Penny Black on a Saturday

Hello, crafty friends!  I hope you're all enjoying a nice weekend doing whatever makes you happy.  I've been retired for going on 11 years now, but I still find something special about the weekends.  After all those working years I just don't get over the feeling of release that comes with a Friday night.

I'm here today to share in the Penny Black Saturday Challenge where the optional theme is "Things with Wings".  That's my cue to color up my newest Penny Black stamp, Wings of Joy.  It's easy for me to go overboard with my Penny Black purchases because I'm such a fan, but I've been conservative lately.  This stamp though, sigh... and the Serenity Edger die set... they were a quick hop into my basket.

I stamped the bird and branch in Memento Toffee Crunch, and the sentiment in Palette Noir on extra white hot pressed watercolor paper and watercolored with Tombow markers.  Sponged the edges with Stampin' Up More Mustard ink.  After layering onto a card base of ivory textured Bazzill I applied the watercolored die cut "serenity" and a few iridescent sequins.

The set has a larger wisteria chain and extra leaves which I've already stamped and will try to turn into a card soon.  Penny Black has just released a Christmas collection and I'm currently trying to make my conservative choices.  I'm thinking poinsettias and a sentiment/die set.  It's never ending.

Challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge -- Things with Wings, or optional anything goes.
NBUS Challenge #89 -- My never before used schtuff is the Penny Black Wings of Joy stamp set.

 

Thank you so much for spending a little time with me today.  I do enjoy our visits!

Stamps:  Penny Black Wings of Joy  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico 140 lb hot press watercolor, ivory Bazzill for card base  Ink:  Memento Toffee Crunch for image, Palette Noir for sentiment, Stampin' Up More Mustard for brushing image panel edges  Coloring:  Watercolor with Tombow markers  Other:  Penny Black Serenity Edger die set, iridescent sequins, white acrylic paint for eye glint

Deco Blossoms

Hello!  There's something brand new in my collection today -- Simon Says Stamp Deco Blossoms.  It's not at all like anything else in my toy box so that's why I was drawn to it.  I ordered it with the matching die set which cuts the blossom panel, the individual blossoms, and the corner flourishes.  It's fun to play with, whether simple or fancy.  I guess I went a bit fancy this time.

I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black and layered up using old-timey Spellbinders dies and a not-so-old-timey Spellbinders 3D Tile Motif embossing folder.  The blossoms were die cut and colored with Copics.  They're not popped up, but they're shaped a little.  The sentiment, as well as others, came with the set.

Challenges today:

Addicted to Stamps and More #523 -- Birthdays
Triple B August Challenge -- Always birds, butterflies, or blooms.

NBUS Challenge #89 -- My never before used schtuff is the SSS Deco Blossoms stamp and die set.

 

Thank you for visiting!  Have a craft-happy day!

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Deco Blossoms with dies  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, black from stash  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Spellbinders Divine Eloquence, Labels Twenty Eight, 3D Tile Motif embossing folder, miscellaneous small rectangle for sentiment

Magnolia Wreath

Hello there!  I was on my way to making something else entirely when a magnolia wreath happened instead.  I can't tell you what a common occurrence that is in my craft room.  I believe I was looking for foliage in my spare parts at the time.  Ah, well, no regrets.

This will be for a local friend's September birthday, and she won't care one whit that the flowers are entirely out of season.

I used all the spare leaves left over from past cutting of my Memory Box Curved Magnolia Branch.  I just added ink and arranged on a die cut circle.  Behind the flowers I have bits of The Greetery Pine Bough in white, and a super oldie Spellbinders Floral Flourishes which was also in my spare parts already embossed in gold.

For the front and inside sentiments I happily broke out a brand new Simon Says Stamp set -- Daisy Frame.  The set with dies is worth it for the sentiments alone, but I can't wait to color the pretty flowers that come with it, too!  Oh, if only I had more time in my craft room!

I'll play along in the the AAA Birthday Challenge #88 where their theme this month is "flowers".

I'm also just in time to play with the girls at Just Us Girls Challenge #835 -- Die Week.

 

Thanks everyone!  I'm glad we could visit today!

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Daisy Frame sentiment  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, pale pink Bazzill  Ink:  Stampin' Up Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, Barely Banana, Pretty in Pink, Versamark for sentiment  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  Memory Box Curved Magnolia Branch, The Greetery Pine Bough, Spellbinders Floral Flourishes  Other:  Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder, foam tape to pop up one flower

Mice, Mice Baby

Hi there!  I have a card here that I wasn't expecting to share today, but along came The Paper Players Challenge with the theme "For the Little Ones".  I had recently sat down with my Penny Black Especially Micey set and stamped, colored, and created cards.  The others were shared previously, this one is the fourth and final.  It feels good to have enjoyed every stamp in the set.

I colored with Tombow markers and blender, chose some old designer paper and coordinated all colors around that, including the Cougar Natural card base.  Wishing I'd used white, but hindsight, sigh...  Nevertheless, the stamps are cute.  Penny Black never lets me down!

The Paper Players Challenge -- For the Little Ones

Thanks everyone!  I'm so glad you stopped by!

Stamps:  Penny Black Especially Micey, Stampin' Up retired All Year Cheer  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Cougar Natural, Stampin' Up Gable Green, stash DCWV designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black  Coloring:  Tombow markers and blender  Other:  Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangles, Scrapbook.com Mini Flowers, Cuttlebug Seeing Spots embossing folder

Double D Challenge: Feathers

Presenting another Double D Challenge -- Feathers!

Would you believe I have only one feather stamp in my vast collection?  And no feather dies.  However, I do have lots of birds so I chose this trio of Hero Arts birds to sing their songs with my one feather stamped repeatedly on the background panel.

I also stamped some music notes from a retired Power Poppy set and then embossed the background with SU's Subtle folder.  I love how that panel turned out.  The birds are watercolored, and I need to tell you the yellow sky area is NOT accurately depicted in the photo.  In reality it's a much softer color.  My camera does not do well with yellow and that's very sad for me as it's my favorite color.

The die cut music notes and sentiment are from a Simon Says Stamp set.

The Double D team has no shortage of feathers and they have some delightful cards to share with you.  I hope you have some feathers you can play along with.  Thank you, and have a happy day!

Stamps:  Hero Arts Three Songbirds, Simon Says Stamp Tweet Friend with dies (music notes and sentiment), Stampendous Feather Points  Paper:  Arches 140 lb cold press watercolor, Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, Stampin' Up Brocade Blue  Ink:  Stampin' Up Bordering Blue, So Saffron, Sahara sand, Ranger Archival Jet Black, Versamark, other SU inks for watercolor  Coloring:  Watercolor with SU inks  Other: Spellbinders A2 Curved Borders One, SU Subtle 3D embossing folder, SU Winter White embossing powder (old) 

Magical Fuchsia

Greetings, friends!  How about wrapping up the week with some fuchsias?  Spellbinders Layered Magical Fuchsia embossing folder and stencil to be exact.  After my first attempt at stenciling was a big flop, I decided to simply emboss and then color with Copics.  It's brighter than I had intended, but still pretty.

Hammermill 100 lb white, Spellbinders Essential Arches,
Brutus Monroe Spring Splatter Designer paper

I added a retired Power Poppy sentiment and a few clear gems, and brushed the arched panel with SU Soft Sky and Certainly Celery. 

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Pictured below is the only halfway usable picture I managed of Stenciling Attempt #2.  I followed my friend Pam's lead for the second card.  I embossed first, then stenciled, but still didn't like it so I brushed over the image with brown ink -- SU Creamy Caramel.  Not the same ink Pam used, and I went a lot darker because I was rather liking it.  Later I had to remove some of the ink from around the fuchsias by splattering water, then brushing with water and pressing with a paper towel.

I inset the gold sentiment and splattered the image panel with gold paint.  We'll call it vintage.  The cover panel is SU Blackberry Bliss.  I love that color, but have barely touched it.  I'm thinking I should use it more often.

Spellbinders Essential Stylish Ovals, sentiment from SB Stylish Oval Hello You Floral,
SB Infinity Punch & Pierce Plate

That's it for me and my Magical Fucshia today.  I'm working on more fuchsias for later.  Some other cards may come along first, though.  There are so many fun things in my use-next basket!

Have a magical day!

One for The Christmas Kickstart Challenge

Hello on a Wednesday!  I've been trying to do just one Christmas post per month, but I'm back with another so I can play along with Jo and Elf Linby at the Christmas Kickstart Challenge.  They're calling for presents this month.

I'm seriously trying to make progress on my not-yet-used goodies, but I thought I didn't have anything fitting among them for this prompt until I took another look through my Cottage Cutz bin.  Geez, I found two that would work, but I only had time for one today.  Here's a cutie driving a vintage VW bus just like one we gave our son for Christmas one year.

That was about 30 years ago and he no longer has the bus, but he still comes home for Christmas.  The sentiments are both from a retired Power Poppy set.

Total Christmas cards in the box:  21

I'm glad I squeaked in at nearly the last minute.

Sending thanks to Jo for another wonderful and fun Christmas Kickstart Challenge!  Enjoy your day!

Stamps:  Retired Power Poppy sentiments  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, Stampin' Up Going gray  Ink:  Stampin' Up Real Red and Cool Caribbean for bus, white pigment for brushing over embossed background, Memento Tuxedo Black for sentiment  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes, Copics  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Van w/Bear, MFT Die-namics Stitched Rectangle Frames, Cottage Cutz Snowflakes Set  Other:  Memory Box Frosted Trees 3D embossing folder

Red Daisies on Black for The Color Hues Challenge

Hi there!  I didn't feel right about putting the daisies away without using them in the manner that first attracted me, so here they are, filling up the card and popping in red and white on black.  This one's for The Color Hues Challenge.

I added a favorite sentiment and a pretty little butterfly.  It's different, but I think I like it.

Not much talk today.  You probably don't mind, do you?  Sophie is laying in my craft room doorway making sad, neglected puppy noises which means it's past time for our walk.

Thanks for sharing your time with me.  Have an amazing day!

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Smiles and Thinks of You  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, black cardstock  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin' Up Real Red  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  Spellbinders Fresh Picked Daisies, Impression Obsession Medium Butterflies, Spellbinders Long Classic Rectangles  Other:  Three tiny red pearls on the butterfly's body

Birthday Wishes

Hello again!  Wrapping up the week with a second-time use of these Spellbinders flowers.  They're so easy I could go on and on with them, and maybe I will when my not-yet-used baskets are empty.  In my dreams, right? 

The embossing folder, circle dies, and sentiment are all Spellbinders, too.  For the yellow embossed panel I used a double sided sticky sheet to adhere thin vellum to SU's Barely Banana cardstock.  The reason I ever started doing this with the vellum and sticky sheets in the first place is because I have a whole pack of vellum that's way too thin, and I have a whole pack of sticky sheets that I can't imagine ever using up, so I put them together and it's magical!

Moving along...  I've been very busy both in and out of my stamp room lately and I have a tidy garden and a surprising lot of cards to show for it.  I hope I'll be back with more soon.

Today I'd like to play along at The Sisterhood of Crafters where the theme this month is flowers.  They have a really cute inspiration board:

I'm so glad you stopped by.  Take care and have a happy day!

Stamps:  Spellbinders Very Best Wishes with dies  Paper:  Hammermill 100 lb premium white, Stampin' Up Barely Banana, very lightweight vellum  Ink:  Stampin' Up Regal Rose, Rose Red, Blue Bayou, Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Ink Blending with brushes  Dies:  Spellbinders Stylish Oval Hello You Floral, Blossom Nestabilities, Standard Circles Small  Other:  Double sided adhesive sheet, Memory Box Fairy Jewels, dimensional foam dots, Spellbinders Criss Cross Motif 3D embossing folder

1, 2, 3 Snowpeople for Christmas in July

Greetings, friends!  I couldn't let July get away from me without some Christmas cards, could I?  The CAS Christmas Challenge reminded me to finally play with The Snow Notes from Spellbinders which I loved at first sight and promptly added to my not-yet-used basket... and there they sat until now.

The first is a solitary snowman, hopefully CAS enough for the challenge.  I embossed with Tim Holtz Sizzix Snowfall folder and tucked him into a snow bank made with Poppystamps Stitched Cloudline.

CAS Christmas Challenge -- Snowman

The second card, below, is possibly my favorite.  The two of them are belting out a song which I'm sure is their sentiments exactly.  More of the Stitched Cloudline -- above them for clouds and below them for snow.  The falling snow comes from the button holes of all six snowpeople.

Last, but not least, we have all three of them caroling their hearts out.  The Starry Night is a Taylored Expressions cutting plate from way back.  Hmmm... maybe this one is my favorite?  I can't decide, not that it matters anyway.  They look somewhat like they're caroling in the clouds.  Snow angels?  

The three carolers are representing The Snow Notes as my never before used schtuff in Darnell's NBUS Challenge #88 -- Mutual Appreciation Celebration.  Check it out!

Total Christmas cards in the box:  20

This crafty interlude was a whole lot of fun!  I balk at making Christmas cards this time of year, but once I sit down to it I really enjoy it, especially when I've got something cute to work with.

Thank you, everyone, for stopping by.  Take care of yourselves and have a wonderful day!

Pretty Papers and Flowers

Hello and welcome!

I started with one card and ended up with three when I pulled out a pretty Zoju paper pad called Forest Dreams.  The first is teamed with Penny Black products -- see notes under photo.

Penny Black Love Blooms stamp set with dies, Serenity Edger, and Curved Stitch dies

I stamped with Ranger Archival Watering Can on hot press watercolor paper and colored with Tombow markers.  To finish, I dotted with Simply White Nuvo drops.  The Serenity Edger die set includes not only the edger, but this straight cut "Serenity" as well.  It's from their most recent release and I'm loving it a lot!

For the next card I wanted to use the butterfly paper, but I felt it needed a little something so I edged it with the flower buds from the PB Love Blooms set.  Then I fretted that the focal point was too ambiguous.  Was it the butterfly or the flower buds?  In the end I simply added the silver satin birthday sentiment and finished with sequins and Nuvo drops.

The paper was too pretty to put away just yet, so I let it shine on for one more card.  

Impression Obsession Fancy Cut Out Border
Sentiment from retired Power Poppy Floribunda stamp set

Since today's cards are mostly all about the pretty papers I'd like to play along here:

Love those Pretty Papers -- Anything goes with patterned paper as a prominent feature, or optional coastal.

*** Also ***

NBUS Challenge #88 -- My never before used schtuff is the Penny Black Serenity Edger die set.  Darnell is having a Mutual Appreciation Celebration this month.  She's pretty amazing to put this on.  Check it out on the challenge blog.  Thank you, Darnell!

I hope follow.it works this time.  It did not send my previous post, but maybe it will go through with this one.  Thank you for visiting!