Joyous Holiday

I started this card for the PTI Blog Hop, but finished too late. That's OK since it's also my take on the PTI MIM challenge to stamp a plaid background & I used the Viva la Verve November Week 3 Sketch.  2 images from PTI Watercolor Wonder stamped with Brilliance Mediterranean Blue & Pearlescent Ice Blue were used to create the plaid.  The same inks were used for the die cuts & sentiment from PTI Snowflake Flurries.  I added a bit of Stickles to the snowflake centers.  The bow keeps it from being flat, but I love bows!  
I'm also entering the Inkspirational challenge--Christmas without red or green & sparkle & I'll join the Anything Goes gallery at SSS Wed & SSS Work It Wed.
Usually it's just the 2 of us for Thanksgiving, so it was really nice to have a family day at hubby's daughter's.  
Her newest family member is an 8 week old German Shepherd named Sasha, so you know who got my attention--LOL!

Blue & White Christmas

I die cut some of the largest image in the Hero Arts Bold Pop Design set awhile back. They were laying on my table & I suddenly saw them as snowflakes!  I covered one with Frosted Lace Stickles & layered on a glittered felt MFT snowflake & a pearl.  
The background almost went in the trash after I stamped the coordinating image in PTI Enchanted Evening on white cardstock.  
It didn't look at all like I wanted, so I sponged on the same ink as well as some Blueberry Sky. Then I dry embossed with the Darice snowflake folder & rubbed on some Picket Fence Distress Paint. What a difference! The white embossed sentiment is from another HA set. Always fun when a disaster ends up looking good. I'm entering the Anything Goes challenge at SSS Wed & SSS Work It Wednesday.
By the way, if you're in the market for Hero Arts, stop by a2z Scrapbooking where there's a Scavenger Hunt with a chance to win a $25 gift certificate.  The a2z Store also has a 20% off discount code throughout the weekend.  So glad you stopped by.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing all my U.S. friends a lovely Thanksgiving. We're heading to hubby's daughter's & she's doing all the cooking!  I did make Biscotti to take as a hostess gift along with this card.  

Loved being able to use a bow & pearls without worrying about mailing costs.  I was determined to use my CAS-ual Fridays Amber Waves set for a card this year. The sentiment is stamped inside.  


City Crafter Challenge Blog is asking for your favorite technique & emboss resist is my go-to. It's versatile & something a non-colorer can do. I used Distress Inks scattered straw, wild honey & peeled paint with Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue. Thought I was using the colourQ palette, but now I see I missed the orange. Frosted Lace Stickles was added to the wheat for a soft sparkle. The embossing folder is Cuttlebug & the border punch is Fiskars.
This may not meet the clean & fresh requirement at Freshly Made Sketches--I'll leave it up to them.  Time Out Challenges is asking for embossing with the option of sparkle, so will enter there. SSS Wed has the popular Anything Goes so putting this card in the gallery. 
Lost our internet connection for awhile, so I'm a bit behind with visiting blogs.  I do appreciate you stopping by & leaving a comment.

PTI Blog Hop Card #2

We finished raking leaves just before the rain started--yah!  After an appointment I sat down to make the card I've actually had in mind since I saw the PTI Blog Hop theme.  I love gold & my favorite color is pink.  Maile Belles showed quite awhile ago how wonderful they are together.  I masked a white cardstock panel & stamped the Snowflake Flurries images using PTI inks Berry Sorbet, Hibiscus Burst & Raspberry Fizz.  
The gold glitter tape cost a whole $1--easy way to add sparkle.  Finished off with some tiny dots of gold Stickles.  No red or green so I'm entering over at Inkspirational. One more idea in mind, so may get another card done tonight. Thanks for stopping by.

PTI Blog Hop Snow

Finished up this card I started last night so I'd have at least one card for today's PTI Blog Hop. I had impressed the hexagon coverplate to use for MIM 189 & immediately saw it was not going to work for me.  I cut off the ruined part & stamped the small image from Snowflake Flurries using Brilliance Gamma Green & Rocket Red.  I had just looked at the Merry Monday theme, so those colors were in my head.  Usually snowflake cards seem to be blue & white, but it was fun to change it up. I used my white gel pen & Stickles Frosted Lace in the center of each snowflake.  The sentiment from the same set was stamped on a panel & then embossed with Taylored Expressions Snowfall embossing folder. Just a bit of foam tape to mount the hexagon panel, so still flat for mailing.  
Leaf raking day, but hopefully I'll have time to do some more cards later.  Thanks so much for stopping by & enjoy the hop.

90 Minute Christmas Card

I love playing in the Hero Arts Flickr Group Scrambles. Generally I end up with a card I really like, which is strange since I'm a slow card maker most of the time. Yesterday's Scramble theme was SNOW, giving me lots of product possibilities. I quickly decided on a color combo of aqua & red using a beautiful HA snowflake. Don't ask me why I decided to use intricate dies--I know better--LOL!  Fortunately, Theresa gave us an extra 5 minutes & I got my card posted just in time.

I used Hero Arts Tide Pool ink, Penny Black word die & MFT snowflake die & felt.  The felt snowflakes were already cut, glued to cardstock & laying on my table.  Thought they were just what I needed to go with the sentiment layered 3 times & clear embossed for a lovely shine in person.  I used a bit of Stickles & some fairly flat red dots making it pretty flat for mailing.  
I'm entering the City Crafter Challenge to use a one word sentiment & Pixies Snippets Playground.  So glad you took time to leave me a comment--I know everyone is busy with the holidays approaching.

a2z Christmas Card

Time for my second DT post at a2z Scrapbooking Supplies. The details on how I made this CAS card are on the a2z blog and I'd love for you to check it out. Lots of us are in high gear making Christmas cards, so thought I'd show you how any flower can be used for Christmas.

I fell in love with the Hero Arts Bold Pop Designs Stamp & Diecut when it first came out.  I think the smallest flower makes a great Poinsettia when stamped in Hero Arts Neon Red. Both of these products are on sale at the a2z store, so grab them quick! The sentiment from Hero Arts Message Wreath stencil is sponged in the same ink. I added WOS to the flowers, so that's why they look slightly different than the sentiment. You can use my discount code, GRETA15, to get 15% off a minimum $25 purchase at the a2z store.  Still lots of time to enter the November Anything Goes Challenge--would love to see you there!

By the way, there will be a special discount code November 27-December 1 & a contest on Friday.

Thank you so much for taking time to check my card.

Warmest Winter Wishes

I recently got the SSS Snowfall stencil & the Curved Edge die--both fun products!  The embossing paste is covered with Rock Candy Distress glitter.  I cut 3 MFT snowflakes from MFT Nightshift Blue felt which is a dark blue.  They're backed with snowflakes cut from cardstock so they hold their shape.  I've had these jingle bells for years & finally used some by stitching them to the snowflake centers.  The sentiment is from PTI Snowflake Flurries & is stamped in Adirondack Denim.  
Very hard to get a decent picture, but hopefully you can tell what it looks like.  I'm entering the challenges at Merry Monday & SSS Flickr Challenge #6. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Edited to add: Entering the embossing challenge with the twist of sparkle at Time Out Challenges.

Birthday Card for a Teenage Boy

I have lots of leaves & plants that work for masculine cards.  They'd be OK for a teenager, but I wanted something fun for this kid who is very intelligent. Pulled out the Hero Arts Number Background stencil which is ON SALE in the a2z Scrapbooking Supplies store.  I made a white card with Spellbinders Labels 22 & inked the front using Versamark over the stencil. After heat embossing with clear embossing powder I sponged on Distress Inks dusty concord, mowed lawn & salty ocean.  An older Hero Arts sentiment was stamped & cut into a banner which I popped up.  I know he will really only be interested in the check inside, but I loved making this simple card.  

Now I can see using that stencil for a lot of different looks.  The a2z store has great Hero Arts products & you can use my discount code, GRETA15, to enjoy 15% off a minimum $25 purchase.  I did use scraps so will enter over at Pixies Snippets Playground. Thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog.

Come Ye Thankful People

Just in the nick of time I'm posting my entry for the challenge at Impression Obsession.  I debated sending my sister home with a Thanksgiving card so I didn't have to mail it. Thinking about the joy of getting a card in the mailbox along with all the junk & bills made me change my mind.  I used this gorgeous IO leaf & lovely IO verse stamps. Delicata Golden Glitz looks like gold leafing & is so beautiful stamped on ivory.  The verse was stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa.  I cut the stamped pieces with my trimmer & a mat for the verse which is inked with the gold. The ivory edges are sponged with Distress Ink old paper--it totally changes the look.  I cut apart a wedding invitation knowing someday I'd have a use for this thick, textured, dark brown paper.  

Time Out Challenges Inspiration

Trying to get the twine OK behind the verse took longer than everything else--LOL! Finished off with some brown gems. It's so fulfilling to have a card come together you really like & I think my family will, too. I'm also entering at Pixies Snippets Playground, Words 2 Scrap By & Time Out Challenges.
I'm so thankful for the kindness & support of you, my blogging friends.

Blessed

I'm still finishing up cards for Thanksgiving & didn't want to miss the PTI MIM challenge.  This week's video moved the Ombre Builders stamp set up on my wishlist.  I don't really have anything like that, but then I realized my favorite Turning a New Leaf might work & I love how it turned out. The PTI inks are Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Canyon Clay, Simply Chartreuse & Ripe Avocado. I'm already glad I broke my no spending rule & got the Counting My Blessings dies & stamp set.  I clear embossed the brown cardstock used for "blessed" to give a bit of shine since I decided not to use any glitter.  The brown ink for the sentiment & splotches is Distress Ink gathered twigs. Hoping I can get more of this pretty green twine at the little boutique downtown--should have bought more than 1 yard--LOL!  

I'm entering at ColourQ--will let them decide if I'm close enough to the colors. This also fits the Gratitude & Kindness challenge at Words 2 Scrap By.  I used several scraps so get to enter at Pixies Snippets Playground--gorgeous prize this week!  I'm also going to enter at Inkspirational with my shiny diecut word. Now I better get my cards signed & addressed so they aren't late.  Wishing you all a wonderful week.

Grateful

My sister & her hubby left today, so I'll be catching up on your blogs soon.  We'd love to live closer to each other, but neither of us wants to be where the other one is.  We had a nice visit, but the bad weather kept us from any sightseeing or even shopping.  
Fritz did really well--not at all anxious about them & was glad to have more people to play with. Today was gorgeous, but freezing. Fritz is a sun lover & wanted to be on the deck like in the summer. Isn't he cute in the fleece jacket that kept Keesha warm for years?
I needed another Thanksgiving card, so made one that I'm entering in the challenge at Our Daily Bread Designs.  I really love the wheat stamp from the retired set, Our Daily Bread.  I stamped it in Distress Ink wild honey using the generational technique.  The full strength images are highlighted with Distress Stickles scattered straw. I added some splotches of Distress Stain tarnished brass.  The PTI word is cut from textured brown cardstock & mounted to another one cut from heavy weight cardstock.  That makes it thick enough to provide dimension without foam tape. 

Distress Ink gathered twigs was used to stamp the sentiment from PTI Counting My Blessings. The burlap was a last minute idea & gives even more texture to a basically flat card I can mail without extra postage.  I'm also entering the challenge at Words 2 Scrap By. Thanks so much for your visit.
Edited to Add: Also entering the challenge at Simply Create Too.

JOY

Quick post as today's the day my sister & BIL come to visit! Of course I'm still not ready--LOL! My card combines the MFT sketch & color challenges & I used my new poinsettia die.  I had my eye on it last year & finally included it in an order when MFT had a sale earlier this year.  I used scraps of red, green & blue that were as close as I could get to the color combo. Have to say I like them together. VersaMagic Red Magic matched the red so I used it to ink the stencil I made from the Dispersed Dots die for one panel.  The other one is stamped & embossed with 2 tiny snowflakes in one of their older Christmas sets.  The embossing powder has a lovely sparkle you can't see in the picture.  

The sentiment is from the same set & I added Stickles to it & the poinsettia center. There's some foam tape used, but it's still pretty flat to mail. The scraps let me also enter at Pixies Snippets Playground. Thanks so much for stopping by--I love reading your comments.
Edited to add: Joining in the shine challenge at Inkspirational since glitter shines, right?

Thanksgiving

I'm very excited that my first post as a member of the a2z Scrapbooking Blog DT is on the blog today! Those of us in the U.S. will soon be celebrating Thanksgiving & I used a non-holiday stamp with holiday colors for my card. Here's a sneak peak & I hope you'll check it out on the a2z Blog.

Our challenge this month is Anything Goes, so grab your Hero Arts products & play along.  If you need anything from The Store, you can use my code, GRETA15, to get 15% off a $25 minimum purchase. Wishing you a lovely day.

Rustic Christmas

I really needed a break from getting ready for company & then I found out they're coming 1 day later than planned.  That was all the excuse I needed to make a card!  I missed PTI MIM & Merry Monday last week--2 of my favorite challenges.  Fortunately I was able to combine them in this card.  I don't have too many PTI dies & nothing like the tree Melissa used.  Mat Stack 3 & the smallest die from Snowflake Flurries worked--actually I really like it. Even though the snowflake images are modern I think using the challenge colors of cream, tan (kraft) & brown with inking the edges does give a rustic look.  

I didn't want to add another color, but wanted a bit of sparkle.   Platinum Stickles, which I never use, did the trick. I used some cardstock scraps so will enter over at Pixies Snippets Playground. Thanks so much for taking time to stop by my blog.  I really appreciate it.
Cardstock: Michaels Kraft & Cream, 
Inks: PTI Classic Kraft & Vintage Cream, VersaMagic Jumbo Java
Stamps: PTI Snowflake Flurries
Dies: PTI Snowflake Flurries & Mat Stack 3
Embossing folder: Cuttlebug
Ribbon: PTI Vintage Cream Twill
Twine & Button from stash

New Blog Badges

Not much time to make cards this week since I'm getting ready for my sister & her hubby to visit. This one was shared on Flickr & thought I'd add it here as it ties in with 2 new blog badges: Published in Stampers' Sampler & I Design for a2z Scrapbooking!  I submitted the card for last year's issue so was happily shocked to come home from work one day & find a copy of the magazine waiting for me.  The ink is Encore Metallic Champagne--not gold & not silver--one of my favorites.  
All the stamps are Hero Arts which is how it ties in to the newest badge--my second DT!  The Etsy shop, a2z Scrapbooking, is a premier Hero Arts retailer.  They carry lots of HA products & welcome special orders. You'll find a project by me on the blog twice a month starting Nov. 7th. Check out the store & use the code GRETA15 to get 15% off a $25 minimum purchase.  So glad you took time to visit my blog.

Tag Card

My friend, Martha, is known for her amazing tag cards. They have all the details & elements of a regular size card & that's not easy--at least not for me. Decided to give it a try, though, using ODBD stamps & one of the Beautiful Borders dies for the current ODBD SLC. The verse is heat embossed & I added Stickles to the wheat. Thanksgiving always sneaks up on me, so I'm glad to have another card ready to mail.  I'm also entering at SSS Wed & Pixies Snippets Playground.
I know there are hundreds of blogs & we can't read all of them, but you really should check out Martha's Creations.  Here's an example of her beautiful work--see what I mean?

Martha's Creations Tag Card

Let it Snow

Time for a new challenge at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge Blog & our theme is All Wrapped Up--use a coat, hat, scarf or gloves on your project.  I had fun paper piecing this cute Penny Black snowman--happy soul, 4106K.  Light blue & red is one of the color combos I like to use for Christmas cards.  I also used silver for the star, ornament & mat.  I used embossing paste with my SSS snowfall stencil & immediately added Rock Candy glitter.  The snow drifts were made by tearing the paper & adding Stickles to the edge. Stickles is also added to the hat & scarf.  I colored the bird & his nose with markers and added Crystal Lacquer.  The sentiment is from Penny Black's crystalline, 30-018 & is stamped in Memento Nautical Blue.  For lots more inspiration, check out the wonderful work of my teammates: Debby, Frida, Helen, Lorraine, Nat, Sue & Sylvie.  Thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog.
I'm also entering the SSS Flickr Challenge & SSS Wed.