July is For the Birds

I finally found time to make a couple cards and use up some pretty papers from SU! that a thoughtful friend shared with me a while ago. I used an unbranded bird die along with a snippet of kraft which was also cut with an unbranded burlap die, and placed them both on 2 stitched circles from MFT. I found the directions to make this diamond card on a brand new challenge called "Love Those Pretty Papers" which inspired me to play along. Lord knows I have more than enough paper in my stash so I knew this would be a no-brainer! 😊

The sentiment is from Mark's Finest Papers which unfortunately closed quite a few years ago. I added a black diamond dot to the bird's eye, along with 3 yellow ones just for fun

I will enter this card into these challenges :

Love Those Pretty Papers Challenge #1 - A/G using patterned papers

The Triple B July 2024 Challenge - Birds, Blooms, Butterflies; use 1,2, or all 3

 

Using the same SU! paper pad, I made a 2nd card using some different patterns along with a different sentiment. I used a dark green card base for this one and added some white candy dots for accents along with a black dot for the bird's eye. I colored the bird with Copics and added an older sentiment that has the name worn off after so many years of using it.

I'll share this card with these two challenges:

The Snippets Playground #484 - Must Use Snippets (the entire card was made with snippets)

the Allsorts Challenge Week #789 - Use Circles or A/G

Thanks for stopping by and I hope it's cool where you live. We are bracing for triple digit temperatures today with very high humidity, so I'll be staying indoors without a doubt! Keeping my fingers crossed that my old A/C unit keeps working and we soon get some much-needed rain too! 😉

Carol

 

Happy Independence Day!

 Today we celebrate July 4th in the US as Independence day and I have a quilt card to share with you done in the colors of our US flag which is red, white, and blue. 

I used a MFT quilt die with some older retired SU! papers as well as a sentiment die from Lil Inkers to add the word Celebrate. I added a tiny punched red star in the center with another tiny die-cut star in the center of that one. I randomly added sparkle with tiny gemstones as well as bits of red, white, and blue glitter and mirror papers done with a hole punch. I sent this to someone celebrating a birthday recently but it's also perfect for the July 4th holiday.

I'm sharing this with the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stars and/or Stripes

The Four Seasons Challenge - Summer Season July 2024 Season

A Cut Above (Use Die Cuts) - Start this new challenge off with a "Bang!"

Colorful Options July 2024 - Flags

Craft Rocket Challenge #116 - Summertime

Word Power #7 - Make Your Sentiment the Focus

Thanks for stopping by today and remember to keep your pets indoors when the fireworks start later today. Please use caution with fireworks too and have a safe and happy July 4th celebration.

Carol

A Recycled Card

I saved this stamped/colored image from a card someone sent me some time ago and decided it was time to repurpose it into another card for someone else. I backed it with an inked 3D embossed panel that didn't turn out well,  but I hung onto it figuring I'd use it some day. Since most of it is covered up, it works perfectly for this card. I love this old stove that reminds me of yesteryear when folks cooked on these home-warming stoves. To finish the card, I added a tiny charm that says "Made with Love" because when our ancestors cooked on these stoves, everything was made with love.

 I attached the charm with a mini white brad.

I'm going to share this with the the Double D Challenge which is

Pick 3 of Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Old is the charm - I've had it for years

Borrowed is the stamped image from a received card

Blue is the embossed panel behind the image.

Since June is the typical month for weddings, that's what the photo inspiration is all about but I went in a completely different direction LOL

I'm still having blogging issues. While writing this post, some lines double spaced and I'm unable to correct that; while some lines have no spaces at all?? 😒 Some bloggers have mentioned they cannot resize their photos. For me that hasn't been an issue, but linking to the challenge blog is still a frustrating issue that doesn't work the way it used to. I suppose I'll just have to get used to doing things a different way now. but it was much easier before.

OK, I'm off my soapbox now and stepping down to thank you for stopping by and to wish you a fantastic Friday! Make it a great weekend while you're at it!

Carol

Oddball Turtle

 I love this quirky and fun image that just makes me smile. It's called the Oddball Turtle from Stamping Bella and I used this to make a fun birthday card for another slowpoke like myself. I stenciled the background with a GMD bricked stencil on some tan cardstock with a darker brown ink. I stamped the turtle and colored it with Copics, adding a die-cut stitched frame in matching green designer paper. I split the sentiment and backed each piece with matching cardstock and called this one done. At my age, this is how I feel most days LOL

I'll share this with the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stencil it

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #446 - Make your Mark

(use pencils, markers, inks, paints, anything that makes a mark)

Critter Crazy Challenge #85 - A/G featuring a critter

the April Stencil fun Challenge - A/G using a stencil

with an optional theme of Spring/Flowers

We Love Stamping April - Spring theme or alternative of A/G

Thanks for stopping by and  keep moving forward regardless of your speed 😄

Carol

You Amaze Me

Through the kindness and generosity of two wonderful friends, I received this beautiful die-cut image along with the fantastic embossing folder that I used to make this card. I sponged this intricate image lightly with some chalks to add just a touch of color to the eyes and lips and the flowers in her hair, adding some crystal Nuvo drops to the centers. I covered the entire image with clear Wink of Stella and added a tiny eye to the bird with a marker. The SB hand-drawn scallops EF was done on an old blank notecard that belonged to my mother. It was printed with her name at the top so I cut that portion off with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle die.  It has a neutral color and a subtle texture that seemed to work well with everything. The stitched sentiment die is by Gina K Designs and has an Altenew sentiment stamped in chocolate brown. I put everything on a brown cardstock base and called this one done. Thanks to everyone for sharing your wonderful crafting items with me - I'm always grateful for everything!

I'll share this with the Allsorts Challenge Week #775 - the theme is "For the Love of Animals" or - the A/G option. 

the Can You Handle the Pressure? challenge - A/G  embossing

with a twist of "birds." (There is a bird in her hair 😉)

NBUS Challenge for April #61 - never before used schtuff 

(This is the first time I used this EF)

I hope things are well in your corner of the world. I'm patiently waiting for Spring to arrive so that I can start complaining about how hot it is after this long stretch of rainy, gloomy, cold weather! 😏

Keep smiling, and thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Lucky Horseshoe

 I have been trying to use items I've had in my stash for ages, and with this card I've used an embossing folder by Darice along with a Kitchen Sink Stamps horseshoe stamp that I don't think has ever seen ink although I've had it for years. I stamped the image with 3 different green inks on white, then cut it along with a mirror green panel with MFT stitched circles. I added 8 tiny gold brads to indicate the nails in a horseshoe, then added a gold mirror shamrock to the top for a little extra luck. The sentiment panel was done with a TE stamped sentiment along with 2 layered panels using old and retired SU! punches, adding green brads to the ends. The diagonal panel was done with a Lawn Fawn plaid strip of paper and a MFT diagonal stitched die. We used to have horses years ago which is why I bought the stamp set and embossing folder in the first place, but I have no explanation for why they've been sitting unused for so long.

I'm sharing this card with the Double D Challenge -

Green/Clover/Shamrocks/Luck

also sharing with Can You Handle the Pressure? Challenge -

A/G using an embossing folder with an optional twist of "birds"

And also sharing with NBUS Challenge #60 - use never before used schtuff

(Horseshoe stamp)

Thanks so much for the visit and as always I wish you all a wonderful day.

Carol

Sending Sunshine

 With all of the rain we've been getting lately, it's time to spread a little sunshine - even if it's done with a card.

I stamped this Inkadinkado gnome mage and colored him with Copics, then die cut him with a stitched rectangle die and matted with black.

I used some layered sunburst stencils from Pink Fresh to create the background, using 3 different yellow inks and die cut that panel with a stitched rectangle too.

I'll share this with these challenges:

The Allsorts Challenge week #771 - Use Yellow or A/G

The March 2024 Stencil Fun Challenge - A/G using a stencil

*Optional theme Easter/Spring

Here's wishing all of us a lot more sunshine in the coming days of Spring.

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great day!

Carol

Mondays Suck

Happy Monday to you! I am blessed to have generous, thoughtful friends who send me stamped images and die cuts to make cards with, and the stamped image and sentiments for this card came from one of those dear friends. (Thank you again) I have no idea who makes them, but I thought they were hilarious and just perfect to post on a Monday Morning.

I used snippets of green and blue designer papers that I've had for years and colored the image with Copics to match the papers.  The main image was cut with a stitched square and I placed a snippet of matching blue card behind it. I found some tiny white stars left over from previous die cuts and added them to the coffee cup putting an itty bitty blue gem in the center star. I finished the card with some black Nuvo Drops.

 Here's the inside sentiment which I found as funny as the one on the outside.

This might depict just how I feel about rainy day Mondays LOL

I will share this card with the following challenges:

Make My Monday Challenge #218 - use your patterned paper

the Male Room Challenge #182 - Funny/Pun

It's been a while since I've seen the sunshine with all of this rainy, dreary dismal weather lately, so I figured I might as well laugh about it until the sun finds it's way back to us again. Thanks for stopping by and have a good Monday whatever you do. Keep smiling 😊

Carol

Happy Winter

 We had a little bit of snow a few days ago and may be getting more of the white stuff early next week, so I figured it's a good time to make a card like this. A thoughtful sweet friend (thank you!) sent me this Cottage Cuts die recently so there's no time like the present to put it to good use. I die cut it in GinaK Blue Raspberry cardstock along with several other colors and yes, I actually paper pieced all those itty bitty negative bits to add a little color to the snowman. I pulled out a very old MFT letter stamp set and made the sentiment, matting each one with more matching cardstock. I added 2 die cut stitched snowflakes from Lawn Fawn, covering them with Diamond Stickles and adding a tiny blue gemstone to the center of each one as well as the letter "I" in the sentiment. The background was embossed with an older retired SU! ef that I've always been a fan of for wintry cards.

I will share this with the following challenges:

The Little Red Wagon Challenge #738 - show some snow

the Sisterhood of Crafters January 10th, 2024 challenge - icy cold

The Four Seasons January 2024 Winter Season Challenge

Craft Rocket Challenge #110 - use embossing

NBUS Challenge #58 - Never Before Used Schtuff

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you're keeping warm and comfy wherever you are.

I saw this sign today on my way back home today from the store:

Sausage jokes are the wurst . 😆 

Keep Smiling 😉

Carol

You Rock

 I bought this sentiment from Kat Scrapiness some time ago and never got around to using it for some reason. I created the background with a MFT Equalizer stencil and some purple ink and then die cut the shadow of the word with purple cardstock. I added a few purple gemstones and that's all this card needs. The large sentiment speaks for itself!

I'll share this with the following challenges:

A brand new challenge called Word Power #1 - make the sentiment the focus of the card

January 2024 Stencil Fun - A/G using a stencil - *optional birds

NBUS #58 - never before used schtuff (word die)

Here in the east we're expecting snow/rain for today so it will be a good day to stay warm inside and work on crafts. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day.

Carol

Howl You Doin?

 When I saw this cute image/stamp set from Lawn Fawn I had to cave in and buy it. I colored the image with Copics and die-cut him to place on the Lawn Fawn die-cut tag. I used a piece of beautiful Blue Knight paper that a friend shared with me for the tag along with some new Lawn Fawn flannel plaid designer paper die-cut with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle. I sent this card to my friend's hubby who recently got out of the hospital and I hope he's doing well.

I'll share with these challenges:

NBUS challenge #56 - never before used schtuff - stamp, die, papers

Critter Crazy Challenge #80 - A/G featuring a critter

While I had everything out on the table, I made a 2nd card using assorted designer papers

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you a great weekend as most of you will get an extra hour's sleep tonight when we turn the clocks back one hour. Keep smiling 😊

Carol

Grateful

 A thoughtful friend of mine shared some of this beautiful designer paper with me, so I cut a strip of it to place next to the Stampendous sentiment which was heat-embossed with gold ep. I thought it needed something else, so I cut a strip of dark green and embossed it with a Darice embossing folder that showed a cat tail stem. I used a Versamark pen to color the image and then heat-embossed that with the matching gold ep and called this one done.

If you click to enlarge the photo, you can see the detail a little better.

Sharing this with the following challenges:

Allsorts week #752 - dry or heat embossing or opt* A/G

Can You Handle the Pressure? - A/G Embossing with a twist of vines/ greenery

Thanks for stopping by today. I have a fun task at hand - my paper shredder jammed and I'll be having fun trying to pull all those little bits out of the claws for a while. It will keep me busy I'm sure :)

Have a great day!

Carol

Sending a Paper Hug

 I found this older Inky Antics stamp that I've had for probably 8-10 years and decided to give it some love. I pulled out some pretty aqua cardstock and die-cut the sentiment panel with a Kat Scrappiness die, adding a computer generated sentiment. I stamped the image on white and colored it with Copics, adding some stenciled clouds with TE cloud stencils and tumbled glass distress ink, and then added a couple of stamped SNSS birds in the sky. I die cut the image panel with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle and called this one done.

I'll share this with the following challenges:

the Allsorts Challenge week #747 - four legged friends or A/G

Cardz 4 Galz - use a stencil, a sentiment, and an image

the Retro Rubber Challenge #216 - must use a stamp older than 1 year

with the following Tic Tac Toe Grid

I used the diagonal line from the top left down to the bottom right - animal, your choice (stencil), die cut or punch

Thanks for the visit and I wish you a wonderful day today!

Carol

Rock Star

 I found this pre-printed sentiment in my snippet box and built the card around it. I started with a kraft card base and stenciled some mosaic stars on it with a SSS stencil and some antique linen ink. I also found a strip of dark brown cardstock in my snippets box and embossed it with a tiny hearts embossing folder, then cut it in 2 unequal portions, adding 3 punched stars in between them done with gold mirror cardstock and a retired SU! mini star punch. I added a piece of the gold mirror card beneath the sentiment and fishtailed the ends and called this one done. I think it will make a good card for a teen boy so this will go into my stash of ready-made cards.

I'll share with these challenges:

Cardz 4 Guyz #331 - Stars

Can You Handle the Pressure? - A/G embossing with an optional twist of bees

September Stencil Fun - A/G with a stencil - optional "fall"

The Snippets Playground #463 - must use snippets

Thanks for stopping by. It's a rainy day in PA and we'll have more tomorrow, so it's time to get inky!

Carol

Thinking of You

 Some time ago I was pretending to be Jennifer McGuire and tried to use a  new SSS 3d embossing folder and add color to it with a brayer as she demonstrated in one of her videos. The technique didn't work too well for me, but half the panel was worth saving so I ended up up cutting it in two, and using half of it to make this card. The top border was done with a MFT notched border die and the bottom border was done with a Martha Stewart doily punch. I used white scraps of cardstock and sponged them with a lighter shade of distress ink before cutting. I think I used Mermaid Lagoon for the embossed flower panel. The sentiment is an Elizabeth Craft die and I sponged some darker distress ink on white panels before cutting. The butterfly was done with a Punch-a-Bunch and colored with Copics. I added white dots to the wings with a gel pen and covered it all with Wink of Stella for a little sparkle.

I'll share this with the Allsorts Challenge week #743 which has a theme of Butterflies or A/G

Also sharing with Can You Handle the Pressure Challenge - A/G using an embossing folder with an optional twist of using Poppies

Wishing you a great Sunday and an even better week ahead. Thanks for stopping by.

Carol

Pink Patchwork

 Here's the 3rd patchwork card made with matching cardstock and envies I found in my stash from years ago. I just cut snippets of assorted designer papers, arranged them and added a stamped sentiment panel done with some Angel Pink ink and a retired SU! stamp. For the final touch, I added 3 pink stickers from Taylored Expressions and called this one done!

I have one more patchwork card left in green colors that I'll share in the next post.

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great weekend!

Carol

Thinking of You

While purging more of my huge crafty stash, I came across a pack of colorful matching cardstock and envelopes I purchased at Michaels perhaps a decade ago and decided it was high time to use them. There are colors of green, blue, pink, and lavender and since purple is my favorite color I pulled out some purple snippets and made this patchwork design card. The sentiment is a very old (r) SU! image stamped in Grape Jelly ink and die-cut with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle die. The little butterfly was done with a punch and I added 3 tiny lavender gemstones to the body and hand-drew the antennae with a black marker.

I already dropped this in the mail to someone who is fighting a health issue and wanted her to know I'm thinking of her and sending up prayers.

Thanks for stopping by today and have a great Tuesday!

Carol

 

Garden Gnome

I had the Inkadinkado Garden Gnome stamp set on my table and stamped another image from it for the first time. I colored it with Copics, adding Wink of Stella glitter for a little subtle sparkle. I added some yellow glaze pen accents to the little bee on his hat and used a gold paint pen for his belt buckle. The Pink Fresh sunburst stencil set got it's first outing too with this background and I added a Lawn Fawn sentiment to finish it. I used Lil Inker stitched rectangle dies for the image and card base panels, backing the image with a piece of black cardstock.

I'll enter this card into these challenges:

the July Stencil Fun Challenge - A/G using a stencil *opt. birthday theme

NBUS challenge #52 - never before used schtuff (stencil set, stamp)

We Love Stamping July Challenge - Fabulous Florals with *opt. A/G

Stamping Sensations July Challenge - Summer Flowers with *opt. A/G

the Happy Little Stampers July Stencil Challenge - A/G

Thanks for stopping by today and may this day be a good one for you!

Carol

Thinking of You

 This card was made from snippets found in my large stash of leftover bits and pieces. The brown panel was embossed with a Tasteful Textiles EF from SU! and the flowers were cut with a Memory Box Prim Poppy die. The lightly textured tan panel was saved from a pile of note cards my mother had with her name printed at the top. I added some pink Nuvo drops for the finishing touch and added this to a pink card base.

I'm sharing this with the following challenges:

The Allsorts Challenge week #737 - A/G or use this mood board

Can You Handle the Pressure - use an embossing folder A/G * twist of stars

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #7 - A/G Flowers or use this mood board

The Happy Little Stampers July A/G with Dies Challenge

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great day. We're bracing for torrential rains and flooding tomorrow all day long so I'm keeping my fingers crossed 😓

Carol

No Sentiment

 While rummaging through my snippets box, I found this pre-made butterfly already die-cut and layered with colors. When I first made it, I didn't like the color combo so I tossed it into the snippets box and forgot about it. I had just a few bits of orange cardstock left in a pack that matched the butterfly so that's how this butterfly card came together. The card base, orange panel and embossed panel were each die cut with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle die. The embossed panel was done with an Anna Griffin Treillage EF. I added a big gemstone to the butterfly body along with 3 tiny ones to finish this card. I will add a sentiment to the inside when it's time to send this card.

I'll share this with the following challenges:

Sparkles Monthly Challenge #165 - no stamping allowed

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Lots of Layers

Cardz 4 Galz #201 - Use Dies/Punches

Can You Handle the Pressure? - A/G using an EF *Optional twist - Wedding

That's it for me today, but thanks for stopping by and have a great Friday!

Carol