Sweet Wishes

Hi there!  It's been too long since my last post, but I'm here now and glad to be sharing a card in the Can You Handle the Pressure Challenge.  I wouldn't have even thought to make this exact card if it hadn't been for their optional "fruit and/or veggies" prompt.  How fun!

See the little cherries?  Small, but mighty.  All the dies, except the larger hearts, are Cottage Cutz.  It occurred to me that they would work perfectly with my not-yet-used Vintage Tray embossing folder/die set from the Open Studio line of Memory Box.

This is a handy folder/die set as you can use the frame with or without the rest of the folder.  In this case I used it all.  I cut the frame first, then fit it into the folder and embossed.  I embossed the white panel separately then put the two together.  Make sense?

Coloring was done with Copics, including the polka dots on the dress.

I'll link up to Can You Handle the Pressure and to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #62 with my NBUS Vintage Tray.

 

Is anyone else having some wonky issues with Blogger?  When I type a link it makes a duplicate phrase, and sometimes there is no response when I click to change the size of a photo.  Also, I can't change the color of a font.  Is it just me?  I appreciate your response.

Thanks for stopping by today!  We'll do this again soon.

Dies:  Cottage Cutz Kitchen Chef, Sweet w/Shadow & Wishes w/Shadow (shadows not used), Paper Smooches Hearts  Paper:  Neenah Super Smooth white 110 lb & 80 lb  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Memory Box Vintage Tray 3D embossing folder

Christmas Pinkapalooza

I set out to make one pink Christmas card, and it turned into four.  I was inspired by the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge #63, which I missed, but want to give a shout out to them anyway.  POE currently has a blue challenge going on, but I'm so far off the mark I can't bring myself to link up.  Hopefully I'll get a blue card done in time.  I do need to build up my Christmas card stash!

A lot of friend shares went into the making of these cards.  The Penny Black Mugs of Joy are stamp offs from Cindy who knew how much I loved them.  Thank you, Cindy!

First up is the pinkest of the pink.  I embossed the card base with one of my oldest folders, then softened with white pigment ink directly from the spongey pad.  The square frame is from Sue.  The big snowflake is from another friend who no longer has a blog.  All coloring was done with a combination of Copics and SU Stampin' Write markers.

The Santa mug is next.  Another old embossing folder, this time I went over the raised parts with an RV000 Copic.  Tim Holtz greenery, Spellbinders sentiment banner -- each purchased on super sales at different shops.  The punched hearts are shimmered with Wink of Stella which is very pretty in real life.

The angel mug rests on nested frames which were cut and ready in my card parts drawer.  The embossed background came as a cover sheet in a Christmas card from a local friend.  Miscellaneous greenery dies from my collection, and a Memory Box sentiment.  I cut three layers of the sentiment die so it would sit nicely on the embossed panel.

The final card is pink, but no stamping.  Just a die cut snowflake border and beautifully scripted Cottage Cutz sentiment.  The paper is from my one 6x6 pad of Mintay Christmas paper that seems never ending.

The Santa and snowperson mugs are my favorites, but there's also a fox mug which I didn't use in this group because I felt pink was not its color.  Its time will come.  I still have several more Mugs of Joy stamp offs to use this year.

Color me happy to have added four more cards to my Christmas box!  Stamping in the current season will resume shortly.  Thank you for stopping by!

Sophie

Hi!  Just a little Sophie today. 

Earlier this week Sophie discovered the low spot in the woods that's perpetually muddy.  Actually, it's beyond muddy.  It's the yuckiest, mucky black mess imaginable.  It's just one small spot and you have to navigate a dense tangle of undergrowth and organic debris to get to it.  It's like Disneyland to Sophie.

My beautiful girl, sheesh.  A LOT of shampoo, hose water, and sweet talk followed by towels and treats made it all better.

Like it never happened.

I haven't taken her into the woods since then, but that can't last forever.

Have a happy day!

More for Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Hello and happy Saturday!  I'm back with my second card as a guest designer for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge. 

 

It's always an "anything goes" challenge, but an optional prompt is offered as well.  This month the option is "pastels".  I may have gotten my flowers a little dark, but overall I think it has a pastel vibe.

I'm a little gushy about my Penny Black stamps, and this year's Scent of Spring release was particularly fabulous.  I indulged myself and I'm not sorry.  A stamper should have stamps they feel gushy about.  Today's card uses the Captivate set.  I stamped on watercolor paper and colored with Tombow markers and a little bit of blender.  I hand cut the image with paper snips.  The inner parts were done painstakingly with a craft knife which is very hard on my hands, but once I started I wanted to be thorough.

The hand cutting was necessary in order to overlap the flowers on the Note Edger die cut.  I nested the word and the edger dies and cut simultaneously to get the word within the outline.  The stamped words are from the Penny Black Note Builder set.  The butterflies with pewter pearls are Impression Obsession, and the pretty designer paper is 49 & Market.  More details are in the recipe below my signature.

The May PBSC is at the halfway mark and the team would love to see you in the gallery.  Visit the challenge blog for more details and inspiration.  It's all about the fun!  Remember, a random winner gets a $20 gift voucher from 1-2-3 Stitch.  That's where I get all my Penny Black stamps and many other stamps and dies.

I want to thank the Penny Black Saturday Challenge ladies for the privilege of guest designing with them, and many thanks to all of you for visiting.  It means a lot to me.  Have a happy week!

Stamps:  Penny Black Captivate and Note Builder  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Neenah white card base (not visible), 49 & Market Sweet Reflections designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir for image outline, Memento Tuxedo Black for sentiment  Coloring:  Tombow markers and some blender  Other:  Penny Black Note Edger die,  PB Background Basics stencils, Impression Obsession Butterfly Set, pewter self-adhesive half pearls

Double D Challenge -- Polka Dots

 

Hello and welcome!  It's Double D Challenge time again, and Darlene is calling for polka dots!  I do love polka dots.  In my vintage preschool days I had a favorite book about a polka dot thief -- a sinister fellow who stole the polka dots off everything in the house.  Imagine!

Have a look at our very cute inspiration board:

And a prize for a random winner:

My card features plenty of polka dots and a pup with a cupcake.

He's another of my recently acquired Inky Antics critter sets by Jane Miller.  So much life and character... I've collected most of my favorites, but will probably go back for more.  Just gathering joy.  I did messy coloring with Tombow markers.  Added glitter to the cupcake frosting.  Everything on this card, other than the dog, has been in my stamp room for years.  The polka dot papers are oldies from Stampin' Up.

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My pup looks like he should be for a guy, so I'll probably give him to my friend to use for one of her boys.  Every card finds a home.

We sure enjoyed all the beautiful florals in our previous challenge, and now I'm looking forward to seeing your polka dots.  Come to the Double D blog and check out all the polka dot cards the team is sharing.  This is going to be fun!  Have a great day!

Life in the Slow Lane with Sophie and Friends

Rain, rain, go away.  Who cares that it makes the garden grow?  Sophie wants to go outside!

In fact, Sophie gets to go out to the backyard anytime she wants, but the side and front yards are not fenced so adult supervision is required.  She's learning.  Don't let that wistful expression fool you.  I take Sophie out for fun and exercise every day, rain or shine.

Pictured below is more of Sophie's view through the side patio door.  There is lots of fun to be had out there.  It's rainy, overcast, and dull on this early May day.  Very few days have been good for gardening this spring.

One recent evening it stopped raining long enough to go out for a neighborhood walk.  We ran into one of Wally and LuLu's best friends, Lilo.  She has a hurt leg needing surgery so she doesn't go for long walks, but her good people push her along in a sort of dog stroller.  It's hard work in a hilly neighborhood with a weighty Golden Retriever, but love makes it worth it.  We pulled LuLu in a garden cart when her leg was hurt.  That's me, by the way, introducing the dogs.  Sophie was a little scared at first by Lilo's big, friendly bark, but she got over it.  You can't help but love Lilo.

Lilo and her people came into the garden to stay awhile and let the dogs get better acquainted.  Lilo looks so much like LuLu it makes my heart hurt a little.

Sophie was so excited she had to go prancing on the lawn.  Sorry for the not-so-good phone pics.

Sophie's best friend is my best friend's teensy mini-Schnauzer, Tommy.  They're exactly the same age, but as different as night and day.  He's not much bigger than Sophie's head, but he's a scrapper.  It takes a long time for these two to wear each other out!

That's life in the slow lane, and it suits me just fine.  I'm glad you came to visit today.  Have a good week!

Relaxing with Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Hello friends, and welcome!  In this merry month of May I have the privilege of being the guest designer for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  That's way fun for me because Penny Black stamps are my favorites!

As always the challenge is "anything goes", but the optional theme this month is "Pastels".  I did not go with the optional theme this time around.

I worry that some of my favorite PB critter characters will fade into the background as the newest releases seem to favor a different style, so I bought a few sets, including this guy:

I colored on watercolor paper with Tombow markers and have him relaxing on the beach after his birthday party.  The designer paper overhead suggests the waterline, and he's gathered a starfish and shell to take home as souvenirs.

He'll be sent to a guy friend who loves the beach.  I've stamped a Penny Black sentiment inside with more of that water lapping at the lower edge.

Many thanks to the PBSC crew for having me this month!  Do stop by the challenge blog to see the team samples.  They're always fun and inspiring.

Have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Relax and Birthday Love  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, scrap designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir  Coloring:  Tombow markers and a little bit of blender  Other:  Impression Obsession Mini-Shell Set