A Couple of Challenge Cards

 Happy Sunday!! 

I have not felt like doing anything this month so my blog has been slow. Stress has taken my mojo. Wish I stopped spending on craft supplies in the meantime!!

I started back to work last Monday and had a week of professional development. I learned some AWESOME skills in Google, some great ways to engage students via online and trying to take care of ourselves in order to be able to help our students. Tomorrow I go back with students. My schedule is VERY different from last year as our school has gone hybrid. I am actually looking forward to it after being stressed out over it. I decided I am concentrating on a positive mindset. I will do the best that I CAN do.

Letting it go has helped me to get a little mojo this weekend. I actually made a TON of cards-two for some challenges and the rest for an upcoming CAS-Friday release. 

The first card I created I had two challenges in mind. 

I used the Altenew Megabloom Stencil using four different inks and then used a sentiment from the Reverse Confetti Butterfly Blossoms stamp set.

The leaves are the Fine Cut Leaves from Memory Box.

I really love how this card came out. I blended two different pinks, a yellow and orange for the flower. It gave the flower so much dimension. 

I am entering this into CASE this Sketch Challenge #387 and this weeks Color Throwdown #608.

For my second card, I created a card using flowers from The Greetery.

The frame was on my desk and the butterfly is an old Martha Stewart Punch. 

I used Blueprint Sketch to stencil and blend ink for the background. The die used on the white background is from Mama Elephant.

I am entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge-Beautiful Botanicals and Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge-Anything Goes.

Well that is all from me today. I hope you have a FABULOUS day!!!

Playing With Pattern using CAS-ual Fridays Stamps and a Hike

 Hi everyone!! Today I am on the CAS-ual Fridays Blog with a card that was inspired by a pattern I saw on Pinterest. Below is a sneak peek of the card.

Hope on over to the blog to see the full card and a step by step on how I created this.

In other news, I went hiking yesterday with my Ireland buddies. We have been hiking some CT state parks this summer. We have been trying to do things outside so we have less of a chance of catching Covid from each other and wear masks when appropriate. Seeing them has helped my sanity because I don't go anywhere!!! Below are a few photos I took at Southford State Park.

One thing this place had was a bunch of waterfalls. These are pretty lame right now as we have a drought this summer but they still were pretty!!!

The photo above and below are the same waterfall, taken at different spots on the trail. I was actually standing in the middle of the stream on a rock for the one below. A little boy was so mad because his father would not let him go in the water to do the same thing!!! I am always setting a bad example!!

Another feature of this hike is the "covered bridge." But come to find out, it really isn't that old. Kind of a disappointment.

This did used to be a mill site, though, as you could see the stones they used to grind whatever they were milling around the bridge.

There were downed trees galore in this forest, as well as some funky growing trees. For some reason, I have a fascination with trees. I love the textures of different tree barks and the stuff that grows around it.

We were joking that the tree above was a "pregnant" tree but it almost looks like some kind of face to me. 

This tree the trunk actually was growing in a curve. There was a live canopy at the top!!!

Downstream!!! I really would love to see this when it is at full force. It would also be a lovely hike for the fall.

We ended the day with some breakfast!! We got up early so we could beat the rush of the day at the park so this berry french toast hit the spot!!!

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

Just a Quick Pop In With Cards for Some Challenges

 It is Sunday night here and I am exhausted. I stayed up all night last night because I got into such a GREAT book. 

I am a romance junky-I got that from my mother. I read other things but when things get too stressful-and they have been with the tropical storm last week and the terrible plans that the state DOES NOT have for our school systems to go back (which we are), I have been totally stressed out. Anyway, I made these cards yesterday but didn't have the energy to post them until tonight.

My first card was inspired by two challenges-CASE this Sketch #384 and The Color Throwdown #605.

I kind of "flipped" the sketch in that I used my butterflies as the main image, rather than a branch. I used the little flower images as the accents.

   

The butterfly stamp is my new favorite stamp, I think. It is Hero Arts Monarch Butterfly. I used Lawn Fawn's Peachy Keen, MFT's Cherry and Blueberry Ink for this card. 

The sentiment is from Altenew's Label Love stamp set. 

When I was finished with my stamping, I die cut the panel using The Greetery's Crimped Frame Dies and layered it on a dark blue card base.

I finished off the card with some sequins and Diamond Stickles in the middle.

For my second card, I used the Fusion Card Challenge as my inspiration for my card.

I chose to use the sketch but flipped it and using fruit on my card was the inspiration, just not the fruit from the photo.

I used The Greetery's Just Peachy stencils, dies and stamps for this card. I think this card may be a bit too busy for me BUT unfortunately I used some strong liquid glue that I cannot rip this apart without damaging the background. That stenciled background took me a long time to complete!!

I used a TON of different inks on this-too many to even name. The little strips of pattern paper and cardstock are just scraps from my stash.

I have to admit that this was a TON OF FUN to play with. I cannot wait to use this on some other cards but will not be using the stamps and the background's together again like this.

Well, that is all from me tonight. I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a great night!!

***Disclaimer: Some (not all) links in this post are affiliate links that are used at no extra cost to you.

Rainbows with CTS#383

Just popping in with a QUICK post with a card I created for this weeks CASE this Sketch Challenge #383.

I have had this die cut rainbow (Rainbow Stripes die from the Stamp Market) on my desk for MONTHS and I have shuffled it from one area to another. I thought it would be perfect to use for the sketch below.

I paired the rainbow with a stenciled cloud edger from this AWESOME company called A Colorful Life Designs and clouds from Reverse Confetti's Over the Rainbow Confetti Cuts. (I love mixing companies!!)

The sentiment is from Sunny Studio's Color Me Happy stamp set. I LOVE how this card came out!!

It literally took me minutes to create this card as most of the components were lying around my desk. (When I lose my mojo, I die cut my new products, stamp and color and then leave the for later!) We need rainbows today as we are experiencing a tropical storm!!

I am also going to enter this into this weeks Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenges: Anything Goes!!

That is all form me today. Thank you for taking the time to stop by!! Have a FABULOUS day!!

Simple Elegance with CAS-ual Fridays Stamps

Hi everyone!! It is my turn over at the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog with a monochromatic card I created using supplies I had from my stash. I tend to watch videos on products and then never use them. I created a step by step over on the blog on using Nuvo Crackle Mousse, paired with CAS-ual Fridays Modern Petals Stencil (one of my all time favorite stencils!) and the Foxy stamp set.

Hop on over to my post to see how I created my simple card!!!

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

Missing You with The Greetery and a Couple of Challenge Cards

Happy Sunday everyone!!!

Have been playing this week in my craft room. I stamped  a BUNCH of images from some sets by The Greetery and some backgrounds using Pinkfresh Studios Pop Out Stamps to create two cards for some challenges. 

For my first card, I used two challenges as inspiration for my card.

I used the sketch from Fab Friday #195 and Watercooler Wednesdays #282 Anything Goes Challenge. 

I created the striped background paper and had fun layering my flowers in The Greetery watering can.

As I was creating this card, I was thinking of "styles" of cards and trying to figure out if I had a set style. I don't think I really do. I like all types of stamps-critters, flowers, solid stamps, line stamps-and adore any kind of paper-colored cardstock, white, pattern paper. I think if I had to pick any kind of "style" that I have is that I layer things. One layer cards are too hard to make because I always mess them up!!

I actually was not sure I was going to even like this card when it was done because of the bold background. However, it has grown on me.

My second card was inspired by my first, no challenges. Instead of the watering can, I used a mason jar for my flowers. 

The frame was die cut with a Reverse Confetti die and was hanging around on my desk so I decided to layer it over the background I created.

The sentiment tag and sentiment is from Mama Elephant.  I just LOVE tiny tags!!

I used a little too much Aqua Clear Shimmer on the flowers. It was a new pen and it kind of globbed out!! You can see it in the photos more than IRL.

Well, that is all from me today. I hope you all have a great night!!

Supplies:

(Some links are affiliate links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate links in bold)

Stamps: Pink Fresh Studios Pop Out Diagonal Stripes and Chevron Background, The Greetery Budding Beauties Summer, Budding Beauties Spring, Budding Beauties Winter, Sprinkled With Kindness, Just Mason Around, The Ink Blot Shop Sentiment Label Blocks, Mama Elephant Mini Everyday Messages

Dies: Reverse Confetti Frame, The Greetery, MFT

Paper: Neenah Solar White, Lawn Fawn Mermaid

Ink: Hero Arts Soft Pool, Tide Pool, Ocean, Lemon Yellow, Pinkfresh Studios Island Oasis cubes and Morning Sky cubes

Other: MISTI, 3M Foam Adhesive, Nuvo Crystal Drops Gloss White, Sequins, Ranger Multi Matte

Christmas in July-A CAS-Fridays Christmas Post

Just popping in with a sneak peek to the card that I created for the CAS-Fridays Blog. It is my turn to host the blog and I had fun making a slimline Christmas card.

Hop on over to see how I created the background on this fun card!!!