Winter Birds

Hello friends.  I'm still here and apologize for my lack of posting lately, but life's been pretty busy with the holidays and a new grandbaby in our family.  So all good things, but just busy, busy, busy!  I really have missed playing in my craft room though, and did find some time to make one card using a new (to me) stencil from The Ton called Postage Winter Birds Stencils.  Here's what I came up with...

I had to get a little creative using this stencil as I didn't buy the coordinating postage stamp die from The Ton, figuring I'd make a way to use my WF postage collage die.  Didn't work, but I was able to use the WF Postage Collage Coloring Stencil and some post it notes to mask and fill in the backgrounds and make it look like actual postage stamps.  Kind of hard to explain, but hope it makes sense!  

Lots of layers with the 5 stencils in this set, and I did learn through trial and error that a light hand with softer colors worked better than a heavier hand, which I usually tend to do.  You also need very small brushes to do your stenciling as several of the stencils use more than one color...patience is definitely needed for this set!!  I think it was definitely worth the time though and love how this came out!  For the sentiments and postage amounts, I used the WF Postage Collage Stamp Set (and coordinating die for the circle die cut) and The Greetery's Postal Frames Dies to give it an even more postal look.  I finished with a few Iridescent Clear Drops from PFS.

I'd like to enter this into 2 challenges...the Triple B Challenge and the Stencil Fun Challenge.

I may not have used any blooms or butterflies on my card, but I definitely think I covered the birds (10 to be exact!) on this one!!

This months Stencil Fun Challenge is looking for Winter/Christmas and I think covered Winter perfectly with these sweet birdies.

   

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

Peace On Earth #78

Hello friends.  Just a quick post with a couple Christmas cards that I think will work with the new Peace On Earth Challenge.  Here's the mood board...

I took my inspiration from the snowman in the top right corner and used a snowman stamp and die I received as a gift from my cousin last year (or maybe the year before??) and had never even opened the package!  Too cute not to use though and I paired it up with TH's BIG TIDINGS dies and came up with these 2 cards.

I started with a Boho Blue background (SU!) that I used a SSS Icy Snowflakes ef on and then lightly ran my white pigment ink over the raised snowflakes to make them stand out a bit more.  I die cut the NOEL (TH - BIG TIDINGS) from silver mirror cs and then added my snowman (Marianne Designs - Snowman) that I stamped in black and heat set with clear embossing powder before coloring with my Copics.  The little birdie is also from the snowman set and the tree is part of the BIG TIDINGS die set.  I also added a silver star from glitter cs to the tree and some clear sparkly stickles to look like ornaments also.

I also added glitter to the snowman's hat brim and the pom poms on his scarf.  Pretty simple card but I love the way it turned out!!

My 2nd card was done the same way except that I switched the colors to reds and used the word JOY from the BIG TIDINGS.  

I did do a bit of ink blending with a darker red on the bottom half of the JOY die cut, and the background was embossed using SSS's Filigree Snowflakes ef.  These both came together rather quickly and I'm thrilled that I have 2 cards done for next years Christmas stash!  

You can check out all the awesome inspiration from the DT over at the Peace On Earth Challenge right HERE and then play along if you still need to make some Christmas cards or even work on next years stash!  This challenge is open till Thursday, Jan. 2nd @ 8:00PM.

I'm also going to enter these cards in over at Darnell's NBUS Challenge since the snowman set has sat in my craft room for over a year, or maybe even 2 years.  Geesh...nothing like a little procrastination, right??!!  

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

The Flower Challenge Reminder #98 - Add Sparkle

Hello friends.  Just a friendly reminder that there's still time to play along with us at The Flower Challenge, where we are looking for cards with SPARKLE.

I know everyone's really busy this time of year, so I'll keep my post short and sweet...and SPARKLY!

I started by stenciling ASD's Festive Poinsettia with Gina K's Light, Medium, & Dark Orchid inks, and then lined up the coordinating stamp and embossed it in gold.  The sentiment from the same stamp set was also embossed in gold.  At this point I also added some glitter to the lightest pink leaves in the center of the flower.

I used Spellbinder's Hemstitched Dies to create my decorative border, and then added a trio of small snowflakes from Impression Obsession that I added white glitter to.  This panel was attached to a panel of gold glitter cardstock my sweet friend Michele gifted me from her cousin who was getting rid of her supplies.  This glitter cardstock really amps up the SPARKLE big time!  I finished with a few gold pearls in the center of my Poinsettia.

The DT has some absolutely beautiful (and SPARKLY!) cards to share with you for inspiration, so check them all out right HERE and then play along with us.  We'd love to see YOU in our SPARKLY gallery!  This challenge is open till Wednesday, Dec. 25th @ 5:00PM.  

And a very Merry Christmas to all of you, my friends!!  

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

Double D - Ornaments

Hello friends.  Trying to finish up the last few Christmas cards I need, and the Double D has a perfect challenge going right now for ORNAMENTS.

This challenge was the perfect excuse (like I need an excuse, right?!!) to pull out my Birch Press Radiant Ornament dies (set of 3 dies).  I wanted to do a white on white card and here's what I came up with...

 I cut all 3 layers from white and glued them together before attaching to a panel embossed with SU!'s Subtle ef (retired).  I layered the panel onto a piece of silver mirror cs and a white card base.

You can see a lot more of the detail from the 3 layers of die cuts in this close up and how intricate these dies are.  I added a very thin strip of the silver mirror cs for the hanger and added a bow using silver thread.  The sentiment is from Memory Box's Special Merry Christmas die and was cut from white glitter cardstock that I used a pink copic on for just a small pop of color.  I finished with 3 silver metallic pearls (PFS) and love how CAS and pretty it turned out!

The DT has some absolutely beautiful inspiration for you right HERE, so check it out if you need to finish up any of those last minute Christmas cards.  This challenge is open till Sunday, December 15th @ 8:00PM.  
  

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

The Flower Challenge #98 - Add Sparkle

Hello friends.  Hard to believe it's December already, isn't it?!  Hope your cards are all finished and in the process of being mailed out, but if not, we have a fun challenge for you this month at The Flower Challenge to help you finish up if you're still in need of more Christmas cards (or birthday cards, thank you's, etc.)  This month we are looking for SPARKLE on your cards, along with flowers too of course!!

Here's what I came up with...

 I'll apologize up front for my photography skills as I wasn't able to catch all the sparkle that shows up in real life with this card!  I used Speckled Aura Gold foil for the Glimmer Ferns (Spellbinder's) in my background on black cs and then added a red Poinsettia die cut from red glitter cs.  (WF - Layered Poinsettia Die)

      

I used The Greetery's Deco Frames Die for the border on black background panel...thought it added a little something, something.  For my sentiment I added Memory Box's Special Merry Christmas die cut with gold mirror cardstock (cut 3 times for a bit of added dimension).

Here's a close up where hopefully you can see a bit of the sparkle from my Poinsettia and even a bit on my foiled ferns too.

We can't wait to see the gallery filled with SPARKLING floral cards, so check out the inspiration from the DT and then play along with us right HERE.  This challenge is open till Wednesday, Dec. 25th @ 5:00PM.

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

Color Hues Challenge #100 - BLUE & PURPLE

Hello friends and Happy December!  Nancy is our sweet hostess this time around at Color Hues and she would like to see BLUE & PURPLE on our cards.  Because of December being a busy, busy month for most of us, this challenge will run for the whole month (till Dec. 29th), giving you all some extra time to play along.  SPECIAL NOTE: Because this is our 100th challenge, Nancy decided a prize was in order and will be giving away a box of Spellbinder goodies (some new & some used once)!  Nancy will choose one winner and 3 runner ups as usual, and then put all 4 names into a hat to draw the winner of the prize box.  Even more reason to play along this month, right?!!  So without further ado, let's get to it!!

My first thought for this color duo was snowflakes, but then my brain went in a totally different direction (happens often!!) and I ended up making a card using an older set from The Greetery.  Take a look...

I stamped and stenciled my white panel with PFS's Slumber & Blue Jay blue inks and SU!'s Highland Heather ink with The Greetery's Winterberry Bouquet and then ran the whole panel through with The Greetery's Pierced Plaid coverplate die to add some interest to the background.  

 I die cut The Greetery's Cathedral Window die 3 times from white cardstock and glued that over the center of my panel before adding my JOY die cut (PTI's Bold Borders: Flurries) from silver glitter cs.  I finished with a few Disco Ball sequins (Gina K) and some PFS Amethyst Glitter Drops.

This card was actually my 2nd card as my 1st card didn't exactly come out with the colors I thought they should have.  I used Seaside Spray and Misty Moonlight for my blue leaves and they came out like this...

It came out pretty but definitely not the blue shades I was expecting...more green, don't ya think??  I finished it anyway because I was still in need of Christmas cards, and used The Greetery's JOY die (from the same silver glitter cs as my card up above) and SSS's Icy Snowflake embossing folder for the background.  So there you have my twofer for the month!

The DT has some absolutely beautiful cards using BLUE & PURPLE to inspire you this month, so check it all out right HERE and then play along with us.  Remember that this challenge is open for the whole month of December (Sunday, Dec. 29th @ 9:00AM) and that there is a big prize to be given away at the end.  Wishing you all the Happiest of Holidays and many blessings for the New Year!  See YOU in the gallery!!

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

Double D - Get Ready for WINTER #2

Hello friends.  I'm pulling a Michele and doing a 2nd helpings of the challenge at Double D because I just received a gift from Diane & Darlene for winning the random.org drawing a while back and the die was just the perfect one to use for WINTER!!

The die they sent me was a Cottage Cutz Arctic Polar Bear & Cub and it was just too cute not to use right away!  I combined it with a technique that Bonnie Klass showed on a card HERE that I absolutely fell in LOVE with and had to try!  Not sure mine came out quite as well as hers, but I still really liked it and will definitely try it again!  Here's what I came up with...

Aren't those Polar bears just ADORABLE?!!  I started by making the background using residual ink from my green, blue, pink & purple blending brushes and a piece of acetate to blend against different angles with the different colors.  I was trying for a kind of northern lights look.

After the ink blending I added a couple torn strips of white cardstock for snowbanks and added glitter to the torn edges.  My sentiment is a very old PTI one called Think Big Favorites #20 and I still love using it every year!  I added foam tape behind the bears for some added dimension and called it good.

Still a couple days left to play along in this challenge, and you can find all the details and more inspiration from the DT right HERE.  A very big THANK YOU to Diane & Darlene for their generous gift and for all the work they put into running so many successful challenges...I honestly don't know how they keep track of it all!  This challenge is open till Sunday, Dec. 1st @ 8:00PM.   

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

Double D - Get Ready for WINTER

Hello friends.  Playing along with the gals over at the Double D Challenge where they are looking for WINTER themed cards.

I was inspired by the photo on the bottom right with all the snowflakes, and from the sounds of it, my neck of the woods is going to be covered with lake effect snow starting Thursday night and lasting almost through all of next week...YIKES!!  But anyway, I made a shaker card using some different snowflake products to come up with this card...

I started with a white panel and stamped HA's Snowflake Background in Smokey Slate ink and then ink blended around the edges with residual ink from my turquoise blending brush.  I cut apart one of those clear envelopes and folded the edges to the back of the panel on the two sides and bottom and left the top open so I could fill it with clear sequins and some turquoise star sequins I've had for forever!  Then I sealed the top to the back and then adhered it to a top folding white card base.

I added a SSS Shimmer Snowflake die cut (actually two of them for a bit of dimension) that my sweet friend Michele cut out for me to the center of the card and then added my strip sentiment that was white embossed on black cs to the center of the snowflake.  I love making these kinds of shaker cards because there's nothing for the shaker bits to get caught up on and they move so much more freely.  A pretty quick and easy card to make and that's what I need at this point to get those last few done!

You can check out what the DT came up with for this mood board/challenge and all the cards already in the gallery right HERE.  This challenge is open till Sunday, Dec. 1st @ 8:00PM.  

And for all of you celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, I wish each and everyone of you a wonderful day with family and friends and more blessings than you can count!

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

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!

Hello friends.  No challenges today...just wanted to play with a new set from this past release at PTI that's all about angels.  I have 2 cards to share with you using the Angelic Sentiments Die and then 3 angel ornaments made from the Build-An-Angel die set.

This card started with an Old Olive card base and then a layer of Old Olive that was die cut using PTI's Border Bling: Joy Frame.  I used Old Olive ink to darken up the edges of the frame and then attached to the card base.  Next I die cut two Magnolia Wreath (The Greetery) from white cardstock and ink blended them with Peeled Paint & Rustic Wilderness DOX inks.  I also added a bit of splattering with white & gold acrylic paints before off setting them (to make the wreath fuller) and attaching it to my card base.

 The angel was die cut from white and then die cut again from gold sparkle cardstock and placed behind the white one.  The JOY was also die cut from the same gold sparkle cardstock and comes with JOY frame set from PTI.  Really pleased with the way this one turned out!!

I basically copied my first card but used Boho Blue cardstock and ink on this 2nd card.  I did use a retired Script background stamp from SU! in the center of the JOY frame, but the wreath and angel covered most of it up.

You can see the script background a bit better in this close up.  I backed this 2nd angel with silver sparkly cardstock and also added foam squares behind her skirt for a bit of dimension and also curled up her white wings a bit so you could see the silver wings behind it.  The sentiment comes from PTI's Angelic Sentiments.  I think I like the green card better, but still like this blue one too.

Next up I created a trio of angel ornaments to hang on our Christmas tree using the Build-An-Angel die set after seeing the idea from Lin Brandyberry's post HERE.  I used SSS's Stylized Mandala Stencil on a piece of white cs cut to 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and stenciled one piece in light pink, one in aqua, and one in light gray and then cut 2 angels from each piece so I could have a front and a back.  

I die cut the halo in silver glitter cs and also cut pieces of the glitter cs to go under the skirt and show through the die cut design.  The wings were die cut with silver mirror cs.

The die set comes with different angel wings and I used the ones that look like leaves (to me!) on this aqua angel.  These were so easy to make and I think I'm going to make a few more to add as tags to Christmas gifts.  Thanks so much for sticking with me on this looooong post and hope you all have a great day!!

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

Berries Abound

Hello friends.  Definitely feels like Fall today with much cooler temps and rain in my neck of the woods.  Guess that means it's a good day to stay inside and play!  My sweet friend Michele lent me her 3D Berries Abound stencil, embossing folder, & die from Penny Black and I've been having a great time playing with this set and my DOX inks.  

I had so much fun blending through the stencils with the DOX inks and then because they are so water reactive, did a little splattering too!

I used the embossing folder first and then die cut, before adhering to another embossed panel using SSS's Holiday Greenery ef.  Some twine and a pre-printed sentiment from Gina K finished off this card.

 I decided to play around with more Fall colored berries on this one and I love the way it turned out (even if I did get a little heavy handed with the water splattering!!).  

Before I embossed this one I made a mask and then added the background using a retired SU! background stamp called En Francais.  I used twine at the bottom of this one and added a little tag from PTI's Tiny Tags stamp and die set.  I'll be adding this one to the Four Seasons Challenge where they are obviously looking for Fall themed cards.

My last card was actually a mess up, but I couldn't bear to throw it away, so I cut it down to a smaller size and I actually really like the way it turned out!  I even used a darker green colored pencil to go over some of the vein markings in the leaves and the sentiment is an oldie but a goodie from PTI's Christmas Blessings stamp set.

This is such a classic set that I just might have to invest in it at some point...it was so much fun to play with!  Thanks so much Michele for letting me borrow it!  

 

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