Just can't leave well enough alone...

Today is my 15th wedding anniversary. I am married to my best friend! He is kind, considerate, and still gives me butterflies when he comes home. So I made him this card:


It seemed okay, but the more I looked at it , the more I thought--"Hey, why didn't I do that?" This has been happening QUITE a bit lately. I make a card, post it, and then I add to it. I would LOVE to say I make it better, but I am not sure I am able to judge that.



Anyway, I thought that since it is an anniversary card, it should be more lovey dovey. (BTW--This is the FIRST time I have ever used the "hugs and kisses" stamp--you just can't use that stamp for just anyone!) So, I think "MORE HEARTS" So more hearts it is. A little more bling and it is done. Well for now anyway.



What do you think??

Does anyone else do this, or am I alone in my insanity?!?

Hoppy Hoppy Hoppy!!!

My big brother just got a new job, so, of course, I need a card!!

The "Way to Use It Challenge" on Splitcoast Stampers was to use stamps that I have never inked. I scoffed haughtily thinking, "Ha! Surely, I do not have any of those!" So I looked through my stamps to make sure. And lo and behold...I do. (By the way, crow tastes best with a little gravy-lol).

My "So Very" stamp set had only one word used, and the little froggy in the "Very Punny" had never been inked. So I proceeded to make THIS card. As you can see the sentiment in the lower right hand corner needed something, I had tried all of my brads and buttons and nothing seemed to be right. This morning--I thought I would try some simple cardstock punches. I used 1/2" and 1/4" circle punches, and I think it looks much better.

Well, I was on a roll. I figured since I had the paper, stamps and punches out, I would make a second one. (See the card below) I used another coordinating designer paper from KI Memories and a trick I learned from Julie HERE.` The ribbon is frayed by cutting the edges and removing the cross threads. I am not entirely satisfied with the ribbon colors, but it was the best I had.

Something that I did differently on these two cards that I have never done before is to use blender pens for water coloring. I have to say, for very small images--I really like it. The aqua painters are too large, and the same for the small watercolor brush. But for this little froggy, the blender pens were perfect!! If you haven't tried it (for small images) I highly recommend trying them!

Thanks for stopping by!! Happy Stamping!

When all else fails.........

Well, I tried several different approaches to the challenges that I wanted to do from Splitcoast. Everything I tried--I hated!! Well, I did not want to get up from my desk feeling like this so I tried something different.

I was inspired by Jeanne's Rock and Roll Roses. And so I pulled out the old stand by "Roses in Winter". (By-the-way, Jeanne has a better tutorial than I could ever do--so go check it out and tell her I sent you -lol).

I used Cool Caribbean and Taken with Teal for the roses, Sage Shadow and Handsome Hunter for the leaves and Barely Banana and So Saffron for the little flower. I stamped "Itty Bitty Backgrounds" with VersaMark and embossed with Iridescent Ice embossing powder. I then stamped the same stamp with Creamy Caramel in the corners, and sponged the edges. I also used some Warm Brown Fluid Chalk ink on the edges to soften it a bit.

The sentiment is from the "Happy Harmony" stamp set and stamped in Dark Brown Fluid Chalk ink on vellum paper and embossed with the same embossing powder. The brads are SU!'s Hodgepodge Hardware in Pewter.

The main image is matted first with Taken with Teal then Close to Cocoa. The card base is Cool Caribbean cardstock. The little flowers in the corners are stamped with the Warm Brown Fluid Chalk ink and also embossed.

I am SO much happier with this card than ANYpart of ANY thing I had stamped prior to this!

Thanks for stopping by.