Some Martha Love

Some Martha Love
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Yes, it's Martha Stewart time. I showed her a little love on this card.

I was hanging out on Simplicity, LateBlossom's (AKA Susan Raihala) blog, and saw some really gorgeous cards. I needed a few more Valentine's cards and thought...why not go the Clean And Simple route?

***ETA: This is so bad. Yes, I had been checking out LateBlossom's cards, but I really CASE'd Sherry Eckblad's card on her blog, Button Junkie. You know I always give credit where credit is due and I totally screwed this one up. I'M SO SORRY, SHERRY!***

First I ran the front of the card through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots folder. Then I wanted a little label and remembered the Calling Card Labels from Martha Stewart I had picked up on sale a while ago.

Alas, the cardblank is ivory and the calling cards are white. What to do? What to do?

When in doubt, DISTRESS IT! ;-) I picked up Fired Brick Distress Ink and colored the label. Does it not look like it CAME THAT WAY? I so love it! It's very pinkish, so cute!

Next I grabbed a Fiskars stamp set called Toss the Bouquet. Such cute little images! I used the love sentiment (not nearly as crooked in real life as it looks in this picture, promise!) and one of the little swirls. I stamped those in Fired Brick too.

Finally, I stamped Happy Valentine's Day inside the card with Fired Brick.

Done.

And happy with it.

=D


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (ivory cardblank): Martha Stewart (self-stick Calling Card Labels)
Stamps: Fiskars (Toss the Bouquet); Craft Smart (V-day sentiment, on the inside)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Fired Brick)
ETC: Cuttlebug (Swiss Dots Embossing Folder)


The sun FINALLY came out this afternoon! I always feel more like crafting when the sun is shining. I hope you find time to be creative today.

~Cynthia

Floating Hearts

Floating Hearts
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Once again, my apologies for such a bad picture. I swear I took this photo in pure sunlight! Alas, today it's raining and there will be no picture-taking. But that means PLENTY of studio time! YAY!! ;-)

I CASE'd this from Bonnie Klass (Stamping With Klass) again. I really like her style.

I used a swirly swirl for my heart 'vine' and then used punched hearts for my 'flowers.'

I used a word tag punch and stamped the sentiment on it, using the same red cardstock and the same black ink for everything.


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (red cardstock); Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamp: Rhonna Farrer (Swirls); Craft Smart (Valentine's sentiment)
Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black)
ETC: McGill (Word Tag Punch); Marvy (heart punch); Glue Glider Pro


On a sadder note....yesterday I headed out to one of my favorite scrapbooking stores. I discovered that the owners are retiring/getting out while the getting is good/shutting down. I hate this. I did get some good deals, even a cool lucite shelf thing for all my Distress Inks. But I hate this. Locally-owned craft stores are always better than the big box craft stores. I hate this.

*end rant*

~Cynthia

Sunny Get Well

Sunny Get Well
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

I actually got a card done on time!! My friend Anna posted yesterday that she was not feeling well and I ran into my craft room and put this card together in record time! AND I EVEN MAILED IT TOO.

I am SO on top of things!!! =D

Yeah, I know...it won't last long. Heh.

I got this idea from Bonnie Klass over on her blog, Stamping With Klass. She created her own background paper using super cute nature stamps. Since I wanted a sunny card, I chose to use one stamp--a sunflower. I also used an ink that was not exactly tone-on-tone, but kinda close. I stamped the image in Rusty Hinge Distress Ink on a deep yellow cardstock.

I also stamped the sentiment in Rusty Hinge and distressed the edges of the Nestabilities oval in Rusty Hinge.

The picture doesn't show it very well, but I did add a band of sheer white ribbon beneath the oval.

It's all layered on a white cardblank.

I hope she likes it...being sick is no fun. ;-)


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (yellow and white cardstock); Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamp: Penny Black (Flowers)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Rusty Hinge)
ETC: Nestabilities (scalloped oval die cut); The Ribbon Boutique


Have a great day!

~Cynthia

One Heart

One Heart
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This card started out as a CASE of a pretty card by Tami Mayberry, but I didn't like the way it came out, so I CAS'ed it.

Heh.

How's THAT for an abuse of acronyms??

=D

Anywho. I ran a piece of red cardstock through the old Cuttlebug using the Swiss Dots folder.

I die cut the heart out of the same red paper. Then I punched a circle out of black cardstock.

A sheer white ribbon ties it all together. On the inside I stamped Happy Valentine's Day in Fired Brick Ink.

All of that is layered on a white cardblank.

I like the classic and clean look of it.


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (red and black cardstock); Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamp: Craft Smart (inside sentiment)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Fired Brick)
ETC: Marvy Uchida (circle punch); QuicKutz (heart die cut); Cuttlebug (Swiss Dots Embossing Folder); The Ribbon Boutique (ribbon); Glue Glider Pro


I need to send out a get well card today and the sun is shining....that means I get to make cards and take better pictures of them! ;-)


~Cynthia

Butterfly CASE

Butterfly CASE
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

OK, first off....my apologies for the really bad picture. We haven't had any sun today and I really wanted to get this picture just right so you could see the cool sparklies....so I had to take the picture under a desk lamp light. Boo for fake light! Sunshine is so much nicer. :-)

And then I totally ripped this card off from Simply Stamped--Maile Belles' blog. She used this really cool dogwood stamp, which I don't have. I substituted a bit and came up with this one!

It's going to my Mom, whose birthday is this Sunday. She loves purple!

I stamped the agapanthus flowers in Walnut Stain Ink for a sort of tone-on-tone look, then I stamped the sentiment in Dusty Concord Ink on a small piece of cream cardstock. I adhered the sentiment with 3D Dots. Finally I chose a purple sparkly butterfly for the focal point.


Supplies:
Paper: The Paper Studio (kraft cardblank); Bazzill (cream cardstock)
Stamp: Stampendous (Everything Happy set)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Walnut Stain, Dusty Concord)
ETC: McGill (word tag punch); K&Co (Flora and Fauna Botanical Butterflies); Glue Glider Pro; EK Success (3D Dots)


Have a creative day!

~Cynthia

Hanging Hearts

Hanging Hearts
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

I got the idea for this card...somewhere. My brain isn't functioning 100% yet otherwise I would give credit to the talented cardmaker. This person used baker's twine to dangle the hearts.

I just drew some lines with a pen. I hope no one cares too much. :-)

The ink I used for the sentiment didn't really work, so I used a glitter pen to go over the words. That didn't exactly work either, but it's much clearer in real life.

The hearts are made with a QuicKutz die cut.


Supplies:
Paper: The Paper Studio (kraft cardblank and pink paper)
Stamp: Craftsmart
Ink: ColorBox (Orchid)
ETC: Sharpie pen; Gelly Roll (Glitter Pen); QuicKutz (heart die cut); Glue Glider Pro; Tim Holtz ruler


Hope everyone is having a great weekend! I'm off to take {another} nap! ;-)

~Cynthia

Butterfly Birthday

Butterfly Birthday
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

I recently purchase (on sale!!) one of K&Co's embellishment sets, Flora and Fauna Botanical Butterflies. It's SO cute. It has butterflies and birds and flowers and ferns. LOVE it.

I used a Fall-To-Layout for this card. I cut two strips of paper, added the butterfly, then stamped the sentiment. I really like this layout too. You could use it for any occasion.


Supplies:
Paper: BoBunny (Sun Kissed Skies and a piece from my paper stash which no longer has a name); Recollections (Ivory cardblank)
Stamp: Hero Arts (Birthday Messages)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Fired Brick)
ETC: K&Co (Flora and Fauna Botanical Butterflies); Glue Glider Pro


The Hero Arts birthday stamp set is probably my most favorite birthday set ever. It's got cake, candles, balloons....and it has several birthday sentiments in different fonts, some casual and some more formal. Perfect for any recipient!


~Cynthia