I Brake For Beautiful Lighthouses

Hello everyone.

 Today I'm sharing a sympathy card with you. I sell a lot of my cards and take orders locally. My second biggest request behind birthdays are sympathy cards. I sold 3 last week and when my sister called for one she was upset to learn that she had missed out on this one.  I'll make her another one of course but I couldn't get it done in time for the person she wanted when she called.

The beautiful image is from I Brake For Stamps and it's called LARGE LIGHTHOUSE.

I colored it with Copics.  Since there's minimal coloring with this image and it's so large this card came together very quickly...always a plus.

Don't forget...you can always save 10% off your IBFS order when you use my coupon code

SAVE10RENEE. 

Just click on the coupon code or picture below to start your shopping
spree!

 

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Thank you my friends

I truly love when I look and see that I have a new follower but I have to say that if I never got another follower from here on out I'd be okay.  There's a reason for that.  I feel like I have such a close knit group of DT sisters and true followers who are so unbelievably supportive and kind to me that I'm one of the luckiest crafters on earth.  They leave me such wonderful comments and can lift my spirits when I'm down and I appreciate all of you for that.  Thank you for being my friends and for all of your encouraging words.  I appreciate every one of you!  

Cranky Maude

What can you say about Maude...she's a bit of a grouch sometimes.  I like to assume it's only in the morning before she's had her first cup of coffee.  I love this stamp from Art Impressions.  I really wanted to "wild" her up this time so she's dressed in animal print.  I also used an AI sentiment that says I'm not deaf... I'm ignoring you. 

Card makings:

Image & sentiment: Art Impressions

Copic markers

Sizzix embossing folder

Martha Stewart border punch

buttons

puff paint

Vintage child skaters

I printed two of these skaters out because I originally inteded to make 2 of "this" card but I never got around to it so I came up with this simple little Christmas card. The card and frame were cut with a Spellbinders label die and I trimmed it with some Stickles because I love sparkle!  I love vintage as does my mom.   I think this one may find it's way to her house for Christmas.

Card makings:

Vintage clip art

paper rose

ribbon

stickles

Spellbinders label dies

Stampin' Up label punch

clear $1 sentiment

crystals

Cuttlebug embossing folder

Best Wishes Wedding Card

Okay, first off let me just say that this is not a black and white photo.  I used all silver, black and white colors on it and then photographed against B&W and this is how it turned out.  I think it looks really beautiful this way.  (and it was a lucky accident)  I had a request for a more traditional wedding card and I was in a time crunch so I grabbed some silver glittery floral paper and just took it from there.  The sentiment is from SU and it's framed with spellbinders label dies.  I used lots of sparkle and metallic papers on this to really give it an elegant look. 

Card makings:

Sentiment: Stampin' Up

Mattes: Spellbinders label dies

crystals

ribbons

Photo corner dies: Sizzix sizzlit

pearl pin with bead

Spray glitter (over sentiment)

Blue Plate Special

Here is a less traditional holiday card.  Although I love very traditional Christmas cards I really enjoy making something a little unexpected sometimes.  This Blue Plate Special stamp is from Sugar Creek Hollow.  It comes as a set of three plates and for this card I used it "as is" and also cropped one out and enlarged it to be my focal point. I have matted it on a two decorative circles made from a Martha Stewart corner punch. I did a quicky tutorial on that here if you're interested.   I obviously chose my paper based on the color of the plates.  (the color can be changed as shown in my digi color changing tutorial) but I wanted to make a card using them in blue as they were meant to be before attempting to change them.   I love the bright blue mixed with the black and white.  I used a sentiment from SCH called Family, Faith, Friends and inside it says "Holiday wishes from our home to yours". 

Card makings:

Images and sentiment: Sugar Creek Hollow

Martha Stewart border and two corner punches

metal button

ribbon

McGill tag punch

Stickles

Ticket corner punch

spellbinders circle & scalloped circle die

blue crystals

Stampin' Up Brilliant blue card stock

Sweet anniversary card

I'm calling this anniversary card sweet because to me these shades of baby blues with the little flowers and filigree sides just seems "sweet".  It wasn't made for anyone in particular.  Just another one to add to my stash.  I purchased a few of the Cuttlebug cut and emboss folders and have not given them enough use.  This was the first time that I used this particular one.  I cut the sides of it off and only used those.  I like how they kind of direct your eye in towards the sentiment in the middle. 

Card makings:

Sentiment:  Gina K

Spellbinders oval, scalloped oval and label dies

Cuttlebug cut & emboss folder

Silk flowers

brad

sewing machine

leafy branch punch

stickles glittler glue

Brown pigment ink

Colorbox fluid chalk ink Prussian blue

Blue Skies and Sunny Days gift set

Here's a cute little gift set that I made.  The jar is a "reuse" item.  A student at school gave me homemade candy in it and after it was gone I washed it to pass along.  It's kind of "springy" for this time of year but I was in the mood.

 Card Makings:
Cuttlebug butterfly die and embossing folder
Spellbinders rectangle & scalloped rectangle dies
Inkadinkado stamp
paper flowers
sizzix corner die
Martha Stewart border punch
beads & wire
velvet & crocheted ribbon
fastenator staples
Paper: We R Memory Keepers

Jar Makings:

Glass jar

Retro flower punches

crystal

Spellbinders circle, square, scalloped square and label dies

Satin and twill ribbon

$1 stamp

Paper: We R Memory Keepers



Vintage butterfly anniversary

My friend needed an anniversary card for her In-laws and she didn't give me any specifications.  I have met her Mother-In-Law a few times and I think this is something she will like.  She always dresses very classy in creams and black and tans so I wanted an elegant card to reflect her personality.  I'm assuming Mr. Wilson really couldn't care less what their card looks like so I didn't really worry about him!  LOL!!  I used Spellbinders dies to cut the frame and label which is stamped with a GinaK nestie compatible stamp.  The beautiful butterfly was cut with a Cuttlebug die and then embossed with a coordinating folder.   This card is entered in this weeks Flutter By Wednesday challenge.

Card makings:

Stamp: GinaK

Spellbinders: Square and label dies

Corner punch

paper rose

organdy ribbon

Cuttlebug die & embossing folder

pearls

ultrafine glitter

MMSC75 with Sugar Creek Hollow

Today I have another card made for a challenge. This one is for the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge MMSC75.   I really like this layout a lot.  I love the clean lines.  There's a lot going on yet it's not busy at all.  I chose a beautiful sentiment from Sugar Creek Hollow for my main image.  Despite all of the different layers this card went together pretty quick.  The sentiment you see is actually black when you purchase it but I used my free Gimp software to change the color.  I recently was asked to do a video tutorial for changing the color but I'm not terribly proficient with our camcorder plus I can't stand to hear my own voice.  I will however do a tutorial that hopefully will be helpful so check back here tomorrow if you want to learn how to change the colors of your digis.  It's really simple and gives you so many more options.  This would have looked nice if I'd printed it in B & W but doesn't it just tie the whole card together to have it in red? 

Card Makings:

Sentiment: Sugar Creek Hollow

Paper:  Green dots are by K&Co. Marcella stack

            Holly & darker green paper from Brenda Walton Evergreen mat pad

            Stampin' Up Wild Wasabi card stock

paper rose

metallic ribbon

buttons

Get Sketchy Challenge GS#59 w/Sugar Creek Hollow

Hello everyone!  The card I'm sharing with you today was made for the Get Sketchy Card Challenge #59.  This is the first time that I've entered one of their challenges and I tried very hard to follow it exactly but I guess this one was just too much of a challenge for me...lol.  I just had to add the corners and flower!  I have a great deal of trouble designing "simple".  I chose an image from Sugar Creek Hollow called Scruffy Manger.  I copied and trimmed the phrase from the Winter Scene SCH digi and added it to the center of the swirl over the manger.  I chose the gold paper because it went so well with the hay and I thought that the rich red was a nice accent.  As usual I added lots of sparkle with glitter and stickles....which you'll notice I forgot to brush off before I photographed the card. : )  Ooops.

Card Makings:

All Images: Sugar Creek Hollow

Spellbinders Oval and Big Scalloped Oval dies

paper flower

brad

glitter leaves

EK Success photo corners

crystals and metal embellishment

Satin elastic ribbon

crocheted ribbon

Gold glitter

Diamond Stickles

Copic markers

Masculine Nature Get Well

I recently found out that a friend of mine is very ill.  We work together at the school and he's in charge of the most challenging kids in the entire school.  He is a big bear of a man and yet the most gentle and patient guy when it comes to those kids.  He lets them know who's boss but he cares so much about them.  I've known him for about three years now and in those 3 yrs. he has put his life practically on hold to take care of his aging parents who have been in and out of the hospital.  Now he's the one who is battling cancer.  Things are looking up after a serious infection set him back weeks.  I wanted to make a card that reflects his personality.  He's a huge outdoorsman.  Most of our talks are either about the kids or our mutual love of nature.  He can't wait to tell me when he's spotted the first returning Hummingbird in the spring or when a bear lumbered through his back yard.  I think he'll really enjoy this card and hope he knows that I think of him often.

Card makings:
Stampendous deer stamp
Cornish Heritage Farms: Get Well Soon
Rubbernecker wood corner stamp
velvet ribbon

plastic bears, tree and leaves

$1 leaf stamps

twine

buttons

Copic markers

Stampin' Up: Word Window punch, tag punch

Breast Cancer Awareness month

As you probably know,  October is breast cancer awareness month so I put a card together to remind us all to get our mammograms and support our friends and family who are/have battled this illness.  The digi stamps are from Squigglefly.   

Card makings:
Images: Squigglefly
Martha Stewart border punch
Cuttlebug embossing folder
Spellbinders fancy tags die
ribbon
Stickles rock candy

The Raven...a birthday card from Sugar Creek Hollow & Mom!

This may seem a little odd to make a birthday card for a 12 year old boy out of Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven poem but my son will go nuts over this tomorrow!  He just started middle school and his 6th grade ELA teacher read this poem to the class.  He's been talking about it for a week now and doing research on Poe on line.  When I sat down to think about how I would make his card this year I instantly thought of how SUGAR CREEK HOLLOW'S Curly Crow would be perfect with this poem.  The Raven plaque is a vintage photo that I found on line and cropped.  I printed the poem on DP for the background.  Notice the really cool thing that you can do with the digital stamps you get from SCH...the crow on the front is the same crow that I have on the tree inside.  You can make them any size that you want!!  I really think he's going to love this because it's uniquely made for him.  Tomorrow my little guy turns 12.  The only problem is he's not so little anymore.  Every time I go to look for my sneakers or flip flops they're gone....and I have BIG feet.  Mom loves you Dominick!!!  Happy Birthday!!!

Don't forget to check back here tomorrow for the Christmas Blog Hop from SUGAR CREEK HOLLOW.  We will be having a secret phrase game and one lucky winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to the Sugar Creek Hollow shoppe.  There are so many beautiful new images available for the holiday season.  You'll be so inspired by what the design team has put together.  See you tomorrow!

Card makings:

Crow image: SUGAR CREEK HOLLOW

Sizzix branch with leaves die

Tim Holtz sizzix tree die

brads

Stickles

gold ribbon

Beautiful vintage ice skates from Sugar Creek Hollow

Here's one last sneak peak at the new Sugar Creek Hollow Christmas digis before our blog hop on Saturday officially kicks off their release this weekend.  There are so many beautiful new designs, you don't want to miss it!  Also, we will be having a secret phrase game and one lucky winner will win a $25 gift certificate to the Sugar Creek Hollow shoppe. Good luck!! 

  

For this card I used the digi Winter Wonderland with skates inside.  I used some very subtle Copic markers to color them and as you can see I went a little nuts with the Stickles!!  I paired the image with a vintage clip art picture of a Victorian boy and girl ice skating.  I laced the gorgeous Country Crinkle Ribbon through a Spellbinders die and tied a bow at the top.

 

Card makings:

Ice Skate image: SUGAR CREEK HOLLOW

Country Crinkle Ribbon: SUGAR CREEK HOLLOW

Stickles

Copic Markers

Circle & Holly leaf punches

Spellbinders circle and label dies

Cuttlebug embossing folder

seed beads

metal tag

photo corners

velvet ribbon with charm

Sugar Creek Hollow Christmas Digi SNEAK PEAK!!

I was given the go ahead to give you a little sneak peak as to what you can expect from this weekend's SUGAR CREEK HOLLOW BLOG HOP!!  For this project I have chosen the Winter Wonderland stamp with the snowflake in the center.  I altered the color through Gimp to match my DP.  It's so cool that you can customize the colors of the digi stamps.  Every color under the sun and no extra ink pads to store!   This is a gift card holder that doubles as your card.  The outside is as pretty as a card with the beautiful sentiment and snowflake and then you pull the tab at the top to reveal the gift card and an area to write a personal thought.

 

Stop by tomorrow for one more sneak peak before the official kick off with Saturday's blog hop where you can see many beautiful projects made by the design team.  Don't forget we're having a secret phrase game and one lucky winner will win a $25 gift certificate to the Sugar Creek Hollow shoppe.  Good luck!!

Card makings:

Winter Wonderland digi stamp:  SUGAR CREEK HOLLOW

snowflake brad and charm

silver thread

Fiskars snowflake border punch

Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle dies

Corner rounder

eyelet

satin & organdy ribbon

circle punch

clear glue & silver glitter

Harvest Blessings

I had a lot of fun making this card!  The images are all from SUGAR CREEK HOLLOW.   I used 3 stamps from their fall digi line...  I used Harvest Blessings from the Autumn Sentiments,  Baby Jack Basket and the Curly Crow.  The little pumpkin on the right side is from the baby jack basket as well.  I just copied the image and then trimmed out the one pumpkin to use in other areas. I tried to create a scene that could be straight out of a farmer's field.  The fence and corn were made with punches and dies.  If you're at all afraid to take the leap into digi stamps DON'T be!  A few short months ago I had never used one.  Now I'm having so much fun creating with them.  Go on... give it a try!  I'm always happy to answer any questions you might have so there's no excuse. 

Card makings:

All images: SUGAR CREEK HOLLOW

Corn punch

Quickutz: fence dies

felt

Papertrey Ink: ric rac die

Copic markers

Spellbinders label dies

crocheted lace

felt, self adhesive leaves

buttons



Ask the Lord of the harvest

This beautiful stamp is another of my favorites from SUGAR CREEK HOLLOW.  All of Tracy's digi stamps are wonderful and I especially love the new fall line.  She has everything from fun and whimsical to elegant.  For this card I printed the Ask the Lord of the Harvest image twice,  once on craft paper and then again on some polka dot designer paper.  I trimmed the pumpkins from the designer paper, popped them up on dimensional tape and placed them on the image I printed on the craft paper.  I took a very light peachy/orange color and traced around the outline and then colored in the words.  A little stickles on the pumpkin vines completed the look. 

and... don't forget to check out all of the other beautiful designs from the rest of the Sugar Creek Hollow design team.  They are all listed to right of my blog.  Have fun and be inspired!

Card makings:

Images: Sugar Creek Hollow

Spellbinders label dies

twine

pumpkin punch

stickles

copic markers

eyelets

Cuttlebug corner die

hot fix metal accents

Wine bottle card & bottle tag set

This is a set that I made for the craft show.  I found the bottle template here and shrank it to the size that I wanted in Works Word Processor.  I used an appropriate phrase... Cheers to you!  Like fine wine... You're aged to perfection!  The two sentiments, the flourishes and the woman are from Crafty Secrets and I paired them with a clear Happy Birthday stamp.  For the tag I also used stamps from CS.  The sentiment says Wine is bottled poetry and I also used a bunch of grapes.  The tag was simple to make.  I just cut a rectangle which I rounded the corners on with a corner rounder.  I then took a circle punch and made a hole to put around the neck of the bottle.  Now someone can personalize the tag and give a cute little gift.  I wanted to make the cork look real so I used some cork paper that I have and some gold metallic paper to mimic the foil.  This set would also be great for an anniversary, congratulations, retirement...just about anything that you wanted to celebrate. 

  

Card & tag makings:

Wine bottle template:  Mirkwood Designs

Stamps: Crafty Secrets, unknown clear stamp

EK Success: border punch

curling ribbon

metallic & cork paper

Spellbinders label die

corner rounder punch

Spooky Sugar Creek Hollow house

More stamps from Sugar Creek Hollow's  new fall releases.  How cute is this crow?  I wanted two of them on the card and I wanted them to face each other so I copied one into paint and flipped the image.  Voila!  Now they're looking in different directions.  The other stamps I used are from the set Behold, I stand at the door.   For the window I cut a square and then used a small square punch to make the "glass" portion of the window. They have some wonderful Autumn releases in the store now.  I think there's something for everyone's taste. 

Card makings:

Stamps:  Sugar Creek Hollow

Copic markers

Martha Stewart border and corner punches

Tim Holtz distress ink (antique linen, scattered straw)

Tim Holtz embossing folder