JOY for Today

 Hi there on a Friday, hope you are doing well. I got a head start on some crafting and I have a card to share using mostly new supplies.  You know, I like mental challenges. Crossword puzzles and board games are fun. You won't be surprised that my favorite and best mental challenges come from -you guessed it- card challenges. 

My clues for today came from Freshly Made  Sketches challenge! 

Choosing papers was the easy part, I loved using the Washi Paper again (La La Land Crafts). Soft inking provides a bit of color on the die cuts of Serene Blooms (SSS), which have such lovely texture! I added a strip of gold mirror card stock  above the paper and die cut gold leaves.

The sentiment was stamped and hand cut, and added in keeping with the sketch. I really love the sentiments included with the new-to-me Today and Everyday Stamps (SSS.)

The sketch helped me come up with a card I never would have thought of. And I really like it! 

I will be off now for weekend things. Probably taking the last chance to cool off in the pool. Hoping you've enjoyed your visit! I will see you again soon. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Inks used: Altenew -  Heartbeat, and Distress Oxide - Antique Linen and Rusty Hinge

Garden Pail Florals for Fall

 Hello crafty friends, welcome to a new week! The 90-degree temps outside scream summer, but in my craft space we are definitely in fall mode. 

I have a set of wonderful new dies that I've used for today's card. The Garden Pail Florals from Memory Box were a recent "win" from SSS and I couldn't wait to create with them! 

The flowers are so versatile and easy to arrange, I see them being used in lots of different ways on future cards. 

I die cut the florals and greenery with white card stock, and colored them by inking. I wanted again, that soft peachy look, and achieved it with DXO inks in Dried Marigold and just a bit of Abandoned Coral. 

For the pail, I used woodgrain paper from my stash, but added more of the grainy stripes using a stamp for a more rustic look. Recently I bought some brads and decided they were in keeping with the theme. They were added to the sentiment. 

Again, I am happily playing along with the challenges at: 
Tic Tac Toe - vertical row left: Woodgrain, Ink Blending, Metal Embellishment - thanks to Jolanda  for these great ideas!
NBUS - the memory Box dies are new
Just Us Girls - their BOLD challenge includes BOLD backgrounds so      I'm hoping this contrasting BG qualifies 
A Cut Above ATG

Thanks so very much for your visit, as always, I so appreciate you taking the time to come by. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Gifts of Fall

 It's been a low key Saturday and I've had some crafty fun with assorted elements for fall. I'm here to share! 

I've assembled lots of my old and new fall supplies in a box nearby, so hopefully I create with many of them before the next season and Christmas card making is in full swing. 

For today's card, I began with the sketch from Freshly Made. Choosing soft peach card stock, I made the triple panel from the sketch by using two colors and the same embossing folder. The large leaf as the focal point works well, and is backed with a vellum circle. I wish the photo could show the maple leaf's true color - more pink than orange. I had trouble getting a good picture!

I added a few small leaf dies and softly inked the edges. A  rose gold embossed sentiment and liquid pearls are the simple embellishments. 

Hope you have a great day and enjoy the gifts it brings you. Thanks for your visit! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!     

Supplies:
cards stocks are from Spellbinders and Concord & 9
EF - Penny Black, Variegated
The large leaf - The Greetery, small leaves are from C9 Leafy Layers Die
Sentiment is Altenew - Build A Garden Elegant Tulips

Also added to:
SSS Wednesday Challenge  - add texture
The Four Season Challenge 
TicTacToe Challenge 
I chose the middle row: Ink blending ( on the small leaves), free, leaves

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!