He Is Risen!

I'm sorry to be so late in blogging about this, but maybe I was saving the "best for last"?  lol  The shoulder I had fixed three times has been a bit achy, and I haven't been on the computer for a few days.  A lot's been happening around here - too much to mention!  Here is a card I had so much enjoyment in making. 

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Chocolate Baroque has outdone themselves with the Lace Fragments and Easter Traditions stamp sets!  They are "must-haves"!!!  I thoroughly enjoyed using these stamps, and the detail is extremely fine and delicate - just like the real thing!   The complete directions follow the photos.

A closeup of the dimension the elements have in this card, and the detail of the roses.

This shows the intricate detail of this fan lace stamp.  It looks so realistic! 

He Is Risen

Supplies –

 Chocolate Baroque stamp sets –

           Artistic Expressions – “Joy”
           Lace Fragments
           Easter Traditions – small cross, “He is risen”

 Embossing folder

     White cardstock, cut to 5” x 11”
     Gray cardstock
     Purple inkpad, I used Stampin’ Ups Baroque Burgundy
     Gray inkpad, I used Stampin’ Ups Going Gray
     Scoring board
     Small & medium white pearls
     3 – ¾” purple roses from stash
     Diecut leaves from a friend, unknown die
     5” white gimp trim, with ends sealed with glue
     Dimensionals
     Scissors
     Spellbinders Cross Collection dies
     Diecutter (I used a Cuttlebug)
     EK Success “Daisy Scallop” edge punch
     Copic marker BV08 Blue Violet

 Directions –

Score and fold the white cardstock piece, at the 5 ½” mark lengthwise.  Position the embossing folder at the center of one side of the cardstock, towards the fold; run through die cutter to emboss.  On a scrap piece of 3 ½” white cardstock, stamp the 1” wide lace that looks like fans, from the Lace Fragments set.  Use the gray inkpad.  On the front of the card base, below the embossed emblem, about 1 1/4” above the opening edge, stamp using this same stamp and inkpad, across the 5” width, with the straight side of the “lace” on the bottom (fans up).  At the top of the card, above the embossing, stamp the open lace in gray.  Across the bottom front of the card base, below the stamped lace strip, use the border punch to create the flower pattern.  Adhere the white gimp onto the card base between the stamped lace image and the punched border.  Use the purple inkpad and the word “joy” from the Artistic Expressions set, and stamp it in the top left corner of the embossed image in square.  Use dimensionals to adhere the 3 ½” long piece of “fan lace” parallel to the same on the bottom, about ½ way up card.   Trace around the cross die from the Spellbinders die set, Cross Collection, on the gray cardstock and cut out with scissors.  Sponge edges with gray ink.  Use a piece of white scrap paper, and die cut a cross using this same die.  Use dimensional to adhere the white cross centered in the gray cross.  On white scrap paper, stamp in purple, the small cross stamp from the Chocolate Baroque set, Easter Traditions.  Fussy cut cross out with scissors.  Use dimensional to attached this cross in the center of the white cross.   Double-up the dimensional on the back of the gray cross and position in the top right corner of the card, with part of the cross’ circle over the end of the stamped lace strip.  Use the Copic marker BV08 Blue Violet to color five of the medium-sized pearls.  Place on the ends of each cross beam, and in the center of the small cross.  Using the smaller pearls, place one in each cross section of the stamped lace on top and bottom, across the bottom of the fan with “He is risen” across it, and the punched border.

It's Hard to Say Goodbye

I know I'm getting older, because I can feel it!  I've lost a few friends, and several others have gotten sick.  I don't want to get old, but I know it's all in God's hands, not mine, and there is nothing I can do to change it, prevent it, or stop it.  I don't want to sound morbid, but it's one of those things in life that eventually one has to discuss, we just put it off, and sometimes until it's too late.

I've recently come down with Diabetes type 2, and since my diagnosis, I've lost 44 pounds.  It seems as though I've come to a plateau, but hopefully, it's just a minor one!  I haven't felt this good in a long time, and then again, other things hurt more!  Go figure!?!  Don't wait until something happens to jeopardize your health before starting to take better care of yourself!  I care about you, and so does your family!  Your body is God's vessel, so please take care of it while you're here!  I'll step down off my soap box and get on to my card, now.

This sentiment is one from Justrite Stampers.  The roses were made from white cardstock scraps, and the leaves from green textured cardstock.  The edge punch is from EKSuccess.  Cardstock is from my stash - I'm sorry about not having all the details about what I used on this card - it's one of those that I needed in a hurry, and I used a little of this, and a little of that, from here, and from there. 

Thank you for your visit, and I hope you'll come back again soon!

Tea Time

Hi, all!  It's time for tea!  A friend gave me a few sheets of stamped images, and these sweet little girlfriends having tea was one of them.  Thank you so much, Jane!  This cuppa's for you!  I've had many a tea time with Jane or girlfriends, but none sitting on the floor, and my stuffing was certainly not coming out, although, I was wearing a dress and a hat!  lol  Not to mention the pearls, ruffles, rings, feathers and all the other foo-foo stuff that goes with it!

The lacey background diecut was given to me by another friend, Donna.   She was travelling home from Florida where she spends the winter, and stopped here on her way back.  She very generously loaned me her collection of dies, and what a collection!  All types, all sizes, all brands, all themes!  It took me, no kidding, one full day and half of another to diecut just the ones I'd never seen, but knew I would use - lots of flowers, leaves, branches, stems, lacey things, etc.  There were so many that I didn't get to cut, but that gives us an excuse to get together again - for tea!  lol Thanks again, dear Donna!  Or should I say, Die-va! 

The patterned cardstock used was from a DCWV Glitter Stack, layered on Stampin' Up's solid cardstock in Pretty in Pink and Lovely Lavender.  The diecut was done in white, and I apologize for not having the name of the specific die.  I used Spellbinders Labels Twenty-four to cut the layers and a Spellbinders Labels Twenty-one to cut the bears out.  This was all adhered to a base of burgundy-brown plaid paper on white cardstock, along with some ribbon from my stash.  The leaves were cut from a scrap of green textured cardstock, and the roses were handmade using a diecut from Donna, and scraps from punching.  I used a Sakura black gloss pen for the eyes and noses of these little gals, along with some spot of glitter glue on the flowers on the bow and bears.  The butterfly in the card above is a re-gifter from a card I had received, commercially made, but the colors were perfect!

Before finding the brown and pink butterfly, this butterfly was the original.

This sentiment is one I purchased from Quietfire Designs, and one of my favorites.  I've been blessed to have some friends like this, and I hope you have too.  I really try to be this kind of friend, too, because I do care.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, and I would sure appreciate you leaving a comment below.  Better yet, become a follower, and tell your friends about it!  lol  I'd love to inspire someone!  But seriously, thank you for spending a little time with a friend.

         

Heartfelt Creations Winner

Good morning!  If your name is Cathylynn, you have been randomly chosen from Selma's blog as the winner of this month's blog hop drawing!  Make sure to email emmalou@heartfeltcreations.us with your information!  Congratulations, and we know you'll enjoy your Heartfelt Creations products!

Have a great weekend, everyone! 

Heartfelt Creations Alumni Blog Hop - April 24, 2012

Hello, everyone!  I hope this finds you all well and happy!  I'm happy that Spring is here, and that we'll have more sunny days than in Winter, but still, the weather the last eight months has been kind of strange!  It looks like Summer out already with the trees, bugs and flowers, but the coolness belies that it's Summer - it's still very much Spring, and the weather is subject to change on short notice!
 
I'm here to share a card with you, for the monthly Heartfelt Creations Alumni Blog Hop.  I hope you've enjoyed the hop so far, and have been encouraged or inspired to create something of your own!  In my visits to the blogger's sites, I never leave without some kind of inspiration!  You would have arrived here from the fantastic Tesa's blogsite, if you're following along in order.  If not, that's OK, too!  Here's the order:

Olga at http://craftieodamae.blogspot.com/

Carla at http://carlasstampingspot.blogspot.com/

Tesa at http://tesasscrap.blogspot.com
Selma at http://selmasstampingcorner.blogspot.com/

ME at http://clarespaperworks.blogspot.com   <----you are here

Linda at http://paynehollercards.blogspot.com

Don't forget that there is a $25 gift certificate for one lucky winner from Heartfelt Creations, and that if it's you, you'll need to email Emma Lou at emmalou@heartfeltcreations.us on Saturday, when the winner is announced to claim your $25.00 gift certificate.  Be sure to put Winner of March Alumni Hop in the subject line.  We will all try to put the winner on our blogs. 

I've been needing a few "In Sympathy" cards lately, and this one was for a male friend of ours whose father passed away.   The Heartfelt Creations stamp set HCPC 3377 Sympathy Sentiment PreCut Set was perfect, using the "In Sympathy" stamp, and the one that says, "May the precious memories of your loved one, carry you through this difficult time," for the inside, which I neglected to get a good photo of.  (sorry!)

I used the new Spellbinders Persian Accents Shapeabilities and Oval Medallion Labels.  I was given a bolt of woven ribbon that was very regal and masculine, which went perfectly with the blue and gold embossed cardstock which was a scrap.  The base for the sentiment was cut with the oval medallion dies, and I don't know where I got the scrap piece of paper that was white with gold flecks in it.  The blue cardstock is from Stampin' Up, and is called Night of Navy.  I used a white base for the top 3/4 of the card, then mounted all on a Night of Navy card base.  The bottom edge of the navy card base was dry embossed using a Cuttlebug embossing folder called Textile.  I added a few gold "pearls" and it was done.  Finished size is 5 1/2" wide by 6" high.

Next on the hop is the very talented and creative Linda.  Just click on her name to instantly travel through blogland and arrive safely at Payne Holler Cards.  We hope you're enjoying all of the creativity that each lady brings to the hop, and that you'll come back again!  Hops start on the last Tuesday of each month (if there are enough designers participating) and ends on Saturday, at which time the winner of the drawing for the $25 gift certificate will be announced!  Good luck, and thank you for taking time out of your very busy schedules to hop!  Isn't it fun - hop, hop, hopping along!

A Late Nicecrane Easter Wish For You

I know I'm just a tiny bit late in getting this posted, but I have no excuse.  Just this last week, I broke one of my fused toes.  I should say one of the dogs broke it, and it sure hurts like crazy!  Is that a good late excuse?  lol  I hope you had a beautiful and blessed Easter.



Three little bunnies eating their Easter morning porridge to fortify themselves before
they have to deliver Easter baskets to all the children in their neighborhood. 

I love these images from Nicecrane Designs. 



A closeup of the details and the handmade paper roses.

The inside with ample room to write whatever you'd like to say!

HAPPY BELATED EASTER!  HE IS RISEN!  And, yes, these are real eggs! 

Thank you for visiting, and I hope you'll come back again!  More to come real soon!  Take care!

Chocolate Baroque Elegant Crocus Beauty

Finished size – 6 ¾” high x 4 ¾” wide (including flower and swirl)

Chocolate Baroque Supplies:

Elegant Crocus stamp set - large crocus with text background, small crocus single flower, crocus border and large upright crocus
Artistic Expressions stamp set – “Beauty” and swirl stamps

Other supplies:

• Versafine Onyx inkpad
• Stampin’ Up Classic inkpad in Daffodil Yellow
• Adhesive/glue
• Pop dots
• Wilton’s artificial stamens
• Spellbinders scalloped rectangle die (large)
• Diecutting machine of choice
• corner punch/embosser
• 1/8” wide white-dotted yellow satin ribbon
• Stampin’ Up white and Daffodil Yellow cardstock, Daffodil Yellow and Glorious Green markers
• floral border punch
• scissors
• hobby knife
• Copic markers in Y11 Pale Yellow, YR04 Chrome Orange, YR31 Light Reddish Yellow, YR12 Loquat, B00 Frost Blue, G09 Veronese Green, YG41 Pale Green, YG45 Cobalt Green

Instructions:

Cut a piece of white cardstock 6 ¾” high by 8 ½” wide.  Score in half at the 4 ¼” mark then fold and crease well.  Use the corner punch to punch the two upper corners through both layers.  Cut a piece of yellow cardstock 6 3/8” high by 4” wide.  Use the border punch on the bottom edge and the corner punch/embosser on the two top corners.  On this piece, stamp the border crocus along the left and right edges using the Daffodil Yellow inkpad.

You will need a piece of white cardstock at least 6” high by 3” wide for the focal image.  Using the onyx black inkpad, stamp the large crocus and written background image onto this piece of white cardstock and again on a scrap piece of white big enough for the large upright crocus image, and the small single crocus flower.  Color in the images using the Copic and Stampin’ Up markers, outlining in blue on the largest base image.  I used the YR04 Chrome Orange in the upright Crocus image for the inside of the flower petals.  Fussy-cut the smaller single Crocus flower, some extra leaves and the upright Crocus with scissors.  Cut the stamens to desired length, and tape or glue onto the back of the crocus images – set aside. 

On the largest image with the background text, use the largest scalloped rectangle die to center  over the image and diecut using your favorite diecutting machine.  Using the yellow inkpad and dauber, sponge all outer edges of the diecut image. 

On a piece of white cardstock scrap at least 4” by 3 1/2”, stamp one swirl on the left side of the cardstock, using the Daffodil Yellow inkpad.  Using the onyx ink, stamp the word Beauty over the swirl.  Fussy-cut the swirl/word image out with scissors and/or hobby knife.

Position the yellow cardstock piece in the center of the front of the white card base.  Adhere.  Cut a piece of yellow ribbon with the white dots, 16” long.  Tie around the left edge of the card into a little bow, weaving the end through the holes cut in the swirl.  Pop the swirl/word “Beauty” up with pop dots and adhere partially over the ribbon, and the left edge of the focal image, vertically.  Apply pop-dots or adhesive to the back of the small crocus, and position and adhere beneath the “B” in Beauty.  Position the large upright crocus in the center of the focal image, and adhere with pop-dots on the top half only.  Use adhesive for the bottom half, adhering flush and making the bottom of this cut piece line up with the base image, so it looks like it is growing out of this base.

Finish off the inside as desired, and you are done.  Any questions, please let me know.  I’ll be happy to go over the directions step-by-step.

To A Special Friend

Nicecrane Designs has blessed me with some gorgeous images to use on my cards!  The one shown on the card below is one from an Artist Trading Card (ATC) sheet, called The Talking Clock.  I love these Victorian pictures of little children! 

I have a special friend that I gave this card to - Debra.  She has been such a good friend to me, and asks for nothing in return.  I hope you like it!

The sentiment stamp for the inside is from Verve, and I used Stampin' Up inkpads.

Heartfelt Creations Alumni Team Blog Hop - March 2012!

Hello, Hoppers!  Welcome to our blog hop!  We have some great projects for you to see on some fantastic designer's blogs on this month's Heartfelt Creations Alumni Blog Hop!  The hop started this morning at 8am EST, and closes Friday, March 30 at midnight.  Have fun, enjoy the view, leave some love and grab some incentive free, just for visiting! 

One lucky blogger will be chosen at random to receive a $25 gift certificate from Heartfelt Creations.  The winner will just need to email Emma Lou at  emmalou@heartfeltcreations.us, with "winner of alumni hop March 27" in the subject line.  Good luck!  Each blog will try to post the name of the winner by Saturday, March 31.

Selma's beautiful blog is before mine, so if you missed hers, or any of the other previous ones, you can click on any link to go to it.  Please visit each one, and leave a comment so that you are entered in the drawing!  We don't know which blog will have the prize on it and you won't want to miss any of the beautiful creations either!  The hop order is listed below, but I need to show you my project before I forget.  (Sometimers, don't you know!  hehe)

Flower with petals curled downward

Flower with petal corners curled up

For a church function, I was asked to make 40 3-D flowers to decorate cupcake boxes.  The napkins were the same color, and the pattern was paisley.  The tables were so pretty, all decked out in Spring colors!

Here's the recipe -

HCPC 3375 Flora Grande 1 PreCut Set

HCPC 3374 Flora Grande 2 PreCut Set

HCD 707 Falling Leaves Diecut Set

Paper Blossoms Molding Mat

Acrylic blocks

Spellbinders Blossoms 3 dies

Spellbinders Blossom Tags & Accents dies

Spellbinders Foliage dies

Spellbinders Grand Calibur

Stampin' Up Detail Embossing Powder, white

Stampin' Up's Fresh Fillers stamp set, paisley stamp

Stampin' Up Craft Inkpad, white

Stampin' Up cardstock - Daffodil Yellow, Pretty in Pink & Green Galore

Stampin' Up craft inkpad in More Mustard

heat gun

pop-dots

5/8" wide grosgrain ribbon, green

Scor-tape

Glue of choice

EK Success small butterfly punch

Yellow seed beads from stash

Dry embossing stylus

small paintbrush or dowel rod, 1/8" thick

4" x 4" clear plastic cupcake boxes with insert for positioning cupcake

Scrap piece of cardstock or paper for butterfly

Directions:  Apply rubber stamps to your acrylic blocks, and for each flower, stamp one each of the largest (no.5) through the second to smallest (no.2), using the craft inkpad on yellow cardstock.  Immediately apply the white embossing powder to the wet ink, and heat with heat gun to set.  Position the corresponding sized Blossoms 3 die over each stamped flower, and run through diecutting machine.  Using the paisley stamp and the Classic inkpad More Mustard, stamp all over the flowers on the right side.  Diecut one of the leaf and branches in the Green Galore cardstock for each flower.  Diecut one large scalloped circle flower from the Spellbinders Blossom Tags & Accents dieset out of the Pretty in Pink cardstock.  Punch one butterfly from a scrap piece of corresponding cardstock or paper.  Cut a piece of green ribbon 18" long, and on the same side of the ribbon, apply a 1" piece of scor-tape to each end. 

On the molding mat, use your embossing stylus to break up the paper fibers in the leaves.  Do this on the wrong side of the diecut, causing the leaves to curl up - when leaves are turned right-side-up, they will curl down in a natural way.  On each flower petal, use the paint brush handle or the small dowel rod to curl both sides of the petal down or up, depending on your preference.  Both techniques are shown here.  Apply glue to the center of each of the smaller flowers, and sprinkle on seed beads. Completely cover glue, shaking extra beads off and let dry.

To finish - Apply two pop-dots to the center of the largest flower, right side up.  Stick next smaller flower to center.  Apply another pop-dot to center of this flower, and apply next smaller flower.  The next flower should be the smallest with the beads in the center - apply this one the same way.  Using two or three pop-dots in the center of the pink scalloped diecut, apply the flower to the center along with the leaves. 

Peel the Scor-tape from one end of the green ribbon, wrap ribbon around the box, and overlap ends with the other scor-taped end on top, face up; adhere.  Remove paper from the top Scor-tape and apply the flower.  To finish, fold the butterfly's wings up, put a little glue on the center bottom and position in just the right spot.  Done!

Hint:  Please don't forget to put the cupcake in the box prior to applying ribbon and flower!

FYI - I ran out of the yellow cardstock, so I had to substitute another shade.

Here is the hop order:

olga http://craftieodamae.blogspot.com

Carla: http://carlasstampingspot.blogspot.com/

Selma: http://selmasstampingcorner.blogspot.com/

Clare: http://clarespaperworks.blogspot.com/    <----You are here!

Marsha: http://stampingdownsouth.blogspot.com

Dina: http://mamadinis.blogspot.com

Angelica: http://bellisimavida.blogspot.com/

Linda:  http://paynehollercards.blogspot.com

From my blog, talented Marsha's is the next wonderful blog to visit, http://stampingdownsouth.blogspot.com.  Just click on this link and you will arrive safely!  I hope you have enjoyed your visit, and I know you'll have fun at all the others!  Don't forget to leave a comment on each blog for your chance to win the $25 gift certificate!


Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule, and I appreciate you! 

Egg-citing Chocolate Baroque Beauties

Good afternoon, everyone!  I am blessed, humbled and pleased as punch to tell you that Chocolate Baroque, a rubber stamp company in England has asked me to be on their design team!  I am so excited, and their stamps are the most beautiful and extremely detailed stamps I've ever worked with!

Chocolate Baroque has just released a new set called Baroque Eggs, and they are absolutely beautiful!  I'd like to share some Easter cards I made using this set.

There are so many stamps in this set, I don't know if I'll be able to use them all!  So many detailed eggs of many sizes!  Several sentiments too!  http://www.chocolatebaroque.com/UA4SP0385-Baroque-Eggs-Unmounted-stamp-sheet--A4_p_3997.html  These stamps are the best-made I've used thus far in my stamping career!  The deeply etched rubber is very pliable making it very easy to cut, but very strong, and the images stamp out sharp and detailed each and every time!  They come on a sheet, uncut and unmounted so that you can cut and mount them to your preferred method of use.  I used the E-Z Mount sheets, and although very sticky, this method works well.  The other method I use is the Tack 'n Peel sheet on an acrylic block.  This works well too, but your stamp doesn't have the "sponginess", so it's important to make sure the stamp is secure and totally flat on the acrylic block in order to get a good stamped image.  Sometimes, I will use the stamp flat on the desk, face up, and place the paper facedown on the inked image, then use a brayer to roll over the top.  The paper must be held securely so that it does move to smudge the image, and the brayer makes it easy to get every little detail of the image stamped onto the paper.  This is especially beneficial when using large stamps.

Inside the card

I wanted to say that Glenda is very prompt in getting your order out to you in a timely manner.  Since it's coming to you (if you live in the United States) from England, it takes a a few days, but is so worth the wait! 

Here is another Easter card that I made yesterday.  I think these stamps make anything you create with them a wonderful one-of-a-kind piece of art!

This egg stamp is just so gorgeous!  That's another problem I have with these stamps!  There are too many to chose from, and they are all beautiful!  The choice is hard as to which one I'll work with next, or maybe I should use several on the same project!  On this one, I heat embossed the stamped image with white embossing powder, then used a sponge dauber to add the colors to the empty spaces.  I stamped the sentiment, then used a die to cut it out.  I find it much easier to stamp it first, then it's easy to position the die over it where you want it.  I even used the "negatives" of the die cut label for decorating the upper corners.  This card was very easy to make, although it doesn't look like it.

A close-up view of the detailed heat embossing.

Thank you for coming by, and I hope you enjoyed your visit! 

Please feel free to leave a little love in the comments - I need all I can get!  Have a great Eggy day!