Autumn Masculine Birthday

When I stopped by Splitcoast Stampers yesterday morning to post a card, Ravengirl's card jumped out at me!  I just LOVE the simplicity of it.  Of course, I only own two leaf stamps and I don't have a "Happy Birthday" stamp as large as the one she used so I had to get a little creative.  I printed the Happy Birthday sentiment in Microsoft Word using text boxes so I could get the "Happy" right on top of "Birthday".  I used one of my favourite fonts - Century Gothic.  The rest of the design of the card was also inspired by Ravengirl's card.  On first my look at her card, I thought the white was mounted on coloured card stock.  I later realized that it is actually a coloured background for the picture!  Which is great for me because that means I didn't CASE the card as much as I used it for a starting point for creating my own ;) !  You know what they say, "Imitation is the sincerest flattery!"... hopefully others feel the same way!

Thanks for looking,
Kim

SU Card Stock - Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
SU Ink - Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard, Old Olive
SU Stamps - Lovely as a Tree
Accessories - Corner Rounder, Jute

Good Luck Retirement

I created this card for my principal who is sort of retiring. I say sort of because he is retiring from our school district and has accepted a job as the head master of a private school. Since he is going to continue working, I didn't think "Happy Retirement" was an appropriate sentiment so I went with "Good Luck" instead. I just have two more retirement cards to make before the end of school.

I used Denise's card for inspiration. My Cricut came in handy for the circles, but I used my Nestabilities for the ovals.

Thanks for looking,
Kim

SU Card Stock - Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Confetti White
SU Designer Paper - To the Nines Speciality
Ink - SU Chocolate Chip, Versamark
Stamps - SU - Lovely as a Tree, PTI - Mixed Messages
Accessories - Always Artichoke brads from Pink Hedgehog Paper Crafts, Cricut, Oval Nestablities

Two Sympathy Cards

I needed two sympathy cards last week. Both were for grandfathers that passed away, so I wanted to make the cards masculine looking.

The first one didn't thrill me at first, but it has grown on me a bit more. I used Silke's card as an inspiration. I wanted to use some of my designer paper, but once I made my pick, I realized that the colours wouldn't look good for colouring the trees. I think I could have "upped" the quality of this card by embossing the trees, but I didn't want to use black. I'm also a little frustrated with my paper piercing. I used the Mat Pack so the holes are evenly spaced, but I find that they are not as straight as I would like them. I guess I need to focus on this the next time I use it.


For the second one, I used Kim Scotti's card for inspiration. I really like how this one turned out. I stamped off some of the leaves so that there is a variation in the colour of them.


Thanks for looking,
Kim

First Card
SU Card Stock - Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Sage Shadow, Whisper White
SU Designer Paper - To the Nines Specialty Textured C/S
SU Ink - Chocolate Chip
SU Stamps - Lovely as a Tree, Warmest Regards
Accessories - Chocolate Chip brads from Pink Hedgehog Paper Crafts, Mat Pack, Crafters' Tool Kit

Second Card
SU Card Stock - Basic Black, Whisper White, Ruby Red
SU Designer Paper - Old Olive
Ink - SU Old Olive, SU Ruby Red, Versa Fine Black Onyx
Stamps - SU Branch Out, Papertry Ink - Mixed Messages
Accessories - SU Black Brads, Oval and Scalloped Oval Nestabilities, Cuttlebug Birds and Swirls Embossing Folder, Corner Rounder Punch

Lovely as a Tree Reflection

When I find cards that I like, I put them in my Internet Explorer's Favorites folder. I knew I had to make this card because I had it in my folder three times! Once from Kim's Splitcoast gallery and then twice from her blog! I almost didn't make the card because I thought it was beyond my abilities. It wasn't that hard to make and I'm so glad that I made it!

This card uses the Reflection/Mirror Image Technique and the Thumping Technique, which I had never tried before. The trees trunks were inked with my Chocolate Chip stamping spot and then coloured with my Old Olive marker. I then thumped the branches with Always Artichoke and Garden Green. I used my Stampin' Pastels to colour the sky and the grass.

I misted by Close to Cocoa card stock before embossing it with the "Feathers" Fiskar embossing plate in my Big Shot. Misting the paper sure gave it a deep emboss.

Thanks for looking,
Kim

SU Card Stock - Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Brocade Blue, Chocolate Chip
SU Designer Paper - Old Olive
SU Ink - Chocolate Chip

Ink - VersaFine Black Onyx for sentiment
Stamps - SU's Lovely as a Tree and Studio G's $1 Stamp from Michael's for "Happy Birthday"
Accessories - Hodge Podge Accessories in Pewter, Chocolate Chip 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Pastels, Fiskar's Embossing Plate - Feathers