12 Kits of Occasions May 2020 - April Showers Bring May Flowers

Hello friends.  It's the end of another month and we're still in quarantine here in Michigan, but on a positive note, Spring/Summer has arrived here in the Midwest and today the 12 Kits team is going to celebrate all those wonderful and colorful Springtime flowers.

I'm hostessing this month and I sent the DT a bunch of Spring time flower images to color, along with a few pieces of DSP and some die cuts.  Here's what I made with my kit:

I love this image (Just Because) from Pinkfresh Studios...I water colored it to look like Cherry Blossoms and then added it to a layer that I blended Salty Ocean Distress Ink on and then ran through my Big Shot with the Subtle (SU!) embossing folder.  My sentiment is from SSS's Sketched Flowers stamp set and I added a few clear sequins to finish.

This sweet little gal is from Stampingbella (Tiny Townie Garden Girl Lily of the Valley) and I Copic colored her and then fussy cut her out and added her to a card layered with DSP (SU!) and Lovely Lilac cardstock.  The sentiment is from a little freebie stamp set from Gina K.  Lily of the Valley are one of my favorite Springtime flowers (even though they are extremely invasive little flowers!)...I just LOVE their scent!!  :0)

Here's another Stampingbella image (Bundle Girl with a SNOWDROP) and she is one of my favorite images right now!  I Copic colored her and added some ancient PTI DSP for the background.  Super simple but love the way it turned out!!

And how can you not love bright yellow daffodils in the Springtime?!!  After a long Winter I just LOVE seeing these happy flowers come up!!  This image is from Penny Black (Daffodil Devotion) and I once again colored it with my Copics and then fussy cut it out before pop dotting it to a PTI piece of polka dotted dsp (Harvest Gold) along with a couple die cut Penny Black frames (Framed).  A little bit of crochet thread and some clear sequins finished off this bright and sunny card.

This super simple card uses an image from Mandy's Flowers (SSS) and just the tulips were lightly water colored with some Berry Sorbet ink (PTI) and then matted to some older SU! dsp.  I also used The Greetery's Crimped Frame Die on the image layer and added a piece of coral bakers twine to add another small pop of color.

My last card uses PTI's Tulip Time for the die cut tulips, and I added them to Pinkfresh Studio's Ornate Oval Frame.  The background dsp is also from SU! and the sentiment is another from SSS's Sketched Flowers.

And here they are all together...lots of color and ready to celebrate Spring!!  I can't wait to see what the rest of my teammates did with this kit, and you can check it out too right HERE.       

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

MFT's Wednesday Sketch Challenge #491

Hello friends.  Playing along with this weeks sketch challenge over at My Favorite Things...

All the circles made me think bubbles and water, so I took out this little sweetie and inked her up:

This little cutie is from BB's Drink Up the Sunshine stamp set and I colored all the images with Copics and then die cut.  The DSP for the water is from the Sweet Sunshine 6x6 Pad (MFT) and the stencil for  the sun and rays is from PTI's Sun & Surf Collection.

Wish I were drinking up the sunshine here today, but another day of rain and clouds, so I'm making my own sunshine in my craft room!  Lots of great inspiration from the DT, so check it out right HERE and play along.

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

Altenew's May 2020 Inspiration Challenge

Hello friends.  Playing along with Altenew's Inspiration Challenge today where the colors just shout SUMMER to me, and it definitely feels like SUMMER here in West Michigan the past few days!!  (I think we skipped Spring and just went from Winter to Summer!!)

I used a new (to me) stamp called Sweetest Peas (Altenew) and came up with this very simple card...

I stamped the two flowers in Versafine Black Onyx and then heat set with clear embossing powder before water coloring them with the yellows and oranges (and a smidge of green at the flower bases).  I originally tried a blue layer to incorporate the blue in the inspiration photo, but just didn't like the look, so I lightly splattered some blue ink after masking the flowers. 

After stamping my sentiment I ran this layer through the Subtle (SU!) embossing folder to add a little texture, and then layered with a light yellow piece before adhering both to a white card base.  CAS and love how easy it was the water color this image!

Only a few more days to play along with this challenge, but LOTS of inspiration from Amber and all the other cards in the gallery already.  You can check it all out right HERE.

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

Double D Challenge - Begins with M

Hello friends.  Playing along with the current challenge over at the Double D where they have a fabulous mood board showing things that start with the letter "M".

                                                                               

One of the gals on the DT (Barbara) used a House Mouse image and reminded me that I have quite a few and haven't used any of them in quite some time (like maybe years??!!), so it seemed like an appropriate time to pull one out and here's what I came up with...

I used Mouse Drops (1986...it is an oldie!!) and stamped it in Versafine Black Onyx and then heat embossed in clear before coloring with my Copics.  That poor little guy doesn't look too perky does he?!  Hopefully the Mouse Drops his mama is giving him will work quickly!!  :0)

I blended just a touch of Salty Ocean Distress Ink on my background and then die cut using an MFT Scalloped Rectangle die.  I layered with a piece of PTI Harvest Gold Bitty Big DSP and then adhered both to a card base that I dry embossed using an older Sizzix ef. 

You can check out all the amazing cards from the DT right HERE and then play along too.

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

Christmas Kickstart #31 - Wreathed In Christmas Smiles

Hello friends.  Playing along with the Christmas Kickstart challenge where this month they are looking for Christmas Wreath's.

I actually have two cards for you today, because although I like how my first card turned out, I liked my 2nd card better!  So yep, it's a TWOFER today!!  Here's the one I made after my first one...

I have been hoarding this DSP from SU! (Merry Little Christmas) for awhile now, and finally decided it was time to use it!  I've also had a 3D embossing folder from SU! (Seasonal Wreath) that I had never used, so I figured it was definitely time to use the two together!  After embossing the wreath on Old Olive cardstock I brushed with a sponge dauber a little bit of white pigment ink and Old Olive ink so that it would show up better. 

Then it was just a matter of layering the black, white, & DSP onto a 5 1/2 X 5 1/2 white card base.  I embossed in white my "Merry Christmas"  (PTI Christmas Blessings) on a black die cut circle and added a white scalloped circle behind it before adding it to the center of the wreath.  I finished by adding a die cut white bow (The Greetery's Fit To Be Tied) and a few red gems.  A very simple card but I really love the way it turned out!

My 2nd card (which was actually my first card!) uses Pinkfresh Studio's Leafy Wreath Die Set that I used on a piece of cardstock that I had water colored with Brusho's.  I adhered it to a embossed background (Gemini 3D Regency Swirls...thanks Michele!!!) and then matted to a Cherry Cobbler layer and then to a white card base.  The bow is once again from The Greetery's Fit To Be Tied die set.

On this close up you can see that I added a bunch of Autumn Red Nuvo Drops for the berries on the wreath.  I left the sentiment off as it's very obviously a Christmas card and there was already enough going on with this card and didn't want to clutter it up with a sentiment on it somewhere! 

Do you have a favorite between the two??  I do like both of them, but the plaid just tugs at my heartstrings a bit more!  Have you started your Christmas cards yet?  I know some of you out there can't bear to think of making Christmas cards at this time of year, but I just LOVE making them ALL year long and I also love that come December I don't have to panic and mass produce all the same card to get them done in time.  Check out what Jo and her special elf Robyn made for this challenge and then play along right HERE.  This challenge is open till the end of the month.

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

CAS Stencil May 2020 - Layered Stenciling

Hello friends.  Playing along with the CAS Stencil challenge today and they are looking for LAYERED STENCILING this month.

I used a new stencil from Altenew called Tranquil Wings and it's already a 2 part (layered) stencil, but I also added a 3rd stencil from Color Box Art Screens called Rounded.  Take a look:

I actually started with the Rounded stencil first to make my background and used a blending brush and Mustard Seed Distress Ink and a VERY light hand so the circles would be very light colored.  Next I used the outline stencil of the butterfly's body with Sweet Mango ink...this layer was very visable until I added the next layer with Tangerine Twist ink.  Here's a closer up:

As I said it's hard to see all 3 layers but trust me...there's definitely 3 layers of ink on this card!  I used one of my Lil Inkers Stitched Circle dies to die cut my off center circle on the top layer of my card and then added the stenciled layer under it, and then attached both to a top folding white card base.  My sentiment is from an older PTI set called Choose Joy and it is still one of my all time favorite stamp sets!

You can check out all the beautiful inspiration from the DT and then play along right HERE.  This challenge is open till the 24th.

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

CAS Christmas Reminder - Winter Berries

Hello friends.  Just a friendly reminder that there's still time to play along with us at CAS Christmas where the theme this month is Winter Berries.

I used an oldie but goody from PTI called Spruce & Sprigs to come up with this simple card...

I stamped (and blended) many of the images from Spruce & Sprigs and then die cut them out before arranging them on a stitched die cut rectangle that I had blended a bit of Tumbled Glass distress ink on and a bit of light splattering.

My sentiment comes from a SSS/Gina K collaboration called Festive Flowers and I also added some Ruby Slippers Nuvo Drops to the berries under the sentiment.

Have you gotten a head start on those Christmas cards yet?  Playing along now is a great way to not be in a panic come December when you realize there's not much time left!  Check out all the fabulous inspiration from the rest of the DT and our Special Guest Designer Lynne and then play along with us right HERE. 

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

CAS Watercolour May 2020 Reminder - Night Sky

Hello friends.  Just a friendly reminder that there's time to play with the CAS Watercolour Challenge where we're looking for a NIGHT SKY card.  You can find all the details HERE.

I made another Brusho background because they work so beautifully for night time skies.  I used more of the Lamp Black Color Bursts for this background and just a touch of the Cobalt Blue and Purple Brusho Colours.

I used an older die to cut out the circle fence and bird in black cardstock and inset both the background and die cut into a white panel that I'd embossed with SU!'s Woodland embossing folder.  I had also sprayed the background with Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist before adding it to my card so it really shimmers like all the stars on a clear night.  Here's a closer up for you...

My sentiment comes from SSS's Tiny Words stamp set and I figured this would be a great masculine birthday card.

I hope myself and the rest of the DT have inspired you to play along (HERE) with our Night Sky challenge...you have until the 24th to link up.

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

Stampin' Up With Friends

Hello friends.  One of the things I've been doing to keep busy during this quarantine is meeting with some of my local friends through ZOOM on Tuesday nights.  We usually get a couple of sketches before hand and also doing a "fancy fold" card together.  We use Stampin' Up products which is great for me as I'm real good at buying them, but not so good at using them!!  So anyway, just a quick post of the 3 cards I made last night...

I've had this set (Home To Roost) for well over a year and it was time to break it out!  I water colored the rooster and then just layered on the Cherry Cobbler cs, Cherry Cobbler DSP, and Crumb Cake cs that was dry embossed with a SU! honeycomb folder.  I used Crushed Curry for the scalloped circles behind the rooster and sentiment.  A little bit of jute twine and this sweet card is ready to go!

I'm quite proud of the fact that I just got this gorgeous stamp set (Inspiring Iris) just a couple of weeks ago and can say now that I've already used it!  This is one of those 2 step stamps where you stamp the outline first, and then use the 2nd stamp to fill in the color.  VERY easy to line up and looks awesome...like you know what you're doing!!  I used an Old Olive card base and Old Olive DSP behind the flower image and also a white piece that I used the Tufted EF on.  Finished off with a scrap piece of light green seam binding ribbon, a few enamel dots, and some vellum die cut leaves (PTI's Songbirds).

My last card is the FANCY FOLD card we made called a "Double Z Fold.  The base "Z" of the card uses a 4 1/4" x 11"  piece of cs scored at 2 3/4" and 5 1/2" on the long side.   The smaller "Z" is a piece of cs cut at 3 1/8" x 8 1/2" and scored at 2 1/8" and 4 1/4".  The DSP on the base of the card is one piece cut at 4 x 5 1/4 and another smaller piece cut at 2 1/2 x 4.  I kinda winged it for the pieces on the small Z fold part.

Here's what it looks like when you open it so you can see the sentiment at the top of the smaller Z fold.  I used SU!'s Honey Bee stamp and die set (and DSP) and Crushed Curry ink and cs to make this card.

Here's a side profile picture so you can get a better idea of what the card actually looks like!  I used one of those little spring things (sorry, don't know the actual name!) on the back of the largest bee that's on the hive and it makes the bee's wings flutter just like he's buzzing around the hive.  This was definitely a FUN card to make and now that I've got it figured out how it goes together I'll probably be making more!!

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

The Twofer Challenge #27 - FLOWERS

Hello friends.  Hope you are all hanging in there and are ready for a new challenge at The Twofer Challenge where this month it's all about FLOWERS!

After all that's been going on in our world AND a looooong Winter (for some of us!), I think we're all ready for some COLOR and what better way to show it than using FLOWERS!  Here's what I came up with for my two cards using MFT's Bring Out the Sunshine stamp set:

I made a birthday and hello card using the basket of flowers that came in this sweet little MFT set.

My green and yellow colors for this card came from the nursery rhyme "A Tisket, A Tasket" ( a green and yellow basket) and I so badly wanted to put that on the front of my card for the sentiment, but then I couldn't figure out how to finish the inside of the card for an occasion, so it just ended up being a birthday card.   Anyway, I started with a die cut panel using Lawn Fawn's Quilted Backdrop, and then used MFT's Rectangle Peek - A - Boo Window die to cut out a space for my basket and birdie.  The sentiment is from PTI's Meadow Greens stamp set and die cut with SU!'s oval dies.

This sweet girl with the hat (and matching flowers) was the reason I bought this stamp set...she is just adorable and I love her holding the basket of brightly colored posies!  I did not buy the dies for this set (grrrrr!!) so I had to do some fussy cutting of both the girl and the basket, and then also had to use my exacto knife to cut around her arm so I could slip the basket handle underneath to make it look like she was holding it.  I used my Copics to color her and her basket and then placed her on a background that I clear embossed and blended using a Catherine Pooler background stamp (Sketch Plaid).  Here's a closer up so you can see the background a bit better...

I finished this card with a die cut "hello" also from Catherine Pooler and layered with a thin black layer and attached to a white card base.

So there you have it...a birthday card and a hello card both using the same basket of flowers but in different designs and for different occasions.  We'd love to see YOU in the gallery with 2 different FLOWER cards, so check out the inspiration from the rest of the DT and then play along with us right HERE.  This challenge is open till the 24th. 

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