Let There be Peace

It has been quiet here in the Attic for quite a long time now. I am hoping to continue sharing once again in the coming new year and will update you on the latest Attic happenings then.

This is a tealight easel card made for a friend last year. Since I didn't make any Christmas cards this year, I thought I would share this one tonight, on Christmas Eve. There are several tutorials available to design this type of card, but if there any questions, please ask and I will do my best to answer them.

I wish each of you the hope, joy, and love born on that first Christmas so long ago. I pray peace to be upon our hearts and within our hearts as we round the corner to Bethlehem to greet the newborn babe. May your day be filled with wonder and delight, and may you have a holy, blessed Christmas.

Our love and hugs,

Remembering

Pausing to remember our dear girl, TC, the blackest cat in all the land.

I haven't tended to this blog since Spring. General busyness and responsibilities have occupied the greater part of my Summer and Autumn. I have peeked in on several of your blogs during this time, but haven't been able to comment since I was using a tablet. My hope is to return to blogging and visiting you on a regular basis in the next couple of weeks.

This is the first scrapbook layout I've completed for TC's book. Many more photos and ideas for pages are awaiting their time to be added. I'll plan to share them here as they're finished since I have shared so much of her story already (TC's Journey).

Hard to believe it's been a year today since I've cradled this sweet bundle of fur in my arms.

Still loving her so.

Still missing her so.

Blessed be your heart, dear TC. . .

Wishful Kitties

 

These two kitties sure wish they had floppy ears and a fluffy tail like the Easter Bunny. Since they look so much like him now, he just has to leave some yummy eggs and maybe a catnip carrot or two for an Easter morning surprise!

As much as the bunnies are loved here in the Attic, I couldn't let Easter slip by without making at least one card that included a bunny. This was such a fun card to design and came together much like I had envisioned. It was created with the Newton's Nook stamp sets, "Bunny Hop" and "Newton's Curious Christmas." The animals were colored with Distress Markers and water. The Christmas kitty temporarily came down from his rooftop watching Santa to take part in some Easter fun. Stardust Stickles was added to the bunny ear headbands and some sparkle pom poms (ones from the craft store that were too small for our kitty girls to play with) were attached  for the tails. A portion was cut from the back side of the pom poms to make them flat, a hint I read on Lucy's Cards. Of course, each of our girls got a new sparkle ball while I had them out. The animals were added to a hill cut with Lawn Fawn's Stitched Hillside Borders and the scene was framed with a combination of frames from WPlus9 and Lil Inker Designs. The "Carrot" dies from Taylored Expressions were added to the bow and the framed piece was adhered to cardstock embossed with Taylored Expressions "Lattice" folder.

The inside was finished with the cut away sections from the frame and hillside, along with another bunny and some eggs that were coated with a bit of Wink of Stella. The sentiment was included with the "Bunny Hop" stamp set.

I am joining Challenge #19 at Newton's Nook to use watercolor this month.

Hope your Easter was filled with blessings and wishing you a wonderful, happy Spring.

 

Materials Used:

Paper: Neenah Solar White; Lawn Fawn "Bright Side"; Echo Park "Carrots"

Stamps: Newton's Nook: "Bunny Hop", "Newton's Curious Christmas"

Dies: Lawn Fawn "Stitched Hillside Borders"; Lil Inker Designs "Stitched Rectangles";

        Taylored Expressions "Carrot"; WPlus9 "Sunshine Layers"

Other: Taylored Expressions "Dotted Lattice" Embossing Folder; SSS Sequins; Stardust Stickles;

        Wink of Stella; Distress Markers; DMC Crochet Thread; Craft Pom Poms

Ev'ry Morning is Easter Morning!

"Ev'ry morning is Easter morning from now on!

Ev'ry day's resurrection day, the past is over and gone!

Good-bye guilt, good-bye fear, good riddance! Hello Lord, Hello sun!

I am one of the Easter people! My new life has begun!

Ev'ry morning is Easter morning from now on!

Ev'ry day's resurrection day, the past is over and gone!

Daily news is so bad it seems the good news seldom gets heard.

Get it straight from the Easter people, God's in charge spread the word!

Ev'ry morning is Easter morning from now on!

Ev'ry day's resurrection day, the past is over and gone!

Yesterday I was bored and lonely; but today look and see!

I belong to the Easter people! Life's exciting to me!"

A most happy and blessed Easter to each of you, dear friends! I remember singing this song in church on Easter morning and then for several following Sundays. With the exception of "Morning Has Broken," it is one of my favorites for springtime! Written by Richard Avery and Donald Marsh in 1967, one cannot help but feel a spirit of hope and renewal when singing this uplifting tune. Here is a link to a video of a children's choir singing if you would like to listen to it.

My husband requested a religious card for Easter this year. Usually he likes nature themed cards or cute designs, but he said he wanted something for his desk at work. He thought it would be a good "challenge." He didn't know that most of the cards I planned to make this year were going to have a religious theme, so this fit quite nicely with my scheme. I die cut the Taylored Expressions "At the Cross 2" five times from some woodgrain cardstock using an old Cuttlebug plate without the metal adaptor so the die wouldn't cut all the way through and the small mosaic pieces would remain intact. The outer edges cut perfectly, which is what I was hoping. I then ran four of the crosses through the Xyron with the adhesive on the front side of the cross. I laid the fifth cross on top, with the adhesive exposed where the mosaic pieces would be inlaid.

I located this piece in my scrap file, a leftover practice sheet from creating these cards. I'm so glad I saved it because it was just the colors dh loves, the very ones I find so difficult to use! The top right hand corner shows where I cut pieces for the bottom of the cross. I wanted a variance of colors, so cut apart small portions from specific areas, a few at a time. I carefully left them in the die or stuck to the plastic plate so I could puzzle piece them in. The center of the cross was cut from the area that was stamped with Delicata Gold ink.

Once the pieces were inlaid, I inked the edges of the cross with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. The background piece is Rustic Cream cardstock from PaperTrey Ink. The sentiment is by Taylored Expressions "He Is Risen" and is embossed with Princess Gold embossing powder. Perfect Pearls Gold was mixed with water and flicked on to the cardstock before I cut the cross from the background piece. It was then run through the Cuttlebug with the Walking on Sunshine embossing folder. 

My original plan was to use a yellowish orange metallic cardstock for the card base, but I decided to stay with the rustic theme of the design. The card base was made from Rustic Cream cardstock. The fold line was masked and distress inks Squeezed Lemonade, Worn Lipstick, Spiced Marmalade, and Dried Marigold were applied along the edges before adhering the embossed panel. The final step was to inlay the cross into the die cut opening.

This last Monday night I was finishing the Easter cards by stamping sentiments with Versafine Black ink on parchment paper inserts. I like adding an insert page so I don't worry about stamping errors on the finished cards. The cards were lined up on the shelf above my craft desk like little soldiers awaiting their turn for completion. That's when the unthinkable, unheard of happened. Splat. Face down. Into the black ink. Dh's card. I just stood there. Gasp. I couldn't even pick it up! Once I did, there was no time for tears. I couldn't imagine how this happened. I thought I was being careful. I had to start over. And I had to finish it that night due to other obligations during the week. I completed the other cards, and while staring at the ruin before me, I began to wonder if maybe, just maybe I could peel away the top layer of the cross and the embossed piece. That wouldn't be so much to fix, I reasoned, trying to convince myself the situation was better than I imagined. 

As you can see, the pieces were beyond any butterfly or sequin camouflage. I thought about giving the card to dh as it was with a sticky note attached to the front with arrows, "ink happens!" but since he wanted it for his desk at work, I knew a redo was necessary. I was indeed able to pull everything apart and simply cut another cross from the woodgrain cardstock, another tiny orange mosaic piece, and redo the embossed and stamped layer. I used the torn piece above as a template for where to die cut the cross so the new panel would fit over the original cross. Not such a difficult task after all. An hour or so later, all was right once again. 

That's what today is about, isn't it? Mistakes made right because of love. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort; sometimes not so much at all, and we're surprised. 

Easter Lily from dear friends.

Forgiven, redeemed, renewed; we begin again anew. All is right in our world. 

Hallelujah!

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!

Materials Used:

Paper: PTI rustic Cream Cardstock; Woodgrain Cardstock

Stamps: Taylored Expressions "He Is Risen"

Dies: Taylored Expressions "At the Cross 2"

Ink: Distress Inks - Squeezed Lemonade, Worn Lipstick, Spiced Marmalade, Dried Marigold, Gathered Twigs;

       Versamark; Delicata Golden Glitz

Other: Perfect Pearls Perfect Gold; Princess Gold Embossing Powder; Taylored Expressions "Walking on Sunshine"

       Embossing Folder

At the Cross

Spring has arrived here in the midwest and Easter dawns tomorrow. It is promised to be a glorious day for such an early Spring celebration.

This card features the Taylored Expressions "At the Cross 3" die and "Walking on Sunshine" embossing folder. The cross is framed by the Poppystamps "Grand Gothic Window" cut from Simon Says Stamp White Woodgrain paper. The assembled window was adhered to Neenah Solar White cardstock misted with Perfect Pearls and water. This layer was then adhered to Sea Glass Metallic cardstock. As I was taking photographs, I kept thinking the card needed a little something more, so a Moonshine sequin was added to the cross center and I was finally satisfied with this very small addition. 

The cross was temporarily adhered with Post It removeable tape to the front of an acetate sheet cut slightly larger than the window opening. I colored the back of the acetate with various colors of Sharpies and then permanently adhered the cross to the front of the acetate, leaving the edges of the cross unglued. The acetate was then adhered behind the window frame, being careful to allow the arms of the cross to extend over the frame. An additional bottom section of the window was cut with the woodgrain horizontal and the Paper Smooches "Easter Blessings" sentiment was embossed with Princess Gold embossing powder. This powder has become my favorite when I am using gold - it is a true subtle gold, unlike others I've used that are very metallic or brassy in appearance. The extra ledge was adhered with dimensional adhesive. The assembled cross and window was then added to the card front with more dimensional adhesive over the embossed layer to provide dimension for the sun's rays.

These photos show the stained glass effect created when the sun shines through the transparency, as well as the shimmer created by the perfect pearls along with the metallic cardstock.

The next card is very much like the other two in my previous post. I had stamped and embossed three panels with the Impression Obsession stamp, "Running" just in case I needed them. I keep wanting to call this stamp, "Dancing" because that's how I think of the girl. I liked the resulting inked panels with the Simon Says Stamp inks - Audrey Blue, Sea Glass, and Mint, so I decided to turn each of them into a card. The other two were inked on Neenah Solar White cardstock; this one was done on Archivers Watercolor paper. The inks rubbed on a bit differently; I like the dimension the watercolor paper provided as well as the antique, distressed result of the gold embossing. 

The sentiment is the same as the one above. I used the Memory Box "Kensington Border" for the butterflies in the previous two designs. This time I cut the entire border from Simon Says Stamp heavy vellum. I left an extra wide left margin and scored it before adhering the margin behind the inked panel, bending it to the front of the card. A couple of tiny pieces of glue dots were slipped in to the border to keep it in place. The gold thread was wound along the edge of the panel to provide the illusion of the vertical members of a cross, proclaiming the Easter message of dancing in the glory of the risen Christ.

I pray Easter is a beautiful day for each of you, spent in whatever way most meaningful to you.

May your spirit dance!

Materials Used:

Cross Card:

Paper: Neenah Solar White; The Paper Company - Metallic Cover "Sea Glass"

          SSS White Woodgrain

Stamps: Paper Smooches "Easter Blessings"

Dies: Poppystamps "Grand Gothic Window"; Taylored Expressions "At the Cross 3"

Other: Versamark Ink; Princess Gold Embossing Powder; Taylored Expressions "Walking on Sunshine"

           Embossing Folder; Acetate; Sharpies; Perfect Pearls; SSS Moonshine Sequin

Girl Dancing Card:

Paper: Neenah Solar White (card base); Archivers Watercolor Paper; SSS Vellum

Stamps: Impression Obsession "Running"; Paper Smooches "Easter Blessings"

Dies: Memory Box "Kensington Border"

Other: Ink - SSS Audrey Blue, Sea Glass, Mint; Versamark: Princess Gold Embossing Powder; 

          DMC Soft Gold Thread

Easter Joy

I had planned to be back long before now with some blog posts, but the computer had other ideas. When I sat down a few weeks ago, prepared to write a post, the monitor was a simple "blue" in color. I tried turning the computer off and back on again, but it wouldn't even shut off. Techno-challenged I am, but even I knew this was not a good sign. Dh happened to be traveling on business at the time so we discussed it over the phone. I performed some tests under his direction and he determined it was indeed the monitor vs. a video card or a loose connection. He quickly did some research and decided on the monitor he liked and called so I could measure the computer stand opening to make sure it would fit. In the time it took for me to measure, the monitor was sold out. So, another bit of time waiting for more to become available, then placing the order and waiting for it to arrive. And then of course, waiting for dh to come home to install it; he was quite certain it wasn't something I could, should, or would want to do, although I did insist that surely I could plug in a monitor. Well, then again, if history is right, maybe not...

So, although everything has been running for the last week or so, Spring has arrived and I've been working outside, playing catch up on yard work after two years of abandonment for other priorities, and too tired to write blog posts late at night. I am hoping to visit your blog posts in the very near future. My last post indicated I would be back with the rest of the 2014 Christmas projects, but now I'm going to move on to Easter and hopefully share those in a more timely manner. Then I'll see about the rest of the Christmas posts - seems kind of silly now, but I'd still like to share them. My friend tells me it's my blog and I can do whatever makes me happy - no obligations, no rules. Well, she's also been known to run with scissors, so I may just need to follow her advice!

Before we talk about today's cards, I have these to share with you.

I ran to the market last Friday after a trip to Costco and a short visit with my friend to solve her computer problem - there are some computer things I can handle! I only needed celery for the weekend Pasta Fagioli Soup and garlic bread. Ok, the garlic bread was a want. I wandered through the floral department as I always do, taking in the seasonal displays, the colors, the scents. The happy part of the market trip that makes it all worthwhile. And then these caught my eye and found their way into my basket. Oh my goodness, how this color combo sings to my spirit! Perhaps it is because I am longing for spring more than I realize, or maybe I'm hoping to find plants these exact colors to fill the front porch planter when the temperatures warm just a little more. The first spring trip to the nursery is coming soon, I can just feel it! I will admit, I never, or hardly ever, buy cut flowers for myself. But this particular day I rationalized I was only purchasing two things, hadn't bought much at the store lately, and all kinds of other affirming statements on my behalf. I wandered around the store still questioning if I really needed them. Why do we do that? I wouldn't have thought twice about giving them to a friend. I am oh so happy they came home with me. They greet me each morning as I begin opening the house for a new day, and they are the last thing I see at night as I turn on the living room table lamp before bed.

I've been creating Easter cards the last week or so. This one features the Impression Obsession stamp, "Running," which was embossed in Princess Gold. I purchased it with this design in mind, dancing in the glory of the risen Christ, but I can also envision many other designs for this stamp. The background was inked with Simon Says "Mint", "Audrey Blue", and "Sea Glass" inks. The embossed sentiment is from Paper Smooches, "Easter Blessings." The butterfly is a portion of the "Kensington Border" Memory Box die. A second butterfly was cut from vellum to add a sense of movement and accented with a bit of DMC Soft Gold thread. The Simon Says Stamp "Frame" was cut from Sea Glass metallic cardstock and adhered over the panel along with the cut away portion to add more weight to the frame.

Since I haven't inked many of these backgrounds, I prepared three panels with the embossed girl, just in case I needed extras. I decided to make another card using the same design, but with a little different twist of the gold thread and the Stitched Rectangles frame from Lil Inker Designs.

I am entering the first design in the Simon Says Stamp Flickr Group Challenge for "Springtime/Easter," the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge for "Anything Goes," and the Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday Challenge for stamping.

Simon Says Stamp Flickr Group Challenge

Thanks for visiting the attic today. Your visits are always so appreciated.

 

Materials Used:

Paper: Neenah Solar White; SSS Vellum; The Paper Co. Metallic Cover "Sea Glass"

Ink: SSS Mint, Audrey Blue, Sea Glass; Versamark

Stamps: Impression Obsession "Running"; Paper Smooches "Easter Blessings"

Dies: Memory Box "Kensington Border"; Lil Inker Designs Stitched Rectangles

Other: Princess Gold Embossing Powder; DMC Soft Gold Thread

Puppy Love!

 

"An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language." - Martin Buber

This new stamp set from My Favorite Things, "You Have My Heart" features an image depicting one of my favorite animal quotes. The way the puppy is looking at "his" girl just melts my heart. Looking into a dog's eyes, there is no question of their love and devotion. Their eyes tell an entire story, don't they?

Friends are like this, too; our hearts speak and often times words are not needed. This image was ideal for a friend's Valentine. The girl, her puppy, and the grass were colored with distress markers and then some paper piecing was added for her dress. I rounded the top edge of the dress and inserted it under her hair so bits of the dress would show underneath. I added a sash and bow cut from Poppy Stamps, "Abundant Gifts" just because every gingham check dress needs a big white bow! The grass is a separate water colored piece, layered over the original stamped image.

Once again, the Simon Says Stamp "Frame" and "Falling Hearts" dies were used on this card. I created the hill with the Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders and paper from Crate Paper collection, "Kiss Kiss." The cloud was cut from washi tape covered chipboard. Like the previous Valentines, there is lots of sparkly goodness going on here; each of the hearts in the background was coated with Wink of Stella along with the suspended heart from the cloud.

I separated the sentiment and included the last section on the inside as a surprise. The dangling heart was added along with a water colored heart as an accent.

This wraps up the Valentines for this year. Next I'll be traveling back to December to finish posting the rest of the 2014 Christmas projects. Running late with posting them, I know, but at least we're not having Christmas in July! Hope to see you then!

Blessings,

Materials:

Cardstock: Neenah Solar White; PaperTrey Ink Aqua Mist; Archivers Watercolor Paper

Patterned Paper: Crate Paper "Kiss Kiss"; Memory Box Check paper

Stamps: My Favorite Things "You Have My Heart"

Dies: Memory Box "Heart Delights"; Poppystamps: Abundant Gifts; 

     Simon Says Stamp "Frames", "Falling Hearts"; PaperTrey Ink "Clouds 1&2";

     Lawn Fawn "Stitched Hillside Borders"

Other: Versafine Onyx Black Ink; Marvy LePlume Black Pen; Gelly Roll White Pen; 

    Wink of Stella; Zing Clear Embossing Powder; Distress Markers; Dritz Metallic Thread

All Dressed in Pink

The weeks leading up to Valentine's Day were blustery as they usually are, interspersed with a few bright, warm days of sunshine. Miss Mimi, a gift from a special friend, brightened up my stamping corner in her festive pink dress, decked out for the holiday with lots of sparkle and delivering love-filled balloons to another dear friend. There are three Mimi's in the set, "Mimi's Love" along with an adorable deer. I stamped and embossed all of them, and then had a difficult time deciding which one to create with first. Mimi was watercolored using Distress Markers; I am really enjoying this medium for coloring and watching the images come to life.

There is quite a bit of sparkle on this card, just what is needed for a Valentine wish! Unfortunately, it doesn't show up well in the photos. The hearts in the die cut background are each coated with Wink of Stella, as are the hearts in Mimi's headband, the white bow, and the ruffles on her dress; her sweet pink shoes received two coats of the glitter pen and are especially sparkly. I inserted a transparency behind the open heart balloon to resemble a mylar balloon.

The sentiment was included in the stamp set from My Favorite Things, "You Have My Heart." I divided it by stamping part of it on the front and the rest as a surprise on the inside. Friends really are the best things for our hearts! The dangling heart was also included in this set and I added a die cut heart from a piece of watercolor paper I painted for a previous card. I don't usually add embellishments to the inside of my cards, rather letting the sentiment stand alone. I tried adding the outer border from the frame on the card front and found I liked it as a decorative element on the inside.

Another photo session and my helper cat assistance continues... I keep wondering why I don't have enough light on my photos...

It's a brilliant sunshiny day here, although quite cold. We're sending a little sunshine warmth and hugs your way. You really are so good... for my heart!

Blessings,

Materials:

Cardstock: Neenah Solar White; Archivers Watercolor Paper; My Favorite Things: Pink Lemonade

    Pink Shimmer Paper

Stamps: Penny Black: "Mimi's Love"; My Favorite Things: "You Have My Heart"

Dies: Poppystamps: Heart Balloons; Simon Says Stamp: Falling Hearts; Frames; Memory Box: Heart Delights

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black

Other: Distress Markers; Copics; Wink of Stella; White Gelly Roll Pen; Zing Clear Embossing Powder;

     Dritz Silver Thread; Ribbon

Believe

When I saw the challenge at Merry Monday this week to use a Santa , I instantly thought of the vintage Santa stamp I have had for many years that has never been inked. Loved it when I purchased it, love it still, his sweet face makes me happy! I believe I found it at Hobby Lobby or Michaels when I first started collecting acquiring a variety of stamps for different occasions. 

I began by stamping the Santa with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock and die cutting it into an oval. The oval was then distressed with Antique Linen with more of the Gathered Twigs around the edges. I colored the glasses frames with Atyou Spica "Sand" and added a bit of Spun Sugar Distress Ink for Santa's rosy cheeks, followed by Stardust Stickles for his beard and eyebrows. 

And then came the difficult task of selecting papers from the stash of 6 x 6 paper pads. After many combinations, I decided on a vintage combo to complement the Santa. I assembled the layout, and then added the Taylored Expressions Dotted Lattice Embossing Folder to resemble quilting on the patchwork of papers. I have attempted to add ribbon and/or lace to the last few cards I've made, but without success. Finally, this card allowed the use of both and I was quite a happy cardmaker! I do seem to think every card needs a bit of ribbon to make it complete, but then I find that isn't always true.

The Penny Black "Believe" sentiment was die cut twice from Kraft cardstock and once from gold, then glued together to add more dimension to the design. A few gemstones were added along with a couple of Impression Obsession snowflakes coated with two layers of Clear Rock Candy Distress Stickles and a second completed card was added to the Attic's 2015 Christmas basket. 

Blessings,

 

Materials:

Cardstock: Neenah Solar White; Kraft; Recollections Gold

Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Christmas; Kaisercraft - Turtle Dove

Stamps: Rubber Stampede "Santa Collage"

Dies: Penny Black: "Exultations"; Impression Obsession: "Small Snowflake Set"

    Spellbinders: "Classic Ovals Large"; "Classic Ovals Small"

Ink: Distress Inks: Antique Linen; Gathered Twigs; Spun Sugar

Other: Taylored Expressions Embossing Folder: "Dotted Lattice"; Atyou Spica "Sand"; 

    Stickles: "Stardust"; "Clear Rock Candy"; Hero Arts Lace; Papertrey Ink Scarlet Jewel

    Ribbon; Recollections Clear Gemstones