Count the Stars

Hello and welcome to my blog!

I find it's always hard getting back into stamping after the rush of the holidays. With all the frenzy of Christmas card making and activities, followed by a few days of being out of the craft room, my mojo vanishes. 
I got back in my craft room saddle last night and cleaned up all the mess covering my tables! Now I'm ready to look forward and I have a card to post for you. 

I'm loving ink blending with my new Oxide inks and pulling out the Count the Stars set from MFT. Challenges help kickstart my creativity. I'm playing along with the MFT Sketch Challenge and the Star Power Challenge at Creative Construction with Blueprints.
Thanks so much for taking a look! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Count the Stars MFT and dies

Paper: Whisper White, Silver Glitter

Inks: Distress Oxide Inks - Broken China, Peacock Blue, Faded Jeans

Accessories: Blueprints 24, SSS Stencil Falling Stars

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Fresh Bouquets and Butterflies

Hello everyone! 
I'm sure you've been as busy and can relate to the overfull days and hectic hours of the holiday preparations that have been going on around here. Craziness! 

I was challenged by Laurie's terrific Faux Stained Glass technique at Make It Monday and had to sneak in a few minutes to give this a try. 

A card with airy colors and the freshness of spring. Ahhh! I needed that break.  

I used the PTI Bitty Butterflies Cover Plate Die for the background. I colored the vellum using Distress Inks in Broken China and Shaded Lilac. For the focal point, I cut a butterfly from the PTI Butterflies Cover Plate Die, and trimmed out one of the butterflies with scissors. I cut it from white card stock and blended ink to color it. Afterwards I added droplets of the ink, splattered, and a few spritzes of Perfect Pearls added to water for texture and shine.

Wrapping a bit of tulle (with a teeny bit of glitter in it) behind the butterfly and adding sequins made me happy!
I used stamps from the Fresh Bouquet set.  
Hope this finds you thinking that, whatever is going on, "You've got this!" 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

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JOY at Christmas

How are your holiday preparations coming? I took some much needed time off from card making to spend time with shopping and a few other things but I'm happy to be back with a card to share today. 

I've had so much fun making my cards this year, pulling out all my old stamps and some new supplies too. 
Been thinking about my creative goals for 2018 and you know what? One thing for sure on my list is to make 3 or 4 Christmas cards a month all year long. The Merry Monday Christmas Challenge is on my sights right now, and inspired this card. 

I LOVE using alternative Christmas colors, so I couldn't resist playing along featuring my never-been-used Neighborhood Border Die from Tailored Expressions. The inside of the card reads, "Merry Christmas from our house to yours." 

I colored the trees and the word Joy with Copics, and added sparkle to the windows with my Wink of Stella pen. You know of course, that I had to add sequins too, right? Yep!
Thanks so much for your visit today. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Holiday Wishes

Hello everyone! I'm getting my post up early since our weather is gorgeous and going to be warm today! I will be out in the boat this afternoon for sure. 

In my craft room I'm still humming along on the Christmas card theme. 

The Make It Monday Challenge hosted by Laurie at Papertrey Ink featured tips for using lots of layers. I got a bit carried away but had fun adding colors of ink and die cut layers. Have a look! 

I combined die cut images from Holiday Greens and Spruce and Sprigs. They were stamped multiple times using shades of Parakeet Green, New Leaf and Hawaiian Shores. I just love these colors! 

I cut an ornate square and a circle die from the Don't Forget to Write Basics Collection, and used those as bases for tucking in and layering my bouquet of holly and blooms.  The stamped and die cut sentiments are from the Christmas Cheer stamp set. 

This card will make it's way to someone special on my list, either delivered by hand or in a specially made envelope.

You are so special too, hope your day is wonderful! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used are PTI unless noted

Stamps: Holiday Greens, Christmas Cheer, Spruce & Sprigs

Paper: SU - whisper white, Crumb Cake; PTI - Hawaiian Shores

Inks: Hawaiian Shores, Green Parakeet, New Leaf, SU - Crumb Cake

Accessories: Sequins, Dies, sponges, MISTI

I'm also adding this to these challenges. 
Merry Monday who posted these fun colors!

Golden Christmas Wishes

Hello stamping friends! 
How is it going? Are you getting back to a more normal week?

I had time to stamp today and pulled out the Stag Trio Die from WPlus 9 to make an elegant card. If I had time to make four cards a day (who ever can do that?) I would never use all the Christmas sets that I have in the house. But I'm having fun trying!  

Clean and simple cards don't always come together quickly in the designing stages. It took me awhile to decide what color sequins to use and where to put them. 

This is a design I will love using again. I LOVE the stag dies!
Happy wishes to you, thanks so much for your visit today. 

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful! 

I was inspired by the fun layout at CAS(E) This Sketch. Also linking to The Merry Christmas Challenge.

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop Inspiration

Hello friends,
Hope you are having a lovely holiday weekend! 
My times with family have been such a blessing and we've had lots of fun visiting and lovely weather. 
I actually made this card last week so that I could be ready for the blog hop.

Our inspiration photo contains beautiful elements of autumn. I was inspired by the greens gathered around the gold word in the centerpiece and the lovely creams of the table settings.

I used the Year of Psalms February Mini Stamp Set, and embossed it in gold on vanilla card stock. The floral background images are Gathered Garden Stamp Set. I added a gold embossed image accent among the leaves and berries.

I hope you've been inspired by my card today. Much thanks for your visits and kind comments!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Other supplies used are 

Inks: PTI - Green Parakeet, SU - Cajun Craze, Versamark

Accessories: ribbon, Gold embossing powder.

Sparkling and Bright

Are you tired of seeing Christmas cards on my blog yet? I hope not, because I'm just getting warmed up! Today's card is sparkling with bling and bright with a non-traditional color scheme. 

 I pulled out a die I've had for quite awhile, the Ornamental Wreath die from Simon Says Stamp. Actually, it's retired already but I've only used it once before. I determined today to find an easier way to use it. I glued strips of card stock in pinks and aqua onto to a piece of scrap paper. I first die cut the wreath from that. Then I die cut one in white, poked out the holes and glued it on top. I didn't have to glue each piece separately into the negative space. Does that make sense? 

Adding a satin bow, sequins and jewels dressed it up in sparkly holiday style.

 I was inspired by two challenges that I'm playing along with that include a retro style. For the Card Concept, my card fits the Classy and Elegant stye and I just had to use some sparkling ornaments. The other challenge, Inspired by all the Little Things uses the same pastel colors and also has a little collection of ornaments.

I'm linking to the Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge. 

Thanks to all who come by and visit my blog and for your kind comments. For those in the US, I'm wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. 

Sparkly Warm Wishes

Hi stamping friends, 
I had a bit of time to relax in my stamp room on this sunny breezy Saturday afternoon. It's a day just perfect for sitting on the screened in back porch to edit photos and type this post. I'm surrounded by fall colors, the sounds of crickets. Feeling thankful and cozy in my hoodie. 

I'm happy to share another Christmas card! 
This time joining in with Papertrey Ink after their new release. 

The new products and samples from the DT were amazing! The card that caught my eye was this beautiful design by Michelle Leone. 

I admired the classic lines of her card, the layers of papers and plaid to create texture, and a sparkling die cut focal point.

I knew that I'd need to come up with different dies and colors using what I had on hand. 

I'm pretty pleased with the result and it's great having one more card done that will be easy to mail too. 

Hope you are having a good good day. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used are from PTI 

Stamps: Christmas Cheer, Spruce and Sprigs (dies)

Paper: Aqua Mist, Plaid DSP (retired)

Accessories: Mix & Mat Flourishes Die

More Merry and Bright

Hey there! 
Hope you are doing well today. 
I realized that this is the only week I have to finish making Cards for Hospitalized Kids if I want them to arrive in time for Christmas. And I do! 
I can't get enough of the cute images from the Merry and Bright set from Simon Says! I created a scene using Distress Inks to make a background and masking the reindeer.
I spritzed the background with water and added die cut snowflakes and a little glitz from my Wink of Stella pen.

Once I had all the supplies out, it was easy to create a few of these using the Misti for stamping. 

I love coloring, but that was enough for me for one day. I only wish my photo did the colors justice. I have trouble photographing blends well, they are either too washed out or too deeply contrasted. 

That's enough rambling from me. Thanks to you for coming by to visit! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

I will be adding this to the Challenge at SSS called Furry Friends and Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge Christmas.

Supplies used 

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp - Merry and Bright

Paper: white

Ink: Distress Inks - Worn Lipstick, Candied Apple, Cracked Pistachio

Accessories: Copic markers, Wink of Stella

Merry and Bright

It's been a busy week, the days have flown by! Gladly, I had a bit of time to stamp some cards for Christmas with the Merry & Bright stamps from Simon Says Stamp. 

This cute little deer will cheer someone's heart and bring a smile, I think. He was lots of fun to color with Copics, and I added a dab of Stickles to make his red nose. 

I made a few of these shaker cards to add to the growing pile. 

I stamped snowflakes on the Pool Party card stock backing the shaker and heat embossed them in white. I also embossed the sentiment.

I love shaker cards and I just have to play with them a little before they get mailed. 

We had a walk with Josie this afternoon and saw three deer just 40 feet away from us next to the street. They just watched us walk by. On our way back, the doe was nursing one of the two fawns. What a peaceful sight to see that cheered me on this pretty day.

Glad to have you visit today, and I hope you will come back soon.

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Merry & Bright - Simon Says Stamp

Paper: SU - PoolParty, Cucumber Crush  DSP: Lawn Fawn - Perfectly Plaid Christmas

Accessories:  MFT - 2 inch circle shaker pouches, Lawnfawn - Mini Wreath dies (bow)

I'm linking to the following challenges
SSS - Wednesday Challenge Critters   Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes

Perfect Poinsettia

Getting a quick post in today, hello!

I've been waiting for a perfectly elegant poinsettia stamp, and I'm using the Gina K Perfect Poinsettia layering stamp set to make today's card. Layering the images couldn't be easier and the result is rich and realistic looking. 

Playing around with color choices, I settled on SU inks in Strawberry Slush, Rose Red and Cherry Cobbler for the flower. 

I found it amazing how the bloom looked like Real Red when completed, although I didn't use that color to stamp it.  I decided that Real Red card stock and ink for the sentiment color matched the best when it was all complete. For the leaves I used  Wild Wasabi and Cucumber Crush, stamped off once for the middle layer and full strength for the last stamping. 

I added Nuvo drops in gold to the flower center, silver sequins and silver Glimmer paper for elegance. 

I'm playing with the Card Concept Rich Holiday challenge and was inspired by the poinsettias and shining crystal of the glassware for my Classic and Elegant style card. So great to be adding several styles to my holiday cards stash.  

The sun is shining again today and the weather is turning chilly. Instead of boating this weekend, my husband and I will be dancing! Great way to keep warm, don't you think?

He will look quite handsome in his tux!
Your visit today is so appreciated. See you next week! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

              Make something beautiful!

ETA: Giving a shout out of special thanks to the talented team at The Card Concept. They work hard to bring us a beautiful challenge. Happy surprise for me - I was picked for an Honorable Mention for the last challenge! You can see the winners HERE.