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!!!

Happy Monday and a Couple of Cards

Happy Monday everyone!! I hope you are all having a great start to your week.

I am popping in with a couple of cards I created. The first was inspired by Happy Little Stampers CAS Tis the Season Challenge and the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #245-Anything Goes.

I am obsessed with these little snowmen from Hello Bluebird but I DO NOT WANT REAL SNOW anytime soon!!

I did some stenciling with SSS Falling Snow Stencil and modeling paste. When it dried, I added an MFT snowflake die cut in the middle.

I then added some images from Hello Bluebird's "Frosty Friends" and "Frosty Littles" stamp sets. I did a bunch of experimentation in coloring my snowmen so each one is different.

The sentiment is also Hello Bluebird. It is from their "Typed Christmas" stamp set. I have an affinity for typed sentiments and tend to purchase them when I don't need them!!

Finishing touches to my card include Orange Stickles on the nose, Nuvo Aqua Shimmer pen and Glossy accents on the bird and scarf. Even my CAS cards have to have a bit of shine or they don't seem finished!!

My second card is another snowman card I created for a previous Freshly Made Sketches but then didn't post in time.

I created the background using different pink Distress Inks and some acrylic paint that I had watered down and spritzed with a tooth brush.

Again, I used another Hello Bluebird Snowman, along with a SSS Snowflake die cut.

I know that all these cards are pretty simple but I have a ton to make and send this year unless I can get my daughter to have a photo shoot at Thanksgiving.

I like the simple sentiments too. I have not stamped any inside yet but will do that later.

On a different subject, has anyone been doing the coloring challenge?

Here are two days of coloring that I did on Friday and Saturday.

I added some sparkle onto the tree too but did not take a photo of that. Will be fun to make cards with these later.

That is all from me today!! Have a FABULOUS day!!

Happy Sunday!!

Hey everyone!! Happy Sunday night!!

Just popping in with a quick post to get in a card I created for this weeks Freshly Made Sketches #407 and a bunch of other challenges listed at the end. I am right on the edge and since I love how this came out I had to get it posted!!!

I created a background using Distress Inks. I then used a tooth brush and watered down white acrylic paint to spritz white over the top.

The snowman is from Hello Bluebird's "Frosty Littles" Stamp set. I colored him in using Copic Markers and then added little touches on using Diamond Stickles and Nuvo Crystal Drops in Berry Blue.

The sentiment is from Hello Bluebird's "Typed Christmas" stamp set.

The snowflakes are from the hoard of dies that I have. They were in a pile and don't have a clue who makes what without going through everything and it is too late for that!!!

I have had NO MOJO as of late so making this card is so exciting for me!!! I love how this background came out and even made a different one to match but too late to post so will do it tomorrow.

I am entering this card in Freshly Made Sketches #407, Just Us Girls Challenges #510: Color Week-using the colors Navy, Purple and Green,  Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies, Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge: Anything Goes Optional Twinkle, and Addicted to Stamps: Holiday.

That is all from me tonight. I hope you all have a great start to your week!!!