handmade cass

My husband took over all my mom duties tonight and I did some crafting with a Gilmore Girls marathon. Bliss! This lovely Smith-Corona typewriter hasn't seen the light of day in over 4 years. I used it to write a sentiment on a Mother's Day card. I also took inspiration from a card I received recently to try out some freehand gems using a gold paint pen on watercolors. And I used a few Stampin' Up supplies (sentiment stamp and embossing folder) to embellish another Mother's Day card.

I wanted to send cards to a couple family members that visited recently, and the Hero Arts paper layering pineapple die was the perfect thing to get me started. To start, I outlined the die on watercolor paper and colored it in using ZIG Clean Color Real Brush pens (from the set of 36). When the watercolor was almost dry (because I am super impatient) I used the pineapple die, bent the layers back, and glued it onto a pre-made card. I also used a die cut sentiment from Avery Elle's Stay Fresh set, and adhered it to the interior of the card. This also happened to be the perfect project for the Simon Says "Anything Goes" challenge this week. Supplies: die cuts - Hero Arts (paper layering pineapple), Avery Elle (stay fresh) watercolor - ZIG Clean Color Real Brush Pens watercolor paper - Loew Cornell adhesive - Tombo Mono Multi liquid glue card base - Michael's

I originally started this blog in 2009 when I was just trying Tim Holtz Distress Inks for the first time . I always got so frustrated when I would get rectangle shaped dark ink spots that were impossible to blend out. I eventually got a bit better at the blending but never really enjoyed it. But all that has changed and I have a renewed love for these distress inks! The new mini ink blending tool from Ranger is so much easier to use. And how great is it that the blender pads fit into the bottom of the mini ink pads?! I'm most excited to start making some night sky and sunset backgrounds. But today I needed to make up a sign for our guest room because we have a summer full of visitors. This sign will have all of our Wifi info so they can stay connected during their vacation with us. Does anyone else have a crazy complicated password? I guess I could try to figure out how to change it but that would take time away from crafts. This project also forced me to do some heat embo...

I am going to call this the card with the best intentions. I had taken a break from paper crafts for a while because life was crazy, and jumping back in was more difficult than I hoped. I tried to take a shortcut and do some background blending without the right tools. Big mistake. Especially since this technique is new to me. Time to go watch some more Laura Bassen videos . But at least my daughter's friend will love this card for her My Little Pony birthday party. So in the end I'll call it a success. Supplies : stamps - Lawn Fawn "Critters Ever After" ink - Memento | Tim Holtz Distress Ink markers - Copic | Wink of Stella cardstock - Neenah Solar White | Michael's card base

I have a good friend that also loves paper crafts and I don't get to see her often. So I am sending her a surprise package with some snow globe shaker tags she can gift to her three kids this Christmas. There were a number of new snow globe stamp sets this year, but I liked this one best because of the sweet little deer. Supplies : stamps and dies - Avery Elle Snow Globe ink - Memento markers - Copic glitter - Martha Stewart ribbon - American Crafts cardstock - Memory Box | Neenah Solar White And since I had an extra 20 minutes I made a few quick tags for my own kids this Christmas.  I used my Sakura Glaze pens to make the ice a bit shiny (because these pens dry much faster than Glossy Accents). The walrus cracks me up. Supplies : stamps - Avery Elle Polar Pals ink - Memento markers - Copic | Sakura Glaze cardstock - Memory Box tag punch - Stampin' Up ribbon - crochet thread

What do you give the guy that has been married to you for 10 years? A handmade card of course! I had to think of something extra special for my husband on our anniversary, since he has seen it all. A gold stag and some watercolor did the trick I think. And the sentiment inside says, "Oh deer, I love you!" followed by some other mushy stuff.  I'm entering this in the Simon Says Monday Challenge and choosing the topic "wonderful watercolor" from a couple weeks back, and the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge "wrap it up" because it is a tag. Supplies : die - Savvy tag - Avery watercolors - Prang metallic cardstock - Stardream card base - Michael's

I loved the challenge this week because I could try out a few new products and techniques that I haven't experimented with before. I created a tag that I can't wait to add to a random happy mail package for a friend. After digging through my supplies I found some things that I wanted to try for the first time (like this Any Tangerine stamp set and the translucent embossing paste).  Supplies : stamp set - Amy Tangerine by American Crafts embossing paste - Dreamweaver stencil - Heidi Swapp sequins - Avery Elle ink - Stampin' Up manila tag ribbon

I was inspired to make a colorful ombré gift tag for the Simon Says Monday Challenge this week. I started with a lace background stamp and used a sponge to dab on three ink colors from light to dark. I finished it with a metallic name tag and wide silk ribbon. Ready for gifting! Supplies : stamp and ink - Stampin' Up manila tag metallic Stardream paper silk ribbon

I made two cards this weekend that qualify for Simon Says Monday Challenge this week - Love That Technique . I needed a card for a friend that just found out she is having a baby girl. For that one I used the fussy cutting technique to cut out a dress from another part of that patterned paper. Supplies : patterned paper - Amy Tangerine, Memory Box mini clothespins twine And I also needed a birthday card, but wanted to use this "hola" stamp from an older Studio Calico set. I flipped that clear stamp over and used the back to stamp solid circles on the card - love that technique! Supplies : stamps - Studio Calico ink - Stampin' Up glitter - Wink of Stella vellum patterned card base - Michael's

My husband needed to send a few thank you cards and he requested something a little less cutesy than the last one I made . I have had this starry background stamp from Hero Arts for a long time and was so excited to use it! I did some ombre stamping with Stampin' Up ink and love the results. And I also managed to mess up the embossing on the second card so I had to add another layer. I even tried using the EK powder tool this time. Embossing gets me every time... Supplies : stamps - Basic Grey by Hero Arts, Lawn Fawn, Stampin' Up dies - Lawn Fawn ink - Stampin' Up patterned paper - Memory Box, Webster's Pages embossing powder - Stampendous powder tool - EK Success markers - Copic

The Wednesday challenge from Simon Says Stamp this week is Make It Colorful . I had started some rainbow thank you cards way back in December for my daughter's rainbow birthday party.  But time got the best of me and I had to go with a much simpler card. This was the perfect chance to finish up a project I was excited about. Supplies : washi tape - We R Memory Keepers crochet thread - Aunt Lydia's patterned paper - Amy Tangerine wood heart - Studio Calico Stickles & Glossy Accents - Ranger

I was so inspired to try something new this week, as part of the Simon Says Challenge "No Ordinary Paper" . I have never tried mixed media because of my super duper strong pull towards a clean and simple aesthetic. I wouldn't exactly describe this first attempt as a mixed media collage, but a step in the right direction for trying something new creatively. Supplies : Corrugated cardboard - from my recycling bin Stardream metallic cardstock (green) Chevron punch - Stampin' Up Embroidery floss - Amy Tangerine embroidery kit by American Crafts Paper doily Kraft paper bag - from my recycling bin USA stamp - Hero Arts Archival Ink - Ranger Watercolors Manila tag ABC stickers - Creative Imaginations Ribbon

Yesterday I made a card in about 30 minutes in order to get it submitted to the Simon Says Monday Challenge before the deadline. But when I went to send it off for a birthday today I didn't like it. So I took it apart and my daughter and I reinvented the card before getting it in the mail. Before and after: I added more Glossy Accents and some Wink of Stella to the card and my daughter asked me to make her another one (and it should be "exactly the same") for her to keep. That was the only way I could pry this finished one out of her hands. And while I was taking apart and putting back together, she made a card of her own to send to her cousin. I love sharing this hobby with my daughter! This is her finished card.

I love the "Here's The Scoop" set from Lawn Fawn. It was the first stamp set I thought of for this week's I Scream For Challenge . Since I was cutting it close on time my Glossy Accents isn't quite dry yet. :) Supplies : Ink - Memento Markers - Copic Other - Glossy Accents by Ranger

I was so inspired when I saw Jennifer McGuire's shaker card that was all shaker and no card. For the Simon Says Sparkle and Shine Challenge I decided to make a gift tag for my sweet daughter who loves all things shiny and crafty. I don't have the Fuse tool that Jennifer McGuire used in her video but sewing works just as well. I had initially tried to do this tag in a circle, but I need to stick with sewing straight lines for now. This one turned out much better! Supplies : Page protector - Staples Sequins - Advantus Cardstock - DCWV Ribbon - Creative Impressions Sewing Machine - Janome

I am participating in this week's Simon Says Get Dotty Challenge. I needed to make a card for a friend expecting a baby that isn't feeling so great right now. Morning sickness is the worst! Supplies: Stamps - Lawn Fawn Ink - Memento Markers - Copic Stencil - Memory Box Embossing Paste - Dreamweavers Cardstock - Neenah Other - vellum, card base

I recently returned from an amazing family vacation in Hawaii. My husband's parents live there, so it was great to play with cousins and hang out at the beach. During some vacation downtime I ordered the Stay Fresh stamp and die set from Avery Elle because I knew that I would need it for my scrapbook. Now I am using it for everything! This shadowbox came together quickly and I love this little pineapple more than ever.  This project was made for the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Blog, Anything Goes . Supplies : frame - Ikea stamp - Avery Elle die - Avery Elle ink - Archival Ink by Ranger Distress Stickles paint - Prang Watercolors

I have a few YouTube channels that I watch every week. One my favorites is Laura Bassen, and her masked card this week had me so inspired! I pulled out an older Avery Elle set that I had not used yet for the "anything goes" challenge at Simon Says . Love the sentiments in this Modern Leaves set!  Just wish I could find a better white ink. I have tried a number of them and they never turn out to be opaque on dark card stock. Suggestions? Supplies : Stamps - Avery Elle Ink - Memento | Hero Arts | Brilliance Cardstock - Papertrey Ink

I just bought this "Stuck On You" set from Lawn Fawn and I couldn't wait to use it. I did some Copic shading to add some color to the middle succulent and I love it! I used the Lawn Fawn "Claire's ABCs" set to add a sentiment for the Simon Says thank you challenge . And I have been wanting to try Copic coloring with polka dots using the colorless blender. Need to use these markers more often. They're fun! Supplies : Stamps - Lawn Fawn Ink - Hero Arts Shadow Ink | Memento Die - Lawn Fawn Markers - Copic | Wink of Stella

The XYZ challenge from Simon Says this week made me think of a gift for my daughter's preschool teacher. I knew that I wanted to make something super practical and not knick knacky. A set of thank you cards seemed perfect because I know she uses them throughout the school year.  I made sure there was a yellow one in there just because of the challenge! And I will package them up in a little gift bag with some apple stamps and a bow. Supplies : Embossing folders - Provo Craft Die - Memory Box Stamps - Hero Arts Bow punch - Stampin' Up Cards & cardstock - Michael's