Let's Inspire Some Cheer!

 Hello, it's Thursday! Time for a new challenge at Inspired By, are you ready? 

Our theme is Pretty as a Pitcher, and the photo features a beautiful bouquet. Now, I do have several stamps in shapes of containers I could have built a floral arrangement in. A bottle, a watering can, or a mason jar. Alas, no pitcher. 

How about if I use a die and my imagination and call it a window box? That is exactly what I did, have a look! 

What it really boiled down to is wanting to use these fab florals stamps and dies, Signed & Sealed from The Greetery. The Halfsies Diamond Die allowed me to use quite a few of these sprigs that looked to me to be similar to those in the inspiration photo. I also used the Windowpane Plaid Background Stamp to echo the classic stripes on the pitcher. 

A bit of ink was sponged on the panel behind the flowers, and I added spatters of gold paint, gold thread and a few sequins. My photo is a bit dark, sorry. The flowers are a tad lighter IRL. 

We can't wait to see what you will make! Please join us!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: The Greetery - Signed and Sealed; Stampendous - Friendly Phrases

INK: Versamark, WPlus 9 - Flamingo, Miami Spice, Appletini, Mojito; Distress Oxides - Broken China, Tumbled Glass

Accessories: Altenew Metallic Watercolors, Nordic Die - The Greetery

Oopsie Daisies! A few more flowers....

Hello to you today, it's Friday!  I hope you are doing well. 

I spent a long time cleaning up my craft room last night. After days of not putting things away there was a bunch of stuff out there! I felt I just could not put away these daisies I had stamped and left there for another day. My friend Leslie calls these UFO'S (unfinished objects) and it's great having them put together on a card. 

The stamps are also NBUS,  "Oopsie Daisy" set from The Greetery. I seem to have gone a bit overboard lately in supporting my favorite small businesses so I have LOTS of never been used supplies. Stamping is good therapy but in my case, I'm not sure its cheaper, HA! To balance things out, I'm selling a good bit of my very old stamps on ebay. So you won't think I'm a hoarder. 

Back to the card!

I am coming to you with a grateful heart. I'm thankful for goodness, beauty, a new day and the health to enjoy it. 

And I'm thankful for you! Hang in there, stay well!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: The Greetery - Oopsie Daisy; Waffle Flower - Potted Lily

Paper: DSP is from PTI, Old Olive Textured Card Stock (SU)

Ink: WPlus9 - V.I.P.pink, Shell Pink, Little Piggy, Hayride, Miami Spice

Accessories: coordinating dies, enamel heart

Playing along with these challenges today! 

CAS(E) This Sketch

NBUS with Darnell and so many others!

Shopping our stash   This is a new one for me, such a great idea! Calling for UFO's

The Greetery - Robins and Wrens Tips for You

Hi everyone! I hope your July 4th celebration if you're in the USA was fun and happy. 

If you're like me, after all the hubbub of family visits and cookouts with friends died down, you got to refresh yourself in your craft space. I had a great time experimenting with the Robins and Wrens set from The Greetery over the weekend. I am head over heels in love with Betsy's innovative designs!

I kept my card simple and the lines clean for a summer birthday using the larger wren from the set. I love how pert and cute this little birdie looks on the branch.

Here are a few tips for stamping this and other multi-layered images:

• Order of stamping - the first image includes all of the bird and the underbelly, the second layer adds detail. I found it really helped to stamp the second image, THEN the first image. That way they are easier to line up, since the darker image shows up and the first stamp image should be lightest.  
• I found I could stamp the second image and then use the same color for the first image, by stamping it off once to make it lighter the way the underbelly would be.
• Remember, you don't need four different colors of ink to stamp the bird. Experiment with generational stamping, or sponging the ink onto the image for a softer look.
• As with all layering stamps - take time to set up your best lighting even if you use a stamp positioner. 
• No worries if you don't line things up perfectly. These stamps are easy and so forgiving! 
• I stamped all the parts of my bird, EXCEPT the beak and legs, then die cut the image. Stamping the beak and legs after the image was die cut assured that I placed them at the correct angle. 
• Have fun adding details! I used a white gel pen on the wings area and Nuvo drops for the eyes and flower centers.

I guess those tips were more than a few, glad you read to the end! I hope that you've enjoyed my post today and found the tips helpful. I enjoy sharing the things I learn and create with you! Hope your Monday goes wonderfully well.

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: The Greetery - Robin & Wren stamp set and dies, Blooming Branch stamp set, Sentiment Suite: Birthday and Basics Dies

Paper: Neenah Solar White, WPlus9 - Fog card stock

INK: the blues on the bird are from Altenew

Accessories: twine, Nuvo gloss dots, Plus 9 - Clear Cut    Stackers Hexagon Dies, white embossing powder