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!

Christmas in Vellum

Hello and welcome!

I'm finally getting around to some Christmas cards and plunged ahead with a batch of 10.  My friend shared these beautiful 6x6 printed vellum sheets which I trimmed to fit A2 cards.  There are two of each design and my cards have minimal variation, just keeping it simple.  I couldn't really pick a favorite, but I'm rather partial to this one with the Santa and snowman:

After much trial and error and two ruined vellum panels I settled on double-sided adhesive sheets as the ideal way to invisibly adhere the panels to the card bases.

Come to think of it, this one might be my favorite:

I had to go Amazon shopping first.  After careful consideration I chose a pack of Birllaid brand -- 22 sheets, each 8 1/2 x 11 1/2.  Excellent quality, very affordable.

Each vellum panel was applied to a sticky sheet, then the back peeled off and the now sticky vellum panel was applied to white cardstock.  I trimmed the edges flush with my adhesive-designated scissors (clean the scissors when needed with 91% alcohol).  There is no wiggle room with strong adhesive tape so it's much better to create a separate panel on cardstock which can then be glued to the card front.

Two more:

Total Christmas cards in the box:  11

It feels like a good start!

Have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Poppystamps Christmas Banners with dies  Paper:  Crafters Companion Christmas Rose 6x6 Vellum Pad, Cougar Natural, Hammermill Premium 100 lb white for sentiment banners, shimmery creamy white for snowflakes, SU Blush Blossom for snowflake centers  Ink:  Stampin' Up Close to Cocoa  Other:  Memory Box Bauble Snowflakes, 1/8" hole punch, Stickles Stardust glitter glue for snowflake centers, double sided adhesive sheets, Hero Arts Wood Frame die (used once)

Double D Challenge: Books/Bookmark and/or Postal/Postage

A new Double D challenge begins today, friends.  We have a mixed theme that I think you'll enjoy -- books/bookmark and/or postal/postage.  Lots of choices there with a pretty mood board for inspiration.  The team will choose creative favorites, and there's a prize, as shown, for a random winner.

  

I chose to go with books and bookmarks so I made a matching set.

The card features one of my favorite bird dies with branch -- Cottage Cutz Bird w/Vine -- and a long neglected Marianne Design Open Book.  The lacy border is a friend share from many years ago, and the gorgeous designer paper is new-to-me and not-yet-used Brutus Monroe Spring Splatter.  I swooned over the paper.  I believe it's from last spring, but it caught my eye when I was browsing for something else, sigh.  You know how that goes.

I love creating birds with make-believe colors.  For this one I brushed on inks to coordinate with the paper.  I used the book die, itself, as a guide for the lines on the book pages, drawing several rows of faint pencil lines, then squiggling over them with a gray Copic marker.  The page edges are traced with a gold Gelly Roll pen.  The card is blank inside, other than a strip of designer paper, but the stamped sentiment, "Happy Day", lets you interpret the card in many different ways.

The two bookmarks feature a not-yet-used Cottage Cutz Bird with Flowers die, some favorite old Power Poppy sentiments, and that beautiful paper again.  I cut the bookmarks from the designer paper, then cut a bird from each.  Glued the pretty paper to white cardstock, then inset a die cut bird to the negative space, doing a switcheroo so the birds stand out and blend at the same time.

I love mixing old and new, and the following challenges are great encouragement:

NBUS Challenge #84 -- My never before used schtuff is the Brutus Monroe Spring Splatter designer paper and the Cottage Cutz Bird with Flowers die (on the bookmarks).  Thank you, Darnell!
Neglected Stuff Challenge -- My neglected stuff is the Marianne Design Open Book.  I can't remember the last time I used it, but now I love it all over again.  Thank you Diane and Darlene!

 

I think that covers it.  I hope you'll visit Double D and see the variety of clever, fun, pretty cards the team is sharing.  I would love to see yours as well.  Have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Power Poppy Lilac Time and Party Time sentiments  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, Brutus Monroe Spring Splatter designer paper  Ink:  Stampin' Up So Saffron, More Mustard, Old Olive, Cameo Coral, Not Quite Navy, Versamark  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Bird w/Vine and Bird with Flowers, Marianne Design Open Book, Sue Wilson Vela lacy border die, Spellbinders Scallop Labels and Tag for top of book  Other:  Memory Box Fairy Jewels, SU Vanilla embossing powder, Gold Gelly Roll glitter pen, Scotch brand foam mounting tape