Category: Valentine’s Day

It’s Critters at Cute Card Thursday!

Hello friends and happy Thursday!  We are getting ready to start the weekend and I’m ready to have some time to catch up on a few things!  How about you?  Do you have any plans for the weekend?

Today starts a new challenge over at Cute Card Thursday!  Yay!  The challenge for this week is probably a favorite of mine which is “critters“!  Looking forward to seeing all those critters in the gallery this week!  🙂

My project for today is another one of those that I had actually wanted to start last year, but of course it gets pushed aside for another day, so here’s the day I start!  When I went to a stamp convention this last Summer, I really enjoyed the vendor booth for Taylored Expressions and just fell in love with these grumpy critters:

vicki-cct566-critter calendar

LOL!  I plan on making myself this fun little calendar for my stamp room.  I also thought about making a couple more of them for some gifts too!  So here’s my start with them.  Really simple and fun little calendar cards to make up!  I have a die coming that will help to display all of the months which I will share later on.  So stayed tuned for up-coming Calendar months made with the Taylored Expressions Calendar Grumplings stamp set!

vicki-cct566-critter calendar-jan

So is this how we all feel when January rolls around?  LOL!

When I went to the stamp convention, I picked up this package of the 2019 3×4 calendar cards that were pre-printed with a special little rectangle on top with a decorative background print on it.  This is where I’m using the spot to create my “calendar scenes”.  There are dies that you can get that fit these to help you create your designs.

So I took the unhappy/surprised kitty and colored him in with Copics and cut him out with the coordinating die.  I took the frame from the calendar scene die set to cut out a frame with black cardstock and then placed some ribbon behind it to make it appear like curtains. and then I had a speech bubble punch which I punched from white cardstock and stamped the sentiment over it and sponged around the edges with some gray ink.  I took some foam tape and popped the speech bubble up over the scene.  I mounted this card onto some coordinating colored cardstock.  I wanted to keep these smaller, but I could see this work for some really cute cards too!

vicki-cct566-critter calendar-feb

And here’s the February Calendar Critter with the grumpy love pig!! LOL!

I stamped, colored him in with Copics and a red gel pen for accents and cut him out with the coordinating die set.  I also took the frame die from the calendar scene die set and cut it out from some red glitter cardstock and attached it over the pink heart background.

I then popped him up with foam tape and stamped the sentiment right next to him.  I took the heart sequins and glued them around the pig.  I used a gel pen to draw a heart around Valentine’s Day.  Lastly, I layered this calendar onto a piece of coordinating pink cardstock.

Hope you’ve enjoyed my “Grumpy Calendar Critters” today and please be sure to stay tuned in for more months in the future!  Thanks so much for stopping in! 

Challenges:

  1.  Use Your Stuff – numbers (hope a calendar counts!)
  2. Crafty Creations – Anything Goes
  3. Crafting By Designs – Layer it Up

Sympathy & Banish the Blues

Hello friends!  Hope you have enjoyed a nice weekend.  Unfortunately, I needed to make up a sympathy card and didn’t realize that I had run out of them, so I will need to make some up in the future so I can have them on hand and not have to worry about it when the time comes again.  I had a friend who recently passed and needed a card for her family, so I pulled out a set that I hadn’t used before until now:

vicki-su blue sympathy

This is an older set from last year’s Sale-a-Bration at Stampin’ Up! called “Heartfelt Blooms”.  I think it’s so pretty and since the lady who passed was a happy crafter, I felt good about making this tribute for her.  I will miss seeing you at lunches Penny, rest in peace my friend.

I stamped the floral image several times with a Copic friendly navy color ink over some cream colored cardstock and then colored in the images with my Copic markers.  I also went around the images with some markers and blended it all out around the design.

I then took some distress ink and the foam ink blending tool to soften the edges a bit and make it look a bit more Vintage.  I also stamped the sentiment with navy ink and die cut it along with some navy cardstock with a banner die.  I sponged around the edges of this as well.  I wrapped some linen thread several times around this panel and tied it off with a bow next to the banner.  I then attached it over an A2 sized top folding navy card base.

I created a matching envelope by stamping the image in navy ink over it as well.  Lastly finished off the design with some clear sequins.

vicki-su blue sympathy-close

Here’s a closer view of the coloring on the floral image I did as well as the sponged around the front panel and banner.  I thought all of the blue colors turned out really pretty and made a nice Vintage feel.

Challenges I’d like to enter for the above card:

  1.  A Bit More Time to Craft – #84 Anything Goes
  2. The Creative Crafters – Anything Goes
  3. Crafty Catz – Anything Goes with optional:  Blue, Green plus one other color (cream)

So on another {positive} note, I’d also like to remind you that there are still a couple of days left to play along with us over at the Cute Card Thursday Challenge this week!  The theme for this challenge is “Banish the Blues” which I felt like doing in my craft room and so I decided to make this “Fun-Loving” card:

vicki-bm-lovebugs

Now how happy do these cute honey bees look?!  They almost look like they’re dancing in the air!!  I’ve used items from a February card kit for this card.

I’ve heat embossed the bees and colored them in with some Aqua Pigments. I’ve used the paper from the kit and stamped the background and the edges of the bee panel with some SU! ink that happened to match up with it.  I then white heat embossed the sentiment from the same stamp set above the bee panel.  I sponged around the edges of this red panel with white ink and attached it to a side folding A2 sized card base.

vicki-bm-lovebugs-close

Here’s a closer look at the bees and how I’ve colored them.  Some of the Aqua Pigments are shimmery and I’ve used a couple of those colors too!  I’ve added some white dots on their cheeks as well as a few around the hearts.  I topped off their eye-balls with some glossy accents.  I’ve also stamped some more “xoxo”s on each end of this image border and layered it over a piece of black cardstock.  I took two strips of glitter washi tape from the kit and added it above and below the image panel area and then attached the bees over top but between the strips.  Lastly I’ve added a heart shaped sequins to the center of the white embossed heart “O” in the sentiment and the rest of the sequins from the kit randomly placed on the card.  I topped off the circle sequins with some Nuvo White Blizzard Glitter Drops.

Hope this helped to end my post on a happier note with a smile.

Thanks so much for checking in with me today!  I’ll see you again tomorrow for more crafty inspiration!!

Here’s some challenges I’d like to enter the above “Bee card” for:

  1.  Shopping Our Stash – #SOS386 Hearts On Fire
  2. Moving Along With the Times – Have a Heart
  3. QKR Stampede – Anything Goes
  4. Pammie’s Inky Pinkies – #PIP1903 Anything Goes
  5. Paper Girls – #168 Sparkle and Shine
  6. Double Trouble:  #20 Thing 1 Trouble Maker – “Love is in the Air” (honey bees!), Thing 2 Double Dare – Entered the Paper Girls Challenge #168, Thing 3 Twisted Sister – “Sparkling and Shining” (I used metallic watercolor, sequins, glitter drops and glitter washi tape)

Rose Heart Card

Hello friends!  I’m back again to share my Rose Heart card!  I’m still “in the mood for love”, so here’s what I’ve got for you today:

vicki-roseheart-card-project1

I absolutely love this new Rose Heart stamp set!  It’s a wonderful layering stamp set, and I can see so many creative possibilities with it!  I really hope to get some time to play with it some more!

I thought this stamp set had an elegant Vintage feel to it and I wanted to create with it in that way.  There are lots of fun heat embossing, ink blending and layering going on in this design.

Thanks so much for stopping in today!  I appreciate your time and comments very much! 🙂

Challenges I’d like to enter my card for:

  1.  QKR Stampede – Anything Goes #329
  2. Simply Create Too – Anything Goes/No Twist
  3. Allsorts – Hearts and Flowers
  4. Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media – Layers
  5. Pammies Inky Pinkies (PIP1901) – Anything Goes

Spread Love at Whimsy Stamps

Hello friends!  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  Although it’s supposed to be VERY cold in January over my way, it has actually reached warm enough temperatures that we can cook out on the grill! I’ll take it for now as I don’t think it will last!

Have you been over to see the Digital January release at Whimsy Stamps yet?  There are SO MANY really fun and adorable images to color along with a couple of fun digital papers to help you finish up your cards!  Since Valentine’s Day is coming near, I decided to make a card with that in mind:

vicki-spreadlove-ca-jan8

I have used this darling Spread Love digital stamp by Crissy Armstrong.  I just adore her wings and “heart antlers” sprinkling hearts everywhere! 🙂

I have colored her up in Copic markers in the following:

  1.  Dress, shoes and a couple of the hearts – R85, R83, R81
  2. Heart on dress, heart antlers and other hearts – R24, R22, R21
  3. Wings – R00, BG000
  4. Hair – E27, E25, E23, E21
  5. Skin – E11, E00, E000, R20, R00 (cheeks)
  6. Around image – B000, E0000

I’ve also taken a cloud stencil to add some clouds in the background with an ink blender foam tool and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.  I then embossed the sentiment from the Whimsy Stamps Snow Flurry clear stamp set with some gold embossing powder.  I went around the edges of the image panel and added a few “dots” around the hearts with the Nuvo Honey Gold Glitter Drops.

For the background of the card, I’ve used the new Hearts a Flutter Digital Papers and cut out a piece with the Whimsy Stamps Hand Stitched Nested Rectangles die.  I then trimmed this piece at an angle and attached it to a strip of this white punched border that I’ve made.  I’ve also cut out a piece of pink cardstock with the same die and trimmed this out an angle as well.  Both of these pieces were attached to an A2 sized white top folding card base.  The image panel was attached over a piece of craft foam and mounted to the front of the card along with the gold ribbon.

vicki-spreadlove-ca-jan8-close

Taking a closer view of this image, you can see on the wings that I’ve added some shimmer to them with a Wink of Stella clear glitter brush pen.  You can also see where I’ve taken a gold gel pen and went over the swirls in her dress as well as the “heart antler stems” on her head.  I always love to add little details like on my coloring and I hope you’ve enjoyed it today as well!

Thanks so much for dropping in and I’ll see you soon!

Challenges I’d like to enter this card for:

  1.  Creative Inspirations – Anything Goes
  2. Crafting by Designs – Anything Goes
  3. As You Like It – Anything Goes/Show Your Style
  4. Crafting With an Attitude – Anything Goes
  5. Daisy Chain – Add Some Sparkle

I Woof You!

Hello friends!!  Sheesh!  It’s almost Christmas!  How did it get here SO fast?!  Today I am actually preparing for my own family dinner gathering, so I will be very busy with cooking and spending time with my family today.  But I have scheduled a post to share with you using a darling Puppy Love digital stamp:

Vicki-SnS-Puppy Love-

I thought this little pup was SO CUTE!  I love the little shirt with the hearts on it!  So, if you are moving past your Christmas creations now, here’s some inspiration to share with a Valentine/Love theme! 🙂

For the image, I’ve printed it out and added the sentiment from the digital set underneath him.  I’ve used a scallop rectangle die to make an “Out of the Box” technique by cutting out the top of the heart balloon.  I colored the image with Copics.  I layered the image panel onto a piece of Chrome Silver Mirror Cardstock.

For the red layer behind that, I’ve taken a larger piece of white cardstock and added some 1/2″ Tear Tape around the edges.  I then used a larger sized scalloped rectangle die to cut it out with.  I peeled the release paper and added the Cherry Sparkle Flocking.  I’ve also added this to the tiny hearts on the shirt as well as the Pink Spirit Flocking but using the Nuvo Precision Glue Pen for the adhesive.  I’ve attached all of these layers onto a white A2 sized top folding card base.

Vicki-SnS-Puppy Love4

Upon a closer look at the image, you can see where I’ve added the flocking on the hearts in his shirt as well as the flocking at the top over the scallop rectangle panel.

For the balloons, I have covered them with some Nuvo Crystal Drops Morning Dew.  It dries clear, but while it was still wet, I’ve sprinkled on some Ultrafine Waterscape Glitter very carefully and lightly and let it dry.  I think it adds a bit more sparkle to the shiny balloons!  After it dried, I used some silver ribbon to make bows and then attached them with some glue.  I also decided to add some more of the Crystal Drops on his nose!

Vicki-SnS-Puppy Love6

I love how this turned out with the flocking and glittery shine!  Hope you’ve enjoyed my card too!!  I thank you so much for stopping in today and I wanted to take the time here to wish you all a VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!!!   See you soon!

Challenges I’d like to enter:

  1.  Pammie’s Inky Pinkies (PIP1850) – Anything Goes
  2. Crafting From the Heart – Anything Goes
  3. Watercooler Wednesday (WWC201) – Anything Goes
  4. Crafty Gals Corner – Anything Goes
  5. As You Like It – Anything Goes – Your Style

The Feeling of Happy Mail

Hello friends!  Back with you again today to share another Whimsy Stamps digital “pretty”!  If you missed my Guest Design post for the Retro Rubber Challenge Blog, please click on the link or scroll down below this post. – thank you

You all know the feeling you get when you receive “happy mail” from the mailbox, and I think this cute image on my card today really sums up that feeling:

Vicki-WS-Pretty Girl Happy Mail- Oct 9

I have used the brand-new October digital stamp from Whimsy Stamps called “Pretty Girl Happy Mail” on my card today.  Oh those curly locks are adorable!

I have colored her in with my Copic markers in the following:

  1.  Coat/hat (darker tone) – R85, R83, R81 and for trimming – E11, E00, E000 (also coat fasteners)
  2. Coat/hat (fur) – W5, W3, W1 and highlighted with white gel pen flicks.
  3. Hair – E47, E43, E42 (eyebrows too)
  4. Skin – E21, E11, E00, E000, R20, R00 (eyes BG49)
  5. Mail – B00, B000 (unsure of tiny bit of color on postage stamp or coat fastener centers and string)

I then took a retired Whimsy Stamps clear set called “Handmade From Me” which had a couple of tiny solid hearts in it, and I took some pink colored ink to stamp a few hearts around the girl.  She really loves all her mail after all! 🙂

I cut her out with a stitched circle die and then mounted her over a piece of silver foil cardstock cut with a scallop stitched circle die.  I have used the same stamp set that I’ve mentioned above to heat emboss the sentiment with silver EP and cut it out with a banner die cut.  This is the same-colored cardstock I’ve used for the A2 sized top folding card base too.

The snowflake paper is from my stash and some I’ve been hoarding because I love it so much, but the snowflakes on it are silver metallic and have the texture on it as if it was heat embossed.  I placed this panel over my card base, attached the banner and then added the circle image panel over top of that including some craft foam to raise it up slightly over the design.

I was thinking that this image would work for either Christmas, winter or Valentine’s Day.  Yes, I know, I said the V word already!! Oops!

Vicki-WS-Pretty Girl Happy Mail-Oct 9-close

Here’s a closer view of the coloring that I’ve done on her as well as the heat embossing.  Had so much fun coloring her up.  I think she especially looks wonderful on such a simple style design!

Thanks so much for stopping in and sharing your thoughts with me!  I appreciate that so much!  See you soon!

Challenges:

  1.  Creative Fingers – Anything Goes
  2. QKR Stampede – Anything Goes #316
  3. Crafty Friends – Use more than 1 die (I’ve used 3)
  4. Stamp & Fun = Creativity – Die cuts
  5. Crafting From the Heart – Anything Goes