Hooked on Hexagons

I haven't participated in a Moxie Fab challenge since I started my blog & decided now was a good time to start again.  Hexagons are so appealing--not sure why that is--& they're very trendy, hence the current Moxie Fab challenge.  I almost bought the new PTI Hexagons, but realized I'd never even inked the images included with Rosie Posie.  I kept with Christmas in July for my card & since you usually see them off-set, I lined my up to be different.  The large image is white embossed & the small solid one is stamped with Memento Love Letter.  The sentiment is from Penny Black crystalline & seemed just right for this fun card.  I searched all over (gotta get organized--LOL) & finally found the metal candy cane button to tie onto the bow.  Thanks for stopping by.  I love to read your comments.

Christmas in July--(finally!) & a thought from the Olympics

Good thing I didn't try to make this card for Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge with hours until the deadline, as often happens with me.  I began this card 3 days ago & finally it all came together today.  I began with this wonderful wreath which is a retired Flourishes stamp.  I white embossed it & then sprayed it with Tattered Angels Scarlet, English Ivy & Iridescent Gold.  Spellbinders Parisian Motifs is die cut from a shimmer white cardstock.  I started out stamping the sentiment from Flourishes A Gift For You set (I think it's on sale & about to be retired, if you're interested) with the Spellbinders Fancy Tags die turned around.  I got a smudge on it & decided I really liked it the other way with it's placement on this card.  The smudged die cut is under this one to make it sturdier, so wasn't even a waste--yah!  I love Brilliance Starlight Black when gray is too light & black is a little too stark.  The card base is a grayed white also spritzed with the TA Iridescent Gold.  Just added gems & it was done.  Feels good to be getting a few Christmas cards done when I'm not rushing at the last minute.                                                                            

On another note: I found that watching the Olympics Opening Ceremony had a special twist for me this year as I've made so many stamping friends around the world.  As the nations were presented it was fun to think to myself--I know so & so who lives there or I have a card or sent a card to that country.  Wonderful to have something where the focus for all of us is on something good together.

3 Cards

It's been so long since I've posted--where does the time go?!  I had wanted to play along with some of the Less Is More challenges  & missed them.  Decided to make cards anyway for the challenge to use 3 of something on a 1 layer card & to make a card using gold.  
I had the idea in my head to use 3 flowers with a dry embossed bottom edge for "grass."  Looked better in my mind--LOL!  The stamps are Penny Black & the embossing folder is Cuttlebug.  I colored the flowers with Memento markers.  
The gold card was inspired by this card of Sharon's 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharon_d_from_canada/7339914082/in/photostream/. I used my favorite gold ink pad (Delicata Golden Glitz) to stamp Penny Black's christmas star & the little glitter dots were just the right color for the center.  "Joy" is by Amuse. 




When I finished those 2 cards I decided to make one for the current Less Is More Challenge (use stitching) & the Hero Arts contest (paper flowers).  Sweet Michelle (michellesielman on Flickr) gave me this 
HA Blossoms stamp set & I thought it'd be
 great for a brightly colored image.  I used my colored pencils (first time, I think!) & it isn't exactly the neon colors, but it's cheery.  The flower center is made by stitching yellow floss to a small circle.  The same floss is used for the 2 rows of stitching.

I hope it won't be so long before my next post.  Thanks for coming by--I really appreciate your visit.

Blessings

I didn't want to miss another ODBD SLC HERE, so started this card last night & finished it now in time to get it posted.  (I'm supposed to be cleaning house, so I'll check all your blogs later.)  I went back to the basic design I used several years ago for a snowflake card that was published.  Some of my old work I really don't like now, but I find that some of it is still "me" & it's OK not to be trendy.  The flower & the sentiment are from ODBD Sweet William-Small set.  I knew I wanted to use this pretty striped pp, so that determined my inks: Distress Ink squeezed lemonade, Brilliance pearlescent sky blue & VersaMagic mango madness.  Since the pp has white glitter stripes, I used these pretty yellow glitter gems in the flower centers.  I didn't have the right color fiber, so inked a white string with the mango madness.  The challenge requirements are met by distressing the top & bottom edges of the card base & tearing the edges of all the panel strips.

  For you fellow doggie lovers, here's a picture of Blitz & Keesha after their haircuts--no more shaggy Schnauzers!  Thanks for stopping by.  I love to read your comments.

Triple Play

Flourishes has another challenge with the new release as the prize (details HERE), so decided to see if I could get a card done before bedtime.  The requirement is to use 3 of anything & I chose this pretty butterfly from Flourishes Butterflies and Blossoms.  The rectangles are cut with a Spellbinders die & then the embossed butterflies are sponged with Distress Ink milled lavender, tattered rose & tumbled glass while the die is in place.  I added Stickles & black pearls.  The sentiment is from another Flourishes set called Life Lines.  The embossing folder is by Darice.  Pretty simple card, but I tend to like those.  Thanks for coming by.  Your encouragement is so appreciated.

Wish You Were Here

Wish You Were Here

Love my new part time schedule with Wednesdays off.  Gorgeous sunny day, so while the poochers got haircuts we went to the lake.  Water was warm enough I stayed in floating on my foam noodle for 1/2 an hr--total relaxation!  Hazy sky--we're having a hot streak for us, but nothing like most of the country is suffering with.

I did make a card last night using Flourishes sketch that gives me a chance to win the August release--details HERE.  I knew I wanted to use the Botanical Bookplates set with matching images.  That way I could use one for the background panel & one for the focal point.  I colored the image with Memento & COPICS markers & added Stickles to the petals.  Spellbinders Labels 4 is debossed with Cuttlebug Swiss Dots.  The scalloped edge is a Spellbinders die.  The kraft strip at the bottom is stamped with an image from Flourishes Lace Edges set inked with Memento Desert Sand which is also used to color the frame around the flowers.  The kraft embossed piece is done with Cuttlebug Nathaniel's Penwork.  The focal image & diecut mat are mounted with foam tape.  In the past I would not have thought the square gems could be used on a card with scallops & rounded edges, but I'm getting more adventurous in my old age--LOL!  Thanks for stopping by.  Every comment is greatly appreciated!

Stamping on Printed Paper

DeNami Blog Hop Post is HERE

I loved Ashley's video & cards for PTI MIM HERE, so decided to give it a try.  I used a double-sided sheet of Basic Grey called Hello Luscious & PTI Harvest Berries stamp set.  The leaves are stamped with Distress Ink antique linen.  I inked the sentiment with Versafine Vintage Sepia, except for the word "Remember" which is inked with my Rhubarb Stalk Memento marker.  The berries are also inked with the marker.  The card is PTI Vintage Cream & the edges of all the pieces are sponged with Distress Ink old paper.  The layers are popped up & brown twine & a dark red button finish it off.  I'm glad to finally start using some of the beautiful printed papers I've purchased over the years.  I love to read your comments & am always open to suggestions.  Wishing you a great week!

DeNami Summer Blog Hop

Welcome to another DeNami Blog Hop--my 4th one!  If you came from Andrea's inspiring blog HERE, you're right on track.  You can find the whole line-up & details at the DeNami Design Blog HERE.  Lots of inspiration to check out, so I'll get right to my card.

I'm one of those "Printed Paper Hoarders"--LOL, but today you can see that I made myself cut into this wonderful SEI sheet.  I love DeNami's new cling set, Fancy Flutters.  I stamped the butterfly with Distress Ink pumice stone twice & quickly added clear ep.  The same ink is used to color in the sections of the bottom image.  The other one is paper pieced & attached with glue dots only on the body so the wings can be turned up.   Spellbinders are used to cut white & pumice circles which are stamped with DeNami double circle & dotted circle.  The circles are attached with foam tape to each other & the card front over a strip of the pp & pink grosgrain ribbon.  The butterfly is attached to the white circle & tiny pearls are added.  The sentiment is also a DeNami stamp.  Glad you came by--don't forget to leave a comment to be in the running for a prize.  I know you'll enjoy what Jennifer has for you at the next stop HERE.

Hello

The other day I started to clean up my craft area & came upon this stamped & clear embossed piece still un-inked.  Well, that was all the excuse I needed to stop the clean up & start making a card!  I sponged on Distress Inks squeezed lemonade, shabby shutters & antique linen.  The die is my new border from My Favorite Things & I'd used it on a scrap of brown paper that was sitting there, so decided to make it part of the card.  Took a couple more days, but eventually I added the other elements.  I'm trying out different color combos than I'm used to, so that's why the sentiment is stamped with Memento Morocco.  The brad attaching the flowers & the little button gave me the "3" of that color, so I'm hoping it works.  Since I ended up with the little stamped & cut out flowers, I'm entering this month's Hero Arts challenge HERE.  All the stamps are Hero Arts: Silhouette Grass, Dotted Flowers & Live Life.  

Summer has arrived here, so we spent the day at the lake--actually got in the water, but only for a minute!  Next time I'll stay in--hubby took about 5 minutes to feel comfortable.  Hope you're having a great weekend & thanks for taking time to stop by.

Happy 4th!

Hello blogging friends.  Hope you've had a great day.  We ended up taking the puppy dogs & going for a long drive.  While the ribs & corn on the cob are cooking, thought I'd share another simple card sent to a friend.

I've been in kind of a creative slump.  There are so many amazing projects on all the blogs I've actually gotten overwhelmed--feeling like I just don't have it.  But yesterday I finally started a card that I may end up liking, so there's hope--LOL!  Thanks for stopping by.  I always enjoy hearing from you.

God Bless America

The 4th always sneaks up on me--June seems to go so fast!  Anyway, had to make a quick card to get in the mail.  I thought this flower from the Penny Black Illuminations set could double as fireworks.  What do you think?  I embossed it with Zing Glitter Red & Glitter Blue.  The silver embossed sentiment is by DeNami & I added some stickles to the stars.
Happy Independence Day to all of my fellow Americans & hope all of you are having a lovely week.  Thanks for taking time to come by--I appreciate hearing from you.