VALENTINE … be mine!

Happy Valentine’s Day!  Did you know …

• In Europe, february 14 is believed to be the day that birds choose their mates, or that
• ‘Penny Dreadfuls’ were Victorian valentines costing a penny, filled with verses of humorous insults? Oh my!

Well on to my valentine cards for this year featuring “angel in disguise” and “devil in disguise” stamps by LOST COAST DESIGNS. They have a touch of humor and are dreadfully sweet!  Double click on the image to enlarge for detail view.  The supply list and instructions are shown below the photos. Enjoy, and have a sweet day!  Cherri

Angel in Disguise 1

Angel in Disguise 2

Devil in Disguise

These three valentines were pretty easy to create, and include design layers, stamping, coloring and punching.  Supplies:  LOST COAST DESIGN stamps include Angel in Disguise, Devil in Disguise, heart & swirls border and old typewriter alphabet.  I love using alphabets because you can spell out whatever you like.  Double-sided card stock cut to fit a 6 inch square envelope … 11 by 5-1/2 inch folded to a square card.  Momento inks – rich cocoa, potter’s clay and lady bug; I find best results with stamping detailed images such as these onto smooth uncoated quality card stock.  I used a little square of Inkssentials Cut-n-Dry stamp pad felt to apply color softly to edges of cut-out stamps.  Two EK Success punches for hearts and corner heart punch.  Ribbon and Prima flowers.  And lastly, I used an assortment of colored and chalk pencils, and gel pens to color the stamps.  The center dot on the paper flowers is just a dab of gel pen.  I used the teardrop ink pad smudged directly at a 45 degree angle along the heart punch and other edges to make them pop.  I inked the letters laying flat on the table and dabbed the heart punch outs upside down onto the ink for lettered hearts.  MY ONLY TRICK is that when I’m cutting out stamp IMAGES, I cut approximately 1/16th to 1/8th inch outside the lines using a bit of a wiggle for my scissors or paper.  Note also, each card has three layers … card stock, stamp and embellishments.  ###

My studio … circa 2014

This is my art studio post-remodel. I have been organizing, thinning and labeling … better room label might be: “stuff, stuff and more stuff. I’ve been thru every box, drawer, tub and folder, so I can find things, many things. My friend Marie from Los Angeles gave me the old oak table and chairs.  Now it’s time to sit and enjoy!  The view from the picture window over the table is of my chickens at play and their condo. I’ve got a couple projects laid out … so from now on FUN, FUN, FUN!  I hope to soon get back to designing for my friend Linda of Lost Coast Design stamps.