Spring Wishes

Here's a card for another of this month's sketches at Sugar Pea Designs.

supplies: white, bright yellow, and Audrey Blue cardstock, Sugar Pea Designs, Funky Wreath - Spring, various inks to match Lawn Fawn's Perfectly Plaid paper, Lawn Fawn Stitched Scallop die, Simon Stitched Circle die, Spellbinder's Circle die, Die-Namics banner die from Blueprints 20, Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear sequins, Scrapbook Adhesives foam squares

I love all the little stitched details here and there on my card!  My flower colors were pulled from the plaid panel.

Here's the sketch:

Be sure to visit Sugar Pea Designs to see all the creative takes on this sketch!

Simon Says........Fun with Felt!

Happy Wednesday!  It's time for another challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday blog!

This week we have a really fun challenge!  We're calling it Fun with Felt, and the Design Team are showcasing Simon's exclusive Spring Plush dies!  I had the best time playing with my Plush Charmed Heart die set, and made 2 stuffed hearts, one in pastels, one in brights, and a gift card holder!

Here they are a little closer if you want to see the details.  All of the elements are sewn down, I didn't see a need for any glue.  The hearts measure about 4" at the most, and a bit less when stuffed lightly like they are here, so they can be attached to a card if you wish.  Or you could add a pin to the back and wear them on a coat ........ they are the perfect size!  They'd also make an adorable pin cushion or a gift embellishment, or a Christmas tree ornament - just add a ribbon or floss or twine at the top while you're stitching the front and back together.....

supplies: Simon Plush Charmed Heart die, Taylored Expressions Black Licorice, Split Pea, Flamingo, Carrot, and Butter felt, and a turquoise from my own collection, DMC embroidery floss to match, some tiny buttons, a tiny amount of polyester stuffing

supplies: Simon Plush Charmed Heart die, Taylored Expressions Marshmallow, Avocado, and Cherry Blossom felts and a pale gold from my own collection, DMC embroidery floss to match, pink and gold adhesive pearls (which may or may not stay there - so far, so good!), polyester stuffing

There are lots of other elements in this die set, too, a scalloped edge, a heart, a star, and a ruffled flower, plus a smaller heart flourish that you can use to add more stitching.  I just couldn't stop playing with these dies, so here is one more that I left flat and adhered to a simple card front. This makes a fun gift card holder, and shows a way to use that scalloped edge die in this set!

supplies: white cardstock, dp from Teresa Collins Carolina Breeze paper pad, Simon's Plush Charmed Heart dies, Taylored Expressions Butter, Heather Grey, and Avocado felt, matching embroidery flosses, Simon Painted Hugs die

This one used the scalloped die included in the set to make my pocket.  I used some glossy accents to secure my sentiment to the pocket, and double-sided tape to secure the heart to the card.

For 2 more examples of this set, please click HERE and HERE.  And if you'd like to see some other ideas for using felt, I've started a Felt Pinterest Board.

Now it's your turn - I can't wait to see what you create!  We have another $50.00 gift voucher

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

Sugar Sketch challenge #53

I recently won an adorable set of stamps from Sugar Pea Designs, and now I can play in their sketch challenges!  Here's my card for sketch #53:

supplies: white and Green Apple cardstock, design papers from My Favorite Things Farm Fresh Gingham and Tranquil Textures pads, flowers, leaves, and sentiment from Sugar Pea Designs Funky Wreaths - Spring, various pastel inks, Die-Namics Spring Wreath die, Doodlebug white glitter sprinkles in centers of flowers

Here's the sketch:

Hope you're having a great Sunday - it snowed here for a second this morning!!

Simon Says........Flowers!

Happy Wednesday!  It's time for another challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday blog!

This week our theme is Flowers and the Design Team are working with Prima Products!  I chose a Watercolor paper pad and a pack of their flowers.  Here's my card for this week:

supplies: Simon Green Apple card base, Prima Vintage Emporium Paintable Watercolor paper pad, Prima Spring Mix paper flowers (evidently discontinued, as it's disappeared from the store), Spectrum Aqua markers, water, wood veneer branches, twisted citron distress ink

There are several selections of these Paintables watercolor paper pads; I chose this one because of this gorgeous basket of flowers.  I trimmed it to fit an A2 card base, then watercolored it, and when dry, I attached my flowers and wood veneer leaves that had been sponged with twisted citron distress ink.  I decided not to add any sentiment at this time - I couldn't bear to cover up anything!  But wouldn't this make a lovely card for Mother's Day?  

I used more of the Prima flowers from the same pack for my 2nd card.  I evidently bought the last package of these particular flowers, but really, any of their flower assortments would work - just find some design paper in the same colors to match your flowers.  That's what I did here:

supplies: kraft and Audrey Blue cardstock, MME design paper, Prima Spring Mix flowers, wood veneer leaves sponged in navy, Simon's Stitched Circles and Painted Hugs dies

Now it's your turn - I can't wait to see what you create!  Heidi has provided another $50.00 gift voucher

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

Simon Says........Stencil It!

Happy Wednesday!  It's time for another challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday blog!

Our theme this week is Stencil It! and my teamies and I are playing with Stencil Girl Products!  I chose this gorgeous big fern stencil and had a ball playing with it!

supplies: white and black cardstock and Hero Arts Grass layering paper, Stencil Girl Pressed Leaves stencil, mowed lawn distress ink, micron fine-tip black pen, Simon's Sending & Wishing sentiment and Wishing die, Tim Holtz Detailed Butterflies die, Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear sequins

I got the idea to outline the first and darkest stencilling from the sample for this stencil.  It's something I'd never done before, but I liked the results so much that I brought in more black accents in my sentiment and the butterfly, and also did a tiny black frame around the whole panel.

Here's another version:

supplies: white and green cardstock, cork, Stencil Girl Pressed Leaves stencil, twisted citron and mowed lawn distress ink, brown, and black ink, Hero Arts Old Letter Writing and Envelope Pattern, unknown sentiment

I started by sponging a white panel in twisted citron distress ink.  Then I overlayed the stencil and applied mowed lawn through it.  While the stencil was still in place I stamped the script.  After removing the stencil I splattered green and white and overstamped the whole panel in the envelope pattern with more mowed lawn distress ink.  I thought the cork sentiment was a nice earthy touch to all the green. 

Now it's your turn - I can't wait to see what you create!  Heidi has provided another $50.00 gift voucher

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

Share Joy

I have a fun card today, made for the Share Joy Challenge for this week!  They always give us a choice of 2 challenges - I chose the colors.

supplies: white, black, yellow, Doll Pink and Green Apple cardstock, dp from MFT Dots & Stripes Sorbet paper pack, Die-Namics Scribble Roses dies, Simon's Single Rose leaves, woodgrain paper and joy die from Taylored Expressions, Scrapbook Adhesives foam squares to raise center panel

I doubled up the flowers, using both colors on each flower, gluing down only the centers of the 2nd layers, and raising the rest of the flower to give it a little more dimension.  I used the heart from the joy sentiment as flower centers - a good way to bring more of the black into the design!

Here's our inspiration:

Sending Hugs

Just sharing a card I recently made.  It's a bit dreary here today - I hope this brightens your day a bit.

supplies: Simon's woodgrain cardstock, medium shade of Hero Arts Pool layering paper, Simon Artful Flowers, various aqua inks from Simon and Hero Arts, Signo white gel pen for flower centers, Simon Painted Hugs die, sentiment from Hero Arts XO (retired), DieNamics Blueprints 20 scalloped die, Pretty Pink Posh Share Handmade Kindness sequins

Thanks for coming by - I wish you a great week! (and some sunshine!)

Spring Flowers

The challenge this time at The Card Concept is Spring Flowers, and the photo inspiration is a bucket of lilacs.  Here's my take on the challenge:

supplies: white, green, and shades of purple cardstock, Hero Arts Hibiscus Style ( a woodblock from 2005), Simon's Christmas Blessings die, Sizzix flowers embossing folder, Wilted Violet and Shaded Lilac distress inks, Sizzix Branch with Leaves die, various purple sequins

I first smooshed 2 purple distress inks on a white card panel, then after it was dry, I embossed the little flowers.  Then I affixed that to my white card base and then added the other elements.  I have an awful time figuring out what style my cards are - maybe mixed media?

After I finished my card, I remembered this old Flourishes set and made another one, much simpler in design:

supplies: white and lavender cardstock, Flourishes Sweet Violets, Chameleon Cool Tones markers to color, tumbled glass distress ink and finger dauber, Spellbinders Floral Ovals  die, Simon's Small Love You die

This card makes me think of those hand-painted porcelain pins that were popular in an earlier time......I'd guess this would fall into the clean and layered style.

Merry Monday: Let it Snow!

This week's challenge at Merry Monday is Let it Snow!  Here's my entry, using some well-loved Hero Arts stamps.

supplies: blue and white cardstock, Hero Arts Stunning Snowflakes woodblock stamp, Stonewash and Simon White inks, Hero Arts Snow Much Joy snowman and sentiment, red dotty dp for his scarf and hat, Lawn Fawn Stitched Snowflake die, Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear sequins

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

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

Our theme is Anything Goes, and the Design Team are using Stampendous products this week - we'd love you to do the same if you have any, but you don't need to in order to enter the challenge.

I fell in love with this sweet bouquet stamp - LOVE the handle made of pussy willows!

supplies: white and green cardstock, Stampendous Birch Bouquet stamp, markers to color, sentiment from Clearly Besotted Delightful Day, Penny Black Painted Blooms gingham dp, Memory Box Pinpoint Rectangle Layers die

For some other cards using this stamp, please see HERE and HERE.  

And I used a somewhat older stamp for my second card.  The last time I used this stamp I did it with pink flowers, so today, I changed things up and made them yellow.

supplies: white, grey and bright yellow cardstock, Stampendous I Love Paris cling stamp, Hero Arts Charcoal ink, dp from Authentique Classique paper pad, gold pearls

Now it's your turn - I can't wait to see what you create!  Heidi has provided another $50.00 gift voucher

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

Another Charmed Heart

I wanted to play again with my new Charmed Heart dies and felt, and here's the result of a fun afternoon!

supplies: Simon's Charmed Heart dies, my own red and turquoise felt, cream lace and embroidery floss, red buttons

I'm running out of felt big enough to cut out the body of the hearts, so I dug into my stash from eons ago and came up with this red felt from some little craft kit that I never used.  So glad I saved the felt, though.  Then, since it was red, I decided to try and add lace to the edges.  My next problem was finding a 3rd color.  This turquoise was really the only thing that I liked with it - I'm out of white/cream felt, and I didn't have any pinks that worked with that red.    So I kept my color scheme fairly simple this time.

This makes me think of something Southwestern, for some reason.  The lace was fairly easy to attach, but I think you need to use lace that is already gathered on one edge........the other laces I previewed didn't go around the curves very well.  These flower dies are not part of the set - I wanted something a bit bigger.  Therefore, in order to attach them, I used buttons in their centers and stitched them down at one time.

I'd encourage you to give any of these plush stitching dies a try - it's nice sometimes do make something besides a card!  Thanks for stopping by, as always.  

Share Joy #32

Here's my card for this week's Share Joy challenge.  We had a choice of a sketch and/or  a CAS card - I used both.

supplies: black, white, and yellow cardstock, Tim Holtz Detailed Butterflies dies, Anna Griffin Rosa embossing strip, Lawn Fawn Stitched Scalloped Borders die, dps from Simple Stories and Authentique, Paper Sweeties flower sequins

Here's the inspiration:

SubLIME

Here's a card I created just for fun......it's a remake of this one, just changing up the colors to lime, grey and white.  For whatever reason, I am in love with lime in all its hues lately.

supplies: white and green cardstock, unknown grey board design paper, My Favorite Things Dots & Stripes Fresh design paper, Tim Holtz Gothic stencil, modeling paste,  Altenew Painted Flowers, lime and grey inks, Technique Tuesday Simply You by Ali Edwards (long discontinued, but still one of my favorite sentiment sets)

Thanks for visiting!

Blessings and a Note

Good morning!  Today I'm sharing 2 cards I made using Wplus9's new Free-Hand Florals stamp set.
I was a bit daunted with this set at first, so for my first outing, I went with a general CASEing of Dawn's design.

I used lots of different inks from different companies here.  One of the reasons I chose this set was because of those little lilac-like sprigs that I inked in Simon's Wisteria ink, and I am NOT disappointed - I know I'll be using that one lots!  My sentiment is part of Simon's Christmas Blessings die, and I used Winnie & Walter's Audrey Cutaways to cut my scalloped frame.

After I got my feet wet, I felt a bit more comfortable with the set to do a second card.  The stamped panel was masked to make it one layer:

supplies: white and aqua cardstock, Free-Hand Florals, aqua, Wisteria, and green inks, Wplus9's sentiment from Blanket Stitched Blooms, Lawn Fawn  Stitched Scalloped Border die, Pretty Pink Posh Enchanted Garden and Share Handmade Kindness  sequin mixes

Hope your weekend will be a great one!