Sunday, December 15, 2024

My Favorite-Coffee And Cards With Celeste And Deb

 

As many of my followers know, Debra Davison of Meticulosity and I have been doing a monthly collaboration called Coffee and Cards for many years now. What you may not know is she and I started this as a temporary one-month collaboration back in October 2016 (original post can be found here) that morphed into a permanent monthly installment. Debra and I became online friends through our mutual love of coffee and card making in 2014. I later found out that she is a nurse. I'm a medical assistant, so it was a pleasant surprise to discover that we both work in the same line of work. 
This month we decided to end this year's collaboration, not by featuring our own cards, but rather a favorite of the other's work from the year 2024. I had a really tough time choosing just one, because I have been a fan of her work for over a decade! She really is a very creative person and has a much different take on card making than I do. She loves coloring and has a very keen eye for layouts. And though it was extremely tough to choose just one card, I opted for the fun cat Christmas card above from September 2024 (original post here). It reminds me of Deb and her white cat, Pixie! I love that she took a non-Christmas Penny Black stamp and created such a cute and clever holiday card with it! I love the image, the coloring, and the fun patterned papers she paired with it. Such a sweet and clever card. Well done, Debra!! Here's to another fun year of Coffee and Card collaborations and, hopefully, another decade of crafty friendship!
For my coffee this month, I couldn't resist the hot gingerbread latte from my local Ziggi's coffee shop! It really hit the spot while I was out fighting the hoards to finish up my Christmas shopping. Be sure to stop by Debra's blog and see what favorite card of mine she chose. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a safe, prosperous New Year!

Saturday, December 7, 2024

Oh, So Merry-Send A Smile 4 Kids

 

Hello, happy December! This month at Send A Smile 4 Kids we are creating winter cards. Nothing says winter to me like snow...or snowmen! I found inspiration for this adorable card on Pinterest, and just had to give it a try. I started by layering pretty red snowflake paper from My Mind's Eye Sweater Weather paper pad onto black cardstock and mounted it onto my white A2 card base. Using a stitched circle die from My Favorite Things, I created a circle out of simple white cardstock. I cut down to 2/3 of its size. I added the scarf by cutting down more patterned paper from the same paper pad into rectangles. I adhered them to card using more foam tape. The eyes were created with a small EK Success 1/4" circle punch using black cardstock, and the nose was created with a Spellbinders triangle die and orange cardstock. The entire snowman was adhered to the card using thin foam tape. The sentiment was stamped onto black cardstock using Pawsome Stamps Puffy Holiday Greetings stamp set and Ranger detail white embossing powder. I fussy cut the sentiment out and adhered it with foam tape as well. I finished off the card by adding some black gems around the image for a bit more interest. Thank you for stopping by my blog today. Be sure to head over to the Send A Smile 4 Kids blog and see how everyone else was inspired this month!

Sunday, November 24, 2024

Have A Sweet Holiday-Coffee and Cards with Celeste and Deb

 



This month Debra and I are using this fun holiday photo as our inspiration. I created my holiday card by layering some plaid patterned paper from the American Crafts Hot Cocoa 6x6 paper pad onto my A2 card base. I die cut a focal panel using white cardstock and a Gina Marie Designs scalloped edge rectangle die. I layered another piece of patterned paper from the same paper pad at the bottom of the focal panel to look like a tablecloth. I die cut the focal elements using Momenta's Christmas Mug die set and a mix of cardstock and more papers from the same paper pad. I adhered them onto the focal panel using liquid glue. I stamped the sentiment from Avocado Arts Gingerbread Goodness stamp set at the right upper corner. To finish off the card, I did some shading on the whipped cream using a Copic marker and added a few shimmery red heart sequins around the sentiment. 

While I was crafting, I opted to sip on a delicious mug of Barissimo's Tiramisu coffee. It's positively delicious! Now, be sure to stop by Debra's blog and see how she was inspired this month by our inspiration photo

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Fall For Autumn Leaves

 

My card today was created for the latest Color Throwdown card challenge. I started by embossing a panel of kraft cardstock using the Lisa Horton Knitted embossing folder and mounted the panel directly onto my white A2 card base. I die cut a white panel using a stitched scallop edge rectangle die from Gina Marie Designs, and stamped the focal image from Newton's Nook Designs Falling For You stamp set. I popped that panel up off of the card using thin foam tape. I stamped the pumpkin image twice and several of the leaves. I colored them using my alcohol markers and then adhered them to the panel. Such a cute and easy card! Thank you for stopping by my blog today. I hope you have a wonderful day!


Sunday, November 17, 2024

Joy

 


Hello, happy Sunday! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Today's card was created for the latest Just Us Girls card challenge. I created this card by layering some basic black cardstock onto my white A2 card base. Then, using piece of patterned paper from The Paper Studio's Vintage Christmas 6x6 paper pack, I created a frame that I popped up off of the card base using thin foam tape. I then die cut the word Joy using Echo Park's Santa Claus Lane Wreath Of Joy die and red and green cardstocks. I adhered all of the elements to the card, and finished it all off with red gem stickers from Honey Bee Stamps Harvest Festival sticker pack and white gel pen details. Thank you for stopping today, and if you like my card, be sure to leave a comment. I appreciate and read them all!

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Wishing You A Merry Christmas

 


It's a very rainy day here in Southeast Missouri, and I had the good luck to have the day off from work. I can't think of anything better to do on a rainy day than get crafty! I had a tag in my stash from a very old paper pad (so old that I forgot who made it), and I thought it would be fun to finally use for the latest Sketch Saturday card challenge. I started with patterned paper from The Paper Studio's Vintage Christmas 6x6 paper pad. I broke up the patterned papers with some beautiful black and white ribbon I picked up at Hobby Lobby for 99 cents. I adhered some of the gingham patterned paper to the top of the tag, and then cut it down smaller using an MFT pierced edge tag die. I used a hole punch and some twine and extra ribbon to add a nice bow to the top of the tag, and then popped it up off of the card base. Using the My Art C Holiday Sayings stamp and die set I created the wreath and the deer. I popped the wreath up using thin foam dots and then adhered the center flat to the tag. I added the deer to the right of the wreath and added a few black sparkling gems that I had in my stash for a finishing touch. Thank you for stopping by my blog! 

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Thinking Of You

 


Hello, and happy Sunday! My card today was created for the latest Color Throwdown card challenge. I created my card by layering a square panel of kraft cardstock onto my ivory A2 card base. I then cut a small square panel using more ivory cardstock and embossed it using a Spellbinders embossing folder. I adhered it to the kraft panel and added some fun kraft colored twine almost to the top. I die cut 3 maple leaves using the stitched detail leaf dies from Jillian Vance, one in terra cotta and the other two in mustard. I popped them up off of the focal panel using foam squares. I stamped the sentiment from Stampabilities Card Phrases stamp set using Gina K ink in warm cocoa below the focal panel. I finished this card off with some pretty mustard colored gems from Honey Bee Stamps Harvest Festival gem sticker pack. I love how clean and simple this card turned out. Thank you for stopping by my blog this evening!


Saturday, November 2, 2024

Let It Snow-Send A Smile 4 Kids

 

Good morning, and welcome to the November Send A Smile 4 Kids card challenge! This month we are celebrating Holidays. I created my card by stamping the adorable penguin and trees from My Favorite Things Snow Globe Singles stamp set onto white cardstock. I colored them and die cut them images using coordinating dies. Using the Snow Globe die set I die cut the elements for the snow globe using light blue, teal, and black cardstock from my stash. I embossed the sentiment on the bottom of the snow globe using the snow globe singles stamp set, Versamark ink, and Ranger detail white embossing powder. I die cut a piece of snowflake patterned paper from My Mind's Eye Sweater Weather using a stitched rectangle die from Paper Rose, adhered some black twine from Spellbinders at the top, and adhered it to a postage panel I die cut from black cardstock using a Gina Marie postage edge rectangle die. I adhered that panel to my white A2 card base and adhered the snow globe at the center. I finished off this adorable winter card using some Nuvo Crystal Drops in white blizzard to the trees and the penguin's hat. Thank you for stopping by my blog today. Now be sure to head over the Send A Smile 4 Kids blog and see what fun everyone else has created this month!

Sunday, October 20, 2024

Happy Halloween-Coffee And Cards With Celeste and Deb

 


Hello, and welcome to the October collaboration of Coffee and Cards with Celeste and Deb. We are excited to announce that we have Michael Trent guest designing with us this month. I love Michael's work, so it's always a treat when he joins us! Debra chose this fun image as our inspiration, and I thought it was perfect with Halloween upon us in two short weeks. I created my card by laying the medium Tim Holtz Moon Mask onto my white cardstock, and inking the paper using Tim Holtz distress inks carved pumpkin, fireside brick, and black soot. I removed the moon mask and inked the moon with squeezed lemonade, and then added the detail stenciling with wild honey. I then stamped the bats and the sentiment from Picket Fence's Triple Trouble stamp set right over the moon using Versafine onyx black ink for a nice, crisp image. I stamped the pumpkins from the same stamp set onto white Copic-friendly cardstock using Memento tuxedo black ink and colored the images using alcohol markers. I fussy cut the images out, popped them up off of the card using thin foam tape, and added white gel pen highlights for additional interest. 
For my coffee this month, I got a freebie from my local Ziggi's coffee shop for using my rewards and I opted for a warm pumpkin pie latte, because it's October and I love all things pumpkin! Now, be sure to stop over at Deb's and Michael's blogs and see what fun they created using this month's inspiration photo. 

Saturday, October 5, 2024

Boo!-Send A Smile 4 Kids

 


This month at Send A Smile 4 Kids our inspiration is Holidays/Celebrations. Since we will be celebrating Halloween this month, I thought it would be fun to create a Halloween card! I started by stamping a spiderweb onto my purple focal panel using a red rubber background stamp that is so old I'm unsure who even made it. I then die cut my focal elements using Spellbinders Haunted House die set and colored cardstock in yellow, white, and black. I adhered the haunted scene directly to my focal panel. I stamped the sentiment from My Favorite Things Witch Way Is The Candy stamp set using Versamark clear embossing ink and black cardstock. I heat set the sentiment using Ranger detail white embossing powder. I die cut the sentiment using a fishtail banner from Unity Stamp Company's Scallops & Banners nesting dies. I adhered the sentiment strip to the focal panel and die cut the entire thing using a stitched rectangle die from Paper Rose. I matted it onto black cardstock leaving an 1/8" border and adhered the entire thing to my white A2 card base. I finished off the card by adhering some black sparkling gems around the card.