fancy thanks...

Did some more coloring.  This time for the Altenew Inspiration challenge.  The colors are so pretty, but ones that I was struggling to put together.  I'm determined that this year I will stretch myself and make things with color combos that I find challenging.   After giving several different ideas some serious thought and realizing that I was running out of time I decided to try an idea with the sweet Starry Flowers stamp and die set.  I stamped the images on smooth Bristol with VersaFine CLAIR Acorn ink and then colored the flowers using a combination of orange and red ZIGs for the petals and then purple for the center of the flowers.  The stems and leaves were colored with a dark green ZIG.  Once the images were dry I die cut with the matching dies.  The layout is from Freshly Made Sketches and I did think about making my card a square I ended up going with my usual A2 size card.  I die cut a circle from off white cardstock and then adhered that with foam dimensionals to a card base made from the same cardstock.   I added three score lines to the card base, but I don't you really see them.  I then adhered the flower stems to the circle.  The Altenew Fancy Thanks die was cut three times from dark green cardstock, stacked and then adhered to the card front.  Going to include this in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge, as well.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Happy Wednesday!

Well... here were are... the end of January already!  Yikes where does the time go?  It is Wednesday and that means I have a post up on the AJVD blog for you to check out.  Here is a little peek:

Hope you head over to the blog.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

whole lot of lovely...

A really quick post of a card that I finished up today.  I started coloring it a few days ago, got that part done and then had to wait for the matching die to arrive by FedEx.  That came today and this afternoon I got the card made.  I stamped the image in VersaFine CLAIR Acorn ink and then colored with ZIG markers.  Once the coloring was done deepened some of the shadows with a dark brown Polychromos color pencil.    The layout for my card is base loosely on the sketch from Fab Friday.  I used a MFT fishtail flag stax die for the banner and the MFT Mini Scallop Stitched rectangle die, along with an AJVD stitched dot rectangle.  I layered everything on a light gray cardstock base.  The sentiment is from an order MFT stamp set that I stamped and then trimmed into the sections.  I did have them originally arranged on the floral image pursuant to the sketch, but didn't like how that looked and placed them where they are now.   Super pleased with my coloring even if it did give me a horrendous stiff neck!  Going to also post this to the Inspired By challenge.  

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

bunny... love...

Hey there!  Popping in with a couple of cards.  The first one is for the current MFT sketch challenge, as well as the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.  The SSS challenge is about pets and while I don't have a bunny for a pet when I was younger our family had several different rabbits.  So it was a no brainer for me to pull out the MFT/Stacey Yacula Sending Sweet Celebration Wishes to color up the cute little bunny from the set.  I stamped the image on smooth Bristol cardstock with VersaFine Acorn ink and then colored it with ZIG markers.   Once the image was dry I die cut the bunny with the matching die.   I found a piece of patterned paper (from MFT) that I liked cut it to fit the card front and then die cut an oval using an MFT oval die set that they don't have any more.  I adhered the patterned paper piece with foam tape.  I then decided to stamp the banner from the set twice with VersaFine Morning Mist and colored with the same blue ZIG I used to color the bunny's hat and the cupcake holder.  The were die cut and then adhered to the card front.   The bunny was then adhered inside the oval using a double layer of foam tape.  I finished with the sentiment that I stamped in Morning Mist and die cut with an MFT fishtail flag die.  ETA:  Just realized that this card would work perfectly for the current Fusion challenge.  The sketch is even similar to the MFT sketch and my goodness... isn't that little critter in the photo just too darn cute!?

The second card is for Color Throwdown.  Normally I combine Color Throwdown with Freshly Made Sketches, but this time I was using the dies from the January Spellbinders small die kit of the month and as you can see it is a pretty large die.  It just didn't work with the sketch.  I die cut everything from pink, green and navy cardstock and then adhered thing.   Since the word love really takes center stage and I wanted the word you to be part of the card I first experimented with stamping the word you, but there wasn't really a good spot to place the stamped word.  So I pulled out December small die kit of the month and die cut the word you from navy cardstock and adhered it to the card in a spot the totally worked.   This card will be in the mail soon and on it's way to my little niece in California.  I hope she likes it!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!  If you are interested in finding out more about the Spellbinders monthly small die kit  you can find out more by clicking here.

Wednesday with AJVD...

Hey there!  Hope you are having a great week!  Today is Wednesday and that means I have a project up on the AJVD blog today.  Here is a little peek:

I hope you will head over to the AJVD blog to see the full project.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

you are a treasure...

Hello!  I got some crafty time in the other day and made this card for the Paper Players and CAS(E) this Sketch challenges.  I love me a opportunity to do some collaging (either with stamped images or a combination of stamping and die cut images) and when I saw the current CTS layout I had to make something for the challenge.   When I initially saw the PP challenge to create something fashion related I didn't think I had anything that would fit until I remembered that I had this fun little stamp set from PTI designed by Dawn McVey that included a dressmakers form.   I also used another stamp set designed by Dawn McVey from her Boutique Borders line to create the little sign (for lack of a better description) element.  I think I have almost all the Boutique Borders sets and now that they are more readily available to me I am going to try to use them more.  The flourish image is from a favorite Stampin Up! set called Timeless Textures.  My color combo was take from some patterned paper from PTI that has bright pink, light blue, green and teal in it.   You can't tell in the photo, but the dress form was die cut first from silver cardstock and then from the polka dot patterned paper that was trimmed down.  I layered another die cut to give the little dress form more stability.  The sign was die cut and then stamped with the border.  I arranged the dress form and the sign so I could determine where to stamp the flourishes and then layered everything up.  The sentiment was stamped on a little banner using green ink and adhered along with some iridescent sequins for a bit of sparkle.  I really like how my card turned out. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

sending my love...

Hello!  Hope you have some fun plans for the weekend.   I have a card to share for Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches.   Yep...  I combined them, again!   For me these two challenge just seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly!  For this card I used the Reverse Confetti Best Days stamp and die set.  I stamped the bouquet using VersaFine CLAIR Morning Mist ink on smooth Bristol cardstock and then colored the flowers with ZIG markers in the CTD palette.  I then colored the leaves and stems with light gray and medium gray ZIGs.  Once the image was dry I die cut it and added little white dots to the centers of the flowers using a Signo pen.   Off white cardstock was die cut with a curved border die from A Jillian Vance Design and then adhered to a light gray cardstock base.   I wrapped some dark blue twine around the stem of the bouquet, tied a bow and then adhered the bouquet to the card front with foam dimensionals.  The sentiment was stamped on vellum with VersaMark watermark ink, heat embossed in white, die cut it with a flag banner die and then adhered to the card front.  I finished things off with sparkling clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.   Going to add this to the Reverse Confetti January Stock Your Stash challenge, too.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

AJVD Birthday Celebration!

Hello and happy Wednesday everyone!  A Jillian Vance Design is celebrating 10 years in business and there is a party going on over on the AJVD blog this week.   There are 6 new dies and 5 new stamp sets available right now in the AJVD store!  I'm sharing a card that I made using one of the new dies and one of the new stamp sets.  Here is a little peek of my card:

Make sure you head over to the AJVD blog for your chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the AJVD store.  There are 10 up for grabs!  Thanks for stopping by today!

two cards... one image...

Hello!  Well I seem to be in a cardmaking lately!  I'm trying to use all of the stam

ps and dies that I purchased in November and December.   Today is the day to share two cards that I made using one image.  In either November or December I purchased the beautiful My Favorite Things Floral Focus stamp and die set.  This set consists of a large floral image and different words that can be put together to create sentiments.  The die is one large die that cuts the entire image.  However, the way the image was design there is a way to cut the image apart thus creating two separate pieces.  I stamped the image on watercolor paper and then stamped the image using VersaFine CLAIR Morning Mist ink.  I watercolored the image using my Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors in the MFT color challenge combo.  I'm really fascinated with using gray to color images and even though I had already created a card using that color combo I really wanted to use it again.  Once the image was dry I added some additional color with my Polychromos color pencils and I then carefully die cut it.  The die is solid and so I had to die cut it first from scrap paper to create a template, arrange the template over the stamped image, fit the die into place and then run it through my die cutter.  It took a little bit of patience to do that, but it worked like a charm. I cut the piece apart and then I created my first card using the layout from CAS(E) this Sketch.  I will also be posting this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge and the MFT color challenge.

The second card uses the layout from Mojo Monday.  I'm going to try to play along with Mojo Monday more often this year.  We will see how it goes.  I left the ribbon element off my card for a more clean and simple design.  Going to post this one to Simon Says Stamp, as well.  No need to explain the process as I already did that for the first card! With this card you can see more of my coloring as on the first card I partially covered that up with my sentiment strip.  I must say that  even though I had to cut the image into two separate pieces I'm really pleased with how well my coloring turned out.  I have been watching lots of videos on watercoloring and learning lots.  Now I have to put it into practice!  I'm looking forward to coloring this image again and using the full image on one card!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

sending hugs...

Hello!  A quick post today to share a card that I made for the MFT sketch and color challenges.  I used a MFT border die set that I have had for ages and never really used.  I do not know what it is called because it is no longer available from MFT, but it sure is cute!  I die cut my panel using the largest Stitched Mini Scallop Rectangle die from watercolor paper and then added a light wash of pink watercolor (Kuretake Gansai Tambi).  I dried the panel with my heat tool and then set it aside.  I die cut the hearts from dark red cardstock and adhered them to the watercolor panel.  The sentiment was stamped on a medium gray cardstock with watermark ink and then heat embossed in white.  I die cut it with another MFT die that is no longer available in the MFT store, but I believe was called Slanted Sentiment Strips.  The sentiment is from Pink Fresh Studios.  I adhered the sentiment strip after trimming it down and then finished with some sparkling clear confetti.   As you can see my interpretation of the sketch was pretty literal, lol! (I am affiliated with several companies listed on my side bar.  The majority of items I use I purchased from those affiliates.  Should you decide to purchase through my link I will receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)  ETA:  At my sweet bloggy friend Anita's (Anita is also on the Time Out design team) suggestion I'm going to add this to the Time Out challenge.  Thanks so much for reminding that this card would work for the challenge, Anita!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!  

happiness is...

Happy weekend!  I'm popping in with a card for two of my favorite challenges:  Freshly Made Sketches and Color Throwdown.  I always seem to combine the two challenges together, too!  Back in December I was able to make a small order with Concord & 9th thanks to a discount code they sent me (thanks C9!) and I purchased the Feathered stamp and die set.  The set has multiple feather images and I used several to create my feather.  I first stamped the largest image using Catherine Pooler Grass Skirt ink.  I then heat set the image to make sure that embossing powder would not stick to it.  I then lined up three additional images, stamped then with VersaMark watermark ink and heat set using WOW! gold embossing powder.  The feature was then die cut with the matching die.  I die cut two feathers from kraft cardstock using the stand a lone feather die and adhered the three feathers together.  I cut two lengths of dark green and gold bakers twine and then tied a knot in the center.  The ends were tied in knots, as well, trimmed down and adhered to the feathers.  A rectangle of white cardstock was die cut and adhered to a kraft cardstock base using foam dimensionals.  The feathers were adhered and then I added the sentiment that I heat embossed on green cardstock using the same WOW! embossing powder. (I am affiliated with several different companies listed in my side bar.  You can shop for many of the items I used to make my card using those links.  If you do so I will earn a small commission at no cost to you.  Thank you in advance should you decide to shop through those links.)

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!  

cards to share...

Hello!  Popping in today with multiple cards to share.  The first two cards were made with a background stamp called Etched Snowflake from the brand new Simon Says Stamp release called Hey Bestie (you can find the new release here).  I'm always so thankful to Simon Says Stamp for their kindness in sending me product to share with you!  For both cards I used a technique that I have seen the super talented Yana Smakula use on many occasions.  When I received the background stamp in the mail from SSS I knew that I wanted to try out Yana's technique.  It is a very simple one, but it really packs a punch.  You simply embossed your image on colored cardstock and then ink up the panel leaving the center of the panel uninked so that it puts the emphasis on the center of your card.  With the first card I cut a piece of light aqua cardstock and then embossed the background in silver.  I inked up the panel using Distress Oxide ink in Broken China.  The snowflake in the center is also from Simon Says Stamp and I die cut it from silver cardstock.   I die cut my panel so that one of the snowflakes in in the center of the panel and then adhered the snowflake to the center.  I heat embossed the sentiment (also from Simon Says Stamp) in silver (from Tsukineko)on vellum and used a SSS banner die to cut it before adhering it to the center of the snowflake.  The panel was then adhered to a white cardstock base.

For the second card I went with a more tone on tone look by using dark red cardstock that I embossed the background in clear embossing powder.  I then used a red ink (the cardstock and ink are from Stampin Up!) that matches the cardstock to ink up the panel.   For this card I used the Simon Says Stamp Snowflake Tag die set for my center snowflake.  I adhered my panel to a card base made from the same dark red cardstock.  I heat embossed the sentiment (from a Simon Says Stamp set) in gold embossing powder from WOW! Embossing on vellum and then die cut the tag.  The snowflake was die cut from gold mirror cardstock and then adhered to the center of the card.  I carefully applied glue behind the letters of the sentiment and then adhered the tag to the snowflake.  I finished off the card with a bow tied from baker's twine that is in the same color as the cardstock and ink.

My next set of cards I made just for fun with lots of goodies from Spellbinders.  I'm patiently waiting for my January Spellbinders small die kit and while I'm waiting I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to make a couple of cards using the Spellbinders December small die kit.   The December kit is a great set of word dies that allow you to make all kinds of combinations of sentiments.  I kept things simple by just using the Happy Birthday and Thinking of You dies.  Several months ago I purchased a Spellbinders card kit (May 2019).  These kits are jammed packed.  You get a die set, a pad of patterned paper, die cut embellishments, cardstock, pre-scored cards and envelopes, adhesive and a stamp set.   The value is amazing!  I had previously made a few cards with the die set that came in the kit and some of the die cut embellishments, as well.  With so much left over I had to get a couple more made.  I layered up lots of different elements including layered butterfly stickers that also came in the kit.  After layering up all the elements I die cut the sentiments from some of the cardstock from the kit and adhered them.  I just love how each card turned out!  I'm going to be posting one of the cards to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to use flowers.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Happy Wednesday!

Hello everyone!  Hope you are having a great week.  I have a post up on the AJVD blog and here is a little peek of my card:

Hope you will head over to the AJVD blog to check out my card.  I also want to let you know that AJVD is celebrating 10 years in business and will be releasing new stamps and dies to celebrate! Stay tuned as all the fun kicks off on Friday!  Thanks for stopping by today!

magnolia thanks...

Hello!  Hope your week is off to a great start.  I have a card to share that I made with a gorgeous stamp and die set from Stampin Up!  When I saw the Good Morning Magnolia stamp set and the matching Magnolia Memories die set in the Stampin Up! catalog I knew I had to get it.  I finally made it mine in December!   I will be posting this card to the following challenges:  Sunday Stamps (a gorgeous neutral palette that I have been dying to use!), CAS(E) this Sketch, the Paper Players and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.  The challenge at the Paper Players is to use something new, as is the challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.   So obviously the stamps and dies are my something new.  I stamped the flowers in VersaFine CLAIR Morning Mist, did some simple coloring with my Polychromos pencils in shades of gray and then die cut them with the matching dies.  The sentiment is also from the set and was stamped on vellum with VersaMark watermark ink and heat embossed with WOW! embossing powder in black.   The large flower was adhered to dark gray cardstock that I die cut with a rectangle die.  The sentiment was trimmed down and adhered over the top of the flower.  I added the smaller flower and some sparkling clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.   Super happy with how it turned out.

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you have a wonderful week!

happy birthday...

Hey there!  Hope your year is off to a great start!  So far so good for me!  Got some new goodies in the mail the other day and I made a card with one of them... the Flower Swag die set from Simon Says Stamp.  I used the color combo from Color Throwdown for my card so I will be posting it there, as well as over at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to create something new (either using a new product or a card for something new... like the year, etc.)   I die cut some white cardstock with a large rectangle die from A Jillian Vance Design and then used the border part of the Flower Swag set to die cut the bottom.  I then die cut brown cardstock with the same rectangle die and adhered it to the white rectangle so that I would have the perfect amount of brown cardstock showing at the bottom.  I then die cut the flower swag part of the die set from dark red cardstock three times and adhered them together.  The swag was then adhered to the white cardstock piece along the border.  I stamped a sentiment from another Simon Says Stamp set in watermark ink and then heat embossed it in white.  The entire piece was then adhered to a white cardstock base.  I finished with sequins from the Simon Says Stamp Love You sequin mix.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a safe and fun new years celebration last night.  Wow... 2020!  Where is the time going?  I'm kicking off the new year with a post over on the A Jillian Vance Design blog and here is a little peek of my card:

And yes... this one involves lots of sparkle, lol!  But sparkle is perfect for a card celebrating the new year, right?  Anyway, I hope you will head over to the AJVD blog to see the card and to let me know what you think.  Wishing you a very happy and health 2020!