January Favorites

 Here's a little collage of my favorite cards from this month; lots of flowers to brighten these dreary days.  If you'd like details on a particular card, just scroll down through my January posts.  

Is your area affected by this big snowstorm?  So far we have just an inch or so, but the forecast calls for snow throughout the day.  We'll see if they're right.  In the meantime, I'm looking forward to a full evening of PBS and a day of creating.  

Thanks for coming by today - stay cozy!

More Greetery Valentines

 Today I'm playing with Boxwood Hearts, both stamped and die-cut.  First up, a stamped one, so easy to put together!

supplies: white and Lipstick Red cardstock, a wood plank design paper, The Greetery Love Is layered  heart stamps and Fit to be Tied bow die, 2 green inks, sentiment from Hero Arts Sending Love Mail stamp set and matching banner die from Boutique Accessories Fancy Cuts, Doodlebug heart sprinkles, adhesive foam to lift heart

I stamped the heart wreath in 2 shades of green inks, then used the Boxwood Heart Base dies to cut it out.  I popped it above the shiplap background, then added a bow, some hearts, and a sentiment banner.

Next I turned to the Boxwood Heart Detail dies.

supplies: white cardstock, The Greetery Boxwood Heart Base and Boxwood Heart Detail dies, various green inks, Banner & Bough flowers, 2 red inks, Hero Arts Sending Love Mail sentiment and Boutique Accessories banner die, an unknown heart embossing folder, Doodlebug heart sprinkles

The detail dies are meant to work with the base die, and, with the "cheat sheet" that Betsy provides, go together easily.  I like the dimension you get by leaving the ends of each layer of leaves unglued.

Here's one more card using them, in a slightly non-traditional color scheme.

supplies: white, pinks, Sea Glass, Surf Blue, and Audrey Blue cardstock, Simon's Detail Bohemian Plate cover die, The Greetery Boxwood Heart Base and Detail dies, Forget-me-Not Botanicuts, Tammy Tutterow sentiment, white pearls

Here I used a more subtle background, and built my heart from a pale blue base and 2 darker shades for the layers.  And brought in the new Forget-me-Not Botanicuts in pink.  With these colors and sentiment, this card could be used for lots of occasions.

Do you send out lots of Valentines?  

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

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

 It's Anything Goes this week!  My teammates and I are playing with Stamping Bella goodies.

supplies: white cardstock, Doodlebug pink Buffalo Check  and Echo Park green dotty dp, Stamping Bella Bundle Girl with a Snowdrop cling stamp, Simon (retired) Friendship Blooms sentiment, Simon Stitched Circle die, Lawn Fawn Fancy Scalloped Rectangle die, Doodlebug heart sprinkle

It's still January, but I'm ready for spring!  Snowdrops are a harbinger of the coming season, and I colored this in springy pinks and green, and used some patterned papers in the same colors.

Now it's your turn!  We have a $25.00 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!

Wood Slice Valentines

The Greetery had a new release last week, called Nature Lover Collection, and I got my order in 3 days!  So I had a fun time this weekend playing - here are 2 cards using my new dies.

supplies: white and various colored cardstock, The Greetery Wood Slice Hearts, Boxwood Heart Details, and Forget-me-Not Botanicuts dies, Simon Small Love You die, faded jeans distress ink

I cut out lots of parts to construct the Forget-me-Nots and put them together first.  Then I tried a few combinations for the wood slice hearts, and cut some greenery using the Boxwood Heart detail dies.  This first one uses a stamped "you" from the The Greetery's Love Is stamp set.

Here's another.  

supplies: white and various colored cardstock, Wood Slice Hearts, Forget-me-Not Botanicuts, and Small Love You dies, faded jeans oxide ink

The original plan was to just place these on a white card base, but I ended up shading the top first.  I do love my blues!  It was good luck that Simon's Small Love You dies fit so nicely inside the wood slices!

I'll have more for you later this week, I hope, using some more of my new goodies!  

Thanks for stopping by - hope your week is a good one. 

Yellow and Grey

 I had a panel of the hot-foiled Scattered Hearts left from earlier this month, and decided to make another card with it.  

Have you noticed how much yellow I've been using this month?  I think I've been trying to recreate some sunshine, since it is a rarity here lately!  NOW I remember why I liked going to Florida for the winter!  (We've been staying home these last few winters, to be available for my Mom.)

supplies: Simon's Fog, Smoke, and Slate, 3 yellow, 3 green cardstock, Spellbinders Scattered Hearts Hot Foil Glimmer Plate, silver foil, Altenew Layered Rose dies, sentiment from Simon Look for the Rainbows clear set, embossed in silver

I love grey and yellow together, and I haven't played with these layering roses dies in ages.  This sentiment works for so many things.

Thanks for stopping by today - enjoy your day!  Hope it's a sunny one for you!

Simon Says........Make Your Own Background

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

This week we want you to "Make Your Own Background", and the team is featuring Brutus Monroe products.

I wanted to play with their Designer Toner Sheets and foil, so I chose a set called Snow Day.  

supplies: white and Audrey Blue cardstock, Brutus Monroe Snow Day clear toner sheet, Rainbow Shattered Glass Foil (keeping to the blues), sentiment from Simon's Snowflake Season, Audrey Blue ink, and Eliza Snowflake die, adhesive foam squares to pop up snowflake

These toner sheets are unique in that each sheet contains a variety of 2" squares of positive and negative snowflakes, printed in toner on either clear acetate or white.  I chose a clear sheet and cut out 6 squares of the positive designs, then added the foil and ran it through my laminator.  They were adhered to a panel of Audrey Blue cardstock before I added my snowflake carrying my sentiment.  

Now it's your turn!  We have a $25.00 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!

 

Gingham and Dots for Spring

 Here are 2 more cards using the sketch that I found on Norine's blog last year.  I'm looking towards spring already, so I used some sweet pastels on these ones.

supplies: white, pinks, yellows and Green Apple cardstock, dps from Echo Park Spring Dots & Stripes and Spring Dots & Stripes Gingham pads from 2018, The Greetery Sunflower Botanicuts dies, Hero Arts leaf die, (retired) Winnie & Walter hello die

What I most liked about Norine's card was her use of ginghams and dots in 2 sizes, and I've again followed suit for these cards.  It helps that I have 2 older Echo Park paper pads in my stash that coordinate nicely with each other.  Here's a yellow version.

supplies: white, kraft, yellows, and green cardstock, dps from same pads as above, The Greetery Sunflower Botanicuts, Hero Arts leaf die, (retired) Winnie & Walter hugs die

I've used this sketch before, first HERE for an autumn card, and HERE for a winter one.  And I plan to do a summer version when that gets closer.

Thanks for your visit today - have a great one!

Stencils and Stitches and Gingham, Oh My!

I have 2 cards today using my Floral Notes layering stencils.  

The first one is a birthday card.

supplies: white cardstock, PinkFresh Studio Floral Notes slim stencils, Altenew mini ink cubes and blender brushes, PinkFresh Studios Stitches Background cover plate die, sentiment from Heffy Doodle Bold Banner Sentiment stamps and dies, enamel dots for flower centers

This set of layering stencils is made for a slim-line card, (see THIS card) but I only used about 2/3 of it for today's card.  I cut it out and layered it over this pretty stitched background, and then just added a banner sentiment and some enamel dots in the large flowers.  

Next, I used the other end of the floral spray, stencilling 2 of them in yellows, then cutting them out to frame up my sentiment.  I liked them against this happy buffalo check.

supplies: white cardstock, yellow dp from Doodlebug Buffalo Check/Wood Grain paper pad, PinkFresh Studio Floral Notes layering stencils, Altenew Fresh Lemon, Snapdragon, and Lime mini inks, a fine-tip pen, Simon's Beautiful Day sentiment, Stitched Oval die, adhesive foam squares

This time I doodled/outlined the images with a fine-tip marker before cutting them out.

Enjoy your weekend, thanks so much for stopping by.

Simon Says........Layer It Up!

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

Our theme for you this week is "Layer It Up!", and the team is playing with Kitchen Sink Stamps products.  A life-long Teddy collector, I couldn't wait to get this cute Teddy Bear Wishes layering stamp set to play with today.

supplies: white cardstock, Sunny Studio Rainbow Bright and Doodlebug Designs Gingham patterned papers, Kitchen Sink Stamps Teddy Bear Wishes, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, and Ground Espresso distress inks, Pink and Main Postage die, MFT (retired) bow from Spring Wreath die set, Simon Just Miss You sentiment, embossed in white, Doodlebug Tiny Heart sprinkles

This set has 3 different layers for the Teddy, plus another for his eyes and nose, and it's amazing how they give a fuzzy feel to him!  I added a die-cut bow for some more layers.  

Here's a closer look at him.  This card will be for Valentine's Day for our youngest Grand, I think.

Now it's your turn!  We have a $25.00 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!

 

Spellbinders Expressions of Love Collection

 I was lucky enough to receive some products from Spellbinders Expressions of Love collection.  I put a hot-foiled background together with a beautifully detailed heart for today's card.

supplies: Hero Arts (retired) Carnation and a darker pink cardstock, Tim Holtz rose gold metallic kraft cardstock, Spellbinders Scattered Hearts Background Hot Foil glimmer plate, their Rose Gold glimmer foil,  and a Forever Love Hearts Etched die, sentiment from a retired Hero Arts card kit, embossed in copper

I LOVE this new background glimmer plate full of hearts!  I got perfect results with my Glimmer Hot Foil machine!

Many thanks to Spellbinders for this treat, and to you for stopping by today!

Big Hugs

I haven't yet used the large floral spray from my new You Have My Heart stamps, and I haven't seen it colored in yellow yet, so that's where I started today.

supplies: white and pale gold cardstock, Simon's You Have My Heart floral stamps and Scripty Big Hugs die, Zig markers, Pink Fresh Studio Stitches Background cover plate, Sparkling Clear sequins

In these dreary days, these happy yellows help to lift my spirits - hope my card does the same for its recipient and for you!  Thanks for stopping by today. 

BIG Birthday Wishes!

 I thought this sentiment die from My Favorite Things was fun - here are 2 cards using it.  I bought it thinking it would make masculine cards a little easier.  So what do I do first time out?  flowery ones!

supplies: white, black, and pink cardstock, floral dp from Carta Bella Flora #1 pad, MFT Big Birthday Wishes die, Simon's Leanna Butterfly die, heart sprinkle

After cutting the die from the floral, I reused the letters for my 2nd card.

supplies: pink and black cardstock, Carta Bella Flora #1 patterned paper, MFT Big Birthday Wishes die, Simon Leanna Butterfly die, heart sprinkle

This die will be so useful for when I need a last-minute card!  

Thanks for stopping by today!

Simon Says........Something New

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

Happy New Year!  Being the first challenge of the year, our theme this week is Something New, and we're featuring Hero Arts products.  I chose a pretty Snowflake die as my new thing, and paired it with an old sentiment from 2008.  Snow makes everything appear fresh and new, and that's what we're hoping for in 2021, right?

supplies: white cardstock, broken china, cracked pistachio and peacock feathers oxide inks and blender brushes, Hero Arts Snowflake Edge Fancy die, sentiment from (retired) Winter's Butterfly clear stamp set, VersaMark ink and white embossing powder

I first cut 2 of the snowflake dies, trimmed them close to the edge, and glued them together at the edges.  Then I made my background panel from oxide inks, splattering with water and some white paint.  After attaching the snowflake border, I stamped and white embossed the sentiment, and added a few teeny sparkly sequins.

Now it's your turn!  We have a $25.00 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!

 

A Slimline Card

 Today I have another birthday card, but made using stencils!

supplies: white, yellow, pink, and Doll Pink cardstock, Pinkfresh Studio Floral Notes layering stencils, Altenew Baby Pink, Fushsia, Maple Yellow, and Lime inks, blending brush, Simon's Sending Smiles die, yellow enamel dots

I was so excited to see these layering stencils come on the scene!  These ones are made for a slimline card, so I used it that way this first time, but I think that just parts of this floral spray could be used just as nicely for a regular-sized card, too.  This is done in 3 parts, the large florals, the leaves, and then the smaller florals. After adding my color, I once again embossed the panel with the large floral stencil attached,  before framing it up and adding my sentiment and enamel dots.  

Here's a closer look.

PinkFresh has more of these stencils, and they are on my list!  For someone who is coloring-challenged, these are perfect!

A Heart Wreath

  I got this new Simon clear set just for this sweet heart wreath.  I used it for a birthday card today.

supplies: white cardstock, Simon's You Have My Heart, sentiment from Avery Elle Loads of Wishes, Lawn Fawn Fancy Scalloped Rectangle Stackable die

I stamped the part of the wreath that had the flowers again and cut out the flowers to add to the bottom left.  

Thanks for stopping by today!