Rain and Sunshine... I've got you covered

 Hello friends! June is always a busy month for us, and this year it's been crazy! Stamping sat on the back burner, and that's OK. Honestly, I didn't miss it! 

But I needed to clear off my desk, so I've got a simple card to share today. I made it using more supplies from the recent OCC card class. The gray panel with foiled-in-blue raindrops has been waiting to come out to play! 

I made it using the stencil and Deco paste. I gave away my foil machine supplies, but the paste is easy to store if I just want to foil once in a while. Using a stencil to foil was a fun idea, especially for raindrops. 

The dies were easy to use. Hope you like my clean and simple card today. Inside it says, "Sending Sunshine" and has a sun and clouds die cuts. I can't include a photo of the inside because I've already written the long note to the recipient. I'm happy that it's ready to mail. 

Hope that you're having a great day! Glad you could visit, I won't take so long next time to post. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies: Weather Together Bundle 
Playing at:
Time Out Challenges - water and sun 

What I love....

 It's Monday, time for a quick post. Hello friends!

I used to regularly post a series called "What I love..." on my blog. It's still a category listed in the sidebar if you want to see some oldie versions. But today 's post is all about currently what I love and here's the card! 

Below I've listed "What I love..." from yesterday's crafty time:

• PLAYING!  Just playing around. Specifically playing with new stamping goodies. I didn't begin with the intention of completing a card. 
• Bright colors, pink! 
• Sunshine
• New techniques 
• polka dots and stripes.
• a bit of sparkle

My playing involved stenciling the rainbow with Altenew inks in light and bright pink, yellow and orange. I learned the technique of stamping over stencils from the latest Online Card Class called Brighter Days. I love these classes too! I've you've never taken one, or it's been awhile, I highly recommend them for the value and inspiration.

Entering this to **NBUS #87** Never Been Used Stuff and
Stencil Fun Challenge ATG
Supplies are listed below. 

Thanks so much for coming by!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies: 

Hammermill white card stock

Altenew inks: Blush Rose, Pinkalicious, Fresh Lemon, Orange Cream

**Kristina Werner for Concord & 9th: Rainbow Rays Stencil Pack, Weather Together Stamps and Dies**

Teacups Hello

 Something new and something old. On day 9 of Spring Card Camp Jennifer taught Inlay die cutting with a new twist.  Here's my take on the technique. I had so much fun creating this tower of teacups and saucers! 

I used the WPlus9 stamps and dies called Hello and Thanks. I love this set, it's one of my favorites! The floral cluster was colored with Copics. The adorable Tea Boutique Papers from Stampin' Up! are a great mix and provide the patterns and colors. I added a bit of shading to each die cut with a gray marker. 

Now I'm off to make some tea in my red teapot, sip and eat a very late breakfast. Hope you have a beautiful day!

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Ink Lifting with Spring Card Camp 2022

   Hello! Another quick post to share the technique of ink lifting that Jennifer showed on day one of the newest Online Card Class.  This is the second version of her technique, spritzing an inked embossed background and then using pressure to transfer the ink to another blank card stock panel. 

This is the softer panel where the colors are more subtle. I used Distress Oxide inks, and added stamped and layered die cut images for a focal point in finishing off the card. 

I really love these colors and the results of all the inking. I'm happy to have used images from The Greetery as it is their third anniversary of opening the store. I'm delighted to help them celebrate! Hope you've enjoyed seeing this, have a great day! 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Playing at Spring Card Camp!

 Greetings! I am dropping in with a quick post to share a fun project. I love playing with my supplies and the Online Card Classes Spring Card Camp 2022 is giving me a perfect chance. I love these classes and have taken almost ALL of them! 

The lessons, great samples and new techniques or even old ones revisited - get me to see my supplies with fresh vision. Every card doesn't have to be a masterpiece, you know? 

While this card turned out way too busy for me - I  created a birthday card with a nautical theme for someone who will love it. 

Using layered dies for a background isn't as hard as it looks! Supplies are listed below, and you will see how I have different companies in the mix. 

I am adding this to our challenge gallery at Color Hues where I chose Red and Aqua for our combo this time. These are go-to's in my book for a nautical scene. I will be back soon, happy day! 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies used: 
Stamps: Stampendous - Nautical Anchor (sentiment) embossed with white EP

Accessories: Sailboat die - Poppystamps, colored with Copics; other dies are from Stampin' Up! Sailing Home.  The STAR charm is also from SU! One I've saved for years, lol!

A New Technique - Monoprint

 Hello, crafty friends, I hope you are doing well. I had a chance to stamp today and picked up the pieces in my completed pile to finish up into a card. Thought maybe I should make a note card set with some of the other prints I've made, but that will be another day's project. 

The technique uses layers of ink and creates a monoprint. I used that as the main panel on the card, with a foam base to add dimension. After you create one of these you just don't want to cover it up! 

I used Oxide inks in soft yellows and pinks for this card, since it was made in spring. 

Yep, it's been sitting here ever since the Online Card Class Spring Card Camp 2! I loved learning this technique. It is also sometimes made using a Gelli Plate. See that panel underneath? That faux watercolor look is also part of the technique. A two-fer, if you will! The close up helps you see the softness of the print, created with ink and a brayer.

I hope you've enjoyed my post and been inspired today! Thanks so much for taking time to visit and leave a comment. See you soon!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Uh-oh. I don't remember!

Paper: Neenah Solar White

INK: Distress Oxides

Accessories: Hello Die from WPlus9 and friend sentiment; leaf die is from The Greetery

Soft Pastels

Hello, I'm back again with another take on the monoprint technique that I shared on an earlier post. Without sharing details of this fabulous class from Spring Card Camp, I wanted you to be able to see both parts of the process on today's card. 

I used soft pastel shades of ink for the pretty leafy background. The small panel is a piece of the monoprint that I removed the inking from to reveal the whitened spaces. I love the depth and color variations that this gives. 

I just love playing with inks! I still have several samples of this all over my messy desk. I am keeping this post short in hopes of getting it all cleaned up. I feel a need to jump in to a card challenge or two before the week is out!

Thanks for sticking with me. Hugs.

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Clearly Besotted - LeafyAccents; WPlus9 - Welcome

Paper: Neenah Solar White

INK: Distress Oxides

Best Wishes

Hello crafty friends! 
If you think I've not been stamping much this past week, you may be right! Every once in awhile a break seems a good idea. Hopefully I come back to my blog with renewed freshness. Honestly, it's been rainy here for a L-O-N-G couple of weeks and I've been curling up with a good book or two. 

Although Spring Card Camp 2 is officially over, I got totally into the lesson by Dawn on mono-printing. It's addicting, as she said, and I've completed quite a few takes on the technique, just haven't made them into cards yet. Here's my first.

 It involves laying out multiple colors on the plate and picking them up with a clean stamp. When you stamp these images they take on a dreamy watercolor look. I love techniques like this because you're never quite sure what look your inking and color choices will give. It's a pleasant surprise! 

Keeping my focal point small so I didn't cover up the background, I added a delicate flower with sparkling embossing and a few pearls. 

Thanks so much for your visit. I hope you and your loved ones are keeping well and encouraged. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: PTI - Meadow Greens; Clearly Besotted - Leafy Accents; WPlus9 - Basic Banners

Paper: Neenah Solar White

INK: Distress Oxide Inks - Faded Jeans, Twisted Citron, Cracked Pistachio; WPlus9 - Old Gold; Versamark

Accessories: WPlus9 - hexagon die from Welcome, WOW Embossing Powder Spring Rain

Happy Thoughts

Hi, glad to find you here! 
I am thanking God for some good times out in the sunshine thinking happy thoughts and some great art therapy time to continue the springtime theme. 

Today's card was made with products from The Greetery and inspired by Lydia's wonderful day 5 lesson (#OCCSCC2) on stencil shading. 

I used sponge daubers to add colors to the lavender blossoms and stems with Distress Oxide inks, keeping the darkest colors at the base of each bloom for an ombre effect. The stencil was placed over the die cut mason jar so that the stems appear to be inside!

There are two stencils to make the layering easy, and all stamped images were layered. This adds such depth of color and wonderful dimension. 

I am hoping this bouquet, fresh picked for you, brightens your day! I added a few gems for sparkle.  Hang in there friends! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: The Greetery - Just Mason Around, Fleur Impressions, and coordination dies.

Paper: Neenah Solar White

INK: Distress Oxides 

Accessories: Stencil - Mason Jar Fillers Stencil, Sentiment Suites Basic Die; Nuvo Crystal Gems Pure Sheen Gemstones

Day 6 Paper Piecing with a Twist

How are things going for you? I am glad you are able to visit today! As we begin a new week, I'm trying to get caught up in my crafting for the Online Card Classes Spring Card Camp. For day 6, Kristina taught us how to mass produce cards by paper piecing. 

Mass producing cards is something I almost NEVER like to do. But if it includes using patterned paper, I may give it a try. Before I knew it, I had made 14 cards! 

This is just a sampling of them. I really love having this colorful array of cards made. Later on, I may get around to sharing the rest with you, but for now I need to get caught up with the other days' projects. 

I'm very happily sending these to my beloved MIL to send out to family. I had sent a couple dozen cards already but she can really use these as they are all unisex and generic in nature. Most of the others say "hello" or "I'm thinking of you" on the front. I had to force myself to let the paper shine and keep the rest simple. As in easy (for me) and not fussy! 

Thanks so much for coming by today. I'm off to play. Sending hugs - 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Sentiments and dies are from The Greetery. 

Day 4 Clean and Simple

Nothing beats making a Clean and Simple card as inspired by Julie Ebersole. We got great tips and samples at today's Spring Card Camp class. I am so grateful for the timing of this class. I've really been in stay-at-home mode since January and I absolutely need something to help me be motivated. 

Here's my card for today, using the Unforgettable stamps and dies from WPlus9. I went looking through my stash for a line drawing so that I could color with my Polychromos pencils, and matching dies. These elephants have long been some of my favorite images. 

I kept the front very simple, with a strip of DSP and a die cut through to the inside of the card. I intentionally wanted to create the feeling that this guy was sort of just suspended there in space. That would be unforgettable! 

On the inside you get the rest of the picture and the sentiment. 

The key to a well-designed CAS card is having an image with enough details to make it interesting. I used Glossy Accents to add to the elephant and made sure it was a strong focal point for the card front.

The only other embellishments are a bit of shimmer and the twine bow. I am trying not to feel guilty about all this craft time, but grateful instead that I have this mental challenge to keep me engaged! 

But OH, I miss our children and grands. Seems like it's been SO LONG since we've had hugs. I've been doing lots of talking to myself lately. 

Thanks for your visit today, I sure appreciate you dropping by. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Spring Card Camp Day 2

Hello, welcome back to my blog! Our Easter day was very quiet but we enjoyed special face time and calls with our loved ones. 

I've taken many Online Card Classes and loved them, so I was excited to sign up for the Spring Card Camp when Kristina and Jennifer announced it. I always love learning new techniques or just having the prompts to make cards that aren't in my usual wheelhouse. 

I enjoyed using the My Whole Life stamps from WPlus9 to stamp once and then make two panels with the cards.  After randomly stamping I stenciled soft yellow dots in one area to pull it all together. Using a sponge dauber, I blended a second layer of inks on some of the images. I kept them very simple and one layer. 

The class goes on all month, it's not to late to join in! A great value and they are geared towards using supplies that we already have. Just the kind of diversion I need now while stuck at home.

I'll be keeping these posts short so that I have more to time to stamp and keep up with posting. I'd be happy to answer questions if you have any in the comments about the supplies I used. Thanks so much! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Blessed Christmas with Non Holiday Stamps

Good morning! 

Today is the last day to post cards to the Merry Making gallery for those taking this Online Card Class. I wanted to try a couple more of the techniques in time to link them there so I've got one to share with you today.

The card inspiring us from May Park used tone on tone stamping, gold embossing and white gel pen dots. The lesson involved using non-holiday stamps for your card. 

I tried this first using solid floral stamps but finally decided to use the beautiful line art floral spray. I embossed it in gold and created the tone on tone effect by coloring inside the embossing using a Versamarker. 

Adding the white dots is not usually my style, but in keeping with the lesson I gave it a try! I'm not sure they don't make it too busy but I will be making this card again to send in the mail so I can experiment. I did add them in a way to draw your eye across the card from left to right. 

Thanks for coming by to visit my blog today. 

Be yourself

Delight in your craft 

Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp - Bouquet of Thanks, Holiday Hellos

Christmas Blessings

Hello there!

I'm posting another Christmas card today. This technique, presented by Jennifer McGuire at class, incorporates scoring into your stamped design.  I couldn't wait to try this one out. 

It's perfect for a bold, detailed image, and for creating a classic card that's flat for mailing. 

Several of my images were masked for this design. This would be a great choice for mass producing with my MISTI. 

Although tempted, I refrained from adding glitter, gold, or sparkles in any form. Just letting the clean design speak. I've listed my supplies below. 

Thanks for coming by to take a peek! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used

Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Spruce & Sprigs, Christmas Cheer

Ink: PTI - New Leaf, Olive Twist, Pure Poppy, Autumn Rose 

Accessories: Score board

Dashing through the Snow Flurries

The last technique I'm trying from day one of the Online Card Class Merry Making was taught by Jennifer McGuire, who makes such beautiful cards! She taught us several ways to add the look of snow to our backgrounds and I tried using white embossing powder two different ways on my card to look like snow. 

My catchy title to this post may have misled you. I did not dash through snow or ANYTHING else while making this card. It took  a L-O-N-G time and a couple of attempts that ended up in the trash until I got a sample I could post. Still in the learning curve on this one but I will try it again.
I began with white card stock which I did double emboss. First in gold, then in green to add the holly leaves. For the berries, I used Nuvo Crystal Drops in Red Berry Gloss .  

I  sure am glad that the weekend is finally here and I will be having more time to stamp. I look forward to playing with the ideas from day 2 and onward! Happy stamping to you.

Be yourself

Delight in your craft 

Make something beautiful!

Double Embossed Background

Believe it or not, I'm still working from the ideas given on Day 1 of the Merry Making class! 
I am captivated by the techniques and I just have to give them at least one try so I'm back again to share with you.

For today's card, I used the double embossing technique. I embossed my white card panel in gold, and then embossed over it again using a background stamp. LOVE this vintage look for a classic holiday card. 

I embossed the sentiment in white on a die cut oval of vellum, and finished with the name Jesus die cut from gold foil card stock. A soft bow and a gold sequin complete the festive look. 

The sentiment and Jesus die are by Papertrey Ink . 
The background stamp is by MFT. 

I appreciate your visit today!

Be yourself

Delight in your craft 

Make something beautiful!