I'm still here!

I know my blogging has been pretty intermittent.  I do appreciate those of you who still come by.  Recently I got to spend a few days with cardmaking friends & didn't have to get on an airplane--yay!  It was such a treat!  Here's a few pictures Darnell put together.

It was fun to try out some techniques that were easy to do & turned out great!  I came home with quite a few panels ready to make into cards & will be using my stencils & my alcohol inks a lot more!

While the others were coloring, I smooshed a panel using DO inks stamped & spritzed on my craft mat.  It actually looked terrible!  I didn't even show anyone what I'd done, but it did come home with me.  Thankfully, it looked fine once I trimmed it into a strip.  

I simply added black ink splatters & a couple PFS Delicate Blossoms black die cuts.  The white mat looked too plain, so I dry embossed it with my new SSS Refracted folder--love it!  The sentiment strip from Sweet Friend Floral was mounted with foam tape & I added black enamel dots.  I'm entering PFS June Monthly Challenge & TicTacToe 165 using Die Cut, Embellishment, Bright Colors.

Next is my entry for PTI Melissa's Fab Friday Feature stencil challenge.  I only have PTI alpha stencils & I used that for the last stencil challenge.  Decided to make my own stencil this time & used What the Doodle Snowflake outline dies cut from vellum scraps.  

I brushed Spring Rain through the stencils & then stamped the detailed images using Dark Indigo.  I really like the contrast on the white card, even though it's subtle.  I used the same ink to stamp the small snowflakes & the sentiment from Wreath for all Seasons.  

My usual color combo for snowflake cards is blue & silver, but this time I changed it up using Pink Stickles in the centers.  Really love the bit of pink sparkle!  I finished off with Raindots & a Dark Indigo mat.  

My last card is for Poppystamps June challenge to make a masculine card.  Gentle Leaf Collage is one of my favorite Poppystamps dies.  I made my own stencil a few years ago & it still works great.  The Distress Oxides I used are fossilized amber, spiced marmalade & abandoned coral.  

After clear embossing, I used the die to emboss the image.  Next I brushed the panel with DO vintage photo.  It needed something, so I partially embossed with a woodgrain folder using a small hammer.  I brushed on more vintage photo & wiped a bit with a baby wipe getting variations in the color--so fun!

The sentiment is made from Marzipan Greetings & Grateful Heart.  I had forgotten about these wooden dots which were just the right embellishment.  This can be a masculine retirement or birthday card.  I'm also entering The Snippets Playground since I used white scraps for the sentiment.

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

I've Missed You!

Wow--I must be old!  Can't seem to get back into the swing of things since my trip.  I haven't been away from home 12 days since I was in college--haha!  Hadn't been to Indiana in 3 years, so it was wonderful to catch up with my cousin & his family.  It was also a first for me, as the trip began with a crafty friends retreat.  We had a wonderful time getting to know each other & some people even got cards made! 

Front Row: Brenda, Darnell, Sharon (Brenda's SIL)

Back Row: Linda, Greta, Kara, Maria, Colleen

Such a treat to meet my good friend, Maria, in person.

On The Circle in downtown Indy.  The church behind me is where my folks were married.

I made a Halloween card before my trip that didn't get posted.  It works for the current DRU challenge as I die cut 3 MFT pumpkins from orange felt.

The star background image & sentiment are also from MFT Primitive Pumpkins.  I added some brown splatters & tied green twine around the pumpkin stems.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday, DCD & The Male Room.
Edited to add: Also entering Virginia's Show & Share.


Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment,
I will visit you.  Please be patient as I work on getting caught up.