April's Christmas Cards: Snowbird

Hello again, friends!  I'm going to share the card I made for the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge even though I'm barely making the deadline.  The important thing is that it inspired me to get busy.  My goal is to make two or more Christmas cards per month, preferably more.

The challenge board reminded me of this pretty Stamperia Dewdrops paper.  It's 8x8 double sided, enabling two card fronts from a sheet, so that's what I did.  Very simple with only minor differences.  The bird has appeared on my Christmas cards many times.  You know I've got basketsful of not-yet-used supplies, but I still turn frequently to the oldies.

Inside each card is this sentiment with a snowflake cut from the designer paper.

Total Christmas cards in the box:  13

It's better than zero!

I'll be moving along to spring now, thank you.

Have a beautiful day!

Peace On Earth Challenge

Stamps:  Inside sentiment Stampendous You and Yours  Paper:  Hammermill 100 lb premium white, Stamperia Dewdrops designer paper  Ink:  Stampin' Up Bordering Blue (bird) and Brocade Blue (sentiment dies and stamp)  Dies:  Memory Box Airin Bird Background and Snowflake Bird, Cottage Cutz Season's Greetings sentiment, Impression Obsession Small Snowflake Set  Other:  1/8" hole punch and Stickles Diamond glitter glue for snowflake centers

Double D Challenge: Tea or Coffee

Hello friends!  It's Double D Challenge time again and for this go around Darlene is asking for tea or coffee themed projects.  The pretty inspiration board is designed to help warm us up and get started.

 

The prize for a random winner is two packs of very pretty peel off stickers -- butterflies and teapots & cups.  I think I would love to color those teapots!

The team votes for creative favorites.  As always, there's more information on the Double D blog.

Let's play!

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Did I make a bird card or a coffee card?  Well... both, and it was a lot of fun!  I considered making this for our previous "Humor" challenge, but then I knew the "Tea or Coffee" challenge was coming up, so I saved it for now.

Simon Says Stamp Birdies met up with Cottage Cutz Cup of Love and opined with Art Impressions See You with a Latte sentiment.

I chose the very old BasicGrey Phoebe designer paper to play with because the swirly pattern from which I cut the frame loosely reminds me of a fancy latte.  In fact, the birds, cups, branch, and flower accents were all cut from the Phoebe paper.

The white eye dot was made with white acrylic paint and a very skinny brush.  Sometimes I forget the eye dot, but it really does add more life to a character.

A little note about using the designer paper for die cuts:  I like to glue a layer of designer paper onto cardstock before cutting.  It firms up the DP and saves cutting twice and then trying to match up the layers.  That was especially helpful with the branch and the birds' beaks and legs.  Maybe you do this, too?

I hope you'll visit the Double D blog, enjoy the team's cards, and then play along with yours.  Have fun, and have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Art Impressions See You with a Latte  Paper:  Hammermill 100 lb premium white, BasicGrey Phoebe designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black for sentiment, various SU inks for shading die cuts  Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Birdies, Cottage Cutz Cup of Love, Taylored Expressions Stitched Rectangle Stacklets  Other:  White acrylic paint for eye dot

Lavender Note

Hi there!  This card has been sitting around for two months waiting for me to post it, so I think it's probably about time.  I made it for no reason other than the love of the craft and all these beautiful supplies in my toybox.  The Altenew Loving Birds 3D embossing folder was a new-to-me gift from a friend when I made the shabby chic card in this post.  I just kept right on playing with it.

The embossing was done on retired (probably) Stampin' Up Lavender Lace cardstock, then smooshed with white pigment ink directly from pad to paper.  I cut the embossed panel down to a corner featuring just one bird and some flowers.  It worked out nicely!  The background panel was brushed with gray ink then covered with paper lace -- a very old product from an out of business company.  I added die cut Memory Box flowers brushed with SU Lavender Lace ink, and a stamped and die cut sentiment from a Simon Says Stamp set.

No challenges today, not even NBUS.  Wishing you a beautiful day!

Stamps:  SSS Tweet Friend with die  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, Stampin' Up Lavender Lace, Paper Lace (old, out of business)  Ink:  Stampin' Up White pigment ink, Lavender Lace, Ranger Archival Watering Can, Distress Oxide Weathered Wood (background)  Other:  Altenew Loving Birds 3D embossing folder, Memory Box Clara Blooms

Fuchsia and Navy for Color Hues Challenge

Hello and happy Tuesday to you!

I'm playing along in the Color Hues challenge today, and I took this opportunity to crack the seal on a new-to-me Spellbinders die set, Vintage Florals, which I won in a recent Beautiful Blossoms Challenge.  Gosh, it's a pretty die set and I can imagine it even prettier watercolored.  I'll have to try that later.  Today I simply cut it from retired Stampin' Up sandable cardstock and sanded away.  Thanks for that reminder, Lynette!  I'm not sure what these colors are called, but today they'll serve as fuchsia and navy.

I made a simple arrangement on Spellbinders Molded Frame 3D embossing folder.  I'm not sure how it looks on your computer.  On my desktop computer where I do the editing it showed up the dimension quite nicely, but on my laptop in my craft room where I do the writing it looks washed out... sigh.  It can be so hard to get it right.

Two challenges:

Color Hues #130 -- Fuchsia and Navy
NBUS Challenge #85 -- My never before used schtuffs are the Spellbinders Vintage Florals (thank you, Donna!) and Molded Frame 3D embossing folder.

 

I'm so glad you dropped in to visit!  Take care, stay crafty, and have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  None  Paper:  Hammermill 100 lb premium white, Stampin' Up retired sandable cardstock  Ink:  None  Other:  Spellbinders Molded Frame 3D embossing folder, black gems, Scotch brand foam mounting tape to pop up one flower

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

Double D Challenge: Humor

Hi there!  At the Double D Challenge today Diane is asking to see our creations which evoke a grin, a giggle, a chuckle, a chortle, a smile, a snicker... we could all use a good laugh any day of the week.

Here's a little bit of inspiration...

... and a prize for a random winner:

The team votes for creative winners.  There's always more information on the challenge blog.

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Although I found I have quite a few stamps that would fall into the humorous category I immediately thought of this old woodblock stamp called Happy Couple.  It's seen a fair amount of ink in its day and still going strong.  The sentiment is from Rubbernecker.

The inside sentiment is "Happy new year".  I rarely send new year's cards because I've generally just finished making and mailing 60-80 Christmas cards, but in 2027 I'll be mailing at least one new year's greeting.

I brought in stars and streamers and paper that brings to mind fireworks and late night partying -- all oldies from the toybox, save for the Waffle Flower Dreamy Frame which is fresh from the not-yet-used basket.  The picture below shows the shimmer and glitter from Wink of Stella and Stickles glitter glue.  In real life the effect is somewhere between the first picture and the second.

Come have a good time with us at Double D!  The team is sharing cards that are sure to bring forth a hee-haw, a whoop, a guffaw, or a titter.  Let's fill the gallery with laughter!

Have a happy day!

Stamps:  American Art Stamp Happy Couple, Rubbernecker Slow Down  Paper:  Hammermill 100 lb premium white, black card base and streamer, SU Rose Red stars and streamer, BasicGrey Euphoria designer paper (very old)  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics for minimal coloring  Other:  Waffle Flower Dreamy Frame die, Memory Box Banner Parade (2015), Wink of Stella, Stickles Diamond and Black Diamond glitter glue

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