peace

Peace!  Isn’t this a peaceful scene?  It’s for the MFT color challenge.  I wanted to use these laser cut trees that were from leftover holiday cards from my husband’s place of work.  Since MFT says we don’t have to have the exact colors they posted I thought maybe this time they would forgive me for using kraft instead of the gray they pictured.  I used their stencil called Snowfall.  It gives me great pleasure to recycle things. 

Anything Goes #5

Perfect timing for an Anything Goes challenge at Simon.   I have a little two sided holder at the side of my workspace that gets all the bits and pieces of things that didn’t get used up through the year.  They just didn’t work with what I had planned for the creation i was working on.  I like to use them or toss them at the end of the year.  This creation found all these little pieces that i made into a cluster.  The Friend is a little label sentiment.  The heart is vellum and i finger dabbed Victorian Velvet distress ink onto it and added crackle paint.  I ended up really really liking this card.

Anything goes #4

Perfect timing for an Anything Goes challenge at Simon.   I have a little two sided holder at the side of my workspace that gets all the bits and pieces of things that didn’t get used up through the year.  They just didn’t work with what I had planned for the creation i was working on.  I like to use them or toss them at the end of the year.  This creation found the already colore lily of the valley and the little striped leaf that i added to it.

Anything goes #3

Perfect timing for an Anything Goes challenge at Simon.   I have a little two sided holder at the side of my workspace that gets all the bits and pieces of things that didn’t get used up through the year.  They just didn’t work with what I had planned for the creation i was working on.  I like to use them or toss them at the end of the year.  This creation found the die cut flowers and leaves, the banners and the coral colored circle in the bin.

Anything goes #2

Perfect timing for an Anything Goes challenge at Simon.   I have a little two sided holder at the side of my workspace that gets all the bits and pieces of things that didn’t get used up through the year.  They just didn’t work with what I had planned for the creation i was working on.  I like to use them or toss them at the end of the year.  This creation found the colored signage image, foam circle it sits on , the brick wall, the blue rectangle and the  pierced little frame.  It worked perfect to make a card for my nephew who works at Nueske’s and procurs antique panel trucks to be restored and painted for adverstins purposes.

Anything goes #1

Perfect timing for an Anything Goes challenge at Simon.   I have a little two sided holder at the side of my workspace that gets all the bits and pieces of things that didn’t get used up through the year.  They just didn’t work with what I had planned for the creation i was working on.  I like to use them or toss them at the end of the year.  This creation found the cat, the paw, the banner and the die cut sentiment in the bin.   I really liked how it turned out so non-traditional and all.

Time for a party

With the glimmery background of  Viva Gold rub on paste and the pretty snowflake, i think it’s time for a party to celebrate LIFE and all the beautiful wonderful things we deem “ordinary”. Watch the sweet video HERE for an ordinary gift of a banana.

Simon Says Stamp Challenge Mon Dec 24

don’t be a crab

this was interesting sketch to ponder. Such a large focal point with appendages. I just found this wonderful plaid paper from Graphic 45 in my stash and cut it up into 4 x 6 inch pieces to be ready to use. I've wanted to use this large crab die every time i see him in my bin. This seemed the perfect sketch to accommodate him. The plaid paper reminded me of small diners in Maine and I thought he looked ready to eat placed on this background. hand lettered sentiment made from the scrap piece you cut off on those 12x12 papers. perfect match.

Simple Christmas

Baby It’s Cold is the Wednesday Simon challenge.  I’ve been wanting to do a diagonal stripe card all season and have had this cut and just couldn’t find a way to use it.  My small Prickley Pear stamps and dies filled the bill.  Hooray! 

Let it snow

Simon’s Monday Challenge is about snow, you know that white stuff that blankets the northern states from October through April? 

Here is my creation for this challenge.  This is my third attempt at the Snowflake flip card.  I have progressed with each one.  They are not a simple card to make but they do turn out so pretty.  SU Sizzix die retired.

Thanksgiving is coming

Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  The beginning of the eating season….we won’t be doing much this year, just the hubs and me and we will sit by the fire and enjoy the quiet.  No big dinner to fix, no rolls to make, no pices to bake.  Ahhhh..i’m looking forward to that.  Doesn’t stop me from making Thanksgiving cards for Simon’s Monday challenge though.

Technorati Tags: Unity,Pumpkins,tea pouch

Thankful for Prickley Pear

I really like my Prickley Pear stamps.  I’m not sure why i don’t pull them out more often.  They stamp so nicely and the designs are a bit vintage with a bit of whimsey.  I pulled the sweet pumpkin set out today and inked up one of the non-halloween ones.  I wish I had pulled them out for my Halloween cards.  Maybe next year I’ll remember that.

Simon has a Thanks/Thanksgiving challenge this week. 

BG is ink brayered and run through Big Shot

Crate Paper – Farmhouse Collection DP

MFT stitched flourish

Hero Arts Sentiment

Lamppost greetings

Simon’s Monday Challenge:  Make your own background. I used a Tim Holtz stencil with my favorite life changing blender brushes to apply the soft colors.

kwikie kard

ABC Christmas challenge for the letter V is very quick.  I set my timer when i walked into my craft room and from thought to finish this card took 22 minutes.  I don’t know if I could make one faster than that.  I love how the gold splatters brought life to this card.  it tied in the gold ornaments, I think.

Technorati Tags: ornament ribbon,Prickley Pear,pinecone wreath

Starry Night

Trying my hand with some oxide inks with brushes.  I used Faded jeans and wilted violet to get a night time effect.  My star is from Prickley Pear and cut out of foil with adhesive on the back.  The sentiment is perfect for this.  Reminds me of the hymn It came upon a midnight clear.  I looked through everything I had for a stamp like that.  I don’t have one. 

This pretty card is being entered into Simon’s Monday Challenge and ABC Christmas Challenge U for Upon.   I should have photgraphed this on a white background but I didn’t realize i had the black there until i loaded it to my computer.  The shimmery layer sits atop a navy blue base.

Technorati Tags: Christmas,foil,star,oxide inks

cute little critters

Time to blog a bit.  Simon is having Animal Antics
for Wednesday challenge.  I thought it was time to work some more with this Gina K Designs kit Simple Things.  I can hardly take in that this kit was released four years ago.  I would have guessed two years.  Time flies when you’re stamping.
The MISTI makes a wonderful tool for making reverse images one of the coolest features i think, even though it’s not something i do very often.  I also love the big ricrac die from My Favorite Things.  it’s long retired but i love it when i need it.    The background is embossed with clear ink over white pigment.  oops, i grabbed the wrong jar.   
Technorati Tags: GKD,ricrac,the simple Things,kit,fox

T is for Teal x 2

Such a beautiful die I couldn’t resist making the second teal card.  Even though it looks like white cardstock behind the ornament it is truly a nice thick piec of vellum that makes a beautifully transclucent bulb. 

Challenge:  ABC Challenge T is for Teal

Technorati Tags: ABC,Christmas,ornament,holly leaves,embossing

T is for Teal

ABC Christmas challenge is almost done for this month.  I still want to add two teal cards that I have done.  I absolutely love this die I got in a basket of rummage goodies.

S is for snow and washi tape, i guess

ABC Christmas Challenge this month is S is for snow.   I finally came up with this after three weeks of thinking about it.  My first time using puffy embossing powder.  i am no a fan.  it kind of blew around and made a mess. but i do love the snowflake dies. and washi.  I love Washi

Using up DP

Friend Angie does  fabulous work with angled pieces on her cards.  I’m wanting to use up lots incorporate  designer papers into my creations and always find myself grabbing them and then shying away.  I wondered if angled layers would be helpful for me and I decided to jump in with that idea.  I’m loving the result.  This creation has some tiny little bling added to the DP and on the butterfly and I am entering it into Simon’s Wednesday Challenge.  It IS a sympathy card, after all, and I couldn’t do too much bling with that.

I am adding the other two cards I made with similar thoughts about using up DP.  These don’t have bling.

made my own plaid

Uncle Joe has a pretty serious infection in his knee.  Cousin Lydia sent out prayer requests and their address to send cards to cheer him up.  I thought this would be fitting for him.

Never say NEVER.   I thought making your own plaids looked so difficult. 

I used a  Tim Holtz distressed lines stencil and a plain line stencil to create this and i was smugly pleased with myself.  I used the "Life Changing" Blender Brush set to create the plaid and i love the softness of the colors with those brushes and no harsh lines.

hmmm…i also made my own faux stitching and my own candies.  I’m just being little miss thrifty today.   

If you click on the link for the brushes, my friend Angie gets a little bit of compensation with no extra cost to you, and they are SO amazing.  Simon Says Monday Challenge use more than one stencil

Stamp it on

Simon Says Stamp it on…no digi’s allowed this week.  I put a quick card together for a 1 year old whose party theme is all about airplanes.  His mom works for the airlines.  I found these CTMH stamps at a rummage three years ago for $2.00.  For that price I couldn’t leave them there.  I’m so glad I had them and that I came across them recently to remember I had them for this occasion. 

Stamp it on: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Stamp it!!

i love my little coffee bean stamp from  Stamps by Judith.  I embossed these with gold embossing ink and ginger embossing powder.  they made the coolest coffee bean color. 

I embossed my die cut with a Ranger folder as my DIL loves Paris and coffee and this is for her upcoming birthday.  It was such a fun challenge to create the cappuccino inspired back ground.  I had seen a coffee mug on a video on FB and wanted to recreate it for a card background. I was very pleased with how it came together.  I had to think about it overnight though.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

bright and beautiful

not at all what i had in mind but oh, i am so pleased with this.  MFT back ground stamp parrtially inked and wiggled just a teeny bit for a more distressed looking line, Tombow markers on Fancy Flowers. 

MFT Sketch Challenge 400

MFT Color Challenge 100

100 color challenges given at MFT.  Of course I had to play.  the retired set of sentiments called Clearly Sentimental about Coffee was perfect to use on this cool fall day.  I left all the sentiments on the plastic sheet they arrive on.  I added a swipe of ATG adhesive to the outside sheet and adhered it to my MISTI.  Put in my cardstock, inked up the sentiments all still on the sheet and pressed.  Worked really well.  You can’t tell from here, maybe, a little on the bottom, the sentiment panel is a very light blue to match the color challenge.

drink up

Food or drink is on the table for Simon’s Wednesday challenge.  Using the coffee and tea card kit from last year i put this sweet card together.   The COFFEE sentiment is taken from a full sentiment i used on the inside.  I just inked up the word COFFEE for the front. 

falling

sob, sob, it’s turning into autumn.  i miss summer already and it’s not even gone.  but it’s been quite cool here in northern wisconsin in the mornings and it’s been raining a lot which keeps it cool.  leaves are turning and some are falling and i’m never ready for it.

Simon’s Monday challenge to create an Autumn card reinforces the reality.  I used Gina K Designs stamps with Altenew inks.  I made my pumpkin into a wobbly squash to give a little interaction for my 90 year old mom.  She loves the simple interactive cards.

Technorati Tags: GKD,Pumpkin,Wobble,Autumn,Fall

and R is for Rabbit or Robins

Thankfully at ABC Christmas Challenge blog they gave us a choice.  I dunno, but i never heard of a Christmas rabbit.  Well, i never heard of a Christmas Robin either but i went ahead and made them.  I now have 37 Christmas cards made ahead.  I decided this year to double up every time i made a card.  I forgot a couple of times but for the most part that has served me pretty well this year.

Q is for Quote

Q is for quote in the 2nd part of the ABC Christmas challenge.  I love this retired candle set from Sweet N Sassy and lucky me, it has a die to go with it.  The quote is direct from the scripture.  Figured i could only go right with that one.  Thanks for the challenge.

Background is an embossed die from Spellbinders.  Ran it through my cuttlebug with an embossing mat.  copic colored

P is for Plain

Playing catch up with ABC Christmas challenge.  This is the current challenge and i need to go back and pick up the N and O.  I haven’t entered very many this year but I have played along.  Mostly because I am playing along after the challenges close. 

Simple white embossing on teal cardstock and popped a ribbon on. 

Thanks for stopping by, as always.  Here’s to more stamping time for all of us. 

Monday is back to school

The best thing about going back to school for our children was always the friends they made and seeing the ones they had missed during the summer. 

For this challenge from SSS creation  i used the Best Blender Brushes in the world from PIcket Fence studios.  The color was so easy to apply even to the tiniest areas because the brushes come in so many sizes. 

I’ve been noticing shadow dies popping up as an on trend focus.  I made my own with this large FRIEND die from MFT.  I embossed the die onto some dark brown card stock and then cut it out.  I then die cut it the regular way in my big shot and laid it on top and wow, perfect fit.  I was so happy with my experiment.  Thanks for stopping by.

Back at it

Simon’s wednesday challenge is Back to School.  What that means to me is MUSIC.  Our music teacher here in town has been a family friend since she and our son were in kindergarten together.  She puts together the best musicals and talent shows.  The students love her.   School means looking forward to her dedicated work with the students that she gets to do their best. 

Technorati Tags: masculine,music notes,embossing

Summer School #2 day 5 Ombre

Ombre has always intrigued me.  the soft fade of colors, light to dark.  Using an ombre pad is a very simple way to get this wonderful techinique.  Penny Black images and Simon sentiments.
MFT day 5 Summer School #2
Simon Says Monday Challenge

Technorati Tags: penny Black,WISHING,Scoring,Flowers

Summer School Day 4

Rainbows!  I love them in real life but i have to admit they are one of my least favorite designs in crafting.  They always look so contrived, to my eye.  Hmmm…what to do when the challenge is rainbow.  I took all of the ROYGBIV in oxide inks and made a horizontal strip of color on my craft mat.  Sprtized liberally with water and tipped my mat so they would run together a bit.  Grabbed a piece of watercolor paper and laid it on top and let the watered colors seep into the cardstock.  I love the soft look and just a hint of each color.  MFT Wildflowers.  I love this set an dit is likely the most used set in all of my stamps.

MFT Summer School #2 day 4

Visual Triangles

Visual triangles are so subtle the viewer doesn’t even know his eye is being led to elements.  There are two main triangles on this card.  I was glad I learned this theory in my earlier card making years.  I wish I could draw lines on here to show you but alas, that is something I don’t know how to do. 

MFT Summer School #2 Day 3

Technorati Tags: Washi,diagonal,CAS,Summer

Day #2 MFT school

Day 2 for summer school is Focal image.  You can barely see the little bokeh dots i stenciled from the left corner down to my image.  I then went over the stencil again with my wink of stella brush.  I paper pieced her cute dress and colored in her wings and shoes with clear star Sakura pen for some real fairy shimmer.  Putting the sentiment right into the image really draws the eye straight to this sweet fairy.  A couple of punched scraps from the glitter paper brings the eye right through the sentiment.  Just a touch of pink with a stencil brush for contrast finishes her off nicely.   MFT retired images and sentiment.

it’s summer school part 2

Part one of part 2 MFT summer school.  Monochromatic is the lesson for today.  I thought these bokeh stencils were from MFT but when I went looking on their site I couldn’t find them.  Maybe they are from Simon???? i dunno.

The sun stencil is definitely MFT.  It says so right on the stencil.  You can find it here.  

MFT SKetch

All American sketch reminded me of baseball.  I was glad I had this little retired PI image form MFT.  I made my homemade candies by using a 3/8 inch punch and matching cardstock scrap.  Just punch, use a stylus on a rubber mat and voila’ matching candies.  I placed this little guy on a shadow die also from MFT.  I wondered how much use i would get out of them but surprisingly i use them quite often.  MFT DP Sweet Sunshine pack.  Entereing in MFT sketch challenge.

Technorati Tags: MFT,PI,Baseball,Masculine,Candies

Simon’s Wild Things

Another entry for Simon’s Monday Challenge. Our nephew just had his heart valve replaced.  He’s doing really well.  Thought he would get a kick out of this pig as my husband works for Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats featuring pork.  In fact, he calls himself, the pork merchant.  Inside reads, “you cured yet?”

Technorati Tags: Sweet and Sassy,Pig,you cured yet?,SSS Monday Challenge,Envelope

Wild Thang, I think i love you

Wild side, is Simon’s Monday Challenge.  It’s been awhile since i made a watercolored background.  I love these distress colors blended together.  Here’s some wild flamingos for you. MFT die cuts.

Technorati Tags: Tickled Pink,flamingos,water color background,SSS Monday Challenge

B & W can be stunning

Simon Wednesday Challenge this week is to make our own background.  I pulled out my Unity stamps because they have challenged us with black and white.  I have to admit it was with trepidition as I am a woman of COLOR!!  Give me pink, green, orange…as evidenced by my blog background.

Anyway, I astounded myself with how this turned out.

Technorati Tags: Unity,Flowers,Scalloped border die,SSS Wednesday Challenge,Black and White,B&W

Sparkle/Shine

Simon’s Monday Challenge has me pulling out all my shiny things.  I added some Heidi Swapp Color Shine drops , in Citron, to give a little sparkle to my underwater scene.  This was so fun to do.  Swipe some gesso onto cardstock, let dry and then use distress crayons to blend the colors.  I stamped over it with Altenew inks but I would suggest StazOn.   I used Glaze over the scene and i hope my color shine will dry on top of that.  I love the added sparkle.

The stamp set is from Hero Arts and the die cut sentiments are from MFT.