Waffle Flower Valentine and PFS Friendship Card

I resisted the postage collage trend, although I love it.  Finally I used a WF gc to get a few of the products and made my first card.  

My sister loves blue and her hubby is a fan of green, so I often use that combo for their cards.  Thought they'd love a Valentine made with the Rose Stencil, as they grow roses, too.  The inks I used are Altenew Arctic, Caribbean Sky, Persian Blue and Just Green.  I used Heidi Swapp screen ink for the little accents on the last stencil.  It's like a paste, so gives texture and shimmer.  You can see it in my IG post video.  The little stamped images are from an old PB stamp set.  Now I'm anxious to make some more postage collage cards!  I'm entering JUGS.  

Love that the Pinkfresh Challenge is Anything Goes using mainly their products.  I pulled out three of my favorites:  Small Butterflies, Lush Vines and Perfect Sentiments.  Decided to use the Color Hues challenge of Peach and Teal with MFT Peach Bellini and PTI Tropical Teal ink cubes.

After gold embossing the one piece stamp containing 9 butterflies, I used the matching stencils to add the color.  I just used the 2 ink cubes varying the amount of ink to get some lighter areas and some darker.  The teal shows more contrast.  I used the one piece die and then picked out 3 butterflies for my card.  Couldn't resist brushing them with a shimmer pen--so beautiful in the light.  You can see it in my IG video.  Glad I remembered seeing cards I liked that had black and white backgrounds with colored focal points.  I stamped Lush Vines in Versafine Nocturne and die cut the old PTI dotted rectangle from the panel.  Gotta say, I love the look!  You may see more black and white backgrounds!  I triple layered the sentiment, glued the butterflies only in the centers and added 3 black enamel dots around the sentiment.  Now to make another card with the leftover butterflies.  There may be too much black and white for Color Hues, but I'll leave that up to them.  

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Winter Birthday Card

Here's the card I made for the January JUGS challenge--use a cover plate die.  I ran Poppystamps Heart Pattern Plate through my machine with a panel of watercolor paper.  It's easy to see in person and the close up photo gives you a little better look.

Next I played around adding Lindy's Magicals Butter the Bread Blue and Tibetan Poppy Teal--spritzing with water and moving color with a paintbrush.  Then I covered the whole panel with Distress Spritz Weathered Wood.  Our dark, cloudy day wouldn't let me get a picture really showing the colors, but I can tell you there's definitely teal shimmer in the darkest areas.  It's beautiful in person and you can see it in my IG feed.  I stamped the very old woodmounted image in black.  Really wanted to add random stenciling, so I used Snowfall Distress Grit Paste through Miss Ink Stamps Square Dance stencil in a few random areas.  In person it gives some fun texture and sparkle.  Amazing the difference brushing the panel edges with black ink made!  I also added some small black splatters--just for good measure! 😊 

My new SSS Lea Snowflake was die cut from vellum 6 times.  I attached 3 snowflakes to the panel and then glued the other 3 on top, but only put glue in the centers.  The stamped images are a softer black, so I used gray enamel dots to embellish the snowflakes.  The Alex Syberia sentiment was die cut from white cardstock.  I stacked the word 2 high and brushed it with a shimmer pen.  I'll put the birthday sentiment on the inside.  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.

WCMD

I was so happy to see 2 companies sponsor challenges for WCMD:  Uniko and SSS.  Years ago there were quite a few.  Took awhile to come up with something that worked, but I did finally get a card made on Saturday. 

Therese's video on stencil techniques inspired my background.  I colored molding paste to get a soft brown which I spread through Uniko's Winter Foliage stencil.  The holly leaves and berries from the stamp of the same name were stamped in CN9 Clover and Poppy.  I used the matching dies and glued the leaves just at one end.  The berries are covered in Christmas Red Stickles and are slightly raised.  The sentiment from Season of Beauty was stamped in Versafine Clair Acorn.  I'm entering Uniko via IG, SSS WCMD and DCD.

On Sunday I made a birthday card using an embossed panel I made months ago with Memory Box Blooming folder and Saltwater Taffy Distress Oxide ink pad.  

I cut a 2 inch strip and matted it with black cardstock and white cardstock inked to match.  The sentiment from PTI Tuck it Sentiments was stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturne.  Really love the size and font, so it will get lots of use.  I added clear drops for a subtle embellishment.  I'm entering SSS Wednesday, SSS WCMD via IG and DCD via Flickr.

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

Uniko, Altenew, Memory Box

Sharing 4 recent cards, so feel free to just scroll down and look at the pictures.  First up is a card that made me sooo happy!  I've struggled to use Uniko's Ink N Flip stencils, but finally made a panel that didn't go in the trash!

The Layering Flower stencil was used with CN9 Aqua Sky, Harbor, Tidepool, Grapefruit and Pink Lemonade.  The sentiment from Simply Said Blocks was stamped in Versafine Morning Mist.  I used 3 clear low profile dots for embellishment.  Please don't buy Ink N Flip stencils from any company but Uniko.  Beverley came up with this concept and designs all her own products.  I'm hoping the American company who plans to offer their version this summer will think better of it.

Next is my entry for Uniko's 12 Days of Christmas Challenge.  I used the branch from Season of Beauty with GKD Wreath Builder Template and tiny berries from Rustic Wreath.  

The inks are Versafine Clair Green Oasis, Grass Green and Strawberry.  The background was made with Heidi Swapp white Art Screen Ink through the Winter Foliage stencil.  Love the beautiful shimmery texture which you can see in my IG video.  

When I saw the colors for Altenew's July Inspiration Challenge are blue, green and beige, I decided to make an anniversary card for my sister and her hubby.  She loves blue and he's fond of green.  

I do love wreaths, including Altenew's Wonderful Wreath stencil.  This time I did 4 layers for the top wreath and 2 for the bottom one.  The Altenew inks are Lime, Limeade and Persian Blue, with Lime also being used for the splatters.  The little flowers from Layered Floral Elements die set were brushed with the blue ink darkest in the centers.  I added Stardust Stickles to the petal tips and the darkest Deep Sea Sapphire Gem Sparkles to the centers.  You can see the sparkle in my IG video.  The sentiments are from Flower Vine.  Really love the look of the beige cardstock panel on the white card.  

My final card is for the July Memory Box Challenge: Summer Vibes.  I used MB Backyard Floral Stems for the focal point along with Friends and Family stamp set for the sentiment.  The vellum butterfly is the smallest one in Birch Press Simple Butterfly Contour Layers. 

I purposely used one of my white cardstocks that give this somewhat textured look when brushed with any inks.  Here I used Distress Oxide Prize Ribbon with the MFT rectangle stencil to represent a summer sky.  Fun to use Altenew Tropical Fiesta Watercolor Brush Markers to color the focal point.  I used 2 greens, red, purple, yellow and orange--summery colors to me.  The sentiment was stamped in Versafine Clair Blue Belle.  I added little blue gems and tiny white pearls.  I'm entering Word Art Wednesday and TTTC274 as my card fits several rows, including Die Cut/Free/Butterfly.

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

Guest Designer for Word Art Wednesday

It's time for another WAW Challenge and here's what I made as the April Guest Designer.  Sometimes using paste with a stencil comes out great and other times it takes me several attempts.  This time it was challenging, but I'm happy I stuck with it.

I used SSS Floral Borders stencil with beautiful gold Lawn Fawn embossing paste.  The verse was printed and cut with an Altenew oval die.  The glossy black mat was cut with an Elizabeth Craft oval die.  I used black cardstock for the mat and added 3 small gold dots.  All the challenge details and inspiration from the DT can be found at WAW.  I'm entering SSS Flickr 234. 

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

Birthday and Hello

When I saw Kristin's inspiration card for AAA Cards Challenge, it reminded me of the 2 SSS Rustic Sprigs diecuts sitting on my table for weeks.  They're multi-colored because I die cut them from a panel I made using several Lindy's Magicals.  You can see the shimmer in my IG post. 

Decided to make a frame from PFS Nested Hexagons: Double Stitch and inked it with DO rustic wilderness.  The card is PTI Rustic White and the old CAS-ual Fridays sentiment was stamped in Versafine Clair Acorn.  No embellishments, as this is for a male relative.  

Next is my card for the Altenew March Inspiration Challenge using Altenew's Bursting Dahlia stencil, Handwritten Hello die, inks (Coral Berry, Rose Quartz, Fresh Lemon, Just Green, Aqualicious), Jet Black ink spray and Smoky Quartz Gem Sparkles.  

Really happy with the look blending the 2 pink inks on the petals and the green and blue on the leaves.  I tried using a darker yellow ink for the dots in the flower center, but they didn't show nearly enough over the Fresh Lemon.  Then I thought it'd be fun to use gold embossing paste and that looked great.  Plus it added texture and shimmer.  There's a video in my IG post.  

I covered the center before splattering with the black ink.  Love having a variety of "hello" dies in my stash.  I chose this one because I wanted to outline the letters, but not cover up much of the background, like many shadow dies do.  These beautiful Sparkles have a bit of a pink cast in the light, so were the perfect embellishment for this card.  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.

Greta

Memory Box and Poppystamps

I'm having so much fun making Easter cards this year.  For the Memory Box March challenge, I used MB Textured Distressed Grid Stencil, Magnolia Blossom and Wayfarer Leaves dies and Poppystamps Proper Happy Easter.  

I spread light molding paste through the stencil and lightly sprayed with Weathered Wood Distress Spritz.  You can see the shimmer in my IG post.  I colored the blossoms, leaves and sentiment shadow with Altenew Caribbean Sky and Persian Blue and PTI Weathervane.  I splattered white gouache and added light and medium blue gems.  So happy with how this card turned out.  I'm also entering WAW.

Next is another Easter card I'm entering in the Poppystamps March challenge.  I die cut Poppystamps Easter Bunny Egg from white cardstock and PTI New Leaf dotted paper.  

The bunny was lightly colored with Memento Desert Sand marker with a bit of pink in the ears and dark yellow on the nose.  I backed behind the eyes with MB glossy black cardstock and added Stickles to the flowers.  For the background, I blended Distress Oxide speckled egg in the center of the MFT rectangle.

Poppystamps Double Diamond Lattice Plate diecut was glued to a PTI New Leaf panel.  The very old TPC Studio sentiment was stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturne and die cut with an Altenew oval.  I'm also entering SSS Mon, SSS Wed and Die Cut Divas.

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

Birthday Cards

I made two very different cards using the same color combo of purple and teal.  First up is my entry for Uniko's 13th BD Celebration.  Since the new Posies layering stencils are currently my favorite product, I had to use them.  My first card using the stencils is in my IG post.  

The CN9 inks are Grape Soda, Oceanside and Aqua Sky.  The details on the petals were done with Heidi Swapp white Art Print Ink.  It's actually the consistency of a paste and has a gorgeous shimmer.  I used kraft and brown inks for the centers.  The sentiment is from Uniko's Floral Vines.  Have to tell you, this was my second panel.  After I completely finished the first one, I managed to get ink splotches near the top--too much to cover.  So, I just made a second panel.  But, I couldn't bear to throw out the first one.  I was able to cut it into a square that looked good.  The sentiment is from MFT.

Next is a card made with SSS Heart of Flowers.  

I used MFT In & Out Stitched Rounded Squares to cut the panel which I sprayed with Fortune Teller Distress Mica Stain and Peacock Feathers Distress Spritz.  The shimmer and shine is really beautiful in person.  

I die cut Altenew Essential Sentiment Strips from the same purple and teal cardstocks I used for mats.  Luckily, I found some gems in my stash that matched.  I'm entering Time Out (Layers, Stitch, Heart), JUGS and 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.