Beautiful Butterfly Escapades

Hello there! I hope you're having a great day!

I have a card to share today using the brand new to me Butterfly Escapades Embossing Folder and Dies from Simon Says Stamp. Deciding to order this came as a bit of delayed reaction. Apparently I'm not the only one as it is now sold out. In the order with it came many goodies from the Artsy Butterflies card kit that Simon Says Stamp offered last month. I didn't think I needed it but changed my mind after seeing so many beautiful butterfly creations! 

Delicate pastel card stock with rich embossing, a bit of inking and layered butterflies came together so nicely! Using an arched die cut, I used the Spotlight technique adding a white panel for the focal point. The sentiment is from Honeybee stamps, cut in gold mirror card stock to match the butterfly body.

 I'd like to try this card again, and I will hope the photos better show how really soft the colors are. I absolutely love the new card stock colors of the In My Heart I Want It All collection. I'm not known to use purple hues often, but I am a fan of this soft shade used in the card front. 

Be forewarned, there will be an abundance of butterfly creations coming. 

I will add this to the challenges listed:

NBUS Challenge #85
Just Us Girls - Die Cutting, the Spotlight Technique
Triple B - Birds, Butterflies, or Blossoms

A Cut Above ATG
Let's Craft and Create Challenge: Beautiful Butterflies

Thanks so much for your kind visit. Take care!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

 

Bright Bells for Christmas

 Happy December, friends! The count down til Christmas is on and I've got so many more holiday stamps to use before the 25th! It's my favorite season for creating and I have a gazillion Christmas items new and old taking up most of my crafting table. Today's card is mostly old dies and a new one.

The Sketch Challenge at FMS was on my mind and again. I don't know why these sketches simmer on the back burner of my brain for days! I had to fiddle around before deciding what I thought could work best. Here's my card. I'm entering it at the very last minute.

Here's the sketch.  My take is literal!

The bells are dies retired from SU long ago, but I thought they fit with the sketch well. I knew I wanted a detailed focal point. I like that it's also shiny cut from gold card stock! The holly, and sentiment are added to have a trio/triangle for balance. I kept the square more simple with an ornate frame and tone on tone stamping of the holly on the red panel. A white card base was embossed with a holly/berry folder for a subtle background. 

I will list the supplies below, and give you a special thanks for stopping by on this busy week. Happy hugs to you!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

The EF used is from SSS, the holly, berries and bow are from Concord & 9th Kristina Werner Festive Snow Globe Dies; the sentiment is from Kristina Werner Concord & 9th Joyful Holiday Stamp set; on the red panel I stamped in Versamark using Kristina's Easy Repeat Background stamp. The square frame is an oldie from PTI. 

Sending Hugs with Build A Wreath

It's been a long week, I'm still under the weather with vertigo, unfortunately. I think it's caused by allergies. Hopefully the cooler weather will come with showers to make everything fresh and new again, including me! New and feeling much better would be a great forecast to me. 

I couldn't decide if my wreath would be for fall or Christmas. In all, I ditched the fall-ish one and went with my take #2 which has a more evergreen vibe, possibly for Christmas. You will have to see what you think. 

I used my lovely Concord & 9th card stock in colors of Artichoke and Juniper for the leaves, and Nectar and Sorbet for the bow and card panel. I really love the way the greenish blue and the olive colors combined nicely for the wreath. The etched Build A Wreath Dies and Garden Wreath Add-ons from Spellbinders were used to create a variety of twigs, sprigs and leaves meticulously arranged for the wreath. Berries were added with Gold Luxe drops from Nuvo that have iridescent shine.

Although I like the result, this card was a bit too fiddly to create. It is my first time using the dies, so as NBUS (never-been-used-schtuff) the card will be heading over to the gallery at Darnell's. I was also inspired to play at Tic Tac Toe challenge where I chose the options of Wreath, Free, and Matching Envelope. 

It was enjoyable coordinating the envelope, and not something I usually think about. 

That wraps up my week, hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Happy Summer to you

 Hello crafty friends! I'm stopping in to post a quick share on this hot summer day. It's good to be back after a busy holiday week. I have another week busy with family visiting and there's nothing I'd rather do than spend time with loved ones. 

The first card I posted (HERE) using the Eclectic Garden dies (Concord & 9th) was a CASE. Today's card is my original design.

Instead of die cutting the florals from colored card stock, I used white and sponged on color using Distress Inks to create a softer look. I will really enjoy using these florals.

An embossed layer was also inked lightly for the background. The sentiment is formed by the Happy Edger Die and the text from Penny Black. It makes a bold statement. Finishing the card off only needed a few pearls for embellishment. 

 I'm playing in the Tic Tac Toe challenge using the left vertical row: Foliage, Layers, Flowers, or the middle horizontal row: Layers, Free, Summer Colors. I really love the options in the grid challenges!

Also adding to SSS Weekly challenge: Sending Flowers

That's all for today! I'll keep staying cool. Take care. See you soon. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Watercolor Birthday for The Flower Challenge

 Hello! Happy 4th of July to those in the USA!

Time for another theme for you at The Flower Challenge! For this month you'll have an opportunity to build up the birthday cards in your stash as you play along. 

Make a birthday card featuring flowers. How easy is that! I'm featuring a new-to-me set called Watercolor Flowers by Altenew. For this card I used the stamps, stencil and dies. 

Summery colors worked well even though I took creative liberty and made blue leaves. The Altenew colors are Blue Horizon, Maple Yellow, Honey Drizzle, and Green Field. The pinks are Concord & 9th  Carnation.

For the sentiment, I used the small font "wishing you a beautiful day" included with the stamp kit. I did however, cut off the word "day" and added a die cut Birthday in black with a shadow layer in white. 

I stepped the design up a bit, by partially die cutting the top of the floral spray, centering it on the card front, and adding pink pearls. 

There you have it! Wishing you a beautiful day, and heartfelt thanks for your visit. Please be sure to check out the fabulous inspiration from the team!

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Cup of Kindness for Color Hues

 The well-known song says, "we'll take a cup of kindness yet.... for Auld Lang Syne" As I am typing my first post of the year, I will wish you special gifts of health and happiness for 2024.  Welcome to our first duo at Color Hues!  Marcia has chosen Light Blue and Navy for us. 

I couldn't wait to use the new stamps and dies from Concord & 9th called Cup of Kindness that features the cutest shapes and sentiments for coffee cups. 

I love the floral mini patterns that can be printed on the cups. Neutrals are also OK to add to your projects including kraft, gray, cream, white or black.

My favorite sentiment is the Thank You checklist. Here's how it looks on the inside of my card. I grabbed a stenciled background from my already-done file that was a good fit with the colors and theme. 

Please be sure to check out the fabulous designs from the team. 

We hope you're ready to get crafting again! Please join us to play along. The challenge will last for two weeks. Thanks so very much for your visits and kind words. 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 
               Make something beautiful!  

Adding this to Darnelle's wonderful challenge at NBUS.

Autumn Thanks

 How about one more fall card? The Paper Players are asking for a clean and simple card with an autumn theme. I just happen to have one on hand, so I'm happy to share it today. 

My supplies are listed below.This is my second card using Yellow and Kraft, the great combo that we have going at Color Hues! I made this one quickly  -  forgetting that I had already made my card with these colors in August. I posted that one yesterday. Boy do I feel sheepish for my forgetfulness! I am usually very organized. Of course if you saw my stamp space, you would think otherwise! 

I will focus on the positive. I am colorful, creative and happy. Thankful to God for the day He has made. So glad you've come to visit!  Signing off....

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies: The Greetery dies - Patchwork die and Jumbo Curiosity Bickeye Leaf die, and Curio Autumn Findings die

The sentiment is from Concord & 9th Leafy Layers Die

October is Couch Time!

 Fall is a cozy time and it is extra nice enjoying some COUCH time!

Welcome to our new challenge at the Color Hues Card Challenge where I got to select the colors of Coral and Blue for our projects over the next two weeks. At the mention of couch time I surely had to bring out my Couch Potato stamps and dies (MFT) to create a warm scene. 

 Our daughter came for a visit and this sentiment came to mind after she'd returned home and I missed our couch conversations. 

There are so many decor elements included with this set. When it came out I bought some of them. all of them. I kept trying to fit the window behind the sofa but it's true in this case, less is more. I love how real the throw looks over the arm of the chair.

Can't wait to see what you will create for us this month! Please join in and give these colors a go, won't you? 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

The Flower Challenge Reminder - Use dies!

 Hello friends, I hope your month has gone well as we transition from summer to fall. For us in the south, fall brings welcome cooler temps and wonderful Carolina blue sky weather! 

I'm back with a second card using dies for The Flower Challenge, and I went all out with cut-outs for this card! Speaking of Carolina blue...

have a look! Besides the dies, this card is all about the colors. I pulled out my card stocks and mixed a combo of colors that I love. Using the Zig Zag Chevron Die I combined two soft blues and intertwined them as a base for the floral arrangement.

 It was a delight assembling these flowers and stems into a bouquet. The die cuts were just the right size so they could be glued and assembled without being too fiddly.

Gold sequins were added and a gold foil sentiment to dress it up a little. I hope to see you playing along with your die cuts and cards showing up in our gallery! 

Thanks for your visit today, make it a great one! 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

I am happily adding this to the gallery at NBUS as the stamp and die are brand new! 

Color Hues #71 Thanks

It's good to be with you on this first day of September! I love this month, the back-to-school time brings happy memories. And its the beginning of my favorite season. At Color Hues new challenge, Tracey has chosen Tangerine and Violet. Could be for a fall vibe? Or maybe you'd choose a Halloween theme? 

 I'm happy to be playing with a few supplies from my new goodies pile. I wanted to use the Postal Collage Bundle and the colors lead me in the direction of fall elements. How about leaf dies?

My thank you card was so much fun to put together. I can't wait to use the Postal Collage stencils to make a colorful bunch of paper stamps.

Please join us to play along, this is sure to be a great challenge! I hope to see you in the gallery. Thanks so much for your visit today. 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies: Concord & 9th card stock and Leafy Layers Dies

Sending Smiles for Freshly Made Sketches!

 There's a party going on and I'm not too late to join the fun! Freshly Made Sketches is celebrating their 600th sketch! This fabulous team of talented card-makers has inspired and delighted us for 12 years! 

I had to pop in and share a card for this big occasion. 

I pulled out autumn - themed dies and watercolors and created my card using the sketch as the starting point.  I've often played along at Freshly Made, and hope they continue their challenge for many more sketches to come!

Card supplies: 
I used Distress Ink reinkers to watercolor on watercolor card stock for the die cuts
Curio Autumn Finding Die and Rustic Wreath Twigs Die from The Greetery
Card stock: Peacock from Concord & 9th
Stamps: Paper Hugs Transparent Stamps from Penny Black

Thanks so much for visiting today! I hope you are having a wonderful day and I'm sending some hugs and smiles your way. 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Just a Hello ...

 Hello crafty friends, it's good to be here today! You know how I love card challenges and it's even more fun when I get chosen as Guest Designer. That's the happy circumstance for today's card, which I've created for the Tic-Tac-Toe challenge! 

You may know that they post a board and you may chose which elements you'd like to include on your card. 

I'm delighted that this prompted me to finally pull out my new-to-me Strawberry Patch large dies from Spellbinders. 

I was first led in the direction of FRUIT in the top row, but instead I decided to go with: embossing, fun fold, and gingham in the left row vertically. 

I love interactive cards, but don't make them often enough. This one is an interlocking  gatefold and it was so fun to make, I can't wait to try another one! The card measures 5.5 x 5.5 and I want to remind you that it will require extra postage. I needed the extra space to feature those beautiful berries! 

The sentiment is heat embossed, and there is embossed texture on the die cuts. I added a bit of shading with Copics and inks. 

Please be sure to check out the fantastic cards from the team, and join us to play along! You will find them HERE. 

I'm so happy for your visit today! 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Feeling Tropical

 Well, hello again, I am thankful that you're hanging with me on my blog today. The weather has turned gorgeous! I've added some wonderful and welcome activities to my week, thanks to a burst of very good health!**  But I did manage to pull a card together, here it is! 

I loved seeing the wonderful colors in my new card stock from Concord and 9th and the bright greens and blue inspired stamps and die cuts with a tropical theme. 

Stamping the florals and leaves from WPlus9, I used the Tropic Fever dies to cut them out. Other leaves were cut from card stocks using dies from MFT (Greenery - retired.) 

Amy's lovely sketch at Freshly Made inspired my card layout. I am glad you've come by to visit today. I'm enjoying your comments and visits so much!

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

** My page on Sarcoidosis awareness describes my struggles with this rare disease and chronic symptoms.  I also have fibromyalgia. My energy and abilities fluctuate daily, weekly, monthly but I'm in a great place right now! Thankful to God who is my everything.

Zigs Coloring with Flora & Fauna

 Here's a question for you. What do you do when your mojo is stuck?  First, I stamped images in January to color and worked here and there on them when I had snippets of time. Second, I got inspired by a new idea I saw online and instead of just watching it I determined to do it! Actually, it took me a couple of tries, but here's my card.

Using watercolor paper,  I stamped the lovely image from Flora & Fauna (WPlus9) in Warm Wool ink, which is a soft gray. Using Zig markers and a paintbrush I colored the floral spray, adding detail on the clock face with a black marker and die cutting the image. 

The new technique involved using the frame die cuts to create a shaped card with vellum as the main front layer. Using a cover plate on the vellum gave a wonderful etched texture.

The die cuts are hinged at the top so the card opens and this close-up shows the panel for writing your note inside. It's really nice that the card stands up on its own.  

These are the colors I used, and supplies are listed below for those who want more details. Thanks so much for sticking with me for this long post. Happy crafting to you!

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supply List 

Stamps: Flora & Fauna stamps and dies from WPlus9
Ink: Warm Wool (WPlus9), Versamark
Accessories:  Lavinia Layers Background Die from WPlus9; 

Stitched Diamonds Coverplate Die from Pinkfresh Studio

For the video of the technique,  and many ideas, visit Jennifer McGuire HERE

I'm entering these challenges: 

TicTacToe where I chose the middle row across - Layers, Friendship, Circle

The Card Concept where my clean and layered card was inspired by the theme, flowers and colors. 

 

smile. sparkle. shine A Merry Winter Scene

 I am finding myself feeling very nostalgic this year as Christmas approaches. One of my friends shared her picture taken with Santa at Hutzler's in Baltimore Maryland when she was three. It's cute as can be, and I love the dress she wore. YES, little girls wore dresses then and through most of our school years. Talk about vintage, lol!

One thing I love remembering is ice skating in the neighborhood. I found a creative kick from the set by Honey Bee called Sleigh Bells Ring, which also has me singing along. It's that time of year! 

This set came out last year but it's new to me. I enjoyed adding sparkle to the sled, ribbon and skates with foil papers and silver Stickles.

My card was created so that I could play along with these challenges: 

NBUS

The Card Concept with my Clean and Layered Style

Tic Tac Toe Challenge where I chose snow, layers,  and celebration

Hope your week is off to a good start! 

 Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Card details: The Falling Snow Background (Honey Bee) was stamped on white card stock with Warm Wool ink (WPlus9 Designs) which also provided the ribbon die cut from Under the Mistletoe dies. The sentiment is from Penny Black Stamps. Coloring with Copic markers.