Gina K and Pinkfresh Studio

I decided to make a couple last minute cards for August challenges.  To start is my 3rd entry for PFS Floral Challenge.  It's been awhile since I did an inlaid die cut card & I wanted to try using foil cardstock behind the die cut outline.  I chose a floral branch in the Dainty Blossoms die set & die cut cut it from a panel of gray cardstock I had splattered with black ink spray.

I backed the opening with a piece of purple foil cardstock.  Then I inlaid the outline die which I cut from black cardstock.  Makes for a striking, elegant look, I think. 

The sentiment from Delicate Wreath was stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturne & the panel was matted with black cardstock.  Finished off with black twine tied in a bow.  I'm also entering PB&M & SSS Wednesday.

I've been wanting to use the cute little gift images in Gina K Sketched Wreath Builder stamp set.  I used my mini MISTI & stamped them in Brilliance Pearlescent Poppy & Ivy. 

I stamped part of a sentiment in the set & used direct to paper technique with the Poppy ink to make the thin mat.  The gifts were colored with the Jane Davenport Silver Screen glitter pen & then I restamped the images. 

Thought the tiny gems were all it needed.  I'm entering Gina K Monthly Mix & Word Art Wednesday.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment,  I will visit you.

Halloween & Christmas

It's starting to feel like Fall in the mornings & evenings.  Cooler temps are definitely welcome!  I don't make many Halloween cards, but didn't want to miss the ITP PTI challenge.  Usually I have no need to stretch my stamps as I have plenty of everything--haha!  However, I have very few Halloween stamps & none from ITP PTI.  It was fun to get creative & use the trees stamp from Through the Trees & part of a sentiment from Simple Stems. 

I used the positive & negative masks I made with a circle die & blended my background with Distress Inks wild honey, gathered twigs, vintage photo, chipped sapphire, dusty concord & black soot.  I lightly spritzed water on the sky for stars & purposely didn't make them too showy. 

The tree was embossed in JudiKins Black Diamond which is super fun as the look changes when you move it in the light.  The big letters are stickers.  I mounted the panel with fun foam to a black mat.  I'm also entering Allsorts & SSS Wednesday.

No stamping this time on my Christmas card for the Memory Box Happy Holidays challenge.  I've always put other words with the word Merry, but fun to just repeat the word 3 times on a panel dry embossed with Tim Holtz Poinsettias Texture Fade folder. 

I used Heidi Swapp silver glitter tape attached to cardstock & mounted each word to another cardstock die cut.  I added silver Stickles to the poinsettia centers, tied on red & white twine & added a couple jingle bells. 

Pretty festive, I think.  Will need to be hand delivered, but worth it to use the bells!  I'm also entering Rudolph Days, SSS Monday & SSS Wednesday.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

SSS, Stamplorations, PFS

I'm writing this as we watch the hurricane approach the US.  My heart goes out to everyone dealing with this disaster. 
This is my 3rd sympathy card in the last few weeks.  For this one I started with SSS Bouquet of Roses stencil on kraft cardstock & blended with DI aged mahogany & brushed corduroy. 

Then I dry embossed the panel & eventually cut it down & attached it to a Fine Linen mat.  The very old Flourishes sentiment was stamped in my new Avery Elle Kraft pigment ink.  It stamped beautifully & dried very quickly.  Love having another shade of tan ink!  I used a Lawn Fawn circle die & attached it with foam tape.  I'm entering SSS Monday from IG.

Next is my first card using Stamplorations Leafy stamp set designed by Deepti.  I love using evergreen branches or leaves to make a frame, so that's what I did. 

It may look like only 2 leaf images, but actually, it's 3. The Altenew inks are Limeade, Lime & Fresh Leaf.  This is also my first time using the Impression Obsession sentiment, Love and Kindness are never wasted, stamped in VersaMagic Gingerbread.  I trimmed the panel down & mounted it with fun foam.  The white dots are Wedding Dress Pico Embellisher.  I'm entering Stamplorations Never Ending challenge, Stamplorations Summer challenge, SSS Monday & SSS Wednesday.

I've been wanting to make a card using a single die cut in various colors.  This wasn't the original design I had in mind, but I like it anyway. 

I used a die from PFS Dainty Blossoms & 5 different textured cardstock scraps.  I trimmed off the stems, covered them in shimmer & attached them to a strip of Soft Stone using glue only at the bottom so the tops could be gently bent forward.  The sentiment from PFS Delicate Wreath was stamped in Weathervane.  Finished off with Shimmer Pico Embellisher drops.  I'm entering PFS August challenge, SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday & The Snippets Playground.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Altenew cards

A man I've known since I was a kid recently died, so I made this card for his wife.  I used 3 green Distress Inks with the Altenew Foliage stencil.

First time I've used it.  Fun to have the open leaves on 1/2 & the details on the other 1/2, so it's just one stencil.  I blended antique linen on the edges to soften the white card.  The die cut sentiment by Avery Elle is brown cardstock clear embossed.
Next is another stenciled card.  I'd been thinking about doing something for the Altenew Sewing Contest.  As you can see, I didn't actually do much stitching--haha!  Luckily, the rules are pretty open.

I loved making French Knots when I first learned to cross stitch.  The Bursting Dahlia stencil looks made for them, don't you think?!  It's been quite awhile, so I did have to find a video after my practice attempts failed.  I brushed on Altenew Magenta & Baby Pink inks.  The knots are done with 5 strands of silver thread--pretty sparkle in person.

The sentiment from Altenew Handpicked Bouquet was stamped in Lawn Fawn manatee as I didn't want to detract from the flower.  I added gray splatters before mounting the panel to a gray mat.  Love how it turned out!  I'm also entering WAW.
Edited to add: Also entering Virginia's Show & Share.

One of my most recent Altenew purchases was Wildflower Doodles.  Decided it was time to open the package & make something for the August Inspiration Challenge.

I used Altenew inks:  Galactic Stream, Hydrangea & Lime.  I added a strip of silver Washi tape & stamped the sentiment from Floral Frame in Delicata Silvery Shimmer.  After adding silver splatters & marshmallow sequins, I mounted the panel with fun foam.  I'm also entering NBUS.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Three Cards

Boy is this month going fast & we're more than ready for cooler temps!  Behind on posting cards, so here are 3 of my latest.
First is the one for my BIL which uses the Altenew Pegboard Canvas die & a pattern from cathycarlson21 on IG.  She did a rainbow pattern, but I think he will prefer the blue & green.

I also used silver for the eyes instead of black.  It took me awhile, but I really enjoy combining cross stitch with cardmaking.  The Impression Obsession sentiment die cut was mounted on a strip of vellum.  Cathy also has some Christmas patterns I plan to use.
I used my new GK stamp set called A Happy Hello to make a card for the GK Monthly Mix: White Space.  The inks are PTI Enchanted Evening, Blueberry Sky, Spring Rain & Stormy Sky.

The panel is attached with thin fun foam & the dots are Pico Embellisher Wedding Dress.  I'm also entering NBUS 17.
 
The July/August Uniko challenge, In My Garden, is about to end.  Finally, I got a card made using the optional twist of Hot Summer Colors.  I've seen several cards made with only 1 layer of a layering floral stamp set.  Uniko's Beautiful Blooms III has just the right image with the thicker lines.

I began by stamping a very old wood mounted circle stamp in Distress Oxide fossilized amber, spiced marmalade & abandoned coral.  The flowers were stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturne & I used circle dies to cut the flowers & the black mats.  The same inks were blended on scraps & the sentiment from Uniko's Simply Said Blocks was mounted with foam tape.  Finished off with clear sequins.  I call this modified slimline as it's 3 1/4x6 1/2.  I'm also entering Virginia's Show & Share and WAW.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.