Spring Breezes

When I think of spring I am reminded of lovely afternoons and evenings spent at Whiskytown Lake in Northern California.  We loved our pontoon boat because we wanted to relax not work and besides we had no sailing experience; however, we enjoyed watching the numerous sailboats on the lake  pitch and yaw. I also loved the sketch at Cardabilites so much I decided to take it out for a third spin!  This time I made a more masculine card using some scraps from other projects. I used the  Marina Sailboat die by Poppy Stamps for this card and some MFT nautical dies. I also used a Spellbinders fir die(I thought it looked like sea weed and the IO hydrangea to look like sea grass.   I will enter this at the Poppy Stamps Challenge Here . and Cardabilities Here


         
                                                                                                         

White Die Cuts on White with a Pop of Color

The challenge at PTI this week is a fun idea. You can see the video an look at the amazing gallery Here.  It really comes together quickly easily and you get a great CAS look.  I used PTI Up Up and Away (one of my favorite songs) stamp set and matching die for this card.  I will enter this in three challenges.

PTI  White Die Cuts on White with a Pop of Color http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/2015/04/make-it-monday-209-white-on-white-die-cuts-with-a-pop-of-color-.html
Mod Squad Encouragement  http://modsquadchallenge.blogspot.com/2015/04/encouragement.html
Simon Says CAS http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-clean-and-simple/

Sending Mother's Day Hugs

I made a card Friday using the latest sketch from Cardabilities and intended to enter it into the challenge ($20 Dies R US gift certificate that is randomly drawn) but by the time I got to their blog to enter I had already entered six challenges and when I read the rules it said you could only enter it into three challenges so I decided to take that sketch out for another spin. I loved using my embossing folders to make background papers so I did that again. I used tea die ink and then liberally sprayed it with yellow perfect pearls mist.  It is so pretty and shimmery in person.  I matched two different designs for the main part of the card.  I layered some white card cut with a Martha Stewart punch on the back of the floral print. Then I took a Spellbinder's lotus blossom die cut that I had it in my stash and misted it with the perfect pearls mist. I layered  a Mona Pendleton clock from MTF and cut it with the matching die. I used the Spellbinder poinsettia for the flower and sponged it with tea die ink. To fill in the background I used IO Hydrangea base that I added little circles to, an MTF leafy flourish, and a few of the hydrangeas without the circles.  The sentiment is a Cheery Lynn die layered on a MFT fishtail die. This is a 5x7 card for my Mother.

I will enter this in

Cardabilities Sketch Here

Cheery Lynn Mother's Day  Here

Dies R Us  April Showers Bring May Flowers  Here

Simon Says Make Your Own Background Here


Pictures of the different papers I made and how I made the hydrangea look different.

Shades of Purple

The new sketch from Cardabilities was posted yesterday and it was so pretty I had to give it a try.  I  made some background paper the other day after watching a video on using your embossing folders as ink pads.  You just sponge colors of distress ink on your embossing folder(the result will vary according to witch side you ink) spritz the folder with water and lay your paper on  the embossing folder, remove carefully and you have used your embossing folder in a brand new way.  The popularity of stencils and background stamps seem to have taken over the world of the embossing folder(not in my world) so this is a way to get the same effect.  The first layer was stamped with Milled lavendar on some lavender card with a wood grained stamp by IO.  I then stamped lacy borders from Gina K with Versamark and white embossing powder.  I did not get good coverage the first time but with my new Misti I just stamped and embossed again.  The center piece is the piece I stamped with the embossing folder.  You can't see it well in the photo, but instead of water I used some shimmer spray..  The rose is one of the spellbinder bitty blossoms.  I also used a flourish from MTF and Leafy Branches from Die Namites.
The Amazing is a Cheery Lynn die which is placed on a MTF fishtail.

 I will enter this in the following challenges

Cardabilities Sketch Here


Here
Simon Says Make Background Paper Here
Scrapland Use pearls or lace  Here
Die R Us Make your own flowers Here
Cheery Lynn  Purple Here
Mod Squad Color   I used a monochromatic scheme (hope this works) Here

Spotlight Die Cutting

I watched a Jennifer McQuire video called Spotlight Die Cutting HERE and decided to give it a try.  I really like the CAS look of this card and it was easy to do. The sentiment is IO, the feather is Spellbinders and the bird is PTI. 

I will enter this in the Simon Says Monday challenge.  In the Middle  My feather is in the middle.  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=2600

Retirement Card

The Challenge at IO is You Did IT.
http://mitrafriant.typepad.com/impression_obsession_news/2015/04/new-io-challenge-you-did-it.html





 I needed a retirement card so I tried to create a scene that suggested rest and relaxation.
I used the following IO products
CL342
Die 177K
Silhouette 7 - B5557

Black, White, Red All Over

I wanted to play with my new Misti so I decided to try triple stamping.  So many times I don't get a bright image when I just stamp once so I decided to test it.  My friend, Donna, was hosting a challenge at Stamp TV... Riddle This... based on what is black, white and red all over riddle, and the Mod Squad Challenge was to use a butterfly as the focal image, I got the card done yesterday but got interrupted and did not get a picture taken to enter in the STV  challenge.  I realized later that it did not matter because the sentiment is not Gina K it is IO so it would not have counted for a prize.   I wish someone would tell these companies that insist on only THEIR products for challenge wins does not make most of us buy more of their products.  Instead, we go looking for challenges that allow us to use our creativity as we choose.  To ask for one of their products is reasonable but only theirs???? Then I realized that the butterfly is not the focal image the sentiment is. I was so fascinated with how the Misti let me stamp and restamp and  put images on clear acetate to see exactly where it would be on the card that I did not notice that I had not stamped the sentiment straight.  I am not sure, but I think I am brain dead.  I decided to spend the day practicing coloring.... since it is practice,I am learning I can't screw up as long as I get better..... I'll let you know how that goes.


I will enter this in the following challenges

Lilac Roses

My Mo and Jo have not been playing well together this week so I dug up a sketch that I liked by Tonya Gibbs that I have used before to get me started.  It is such a pretty sketch that it is easy to create a design around it. I used the Cheery Lynn doily and leaves.  I also used Die Namites leafy Flourish and Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms.  The butterflies are from a Martha Stewart punch.


 I will enter this in the following challenges.

Cheery Lynn   Flowers (must be handmade)http://cheerylynndesigns.blogspot.com/2015/04/cheery-lynn-designs-challenge-179.html

Scrapy Land  http://www.scrapyland-blog.com/

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-april-showers-andor-spring-flowers/

You Did It

The challenge at IO is You Did It.  I got the inspiration for this card from Stephanie Kluck on the MFT blog.  She used embossing paste for her ice cream and I loved the look she got.  I bought some embossing past a few months back.  I used it one time(one of those supplies you just have to get but never use) and forgot about it. It was fun to use on this card.  I sprinkled some glitter on the paste before it dried so it looks like specks of fruit. I did not have any stamps that say YOU DID IT so I used You are an Inspiration.  I think that works. I will enter this at the IO Challenge http://mitrafriant.typepad.com/impression_obsession_news/2015/04/new-io-challenge-you-did-it.html

I used the following IO products

CL43 stamp set

Cover a card gingham CC006

Ice Cream Cone Set - DIE070-F

Earl's Birthday

One of the things I've learned in the five years I have been making cards is how much  my male family members and friends appreciate a hand made card.  According to their wives, they display them and show them off to family and friends.  That was a real eye opener.  Anyway my favorite brother-in-law has a Birthday in May.  He is fun to make cards for because he appreciates them and he has so many hobbies, but fishing is his favorite.  I made this card for him using Theresa Momber's Gone Fishing set available at Gina K Designs.  I stamped the fish with versamark on kraft  card stock and embossed with black embossing powder. The front is a Darce embossing folder and a cattail die from Die Namites. Since fishing would not fit for the words on the inside I used a fish and added the ING.  I did some sponging with tea die ink on all the Kraft panels. The Birthday Message is on the back of the front panel.  

I will enter this in Dies R Us One for the Boys 

 http://diesruschallenge.blogspot.com/2015/04/challenge-23-one-for-boys.html

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/

Butterfly Dreams

This was more like a night mare than a dream.  I started putting it together and did not like it so I kept doing things praying for happy accident. Alas,there were lots of accidents but none were happy.  I kept thinking it would grow on me but it never did.  I am sure all of you have had this experience at one time or another.  Since I had a couple of challenges I had in mind when I made it, I will enter it in them. The butterfly is the medium Cheery Lynn.  I made some from gold CS and gold glitter for Christmas ornaments.  They turned out really cute. 

Cheery Lynn http://cheerylynndesigns.blogspot.com/2015/03/cheery-lynn-designs-challenge-178-back.html

Simon Says Monday http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=2568

Peek a Boo

I am the hostess at the Mod Squad Challenge Blog this week where we are playing a game of  

tic  tack toe. If you want to join in the fun, you can check out the details HERE 

For the challenge, I made an interactive peekaboo card. When you open the card, a panel moves to reveal an inside sentiment or image. It is one of those cards that the recipient will ask " How did she do that?"  The video  explaining the details of this fun card can be seen  HERE . For the tic tack toe, I chose piercing, coloring and pearls. I colored the lily with Spectrum Noir markers and used a Spellbinder die that does the piercing for you and I  used some pearls from my stash. 

I already mailed this to my daughter for her birthday.  

Front 

                                                                           Inside        

Front

Inside

Supplies

Gina K Designs stamp sets     Elegant Florals and My Most Favorite

Spellbinders   Radiant Rectangles 

Heartfelt Creations   Sunny Day Paper Pack

Cherry Lynn   Butterfly

Die-Namites  Leafy Flourish

Martha Stewart      Punch