My True North ~ HSS

When I first saw this sentiment from Avery Elle's Knotty stamp set I knew I needed to get it.  Afterall, my husband is a North and he has made me one too.  ;)   Thank you Maureen for enabling me. 

It just so happened to come on the day I saw this week's sketch from Hand Stamped Sentiments.  What better way to get this stamp set inky than The Perfect sketch?!




HSS#171

Often when I am working with sketches I will flip them, rotate them or change an element.  This wasn't my plan today though.  It was a complete accident that I adhered the striped panel on the bottom of the card instead of the top.  Honestly this sketch would work no matter which way you flipped it though.  That is a great sketch to have in your arsenal.  :)

This won't be the last time I use this sentiment on a card for my hubby.  It works for anyone you love, not just when for those of us with the last name "North".  :D  I'm thinking I need to make a stack of these cards for OWH.  What do you think? 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Knotty (Avery Elle)
Ink: Daffodil Delight (SU), Not Quite Navy (retired SU), Real Red (SU), Versamark
Paper:  SU Cardstock- Real Red, Whisper White
Misc.: Black Embossing Powder, White Embossing Powder, Heart Punch, Crystal Effects, Circle Punch, Circle Framelits, Circle Card Framelits

Bee Happy Happy Happy

If you read yesterday's post, you might be wondering why I chose today's card.  I make cards for the pure pleasure of making cards, but also for my real-life card needs.   After the funeral yesterday for my uncle, my dad came home to find the results from his recent blood test.    He's been battling cancer and his numbers dropped a full point and a half!   YAY!!!  He's almost out of the danger zone and for that I am sooooooooooooo grateful.

It has been an emotional roller coaster week.  Actually it's been a roller coaster year for my extended family.  At one time Uncle Rod and my dad were both being treated by different doctors at UC Davis Medical center.  (while my grandmother was in the hospital)  Unfortunately my uncle's form of cancer was much more severe and widespread.  Fortunately my Dad's is treatable and he's doing well with the treatment.

The Bible says to " Be happy with those who are happy and weep with those who weep." Romans 12:15  Yesterday I did both. 

Now on to the card.  :)  I've been wanting to make this card since the Honeycomb embossing folder came out in the Spring catalog.  I smushed the bottle cap by running it through my big shot.  The bee was stamped using the collage curios stamp set.  I really need to make a video on the "how", but I need a new bottle of Crystal Effects first.  Mine was almost dried out and I had "issues" with it.



Soda Pop Tops



The sentiment is a mish-mash of several stamp sets and liberal use of the stamp-a-majig.  The "Bee" comes from Snowflake Soiree.  I used a marker to ink up "Be" and stamped it, then cleaned it off and inked just the "e" for the second stamping.   Then we have the happys.  In order they come from:
happy- Fabulous Phrases
HAPPY- Curly Cute
HAPPY- From My Heart



Snowflake Soiree


Thank you to everyone who has lifted my family in your prayers.  We have all felt them and they are greatly appreciated. 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Collage Curios, Curly Cute, Fabulous Phrases, From My Heart, Snowflake Soiree
Ink: Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade
Paper: Soft Suede, Sunshine & Sprinkles DSP, Whisper White
Misc.: Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Hexagon Punch (Creative Memories), Crystal Effects, Soda Pop Tops



Collage Curios



Honeycomb Textured Impressions Embossing Folder



Sunshine & Sprinkles DSP



Celebrate Green

Spring is on its way and green is popping up everywhere, even on my card today.   In honor of St. Patrick's Day this weekend I have two green cards for you.  I'll show you my shamrock card tomorrow.  ;)

The hearts were made using the Fashionable Hearts Embosslit.  I then used a dimensional on each of them to pop them up off the square.  When the card was finished I added Crystal Effects to each heart which gave it a really glossy finish when they dried.

The tag was super easy to make.  First I stamped Celebrate from the Seasonal Sayings stamp set in Gumball Green onto Whisper White card stock.  Then I cut it out using the Apothecary Accents Framelits.  Then I added some "stitch lines" with my Gumball Green marker.  I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch out a hole in each side of the tag and threaded a strip of Lucky Limeade Bakers Twine through the holes. 

Hopefully this green card makes you think of Spring.  I'm told it's coming.  In fact it's time for me to head out to the baseball field.  My youngest has tryouts today.  Hope you have a great weekend and Spring comes soon to your home.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North



Seasonal Sayings



Print Poetry DSP Stack



Fashionable Hearts Embosslits



Postage Heart Quilt Card

Inspiration can strike anywhere.  Last week I was going in to our local gas station/mini mart/McDonald's, (just off exit 88 for those of you who are local peeps) and as I was leaving this "artwork" caught my eye.

I went home and made a card based on this wall art.  Funny that I didn't use Wisteria Wonder or Perfect Plum paper.  I still might on another card.  It's a pretty easy card to put together.

Yesterday I filmed a video on how I made it and went back to the mini mart to take a picture of what inspired me.  Here's the video for you. 

*Note* If you are not on my blog right now, you may need to go to my blog to view the video.

What inspires you?  Have you ever seen something in a gas station or fast food restaurant that made you want to rush home and create something?

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Postage Stamp Punch

Design Team!!!

I get to share my exciting news a bit early!  I thought I was going to have to wait until late January to tell you, but Catherine let "cat out of the bag" on January 1st.   In December I was asked by Catherine Pooler to join her design team for StampNation.   You should have seen me doing the happy dance around my house.  It's such a thrill and honor to be chosen.  I only hope I can live up to the job. 

The day after she asked me I went to my craft room to get started on the January challenges and it suddenly hit me.... "can I do this?"  Honestly, I wasn't sure I was ready, but the ladies at StampNation are so nice that I decided to just take the plunge.  It's only paper, and I can always make another card if the first (or first 10) don't turn out.  :) 

The first card I made wasn't good enough for me, but it gave me a great idea for another card.  This card is one of my all time favorites!  I can't show you the card I made, because it is for later in the month, but I can show you a sneak peek.  (shhhh, don't tell anyone, okay?)   Actually, yesterday's post had another sneak peek, if you want to check it out. It is my current most favorite card and sitting in my craft room for inspiration.

For those of you who aren't members of SN, don't worry, I'll be showing all my creations on the blog after they go live over there.

My first challenge card as a design team member went live yesterday.  If you've been following my blog you probably already know I love a good challenge.  Even those that frustrate and stretch me beyond my comfort zone, because I almost always surprise myself and learn something new.

This card doesn't use anything new.  I wasn't sure if I was going to be announced this week or if I was going to be a mystery guest, so I didn't want to give away that I was a SU Demonstrator.  Sneaky, eh?   

Thank you so much, Catherine, and your awesome design team for giving me a chance.  You have made it a great start to the new year for me!   Thank you to all of you who have come here from Catherine's blog to cheer me on.  If you haven't seen her post yet, click here, to go to her blog. 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Affection Collection, Rue Des Fleurs (retired- currently in Clearance Rack)
Paper: Festival of Prints DSP Stack, Cherry Cobbler, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla
Ink: Bashful Blue, Cherry Cobbler
Misc.: Fashionable Heart Embosslit, Crystal Effects, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Designer Label Punch, Adorning Accents Embossing Folder



Affection Collection

***Note*** Holiday catalog ends today, 1-2-12, and the Affection Collection stamp set is in this catalog.  I do not know if it will carry over into next year, so if you love it, get it today!  :)  The DSP stack is from the Holiday catalog as well.


Rue Des Fleurs



Adorning Accents Embossing Folders



Daring Swing Card

This was going to be my masculine Monday card, but life got in the way yesterday.  It's the week of Thanksgiving here in the USA and I braved the storm and shoppers to get food for my family. We've had flood watches along with lots of wind and rain.  Thankfully our house is on a slightly higher elevation, so we are fine here, but being out in the weather yesterday was not fun!  I didn't sit down until after 7pm last night and never did get my blog post up.  Thank goodness y'all are ok with me missing a day here and there.

I've got more pictures for you if you scroll down, but this card is best seen on the video below.  This video was filmed a few weeks.  If you are viewing in your email you may need to go to my blog to watch this.

It's kind-of a good thing I waited because now I get to use this card to play along with the challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments. 




HSS 145

I have another Fancy Fold card to show you later this week.  Actually I have a 3rd card I'm going to try to make.  Perhaps I should just make this fancy fold week... hmmm... except there are a couple more challenges I want to participate in and I'm not sure I can make them all work together.  We shall see. 
Here is the card again, closed.

Close up of the inside sentiment.

One last note, in case you missed it, Stampin' UP!'s Online Extravaganza has begun!  Several items are 20%-50% off.  Discover how easy it is to Shop Online.  :) 




Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Stamps: Need for Speed, French Foliage, Daring Adventure, Wonderfully Worn, Itty Bitty Banners (wow I just realized I used 5 stamps sets!  I actually used a 6th one for the inside sentiment, but I can't remember which one. You could make this card with far fewer)
Paper: Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black, Illuminate
Ink: Black Staz-On, Blender Pen, Various Markers- Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight, Basic Grey, Pool Party
Misc.: Aluminum Foil, Labels Framelits, Bitty Banner Framelits, Round Tab Punch, Crystal Effects

Masculine Monday, Revved Up!

Last week I posted a very similar card with a video.  If you missed last week's post, and want to see it, scroll down or click here.  Today I will show you the revved up version I talked about making in my video.  I wanted to do it with the first card, but I liked it so much that I decided to just take pictures before I possibly messed it up.  :)

Turns out, I like the revved up version even better.  No real surprise there since I like the details.  What I did was color the car (Riding Hood Red, Daffodil Delight, Basic Grey and Pool Party)  I used my blender pen for the windows and wheels.   Then I took some Crystal Effects and made the car "shiny".  I LOVE it!!!  Looks like a fancy sports car.  I let the CE dry overnight.

My 12 year old thought the card was pretty cool.  I think I may give this to my DH for his birthday in October.   Shhhhh, don't tell him.  ;)  Of course, by then I will probably find another stamp set I just have to have in order to create a card for him.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Need for Speed

Crystal Effects

Cardmaking 101- Crystal Effects

Welcome to another edition of Cardmaking 101- My online class for beginner card makers and those who may be new to Stampin' UP products.   Today I will be covering Crystal Effects, SU's clear glue.  I've only begun to tap into what this product can do, but so far I love it.  You can use it to add "raindrops" or "watermarks" to any project.  Once it is dry it leaves a glossy smooth texture.   It's difficult to see in pictures, but definitely cool in person.

Top card with Crystal Effects on the "chocolate" part of the strawberry, and bottom card without.



Crystal Effects



P.S. I Love You
Stamp Set

Creative Blessings,
Heather North