Party Tuesday!!

Okay, there is not really a party today BUT I do get some alone time tonight and that is always a reason for me to be happy!!

Today I am showcasing a card I created for my brother's birthday on Thursday. I have to admit that I almost forgot to make one but I am trying so hard not to forget my IMMEDIATE family's birthdays this year. (Forget anyone else. I am HORRIBLE at sending out cards!!)

I apologize for the bad editing of this photo but I had a hard time getting the "true" color of this card.

Two challenges were my inspiration for this card. First was Reverse Confetti's Sketch #44. I cannot enter the challenge, though as I do not have any of their products on this. However, I loved the sketch so I went with it anyway!!

 I also am playing along with "Less Is More" for their "Ombre" Challenge.

Anyway, I started my card off by stamping the balloon from my NEW PaperTrey Ink "Scene It: Celebration" stamp set with My Favorite Things "Blue Raspberry" ink on a white panel that was a scrap on my desk. I then stamped it again with Hero Arts "Soft Pool," which I thought was the next lightest color BUT was really not! The last color I stamped the balloon with is My Favorite Things "Sno Cone" ink. 

Frankly I like the way the colors came out so I did not re-stamp any of it but will know for next time.
I then drew pencil lines for the strings and then went over them with a black Pigma pen. I mounted the panel on a piece of black card stock to make the images POP a bit.

I set this aside while I adhered a patterned paper strip and a thin piece of glitter paper to the front of an  A2 sized, turquoise card. Next I adhered the stamped panel over the card front. I angled the PaperTrey Ink "party" die cut over the right bottom edge and adhered it down using Ranger Multi-Matte adhesive.

The last step was to adhere sequins randomly over the front.

Not sure that turquoise is a boy color but it definitely is less girly then many of the cards I make. I am just happy that I am remembering to send a card out!!

I thank you for stopping by today. I hope you have a great day!1

Supplies:
Stamps-PaperTrey Ink "Scene It: Celebration"
Dies-PaperTrey Ink "Party" dies
Ink-My Favorite Things "Blue Raspberry," Hero Arts "Soft Pool" and My Favorite Things "Sno Cone"
Paper-Turquoise A2 Card, Imaginisce Paper, Stampin Up! "Whisper White" Card stock, Bazzill Black, Die Cuts With a View "Glitter" pad
Other-Big Shot, Sequins, Ranger Multi-Matte, Pigma Pen

Monday and a card for some Challenges

Hello everyone!! I hope your Monday is going well. I wanted it to snow some more so we could have a three day weekend but the snow gods did not cooperate!! No, I am fine with it. Just have a lot to do. Would like a snow day more at the end of the week but it is supposed to get into the 40's!

Today I am showcasing a card that I created using Sunny Studio "Mug Hugs" stamp and die set. I bought this BEFORE Christmas hoping to use it but never did. This is not a Christmas card but more of a "friend" card.

I used the Fab Friday #103 Sketch as my inspiration, though I did place the sentiment banner at the top right of the image rather then the bottom left.

I started by stamping the to go cup and one of the hot chocolate cups from "Mug Hugs" onto a white panel that I had die cut with a Mama Elephant die from "Peek a Frame."

I layered the frame over three pieces of patterned paper from my stash that had pink, green and black in them so I could play with this week's "Color Throwdown" Challenge #424.

I then layered a die cut cup of cocoa that I had stamped onto patterned paper and cut out. I adhered a pink candy cane, some marshmallows and at heart over the cup.

My last step was to stamp the sentiment onto a green banner and adhere it to the card using foam adhesive.

This card was so fun to make and will be using this set again in the near future as I stamped and colored a TON of cute images so they would be ready to make into a card.

I am also entering this card into the Simon Says Stamps "Wednesday Challenge" Blog for "New Something." My stamp set was brand new, never been used before!!

I thank you for taking the time to stop by today!! Have a fabulous Monday!!

Supplies:

Stamps-Sunny Studio "Mug Hugs"

Dies-Sunny Studio "Mug Hugs," and Mama Elephant "Peek a Frame"

Paper-My Minds Eye "Happy Haunting-Circles," Ki Memories (pink stripe), American Crafts (flowers), Neenah Solar White card stock and PaperTrey Ink "Black," Bazzill Pink

Ink-Memento "Tuxedo Black" dye ink

Other-Glossy Accents, Spectrum Clear Sparkle Marker, Copics, Foam Adhesive

Sunday, Sunday and ANOTHER card using Simon Says Stamp "Time for Wine"

Happy Sunday!!

We finally had some snow that stuck yesterday. I stayed in my pajamas and did a bit of crafting, though I was supposed to go to the gym but I put it off. My daughter and my husband were at robotics and I decided that I would enjoy my time alone-something I rarely get these days!!

My method of stamping is different these days. I take a LONG time making cards so often I stamp a TON of images on a piece of paper and then color them in while I am watching television with the family. This way, I still spend time with them but then I also can do what I like to do. It is a win/win situation!! That being said, I often color more pieces then I use and then they just sit. I decided that 2017 is the year I will be using what I spent all the time on coloring!!

Today I am showcasing a card where I used Simon Says Stamps "Time for Wine"stamps and dies. I still have some pieces left over for one more card after this with purple and then I colored in a bunch more using my Copic's last night in a different color scheme. I cannot tell you how I ADORE this set of stamps. All my friends LOVE wine and I am trying to make more "adult" cards rather then cutesy. (Thought I love all my cutesy stamps too!!!)

I used the Global Design Challenge #068 as my inspiration for this card.

You are probably thinking where, right? Well, I used the same basic layout as the inspiration card, as well as polka dot paper and instead of ribbon, I used wrapped twine in the place where the ribbon would go as it matched the images better then ribbon would.

The images were colored in with Zig Clean Color Brush Markers. I added some Spectrum Clear Sparkle over the top and also coated some of the images with Glossy Accents too.

The polka dot paper is Reminisce "Basic Dot" and has been in my stash for YEARS. I told you I was a hoarder!!! No what I didn't add this time? Sequins!! I decided to leave them off this card for a change.

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

Supplies:
Stamps and Dies-Simon Says Stamps "Time for Wine," My Favorite Things 
Paper-Recollections "White" card stock, Reminisce "Basic Dot," Heidi Swapp "Favorite Things"
Ink-Ranger "Archival Black," PaperTrey Ink "Simply Chartreuse" 
Other-Big Shots Zig Clean Color Brush Markers, Adhesive Foam, Glossy Accents, Spectrum Clear Sparkle pen, May Arts Jute
SaveSave

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Inspiration

Hello everyone!! It is Saturday here and I am so happy that the weekend is here. Even though I had a week off last week, it seems like I never had a vacation.

Today it is my turn on the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog for some inspiration. I created a gate fold card-the first one I have ever made!

I started off by taking an 8 1/2" by 4 1/4" sheet of yellow card stock and scoring it on each end at 2 1/8." I then stamped the border from CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Starlequin" in red dye ink.

Next I adhered two pre-made Kraft colored doilies on each side. I folded them directly down the middle and adhere them inside and outside the card.

I had watercolored two flowers in red from the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Mon Ami" set and used the matching dies to cut them out. I then adhered them to the front using foam adhesive. The large tulip tucks underneath the smaller tulip to keep the card closed. I adhered the sentiment banner, again stamped with a sentiment from "Mon Ami," onto the left side of the card. Since sequins are bit of an obsession with me these days, I had to adhere a few of those on the front too!!

Inside the card, I adhered a third Kraft doily that I had stamped a sentiment and butterfly from the CAS-ual Fridays "Be" stamp set.

This was so much to make that I think I will be experimenting with using some more of my CAS-ual Fridays Stamp sets to make some more gate fold cards.

Want to treat yourself to a New Year's shopping spree? Use my special code nora2017 to get 15% off at the CAS-ual Fridays Stamp Store.

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

Supplies:
Stamps-CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Mon Ami," "Starlequin" and "Be"
Dies-CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Mon Ami Fleur Fri-dies"
Paper-Bazzill (yellow and green), Canson Watercolor Paper, Recollections Kraft Doilies
Ink-Versamark, Ranger Archival Black, WPlus9 "Gala Red"
Other-sequins, Ranger Multi Matte Glue, Foam Adhesive, Gansai Tambi watercolor, MISTI Stamp Tool

Happy Friday, A Sympathy Card and Major Shopping

Hi everyone!! It is finally Friday and I am SO HAPPY for the weekend!! My daughter and my husband are at robotics for the whole day tomorrow and I am so HAPPY for some time to myself!!

Last month was a very dry month for me card wise. However, it did not stop me from buying stuff, much to my husband's chagrin. Every time I bought a Christmas present for someone it seems like I bought one for me!

I also got a full set of Tombow Dual Brush Markers from my husband for Christmas. My list wasn't that long (as you can see I bought stuff for myself!) and the markers were expensive so I would never have bought them for myself. Now to figure out how I will use them to their best potential!

I am waiting for two more orders this week and am OFFICIALLY on a buying freeze. I am going to aim for June but not sure if I can wait that long. 

My goal is to use all the products I have never used before, as well as purge a ton of stuff before I start buying again. The purging part is hard for me as I do not like to get rid of my craft stuff. I do eventually come around to using it and when I have given stuff away, I usually regret it. Am I the only one like this?

And now a card!! I created this for my friend who lost her mother last week. I used two Hero Arts stamp sets on this card. For the flowers I used "Color Layering for You Flower's Bundle" and for the sentiment I used "Prayers Stamp and Cut" set.

I have decided that since I have gotten the MISTI stamp tool, I love multi-step stamped images. I could go in and color the flowers to give them more depth but you don't need to.

I used two different Heidi Swapp Colorshine Mists on this-"Tinsel" and "Amethyst," as well as Tim Holtz Distress Stain in "Shaded Lilac" to get a kind of messy look. Death is messy so I think it was a perfect addition to this card.

I am entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "Start Afresh" and A Blog Named Hero's "New to Me" challenge as the prayers stamp set was a set that I had never inked up before.

That is all for me today. Tune in tomorrow for some inspiration for CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.

Thanks for stopping by. Your taking the time to read my blog means so much to me!!

Thursday with Simon Says Stamp's "Time for Wine" and Mojo Monday Sketch

Happy Thursday!! I hope you are all having a wonderful day and the new year is treating you right.

During my dry spell last month, I entered some contests at a couple blogs and won some prizes. I though I would share them here with you.

The first one I won was from a "A Blog Named Hero." I commented on a card by Beverly, which I LOVE. She was so nice to send me the card as well as some yummy goodies. I cannot wait to sit down and color this stamps and use the fun gold goodies!!

Then I had another wonderful surprise of winning a prize for Uniko Studios blog hop. This is an English stamp company that I drool over. The owner, also a Beverly, sent me these adorable stamps. I will definitely be using these soon as I make my Christmas cards for next year!!

Then I received a nice surprise from Taunya Butler that blogs at Daisies Girl. She sent me that adorable card and some Simon Says Stamps dies. Wasn't that sweet?

Okay, now for a card I created using a Mojo Monday Sketch and my newly used Simon Says Stamp "Time for Wine" stamp and die set.

The sketch #478 was PERFECT to use with the sentiment and images from this SSS set.

As I do with a lot of my stamp sets, I stamped a ton of images and then colored them in all at the same time. I used Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers for all the wine bottle, glass, and leaves on my card.

I used a piece of Heidi Swapp striped paper left over from the card I posted yesterday and some patterned paper from the "Love Notes" collection by We R Memory Keepers that I bought last year. I thought the black and white color scheme was perfect with the purple.

The sentiment was stamped with Paper Trey Ink's "Simply Chartreuse" dye ink, as it matched the leaves perfectly.

When the card was completed, added some sequins randomly around the card.

I am entering this card into A Blog Named Hero's "New to Me" challenge as well as the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "Start Afresh." Both the paper and the stamp set are things that I have never used before this week.

That is all from me today. I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS Thursday!!

Supplies:

Stamp-"Time for Wine" by Simon Says Stamps

Ink-Ranger Archival Black, Paper Trey Ink "Simply Chartreuse"

Paper-Neenah Solar White Card Stock, "Love Notes" by We R Memory Keepers, "Favorite Things" by Heidi Swapp, Vellum by Paper Trey Ink

Markers-Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, Spectrum Sparkle Markers

Dies-"Time for Wine" by Simon Says Stamps, "Stitched Circle Frame" by My Favorite Things

Other-Big Shot, Ranger Multi-Matte Adhesive, Glossy Accents, Sequins, 

First Post of the New Year and Some Cards

Happy New Year everyone!! I know I am four days too late but I think that is still okay to say, right?

You can hear echoes on my blog over the past month. The holidays kicked my butt and if that didn't take up my time, Charlotte wound up being sick right before Christmas and stayed out of school for a couple days.

Our Christmas was wonderful and we spent time with some of my family. Is it weird that I want to share this with you? I should have posted last week and it might be more relevant!!

Char in front of our tree before we unwrapped our presents. I didn't even gussy up my daughter and my husbands present as I usually do. I only did it for friends as I just didn't have the energy. I think I am going to wrap as I go along next year. Anyone do this?

Me and Charlotte at my sister's house. Trying to just be and not bother if the "perfect" photo is taken of me or not. One of my good friend's lost their mother last week and it just hit home having the photos is more important then looking perfect!

My nephews and niece with Charlotte.

I bought the game "Shut Your Mouth" and we had so much fun playing it with the family on Christmas day. Nothing but laughs!! I even have my Dad on video and it is something I will cherish!!

Charlotte and my niece. Cannot believe how grown up they are!!

Now for some cards!! To be honest, I have NOT been creating in a prolific way as of late. Me and my mojo had not been meeting up at the same time. When I wanted to create something, I didn't have the time. When I had the time, my mojo was no where to be found. I did do A LOT of shopping but THAT is a whole different post!

Anyway, on Monday I created a couple cards for some sketch challenges but as I always do, I never photographed them in time to submit. I decided to post them anyway.

I created this card using Freshly Made Sketches #268 as my inspiration.

I know, I know, it is a Christmas card BUT in my defense, I only created about five holiday cards this Christmas and decided I was not going to wait to the last minute to make Christmas cards in 2017. I used up ALL of the photo cards I ordered that I send out to close family/friends this year and resorted to having to send out some pre-made cards to a few people and was horrified! I also wanted to use this stamp set from Hero Arts called "Kelly's Noel." I bought it in November 2015 and NEVER INKED IT UP!!

Another thing I decided to start doing is to use patterned paper more on my cards. I have a ton but for some unknown reason in my head, I hoard it!! This paper is "Merry Little Christmas" from My Mind's Eye that I "think" I bought last year? I only have about ten 6" by 6" pads full of Christmas paper so who knows!!

I love the pink and green together. I think this kind of Christmas card is good because it is simple enough to be able to do in assembly line style and rather flat so it mails well.

For my next card, I used a sketch #157 from "Match the Sketch" Challenge Blog.

I used the Simon Says Stamp "Time for Wine" stamp set and dies that has been sitting on my desk for months.

I decided to experiment with my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers for these fun images. I then covered many of them with Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Marker and Glossy Accents. The Glossy Accents made the color run a bit but I think it looks kind of cool.

I used some Heidi Swapp patterned paper that I have been saving for the background. I like the black with the purple. The sentiment is from Paper Smooches "Free Spirits" stamp set. I needed something small enough to fit on the end of the flag and this was perfect.

I adhered one wine glass and the leaf with foam adhesive and the rest of the stamped images with Ranger Multi-Matte. The sequins were my last touch. I actually was only going to use three BUT I got a black smudge on the white banner where the big sequin is to the right. The addition of yet another sequin covered the boo boo right up!!

I love how this card came out and will share another card I created with this same set tomorrow.

Well, that is all from me tonight. I thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog. As always, your visits are appreciated.

Have a FABULOUS night!!

Card #1:
Stamps-"Kelly's Noel" by Hero Arts
Inks-"Soft Green," "Green Hills," "Bubble Gum" and "Red Royal" by Hero Arts
Dies-My Favorite Things "Pierced Square Stax" and "Blueprints #13"
Paper-Paper Trey Ink "Sweet Blush" card stock, Neenah Solar White card stock, My Mind's Eye "Merry Little Christmas" 6" by 6" paper pad
Other-Big Shot, Glossy Accents, Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen, sequins

Card #2:
Stamps-"Time for Wine" by Simon Says Stamps, "Free Spirits" by Paper Smooches
Dies-"Time for Wine" by Simon Says Stamps, "Fishtail Flags" by My Favorite Things
Paper-Neenah Solar White card stock, "Favorite Things" 6" by 6" paper from Heidi Swapp
Ink-Ranger Archival Black, Paper Trey Ink Smokey Shadow
Other-Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, Ranger Multi-Matte, Big Shot, sequins, Crystal Spectrum Noir