Life is Better with Friends

I've known forever that you can reshape clear stamps on acrylic blocks, but don't think I ever tried it.  Glad it's the current PTI MIM challenge, so I was inspired to finally make a card.  My PTI order got here & couldn't wait to use the Butterfly Hope stamp set.  

I started with something simple & just made a background by stamping the outline butterfly image in Soft Stone.  The sentiment from Wonderful Words: Friends is stamped in Brilliance Graphite Black.  The word is stacked 3 high with the top layer die cut from Aqua Mist which I also used for the mat.  

The edges of the mat & the word are covered with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen & Nuvo glitter drops provide embellishment.  I'm also entering Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge, CAS on Sunday, Double D, SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday & Word Art Wednesday.  Company leaves tomorrow & I'll be catching up on blogs.  Thanks for stopping by.

Hero Arts

I've loved Hero Arts since I began stamping.  My first card is for the bling challenge at ABNH.  

The gold embossed panel has been on my table since I tried smooshing it with Distress Inks weeks ago. The beautiful floral design didn't show up, so figured I had nothing to loose & tried sponging with several shades of red.  That worked!  Then I spritzed with gold Perfect Pearls & added gold Stickles.  I really didn't want to cover it up.  Finally decided just to add the gold frame & sentiment. The HA stamps are Flower Medley Background & Live Life. I stamped the sentiment 5 times in Delicata Golden Glitz--love using the Mini MISTI!  I'm also entering CTS, CCCB & SSS Wednesday.

Next is my entry for the stenciling challenge at a2z.  Finally tried the technique of slightly shifting the stencil & inking again--really fun!  

I used HA Wet Cement ink--first using a heavy hand & then keeping it lighter.  The HA stencil is called Irregular Checkerboard Background.  This is my first time to use the bunny die from HA Millie Cut-Outs by Lia--a prize I won a couple years ago.  I attached the bright, pink felt to cardstock before die cutting.  The eyes & nose are gems & I drew the mouth with a Sharpie.  The sentiment is from W&W Big, Bold, Seasons & a scattering of Nuvo glitter drops adds just a bit of sparkle.  I'm also entering ABNH & SSS Wednesday.  We've got company coming for a few days, but I'll catch up with you as soon as I can.

Blue Bunny Easter

It's always fun to make cards with the cute Impression Obsession bunny dies (DIE043-G) & for the current challenge I decided to use 3 shades of blue glitter.  

The bunnies are die cut from fun foam for a bit of dimension & it was great to make use of a doily scrap left over from another project.  

I've become addicted to adding splatters--love the look no matter the style of card.  My favorite black ink for sentiments has become Brilliance Graphite Black--one of my oldest!  I find it covers completely & doesn't feather.  This IO sentiment is from Easter Eggs, MC121--I just cut off the flourish. Brilliance inks (I have most of the beautiful colors) are a great option for splatters, too.  I'm also entering AAA Cards, CropStop, HLS Anything Goes with Dies & Word Art Wednesday.  

We're having typical Pac NW Spring weather--rain & showers alternating. Fritz takes a sunbath every chance he gets! Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Papertrey March Blog Hop Challenge

Fun floral inspiration for the March PTI Blog Hop.  My first thought was to use Friendly Flowers & make a stamped background.  I also used Make It Market Garden Gild & Harvest Berries. So much fun to stamp on colored cardstock, Aqua Mist, for a change.  The inks are Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Hibiscus Burst, Lovely Lady, Stormy Sea, Blueberry Sky & Spring Rain along with white pigment ink & Brilliance Graphite Black.  

I had my card done before I watched Yana's video, but next time I'll try adding some dry embossing.  The sentiment is done with Wonderful Words: Friends.   I wanted to also enter my card in the MIM Window Chipboard Sentiments challenge.  

Not too smart to use a word that includes an i--haha!  To be honest, it's pretty tricky to open, but sure is a fun design!  I really like being able to use one sentiment on the outside & another on the inside with the die cut word.  I decided against bling, but did brush the word with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen.

I'm also entering CCCB, Stamping Sensations & Word Art Wednesday.

I'm playing nurse at home for a few weeks as hubby is having cataract surgery which requires lots of eye drops.  Things are going well so far. He's not allowed to do yard work, but we're having so much rain that's out of the question anyway. Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Green, White & Gold

I don't often use green for a focal point, but the beautiful gown & hydrangeas in the Ellen Hutson Pin-Sights challenge mood board inspired me.  I used scraps of light green textured cardstock & vellum for the EH Bold Blossom dies.  Really love the look of gold Stickles on the blooms. The bouquet is attached to the WP9 die cut which I backed with a gold metallic panel.  

The sentiment from Winnie & Walter Big, Bold, Seasons was stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia.  I used 2 layers of cardstock instead of foam for just a bit of dimension.  I'm also entering The Playground, SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday & Word Art Wednesday.  I'm working this weekend, but will catch up on my blog reading soon.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.
Edited to add: Also entering SSS Work It Wednesday.

Final PTI Challenge Cards

Hello from rainy Oregon!  I'm not complaining--no big snowstorm like the east coast & a great day for crafting!  I worked yesterday, so today I finished up projects for 3 of the PTI Anniversary challenges.
First is my entry for Day 2--use multiples of a single shape.  My first thought was Happy Hexagons, so that's what I went with.

Fun to also use some of the printed paper I got in the big sale. To be honest, it took me forever to decide on how to arrange the hexagons. I've got quite a few left over, so hopefully they'll end up on a card, too. The sentiment from Boutique Borders: Birthday is stamped in Autumn Rose & the mat is Scarlet Jewel.  I'm also entering HLS Anything Goes With Dies.

The challenge on Day 3 is to use your favorite floral set. Meadow Greens has only 1 flower & maybe it's not my all-time favorite floral set, but I haven't used it much & I do love it.  

My first idea was a flop, but I was able to turn the watercolor panel over & start again.  Ended up with a card I like--yah! The Distress Inks are scattered straw, wild honey, peeled paint & shabby shutters.  I used a water brush to blend & then splattered some wild honey & peeled paint. Scattered straw Stickles was added to the flower center & I distressed the edges. The card front & sentiment strip are Classic Kraft & the sentiment from Through the Trees is stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia. I'm also entering Stamping Sensations.

Last is the project I've been thinking about for days & finally made today. It's for the packaging challenge inspired by Rebecca's eye candy.  I was the designated gift wrapper for our family.  My folks put the recipient's name on the outside of the box & I did the wrapping--even for my own gifts! Beautiful papers & ribbons have always appealed to me.  

These days I seldom give wrapped presents, so my project is a gift card holder.  I used the Monthly Moments: Journal Card Pocket #1 die.  I used the eraser end of a pencil to make the gold dots & the sentiment from Lovely Layers was stamped in Brilliance Starlite Black.  Fun to actually use some of my Washi tape & a little clothespin.  I'm also entering Word Art Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

PTI 10th Anniversary Challenges

I made a couple more projects for the PTI 10th Anniversary challenges. First is my entry for Lexi's card & envelope challenge.  

I used one of my favorite techniques--emboss resist. The stamp set is Splits: Just a Note & the inks are PTI Aqua Mist & Ocean Tides with Brilliance Starlite Black for the sentiment.  I added Stickles to the dots--so pretty in real life.

I sponged with the same inks on the front & flap of the envelope, but kept it a bit lighter.  It's already in the mail to hopefully bring a lift to one of my blogging friends.  I'm also entering Time Out.

We celebrated our 35th anniversary in 2014 by going to a Seattle Seahawks football game.  It was so much fun & the woman sitting behind us was kind enough to snap a picture which turned out to be one of my favorites.  I mounted it to a decorated panel so I could sit it on a table. Somehow it ended up on the floor & before I knew it Fritz did a number on one corner.  The challenge to incorporate a picture gave me the motivation to re-do it.

I went much simpler this time & actually like it better.  The heart border die is from SSS & is brushed with Wink of Stella. PTI Wonderful Words: Love die cut is lightly watercolored with Distress Ink faded jeans & brushed with Wink of Stella. I'm catching up on my blog reading & truly do appreciate your taking time to visit my blog.