Feminine birthday card for my Aunt, Naomi

 I made this shabby chic card for my wonderful Aunt, Naomi.  She is my aunt by marriage but you would never know it.  She treats me like one of her own and I try and treat her the same.  I regret that I don't get down to see that part of my family more and I miss them all but they are always in my heart and prayers. 

To make this card I used designer paper from Prima called the Botanicals collections.  I used it for the base layer of my card front then used another sheet for a die cut that's layered in the back and you can't really see it from this picture, but I used a Spellbinders die for it. The little journaling card used for the sentiment is a cut apart from the designer paper.  I like to use the 6x6 paper pads for my card making so the cut aparts are also smaller and more scaled to fit the fronts of cards.  That's why I prefer that size paper pad for my cards, all the images that would be much too big for cards in the full 12x12 size paper pad is scaled down for the 6x6 pads and the images are thus smaller and a much better fit for cards.  The mulberry flower on the right is also from Prima. Remember they were known for their flowers long before they were known for their papers, which are gorgeous, and their embellishments which are equally gorgeous. For the floral image in the center I used a cricut cartridge called Botanicals as well, no connection to the paper pad.  To get that beautiful dark outline around the floral image I used my cricut markers to draw around the outline of the image before I cut it out.  It's been a long time sense I've gotten out my cricut markers and I was glad that I did because I just love the outcome for this card.  The red lace is vintage lace from my stash. I just love it too!

This is a shot of the inside of the card, I used another sheet of the designer paper for the base layer, then another sheet that was border punched I believe with a fiskars punch. The sentiment was stamped with a stamp set from Hot off the Press.  I'm not sure of the color I used in the ink pad but I know I used a colorbox fluid chalk ink pad.  I also used that stamp pad to distress around the edges of the papers.

That's all for this post, I hope you enjoyed it.  I'll be back tomorrow morning with another card.  I am beginning to get caught up in my blog posting but I also just finished another four cards that have to go out in the mail today so look for them in the upcoming weeks. Till then, I hope you all are blessed in your daily life. Hugs to you all, Amy k

Welcome baby "New Addition" card

 

Baby Phoebe Lou Parker was born on Aug, 12, 3013 to parents, Jennifer Kittle and Andrew Parker. We were all there for the birth and I can tell you the room was absolutely full of excitement and anticipation.  We were there at the hospital all day as we waited for them to induce her labor and finally sometime around midnight we all got to come in and see the baby.  She's so beautiful and absolutely perfect.  I would show you a picture but I haven't gotten permission from the parents and that's something I firmly believe in doing.  I do not show a child online at all without first getting the parents permission.  So I made this card to congratulate the parents, by the way, Jennifer is my sis in law, on their new bundle of joy. 

For the front of the card I used designer paper from My Minds Eye called "In Bloom" and I got the sentiment from the Graphically Speaking cartridge for the cricut. I also used a scalloped circle punch from Recollections and the smaller scalloped circle was part of the sentiment from the cartridge. The pink flower is from Prima and I colored it with my homemade color sprays, and I used two velvet finished flowers from imaginese and a brad from Memory Makers, The little elephant stamp is from Hero Arts and I also used Hero arts shadow ink to stamp it and the sentiment that went along with it. I used my Viva Decor pen to make the pearl drops across the bottom and I used my copic markers to do a little coloring on the elephant stamp.  The grey chevron paper is also from the collection.  I believe this was a  5x7 card and I used a 6x6 paper pad so the paper was a tad too short so I had to add that piece to make it long enough.  It turned out to be one of those happy accidents that I think made the card cuter. 

 This is a shot of the inside of the card.  As you can see I used a couple different washi tapes  to the bottom left, and another stamp from that same Hero Arts stamp set.  I also used my copic markers to color the image.  The color has been enhanced to be brighter so I didn't want you to think it really looked this bright. lol.  I used a yellow chevron paper from the collection to back the sentiment on the inside and I have several books which contain sentiments, poems and quotes for the inside of cards and I can use them as long as the card is not for sale.  no worries, I don''t sell any of my cards anymore they are all made for family and friends. So, I distressed around the edge of the sentiment with a couple of colors of distress ink from Ranger.  I used the Ali Edwards font for the main part of the sentiment after I had cut it down to size and then added it to the inside of the card.  I also distressed the edges of the yellow chevron paper with Gathered twigs distress ink.  Well, that's all for this card, hope you enjoyed it.  I'll be back soon with yet anothr card. lol.  Till then, great big Hugs, amy k

Happy Birthday card for Father inlaw

This is the card that I made for my Father inlaw, Dale this year for his birthday.  Sorry that this isn't the best picture but I was in a rush to get it into the mail (anyone who gets cards from me will tell you they are always late.lol) so I didn't have time to get out my big camera and set up a back drop so I just grabbed the camera on my phone and snapped a quick pic.  For the background I used a burgundy coordination's card stock and distressed the edges with my Prima distressing tool. I cut the designer paper just a bit smaller and then did the same thing to the edges.  I can't recall what brand of designer paper that I used tho. Sorry.  If someone really wants to know they can just email me or leave a comment letting me know and I will try my very best to find out for you.  The Polaroid frame with the arrow cut out is a die cut that I designed on my gypsy  handheld device using a couple of cricut cartridges.  I just used green patterned washi tape on a strip of white card stock and layered it behind the cut out of the arrow. For the #1 Dad die cut I used the Phrases cartridge for the cricut and used some of the same Coordination's paper on it.  I distressed all the edges with Gathered Twigs distress ink from Tim Holtz for Ranger. I think that is becoming my go to color for distress ink lately. lol.  I stamped the sentiment using a Close to my Heart stamp in onyx black versa fine ink.  Then, finally, I added the thin rick rack trim.  It's from my vintage stash so I have no man. for you.  Well, that's it for this post, hope you liked my card. Next time I will try and do better with the picture taking. hehe. I hope you all are having a great Columbus Day. And those of you with the day off are enjoying it.  I'll be back soon with another card as I am still behind on my post and have plenty to share. Talk to you all soon. Hugs, amy k

Happy Birthday card for an old friend

I made this birthday card for my long time friend, Sara.  She lives in another town and seems like she is always on the move so needless to say, we don't get to see one another very much, but we do talk on the phone and text pretty regularly.  

To make this card I first used one of the 5.5 x 5.5 inch corrugated card bases by Recollections.  I used the 6x6 pad of the Gabrielle collection by BoBunny for the designer paper.  I cut the paper down to fit the card base, then used some flourish stamps by Autumn Leaves and some Color Box chalk ink and stamped the flourishes around the page.  The chipboard piece at the top is by Close to my Heart and the sentiment stamped there is made by them as well to fit their chipboard shapes. I used the same chalk ink to stamp that. I also used that same chalk ink to highlight the white flowers(Prima).  I added a stick pin made by me behind a Spare Parts flower. The sentiment in the middle of the card was stamped on a piece of the paper collections journaling pages. I believe that stamp is also from Close to my Heart.  I distressed the edges of the designer paper with Gathered Twigs distress ink by Tim Holtz for Ranger.  I then added the mixed color lace to the bottom of the card and you can just see a bit of the washi tape I used peaking out from underneath.

 

This is a shot of the inside of the card.  I've just layered a couple of the designer papers and another journaling page along with another strip of that same pink washi tape from the front of the card.

That's it for this post, I hope you liked it and I'm choosing to go ahead and post it eventho I know Sara hasn't seen the card yet in person.  She's having issues with her mail.  (I told you she moves alot lol).  I hope she enjoys it too. I'll be back soon with another post as I am still behind on my post, so if you haven't seen your card here or on google+ or on face book, just know it's because I'm running behind and I will get it up as soon as possible.. Thank you for being patient with me. Much love to you all. Hope you have a wonderful Sunday. AmyK

A Handmade birthday card for our Nannie (Mrs.. Kinsey)

 

This is the card that I made for Nannie Kinsey.  She's actually my hubby's grandmother but she is so warm and welcomes all extended members of the family with open arms, so I honestly feel like she's my adopted grandmother.  I love her so much and I believe she turned 88 this year.  Such an amazing woman.  I love that she's still around for all the up and coming young ladies to learn from her.  She could definitely teach the younger generation (and I'm not speaking about members of her own family, they are great smart and beautiful young ladies) a thing or two about how to be a lady.  I've spend many a night with her in the past playing games into the night just talking and enjoying each others company.  I do love her so.

On to the card, for this card I tried something new, I got these digital papers from a lady I met thru You Tube, I can't remember her first name right at the moment but her shop is called Kittylicious11.blogspot.com..  Here's the link http://kittylicious11.blogspot.com/p/printable-kits.html. You are going to love her store, It's called Kittys scrap post.  She has some beautiful kits and I've recently bought at least four kits from her and a couple of single cut apart sheets of ephemera.  You are also going to love her prices.  She makes the files, usually, in two different sizes, one in a size just right for a mini album and the other may be either 8x8 or 81/2 x11 but you get your downloads just as soon as you place your order and pay thru pay pal. So there's no waiting for the mail to bring you anything, you have every thing you need right there in that one download.  I believe I paid $12 for this kit and it includes like 20 something printable sheets plus about 3 sheets, (I've not counted them) of just cutout ephemera and envelopes and tags. Everything that I've used here on this card was from that one digital kit that I got from her.  I did do a little additional  stamping on the front sheet but you can do that.  It's just like the store bought paper pads only you get to choose which pages you want to print and you can even open the image in a Word document and change the size there. and you can print it as many times as you need, so if there is just one page you really love you don't have to hoard it any longer cause you can print more. I really love the site and check it regularly to see what's new.  I think you should head over there once you get thru with this post and just see for yourself what she has to offer. You may find yourself happily surprised.

So I used two pieces of the designer paper to layer on the front of this card. I did some flourish stamping with my Colorbox chalk inks on the front of the pink layer.  The focal image in white was cut from the ephemera page along with all the butterflies. The image of the little girl is also from one of the ephemera pages and  I shrunk it down by telling my printer to print in 4x6 and to fit to page. I also used one of her tags from the set and it came with the butterfly on it already. But I fussy cut out the larger butterfly from an ephemera sheet. I then colored some seam binding with one of my shimmer sprays and tied it onto the top of the tag, other than that I just added some crochet trim from Recollections .   I also did a little distressing with distress ink from Tim Holtz.

For the inside I cut a darker blue piece of designer paper and layered the white on top to give a place to sign the card.  I added the sentiment with my computer and printer and fussy cut out that butterfly too. and added some washi tape to the bottom corner.  I also want to mention that the kit I used was called "Spring Collection" if you want to look for it in her shop. Hope you all enjoyed today's card, and I do hope you will check out Kitty's scrap post.  It's a wonderful way to get beautiful papers at a great price and her images are always right on trend and she gives great customer service. See you all tomorrow with another card. Till then, I hope you all have a wonderful day. Lots of hugs, amy k

Masculine handmade birthday card for Chris A.

 I know, I'm a little behind on my blog post.  This card was made for Christopher back in August. lol.  Sooo far behind.  Anyway, Chris is my hubby, Brian's first cousin, he's also engaged to my BFF, Wendy and we all like to hang out so he's more like my cousin too, you know?  So to make this card I started with designer paper from Recollections.  The hexagons are a Spellbinders die cut and the piece of designer paper at the bottom that looks like arrows is cut from the same collection.  I used my Lacy Labels cartridge for the Cricut to cut the label shape and all its layers. I then stamped the sentiment with Versa Fine ink and heat embossed it with white embossing powder.  The only other thing I did was a little distressing using my distress inks from Tim Holtz, and layered it onto a kraft card base.

That's it for this card, hope you liked it. I'm keeping this post short and sweet:).  I'll be back soon with another card as I have many to post to catch up.  Hope you all are doing well and hope everyone is looking forward to Saturday, World card making day.  Hope to see some of your projects.  Talk to you all soon. Hugs and lots of Love, AmyK.