Friendship and Christmas

I'm behind on blog posts, so here are 3 recent cards I posted on IG.

First is my entry for Altenew's June Inspiration Challenge.  My last Altenew order included Chateau Blooms stencils, so it was an easy decision to use them for my entry.  

The Altenew inks are Coral Berry, Coral Red, Wisteria, Ultraviolet, Lime and Fresh Leaf.  I embossed the panel with Altenew's Angled Mosaic folder which gives such a great look in real life.  Couldn't resist adding shimmer to the panel with Lindy's Gang Fairy Fluff spray.  You can see it in my IG video.  The old Altenew Fancy Hello die is still a favorite.  I used glossy black cardstock for both the word and the mat.

   

Next is my entry for Christmas Kickstart Snow Day Challenge. My wintry little Christmas card scene is made with Poppystamps Sloping Hillside die embossed with a mix of white and white plus glitter powders. The glittery one didn't have enough white and it worked great just to mix the 2 powders.

I was careful not to ink the trees so I could color them green with a Copic.  Then I used a Versamark marker to add dots for snow that I embossed with the same powder mix.  The card edges were also embossed.  I ink blended the background with CN9 Blueberry and Midnight and inked the mat to match.  Held my breath and drew the birds with a black fine-line pen.  Happily, they came out OK.  So happy I talked myself into getting Birch Press Peace, Love, Joy Confection Script die set during one of the sales.  I blended the inks using Blueberry on the bottom and Midnight on the top.  I'm also entering WAW.

My final card is another one for the Pinkfresh June Challenge.  The first card I made used the second panel I made with Pinkfresh Botanical Bunch.  For that card I started by silver embossing the stamped image.  But for my first try, I white embossed and then stenciled with VersaMagic Pink Petunia and Turquoise Gem.

I didn't think my stenciling was perfect and I smeared ink in a couple places, so I set it aside and made the other panel.  But I kept the first panel on my table.  The other day I realized the smears were near the edge, so I used PFS Elongated Oval Blanket Stitch die to get a useable panel.  I added Stickles to the flower centers.  I used a larger die to make the double thick frame.  The background was inked with Pink Petunia and the sentiment from PFS Perfect Sentiments was stamped in Turquoise Gem.  PFS Small Butterflies one piece stamp was white embossed and colored with the same inks using the matching stencils.  Fun to get a different look, even though the stamp set and inks are the same.  I'm also entering DCD, WAW and SSS Wednesday.

Edited to add:  Thanks to Lisa, I'm also entering JUGS since there are pink flowers in the mood board.

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

Pink and Turquoise

Not getting much cardmaking done, but didn't want to miss the Color Hues challenge with Pink and Turquoise.  It's the perfect opportunity to use VersaMagic Pink Petunia and Turquoise Gem.  

I started by silver embossing Pinkfresh Botanical Bunch and then used the matching stencils.  I die cut the panel with the 3rd largest PFS Postage Edge Rectangle and matted it with silver metallic cardstock.  The sentiment from the set was stamped using the Turquoise ink. The same ink was used for the colored mat. I'm also entering PFS June Challenge, DCD and WAW. 

I'm happy to say that Fritz is doing much better.  He's on a NSAID for his problem leg and it's already made a huge difference.  Thanks for all the well wishes.

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

Butterflies Birthday

So happy to have my new laptop!  I like my phone, but not for being on-line.  Puppydog Fritz is much better.  Unfortunately, he has a problem with his left back leg.  It started before he had the syndrome, but now is getting worse.  Hoping there will be something we can give him to help.   

My dear friend, Betty, shared some of her leftover Altenew Fluttering Fantasies butterfly diecuts from a class she taught.  I had fun figuring out which shapes and colors to layer.  The bodies were black cardstock, so I silver embossed them to get the look I wanted.  

I die cut a white panel with PFS Hexagon Blanket Stitch before embossing with Altenew Flower Bed 3D folder.  I die cut a smaller PFS Hexagon to use the sentiment from Altenew Plants and Vases.  A silver glitter pen was used on the flower centers.  I love how this turned out and think my sister will, too.  She loves blue, silver and butterflies and is my biggest supporter.  I'm entering JUGS, DCD and WAW.

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

Birthday and Friendship Cards

We're very grateful puppydog Fritz is improving.  He can't walk without one of us holding onto his leash since he still frequently looses his balance.  But instead of every other step, now it tends to be when he turns fast, turns his head fast, shakes or is sleepy.  Hoping he can soon be on his own.  Just have to take it a day at a time.  

Luckily, I stenciled this birthday card weeks ago and hadn't posted it yet.

The stencils are HA Autumn Splendor and the inks are Altenew Moonlit Twilight--4 shades of purple.  I love being able to use products for any season, just by changing the colors.  The panel was embossed with SSS Refracted 3D folder.  PTI Love to Layer: Soft Ridges was die cut from vellum.  It covered up my imperfect stenciling and kept SSS Stitching Butterflies and Happy Birthday Brush Script from getting lost in the background.  I added shimmer to the sentiment and attached a few matching enamel dots.  There's a short IG video HERE.  I'm entering JUGS and SSS Wednesday.

Here's the first card I've made since Fritz got sick.  Finally, I felt relaxed enough to think about what to do for the PFS May Challenge and hubby offered to be on "dog duty" so I could work without interruptions.  I knew I had to keep it simple, so I pulled out my old favorite Delicate Wreath stamp set.  

I first inked it in Versafine Clair Grass Green.  In order to add variations in color, I added Versafine Clair Green Oasis by getting the ink on a finger cot and tapping it onto areas of the stamp before restamping.  Worked great--no harsh lines.  Then I did the same thing to add some Versafine Clair Blue Belle.  Using 3 colors really does make a difference in real life. 

I die cut the panel with the largest PFS Nested Diagonal Stitch Square and matted it with silver metallic cardstock.  The sentiment from the stamp set was silver embossed.  I added silver splatters and clear gems.

Great timing for my laptop to give up the ghost.  The PC is in another room where I can't keep track of Fritz.  Hubby watches him so I can have a few minutes to do things I just can't manage on my phone.  I'm getting better at blog reading and leaving comments, so I'll visit you as I can.  Your positive thoughts and well wishes are so appreciated.  

Anniversary Card

Playing Music is the current theme for Time Out Challenges.  It inspired this anniversary card.

I die cut a panel of old sheet music my neighbor gave me using GK Master Layouts 1.  The edges were brushed with Distress Oxide vintage photo and I matted it with a glossy black rectangle also die cut with the GK set.  Alex Syberia Quirky Hearts dies were cut a couple times to get the narrow outlines.  The flowers are Poppystamps Little Layered Asters. The hearts were brushed with Distress Oxide aged mahogany.  I layered the flowers putting one brushed with aged mahogany on top of one brushed with vintage photo.  The centers are black enamel dots.  The Alex Syberia word shadow was die cut from PTI Classic Kraft and the letters from glossy black.  Happy Anniversary is stamped inside the Classic Kraft card.  The husband this card went to plays music and the wife loves gardening, so that was the idea behind this design.  I'm also entering SSS Monday and WAW.

Our almost 13 yr old Standard Schnauzer, Fritz, had sudden neurological symptoms a few days ago.  He spent 3 days at the vet.  We're hoping it's Old Dog Vestibular Syndrome which has a great prognosis with full or nearly full recovery.  He is improving, so we are hopeful.  He has to be in his crate or one of us is next to him with the leash attached at all times.  Otherwise, he can try to move and hurt himself.  His walking is improving, but he still looses his balance easily, so we have to hold the leash of his harness taut to keep him from getting hurt.  We take turns getting the basics done.  I sleep in my recliner with his crate next to me.  Very grateful he's handling that well.  I had this post mostly done before we brought him home.  I'm not on-line much and not sure when I'll be able to do any cardmaking.  Thank you for your thoughts and understanding.

Christmas Cardinal

I always loved seeing cardinals when we visited family in Indianapolis.  One of my grandmothers always sent Christmas cards with cardinals.  Now I can, too!  After last Christmas I got the Waffle Flower Cardinal Duo Die-n-Stencil.  Here's my first card.

I used PTI Pure Poppy and Smokey Shadow through the stencil which was very easy to line up.  I used a white gel pen to highlight the details.  Poppystamps Shasta Twigs were colored with PTI Pinefeather.  The embossed background was made with Honey Bee Snowy Pines folder which I sprayed with Lindy's Pixie Dust for a beautiful gold shimmer.

Birch Press Design Merry Christmas Vintage Sentiment was leftover from last year and was just right with the beautiful gold glitter letters.  Can't wait to make some more cardinal cards.  I'm entering Christmas Kickstart, DCD and SSS Wednesday.

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

Flowers

I had fun making this card for a friend using SSS Long Stem Florals watercolored with Magicals from Lindy's Victorian Bouquet set.  

I black embossed and die cut 3 of the florals from watercolor paper.  Four of the Magicals were mixed with water and used to color the blooms and leaves.  I also splattered the Magicals on a white panel matted with glossy black.  Both panels were die cut with Gina K Master Layouts. 

Love the shimmer and shine from the Magicals.  It show up better in my IG post video.  I tied on white crochet thread and attached them to a white card.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set.  I'm entering JUGS and WAW.

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