The Corner Garden

Hello friends.  Just a quick post today, but wanted to share an "easy peasy" card with you using SU!'s background stamp called "Corner Garden".  Take a look:

Isn't it funny how this stamp has been in the SU! catalog for a whole year now and I just noticed and ordered it this month?!  I saw a card on Pinterest, and that was all it took for me to go "what"?  "I've never seen that before!"  And now it's one of my favorites!! :0)  And I used my brand new MISTI on it too!  Not because there was anything that needed to be lined up on this card, but because it is a larger one, and I wanted to be able to stamp it a 2nd time if I needed to and still have it look like I only stamped it once. Since it came out perfect the first time, I simply added a strip of washi tape on the side, and embossed my sentiment (PTI) on a Melon Mambo banner to finish the card.  LOVE the elegant look to this black and white card!! 

I'll show you another more colorful card using this stamp and the "smooshing" technique later this week, so stay tuned! :0)

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day! :0)

Chicks, Chicks, & More Chicks...

Hello friends.  Lots of bunnies and chicks out there being made with SU!'s Curvy Keepsake Die, and so I had to give it a try.  Kind of like Lays Potato Chips though...hard to stop at just one!

I know, kinda cute, huh??!!  I used Daffodil Delight cs and sponged the edges with Honey Mustard ink.  The eyes are from the Owl Punch (SU!), the beak is a small heart punch, the feet are 2 flower sections of the Pansy Punch (SU!), and the wings are the scalloped oval punch (SU!).  I don't think chicks have actual tails (do they?), but couldn't resist putting a yellow pompom on each of their bums! :0)  The group picture doesn't show them all with the orange ribbon on top yet, as it will be easier to fill them before doing that last step.

Thanks for taking a peep in today...love it when you do! :0) 

Make it Monday #206 - Stamping & Mixing Patterns

Hello friends.  In this weeks Make it Monday challenge, Danielle Flanders shows us how to make our own DSP!  I must admit I was a little intimidated by this when I first saw Danielle's beautiful card and video, but once I got started, the excitement grew, and I really like what I came up with!  Take a look:

I did not make as many papers as Danielle and some of the other entries, as I was a little chicken about my card being too busy...maybe I'll be braver next time!  Anyway, I used the large solid dots from Polka Dot Basics and Harvest Gold ink for my 1st paper, then the medium open dot (same set) and Orange Zest ink, along with every stamp in the "Keep it Simple: Birthday" for my 2nd sentiment paper, and then the medium chevron (Background Basics: Super Chevron) and Spring Moss ink for my 3rd paper.  My flowers and leaves (Rosie Posie) I stamped and fussy cut.  Here's what it looked like put together:

I added a few rainstones and some black & white bakers twine to finish off my card.  This really went together a lot easier than I thought, and I will definitely be trying this technique again! :0)

You can check out Danielle's beautiful card and video right here to play along and also see all the other great entries!

Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do! :0)

Papertrey Ink March 2015 Blog Hop

Hello friends.  Time to play with Papertrey Ink's monthly blog hop again, and this month we're being challenged to use aqua and yellow.

I'm already getting requests for graduation cards, so figured this would be a great time to get started.  I am still in love with the "smooshed" technique, and used Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, and Harvest Gold inks to create my background, and then added a butterfly from the "Life is Beautiful" die which I cut from the Harvest Gold Pattern Pack in the mini and larger polka dot paper.  My sentiment is from Dawn McVey's new "Tucked In: Congratulations" stamp set.  I added a few aqua enamel dots to finish off the card.

Here's the beautiful inspiration picture we had to base our cards on.  I just love the soft colors and how they make me think "Spring"!

You can check out all the other cards and hop along over on Nichole's blog right here.

Thanks so much for stopping by and happy hopping! :0)

Ears to You & NBUS #4

Hello friends.  How about a little more Easter today?? 

Aren't these little guys SO cute?!  The 3 bunnies are on a single stamp (along with the sentiment), and I just stamped it 3 times in Raspberry Fizz, Pool Party, & Harvest Gold.  After fussy cutting them out, I made my little scene with the fence (PTI) and grass dies (IO), and then finished with the pompom tails and the banner sentiment.  Quick, easy, and fun!!

Darnell is having a NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff) challenge again, and this card definitely qualifies, as this is another stamp that I HAD to have, and then it sat there!  I can't even remember if I got it last year or the year before (Steph?????), but it's good that I got it because I did NEED it this year!  Don't you love how I justify??!!! :0)

So if you're like me and have a collection of NBUS (if you don't have any, contact me as I have plenty to share!!), get stampin and play along!  You can find all Darnell's "Require-Mints" right here.

And while I'm playing along with Easter here, how about a little look at a couple of berry baskets (SU!), that my new friend Cindy graciously allowed me to "rent" this weekend!!

 

 

The first basket uses kraft cs and then stamped with the "Hardwood" background stamp and Soft Suede ink.  The little bunny butt is a couple of oval dies (Spellbinders) and circle punches (SU!), and a pompom for the tail.  The green basket (Pistachio Pudding) was embossed with the Decorative Dots ef (SU!) and then I added the border strip with some DSP paper I had.  These baskets are the perfect size, very sturdy, and oh so cute!  May definitely have to "rent" this die again...thanks SO much Cindy Westerink...you're awesome!! :0)

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today...love it when you do!! :0)

Chocolate Bunnies

Hello friends and Happy Spring!  I even saw 4 robins yesterday, so I'm pretty pumped that Spring is finally showing itself after this looooong coooooold winter!  Today is also our youngest daughters 20th birthday (we no longer have any teenagers...yeah!!), and my mom and I are going to visit my granddaughter today, so it is indeed a wonderful first day of Spring!! :0)  And with Easter right around the corner, I thought today would be a great day to share one of the cards I made for a friend from bible study who needed some Easter cards.  Take a look:

Don't you just  LOVE chocolate bunnies?!!  This little guy is a SU! stamp ("Chocolate Bunny") that I stamped in Soft Suede ink on kraft cardstock, and then clear embossed (he's shiny IRL!) and cut out.  I added a Melon Mambo ribbon and pop dotted him to a Tag Sale #5 die cut tag (PTI) that I first stamped with Baked Brown Sugar ink and the "En Francais" background stamp (SU!...I am putting this stamp to good use Steph!).  I used scraps of DSP to cover the front of my card base and also a few thin strips of Melon Mambo cardstock for a little definition between some of the DSP layers.  I also added a butterfly (PTI - "Life is Beautiful") cut from DSP and vellum and added a few pearls to its center.  A bit of sheer ribbon and a few pink sequins finished off my card.

Thanks so much for stopping by today and hope you all have a wonderful first day of Spring! :0)

Make it Monday #205 - Confetti Cluster Stamping

Hello friends.  Playing along with this weeks Make it Monday challenge, where Lizzie Jones shows us how to take basic shapes and fill them with many small and different stamps to look like confetti.  Really cool technique if you do it right!  Some of the prettiest cards I've seen used just a basic shape, like Lizzie showed in her video.  Wellllllllllll, I did not use just a basic shape, and I'm not totally thrilled with my card.  I guess it pays to listen to directions!  Anyways, I finished it into a card and it is what it is...take a look:

Because I don't have the dies for Rosie Posie, I stamped the leaves and flower off a couple times before actually stamping on my cardstock, so that I made just a very light image in which to follow with all my smaller "confetti" stamps.  I used small stamps from the following sets:  Big Hugs, Shakers & Sprinkles, Polka Dot Parade #6, Sparkle & Shine: Holiday Additions, and Bitty Bouquets.  It's bright, it's colorful, and I'm sure someone will like it, but I think I will try this technique again and actually follow the directions this time! :0)

If you like to follow directions, you can find Lizzie's video how to right here.

Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do! :0)

A Smooshed Birthday

Hello friends.  Remember yesterday when I told you I had a few more "smooshed" backgrounds to make into cards and photograph?  Well I finished another one...take a look:

These backgrounds are SO much fun and very easy to do!  If you haven't tried it before, it's as simple as stamping your ink pads onto a piece of acetate, spritzing it with water, and then "smooshing" your card stock down onto it....easy peasy!  I used Raspberry Fizz and Harvest Gold inks for this background.  I embossed in black the flower from "Doodlie-Do" (PTI) and the sentiment from WPlus9.  The stripe down the left hand side is from SU!'s "Butterfly Basics" and I like how it gives an extra visual and balances out my card.  A few sequins and some black and white bakers twine finished my card.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and a special thank you to all of you who leave comments...they really do make my day! :0) 

Friendship

Good morning friends.  Still kind of stuck on last weeks challenge over at Papertrey Ink with watercolor "Smooshing", and played around a bit with some different colors and a new "Friendship" stamp I had found at one of my local stamp stores.  Take a look:

 
I started with Pool Party, Soft Sky, and So Saffron (SU!) reinkers, and really liked the bolder look of the reinkers vs. regular stamp pads for this technique!  Because the ink was darker on my background, I ended up stamping the ferns (Butterfly Basics - SU!) in Bermuda Bay rather than Pool Party so that it would stand out more.  I embossed the flowers in white so that they stood out against the background, but still appear soft.  The Friendship stamp (Penny Black) I embossed in black.  I matted with a layer of black and then attached to a Bermuda Bay card base.  A simple card, but one that really pops!

Hope you're not sick of this Smooshing technique, as I still have a couple more cards to show you when I finish them up and get them photographed. :0)

Well, time to get busy here...have to take my youngest back to college this morning...Spring Break is over for her.  Thanks so much for stopping by today and have a wonderful day! :0)

Make it Monday #204 - Watercolor Smooshing

Hello friends.  Playing along with the Make it Monday challenge over at Papertrey Ink today, where Betsy does a great video on the popular water coloring technique called "smooshing".  This is a really fun technique as it's a great surprise with every try, and what kind of a background you will come up with!  I wish I would have taken a picture of what my background looked like before I started stamping on it...it was beautiful even before I added the flower and fern (Meadow Greens).  But anyway, here's the finished product:

 
If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you'll be better able to see my "smooshing".  I used Ocean Tides, Aqua Mist, Hibiscus Burst, Plum Pudding, & Lavender Moon for my ink colors, and I will definitely be using that color combination again...Love, love, love the softness of that combo!  It's hard to see in the photo, but I clear embossed over the Plum Pudding flower, and that makes the color just a bit deeper and gives more "pop".  Love how this card feels like there's a lot to it too, but it's only one panel (other than the black layer and the card base), so it will definitely go through the mail easily!

There are some absolutely beautiful cards in the gallery this week, so make sure you take the time to check them all out (here) on Nichole's blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #149 - Monochromatic Blues

Hello friends.  Many of you that follow my blog know that I've been a tad bit obsessed with the Bokeh technique lately, and when I saw the inspiration picture for the new challenge over at Merry Monday, I had to do a happy dance!  The challenge is to use shades of blue, so I used blue distress inks and the Bokeh technique, and came up with this:

I started by using a blender tool and Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Stormy Sky, & Faded Jeans Distress Inks (TH).  Next I used Hero Arts Unicorn white pigment ink to add my circles for the Bokeh technique.  After the pigment ink dried, I used SU!'s "Northern Flurry" ef, and then lightly tapped my Versamark pad to the embossed raised areas, and then embossing with white embossing powder.  I also embossed with white the sentiment (WPlus9).  I mounted this layer to a navy blue layer, and attached to a white card base.  A little bit of blue and white bakers twine finished off my card.

  
To play along, you can get all the info and see all the wonderful cards right here.

Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do!! :0)

Butterfly Basics - CASED

Good morning friends.  Sharing a card today that I wish I would have thought of myself, but got the idea off of Pinterest.  Take a look:

All stamps are SU! (Butterfly Basics and Hardwood) except for the butterfly die cut which is PTI (Life is Beautiful).  Inks are Baked Brown Sugar, Soft Suede, Mossy Meadow, & Blackberry Bliss.  I used this same idea on some Curvy Keepsake Boxes that I made for the gals in my stamp club tomorrow night, but want it to be a little bit of a surprise, so I'll show pictures of those later this week.  I know, nothing like a tease, right?!! :0)

Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do!

Poppies

Good morning friends.  Last week my good friend Sue showed me a beautiful card she had made with a poppy stamp, and I asked her if it was a Impression Obsession stamp, and she said "no...Rubbernecker".  I really wanted to CASE her card and thought I had a poppy stamp somewhere...low and behold, the exact same stamp that we both bought at the stamp show last August in Novi!  Yes friends, it is pretty sad when you don't even know what you have.  A true addiction for what I pray there is no cure!!  Anyway, I played around with the stamp and this is what I came up with:

I used the "smoosh" technique for my water colored background (as Betsy Veldman and Laura Bassen call it!), using Bundled Sage and Tea Dye Distress Inks and Harvest Gold dye ink.  You just press your ink pads onto a sheet of acetate (or a craft mat), then spritz some water over them, and then "smoosh" your cardstock onto it.  Let it dry and you come up with some beautiful water colored backgrounds!  Next I added a layer using SU!'s "En Francais" background stamp (retired), that I also misted with some water to keep with that  water colored look.  I then colored directly onto my stamp with Real Red, Cherry Cobbler, & Old Olive markers, spritzed with water, and stamped.  Once this dried, I did go back in with my black Copic and blender pen for the centers, and my Aqua pen and some Cherry Cobbler ink for a little more definition in some areas.  Mounted this onto black cardstock and then added to a kraft card base.  It sounds a little long and complicated, but was really very easy and was mostly waiting time for areas to dry before I went on to the next step. 

I still like my girlfriend Sue's card much better, and I hope she will post it on her blog sometime soon so everyone can see it (Sue's Stamping Station).

Thanks so much for stopping by today and have a wonderful weekend! :0)

Make it Monday #203 - Doodling with Stamps

Good morning friends.  Doodling with our stamps is what Ashley has us doing with this weeks Make it Monday challenge over at Papertrey Ink, and boy is it fun!  Took me a few tries with some different stamp sets, but the one that worked for me was the "Embroidered Blooms" stamp set, and this is what I came up with:

I used some bright Spring-y colors (Raspberry Fizz, Orange Zest, New Leaf, Hawaiian Shores, & Harvest Gold) and an Aqua Pen to give the water-colored look, and then used a Micron 02 pen to do my doodling.  The butterflies are dies from the "Heart-2-Heart #10" set, and I added a few orange enamel dots to finish it off.

Ashley's video is one you won't want to miss...this really is a FUN technique!  You can check out the video, Ashley's beautiful card, and all the other great entries right here on Nichole's blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do!  I think I'm off to do some more doodling...kinda addicting! :0)

Merry Monday #148 - Red & Green

Hello again friends.  I thought I was going to babysit my granddaughter today and be too busy to stamp, but the weather had other plans...have I mentioned that I'm quite sick of snow and Winter?!!!  Anyway, I spent the morning stamping instead and came up with a cute CAS card for the newest challenge over at Merry Monday.  I was so excited that my card came together so quickly and just like I pictured in my head...only problem being that I couldn't get a decent photograph of it!  At first I thought it was the lighting and being such a gray snowy day, but now I think it's the way I doubled up my "merry" die sentiment.  I used a light color (Certainly Celery) behind the darker Cherry Cobbler, and every time I photograph it, it looks out of focus. I'm guessing if I used the Cherry Cobbler behind the Certainly Celery, it would have been clearer, but I wanted the red to stand out and coordinate with the Santa hat.  Take a look:

Probably should have used a darker green, like a Mossy Meadow, but I really liked the lighter color of the Certainly Celery.  Oh well, it is what it is, and you'll just have to trust me that IRL it really is cute!  The "merry" is from PTI's "Wonderful Words: Holiday Die Collection" and the little birdie is from Penny Black's "Winter Wonderland" set. 

You can check out all the details to play along and all the great cards right here.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! :0)

Thinking of You

Good morning friends.  I hope you're not getting sick of the Distressed Ink background cards I showed you last week, as I have two more to share with you today.  Take a look:

Same process for this card as all the others, just used a different stamp for the main image.  The Lilac image is from Impression Obsession (H8731).

I promise I'll be back with some different colors next time!  Thanks for stopping by today...love it when you do! :0)