Spring is coming right???

Hello. . .Yes Spring is really coming. Yesterday here is NE Wisconsin, we had a very very wet and heavy snowfall. We got about 5 inches and oh my was it heavy. I only shoveled enough to be able to get the van out at the end of the driveway. And, thankfully, the snow ended in plenty of time for our company to be able to come over for dinner. I fixed turkey, will some of the fixings!

Okay, onto the cards! For me, this card is really out of my comfort zone aka out of the box! I say this layout somewhere on the next and thought okay, I'll give it a try. I think it turned out okay. What do you think?

I'm trying to remember to do faux stitching sometimes and using embellishments I have, but seldom use. And, though I do layer, I haven't done this much before.

Here is another card, using the same layout AND as you might be able to tell I did the wax paper resist technique on the greenish paper. I first took the wax paper and ran in through my Big Shot in the argyle Cuttlebug embossing folder.

You can see, I used a small strip of the wax paper resist on the inside of the card, to kind of pull in together.

All the stamps/sayings are by AJ. If you like any of them and would like to buy them, just email AJ. At the moment she does not have a website.

Thank you, for looking and may you have a wonderful day.

AJ's stamps

Happy Saturday. . .have you done any stamping? Gotten any ink on those fingers?!?!? Thought I would show you the card, I have made today. Both stamps are by AJ. If you would like to purchase stamps from her, just let her know.
I'd like to do some more stamping or playing, but then I wonder if I shouldn't do some more straightening up. I looked around this morning and said. Oooohhh, why does it seem when I begin to make some progress and then move a piece of furniture, I think I've gone 10 steps backwards?!? Oh well, it will get down one of these days, right????

Happy Week-end,
Inkyhive

a Birthday card

Hi, I'm still cleaning my room and I am making progress. The funny thing is, I was so happy with the progress I had made on my desk and cutting table AND then I turned around and saw the rest of my room. . .well, it is coming along, yet I still have lots to do. Sort of like life, isn't it.
One day at a time and keep moving forward!

Anyway, I wanted to share with you, the birthday card, I made last week. I ran the birthday paper through my Big Shot using the hearts Cuttlebug embossing folder and I used stickles over the bubble hearts. I hope the recipient liked it.
Okay, back to cleaning and hopefully, I will have another card to show you later today or tomorrow.

til the next time. . .
Inkyhive

Sunflower stamp-n-stencil

I know it's been a week, since I last posted. . .I don't know where all the time goes. AJ and I had a very nice visit last week. AJ made a couple of cards, I stamped images, and of course, we did lots and lots of talking. Before, we knew it, it was time for me to head home. We didn't even break for lunch!!! We are trying to plan our next get together, before we get snow that stays. It has snowed a couple of times, this past week! My it is early, but thankfully, it hasn't stayed and the roads haven't been too icy, though it was hard to open the car doors on Tuesday morning.

Here is a card, I made this afternoon. The sunflower is a stamp-n-stencil. If you haven't taken a look see, why don't you check it out. AJ has several and they are a lot of fun to use! I also, used a border punch, 2 different Cuttlebug embossing folders and 2 different sets of nestabilities. You don't have to have the ones I used. . .you can use different ones or none at all.
I hope this will give you some inspiration and you will take some time to play. For me, stamping and creating is great therapy.

Is it Fall or Summer???

I can't decide if it is Summer or if it is Fall. The end of August, first part of September, it was very much like Fall. Several days back, it began to get hot -- high 70's to mid-80's and very humid. The humidity was so high 99%, I couldn't take it anymore, so the air conditioner went on.

I haven't done a lot of stamping, but I have gotten a couple of cards made and thought I would let you see. This first one is a Shy Bear, which I am crazy about! I'm sorry the scan doesn't show the clouds very well. The layout idea, for this card came from a couple of challenges I came across while surfing. On this card, I used glitter (pen), flowers/leaves, and Cuttlebug embossing folder.



This card is done with a stamp-n-stencil set, that can be found here. http://www.wood-n-paper-ink.com/m_29.asp?pa=m_29 Just click on the stamp-n-stencil set on the left hand side. There are many designs to pick from. This was my first attempt, first card, using a stamp-n-stencil set. This one is called Giraffe - P288. If you do order any, please let AJ, know that Inkyhive sent you. . .That way she will know stampers are seeing her product.

I stamped the image with black Stazon and then I colored the image using the stencil parts. The coloring is done with a stipple brush. I then cut it out with my oval scalloped nestabilitie and before removing the die, I stippled some green around the inside of the die, leaving the white ring scalloped edge. I layered that on a piece of paper from the pack of Harvest & Holiday. It is by Debbie Mumm for Jo-Ann fabrics and crafts. The card is brown cardstock.If you don't have one of these sets, you might want to take a look and order one or two or three. It is a lot of fun and very easy.

Hope this inspires you to make a card or two.

God's Word is my road map. . .

do you have a horse?

Do you have a horse? Do you go horse riding? I don't do either, but I like horses. Do you have any horse stamps? That, I do have so I thought I would make a card with one of the horse stamps I do have. On this card, both images are available from http://www.wood-n-paper-ink.com/ I uploaded this card on Amy's Blog, but thought I would also put it here, since it is my card.

Here is how I did it: I stamped the horse head on white cardstock and then I colored it in with a few copic markers. The colors I used were E02, E33, E35, R02, YR00, and 0 the colorless blender. I am new using these markers and the more I use them, the more I am liking them, though I don't have many. After getting the horse colored the way I wanted it, I used a circle scalloped nestabilites die and cut out the image and while the paper was still in the die, I used a duster with some blue ink and went around the image, thus leaving the edge white. I then used a circle nestabilities die and cut the black layer out. I stamped the horseshoe image out twice and cut them out. I colored them in with a silver glitter pen (though you can't see that very well in the scan). I layered the images on a light brown layer, which is 3 3/4 by 5 which I used the Swiss Dots cuttlebug embossing folder on. I really like how the card turned out and I hope you do to. I can think of many people who would enjoy getting a card like this? Can you?

I hope you and your family have a fun and safe Labor Day week-end and I also hope you take some time to do a little creating.

hugs and Prayers,

Be Joyful

I wanted to share this card, I completed today. I'm sorry the scan isn't the best, though you can see the embossing dots 'a little'.

I used a ribbon punch on the white layer, then I used the swiss dots cuttlebug embossing folder, and then I ran the thread through the holes.

I then stamped my saying, which is from the HOPE set, by Our Daily Bread designs. Afterwards, I used my oval nestabilities and cut out the saying, then the yellow frame, and lastly the black oval layer. I adhered them together and then adhered to the white layer.

I know who I am sending this card to, but it sure can be for anyone, everyone, no matter what we might be going through. I have been having my own affliction this week and glad that I have been following Romans 12:12. I was brought to tears, filled with JOY and thanking the Lord this afternoon, when I went to my mailbox. He is always with us, no matter what we are going through.

hugs and Prayers,

~~Inkyhive

Christmas or winter card

It really isn't too early to think of Christmas cards. I have been known to put them off till mid-November or later and I don't want to do that this year. If I made one here and there, I could come up with one that I could make several of the same design.

I wanted to share this card, I began over the week-end. I was reading blogs on Thursday night and I'm sorry, I don't recall what blog I was reading. The card I saw was beautiful, though larger than the A2 I am doing, so mine isn't exactly like what I saw. I liked the idea that this is not the usual color for Christmas. [Because the card itself is white, I laid it on chipboard to help show it a bit better.]

I have put the card, off to the side for a little while. . .as I decide if I want to add "Merry Christmas" or "let it snow", or something, on the front. If you have any ideas, please leave a comment and even if you don't have an idea, let me know what you think of the card/colors :D

Okay, I have to close for now. I have to go the PO to mail my care package, to my nephew. Thank you, for your prayers for him and I thank those who have written me, with your words of encouragement.

I hope you all had a pleasant week-end.

~~Inkyhive

another card for Kate

Here is another card I made today and this will be going out to Kate tomorrow. As you can see, I used the cheerleader stamp again. I hope this brings a little smile to her face and I want her and the family to know, I am praying for them and I am on their cheering squad!

I used the Argyle cuttlebug embossing folder and then I use 2 different color ink pads doing the DTP technique [direct to paper]

I have decided to use the other cheerleader card I shared with you last week, for my nephew's birthday. Since, I used red, white, and blue to color her in, I thought it would be a patriotic card. Thank you, for praying for him and the other soldiers, who are serving our country and helping others.

God Bless, ~~Inkyhive

The mailbox

I was going to post this card the other day and of course, time got away from me. This image is from AJ's Country Stampin. After coloring it, I used a scallop punch on the right side and layered it on silver paper that was also punch with my scallop punch. I put that layer on color core paper; after I ran the paper through my Sizzix, with a CuttleBug embossing folder. After the paper was embossed, I took some fine grit sandpaper, to get the look of the leaves, to stand out a bit more. I layered it on gray paper and then on a shimmery yellow/orange cardstock.

I hope this will give you a lift to create something today. ~~Inkyhive

Happy Monday

I hope you are having a pleasant Monday and that you had a nice, relaxing week-end. Did you get a chance to stamp? Even if only for a few minutes. . .you know if you work a few minutes a day, you will get a card made and the receiver will be happy to get it. Here is a card, I worked on. The first picture is the front of the card. I used the Leafy Branch embossing folder by Cuttlebug. After, I embossed it, I took a fine grade sandpaper and rubbed over the leaves, giving it the look it has. I then took a scalloped circle and a plain circle, both by Nestabilities and made the scalloped ring. When I decided where I wanted to place it, I used the plain circle nestabilities and punched out that circle. I used the same plain circle and cut through the card, so that the inside would show through.

As you can see I didn't complete it yesterday. I'm not sure what saying I will add it to. I bought the stamp at a rummage sale a few weeks back and it came by itself. I haven't decided who I am sending the card to, thus I haven't decided what I want it to say! Could be a birthday card, could be an encouragement card, could be for a soldier. . . if you have any ideas, please leave me a comment.

God Bless
~~Inkyhive