Give Thanks

I recently had to treat myself to this cute set of stamps and dies from Lawn Fawn so I made a card using some of their fun flannel plaid designer paper to make this card.

I stamped and die-cut the images, coloring them with Copics and adding some wink of stella to the cheese just for fun. I added the plaid strips to a piece of kraft cardstock and added everything to an ivory card base. I thought those mice were just too cute to pass up so I added the set to my stash.

I'm adding this card to the following challenges:

The Paper Players PP665 - Let's Give Thanks

the Allsorts Challenge Week #753 - The Great Outdoors or A/G

Sketch Saturday Sketch # 738

the Four Seasons Fall November 2023 challenge - A/G fall

the Paper Funday November Challenge #59 - A/G with optional twist

Grateful/Thankful/Thank you

Thanks as always for stopping by and make it a great week!

Carol 

Happy Easter!

 I found this stamped image in my box recently and made an Easter card with it using pastel colors. I colored the image with Copics and added a pre-printed SSS sentiment. I cut the 4 pastel panels of cardstock, then embossed them all with a Cuttlebug Geometric Rings embossing folder and placed them on a white card base and called this one done.

I'm sharing this card with...

The Paper Players PP635 challenge - use any colors in pastel shades

the Allsorts Challenge 722/723 - A/G *option of In the Spring Garden

Can You Handle the Pressure - use an EF *optional clouds

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit and I wish everyone a very happy Easter today!

Carol

A Trio of Blue Cards

While sorting through my monstrous stash of dsp pads recently, I found these remnants and decided to use them up. I found a sketch that I liked, and used some of the smaller snippets to put these cards together.

Before I go any further, if anyone has a fix for copying challenge graphics to our blog posts, I'd appreciate it. I can no longer copy and/or paste any graphics since a blogger update changed my ability to do that. I'm aware that some challenges require those graphics to be included in our posts, but blogger left me out in the cold!  Now I'm also having difficulty moving post write-ups to the center as that feature has become finicky too.

The first card was made with a SU! bird punch. The branch is also included with the punch. I added a Lily of the Valley sentiment to this one along with a few GMD soft blue beads for fun.

                                    I'll enter this into:

              the Paper Players PP589 theme challenge of "birds or bees"

               The Allsorts Challenge week #674 - A/G option of "scenic"

I made a masculine birthday card by adding an old SU! Hodge Podge hardware photo turn to the corner of this, along with some gemstones and an enamel black star sticker The sentiment is by Simon Says Stamp.

I'll enter this into the Krafty Chicks Challenge #609 - all occasions

Last but not least I made this one with a Memory Box Prim Poppy die, cutting the flowers from more tiny snippets of these blue pattern papers as well as pastel green for the stem. I added some Wink of Stella to the little bud and added a Sweet 'n Sassy stamped sentiment; then added a few aqua Nuvo drops randomly for sparkle.

This card will be going to the Dies R Us challenge #192 - A/G but must use dies sold at their store. (Memory Box used here)

It's also going to the Snippets Playground #427, since all of these cards began with using snippets of that leftover paper pad!

If you stayed with me for this longer-than-usual post - THANKS!

I wish you all a wonderful day and as always, thank you for stopping by!

Carol

 

Alfie

Here's a valentine I made with a favorite stamp from my collection. This is Alfie, a stamp from Unity that I've treasured for years! I stamped the image with light grey ink, then colored him with Copics, adding a few darkened highlights with a marker pen. I used a MFT stitched circle die along with a Spellbinders scalloped circle die in darker blue to place Alfie on. I used some T.E. cloud stencils to create the sky along with Tumbled Glass distress ink; then added the Inky Antics (1999) sentiment. I finished the card with a few tiny glittered heart stickers I've had for ages!

This might be my favorite Valentine I've made this year so far.

I'll share this with the following challenges:

Critter Crazy Challenge Blog #59 = A/G featuring a critter

A Place to Start challenge #202202 February 2022 - A/G

(Optional - My Fauna Valentine (include a critter)

the Happy Little Stampers February Stencil Challenge - A/G

Dies R Us Challenge #186 - Valentines/Love 

(Must use dies sold in their store) - Spellbinders

The Paper Players PP577 theme challenge -

Love & Friendship

That's going to be it for me for today, but I hope your week is off to a good start, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Carol

Thanksgiving Gnome

I found a woven paper panel I made last year with the remnants of a 12x12 autumn-themed paper pad. Today I added it to a card and finally finished it. After weaving the strips of paper together, I die-cut it with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle. I created the SSS gnome with designer papers from Lillybee and Lawn Fawn and added 2 pieces of mesh side-by-side underneath her. I added a few Geo sparkler stickers for a little shine, but I had a difficult time getting a good photo to show the sparkle. The sentiment was done with a (r) SU! set called Tags 4 You and a matching punch, and popped up with foam dots. The inside is stamped with "there's always something to be thankful for."

I'll enter this into the following challenges:

The House that Stamps Built N1021 - use up your fall scraps

Four Seasons November Anything Goes Fall Challenge

The Paper Players PP566 Challenge - give thanks

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Thanks/Thanksgiving

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great Wednesday!

Carol

Too Much Cake

 I have a quick and easy birthday card today, made with PTI designer papers and some SU! cardstock. I used a Simon Says Stamp pre-printed sentiment along with a MFT stitched circle die to hold the cupcake - done with a Martha Stewart punch. I embossed the cupcake top with a CB flourish/swirls embossing folder and placed a little red cherry at the top in the way of a gemstone. The photo doesn't capture it, but the whole cupcake was covered with clear Wink of Stella for a little subtle shimmer. I randomly added a few clear gemstones just for fun.

I'm sharing this with the Paper Players PP564 sketch challenge

Also sharing with the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - A/G

Thanks a bunch for stopping by, I appreciate the time each and every one of you takes to come visit me :)

Carol

Little Boy's Birthday Card

There's a little young fellow I know who's going to be celebrating his 3rd birthday in a couple weeks, so I made this birthday card for him.

I die-cut a window from some retired SU! woodgrain paper with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle set and placed a snippet of PTI bitty box dsp inside. The card base is SU! Coastal Cabana and the little guy hanging out the window is from Gerda Stein - colored with Copics and fussy cut. The balloons were done with a Martha Stewart punch and tied together with twine, and I think

the sentiment is from Lawn Fawn.

I'm going to enter this into the Paper Players PP556 Tic-tac-toe challenge

I used the horizontal grid of birthday, die cut/punch, masculine

Thanks for stopping by and have yourself a great day!

Carol

Happiest Wishes

 While rummaging through my snippets box, I found this die-cut white panel just patiently waiting to be used on a card! I pulled out my SU! Bouquet Bunch and Beautiful Bouquet stamps and matching dies and made a few flowers, stems, and leaves from small snippets of cardstock in red, green and yellow. I lightly stamped the yellow flowers and red flower centers with white craft ink before cutting, then arranged them into a bouquet. Next I found a pre-printed SSS sentiment that fit perfectly on a snippet of yellow/white gingham ribbon that I wrapped around the bottom of the stems and leaves.  I added 3 tiny red gemstones and a little black & white twine bow and placed it all on a Daffodil Delight card base and called this one done.

I'm leaving the inside blank as I could use this for a birthday, anniversary, or just a happy wishes card whenever the occasion arises.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

The Paper Players PP553 color challenge using the following colors:

The Flower Challenge #59 - use a die *optional slimline

The Sisterhood of Crafters "Leaf if to Chance" (use a leaf on your creation)

The Snippets Playground Challenge #409 - must use snippets

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you're in a cool place today wherever you are. It's quite hot and steamy outside today where I live, so it's time to chill indoors!

Carol

Happy 4th of July

 Happy Independence day America!

Today I'm sharing a card made to celebrate July 4th here in the USA.

I used lots of stars and stripes to represent our flag.

The red and white stripes were made with snippets, aligned in a diagonal pattern and placed behind a white frame. The sentiment panel is a die-cut from SU! that I embossed with a square lattice ef. The word "happy" came from an Easter die set, and the "4" was cut with an Impression Obsession set of number dies and a snippet of red glitter paper. The blue stars were done with a SU! retired mini star punch, and the tiny white stars were negatives from a SSS star border die.

I'm sharing this with...

The Repeat Impressions Theme challenge J3021 - red, white, & blue

the Dies R Us Challenge #172 - a/g using dies from their store (I.O.)

the Paper Players PP548 - stars and/or stripes

Thanks for stopping by and I wish everyone a safe and happy day of celebration!

Carol

Father's Day Fishing

Several of our friends love to go fishing, so I recently bought this Newton's Nook stamp to make some father's day cards. I started with a panel of white and sponged assorted blue Distress inks all over, spritzing with water to create the water. After it dried, I stamped a Kaisercraft fishnet image over it with Versamark ink, then heat embossed it with white ep. The image panel was stamped with Versamark ink, then heat-embossed in white and colored with gel pens. I added a few clear Nuvo drops for water bubbles. The anchor was made from gold mirror cardstock and a Marianne die, and laced with some neutral twine for the finishing touch. I used Lil Inker stitched rectangle dies to cut all 3 panels.

I'll enter this into the following challenges:

the Paper Players PP544 challenge - summer; with the following mood board:

the Happy Little Stampers June watercolor challenge - a/g

NBUS #27 challenge - Newton's Nook stamp (Never Before Used Schtuff)

Thanks again as always for checking in with me and I wish you the best day possible!

Carol

 

A Flag for Memorial Day

Today here in the US we're celebrating Memorial day to honor those who have served this country. I made this flag card to remember the sacrifice so many have made in order to keep our freedom.

I used a Tim Holtz die for the flag, and then found a tiny star die and cut as many stars as I could fit onto the blue field. I coated the flag pole with wink of stella gold for some sparkle, then added copper stickles to the flag pole top. I'm sorry it's difficult to see the sparkle - we haven't seen the sun in a few days so my natural light is limited. The sentiment is probably 10 years old - from Mark's Finest Papers (they've been closed for several years now) and I heat-embossed it with white ep on a navy blue strip that was cut with a Lil Inker (also now closed) stitched die. The background was embossed with a Darice star embossing folder.

Remembering my lost family members on this day...

my father - US Navy

my uncle - US Navy

my father-in-law - US Army

my brother-in-law - US Marines

my cousin - US Army

Thanks to those who have served or currently serve. Freedom doesn't come easy.

I will enter this card into the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground #404 - must use snippets

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - anything goes

Repeat Impressions/the House that Stamps built #M2621- wet and/or dry embossing

Retro Rubber Challenge #159 - anything goes

the Paper Players PP543 - Tic-Tac-Toe challenge

(I chose diagonal left to right - blue, red, white)

 Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by.

Carol

 

Mother's Day Tulips

 Happy Tuesday everyone!

I found a strip of soft pastel striped dsp in my stash and it reminded me of spring, so I paired it with some pastel yellow cardstock and this stampendous image to make a card for mother's day. I colored the image with Copics, and added a stamped tiny butterfly from the SNSS serene silhouettes set, coloring it with Copics and a glaze pen, and adding highlights with a fine black marker. I added some clear Wink of Stella to the flowers to give them a soft shimmer, and added a SU! Teeny Tiny Wishes sentiment along with an EK bricked punched border. The image panel was die-cut with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle die.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Just Us Girls Challenge #578 Word Week - stripes

The Paper Players PP535 theme challenge - spring flowers

the Flower Challenge #55 - pretty pastels

It sure is great to see all those beautiful spring flowers blooming after such a long winter!

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to stop and smell the roses :)

Carol

Mother's Day Card

 This rose was made with a piece of dsp from the DCWV black & white paper pad. I colored the rose and leaves with Copics; heat-embossed it with clear embossing powder, and then fussy cut it. I found the pink punched border (done with a MS doily punch) in my snippet box and heat-embossed a couple black snippets of cardstock with an Anna Griffin ef, and popped the rose on top. The polka dot background is yet another piece from that DCWV black & white paper pad, and I finished this with a SU! sentiment (cut crooked again - sigh 😕) and some pink and black Nuvo dots for sparkle.

I used the Paper Players Sketch Challenge PP534 to make this card so I'll enter it over there.

Now that I'm finished making Easter cards, it's time to move onto the next occasion which is our traditional Mother's day - the first Sunday in May. It will be here before we know it!

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great Monday!

Carol

More valentine Love

 Here's another valentine I made this year, using SU! (r) dsp with itty bitty hearts to make the background along with a stitched die-cut heart. I used a nesting set of stitched heart dies to cut the larger white heart, and cut a smaller heart from it - inlaying the red heart and adding a smaller heart for the silver-embossed sentiment. The white heart was embossed with a Sunny Studios ef that has tiny little hearts. I added a little heart brad for an accent, and placed all the hearts on a silver heart-shaped paper doily I've had for eons. The little bear was made with a SSS bear hugs die and I added some silver embossed negatives for his ears and heart to match the sentiment. The "friend" sentiment was heat embossed with white on black and done with a Mark's Finest Papers (now closed) sentiment stamp.

I'll share this card with the following challenges:

Just Us Girls Challenge #570 Word Week  - Valentine

The Paper Players PP527 Challenge - Hearts and/or Stars

The Double D Challenge - Valentine Love

the Craft Rocket Challenge #78 - Love

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #672 - anything goes

Thanks so much for stopping by on Super Bowl Sunday. If you're watching the game, have fun and enjoy all those great snacks!

Stay warm!

Carol