CASology: Heal

Hi again! Another challenge I've missed playing in this summer has been CASology. When I saw the cue word, I knew I wanted (and needed) to make a sympathy card.  

Simple masking and Distress Ink blending gave me the sunset backdrop I was looking for. The wheat stalks and sentiment (Hero Arts) were stamped with VersaFine ink and heat embossed. 

Thanks for visiting ~ Have a great week!

Cards in Envy: Twinkle Little Stars

Welcome back, Cards in Envy friends!  It's time for another fun themed challenge over on our blog!  This time we are looking for cards that feature stars, whether a patriotic theme to celebrate July 4th or our service heroes or a birthday card.  Your choice - just make sure it has at least one star and is flat enough to fit comfortably in an envy!

I did go with a Happy 4th card for family that I usually do not see on the holiday. This one came together very easily with the help of the Avery Elle Horizontal Cover Plate die cut in white and layered over Gina K. Red Velvet cardstock.  I used a scrap of Doodlebug Designs DSP to die cut the Stitched Star (Stamps of Life) three times and Little B Circle Dies to frame it. The Lawn Fawn sentiment was stamped in MFT's Cherry Crisp ink. 

I hope if you're in the US, you have a safe, sunny, and Happy 4th!  Thanks for stopping by and we look forward to seeing your STAR creations!

It's the Little Things

Hello friends!  I had some quiet time during the busy Memorial Day weekend and wanted to play along over at CASology:

The cue this week was "Thrill."  One of the greatest thrills I've had is being a grandma to my sweet DGS.  He's so much fun to be around and I'm looking forward to his annual summer visit in a couple of weeks.  Kite flying on the beach is definitely one of the "thrills" we look forward to.

Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Hero Arts Stamp Set (from May Kit)

Impression Obsession Cover-a-Card Background Stamp - Clouds

Catherine Pooler It's a Boy Ink

VersaFine Onyx Black Ink

MFT Stitched Arch Die 

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you're enjoying the long weekend!

Cards in Envy Challenge: One Layer Card

Welcome back, CIE friends, and thanks for stopping by.  It's the first Monday of May and time for another fun challenge over at Cards in Envy!  How about creating a One Layer Card this time?  If you want to add the one layer onto a card base, that's okay...the card base will not count for this challenge.  

I added the Ranger watercolor layer onto my A2 White Recollections card base for my DT card:

Stampin' Up Watercolor Wash Background Stamp;

Distress Inks: Tumbled Glass, Peacock Feathers, Pumice Stone;

Perfect Pearls: Heirloom Gold and Blue Raspberry;

Stampin' Up Beautiful You Stamp Set;

VersaFine Onyx Black Ink;

Rubbernecker Small Frame;

Altenew Birthday Wishes Stamp Set.

We can't wait to see your one layer creations ~ Come play with us!

Cards in Envy Challenge: It's Birthday Party Time!

Welcome back, CIE friends!  It's the 3rd Monday of the month and time for a new challenge.  This one is called "It's Birthday Party Time" and, you guessed it, we're looking for birthday cards that are flat enough to fit comfortably in an envy.  Easy, right?  And we always can use more birthday cards!

Concord & 9th Flower Turnabout Stamp

Catherine Pooler Inks

Mama Elephant Scalloped Rectangle Die

Concord & 9th Banners & Blooms Sentiment

Concord & 9th Ribbon Banner Die

Stampin' Up Daffodil Delight & Whisper White Cardstock

This Challenge will run for three weeks and close on May 6th.  Lots of time to come play with us!  Thanks for stopping by!

The Paper Players #389: A CAS Challenge from Sandy

Hi friends!  Welcome back for a new magical challenge over at The Paper Players:

Our fab hostess, Sandy, is looking for anything magical on your Clean and Simple project this week. 

On a black card base, I used Wow Gold Glitter embossing powder to heat emboss my sentiment from Neat & Tangled.  I die cut my 'Thoughtful Faerie' from Poppy Stamps out of white cardstock and again out of gold glitter cardstock so I could inlay shimmer on her wings. To finish it off, I added a thin strip of black & white cardstock along the left edge and some shiny white metallic star sequins from SU.

Check out the magical inspiration from the Design Team and come play with us! 

The Paper Players Design Team

• Claire
• Joanne 
• Jaydee
• Laurie
• LeAnne
• Nance
• Sandy
• Elizabeth 
• Jan

And just a few rules:

1. Create a new paper project.
2. Upload your project to your blog with a link back to The Paper Players.
3. Provide a direct link to your blog post for your challenge entry.
4. Please link your card to no more than FOUR challenges (including ours).
5. Have FUN!

Thanks for stopping by ~ Have a wonderful week!

Bon Voyage

Yippee!  I found some time to play today in a couple of challenges:

CASology Week 294

Shopping Our Stash #348 - Black, White & One other color (yellow)

A card for a friend starting a new adventure in search of SUNNIER days!

Neenah Solar White

MFT Sun Ray Stencil

Catherine Pooler Stamps & Dies (Bon Voyage)

Distress Oxide Squeezed Lemonade

VersaFine Onyx Black

Thanks for stopping by ~ I hope you're having a great week!

Hugs,

Annie

Cards in Envy: Get Negative!

I hope y'all had a wonderful Easter and are ready for a new challenge from Cards in Envy!  This time around we are asking you to 'Get Negative' and create a card with the NEGATIVE space of a die or punch.

I had a scrap in my bin of blue cardstock that I had used a star die cut from on a previous project.  I die cut a stitched banner, centering the star negative, and then cut another larger stitched banner from another scrap to layer the negative over.  The banners were tied together with green May Arts twine and added to a green card base that was embossed with a stars EF from The Paper Studio.  The sentiment is from MFT's 'Stars Above' stamp set and a few SU gold stars added for accents.  It was actually fun to use so many scraps from my overflowing bin!

We hope you'll play along and find some mojo with your negatives...you know you have some 😉!  Thanks for stopping by! 

The Peeps Are Coming!

Happy Monday!  I was surprised with a package of Peeps yesterday morning from a friend.  Sadly, they are a weakness I have around Easter (plus Canterbury eggs, of course)!  Not only were they delicious but inspiring!  

I'm not sure if it was the sugar high, but I felt a little mojo and made another Easter card...LOL!

With my Misti and the fun SSS 'My Kind of Peep' stamp set, I put together this one layer card using Catherine Pooler Tiara ink.  I'll be linking this card up to the Live Love Card Community Challenge for March and hopefully can squeak in to the Shopping Our Stash #346 Easter Challenge.  

Thanks for stopping by ~ have a great week!

Beachy Birthday

Wowzer!  Was it a beautiful day at the beach today so I was totally inspired to create a beachy birthday card for Freshly Made Sketches:

I don't have a lot of Stampin' Up stamp sets, but this is absolutely one of my favorites.  I just love the sketchy, happy look and thought she was perfect for today.  I created the background with masking fluid for the white sea foam to separate the water from the sand.  I used Distress Oxide Broken China for the water and then dabbed it with a wet cloth for some variation.  The sand is Distress Oxide Vintage Photo with some beach pebbles stamped in for good measure.  I sprayed the entire card front with MFT Sheer Shimmer Spray and added some clear water droplets (Pretty Pink Posh, I think).  

I'd also like to enter the Shopping Our Stash Challenge # 344 - National Dress Day featuring a dress.  

Thanks so much for stopping by...I hope you have a great week!  

Thank You Home Depot!

Happy Friday!  It was cold today but the sun was out and it's lookin' good for the weekend too.  I spent some time in "The Dog House" this morning hoping to play with some challenges and make an anniversary card for my son and DIL.  Their wedding was beautiful and GREEN!  Perfect for a March wedding and a few of the challenges out there this week.

I'd like to play along with:

Tic Tac Toe #38 (On Diagonal: Green, Sparkle, Happy)

The Card Concept #88 (Monochromatic Green)

And here's my card:

Special thanks to Home Depot for the Green Paint Sample Swatch that I used as the background 😊  I heat embossed the sentiment (Stamps of Life) in Ranger Gold EP on the swatch.  I die cut the Memory Box Blushing Bouquet and used a Ranger Embossing Pen on the flower centers so I could heat emboss them in gold also.  I added sparkly gold metallic thread on the bouquet and layered onto a Neenah Solar White card base.  I added sparkly gold glitter cardstock strips along each side to finish it off.  

I always make the kids a green anniversary card.  You only have to see one of my favorite pics from their wedding to know why!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend and if you are looking for more GREEN fun, the Cards in Envy Challenge is still going strong.  Come play!

Birds and Butterflies

Happy Friday!  I have a couple of cards today:

The first one is for the current Freshly Made Sketches Challenge:

On an MFT Steel Gray card base, I layered a stitched rectangle that I had stamped with that wonderful butterfly from Catherine Pooler (Faithful Flutterings) using 3 different shades of her purple ink.  I then masked the butterfly and stenciled the background (Tim Holtz) with Hickory Smoke Distress Ink.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts, heat embossed and popped up. I finished it off with 3 silver confetti sequins.

The second card is for the Live Love Cards Community Challenge for February featuring a bird or birds:

 

The card base is SSS Fog and the same Fog ink was used for the wood plank background stamp (MFT).  The postage stamp dies are from Catherine Pooler.  The sentiment from Concord & 9th.  The birds and flowers (SU Petal Palette) were colored with Tombow Markers and a blender pen, die cut, and popped up.  I touched up a few areas with Wink of Stella and called it done! 

Thanks for stopping by ~ I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

CASology #288: Pun

Hello!  It was a 'snow day' at the beach yesterday - something that doesn't happen too often around here.  It was so pretty and peaceful which made for a great crafting day.  I was able to get a couple of DT cards done and also play along with CASology this week:

I love puns of all kinds and have a few punny stamps.  For this challenge I went with hot air balloons and a sentiment from The Stamps of Life:

I masked off a section and ink blended the sky with Distress Oxide Broken China.  I added a few die cut clouds, sparkled up with Wink of Stella, from the same stamp set.  The balloon was stamped with Catherine Pooler's Rockin' Red ink.  All three elements were popped up with foam tape and done!

Thanks for visiting ~ I hope you're having a good week!

Cards in Envy: Give It Some Heart

Welcome back for another Cards in Envy Challenge!  We're still playing with hearts and I'll bet you have a few still sitting on your desk too after Valentines Day!  Just create a card with at least one heart and that is flat enough to fit in an envy and you're on your way to the gallery.

I've been on a rainbow kick for the past few weeks - they make me happy on these gray, winter days.  I used Distress Inks to watercolor a background and then layered the PTI Hearts Cover Plate die cut over the watercolored piece.  The sentiment is from MFT and I left the inside blank so I could use it for any occasion.  

Thanks for stopping by!  Now, show us some hearts!

The Paper Players #381: A CAS Challenge from LeAnne

Hello Paper Player Friends!  This Sunday our Challenge is a Clean & Simple one from the talented LeAnne:

Use a sewing related item on your CAS creation and play along!  I used to do a lot of sewing and really should dust off my sewing machine.  My machine isn't quite as old as the one on my card, but I'm pretty sure there aren't any parts available any more!

This adorable image from Penny Black was watercolored with Zig Clean Color Markers.  It makes me smile because when I do finally pull out the old machine, I'm sure I'll need to read the instruction manual on how to thread it!  Since it's a CAS challenge, the only "embellishment" I added was two small stitched lines with pink embroidery floss.

Click on the DT members' blog links below for additional inspiration:

The Paper Players Design Team

• Claire
• Joanne 
• Jaydee
• Laurie
• LeAnne
• Nance
• Sandy
• Elizabeth 
• Jan

And just a few rules:

1. Create a new paper project.
2. Upload your project to your blog with a link back to The Paper Players.
3. Provide a direct link to your blog post for your challenge entry.
4. Please link your card to no more than FOUR challenges (including ours).
5. HAVE FUN! 

We can't wait to see what you create!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!

CASology and FMS #321

Hi there!  I have a couple of quick cards for two of my favorite challenges today.

The first one is for CASology:

I kept thinking about the tortoise and the hare when I saw the cue word "Late."  I found a very old turtle image that I had to use and paired it with a sentiment from The Stamps of Life.

I made a square notecard out of Strathmore watercolor card and did simple watercoloring with my Distress Inks.  Hopefully I won't miss anyone's birthday, but I'm ready if I do!

The second card is for Freshly Made Sketches #321 by Jen B.

And, yep, I'm still making Valentines!  I need about 10 more for the Assisted Living Facility that took such good care of my Dad and I'm almost there!

I stencilled a little checkerboard pattern with Spun Sugar Distress Ink, die cut some stitched hearts (Memory Box) out of Doodlebug Designs DSP, white heat embossed the Hero Arts sentiment, and finished it off with tiny enamel hearts (also Doodlebug Designs).  I like how it came out...a great sketch to play with!

Thanks for stopping by ~ I hope you're enjoying the weekend!  

Tic Tac Toe Challenge #32

Hi there!  Another Valentines card today that I'd like to link up to the following challenges:

Live Love Cards Community Challenge - Love

Tic Tac Toe Challenge #32 - Bottom row across: Sparkle (washi), Love (die cut), Free

I stamped the pink hearts down the left on white cardstock.  Then I stamped the dotted border and striped border and added a thin strip of silver glittery washi tape.  I die cut the 'love' die and finished it off with silver confetti sequins.  The white layer was added to a steel gray card base.  Here's a list of the products I used:

Cardstock - Neenah Solar White, MFT Steel Gray, Bazzill Licorice

Ink - Catherine Pooler Be Mine (pink) and Black Jack (dark gray)

Die - Catherine Pooler Love Die

Stamps - Impress Brushed Heart, Stampabilities Scribble Heart, Catherine Pooler borders

Other - Your Washi silver glitter tape, Pretty Pink Posh silver confetti

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you're having a great week!

Seriously...Thanks!

Happy Sunday!  A quick card to play along over at Shopping Our Stash where they are getting sentimental and looking for sentiments to be the focal point.

On a Neenah Solar White card base I layered some grid paper that I stamped with an old great BIG wooden background stamp from Impress.  The sentiment from Concord & 9th was heat embossed with Ranger white detail EP.  I added a little binder clip (also Concord & 9th) and tied with black/white baker's twine.  I was going for a masculine thank you card so I hope he doesn't mind the twine bow too much!

Thanks for stopping by and there's still plenty of time to play along with Cards in Envy's Tuxedo Challenge...any theme will work for this black & white card challenge.  Have a great week!

H is for Hugs

Happy Friday!  A quick card today for the latest CASology challenge:

I was looking at a few of the new Monogram stamps from Concord & 9th that I had ordered to make some notecard sets for birthday presents.  The H stamp comes with the sentiment H is for Hello so I went hunting for 'hugs' and found one on an old Stamps of Life set.  You could also substitute Hope, Happy, or any number of words.  I wasn't even thinking of how versatile the monograms could be when I bought them...woo hoo!  

Thanks for stopping by ~ Have a wonderful weekend!

A Three-fer to start the New Year!

Hi! If you're looking for the new Paper Players Challenge, click <HERE>

Happy New Year!  The holidays are finally boxed up and I was itching to play along with some challenges.  It has been a couple of weeks away from the ink and paper.  Since there's three cards here, I'll try to make it a short post 😉.

First up is CASology's latest cue word - Encourage

I make school lunchbox notes for my DGS and this is one of my faves from Concord & 9th's Above Average stamp set.  He always gets 5 gold stars from Grandma!

The second card is for the Just Us Girls Challenge.  I hope to play a lot more this year!

LOVE is the word...this card reminds me of the wild and colorful 70's and I think that's all I'll say about that!  I do LOVE Stampin Up's Marbled Background stamp, Catherine Pooler's ink colors and all things Concord & 9th like these Love You So dies.

The third and last card for today was inspired by the latest challenge over at Tic-Tac-Toe:

I was inspired by the photo, especially the blue cups with hot cocoa and marshmallows, so I went with the diagonal - Stamping, Free, & Photo Inspiration.

My poor little fun foam marshmallows...there were three of them but one dropped on the floor and my Sydney (the Schnauzer) gobbled it up.  I'm sure it won't be the last time that happens!  The stamped sentiment and die cuts are from The Stamps of Life's "hotchocolate2stamp" set.  

Thanks for visiting today!  Here's hoping that 2018 is a very crafty year for all!