Embrace Moments...

I really loved this image - and, if I remember right, a friend let me stamp it once to use.  I have no source for it - if anyone knows please leave me a message!  
I used Sepia ink, mounted it on a dark brown CS, wrapped it with dark brown cord tied with a square knot [note the half circles punched on the sides to lock the twine in place.]  Finally, that bundle was elevated on foam and attached to the white base card. 
For the inside I used two separate words from pre-inked stamps called Mini-Words  A fishtail cut to both ends of the strip and it was elevated in the middle on foam with the ends glued flat - creating a gently curved sentiment on the brown mat.

Makes a great man card for almost any occasion - I used this one for a sympathy card for a woman I felt was in this space after her husband passed.  She felt it  was "perfect for her situation".  I'm really glad - so hard to find the right words.

CHALLENGES:
Through the Craftroom Door – ATG Always

Penny's Challenge - #323 ATG

Inspiration Destination - #126 ATG

As You Like It - Fave Card Base Shape & Why [I gravitate toward A2 rectangles pretty consistently because it is cheaper to mail.]

Sisterhood of Crafters – Stamp It
Crafty Creations - #339 – ATG
Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers L:10 - #82 – E is for Elegant

Create wildly and color with abandon!  
~ginny

With Sympathy...

This is the fifth sympathy card I have needed in the last couple of months... five too many, if you know what I mean.  I know that there are others faced with making sympathy cards - where there is no expectation of happiness, stress relief or the joy of sending something that will make the recipient smile.
What I can do is share an idea, a design, technique or tool that might make this process a little easier for someone else out there.

PROCESS INVENTORY

IMAGES: 

• The sentiment die is by IO Dies.

PAPER:  

• Recollections - "White", 110# Wt. from Michaels used for the base card & the image panel.  

EMBELLISHMENTS:

• For the flowers I used Paper Tole Technique to give the punched shapes dimension.  The flower petals are from a "Carla Craft" punch, the center is a "Punch Bunch" and the fern is with a "McGill."
• The image panel is elevated on fun foam to keep that layer as pristine as possible during mailing.

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

Through the Craftroom Door – ATG Always

Crafting From the Heart -#124 – ATG Always

Crafty Sentiments – ATG

Fab & Funky #316 – ATG

Penny's Challenge #292 – ATG

Inspiration Destination #100 – ATG TOP PICK

Sweet Stampin' – NO DP

Pile it On #115 – Die Cut Embellishments

Incy Wincy Designs – Get Well /Sympathy

As You Like It - #87  Your Favorite... Shape of Card & Why [I spend so much time doing Paper Tole on most of my cards that I often don't wander from the A2 basic card shape.]

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

Stylized Dragonfly...

A very simple card - a white panel layered on a white base card using foam tape to elevate it.  The one Dragonfly that was stamped in gold and heat embossed was colored with Brusho Watercolor Crystals of blue and purple.  It was then fussycut and also mounted on foam tape to elevate it to a third layer.

This was left deliberately fairly stark, without embellishment.  I just could not bring myself to add ribbon or bling as it is to be a Sympathy card for a tragic event.

PROCESS INVENTORY

IMAGES: 

• "Stylized Dragonfly" by Rubber Stampede was stamped and heat embossed with Gold E-P.

PAPER:  

• Neenah "Classic Crest Solar White" 80# Cover Wt. used for the image panel and the base card.

INKS:

• Image was stamped with Versafine, Black Tuxedo
• Brusho Watercolor Crystals in Purple and Blue used to color the Dragonfly.

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

Through the Craftroom Door – ATG Always

Crafty Sentiments – ATG

Penny's Challenge #289 – ATG

Inspiration Destination #97 – ATG

Fussy & Fancy  #169 – A Walk in the Garden

Incy Wincy Designs – ATG

Art by MiRan Challenge #64 – ATG

Scrapper's Delight #58 – ATG Always

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

Sympathy...

Hardest card in the world to make... when your heart is heavy it is so hard to think of something appropriate.
I wanted a simple design so I chose this rubber stamp flower by Magenta that is shaped like a heart.  The image is embossed with "Starry Night" Embossing Powder by Stamp-n-Stuff .  This black EP has wonderful gold flecks in it that you can see in the close-up below.  The angle is different and it catches the light differently.





















I used Color Burst concentrated watercolor crystals to give the very vibrant colors you see here.
The image was then cut out & mounted on large foam dots to give it dimension.
The sentiment, from River City Rubberworks, and a final touch of shear ribbon were then added.  [Unfortunately, I did not straighten the ribbon before the pic was taken.]

Create wildly and color with abandon.   ~ginny  

Challenges:
Art by MiRan Challenge #53 – ATG
Really Reasonable Ribbon  #136 – Show me the Green w/ ribbon
That Craft Place – ATG
Crafting from the Heart #102 – ATG Always
Through the Craft Room Door – ATG Always
Inspiration Destination #76 – ATG  DT Favorite
Crafting for all Seasons -#121 – Add some Sparkle Top 3
Pile it On #103 – Green + 2 other colors [blue & purple]  DT Pick
Quirky Crafts #2 - 2016 – Masculine with ribbon or twine
Stampotique Designers – SDC235: include flowers
Scrapper's Delight #53 – ATG
Crafty Girls Creations – #16 ATG Always

Need a Hug??

"My Best Boy" provided by ADFD

 When I saw this image from A Day For Daisies [ADFD] it spoke to me... "Need a hug?"  Perfect for the the current Aud Sentiments challenge to create a "Thinking of You Type Sentiment - such as Get Well, Sympathy or for someone going thru a hard time."
ADFD is sponsoring the challenge and there are some wonderful inspiration cards created by the Design Team.  The challenge lasts thru August 12 and you can submit up to 5 images for a chance at the ADFD prize.  You can see the samples, read the rules and enter your card at Aud Sentiments!

 TECHNIQUE

[Note: specific information on supplies and sources will be found below under “Supplies”.]

• Base card is A2 with left hand fold and upper right corner rounded.
• Image printed twice, colored with Copics, top layer was fussy cut,  the individual piece sculpted [dry embossed from the back using a large ball tool] and layered with foam tape to maintain the dimension. 
• Banners cut from Basic Grey's "Little Black Dress" Paper Stack - "anchored" with Candi colored with Copics to match.
• Computer generated sentiment punched out and mounted on foam tape to match the depth of the focal image.

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

Fussy & Fancy  #119 – Words

Art by MiRan Challenge #11 – ATG

Sentimental Sunday  #218 – Fave Hair Color Combo [warm greys -W00, W1, W3,]

Robyn's Fetish #223 – Sq. or Rectangle cards

Crafting from the Heart #30 – ATG

Through the Craft Room Door – ATG

Papertake Weekly – ATG w/ option to use Torn Paper

Crafty Sentiments – Add a Sentiment

Sweet Pea Stampers – Thinking of you/Missing you /Just Because

MarkerPOP Challenge #49 – ATG

SUPPLIES

IMAGES:  The focal image is from ADFD; Sentiment is printed on my computer

PAPER:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80# Cover Wt. used for the images; Base CS is from stash; DP are from Basic Grey's "Little Black Dress".

EMBELLISHMENTS: Crop-a-Dial's Corner Chomper used for the base CS & the image panel; SU Punch used for the sentiment; Candi pieces were colored with Copics to match the warm grey pallette.

INKS: the images were printed on a Canon PIXMA printer & colored with Copics:

E0000, E000, E00, R20, W00, W1, W3, N0, & N01.

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

White on White Sympathy...

TECHNIQUE
White on White is always elegant in my mind - and always appropriate for a sympathy card.  I ran the base card thru my Cuttlebug with a flowered embossing folder.  The image from Robyn's Fetish was printed out three times so I could sculpt the petals and give the card dimension.  I used a die cut for the smaller flowers on top.  The corners were rounded, an oval punch for the sentiment and a double slot punch over the stems allowed me to "tie" the stems together with my ribbon.  The final step was to elevate the image panel on foam tape on to the base card.

This card has been created for inspiration for the AUD SENTIMENTS Challenge #85 - (Thinking of You &/or Sympathy).  We are now mid challenge so you have another week to get your creative effort entered!  I so encourage you to go check out what the design team has put together for you HERE and to find the rules and closing date of the challenge.

This card should be eligible for the following

CHALLENGES:

613 Ave C #29 - Anything Goes
OSAAT #173 - Use Your Favorite (white on white for Sympathy cards)
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Dies or punches ( die cut flowers, punches for the sentiment oval and corner rounder)
The Paper Shelter #122 - Anything Goes

SUPPLIES

IMAGES:  The focal image is "Pretty Flowers" from Robyn's Fetish; the die cut flowers on top are from a Sizzix die; "With Sympathy" is from River City Rubber Works.

PAPER:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80# Cover Wt. used for the images; base CS is Georgia Pacific

EMBELLISHMENTS: background is embossed using a Cuttlebug flower embossing folder; ribbon is stash; oval punch for the sentiment.

INKS:  the image was printed on a Canon PIXMA printer; the stamped sentiment used  Versa Fine Onyx Black

May you color with abandon, create wildly and always make what amuses you!

~ginny