Simon Says........Spring/Easter!

Welcome to a new challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge!

Spring or Easter is our theme this week, and the team is featuring Spellbinders or Stampendous products.  I chose my current favorite Spellbinders embossing folder for today's card.

supplies: white and green cardstock, Spellbinders Flower Frenzy 3D embossing folder, Simon's Spring Blessings die, pastel markers,  Altenew enamel hearts

These 3D embossing folders raise the design up so that it is not hard at all to color in the details with alcohol markers.  I used the same markers to color my sentiment die, too.

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!  

Happy Spring!

Today is the first day of spring!  Here's a shaker card to celebrate!

supplies: white cardstock, a scrap of acetate, Lawn Fawn Floral Wreath die, alcohol markers to color, circle die, Simon Detail Ringlets cover plate, a scalloped die,  Disco Ball sequin mix, foam adhesive strips, sentiment from Newton's Nook Woodland Spring set

I added some of the same sequins to the centers of the largest flowers in the wreaths, too.  

Let's hope that we can get some warmer temps soon!

Simon April Card Kit

 Today's cards feature the stamp set and a printed paper from the Simon Says Stamp April Card Kit.

supplies: white and Slate cardstock, poppies and sentiment from Poppy Perfection stamp set, dp from Moda Scrap Spring Poppies paper pad

I stamped, colored, and fussy-cut most of the single poppies in the stamp set.  I made them pink, just to be different, and because I have pink ones in my garden each year.  After arranging them, I cut one of the sentiments so that it would fit in the space that was left on my white panel.  

Next I used more of the design papers with a favorite sketch for my 2nd card.

supplies: white cardstock, dp from Moda Scrap Spring Poppies paper pad, poppies and sentiment from Poppy Perfection stamp set, colored with the colored pencils from this kit, adhesive foam to lift flowers

And one more, using one of the Tim Holtz Transparent Layers.  These are really lovely designs!

supplies: ginko leaf print from Moda Scrap Spring Poppies paper pad, gold foil cardstock, one of the Tim Holtz Transparent Layers, Simon Happy Birthday dies, Folk Edge frame die

Here's a look at the compete kit.  I was glad to find the Reverse Tweezers and a clear Storage Envelope, - there are always some fun extras in these kits!  

Mini Brushstroke Flowers

 I was intrigued by the new Mini Brushstroke Flowers from Tim Holtz; I love that he's giving us such pretty flowers to play with, and in a nice variety of sizes.  These are aptly named as they are definitely mini!  I made 2 cards: first I cut them out of white and watercolored them with distress inks before assembling.  

supplies: white cardstock, a floral patterned paper, Mini Brushstroke Flowers, worn lipstick and mowed lawn distress inks and water, Spellbinders Picoh Petite Ovals die, sentiment from (retired) Tammy Tutterow Tiny Sentiments, Doodlebug heart sprinkles

Next I cut them using colored cardstock.

supplies: cream cardstock, various blues,purples, greens, and yellows from Memory Box 6" paper pads, Mini Brushstroke Flowers dies, Spellbinders Hello Friend Sentiments hot foil plate,  gold foil, Wonderful Script Sentiment die

This time I cut all of the other flowers and leaves from 2 shades of each color, and then made a small and a larger arrangement with them before adding them to my card, along with my foiled sentiment.

These are pretty easy to construct because of the little guidelines incised into them, but they are small.  I was ready for a break when I'd finished this last card!

Thanks for coming by!

Simon Says.......Recycle!

Welcome to this week's new challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge!

This week we want you to use something that you have Recycled when you create!  The team is featuring Impression Obsession products, but you can use anything you'd like.  These Hollyhocks dies are an old favorite of mine, and I was delighted to be able to use them again!

supplies: white card base, an old file folder, Impression Obsession Hollyhocks dies, sentiment from Simon's Orchid Rose Bouquet

My background is an old file folder - I thought these bright stripes made a nice backing for the hollyhocks in silhouette.

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!  

Joyful Bouquet

 I finally got the last piece of a suite of products called Joyful Bouquet!  I started with the washi tape and the matching dies first, then the stamp set, and just now the matching layering stencils!  Here are some cards using the stencils.

supplies: white cardstock, PinkFresh Studio Joyful Bouquet stamp, layering stencils, and matching die, Altenew mini ink cubes, Simon Small Blending Brushes, PTI Border Bling: Dainty Deliveries Frame die, Birch Press Design Sugar Script Sentiments foiling plate and die set, gold foil     

I think this is a darling bouquet image!  A good size, too.  The set also includes 6 small floral images.  So I stamped and stencilled them, and then did a 2nd batch using only the stencils to see the differences.

As you can see, when you don't stamp, you lose a few details, but I still think they're pretty.  Here are 2 more cards using these once I die-cut them.

supplies: white and yellow cardstock, PinkFresh Studio Joyful Bouquet floral sprigs stamps, stencils, and matching die, Rise & Shine yellows, Heather and Violet purples, and Lime and Fresh Leaf green inks, blending brushes, Simon Blossom Fields embossing folder, Spellbinders Picot Edge Oval die, Mama Elephant Paola's Wishes sentiment

supplies: white cardstock, Impression Obsession Painted Stripes cling stamp, Firefly ink, PinkFresh Studio Joyful Bouquet Floral sprigs stencils and matching die, Mama Elephant Paola's Wishes sentiment, yellow enamel dots

Thanks for stopping by - hope your day is going well!

Floral Harmony

 I am in love with this beautiful Simon Says Stamp embossing folder called Floral Harmony that I recently brought home!  Here are 2 cards.

supplies: white cardstock, Floral Harmony embossing folder and cutting dies set, Spectrum Noir Tri-Blend markers, Clearly Besotted Sweet Little Sentiments stamp

This one uses the 3 floral dies that are included in the set.  The embossing folder is so pretty that it really doesn't need a thing.  Next I just embossed it on colored cardstock and then swiped it with white pigment ink; no dies this time.

supplies: white and Audrey Blue cardstock, Floral Harmony folder, white pigment ink, Avery Elle Loads of Wishes stamp

I didn't want to cover up a single inch of these, so I chose sentiments on the small side.  As you can see, you can spend as much or as little time on this - the results are spectacular either way!

Thanks for visiting me today - have a lovely day!

Simon Says........Tags!

Welcome to the new challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge!

 Our theme this week is Tags, and the team is featuring Tim Holtz products.  I went shabby-chic this week for my tag.

supplies: Ranger #8 Craft Tag as my base, a variety of patterned paper scraps, Metallic Confections foil/kraft cardstock, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Botanical Layers ephemera, a Clippings sticker, Floral Frame Impresslits die/embossing folder, lace, and a seam binding bow dyed with Spun Sugar distress ink

I'm sure that most of these patterned papers came from Simon Card Kits down through the years and by now are retired.  I just went through my collection with a pink and cream color scheme in mind and pulled things I thought would work, then pieced them onto my tag base and started adding embellishments - it was fun, and I'm pleased with my results.

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!  

Butterfly Birthday

 I really liked the Hero Arts My Monthly Hero February card kit!  Here is my first card using it.

supplies: white cardstock, Hero Arts MMH Feb kit: layering stencils and die, variety of Pink Fresh Studio and Altenew mini ink cubes, Mama Elephant Paola's Wishes sentiment, enamel dots

The kit sold out, of course, but it consists of 4 layering stencils, and an oval die that cuts out the center of the design, and leaves areas around the edges so that the butterflies and flowers can be semi-popped up - a fun effect!

This will make a great design for lots of occasions, and I want to try it cut from an ink-blended panel with no stencilling - maybe in a metallic?  

Thanks for visiting!

Spellbinders Club Kits for March

 I'm excited to share my cards made with the March Kits of the Month from Spellbinders!  They all will be available tomorrow, March 6.

The new Large Die of the Month is called Flowering Tree and Collapsible Card Base.  It is darling!

supplies: white, kraft, aqua, and 3 green cardstock, 

Flowering Tree & Collapsible Card Base, Magenta Tri-Blend marker to color flowers and sentiments, tiny pearls

This makes a card that will collapse flat for mailing.  There is also an add-on die set with more sentiments: Flowering Tree Sentiments!  You'll see some of them used below on my card featuring the Embossing Folder of the Month.

Here's a closer look to see the detailing on the flowers and leaves.

Here is the Small Die of the Month: Floral Butterfly Card Front

supplies: white, Surf Blue, Audrey Blue, and Green Apple cardstock, pale blue vellum, March Small Die of the Month Floral Butterfly, aqua enamel dots

This is a 11-piece set.  I cut the butterfly body from pale blue vellum, added the florals and his body, and bent him upwards a bit for dimension before fastening him to the lacey floral background.  Those butterflies are so pretty, they could stand alone on a card, I think!

Next I went with that idea and combined the new 3D Embossing Folder of the month with parts of the large and small dies of the month.

supplies: white, pale yellow, black, green, and burnt orange cardstock, March 3D Embossing Folder of the Month Tiled Motif, Floral Butterfly die set, Flowering Tree die set, Sentimental Greetings stamped sentiment, white ribbon

The back of the card base from the first card you saw above makes a perfect tag, so I cut it out of yellow, stamped my sentiment, and then embossed it with the new folder.  Then I made some more butterflies with warm tones of flowers and added them, along with a ribbon at the top.

The Embossing Folder of the Month is called Stylized Calla Lily.

supplies: white, light grey and Cotton Candy cardstock, Stylized Calla Lily embossing folder, white pigment ink, Flowering Tree Sentiments dies

I trimmed a panel of pink card and embossed it, then gently rubbed it with white pigment ink.  Then I fastened it to the bottom of my card base, adding my sentiments, along with a strip of grey.

The Stitching Dies of the Month are fun - remind me of a quilt!  They're called Nested Layered Stitched Petal.

supplies: Surf Blue, Audrey Blue, Doll Pink and a paler pink cardstock, March Stitching Die of the Month: Nested Layered Stitched Petal, pink floss, 3 strands, pink enamel dots, sentiment from Log Cabin and Flower Mini Quilts dies

This set consists of a cover plate, plus a smaller plate with stitching marks to guide you, and another plate that cuts out the long oval pieces, which are then stitched around the starburst areas.  Fun, love the dimension!

And finally, my final card uses the Glimmer of the Month dies and Cobalt Blue foil.  This design reminded me of Delft pottery from Holland, so I colored the flowers to reflect that idea.

supplies: white and medium blue cardstock, So Kind of You Glimmer Foil kit, Cobalt Blue glimmer foil, blue markers

The Cobalt Blue glimmer foil is beautiful and foils very well, too!  Here it looks navy, but turned to the light, it's a gorgeous medium sky blue!

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 details of each product.  You can subscribe to the kits separately, but there are also lots of ways to combine several of them.  And you can "unjoin" a subscription at any time without any penalty.

From the Scrap Basket

 I've collected 6" paper pads almost as long as I've been making cards, (it was a habit I got into when I quilted and collected fat quarters of fabric), and they took up lots of space in my craft room.  Recently my good friend and fellow cardmaker Mary Anne encouraged me to organize them.  I went through each little pad and ripped out patterns that still appealed to me, then threw away what was left.  It took me a good 4 days, but when I was finished, I had reduced and organized those papers into baskets holding papers I knew I would use.  And now I can find something lots faster than before!  I organized them into florals, dots, stripes, text, ginghams, plaids, hearts, and more.  I guess this is my version of spring cleaning!

There were some really lovely florals, so I chose one with a dark brown background, then found some dots and solids that would go with it.  I got 2 cards from this 6"square floral paper, with enough left to make another.  

Here's the first.

supplies: cream cardstock, unknown pink and green solids, a floral print, and a dot print, Tammy Tutterow/Crafters Edge Beautiful Succulents 3 flower dies, Tammy Tutterow/Spellbinders leaf from Pom Pom Posies, yellow button, Altenew Creative Edges Lace die, Honey Bee Bitty Buzzwords sentiment

Here's card #2, pulling out the yellows from the pattern this time.  

supplies: Cream and Green Apple cardstock, brown floral and a pale yellow tone on tone floral scrap, Simon Picnic Floral embossing folder, sentiment from (retired) Summer Garden, (retired) PTI daisy die, brown brad, Pretty Pink Posh leaves from Spring Foliage dies

I had lots of fun picking and choosing.  The embossing folder works nicely with the paper, as they both feature daisy-like flowers prominently.

Does this mean I'll never buy another paper pad?  I doubt it, but at least for now I'm going to try and use up what I have.  I encourage you to do some organizing, too!  

Thanks so much for visiting me today - enjoy your day!

Simon Says........Slimline Cards!

Welcome to the new challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge!

This week we want to see your slimline cards!  The team is featuring Whimsy Stamps products.  I found an adorable slimline embossing folder that really makes a statement.

supplies: white and yellow cardstock, Whimsy Stamps Daisies slimline embossing folder, white pigment ink, Tim Holtz Wildflower Stems 1 daisy die, green ink for stems and leaves, finger dauber, Simon Happy Wishes die, Doodlebug heart sprinkles, natural twine bow

What's happier than daisies?  These teensy ones in the embossed design are really detailed!

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!