Coming and Going!

There's a whole lot of coming and going in a military family!  Over the years we spent a LOT of time apart and wrote lots of letters (and sent micro-cassettes too!) in those days before email was available for deployed sailors.  Those bon voyages and homecomings were so emotional!  Military families make huge sacrifices to support our freedom, and we are so very thankful for them.    

My card for today is a patriotic card that commemorates all those emotional comings and goings, inspired by a quilt design (flying geese), made flat for mailing via FPO/Fleet Post Office.  With a vivid imagination those triangles could even make one think of a stealth bomber !  :wink:

This scripture is absolutely perfect for someone about to leave for deployment.  It is part of a beautiful Stamp Simply set, A Man of Knowledge, which includes other scriptures, happy birthday, Father's Day and congratulations sentiments. 

 

The passage inside is from one of our new patriotic stamp sets, American Eagle.  

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - A Man of Knowledge
• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - The American Eagle
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Patriotic Stars & Stripes (Old Glory)
• Echo Park Let Freedom Ring 6x6
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Standard Squares SM
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Standard Squares LG
• Luxury Pearlescent Metallic 105# Cardstock - Gold 6 ct
• Delicata ink

Here in the United States of America, Memorial Day will be observed this coming Monday.  It honors those who have paid the ultimate price, who left and never came home again.  My husband lost several squadron mates over the course of his career, and our hearts are always with their families.  I hope as you unofficially welcome Summer this weekend, you will take the time to honor these military heroes.  God bless, and God bless America!

Sing to Him a New Song!

The colors of this beautiful Ink Drops designer paper inspired a card celebrating God's steadfast love in the midst of the changing seasons.  

That lovely designer paper has cool colors on one side and warm colors on the other.  I used Copic markers in greens, teals, yellows, oranges, and pinks randomly to color the leaves, bringing the colors from the one side of the paper to the other and tying the design together.

Speaking of changes, that little pop of red from the cardinal really changes the personality of this card!  He adds a hopeful, happy note.  Here is what it looks like when he's not there!  Even though the colors from the inside of the card still sing, the atmosphere seems much calmer and more serene without that bright red focal point.

  

This is what the inside looks like once the belly band is removed and the card is opened.  I was going for that "new every morning" feeling and I love the way it turned out using distress oxides/inks with a little Delicata splash and sparkle.  

We've had the landscapers at our house removing some old, tired plants and replacing them with fresh new healthy ones.  Then we had what we thought was a hot water heater problem that ended up being an under-slab leak so the plumber had to cut into our wood floor for access to the repair...so the floor is going to be replaced/repaired too!  Our home was built in 1989/90 and so I suppose it is time for all these things to need replacing or updating.  We did some remodeling during Pandemic too, but the list just goes on and on (and not necessarily on our chosen timing!).   I don't know about you but this kind of stuff sorta stresses me out!  Hence the "note to self" to sing that new song, to remember that it will all work out in the long run!  All things work together for good...(Romans 8:28).  

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - God Will Take Care of You Bundle
• Craft Consortium Ink Drops Dusk 6x6
• Memento ink
• Delicata Non-Tarnishing Ink Pad - Celestial Copper
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Standard Circles SM
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Standard Circles LG
• May Arts Burlap String - 400 Yard Spool - Antique Gold
• distress oxides and distress inks
• copic markers
• buttons from stash

Stars and Stripes Easel Card

Hello again everyone!  I'm here today with a special version of an easel card inspired by one made by Frances Byrne.  (The tutorial that she links to in her blog post is no longer available, but this card's construction was not hard to figure out, so here's my version!)

The dangling star ornament was made by stamping and die-cutting several stars (I used 5 but 3 or 4 would probably have worked just fine!) from our new American Eagle bundle, scoring each star vertically from top to bottom and glueing them one half to another. Remember to add a strand of cording or monofilament for hanging your ornament to the center before glueing the final two sides together!

The card base is a vertical half sheet of card stock, 4.25 inches wide x 11 inches long, scored it at 2.75 and 5.5 inches.  I used a circle die to cut a circle opening through the fold...it helps with alignment if you first cut a circle of copy paper for a template and fold it in half to align it where you want it to be, matching the horizontal fold lines of the card and template. 

For the "frame" I aligned two circle dies, one inside the other, on a sheet of gold pearlescent card stock.  Repeat the process, then center the star inside the circle and position the cording taut before adhering the two frames together.  Finally, glue ONLY THE BOTTOM HALF of the frame to the circular opening of the card so that the top of the circle is free to swing away from the base when the easel is propped open.

Decorate the inside as you wish, with elements to peek through the opening (or to remain hidden) when the card is closed.  Some strategically placed embellishments will help to keep the easel in position for display.  

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - The American Eagle Bundle
• Stamp Simply Old Glory dies
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Standard Circles SM
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Standard Circles LG
• Echo Park Let Freedom Ring 6x6
• Luxury Pearlescent Metallic 105# Cardstock - Gold 6 ct
• Memento Full Size Dye Ink Pad - Tuxedo Black
• Delicata Celestial Copper ink
• heart die from baby set
• tea dye distress ink
• faded jeans distress ink

American Patriotism

I really LOVE Stamp Simply's new American Eagle stamp and was inspired to make another very CAS patriotic card using our new sets.  This project is straightforward and no-frills for masculine appeal (although I think the ladies might like it too), and since it has no bows or rhinestones it's flat and therefore suitable for mailing without requiring extra postage for hand canceling.    

I used small and large circle dies to cut a peek-through window through the card front and the striped designer paper so that the starry background could peek through.  If you look closely you'll notice that I used a metallic gel pen around the edges of the papers to add just a touch of sparkle.  The eagle is attached to the front of the card only by the very tips of its wings.  It was stamped with Memento ink, colored with Copic markers, and then backed with another die cut from designer paper so that it would look nice from the back side when the card is opened.

The small numbers above the eagle are from Tim Holtz's Collector's die set.    

 

I also used the metallic gel pen to go around the edges of the fishtail banner, and to add a "drop shadow" effect to the stamped sentiment.  Just that little bit of extra attention to detail really elevates the look of such a minimalist card.  

Once the card is opened, the gold pearlescent stars inside become visible.  (You can see that peek of designer paper that backs the eagle from this angle.)

I graduated from high school in 1976 which was the bicentennial of our nation's independence.  Maybe that is another reason that I love making patriotic cards so much! 

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - The American Eagle Bundle
• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - The Pledge of Allegiance
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Patriotic Stars & Stripes (Old Glory)
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Fishtail Sentiment Banners
• Sizzix Thinlits Dies by Tim Holtz - Collector (1776 small numbers)
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Standard Circles SM
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Standard Circles LG
• Echo Park Let Freedom Ring 6x6
• Luxury Pearlescent Metallic 105# Cardstock - Gold 15 ct
• Memento Full Size Dye Ink Pad - Tuxedo Black
• tea dye distress ink
• faded jeans distress oxide
• gold metallic gel pen

America, Land That I Love!

Hello everyone!  Stamp Simply has some new brand patriotic stamps and I'm so excited to share them with you!

The American Eagle

Pledge of Allegiance

These new stamps can stand perfectly on their own, but they are so much fun to combine with our earlier patriotic sets.  They are for sale individually or in a variety of bundles.  See them all here!

One of the things that I love about these stamps is their versatility. They can look rustic or elegant, vintage or modern, and are just as at home on a clean and simple card as they are a fancier project.  

In fact, they can make CAS look quite elegant!  All it takes is a few minutes with stamps, dies and markers, pretty pearlized paper and gold ink. 

Beside the fact that we're proud Americans, the 4th of July is a big deal in the Felts household since my husband is retired USN, and also because the patriotic holiday follows my birthday.  Usually we have a big fireworks party in the cul de sac.  

I decided that this box of sparklers could use a rustic patriotic make-over for this year's celebration!  This photo shows the before and after!  

I used the original box for a rough template, tweaking it to fit onto an 4.5 x 11" sheet of card stock.   I stamped the stars in black ink, colored and shaded them with Copic markers, then masked over them to stamp The Pledge in metallic ink.   I used a variety of patriotic sentiments from our sets, old and new, to create a set of (Tim Holtz) tags for an embellishment.  There is also a sprinkling of small gold stars die cut from pearlized gold paper.    

The entire project was distressed with tea dye distress ink and given a few splashes of diluted Delicata gold/copper inks to add to the rustic feel.   Here's the box viewed from the back.   

Supplies:

• Patriotic Bundle
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Fishtail Sentiment Banners
• Sizzix Thinlits Dies by Tim Holtz - Tag Collection
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Standard Ovals SM
• Echo Park Let Freedom Ring 6x6
• Luxury Pearlescent Metallic 105# Cardstock - Gold 6 ct
• May Arts 1" Sheer - 100 Yard Spool - Dark Gold
• Memento Full Size Dye Ink Pad - Tuxedo Black
• Delicata inks
• Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink

Copic markers

Be sure to visit the Stamp Simply blog for more patriotic inspiration as our design team has been posting patriotic cards each day this week.

He Stilled the Storm

Hello again!  I hope you're having a good week!  So far mine has been fun because I have been playing with some of my favorite products and trying to think a little more out-of-the-box.  Today's project started with the idea of a hat card for the fisherman/sailor. I showed my husband my first attempt and he said, "It needs to be rounder" so off I went to search for origami hat instructions on YouTube, only my version is on a much smaller scale.

The strip of paper I used to make this little hat was ~ 2.25 x 7 inches scored 1/2 inch from each end and then at one inch intervals between, with one scoreline ~ 1/2 inch along one long edge.  Then it was folded accordion-style and an inverted V cut into the top, just like making paper dolls!  I snipped at regular intervals from the bottom up to that long scoreline to make it easier to shape into the round.  

I used a paper piercer to make a hole into the top of each triangle, then held it all together with a tiny brad from my stash.  I felt it needed some reinforcement so I glued a couple of circles of different sizes into the inside just to help hold it all in shape.  Then I set it atop a piece of scrap paper to hand-sketch a pattern for the brim.  Once that was the appropriate size/shape, I cut one out of designer paper and adhered everything together.  

All of the stamps I used are from our Lighthouse bundle.  Moving clockwise around the card, there is the wheel...

...waves splashing around some pilings (the water was colored with Copics, then dabbed and splashed with white acrylic paint and blotted, and finally topped with clear Wink of Stella)... 

...and finally the sentiment in the bottom right corner.  I thought it would be fun to add a tiny hook but the smallest one we had was too large for the project, so I grabbed some silver wire and jewelry pliers to shape one the size I wanted.  I swiped the string from a fresh tea bag.  It shows up a little better than monofilament would've.  

Here's the inside.  This paper is full of lots of fun images of all shapes and sizes and has strips that are perfect for borders.

This card is a standard sized 5.5 x 4.25 inch card but the hat is about 1.5 inches tall so it would require a box for mailing. Alternatively, it would sure be a fun in-person, by-hand delivery for the sailor/fisherman in your life!  When I showed the finished card to Patrick he laughed and said, "It's a HAT!" so I think I got it right after all!  

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Lighthouse Full Bundle
• Graphic 45 Catch of the Day - 8x8
• Memento Full Size Dye Ink Pad - Tuxedo Black
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Standard Circles SM (used for reinforcement inside the hat)
• Copic markers
• "hook" (made from silver jewelry wire)
• tea bag string
• small brad and tiny button from stash
• white acrylic paint for splashes and splatters

Graduation 2023

The 2023 graduation season is fast approaching, so I am here today with a slimline card (finished size 3.5 tall x 8.5 wide) in local high school colors with diagonal lines inspired by the school's website banner.  All of the stamps, dies, and papers I've used are available from Stamp Simply.    

The sheet of gold-green from the Patina paper pad is perfect for representing FIHS colors!  The Ink Drops line has colors of nearly every hue so I'd bet you can find one that will work for your school's colors too!  Here's a link to all of the store's Craft Consortium papers including Ink Drops papers and more.    

These Countdown numbers from Tim Holtz are so perfect for birthdays and graduations.  I cut them from the gold pearlescent paper and added one of our die cut graduation caps on top of the zero.  

The die has a tassel but I decided to replace it with a tassel made from gold cording.  The cording I used is one we have for hanging Christmas ornaments and it's a little stiff which made it perfect for this purpose.  I just tied the cording into a tassel, then made a loose knot and threaded the ends through a hole pierced into the cap.  I used my piercing stylus to guide the placement of the knot as I tightened the cording, then taped it to the back securely.  A tiny thread of glue holds the threads in their proper place on top and a little glue dot holds the top of the tassel to the card base allowing the threads to fall freely.

Here's the inside.  The green and gold theme is continued here with a ribbon die cut from the same papers using dies from the Tim Holtz Collector die set.  

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Graduation Bundle TRIO
• Sizzix Thinlits Dies by Tim Holtz - Countdown
• Sizzix Thinlits Dies by Tim Holtz - Collector
• Craft Consortium Patina 6x6
• Luxury Pearlescent Metallic 105# Cardstock - Gold 6 ct
• Delicata ink
• gold cord

Enjoy the Little Things!

 

Hello y'all!  Happy Thursday!

It has been absolutely gorgeous here lately with bright sunny days and just enough rain to keep things beautifully green.  I've been participating in Sock Madness and so, knitting a lot lately.  Our current sock is inspired by Winnie the Pooh, so as I sat down to stamp this week's Stamp Simply design team project, my thoughts were of celebrating everyday moments and "enjoying the little things!"  We all need to keep our inner Eeyore in check!  A Springtime floral is just the ticket!

I love combining colors and prints from different paper pads (I suppose from my years coordinating fabric designs back when I sewed all my own clothing) so I used a floral print from Graphic 45 with Ink Drops papers for the background and the focal element. The Ink Drops colors bring out some of the soft blues and the brighter yellow oranges of the Fairy floral paper.  The floral stamp (Seasonal Wreaths Srping/Summer) echoes the motifs of the designer paper.  The sentiment is from one set of our Farmhouse collection.  The flourished font used in this series is one of my favorites!  

The inside is simple, with a scrap of that beautiful Fairy paper and a soft pink heart from our Farmhouse Signage set.  

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Farmhouse Simple Sentiments
• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Farmhouse Signage
• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Seasonal Wreaths, Spring/Summer
• Graphic 45 Fairie Wings - 8x8
• Craft Consortium Ink Drops Ocean 6x6
• Craft Consortium Ink Drops Sunset 6x6
• May Arts 1.5" Striped - 30 yard Spool - Light Blue/Ivory
• Kaisercraft Self-Adhesive Round Rhinestones - Split Pea
• Copic markers
• white acrylic paint for splattering

And oh, if you're curious about that sock, Round 3 of Sock Madness on the Ravelry website (Socks of Little Brain? by Anne Rutgrink), here it is...well, what I've knit so far, representing Pooh in his red shirt with lots of bees buzzing about!  See, that Pooh yellow was one of the things that really did inspire my card!  I had red yarn but no gold, so I had to dye some gold myself and at first the pot of dye looked a lot like that swirly ink drops paper!    

I'm about to pick up stitches at the bottom of the shirt and knit the leg/foot in a yellow honeycomb stitch pattern.  Hopefully I'll finish the pair in time to make it on to Round 4!

Wish me luck!  See you next week!

Thin Blue Line/Thank You for Your Service!

Welcome back!

The house across the street from the turn into our subdivision has flags on either side of their driveway, one the American flag and the other one a police flag representing "the thin blue line" so I was inspired to make a Thin Blue Line thank you card.  

I used one of our Stamp Simply patriotic stamp sets, stamping with Memento ink and coloring it with Copic markers.  I used a few neutral grey colors, along with several shades of gold and blue. Using darker greys rather than true black allowed the stippled shadow details of the stamp (stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black) to show through since it was stamped in darker ink.   

I used red and blue Copic markers to color strips of card stock, then glued them next to one another atop another scrap of card stock and die cut them with a banner die.  The sentiment was stamped on another banner die from the same die set.  

I learned while reading about police flags that police officers wear silver badges, and detectives wear gold, so I decided to include a star "badge" on the card front.  This is a Spellbinders die that was scored from the point of each star to the  ^  angle between two points, then folded mountain/valley style to make it three-dimensional.

Another thing I learned in my research was that there are colors for other disciplines of public service as well.  There are so many public servants to whom we should voice our gratitude!  

Here's a peek at the inside.  I stamped the word collage stamp in black, accented with silver Delicata stars, and carefully colored the words RED, (white), and BLUE their respective colors.  That would probably have been easier with colored gel pens but since I didn't have any I just used my Copics.  

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - The Red, White & Blue Bundle
• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Patriotic Sentiments
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Fishtail Sentiment Banners
• Spellbinders Stars Five
• Craft Consortium Ink Drops Ocean 6x6
• Luxury Pearlescent Metallic 105# Cardstock - Silver 6 ct
• Delicata Non-Tarnishing Ink Pad - Silvery Shimmer
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic markers (red, white, blue, gold, and neutral greys)

Special Occasions!

This week our Stamp Simply team has been highlighting cards for Life's special occasions, so I am here with an anniversary card that has romantic travel/honeymoon remembrance inspiration  (My husband and I got married in St. John, honeymooned there, and have taken memorable trips to the Caribbean, France and Monaco so I suppose that's what led me in this direction).  

I love those Caribbean colors peeking through some pearly lattice work, bordered with some pretty pink trim and romantic vintage postcard paper.  The sentiment was stamped in vibrant turquoise ink on more of that lovely pearlescent paper.  

The colors of the vintage paper are reflected in the gorgeous shiny variegated silk ribbon, the colors of shell and sand, layered with frayed tulle and a pale Caribbean blue blossom.  

Here's the inside, with a sentiment from  our LOVE set paired with one from the set used above.  

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Wedding & Anniversary Wishes
• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Love
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Fishtail Sentiment Banners
• Sizzix Thinlits Dies by Tim Holtz - Mixed Media #1
• Prima Capri - 6x6
• Luxury Pearlescent Metallic 105# Cardstock - Quartz White 6 ct
• May Arts Vintage Sampler - Pink & White w/Rosettes
• May Arts 1.25" Variegated Silk - 32 yard spools - Pink/Champagne
• Kaisercraft Mini Paper Blooms - Sea Breeze (a sub for the one I used)
• Kaisercraft Self-Adhesive Round Rhinestones - Light Pink
• distress oxide inks
• tulle