Even More Challenges!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope that you are all staying healthy at that those of you that celebrate Easter had a nice holiday yesterday. Warning-there are a lot of photos in this post!!

It is rainy here in CT with winds gusts of more than 60 miles per hour. Just praying that our power does not go out!! I usually try to go for a walk but since the weather was not cooperating, today I actually went down and did the elliptical machine. We have had this since my 41st birthday? Not sure but I hardly ever use it. It is harder to pedal than the ones at the gym so I would rather use those! I also did some weights. Hopefully I will be pleasantly sore tomorrow.

Today I am getting some cards for some challenges that I am getting in under the gun. I have "vacation" from school this week so I have time to blog them at the last minute.

The first card I created for Freshly Made Sketches #430.

I used WPlus9 "Fresh Cut Florals", Simon Says Stamp "Thanks and Encouragement Word Mix," and my new Altenew "Fine Frames Diamonds" die set.

The florals were from a pile on my desk that has been there forever. It has been fun challenging myself to do this. I always stamp "extras" when I am doing a project and have SO MANY to choose from!!

I have also been trying to stamp sentiments to have on hand and I had fun looking through them to pull for this card.

The challenges I am entering this card into are:

Freshly Made Sketches #430

Happy Little Stampers: Anything Goes With Dies (I was inspired by the pink flowers)

Inspired by Challenges #119: Spring is Here (I used Frame Dies)

NBUS Challenge (I used my Altenew Frames for the first time)

 

For  my second card, I started out being inspired by two challenges. The first was the Color Throwdown Challenge #588. I usually have a difficult time doing color challenges but I paired it with this weeks CASE this Sketch Challenge #367 for a simple card design. 

I started off my card by using Distress Ink to paint my four lines on a piece of watercolor paper.

I rarely do this kind of technique because I am LAZY and hate to wait for things to dry!! Yes, I could use a heat gun but don't like the way the paper warps when I do that. When the stripes were dry, I die cut the image with an MFT Blueprints 13 die.

The branch is from Paper Smooches and I die cut that from watercolor paper, using Twisted Citron Distress Ink to give it some color.

The sentiment from Altenew's free "Best Sentiments" set that has been sitting in my NBUS pile of things to use. I think I will be inking this stamp up a few times to have in my stash.

The next card I was inspired by the Flower Challenge #43: Spring/Autumn,  Inkspirational Challenge #210: Spring, and the Time Out Challenges #159-Quote Inspiration.

I made this card to go in a set for my Aunt's birthday this week.

This card was SO FUN to make!! I stenciled the background and then splattered with a couple colors of Distress Mist.

The large flower and large leaves were stamped using some Altenew dye ink combinations. The smaller flowers I colored with Copic markers. All are from Aletenew's "Beautiful Day" stamp set. This is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE stamp sets.

The frame is from Pink Fresh Studio. I cut it in half and used it on another card that I will post later this week. 

I know this card would not be everyone's cup of tea with the background but I LOVED how it came out!!!

On another note, since we couldn't spend Easter with our family we did a Zoom call instead.

My father had a few difficulties at first but it was fun to do. I have been doing virtual happy hour with some of my girlfriends on Saturdays and this has kept me SANE!! Also figured I would post a photo of my pup. He is declining even with all his meds he is on.

He has been refraining from snuggling as of late. I think it is because it is hard to get comfortable on the couch.

That is all from me today. I hope I didn't bore you all!! I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Stay safe and healthy. I think of all of you wonderful cardmakers that I call my friends and love you to pieces!!!

A Couple of Valentine's

Happy Thursday everyone!! Just popping in to post a couple of cards I created yesterday. I am kind of on a roll with creating Valentine's cards as I have received a few orders from some companies as of late. I went from having no stamps for Valentine's day to having a ton!!

My first card was inspired by the new Freshly Made Sketches #419.

Below is the sketch I used for my inspiration.

The splattered paper in the back was not supposed to be for this card BUT the card I created it for needed something different so I decided to use it for this card.

The sentiments are from Altenew's "Circle Sentiments," Hero Arts Kit of the Month, and the Ink Blot Shop's Sentiment Label Blocks. The hearts are stickers from Elle's Studio.

I like the layering of the sentiments, though that is NOT what I had in mind in the first place.

My second card was inspired by the Paper Craft Crew's Challenge #367 Inspiration photo. I was inspired by the red of the flowers and the glasses.

Instead of wine glasses, I used champagne glasses on my card.

I am attempting to use more pattern paper on my cards as I have a mountain of it to use up. I decided to use some from Pebbles "Be Mine" 6" by 6" paper pad on this card.

The sentiment is from MFT's new "Little Love Notes" stamp set and the champagne glasses are from Reverse Confetti's "Cake and Champagne" stamp set. I adore this Cake and Champagne set and have a couple cards coming up that I will be posting.

I added clear sequins with little dots of Diamond Stickles to mimic champagne "bubbles" on and above the glasses. The heart is one that was from my stash.

On another note, remember that glass fusing class I took? My friend picked up my piece for me and I really like how it came out!!!

I want to learn how to use this to make jewelry now. It was so fun to do!!!

I thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Have a FABULOUS afternoon!!

A Couple of Challenges

Happy Sunday everyone. Just popping in to post some cards I created for a few challenges.

My first card is a Christmas card. I used Altnew's "Brilliant Baubles" stamp and die set, as well as Stampin Up!'s "Christmas Pines."

This weeks Freshly Made Sketch Challenge #412 and The Card Concept #124 were my inspiration.

Can you tell how the ornaments on this card were inspired by the photo from the Card Concept?

I loved the blue and silver color scheme and had fun using it on this card.

For my second card, I created a card using my favorite Hello Bluebird set "Frosty Friend's."

I used a sketch from last month and this weeks Just Us Girls Challenge #515 as my inspiration. I loved the snowy scene on the inspiration photo!!

I used a piece of Basic Grey pattern paper in the back. I have been hoarding this paper for YEARS but think I need to start using it. I have so much paper!!

I covered the tree with some Nuvo clear glitter and some added some Studio Katia pearls.

My last card I created for my niece's birthday back in October. I had SO MUCH fun making this card. I used the MFT sneaker die with the paper I used to wrap her gift in.

Of course I am not sure where the sentiment is from as they are from a bunch I stamped and cut out a while ago.

I was going to use little grommets that I had but wound up using the die cuts. I couldn't find the grommets-which if you saw my room, would not surprise you. It is a MESS!!

I am going to enter this into Seize the Birthday Challenge #179-no topping and Time Out Challenges #149-Celebrations.

Well that is all from me tonight. I need to get to bed because I have a very long day tomorrow. Charlotte is also coming home and I cannot wait!!

Happy Mother's Day and a card for Freshly Made Sketches Challenge

Happy Mother's Day!! I hope everyone has had a fabulous day!!

Mine was low key. Charlotte had to work and I played in my craft room. Char did write me the most BEAUTIFUL note tucked into a new water bottle. It was the best gift ever.

I will admit something here, though. I HATE Mother's Day. It isn't because I am not treated well but because I don't have my mother to celebrate with anymore. I am thankful that I had her for the length of time I did but I miss her more around this time of year.

Today I am going to share a card I created for this weeks Freshly Made Sketches #387. It was such a FUN sketch this week and I am so glad I had time to play!!

I blended oxide ink onto Bristol cardstock in Abandon Coral for my card background. I then die cut it with an MFT Blueprints die. I mounted it onto a coral cardstock base and then added some embellishments that were in my stash.

The flower elements were die cut using various flower dies, like Altnew, Spellbinders and MFT.

The sketch below is what inspired my card.

Another card that I created last weekend I created to use the free little stamp set that Altenew sent me a couple weeks ago.

I did fix the Nuvo drops that I used around the edge of the card. The sentiment is from Penny Black.

I love these snarky sentiments and wish I had the images to go along with them. I need to do some research!!

I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by tonight!! Have a FABULOUS night!!