the SSS January card kit. . . .

is so full of good stuff!  Here is a simple card I made to send to a friend:

I love the BoBunny papers in this kit.  And the stamp set has wonderful sentiments.  I used a Mama Elephant die for the scalloped panel and the ovals for the sentiment are from Simon Says Stamp.  The silver embossing powder matches the Impression Obsession die cut snowflake nicely. 

Entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp:  anything goes.

Die Cut Divas:  winter.

Addicted to Stamps and More:  anything goes.
oops!  missed this deadline! 

Word Art Wednesday:  anything goes.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

silver and gold. . . .

is always a pretty combination.  Here is a birthday card I made for my daughter-in-law:

The papers I used are from the Teresa Collins Studio Gold 6x6 paper pad  which is just gorgeous.  The silver strip across the bottom was sent to me by Char in a Secret Santa swap.  I used one of the dies from MFT's Blueprints #1 to cut that strip.  The Happy Birthday sentiment is from the SSS Birthday Messages.   The large snowflake is an Impression Obsession die and the small one was gifted to me.  The sequins are a combination of Pretty Pink Posh and some from Michael's, too.

Here are the challenges I am entering:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge:  anything goes.

Seize the Birthday:  silver and gold as toppings.

Word Art Wednesday:  anything goes.

My Favorite Things:  sketch challenge #208:

Thanks for stopping by! 

happy birthday. . . .

using the current MFT sketch:

Here is my card:

I am just getting this in under the wire - I have several birthdays looming so this was a good time to use my new SSS kit along with the sketch.

Also sending this to SSS Wednesday challenge which is winter inspiration.

Have a wonderful day!

Mrs. Claus. . . .

and I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!  (Sorry, I don't have a full photo of my beautiful granddaughter in her "ugly" Christmas sweater.)  She was playing "Mrs. Claus" for her pre-schoolers at their Christmas party.  Love the platinum wig!
 
My secret Santa at the Hero Arts Flickr group was Char from Centerville OH.  Here is the card and ATC she sent to me:

And, here are the goodies she sent along - thanks so much, Char!

Heather, with the help of Cindy, organized this exchange and it was so much fun.  Here is the card and ATC I sent to Betty Keefe:

I neglected to take a photo of what I sent to her, so I hope she will do so when she returns from her trip to England for the holidays.

The past two weeks have been super busy for me and I have not been able to make any cards.  There are some birthdays coming up so I hope to make their cards in the next few days. 

Have a beautiful Christmas week!

12 days of Christmas Tags. . . .

with a feminine twist is the current challenge over in The Classroom at Ellen Hutson.  I decided to do my version of the tag that Dawn from Wplus9 created for Day #8:

Here is my tag:

The gold stripes were easy to do using some sparkly tape that I bought for $1 at the Dollar Store.  I hand cut my own tags  The snowflake die is from Impression Obsession and was cut from some gold foil paper.  The Merry die is from Wplus9 and was cut from DCWV silver glitter paper. 

I have enjoyed seeing this year's tags on Ellen's blog; the designers are just full of creativity!!

a masculine card. . . .

for a friend's birthday:

This is an older stamp from Rubber Monger.  I colored it with Prismacolor pencils and added some red Stickles for berries.  The edges of the  Spellbinders Nestabilities circle die were inked with distress ink.  I also sponged some of the ink through the new Simon Says Stamp tiny dots stencil for some interest.  Translucent embossing paste was used through the same stencil to create the white layer of this card.  A happy birthday sentiment was added to the inside of the card.

I am sending this to the current Simon Says Stamp Flickr group Challenge #7 which is to use stencils.

Have a great day!

November CCC. . . .

a monthly card exchange hosted by Deborah Nolan.  Here is the sketch provided by Deborah, which I followed somewhat loosely.

and here is the card I sent to Karen in California:

 

 

 

this is one of my most favorite dies from Memory Box and I find myself using it a lot.  The background was stamped with a leaf image and I cut extra little leaves from a second die cut to place under the tree with a bit of glitter on them and the tree. 

 

If you have never joined in the fun of Deborah's card exchange, visit her blog to find out more about it. 

 

Thanks for visiting; I always enjoy your comments. 

 

 

a sketch challenge. . . .

running currently at Stamplorations:

Here is my card:

I used snowflake dies from Impression Obsession and more DCWV glitter paper to cut them.  The sentiment is from Wplus9.  Added some glittery flat dots to the center of the snowflakes and a thin border on each side of the panel.  Sorry for the poor photo; it is very overcast today. 

Also sending this to Simon Says Stamp anything goes challenge and Just Us Girls wild card challenge.

Enjoy your week!

more merriment. . . .

with this cute stamp set from Wplus9.  The string of lights look so much like the old fashioned ones we used years ago.  My dad loved blue lights (must be where I got my love of blue) and would patiently take all of the other colors out of the multi-colored strings and add nothing but blue bulbs.  His trees were always beautiful works of art!!

I colored the lights with Tombow markers and added wink of Stella to them.  The Wplus9 Merry die was cut from DCWV glitter paper and adhered to the vellum strip.  A few tiny gems were sprinkled about for some interest. 


I am sending this card to Simon Says Stamp:  ANYTHING GOES.

Thanks for visiting and, to all of my USA friends, Happy Thanksgiving!

a thankful card. . . .

made for one of my blogger friends:

This stamp is from Flourishes and was colored with Prismacolor pencils. The Spellbinders nestie die is so pretty when used as a frame.  A few gems were added and wink of Stella applied to the ribbon and berries.  The sentiment is on the inside of this card.

Playing along with the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of Thanks/Thanksgiving.  Perhaps this won't qualify since the sentiment is not showing on the outside.  I'll let the powers that be decide.  :)

Have a great day!

another Christmas card. . . .

which may be my "main" card to send out this year.  I usually make about 30 cards that are all the same and then about 20 more in a variety of designs. 

This die is from Memory Box.  The glitter paper is DCWV and the sequins/gems are from Michael's.  The sentiment is Wplus9 and was gold embossed.  A Pilot gold metallic pen was used to edge the panel, and, of course, a few sequins and tiny gems were added.

Entering this in the Festive Friday challenge.  I love their inspiration photo and thought my candles could represent the candles in the fireplace:

Thanks for stopping by.

edit:  also entering:

Die Cut Divas "holiday-any holiday" challenge.

more than one tree. . . .

is the theme at Less is More this week:

My Hero Arts trees were white embossed and then distress inks were applied over the trees.  A white gel pen was used to add some falling snow and some gems gave a bit of sparkle.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts also.

edit:  Sending this to a2z Scrapbooking for their anything goes challenge.  Thanks, Greta!

Thanks for visiting!

a Christmas card. . . .

to hopefully get me started in the right direction! 

There are a mix of products used on this card from various companies.  I recently acquired the Wplus9 Hand Lettered Holiday dies and this beautiful background stamp from Stamplorations.  I have a couple of sheets of some silver paper that is kinda' crinkled looking and decided to cut a Mama Elephant femme frame from it.  The stamped background was die cut from the stitched die that also comes in the frame set, but it is hard to see the stitching amidst the stamped design.  The snowflake die is from Impression Obsession.  A few blue sequins were added.

Sending this to Addicted to Stamps for their anything goes challenge and to Stamplorations who has an ongoing anything goes challenge.

And, since the challenge at Casology is festive I will submit this card there, too.

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

stamps and layers. . . .

is the challenge at Stamplorations this month.

Here is my card:

The stamp sets I used are Celebrate Artsy and Simple Gift.  Some washi tape and Pretty Pink Posh sparkling clear sequins were used for embellies.  I went over the ribbon and bow with clear Wink of Stella pen which is so shimmery IRL.

Enjoy your weekend!

EDIT:  Sending this to the anything goes challenge at Stamplorations also.

Hello there!

I am finally back to making a few cards and attempting to get back into the swing of things.  Lots going on in my life and then I had computer problems.  Still working on some of those issues, but am hopeful that I can resolve them quickly!

Here is a card I made for the current Stamplorations sketch challenge:

The stamp sets I used are Celebrate and Celebrate Artsy.   I love the gold embossing over the broken china distress ink background. 

Also sending this to Virginia's View Metallics challenge:

I hope to be able to visit your blogs more regularly now!  I have missed seeing all of the wonderful inspiration provided by my many talented friends here in blogland.

Have a great day!

O is for October's. . . .

golden hues.  The landscape around here is full of bright gold colors in the fields, on the ground and on the trees, mixed with all the other autumn hues. 

This card was made for the October CCC and sent to Barbara in Florida.  It features a Tim Holtz Sizzix leaf die colored with Tsukineko's Delicata gold ink pad.  The background panel was made using a mix of distress inks and outlined with a Pilot gold pen.  Some gold sequins with tiny clear gems for embellishments.

I am entering this in the Simon Says Monday challenge and Virginia's View clean and simple challenge.

Thanks for your visit!

a fall scene. . . .

created with a Stampendous stamp for my son's birthday next week. 

The photo does not show the true colors of the distress inks used.  It is much prettier IRL. (the sun is not bright red, it is a pretty orange and the green along the bottom is not as washed out as it looks in this photo).   I die cut the image with the Mama Elephant femme frames and layered to some orange cardstock.

Enjoy your day!

clean and simple. . . .

for Virginia's View challenge #8. 

Another dandelion card:

Made from a leftover panel that I was experimenting with for another card.  I like this one better than the first card I made.  :)   White embossed images with distress inks applied over them.  The dandelion was stamped behind the panel on the card base.  Words are from Tim Holtz.

Have a great day!

a color challenge. . . .

for the September challenge at Mixed Media Monthly:

Here is my card:

A watercolor background, die cut leaves and distress inks.  The leaves and the edges of the background were overstamped with a Magenta crackle stamp.  The sentiment is a combination of a Stamplorations stamp and part of an Impression Obsession stamp.  Platinum stickles and orange dots were added.

One last entry for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge. 

Enjoy your day!

stamps and markers. . . .

and a few other things went into the making of this card:

The monthly challenge at Stamplorations is to use stamps and markers.  Stamplorations also has an anything goes challenge if you use Stamplorations stamps.  I think the daisy is the star of this card and since I also used a Stamplorations sentiment, I hope it qualifies.  :) 

Anyway, for the background, I stamped the leafy vine from B-line Designs with gesso on a piece of Tim Holtz watercolor paper.  After it was dry, I sprayed the panel with Dylusions sprays and let that dry.  Then I added distress inks through a Heidi Swapp stencil and also around the edges of the panel. 

The Stamplorations daisy was colored with Tombow markers and then I added some white dots with a Sakura white Gelly roll pen. The center was colored with  the Delicata gold ink using the tip of my finger and I added some black dots with a Sharpie pen.   I colored white cardstock with distress ink and cut my own stem and leaves for the daisy.  The sentiment is from Stamplorations.  Finally, some black bubble dots were added and the piece was mounted on some black cardstock and then a rust card base.

This is yet another offering for the Simon Says Stamp anything goes challenge.

Thanks for your visit!I   

September CCC. . . .

My card for the September card chain challenge hosted by Deborah Nolan was sent to Becca Cruger in Michigan:

I sponged distress ink through a Heidi Swapp polka dot stencil for an all over design on the card base.  The sentiment is Hero Arts.  The Memory Box tree die cut was placed over a distress ink background that I also sponged some polka dots over.  Gold sequins were added to the tree.

This card will also go to the Simon Says Stamp anything goes challenge. 

Visit Deborah's blog to find out more about this monthly card exchange.  You will love it!!

anything goes. . . .

as long as you use Stamplorations stamps for a new challenge here:l

I have several stamps from Stamplorations now and decided to play with some of them.  Here is the first card I am entering in the challenge:

The California poppies stamp is so pretty and I colored it with Prismacolor pencils.  After die cutting it, I mounted it on a scalloped circle and then to a distress ink background created by smooshing the cardstock through several distress inks.  This panel was die cut with the Mama Elephant Femme Frames die.  I stamped the poppies twice on my card base and then assembled the layers.  Some vintage sequins and a Memory Box butterfly were used for embellishments.

Also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp anything goes challenge.  And, the Seize the Birthday with no toppings challenge.

Hope your weekend is a good one.

sketch challenge #20. . . .

at Stamplorations:

Here is my card:

I white embossed a Hero Arts stamp four times on white cardstock and then added distress inks.  Cut the images apart in various sizes and distressed the edges.  The Joy stamp is from Printworks.    Some vintage copper sequins were sprinkled about. 

Also sending this over the Simon Says Stamp for their anything goes challenge. 

Sorry I've been MIA in action; a few unexpected events in my life have once again taken priority.  Hopefully I can get a few more cards made for challenges with deadlines coming up!  

create your own background. . . .

is the Wednesday challenge at Simon Says Stamp this week.

This is a birthday card I made for one of my grandsons.  The background was created with two Hero Arts wood mounted stamp sets that I have had for years.  I used Brilliance inks because it is much easier to get a solid stamped image with these pigment inks.  Since my son's family got a puppy last year (I guess he's not a puppy anymore), I used this cute stamp from Simon Says that I won from Tiffany Erwin for Ethan's card.  The puppy was colored with Prismacolor pencils.  I added a party hat and some sparkly gems to lend  a festive touch.  The sentiment is from Wplus9. 

I am also entering this card in THIS challenge, since the puppy stamp has never before been used:

And, I'm also sending it over to the challenge at Seize the Birthday:

Thanks for your visit and I do appreciate all of your sweet comments!!