Seasonal Cards

Hi there,

Wanted to share some more card projects that I created last week. The first one is a variation on a card from a previous post using the tree image from the MFT stamp set Santa's Elves. But this time I used Tim Holtz distress inks like watercolors and applied the color with a paint brush and layered the colors, drying each layer in between. I entered this one in a monthly challenge for a FB Group called Scrappin' Stampers. It's the FB page of Jamie from Not2Shabby shop. She always has a fun new challenge every month for a chance to win a $10 gift card to use in her store. And she also always offers discounts when you shop with her. 

So, here's the card I created for her challenge:

I have a snowflake embossing folder that I finally had a chance to use and it just adds just the right detail to the background so it's not too plain but still kind of clean and simple. For some sparkle I used a Spectrum Noir clear glitter brush pen...I'm not sure if it's legal to create a holiday card without sparkle and shine and I just couldn't take the chance. lol ;)

I used Tim Holtz Platinum Gold embossing powder around the edges of the center image as well as to stamp the image and the sentiment. I used a die from the MFT Blueprints Dienamics 5 set to add the notecard detail to the top of the front panel piece. And for some extra shine I added some gold splatter using some gold spray.

The next card was for an MFTWSC305 from a couple of weeks ago. I didn't get it done in time but still wanted to make a card because I had this idea right away when I saw the sketch. I didn't use an MFT stamp for this. The stamp is from Art Impressions called Mini Raccoon Spinner. It's also my first spinner card. I used similar colors and the style of coloring as I saw on the packaging of the stampset. I used warm greys of Spectrum Noir alcohol markers to color him in. This card was super fun to make and came together pretty quickly. I had a little bit of a problem getting the front and back to match up (the stamp set does come with a die) and I think you have to stamp the back image onto the back of the die cut, if that makes sense. I will have to try it that way next time to see if it works out better that way. Instead of a pic I thought I'd post a short clip of the card in action:

Soooo....that's my card share for now.

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a blessed and crafty day.

Hugs,

Bettina :)

It's Your Day!

Hi there,

I managed to make a few cards over the weekend and I'm excited to share them with you.

First I have a cute birthday card using this adorable piggy from the MFT BB Hog Heaven stamp set. I was using the MFTWSC306 for the layout but changed it up ever so slightly because I really didn't want to cover up the piggy. So this is what I came up with.

The next card is also for the MFTWSC306 but it's a Christmas card. Here I used the tree image from MFT's BB Santa's Elves stamp set. The colors didn't translate well in the picture, but I tried to create a soft pink background using Tim Holtz's Spun Sugar distress ink and then contrasted that with a brightly colored tree in Twisted Citron. I added lots of sparkle with a Spectrum Noir clear glitter pen.

So, that's my card share for today. I have a couple more posts I'm working on for later this week. If you have any questions about colors and products, please do ask in the comments and I'll try to get the info for you.

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a blessed and crafty day.

Hugs,

Bettina :)

MFT Thankful for You

Hi there

Kind of have something cool to share....one of my favorite stamp companies, MFT Stamps, was having a "Thankful for You" event last week in which they featured some of their customers' and designers' creations using their products. Well, one of my recent card creations made it on their blog. It's pretty neat-O. Here's the link http://www.mftstamps.com/blog/thankfulforyou_4/

Here's the card they used.

And there were many other beautiful card creations to inspire you. Hope you get a chance to check it out.

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a blessed and crafty day.

Hugs,
Bettina:)

Trick or Treat Bear Hugs

Hi there,

Thought I'd pop on here real quick to share a couple of card creations. They're for the MFTWSC #305. I did post it on time at the MFT FB page but just hadn't gotten around to posting about it on my blog. Sorry about that. My week was crazy busy and I didn't get a chance to join last week's challenge at all (super bummed). But anyway, here are the cards I made using MFTs Pure Innocence "Bear Hugs" stamp set, which is no longer available. I do apologize. I did not realize that the stamp was discontinued because I feel like I haven't had it that long.

I did NOT realize, when I started out coloring the image, that it would be a Halloween card. Sometimes it's easier for me to pick out papers or a color palette first before coloring any images, but I decided to color the image first and then had a hard time figuring out what papers to use. Then I found the Halloween paper pad by My Mind's Eye and decided that worked well.

And, although I was happy with the Halloween card it bothered me that the card didn't come out the way I envisioned it. I wanted flowers on it. So, I stamped her one more time and colored her differently and found some pretty papers and this time I was really happy with how my second card turned out. 

Hope you like them too. That's all I have for now. I am working on some more cards for this week's MFTWSC and actually finished one yesterday (late) for last week's. (Too late to enter it but I'm still going to share it with you guys when I have more time (hopefully this weekend).

MFT blog and their FB always has lots of inspiration so I hope you get a chance to check them out.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll be back soon.

Have a blessed and crafty day.

Hugs,

Bettina :)

Pawprint on My Heart card

Hello,

I almost nearly forgot to share this little cutie project. This is for yet another MFT card challenge, MFTWSC303. I barely finished it on Wednesday after their next sketch had already gone up.....in other words....I was late. lol.

The reason I've been joining these challenges is two-fold. First, I seem to have a lot of MFT stamps & dies and Two: this gets me started in cardmaking and I finally use the stamps and dies that I have.

Anyway, so this card came about after some brainstorming with my daughter. I showed her the sketch and asked her what she envisioned. So we went from fish and bubbles to fish tank (I told her I have no fish stamps) to halloween & x-rays....and ended up with this. lol.

I know...it was a logical progression ;)

My favorite part is actually the blended background. I used Tim Holtz distress inks in pinks and reds. The stamp set is the same one I used in the "I Love Mew" card that I posted here.

A lot of heat embossing went into this card. The pawprints on the background, the kitty's outline on the x-ray and the sentiment were all heat embossed. The enamel dots are actually Nuvo Crystal drops that I created separately on my craft mat and then placed on the card once they were set. I originally placed the Nuvo drops directly on the card but didn't like the rough edges once they dried. So I carefully pried them off and used the pre-made ones. Here are some close-ups.

The sentiment is continued on the inside.

So that's this week's project. I've already started work on the new MFT card sketch challenge and I will hopefully finish that one on time. I have a million ideas for this latest sketch but I think I finally settled one. If I have time, I might create the other ideas I have.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by and hanging out with me for a bit.

Have a blessed and crafty day.

Hugs,

Bettina :)

Christmas Gift Tags

Hello fellow crafters,

Just a quick share of my latest crafty project. I made a few tags for Jamie's Scrappin Stampers FB group October challenge using the BB Santa's Elves stamp set by MFT. These playful elves are too cute and were the perfect size for these little tags.

As small and as simple as they may look, they were truly a challenge for me to make. I don't know what my issue was but it took me days to finish these. I used an older Christmas themed 6x6 paper pad I had in my stash and cut the shapes with a Spellbinders die. When it was time to add the ribbon for hanging I tore the paper a bit (the hole was too small for the ribbon I was trying to use) hence the use of a snowflake eyelet on one of the tags. I also switched to some gold thread and baker's twine instead of ribbon. Because the images took up quite a bit of space I couldn't fit the "to" and "from" on the front of all of them so I stamped it on the back.

Coming up with colors and color combos is always hard for me as well. I really like the idea of bright colors and green hats vs red so all of the elves are wearing the same colored hat and shoes. I did want them all to be a little bit different so they all wear different colored shirts and leggings. For the white on their hat and the stocking I added lots of shimmer with the Spectrum Noir glitter brush pen.

So that's my project share for today. I hope it gave you inspiration to start on your own Christmas projects. Thanks for stopping by.

Have a blessed & crafty day.

Hugs,

Bettina :)

I Love Mew

Hi there,

So, I decided to leave the card alone and not add any more to it. Less is more, right? I'm super happy with how the card turned out and I definitely also learned a few things along the way--mainly what NOT to do when creating a shaker card with micro beads. lol.  Anyway, here's the card and my take on the MFTWSC302 

I used the MFT BB Knead You stamp set...soooo cute. I tried to color the kitty to look like ours; she's a tortoise shell and she's grey and white with tan patches all over. 

I hand doodled the string coming from the ball of yarn and squiggled it a bit to give the string some "yarny" texture. I used the largest of the MFT Stitched Rectangle Scallop Frames and also decided to use the MFT Stitched Interactive Window Trio die for the first time EVER. Once I had the windows cut out and stamped the images that would be under each window flap I decided to make it a shaker card.

I first layed the front panel with the windows onto the card front and traced the squares so I could see where I wanted to stamp the images and sentiments that would go inside the shaker and be concealed by the flaps. I stamped one of the yarn ball images in the first window, one of the mice in the middle, and the I Love Mew sentiment in the last window underneath the kitty. Then I masked off the area around the window and added some Tim Holtz distress inks; Spun Sugar along the bottom portion of each window and Tea Dye across the top.

Next I added some acetate on the back of the front panel to create the windows and then added foam tape and micro beads. I kind of did things backwards and had trouble centering the card panel with the front panel but in the end it all worked out. 

I think this would make a cute Valentines or anniversary card...or a Just Because card.

So, that's my card for today. I really enjoyed creating this card. Hope you like it, too.

Have a blessed and crafty day.

Hugs,

Bettina :)