two more cards...

Hey there!  Hope everyone here in the US is enjoying the long weekend.  As my blog title says I have a couple more cards to share.  The first one is for the current Where Creativity Meets C9 challenge to use florals, as well as the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to use more then one stamp.  I will tell you that I had the card almost completed when I realized that when I placed the large floral image on my card base it was crooked!  When I tried to remove it I ended up ripping said floral image so I had to start over... ugh!   Thankfully it didn't take me that long to put the card together the second time!  I used the C9 Wonderful Florals stamp set along with the matching dies.  I stamped the main floral image using VersaFine CLAIR ink in Morning Mist and then die cut it with the matching die.  The word wonderful was die cut from white cardstock and then all the letters were stamped with the little square striped image from the set using Simon Says Stamp's Melon ink.  The letters were then adhered to the floral image.  I stamped the two flowers on to some plaid paper, die cut with their matching dies and then adhered to the floral image.  That was then adhered to some light purple.  I stamped the sentiment in the Morning Mist ink, trimmed it out and then adhered it to the card front.  Pretty simple, but I really like the little pops of color from the stamped letters and the plaid flowers.

The second card is for the May Viva La Verve challenge and once, again, here I am at the end of the month finally getting my card done for the challenge!  For this one I used lots of fun patterned papers from Pinkfresh Studio and the beautiful Verve stamp set Cake & Candles.  I pulled out papers that I liked together and the die cut all the various pieces of the layout.  The sentiment was stamped using Simon Says Stamp ink in Spring Rain and then die cut with an AJVD Polka Dot Circle die.  I added Buttercup Stickles to the flame for some sparkle.  All the pieces were assembled and then adhered the sentiment circle that I had matted with an AJVD Stitched Scallop Circle die.   To add a little something more I die cut some stars using a Verve die and then adhered a few to the sentiment circle.  Another simple design, but I love all the fresh colors in the Pinkfresh Studio papers.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

two very different cards...

Hey there!!  Hope your week is off to a good start!  I'm starting mine with a couple of cards that are very different.  First up is a card for the soon to be closing Color Throwdown challenge, as well as the MFT Birthday Project challenge... shakers.  I finally got my hands on the MFT Celebrate Speech Bubble Die-namics and I used that to create my shaker element.  I inked up some cardstock with Ranger Distress ink in Festive Berries.  I could have used red cardstock, but I wanted to create the look of a strawberry and so needed some variation in the color.  When that was done I die cut the piece with the die and adhered a piece of acetate to the back.  I put the letters B, R and A back into the die cut so I could make sure that I glued the little pieces from each letter into the right spot.  Once they were glued in a carefully removed the letters.  Then I built my shaker element and added green sequins.  I adhered a thin piece of white cardstock to the back and then adhered the shaker element to a die cut panel of white cardstock.  The sentiment is from All Smiles and was stamped in a green ink similar to the sequins, die cut with the MFT Slanted Sentiments Die-namics and then adhered.

My second card is very different from the first one which is pretty darn clean and simple!  This one has lots of patterned paper on it and was made for the current Verve Viva La Verve sketch challenge, as well as the Verve Diva Dare.  I was fortunate and won the beautiful Verve Risen Savior stamp set and I just had to use it for my card.  I recently purchased a couple more VersaFine CLAIR inks and used the one called Golden Meadown.  I stamped the cross in the Golden Meadow on some patterned paper from My Mind's Eye, over stamped the sentiment in VersaFine CLAIR Morning Mist and then die cut it with an AJVD Polka Dot circle die.  Coordinating paper was die cut with an AJVD plain circle die and the two were matted.  I used more paper from the same pad for the main rectangle, as well as the square element.  That was die cut with a Reverse Confetti die.  I wrapped a yellow twine around the main panel three times and secured it in back with tape and then layered on all the elements.  The flower and leaves are from the Verve set Bloom Brighter and were stamped in the Golden Meadow and Morning Mist inks.   The finished panel was adhered to a light kraft cardstock base.

Have a wonderful day!

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

cards for sketches...

Hey there!!  I have a couple of cards to share with you today.  First up is a card for the current Verve Viva la Verve sketch challenge, as well as the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to use patterned paper.   Over Christmas I was finally able to pick up some new Verve to add to my collection.  The stamp and die set I purchased is one I have wanted for a long time... Potter's Clay.  There are so many beautiful sentiments and verses in this set it was hard to chose which one to use, but in the end it was determined by how it would fit into the sketch.   The papers I used are from the gorgeous Zella Teal line by Prima.  There is a pattern in the pad that was perfect for die cutting the jars from.  I layered the jars on a circle die cut from another paper from the pad.  After layering the pieces as you see I wrapped the panel with jute twine and tied it in a bow.  The panel was adhered and then I added the circle with the jars on it.

The second card is for the current Reverse Confetti Sketch for You to Try.  This stamp and die set was also purchased over the Christmas holidays.  This isn't a set I would normally buy, but I need to step outside my comfort zone every once in a while and the set is pretty darn cute, too!  I stamped all the images on Canson watercolor paper and then colored them with Derwent and Faber-Castell watercolor pencils and clean water.   One of my goals this year is to get better at coloring with a few different coloring mediums.  I was pretty darn pleased with how my coloring turned out and I'm looking forward to coloring more images with my pencils!!  After all the coloring was done and the pieces die cut I had to find some colors that would work well with the colors in my snow cones.  I used some patterned paper from the Reverse Confetti Very Merry paper pad (which I guess they don't have any more) along with some Reverse Confetti Mist cardstock.  After adhering the patterned paper strip I positioned the sentiment using my mini MISTI and stamped it in black ink.   The banner was die cut with the banner from the Tag Me die set then cut into two pieces so it would work with the sketch and adhered to the panel.  I put my sno cones together and then adhered them to the circle that was die cut from the Mist cardstock.   The circle was adhered and then I added some white enamel dots to finish things off.

Have a wonderful day!

Supplies:  Card #1:  Cardstock:  PTI Rustic White; Patterned paper:  Prima Zella Teal; Stamps:  Verve; Dies:  Verve and AJVD; Inks:  VerseFine Smoky Gray, VersaMagic Oasis Green; Recollections Jute twine

Card #2:  Cardstock:  PTI white, RC Mist; Patterned paper:  Reverse Confetti; Stamps:  Reverse Confetti; Dies:  Reverse Confetti and AJVD; Ink:  VersaFine Smoky Gray, Vintage Sepia, Onyx Black; enamel dots; Watercolor medium:  Derwent watercolor pencils, Faber-Castell watercolor pencils 

fall coffee lovers blog hop...

Hey there... happy Friday and happy Fall Coffee Lovers blog hop!!  I have a card to share for the hop and since I'm not a coffee drinker my card has a tea theme.  My new tea love is a Starbucks London Fog Tea Latte followed closely by the new Pumpkin Spice Chai latte... yummy!!  Anywhoo... my card is also for the current Viva La Verve sketch challenge.  I recently got some sweet new Verve and I'm using one of the items on my card today.  I rummaged around in my patterned papers and found this group of fall themed papers and got to work.   The sentiment is from the Verve set One Cup.  I stamped it in VersaFine Vintage Sepia on the paper and then die cut it with my new Verve Stitched Banner Duo die set.  I stamped it a second time on some scrap paper and trimmed out the little cup.  That was adhered on top with foam dots.  I layered up all the elements and then added some twine tied in a bow before I adhered the sentiment banner.

Thanks for checking out my card today and enjoy the hop!!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI kraft; Patterned paper:  unknown; Stamps:  Verve; Dies:  A Jillian Vance Design and Verve; Ink:  VersaFine; Twine:  Recollections

for all you do...

Hello... have another card for the current Viva La Verve sketch challenge to share.  With school starting in just a few days I decided to make a teacher thank you card.  The current challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is back to school so I will be posting it there, too.   I used the wreath stamp from the Verve Autumn Blessings stamp set along with the apple images and a sentiment from Teachers Count.  The wreath and apples were embossed in black on watercolor paper and then colored with ZIGs.  Die cutting the apples was a bit tricky since the apple dies are solid, but thankfully I was able to get a nice cut on both of them.  Since I used woodgrain cardstock for the smaller rectangle I stamped the sentiment into the lower corner of the card.  Super simple, but sometimes you just have to do simple!!  The Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge is also school related so I will post this in that gallery, too.

Supplies:  Cardstock:  white, black, white woodgrain; Patterned paper:  Reverse Confetti; Stamps:  Verve; Dies:  Verve and AJVD; Inks:  VersaMark, VersaFine Onyx Black; ZIG Clean Color markers

two cards... two sketches...

Hey there!!  Stopping in with two cards for two sketch challenges.  Recently Julee started the Viva la Verve challenges back up and I could not be happier!!  I have missed playing along as often as I could using my yummy Verve stamps!!  My first card is for that challenge.   I'm still on a mission to use up my patterned paper and today I made a little dent in the collection... YAY!  I used lots of paper on this card and I love how it turned out!!  The stamp set I used is the Verve Kindness Matters set.  The matching dies were used to die cut the flowers after I had stamped them on the patterned paper using dark blue ink.  The same ink was used for the sentiment.   The background panel was created by layering all the paper together and then die cutting them.  Because the bottom portion was rather thick I did have to die cut that a second time.  I layered on the sentiment panel and then added the flower.  To give the flower a bit more dimension I cut into the petal of the top flower, shaped the a little and then adhered it with a foam dimensional.  After the flower was adhered I die cut the little sprigs and adhered them.  I added a large drop of Nuvo Glitter Drops to the center of the flower.  Everything was adhered to a teal cardstock base.   Since there is still lots of time to play along at Viva La Verve I think I'm going to be making another card!

The second card is for the current Reverse Confetti Sketch for You to Try.  This is the first time in a very long time that I have actually gotten my card for the challenge done this early... YAY!!  I may even find the time to make another card!  I used and oldie, but goodie Reverse Confetti set called Fresh 'n Fruity.  I kept this one simple and used just one piece of patterned paper from a pack of papers from Webster's Pages.  I stamped the oranges in two shades of orange ink using both orange stamps from the set.   Stamped the leaves and then die cut everything with the matching dies.  The sentiment was stamped on the banner that was cut using the banner die from the RC Tag Me die set.  After adhering the patterned paper I arranged how I wanted everything to be and then stamped the bottom sentiment.   Adhered everything, added the orange enamel dots and I was done.  Love the clean look of this one!   And since I got my card done so early in the month just like with Viva La Verve I may make another one!!

Have a wonderful day...
Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white, MFT Tropical Teal; Patterned Paper:  My Mind's Eye Kate & Co, Webster's Pages Family Traditions; Stamps:  Reverse Confetti, Verve; Dies:  Reverse Confetti, Verve and A Jillian Vance Design; Ink:  Stampin Up! Night of Navy, Pumpkin Pie, Memento Tangelo, MFT Green Apple; Enamel Dots:  My Mind's Eye; Nuvo Glitter Drops

happy holidays...

Hello!!  Stopping by with a card that I made using the second November Viva La Verve sketch.  Finally my horribly neglected Verve stamps are getting some love!!  This time I used the super cute Holiday Treats stamp set. The patterned paper is one that I pulled out of my complimentary copy of  current issue of  Stamper's Sampler (they published a couple of my cards).  I love the soft color palette that was used and with the scattering of snowflakes thought it perfect for a holiday card.  For the large circular I used the PTI clock face die.  I purchased this die over a year ago and have never used it!! When I say the VLV sketch I knew immediately that I wanted to use it for my card.  To keep the soft look going my banners were die cut from vellum.  Then I threw in a little surprise by adding the pop of red.  Before stamping the sentiment in red I added some little snowflakes using a light gray ink.  I matted the sentiment with red cardstock and then added the red hemp twine and jingle bells to finish off the card.  I really like how it turned out.  Since I have die cutting on the card I think I will also add this to the current Happy Little Stampers anything goes with die cuts challenge.   Since my card is pretty clean and simple I'm going to add it to the current Paper Players challenge of clean and simple Christmas.

Hope you have a wonderful day...

Supplies:  Cardstock: SU! Smoky Slate and Real Red, vellum; Stampington & Co patterned paper; Stamps: Verve; Dies:  My Favorite Things, A Jillian Vance Design, PaperTrey Ink; Ink:  SU! Real Red, SSS Fog; Hemptique Red; silver jingle bells

peace on earth...

Hello... stopping in with a simple card for a couple of challenges:  Merry Monday Christmas challenge (used red, grey and white) and November Viva La Verve sketch #1.  I have been wanting to play along with the Viva La Verve sketches for ages and to use my long neglected Verve stamps and the Merry Monday challenge gave me the opportunity.   I used two Verve sets:  Unto Us and Peace on Earth and one of the dies that matches the Unto Us stamp set.  I used some papers from the Pink Paislee Yuletide pad... just trying to put a little dent in my huge stash of 6x6 pads, lol!!   The inks are Stampin Up! Cherry Cobbler and VersaFine Smoky Gray.  After cutting all the pieces of patterned paper I roughed up the edges a bit.  I decided to go a bit old school and I did not use much die cutting except for the reindeer.  I even hand cut the fishtail banner!  Stamped the sentiment, layered everything up on a light grey cardstock base.  I'm also going to add this to the current Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge of Christmas critters since my card has reindeer on it.

Hope you have a wonderful day...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI Soft Stone; Patterned paper:  Pink Paislee; Stamps and dies:  Verve; Inks:  Stampin Up and VersaFine Smoky Gray

what a day...

Hey friends!!  I have really had a crazy day.  Had to take my car to the dealership because the automatic lock on the driver's side door stopped locking... ugh!!  Find out that the dealership does not have the part so it can't be fixed until next week when the part gets here... double ugh!!  So... I have to manually lock my door until next Wednesday when it will be fixed.  Upside to all of this it falls under warranty so I don't have to pay for it.  But... I get to the dealership to pick up my car, get inside, turn the key and nothing.... absolutely nothing.... triple ugh!!!  The battery was dead and after they got it running, again, they did a diagnostic and I learned that I needed a new battery.  Unfortunately that wasn't under warranty and batteries for my car are not cheap... sigh...!!  But at least there is light at the end of the tunnel... I have a new battery and the lock will be fixed next week.  And I did get to make a couple of cards for several different challenges.  The first card is for the current ColourQ and uses Viva La Verve sketch #1 for June.  To make my card I searched through my enormous stash of patterned paper and found patterns from four different My Mind's Eye pad that fit all the colors in the ColourQ combo.   I used the Verve stamp set Better Together and some hearts from the Verve Hearts Quartet die.  Very simple and straightforward take on the sketch.  I think this would be a great card to give to a guy.   Since this is a bit more masculine I'm going to enter into the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge: father's day/card for a guy.

 

The second card is for this week's My Favorite Things sketch and the new My Favorite Things color combo.  I do not own any of the MFT colors (ink, cardstock or otherwise) so I had to hunt around for colors that I thought were pretty close to the MFT colors.   Just like with my last card I used the MFT Mini Modern Blooms set, as well as a sentiment set from Amazing.  Instead of using a square for the central piece I used one of the Inside Out Stitched Rectangle dies and cut that from some blush colored cardstock.  For the circular element I used some loops of silver thread.   I used a Stitched Fishtail Flag Stax die to create the center strip element and the rectangle was die cut using an AJVD Polka Dot Rectangle Backdrop die.  For the blue flower and the leaves I did some second generation stamping (inking up the stamp then stamping it off before stamping the flower on the die cut).  The details for the blue flower and the leaves were added with the ink color at full strength.  The coral flower was stamped using two different shades of coral and the small flower was stamped with coral and blue ink.  After layering everything up I stamped the sentiment on a strip of cardstock using my mini MISTI, cut it in two and adhered it as shown.   Adding this to the line up at Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge:  flower garden.

Thanks for stopping by today... tomorrow should be a better day, lol!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  white, light grey and blush; Patterned paper:  My Mind's Eye; Stamps:  Verve and My Favorite Things; Dies:  Verve, My Favorite Things, A Jillian Vance Design and Spellbinders; Inks:  Hero Arts Latte, Stampin Up! Cameo Coral, Calypso Coral and Gumball Green; Memento Danube Blue; VersaFine Onyx Black; Coates & Clark silver thread

simply amazing...

Hey friends!  Popping in with a card to share.  For this card I used the first sketch for the May Viva la Verve sketch challenge and the inspiration photo/color combo for the May Verve diva inspiration challenge.  Since it has a flower on it I will also be posting it to the current Simon Says Stamp challenge to use flowers.   I used some fun polka dot patterned paper from Echo Park in two of the colors in the combo and then threw in some stripes from a My Favorite Things paper pad to break up all the polka dots.  The stamp set I used is the Verve set Simply Amazing.  The flowers were stamped in orange ink on the patterned paper and then die cut with the corresponding dies.  The little flower center was die cut from yellow polka dot paper and then all three were layered together.  All the squares and rectangles were die cut using various dies (A Jillian Vance Design and Spellbinders).  Since there is some metal in the inspiration photo I die cut the word amazing cut from brushed gold cardstock using the amazing die from the Verve Amazing Adjective word dies.  I cut the word several more times from plain cardstock and then adhered them together.  Stamped the sentiment on the square and then layered everything up.  One of those cards that I wasn't wild about when I finished it, but it is growing on me.   Having surgery on my right shoulder this Friday (yep... Friday the 13th!) and so there won't be much card making for me until probably this time next week! 

Thanks for stopping by...


Supplies:  Cardstock:  white; light teal, brushed gold (MFT); patterned paper:  Echo Park and My Favorite Things; Stamps: Verve; Dies:  Verve, A Jillian Vance Design and Spellbinders; Inks:  Memento Tangelo; VersaFine Onyx Black

surf's up!!

Hey friends!  Popping in with a quick post of a card that I made for two Verve challenges:  Viva La Verve April sketch challenge (sketch #1) and Verve April Diva Inspirations challenge.  When I saw that the Diva Inspiration challenge was tropical chic I just had to use my Verve Learning to Sail stamp set.  This set comes with a fun surfboard image and the sentiment "surf's up".  I went a bit crazy with polka dot patterned paper, but not too crazy, lol!  I stamped the surfboard on pink and blue papers and then trimmed them out.  Some yellow polka dot paper was die cut with the largest die in the Frosty Flakes die set and stamped with the largest sun in the Learning to Sail set.  The sentiment panel was die cut using a Spellbinder's plain square die and then the mat was cut with a larger plain square die.  The panels were die cut with my AJVD Polka Dot Rectangle backdrop dies.  Layered everything up as you see and I was done.  Even though the card says "Surf's Up!" I think this would make a fun birthday card. 

Thanks for stopping by today...


Supplies:  Cardstock:  white; Patterned paper:  Echo Park (yellow) DCWV (pink and blue); Stamps:  Verve; Dies:  Verve and A Jillian Vance Design; Ink:  VersaFine Onyx Black

a cup of tea...

Hey friends!!  Popping in with a card for the Spring Coffee Lover's blog hop.  I don't drink coffee (although today I had a mocha frap... but only because if I buy one and two other things I will get 8 bonus stars!), but since you can also enter projects using a tea or cocoa theme I decided to play along.  The color combo comes from this week's Color Throwdown and the layout is based on second Viva La Verve March sketch.  Still working on my huge collection of  6x6 patterned paper so I used up a few more sheets making this card.   The stamps I used are from Verve... the One Cup set.  I die cut the little cups from lavender polka dot paper and then stamped them with the corresponding images using lavender ink.   Panels were die cut from white cardstock and patterned paper using the largest A Jillian Vance Design Polka Dot Rectangle Backdrop die and then the about 1 1/2 inches of the patterned rectangle was trimmed off and adhered to the white panel.   The circles were also die cut with A Jillian Vance Design dies (plain and polka dot circle backdrop dies) from white and red cardstock.  Stamped the sentiment on red gingham paper and the white cardstock circle.  The cup was trimmed from the gingham paper and then adhered to the sentiment.  Adhered the circles to my doily, then to the panel and added the little polka dot cups.  Very simple, but kinda cute. 

Thanks for stopping by today...


Supplies:  Cardstock: white, Simon Says Stamp Fog, Stampin Up! Real Red; patterned paper; Stamps: Verve; Dies:  A Jillian Vance Design and Verve; Wilton doily; Inks:  Stampin Up! Wisteria Wonder, Memento Tuxedo Black