Double D Challenge: If the Shoe Fits

It's Double D time again and I sure had fun with this one!  Our challenge is "If the Shoe Fits", so take a peek at our mood board and be inspired.  First, my card:

Our mood board:

Top creative winners are chosen by team vote, but there's also a prize for a random winner:

I can travel many twists and turns when designing a card.  This one started with the baby booties which were already made and sitting in my card parts drawer.  The clouds and hearts were already cut, too, and I laid everything this way and that before I settled.

The gray parts are Copic coloring, as are the blue booties.  White polka dots were added to the booties with a gel pen.  Soft blue polka dot background is SU's Cool Caribbean embossed with an old Cuttlebug folder and sponged with white ink.  I hand cut an older SU sentiment into the banner shape.  Designer paper on the frame... enamel dots... sigh...  love this stuff.

The card is 5" -- my favorite square size.

The team samples are a must see.  I always enjoy the inspiration they provide.  I hope you can play along with us at Double D!

Stamps:  SU Small Sayings  Paper:  Neenah Classic White, SU Cool Caribbean, baby print designer paper of forgotten origin  Ink:  Ranger Archival Watering Can (sentiment), SU Craft White, blue and gray Copic markers  Accessories:  Enamel dots, Signo Uniball white gel pen, Cuttlebug Seeing Spots embossing folder, Scotch brand foam mounting tape  Dies:  Spellbinders small, medium, and grand squares, Cottage Cutz Fancy Baby Booties, Memory Box Precious Clouds

Goldens and Garden

What's in a name?  A little story on Goldens and Garden today.  Thanks!

Halloween Visit

Hello there!  Just for fun and frivolity I have another Halloween card today.  This one is a Penny Black stamp called Halloween Visit.  The link takes you to 123 Stitch, a super fun place to shop, but it can be found other places, as well.  My good friend shared this stamp with me.  Thank you, friend!

I colored with Copics, but the grass and pumpkin vines are done with the bullet tip of a green Tombow marker.  Sponged ink around the edges.  The black zig zag is a Hero Arts stamp.  Every time I use it I wonder why I don't use it more often.  It looks totally real, doesn't it?  Same with the red speckles.  That's an old SU stamp -- Itty Bitty Backgrounds.  Adds just the right somethin' somethin'.  The sentiment is Whipper Snapper and I found it appropriate because this stamp image is just the teensiest bit frightful, but delightful, as well.

Oh... almost forgot... the leafy corner die is not pumpkin leaves, but it works.  It's an older Die-namites Ivy Corner.  Sponged and speckled.

I photographed the Copic pumpkin colors.  They're not the usual oranges, but they give a warm glow.

I'm in a bit of a hurry because we have campsite reservations for soonish and there's lots to do before we go, including a couple more cards that need making.  Rushing off now...  You have a happy day!

Saturday

 It's Goldens and Garden Saturday.  Just a heads up.  Thank you!

Spring Wreath in the Fall

Hello!  I have a sweet and simple card today for Friday's flowers.  Simple as it is, I have five photos to explain it so I'll try to use fewer words.

First, the card...  I used my most recently purchased digital set --  "Feathered Friends" from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  I saw it debuted and had to have it.  Two cards on Diane's blog sold it to me -- here and here.  Diane used the rubber stamp set, but the nice thing about Sparkle N Sprinkle is that all their new releases are available in digi format, as well.  You know I love my digis.

The leafy border along the bottom of the card is from one of my new Mintay pads -- Springtime.  Uh, oh... while I was at Frantic Stamper making the link I saw more Mintay for pre-order, and one of them is Christmas!  Yes, I ordered three more pads.  Some things can't be resisted.

The wood grain is from a whole other line of paper -- Ms. Sparkle & Co -- found at Joann Fabrics.  The boards are rather wide, but I learned a trick from Pam Sparks here.  Pam drew extra lines on her wood grain paper so the planks wouldn't be so wide.  Below you can see the before and after of my paper.  I used the narrow tip of a Tombow marker which was the perfect width and color match.

The next trick is one I've mentioned many times before.   I settled the ribbon knot into a punched hole with a little Aleene's Tacky Glue to help keep it in place.  In the photo below you can see the knot on the underside of the popped up panel.  This only works when the panel is popped up.  If that knot was on the front surface it would be a pronounced bump that could cause damage to the card during machine handling at the Post Office.  If you want to use pretty ribbon bows, but don't want to mail in a bubble envelope or box, this is a slick trick.

A little closer...   The sheer ribbon lets the image show through, and the lighter shade of pink does not compete with the flower color (at least that's my thought process).  Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame Borders.

Super easy coloring with the Copics pictured below.  The grays and Colorless Blender were for the smudgy outer shading.

Many thanks to all the crafters who inspire me with great ideas and not-to-be-resisted products (even though I'm trying to minimize shopping).  Hey, if I use it... it's worth it.  I'm becoming wiser about my purchases.

Well, that's it, friends!  Have a wonderful weekend doing whatever makes you happy!

Wild Mushrooms

Hello friends!  It's about time for an honest to goodness fall card, and Chanterelles speak fall to me.  This time of year these golden gems glow in the forest like a beacon of yumminess.  They're all the more beautiful when you know how they taste sauteed in butter with salt and pepper and a little bit of a crispy edge.  Did you know you should wait until mushrooms brown up before you add salt?  Makes a world of difference in how quickly they cook.

This is Power Poppy's Wild Mushrooms clear stamp set.  I couldn't wait to get my hands on it when it was released in the spring, yet I'm just now using it for the first time.  Yes, I have too much stuff and, seriously, I'm trying to be better.  You have no idea how many times I've shopped and then clicked off without buying.  I need more time stamping and less time on the computer!  Nevertheless, when I was coloring and creating this card I was thinking it doesn't matter when you get around to a particular stamp set;  it only matters that you enjoy all the stamping you do along the way.

So, about the card... stamped in Memento Toffee Crunch and colored with Copics.  I pulled out some old BasicGrey Origins paper and found the brown print with the oval window already cut, so I designed around that.  I cut another oval window in olive green and layered the print over it.  Trimmed the outer edges to a narrow border.  Added two more strips of paper along the edge.  Had to cut an oval notch to fit around the pre-cut oval.  Make sense?

The sponging around the green oval makes it appear as though the image panel is popped up.  An interesting illusion.  Actually, the entire card front is popped up as a frame around the image.

For decoration I die cut some ferns and leaves and tall grass,  and sponged with SU! inks.  All will be listed below my signature.

This card was meant to be a masculine birthday card, but it might be too pretty for a guy.  The guy in mind would appreciate it, but I'm thinking this might go to a girlfriend, instead.  Back to the drawing board.  Oh, what a chore (not)!  Thank you for dropping in today!

Stamps:  Power Poppy Wild Mushrooms  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White for image panel, Neenah 110 lb white for die cuts, SU heavyweight Very Vanilla (card base), SU Old Olive, BasicGrey Origins designer paper  Ink:  Memento Toffee Crunch, SU Old Olive, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, More Mustard, Ruby Red, Creamy Caramel  Coloring:  Copic markers  Accessories:  Scotch brand foam mounting tape  Dies:  Spellbinders Grand and Large Classic Ovals, Impression Small Leaf Set, Impression Obsession Grass, Memory Box Eva Stem (fern)

Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly

Hello there and happy early September!  We're entering a time for some very season-specific stamping -- fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas.  It's always the busiest time, and not just for stamping.  Whew, I'm worn out just thinking about it!  Today I'm one card closer to Christmas.  How are you doing with yours?  Making progress, I hope.

This one started with the background.  It's a Cuttlebug cut and emboss die and I can't for the life of me remember the name of it.  A dear friend sent several for me to play with and I still have a few left.  She'd cut this one in the bright green (which I love).  I colored each berry with a red Copic and the veins with green, then splattered liberally with diluted white acrylic paint.  Fun!

The holly die will cover a 5 x 7 card, but I cut it down to fit under the frame for this A2 card.  The bird is a Lil' Inker stamp called 'Tis the Season.  I colored several of this stamp last year.  It's definitely a favorite.  Backed up the bird with a stitched circle so it wouldn't get lost in the holly.  As a final step I dressed up the bird's hat with Ice White Viva Decor Perlen-Pen, sprinkled with micro-fine glitter.

I've started two other cards with this holly background, each with a similar design, but different stamps.  I'll get back to those later.  I'll list all supplies below.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Lil' Inker 'Tis the Season  Paper:  Neenah White, SU red, other green  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Viva Decor Ice White Perlen-Pen, Elizabeth Craft Warm Diamond Micro-fine glitter, white acrylic paint, Cuttlebug cut and emboss holly, Die-namics Stitched Rectangle Frames, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers

Goldens and Garden

I'm on Goldens and Garden today, friends.  Thank you!