Summer Time!

It's summer and that brings to mind lazy long weekends. Watching fireworks, cooking out. How was your holiday?

Mine was very laid back. 

But not quite the way that I had pictured. 

Saw some fireworks. The next day a trip to the ER led to spending 4 days in the hospital. 

Putting my feet up, as they say. Lots of tests, and oh, the fireworks! They were flaring off in my digestive system. I am on the mend now and feeling way way better! 

Sorry for that diversion into the realities of life. I never know how much to tell on my blog, you know? Do you just want cards or should we talk about something else every now and then?

Good news! A card photo too! 

I spent some time stamping images and fussy cutting them last night. This prairie dog was just itching to go on a card. I am so into cute and kinda quirky right now. Waffle Flower alert! This trend may stick with me for awhile.

I used my brushes to ink a background on Bristol Smooth card stock in desert colors. I colored the images and arranged them to make a scene. 

This is a flap fold card shared recently by Jennifer McGuire HERE on her blog. I decided to give it a try. There is a bottom panel that doesn't open. The inked panel opens and you can write your note inside. The Waffle Flower Summer Time set is NBUS so I will share at that challenge, and play along at The Paper Players too. 

In all honesty, in reflecting, I must emphasize my gratefulness for the entire medical community! And above all, thanks to my Rescuer. His name is Jesus. 

Thank you so much for your visit! Have a day filled with wonder.

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Waffle Flower - Summer Time, Sweet Sentiments *ETA - it's not a prairie dog, its a CUPABERA

Paper: DSP is from Honeybee Stamps

INK: DOX inks in - Fired Brick, Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Worn Lipstick, Seedless Preserves

Skinny Cards Times Two with SSS 2020 July Card Kit

Hello crafting friends! 

I've been blogging for over ten years. During that time I've seen trends come and go without batting an eye. But I'm announcing right now that I'm jumping onto the slim cards bandwagon! Slim cards usually measure 3.5 x 8.5" and can be mailed in a business size envelope.

I have two cards to share. For the first, I used the papers that came with the kit. I cut out the images and stamped the sentiment. A twine bow adds to the happy mail theme. 

For the second card, I stamped the home images, colored with Copics, cut them out and and used the dies included in the kit to create postage stamps. All are popped up for dimension. 

I love the Home Sweet Home stamp set, all the images are unique and so fresh! For the inside, I'll stamp the sentiment that says, "No matter how far apart, you're always in my heart."  It's hard to photograph the larger size cards. Especially on a rainy day.

Supplies used are the Simon Says Card kit from July 2020, plus the Slim Braided Circles Die (Pinkfresh Studio.) I share the link with a wink and shout of enabling alert! Hope you enjoyed or got inspired by my cards today.

I don't know if I'll be blogging any more this week, but have a Happy 4th if you're in the USA! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Flying By and bunny love

Saying HI with a quick pop in post in the middle of the day and a new card with new supplies (NBUS!) that I have been loving. I saw someone had posted a video of her quarantine haul. That could almost be the title of my blog posts, daily, HA! It is also true that I've had a birthday recently. 
 I'm tending to love bunnies lately and any line images that I can easily color. The brand-new-to-me Flying By set from Penny Black fit the bill nicely. 

I'm also looking for sentiments that are light-hearted and fun just like the cards I'm wanting to make.  I masked the right side of the card front and created a stenciled background on the left side. 

Miss Rabbit was stamped in black and colored with Copics, then I die cut a circle and left the flower image outside the cutting plates when I ran it through the machine. This easy technique is called cutting "outside the box." I fussy cut the flowers that remained.  

Most of my supplies are listed below. I'm playing along with the challenge at Freshly Made Sketches today. If you want inspiration, check out the beautiful samples there!

And the NBUS challenge. 

I'm glad to join The Penny Black Saturday Challenge HERE with the Anything Goes theme.

I hope that you have a wonderful day and get to spend some time doing what you love. Thanks so much for your visit and very kind comments! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Penny Black - Flying by

Paper: Neenah Solar White, Basic Black SU

INK: Versamark, Distress Oxide - Worn Lipstick; Copic markers: W1,W2,W4,YG41,YG06, YG97,R81,R85  

Accessories: White embossing powder, my favorite gems - Nuvo Crystal Gems, WOS Shimmer pen; Cloud Stencil MFT

My First Roundabout

Roundabout stamps have been out for a couple of years, but I just got my first one. I thought the images of wrapped boxes and gift bags, party hats and balloons were just too cute! And the cake and cupcakes! 

I inked the main image up a couple weeks ago - when it was still cool enough to spend an afternoon coloring on the back porch. 

I used Zig Clean Color markers for coloring the small images, accenting at random with Shimmer pen or Nuvo drops.

I assembled the card today, making a Z fold and adding the sweet ellie at the bottom. She was colored with Copic markers. I think this card will make someone happy!

I will list the supplies below. Hope you are doing well today. Thanks so much for coming by! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

 Supplies used:

Stamps: Newton's Nook - Birthday Roundabout Circle and sentiment; MFT - BB Birthday Buds

Paper: Neenah Solar White, PTI - Bitty Big Paper Packs, Harvest Gold

Clean and Simple Thanks with Masking

Hello, welcome to a new week at my blog! I am so glad you've come for a visit. The air conditioning is on, and the little fan in my craft room too. Makes me think staying right here is the best place to be on this very very HOT day. Summer has come to my neck of the woods. Today's card began with masking a corner of the card front, and inking just that corner lightly. 

I used post-it tape to mask along the left side and along the bottom of the card front. I stamped then needed to mask the kiosk and the balloons images. Having those dies made it very easy to create a mask! After inking and the reveal, I used Copics to color the store front, canopy and balloons keeping it very simple. I wanted the red and white of the awning and the balloons to stand out.

I added the word thanks and the flowers and milk can as die cuts, thinking it just needed a bit of dimension. Additionally, I used Wink of Stella to add sparkle to the balloons, and clear Nuvo Drops on the milk can to add a metallic shine.

It's Clean and Simple week at The Paper Players and here is the inspiration photo from Joanne.

I wanted to add a metal element to my thank you card, and things went from there, incorporating the red and white stripes and what looked to me like a boardwalk at the beach scene. My creation is a bit of a more literal take on the photo than usual. But it sure helped me to think outside of the box! And I loved using a neglected stamp set to boot.

I hope that you're staying cool where you are! If it stays this hot, I may be doing lots of stamping this week, so come back soon!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: HERO arts - My Monthly Hero Kit from January 2019

WPlus9 - Hand-lettered Thanks stamps and die

Paper: Bristol Smooth

INK: Gina K amalgam black; DOX - Cracked Pistachio, Antique Linen and Tumbled Glass; COPIC markers

Accessories: WOS, Nuvo Drops in Morning Dew, Gina K Masking Magic Sheets

 

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

A Sign of Hope

I can't get enough flowers these days, it seems! They keep coming up in my cards. I tried planting  some daisies in my small garden but when I look out in the morning some critter has lopped the blooms off! 

I like stamped flowers, I can make them any color I like, HA! Today I pulled out the blues and went to work Copic Coloring the large floral spray in the Bouquet Builder 3 set (Waffle Flower.) 

I selected and fussy cut the flowers I wanted to frame the label die cut with. Adding pops of bold colors and stripes helps the focal point to stand out. Gold confetti dots and a bit of sparkle are the only embellishments. 

I loved this sentiment from Penny Black called "Blooming Sentiments."  I think it's a great one for these days, especially for a gardener or anyone who needs encouragement.  I've been feeling a bit "blue" myself today. Maybe I should have colored everything bright yellow! 

The sun has come out to shine for just a little bit. You know what they say about the sun..... it will come out tomorrow! It's only a day away.  I will go out for a walk now with a certain song resonating! Good thing I like that one! Sending you cyber hugs and well wishes.

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

I'm happily playing along with Amy's great sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  My card uses the sketch on a vertical card base. OOPS?

Also joining Darnell's Challenge at NBUS as both stamp sets have never been used  until now!

Other supplies: 

Pacific Point card stock - SU

DSP - Honeybee Back to Basics

Label Die - Sissex

Pretty Pink Posh - Metallic Gold Confetti Mix