My parents go by “grandmother and grandfather” to their grandchildren. I am always amazed at how hard it is to find items using these “titles” as opposed to “grandma and grandpa.” Fortunately the set Wonderful Favorites has “grand” in it and I can change things up a bit. So here’s a Grandfather’s Day card for my kiddos to give their grandfather! 
I used The Open Sea to make the actual card. The sentiment is from Best Dad Ever combined with Wonderful Favorites. 
The anchor was cut out and used to frame the “grand.” The thread in the buttons is really thin strips of Early Espresso card stock. 
The sailboat was stamped and punched out with the 2 1/2 circle stamp and then sponged.
Supplies
Stamp Sets – The Open Sea, Best Dad Ever, Wonderful Favorites
card stock – Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Nautical Expedition DSP
Ink – Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Night of Navy
Etc – 2 1/2 circle punch, neutral buttons, Word Window punch
Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Category: Holidays
Black Tie Dad
Here are two versions of a Best Dad Ever card. The first one uses all black ties and a rhinestone tie clip. 
The “handkerchiefs” (yes, that’s what they are suppose to be) down the side are punched with the 1 1/4 square punch. Then to step it up a bit, I added a red tie and some texture with my embossing folders.
I inked this one up with my Stampin Write Markers. 
Supplies
Stamp set – Best Dad Ever
card stock – Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink – Basic Black (or Stampin Write markers Basic Black and Real Red)
Etc – Square Lattice and Vintage Wallpaper embossing folders, Scallop edge punch, Word Window punch, black or red rhinestone brad
So is your dad a red tie or black tie kind of dad? Mine is a black tie 
Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
A Father’s Day Idea
I don’t even have a Mother’s idea yet – but here’s one for Father’s Day! My father loves to travel and when I saw this double easel card on The Three Sisters site I pictured a card for him using The Open Sea. (See – I got the name right this time!)
The sentiment (from Best Dad Ever) and the anchor are embossed and the “stops” are staggered to hold the sides at different levels.
I almost printed “You Mean the World to Me” until I remembered that this sentiment is in Word Play! Perfect!
Supplies
Stamp Sets – The Open Sea, Best Dad Ever, Word Play
card stock – Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White, Nautical Expedition DSP
Ink – Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy (Classic and Craft), Versamark
Etc – Antique brad, Vintage brass brad, Word Window punch, 1 3/8 and 1/4 inch circle punches, Bakers Twine, silver embossing powder, clear embossing powder
Enjoy – Hugs, Fran
Easter Bunny House
Here’s a little bunny house based on the Dasher House by Cristena. I used Bashful Blue and created the bunny like several I did last year – using punches. 
The eggs are from Easter Blossoms in the Occasions Mini. I stamped them in Rose Red on Regal Rose, Not Quite Navy on Bashful, Pretty in Pink on Pink Pirouette and So Saffron on So Saffron! 
Isn’t he cute?
Samantha is in a show this weekend – it started this morning! I’m spending most of my time in the dark, back stage! Hope to get caught up sometime soon –
Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Carrot Box Tutorial
Here’s a cute spring idea – a carrot that is “growing” right out of the box. It’s perfect for Easter or anything “spring!” The carrot is made with the Petal Cone die and will hold candy or a small gift. And I have the directions for sale in my Tutorial Shop . 
These use the Petal Cone die, Fancy Favor die and Petals a Plenty embossing folder. The instructions have over 55 pictures along with step by step directions for both views. 
(main view)
(optional view)
It looks like spring has come early! (Oh, I wish!) Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Easter Blossoms Shadow Box
This was a card creation that could have gone on and on! 
Springtime Vintage DSP is so pretty and this little girl was just waiting to be surrounded by all those blooms. (The tutorial for making this type of card is here .) By using Dimensionals, I was able to create lots of dimension (hey! That’s where they got their name!) Here’s a close up and list of supplies – 
Supplies
Stamp set – Easter Blossoms (Occasions Mini)
card stock – Very Vanilla, Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink – Soft Suede, Early Espresso
Stampin’ Write Markers – Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Pink Pirouette
Ect – Coluzzle, Scallop Oval punch, Large Oval punch, Itty Bitty flower punch, LOTS and LOTS of Pearls! sponge
Hugs, Fran
Snowy Days
The snow is headed our way (again!) So in honor of more snow – here’s a gift card holder I did using the Look Here Big Shot Die and Merry Crittermas. 
All the little critters were stamped in Stazon and watercolored using an aqua painter and ink. There is lots and lots of Dazzling Diamonds on this card! Most of this was done with scraps of water color paper. (That big piece of Real Red is where the gift card goes!)
Stamp sets – Merry Crittermas, Many Merry Messages
Card stock – Pink Pirouette, Baja Breeze, watercolor paper, Candy Lane DSP, Real Red
Inks – Baja Breeze, Basic Gray, Garden Green, Real Red, Cajun Craze, Pink Pirouette, Jet Black Stazon, Chocolate Chip
Ect – Look Here Big Shot Die, Snowflake punch, Dazzling Diamonds, Two way Glue Pen, Crystal Effects (lightbulbs in racoon hands)
Stay safe and warm! Hugs, Fran
More Tags
While I still had Greeting Card Kids out on my desk, I decided to use up some of the coasters I have to make another tag. On this one I colored her with my Stampin’ Write Markers – the coasters really soak up the color! 
I stamped directly onto the coaster with Stazon. The Big Shot Circle die creates the perfect circle (Jolly Holiday DSP) to fit this coaster so I cut one in half for the front and covered the back with another.
Stamp set – Greeting Card Kids, Winter Post
Stampin’ Write Markers – Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Blush Blossom, Sahara Sand, Bashful Blue
Ink – Jet Black Stazon
paper – Jolly Holiday DSP
ect – 1/8 Old Olive taffeta, 2 way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Crop a dile
So now I have coasters on my desk (!) and I made another coaster tag using Holiday Lineup. Lots of Dazzling Diamonds here – looks like a snowball in real life! 
Stamp Sets – Holiday Lineup, Winter Post
Ink – Jet Black Stazon
Stampin’ Write Markers – Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Blush Blossom
Paper – Bashful Blue DSP (covering the back)
Ect – Blue gingham ribbon (retired), 2 Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Crop a dile
Then (if you’re really interested in my following my spastic train of thought!) since I had Holiday Lineup out – I made another tag!
Stamp sets – Holiday Lineup, Winter Post
card stock – Real Red, Whisper White
Ink – Basic Black, Real Red
Stampin’ Write Markers – Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black
Ect – Ticket corner punch, scallop edge punch, 1/8 Real Red taffeta, Crop a dile, Hodgepodge Hardware brad
Hugs, Fran
Greeting Card Kids tag
Greeting Card Kids and Winter Post work so well together. They both have a nice vintage feel. Here’s another Christmas tag using both sets. 
This tag is 3 x 51/2 (Cherry Cobbler) and the watercolor paper is 2 3/4 x 5 1/4 sponged with Crumb Cake. Stamp the sweet little girl in Stazon so you can watercolor her. The snow underneath her has Dazzling Diamonds applied with the Two Way Glue pen.
Stamp sets – Greeting Card Kids, Winter Post
Card stock – Cherry Cobbler, Watercolor paper, Early Espresso
Ink – Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Stazon
Stampin’ Write Marker – Blush Blossom (scribbled on a stamp case and use your aquapainter to apply)
Ect – Modern Label Punch, Ticket Corner punch, Hemp, Dazzling Diamonds, Two Way Glue pen
Hugs, Fran
Bells and Boughs tag
Christmas tags! I love them! (And this is the time to be making piles of them 
To make a 3 x 3 card, cut your card stock 3 x 6 and fold in half. The Whisper White card stock is 2 7/8 x 2 7/8 on the front and inside. It’s hard to see but there is Crystal Effects on the bells (middle dots and clanger) and on the berries in the bow. The sentiment is done by omitting everything but “Celebrate” on a little stamp in Matchbox Messages. The bell image is stamped on a scrap piece of Whisper White, cut out and popped up with Dimensionals. I suggest you put the tag together and then do the Crystal Effects.
Stamp sets – Bells and Boughs, Matchbox Messages
card stock – Real Red, Whisper White
Ink – Old Olive, Basic Black
Stampin’ Write Markers – Real Red, Old Olive, Sahara Sand
Ect – Crystal Effects, Pearl, 1/8 Old Olive Ribbon