When I pulled the stamp set out, I realized there were amazingly appropriate sentiments in the set too. For my card, I used, “may you be protected in all that you do and know that our thoughts are always with you” (I mean how perfect is that for the times right now?). For the inside liner, I also used: “you are my hero”.

I masked off certain parts of the little girl stamp with bits of washi tape, inked up the stamp, removed the washi bits, and stamped out 3 kiddos! Then I used a 0.1 pt Copic Multiliner Pen to doodle on some changes to the kids’ hair, clothes and added masks! I also colored up and fussy cut out another girl from the stamp set (the one grasping her chest) to decorate the inside liner.

Then I used the following Copic colors to bring the kiddos to life. Note that I used different color combinations for the skin tones because I wanted to represent the human rainbow of our front line heroes and bright spring colors for the clothes to suggest hope and life for the future:
Girl in Skirt: Skin: E11, E13, E25 and RV34 (blush); Top: Y11, Y15, N1 (collar) and YG05 (buttons); Skirt: YG01, YG03 and YG05; Hair: B01, N6 and N9
Girl in Dress: Skin: E00, E01 and R20 (blush); Dress: Y15, V04 and V06; Hair: Y11, Y15 and YR24
Boy in Pants: Skin: E01, E02, E11, E13 and R20 (blush); Top: YG01, YG03, YG05 and N1 (collar); Pants: B00, B52 and B45; Belt: YR16, N6 and N9; Hair: E55, E57 and E59
Masks and Gloves: N1, B00 and B52
All Shoes: N6 and N9

Girl with Long Hair (on inside liner): Skin: E01, E02 and R20 (blush); Hair: B02, C4, C6 and C8; Dress: RV02, RV04, RV06 and V06 (heart); Tights: V06 and V17; Mask and Gloves: B02 and B04

The backgound sky was made with a My Favorites Things Cloud Stencil and some Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Tumbled Glass blended on. The grass/ground was made against a simple homemade stencil and Tim Holtz Distress Ink In Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn. I was just careful to lighten the blending around the sentiment and the kids’ feet since I was too lazy to make masks. 😀

To add a little dimension to this otherwise single layer card, but keep it looking crisp and simple in the style of the stamps, I used the large Pretty Pink Posh Scallop Frames die. I cut the scallop frame 4 additional times from card stock scraps and stacked them under the finished card front frame. I love how that came out looking more “finished” while not distracting or cluttering the general CAS style.

CLICK on the photo below to watch my process video:

Disclosure: Many of the supplies I’ve used for today’s project are linked. Some may be affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I truly appreciate your support toward the costs of running this blog!

This card is being entered into the following challenges:
Crafts Galore Encore Anything Goes Challenge
Crafty Gals Corner Easter/Spring Challenge
Creatalicious Anything Goes with Optional Wedding Challenge
Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge
Penny Black and More Anything Goes Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Mood Board Challenge

I used the My Favorite Things Snuggle Bunnies stamp set (which is one of my favorites and seems perfectly suited to craft thinking-of-you cards) to make this CAS (clean and simple) card. I stamped one of the bunnies and teddies off center and softly colored them with the following Copic markers:
Bunny: W0, W1 and R30
Bunny’s T: YR61, E95, Y11 and Y15
Teddy: E51, E21, E31 and R30
Shadow to ground them: C1

Then I die cut the card front panel with the largest of the My Favorite Things STAX Cross-Stitched Die-Namics Rectangle Die Set. That subtle texture around the panel I think adds a nice warm/cozy feel.

Lastly I took a scrap of black card stock and used VersaMark ink to stamp out the sentiment: Today I caught myself smiling. Then I realized I was thinking of you.” I first prepped the card stock with an EK Success anti-static Powder Tool and then used Ranger Super Fine Detail White Embossing Powder over the stamping. A blast (front and back) with my heat tool, and I ended up with a nice, crisp sentiment to cut out and pop up on foam adhesive.  A yellow mat and then adhering to a yellow-orange card base, and voila!

Disclosure: Above are links to the supplies I’ve used for today’s project. Some may be affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I truly appreciate your support toward the costs of running this blog!

This card is being entered into the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create Anything Goes with Optional Masculine Card
Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday Stamptember Challenge
Addicted to CAS Favorite Stamp Challenge
Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge
Just Keep On Creating Anything Goes Challenge
Penny Black and More Close to Nature Challenge
Creatalicious Anything Goes with Optional Make Your Own Background Challenge
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Anything Goes Challenge
Crafts Galore Encore Anything Goes Challenge
CAS-ual Fridays Sketch Challenge

A dear friend of mine, who helped me through some of my most difficult times a few years ago, is going through a very tough time now. I am so thankful for her and our friendship, and I just wanted to send her a card with the nose-to-nose playful puppy and turtle to remind her that she had a forever friend in me.

I used the following Copics to color up this scene:
Grass with cast shadow: G40, 24 and 46
Turtle: YG21, YG17, G46, R22, R35 and R39
Puppy: E51, E53 and YR24
Ombre sky: B000 and 00

Then I die cut the scene using the third largest of the My Favorite Things Die-namics Cross-Stitch Rectangle STAX die set. I like how the cross stitching adds a little bit of a homey feeling to the scene. Then I simply matted it with some red shimmerz card stock (picking up the hints of red in the turtle and dog collar). I stamped the sentiment, “You’ve got a friend in me.” with Momento Luxe Tuxedo Black Ink and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder on vellum. I like using varied papers like shimmerz and vellum because I think they add texture and shine that add interest (especially on CAS cards).

The white card front is dry embossed with the wood grain embossing folder from The Paper Studio — one of my go-to favorite embossing folders. I added some thin fun foam from the Dollar Tree behind the panel to raise it just a tad off the white card stock card base but still keep this card totally mail-friendly.

This card is being entered into the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge
Addicted to CAS Ombre Challenge
CAS-ual Fridays Be Thankful Challenge
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Anything Goes Challenge
Just Keep On Creating Anything Goes Challenge
Creatalicious Anything Goes With Optional Use a Sentiment Challenge
Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes Challenge
Craft Your Passion Anything Goes Challenge
613 Avenue Create Anything Goes Challenge
MFT Sketch Challenge #307

I decided to try no line coloring to give a softer warm look to the Cuddles Anya and practice the dot Copic coloring technique to give the impression of fuzzy texture for the hat and teddy bear. I stamped the image with Momento Desert Sand ink, and these are the Copic colors I used:

Skin: E50, 51, 53, 11 and R20
Hair: E55, 57 and 59
Hat: E21, 11, 13, and 15 with 0 for highlight texture
Teddy: E53, 30, 31, and 33 with 0 for highlight texture”
Bubble skirt, jacket, tights and scarf: YR31, 61, 12, 04 and 07 with E13, R24 and R27 for shadow and depth

I used a Copic multiliner pen in 0.03 pt to draw back in the eyes, eye brows, noses and mouths of the hat, Anya and teddy bear since the pale Desert Sand ink would become invisible after the Copic coloring. 🙂

For the background, I rummaged through my paper scrap box and found some scraps in dark brown, a mustard stripe, and plain white card stock (onto which I blended on Delicata Golden Glitz ink) that I layered all off-kilter for some interest. The leaves, cut out with Alterations Tim Holtz Tattered Leaves dies, are sprayed, dry embossed and burnished with burgundy, red-orange, orange, brown and a hint of gold shimmers and inks. I love all the shine and sparkle of these leaves, and I even have a few clear Glossy Accents drops on a few leaves to mimic shiny dew drops. However, to mute the bold colors of the leaves where Cuddles Anya would be, I die cut a piece of vellum with an MFT Cross Stitched Rectangles die and layered that over the center area. This still revealed the beauty and detail of those leaves all along the edges beyond the vellum without detracting from the main focal point Anya with her teddy.

All of this was put on a simple kraft card stock card base to keep with the earthy theme. For the inside, I inked the edges of a white card stock liner with more Delicata Golden Glitz ink and used a tiny remnant scrap of a textured and inked die cut leave for a little accent.  The simple “thinking of you” sentiment is die cut out from another dark brown scrap with the Tim Holtz Sizzix Celebration Words die set.

This card is being entered into the following challenges:
The Greeting Farm Farm Fresh Autumn Colors Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday Shine Bright Like a Diamond Challenge
CAS-ual Friday Orange, Brown and Kraft Color Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Thinking of You Challenge
Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge
613 Avenue Create Anything Goes Challenge
Crafts Galore Encore Anything Goes Challenge
Creatalicious Anything Goes Challenge
Just Keep on Creating Anything Goes Challenge

I fell in love with this sweet girl from Pinkfresh Studio the instant I saw her. She’s from the Sweet Songs stamp set. She’s got the most adorable expression and body stance. She’s also super easy to color up! I masked off the right side of the tin can phone and bird, and I stamped her out with MFT Black Licorice Hybrid Ink because at first I couldn’t decide if I was going to Copic color or watercolor her, and this MFT hybrid ink is good for both! 🙂

I used the following Copic colors:
Skin: E50, 51, 53 and R20
Hair: BG32, C7 and C8
Dress: BG32, BG45, R20 and R22
Cup: G24, G85 and BG32
Heart formed by tin can phone cord: R20
Shadow to “ground” the little girl: C1 and 4
Boots: W9 for a little shadowing around the edges of the black stamped boot
I also added some white highlight lines with a white Sakura Gelly Roll Pen.

Then I took a ruler and a black Uniball ink pen and drew a line from the heart to the edge of the card front. I next took a cardstock card base (before creasing it) and lined it up to continue the line from the card front through to the inside of the card. I left a little room to the right of the line so that I could simply type in, “Thinking of you. Ring me.”

To add a little more visual texture and interest to the card, I decided to add a vertical strip of the perfect plaid in coral colors that matched the coral in her stripey dress from the Studio Calico Here + There collection. I cut about 1/2″ from the right side of the card front and glued the plaid strip to the left side. Lastly, for a little sparkle, I had to add some pale pink and iridescent sequins topped with Icicle Stickles over the center holes.

This card is being entered into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Thinking of You Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Thinking of You Challenge
MFT Color Challenge #56

Virginia’s View Stripes and Plaid Challenge

I started with some beautiful patterned papers from the My Mind’s Eye Lost & Found Sunshine collection. I picked a chocolate brown trellis pattern for all the matting.  Then I chose a golden yellow stripe for the background that I stamped with sweet acorns from The Greeting Farm Wood Friends stamp set in Walnut Stain Tim Holtz Distress Ink. A soft plaid that I die cut into a tag with the Diemond Dies Nesting Tag Die Set seemed to create a nice backdrop for the main focal point of the card. Initially I thought it would be difficult to incorporate a stripe and a plaid together on one card, but keeping everything in the same family of fall colors made this easier than expected.

The main images for this card are the fawn and squirrel of The Greeting Farm Wood Friends. I also stamped out and colored a little bird from The Greeting Farm Your Wings stamp set that I had originally thought about adding to the duo on the card front, but I ended up adding it to the inside of the card instead (that tag was getting a little crowded).  Because the squirrel was so much smaller than the fawn, I also put him on top of a mushroom from The Greeting Farm Little Fairies stamp set.

I used the following Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers with a water brush to watercolor all the images:
Fawn: Brown (060), Dark Brown (062), Pale Pink (028), Light Gray (091) and Light Pink (026)
Squirrel: Beige (072), Brown (060), Pale Pink (028), Light Gray (091) and Light Pink (026)
Bird: Light Blue (035)
Mushroom: Scarlett (023), Geranium Red (029), Beige (072), Dark Grown (062)
I also used a Sakura Black Glaze Pen to add a little shine to the eyes, noses, and spots on the mushroom as well as a Sakura White Gelly Roll Pen to add some highlights to the mushroom. The tag and the critters on the card front are all popped up on double sided foam adhesive for added dimension.

For the inside liner of the card, I used the reverse side of the plaid paper which was a beautiful golden damask. I used the “thinking of you” from the Sizzix Script Celebration Words die set with more of the chocolate brown trellis paper for the sentiment. I inked all the edges of each paper to finish off each edge (I like to camouflage the white edges of cut paper when I remember to do this step, which is about 50% of the time–LOL).

For finishing touches, I added a hand dyed seam binding bow to the top of the tag, and some hand cut fishtail banners from more of the chocolate trellis paper and a scrap of cream card stock from my scrap box. I stamped with Momento Luxe Tuxedo Black Ink the “for someone special” sentiment from the Wood Friends stamp set and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder for a subtle shine and dimension.

The following is a watercoloring process video of the critters on this card:

This card is being entered into the following challenges:
The Greeting Farm Farm Fresh Fall Colors Challenge
Card Mania Tag You’re It Challenge
Virginia’s View Stripes and Plaid Challenge

MarkerPOP Sketch Challenge #107 – WINNER

They have been supportive, encouraging, and, best of all, have reconnected with me and my hubby in a wonderful way.  To show my appreciation, I created Halloween tags for their three children (shared HERE), and the multi-layered floral card shown in this post for them.  I also knit a scarf and hat for each of my sister-in-law’s family members. I am a slow and beginner knitter so these are simple, but they were made with lots of love. 🙂

I received a variety of decoupage images from a wonderful crafty friend from the Netherlands (YT: Jane Nielsen).  All it takes is a LOT of fussy cutting, and then adhering the various layers to build up a  fun 3D look. After building up the layers of the image, it’s just a matter of adhering it to a card base and some extra image-framing layers. Bonus: I got a chance to use up 4 scraps from my scrap box making this card too! 🙂

Note: This 3D look is something you can easily replicate if you have multiple copies of the same image (think Dollar Tree children’s books with great images). You can simply just cut out portions of the image and layer them using some double sided foam tape. Simple, yet beautiful results!

This card is being entered into the following challenges:
Jennifer McGuire’s Handmade Kindness: Family & Friends Challenge
Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday Thank You Challenge
Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes Challenge
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Anything Goes Challenge

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful crafty day! WOOF

I stamped out several small, medium and large doilies from the Inspired by Stamping Delicate Doilies stamp set with VersaMark Ink. Then using some snow white Recollections embossing powder and my heat tool, I embossed them. I fussy cut each of them out and then using a Spellbinders Tool ‘n One, I punched holes in the centers to layer smaller and larger doilies together using various Spare Parts Black Antique Style Brads.

For the sentiment I used a Stampin’ Up! wood stamp set called “Sincere Salutations”–an oldie but a goodie. 🙂 Because the stamp was adhered to the wood block crookedly, I stamped out the “Thinking of you” and then cut out the banner I wanted to align with the stamped sentiment. I inked the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Spun Sugar.

For the card itself, I embossed some swirls on the card and inked the edges and the embossed swirls with more Spun Sugar. Then it was just a matter of arranging and assembling. To adhere the layered doilies, I used hot glue, which did not show through the embossed areas at all.  I also added a three small pink flowers to the lower right corner to carry through the pink color and to add a little more interest in this otherwise very white card. Finally I used some fun foam to pop up the whole card on the card base to add a bit more dimension.

I really like how this card came out. There is an elegant simplicity to it. I think it would be perfect for a bridal shower, wedding or an anniversary card as well.

The following is a tutorial for creating this card:

This card is being entered into the following challenges:
Challenge Up Your Life Monochrome Challenge
613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes
Crafts Galore Encore Anything Goes in June
Through the Craft Room Anything Goes
Time Out Happy Is the Bride That the Sun Shines On Challenge

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful crafty day! WOOF