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
 

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
 

two card post...

Hey friends... popping in with a couple of cards that I had the chance to make today.  Weather has been hot, hot, hot and for me that means stay inside as much as possible!   The first card was made for the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge "get in shape", as well as the current Colour Me...! challenge.   I have also posted this card in the SSS flickr group and entered it in the current SSS flickr group challenge:  die cuts.   Love the SSS Thank You Ticket die and wanted to use it in a different way so I die cut it from some SU! Watermelon Wonder cardstock, took it apart and then adhered it as you see.  The card was made using the largest die in the MFT jumbo fishtail flag stax set.  Stamped the card allover using some of the solid and line images from the Scribble Flowers set using Pear Pizzazz and Soft Sky inks.  Added in a few spots using kraft colored ink.  Adhered the tickets and then added the word "friend" from Artful Flowers in black ink. 

The second card was made using July Viva La Verve sketch #3.  I used lots of patterned paper for this one and did some paper piecing, as well.  The papers are from an SU! paper stack.  The stamps are from the Verve set  Wonderfully Made.   A tab die from the Verve Flag It die set was used as well.   As I started this card and began adding all the different patterns I was a bit worried as to how it would turn out, but after I was done I was really pleased... I think it looks perfect!  The flower from Wonderfully made was stamped on several papers, trimmed out, adhered together and added to the card front.   I used black ink to stamp the sentiment, but for whatever reason it didn't stamp super dark so it looks kinda like grey!

Thanks for stopping by today...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI Fresh Snow linen; Recollections white; Patterned paper:  Stampin Up!; Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp and Verve; Dies:  Simon Says Stamp,Verve and My Favorite Things; Inks:  Stampin Up! and Memento

oh happy day...

Hey friends!!  Wow... feels like ages since I last posted.  Well... it has been five days, lol!   My mojo went missing even though I have tons of new paper crafting products and some more on the way.  To be honest I think all the new stuff kinda overwhelmed me and created a bit of a crafting block. Too many choices!!  In order to break the block I decided to go simple and created something for several challenges:  Stampin Celebration (layout), Colour Me...! (white on white) and Less is More (lucky dip week - 2 or 4 legs). ETA:  adding this to the current Dies R Us challenge:  love birds.

I love the Perched Reed Bird die from Memory Box and don't use it enough so I pulled it out, along with the Memory Box Small Circle Burst die.  I cut the main panel from PTI's white linen cardstock and then die cut it with the Circle Burst die.  The bird was also cut from the white linen cardstock.  The banner was die cut from plain white cardstock since I wanted to stamp it with the sentiment (from the Precious Remembrance Shop Blossom set).  After layering everything I added some white and silver sequins for a little sparkle.   Just love a crisp, clean card design.

 

Thanks for stopping by..

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI and Recollections; Stamps:  Precious Remembrance Shop; Dies:  Memory Box and My Favorite Things (banner); Sequins:  Verve

thinking of you friend...

Hello friends!!   Have a little card to share that I made for several challenges:  Freshly Made Sketches (layout), Colour Me...! (colors) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge (use a stencil).  A few weeks ago I finally got a jar of embossing (or molding) paste.   When I saw the SSS Wednesday challenge I finally had an opportunity to put that embossing paste to good use!  I started by coloring a small amount of the paste with some teal ink and then used the Simon Says Stamp Tiny Spaced Hearts stencil to create the background.  The flowers (from the SSS stamp set Artful Flowers) were stamped on water color paper using VersaFine Vintage Sepia ink and then water colored using yellow and green inks.  My water coloring skills need some work, but I'm pretty happy with how the flower turned out.   As you can see I used the green flower as leaves for the yellow flower.  I added some Crystal Stickles to the center of the flower for some sparkle. The label was die cut using a Simon Says Stamp die.  Layered everything up and I was done.  I also posted this to the current Simon Says Stamp flickr challenge to create your own background.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Recollections white; SSS fog; Ranger water color paper; Inks:  Stampin Up! So Saffron, Taken with Teal and Pear Pizzazz, VersaFine Onyx Black; Dies:  Simon Says Stamp; embossing paste; Crystal Stickles

many thanks...

Hey friends!!   Popping in with a card for a couple of challenges... Colour Me...! and Essentials by Ellen Mix It Up.  This time the Mix It Up challenge is asking participants to make a project using Essentials by Ellen stamps and/or dies and Avery Elle stamps and/or dies.   For this card I used the Avery Elle set Thanks a Bunch and the Essentials by Ellen set Fancy Thanks, as well as the Avery Elle Dotted Elle-ments die.  I love having a die that will cut cardstock to the right size to fit the front of an A2 card.  It provides a really nice finished look that you just can't always get when you cut cardstock with your paper trimmer.  After stamping all the elements for the bouquet using Melon Mambo and Pear Pizzazz inks I added the sentiment from Fancy Thanks using VersaFine Onyx Black ink.  Some Crystal stickles was added to the flower centers.  I used some Stampin Up! Sahara Sand cardstock for my card base.  Just like with Simon Says Stamp Fog cardstock, Sahara Sand is a nice neutral that really makes the white panel pop.   ETA:  Adding this to the current Paper Players challenge:  CAS "girly thank you".

 

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Recollections white; SU! Sahara Sand; Stamps:  Avery Elle and Essentials by Ellen; Inks:  Stampin Up!; Dies:  Avery Elle

the best

Hey friends!!  Popping in with a card that I made for a couple of challenges:  Viva la Verve week 3 and Colour Me...!  I don't know about you, but I have way too many 6 x 6 paper pads that I have not used.  I'm trying to get better about that and so I found a couple pads that would work for the Colour Me...! combo and settled on the Teresa Collins Fabrications pad.   I used the lovely Verve set Let It Be for the sentiment and floral image.   After finishing the main panel I tried a little idea I learned from Jennifer McGuire (I don't follow her blog so I know if she shared this on her blog) during the Online Card Classes:  Clean & Simple 4 class.   After she finished her main panel she used fun foam trimmed to fit the panel instead of foam tape to give the panel its lift.  I had wanted to give it a try and finally was able to make it to Joann's and purchased a few sheets.  Using a piece of fun foam trimmed to fit your panel gives the panel more stability and there is no sagging in the spots where there is no foam tape.   I like that!  The only thing I'm not sure about is the adhesive that I used to adhere the panel is strong enough to keep a grip on it.  We shall see...




Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Recollections white; SU! Sahara Sand; PP:  Teresa Collins; Stamps:  Verve; Dies:  My Favorite Things banner dies; Wilton paper doily; Ink:  Memento London Fog, VersaFine Onyx Black; grey enamel dot

ctd #331, cmcc #60 and time out

Hey friends!!!  Popping in with a couple of cards for some color challenges:  Color Throwdown, Colour Me...!  and Time Out - Rock Around the Clock.  The other day I finally received my Stampin Up! Butterflies Thinlets dies.  I bought them as a bundle with the Butterfly Basics set, but unfortunately the dies were on backorder... so I had to wait.   But, the wait was worth it... the dies are gorgeous!!  My first card showcases two of the dies.

I absolutely LOVE how the first card turned out!  This one is for Color Throwdown.   I started by stamping two images from Butterfly Basics using light pink and light green inks.  I die cut the large butterfly from some Teresa Collins Family Stories patterned paper.  The smaller butterfly was stamped in kraft ink and then die cut with the matching die.  I adhered the two butterflies together and then added the little pink clothes pink and the light green baker's twine.   I adhered the butterfly over the stamped images and then added the sentiment and some light pink sequins.

My second card is kinda fun and funky and is for Colour Me...! and Time Out.  I stamped a clock image from the Hero Arts set All the Time using Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise & Calypso Coral.  I then added the little clock hands and the sentiment in black.  Some yellow baker's twine was added and then the piece was mounted on a light yellow card base.

Have a happy day...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white, yellow and kraft; Stamps:  Hero Arts, Stampin Up!; Dies:  Stampin Up!; Inks:  Stampin Up! and Memento; Patterned paper:  Teresa Collins; Sequins:  Lawn Fawn; Baker's Twine:  The Twinery

county fair quilt block...

Hey friends!!  Have a little card to share that I made today while I watched the Daytona 500!  My favorite driver Matt Kenseth didn't finish very well, but it was still a great race!   My card uses the color combo from Colour Me...! and the layout from CAS(E) this Sketch.  I did change the orientation of the sketch.

 

I had never used the quilt block die from my PTI Make It Market County Fair kit and when I saw the Colour Me...! combo I just had to use it to make a little quilt block.  I die cut three different patterned papers from Stampin Up! (I'm not going to give you the names as I did A LOT of rummaging through my extensive collection of patterned papers to come up with ones that worked for the challenge!).   I die cut everything and then inlaid all the pieces into a quilt block that I die cut from white cardstock.   Layered everything up and finished it off with a button/twine embellishment.  I didn't add a sentiment because there just wasn't a good spot on the front of the card for one and I don't put something on a card just for the sake of having it there!  At some point I will probably just finish the inside of the card with a sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; SU! Pool Party; Bazzill red; PP:  Stampin Up!;  Die:  PTI quilt block die; PTI button; My Mind's Eye baker's twine

{follow your heart}

Hey friends!!  Popping in with a quick post of a card that I made for Colour Me...!  After working all weekend on design team projects I thought I would spend a little time and make something just for fun!  Came up with this little card:

 

It is sort of based on the current Freshly Made Sketch, but my interpretation is so loose that I won't be entering it in the challenge.  I was inspired by the feather image in the photos and so I created my stylized heart by using the feather image from Precious Remembrance Shop's DIY set using Real Red ink.  I added the sentiment using Pacific Point.  A wood heart was inked with more Pacific Point and adhered to the card.  A few clear sequins finished things off.   Wanted to let you know that Precious Remembrance Shop is releasing two new sets this Thursday so stay tuned for the design team blog hop and a chance to win these new sets!

Thanks for stopping by...

happy anniversary colour me...!

Hey friends!!  Popping in with a special post to help Colour Me...! celebrate their first anniversary!   Yep it has been one whole year since Colour Me...! debuted on the challenge scene.  I was pretty excited and honored when Hayley and Tara approached me to be on the first Colour Me...! design team.   I really enjoyed being part of the team and when the girls asked me to help them celebrate I just had to say "yes"!   Hayley and Tara have some fun things in store... I heard mention of prizes!  So make sure you hop over to the Colour Me...! blog to find out all the details!  Here is my card that I made for the celebration using the colors from challenge #26.


I pulled out my very favorite Stampin Up! set Kinda Eclectic, as well as the Stampin Up! set French Foliage and did some collage stamping.  After I finished all the stamping I added some bits of washi tape in the upper corner.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Thanks for stopping by and make sure you check out the Colour Me...! blog!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; Stamps:  Stampin Up!; Inks:  Stampin Up!

sharing a couple of cards...

Hello friends!!  Popping in with a couple of cards to share for a several challenges.   First up is a card for the current CASology challenge:  Light.   CASology is such a fun challenge with cue words that are always so clever.   I can tell you that when I was on the CASology design team there were times when I was completely stumped by the cue word!   I spent some time thinking about the current cue word and finally came up with this little card.

 

I used the Simon Says Stamp set Bring the Sunshine as well as the matching dies.  I die cut the sun and then stamped it with Memento Dandelion ink.  The sun was stamped again in black and then the center sentiment punched out and adhered over the yellow sunshine.   I die cut the cloud patterned paper (from BasicGrey) using the pinked edge rectangle die from the same die set and adhered that to the white cardstock.   A little banner was die cut, stamped with a sentiment from Bring the Sunshine, adhered it and then added the sunshine sentiment.

The second card is for the current Colour Me...! challenge and PTI's Make It Monday.  I pulled out Harvest Berries and got to work making this super simple take on the MIM technique.   Think I will pop this one into the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge:  Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white;  SU! Always Artichoke; Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp and PTI; Dies:  Simon Says Stamp; Inks:  Stampin Up!; VersaFine, Memento; Circle punch

winter wishes...

Hello friends!!  Wow.. we had a crazy windstorm last night!  Once, again, I had to deflate our Santa to make sure he didn't blow away.  My little guy was rather worried that he still would even after I took him down!   Today it is partly sunny with very little wind... hoping it stays that way!  This morning I took some time to make a little shaker card for a couple of challenges:  CASology (silver) and Colour Me! (silver and navy).

A few weeks ago I purchased the Hero Arts Stamp & Cuts set "Let It Snow" at my local craft store.  When I saw the set I thought it would be perfect for making a shaker card.   This is a pretty simple card, but given that it was a shaker it still took me way too long to make!  Sigh... I'm shaker challenged, lol!   After I cut the top piece to the size I wanted I die cut the opening using the die that came in the set.  I then positioned the panel on my card base and stamped the snowflake in the opening using Night of Navy ink.  I trimmed off a bit more of bottom, added some silver glitter paper and then stamped the sentiment in navy ink. To finish the shaker element I surrounded the snowflake with foam tape and placed silver and clear sequins inside.  A piece of clear cardstock (acetate) was adhered over the opening, more foam tape added to the piece and then it was adhered to the card base.

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; Die Cuts with a View silver glitter; Stamps and dies:  Hero Arts; Ink:  Stampin Up! Night of Navy

awesome...

Hello!!  Hope all is well in your world!  Have a card to share that I made for two challenges:  AAA Cards (CASE Julie) and Colour Me...! (Hello Honey & Coastal Cabana).  

For this card I used my SU! Kinda Eclectic set again.  Ever have one of those stamp sets that you just find yourself wanting to use over and over again?  Well, that is how I feel about Kinda Eclectic.  I just love that set.  Anywhoo... my CASE of Julie's card basically involves using the sunburst image in the bright yellow.  To bring in the Coastal Cabana I added some splatters of Coastal Cabana mixed with water.  The sentiment is from the SU! set Yippee Skippee.  I finished off the card with some washi tape and a few sequins.

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; Stamps:  Stampin Up!; Inks:  Close to My Heart Sunflower & SU! Coastal Cabana); Sequins:  Lawn Fawn & Verve; Washi Tape:  Stampin Up!

a cup of tea...

Hello... popping in with a card for a couple of challenges:  AAA - CASing Angela and Colour Me...! 

I used the Clearly Whimsy Stamp set Time for Tea Additions, as well as Whimsy Stamps Time for Tea Additions die set.  I admit that my CASE of Angela's card is a pretty loose one, but I did try to keep to the overall design of her card and even got some of the colors too.  Patterned papers are from Stampin Up! (Sunshine & Sprinkles).  I got my gold in by using some gold mirror paper which you can see peeking out underneath the black cardstock.  I did do some partial embossing of the black cardstock to break up the starkness of all that black. 

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white & black; Patterned Paper:  Stampin Up!; Stamps & Dies:  Clearly Whimsy Stamps; Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Embossing folder:  SU! Decorative Dots

you inspire me...

Hello there!!  Wow... seems like I haven't posted anything in ages, but it has only been since Monday, lol!   (I don't really count the post on Wednesday since it was a just a peek.)  I have been enjoying the beautiful weather and wasn't inspired to make anything until I made this card, ha!  I'm linking it up to Colour Me...!, CAS(E) this Sketch and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.

Recently got my hands on the wildly popular Altenew sets Painted Flowers and Label Love.  I used both sets for my card.  Making the flowers is a bit of a learning curve, but after making this card and another that I posted on Splitcoaststampers earlier this week I think I have it all figured out, lol!  I used VersaMagic Eggplant and Stampin Up! Soft Sky for the flowers and leaves.  I inked up the main body of the flower with the Eggplant ink, stamped it off on scrap paper and then stamped it on my cardstock.  The "definition" image was stamped using the Eggplant ink at full strength.  The line image was added using black ink.  Once all the flowers were stamped I added the leaves.  Added the sentiment strip and some sparkling clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh (my clear item for the SSS Wed. challenge).

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; Stamps:  Altenew; Inks:  Stampin Up! Soft Sky, VersaMagic Eggplant; Memento Tuxedo Black; Pretty Pink Posh clear sequins