Quilted Thoughts

Quilted Thoughts
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

I *LOVE* this technique! I know it looks all hard and complicated, but it's really easy peasy!! You can find all the instructions on Splitcoast Stampers--as always, right?? ;-) Basically, cut two squares of your background paper (which, for me, was Bazzill brown), then punch four 1-inch squares of your designer paper (I used a Marvy square punch) and a second set of four 1-inch squares from a second patterned paper. I used both sides of Graphic 45's Baby2Bride Collection, Love is Blue. I added a sweet button in the middle of the squares, glued a strip of the same paper across the bottom, and stamped the sentiment. I *did* add a bit of Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Walnut Stain to soften the starkness of the designer paper on the brown cardstock. I also rounded the corners with a Fiskars corner rounder. I probably maybe shoulda rounded the sentiment strip corners too, but I wanted a ribbon-ish look. All in all, I am pleased with this one. :-)

Thanks for checking this one out! Enjoy your Holy Week and look at the Easter story in a new way this year.

~Cynthia

Flowers in a Brown Field

Flowers in a Brown Field
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

And no distress ink here, either!! ;-)

This is another CASE (Copy And Share Everything) from a cardmaker over at Splitcoast Stampers. It vaguely looks like hers. I used brown Brazzill cardstock, ran it through the Cuttlebug (Branches), then cut a simple strip of designer paper (October Afternoon's Farm Fresh: South Forty) and wrapped a bit of ribbon around it. Layered, glued, done. Woot!

Thanks for looking! And have a wonderful Easter! HE IS RISEN!!

~Cynthia

Pumpkin Birthday

Pumpkin Birthday
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Look! NO GRUNGE, MA!! :-)

I really like the colors of this one, even though I used absolutely no Distress Inks! I got the idea, of course, from a card over at Splitcoast Stampers. And, of course, it looks nothing like it. I wonder if I actually have to give credit if no credit is due.....

The Supplies:

Ivory card blank (The Paper Studio)
Pumpkin cardstock (Bazzill)
Chocolate cardstock (Bazzill)
Designer paper (Beautiful Life Dots by BoBunny)
Embossing (Cuttlebug)
Circles (Marvy circle punches)
JustRight Happy Birthday stamp

Cut, emboss, stamp, punch, glue, glue, glue. DONE.

~Cynthia ;-)

A Bit of Flower Insanity

A Bit of Flower Insanity
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This is a card I did a few weeks ago, you know, when I lost my mojo somewhere. It started out as a good idea, then went downhill a bit. It ended up kind of....I dunno...childlike?? As in, a child made this. Oh well. Someday, somewhere, somebody will NEED to receive this card.

At least that's what I keep telling myself.

I used a kraft card blank and some Walnut Stain Distress Ink from Tim Holtz. The main flowers are from Bazzill cardstock and Calypso Love from BoBunny, punched from Paper Shapers' Retro Flower. The smaller flower is from a Cuttlebug diecut. The green grass is a Graphic 45 paper called Florentine. And the squirrel is cut from a paper pad called The Friendly Forest by Colorbok. I ran the yellow flower through a Fiskars paper crimper and covered the smaller flower with Glossy Accents. Lastly, I added a few stems with a pen.

The End.

~Cynthia ;-)

Shadow of a Butterfly

Shadow of a Butterfly
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Ahhhhh...back to my happy place: Distressing. :-)

Another simple and quick card. The background paper is by BoBunny (Beautiful Life Dots) and the butterfly is Black and Cream Script by The Paper Studio, with a shadow of Bazzill brown cardstock. I distressed the heck out of everything. I used a paper distresser on the edges of the BoBunny paper and Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Walnut Stain on the paper and the butterfly. The butterfly was cut out with a die cut from Cuttlebug.

I like it. It's serene. And distressed. Yeah.

~Cynthia ;-)

Oh, Ed Pinaud!

Oh, Ed Pinaud!
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

After the previous two uh...failure cards, I decided to work on getting my mojo back by using my favorite card-making technique: that's right--DISTRESSING. (I find it ironic that distressing something makes me happy. Hmmmm...)

This card uses two Graphic 45 designer papers: Renaissance Faire Collection-Florentine and Times Nouveau Collection-Hey You! The Hey You! paper has some great old newspaper advertisements on it. The Ed. Pinaud Hair Tonic ad is really cute. I added a bit of shine to her pearls with a gel pen and a bit of yellow to her flower with Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Mustard Seed. I also distressed the edges with Walnut Stain and a paper distresser. I distressed the Florentine paper too. Then I glued it on a kraft card blank. Very simple. Very quick. But after the previous two disasters....just what I needed!

Thanks for looking!

~Cynthia

Butterfly Flight

Butterfly Flight
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

It was so much cooler in my head.

First, I think I should have used a kraft card blank and not an ivory one. Second, the strips of designer paper are too short. I should have used more color. The butterfly should have been tilted to actually fly 'off' the swirl. I mean, I could go on and on about what I don't like about this card. One of the most irritating parts is that one of the cherries on the Graphic 45 paper is HIDDEN by the dang butterfly! I even used Glossy Accents on the cherries and on the swirl...to no avail. In a fit of anger, I hit the card with some Distress Ink (Black Soot). That didn't help either.

So I add this card to my blog for one reason. In three months I want to be able to look at this card and think to myself..."Self...I am so much better than this now."

Well, a girl can hope, right? ;-)


~Cynthia

Whole Lotta Layers

Whole Lotta Layers
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This is one of those "It looked so much better in my head" kinda cards. *sigh* I love the paper--it's by Graphic 45 (Botanicabella Collection, Ode to a Butterfly). The black paper is the back side. The other rust paper is Bazzill. I cut out tons of rectangles using Nestabilites. Then I layered them. And I got this hot mess. *double sigh* I suppose maybe some ribbon might improve it or maybe it should just hit the trashcan. I put in my Card Box, in the "weird stuff I might fix later" section. :-(

Thanks for looking and please leave any suggestions you might think up!

~Cynthia

A Better Anniversary

A Better Anniversary
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

And here's the card I'm actually going to send to my aunt and uncle. The first attempt (see next card) didn't sit well with me. You know, it kind of sat in my stomach as a little lump that said...you can do so much better. I think this one *did* come out a lot better. It's also a simple, classic card. I used white on white with black ink, two stamps, one button, and I remembered to use a corner rounder on the sentiment. Over all, I think it looks much more professional than the first one. Do you agree??

Supplies:
White card blank (The Paper Studio)
White cardstock (Bazzill)
Ink (Memento Tuxedo Black)
Sentiment (Inkadinkadoo--Mix Your Messages)
Flourish stamp (KaiserCraft--Flourishes)
Fiskars Corner Rounder
Foof-a-la button

Shew! I feel better!! ;-)

~Cynthia

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary!
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Hmmm. This is one of those "I'm not too sure about this card" card. I like how it's very simple, classic even, with just black and white. But it needs something. I definitely should have rounded the corners of the happy anniversary sentiment. Maybe add a bit of bling on the cake. Don't know. In any case, I was so not happy with it that I made another card. The new version will go out in a few days to my aunt and uncle, who are celebrating 60 YEARS together! WOW.

Since this is just a blog to record the cards I make, I'll post it anyway. Maybe someone can give me an idea! :-)

The Details:

White card blank from The Paper Studio
Black and white papers from Bazzill
Black ribbon from sales bin at Walmart
Cake stamp from dollar bin at Michael's
Black Soot Ink from Tim Holtz Distress Ink line
Queen & Co black half-pearls

Thanks for looking--feel free to leave helpful hints!!

~Cynthia

Formal Red and Black

Formal Red and Black
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Another pretty CAS (Clean And Simple) card. I like all the white areas and how it's...I don't know...soothing? peaceful? And Mr. Squirrel is just there for a cameo. He's not really part of the card! ;-)

Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill red and black, on a white card blank by The Paper Studio
Punches: Retro Flower (Paper Shapers); Branch (Martha Stewart)
Queen & Co. Nightfall Pearl
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Walnut Stain

When this card is ready to get mailed, I'll add a sentiment, but also I think I'll add a few black pearls in the corners.

Thanks for checking this card out! Enjoy your day!!

~Cynthia

Spring Branch

Spring Branch
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Here's a 180 from yesterday's grunginess! Clean and simple (CAS). Sorry the top paper looks crooked; it really isn't.

I used one stamp, one ribbon, one pearl, one color of paper. I used Inkadinkado chalks for the leaves and flowers. I stamped the branch in Tim Holtz Distress Ink Walnut Stain. The ribbon was attached with Glue Dots. It's ready for a sentiment--maybe Easter?

Have a glorious day!!

~Cynthia

More Grunge. More Butterflies.

More Grunge. More Butterflies.
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Yeah, I can't go too many days without making a grunge card. :-) It really is this dark. I'm not sure what situation I would use this for. Maybe a thinking of you????

The Details:
I used a kraft card blank from The Paper Studio. The butterfly is diecut (Cuttlebug) from BoBunny's Calypso Love designer paper. The background paper is an artist's paper by Sally Jean Alexander called 'Girl in Circle.' I distressed a bit of hemp twine (Darice) for the bow on the side. Then I distressed the HECK out of everything with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Walnut Stain. I brushed it on the edges of the artist's paper and the card blank. I covered the butterfly with it. I ran the bow across the ink pad. I slapped the pad against the paper to make lines and squares. Then I even threw water at the paper to make coffee stain-like spots. And then I called it 'done'!! ;-)

Thanks for looking at my grunginess!!

~Cynthia

Bird in a Window

Bird in a Window
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Here's one of those 'well, that's not exactly what I had in my mind' cards! I KNOW you've been there, right?? =D It started with this very awesome card over at my usual inspiration haunt--Splitcoast Stampers. I didn't have all the tools the cardmaker did, so I had to invent some stuff! In retrospect, there are many things I would change, the biggest thing is the color combination of the papers and I would also change the color of the bird. But, I was just playing around and having some creative fun, so I think...in the end...it came out kind of cool. ;-)

Supplies:
Kraft card blank (The Paper Studio)
Paper: green cardstock (Bazzill); Antique Red Crackle (EK Success)
Stamps: Textured Bird (Stampabilities); Leaf and Branch Clear Stamps (Martha Stewart) (stamped twice and cut out)
Ink: Peeled Paint and Weathered Wood (Tim Holtz Distress Inks)
Chalk: Inkadinkado
Nestabilites rectangle (for frame)
Glitter Pen (for bird eye)

Thanks for checking this one out! Enjoy your day!!

~Cynthia

Musical Thank You

Musical Thank You
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Did you remember to set your clocks forward an hour last night? Or are you running late?? ;-)

I love today's card! Well, obviously, because it's all GRUNGY, right??!! LOL! Pretty easy to put together too. The music paper is from The Paper Studio. The kraft paper is unknown, from my stash. I used a bit of twine under the thank you sentiment. I crumpled the music paper and then hit it hard with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Walnut Stain. The stamp is from Inkadinkado, I think. The Mix Your Messages set. Maybe. Heh. So I wrapped the twine around the music paper and then glued the kraft sentiment on that, and then glued it all on a kraft card blank from The Paper Studio. Aaaaand...DONE. :-)

Have a wonderful day!! And thanks for looking!

~Cynthia

Calypso Love on Black

Calypso Love on Black
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

We're FINALLY getting some sun here in SC. Sometimes it seems like we'll have cloudy, rainy days FOREVER! This card kind of reminds me of the difference between the two--cloudy and sunny. I used black Brazzill cardstock for the cloudy--with a flourish stamp in white ink...kind of like the silver lining. (Hey...that's pretty good!) The the sunny is BoBunny's Calypso Love. And you can't get any sunnier than a butterfly--I used a Cuttlebug diecut. A little ribbon, a few half pearls and you've got a great weather forecast...I mean a cute card! ;-)

~Cynthia

Lacey Flowers

Lacey Flowers
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Hey there! I hope you're having a great day...thanks for stopping by my little corner of the Internet! The idea for this card came from Splitcoast Stampers. Of course, THAT one looks nothing like THIS one! The only die cut flower I have is from Cuttlebug. The original card had a more solid flower, and she tucked her flowers beneath the half circle. I thought they were too beautiful to hide. :-) I only used one paper--both sides of KaiserScrapbook's SUBLIME Majesty. I cut the half circle with CutterBee's Curvy Cutter. Then three Queen & Co. dots in the top corner finished the card. (Sorry about the shadows there!) And that was it! There's plenty of room for a sentiment on the outside and I haven't put anything on the inside yet.

Enjoy your day!

~Cynthia

Flower Ribbon

Flower Ribbon
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Morning, everyone! This cute little card topper was so fun to put together! Everything kind of fell into place--don't you love it when that happens??! I CASEd yet another card from Splitcoast Stampers--one of my favorite places to hang out for inspiration. As always, it never quite turns out like the original, but I guess that's the point, right? :-)

I started out by running a piece of blue Bazzill cardstock through the Cuttlebug, using the D'vine Swirls embossing folder. Then I cut a ribbon-width length of green Bazzill (because I didn't have any ribbon that matched). I punched out the little blue flowers from K & Co's Addison Blue and Green Bouquet designer paper using a 1-inch square Marvy punch. I also threw in a scalloped circle (Marvy) which had been inked using Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Faded Jeans. If the paper ribbon strip looks a tad crooked...well...that's because it is. I tried everything to move it over, but that Glue Runner stuff STICKS and sticks FAST. Other than that little problem, I thought this one turned out rather nice. In my humble opinion, of course! ;-)

Have a wonderful day!!

~Cynthia

Hello, Butterfly!

Hello, Butterfly!
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This is one of the (MANY) times I wish I had tons of money to buy tons of stamps. I wanted a small, simple "hello", but all I've got is this big, boxy thing. And yes, I guess I could have just inked up the hello part and left off the box part, but that's just way too much trouble when I could just buy another stamp! ;-) I was aiming for clean and simple (CAS) but I think maybe it lacks something. It wasn't exactly what I had in my head! What do you think?

Supplies:

Ivory card blank (The Paper Studio)
Walnut Stain ink (Tim Holtz Distress Ink)
Hello stamp (Hampton Art)
Butterfly paper (Graphic 45, Botanicabella Collection, Ode to a Butterfly, boths sides of paper used)
Rust paper (Bazzill)

See? Pretty simple.

Thanks for looking!

~Cynthia

Grunge Flower

Grunge Flower
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Yeah, I love the grunge! What would I do without Tim Holtz and his Distress Inks?? I want them ALL!! ;-) Here's another card showcasing my beloved Distress Ink--Walnut Stain. That and Antique Linen are my two best favorites!!

This was a simple card, with no sentiment yet. It could be a masculine birthday or a sympathy or even a thinking of you card. It's a simple card and pretty simple to throw together. Here are the supplies you'll need:

Blank kraft card from The Paper Studio
Green Bazzill cardstock
Textured Cream Sheet Music by The Paper Studio
Retro Flower punch by Paper Shapers
Branch punch by Martha Stewart
Nestabilites (Large Rectangle)
Brad by Hobby Lobby
Inks: Distress Ink--Peeled Paint and Walnut Stain

And that's it! Now it goes into the Card Box, to await an event that needs this really cool, grungy card!

Have a great one!

~Cynthia

Looking Out the Window

Looking Out the Window
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

I *LOVE* this card!! It's just so darn cute! Of course, I CASE'd it off Splitcoast Stampers, so don't think it was my idea. :-) It was fun to make though. I started by punching a template for the window panes, using cream cardstock and a Marvy 1 inch square punch. Then I cut the designer paper (Graphic 45's Baby2Bride Collection, Love is Blue) to match the length of the window. I grunged both the curtains and the window up a bit with Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Antique Linen. I punched the edge of the curtain with a Fiskars border punch. I also used Distress Ink (Walnut Stain) to stamp Hero Arts' Flower and Leaf Branch 3 times on a piece of white cardstock, cut to size. Color was added to the leaves and flowers using chalk. I cut a small brown piece of Bazzill cardstock to make a window sill of sorts.

This card was a bit more time consuming than what I'm used to, but I like the way it turned out--all pink and green and springy!

Thanks for looking!!

~Cynthia

Breezy Easter

Breezy Easter
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Here's the last of my Easter card series...well, at least so far! I might have other ideas later. That always happens, right? :-)

Supplies:

Paper: pink Bazzill; My Mind's Eye, Jen Wilson's 29th St Market--Dreamy Paper and Green Grass; white card blank from The Paper Studio
Stamp: Rejoice from Michael's Dollar Bin
Butterfly: Cuttlebug Die Cut
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink--Antique Linen
Embossing Powder: Verdigris
Border: Fiskars border punch
McGill Word Tag Punch
Embellishments: Recollections Pearl Stickers; Colorbok Metal Accents--Metal Dots-Jewel
Adhesives: Glue Runner; Glue Dots

I'm not in *love* with this one. I think maybe I should have skipped the pink Bazzill, but it's done! ;-)

Have a wonderful day!

~Cynthia

Masculine Easter

Masculine Easter
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

A very simple Easter card for my nephew, who just turned 12. (Wow. Typing that makes me feel old!)

Supplies used:

Brown Core'dinations paper; kraft cardstock; kraft card blank from The Paper Studio
Stamp from the $1 Bin at Michael's
Ribbon from Bobbin Ribbon
Ink from Tim Holtz Distress Ink series (Walnut Stain)

I ripped the paper, stamped the sentiment and glued it all together using Glue Runner. Simple, yet really striking, I think.

Thanks for looking and enjoy your day!

~Cynthia

Cute Easter

Cute Easter
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This Easter card will be headed out to my littlest niece. I probably should have added some ribbon, but honestly, I didn't have anything that matched. And I doubt my niece will care in the end. ;-)

Supplies:

White card blank from The Paper Studio
Orange and green sparkly paper from ScrapPack from Scrapbook Creations
Pearls from Michael's Arts and Crafts
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Faded Jeans; Chrystal Dye Pad, black...although it came out totally blue. What's up with that?
Bird eye highlighted by GellyRoll Clear Star pen
Stamps: Bird--Craft Smart (AKA Michael's Dollar Bin); Easter--Paper Inspirations (AKA Michael's Dollar Bin)
Punch--Marvy blue circle (used for bird circle and to make the clouds in the background)

And that was it! :-)

Thanks for visiting today!!

~Cynthia

Sweet Easter

Sweet Easter
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Here's a pretty simple card that will be headed to one of my friends soon. I used white Bazzill cardstock, a Cuttlebug embossing folder (script), a Cuttlebug die cut (butterfly), a bit of purple ribbon, a bit of Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Dusty Concord). I dragged a sponge lightly over the script and then dabbed it into the butterfly. And that was it! :-)

Thanks for looking!

~Cynthia

Wild Easter

Wild Easter
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This is just one of those crazy things that kinda sorta comes together in the end! I LOVE this paper from BoBunny--Calypso Love. Originally, I had used a Cuttlebug die cut butterfly for another card, but the negative of it was too pretty to throw away. I used Black and Cream Script from The Paper Studio for that. I used the big pink Marvy circle punch and realized that the butterfly fit quite nicely inside it. So, I actually have many layers of paper--2 of the Calypso Love red side and one of the Script, all over the yellow side of Calypso Love. A button from Foof-a-la, Summer Collection, completes the somewhat Asian-influenced look. Inside, I used a Michael's $1 stamp ("He Has Risen") on a circle of Calypso Love, yellow side. The paper is not at all crooked, although the picture makes it look as if it is. In retrospect, I probably should have used a corner punch on the red Calypso Love for a more polished look. I wanted to add a ribbon across the middle, but I don't have anything close to that glorious red!!

Stamp happy today!

~Cynthia