For a November Birthday

 I wanted to use Simon Hurley's Candy Stripe die again and make it into a plaid, so here's what I came up with for my brother-in-law's birthday card this year.

supplies: kraft, burnt orange, tangerine cardstock, Candy Stripe die, Lil Inker Boxed Up Birthday die, Honey Bee Fall Bouquet maple leaves colored with distress inks

What an easy way to get a plaid background!  Just cut this stripe die twice, and reverse one of them before layering them.  I also cut the sentiment die twice in 2 colors and off-set it when I placed it on its backing.  The leaves were already sitting on my desk, so this came together pretty quickly once I decided on my colors.

Have a great day!

A Summer Card

 With all the Christmas stuff I've been posting lately, I felt a real need to return to present day, so today's card feels like summer to me!  There have been lots of lemon-themed cards showing up lately, which reminded me about this washi tape.  Love this sweet shade of yellow, too!

supplies: yellow, white, and metallic lavender cardstock, (retired) Lil Inker Circles and Diamonds cover plate, Pink Fresh Studio Ornate Oval Frame and Lemons and Blueberries washi tape, Memory Box Just Because die, adhesive foam

This Ornate Frame is new to me, and I think it's the perfect vehicle to pair with all of the washi tape sprigs that I have.  I cut my sentiment from a foiled lavender kraft cardstock to bring out the blueberries in the design.  I wanted to pop the frame above something subtle and this cover die that is sadly retired fits the bill perfectly!

My mouth is watering thinking about some sweet concoction that blends lemons and blueberries!  I have a story to share about a baby blueberry bush that our oldest son brought home from a nursery that he was working in for the summer, probably 28 years ago.  We planted it, but probably in not the best location at the time.  Over the years it has come back year after year and gotten bigger and bigger, but until this year it's never produced any fruit.  This year it did (it's in a sunnier location now)!!  Now all I need is a lemon tree - unlikely in our northern location here in Ohio!

Enjoy your Sunday!

Simon Says.......Red, White, and/or Blue

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

This week our theme is "Red,White,and/or Blue" and the team is playing with Avery Elle products.  Here's my card.

supplies: white cardstock, red, white and blue star and grid patterned papers from Sunny Studio, Avery Elle Loads of Wishes sentiment, flower and leaf sprig dies, enamel dots, adhesive foam

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!

 

Birthdays in October

 Today I have 3 birthday cards using the same background stamp/stencil combo, just varying the colors and embellishments.

This unique set of a background stamp and 3 stencils for the leaves is really fun to work with!  And easy, just stamp the background, which is the leaf details and little dots, then line up each stencil for a different color of ink - I really enjoyed trying out different combinations of distress ink!

  

supplies: kraft, Burnt Orange, and ivory cardstock, Taylored Expressions Fall Foliage Background stamp and stencil combo, fossilized amber, rusty hinge, and fired brick distress inks, Lil Inker Boxed Up Birthday die

After making my panel for this card, I just cut out a square and inserted the sentiment die, then popped the panel up above a kraft base with a burnt orange square in the center.  

Next, a card for my girlfriend's birthday.  I used the eclipse technique for this one.

supplies: ivory, Audrey Blue, Green Apple, and a coral cardstock, Taylored Expressions Fall Foliage stamp and stencil combo, worn lipstick, twisted citron, and peacock feathers distress inks, Winnie & Walter Happy die, Lawn Fawn Stitched Leaves die

There are 5 layers of the happy die to make it stand out.

And lastly, back to fall colors.  

supplies: ivory, Sunshine, Orange Peel, Lipstick Red, and gold glitter cardstock, Taylored Expressions Fall Foliage stamp/stencil combo, crackling campfire, carved pumpkin, and mustard seed distress inks, Simon Stitched Rectangle dies,  Penny Black sentiment die, adhesive foam squares

I cut 3 stitched rectangles from my finished panel for this card, framed each in a different color, and popped up the top 2 layers, then added my die-cut sentiment cut from a dark gold glitter cardstock.

I have 1 other card using this fun new set, but I'll save that for a bit later to share with you.

Thanks for stopping by! 

Some Quilt Cards

As I mentioned earlier, this extra time we've been given has allowed me to get out some old favorite stamps and dies to play with again.  Today I decided to make some quilt cards.  These Lil Inker quilt-makings are fun to play with, and only take a day to finish, as opposed to 6 months to a year that a real quilt does!

supplies: white,black, and coral cardstock, Lil Inker Circles and Diamonds Stitched Pattern cover plate and matching Darling Diamonds stamp set, Simon inks in Duckling, Melon, Rosie Cheeks, Teeny Bikini, Jelly Bean and Green Apple, a hello die, stamped sentiment from a Hero Arts Sparkle Clear Tea set (I think Virginia gave it to me!), Memory Box Pinpoint Rectangle dies to make frame

This next one uses the same supplies, but I only stamped the very center of the stitched panel and left off a sentiment for now.

I've rediscovered this combination of inks recently, too; they make me think of rainbow sherbert!

Hope you're doing well - thanks for coming by.

Daisies for You

I wanted to make a card that would work for different occasions, sympathy, get well, etc. so I chose some neutral colors with a bright splash of yellow and played with some dies that I haven't used in a year or so and a mix of lots of different companies' products. What’s happier than daisies?

supplies: white, Smoke Grey, Green Apple, Green Leaf, and yellow cardstock, Lil Inker Circles and Diamonds Stitched Pattern cover plate, Spellbinders April 2019 Small Die of the Month flowers and leaves, Hero Arts banner and sentiment from their (sold out) January 2020 card kit

It seems anymore like I can't make anything that doesn't involve supplies that are discontinued......a sad state, but it won't keep me from using them, as many are classic, like this lovely cover plate.

As always, thanks for stopping by - I appreciate your visits!

Foiled Cards for May Birthdays

I have lots of birthdays this month, and most of them will be getting a foiled card.  If you don't like photo-heavy posts, then this one isn't for you - I have 5 cards today.  They were all made with stencils, transfer gel and foils, and sentiment dies.

The first 2 cards use sentiment dies that were cut from adhesive fun foam with foil pressed directly to the adhesive, not heat-set. All of the other foiling was done with my laminator.

supplies: kraft and Peacock Teal card, The Crafters Workshop Mini Cubist stencil, transfer gel, Emerald Watercolor foil, Winnie & Walter In a Word Happy die and their Big, Bold and Happy stamped sentiment

supplies: green and white card, The Crafters Workshop Mini Vineyard stencil, transfer gel, Lime Deco Foil, Lil' Inker Boxed Up Birthday die

supplies: white, Core'dinations Broken China, and gold foil card, Tim Holtz Doily stencil, transfer gel, Emerald Watercolor foil, Penny Black Happy Birthday die

supplies: Cotton Candy and a darker pink card, Tim Holtz Floral stencil, transfer gel, Gina K. Designs Bubblegum foil, Penny Black Happy Birthday die

supplies: Lavender, darker purple and lime glitter card, Bouquet of Roses stencil, transfer gel, Lilac and Lime foils, stamped sentiment a combination of Hello You and Hand Lettered Hello stamps, Grape Soda ink

These were fun to make - which is your favorite?  I think mine is the pink one.

Spring Fling

I'm so pleased with the darling papers from Lawn Fawn's new Spring Fling paper pad!  It has a floral background in 6 different colorways, and 6 coordinating colors to mix and match with the floral.  Here are 2 cards using them.

supplies: Cotton Candy cardstock, Spring Fling dps in the pinks and yellows, Simon's Thanks Scallop Border die, stitched flowers and leaves from MFT Stitched Blooms and Lil' Inker Perky Posies die sets

I've always made the scallop border from white cardstock, but the cotton candy is a perfect match with the floral pattern paper, so it makes a nice change!

Next I used the blues and yellows paired with a Spellbinders die of the month.

supplies: white card, Spring Fling and a plaid dps, December 2018 Large and Small Dies of the Month, Doodlebug sprinkles

The large die of the month makes an A2-size tri-fold card and the small dies of the month add some extra sentiment dies for the circle element.  I embellished with the flower and leaves that come in the small die set.

Here's what it looks like when it's extended a bit more.

I hope you'll come back again tomorrow for a 2nd card using these same dies, but with different papers and embellishments.  Thanks for your visit!

Plaid Thanks

Thank you cards are always high on the list of needed cards - here's one made of lots of dies and a stamped background:

supplies: white, rose, yellow and Green Apple card, Concord & 9th Plaid Background clear stamps, Simon's Hollyhock and Green Apple inks, a green Zig marker to color in the diagonal stripes, Simon's Single Roses leaf and Thanks dies, Lil Inker Perky Posies flower dies, Winnie & Walter Noelle scalloped rectangle die, adhesive pearls for flower centers, adhesive foam to raise top panel

Hope your week is off to a great start - I'm hoping for a break from the heat and humidity!

A Bouquet for You

I've only used this pretty Amuse bouquet once before - thought it was time to get it out and play again.

supplies: white card stock, amuse studio Southern Bouquet, alcohol markers, sentiment from Simon's Summer Garden, Lil' Inker Circles and Diamonds Stitched Pattern cover die, May Arts twine, adhesive foam squares

Since this card is pretty CAS, I decided to wrap the bouquet with real twine this time for a little more dimension.  I think this is a perfect card for so many occasions.

I made this card earlier this week, and after watching the Royal Wedding yesterday, I was inspired by Princess Meghan's sweet bouquet to use it again.  I first thought I'd leave the flowers all white and just color in the leaves, but I ended up using some pastels lightly to make the flowers stand out from each other.  I also coated them in some Wink of Stella.

supplies: white, black, and pale aqua card, Southern Bouquet, sentiment from Simon's Floral Bliss, Winnie & Walter Noelle cutaway scalloped rectangle die, markers and colored pencils

Hope you're enjoying your Sunday - thanks for coming by!

Gingham Hugs

Here's a CASE of one of my favorite cards.  This time I used die-cuts instead of stamped elements, and gingham design paper instead of washi tape and more summery colors.  Coincidentally it uses the same colors as my card for this week's Simon Wednesday challenge, but is much more feminine!

supplies: white card, dps from Doodlebug's Gingham/Linen paper pad, Simon's Flower Friend sentiment, Lil Inker Perky Posies, Wplus9 Folk Art Florals leaves, Doodlebug sprinkles

I used the reverse of the ginghams to cut my flowers and leaves.

Here's the original, from 2014:

Which do you prefer?

Thanks for stopping by - have a  beautiful weekend!

A Beachy Wreath

It's been kind of overcast and much cooler today, and I wanted to make a card for no other reason than to create.  Here's what I came up with, using lots of my favorite motifs.

supplies: white, kraft, Simon's Audrey Blue, Surf Blue, Green Apple and Green Leaf cardstock, Impression Obsession Wooden Plank cling, Hero Arts Soft Granite ink, Memory Box Grapevine Wreath (retired, but THIS Simon one looks identical to me), Lil Inker Perky Posies, Lawn Fawn Stitched Leaf, and Winnie & Walter Hugs dies, aqua pearls

I'm still in love with how easy this IO cling makes creating a plank background, and there is just something about a wreath that always appeals to me, so I combined the two, and gave the card a beachy theme against white-washed wood.  And I love the little stitched details on the flowers and leaves.  This was pure pleasure to put together!

Hope you're having a great weekend, enjoying the last of summer!

A Birthday Card for our Nephew

I needed a masculine birthday card soon, and pulled out Tammy's plaid stencils to make it.

supplies: Hero Arts kraft cardstock and medium color in Pool Layering papers,  Bristol paper, Tammy's Mad for Plaid 2-step stencils, cracked pistachio, tumbled glass, and gathered twigs distress inks, mini ink blending tool, Winnie & Walter dotted line from Scenery Stripes stamp set, Lil Inker Boxed Up Birthday die, wood veneer leaves, sponged with cracked pistachio

I turned the stencils to make a diagonal plaid this time, and tried to choose some colors that most men would like, but I think that using the kraft stock and brown ink heads it in that direction automatically!  I also stamped a stitched stripe here and there to bring in a little more of that brown - you could easily do the same thing with just a ruler and a fine-tip marker......

I'll be featuring these stencils again on Friday, but with a feminine flair - I hope you'll stop by then, too.  Have a great week!

More Splatters

Here's another card using a splatter stamp, this time a flower one.

supplies: white, purple, Hero Arts Pool, Simon's Green Apple and Green Leaf cardstock, Lil Inker Perky Posies dies, Wplus9 Folk Art Florals leaf die, Your Next Stamp Mini Flower Splatter, broken china and wilted violet oxide inks, My Favorite Things All Occasion Sentiments and Blueprints 20 die, VersaFine Onyx Black ink, enamel dots and sequins to match

Since I used warm colors on yesterday's splatter card, I thought I'd use cool ones this time.  Violet and teal have become a go-to combination for me this year, and I like it here again.  These splatter stamps are fun to play with - there are also ones that feature stars, bats, leaves, butterflies and plain old splatters!

As always, thanks for coming by!

Grateful

And yet ANOTHER wreath card, this time for the Taylored Expressions Share Joy challenge.   I loved both the sketch and the photo inspiration - here's my entry.

supplies: dps from Pebbles fall paper pads,  Lil' Inker Perky Posies flower and leaves dies, Taylored Expressions grateful die, Freckled Fawn enamel dots

Here's our inspiration:

CASology Stitch challenge

The moment I saw the cue word for the CASology challenge this week, I knew I wanted to play.  When you say "stitch" to me, I think of stitching quilts!

supplies: white and Audrey Blue cardstock, Lil Inker Circles and Diamonds Stitched Pattern cover plate which was made to go along with their Diamonds stamp set, vintage photo distress ink, Hero Arts Orange Soda and Butter Bar inks, Simon Audrey Blue ink, sentiment from Paper Smooches Needle Little Love, Memory Box Pinpoint Rectangle dies

This would be a one-layer card, except for the frame I added around the stamped area.  I've been enjoying mixing an aqua with fall colors lately, so I continued for today's card, too.  One of the diamond options in the stamp set is a woodgrain, which is so unique, and seems to be a good choice with these fall colors.  Playing with this cover plate and matching stamps is almost as fun (and a WHOLE lot faster) as stitching a quilt!

Thanks for coming by today!  Be sure to visit the CASology blog - I'm looking forward to seeing all the other entries!

A Christmas Quilt for Heather

Yesterday, my friend Heather issued a challenge to make a "Cozy Christmas Quilt", and I was so inspired by her amazing examples that I got right to it, and used her colors, too.

supplies: white and red cardstock, Lil Inker Circles and Diamonds Stitch Pattern cover plate, and their coordinating Darling Diamonds stamp set, Hero Arts Ombre Green and MFT Red Hot inks, Tim Holtz Handwritten Holidays die, Simon Stitched Rectangle dies, Hero Arts metallic red dots

Lil Inker's cover plate and matching die set is always fun to play with: you just die-cut the stitched design, then use the stamps to fill it in as you like - there are a million variations!  I used the lightest (lime) ink from the Ombre pad for my diamonds, and the darkest (forever green) for some of my crescents.

Be sure to visit Heather's blog, Stamping and Stitching,  to see what she did - and prepare to be amazed!

From Places Abroad: France

When I saw the photo inspiration for this month's Altenew challenge, I just had to give it a try.  Pinks and greens are some of my favorite go-to colors.

supplies: white and Green Apple cardstock, Altenew Painted Flowers and sentiment from Beautiful Day, 2 pinks and 2 green inks, Lil' Inker Circles & Diamonds Stitched Pattern die, black enamel dots

I was trying to think of a way to replicate the beautiful knot garden in the photo, and hit upon using this background die.

As always, thanks for coming by!

Simon Says.........Cute and Cuddly

It's Wednesday and that means a new challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog!

Our theme this week is Cute and Cuddly, and my teamies and I are working with Simon Says Stamp products!

Here's my first card, in remembrance of those 1-piece jammies that our boys wore when they were toddlers.   

supplies: white and bright blue cardstock, Simon's Bear Necessities stamps and dies, a scrap of fabric and tiny gold buttons, Spellbinder's Scalloped Rectangle die, sentiment banner from My Favorite Things Blueprints 20 dies, a paper from My Favorite Things Dots & Stripes Sorbet paper pad, Lil' Inker Stitched Stars die

I couldn't find a paper to make his jammies, so I dug out some of my old quilting scraps and searched for something small-scale.  Using a tip from my friend, Heather, I attached it to some cardstock with double-sided tape, then die cut it - no fraying!  I added some tiny buttons, and then attached it to the bear's body, which I stamped, colored, and die-cut first, so that his face was peeking out of his jammies.  

This next card uses most supplies from Simon's March Card Kit, and I added some felt for the cuddly factor:

supplies: Simon's white, surf blue, and green apple cardstock, Echo Park Spring design papers, My Kind of Peep stamps and dies, Painted Hugs die, colored with distress inks, Stitched Rectangles dies, Butter and Cherry Blossom felt

This one will go to our grandkids for Easter!

Now it's your turn!  I can't wait to see what you do this week!  We have a $50.00 gift certificate for one random winner of our challenge!

Do you use Instagram?  If you do, we'd love you to add #ssswchallenge to your challenge entry uploads so we can see them on there, too!

For a March Birthday

Yay, it's March!  That's a popular month around here for birthdays, so I thought I'd better get some cards made - here's the first one, using March's flower, the daffodil.

supplies: Simon's white, Audrey Blue, and Green Apple cardstock, yellow and orange dps from various Doodlebug and My Favorite Things pads, Doodlebug orange enamel dots, Lil' Inker Spring Flowers and Boxed Up Birthday dies, Impression Obsession Gingham cling stamp, Audrey Blue ink

Hope this helps to make your day a little brighter - thanks for stopping by!