Goodbye to November

My Thank you card for the Die Cut Divas sponsor at Die Cut Divas.

Close-up - The light green is the algae covering this creek

I took a photo of this creek about 15 years ago on a hot August day in HOT SUNNY CALIFORNIA.  There is a small creek running (this one was walking) around the park on Gibson Ranch,  Horses are boarded there and there are different animals in pens over the acreage, including peacocks flying up in the trees and strutting their stuff around the ranch.  The ranch is a county park out in the country and it really is beautiful.  This particular year I took the photo, it was VERY HOT.  I had the photo made into a large note pad, that really was too dark to use, so I've been making notes on the back until I thought to use it on a card.

Hope your November was great!

I'm Inside Out Today

I'm showcasing the inside of this card at Die Cut Divas.  This is the last day of the month and we're thanking and sending warm winter wishes to our Die Cut Divas' sponsor, Dies R Us.  That's what I've done on the inside of this card.  

NOVEMBER 1  

Inside of card

Dies R US Elizabeth Craft Designs Palm Tree & Pail

Die-namics Stitched Oval STAX

Hero Arts sentiment & hat from Merry Cactus to You

Patterned paper

Cuttlebug

 Here's my Warm and Cozy part of the card, on the front.

Hero Arts Happy Cactus to You images & sentiments 

Hero Arts matching dies for Happy Cactus to You

Close-up of the inside.  I haven't done many of these and should do more because of the folding.  It really is a beautiful bench.  

Hero Arts Scramble 123 - whoo hooooooooooo

WOW, I remember the first scramble.  They are still as exciting and fun as ever.

Here's what I created today for the scramble that Kim was so kind to host.  Kim had us use our "itty bitty stamps" for a background.  All the stamps on this card are from the one stamp set Merry Cactus to You set.  There are so many things that I won't be able to use them all this Christmas season.  AND I WANT TO!

I used HA Ombre Pool to Navy ink for the star background & sentiment
HA CL909 Merry Cactus to You
HA DI146 Merry Cactus Frame Cuts
HA DI054 Phrase Bubble die
Copic markers YG01, YG03 & YG05 on the cacti
R24 & G03 on the tree lights
Glossy Accents
All stamps are from the Merry Cactus to You set (which I LOVE) with the matching dies

Let me get a plug in for a2z Scrapbooking.  They have a great sale going on for Black Friday sales or you can use my code Arlene15.

I'm in the mood for stamping.

Happy Thanksgiving

November 25 has arrived and many people are preparing for the big celebration tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.  I always think of warm houses and cloudy skies, leafless trees and taunting smells emanating from nearby homes.   This is my portrayal of a rustic home with warm wishes to everyone.  \

I wanted you to see the versatility of this house, which I also used on November 11th, this year, here.

Happy Thanksgiving and lots of Warm Wishes

Elizabeth Craft Designs Beach Edges

Elizabeth Craft Designs Holiday House

Elizabeth Craft Designs All Seasons Tree (includes the clouds/foliage for tree) not in stock when I made this card.

Hero Arts sentiment from Merry Cactus to You

Cuttlebug

Not just for the Holidays

Some samples for the a2z Scrapbooking challenge for November, the one layer card.

I know this is a "Winter" stamp, but I've never seen it as a totally WINTER stamp.  I've always seen the bits of snow drifting down as stars seen through the barren trees, either in the early dawn when you can see the sky lightening up on the horizon or late at night when the forest seems to turn dark and haunting.  I still can see the stars ahead of me guiding me out of the wilderness.  Yes, that does seem strange to say about a stamp, but I have always been intrigued by what colors to use with this stamp.  I believe last year, I used those wonderful neon Hero Arts inks and the skies are gorgeous with those inks, but I wanted to sue the new Ombre inks by Hero Arts.   AND I had to use Stickles on every card.  They are my stars twinkling in the sky.

My first two cards are indeed, Fall cards for the Northern Hemisphere.  I loved the Light Ruby to Royal Red of the sky.  It puts me in the Autumn mood.  Samples ar a2z Scrapbooking here.

This second card shows a sky from butter to land of orange by using the Ombre ink Butter to Orange.  Of course that bit of blue was NOT supposed to be there, so I caution you to thoroughly clean your stamp or you too will experience totally unexpected outcomes.  However, I do like what happened and so I am showing you my OOPSS card too.

And finally, I'm going to show you the scene and sentiment in that gorgeous Ombre ink of Pool to Navy and yes, I did make this one a Holiday card to show you the versatility of this wonderful stamp.  It seems to make the world a gorgeous place.  And yes, I did still have some butter to orange ink at the top of the trees. 

Supplies: Winter Tree Scene Ombre inks of Light Ruby to Royal Red, Butter to Orange and Pool to Navy and a Hero Arts stamp from a cards set, not in production.  

The "Live Thankfully" sentiment is on a Hero Arts clear set, Hello Flowers available at a2z Scrapbooking.

Hope you’ll join in our November Challenge and make a "One Layer" card with your Hero Arts stamps, dies and stencils. And, if you need some new supplies, don’t forget to shop at a2z Scrapbooking..  Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

You can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

Monochrome and Brown?

Ok, when you think monochrome and brown, what do you get? BORINGT!   NO, not at all.  Well, I'm hoping you don't think boring, just so darn sweet.

I'm using a Morgan Fitzsimons image to serve as an example of a monochrome card for the kick-start of a new fortnightly challenge at Morgan's Art World.  And it's all about your monochrome entries.  I think this is one of the sweetest, saddest dogs ever.  He's just begging to catch your eye.  And very BROWN.  I hope you like him.  He is really just adorable in real life, even if I do say so myself.  I think this will be my birthday card to my granddaughter this month. 

I used Dog4 and a die by Die by Die-namics (Stitched Rec STAX)

Just have to have a tag to go with the card... don't you?  Say yes.  I cut this smaller image out and mounted his soulful self on a tag, used some gold snippets from another project to add some interest.  I always think of gold as a shiny brown.  LOL

Here's Dog4 with another Die by Die-namics (Stitched TradTagSTAX)

Please visit Morgan's Art World to see the charming examples of monochrome artistry and enter the challenge.  Ok, choose your color and get ready, set and GO!

No, It Can't Be Recycle Time.

I wanted to share some cards I made this past Sunday with you and over at Die Cut Divas.

I thought I'd recycle something, well, more than ONE something and here they are. 

This card reminds me of a farmhouse with a view on the world.  Well, something like that

. I'm recycling an OLD LARGE card that was 18 inches tall and made in THREE LARGE panels, each at least 12 inches wide, as well as being a very heavy duty cardstock.  I kept holding onto the pieces, but never had anything that really fit what I wanted until I purchased two of the Garden Patch die sets.

 Elizabeth Craft Designs Garden Patch 1 1/2 Inch at Dies R Us

 Memory Box Hello Script (there are many "hello" dies at Dies R Us - check them out. 

 Elizabeth Craft Designs Garden Patch 1 1/2 Inch at Dies R Us

 Memory Box Hello Script (there are many "hello" dies at Dies R Us - check them out. 

Recycled OLD LARGE card

Distress Ink Hickory Smoke on the outside of the base card

This card was also my exchange card for October on the Society of Stampaholics blog

Close up - I love the impression that this is a window looking out on an old village.

 Elizabeth Craft Designs Garden Patch  1 inch at Dies R Us

 Elizabeth Craft Designs Butterfly 1

 Memory Box Hello Script (there are many "hello" dies at Dies R Us - check them out. 

Recycled Tissue boxes for the inch panels and the base of the butterfly

A Little Glitter

A little glitter on the house in the trees never hurt anyone.  I don't use these dies as often as I should,   They are wonderful for scenes, as you can see.  I guess I just don't do enough scenes.  The house can be made so many different ways.  It comes in so many pieces that you can put them together to make different houses.  I like dies that can serve multipurpose functions (at first glance).  Leave the panel behind the door off or take the panel and make a shed.  

I love this tree too.  It comes with three different sets of "leaves" and clouds that make foliage for the tree or clouds for the sky or shrubbery.  

Let me tell you about the Beach Edges dies.  I use this hilly die on a lot of my scenes.  I cut the sky to match the hills and they butt up to each other seamlessly. 

Ok, enough is enough on introductions to a card.

The inside of the card holds the sentiment "Have a Warm and Cozy Christmas".from Hero Arts."Merry Cactus to You"

Supplies for the outside of this card.

Elizabeth Craft Designs Beach Edges  at Dies R Us

Elizabeth Craft Designs Holiday House at Dies R Us

Elizabeth Craft Designs All Seasons Tree

Cuttlebug

Am I the only one in a panic that I see December creeping... no RUNNING up ahead of me?  Where has the time gone?

At least I have a Christmas card done, well, more than one, but thank goodness, one more to send out.

I was going for a "looking through the window" impression.  Not sure I achieved that intent, but it's certainly different for me.

I love that Xmas tree die and use it to cut Tissue boxes and YUP, this is a tissue box in blues & greens.  When I had this altogether, it was sooooooooo dull and nondescript that I had to add something, so glitter is our best friend.  I chose Lime Green for the green parts of the tissue box, Time Holtz Distress Stickles in Chipped Sapphire for more blue tones and an old bottle of Emerald SPARKLES. to dress up my dull tree.  It's NOT dull anymore!

A bit of Gold Glitter paper was great for the sentiment from Little B (Handwriten)

I used that great die set Elizabeth Craft Designs Garden Patch die set (1 1/2 Inch) from Dies R Us to make a window.  The 6 cut panel paper is supposed to be the wallpaper showing through the window.

Merry Cactus to You

A VERY Merry Cactus to You.  I found some new paper and had to put it to use.  Looks like a sparkly rug and feels like one too.  I hope that's descriptive enough, because that really is what it looks and feels like.  I stamped several of the wonderful cacti in the new Hero Arts set.   This is the first time I've stamped this particular cactus though.  The matching die is for the top of the cactus only, but that really is all you need.  The pot is pretty easy to cut free-hand.  There are so many dies in the matching die set, that I might have missed this particular pot.  I would not have liked to cut out the cactus top on this one.   Gads, I LOVE this stamp set and am so glad I purchased the matching dies.    I thought the card should have a matching tag and VOILA, Happy Days, easy to do.

Supply List:

Hero Arts Merry Cactus to You at A2Z Scrapbooking

Hero Arts Merry Cactus Frame Cuts Dies at A2Z Scrapbooking

Hero Arts Phrase Bubble

Copic colors YG01, YG03 and YG05

You can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

Hope you’ll join in our December Challenge and Make It Pop (tons of dimension) with your Hero Arts stamps, dies and stencils. And, if you need some new supplies, don’t forget to shop at a2z Scrapbooking..  

Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

Maybe We Can Put It in a Jar

Soon we'll all be celebrating Thanksgiving Day in the United States.  Our family will risk the addition of a ham to the feast, but that was just once, not that it wasn't good, but we all love our turkey.  It's a big Turkey meal with mashed potatoes and gravy plus some veggies and of course crescent rolls, which are not to be confused with French croissants. My boys do not like cranberries, most pies, cakes, or stuffing - ME, I LOVE IT ALL.  I don't know what I did wrong, but there you have it.  I'll be enjoying a good Thanksgiving and hope you do too.

I made several cards and I hope you enjoy them and how I put them together.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

A Thank you card for Thanksgiving and it's all one layer.  I used the masking technique to build this card plus a Hero Arts bottle die.

See tutorial below.

FIRST ONE LAYER CARD

a2z Scrapbooking Hero Arts "Thankful for You" and die and die cut jar.  

SECOND ONE LAYER CARD

I used the same masking technique I used on the first card above to stamp the pumpkins and leaves.  The background from the green up is done in Distress inks, Fosslilzed Amber and then Mustard Seed and and Spiced Marmalade upper right.   The sentiment is stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa.

a2z Scrapbooking Hero Arts "Thankful for You" and "Autumn"

This photo is for the comparison of card sizes.  Funny, is it not?

Tutorial on the "Jar" card  follows:

•  Die Cut the jar
• Use the bottle top of the die to create the label.  Place the "THANK YOU"  or your choice of stamp to judge width & length of label.  Then die cut the bottom of the label.  I will have to shave some of the sides to fit the label inside the jar. 
• Use the die-cut label you just made to trace your label onto the jar.
• The jar top is drawn by using the bottom of the die itself.  Die cut a piece of paper using the bottom of the die so you can use the shape to draw the jar top.   It really was perfect, however, you can see my drawing skills are not. 
• You now have the jar top and label drawn on the jar.
• Choose your stamps to decorate the inside of the jar.  I chose the Hero Arts "Thankful for You"
• To do a bit of masking, you have to think ahead and plan your design.  What do you want to see first?  Since there are matching dies with these, I just cut copy paper and started layering to see what I wanted to go where.  I also used the "THANK YOU" label I had cut first.
• Here's the order I stamped each item.  Stamp the leaf down the center first.  
• Tape your paper masks to avoid stamping over your previously stamped images.  I used Washi tape to hold down the masks.  Stamp the two pumpkins (I stamped the left first).  Stamp all the leaves wherever you think they should go.  
• If you want to stamp leaves over the "label", make sure you mask around the "label" 

An additional card, background made with "Autumn" clear stamps and lots of Distress inking.

Hope you’ll join in our November Challenge and make a "One Layer" card with your Hero Arts stamps, dies and stencils.  And, if you need some new supplies, don’t forget to shop at a2z Scrapbooking..  Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!  

You can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

KINDNESS

'm participating in Jennifer McGuire's KINDNESS challenge..if not, than you'll want to check out WEEK 1 (November through the 8th.  The focus is on sharing any kind of handmade kindness with FRIENDS and FAMILY.  

Check out Jennifer's blog post here.  Week 1 (November 2 – 8) will focus on sharing any kind of handmade kindness with friends and family.

I just got an email today from my close friend that her mother-in-law passed away today.  She was at work when it happened.  I was off, so I searched through some Hero Arts stamps for something that I was in the mood to  work with.  This is an old stamp, but I really felt pulled to use it for my friend.  I know the butterfly looks awfully dark and glossy, but in real life, it doesn't seem out of place.

Since I'm an a2z Scrapbooking DT, I know they have the new Hero Arts stamps and you can find them over at the a2z Scrapbooking store soon. They are scheduled to ship out on Thursday.   You can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).

One Layer Inlaid Die Cut Card

One Layer Inlaid Die Cut Card.  Say that twice!  But that's what this is.  I stamped this card in the new Ombre inks from Hero Arts.  I believe it was in a class by Jennifer McGuire that I first learned about one layer inlaid cards.  Yes, it is one layer and it uses a die-cut.  I thought it might work well here, but you never know, the colors might clash, the image might not be suitable to using this technique , any of a number of things that might not work, but out of the hundreds, this one DOES WORK.

I stamped two different scenes, one with the "Light Ruby to Royal Red"  and "Butter to Orange".  I die-cut the darker one to fit inside the light colored image.  Because I stamped the image high on the card stock, I could insert whatever sentiment I wished below the image to good effect.   Almost any sentiment will work.

Supplies:

a2z Stapbooking Hero Arts Winter Tree Scene 

Hero Arts Ombre Inks Light Ruby to Royal Red and Butter to Orange

Hero Arts My Words (CL695 - older clear set not in production)

I hope you’ll join in the a2z Scrapbooking November Challenge here and make a "One Layer" card with your Hero Arts stamps, dies and stencils. And, if you need some new supplies, don’t forget to shop at a2z Scrapbooking..  Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!  

You can use code Arlene15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  Don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

Do You Like Dogs?

I'm showing off a new die I just purchased and it will be perfect for one of my friends who has always had at least one dog since I've met her 30 some years ago. It's also the first day of the month.  This is my first post of the day.

It is opening day for the new challenge at Die Cut Divas.

I didn't know I'd fall in love with this cute little dog.  I just used a scrap piece of paper (with holiday greetings) that I thought would be dog colors) to make the brown portion of the dog.  And don't you just love his little tongue?  I couldn't believe there was a die for the tongue.  So darn cute!  This is one of the easiest die-cuts to put together too.

Hero Arts sentiment from Merry Cactus to You

Elizabeth Craft Designs Buster the Dog at Dies R Us

 Elizabeth Craft Designs Garden Patch 1 X 1 1/2 Inch at Dies R Us

Cuttlebug

I also love the sentiment from the Hero Arts "Merry Cactus to You".  You can get your Hero Arts goodies at a2z Scrapbooking with a 15% discount if you use this code "Arlene15" when you order.  This particular clear stamp set is a particularly fun set and 1/2 the images can be used year round. 

I had to get the matching dies too.  sigh... had to.