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