you've been amazing...

Hey friends!!  Another beautiful day here in the Pacific Northwest.   After some fun in the sun at the beach this afternoon I'm popping in with a little card that I made using the current sketch from My Favorite Things.  I also going to add this to the guest designer call that Ellen Hutson is having for their challenges (They are asking you to combine Essentials by Ellen products with products from other brands they carry.  I'm using MFT products) and the current AAA Card challenges to use stitching (faux or real... mine is faux).  I had been doing some coloring with my ZIGS, again, and after I finished up that project (you can see it here) I decided to color up a few butterflies from the EE Up the Happy set.  After the butterflies were colored and dried I over stamped them with VersaMark watermark ink, applied iridescent embossing powder and heat set.   Wasn't sure what I was going to do with them, but then I thought one would be perfect for the MFT sketch challenge.  I die cut some watercolor cardstock using the MFT Inside Out Stitched Rectangles and then stamped the small cloud from Up the Happy that had been colored with a blue ZIG marker.  I then used clean water and a brush to color the cloud.   A second cloud was stamped and colored using the same method.  Once the cloud was dry I die cut it with the matching die.  The sentiment is from the MFT Amazing stamp set and was stamped using VersaFine Onyx Black.  The word amazing (also from MFT) was die cut from white cardstock and watercolor cardstock.   The watercolor word was colored with the same blue ZIG that I used to color the clouds.  Once that was dry I stacked the words and adhered the word as you see.  I added the second cloud and butterfly to the upper corner of the sentiment panel.  To finish things off I die cut some light grey cardstock using a Rectangle die to frame up the sentiment panel and then adhered everything to a white cardstock base. 

Thanks for stopping by today... would love to know what you think!


Supplies:  Cardstock:  white, SSS fog, Ranger watercolor; Stamps:  Essentials by Ellen and My Favorite Things; Dies:  Essentials by Ellen and My Favorite Things; Inks:  VersaFine and VersaMark; watercolor medium:  ZIG clean color markers; Iridescent embossing powder

happy bird-day...

Hello!!!  Yay!!!  I got another card made!!  This one is for the May Reverse Confetti Sketch For You To Try, Color Throwdown and AAA Cards (birthday).  I had big plans to get my card for this month's SFYTT done early, but then everything seemed to speed up and it was time for my shoulder surgery so any chance of making something until now was gone.  And since there is just a day or so left before the challenge closes I knew I had to get something made and it needed to be simple, lol!   I used the RC set Fabulous Flamingo along with the matching dies.  The flamingo was stamped using my mini MISTI so I could get a really nice image of the flamingo.  Then I die cut everything.  The rectangle panel was die cut with another RC die and stamped with the flamingo's legs and the sentiment using black ink and the body was adhered with foam dimensionals.  The banner were die cut using MFT's Stitched Fishtail Flag stax dies, trimmed down and adhered to a white panel.  The panel was then die cut with my favorite AJVD polka dot rectangle dies.  I partially embossed a portion of the panel for some additional interest.  Add the sentiment panel to the main panel and then adhered that to a rose red card base.  A few pink sequins from Pretty Pink Posh finished things off. Oh and I think I will post this to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.

Thanks for stopping by today...


Supplies:  Cardstock: white, SU! Marina Mist and Rose Red; Stamps:  Reverse Confetti; Dies:  Reverse Confetti, MFT and AJVD; Inks:  SU! Pretty in Pink and Rose Red, Hero Arts black; Embossing folder:  SU! Decorative Dots; Pretty Pink Posh sequins

you're my kind of peep...

Hey friends!!  Finally got a chance to make a card for a few challenges.   I recently got the Simon Says Stamp March card kit and so I pulled it out to make this fun card.  I'm going to be posting it to the following challenges:  Freshly Made Sketches, AAA Cards (embossing) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge (touchy feely).   Originally I die cut the little bunny peeps from some of the patterned paper in the kit, but then decided to use some of the felt I have had for several years now and never used!  I used black ink to add the little faces to my peeps once they were die cut.  That is the "touchy feely" element I added to the card.  The sentiment was stamped on the white cardstock strip using VersaMark watermark ink, black embossing powder applied and heat set.  I tried to get a close up of the sentiment in hopes that it would show the embossing, but it still just looks like I stamped the sentiment with black ink so you will just have to take my word for it...  After die cutting my panels from the dark pink cardstock and the patterned paper I layered everything up and then finished the card off with a few sequins.  Pretty cute don't you think?

Thanks for stopping by today...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Simon Says Stamp white and Doll Pink; Patterned paper:  Carta Bella Spring; Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp My Kind of Peep; Dies:  A Jillian Vance Design and Simon Says Stamp My Kind of Peep; Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaMark watermark ink; Embossing powder: Filigree Black Fine Detail; Sequins:  Lawn Fawn; Felt:  My Favorite Things

you have my heart...

Hello friends!!  Happy Friday!!  Popping in with a card that I made with some yummy new Simon Says Stamp goodies.  On Monday I got some SSS happy mail and the second package came on Thursday!  One of the items I got on Thursday was the beautiful Heart of Roses die.  I decided to pair that die up with the current ColourQ and CAS(E) this Sketch challenges.  Originally I was going to go simple with the heart, but somehow ended up spending oodles of time creating what you see on my card, lol!  What I did was die cut the heart from white and pop out all the pieces.  I then die cut a dark red heart and popped out all the pieces except the roses.  Hearts were die cut from aqua, the lighter red and kraft and the pieces from each were inlaid into the red heart.  I used bits of washi tape on the back to hold everything in.  Once that was done I overlaid the white heart and I love how it turned out.  I will say one thing I learned about this die.  I had to use a metal shim when cutting it and I had to place it sideways (if that makes sense) in order to get it to cut fully. But the extra effort is definitely worth it!! The banners were die cut using one of my MFT fishtail flag stax die sets.  The sentiment is from the SSS stamp set Roses for You.  I'm also going to add this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge: Have a Heart and the SSS flickr group challenge lots of love.  Realize that this will work for the current AAA Cards challenge and the current Time Out challenge inspired by words:  'Love is the flower you've got to let grow' .

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  white, PTI kraft; SU! Pool Party, Ruby Red and Cherry Cobbler; Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp; Dies:  Simon Says Stamp, My Favorite Things and A Jillian Vance Design; Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

you are a gem...

Hey friends!!  Stopping in with a card for a couple of challenge, CAS(E) this Sketch... haven't played there is ages... and ColourQ.   I'm also adding this to the current AAA Cards challenge:  glitter.  When I started this card on Monday night I hadn't planned on using it for either challenge, but when I saw the ColourQ combo I had a change of heart.  The reason for the change of heart is the inclusion of silver in the ColourQ palette.   When I started my card on Monday I had decided to use the newly released A Jillian Vance Design set call Diamond in the Rough and the newly released Dazzling Diamond die.  So I created a watercolor background using Delicata Silver Shimmer ink.   All I had to do on Tuesday was add some splatters using the other ink colors and then add the die cut diamond and it fit both challenges!!  The diamond was die cut from a beautiful sparkly silver/
white glitter cardstock and then several more times from white cardstock.  Everything was then adhered together.  The stamping of the sentiment and the placement of the diamond play into the CTS layout.   For an additional touch of silver I added the stitching using the PTI Stitching Lines die and some DMC silver metallic thread.   A second panel was die cut from plain white cardstock, adhered at an angle and then the main panel adhered on top of that.  Even though I always tape down my watercolor paper to decrease warping I still end up with some and so decided to incorporate that into my card by only attaching the top panel to the card front at the top and letting the rest of it remain lifted up.  I kinda like it!    Here is a little bit better look at it:

 

 

Thanks for stopping by...

 

Supplies:  Cardstock:  SSS fog, white, Ranger watercolor paper; Stamps:  A Jillian Vance Design; Dies:  A Jillian Vance Design and PTI; Inks:  Stampin Up! Coastal Cabana, Certainly Celery, Gumball Green, Memento Tuxedo Black and Delicata Silver Shimmer;  DMC silver metallic thread

2 More Christmas Cards + 2 Winners

Hey friends!!  Popping in today to let you know who won the two gifts I have to giveaway and to share two cards.  First to my winners... Greta wins the CAS-ual Fridays bundle and Judy Tuck wins the Concord & 9th bundle!    Please let me know your addresses so I can send off your new goodies!!  Now... on to my cards...

First up is a card that I made for the December Reverse Confetti Sketch for You to Try and the current Color Throwdown challenge.  I think this also works for the current AAA Cards challenge (it is a Christmas card and it has stars on it) so I will be posting it there.  I had meant to use a different RC stamp set, but ended up using the same set I used for the November SFTTY... Seasonal Sentiments.   After I die cut everything (using Spellbinders plain and scallope circle dies and a RC Confetti Cut die) and then started to put everything together I thought the card was a bit plain.  I added some embossing to the two cardstock strips, but that didn't help much.  So I decided to die cut the star garland (from Reverse Confetti) from the aqua, hot pink and silver glitter paper.   It definitely adds a bit more to the card, but I'm wondering if I should have opted for some sequins instead.  But I guess we all have those cards that don't exactly turn out how we thought they would, lol!!

The second card is for the current Freshly Made Sketches.  I used papers and stickers from the December Simon Says Stamp card kit and some glitter paper from Heidi Swapp.  I absolutely love the glitter paper that comes in the pad.  I need to head to Joann's to see if they still have any left.  The papers I used are from PinkFresh Studio.  I die cut the main panel and then cut the two other cardstock pieces.  A strip of the bright white glitter paper was added to the one edge of the smaller piece.  I layered up everything and finished with a PinkFresh Studio puffy sticker.  Some self-adhesive sequins from Jillibean Soup were added and I was done.  Absolutely no stamping on this one.  Sometimes it is nice to make a card that doesn't involve stamping!

 

Thanks for stopping by today...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Simon Says Stamp Fog and Sea Glass; white, hot pink; Patterned paper:  PinkFresh Studio; Stickers:  PinkFresh Studio; Stamps:  Reverse Confetti; Dies:  Spellbinders, Reverse Confetti; Glitter paper:  Heidi Swapp; Adhesive sequins:  Jillibean Soup; Woodgrain embossing folder
 

thanks...

Hey friends... dropping in with a card that I made using some fun stamps and dies from Concord & 9th called Pop Art Pineapple.  I generally don't follow trends really closely, but when I saw the fun Pop Art Pineapple set I wanted to add it to my collection.  Finally took the plunge a few weeks ago got it and I'm glad I did... gotta step outside my non-trendy box every once in a while, lol!! I used the colors from the current Color Throwdown, as well as the current layout from Freshly Made Sketches for my card.  Since this is a thank you card I will also be posting this to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.  The FMS layout definitely said "simplicity" to me and so that is the direction I went in.  After die cutting and stamping my pieces I created a little nest from gold metallic thread as the circular element in the sketch and adhered it to my die cut panel.  Once the glue had dried sufficiently I added the pineapple and the little banner.  A few Doodlebug sparkly gold enamel dots were added, as well.   Once I had adhered everything I felt something was missing so I added some partial embossing to the top corner of the panel.  That is what I love about partial embossing you can place your cardstock piece in the embossing folder and using your trusty craft hammer emboss only the portion you want embossed!   Adding this to the current AAA challenge of thanks/thanksgiving.

 

Thanks for stopping by today...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  white, Simon Says Stamp fog; Stamps:  Concord & 9th; Dies:  Concord & 9th and A Jillian Vance Design; DMC gold metallic thread; Doodlebug gold sparkle enamel dots; Stampin Up! decorative dots embossing folder

cards for a few challenges...

Hey friends!!  Popping in with two cards that I made for several challenges.  The first card is for the current Color Throwdown, Freshly Made Sketches and Time Out challenges.  I have not played along with a Time Out challenge in ages so when I saw that the new challenge is to be inspired by words ('Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile') I had to combine it with the other two challenges and play along.  Been in a bit of a crafting funk the last few days so I did something that usually helps kick start my mojo... straight up stamping!  I pulled out a few Stampin Up! sets (Painted Petals and French Foliage) and got to work.  I used the rock and roll technique and threw in a bit of collage stamping.  After stamping the majority of the images and the sentiment I felt there was a little something missing so I added a bit more stamping using a splatter image from French Foliage and the orange ink.  I die cut the panel using the A Jillian Vance Design Polka Dot Rectangle Backdrop dies (these dies are now my go to dies for creating my card panels... love them!) and then added a little sparkle with some clear sequins.  Absolutely love how the card turned out and it did help to kick start my mojo... YAY!!  Since today is World Cardmaking Day I'm going to enter this card into the Simon Says Stamp World Cardmaking Day challenge.

 

 

The second card was made for the current ColourQ and AAA Cards challenges.  The current AAA cards (I had so many places I was trying to remember to link up my cards to that linking it up to AAA got lost in the shuffle...realized it last night!!) challenge is to make words the center of attention so it was the perfect time to use my Painted Thank You set from Concord & 9th.  I found Concord & 9th several months ago through Splitcoaststampers.  I love their fun, unique designs and just recently made another purchase from them.  Can't wait to get my new goodies.  For this card I kept things really simple and just used the brushstroke image from the set to stamp all the colors in the ColourQ combo.  I then overstamped the thank you in black.  The panel was die cut with the second largest rectangle from the A Jillian Vance Design Polka Dot Rectangle Backdrop dies and added some clear sequins.   The panel was mounted on a light grey card base.  I think I will add this card to the current Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday, as well as the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by.... and for sticking with this rather long post!!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Recollections white, Simon Says Stamp Fog, PTI kraft; Stamps:  Stampin Up! and Concord & 9th; Dies:  A Jillian Vance Design; Inks:  Memento Tangelo, Dandelion and Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie; Pretty Pink Posh clear sequins

PTI September Blog Hop...

{for my Coffee Lovers Blog Hop card, please scroll down or click here}

Hey friends!!!   Popping in with my project for this month's PTI blog hop.  Nichole gave us a lovely inspiration photo of a door decorated for fall.  I had recently purchased the PTI Twig Wreath stamp set and matching dies so it was a no brainer that I would use those for my project.  I had planned on creating a set of tags using the black tags that came in the Make It Market Mini Kit Still Life Summer, but when my Big Shot broke in the middle of die cutting all the little pieces for the wreath I had to change my plans.  I ended up making a "tag-card".   I inked up the edges of the tag with white ink and then smeared it with my finger.   I added some partial embossing using a woodgrain embossing folder and then added a bit more white ink.  The wreath was adhered along with all the little bits as you see.  I created a little sentiment banner and adhered it.   A second tag was scored along the top and adhered to the front tag to create my "tag-card".  Finished things off with some rustic twine tied in a bow.  Despite my original plans being derailed I'm pretty pleased with how my little tag-card turned out!  Posting this to the current Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge to use a stamp and the current AAA Cards challenge:  fall colors.

 

Thanks for stopping by today... and happy hopping!!

Supplies:  black cardstock tags; PTI kraft cardstock; Stamps and dies:  PTI Twig Wreath; Inks:  Stampin Up! and Memento; twine

sweet girl...

Hey friends... popping with a card that I made for a couple of challenges:  Freshly Made Sketches (layout) and AAA Cards (woodland animals).   I don't own a ton of animal stamps... they are just not my thing... but I do own the super cute Lawn Fawn Hello Baby set (and the matching dies).  So I pulled that set out and tried my hand at some more water coloring.  I think things turned out pretty well.   I'm also going to post this to the Pretty Pink Posh Watercolor Blog Hop since I water colored the bunnies and the scribble circle.   ETA:  adding this to the current Lawnscaping challenge:  critters

One of my recent crafty purchases was the PTI Scribble Circle dies and I had been wanting to make something with them.  I water colored some Ranger water color paper using light yellow and pink inks.  Once the piece was dry I die cut it using the middle scribble circle.  It came out of the die with all the pieces still together and I liked how it looked so I just added some washi tape to the back to make sure that nothing fell out before I got the card finished.  The little bunnies were colored, allowed to dry and then die cut with the matching dies.  Some paper from the PTI Beautiful Brushstrokes pad was used to compliment the pink in the scribble circle.  I stamped the sentiment and then layered everything up.  The finished panel was mounted on a PTI Soft Stone card base.   I think this would make a lovely baby shower card or a birthday card for a little girl.

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies: Cardstock:  PTI Soft Stone, white and pink linen cardstock; Stamps:  Lawn Fawn; Dies:  Lawn Fawn and PTI; Ink:  VersaFine Vintage Sepia, Stampin Up! Creamy Caramel, So Saffron, Pink Pirouette

happy blooming birthday...

Hey friends!!  Popping in with a quick post today.  Made this sweet little birthday card using some Simon Says Stamp, Avery Elle and A Jillian Vance Design products.  I will be posting this to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge (use a lovely color palette) and AAA Card challenge (their 1st birthday celebration).   I also posted this in the Simon Says Stamp flickr challenge (#18).  ETA:  Last minute add to the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge:  use SSS products.

This card turned out pretty much exactly how I envisioned it would!  Don't you love it when that happens??  I do, lol!  The flowers were created using the Simon Says Stamp Scribble Flowers stamp and die set.  The main panel was die cut using the Avery Elle Dotted Elle-ments.  Die cut all the flower pieces, stamped them and then layered.  I finished the card using this sweet little sentiment from the A Jillian Vance Design stamp set Showers of Blessings.   Would you look at those yummy inspiration photos??  Makes me want to head over to our totally awesome local cupcake shop, Hello Cupcake, and pick up some yummy cupcakes!!

 

 

Thanks for stopping by...

 

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Recollections white; Simon Says Stamp Fog; Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp and A Jillian Vance Design; Dies:  Simon Says Stamp and Avery Elle; Inks:  Stampin Up! Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Marina Mist and Coastal Cabana, VersaFine Vintage Sepia, VersaMagic Aloe Vera

 

i'm stuck on you...

Hello friends!!  Hope your week is off to a good start!  Popping in today with a card for a few challenges.   The new challenge at AAA Cards is "there's a hole in my card" which worked perfectly with the new sketch from Sweet Sunday Sketch.  So glad that I discovered that Sweet Sunday Sketch now has it's own blog.  I'm also going to post this to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - CAS, as well as the new Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - anything goes.  I bought this fun Lawn Fawn set "Stuck on You" about a month ago and finally got the chance to ink it up.  This is a set that I wouldn't have normally purchased, but it was just too cute to resist!   I cut my kraft cardstock to size, embossed it with a woodgrain embossing folder and then die cut the circle using a Spellbinders plain circle die.  The cactus and pot were die cut, stamped and then arranged inside the circle after I stamped the sun (from a Hero Arts set) and the "grass" (from the Stampin Up! set Sheltering Tree.  A little strip of cardstock was cut, stamped with the sentiment and then adhered using foam dimensionals.   Finished things off with the three little hearts.   I really like how the pot didn't stamp fully... gives it a bit of a weathered look. 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by...

a bright and cheerful happy birthday...

Hello friends!!  Hope your week is going well.  My boys are on spring break, but as per usual in the Pacific Northwest our spring break weather is pretty much a bust.  Today we had some sun in the morning, but late this afternoon we had a hail storm and thunder and lightening!  Yesterday was nice so we went to our local zoo (Pt. Defiance Zoo) and tomorrow we are going to a Lego exhibit... fun times, lol!!  Anyway... I made a card today using my favorite type of stamping:  collage.  I used two different Stampin Up! sets... my old favorite Kinda Eclectic and a new favorite Butterfly Basics and  the current ColourQ palette.    I did some generational stamping using most of the colors except the yellow.   It is just way too light when I stamped it a second time.   After I got all my stamping done I added the "happy birthday" sentiment in black ink and a few sequins.   Along with the ColourQ challenge I will be posting this to the current Simon Say's Stamp Wednesday challenge:  Birthday.   I think I will post this to the current AAA challenge:  Easter Colors since pretty much all the colors are represented in my card. 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Recollections white; Stamps:  Stampin Up!;  Inks:  Stampin Up! Tempting Turquoise,  Melon Mambo, Kiwi Kiss; Memento Dandelion;  various sequins