cards

lavenderhousecreations

special thanks

White-on-White Challenge at Double D and Just Add Ink #734…Something New Blog Hop! are two challenges that inspired this card. The folder is brand new and is by Memory Box, Open Studio and it came with two matching dies. I love white on white and am always fascinated with how different white can look on various card stocks. I started with the embossing and then die cut the two flowers which I also embossed. I added a tiny amount of green to the stems using a pencil. To give them some additional life I added some Versamark and heat embossed some white/glitter powder but the photo doesn’t really pick it up. It is very sparkly on my desk. I added a little more sparkle with some stickles.

Taking another piece of CS I roughed up the edges added some Versamark and heat embossed with the white/glitter powder. This piece was added to a card front and the embossed layer was added using a thick foam tape. The additional flowers were popped up on a thin foam tape. The sentiment and flourish were leftover from a previous project and I thought they worked well for this card so I added them. Finished it with some small Trinity Stamp embellishments. These particular ones pick up any colour around them which makes them an interesting addition.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you are enjoying a nice day wherever you are.

lavenderhousecreations

bird-day greetings

Challenge #339 – Winter Frost is the latest challenge at As You See It and this one is a colour challenge. I thought about a design for a couple of days and then sawsomething in the group from GKD, by Karen Hightower, that was set out like this one and I went with that. My colours are as close as I can get with what I have using Distress inks and card stock from different sources. Card base is a darker basic gray with a slate gray background for the rest of the card. Ribbon is from my stash – no idea where I got these and I’ve had them for a long time. Stamp set is from YNS and the EF is another oldie that I have no name for but it definitely is a brand not a knock off. I did the birds and the balloon initially on some scrap CS and heat embossed them so I could add more colour. When they were dry I fussy cut each piece but took off the legs and the string. Then I added foam tape to the bodies and laid them on the top piece temporarily so I could lay out the stamps again. I re-stamped everything in Hickory Smoke and heat embossed for more definition. Then I added them fussy cut pieces on top so the birds now had their legs back as well as the balloon it’s string. I had cut the dry embossed piece to size, added foam tape and then added it to the lighter gray panel. Added the top portion the same way and left a small gap between the two. I wasn’t happy, so I had the idea of adding the ribbon which I liked much more. The sentiment was stamped and heat embossed but this stamp has a slight fault in it at one end and I tried several times to remove it. Nothing worked so in the end I angle cut the strip on both sides. It isn’t perfect, but better than the original. Too bad the company has gone as I would ask them for a replacement stamp if I could. I may try to cut the fault off, but it requires a very steady hand and I’m concerned I may ruin it completely. Overall I’m happy enough with the card that I am posting and entering it.

Thanks for stopping by, your time is appreciated as are any comments you may leave.

lavenderhousecreations

warmest wishes

Last year I created some background panels by using up some of my scraps. This piece used here is one of those panels. Inkspirational is looking for pretty quilts, so I took a background die and put it through the machine. This particular die (don’t know the brand) has never cut that well, particularly on thicker paper so I decided to use it as a pattern to look as if quilt stitched and I added the center pieces separately. My original thinking was to punch out the pieces and back the panel with another colour, but the poor cutting didn’t allow for that. The whale was stamped and die cut using an older Hero Arts kit and to attach it I die cut the center out of the patterned piece backed the whale with foam tape. I wanted it to look as if it was stitched into the quilt like you see those puffy sections on real quilts so I popped it back in place before attaching it all together onto the card front. I added the splashes and used an incentive stamp set from GKD for the sentiment. This I heat embossed in silver and die cut using some unbranded banner dies.

This will be a nice addition to my masculine card file as I have a few masculine birthdays coming up soon. I also have to make a card for my hubby whose 75th birthday is in early February. Not sure what I shall do yet. Any ideas gratefully received, lol.

Thanks for popping in to take a look. I really appreciate it.

lavenderhousecreations

sweet friend

Color Hues Color Challenge #101 – Red & Kraft As you know I don’t do a lot of stenciling but I’m trying to change that and this is one of my efforts. I took a, gifted to me, homemade puzzle heart stencil, some Kraft CS and Festive Berries ink and added the heart. With the ink still wet I added some clear heat set embossing so it has some shine. Initially I wasn’t quite sure where I was going with this card so I set it aside for a few hours. Then I wondered what it might look like if I added some ribbon and found this shiny twine which I added. It needed more so I pulled out a homemade dotted circle stencil and using a brush and some Vintage photo I added the small circles randomly.

The sentiment is from a small Creative Expressions set to which I added the silver scroll that was leftover from a different card. I was satisfied with the end result and in fact, actually like the card. Its always a bonus if I really like something I make as a lot of the time I don’t.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your taking the time.

lavenderhousecreations

Stenciled thanks

With the holiday and having guests, I haven’t been spending much time in my craft room, but I did do a lot of clean up prior to Christmas Day. I found quite a few scraps and have since spent some time using them as well as trying out some new supplies. I have a few ready and will likely start posting them over the next weeks.

The card here is using both a scrap frame as well as a new stencil from Crafters Companion. It’s also using an old word die set that came with my Gemini. I used a part of the new stencil over the top of my ink blended piece using water on the stencil, waiting a moment and then lifting it off. It worked quite well and I liked the end result. Decided to use the frame to highlight the nicest part of the stenciling and added the word and small scroll top and bottom.

Its a very simple card and I’m quite pleased with how it turned out. I shall be entering this card into the challenge at Inkspirational.

Thanks for spending time with me today. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and wish you a very Happy New Year too.

lavenderhousecreations

Christmas in space

The latest challenge at CYHTP is: Anything Goes Embossing with a Twist of WINTER FUN. I guess the twist isn’t taken with this creation as although its a fun card it isn’t strictly winter fun. As some of you are aware, occasionally I do a commissioned card for a friend and this is one of those times. This is for her step dad who loves anything scientific. I thought space and robots were perfect and turning it into a Christmas theme card was fun. After my recent Colorhues pink and aqua card I wanted to do another using the same layout and style. It took a few days of thinking before I had the idea to use rockets as the side panels and I got these from an Adobe graphic and photo program. I used my computer to get the images sized correctly and then added them to a dark gray CS to give a border. The center panel was using CS and some Rub On images along with a stamp from the Robot set by Brutus Monroe. The Christmas sentiment stamp is from Hero Arts. Puffy Sticker’s are from a sheet I got at the local market. For the embossed panel I used a Sequin folder from StampinUp, on a metallic silver CS and I backed it with a dark gray for the border. I know sequins aren’t really a Christmas theme, but I don’t have a folder with stars and I thought these at least gave a space look to the background. I stamped the robots onto a scrap piece of heavy CS as fussy cutting is easier on a heavier weight. Once stamped I also heat embossed clear and then I fussy cut each one before adding a bit of sparkle to them. The bottom robot needed to look more Christmassy so I added a Rub on hand bell that I also fussy cut. Before I actually glued the panels onto the background I sprayed them with shimmer spray so they twinkle and also it has the look of snow in real life. Messed up the spacing slightly putting on the panels but I don’t think it is something that a non crafter would notice.

This was such fun to make even though fussy cutting was a challenge for my achy hands and I’m really pleased with how it turned out. I’m blowing my own trumpet, but hubby loves it and I’ve shown it to one or two friends who also think its a great card. Once in a while I think I’m truly inspired. LOL!

Thanks for spending time with me today, I really appreciate it.

lavenderhousecreations

paper wreath

Krafty Chicks challenge #742 – Christmas and I created a paper wreath. I was just fooling around cutting paper and out of curiosity wondered how it would look if I used both sides. I die cut the first circle frame using Hero Arts infinity dies in 2 sizes. Then did the same thing but this time used a smaller die to make a wider frame. Then the smallest circle became the center. When I put it together, I glued the center flat, the thicker frame was turned over and has foam tape to pop it up slightly and then the outer frame used thicker foam. The image on the center circle is ephemera that came with the paper and the bow is from a store bought card from last year. Sentiment is from YNS.

A simple card and a nice way to use up the papers. The hardest thing about it was adding the foam tape in tiny pieces so it wouldn’t show. Another time I may die cut some larger foam sheets into frame circles that can be added easily to the paper ones.

Thanks for stopping by, your time is appreciated.

lavenderhousecreations

leaf print thank you

For a while now, I have been wanting to try using a real leaf to get a print onto card stock. This morning the perfect leaf was in my driveway – damp from rain – but intact and pretty. I brought it inside and before it had a chance to dry I placed it onto a scrap piece of CS added another piece on top and ran it through my Sizzix making sure it was pressed down quite hard. The result was quite a surprise and while the piece didn’t show the entire leaf, I still liked it. Using a StampinUP die I cut it as a rectangle. At the time I wasn’t sure what my intentions were, but checking some challenges I realized that it would fit at least 3 if I used it. What I came up with is this card. I took a Kokorosa die and cut the Maple leaf. I added some ink but kept it very soft as it was a background piece. Then I found the copper sparkle CS and cut the panel before adding it to my card front. From there I added the Maple leaf and then the leaf print layer. The pumpkin is stamped with a GKD stamp and fussy cut before popping it up as you see. The sentiment is from a set for which I have lost the brand information but I suspect it is either MFT or Spellbinders. I’m not sure if the sparkle layer is a bit strong but nevertheless I like the card. You can be sure I shall be looking for other leaves to try this technique with and my hubby loved it.

Challenges I shall be entering: https://thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.com/ fall/leaves, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Who’s Got the Pumpkin, Challenge #327 – Seasonal

Thanks for stopping by and I appreciate your time and any comments you may leave me.

lavenderhousecreations

Vortex

Seize The Birthday #293-Dots as the current challenge. Having just received this new unbranded stamp set, it couldn’t have been more timely. The stamps include various patterns and I chose 2 of them for this card. The background reminds me of a vortex, hence the title. I used Faded Jeans ink and repeat stamped the design until I was happy. On a scrap piece, using the 2nd stamp, I stamped the compass and heat set it clear. The sentiment stamp is from Joy Clair and this was also heat embossed after which I added it to the background giving it a small border.

The compass was coloured using various pencils and some water. I added some silver sparkle as well as some gold and then using a Hero Arts Infinity die I cut it out. After adding a smaller foam circle to the back I adhered it to the background layer. I cut this layer down a little before adding it to the navy card front. Hubby loves this card. His comment was, ‘simple but effective’. I’m quite happy with the end result and one of our boating friends will receive it for his birthday when the time comes.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your time and any comments you may leave for me.

lavenderhousecreations

sorry for your loss

One of my yoga and coffee group ladies, lost her mother last week so I made this card for her. I used a Taylored Expression tree die for the focal layer and a StampinUp EF for the background section. After cutting my trees I added some lost shadow ink and before it was dry sprinkled a little silver embossing on top so it has more texture and a little shine. After adding some foam tape I set it aside so I could emboss the background on some StampinUp PP. This was then added this to the entire card front. The die cut was added and using a small piece of scrap card along with using a transfer from some rub-ons I have, I did the little bird. Then I fussy cut before popping it up on foam tape. I cut my circle with another StampinUp set and added the sentiment in Blueprint sketch ink. I also sponged the edges with the same ink.

I’m quite happy with the end result. It has a soft and subtle look that works for a sympathy card.

I’m adding this card to the current challenge at CYHTP although the option of adding fall colours hasn’t been taken.