"TIS THE SEASON

Hello friends.  I know it's not really "the season" yet, but it will be here before we know it, so I'm really trying to keep up with my Christmas card making!  The Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge has a beautiful mood board (as always!) and has helped inspire my card today.

I was inspired by the snowy scenes, the trees and the window, and came up with this card...

I blended my background first with 3 shades of blue Gina K ink and then stamped the trees and bird from Penny Black's woodsy set in black ink.  I also splattered with white acrylic paint for snow, and then also sprayed the panel with Sheer Shimmer Mist in silver...very hard to see but in real life this really sparkles and shines!  To make my arched window die cut I used a couple different dies...Gina K's Master Layouts #5 and PFS's Terrarium die, and then put foam tape behind it for dimension.  The window was set against an embossed panel that is a retired SU! embossing folder called Winter Snow.

 My sentiment banner is from Spellbinder's Make It Merry Sentiments die set where the top layer has the sentiment cut out and then I backed it with a solid banner cut from silver sparkle cs.  I wish my photo would have shown it off better as it's really pretty when the light hits it!

How are you doing with your Christmas card stash?  Have you even started?  I don't mass produce, so I do need to really play all year long to have enough to send out.  The DT has BEAUTIFUL inspiration to help you get motivated if you need it and you can find it all right HERE.  This challenge is open till Thursday, September 28th @ 8:00PM.

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

Color Hues #72

Hello Crafters,

Today, we have a very special Challenge here at Color Hues!  

In conjunction with our normal Color Challenge, The Color Hues Design Team and a few guests, from our sister challenge Seize the Birthday, are participating in a Blog Hop! 

Collectively as a team, we are hopping in memory of our dear friend, fellow cardmaker, and Design Team member, Lindsey Martin-Penny, who sadly passed away last year from a rare and aggressive form of Ovarian Cancer. 

The purpose of this hop will be to honor Lindsey, celebrate her life and all that she loved, as well as spread the word to raise funds for Clear Cell Ovarian Cancer Research.  

How can you Help? You can find all the fabulous details and the start of the hop HERE!

In honor of Lindsey, the team has created a variety of cards using her favorite color combo of Purple and Red.

I didn't know Lindsey all that well except for comments she would leave when I used to play along with Tracey's 25 Days of Christmas Tags challenge each November , and Lindsey's tags would always inspire me, which in turn would have her leaving sweet and encouraging comments on my posts!

To honor Lindsey and her favorite color combination, I pulled out an older MFT stamp set called Pretty Poppies, which I thought was appropriate considering Poppies are connected with remembrance.  Take a look...

I started by inking my Poppies with Poppy ink (C&9th) and then used a dark Lilac ink (Gina K) around the edges of the Poppies.  I added the stems and leaves in Dove ink (C&9th) and then fussy cut the images out.  The Pretty Poppies stamp set also comes with a script stamp which I inked up with SU!'s Highland Heather half way up a strip of cardstock, and then tore both sides for a bit of interest before attaching to a panel of white that I had added texture to using SU!'s Subtle embossing folder.

To finish I added a sentiment from The Greetery's Sentiment Suite: Thinking of You and also a few purple gemstones from PFS.  

We hope you'll play along with us for the next 2 weeks using Lindsey's favorite colors and flood our gallery with all sorts red & purple cards.  We have lots of inspiration for you at our challenge site that you can find right HERE.  This challenge will be open till Thursday, September 28th @ 9:00AM.

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

A Couple More Letterpress Cards...

Hello friends.  Just a quick post today sharing a couple cards I made with Michele's Altenew and spellbinder's Letterpress plates.

My 1st card uses the Spellbinder's Pressed Bouquet letterpress plate...

The actual colors on this card are much deeper in real life, but my photo editing program wasn't playing nice with me and it looks a little washed out to me compared to the actual card.  So just imagine deeper pinks and brighter yellow/oranges.  I used my Copics to color and then used Spellbinders Hemstitched Dies to add the framing around the image before adding to a Lilac card base.  My sentiment is a pre-printed strip from Gina K and a few lilac gems from PFS finished off this pretty floral card.

My 2nd card uses Altenew's Floral Engravings letterpress plate...

I used my Copics in coral shades for this card and finished it simply with a birthday sentiment from Gina K that was embossed in gold on black cs and then die cut.  A few gold pearls (also Gina K) finished off this simple card.

There are more and more letterpress plates coming out for the holidays and they are all absolutely beautiful and I want them all!  Will I get them all?  Nope.  Not rich.  Maybe a few new ones though.  I know it's hard to see in the photos, but the deep etched look you get from using the letterpress technique is just sooooo pretty!!  They are definitely oooooooh and ahhhhhhhhh cards in real life!  Thanks you so much sweet Michele for sharing with me...I truly had fun coloring these up and making them into cards!!  Crafting friends truly are the best, aren't they?!!

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

Double D Challenge - FALL PLAIDS

Hello friends.  Playing along with the gals over at the Double D Challenge where it's all about the FALL PLAIDS!

Don't you just LOVE all the bright and warm colors of Fall?!  And to add in PLAID??  I mean, what's not to LOVE?!!  I started with a piece of plaid dsp from an older SU! 6 x 6 package for my background and went from there.  Here's what I came up with...

 Between the plaid, the colorful leaves and the pumpkin, I think I managed to portray what Fall looks like here in Michigan.  Most years it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL here in my state.  Every once in a while we get weather that just doesn't cooperate and then the colors don't seem quite as bright, but most years look just like my card!  My pumpkin comes from the Greetery's Plump Pumpkin Dies and was inked up with DOX inks and then splattered with a bit of white acrylic paint.  The branch and colorful leaves are also from The Greetery (BotaniCuts Mighty Oak) and were once again inked up with DOX inks.  I also splattered the leaves with a bit of water as DOX inks activate with it so perfectly!

I finished my card with a sentiment that I use every Fall from Clearly Besotted's Autumn Flowers because I love it so much, and also a couple Disco Ball Sequins from Gina K.  

Thank you Double D for putting together a challenge that uses two of my favorite things...FALL & PLAIDS!  You can check out all the beautiful inspiration from the DT right HERE and then play along!  This challenge is open till Sunday, Sept. 17th @ 8:00PM.

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

Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge #47

Hello friends.  Playing along with the gals over at the Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge where they have a beautiful AND fun mood board to inspire us!

I was inspired by the elves on the top right and the simple color combination of red & white on the top left, and came up with this fun card...

I fell in love with this little Peeking Elf from Hero Arts latest release...he reminds me of the elves from the old Rudolph movie that Burl Ives narrates.  The die is all one piece, so I cut it from white, red, very light pink, black, & white glitter cs, and then snipped apart the pieces and put it all back together like a puzzle.  Not difficult, just a little time consuming...but oh so cute when finished!!  

I used an old ef from Cuttlebug for the large dots background and the red & white strip is washi tape that I've had FOREVER!!  The sentiment (Sentimental Christmas by Reverse Confetti) was embossed in white and die cut with a couple Gina K circle dies.  I finished with a piece of red & white gingham ribbon and a few glitter dots from PFS.  

Lots of FABULOUS cards from the DT for inspiration, so if you need to get going on those Christmas cards, this is the perfect place to look!  You can find it all right HERE.  This challenge goes until Thursday, Sept. 14th @ 8:00PM.

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

The Flower Challenge #84 - Use a Die

Hello friends.  Playing along with The Flower Challenge today where they would like us to use a DIE this month.

It's too bad I don't have any dies...hahahaha!!  The timing for this challenge worked out perfectly for me as I had borrowed a ASD stamp, DIE, & stencil set from my sweet friend Michele called Tulips Treasure and came up with this...

I stamped the outline image first in black, and then stenciled the flower and leaves using Gina K red & green inks.  I love deep red tulips and think this came out so pretty!  After DIE cutting the flower, I went to work on the background using a couple retired SU! background stamps.  I started with the Script stamp with Smoky Slate ink, and then stamped over the script with the Print Pattern stamp also in the Smoky Slate ink.  LOVE the way the background turned out!  I foiled in silver the sentiment which is also from ASD and fussy cut the "love" part.  A few silver metallic pearls (PFS) and this card was finished.

LOTS of gorgeous cards from the DT for inspiration, so check it all out right HERE and then play along.  This challenge is open till September 25th @ 5:00PM.

On a personal note:  Our family is growing...we welcomed Isaiah Christopher to the family on August 15th and he's perfect!  This is our 4th grandchild and the best part...he's local!!  Yes, this nana has been going to visit every couple days and getting all kinds of snuggle time in!  Nothing sweeter than a grandbaby...we've been blessed!!  (He's 3 weeks old in this picture.)

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

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge

Hello friends.  Got a little bit of a head start on a couple Halloween cards this morning for my youngest grandbabies and the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge was the perfect place to enter them!

I loved the photo on the lower left, but I think that's a bit scary for my 3 week old grandson and 3 year old granddaughter, so I pulled out a couple fun images from CCC and Anita Jeram.

I had just received my Watercolor Plaid Stencils from the latest release at PTI, and had to try them out with a few Halloween colors!

I used Gina K inks for the plaid (Key Lime, Lucky Clover, Tangerine Twist & Tomato Soup) background and then used The Greetery's Crimped Rectangle Die to give some interest to edges of the plaid panel.  I also used The Greetery's Crimped Circle Die to stamp my greeting on and add the cute little mouse from CCC's Pumpkin Bucket mini stamp set.  A few Diso Ball Sequins (Gina K) and some black & white baker's twine finished off my first card.

Used the same Watercolor Plaid Stencil for this 2nd card, but just used residual ink left on my blending brushes for the colors.  I also used The Greetery's Postal Frame Dies on this card and then stamped and colored with my Copics the little bat carrying the pumpkin bucket from CCC's A Little Batty mini stamp set.

I took a closeup photo hoping you'd be able to see the WOS on the bats wings, but no such luck!  I added a few PFS orange sparkly gems to finish this one.

I would also like to enter these 2 cards into Darnell's NBUS #54 Challenge since I bought both of these mini Halloween stamp sets last year when they were on sale and just used them for the 1st time now.  Better late than never, right?  RIGHT??!!

The Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge is open till September 28, so check out all the fun inspiration and then play along! 

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

Color Hues Challenge #71 - TANGERINE & VIOLET

Hello friends.  Can you believe it's September already?!  Tracey is our hostess for this new challenge at Color Hues, and she would like to see Tangerine & Violet on our cards.

My first thought was Halloween when I saw this color combo, but I'm still trying to hold on to Summer, so I went with a floral theme.  Brought out an older PFS set called Cosmos Bunch and came up with this...

I stamped and stenciled the image with Tangerine Twist, Lovely Lavender, & Wild Lilac inks (Gina K), leaving the leaves plain.  My background was hot foiled using Spellbinder's Geometric Optical Background plate and Prism hot foil and then attached to my card base.  After die cutting the floral image, I added foam tape to the back before attaching to the foiled background.

 I finished by foiling my sentiment (Memory Box's Posh Hello) onto a scrap of violet cardstock with the Prism foil (much lighter in real life!) and also adding a few violet gemstones (PFS).  The Prism foil is more of an iridescent silver, but the light hitting it makes it look more gold!  LOVE the way this turned out!!

Make sure you check out what the rest of the DT came up with to inspire you right HERE, and then play along with us.  We'd love to see YOU in the gallery!!  This challenge is open till September 14th @ 9:00AM. 

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

Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge #46

Hello friends.  Feels like it's been forever since I posted, but only a week, so not too long!  I'm still draggin' a bit from this virus and also dealing with heart issues with my 91 year old mom, so I just haven't had the time to play and comment, but I am still around!  I did find time to play with the latest Peace On Earth Challenge where they have an absolutely BEAUTIFUL mood board depicting lovely country Christmas scenes with barns.  Take a look...

I used a slapstick/Cling rubber stamp from Penny Black called traverse and came up with these 2 cards...

This first card was done silhouette style where I just stamped the whole image in black, and then ink blended the background starting at the bottom with light gray, pink, purple, & blue.  I also added some white acrylic paint splatters for snow and then added a die cut sentiment from Memory Box called Special Merry Christmas.  Very simple but I love the look of it!

For my 2nd card, I used the same stamp, but colored directly onto the stamp with my SU! markers and then very lightly misted the stamp before pressing onto my cardstock to give a very simple water colored look.  I also added the white acrylic paint splatters for snow and the sentiment is an older PTI one from the Christmas Blessings stamp set.  I liked the way both turned out and couldn't decide which one to enter for the challenge, so why not both?!

You can check out all the FABULOUS cards from the talented DT right HERE and then play along...this challenge is open till Thursday, Aug. 31st @ 8:00PM.

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

The Flower Challenge #83 and Double D Challenge - SUNFLOWERS

Hello friends.  Playing along with two challenges today...The Flower Challenge is looking for DOTS/STRIPES and the Double D Challenge is looking for SUNFLOWERS.  I was able to combine both into one card and came up with this...

A while back one of my favorite designers Kelly Lunceford made a type of shadow box card HERE that I just had to try my hand at!  A little hard to see in the photo, but the sunflowers (gifted to me by my sweet friend Lisa Elton - SSS's Little Sunflower Blooms) have dimensionals on the back to raise them up, and then you place a frame and acetate over the top of them.  The frame is PTI's Border Bling: Scalloped Frame and the acetate was stamped with Stazon ink using PTI's Garden Blessings stamp set.

Here's a close up so you can see the sentiment better, and can you also see my DOTS in the background??  I used an older Cuttlebug embossing folder for the large dots and built my little sunflower scene on top of it.  The leaves are from another PTI set called Into The Blooms: Dahlia.

I thought about making this a shaker card, as I added thin foam strips to the back of the frame, but decided it was busy enough and didn't want to take away from the beauty of the Sunflowers and that gorgeous sentiment!  

Lots of beautiful inspiration from both challenges, and you can find them HERE and HERE.  The Flower Challenge is open till the 25th of August and The Double D Challenge is open till September 3rd @ 8:00PM.

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

Color Hues Challenge #70 - RED & YELLOW

Hello friends.  It's time for another Color Hues Challenge, and our wonderful hostess Stef has chosen RED & YELLOW for us to play with.

This color combination definitely says SUMMER to me, and also SUNFLOWERS, and here's what I came up with using a couple oldies but goodies from The Greetery!!

Don't you just love the watering can in RED from The Greetery's Sprinkled With Kindness stamp and die set?!  It's a 3 step stamp and I used Real Red ink (SU!) for the first two layers and Cherry Cobbler (also SU!) ink for the third layer.  I actually stamped 2 of the watering cans because I'm thinking ahead to Christmas and how fun would this watering can in red be filled with Christmas greenery??!!  But let's stay in Summer right now as I'm definitely NOT ready for Winter and what comes with it!!  I die cut all my Sunflowers from white cardstock (BotaniCuts: Sunflower from The Greetery) and then inked them up with a blender brush and several different yellow inks from PFS.  

I also die cut a leaf from PTI's Into The Blooms: Dahlia and left it white for just a bit of greenery in my flower arrangement.  I adhered everything to a yellow and white piece of gingham dsp I had and adhered that to the largest of the Postal Frame Dies (The Greetery), and then everything to a red card base.  To finish I added a tiny heart tag (PTI's Tiny Tags) embossed with my sentiment, some glitter on the flower centers and the leaf, and a few Disco Ball Sequins from Gina K.  Love how bright and colorful this turned out...GREAT color choice Stef!!

There's is lots of inspiration from our DT and Special GD Annette to get you started, so check it all out right HERE and then play along with us...we'd love to see YOU in our gallery!!  This challenge is open till August 28th @ 9:00AM.
  

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