Memory Box and Poppystamps

For once I didn't wait until the end of the month to make my cards for Memory Box Happy Birthday and Poppystamps Midas Touch.  

I had such fun using MB Oval Snowman Collage die for a January BD card.  

A sheet of my new Altenew ombre paper pack made the perfect background.  I just added snow with my fine point white Posca paint marker.  A fine point gray pen was used to go over the lines of his face.  I chose not to add the hat and scarf.  There's a bit of Stickles on the tree branches for sparkle, but I forgot to take a close up before it went in the mail.  I already had the Altenew Essential Sentiment Strips diecut in the package and it was the perfect size and look.  I just used a soft blue cardstock in my stash to mat the focal point and the sentiment.  My friend lives where they get snow, but I think she'll like a snowman card much more than the real thing at this point in her life.😊

I've used my old Poppystamps Massa Leaf Frame die several times, but don't think I ever used the matching branch die that came with it.  Months ago I colored a watercolor panel with green and gold shimmer products to use for diecutting leaves.  It was just the right size to cut enough branches to make my wreath.  

I used a Tim Holtz Funky Wreath diecut as the base.  It worked great to insert the stems into the open spaces.  I previously splattered white and black panels with gold watercolor.  I noticed them as I reached for a white card and loved the look of the leaves on the black.  The PPP bows were die cut from SSS Matte Gold Cardstock and the sentiment from Poppystamps Hope and Thanks was gold embossed.  So glad I still have some old gold Dot Sparklers to use for berries.  You can see the shimmer and sparkle in my IG video.   

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Birthday Card

When I saw the theme at Time Out Challenges is Beginnings, I immediately thought of my old woodmounted PB sentiment stamp.  And then I thought of the Tim Holtz Rays stencil.  Here's the result.

In case you're wondering, I didn't check out the 2025 challenges before stepping down from the DT.  I first stenciled with Altenew's Maple Yellow and Fresh Lemon.  Then I stamped the sentiment in Versafine Clair Nocturne and die cut the panel with AJVD stitched rectangle.  I used very old PB dies for the balloons which I inked with the same yellows.  No bling or sparkle, so this can be for a guy.  I'm also entering JUGs and SSS Monday (if a new year of life qualifies).

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Another Quilt for Valentine's Day

After making my red and kraft quilt card, I saw Inkspirational Challenge #332, Pretty Quilt.  I couldn't add my card without exceeding the allowed challenges for SSS Flickr.  Just as well, since it "made" me use my CN9 Poinsettia Quilt Top die for another card!😊 

This time I used pink and aqua Heidi Swapp glitter tape and Bazzill Diamond shimmer cardstock.  The little heart is AJVD and the sentiment is SSS Simple Valentine's Day.  Instead of using the backing die, I fussy cut my quilt and glued it to a white card.  There's a video showing the sparkle and shimmer on my IG post.  

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Red and Kraft

Happy 2025!  I don't play in many color challenges, as having to use 4 or more specified colors usually baffles me.  Luckily, Color Hues is a 2 color challenge and that I can do.  For challenge #101, Sheri chose Red and Kraft, thinking of Valentines.  It just so happens, I'm hoping to mail more Valentines than usual this year.  Really had fun using CN9 Poinsettia Quilt Top die that I bought after seeing my friend, Betty, use it for birthday cards. 

PTI Classic Kraft is my favorite kraft cardstock.  I used a new sheet for the card base, but used snippets for everything else.  The beautiful foiled printed paper is from an American Crafts pad my friend, Cat, gave me long ago.  The red glitter sections were cut from Heidi Swapp glitter tape I've had for years.  I have several rolls of different colors which I attach to lightweight cardstock scraps for easy diecutting.

The sentiment is made with SSS Simple Valentine's Day.  Couldn't bear to cover up more of the quilt, so I didn't use the shadow.  The kraft corner pieces were covered with shimmer and the sentiment with glaze.  You can see the sparkle and shine in my IG post video.  I tied on kraft twine before attaching my quilt diecut.  I'm also entering JUGs and Snippets Playground.

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Hero Arts

I intended to combine Woodblock Wednesday and Stay Crafty with ABNH.  Happy the gallery is still open for Hero Arts.

The fancy tree was stamped in Versafine Clair Green Oasis.  I colored over the berries with a red pen and added Star Dust Stickles.  Amazing the difference when I used a fine point white Posca marker to make the white flower centers stand out. 

Pinkfresh Elongated Ovals dies were used for the tree panel and a HA Cherry Red mat.  Years ago, my LSS opened the HA containers of small stamps and sold them individually.  That's how I got the beautiful JOY that I stamped in CN9 Poppy, edged with Oasis Green and layered 3 high.  Simple and classic, which I love.  I'm also entering WAW.

Hope all of you had a lovely Christmas and I wish you peace and joy in the year ahead.  Thank you for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Pinkfresh and Altenew

I have a couple cards for December monthly challenges.  First up is my entry for the Pinkfresh December Monthly Challenge.  I love that this challenge lets you use the theme or colors or both.  Generally, I use the theme and that's what I did this time.  

I like leaves with a design, so decided to make my own printed paper using a PFS stamp and the emboss resist technique.  PFS Folk Snowflake was stamped multiple times without overlapping until I covered a white cardstock square.  After gold embossing, I brushed the square with blue and green Altenew watercolor markers.  When it dried, I die cut PFS Layered Wreath--love the look!  The additional leaf dies were cut from a gold embossed scrap and glued to the wreath. 

The sentiment was made from PFS Classic Holiday Word dies cut from the same cream cardstock as the card base.  The words were stacked 3 high, brushed with shimmer and covered with glaze.  I splattered the card with gold watercolor and tied on a twine bow.  I'm also entering Christmas Kickstart.  

I used 2 of my favorite Altenew dies, Pink Star Tulip and Sparkled Frame, to make a card for the Altenew Year in Review challenge.  I chose January's beautiful, fresh color combo of blue, green and tan.  I die cut all the pieces from white cardstock scraps.  The bloom pieces were brushed with Altenew Caribbean Sky and the leaves with Grass Field.  Then I splattered white gesso.  

The frame was brushed with Rocky Shore--darkest on the outer edge.  I wanted a little color in the background, so smooshed a panel with Arctic and Caribbean Sky.  I did a little molding of the petals and leaves and added a pearl.  The sentiment from Altenew's Build a Garden: Morning Glory was stamped in Rocky Shore, die cut and stacked.  Definitely not a flat card, but I love it!  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday, WAW and Snippets Playground.

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Color Hues

I hadn't yet opened my Taylored Expressions Create in Quads Mistletoe stencils and I wanted to enter the Blue and Purple challenge at Color Hues. 

I got this stencil set partly because I thought it could be used year round.  I wanted the all over background panel design, so just used those sections of the stencils.  The Altenew inks are Caribbean Sky, Persian Blue, Wisteria and Ultraviolet.  I added some white details with a fine tip Posca marker.  The fun die was a freebie from Scrapbook.com.  I inked with the 2 lighter colors and added the darker ones on the edges.  I covered the whole diecut with Versamark and embossed in Hero Arts Sparkle powder--so beautiful in person!  The card needed something, so I made the white layered flowers from Poppystamps Potpourri Flower Set.  The tiny pearls keep the card flat enough for one stamp and it's already in the mail.  Now I can't wait to use the full stencils for a start on next year's Christmas cards.  I'm also entering Inkspirational.  

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.