Sunflower and Asters

Greetings friends!  I have fall colors today and another photo-filled post.  This time of year I always try to play with the last of my summer flower purchases.  I don't like to rush so I never catch up, but it doesn't matter... I'll have plenty of flowers left over to brighten the winter days.

Today I have late summer - early fall blooms, starting with a cute little Golden Sunflower that came free with a Simon Says Stamp purchase.  Several sentiments and the butterflies are included in the set.  Very nice!

I used three different stitched dies, a tad bit of designer paper, and a border of leaf ribbon that comes out of the drawer most every fall.  I also pulled out some very old Prismatics Papaya Puree Dark and Prismatics Crabapple Dark cardstock.  Maybe you can see the lightly hammered texture.  The sunflower stamp was colored with Copics, and the image panel brushed with ink.

The next two cards focus on the SSS Daisy Frame set.  Stamped and cut with the matching dies, I thought they could also look like asters or perhaps chrysanthemums if I colored them as such.  I added more texture with Spellbinders Scallops embossing folder.

A rather traditional aster color for the next card.  Simpler, a bit of designer paper for the arched frame, and an old Cuttlebug Diamonds in the Rough embossing folder was used for texture within the frame.  Both asters cards were colored with Tombow markers and blender.

Forgive me for not writing a supply list, but I think I covered the essentials.

I'll be sending my sunflower card to the following challenges:

Triple B Challenge --  always birds, blooms, or butterflies.  The have such a gorgeous yellow inspiration board this month.
NBUS Challenge #90 -- The Golden Sunflower stamp set is my never before used schtuff.

 

Thank you so much for stopping by.  Enjoy your day!

Jam Packed with Love for Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Hi everyone!  Popping in today with a reminder there's still time to play along in the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  It's always anything goes, but our optional theme this month is "use a die".  I do have a die or two in my toybox, so I went that route.

 

I used a die for framing and to cut the sentiment, but the real cuties in this card are those two little mousers who've gotten into the jam jar.  Even though I don't want mice in my jam jar I can't help but find little furry creatures adorable and Penny Black's Homemade stamp set is jam packed with adorableness.  The sentiment in this case is from a Hero Arts set.

I watercolored with Tombow markers.  I added a pink wash around the mice, but when I saw the photo I was disappointed that it didn't show up.  Then I looked at the card again and realized it had all faded away!  What the heck?  Oh well, I left it as is and moved on.

The glossy dots are punched from designer paper, then coated with Diamond Glaze.  You know how I love doing that.  If you look closely you can see a bit of pattern in the larger dots.

That's it for me today.  This was great fun because you know how I love my Penny Black stamps.  It's guaranteed you'll love what my co-designer, Denise, and the PBSC team have created, and I really hope you can play along.  The more Penny Black, the merrier!

Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Homemade, Hero Arts Jam Packed sentiment  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, other white for card base, Crate Paper Pretty Party designer paper (years old)  Ink:  Ranger Archival Watering Can  Coloring:  Watercolor with Tombow markers  Other:  Die-namics Stitched Rectangle Frames, other rectangle for sentiment, 1/4" & 1/8" hole punches, JudiKins Diamond Glaze, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Double D Challenge: When Life Hands You Lemons

Welcome back, friends!  It's time for another Double D Challenge.  Today our theme is "When Life Hands You Lemons".  The inspiration board is so pretty!

When Life hands me lemons I'm going to make a lemon card, and today it includes lemonade and these adorable Penny Black meeces.  I used my trusty Tombow markers and homemade blender solution to color this one.

I tend to want to use cute papers with cute images, but I told myself a long time ago that it's okay to mix cute and beautiful, so that's what I did here.  The Ciao Bella Sicilia paper has lemons galore, and the pattern on the background piece appears rather playful, especially when your brain sees it with the mice.  The mat directly under the image panel reminds me of kitchen tiles.  At any rate, I like how it came together.

The glossy dots I scattered around for fun were punched from the designer paper and then coated with diamond glaze -- one of my absolute favorite things to do.  It's a smile card, for sure!

The team has some wonderfully inspiring cards to share with you at Double D.  I love this theme and I hope you do, as well, and will enjoy playing along with us.

Take care and have a happy day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Homemade  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, CTMH Star Spangled Blue, Ciao Bella Sicilia designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black  Coloring:  Tombow markers and homemade blender  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Double Stitched Square set  Other:  1/4" & 1/8" hole punches, JudiKins Diamond Glaze

Penny Black on a Saturday

Hello, crafty friends!  I hope you're all enjoying a nice weekend doing whatever makes you happy.  I've been retired for going on 11 years now, but I still find something special about the weekends.  After all those working years I just don't get over the feeling of release that comes with a Friday night.

I'm here today to share in the Penny Black Saturday Challenge where the optional theme is "Things with Wings".  That's my cue to color up my newest Penny Black stamp, Wings of Joy.  It's easy for me to go overboard with my Penny Black purchases because I'm such a fan, but I've been conservative lately.  This stamp though, sigh... and the Serenity Edger die set... they were a quick hop into my basket.

I stamped the bird and branch in Memento Toffee Crunch, and the sentiment in Palette Noir on extra white hot pressed watercolor paper and watercolored with Tombow markers.  Sponged the edges with Stampin' Up More Mustard ink.  After layering onto a card base of ivory textured Bazzill I applied the watercolored die cut "serenity" and a few iridescent sequins.

The set has a larger wisteria chain and extra leaves which I've already stamped and will try to turn into a card soon.  Penny Black has just released a Christmas collection and I'm currently trying to make my conservative choices.  I'm thinking poinsettias and a sentiment/die set.  It's never ending.

Challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge -- Things with Wings, or optional anything goes.
NBUS Challenge #89 -- My never before used schtuff is the Penny Black Wings of Joy stamp set.

 

Thank you so much for spending a little time with me today.  I do enjoy our visits!

Stamps:  Penny Black Wings of Joy  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico 140 lb hot press watercolor, ivory Bazzill for card base  Ink:  Memento Toffee Crunch for image, Palette Noir for sentiment, Stampin' Up More Mustard for brushing image panel edges  Coloring:  Watercolor with Tombow markers  Other:  Penny Black Serenity Edger die set, iridescent sequins, white acrylic paint for eye glint

Mice, Mice Baby

Hi there!  I have a card here that I wasn't expecting to share today, but along came The Paper Players Challenge with the theme "For the Little Ones".  I had recently sat down with my Penny Black Especially Micey set and stamped, colored, and created cards.  The others were shared previously, this one is the fourth and final.  It feels good to have enjoyed every stamp in the set.

I colored with Tombow markers and blender, chose some old designer paper and coordinated all colors around that, including the Cougar Natural card base.  Wishing I'd used white, but hindsight, sigh...  Nevertheless, the stamps are cute.  Penny Black never lets me down!

The Paper Players Challenge -- For the Little Ones

Thanks everyone!  I'm so glad you stopped by!

Stamps:  Penny Black Especially Micey, Stampin' Up retired All Year Cheer  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Cougar Natural, Stampin' Up Gable Green, stash DCWV designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black  Coloring:  Tombow markers and blender  Other:  Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangles, Scrapbook.com Mini Flowers, Cuttlebug Seeing Spots embossing folder

Pretty Papers and Flowers

Hello and welcome!

I started with one card and ended up with three when I pulled out a pretty Zoju paper pad called Forest Dreams.  The first is teamed with Penny Black products -- see notes under photo.

Penny Black Love Blooms stamp set with dies, Serenity Edger, and Curved Stitch dies

I stamped with Ranger Archival Watering Can on hot press watercolor paper and colored with Tombow markers.  To finish, I dotted with Simply White Nuvo drops.  The Serenity Edger die set includes not only the edger, but this straight cut "Serenity" as well.  It's from their most recent release and I'm loving it a lot!

For the next card I wanted to use the butterfly paper, but I felt it needed a little something so I edged it with the flower buds from the PB Love Blooms set.  Then I fretted that the focal point was too ambiguous.  Was it the butterfly or the flower buds?  In the end I simply added the silver satin birthday sentiment and finished with sequins and Nuvo drops.

The paper was too pretty to put away just yet, so I let it shine on for one more card.  

Impression Obsession Fancy Cut Out Border
Sentiment from retired Power Poppy Floribunda stamp set

Since today's cards are mostly all about the pretty papers I'd like to play along here:

Love those Pretty Papers -- Anything goes with patterned paper as a prominent feature, or optional coastal.

*** Also ***

NBUS Challenge #88 -- My never before used schtuff is the Penny Black Serenity Edger die set.  Darnell is having a Mutual Appreciation Celebration this month.  She's pretty amazing to put this on.  Check it out on the challenge blog.  Thank you, Darnell!

I hope follow.it works this time.  It did not send my previous post, but maybe it will go through with this one.  Thank you for visiting!

Double D Challenge: Your Favorite Fruit

We have some colorful pickin's for you today at Double D!  Our theme is "Your Favorite Fruit".  Have a look at the inspiring deliciousness below:

Isn't it beautiful?  I do love fruit!  How can I pick a favorite?  I always have apples, bananas, and oranges in the house.  Fresh picked strawberries are indescribable.  Blackberries, salmonberries, thimble berries, huckleberries, and salal berries grow wild around our house and I love them all.  Blueberries are grown in abundance nearby and I can't get enough.  Mangos are definitely a favorite, especially the honey mangos.  Oh, and peaches, apricots, pineapple, cherries, grapes, kiwi, raspberries, pears.  Later this summer I'll be eating plums and figs off the tree at my BIL's house (but not too many figs).  That's just to name a few.  I could go on.  Oops, forgot cantaloupe and star fruit... somebody stop me!

But what would a summer picnic or barbeque be without watermelon?  Let's ask Flappy what he thinks:

 

I always say "love me, love my dog hair", but this might be a bit much.  However, even dogs need to beat the heat, and I know there are many people around the world trying to do just that this summer.  Flappy is a new-to-me Purple Onion favorite called Watermelon Chill.  I colored him with my Tombow markers and designed the card with mostly spare parts and scraps.  The "Stay cool" is from a retired Power Poppy set.

The screen is an Amazon find by way of Pinterest ad.  Those ads have gotten to me quite a few times now and I can't say I'm sorry.  I popped it up to help keep Flappy cooler.

That's it from me, friends!  Check out the team's favorite fruits at Double D, and then pick yours and share it, too.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Purple Onion Watermelon Chill, retired Power Poppy Forest Fellas sentiment  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb watercolor, BasicGrey June Bug designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black for Flappy, Memento Tuxedo Black for sentiment  Coloring:  Tombow markers  Dies:  Lapoo Geometric Circle, Taylored Expressions Ric Rac Borders, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers, Cottage Cutz Flowers  Other:  1" circle punch for sentiment, Scotch brand foam mounting tape, Stampin' Up Subtle 3D embossing folder for card base

Nice Little Mice

Hi there, and welcome back!

It's been a few days since I posted.  Just busy with life stuff as well as making cards for later.  Today's cards are just for play.

I pulled another not-yet-used item from my use-next basket.  This time it's a stamp set, an older, but new-ish to me Penny Black set called Especially Micey.  I've now used every stamp in the set and I'm feeling good about that!

The first card is simple and clean with the "wish", the leafy vine, and the flower from my oldie stash.  I figured the Aster die could double as a dandelion if I colored it yellow.  The bee was in my spare parts and the designer paper is years old.  I'm trying to use it up, but it just goes on and on.

The second card uses more of that designer paper, along with one of my Stamping Bella Spec-tacular sentiments.  I added a fern die, and some Nuvo drops.

My first card is heading over to Simply Clean & Simple where the theme this month is "Birthday". 

Card #2 is going to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge where the theme is anything goes or "On the Move".  I made the second card for last month's PBSC to use patterned paper, but I was too late so I'll go with the anything goes option this month.

 

Thank you for visiting today.  I'll try not take so long before I pop in here again.  

Stamps:  Penny Black Especially Micey, Fiskars Make a Wish Quotes (1st card), Stamping Bella Spec-tacular sentiment (2nd card)  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white (1st), Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb watercolor & SU Poppy Parade (2nd), old Memory Box Brioche designer paper (both cards)  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black & SU Soft Sky (1st), Ranger Archival Jet Black (2nd)  Coloring:  Copics (1st), Tombow markers and blender (2nd)  Dies:  Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters, Poppystamps Diana Border, Memory Box Buzzing Bumblebees (1st card), Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangles, MayJoyDIY Ferns (2nd card)  Other:  White acrylic paint (1st), Sugared Almond Nuvo Drops (2nd card)

Three Christmas Cards for June

Hi friends!  It's Christmas cards today.  I did better than last month in that I have three more to add to the box.  Loll's CAS Christmas Challenge is back and I was eager to play.  I'm not good at clean and simple as I tend to want to add that little something extra, but I always loved this challenge.  The theme this month is "Bird" -- yes, please!

My bird is colored with Tombow markers on hot pressed watercolor paper.  I painted the snow on the berries with white acrylic paint and then applied Stickles Stardust glitter.  I probably shouldn't have embossed the background as the guidelines say "no pattern", oops, but I sure do love the way it looks.  I used a double-sided adhesive sheet to apply thin vellum to cardstock before embossing it and was surprised at how white the embossed patterned turned out.

Stampendous Chickadee Holiday, Spellbinders Scallop Labels and Tag,
Spellbinders Pinecones & Berries 3D embossing folder, older retired Stampin' Up Joy die

CAS Christmas Challenge -- Bird

 

CAS Definition

- clean (uncluttered) cohesive design

- must include white "or open" space (no pattern)

- minimal layers and embellishments

************

The next two cards are not intended for the CAS Christmas Challenge. Pictured below is the same Stampendous bird set as the first card, called Chickadee Holiday.  I did not color them as Chickadees and that's just okay.  They're cute little birds that probably look like something, but I'm not sure what.  I carried on with the vellum and double-sided adhesive, this time on dark green cardstock.  It appears as though I applied white ink which smeared onto the non-embossed areas, too.   I'm flabbergasted by the whiteness.

Next, I switched to another Stampendous set called Heavenly Birds.  These plump little cutie birds and the starry background are all one stamp.  I stamped once in Ranger Archival Black for Tombow coloring, and once in white ink on navy cardstock for the white embossing.  Cut each with a frame die, mounted on navy, then white, and finally a navy card base.  Added the star and gem.  Definitely not CAS, but not too much, either.

Stampendous Heavenly Birds, Scrapbook.com North Stars die
Memory Box Oval Master Frame, Poppystamps Christmas banners with dies

Total Christmas cards in the box:  17

I may do more Christmas cards this month, but I'm not sure.  No pressure, just come what may.

Thank you so much for your time!

Treat Yourself

Hi again, friends!  Seize the Birthday's "Sweet Treats" prompt grabbed my attention and I was inspired to play along with another oldie or two.  I have baskets full of not yet used stamps and dies, but sometimes you just have to go with the flow.  I've used Stampendous Tiers of Treats with an Inky Antics sentiment.

The gingham is a lightweight cardstock from a 12 x 12 pad which I'll never finish off in my lifetime.  I made the whole card with it and lined the inside.  The cute loopy border trim begged to be used after too long a time, and then I just kept adding more.  I cut the image with a tag die and found the matching frame in my spare parts.  Coloring was done with Tombow markers on watercolor paper.

The inside sentiment is another Stampendous oldie:

I continue to struggle mightily with my new photo editing software.  It takes so long to get a photo to look right that I almost want to give up, yet I persevere.  Still working on the die sorting project, too.  Little by little.

Two challenges here:

Seize the Birthday -- Sweet Treats
Neglected Stuff -- My neglected stuff is the loopy border and the Tiers of Treats.  The last time I used this stamp was 2019... I looked it up.

 

Thanks for sparing me a few minutes of your time.  It's been some busy days here and I imagine it's the same for you.  Take care and we'll meet again soon!

Stamps:  Stampendous Tiers of Treats and Birthday Calories sentiment (inside), Inkyy Antics Pampered Benton Treat Yourself sentiment, SU Itty Bitty Backgrounds (sprinkles)  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb watercolor paper, gingham cardstock, other scraps, Neenah 110 lb white  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Close to Cocoa for sprinkles  Coloring:  Tombow markers  Dies:  Sizzix Fancy Tags, SSS Pretty Bows, Lawn Fawn Outside In Stitched Scalloped Rectangles, Taylored Expressions Ric Rac Borders, Frantic Stamper Livermore Loop Border, Spellbinders Standard Circles and Scalloped Circles