The Good Old Days

 

I could hardly wait to make this card.   I recently received the new Cheery Lynn Large Window Die  (FRM113)  from Joan's Gardens.  The size is 4.25" x 5.5".

I used a great scene from Heartfelt Creations "The Good Old Days" (683G) to put behind the window.   The scene was colored with Copic markers and the cloudy sky was sponged on.  This window die has 5 rows one way and 4 the other.  I only needed 4 rows going each direction to go on this 5.5" square card, so I cut one row off.  To help make it look like a window scene, I used the Martha Stewart "Floral Vine" punch to create a "topper".  A piece of trim was placed on top.  To give the card some dimension, the Marianne  Design "Garden Branch (LR0151) die was added along the left side.  Flowers were created using the Martha Stewart "Cosmos" punch and the stamens were created using the large "Sun" punch.  The design paper used on the card front is from the Kaiser Craft 6 1/2" Lullaby Collection Paper Pad. 

All the above products can be purchased from Joan's  Gardens.

New Embossing Folder

 

I promised to create a card for you using one of the new Marianne embossing folders you can now order from Joan's Gardens.  The order number for this folder is DS0911.  This is a 5"x7" card.  First I embossed a piece of white card stock with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder.  The Marianne design was embossed using white card stock then a piece of of bright pink card stock was cut to go behind the folder so the cut out area would display the pink through the cutouts.  The right side of the pink card stock was left a little wider and was punched using the Martha Stewart "Beaded Arcs" punch.

For the embellishment, I used another new Marianne Design die (LR0168).  This die comes with a doily plus a flower.  The flower on my card was created with this die.  I cut it out three times and sponged yellow ink in the center of each layer.  The "Sparkle" punch was used to create the stamen.  The petals were shaped with the tools from the Flower Tool Kit.  What an easy flower to create and I love it!

The leaves for the flower were die cut using the Cheery Lynn "Tropical Leaves" B119 die.  This set comes with five different leaves.  I didn't want to add another color to this card so die cut the leaves using white card stock.  The beautiful flourishes come from another new Marianne Design die (LR0116).  This is a gorgeous frame die and includes two different flourishes.  Aren't those gorgeous flourishes!  Under the flower I added a pink Nestabilities scalloped circle base to help make the flower show up.  A few pearls were added to complete the card.

Don't you love all these new Marianne Designs and Cheery Lynn Products!   You can order all the products I used on this card from Joan's Gardens.  Joan is getting in new products constantly and may not have some of these items listed on her blog yet, but you can either email or call her and she will get these products out to you.

I went into panic mode this evening when I tried to take some pictures of this card.  I think I wore out my camera.  I could only get this one picture and I know it is not a very good shot, but really wanted to get this card posted.  Guess I  now need to go buy a new camera!

Find Time to Laugh a Little

Time for another card challenge at Joan's Gardens.  This week the challenge is a monochromatic card.  The colors I chose are ivory and chocolate brown.  You can check out all the challenge info and see the prize for this challenge on Joan's Blog.

Here is what you need to do for Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge #18:

■A monochromatic card

■Embossed background

■Flower(s)

■Flourish

■Butterflies

The embossed background was created with a beautiful new embossing folder available from Joan's Gardens.  This is the same embossing folder Joan used on her Mother's Day card which is posted on her blog.   It was embossed on a 5 1/4" square ivory card stock.  The die fits a 4.25 x 5" piece of paper so I had an area on the left side without embossing.  Using the ScorBuddy, I embossed five 1/4" lines.  Isn't that a gorgeous embossing folder!  It cuts and embosses at the same time.  To fill in the open area,  a piece of brown card stock was placed behind the openings.  The beautiful flourish is from the new Heartfelt Creations Bella Rose Collection.  A couple of extra leaves were cut off a second cut flourish to add under the flower.  This flower was created with the Begonia punch.  Ivory card stock was used and the edges of each petal were sponged with brown ink.  The ends of the stamens were colored brown with a marker. 

The sentiment is from a new JustRite stamp set called "Smile".  There are four sentiments and four beautiful frames in this stamp set.  They fit the 3 1/4" round wooden handle. The sentiment was cut out with one of the Spellbinder "Parisian Accents" dies.   The butterflies  are new dies you can get from Joan's Gardens.  There are three to a package.  They are called "Exotic Butterfly Mini" doily dies.  They are each different and are perfect for cards.  They were also sponged around the edges with brown ink.

I hope you will join us in the challenge this week.  A prize will be given to one person selected from a Random Drawing and will be eligible for the grand prize drawing at the end of the year for a $100 gift certificate from Joan's Gardens.

All products used on this card can be purchased from Joan's Gardens.  Joan will be away for four days, but you can email or call her to leave an order.  She will be back to work Monday to start shipping out orders.

Thanks for visiting.

Workshop Tablet

  

Joan had a busy weekend teaching two workshops.  Sounds like everyone enjoyed the projects they worked on.  You can see pictures and read details about the workshop at Joan's Gardens.  I was able to say hi to everyone at the workshop via "Skype" and also show them how to add glitter to the pretty Cheery Lynn die cut butterflies.  The butterflies were added to a different project where they used Mica Gloss to create a card.

One of the projects I helped Joan design was a tablet.  This is a small tablet 5"x8". I have added a few extra embellishments on the tablet shown above; a piece of yellow trim, a Heartfelt Creations lacy corner embellishment and an extra Marianne Design "Decorative Element" (LRO157).  Once you see the tablet cover they created in the workshop, you will notice how a little more "dolled" up a project can look when adding a few more embellishments.

The embossing folder for the background was created with one of the new Marianne Designables Embossing Folders (DS0907).  I love using these beautiful embossing folders!  The dark green leaves were cut using the Cheery Lynn "Pair of Ferns" (B118).  I love that there are two ferns in this package, each lilting a different direction.  The Heartfelt Creations lacy corner is from the "Decorative Butterfly-border (HCD 701) die set. There are two sizes of this pretty die and I used the smaller size.  The two Marianne "Decorative Elegance" die cuts (LR0157) were tucked underneath the Heartfelt Creations corner.  

The Lily was created using the "Mega Lily Petals" punch and the "Sky Flake" punch for the stamen.  The leaves are also from the Mega Lily Petals" punch.  The leaves were folded in half then run through a corregator to give them some dimension, then sponged with a darker green ink. 

 Be sure to go over the Joan's Gardens to see pictures of the other projects completed in her workshop.

Heartfelt Creations Autumn Corsage

 

Today I am using another stamp from Heartfelt Creations that I have had for a while and not used.  This one is called "Autumn Corsage" (1229G).  Isn't that a beautiful floral image! It was probably designed to be used with autumn colors but I feel you can create spring or summer flowers with it too! The background paper is from a new pad you can order from Joan's Gardens called "Dots & Strips" Metropolitan Collection of 6x6" pages.  The scallops behind this design paper is a 6" square punched with the Martha Stewart "Doulbe" punches.  The die cut pendant behind the stamped image is the Spellbinder "Fleur De Lis".  

The beautiful floral image was stamped twice on watercolor paper and colored with watercolors.  One whole image was cut out and shaped using the Flower Tool Kit, then only a portion of the flower, from the second stamped image,  was cut out and shaped, to make the flower dimensional.  Four Spellbinders "Parisian Accents" corners were die cut and sponged with Tim Holtz, Peeled Paint Distress Ink.  The Cheery Lynn mini butterfly was also sponged with the same ink.  Everything was layered, then different colors of Stickles were added to give it lots of highlight.  The colors of Stickles used are:  Christmas Red; Black Diamond, Lime Green, and Lavender.  I was really pleased with how little tiny dots of black Stickles on the stamen of the flower gave it a lot of dimension.  A pretty "double" green silk bow was added to complete the card.  The bow was created using the "Bow Easy".  

The products used on this card can be purchased from Joan's Gardens.  A note:  If you see products I have added in "bold" that are not on Joan's blog, please just call or email her.  She doesn't always have them on her blog right away, but you can order them.  Recently she has been extremely busy preparing for the workshops she is having this weekend.

Have you been over to Joan's Gardens blog today.  She has posted some new embossing folders from Marianne Designs that I'm sure you will love.  Mine should arrive tomorrow and I am very anxious to design with them.

Well the weather is beautiful today, so hope to finish working out in the yard.  We have company arriving next Saturday.

Heartfelt Creations Beach Scene

 

It is a beautiful day and I wish I was down by the beach.  Since I can't go there right now, I decided to use the Heartfelt Creations "Harmony of Land and Sea" (695F) and "Seagull Roost" (698E) stamps and create a beach scene.  This is a shadow box card.  I started with two 6" square pieces of white card stock and scored two sides at 1/2" to create the box.  The light house scene was stamped using Memento Black Ink and colored using Copic Markers.  Clear glitter was added to the water and a very fine white flock was added to the clouds to give them a "fluffy" feeling.  

To create the top of the shadow box, I used the Spellbinders Labels Two to create the opening.  A piece of 6x6" design paper from a new paper pad from Joan's Gardens called BoBunny "Barefoot & Bliss" was also scored at 1/2" on two sides and attached to the white card stock to be used for the top.  The largest of the Labels Two dies was used to cut the opening.  The second largest die in this set was used to cut a blue, slightly smaller, opening which was attached to the backside of the top.  

The "Seagull Roost" was stamped, colored with Copic markers and cut out.  I wanted to attach this piece to the left side of the opening and there was one too many rocks on the left side of the stamped image, so I carefully cut it off and placed it on the right side of the opening.  Before attaching the sea gulls, I frayed and gathered a piece of mesh and attached it to the side of the card with glue dots.  The stamped design was also added over it with glue dots.  I used some of the threads I pulled off the large piece of mesh and created some dimension for the two sea shell "buttons" added to the lower right and corner.  Additional buttons were added under the sea gulls and up on the top corners.  

It is always hard to design a masculine card.  I think this one will work great for one of my grandsons.  All three of them have summer birthdays!

All the products printed in "bold"  can be purchased from Joan's Gardens.

Hope you are having a nice weekend.

More Product Ideas

I really love the great variety off products available from Joan's Gardens, don't you!  Not only does she have a great variety of products, her prices are usually a little less than retail and her shipping is only exactly what it costs to mail it out to you.  This all saves you money, which is great so we can buy more product - right!

Yesterday I posted a card to show you how I used a Sizzix embossing folder and the lace die from Heartfelt Creations.  Today I want to show you another way I have used these same products.

 

I used my Nestabilities Petite oval "small" dies to cut an oval for the center of this card.  It was backed with a slightly larger Nestie Scallop die cut.

 

I am using the same Sizzix embossing folder  from the "Thank You Set", to add texture to the oval.  I am getting a lot of use out of this pretty embossed lattice!  I have used this whole embossed design on other cards, but I'm just getting some additional use out of it.

 

For my background, I used the Cuttlebug "Tiffany" embossing folder (above) to create a frame around the top of this 5.5" square card.  Have you used your embossing folders for things like this?  The embossing folder was place along the top of the card stock, trying to make sure the border all around was even.  It is not perfect, but close.  Below you can see how only the top portion is embossed.

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Below, I am using the lower portion of the Heartfelt Creations doily from the Bella Rose Collection that I showed you yesterday.   Doesn't that cut off portion make a pretty border along the bottom!   I know these dies have been on back order but Joan's Gardens will be receiving them as soon as they are available.  I don't think I mentioned this, but the Heartfelt Creations dies are all manufactured by Spellbinders and are very high quality.  I know you will get a lot of use out of this one.

Below are the two Marianne Dies I used for the greenery on my card.  The die on the left is LR0151 and is called Garden Branch.  The one on the right is LR0150 and is called Forest Branch. I know I haven't been using the correct name for these dies but today I have listed them correctly with the product number.    I think these branches are so beautiful.
   

The beautiful butterfly is from a package of three butterflies by Cheery Lynn Designs.  These are the "Exotic Butterfly Small" (DL113).  This size is beautiful as the centerpiece on a card.

The Frame and Sentiment are from JustRite Stamps.  The Frame is from the "Signs of Life" set, and the sentiment is from "Just Because".   I was so happy to see this set because it is hard to find very small sentiments.  This set has 18 sentiments.

All the products I have used can be purchased from Joan's Gardens.

This weekend Joan will be holding two workshops, so that means those projects will be revealed on Monday.  Joan does not charge for her workshops and wait and see what gorgeous projects she has for everyone. If you get a chance to attend one, I know you will have tons of fun!!!  These workshops fill up way in advance, so you need to make reservations for the next one very early.

A Mini Product Tutorial

 I always find it exciting to figure out different ways to use my stamping products and thought I would share with you several new ways I did that today.  As you probably know, I love to have a lot of texture and dimension to my cards.   This is a 5.5" square card.  I started by embossing the background with the Marianne embossing folder shown below. I used a slightly smaller piece of white card stock (5.25") and placed the embossing folder on the right side so I would have a blank area on the left side.    The center of the embossed area remains in the embossed design but I wanted to used have a different embossed background, so used my Tim Holtz cutting tool to cut out the center section.

I now have an open area in the center of this pretty embossed area.  I wanted to add a lattice design in this area.  The lattice I wanted to use was created with one of the Sizzix Embossing Folders called "Thank You Set of 4".  I only needed to use the bottom portion of this embossing folder so I placed a piece of card stock over that lower section.  You can see this below.  This piece was trimmed and attached behind the opening in the embossed front.

On the left side of the front I wanted to add a lacy border.  I used the new Heartfelt Creations lacey die that is part of the Bella Rose Wedding Collection.  I love this die.  You can see below how large it is.  You can use the entire piece or cut it apart and use smaller sections.  I cut off the top portion down to where you see the arches and placed that on the left side of my card.  Isn't this a great, versatile lace die?  Can you see all the individual lace designs you an get by cutting this die cut apart! 

To create my flower I used the Mega Begonia Punch.  I used a light aqua card stock and sponged the edges with a darker aqua ink. I usually think I need to do my flowers in natural flower colors, but today thought a light aqua would be very pretty on this white card.

The greenery was created by using several Marianne Creatables "Forest Branch", shown below.  Isn't that a pretty branch to use with all your flowers, or even alone!

 Two Spellbinders "Parisian Accents" were added to the right side corners.  The frame and sentiment are from JustRite. The frame is from the "You Inspire Me" stamp set and the sentiment is from the "Elegant Frames" set.   The frame was white embossed and cut out with scissors, then the sentiment stamped with black ink.  An sheer aqua bow was added next to the flower.

All these products can be purchased from Joan's Gardens.

Hope this mini tutorial has given you some additional ideas for using these products. 

Beautiful Card Created by Phyllis

 

From time to time this summer, Joan's Gardens will be featuring some of her customer's cards who purchase stamping supplies from her.   This card was created by Phyllis, who lives in Tucson, AZ.   She wanted to CASE one of my  cards shown below, but also wanted to create the rose, using punches, shown on the second card down.  I was so excited to see this beautiful card Phyllis created from inspiration from my work and wanted to share it with you. This is the first rose she created using the "Pine Cone" punches.    Didn't she create a gorgeous card!  Thank you Phyllis for sharing this with us. Joan and I love to see cards created using products from Joan's Gardens.  You can read a little more about Phyllis and info about possibly show casing a card you are very proud of.  Go to Joan's Gardens for more info.

 

Here is the link to my card with the instructions.

Here is the link to the Punched Rose Tutorial

Thanks again Phyllis for sharing your beautiful card with us.

Bella Rose Vase

 

Today I have created a card using the Heartfelt Creations "Bella Rose Vase PreCut Set" (HCPC 3395).   The Shabby Tea Room Challenge is to use  colors shown in the challenge photo plus Polka Dots and/or Gingham.  I chose to use polka dots.  This is a 5.5" card.  A panel was embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder and sponged with Tea Dye Distress Ink.  It was attached to the front of the card.  One of the Sizzix "Ornate Frames A2" embossing folder was used to emboss the frame on the right side.  It was also sponged with the same ink.  The pretty vase of flowers was stamped four times and different parts cut away from the main image so I have a multi-layered design.  Copics were used to color the roses. A Marianne Designs leafy flourish, a Cheery Lynn Designs "Mini Butterfly" and two Spellbinder corners were die cut and also sponged.  Two pearls were added to the body of the butterfly.  All the pieces were attached to the card then the Bella Rose Vase was painted with DG3 Gel to make it glossy.  A few pearls and a small bow were added to complete the card. 

Be sure to check out the Shabby Tea Room Challenge.  The prize this week was donated by Heartfelt Creations and is worth $134.99; it includes the Bella Rose Collection and matching dies.  I'm sure you would love to win this great prize.  Joan's Gardens donated all the Heartfelt Creations stamps used by the Shabby Tea Room Designers for this week's challenge.

All products used on my card can be purchased from Joan's Gardens.

Joan Sponsors Shabby Tea Room Challenge

 

This week the Shabby Tea Room Challenge is sponsored by Joan's Gardens.  Joan has donated stamps from the Heartfelt Creations "Bella Rose Collection"  for the designers so they could create beautiful cards for this week's challenge.  You won't want to miss out participating in this challenge; Heartfelt Creations has provided the entire Bella Rose Collection for the prize package which is valued at $134.99.  Wouldn't you love to win this beautiful collection of stamps and matching dies!!!

My card is 5.5" square.  A piece of rose red card stock was placed on top of the card.  A 6" piece of card stock was punched with the Martha Stewart "Doulbe" border/corner punches and placed on top of the rose red card stock.  This created a frame for the beautiful stamped  Heartfelt Creations  "Bella Rose Lattice Background" (HCPC 3396).  It was white embossed on vellum and colored on the back with markers.  It was cut down to the size of the inside of the punched border piece.  Part of the image (some of the pretty leaves) had to be cut off in order to fit this space.  I cut out the leaves from the top portion and moved them down  along the top  cut image.  This created a "square" image rather than "rectangle".    A piece of white trim was glued around the edge of the design then string beads added around the inside portion of the lace. 

 For the embellishment on this card, pink vellum medium size pears were punched using the "Pear Punch" so I could create a rose.  Each petal was sponged with the Rose Red ink.  The rose was created the same as shown in the rose tutorial I posted a few weeks ago.  A rose bud was also created.  For the leaves, I stamped and white embossed a second Bella Rose image and cut the leaves out to place around the vellum rose.  Large white pearls were added to each corner and a pretty white bow placed in the opposite corner of the vellum rose.

 

Please go over to the Shabby Tea Room blog to get all the challenge information for a chance to win the fabulous Heartfelt Creations Bella Rose stamp/die Collection. 

The products used on my card can be purchased from Joan's Gardens.

Embrace Life

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Some of you told me you were interested in purchasing the Cheery Lynn Designs sunflower die (DL121) from Joan's Gardens and asked me to create a card using them.  I love this die because it really creates a perfect looking sunflower. I'm sure you could also create a beautiful daisy with it.

Nine flowers were die cut using bright yellow card stock and each petal was sponged with a darker yellow to give it some dimension.  The centers have little tiny pin holes in them to resemble the center in sunflowers.  They were sponged with several shades of brown inks.  Each layer of the flower and the center was shaped with the tools from the Flower Tool Kit I always use from Joan's Gardens.  There are three layers for each flower. The stems for these flowers were stamped using the Heartfelt Creations "Simple Filler Stems Precut Set" (HCPC 3319).  The leaves were cut off the stems and the smallest leaf in the Heartfelt Creations "Distressed Leaves PreCut Set" (HCPC 3376) was stamped, sponged green and cut out.  These leaves coordinate with the Nested Leaves Nestabilities so they are easy to cut out using the die.    I thought the leaves from the Distressed Leaves stamp set matched a sunflower better than the ones on the flower stalk.  I saved the leaves cut off the stems so they can be used on another card.

The "Victorian fence" (B123) is from the Cheery Lynn Designs dies.  Joan has both the fence and the matching gate.  The butterflies are from the Cheery Lynn Designs Mini Butterfly set (there are three butterflies in this die set).  The sentiment and frame are from the JustRite "Signs of Life" stamp set.  The grass was created with the Martha Stewart Grass Punch. 

What do you think?  Don't you love these sunflowers created with the Cheery Lynn Designs die.  I am sure you will have lots of fun creating with all these great dies you can get from Joan's Gardens.  Joan has just posted the new Cheery Lynn dies in the June Release.

Mica Gloss

 

It has been a busy few days and I am posting a card I made about a week ago.  The background for this card is another piece of the homemade paper I created using Glenda Brook's tutorial using computer paper and Distress Ink reinkers.  The piece on the left was created using Mica Gloss on Glossy Black Card stock.  I'm not going into a lot of detail today but will do a tutorial on this fabulous gloss later.  The Cheery Lynn butterfly  and the Marianne Design black leafy swirl can be purchased from Joan's Gardens.  The flowers were made using the "Sakarus" and "Sun" punches.  As you know, you can order all these supplies from Joan's Gardens.

My daughter did have her surgery last Thursday.  The surgery went well but she has had a lot of problems with different medications.  She is still in quiet a bit of pain but I'm sure will be feeling much better in a few days.  I have been busy helping her out but will start having new posting starting Monday. 

There are some new videos over at Joan's Gardens I think you will really enjoy watching.  Be sure to check them out.

Your Kindness Touched My Heart

 This shows the pretty embossing folder from Marianne Designs (DS0910)

 

Today I have a "Fun" card for you.   I used a lot of different products from Joan's Gardens some of you have asked me to design with.   This is a 5.5" easel card. First two pieces of card stock were cut 6.75" square then I punched the border around them with the Martha Stewart "Double Loop" border/corner punches.  One was placed on the bottom of the card and one behind the design on the top.

The Cheery Lynn Designs " Victorian Picket Fence" (B123) and the "Garden Gate" (B124) were die cut using white card stock.  The top "picket" was cut off the center of the fence that was cut the width of the card front, so that that I could just glue the gate right over the fence.  These pieces were sponged with Distress Ink (Tea Die).  Red, Orange and Yellow flowers were die cut with the Cheery Lynn "Darling Daisies" (A196).  I used only the two smaller flowers.  A Sizzix "Cherry Blossom Branch" was die cut  out for the top of the card.  The white flowers were punched using the Martha Stewart "3-hydrangea" punch.  A strip of grass was punched out using the Martha Stewart "Grass" punch.   Did you notice the cat?  It is from the Cheery Lynn "Screen Door w/Ca" die (A2 164)  When you order this die, you get a die that cuts the screen door and the cat, plus two pieces of fine mesh for the screen in the screen door.  How cute is that!  The sentiment and frame are from the JustRite  " Signs of Life" stamp set.  The embossed panel on the bottom is one of the new Marianne Designs embossing folders.  I believe I have listed all the products used.  All these pieces were arranged  as shown.

Here are pictures of the products you can purchase from Joan's Gardens that I used on this card.

I may be MIA for a few days.  My daughter's knee surgery was rescheduled for tomorrow morning.  I will be with her at the hospital and will probably be helping her for at least a several days since her oldest daughter is also on crutches.