Inspire Me Friday with PRS

Hey there!!  I hope your week has gone well.  It is Good Friday today and that means that Easter is this Sunday... a day I look forward to every year!   I have a post up today on the Precious Remembrance Shop blog.  Here is a little peek:

I hope you will head over to the PRS blog for a little look and to let me know what you think.  Wishing you a blessed and wonderful Easter!

He is Risen!

Hey there!!  Tomorrow is Good Friday and after looking around at a few challenges (I was alerted to one by the super talented Kimberly Weiner) I realized that a card I had made for the Simon Says Stamp flickr challenge works perfectly for these two challenges:  Inspired By and Time Out.  I recently got the super fabulous March Simon Says Stamp card kit and had been dying (not literally, but you know what I mean, lol!) to make something with the gorgeous stamp set that came with the kit.  After I made this card (second card in the post) I had wanted to do the camouflage die cutting technique again with the large cross.  Finally got the chance the other day... yay!  I stamped the large leafy image from the set on white cardstock with Memento Bamboo Leaves and then did simple coloring with a green Copic marker.   That piece was die cut with an AJVD Stitched Dot rectangle die and then I inked it up with the Squeezed Lemonade distress oxide ink that came in the kit.  The cross was then die cut from the center.  I die cut three more crosses and stacked them with the original die cut and inserted them back into the opening.  A second image was stamped with the Bamboo Leaves and colored with two green Copics.  The leaves were then trimmed out and adhered to the panel as you see.   The sentiments are from the SSS Rejoice! stamp set.  I had originally stamped the bottom sentiment in green onto the panel, but it looked awful... mainly because I messed it up, lol!  So I just covered it up with the same sentiment stamped in VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne on white cardstock that was trimmed out and the ends fishtailed.   I had no idea that both these challenges would involve the colors of yellow and green, but I love it when things work out that way... don't you?

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  SSS Fog, MFT white; Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp; Dies:  A Jillian Vance Design; Inks:  VersaFine CLAIRE, Memento, Distress Oxide; Sequins:  Pretty Pink Posh

Wednesday with AJVD...

Hello there!!! Wednesday is here, again, and that means I have a new project up on the AJVD blog today.  Yep... I'm giving you a little peek, lol:

Hmmm... what could it be??  Hope you will head over to the AJVD blog for a look and to let me know what you think!  Have a wonderful day!

March PTI Blog Hop

Happy Palm Sunday everyone!! Can't believe that Easter is next Sunday!  I'm trying to make a few more Easter cards for family and friends and the March PTI blog hop gave me that opportunity.   When I saw the lovely basket of tulips in the photo I thought of the lovely PTI Tulip Time stamp set.  That was my starting point.  After I got home from church on Saturday (last) night I die cut and stamped the little tulip bouquet.  I went through my small collection of Inspired stamp and die sets and settled on Inspired Savior.  As I was getting out the die I noticed my Clock Face die and decided that I wanted to work that in somehow.  I went to bed and this morning finished up my card.  To pull in the feel of the basket I die cut the Clock Face die from kraft cardstock and popped out all the pieces.  I then embossed the Clock Face die into a piece of rustic white cardstock and adhered the clock face using spray adhesive.  The piece was then trimmed down to fit an A2 card base.  The tulips were stamped using two shades of pink.  To get the depth on the final detail image for the tulips I simply kept inking up the image with the same shade until I had it as dark as I wanted it.  Two shades of green were used for the stems.  Savior was die cut four times, once from Lemon Tart cardstock, once from kraft cardstock and twice from thin white cardstock.  All where adhered together using spray adhesive.  Final step was to stamp the words our and lives! in kraft ink.  Then I layered everything and adhered it to a Lemon Tart base.  Going to add this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of floral frenzy as well. 

Hope you have a wonderful day... happy hopping!!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI rustic white, lemon tart, SU! crumb cake; Stamps and dies:  PaperTrey Ink; Inks:  Stampin Up! crumb cake, pink pirouette, pretty in pink, certain celery and pear pizzazz

two more cards...

Hey there!!  As my post title says I have two more cards to share today.  The first one is for the current Where Creativity Meets C9 and Stamp Ink Paper challenges.  The WCMC9 challenge is to use a sketch and even though it is a pretty simple one I had a hard time coming up with something.  Finally I settled on using to images from the C9 Give Thanks set.  Depending on how you use them they can either be used to create a leaf or an arrow.  I went with leaf.  I stamped the veins in Catherine Pooler Black Jack ink. Despite it's name it is actually a lovely shade of gray.  Then I over stamped the solid image using SU! Lemon Lime Twist and Taken with Teal.  The panel was then die cut down.  I stamped one of the smaller mandalas from the C9 Many Mandalas stamp set using Taken with Teal and then die cut it with the matching die.  The happy birthday sentiment is from the same set and it was stamped in the Lemon Lime Twist and then die cut with an AJVD Polka Dot circle die.  I popped up both on top of the leaves.  The panel was then adhered to a light gray cardstock base.  Clean and simple... my favorite style!

The second card is for the current Freshly Made Sketches challenge, as well as the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of floral frenzy.  I will also be posting this in the Simon Says Stamp flickr gallery as the challenge there is to make a spring/Easter card and this card is for Easter.  The large floral image from the SSS Floral Bliss stamp set was stamped in VersaFine Onyx Black on Canson water color paper and then colored with ZIG markers and clean water.  Once I had the coloring done I die cut the large cross from the SSS Crosses die set from the center of the image.  I covered the back of the opening with tape and then inset three more crosses before adhered the colored one on top.  The panel was trimmed down and adhered to a light green cardstock base.  The sentiment was created by using two sentiments from the SSS Rejoice! Stamp set.  I arranged them on vellum, stamped in watermark ink and heat embossed in white.  The sentiment was then die cut with an MFT Fishtail Flag stax die.  I adhered the sentiment using rolled up glue dots that were placed behind the words so they don't show.  Love how this one turned out!!

Hope you have a wonderful day! 

Supplies:  Card 1:  Cardstock:  PTI Fresh Snow linen, SU! Smoky Slate; Stamps and dies:  Concord & 9th; Inks:  Stampin Up! and Catherine Pooler

Card 2:  Cardstock:  SU! Gable Green, Canson watercolor; Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp; Dies:  Simon Says Stamp and MFT; Ink:  VersaFine and VersaMark; Embossing powder:  Hero Arts white; Watercolor medium:  ZIG Real Brush Clean Color markers

cards for sketch challenges...

Hey there!!  The weekend is here... looks like we are going to have a wet and windy one here in my neck of the woods.   I'm popping in with a couple of cards for two sketch challenges:  Viva La Verve and Sketch for You to Try.  The Sketch for You to Try card is also for the current Color Throwdown.  First up is the Sketch for You to Try and Color Throwdown challenges.   I used the Reverse Confetti Love Blooms and Easter Blessings stamp sets (and matching dies) and the RC Cross die.  I stamped all the flowers in Stampin Up! Cameo Coral using second generation stamping and then added the outlines using the same ink without stamping it off.  The little leaves were stamped with a light green ink from Hero Arts.   The sentiment was stamped in black and then die cut with a circle die.  A mat was die cut from some matching coral cardstock.  Simple strips of black and coral cardstock were also cut.   Everything was then layered up on an white cardstock panel and the panel adhered to a light gray cardstock base.  Super simple!!

The second card is for the current Viva la Verve sketch.  Every month I vow to myself I will play along with VLV and then the month goes by and I don't get around to it.  This month I was determined and I finally made it happen!!  I used a sentiment from the Verve Brighter Blooms stamp set that I stamped in Catherine Pooler Rose Petal ink.  I die cut it with an AJVD circle die.  I matted it with some paper from the Bella Blvd Make Your Mark paper pad that I die cut with an AJVD Stitched Scallop Circle die.  I used additional papers for the main panel and strip elements in the sketch.  I adhered the strip to the panel and then wrapped the panel with white baker's twine that I tied in a bow.  I added some pink sequin trim and the little flower embellishment from the Bella Blvd Make Your Mark line.   Another super simple design!  Adding this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of floral frenzy.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  white, SSS Fog, SU! Cameo Coral, PTI black; Patterned paper: Bella Blvd; Stamps:  Reverse Confetti and Verve; Dies:  Reverse Confetti and A Jillian Vance Design; Inks:  Stampin Up!, VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne, Stampin Up! Cameo Coral, Catherine Pooler Rose Petal, Hero Arts light green; Stampin Up! white baker's twine; Pink sequin trim; Bella Blvd Make Your Mark flower embellishment

Wednesday with AJVD...

Hey there!!  Hope your week is going well.  Popping in to let you know that I have a card up on the AJVD blog today.  Here is a little peek:

Hope you will head over to the AJVD blog for a look and to let me know what you think.  Have a wonderful day!

shine on...

Hey there!!  Popping in with a quick post to share a card for the soon to be closing Freshly Made Sketch challenge.  No a lick of stamping on this card.  I used fun papers and embellishments from the Bella Blvd Make Your Mark collection.  I started with the little polka dot square you see peeking out from the bottom, added a clip from the collection and then adhered it on point.  Then the fun started as I layered up the sweet flower cluster, the little border strip, the sentiment and finished with the polka dot heart and a sweet little puffy sticker heart.  My youngest has the day off from school and the weather is pretty good so we are heading out on an adventure to check out one of our state parks.  And bonus... today is Washington State Park's birthday so all state parks are free!!!  YAY!!

Have a wonderful day!

Supplies:  All supplies are from Bella Blvd except the cardstock base which is PTI Fresh Snow linen cardstock

Our Daily Bread Designs 10th Anniversary Celebration!

Hello everyone!!  I'm stopping in today with some cards that I created using items from Our Daily Bread Designs' 10th Anniversary celebration!!  Sending a huge congratulations to Kelley (the owner of ODBD) and to ODBD for reaching this milestone!  Today and tomorrow ODBD will be showcasing cards from past design team members on their blog.  Back in late 2011 I had the honor of being  asked to become a part of the ODBD challenge team.  Of course I said yes and remained on the team through the end of 2012.  If you don't know ODBD creates beautiful faith based stamps and dies and for this 10th anniversary they are releasing a beautiful scripture based stamp set called God Verses 2 and a stamp set that focuses on faith based quotes called God Quotes 2.  There are also two die sets being release as well.   I was given the opportunity to work with the God Verses 2 and the newly released Filigree Circles die set.   As everything is being released today I am sharing what I created for the ODBD blog here on my blog.   When I received the stamps and dies I immediately knew I wanted to try to create a circle card with the dies.  To be able to cut all the little bits out of the largest die I made sure to use a metal shim and to run everything through my Big Shot multiple times.  Then I die cut the largest die from a piece of patterned paper from the ODBD Christian Faith paper pack and adhered it to the card base.  Then I had to decide on a verse to use.  I chose the Romans 8:31 verse because it is one of my favorites.  Instead of using white cardstock to stamp my verse on I used a soft gray that was similar to the gray in the patterned paper I used.  I die cut the sentiment with one of the medium sized dies from the set and then backed that with the second medium sized die using a dark purple cardstock.

My second card was created with a friend of mine's daughter in mind.  She is current dealing with a pretty debilitating health issue and the verse I chose really spoke to me about how despite everything she is going through right now God will not let her fall.  I kept things really simple on this card to keep the focus on the beauty of the verse.  I simply cut a piece of paper from the Christian Faith pack and adhered it to a white cardstock panel.  I used the same two dies that I used in the previous card for the verse and the mat.  This time I did stamp the verse on white cardstock and used a light blue for the mat.  The panel was then adhered to a cardstock base made from the same light blue.   I love how the pattern in the paper I used is similar to the set of dies that I used.

Finally my last card uses an older ODBD stamp set called Chickadee.  When I saw the verse that I used for this card I immediately thought about the Chickadee set and pulled it out of my stash of ODBD stamps.   I stamped the little bird on some off white cardstock and colored it very simply with Prisma color pencils.  I then trimmed down the panel and added a stripe of paper from the Christian Faith paper pack along one side.  For the verse I decided to stamp it in watermark ink on vellum and heat emboss it using platinum embossing powder.  Then I die cut the vellum using that second largest die from the Filigree Circles die set.  I attached the sentiment to the card using glue dots place behind the embossing so they would be hidden.  The panel was then adhered to a light blue cardstock base.  Again, a very simple design, but I really wanted simple to put the focus on the beautiful verses I was using.  Here are photos of the products I used:

Thanks for sticking with me through this long post!  I just want to say again that I am so honored that Our Daily Bread Designs asked me to share these wonderful new products with you!  You can find them in the ODBD store along with some specials that ODBD is running like saving $10.00 on your order at ODBD!   All three cards were given to the daughter of my friend to hopefully provide her with some encouragement during this difficult time she is walking through!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!

Supplies:  Cardstock: white, light gray and light blue; Paper:  Our Daily Bread Designs Christian Faith; Stamps and dies:  Our Daily Bread Designs; Inks:  VersaFine Onyx Black, Smoky Gray and VersaMark watermark ink; Coloring medium:  Prisma Color pencils

Inspire Me Friday with PRS...

Hey there!!  Happy Friday!!  I'm stopping in to let you know that I have a post up on the PRS blog today.  I'm sharing one last project using the new Daily Thoughts stamp set, as well as the Daily Thoughts Bits & Pieces.  Here is a little peek:

Hope you will head over to the PRS blog for a little peek... have a wonderful day!

have a sudsational day...

Hey there!!  I popping in today with a card that I made for the current MFT sketch challenge, as well as the current MFT color challenge.   So... I LOVE bunnies!!  We have wild bunnies in our neighborhood and I just love to see hopping around.  I have a collection of handmade bunnies from a company called Bunnies by the Bay.  Yep... I love bunnies!  So when I saw the super cute Birdie Brown Bubble Over with Joy stamp set from the MFT March release I had to have it.   So today I have colored up a couple of those little cuties.  The bunnies were stamped using VersaFine Smoky Gray on Canson watercolor paper and then colored up with ZIG Clean Color markers and water.  Once they were all colored up I let them dry and got to work on the sketch layout.  I used a fun plaid paper from the MFT 6x6 Plaid Patterns paper pad that had colors that are in the MFT color combo for the largest strip and then added the thin strip of yellow cardstock.  A circle was die cut from white cardstock and a mat for that circle from green cardstock.  I adhered all the pieces and then add the sentiment strip that I die cut using a MFT Slanted Sentiment Strip die.   To make the sentiment strip fit better I used the die to trim off both ends.   I then adhered the sentiment strip and used it to ground my bunnies.  I finished things off by adding some Nuvo Crystal Drops in Morning Dew to the little bubbles and to the bubble wand that the little bunny is holding.  I can't wait to make something else using this cute little set!!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Supplies:  

wednesday with ajvd

Hey there!!  Hope your week is going well.   Stopping in to let you know that I have a post up on the AJVD blog today.  Here is a little peek:

Hope you will take some time to head over to the AJVD blog for a look.  Have a wonderful day!!

tigers and a flower... oh my!

Hey there!!  Popping in with a couple of cards I made over the course of the week.  First up is a card for the current My Favorite Things sketch challenge.  When I saw the super cute little MFT set called Fierce Friends I just had to get it!   Aren't those little tigers just too cute?   I stamped all three tigers and five trees on Canson watercolor paper with VersaFine Onyx Black ink and then coloring everything with ZIG Clean Color markers.  The tigers were colored with orange (070), dark gray (095) and light gray (091) and water.  I don't have black so to make the stripes dark I colored them with the dark gray, let them dry and then added on more color.  The trees were colored with may green (047) and beige (072).   Once everything was dry I die cut the pieces with their matching dies.  I colored a small panel of Canson watercolor paper with ZIGs in blue, green and light brown and blended out with water.  When that was dry I die cut it with a Spellbinders long rectangle die.  The sun was created by coloring another piece of Canson watercolor paper with a yellow ZIG and then die cut it with a die from the MFT Mini Blooms die set.    Everything was then layered according to the sketch layout.   I did have to stamp the sentiment after I had adhered everything, but using my mini MISTI I managed to get it on the card without any problem!  I think I will add this to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of girl power... I hope this works!  I'm going to add this to the Simon Says Stamp national craft month line up, as well. 

The second card is for several challenges:  Time Out:  Bold, Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches.   About a month ago I purchased the Altenew Fantasy Floral die set and had not had the chance to make something with it.  So when I saw the current Color Throwdown combo I knew the time to use the dies had arrived.  I die cut the flower parts and then layered them with foam tape to give them depth.   Per the FMS layout I cut a piece of kraft cardstock and then layered it with strips of the coral and green cardstocks.  Then I adhered that piece to my cardbased.   The flower and leaves were arranged to my liking and then adhered.  I stamped the hello from the Halftone Hello stamp set in kraft ink and then adhered.  It was at this point that I realized I had made the mistake of adhering the angled piece before I had stamped the little word hello.  Thankfully I was able to stamp it with out any issues!  I think my coral colored flower is rather bold so that is why I'm adding it to the current Time Out challenge. 

Hope you have a wonderful day!!

Supplies:  Card 1:  Cardstock:  MFT smooth white, Canson watercolor; Stamps:  My Favorite Things; Dies: My Favorite Things and Spellbinders; Ink:  VersaFine Onyx Black; Watercolor Medium:  ZIG clean color markers

Card 2:  Cardstock:  MFT smooth white, SU! Cameo Coral and Crumb Cake, PTI New Leaf; Stamps and dies:  Altenew; Inks:  VersaFine Onyx Black, SU! Crumb Cake 

wednesday with ajvd...

Hey there!!  Hope you are having a good week.  It is Wednesday and that means I have a card up on the AJVD blog today.  And here is my little peek:

I hope you will take the time to head over to the AJVD blog for a look and to let me know what you think.  Have a wonderful day!

with brave wings she flies...

Hey there!!  I'm popping in with a quick post of a card that I made for a few challenges:  CAS(E) this Sketch, Color Throwdown and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.   I love the CTD color combo and CTS layout  and really wanted to play along with both challenges.  I got the February My Monthly Hero kit and had not made one thing with it... so sad, I know!  So I pulled it out and used two feather images from the kit along with a sentiment from one of the add-on stamp sets.   I started my card by cutting down a piece of kraft cardstock and then splattering it with some white acrylic paint mixed with water.  I was rather pleased with myself that I actually got the splatters where I wanted them!!  Then I stamped the two feathers in pink, grey and kraft inks and cut them out with the matching dies.  When the panel had dried I arranged my feathers and decided that the largest kraft feather was not needed.   I adhered all the feathers and then made my sentiment strip by embossing the sentiment in white on black cardstock.  The strip was adhered and then I added the twine embellishment and some gray and pink sequins.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  SU! Crumb Cake and PTI Rustic white; Stamps and dies:  Hero Arts; Inks:  Stampin Up! Powder Pink, Smoky Slate and Crumb Cake; white acrylic paint; Recollections twine; Sequins:  Ellen Hutson gray and Pretty Pink Posh pink

PRS Inspire Me Friday...

Hey there!!  Happy Friday!!  I have a post up on the Precious Remembrance Shop blog today.  Here is a little peek:

Hope you will head over to the PRS blog for a look and to let me know what you think!  Have a wonderful weekend!!

Season's Greeting...

Hello there!!  I have a Christmas card to share today.  When I saw the challenge at Merry Monday to create a card using poinsettias I just had to play along!  I just love poinsettias and have a number of poinsettia stamps.  Some of my favorites are from Penny Black and are part of their brushstroke stamp line.  I used one called Red Star.  I used a variation of a technique that I used on a couple of cards I made last week.  The technique was one shared by the super talented Jill Foster a few weeks ago.  I used Ranger Distress markers in Candied Apple and Abandoned Coral to color the main flower and Forest Moss to color the greenery.  I started by coloring the petals with Abandoned Coral and then stamping on watercolor paper.  I blended it out a bit with a tiny bit of water and then added more Abandoned Coral and repeated the steps.  When I had the color I wanted I added in the Candied Apple to get some depth of color to the leaves.  I finished up with the greenery and then added the centers using a Wild Honey distress marker.  I used the layout from Freshly Made Sketches so I will post it there. I trimmed down the panel and then added a little strip of patterned paper per the sketch.  Because I didn't want to completely cover up the poinsettia I stamped the sentiment (also from Penny Black) on vellum in gold embossing powder and then adhered it to my panel.   Since this week the challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is anything goes I will be adding this there, as well.

Hope you have a wonderful day!!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  SU! Real Red, PTI vellum, Arches Hot Press watercolor; Patterned paper:  Echo Park; Stamps:  Penny Black; Inks:  Ranger Distress markers, VersaMark watermark ink; Embossing powder:  Ranger Ultrafine Gold