Christmas Joy

Another Christmas card. I used the Stampin' Up set called "Painted Harvest". I love how many ways you can use this stamp set. I found the stripped paper in my stash. It worked perfectly with Stampin' Up's real red card stock. I cut the letters twice -- once in real red and the second time in black. The black card stock really made this card.

December 1 was the last card class I will have this year. For our Christmas celebration , we exchanged "Christmas Gift Tags". The is the tag I made. Very simple.

I was also working on this little milk carton. We didn't have time to make it. I love doing little projects like this. We will make it in class on of these days. You can find instructions HERE.

Love Buffalo Plaid

I really love the new Stampin' Up's background stamp called "Buffalo Plaid". I used Raspberry Ripple ink on Very Vanilla card stock to create this background. The focal sentiment is from the stamp set called "Snowflake Sentiments". For the black accent piece, I used a 3-inch strip of card stock and a punch to create the decorative edge.

I tried to get a close up picture of the bow. I placed a small piece of Raspberry Ripple card stock in the embossing folder called "Subtle". This is a simple folder but it makes a big impact. After embossing the card stock, I cut out the bow keeping the grain going vertically. It made the bow look like it was made with grosgrain ribbon. 

A New Baby Is Coming

I don't often need a baby card or a baby quilt. We have new neighbors that are about to welcome a new baby girl, their first, into their home. I had made a quilt top months ago. It was quilted -- just needed the binding. I got busy and finished it this past week. Here are the results.

I used a traditional quilt block -- the churn dash block in pinks and blues. I fussy cut the center squares so that the teddy bears were in the center. Each block finished at 12 inches, the overall size in 36 x 36 inches. For the backing I used white flannel with pink dots -- so soft.

For the card I used a cute Stampin' Up set from last years Sale-a-bration. called Party Pandas. This is such a cute set. This is a CASE of a card I saw on Pinterest.  Here is a link.

Oh, how I love pink and black together.

A Christmas Card

I struggled with this card all day. I searched and searched for ideas. Finally,I saw some cards on Pinterest that gave me some ideas. I especially liked the idea of embossing the Vellum with the SU Softly Falling folder. It softened the trees in the background and gave the impression of falling snow. That worked really well. It is one of the cards I will use for my class on December 1. I also added a little Stickles on the raised parts of the tree and along the curved edge of the bottom piece of white card stock.

Card Stock used -- Old Olive, Early Espresso, White and Vellum
Stamps -- Winter Woods with coordinating dies, Sentiment from Snowflake Sentiments
Ink -- Early Espresso
Embossing Folder -- Stampin Up Softly Falling

Parkinson's Support Group Christmas Auction

November at our Parkinson's Support Group meeting, we have our Christmas celebration. It starts with a "Potluck" dinner. After that we have an auction of all the things members have brought in. Each year I have made the things that I donated. It started with a set of placemats. Then for several years I made a lap quilt. This year I made this tote bag using fabric from the Moda collection called "Forever Green". Beautiful fabric! I still have a lot left from projects that I made last year.

On the inside I added pockets and a loop for attaching a key ring. The clip part looked a little lost so a took a few of the smallest scraps and made a little nine-patch quilt block to add to the key ring. The finished size is approxmiately 2 1/4" x 2 1/4". It was a fun little project that took just minutes.

In addition to the tote, I made a table runner. I love doing things with color and love doing things that create an illusion. When I saw a table runner on Pinterest that fit both, I immediately fell in love with it and had to see what I could do with the design. The result is below. I love the way the red fabric creates the illusion of a printed ribbon being attached to the green (maybe a green wall). The design is made with half square triangles and a few squares. The finished size of the squares were 3 1/2". T he over all measurement is 19" x 40".

Time For Change

For a long time now I have been thinking about a name change for my blog. Why? Because my love of sewing and quilting has made a big come back in my life. I started to learn to sew in the seventh grade. By the time I was in high school, I was making almost all my clothes, even adding my own design elements to my outfits. I went to college and majored in Home Economics. Again my love of sewing came to the forefront. I loved designing my own patterns. The love of sewing was always there over the years that followed.

For several years this love of sewing was set aside while I pursued a new love -- that of paper crafting. I have focused on stamping and making cards for over ten years. Some time ago the love of sewing began to resurface. Quilting has come to the forefront. I love playing with colors and design. I want to add my sewing projects to my blog so that is the reason for the name change. The name will now be "Stamping and Quilting From My Heart."  I will be posting both my stamping and sewing projects

This was a project that I finished back in July. We have a 36" round dining room table with two 12" leaves. I designed the curved placemats to follow the curve of the table. With the leaves in, I then needed the rectangle mats. So, a set of placemats for my table include 4 shaped mats and 2 rectangle mats. When I saw this fabric, I knew that it would make a wonderful set for my table, especially for during the summer time.

.

Three More Cards

I want to share three more cards that I made last week. The first two are made using the stamp set "Painted Harvest". This stamp set is so versatile and one that I have really enjoyed creating with. If you have the stamp set, I hope that you will spend a little time playing with it.

A Christmas card made using "Painted Harvest"

Finally, as I was looking in a box that contained pieces from last years Christmas cards, I found the pieces to put this Christmas card together. I love it when that happens.

Favorite Fall Colors

The card challenge for my stamp Club meeting on this Saturday, October 27, is to make a card using your favorite fall colors. This  is my card for the challenge. We will also be making it as one of our cards. 

Stamps -- from the Stampin' Up sets Labels to Love, Label Me Pretty and Painted Harvest
Card Stock -- Cajun Craze for the card base, Sahara Sand (band under the green burlap ribbon) and Very Vanilla for the other elements
Inks -- Always Artichoke, Close To Cocoa, More Mustard and Memento Potter's Clay
Accessories -- Green burlap ribbon, coordinating punch and enamel dots

Just For Fun

This card is "just for fun". Send it to a child, grandchild or even for the love of your life (your husband). I have had this set for quite awhile but had not used it. I have been looking at cards made with it for some time. I fell in love with this little guy. So I gave it a try. It was so much fun.

Stamps -- Stampin' Up Painted Harvest, In the Meadow, Crazy About You and grass stamp from "Stamps By Judith"
Card stock -- White card stock and some scrapbook paper from my collection
Inks -- Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Soft Sky and VersaFine Onyx Black

"Lots Of Lavender"

"Lots Of Lavender" is the stamp set I used to create the focal image for this card. It was a stamp set available for the 2018 Sale-A-Bration back in January, February and March. I have had it all this time and have not had a chance to use it. Love it.

Information on supplies used--

Stamps -- "Wishing You Well" and "Lots Of Lavender"

Card Stock -- White card base, Pale Plum and Old Olive

Inks -- Memento Tuxedo Black, Lulu Lavender and Stampin' Up's Old Olive

Dies -- Oval and scalloped Nestabilities from Spellbinders

To create the background, I used a piece of Old Olive card stock measuring 3 3/4" x 5".  Using the wheat stamp from "Wishing You Well", I stamped it 6 times using Old Olive ink.

Here is a link to the card that was my inspiration.

Inspiration

Where do you find inspiration? Sometimes I feel like I have no creativity. That's where I have been for sometime. When pressures of life press in around us, the ability to create can take a back seat. So often I have found "Pinterest" to be a help. At least it can give you a start.

As I was preparing for my upcoming class, I ran across a card that inspired me. As I was trying to CASE the sample, I had trouble. After trying several times with no success -- it finally came together.

This is a link to the card that was my inspiration.

The things I used--
Card Base -- Soft Suede card stock
Other card Stock -- Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla
Inks -- Soft Suede and Crumb Cake
Stamp Sets-- Country Home and Waterfront

I started by tracing an oval in the lower right hand corner.I know that it is hard to see in this picture but it is there.

Second, I placed my stamped images around that oval. 

 

Because I wanted to add a little texture to the background, I used a little stamp from the set called "Waterfront". Using crumb cake ink, I stamped off before adding it to on my card.

Finished card front.

Don't forget to decorate the inside of your card and the envelope. This is a wonderful stamp for doing that.

First Post Since July

So much has happened since my last post. I can hardly believe that almost three months have past since then. Sometimes life takes us down a different path than what we were planning or would have chosen. There have been times of joy--our oldest grandson was married on August 4th. The whole family was able to be there and rejoice in the celebration. One grandson was not able to be there because he was in his Basic Cadet training at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Sarah was home from California so she came with her parents from Chicago. So all three of our granddaughters were together for the first time in many years. What a joy to see all their beautiful smiles.

After the wedding Don and I made a quick trip to Middle Tennessee to visit my brothers. Again we were blessed to be able to visit with them and their families.

Shortly after returning home our lives took a sudden change. On August 16, Don had open heart surgery with three bypasses. Since then we have been in recovery mode. And again the Lord has been with us and provided the healing that has been needed.

Last Saturday, I was able to return to my cards and my card class. These are the four cards that I had chosen for us to make.

This first card was a Christmas card using the new die set from the Peaceful Poinsettia Bundle from the Holiday Catalog. The card stock was SU Cherry Cobbler and white.

The second card used the Stampin' Up set called "Accented Blooms" with the coordinating Tailored Tag punch. The color was Tranquil Tide.

The third card uses the new Stampin' Up set from the Holiday Catalog called "Wishing You Well" It also uses the new embossing folder "Tin Tile Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder". Very Vanilla card stock was used with Soft Taupe and Cherry Cobbler ink.

The last card uses designer paper from 45 Graphic . I wanted the paper to speak for itself, so I kept every thing else very simple. I case'd this card using a picture that I had printed, probably off of Pinterest, some time ago.

Anniversary Card

Life is sometimes a little overwhelming. This is my first post in just over a month. I needed a short break. I think stress had created a block against creativity. I just needed to stop for a while and focus on something totally different. I did some quilting and tried to focus on some projects that needed to be done around the house.

I needed an anniversary card this afternoon. My sister-in-law took Don to his Rock Steady Boxing class so I had a chance to make the card before we left for the 50th wedding anniversary celebration.  I love the beauty of simplicity.

Stamp set:  Flourishing Phrases

Accessories:  Petals & More Thinlits

Card Stock:  white for the card base, gold foil and Designer Series Paper.

Ink: VersaMark and gold embossing powder

  

Inside Message

Two More

There were two other cards that we made on Saturday at our stamp club. In my travels around town, I had been seeing rows of beautiful colored Adirondack chairs setting in front of different hardware stores. Those chairs were my inspiration for this card. But--I did not want them sitting in front of a building; I wanted to see them on the shore of some lake.

Stamps -- Waterfront, High Tide and Sitting Pretty
Card Stock -- Crumb Cake, Soft Sky and white. The chairs were cut from scraps.
Inks -- Crumb Cake, Soft Sky and Smoky Slate
Accessories -- Pretty Park Framelits and Seasonal Layers Thinlets

For this second card, I used one of my new stamp and die sets.

Stamps -- Serene Garden
Cardstock -- Very Vanilla and Melon Mambo
Inks - Memento Tuxedo Black
Accesssories-- Die from Garden Scene Framelits and Copics to color the leaves

Summer Has Begun

Yes, summer has arrived in Michigan. We have already had a few 90 degree days, a few days in the upper 60's and lots of rain.

Parkinson's Disease continues to be a part of our lives. Sometimes it just gets in the way of my card making and postings, but that is just the way life is for now.

Last week, I made three cards for a class I had on Saturday morning. The cards were simple but well liked by the ladies who attended the class.

The first two cards were made using the Designer Series Paper from this past Sale-a-Bration. I saw so many beautiful cards posted on Pinterest. I had to see if coloring on the paper with water based markers really worked. "It did!" On the first card, I used a long time retired color called "Pale Plum". I only have the marker and a few sheets of the cardstock left. It has always been a favorite color of mine.

For the second card I used the color "Pool Party". Love that color. I used the marker and cardstock in that color.

 I also offered the card made with the color "Coastal Cabana". That was probably my favorite, but I didn't get a picture of a finished card in that color. The medallion was made with a scalloped circle and a die from the new framelet set called "Stitched Labels". The first stamp came from the new set "Stitched All Around" and the birthday greeting was a "Our Daily Bread Designs" stamp.

A Petal Palette Birthday

I have truly enjoyed using the "Petal Palette" stamp set and coordinating thinlets. I also purchased the "Petal Passion Memories & More Card Pack". This card uses one of those cards. I made this card for one of my special friends.

Stamps -- Petal Palette

Ink -- Memento Tuxedo Black with Sweet Sugarplum and Pear Pizzazz for watercoloring

Card Stock -- Sweet Sugarplum for card base and Smoky Slate for accent layer

Accessories -- Petals and More Thinlets, Aqua brush and dimensionals

Old Becomes New

One retired stamp set
One retired framelit set
One current stamp set
Equals one modern birthday card.

I really find it hard to let go of my retired stamp sets and accessories. I purchased them because I really liked them and I still enjoy using them. I guess I am just not a very good salesman.

Stamps -- Stampin' Up Work of Art and Big on Birthdays

Ink -- Soft Sky, Pool Party and Bermuda Bay

Card Stock -- Pool Party, Bermuda Bay and white

Accessories -- Botanical Builder Framelits and my Misti

Wreaths and More Wreaths

I love watching these designs come to life. Every new elements adds dimension to the overall image. I keep telling myself that it is time to do something different. Hasn't happened yet. Maybe today.

Stamps -- Petal Palette and Bunch of Blossoms for sentiment
Inks -- Wisteria Wonder, Pear Pizzazz and Memento Tuxedo Black
Card Stock -- Wisteria Wonder and white

Stamps -- Gina K Designs Wreath Builder and Unity Stamp for sentiment
Inks -- Gina K Designs Turquoise Sea, Sweet Mango, Grass Green and Stampin' Up's Pool Party and Daffodil Delight
Card Stock -- Pool Party and Grapefruit Grove

Creating

With the Wreath Builder templates, you can also create square designs. That is what I did on this birthday card. The template keeps everything lined up.

Card Stock -- Highland Heather for card base, Pistachio Pudding, Gorgeous Grape and White
Stamps -- Leaves -- Hold On To Hope
                 Border -- You're Lovely
                 Flower and Sentiment -- Wreath Builder
Ink -- Memento Grape Jelly and Lulu Lavender, and SU Pistachio Pudding

From Me To You!

The wreath builder template from Gina K Designs fascinates me. I had a few minutes before lunch this morning so I thought I would try another card with the large template since everything was already out. I love to watch the design come to life. This time I made a square card 4 1/4" x 4 1/4".

Stamps -- Gina K Designs Wreath Builder, ODBD Mini Tags 3 and Stampin' Up Thoughts and Prayers
Card Stock -- Stampin' Up Almost Amethyst, Granny Apple Green and white
Inks -- Gina K Designs Mini Cubes and VersaFine Onyx Black

Happy Father's Day

May is half gone so I was thinking about my upcoming card class. With June knocking on the door, I thought of "Father's Day" cards. I did not want to use brown or gray or dark blue. I wanted something bright and happy. The colors that jumped out at me were Soft Sky and Lost Lagoon. I didn't have any of the new designer paper so I made my own. I used Soft Sky card stock and ink. I think it made a beautiful background design. After stamping the sentiment on Soft Sky card stock using Lost Lagoon ink, I trimmed the words, cut them apart and used dimensionals to add them to the card. The candy dot was perfect to finish off the front.

I wanted to decorate the inside. I stamped the bottom of the white card stock using the top edge of the background stamp. Finally, using a ruler, I drew a line across the top of the stamped edge with the Lost Lagoon marker in one long smooth stroke. Love it.

Card Stock -- Soft Sky, Lost Lagoon and white
Stamps -- Just Rite Background Harlequin Script
                 Front Sentiment from Hero Arts
                 Inside sentiment from Stampin Up The Wildness Awaits
Ink -- Lost Lagoon
Accessories -- Candy Dot and Lost Lagoon marker

Blessed is those who fear the LORD,

Who find great delight in his commands.

They will have no fear of bad news;

Their hearts are steadfast,

Trusting in the LORD.

Psalm 112:1,7