Judy's Special Birthday

My uber talented friend, Judy Woodland, will  reach one of those mile-stone birthday's this week. I won't say which one it is, but she is over the legal drinking age and she can vote. Judy's one of those people that makes everyone feel special. She is loving, and caring and one of the best cheerleaders in the world. I feel honored to call her my friend.  Judy's favorite color is purple and I know she loves flowers and butterflies so I put a card together for her with that in mind. I hope she likes it. Why don't you head over to her blog Judy's Happy Place to check out all her talent and wish her a Happy Birthday.

I will enter this card in Scrapy Land Emboss It

Poppy Stamps Fly Away With Me

Simon Wednesday Things with Wings

Simon Work it WednesdayWafer thin dies or stencils

Sue Wilson Australian Collection Background 

Sue Wilson  Dandlion Clocks

Frantic Stamper ferns

Poppy Stamps Happy Birthday Melody

Heartfelt Creations Sunrise Lily

Double D Challenge Shades of Purple

Purple is my favorite color and this inspiration board is full  of purple lusciousness that Darlene put together for this challenge. I took my inspiration from the colored material in different shades of purple.  Purple, however, is a hard color to photograph especially when one is camera challenged.

Prize for the challenge.

The dark purple looks black  and some of the pale  lavender looks white or pink.

                                              

 I started with a Tim Holtz die cut in dark purple. I cut it again in vellum and stamped and embossed the music staff in white. I backed that with apiece of lavender card embossed with Tim Holtz brick pattern. I used a Sue Wilson die cut in dark purple  and topped that with a Sue Wilson sentiment. I framed the entire piece with a pale lavender frame. Then I built my flower spray with some ribbon, Wild Iris flowers and Frantic Stamper ferns. 

The Double D team outdid themselves for this challenge and you are going to find amazing inspiration on the Double D Challenge Board.

Stephanie's Birthday

This is a Z fold card for my niece who loves the beach and anything that sparkles. I love this big bold sentiment from Cheery Lynn, and thought it looked great in silver glitter paper. I added an IO palm tree and star fish also cut in silver glitter paper.  I used a wood grained pattern done with my scoreboard and distress ink and a happy birthday embossed silver metallic card stock for my background.

For the beach part,  I stamped a seascape from Our Daily Bread in different colors by using markers to color the stamp. The MISTY made this a lot easier because some of the colors needed to be restamped.  I added an IO chair to complete the beach scene.

I will enter this in Simon Say Monday Nautical/By the Sea
                              Cheery Lynn  Anything Goes

Yellow Gingham

The new Double D Challenge  is Simply Gingham and Diane has created another fantastic inspiration board for us.  Look at all this fabulous gingham. 

Anything Goes With Gingham

 

 I love gingham so much that I created two cards for this challenge. They have similar designs but I switched up the color and embellishments. 

For this card I used the Gina Marie flower die and backed it with  white card that was embossed with a Swiss dot embossing folder. The leaves are fern dies from Gina Marie.  The hello is Diversions curly words and the butterflies, birds and flowers are IO.

Here is my other card.

I used the same Gina Marie dies,but this time I cut a white panel stamped it with an IO sentiment and backed it with some red gingham paper. I used IO strawberries and flower in the corner. My team mates have created some gorgeous examples for you HERE. We can't wait to see your gingham designs.

I

Celebrate in Shades of Purple

I got this fun new wine bottle and glass die set from Cheery Lynn and could hardly wait use it. When I ordered it. I thought about pairing it with Gina K Designs Better with Age stamp set.  I used a technique that has been around awhile Triple Stamping.

I cut my layers then used a stencil on the white layers. I stamped over that with the grape image then colored them with Spectrum Noirs. The I stacked the white layers on dark purple I cut the wine bottle, the glass, and the Cheery Lynn Celebrate sentiment three times and layered them for extra dimension. I added some Memory Box grape vines and a flower from Wild Iris to finish my card.  Think I am going to try a clean and simple card with the same supplies. 

I will enter this in the following challenges

Cheery Lynn Pretty in Purple

Simon Says Anything Goes

Simon Says Work it Wednesday  Use stencils or wafer thin dies.

Dies R Us Outdoor Fun

The new challenge at Dies R Us ,Outdoor Fun, starts today. Now this might not look like fun to you, but the older I get sitting on a bench in the middle of a garden observing the birds and butterflies looks like a ton of fun to me. 

I cut the bench pop up die in white. I traced the top part of the die in blue and bottom part in greenand then fussy cut them so they would fit around the bench.  I layered the blue card with the Spellbinder's lattice and topped that with Memory Box Aberdeen Branch die cut in green and added some white flowers and blue butterflies. I added some grass at the bottom of the bench and a few small flowers, I used the hexagons from another die cut to make the little path in front of the bench. I placed the Cheery Lynn bird bath in front of the bench and added some grass, flowers, and butterflies. A bouquet of roses just cut from the garden rests on the bench.  Head over to the Dies R Us Challenge Blog and see the fabulous outdoor cards the team has made to inspire you, and then make your own outdoor fun creation using a die cut or two and link it up. One random winner will receive a gift card to the store. We look forward to seeing what you will create for your Outdoor Fun. 

Dies available at Dies R Us Store

                          

                                                                                                             Memory Box Aberdeen Branch

                                 Elizabeth Craft Garden Bench                                                                                                   

Cheery Lynn Bird BathMemory Box Butterfly Exhibit

                                                             Click here to visit       

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                                                               Inspiration Bog

All That Glitters

Peggy Timmerman and I are hosting the Mod Squad Challenge Blog this week and we would love for you to join us by using glitter some where on your project.  I am representing Kat Scrapiness.

Here is my sample card for the challenge. Glitter glitter every where. 

I started by cutting out the flower die in white card and backed it with double sided adhesive,
 I sprinkled distress glitter in peacock feathers onto the adhesive and burnished it with my finger,
    

I cut that out using Sue Wilson's Canadian Collection Toranto.

  I used peacock feathers distress ink to create a water colored background and cut the  largest frame from Toranto.  I used the next size to fill in the negative space and backed that with black card then placed my glittered piece in the center.

Then I used some score tape sheets to back my card stock  and cut and covered the fern leaves and bird and flower die cuts with glittter.

I arranged them on the right side and then added a Spellbinder's pansy die. The Just a Note sentiment is a Sue Wilson die. You can't see it but I added a bit of wink of Stella to the white background and to the water colored background so every thing sparkles. I also used a PTI feather in the floral spray. It was looking lonely in my scrap box.

     

Summer Birthday Card

I needed a birthday card for my nephew so I decided to try and combine that with a challenge. The challenge at IO is Summer Fun.HERE  For some of us, shelling is one of the activities that we associate with long walks on the beach that refreshes you body and soul. I was not pleased with how this card came out,but it has kinda grown on me and I don't have time to make another so I will have to send it on its merry way to my nephew.

I started with Gina K powder blue card and stamped it with the cover a card wooden plank then sponged it with distress inks in stormy sky and walnut. I did some layering of papers on the top and a piece that I found left in my scrap box from another project. It was stamped  with versa mark and the cover a card  distressed brick. I used the tim Holtz distressed embossing powder. I love the effect this gives. I sponged a little blue around the shells and shaped them a bit to give them more dimension and placed them around my card and topped it off by stamping the birthday greeting and added the IO Wishes. +

I used the following IO products for this card. 

Stamp Set CL342 (I masked it so only the birthday was stamped)

Cover a card Distressed brick CC0083

Wooden Plank - CC177

Shell Set - DIE077-W

 Wishes  MC657

Code: MC657

Earl's Birthday

This challenge at Double D is all about the men in our lives. Just look at another amazing challenge board and create a special card for one of the special men in your life. 

This card is for a very special man in my life my favorite BIL, Earl.   He has been a great help to my sister as she cared for our aging mother by helping mom and sis through numerous moves as Mom downsized. He hung and rehung pictures, fixed things to make Mom  more comfortable, took her out for dinner and did whatever my sister needed him to do. Knowing Bev, my sister, had him helped me feel less guilty  for living almost 3000 miles away and not helping her at all.  Earl has a lot of hobbies like fishing, hunting and golfing so it is always fun to make cards for him. For this card, I bought three die sets from Our Daily Bread to celebrate another one of his numerous hobbies: carpentry, wood working, and general all round handyman. He has helped my nieces as they moved into their first homes doing various projects, and does remodeling projects for my sister. He also helps Bev with her hobbies. She used to attend craft fairs selling her hand painted pieces and he would help her set up and take down her booth. Bev also loves to decorate her yard with life sized hand painted seasonal themes. In the fall, you will see scarecrows and pumpkins adorning her yard replaced by snowmen for winter and flowers for spring. Earl cuts the wood and Bev paints it.  If she goofs, he sands it down so she can start again.  I made this tool apron just for Earl because he's my favorite BIL and one of my favorite people. 

Now it is time for you to create something special for one of the guys in your life and link it up at Double D for a chance to win this prize.

 Today's prize is this fabulous Cheery Lynn Designs 'ChickDouble Den Wire Frame'

For more inspiration visit the Double D Blog to see what the design team has created for this challenge.

Jenny's Birthday

Double D Blue and Peach Challenge

Are you ready for another amazing challenge board from Double D Challenge Blog. This time we are all about blues and coral/peach colors or weddings. Just look at the amazing inspiration on the board.

I decided to take my inspiration from the colors and the wedding theme and came up with this design.

I kept it very simple with this Spellbinders gazebo and IO fence and a few flowers. I framed it with a Gina Marie scalloped rectangle. The bride and groom silhouette is a free down load that I sized to fit in the gazebo. Head over to the Double D Blog and check out what the design team did with this beautiful Mood Board. I am sure you will want to create something for this challenge.

Swan Lake

The Dies R Us Challenge this time is simple. Use a bird somewhere on your card and, of course, you must use a die. I used to live in Sumter, South Carolina whose claim to fame is an air force base and one of the prettiest lakes I have ever seen called Swan Lake where you can see two different types of gardens. One is a botanical type with Spanish moss and plants that are indigenous to the area and grow naturally. The other garden hosts meticulously manicured lawns and fabulous trees and flowers. My favorite season was the spring when the tulips, daffodils, azaleas, and dog woods burst forth with amazing colors and sweet smells. The park also contains every species of swans hence the name. When I saw the Tattered Lace swan I knew I wanted to make several cards for friends that I grew close to while I lived there. I am going send this one to a friend who lives in New Mexico now as a reminder of all the Sunday afternoons when we strolled the park together. 

Tattered Lace Swans                                    Cat Tails                             Frantic Stamper Bare Ash


                                                       



Sue Wilson                           Nestabilities Royal Circle        
                    

Butterfly Hugs. 2

I don't know about other card makers but when I have supplies out I tend to make more than one of a design. I had the adhesive sheets, the prills, and the die cuts there so I made three different backgrounds using different colors of prills.  

The first card I made was for the Mod Squad Challenge Blog. If you want to see how I did this card came together you can visit this post.Here I use Gina Marie's flower die and fern die for the background. I decided to frame this card and then I added a Heartfelt flower that I colored with Spectrum Noirs. For embellishment I used a Cheery Lynn Butterfly and Hugs word die. Awhile back, I made a card where I put the hugs on top of the butterfly and I liked it  so I decided this card needed a butterfly hug. I will enter this in the Cheery Lynn Lots of Layers Challenge and Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes

New Die Company

No card today but just a note to tell you there is a new die company that offers some of the prettiest dies I have ever seen. They will be starting their blog on June 1, and I know you will not want to miss the inspiration from the design team. Two of my Double D buddies are on the team and they are both offering a Tutti Designs die to one lucky winner who leaves a comment. So head over to their blogs Darlene and Diane and check out the info. You should also take a look at what Tutti Designs has to offer. You are going to love their products. 

Mod Squad Challenge Blog Use It or Lose It

Challenge

I am hosting the Mod Squad Challenge this week with Peggy Timmerman.  

The challenge this week is Use it or Lose It.  

Challenge 

When I did my spring cleaning this year, I found several products and tools that I bought but never used, and admit it you have some too. So I am challenging you  to go through your tools and supplies and choose something you have not used for a long time, rarely used, or never used, and put it to work.  Be sure to tell us what product or tool “came out of hiding” for your project.  

This Weeks Sponsor is 

Kat Scrappiness

Kat stocks the products that she loves and uses as well as what her customers request.  If you don't see it in her store, feel free to contact her.  She is happy to do special orders for you!

DISCOUNT CODE for The Mod Squad Challenge: MSC10

Prize

$15 Gift Card to Kat Scrappiness

For my project I used two Gina Marie Dies, fern die and flower die that came from Kat's store.



Here is my completed project.

I cut the flower die from Gina K white heavy base weight card. This is easy to remove from the die because there are small holes in the corners to help you release it easily.

                                   

I positioned the die cut on my MISTY. I like to stamp it a couple of times to get a dark image.

Here is the first product that I bought ages ago and have never used, double sided adhesive sheets. I cut a piece slightly smaller than the die cut and adhered it behind my die cut. 

TIP  When adhering the adhesive sheet to the die cut pull the release paper down a little bit then you can align the top corners perfectly. Secure the top and then pull the release paper the rest of the way down and it will align all the way down.

The second product that I am using that I bought but have not used much is PRILLS. I have put them in the centers of a few flowers, but I have 14 different colors and I have only used three. 

TIP 2 Put something under your work that has a lip because these little guys roll around like crazy. Pour them over the adhesive and burnish them with your fingers until the entire design is covered.

Now just add some pretty embellishments and you have a card full of texture and dimension. 

If you don't have Prills you could use micro beads and get a similar effect. I like that these are all different sizes. 

Here's another look at the finished product. 

Other Products used

IO Sentiment

Dies R Us Butterfly

Amy Design Musical Stave

Wild Iris Flowers

Another card made in the same way. I entered this at the Lots of Layers challenge at Scrapy Land.