My November Favorites

Time for my monthly favorites post - Christmas is taking over!

As always, thanks for your visit!

A Card for Thanksgiving

Just popping in with a Thanksgiving card for you.  I pray that you spend the day with someone you love.

supplies: brown and orange sherbet cardstock, Concord & 9th Thankful Leaves Turnabout stamp set, sentiment from Fun Stampers Journey Thankful Friends, Altenew mini ink cubes, Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangle die, Simon's Gold embossing powder

Don't eat too much!

Simon Says..........Anything Goes

Happy Wednesday - welcome to our challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog!

It's Anything Goes this week, and the team is playing with Penny Black products!  

supplies: white, Schoolhouse Red, and Surf Blue cardstock, Penny Black Sharing a Song clear stamp, Pink & Main Holly Jolly sentiment, Nuvo pens, tumbled glass distress ink, Simon's Falling Snow stencil and Stitched Rectangle die, Nuvo Moonstone glimmer paste

Now it's your turn!  We have a $50.00 gift certificate 

to the amazing Simon Says Stamp store for 1 lucky random winner of this week's challenge!  

Galaxy Christmas Cards

Hi crafters!  I had so much fun making my card for last week's Simon Wednesday Challenge, that I went to town and inked some more of these galaxy backgrounds, then made them into Christmas cards.

supplies: white card base, watercolor paper, silver glitter paper, distress oxide inks (lucky clover, salty ocean, wilted violet, blueprint sketch, faded jeans), white acrylic paint for "stars", Penny Black Hope is Born woodblock stamp, star from Simon's (retired) Holy Couple and Barn dies, VersaMark ink and white embossing powder

And another variation:

supplies: white cardstock, watercolor paper, same distress oxide inks as above, flicks of diluted white acrylic paint, Impression Obsession Glory to God, (retired) Hero Arts Greatest Gift silhouette, VersaMark ink and white embossing powder, VersaFine Onyx Black ink

I used the smooth side of the watercolor paper for the first card, and the bumpy side for the second.  The inks blend equally well on both, using my fabulous new blending brushes!

HERE's another variation from last Wednesday.

Thanks for stopping by - have a great week!

Snowflake Joy

Still in love with my new alphabet dies!  Here's a red and white snowflake card using them.

supplies: white and Lipstick Red cardstock, dps from (retired) Echo Park Celebrate Winter pad, PinkFresh Studio Adore Alphabet dies, Memory Box bow die from Precious Hearts, stamped sentiment from Wplus9 Hand Lettered Holiday, snowflake dies from Concord and 9th Take a Bough set, Hero Arts red metallic dots

I used my alphabet dies to cut out the word from the striped paper, then layered it over the snowflake paper, and lined the letters with white - the skinny outlines are part of this alphabet set!

As always, thanks for stopping by today!

All is Calm

I thought this lovely Pine Frame die would be a nice addition to my goodies, and it just arrived a few days ago.   Today I mixed it with some older supplies and made 2 cards.

supplies: white and Sea Glass cardstock, Wplus9 Pine Frame cover die, a stitched oval die, Stampendous (retired) Snowy Postcard cling stamp, evergreen bough and pine needles distress oxide inks, tumbled glass distress ink, Lipstick Red ink, blending brushes,sentiment from Mark's Finest Papers (retired) All is Calm, adhesive foam squares

For this card, I decided to use an old favorite Christmas scene in the center. I stamped it, then trimmed out an oval that fit nicely inside this cover die, sponged on some tumbled glass in the sky area and stamped my sentiment.   After sponging the pine frame with distress inks, I splattered some white diluted paint across the surface as "snow", then adhered the oval die to the center.   And I popped the frame above my card base for a little shadow interest.

Next, I used a larger sentiment and some dies in the center of my card.  The pine sprig dies are also a part of the frame set, a nice little extra.

supplies: white, Audrey Blue, Peacock Teal, and Schoolhouse Red cardstock, Wplus9 Pine Frame cover die and pine branches dies, Memory Box (retired) Perched Bird die, sentiment from Penny Black Season's Wishes clear stamps, Lipstick Red ink

It's nice that this frame die can be used vertically or horizontally, and all throughout the year, not just for the holidays.  

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Simon Says...........Starry, Starry Night

Happy Wednesday - welcome to our challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog!

Our theme this week is a fun one - Starry, Starry Night!  And the team will be showcasing Stampendous products.  

My first thought when I saw the theme was a galaxy background.  I've never attempted one before, but I'm really pleased with my results!

supplies: watercolor card, glitter card for star, dark green cardstock, distress oxide inks (wilted violet, lucky clover, blueprint sketch, salty ocean, and an overlay of faded jeans), Stampendous Light and Hope sentiment, star from Simon's (retired) Holy Couple & Barn dies, Tim Holtz Tree Line die, diluted gesso to splatter "stars"

I don't know why I waited so long to try this technique, but it was lots of fun to learn!  I used the same stamp set that our guest designer Sue used - be sure to visit her blog to see her beautiful designs using it.

Now it's your turn!  We have a $50.00 gift certificate 

to the amazing Simon Says Stamp store for 1 lucky random winner of this week's challenge!  

Woodland Christmas

Here's a Christmas card using all dies.  This woodland style is a favorite of mine!

supplies: Audrey Blue, Schoolhouse Red, kraft, and white cardstock, Lawn Fawn Snow Day dp, Simon's Birch Tree Window, Retro Deer, and Tiny Words Christmas, Impression Obsession bird dies

I had actually put together this inner panel last year, and all it needed was a sentiment and a card backing!  Talk about easy!  The scale of the Tiny Christmas Words stamps works perfectly for it!

Thanks for coming by - have a great day!

Cardinal Joy

Last week I made a card that had this same musical background.......it was inspired by something I saw in a local store.  Here's another version of it.........

supplies: parchment and Schoolhouse Red cardstock, Impression Obsession Joy to the World cling, Hero Arts Color Layering Cardinal, (cardinal stamped in Lipstick Red, fired brick, and aged mahogany), MFT Joy die with stamped sentiment from Hero Arts Joy Stamp & Cut

This beautiful cardinal layered stamp set is one of my favorites, and is perfect for this time of year and the winter months.  It was a joy to get it out and use it again!

Happy Sunday - enjoy your day, and thanks for visiting!

The Most Wonderful Time

Hello!  I really enjoy stamping my own backgrounds, so I'm playing today with my Holly Berry Turnabouts.  This time I added the fun sentiment that is included in the set. (and I've been humming that tune ever since!)

supplies: white, Lipstick Red, and Peacock Teal cardstock, Concord & 9th Holly Berry Turnabout stamps, turnabout jig,  Altenew mini ink cubes, Spellbinders oval and scalloped oval dies (yes - the original ones!), Lawn Fawn holly and berry dies from Winter Huggers Add-Ons, adhesive foam to pop sentiment above card base

I used a mix of teals, greens, and red for my background stamping, and carried the colors as best I could throughout the rest of the card.  

It's Friday - enjoy!

Simon Says...........Thank You/Thanksgiving

If you're here to see my 25 Days of Christmas Tags, please scroll down 1 post, or click HERE.  

Happy Wednesday - welcome to our challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog!

This week our theme is Thank You/Thanksgiving and we're using Hero Arts products.  I chose a large cling background stamp and a floral cover die and made 2 very different cards for today.  Coincidentally, both products are called Flower Garden!

supplies: ivory and Tim Holtz Metallic Kraft cardstock, Hero Arts Flower Garden Bold Prints, stamped in VersaMark and embossed in gold, colored with Yasutomo gold pearlescent watercolor paint, sentiment from Gina K. Designs Autumn Wreath Builder, Sunny Studio Fancy Frames Circle die, Impression Obsession Small Leaf die, adhesive foam to lift sentiment circle

I was completely taken with a card that Betty Keefe made a few months ago, and used her idea for this card.  I stamped the design on ivory card, gold embossed it, then used some gold watercolor paint to add a bit more gold to the leaves.  The panel was mounted on a gold metallic cardstock, which was also used to make a circle frame for my sentiment.

My next card uses a favorite cover die that I got earlier this year.  It is really fun to work with!  Today I used my Zig markers and some water to color all the flowers and leaves, then mounted it onto a white card base and added my sentiment in black.

supplies: white and black cardstock, Bristol paper, Flower Garden die, MFT Thanks die, sentiment from Wplus9 Hand Lettered Thanks, Zig Markers and water

Now it's your turn!  We have a $50.00 gift certificate 

to the amazing Simon Says Stamp store for 1 lucky random winner of this week's challenge!  

25 Days of Christmas Tags!

I'm so pleased to be participating in Tracey's 25 Days of Christmas Tags today as the Simon Says Stamp Monday and Wednesday challenges teams join in her annual feature!  It's her 9th year!!  Every day, November 4 - 29, she'll be featuring a different company, and today is Simon Says Stamp's day!  There will be giveaways and prizes to be won!

My first tag this year is made exclusively of dies and uses lots of my favorite motifs!

supplies: Simon Green Leaf and gold foil cardstock, board design paper from SN@P Wood & Notebook Basics paper pad, gingham paper from Sunny Studio Classic Gingham paper pad, Simon's Pine Needle Wreath (and underneath) Chisolm Wreath dies, Joy die, bow from Pink Fresh Studio Partial Diecut Bouquet and Bow die, MFT Stitched Tag die, red pearls, natural twine

I first cut out a twig wreath (Chisolm Wreath), then 2 of the Pine Needle Wreaths, which gave me lots of pine sprigs.  They were glued to the twig wreath.   then I simply added berries, a gingham bow, and my favorite sentiment, and lifted the wreath above my shiplap tag. 

Here's a little closer picture.

My 2nd tag was really easy to make, thanks to the Ho Ho Deer Circle die.

supplies: kraft cardstock, an old dp from Simple Stories, Simon's Ho Ho Deer Circle die and Holiday Greetings Mix 1 sentiment, Lipstick Red ink, red pom pom and jingle bells, twine, MFT Stitched Tag die

The hardest part of this tag was threading the twine through the bells!

By playing along and making a tag for this event, YOU could win a $50 Gift Voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store!  And we're just one of 26 companies offering fun prizes!  

There are lots of ways to win prizes - see Tracey's Blog for all the details, and to enter a tag of your own.  There are lots of companies offering fun prizes!  

You can post your tags HERE.  Remember, they must be inspired by a tag you've seen on Tracey's blog during this year's event.

The contest will close December 6 at 12:00 AM, and prizes will be announced on December 13 on Tracey's blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by today - I hope I've inspired you to play along, too, this month.  This annual event is an amazing source for ideas to make your own tags for the holidays.  Tune in each day to Tracey's Blog to see lots and lots of fun examples!

Christmas Robins

Here's a card that is all stamping, for a change, and brings together some old and new stamps from quite a few companies!  It was inspired by a framed picture I saw recently in a local store.

supplies: cream parchment and Lipstick Red cardstock, Impresson Obsession Joy to the World cling background, The Greetery Blooming Branch and Robin and Wren, pine sprigs from Hero Arts Color Layering Cardinal, Penny Black sentiment from Season's Wishes, "berries" from Simon's Flowers on My Mind, Altenew mini ink cubes

I started by stamping my Joy background onto a piece of trimmed parchment cardstock.  Next came the sentiment, followed by the branch, birds, and pine sprigs and berries.  Once I had done 1 of these cards, I used it as a "pattern" and stamped 3 more of them in assembly-line fashion.  My Misti was key to being able to do this!

Another week closer to Christmas - how are you coming on your cards?

Noel

Hello crafters!  Hope you're having a great weekend!  I continue to play with my new alphabet dies, this time pairing them with some patterned papers from Simon's December Card Kit from 2018.  Love these fresh patterns mixing aquas and reds!  I also mixed a couple of companies' dies for today's design.

supplies: Schoolhouse Red cardstock, dps from Echo Park Celebrate Winter (retired), PinkFresh Studio Adore Alpha dies and their Leafy Wreaths die, Wplus9 Folk Art Florals bird die (retired), Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangle die, tiny red pearls

After cutting out the hemstitch detail from my background, I adhered it to the red card base, then die-cut my letters and wreath, and used my T-square ruler to line up my word.  These candy-cane letters make me smile!  And once again, I love the tiny edging that is included with each letter, something I wasn't aware of when I bought this alphabet, but it's proving to be a wonderful little detail!

Enjoy your day - thanks for your visit!

Another Eclipse Card

......this time for Christmas!  I had such fun with my first eclipse card that I couldn't wait to try another one.

supplies: Schoolhouse Red cardstock, a music patterned paper, (retired) The Crafts Meow Hearth & Home clear holly stamp, Pink Fresh Studio Adore Alpha dies

I first trimmed out my music paper, then die-cut the letters from it, placed them back in, overstamped my holly sprigs, and colored in the details.  Then I cut multiples of the letters, stacked them together, and placed them back into place.  

These alpha dies cut a fat letter, and a small frame for around it so that it really helps make the letters stand out from the background - I'm so pleased with them and highly recommend them if you're looking for a good alphabet set!

Thanks, as always, for stopping by!

Simon Says.........Thinking of You

Happy Wednesday - welcome to our challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog!

This week we're featuring our very own Simon Says Stamp exclusives, and our theme is Thinking of You.  I used a lovely Maple Leaf die, in both the negative and positive cuts, for my cards today. 

supplies: white cardstock, aqua plank dp, Simon's Stitched Grand Maple die, sentiment from (retired) Hand Lettered Winter Wishes, Spellbinders Falling Leaves embossing folder, twine, aqua enamel dot, adhesive foam to lift embossed panel

Here's a 2nd card, using the same Stitched Grand Maple die. It's made to show the stitching outside of the die-cut, and that shows up better on this card.

supplies: ivory card, Simon's Stitched Grand Maple die, distress inks to color, You die, stamped sentiment from (retired) Hello You, Penny Black Stitched Stackers die, gold seauins, adhesive foam to pop up leaf

Now it's your turn!  We have a $50.00 gift certificate 

to the amazing Simon Says Stamp store for 1 lucky random winner of this week's challenge!  I can't wait to see what you all make this week!

An Eclipse Birthday Card

Hello!  I have 4 birthdays this month, and nothing in my stash seems to fit for them, so I'd best get moving!  Here's an eclipse card in fall colors.

supplies: watercolor cardstock, kraft base, Sunshine and Burnt Orange cardstock, distress oxide inks (mustard seed, carved pumpkin, ripe persimmon, candy apple) and VersaFine Clair Pinecone ink, Simon's Leaves Background cling, Hero Arts Artistic Windows script and Essential Messages, both retired, Winnie & Walter Happy Cutaway, Impression Obsession leaf die

Starting with a piece of watercolor paper, I sponged on fall-colored distress oxide inks, then spritzed with water, and dried. Next I splattered some of the same inks across the surface (the only one that really shows up is vintage photo).  Then I inked the leaf background with candied apple and overstamped., then overstamped the script randomly.  After trimming my panel, I die-cut the happy from my inked panel, and also from kraft cardstock 4 more times, and layered them.  The sentiment was stamped before inserting the layered die-cut back into the inked panel, and I added a couple little maple leaves.

How goes your Monday?  Hope you'll have a wonderful week!

Sending You Joy & Love

Here's a card to brighten your day - it's been dreary around here lately!  It's decidedly cooler, too, so I took the opportunity to change my blog header to a cozy quilt in the season's colors.  

supplies: Bristol paper, Green Apple cardstock, Simon's Look for the Rainbows and Leafy Frames (sentiment), Zig Markers (Carmine Red, Bright Yellow, Violet, and Light Green) and water, gold sequins

Wishing you a great weekend - hope you do something fun!