Stand Tall

 Stand tall is a good reminder, especially if you are short like I am at 5'1 and 1/2" or if you are a flamingo that stands on one leg! I made this card for one of my favorite people who's going to Florida to celebrate a special birthday. I thought these two flamingoes would be fun for her card!

The images and sentiment are from WPlus9 Designs.   I created a stenciled background for my scene, and colored with Copic markers. 

I'm adding this card to these challenges: 

NBUS because the stamps are never used until now. 

Tic Tac Toe using the row Colouring, Critters, Scene

Double D - Things that fly - yes, I looked it up, flamingoes do fly! Thank you so much for your visit today, hope you have a really good weekend.

Having just returned from a road trip to Florida, I'm looking forward to taking it easy myself! Am I the only one who comes home from vacation and needs to rest, lol? 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supply List 

Stamps: Flock Yeah and dies, Birthday Wishes  from WPlus9

You Are Amazing

 Hey there! I'm here for a quick card share and I'm glad you've stopped by! 

I pulled out some patterned paper and made a fun fold card using WPlus9 Spring Floral dies. The sentiment is from Honey Bee. 

Thanks for having a look! 

I'm adding this to NBUS as the dies are new, and the Tic Tac Toe Challenge. 

It fits the rows Fun Fold, Die Cut, Spring and across Spring, Emboss, Patterned Paper. 

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. 

 

Snow Much Love

Hi there! Here on this last day of January I am writing a quick post featuring a cute snowman that I want to use before spring hits.  I think a snowy Valentine might work well. 

The Most Wonderful set from Wplus 9 makes it so easy to add details to the images with the layering stamps. I just love how cute this snowman looks! 

I'm playing along with the TicTacToe Challenge, using the last line across: Patterned Paper (Waffle Flower), FREE and Enamel Dots. Also, at Inspiration Station, there is a photo prompt which inspired my snowy winter theme. 

The set is new to me also, and never been used til now, so it's off to NBUS. 

I appreciate your visit today, hope you're doing well. Happy crafting!

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Under the Mistletoe

 Hi, I took a break from decorating and wrapping to make a card today! I've been into greenery this year and there are so many dies that make it easy! The Under the Mistletoe Dies will work so well in combo with other greens, but for today I'm featuring them in a simple layout. 

I paired them with some Tartan Plaid paper and a bell of gold mirror card stock. Inspired at Freshly Made Sketches, I'll be entering this also at: 

Festive Friday  where I chose Gold, red, and Christmas 

Time Out Challenges

I'm so thankful that you stopped by today!

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Dies: Under the Mistletoe by WPlus9, Merry Christmas - Birch Press Design, Tartan Plaid paper 

Poinsettia Builder for The Paper Players

 Welcome to my blog on this first day of a new week. Time for a new challenge at The Paper Players, and a first Christmas card for my stash for this year. It's a bit to early for me to be starting Christmas cards but you know with lovely and talented Ann's Sketch for TPP# 614 I had to go with what works and add a bit of elegance. 

Pulling out my Poinsettia Builder set (WPlus9) I found quite a few elements already stamped and ready to go, plus a few greenery pieces from Bells & Boughs. These are stamps for layering and the results are beautiful! 

If you haven't seen these before, check them out!* Here's my card. 

I used sponge daubers to add ink to the images before stamping and die cutting. I can't quite remember the inks I used but I suspect they're Distress Oxides as they blend so well. 

I arranged the bouquet on a die cut circle and assembled the card using Paper Rose's 6 x 6 Cosy Rosy papers. It needed a bit of sparkle so I added snowy glitter (hard to see), gold thread and a few sequins. The sentiments are from the Poinsettia Bouquet stamps. 

Please have a look at the wonderful samples our DT has for you this week and play along! Thanks for your visit today, it means so much that you come and have a look around. 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

*Want to see more of my cards with this set? Find them   HERE and HERE. 

Color Hues I'm Thinking of You

 Hello, welcome to our mid month challenge! Our weather is still summery. I've had my card ready to go for the new colors chosen by Tracey for Color Hues Challenge #49, Yellow and Brown!

These are a perfect combo for fall or back to school cards. You know, I just had to go with florals and a bit of loose watercoloring. How will you be inspired? 

I used Distress Oxide Inks (Fossilized Amber) and a paintbrush to add yellow, including a splattering of ink for a more distressed vibe.  

The sentiment was stamped with Versafine Onyx ink and heat embossed clear.

I can't wait to see what you will make! Hope you can join us in the challenge. Thank you for coming by today! I love having you visit. 

 Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies are from WPlus9:  Modern Pansies; 

Flora & Fauna 3

True Colors

 Hello! It's cooling off for us and the weather has been gorgeous and so lovely! We were able to boat yesterday, and aim to do that more often now that it's not so very hot! There's nothing better than relaxing in the sunshine on the water. 

Still there's this stamping hobby. Thank goodness I'm enjoying some extra mojo as I play with new stuff. Here's a second take on the new set, Just Breathe, from WPlus9. I wanted to do a bit more traditional style and achieve a cleaner look to the coloring. 

I used sponge daubers to ink the stamp in Distress Oxide inks - Saltwater Taffy, Wild Honey, and Peeled Paint. Spritzing very lightly with water gave more definition as I stamped the images. I scribbled a damp brush in spots, then fussy cut them.

Layering with The Postal Frames dies and some patterned paper gave a more simple vibe to this card. I didn't start out trying to use the papers, but this sheet from Honey Bee's pack Summer Stems seemed to set the images off nicely. 

I don't like this card as well as the ones I CASEd for my post HERE, but it's a beginning. I think I'll often enjoy using these stamps! I LOVE the sentiments.

Thanks so much for your visit today. I am wishing you lots of good things and happy moments. 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful! 

 

CASEing my Favorite Artist

 Hello there! If you've been visiting my blog for awhile you may know that I love the work of Dawn Woleslagle at WPlus9.  She's my favorite artist and the best teacher! I love that her goal is to show us how to use the supplies she creates in multiple ways to stretch not only our stamps but our creativity! 

Inspired by her release of a wonderful new stamp set called Just Breathe, I'm giving no fail watercolor a try.

I think the inks used were Wild Honey, Worn Lipstick and Rustic Wilderness.  I was in high creative mode and made three cards in one sitting.

Creating the background panel with inks, I added a length of canvas ribbon. 

For the second card, I changed the colors and went for a vintage look. 

Beginning with a white watercolor panel, I added the bird and flowers. This time using shades of Peacock Feathers and Faded Jeans.  I really like the card just that way but you know what happens when you just keep adding elements and ink! It was playtime and a girl has to have some fun, right! It's all about experimenting and trying new things. 

If you'd like you will find all the information and instruction from Dawn at her video HERE, as well as the gorgeous samples I have CASEd.  

I will enter this at NBUS as well.  I have one more that I will share tomorrow!

Thanks so much for visiting today. I want you to know that I really love sharing with you. I hope your day is going to be great! 

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.  
          Make something beautiful! 

With Love The Paper Players #580

 I'm glad it is Sunday, time for a a sketch Challenge at The Paper Players! I play all kinds of card challenges, but I admit I prefer a sketch and I've been looking forward to creating with the lovely one that Anne Marie has designed for us. 

After choosing the oval die I wanted to use, imagine my delight in finding this gorgeous image already colored in my ready-to-go stash! 

The flowers and timepiece are all one image, and I colored them with Copics, then die cut them. The aded layers and tiny black speckles bring a vintage feel that I love. Amazingly there are vintage vibes drawn into the outline that make it easy from the first stamping. 

Dawn's latest sets at WPlu9, the florals are from Flora & Fauna 4. The sentiment, embossed with Liquid Platinum, comes from Flora & Fauna 3. Both sets have coordinating dies and through Feb 28 her spring 20% off sale is going on! 

The pretty papers are Summer Stems from Honeybee stamps. Yes, they are new to me, so I will enter this over at NBUS to Darnell's sweet challenge! 

I hope you will take the time to check out the inspiration from our talented team and join us in creating! I love seeing your cards in the gallery! 

 Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

New Home Congrats

 Happy Saturday! I have had a couple days with time to play in my craft room just for fun, so here's another weekend post. Seeing Kim's sketch I just had to play along at Freshly Made and see what I could come up with. 

The sketch is very simple and I tried to keep my card clean! Another scene created for a congratulations on your new home card. 

It was fun doing some ink blending for the sky and Copic coloring. I masked in order to combine two homes into one larger one. The square is popped up onto a white panel.

I used stamps from WPlus9, I will list them below. You may not know that I was a Stampin' Up! only gal for over ten years, then branched out and bought my first non-SU set from Wplus9.  Honestly, if I'd have to limit myself to only one group of stamps again, it would be these. I love Dawn's style and the versatility of her stamp sets and designs. 

The stamps are NEW so you will find me linking to Darnell's lovely NBUS challenge #35 and Freshly Made Sketches. 

I will be back tomorrow! It means so much to me that you visit my blog again and again and leave such kind comments. 

 Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies: Neighbors stamps, Welcome Die, DSP from SU!

Warm Winter Birthday for The Paper Players

 Hello friends, are you ready for a new challenge at The Paper Players? For Challenge TPP574 Claire has chosen a theme for our CAS cards today. Winter Animals. What fun! 

The cold weather sure helped me get in the mood. For this one I pulled out an old favorite Winter Pals (from WPlus9) and created a simple scene with lots of white space. 

I used the Postage Layers Die to add to the playful style and a trio of pines. I colored with Zigs and only needed the heart as an embellishment. I love this foxy skater and the dear one I'm sending this to loves purple. 

 

I sure hope you will play along! I've had a peek at my teammates cards and you will be inspired! Thanks for visiting! Stay warm if you can. 

Be yourself

          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

All the Little Things

 Good afternoon, it's Friday and I am here to share a quick post and a clean and simple card made for The Paper Players and Freshly Made Sketches challenges. 

Card making is my therapy and I've needed a bit more of that than usual lately. I'm trying to remind myself that I don't have to pull out ALL the stops for every card that I make, so jumping into challenges really helps me. Plus I get to use my stuff, old and new, and that is always a good thing! 

I combined the color and sketch challenges using a new set to me, The Little Things from WPlus9.  Now there's one more thank you card ready for me to mail. Also entering this at NBUS. 

Have a great weekend, and thank you for coming by today! 

Be yourself
          Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Card details:

Rich Razzleberry card stock, Dsp - Waffle Flower 

Dies - Hexagons - WPlus9

Inks: Altenew - Green Fields, Shades of Purple