Hello Crafty Friends!

Fall is such a beautiful time of year.  I love driving to and from work and seeing Nature's Art Show.  The colors are so vibrant, uplifting and gorgeous.  The fall colors inspired the card I am sharing today.

Here are the steps I used to make this card:

• Apply Distress Inks in Peeled Paint, Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade, Festive Berries, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain onto card stock.  Dry. Stamp background with Archival Ink. Dry. Flick water onto background. Dry. Spritz with gold shimmer mist.  Distress Edges with nail file or distresser.  Apply Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain to edges.
• Apply Distress Markers in Peeled Paint, Festive Berries, Barn Door and Vintage Photo onto leaf stamps.  "Huff" on stamps and stamp onto paper. Fussy cut around leaves. Apply Distress Crackle. Dry. Apply Distress Ink (Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain) to entire surface and edges.  Wipe off surface to reveal ink in cracks.

• Die cut branch from Kraft paper.  Apply Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain to branch. Apply Stickles as shown.

• Dye 1/2" seam binding using Peeled Paint ink and water.
• Dye 1" ribbon using Distress Inks used on background.
• Cut band using Kraft card stock.  Distress edges with file and ink.

• Assemble to gold glimmer card stock.  Assemble to tent fold card stock.

Products used:

• Tim Holtz: Thankful Silhouette stamp set, Stickles, Distress Ink (Festive Berries, Dried Marigold, Peeled Paint, Scattered Straw, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain), Crackle, Distress Markers (Peeled Paint, Festive Berries, Barn Door and Vintage Photo), Core'dinations paper
• Memory Box die- Berry Sprig
• Kraft card stock
• Seam binding, twine, gold glitter card stock, Archival ink (coffee), nail file, gold shimmer mist

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I do hope you enjoyed the card and that you are enjoying your fall!

Big Crafty 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

Crafting from the heart, AG

QKR Stampede, Harvest Colors

The Sisterhood of Crafters, Fall

The Corrosive Challenge, Fall/Leaves

Kraft Journal, Blessings

Scribbly Bird card- Tweet! Chirp!

Happy Tuesday, Crafting Peeps!

This month's Tim Holtz Tag inspired me to make today's card.  I recently picked up the Dina Wakley "Scribbly Birds" stamp set and it worked so well with the watercolor technique.  The bird was colored using Ripe Persimmon, Tumbled Glass and Evergreen Bough.  Legs and beak with Mustard Seed.  After the bird dried, I applied Aqua Stickles to the bird feathers and clear Pearl to the beak:

The crinkle bow was colored using the body colors listed above.  

All of this was mounted on black card stock die cut using Spellbinders Floral Assortment. Stickles in Aqua was applied to the die cut.  The patterned paper is from Tim Holtz' seasonal pad and Recollections Chunky Embossing Powder in Aged Silver was applied along the edges.  

The inside is a sentiment from the same set.  So sweet!

Another look at the outside:

Hope you like the bird card!  Thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a great day.
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create, AG
Word Art Wednesday, AG
Really Reasonable Ribbon, Things with Wings
TTCRD, AG
Crafting from the Heart, AG
Fan-tastic Tuesday, AG Square
Loves Rubber Stamps, AG
Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper, April
Sister Act, AG
Pile it On, Die Cuts or Punches
Craftin Desert Divas, AGDie Cut Divas, AG with die cut 

Quietfire's "Live in the Moment" Graphic 45 tag and A GIVEAWAY!!

Hello, All!

Monday is my day to post at Quietfire Creations and I decided to make a spring card using the beautiful Quietfire stamp "Live in the Moment":

What a great sentiment!  The tag is from Graphic 45 as are the papers (Secret Garden).   For more details on the tag, please stop by the Quietfire Creations blog. 

Now, to celebrate spring (it has to be coming soon!) I would like to do a giveaway.  One lucky commenter/follower will receive the lovely "Live in the Moment" stamp.  Here is what you have to do: become a follower if you are not already and leave a comment.  Easy!  This Friday I will announce the winner and the winner will have one week to respond.  After that, there will be a redraw.

Good luck to you all!  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This tag is entered into the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create, AG
Word Art Wednesday, AG
Loves Rubber Stamps, Use ribbon or lace
Sister Act, AG
Simon Says Stamp, AG
TTCRD, AG
CraftyHazelnut Patterned Paper, March

Graphic 45 Time to Flourish Kraft card

Hello Crafters!

How was your weekend?  I hope it was great!  Were you able to squeeze any crafty time in?  Or visit a local craft store?  The new 2015 releases are in craft stores now and I bet a lot of you have a long wish list!

I have been able to spend some time in the craft room lately.  Last weekend I reorganized some of my Graphic 45 paper and now it is easily accessible!  It is tough to cut some of those pretty papers for the first time but well worth it when a project is finished.  Today's project used the Time to Flourish journal card collection.  Two identical journal cards were used: one as the base and the other was used for fussy cutting.

A tag was cut from the Time to Flourish 8x8 paper pad and attached to a double red bow:

Distress inks were used along the edges of the journal card, red card stock, ivory card stock and a Kraft tent fold card.  After the layers were assembled, Stickles was added as desired.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday, AG

Graphic 45 "Come Away With Me" gift card holder

Hello Crafters!

Today I am  sharing a vintage style gift card holder using Graphic 45's "Come Away with Me" paper.  I cannot tell you how much fun it was to make this holder and it is always a good thing to have a stash of gift card holders for last minute gifts.  I enjoyed making it so much that I may make some for Christmas, too.

Here is a closeup of the front:

The card is from the Come Away with Me 4x6 & 3x4 journaling cards set.  The edges were distressed with Tea Dye, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress Inks.  Four postage stamps were cut from paper in the 8x8 paper pad, distressed along the edges and adhered with foam tape.  It is difficult to see in the photos, but Stickles was added to the water, stamps and ship smoke stacks for emphasis.  The journal card looks fantastic with the distressed edges and highlighted/stickled areas!

The left side front has a tag, a vintage style key and vintage style key chain:

The back has more of the distressed Come Away with Me paper and the flap is secured with twine:

The inside is a cool hidden surprise.  Love the way it turned out!

The bottom section of the inside has a gift card holder:

Another view of the inside:

All of the papers for the inside came from the Come Away with Me 8x8 or 6x6 paper pads.  I did not want to cover up the beautiful papers with plain ivory paper with stamped sentiment.  Instead, I will just place a piece of paper on the gift card itself with the stamped sentiment (such as Happy Birthday).  It will be nice to keep the inside as is showing off this amazing paper.

Here is another view of the outside:

Hope you liked the gift card holder!  When I finish the Christmas gift card holders, I will share them with you.  :)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
Crafting by Design, February AG
Craft You Passion, AG
TTCRD, AG
613 Avenue Create, AG
Sister Act, AG
Word Art Wednesday, AG
Crafty Hazelnut, AG 

Vintage Valentine's Day card

Happy Friday!

One more day until Valentine's Day!  What are you doing to celebrate the day?  My husband and I are doing something very romantic: we are looking at a new front door for the house.  LOL.  We have had problems with the door since we moved in- the door has always been tricky to open.  Well, now it is stuck in the frame.  We cannot open it no matter how we try!  Thankfully we were inside the house when the door decided to stick...not outside with no house keys!  As a joke I should have made a Valentine's Day card for my husband and glued the edges so that he could not open it.  :)

This card does open...as a tent fold card.  The ivory base was die cut from Spellbinders' Exquisite Labels Eleven.  Maroon paper was dry embossed and die cut with Spellbinders' Labels Seventeen.   Next, ivory paper was die cut using Labels 39.  A shimmery piece of metallic maroon paper was die cut using Twisted Metal Tags and Accents and placed over the vintage Graphic 45 image from the Sweet Sentiments paper collection.  Stickles was applied to the wings and flowers on the image.  The finishing touch was a maroon double bow and gold button.

Thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy your Friday...and be cautious of sticky doors!  :)
Hugs,
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create, AG
Word Art Wednesday, AG
Sister Act, AG
Crafting from the heart, AG
Die Cutting Divas, Picture Inspiration

LOVE accordion fold card

Hello Crafters!

Just popping in to share a Valentine's Day "LOVE" accordion fold card.  The card used the new Love Fill'er Up stamp set from Quietfire:

Also used was my new die set from Elizabeth Crafts: Accordion Fancy Fold Label.  All of the dies used were from this one set which was very convenient.  The die sizes were perfect for the stamps!  I stamped the letters in red on vellum, applied Stickles in silver, and after drying I die cut each letter.  Next, I die cut paper from My Mind's Eye paper pad, Heirloom.  The accordion base was die cut from ivory card stock.  Martha Stewart's heart punch die was used to cut the hearts. 

I could have used a heavy patterned paper for the card base but I decided to go with just the ivory as I did not want to "lose" the beautiful letters in the accordion.  I so love the swirls on the letters!

Hope you enjoyed the card!  Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great evening!

Hugs,
Kathy Jo 

This card is entered into the following challenges:
Cuttlebugmania, Have a Heart
Crafting for all Seasons, Heart
Die Cut Divas, Words, quotes, sentiments
Word Art Wednesday, AG
613 Avenue Create, AG

Daffodil card using Graphic 45's French Country

Happy Sunday, All!

Yes, it has been over a week since my last post.  I was sick *again* for almost an entire week.  Goodness- I think I need to walk around in a plastic bubble until May!  

Today I am sharing a card I made using a daffodil stamp (one of my favorite flowers!) and Graphic 45's French Country paper.  (I am not sure who manufactured the stamp.  It was picked up at a used craft sale and it did not have its original packaging.)  The image was stamped on watercolor paper and colored using Tim Holtz markers in Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Peeled Paint and Mowed Lawn.  It was die cut using Spellbinders Mega Curved Rectangles and distressed along the edges with Tea Dye, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain.   Cheery Lynn's French Pastry Doily Die was used on Graphic 45 paper and distressed along the edges.  All of die cuts were layered on French Country paper.

A small butterfly was punched (Martha Stewart) out of a scrap piece of Graphic 45 paper and adhered in the center of the bow.  The gold pearls were made using pearls colors with my Pen Touch gold marker.  Stickles was applied on the flowers.

Hope you like the spring French Country card!  Thanks for stopping by!

Big Hugs!
Kathy Jo

This card is entered into the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday, AG
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge, February

"I'm Nuts About You" Squirrel Valentine's Day card

Hello Crafters!

No, there is no need to check the banner across the top of the blog- it is Kathy Jo's blog.  I know, I hardly ever color on my cards but this cute-as-a-button squirrel stamp by Northwoods Rubber Stamps called me out at the craft store and said "Buy me!  I need a happy crafty home!" Really, how can you say no to this squirrel?

The image was stamped on watercolor paper and colored in with pencils and gamsoled.  It was die cut using Spellbinders' Classic Squares and gold trim applied.  Next a piece of paper was die cut and distress inked using Tumbled Glass, Bundled Sage and Vintage Photo.  Gold applied again.   Spellbinders Heart Squares was used to die cut patterned paper from My Mind's Eye's Heirloom paper pad.  Two more sheets from the pad were cut to size and Vintage Photo applied along the edge.  It was all mounted on a tent fold Kraft card.  Finishing touch was Stickles applied to the flowers.

It felt strange to not add bling, ribbon, lace, and a big bow but this card will be given to my husband.  I wanted it to be sweet but not girly.  I think he will like it.  :)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a great weekend!
Hugs,
Kathy Jo 

This card is entered into the following challenges:
Simply Create, Too, Valentine's Day
Crafting from the Heart, AG
Simon Says Wednesday, AG
My Sheri Crafts, Valentine's Day
Time Out Challenges, Valentine's Day with a heart
Pile it On, Hearts and or flowers
Word Art Wednesday, AG