A Christmas cars

Just popping by to post one of the many cards I've made for Christmas. I think I'll be having to give away a few to my dh this year. I've been having a blast with the stamps I own.
Have a great weekend.
Blessings, Erica

Back to Christmas cards

 Hi Stampers,
Time to show another Christmas card. I can't believe I'm actually making mine already. Sadly, part of the reason is my list is smaller...some deaths, some people who simply never send out cards. After two years of not getting a card, I take them off my list.
I still send them a birthday card though.

This card is mostly SU items, except for the leaves which are punched with my most used MS punch leaf punch. punch. This card was cased from Andrea Walford's blog of Canada. She runs a weekly tute blog, but takes them down after one week. This was nice easy sketch to follow and can be changed up many different ways for the holidays.

Blessings,
Erica

Simply Create Too Pumpkin Challenge

Well we're continuing in the theme of the season and our challenge at Simply Create Too is to use pumpkins any way that you want to.
My card base is SU's more mustard and uses a Studio "G" dollar store image from a few years ago. It's colored with various markers. and stamped in Memento rich cocoa. I sponged using Ranger distress inks  I've also added some CTMH leaves from a retired set.  I used a Nestabilitie die and  the new Nestabilities Fancy Ribbon Threader to create the mat and then weaved some ribbon from my stash through the spaces. Kinda' neat on their part, huh?.

Remember you have two weeks to play with us, and everyone has a pumpkin stamp or two, so come join us.

Blessings,
Erica

Lee Is More Challenge 88

Hi Stampers,
Before we continue with my Christmas card bonanza...I thought I'd play with LIM. I don't usually wait this long. I couldn't think of a thing to fit the challenge. Then I remembered I have three different sets of clock stamps and a clock is silver. I remembered the one that my grandfather used for 25 yrs.,  to get up at 4:30 AM so he could go to his job as a waiter in New York City. Then I had to look for a sentiment. This one is perfect.
No deets today. If needed, just ask.

Blessings,
Erica

Here Come the Christmas Cards

So Let the fun begin
I'm going to give you 12 cards for this month, 12 for November, etc. They will be all different. And I confess right here and now, I drew my inspiration from fellow bloggers, however, none are exact matches to theirs. In a few cases, I followed a tutorial offered on You Tube. Whenever possible, I will supply a link.

So let's begin. Here is a white base with one white layer. I am giving my Nestabilitie Matting Basics a good work-out. The stamp used is from a new SU set called Watercolor Wishes. There is a trick to using these stamps and I have been unable to master it with consistency. Here, I have simply stamped the "outline".
Then, I colored the leaves with copics and popped one lone leaf at the end of the sentiment. Actually, I had a bit of a spot right there, and thought to mask it rather than tossing the white base. I rather think it works.
I used Crystal Effects to make the little berries pop.
As I am looking at this card on the blog, I am feeling that the branch appears un-grounded. Please feel free to give me feedback on this.

Blessings,
Erica

Hey Pilgrim



Hey Pilgrim Stampers,

Are you getting ready for Thanksgiving...notice I skipped right over Halloween. If you've been following me, you know I can't wait for T-Day.

I follow many cooking blogs. It is my 2nd fave hobby. I was thinking while reading today, how very far we have come when it comes to cooking in the Plymouth Rock days. I would have been an utter failure. I don't think I ever would have been able to adapt. I'm so spoiled. God has brought me a long way though. When I had my first baby, I had to go up a flight of stairs to a shared oven to make formula. Unfortunately, I was a ditz and didn't understand the value of breast-feeding. Later, I had a kitchen of my own, but it was only 4 by 6 ft. I felt like I was in heaven. A few kitchens later. I will be moving into our new home early next year and my daughter graciously ordered the "gourmet kitchen" for me. I will have a five burner gas stove (gas vs. electric for the first time in 16 yrs.), a double oven, a gorgeous side by side refrigerator, and built-in spice racks in my gorgeous cabinetry...oh, and a walk-in pantry. I am so humbly grateful to my Lord for how far he has brought me and blessed me.

 

So here is a little pilgrim guy. He's a $ stamp from Jo-Ann's . He's colored with copics. I've used a mish mash of papers from Gina K to Recollections. I used Nesties for the mats, except for the banner which I made myself. I'm getting better at these. The little flower is a brad. And the semtiment is from CTMH.

 

I'll have a few more T-Day cards to share, and then it's gangway for the Christmas cards. I've been having a blast creating them this year. I faved tons from last year, so I'd have lots of inspiration.

 

Blessings,

Erica

 

 

 

 

Besides Halloween...and More Importantly

 Hello Stampers,

I don't do Halloween and it's not only World Card-making Day. As I mentioned yesterday, thankfullness is more important to me right now. I know there are millions of women in the world who are thankful they have are in remission, though, Praise God, I am not one of them. I empathize with each women who has this story and I never tire of listening if they choose to bless me with hearing it. So, I plan to honor them always.

Here is my card. It's not for World Card-Making Day, but I bought this set last year and I think it says it all.

For the base, I used SU's melon mambo...such a bright pink, huh?  A square of  SU dsp is used inside the framed mat which is die cut with a Cheery Lyn Japanese Lace and Floral frame. Gee, these dies give me a fit. I use waxed paper, run them trough my Fiskars Fuse at least 10 times, backwards and forwards. Then I turn them around a quarter turn, and then and only then, will I get a clean cut. At that point, I have to use special tools that really look like dental probes, to get each of the tiny cut pieces. I tell you, if I didn't love the finished product so much, I'd just use a Nestie and call it a day.
OK, so then I did use Nesties diecuts for the ovals and the tag. The bra is stamped in SU's pixie pink and the sentiment in Memento tuxedo black. The stamp set is Clear Art Stamps, "Support the Girls". Lots of pink pearl bling finishes the card.

So are you doing the "Walk for the Cure" or donating $$$ and time? Or are you in the position where you are part of a support system to families in need? Whatever it is, I sulute you.

Blessings,
Erica

Create Simply Too Mid-Post Challenge #23

Happy Friday Stamping friends.
I hope the start of the weekend brings some quality time for you. World Card-making Day starts/is tomorrow. I've already begun. At the bottom I'll post a link to a great website where they will be having lots of fun. Please let me know if you know of others.

So, at Simply Create Too, we are celebrating the Fall/Autumn season, really?! it's 97 here today.

My card using the press-into/emboss technique...OK, I made that up. The name escapes me... will edit post if I think of it.

The leaves are all from one set by InkadinkadoClings. There was no specific name on the set. These sets retail for $4.99 and I don't have a problem buying stamp sets for less than $5.00. Do you? I balk at $15.00 and above. (Someone, please tell me why I'm a Stampin' Up hobby demo.)
The folder is by Cuttlebug. OK, so I have so many folders now that I am no longer storing them in their cases which means that I lose the name, so I finally had the bright idea to write the name on the folder itself with a Sharpie. Why did that take me so long to think of? In future posts, I will give the folder name. The leaves are colored with copics, Papers are all SU, as it the button and twine is from my stash.

Oh, and I super-splurged and purchased the Nestabilities matting basic layers "A" and "B". Can I tell you that it may just be the best purchase I have EVER made! I am layer challenged in a big way.

Now for one of the fun places to be for World Card-Making Day i {Heart} Papers

Please join us at Simply Create Too. We'd love to see your creations.

Blessings,
Erica