CAS-ual Fridays - a long tall card

CAS-ual Fridays has challenged us to make a CAS card that is 4" wide and 9" long.  Here's my entry, using a digital stamp from Jen Allyson in her Vanity Fair Persimmon set that I found it at Design House Digital.  I elongated it to fit this card before I printed it.

supplies: white card stock, digital image, watercolor pencils, Hero Arts CL491 Made with Love, versafine onyx black ink


This will work for Jay Gee Nook's challenge, using purple, the Moxie Fab World's "Fanatical About Botanical" challenge, and also Simon Says Stamp and Show's "Anything Goes" challenge.

Another quilt card

At the Our Daily Bread Designs Blog, there is a sketch challenge:

I went literal again, and made a quilt using the papers from My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose "Hattie" pad, and added in some hearts to go along with my sentiment.  I only have 3 sets of Our Daily Bread Designs stamps (and one of them is a Christmas one), so the word "Love" is the only stamp that would work on this card.

supplies: aqua and kraft card stock, My Mind's Eye "Hattie" paper pad, Paper Shapers 1 1/4" square punch, EKSuccess country heart punch, Sizzix Swirly Vines with Hearts embossing folder, Our Daily Bread Designs 1 Corinthians  stamp, Hero Arts CL272 All Occasion Messages, Versafine Deep Lagoon ink


I'm entering this into the Simply Scrapping Crafts challenge: No Cream or White, and into the  Simon Says Stamp and Show: Anything Goes challenge.

The evolution of a card

Hi!  I love playing at the Play Date Cafe challenges - their colors are always fun.  Here is this week's photo inspiration.  Be sure to go look at the DT examples - and check out Sav's take on them:

When I make a card, unless I have a specific image in mind, I often start by looking through my design papers and card stock to pull the colors for the challenge.  In this case, right away I went to this beautiful K&Company butterfly paper that has the colors required, plus cream and chocolate brown.  I wish I could show you how pretty it is - the gold swirls in it are very slightly glittered.  In the same pack was the coral and pink plaid.  I liked them both against this pale gold parchment paper, so that was my card base, and then I just added a shell pink.  Because of the chocolate in the main panel, I ended up framing each of the other panels in chocolate cardstock.  Here was my first version:

The more I looked at it, that ribbon looked too bright and too thin, so off it came and I made a new sentiment panel and placed it to the right:

Then I placed it to the left:

supplies: dark cream parchment, pale pink, and chocolate card stocks, BoBunny flamingo dot (reverse), K&Company "Garden Party" design papers, Hero Arts CL166 SparkleClear Special Friend, Memento Artprint Brown ink, Nesties labels eight die,  Martha Stewart small Monarch butterfly punch, gold pearls

I don't know........I'm confused.........what do you think?

Once again, I'm entering this into the "Anything Goes" challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show.

CASE Study

Hi everyone!  Happy Weekend!

Here is Dawn's final card for us this month at CASE Stidu.  I love this sketch!

We have so many daisy-like flowers blooming in our gardens right now: coneflowers, black-eyed susans, and of course good old daisies, everyone's happy flower.  I recently was at a funeral for my 89 year old aunt, and there was a simple vase of daisies from her high school best friends; so very charming in all the sea of huge arrangements.  So anyway, here's my take on Dawn's card:

:
supplies: white and yellow card stock, Hero Arts CL304 A Million Thanks, S5507 Envelope Pattern, versafine onyx black ink, mustard seed distress ink, green and yellow watercolor pencils, liquid pearls, Martha Stewart doily punch, EK Success corner rounder


And again, I'm entering this into the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge.

Tuesday Trigger

Here's our Trigger at Moxie Fab World.  Lovely soft colors, aren't they?

I focused on the colors and the motif for my entry.  I was clueless for a sentiment until I saw Cath's title: "Squares to Cherish", so "cherish" it was.

supplies: white and pale aqua card stock, plum, teal, light green and pink dotted papers, Spellbinders Fleur de Lis small pendant, Sizzix Swiss Dot embossing folder, Hampton Art sentiment, dove grey organza ribbon (thanks, Mary Anne AGAIN)


This is being entered also into the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge: Anything Goes.

Lily Pad Cards July Inspirational Challenge

Each month at Lily Pad Cards, we have an inspirational challenge.   We can pick anything we've seen at Lily Pad Cards, either on the blog itself or one of the challenge entries.  This month I chose Nona's card from last month's inspirational card entries.

I loved everything about Nona's card: the brown stamping on kraft for the background, the white stitching and sentiment, and of course her gorgeously colored flower and bee.  She used Shari Carroll's technique of watercoloring with distress inks mixed with Perfect Pearls and water, and I did the same.   I used the same kraft background and white accents, but changed up my stamps and colors and added some punched edges.

supplies: kraft and white card stock, BoBunny tutu dot design paper, punched with Martha Stewart doily edge punch, Hero Arts CG222 Music Background, Anita's Teddy Bear brown ink, CL322 Artistic Flowers, versafine onyx black ink, colored with bundled sage, spun sugar, worn lipstick and victorian velvet distress inks mixed with Perfect Pearls and water, CL380 Truly Appreciated, (sentiment), versamark ink and white embossing powder, Martha Stewart monarch butterfly punch, white gel pen for faux stitching, pink gems


Please visit the Lily Pad Cards blog to see what the other DT members did this week!  There's a prize from Simon Says Stamp up for grabs!

I'm also entering this into the "Anything Goes" challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show.

Heart Banner

Here's another entry for Simply Scrapping Crafts "Banner" challenge, using 2 sets of Purple Onion Designs stamps.  Such whimsical images, don't you agree?  They are such fun to play with!

supplies: blue card base, various design papers from Crate Paper "Emma's Shoppe", Pink Paislee "Hometown Summer", Echo Park "A Walk in the Park" and a digital gingham, Purple Onion Designs stamps Hearts on a String and The Bird House, Hero Arts AR137 Script Messages, versafine onyx black ink, Dienamics cloud die (thanks Carol)


This will also be entered into the "Anything Goes" challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show.

Black and White

Good morning!  I have another entry for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge this week.  I'm finding it's VERY difficult for me to use JUST these 2 colors without adding another.  My sentiment is the famous "to every thing there is a season" scripture, from  Ecclesiastes 3.

supplies: black and white cardstock, white velllum, Hero Arts S5324 Simple Frame, CG291 Three Dotted Flowers, Our Daily Bread "Randi's Song" (Eccl.3:1 - 8), Verve #VS-0144 Bloom & Grow (leaves), versamark and white embossing powder, versafine onyx black ink and clear embossing powder


Also entering this into the Simon Says Stamp and Show Anything Goes challenge.

Banners

Here's an entry in the "banners" category for this month's Simply Scrapping Crafts challenge, again using lots of patterned papers.  I had lots of fun with this one!

supplies: white cardstock, design papers from My Little Shoebox (clouds), October Afternoon (green check), and Echo Park "A Walk in the Park" (banners), Hero Arts CL475 Friendly Flags, CL139 Birthday Messages, CL151 Share Laughter (butterfly), Paper Smooches Birthday Buddies, Jillibean twine


I'm also entering this into the "Anything Goes" challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show.

Oh Baby

Boy, did this one take on a life of its own!  I saw 2 challenges that I wanted to enter, and I thought I'd try and combine them.  They are The City Crafter Challenge: Vintage Garden, based on this photo inspiration, which I fell in love with:

 And the Ribbon Carousel Challenge, which I found at Sav's blog - she's a Design Team member.  Their challenge is called "A Stitch in Time".  So I thought I'd make one of my paper quilts.  I pulled out some pink, green and blue pastel papers, and one thing led to another, and before I knew it, I had created this baby quilt:

Here's the way I do it.  I punch out my squares using a 1 1/4" punch, then glue them to a piece of cardstock which is 5 X 3 3/4".  That is run through the cuttlebug in this cute Sizzix little flower embossing folder.  Then I attached baby ric rac to cover all the seams.  That panel was then machine zig-zagged onto the card base.  Then I added the paper flowers and buttons to the corners and put the sentiment inside some nesties scalloped hearts. Here's a detail to show you the cute embossing, which gives the illusion of quilting.

supplies: white card stock, squares of yellow, green, pink and blue pastel ginghams, dots, and ditzy prints, Sizzix "flowers" embossing folder, white baby ric rac, Hero Arts spring buttons and art flowers, thread, Nesties scalloped heart dies, Hero Arts CL137 Small Variety Alphabet, worn lipstick, broken china, mustard seed, and shabby shutters distress inks, tiny heart buttons


Again, I'm entering this into the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge: Anything Goes.

Lots of Patterned Paper

As I said on my previous post for this Embellish Magazine challenge, I love these colors together.  For this entry I used more of the same My Mind's Eye stripe, but added in some patterned papers from Memory Box "Valise" and Stella & Rose "Hattie" papers, along with some ribbon and some die cuts:

supplies: camel, medium, and dark brown card stock, Design papers from My Mind's Eye "Four Mile Stripe" and Stella & Rose "Hattie" paper pad and Memory Box "Valise",  teal dotted ribbon from Kath, Making Memories velvet brads from Mary Anne, Martha Stewart doily edge punch, Papertrey Ink flower dies, Sizzix Branch with Leaves die, Nesites label four die, Papertrey Ink Friendship Jar (sentiment), Versafine Deep Lagoon ink

I'll also be entering this into the Verve July Diva challenge: Sentimental About Paper and the Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge: Anything Goes.  

Stampin' Sisters in Christ

The challenge is to make a card showing the sharp contrast of black and white at Stampin' Sisters in Christ.. Here is my simple entry:

supplies: white and black cardstock, Hero Arts CG176 Butterfly Field, E5388 Traditional Butterfly, Flourishes Lenten Rose set, versafine onyx black ink, glue pen and glitter, clear gems


I'm also entering this into the "Anything Goes" challenge at  Simon Says Stamp and Show.

Embellish Magazine challenge

Embellish Magazine's newest challenge is really appealing to me!  Here's the photo inspiration showing the colors we're to use;  the other requirement is to use patterned paper.

Here's my entry - I ADORE these colors together; they're so rich!

supplies: kraft,camel and dark brown card stock, Design Papers from My Mind's Eye "Four Miles Stripe" (I buy it by the ton at Hobby Lobby) and Stella & Rose Hattie pad, Hero Arts CL495 Blossom Art, CL493 Live Live, Anita's Teddy Bear ink, Papertrey Ink flower die, brown fabric flower, gold pearls, Sizzix Branch with Leaves die, EK Success diamond scallop edge punch, machine-stitch zig-zag


And again, I'm entering this into Simon Says Stamp and Show's challenge: Anything Goes.

Yellow, pink and bright pink

Here are the lovely colors for the challenge at CR84FN:

This all came together for me when I remembered the lovely printed yellow paper from Crate Paper's Emma's Shoppe Collection::

supplies: pale pink and bright pink card stock, Crate Paper Emma's Shoppe Collection, unknown bright pink dp, nesties circle and scalloped circle,  wide pink gingham ribbon, Papertrey Ink flower dies, pale yellow button


Also entering this into the "Anything Goes" challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show.

Digital Botanical Butterfly

I know, I know......you thought you'd seen the last of me for the Moxie Fab World Botanical challenge.  I thought I was finished, too.  Then Karen posted this gorgeous digital butterfly on The Background Fairy blog, and my mind just clicked, remembering those butterfly pillows that Cath showed us.  So here is my final card for the challenge - I think.  The background is also digital, but the sentiment is stamped.

supplies: white and turquoise card stock, digital images from The Graphics Fairy, see above,  and Lesley Grainger's digital kit "Daisy Days", a free kit  from TwoPeas, sentiment is The Craft's Meow "Simply Delightful" set

Susan Branch stickers

Here's another card for CAS-ual Friday; we are to use stickers or rub-ons in our cards. I've used 3 stickers from some old Susan Branch scrapbooking kits, adding only the stamped birds and the ribbon and button to this one.

supplies: white card stock, Susan Branch checked border sunflower fence and "summer" sentiment, all stickers, Lawn Fawn "Bannerific" birds, gold card stock, gold satin ribbon, brown button, thread


I've been a fan of Susan's work forever - I have her illustrations for recipes cut out from old Country Living magazines, many of her books, some fabric, and these scrapbook items.  She has just started a blog, and posts several times a week.  I highly recommend it first thing in the morning to get your day started with a smile!

Stamp-a-Faire challenge #2

Eeek!  I just remembered Papertrey's challenges today, and so I'm rushing this.  Here is my card for challenge #2, to use hot pink and charcoal grey.  I can't believe I just bought this charcoal yesterday when I was buying paper supplies!

supplies: white, charcoal and hot pink card stock, unknown hot pink flowered print, Papertrey Ink flower dies, charcoal button and thread, EK Success diamond scallop edge punch, Sizzix  embossing folder, Papertrey sentiment from "Embellishments" set, versafine onyx black ink

Monochromatic Botanical

In case you hadn't noticed, I've been submitting lots of cards to Moxie Fab World's "Fanatical about Botanical" challenge.  I can't help it, these are the images that make me happy.  But so far I haven't done anything that is all stamped, so that was my goal with this card.  This Decorative Birds stamp from 2007 is an old favorite, and I think it fits the bill quite nicely.  Everything is stamped using bundled sage distress ink - isn't it a lovely color?

supplies: white card stock, Hero Arts K4892 CardArt Decorative Birds, S5507 Envelope Pattern, versamark ink and clear embossing powder, K5354 French Post, pinkpaislee 00445 Impressions (card border), bundled sage distress ink, pale pink gems


The birds image was stamped in Versamark ink, clear embossed, and then rubbed with bundled sage distress ink.  That panel was then edged with more of the same bundled sage.  Then I overstamped the envelope pattern for some subtle texture, and the French script for a watermark look.  The white card was stamped along the edges with the leaf motif from the pinkpaislee Impressions set before affixing the panel to it.  I love the toile-like effect it gives.  To finish,  I added some tiny pink gemstones to the centers of the flowers.

CAS-ual Fridays #12

At CAS-ual Fridays, the challenge this week is to make a CAS card using stickers or rub-ons.  I'm delighted to play because I have some beautiful stickers that I've collected down through the years, but hardly ever use.  This one is from the Dollar Tree from a company called Miss Elizabeth.  Sadly, at least in our local store, these can no longer be found.  I love this particular set, because of my favorite blues.

supplies: white and periwinkle card stock, Miss Elizabeth "Hydrangeas" stickers, Papertrey Ink Friendship Jar Spring Fillers, tiny tags die cut, blue gingham ribbon, tiny button, thread, Nesties Labels One


It doesn't get much simpler than this - the hardest part was threading that tiny button and attaching it to the tiny bow!

Friendly Daisies

Another one for the Moxie Fab World's Botanical challenge, this one a bit more modern looking.  I was inspired by this picture at MFW:

supplies: white cardstock, Outlines daisy stamp, worn lipstick, spiced marmalade and mustard seed distress inks, Northwoods sentiment stamp, versafine onyx black ink and clear embossing powder, vellum, yellow ric-rac


I stamped this daisy stamp 3 times, using worn lipstick, spiced marmalade and mustard seed distress inks, then cut each one into 6 equal pieces and reassembled it in tiles on a white card.  Vellum seemed the best way to add the sentiment, and the yellow ric-rac just adds to the summery feel.

....and a splash of Hot Pink

If you're here to see my card from Lily Pad Cards today, please scroll down one post - thanks!

I have come to love and look forward to the Play Date Cafe's Splash challenges, to use black and white with a splash of another color.  This week we get to choose our splash.  I chose hot pink.  And since this uses lots of flowers, I'm also entering it into the Moxie Fab World Botanical challenge.  Here's my card:

supplies: white, black, and hot pink card stock, Hero Arts CL479 Dictionary Greetings, CL490 Sending Smiles Messages, versamark ink and white embossing powder, E3346 Zinnia Bloom, versafine onyx black ink, black button, white thread, pop dot


I stamped the zinnia bloom repeatedly on the card and twice on the pink card stock, cutting them out and popping 1 above the other, adding a black button to the center.

Sunshine Quilt

Here is my card for this week's Lily Pad Cards challenge.  I'm afraid that I didn't follow Lucy's sketch very well - the only thing that translated from it was the stars!  I think Miss Lucy would give me a failing grade on following directions..... Here is her sketch:

Each of the DT members got a beautiful set of The Craft's Meow stamps.  I received this set called "Baggin' Some Rays".  I LOVE it, thanks, Lisa!  After playing around a bit, I decided to use just 2 of the 5 variations of this star/sun and make a quilt.  I love the secondary pattern that results. Here is my first version:

But it was kind of plain to me, so I added some more coordinating centers to the stars and here is my final result:

supplies: gold card base, design papers from Jenni Bowlin "Naptime" (background) and October Afternoon "The Thrift Shop" and "Fly a Kite" (star centers), The Craft's Meow "Baggin' Some Rays", versafine onyx black ink


Be sure and visit the DT's blogs to see what they did with other The Craft's Meow sets: Alice, Deborah, Latrice, Nancy, Pia, Sarah, Suzanne, and Vicky.  And then please come play along with us - there's a Craft's Meow set of stamps up for grabs!

Pink Dream

For this entry into Verve's July Diva challenge, I used a sentiment from their Believe set, which contains many lovely sentiments for breast cancer survivors and awareness.  I think it would speak to anyone, though, who needs some support.  And of course, I had to make it in pink.  The challenge is to use some of our hoarded favorite papers, and I did; these are some of my favorites : Pink Paislee's "Sweetness" (the roses), girls' paperie "vintage whimsy", and BoBunny "tutu dot", along with some hand-dyed seam binding to match.  I love how this turned out.

 supplies: cream parchment cardstock, design papers above, Verve #VS-09-046 Believe, versafine onyx black ink, nesties labels one, winter white seam binding dyed with antique linen and spun sugar distress inks, pink button, natural twine


Because of these lovely roses, I'm also entering this into Moxie Fab World's "Fanatical about Botanical" challenge.

Secret Garden

Here's another entry for the Moxie Fab World's Botanical challenge. Another easy one; this time I used part of the wallpaper from my "girlie" room at home, some gorgeous pink and cream cabbage roses.  Again I used the beautiful frame stamp (here it makes me think of an old iron gate, with the roses peaking out), and added a sentiment that seems to go with the feel of the card, and a felt die-cut rose and seam binding.  I think this gives a kind of "Secret Garden" feel, do you think so?:

supplies: pink card, piece of wallpaper border, K&Company Watercolor Bouquet paper (green), Hero Arts S5324 Simple Frame, CL156 Treasure the moments, versafine onyx black ink, DieNamics large rolled rose die, pink felt, seam binding dyed with antique linen


I'd also like to enter this into Verve Stamps: July Diva challenge, to show our hoarded papers and to showcase a sentiment.

Fanatical about Botanical

There's a challenge at Moxie Fab World called "Fanatical About Botanical"; right up my alley, as I love all things natural, flowers, birds, butterflies.  I hope to enter this challenge several times.  For this first one, I went the easy route, using as my main image a K&Co.diecut from their Watercolor collection; I just stamped the frame and the sentiment:

supplies: cream parchment card, Bo Bunny baby blue dot and Anna Griffin design papers, Hero Arts S5324 Simple Frame, CL476 With Sympathy, versafine onyx black ink, K&Company Watercolor Bouquet diecut

Craft's Meow sketch challenge for July

Today I'm showing you my 2nd entry into the Craft's Meow sketch challenge.   Here is the sketch:

And here's my card using it almost completely, using my favorite complementary colors.  The star and sentiment are from Craft's Meow "Baggin' Some Rays" clear set:

supplies: cream parchment card stock, BoBunny frost dot and buttercup dot, My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose Mabel design papers,  doodlebug designs tangerine daisy, Craft's Meow "Baggin' Some Rays" sun and sentiment, broken china distress ink and Palette burnt umber ink, tiny orange buttons, turquoise embroidery floss, corner rounder, nesties circles and scalloped circles

Sentimental about paper

Before we get started, I'd like to apologize to you all for not being a good commenter on your blogs this past month or so.  It seems we've been running over to my folks' every week - first for their 66th anniversary, then 2 funerals for 2 of my aunts, and then last weekend a wedding reception in the family........endings and beginnings.   I think we're home for awhile now, and I hope to get back into my regular schedule.  Thanks for bearing with me.

The July Diva Dare at Verve Stamps is to make a project using design papers and only Verve sentiments.  Here's my entry, using papers from jillibean soup and the sentiment from the Bloom & Grow set:

supplies: white cardstock, jillibean soup "Blossom Soup" and "Dutch Mustard Soup" and pink and brown dot from girls' paperie, Verve #VS-0144 Bloom & Grow, nesties classic circles, pink and yellow buttons, corner rounder, Martha Stewart doily punch


And I'd also like to enter this into wee Memories CAS challenge.

Tiny Tia

This week's challenge at Lily Pad Cards is to use patriotic colors.  The DT were each given our choice of a digital stamp from Some Odd Girl and I chose this cute little "Tiny Tina Bow" girl.  Knowing that we'd have lots of red, white, and blue I came about this in a different direction.  I've been loving using the colors yellow and aqua, so I went searching for a national flag that uses those colors.  And amazingly, with the addition of red, it's Aruba!  I have fond memories of a little vacation in Aruba when our youngest son played a soccer tournament there in 1994.  Here is their flag:

And here's my take on the colors. I added the basket of flowers to help bring in some red:

supplies: white cardstock, "Tiny Tia Bow" from Some Odd Girl digital stamps, Hero Arts CL444 Sending Smiles (basket of flowers), CL169 SparkleClear Happy Thoughts (sentiment), versafine onyx black ink, design papers from My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose "Mabel" and DCWV "Garden Party" pads, Nestabilities Labels Four, Prismacolor pencils, EK Success flower punches, tiny buttons

Flower Power

Here's the gorgeous photo inspiration at this week's Shabby Tea Room:

Literal Lin decided to try and stamp most of the picture, and I used a real mix of lots of different brands of stamps, some of them really ancient.

supplies: peachy-pink, white and tan cardstock, Sugarloaf Whispers 6-pane shadow stamp, stampology onyx ink, Hero Arts CG215 Wreath of Leaves, peeled paint and shabby shutters distress inks, Judith rose stamp and Delta Solidago Sprig, worn lipstick distress ink, Lawn Fawn Bannerific (birds), versafine onyx black ink on My Mind's Eye Gertie design paper, Papertrey Ink Vintage Picnic sentiment, barn door distress ink, natural twine, seam binding dyed with worn lipstick distress ink, Memory Box tiny red pearls


I'm entering this into the Stamp It! Cards at the Moxie Fab World challenge.  And just realized that this will also fit into Mona's current CR84FN challenge, to use red, pink, and a neutral.   Here's the inspiration for that challenge:

Some rejects

I am so pleased to tell you that I entered some cards into the latest call at Paper Crafts magazine for their January/February issue, and they chose one of them!  So Thursday was a BIG SMILES day, as my friend Karen would say, when I got that happy email!  This will be my first ever publication and I am over the moon!  What makes it really special is that in the same issue will be cards from Savannah, who encouraged me to enter, and 2 of my Hero Arts Hostess sistas, Virginia and Sarah. 

One of the categories was sketches, and I really enjoyed playing with them,  Here are 2 cards I made with their sketch #1, which were not chosen:

This makes me think of a group of hollyhocks - I love how it turned out!

I stamped a butterfly trail on the back of the kraft panel to guide my stitching, then turned it over and added the other elements from the sketch.