Christmas Thank You Cards - Part 2

Hello, friends!  I have a bunch of cards to share today...a picture-heavy post!  I'm determined to share the rest of my Christmas thank you card sets before the new year begins. 

I submitted one of these card sets (luckily before the deadline) to the Hero Arts monthly challenge. 

I have a new love of kraft cardstock, and here is the set I submitted using various Hero Arts background stamps along with the Wreath of Leaves and a Paper Smooches sentiment.

Here is an example using the Large Canvas Stripes background:

Here is one with the Music Background:

Here it is with the Envelope Pattern background:

I used green tinsel embossing powder on the wreath and red and gold Stickles for some accents...see the shine?  (I wanted to keep this design simple and flat for mailing purposes.) 

OK, now for my other thank you notes, using mainly Hero Arts stamps with a few others sprinkled in there.  (Feel free to leave me a comment if you have any questions about the stamping supplies I used.)

OK, that really does it now for Christmas cards until next year.  Phew!

I want to take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you who follow my blog or even stop by to visit on occasion.  I will be celebrating my one-year blogging anniversary on New Year's Day and I am SO glad I took the plunge!  I hope to have some blog candy to give away in the new year...I'd really like to give something to my first 46 followers for being with me through 2011!  (I'm still working it out in my head...I'll keep you posted on that.)  In the meantime, THANK YOU again for taking the time to visit and comment...I really do appreciate it more than you know!

Best wishes for a very Happy and Healthy New Year!
Take good care,
Judy

Christmas Thank You Cards - Part 1

Hello, friends!  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  We have been enjoying time off from school and work with lots of family visits and fun activities...not much time for crafting but I'm enjoying the time off.

I did find some time to make some card sets for the Hero Arts monthly challenge, and I got them in just under the wire at the Hero Arts Flickr group.  (That's how this whole vacation has been...everything done under the wire!)

I was able to make several sets, and here is my favorite.  For this set, I used the Hero Arts  Blossom Art set and embossed the flower in white on patterned paper.  The sentiment is from the All Occasion Messages set embossed in white.  The greenery is die cut using the Fanciful Flourish by Cheery Lynn.  I stamped the Magical Background stamp using Punch chalk ink onto a punch card.  I centered one flower, while the other was off-center for some variation; the flowers have gold Stickles in the centers.

Here is a close-up of the centered flower card:

Here is the off-center flower card:

Here is a close-up of the gold Stickles...

I'll be back tomorrow to share pictures of another card set I made for the Hero Arts challenge. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Judy

It's Almost Here...

Hello, friends!  Oh my goodness, I am so sorry I have not been around for nearly a month...where HAS the time gone?!  (I actually know where the time has gone, we have been SO busy working, going to school, preparing for Christmas, dance recitals, choir concerts, etc.) 

I have also been severely lacking in the mojo department, thus no new cards to share for almost three weeks.  

However, I stole a few minutes last night to make a few holiday thank you cards...we always send thank you notes to family members who are so generous to us on Christmas.  Here are a few cards I made using my favorite Hero Arts stamps.

And a somewhat simpler version (flatter for mailing)...

Side Bar:  I want to say thank you to the lovely ladies at the Hero Arts Flickr group who helped me celebrate my birthday today with all their well wishes...so sweet of you all to remember me at such a busy time of year!  (See HERE.)

I will not likely be online again until after Christmas, so I will take this opportunity to wish all of you a very happy holiday season, whatever you may celebrate, and best wishes for a happy, healthy new year!

Thanks for stopping by!
Judy

LIM Week 43: A Bit of Bling!

Hello, friends!  Just stopping by with a very quick post tonight.  I made a one-layer card for the current Less Is More challenge to make a card using...

A BIT OF

I started out with a kraft notecard and stamped scenes from the Hero Arts Greatest Gift clear set, adding highlights with distress inks and gold Stickles.  The star is a clear gem.  The sentiment is from the Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas clear set.

Sorry for the brief post tonight...tons still to do before bed! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Judy

Eat Ham! A CAS-ual Fridays Sketch Card

Hello, friends!  As we approach one of my favorite holidays, I wanted to share a card I'll be giving to my mom tomorrow as she hosts thirteen family members for Thanksgiving dinner.  (This is actually a small gathering for her...this year its just me and my brother with our families...there are years when all five of us come with spouses and kids!) 

I made a card following this sketch at the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #29:

I have had this fun turkey stamp from Inkadinkado for several years now and I really like it...I guess I have a goofy sense of humor!  I embossed and watercolor painted him, added some Glossy Accents to his eyes, and added a distress ink border around him before layering and mounting onto a card.  The sentiment is from the Hero Arts Celebrate Everyday clear set, and I used the Designer Woodgrain stamp on the background of the rust layering paper.

Sorry, little dude.  No chance we are eating ham this Thanksgiving.  Better luck next year!

On a grateful note, this year I'm thankful for all the wonderful new friends I have made in my first year of blogging...thank you to my 45 followers and to all those who stop by and comment from time to time.  I do appreciate all of you! 

Happy Thanksgiving!
Judy

Thinking of You Ornaments

Hello, friends!  Here today with another card for the current Hero Arts November challenge.  This time I am following the color scheme they suggest as seen here:

I inked up several Spellbinder 2011 Heirloom ornaments dies in the colors above using distress inks over a white embossed Classic Fabric Design.  Here is the card:

I sprayed the entire card with Perfect Pearls before attaching the ornaments...can you see the shine here?

That does it for today...have a good one!
Judy

Christmas Ornaments with Bling!

Hello, friends!  I am so happy I had some time this weekend to play with my new Spellbinders 2011 Heirloom Ornament dies and lots of Hero Arts stamps...I am going to enter these into the current Hero Arts monthly challenge (see details HERE) since they do have lots of sparkle and bling!

Here are my cards...several variations of the same style card using all Hero Arts stamps, green tinsel embossing powder, distress inks, ribbons, pearls, gems, and Stickles.

Can you see the glittery shine on the embossed pine branch?  I used Stampendous "Green Tinsel" embossing powder and I really like how it turned out against the kraft card stock!

I'm also happy with the subtle music background stamped with distress inks.

This card uses a larger ornament die...

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

Less Is More Week 42 - Silhouettes

Hello, friends!  I could not have been more excited when I saw the current theme for the Less Is More  challenge this week to make a card using a silhouette.  Why?  Because I just received this Hero Arts Greatest Gift stamp set (I won 4 Hero Arts stamps during the Cards That Care blog hop!):

Notice anything?  Hello, silhouettes!  What a great excuse to break them out and make some cards!  So, here is what I came up with for the challenge, using a light blue card, navy embossing powder, a couple of post-it notes for masking, and a bunch of distress inks:

Sorry for the short post today, I have to get to somework that I brought home to be done before Monday.
Thanks for stopping by!
Judy

Hero Arts 2012 Catalog Preview Party!

Hello, friends!  Did you here the news?  It is time for some previews of the new HERO ARTS 2012 catalog and I can't wait!  It's no secret that Hero Arts is my favorite stamp company ever...I have been buying their catalogs and stamps since the early 2000's and they just keep getting better!

Click HERE to find out the stores in your area that are participating in the catalog preview parties.  Be sure to check out the Hero Arts blog to see how you can pass on the news and have a chance to win prizes, too!

OK, I'm off to make some holiday cards using the new Spellbinders Heirloom Ornament dies I received in the mail the other day.  (Yay me!)   I love being off on Fridays!

Have a great day!
Judy

Peace Out

Hello, friends!  Just sharing a girly card I made with a $1 Studio G stamp I found at Michael's (and my daughters begged me to buy it).  Anyone else have daughters totally obsessed with peace signs? 

Here is the set...

and here is the card I made with it:

I figure my daughter can use it as a birthday card for one of her friends. 

That is, if she doesn't keep it.  After all, it has a peace sign on it.

Hope to be back soon with some more Thanksgiving cards...until then, have a good day!
Judy

Every Leaf Speaks Bliss to Me...

Hello, friends!  I am happy to be participating in the current Less Is More - Week 41 challenge to make a one layer card following the theme of LEAVES. 

I immediately thought of an old leaf stamp in my stash that I rarely use...so happy to break it out and play!  It's a retired Rubber Stampede stamp called Liquid Amber and it looks very realistic.  I paired that stamp along with a retired Inkadinkado Dawn Houser quote stamp entitled "Every Leaf," using lots of different shades of distress inks, misted the leaf with water before stamping, distressed the edges of the card lightly, and added a tiny raffia bow to finish.

I actually made two cards, noting that each time you ink and mist this leaf stamp it comes out different.  (I also stamped some crackle background on the leaf on the right to add some more interest.)  Here they are together:

Be sure to stop by the Less Is More blog to see all the beautiful entries...so much talent over there!



Have a great day,
Judy

Thanksgiving Owls...Whooo's Hungry?

Hello, friends! 

I have two Thanksgiving cards to share today, both using the awesome Thanksgiving Owl-fits set I won from the Sweet Stamp Shop. 

I'll be submitting these into the Paper Crafts November 2011 Gallery Challenge (seen HERE)  where you can post your original Thanksgiving-inspired designs.   Isn't Melvin too cute in that Pilgrim's hat?

For both cards, I embossed Melvin on watercolor paper, painted him, and cut the image with Spellbinders Labels Eight dies.  I inked the edges with distress ink, then layered onto rust card stock.  I stamped the Hero Arts Designer Woodgrain using terra cotta dye ink, then added some white dots/lines with my Inkssentials pen.  I layered Melvin onto two different DCWV "Amber Autumn" patterned cards and adhered raffia bows for a final accent.

Here is the first card...

And here is the second card...

Can you see the embossing on water color paper?

And here is the sentiment on the inside of both cards:

I'm loving this set and can't wait to make more cards with it!  I plan to give these cards to my mom and my mother-in-law this Thanksgiving. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Judy

Cards That Care Week - Day Seven...It's a Wrap!

Hello, friends!  Phew, we made it to the final day of my very own "Cards That Care Week!"  I sure had fun sharing all these holiday cards with you...I hope you enjoyed it, too.  I'm guessing you get the idea by now...I think the Cards That Care Card Drive is a great cause and I do hope you will send in some cards.  I mailed in a package of 16 cards yesterday and I feel GOOD!

Now for my final card of the week...another ornament card (and one you may have seen before but never blogged).  I love this Hero Arts Flourish Ornament and the retired "Real Pine" woodblock stamp, and they make for a really pretty one-layer card. 

Nothing fancy going on here, just a straight up Merry Christmas card with a little bit of glitter. 
(Thank heavens for spell check -- I just realized I had written "Marty Christmas."  Good grief!)

So, that wraps up my week of cards for the Cards That Care Card Drive.  I appreciate your visits this week, and I really encourage you to participate.  Thank you for all your support and lovely comments...you are such wonderfully gracious visitors!

Next week I hope to have some fun Thanksgiving cards to share with you...more on the "cutesy" side than formal.  I do hope you enjoy them!

Until then, take good care and thanks for visiting!
Judy

Cards That Care Week - Day Six!

Hello, friends!  I am nearing the end of my "Cards That Care Week" and I thank you for stopping by to check it out.  Tomorrow will wrap it up...I do hope you have had a chance to send in a card or two for the Cards That Care Card Drive ... you have until the end of the month to get them in!

Today's card is not new but has never been blogged.  I do love this Hero Arts Branch and Flourish Tree, especially when it is embossed in white against a color background.  I also love turquoise and red together.  OK, then...add some red Stickles, a Martha Stewart doily lace border punch, and a red gingham bow, and voila!   A simple holiday card!

I didn't add a sentiment to the outside because I liked it's clean, simple look.  I added a holiday sentiment inside, along with my message.

Remember...there is still time to send in some cards that can cheer some nursing home residents this holiday season.  Share your talents and spread some holiday cheer!

Thanks for stopping by...have a good one,
Judy

Cards That Care Week - Day Five!

Hello, friends!  It is day five of my "Cards That Care Week" and I'm hoping that by now you have checked out this awesome card drive HERE.  I think this is such a great idea...even if you just send in one card!  There are prizes to be won, so go check it out!

Today I have two variations on the same card.  (I have made cards like this before...can't help but do it again!)  Using all Hero Arts stamps, I stamped the Large Canvas Stripes in cranberry red dye ink, then embossed the Wreath of Leaves using clear powder and  green pigment ink.  For the first card, I added red gems and a sticker sentiment from SRM Stickers.

For the second card, I stamped a Hero Arts sentiment from the clear design "Laughter and Merriment"set onto cream cardstock, trimmed, and added distress inks to the edges.  I used red pearls instead of sparkly gems on this wreath.

This wreath has so many possibilities!  It is a classic in my book...and so are the canvas stripes.

Tomorrow's card is possibly one you have seen before...it was in my stash of cards from last winter but I included it in the bunch I sent for the current card drive. 

Until then,
Judy

Cards That Care Week - Day Four!

Hello, friends!  I'm here with day four of my very own "Cards That Care Week."  I've sent in all of these cards to the wonderful card drive run by Vera Yates and Jennifer McGuire...be sure to check it out HERE and consider sending in some cards -- there is still time!

Did you happen to see the blog hop prize winner list yesterday?  I was SO excited to see that I was one of the lucky random winners!  Even better...I won four Hero Arts stamps of my choice!   BEST PRIZE EVER!  (Thank you so much, Vera and Jennifer!)

OK, now on to my card.

I have loved this fun little Penny Black Arctic Bus stamp since the day I bought it.  It makes me smile.  These little penguins sure do know how to have fun!  Check out the one in the back...he's going one-handed, for heaven's sakes!  (Livin' on the wild side, for sure!)

I embossed the penguin image in black, water colored the image, then added an SRM Sticker sentiment across the bottom.  I dry embossed the entire card using the Cuttlebug snowflakes embossing folder, rounded the bottom corners, and added the red ribbon as a final touch.  

I also added some Gelly Roll Stardust Clear glitter pen to the fur of their hats...can you see it?

That does it for today...tomorrow's cards are a bit more traditional. 
Until then...have a good one!
Judy