Teacup Snowman

 Yes, it is Thursday, coming to the end of a crazy month and week. I think it may be the calm before the storm, you know? Stay calm and put the kettle on!

I am finding some quiet time and joy in my craft room and decided it's time to play with a brand new die called Teacup Snowman (scrappingcottage).  Two things that I love in one cup! 

I die cut all the pieces in white card stock and used Copics to color each item. Gluing them together was a bit tedious as they are small, but I think the result is well worth it! This cute guy made me smile and reach for my hot drink of choice. TEA! And don't you love that cute gingerbread cookie?

I added detailing with a shimmer pen and clear Nuvo drops on the berries. I'm happy to be squeezing this in to the last day of play at The Paper Players. I loved the sketch provided by Jaydee so this is take two. 

The sketch lent itself to use patterned paper - mine are from PTI and Stampin' Up! This quilted pattern is one of my favs from the pack and I love the cozy feel it gives my card, as well as providing a color palette. 

Thanks so much for coming to see me here at my blog. Keep well and stay well! Remember to smile and...

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Christmas Cheer with Winter Fox

Are you ready for another Christmas card? 

I don't usually grab up a limited supply set, but Winter Fox is a collaboration from SSS and Mama Elephant that is the exception. I loved these adorable foxes and share today's card where I've created a forest scene of their frolics and fun. 

I colored the images with Copics, adding details with a white gel pen, glossy accents to the fire and a wash of shimmer to the marshmallow. 

Papers from Stampin' Up! were used to cover the card front and the focal area. The Stitched Evergreen Trees (Poppystamps) were die cut to create the snowy hills. Spattered snowflakes were formed by flicking on white paint and I even added glitter to the snow. 

For the sentiment, I sponged Distress Oxide Inks in Candied Apple and Fired Brick onto white card stock and embossed the sentiment in white.

My inspiration began with The Paper Players sketch but took on a loose interpretation as the creative process evolved. 

Reading this post, I'm not sure if you get any idea of just how much fun I had making this! You will have to imagine what a grand time it was.
I hope some of the smiles are coming your way today! I know you will be seeing these furry foxes again! Have a great day ~

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Home Sweet Home

 I am so glad that you're here! It's Saturday and I'm enjoying an easy at home day. Just ate some of those grilled burgers that I had a hankering for yesterday, and spent a bit of time playing with Home Sweet Home (from SSS.)

No dies, just scissors. Plus stamps paper and ink. It felt good to create simply today and using these cute Waffle Craft papers made it extra nice. 

I love the sentiment on this one, it made me choke up a bit. It's been awhile since I've seen family and I do really miss getting out to do the things we used to do.  

I thought the lineup of rainbow stripes worked well for the layout at Freshly Made Sketches. 

Keeping with the colors in the paper, I stamped the houses over it and colored with Copics in the same shades. One of the great things about Waffle Flower papers is that their packs are 5.5. x 8.5 so you get two cards from each sheet. At 80 lbs the paper is able to stand up well for coloring, heating, or embossing. I added clear Nuvo drops to the hearts for shine.

For the second card, I used a blade to cut out the rectangle, using the printed frame of the paper to cover the pattern with the clouds and birds. Sending hugs Special Delivery is a nice thought for any time of year. Nuvo drops for the plane, a bit of shimmer on the sign, and a few enamel dots for embellishment. That is all.

I will also enter the SSS Challenge to Layer it Up. Hope you enjoy whatever the day brings you!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Christmas Cheer

 It's Friday and though I didn't stamp all week, I couldn't resist getting a bit inky this afternoon. The SY Christmas Cheer set (MFT) is new to me, and so is the die for the hillside scene (The Cat's Pajamas.) 

 
I thought these critters looked cute enough to hug! I kept the Copic coloring simple and created a background using Distress Oxide inks. 
I will enter this to the NBUS Challenge, it's a great place to share your creations made with new stuff, and The Sketch Challenge.

I am sitting on my porch and it's 80 degrees and a delightful sunny afternoon. Hope you are doing well and staying well! I will be back when I get in the mood to stamp again. Someone is grilling now and the smell of burgers is alluring! 

Have a great weekend. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

An Apple for You

Hello to you today. How's it going?

Two things I can't resist right now - apples for fall, and slimline cards. Here's another one for you! 

I used the Bushel and a Peck stamps and dies from Honeybee Stamps and Copics to color the fruit and leaves. Arranging them on the Slim-Cuts Braided Circles Die helped this card come together quickly. 

I chose the sentiment from a retired MFT stamp set. My husband thinks it should read you're the apples of my eye because there are three of them. What do you think? 

I love hearing from you! Thanks for all the kind words you have been sending my way! And now for the song...... a bushel and a peck.  Doodle oodle oooo...... Don't worry, I'm not as old as this song. It was from my mother's generation, lol!

I'm going out to take a walk before I get myself into more punchy-ness!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

The Color Hues Challenge #4

 Greetings Color Hue fans and stamping friends! 

At the Color Hues Color Challenge the shades of orange and blue are on the docket today. 

As soon as I saw the adorable fluffy bunnies with their tea brewing I knew these stamps would find their way to my stash! I love my cuppa tea and tend to look just as content when it is in my hands as these cuties. Sigh.

I sponged Oxide inks to add some blue behind each of the shapes in the scene, and used DSP behind the die cut panel. The images were fussy cut and colored with Copics. 

Are you keeping calm today? Have you put the kettle on yet?

Hope you'll get comfy and come play with us at Color Hues!
This color combo is so fun! 

Supplies are listed below. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used: 

Stamps: The Cat's Pajamas - Make Tea

Paper: SU! - Artistry Blooms DSP

Portrait Pals Pin Up

 Good evening friends! It is rare to find me back at the screen with my second post of the day. Turns out I had to get this card in before the deadline as I'm playing along with the MFT Sketch Challenge.  I had a false start with an idea that just didn't work, but when I pulled out the Portrait Pals stamps from Hello Bluebird things just came together. 

I love the result of these wild things posing in the jungle! I had them all colored and trimmed out so it just became a matter of fitting them in the sketch. I used Copics to color and added white gel pen accents. All are raised with foam behind them for dimension.

The sentiment and DSP are both from MFT (retired.) This greeting will work well whichever way I decide to go when mailing this. Either happy hugs for your special day or happy hugs from all of us or even with a just because theme. 

Since these stamps are brand spankin' new I am also entering at NBUS. You wouldn't believe all the amazing cards over there!

Thanks so much for your visit today. Makes this critter-happy-crafter smile to have you here! Hugs to you!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Thinking of You

 Hello everyone! 

I needed a few more cards to add to my stash and enjoyed featuring sets from The Greetery to create a trio of cards. Using the MISTI made it easy to explore different color combos with the lily images from Signed & Sealed. Now I have several of these die cut and ready to go for next time!

I randomly stamped a background onto Fog card stock.This very pale gray from WPlus9 is my favorite to use for a neutral design. Stamping the small images from Pretty Postmarks  created a vintage style backdrop for the cluster of leaves and flowers. They were stamped and die cut, then I added them to a white card base. 

These are clean and simple but they also have a collage style which I think goes well with any kind of sentiment inside. One thing that contributes a bit of texture and detail was using the Just Stitching Double Rectangles. I love using them but too often I forget! 

I'm sending warm hugs your way today. Thanks so much for coming by to visit! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Fancy Phrases

 I am glad that you've come back to visit! For today's card I'm returning to my roots. First crafty loves: Stampin' Up!, flowers, coloring and classic design. 

The Fancy Phrases set caught my eye in the catalog and I loved the sentiments included. The greeting I used continues inside with "I count you twice!"  

This card is the first I've made using it, opting to color the pretty florals with Copics. I fussy cut some parts of the image to hang outside of the rectangle. The designer paper (from Doodlebug) has a touch of texture that complements the image well. 

I'm playing along with the challenges at Freshly Made Sketches 

 

SSS Weekly Challenge Make It Sparkle and NBUS this week! I added  a few gems and shimmer pen for sparkle. 

I am definitely counting my blessings today, and you are one of them!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

You're so Kind!

 Hello on this pretty October day! 
I appreciate you coming to visit my blog and echo the "You're So Kind!" sentiment from the stamp set I am featuring today. It's my second card using the Hey Fall stamps (SuparPea Designs) and I'm thinking it's kind of you to bear with me (pun intended.)

Slim cards and critters are definitely finding their way into the-what-I-love-most-for-my-blog posting lately and I have to confess that there are NEW critters waiting to join the line-up. I've mentioned wanting to create cards with a lighthearted theme and critters seem to fill that need well. The cuter and more cartoon-like, the better!

I carted my Copic markers to the kitchen table so I can color up a bunch of images for future use in spare moments.  Because there were so many to fit on the card, I used a card stock panel (Pool Party - SU!) instead of inking up a scene so they would stand out.

I'll be sending this to the grands so I glued everything down tight. I'm so used to adding foam behind the images and panel that this looks pretty simple without the dimension. 

Critter themes abound this week in challenges! I am joining The Paper Players Theme Week (Fall Critters)

SugarPea Meant to be Sent (Fall Holiday) and the current Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp.  Also joining the Tic Tac Toe Challenge  where I chose the diagonal row: thankful, leaf, acorn.

As I finish this up it's a lovely sunny day on my screened porch and I feel grateful to be well and sitting outside. Stay well, friends! See you soon. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: SugarPea Designs Hey Fall stamps and dies

Accessories: Copic markers, white gel pen, Slim Film City Dies - Mama Elephant

Joyful Christmas

 

Hello friends! 
I'm just wanting to share a post inspired by another great sketch by Jen at Freshly Made Sketches. I thought this sketch would be perfect for highlighting the gorgeous paper roses in the Cosy Rosy Christmas pack. 
The papers are so gorgeous I had a hard time picking the one to use for this design. 

When all was said and done, I might have used a different one for a cleaner look. Nice thing is, it's just paper so I can try another one any time!  

 I added a satin bow and red and silver foil die cuts with foam behind them for the sentiment.

My card is a  4-1/2" square. I hope that as you begin another week you will feel ready and steady as you go. Let's keep on keeping on with crafting to help us stay in touch. Thank you for spending some of your time here with me. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Cute Critters Continued

 Hey there! 

I have quite a few card ideas for critters coming up in future posts but today's card features the cuties from the Birthday Buds stamp set (MFT).

Creating an inked background was a perfect fit with the sketch offered this week at MFT so I was encouraged to play along. I loved coloring this pig and his buds with Copics. Oxide inks in Tumbled Glass and Cracked Pistachio were used and spatters added of water and white ink.

Don't know what I think of the glittered star in the sky since it's not a night scene. Blame it on the sketch as I needed a third circle, lol. A little fun and artistic freedom.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead. Stay well, enjoy the things you can, and find ways to be creatively social Thanks so much for your kind visits and comments. You make my day!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

The Color Hues #3

 Welcome to the Color Hues Challenge #3! I've been loving the Color Hues Color Challenge and especially the inspiration I get from all of you! We are so grateful for the fabulous entries since we've begun, and your enthusiasm in playing along! For our third challenge, we'd like you to use Gold and Cream. You will be aware comparing my photos that this color combo is hard to photograph well. 

This photo shows the details best and the second one portrays the colors better. 

I had the Floral Fantasy set by Papertrey Ink in my mind as soon as I saw these colors. They speak elegant holiday to me, and I added the texture behind the buck using the Evergreen Embossing Folder from Stampin' Up! 

Gold embossing, gold mirror card stock and gold flat sequins dress it up. Remember taffeta ribbon? Thankfully I still have a bit. This did just call for a sweet bow. 

Can't wait to see what you make for this challenge! Check out the blog and be inspired by the team's sample too! I am so thankful for your visit to my blog today.

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

          Make something beautiful!