A little bird told me ...

Hello My Friends

and Happy Easter Eve!

I'm sure it's just as busy at your house as it is at mine but before all the fun and festivities begin, I wanted to create a card for the new challenge over on the Seize the Birthday Challenge Blog.

Their "Toppings" option this time is...

"BIRDS"

Or you can simply do 

Today I decided to go with one of my all time favorite Heartfelt Creations stamp/die sets called 'Birds & Blooms'  I must admit, I never got around to purchasing the die specific to THIS particular image (branch and birds) so I had to do a bit of fussy cutting but I'm still happy with the outcome.

The birdhouses were actually laying on the work table from a different project, where they didn't get used  ... as was the Hugs sentiment.  So, I figured why not use these elements in my design vs them laying around and possibly getting tossed.

Today I decided to blow the dust off my prisma pencils for my coloring.  Boy am I out of practice ... but still not too bad!!  LOL  How do you like the background paper?  It's from a VERY old 12x12 DCWV paper pack and this was a scrap that I thought just might give me the look I was after.   Worked perfectly!!

Challenges to share in:
A Gem of a Challenge #216 - Female Birthday with a Sentiment
Brown Sugar Challenge #276 - Spring or Easter

 Thanks so much for stopping by today!
I hope you have a fabulous Easter  weekend!

As Always . . .

Recipe:

Papers:  White cs, DCWV 12x12 designer paper, teal cs, light blue cs

Stamps:  Heartfelt Creations Fluffy Birdies (HCPC-3646), Birds & Blooms (HCPC-3644), Art Impressions

Dies:  Heartfelt Creations Birds & Blooms (HCD1-756), Cheery Lynn Designs 'Birdhouse w/lattice' (B418), Technique Tuesday 'Hugs' (DIY098)

Accessories:  Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Blending stumps, Scotch 3D tape, Clear embossing powder, Fiskars swivel craft knife

 

ANNOUNCEMENT

ANNOUNCEMENT to my crafting friends! 

If you are wondering what happened to the CropStop Challenge Blog, they have experienced terrible issues with their current Wordpress blog and can't even get in to announce that they are having to resort back to the old blog beginning Monday 3/26. Here is a link to the blog they will be using for their new challenges & posts ... https://cropstop.blogspot.com/
Please help spread the word since they are unable to do it by themselves on their current blog ... thanks!

Believe in the Magic!

Happy Good Friday All!

Before sharing my card with you, I want to extend a HUGE

BIRTHDAY WISH to my granddaughter Morgan!

Isn't she beautiful!!

Today's card is for a little girl and would have worked for

Morgan (aka: MO) about 20 years ago but not today ... where does the time go?

I truly enjoy working with sketches so I spotted this sketch over

at the CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge Blog and just had to play along.

My designer paper & sentiment panel are from the 

Doodlebug Designs 'Fairy Tales' 6x6 paper pack.

The dies I have used are:

Tutti Designs 'Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangles'

Tutti Designs 'Nesting Stitched Banners'

Poppystamps 'Winterland Fairie'


The design is simple yet adorable!
A few added sequins for a touch of sparkle, and this
card is ready to make some little girl happy on her birthday!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!
I hope you're having a fabulous weekend!

As Always . . .

Kisses and Hugs

Hello Friends ...

The Easter weekend is rapidly approaching!

Kids are all grown and I'm not cooking this year, so luckily I have the time to join in

a few fun challenges.

 I was inspired by the Photo Inspiration at Addicted to Stamps & More

for my color selection.  And, as you notice, that pink

flower in the middle lower image also caught my eye.

I have used Tim Holtz distress ink to create my background panel.

My color got a little darker than I wanted because

for some reason my finger prints were showing up

and I kept adding ink to try and cover them.

 My design was inspired by the Freshly Made Sketches

current sketch challenge . . .

For my 'shaped' focus image I've used the Die Versions

 'Lovely Kids' die and for my sentiment, the

Technique Tuesday 'Hugs'.

A white gelly roll pen was used to create the faux stitching.

And of course, my sweet pink Prima flowers 

are adorned with Nuvo White Crystal Drop centers.

I die cut the 'hugs' 4 times, stacked them and

sponged a little of the same blue TH ink on the upper

portion that would be backed by the white panel

to help add dimension.

 As always, thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to stop by!

Sisterhood of Crafters - Spring Flowers

Hello Friends!

It's time once again for a new challenge over at the Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge Blog.

Our hostess today is Debbie and the theme she has chosen is 

'SPRING FLOWERS'!

Oh yes, we are all ready for those warmer temperature and spring flowers

popping up out of the ground.  Here's what I created . . . hope you like it!

Isn't she cute?  I've had this Crafty Sentiments 'lady bird & butterfly'

digi image in my stash for quite some time and I thought

it was perfect for today's theme.

I've colored her using Spectrum Noir alcohol markers

and the design was pulled together using scraps of this & that

laying around my work stations.  

Product used . . .

Spellbinder 'Opulent Ovals' die (negative panel),

Memory Box 'Fairyland Butterflies' (small portion)

Tutti Designs 'Scallop Stitched Ovals'

 and sorry ... for the life of me, I can't find the die used

for that cute little floral/butterfly corner.

I hope you'll come join in our challenge fun at The Sisterhood of Crafters!
My 'sistahs' have created some fabulous creations to help inspire you ... be sure to pop over and check them out!

Challenges to share in:
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
 Scrapy Land Challenge #86 - Anything Goes
Cards with Envy Challenge - No Patterned Paper

Hope to see you there!
 As always, thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to stop by!

Simply Black & White

Hello Friends!

I spotted a fun challenge over the weekend and

couldn't help but play along!

The challenge I'm referring to is the 'Black & White Only' challenge

at the Allsorts Challenge Blog.

Product used on my card include:

Sue Wilson Indian Ocean Collection

Tutti Designs Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangles

Memory Box Vivinne Butterfly

Sue Wilson Stitched Flags

Nuvo black Crystal Drops

It was late in the day when I started this creation and since I was getting tired but still wanted to play, I turned to Pinterest for inspiration.  When I spotted this card made by Jennifer Brum back in May, 2015, I knew I wanted to use her beautiful creation as my inspiration.  Here's a quick peek at Jennifer's card but you can click on the link to see her blog write up.



How wonderful that we can inspire each other!  Thanks Jennifer!!

Well, that's it for me today!
Lots going on ... hair appointment, pedi appointment, brother's birthday, meet Mom for lunch ... going to be a fun day!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!
I hope you're having a fabulous weekend!

As Always . . .

Happy Everything

Happy Monday Friends!

Over the weekend I spotted a 'new to me' challenge called Daring Cardmakers.

I found their challenge theme very interesting so couldn't help but play along!

And that theme is 'Back to Basics'!

Meaning ... choose one basic geometric shape (square, circle, triangle, etc.) and one primary color (red, blue, yellow or green) and make them the focus of your design.  What a GREAT idea!!!

I began by using the Memory Box 'Bubbles' stencil & Tim Holtz Distress Oxide 'Cracked Pistachio' to create my background.  Then using the Tutti Designs 'Scalloped Stitched Nesting Circles', I die cut the largest die and sponged the same Oxide ink on it.  Then I continued to step down the dies to cut the three frames.  Ending with the small circle which I popped up and used for the focus panel.

 For my sentiment I used the Penny Black die set called 'Awesome'.

I first die cut it from green ... didn't like it ... then cut from white ... still didn't like it ... then from black!

I didn't like any one of them by themselves so I stacked them ... black on the bottom, then green then white on top and I was happy!  Plus it gave me added dimension ... love that!

Challenges to share in:
Die Cut Diva's March Challenge - Monochromatic
Challenge Up Your Life Challenge #87 - Stencils (3/28)
Simply Create Two March Challenge - Use Green (3/30)

Hope you've been inspired by today's creation and hope you'll come join in the fun.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

As always,

Hugs and Smiles

Happy Sunday All!

WOW!  Just one week away from Easter Sunday!

Where is the time going???

Today I have a card to share that I created yesterday to satisfy two challenges I spotted over at Paper Playful. 

 First is the sketch I followed a Feeling Sketchy Challenge #189

and next, is the color combination which caught my eye at the Calling All Sistahs Challenge

I love finding challenges such as these that inspire me to put them together and get creative.  I always end up with something that I would have never come up with myself.

(Ooops .. I think I made a mistake ... the Calling All Sistahs Challenge MIGHT be CAS (clean & simple) which my card is not!  Sorry ... oh well ... sharing it anyways.  Still was a fun color combo to create with.  Bright & happy!!

I created a couple of background panels using my Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks but then wasn't happy with how they blended together.  Of course you mix yellow & green, you get blue and that's what wasn't going to work for the color challenge.  SO, I used the one panel to stamp & fussy cut my flowers, and I will save the other panel for another time.  By switching over to the Tim Holtz Distress inks, I sponged & blended the same color inks to create this background.  That's better!  LOL

My flowers are from a stamp set I just purchased from Simon Says Stamps called 'Even More Spring Flowers' #sss101814.  I stamped them on my oxide inked panel using Versafine Onyx ink then embossed with clear embossing powder, then fussy cut with scissors.  I popped up the upper flower with Scotch dimensional tape and adhered the lower flower directly to the background.  Nuvo dandelion yellow crystal drops was used for the flower centers.

Challenges to share in:
A Bit More Time to Craft  Challenge #64 - ATG

Crafts Galore Encore March Challenge  - ATG
Sheepski Designs March Challenge - Flowers
Crafty Calendar March Challenge - Tag

Thanks so much for stopping by today!
I hope you're having a fabulous weekend!

As Always . . .

Recipe:

Papers:  White cs

Stamps:  Verve 'Kind Words', Simon Says Stamp 'Even More Spring Flowers'

Dies:  Tutti Designs 'Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangles,  Poppystamps 'Stitched Main Street tags',  Sue Wilson 'Finishing Touches - Trailing Ivy'

Ink:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks -  'Peeled Paint, Festive Berries, Spiced Marmalade, Scattered Straw' ... TH Distress Oxide Inks -   'Candied Apple, Spiced Marmalade, Fossilized Amber, Lucky Clover, Versafine Onyx

Accessories:  Scotch dimensional tape, Wrights lace, Nuvo crystal drops, Prima flower, large sponge daubers, Clear Embossing Powder

Masculine Birthday

Hello All & Happy Weekend!

I always have a need for masculine cards in my stash

for the craft show so when I see the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge

is 'Masculine', I just have to jump right in and play along.

Design team member Kath Ricks creation caught my eye

and I was inspired to do something similar so I reached for

my Stampscape stamps and here's what I came up with:

Inside

The background paper is from a very old DCWV 12x12 pack and it is a mutted green color.  

After stamping my image on the white panel, I marked where it would be positioned on the background paper and then stamped my trees so they would be on either side of my image.  I used Tim Holtz distress oxide 'salty ocean' and sponged the top portion of both panels (for the sky) as well as a little in front of the cabin for the water.  The remaining coloring was done with Prisma pencils.

I have used a stamp set from 'My Sentiments Exactly!' for both front and inside sentiments.

I find this is the easiest way for me to create a masculine card.

What guy doesn't like a cabin in the woods?  

(or girl for that matter!)

Challenges to share in:
Creatalicious Challenge #135 - ATG option - Birthday
 Dream Factory Challenge #54 - Cast Away
Just For Fun Rubber Stamp March Challenge - Die Cuts
Mix It Up Challenge #11 - ATG - Make Your Own Background

Hope you've been inspired by today's creation and hope you'll come join in.

I LOVE being inspired by my crafty friends!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

As always,

Dies R Us Inspiration Blog - Sympathy

Hello friends ...

 Today I have a card to share for the Dies R Us Inspiration Blog

and it's probably my least favorite card to create! 

Only because it means someone has lost a loved one ... so sad!

Anyways ... here's what I've created . . .

Very simple yet with a touch of style.

I've used three dies on today's creation . . .

Memory Box 'Tree Blossom Stitched Circle Frame'

Tutti Designs 'Scalloped Stitched Nesting Circles'

Tutti Designs 'Sympathy Word Set'

Here are a few steps taken in the creation of this card.

First I die cut the Tree Blossom Circle frame from white card stock.  Then I realized the Tutti Designs circles were the perfect size to use for matting this circle frame so I spotted a scrap of 'sky/clouds' designer paper in my stash and thought it would be the perfect background.

I also used the next size larger Tutti circle die to cut a white matting panel.

Before adhering together, I used Spectrum Noir alcohol markers JG1 & PL4 to color my leaves/flower.

Then I decided to add another floral panel so die cut just that portion of the Memory Box die, colored it with the same alcohol markers and snippet it from the frame.

And, adhered it below the flower in the original die cut panel.

When all was said and done, I added a Prima flower at the base of my flower stems, used Nuvo white crystal drops for the flower centers and added my sentiment.

This could be used for a man or a woman I think.  Hopefully I won't need to mail this card anytime soon!!!

Another look at the finished card . . .

Please remember, each an every day of the month there's a new inspiration sample shared on the blog by this fabulous design team.  Please be sure to pop in regularly.

Also, don't forget to come join in the fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  There's a new challenge theme offered on the 1st and 15th of each month and one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a gift voucher prize to the Dies R Us Store.

 For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

click below for:

STORE 
 CHALLENGE BLOG
  FACEBOOK
  INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

Thanks for stopping by!
As Always . . .