Just Stamping

I love using dies in cardmaking, but there's something really therapeutic about just stamping.  PTI's designer, Lizzie, must think so, too, because she stamped the most beautiful Christmas card on Day 2 of Release Week.  I just had to case it for this month's CAWU Challenge.  In fact, I made 2 cards.  
First is a sympathy card with Turning a New Leaf stamped in Mint Julep & Spring Rain. 

The sentiment from Through the Trees is stamped in Brilliance Starlite Black.  Hard to see, but there are tiny splatters of the green & blue inks.  The stitching is Lil' Inker & the mat is Spring Rain.  I'm also entering SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday & Word Art Wednesday.

Next is a Christmas card with Snowflake Flurries stamped in Spring Rain, Lavender Moon & Sweet Blush. 

The sentiment from the same set is stamped in Blueberry Sky.  I tapped my Spectrum Noir sparkle pen over the panel which splattered it with little sparkly dots--so pretty!  The mat is Enchanted Evening die cut with Lil' Inker Stitched Rectangle.  I'm entering Christmas Card Challenges, HLS CAS Challenge, SSS Monday & SSS Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

  

3 Cards and a Tag

I was supposed to address Thanksgiving cards yesterday, but used that time to make some more projects--surprise, surprise!  Good thing is I can do it today while we watch football.  Some challenges are about to close, so better show you my projects.
First up is my photo card for PTI MIM.  Ashley made Christmas cards, but the instructions just say to use a PTI product & a photo.  We had such brilliant Fall color this year, I thought the cherry blossom trees on our street would make a great Thanksgiving card. 

I did practice on a scrap of photo paper before stamping the sentiment from PTI Autumn Adornments & I used my Mini MISTI--thank goodness.  I had no problem with smearing, but did stamp multiple times with Versafine Vintage Sepia.  It still wasn't dark enough, so I did a top layer of Onyx Black & that was perfect. 

Struggled with the die cut leaves as I wanted something complimentary, but not distracting.  Finally settled on a small grouping from Fancy Foliage colored with Zigs.  I'm also entering SSS Monday.

Next is another felt poinsettia card & I did more French Knots--so fun! 

This MFT die may be my favorite floral die--wish it had a matching stamp.  The scalloped black oval is MFT Stitched Oval Scallop Frames.  I don't have Ellen Hutson stamps, but I do have Merry and Bright dies which I cut from black & brushed with Wink of Stella.  The dry embossing is one of my favorites (Anna Griffin's Feather Illusion) & I finished off with white Nuvo Drops.
I'm entering EH Mix with MFT, Christmas Card Challenges, HLS Christmas & Word Art Wednesday.

One of my newest blogging friends is Tracy Freeman.  She provided the inspiration for my next card & tag.
Hopefully hubby will agree that this card works for his 20 something grandson's birthday this month. 

I used the layout of Tracy's card with the beautiful HA acorn die from Autumn Icons & a very old HA sentiment.  The papers are from a pad with copper foiling on kraft that Target had last year & the twine with the copper thread is from Michael's.  I'm entering ABHN, AAA where my good friend, Ros, is the GD, Casology ("Mighty oaks from little acorns grow") & DRU. 

And finally my tag based on Tracy's Day 11 tag for the 25 Days of Christmas Tags.  I do love poinsettias & heat embossing, so I pulled out Penny Black's set called joyous from 2009 (gorgeous images!) & one of my first embossing powders--Egyptian Gold by JudiKins. 

The tag was cut with Poppystamps Tunnel Tags & the sentiment is from Hero Arts. 

I attached my bow slightly off center, like Tracy did & I think this will eventually be turned into a tag card.  I'm also entering HLS Anything Goes with Dies.  Thanks so much for getting through this long post.  Your comments always make my day.

Autumn Leaves

Happy Veteran's Day!  I'm so grateful for all the men & women who have & are serving our country in the military.  
Once a year I pull out my very old Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves ink pad that works just like it did the day I bought it over 15 years ago!  Usually I brayer it onto glossy paper, but decided to try stamping the gorgeous Impression Obsession Collage Leaf 5 which I've had since 2013. 

It's such a solid stamp that it worked beautifully.  The vanilla cardstock was too much contrast to me & fortunately I remembered my Copper Shimmer Spritz in the back of a drawer. 

It's really gorgeous in person & totally changed the look of the card.  The IO Come Ye Thankful sentiment (also in my stash 4 years) had been stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia, so no problem with the spray.  A variety of sequins provide embellishment & the panel was attached to a kraft card.  I'm entering Impression Obsession Falling Leaves, Allsorts, Double D, Retro Rubber & Word Art Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Two More Tags

I'm really having fun this year with the 25 Days of Christmas Tags.  Jo's gorgeous stars on Day 1 reminded me that I have Memory Box Star of Wonder dies which I've hardly used. 

My tag is cut from a soft black paper using a PTI die & the PTI sentiment is gold embossed.  The glitter tape I used for the stars wasn't a good match to the sentiment, but darkening them with a gold Wink of Stella pen made them work.  I added Sticko dots which I really love.  The dark gold ribbon is so beautiful & I tied it with a string saved from a clothing tag.  Used a Versafine cube to lightly color the white string to go with the tag.  This one will probably end up on a card.  I'm also entering Word Art Wednesday.

My second tag took 3 tries, but finally got what I had in mind after seeing Kelly's tag on Day 3.  I loved her off the edge design & the classic red & green. 

My tag is cut with Poppystamps Tunnel Tags, the snowflake is Hero Arts & the sentiment is AJVD--thank you, Rosemary!  My stamping is done with VersaMagic Red Magic & Brilliance Gamma Green.  I have a huge ribbon collection as I used to buy it a yard at a time--seems like you're not spending much.  Of course, then I hoard it--haha!  May have to find more of this one--a favorite!  Decided to keep it simple & just add a single green gem (colored with a COPIC) for embellishment.  I'll probably use it with a loaf of my pumpkin bread.  The friend I give it to every year usually returns my cards when she's ready to dispose of them, so I may get the ribbon back--haha!  I'm also entering HLS Christmas, SSS Wednesday & Word Art Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Color Challenges

Color challenges tend to be difficult for me, but I really wanted to enter the ones at MFT and Winnie & Walter.  Just in time I finally came up with my cards.

First is MFT Color Challenge 80.  The MFT Layered Rose felt flower is attached to MFT Leaf-filled Flourish. 

I bought tiny pom poms for bunny tails, but the package came multi-colored.  Thought a yellow one was perfect for the flower center.  I stamped the sentiment from MFT Peaceful Wildflowers in SSS Steel Blue & embossed the panel with an old Sizzix folder.

Next is W&W October Color Combo.  I still have a few roses blooming, so maybe that's why I used W&W Mini Scenery: Bed of Roses. 

I stamped on Bristol paper in Versafine Smokey Gray so I could use my Zigs to watercolor.  I splattered with Brilliance Starlite Black, a dark metallic gray ink.  I also spritzed heavily with Perfect Pearls for a beautiful shimmer. 

The frame was cut from a printed paper with AJVD Polka Dot Backdrop Rectangles & stacked 3 high.  I used the same gray paper for the card front & the die cut word which is from W&W In Bloom: Frenchy's Festive Florals.  The word is clear embossed to make it stand out. The sentiment from the same set was stamped in Starlite Black on a scrap of Bristol paper.  I found 3 matching sequins in a pack that was included with one of my W&W orders, so they finished off my card.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.