Fly High Birthday Boy

Today is my son's birthday.  His dream is to be a Naval Aviator.  When I make cards for people I usually try to make a card that fits their style.  I choose colors and images I think they will like.  Even though he is a teenager, I think he's going to love this one.

Today is also Thursday, so it's time for another StampNation Challenge card. It just so happens that I used the photo below as inspiration for my son's birthday card.  At first glance you may wonder how I went from that photo to this card, but if you look closely you might see the inspiration I drew from it.

First off, the color Red.   My son's favorite color is red, so I knew I could use this photo to make his card.  You might also notice the crisp white background with touches of blue/green.  I took that too for my "sky".  And then there is the texture of the burlap.  I didn't have the burlap ribbon when I made this card last month, so I made my own texture using Off the Grid stamp set in Crumb Cake ink.

The airplane comes from the Need for Speed stamp set.  (retired)  I colored it in with Real Red ink and a blender pen, one of my favorite ways to color.  The plane was cut out leaving a small white border all around it and then popped up on dimensionals.  The clouds were from the Cloudy Day embossing folder.  I just cut a few of those out and adhered it to my Soft Sky Deco Label.

Happy Birthday, my son!  May you always reach for your dreams, wherever they may take you.  I'm proud to be your mom and I love you to the moon and back again times infinity.  <3

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

P.S.  I think the Cloudy Day embossing folder might be retired.   :(  You can make your own clouds with the icing from the cupcake punch or freehand them, then use your paper piercing tool to add the texture around the edges. 

Stampin' UP! Supplies Used
Stamps: Need for Speed (retired), Off the Grid, Label Love
Ink: Crumb Cake, Black Staz-On, Real Red, Pool Party
Paper: Crumb Cake, Soft Sky, Whisper White
Misc.: Blender Pen, Cloudy Day EF (retired???), Deco Labels Framelits




Off the Grid



Label Love



Deco Label Framelits




Hello, Snow Girl

Greeting Card Kids is such a cute stamp set.  Every season I make at least one card using these adorable images.  For today's card I wanted a winter feel, but I didn't want to use the Christmas tree.  Here is what I came up with.

I was going to film a video showing you how I "lost" the tree, sparkled up the snowballs and colored the flower, but I ran in to a couple of snags.

Snag 1- No more snowballs.  We have had ice and snow and freezing rain here today (ironic isn't it) and I try not to drive when the weather is bad like it has been the past few days.  If it warms up enough to melt the ice I will go to town for more snowballs.

Snag 2- My house needed a major cleaning.  Over the weekend we moved around furniture and cleaned upstairs.  Outside we took down Christmas lights and moved the Christmas decorations out to the shed.  We also did a bit of cleanup outside.  So, today it was a matter of moving furniture downstairs and cleaning up all the mud we tracked in.  With Christmas all put away I felt the need to wash windows, vacuum around the baseboards and clean under the toaster in the kitchen.  By the time I finished that it was time to start dinner.  (and mess up my clean kitchen again!)

So, if you are interested in a video showing you how to make this card, please let me know with a comment below.  I'll film it after I find some more "snowballs". 

I'm excited that my house is clean.  That means tomorrow I can play in my craft room until it's time to pick up the kids from school.   :)  Oh, glorious day!!!

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

P.S.  It's almost 11pm, and I am finally getting today's post in.  I still have an hour to spare.  ;)

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Greeting Card Kids, Friendship Preserves
Ink: Pool Party, Riding Hood Red, Wisteria Wonder, Regal Rose
Paper: More Amore DSP, Whipser White, Very Vanilla, Primrose Petals, Pink Pirrouette,
Misc.: Windows Framelits, Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder, Blender Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, and more...





Greeting Card Kids




More Amore Specialty DSP



Blender Pens




Friendship Preserves



Cardmaking 101 - Markers

Over a decade ago I purchased my first set of Stampin' UP! Markers.  Those markers still work!  Since that time Stampin Up has re-vamped their makers, adding new colors and making them even smoother to hold & write with.  I LOVE them.  I really do.

In today's video I will show you some tips on using this fabulous tool.

Bonus video... Using the blender pen AND your Stampin' Write Markers to ink up an image.  I should do a video just on blender pens.  This tool can be used to create a "watercolor" effect by picking up ink and coloring with it, or you can use it to REMOVE ink, as I have done in this video. 

P.S. I Love You Stamp Set



Stampin' Write Markers



Blender Pens


Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Please visit my Stampin' UP! Store: http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/cr8tvblessings/