Flowers for the Soul

 Hi there, friends! You can never have too many flower stamps, right? I'm back with another recent purchase from Pinkfresh made into a sweet birthday card. Truly dainty and feminine, the Flowers for the Soul set is beautifully designed by Dawn Woleslagle. 

What I love about PF dies is that they cut several groups of images with one run through the machine.  Once I die cut there were many images in various sizes to play with. I used just a few for today's card. 

I stamped the flowers and heat embossed them with gold powder. Using a rainbow of DOX ink colors and the stencils, I added color. 

For my background panel, I sponged using the same colors lightly. Then embossed with a folder for added texture. Using gold designer paper and gems for the accents ties the focal point together. I used a narrow panel of white card stock. Having the sentiment hanging over the edge doesn't bother me! I wanted more of that background to show. I can't wait to make another one!

Thanks so much for your visit today! Hope this summery card brings a smile to your face. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies used:
Dies - Crimped Frame (The Greetery); Leaves - Altenew; Birthday - Buzzwords (Honeybee)
The EF is from Spellbinders
Inks: Rnager Distress Oxide - Salvaged Patina, Worn Lipstick, Cracked Pistachio, Carved Pumpkin, Fossilized Amber

I'm adding this to the Monthly Challenge at Pinkfresh 

The Flower Challenge #95 Reminder

 Hello crafty friends! Have you checked out the inspiration from The Flower Challenge #95? Here I am back with a reminder and I hope it will encourage you to join in this easy going challenge. I'm sure you will have fun creating a stamped flower. Nothing difficult about that! It's even inspired me to look back through my stamps and use an older layering stamp set. 

I pulled out the Wplus9 Builder Rose set and was surprised to find some flowers already stamped. I love when that happens except that I don't remember exactly what inks I used, so I can't tell you! In addition, I pulled out a background that I had made with many images randomly stamped in pale black and spritzed with gold paint. 

I assembled the panel onto a gold mirror background and added a sentiment from Honeybee stamps. 

You will find more DT samples on the blog and a lovely gallery of cards from our participants. I hope that you will be one of them! It's wonderful to see what you make. 

Your visit today is so appreciated. I hope that your fall is going great! I know that I'm loving the cooler temperatures. 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Altenew Bold Bouquet for The Flower Challenge

 Happy greetings to you on this new day. It's time for me to get to crafting and posting a bit more often as The Flower Challenge returns to inspire you! After our January break, we are in full swing with love month, asking you to add a heart (or two or three!) to your card. And of course, don't forget to feature flowers! My card is a stencil design using the Bold Bouquet 3D embossing folder from Altenew.  

When I saw THIS card by Carol - it's the second card - I was smitten and my card is  unashamedly a CASE of her beautiful work. I began by sponging Distress inks onto watercolor card stock for an ombre background in pink and deep red. Next I dry embossed the panel using the 3D folder, and lightly sanded some of the high points to add distressing. 

Using the coordinating stencils, I sponged in darker shades of red to some of the flowers. With a damp brush, I added deeper shading using Memento Toffee Crunch ink and a bit of gold metallic paint. I embossed the sentiment (Bold Bouquet stamps and dies) in gold, and embellished with three small hearts. 

I appreciate you for sticking with me through this long post. I know you'll love the DT's beautiful inspiration. Please join us and play along! 

Thanks for visiting me today. 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Challenges: 
Just Us Girls Color Week Simon Says Have a Heart
Cardz 4 Gals red and pink  
The Paper Players Love

Time Out Challenges! What inspires YOU?

 Hello, hello! Hope things are going well for you today! I have two posts in the loop, so be sure to check further for the other one. 

I have the honor of being a Guest Designer at Time Out Challenges, and you will love what they have for you today! Make a card or project that goes with the theme of Inspiration. What inspires you?

There were so many ways I could go with this, but once I chose the stamps it was easy. I'm inspired by nature, sunsets, and acts of kindness. 

Our lot is wooded, our neighborhood is rural and out our windows we frequently see deer! Just this week we saw an 8 point buck inside our back fence, and later a herd of 10 coming alongside the house at the edge of the woods. They nibble at the maple near our front door. That is NOT cute!

Since the challenge has the optional twist of layers, I inked a sunset in layers of color instead of subtle blends. I stamped the image, then masked to create the sky using Distress Oxides in Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold, and Wilted Violet. The Anita Jeram image from Colorado Craft Company (Snow Happy) was colored with Copics. 

I added just a few snowflakes by spattering white paint, and three that were die cut. This card is a mini slimline. 

I love how the bunny and deer are sharing a kind moment. 

Thank you for sharing your time with me today! 

And please be sure to check the challenge inspiration HERE and play along! There are prizes!

 Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Vintage Birthday

 Hello, welcome back! Here is the second card made with the new release at WPLus9 that I posted in detail about yesterday. 

For this card, I featured the Vintage Ephemera Bundle and a smooshed background using Salvaged Patina and Twisted Citron Distress Oxide Inks. 

Adding a new to me product, Tim Holtz transparent embossing powder, gave the butterflies a bit of special pizazz! I die cut extra flower layers to pop up and add dimension, plus some silver thread and sequins. This is a slimline card measuring 3.5 x 6.5" 

Layering, smooshing, spattering and stamping. I loved every part of this process! 

Adding this to NBUS! 

Hope you have a great day!

     Be yourself
          Have delight in your craft 
               Make something beautiful!  

Playing with Friends!

 Hi there! 

It's a special kind of sharing on my blog today! You know we stampers love to play in challenges and sometimes in person. One of my favorite blog friends is Michele at I Card Everyone. I so admire her ability to design fabulous cards and then present them with her bit of wit and good humor! 

Today I'm part of her series called Playing with Friends.  She is such a fun friend to have, and gives much sweetness with her blog and many comments of encouragement to others.

We each create using the same supplies or, in this case a theme. BEACH!  It is National World Oceans Day, so we are creating projects around oceans or things to do at the beach. Of course I went with the beach theme, since that is my last name! That certainly makes me qualified, you think?

I have loved the Hello Bluebird stamps Seaside Girls set and I decided this was a good occasion to (order) and use it.  I colored these friends with Copics and used the Ocean Scene die to create a beach scene. Brand new supplies to me.  Inking each panel, I added dots and splatters as needed and assembled them on the card. The middle layer of the ocean is popped up for dimension. 

The sky was lightly inked and stamped with my message for Michele: I'm so lucky to have a friend like you! That message is for you too, dear readers.

I love collecting shells at the beach. It's my favorite thing to do! I can't wait to see which way the waves took Michele for her project, please join me in checking it out HERE.  

I will be linking at NBUS and at The Paper Players Summer Theme Challenge. 

Wishing you a day filled with sunshine and smiles. 

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft           
          Make something beautiful! 

Color Hues #8

 Hello stamping friends, it's that time again!  Yes, mid-December. We are almost there to Christmas but my post today is all about our new challenge at Color Hues. After all the Christmas cards we've been making, how does Green and Blue sound? 

I'm enthused about these colors but making my card at the last minute brought on some pressure! Oh my goodness, as often as I kept telling myself to keep it simple, instead I fumbled and bumbled my way through the creative process.  For way too long.

I began with the English Rose Bouquet Die (Memory Box) which is gorgeous all by itself. But could I stop there? NO! I wanted to come up with something different. And I did. I wish you could see the pretty blue gems in the flower centers IRL. 

I made a background using Distress Oxide inks, metallic inks and gesso on white card stock. Lost of playing, lots of splatters, and it was fun. 

You can only imagine how things went from there! You don't need any more details. I urge you to go have some fun with these great colors. 

Simple or complicated, it's all up to you! Hope to see you soon! Thanks so much for your kind visit.

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Day 5 Watercolor Backgrounds with a Stencil

I've loved Online Card Classes for a very long time! I'm especially enjoying Spring Card Camp since the stay-in mandates have left me with LOTS of time to stamp. And at least for week 1 I've been able to keep up. 

For day 5 we are focusing on watercolored backgrounds. You know I love these, so I went right to work! 

The twist is to use a die cut: first as a stencil and then as a die cut over the inking on the second card. 

I used Fabriano Extra White watercolor card stock, and Distress Inks painted on with a brush for the colors. 
For both cards I used the Inside and Out Berry Branch Die (The Greetery). 

For the first card the die cut was used as a stencil.  It was spattered with paint but when I removed it the leaves outline remained. I loved the way this turned out.

 I took the stencil and adhered it over the background on the second card.

For both cards, I added accents of the die cut leaves in white to add brightness and texture. The lovely sentiments and coordinating die cut are from the Cotton Comforts set (The Greetery.)

Needing some shimmer, I embossed circles with Wow Sea Glass Embossing Glitter and added clear jewels. Here is a closer look.

I have no idea what I'll be making tomorrow. First I've got to clean up the huge mess in the craft room. I'll be back. 

Thanks for visiting! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!