Hello! Can't believe that September is almost over. Fall is definitely in the air here in the Pacific Northwest. The rain is falling, the wind is blowing and that means I had to get out my warm coat when I take our dog for a walk. I don't walk when it raining hard, but I do love getting out once the rain has passed as the air is so fresh, clean and full of the smell of falling leaves! Anyway, on to my card. It is for Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches. Will also add it to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes. Take a look.
Friday, September 29, 2023
fallish wreath...
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Birch Press Design Post
Hello! September is almost over and today I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog. Here is a little look at my card:
I hope you will head over to the Birch Press Design blog to see the full project. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!
Thursday, September 21, 2023
two cards...
Hey! Look at me posting two days in a row, lol! That hasn't happened in a very long time. Today I have two cards to share for two challenges that I normally combine: Freshly Made Sketches and Color Throwdown. First up is the card for FMS.
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
so very...
Hello! Seems like it has been awhile since I lasted posted. Honestly, haven't felt much like making cards. I would rather be stitching, lol! But I did make something to share. This card is for a challenge that I rarely get the opportunity to participate in... JUGs! Loved the inspiration photo so just had to make something. I also going to add this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to use a background stamp. The circular image in the back is small, but it is a background stamp. Take a look.
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Birch Press Design Wednesday
Hello! I'm up on the Birch Press Design blog today. Here is a little look at what I created:
I hope you will head over to the Birch Press Design blog to check out what I made. Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day.
Saturday, September 9, 2023
just because...
Hello! Popping in with a quick post of a card I made for Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches. Still not making any headway on cleaning up my crafty space. Hopefully that will happen soon, lol! Here is what I made.
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!
Saturday, September 2, 2023
sympathy...
Hello! Hope all is well in your world. Popping in to share a card that I created for Color Throwdown. I will also be posting it to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes. I have been making a half-hearted attempt to get a handle on things in my crafty space. However, what keeps happening is I'm finding things that I purchased in the past and have never used... Yikes! Today's card features one of those newly found products. Take a look at what I made.
It's STAMPTEMBER!
Hi everyone! September has arrived and that means that STAMPTEMBER has arrived, as well. If you haven't heart of Stamptember I will fill you in. Stamptember is Simon Says Stamp's celebration of all things crafting. The month is filled with special collaboration releases from many of your favorite stamp companies, special edition crafty kits and so much more. Today Simon Says Stamp is kicking things off with a blog party (not a blog hop)! You can see the list of all participants on the Simon Says Stamp blog. Each participant has a special code to share. Using my code will allow you to get the Fancy Love die set for free with purchase! See the graphic below for the code:
The code is good until September 3, 2023 at 11:59 pm ET.
Simon was so kind and sent me the super cute Happy Hauntings stamp set to create with. I'm not a huge fan of Halloween, but I now have one great nephew and three great nieces and the cute little dragon images are perfect to use to create Halloween cards for all the littles in your life! Take a look at what I created.
There are four images in the stamp set and lots of fun sentiments. I stamped all the images using VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink on watercolor paper and then watercolored them with my Jane Davenport watercolors. I was going to color two of the dragons purple, but loved the first two so much in the bright green that I did all four that way. How cute are these two little witch dragons? I just love the one with the balloon. I have never seen the Nightmare Before Christmas, but I'm very aware of the main character Jack Skellington and the balloon face reminds me of him!
I love pumpkins so I was happy to see two of the dragons carrying pumpkins. Once all the images were colored and dry I die cut them with a small rectangle die and then moved onto creating the backgrounds. I used the SSS Ticking background stamp from the July release and stamped it using Spiced Marmalade distress oxide ink. I distressed the edges of the rectangle using Peeled Paint distress oxide ink and a very light distressing of Black Soot distress oxide ink. I layered the backgrounds on lime green cardstock. For a little more interest I stamped the spider web in the corner of each piece and then added some silver stickles (which you can't really see in the photos). I love how they turned out!
Thanks for stopping by today and enjoy the Stamptember release blog party! Don't forget you can see the entire release right here.
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Birch Press Design on a Tuesday
Hi everyone! Can't believe that August is almost over! Fall is right around the corner and today I'm on the Birch Press Design blog sharing a fall inspired card using items from the new release. Here is a little look at what I made.
I hope you will swing by the Birch Press Design blog to see the full project. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Freshly Made Sketches 600 Sketch Celebration!
Happy Wednesday everyone! Today Freshly Made Sketches is celebrating their 600th sketch and they asked me and other past "Queen of Clean" winners to participate in the celebration! Take a look at the sketch and then the card I made.
Isn't that a great sketch? Of course it is because all the FMS sketches are great, lol! Here is how I interpreted the sketch:
For the circular element in the sketch I used the super pretty Thanks for Being There stamp and die set from Pinkfresh Studio. I stamped the image with VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink on watercolor paper and then colored it with my Jane Davenport watercolors. Once it was dry I die cut it with the matching die. I'm also going to add this card to the August Pinkfresh Studio challenge (sparkle & shine) so I added some sparkle to my card with leaves die cut from gold glitter cardstock using the Leafy Branch die. For the background and the strip element I used the Pinkfresh Studio Sparkling Diamonds cover plate die. I used the gold glitter cardstock for the strip element, as well. I finished off the card with the sentiment and lots of sparkling gems in the centers of the flowers. Adding this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge, as well.
I hope you will play along with the FMS challenge this week. They have some fun things in store for you. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!
Saturday, August 19, 2023
thankful to know you...
Hello! Hope everyone survived the heat. We didn't have it too bad here in the south Puget Sound region of Washington state, but it was still a little too warm for my liking. With things being too hot for me I did a lot of cross stitching and a little bit of card making. Put together this card for Freshly Made Sketches and Color Hues.
Saturday, August 12, 2023
two cards...
Hello! I'm popping in to share two cards that I created using my stash of Concord & 9th products. One card is for Color Throwdown and the other card is for Freshly Made Sketches and Color Hues. First up is the card for CTD.
Thursday, August 10, 2023
Birch Press Design post
Hello! Hope your week is going well. I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today and here is a little peek:
Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you will head over to the Birch Press Design blog to see the full project.
Sunday, August 6, 2023
thanks for everything...
Hello! Popping in with a card for a challenge that I don't often get a chance to participate in... JUGs! But, my friend, Greta, is the guest designer for this month so I was determined to get at least one of their challenges completed! It helped that it is a color challenge and I love me a good color challenge, lol! Take a look.
Thursday, August 3, 2023
magnolia birthday...
Hello! Hope that your August is off to a great start. Honestly, I really can't believe that it is August already. Things are moving way too fast if you ask me, lol! Anyway, I'm popping in to share a card that I made for Freshly Made Sketches and Color Throwdown. Take a look at what I made.
Friday, July 28, 2023
Birch Press Design Post
Happy Friday everyone! I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today. Here is a little peek.
Thursday, July 27, 2023
Simon Says Stamp Just a Note release!
(For a chance to win a Waffle Flower grip mat, please click here.)
Hello! Popping in to share a couple of cards that I made with a product from the Simon Says Stamp July release called Just a Note. Simon was so kind and sent me the Ticking background stamp. I love a good red rubber background stamp and this one is very versatile! Take a look at what I created.
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Waffle Flower Crafts Grip Mat Giveaway!
Hey friends! Popping in to let you know that Waffle Flower Crafts has given me the opportunity to give away a 4.5 x 5.5 grip mat! If you haven't seen the grip mat, you can check out the Waffle Flower blog for information and videos on how it works. Here is a link to the introduction video put together by Nina of Waffle Flower Crafts. Here is a link to a playlist of videos created by different crafters using the grip mat.
I have really enjoyed using the new grip mat. It makes inking up die cut pieces so easy. Because the mat is made out of photopolymer cleaning it up is easy, too. I have just simply wiped mine down with my Lawn Fawn stamp shammy. The mat comes with two acetate grid sheets, as well, that allow you to align your cardstock when stamping images or sentiments. Waffle Flower has recommended keeping the acetate sheets that the mats come on. It is my recommendation, as well, especially if you have not decided (like me) if you will be keeping them in your stamping tool, ie MISTI, etc. Here is a link to a blog post I did showing how I have used the grip mats that I received.
Leave me a comment by July 30th, for a chance to win. This giveaway is open to everyone. Those outside the US will receive a gift card. Thanks for stopping by and good luck!
Thursday, July 20, 2023
smile...
Hello! Popping in with a quick share of a card that I made for Sunday Stamps. I just love the color palette for the current challenge and wanted to make something. The Simon Says Stamp Sunrise Stem has been sitting on my desk waiting for me to make something with it and this is what I came up with.
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Altenew July Marvelous Monthly Series Release Blog Hop + Giveaway ($300 in Prizes!)
Hello everyone! I back to share projects I made with products from Altenew's July Marvelous Monthly series. You should have arrived here from Seeka's blog. You can find the entire list of blog hop participants on the Altenew blog. Below the banner are all the details regarding the prizes to be won.
Giveaway Prizes
$300 in total prizes! To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $100 gift certificate to 1 lucky winner and a $40 gift certificate to 5 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by 07/24/2023 for a chance to win. Altenew will draw 6 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew Winners Page on 07/26/2023.
*The winner of the $100 gift certificate will be chosen from comments left on the Altenew blog.
Craft Your Life Project Kit updates
Craft Your Life Project Kit will no longer be released to the public in the Altenew store, unlike other subscription products. It will only be available via the Ultimate Subscription Plan or Craft Your Life Project Kit Monthly Subscription Plan.
For my projects today I created with the following monthly series products: Craft-a-Flower, Build-a-Garden and Mini Delight. First up is my card using the July Build-a-Garden Sweet Lilies product bundle. When you subscribed to the Build-a-Garden monthly plan you will received the stamp set, stencils and a mini blending brush. You can add on the matching die to complete the collection. The Build-a-Garden Sweet Lilies set is GORGEOUS! Take a look at what I created:
The large floral stamp in the Sweet Lilies set is beyond gorgeous and I just couldn't bear to cut it up so I decided to create a slimline card. I used inks from my small collection of Crisp die inks and the matching stencils to color in the flowers after I stamped the image using Jet Black Crisp die ink on white cardstock. The companion die set (a separate purchase) includes the die for the floral image, as well as for the three large sentiments in the set. I picked my large sentiment, stamped it in VersaMark watermark ink on vellum, applied black embossing powder and heat set. I die cut it with the matching dies. I used a slimline rectangle die to die cut light gray cardstock, adhered my floral image and then stamped the sub sentiment from the Sweet Lilies set. I finished by adhering the main sentiment using rolled up glue dots placed behind the embossed letters.
This card features the Mini Delight stamp and die set called Watercolor Cluster. I stamped the flowers using Altenew Crisp inks in shades of blue and then adding in the yellow for the center of the flowers. The leaves were stamped in a mid tone green. The die set includes the small "friend" word die. That was cut from glossy black cardstock several times and then adhered together. I used the Dotted Waves debossing plate to deboss my white cardstock rectangle as a backdrop for the floral cluster. I arranged the die cut images on top of some silver thread and then added the small stamped sentiment from the set along with the word friend. The panel was then added to a white cardstock base using foam squares.