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: 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

Folk Art Easter Bunny

Hello!  I know you're all busy with Easter weekend and, if so, maybe you'll stop by later.  It's quiet here.  No little ones or Easter visitors, and that's just fine.  Monday the landscaper is scheduled to start and we have company coming on Tuesday.  It will be a busy week!

I have one more Easter card to share.  I enjoyed making it with my Cottage Cutz Folk Art Rabbit (first time use), and a few additional pretty elements from my stash.

Cottage Cutz Happy Easter Phrase, Poppystamps Floral Dotted Border, partial cut IO Grass Border

I clear-embossed the sentiment and added Diamond Stickles over it, as well as on the yellow flower centers.  Sorry the sparkle doesn't show.  A leftover strip from Spellbinders Criss Cross Motif 3D embossing folder adds a textural border.

More designer paper from The Vast Hoard -- yay!  I have a weakness for woodgrain, whether in cardstock, embossing folders, or designer paper.  This pretty piece comes from a 6x6 pad of Polkadoodles Peeling Paint papers that's been in The Hoard for a few years.  It was just right for an Easter card.

Challenges:

Love Those Pretty Papers
NBUS Challenge #73 -- My Folk Art Rabbit is never before used.

 

Have a happy Easter weekend!

Easter Bunnies

Hello there!  I can hardly believe I've only used these sweet bunnies once before.  I had plans for them other than Easter, but then they were put away... you know how that goes.  Well, they're out enjoying the fresh air now.

Cheery Lynn Bunnies (out of business)
Spellbinders retired Homespun die set for basket
New Simon Says Stamp Pretty Bows
Impression Obsession Grass Border and Tall Grass
Poppystamps Stitched Main Street Tags
Cottage Cutz Happy Easter Phrase for the eggs and flowers

I used brushes and sponges for coloring, and a cloud stencil for the sky.

I'm sharing in the following challenges:

The Neglected Stuff Challenge -- My poor neglected bunnies.
A Cut Above, April -- Anything goes with a die cut

 

Our son was down visiting for his birthday weekend.  As I was finishing up today's card he popped in and snapped a picture with his phone.  He used an AI app to turn it into this cartoon rendition:

It's more or less the general idea.  That's not my face, by the way, but the clothes are fairly accurate.  It's all just for fun and it made me smile so thought I'd share with you.

Have a happy day!

Double D Challenge -- Easter

 

Hi there!  Double D Diane has a cute inspiration board for our next Double D Challenge beginning today.  The theme is Easter, and just look how adorable:

I'm in love with every corner of the board and if I could make a card exactly like any bit of it I would be so happy.  However, I do have a bunny, chicks, and Easter eggs and they're pretty cute, too.

I've used another bunny from the same Inky Antics set as my previous card.  The eggs are a separate stamp in the same set -- stamped, masked, and then the bunny stamped behind them.  I drew in the grass line, colored with Copics, brushed blue ink for the sky.

The big daisy is the last and largest from a years old pack of daisies.  I added blue color for shading, then dimensional glaze to the center.  Dimensional glaze on the little hearts, too.  The sentiment was patched together from different sets.  Mintay designer paper covers the card -- it's one of my goals this year (yes, I made a list) to dip into The Vast Hoard of DP more often.  

Check out the inspiring team samples, and then we'd love to have you play along in our Double D Easter challenge.  You may end up a creative favorite, or perhaps the random winner of this adorable prize:

Have a happy spring day!

Stamps:  Inky Antics Bunny #1, Hero Arts Easter Greetings sentiment (partial), Simon Says Stamp Tweet Friend hugs sentiment w/die  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 lb, SU Pink Pirouette, Mintay Springtime designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers and Stitched Scalloped Circles, Sue Wilson Pierced Flags, JudiKins Diamond Glaze, hearts die cuts from trinket jar, years old purchased daisy flower

Magnolia Easter

Hi there!  Big surprise, more Easter cards, but this time I stepped away from the cute cards so I could make something pretty with my Marvelous Magnolia 3D embossing folder & die set from Memory Box.  It has been sitting -- never yet used -- since last spring.  Shame on me, this pretty thing, tsk tsk.  I made two cards, one using the dies, and one without.

All the 3D embossing folders with or without dies are fascinating to me.  Such beautiful results.  The first card also uses a Memory Box Oval Master Frame, Impression Obsession Easter Joy sentiment, and ancient Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder.  I used sponge tip applicators to apply Distress Oxide inks to the flowers and sentiment.

The next picture shows the gloss on the sentiment.  I pressed the die cut into my Versamark pad and embossed with clear powder.

The second card is a simpler design, monotone mauve with touches of white.  I cut down the folder quite a bit to use on this mini-slimline.  The whole card base was embossed with SU's Subtle 3D embossing folder.  The tiny pearls are Nuvo drops, and the sentiment is an oldie from my stash.

Inside I used a trimmed off strip to decorate.  The sentiment is from a retired Power Poppy clear stamp set.

I'm heading over to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #60 again with my first time use of the Marvelous Magnolia folder.
Also playing along in Can You Handle the Pressure.  I did not do the optional twist, but I did use two different embossing folders.

 

It's a good feeling to know that almost every time I play with something new I'm also playing with several older things in the process.  I love my toys.  That said, I'm due for a purge and it never gets any easier (sob), but it's a necessity in my small room.

I've been in a rush these last few days, but I hope we can do this again real soon.  Have a happy day!

Bunny in a Wreath

Hi!  Back to Easter today.  I have to confess, I'm feeling a bit of Easter card fatigue.  I know!  This makes card #5 and I'm already burned out?  So typical of me.  That's another good reason to work ahead on the holidays.  I don't even feel compelled to send out a lot of Easter cards.  It's just that I had a few things not yet used.

On today's card the not-yet-used products are the Tim Holtz Carrot Bunny die set and Tree Rings 3D embossing folder.  I've had both for many months (a year maybe?).  To my eyes the Tree Rings background is the coolest thing.

The wreath here is Tim Holtz, the flowers are Heartfelt Creations, the big sentiment is Impression Obsession.  All colored with inks and blending brushes.  The TH Carrot Bunny set and, in fact, most of the stamps and dies I used for Easter this year can be used for other occasions as well.  I cut and colored more of these bunnies and carrots but will save them for something else.

Okay, friends, I'm hopping along to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #60 with Carrot Bunny and Tree Rings.

I'll see you again shortly.  Have a happy day!

Double Easter Bunnies

Hello again, friends!  Today's Easter bunnies are one of the Inky Antics stamp sets I recently purchased when I found their website.  I'm drawn to the Jane Miller designs as there's just something about her style with the critters.  Wherever Jane Miller is or was, I hope she knows she brought me and I'm sure many others a whole lot of smiles.

This set is called Carrot Bunny.  It has a Happy Easter sentiment with it, but it's not strictly an Easter set.  I used dies and an embossing folder to pretty up the scene.  I do love a splash of color on white.

Coloring was done with Copics on Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor paper.

There is not so much white in the next card, below.  It was a hot mess for a while.  Let's not go there.  I like everything about it, but the patterned paper background is too busy under the big sentiment and I keep picturing it on white and know I'd like it much better.  I love the bunny and think he'd be just as cute on a "thinking of you" card.

The frame on both cards was created by nesting Spellbinders Fluted Classic Rectangles, the grass is Impression Obsession, and the big sentiment, eggs, and flowers are a new-to-me Cottage Cutz die set called Happy Easter Phrase.  Oh, and the embossing folder is Spellbinders Floral Background.

There are some challenges I'd like to share in today:

Can You Handle the Pressure (use an embossing folder)-- Sending my first card there because it has the dry embossed background, but I did not use the optional twist of bling.
Word Power #3 (focus on the sentiment) -- Sending the second card there.  I hesitated because my eyes go straight to the bunny as the focal point, but there is that big sentiment which I had intended to use for this challenge.  It's fun to play along at any rate.
NBUS #60 (never before used schtuff) -- The bunny stamp set and the Cottage Cutz die set are both being used for the first time.

  

Thank you for coming to visit today.  I'll keep working on Easter cards, even if I don't manage to get them all sent out this year.  No pressure.  Just for fun.  Have a beautiful day!

Backsides and Frontsides

Hi!  I'm making Easter cards this year as I have a few not-yet-used items suitable for the occasion.  I'll start with the Cottage Cutz Bunny Backsides from one of last year's sales at Scrapping Cottage.

I see them as Easter bunnies, but I'm sure they could be used otherwise as well.  The set includes three different bunnies and the balloon.  I made extra bunnies and put together the rest of the card with supplies from my stash.  Everything was cut in white and then colored by brushing on inks.

Speaking of backsides, about two weeks ago we gave Sophie a bath prior to her spay surgery.  Her backside was so fluffy afterward I had to take a picture of it.

Her frontside wasn't as fluffy, but it was extra adorable as always.  She was a very good girl during her bath.  Love.

Because Easter is very much a spring occasion and my bunnies are being used for the first time, I'll send my card over to the following challenges:

Four Seasons - Spring 
NBUS Challenge #60

 

I'm glad you could stop by today.  I'll see you again soon!