Card Chain Challenge and Easter

I signed up to send my March CCC card to my friend, Mia.  Knowing it takes a long time for her to get mail from me, I sent it pretty early in the month.  So far, she hasn't gotten it, but hopefully she will soon.  

The card front is cardstock covered with a piece of rice paper from an older SSS kit.  All I did was splatter the beautiful paper with light gold watercolor.  I randomly brushed the Alexandra Renke wreath with the same watercolor.  

The Memory Box word shadow was lightly brushed with Distress Oxide vintage photo.  After I added the cream cardstock letters, I brushed the whole thing with the light gold watercolor.  I'm entering WAW.  

I made a couple of blue and white Easter cards this year.  When I was a kid, navy and white was a popular color combo for Easter.  The first card was made with the reverse piece after I foiled a Unity toner card front with a beautiful blue specialty foil.  It foiled perfectly to a white Poly-Glaze sheet.

I'm entering WAW from another platform.

My other card was made with SSS Cherry Blossom embossing folder.  I simply added a dot of blue Stickles to the center of each flower.  As you've probably noticed, Poppystamps Proper Happy Easter got a lot of use this year!

I'm entering SSS Monday.  

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

Christmas and Easter

I graduated from college many years ago.  Apparently I've forgotten more than I realized.  For example, I didn't know that Freedom of Speech means we have the right to say positive things about our government and to say we agree with the leaders.  Something to be proud of, right?!

I love making Christmas cards year round, so took a break from Easter cards to make a couple.  First up is my entry for Woodblock Wednesday.  

One of my favorite companies when I started stamping was Magenta.  Can't remember the last time I used this beautiful candle image and I know I didn't white emboss it on kraft cardstock.  Gotta say, I really love the look for a change.  I fussy cut and colored with markers.  The candles were covered with a sparkle pen.  You can see the sparkle and shine in my IG post.  Love the Pinkfresh Diagonal Stitch squares and rectangles.  The Savvy Stamps sentiment was stamped in Versafine Clair Acorn and I finished with kraft cord tied in a bow.  I'm also entering ABC Christmas.  

The current Christmas Kickstart Challenge is to make a card without using red, green or gold.  I decided to stick with kraft and white, but add pink.  

PFS Layered Wreath was die cut twice and the edges were brushed with Altenew Mocha ink.  Then I layered them offset and added pink cardstock berries.  I used vellum for the Classic Holiday Words shadow and white cardstock for 2 layers of the words.  The berries were covered in WOW Peachy Keen Sparkles and the words were covered in Sparkle Pico Embellisher.  You can see the sparkle and shine in my IG post.  I used a dark brown Zig for the splatters.

I do have another Easter card to share, inspired by Color Hues Lemon and Lime.  Unfortunately, I missed the deadline.  It's been awhile since I used my Brilliance ink pads and I remembered that I have Pearlescent Lime.  I used direct to paper on a white cardstock scrap and used it to die cut Alexandra Renke's egg with foliage.  

I decided to add more foliage, so pulled out another Alexandra Renke die and Memory Box Tall Frilly Leaf Stems.  I brushed the diecuts with the Lime ink using a lighter touch.  PFS Blanket Stitch Elongated Oval was brushed with Altenew Fresh Lemon ink--darker on the edge and fading out to white in the center.  After attaching the egg and extra foliage, I stamped the little butterfly from an old TPC Studio set.  

The IO bunny was die cut from my lightest yellow felt attached to lightweight paper for extra stability.  I brushed the edges with the Fresh Lemon ink and used a pink Copic for the center of the ears.  The eye is a tiny clear jewel colored with a black Copic.  Instead of adding cotton to the tail, I covered it with WOW Ice Pop Sparkles--kinda fun!  The very old woodblock sentiment was stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturne, edged with Fresh Lemon and raised with a couple cardstock layers.  My favorite Hero Arts translucent enamel dots in yellow were the perfect finishing touch.  Hubby is not a fan of yellow, but he gave this card a good review!  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday and TTTC267 using the center vertical row.

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

Greta

Easter and Friendship

Here's another Easter card made with my Alexandra Renke egg diecut.  This time I painted it with Altenew soft green metallic watercolor.  The AR grass diecuts are painted with the darker green in the set.  

I didn't want Poppystamps Serene Rabbit die cut from the Champagne glitter tag in my last post to go to waste.  Nuvo Mother of Pearl Mousse was spread through just a bit of the old Hero Arts Zig Zag Pattern stencil.  Love that the color ties in with the rabbit, but doesn't overpower my focal point.  

The W&W words were stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturne.  I'm entering Poppystamps Mixed Media Challenge.

Several years ago a sweet friend gave me Taylored Expressions My Redeemer Lives stamps, dies and embossing folder.

This time I dry embossed one of the cross diecuts with an old TH woodgrain folder.  I swiped it with dark brown and black inks before gluing it to an old Spellbinders Reverse Wonky Rectangle ink-blended with Distress Oxides squeezed lemonade, fossilized amber and spiced marmalade.  

The kraft panel was splattered with black ink and the sentiment from the set was stamped in Versafine Clair Pinecone.  Instead of cardstock layers, I just brushed the panel edges to make it stand out from the kraft card.  I'm entering SSS Wednesday and WAW.

My final card is for the Altenew March Inspiration Challenge.  I was going to use a layered floral die set, but the Bursting Dahlia stencil called to me!  

Two of my newest inks, Purple Wine and Rose Quartz, are a close match to the colors of the flowers.  For the leaves I used Forest Glades and Limeade.  The embossing powder for the center is yellow with white particles. 

I did a light splattering of Jet Black ink spray, added some gems and attached the die cut sentiment from Floral Acanthus.  I do gravitate toward simple cards with beautiful elements.  It's good we all like different styles!  I'm also entering SSS Monday

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#259

We have a very special challenge for you at Time Out.  It's a collaboration with Just Us Girls and the theme is Birds of a Feather.  When you enter a project in the linky, you will automatically also be joining the challenge at Just Us Girls.  Talk about a great Twofer!  Plus, you'll have double the chances of being chosen as a favorite and of winning the $25 store credit to Waffle Flower.  

I'm still making Easter cards and knew exactly what I wanted to use for my card--Memory Box Serene Bird and Branch. 

I very lightly brushed the edges of the bird and separate wing with Distress Oxide pumice stone.  The beak was colored with DO vintage photo and a tiny black pearl was attached for the eye.  Behind the bird is an Alexandra Renke egg diecut inked with DO bundled sage and the branch from the bird die set inked with DO peeled paint and bundled sage.  

I laid MFT rectangle mask stencil on my panel and blended the edges with DO speckled egg.  This is one of my favorite card designs and it works for almost any style, I think.  The silver embossed sentiment was in my stash from last year, so I just die cut it with a PTI flag die and inked the edges lightly with DO pumice stone.  There's lots of inspiration on both challenge blogs and I hope to see you in the gallery.         

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

Birthday Card and Valentine

A couple of my in person friends are on the DT for Seize the Birthday and one of them, Colleen, picked the current topping of Kraft and One Other Color.  I'm very fond of kraft with pink and I finally got the CN9 Poinsettia Quilt Top die set.  Decided this color combo was perfect for my first quilt. 

I've admired this die set for a long time.  It doesn't have to be for Christmas cards.  In fact, I'm not sure you'd even think of a poinsettia, if it wasn't part of the name.  There are advantages over other quilt dies including a separate outline die, a separate stitching lines die and 3 dies for the inside pieces.  Plus it includes the word Joy and a shadow for it.  I found the beautiful darker pink floral paper in an old pad and the pink textured cardstock in my scraps.  I used PTI Classic Kraft (my favorite kraft cardstock) for the card front and the corners.  The little pieces were covered with Versamark Shimmer ink to make them slightly darker than the card. 

The sentiment and layered banners are from PTI, as is the bloom.  I used a floral center from AJVD and little leafy branches from Alexandra Renke.  The flower center is covered in pink jewel Nuvo Drops.  I'm also entering Die Cut Divas.

Last January I had my hip replaced, so I didn't make Valentines.  This year I'm having so much fun being able to make them again.  

For this card I used AJVD hearts, Large Hepburn Couture Creations embossing folder and SSS Simple Valentine's Day sentiment.  I think black, white, silver and red makes for a classic, clean and fresh Valentine for a blog friend. 

This one went to a friend who didn't get the Christmas card I sent, thanks to me sending it to her old address!  Boy did I feel dumb when it came back to me.  I had her new address, but grabbed an envelope I'd addressed long ago.  Hopefully she'll be surprised and happy when she finds this card in her mailbox.  I'm entering SSS Monday and TTTC239 using Heart, Red, Die Cut. 

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

A Few More Cards

Here's my last minute entry for the PFS March challenge.  I just went with the theme of layers.  The Sweet Friend Floral products are some of my favorites. 

The floral images are a single stamp which I heat embossed with Ranger Liquid Platinum ep.  Love having stencils for the coloring.  Gina K mentioned in a video that you can slightly move stencils if needed to line them up & that's what I did.  Unfortunately, the single die to cut them out can't be tweaked like that, but, as I've said before, perfection is overrated!  I used Pigment Craft Co inks Himalayan, Blush, Balsam & Aloe along with Memento Dandelion & Peanut Brittle.  The Himalayan dried much lighter than it looked at first, but I didn't notice until after the diecutting was done.  I think the blossoms are pretty anyway.  You can't tell, but they're also spritzed with gold shimmer.  I die cut an embossed kraft panel with the outline die in the Braided Tag set, stopping before the hole.  The sentiment from the set was heat embossed on vellum using Liquid Platinum.  The card base is PTI Rustic Cream & I used beautiful pink jewels for embellishment.  Looks Springy to me, so I'm also entering SSS Wednesday.  I may put an Easter sentiment on the inside.   

Thought you might like to see the card I entered from IG for Stay Crafty with A Blog Named Hero--rainbow challenge.  

So fun to see a rainbow appear from blending red, yellow & blue.  I used DO crackling campfire, fossilized amber & faded jeans.  The HA Presents Background was embossed with HA Sparkle ep & I added Stardust Stickles to some of the bows & dots.  

The Poppystamps Happy Birthday Poe Script was stacked 5 high with the top layer covered in Shimmer Pico Embellisher.

I love Alexandra Renke dies.  This one uses the retired Eucalyptus Wreath.  I used white, gray green & gray cardstocks & layered them on a Soft Stone panel stamped randomly with text & stenciled here & there with molding paste.  The Altenew sentiment is stamped in Lawn Fawn Manatee.

This AR egg die is also retired.  I die cut it twice from a very old pink cardstock & layered them together.  The vellum leafy branches are from PFS Dainty Blossoms. 

The blooms were included with the egg & are covered with shimmer.  I embossed Poppystamps Serene Rabbit in Stampendous Sparkle Puff ep which gives texture & sparkle in person.  Love the sweet Darice embossing folder a friend gave me.  The sentiment is a very old wood mounted stamp.

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