Valentines

I'm still working on Valentines.  Luckily, cardmaking friends appreciate happy mail whenever it arrives.

First is my card inspired by Color Hues Red and Pink Challenge.  Finally pulled out Uniko Layering Flower Fusion stencil set and I love it just as much as Picked Posies.  

My inks are CN9 Honeysuckle and Poppy plus PTI Weathervane.  I used Versamark through the flower centers stencil so I could silver emboss them.  SSS Layered Bird Bunch has just the right size little birds.  I colored one by brushing the pieces alternating with the red and pink inks--red being the head.  I used Stamplorations circles cover plate for added interest.  I flipped the cut down panel so the bird could be popped up on the branch next to the Alex Syberia die cut word.  I used vellum for the shadow and silver cardstock for the word.  The Valentine sentiment is inside.  I'm also entering SSS Monday and DCD, if I didn't use too much gray.

My next card was made with Gina K Wreath Builder Template and Sketched Wreath Builder stamp set.  Hadn't used the template in awhile and it really is such a fun technique.  

The inks are CN9 Sweet Pea, Ballet Slipper, Parsley and Sprout.  Even though I stamped the tiny hearts 3 times, they were barely visible.  So, I stamped over them twice using PTI Sweet Blush and got the look I wanted.  The embossed panel was done with a very old folder that has tiny hearts at each intersection of lines.  Love the difference it made compared to using a plain white panel.  I'm entering Time Out Challenges using the words Pink and Heart.  I have light pink hearts and darker pink flowers, plus the tiny white hearts in the embossed background.  

Last is another Valentine using a paper pad given to me long ago by my sweet friend, Cat.  I love the gold and kraft papers, but I struggle to use printed paper.  So glad I watched Juliana Michaels' Craft Your Stash video recently.  Again I used her basic sketch and this time covered the seam with a strip cut from one of the papers with the reverse side up.  

Couldn't come up with any additional colors I liked with these papers.  I found a yellow vellum that looked like gold and used that for the shadow of  SSS Simple Happy Valentine's Day.  The words were cut from the reverse side of the paper, like the strip.  Clear embossing the words let them stand out and perfectly match the card.  Gotta say, I love how this turned out, although I wasn't so sure in the beginning.  By the way, did you see the SSS tip to cut down a silicone basting brush to use with glue?  Check this out!  Someone recently gave me 2 of the brushes, so I tried it out.  Worked great to attach the words to the shadow.  I'm 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.

Square and Z Fold

I'm grateful Your Paper Insider sent me Box 12 to use and show you.  I'll post my first card later.  Today's card was inspired by Freshly Made Sketches #700.  The first time I entered was November 2013, Challenge #111.  Here's that card:

This is really still my kind of card.  No surprise I used dry embossing for the background.  Those MFT rolled roses made from felt would be on my cards today if mailing costs weren't so high.  

Back to my current card.

I cut 4 squares of the beautiful White and Red Flowers: Yuzenshi paper and matted them with dark brown cardstock in my stash.  The little branches were die cut from the same brown paper.  To keep from covering up much of the background, I used a scrap of my vellum for the shadow of SSS Happy Autumn die.  The Gold Diamond Glitter paper in the box was perfect for the card front and letters.  You can see the sparkle and shine in my IG post.  And yes, I'm ready for Autumn's cooler weather!

Next is my first Z Fold card--yay!  I'm a slow cardmaker, so I don't usually make fun fold cards.  However, I watched a video recently and thought the simple version was something I could do.  Here's what I came up with using some favorite Altenew products.

I cut a white panel in 2 and lined the pieces back up in the Flower Bed embossing folder.  Sweet Bouquet was colored with the matching stencils using Rose Quartz, Puffy Heart, Cosmic Berry, Firefly, Forest Glades, Shadow Creek and Citrus Burst.  I splattered the bouquet with SSS Splatter Medium and added yellow Stickles to all the flower centers--focal point and background.  The sentiment from the stamp set fit perfectly inside.  I did add cardstock layers to the bouquet to make it sturdy enough to have only the left side attached.  You can see details and sparkle in my IG post.  This is another card for the Altenew August Challenge and I'm entering DCD where Altenew is the sponsor.

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

Rainbow & Pumpkin

You may have seen the rainbow I made with Altenew oval dies HERE.  It was such fun, I made another one for the August CCC.  This time I colored the sections with Copics to match the color palette option of Kumquat, Lime & Grape.  

I'd never have come up with these colors if they hadn't been suggested, but really like them together for a rainbow.  I embossed them with a sparkle powder--so pretty!  The background was made with Honey Bee Radiant Circle stencil, light molding paste & extra fine glitter.  

I stamped the sentiment from PTI Prominent Petals & added some black Pico Embellisher dots.  I'm entering SSS Wednesday & WAW.

I haven't done much stitching lately, but my friend Rosemary has been inspiring me.  I had just enough time to make another shaped card for August DCD & entered via Flickr.  Fall is about here, so I thought of felt & pumpkins!  

I used Memory Box Plush Pumpkin die, felt in my stash & craft cord.  Quick, easy stitching, so I got instant gratification--haha!  Beacon 3-in-1 craft glue works great for felt!  The sentiment is from PTI Tiny Tags.  I also entered 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.

PTI & SSS

PTI Designer, Dawn McVey, is recovering from a small intestine transplant.  There's a special blog hop, We Love Dawn, to offer support & send her some joy.  It's suggested to use one of Dawn's sets & I thought that was a great idea.  I love Spruce & Sprigs, but decided to use Friendly Flowers for my get well card. 

The panel die cut with Mix & Mat Flourishes was on my table & I stitched it with red embroidery thread.  The blooms were cut from white felt & the leaves from dark brown felt.  I loved making French Knots when I did cross stitch many years ago.  So fun to make them for my flower centers!  Tiny Tags stamp & die was used for the sentiment with Hero Arts Cup O' Joe ink.  The panel was mounted with fun foam to a card covered in dark brown cardstock.  Very simple, but hopefully Dawn will like it.  I'm entering Word Art Wednesday.

My friend, Betty, gave me several C&9th Watercolor cards a long time ago.  Finally got the courage to use one & die cut it with SSS Birch Tree Window. 

I sprayed it heavily with gold Perfect Pearls & mounted it to a kraft card.  SSS Painted Thanks was die cut from kraft, stacked 3 high & clear embossed.  Finished off with sequins & love how it turned out.  I'm entering SSS Flickr #83 & Die Cut Divas.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Birthday & Christmas

I've had the rest of my DI rainbow panel sitting on my table since I made my card for Poppystamps last month.  Decided to use about 1/2 of what was left for the new Just Bling It challenge.  

My sweet friend, Brenda, sent me lots of Poppystamps Stitched Butterflies die cuts, so I pulled out vellum & cardstock in different sizes to layer.  Hopefully my one beautiful bling dot will qualify, as it really seemed like all that was needed.  I added some little black splatters & the sentiment from Poppystamps Hope and Thanks.  I'm also entering DRU, HLS CAS, Paru's Card Making Challenges, The Playground & SSS Wednesday.

Next is my PTI MIM entry.  Honestly, I did not see Kim's card until mine was already done--as they say, great minds think alike!  This was a really fun technique--check out the video if you haven't.  

I made an acrylic circle stencil using a die & saved packaging.  DI pine needles was sponged for an ombre effect going from lower right to upper left.  The masks were made with a die cut berry image from PTI Spruce & Sprigs.  Then with the masks removed & the stencil left in place, I stamped the berry image in DI festive berries & added Christmas Stickles. The sentiment from PTI Snowflake Flurries was stamped in Brilliance Starlite Black--a bit softer than black. I sponged the edges of the card front to match & attached the panel with foam tape.  Couldn't find an embellishment with the right colors in my stash, so decided to just use a bow made with a beautiful textured ribbon.  

Thought it still needed something, so covered the bow with painter's tape & sprayed with Perfect Pearls--just love that shimmer!  I'm also entering Christmas Card Challenges, Die Cut Divas & Word Art Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.