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.

Elf Duties--Reminder Post

I'm back to remind you that there's still time to play along with Jo and me at Christmas Kickstart: Wreath it Up.  The gallery is filling up with such wonderful cards and it's amazing how many have wreaths that are also in my stash!  

My first card was made with stencils, so this time I wanted to use one of my wreath stamps.  I settled on a much loved 2004 Art Impressions woodblock stamp.  Luckily, I still have an old fashioned stamp positioner.  

I started by inking the entire stamp in Altenew Misty Mint.  Then I used a sponge dauber to randomly add Mountain Pine.  I went back and forth until I was happy with the results.  I used an old set of circle dies to cut my wreath, a red cardstock circle and a circle inked in Mountain Pine.  I attached everything to a circle card made with the same die as the green mat.  One of my favorite sentiment stamps is a little 2003 Hero Arts woodblock stamp and it was just the right size for the center of my wreath.  Decided I needed a bow, so die cut 2 old PPP bows from red and white.  They're so thin, I stacked both colors 2 high.  Amazing how much better they looked!  I added Christmas Red Stickles to the berries and the center of the bow.  Be sure to stop by the blog to check out Jo's card and why not join 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.

On Elf Duty!

Yep--I'm so happy to be Jo's Guest Elf for Christmas Kickstart: Wreath it Up!  If you know me, you know I LOVE wreaths.  I honestly can't even count how many wreath stamps, dies and stencils I have!  And I just got another one! 😄  Plus, I love to use small stamps or individual diecuts to make wreaths.  For today's card, I used one of my newer products: CN9 Boughs & Holly Stencil Pack.

The inks I used are CN9 Evergreen, Clover, Cranberry and PTI Cocoa Bean.  It's a fun stencil to use.  You ink it once and then turn it 180 degrees and ink again.  The bow is from Pinkfresh Artistic Bows which I got for $3 from a crafter's destash sale.  The bow was brushed with a shimmer pen and the berries were covered in Christmas Red Stickles.  I tried several sentiments and decided on this one from PTI Joyful Florals.  I hope you'll check out Jo's card with a darling unexpected image and join the challenge.  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.

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.

Guest Designer at Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Penny Black was one of the first brands I was introduced to when I started making cards and it quickly became a favorite.  I was on the PBSC DT from Sept. 2014 through 2017 and I'm delighted to be the GD for January's Anything Goes--Optional Something New challenge.  I goofed and didn't email my card to Helen in time for the initial post.  But today we're reminding you that there's still plenty of time to enter the challenge.  Here's my card.

A long time ago I was given PB Graceful Wings die and I'd never used it.  So glad I finally pulled it out, as it's absolutely beautiful!  I die cut it twice from a soft red shimmer envelope and gently lifted the top wings.  For the background, I stamped PB music background and a branch from PB xmas sprig in gray ink on a gray panel.  The sentiment is from PB enamor.

I added the darker gray frame, attached the butterfly and added 3 dark silver gems.  Why not pull out your Penny Black goodies and enter the challenge?  Favorites will be picked and one lucky entrant will win a voucher to 123 Stitch.

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

Altenew

My win for the Altenew November 2023 Monthly Challenge gave me the opportunity to participate in their Cards for Parents IG Hop.  Here's my card using Altenew's Rose Bouquet 3D embossing folder and a sentiment from Floral Frames.  There's a close up in my IG post and info on the hop including prizes.  

I love the Altenew March Inspiration Challenge.  My first entry used a stencil and I really wanted to make another card using a layering die set.  Last night I got all the pieces from Altenew Fantasy Floral die set inked and today I put the card together.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute!  

The inks for the flowers are Altenew Pink Wine, Rose Quarts and PTI Lemon Tart.  The leaves are Altenew Forest Glades and Limeade.  Hard to tell, but I did add tiny splatters of pink on the blooms and green on the leaves.  

Altenew Deck Planks 3D embossing folder makes such a great background.  This time I used a kraft panel and rubbed over the edges with Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate.  The sentiment from Floral Acanthus was die cut from a scrap of the kraft cardstock and the stacked words were covered with Shimmer Pico Embellisher.  I wanted a soft look for the embellishments and thought Altenew Satin Gold sequins were a beautiful option.  I'm also entering SSS Monday and 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.

Guest Designing at Color Hues Challenge

I'm delighted to be the Guest Designer for Color Hues, thanks to winning their Pink and Silver Challenge with my poinsettia card.  Such a surprise and honor!  

I think you're going to really like Challenge #79:  Copper and Green.  Remember, you can use any hues of the two colors and neutrals are welcome.  

I started by embossing one of my favorite background stamps, PFS Lush Vines, on black watercolor paper using my very old JudiKins Metallic Copper embossing powder.  Then I painted the leaves with Altenew Metallic watercolors.  I used one of the green watercolors as is and mixed a lighter one with a color I thought would give it a copper tinge.  The little dots were glittered using a Quickie Glue Pen and Elizabeth Crafts Sweet Basil.  I gave up trying for a better picture after what seemed like 100 attempts--haha!  Hopefully, you can get an idea of the look in this angled shot.  You can see the shimmer and shine in my IG post.

I painted a vellum scrap for the branches from PFS Dainty Blossoms diecuts, as well as an oval cardstock diecut, also from a scrap.  The edges of the card front and a sentiment from PFS Perfect Sentiments were copper embossed to match.  Hope I've inspired you to join the challenge.  Check out the blog for lots of inspiration from the talented DT.  I'm entering PFS January Challenge using the August challenge theme of Sparkle and Shine 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.

Final GD Card at JUGS

Prescheduled post:

I want to thank the JUGS DT for having me guest design with them this month.  I hope you've enjoyed my cards so far.  This is CAS week with the theme of Baby.  

I very seldom make baby cards, but I did keep a boy and a girl chipboard collection by Crate Paper that I won years ago.  The stork is so cute & I love the sentiment flag with the gold glitter end.  

I found the light pink speckled cardstock in a tub of old paper I'm trying to use up & it was just the right shade for the background.  I die cut it with Elizabeth Craft Dotted Scallop Rectangle which I love & need to use more often.  Gold metallic cardstock was used for the mat which was mounted to a Soft Stone card.  Hard to tell, but I added a dot of pink Stickles to the stork cheek & finished off with pink gems.  

Fun to use chipboard, for a change.  Have I inspired you to join the challenge?  Be sure to check out all the great cards from the DT.  

Thank you all for the kind words and wishes for healing after my shoulder surgery.  

JUGS August Guest Designer, Week 3 card

Prescheduled post:

I'm back with another card as the August GD for JUGS.  This is Photo/Mood Board Week and there are lots of ways to be inspired.

Here's a larger picture so you can see more details.  There's clearly a summery, beachy feel, but I went in a different direction.

The card or notebook under the sunglasses caught my eye with the 6 different patterned squares.  I thought it'd be the perfect design to make use of a beautiful Prima paper pad I've had a long time.  I'm not good at putting patterns together, but experts always say it's done for you when you use papers from a coordinated pad.

I really had fun choosing 6 of the designs & what part of each one I wanted to cut with a small square die.  I did use some of the colors in the inspiration photo: gray, blue, pinkish & light tan.  Took me awhile to decide on the order & then I mounted the squares on a PTI Weathervane rectangle.  Another paper from the Prima pad had a soft textured look & I thought the color worked great for the mat.  Poppystamps Scribble Hello was die cut from Weathervane & the printed paper, stacked and covered with glaze.  

Wasn't planning to add gems, but these tiny ivory irridescent ones seemed to give just the right little sparkle.  Really fun to step outside my comfort zone & end up with a notecard I like!  You can find lots more inspiration from the DT and I hope to see you in the gallery.  

Update:  I'm still counting the days which are passing at a snail's pace!  I'm sure hubby feels the same with so much on him until I'm released from the sling.  Hopefully all worth it in the end.  I cannot catch up with commenting, but am determined to start fresh when I can use both hands.  Thank you for your patience & sticking with me. 

JUGS Guest Designer, Take 2

Prescheduled post:

This is Word Week at the JUGS Challenge & the word is BEE.  I had to put on my thinking cap for this one.  

Luckily, someone gave me Spellbinders Sweet as Honey stamp set & Sweet Honeycomb Stencil--just what I needed.  Martina's mixed media ATCs always inspire me & I also love the look of a wide border around the focal point panel of a card.  Here's what I came up with. 

I stamped the honeycomb in Versafine Clair Nocturne & white embossed the cone flowers on watercolor paper.  Then I black embossed the words & the bee.  I mixed a little Bikini Lindy's Magicals powder with water & painted over the entire panel, randomly adding more color until I was happy with the look.  It softened the look of the honeycomb images, which is what I wanted.  Of course, the heat embossing resisted the paint--so fun!  The shimmer is absolutely gorgeous in person & I added sparkle with little lines & spots of gold glitter.  Plus, the wings are painted with clear shimmer, so this is a pretty blingy card!

The edges were lightly brushed with black ink before I wrapped the panel with gold thread & added 3 black enamel dots.  The thin mat was painted to match & the black card front was stenciled with VersaMark Dazzle using a finger dauber.  You might see the honeycomb image if you enlarge the photo.  So happy this challenge got me to use the stamp, stencil & Lindy's powder for the first time.  Be sure to check out all the wonderful DT cards.  Why not play along?!
My recovery from total shoulder surgery is progressing.  Only 4 weeks to go wearing the sling constantly--yay!