PTI's Into the Blooms: Dahlia

Hello friends.  HAD to have the newest Into the Blooms: Dahlia dies from PTI's latest release, and then when Shauna Todd did a video using these dies to make a Christmas card, well, I just HAD to play along!  Check out her video HERE to see her BEAUTIFUL card and then play along making your own VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS card!

I actually have 2 cards to share with you today as I had die cut quite a few of the flowers and leaves out, and had more than enough to make a 2nd card.  Here's my first:

I have to admit that what excited me the most at first when I saw the Into the Blooms: Dahlia dies, was not the flower, but the leaves.  Both the pine sprig and the Dahlia leaves are gorgeous and have so much detail!  But after cutting out the 3 layer Dahlia, I fell in LOVE with all the dimension this flower has!!  I started my card just like Shauna did hers and taped off all four edges, but then instead of water coloring, I ink blended using Autumn Rose ink.  I used the All is Bright die to cut out my sentiment from a brushed gold cardstock, and then also decided to cut one of the pine sprigs from the brushed gold cardstock too.  The other leaves were ink blended with DOX inks, and the Dahlia's were die cut with Autumn Rose cardstock, and then ink blended with the matching ink around the edges.

Once I had all my pieces glued down I added a few crystal gems and this card was finished.

Using my left over pieces I started this card with a white on white card base using an older PTI die called Bold Borders: Polka Dot Die.  

Because the background is a little busy, I simply added my flower and leaves and then finished with a die cut sentiment from MB called Special Merry Christmas.  CAS and I love how this one turned out too!  Thank you Shauna for inspiring me for both of these cards.

Remember to check out Shauna's video HERE and then play along...there's a $25 gift card up for grabs if your card is picked. :0)

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

Happy Halloween

Hello friends.  I know it's not Halloween yet, but since I don't usually post on the weekends, I thought I'd share today one of the two Halloween cards I made this year (I know, I know...such a slacker this year!!).  I used bits and pieces from a couple of Lawn Fawn older die sets and a older PTI set to come up with this shadow box card.  Take a look...

  Turned out kinda cute, didn't it?!  My haunted house and spooky tree are both from MFT's Spooktacular Friends, the actual shadow box frame is from Lawn Fawn (Spider and web too), and rest is all from PTI's Tiny Town: Spookville Manor die set.

 I wish now I had used vellum for the ghosts, but I guess I'll just have to remember that one for next year!  I added some WOS to the spider web that added a nice sparkly touch too!

The Here For The Boos was from my sweet friend Michele who brought the die from SSS last week when she came to visit and I just HAD to use it somewhere on this card and it fit beautifully on the back of the box!  

Hope you all have a great Halloween, and have more treats than tricks! 

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

Playing Cards with Michele...AGAIN!

Hello friends.  Had another play day with my sweet friend Michele, and of course just had the best day using each others goodies, LOTS of laughing, and because it's cooler now, even a big pot of chili for lunch along with Michele's toasted cornbread...yummmmmm!  

I stamped and die cut enough of all the goodies Michele brought for me to play with to make 10 or more cards, but don't worry, I only have 3 to share with you today!  Haha!!  Seriously though, it is so wonderful to be able to share each others stamps, dies, & stencils so we don't feel as though we HAVE to buy everything!!  Michele brought a bunch of stamps and dies from The Stamp Market and Pinkfresh Studios that I had a great time playing with, and we both used my Holiday Botanical Background (also Pinkfresh Studios) stencils to create a card with.  So let's get started...

 

Let's start with this simple card using Michele's Holly Jolly stamp and die set.  I die cut the Holly Jolly with white and red cs and attached to a background using a SSS 3D embossing folder called Holiday Greenery.  Next I added the Holly Leaves that I stamped and fussy cut just under the tail of the Jolly, and then pop dotted the berries that were also stamped and fussy cut.  I used some WOS of the Holly Leaves and some Glossy Accents on the berries.  CAS and done!

Next up is the Pinkfresh Studios Garden Roses stencil set that Michele brought, and I stenciled in Fall colors with yellows and oranges and outlined using the stamp set in dark brown.  I am totally in LOVE with the way this one turned out...even the brown leaves which I saw Lea Lawson do on a PFS live!  I used SU!'s Subtle embossing folder on my card base, and then stacked 3 of PFS's Ornate Oval Frame die cuts together to give some dimension and to lift my roses up off the card base. 

 The "happy" die cut is from The Greetery and I die cut that once from gold mirror cs and twice from white, before slipping my gold embossed "birthday" strip through the loops of the "p" and "y".  I finished with a few gold pearls (PFS) and just couldn't be happier with the way this card turned out!

My last card uses the Holiday Botanical Background stencils (PFS) that both Michele and I used, and I used a variety of Distress Inks to do my blending with.  I used The Greetery's Crimped Frame Dies on this stenciled piece, and then matted with SU!'s Mossy Meadow and Mellow Moss (retired) cs.

I also used The Greetery's new Abundant Joy dies (that I am totally in LOVE with!!) for the center of my card, and offset the Mellow Moss and Mossy Meadows base piece to match up with the layering of the card base and matting layers.  I finished this card up with some PFS gems to add a little sparkle, and love the way this one turned out too!

Aren't stamping friends truly just the BEST??!!  I feel so blessed to have made so many wonderful friendships through this craft!!  Thank you Michele for once again sharing your goodies with me, and most of all spending the day with me...I treasure your friendship!!  Make sure you hop on over to Michele's blog to see what came up with using some of my goodies...I know you won't be disappointed!!  

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

Color Hues Challenge #28 - Red & Kraft

Hello friends.  Playing along with the Color Hues Challenge where they are looking for RED & KRAFT on our cards.

These colors definitely say Christmas to me, so that's the direction I went with my card.  Take a look...

I'm kinda hooked on the mini slimline card size (6 1/4 x 3 1/4), and made this card using SU!'s Forever Fern stamp set and Real Red & Crumb Cake inks.  The dies are from Gina K's Master Layouts #7 set, and have been getting a workout lately!  The sentiment is an older PTI stamp and fit beautifully inside the circle die!  A few gemstones and a really, really old piece of sheer red ribbon finished off my card.

Lots of awesome inspiration from the DT that you can check out right HERE to play along.  This challenge is open till the 29th.

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

The Flower Challenge #61 - Use A Shape

Hello friends.  Playing along with The Flower Challenge today and they are looking for a card with a SHAPE.  And they are also celebrating their 5th Birthday...WOW!  Didn't realize it had been that long, and it's definitely worth celebrating!!

For my card I used a real imaginative shape...a rectangle!  Haha!  I had a Fall colored card in mind and the the die cut I wanted to use for my background was a rectangle, so that's how my card evolved!  Take a look...

I used SU!'s Basic Gray cardstock for my base, and then used the same cardstock for the die cut rectangle (PTI's Border Bling: JOY Frame), that I blended Basic Gray ink all around the decorative edges so it would stand out a bit from the card base.  Next I had fun stamping and fussy cutting all the flowers and leaves from PTI's Effortless Beauties stamp set, using lots of different Fall colored inks, and then arranging them over the frame.  

 I finished this card with a little Wren from The Greetery's Robin & Wren stamp set and popped him up over my sentiment that is also from The Greetery (Opposites Attract).  A few gemstones (Pinkfresh Studio) and some Distress Glitter added a little sparkle and shine to really finish this card off!

Lots of BEAUTIFUL inspiration from the DT and also in the gallery too, so check it all out right HERE and then play along!  And Happy, happy birthday to all of you at The Flower Challenge!!

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

CAS Mix Up Oct. 2021 - BOTANICAL PRINTS

Hello friends.  Playing along with the CAS Mix Up Challenge where this month the hostess Bonnie is challenging us to get out in nature (I walked into my front yard!) and collect some leaves to make BOTANICAL PRINTS with.  If you've never tried this technique, Bonnie has some great video links listed on the site to help you out.

 

I snipped off one of my Boston Fern leaf fronds, a leaf from one of my Hostas, and a collection of different colored leaves from our Maple tree.  The Boston Fern one turned out ok, the Hosta leaf just made a gooey mess, and the Maple leaves turned out pretty good.  Here's what I ended up with before turning them into cards...

And here's the 3 finished cards I ended up with...

I added Distress Ink to my leaves before putting them through my Big Shot, and this was from the 2nd pull, as there was still ink left on them after the 1st pull...I just spritzed with a bit of water and then ran them through my Big Shot again.  A much softer and muted result, but I like how it turned out!

 You can see the embossed lines from the actual leaves better in this close up.  My sentiment is from The Greetery's Bittersweet Bouquet.

I think this one turned out to be my favorite, even though I wasn't too impressed after I pulled it out of my Big Shot and peeled the frond off the cardstock.  It tore the cardstock in some places and that bugged me, but after it had dried out and I placed it in an embossing folder (SU!'s Time Worn), I really liked the CAS look it had.  I simply matted this one with some black and a white card base, and then added my die cut sentiment from Memory Box's Just A Note Posh Script that I popped up with some foam tape.

My last card uses the 1st pull from the painted Maple leaves...

Adding the ink to the leaves definitely adds a brighter look to the leaves after pressing them through the Big Shot, and I do like the look, although I like the muted shades of the first two cards much better!  

I finished up this card with a strip of embossed Pumpkin Pie cs (SU!) that I used a SSS 3D Falling Leaves embossing folder on, a bit of twine, and a sentiment from Clearly Besotted's Autumn Flowers.

The DT has outdone themselves this month with all their BEAUTIFUL Botanical Prints, so make sure you check out their inspiration, and then play along right HERE.  This challenge is open till the 24th.

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

Inspired By #191 - I'd Fall for You

Hello friends.  I fell in LOVE with the inspiration photo over at the Inspired By Challenge and just had to play along!

I mean how can you NOT fall in love with a photo like that?!  The cute bear and the beautiful Fall colors totally inspired me to come up with this card...

As much as I love how this card turned out, there are parts of it that kinda bum me out!  I started with a plain piece of white cardstock and stamped 4 different leaves ( Gina K - Fall Foliage) using Peeled Paint, Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade, & Mustard Seed Distress Inks that I spritzed with water before pressing onto my cardstock, and it looked so bright and pretty!  Next I used a really old Cuttlebug/Provo Craft embossing folder that has all sorts of words associated with Fall on it, but you could hardly read the words with it being on white cardstock.  So I had the bright idea that if I lightly sponged some Walnut Stain Distress Ink over the raised embossed words, it would help them stand out more where you could actually read them...and it did work!  But.......yep, the beautiful leaves I had stamped weren't very noticeable anymore!  Grrrrr!  I still love the look of the background as the colors do show through, but you just can't really make out the shape of the leaves!!  Oh well, live and learn!

 My sweet little bear comes from the SugarPea Designs stamp set Hey Winter and was Copic colored before being pop dotted on my sentiment strip that is also from a SugarPea Designs set called Hey Fall.  The little leaf is also from the same set.  

The DT has some AWESOME inspiration for you this week, so check it all out right HERE and then play along.  This challenge is open for a few more days (20th).

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

CAS Christmas October 2021 Reminder - GRAY & RED

Hello friends.  Just a friendly reminder that there's still time to play along with us at CAS Christmas Challenge where we are looking for CAS Christmas cards using GRAY & RED. 

I have a really simple card to share with you using a Spellbinder's large die of the month from last year (I believe it was November 2020)...

Didn't that turn out so pretty with the gray and red combo??!!  I used the stitching die to cut out the snowflake in Smokey Slate cardstock, and then simply stitched stitched it with 2 strands of red floss.  

I finished with some simple matting and an older AE scalloped circle die, and then added my sentiment from PTI's Christmas Blessings in Smokey Slate ink, and a few silver gems from Pinkfresh Studios.  

This challenge is open till the 24th, so check out all the inspiration from the DT using GRAY & RED and then play along with us right HERE.

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

Christmas Kickstart #55 - Make One for a Loved One

Hello friends.  Playing along with the current Christmas Kickstart Challenge where they are looking for a card that you would send to a loved one.

I just received some goodies from the latest release at The Greetery and my mom happens to LOVE Christmas greenery and berries, and decorates her house to the max with all of it!  AND she's 89 and still does it every year!  But anyway, I ordered the Winterberry Bouquet stamp and stencil set and just had to make a card for my mom!

I used a combination of Distress Inks and SU! inks with the stencils and the stamps, and then used the mask included in the set and blended around the image with Slate ink (Gina K).  I used the same Slate ink to add some splatters while the mask was still on.  

I added the stamped layer to a piece of Evening Evergreen cs (SU!) that I die cut using The Greetery's Crimped Frame Dies and then attached those to a top folding white card base.  I also used the Abundant Joy Die (also The Greetery) and added with some foam tape to add a bit of dimension, and then finished with a few gemstones from Pinkfresh Studios.

I really love the way this turned out, and think my mom will love it too!  Have you started your Christmas cards yet?  I make them all year long, so I'm sitting pretty good right now.  Playing these challenges like Christmas Kickstart is a GREAT way to keep up without having to mass produce at the last minute!  Check out the challenge right HERE and play along...I know Jo and her special elf Lynn would love to have you play along, and the challenge is open till the end of the month!

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

Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge #1

Hello friends.  For those of you that have followed me for any length of time, you know that I LOVE Christmas challenges and making Christmas cards all year long!  And guess what?!!  There's a NEW Christmas Challenge in town from Darlene and Diane of the Double D Challenge, and they've named it Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge.  It's a "anything goes" (as long as it's Christmas themed!) challenge, and I just know I'm going to love playing along!  Here's the mood board to inspire us all:

As much as I love all the grays and reds in this mood board, I was inspired by the name of the challenge and went in a totally different direction!  I had just received a new order from Gina K and had to play with the Peace Love and Joy Plate die, and also Gina's technique of adding colored strips behind the cover plate die.  Take a look:

I started by cutting 1/4" strips of Turquoise Sea, Red Velvet, & Honey Mustard cardstock (Gina K) and then sponged Tea Dye Distress Ink along both edges, before adhering all the strips to a piece of 3 1/2 x 4 3/4 cardstock.  Next I die cut the cover plate and then sponged the edges with the same Tea Dye Distress Ink before adhering over the piece with all the strips on it.  I matted both layers to a piece of Red Velvet cardstock and then attached it all to a Honey Mustard card base.  I also stamped and die cut one of the little penguins from the Playful Penguins (Gina K) stamp set, and colored it with a few Copics that matched the colored cardstock strips, before tucking it behind the "O" in the "JOY" die cut opening.  Here's a closer up for you...

Isn't he so cute peeking out from the "O"?!!  I finished this card with a "WISHING YOU" sentiment strip (also Gina K) and a piece of black & white bakers twine.  I get more and more brave with non-traditional colors each year, and I really love how this one turned out!

Thanks so much Darlene and Diane for this new Christmas challenge...what a great way to get us moving on finishing up those Christmas cards before the wonderful day arrives!  YOU can play along too right HERE...this challenge is open till Oct. 14 at 8:00PM.   

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

CAS Christmas Oct. 2021 - GRAY & RED

Hello friends.  It's time for a new challenge at CAS Christmas, and this month I'm excited to be your hostess!  Most of you that follow me know that I love a color challenge, so this month let's play with GRAY & RED.

I had fun playing with a new SU! set called Delivering Cheer and came up with this card...

This set gives you the choice of stamping two different bottom halves of a woman's body, and then three choices for her upper half, so it's fun to mix and match!  I stamped the bottom half in Smokey Slate ink and then stamped it again on a piece of red & gray dsp from SU!'s Peaceful Prints DSP package, and then fussy cut just the skirt and adhered it to the stamped layer.  For the top half, I once again stamped the top half in Smokey Slate ink, and then stamped again on a piece of Smokey Slate cardstock, which I then fussy cut her coat and bottom part of her scarf and glued it to the stamped image.  Then I stamped the upper image a third time on Real Red cardstock and fussy cut out just her mittens.  I die cut the panel with Gina K's Master Layouts 2 and then die cut the matted layer from Smokey Slate cardstock.  I decided to heat emboss my sentiment in silver on vellum so it didn't totally cover up my whole image (PTI's Rustic Wreath).

I used a piece of fun foam behind my 2 layers, and then attached to a white card base.  I did add a bit of WOS to the greenery (that isn't green!) to add a bit of sparkle to this CAS and FUN card.

We would love to see YOU in our gallery with your CAS Christmas card using GRAY & RED, so check out all the great inspiration from our fabulous DT and also our Special GD Darnell, and get a head start on those Christmas cards!  Christmas really will be here before you know it!  You can check everything out right HERE to play along.  Remember to keep your card CAS!  This challenge is open till the 24th.

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