More Valentines for Hospitalized Kids

Hey everyone - remember, tomorrow is the last day for the January Die Cut Diva Challenge to make Valentines. I made a few more last week and sent a box off to Cards for Hospitalized Kids with 24 cards. Here are a few more of the designs I made:

The top two used more items I'd stamped, cut and colored from the Hero Arts December My Monthly Hero kit and their Nebula Cluster stencil. The Space Rocket Die is also by Hero Arts. I sprayed a bunch of their White Iridescent Shimmer Mist through the stencil too!! Valentine sentiment on the moon is from Lawn Fawn's Scent with Love Add-On set.

The bottom two used some Hero Arts Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies with some stickers from EK Success & a retired Taylored Expressions sentiment. I stenciled Lawn Fawn's Falling Hearts stencil on the background. The gorgeous red cards came to me as a gift from Poppystamps - thanks, Dave!

Another funny story about not being able to find something... The ladder with clouds (top left card) also has a coordinating cloud mailbox that the ladder tries to reach. I couldn't find that dang mailbox for the life of me when I was creating the card (and I looked through a bunch of stuff!). Can you believe I found it on the floor this morning - don't know where it was hiding?! 

I'll be back tomorrow with an end of the month Diva post - hope to see you then! Thanks for stopping!!

Kids among the Stars

Happy Monday everyone! I'm sharing a couple cards I made yesterday while on a Hero Arts Make-Along. Channin Pelletier did a LIVE using the December My Monthly Hero kit & I watched online and crafted along. You can see her card at the links above; I chose to use a different image from the kit for my first card.

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Pitch Black;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Stamps (with dies except for background & sentiment)

all from Hero Arts Dec 22 MMH kit

Dies - A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Copic Markers; Versamark ink with white ep;

various water reactive inks, Distress & Hero Arts; foam tape

Process - Stamped the background cling stamp onto Neenah white using various inks; spritzed lightly with water & let dry. Die cut with rectangle and added to A2 card formed with black cardstock. Colored a few of the background stars with yellow Copics. Stamped and die cut images, then colored with Copics. Stamped and heat embossed sentiment using black cardstock, embossing ink and white ep, then fussy cut. Added colored images and sentiment to card - done!

Channin covered one card in the LIVE but I had started a different background beforehand, then finished it & made a card afterwards. I used the new stencil, Nebula Cluster, from the December add-ons. This time I used the little girl on a star that Channin used, along with a planet & a die cut rocket. Hard to see the texture of the paste and the shimmer from the mist but it's very pretty in real life.

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Pitch Black; TH kraft metallic;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; scraps of yellow & red

Stamps (with dies except for sentiment)

all from Hero Arts Dec 22 MMH kit

Stencil - Hero Arts Nebula Cluster

Dies - Hero Arts Space Rocket;

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Hero Arts Hero Paste Glitter & Iridescent Shimmer Mist

various water reactive inks, Distress & Hero Arts; foam tape

Process - Stenciled the nebula with grape juice ink, then applied glittery paste over top. Let dry & blended various water reactive inks over it. Spritzed with water then the shimmer mist. Let dry & die cut with a rectangle and inked edges, then glued to card. Stamped and die cut images, then colored with Copics. Stamped and fussy cut sentiment (the "you're" is from a different sentiment in the set). Diecut and assembled the rocket. Added everything to black A2 card. The glitter paste blobbed in a few spots but I'll call it part of the scene - LOL.

I'll add card one to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge since my kit is newly used. Rocket and stencil on card two are new as well but I won't link up twice. I'm sending both of these cards to Cards for Hospitalized Kids, a charity started by Jen Rubino when she was a teen. So inspiring & recently Jen was interviewed for national TV - you can see the video HERE. I'll be making some Valentines too.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Robot Valentine

Happy Monday everyone! I was playing around with some dies that arrived last week from Frantic Stamper, including a darling robot. Thought I'd incorporate Mr. Robot with a metallic embossed panel for the inaugural Let's Squash It Challenge.

Supplies: Paper - Spellbinders gold metallic;

Paper Studio A2 card & glitter; DCWV colors

Embossing folder - Tim Holtz Riveted Metal (retired)

Dies - Hero Arts Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies;

Frantic Stamper Robot

Stamps with Dies - Taylored Expressions Filled with Love

Other - Black Soot Distress Ink; foam tape

Playing around with my robot die, I made one in silver glitter card and one in a soft textured kraft card. As I was flipping through my embossing folders for Gail & Jo's new Let's Squash It Challenge, I found the Tim Holtz riveted metal folder. Thought it might be perfect behind a robot! I embossed a panel of gold metallic paper from the September Spellbinders kit, then distressed it with Black Soot ink. Thinking this would be a fun Valentine card for Cards for Hospitalized Kids, I added various heart diecuts. Most of the candy hearts from TE have more lovey-dovey sentiments but I found the hello would work for a kid. The inside will contain the Valentine's Day greeting. The little off kilter hearts actually cut with an emboss and cut folder I got from my friend Heather (Stamping and Stitching) but I can't find the name of it. Thanks again Heather!!

I'll also add this to Darnell's NBUS Challenge since Mr. Robot got his first play here, and to Virginia's October Show and Share. Thanks to all for the fun challenges!! Special good wishes to Gail and Jo on their new challenge blog Let's Squash It! to use those neglected embossing folders! I really pulled out an old one for my robot card - this'll be a great challenge to keep playing in!!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a crafty week!!

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day - one of my favorite days of the year!! We started celebrating last Saturday with my parents and my brother & sister-in-law. I got a box of delicious chocolate covered strawberries, a pot of flowers, and red velvet cupcakes. Mom and Dad gave me some cash toward craft supplies (already spent LOL!). I'm not doing Singing Valentines as I've done in past years - took a break this time - but I'll have dinner with friends tonight. I didn't photograph all the Valentines I made but here are a few:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Poptone Black Licorice & Bubblegum; 
Paper Studio red; various patterns
Silhouette Designs - ID 245242 Love You Heart Card & ID 37852 11 Hearts
Stamps - CL141 Fanciful Swirl (alphabet used for the MORE - retired but I've seen it at Michael's)
Die - My Favorite Things Blueprints 13 (stitched rectangle); 
Hero Arts DI334 Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies;
scrolly heart from the January 2018 My Monthly Hero Kit (sold out)
Impression Obsession DIE-271 Love
Other - foam tape; Hobby Lobby puffy heart stickers; embossing ink & white powder; doily from Target

I really had fun with the Silhouette file Love You Heart Card which included the scalloped mat. And here's the card I sent to my friend Lynn who shares my birthday:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Poptone Bubblegum; 
Paper Studio red; various patterns
Silhouette Design ID 245242 Love You Heart Card & 28561 Speech Bubbles
Stamps - Hero Arts CL402 Valentine Sayings (retired) & CL661 It's Your Day
Dies - Hero Arts DI337 Nesting Oval Infinity Dies and 
ampersand from the January 2018 My Monthly Hero kit (sold out)
Other - Foam tape; Copic markers (to highlight the ampersand)

Finally, here are some Valentines I donated to Cards for Hospitalized Kids. They like to receive the cards at least two weeks before a given holiday so I popped them in the mail back in January. They also accept general cards with messages like "You Rock" or "You are Awesome" but not "Get Well", etc. relating to health because some kids won't get better.

This year I only sent 10 girly Valentines; I didn't manage to get any boy ones done. Oh well, I hope to get more cards donated throughout the year. I used supplies by EK Success that I saved from the Disney Princess cards made last year. Most of the patterned papers and doilies were from the Target $ bin. 

Thanks for stopping and I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!!

Halloween set - Cards for Hospitalized Kids

Hi all - I've mentioned Cards for Hospitalized Kids in the past - a worthy charity bringing joy to hospitalized kids by sharing handmade cards. Today I have a set of Halloween cards to send this charity. I ordered the Simon Says Stamp Limited Edition Halloween kit (sold-out) and it came in yesterday's mail - Yay!!

*** Warning - photo-heavy post ahead ***

Photo from Simon Says Stamp's site

The kit came with the following:

Exclusive Simon Says Stamp 4x6 Clear stamp set "Creepy Cute"

Exclusive Simon Says Stamp Wafer thin Die "Witch Cat"

Exclusive Seed Beads "Fright Night"

Phrases and Stickers "Bootiful Night"

3 sheets of 6x6 Cardstock in Doublesided Patterns

2 Jars Tonic Mini Glow Drops: Banana Split and Apple Sour

WOW Glow in the dark Embossing Powder

30 Mini Googly Eyes

Doodlebug Tricky Treat Braddies

My Mind's Eye "Trick or Treat" Puffy Stickers

3 zipper close Kraft Stand up Treat pouch goody bags

Large Treat Box with Window

Simon Says Stamp Cardstock in White and Black

1 Package Tim Holtz Halloween Trimmings

12 Thick Tim Holtz Halloween Kraft Papers 8x8

1 Ranger Foil Tape Sheet

What fun I had playing with this wonderful kit today, creating cards for a great cause! I made 20 quick cards using many of the kit's stickers and papers, plus some additions from Michael's & Target's bargain bins. I still have plenty of papers left and haven't even touched half the stuff in the kit! Here are the cards:

Just need to add messages to the insides but I consider this quite an accomplishment for 3 hours work! It helped to use DCWV A2 cards (neutrals) and I die cut the same stitched rectangle from My Favorite Things Blueprints 20 (retired) twice from 10 different papers.The kit's papers were from Tim Holtz's Halloween 8x8 paper pad (black or brown & orange papers on one side/kraft on reverse). The only other background paper I used was from a Michael's Halloween 6x6 pad (the spider web paper), plus some orange & black DCWV card stock. Here and there I also used some black Tim Holtz washi I had in my stash. The puffy pumpkin stickers came from Michael's and the Target $ bin had the fun enamel stars and spiders. I also used Hero Arts DC197 Halloween Trimmings Stamp & Cut for the Happy Halloween on some of the cards.

Although the kit is sold out, many of the items are available singly at Simon Says Stamp so check it out if interested! Thanks for stopping and if you have a spare moment, visit Cards for Hospitalized Kids. You may find yourself sending them cards as I and some of my friends have been doing.

Hope to see you back tomorrow for my latest Merry Monday Guest Designer card. Can you believe it'll be week 4 already?!

Easter cards for Cards for Hospitalized Kids

Ash Wednesday already today and though Easter's over a month away,  it'll be here before we know it! Time to get some Easter cards ready for Cards for Hospitalized Kids. My goal was to make four cards a day starting Saturday until I hit twenty cards. Well, I made four the first day, eight the second day, zero the third day (Merry Monday), and eight yesterday - phew!! Here they are in a pile:

Supplies: Core'dinations A2 pastel cards; various patterned papers - Authentique, Penny Black, BoBunny; Michael's Reflections value card stock for the die cuts; Michael's and Hobby Lobby dimensional Easter stickers, Target felt stickers

Stamps - Hero Arts CL498 Celebrate Every Day (sentiment on many); other sentiment used was a Hero Arts/Archiver's exclusive Easter set - retired)

Dies - Spellbinders S4-128 Nestabilities Lacey Squares & S4-425 Elegant Ovals; MFT Die-Namics Blueprints 20

I wanted something simple that I could mass produce quickly and most were the version of card base, strip of patterned paper, stamped sentiment, die cut with sticker. I just couldn't resist the sweet dimensional stickers I found at both Michael's and Hobby Lobby. HL had 40% off their Easter stuff when I went in there on Saturday so I added to the stash I'd already picked up at Michael's - somehow I foresee a trip back there for more... Target also had some fun felt stickers in their $1 bins. The scalloped Easter Greetings image (2nd card in row 3 and far right in row 4) is the from the Hero Arts/Archivers exclusive set - love this set and use it for many Easters. The peeking bunny image (you can just see it towards the top of the card in row three) is also in that set & has found his way onto many an Easter card over the years. If interested, check out this card or this card from 2010 to see him in action.

All I need to do is write a message in each card and pop them in the mail. The charity likes to get the cards at least two weeks ahead of the holiday so I'm well ahead of that schedule! Thanks for stopping by and hope you're having a crafty week!!

St Paddy's Day Cards for Hospitalized Kids

Hi all - back with St Patrick's Day cards I made for Cards for Hospitalized Kids. I first learned of this charity in January and was told they needed more cards for non-Christmas holidays. I mailed them 40 Valentines back in January and thought I'd try to put together a package for St Paddy's Day. My goal was 10 cards but I managed to put 20 cards in the mail today. They like to receive cards at least 2 weeks before the holiday so I'm in plenty of time. Here's a group photo:

Supplies: Authentique papers - Charmed and Emerald 6x6 pads; Hero Arts layering paper (for card bases)

Silhouette ID 74993 Open Shamrock with Hearts by Jamie Cripps (I just used the solid layer)

Stamp - Hero Arts CL498 Celebrate Every Day (sentiment); JoAnn foam stickers; Marvy gel pen; Lucky Clover Distress Ink

After die cutting the shamrocks I stamped the sentiment & added either dots or faux stitches with a white gel pen. The inside of the cards said "unique & amazing - You're the best" along with a leprechaun top hat and a shamrock from 3 different Hero Arts sets. I set up the inside on my MISTI and quickly did the 20 insides.

I enjoy spending some of my retirement days creating cards that will bring joy to kids and I love seeing photos on the website of their smiles when receiving the cards. Now I'm thinking - what can I do for Easter?!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you're enjoying your weekend!!

More Valentines for Cards for Hospitalized Kids!

Hope you can stand a few more Valentines - I couldn't seem to stop making them for Cards for Hospitalized Kids!! I had planned to make a quick 10 and pop them in the mail but had worked my way up to 24. Well, I went to package up the 24 and thought them too bulky for an envelope. I put them in a small box and had lots of empty space - so I started making more - LOL! By the time I was done, I had 40 cards! If you have any spare time to make some cards for a good cause, check it out - the young woman who started this charity really inspires me!!

I managed to finish cards with all 10 Disney Princesses - these were some of my favorites! Then I made a fun ice cream cone and a few more boy cards. I made some duplicates but just photographed the first version of each. Here are the cards:

 

Supplies: Disney Princess diecuts by EK Success
Stamps - sentiments from Hero Arts, Clearly Besotted and Simon Says Stamp
Ice Cream Cone from Hero Arts CL963 Color Layering Ice Cream Cone
Car and cycle from Hero Arts CL478 Going
Silhouette Designs for the teepee, tower, pagoda, path, and cowboy
Other - foam tape, puffy heart stickers & red cards (Target Hot Spot), Hero Arts folded cards, 
various patterned papers (Basic Grey, BoBunny, My Mind's Eye), 3M washi tape

I'm off to the post office to put my box in the mail - they like to receive the cards two weeks before the holiday so I should be good. I enjoyed making all these cards and hope they'll bring joy to the recipients!

Thanks for stopping!

Photo inspiration at Merry Monday

Hi all - Deanne hosts this week at Merry Monday and offers a photo inspiration challenge!

(photo source)

I'm showing an extra large image so you can see how wonderful it looks - I just love the colors in this photo!! And how about the sprinkles on the cookie - don't they look yummy? Although, my favorites are the colorful ones, especially on a frosted doughnut!! But enough about sprinkles, here's my card:

Supplies: Hero Arts Infinity postage stamp DI345 and rectangle DI198, Sentiment from CM100 Christmas Messages, and
Silhouette ID 46362 Mixed Silhouette Shapes (tree "cookie") 
Jamie Cripps Silhouette ID 112195 Pocket Gift Card Holder (holly "cookie")
CottageCutz Hot Cocoa Cafe (cup)
My Favorite Things Die-namics Oval Shadows ("coffee", "saucer"and "plate")
BoBunny, Neenah and American Crafts papers; Copic Marker W1 and Icy Stickles

I was inspired to use white, brown and dark red with the coffee cup and cookies. I hand decorated my cookies, first with a light Copic W1 line & then covered with Stickles. Don't they look good enough to eat?! I got the MFT Oval Shadows dies free with an order a while back - thought they were weird when they arrived but I have found so many uses for them! Here, they made the plate and the cup saucer, plus the coffee in the cup. Fun, huh?

Then I couldn't resist showing a couple more boyish Valentines for Cards for Hospitalized Kids. I'm putting my package in the mail - sending 24 cards. I love Valentine's Day and was moved to participate when I learned they need cards for this holiday. I meant to make 10 cards but got a bit carried away with all the fun!

Supplies: Target, Lawn Fawn, Neenah and Basic Grey cards/papers
Hero Arts Silhouette ID 46362 Mixed Silhouette Shapes and Nested Hearts Infinity Dies
Stamps - Hero Arts CL754 OWH Dude (#1 hand & football) and the rocket set (You Rock), 
Simon Says Stamp Circle Sayings (UR GR8)

Thanks for stopping and be sure to check out Merry Monday and all the Design Team's fabulous creations with the inspiration photo. Have a crafty day!

A Scramble and more Valentines

Happy Saturday! I spent the early morning making more Valentines with the EK Success Disney die cuts. Then we had a Scramble over on the Hero Arts Flickr group - timed activity to create a card based on a theme - which ended about 12:40p my time. I'll share that bit first.

Karen hosted the Scramble and her theme was a bit of a challenge - use your oldest Hero Arts stamp (by that I took to mean the first one I bought) and then use a household find to make your background. If time, you were to make a second card with some new Hero Arts item. Well, if you know me, you know I'm quick at Scramble time - I was able to fulfill both old and new. I photographed the cards together; the one at left has the old stamp, a sentiment woodblock stamp I bought in 2000, and the one at right has new stuff from January 2017 My Monthly Hero.

Supplies: Paper - Tim Holtz watercolor, Neenah Solar White, scrap of My Mind's Eye patterned, 
DCWV glitter, Hero Arts Floral Mix Cards

Ink - Distress Inks in Shaded Lilac, Picked Raspberry and Embossing Ink; Distress Marker - Wilted Violet 
Ranger Archival Watering Can (Wendy Vecchi) and Memento Tuxedo Black

Other - White Embossing Powder

Dies - Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangle die
Hero Arts DI348 Heart Confetti Fancy Die and dies to match stamps from January 2017 My Monthly Hero

My background for the "old" card was made by inking a paper towel and applying it to water-spritzed watercolor paper. To reinforce the diamonds in the pattern I went back randomly and pressed the moistened paper towel to the paper. I had white embossed the sentiment for a resist effect but had to go in with heavier color on a sponge to get it to show up. Here's a photo of the inked paper towel:

I really liked how the background turned out. For the second card I enjoyed using a new background die and cutting glitter paper. Now I have a bunch of bitty hearts to glue on other project - a bonus! I'm adding this to the "Anything Goes" January challenge at a2zscrapbooking - thanks for the reminder, Greta!

Now back to more Valentines for Cards for Hospitalized Kids... Funny how we get excited by a certain product - I'm just loving these Disney princess die cuts!! It's such fun making Valentines with them. I'm really going to have to get more boy ideas because I now have 12 girly cards and 9 boyish ones.

Supplies: Lawn Fawn Spruce & Wild Rose Folded Cards; Lawn Fawn papers
Die cuts - Disney Princesses by EK Success; large hearts from Hero Arts DI334 Nested Heart Infinity Dies
Stamps - Shells from Hero Arts CL383 Antique Engravings 
sentiment from Hero Arts CL954 Many Everyday Messages

There are 10 princesses in the EK Success package - I'm betting I'll made a card with each of them before I'm done - LOL. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

More Valentines Cards

TGIF and I began my day by making some more Valentines to send to Cards for Hospitalized Kids. My stash of 12 had more girly cards than boyish ones so I hoped to make more of the latter. My eyes spotted a cute set from Taylored Expressions that I bought a few years ago when Archiver's still had a brick & mortar store in my town (miss it!!).

Supplies: Plane Awesome stamps & dies from Taylored Expressions, 

Paper - Neenah, Basic Grey and Studio Calico; Other - Target bin cards and mini heart stickers; Copics

Hero Arts Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies DI334

Plane Awesome comes with solid, not outline, dies.With a MISTI, I was able to stamp the die cut, no problem! Simply used the technique of lining up the stamp in the negative after die-cutting, then putting the diecut back in the negative for stamping. Just look at how perfectly the stamp lined up on the diecut! And how do I love the new Hero Arts heart dies? Another must have with 10 dies - I cranked out a lot of hearts in various sizes for my Valentines! I made two versions of each of the plane cards so then I had 9 boy cards and only 7 girly cards. Decided to make some more girly cards with fun printed Disney die cuts by EK Success that I bought 40% off at JoAnn's this afternoon. Who can resist a Disney princess?!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah, American Crafts (Target bin), Hero Arts, Lawn Fawn, My Mind's Eye
Dies - Hero Arts Nested Hearts Infinity Dies; Xcut Lacy Doily
Stamps - Raisin Boat gumball machine, Hero Arts sentiment from the Rocket set
Other - Copic markers, foam tape; Target puffy heart stickers; Darice heart Embossing folder

The card at the bottom of the photo was in my 12 count but I hadn't photographed it yet so included here. Now I have 9 cards for each - will try to make a couple more so I can send 20 cards.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the weekend!

January My Monthly Hero Kit

Hi all - can you believe it, a non-Merry Monday post? I was excited to come home from car shopping (more on that later) to find the Hero Arts January 2017 My Monthly Hero kit in my mailbox! It was just announced on Monday and was to start shipping on Friday so I was thrilled to get it so quickly!! The kit includes:

• Color Layering Flower Heart clear set (large 6x8″ size)
• A set of 18 coordinating metal Frame Cuts dies
• Tide Pool ink cube
• Mint Julep ink cube
• Soft Pink ink cube
• Bubble Gum ink cube
• Strawberry ink cube
• 4 woodgrain envelopes (2 A1 and 2 A2 sized)
• 4 woodgrain cardstock (half sheets)
• Red wax cord (8 yards)
• Pool envelopes (2 each of 3 different shades)

What a great value at only $34.99 and, of course, I couldn't resist some of the add-ons. As of this moment, the kit is still available but once it sells out, it's gone. Loving Valentine's Day as I do, I couldn't resist adding this kit to my stash and I just love everything in it!! Here are the first cards I made with it:

 

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White, woodgrain cardstock from kit, American Crafts (Target bin)
Stamps/Dies - January 2017 My Monthly Hero (flower heart bouquet and matching dies); 
thanks banner from an old Hero Arts set # unknown
Other - Copic Markers, foam tape, Reflections gems

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White, American Crafts (Target bin) glitter paper, Basic Grey True Love (2012) pink
Stamps - January 2017 My Monthly Hero kit (sentiment); CG690 Confetti Bold Prints
Dies - DI348 Heart Confetti Fancy Die; Sizzix Heart Die
 Other - puffy stickers from American Crafts (Target bin); recycled fairy from a card Hero Arts put in with previous kits

The thanks card is for my friend Connie and her husband. They had me over for brunch yesterday and then took me car shopping. We had spinach quiche and blueberry muffins - yum! Then we visited a few car dealerships to look at vehicles. Connie and Doug served as riders to test the comforts for passengers in front and back; they both got new cars last year so are more familiar with the process. I was glad of their assistance and for the delicious brunch! And no, I didn't buy anything yet - I'm just starting to look.

The valentine is the first of cards I'm making for the Cards for Hospitalized Kids project. I hadn't heard of it until recently but it's been around for 5 years. A woman mentioned it on the Hero Arts Flickr Group and mentioned they need Valentine cards for this year. Here are four more cards I made for the project; I'm planning to send a package of 10 and already have 7 made (I made duplicates of some of these).

Supplies include Target bin and Doodlebug papers, Hero Arts rocket set (#unk);
Xcut doily die (thanks Heather!), Sizzix Lori Whitlock gatefold lace kit.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you're having a great weekend!!