card design

HUG IN A MUG

Paper tole is a technique that works great for adding dimension, but I have to confess I don’t use it very often because it can add bulk to a card—especially one you plan to mail. But if you’re hand-delivering, it’s a fun way to give an otherwise very simple design some extra visual oomph.

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Basically, you fussy cut different portions of an image multiple times and pop each one up with dimensional adhesive; here I fussy cut the coffee cup away from the saucer, and popped it up twice. The under-layers don’t have to be completely colored in, of course, but it does look more polished if any area that can be seen is.

All the images were stamped with Versafine Clair inks (pigment, which, when dry, can be used with water-based mediums) and then watercolored them using Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers + a waterbrush.

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There’s something about white on kraft that gets me every time . . . got the stripes stamped on there, perfectly spaced—AND straight (fist pump)—using the Precision Press + Advance Pattern Plate. Very slick. Very slick indeed. Nice card to give someone who loves coffee, or maybe could use a kind word or two.

Over on the Ellen Hutson blog today, they are sharing 10 coffee card ideas and I have a video, to boot! You can check them out HERE, if you’re a fan of coffee. And coffee cards.


FALLING FOR FLORA & FAUNA

I love fall . . . Well, I love all the seasons, really, which is one of the nice things about living in the PNW—we get to experience all the seasons. Fall is such a lovely one here!

I had some cozy creative time with a few Flora & Fauna fall themed stamps and this trio of cards were the end result. Naturally, that adorable car and pumpkin had to come live at my house— I believe in pumpkin pie for breakfast. I do, I do, I do!!!

And although Washington is called the Evergreen State, we do have plenty of brilliant turning leaves—wish I’d taken a quick pic of the Japanese Maple outside my office window before the Mister hit it with the leaf blower this last weekend. (argh.)

If you give a girl a greeting set that contains the expression “sweater weather is better weather”, it’s gonna’ remind her of United Colors of Benetton sweaters (case in point → Striped Sweater). When it reminds her of United Colors of Benetton sweaters, it will inspire her to make the above card.

The end.

Well, OK, not really the end. LOL!

My dear, dear friend Ellen is celebrating 13 years (THIRTEEN) in business, an amazing accomplishment in this day and age! She often mentions how lucky she is, but between you and me, I know it takes more than luck—it takes a lot of time, care, energy and commitment. So proud of her!!! WOOT!!!

Click on the sale graphic below to see more details on the fabulous Anniversary Sale she is having:

And, I hope ya’ get lucky . . . (wink!)

Stay cozy!


EBE NOVEMBER 2019 RELEASE

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Hey, hey! Welcome to the Essentials by Ellen November Release Hop! So glad you came by! Stop by the release page to see all the fun new sets: ESSENTIALS BY ELLEN NOVEMBER RELEASE

More info can be found down below my project photos so make sure to catch those details.

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This butterfly set by Brandi struck a cord with me—I think they look so striking black embossed onto vellum with an earthy watercolor wash behind them! They kind of have a bohemian vibe to my eye, which is sparking other ideas in my head… (rubs hands together in anticipation)

Thanks so much for stopping by my place today AND for the comment love—may the odds be ever in your favour! (wink)

***PRIZE INFO***

We’ve got super fun prizes!!! One random & lucky commenter will win $25 to the EH shop and one will win the whole November Essentials by Ellen release!!! To enter for a chance to win, make sure to leave comments at each stop along the hop! Comment before Thursday, November 14th at 11:59pm PST. Winners will be notified by email.

Hop Roster:



EBE + MFT HOLIDAY INSPIRATION HOP

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The Ellen Hutson Ambassadors and the MFT Design Crew are jointly sharing some holiday inspiration—gosh I really do love mixing and matching things up! So FUN!!!

I love the look of clear embossing this background onto colored card stock and the Joy, Love and Peace die will give you two different cards if you save the negative. •fist pump• I’ll be honest, the letters in white looked kind of (unexpectedly) drab against my background so I grabbed a NUVO Aqua Shimmer Pen (clear) and coated them all and BAM!!! Perfect finishing touch!

These gift card pockets are great to make for adorning packages, hang-tagging onto gift bags, gracing a card front or even using to make an advent calendar—seriously, how fun would that be????—outta’ my way! I need to get started on one of these for my granddaughters who are moving back from Japan to the states and spending Christmas with us!

Ready for more holiday inspo? See what everybody else made by clicking on their photos below!

And, thanks for stopping by my place today.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

THREE WAYS TO USE MONDO CHRYSANTHEMUM

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One of my favorite looks for floral stamps is to leave the flowers themselves uncolored (for the most part), and just color the leaves . . . In this case, watercolor them with green and gold shimmery metallic watercolors.

The flowers were stamped, and then I heat set the ink so I could mask them off to stamp the leaves.

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OK, so I guess this is really two ways, but one way gets you two cards for the price of one. These two were created by stamping, watercoloring and die cutting a whole bunch of leaves and then using the floating die cuts / frame technique. I’ve done floating die cuts before, but hadn’t tried this variation yet and followed a video done by my friend Jennifer McGuire to create this pair.

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No flowers at all?

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I think it works.

I have another post scheduled for tomorrow. Holiday cuteness involved.

Thanks for poppin’ in!