CCEE1822 Embossing Folders

For her last week as hostess for the CCEE Stampers, Anne asked us to use embossing folders on our cards.   I used a folder that creates a frame around the main panel.  Every where you look these days, you see llamas.  Mine is going on vacation.

After I made my card, I had to chuckle.  The stacked up luggage on the llamas back looks like a face -- purely unintentional.

Check out all the embossing folders on the CCEE Stampers blog.

Flower Trio

It's my day on the CottageCutz blog, and I'm going back really far for my layout.  I love to look back at old layouts from the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge.  While I'm using the layout as a starting point, I have adjusted it a bit to accommodate my design.  This is Sketch Challenge 27 which was from June of 2005, long before I started doing the challenges.  So it's almost like I'm participating in the original challenge.

As I said previously, I adjusted the sketch by actually eliminating the three individual panels.  This is my card:

To start my card, I cut the pieces from the Stitched Tulip and Daisies die, all from white cardstock.

Using a variety of Copic markers, I colored each piece and assembled my three flowers/pots.

I then cut two shelves from brown cardstock, using the Shelf with Plants die.

I cut an 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece of white cardstock and a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of woodgrain patterned paper.

After cutting one of the shelves down to size, I glued the patterned paper onto the white card base and added the two shelves.

After placing small foam pop dots on the back of the three flowers and pots, I added them to the shelves,  . . .

. . . stamped the rustic sentiment, and my card was finished.

CottageCutz dies used on my card are:

Be sure to check out The Scrapping Cottage store for the Memorial Day sales - up to 50% off on Select CottageCutz dies and 25% off the brand-new "Just for Guys" release.

CCEE1821 - N.E.W.S.

Anne has a good challenge for the CCEE Stampers this week.  She tells us that she wakes up to the NEWS every morning -- so that's our challenge.  Make a card using elements that begin with N-E-W-S.

Here's my card, which meets all her criteria --

N -NAUTICAL theme, NAVY card base
E - heat EMBOSSING, matching ENVELOPE
W - WATER, WHITE caps
S - SAILBOAT, SEA gulls

Be sure to check out the rest of the cards made by the team on the CCEE Stampers blog.

Blue Vase/Pink Flowers

It seems that it has been raining the entire month of May.  Of course, that helps the garden flourish -- rain is so good for the flowers.  I'm not much of a gardener, so most of my flowers are on my cards.  Today's card is no exception.  Once again, I started with a layout from one of the Splitcoaststampers sketch challenges.

This layout lent itself to some coordinating patterned paper, as you can see on my card.  It was a pad of two-sided Stamps of Life designer paper I recently bought at a local stamp show.

To start my card, I cut the pieces for the vase and flowers, using two CottageCutz dies -- Vase Collection and Botanical Garden 2.

Using several Copic markers I colored the die-cut pieces . . .

. . . and constructed my vase of flowers.

I then cut my cardstock and patterned paper as follows:

Gray  - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"

Black - 3 3/4" x 5", 2 1/4" x 4 1/4", and 3" x 2 1/2"

Patterned paper - 3 1/2" x 4 3/4" and 2" x 4"

White - 2 3/4" x 2 1/4"

Using the sketch challenge layout, I constructed my card.

I then added my vase and flowers.

At this point I decided I wanted some kind of a sentiment on my card, so I stamped a small sentiment on a scrap of white cardstock, using navy blue ink.  I punched it out with a 1 1/4" circle punch and then punched a black 1 3/8" circle on which to mount it.

I added the sentiment using some foam pop dots and my card was complete.

CottageCutz dies used on this card are:

CCEE1820 - Pack Rat Day

Anne continues as hostess for the CCEE Stampers and has a good challenge for us today.  We are to use some of that patterned paper we've been hoarding. 

Some time ago I bought a pad of paper that had just ONE PIECE of great brick paper in it.  I loved it so much that, instead of cutting right into it, I made some color copies on my printer.  I'm not sure if that's copyright infringement or not.  But I couldn't see buying another whole pad of paper for just one pattern.  I know that one day I'm going to have to use the original piece and say "good-bye," but it wasn't today!  Here's my card for Anne's challenge -- made with that awesome brick paper and some CottageCutz dies.

Stop over at the CCEE Stampers blog to see some more "favorite" papers from our team.

Sand Castle Pop-Up

I'm a member of the Sketch Challenge Team on Splitcoaststampers.  This week's sketch is a relatively simple one.

I made a horizontal card rather than a vertical one -- using pattern paper to create the beach feel of the card..  For Element #2 I found a K & Company die cut sea shell the same shape.

BUT . . . the best part of this card is on the inside.  I recently bought a Karen Burniston Castle Pop-Up die.  Using shades of brown, I made a sand castle for the inside of my card.  I included some more of those K & Company die cuts to decorate the inside also.

My daughter, who loves everything beach-related, will wind up with this card.

Tag Trio

Some time ago I bought some tags at Hobby Lobby and have yet to use them.  Today is the day I pulled them out to show off another one of the newly-released Mother's Day release at CottageCutz, Flowers for Mom.

I started by cutting all the die pieces from a scrap of white cardstock.

Because I wanted a variety of colors on my tags, I thought white would be the way to start.  Using many Copic markers, I colored all the pieces.

I constructed all three flower arrangements, using the die packaging as my guide.

I took out my three tags . . . 

. . . and using sponge daubers, I added some color around the edges of the three tags, matching the color of each pot/vase.

I strung some baker's twine through the holes of the tags and glued on the flower arrangements.  Here again are my three tags.

The CottageCutz die used on my tags is:

Some Fun Cards

I recently attended the Stamp and Scrapbook Expo in Orlando.  It is so fun to see all the new products that vendors have to show us.  Of course, I made many purchases, and I've been playing with lots of my new toys.  Here are a few cards I've made with some of them.

I always love to visit the Heartfelt Creations booth.  Their new Butterfly Dreams collection is so pretty.  I fell in love with the border stamp and die from that collection.

I purchased quite a bit from the It's Cheaper Than Therapy booth.  I used two of my purchases on this card -- the Sleigh Pop-Up die set and Winter Animals die set from Karen Burniston.

I also visited the Rubbernecker booth, where my friend Kittie was demonstrating her talents.  I purchased a couple of cute fish-related stamp sets, which I combined with a set from Gerda Steiner, which I already had.  I made a pop-up box card with a little twist . . .

. . . the front panel is cut out and acetate added so you can see the inside.

I hope to have some more fun real soon with the rest of my purchases.

CCEE1819 Anne's Favorite Color Red

Anne continues as hostess of the CCEE Stampers blog this week and asks us to make a card using her very favorite color -- RED.  I was happy to do so and also to wish her an early Happy Birthday, which is in two days.

Check out the CCEE Stampers blog for some more bright red creations.

Rose Heart Birthday

I'm still playing with the new Mother's Day release from CottageCutz.  Today's card features a pretty "flower" die -- the Rose Heart.  Be sure to check the CottageCutz website.  They're still celebrating National Scrapbook Day, which was Saturday.  You can save up to 50% on CottageCutz designs.

To start my card, I gathered my cardstock:

Pink - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
White - 4" x 5 1/4"
Scraps of green, pale pink and dark pink (big enough to fit the dies)

I then cut out the leaves and heart from the green and pale pink scraps.  Before I cut the heart, I used a sponge dauber and sponged on some Ranger Spun Sugar ink to the center of the pink piece.  This gave the center of my "rose" some depth.

I glued down the leaves to the white panel and the rose to the dark pink scrap and then cut out the two-level rose with scissors.

I attached some foam pop dots to the back of the rose and placed it within the leaves, adding the extra single leaves to the branch.  After stamping the birthday sentiment in the upper right-hand corner, I scattered some small sequins around the card.  And I was finished!

CottageCutz dies used on my card are:

Hooray! It's Star Wars Day!

It's May 4th, Star Wars Day!    I have a very short post today, but I couldn't let the day pass without celebrating.   The background of my card is a watercolor version of the Galaxy Background, splattered with a bit of white acrylic paint.  The images were made with two different Kindred Stamps sets -- Galactic Adventures and Outer Space.

. . . and May the 4th be with you!

CCEE1818 May Flowers

Anne is the hostess of the CCEE Stampers blog for May.  I had some May flowers on my blog earlier in the week, and some more today as part of Anne's first CCEE challenge of the month.

Check out the CCEE Stampers blog for some more May flowers.