You make my heart smile! - ShowCASe Your Style Challenge #5

Surprise!  I'm back already with another card.  It's another entry for ShowCASe Your Style #5 Challenge, using at least 1 die cut.

Well, if you know me...you know I had to use more than one.  I love using dies!

As you can see, I used 5 colors of card stock.  Then stamped inside each die cut with a different ink color.  I brushed over each image with some clear Wink of Stella, which you might be able to see if you click on the closeup photo.  I also added some to the yellow heart.
This card is not making me smile (as the one in my previous post die - click HERE to see it).  Something about it just isn't quite right.  Oh well.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to stop by!

Supply list ~
card stock: crushed curry, tangerine tango, real red, rich razzleberry, elegant eggplant (SU), white (Recollections)
ink: tangerine tango, real red, rich razzleberry, elegant eggplant (SU)
stamps: framed out #12 (PTI), the images are from a little set my Close To My Heart, but I don't know the name of it
dies: framed out #12 (PTI), of the heart (Lil' Inkers Designs)
other: clear Wink of Stella

Just Because - ShowCASe Your Style challenge

Okay, now that we've taken down the Christmas decorations (except the trees), I spent a little time at my craft table.  Ahhh...and I enjoyed it!
I'm sharing one of 2 cards that I created for the ShowCASe Your Style Challenge #5 - die cut theme.

As you can see, we are to use at least one die cut.  Well...I used lots of die cuts on my card.

I cut the cover plate from white card stock first, then chose 9 colors of card stock to die cut and place inside the negative spaces.  It took a lot longer than I thought it would, but it was well worth it.  It turned out to be one of those cards that just makes me smile!
Thanks for taking a look!

Supply list -
card stock: pretty in pink, crisp cantaloupe, strawberry slush, primrose petals, raspberry ripple, cherry cobbler, bravo burgundy, blackberry bliss (Stampin' Up!), white (Recollections)
ink: onyx black (Versafine)
stamps: handwritten sentiments (Simon Says Stamp)
die: cover plate center stage (Papertrey Ink)

Dots of Hello!

Clever post title, huh?  Well, maybe not.  But that's the best I could come up with!

This has been such a busy week and today was no exception.  After my workout this morning, I hurried to get ready to head out.  My hubby and I accomplished a lot today, though.  And the weather was unusually warm for this time of year, so it was a great day to be out and about.  We even had sunshine.  Gasp!  Yes, I'm whining about the gray winter weather here in the Midwest. :)

Ok, let's get back to paper crafting.  I'm playing along with the ColourQ #273 challenge today.  Here's a look at the challenge colors.

I chose not to use the Christmas theme, but only the colors.  Here is what I created.

If you follow my blog, you may remember THIS card that I created several weeks ago, using this same technique.  It was all inspired by a coffee mug I saw on Pinterest HERE.

I used one tiny dot stamp to create this "hello".  After die cutting the word from a piece of copy paper, I used temporary adhesive to attach the mask to my card panel.  After that it was just lots and lots and lots of stamping, using the challenge colors.  That may seem monotonous, but it really wasn't.  I loved it.  The best part of the process was lifting the hello mask off of the panel to see the results!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supply list ~
card stock: hello honey, calypso coral (SU), white (Recollections)
ink: poppy parade, calypso coral, old olive, hello honey (SU)
stamps: harvest berries (PTI)
die: small hello (SSS)

Hey strangers!

Actually, I guess I'm the stranger.  It's been a long time since I posted!
I finally found some time this weekend to make two cards.  It felt SO good to spend some quality time at the craft table.  :)

Anyway...I'm playing along with the Retro Sketches rs#146.  Here's the sketch!

Here's my card!

It certainly is bright, isn't it?  Well, that's the look I was going for.  Bright, festive and fun.  That patterned paper from Stampin' Up! caught my eye as I was going through my Christmas stash, so I pulled all of my colors from that.
The "polaroid" frame was die cut 3 times and glued together to make a nice thick piece.  I set a single layer of green card stock into the frame, then popped up the kraft banner and the stamped panel.
That's about it!
Thanks for taking a look today.  Hopefully, I'll have some extra time for crafting over this holiday break from work.  So you MIGHT see a few more posts coming up.  :)

Supplies:
card stock: white (Recollections), gumball green (SU), kraft (PTI)
dsp: trim the tree stack (SU)
ink: delicata golden glitz (Tsukineko), gumball green, crumb cake, cherry cobbler (SU)
dies: fabulous frames, double ended banner (PTI)
other: gold wink of stella (Kuretake)

I'm Guest Designing at CAS(E) this sketch!!!

Hi all!  This week I'm Guest Designing at CAS(E) this sketch - CTS #102.  I was SO excited when I saw the email from Chrissy, with the invitation to design along with the amazingly talented DT for a week.   Eeeek!

Ok.  On to the sketch.  This one was created by Gayatri Murali (so talented!).

Here's my interpretation of the sketch.

I stamped all of my images onto a single layer of watercolor paper, misting each stamp with water before stamping onto the paper.

After it dried I used two dies (taped together) to cut out a rectangular frame.  I cut two more frames to glue under it, which adds some dimension to the card.   Before I stamped the sentiment, I added some ink spatters.  Then...I decided that those snowflakes needed some Wink of Stella.  So, I added a touch of clear shimmer to each one.  Finished!

I hope you'll click over to the CAS(E) this sketch! blog to see what the Design Team has created AND to play along.

Thank you Chrissy, for the chance to Guest Design this week!

Supply list ~
card stock: 140 lb cold press watercolor paper (Strathmore)
ink: black soot, dusty concord, peeled paint, peacock feathers (distress inks by Ranger)
stamps: snowflake medley, in the meadow (PTI)
dies: large deckled rectangles (Spellbinders)
other: mini mister (Ranger), clear wink of stella (Kuretake), water, brush

Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking Magazine Special Thanks! Blog Hop

Hello!!!!  I'm participating in a very special blog hop to say "Thank you" to all of the editors and staff at Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking Magazine.  You should have arrived here from Lori Techler's blog (if you need to jump back just click on the link in her name.)

If you're a paper crafter, you probably know that the final issue of PC and S will be published in February of 2015.  This is such a loss for  us paper crafters, so when I was invited to be a part of this (huge!) blog hop...of course I said YES!  You should see the entire blog roll at the end of this post...that is, if I followed the instructions correctly.  :)


I've been a subscriber of Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking Magazine for many years.  Poring over each issue as soon as it arrived in my mailbox.  But, my most exciting memories of PC and S is when I received those emails from Susan Opel.  The emails that we paper crafters refer to as Happy Mail.  "Congratulations, your card has been accepted for publication!"

When I read that first email from Susan, my jaw actually dropped.  Seriously.  I had to read the message several times before that bit of news really soaked in.  Eeeeeekkkkk!
What is really unbelievable is that the first card I ever submitted for publication, was actually accepted and published.   I only had 2 cards published in PC and S, over the years.  But those are events that I'll never forget.

So...I want to say a HUGE thank you to all of the editors and staff, for years of inspiration, information, ideas, sweepstakes and fun.  Through the opportunities that this magazine gave me, I've met (on line) SO many other paper crafters from all over the world.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart, for that.

For my Thank You card, I die cut a "thanks" mask from copy paper, then stamped dots of ink over and around the mask.  That tiny dot is the only stamp I used on this card.  One tiny stamp...over and over and over.  Time consuming, but I love the result!
I got the idea for this card from (where else?) Pinterest.  It was on a coffee mug HERE.

Now, click HERE to hop over to Jocelyn Olson's blog!

Supply list ~
card stock: white (Recollections), raspberry ripple, brushed gold (Stampin' Up!)
ink: raspberry ripple (SU), delicata golden glitz (Tsukineko)
stamps: party kit (Mama Elephant)
die: wet paint cuts (Papertrey Ink)
other: copy paper

City Crafters Challenge - I'm Guest Designer!

I'm so excited to be Guest Designing this week at City Crafters Challenge - week 237!  What an honor.  Thanks Kirsty!

The challenge this week is Christmas CAS - make a one-layer, clean and simple holiday card.
Here is the beautiful inspiration photo that Kirsty has provided.

 Love this photo.  Don't you?  I had a few ideas that might work.  But it took a day or so until I came up with something I really liked.  You know.  One of those "aha" ideas!

Here's what I created.

I used a light green card stock for my card so that I would have a richer background than a white or cream card stock could provide.  I didn't want a sharp contrast between my stamped pine needles and the background.

This stamp set is one that I bought recently and I've used it so many times already.  Love it!  I stamped the pine needles using 5 different shades of green and it turned out just as I had imagined.  So that the sentiment wouldn't get lost in that busy background, I heat embossed it with Early Espresso embossing powder.

Thanks so much for stopping in to take a look.  You can follow the link HERE or at the top of my post, to check the inspiration from the Design Team at the CCC blog and to play along.

Again, thank you Kirsty for the opportunity to Guest Design this week!

Supply list ~
card stock: pistachio pudding (Stampin' Up!)
ink: pear pizzazz, mellow moss, old olive, always artichoke, soft suede, baked brown sugar (SU), Versamark
stamps: ornamental pine (SU), wet paint holiday (PTI)
other: early espresso embossing powder (SU), heat tool

A Bokeh Christmas card!

Hi!  I'm playing along in 2 challenges with today's card.  I had an idea to use gold ink with the bokeh technique and these two challenges were just what I needed, to get this card going.

CAS(E) this sketch #99 - This sketch was created by my friend Michelle (we served on the Dynamic Duos DT together!)

Virginia's View Challenge #9 - All Things Metallic

Here's my take on the two challenges.

Ohhhhh.   I love Delicata Golden Glitz ink.  A. Lot.

So, I had a lot of fun with this card.  I used the back side of two button stamps for my bokeh effect.  I stamped off once before stamping these circles with Sahara Sand and crumb cake inks, then with the gold ink.  Before popping that panel onto my card base, I swiped gold ink onto the edge of the card.

That gave me exactly the look I had hoped for.  So much fun!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supply list ~
card stock: white (Recollections)
ink: sahara sand, crumb cake (SU), delicata golden glitz (Tseukineko)
stamps: Christmas blessings, button boutique (PTI)

Seize The Birthday - Monochromatic Orange...and an announcement.

Hi!  The new 2-week challenge at Seize The Birthday is up already.  Our Toppings option is Monochromatic Orange.  As always, the Topping is optional.  Anything goes...as long as it's a birthday card, of course!

This will be my last challenge with the wonderful Design Team at Seize The Birthday.  I'll miss these ladies, for sure!  But, life has gotten so busy (lots of good stuff, mind you) that I have to free up some time.  So, I've decided to step down from the team.  I'm sure you'll see me playing along whenever I have a chance, though.
Thank you Lesley, Nancy and all of the DT for all the support and friendship!

Well now.  On to my card, right???

I used 3 shades of orange ink to create this Ikat design.  I've had this stamp set for a while, but it's not seen much ink.  This card was my 2nd attempt.  I tried to do some random stamping on the first one, but it just wasn't working.  So, I decided to keep it simple on this card and I like it so much better!  The sentiment is stamped on a narrow strip (in Vintage Sepia) and popped up with foam tape.
That's about it!

Thanks for stopping by.  And..thank you to all of the team at Seize The Birthday!!!

Supplies ~
card stock: white (Recollections)
ink: pumpkin pie, tangerine tango, peach parfait (SU), vintage sepia (Versafine)
stamps: borders and backgrounds (WPlus9), boutique borders birthdays (PTI)

Walking in a Winter Wonderland - CAS(E) this Sketch #97

Hey, I'm back with one more quick post tonight!  This time I'm playing along with CAS(E) this Sketch #97.  Here's the sketch provided by Sam Simpson.

Here's what I created.

I've been using my distress inks more and more lately.  I love creating scenes and these inks blend so well...perfect for the look I wanted to create.

I die cut the birch trees from a die by Taylored Expressions, then masked off the two sides to create a narrow scene down the center of the card.  Three shades of ink were sponged over the die cut negative spaces to create the sky.  After removing the birch tree die cut piece and masking...there was my sky!  It's always fun to lift away a piece of masking, to see how the inked areas turned out.

To finish the card, I stamped a sentiment in black ink then stamped 3 little Cardinals on the tree branches.   Done!

Thanks for taking a look!

Supply list ~
card stock: white (Recollections)
ink: stormy sky, broken china, faded jeans, fired brick (Ranger distress inks), onyx black (Versafine)
stamps: in the meadow (PTI)
other: birch tree cutting plate (Taylored Expressions)

Happy Holidays at Festive Friday #43

I'm playing along with Festive Friday Challenge #43 today.  I love the photo inspiration provided in this photo.  Soooo pretty!

I was inspired by the mix of patterns in the gift wrapping.  Here's what I came up with.

I pulled all of these patterns from a 6 x 6 pad by Teresa Collins.  I scattered the die cut pieces across the card panel, then sewed them in place with some red thread.  I tied the ends in tiny bows...kinda fun. :)
After stamping the sentiment, I thought the card still needed something.  So, I pulled some clear gemstones from my (neglected) stash and placed one on each banner.  Then, just for good measure, added one to dot the i in Holidays.

That's it!

Supply list ~
card stock: white (Recollections)
stamps: think big favorites #8 (PTI)
ink: onyx black (Versafine)
patterned paper: santa's list 6 x 6 pad (Teresa Collins)
other: iridescent clear gems (The Paper Studio), red thread, sewing machine