A Tisket a Tasket A Bunny in a Basket

One more Easter card before the weekend.  I would have liked to do more, but I dallied too long.  Thankfully my bunnies will still be good for next year.  They're the only things I purchased exclusively for Easter, and I'll wager they could make the occasional appearance throughout the year as well.

This card is a mix of Simon Says Stamp and other brands.  The bunny and embossing folder are new to me from SSS.  The flowers are older, but a new-to-me find on Amazon when I was looking for something else not even craft related.  See, that's what happens.  Surely you understand.  They're by Sizzix and I like them a lot.  I thought about draping them across the top of the basket, but then remembered the Easter Eggs.  Now I have both!

About that basket -- I cut it in two shades of gray, but didn't like it for Easter so I smooshed all over with white pigment ink and embossed with some very old Stampin' Up Winter White embossing powder.  Sort of a creamy white.  You can see the powder gave it some texture, too, and now I think it's okay.

As for the embossing folder... well, it's a pretty thing that gives you all those flowers with a space in the middle to use however you like.  It provided just enough non-busy white space to highlight the bunny basket.  Also, you can see it's brushed with color.  I used pink and light orange, but it turned out disappointingly dark... so here comes that white ink pad again.  Smooshed all over and came up with it looking all soft and pretty.

Darnell has started a new month with her 85th NBUS Challenge (never before used schtuff), so I'm linking there with my SSS Fable Cute Bunny and Flower Frame 3D embossing folder, and my Sizzix Woodland Borders (flowers).

Thank you for your visit!  Happy Easter Weekend!

Stamps:  Retired Power Poppy sentiment  Paper:  Hammermill 100 lb premium white, two shades of gray, BasicGrey Sugar Rush designer paper  Ink:  Various Stampin' Up, Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Country Basket Bouquet (basket only), Fable Cute Bunny, Nested Eggs, Poppystamps Lovely Gift Bow, Sizzix Woodland Borders (flowers), Impression Obsession Grass  Other:  Simon Says Stamp Flower Frame 3D embossing folder, SU Winter White embossing powder (very old)

Easter is Coming

Yes, Easter is coming and I just now mailed my Easter cards.  I made only three this year, but had three left from last year.  I'm lagging behind, but it seems there's so much going on outside my craft room lately.

Today's card is one that made me very happy as I brought all the parts together.  I splurged on a few things from the SSS Beautiful Moments collection and this card represents several of them:  Country Basket Bouquet, Sweet Bunny, Double Loop Bow, Leaf Spin 3D embossing folder.  The tag and sentiment are from my toybox.

I'm delighted with all my new toys but, ohhhh, that Leaf Spin embossing folder... it does speak to my leaf-loving heart!  It made the prettiest background for the basket.  Every bit of color comes from ink blending with brushes.  The card is 4 1/2" x 6".  That little bit extra allows a lot more play.

Linking up with Darnell's NBUS Challenge #85.  Everything except the tag and sentiment is never before used schtuff.

I have little time to linger today as there are many other things that need doing, but I'll be back with one more Easter card shortly.

Enjoy your day, and happy upcoming Easter!

Stamps:  Retired Power Poppy sentiment  Paper:  Hammermill 110 lb premium white, gray scrap  Ink:  various Stampin' Up  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Country Basket Bouquet, Sweet Bunny, Double Loop Bow, Poppystamps Stitched Main Street Tags  Other:  Simon Says Stamp Leaf Spin 3D embossing folder, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Snail Mail and Mouse Nap

Hi there!  A while back I pulled out another of my self-made card kits and started coloring, but then I got distracted by challenges and these cards, though finished and photographed, were not yet posted.  Today is their day.

This kit features Colorado Craft Company stamps by Kris Lauren.  Very cute!  The set I used today is called This is the Life, gifted to me maybe a year ago.  I always question my sanity when I realize how long I've left something waiting in the basket.

The snail, mushroom, grass, ladybug, and sentiment are all separate stamps.  I stamped the snail, masked it, and then stamped the mushroom and all the rest.  There is quite a lot of fanciful detail in the snail shell.  Coloring is with Copics.

Next up is the little mouse.  Again with the masking and adding in other stamps from the set.  The sketch is FMS #707 which I loved a lot for using designer paper.  I made a point of adding some Cottage Cutz flowers to each card as they were also not yet used, though much newer to me than the stamp set.

NBUS Challenge #84 -- My never before used schtuff is the CCC This is the Life stamp set and Cottage Cutz Flowers.

Gosh, this was fun!  You might think I'm making good progress on my NBUS and maybe I am, but there's still so much!  Not the least of it is gifts from my local soul sister who showers me at birthdays and Christmas, and sometimes in between.  We keep on keeping on.  It's a sisterhood.

Thanks for stopping by.  You know I love it when you do!

Stamps:  Colorado Craft Company This is the Life, Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, colored cardstock scraps, Brutus Monroe Autumn Tapestries designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Cottage Cutz Flowers

Micey Nice

Hello and welcome to Monday!

Big surprise, more never-been-used crafty goodies came out to play today.  At Can You Handle the Pressure the optional theme is sewing or sewing related, and wouldn't you know I just happened to have a brand new-to-me Stitching Sampler embossing folder from SSS, and a nearly vintage but never-been-used Penny Black Especially Micey stamp set.  I think they were just waiting for each other!

As always, the supporting players get used over and over again, and so everything else on the card has been with me for a good long while.

I used Tombow markers and homemade blender solution for coloring.  It looks like watercolor because the blank Copic marker filled with solution is similar to using a water brush.  The recipe and a picture can be found on this post.

Circle punches, designer paper layered on cardstock, and glossy glaze made the buttons.  Much more mail friendly than real buttons.

You know I love my Penny Black critters.  There's a lot more yet to use in this set so it's still in the PB NBUS basket.

Challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge -- Anything goes or Four-legged Friends

Can You Handle the Pressure -- Anything goes with a twist of sewing or sewing related.
NBUS Challenge #84 -- My never before used schtuff is the Penny Black Especially Micey stamp set, and the Simon Says Stamp Stitching Sampler 3D embossing folder.

 

I'm so glad you dropped in.  Have a mice day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Especially Micey  Paper:  Fabriano Extra White 140 lb watercolor, Hammermill 100 lb premium white, pink Bazzill base, designer paper from The Vast Hoard for buttons  Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black, Ranger distress Antique Linen  Coloring:  Tombow markers and blender  Other:  Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame Borders, Precious Marieke Flower Border, SSS Stitching Sampler 3D embossing folder, 3/4", 1/2", 1/4" circle punches for faux buttons, Judikins Diamond Glaze, linen thread

Jellyfish Blooms

Hello crafty friends!  I was excited to be stamping and coloring again in the new year... anything other than a Christmas card... so when my friend's birthday came along last month I felt I had just the right never been used stamp for her card.  This is a Creative Expressions stamp, Jellyfish Blooms, from their Designer Boutique collection.  The sentiment is a CZ Designs for Simon Says Stamp -- You 2.  It was a freebie with one of my orders.  Nice!  Lots of variations in the set.

I colored with Copics on Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, and added several spots of Silver Stickles for sparkle.  It's quite the little fantasy piece, but I do love this type of image that mixes flora and fauna.

As for the sentiment, I felt it fit both the image and my friend who has a beautiful spirit and amazing strength considering all she's been through in the last year and a half.  I stamped on SU Bermuda Bay and embossed in white, then hand cut around the "you" and cut the "amaze me" with a random rectangle die from my stash.

It's a 4 1/2" x 6" card with the image panel simply glued to a Bermuda Bay base which I embossed with SU's retired Subtle 3D embossing folder.  The last step was to embellish with some Hero Arts Seashells brushed with Wink of Stella which I tried to capture in the photo below, but it's so much glossier, cleaner, and more shimmery in real life.

My not yet used supplies are bountiful, including a wealth of gifts I was showered with for my birthday and Christmas -- all from the same friend for whom I made this card.  She knows what I like.

Sharing here:

NBUS Challenge #83 -- Never before used schtuff -- Jellyfish Blooms, You 2 sentiment, and Seashells

I'll leave you with a wish for a happy day.  Take good care of yourselves, please.

Stamps:  Creative Expressions Jellyfish Blooms, CZ Designs/Simon Says Stamp You 2  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, Stampin' Up Bermuda Bay  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Hero Arts Seashells, WOW Bright White super fine embossing powder, Silver Stickles, SU Subtle 3D embossing folder, misc. rectangle die

Celebrate Critter Style

Hello there!  It's another cutie pie Penny Black critter card today, sharing the last of the cards I made with the kit I created for the Time to Celebrate set.  Once I was settled in for Christmas I made three cards one after the other and there were plenty of grins and giggles in the process. The mouse with balloons drifted in from the Birthday Critters set to help the hedgie celebrate.

When I was having fun with this card sketch I found that Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangles worked out beautifully in the way they fit with each other.  I used an oldie embossing folder for the background, and a flower punch for embellishment.  The "celebrate" die is another Cottage Cutz steal-of-a-deal recent purchase.  In the photo below I think you can see where the glitter is, but you know it's much prettier in real life.

I felt like I could go on and on with this basic card design, but this is the last of them for now.  It's such a great way to use bits of designer paper, and this particular paper is an ages old Memory Box pack I'm trying to use up.  I have so many new and/or not-yet-used pretty papers which I plan to break into, but the oldies must be used as well.

I love that you stopped by today and we'll do this again soon.  Take care!

Stamps:  Penny Black Time to Celebrate (hedgie), Birthday Critters (mouse), Enjoy Builder (stamped sentiment)  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, Memory Box Brioche designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Celebrate Phrase, Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangles, extinct leaf die and tag die  Other:  Flower punch, Sizzix Flowers embossing folder, Wink of Stella, Stickles Stardust glitter glue, 1/8" circle punch for flower centers

Let's Party!

Hello, friends!  I know that you know I love my Penny Black critters.  Lately I've been loving the mice as much as the dogs and cats, and the little hedgies are stepping right up there, too.  Today I have another of my self-made card kit creations.

It's the Time to Celebrate set combined with a Cottage Cutz sentiment die, and using the go-to layout I was having fun with at Christmastime.  I changed it up a little with different dies and an embossed background.

There's lots of party time sparkle on the starbursts, punched circles, and party hats.  Coloring is Copics, including sentiment and stars.

Sparkle inside, too, with a Penny Black Birthday Love sentiment.

With all the spots and dots on my card today I'd like to play along in the following challenge:

Sisterhood of Crafters -- Spots & Dots

Well, that was fun!  I made one more card with this set, but I'll save it for later.  I do so appreciate having this craft and my big toy box as a diversion where all is well and happy.  Thanks for being here with me!

Stamps:  Penny Black Time to Celebrate, Birthday Love  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, retired Memory Box Brioche designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Fifties Phrases #1 and Nested Wacky Stitched Rectangle Set  Other:  Cuttlebug Seeing Spots embossing folder, 1/8" & 1/4" circle punch, Diamond Stickles

Double D Challenge: 10th Birthday Celebration

Hello friends!  The Double D Challenge is celebrating its 10th birthday!  I can hardly believe it.  I started with them on that very first day, then took a break somewhere in the middle, and I've been with them ever since.  I've always had the most fun with this challenge, and Darlene and Diane and the whole team are a treasure.  That's something to celebrate!

We have a pretty mood board for inspiration:

 

The DDs are giving away a nice prize to a random player.  Creative winners, as always, are by team vote.

I made a fun card inspired by the colors in the board, using a Penny Black stamp set and a pretty fabulous Cottage Cutz sentiment die.  You know what happens when The Scrapping Cottage has a sale -- one of their recent sales was 85% off -- that's when I indulge.

The stamps are all fussy cut and glued onto the arch, part of a play session with the PB Time to Celebrate set.  More to come from that play session later.  I cut an arch in the plaid, then fit a white arch into its center.  I'm always making an effort to avoid extra weight yet still have some of the dimension that sets a handmade card apart.

There's glitter on the "i" dot, the punched hearts, the candle flames, and the bees' wings.  I shaded the lower corner with green.

Come celebrate and play with us!  The team has some inspiring celebratory samples to share with you so I do hope you'll stop by the Double D blog and have a look.

Stay safe, stay well, and stay crafty in the new year.  Thank you for visiting!

Stamps:  Penny Black Time to Celebrate  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, Stampin' Up Orchid Opulence (hearts), Memory Box Brioche designer paper  Ink:  Various Stampin' Up, Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics, ink blending with brushes  Other:  Cottage Cutz Fifties Phrases #1, Spellbinders Essential Arches, Diamond Stickles, Stampin' Up 3 in 1 heart punch

Joyful Moose

Hi there!  I'm still working on Christmas cards.  It's a time consuming process and delightful, though I won't be sorry when I'm done with them for this year.  I need to simplify, but I have all these new toys yet to use, sigh.  Today I'm playing along in Jo's Christmas Kickstart Challenge:

I wanted to make something fun for the "Just Add Antlers" prompt, and use something from my NBUS basket in the process.  In this case it's the Tim Holtz Forest Shadows set (trees and stars), which made a good background for my previously enjoyed TH Merry Moose.

It's mostly retired Stampin' Up sandable cardstock.  Love that stuff and have a tendency to hoard it, tsk, but it's so fun!  The trees are plain cardstock, SU Basic Gray in the front, black in the back.  I wanted to make the very dark Basic Gray more interesting so I swiped the Basic Gray ink pad directly over the trees, bottom to top.  The darker patches are the ink.  I was pleasantly surprised at the result.

Patches of snow were added with sparkly flocking.  There is Stickles sparkle on the stars and on the moose accessories.  The "joy" is plain cardstock and also TH Sizzix.  I'm gradually adding to my Tim Holtz collection when it's on sale.

Many thanks to Christmas Kickstart for heading me in this direction.  I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I mustn't forget Darnell's NBUS Challenge #80, either.  She's a cheerleader in our efforts to reduce our piles of never before used schtuff.  As mentioned, my NBUS today is the Forest Shadows die.

I appreciate all of you for stopping by to visit.  It's nice to take a moment now and then.  Be well and stay crafty!

Stamps:  Only inside sentiment  Paper:  Various retired Stampin' Up sandable cardstock, black, other various scraps  Ink:  SU Basic Gray, Copics to color moos accessories  Dies:  Tim Holtz Sizzix Merry Moose, Forest Shadows, Holiday Words Script  Other:  Diamond Stickles, Sparkly Fluff (flocking)

Another Batch of Christmas Cards

Hello dear crafty friends!  So here I am again, still trying to get through all my not-yet-used Christmas crafting goodies.  I tend to always have too much Cottage Cutz because they're so extremely marked down in the sales.  I'll keep whittling away at them, but some may have to wait till next year.

Today I focused on Cottage Cutz deer and bear, with a whole lot of other well-loved extras from my stash to help in the making.  The first card design is thanks to the (past) Freshly Made Sketch #707 which I loved for using designer paper.  Thank you, FMS!

Cottage Cutz Elegant Deer w/Wreath, Memory Box Peace Cheshire Script
Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers,  Poppystamps Stitched Landscapes
Die-namites Slender Trees

Reindeer Postage next.  I thought I would make an effort to finish off an old Echo Park paper pad.  I'm not quite there yet.

Cottage Cutz Reindeer Postage
Mix of retired dies and Power Poppy sentiment

The Folk Art Bear in the next card is not a Christmas die, but as a polar bear I think he works.  I put a poinsettia on his bottom and added a fitting sentiment.

Cottage Cutz Folk Art Bear, Penny Black Crystal Frames, Frantic Stamper Believe
Poppystamps Small Blooming Poinsettia
Poppystamps Believe in Magic sentiment

Finally, a Santa bear peeking over a snow bank in a stenciled birch tree forest.

Cottage Cutz Peeking Santa Bear, Die-namics Stitched Rectangle Frames
Poppystamps Stitched Landscapes, Impression Obsession Small Snowflake Set
Lawn Cuts Fancy Wavy Banners & Winter Wavy Sayings
Lawn Clippings (Lawn Fawn) Birch Tree Stencil

Challenges:

Love Those Pretty Papers -- Optional Forest Critters.  My first card is specific for this challenge.
NBUS Challenge #80-- Each of the Cottage Cutz dies on these cards is never before used schtuff.

 

Thank you so much for visiting during this busy season.  Happy everything!

Polar Friends x 2

Hello everyone!  One last card for the week and, yes, I've used the Simon Says Stamp Ocean Horizons die again.  This time it's a moonlit sky for a Christmas card.  Ink blended and splattered with water, it made the ideal background for this sweet stamp from the Penny Black Christmas Cubs set.  I loved every stamp in the PB Christmas release, but with unprecedented reserve I chose just one for now.

I colored with Copics and hand cut the images.

Dreaming up a quicker process...  I cut the die from 80 lb Neenah card stock and the pieces stayed in the die as I'd hoped.  I next applied strips of 1 1/2" wide Scor-tape (or sookwang tape) to the back of the die, pressing it firmly onto all the cardstock pieces.  I was then able to pull the overlapping tape tabs to carefully lift the cut pieces out as a whole.  I brushed on the inks, removed the backing and applied the panel to my card front.  Very quick!

I added sparkle to the snow.  Maybe you can see it a little bit in the picture below.

While I was at it I naturally had to color the second image in the set.  This time I stamped and colored directly onto the paper.  Brushed inks onto the background and cut some snowflakes from Penny Black's Crystal Frames.  The sentiment is a much older Penny Black birthday sentiment, Wrap a Hug, which I thought it was pretty cute with the image.  💛  There's a Christmas sentiment inside.

Challenges today:

Peace on Earth #96 -- They have a fabulous inspiration board, but anything goes as long as it's Christmas.
Penny Black Saturday Challenge -- Anything goes Penny Black, optional spots and/or stripes
NBUS Challenge #78 -- Never before used schtuff.  My PB Christmas Cubs stamp set was NBUS.

  

Thank you so much for visiting.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Christmas Cubs and Wrap a Hug  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 lb, Stampin' Up Bashful Blue, something shimmery navy on Card #2  Ink:  Memento London Fog for stamped images, Memento Tuxedo Black for sentiment on Card #1, various Stampin' Up blues for backgrounds  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Penny Black Crystal Frames for snowflakes on Card #2, Diamond Stickles glitter glue, 1 1/2" Scor-tape as explained in post