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

Seize the Birthday Challenge -- Add a Tag

Hi there!  It's my pleasure to be guest designing with the amazing team at Seize the Birthday for their current challenge.

The topping for this go around is "Add a Tag", but anything goes as long as it's a birthday theme.  I love to play the toppings!

Looks like I got my seasons mixed up but, hey, the tag was already embossed and waiting for me to color it.  I chose some Mintay Golden Days designer paper which was gifted to me at Christmastime for one of my favorite go-to layouts, in this case using Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangles.

The tag is from the Spellbinders Mushrooms from Me to You 3D cut and emboss folder.  The folder makes three arched panels at once.  I used one last fall, and still have a mid-sized panel yet to design with.  Fall seems such a short card-making season with Christmas so close on its heels, so it's probably not a bad idea for me to occasionally enjoy it ahead of time.

The tag is cut from watercolor paper and colored with Tombow markers and blender.  The enamel dots are 1/4" and 1/8" burgundy cardstock coated with Diamond Glaze.

We all need birthday cards, and tags are fun, so play along with us at Seize the Birthday and enjoy yourself!  Thanks so much for your time today.  Take care!

Stamps:  Retired Stampin' Up birthday greeting  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico 140 lb hot press watercolor, Hammermill 100 lb premium white, scrap burgundy, Mintay Golden Days designer paper  Ink:  Retired SU Baroque Burgundy  Coloring:  Tombow markers and blender  Other:  Spellbinders Mushrooms from Me to You 3D cut and emboss folder, Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangles, 1/4" & 1/8" hole punches for dots, burgundy string, rectangle die from stash (for sentiment), JudiKins Diamond Glaze

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

Double D Challenge: Easter/Church/Cross

Hi friends!  It's time for another Double D challenge.  You know Easter is not that far away, so it's part of our theme today, but the challenge -- Easter/Church/Cross -- gives you other options if you're not doing Easter cards.  Here's our inspiration board:

The DDs are offering this prize to a random winner.  Creative favorites are by team vote.

It was great fun making my first Easter card of the year!  I must apologize if the white appears a little too blinding in the photo.  The sun is a welcome sight coming through my craft room window so I'll not complain.  The colors are actually true, and there is a lot of white, and I'm really happy with the cuteness factor of the card.   

All the dies are Cottage Cutz.  The embossing folder is Spellbinders.  I thought at first the embossed pattern might be too big for the petite image, but in the end I love it.  I'm hopelessly addicted to 3D embossing folders and happy to have this one from a past Warehouse Sale making its debut today, fresh from the NBUS basket.

I will share in Darnell's NBUS Challenge #84 with my never before used Spellbinders Stylized Floral 3D embossing folder.

I hope you can find time to play along with our Easter/Church/Cross theme at Double D.  The team has some awesome inspiration for you!

It was so nice of you to stop by.  Take care and enjoy your day!

Stamps:  None except inside  Paper:  Hammermill 100 lb premium white, BasicGrey Sugar Rush designer paper  Ink:  Various Stampin' Up  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Just Hatched Chick, Happy Easter Phrase, Nested Wacky Stitched Rectangle Frames  Other:  Spellbinders Stylized Floral 3D embossing folder, Stickles Stardust glitter glue, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Flowers and Fronds

Hello friends!

I made a mostly green card for two challenges today.  This one was quick seeing as how the SSS Feathery Fronds background was already embossed and brushed with green ink.  I'd accidently smudged a spot on the very edge of the card and that's how the sentiment flag came to be there.  With that simple design being my basic layout it needed some flowers against the fronds, and a birthday sentiment for Seize the Birthday, and I found both, plus the butterfly, in my SSS Butterfly Blooms stamp set.  It's only been in the not-yet-used basket for about a year, I believe.  It's still there because I won't put it away until I've used every flower and butterfly.

Say it with me now, "What was I waiting for?!"  The flowers in this stamp set are all so pretty and very easy to color.  I did this with a few simple strokes of Tombow markers, not aiming for perfection, but a loose and simple look.  The flowers and butterfly are hand cut.

As for the challenges:

1. I cannot resist the Triple B Challenge -- Birds, blooms, butterflies.  They always have such a beautiful inspiration board.
2. Seize the Birthday is asking to see green as your main color.  Optional anything goes.
3. Of course, I have to share in Darnell's NBUS Challenge #84 again.  My never before used schtuff today is the Simon Says Stamp Feathery Fronds 3D embossing folder (brand new) and the Butterfly Blooms stamp set.

 

That's all for today!  I'm glad you dropped in.  Take care and have a perfect day!

Stamps:  SSS Butterfly Blooms  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb watercolor, Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, green Bazzill  Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black, Stampin' Up Certainly Celery  Coloring:  Tombow markers  Other:  Sue Wilson Pierced Flags, Simon Says Stamp Feather Fronds 3D embossing folder, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Birthday Chick

Hello again, friends!  When I saw this week's Freshly Made Sketch by Michele I thought it presented the perfect opportunity to pull out the Cottage Cutz Folk Art Hen which I'd made a while back and tucked away.  She's constructed of cardstock and some old designer paper I'm trying to use up.  Nothing fancy, no coloring, no shading, just taking it easy.

I gave her a neutral setting specifically because my previous card was so over the top colorful and bright.  Here she's nesting on foliage set against an egg shaped backdrop on framed chicken wire.  The sentiment is from an oldie stamp set which is so cute I'm thinking I'll save it out and make a card.

The egg die set is new from Simon Says Stamp.  I bought it for Easter cards, but clearly it has other uses as well.  Everything other than the egg shape and the hen has been in my toybox for years.

Challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches #727 -- I followed the sketch pretty closely.
NBUS Challenge #84 -- The SSS Basic Shapes Nested Eggs set is new to me, and since this is the first time on a card for the Folk Art Hen I'm thinking she qualifies as NBUS, too.

 

I'm glad you could stop by today.  Stay well and be happy!

Stamps:  Whipper Snapper (by Anna Wight) Crazy for Chickens  Paper:  SU Naturals White & Ivory, SU Kraft, Memory Box Brioche designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Folk Art Hen, Dee's Distinctively Sm. Pair of Leaves, Simon Says Stamp Basic Shapes Nested Eggs, MFT Die-namics Stitched Rectangle Frames, Cheery Lynn Designs Chicken Wire Frame, Spellbinders Fancy Framed Dies One (for sentiment, did not use the fancy part)

Forest Bird in a Colorful World

Hello and welcome!

I made a card for two challenges today and, gosh, it sure is bright!  The Paper Players are asking for "Colors of the Rainbow", and the topping at Seize the Birthday is "Anything with Wings".  I'm barely getting to Seize the Birthday in time so I'll make this brief.

The rainbow striped card was pulled from my saved-for-later collection so that was a good start.  I was wondering when I was ever going to use it seeing as how it was made way back in 2021.  The wings belong to a Cottage Cutz Forest Bird which was new to me at Christmastime.  The rest is listed in the recipe further down.

The challenges:

The Paper Players Challenge #776 -- Colors of the Rainbow
Seize the Birthday -- Anything with Wings
I'll also share at Darnell's NBUS Challenge #84 -- My Cottage Cutz Forest Bird is never before used schtuff.

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I'll hope to see you again soon!

Stamps:  Spellbinders Very Best Wishes stamp & die set, Simon Says Stamp Tweet Friend stamp and die set for music notes  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 100 lb hot press watercolor, Neenah 110 lb white, SU Gable Green for frame  Ink:  Various Stampin' Up for stenciled rainbow colors, Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Tombow markers and blender  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Forest Bird, Poppystamps Woodland Oval  Other:  Scotch brand foam mounting tape to pop up bird

Doggie Beach Day

How about a little Sophie and Ridley today?

It was almost like summer last Monday when my son and I took the kids to the beach.  It was Ridley's first time at the actual ocean shore as opposed to the bay and he loved it.  Everything's okay as long as his big sister Sophie is with him.

Low tide and gentle waves on a warm and windless day -- perfection.

I accidently got in over my ankles with my shoes on, so might as well have fun with it.

Ridley is now 10 months old, Sophie 2 1/2 yrs.

The photo below is my favorite of the day with the way they're leaning into each other, sharing their joy.  I never fail to appreciate how lucky I am to have the two of them in my life.

Wishing you a perfect day!