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. 
 

PTI Create Along With Us

Card by Maile Belles

Maile Belles pretty much always inspires me, so no surprise I'm casing her for my PTI Create Along With Us entry.  I've had PTI Boutique Borders: Birthday for quite awhile--mostly just used the sentiments.  Last month when Splits: Just a Note was released, it gave me new ideas for Boutique Borders. Then I saw how Maile used this month's Splits: Celebrate & ended up with 2 cards.  First I gold embossed the border image on kraft & added the Wonderful Words: Hello die cut.  Love the kraft, black & gold combo.

Next I stamped the border in black (using my mini MISTI--yah!) on ivory cardstock.  PTI's Counting My Blessings die was cut from gold paper & mounted 3 high so that there's a very slight black shadow.  I used little stickers for the sentiment & embellished with black/gold/cream twine (NBUS!) & black Rain Dots.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

It's Your Day

I always try to play along in the SSS Flickr challenges.  The current one is Sparkle & Shine, so couldn't miss that!  I had fun again with the SSS Ring Frame. The cute Paper Smooches Friendly Flowers were stamped in Memento colors Love Letter, Grape Jelly, Nautical Blue, Cottage Ivy, Peanut Brittle & Dandelion.  

I added Stickles Star Dust to each image & the smallest circles & added the tiny red Hero Arts flower gem. After stamping the sentiment from SSS Hello Beautiful, the panel was popped up on the card front.  I bought myself the Mini MISTI for a retirement/BD present & loved being able to get darker flowers using it.  I'm also entering Paper Smooches Birthday Challenge & SSS Wednesday (one green flower). Thanks so much for stopping by.

Flower & Holly

Decided to give the PTI MIM challenge one more try as nothing had worked for me so far.  This time I used PTI Rosie Posie & Background Basics: Text with PTI inks Ocean Tides, Aqua Mist, Autumn Rose, Sweet Blush, Classic Kraft & Fine Linen.  I did stamp with one color & sponge with another, but nothing like Dawn's project.  I just went with the sort of artsy look & actually ended up liking it.  The stitching die is from Paper Smooches. I'm also entering SSS Wednesday, Stamping Sensations & Twofers. I'm also playing along with ScrapRDV Geometric Patterns.

Easter cards are pretty much done, so I got back to Christmas with my one layer card using old Hero Arts holly stamps & an Impression Obsession sentiment.  

I inked the solid holly with Distress Ink mowed lawn, spritzed & stamped on the watercolor card. The outline image is done in Delicata Golden Glitz.  I splattered the green ink & added 3 tiny Hero Arts buttons I've had for many years. Simple & really fun to make!  I'm entering Merry Monday, One Layer Christmas Card Challenge, CAS Mix Up & ChouxChoux.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Thinking Spring!

Michele's Inspiration Card

I love Fall, but have to say it's hard to beat Spring! Flowers start blooming with the promise of more to come & there's card making inspiration everywhere! This week's Muse inspiration caught my eye.  I love the camouflage technique, but Michele cut her die from the floral panel so that the top remained white & I love the look.  

I stamped images from Verve's Dream Big set (another NBUS!) using VersaMagic Purple Hydrangea, Ocean Depth & Key Lime.  I cut the W&W hello die from the panel & stacked it 3 high, glittering the top one before gluing it back in place.  

The very old sentiment was white embossed on a black scrap & I glued on 3 PPP clear dots.  I used the colors for Verve's March challenge.

For my next card I had to try the Faux Mother of Pearl technique shown here & here. I have 7 colors of Liquid Pearls--they're so beautiful I couldn't resist back when I had a LSS selling them. 
I've never been very happy with how my pearls turned out, but now the bottles won't just be decoration!  I used the green & the pink & inked them with similar colors. Then I used Verve dies that match the Dream Big set for the flower & leaves. Just for fun I made a matching plaid panel inspired by my W2CB teammate, Penny. The sentiment is by Stampendous & is stamped in Brilliance Starlite Black.  Almost out of this gorgeous, white, shimmery May Arts ribbon & I used PPP clear dots for my flower center.  

The layout is provided by Mojo Monday & I'm entering HLS CAS Challenge--the reason I learned this technique. Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Edited to add: Also entering CropStop #14 as the store carries Perfect Pearls.

Share the Joy

Finishing up Easter cards--this time using the retired Impression Obsession set called Easter Eggs (MC121).  I used 2 of the eggs to make a border panel with silver ink & pearl embossing powder.  I trimmed it out & used a water brush to color the eggs with Distress Ink peacock feathers.  The sentiment is from the same set stamped in the same ink.  Darnell had already begun purging her craft goodies at the time I met her last year.  In spite of needing to do the same thing myself, I managed to bring home some of the items she was giving away.  That included the Sizzix Stampin' Up texture plate which I've now used for the first time to dress up the card front.

Months ago I bought the silver thread & have hardly used it. Have to say, it was just the little extra I needed. Finished off with 3 PPP Marshmallow sequins & Distress Stain brushed pewter splatters.  I'm entering these challenges:  Impression Obsession Splashes of Color, Darnell's NBUS #6, AAA Cards, Addicted to Stamps & CropStop.  Thanks for brightening my day with your comments.

Birthday Butterfly & Meeting Friends

Time for another challenge at Words 2 Craft By. Our inspiration quote for March is "Just when the caterpillar thought her life was over...she began to fly."  

Lots of possibilities & I went with a butterfly & birthday.  Melissa Phillips recent post called Watercolor Shapes really inspired me, so had to try her technique.  The Penny Black butterfly die was used to make a stencil & I sponged with Distress Inks dusty concord, worn lipstick & squeezed lemonade. I followed Melissa's tutorial adding water drops & blending with a water brush.  Penny Black's music background was stamped in the dusty concord ink with the stencil in place.  Don't think I've ever used this fun sentiment stamp or little flower from the PB set called sentiments.

I splattered the inks & sprayed the panel with Tattered Angels Iridescent Gold which gives a gorgeous shimmer.  The Memory Box butterfly cut from vellum was on my table, so I sprayed it with the same Tattered Angels & attached it with 2 little sequins.  Really a fun card to make!  Hope to see you in the W2CB gallery.  I'm also entering these challenges: Memory Box, SSS Monday, Twofers, CAS Mix Up, & Penny Black & More. 

Big treat today, as I met Linda & Colleen for lunch.  They're both sweet as can be & it felt like we'd been friends for years!  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.