Sailing Birthday Card

My brother-in-law LOVES being on the water. He moved from the suburbs of Chicago to Madison for two reasons: 1) it's only 30 min. from the family's summer lake compound, and 2) there are 2 lakes IN TOWN! Fishing, wakeboarding, skiing, jet skiing, ice fishing, and canoeing all bring Rick into his element.

So, when I saw this a la carte stamp, Sail Away, in the Summer Mini catalog, I knew it was just what I was going to use to make him a great birthday card. Be on the lookout for a fantastic Father's Day card I made using this too, because this stamp is wonderfully versatile! And it's only $9.95. LOVE THAT!

The image was stamped on Crumb Cake using Early Espresso classic ink. Then I stamped it again on a scrap of Whisper White card stock and cut out the sails. I popped them up with Stampin' Dimensionals to create a little more visual interest. I copied a card layout from the Stampin' Success magazine, a publication for demonstrators that is full of previews of upcoming stamps and such. I layered Cherry Cobbler and Baja Breeze, tearing those edges too.

Then I was faced with the question of where to place the sentiment. I tried it across the bottom third, but I didn't like it. What I did like there is this new Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, which I threaded through the seam of the card by creating holes using my Piercing Tool and Mat Pack and threaded the twine through the holes using an embroidery needle.

That left me with the upper right corner of the card. I stamped my go-to "Happy Birthday" from It's Your Birthday (retired) on a scrap strip of Whisper White and was surprised when I liked its position running vertically down the side of the card.

This will be one of the cards we make at my June Stamp-A-Stack, and I hope some of you who haven't had the time all school year to attend will be free to join me Sat., June 11, from 10a-1p.

Like I said, stay tuned and I'll show you a quick and easy, yest stunning Father's Day card.

Oodles to Share--Day 5: Birthday Flowers

This is another card that was inspired by one I saw on another stamp company's blog. It featured their stamp set, but when I saw it I saw our Boho Blossoms Punch and the wing from the 2-Step Bird Punch and knew I could craft my own version using SU! products.

I chose a panel of Crumb Cake as my base and drew 2 lines using my Wild Wasabi Stampin' Write Marker for the stems. I punched out 14 leaves using the 2-Step Bird Punch (from retired DSP) and positioned them along the stem lines. I punched out 7 of the largest flower in Whisper White and an equal number of the smallest flower in Rose Red. Quickly and easily, and with no stamping at all, I had the flower border I wanted!

I thought about adding a little button to each flower, but decided to use Hemp Twine knots instead. Glue Dots made it easy to place these right where I wanted them. I used one of the sentiments from You're A Gem, as well as a retired Happy Birthday stamp from It's Your Birthday, all inked in Rose Red. Then I decided to personalize the card by using an alphabet from the stamp company whose name I cannot mention where I originally saw the card design. She loved it!

Don't be afraid to adapt a design you see using another company's products. With a little creative thinking, it's easier than you think!

A Card for Grandma's 90th

It's not often that you get to extend birthday wishes to someone who turns 90. My maternal grandmother had this milestone birthday Dec. 22, and we traveled from GA to IN the weekend before Christmas so that we could be there to celebrate with her and my extended family.

I knew I wanted to make her a card, but I don't have much experience making cards for these kinds of very special birthdays. I know she likes flowers, so I started with an image I've had on my desk for awhile, saving for a what I knew I wanted to be a special card.

It was the hydrangea image from Because I Care, the Level 1 Hostess set. I wove the strips of Whisper White card stock like I did for this card but I made a smaller square this time. I matted this on Baja Breeze card stock and added some 1/8" Old Olive taffeta ribbon. Then I mounted this with Stampin' Dimensionals on a Top Note Bigz die that I embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Folder for the Big Shot, and I made it shimmer using our new Frost White Shimmer Paint. It's a bit hard to detect in the picture, but it created nice visual interest and highlighted the dry embossing.

Because I know my grandma likes texture--she quilted and crocheted for years--I decided to emboss the Old OIive card base with the Square Lattice TI Folder. Love it!

On the inside, I decided to make use of the frame that remains after diecutting the Top Note shape. I stamped the sentiment from Fifth Avenue Florals and added the simplest Happy Birthday I could find in my stash--from It's Your Birthday (retired)--along with some numbers from a non-SU! set, and the card was complete.

Here's a picture of my grandma with all her grandchildren. I'm the oldest one, so that's why I'm sitting by her! For those of you who have heard me mention my sister, she's the blonde on the left. I'm so glad we made the 12-hour drive to be at this event. It kicked off our Christmas celebrations in memorable fashion.

Vroom, Vroom!

I have raised (well, almost) a boy, and that noise was one I heard a lot when he was little (he's not so little anymore). I really never thought I'd be using the sound to describe one of my newest stamps!

Motorcyle is one of the a la carte stamps that SU! is offering this summer in the Summer Occasions Mini for only $7.95! At first I thought I could do without it, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this stamp would work well for manly cards for boys of all ages.

I've been waiting for my first order from the new 2010-2011 Big Idea Book & Catalog to arrive before I inked this stamp, and I'm THRILLED with this first attempt with it! Perhaps that has to do with some of the other stamps and accessories I coordinated with it to make it really pop. I showcased the new Wonderfully Worn background stamp and the Square Lattice Textured Impressions folder for my new Big Shot die cutting machine for this card.

What really makes this card cool is the textured treatment I gave heavy duty aluminum foil. This really helps convey the feel of chrome. I also ran Bermuda Bay through the Big Shot using this same folder. I stamped the cycle in Basic Grey and used my .75" square punch to cut the image apart after I colored the fenders and gas tank with BB Stampin' Write Marker. I mounted each little square with a very tight mat of Basic Black to help it stand on its own against the foil. I also popped it up on Stampin' Dimensionals.

The sentiment is an old standby from It's Your Birthday...sure wish SU! would come out with another set that has a variety of birthday sentiments. Not wild about anything in the catalog.

While I was playing around with this stamp, I wondered if I could simulate movement by stamping the image from right to left (backwards) without reinking. I think it worked! But, since I tend not to leave well enough alone, I added another image that I'd cut out on top of the main cycle, again popped up. This motorcycle's all but doin' a wheely on the inside of the card!

This will be one of the cards I feature at my Stamp-A-Stack later this month. I have SO much new stuff, it's going to take awhile to highlight it all for you! Stay tuned! I'm just gettin' my crafting engine revved up!

A Man's Man's Card

My husband's brother's birthday is later this week, and my dear man asked me if I had a card he could send him. Well, of course! Honestly, I had it on my "to-do" list to make him one, but, as I have already revealed, I am challenged in terms of stamp sets that provide inspiration for cards for men.

So, I was surprised when this turned out to be one of the best cards I've ever made for a guy. I started with a bunch of 1" square pieces of retired Designer Series Paper called Outlaw. I'm really trying to use what I have, and this paper coordinates with several colors that are being retired at the end of June, so it's time to stop saving it for a later day! That day is NOW!

I attached the squares to a 4" x 5" piece of card stock. Normally, I wouldn't put Really Rust and Going Gray together, but because it was already paired in the DSP, I took courage and went with it. Another thing I did that I haven't ever done before is stamping on DSP. I took my Wanted stamp set, which this paper was designed to pair with, and stamped a variety of images from it on the DSP in Going Gray. I stamped them off once, so that they wouldn't overpower the pattern in the paper.

I distressed the edges with a pair of kid scissors I have specifically for this purpose. Then I wrapped the whole thing in twine. For the main image, I took the horse stamp and stamped it four times, starting at the right side of the piece of Going Gray and moving to the left without reinking. Then I distressed this piece too and crumpled it up to make it more rough.

Then I got the idea to stamp the large Linen background image on the Going Gray base. I did it first with Really Rust and then again with Going Gray ink.

I carried the theme inside by using the largest image from the set and stamped it off along the edges. The sentiment is from Full of Life, and it's just something I know Bob's brother will resonate with.

What stamp sets are you drawn to when making a card for a guy? How do you choose a color palette? I'd love to hear how you manage this challenge. In fact, if you are inspired to make a card for a guy because of this post, include a link to your picture of it in the comments!

For My Sister

LOTS of birthdays in the family this month--5! Three of them are this week!! Today is my sister's 41st birthday. No big celebration like last year (I sent her 40 pieces of her favorite toffee from our favorite chocolate shop), but that doesn't mean her day should pass without acknowledging her and what makes her special.

This card utilizes another favorite color combination (Tempting Turquoise and Gable Green) that I won't be able to craft with after June 30, when GG is retired. I'm not planning on stocking up on retiring colors; there are new options and I'm going to embrace change! If you don't feel similarly though, I would advise you to act immediately and shop online to get what you'd like to have and hoard.

This card is fairly simple. It was inspired by one I saw online, but when I went back to find it, I couldn't. This one by Nancy Riley comes closest to what I saw. I stamped the grass image from Inspired by Nature in Garden Green on Whisper White card stock. I stamped it again on a smaller piece and matted it with GG and TT. The butterfly is from Flight of the Butterfly, and the solid 'fly is inked in TT and stamped off once, and the overlay of flowers is not.

Deciding where to place the greeting was the most challenging part of this entire layout. I finally went with the plain "Happy Birthday" from It's Your Birthday and determined the more meaningful sentiment would go on the inside.

My sister has not always been my confidante; we fought as kids and I even pulled her hair and strong armed her at times to try to get her to do what I wanted her to do. Today, though, we are close, and I'm so thankful to have her not only as a sibling but as a friend. She's been there for almost everything and she loves me. She's an amazingly talented pianist, incredibly organized household manager, and unconditionally loving wife and mother. Hugs from here, sister! Wish we could go for lunch.

Happy Birthday, Dad

This card was inspired by one made by Lynn Pratt using Baroque Motifs. Unlike Lynn, I didn't create gridlines. I stamped the image on my grid paper and then lined my card up underneath and lined up the stamp accordingly. Worked like a charm!

I like this color scheme of Ruby Red, Creamy Caramel, and Very Vanilla. It's one I haven't used in awhile. I used some hardware store twine to create the grid, and the sentiment from It's Your Birthday for the tag. It's masculine, isn't it?

My dad is a Butler alum, so we were cheering hard for the Bulldogs last night. Well, I was with them in spirit because I was sleeping while they played, but you know what I mean. I'm glad the game was close. Duke is like a Goliath in the NCAA, and Butler isn't even a Division I school. Hoosier perfected basketball, and the 'dogs made us proud last night.

A Niggle Usually Means Something

Yesterday I got a niggle to make a card. Not just any card, but a pink card. If you're new to this blog, I'll let you in on a secret: I don't EVER choose pink. I'm just not that kind of girl. But, for some reason, I felt the urge to create a card, inspired by Carol's Ink Spot, using pink. The set that came to mind when I saw this card a few weeks ago was Friendly Flowers, a retired set that I've not used much. I set it beside the bubble gum Pink Passion card stock and ink (again, the niggle), and white craft ink, and set to work.

Carol used vellum as her stamping surface, mounted on top of colored card stock, so I pulled out a 4" x 5.25" piece and began stamping. It take a LONG time for ink to dry on vellum, so I sped the process along by using my heat tool. You have to be careful not to warp this thin paper when heating it, and fate smiled on me and I was successful.

Once I was done stamping, I mounted the vellum on the card using regular adhesive. I didn't want it to show, so i placed it strategically underneath the strip of card stock that would go over it that has the "they say it's your birthday!" Not a unique idea, but one that lets the images be the attention, not the adhesive.

I liked the button that Carol used, but I didn't have any pink buttons (see above for reasons why). I did have some small clear buttons and some thin light pink ribbon that had been gifted to me. That would work, right? I tied that into the button and mounted it on the card, but something was still missing. When I went hunting in my drawers again, I stumbled across a baggie of flat small rhinestones. Again, in the spirit of full disclosure, you must know that I am also SO NOT a rhinestone girl. Not a flashy bone in my body, friends. But I felt like they belonged on this card (nigggle niggle). Who am I to argue with the creative muse? So I went with it. They're a pain in the you-know-what to mount because I didn't have the right size glue dots, but I used some glue and persevered until I'd used the entire package.

I stamped the coordinating message and decorated the inside of the card--this is all the rage right now--and went looking for my digital camera. While searching for it, I got sidetracked by my laptop and spent a little time on Facebook. While cruising through my notifications, I saw a little message in the right column: Mikayla's birthday is Wednesday. NO--really? I didn't believe FB and went to her page to confirm it.

THAT'S WHY I'D HAD THE URGE TO USE PINK! THAT'S WHY I'D HAD THE NIGGLE! Mikayla is my niece, and tomorrow she'll be 10. Double digits. That's a special birthday that needs to be celebrated, even if your auntie, uncle, cousin, and doggie relatives live 800 miles away. So the card will be a bit late, but that doesn't mean we won't be thinking of her.

Lesson learned? PAY ATTENTION TO THE NIGGLES.

Same Sentiment, Different Application

Have you ever met someone and wondered how it is that you've not known them your whole life? This happened to our family last fall when we met Allison and Kyle from IN. Allison and Kyle came here for a bloggers' party and stayed with us.

Well, today is Kyle's birthday. I love that this man is a thinker and that he's striving, struggling, and wrestling with making his life count for Jesus. So, the same sentiment I used for the card for Larry was the one I chose for Kyle. He's all about making the years count, so I knew he would resonate with this quote.

Not sure why I went with the western theme, but this retired Outlaw Designer Series Paper sure fit the bill. The gate fold is a 4.25" x 11" scored at 2.75" in from each end. I chose Very Vanilla for the base, layered on Really Rust card stock and some more of the Outlaw DSP to create some panels. I stamped the sentiment, which is from the retired set It's Your Birthday, in RR and crumpled it to get a worn looking focal point. I also frayed the edges with scissors, then used my Creamy Caramel marker to "age" it a bit more.

Kyle, I know you're not one to enjoy the spotlight on your day, but Happy Birthday! We Nahrstadts are proud to call you friend. By the way, be on the lookout for something in the mail. I'll give you a hint: it's brown.

Bitty Birthday

One of the features of splitcoaststampers.com that I love is the ability to create a file of my favorite cards submitted by fellow card artists. It really helps me find inspiration when it's time to make cards for my monthly class.

This one is by Linda Keal, and I really liked the use of ribbon in this layout. Although I have the Chocolate Chip 1" double-stitched ribbon, I didn't want to use the color scheme she used. I already have a couple of fall colored cards, and I wanted something different.

It took several tries with a couple different combos of card stock, but Mary Jo Albright's list came to the rescue again, and I went with So Saffron, Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie, and Old Olive. I was surprised how much I really liked these colors together! I substituted the 1/2" striped PP ribbon and am pleased with the results.

The little cupcakes, which are UBER popular in the stamping community right now, are from the Hostess Level 1 set called Bitty Basics. This is an adorable little set with 10 stamps--a leaf, a heart, a butterfly, a flower, a star, a cupcake, a coffee mug (!)--and the words smile, thanks, and hello. I paired it with one of the sentiments from It's Your Birthday, and I think this would be a nice card for an adult or a child. Who doesn't like CAKE?

And who doesn't like FREE stamps? Anyone who hosts a class and has an order of $150 or more in merchandise could choose this set or Live Like You Mean It, the one I used on the card I posted earlier today, FREE! This month would be an excellent time to host a class. With the economy the way it is, making cards for gifts and a family's greetings just makes sense! Think about it...let me know if you'd like to partner with me.