Watercolor scene....

The card I'm sharing today was made for my friend Pam and has almost NO stamping on it---except the sentiment from the Thoughts and Prayers stamp set by Stampin' Up!  I'm telling you, that is such a "go-to" set!!  I used it ALOT.  If you do not have that one, you should get it!!

I did use Stampin' Up! watercolor paper for the front of the card, using my aqua painter and stamp pads to color in the sky , ocean and beach.  I hope you can tell that's what the picture is about.

I used Pool Party cardstock for the card, layered with Soft Suede, and topped with the watercolor pictures.  The card is not grand, but the feelings behind it for friend Pam are very grand (large, huge).

Please pray for Pam as she and her doctors work to heal her!

Smiles, Laura

Get Well Soon...

 My friend Susan broke her foot the other day and I wanted to make her a card.  I saw this little foot cast card on Pinterest when I was researching a card to make for my sister when her knee was operated on.  I saved this one because it was so cute.

I decided to make it for Susan.  She's so "girly" that I wanted it in some neat, soft colors.  I used Calypso Coral for the card, layered with white, then layered with Coral again, then topped with white. For the foot/ankle, I used the old retired Stocking punch and punched a cast out of Blushing Bride.  Of course the cast couldn't be white!!! It had to look girly.  I embossed it using the Square Lattice embossing folder.  I did line the cast with white like the cotton batting doctors use.  Of course, I had to put polish on the toes!!  Susan's girly.  Ha!

The sentiment is from Delightful Dozen.

I hope she likes it.  I thought it turned out pretty cute.  Heal quickly, Susan!!
Smiles, Laura

Flip Down Stack Fathers Day card....

Yes, Fathers Day is coming and I have already shared some cards I made for Fathers Day.  Today I wanted to share one more I made recently.  On March 19, I shared a Flip Down Stack card with you that I made for Easter.  Well, this one today is also a Flip Down Stack card, made for Fathers Day.

Here is the front of the card.  Actually, the front does not open because all the images and sentiments are on the flip down squares. I used Soft Suede and Sahara Sand for this card.  The animals are from the Zoo Review set by Stampin ' Up!  The sentiments are from other various sets.

 When you flip the first stack down, here is what you see.

 And when you make the final flip down, you see these last two squares.

This one will be for my dad and my husband for Fathers Day.  I hope they like it.  Always fun to have something alittle interactive for men!!

Thanks for stopping by today.  Come back soon!

Smiles, Laura

New Baby....

Some friend of our recently had a new grandson and I wanted to make them a special card.  I had seen several lions on cards and wanted to make a lion, but I wanted this one to be in baby colors.  Here is what I came up with:

Isn't he cute!!  I used the Floral Frames Collection by Stampin' Up! for the two mane sizes.  One is cut from Coastal Cabana cardstock and the dotted layer is using Pool Party Patterns designer series paper, which has now retired.  I used circle punches for his nose, muzzle and ears.  He is mounted on a Pool Party card, cut 4"x4."

Inside, I put, "No 'lion,' we are thrilled about the birth of your new grandson."

I hope they liked the card.  I thought he was a cute little fellow!
Smiles, Laura

More Lever cards....

I don't know why, but I can't stop making Leverl cards.  I just love how they open out.  Such fun to see.  I told you back in April how to make these and my tutorial is available through the Splitcoaststampers site. 

Here are a few more cards I made with this layout:

Aren't they fun!  Yes, they are alot alike, all using the Simply Sketched hostess set in the new Stampin' Up! catalog, and some of the same other stamps, but still I love all the different designer papers and just had to show you.  So while I haven't made alot of diferent layouts/techniques lately, I have been having fun making some cards. 

Thanks for stopping by today.  See you again soon, I hope!!
Smiles, Laura

Making Chevrons...

I saw a great tutorial for making chevrons on Splitcoaststampers the other day and just have to play with some.  Here are a some cards I made with chevrons on them:

Here is my original card I designed for a class.  It uses three different teal colors:  Bermuda Bay, the new Coastal Cabana, and Soft Sky (or maybe I used Pool Party--can't remember).  Love these soft colros together!!

To make the chevrons (which really look like rick-rack to me) you cut a strip of cardstock 1" wide by 5.5" long.  Score it lengthwise down the middle.  Then score it crosswise every 1/2".  Cut from the bottom corner to the middle scoreline, to create “V’s”, removing paper scraps the entire width of the CS.  Rotate paper 180 degrees and cut the opposite triangles.  Easy to do while sitting and listening to TV.  Ha! 

Here is a card I made without the sentiment label, but with the sentiment just stamped on the front, so I could use 4 different colors of chevrons.

 For this card, I decided I wanted the image to go over the top of the chevrons.  The flowers are from the Summer Silhouettes stamp set.  The cardstock is the new Crisp Cantaloupe, Coastal Cabana, and Bermuda Bay.

 For this card, I decided to cut the chevrons in smaller pieces, so that they actually look like chevrons, rather than ric-rack.

 I hope you are inspired to make some of your own chevrons.  Have fun!!  And visit again soon!
Smiles, Laura

Yes, I know.....

Yes, I know, long time, no see....  Sorry!! It's been a busy month and I was amazed when I logged on to my blog and realized I had not posted to you for a MONTH!!  I guess it's no excuse to say I've been busy, because we all are busy.  But honest, I've had alot going on.  Just some random reporting:  I made this new banner for my church's gathering space for Pentecost Sunday.

I made these fabric streamers to go on the walls in the sanctuary:

I made two of  these to hang on two sides of the sanctuary (ours is a square sanctuary).

They are to go with this banner I made several years ago.  This hangs in the center, up high over the organ.

Here are some ribbon streamers I made to go beside the altar.  I used some metal "tiki torch"-type stands for them.

Here is the altar the altar team I'm a part of designed for Pentecost Sunday:

Everyone seemed to enjoy the whole sanctuary so it was worth our time!

My sister-in-law Mary Ann (yes, you've heard me talk about her before) came and spent a week with me for Mothers Day.  She helped me on the ribbon streamers.  Our church is recognizing 20 graduates from our sponsor school for graduation with cards and money, so Mary Ann and I made these graduation cards for them:

We used retired blue card stock and orange and white, to go with their school colors.  Since I could not find any little tassels that were the right size for our cards, we made these ourselves using embroidery floss. 

Here is the inside:

 I hope the graduates like them!

OK, that's some of the church work I've been working on.  I am designing a spiritual gifts banner and will share that when it is completed.  I love doing this sort of thing for my church---in addition to the paperwork  and committee work I do there.  It's wonderful to have a place share creative talents.

Of course during May we had Mothers Day in there.  I made cards for my sisters and daughters-in-law so here is one of those cards I made:

This card uses the oval die collection from Stampin' Up! for the cut out front.  Here is another card we made in class with this same cut out:

 This one is a birthday card (as you can see).  Both these cards use the new hostess set, Simply Sketched. This will be one of my "go to" sets for the coming year.  I LOVE it!!  The sentiment is from the new Label Love set that you will be able to purchase starting tomorrow.  I used the Artisan Label punch for the backing.

Here is the inside:

The bird oval shows through the front opening, but is actually on the inside of the card.  This inside sentiment is from the new hostess set, Express Yourself. 

I can't wait until tomorrow to start purchasing all the new "goodies" from the Stampin' Up! catalog.  Look out, credit card!!!

One more shot to share today.  Here are two beautiful lady slippers that are blooming out in the woods near our house.  Aren't they something!!!

OK, that's enough sharing for today, for you to know I'm still here!!  Thanks for visiting!!  Come back soon and see some other cards I've been making!!
Smiles, Laura