Saturday, December 26, 2015

Papertrey Ink December 2015 Blog Hop

Hello friends.  It's time for the monthly Blog Hop over at Papertrey Ink and this month was no exception when it comes to beautiful inspiration photos...absolutely loved this one!

Blog hop inspiration

Because I take everything so literally, of course my starting point was circles and the blackboard technique!  I used the Tag Sale #4 die to make a card and 3 tags.  Take a look:



I used Melissa's Choose Joy stamp set for the sentiment and the little flourish on the top and bottom of the tag, stamping it in white first, and then using a few Copic markers (G24 & YG67) and Scarlet Jewel ink to stamp over the white on the flourishes (just like Dawn McVey showed us a few weeks back in a Make it Monday video). 

Did basically the same thing for the 3 tags I made, using the "Peace" from Think Big Favorites: #21, the "Love" from Heart 2 Heart #11, and the "Joy" from the Enclosed: Bell stamp set.  I used the same flourish as I did on the card, and then also added the holly and berries from the Enclosed: Bell stamp set.  I really love the look of the color over the white on the black background.  Take a look:




Thanks so much for stopping by today and have fun hopping around to all the other blogs to see how they interpreted the lovely inspiration photo.  You can check it all out right HERE.

Friday, December 25, 2015

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Listen to the Wind

Hello friends.  Just a quick post today to let you know I'm still around...just busy, busy, busy!  Why do I always wait to the end to wrap...grrrrrr!!  Anyway, took a quick break to make a couple cards, and this one is a very simple one using a Penny Black paper pad (holiday trimmings) and a Impression Obsession (F17068) stamp.  Take a look:


Don't you just LOVE paper pads with coordinating paper that takes all the guess work out of what goes together and matches?!!  All I basically did was cut the DSP, and then stamped that sentiment on the snowflake paper!  And isn't that sentiment SO fitting with the snowflakes??  Love it!  Added a snowflake die cut from CASual Fridays (SOA Holiday) in silver cardstock, and added a bakers twine bow to finish off this quick and easy card.

Well off to finish wrapping the dogs presents (yes, they deserve gifts too!) and then start on some food prep for tomorrow.  Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do! :0) 

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Parade of Holiday SOA Cards

Hello friends.  Many of you have seen me using different stamps all season long from the SOA Holiday Box Set (especially the snowflakes...I LOVE those stamps!!), and now Catherine Pooler of Stamp Nation is having a contest that YOU can vote on for your favorite card(s).  Just click on this LINK to find all the cards starting tomorrow night at 6:00PM (Sunday Dec. 20th) through 11:55PM on Tuesday Dec. 22nd, and click on the little red hearts of each thumbnail photo that are your favorites!  (Not gonna lie...hoping you'll click on my card!!)  And here it is:

 
The background on my Smoky Slate card base uses the Winnie & Walter stencil Pattern of the Rings from the first SOA box, and then all the snowflakes are from Casual Fridays Bring on the Snowflakes and Snowy Sayings, with the sentiment from Bright Baubles by Neat and Tangled.  I stamped the sentiment on an angle and then cut around it to give it a little more definition.  The silver die cut snowflake is from Casual Fridays also. 

Remember to click on this LINK to play along and to vote, starting tomorrow night (Sunday, Dec. 20th at 6:00PM).

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

Friday, December 18, 2015

Happy Little Stampers December 2015 Christmas Challenge - Star



Hello friends.  Sorry for the lack of posting lately...just been crazy busy and not much time to stamp!  I do have a card to share with you today that I made a few weeks ago, from an adorable little LOTV image my friend Judy sent me.  Take a look:



Is this little angel praying among the clouds and stars not the sweetest little image ever (thank you, thank you Judy!!)??!!  I just adore her little crown of ivy around her head...too sweet!  I used my Copics to color her, and added some Dazzling Diamonds to her wings, and colored the stars with a Gelly Roll Clear Star pen (they really sparkle IRL!).  I cut the image out with a Lil Inkers Stitched Circle die and added her to a white card base that I also added some DSP (Bo Bunny Altitude Collection) to and a bit of silver metallic cardstock.  I also used the silver metallic cardstock to die cut the two snowflakes from Casual Fridays "Bring On The Snowflakes" die set (SOA Holiday Box).  I thought about adding a sentiment to the front of the card, but figured it was busy enough and left it with out one.

I'm adding this card to Happy Little Stampers December Christmas challenge, which is to use a star on your card.  You can check out all the great inspiration from the DT members and all the other players right HERE. 

                           

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

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Create Along With Us - Dec. 2015

Hello friends.  Just popping in with a quick card for Papertrey Ink's Create Along With Us challenge.  I loved Erin Lincoln's card that she made using snowflakes and the new Gemstones set, and while obviously not having the Gemstone set, I do have plenty of snowflakes and other sentiments...and this is what I came up with:



What drew me to this CAS card most of all was the frame...such a simple addition, but what a punch it packs!  I used the snowflake stamps from Quilted: Winter and the die cut snowflake from Fancy Flakes and Spring Rain ink and cardstock.  The frame is a Lil Inkers Stitched Rectangle die that I also cut from Spring Rain cardstock.  I added a few sequins and some glitter to the edges of the popped up snowflake to finish this quick and easy card.

 There is LOTS of inspiration to draw from this month at all the PTI designers sites, so if you're behind on your Christmas cards, or even need some thank you cards, make sure you check these gals wonderful cards out...you won't be disappointed!!  You can also find all the info you need to play along with this challenge right HERE.

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

Friday, December 11, 2015

Merry Monday #183 - Candy Cane

Hello friends.  This week the challenge over at Merry Monday is to use a candy cane on your card.  I'm using a peppermint stick instead as my candy cane supply is extremely limited, and I just love this stamp from Walter & Winnie's Holiday Trimmings (Holiday SOA).  Take a look:


 
I used the "smooshing" technique with Salty Ocean distress ink for my background, and then added my cut out peppermint stick and one of the little birds from Penny Black's Winter Wonderland set (colored with R29, R39, & E31 Copics).  My sentiment is from Neat and Tangled Bright Baubles.  I decided to add some water spots at the last minute, and my Aqua Painter must not have been very clean, because the spots came out kind of green looking, but they're kinda growing on me!  I finished with a few sequins and some glitter on the birdie's Santa hat.


There's still a few days left to play along with this challenge, so if you haven't finished your Christmas cards yet, this is a great challenge to help you finish up!  You can check out all the info to play along and find some great inspiration from the DT (and players) all right HERE.

I'm also going to enter this card over at HLS December CAS Challenge, where they want you to use your favorite technique on your card...hands down "Smooshing" and watercoloring has been a big favorite of mine this past year!  You can find all the info you need to play along with this challenge right HERE.


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

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Make it Monday #234 - Embellishing with Felt

Hello friends.  Playing along with Ashley and her Make it Monday challenge where she shows how adding felt to your cards really dresses them up.  My selection of felt is a little limited, but I actually really like what I came up with using the Songbirds stamp set (this one's for you Helen F.!).  Take a look:



I started with a Tag Sale #4 die and stamped the background with a retired SU! (En Francais) stamp in gold ink, and then layered my tree branch and bird from Simply Chartreuse, Scarlet Jewel, and Aqua Mist felt on it.  I wanted to pull a little more of the Aqua Mist into the card, so I created a little strip of DSP using Polka Dot Basics and the Snowflake Sparkle stamp sets, and then layered that to the card base that I had covered with a scrap of DSP from my stash.  I also distressed most of the card with Antique Linen ink, and then lastly added the banner with the music in Scarlet Jewel and a few sequins.

Make sure you check out Ashley's beautiful cards and her video for tips on working with felt...you WILL be inspired!  You can find it all right HERE. 

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

Monday, December 7, 2015

Tag You're It! Challenge #36

Good morning friends.  Hope you all had a great weekend!  It was a productive weekend for me and I finally feel like I just might get everything done! :0)  And I even had enough time to make a tag for the current TYI! challenge...even though it was at 11:00PM Saturday night!!  But anyway, Joyce has a great tag to inspire us this time around, and I used the gray, red, & blue colors as my inspiration.  Take a look:

 

I used a Casual Fridays die for my tag and SU!'s Holiday Home for the houses and Santa and his reindeer.  I started by distressing the background with Smoky Slate and Faded Jeans inks.  Next I stamped the same house 3 times on Smoky Slate cs and fussy cut just the tops of the 3 homes.  I did the same thing on Real Red cs, but only cut one and pop dotted it to the middle house.  I stamped Santa up near the top and also added a little wreath to the red house.  I used my white gel pen to add some snow to the sky, and then finished with some bakers twine and a couple jingle bells.  I love how this turned out, so thank you Joyce for the inspiration! 


This challenge just started, so hopefully your cards are done and you'll have lots of time to make some tags to go on your gifts!  You can find all the info you need to play along, and see more great inspiration from the design team right HERE.

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

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Merry Monday #182 - Birds

 

Hello friends.  Finally had time this week to play along with the ladies over at the Merry Monday challenge, and this week we are to add a bird to our Christmas card.  This was perfect timing as I had wanted to play with my new Winter Woods set (PTI).  I used the layout from the current December  Sketch challenge over at HLS, and came up with this CAS card:



I started with a white card base and then used a Lil Inkers Stitched Circle die to cut the circle out.  I used distress inks (Tumbled Glass & Salty Ocean) to color my background, and then added some splattering to mimic snow.  I used Smoky Slate to stamp the branch, Real Red for the berries, and Smoky Slate and black inks for the bird, which I pop dotted for some dimension.  I WOS'd the berries for a little glimmer and shine, but unfortunately I can never seem to pick that up with my camera!  My sentiment and the little snowflakes are from Neat and Tangled's Bright Baubles.

                                
                                           
                             

There's still time to play along with the Merry Monday challenge, and you can find all the info you need right HERE.   There's also the whole month of December yet to play along with the sketch challenge over at Happy Little Stampers, and you can find all the info you need to play along there right HERE.

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

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Make it Monday #233 - Splattering

Hello friends.  Playing along with this weeks Make it Monday challenge where Danielle Flanders shows a few different technique's on adding splattering to your cards and tags.  Danielle made the prettiest Christmas tags and I so badly wanted to just copy her, but my Christmas card stash needs some serious help, so I made a card instead.  Actually 2 cards...yeah for me! :0)  I'm still seriously in love with the Spruce & Sprigs stamp set, and also the Holiday Plaid patterned paper collection, so that was my starting point.  Take a look:



I took my color cues from the plaid...Pinefeather, Ocean Tides, Aqua Mist, Simply Chartreuse, Ripe Avocado, Pure Poppy, & Scarlet Jewel.  The sentiment is from O Holy Night (another favorite I'm getting a LOT of use from this season!!) and I stamped it using Delicata Golden Glitz pigment ink.  For my splattering I used Aqua Mist refill and a little bit of water to lighten it up just a bit, and then used my Aqua Painter to spatter it on.  I love the way it gives my card a nice full look! :0)

Make sure you check out Danielle's cute, cute tags and her video, and then play along.

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