manymanymany thanks...

Ha! Isn't it funny how one little teeny scrap of paper can inspire something? This time it was the watercolor paper I had lying around and didn't have the heart to trash. So!

I layered it onto plain whisper white and old olive. Using my Gorgeous Grunge stamps I made a background on Island Indigo paper. And from there, it's obvious what else I did! Used my neat li'l Hello You thinlits again! I'm loving a layered look with those sweet thangs!!

"You Make Me Happy"

I've done these partial die-cuts before, but had to do it again! I used the "happy" word die and set it onto my paper. Instead of placing it in the middle of my Big Shot cutting plate I put it right on the edge so it wouldn't cut through the bottom of the letters. Using a very pointy tipped scissors I cut out the pieces I didn't want attached.

Now if you want to make a card like this and want a tutorial, let me know! I'll make you one!

The Challenge Spark (fun and fancy folds)

 This week it's my turn to choose the Challenge Spark and I chose to do Fun and Fancy Folds. Something out of the ordinary. I like trying a new size and shape other than the standard quarter-fold cards. So here's what I came up with for entries. Go to Tara's blog and visit Jane's as well to see what my other team players have created!

This card (above) uses the Label Card Thinlits die and I think it's the first card I've ever actually LIKED that I made with that die. The reason? I can't nicely wrap my head around decorating three faces of varying size and shape. So this time I took some of both current and retired product and decided to try using mostly only one color with just a few accents. And I was happy with it!

This card is really really simple. Just cut off part of the front face and decorate both the very front and the inside. I used Butterfly Basics and also the flower punches with their matching stampsets. 

layered embossing (tutorial)

Recently I've been playing around a bit with different embossing techniques. I don't know that they are REAL techniques, but I love this layered look. Seems kinda vintage to me. And it's really simple although maybe a tad time consuming. But who cares? It's creating, so who minds taking a li'l extra time?!

 

First thing, get out your Basic Butterfly stamps. (Again! I know...!!) Stamp a few of them in a sort of collage using whatever colors and images you desire.

Unlid your VersaMark pad and pat it ALL OVER your paper, leaving no area uninked. 

 Dump your black embossing powder over it. (Go ahead! Do it! Don't be scared!)

 Using a tissue and a cotton ball, wipe away some of that black stuff, edges included. Just wipe off whatever you think needs it! There's no right or wrong and if you wipe off too much, just dump more powder over it again and start over!

Heat emboss the black area.

Now we'll do it again. Take that VersaMark and swipe it around the edges and wherever you would like your gold to go. Dump gold embossing powder over it and wipe off any that appears in places you don't want. Heat emboss it. 

This is the finished card, complete with a butterfly punched and sponged and a matted background also stamped using Butterfly Basics.