Perfect Peonies

Hi friends, it's time for a new way to play at Tic Tac Toe Challenge! Roseanne is our designer for the board for Team X. It's a good one! I was delighted to discover that Dawn Woleslagle designed a new stamp set for Honey Bee stamps; Perfect Peonies stamps and dies feature her beautiful images in a 6 x 8 format. 

I love that the set has large image options because I love to color and the blooms provide a large focal point. This time I used Copic markers in order to achieve the bright colors as called for in the challenge. I chose the vertical right column of Sparkle, Birthday, Bright Colors.  

I added shine with gold flat sequins which, if you know me, you know I LOVE to bling with.  Dotted flower centers were enhanced with a white gel pen. The lace border is the Eyelet Scallop Border from Spellbinders. 

There are so many options for your creations,  I hope you will have fun and join us. 

Thanks so much for visiting me today. I'm always glad to have you! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Anchored in Hope

 Happy new day! 

Today I'm sharing a card made in honor of the 800th challenge at The Paper Players, can you believe it? Those designers have been inspiring us for a long time! I'm excited to remember that it was one of the first challenges that I took part in way back when I started my first blog (2007). It's still one of the best card challenges out there. I'm pleased to mention that I had the privilege of being on their design team for a year, it was wonderful. 

Back to today...I'm caught up in the last days of summer in my thoughts. Here's my card!

I took a literal version of this timeless sketch that is the same one the Players used on their first post. 

I began by choosing an aqua card stock for the base layer, and I sponged ink around the edges. It's my first time using the Waffle Flower Craft Dies - Floral Anchor. I love that these dies contain individual flowers and leaves but also included are two dies that feature the same flowers already arranged in groupings. That made it easy!  I embellished my clean and layered card with black twine and pearls. 

Thank you, Paper Players!! 
I'm playing also in the following challenges: 
NBUS where I'm using the new dies and sentiment
The Card Concept Summer by the Sea, clean and layered style is  inspired by the title
We Love Stamping Summer Blooms

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies:
DSP is Pink & Main -  Bright Botannicals

sentiment is also Waffle Flower - Overlapping hugs Additions

Stars and Sunshine

 I'm back with another challenge card today, happy Friday, friends! 

You know how I love card challenges, they help by keeping me growing as a stamper and having fun as someone who has a bit of time on her hands (usually!). That translates to keeping me out of trouble. Yesterday's card (HERE) was for a sketch challenge and today I'm back with TAKE 2 on the same sketch from Cecile from Freshly Made Sketches.  I've been thinking on this sketch overnight. 

You'd be amazed both of my takes are from the same challenge idea, but it just shows how easy it is to focus on one thing or another thing altogether when creating from a sketch. It all depends how the inspiration strikes you! 

I used a square card this time (4.5 x 4.5"), with a smaller stitched die cut square featuring a scene. For the focal image I used a seaside image and the tall lighthouse mimics the diamond shape in the sketch. 

I stamped the images using a masking technique onto Canson watercolor paper with Watering Can Archival ink, and painted in the details with Distress Re-inkers. 

The sky shows the morning and night sky both to illustrate the sentiment, as its found on the stamp packaging. I dabbed a few stars with a white gel pen. 

I am so happy to be using the Grounded & Glowing set from Penny Black for the first time. I keep looking for stamps that vary from my normal flowers and feminine vibes, and this one is working for me! I loved having a reason to pull out the watercolors.

Speaking of inspiration, the DT samples for this sketch are fabulous!

Thanks so much for your visit, I will see you soon! 

Also playing with my new stamps at NBUS Challenge #89.  and Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Looking Forward to Fall

 Hi, I sure am looking forward to fall, especially since our temps are still high 90's and it's so very HOT! We were at the beach last week and we had a daily heat advisory so we couldn't be outside as much as we would have liked. Had a good time anyway! 

Back at home in my craft room, I put together today's clean and simple card using a fun mix of oldies for fall. 

I was inspired by The Paper Players challenge and Freshly Made Sketch Challenge. 

I"m also looking forward to some crafting with new goodies and more time to play next week. Hope you will stop back. I appreciate your visit, I'm wishing you a wonderful weekend! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Blues for a Beautiful Day

 It's not my team up for the new challenge at Tic Tac Toe but I just couldn't resist playing along with the fabulous board created by Jeanie for Challenge #299. The monochromatic option got the creative juices flowing for me! 

It was a great opportunity to feature the Foliage Flair stamps and stencils by Pinkfresh Studios. I stamped the image in black ink, and used Distress Oxide Inks with the stencil to apply shades of blue, cobalt and teal to the design. The flowing lines of the foliage and blooms pair beautifully with the simple color combo.   

I went with the middle vertical row of Monochromatic, Gems and Coordinated Envelope. I love that I had the lovely blue gems from Altenew (Gem Sparkles - Deep Sea Sapphire.) They really sparkle!  

Happily it's my first time using the stamps and stencils so you know I'm headed to Darnell's fabulous NBUS challenge to share. 

I'm glad we had this chance to meet up today. I'm wishing you a beautiful day!

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies: 

Foliage Flair bundle

DOX inks: Blueprint Sketch, Broken China, Salty Ocean
Sentiment is from Altenew Craft Your Life Watercolor Flowers kit  

Hearts A Plenty

 How's everything going for you, dear crafty friend? 

I spent some time in my craft space today. I was digging through my supplies one box and container at a time, looking for a set of dies that I KNOW I bought recently. The dies weren't in the envelope with the stamps and stencils where I normally keep them. Wondering where else I could have put it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. 

Well, I didn't find it. Has this ever happened to you? I wasn't going to create with it, I was just stressed that I couldn't get my hands on it. I feel sure I will stumble upon it some day when I least expect it!

This cute pair did turn up in my ready-made bin and since they were already colored, I set about to make a card in an attempt to re-focus.

I used reinkers to lightly watercolor the critters, cut them out and added a paper from my stash. Adding a die cut heart and rounded corners to the card base gives a playful vibe. 

 Verena designed the Freshly Made Sketch and it's lovely, as are the DT samples. I'm happy to play along! Also linking to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

It's so good of you to visit, hope you're having a great weekend. I appreciate you! 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!  

Supplies: 
Penny Black - Hearts A plenty stamp
Altenew - Soft Blossoms (sentiment)

Celebrations and Wins!

 Hi to you friends, I can't believe that August is here. It seems that I should be posting cards today as the week is half over already, but how about if I post a quick update instead? 

The last week was really full, with a family celebration party at our house for 15 on Saturday and our son and family visiting for a few days afterward. Very good time! Very tired Mimi and Papa! 

Now for the wins part. Drum roll please!! I was a very lucky random winner at the SSS weekly challenge with the circles card from the last post - and it also was chosen as Queen of Clean at the Freshly Made Challenge!  I just love challenges - they keep me stamping and mentally stoked. PLUS a win???!!!

Lastly, dear Darnell hosted an amazing celebration of the NBUS anniversary, and I was a random pick prize winner! Shopping at Waffle Flower is in store for me. 

I am one tired but happy stamper today! Back with cards soon, but maybe not tomorrow. HA! 

Thanks for letting me share! Hugs. 

Be yourself

         Have delight in your craft 

               Make something beautiful!