New Bister Colors Card

I just got black and mahogany Bisters and experimented with them to make this background. Mahogany results in shades of red and brown and black has shades of grey and black. The containers of Bister at I Brake for Stamps here are only $1.65, so I recommend you get them all if you want to try this fun product. I added a text background from Hero Arts, then heat embossed some flowers from Prickley Pear with white embossing powder. I layered on a white card base and added a white butterfly die cut from Memory Box.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at 613 Avenue Create and the Anything Goes with a flower challenge at One Stitch at a Time.

Celebrate NBUS Card

I am still having fun with Bister powders and for this card I experimented with embossing the watercolor paper first, then adding various Bister colored powders and spritzing with water. This created another fun background. I had some new (never before used schtuff) dies sitting on my bed, so I die cut the daisy, butterfly and dragonfly (all from Penny Black) out of another mostly red bister sheet, then added Wink of Stella brush colors to each. IRL they are sparkly and pretty, but it is hard to capture the sparkle with the camera. The celebrate die is a new one from Cherry Lynn Designs.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Treasured Times and Suzy Bee's (with a twist of Red. There is red bisters in my background and on the flower and butterfly, as well as red Wink of Stella highlights.)

Birthday Bister Beauty

Try saying that title three times:) I used my blue, yellow and brown Bister powders to make the background on this birthday card, then heat embossed with white embossing powder a background stamp from Hero Arts with small text and flowers. I die cut the fern from Penny Black and the Happy Birthday from Memory Box and the card is done.

I am entering this card in the Birthday Celebration at Crafty Catz and the anything goes challenge at Brown Sugar.

Black Bister Card - Another Favorite!

When I ordered my first batch of Bister powders from I Brake for Stamps here I decided not to order black. Then I saw a card my friend Verna made using black (check out the gallery at the link above for many of Verna's gorgeous Bister cards), and decided I had to have black. This is the first card I made with just black and I love it! Another friend said it looked like a thunderstorm. I cut a circle mask and bleached out the moon- doesn't that look cool? Then I added a die cut pine tree (Tim Holtz for Sizzix), some bird silhouettes from Impression Obsession, and the Thinking of You is by Penny Black. I attached the bister piece to a kraft card and added a couple pearls to dot the i's.

If this is your first visit to my blog and you are wondering what the heck Bister powders are, scroll down the blog for more cards using Bisters. Basically they are a water soluble powder (very inexpensive!) you sprinkle on thick card stock or water color paper, then spritz with water and amazing colors appear. The link above has a video that shows how to use them and a gallery of card samples. I am obsessed with the different looks you get each time you try it, and all the possibilities for card design. Stay tuned to my blog- more cards to come:)

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Simon Says Stamp and Inky Impressions.

Do Monsters Eat Popcorn?

It's Crackerbox Palace Friday and I am sharing a Halloween card I made with some funny stamps from Crackerbox Palace. I love to use humor in my cards and most kids I know like jokes, so this would be a great card for a special child at Halloween. It also showcases another fun fold I learned recently. I started with a black A2 card and cut 1 ¾” off the right front. I embossed and sponged a white piece with a spider web embossing folder from Cuttlebug. I cut two Spellbinders label shapes and stamped the Halloween parade and Monster joke on the smaller golden label. After attaching the two together, I scored it and attached it behind the white center piece. On the inside I stamped the punch line, some kernels of popcorn and the Happy Halloween greeting. I die cut a spider (Sizzix) and popped him up on a circle and a pop dot. The label folded piece tucks under the spider circle to close the card. This is what the inside looks like: 

Don’t forget you can save 15% off your order at Crackerbox Palace.com with my name (Karen) in the coupon code box. All I ask is that you sign up as a follower here and then go shop for all these great stamps and more.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp, the Halloween Sentiment challenge at Aud Sentiments, and the Halloween challenge at Raisin Boat.

Fall Card for Designer's Choice Challenge at Repeat Impressions

It’s another Designer’s Choice Challenge at The House that Stamps Built, Repeat Impression’s blog. It’s Geri’s turn this time and she is challenging our team and you to make a Fall card. After you make your Fall card, you can enter it for a chance to win some awesome Repeat Impressions rubber! Please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other Rock Star's cards for this DCC challenge. I have seen them and you do not want to miss them!

I have been wanting to try a new technique (for me anyway) using baby wipes and dye re-inkers on glossy paper and this card was my first attempt at this easy way to get brilliant color on your cards. I simply added drops of fall colored re-inkers onto a folded baby wipe and swiped them across glossy paper. Then I stamped Foliage Negative and Positive with an archival black ink and cut the panels out. I punch a half circle in two of the panels and popped the perfect RI sentiment in the hole created. I added a strip of black sparkly decorative tape to complete the fall card. We are having a brilliant fall here in Wisconsin and I am loving all the gorgeous colors here.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Crafting from the Heart and Through the Craft Room Door.

And don’t forget: For a 10% discount on any size order at Repeat Impressions, just make a note of my discount code (rr10kh), click on the blog badge on the side of my blog and go to the website here to shop and save!

Wishing You Joy Class Card

I recently shared this card with the monthly class I teach in my home. My students learned how to make a Double Dutch Door fold card and how to make a ribbon frame. Here is a tutorial on how to make a Double Dutch Door fold card. We embossed the upper part of the folded top with a snowflake embossing folder from Tim Holtz. The joy and snowflake die cut is from W Plus 9. I sold an article on how to make ribbon frames to Scrap and Stamp Arts about 4 years ago, but it was finally published this year. It reminded me how fun and easy it is to make a ribbon frame on a card. You simply cut a slit diagonally in 4 corners of a square piece. Tie a knot in the center of 4 pieces of ribbon and put a glue dot under the knot. Place it in the center of the side of the square, and put the end of the ribbon through the cut lines. Trim and attach to the back with strong two sided adhesive. Repeat on all four sides. I cut a beautiful ornament from Memory Box for the center and attached with mounting tape to raise. Here is a picture of the card opened up to the inside:

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Incy Wincy and My Craft Creations.

Sailboat at Sunset Bister Card

I am still having fun playing with Bister powders that I purchased at I Brake for Stamps here. If you click on the gallery on that page, you will see an earlier version of this card too. I liked it, but decided the card needed some more dimension, so I embossed one of the layers of white card stock (frame created with Nestabilities dies and embossing folder from Cuttlebug), and added a vellum sail to the sailboat. The "sunset" was created with red and yellow bister powders sprinkled on watercolor paper and then spritzed with water. The water was made with blue bister, of course, then I stamped the sailboat (also from I Brake for Stamps) and bleached out the sails.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at 613 Avenue Create and Scribble and Scrap.

Fall Colors 4 Kids at Send a Smile 4 Kids!

It’s Saturday and time for another fun challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids! This time our challenge is Fall Colors 4 Kids! Create and link any card with fall colors for a child and you could win one of our great prizes.

We have three very generous sponsors for this challenge: Jellypark is giving their winner 4 digis of their choice! Sassy Studios is giving their randomly picked winner 4 digis of their choice!  And DRS Design’s winner gets a $10 gift certificate! TEAM S.A.S will also be choosing their favorite cards for our top three and the winners will receive a blog badge and an opportunity to be a guest design team member on a future challenge.

I used some fun stamps from DRS Designs for my first card above. I printed "Peculiar Pumpkin Patch" on white paper as well as several fall colored dps, and paper pieced each funny pumpkin. The Brilliant Fall sentiment is also from DRS and I printed it and attached it at an angle with a few punched leaves.

My second card is an autumn leaves shaker card created with punched colorful leaves and a cute digital image from Jellypark called "Jumping in Leaves". As usual, I paper pieced the clothing in fall colors. 

Wishing all of you a happy and brilliant fall!

Hello Gorgeous Bister Card on Crackerbox Palace Friday

It's Crackerbox Palace Friday and I am sharing a “gorgeous” card I made with Crackerbox Palace stamps, an embossing folder and a new product I recently discovered called Bisters. If you follow my blog, you know Bisters are a water soluble powder that you sprinkle on your paper, spritz with water and amazing colors appear. If you scroll down on my blog, you will see more cards I have posted with this fun and inexpensive product. I have to admit- this card is one of my favorites so far. My favorite color currently is teal so I started with a beautiful teal cardstock, then embossed a border with a classic embossing folder from Darice. I heat embossed this gorgeous silhouette CBP stamp on watercolor paper with black embossing powder. Then I sprinkled various colors of the Bister powders and spritzed with water. After it dried, I cut out the stamped image along the border and attached to the card. The Hello Gorgeous stamp seemed perfect – I just love the font. As is often the case, I cut it apart since the Hello was above the Gorgeous, and now I can choose to use it either way. This is one of the great advantages of cushion mounted stamps vs. wood mounted.

Don’t forget you can save 15% off your order at Crackerbox Palace.com with my name (Karen) in the coupon code box. All I ask is that you sign up as a follower here and then go shop for all these great stamps and more.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Kraftin’ Kimmie Wonderful Wednesday and the Embossing challenge at Penny’s Paper-Crafty.

There are no mistakes, just opportunities..

The background on this card is totally different than what I set out to make with my bister powders, but when I finished it, I liked it enough to still make a card with it. So the title of this blog post came true- there are no mistakes in stamping and crafting, only opportunities to try something different. I wanted to make a background with just different shades of brown. I started with the natural bister powder on water color paper, and let that dry. Then I pulled out a Tim Holtz stencil, taped it down and was going to stencil just half the card in a darker brown. Except I grabbed the wrong bister container and it was green instead of brown. Plus I taped the stencil down wrong so the top part was not going to show the stencil pattern. I realized this after sprinkling on some bister powder, so when I moved the stencil, I no longer had the pattern I wanted. But I spritzed the water on anyway and this background is the result. Notice the little bit of blue? I only used green and brown, but sometimes another color shows up. I am finding these Bister powders fascinating and I am not done playing with them yet! Here is a link to I Brake for Stamps which is the only retailer in the U.S. that I know of who sells this product from the Netherlands. Check out the gallery and the video for more ideas and tips on how to create with this fun and very inexpensive product.

I die cut and attached three colors of my favorite new leafy die from Penny Black and added a die cut sentiment from IO Dies.

I am entering this card in the No DP challenge at Cardz 4 Guys and the Anything Goes challenge at Sweet Stamps.

What If? Wed. Sketch Challenge at Repeat Impressions

Happy Wednesday everyone! It's time for another fun sketch challenge at The House that Stamps Built and we are challenging you to make a card using the sketch below and link it up for a chance at some great Repeat Impressions rubber! For all the details on what you can win and to see the other Rock Stars cards using this sketch, please visit our blog.

I decided to make a cute Halloween card for one of my kids at SAS4Kids with this sketch. I started with a lime green card base that I embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder. I cut some squares of fun Halloween paper and attached them according to the sketch. I stamped and paper pieced the cute kitty in a pumpkin and added the perfect Halloween sentiment layered on a black square to complete the card.

Here is the sketch for you to follow when you create a card for our challenge. You do not need to use Repeat Impressions stamps to enter our challenges, but you get an extra chance to win if you do!

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Through the Craft Room Door and My Craft Creations.

**Don’t Forget: for a 10% discount on any size order at Repeat Impressions, make a note of my discount code (rr10kh), click on the blog badge on the side of my blog and go to the website here to shop and save!**

Bisters and Stencils

So as you know I am having fun designing with Bisters (for links to source, tutorial etc., scroll down to slightly earlier blog posts). I decided to try them with a stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils. I taped the stencil down on watercolor paper, tapped the Bisters in various colors in the opening of the stencil and spritzed with water. This is how the background dried- some of the colors combined- each time you try it, you have a different result. So much fun! I die cut some flowers out of vellum with a Penny Black flower die, and added a die cut sentiment  from Penny Black and a couple butterflies also out of vellum.

I am entering this card in the Sentiments challenge at That Craft Place and the Anything Goes challenge at Suzy Bee's.

Repeat Impression's Project of the Week

Happy Monday everyone! It is my turn to share a Project of the Week with you here and at the Repeat Impressions blog. I will be showing you how to make a Double Easel Card and throwing in some tips on making paper piecing easier as well. I started with a 7 x 7 inch navy blue card, scored in half. The front half of the card is cut with a paper cutter at the 3 1/2 inch mark up to the score line (also 3 1/2 inch line horizontally.) Then fold the top sides down diagonally from the outside corner the the center. Here are a couple pictures of what that will look like:

The lower part of the triangles will be where the front squares are attached and what stands up to make the double easel. Now the fun part - decorating the card. I started with some old cloud designer paper from my stash, and stamped the hot air balloons from RI's Big Boy Toys Collection, then stamped them again on several colorful dp scraps. I love to paper piece and one tip I learned way back was to apply two sided tape BEFORE cutting out the element you are paper piecing. Once it is cut out, it sticks easily without having to add more adhesive at this point. This works especially well when the object has delicate or small parts, but I do this even on objects such as these hot air balloons.

I applied the hot air balloon pieces to 3 1/2 inch squares of navy blue and attached them to the bottom only of the folded triangles. I stamped "Soaring by to say Hi" twice on a 7 x 1 inch  cloud piece and attached that with pop dots to raise and hold up the two easels. I cut a 2 1/2 inch white square in half diagonally to create a triangle, and added a die cut "hi" (Paper Smooches) and a gem to complete this double easel hello card.

The card lays flat to mail as you  can see from this photo. I love trying new folds and hope this has inspired you to try something new too.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at 613 Avenue Create and Scribble and Scrap.

Scenery Card with Bister Powders

This is the second of many cards I will be sharing with you using a new product I discovered called Bisters. For links to the website they can be purchased, a gallery and video and another card I made, just click on this link or scroll down on my blog to yesterday's post.

This card was so easy to make, but I love the sunset sky easily created with Bisters and water. I simply heat embossed the lighthouse scenery stamp (from I Brake for Stamps) on a water color piece of cardstock. Then I sprinkled brown Bister powder on the bottom and reds, yellows and blues on the top. I spritzed with water and these colors appear. I let it dry, cut out with deckle scissors and layered onto a white card base.

The stamp and the Bisters are "never before used schtuff" because I just received them and this is the first card I made with this stamp and these colored Bisters, so I am entering this card in the 2nd NBUS challenge here. I am also entering it in the Anything Goes challenge at 613 Avenue Create.

Creating a Background with Bisters

I discovered Bisters recently at my friend, Verna's blog here and I was just fascinated with the look. Bisters are a water soluble wood stain product from Netherlands that you sprinkle on paper, spritz with water and beautiful colors appear. I am just a rookie at this, but am having fun learning. Bisters are sold here at the I Brake for Stamps site and there is a video there you can watch to learn how to use them.  They are so inexpensive, you can afford all the different colors! I also bought this Silhouette Lamp and several other gorgeous stamps by I Brake for Stamps and all were very reasonably priced. Check out their gallery here for some more lovely cards using Bisters.

I tried stamping after playing with the Bisters on some of my other attempts, but in this case I embossed the light post with black embossing powder first.  I sprinkled blue, green and yellow Bister powder on watercolor paper, although other thicker cardstocks will work fine with this technique too. I spritzed with water and just like magic, these lovely colors appear. If you are patient, you can wait for it to dry before completing the card. Or you can dry with a heat gun, but avoid the embossing or that will melt again. I colored the lamp light with a gold Wink of Stella brush, and added a bird from Impression Obsession. I die cut the "thanks" from Lil' Inker out of the background piece and again in gold and inlaid the "thanks" and the pieces back into the piece. I layered it on aqua blue and then on a gold card base. I had fun playing with Bisters and will be sharing more cards here as I learn more.

I am entering this card in the "Make your Own Background" challenge at Simon Says Stamp and the Outdoors challenge at Creative Knockouts.

Another Christmas Card with the Same Crackerbox Palace Stamps

It's Crackerbox Palace Friday and I am sharing another Christmas card I made with the same stamps I used last week. When you start with a great image stamp and the perfect sentiment, you can stretch your crafting dollars by making many very different cards using the same stamps. This week I used the Holly Border to create a wreath above a shaker layer. I stamped the Holly Border around the hole created with a Spellbinders circle die. I attached acetate to the back of that piece. On the front of the card base I stamped more of the Holly Border lightly and the Season’s Greetings sentiment. I built up two layers of mounting tape around the circle, attached on three sides and poured glass beads, sequins and a glittery snowflake to shake and sparkle. I added some red beads for the holly berries on the wreath.

Don’t forget you can save 15% off your order at Crackerbox Palace.com with my name (Karen) in the coupon code box. All I ask is that you sign up as a follower here and then go shop for all these great stamps and more. 

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Kraftin’ Kimmie's Wonderful Wednesday and the Glitter and Sparkle challenge at Love’s Rubberstamps.

CAS Sympathy Card

I created this simple but elegant sympathy card a while back but never blogged it. I started with an embossed black piece on a white card base. I stamped the tree scene, cut it in four panels and layered it back on a white border piece. I stamped the sentiment and added the pearls to complete the card.

I am entering this card in the CAS challenge at Cards und More and the Anything Goes challenge at Through the Craft Room Door.

Black, White and Grey Challenge at Repeat Impressions

It’s another Designer’s Choice Challenge at The House that Stamps Built, Repeat Impression’s blog. It’s Cheri’s turn this time and she is challenging our team and you to make a card using the colors Black, White and Grey.  She said she was watching an old movie in black and white, and was inspired for this challenge. After you make your card, you can enter it for a chance to win some awesome Repeat Impressions rubber! Please visit the blog for all the details and to see the other Rock Star's cards for this DCC challenge. I have seen them and you do not want to miss them!

One of my favorite Repeat Impression’s stamps is this panda Mama and her baby. I stamped it with black ink on white and framed her with a black piece. I stamped the bamboo all around a white card base in grey tones and added a lovely sentiment to complete the CAS card.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Crafting from the Heart and My Craft Creations.

And don’t forget: For a 10% discount on any size order at Repeat Impressions, just make a note of my discount code (rr10kh), click on the blog badge on the side of my blog and go to the website here to shop and save!

NBUS BD Card for my DH

My blog title means: Never Before Used Schtuff Birthday Card for my Dear Husband:) I love the stitched die look and could not resist these stars from Lil' Inker. Then I saw the stamps that went with the dies and I just had to get them. When my husband is trying to be funny and is enthusiastic about something, he says "far out and groovy". The fact that I remember those words from when they were something we said all the time dates me too:) The dies and sentiments from Lil' Inker are NBUS I just had to use to make this card for him for an upcoming birthday. I raised the orange top up over the brown card base with pop dots and attached several yellow stitched stars on both layers.

NBUS #2 challenge is going on on Darnell's blog here and I am entering this card in that challenge.

I am also entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at 613 Avenue Create.

Another CAS Sponged Stencil Card

I am loving how easy it is to make pretty backgrounds with stencils and sponging. Add a couple die cuts and a little stamping and the result is a lovely card. I sponged the floral border stencil from Memory Box with a blue distress ink. Then I die cut the "hello" from Paper Smooches and layered that piece over a dark blue card base. The large bird was cut in grey with a Memory Box die. I stamped a fern with Versamark and heat set it with clear embossing powder. A black pearl completed the serene bird.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge and Treasured Times.

Enjoy CAS Card

I created a simple sponged background with a new stencil from Memory Box and some raspberry ink. I also sponged the coloring on the light house scene after masking the lighthouse. The "enjoy" is a die from Penny Black.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenge at Sister Act and the Something New challenge at Simply Create Too. (The stencil is new.)

Cute Fall/Halloween Cards 4 Kids at SAS4Kids

It’s Saturday and time for another fun challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids! This time our challenge is Cute Fall/Halloween Cards 4 Kids! Create and link any fall or Halloween card for a child and you could win one of our great prizes. Remember, though, no scary cards or any images of tombstones, etc. in your cards for this challenge or in any cards you might send in to SAS4Kids. Our challenges always reflect the type of cards we would love to receive for our kids inpatient in Children’s Hospitals and now is the time to send in your fall and Halloween cards. You do not have to donate your cards to participate in our challenges, but our kids would sure love it if you did!

We have three very generous sponsors for this challenge: Crackerbox Palace is giving their winner 3 digis of any CBP stamps on their website! The Cutting Café is giving their randomly picked winner 3 digi or cutting files of their choice!  And Stitchy Bear Digital Outlet’s winner gets a $6 gift certificate! TEAM S.A.S will also be choosing their favorite cards for our top three and the winners will receive a blog badge and an opportunity to be a guest design team member on a future challenge.

My first card uses some adorable Halloween stamps from Crackerbox Palace. When the card opens, the child who receives it will get a chuckle out of the punch line of the joke.

My second card features a cute pumpkin cutting file from The Cutting Cafe'. I added some googly eyes and twine to my pair of adorable pumpkins. This is what the inside looks like: 

Be sure to check out all the awesome cards on the SAS4Kids blog using Crackerbox Palace and The Cutting Cafe' images.

I am entering these cards in the Anything Goes challenge at Crafty Sentiments Designs and Penny's Paper Crafty.

Same Sketch and CBP Stamps- 2 Very Different Cards

It's Crackerbox Palace Friday and I am sharing two cards I made with the same sketch and same Crackerbox Palace stamps, but very different looks. I used the same sketch yesterday on my blog here, again with a totally different result. I love CBP’s Holly Border stamp. I masked off the center strip of this first card, then stamped the Holly Border on the top and bottom many times, sometimes without re-inking the stamp. I also love the font and look of CBP’s Season’s Greetings stamp, but it was too tall for the area I wanted to stamp it in. So I cut it in half and stamped the words next to each other. If the stamp was mounted on wood, this would not be an option. I love the flexibility and quality of the cling foam option at Crackerbox Palace, and storage is easier too.

I decided I wanted a chalkboard look for my second card. I recently purchased some chalkboard tape and wanted to play with it. I stamped the sentiment on the tape with white pigment ink and experimented with heat setting it and letting it sit awhile, but in all attempts, the ink still smeared. Luckily I wanted the chalkboard look and so a little smearing is OK. The dots were done with a white chalk marker from CTMH and they did not smear. I stamped the Holly Border in Versamark and heat embossed with white embossing powder. I smeared some of the white pigment ink all over for a chalky look. I think I like this one too, but will admit most of my Christmas cards are more colorful and in traditional holiday colors.

Don’t forget you can save 15% off your order at Crackerbox Palace.com with my name (Karen) in the coupon code box. All I ask is that you sign up as a follower here and then go shop for all these great stamps and more. You know you want toJ

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Kraftin’ Kimmie and Scrapper’s Delights.

Sketch Challenge Card with Faux Chalk Fall Leaves

My favorite new technique is Faux Chalk using stencils and copics as invented by Sandy Allnock and explained here in this video. I found this fun sketch and challenged my club to use it for the sketch challenge this month. I created stencils with acetate and Tim Holtz Tattered Leaves dies, and pulled in fall colors of Copics to color the leaves. I masked off  the center, then used my Scor-buddy to score some lines and dots. The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp.

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Loves Rubberstamps and Fan-tastic Tuesday.

What If? Wed. Sketch Challenge at Repeat Impressions

Happy Wednesday everyone! It's time for another fun sketch challenge at The House that Stamps Built and we are challenging you to make a card using the sketch below and link it up for a chance at some great Repeat Impressions rubber! For all the details on what you can win and to see the other Rock Stars cards using this sketch, please visit our blog.

I love to paper piece with patterned paper and I “colored” the flowers and butterfly in this “Beautiful Days” window with fall colored dp. I added a border of punched butterflies (Martha Stewart punch) in a gold patterned paper.

Here is the sketch for you to follow when you create a card for our challenge. You do not need to use Repeat Impressions stamps to enter our challenges, but you get an extra chance to win if you do!

I am entering this card in the Anything Goes challenges at Through the Craft Room Door and the “patterned paper” challenge at Virginia’s View.

**Don’t Forget: for a 10% discount on any size order at Repeat Impressions, make a note of my discount code (rr10kh), click on the blog badge on the side of my blog and go to the website here to shop and save!**

Paper Pieced Rebecca Card

I love to "dress" my stamped images using designer paper and paper piecing. Rebecca from Repeat Impressions is one of my favorite stamps to do this technique with, and I created this card for a class on paper piecing I am teaching in my home. I started with a larger kraft card, and layered "Resplendent Rectangles" from Spellbinders in kraft and cream paper. I stamped Rebecca and colored her flesh and hair. I paper pieced her dress in a pretty orange dp and then stamped, embossed and attached the pinafore in yellow. I added a "happy hello" from Flourishes.

I am entering this card in the patterned paper challenge at Virginia's View and the Anything Goes challenge at Scribble and Scrap.

Office Buildings at Night

I made this  card for my son who works in downtown Chicago in a tall office building. These buildings (cut with a My Favorite Things die) remind me of a large city skyline. I simply masked the moon and sponged with a sunset variety of colors. Then I added the buildings and the "happy hello."

I am entering this card in the "office or work related" challenge at Open Minded Challenges and the Anything Goes challenge at 613 Avenue Create.

Happy Labor Day everyone! I am celebrating my happy retirement so today is like every other one:)