Takeout Thursday: Use what you have

 Welcome to Take Out Thursday 

When I serve up something simple and easy.

Take out a stamp set for a spin, spice it up.

Hello stamping friends, I'm coming in late for today's Takeout Thursday feature. 

I'm learning from posting more often. I've needed a birthday card for my brother and guy cards have been a struggle. It's also been hard to get much time in the craft room except for cleaning up.

Imagine my surprise when I was clearing off my stamp table yesterday and picked up this die cut panel from the Mix & Mat: Pinked Edge Die (Papertrey Ink). It came in my order recently, and I die cut a piece to keep for a sample. 

Instead of putting it away, I saw it with new eyes. How about a birthday card for him?  My brother's day is coming soon. I usually think of using a nautical or outdoors theme, but I've already sent him many cards of this type. 

I quickly set out to give it a try.

Here's what I came up with using basic supplies. 

I know this die is perfect for fall leaves, but I began to think how much leaves are a part of spring too.  What do you  think of my clean classic card?  Does it fit what you think is masculine? 

It works for me! Once I had the idea, this came together in 15 minutes. 

Hope you have a great weekend! 

I'll be enjoying some takeout myself tonight. We're going to take out the motor boat for a spin on the lake in this gorgeous weather. 

Thanks so much for your visit. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Notes (Stampin' Up!)

Paper: Neenah Solar White, PTI - Bitty Big Parakeet Color DSP, SU - Baked Brown Sugar, Basic Black

INK: Versamark

Accessories:  Mix & Mat: Pinked Edge Die - Papertrey Ink 

What I love: Springtime Blooms and more polka dots!

Hi stamping friends! 

It's Wednesday when I get to share something I love. I'll love watching the cliff hanger tonight on TV's Designated Survivor! Just thought you'd like to know. 

What else do I love?  I just can't get enough of pretty spring blooms and cute polka dots! Put them together in a comfy looking pair of boots and it just gets better.

I shared another image with polka dotted boots and flower awhile back. CLICK. 

Today's card uses another fun set from SSS called Choose Joy. 

I stamped the images, colored them with Zig markers, and added details with a white gel pen. Then I cut them out with scissors. 

I playfully arranged them along the sentiment strip, popping up the boots and flowers on foam dots.  I adhered gingham DSP to a card base, and placed the panel in the top left of the card. Of course a few sequins were needed to add sparkle. 

This card just makes me smile! Hope it brings you a smile today too. Thanks for visiting my blog! See you tomorrow.

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Papertrey Tuesday: Ink Blending on Colored Card Stock

Hello, and welcome to my blog today! Are you enjoying warm spring weather where you are? I hope so! It's so nice I just want to be outside. But I took time to play along today with Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink.

Melissa's cards were soft and beautiful and her video showing ink blending on colored card stock inspired me to try it. 

I went soft with my colors too, I can't quite get the edit right, the contrast is not really this deep. 

Loved using the Peonies on Parade and the Stitch In Time stamps and dies. I inked in Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, and Vintage Jadite onto pale yellow card stock. 

When I held my panel over the gingham DSP, I knew I had the best choice for drawing the eye to the sponged design and classic sentiment. 


Just like Melissa's card, I added a fluffy bow using seam binding.

Thanks for visiting today. Hope your day is fabulous!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Take Out Thursday: Something New!

 Welcome to Take Out Thursday 

When I serve up something simple and easy.

Take out a stamp set for a spin, spice it up.

One of my reasons for Take Out Thursday is to use a 

set or product without having to re-invent the wheel.

Take Out food is not gourmet, it is fun! 

Designed to get you out of the kitchen quickly.

I am a bit late posting today, so I'll keep this short. My Take Out today is N-B-U-S, aka never been used stuff! 

I'm loving  two new sets from Papertrey Ink,  Garden of Faith Sentiments and Fence Line: Spring. 

The fence has a neat two step image that is very easy to match up and gives many color options. I stamped the florals and fussy cut them to assemble the scene. And those cute boots and tiny bunny! (sigh)

My inspiration for the rest of the card came actually from my kitchen. Aren't those fresh flowers beautiful? 

I think the Consider the Lilies and coordinating sentiment "& how much He cares for you" are beautiful too. 

Thanks so much for your kind visit today! 

Papertrey Ink April 2018 Blog Hop

For a couple of weeks I've been looking forward to the Blog Hop at Papertrey Ink.

The inspiration photo is beautiful and I love so many things about it. What's not to love about gorgeous tea cups, especially if you're a tea lover like me? 

I was inspired by the stacks of cups, soft colors, subtle textures and elegant filigrees. 

In stamping terms I saw layers of pastel colors and textures,  soft florals and gold embossed accents. 

I began with watercolor paper, and placed a wet wash of aqua, pink and pale yellow with Kuretake watercolors for the background. I spattered inks and added gold paint spatters from the watercolors set. 

When it was dry, I stamped using images from Farmers Market Florals, and cut the panel with a stitched rectangle die. The roses in this set can be easily stamped in layers and have a lovely watercolored style. The sentiment was stamped, die cut and embellished with flowers and gold embossing. 

The flowers take on different hues based on the watercolor under them, even though they were all stamped the same ink colors. I'd never tried using an under layer of watercoloring before, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I love when that happens! 

I'm so glad you've stopped by and I hope your visit left you feeling refreshed. For more inspiration, visit the blog hop to see many lovely creations!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: PTI - Farmers Market Florals, Stitch In Time Stamps and Die set; Sentiment from SSS

Paper: Neenah Solar White,

INK: Versamark, W Plus 9 - Shell Pink, Little Piggy, Flamingo, Lake House, Ocean Drive, Sea Breeze, Queen Bee, Beanstalk Dye Inks

Accessories: Kuretake Watercolors, Gold Embossing Powder, gold cord, yellow Nuvo Drops

Spot Color Word Die Cuts

Well, it's Tuesday. How are things going for you today? Are you getting crafty?

Here I am with my Make It Monday card for Papertrey Ink. Our challenge from Betsy is to Spot Color Word Diecuts. It's like highlight coloring on a die cut with the rest of the image in black and white surrounding it.

Had I ever heard of this before? No. Did I learn something new? You bet! Out of my style zone ?  Most definitely. Graphic is the one style I avoid - but I had so much fun experimenting with this technique. 

Now it's time for you to see what you think. 

I didn't have a PTI line image except flowers, so I stamped these adorable owls since they seemed a good fit for this technique. For the die cut, I used the thanks from PTI's Bold Borders: Diagonal die. I did the highlight coloring with Copics and Distress Markers. Here's a close up so you can see the detail. 

I'm sure you can imagine me wondering which embellishments to use (sequins, anyone?)  I ended up deciding the googlie eyes were a perfect accent right in the center of the card. 

I placed the owls on a background panel made of Distress Oxide inks that had been spattered, and I rounded the corners for a playful effect. 

Thanks for visiting me today. Thanks for OWL you do, too!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: MFT - For Owl You Do

Paper: Neenah Solar White, SU - Pool Party

INK:Simon Says Stamp - Intense Black; Distress Oxide Inks - Twisted Citron, Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers

Accessories: Papertrey Ink - Bold Borders Die: Diagonal, Corner Rounder

Amazing YOU: A birthday card

Hi, how are you doing?

I am playing catch up here on the blog this week. Don't know how it's gotten to be Thursday already! I missed my Wednesday What I Love post, so how about if I combine it with Take Out Thursday? 

However I decide to call it, I have a special card to share with you today. 

I made this background a few months ago, and it's been sitting on my craft table.  I loved these roses and the technique of wet on wet stamping with the Vintage Roses set from Altenew. I stamped in layers and did some spattering with inks and gold watercolor. 

The die cut sentiments (from Stampin' Up!) are mounted on a vellum strip. I embossed the You in gold at the bottom for an ombre look. 

I embellished further with a bow and clear drops. 

Have you noticed that my style changes often on these posts?  I've been looking at some posts from my old blog and it reminded me how often I made cards with a Shabby Chic style. I love clean and simple. I love cute. I love layers, and I love this feminine look. 

This was such a fun card to make and I hope my dear friend will like receiving it for her birthday. 

Thanks so much for your visit today!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!