Merry Monday #72

Good morning friends.  Playing along with Merry Monday's again and have a super simple card to share with you.  Merry Monday's always has a sketch for you to follow and I love that as it always gets my juices flowing!  Here's the sketch for this week:

And here's my take on it:

This would be a great card if you had to mass produce...very clean and simple!  The background paper is new from SU! (Season of Style), and the circles reminded me of a stamp set that hasn't seen some ink in quite a while..."Deer Friends" (also SU!).  It's hard to see in this photo, but I pop dotted the image (and the gold glitter circle) onto the Cherry Cobbler scalloped circle, and then pop dotted it again to the background paper...it really stands out IRL (and sparkles too!).  I used PTI's Chevron die to make the 3 stripes from Cherry Cobbler and gold glitter paper.  To finish I just added a red sequin to Rudolf's nose and used my white gel pen to add some dots to the scalloped circle.  Easy peasy and done! :0)

Five episodes of Downton Abbey season 3 down, and 5 more to go...I LOVE this show!!!  Making salsa this weekend too...have been out for 3 months now and can't stand the store bought stuff anymore.  Homemade salsa definitely spoils you!! :0)  Have a great weekend everyone and I'll be back next week with some more inspiration.  Thanks for stopping by!  

Free is Good!

Good morning friends.  Have a card to share today that I made using a stamp set that I won from Dawn Griffith (Dawn's Stamping Thoughts).  I don't win things very often (in fact, almost never!!), but boy is it exciting when I do!  And it's even more exciting when it comes in the mail and it's not a bill!  So thank you Dawn for such a nice surprise...very much appreciated!  And FREE is always good, right?!!! :0) 

The stamp set Dawn sent me was "Gorgeous Grunge" (SU!), and while I tend to be a "flowery" type card person, this set was great to get me thinking outside my normal comfort zone.  After thinking about the title for a bit, it hit me that why not combine my floral love and the Gorgeous Grunge together?!  And here's what I came up with:

We haven't had much sun the last few days, so I apologize for the picture quality...it's much brighter IRL!  Dawn's favorite color is purple, so Wisteria Wonder was my starting point.  I used my favorite flower stamp (at the moment that is!) from the "Blooming with Kindness" (SU!) set, and then fussy cut it out.  I made my background using 3 of the different images from the "Gorgeous Grunge" set...the image that looks like washi tape I stamped onto Wisteria Wonder card stock just to add a pop of color.  And even though it's hard to see in this picture, I added Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the splattered dots to add a little more brightness, and also because I know Dawn loves glitter! :0)  I finished using an old (2002) sentiment from SU!, some silver nailheads (Gina K), and a button (SU!).  Other than the button (and the stem of the flower), it's a very monochromatic card, but I have to admit that I really like how it turned out!  Thanks again Dawn for such a lovely surprise! :0)

That's all for today friends.  I just picked up season 3 of "Downton Abbey" from the library yesterday, so I know the rest of my day is shot now...I am SO hooked on this show! :0)  Thanks so much for stopping by today...you know I love it when you do! :0)

Just a Note

Good morning friends.  It's not even the least bit "fall-like" here in my "neck of the woods", (wet and muggy!!) but I'm still having fun making Fall cards.  Here's a simple one using kraft and cream colored cardstocks:

I stamped the tree from SU!'s "Branch Out" set in Baked Brown Sugar, and used Mellow Moss, Marigold Morning, (both retired) Pumpkin Pie, & Cajun Craze for the leaves.  I also used SU!'s "First Edition" newsprint dp for my background and then randomly stamped some leaves on it.  I added a brown grosgrain ribbon and little tag (PTI's "Tiny Tags") to finish the card.  I took a bunch of my cards to our family reunion on Sunday, and this card disappeared pretty quick, so I guess I'm not the only one who liked how this card turned out! :0) 

That's all for today friends.  Going to my first "Thirty-one" party tonight, and even though I can't afford anything right now, I'm excited to see what all the "excitement" about these purses/handbags is! :0)  Say a prayer for me that I can stay strong and not be tempted!  Any extra these days HAS to go towards my stamping addiction...I just can't afford 2 addictions! :0)  Have a wonderful Tuesday, and I'll be back tomorrow with a card I made from a free stamp set I just won. Thanks for stopping by! :0)   

Happy 60th!

Good morning friends.  Just a quick post today as we have to finish packing the car for the big trip to take our "baby" off to college...sigh!!!  It's also another "big" day in our house as my hubby turned 60 today.  His sister sent a card that said it so perfectly: "A child of the sixties turns 60!"  To my husband, the sixties means music, and that is so totally what he loves!  And no greater "Beatles" fan exists than my hubby, so I created his birthday card and a nugget cake with the "Beatles" theme.  Take a look:

I loved the idea I saw on Pinterest of using circles to make record albums (that was what we listened to in our day!), so that was my starting point for this card.  The background music I found on a site that let me have a "sample" of the first page of sheet music for the Beatles song "Let it Be".  The sentiment came from different PTI stamp sets, and the "60" I cut out on my cricut.  Very simple and he loved it! :0)

Next up his nugget cake:

I took a close up of the nuggets so you could see that I printed a bunch of the different Beatle song titles (from their "Number 1" album) onto address labels, and then stamped a music note in red, green, yellow, & blue on each of them before wrapping them around each of the nuggets (Hershey's Special Dark with roasted almonds of course!).  I used 3 different size styrofoam bases from the dollar store for each of the bases, and then just simply hot glued each nugget on.  Added a "60" (used toothpicks glued on and pushed into the top) and a bunch of curling ribbon to finish off the top and voila!  Done.  Hubby was pretty tickled that I'd made it and I really like how it turned out too! :0)

Well, I guess it's time to get back to the packing.  Can't believe in just a few short hours we'll be "empty nesters"!  Where did the years go???????  Our older dog Brinkley sleeps with Calla, so it's going to be an adjustment for him too!  We'll get through it...just going to be different!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and thanks so much for stopping by...I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #71

Good morning friends.  I know with the heat and humidity we've had the last few days that it definitely doesn't feel like Christmas, but I'm on a roll here and lovin the fact that I'm ahead in the card department!  So anyway, playing with the Merry Monday challenge this week, and while this is not a "stamped" or traditional colored Christmas card, I really like how it turned out.  Must be the great design we had to follow:

And here's my take on it:

As soon as I saw the design with all those circles, I knew the design paper I wanted to use from The Paper Studio.  It is filled with all these little snowflake circles (and dots) that I simply used a punch to cut out.  A little hard to see, but to keep the circle theme going, I put the Merry Christmas design paper through my Cuttlebug with a the large circle embossing folder before attaching it to my off white card base.  I pop dotted 3 of the 7 punched circles and added some diamond bling to the center and two end punched circles.  I used PTI's die to cut out the "merry" (SU!'s Pool Party cs matched the greenish blue of the punched circles beautifully!!) and then added a punched out snowflake (MS) in red glitter paper to balance out the offset "merry".  I finished with a sheer ribbon (Michael's) that matched pretty close with the Pool Party color.  Another quick and easy card, so I made a few to add to my growing stash! :0)

That's all for today, but hope to be back tomorrow for a quick post of my hubby's 60th birthday card and nugget cake I made for him.  Thanks so much for stopping by today and have a wonderful Thursday! :0)

Festive Friday Challenge #15 - Theme Challenge

Good morning friends.  Playing along with Festive Friday's again and the challenge this week is to make a children's themed Christmas card.

Had a lot of fun with this one and even pulled out a stamp set that I "HAD" to have a few years back and then never used it!  GASP!!  I know, I'm probably the only one who's ever done that, right?  I'm thinking not! :0)  Anyway, the set is retired now (SU!), but I thought it fit the bill for this challenge perfectly!  Take a look:

The stamp set is called "Merry", and the sentiment that comes with this stamp set is what made me choose this particular set for the challenge.  It definitely makes me smile, and I'm sure it would for most kids waiting for Santa to arrive!  I kept my colors simple and traditional (SU!'s Real Red and Gumball Green) and made my background first with the snowflake stamps, and then added the sentiment and hat and mittens.  I fussy cut the hat and mittens, and then added some glitter and red sequins.  This was a fun card to make and in fact, I made a few of them, as I already know who I'm going to be sending these to at Christmastime. :0)  Thank you Festive Friday team for inspiring me to get these made ahead of time...I love it! :0)  Make sure you check out the rest of the inspiration over at the Festive Friday blog (http://www.festivefriday.blogspot.com/) ...there's some really cute cards over there!! :0)

Thanks for stopping by today and hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday!

Fall Wedding Card

Good morning friends.  I'd like to share a wedding card with you today that was a little different for me...in that my cousin requested that this card be made with "Fall" colors.  I was a little stumped (guess I'm too traditional), until I asked what "Fall" colors?  My cousin explained the colors then and a little bit about the couple that are to be married next month, and after hearing about the special love story, it all came together for me as far as the card.  The colors are green, gold, and burnt orange...take a look:

I apologize for the lighting, as IRL it's a lot brighter!  If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you can see a lot more of the detail.  I started with cream colored card stock and then stamped the wreath from PTI's "Birds & Blooms" set with SU!'s Old Olive ink.  I then added a layer of gold embossed flowers, a layer of Really Rust inked flowers, and a layer of Mellow Moss inked flowers.  I love how these colors came together on the wreath...it is just so delicate and beautiful together!  I layered this 3" square with a piece of Old Olive card stock, and then a layer of gold glitter paper (POW).  Before I layered it to my 5" card base, I lightly stamped just on the left side of the card using SU!'s "French Script" background stamp in gold.  To finish I added a small sheer gold bow to the center of the wreath, and then embossed in gold the "Congratulations" (SU!'s "Love & Laughter" stamp set).  This card taught me that thinking outside the box is definitely a good thing!  I mean who would have thought???????!!!!!! :0)

That's all for today, but hopefully I'll get some photographing done, and then I can share with you some more Christmas and Fall cards I've made over the past few days.  Have a terrific Tuesday and thanks so much for stopping by! :0)

 

Make it Monday #129 - White Crayon Resist

WOW!  Two posts in one day...are you impressed?  I am! :0)  Had some time this afternoon and wanted to play with the Make it Monday challenge - white crayon resist, so I'm back again.  Take a look:

Hadn't done this technique in quite awhile and had forgotten how fun it is!  I've always had better luck using glossy cardstock with this technique, so that's what I started with.  I used PTI's "Beautiful Blooms" for the flowers and "Embroidered Blooms" for the sentiment.  After stamping the outlines with black ink, I used the white crayon to color in the petals.  I used SU!'s YoYo Yellow ink to sponge over the cardstock and then layered with black cs and a white card base.  After adding my banner, I decided to add the little yellow tab with the heart cutout, because I fell in love with the tab they were showing this week over at PTI with the new coffee cozy die...I just LOVE that little detail! :0)  Another very simple card, but I really like how it turned out! (probably because it's SO bright, and that just makes me smile!!!)

Our oldest and her husband are coming for dinner tonight so I guess I better get crackin' if I'm going to feed them!  Enjoy your weekend everyone! :0)

Merry Monday #70

Good morning friends.  Just a quick post today, but wanted to share a card I made for the challenge over at Merry Monday.

And here's my take on it:

I used PTI's "Peaceful Pinecones" stamp set, and if you click on the photo to enlarge it, you'll be better able to see the embossing on the pinecone to look like snow.  The designer papers were scraps from my stash.

My husband is on vacation next week, so my posting may be a bit sporadic. (amazing how your schedule falls apart when they're home, isn't it! :0)  Have a wonderful weekend and thanks so much for stopping by!

Meadow Greens Starburst

Good morning friends.  So yesterday's card was definitely a "Fall" card, and today's card is definitely more of a "Spring" like card...but hey, the colors just all came together and it totally worked for me! :0)  I used the main flower image from PTI's "Meadow Greens" (again!!) and the starburst technique that I've been seeing all over Pinterest lately.  Take a look:

Aren't the colors just SO pretty together?  And I loved doing the starburst technique...very easy!  Just find 4 or 5 coordinating colors of cardstock/design paper and cut each strip (1 1/2" x 4 1/2") diagonally the long way, and then start at the center of a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of cardstock and adhere them down.  Once you have finished with the starburst design, simply turn the layer over and trim the top and 2 sides, and then mount to your card base (and extra layer if desired).  My main color was SU!'s Pool Party, and my design papers are from LOTV's Promises paper pad.  I embossed the flower image with white embossing powder and stamped the stem lines in Pool Party.  I used my Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle dies to cut out the flower, and then pop dotted it over the starburst and 3/4" strip of Pool Party.  Below the 3/4" strip I stamped the sentiment in Pool Party ink with SU!'s "Wonderful Words" (retired).  I added a few pearls as a finishing touch.  Definitely click on the picture to enlarge it so you can really see all the detail in this card.  This was SO much fun to do and I can't wait to try another one...maybe in Fall/Halloween or even Christmas colors?  Oh the possibilities!! :0)

That's all for today friends, but I'll be back tomorrow with another Christmas card for this weeks Merry Monday challenge.  Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful Thursday! :0)     

Branch Out

Good morning friends.  Since it is kind of chilly here this morning in my "neck of the woods", I thought I would share one of my Fall cards with you today.  This card was inspired by Debbie Olson ("Thinking Inking") who posted a card a few weeks back that I just loved...she has an amazing way of coordinating designer paper and stamps that make it look like they were made to go together.  I dabble and play with color, but Debbie is a true artist and extremely gifted!

The stamp set I used for my card today is a retired SU! set called "Branch Out".  This is a set I have used over and over again, as I love the versatility of making the tree fit to any season.  Take a look:

 

(If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you'll be better able to see all the different layers and elements in this card)  I chose my 2 background papers first (Green Diamonds by Recollections and the flip side of Strawberry Fields by Cosmo Cricket) and used those as my color palette for the leaves on the tree (SU!'s Mellow Moss, Marigold Morning, Pumpkin Pie, & Crajun Craze).  I also did quite a bit of sponging using SU!'s new Baked Brown Sugar...love this color! :0)  The acorn and leaf die are from PTI and the ribbon from The Craft Spot.  For the 2 leaves that are falling, I used an old (2000) SU! stamp, and then finished off the card with a Pumpkin Pie button (SU!)and jute, and also some faux stitching around the green diamond designer paper. (also tied some jute around the top of the acorn)  I really love how this card turned out...it just says "Fall" to me! :0)

 

That's all for today friends.  Have a wonderful Wednesday and thanks so much for stopping by...I love it when you do! :0)   

More Meadow Greens

Good morning friends.  Back with a quick post today to share a couple more cards I made with PTI's "Meadow Greens" stamp set.  These cards are very similar to the others I've made in that I've just changed the colors, so I won't bother you with all the details.  Take a look:

 

A little hard to tell in this picture, but I used a cream colored cardstock for my card base.  It looks so soft IRL with the pink and purple flowers. 

 

 

This card I just used red ink for the flowers (and stamped off for the flower on far right to create a lighter shade) and then used the coordinating die and pop dotted the flower on the left.

Very simple cards, but I just love the looks of these flowers, and also love knowing that I have a stash of beautiful cards for just about any occasion on hand now.  I do have one more card using this stamp set that I'll share later on in the week that's a bit different, but I'll give you a break for now and share a "Fall" card with you tomorrow. 

It's feeling a little "Fall" like here right now, and all of a sudden I'm having a craving for zucchini bread, so I think I'm going to head to the farmers market!  Thanks for stopping by and have a terrific Tuesday! :0)



 

 

 

Festive Friday Challenge #14 - Element Challenge

Good morning friends.  I'm back after a week of re-charging myself...sometimes you just need to take a break to get the juices flowing again!  The beginning of last week all I wanted to do was sit and read (my other love!), but towards the end of the week I was stamping like a crazy woman and as a result, have LOTS of cards to share with you this week! :0)  Lots more cards from the "Meadow Greens" stamp set that my cousin Sue has so generously let me borrow, some Fall cards, a wedding card, and up today for Festive Friday's latest challenge, a Christmas card!

  
This was an element challenge - to use a candy cane on your card.  Red and white is one of my favorite color combos, so I had fun with this one!  Take a look:

I love how this card turned out...it just looks so "festive"!! :0)  I used a brayer and red ink on my striped embossing folder to make my red & white (like a candy cane!) background, and then die cut the "merry" (PTI die) in red & white 3 times, to also mimic a candy cane.  I attached this layer to a red card base and then added a white satin bow.  I also tied in some red & white twine (The Twinery), and some silver cording to tie on the little glittered candy cane (Hobby Lobby).  As a finishing touch, I also added a few iridescent sequins.  When I showed it to my youngest daughter, she said, "boy, can't you just smell the peppermint?!!"  I took that as a very high compliment! :0)

It is a VERY rainy Monday in my "neck of the woods", so I think I'll take that as an excuse to stay in my playroom today! :0)  Thanks so much for stopping by and being patient last week while I took time to re-charge...stampers and card lovers are simply just all the BEST people out there!  Have a wonderful Monday! :0)

Meadow Greens

Good morning friends and happy Friday!  I'm back as promised with a couple more cards my cousin Sue and I made the other day with one of PTI's newest stamp sets: Meadow Greens.  Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this stamp set?!!  My cousin was kind enough to let me keep this set till the end of the month when we have a family reunion, so I'm bound and determined to make good use of it till then!  So you've been warned...you will probably be seeing more cards made with this set! :0)

My cousin also ordered the matching dies when she ordered (smart girl!), so the first card shows using the die for the flower and leaf.  Take a look:

Same color palette as yesterdays card (why mess with perfection?!!), just changed up the background and sentiment.  I used the fern leaves (SU!'s Old Olive stamped off for a lighter shade of green) for the background, and then pop dotted the flower and leaf.  I loved the sentiment for this one too...thought it would be nice for a sympathy card.  Here's the 2nd card:

Again, same concept as yesterdays and the above card.  I used SU!'s "French Script" in Soft Suede ink for the background, and then punched a couple half circles and added some bakers twine (The Twinery).  I added a couple gold nailheads (Gina K) to finish it off.

So there you have it...easy AND beautiful!  This set has definitely gone to the top of my wish list, and I'm excited to try some different color combo's for the 3 weeks I have left before I have to return this set! :0)

Thanks so much for stopping by today and I hope you all have a terrific weekend!   

MIM#127 - Double Backgrounds

Good morning friends.  Papertrey Ink's Dawn McVey had a great Make it Monday video this week on using two background stamps together, and even though I don't own any actual PTI background stamps (sigh!), I still had a fun time doing this challenge!  I used a couple SU! background stamps, and then PTI's new "Meadow Greens" stamps set, and I love how it turned out!  Take a look:

A BIG thank you to my cousin Sue who came to visit yesterday and brought her "Meadow Greens" stamp set along so we could "play"!  I just LOVE this stamp set...pretty, pretty!  This card was really easy to make...a white card base and then stamping on the kraft cs layer.  I used SU!'s  "Print Pattern" and "French Script" background stamps in Soft Seude ink for my background.  Here's a closer up picture so you can see the background better:

 

I think these 2 pair up wonderfully together, and will definitely have to try this technique with some other stamps...lots of fun to see how they turn out!  I kept my colors for the "Meadow Greens" (did I mention I LOVE this set?!!!!!) leaves and flowers simple so the background wouldn't totally fade, but would still stand out against a busy background.  I used SU!'s Old Olive ink for the stems and leaves, and white embossing powder for the flower. (when you use your heat tool to emboss this flower, it almost looks like a firework exploding as it embosses...fun to watch!)  I added a simple pop dotted banner at the bottom and called it good.  Simple but beautiful!

My cousin and I made a couple other cards with this set yesterday too, and I'll show those to you tomorrow...just a classically beautiful set to play with!  Thanks so much for stopping by today and have a wonderful Thursday! :0)