you're sweet...

Hey friends!!   Popping in with a quick share of a card that I made for several challenges:  ColourQ and Less is More (fruit).  Today was a super foggy/soggy day here in the lower Puget Sound.  Perfect day to stay inside and do some crafting.  I haven't played along with ColourQ  or Less is More in ages and so I wanted to try to make something for both challenges.  When I saw that the new Less is More challenge was fruit I decided to combine the two.   Pulled out one of the only fruit stamp sets I own my Concord & 9th Pop Art Pineapples.   I die cut the pineapples with the matching dies and stamped the pieces using Hello, Honey and Crumb Cake.  I don't think Hello, Honey is a very nice yellow (still not sure why I bought it!), but used with the pineapple image that I chose I think it looks okay. The sentiment was stamped in Early Espresso on the center pineapple.  I had originally watercolored a panel using Really Rust, but didn't like how it turned out and since I'm running out of time to join up with ColourQ decided to use the brushstroke image from the Concord & 9th Painted Thank You.  Stamped that three times and then layered the pineapples on top.  Added some Diamond Stickles randomly to the pineapples, but it doesn't show up that well.   Do like how it turned out, though... guess that is what counts, right?

Thanks for stopping by today...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI kraft, rustic white, Recollections white; Stamps:  Concord & 9th; Dies:  Concord & 9th, A Jillian Vance Design; Inks:  Stampin Up!; Diamond Stickles

merry...

Hey friends!!!   Did any of you venture out on "black Friday" to pick up some good deals???  Not me!!  But hubby did go and a picked us up a swell new computer.  However, I'm still using the old one because said swell new computer doesn't have all the things on it I need to blog and such.  So until that happens I'm happy to use the old one.  Anyway... I have a card to share for a few challenges.  I started it yesterday (in between taking the boys to my in-laws and setting up my new Christmas tree!) and finished it this morning.  I'm posting it to Freshly Made Sketches, Color Throwdown, the new Time Out challenge, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes and AAA Card challenges:  anything goes.  The Time Out challenge is based on the phrase Snowflakes are Winter's Butterflies and for a short time I thought I would actually put some butterflies on the card, but in the end decided not to add them.  A bit tricky figuring out how to use the brown, blue and orange color combo from Color Throwdown, but I really think I was able to make it work.  Watercolored the background with some SU! Pumpkin Pie ink and then let it dry.  The snowflake was die cut from polka dot vellum and silver mirror cardstock using a Penny Black snowflake die.  After adhering them all together I added a brown sequin to the center.  The banner was die cut  from brown cardstock using a Reverse Confetti die and the merry (die cut from blue cardstock) comes from the Simon Says Stamp Merry & Bright die set.   The panel was die cut and then everything adhered in place.  A few sequins in brown, blue and orange were added and I was done. 

Thanks for stopping by today....

Supplies:  Cardstock:  SSS fog, Ranger watercolor paper, PTI spring rain, Bazzill brown; Dies:  Simon Says Stamp, Penny Black, Reverse Confetti and A Jillian Vance Design; Sequins:  Pretty Pink Posh and Verve; Ink:  Stampin Up!

November PTI Blog Hop!

Hey friends!!  Wow... time for another PTI blog hop!! That means that November is almost over and Christmas will soon be here... YIKES!!   Nichole gave us a beautiful inspiration photo to work with for this hop.  I had to do a bit of "outside the box" thinking for this one.  I don't own many PTI Christmas stamps and the ones that I do are all rather old and not well suited for the current challenge.  I had thought about using the Twig Wreath set, but when I started to figure out a design the other day it just wasn't working.  Then I had a stroke of inspiration last night... use my never been used Brushed Off stamp set!  So, this morning I got out Brushed Off and came up with this little card.  I used the second generation stamping technique to create my ornaments.  I stamped the smaller circle image and then turned the stamp around and then stamped again.  I like that the second stamping is very light and just gives the hint of a round ornament.  After all the ornaments were stamped I then overstamped them with VersaMark watermark ink, applied Judikins Iridescent Sparkle embossing powder.   To finish things off I added the ornament strings and the bows using DMC silver metallic and little silver sequins.  The sentiment is from the PTI set Winterberry.  I am so very pleased with how this turned out and may just have to make a few more in different color schemes to send out this year!   I also going to add this to the new to me challenge Can You Case It.  This week it is a sketch challenge and I think this card fits the sketch fairly well.  Adding this to the new Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.

Thanks for stopping by today...
 

Wednesday with A Jillian Vance Design...

Hey friends... popping to let you now that I have a card up on the A Jillian Vance Design blog today.  Here is a little peek of my card:

 

Thanks for stopping by today... I hope you will take the time to head over to the AJVD blog, check out my card and leave some love!

 

Guest Designing for Merry Monday!!

Hey friends!!  I'm so excited to be the guest designer for Merry Monday Christmas challenge!!  The challenge hostess this week is Lesley and her theme is blue and white with texture.  I used the current sketch from Freshly Made Sketches and so I will be squeaking this one in just under the wire.  I started by stamping the smaller poinsettia image from the Essentials by Ellen Mondo Poinsettia set in VersaMark watermark ink on some Ranger watercolor paper.  I had to stamp each flower, apply the white embossing powder and then stamp the next flower to make sure that I didn't overlap any of the flowers.  Once I had heat set the piece I taped it to my little cutting board, spritzed it with water and then watercolored it using Stampin Up! Midnight Muse ink.  I love how the variation in depth of color that you get from watercoloring an image.  Once the piece was dry I die cut it using an AJVD Polka Dot Rectangle Backdrop die.  The large white panel was also die cut using a Polka Dot Rectangle Backdrop die.  The word is from the Essentials by Ellen Brushstroke Christmas set and was stamped in Midnight Muse.  I added some Stardust Stickles to the center of the flowers.   There is some textured to be found in the watercolored piece, but I added a bit more by embossing the strip of Midnight Muse cardstock that is layered behind my watercolored panel.   I'm also adding this to the current Essentials By Ellen Pin-sights challenge.  My focus is obviously on the dark blue color in the palette.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today and thanks to the Merry Monday gals for having me as the guest designer today...make sure you check out their fabulous samples!

 

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Stampin Up! Midnight Muse; white; Ranger watercolor; Stamps:   Essentials by Ellen; Dies:  A Jillian Vance Design; Ink:  Stampin Up! Midnight Muse, VersaMark watermark ink; Embossing powder:  Filigree white; Stardust Stickles

 

 

two cards... two sketches...

{if you want to check out my 25 Days of Christmas Tags post, scroll down or click here.}

Hey friends... dropping in with my second post today.  Have a couple of cards to share that I made for two different sketch challenges:  Reverse Confetti November Sketch for You to Try and Viva La Verve November sketch week 3.  I'm also going to post the Reverse Confetti card to the current Addicted to CAS challenge of dimension and the current AAA Cards challenge of anything goes. For the Reverse Confetti card I watercolored a background using some Stampin Up! Baja Breeze ink.  Once it was dry I die cut the panel and then started adding my elements.  The sentiment is from the RC set Seasonal Sentiments and the snowflake was cut using the Let It Snow Confetti Cuts set.  The little banner was cut using the Tag Me Confetti Cuts set and the other little pieces come from the Class Act Confetti Cuts set.  The snowflake and banner were cut from Heidi Swapp glitter cardstock and the other pieces from Lawn Fawn's Let's Bokeh in the Snow 6x6 pad.  I added some embossing to the sentiment panel before adhering all the pieces.  A little light blue button was tied up with the silver metallic thread and adhered to the snowflake.  I pretty please with how this one turned out.

 

The second card is for the Viva La Verve sketch challenge.  I pulled out my Teresa Collins Hello My Name is 6x6 pad and pulled some paper from it using a red, kraft and grey color combo.  The little latte cup is from the Verve set Holiday Treats.  I stamped it randomly on the paper using red, grey and kraft inks the die cut it using with a rectangle die.  The red/kraft polka dot paper and the kraft cardstock were also die cut and then layered together.  A strip of grey chevron paper was added and then some red and kraft bakers twine were tied around the piece.  I cut a small piece of kraft cardstock, stamped it with the sentiment and then adhered it to the card.  I thought about die cutting a couple of little latte cups to add to the card, but decided to keep things simple and I must say that I 'm glad that I did because, again, I'm pretty darn pleased with how it turned out.

 



Thanks for stopping by today and thank you to those who take the time to leave me a comment... I really appreciate it!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Simon Says Stamp sea glass; SU! smoky slate; PTI kraft; Ranger Water color; Heidi Swapp glitter cardstock; Stamps:  Verve, Reverse Confetti; Dies;  Reverse Confetti, A Jillian Vance Design; Inks: Stampin Up! red, grey, kraft and blue; Memento Tuxedo Black; Baker's Twine; DMC silver metallic thread; PTI button; Patterned paper:  Teresa Collins, Lawn Fawn


 

25 Days of Christmas Tags...

Hello friends!!   Many of you have heard of Tracey McNeely's 25 Days of Christmas Tags.  This year marks her fifth year of sharing Christmas tags and she is celebrating in a very big way with lots of prizes!  Today the Precious Remembrance Shop design team in participating in the celebration with tags that showcase Precious Remembrance Shop Christmas stamps.  Here is the tag that I created for this fun celebration:

I used two different Precious Remembrance Shop sets for my tag.  The newly released Sketchy Christmas and Holiday Wishes.  To create the tag base I die cut some green cardstock with the A Jillian Vance Design Slippery Slopes & Stitched Clouds die set.  The piece was adhered to white cardstock and then the tag was die cut from that.  I wanted to create a little sign of sorts so I trimmed down a red polka dot straw to use as my pole and then stamped the 'sign' using an image from Holiday wishes.  The two houses were inked up in red ink, stamped, trimmed out and adhered to the sign.  A bit of Crystal Stickles was added to each heart.  Before adhering my sign I stamped the little stick tree from Sketchy Christmas on the hill and then randomly added a bit of Crystal Stickles to the trees.   Finished off the tag with several different types of twine and the little jingle bell.

 

Thanks for stopping by today... make sure you check out Tracey's original post for all the fun details about how you can win and play along!

 

Supplies: Cardstock:  white, green; Stamps:  Precious Remembrance Shop; Dies:  Reverse Confetti (tag), A Jillian Vance Design; Inks:  green and red; paper straw; twine and jingle bell

 

peace...love...joy

Hey friends!!  Happy weekend!!!  After all our crazy windy/rainy weather we have switched to sunny and cold!  I will definitely take sunny and cold over windy/rainy because windy/rainy caused us to lose our power on Tuesday afternoon for about five hours.  It happened right as the kids were getting out of school so thankfully they didn't have to spend a lot of time in dark classrooms!  I have a card to share for a couple of challenges:  Colour Me...! and Merry Monday (use a reindeer).   Also going to add this to the current Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge:  Christmas.  I used the sunburst image from my favorite Stampin Up! set Kinda Eclectic as a backdrop for the deer head that I die cut using my A Jillian Vance Design Stately Stag die.  The set comes with the fun little sunglasses and nose dies so I turned my stag into a cool Rudolph!  The sentiment is from the PTI Winterberry set.  The panels were die cut with my A Jillian Vance Design Rectangle Backdrop dies... I do not think it is possible for me to make a card without them now, lol!!  I added a few sequins that were a close yellow to the one I used for the starburst and I was done.   I really wished I owned a stamp that said 'have a cool yule' as I think it would have been fun paired with the deer, but unfortunately I don't.  Oh well...

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today... and thanks to those of you who take the time to leave me a comment... I really appreciate it!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI rustic white; Stampin Up! Cherry Cobbler & Soft Suede; Stamps:  Stampin Up! and PTI; Inks:  Hero Arts Poppy, Memento Tuxedo Black; Dies:  A Jillian Vance Design; yellow sequins
 

Christmas Wishes...

Hey friends!!   A post of a card that I made for the current Simon Says Stamp flickr challenge that I am going to added the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge:  Christmas.  Back during SSS Stamptember celebrations I was one of the lucky winners of the Altenew/Simon Says Stamp collaborative stamp set Layered Flowers.  I teamed it up with the heart image from the SSS set I See You (from the SSS September card kit) and a word from the SSS set Graphic Christmas.  I stamped the flowers using Delicata Silver Shimmer ink (sadly it looks like grey in the photo) and two shades of pink.  The leaves were stamped using Silver Shimmer, aqua and medium blue ink.  I stamped the heart using VersaMark watermark ink on Ranger watercolor paper, applied white embossing powder and heat set it.  Then I used some of the aqua ink to water color the heart.  The flowers and leaves were layered on once the panel was dry and die cut.  I die cut the word Christmas from some white glitter paper using a Simon Says Stamp die Christmas Blessings and adhered it to the card.  The word wishes was stamped using the medium blue ink.  Amounted the panel on a fog grey cardstock base, added some clear rhinestones and I was done.   This card turned out exactly as I pictured it in my head and I love it when that happens!!   I'm going to add this to the current Shabby Tea Room challenge.  I don't have any trees on it, but the colors and idea are similar to the challenge.

Thanks for stopping by today...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  SSS fog; Ranger Watercolor; Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp; Dies: Simon Says Stamp and A Jillian Vance Design; Inks:  Stampin Up! Pretty in Pink, Pool Party & Baja Breeze; Delicata Silver Shimmer; Memento Angel Pink; VersaMark watermark ink; White embossing powder; clear rhinestones

Wednesday with Precious Remembrance Shop...

Hey friends!!  Quick post to let you know that I have a card to share over on the Precious Remembrance Shop blog today.  Here is a little peek:

 

Thanks for stopping by today... I hope you take the time to head over to the PRS blog to check out my card! 

 

merry & bright...

Hey friends!!  Well... it is still wet, wet, wet here in the PNW!  The Seahawks are supposed to play a home game today so hopefully the rain will let up by this evening!!  Anyway... have a card to share for a few challenges:  Merry Monday (just squeaking in with this one!), Freshly Made Sketches and the Paper Players (clean and simple Christmas card).  On Friday I got another set of stamps and dies from Concord & 9th, as well as some fun sequin trim that they are now selling.    This set is called Shine Brighter and included a light bulb and multiple images that you can use inside the light bulb!  For my card I used the light bulb along with several other images from the set.  Originally I was going to die cut the light bulb, but decided to simply stamp the light bulb on die cut square and then die cut the light bulb 'top'.  After stamping the top in pink ink a length of silver sequin trim was adhered to the top before adhering the piece to the light bulb.  Kinda looks like my light bulb is wearing a scarf, lol!!  The inside was stamped with a little tree image and then over stamped with another image from the set.  I added some Diamond Stickles around the tree to give a bit of frosty snow look.   Additional squares were die cut from pink and green cardstock and then the green one was partially embossed.  I also added a bit of embossing to the light bulb once the stickles had dried... love that partial embossing!!  Layered everything up and then added the sentiment on a little banner.

Thanks for stopping by today...

Supplies:   Cardstock:  SU! Smoky Slate, Pretty in Pink, Pear Pizzazz, Recollections white; Stamps:  Concord & 9th, Dies:  Spellbinders, My Favorite Things and Concord & 9th; Ranger Diamond Stickles; Trim:  Concord & 9th silver sequin; Inks:  Stampin Up! Pretty In Pink, Pear Pizzazz, Memento Tuxedo Black

 

grateful...

Hey friends!!  Its a really wet and dreary day here in the PNW.  Not complaining, though... rain in the lowlands generally means snow in the mountains and we need that snow!  Have a card to share that I made for a few challenges:  CASology (give), Colour Me, CAS(E) this Sketch (layout) and Virginia's View (texture).   When I saw the cue word and Melissa's reference to gratitude I immediately thought of the word grateful because I'm so very grateful for the ability that I have to give of myself to others.  And this brought to mind the fabulous Concord & 9th stamp set called Grateful.  This set contains to feather images and the word grateful, as well as the sentiment thinking of you.   I wanted to try to do some watercoloring and after several failed attempts I finally came up with a design that I liked.  I stamped the feather using VersaFine Vintage Sepia and then colored the feathers with Stampin Up! Real Red and Old Olive inks.  A little bit of both colors was added along one side, as well.  Once the piece was dry I stamped the word grateful in black ink and then die cut the piece with the largest AJVD Polka Dot Rectangle Backdrop die.  The finished piece was adhered to a light grey cardstock base.   The texture on my card is supplied by the watercolor paper I used, as well as the little sprinkling of clear Pretty Pink Posh sequins. 

Thanks for stopping by today...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Simon Says Stamp fog, Ranger watercolor paper; Stamps:  Concord & 9th; Inks: Stampin Up! Real Red and Old Olive, Memento Tuxedo Black;  Dies:  A Jillian Vance Design Polka Dot Rectangle Backdrop dies; Pretty Pink Posh clear sequins
 

A Christmas card..

Hey friends!!  Popping in with a Christmas card that I made for a two Verve challenges:  Viva La Verve November sketch challenge week 1 and Verve Diva Inspiration challenge:  Rustic Winter. I have only two Verve holiday/Christmas sets... a situation I need to remedy and fast, lol!  I used both sets to create my card along with some Teresa Collins Tinsel and Company patterned paper.  I was inspired by the two reindeer in the photo, but obviously went with a different color scheme!  To bring in the rustic feel I added some distressing to the edges of the panels and used burlap twine for the bow element.  The little reindeer are from the Verve Unto Us stamp set.  I die cut the reindeer from kraft cardstock using the matching die and then stamped them using Stampin Up! Early Espresso ink.  After die cutting my sentiment panel (using my AJVD Polka Dot Rectangle Backdrop dies) I roughed up the edges and stamped it with the sentiment in grey and the little snowflakes (from the Verve Holiday Treats stamp set) using Stampin Up! Crumb Cake ink.   The banners were die cut using my MFT fishtail flag stax dies.  After I tied on the twine bow I thought it needed something so I added the little felt poinsettia embellishment. 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today...

 

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI Smoky Slate, Cherry Cobbler; white; Patterned Paper:  Teresa Collins; Stamps:  Verve; Dies:  Verve, A Jillian Vance Design and My Favorite Things; Felt piece:  Hero Arts; burlap twine; Inks:  Stampin Up!

 

Wednesday with A Jillian Vance Design...

Hey friends!!  Popping in to let you know that I have a post up on the AJVD blog.  Sharing a little Christmas card I made with some yummy AJVD products!  Here is a little peek:

Hope you will take the time to head over to the AJVD blog for a look and to leave a little love.  Thanks for stopping by today...

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

Merry Christmas...

Hello friends!!   Dropping in with a Christmas card I made using stamps and dies from the October My Monthly Hero stamp kit.   I love poinsettias and so when I saw this kit I had to have it.  As I was making the card last night I was initially a little upset with how the images were stamping, but by the third impression I got a flower that I liked.  Sometimes it just takes a little bit longer to get a good impression.   The layout is based on the current CAS(E) this Sketch layout so I will be posting it there, along with Merry Monday since I used a red and gold color combo.  The tag die is from Reverse Confetti and I had to die cut my red and gold panels with my A Jillian Vance Design Rectangle Backdrop dies.  Love the clean, crisp look you get from die cutting your panels not to mention the absolutely straight lines that you can't necessarily get when cutting your panels with a paper trimmer!   As I was finishing up the card this morning I still hadn't decided how to finish off the tag, but then I noticed the little gold circle (when I was making the card yesterday I die cut a tag from gold cardstock, cut it in half and then used the bottom half on the white tag), popped it in the hole, liked the look and went with it.  Thought I would include a close up of the flower and the little gold thread nest.  All the inks used are from the October My Monthly Hero stamp kit, as well.  Since I used Hero Arts products on my card I will be posting this to their current challenge:  holiday cardmaking.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  white, red, mirror gold; Stamps:  Hero Arts: October My Monthly Hero stamp set; Dies:  A Jillian Vance Design rectangle dies; Hero Arts October My Monthly Hero dies; Reverse Confetti Tag Me; DMC gold metallic thread;  Inks:  Hero Arts October My Monthly Hero inks
 

Wednesday with Precious Remembrance Shop...

Hey friends!!  Popping in to let you know that I have a post up on the PRS blog with a little card I made using the new Sketchy Christmas stamp set.  Here is a little peek of my card:

I hope you will take the time to head over to the blog and have a look!  Thanks to stopping by today...