Florals

This month's challenge at Stampendous! is to create projects using floral stamps.  I used Stampendous! flowers for both of my cards.  The first one uses the Cling Agapanthus Cluster that I recently purchased.  I've admired many of Rosemary's CAS cards with the sentiment stamped over the flowers & had that design in mind when I bought the stamp.  I used Distress Ink shaded lilac & the Hero Arts sentiment is stamped in Versafine Smokey Gray.

For my second card I wanted to use a non-holiday stamp to make a holiday card.  I used a flower from one of my first clear stamp sets called Bold Blossoms & I'm ashamed to say this is the first time I've inked it.  I started by inking the panel with Distress Inks festive berries & evergreen bough.  The flower is then stamped in Versamark & embossed with Stampendous! shabby white embossing enamel.  I would never have thought it could be used for a lined image until I saw some samples by the DT.  I really love this look!  I brushed on some Tsukineko Shimmer Spritz Frost, but it's kind of wasted other than it blended the 2 inks.  The sentiment stamped in Versafine Onyx Black is one of my favorite's--a woodblock Stampendous! stamp.  I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder, Joann's white satin ribbon & some Recollections pearls to complete the card.  

Tomorrow is the last day to enter the challenge, so better hurry if you want to play along.  Thank you so much for coming by & letting me know your thoughts.  I really appreciate it.  

Penny Black Sticker Card

I've admired the beautifully colored Penny Black stickers for a long time & got a couple sheets some years ago.  Jill gave some great suggestions on how to use them last year, but I never got around to trying it.  Not long ago I had some more given to me including the 2012 Christmas Collage sheet.  The colors are so unique & the images are wonderful, so finally I made a card--yah!  I remember Jill saying she always gets 2 of a sheet so you have images to use for dimension & her biggest tip was to put the sticker onto cardstock & then you can use it just like a stamped image--no fear of sticking it down & having it wrong.  I cut out all the poinsettias, full & partial.  The top center bloom is popped up & the rest are glued on top of the corresponding image.  They all add dimension because they are cardstock weight--love it!      You can't tell in the photo, but I traced over the petal outlines with a Gelly Roll Clear Star pen for subtle sparkle.  The card is Spellbinders Labels 8 & I inked the edges with Distress Inks old paper, pumice stone & peeled paint--close match for the sticker's coloring.  The large lace image from PB lace delight stamp set was inked with pumice stone & stamped on the bottom of the card front.  Doesn't it make a great background?  I'll be using that again!  Just got this gorgeous ribbon at our little boutique (not sure why, but they have lots of by the yard ribbon) & it's a perfect match.  The strip of lace doesn't show very much, but still adds texture & interest, I think.  "Noel" is from PB in a pear tree & is stamped in VersaFine Onyx Black.  Now I'm anxious to use my other stickers.  You might want to give them a try--great when you don't have time to color (or if coloring is not your strength--like me!).  Thanks for coming by.  I love hearing what you think of my work.  Enjoy your weekend.

Papertrey October Blog Hop Challenge

As soon as I saw this month's PTI Blog Hop Challenge to make a holiday card in non-traditional colors, I knew I wanted to join in.  I also loved Erin's MIM video this week using negative & positive die cuts.  I was able to combine both challenges with today's card.  I'm ashamed to say this is the first time I inked up my Lovely Layers stamp set--don't ask me why!  Boy, do I love it!  I think with a little imagination the images can be beautiful, modern snowflakes.  Here's the color combo I chose (you don't have to use all the colors.)  

I don't have PTI inks & couldn't come close enough with the ones I own, so instead I used Studio G chalks after stamping the die cut images in VersaMark.  To get some holiday sparkle, the colored images were sprayed with Tsukineko Shimmer Spritz Frost.  The layers are attached only in the center using foam tape & are gently bent up.  Just in case it isn't obvious these are snowflakes, I added tiny snowflake buttons & a gem.  The negative of the larger die is used for the background piece glued to the card front.  For the sentiment I used Sticko alphabet stickers on a white circle mounted to a circle made blue using the same chalk.  It's so gratifying to really like something you've created & that is the case today.  I hope you like it, too!  Enjoy all the inspiration in the hop & thank you so much for taking time to leave me a comment.

If you have time, check out Annie's blog.  You might want to be a follower & enter her 1 yr anniversary giveaway (see my sidebar).

Grateful

I've been wanting to try My Favorite Things sketch challenges, but haven't gotten a card done until tonight.  I was really motivated this week because my new order arrived in just 3 days (amazing customer service!) with the Thankful Leaves stamp set & dies.  I die cut the leaves in MFT Jellybean Green felt & then stamped them using Distress Ink peeled paint--it's very subtle, so doesn't show very well in the picture.  The embossing folder is Tim Holtz & the printed paper is MME Stella & Rose.  The Nestie is Labels Two & is used for the focal piece & a small one is trimmed for the sentiment.  I got brave & cut the sentiment so I could use just the word "grateful" without having to mask it.  The buttons are threaded with MFT hemp, also part of my new stuff.  I sponged the tan edges with Distress Ink old paper to soften them a little.  Glad to have another Thanksgiving card ready!  

Miserably cool & wet here, but really can't complain after our long, warm summer.  Enjoy your week & thank you for visiting my blog.

A very special vacation!

As some of you may remember, I recently had a quick trip to California for a visit with my sis.  I hadn't seen her for a couple years & her planned visit to my house in September didn't work out.  What I didn't tell you was that this trip was also to see my blogging buddy, Sue (scrumplescrunch) who lives in New Zealand!  We have become friends through our love of stamping & when I heard she was going to be in California I thought that was too close to not get together.  We met at Scrapbook Territory, thanks to a recommendation from Janet (jintyoo7).  My sis & I arrived first (if you knew my sister you'd realize how amazing that is--LOL!) & when Sue walked in it was as if I was seeing an old friend--not meeting a new one--& would you believe we both wore the same color?!  Sue's hubby & friends were also so warm & friendly--we all had a lovely lunch together after shopping.  Sue managed to safely bring me a gorgeous blown glass Koru fern from New Zealand, which you can see in pictures on her blog, as well as one of her handmade masterpieces.  It was hard to say goodbye--truly a special day I will always treasure!

The next day I got to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with my sister & her husband.  It is an amazing place & the weather even cooperated!  The pictures don't do it justice, but wanted to share some anyway.

2 story high tank

jellies

Sand dollars

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Enjoy the rest of your week.

 

Challenge Results!

Thank you so much to Dawn, Maria, Lai-Yoke & Martha for all your sweet comments that are so encouraging to me & for entering my first challenge!  You all blew me away with your wonderful cards inspired by my dress.  

Dawn

Maria

Maria

Lai-Yoke

Martha

Hubby reminded me that he got an A in his college art class (surely making him a qualified judge--we won't say what year that was--LOL!)  Here are his comments about the winning entry:  

• Good use of the inspiration picture
• Pleasant freedom of movement about it
• Very artistic while being unstructured without any harshness
• Appears to have abstract smiles making the sentiment perfect for the card.  

Yes, the winner is Dawn's lovely creation.  I think I know why so many challenges have a random drawing--I wouldn't have wanted to choose between these terrific cards!  Thanks, hubby!  Nice to get feedback from a non-cardmaker sometimes.

Here's the little giveaway going to Dawn--enjoy!  I have a small token of my appreciation for the rest of you, too.  I just need a Flickr mail with your addresses Martha & Maria, as I have Lai-Yoke's & Dawn's.  Hope you had fun--I sure did!

Enjoy!

Missed all the Flourishes Release Week Challenges, so had to enter Timeless Tuesday for a chance to win the new sets.  I don't have a Flourishes stamp set with a yummy treat, so my focal point is a Martha Stewart dimensional sticker.  I changed the appearance from country cute to more elegant by coloring over it with COPICs RV19 & BG05 to get a deeper, more elegant look.  I added Frosted Lace & Magenta Stickles to the icing & topped it with a pearl.  Flourishes Medallion Motif is white embossed & cut out with Spellbinders scalloped circle.  The sentiment from the same set is stamped with Memento Teal Zeal.  The layers are popped up & the card base is Spellbinders Circles behind the scalloped magenta mat.  Hubby's daughter is about to have a birthday, so this will probably go to her. Thanks for stopping by.  Your comments are always appreciated.

I haven't forgotten about my challenge.  I'll post the winner later today or tomorrow, so be sure to check back.  Enjoy your day!

DeNami Designs Halloween Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog!  Today I have a card for the DeNami Designs Halloween Blog Hop.  You should have arrived from Dana's wonderful blog.  I signed up for the hop knowing I wanted to make an elegant, non-traditional card.  I used this beautiful DeNami image stamped with Brilliance Encore! Metallic Honeydew & Purple.  I've finally learned it's worth taking the time to use my stamp positioner.  The shimmery bronze cardstock is edged with Spellbinders Classic Scallop Edgeability that lets you put 2 designs together--love it!  The Authentique Petite Type Square alphabet stickers gave me just the look I wanted.  Finished the card off with some pretty purple & green ribbons.

Now it's time to move on for inspiration from Nicki Scheck.  Go to the DeNami blog to get the details of how to be in the running for a prize & to see the complete list of today's participants.  Enjoy the hop!

Our Daily Bread

So glad I finally got a card made for the weekly ODBD challenge.  I started by just knowing I wanted to use the "Our Daily Bread" stamp set & my Cuttlebug herringbone embossing folder.  I ended up happy with the result.  After heat embossing the verse I inked the Labels 4 Nestie with Distress Inks scattered straw, wild honey, peeled paint, aged mahogany & fired brick.  All edges & the embossed piece are inked with gathered twigs.  The wheat is stamped in wild honey several times in the corner without reinking.  I popped up the diecut & added a twine bow & some buttons.  

So glad you came by--love to hear what you think.  Hope you can come back tomorrow to see my DeNami Halloween card--not the usual.  Have I peeked your interest?  Enjoy your weekend!

Halloween Card

Hello friends.  I had a wonderful & very special short vacation to see my sister in California--more on that to come.  Amazing how hard it is to get back into the routine.  I did post a few cards on Flickr for WCMD.  Today's card is a teaser for the DeNami Halloween Blog Hop coming up on Sunday.  I used one of my oldest DeNami stamps--the burst, I call it.  Started out to just use Halloween colors without a Halloween image, but then I thought it'd be cute to add the little spider web that comes in a set of 4.  The inks are Color Box Fluid Chalk in Warm Violet & Tangerine.  I added some faux stitching to go with the sparkle stickers & used crystal Stickles around the edges & in the centers of the webs.  The panel is popped up.  I really like how this turned out--what do you think?
Also wanted to remind everyone of the challenge to celebrate my 100th post HERE.  I'd love to have you enter a card & the deadline is Saturday midnight Pacific time.  I'll post pictures of all the entries & the winner as determined by my hubby on Monday, Oct. 15.  I love the cards that have been entered so far!  Hope your week is going well.  Thanks for stopping by.