Having Fun!

I keep adding items to my sale pages, so you might want to take a look.

Well, the laptop saga continues.  The replacement part was damaged when it was soldered, so now the waiting starts all over again.  Apparently, soldering is almost never required which tells you how old my laptop is.  Trying to think positively as I still hope he will be able to do the repair.  Next time, I'll just give in & get a new laptop.
On a happier note, hubby has finally turned the corner after 3 days of antibiotics.  Luckily the rain returned, so he hasn't been tempted to work outside.  Fritz is slowly finishing each of the additional meds he was put on for the gastroenteritis.  So far, so good.  Time will tell if he needs to take any of them on a permanent basis.
The "having fun" title of my post applies to the card I have to show you.  I can go to Instagram on my phone, so have looked at it more while I don't have my laptop.  I was inspired by some cross stitch I saw @dsiegel27.  I die cut Altenew Pegboard Canvas & pulled out teal & lime craft cord.

Instead of my original idea, I just stitched a simple frame.  Then I covered the center area with a piece of white cardstock.  SSS Painted Thanks was die cut from white cardstock & silver glitter paper & glued together.  The little words stamped in gray are from PTI Counting My Blessings & the silver splatters are done with stamps in PRS Fall Colors.  I seldom use SSS Sketch Ranunculus dies, but now I'm glad I have them.  The smaller flower was stamped in Memento Teal Zeal & then I brushed on additional color so that the center area was the darkest.  Love these sweet leafy branches which were stamped in Brilliance Pearlescent Thyme.  I colored in the leaves with the same ink using the smallest brush in my $9 set from Amazon--same as the $50 ones.  Just got Tsukineko Silver Shimmer Stix, so tried it out on the flower.

It's the same sparkle as the spray, but is a tube with a dauber end for control.  The flower is mounted with foam tape, so it's a bit higher than the stitching or the die cut word.  By the way, Score Tape on the back of the stitching worked great to attach the panel to the card front.  I'm entering RRCB (PTI stamp 2012, Floral 2016), SSS Flickr & SSS Wednesday.
Edited to add: I forgot to enter Virginia's Show & Share which I had in mind when I started the stitching.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.  Just know that right now it's taking me a lot longer, so I'm behind.

A couple cards

Still no laptop, so it's hard to keep up on my blog reading.  I do have a couple cards to show you.
First is a white on white card made with C&9 Blossom Die & SSS Painted Hugs die.

The blossom die was stacked 6 high & glued to a slightly different shade of white card.  I added a thin layer of Stickles Frosted Lace inside the outlines & then filled each section with Nuvo Glaze.  It's the faux stained glass technique, but without color.

The hugs die cut was stacked 4 high & is covered with Stickles Frosted Lace.  I'm entering CAS on Friday, SSS Flickr Challenge 123 & SSS Wednesday.

Next is my first card using the beautiful Poppystamps Gentle Leaf Collage die.  The die was cut from a white cardstock scrap & then glued at an angle to a soft green glitter cardstock rectangle.

I used brown cardstock to cover the card front, as I love green & brown together.  The sentiment from Poppystamps Hope & Thanks was stamped in Versafine Clair Acorn, matted with a scrap of the brown cardstock & attached with foam tape.  

This is for a blogging friend who has a May birthday, so it will soon be in the mail.  I'm entering Poppystamps, The Snippets Playground & SSS Wednesday.

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

Coffee Plus

I hadn't planned to enter the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop this time, but then I saw my cute Stamplorations set called Coffee For All Seasons.

I stamped the Spring image in Versafine Clair Morning Mist on a scrap of watercolor paper.  Then I added watered down Distress Inks tumbled glass, milled lavender & bundled sage using a piece of acetate.  I hadn't done smooshing this way before & it does give you more control for placement of the colors.  The cup, saucer & word Spring were colored with a Sakura Clear Star gel pen--so pretty in person.  The gray cardstocks are PTI Weathervane & Soft Stone.  Love the sweet floral embossing folder from my friend, Lisa.  The sentiment is from the same set & I popped up the focal point.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday (card for a sweet blogging friend) & Virginia's Show & Share.  Edited to add:  Also entering Stamplorations Anything Goes.

Next is my entry for PTI LFF: Tags.  I don't have many tag dies, but my friend, Vikki, die cut a bunch for me.  The large image from What the Doodle: Snowflake was white embossed on Tag Sale #4.

Then I brushed on Enchanted Evening & Blueberry Sky.  I splattered water & randomly stamped the tiny snowflake from the same set.  I love Tiny Tags, which I do have, so added the round one for the sentiment.  I may end up adding this to a card as I think it'd be a lovely focal point.

Last is my entry for the May Pinkfresh Challenge.  I was looking for my Pinkfresh Christmas paper pack when I spotted the Pinkfresh Felicity collection I won several years ago.  I'd totally forgotten about it--papers, chipboard, sentiments, embellishments, Washi strips & puffy stickers.  It even includes a stamp set which I didn't use here.

Gotta say--it was really fun trying various combinations, but ended up pretty much where I started.  I was really proud of myself to incorporate a couple of the Washi strips as I almost never manage to use Washi tape on my cards.

The only thing I added was Stickles Star Dust & a yellow gem to the flower.  Luckily, I recently got a sheet of cardstock in just the peachy pink shade I needed for the card front.  Fun to make a card so outside my comfort zone--very modern with lots of elements.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday.


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

Totally Different Cards

Lots of new items listed in my sale pages, in case you're looking for a bargain.
I have several C&9 Turnabout Stamp Alignment Guides I don't need & am happy to pass on to you at no cost.  Contact me to see if I have what you want.

I love heat & dry embossing, so didn't want to miss the May Memory Box Challenge.  One of my older dies is the MB Woodland Branch.  I haven't used it very much, although I really like it.  Decided to try dry embossing it on a kraft panel & just love the look.

I already have another card idea in mind.  I sponged the edges & over the branch with Distress Ink vintage photo.  The sentiment from Poppystamps Hope and Thanks was stamped in Versafine Clair Acorn.  I used a Zig to add brown splatters.  MB Kaleidoscope Butterfly was die cut 3 times, colored with Distress Marker picked raspberry & heat embossed with Hero Arts Sparkle embossing powder.

I attached the butterflies just in the center & gently bent the wings up.  Finished by matting the panel with brown cardstock close to the color of the sentiment & glued on brown sequins.  I'm also entering JUGs & SSS Wednesday

A craft store not too far from me had a big sale last weekend & it included pearl Alcohol Inks.  Even though I've barely used the AIs I have, couldn't resist getting a rainbow of colors.  Here's my first attempt using them on a piece of Yupo paper sent to me long ago by a friend.

I swiped with a green & a blue.  Really do need to practice, but at least there was enough usable for the background of the SSS Sweet Tulip die which I layered 3 high.  The sentiment from SSS Sketch Ranunculus was stamped in Brilliance Gamma Green & trimmed into a little flag.

The shine from the pearl ink is so pretty in person & changes depending on the light.  I didn't add any embellishments yet as I think this could even go to a guy who likes gardening.  I'm entering SSS Flickr Challenge 122, SSS Wednesday & Flickr Love Handmade Cards Challenge 41.

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

Birthday Flowers

I have a couple birthday cards to post today.  My pictures don't capture them very well, despite several efforts.
First is an entry for the Altenew May Inspiration Challenge.  I used a gray stamped watercolor panel & Altenew Painted Stripes die cut--both sent to me by friends.

The die cut had gotten damaged on one end, so I just trimmed off the border on all 4 sides.  The bloom & leaves are Altenew Layered Floral Elements.  I used the scribble, spritz, dry, repeat technique for the coloring.  The leaves were done with 2 green Distress Markers.  It's difficult to spritz enough to move the color without washing it away, so I did many layers.  The bloom was done with Zigs--much easier for this technique.  The layers are meant to line up, but I liked the look of them slightly offset.  I mounted the bloom with foam tape & added several sizes of pearls for embellishment.  The white double embossed sentiment is made by cutting apart happy birthday & cheer up in the Altenew Pained Greetings set.  This card is really pretty in person--not at all washed out.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday.
  
I don't usually play along at CTD, but I couldn't resist the gorgeous color combo!

I used a white rectangle scrap laying on my table & stamped a wildflower image from SSS Warm Wishes using Versafine Clair inks Nocturne at the bottom & Acorn at the top which allowed me to add clear embossing powder.  I used my $9 make up brushes (that look exactly like the $50 ones) to add Memento Angel Pink ink to the edges blending it to very light in the center.

The sentiment from SSS Sketch Ranunculus was stamped in the Nocturne ink & I added black splatters at the bottom & brown at the top.  I'm really happy with how this turned out.  Clearly, I like simple.  The pink is not at all hard to see in person.  I did originally try using a different image in the set along with black & brown embossing powders, but after several attempts gave it up.  So, the end result is simple, but not necessarily the process--haha!  I'm also entering SSS Flickr Challenge 122 & SSS Wednesday.

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

More Flowers

Lots of new items listed in my sale pages, in case you're looking for a bargain.
I have several C&9 Turnabout Stamp Alignment Guides I don't need & am happy to pass on to you at no cost.  Contact me to see if I have what you want.

Hubby & I both feel much better.  Hope we're done with bugs for a long time--haha!  Unfortunately, my laptop is in the shop waiting for a part.  The desktop is hard for me to use, so my computer time is limited right now.  I'll keep up with you as much as possible.  I do have 3 cards to share--all florals.
First is my entry for the May Reverse Confetti Shop Your Stash challenge.  I only have 1 RC stamp/die set, but lots of their products are on my wishlist.

This card was made & sent last year, but I never posted it.  Luckily it's perfect for this month's birthday challenge.  Tall Blooms is a beautiful set & I'm planning to use it for another card soon.

I added sparkle to each leaf & a white glitter adhesive dot where I tied on the twine.  Fun to use a bit of my patterned paper--something I don't do very often.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday.

Next is my card for MFT Sketch Challenge & MFT Color Challenge.  It's been a long time since I've entered at MFT.  I wouldn't let myself shop the recent sales since I've had Flashy Florals a very long time without using it.  Thought I could make it work for the sketch which I turned, as you see.

The flowers are larger than the sketch shows, but hopefully that's OK.  To meet the color challenge requirements I stamped in the beautiful VersaMagic inks called Pink Grapefruit, Persimmon & Key Lime.  I heat embossed the detail layers using white for the flowers & clear for the leaves.  Decided to keep the flower centers subtle, so just inked multiple times with the same ink as the flower.  The smaller flower center is from PTI Twig Wreath & the white embossed sentiment is from MFT On the Line.  The big flower is popped up & I used white sequins for embellishment.

Last is my entry for PTI LFF: Favorite Layout.  This is one I frequently use--often for one layer cards.  I just fill one corner with images & add a sentiment.  It was fun to add a background of solid & patterned paper this time--inspired by Melissa Phillips.  I also made a scored frame.

I haven't added lace to a card in quite awhile, but it's still one of my favorite embellishments.  The focal panel is done with PTI Gathered Garden images & a Twig Wreath sentiment.  I stamped in Olive Twist, Autumn Rose, Prairie Grass, Limeade Ice, Simply Chartreuse, & Spring Moss.  I added Stickles to the bloom & tiny green splatters.  The panel is mounted with fun foam.
Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.