Skies are Blue

I just came down from the craft room to find Dr B coming in from the front yard - where it was raining, and proclaiming that in the back yard, it was sunny and dry! Now the skies are blue again. Just in time for my card! 

I am returning to my love of florals and the fun of the slim line shape for this card. Are you wondering what prompted me to pull this Look for the Rainbows (SSS) set from my stash? 

It was the theme at Time Out Challenges: Days Gone By. I wanted to use this quote that has been around a long time and I got to use the stamps that have been in my stash quite awhile too. It always feels good to find a reason to use what I have that's been neglected.

Coloring was done with Copics. I had the awful discovery that a couple of my Copic oranges were DRY. Just when I had decided to put myself on a spending freeze. Now the big decision, do I invest in a few reinkers or just buy a new marker? 

I am also playing at Just Us Girls who asked for a long and skinny card. To make mine, I used the Slim Diagonal Stitched Rectangle Dies from Pinkfresh Studio. They have a great lineup over on the JUGS challenge.

I added sparkle with a shimmer pen, a few gold sequins and a bit of clear nuvo drops on the flower centers. 

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Butterflies for a Wonderful Friend

Hello, how are you on this Monday? 

I am glad that it's a new week. A very big event took place this morning. We went to get peaches! I live 20 minutes from the orchards and these peaches are the best I've ever eaten! I don't buy more than a few at a time, since we eat very little sugar we like them best just off the tree! 

On the way we dropped off this thank you card to our friend and neighbor.  Could there be anything cheerier than butterflies in striped rainbow colors? 

I used DSP from Waffle Flower Crafts, and  layered the white die cut panel on top. (Bitty Butterflies Cover Plate from PTI.)

The sweet Fusion Card Challenge inspired me to pull out the die as it fits perfectly with the sketch. I loved the soft sweet pastel cupcakes and used the butterfly elements on my card. Pearls instead of icing swirls? 

The sentiment and die are thanks to Simon Says Stamp "You" stamp set and die. These sentiments are so unique and fill in the gaps left by occasions greetings. This card was easy and quick to make but I think it's special. 

Hope you stay well today and find some brightness or sweet spots in your day. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Polka Dots and Birthday Buds

Hello dear friends, welcome to a new weekend!

I put a few more images I had stamped and fussy cut the other day to good use on a card made for Freshly Made Sketches.

I just love these critters from BB Birthday Buds (MFT stamps). I colored them with Copics, pairing them with Polka dotted paper (from PTI) and scattering a few sequins into the mix. Clear Nuvo drops over the balloons and a scalloped border die add texture.

Isn't this a unique sketch? 

Hope this brightens your day. With all of your staying in, have you found a way to make Friday special? I'm still thinking about it. 

Wishing you well, stay well! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

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