PTI and SSS

Our heatwave continues, so easy to justify taking it easy indoors.  Of course for me, that means making cards--haha!  
First up is my entry for PTI MIM Shadow Backgrounds.  I used stamps & dies from The Sweet Life. 

For the shadow stamping I used white pigment ink on Smokey Shadow cardstock.  It was a little tricky to use the cluster image in a row & have it look right.  I didn't want to start over & all I really needed was to cover the edges.  That was easily accomplished by trimming a panel of white cardstock & attaching it with fun foam.  Actually, I like this better than my first plan anyway!  The focal point is made by stamping the 2 detail layers in Pale Peony & Berry Sorbet onto a die cut of Sweet Blush cardstock.  Must have taken me 1/2 hr to get the layers lined up--sheesh!  Now that I have the stamps in place in my Mini MISTI I'm stamping a bunch of die cuts in various colors.  The leaves are Soft Stone die cuts stamped in Soft Stone ink.  The sentiment is stamped in black & the dots are Pico Embellisher which I seem to have much better luck using than Nuvo Drops.  I think this sentiment works for a birthday card celebrating someone's life.  I'm also entering Stamping Sensations.

Next is my first card using the SSS Floral Cluster die.  Doubt I'll have the patience to use it this way again, but I do like the artsy look from the interior pieces without the outline. 

My coloring was done with Zigs & a damp brush.  There's just a bit of sparkle from yellow Stickles on the tiny dots.  I white embossed the sentiment from SSS Thoughtful Messages--one of my favorite sets.  I'm entering SSS Flickr Challenge #101 & SSS Work It Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Yah--Finished MFT Summer School!

Well, we've joined the rest of the country in the heatwave!  It's still way better here, though, since we have low humidity. 

Happily, I was able to complete MFT Summer School, so here are my last 2 cards.  Unfortunately, I didn't write my post yesterday, so I missed the deadline.
Repetition
I wanted to do something a little different using a sentiment.  Plus, I really wanted to turn my cross stitch tag into a card.  Usually I don't craft when we go camping, but I did take floss & the die cut tag last trip.  Took me a few stitches to remember how to move across the pattern after 20 years of not doing this. 

Gotta say, I thoroughly enjoyed it & now I plan to get a larger cross stitch die.  I chose the Easter basket MFT pattern because I have 2 packs of floss I got many years ago in a closeout that had the colors I needed.  Next I want to do some of the Christmas designs.  The repetition requirement was met by stamping in white & embossing in clear the Impression Obsession sentiment 3 times on a strip of brown cardstock.  I purposely kept it subtle so it wouldn't detract from the tag.  White grosgrain seemed to go with the texture of the stitching & I decided against any embellishments.  I'm entering CAS-ual Fridays.

Symmetry
I decided to pull out some MFT dies I haven't used in quite awhile--Spring Wreath & Mini Rolled Roses.  I can only go so long without using my felt--haha! 

The matching color in the center of the bow (covered with WOS) was made by mixing a blue marker with a tiny bit of a gray marker & I painted it on with a damp brush.  I lightly dry embossed the front of the card, added pearls to the Sno Cone felt roses & stamped the sentiment from LJD On the Line in Memento Espresso Truffle.  The roses make it somewhat costly to mail, but I do love them!  I'm entering Seize the Birthday without the topping.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

A Little Something

It's my day on the Precious Remembrance Shop Blog.  I made a summery tag & gift bag using PRS Little Things & Coffee Love. 

First I stamped the fun circles multiple times in VersaMagic Persimmon & Pink Grapefruit.  Luckily, I still have my punches which made it very easy to cut them all out.  I attached 5 across the bottom of the Plain White Flat Paper Bag.  Next I made a double tag using Poppystamps Tunnel Tags.  The smaller one was dry embossed with a polka dot folder & I swiped the edges of the larger one with the Persimmon ink pad.  3 circles were attached at the bottom & a grosgrain bow at the top. 

The sentiment from Coffee Love was stamped in Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate onto a scrap of white cardstock.  I used Washi tape as a mask so I could add Pink Grapefruit ink to the top & bottom edges before attaching it to the tag with foam tape.  Hope I've given you some inspiration for your next packaging project.  Be sure to check out all the great products in the PRS Shop and keep up with PRS on social media.

Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook

I'm entering Die Cut Divas & WAW & Poppystamps.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

MFT Summer School--3 Cards

Hoping to finish all the homework for MFT Summer School Session 1.  Here are the 3 cards I've done so far.
White Space

My last MFT order included this great Friend die which I sponged with PTI Spring Rain, Aqua Mist & Hibiscus Burst.  I brushed it heavily with Wink of Stella & stacked it 2 high. 

The sentiment from LJD On the Line was stamped in Brilliance Graphite Black & a dot of Stickles was added to the candle flame.  I'm also entering MFT Color Challenge 96.  

Primary Colors

I don't know why, but my first thought for the primary colors card was to use my MFT Chevron Stripes dies.  So great to use a tiny bit of my huge stash of cardstock scraps!  The MFT High Rise Lower Case Alpha dies were cut from a black scrap 4 times, glued together & covered with WOS & Nuvo Glaze.  Super simple, but fun.  Actually, it's another white space card--haha!  I'm also entering The Snippets Playground.

Complementary Colors

I know it comes as no surprise to those of you who know me--this is my favorite.  I do love making Christmas cards!  The MFT Striped BG has just been waiting for me to ink it up & what fun I had making my red & green plaid using Brilliance Gamma Green & Rocket Red.  Brings back memories of the tafetta skirts we wore for my college roommate's December wedding.  I used my trimmer to make the point on the white panel & used Paper Smooches Dots & Dashes die for the stitches.  The sentiment is from MFT Grand Holiday & is stamped in Brilliance Graphite Black.  Metallic red & white twine along with clear sequins finish it off.  I'm also entering AAA Cards, DRU & HLS Christmas.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by. 

PTI for Fall

Mr Random PTI seems to have lost my name--haha!  Regardless, I love the PTI challenges & here are my latest entries.  Not sure why, but I ended up making cards to mail for Thanksgiving.  Not that I'm tired of summer already, but I do love Fall! 
First is my entry for MIM: Ombre Watercolor Backgrounds.  Betsy's technique & cards completely captivated me--simple with gorgeous results! 

Be sure to watch her video if you haven't.  I have 3 other ideas in my head which I can't wait to make.  For this card I used Terracotta Tile, Canyon Clay & Summer Sunrise.  The leaves are from my well-loved Turning a New Leaf & the sentiment is from Counting My Blessings. 

The word was die cut from Canyon Clay cardstock & Terracotta Tile--the latter being the shadow.  It was pretty with everything matte, but in the end I added Wink of Stella & Nuvo Glaze.  I'm also entering Inkspirational, Stamplorations Summer Theme & HLS Watercolor.

Next is my redo for Transformation Tuesday.  I picked a card from quite awhile ago.  The images were stamped on brown cardstock in VersaMark & then brushed with gold pigment powder. 

OLD CARD

It's pretty as you turn it in the light, but kind of plain.  I used the same layout & the images from Autumn Adornments, but this time I started with Classic Kraft cardstock. 

NEW CARD

The leaves were stamped in a couple PTI greens & I used a dark yellow marker for the berries.  The sentiment was gold embossed & the berries were dotted with gold Stickles.  I'll probably send the original card, but must say, I really like the new version.  I'm also entering WAW.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.
       

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing all my friends in the USA a fun, safe holiday!  I only mailed 3 cards this year, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking of you.  

I did make a red, white & blue card yesterday.  Just in time for Bastille Day, so it's going to a French friend. 

I really love the SSS Bright Blossoms die & decided to use it for Jennifer McGuire's Faux Stained Glass technique.  I stacked 4 of the white die cuts & put them into the negative space in a red panel.  I backed the openings with blue cardstock brushed with silver WOS.  Nuvo Glaze provides the shine--love it! 

I used a flower stem from the 2014 SSS stamp set called Warm Wishes to make the blue lines down the left side of the card using VersaMagic Night Sky.  The sentiment from the same set was stamped in the same ink & attached over the flower stem using foam tape where needed.  I attached the panel with fun foam & added a couple clear embellishments.  I'm entering SSS Flickr Challenge #100, SSS Monday & SSS Wednesday & Retro Rubber.  I'm working hard to catch up with all my blog reading.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

No White Space!

75 years ago today my folks were married in downtown Indianapolis.  My mom was only 18 years old & wanted out of the house.  My grandparents were about to divorce & I'm sure it wasn't a happy place.  Luckily, it turned out she married a wonderful man!  Miss them both.
I was determined to get a card made for the Winnie & Walter Color Challenge & boy did it turn out colorful--haha! 

I began by making the plaid panel using Scenery: Stripes and Distress Inks fired brick, festive berries, victorian velvet & fossilized amber.  The die cuts from In Bloom: Frenchy's Festive Florals were stamped in the same inks. 

I added gold Stickles to the flower centers & gently lifted up the ends.  Decided not to add a sentiment--will just write a message inside.  I'm also entering CropStop & SSS Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.