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Good Tidings

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As this holiday season is in full swing, I wanted to share a series of cards I made with the Good Tidings line by Honey Bee Stamps. I started this as a test of stenciling on images. I see lots of people who create beautiful cards with stenciling as their method of coloring. But personally, I have not had a ton of success with it. Still, when I saw the Good Tidings suite, I thought yeah…just get the stencils too. I was already getting the stamps and dies and, knowing the quality of Honey Bee, the stencils were a worthwhile add-on.

First up, I went to my tried and true. Copic coloring! I loved coloring this image! I find it such a brain break and I get lost in the shading and details. But, when it comes to holiday cards, not the most efficient. This one took me about 2 hours to color. So next, I pulled out the stencils. To be honest, my first attempt was not good. I stenciled first and then over-stamped with the image. That did not work for me. So I tried again except that I stamped the image and then used the stencils for shading. Since I already had the Copic image, I looked to mimic those colors and shading with my Distress Inks. Here they are side by side:

I did not use the one stencil that has “highlights” for the leaves but otherwise just worked through the stack. Other than the shading on the pinecones, I was able to approximate the darks and lights using my Bitty Blender Brushes to help get more color in the nooks and crannies. And this one took me…..10 minutes. Yes, TEN. So in mass production, this is manageable and still feels hand colored and special. I’m a convert to the stencils! Obviously, the Copic markers allow for more depth but the stencils give such flexibility on time.

I finished these out in a way to match. On the Copic version, I used the Burlap 3D Embossing folder on the panel behind the image and matted it with Gold Cardstock from Erin Lee Creative. Both images with cut out with the coordinating die and I chose a sentiment from the stamp set for heat embossing (also with a coordinating die). Pearls to match but the layout is exactly the same.

I created one more for those who might not have the stencil but still want a card that is easy to make in multiples. This time, the power of gold! I got rid of the extra layer and just stamped, embossed and cut out the image. Same sentiment and some pretty gold pearls.

I love the versatility of this suite and am so glad I took the chance on the stencils. The beauty of this image is what captured me and I will be using this for years to come.

I’m on call today and hoping the system stays quiet for a couple more days. Cookies to back and a few last presents to wrap. Wishing you a bit of calm in your hustle and bustle!

Nordic Tree Shaker Cards and Extras

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I have decided that I better start getting more serious about Christmas cards. November is bound to fly by and I’ll be woefully behind! While I’m not a big fan of mass production, I actually made 4 cards for today (all a little different) by using positive and negative die cuts.

I started by inking to A2 sized panels in a blend I have used before – Kitsch Flamingo and Salvaged Patina Distress Oxide Inks. I told you then that you would likely see it again and I’m truly obsessed with this color combination. I cut both panels with the Nordic Tree Die from Erin Lee Creative and then used a rectangle die to center and cut down the panels. I splattered one with Hero Arts Iridescent Shimmer Spray and one with Hero Arts White Glimmer Metallic Ink. The ink is a bit more opaque while the shimmer spray has a more subtle effect. Both are awesome!

I created shaker cards using the Catherine Pooler St. Cloud blend of sequins (they have the blue and clear and pink-ish colors that match the ink blend perfectly). Then using Silver Glimmer Hot Foil used the Christmas Greetings Hot Foil and Dies set from Erin Lee Creative for the sentiment.

Using the trees that I cut out (because why would I not?), I created two more cards. For the first, I sprayed again with Shimmer Spray and added some silver thread behind the tree for a little more shine. I used another of the sentiments from the Christmas Greetings set. **Tip: I actually foiled all the sentiment from the set at the same time so that I had them ready to go for these and other cards. **

On the bottom card here, I did not splatter and went for a cleaner look. In my attempt to foil the sentiment directly onto the panel, I had my foil backwards (seriously….those who have, those who will) and ended up with a letterpress look along with a pretty silver on my hot foil plate. It doesn’t hurt the plate, for the record. I kind of like the look so went with it. I added the tree but gluing the middle straight down but putting a bit of foam tape under the branches for dimension. I thought the Pink Blush Pearls from Pretty Pink Posh were the right add, almost like a free form ornament.

So there you have it. Four cards, all a little different but the same. WIN!! This pretty tree from Erin Lee Creative will stay in heavy rotation as I create. I love the modern look and clearly it allows for some diversity of design. Thanks so much for stopping in today. Back tomorrow with a fun new product!

CASE Me a Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton

CASE Me a Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton published on 3 Comments on CASE Me a Christmas Card with Michelle Lupton

I’m so happy to be back today for a very special post! My friend Michelle Lupton has graciously invited me to join her CASE Me a Christmas Card series again this year. I love all the inspiration that comes from her collaborations each year and, let’s face it, I’ll take any excuse to CASE one of her cards.

Truly the hardest part about this is choosing what to CASE. I mean….just go look at her gallery of work and you’ll understand. I finally settled on a card from May that was full of rainbow goodness (you can see it below). In the rules of CASEing, as I have always done it, you change 3 things but keep the overall feel of the original. Things I kept: the side placement of the focal elements, the big sentiment, the scattered pearls. Things I changed: more monochromatic, stencil plus die cut, no background stamped image.

The products on this card are new from Erin Lee Creative and I love them! I started by inking through the Nordic Tree Stencil with Versamark Ink and then heat embossed with a pearl powder. Much more subtle shimmer in person! Using the Nordic Tree Die, I did an edge cut on the Gold Cardstock (also from Erin Lee). Before layering it on, I blended on Rustic Wilderness and Iced Spruce Distress Oxide Inks. The sentiment is from the new Christmas Greetings stamp set (which has coordinating hot foil plates and dies).

This is the card by Michelle and you can see more HERE about how she made it. Now part of the fun is that she also uses one of my cards to create a Christmas card and her new card is here: Michelle’s New CASE Me a Christmas Card.

Thanks so much for joining us for this fun series! Go follow Michelle to see all of her beautiful work!

Erin Lee Creative January Release

Erin Lee Creative January Release published on 13 Comments on Erin Lee Creative January Release

I’m totally the bearer of good tidings this week and today I have even more! Erin Lee Creative is launching her January Release TODAY! So many fun things plus a hop and a GIVEAWAY.

I’m thrilled to show you the new Wonder Woman stamp set. Great images and inspiring sentiments abound! I stamped this image that is reminiscent of Rosie the Riveter and got to coloring with my Copics. Isn’t she wonderful?! After coloring (on white card stock), I thought she needed a bolder background so I colored behind her with a dark blue Copic as well.

This technique does not get old! Finally, after some debate of which worked best, I thought this sentiment was best. For all your friends who are struggling right now, what better way to cheer them on?!

Now for a chance to win:

Prizes: Be sure to comment on blog entries along the hop so you can be entered to win a $50 voucher to use in the ELC shop! There will be two winners chosen at random from the comments.

On with the hop! Next up is the amazing Cheryl Knutti. I just adore her creative style and I know you will love what she created!

Thank you so much for joining us today! My affiliate links are posted below and I’d be so grateful if you shop Erin Lee Creative with me. Have an empowered day!

Christmas Star for Erin Lee Creative

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I’m up on the Erin Lee Creative blog today with this last minute Christmas card idea. I love when a die does most of the work for you!

In the case of this Circle Burst Die, I went a bit out of the box. I cut it from some glitter paper to create an abstract star in the night sky. As I was adhering the circle, I worked to ensure a tiny bit of space between the triangles to evoke the rays from the bright Christmas star.

I used some textured glimmer paper from my stash to continue the shine. The sentiment comes from Winter Florals and seemed perfectly sized. Finally, I found a big gem from my stash that worked perfectly to complete the card. Depending on what you already have, you can vary this to complete a stack of cards in no time.

I hope you enjoy the inspiration! Let me know what you think about my abstract idea. Back on Wednesday for our last Freshly Made Sketches challenge of the year. See you then.

Erin Lee Creative November Release Blog Hop

Erin Lee Creative November Release Blog Hop published on 17 Comments on Erin Lee Creative November Release Blog Hop

Welcome to the November Release Blog Hop from Erin Lee Creative! I’m so excited to share these Stripes and Hearts products!

I could not wait to focus on the suite of Stripe products! I started with the Stripe Stencil. So easy to quickly create this little rainbow of color! I just used a straight edge and moved the stencil down while switching out the Distress Ink colors.

Needless to say, the obvious sentiment answer was this “Be A Rainbow” from the Stripe Sentiments Stamp Set. So many great sentiments, though, and a coordinating Stripe Die with it that is a must-have! I added on a few sequins from my stash to highlight the rainbow colors.

Now for a chance to win!

Prizes: Two $50 gift vouchers to be used in the ELC shop. Winners will be chosen and announced on Monday, November 9. Comment on all the blogs or IG pages for chances to win.

On with the hop! Next up is the awesome Lynnea Hollendonner. You are sure to love her project. Here is the whole hop list in case you get lost:

I hope you have fun with the hop and enjoy all the inspiration. Thanks so much for stopping in today! See you soon!

Sending Hugs for Erin Lee Creative

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I’m up today on the Erin Lee Creative Blog with some inspiration using her newest release. I am still in love with her Winter Florals stamp set and wanted to show a bit of its flexibility.

I took the single flower image and stamped it in Momento Tuxedo Black on white card stock. I colored the flower first using some fall colors. Then I chose a rich blue green Copic to color the background. This effect is really striking! I stamped a sentiment from the set on a panel and colored it in the same oranges from the flower. I cut a square panel with a circle die to frame the coloring.

I hope you enjoy this card and the Copic background technique. Thanks for stopping by today. See you soon!

Erin Lee Creative October Release Blog Hop

Erin Lee Creative October Release Blog Hop published on 16 Comments on Erin Lee Creative October Release Blog Hop

Today is the day! Finally! The October release for Erin Lee Creative is now live.

I could not resist showcasing the Marble Stencil. So many ways to use this! But I thought it looked like abstract art and I just brushed on colors, turning it 90 degrees for each color. Once done, I used the Hello Word Die along with the Oh Em Gee Stamp Set. This release is full of so much goodness. It includes the Winter Florals Stamp Set I featured a couple of weeks ago. You are sure to love it.

Now for a chance to win!

Prizes: 2 lucky commenters will win a $50 gift code to use in the ELC shop. Winners will be announced on the Monday, October 26 blog post. Comment on everyone’s blog or IG for a greater chance to win!

On with the hop! Up next is Lynnea Hollendonner and I know you’ll love her project. Here is the whole hop in case you get lost:

I hope you love all the inspiration and will go support Erin. She is an amazing human and her wonderful company makes me happy! Thanks for stopping in today!

Nineteen Years

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Nineteen years ago today, my flying world changed forever. For those new to my blog, I am a pilot for United Airlines. And this year, the anniversary of 9/11 feels somehow closer than in previous years. I have struggled to write this post because of strong emotions this week. Focusing is harder.

When those planes were used as weapons and all those innocents were killed, we knew the world would never be the same. I recognized pretty quickly that the impact to my career would be substantial. Two years later, seventeen years ago, I was given a furlough notice. For over 3 years, I had no job at United. The devastation of 9/11 went deep. We know the stories of first responders and their health issues. I can say with clarity that many airline families struggled for years. More loss. It is hard not to draw parallels to where we are now. I wrote last year (Eighteen Years) about one of the most notable parts in the days following 9/11 was how the world worked together. That there was a feeling of unity and kindness and love that shone through the darkness.

The darkness has crept back in. We all see it. We all comment on it. But, in truth, what are we personally doing to combat it? This card reflects how I’m feeling, I think. For any of my United brethren, you’ll understand this choice. It reminds me of our Training Center location in Denver. The place where we were so excited as new hires. Where we have gone for our upgrades. And now, again, where we go on the march backwards.

But the sentiment, a quote from Maya Angelou, seems right for the times too. We are fighting a different battle than nineteen years ago. But maybe we can use some of the lessons we learned then. We are the best versions of ourselves when we work to help others. Light can come in different ways. Small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Just like the night sky. One star may not add much light. But all of the stars together are brilliant.

To quote myself, kindness and love are the only solution to the tragedy brought by hate. I hope that today, and on other days, we give each other a little grace and work to find the light. And maybe even be the light.

In memory of:

United 93:  Jason Dahl, LeRoy Homer Jr., Lorraine Bay, Sandra Bradshaw, Wanda Green, CeeCee Lyles, Deborah Welsh

United 175:  Victor Saracini, Michael Horrocks, Robert Fangman, Amy Jarret, Amy King, Kathryn Laborie, Alfred Marchand, Michael Tarrou, Alicia Titus, Marianne McFarlane, Jesus Sanchez

American 11:  John Ogonowski, Thomas McGuinness, Barbara Arestegui, Jeffrey Collman, Sara Low, Karen Martin, Kathleen Nicosia, Betty Ong, Jean D. Roger, Dianne Snyder, Madeline Sweeney

American 77:  Charles Burlingame III, David Charlebois, Michele Heidenberger, Jennifer Lewis, Kenneth Lewis, Renee May

Erin Lee Creative – Look on the Bright Side Hop + Giveaway

Erin Lee Creative – Look on the Bright Side Hop + Giveaway published on 14 Comments on Erin Lee Creative – Look on the Bright Side Hop + Giveaway

Happy September! Here’s to hoping that this month decides to play a little nicer than the others this year. What was that?! Yes! Look on the Bright Side! Like what I did there? I super excited to share this new kit from Erin Lee Creative today.

Don’t get me wrong. I love all the rainbows in this kit. Like, really love. But for me the stars of the show are the sentiments. This one practically demanded to be put on a card right away. I’ll be honest, I very much want us to start rising a bit more.

Using some beautiful colored glitter paper, I simply started cutting rainbows. And yes, I have the remnants that I can piece together into more cards like this with different color sequences. I stamped the sentiment in Versamark ink and heat embossed with gold embossing powder. At first I looked to add more color to this but, as usual, I opted for clean with the focus on the sparkle.

GIVEAWAY: We are giving away ONE KIT chosen from comments left across all of the blogs participating in this hop. Please leave a comment on any participating blog by Tuesday, September 8. The winner will be announced that week on the Erin Lee Creative Blog. The more you comment, the more chances to win!

Now on to the rest of the hop. I’m thrilled to send you off to my friend Cheryl Knutti. You will love her project! Here is the list if you get lost along the way.

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