Masculine Birthday Card

Hello my friends.  I've been very busy lately but always find a little bit of time for the hobby.

Made this card for a friend co-worker at the office.  Tried to make a masculine card without leaving out the festive look of the birthday theme and the personality of the recipient.

I cut out the balloons and used dimensional adhesive to make them pop, plus added the cord to simulate they were tied together.

Hope you like it.  I will link this to Addicted to Stamps Challenge #161 Anything Goes, and with Incy Wincy Designs "One for the Boyz" challenge.

Have a great weekend.

What does Orchard mean?

Dear friends.

Today is a special day.  Everyday has something special, so I usually think to myself that "today is a special day" even though there's nothing specific to celebrate or being happy about.  It's just that everyday is special.  One day you are here enjoying life, planning vacations, happily living and enjoying health... and the other day you are gone.  So I hope I somehow has touched people I've met in my life.  I hope those who love me and I love, know I've been trying to be the best I could under all circumstances.  One is weak, one is human, one is imperfect.  Let's face it, and let's embrace it.

I took a moment (or two, LOL) today to make this card.

I want to enter it in three challenges or sharing groups.

One is the current Curtain Call Inspiration blog challenge for August 1, called Orchard.  You can know more about it HERE.  I had to look in the dictionary for the word "orchard" because the inspiration photo showed like a country scene with woods and apples but I didn't get it until read the definition.  LOL English is my second language and some words we don't use regularly are not in our vocabulary.

The other challenge is for Addicted to Stamps challenges and more, #156.  It is an Anything Goes theme so I will enter this card there too.  You can see the link HERE.

And the third one is the next Friday Unity Friends with Flair linky.   That is why the stamps used in this card are from Unity Stamp Co.

For the card I used a kraft cardstock base, then a slightly smaller cream base which I sprayed with red and green colors.

Then I made a frame for the 3 colored apples in a chevron design paper, using red paper and black corrugated paper.    The apples were stamped with distress inks.  The inspiration photo for the Curtain Call challenge looks kind of distressed or vintage to me, so I thought stamping with these kind of ink would suit best.  These are also placed with dimensional adhesives so they look really cool coming out from the card.

Also added red fiber for a final touch.

Hope you like my card.  This one is very appropriate also for local seasonality.  Classes start tomorrow here in Puerto Rico.  Good luck to all the students, parents and teachers in this new academic year.

Tks for stopping by and remember I love to read your comments.  Leave your love.

I think I am addicted!

So, yes... I am addicted to stamps.  I really love to use lots of techniques and want to keep learning, but have to admit stamps are so cool, aren't they?

Anyways, today I'm sharing a card, just because I made it.  No particular reason. Just sharing.  

This brings to my mind a reminder of a fact that we learn by sharing.  I've always said that because those who think know more than others and are afraid to share because they want to keep knowledge to themselves, end up bad.  I've seen it through my whole life.  But apart from that profound message (LOL) I really think that sharing our projects and viewing others is where inspiration resides.  We always learn from each other.  It might be simple and bland to some, but interesting and new to other some.  

So this is a card I made.  I love it. :)

I started with an orange base which I sprayed a little on the borders for an irregular color background.

Then I placed a piece of patterned paper which I distressed a little.

Place this tag with dimensional adhesives.  I made the tag by cuting the shape on patterned paper, stamping the image on it and coloring directly to the patterned paper.  Really.  On purpose.  I knew the dots wouldn't be covered. Why would I want to cover those beautiful dots?  We always think the stamped and colored images have to sharp and clean and over white and beautifully painted.  And that's cool, but sometimes I just want my image over a colorful background and more.

Then I added a bow.

And then, I stamped a sentiment with stazon ink over a piece of acetate.  I wanted to include the message over the image but not stamping it over the image directly.  This looks subtle, like it was delicately said or whispered to the girl in the image.

And this is it.  You like it?

I'm sharing this with Addicted to Stamps Challenge blog for the challenge #155.  They have a photo inspiration for the challenge and I loved the color combo, and that's what I've got inspired from.  You can see it HERE.

I will also share on next Friday's Unity Friends with Flair linky.  So leave a message for a chance to win with Unity Stamp Co.

See ya' later.

A Christmas Angel!

Hello Friends.

It's Monday night here in the Tropics!  It's a Hot Summer, and we need some rain around here.  But before going to bed and turning on the air conditioner, let me share with you this card I made to contribute to three different challenges.

I got inspired on Unity Be Inspired "color inspiration 30".  You can check it out HERE.

Then I followed the "Holiday" topic from Addicted to Stamps and More HERE.

Finally, I am entering this in the "Things with Wings" challenge from Incy Wincy Designs, HERE.

So I ended up with a beautiful Christmas Angel with non traditional colors.

I colored this beauty with pigment inks, copics and watercolor pencils.  For the pigment inks, I literally inked an acrylic block and applied to the surface with a water brush.  Love the effect.  Some of the inks have sparkle.  This angel looks fabulous "in person".

Forgive me for the shadows in the photos... I'm not using daylight (it's late), and I did not want to use any flash so you can really see the real colors, with their glimmer and shades.

Hope you liked it.

Would love to get a comment if you did.  And, remember you can follow me on facebook HERE. Just for fun.  Have a good night!

I will also Share this in next Friday Friends with Flair.  

En el nombre del amor....

 Qué bonito el amor!!!  No creen?  

Siempre he dicho que el amor tiene que ver con muchos sentimientos y sobre todo cuando se trata de amor de pareja, es hermosa esa etapa de enamoramiento donde todo es color de rosa...  Pero en realidad el amor es una decisión.  Decidimos amar con todo lo que venga.  Salud o enfermedad, pobreza o riqueza, en las buenas y en las malas.  Y por supuesto, esto no significa con maltrato y sin maltrato, con respeto y falta de respeto... etc.   Significa que si fuera por las cosas menos buenas que se van a encontrar en las relaciones, siempre habría una razón para no seguir amando... o para no intentarlo... o para simplemente rendirse.

En verdad admiro cuando las personas no pierden la fe y vuelven a intentarlo...y luchan por ser felices... y no se rinden ante malas experiencias.  Cada día es uno nuevo que nos regala Dios y podemos ser nuevos nosotros también.

Les comparto una tarjeta que hice para una pareja que tiene fe en el amor y un mejor porvenir.  La esperanza nunca se pierde y no podemos dejarnos llevar por las malas experiencias vividas con otros o por otros; siempre teniendo presente que podemos modificar nuestros errores y comenzar de nuevo.

Utilicé el kit de sellos de Latina Crafter "El Arbol del Amor".   Estampé primero el árbol en el papel de diseño que utilizaría como base, y ahí estampé la palabra "amor".  Luego lo estampé en papel "kraft" y corté el corazón para tener un agujero.  Luego volví a estampar la sección de la cinta en otro papel para distinguirlo y ahí estampé la frase "para siempre".

En la base de la tarjeta creé varias capas con puntilla, papeles de diseño, y también flores en papel y vellum, adornadas con muchas lentejuelas, además de unos "wood veneers".

Aquí la tarjeta completa.  Espero que les guste a ustedes y a la pareja que la va a recibir junto con nuestros mejores deseos de felicidad y una vida plena, llena de detalles y de momentos de amor y alegría... sin apariencias, con sinceridad, con la frente en alto y el alma en la mano, y con la entrega total y la DECISION de amar para siempre.

Estaré compartiendo esta tarjeta en:  Take It Make It Challenge May de Craft Stamper; y Addicted to Stamps Challenge #145.