More Cards

In case anyone missed Jennifer's video on how to flatten cutting plates, I can tell you it works!  So happy I don't have to spend money on a cutting plate when there are so many fun products I'd rather buy!

Recently Shery, the owner of Stamplorations, told us she's facing a battle with breast cancer.  She has 2 young children which makes this even more heartbreaking.  I feel like I know her, even though we've never met in person.  She was part of the cardmaking blogging world long before she started her company.  Anyway, I feel so helpless, but at least I could send her a card.  

I used Stamplorations die set called Trendy Spring Blooms cut from white scraps & covered in shimmer.  I used a piece of acetate to add the spots of Distress Oxide colors & stamped the words from an old Our Daily Bread Designs set.  Finished off with black splatters & white sequins with a mat of Soft Stone. 

Edited to add: entering Stamplorations Never Ending Challenge.

Next is a bright & cheery mini slimline BD card.  I used SSS Square Dance stencil with Distress Oxides candied apple, abandoned coral, fossilized amber, rustic wilderness, prize ribbon & wilted violet.  

Then I used my revived glitter paste which gives a beautiful sparkle.  I stamped SSS Sketch Ranunculus blooms using 2 inks for each one.  SSS Painted Happy Birthday was die cut from black & white scraps & the top layer is covered with Nuvo Glaze.  

Finished off with white Pico Embellisher dots.  I showed the finished card to hubby & asked if it worked for a guy.  He surprised me & said yes, so it's on the way to a male relative.  I'm entering DCD, SSS Monday & Tic Tac Toe using Rainbow, Free, Stenciling.

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 for Tic Tac Toe

I'm honored to again be the GD for Tic Tac Toe.  The challenge board has options that work perfectly for Fall/Halloween cards.  

I picked the middle, horizontal row of  Pumpkin, Friends, Trees.  Poppystamps Swaying Birch is from 2017--before slimline cards became the rage.  But they're quite tall making them work great!  

I ink blended the background using DO Faded Jeans & Peeled Paint along with DI Frayed Burlap.  I used a finger dauber & gray ink to add a bit of shading to the trees.  MFT Primitive Pumpkins were die cut from 2 shades of orange felt attached to white cardstock.  The sentiment from ODBD was stamped in Versafine Clair Acorn which looks darker than usual on top of the DO.  Great to have a Thanksgiving card ready to mail.  Hope I've inspired you to play along!
Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Let Us Begin

June is traditionally the month of graduations & weddings.  Our quote at W2CB could inspire a card for those occasions or for many others.  It says:  This is the beginning of anything you want.

It made me think of this lovely stamp by Our Daily Bread Designs & I decided to let it take center stage on my card.  The Mother Teresa quote is black embossed on watercolor paper & I added Ultramarine & Pthalo Green Ken Oliver Color Bursts--such a fun effect & different depending on the amount of water you add.  I blotted with a paper towel & then die cut it with Spellbinders Decorative Labels One--so pretty & I have hardly used it!  The mat is a shimmer cardstock die cut with plain Labels One.  Didn't think much embellishment was needed, so I just added a butterfly punched from cardstock & vellum.  The bottom layer is covered with Turquoise Stickles & 3 tiny pearls adorn the body.  
This is my last post as a member of the I Teamers & I want to thank Sybrina, Bobbi, Penny & Ann for having me. I'm entering these challenges: AAA Cards, CAS Mix Up & ODBSLC. Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Scripture and Lace

I haven't played at Our Daily Bread Designs for quite awhile, but couldn't miss the 8th anniversary SLC challenge. Gave me a chance to try the Faux Mother of Pearl technique again--this time using Platinum Pearl Liquid Pearls & sponging with Distress Inks peeled paint & bundled sage.  It looks like a rough surface, but it's actually flat & can easily be stamped on.  I used Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate with ODBD Vine Cross & used an applicator to color it in with the same ink. Then I added Distress Stickles Vintage Photo to make it stand out more without too much sparkle. The oval dies are by Spellbinders.  I don't have an Easter scripture stamp, so printed it from my computer.  The edges were inked a bit & the card front was stamped with a very old Magenta stamp using Memento Toffee Crunch.  Fun to use lace & ribbon from my considerable stash, along with some Hero Arts gems. This card is heading to my sister & brother-in-law.  I'm entering at City Crafter Challenge Blog, CropStop & Double D. Thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog. 
 

Happy Birthday

Currently at ODBD there's a color challenge. You have to use at least 3 of the colors & I used all of them. Originally I planned to make a Christmas card, but then I realized we need a birthday card.  Isn't the font beautiful?  It's a sentiment in the ODBD set called Iris.  The flowers from ODBD Sweet William-Small were brown embossed on red cardstock & die cut with Spellbinders Blossom 3.

The leaves are a die by 4EnScrap which I cut from 2 shades of green.  The little doily is by Martha Stewart & the embossing folder is Cuttlebug Anna Griffin Feather Illusion--one of my favorites.  A red dew drop embellishes the flower & I finished off with small PPP Marshmallow sequins. So you ask, where's the gold?  I brushed gold Shimmer Spritz on the blossoms, leaves & doily.  Here's a close-up so you can get an idea of the shimmer.

My design is based on Karren's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches. Think the dew drop looks glossy so will also link up at SSS Monday & I'm playing just for fun at The Playground. Thank you so much for taking time to visit my blog.

Christmas Greetings

It's been ages since I entered a challenge at Our Daily Bread Design.  This week we are to use both heat & dry embossing--2 things I love. Also gave me a chance to use my new ODBD stamp set called Christmas Flourished Verses.  I gold embossed the greeting & then blended Distress Inks spun sugar & festive berries. Once again I brushed on Perfect Pearls.  I used one of my oldest embossing folders for the panel & sponged the card front edges with festive berries. Love this shimmery gold May Arts ribbon & finished off with Class A Peel gold sticker dots. I'm also entering SSS Monday Throwback (Holiday Cards, Dec. 1, 2014) & Anything Goes at SSS Wednesday.  Thanks so much for stopping by. 

He Is Risen

I actually made this card for the ODBD No Coloring challenge several weeks ago.  At the last minute I decided the cross needed to be colored, totally forgetting that wasn't allowed.  So I saved it hoping there would be an Easter challenge & sure enough, that's the theme for the current ODBD Shining the Light Challenge.  I wrote down the products I used, but for the life of me I can't find that note.  There are a variety of inks & sprays & the Tim Holtz stencil, which I don't think I've used before.  The cross is ODBD & the sentiment is from The Craft's Meow--now out of business.  
This is my first time using the stamp set from TCM, so I'm also entering Darnell's NBUS challenge. Thank you so much for taking time to visit my blog. 
Edited to add: Also entering Anything Goes at SSS Wednesday & SSS Work It Wednesday.
Edited to Add: Entering Word Art Wednesday.

UTEE ODBD Easter Card

When I saw the sketch for this week's challenge at ODBD, I thought it'd work great for an Easter card.  I decided to try one of my UTEE colors I've had forever & never used.  It's called Opal Green & came out very light.  I don't know if it's supposed to be or lost color with age.  ODBD Vine Cross was pressed into the warm powder & some green shreds were added.  After it cooled, I pressed it flat allowing some cracks to form & added Versafine Vintage Sepia to the cross & sponged it over the cracks.  The piece was matted with a purple scalloped oval.  I die cut one of the ODBD Beautiful Borders, backed it with vellum & added shimmery purple ribbon.  I love the striped paper which I've had for many years.  

The edges were sponged with Distress Ink antique linen & the TPC Studio sentiment is stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa.  A couple small brown pearls finish off the card. My weekend to work, so may be a little behind in reading your blogs. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Friend

I keep missing the deadline at ODBD, but this week I made it.  Had to play along in a challenge perfect for me--no coloring!  Watercolor paper was covered with Gesso before sponging on VersaMagic Pink Petunia & Aquatic Splash. The butterfly flourish from ODBD Friendship stamp set wass stamped in Delicata Silvery Shimmer & the sentiment in Versafine Onyx Black. The panel was die cut with Spellbinders Labels One & matted with black cardstock die cut with Decorative Labels One.  One of the printed papers from ODBD Heart & Soul Collection was die cut with ODBD border die & then I added Gesso & the same 2 inks so it matched.  The paper flowers were watercolored with the pink ink & swiped with the silver. 
I splattered the pink, green & silver inks on the card front using a water brush & mounted the panel with foam tape.  I'm also entering Anything Goes at SSS Wednesday. Thanks for taking time to come by.

Peach & Brown Valentine

Ridiculously last minute, but made it!  Here's my entry for ODBD Color Challenge.  All stamps by ODBD except the sentiment which is A Muse.  I colored the little roses with Distress Marker Dried Marigold & then used the marker ink with my water brush to get a lighter shade for the ribbon on the wreaths.  I stamped & cut out the roses a second time to pop them up for dimension & they're covered in Wink of Stella.  The background is stamped in Distress Ink Antique Linen. Just got this pleated ribbon in a close-out for $1--fun to make use of some of it.  I just added the peach satin ribbon on top with Score tape. Used some scraps so I'm entering at Pixies Snippets Playground.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Christmas Card with Non-Christmas Stamps

I really wanted to play along with the Christmas challenge at ODBD. They have gorgeous holiday stamps, but I don't yet own any of them.  I pulled out 2 retired stamps:  Sweet William-Small & Vintage Border Background.  My color inspiration came from the current Merry Monday challenge & I used red for the 4th color.  I started by white embossing the background stamp.  Two flowers were stamped in Delicata Golden Glitz & one in Silvery Shimmer.  I sponged on more ink after they were die cut with the matching Spellbinders Blossoms Three.  I've been hoarding these beautiful Sparklers & the red velvet ribbon which help make this look like a Christmas card, I think.  
The sentiment is one of the words in the flowers set & is stamped in Golden Glitz.  Needed something, so I added the tiny gold sticker dots. What do you think? OK for a Christmas card? I've never played with The Paper Players, so this will be my first entry.


Happy day in Oregon as our wonderful Marcus was awarded the Heisman trophy.  I so love when one of the "good guys" gets recognition.  
Thanks for your visit--I know everyone is super busy with the holidays upon us.  

Grateful

My sister & her hubby left today, so I'll be catching up on your blogs soon.  We'd love to live closer to each other, but neither of us wants to be where the other one is.  We had a nice visit, but the bad weather kept us from any sightseeing or even shopping.  
Fritz did really well--not at all anxious about them & was glad to have more people to play with. Today was gorgeous, but freezing. Fritz is a sun lover & wanted to be on the deck like in the summer. Isn't he cute in the fleece jacket that kept Keesha warm for years?
I needed another Thanksgiving card, so made one that I'm entering in the challenge at Our Daily Bread Designs.  I really love the wheat stamp from the retired set, Our Daily Bread.  I stamped it in Distress Ink wild honey using the generational technique.  The full strength images are highlighted with Distress Stickles scattered straw. I added some splotches of Distress Stain tarnished brass.  The PTI word is cut from textured brown cardstock & mounted to another one cut from heavy weight cardstock.  That makes it thick enough to provide dimension without foam tape. 

Distress Ink gathered twigs was used to stamp the sentiment from PTI Counting My Blessings. The burlap was a last minute idea & gives even more texture to a basically flat card I can mail without extra postage.  I'm also entering the challenge at Words 2 Scrap By. Thanks so much for your visit.
Edited to Add: Also entering the challenge at Simply Create Too.

Tag Card

My friend, Martha, is known for her amazing tag cards. They have all the details & elements of a regular size card & that's not easy--at least not for me. Decided to give it a try, though, using ODBD stamps & one of the Beautiful Borders dies for the current ODBD SLC. The verse is heat embossed & I added Stickles to the wheat. Thanksgiving always sneaks up on me, so I'm glad to have another card ready to mail.  I'm also entering at SSS Wed & Pixies Snippets Playground.
I know there are hundreds of blogs & we can't read all of them, but you really should check out Martha's Creations.  Here's an example of her beautiful work--see what I mean?

Martha's Creations Tag Card

Let Us Begin

The deadline is almost here for the current ODBD challenge: Anything Goes with ODBD stamps.  I used the "Let Us Begin" stamp set & one of the Beautiful Borders dies. I added Stickles, pearls & satin ribbon to embellish my card.  Brown, cream & aqua is a combination that works anytime of year, I think. 
I don't usually participate in Our Beautiful World, as photography is not one of my strengths. However, I couldn't resist showing what Autumn is like in my part of the world--Western Oregon.
Here's the neighbor's tree I've been showing every few weeks & now you can see the one next to it also has color.

Here's a shot from our last camping trip with temps still warm, but you know it's actually Fall when you see the leaves changing color.

And here's puppy Fritz on Critter Watch! I admit he looks like this no matter what season we're camping, but the leaves on the ground show it's Fall. 

Thanks for sticking with me for this long post & I hope you enjoy the weekend.