Author: Bonnie

Welcome to my Blog Finding my way to forming this blog has been an interesting journey. In the past I never really thought about expressing my creativity. Growing up in Wyoming and in 4-H I did learn to sew but that was solely for making my clothes. I have continued to make most of my clothes since I first began to sew. Still not really thinking I was being creative. When my husband and I purchased a ranch, I started learning how to quilt, because a rancher friend wanted to learn, we could learn together. As well, I could really use the quilts. I ended up giving away more than I have kept for myself though. Still not really thinking I was being creative About the time we got the ranch I started sending some handmade Christmas cards. They just seemed more personal and authentic. Then about five years ago I discovered a web based company that offered stamps, card stock and inks that all coordinated. Plus the owner offered online videos of how to use these wonderful tools. And within her website she had an area where other crafters could post their creations and I could communicate with them. Over the next several years I concentrated on doing Christmas cards for family and friends creating about 100 each time. Slowly as I grew in confidence and skill I developed an interest in doing other celebration type cards and now I spend a lot of my time crafting cards whenever ranch chores allows. So maybe being a little creative. Well as fate would have it, that original site no longer offers a place where I can exchange ideas and card creativity in quite the same way as it did, so this blog was born. It has become a way to stay in touch with friends and post what I create in my craft room, almost daily. I still sew once in awhile and would maybe make a quilt again some day.

A few new things

Bonnie

Once I had used the circle stencil with embossing paste on white layering weight cs, I sprayed it with yellow shimmer. Cut a piece of ink pad replacement foam and sponged on the orange, brown and a dark red. Had heard that this was a good way to add color and not worry about the sponge getting fouled. Worked quite well and the piece of pad actually cleaned up and can be reused. The black spray is a new product to me: dylusions ink spray in black marble. It sprays in many shades of black and adds drops in many sizes. I like to cut lots of different things to keep on hand with the Silhouette. This is a new cut of pine cone and I really like it. Stamped the squares, swishes and sentiment in black and mounted on white cs base. This is for a sweet neighbor that gifted us with a blueberry pie for Thanksgiving.

Let It Snow

Bonnie
Challenges
Little Red Wagon: Let It Snow
Sweet Stampin: Blue & White

Fresh snow outside and fresh cut snowflakes on the Silhouette were my inspiration. And then the folks at Little Red Wagon just happen to have a challenge about snow. This was a single layer that started as practice for the linked final one. Was not doing it for me but had not actually thrown it away yet, so I added dark blue frames, glittery snowflake cutouts and mounted on white cs base. Always interesting how something destined for the trash finds new life with more embellishments.

Just a couple more

Bonnie
Challenge
CAS Colours & Sketches: Sketch

This is my next to last card using my new toy of embossing paste. This one was white paste over stencil on white layering weight cs. Once dry I sponged black ink then lightly scraped versa mark over and added heat embossed silver. Tag is hand cut with white and dark gray layers, stamped in black ink and tiny dots of silver pen added then mounted on white cs base. Photo looks like b&w but it really it is color. The paste dried fast, took the ink very well, heat embossed with no bubbling and does not appear that it will break, crack or flake off. YEA!

Here is the same card with a white backdrop.

Still looks b&w but now the silver pen shows a little more. These are some really old red rubber stamps and they sure stamp nice clean and crisp. Am cleaning with 90% alcohol and it sure is not causing any seen damage to rubber or clear.