Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge

Boy, this week has gone by fast.  It is time for a new challenge at Joan's Garden.   The challenge this week is very easy - the only requirement is to create a "Vintage Valentine". 

One of the new Memory Box dies  is this cute "Box Heart Pocket".  It is one piece and clips together with that little heart in the front.  It is the easiest little box I have ever made.  On the inside of it I added another new Memory Box Die "Loom Circle".  I used it as a "filler" behind a piece of chocolate.  

Something I have been wanting to do is create flowers with design paper.  I had some old paper that had large flowers on it that would be hard to use on a small card, and it was double sided, so I used the Spellbinders Blossom I and MFT "Royal Rolled Rose" dies to create these flowers.  Before I rolled them, I sponged on Distress "Fired Brick and Aged Mahogany" Inks then lightly spritzed with water to blend the colors.    I used Rangers "White" Distress White Acrylic Paint Dauber" to add some white to a few of the petals.  Once the flowers were assembled, I used the Ranger Gold Acrylic Paint Dabber to add gold to the tips of the petals.  I love the look this gave the flowers.  I added the Heartfelt Creations Bella Rose die cut flourish behind the flowers.  

For the background I used a piece of vanilla card stock and embossed it using the Sizzix "Heart and Ornate Frame" embossing folder.  Tea Dye Distress Ink was sponged over the embossed part using the Ranger Blending Tool.  This helped give me the "Vintage" look.  There is a heart in the center of this embossed background and I attached the Memory Box "Box Heart Pocket" over it.   On the bottom of the card I added a piece of design paper from the Prima "Reflections Collection" paper pad and added a Cheery Lynn Border at the top of it.  To complete the "Vintage" look, I added a piece of seam binding that was stained with the Ranger Fired Brick and Aged Mahogany" inks and a couple of Kaiser Craft pearls.

Joan completed a valentine for this week's challenge you will want to see.  She used some of the new Die-Versions dies.  Please go over to her blog to see her beautiful card and to get all the information about this week's challenge.  We hope you will joining us this week.

Memory Box "Box Heart Pocket" die 98509

Memory Box "Loom Circle" 98520

Spellbinders Blossom I die

MFT Royal Rolled Rose die

Heartfelt Creations "Bella Rose" flourish die

Sizzix "Heart and Ornate Frame" embossing folders 657339

Cheery Lynn "Lace Light Deco Border" B133

Distress Inks

Ranger Paint Daubers

Seam Binding

Prima "Reflections Collection" design paper pad

Kaiser Craft black pearls

858744

Heartfelt Creations Floral Frame

It is time for the January Heartfelt Creations Alumni Design Team Blog Hop.  There are eight alumni designers participating this month.  If you came from Emilia van den Heuvel's blog, then you are probably going in order.  The next blog to visit from here is Sarah Miller.  We hope to give you a lot of inspiration using your Heartfelt Creations stamps and dies.    Be sure to visit all eight blogs in this hop, leaving a comment on each, for a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate from Heartfelt Creations.

I always love to work with my stamps and dies from Heartfelt Creations.  This month I decided to create a home decorating piece.  I used a wood frame I purchased from Michael's and one of the new Heartfelt Creations "Decorative Blossom Corners" to decorate the top the of this frame.  I did not paint the frame because it has a nice ivory color finish to it.  To create the "raised" corners, I die cut two of the Decorative Blossom Corners, out of card stock,  and just laid them on the upper corners,  then using a small spatula spread "Liquitex Light Modeling Paste" over the die cuts, being careful not lift the die cut or to get any of it below the die. I scraped it off evenly across the top of the die cut.  I did this to both corners, letting them sit for a short time before pulling the die cut off.  This created the pretty raised design on the corners.   The frame was set aside for about an hour to allow the Modeling Paste to dry.  Meantime I worked on the flowers.   I read about this technique on Sherry Cheever's blog. 

To decorate the frame I chose to use the Heartfelt Creations "Botanical Florals" stamps and matching dies.  I clear embossed the flowers on watercolor paper then colored each flower with the Tim Holtz "Spun Sugar" Distress Stain.  The reason I stamped in VersaMark and clear embossed was because I wanted the outline and lines in the Botanical Florals stamp to stay white for a variation of color in the petals of the flowers - it worked as a "resist".  I think it made it look more realistic than stamping the flower in black.  Both sides of the flowers were stained then shaped.  I used all the flowers in both sets of the Botanical Florals to create the different size flowers.  Once they were colored on the front, I was able to see where to place the die to die cut them with the matching dies then the back was stained.  The leaves and Flourish were created the same way, using Peeled Paint Distress Stain.  

The swirls behind the flowers is the Heartfelt Creations "Bella Rose Flourish".  I use this stamp, and matching die, for a background for many of my floral pieces.  It always make an arrangement very elegant. All the flowers and leaves were attached with dimensional glue dots or regular glue dots.  

For the opening in the frame, I stamped the bird from the Heartfelt Creations "Melodious Songbird PreCut Set" on watercolor paper and colored it with Distress Inks.  The background behind the stamped image was sponged with "Weathered Wood" Distress Ink".  The bird was stamped again, colored and attached with dimensional glue dots.

Be sure to visit all eight blogs and leave a comment on each blog because one of you will be chosen, in a random drawing,  to win a $25 Gift Certificate to shop at Heartfelt Creations.  This blog hop closes Fri. Feb. 1st at midnight and the winner will be announced at noon Sat, Feb 2. 

I am entering this frame in the challenge at the Papercraft Star blog.

Heartfelt Creations Botanical Floral 1 PreCut Set HCPC 3406

Heartfelt Creations Botanical Floral 2 Pre Cut Set HCPC 3407

Heartfelt Creations  Botanical Floral matching Dies

Heartfelt Creations Decorative Blossom Corner HCD729

Heartfelt Creations  Bella Rose Flourish HCD712

Heartfelt Creations  Melodious Songbird PreCut Set HCPC 3511

Liquitex Light Modeling Paste

Distress Inks "Peeled Paint" and "Spun Sugar"

Ranger Blending Tool

Ranger Detail Clear Embossing Powder

VersaMark

Watercolor paper

Distress Markers to color bird

Weathered Wood Distress Ink Pad for background behind bird

Pop Dots

856746

Red and White Valentine

Have you created all your Valentine Cards?   Memory Box has this beautiful heart die I had fun working with today.  This is the Memory Box "Heart Ensemble" die.  I die cut it layering a piece of red card stock and a piece of design paper so I only had to die cut it once.  I pulled the pieces apart and used the red outline then pieced in the plaid pieces.  I attached this to a piece of card stock that was embossed with the eBosser "Delicate Dots" embossing folder.  The sentiment is die cut using the Cheery Lynn "Love" die.   

Roses always look great on a Valentine card so today I created one large rose and three rose buds, using the new Cheery Lynn Build A Flower #3 dies.  The large rose was created using the largest "pear" shaped petals and the buds were created using the smaller "pear" petals. When you are creating flowers with the Build A Flower dies, you can follow the tutorials I have listed in my side bar for creating roses.  I build up many layers using a "flower base" then adding a "petal" to each point on the base.  I always use the flower tool kit and embossing pad to shape each petal.  To create the buds, I add glue to the front side of four or five small petals, then wind them around the self closing tweezers that are in the Flower Tool Kit.  The green on the outside of the buds is from the Build A Flower #2 embellishment dies.  

There are three different types of greenery (leaves) behind the roses.  I used the Marianne Design (LR0245) die, and the Cheery Lynn Rose Leaf Strip, and the Cheery Lynn Flourish Leaf Strip.  You can die cut your leaves using green card stock, but I really like to die cut them using white card stock then use Peeled Paint Distress Ink and the blending tool to add color.   When I sponge the color on the die cuts, it makes the embossed areas (details) in the leaves really show up.   I only used Peeled Paint on these leaves, but you could add more contrast by using several shades of green Distress Inks.  

There are some small flowers in the Build A Flower #3 dies/Embellishements that I added around this arrangement.  A few Cheery Lynn "Wreath Strips" branches were tucked in around the flowers and yellow Stickles added to the center of the white flowers.  

The inside of the card was completed by adding the Memory Box "Twirled Heart Border" down the right side and the sentiment pieces from Cherry Lynn. I die cut the border using both red card stock and the plaid design paper.   One of the little hearts from the "plaid" border was added down in the corner to help tie it in with the front design. 

I have received a lot of emails asking about how I'm feeling.  I am still having lots of migraine headaches and lots of neck and back problems from our car accident out on the highway.  They told me I have a cracked rib, but the way it hurts, I feel like it is broken!  My daughter's card was totaled so we are in the process of helping her find a new car.  I know I have been a little show in posting, but I love to work on cards when I feel well enough to do it.  I just completed a project I am excited to show you next Tuesday when we will be doing the Heartfelt Creations Alumni  Design Team Blog Hop.  Be sure to check back then. 

Memory Box "Heart Ensemble" 98479

Memory Box "Twirled Heart Border" (on inside) 98279

eBosser "Delicate Dots" embossing folder

Marianne Design "leaves" (LR0245)

Cheery Lynn Build A Flower #3 and Embellishments #3

Cheery Lynn Build A Flower #2 Embellishments

Cheery Lynn "Rose Leaf Strip" B241

Cheery Lynn "Flourish Leaf Strip" B178

Cheery Lynn "Wreath Strip" B216

Cheery Lynn "Love" B227

Cheery Lynn "Happy" B226

Cheery Lynn "Valentine's"  B229

Cheery Lynn "Day" B236

Yellow Stickles

Peeled Paint Distress Ink Pad

Blending Tool

855848

Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge

Valentine's Day is fast approaching so this week at Joan's Gardens, our challenge is to create a Valentine for someone special. 

Here are the requirements for this challenge:

• Use pink and white 
• Use at least one heart
• Use a pretty border

For my Valentine, I chose to use the new Memory Box "Bingham Heart".  I love the dainty details in this heart.  It was die cut using green card stock then again using pink.  All the little pink flowers were sniped off and glued onto the green heart.  I die cut a solid heart using the MFT "Layered Heart" die and glued the Bingham Heart along the edges.  The reason I die cut the solid heart is because the background piece was embossed with the eBosser "Gracious Argyle" embossing folder and it would have been hard to stamp the pretty sentiment from the Our Daily Bread "Sentiments Collection" on the embossing.  On the Left side of the card I added the Memory Box "Contempo Circle Border".  In the right side corners, I added a Cheery Lynn die cut corner.  When I stamped the sentiment, the little hearts were outlined in black, so I used the Martha Stewart "Loops Heart" corner punch to get the little pink hearts to glue in the center of the three hearts stamped in the sentiment.  The three little hearts from that punch fit perfectly.  To complete the card, I added Kaiser Craft pink rhinestones along the left side and in the center of the flowers.  

I hope you will join us in our challenge this week.  I am sure there is someone special you who would love to receive a Valentine from you.  

Memory Box Bingham Heart (98499)

Memory Box Contempo Circle Border (98451)

MFT Die-namics Layered Heart

eBosser "Gracious Argyle" embossing folder

Cheery Lynn Corner (B164)

Our Daily Bread "Sentiments Collection" (E334)

Martha Stewart "Loops Heart" corner punch for small hearts on sentiment.

Kaiser Craft Rhinestones 

853116

Gothic Stained Glass Window

I don't have much time this morning, but want to get this card posted and will just give short information about it.  I received some Elizabeth Craft Shimmer Sheets and thought it would look beautiful behind one of the window die cuts. What do you think?  I think it is a fabulous look behind the window dies!   I used the Poppy Stamps "Grand Gothic Stained Glass" die.  The white card stock was first embossed using the Sizzix "Texture Fades" embossing folder, then the window die was used to die cut the opening.  The window die was die cut again so I could insert it inside the die cut opening.  A piece of the Shimmer Sheet was taped to the back of the opening.  The design paper is from the Memory Box "Viola" paper pad.  The Poppy Stamps Grand Flower Box die was used for the flower box below the window.  To create the flowers I used a variety of small flower and leaf dies from Cheery Lynn --  List below.

Memory Box "Viola" Design Paper Pad

Sizzix "Texture Fades" embossing folder (657845)

Poppy Stamps Grand Gothic Stained Glass" window die (855)

Poppy Stamps  Grand Flower Box die (821)

Cheery Lynn Medium Rose B154

Cheery Lynn Miniature Rose B152

Cheery Lynn Build A Flower Embellishments #1

Cheery Lynn Darling Daisies A 196

Cheery Lynn Olive Branches B147

Cheery Lynn Rose Leaf Strip B241

Cheery Lynn Flourish Leaf Strip B178

Elizabeth Craft Shimmer Sheetz SS-0101 (Black Iris)

851629

Shadow Box

Yesterday I received a bunch of new Memory Box and Poppy Stamp dies from Joan's Gardens.  Wow!  They are all so beautiful I hardly knew where to start. .  Making choices will be hard!  I love working with dies because it is such an easy way to create a quick card.  

I have not created a Shadow Box card for a long time, so decided the Memory Box "Honey Blossom Frame" would look great inside one.  I started with two pieces of card stock cut 7" x 6".  I scored down both sides of all four pieces at 7/8" so with the folds, the width of the front of this card is 5 1/2" x 6".  I used design paper from the Best Creation "A Walk in the Garden" 6x6" paper pad for everything on this card.  I love the little outdoor scene and thought it would create a beautiful background for the "Honey Blossom Frame".  I used the Memory Box "Debutante Frame", which is a solid backing frame, to go behind the die cut "Honey Blossom Frame".  This frame also works with many of the other Memory Box die cut frames.  A piece of 5 1/2" x 6"   design paper was attached to the inside of the shadow box.  Don't attach the die cut frame yet.

To create the front of the shadow box, I first cut a piece of the design paper and glued it to the center portion of the front of the box, like I did for the inside.  The Memory Box "Debutante Frame" die was centered  over that design paper and die cut. Be sure to tape it down so it doesn't move.   Now I have the opening that matches the "Honey Blossom Frame" that will be inside the shadow box.  The front and back pieces were laid flat on top of each other, then the "Honey Blossom Frame" (with pop dots on the back) was placed in the opening and pressed down onto the inside of (the bottom of) the box.  

To complete the decoration on the front (top) of the shadow box, I used a stripped piece of design paper, from the same paper pad, for the sides.  On the front I die the Memory Box "Butterfly Vine Border" twice - once in green and once in purple.  The top portion of the green border was placed on the right side of the frame and the left over part (bottom portion) was attached to the left side.  This beautiful border is 9.6" long and is very easy to divide if you want smaller portions.  The little butterflies were cut off the purple border and glued over the butterflies on the green border.  

You can see in this picture how the "Honey Blossom Frame" is down inside the shadow box.  To add a little more dimension, I die cut one of the new Poppy Stamps cats - this one is the "Large Curious Cat". Poppy Stamps has a lot of new cat and dog dies cuts.   It was attached along the bottom of the frame with a piece of ScorTape.   The trim I used along both sides of the box was die cut using the MFT "Little Open Scallop Strip.  This border is 6" long and fits perfectly down the sides to complete this card.

Best Creation "A Walk in the Garden" Design Paper Pad

Memory Box "Honey Blossom Time Frame" (98455)

Memory Box "Debutante Frame" (98297)

Memory Box "Butterfly Vine Border" (98458)

Poppy Stamps "Large Curious Cat" (874)

MFT "Little Open Scallop Strip" for the border on sides

Pop Dots

850209  

Just Wanted to Tell You

Today I am posting another card from the beautiful new Heartfelt Creations "Countryside Evening Collection.   I have used stamps from three different stamps sets in this collection.  The pretty fence is from the "Weathered Fence Post PreCut Set".  It was colored using the following Distress Reinkers and the Ranger Waterbrush.  Here are the colors used:  Fence - Pumice Stone; Leaves - Old Paper and Bundled Sage; Flowers - Weather Wood; Small Leaves and Grass - Bundled Sage Distress Marker.  The image was stamped on a piece of 5.5" square of water color paper.  

It does not show up well in the photo, but I used the Ranger Blending Tool and Weathered Wood Distress Ink over the entire card.  To give this card a little dimension, I used the Zutter Distrezz-it-All tool to distress around it.  Additional Weathered Wood Distress was added over the edges.  The sentiment is from the Heartfelt Creations "Antique Lantern PreCut Set".  I wanted to add the green bow and that left the lower corner a little plain, so I stamped the smallest flourish from the Heartfelt Creations "Petite Floral Swirls PreCut Set on a scrap piece of water color paper, then colored it with matching Distress Inks.  It was cut  out with scissors and added to the corner.  A small butterfly from my stash was added. 

There are so many beautiful stamps and design papers in this collection.  The 12x12 design paper is beautiful and you can use it for either scrapbooking layouts or cut it in smaller pieces, which are so pretty with even just a stamped sentiment or maybe a few dimensional flowers made with the Heartfelt Creations "Posy Patch" stamps and dies (which match the flowers in this collection).  Another thing I love is that when you are wanting ideas on how to color some of the stamped images, you can get great ideas from the designs in the design paper.   

You can order this new Heartfelt Creations "Countryside Evening Collection" and all the other products I used from Joan's Gardens.  Don't forget you can purchase the whole Countryside Evening Collection at a great discount if you order the "I Want It All" package.  Here is the direct link to the Heartfelt Creations post at Joan's Gardens showing everything in this collection plus the I Want It All special price.  

I have been a little slow in getting a lot of cards posted but hope to start doing more soon.  I did get a bad whiplash in the auto accident my daughter and I had out on the highway.  We just found out her car was totaled out because there was so much damage to it.  I think, because she was driving, that her injuries are worse than mine.   We are just thankful we weren't hurt much worse.  You never know what is going to happen when the roads are covered in ice, even when you are being super careful!!!!!!

Heartfelt Creations "Weathered Fence Post PreCut Set" (HCPC 3513)

Heartfelt Creations "Antique Lantern PreCut Set" (HCPC 3512)

Heartfelt Creations "Petite Floral Swirls PreCut Set" (HCPC 3510)

Watercolor Paper

Ranger Blending Tool

Ranger Waterbrushes

Ranger Distress Inks: Pumice Stone, Old Paper, Bundled Sage, Weathered Wood

Ranger Distress Marker: Bundled Sage

Zutter Distrezz-it-All

849275

Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge

It is time for a new weekly challenge at Joan's Gadens.  Here are the challenge rules:

Create a card that:

• opens from the bottom (Tent style card)
• use purple, aqua, and light green for the colors
• use something from nature for the theme

For my card I used the card die cut card from the Sizzix ""Sizzix Pop N Cuts XL Card Horizontal A2" die.  This is the outside of the PopUp card I posted yesterday.  I used the Heartfelt Creations "Delicate Asters" paper collection for the cover on this card.  It is a 12x12" paper pad so I was able to cut a piece of design paper that fit both the front and back using the Sizzix die.  I used the "Delicate Asters PreCut Set" to stamp one of the asters to fit over the one in the design paper, to make it dimensional.  The flower was cut out with the matching Heartfelt Creations Aster die.   In the center of the flower, I created a stamen using the Cheery Lynn Build A Flower embellishments #1 dies.  This design paper is so beautiful I did not need to add anything more but attached an aqua colored butterfly, from my stash, for the third required color for this challenge.  

Heartfelt Creations "Delicate Asters" Paper Collection

Heartfelt Creations "Delicate Asters PreCut Set" (HCPC 3494) 
Heartfelt Creations "Delicate Asters dies 

Cheery Lynn "Build A Flower Embellishments #1" 

847228

Heartfelt Creations January Release

Have you seen the beautiful new Heartfelt Creations Countryside Evening Collection?    I used my eBosser to die cut them and did use two pieces of wax paper between the card stock and the die.  I only had to run it through the eBosser one time for a perfect cut.  

Included in this collection is a beautiful 12x12 inch pad of designer paper that matches all the stamps.  I used a corner of one of these sheets for my 6"x6" card.  First I used a piece of dark green card stock and die cut the smaller corner, as shown in Emma Lou's video. The number of the dies is HCD 729. The piece of designer paper was inserted under the corner.   I wanted to have a dimensional bird on this card so I stamped the image from the "Melodious Songbird PreCut Set" (HCPC 3511) and watercolored the image. The bird and a few of the flowers were cut out with scissors so I could add it over the design in the paper.  I used some of the petals from the Cheery Lynn Build A Flower #2 embellishments (the baby's breath flowers) to add some dimensional to the branch around the bird.  The sentiment is also from the "Melodious Songbird" stamp set.  It was black embossed.  Below is a close up picture of the dimensional bird. 

Well this new year is not starting out very well for us.  Both my DH and I have been sick and both have had other things happen to us.  Today my daughter and I went to town and in the meantime we had freezing rain, resulting in black ice, and  we were in an auto accident out on the highway.  It is so scary hitting ice and flying back and forth across the highway. We are lucky in that we only got whiplash but the front of her car is totally messed up.  We are so thankful we didn't go down in a ditch or hit other cars - we hit the concrete highway divider, head on,  between lanes.   We were scared to death we were going to flip over it into oncoming traffic. I am hoping that all the bad things have ended.  What a way to start the new year!   Now off to rest and see if I can get rid of this headache.

845039

Happy Birthday Pop-up Card

Today I created another pop-up card using a different Sizzix die.  First I will tell you about the front of the card.  I used design paper from the Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden paper pad for both the front and inside of this card.  The large green doily is one of the four dies from the Marianne Design LR0240 die set.  On top of the green doily I added the Marianne Design "Calypso Flourish".   The design paper on the inside has beige roses highlighted with a burgundy edging, so I created the same color roses for the front.  I used the Spellbinders "Spiral Blossom One" for the large rose and the MFT (Die-Namics) Royal Rolled Rose for the smaller roses and buds.  The Cheery Lynn Build A Flower #2 embellishments dies were used for the greenery around the buds and also for the baby's breath.   The leaves were die cut using the Cheery Lynn "Rose Leaf Strip".   There are also butterflies on the inside design paper so I tried to duplicate the same type butterfly using the Memory Box "Kaleidoscope" and "Moonlight" butterflies.  It was sponged using Distress Inks. 

When you open the card you are greeted with this fun pop-up.   It was created with the Sizzix "Raising 3-D (PopUp) Platform.  I use the eBosser to die cut it and did not need to use a crease pad to get perfect score lines.   I followed the directions for assembling this pop-up and sponged around the tag before attaching another butterfly like I attached to the front of the card.  I only added adhesive to the right side of the butterfly so it would fold flat when the card is closed.  I used two different pieces of the design paper from the Pink Paislee "Butterfly Garden" pad on the inside.  One of the sheets was cut in half and those pieces attached to the outer edges and another different sheet was trimmed and attached right in the center.  This way I had all the pretty design of the sheet with the butterflies on both sides.    

In this picture you can see the pop-up mechanism better.  I die cut the Cheery Lynn "Happy" and "Birthday" sentiments for the inside and added the pretty Marianne Design embellishment at the bottom.  This is a 5.5" by 6" card.  You can use the Sizzix pop-up in a smaller card such as an A-2 size.  

 

Pink Paislee "Butterfly Garden" Paper Pad

Marianne Design "Doily" (LR0240) Four pieces in this die set

Memory Box "Calypso Flourish" (98343)

Spellbinders "Spiral Blossom One" (S4-351)

MFT (Die-namics) Royal Rolled Rose

Cheery Lynn "Build A Flower #2" Embellishments

Cheery Lynn Rose Leaf Strip (B241)

Memory Box "Kaleidoscope Butterfly" (98261)

Memory Box "Moonlight Butterfly" (98260)

Sizzix "Raising 3-D (PopUp) Platform (658042)

Cheery Lynn "Happy" sentiment (B226)

Cheery Lynn "Birthday" sentiment (B231)

Marianne Design "embellishment" (6002/0149)

844031 

Love Pop-up Card

I don't know whether I had more fun working on the front or the inside of this pop-up card.    

To create this card I started with a piece of white card stock that was 12"x5" and folded it in half to create a 5"x6" card.  On top I layered a piece of pink card stock that is 5"34" x 4 3/4".   A piece of white card stock 5 1/2" x 4 1/2" was embossed in the eBosser "Delicate Dots" embossing folder.  The pretty pink die cut doily is the Joy! Crafts 6002/0147 doily.  On top of it I layered the Marianne Design Doily (CR1201) using dimensional tape.

To create the little flower bouquet, I used the Memory Box "Primula Blooms", and Petal Party" dies.  In the center of the little flowers I used a variety of little stamens I had previous punched or die cut using the Cheery Lynn "Build A Flower" embellishments dies.  Behind the flower are two white Memory Box "Chloe Stems".  I die cut the leaves from the Marianne Design (LR0117) die set using white card stock.  (There is a doily in this set.)  I wanted a very light green on these leaves, so by using white card stock I was able to  sponge on "Bundled Sage" Distress Ink, just to give it a hint of color.   The sentiment is from a very old Our Craft Lounge stamp set called "Dr. Peanut".      

I love working with all the Sizzix pop-up dies.   This one is just perfect to create a pretty Valentine or to send some love to someone special.  

When using most die cutting machines, you need to use a "Crease Pad" when using the Sizzix pop-up dies or you don't get the creased seams and many times it will cut so far through that the scored lines will tear.  The crease pad prevents that from happening.  I have always used my VegaBond or Big Shot when using these large Sizzix dies in the past.  I have the new eBosser and decided to see how it would work using this Sizzix "Love 3-D Pop-up" die.  I found that I could not use the Crease Pad with the recommended eBosser recipe because it would not fit into the machine.   The layering recipe for the eBosser is Platform C (on bottom), Sizzix Die, card stock, and Platform A on top.   I thought for a while I would have to go to another machine because I was sure it would not do a proper job without using the Crease Pad.  I have great news.  When using this layering in the eBosser, my die cut was so perfect -- I did not need to use a crease pad.  I am thrilled with the results.  The die cut turned out better than any I have ever cut.

I used a piece of pink card stock the full length of the die which gave me the rounded corners for the pop-up insert.  You can use a smaller piece of card stock centered, if you don't want a card this tall. I wanted to emboss the top portion of this pop-up so placed it in the eBosser "Delicate Dots" embossing folder, just up to the top of the pop-up.  Most of the card was hanging out of the folder.  The heart on the top of the pop-up is the Heartfelt Creations "Timeless Armour Die".  In the center I place the Cheery Lynn "Heaven Sent" die. A piece of design paper from the Echo Park Paper Co "Country Drive" paper pad was cut for the top of the pop-up.  Another piece of the same paper was die cut using the Cheery Lynn "Francesca Border".  I forgot to mention that I wanted the "Love" cut out to be slightly darker in color so it would show up, so I sponged it with "Spun Sugar" Distress Ink.  To finish the card I added  pink Kaiser Craft pearls.  This card lays flat for mailing because I did not add anything very dimensional.  

Using the Sizzix pop-up dies really create a fun card and are so easy to use.  I love you will love them. 

Joy! Crafts Doily (6002/0147)

Marianne Design Doily (CR1201)

Memory Box "Primula Blooms" (98149)

Memory Box "Chloe Stem" (98321)

Memory Box "Petal Party" (98321)

Marianne Design "Leaves" (LR0117)

Bundled Sage Distress Ink

Cheery Lynn "Build A Flower" Embellishments

Sizzix "Love 3-D Popup" Die (657800)

Heartfelt Creations "Timeless Armour Die" (HCD 728)

Cheery Lynn "Heaven Sent" (B239)

Cheery Lynn "Francesca Border" (B159)

Kaiser Craft Pearls

eBosser "Delicate Dots"

eBosser Die cutting machine

Spun Sugar Distress Ink

Echo Park "Country Drive" design paper

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Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge

It is time for the first weekly challenge at Joan's Garden..  We would like for you to create a Thank You card using blue and white for the main colors.  Please go over to Joan's Gardens for all the challenge rules and to see what the prize for this week will be.  While you are there, be sure to check out all the new products Joan has posted.

I received the prettiest new dies from Joan's Gardens that I love.  The corners and center flourish on this card were die cut using Joy! Crafts dies.  Aren't they gorgeous! There is also a beautiful doily that matches these dies.  I used a scrap piece of blue and white polka dot design paper for the background on this 5.5" x 6" card.  The little rose was created with the Spellbinders "Bitty Blossoms" die.  It was die cut using aqua card stock, then to give it texture, I sponged on "Peacock Feathers" Distress Ink on the edges then spritzed it with Ranger "Blue Patina" Perfect Pearls.  The small leaves were die cut using the Cheery Lynn "Flourish Leaf Strip".  

The sentiments are both from the Our Daily Bread "Thank You Sentiments" stamp set.  The top sentiment reads "You bless me!" and the lower sentiment reads "Thank you for your thoughtfulness!"   They were stamped using VersaMark Ink and white embossed.  To complete the card I added white Kaiser Craft Pearls.  

Joy! Crafts "corners" 6002/0135

Joy! Crafts "flourish" 6002/0149

Cheery Lynn "Flourish Leaf Strip" (B178)

Spellbinders "Bitty Blossoms" (S5-086)

Our Daily Bread "Thank You Sentiments" (E357)

Kaiser Craft White Pearls

VersaMark Ink

Ranger Detail White Embossing Powder

Ranger Peacock Feathers Distress Ink (on flower)

Ranger Perfect Pearls "Blue Patina" (on flower)

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Sorry no new cards

I just want to let you know that I have been very sick and unable to create new cards.  Also, I know I have a lot of emails from you that I need to answer and will get to those as soon as I can.   Have a great week.