Byhand Artist Envelope Book Swap

Christmas in April.
When I joined this swap I thought it would be fun to make envelope pages with the theme Anything Postal and swap them and bind them into a book. Good opp to use my BIA which has been MIA.
Then I remembered how little I like making 15 of anything.
And- it was worth it.
15 Artists put their creativity in to each envie page and filled the envie with amazing goodies any paper geek would love...ATC's, spiral paper clips, buttons, ribbon,stamps and more.
And-each page is full of technique inspiration and inky idea jumpstarts. You have to see it to believe it.
Thanks to all participants and especially our hostess with the mostess- Joanne - who has given new meaning to create with out limits as life goes on and on and on.
Below is my page

Ribbon

I have a love/ hate relationship with ribbon. Growing up I was the only girl and i had to wear pink and lots of ribbons and stockings and uncomfortable shoes and my brothers got to wear a navy blue blazer and no added fru fru. As a natural born lefty who was switched, I had a hard time learning to tie my shoes- no Velcro in those days.
For a long time as an artist I was proud to be a minimalist and bow deficient. Time has mellowed me and now I can enjoy embellishment and can tie any kind of bow I can think up-shameless ad-if you want to learn to make the bows of your dreams come see me at Nice Threads and we'll make you a bow queen.
This weeks Created Byhand Challenge theme is Ribbons.
I'm hanging with my simplicity theme and wanted to show you how much depth and interest you can get with one die, one stamp and one ribbon.
The Die is Spellbinders label 8- i used the three biggest to cut the first layer- some corrugated board from a candy box-inked with some Brilliance gold, gold paper embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss dots folder, and white card stock. I still use my purple Wizard. I'm waiting to see if they come out with Grand Calibur II or I get on a design team that will give me one:)
-the Quietfire Quote thermal embossed and inked with Distress Antique Linen.
The silk organza ribbon was pleated with some tape behind the dotted layer.
simple and fun.
I'm taking this card to the monthly stamp club at LSS A Stamp Artist Place, for our swap. I'm always inspirited by everyone's creativity and blessed by the sharing. Everyone has ordered Quietfire rubber and I can't wait to see the results.
Please play along with us- post your own entry and leave a comment.
to see what is on my heart, please visit Still Waters Refuge
I'm teaching a Journaling workshop at the NC Arboretum outside of Asheville if you want some hand and hearts on- June 16-here

What Goes Around Comes Around

Use it up
Wear it out
Make it do
Or do without.
Lessons from Great Grandmothers.
That being said, I just got a huge pile of new rubber from Quietfire.
And the cutest tool on earth- the tiny Tissue Paper Tape Dispenser. Had to have it.Here is a link to T!m's blog showing how to use it. He has one for each roll of tape!
The theme of the Created Byhand Challenge this month is 'Circles'.
The background paper is the board from the tape dispenser container. I punched the scalloped circle out of an old advert for an art exhibit and embossed my new( to me) Ginkgo stamp in gold.
Also new are the flourished hearts-mirror imaged.
LOVE THESE. Thanks Suzanne. I want every stamp in mirror image- leave me a comment if you know of a good technique to get a mirror image of your stamps.
The quote was stamped in black and the hearts red and embossed clear. I like to use clear when I can as stray bits of embossing powder don't show as much.
The card is very glossy so everything needs to be thermal embossed.
The good news about heavy gloss is if you don't like your stamped image you can wipe it off.
The tiny circles are punched out of the lining of an envelope from a card from Diana*BSIL*. Stardust pens doodled too.
Please read Still Waters Refuge for what's going on in my heart.
Thanks for visiting and please leave a comment.

Even Simpler

Just a quick post.
I was making samples to show off the new Quietfire stamps I will be offering at Nice Threads.
I want to show you that you don't need to do a lot to make a beautiful elegant card.
All I did here-and the scan is not flattering to this vintage paper-is use good cardstock with an embossed border and simply stamp the quote in Versafine vintage sepia and thermal emboss in clear.
I would love to receive this card and it took less than 5 minutes to create.
Come by and see me any Thursday 1-4 open studio time and learn how- or anytime to talk paper, fiber and color.

Keep It Simple?

My favorite part of a blog hop is the inspiration and new ideas i get from looking at all the blogs. Being one of the blogs visited brings more than the usual comments and I was thrilled during the Quietfire/Spellbinders Spring Hop, to have many comments that said they liked and admired that I keep my cards on the simple side. Especially for the Created Byhand Challenge, I pick a Quietfire stamp and try to enhance and highlight the quote with the background and other elements.
I love the multi-layered, beribboned and jeweled cards my sisters-in-ink create, and it's just not me.
I feel honored that my own style is also enjoyed by blog hoppers and viewers and that the feelings of inspiration are mutual.
For 25 years I lived in community with an arts and crafts studio open 24/7 and now I live alone on top of a mountain- and you, my digital friends, are my creative support.
Thanks, and on with the show.

I got this stamp as a gift years ago and have been waiting to use it, so selfishly I themed this weeks challenge, Dancing shoes/vintage.
Starting with white cardstock I inked it up with antique linen and old paper distress ink. I stamped the shoe with Versafine vintage sepia and thermal embossed clear. Inked up the shoe area with
spun sugar distress ink. I use the foam ink blending tool and cut and dry nibs to put on the ink. I always work on the craft sheet, unless I am cutting.
then -shout out to Yogi-I used the hammer method to emboss the background with the small dots cuttlebug folder. I put the card inside the folder and hit it with the hammer exactly where i wanted the embossing. I colored some old lace edging with old paper distress ink, glued it on and highlighted the embossing and messed about with my trusty stardust pens.
The tag is an old spellbinders die, I assume retired(vintage?) inked it up and thermal embossed the quote. I used a cut and dry nip to stamp just the word i wanted from the stamp and used my positioner to get it right.
Since I had the hammer out,I added a copper eyelet to the tag. Pretty fancy for me!
I hope you put on your dancing shoes and dance into creativity this Spring .
Please leave a comment-and keep it simple!LOL!

Thanks and The Winner is............

Thanks Y'all ! for all the kind words and comments. I replies to everyone that had a reply contact and send my deepest thanks through our hearts to all others.
Almost 150 comments is gratifying and humbling.
It's exciting to share the art and products that I love and to interweave all of the people that make it possible.

I look forward to seeing your creations using Quietfire and Spellbinders products.
Please come back here and visit often and enter weekly in the Created Byhand Tuesday Challenge
[Featured products:Thanks , Flourished Heart, Flourishes
Labels 8 , Impressabilities ]

We have our winner and she said,

Thanks Robyn! I can hardly believe I actually won! I will be checking the mailbox everyday!!

I am always amazed at how you ladies come up with these designs! I've come up with a few designs of my own. But nothing like yours.

Keep on showing us what we can do if we try!! And thanks to Suzanne for her beautiful calligraphy!

stamper, Pam

Now hop over to the Lovely Suzanne's blog to finish our Spring hop and see what inspiration she has in store for you today.

Thanks again and Blessings to all- Create Without Limits- and pass it on.

Quietfire Design /Spellbinders Spring Blog Hop

Welcome to the Quietfire Design Spring Blog Hop!

Quietfire Design is celebrating the honor of being chosen as a Preferred Stamp Partner with Spellbinders™ Paper Arts!

Here’s How to Win:
Each day a different Quietfire Designer will post their amazing creations combining Quietfire rubber stamps and Spellbinders products in a blog entry (days and links to each blog below). Simply comment on their Quietfire Blog Hop post by midnight EST and you will be eligible to be chosen in a daily random draw.

Prizes:
Every day a lucky participant will win one of the Quietfire Rubber stamps used that day plus Suzanne’s choice of Spellbinders™ die! The prizes will be sent out directly from Quietfire Design.

Deadlines:
The deadline for commenting on this prize is Midnight EST on Wednesday, April 6th. The winner for this prize will be announced here on my blog on Thursday, April 7th.

Once your name is announced in the follow-up blog post, please claim your prize by emailing me with your postal info within 48 hours or we will draw again!

Here is our list of blogs and their special Quietfire Blog Hop days

Saturday, April 2: Wanda Hentges

Sunday, April 3: Becca Feeken

Monday, April 4: Monica Black

Tuesday, April 5: Yogi Grunwald

Wednesday, April 6: Robyn Josephs-You are Here!

Thursday, April 7: Suzanne Cannon

Thanks for playing! Happy Hopping and good luck!

Here is the card I created featuring Quietfire stamps and Spellbinders dies.

All of the paper is white cardstock.

For the background I inked up an Impressibilities stencil, embossed the paper by running through the Wizard and highlighted with Brilliance and Distress inks.Colors used throughout: antique linen, dried marigold, wild honey, spun sugar,peeled paint,pine needle and tea die.

If you are new to Quitefire stamps, I am excited to introduce you to them. Hand Lettered by Suzanne Cannon and deeply etched, unmounted rubber, Quietfire Designs has a quote or sentiment for every occasion. Any card from Quietfire is an occasion by itself! Unmounted rubber is easy to use and versatile for all surfaces and I promise you this rubber will enable you to Create Without Limits!

The quote is from the Garden Quote Marks. (You can see how these stamps create fab bookmarks here) The little book is Spellbinders Labels 7. I colored the die cut with inks, and stamped some script on, stamped the quote in versfine vintage sepia, then thermal embossed clear; distressed the edges,sewed a 'binding' and mounted it on a die cut piece of fun foam for dimension.

The bottom border is a section of the Rose Border Grand, that I cut, embossed and used the die as a stencil to color it with distress inks. Colors used: antique linen, dried marigold, wild honey, spun sugar and tea die.

Shout out to my sister in ink Becca for the silk ribbon rose, I inked the ribbon with wild honey and spun sugar Distress Ink using the foam ink blending tool after I applied the tape and it was still wrapped on the cardboard strip.

Inside I stamped the flourishes and dragonflies in Versamark and colored with Pan Pastels.

I used a larger Label 7 to highlight the writing area.

Somewhere on this card i doodled with Stardust pens-can't finish a project without them!

Please remember to LEAVE A COMMENT to be entered to win and stop back tomorrow to find out if you are the lucky winner........and...........

Hop over to the fabulous Suzanne's Blog tomorrow to see what inspiration she has for you and to complete our Spring Hop.

I hope you will come back often and try some the wonderful products we are featuring.

Quietfire rubber-A Book is Like, Flourishes1, Butterflies and Dragonflies

Spellbinders dies-Labels 7, Rose Boarder Grand

Thanks for stopping by.

Spring Fever

We have it!
Here in Montreat and in the Quietfire Creation community.
After you read and admire :) this ATC, be sure to hop over to the Quietfire/Spellbinders Spring Blog Hop celebrating our new colab. You can read all about it here.
This card is a bit of a sneak peak. This weeks Challenge theme is Spring Fever/Pastels.
I used watercolor to create a background and then stamped the trees.
The little book is Spellbinders Label 7, and the quote
is stamped and thermal embossed.
More stamping on the inside of the book, and some stardust pen here and there.
Leave a comment if you need more details and to make my day.

*******REMEMBER*****Wednesday April6- Right Here-Spring Blog Hop-PRIZES********

Quietfire Design and Spellbinders-No Fooling!

*******I am excited to announce*******

Quietfire Design is now a Preferred Product Partner with Spellbinders

To Celebrate

Quietfire Design is having a blog hop with prizes!

This blog hop will start Saturday, April 2nd

Here is the hop schedule

Saturday, April 2: Wanda Hentges

Sunday, April 3: Becca Feeken

Monday, April 4: Monica Black

Tuesday, April 5: Yogi Grunwald

Wednesday, April 6: Robyn Josephs

Thursday, April 7: Suzanne Cannon

So be sure to visit Design Team Member Wanda on Saturday to see what inspiration she has in store for you. All details will be explained on each blog.

And mark your calendar to come back and see me on Wenesday April 6- You won't be disappointed- No fooling!