A Beautiful Saturday and Cards for Some Challenges

Happy Saturday everyone!!

It is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS today in good old CT. Sunny, in the 70's with very little humidity-a perfect day in my eyes!

Today I am popping in with some cards for some challenges. This post has a lot of photos in it so please forgive me!!

I created these cards for June's Twofer Card Challenge #28.

I decided to use circle stencils on my cards. I die cut the stencils myself using different sized circle dies and incorporated them into my card design.

The first card I created was a retirement card. I stenciled the circles in a rainbow of Distress Inks.  (Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin, Squeezed Lemonade, Twisted Citron, Mermaid Lagoon and Wilted Violet)

I then used the Confetti Backgrounds Stencil from Honey Bee Stamps with some white Gina K. Glitz Glitter Gel to create a little more interest on my card.

The sentiment is from Waffle Flower's Happy Retirement set that I heat embossed in white on black cardstock.

This card was really fun and easy to create. I have to send this out this week to a male and I thought the color scheme was PERFECT.

My second card was inspired by two other challenges as well as the Twofer Challenge.

This weeks Freshly Made Sketch #439 was what inspired me for the layout of my card and The Card Concept #137 is what inspired me for the color scheme. I was actually drawn to the golden and brown blanket in the photo, as well as the rustic appearance of the camping stuff.

I started off by using making my flower using a heart stamp from CAS-ual Fridays Hearty Horse stamp set. I stamped these flowers using Simon Says Stamps Duckling Ink and Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

I stenciled the middles using the same circle stencils as my first card, Walnut Stain Distress Ink, and a retired stencil from Memory Box. I then distressed the entire panel using Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

The Stamplorations sentiment (retired) was heat embossed with Walnut Stain Distress Embossing Glaze onto kraft colored cardstock. I have never used this glaze before but will be buying it in other colors as I like that it was an exact match to the ink!!

The twine, the sequins and the CAS-Fridays chipboard heart were the last elements added to my card. I don't think I have had as fun creating a card like this in a long time!!

Before I go, I wanted to post some photos of my front gardens. I am NOT a gardener by any means but I love my front to have flowers blooming throughout the summer. Today was the BEST day to be out deadheading flowers and attaching my plants to different trellises I have in my yard to try to get my flowers to grow the way I would like.

I also have a small veggie garden in the back. I planted pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, one eggplant and a pepper plant that was labeled as a tomato plant. The cucumbers are my favorite but every year I get cucumber beetles so they rarely grow but I am trying once again. I hope the effort is not futile!!!

On one more note, my friend made Charlotte some cloth masks for work!! these go around her head and neck rather than her ears. Her poor little ears are so RAW!!

I know some people don't believe in them BUT it is a state mandate here right now and if this helps keep people healthy I am willing to do my part.

Have you had enough of me today? This is the end of my long post. I thank all of you for taking the time to stop by.

Have a GREAT night!!

CAS-ual Fridays Post-Rainbow Hearts

Happy Tuesday everyone!! 

My work year is winding down and I see the light at the end of the tunnel!! Yeah!!!

Today I am on the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog with a step by step for the sneak peek below:

Hope on over to MY POST to see how I created this card!!!

I thank you for taking the time to stop by!!

Freshly Made Sketch #438

Happy Monday!! I hope that your week has had a great start to it.

I spent my morning going over a mandatory sexual harassment training video that took two hours to complete. Don't get me wrong-I am okay with doing things like this but two hours is a LONG time!!!

Just a quick stop in today to show you a card I created for Freshly Made Sketches #438. Was lazy this weekend and didn't get much crafting done!!

I loved this sketch because it gave me the chance to use my pattern paper!! I have so MUCH of it!!!

Here is the sketch that I used as my inspiration:

The sentiment is from Art Impressions. I did stamp it straight, I promise!! 

The lines around the sentiment might not be the best, though. Hate when that happens BUT I like how this turned out.

I am also entering this into the Inkspirational Challenges #214-Funny Sentiments.

That is all from me today!! I thank you for taking the time to stop by!!!

Multiple Monday

Happy Monday everyone!!

I had done a post like this two weeks ago and I want to make this a new "thing." I was originally going to post a video for the batch I made this week but looking at the footage I took, it wasn't so hot. The desk shook a lot and I just decided that it wasn't good enough for people to see. That doesn't mean the cards didn't come out, though!!

I have to admit that I had A LOT of fun making these cards. As a rule, I do not do multiples of cards. I find it boring. However, during this time of being isolated, it has actually been kind of fun.

Here is the first card that I created for this "series." I started off by stamping my butterfly, heat embossing it in gold and then using Zig Clean Markers to paint it in. I then fussy cut it out.

I actually painted all the butterflies first and then picked the colors of ink I would use to stamp my background from there. I used Pinkfresh Studios "Dainty Blossoms" dies for the white flower/leaf die under my butterfly and the tag is Reverse Confetti's "Grid Stitched Tag."

I then repeated this design using purple for the background and butterfly, as well as changing up the tag to Reverse Confetti's "See Through Tag." The sentiment was in my stash.

I used some DMC Floss in white at the top and some sequins from Cartwright.

I created the card in pink...

in Jelly Bean green...

and in mint green. I thought all these came out really pretty.

I had a couple butterflies left over so I decided to use some pattern paper scraps for the last two cards I created. I actually think I might like these cards the best!!! The white tags pop off the paper better than the stamped backgrounds.

I wish I had only done the leaf die cut behind the butterfly on all of the cards.

I think it looks classier. I also stamped right on the tag, unlike the first five cards.

Here is another purple card. I like the colors with this background.

I am entering these cards into Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #391-Anything Goes and Watercooler Wednesday Card Challenge #273-Marsha's Challenge-All About Occasions.

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

Basic Supplies:

(some affiliate links used, when possible, at no extra cost to you)

Paper: Neenah Solar White Cardstock, Lawn Fawn Black Licorice Cardstock

Stamps: The Stamp Market "Painted Background," PaperTrey Ink's "Butterfly Blooms," and Taylored Expressions "Simple Strips Sympathy," MFT "Deepest Sympathy"

Dies: Taylored Expressions "Simple Strips," Reverse Confetti "See Through Tag," MFT "Blueprints 13," PaperTrey Ink "Butterfly Blooms," Pinkfresh Studios "Dainty Blossoms," Reverse Confetti "Grid Stitched" tag, 

Ink: Simon Says Stamp "Duckling," Versamark, Simon Says Stamp "Mint," Simon Says Stamp "Jellybean," MFT "Wild Wisteria," Hero Arts "Bubblegum"

Other: Ranger "Superfine Gold" and "Superfine White" embossing powder, Wagner Heat Gun, MISTI, Zig Clean Color Markers, Yellow Twine, Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pen, Foam Adhesive, Gemini Jr., Ranger Multi Matte, Scotch Dot Adhesive Roller, Wagner Heat Tool, Cartwright Sequins, DMC Floss

Freshly Made Sketch Challenge #437 and Some More Homework

Happy Sunday everyone!! I hope you are all doing well. 

It is a PERFECT day in Connecticut today-mid 60's, low humidity with the sun shining. I spent some time outside watering my plants and planting some basil seeds in my skimpy veggie garden. We only are ever successful with tomatoes. Every time I have planted any kind of cucumber or squash, cucumber beetles kill my plants no matter what I do. 

I was busy in my craft room yesterday. I created a card for Freshly Made Sketches #437.

Below is the sketch that inspired this card:

Instead of having the design at the top, I kind of "flipped" the sketch to have it at the bottom. I also could NOT have my rectangle images not be uniform. 

I have been trying to use more of the stamps that I own so I dug out this old PaperTrey Ink set, "Building Blocks" to use on this card. I used five different shades of purple ink to stamp each of the five images.

I added a white die cut flower from MFT and Eucalyptus Leaves from Simon Says Stamp.

Supplies:

Paper: Neenah Solar White, Purple Rain

Stamps: PaperTrey Ink Building Blocks

Dies: Simon Says Stamps Eucalyptus Leaves, MFT Stitched Flowers

Ink: MFT Boysenberry, Purple Rain, Lavender Fields, Wild Wisteria and Egglplant (retired), Memento London Fog and Hero Arts Soft Granite

Now for some cards for the Online Card Class Spring Stamp Camp 2. I still have not done all of my "homework" but I have worked on some.  I have not created cards with everything I have made, though.

My first card is my homework from Day 6.

I stamped the Pinkfresh Studio "Enchanted Blooms" with Hero Arts Unicorn White pigment ink on some pink cardstock. 

I cut up the cardstock and layered it on the bottom of my white card base. I then added a MFT diecut sentiment and sentiment strip at the bottom.

I die cut a ton of sentiments last weekend and glued three of them together to give them a little lift. I usually do this as I make my cards but I have been trying to be more efficient and have some die cuts pre-made to add to my cards.

Smile Card:

Paper: PTI Pale Peony, Raspberry Fizz, Neenah Solar White, Lawn Fawn Black Licorice Cardstock

Ink: Hero Arts Unicorn Pigment Ink

Dies: MFT Smile

Stamps: MFT Smiles, Pink Fresh Studio Enchanted Blooms

Other: Gemini Jr., Ranger Multi Matte, Scotch Dot Adhesive Roller, Foam Adhesive, MISTI, Wagner Heat Tool, Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder

For my next three cards, I used a really cool technique by Dawn Woleslagle from WPlus9. We learned this on Day 19. Instead of making my embellishments for these cards, I embellished some pre-made die cuts from Pink Paislee.

I actually never do this type of thing but love designers like Jeanne Jachna that use pre-made embellishments on their projects. I have a TON left over from my scrapbook days and I recently bought these because I fell in love with them at the store. They make me HAPPY!!!

Dawn taught us how to do mono printing with Ranger Distress Oxides. I cannot say that I was that successful BUT it was fun to try!!

I embellished my my die cuts with some Aqua Shimmer Pen and Glossy Accents. 

The sequins were added in purple and silver. The sentiment is from Reverse Confetti. 

Wonderful Supplies:

Paper: Neenah Solar White, SSS Lavender Purple, Lawn Fawn Black Licorice Cardstock

Stamps: WPlus9 Winter Greenery, Reverse Confetti So Many Sentiments,

Dies: MFT Blueprints 13, Stampin Up Doily Builders

Ink: Wilted Violet Distress Oxide Ink, Shaded Lilac Distress Oxide Ink, 

Die Cuts: Pink Paislee Bloom Street Ephemera

Other: Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pen, Glossy Accents, Foam Adhesive, Gemini Jr., Ranger Multi Matte, Scotch Dot Adhesive Roller, Wagner Heat Tool, Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder, Gelli Plate

My second card used the printing part of the technique.

This was my FAVORITE card of the bunch. I think the background is so cool. Most of my examples did not come out like this, though. 

On this card I added a Stampin Up doily die cut with the pre-made die cuts. 

I also added some purple Nuvo drops instead of sequins on this card. 

Bloom Supplies:

Paper: Neenah Solar White, Pink Paislee Bloom Swatchbook, Stamps: WPlus9 Winter Greenery, Reverse Confetti So Many Sentiments,

Dies: MFT Blueprints 13

Die Cuts: Pink Paislee Bloom Street Ephemera

Ink: Wilted Violet Distress Ink, Shaded Lilac Distress Oxide Ink, Lawn Fawn Jet Black Ink

Other: Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pen, Glossy Accents, Foam Adhesive, Gemini Jr., Ranger Multi Matte, Scotch Dot Adhesive Roller, Crushed Grape Nuvo Drops, Gelli Plate

My last card I used the same technique but used green and pink oxide ink.

Again I used the pre-made die cuts for the card. I added an MFT smile die cut for the sentiment.

I added some Aqua Shimmer and Glossy Accents over the top of it to make it SHINE.

I altered the sentiment strip to say what I wanted it to say. I used some foam adhesive to pop it up off the card. 

Using these pre-made die cuts was a lot of fun and I have a TON left over to make more cards at a later date!!

Smile, Laugh, Be Happy Supplies:

Paper: Neenah Solar White, PTI Vintage Jadeite

Stamps: WPlus9 Winter Greenery, Reverse Confetti So Many Sentiments,

Dies: Stampin Up Doily Builders, MFT Blueprints 13, MFT Smile Die

Ink: Cracked Pistachio Distress Oxide Ink, Spun Sugar Distress Oxide Ink, Lawn Fawn Jet Black Ink

Die Cuts: Pink Paislee Bloom Street Ephemera

Other: Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pen, Glossy Accents, Foam Adhesive, Gemini Jr., Ranger Multi Matte, Scotch Dot Adhesive Roller, Gelli Plate

I think that is all from me today. I could add a ton more but won't. This class was a BLAST and even though it isn't live anymore, I would recommend for others to take. 

I thank you for stopping by. Have a FABULOUS night!!