Stenciled Blooms

 Earlier this week I hoped to add to the gallery at  Freshly Made as they have a lovely, simple sketch. The week has been busy but a rainy Saturday gave me time to create. I was happy to be hunkered down at the craft table this afternoon!

I brought out one of my favorite sets lately, Butterflies in Bloom (Pinkfresh Studio). These flower stencils have large open spaces making it easy to vary the intensity of the inking for a shading effect. 

I chose Altenew inks in soft Blush and added a pale yellow to the flower centers and a faint hint added to a couple of the blossoms on the outer edges.  I am challenging myself to learn to use a lighter hand when I stencil. It's a work in progress! 

Adding ink to white card stock, I created a background using mint green inks. For the leaves, I blended a yellow green with a blue-green. A gold pen supplied the butterfly body and the dotted flower centers. 

Mustering all my momentary restraint - I did not add any embellishments. Aren't you proud of me? I'm thinking the simplicity of the sketch is just enough. The bling will come out another day. 

Here's a look at the sketch! 

I enjoyed the time to stamp just for fun today. I need to do it more often!  I'm happy you came by for a visit too. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft!

             Make something beautiful!  

Other supplies: Frame is from The Greetery; Sentiment is from Altenew 

Through the Window Day 3

 Hi friends, 

Here are the last two cards using the Simon Says Stamp Card Kit and Through the Window Dies. Thanks for patiently viewing these mostly Case'd cards this week. These are made for me to give away for special occasions. 

This first one is for our granddaughter who turns 11 this month. She loved the one of the previous cards I'd made (find them HERE) so I made this one for her by adding DSP from my stash and a few die cut branches (Altenew.) 

Next up is one for our wedding anniversary in June. I love the springy vibe and the sentiment is perfect for our many happy years together. 

A snippet of the designer paper is cut to place inside the window, which was constructed to be a shaker. Flat sequins in gold and a simple heart are the embellishments. 

Using up almost all of the pretty paper pack included with the kit gives me a really satisfied feeling. I'll enjoy it while it lasts! Not sure when I'll get on to the next thing. Not even sure what it will be!

Hope you have a most wonderful day!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Through the Window Day 2

 I'm back with more samples from the July 2025 Card Kit from Simon Says Stamp. I have a few of their kits, but this one is my favorite. I decided to use up these pretty papers! This is Day 2. 

This is a CASE of a card shared by Vicky Papiaoannou HERE on her one kit ten cards video. She is a talented artist and a design master! This card is a tri-fold and opens left to reveal the whole scene, then flip the panel right to see the inner layer for the message. The sentiment is from Tim Holz Rubber Stamps, Tiny Text. Nuvo drops for embellishment.

For the next card, I featured the pretty paper and a postal theme. Postal dies from W Plus9 Design were used for the city scene and postage stamps. 

I added white spatters just for fun! 

Thanks for coming back again. Have a great day! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Through the Window Day 1

 Hi there! I am checking in to say hello. Stamping has taken a bit of a back seat for me this month, and that is OK! Truthfully, my focus has changed a bit from creating just for fun. I taught a class in April and will teach again in July in the community where I live. Each class involves designing 3 cards and prepping kits for 20 ladies. I also have the opportunity to sell many of my cards. Instead of having hours to create and play with my own designs, I'm beginning to streamline the process and spend less time per card. (at $3/card, that's a steal!)

What that means for this week is using one of the Simon Says Card kits that I've bought in the past, and making multiple cards. Most of these aren't original to me as there is a gallery of cards others have made and a CASE is often the prettiest way to go. I think you will enjoy seeing them.

Here are my first couple of cards using the July 2025 card kit featuring Through the Window stamps and coordinating dies.

Above, I enjoyed adding inks in ombre effect from the bottom to the top of the panel, then adding a light layer of white craft ink to the stenciled panel. 

For this one, I added just a few gold Nuvo drops and a pre-made foil sentiment. 

Aren't the In the City papers gorgeous? A simple shaker card with a sentiment from Tim Holz (Tiny Text Rubber stamp.) The tiny stars as shaker bits were included in the kit.  I love those so much I ordered more. 

My friend's Mother lives in the city and she sends her a card with a handwritten note every week. I'm happy to picture her finding joy with these creations.

I hope you've enjoyed your visit too! I will be back with more tomorrow and the next day. 

No challenges right now. See you soon!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Happy Hello

 Hi! It's me, coming back with a happy hello after a bit of time away from the craft table. I hope you're happy to see a new week and a new post! 

It's time for Team X and a new board from Betty at Tic Tac Toe Challenge #292!

I had ideas for other options when I set out to create, but I found one option that I was excited about so I pulled out cream card stock and ran with it.

I love techniques, so I tried something a bit new with today's card. There are many floral stamps with matching embossing folders and stencils. Have you ever thought of stamping an image and then using a different embossing folder layered on top? I wish I could remember where I saw this idea - I sure didn't think of it! But I'm so glad that I tried it. Here's the result. 

I stamped the Soft Blossoms floral spray image (Altenew) on cream card stock with black ink, and colored it using markers. I needed a large image or pattern on the embossing folder, and I chose the Floral Fence of Togetherness folder (Spellbinders), finding it to be just right, as it is also large in size, 5.50 x 8.50 inches. 

I ran the colored image panel through with the folder and I love the way it adds a subtle texture behind the colored flowers, while adding a rich pattern in the background. This folder features flowers vining  across the bottom, and just two or three more flowers growing up the left side. 

The sentiment from the Altenew set was heat embossed on black card stock. Black spatters were used to tie the ink and contrasting black mat together. 

I chose the middle row across: Floral, FREE, and White/Cream.

Please join us and share your work in our gallery!  We would love to have you inspire us!

Thanks for your visit to my blog today. 
TicTacToe Challenge
NBUS - my new to me Floral Fence Embossing Folder 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft             
                 Make something beautiful!  

Let's Connect for Freshly Made

 Hi everyone! There's nothing like a rainy day and a sketch to get me into the craft room to play. Add new stamps, and you know I'm set to go! Digging out the Copics for some coloring got me into a happy mood. These friends are in their happy place. 

Cute critters and LEGOS? What's not to love? The Let's Connect stamps and dies (SSS) feature both and some very punny sentiments. For my first card with these stamps, I found the great sketch at Freshly Made was a good fit. 

I liked the way the strip in the sketch was easy to use for the sentiment. I crossed out the "I" and used a pen to letter "Me"  on a heart as we are a Mimi and a Papa giving this card!. The only other embellishments are two die cut hearts with clear lacquer glaze added for shine. Papers are from Honeybee - Confetti Birthday.

Adding this to NBUS where Darnell has begun the new month with May's challenge Number 86!

There's been some sports playing (on TV) at our house today. The Kentucky Derby and now Hockey. Time for me to be a fan! Or a couch potato. 

Wishing you a great day. I look forward to another visit with you soon. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Butterflies in Blues

 Welcome to my blog today! I'm back with the second sympathy card that I've needed this month. I've used my latest favorite, the Butterfly Escapade Embossing Folder and Cutting Die. 

I've loved using this folder to provide beautiful texture and having the die is a great option for cutting one or two of the largest butterflies to use as a focal point. Using a pale blue card stock, I added the embossing and then used the coordinating stencil to add colors in blues and green. This is so easy!

I die cut the butterfly from this panel and then placed it over a white card base, curling the butterfly wings to let a bit of the white show through. Although there is a die to use for the butterfly's body, I accented it instead with pearls. 

The prayers is made up of three die cut layers, and the sentiment is stamped in blue. It's a rainy day and the photos don't begin to show how pretty the real life details are. I love this card so much and thoroughly enjoyed making it. This will be a go-to next time I need a sympathy card. I'm thinking of how to decorate the envelope and the inside; but wanted to get this posted today.  It's going out in the mail soon! 

Hope you have a wonderful day! Thanks so much for your visit, it always brings a smile and brightens my day! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Other supplies:

More with the Butterfly Escapade HERE
Altenew inks - Deep Blue Seas and Green Meadows
SSS and Hero Arts - Prayers Die and Clear Set . This is an oldie but a big favorite of mine.

Challenges:
SSS Wednesday Challenge  Make It Feminine
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes
Triple B  Birds, Butterflies and Blooms
The Neglected Stuff Challenge 
Can You Handle the Pressure?