A New Post for CAS-ual Fridays Stamps

 Happy Wednesday!! I have been MIA as of late due to exhaustion from my job. I have 19 more days of school until we break for summer but who is counting!!! This has been a long year and I will be happy to see it end. I have been in school since August and I do not have much patience left in me to prod the students to complete their assignments. They are over this year too. 

Today I am over at the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog with a simple birthday card. Use the link to see how I created my card. Below is a sneak peek:

I received a new free stamp set from Altenew today. I was so excited as my day was a little rough.

It is always fun to get a little envelope filled with something in the mail!!! I am hoping that I can use this set tonight to create a card.

On another note, I was able to go to the nursery this past weekend and got a bunch of different annuls and a couple perennials to plant in my gardens. 

I spent Mother's Day afternoon planting them in various places. I have to admit that I do not have a green thumb but I try!! I did not take any after photos as I didn't use gloves and my hands were a MESS. Am I the only one who likes the feel of getting dirt on their hands from gardening?

I still have to plant my veggies but need to figure out a plan because my dogs LOVE to dig in my veggie garden. 

Well, that is all from me today. Perhaps I will post again later this week as I have been making cards but just not posting on my blog. Do not forget to hop on over to my post on the CAS-ual Fridays Blog. I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS day!!

Happy Birthday using Die Cuts

 Happy Thursday!! Just came home from the dentist. I have a Bite Splint that I have to wear at night for my teeth clenching and I broke the plastic on it biting down on it too hard. What are the chances of that? To make it worse, insurance won't cover it because it is the second one in two years I have had to get.  Ugg! All from STRESS!! Anyway, enough about my teeth!

Today I am popping in with a card I created using mostly pre-made die cuts. I am going to admit something. I have an addiction to buying ephemera...and then rarely using it. When I saw this weeks Global Design Project's Challenge #GDP284, I knew exactly what I was going to use. 

The actual challenge was to CASE the Designer, Krista Fratt's card below:

The first thing that I was inspired by was the blue background color. I pulled out some Carta Bella Paper-Garden Melody-with a blue stripe and die cut it with a double stitched rectangle from Gina Marie Designs. I added the paper to a white, Neenah, top folding card base. 

I then added a rick rack border die cut using an MFT die. I added a paper strip of plaid paper underneath the rick rack.

I then basically started playing with my collection Pinkfresh Studio ephemera from the Joyful Day and Indigo Hills collections. The placement of the two circles together over a label were inspired by Krista's card. The label had some writing on it so I added a flower under my birthday strip.

I then needed to balance the layout of the card so I used foam adhesive under the heart and added a flower with a "leaf," which is really a banner. My last step was to add some  red berry Nuvo Crystal Drops to accent the flowers. 

I totally LOVE how this came out and it was so fun to make!! I think I am going to use a different sketch and use more ephemera for a card this weekend.

I am also going to enter this card into this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge. This week it is Helen's All About Occasions Challenge.

Well, that is all from me today. I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS day!

On the Blog with CAS-ual Fridays

 Hello everyone!! Today is the day I am on the CAS-ual Fridays Blog with a feminine birthday card.

Hop on over the the CAS-ual Fridays Blog to see how I created this card!!!

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

The Final Day of the CAS-ual Fridays March 2021 Release

 It is Friday and the final day of the CAS-ual Fridays March Release!!!! I saved the best card (or at least my FAVORITE card) I created for last. 

I went way out of my comfort zone with this card design using the new Swirls Stencil, paired with the new Love Notes stamp set. 

I started off this card by blending Distress Ink in Twisted Citron and Lucky Clover onto a white, A2 card panel. I then used the Swirls Stencil and the same ink colors to stencil the swirls on different areas of my card panel. There was no rhyme or reason, I just had fun!!! When I was done stenciling, I blended some Vintage Photo Distress Ink around the edges to add a little contrast to the greens I used. 

Next I used Walnut Stain and Picket Fence Spray Stain to flick over the card front. I was trying for small splatters BUT sometimes you get what you get.

As the splatter was drying, I stamped the sentiment strips in black, using the Love Notes stamp set. I then used Vintage Photo Distress Ink across the top and Walnut Stain dragged on the edges of each sentiment strip. I distressed the edges using some sand paper.

When the green panel was dry, I stamped the music from the Love Notes stamp set using WOW! Clear Embossing Ink and then heat embossed it with WOW! Clear Embossing Powder. I used a paint brush and water to lighten the ink inside the music so that they would stand out a bit.

I used sand paper to distress the edges of the panel and adhered it to a white, A2, top folding card. 

I used foam adhesive to adhere the sentiment strips and then added some green Nuvo Crystal Drops over some of the stenciled swirls. The card was complete!!!

This was COMPLETELY out of my comfort zone but a lot of fun to create. I really love how it came out!!!

This stencil, as well as all the other new products, are available in the CAS-ual Fridays Stamp Shop under the NEW section right now!!! Use my code NORASENTME to get 15% off your total order!!!

Be sure to comment to be entered into a random drawing of all the commenters on the designers blogs to win a prize. Hop on over to the CAS-Fridays Blog to link up to the fabulous creations created by the Design Team!!

That is it for me today. I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS day!!!

A Few Challenge Cards

 Hi everyone!! Long time no see!!

Just popping in with a couple of cards for some challenges. I have been creating but not blogging cards lately. I have been too busy still organizing and shopping for my new craft room. I just want it all to be done!!! 

The first card I am entering into the Lawn Fawnatics Challenge #96. It is all about the BIRTHDAY!!!

I dug out my taco set-Lawn Fawn Year 9-and matching Year 9 Dies-to make this card. I did a bit of no line coloring for my taco with Copic Markers and layered it over a SSS Mix and Match Circles that I stamped in red, as well as a balloon, which I had in my stash. 

I added some pattern paper that I NEVER use but am obsessed with buying, in the back of everything. The layout design was inspired by The Paper Craft Crew Sketch #414. Again, I am entering this into the Lawn Fawnatics Birthday Challenge #96 as well. 

I loved this card so much, I created a second version. 

I added splatters from the sketch on this one, as well as made the sentiment a continuous strip.

I love how these came out!!! I can send to either a girl or a boy!

I am going to enter the second card into the Watercooler Wednesday Card Challenge #310: All About Occasions. 

My second card I created using my Altenew Paint-A-Flower: Tulip. 

I have a monthly subscription to get the Paint-A-Flower sets but barely use them. I decided when I was going through all my stamps that I was going to make some cards with them.

I used my Copic markers to color this in and then went over the flowers with a Clear Glitter Brush Pen. 

I used a sentiment strip from my stash but I have not idea who created it!!

I am going to enter this into this months's Flower Challenge #54: Shades of Purple. I might be pushing it here as I have other colors on this but think the purple is what stands out on this card. 

Well, that is all from me today. I wanted to get these posted before I forgot. I hope you have a FABULOUS day!!

Day 3 of the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Winter Release

 Hello everyone!! I hope you all are enjoying your weekend.

Today I am popping in with two cards I created using the newly released CAS-ual Fridays Stamps stencils-Chunky Chevron and Bubbles.

On my first card, I decided to just use the Bubbly stencil in a traditional way.

I used Distress Ink in Peacock Feathers, Crackling Campfire and Rusty Hinge with the stencil and blended the ink across a white A2 card base. I die cut the panel down using a rectangle die. 

Next I stamped "celebrate" from the Sassy Celebrations stamp set with WOW! Clear Embossing Ink. 

I heat embossed the "celebrate" using WOW! Bang embossing powder. I love the texture of this embossing powder and think it draws the eye to the sentiment, which is what I wanted. I then layered the panel over an A2 sized, Peacock Blue card front. My last step was to use some glitter accents randomly in some of the bubbles. 

Below is a peek at the new stencils being released:

For my second card I used the Chunky Chevron stencil to do a mixed media card front. 

I used a heavy weight white cardstock as my background panel. I needed a heavier weight paper because I used the stencil with Peacock Feathers and Crackling Campfire Distress Spray Stain, and some Peacock Feathers Oxide Distress Spray.

I made my own red colored cardstock by inking white cardstock with Crackling Campfire Distress Ink. I cut it into strips and adhered it to the card front. I then adhered "happy" that I had die cut using the Happy Hanukkah Fri-die.

I added a birthday banner that I had masked and stamped from the Everyday Dragonflies stamp set. 

To finish the card, I wrapped some teal twine at the top of the card. 

These stencils, as well as the rest of the release, is available now in the NEW section of the CAS-ual Fridays Stamp Store. Don't forget to use my code NORASENTME 15% off your total order!!!

Please stop on by the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog to see some more creations from the other DT Members!!!

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

Happy 20th Birthday Charlotte!!!

 Hello everyone!! 

Today I am posting a birthday card I made for my daughter and another card for a challenge. Charlotte turns TWENTY today!!! Below is the card I created for her.

I used the "Sending Sweet Celebrations Wishes" by Stacey Yacula from My Favorite Things for the images on my card.

I used Copic markers to color in the little fox and the penguin. The sentiment is a negative die cut from Simon Says Stamp.

Charlotte always wants me to make cards for her on her birthday and I had to to a special one this year because she is not only turning twenty, but is stuck doing all her college classes from home. I thought these images would cheer her up!!

I will write something nice on the inside of the card. I need to start making my insides fancier but I have a hard enough time doing the outside!!!

I had to include some recent photos of my daughter from a photo shoot we had this fall for our Christmas card. NONE have been approved by her and most are straight out of the camera. I hate altering pictures!!

 I tend to like the photos where she is showing her personality!!! I just LOVE this kid!! She is the BEST thing that has come into my life. Not everyday was a piece of cake but I would not change her for the world! I hope this year brings you such happiness!!!!

Okay, now onto the card I created for a challenge. I have not been able to play with CASE this Sketch in a while and decided that I HAD to do this weeks sketch #400.

I did switch it up a bit. In lieu of the stripes, I used a scrap of wood plank pattern paper from one of my cards from yesterday. I layered this paper over a Stone colored cardstock background.

I then chose to adhere snowflake die cuts in different sizes over each other. These tended to get lost so I used a bit of Copic Marker in the W grays to give them a bit of shadow.

You don't notice it unless you are looking for it but it just gets the snowflakes a tiny pop so you can differentiate them from each other!

I know the sketch did not have a sentient strip but I had to use one on this card because I had no room to orientate it. I decided to stamp it in dark gray ink onto red cardstock.

I then adhered a combo of mirrored sequins and red sequins randomly around the front to give it some more POP!! I have to say, I LOVE how it came out!!!

Well, that is all from me today. I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by!! Have a FABULOUS day!!!