Woodblock Wednesday

 It's time for this month's Woodblock Wednesday on Amy's blog!

I was inspired by the beautiful dogwood trees blooming this year and used my stamp from 2010, along with a little sentiment that I remember as being part of a set along with a teensy stamp of 3 tulips.

supplies: white cardstock, Hero Arts 2010 Dogwood and 2006 Happy Spring woodblocks, kitsch flamingo and mowed lawn oxide inks, Sticko pink glitzy stickers, adhesive foam squares

I stamped the dogwood twice, once in mowed lawn and once in kitsch flamingo, then cut out the flowers and secured them back down over the green leaves only in their centers, pulling forward the petals when I could, and using a foam square to lift one of the flowers above everything else.  Then I added some glitzy stickers to their centers.

Be sure to visit Amy's blog to see all the other entries for this monthly challenge - it's always a fun walk down memory lane!

Lisa Horton Spotlight Frames and Florals Collection

There's another fun new release at Spellbinders, this one designed by Lisa Horton!  I chose 3 different die sets and here's what I made.

supplies: white, 4 shades of aqua, and green cardstock, Woven Lattice Texture die, Layered Anemone dies, A Little Hello Sentiments stamp/die set

I'm so pleased with the Woven Lattice die and the Hello dies!  The lattice will make a wonderful background for all kinds of cards, and the big hello can be broken apart and used singly, doubly, or triply (is that a word???) like I used it today - love the font, too!  It also includes a set of 7 small sub-sentiment stamps that will make it even more versatile!  As I'm writing this post, it is already sold out, but that just means it will be back asap - put it in your wishlist at Spellbinders.

Thank you for coming by today - I hope it's a good one for you!

Daisy Days

 The Daisy Days suite from the Greetery has been calling my name again.  I had also bought the Fill-in-the-Blank paper set, too, but have never used the black background.  Since black backgrounds have become somewhat of a trend lately, that's where I started this time.  

supplies: fuschia cardstock, black Daisy Days Fill-in-the-Blank panel, Daisy Days stamp/stencil combo, Altenew Spring Bouquet pinks and Chamomile, and Simon Trio 15 green inks, blending brushes, matching Daisy Days dies, Spellbinders Heartfelt Scallop die, Curved Everyday Sentiment glimmer plate, gold glimmer foil, adhesive foam squares

So you start out with the fill-in-the blank panel, and then use 6 different stencils to color in the floral details.  Then there is a matching stamp set that has details to stamp onto the flowers.  I also used the 2 flower dies to cut out 5 extra stamped flowers and then popped them above the finished card, along with the sentiment banner.  I love these colors against black!  But then, I think black makes almost anything pop.......

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hope you're enjoying your holiday weekend!

Bayfair by Rosie's Studio Card Kit

Here's a new Card Kit from Spellbinders from the Bayfair Collection!  I really enjoyed playing with the patterned papers, ephemera, and chipboard embellishments - there's even a set of buttons to match!  I also received Spellbinders new Guillotine Paper Trimmer, and used it to make all of these cards - it cuts like butter!

Here are three cards I made with the papers and ephemera, and a 4th card using the flower dies in this collection.

supplies: white and burgundy cardstock, Bayfair 6" Designer paper, large floral Ephemera Diecut, and Chipboard sentiment strip, Hemstitch Rectangle die

On this 2nd card I used 2 identical pieces of ephemera to form a wreath which I popped above the pretty floral background, then added a foiled gold chipboard sentiment.  I also added 2 small gold-foiled flowers in the centers of 2 of the wreath flowers to add some more gold foiling.

supplies: card base, pink Bayfair Designer paper, 2 Ephemera diecuts, Chipboard sentiment, adhesive foam squares

The collection also has some blue items, which I used for my 3rd card.  Since the main motif is on the small side, I cut down my card base to 4 1/4" X 5".  The banner reads "live laugh love" in gold foiling.

supplies: white cardstock, blue Bayfair Designer Paper, blue gingham Chipboard rectangle and sentiment banner, 2 blue butterfly Ephemera

This collection also includes a floral die set called Floral Spray, which I paired with another of the Designer Papers for my final card.  I also added one of the Bayfair buttons to the center of one of the flowers.

supplies: peach to brick, 2 greens, black cardstock, Bayfair Designer Paper, Floral Spray, Bayfair button, Curved Everyday Sentiments glimmer plate/die, gold glimmer foil

I love this script designer paper from the pad, so I paired it with just a few of the flowers that are included in the Floral Spray die set - this one has lots of possibilities for layering, too!

Hope I've inspired you to give this Bayfair Collection a look!  

Before I go, I wanted to make sure you've seen the amazing sale going on over at Spellbinders, with savings of up to 50% off on a really large inventory of products!  Click HERE to see what you can't live without!  The sale continues through May 30 at midnight Eastern time.

Thanks for stopping by!

All Scraps!

 The Spring Cleaning bug hit me last month and I attempted to organize my unused but finished flowers and sentiment dies so that they would get used.  It took me 2 days!  (I keep everything!)   

In the process I found 4 of these Club Blooms flowers and paired 2 them with an unknown but probably retired hello die and some gingham cut with some deckle-edge rectangle dies, also retired, from Spellbinders.  The shape was just about perfect for a mini-slimline, so here's what came of it all.

supplies: white, pinks, and teal cardstock, Doodlebug gingham dp, Spellbinders (retired) Deckle-Edge rectangles, Club Blooms flowers and leaves, unknown hello die, adhesive foam 

Pretty simple design, but that pink gingham makes me happy, and it feels good to put these scraps to use!  

Hope your day is a fine one - thanks for stopping by!

Flower Power - Peach and Lavender

I wanted to enter the current PinkFresh Studio challenge - it's called Flower Power.  I chose to use a retired stamp/die/stencil combo and some unusual (for me) colors this time.

supplies: white and peach cardstock, PinkFresh Studio retired Joyful Bouquet stamp, stencils, and die, Ornate Oval Frame die, Stitched Essentials cover plate, Hero Arts sentiment, lavender seam-binding ribbon

In my mind, Pink Fresh has always been a company that makes beautiful flowers for us to play with, so this challenge is perfect!  

Thanks for stopping by! 

Delicate Garden

 I've been lusting after this Delicate Garden Craft Your Life set for a year now, and I finally caught it on sale earlier this month!  Here are some cards I made using this wonderful set.

supplies: white cardstock, dps from Whimsy Stamps Mix-n-Match 2 pack, Delicate Garden embossing folder, stencils, and matching die, Altenew Cherry Blossom, Pocketful of Sunshine, and Green Valley inks, Pink Fresh Studio Perfect Sentiments stamps and die

First I used the embossing folder to emboss this image, then the stencils to color it, and finally the matching die to cut it out.  Then I ran it through the folder again to refresh and deepen all the details.  I love dots and stripes, and this paper pack is a great one that has both!  There is a stamp set also in this set, but when using the embossing folder, I don't think you need it.  

The stamp set, stencils, and dies have 2 more floral arrangements in this set.  They are often used together with the above image, but today I wanted to let them shine on their own.

supplies: white and purple cardstock, Delicate Garden stamp, stencils, and die, Altenew Enchanted Garden purples and Green Meadows greens inks, Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangle die, Simon Blossom Field embossing folder, Spellbinders All You Need Sentiments glimmer plate and die, Lavender Petal glimmer foil

supplies: white, lemon yellow, and black cardstock, Delicate Garden stamp, stencils, and die, Altenew Pocketful of Sunshine yellows, Golden Sunset oranges, and Spring Bouquet greens inks, Pink Fresh Studio Floral and Diamond Tiles coverplate, Spellbinders Curved Everyday Sentiments glimmer plate and die, gold glimmer foil

This is certainly a set that gives you your money's worth!  I love sets like these that give you lots of products that all coordinate.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dogwood and Bluebirds

 A few weeks ago, I looked out my front window and saw just this scene!  The dogwoods had just opened and there sat a male bluebird looking straight back at me!  I wasn't fast enough to get a real picture, but I've got it in my mind, and this will commemorate that moment.  

I get so excited about bluebirds now because it's taken them 50 years to appear in our backyard here in NE Ohio, and there is nothing else like them!  Every year now for the past 2 or 3 years, they build a nest in one of our birdhouses, and have at least 2 broods.  It's fun to see them flitting back and forth across the backyard - a dazzling streak of beautiful blue!

I needed a thank you card for Mother's Day, and here it is.

supplies: white, Surf Blue, chocolate, pale and bright green, pale orange, medium and dark blue cardstock, Honey Bee Lovely Layers Dogwood dies, Spellbinders Sweet Birds on a Branch dies, Pink Fresh Studio Perfect Sentiments stamp and die, adhesive foam squares to pop up birds

These dogwood dies are a lovely size and go right along in scale with the darling little birds. 

Thanks for your visit today - hope you'll come back again!

Timeless Butterflies

 Spellbinders has a new Timeless release, several of which are these gorgeous silvery-edged butterflies!  I received 2 sets, the Twilights, and the Summer Days; each consists of 7 different butterfly stickers in various sizes and colors, each 2 layers: a sticky bottom layer edged in silver, and a heavy acetate top printed with all the gorgeous details.  Here's what I made.

supplies: white and metallic silver cardstock, Spellbinders Efflorescent Flora 3D embossing folder, purple Twilight butterfly sticker, pink Summer Day sticker, sentiment from Snowflake Wishes stamp/die set, silver embossing powder, clear rhinestones

I wanted these butterflies to be the focal point, as they were a real WOW! when I opened my package; each one is edged with a silvery kaleidoscope and make quite the impact!  So I found an embossing folder with flowers and leaves in scale to them, and just added a sentiment in silver and some rhinestones on their bodies.

Here's a 2nd card, this time mixing just one of the larger butterflies with some Doodlebug 6" design papers that feature butterflies, too.

supplies: white cardstock base, Doodlebug Hello Again design papers (including sentiment), yellow Summer Day butterfly sticker

I used the largest of the butterflies on my first 2 cards today; the packs contain 3 large and 4 smaller designs, each one different.  For my final card, I used 2 of the smaller ones from the Summer Day set.

supplies: white and black cardstock, a plaid dp, Summer Day butterflies stickers, sentiment from Stampendous All the Sentiments, Doodlebug tiny heart sprinkles

My phone finally captured the sparkles on the top green butterfly - that's how all of them look - a lovely twinkle!

There are 6 different sets of these butterflies, each one prettier than the one before.  I hope you'll give them a look!  

Happy Mother's Day!

 Here's a card for Mother's Day.  I said in an earlier post that I associate lilacs with this day, so this time I made them in 3 different colors and put them against some blue gingham.

supplies: white and blue violet cardstock, Doodlebug buffalo check dp, Pink Fresh Studio Ornate Oval Frame, The Greetery Lilac Botanicuts, distress inks in shaded lilac, wilted violet, blueprint sketch, picked raspberry, seedless preserves, antique linen, mowed lawn, and rustic wilderness, finger daubers, MFT Essential Messages

If you're a Mom, I hope you get to spend the day with your kids!  Mine live too far away, so I look forward to some nice phone calls today!  

Adding this to the Simon Wednesday challenge: Use Die-Cuts.

In the Garden

Oh my, I love my new set of stencils from Taylored Expressions!  They are one of their Triple Slim Layering sets, and they are perfect for this time of year!  It was fun to make some mini-slimline cards again, too.  

These sets are designed to make 3 different designs all at one time, using these large stencils, then cutting the large finished panel into thirds.  Here are my results.

supplies: white and pink cardstock, In the Garden stencil set, mini inks in Pink Fresh Fairy Dust, Rise & Shine, and Morning Sky, Altenew Lime, Fresh Leaf, Lavender Fields, and Snapdragon, blending brushes, Simon Says Stamp (retired) Best Mom Ever sentiment

supplies: white and lavender cardstock, In the Garden stencil set, same inks as above, Winnie & Walter (retired) Big, Bold, and Happy sentiment stamps

supplies: white and Audrey Blue cardstock, In the Garden stencil set, same inks as above, Simon Says Stamp Vintage Garden sentiment

Isn't the font on this last card beautiful?

These came just in time to make some Mother's Day cards, with an extra that will work for many occasions.

Thanks for stopping by! 

Lilac Clusters

 I got this lilac embossing folder maybe a year ago, but then was a bit intimidated by it.  But I was encouraged to give it a try after seeing Caly's beautiful results.  Here's my first play with it.

supplies: white cardstock, Lilac Cluster embossing folder, distress inks in shaded lilac, wilted violet, blueprint sketch, salty ocean, mowed lawn, and tumbled glass, sentiment from (retired) Simon Joys of Spring, a Pink Fresh Studio washi butterfly

May is the month for Mothers here in the states, and I will always associate lilacs with it.  My Mom has been gone for 2 years now, but it's nice to remember her with a card like this.  

Thanks for visiting!

May Spellbinders Club Kits!

 The Spellbinders Club Kits are available now through May 27!  You are going to love this tropical theme that runs throughout all the kits!

For my first card I mixed the Small Dies of the Month: Tropical Friends, with the 3D embossing folder: Scattered Tropics, and used bright colors of cardstock.

supplies: white, black, and bright colors of cardstock, Tropical Friends Small Dies of the Month, Scattered Tropics 3D embossing folder, All You Need Sentiments glimmer plate and die, gold glimmer hot foil

Aren't these new goodies fabulous?!  I had such a good time playing with them.  With this embossing folder, it's easy to build your own tropical scene!  

Here's another card using it, along with a few of the Large Dies of the Month, called Grand Tropical Flamingos.

supplies: aquas, dark teal, and green cardstock, Scattered Tropics 3D embossing folder, rubbed with a teal and a green ink, leaves and flowers from Grand Tropical Flamingos, enamel dots, Hello dies from Petite Blooms and Sentiments

The Large Dies of the Month: Grand Tropical Flamingos don't disappoint either! I used another part of the set and paired them with the Stencils of the Month: Tropical Spray.

supplies: white, black, 2 shades of pink cardstock, Grand Tropical Flamingos dies, Wonderful Script Sentiments die, Tropical Spray stencils, 2 middle shades of Seashore inks, adhesive foam to pop up flamingos

I googled flamingos to see how they're colored. They get this color because they eat shrimp!  AND their knees are a brighter color than the rest of their legs!   I also found out also that a group of them is called a flamboyance!  Of course it is!  For that reason, I chose my "Hello beautiful" sentiment for this card.

The stencil this month has a very pleasing design to me, and though it's called "spray", and I took it to be water, I think it could look like leaves, too, and be very useful in all kinds of situations!  

Here's another card that uses most of the rest of the large dies for this month (you'll see a leaf and flower from the 2nd card above).  I put them against the Embossing Folder: Latticework.

supplies: desert storm, white, yellow, pinks, and teals cardstock, Latticework embossing folder, swiped with white pigment ink, leaves and flowers from Grand Tropical Flamingos, sentiment from Wendy Vecchi Vintage Florals dies

The Large Dies have a nice selection of tropical leaves, plus this large flower and the small one.

Next up is are the Stitching Dies: Stitched Pineapple.

supplies: white, black, kraft, and golden yellow cardstock, Stitched Pineapple stitching dies, golden yellow embroidery floss, 3 strands, Scattered Tropics 3D embossing folder

I made my own sentiment because the pineapple is a symbol of hospitality.

My next card features the Glimmer Plates: Tropical Bloom, and one of the TWO bonus items in the Caboodle this month, Tropical Bloom stencils to color it with!

supplies: lavendar and purple glitter cardstock, Tropical Bloom glimmer plates (includes sentiment), fuchsia flower glimmer hot foil, Caboodle Tropical Blooms stencils, 2 shades of purple and a green ink, blending brushes

I received some fuchsia flower glimmer foil, a new color to me, so I decided on a monochromatic design for this card.  After foiling and stenciling my panel, I trimmed it so that I could add some extra twinkle with a bit of glitter cardstock on the left and top of my card.  There's a 2nd sentiment in the glimmer set: Thinking of You, and cutting dies to match both sentiments.

My last card features the Let's Get Together stamp set and matching dies.

supplies: white cardstock, Let's Get Together stamp and die set, markers to color, Latticework embossing folder, tickled pink and saltwater taffy distress inks, adhesive foam

This set also has 3 more sentiments and a smaller image to color, with dies to cut them out.

You can look HERE for information on Spellbinders Clubs.  Each is available only from the 6th until the 27th of each month.  If you click on my links under each card, you can see the specifics of each product.  You can subscribe to each of our 10 kits separately, (and you can "unjoin" a subscription at any time without any penalty), or you can get them all, saving 60% AND get the free Tropical Bloom stencils AND Betterpress Tropical Sentiments plates by choosing the Deluxe Caboodle!  

Bluebirds of Happiness?

 I have been watching Aaron Leventhal's Hanging with Hero series, and I highly recommend it if you haven't already seen it.  The first episode was with Jennifer McGuire, and the second with Tim Holtz, and they have been so interesting, and really makes you proud to be part of this industry!  I highly recommend that you watch them.  There are more to come, also!!

Recently Simon Says Stamp had a stamp/die set on sale that has been on my wishlist, so I jumped and got it home.  Here's a card I made after watching Aaron's videos, and also being inspired by Yana Smakula's use of these same supplies.  She made her sentiments vertical, which reminded me of one of my all-time favorite Hero Arts sentiment stamps, from 2011.  So I dug it out and here's my first card with my new (to me) goodies!

supplies: white, orange, and blue cardstock, Simon Says Stamp Printmaking Birds stamps and matching dies, medium and dark blue and orange inks, sentiment from (retired) Hero Arts Made with Love, MFT Wonky Stitched Rectangle die

Following Yana's example, I stamped my sentiment to one side, then perched 1 bird on top of the vertical element and then dispersed the other birds all around it.

This stamp set consists of a set of these 8 birds in outline form, plus stamps for the bodies, the tummies, and the wings and tails.  Once you get set up, you can easily make sets of all different colors of birds, and then use the matching dies to cut them out.  I already have a bag full of 4 other different colors of birds, which I can group all together like this, or use just 1 or 2 combined with something else.  And I really like the sentiments that are included in the stamp set; since I love my birds so much, I know they'll be used lots!

Here's a 2nd card that I made after unearthing this previously stamped plaid background.  I had already stamped birds in aquas and yellows, so all I needed to do was to choose a sentiment from this set!

supplies: white and Surf Blue cardstock, Printmaker Birds and matching dies, aquas, yellows, and black inks, The Greetery Tartan Builder Diagonal layering plaid stencils, squeezed lemonade, tumbled glass, and vintage photo inks

Thanks for visiting me today - and I hope you'll take the time to watch those videos I referenced above!

Washi Butterflies!

It's May!  

Here are a couple of cards that I made after receiving the Pink Fresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies washi and matching dies.  I have a lovely collection of their floral washi designs, and thought that these butterflies would be a nice accompaniment to them.

First I used just the elements in this set, which are lots of butterflies, along with some leafy stems.  I simply arranged them on a pierced leafy background and popped up a sentiment.

supplies: white cardstock, Memory Box Pinpoint Leaf cover plate, Pink Fresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies washi, matching dies, Perfect Sentiments foiling plate and die, gold glimmer foil, adhesive foam

Next I mixed 2 of the butterflies with a floral washi design, Hydrangea and Rose.

supplies: white cardstock, Paper Smooches (retired) Fab Frames die, Pink Fresh Studio Hydrangea and Rose washi, Fluttering Butterflies washi, and matching die, Taylored Expressions (retired) Handlettered Sentiments cling, gold embossing powder, adhesive foam

These washi tapes are beautifully designed and colored, and are a joy to work with!  Hope your day is full of joy!

I'm entering these into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Feminine.