Clean and Simple Card Making Sketches

I am a student in Jennifer McGuire's video class Clean and Simple Card Making and decided to try my hand at a couple of the sketches she provides at the start of the class for inspiration.  Classes with different card making techniques, offered throughout the year, has been something I have longed for and become an avid student of since finding out about them last year.  I feel I can benefit and grow from learning and gleaning from experienced and gifted card makers...I can't recommend them highly enough...they are WONDERFUL!!  This one, especially, has been KEY for me...as I LOVE clean and simple!!!  Being a student in an area I have a passion for, well, I could and may be a student for life...after all....WHO cannot benefit from learning:)??!!!  Oh how I go on...on to the cards...

 I used a flower punch from EK Success and a sentiment from Hero Arts.  Punched and put colored papers behind the flowers then dotted with black stick on dots.  The card is 4 1/4" square, so I thought the flowers and sentiment were fitting!!   A super simple take on the simple sketch.
The next one is also from one of the sketches:


 Used a technique that Kristina Werner showed of making a flower out of 1" circles.  I don't have a lot of 2-sided design paper, but picked this pack that I got from Close to My Heart, for the flower AND for the card!!  The sentiment is Hero Arts, the print below the twine is W Plus 9 Design, the inside sentiment is from Crafty Lounge.  FUN CARD...and didn't take long, at all, to make!!  Oh, used a circle nestie to cut out the window(aperture) .

 A closer look at the versamarked, clear embossed print(may have used a colored ink if I were to do it again, so it would show better)

...and the inside of the card!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

CAS-ual Fridays...Scallops!

I made a card for the CAS-ual Friday challenge to use scallops, then made yet another card.  Not sure of either...but... in good times and in bad...I'm committed to creating...lol!!!
First the second...

 LOVE these colors together...Papertrey Ink scallop die, impression plate(canvas/linen) and sentiment is from A Muse Studio(Hand Scripted).  Then the first one, second...

Have LOTS of scraps in my green/blue scrap folder,and pulled and put lots of them together before I settled on these 3...kind of like them together...but had one of those moments last night, realizing that there are a million different ways to use a single set of stamps!!!This card represents just one, and maybe not what I had imagined or the best...but I'm determined to keep trying to find come up with a couple!!
Used Papertrey Ink Flower Fusion#7 and it's die, Papertrey vine die and scallop die, as well.  Used a square nestie for the frame cut out.  Ran the bottom scalloped parts of paper through Big Shot in polka dotted embossing folder.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Another Die Cut Thanks!

Just another quick post...made this card last week for the Purple challenge at Less is More,and the CAS-ual Friday's challenge to use chipboard...but just never was crazy about it, but it's kinda "grown" on me over the last week(you ever have one of those weeks that everything you make doesn't "send" you, so the least offensive or least disliked card suddenly becomes attractive????...maybe it's just me!!)

Used 3 flower stamps from Hero Arts, Stampin Up Thanks die.  I stamped the flowers with versamark on glossy paper, clear embossed.  I covered with Crushed Concord distress ink and THEN covered with purple chalk ink...giving it a more subdued and soft look.  Added die cut, slight chipboard letters.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Finding a New Way to Use an Old Punch

I was "challenged" when I read Cristina's blog and saw a  very cool card that she made with a little circle punch.  She talked about a PaperCrafting magazine issue that looks at new and innovative ways to use the tools we have.  After glancing at her AMAZING card, HERE...I just HAD TO try my hand at using an old punch.  I went to my closet door, and spotted the Stampin Up Word Window punch and made this:

I stamped 15 word windows and taped them to a strip of paper...like this:

I then RE punched OVER the pink window pieces.  I then added a long strip of polka dotted embossed turquoise and a small strip of black.  Added Thanks die cuts(THIS was the hard part as my die didn't cut too well, so each letter is SEVERAL separate thinner papers to give it a chipboard "look") with the sentiment on the bottom from Craft Lounge Crafty clear stamps(Big Thanks).  One of my black windows is a little crooked...perfection is highly overrated...ok...I just didn't feel like a "do over".  The card is 4" x 8".

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Runway Inspired Challenge 3

I have been seeing this model and her dress all over blogs, lately, and was so intrigued, I thought I would try my hand at a card for the  challenge.  I LOVE black and white!!

The challenge is the Runway Inspired Challenge ...and with the stripes and the stripes swaying in all directions, I made this(watch your eyes...my daughter says it was a bit "challenging" on her eyes:)!!):

 I took some design paper from Michael's and cut into triangles.  I randomly glued them onto cardstock...a bit uneven looking before you cut a strip from all the glued triangles.  I cut out a star with a Papertrey Ink star die and then used my Stampin Up star die to cut a star from the die cut star(hope that makes sense.  What I got is a star that "fit into" the die cut.  Placed the star on chipboard to raise it a bit above the panel

 ...layered with black paper and added a Hero Arts sentiment.  A bit crazy looking, I will admit...had fun:)!!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

CAS-ual Fridays...Chipboard!

I am entering my first card into the CAS-ual Fridays challenge...the challenge this week is to use chipboard on your card...what fun!!  I decided, after several things just didn't turn out, to make framed flowers:

Used chipboard for the frame AND flowers...just couldn't stop once I got started....lol!!  Used a Stamping Up die for the frame, My Favorite Things flower and leaves dies, florist wire and a sentiment from Hero Arts. I embossed the flowers in an embossing folder before sticking them to the chipboard.
So glad I got to finally make it into the challenge before the deadline...yeah!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Less is More 49...Predominantly Purple

I made this card for Less is More's Challenge this week...to make a card with  purple being the predominant color.  I found this challenge just a bit challenging...purple is a tough color...as are shades of it(getting them to go TOGETHER), but  made a quick card:

The flourish/butterfly stamp is Inkadinkado, the sentiment Hero Arts.  I stamped clear embossed and used two SU markers for the butterflies(lavender lace and almost amethyst), certainly celery for the flourish tips.  I cut around 3 butterflies...bent their wings up and added some light purple rhinestones throughout the flourish at the tips with the celery.  Put lavender lace paper on the inside.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Love.....You

I had a couple moments this morning, and some leftover die cut hearts that I just HAD to put on a card...so here is more of my recycling:

 I used the Papertrey Ink dies to cut the coffee sleeve hearts and the red, regal rose and pretty in pink hearts on the insides.  Used an embossing folder to give the colored hearts some texture and used Papertrey Ink sentiments (with the top part masked) from Autumn Acorns for the inside and Mega Mixed Messages for the front:

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

A Card for Cole

I had a few minutes before church this morning and went to Susan's site and read about Cole...came home and made Cole a birthday card.  My heart was so touched by Cole's story...if you think life is hard, and I think we all do, at times...think of Cole and your day should become a lot easier..wow...what an amazing young man...off to mail my card!!

Used Papertrey Ink star dies and Stampin Up design paper, Papertrey Ink's Star Prints stamps and Polka Dots Basics.  I layered each star on chipboard...stamped with Crumb Cake for the dots and Soft Suede for the sentiment.  I put Happy Birthday on the inside.  Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Baby Shower Favors

I was part of a baby shower today...my part was making the invitations, the punch and the favors.  I made the invitations before Thanksgiving, and didn't take any pictures.  I did, however, take a couple pics of the favors.  I got the idea from my daughter, who suggested  Pinterest. The mom-to-be had decided on the colors brown, tan, white and touches of pink(she's having a girl).   I thought to make a baggie with animal crackers...I added some candy(Raspberry Hugs...pink and white, and valentines Doves...pink and brown) on the top of the cookies, and the header with the same giraffe die from the invitations....not sure to this moment that I loved  them...I had an idea of what I wanted, but never seemed to be able to see it in the finished product.  BUT, these were acceptable and the ladies seemed to like them well enough...so thought I would share the idea with you all.

I used chocolate, plain and frosted animal crackers...brown, tan, pink and white.   I made 60 invitations and 45 favors(above are 30 of the 45)...all the invitations were sent and all favors were gone...and all the punch was drank....it was a "sweet" shower!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Perfect Match

I decided to reduce, reuse and recycle today...have seen some really cool cards made with leftovers, lately.  I had some paper sleeves from coffee cups that I decided to cut up and a piece of fabric that my daughter had left behind after making clutches for her friends for Christmas that was destined for the waste basket.  I used Papertrey Ink dies and cut out hearts from the coffee sleeve strips and popped up and layered them over the glued down fabric on chipboard.

I knew, because the cut outs are opposite matches of each other, that I wanted the sentiment to read "perfect match".   I then went on a thorough search of ALL my stamps...and found this slightly small, but PERFECT sentiment(from Gina K Designs's set that went with  a couple tennis rackets and masked the top of the sentiment that wrote..."Game , set"...then "perfect match".  Will give to my daughter(her fabric, after all:)!) to give to her hubby for Valentine's Day...PERFECT for them!!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Christmas Presents

Ok...a moment of transparency.  I began a course late last year called Financial Peace, taught by Dave Ramsey. The information in this series of lessons has been and will continue to be life changing!!  What I have learned led me to express to my family a desire to modify my/our spending...in many areas.
I have A LOT of stamps, and stamping STUFF!!  Let's face it, there is so much wonderful stuff available, we probably all have more than we can really use...I have more than I will probably be EVER able to use!!  That being said, before Christmas, I told my family of my desire to begin using the things I have and limit my stamping spending to gifts and gift money that I get throughout the year...I have been very blessed thoughout the last number of years through gifts/certicates/cards and free stamps from friends and family!!!...so I think, if I am wise, I will still have lots of fun, but will be slow to purchase, wise and prudent!!
 My daughter Hannah, who was married over a year ago, recently found Pinterest and has been bitten by the "crafting bug"...she made me  a Stamping Fund Jar(and included money)!!(my jar already has  funds from Christmas...what fun!!!)

My daughter, Emma, bought me two personalized stamps...my daughters are sooooooo cool!!  Thought you might want to see the stamps:

You can find the site HERE, if you're curious!

And a picture of my fun(d) jar:

What thoughtful and loving daughters!!!  Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Less is More...Just One Word

I decided to use a leftover butterfly from another Less is More challenge for this Just One Word challenge...in a butterfly kind of mood.  I made the first one, but wasn't sure about the border of butterflies, so then saw a layout from a challenge that gave me the idea to use the butterfly in yet another way for the second card.

 You can see how I made the butterfly HERE...then I used a butterfly border die from Memory Box and a sentiment from Inkadinkado.  Popped up and layered on purple card....4" x 7"...the total die is rather long.

Thinking that maybe the butterflies were a bit too much, I opted for the single  butterfly with another layout.  I used another Memory Box die for the vines and leaves and an wood impression plate from Papertrey Ink for the card.  I stamped the same sentiment and with an exacto knife, made an inch slit above and below the sentiment.  I slid the vined panel through the slit and added the butterfly.  The sketch that I saw used two pieces, one  on either side of the sentiment,  but I thought the slit was something "different"...just had to try it to see what it looked like.  Has lots of possibilities??!!!  I got cool stamping Christmas presents from my daughters...will put them on the next post:)!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

A Die Cut Hello

I'm putting up a bunch of cards today...yes, I have been having alot of fun in "my room"!!  I made this card out of a mix of die cuts...trying so hard to see how many ways I can use the wonderful Papertrey and MFT dies I have...

I am definitely liking the olive, pink and black combo.  Used 3 Papertrey dies and the flower is My Favorite Things.  The dotted paper is SU, the sentiment is Papertrey Ink(Beyond Basic Borders).  Put the middle panel on chip board and popped up on polka dots.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Hearts Abounding!

I decided to take my tri-heart Stampin Up punch and see what I could make with it.  My daughter said that my cards looked very "Valentine Daysy"...that was NOT my intent, so I went to work to change the look of the cards I had made. I DO believe you can use hearts and NOT have them look like Valentines Day...so here's what I came up with, the changed ones first and then the Valentiney ones...

 Punched the hearts 3 times and added embossed papers behind each heart...scored and added die cut thanks(cuttlebug)...hmmm...no stamping on this one:)!!

This one used 3 shades of purple for paper and sponged a purple heart over the "you" in the sentiment. Layered on concord crush card(NO...it's not black...I PROMISE!!).

This one stamped twice and added a tiny heart in the middle bottom(hand cut).  Added a scrap piece of stamped and white embossed dotted paper behind the punched hearts.  Added Papertrey Ink(Signature Greetings) sentiment and ribbon.

These were the "valentiney" thank yous...above and below

 Popped up panels of cards #2,3 and 5...hmm...hearts are cool:)!!

 Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Happy New Year and a Musical Thank You!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years..it's time to delve into 2012...lol!!  I don't know about you, but getting back into "life" is tough after the holidays.  I love being in my stamping room, but still feel at a lack when it comes to creating new cards.  And...with the start of a new year, I want new...fresh...different.  The only problem is that the creative part of my brain doesn't seem to be in sync with THAT part of my brain.  So....until they get together, I'll show you what's been happening in my stamping space. I made a card for a family that came to our house the other day to play their musical instruments for Noah...it was beautiful and so sweet...so the thank you had to be musical:

Everything is Papertrey Ink(flower, button, frame, musical paper, card impression) except for the sentiment and ribbon.  Used impression plate for the card, which is 4" x 8"  I will have another post today...Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Stamping Again!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!  We had a very sweet Christmas at our house...the time with my daughter and son-in-law passed by too quickly, though, but was sweet!!  I LOVE Christmas, but am ready to put all the decorations away and begin the new year... I am REALLY ready for Spring...my son-in-law informed me that Winter had just begun the day before I proclaimed this to everyone...oh well...I'm still ready for it anyway...and with Christmas over, we're on our way to it!!
With my sister home in Miami and my children home in Nashville, the craft room is once again mine...but will admit that getting the mojo back is slow going...what fun being able to spend time with my stamps and paper again, though!!!
Had need of a guy birthday card, and he has a love of music(has an incredible voice), so had to have music on it somewhere. My husband puts the Beatle's Birthday song on other's Facebook pages for their birthdays, so thought the sentiment was PERFECT!!

So nice to have so many star dies...used Stampin Up and Papertrey Ink's dies, along with a Fiskar star punch. Here's what I did:  Used a 2" strip of bazzill java paper.  The top cut out is the punch, the bottom two are Papertrey Ink die cuts.  I used dotted red bazzill paper and thin chip board for the stars, the top and bottom are the 2 smallest Stampin Up die cut stars, the middle one is the star punch.  The sentiment is Hero Arts, the score is Stampendous.  Yeah!!... it's good being back...hope to visit you all soon!!!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Merry Christmas!!

I just wanted to say Merry Christmas to all you who visit, read, and comment on my blog!  I hope you all have a wonderfully blessed and very happy Christmas!!

After starting this blog at the end of March this year, I have had the most amazing time not only sharing my cards and life with others, but of  meeting and getting to know SO many wonderful women...inspired by their lives and artistry!!  I am so thankful for all you who take the time to leave comments...you have been such an encouragement to me in so many ways!!  It has been a fantastic year, can hardly wait to start the new one...see you soon!!  Hugs!! xx-oo  Lisa:

Less is More...Let it Snow and One Layer...a Little Late.

This has been a crazy wonderful week for my son and family...my son was given a van on Tuesday...a TOTAL surprise and our Christmas miracle!!!!  I have been out with Noah for the last couple days, today he had his first haircut at the barbershop in a year(I had been trying to keep his hair trimmed, but getting him there had been too challenging so I took to cutting it).  I have been crying and crying (in a good way), what an INCREDIBLE BLESSING!!  You can read more on Noah's Wheels the site my sister Rebecca began earlier this year to raise money for our Noah...she is incredible....our Thanks to the We Promise Foundation and all who were a part of our son's gifts...what an incredible BUNCH of people...we are so loved and love them so!!!
All that to say, with my sister here, and all this going on, making cards and getting to other's blogs was not on the radar.  I made a card for the Less is More Let it Snow challenge just now, but it is 6pm and I am too late because going by the time in the UK, it is 11pm and the challenge closed an hour ago, their time....but I am going to put it up anyway!

The image stamps are Darcie's and the sentiment from Penny Black. Stamped and colored with SU inks, water and paint brush(pretty in pink, regal rose and crumb cake)...kind of watercoloring, but on bazzill paper.  Added light pink rhinestones in centers of each snowflake....hope you have a great weekend....One week until Christmas...EEK...still so much to do!!!
Hugs to you, thanks for visiting!!! Lisa

A Thank You in Pink and Olive

My sister is visiting, so...stamping's on hold until Thursday...BUT...I stamped this image before her arrival, cut it out while we were talking the other night, colored(while talking to my mom) and put it on a card all while she was in the shower this morning....I just HAD to make a card...I AM funny, huh....lol!!

This is a stamp from Inkadinkado, the sentiment, as well.  I stamped, cut out and colored with Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Regal Rose and Melon Mambo for the pinks.  layered on textured old olive and white bazzill paper.  See you Thursday or Friday!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

A Pink Get Well

This card was a departure from all the "Christmas Red and Green"...

Super simple...a Penny Black stamp colored with old olive and certainly celery...dotted with pink Liquid Pearls, with Hero Arts sentiment and layered on old olive and textured pink pirouette, with pink ribbon. I don't know what it was, but this card made me happy?!  Maybe it was the pink...BUT...it's already in the mail as I'm writing...what joy to actually send a card I've just made....lol!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

More Poinsettias

I had been intrigued with how my paper looked when I would die cut a poinsettia to make a layered flower for recent cards.  I decided that I would attempt to make a card with the cut outs being the card in lieu of a layered flower.  I also remembered Jenny's CARD(one of my forever favorites!!)...so this was a card of many inspirations!!

 Layered with Poppy Parade paper and used Doodlebug chunky brads(cool how they come in 3 different sizes) and used Martha Stewart holly punch with red rhinestones and a sentiment from Hero Arts.  I then took the cut out dies and made this card:

Used some ribbon I bought at Michael's, bazzill silver paper,  and used the idea for the yellow middle from another stamper's card(but can't remember where...but WONDERFUL idea for a poinsettia middle) a die from Sizzix(flowers and branch) and a sentiment from Hero Arts which I stamped in versamark and white embossed. I put foam dots of different layers underneath the petals for added dimension(might not do well mailed, but will be sending to my mom and dad in a box with their presents:)!!  Just liked how it looked puffed up a bit...
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Less is More 44...GREEN

The challenge for Less is More this week is to use the color green.  My daughter had a party with friends here last night, so Noah and I took to my craft room and watched Polar Express and Home Alone 2...and I made cards!!  What fun!!  Here's what I came up with...fast and easy(the cards AND post)!

 The first one uses a single stamp from Inkadinkado.  I stamped in Old Olive, colored letters of sentiment in Old Olive and flourish in Certainly Celery.  I dotted with 5 celery colored rhinestones and popped up on Old Olive card

 Stamped this flourish...what can I say, it was a flourish kinda night.... from Papertrey Ink's Silent Night in Always Artichoke, the sentiment (from the same set) also in Artichoke and dotted with silver pearls

This third one has blue in it...couldn't escape the sky.  The trees are two stamps from Heartfelt Creations.  Stamped both stamps in Artichoke(loving that green!!)...sponged with bashful blue, masking a bit for the clouds and under the trees...added Hero Arts sentiment and dotted with white gel pen for snow in sky and on trees...I PROMISE there's snow...you need to click on the picture to look closer!  Initially was  a bit stumped by the green, but once I started thinking about things other than trees, it became fun!!
Must run...have to brush up on chapter 3 of Algebra before my tutee gets here (yes, I looked it up, one who is tutored is a tutee...I won't tell him that!!)....have a great day!!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Yet Another Christmas Card

I made the holly panel for this card weeks ago...decided I HAD to finish it...so made the poinsettia today and have yet another card for Christmas!  It may seem funny, and I don't know how many other stampers are like me, but I don't really send many cards out at Christmas.  My daughters, and their friends  are enjoying many of my Christmas cards this year...I simply enjoy making them:):):)!!!

I made the panel with the holly using a sizzix stamp and die combo.  You stamp the image, then emboss it with the matching folder.  I put some sand colored ink on the inside of the folder before running it through...a technique that  Jennifer McGuire showed us in the Christmas Boot Camp Class some weeks ago.  I then used the layered die from Spellbinders for the poinsettia and Martha Stewart holly punch for the leaves.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts, versamarked and white embossed and the swirled background on the red card is a stamp I bought on ebay...it says JRL Designs on the side of the very large background stamp(all this time I had thought it was Stampin Up...go figure...lol!!) stamped with versamark for added dimension.  Put a glittery red stick on dot in the center of the flower...have some more cards to show you tomorrow, when the sun is out and I can once again take decent pictures:)!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

FTL169

I made this card for Clean and Simple's FTL169 challenge sketch...my card and the sketch:

                   

I used a stamp set and die from Papertrey Ink(Sweet Baby).  I cut out the giraffe and attached her to a die cut piece of chip board for stability.  The paper I used for this card was from Close to My Heart.  I also used the lacey nestie from Spellbinders and dotted embossing folder from Sizzix.  Added brown pearls around the circle and ribbon around the giraffe's neck.  What I thought was SO neat was that, UNINTENTIONALLY, the giraffe has an EYE...AND a flower atop her head...toooooooo funny!!!  I think, because of the patterns, my card looks a little complex, but clean and simple it really is:)!!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

One Layer Wednesday72...Variations on a Sentiment

I haven't been a part of a One Layer Wednesday challenge in FOREVER...and as difficult and super challenging as this week's challenge was, I was super intrigued!!  The challenge was:
1) use ONLY a sentiment stamp on your card...no other stamps or embellishments allowed!
2) use a NON-STANDARD size for your card
3) make at least two cards using the same stamp that vary something (color, type of ink, technique, placement of the stamp, size of card)
Susan's words, following her cards were what made this challenge possible for me:
Some of you may find this challenge particularly difficult because a single sentiment looks so excruciatingly clean and simple. Look for really interesting sentiments in your stash, and then think how you could make it even more interesting with colors, placement, shape of card. If you must, consider embossing lines to frame your sentiment, masking and sponging, using resist techniques, etc. Just don't use any other stamps or embellishments.
I started out not fully reading the challenge and made two standard sized cards, then cut one and left the other one...they will be at the end...here's what I made last night:

The Thinking Of You stamp is from Hero Arts.  The first one, I stamped with versamark and clear embossed.  I then masked above and below with Eclipse tape and sponged Black Soot distress ink over the sentiment.  I then scored two lines on top and bottom with Martha Stewart Score Board. This card and the next are 4"x 8"

 This one I stamped sentiment at same line of gridded acrylic block on card ...starting with middle sentiment and then placed part of same on either side.  Stamped with Taken With Teal and clear embossed each separately.  Dotted with black marker in between sentiments and scored on top and bottom.

This one was the one that I cut down...lol!! It is 4" x 5".  I stamped with versamark and embossed with black.  Then I punched 5 hearts with SU punch on typing paper, and placed over the sentiment....Susan did say we could sponge and mask???!!...No stamps were used in the making of these hearts...here is my scrap paper after I crumpled it and threw it away...retrieved it and unraveled to show you my methology...I'm funny!!!

T

This blue one is simply versamarked, white embossed and scored on standard sized textured bazzill card.

 Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa