Make it Monday #251 - Gradient Watercolor Die Cuts

Hello friends.  This week Dawn shows us how to add gradient watercolor die cuts to our cards for the Make It Monday challenge.  I used the Mighty Bloom Cover Plate which has been around for quite a while, but I finally just splurged and bought it last month...love it!  I'm not so sure my colors can be called gradient either, but I had saw a billboard (hey, I get my inspiration from all over!!) that used purples, reds, & oranges, and just really liked that color combination!  And this is what I came up with:

I started with coloring a piece of watercolor paper with my Zig markers, and after it was dry I used the Mighty Bloom Cover Plate die on it.  After gluing down the petals, I added a sentiment from Reasons To Smile and some bakers twine and a few Rainstones.  An easy card to make and so bold and bright!  Here is the piece I cut from and am going to save to make another card with:

Fun, fun!!  And still plenty of time to play along!  You can check out Dawn's great video and beautiful cards all right HERE.

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

May 2016 Challenge w/ Birgit - Altenew's Beautiful Day

Hello friends.  It's that time of month where BIRGIT and I challenge ourselves, and this month we decided to use the lovely stamp set by Altenew called Beautiful Day.  I really struggle with lining up some of Altenew's 3 and 4 step stamp sets (like Vintage Roses and Vintage Flowers), so working with the Beautiful Day stamp set was a breeze as it lined up so wonderfully, and has the beautiful definition of a 4 step stamp.  I have 5 cards to share with you today, so let's get started!

For 4 of my 5 cards I used the 4 cube color sets that Altenew now sells, and this card uses the Summer Afternoon and Green Fields sets.  I did a little bit of masking with the flowers to line all 3 together and also to place the leaves a little behind the flowers too.  I fussy cut all along the bottom edge following the flowers and leaves, and then used fun foam to layer this layer to my card base.  A little bit of Harvest Gold Pattern Paper (PTI) and a thin black strip at the top, a white embossed sentiment (Rustic Wreath - PTI) on a black banner, and a few Rainstones (PTI) finished off this card.

This time I used the Shades of Purple and Green Fields ink sets, a sentiment from Sugar Pea Designs (SOA), die cut with Blueprints #27 (MFT), and again, a few Rainstones.

For my 3rd card I made my background first from PTI's Circle Cover Plate, and then stamped and fussy cut my flowers and leaves using the Red Cosmos and Green Fields ink sets.  The "prayers" die cut is from SSS Prayers stamp and die set.

My 4th card I started by embossing the background with an Impression Obsession background stamp called Leaf Flourishes and WOW Colour Blend Verdigris and Colour Blend Amethyst embossing powders.  My 2nd photo shows a little bit of the glittery look to these amazing embossing powders, but IRL the whole card sparkles!  I used Perfect Plum and Elegant Eggplant inks (SU!) for the flower.  I wish I could remember what the Perfect Plum leaf and vellum leaf die cuts were from, but I'm pleading old age and laziness to track the answer down.  If anyone really wants to know, I'll track it down for you.  I purposely left a sentiment off this card so I can just use it as a note card.

This last card is probably my favorite, and it is the beautiful basket weave die cut that my dear friend Birgit sent to me that started the juices flowing for this card.  I stamped some of the smaller outline pieces from the Beautiful Day set directly on to the kraft basket weave panel with Baked Brown Sugar (SU!) ink to start, and then added my flower that was inked up using the Red Sunset ink set.  The back of the stamp set package shows the leaves stamped in browns, and I remember thinking when I received the set in the mail that "who would have brown leaves on their card?!...Not me!!"  Well I started re-thinking that as I had the kraft panel already stamped with a light brown ink, so figured I'd give it a try, and ended up just loving the look!  I used the Inspired: Faith stamp set (PTI) and die cut the word Faith in brushed gold cardstock, and then added the rest of the sentiment on a white banner stamped with Soft Suede ink.

I hope I've inspired you to take this set out again if you haven't used it in awhile, or maybe even purchase it if you like how I used it.  And don't forget to hop over to my dear friend BIRGIT'S blog to see what masterpieces she's created with this same stamp set too...she never disappoints, so make sure you check it out!

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

Merry Monday #206 - Nativity

Hello friends.  This weeks Merry Monday challenge is to use a nativity on your Christmas card.  I just used my favorite nativity scene in a card two weeks ago, so I chose a favorite Mother/Child image from a retired SU! set called Miracle of Christmas. 

This is one of those cards that you have to trust me on when I say it is so much prettier IRL!  The image is embossed in WOW silver pearl and has such a beautiful shimmer against the black, and then the white cardstock is sparkly and adds another touch of shine to this simple card.  The little heart tag (Tiny Tags by PTI) is also die cut out of a silver metallic cardstock, adding yet another element of shine to this card.  And I even finished the inside this time:

LOVE the sentiments that came with this set! 

There's still time to play along with this challenge, and you can find all the beautiful cards done by the DT for inspiration HERE.

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

Papertrey Ink May 2016 Blog Hop Challenge

Hello friends.  It's that HAPPY time of the month again...the 25th!  In stamping lingo that means the monthly blog hop over at Papertrey Ink!  LOVED this months inspiration photo...so happy, bright, and fun!!  Just like Summer! 

Doesn't this artwork by Sarah Langtry make you just want to go sit out on the deck or front porch with a popsicle and watch life go by at a nice slow pace?!!  I took my inspiration from the blended colors and the lettering and came up with this:

I made a stencil out of vellum using the Butterfly Cover Plate and then blended on my inks using Harvest Gold, Orange Zest, Berry Sorbet, and Aqua Mist inks.  My sentiment came from the new Colorful Words stamp set.  Here's a closer up view:

A few Rainstones finished off my colorful card. 

After blending and removing my vellum stencil from my card, I liked the stencil with all the leftover color on it so much, I decided to make a card with it.  Same layout, but I left the background plain and stamped my sentiment in black to stand out a little more.

It was just too pretty to throw away, so why not make a card out of it?! :0)

Head on over to NICHOLE'S blog to see how everyone else interpreted this month's inspiration photo!

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

Make It Monday #250 - Masked Backgrounds

Hello friends.  Laurie Willison shows us some tips on masked backgrounds for this weeks challenge at Make It Monday.  A perfect opportunity to use some of my new goodies!  I've been loving all the What the Doodle series of stamps and dies, and this latest release was no exception!  I used the What the Doodle: Waves set and came up with this:

I used clear embossing powder and Versamark to stamp my waves first, and then used 1/2" micro-pore tape to mask all four edges before blending with distress ink.  Really love the way this came out and almost didn't want to add anything else to it and distract from it.  I ended up and kept it very simple by adding the sailboat (stamped with Pure Poppy and die cut and pop dotted) and some red & white bakers twine with a Pure Poppy star tag from Tiny Tags.  Oh and I flicked some water like Laurie showed on her card too! 

Make sure you check out Laurie's beautiful card and video, and then play along right HERE.

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

Mice Wishes

Hello friends.  Just a quick post today with a card I had stamped a while back.  I have been busy stamping away the past few weeks, and have LOTS to share with you, but unfortunately my computer decided to install Windows 10 on it's own (guess I wasn't quick enough to hit the "NO" button this time!) and I'm really struggling to figure it out!  Mostly finding my downloaded photos (not the older ones, but ones I have just added) and then when I do stumble across them, figuring how to rotate them...grrrrrr!  Very frustrating and time consuming!  I know I'll figure it out eventually, but until then.....

So anyway, would like to share my little House Mouse card, using an image from a set called Mice Wishes (Stampendous!).  Take a look:

I colored this little cutie with my Copics, and then used a nesting die from Gina Marie designs (www.WHOLESALECRAFTINGSUPPLIES.com) to cut out the rounded square.  My background papers are scraps, along with the Filigree Border die from PTI and a banner die from MFT for my sentiment.  For just using scraps, I think it turned out pretty cute!  :0)

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

 

Make It Monday #249 - Make It With Money

Hello friends.  Lexi shows us some great ways to use folded money on our cards in this weeks Make It Monday challenge.  I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person, but after looking at and trying several different sites on origami folding with money, I have come to the conclusion that folding money into shapes is NOT my thing!  So I went back to Lexi's video and copied the shirt she showed how to fold...think I watched it 5 times!!  Anyway, after ALL that frustration, this is what I came up with:

I decided to make my money shirt into a shaker card, and used the Wet Paint stamp set to stamp my background, and the Pure Poppy & White Basics paper collection for the tie.  I hope my hubby doesn't want the dollar when he opens this up on Father's Day, as it's glued and sealed in the shaker part pretty darn well!  :0)

Make sure you check out Lexi's video and awesome cards right HERE and play along.  Lots of clever cards in the gallery too!! 

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

Merry Monday #205 - Snow Globes

Hello friends.  Playing along with the Merry Monday challenge this week, where we are being asked to use a snow globe on our Christmas cards.  Why is it with the amount of stamps (LOTS!!!) I have, that I don't have a snow globe stamp??  Thank goodness for circle dies so that I could still play along!  Take a look:

I started by blending my background with distress inks (Picked Raspberry, Dusty Concord, Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans, & Stormy Sky), and then stamping the tree line in black from IO.  A while back I had purchased some of the shaker pouches (also IO), and they're great so that you don't have to fuss with glue (and sequins sticking to it!) or sticky foam, but it's hard to find a circle die that completely fits over them!  I have 2 different sets of circle dies, and neither one really fits...too large or too small!  Grrrrr!  But anyway, I made it work, and it's nice to have all the sequins free flowing and not sticking to the sides!  The outer layer I embossed with a snowflake folder from Darice, and then added a die cut banner from PTI's Fabulous Frames: Die Collection to make a base for my snow globe, and also a place to add my sentiment (PTI Rustic Wreath).  A wooden snowflake (that I partially embossed with silver) and some bakers twine finished off my card. 

There are absolutely gorgeous snow globe cards from the DT for inspiration this week, so check it out and play along...you can find all the info you need right HERE.

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

CAS Mix Up - May 2016

Hello friends.  The challenge this month over at CAS Mix Up is to use embossing on your card.  I used the clear emboss resist technique with PTI's Botanical Blocks II.  Here's what I came up with:

After embossing, I blended on Wilted Violet and Mowed Lawn distress inks for the lilacs (which are in full bloom at my house and smell SOOOO good!!), and then blended Salty Ocean distress ink around the rest of the layer for my background.  I used my Aqua Painter to flick around water splatters, and then embossed my sentiment in white on a black strip.  CAS and I love how soft and delicate looking this card came out!  :0)

You've got a little over a week to play along with this challenge yet (closes May 24), so head on over and check out all the beautiful inspiration from Loll, Bonnie, and the design team, and then play along right HERE.

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

Don't Forget to Write

Hello friends.  Like many of you, I purchased the Don't Forget to Write kit from PTI two weeks ago, and then when I opened mine up, I looked at all the stamps and dies, packaged it all back up and thought, "What did I just do?!"  I was overwhelmed and thought maybe I had made a mistake!  Unless you use the pre-printed papers that come with the kit, these are NOT quick and easy cards!  Two days ago I got brave enough to take everything back out of the box again, and then got started.  I decided to make a set of the small scalloped edged note cards for myself first, so I could practice on something that wasn't meant for someone else.  It does take time to die cut everything, line everything up, and assemble, but I have to tell you that the results are fabulous and I am SO tickled with this little set of 8 cards and little storage box I made.  Take a look:

I'm so excited that I took the time and now have a set of my very own monogrammed notecards!  Was it a lot of work?  Yes, but it actually ended up being a labor of love so to speak.  Once I got started, it was exciting to see each little piece of it coming together!  I used my favorite color combo lately of Amethyst Allure, Royal Velvet, Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Green Parakeet, & Pine Feather inks, along with black for the design that goes around the circle, and then pulled the black in again with the bakers twine tied around the top edge of each card.  So anyway, what started out as something that was very overwhelming to me, ended up being a lot of fun and very relaxing, and I can't wait to get started on a few sets for gifts!  :0)

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

 

Time Out Challenge #56 - CASE-ing Kay Miller

Hello friends.  The last few days I've seen some fabulous cards inspired by Kay Miller, whom I first learned about when she joined the Papertrey Ink team, and have been totally in awe of since!  She has a wonderfully unique style all her own, and you know a "Kay" card when you see it!  All of these cards that I've seen the past few days CASE-ing Kay are from a new (to me) challenge called Time Out Challenge, and I just had to play!

Here is Kay's amazing card:

And here is my take on Kay's card:

I stayed with basically the same color scheme and layout, but used different stamps and dies.  My frame is from the new Write Home kit from PTI and I cut it out 4 times to add dimension and added a dotted layer to the top to make it pop.  My flowers were stamped and fussy cut from MFT's Large Desert Blooms set using Autumn Rose and Scarlet Jewel inks.  My little bird (which was inspired by Patti ... thanks Patti!!) and sentiment are from Winter Woods by PTI, my die cut Leafy Sprigs are from Poppystamps, and my Fanciful Flourish from Cheery Lynne Designs.  I added a small bit of splattering using a stamp from SU!'s Gorgeous Grunge stamp set, and a few sequins finished off my CASE. 

This was definitely a fun challenge for me, and there's still time to play along...the challenge doesn't close till the 18th.  You can check it all out right HERE.

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

Merry Monday #204 - Woodgrain, Kraft, & White

Hello friends.  The challenge over at Merry Monday this week is to use woodgrain, kraft, & white in your Christmas card. 

I chose to work with PTI's Petite Places: Nativity stamp set and Nativity Scene It dies.  My scalloped and stitched card base is from one of the dies in PTI's Don't Forget to Write kit, and I added a square layer that I stamped with SU!'s Hardwood background stamp in kraft ink.  When I first put this card together, I used white for the palm tree layer, but it just didn't look right, so cut it again in a darker brown for some contrast.  I know dark brown wasn't in the challenge description, but hopefully there's enough of the woodgrain, kraft, & white in the rest of the card!  You can't see it in the photo, but the star is really sparkly from using my Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen on it. 

There's still time to play along with this challenge, and you can get all the info to play along and see all the DT's inspiration, right HERE.

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

Make it Monday #248 - Ink Blending Through Die Cut Masks

Hello friends.  Playing along with Lizzie Jones and Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday challenge, where Lizzie shows us how to make a mask/stencil out of vellum using our dies. This was a fun and easy technique, and makes beautiful ink blended images.  I chose to work with butterfly images, and made my masks from the Life Is Beautiful set, and the Color Pop Butterflies set.  Take a look:

I used the new Amethyst Allure, Hibiscus Burst, Aqua Mist, and Hawaiian Shores inks for blending with my masks, and my sentiment is from Think Big Favorites: #24.  A few sequins and some bakers twine finished off my card.

You can check out Lizzie's video and beautiful card right HERE.

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

Snuggle Bunnies

Hello friends.  Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!  We celebrated on Saturday with 2 of our daughters and their families (Addy of course!!), had wonderful weather, good food, and lots of fun!  And I even found time to stamp, using one of MFT's newest releases called Snuggle Bunnies.  Here's what I came up with:

Aren't these two just the cutest?!  I started with my background and blended in a little Salty Ocean distress ink, and then added a strip of yellow and white gingham (MFT) at the bottom and a few die cut clouds (Memory Box) at the top.  Next I colored the little bunny and teddy bear with my Copics and also paper pieced the little shirt the bunny is wearing, and then fussy cut them out.  I stamped my sentiment on a white banner and pop dotted it on the gingham.  A seam binding bow and a few grass tufts finished off my card.

Here's a picture of the inside:

I loved this sentiment (also from the set) and the little bunny looking up.  I have a feeling this stamp set is going to be well loved!!  :0)

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