Lilah’s 3rd Birthday

My little friend Lilah just turned 3 years old.  She’s an artist, like me and I wanted to make her a card that would really wow her! 

I started with a piece of cupcake shaped chipboard found in a dollar bin at Michael’s a year or three ago.

I painted it with white acrylic paint and while it was drying I prepared the elements.  The flowers are white paper roses about the size of a quarter that I spritzed with dye ink.  (I didn’t worry about getting total coverage because I liked how having some white spots on the petals gave the flowers more depth.)  These were glued onto the cupcake for frosting.

The cherry on top is a clear flat sided marble.  I just dripped drops of Cardinal Red Ancient Page ink over it until it was covered.  Being alcohol based it dried in no time and I love the rich color. 

I cut the number 3 from both paper and O’So Sticky Tape with my Cricut.  The micro beads are a mixture of fuchsia and rose opaque.

The cupcake paper is made from a piece of striped scrapbook paper.  I stamped Happy Birthday with a Kaleidacolor Spectrum ink pad and put the paper through a crimper.  Crimping paper will cause it to shrink, so it’s important to crimp first and cut to size after.

Lilah’s sweet little face lit up when I gave her the card so I think she liked it!

Hugs, Suzanne     

I Love A Party!

Everyone that knows me, knows how much I love a party.  It doesn’t even have to be a really big whoopdy-doopty shindig.  Just a friend or two, some good conversation, some good eats,…. that’s all it takes for me to be completely and utterly “party-fied”! 

Michele Aiello Zendejas designed this fun party hat card that has been embellished to the hilt (in Michele style) with brads, charms, paper clip, clear micro beads and embossed stamped tiles.  The purple and lime green colors make me wanna plan a party!  Oh, ya,… I almost forgot that I am!  I’m in the thick of planning the PWA party of the year, our annual shoebox retreat!  Now that’s a party to look forward to!  Wish you could all be there!  Ü

Hugs, Suzanne

Springtime Flower Bouquet √

Is it Spring yet?  It’s hard to tell in the Snoqualmie Valley!  Yesterday it was hailing and today the sun is shining.  Last week was similarly crazy with sun and snow mixed!  My flowers are confused and so am I!

This flower bouquet isn’t confusing though and with it sitting on my counter it feels like Spring every time I glance that direction. Ü

Marianne Colschen created this simple to replicate card using her diamond Cuttlebug embossing plate on white cardstock.  She added Sure Tac Glue to half of the lines and then dipped the card into clear micro beads.  Any size bead will do!   The larger the micro bead the more reflection you’ll see from the light refracting through them, that’s what makes this card especially sparkly.

Prima flowers of all shapes, sizes and colors were layered together and added across the center diagonally with more Sure Tac Glue.  Micro beads in the middle finish the flowers quite nicely.  We love Sure Tac Glue because it flows nicely and dries crystal clear.  It’s perfect for micro bead accents anywhere you need them.

Pretty ribbon and a couple more layers of colored cardstock give the front of this card design a blooming finish.

But that’s not all folks!

Inside Marianne continued the same techniques and theme.  I love cards that are decorated on the inside.  I wish I took more time to follow it through that way!  Usually I’m lucky to have a card done just on the outside, forget the inside and the envelope!  Ü

Would you like to see this card with your hands?  Leave a comment below and you just might! 

Stamp Credit:  The Paper Company

Shimmery Delight

This bright and shimmery floral card by Dee Moran is another spring like design that cheers me up and reminds me that winter won’t last forever. Don’t forget that Pennywise Arts sells a nice variety of quality ribbons too!

Stamp Credits: Stamptastic

More Bright Colors

As I look through all the handmade cards that I have collected over the years it’s amazing to believe that almost all of this incredible art came through one amazing group of artists, the Pennywise Arts Yahoo Group.  We have some very talented members there!

Julian Buttenshaw created for Pennywise Arts (the company) as a member of our design team a couple of years ago.  I love her whimsical style and envy her eye for putting together a well composed collage.  Here are a couple of my favorites:

Stamp Credits:  Art Doll parts by Character Constructions, Swirls by Autumn Leaves, Spring background by Hero Arts and Script stamp by Stampington.

Flower Basket

This sweet flower basket by Michelle McCarthy doubles as a cheery spring card and the colors get me in the mood for Valentine’s too!   The whole flower basket has been covered with clear micro beads to add texture and glimmer!

Stamp Credits: Stampin Up!