A Lighthouse Birthday

My youngest brother and sister have birthdays two weeks apart, and of course, I have missed them both.  First up is the card for my brother based on this Freshly Made Sketch:

I used one of my favorite techniques, resist embossing, in which you emboss your stamp image using Versamark and clear detail powder and then sponge over it with ink (preferably dye based) to make the image appear.  When you finish, wiping the embossing with a sponge or paper towel will make it pop even more.  I combined the Perfect Day stamp set (retired) with Timblerline paper (retired) and added a sentiment from Holiday Tags and a couple of grey sparkles (soon to be retired).  The lighthouse panel is popped up with foam tape to give it some dimension.

On the inside I used a sentiment from Card Chatter - Birthday (retired) along with another image from Perfect Day stamped in second generation Ponderosa Pine, which will be retired the end of this month.:

I also plan to enter this card in the Seize the Birthday challenge to use embossing.

I know that I have used a lot of retired products in this card.  Stay tuned for my sister's card which features current products and a hint as to what is coming in the new Close to My Heart catalog.  Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

Materials used, all Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:
Paper:  Timberline (retired), Colonial White and Avolea Teal (retired) cardstock
Ink:  Twilight (retired), Ponderosa Pine (soon to be retired), Lagoon, Black
Stamps:  Perfect Day (retired), Holiday Tags, Card Chatter - Birthday (retired)
Embellishments:  Gray Sparkles (soon to be retired), Clear detail powder

A Masculine, "Studly" Card for Heart 2 Heart

The theme of one of the Heart 2 Heart Challenges is "So Studly."  In other words, they want to see a masculine card, preferably using Durables or some type of metal stud.  I was not attracted to the Triangle Durables at all, but having a shortage of masculine embellishments, I ordered some and discovered that I love them!  I took my inspiration from this card that I saw on Pinterest (where else?) thinking that it would be quick and easy.  It would have been if I didn't have to figure out the dimensions of the pieces!  (For the record, clockwise from the upper left:  1 3/8 x 3 1/4, 2 1/2 x 3 1/4, 2 1/2 x 1 7/8, 1 3/8 x 1 7/8)  I distressed all the pieces with White Daisy, decided I didn't like it, and sponged Chocolate over top.  I like the smudged effect.

This is my last entry for the Heart 2 Heart Challenges for June.  Whew!  Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

Materials used, all Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  Timberline, Bamboo cardstock

Ink:  White Daisy, Chocolate, Pondersosa Pine with Whisper alcohol marker

Stamp:  Happy Birthday mini

Embellishments:  Triangle Durables

A Heart 2 Heart Sketch Challenge

This month the ladies over at Heart 2 Heart are challenging us to use this sketch:

This one proved a bit challenging for me, but isn't that the point?  I had trouble deciding what to do with that oval.  Then it came to me.  I had just gotten Close to My Heart's new Timberline paper pack which has an outdoorsy, camping theme to it which got me to thinking about my days as a Girl Scout camping at Seashore State Park (now First landing State Park) which was near the Cape Henry Lighthouse.  It was time to break out the Perfect Day stamp set!  I used the resist embossing technique where you stamp the image with Versamark, heat emboss it with clear detail powder, and then sponge over it with water based ink to make the image appear.  Sometimes you have to wipe over the embossed area with a tissue to remove the thin film of ink that can coat to your image.  In this case, I sponged Juniper, Twilight, and Pondersoa Pine over the image stamped on Bamboo cardstock.  I sponged the edges of the "corner squares" with a little Colonial White pigment ink.  I do not have any Ponderosa Pine cardstock, but I found that Avonlea Green from the retired paper pack made a good substitute.  For embellishments I started with the new Durables Triangle Studs which have really grown on me.  To complement them, I cut the prongs off some brads and attached them with Liquid Glass.

I am not sure if this will be a masculine birthday card, thinking of you card, or note of encouragement, so I have not done anything on the inside yet.  Thank you for stopping by!  Now head on over to Heart 2 Heart Challenges to see some more takes on this sketch.  Until next time, Hansi

Materials used, all Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  Timberline, Bamboo, Avonlea Green (retired) and Colonial White cardstock

Ink:  Juniper, Twilight, Ponderosa Pine

Stamp:  Perfect Day (retired)

Embellishments:  Duarables Triangle Studs, Metal Brads (retired)