Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate this holiday! I hope that in addition to carving the turkey, you will be able to carve some time out of your busy holiday schedule to play along at Pals Paper Arts in our Clean and Simple Elements of Style:  Pearls Challenge! Oh my gosh…you read it correctly!  Pearls! Whether it’s a single pearl or an entire package, we encourage you to join us in this clean and simple challenge. And I will confess…I totally missed the “Clean and Simple” part until I had already completed the emboss resist technique.  So enjoy my “Distressed and Simple”, or DAS, card!

This card measures 5-1/4″ x 5-1/4″.

• Nothing but net! The Netting background stamp was inked with Early Espresso Craft Ink and stamped onto Naturals Ivory card stock.  It was allowed to partially dry before overstamping with the Hello Doily background stamp, which had been inked with VersaMark.  White Stampin’ Emboss Powder was applied over the doily image and the excess was removed, which left a light dusting on parts of the Netting image.  Heat embossing followed.

 

• Emboss resist!  The image from Day of Gratitude was inked with VersaMark and stamped onto Naturals Ivory card stock.  It was then heat embossed with White Stampin’ Emboss Powder.  Crumb Cake ink was applied with a Stamping Sponge.  The same technique was used with the Hello Doily background stamp.

 

• Distress! The Seven Sided Tool from the Cutter Kit was used to distress the edges of the Doily image mat.  Crumb Cake ink was applied with a Sponge Dauber.

• Flag the sentiment!  After inking it up with Early Espresso, the “Grateful” sentiment from the Always Thankful set was stamped onto Whisper White card stock.  The ends were snipped with Paper Snips, and the edges were distressed with Crumb Cake.  A few Crumb Cake Watermarks (French Foliage) and speckles made with the Color Spritzer Tool complete the look.

• Scrunch! Crumb Cake Seam Binding was shirred and layered over Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon for added interest.

• Pearls for Pizzazz! A honey brown permanent marker was used to color Basic Pearls and add contrast!

I hope that you enjoyed today’s card.  Won’t you let me know in your comment today?  Your comments are very important to me, and I do read each and every one of them! And remember…if you ever have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away! Until next time…

 

Stamp Sets:  Netting (122655), Hello Doily (122845), Day of Gratitude (W 120835, C 121148), Always Thankful (W 123787, C 123789);  Inks:  VersaMark (102283), Crumb Cake (121030), Early Espresso…Neutrals Craft Stampin’ Spots (119719), Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Marker (120973); Card Stock:  Naturals Ivory (101849), Early Espresso (119686); Tools:  Heat Tool (100005), Cutter Kit (106958), Color Spritzer Tool (107066), Paper Snips (103579), Sponge Daubers (102892), Stamping Sponges (101610), White Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109132); Glitz and Glam:  Chocolate Chip 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (124327), Crumb Cake Seam Binding (122332), Basic Pearls (119247)

It’s time for this week’s peek at my Pals Paper Arts Design Team card.  I will tell you that I am in my element this week.  Hmmm…what could that be? Let me know what you think it is, in today’s comment!  Join me for tomorrow’s reveal to see if you guessed correctly!  In the meantime, why not stop by to see who are this week’s Pals Artist Picks!

With Thanksgiving just a day away here in the States, I find myself reflecting upon so many things for which I am thankful.  I am blessed with a wonderful husband who is supportive of all of my endeavors.  I am blessed to have a talented son who makes me proud in so many ways.  I am blessed to have the Twins, who never fail to entertain me with their crazy antics.

And I am blessed to have the most wonderful group of stamping friends.  In my “previous life” as a teacher, I loved my interactions with my students.  I loved helping them reach their potential.  I loved introducing them to a new realm of knowledge.  I loved serving as an inspiration to them.  In my retirement, you have allowed me to continue doing what I love to do…teaching, inspiring and “challenging” individuals to step outside of their comfort zone and grow.  With your kind comments and sweet words, you lift my spirits day after day.  For this, I will forever be grateful…


In closing on this Thanksgiving Eve,  I would like to share Brady’s winning Concerto Competition performance with you.  But I warn you…if you are looking for a melodic and lyrical piece, this is not the selection for you. It is modern and discordant. This composition was selected for it’s level of technical difficulty and to showcase his skill.  Until next time…

Don’t forget the Online Extravaganza going on now! Click HERE to see a list of everything on sale.  Ready to make your purchase?  Click HERE to order SU! 27/7!

It’s Monday, and I am under the gun to get this card posted in time to enter it into this week’s Freshly Made Sketches challenge.  The lovely Linda Callahan designed a fabulous sketch, so I had to play along.  I hope you enjoy today’s card!

• Depth!  The Lodge from the Christmas Lodge set was stamped with Early Espresso Craft Ink and heat embossed with Clear Stampin’ Emboss Powder.  It was then partially snipped out and positioned in front of the images from Lovely As a Tree to give the illusion of depth.

• Sparkly Bow! A snippet of Always Artichoke Seam Binding was threaded through an Always Artichoke Button and tied into a bow.  Both the ribbon and the button were liberally kissed with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz.

• Merry!   For a little more pizzazz, I decided to add the Merry sentiment from Teeny Tiny Tags.

• Texture! Both the Stripes and Houndstooth Textured Impressions Embossing Folders were used in creating this card for a healthy dose of yummy texture.  And for even more fun, an Early Espresso strip punched using the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch was added, along with a few pearls. 

I hope you like today’s card! I will be interested in hearing whether you like the version with the tag, or without the tag, as seen here:

I like them equally as well.  So when in doubt, post them both! Let me know in today’s comment your preference.  Please remember, your comments are so very important to me.  I do read each and every one.  And remember, if you ever have any questions about the cards that I make or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away…although I am typing with a handicap.  Brody shut the door on the pointer finger of my right hand.  I was heading out the door, and Muffy had her nose where it didn’t belong…as usual.  I was poking her nose back inside when Brody jumped on the door, slamming it on my finger.  It is not broken, but boy is it swollen and purple.  But you know what…better my finger than Muffy’s nose!  Until next time…

 

Stamp Sets:  Christmas Lodge, Teeny Tiny Wishes;  Inks:  Early Espresso Craft Ink, Cherry Cobbler;  Card Stock:  Early Espresso, Naturals Ivory, River Rock, Cherry Cobbler; Tools:  Big Shot, Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Houndstooth Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Jewelry Tag Punch, Heat Tool, Clear Stampin’ Emboss Powder;  Glitz and Glam:  Artichoke Seam Binding, Artichoke Designer Button (retired), Dazzling Details, Basic Pearls, Linen Thread, Mini Jingle Bells