Altenew

I really like Altenew's Climbing Flowers die set and wanted to use them to fill a card front.  So I decided to try and make another entry for the Altenew June Inspiration Challenge.  Found the right shades of cardstock in my stash, along with Altenew's Mystic Purple Glitter Tape.  Love how it turned out!

Deck Planks embossing folder makes a wonderful background and it's one of my favorites.  

The glitter tape is very sparkly and works great for layered floral die cuts and sentiments.  It's narrow, but I just put 2 strips side by side on a piece of cardstock to use for the sentiment from Floral Acanthus.  The lightest enamel dots in the Sugar Plums set were just right for embellishment.  I'm also entering 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.

Stencilled Cards

As most of you know, pink is my favorite color.  Naturally, I like to enter challenges asking for that color.  The Altenew June Inspiration Challenge photo is a patch of pink and purple flowers.  My first thought was to use the Floral Radiance Layering Stencils, part of what I received to guest design in April.  

Here's a close up so you can sort of see that I used the Dotted Swirls Debossing Cover die over the panel--a look I really love.  Sorry my pictures didn't come out that good.

The sentiment from Timeless Sentiments 2 was attached over white crochet thread.  I added Frosted Lace Stickles to the white letters and black enamel dots for embellishment.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday.  

Usually I've made lots of Christmas cards by this time in the year.  That hasn't happened, even though they're my favorite to make.  Color Hues challenge is Sage and Pink--perfect for CN9 Boughs & Holly Stencils.  I used Distress Oxides bundled sage, kitsch flamingo and vintage photo.

I haven't used these stencils very much, so this time I actually looked at the information.  Each stencil is intended to be inked, rotated 180 degrees and inked again.  Boy does that make a big difference from the look I got last time--haha!  I used a light hand for one layer and a bit darker for the other one.  Can't wait to make some more!  The sentiment from MFT is die cut from silver metallic cardstock, also used for the mat.  I also added silver splatters and a few sequins that happened to match perfectly.  I'm also entering Just Us Girls.

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

Birthday Balloons

I picked out 3 sheets of very old Penny Black cardstock I've been hoarding.  It came in sets of 3 shades of each color and I picked 2 yellows and a blue because of Color Hues June 1 challenge.  I got Birch Press Floral Balloon dies in a recent sale and had fun putting them together.  Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with a card and missed that challenge along with a couple others.  Finally, a couple days ago I got this card made, using a couple old Penny Black balloon dies, a PTI bow die and a sentiment from Poppystamps Hope and Thanks stamped in Altenew Persian Blue. 

The yellow flowers and the light yellow behind the negative balloon spaces were covered with a shimmer pen--so pretty in person.  The bow is covered with glaze and I added little yellow gems from my stash.  I'm entering Poppystamps 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.

Time Out Challenge #266

We have a great photo to inspire your creations for Time Out Challenge #266 which is sponsored by Lawn Fawn.  I've always enjoyed seeing the lighthouses along our state's coastline.  However, I only have one lighthouse product for cardmaking and almost didn't have that!  I gave Memory Box 2017 Oceanside Lighthouse and Waves die set to a friend several years ago.  Luckily, I made some diecuts for myself first and I've finally used some of them.

I seldom attempt to make scenes and thought keeping it small would be less intimidating.  Plus, I really like windows on cards and wanted to use MFT Peek-a-Boo die which I've neglected.  I used Distress Oxides pumice stone, broken china, faded jeans, speckled egg, abandoned coral, picked raspberry and a tiny bit of fossilized amber for the background.  I added Nuvo Crystal Glaze over the yellow Copic for the windows and the detail wave is covered with Frosted Lace Stickles. 

PTI Scripted's little companion sentiments are some of my most used.  No embellishments, as this is for a male relative's summer birthday.  

Hope you check out all the challenge details, including a larger version of the photo inspiration.  You'll also find lots of inspiration from my teammates and our guest designer.  

I'm entering AAA Cards and Allsorts.  It's been ages since I joined these 2 challenges and am happy to be able to with this card.

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

Alex Syberia

I was incredibly lucky to win the latest release from Alex Syberia Designs.  Just Us Girls color combo challenge of pink and aqua inspired me to pull out the beautiful Heartfelt Blooms stamp/stencils/die.

I silver heat embossed the image and used the stencils to color with these inks: Memento Angel Pink, PTI Lovely Lady & Hibiscus Burst, Altenew Dew Drops, Aqualicious & Teal Cave, Delicata Silvery Shimmer and Brilliance Starlite Black.  I added Brushed Pewter Distress Stain splatters.  

The other release products I used are Charming Flora Cover Die and a sentiment from Beautiful Day.  The silver gems were in my stash.

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

Time Out Challenge #265

Hard to believe, but it's already June and school will soon be out in our neck of the woods.  I enjoy seeing all the flowers when I walk Fritz.  Speaking of flowers, Time Out Challenges wants you to be Inspired by Words using the quote by Henri Matisse.  You can use the entire quote or any of the words.  The winner chosen by the DT will get a $15 store credit from our sponsor, Altenew, as well as an invitation to guest design for a future challenge. 

I bought my first die cutting machine so that I could use embossing folders.  Before I began making cards, my favorite stationary was dry embossed.  I finally bought a die cutting machine months after they came out when I learned they were used with embossing folders which cost a lot less than dies.  Of course, my "no buying dies" resolve soon ended! 😀 

I'm hooked on 3D embossing folders and the black out technique that is so popular right now.  I've used black and dark blue for the background previously, but have been wanting to see how dark brown would look.  Here's the result.

I used Altenew's Flower Bed 3D folder and colored the debossed side of the panel with Distress Oxides Worn Lipstick, Fossilized Amber and Cracked Pistachio.  It's not precise coloring, so is fast and stress free.  I dried the ink and then swiped my Versafine Clair Acorn ink pad over the panel.  That's when the detail of the debossed design really shows.  Again, it's not precise, but I really like the look.  You do want to use a light hand with the dark color (especially is you have a juicy pad) and just repeat until you're happy.  Most of the examples I've seen add splatters and I do prefer my panels after they're splattered. 

For this card I used both white and gold.  I decided a bit more gold was needed, as my splatters are tiny.  An old Pentel Sparkle Pop gel pen in my stash still works perfectly.  That's what I used to color the flower centers and the stitching of my Frantic Stamper Arch diecut.  I got the Arched Labels in 2017 before they were so popular, as I loved a card using a "banner" die that a friend sent me.  We both searched for months to find a die similar to the retired one that she used.  Now everyone has caught up to us and lots of companies have Arch dies, which I still love.  This time I decided to make a frame with the 2 largest dies, as well as making a shaped card.  Poppystamps Scribble Hello was die cut from SSS Matte Gold cardstock, stacked and glued in place.  I stamped just the word friend from a PTI Scripted sentiment in Acorn ink and added Altenew Satin Gold sequins.  There's lots more inspiration at Time Out Challenges along with all the details.  Hope to see you in the gallery.

I'm entering Die Cut Divas and Inkspirational.

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

Card Chain Challenge

The Card Chain Challenge started many years ago.  There aren't a lot of players left from the early days, but I'm one of them.  I was the letter writer in the family beginning when I was in grade school.  So, exchanging cards every month with people all over the world really appealed to me.  There are actually more players outside the US now.  It's only once a month and the prompts always include friendship.  You can even send a card from your stash, which I have often done.  Why not consider joining us?  All the details can be found at The Card Chain Challenge.

Anyway, my card for May went to a blogging friend I've known for many years, Linda in Minnesota.  The color combo of Gold, Raspberry, Blueberry appealed to me.  I wanted to see how they would look using Altenew's Floral Radiance Layering stencil set which was one of the products I received as a guest designer in April.  Here's the first card I made posted on IG in April using blues and greens.

For Linda's card I used CN9 Dragonfruit and Blueberry with the detail layer gold embossed.  Talk about a totally different look!  

I splattered the inks and used gold embossing powder for the detail layer.  The panel was spritzed with a favorited old Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist called Irridescent Gold.  You might get a hint of it in the close up below.  

The scalloped rectangle is from Elizabeth Crafts and I used PTI Dark Indigo for the mat.  I didn't want to cover up much of the design and thought this sentiment from Alex Syberia Spring Garden was a great size.  I seldom use this type of sentiment which seems a bit "preachy" to me.  However, Linda certainly does enjoy life with her years of being in Sweet Adelines Chorus, making cards and spending time with family and friends.  I added gold thread and Altenew Satin Gold sequins.  I'm entering SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday 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.