Sunday, March 30, 2014

CAS(E) This Sketch - Take 2

Hi everyone ~
I have 2 cards to share with you today. I really love this week’s sketch by Sam Simpson for CAS(E) This Sketch #70, so I decided to create another card.  



I stamped and die cut the polaroid frame and stamped the sentiment. Then, I just die cut some pretty cardstock for the flowers and leaves, placed some ‘messy’ thread behind the frame, and that was it...easy peasy, and very CAS!

I also created my next card just for fun! I’ve seen several really pretty cards using this cute little Hero Arts bird, and finally bought him :-)




I inked my new MFT ‘Sun Ray’ Stencil (a gift from a very sweet friend) with Butter Bar and Orange Soda ink, stamped the bird on the stitched circle and used water color pencils to color him in. A few sequins, and this card was finished!
 
Thank you so much for stopping by...I appreciate your sweet comments very much! I hope everyone is having a great weekend!




Supplies:
You Are Simply Beautiful:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Just Smile
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Papertrey Ink - Tropical Teal
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White, Berry Sorbet, Lemon Tart; Avery Elle - Sea Glass
Dies: Papertrey Ink - Just Smile
Pearl Gems: Kaisercraft - Bliss
Thread: Coats & Clark - White

Hello: 
Stamps: Hero Arts - Bird, Everyday Sayings
Ink: Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black; Hero Arts - Butter Bar, Orange Soda
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Stencil: MFT - Sun Ray
Pencils: Derwent - Inktense; Stampin’ Up - Watercolor Pencils
Sequins: Kelly Purkey

Friday, March 28, 2014

Good Luck

I created this card with 3 challenges in mind: CAS(E) This Sketch #70, Addicted to CAS - Code Word 'Luck’  and CASology - Cue Card 'Lucky’.




I really wanted to keep this card ‘Clean and Simple’, so I created a square white panel, stamped my little birdie and colored him in. The sentiment is from Clearly Besotted Stamps and the bird and speech bubble is from Mama Elephant. I just matted the images onto a yellow panel and adhered it to a plain white card base...and that’s it!
 
Thank you so much for stopping by...I appreciate your sweet comments very much! I hope everyone has a fun weekend!






Supplies:
Stamps: Mama Elephant - Just Hatched; Clearly Besotted Stamps - Flower Arrangement
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White, Harvest Gold
Dies: Mama Elephant - Just Hatched
Markers: Copic Sketch Markers

Happy Easter

Hi everyone ~ I have a card for 2 challenges today.

This week’s theme at Addicted to Stamps and More is ‘Holiday’  and the recipe at Less is More is to create a card using ‘3‘ of something on our card.





I started by die cutting the Spring Border and Grass dies in white; I colored the flowers and stems with Copics, and used distress ink to color the grass. I also die cut the bunnies and used light gray and pink Copics to color them, added the pom-poms, gold gems and a sentiment, and this card was finished!

Well, that’s it for me! Thank you so much for stopping by...I appreciate your sweet comments very much! Have a great weekend!




Supplies:
Happy Easter
Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Happy Easter
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Mowed Lawn
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Dies: Impression Obsession - Bunny
Markers: Copic Sketch Markers
Pom-Poms: Ellen Hutson - White Pom-Pom Trim
Gems: Prima Marketing - Gold

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

So Many Challenges...So Little Time!

Hi everyone ~ For the past 2 weeks, I've been enjoying the Online Card Class 'CAS 3', and really haven't been playing along in all my favorite challenges...well, at least not as many as I would like! So, I have 2 cards to share today for 3 different challenges...

The first card is for this week's AEI♥U Challenge, which is to implement an Ombre’/Gradient effect on our card.




I used all Avery Elle stamps and dies on this card (Thank you, JJ!). I started with blending 3 shades of distress inks, then die cut several of the chevrons from ‘Chevron Bits’ and popped them up on my card with foam tape. I die cut and stamped the sentiment from 'Words - Fill in the Blank’, added a few star sequins, and that was it...I love the impact of the gradient and all the white space on this card!


I recently stumbled upon 2 challenge blogs that piqued my interest, and thought it would be fun to play along...Crazy for CAS, which is an inspiration photo challenge. I was inspired by the portion of the photo that has a row of plant pots with a single flower, and the Clean and Simple Stamping Challenge Blog, which offered the sketch as the basis for my design. 

Here is the inspiration photo:


And, here is my card:




This card was also inspired by 2 beautiful cards Therese Calvird created, where she used Inlaid Die Cuts with her vase dies...I love how you get so much dimension with this technique. Therese is incredibly talented, so if you haven’t perused her blog before, grab a cuppa, click on the link, sit back, and be ready for some serious 'Eye Candy’!  

Well, that’s it for me today! Thank you so much for stopping by...I appreciate your sweet comments very much!






Clean & Simple Stamping Challenge Blog


Supplies:

You Did It
Stamps: Avery Elle - Fill in the Blank
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Salty Ocean
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Dies: Avery Elle - Words Fill in the Blank, Chevron Bits
Sequins: Pretty Pink Posh - Silver Stars

Just Saying Hello
Stamps: Hero Arts - Messages with Flourish (sentiment); Clearly Besotted Stamps - Flowers
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Cottage Ivy; Memento Luxe - Angel Pink; Rosebud; Hero Arts - Butter Bar, Green Hills
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Dies: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Flower Arrangement
Gems: Kaisercraft - Small Pearls


Monday, March 24, 2014

Hippo Birdie To You

Hi everyone,
I created this card for this week’s Lawnscaping Challenge . Our challenge is to create a Clean & Simple card, and I wanted to play with one of my newest Lawn Fawn sets, 'Year Four’ which is Lawn Fawn’s annual birthday set. To my surprise, it also comes with dies. Of course, I couldn’t resist my Wink of Stella pen on the hats and balloons,  and those little stars that I bought from Delish Beads.





I actually used 4 different Lawn Fawn sets for this card...They mix and match so well! It’s one of the things I love about Lawn Fawn, besides how adorable the animals/critters and birds are in all of their stamp sets, and their puny sentiments! The hippo, bird and balloons are inlaid into the front panel, and the party hats are popped up to add dimension to this card.

Well, that’s it for me! Thank you so much for stopping by...I appreciate your sweet comments very much!







Supplies:
Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Year Four, Hello Sunshine (cloud), Hats off to You (party hat on the hippo), You Float My Boat (exclamation point)
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black; Hero Arts - Soft Pool; Papertrey Ink - Soft Stone
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Dies: Lawn Fawn - Year Four
Gems: Delish Beads
Markers: Copic Sketch Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear

Sunday, March 23, 2014

CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge #69

Hi everyone! This week’s sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge  was created by N@ Ali, and it’s just beautiful, so I had to play along!  



I found an older PTI stamp set called Vintage Labels that has some very pretty flourishes, and paired it with Keep it Simple Thank You stamp set from this month’s release. I wanted to keep this card CAS, so I added just a few small flowers and leaves from another new set called Just Smile, and I was finished.


Well, that’s it for me! Thank you so much for stopping by...I appreciate your sweet comments very much!



Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Vintage Labels, Keep it Simple - Thank You - Just Smile
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versamark; Hero Arts - Fresh Peach, Green Hills
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Dies: Papertrey Ink - Just Smile; Lil Inkers - Stitched Rectangle Mats
Gems: Kaisercraft - Small Pearls
Embossing Powder: Hero Arts - Silver

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Wishing You a Perfect Day

Hi everyone! 
This is my 2nd post today. For my Lawnscaping Challenge card, please scroll down, or click Here.

The focus yesterday and today in CAS3 card class was about adding textural effects to a CAS card. Debby Hughes created a card with heat embossing, Copic coloring, embossing paste and a whole lotta Wink of Stella clear glitter! While I try not to make the identical card as the instructors, I had almost all of the supplies to CASE her beautiful card, so that’s what I did.  




I created a stencil with my SSS Falling Stars die with clear acetate for the embossing paste, and masked off the butterfly and sentiment before applying it. I used Copics to color the butterfly, and gold embossing powder on a teeny-tiny circle stamp to create the gold spatters. For the turquoise spatters, I used an old bottle of Glimmer Mist, which added a lot a shimmer to the card...Here’s a close-up of all that yummy sparkle:




I would like to enter this card in this week’s Wednesday Challenge at Simon Says Stamp ~ “Glitter It", and to this week's challenge "Make Your Mark" at Addicted to Stamps & More as well as this week's Less is More Challenge - Masking or Stenciling. Thanks so much for stopping by...I really appreciate your sweet comments!




Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts - Butterfly and Flower, Perfect Day (sentiment); Papertrey Ink - Beautiful Blooms II (teeny-tiny circle stamp)
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versamark
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Dies: Simon Says Stamp - Falling Stars; Hero Arts - Butterfly
Markers: Copics
Pearl Gem: Delish Beads
Embossing Powder: Hero Arts - White; Zing - Gold
Embossing Paste: Wendy Vecchi - White
Glimmer Mist: Tattered Angels - Peacock (Chalkboard)
Glitter Pen: Wink of Stella - Clear

You Float My Boat

Hi everyone! Just a quick card share...Last night, I watched Kelly Marie’s intro video for Lawn Fawn’s new release ‘You Float My Boat’ stamp and die set, and it inspired me to take mine out and create another card. I also thought it would be a good time to try out an 'angled’ card.




So, for this card, I stamped everything with the 'You Float My Boat' set, colored and die cut the boat. The clouds, patterned papers and sequins are from the Hello Sunshine collection. I added some shimmer with my Wink of Stella pen to the seagulls and the little flag on the boat...and that was it!




I haven't played in the Lawnscaping Challenge in a while, so I would like to throw my hat in the ring with this card for their Clean & Simple Challenge!





Thanks so much for stopping by...I really appreciate your sweet comments!

Supplies:
Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Hello Sunshine, You Float My Boat
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento Luxe - Nautical Blue; PTI - Aqua Mist, Spring Rain; Hero Arts - Soft Granite
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Patterned Paper: Lawn Fawn - Hello Sunshine
Dies: Lawn Fawn - You Float My Boat
Markers: Copics
Sequins: Lawn Fawn - Hello Sunshine
Glitter Pen: Wink of Stella - Clear

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

CAS3 Day 7

Hi everyone! Just a quick post for today ~ 

In yesterday’s CAS3 Cardmaking Class, Kristina demonstrated a technique for coloring on Vellum with Copic markers. I wanted to use a large sentiment, and pastel colors (come on spring!), so I chose my Thank You die by Hero Arts and some of my softer Copic markers. I embossed the front panel, and added some small hearts and gems. 






As usual, it's hard to see the detail in the embossing, so here is a close-up:




We’re learning so many amazing techniques in class, so of course I wish I had more time to play...hopefully, I’ll be able to create more cards during the next few days.




The theme for this week's challenge at Addicted to Stamps & More is 'Make Your Mark', since I used Copics to color behind the die cut, I would like to submit this card.


I hope everyone is having a great week! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog...I really appreciate your sweet comments!



Supplies:
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White, Vellum
Dies: Hero Arts - Thank You; Lawn Fawn and SSS - Hearts
Markers: Copics
Impression Plate: Papertrey Ink - Rustic Burlap
Enamel Dots: My Minds Eye
Sequins: Small Flowers - Gift from a Sweet Friend


Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Happy Birthday, Anita!

Hi everyone ~ The super sweet and incredibly talented Anita from My Papercraft World had a birthday on February 18th, but since many of us didn’t know beforehand, Bev and Darnell have arranged a ‘Belated Birthday Party’ for today...one month later!

Happy Birthday to you, Anita! I hope you had a wonderful day celebrating with family and friends, and I hope all of your birthday wishes come true! This card is for you ~



 If you would like to join in the celebration with a Birthday card for Anita, please check out Darnell's Blog for the details. Have a great day, everyone...Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies 
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Daydreamer, Think Big Favorites #1
Ink: Versafine - Smokey Gray; Papertrey Ink - Lemon Tart, New Leaf
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Embossing Folder: Sizzix Distressed Frame
Gems: Hero Arts - Sunshine Mixed Accents

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Sending Lots of Love

Hi everyone ~ 
I seem to be on a kick with 'Bow Dies’ over the past few months, and have purchased 4 or 5 of them in varying sizes and styles (of course, I haven’t even used them all on cards yet). Then, while doing an unrelated search on a stamp set, I found ‘This Gorgeous Card’ by Cristina Martinez, who also happens to be a DT member at A Blog Named Hero. I fell in love with her dainty bow, so...you guessed it, I had to buy this die! It’s made by La Pareja Creativa  and I’m proud to say that I filled out their online order form in Spanish...all by myself! Of course I had to look up a few things with Google Translate, but it all worked out well. Great customer service, too...after I placed the order, I received a personal note from the owner, and my package was here in less than 2 weeks (shipped from Slovenia)! By the way, the vase comes with the bow, and I received a really cute stem with leaves die as a ‘thank you’...I'm impressed!!!


I used Pearlescent Embossing Paste for the fronds, die cut the vase and bow, and stamped the zig zag stitching on to the vellum banner. I would like to enter my card into 2 challenges: CAS(E) This Sketch (sketch is by Joni Andaya) and the Less is More Challenge for the theme ‘Masking or Stenciling’.



I hope everyone is having a great weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog...I really appreciate your sweet comments!

Supplies
Stamps: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Take Good Care (sentiment), Just For You (stitching)
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versamark
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Sweet Blush, Vellum; DCWV - Silver Foil
Patterned Paper: Lawn Fawn - Let’s Polka Petite Paper Pack
Dies: La Pareja Creativa - Vase and Bow; Lifestyle Crafts - Banners and Arrows
Stencil: Memory Box - Garden Fronds
Embossing Paste: Dreamweaver - Pearlescent
Embossing Powder: Hero Arts - White
Enamel Dots: My Minds Eye; Doodlebug

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Backgrounds into the Foreground

Hi everyone ~
Yesterday’s topic for Clean & Simple 3 was “Backgrounds into the Foreground”. Laura Bassen showed us how to create a plaid pattern with masking. So, I was really excited to try this technique, because I can’t seem to space my border stamps evenly to create stripes or plaids. 



 
 
I just realized that this photo looks 'wonky'...I must have been holding my camera at a funny angle :-)

Anyway, I’m happy with how the card turned out, but wish I had thought to leave some white sections before I got halfway through. I had fun though (and that's what counts, right?), and I think it’s a technique that I’ll use again later, maybe in a certain color combo or shades of one or two colors. I was lucky enough to have this sentiment, too...I think it makes a bold statement with the plaid pattern in the background. 

Well, that’s it for me...Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I really appreciate your sweet comments!

Supplies
Stamps: Hero Arts - Be Happy Today
Ink: Hero Arts - Butter Bar, Fresh Peach, Mint Julep, Soft Pool, Tide Pool, Green Hills; Versafine - Onyx Black
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White

Friday, March 14, 2014

Optical Illusions

Hi everyone ~ I’m back with another card for Clean and Simple Card Making 3. But, before I share my card, I want to apologize if I haven’t had a chance to say hello to you on your blog or gallery...yesterday, I spent several hours trying to create a card based on Julie’s ‘Optical Illusion’, and after several attempts, I’m still not happy with it...but, I am happy with this card that was inspired by Jean Manis, who was our Guest Instructor! I stuck pretty close to her sample:




I don’t have all of the stamps Jean used to create her card, but I was glad that I had a few Mama Elephant sets to create my scene. I’m not sure if this is a sunrise or a sunset...I suppose it depends what time of year it is, the weather, and where you would be located when the sky looks like this :-)
Also, I love the shine that comes with embossing...especially in gold, so here's a close up of the arrow and star:




Well, that’s it for me...Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I really appreciate your sweet comments!

Supplies:
Stamps: Mama Elephant - Central Park, Up & Away; Hero Arts/Studio Calico - From a Studio Calico class
Ink: Ranger Archival - Jet Black; Hero Arts - Pale Tomato, Orange Soda, Butter Bar; Versamark
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Embossing Powder: American Crafts - Zing Gold


Thursday, March 13, 2014

Some Bunny Loves You

Hi everyone ~
Today was Day 3 for Online Card Classes CAS 3, and instead of working on cards for today’s techniques, I had one more card I wanted to make using in-laid die cuts. 






Instead of using die cut alphas or words, I die cut the bunnies in this set to look like a mother and child cuddling, then stamped my sentiment below. I think it turned out pretty well, so I’m going to send it to my 7 year old granddaughter for Easter...it’s right up her 'alley’! I’m not sure if you can see how the bunnies are in-laid in the photo above, so here’s a close-up:





I love playing along at Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge, so I am entering this card for this week's theme - 'Anything Goes'. Well, that’s it for me...Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I really appreciate your sweet comments!



Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Hoppy Easter; Paper Smooches - Shadows
Ink: Versafine - Hero Arts - Green Hills, Pale Tomato; Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Dies: Clearly Besotted Stamps - Hoppy Easter
Markers: Copic Sketch Markers
Sequins: Pretty Pink Posh - Fresh Mint


Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Online Card Class - Day 2

Hi everyone ~
Today was Day 2 for Online Card Classes CAS 3, and once again, it was difficult to decide which technique to play with. I finally decided to try Heather Campbell’s card tutorial, featuring in-laid die cutting, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it!




 Heather used triangles for her geometric element, and I chose my Avery Elle Rounded Diamonds. I also added silver foil cardstock for one diamond, and black Shape N’ Tape across the bottom border. And...no stamping! None. Zero. Zip!!!

Well, that’s it for me...Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I really appreciate your sweet comments!


Supplies:
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Soft Stone, Aqua Mist; Bazzill - Icy Mint
Shape N’ Tape: Lifestyle Crafts
Dies: Paper Smooches - Quote Tag; Avery Elle - Rounded Diamonds
Sequins: Kelly Purkey - Silver Metallic

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

In-Laid Die Cutting

Hi everyone ~
Today was the first day for Online Card Classes Clean & Simple 3 and although it was hard to decide which technique to play with, I finally went with Debby Hughes’ tutorial for in-laid die cutting. 






I followed Debby’s tutorial for die cutting, and paired the die cut word with a sentiment from SSS. I even added ‘splatters’ to my card, for the first time ever, and I’m actually happy with how it turned out!

Thanks so much for stopping by  ~




Supplies:
Stamps: Simon Says Stamp - Be
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White; MFT - Berrylicious, Wild Cherry; Memory Box - Dove Gray; Bazzill - Icy Mint
Patterned Paper: Lawn Fawn - Hello Sunshine
Dies: Paper Smooches - Quote Tag; Simon Says Stamp - Speech Bubbles
Gems: My Minds Eye - Enamel Dots

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Lawn Fawn Goodies

Hi everyone ~
Just a quick share...I'm supposed to be cleaning up my craft room so I can be ready for the Online Card Class that starts tomorrow. 


I just received my new stamps and dies from the latest Lawn Fawn release, and couldn’t wait to play with everything! I also fell in love with the new wide stripes background stamp from SSS, so I used it to create the panel along the left side of my first card.




I die cut the boat 3 times, and stacked them to create dimension on this card. 

For my 2nd card, I created a scene with the car and camper, and added some of the new pretty papers above and below.




So, that's it for me...time to get back into cleaning up! Thanks so much for stopping by  ~


Supplies:
You Float My Boat
Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Float My Boat; Simon Says Stamp - Wide Stripes Background
Ink: Versafine - Smokey Gray; Hero Arts - Navy, Soft Pool; Stampin’ Up - Real Red
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White
Dies: Lawn Fawn - Float My Boat; Lil’ Inkers - Stitched Circles
Gems: Lawn Fawn - Let’s Polka

Happy Trails
Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Happy Trails
Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink - Select White; Harvest Gold
Patterned Paper: Lawn Fawn - Hello Sunshine (petite paper pack)
Dies: Lawn Fawn - Happy Trails
Markers: Copics
Misc: Glossy Accents (for windows)