Wednesday Weekly Card Giveaway

Hello there bloggers!  It's a white on white card with a pop of colour for today's card giveaway!  I started by using the Large Polka Dot mask taped to a piece of coconut white card.  I used the Frosty Sparkle Glitter Kiss through the mask by applying from left to right and rotating it a quarter turn until all the sides had been used.  I removed the mask and let it dry (it is very quick), then added three of the Chantilly Lace edgers cut in white as a petticoat edge.  I cut the Poppy die in white and backed it in white, then added it with mounting foam to the centre of the card.  I cut the Springtime Frame in white and applied Distress Oxide inks with a small smoothie to colour the portions of the frame that I wanted.  The bird, branch and flowers and the butterflies.  I used Worn Lipstick, Spiced Marmalade, Fossilized Amber, Peeled Paint and Vintage Photo distress Oxides.  I nipped the bird and flowering branches out as well as the three butterflies and glued them onto the Poppy die.  I used the sentiment from the Summer Rose Frame and inked it with Worn Lipstick ink to match.  I glued the sentiment and added the three butterflies around it.  White on white mats and layers were used to complete the card.  The finished dimensions are 6 1/4" x  8 1/2" in size.  Leave a comment if you would like to be entered into the drawing to win this card.  The winner will be announced on Saturday's blog post.  All for now, Sue x

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Cheers Cocktail Card

Hi bloggers!  The Happy Hour Background die gives you both positive and negative cut outs.  It looks lovely as a background or used as borders or individual small die cuts.  Today's video will show you one way to use this versatile die set.

 The finished dimensions are 7 1/2" x  7 3/4" in size.  All for now, Sue x

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Hi

Hello there my crafty friends!  Today's card was shown on Hochanda a couple of weeks ago and you can probably still catch it on Rewind if you would like to see this card demonstrated.  I started with a piece of white Yupo paper and added Ranger Sunshine Yellow and Raspberry Alcohol inks with a Ranger felt applicator tool.  You cover the card by tapping the applicator all over the card, then add a few drops of Blending solution to your applicator and go back over it and watch the inks dance across the page.  They will change the more you play with them but they do't really seem to ever mix completely so you get some really interesting looks from it.  I cut the "Hi" mini expression die out of the very centre of the background before assembling the card.  Next, I cut the Poppy die out of coconut white card and backed it in vellum.  I cut the centre die twice and nipped away a couple of flowers, then glued them to each other in opposite directions.  I added a solid backing to it then mounted in the the middle of the card, adding the decorative Hi sentiment.  I used the inside die a couple more times, cutting it out of vellum so I could use the main flower form it.  I nipped it away and added it to the top of the card over the main flowers on either side.  White on white mats and layers finished this simple card off nicely.  The finished dimensions are 6 1/4" x  7 3/4" in size.  All for now. Sue x

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King Of The Grill

Good Sunday morning all!  I thought I would slip in another barbecue cards (in anticipation of the warmer weather, hopefully along here sometime soon!)  I started by cutting an aperture using the Double Stitched Hexagons out of black card.  I added a thin red frame around it from the same die set.  I used the Stitched Pegboard Frames and added a raised black frame around the entire background.  A white piece was added behind the aperture for my grill dies.  I cut the barbecue out of red card, adding the flames which were inked with Distress inks.  I hung a set if tongs off the edge, colouring them with a silver paint pen and black marker.  I cut three small hexagons and added slightly larger red or black hexagons behind them.  I used these to show off all the bits from the King of the Grill die set; spatula, forks, chicken legs, skewers, etc.   In the lower corner I added the sentiment cut in white with the grill plate slipped into the loops of the lettering.  White and black mats and layers were used to complete the very masculine Grill card.  The finished dimensions are 8 1/4" x  8 1/4" in size.  All for now, Sue x

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Aged Paper Background Card

Hi bloggers!  It is back to a bit of an edgier card for today's video which uses the Industrial Chic collection.  I have a really simple technique for making your background card looks nice and aged.  Top that with alcohol inks used on the I.C. Corner and you have a great card for any occasion or any gender!

The winner of this weeks card giveaway is:

Crafty Coffey!!!

Congratulations!  Please email me at americansue1@gmail.com to confirm your address and claim your card.

The finished dimensions are 6 3/4" x  8 1/2" in size.  All for now, Sue x

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Get Well

Hello there my crafty friends!  I just love me some sunflowers, don't you!!  They are just cheery sort of flowers so I thought they would be perfect for a get well card.  I started by cutting a bunch of the flowers in different sizes out of straw yellow card.  I covered a piece of milk card with a sticky adhesive sheet and attached all the flowers to the background.  I used Frosted Sparkle Glitterbitz to fill in the areas in between the flowers.  Next I cut a multi layered frame using the Double Pierced Noble Oval die sets.  The top frame was cut out of milk card and the outer shadow frame was cut from Chestnut Brown card.  I attached it with foam in the centre of the card and added three more sunflowers around it with some green leaves as accents. The centres of the flowers were all coated with Dark Bronze polished silk glitter.   The get well sentiment from the Feel Better Soon die set was cut out of chestnut brown card with a milk card shadow and then glued into the centre of the frame.  Milk, brown and straw yellow mats and layers were used to complete the card.  the finished dimensions are 7 1/4" x  8 1/2" in size.  All for now, Sue x

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Rainbow Card

Hello crafters!  I have a clean and simple card to share today that uses the rainbow die from the You Are My Sunshine die set.  It is very simple to use and you can make a bunch of different rainbows to use for other cards too from the left over pieces!

On another note...
Today would have been my Dad's 98th birthday (sadly he passed away a seven years ago).  Every year I go back and reread the Lessons of Life that he sent me (he didn't write it, but came upon it and sent it to me), but I still think that it is just the most well written bit of advice that I have ever come across.  I am including it again in today's post if anyone would like to read it (the card pics are below it, just scroll down.)

Lessons of Life

LESSONS OF LIFE .Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. 2. When in doubt, just take the next small step. 3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. 4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch. 5. Pay off your credit cards every month. 6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. 7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone. 8. It's OK to get angry 9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck. 10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile. 11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present. 12. It's OK to let your children see you cry. 13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. 14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it. 15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks. 16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind. 17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful. 18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger. 19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else. 20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer. 21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special. 22. Over prepare, then go with the flow. 23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple. 24. The most important sex organ is the brain. 25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you. 26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?' 27. Always choose life. 28. Forgive everyone everything. 29. What other people think of you is none of your business. 30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time. 31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. 33. Believe in miracles.3 4. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do. 35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now. 36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young. 37. Your children get only one childhood. 38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved. 39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere. 40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back. 41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need. 42. The best is yet to come.. 43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. 44. Yield. 45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift." Remember that I will always share my spoon with you! Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves I think that we all need to take a few moments every day and be grateful and appreciative of what we have.

I love you Dad!!

 The finished dimensions are 7" x  7" in size.  All for now, Sue x

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