Spring flowers

I thought it was high time to send my winter bluebird header south and substitute something more spring-like.  Violets and pansies mean spring to me, and I had found this image for my header many years ago as part of a whole blog background.  I isolated the flower part and kept a bit of the peachy background.  Then I was inspired to make a card to go along with it:

supplies: BoBunny coral dot and chiffon flourish papers, Hobby Lobby lace, Papertrey Ink "A Year of Flowers: Violets", watercolor paper and diluted distress inks, Prismacolor white colored pencil, Hero Arts CL586 XO, VersaFine onyx black ink

I stamped the flowers on watercolor paper, then mixed some distress inks to get as close as I could to the flower colors in the header.  I'd have liked them to be a bit more pale in color, but overall , I think it's a good representation of it's inspiration.  Hope this little bouquet of pansies makes you smile.  

Here in Florida we have a week of 80 degrees, with beautiful blue skies, white puffy clouds, and abundant sunshine.  My DH went into the pool today for the first time and he pronounced it "refreshing".   Life is good! Thank you for visiting today - I appreciate your sweet comments so much.  

Tuesday Trigger: Home Sweet Home

I'm sure you've seen this photo inspiration popping up everywhere - it's the Tuesday Trigger this week:

I couldn't get it out of mind, and finally I decided to make a folk-art scene, using this new Hero Arts/Operation Write Home clear set and all patterned papers:

supplies: white card base, patterned papers from October Afternoon, Jillibean Soup, K&Company, lily bee design, and crate paper, Hero Arts CL583 Right at Home, CL484 Whimsical Houses (trees), diecuts from DI003 Classic Frame (sun) and PTI clouds, Michaels  tiny heart punch

Don't you just love the sentiment?

And since I used so many patterned papers, I'll also enter my card into the Simon Says Stamp Challenge: 3 Papers.

The Cure for the Winter Blues

Over at Moxie Fab World, Cath has set us a new challenge to use the up and coming navy blue.  Several of her photo inspirations made me think of this new Hero Arts background stamp called Leaf and Floral  Background. Then I remembered thinking when I first saw it that this medallion from an older set would be a good match for it.  So here was my chance to try their pairing.  What do you think?

supplies: white and Bazzill Basics Admiral cardstocks, Hero Arts CG405 Leaf and Floral Background, CL401 Speckled Ornaments, chipped sapphire distress ink, Nesties Labels Eighteen, Recollections Floral Embellishment, 3D foam squares

Baby Blue, Orangesickle, and Basil

I have 2 cards for you today, both using the same colors, chosen by the Play Date Cafe Challenge. I found them so soothing to work with that I made a card for 2 challenges using them.  Here is the PDCC inspiration photo:

Here's my card:

supplies: white crdstock, Hero Arts pool layering paper as card base, Hero Arts CL511 Sweet Threads Thank You (flower and leaf), CL491 Made with Love (sentiment), soft apricot and soft pool shadow inks, bundled sage distress ink, VersaFine onyx black ink and clear embossing powder

I used the same colored inks for my next card, plus some design papers, for the Simon Says Stamp "3 Different Papers" challenge:

supplies: white cardstock, PTI Flower Fusion #12 stamps, soft apricot and soft pool shadow inks, bundled sage distress ink, srm sticker sentiment, papers from Hero Arts Pool Deisnger paper, BoBunny Sweet Pear Dot, and Echo Park Playground

Kissing technique

This week at Lily Pad Cards, our challenge is to use the kissing technique.  If you're not sure what I mean, it's kissing one stamp to another.  In this card, the poppy background was inked with poppy (gold) ink and the dot flower pattern with punch (red) ink.  I pressed the poppy to the dot flower stamp and then to white cardstock, and this is the result.  I like the impressionistic look of the resulting background, like a field of flowers:

supplies: white cardstock, Hero Arts PS596 punch layering paper, CG140 Poppy Background, AF181 Poppy chalk ink, CG335 Dot Flower Pattern, AF180 Punch chalk ink, CL490 Sending Smiles Messages, VersaMark ink and white embossing powder, EK Success scallop border punch, orange buttons, red & white baker's twine

We're sponsored again by Simon Says Stamp, so give this technique a try and share it with us at Lily Pad Cards to win a gift certificate! 

TWO ribbon challenges

At the Ribbon Girl Blog, there is a scrumptious selection of ribbons and lace up for grabs for the winner of their current color challenge:

Pink, brown and cream makes a beautiful combination!  And amazingly, pink and brown are the required colors for the challenge over at the Really Reasonable Ribbon challenge, too!

I used papers from My Mind's Eye Lost & Found's Madison Avenue paper pad - this was the perfect place to use this lovely pink bird on a chocolate brown background:

supplies: cream card base, MME Lost & Found Madison Avenue dps, , Die-Namics large scallop die, ivory lace, pale pink ribbon, hemp twine, pink heart buttons

It's very strange to make a card and not do any stamping, but these papers didn't need anything else; even the sentiment was already there!  I cut the card narrower to accomodate the scalloped edge and balanced it with the beautiful ivory lace.  

Our Creative Corner

There's another "black and white and a splash" color challenge over at Our Creative Corner this week.  We get to choose our "splash" color.  Here's my entry:

aupplies: white and black cardstock, BoBunny buttercup dot reverse, Hero Arts CL482 Dots and Flowers, CL497 Find Joy, Versamark ink and white embossing powder, VersaFine onyx black ink, black button, foam adhesive

Sweet Stamp Shop at Lily Pad Cards

It's time for another Virginia's View at Lily Pad Cards!

This week we're sponsored by the Sweet Stamp Shop, and each of us was given some sample stamps.  Here's what I did with mine, part of a set called "Melvin and Vernie"

supplies: white, aqua, red and brown cardstock, October Afternoon dp from "Sidewalks" collection, Sweet Stamp Shop "Melvin" and sentiment, diecuts: Sizzix Branch with Leaves, PTI clouds, Nesties Labels One, 

Be sure to visit Lily Pad Cards to see what my other teamies did this week; there's also a sketch to use, if you 'd like.  You could win a $25.00 gift certificate to Sweet Stamp Shop!!

Black and White and a Splash

I love the Play Date Cafe's challenges when we do "Black and White with a Splash"!  This time the splash is hot pink.  Here's my entry, using this gorgeous new background stamp by Hero Arts - love the script detail!

supplies: black and white cardstock, reverse of BoBunny Pink Punch dot dp, Hero Arts CG405 Leaf & Floral Background, 857773 Antique Flowers & Butterflies stamp and die, CL493 Live Life, VersaFine onyx black ink, hot pink gemstones

Here's the photo inspiration:

Ribbon Carousel challenge

There's a sketch challenge at the Ribbon Carousel Challenge, and the prize this week is from The Craft's Meow!
I used a digital Pure Innocence image, playing up the heart theme, along with some lace and twine for my entry:

supplies: white and blue cardstock, Pure Innocence digital image, watercolor pencils, Hero Arts CL272 All Occasion Messages, Sizzix embossing folder,  Nesties Labels Eighteen,  crochet lace, red and white baker's twine, Hero Arts pearl hearts

Chartreuse, gray, and lavender

Gray and lavender.........colors that I've shied away from for many years.......these were our colors for our (local) sorority at Grove City College back in the 70's, Theta Alpha Pi, and I wore them at least once a week for 3 1/2 years.   They were hard colors to wear for most of us, and thankfully at some point after I graduated, they changed the colors to burgundy and silver.   But I digress.......

The new challenge at CR84FN includes these colors plus chartreuse........here's the photo inspiration, really lovely, isn't it?

Here's my take on it:

supplies: grey cardstock, My Mind's Eye "Penny Lane" lavender and green  design papers from Hobby Lobby, Die-Namics rolled rose die, Sizzix Branch with Leaves die, Cutlebug Birds and Swirls embossing folder, Hero Arts AR127 Script Messages, pearls colored with purple marker

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here's my card for all of my wonderful blog friends out there!  To me, Valentine's Day is the day for letting my family and friends know how much I appreciate them.  Hope you pass these feelings along to those who mean something to you, also.  Wishing you lots of Valentines!!

2 challenges, paper piecing, and Purple Onion Designs stamps

This week at CAS-ual Fridays we are to make a card using paper-piecing.

I used the Purple Onion Designs stamp called Cups of Joy:

supplies: white cardstock, BoBunny Passion Fruit Dot, Buttercup Dot, and Mint Dot, POD Cups of Joy, Hero Arts CL497 Find Joy, VersaFine Onyx Black ink, Memento markers

And at Jay Gee's Nook we have this wonderful photo inspiration:

Aren't these colors wonderful?  I was inspired in particular by the dotted turtles near the bottom right corner, and here is my take on the challenge, using another POD stamp called Heart Flower and the same BoBunny design papers:

supplies: white card stock, BoBunny dot dps, Hero Arts CL184 Thoughtful Messages, VersaFine Onyx Black ink, Martha Stewart butterfly punches

Just Us Girls challenge

Here's a new challenge for me, though it's their 123rd - I've missed alot!  This week the challenge at Just Us Girls is to add buttons to the centers of any image.  Of course, I chose flowers:

supplies: white cardstock, PTI Beautiful Blooms II dies, October Afternoon text dp from The Thrift Shop, yellow, blue, coral and green Bobunny dots dp, various buttons in my collection, Sizzix Branch with Leaves die, Pink Paislee sentiment from Butterfly Garden, VersaFine onyx black ink

Also skidding in at the last minute to enter the Moxie Fab World's Cool Tool's Die Cutting Challenge.

CASE Study #77

Another challenge I've missed is Case Study.  This month our muse is Karola Witczak and here is her inspiration for us this week:

Here's my take on it.  I kept my card at an A2 size, but followed her recipe pretty much everywhere else.

  

supplies: ivory and pale green cardstock, watercolor paper, papers from The Girls' Paperie, Hero Arts CG403 Large Flower Background, CL444 Sending Smiles, CL281 Whimsical Frames, Versafine onyx black ink, Hero soft blossom shadow ink, Memento Angel Pink marker and coordinating PrismaColor pencil for shading, Die-namics Decorative Doily and Sizzix Branch with Leaves dies, aqua ribbon, pale blue pearls

A reject

As some of my Hero Hostess Sistas have been doing, I'd like to share a card I made to submit to the recent Paper Craft Magazine Stamp It! Vol 9 submission call.  I really liked this card, but it didn't work for them this time.

supplies: Hero Carnation layering paper, ivory parchment cardstock, watercolor paper, Hero Arts CG335 Dot Flower Pattern, CG403 Large Flower Background, CL272 All Occasion Messages, VersaFine onyx black ink and spun sugar and shabby shutters distress inks for watercoloring, Memento Angel Pink marker to shade flower, Nesties Labels Eighteen dies, seam binding dyed with spun sugar, Sizzix swiss dot embossing folder, sand paper

The flower is part of a big background stamp that is fairly new to Hero Arts, called Large Flower Background, stamped on watercolor paper, then painted in using diluted distress inks, with a little marker to shade it.

This fits nicely into the Our Creative Corner challenge this week:"Best Friends", to make a card for a friend which includes a flower.  

Play Date Cafe

I've been neglecting my favorite challenges, but now I have the time to play again.  Here are the happy colors that the Play Date Cafe has chosen for us this week!

And here's my card:

supplies: bright yellow-gold and sky blue cardstock, BoBunny Blueberry Flourish dp, Hero Arts AC010 Le Journal and matching die D1003 Classic Frame, 65773 Antique Flowers & Butterflies stamps and dies, CL584 Friend You're the Best, Nesties Labels Eight, Bright blue gems, adhesive foam squares

This also works in the die-cuts and Friends themes at the Hero Arts monthly challenge.

Flourishes Noon Time Challenge

supplies: black and pale pink cardstock, Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden Collection, Penny Black 30-067 To You, Nestabilities Ovals and Scalloped Ovals dies, Martha Stewart Monarch butterfly punch, Cuttlebug Victoria embossing folder

At the Flourishes blog, yesterday's noontime challenge was to make a card based on a photo inspiration.

Day Five: Papertrey Ink and Pinterest

Today's challenge at Papertrey Ink's blog is to choose one of the DT's Pinterest inspirations and create a card from it.  Again I chose Jessica Witty's inspiration:

These colors are scrumptious, aren't they?  According to Jessica, they are little containers of sequins.  To reflect that shine, I used a big green or aqua gem in the center of my die-cut flowers (PTI's Beautiful Blooms II).  All of the papers are BoBunny double dots, except for 1 Bazzill dot:

supplies: white cardstock, BoBunny double dots and Bazzill dots papers, PTI Beautiful Blooms II flower die,  Hero Arts CL184 Thoughtful Messages, mid-tone pool shadow ink, Reflections mint and aqua adhesive rhinestones


And I'm adding this to Moxie Fab World's Cool Tool's Week Die Cutting challenge.  

Hero Arts February challenge

supplies: blue, brown, and spring green cardstock, Hero Arts CG291 Three Dotted Flowers, CG405 Leaf and Floral Background, CL564 Friend You're the Best, Hero Hues Cerulean chalk ink, Memories Artprint Brown ink, Nesties Labels Eighteen, K&Company "Roam" fabric covered brads

I made this card for the challenge at Hero Arts for February.  There are lots of categories to choose from : Friendship or Hello cards, using die-cuts, or following one of 3 sketches.  My card was entirely influenced by the brads I just bought, which are a springy green, a dusty blue, and chocolate brown.  I used 2 new stamps and one of my favorites from last year, the 3 Dotted Flowers.

Spring Flowers

Here's another entry for today's Papertrey Ink color swatch challenge.  I chose Jessica Witty's colors shown above this time:

supplies: parchment card, Hero Arts pool designer paper, chocolate brown cardstock, Nesties Labels Four, PTI Friendship Jar Spring Filler, VersaFine onyx black ink, Memento markers in new sprout, canteloupe, and tangelo, Prismacolor pencils for shading, aqua ribbon, 3D foam squares

Happy Anniversary Papertrey Ink!

Papertrey Ink is celebrating it's FIFTH anniversary!  And they have been blowing us out of the water each day with their fabulous giveaways......today is all about their wonderful colors and we have been challenged to choose a favorite color swatch from one of their designers. I chose Melissa Phillips':

Here is my entry using these colors and the PTI set called "Year of Flowers: Violets":

supplies: white card, KI Memories striped design paper, BoBunny pink dps, Core'dinations aged mahogany cardstock, light and medium green cardstock, PTI Year of Flowers: Violets stamps, VersaFine onyx black ink, Basics dark pink rhinestones, Prismacolor pencil, and Memento marker for shading

Violets and pansies have lots of sentimental meaning to me, so this was a must-have set when it first appeared - even the sentiment in this set is a lovely one!  

My Mind's Eye challenge #32

I can finally play at the My Mind's Eye monthly challenge, now that I'm getting some My Mind's Eye paperpads - thank you Archivers and Hobby Lobby!   We're following a sketch, see below - here's my entry, using some papers from the new Be Happy pad and some older ones,and some matching brads.  I LOVE that the papers coordinate from one collection to another!!

supplies: cream card, design papers from MME's Follow Your Heart Be Happy, Lost & Found Market Street and Madison Avenue, brads from Follow Your Heart Be Happy, PTI  Beautiful Blooms II flower dies, Hero Arts sentiment from AR130 Handwritten  Messages, Versafine onyx black ink, BoBunny frost dot paper and pink cardstock, EK Success scallop border punch, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, pale blue pearls

Here's the sketch:

Memory Box Blog Blitz

supplie: white card, Memory box papers from the Minuet and Valise collections, #98160 die Perched Reed Bird, JoAnn organdy ribbon, Hero Arts sentiment from CL583 Right at Home, aged mahogany distress ink, blue pearl eye

Just sharing a card I made for the Blog Blitz over at Outside the Box blog.  We are to make a card and use at least 1 Memory Box stamp or die.  I don't have any of my stamps here with me, but I did order this amazing little Perched Reed Bird die after taking the Clean and Simple class online.  And I have some beautiful Memory Box papers here too, so this is what I came up with.  Julie Ebersole used this idea of the negative image of the die in the left corner, popping the design paper panel above it.

This fits into the Moxie Fab World's Cool Tool's Week: Die Cutting Challenge, too, so I'm entering it there.

A challenge at Flourishes

It's been too long since I played one of Flourishes challenges, and though I don't have any of their stamps here with me in Florida, they say it's okay to use anything we have to play along; I so appreciate that, as many other challenges don't extend that courtesy!  This week our challenge is to make a card using Black and White and 1 other color as a pop.  Here's my entry:

supplies: white cardstock, Webster's Pages black script design paper, Doodlebug Designs Cupcake grid design paper, Hero Arts S5101 Raindrop Background, PTI Spring Jar Fillers, and tiny tags die, Versafine onyx black ink and clear embossing powder, Michael's pink gingham ribbon

Bugaboo Digital stamps at Lily Pad Cards

Hi!   Today is another one of our color challenges at Lily Pad Cards!

Our sponsor is Bugaboo Digi Stamps - please visit and see all the fun things they have there.  I chose to work with an image called "Scene It - Ladybugs":

other supplies: white cardstock, design papers from Doodlebug Designs "sweet cakes" paper pad, and Bo Bunny double dots, Nesties Labels Eight, Prismacolor pencils and Memento dual markers, Hero Arts CL434 Just Find Me, Sizzix embossing folder, hot pink gems

The fun thing about a digital image is that you can make it any size you want!  Go on over to Lily Pad Cards - I can't wait for you to see what all the other DTs did with these fun colors - I know you'll be wowed!

CR84FN

It's been way too long since I've played at the CR84FN challenge.  Here's the colors for this week:

I just got this sweet Pure Innocence stamp set from My Favorite Things and I had lots of fun coloring it for this challenge:

supplies: white cardstock, design papers from Echo Park's Country Drive and Prima Madeline paper pads, Sizzix embossing folder, MFT Blooming Good Day, Versafine onyx black ink, tumbled glass distress ink, Nesties ovals and scalloped ovals, Prismacolor watercolor pencils, Signo white pen,  pink gingham ribbon from Michaels, red button