Dainty Daisies and Golden Moments

 Greeting you on this fall-ish day with a warm hello! I began wanting to use the Dainty Daisies stamps and dies (Penny Black) for today's card and I envisioned a simple clean card on a white base. As you can see, that is NOT what happened! The Double D asks for vases or pitchers for their challenge and that is what changed everything!

Finally deciding upon the vase I brought in the papers from Golden Moments (PB) to cut it out and then continued with a rusty/gold subtle pattern for the card front. I would not give up on using a vase even though I really didn't have one. Call me stubborn - or let's say tenacious! Altenew's Elegant Tulips supplied the vase and sentiment.

I do really like the daisies and especially the pretty border stamps with this set. Also available from Penny Black is a lovely vase in the perfect style and proportions. Maybe I did need it, laughing now. I did need and enjoyed a good challenge.

Thanks so much, it's been good to see you today! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

I will be entering the challenges at:
Double D - Vases or Pitchers
NBUS - first time using the Daisies
Four Seasons - Fall
A Cut Above
Penny Black Saturday Challenge 

Sweet Chickadees

 Hey, isn't it great that September is here! It's one of my favorite months of the year. This morning I sat and listened as the birds were singing on the patio and splashing in the water from the sprinkler. I love birds almost as much as I love stamping. 

Finding a new embossing folder that comes with a die to cut the chickadees was intriguing and here you can see the result! 

I used Hammermill white card stock, and ran it through with the EF. Then using a damp brush and my watercolor paints I washed in a pale blue background around the leaves and branches. After letting it dry, the next step involved watercoloring the leaf images and branches, carefully. Lastly, the chickadees were die cut, then embossed, then colored with my colored pencils. I also used those to add details to the leaves. Popping up the birds adds dimension, and the texture of the embossing is so nice! 

I added Nuvo drops in black to accent the eyes, a banner with pearls and a birthday wish. 

Today is a special day! The birthday cake is in the oven. The family is gathering later. Life is good! Wishing you smiles and happy thoughts today!

I will enter this to:
The Paper Players Challenge, using Texture, Free and Things that Fly

NBUS - love the new EF and dies!
SSS Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies: 
Simon Says Stamp - Chickadee Gathering Embossing Folder and Die
Card Stock from Spellbinders
Banner and Greeting - The Greetery

My Cup of Tea

 Hi, happy Friday to you, hope all is going well! I had a lot going on yesterday, I was preparing a meal to take to a friend who recently lost her husband, and in between cooking I puttered around with a few leftover bits in my craft room for today's card. No stamping, just paper and dies!

As I mulled over Michele's new design for Freshly Made Sketches, I remembered a floral image that I had already prepared with white over embossing and decided to make it into a pretty tea cup.

 The story proceeded from there!  I pulled out those pretty new papers in my hoard and was pleased to find this pattern with the same type of flower as those on the cup. AHA! 

You know my cup of tea always perks me up, so why not feature it on a get well card? Hope you have a great weekend, friends! Wish we could sit awhile over a cup of tea, what a nice visit that would be, especially with cooler weather we've been having. Be back soon. 
Supplies listed below, mostly oldies, I'm happy to say. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Sharing this at:
Freshly Made Sketches
Love Those Pretty Papers
SSS Wednesday Challenge - Waffle Flower

Supplies: 

Card stock from SSS - I Want It All Card Stock    (Moon flower) 
DSP - La La Lands Crafts, Washi Paper
Dies: Frantic Stamper - Get Well Wishes; The Greetery - Cozy Cup Coastal Die; Waffle Flower Tea Cup Die
EF - Altenew - Piped Floral Lace

Perfect Peonies

Hi friends, it's time for a new way to play at Tic Tac Toe Challenge! Roseanne is our designer for the board for Team X. It's a good one! I was delighted to discover that Dawn Woleslagle designed a new stamp set for Honey Bee stamps; Perfect Peonies stamps and dies feature her beautiful images in a 6 x 8 format. 

I love that the set has large image options because I love to color and the blooms provide a large focal point. This time I used Copic markers in order to achieve the bright colors as called for in the challenge. I chose the vertical right column of Sparkle, Birthday, Bright Colors.  

I added shine with gold flat sequins which, if you know me, you know I LOVE to bling with.  Dotted flower centers were enhanced with a white gel pen. The lace border is the Eyelet Scallop Border from Spellbinders. 

There are so many options for your creations,  I hope you will have fun and join us. 

Thanks so much for visiting me today. I'm always glad to have you! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Anchored in Hope

 Happy new day! 

Today I'm sharing a card made in honor of the 800th challenge at The Paper Players, can you believe it? Those designers have been inspiring us for a long time! I'm excited to remember that it was one of the first challenges that I took part in way back when I started my first blog (2007). It's still one of the best card challenges out there. I'm pleased to mention that I had the privilege of being on their design team for a year, it was wonderful. 

Back to today...I'm caught up in the last days of summer in my thoughts. Here's my card!

I took a literal version of this timeless sketch that is the same one the Players used on their first post. 

I began by choosing an aqua card stock for the base layer, and I sponged ink around the edges. It's my first time using the Waffle Flower Craft Dies - Floral Anchor. I love that these dies contain individual flowers and leaves but also included are two dies that feature the same flowers already arranged in groupings. That made it easy!  I embellished my clean and layered card with black twine and pearls. 

Thank you, Paper Players!! 
I'm playing also in the following challenges: 
NBUS where I'm using the new dies and sentiment
The Card Concept Summer by the Sea, clean and layered style is  inspired by the title
We Love Stamping Summer Blooms

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies:
DSP is Pink & Main -  Bright Botannicals

sentiment is also Waffle Flower - Overlapping hugs Additions

Stars and Sunshine

 I'm back with another challenge card today, happy Friday, friends! 

You know how I love card challenges, they help by keeping me growing as a stamper and having fun as someone who has a bit of time on her hands (usually!). That translates to keeping me out of trouble. Yesterday's card (HERE) was for a sketch challenge and today I'm back with TAKE 2 on the same sketch from Cecile from Freshly Made Sketches.  I've been thinking on this sketch overnight. 

You'd be amazed both of my takes are from the same challenge idea, but it just shows how easy it is to focus on one thing or another thing altogether when creating from a sketch. It all depends how the inspiration strikes you! 

I used a square card this time (4.5 x 4.5"), with a smaller stitched die cut square featuring a scene. For the focal image I used a seaside image and the tall lighthouse mimics the diamond shape in the sketch. 

I stamped the images using a masking technique onto Canson watercolor paper with Watering Can Archival ink, and painted in the details with Distress Re-inkers. 

The sky shows the morning and night sky both to illustrate the sentiment, as its found on the stamp packaging. I dabbed a few stars with a white gel pen. 

I am so happy to be using the Grounded & Glowing set from Penny Black for the first time. I keep looking for stamps that vary from my normal flowers and feminine vibes, and this one is working for me! I loved having a reason to pull out the watercolors.

Speaking of inspiration, the DT samples for this sketch are fabulous!

Thanks so much for your visit, I will see you soon! 

Also playing with my new stamps at NBUS Challenge #89.  and Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Looking Forward to Fall

 Hi, I sure am looking forward to fall, especially since our temps are still high 90's and it's so very HOT! We were at the beach last week and we had a daily heat advisory so we couldn't be outside as much as we would have liked. Had a good time anyway! 

Back at home in my craft room, I put together today's clean and simple card using a fun mix of oldies for fall. 

I was inspired by The Paper Players challenge and Freshly Made Sketch Challenge. 

I"m also looking forward to some crafting with new goodies and more time to play next week. Hope you will stop back. I appreciate your visit, I'm wishing you a wonderful weekend! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!