Stenciled Christmas

 In my stamp group our Christmas challenge for August was to use Stencils on our cards, I didn't realize how many I had until I started going through some older Advent calendars that I hadn't used.

These first two cards I used Glitter paste that was in the Diamond Press advent calendar last year.

• Echo Park - Christmas Wonderland Stencil
• Diamond Press - Glitter Paste Iridescent
• Kraft Paper
• Hero Arts - Oval Woodgrain Frames die
• Tim Holtz - Large Funky Festive and Funky Festive dies
• Memory Box - Valley Deer trio die
• Taylored Expressions - Evergreen die

• Echo Park - Christmas Wonderland Stencil
• Diamond Press - Glitter Paste Iridescent
• Kraft Paper
• Spellbinders - Tweet Cardinal
• Tim Holtz - Large Funky Festive and Funky Festive dies

• Simon Says - One Layer Winter Floral stencil
• Distress inks and Gold ink for flower centers
• Spellbinders - Holiday Sentiment dies, layered on Vellum and fussy cut

This next one was from the Crafter's companion advent calendar, the tree was in the center of the little square stencil and then the Merry & Christmas were off to the side.

• Crafter's Companion Advent Calendar Tree and Sentiment stencil one layer stencil
• Sizzix - Tags Rounded die
• Hot off the Press - 63 thin line border stickers

The last two was a 3 layer stencil. I added Nuvo drops to the first and Gold paste to the second cards bow. The stencil was purchased at Michaels last year.

• Recollections - Wreath 3 layering stencils
• Distress inks 
• Nuvo Crystal drops - Autumn Red
• Diamond Press - Happy Holidays sentiment stamp set

Close up to show the red dots, I don't suggest using the nuvo drops on the stencil unless maybe you go much faster than I did because it was hard to clean it off the stencil compared to the paste.

This last card I did not realize I didn't get enough paste on the bow until I was getting them ready to post just now, I will have to go back and do that but I wanted to get these loaded today and didn't want to wait for drying time.

• Recollections - Wreath 2 layer stencil
• Distress inks
• Lunar Paste - Slippery When wet (on bow)
• Hero Arts - Merry Christmas message stamp set

So that is it, I got my 6 cards done for the month of August :)

Hope you are enjoying your weekend,

Connie

Autumn

 I am pretty excited about making Autumn cards again, since it is my favorite season.  Our stamp group got together for our monthly teams meeting on line and we did a fold and a technique.  We started with watercolor paper and sponged on some Distress Oxide inks, then we took leaf stamps (I used clear stamps and my stamp positioner) covered the whole background with them, spritz the stamps with water and then stamped, pushing down a little bit and letting sit for a few seconds to let the water settle well into the paper. 

 I will have to say that you do want a good quality watercolor paper, because the others turned out really nice and you could barely see mine, I used Artist Loft brand watercolor paper. They suggested I try a thicker paper, and I did have some Tim Holtz mixed media paper and that worked well as you can see.  So just a tip if you want to try this and if it doesn't seem to work well, try it with another paper. It gives a nice ghosted background and I used lined stamps, not solid like it looks.

• Crafter's Companion - Tumbling Leaves stamp for background sentiment heat embossed w/gold
• Distress Oxide - Lucky Cloves, Candid Apple, Rusty Hinge and Spiced Marmalade for background
• Tim Holtz - Leaf Fragments cut from smooshed background
• Gold Paint splatters

The inside is a fold, we added a die cut piece to either side of the fold, and then added our stamped images to that, also added a die cut on the left and on the right I will hand write my sentiment.

• Spellbinders - Foliage die set and Labels 20
• Crafter's companion - Tumbling Leaves stamp and die set
• Scrap strips of paper at the fold

I had done the inside before added the front panel which was a mistake because I applied my front panel with the card upside down so my stamped leaves are upside down, I wanted them the other way but I guess it works. At least I added the fern last so that is facing the way I wanted it too :)

I was just watching some youtube video's after posting my card and this looks like the same technique we did HERE

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Layer Stencil

 Playing with more goodies from last years advent calendar. This time a 3 layer stencil from Diamond Press. I did the stenciling in the middle, using cutting dies to layer stitching lines above it and then adding a piece of paper with a die cut bow and string to the base, just a different way of using these smaller stencils. This card looks like it should have come together quickly but boy did I run into all kinds of troubles and it ended up taking me almost 3 hours, you just never know looking at a card how long it took to make.

• Diamond Press - Advent Calendar, 3 layer Stencil
• Memory Box - Country Stitches
• Impression Obsessions - Tied Line die
• Crafter's Square - Sentiment Stamp

I would like to share my card with Stencil Fun Challenge Optional Trees or leaves

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Pretty Papers

 Oh wow I saw this card kit at the Stamp store in Missouri and thought is that ever pretty, I am a sucker for pretty card kits :)

• 3 Quarter Designs - Delicate Harmony Card Kit
• Seam Binding

What did I tell you, all those pretty blues just caught my eye. The seam binding is some my Mother had when she passed away, I added it to the bottom and then tied a piece into a bow, all the papers and ephemera and sentiment were all in the kit.

I would like to share my card with the Love Those Pretty Papers Challenge Summertime

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Masculine

 When I saw the Seize the Birthday challenge that was no flowers, the first thing that came to mind was a masculine card, although my hubby has told me that men can too enjoy a pretty flower :)

• Basic Grey - Periphery Paper
• The Greetery - Wood slice die
• Tim Holtz - Funky Foliage dies
• Simon Says stamps - Tiny Words Birthday sentiment stamp

I was also in need of a thinking of you card, so I kind of kept with the same theme for my second card.

• BasicGrey - Periphery Paper
• The Greetery - Wood Slices die
• Tim Holtz - Funky Nature dies
• PPD - Stitched Banner die
• Gina K - Tag Lines sentiment stamp

We are actually enjoying color days now, it feels so good to be able to be outside in the garden and get things done it was looking a bit overwhelming out there with the weeds and my wildflower garden needed a bit of thinning out, our peppers and tomatoes are coming in good so we have been enjoying all the goodness from the garden, so thankful!

Thanks So much for taking the time to stop by today, I hope you enjoy a great weekend!

Connie