The musings and offerings of a burgeoning greetings master

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Mr. Cardmaker Gets All Touchy Feely

I have a quick post today, with a card I JUST made for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, which is all about using texture on a card.
I won't bore you with my first go around, which involved WAY too much Funky Flock to far too little an effect. I'll let you poke into my trash bin if you really want to see that mess that I tried TWICE.

Anyway, in a totally new vein, I made this--

 So, as you can see, I went with the dry emboss technique to help get my texture. I really like the juxtaposition of the super smooth vellum texture with the rougher wood grain. Then, I went with the juxtaposition of the orderly Swiss dot with the softly rounded corners against the torn edges. I kinda dig the whole yin & yang of this idea.

Front view-
The giant font really packs a wallop on its own, but a few well placed sequins never hurt, in my book!
Speaking of the font, the fact that it is SO big really helped when it came to adding the adhesive behind the letters. Otherwise, I could've had a huge mess showing through the vellum.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Join the challenge!
All Best-
Richard



Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Mr Cardmaker Clearly Needs His Sleep

I am a rip-snorting, gimme dat mug, hot and fast coffee fan, to be clear. There are, however, certain times, and the frequency of these times is growing year by year, where nothing is going to satisfy my mood/state of mind/chill like a cup of thick-as-pitch, milk and honeyed Irish Breakfast TEA. Yup, tea. Good stuff.

Now, I can't do tea first thing in the morning. My stomach won't have it. Coffee only, please.
After 2pm, however, while I can and do manage a cup of the high test bean brew, my body finds that it functions better at bedtime if I make the switch to a distillation of the leaf. TEA. SLEEP. GOOD.

I make cards about tea and coffee, too.
I made this--

If you've been with me for the past few posts, you know that I'm into Stampin ups Balloon Celebration stamp set and the Cups and Kettle Framelits. (You may also know you can purchase them through me, too. Let me know...)
My OTHER new friend is an old friend of SU--My So Saffron ink pad. I love soft yellows, always have, and this color makes me very happy, especially with Spring around the corner.



Well, I made a stencil of the teacup image using one of the teacup dies and the heart-shaped steam die. I cut them from some card stock scraps, and used a foam dauber to color them onto my background.
I then used a mask (probably the same scrap of card stock) and the same dauber to get a tablecloth effect under the cup. I freehanded it with the folds (I call them folds, but I was probably trying for stripes. Don't tell anyone!)



I love that kettle die. Nice and clean, and a really good size. The sentiment stamps are fantastic and super flexible.
I have a martini glass stamp that I want to use with that sentiment. I am hoping it will fit right in the glass. I will work on that idea and get back to you.

Anyway, These ideas are only some of a VAST array of things to be done with these tools. Worthy additions to the stash, I must say.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
All Best-
Richard


Monday, February 29, 2016

Mr Cardmaker aka Mr Caffeine

As it turns out, the best way to avoid caffeine crash is just to keep your level on an even keel. Sounds easy enough, right?
The nuance comes when you're able to maneuver well enough to gauge it so you keep energy all day long, but quit at the exact level that just might actually let you sleep a good portion of the night ahead of you.

I have not reached this level of expertise.

I do make cards about coffee and tea (and drinking in general) on occasion.
Like now.
I made this--

Now that I have returned to Stampin' Up and the catalogs that go with that, I have relearned to appreciate the non-standard sized card. A2 is a good friend of mine, but it's time to branch out.

This is a 4 1/4" square card, so my branching out here is more like a "sprigging" out.

So, I'm back to the Balloon Celebration stamp set for my sentiment and stars, with the mug die cut with the Cups and Kettle framelits.
I probably had to trim my last card, so I had the strip of wood grain to play with. Add a fun striped scrap, and there you go. Dare I say "boom!"?

The little steam heart is also in that stamp set. As I remember, it was a bit of an "oh, I don't like that negative space" afterthought.

But wait! There's more!
I made this--

This one is similar to the one I shared last time (scroll down to see that post), but much more colorful, and with a bonus SPOON!
Not too sure about that washi tape bow...It'll fly, but I don't know that I'd do it again.

I did some playing around with the depth of the elements and I used my stylus tool to press some depth into the bowl of the spoon. That didn't photograph as well as it could, though.

I did sneak in a second stamp set on the blue cup in order to do the dots. I gotta mix it up--that's how I roll...

SO many more possibilities with these stamps and dies. I do love it when I have great tools with an amazing amount of flexibility.(Wait until I show you the balloons! All with the same stamp set!)

But, I have one more cups card to share. Stay tuned!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
All Best--
Richard



Friday, February 26, 2016

Mr Cardmaker and the Mystery of the Lost Mugs

I always love seeing that people bring treats with them to enjoy while crafting. I have never been one to bring  food into my craft space--I have enough trouble keeping my projects clean without chocolate or grease marks on them. I think some gummy bears would be nice, from time to time, though...
I have, however, been known to bring a hot cup of what-have-you in with me when it's time to create. I think it gives me that needed pause when I want to contemplate an idea, that breather when I'm getting frustrated with that thing that's not quite working, or that welcome stalling tactic when the mojo is just NOT flowing.

So, it's no surprise that I have to go hunting for the dead soldier tea and coffee cups on a regular basis. Luckily, for the most part I can always find things on my work table. It's on days when I paint a wall or a room, or on housecleaning day when I have to run recognizance, hunting all the corners where I may have had too many things in my hands. I have yet to have a total loss. I wear that badge proudly.

My love for warm beverages spills over into my craft work on occasion, and that makes me smile. Do you know about Coffee Loving Papercrafters? Check them out-There's a fun Facebook group for them, too.

I made this--

I joined Stampin Up recently, just for the deal and discount (as you do),and I got some wonderful new things to play with!

I LURVE the die set--THREE different cups, a teapot and other stuff. And, it pairs so nicely with the Balloon Celebration stamp set, thanks to the wonderful sentiment stamps!  The "tea" can be replaced with champagne, coffee and hot chocolate, or if you are really hardcore, you can leave it without adding anything. That can lead to ugly mornings, though. Don't ask how I know...

Now, there is a stamp set that goes with the dies, but I am too cheap uh frugal uh, financially limited to buy everything I like, so I was happy to see this set working with other elements. I DID buy the balloon punch. Birthdays and New Year's and stuff, you know..


(PS-Yes, I am selling this stuff, if somebody asks, FYI. Check out the catalogs in my sidebar and ask me about getting $155.00 worth of stuff for $99.00 [for a limited time] if you'd like. I loved it first, though.)

The decorations on the cups are from the Balloon Celebration set- I think my favorite is the little dandelion sprig thingy on the top mug. Love it with the yellow AND white!

The background stamp is from Hero Arts, but SU also does a wood grain background. And a doily because, well, teacups. We are piss elegant POSH around here!

I have more of these cards to share, and I will do just that. After a cup of tea. Or three...
And then, the mug hunt...

Thanks so much for stopping by!
All Best-
Richard




Thursday, February 25, 2016

Mr Cardmaker LOVES a White Pencil

You know how when sometimes you make a FAST card, and somehow it turns out to be something you really love? AND it's because of the very last thing you do?

I made this--
So, this is an older set from Stampin Up called Wetlands, but it's new to me. I love the images.
There's a goose that I need to do something with soon, too.

So, this is simple, simple stamping, with an embossed greeting, and some dry embossing on the top part of the panel.
It's the white underbellies of the sandpipers that makes this whole thing for me. And, yes, it's the last thing I did. and I barely did ANYTHING at all, but wow, what a big difference. And, it's even kind of messy. it works, though, IMHO.



I can't believe I only made one of these. I WILL be going back and doing more. I always have need for a masculine card, what with all the uncles and nephews.

Since I seem to be pumping out a good few birthday cards these days, and the family is just about already covered, I'm going to be jumping on the #bringbackbirthdays campaign. Spreading happiness around just sounds good to me.

Keep that white pencil close at hand. You never know when it'll work magic for you...

Thanks so much for stopping by!
All Best-
Richard