Double D Challenge: Frames

Hello there!  It's Double D Challenge time again, and to kick off the month of June Diane is asking us to design with frames.

As always, there's a prize for a random winner, and creative favorites are voted on by the team.

The inspiration board is full of vintage loveliness, but I went a different direction with the Woodland Whimsy set (Simon Says Stamp) which was still on my table from another project.  This oldie set packs a lot of cuteness.  You know how I love critters!

My bear is resting happily on the edge of Impression Obsession's Birch Tree Rectangle frame.  Isn't he a handsome fella?  Maybe he's waiting for his Valentine to come along.  I brushed inks on the background and stamped some sprinkles.  Coloring is with Copic markers.  The plaid around the edges makes his home appear all the more cozy.

Check out the team's inspiring samples at Double D.  I hope you'll have time to play along!

Have a happy June day!

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Woodland Whimsy, SU Itty Bitty Backgrounds  Paper:  Neenah 110 lb white for die cuts, 111 lb woodgrain white for card base , brown scrap for layering, Mintay Wilderness designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Bashful Blue, Old Olive and Close to Cocoa  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Impression Obsession Birch Tree Rectangle

Bunny Smiles

I wouldn't want you to think I was done with the bunnies yet.  Well, here's another one, and it's a cutie.  It had me smiling and I hope it does the same for you.

She's from the Simon Says Stamp Woodland Whimsy set.  We go back a few years and I've loved the set lots, but I'm not sure I've used the bunny before.  Isn't she pretty with her flowers?

The flowers come with the set, and I've combined some stitched circles with butterflies, gems, and Mintay designer paper from my stash.  All older stuff that still brings me joy.  That's why we do this, isn't it?  She's colored with Copics and popped up on foam tape.  I added stamped sprinkles with the very old SU Itty Bitty Backgrounds set.  Heaven forbid I should ever be without my Itty Bitty Backgrounds!

Enjoy your day!

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Woodland Whimsy, Penny Black Thinking of You, Stampin Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds (sprinkles)  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 lb & 110 lb, yellow scrap, Mintay Farm Life designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black & Rich Cocoa  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Lil' Inker Silly Stitched Die Set, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers, Impression Obsession Butterfly Set, gems, linen thread, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Chickadees

Hello and happy Friday to you!

One recent day I was at Simon Says Stamp looking for something else entirely when I spotted the Chickadee Gathering embossing folder.  Well, it had to come home with me as birds are one of my many weaknesses when it comes to craft supplies.  I embossed on hot pressed watercolor paper and watercolored with Tombow markers and Stampin' Up reinkers.

There's a die for the birds which gives slightly more dimension.  When the coloring was finished I had another go at the white splatters.  I didn't want it to look as if it was snowing, but with the splatters and the large white sentiment I hoped to lighten up the overall appearance.  The Thinking of You sentiment is an older one, also Simon Says Stamp.

I'd like to play along in some favorite challenges today:

Triple B -- Birds, blooms, and butterflies.  Use one or all.  It seems I almost always use birds for this challenge.

NBUS Challenge #74 -- Never before used schtuff... that's my Chickadee Gathering embossing folder.

 

 

I'm heading out to the garden now.  The weather has been beautiful and I'm planting pots and puttering in the backyard where the deer can't go.  There's much to be done in the rest of the garden, too.  I'm hoping this spring and summer will be better than last with no unfortunate surprises.

Take care and enjoy your day!

 

Tweet Embossed Birthday

Hello, and happy Monday!  I have a very pastel birthday card to share today.  I'm still enjoying the March kit from Simon Says Stamp.  The embossing folder here, the stamps, the silver cord are all from the kit.  Honestly, this embossing folder was a huge selling point for me.  It's so pretty!

For this card I embossed on hot pressed watercolor paper and colored with Tombow markers and blender.  I kept it very pastel because if I was going to use it as a background I didn't want it to compete with the focal image.  Silly me, this folder deserves to be the main image with only a sentiment, perhaps.  However, the little bird and birdbath looks cute, too.

 

This angle shows how the "birthday" sentiment and the little music notes are silver-embossed to match the silver cord.  The bird and birdbath were embossed in white so they wouldn't be too stark a contrast.  The sentiment and music notes are cut with the matching dies (not included in the kit), but I hand cut the bird and birdbath.

Surprise(!) -- I used a bit of lace from my shoebox-sized container of lace and trims.  That's not counting the drawerful of ribbon.  Most of the lace and trims are from my days of sewing dolls and doll clothes and stuffed critters.  It was fun while it lasted.

I'm going to send my card to the following challenges:

Can You Handle the Pressure -- The current optional theme is "weather".  I think this card suggest a pretty spring day with blossoms blowing in the breeze... that's the weather outside my window as I type this.  The wind through the cherry tree is sending pink snow across the garden.
NBUS #73 -- Never before used schtuff.  First time use of the embossing folder.

 

Supplies are listed below.

Wishing you a beautiful spring day!

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Tweet Friend with dies  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Neenah white card base  Ink:  Versamark, SU Tempting Turquoise  Coloring:  Tombow markers with blender  Other:  SSS Drifting Flowers 3D embossing folder, lace, silver cord, silver embossing powder, white embossing powder, misc. rectangle die from stash, Scotch brand foam mounting tape to pop up bird and birdbath

Sing! It's Spring!

Hello friends!  Does it look like spring where you are?  There are daffodils blooming along our street, but at my house there's nothing but a sand pit in the front yard, currently full of rain puddles.  We had some work done on our sewer line -- not at all a pretty picture, but we're happy it's done.  Now waiting for the landscaper to make some time for us.  Everything will work out.

For the time being, I can have blue skies, blooming trees, and new life on my cards.  Simon Says Stamp drew me in with all the cute stuff in their March kit and, yes, I signed up.  I figured it's not the same as shopping if it comes as a monthly subscription, right?  I know, I know!  Fooling myself.  I've been on a shopping hiatus for months, but now I have this plus some gifts from a friend, and the next SSS kit will be coming soon... you know how it is.  I'll do my best to get to all of it and have plenty of fun in the process.

The stamp set here is Tweet Friend.  I purchased the matching dies separately.  I think you can see which of the stamps were die cut.  The mailbox stamp has a little flag with heart, but I masked it off with tape before inking, then removed the tape before stamping so I could stamp the mamma bird in its place.  I colored with Copics and brushed inks on the background.  A narrow edge of pink and some wood grain-embossed white space finish the front.

I didn't exactly match the mood board, but I don't think they'll mind:

Four Seasons Challenge -- Spring

Thank you for visiting!  Happy spring!

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Tweet Friend with coordinating dies  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 lb, SU Pink Pirouette  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Bashful Blue and Mellow Moss  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Tim Holtz Sizzix Lumber 3D embossing folder, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Stenciled Spring Flowers

Hi and welcome back to my craft room!  I've got a simple card today, made with the SSS Fading Florals stencil, cut on a curve and placed over an embossed card base.  

The sentiment is a pairing of oldies from my stash.  The embossing folder is an old-timer, too, from Stampin' Up during a Sale-a-bration.  Oh, and the curve die is one of my earliest Spellbinders.  Gosh, I've got all kinds of new things waiting in baskets, yet I inadvertently brought out the elders.  These old girls have still got it.

I'm playing along here:

April Stencil Fun Challenge -- Spring/flowers theme
Can You Handle the Pressure -- optional weather twist.  I didn't do the twist, but I'm imagining all our rainy weather will bring some pretty spring flowers.

Thanks a bunch for stopping by!  

Sweet, Sunny, and Simple

Hi and welcome back to my craft room!  Some stenciling and experimenting and just plain playing around has been going on here.  Today's cards were inspired by Loll's use of stencils and glass bead gel.  I'm a novice at using any kind of texture paste with stencils -- I don't even have a palette knife -- but since I ordered the gel in January I thought it was time to give it a go.  Loll makes it look so easy.  Well, it is once you know what you're doing (which I didn't).

Each card uses Stampin' Up inks and Simon Says Stamp Fading Florals stencil.

I thought I applied a thin coat but this stencil is a full-size slimline and I was surprised at how heavy the finished panel was.  I decided to cut it down but not with my cutter (yikes!), so I selectively cut it apart by hand.  Not a huge issue but it was not something I'd planned on.  In the end it made two cute cards that I like a lot, plus there were leftovers for the insides.

I think the second card is my favorite -- woodgrain cardstock for the base and an oldie frame die from my stash.

One note:  I knew it would take a while to dry, but after 48 hours and still tacky I realized it was never going to not be tacky so I sprayed it with clear acrylic matte sealer before I assembled the cards.  No more tacky (hurray!).  I don't know if this is to be expected, but it worked out okay.  Spray matte sealer is a staple in my craft room.

I'm sure it pays to watch a how-to video (which I didn't), but I will because I definitely plan to use this very cool medium again.

Close up:

I'm going to share in two challenges:

Stencil Fun with the optional twist of spring/flowers.
NBUS Challenge #61.  My never before used schtuff is the stencil and the glass bead gel.

 

That's all folks!  Have a happy weekend!

Twofer Spring Animals

Hello, friends!  I hope this day finds you well because you've been taking extra good care to stay out of harm's way.  All is well at my house.  I heard card making helps ward off viruses, so I've been keeping myself busy with that.

Today I'm playing along in the Twofer Challenge:  Spring Animals.  I was pretty sure there was something in my not-yet-used basket that would be just the ticket and, sure enough, SSS Woodland Whimsy was the one for me.  I have a "hello" card and a baby card featuring the little fawn.

I knew I would love this set.  Isn't it sweet?  I used the fawn once before, but this is the first time I've sat down and really played with the set.  I used 13 of its stamps on these two cards and there's a lot more to go.

For the "hello" card I stamped the fawn, then stamped a patch of foliage around her without masking.  Colored with Copics, sponged the background with distress oxide inks.  Drew a few grass sprigs.  Nothing spectacular, but cute and fun.  Cut out and popped up the trees and the sentiment.

Inside is shown below.  These little foliage and flower stamps are fun to work with.  It has almost a folk art look.  With the "hello" on the front and it being blank inside I can use it for any number of occasions.

It's been a while since I made a baby card and I've always enjoyed them, but this is quite different from most I've made.  However, I love it to pieces.  Again, those flowers make a pretty accent.

Inside is more of the patterned paper and a flower sprig and this very heartfelt sentiment that chokes me up a little bit.

Well, I'm sure glad I took the time to make these cards.  It felt great!  Thanks, Darnell and all the Twofer team for such fun inspiration!

You all have a happy day and I'll see you again later this week, I hope.

Stamps:  SSS Woodland Whimsy  Paper:  Neenah white, Moda Scrap Forever Green designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Distress Oxide Shabby Shutters and Salty Ocean  Coloring:  Copics  Accessories:  Scotch brand foam mounting tape  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Double Stitched Square Set, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers, Tutti Designs Stitched Nesting Hearts

Woodland Whimsy

Hello, and happy Friday!  So close to Christmas now.  I'm ready, are you?  Cards are made, so looks like I'll pop in a time or two again before Christmas.  As time went on the cards got simpler, but I did take the time to watercolor the first one here.

I purchased the November kit from Simon Says Stamp.  My first time, but it had quite a few things in it I thought I'd use.  This card features a deer from the Woodland Whimsy stamp set on a Suzy Plantamura watercolor panel.  Watercolors were in the kit, too.  Can't say I'll be using them again, tsk tsk.  The landscape dies cover up a thank you sentiment so I could turn it into a Christmas card (an idea from one of their kit samples).  My additions are Poppystamps Stitched Landscape and Memory Box Peace Cheshire Script.

Next card uses more from the kit:  Woodland Whimsy stamp set, Ho Ho Deer Circle die, and Moda Scrap designer paper.  The stitched rectangle die is an older one of mine -- Taylored Expressions Stitched Rectangle Stacklets.  Use that set ALL the time.  I stamped around the edge of a grocer's kraft card base.  Added gloss to the deer's nose.

I'm looking forward to playing with the Woodland Whimsy stamp set again.  It's not a Christmas set, so can be used all year.  Cute stuff!  Happy holidays!