believe in yourself...

 Hello!  Popping in to share a clean and simple card for the following challenges:  Paper Players and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.  Both are asking for "things with wings".  Let's have a look at what I created.

Once, again, I looked to my collection of 49 and Market papers and ephemera pieces to create my card.  This time I used the Kaleidoscope collection.  I die cut the light blue patterned paper, added it to a cardstock base and then picked out the pieces I used for the card from the Kaleidoscope chipboard pack.   The layout I used is kind of a "go to" layout for me when I want to make a quick clean and simple card.  I added twine to the tag and then adhered all the pieces.  Super quick and super simple!

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Just Us Girls Challenge #775 - Mood Board

 Hello!  I'm back for more fun with the JUGs team!  This week is mood board week and Carol picked a fun one.  I do have to admit that when I first saw it, I was a little stumped, but eventually I think I came up with a good take on the mood board.  Let's have a look at what I made.

Since the mood board has a crafty theme to it I looked through my stash to see what I had that would relate to that.  I found an older Simon Says Stamp set called Crafty Friends.   There are small images of a pencils, paintbrush and marker in the set, but I decided to go with the diagonal striped image to create my row of color.  I focused on the red/pink/yellow/orange colors and the heart shape.  I used Pinkfresh Studio inks in my chosen colors in two shades.   Once finished with the stamping I die cut the panel and then die cut the heart from the center.  I stamped the sentiment from the Crafty Friends stamp set inside the heart and then assembled my card.  I used thin foam squares for the main panel and then slightly thicker ones for the heart.  I finished off the card with three tiny Trinity Stamps Rainbow Fish pearls.  

Well, that's it for me.  I hope you enjoyed today's project and will take the time to play along at Just Us Girls!  Have a wonderful day. 

 

Birch Press Design Post

 Hello!  I'm popping in to let you know that I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today.  Here is a little peek of what I created.

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

two cards...

 Hello!  I got some time to make a couple of cards and I'm here to share!  One card is for Freshly Made Sketches and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.  The other is for Color Throwdown.  Let's see what I made.

What do you do when you want to make a card, but you just aren't feeling some of the supplies you already have on your desk?  You turn to pretty patterned papers and ephemera!  Or at least that is what I did for this card.  I pulled out my pack of 49 and Market Birdsong patterned paper and laser cuts, rummaged around for a bit and came up with this card.   I die cut the patterned paper and then layered on all the elements that I chose.  I finished with the pre-printed sentiment.  Even the little bow is a laser cut.   

I made this fun little card with a cute stamp and die set from Simon Says Stamp that was a free gift with purchase.  I got the offer around my birthday, so I decided to go for it and made a small purchase.  It has been on my desk since it arrived in early December!  I thought the CTD colors were perfect to create a birthday card that I will probably save to give to my great nephew on his birthday later this year.  The stamps are all one piece and the birthday is a separate stamp.  I stamped the stamps using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored the images very simply with Copic markers in the CTD colors.   I then die cut the image with the matching die.  The die cuts everything out as one piece so in order to have 5 individual stamps I had to cut them apart.  The birthday was stamped using VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink and die cut, as well.  The happy sentiment is from another SSS birthday stamp set.  I layered all the stamps using just glue as I wanted to keep the card as flat as possible for mailing.  

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

JUGs challenge #774 - Word Week - Fruit

 Hello, hello!  I'm back for week 2 of my guest designer turn at Just Us Girls!  This week is word week and the word is fruit!   I must admit I wasn't even sure that I had anything in my stash that would work, but thankfully I remember a Simon Says Stamp stamp and die set that I have that features lemons.  Let's have a look at what I made.

I stamped all the lemon images in the stamp set in VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink, applied clear embossing powder, heat set and then watercolored them with just two Tonic Studio Aqua Flow pens:  yellow and dark green.  The same was done for the butterfly.   Once dry I die cut all the images.  The stamp set happened to be part of a card kit that I had purchased and so I used some of the patterned paper from the kit.  The paper is from Simple Stories, but unfortunately I don't know which paper line.  I die cut the paper, arranged my lemons and then stamped the sentiment from the kit.   The panel was added to a white cardstock base and then I attached the butterfly.  I'm super happy with how this card turned out. 

I hope to see you playing along with this week's challenge.  All the information can be found on the JUGs blog.   Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

yellow bird...

 Hello!  I'm popping in to share a card that I made for the current Freshly Made Sketches challenge, Color Hues and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.  Let's have a look at what I made.

As you can see I took a bit of license with the sketch!  I was inspired by the pretty card that my friend, Greta, made to send to a friend through the Card Chain Challenge.  She used the Memory Box Magnolia Leaf Branch die along with a Simon Says Stamp bird die for her card.  I have the Magnolia Leaf Branch die, but hadn't used it.  When I saw her card I just had to use my die.  For my bird I used the Poppy Stamps Nordic Bird die.  The Color Hues colors this go round are yellow and blue.  I had some scraps of yellow cardstock on my desk so I used those for my little bird.  I added some additional color to the bird by inkblending on some distress oxide ink in Mustard Seed.  The branch was die cut from cream woodgrain cardstock.   To keep with the sketch I inkblended distress oxide ink in Salty Ocean in an approximate circle and then layered my branch and bird over that.  I finished with a Memory Box Happy Birthday tab.  

That's it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

Guesting at JUGs - Use a Flower Die

 Hello everyone!  Happy May Day!  I'm so excited to share that I'm guesting with Just Us Girls this month!!  Appropriately the first challenge of May (#773) is to use a flower die on your card.  Let's have a look at what I created for the challenge.

My mom's birthday is at the end of April (28th) and so this card was made for her.  I used a beautiful Memory Box magnolia die for my flower.   I die cut all the pieces from white cardstock and then inked them up with distress oxide inks using the small Waffle Flower blending brushes.   The little brushes provide great control in adding color.   I let all the pieces dry and then assembled the flower.  I decided to go a little outside the box and use some pretty patterned paper from the 49 and Market Kaleidoscope 6x8 paper pack.    The sentiment is from a Simon Says Stamp set called Garden Fresh.  I stamped the birthday sentiment and die cut it with the matching die.  The happy was stamped and cut into a small strip.   Adding this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.

I hope you will take the time and play along with this week's challenge.  You can find all the challenge details on the JUGs blog.   That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Simon Says Stamp You Are My Favorite Release!

 Hello everyone!  I'm back to share three projects I made with the lovely Timeless Blossoms stamp set from the new Simon Says Stamp release called You Are My Favorite.  Simon was so kind and sent me this pretty stamp set to create with!  Let's have a look at what I made.

The Timeless Blossoms stamp set has lot of great sentiments including the Happy Mother's Day sentiment.  With Mother's Day just around the corner I thought it appropriate to make Mother's Day cards.  I used the color combo from Color Hues to stamp my floral heart.  I used two Pinkfresh Studio inks:  Soft Lilac and Ocean Breeze.  The floral heart is comprised of three separate stamps.  The first stamp are the leaves, the second has the lily like flower and roses and the final layer has more roses.  After stamping the first layer using the Ocean Breeze ink I stamped the second layer 6 times with the Soft Lilac in order to get the darker lilac color I wanted.  The third layer was stamped twice with the Soft Lilac.   I die cut the panel and then adhered it to another larger panel of light gray cardstock.  I adhered a twine bow and the sentiment over the top of it.  The tiny sequins are light aqua in color. 

The Timeless Blossoms stamp set also includes a small swag image, as well as one single rose with leaves.  I used those two sets of stamps for the second Mother's Day card.  This time I went with a peach and coral color combo and a pale green for the leaves.   To get the swags stamped equal distance apart I stamped the first layer and then rotated my cardstock 180 degrees and stamped the layer again.  Then I stamped the second layer, rotated the cardstock and stamped the second layer.  Did that one more time for the final layer.  Then I positioned and stamped the single rose and leaves in the same way.  I die cut the panel with a Simon Says Stamp A2 frames die to create the frame and then with a smaller die from the same set to create the interior panel.   I stamped the sentiment in light gray ink and then adhered the panel inside the frame using foam tape.  I finished with tiny clear sequins.

For my final project I decided to create a little decor piece.   I started by stamping the floral heart 

Using a yellow, lilac and olive green color scheme.  Since the image is heart shaped, I wanted to see if it would fit inside of this pretty scalloped edge heart die, I have from another Simon Says Stamp stamp and die set I have called Happy Hello.  I was so excited to see that it was a pretty perfect fit!   I painted a Tim Holtz frame with white paint and added polka dot patterned paper to the back before adhering it to the frame.  The heart was popped up in the center using foam squares.  I then stamped the two little roses and leaves and fussy cut them out.  The sentiment is a from a Simon Says Stamp set that is 10 years old!  I rediscovered it as I was going through my stash looking for the right sentiment.  I think the sentiment is just perfect for this piece!  I stamped it in gray ink, die cut it with the matching die and popped it up with foam squares.   The little corner flowers were also popped up.  I just love how this turned out.   I'm going to add this to the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge of blooming blooms.

Well, that is it for me.  Don't forget to check out the new Simon Says Stamp release.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Birch Press Design Blog Post

 Hello, hello!  I'm popping in to let you know that I have post up on the Birch Press Design blog today.  Here is a little peek of what I created. 

I hope you will head over to the blog to check out what I made.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Wildflowers...

 Hello!  Popping in with a card for a couple of challenges:  Color Throwdown and the Flower Challenge.  I think the colors are very spring like.  Let's have a look at what I made.

I have had multiple products from the Waffle Flower Postage Collage line, but haven't really used many of them.  So, when I saw the new CTD colors I decided to remedy that situation and pulled out the Postage Collage Wildflower stencil set and got to work.  Full disclosure I did have to stencil the panel twice because when I was stamping all the little icons I messed up.  That panel didn't go to waste, though.  I simply adhered it behind the second one.   I used Pinkfresh Studio inks in Lemon Whip, Sweet Mustard, Coral Reef and Passion Fruit for the flowers.  The leaves and stems were stenciled using Memento Pistachio ink.  I die cut the panel with the A2 Postage Collage die and then adhered it to a white cardstock base.   The sentiment is from the WF Small Sentiments Bloom stamp set.  

That's it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

just because...

 Hello, hello!  I'm popping in with a card for Freshly Made Sketches and Color Hues.  Let's have a look at what I made.

Do you ever come up with your idea for a card and then can't find one of the items you need to complete said idea?  Happens to me all the time, lol!  Such was the case with this card.  I couldn't find my set of MFT fishtail flag banner dies.  In the process of looking for them and for another product I came across the Simon Says Stamp Happy Hello suite of products.  The Happy Hello die set had the other die I needed for another project, but as I was looking at everything I realized that the funky flowers in the Happy Hello stamp set would be perfect to use for my card!  I stamped the stems in MFT Tropical Teal and the flowers in PFS Clementine and then die cut them with the matching die.  I used a smaller fishtail flag banner die for the banner element and layered on the flowers.    I wrapped some bright orange twine around the top and tied a bow.  The sentiment is also from Happy Hello.  I stamped it in the Tropical Teal and then die cut it with a label die.  I had this light gray cardstock panel that I had used to figure out how many shims I needed to emboss a die into cardstock.  Because it is a technique I don't do that often I forget what my embossing "sandwich" needs to be. I used a Birch Press Design layering die for the embossing.  The embossing is subtle, but I think adds a nice touch.  Anyway, adhered the panel to a white cardstock base, added the banner with thin foam squares and then the sentiment.   Simple, but I love those boldly colored funky flowers!

That's it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

Birch Press Design

 Hey friends!  I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today.  Here is a little peek at what I created.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day. 

Having Fun With 49 and Market...

 Hey friends!  I'm popping in with two projects that I made with some newly purchased products from 49 and Market.  I will be posting one project to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge (birthday) and the other project will be heading over to the Paper Players (travel) and Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge (tag it).   So, let's get to it!

My first project is a birthday card that I made using laser cuts from the 49 and Market Starlight Dreams collection.  When I purchased the Starlight Dreams laser cuts I didn't think I would need the patterned paper pack, but now I have decided that I do need it, lol!  I'm not really into celestial motifs, but I couldn't resist the gorgeous designs in the laser cut pack.   For this card I used a set of angel wings, a floral piece, some feathers and butterflies.  For the background I used a light blue cardstock that I embossed with a layering die from Birch Press Design.  The sentiment was hot foiled and is also from Birch Press Design.    Pretty quick to put together once I figured out what pieces I wanted to use and the arrangement. 

This next project is a tag that I created for the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge and the Paper Players using another new line from 49 and Market called Wanderlust Explorer.  What sold me on this collection was the ability to make masculine projects like birthday cards.    I used a few Tim Holtz Idea-ology products with this tag.  Namely, a #8 thick board tag, a thick board scalloped trim, a window frame base board and crackle paste.  I trimmed out some of the patterned paper to fit the tag and adhered it with collage medium.   I covered the scalloped trim and part of the window frame with crackle paste and let it dry.  Once dry I applied paint in a soft teal and orange wiping some of the paint off.  I trimmed down the scalloped piece and then applied collage medium to the trim and window to seal them.  Ground Espresso distress crayon was added to all the pieces I picked out, as well as the tag and then I got to layering everything.   I used glue and thin foam squares to add my pieces.  I finished with the little sentiment that is also from Tim Holtz.   I love how it turned out.  I was, again, inspired by the super talented Emma Williams who is a member of the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge design team.  

Well, that is it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

Bunny Kisses...

 Hello, hello!  Popping in with a sweet Easter card that I created for Color Throwdown and Just Us Girls.   The challenge at JUGs is to use a die, but no flower dies.  Let's have a look.

Even though Easter isn't until April 20th I realized the other day that I need to hop to it and get a few more cards made.  I remembered the super cute Bunny Kisses stamp and die set from Simon Says Stamp that was released last year and thought it would be perfect with the CTD colors.   I love how the two bunnies look just like candy stamped in yellow and lavendar.  I did some direct to paper inking with mint ink and then die cut the little hearts and leafy stems from the cardstock.   The sentiment was stamped in black and die cut with the matching sentiment die.   Layered everything up and I was done.  I think this will be going to my great niece who lives in California.   

Well, that's it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

today calls...

 Hello!  Can't believe that March is almost over!  Time sure is whipping by, isn't it?  Got some new products from Pinkfresh Studio and I just had to make a card with them.  This one will be going to Just Us Girls (stenciling), Color Throwdown, Pinkfresh Studio April challenge (flowers) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.   Let's have a look.

I started with a background created with the Interlaced Diamonds die.  I die cut it three times and layered them together.  This was added to a light gray cardstock base.  Another new purchase was the Playful Petals suite of products.  I stamped the flower in black and then stenciled the flowers using several shades of blue PFS inks.   One of the things I liked about this set of products is that there is a separate die that die cuts the three main flowers.  I stamped only the two largest, stenciled them and then die cut to pop up on the main image.  Two shades of PFS green inks were used for the leaves and the little stems.  Die cut the piece and layered it on the card front.  The two large flowers were popped up with thin foam squares.  A little green twine bow was added and then the sentiment was layered on top.  Thought about adding some gems but decided against it.  

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Birch Press Design Post

 Hello!  Popping in to let you know that I have a post up on the BPD blog today.  Here is a little peek of what I created.

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

Empty Grave...

 Hello!  I'm back with another card!  And apparently, I am in my "green phase", lol.  That's okay with me because green is my favorite color!   This card is for Just Us Girls and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.  JUGs design team member Lisa picked a super pretty mood board for this week's challenge, and I just had to play along!

Last year the Greetery released the incredibly clever Ribbon Frame die and stencil set.  I really wanted it and unfortunately so did alot of people!  I had hoped to make a few Christmas cards with it but wasn't able to get my hands on the set until after Christmas.  I thought it perfect to use to make an Easter card.  All the products except the rectangle die are from the Greetery.  I die cut the frame and stenciled it with Bundled Sage distress oxide ink.  I cut additional frames and layered them with the stenciled on.  All my little spring bits are from the Greetery Curio: Spring Findings die set.    All the little pieces were inked with distress oxide inks, as well.  (Spun Sugar, Vintage Photo and Bundled Sage) I adhered all the pieces together and while they dried, I stamped and die cut the sentiment.  Additional layers were also die cut and adhered together.  I die cut the white cardstock panel and then inked up the edges using the ink left on the blending brush. Adhered everything and I was done.  I really love how this turned out.  I think I will be giving this one to my mom for Easter.

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

well wishes...

 Hello, hello!  Popping in with a card for a few challenges:  Freshly Made Sketches, Color Throwdown and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge (stenciling).    Let's have a look at what I made.

First things first, I will state the obvious that my flower is green.  I hadn't intended for the flower to be green, but in my zeal to get my card done I stenciled my brick background with Uncharted Mariner distress oxide ink.  My intention had been to stencil using a darker green and then use a light green and blue for the flower.  Oh well, I actually like how things turned out... happy mistake!   For the flower I used what green distress oxide ink was on my blending brush and then used Mowed Lawn distress ink for the stem.  I stamped the sentiment, adhered the stem and flower and finished with some light blue and green sequins.  Super quick and super simple!  The die and sentiment are from Simon Says Stamp and the stencil is from My Favorite Things.

Well, that's it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

SSS Rain or Shine Release

 Hello friends!  Simon Says Stamp has a brand new release out today called Rain or Shine!  We definitely have the rain part going on here in the Pacific Northwest.  Hopefully the shine part will show up soon, lol!  Simon Says Stamp was so kind and sent me the sweet Farm Life stamp set to create with.  Let's have a look at what I made.

For this card I did a little masking something I don't often do even though it really isn't that hard.  I determined what I needed to stamp first, created my masks and got to work.  Once I was done, I colored the images with Copic markers.  After stamping the sentiment I used a very light blue Copic marker to add just a hint of blue sky behind my little scene.  I die cut the panel with a rectangle die, added the twine and bow and then adhered to my card base.

I couldn't resist making this card with the sweet momma duck and her little ducklings.  I arranged all the ducks on my kraft panel and then stamped them.  I then added in all the little tufts of grass around them, as well as the sentiment.  Then I colored them very simply with PrismaColor pencils.  I die cut the panel and then added the little twine bow at the top of the panel.    I'm going to add this to the current Color Hues challenge of lemon and lime.  

That's it for me.  Please check out the new release.  It is loaded with lots of fun new products!

grateful in green...

 Hello friends!  Popping in to share a card that I made for the current Just Us Girls challenge and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to be inspired by green, as well as the Pinkfresh Studio March challenge.  PFS has gone to an anything goes challenge, but they do have additional inspiration.  I didn't use the inspiration.   Let's have a look at what I made.

I recently purchased the PFS Grateful Greenery stamp and die set and I was determined to use it as soon as I could.  When I saw that the challenge at JUGs was the word green, I immediately grabbed them and got to work.   I stamped the graceful branch with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and did some simple Copic coloring using two shades of light green.  I then pulled out my pack of 49 and Market Kaleidoscope papers and found one that toned well with the Copic colors.  I die cut that with a PFS Nested Rectangles:  Postage Edge die.  I found some light green cardstock that also toned well with the patterned paper and die cut that with the largest Postage Edge die.   I then pulled out another PFS die set called Curvy Leaves and die cut more of the patterned paper and vellum.  Then I got to layering all the elements as you see.  I finished off the card with the green bow, sentiment and tiny drops of Morning Dew Nuvo drops.    I love the bright and fresh greens that I used.

That's it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!