Celebrate and Prayers

 As promised earlier, here are the cards I made today.  I feel like I should have gotten more made but each layer takes a while - cutting, inking, stamping, painting/coloring, assembling - and I'm making multiples of each.  It's the process that I enjoy.

Love the colors of this card.  I used Ranger Oxide inks in Mermaid Lagoon and Twisted Citron.  The stamped image is Altenew's Vintage Rose.  The celebrate is file I created on my SNC.

This card uses Sweet N Sassy's Creative Worship for the stamped background and Hero Arts Prayers die and stamp set.  The small flower spray and greenery is from the Altenew Focus On You stamp and die set.

Hoping to get back into my room tomorrow (Sunday).  We are still watching church services online even though our church is finally opened with no mask restrictions.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for stopping by, Susan

Catching up

 I'm not sure how I manage to get behind with this blog.  But first one thing and then another comes up.  My oldest grandson spent the night last night and today rode with Grandpa to take the boat to get a cover.  On the way he told Grandpa that he bets Gram is in her room making cards and watching a video.  He was right!

Here are a few cards I finished this past week but didn't get posted.

I love Altenew's Tranquility Rose on these two cards.  These were done using the layering stencils.  On the purple card I used the coordinating stamp set on the background and Spellbinders Our Favorite Font dies for Thinking of You.

On the pink card, I used Simon Says Stamp Leaves Background to lightly stamp behind the rose. 

These HI cards I designed on my Scan N Cut. The background on the first one is the Sweet N Sassy Creative Worship background stamp.  The leaves were cut on the SNC as well.  On the second card I heat embossed in white Simon Says Stamp Flower Garden.

I'll post the cards from this weekend later.  I've got one done and getting ready to start the next one but I knew I had to get these cards listed.  Thanks for stopping by, Susan 

Craft weekend creations

 I spent last weekend in the country enjoying time with friends at a crafting weekend.  We have a great place locally that is basically a crafter's B&B.  No thoughts of meals, cleaning up, schedules, husbands, children (we are all older so more like grandchildren).  It is a relaxing weekend of creating and laughing and talking and sharing.

Here are the cards I created that weekend.

I made my own graduating dots stencils with my SNC and stencil film.  The flower is Altenew's Fabulous Floret and the sentiment is from Altenew's Beautiful Heart set.  I was going to leave the flower just as an outline but the girls at the crop liked it better colored in.

I really love these thin sentiments from Spellbinders (Our Favorite Font).  The flower is Altenew's Tranquility Rose stencil and the background is from the Tranquility Rose stamp set. I tried stamping the rose outline but I like it better without it. 

The Tranquility Rose is beautiful on this background made with the Simon Says Stamp Leaves Background stamp.  The sentiment is from the Altenew Hope stamp set.

I had 2 full days of crating and I got three cards finished!  In fairness, I did multiples of these cards.  But I also got some scrapbook pages for my Grandsons mostly completed (I forgot my box of letters and didn't have a machine to create them).

Thanks for looking, Susan

And another weekend over too quickly

 Why do weekends seem to go so quickly?  Had a nice evening Saturday at my Grandson's birthday party.  Today I worked on some sympathy cards.  The hardest to make but, from personal experience, so nice to receive when going through a tough time.  It's always good to hear that others care.  As cardmakers, we need to be make sure we are sending cards to loved ones and friends ... I know I don't do this enough.

This card was made using Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations #2 corner die cut from white cardstock.  The pattern paper was one in my stash; I'm pretty sure it came from a paper swap in my monthly group.  The frame is rose gold cut from an unbranded frame.  The sentiment is from the Spellbinder's Our Favorite Font set.  I really like this thin font.  The envelope is decorated with flowers from Altenew's Beautiful Peony stamp set.

Thanks for stopping  by, Susan

Hooray, it's the weekend

 I don't want to wish my life away but I sure do love when Friday afternoons come around.  It means I get to start crafting!  Today I had to work a little late to get some projects done because I spent too much time fiddling with my printer to print out a banner for my grandson's birthday. It copied in color but wouldn't print from the computer in color.  I finally figured out (after an hour or so) that it's my computer.  I was able to print the images from my phone.

But, I digress.  Onto the cards I have for today.  I worked on these during the week and used this afternoon to put some finishing touches on them.  The background for the Camelia was originally for the Fabulous Florets but the brown on brown just didn't look good.  

This card was made with the Fabulous Florets stamp and die set from Altenew.  The smaller flowers are from the Blissful Blossoms set (also from Altenew).

This big, beautiful flower is the Altenew Camelia.  It is one of their many layering stamp sets.  It helps make an artist out of anyone. Coloring is not my thing but I love the look I can get with these layering sets.  I wasn't sure about black swirls but I really like the way it all came together.

Enjoy your weekend.  I'm celebrating my youngest grandson's 2nd birthday but plan to play with paper and stamps the rest of the time.  Thanks for stopping by, Susan

  

Happy Independence Dayscr

 It's July 4th - Independence Day.  I saw a meme on Facebook that showed the Queen saying ... Happy Treason Day Peasants.  I laughed out loud.  For all those who are serving or have served in the military to preserve the freedom so bravely won many years ago ... thank you.

With no other obligations today, I've been able to play all day in my craft room.  I'm so thankful for a husband who doesn't mind.

Here are two more cards I finished today. The flowers were already done.  I was experimenting with colored pencils on black cardstock.  It was a technique I saw done by Gina K.  You stamp a solid image in white on the black cardstock and then use colored pencils (not watercolor). 

The flowers on this blue card are from Altenew Fabulous Florets stand set.  The scalloped tag is from an unbranded set.  The greeting is from two different sets; hello is from an unknown set (in the early days, I broke up my sets and sorted them by theme) and friend is from Waffle House Sentiment Additions.

The flowers on this purple card are from Gina K Love at all Times.  The sentiment is an unknown brand.

Thank you for stopping by, Susan

Storage update and new cards

I received my Totally Tiffany Store N Go double pouch yesterday.  I moved all my ink spots into it and got rid of some duplicates from other companies.  Now I have room to purchase more Altenew ink!  I've got a few ink groups in my cart but, if you remember, I hate to pay for shipping.  Unfortunately I have to spend $99 to get free shipping (and I'm not spending that much today) so I'll wait until they run a promotion for free shipping (usually they reduce the amount to $29 with a coupon code).

With the empty spots, the cubes were moving around in the tray so I used heavy cardstock to make the "fillers".   I also added an additional velcro piece so I could close the flap more tightly.  This will help the cubes stay where they belong and less likely the lids will come off (although Altenew cubes usually don't have that issue).

Now onto cards.  I have a few to show you.  The first two are for my Cards For Soldiers box.  If you aren't familiar, CFS sends homemade cards to deployed military so they can write home.  Look them up on Facebook if you are interested in helping the cause.

After I make cards, any additional supplies or ones that aren't just quite what I envisioned go into the CFS box.

The butterfly is from Sampin Up Brilliant Wings stamps and dies.  The background was stamped using the Simon Hurley stamping foam to transfer the Simon Says Stamp Detailed Petal cover plate.  

It's hard to photograph a shiny card.  The background on the card is the negative transfer sheet from a foiling project.  The butterfly is from the Stampin up set and the sentiment is from Altenew Blissful Blossoms set.

The flowers on this card were made using the Blissful Blossoms stamp and die set.  The LOVE is cut from glitter cardstock using a free die from Scrapbrook.com.  The grid backgroun behind the flowers is from the Spellbinders Celebrate the Day die set.

This last card was made using the Pinkfresh Floral Focus background stamp and Simon Hurley's stamping foam.  The beautiful flower is Altenew's Camelia stamp and die set.

I'm off to work on some more projects.   Thanks for stopping by, Susan