CAS Graduation Cards (PDCC83, CFC4)

Hello, friends!  Happy Memorial Day!  Just popping in before we head to the pool with the kids to share two graduation cards I made for some soon-to-be graduates in the family. 

My first card is based on two challenges.  The first challenge I had in mind is the CAS-ual Fridays challenge to make a "Graduation" card.  I also followed the color scheme in the current Play Date Cafe Challenge #83 to use black, white, and a splash of green.



I made this clean and simple graduation card for my nephew who is graduating from 8th grade next month.  His school colors happen to be green and gold, so I made the graduation cap green.  Both stamps are $1 Studio G stamps from Michael's.  I added a green pearl to the cap and Glossy Accents to the tassel.  Hard to see, but the white card has a weaved textured pattern to it.  Love that!

The second card I made also uses green -- not sure I like it, but I'll have it on hand anyway.  This card uses the Studio G stamps in the background along with the Hero Arts (CL488) "Congrats" set and (CG125) "Friend Definition."  I used grass chalk ink for the cap, diploma and label, while I used grey pigment ink for the sentiment and the friend definition.

I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe Memorial Day holiday here in the U.S.  Heartfelt thanks to all those who serve and have served our country in the armed forces.  God bless you all!

Take care,
Judy

Bring It...The Bling, That Is!

Hello, friends!  Just stopping by with two clean and simple cards I made for the current CAS-ual Fridays challenge to bring the bling!

I made two cards using the same stamp sets...the sentiment is a cute $1 Studio G stamp I came across at Michael's, and the dolls are from the Hero Arts  (CL297) Four Dolls set.  The bling includes ultra-fine glitter on both dresses as well as Hero Arts Sparkle Gems Blossoms.  I also used some Cuttlebug embossing borders and ribbon and I colored the dolls with colored pencils.  Here are the cards together...

Here is the first card, using bling on the doll's dress...

And here is a close-up of the bling:

And here is the second card, using glitter on her dress and bling in her hair...

And the bling close-up...

I hope you are having a good weekend...take good care!
Judy



PDCC#81 - Another Embossed True Friend Card

Hello, friends!  I'm back again with another version of an embossed card for the Lily Pad "embossing" challenge using the colors from the (recently ended) Play Date Cafe challenge. 

I embossed the sentiment in silver, and I also dry embossed the three layers of paper using a Cuttlebug embossing folder. 

Materials Used: Inkadinkado sentiment (96039-N); flower stem by Impress Rubber stamps; Hero Arts grass chalk ink; Prisma flowers; grey pearl; Cuttlebug and embossing folder; Nestabilities Labels Eight; silver embossing powder.

Thanks for stopping by!

Judy

PDCC#81 - A True Friend

Hello, friends!  I'm stopping by today with the first of two cards I made for the current Play Date Cafe Challenge using this lovely color scheme:

 

I am also entering this card into the current Lily Pad "Embossing" challenge since I embossed the sentiment in silver.  I plan to give this card to a co-worker who is retiring at the end of this school year...she has been a true friend to me!

Materials Used:  Inkadinkado sentiment (96039-N); Autumn Leaves flowers stamps by Rhonna Farrer; Hero Arts grass chalk ink; Prisma flowers; Hero Art flower gems; Bazzill Swiss Dots paper, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Labels Eight, silver embossing powder.

Thank you for all the kind comments...I feel badly that I have not had much time to visit and comment at the blogs I follow but I hope to do so soon (maybe this weekend?).  Thanks for being patient with me! 

Have a great day!

Judy

Buttons and Twine Embossed Birthday Card

Hello, friends!  Just stopping by with a card I made for the current CAS-ual Fridays Challenge as well as the current Lily Pad "Embossing" challenge. 

Simply create a new CAS project using buttons AND twine.Bakers twine, jute twine, you can even substitute embroidery floss if you don't own any twine.
And who doesn't love to play with buttons??

Well, I do like buttons (and have lots!) but unfortunately I do not own any of the popular colored twine that most crafters will probably use on their cards.  I do have plain old twine AND embroidery floss, so I used them both.

I embossed the bicycle with dark purple embossing powder (thank you, Joy!) without inking the flowers in the basket...instead, I used buttons with matching floss and drew my own stems with a green marker.   

Materials Used:  Hero Arts (S5215) Clouds, (F5293) Bicycle, (CL139) Birthday Messages, (S5208) Designer Woodgrain; Bazzill Swiss Dots paper in green and yellow; buttons; twine; floss; purple embossing powder; white Inkssentials pen 

Be sure to check out both challenges...lots of great cards being posted!

Have a great day,

Judy

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #1...Thinking of You

Hello, friends!  I am SO excited that the first ever CAS-ual Fridays Challenge has arrived!  If you haven't checked it out yet, please go here.

The rules this week:  Use stamps, texty pattern paper, a page torn from your phone book..get creative!  Just incorporate text prominently into your newly created CAS project, then link it up for your chance to WIN
the first ever CAS-ual Fridays card challenge!

OK, so in my excitement my mind started spinning and I felt like a little child at an egg hunt when they yell, "GO!"  What stamps do I have with text?  What papers?  What am I going to MAKE?!  AAGGHH!!! 

Then I stopped a minute, took a deep breath, and thought.  For several days.  Ah HA!  Thank God for Hero Arts...I have an awesome typewriter cling... I have the friendship definition text background... I have tons of sentiments.  I can do this! 

Here is what I came up with after I had a chance to regroup.  I stamped the Friend Definition cling in poppy chalk ink onto a card from the Sunshine folded cards set.  I made a rough frame using grey ink and several different "Thinking of You" sentiments.  On a separate sheet of white paper I embossed the typewriter in black, cut out, added the sentiment and heart gem, and attached it with pop dots for some dimension.  (I think I have the "text" part of this challenge covered here, don't you?)

Hero Arts Stamps Used:  (CG280) My Type, (CG125) Friend Definition, (CL490) Sending Smiles Messages, (CL272) All Occasion Messages, (CL350) Big All Time Greetings, (CL140) Thinking of You, (C2654) Thinking of You

I hope you are having a good week...sunny and 70 degrees here, enjoying every minute of it!

Take good care,
Judy

Less Is More - White on White

Hello, friends!  Just stopping by with a white-on-white card I made for the current Less Is More challenge.  Here are the rules:

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So it's week 14 and the first challenge of the month which means 'Colour'

This week we want to see

WHITE ON WHITE

You will have come across this before, but we want to stress we do mean WHITE on WHITE, no coloured images or additions,

with the exception of outlines! 

We are sponsored this month by Paper Garden Projects. 

The owner, Cathy is generously offering 3 digi sets from her

fabulous range for this month's winner.

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Actually, I do believe this is my first ever white-on-white card.  Ever.  And once I finished it I understood why it was my first.  Wow, that was hard to do!

Anyway, I knew it had to have embossing on it.  And flowers, pearls, a little bit of lace.  And a sentiment embossed in white.  Here is how it all fell into place...

Materials Used:  Stamps by Impression (D 782-A) "Best Wishes," Cuttlebug, embossing folders, Nestabilities Labels One, Prima flowers, lace, pearls

It is hard to believe just how many lovely cards have been made using all white as part of this challenge...DO go check out the cards this week at Less Is More and I promise you will be amazed.  I know I was!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's day...I certainly did!  I received beautiful flowers, lots of hand-made cards (even STAMPED, bless their souls!), pictures and drawings and decorated picture frames, a gift card to a department store (yes, Mamma needs some new threads!) and best of all some yummy crafting supplies including some Prima flowers, pearls, and the Hero Arts Bicycle stamp that I have wanted for so long!  We went shopping for flowers for the yard and I spent the afternoon planting while the kids played in the back yard.  A wonderful day, start to finish.

Honestly, the best Mother's Day gift is the fact that I am a mother.  Thank you, God, for the gift of motherhood...it is a gift I will never take for granted.

Posing for the annual "Mother's Day Picture" after church...this will

go in the scrapbook with the pictures taken every Mother's Day since I became a Mom!

 

Thanks for stopping by!
Judy

OLW52 - Together Forever

Hello, friends!  I'm back with a second card I made for this week's One Layer Wednesday #52 Challenge to make a clean and simple card using circles.  The rules are as follows:

OLW52 Rules
1. A one-layer card is defined as a single layer of card stock folded in half...no other layers allowed.

2. Use a circle or circles on your card. Get as creative as you like! And remember to keep embellishments to a minimum.

3. Post your card somewhere online and link back to it using the InLinkz button on the sidebar of Simplicity.

4. The most important rule of all: HAVE FUN!!!!

I made this card out of red card stock and stamped the Hero Arts Cling Dots in punch chalk in on the front.  I then punched a circle in the bottom right of the card front.  On the inside of the card, I added a white circle (same size as the opening on the front) and stamped this cute little Studio G Together Forever stamp in black.  I colored in the heart with a red pencil and added Glossy Accents to give it some dimension and shine. 

Materials Used:  Hero Arts (CG139) Cling Dots, Studio G clear stamp (VC0006 - Series 29); Glossy Accents; punch chalk ink; black ink; red color pencil; Crop-a-Dile corner Chomper; circle punch 

Here are a few other views, including one that shows the shine on the heart.

I know I have been on a blogging roll (almost daily...for ME that's a LOT, especially during the kids' baseball and softball season).  I think this will be it for the weekend, though, since it is a beautiful sunny day here in New Jersey and we are off to several games and a pre-Mother's Day visit to my Mom's.  Best wishes to all the Mom's out there for a very Happy Mother's Day!   

Thanks for stopping by.
Judy

One Layer Wednesday #52 - So Happy for You

Hello, friends!  Just stopping by today with a card I made for the current One Layer Wednesday challenge -- this week we are challenged to make a card using circle(s).  The details of the challenge are outlined below:


OLW52 Rules
1. A one-layer card is defined as a single layer of cardstock folded in half...no other layers allowed.

2. Use a circle or circles on your card. Get as creative as you like! And remember to keep embellishments to a minimum.

3. Post your card somewhere online and link back to it using the InLinkz button on the sidebar of Simplicity.

4. The most important rule of all: HAVE FUN!!!!

When I heard circles, I immediately thought of this set of circles from Hero Arts.  I stamped two of the circles, overlapping them somewhat, and embossed them in gold. I added the clear gem and the sentiment (also Hero Arts) in black, and finished it off by rounding the corners.      

Materials Used:  Hero Arts (LP019) Layering Circles, (CL272) All Occasion;

gold embossing powder, clear gem, Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper 

Here is a close-up of the gold embossed circles...

I'll be back tomorrow with another entry.  Until then, thanks for stopping by!
Judy

A Card for a Friend

Hello, friends!  Just a quick post today...need to go make some cards on my day off!

I was inspired to make this card after seeing this beauty by Debbie (a.k.a., limedoodle).  I know, I totally cased her card.  Shameless.  But hey, what would I change?  Her card is perfect!  Anyway, I made a few slight variations (i.e., I don't have that particular butterfly stamp so I used a different one).  Here is mine...

Materials Used:  Hero Arts (CG215) Wreath of Leaves, (E5388) Traditional Butterfly;

white embossing powder; lilac pearls; ultra-fine glitter

 

Here is a closer look at the butterfly, which I embossed in white onto patterned paper and cut out, then mounted with a glue dot and added ultra-fine glitter to the wings...

 

I sent this to an on-line friend who I have been thinking about and praying for and I thought she might enjoy a little suprise in the mail.  I hope it works!

Have a great day,
Judy

Less Is More -- Thank You Chandelier

Hello, friends!  OK, I went a bit crazy this week with the cards I made for the Less Is More "Thank You or Congratulations" challenge.  I admit it.  It's just that, well, I do LOVE clean and simple cards and I can always use thank you cards, right?  So here is the final card (I promise!) I made for the challenge.

This card uses two stamps, some Stickles, an embossing folder and a bow.  That's it.

   Materials Used:  Hero Arts (H5327) Small Chandelier; Anna Griffin (2483R) sentiment set; punch chalk ink; Star Dust Stickles; black organza ribbon; Cuttlebug & embossing folder

 

I am so excited for tomorrow...the first ever CAS-ual Fridays Card Challenge!  (Imagine me being excited about that!  As my daughter would say..."I know, right?") 

Thank you to all those who have been so generous in your kind comments...just want you to know how much I appreciate them!
Have a great day!

Judy

Less Is More - Baby Card

Hello, friends!  I'm back today with another all-time favorite go-to card design I use when I need a baby "Congratulations" card.  I entered this in the current challenge at the Less Is More challenge since it is a clean and simple design (and it is a congratulations card to boot!).

I embossed the Rubber Stampede (A2268E) Stork with Baby stamp in black, then colored with colored pencils.  I masked the image and stamped the Hero Arts (S5215) Clouds stamp using soft pool shadow ink.  Finally, I added the Hero Arts (C2734) Congratulations sentiment and rounded the bottom corners.

Materials Used:  Rubber Stampede (A2268E) Stork with Baby; black embossing powder; colored pencils; Hero Arts (S5215) Clouds; soft pool shadow ink; Hero Arts (C2734) Congratulations; Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper   

Sometimes I make a whole bunch of these cards without coloring the baby or the stork's bow...then, when I need a baby card for a specific occasion, I personalize it (i.e., for boy or girl). 

Thanks for stopping by...have a great day!
Judy

Less Is More - Take Two!

Hello, friends!  Back again with a quick post and a second card for the Less Is More challenge this week.  My second card for the challenge uses more of my favorite Hero Arts stamps and a simple design.  I stamped the (S5319) Circle Lace in Soft Pool shadow ink, then overstamped the (H2951) Long Calligraphy Thank You in black ink.  Rounded the corners and voila!

Materials Used:  Hero Arts (S5319) Circle Lace; Soft Pool shadow ink; (H2951) Long Calligraphy Thank You; black ink; Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper

Another view (taken with better light)...

I would like to make an entire set of these using a variety of shadow inks in my collection...I just love that lace stamp!

Thanks for stopping by...more to come tomorrow!
Judy

Less Is More Challenge - My First Time Around

Hello, friends!  I was cruisin' around some of my favorite blogs and I came across Brenda's card for the current Less Is More blog challenge.  The theme for their Lucky Dip this week is...

THANK YOU or CONGRATULATIONS

So, knowing that I love clean and simple cards, I decided to check it out and play along for the first time.  WOW!  What a cool blog and a great challenge! 

Anyway, I created one of my all-time favorite clean and simple go-to "Congratulations" wedding cards using my favorite wedding stamp set by Hero Arts: (LL731) Wedding Celebration.  I think this was one of the first stamp sets I purchased many years ago, and I still use that sweet bride and groom whenever I need a wedding card!  I try to keep the stamping simple, just the image and the sentiment.  On this card, I embossed the card base and some dots on the black matte, then I distressed them with white ink so they would show...

Materials Used:  Hero Arts (LL731) Wedding Celebration; Anna Griffin (2483R) sentiment; Cuttlebug & embossing folders; Nestabilities Labels One; Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper; ultra fine glitter

 I especially love to add ultra fine glitter to the bride's veil and dress...

I hope to post a few more cards I made for this challenge in the next few days...right now I'm off to get the kiddies to bed.

Thanks for stopping by...take care!
Judy

 

PDCC#79 ... Just Can't Get Enough!

Hello, friends!  Wanna hear something funny?  I was stumped at first when I saw the current challenge colors at the Play Date Cafe for this week...I mean, I NEVER reach for lime green, grey, and red.  Never.  However, Hero Arts is the sponsor this week, and the more I began to play with these colors the more I realized I actually LIKE them!  So what did I do?  I made two more cards for the challenge this week.  (I'm quite proud of myself considering this was done in between two baseball games, one softball game, church services, and three loads of laundry!)

The first card is a clean and simple design using Hero Arts stamps.  I was inspired when I saw Jacqueline's entry here.  So clean, crisp, and classy!  For my card, I stamped the sentiment in grey, inked the flower stem with a green marker, and added the Prima flowers and gems where the blossoms would have been.  The white card had a pre-embossed border around it ...kind of hard to see here.

Materials Used:  Hero Arts (CL140) Thinking of You; Anna Griffin grey pigment ink;

Prima flowers, grey pearls, red metallic gems 

 
The second card I made is a bit busier; I embossed the Hero Arts Dancing with Flowers image in black on grey cardstock and used red metallic gems to highlight the flowers.  I cut the image with a Nesties Labels One, mounted to a We-R-Memory Keepers Restoration Urban Window card, rounded the corners, and added two butterflies and pearls for a final touch. 

Materials Used: Hero Arts (CG266) Dancing with Flowers; We-R-Memory Keepers Restoration Urban Window card; Crop-a-Dile corner chomper; red metallic gems; Martha Stewart butterfly punch; red and green pearls.

OK, I think I'm done now.  (Then again, I thought that after my first card.)  I need to clear off my desk for the debut of the first ever CAS-usal Fridays challenge on Friday, May 6th.  Have you heard about it?  If not, check it out here!  They put together an awesome design team and I can't wait to play. C'mon, Friday!

Have a great day,
Judy