Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Brown & White with a Splash of Color

Our Badge!!!Time for another challenge at Words 2 Scrap By. This month we're celebrating Chocolate Day!  I white embossed the cupcake on brown cardstock to give it chocolate frosting & added plenty of Wink of Stella.  Tiny gems were colored with a yellow Copic for sprinkles.  
The circle dies are Spellbinders & the sentiment is stamped in Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate on a MFT Fishtail Flag.  Fun to use some of my huge ribbon stash!  Hope you'll check out the work of my talented teammates & join in the challenge. You have until the 28th & there's a $20 SSS gift certificate up for grabs, along with being a Guest Designer!  
Addicted to Stamps and More!I'm joining in at Addicted to Stamps Anything Goes challenge.  Thanks so much for stopping by. 

Monday, June 29, 2015

HELLO


June
I fell in love with the Ellen Hutson Bold Blossom Stand-Alone dies, especially after my friend, Cat, sent me some die cuts to play with.   Decided it was OK to break my "no spending" rule--just once--LOL!  I'd love to get more of her products & the Pin-Sights Challenge has a wonderful inspiration board.  I love pastels & I love gold, so I used both for my card. Back in 2012 Nicole Heady showed how to make this kind of background with Copics. 
I thought it'd make a perfect background for these beautiful die cuts. Hadn't used my JudiKins Iridescent Sparkle embossing powder in ages & it was just what I wanted--gorgeous sparkle & shine.  The Teresa Collins alphabet stickers are my all-time favorites, so used them again here.  I'm also entering at SSS Monday as these colors do make me think summer. Thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog.
Edited: Finished the card late at night & forgot I meant to add gold embellishments, so did today & replaced the picture. 

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Inside Out

When I saw the PTI MIM video it reminded me of a design I saw long ago.  Took a couple days (work got in the way--LOL!) but finally did get my idea transferred into a card.  I used PTI Floral Foliage die cut on the inside with just a circle of flowers showing through the circle window with the card closed.
When opened, you see it's actually a cute tree which I inked with PTI Limeade Ice, New Leaf, Kraft & Distress Ink vintage photo & spritzed before stamping.  The tree top is covered with Wink of Stella & a glitter gel pen made the pink dots.  I used one of the Ombre Builder stamps from my last PTI purchase to ground the image.  The "hello" die cut is PTI Wonderful Words: Hello & the splatters are made with PTI Berry Sorbet. I'm also entering the challenge at SSS Wed.  We got a little break from the heat today & we're hoping the weather man is wrong about 100s coming this week!  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by my blog.

Friday, June 26, 2015

Patriotic Butterflies

It's fun to sometimes use non-holiday images for holiday cards.  My sister loves butterflies, so I decided to surprise her this year with butterflies on her 4th of July card. The Memory Box Kaleidoscope Butterflies are embellished with red sequins & the sentiment is by an Oregon company called Peddlers Pack.  I'm adding this to the first Memory Box Challenge & SSS Wednesday.
The excessive heat here is setting records, so Fritz & I have to limit our walks.  My weekend to work & the air conditioning doesn't seem to reach in our office, but fortunately there's a little fan to save the day!  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.
Challenge iconsSimon Wednesday Challenge Blog

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Rule of Thirds

I combined another MFT Summer School challenge with 4th of July.  Not sure I've ever made a card with this design, but I will again--so much fun!  I used MFT stamp sets On the Line & Tag You're It with Adirondack inks Denim & Cranberry. The dry embossed squares, kraft layer & card front were edged with PTI Fine Linen.  The big stars are covered with MFT Glitter Glaze & I curled some little strips of kraft cardstock to add a festive touch.  Finished with 3 little navy buttons & sent it off to a blogging friend.  I'm also entering The Kraft Journal & SSS Wed.  Thanks so much for stopping by.
PrintSimon Wednesday Challenge Blog

Papertrey June Blog Hop Challenge

Blog-hop-logo
Blog hop inspirationHurrah--it's time for the monthly PTI Blog Hop! The inspiration photo stumped me at first, but soon I came up with an idea.  I wanted to use the gray, but with PTI Background Basics: Medallions, instead of stripes. The inks I used are Memento Gray Flannel & Tuxedo Black.
I liked the idea of a bright flower with the gray, but changed it to the roses from PTI The Sweet Life stamped in Sweet Blush, Hibiscus Burst & Raspberry Fizz. The leaves are stamped in the same inks as the background & the flowers are covered in Wink of Stella.  I decided against splatters--I know, hard to believe--LOL--& simply embellished with clear sequins.  I'm also entering Anything Goes at SSS Wed & Pixies Snippets Playground.  Always tons of inspiration in the Blog Hops, so better get going.  
I'll leave you with this picture of hubby holding Fritz so I could take a picture of him with his birthday candles in a spoonful of peanut butter--pretty cute, huh?!

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Take Time

Time for another challenge at The Male Room where I'm honored to be the June Guest Designer. I think you're going to enjoy this one: Up in the Air, but no Birds.  I had several ideas, but when I came upon this double-sided designer paper in my stash the decision was made.  I love browns & blues together & they work great for a guy's card.  This older Hero Arts stamp was the perfect sentiment, don't you agree? 
Finished off with wooden embellishments & 3 shades of hemp cord. Be sure to check out the great work of the DT.  I've so enjoyed joining them this month & hope to see your work in the gallery, too.  I'm also entering Anything Goes at SSS Wed. Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.
Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Lucky Me!

I'm behind on homework for the MFT Summer School series, but I did get one card made.  I need to send a thank you & since it's so close to 4th of July, I decided to do a combination card. Torico's sample card for Movement/Flow in the Study Guide caught my eye, so I cased it.  I used Brilliance Rocket Red & Mediterranean Blue with MFT stamps: Complimentary Greetings, On the Line & Tag You're It. Couldn't resist adding a few splatters of the inks.  The large stars were trimmed out & covered with MFT Glitter Glaze which gives sparkle & shine.  The little blue gems are from a Prima pack I hadn't ever opened. I'm also entering SSS Wed since I've come to love adding splatters to my cards & my Brilliance ink pads are some of the first ones I bought & are still among my favorites. Thanks so much for stopping by.
PrintSimon Wednesday Challenge Blog

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Gold Butterfly

Did you hear?  Memory Box has started a monthly challenge! When I had a stamp store they carried MB & I ended up with a nice little collection of dies including the solid butterfly.  Recently I got the matching intricate die & butterflies happen to be the theme of the first challenge.  The butterflies are inked in Delicata Golden Glitz, so I'll also enter at City Crafter Challenge Blog.  I began by using the watercolor smooshing technique with Distress Inks victorian velvet, bundled sage & spun sugar.  I softened it with some gesso & then stenciled some paste colored with worn lipstick using the SSS Moroccan Stencil.  Hard to see, but there are also gold splatters.  The panels are cut with Lil' Inker Stitched Rectangles & the bottom one is watercolored with spun sugar.  The sentiment from SSS Warm Wishes is stamped in Delicata Golden Glitz on a double vellum strip.  I used little gold stickers to embellish the butterfly & layered it over some gold floss.  Finished off with pink sequins--a gift from my sweet, talented friend, Lai-Yoke.  I'm also entering the SSS Flickr embossing challenge.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog.
Challenge icons

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Embossed Trees

The One Layer Christmas Card Challenge is helping me make cards I can afford to mail this year!  When I saw the challenge twist of green, I decided to use the little Tim Holtz Three Trees embossing folder. My first thought was to emboss on off-white & sponge the trees with green ink, but I changed my mind.  I have several 12x12 card packs I got for just a few dollars & one includes this pretty textured green. The card edges are distressed & brushed with Picket Fence Distress Paint.  I also brushed a bit of the paint on the trees before covering them with 2 different Stickles. SSS Falling Snow stencil was used with white pigment ink--love the soft effect. These Heidi Swapp stickers are a great size for cards & I didn't have to worry about getting a good impression stamping on the textured cardstock.  
Pretty simple design, but I like it & could make some more if I need them at the last minute. I'm also entering the SSS Flickr challenge to use embossing. Thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog.
Almost forgot--Fritz is 2 yrs old today! He was such a challenging puppy, but has turned into the best dog & we sure do love him.  Thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Red, White, Sparkle, Bells

Oh boy did I have fun making this card!  Down to the wire again for Lil' Inker Monthly Meetup & since Anything Goes I combined it with Merry Monday, Red & White. The Lil' Inker Cover Up Die was part of the prize package I won from PaperCrafts late last year.  You can't really tell what it looks like, so decided it was time to find out.  Isn't it great?!  
I again reached for my Glitter Dust & then attached it to my favorite red textured cardstock (which is now almost gone, unfortunately) using Perfect Paper Adhesive.  For embellishment I used ribbon, a snowflake button, 2 red jingle bells & tiny pearls with sequins.  And yes, I am making mostly flat Christmas cards this year.  It's a good thing I allowed myself 10% that aren't--LOL!  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday as Glitter Dust is one of my favorite products (& so are pearls!)  I used big scraps so will add this to The Playground.  Still catching up on my blog reading & have to work the next couple days, but I'll see you soon.
Simon Wednesday Challenge BlogPixies Crafty Workshop

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Bold Blossom for a Friend

Just realized today that thanks to my friend, Cat, I can enter the Ellen Hutson Mix-It Up Challenge with Altenew. Cat sent me some Bold Blossom die cuts until I can get my own & the Altenew stamp set Simple Shapes was part of a prize package I won last year & hadn't yet opened.  I used Distress Inks spun sugar & milled lavender with the solid & open circles to make the background panel. Then I sprayed it with Glitter Dust for sparkle. 
The die cuts were embossed 3 times with Zing! Charcoal embossing powder.  The lined strip was made using one of the open 4 sided stamps in the set with Memento Gray Flannel.  I love the little Teresa Collins stickers & finished off with clear PPP sequins from another sweet friend, Rosemary.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog.
Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog

Monday, June 15, 2015

Thank You

Last minute entry for MFT Sketch & SSS Wednesday challenges. Decided to make a little tag card to send a sweet blogging friend thanking her for the goodies she's given me. Pink & gray is one of my favorite color combos & I think she likes it, too.  The tag & all the stamps are MFT. I used Brilliance Pearlescent Coral (why they don't call it pink is beyond me--LOL!) & Memento Gray Flannel.  I popped up the sentiment, added Stickles to the stars & tied on a twine bow.  I did use scraps, so will enter at Pixies Snippets Playground. Thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog.
Simon Wednesday Challenge BlogPixies Crafty Workshop   

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Friendship

It's fun to get away, but I'm always happy to be home.  Don't think I could be a full-time RVer. For some reason my laptop won't connect to the Wi-Fi where we camp, even though my phone has no trouble. I'm so glad to be back to a computer--a smart phone is just not the same!  Laundry isn't done & I work tomorrow, but that didn't keep me from taking time to make a card for PTI MIM & SSS Wednesday.  I did manage to watch the MIM video on my phone & planned what I wanted to do as we drove home. One of my favorite things about cardmaking is the wonderful circle of friends it's brought me.  This card is heading to one of them & I don't care that the bow adds a bit of postage--LOL!  I really loved Dawn's use of neutrals & knew immediately I wanted to use my neglected PTI Background Basics: Medallions.  The first image was stamped in Encore Ultimate Metallic Champagne (one of my all time favs) & the second in Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate.  The same inks were used for the leaves from Rosie Posie.  I tried about 6 color combos for the roses & ended up using PTI Scarlet Jewel stamped off once for the first step & the same ink full strength for the second step.  I used the same ink for the sentiment from PTI Lovely Leaves. The background piece is cut with SSS curved edge die. Took forever trying to arrange the flowers, popping up the large one, & still not sure I got it right.  I do really love the colors together--may try something else with them. I'll be catching up with you soon.  Thanks so much for all your support.
Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Happy Birthday

I'm thrilled to be guest designing this month with the talented DT at The Male Room.  Our first challenge is one I think you'll like:  Add a Tag.  
I took the opportunity to pull out a very old & neglected stamp--no dies when I bought it, but so easy to fussy cut.  The Paula Best sentiment stamp is also a fun oldie. I thought the bright stripes in the printed paper worked for a festive card with my Tim Holtz star dies.  
The paper is also embossed with a Cuttlebug star folder. Fun to also use an eyelet (remember them?!) & these little star embellishments I've had forever.  Hope I've inspired you to put a tag on a masculine card & join the challenge! Thanks so much for taking time to stop by my blog.
Edited to add: Entering Seize the Birthday without the option.
Edited to add: Also entering Retro Rubber to use ribbon or twine.  Time is hard to keep track of, but the tag & the sentiment are older than 5 years--probably 10 or more.  I bought the tag from a gal who worked with me & sold Close to my Heart & the sentiment was at a stamp convention.
RRCB16