Nest Building Bird

Hi again, friends!  Nesting season has passed here in the northern hemisphere, but it's always anything goes in my craft room.  I still have some bird dies not yet used so I set about rectifying the situation.  This one is a PTI die, Feathered Friends 14.  I recently moved it from my not-yet-used-dies basket to my use-next all purpose basket (stamps, dies, embossing folders) and it wasn't long before it became a card.

For the life of me I couldn't figure out what kind of bird this is supposed to be (any ideas?) so I spent way too much time searching for something likely.  I finally settled on a Crested Bunting which lives in China.  Even still, I took some liberties -- the white spots, for instance.  It's nest building in a thicket courtesy of Memory Box Bird's Nest and Poppystamps Thicket Frame.  The parts are all ink blended with brushes.

Every now and then I like to send a card "just because" and I especially like to make them!

I'll be sending my feathered friend along to the following two challenges:

Triple B Challenge -- Always birds, butterflies, or blooms.
NBUS Challenge #89 -- My never before used schtuff is the PTI Feathered Friends 14.

Thanks for your visit!  I love when you stop by.  Have a good weekend!

Stamps:  Stampin' Up retired Itty Bitty Backgrounds (sprinkles)  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 110 lb, Cougar Natural, SU Close to Cocoa  Ink:  SU Close to Cocoa, Really Rust, Old Olive, Ranger Distress Soot Black  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes, Copic for eye, white acrylic paint for eye glint and spots  Dies:  PTI Feathered Friends 14, Memory Box Bird's Nest, Poppystamps Thicket Frame, Creative Expressions Stacked Just Because  Other:  Scotch brand foam mounting tape to pop up bird body

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

Double D Challenge: Feathers

Presenting another Double D Challenge -- Feathers!

Would you believe I have only one feather stamp in my vast collection?  And no feather dies.  However, I do have lots of birds so I chose this trio of Hero Arts birds to sing their songs with my one feather stamped repeatedly on the background panel.

I also stamped some music notes from a retired Power Poppy set and then embossed the background with SU's Subtle folder.  I love how that panel turned out.  The birds are watercolored, and I need to tell you the yellow sky area is NOT accurately depicted in the photo.  In reality it's a much softer color.  My camera does not do well with yellow and that's very sad for me as it's my favorite color.

The die cut music notes and sentiment are from a Simon Says Stamp set.

The Double D team has no shortage of feathers and they have some delightful cards to share with you.  I hope you have some feathers you can play along with.  Thank you, and have a happy day!

Stamps:  Hero Arts Three Songbirds, Simon Says Stamp Tweet Friend with dies (music notes and sentiment), Stampendous Feather Points  Paper:  Arches 140 lb cold press watercolor, Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, Stampin' Up Brocade Blue  Ink:  Stampin' Up Bordering Blue, So Saffron, Sahara sand, Ranger Archival Jet Black, Versamark, other SU inks for watercolor  Coloring:  Watercolor with SU inks  Other: Spellbinders A2 Curved Borders One, SU Subtle 3D embossing folder, SU Winter White embossing powder (old) 

HB To You -- A Little Bit Retro

Welcome back!

Today I have another die from the use-next basket -- the happy birthday sentiment die.  I found it in a Sizzix sale so it's probably already retro, but it's new to me and I love it a lot!

The rest of the dies that came out to play have varying degrees of age on them.  You know I've been plugging away at my die organizing project, and when I did the flowers category these little Poppystamps Flower Stack cuties caught my eye.  I brought in the bird and balloon for extra color and life, and it's all arranged on layered circles and a frame from my spare parts.  Just fun!

As for the die organizing/consolidating/space saving project... it requires a lot of figuring and finagling, and I can only do so much before I have to walk away from it for a while... and then I play with my discoveries.  It's as though they're brand new.  I'm hopelessly addicted.

I'll be sharing in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More #520 -- Die cuts and/or stencils
The Neglected Stuff Challenge -- My neglected stuff is the Poppystamps Flower Stack.
Word Power June Challenge -- Sentiment as focal point

  

I appreciate your time and am glad you could visit today.  Stay safe and well and keep on crafting!

Dies:  Sizzix Happy Birthday to You, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers and Stitched Scalloped Circles, Poppystamps Flower Stack, Cottage Cutz Love Letters (bird), Impression Obsession Balloons, Spellbinders Labels Twenty

Soaring Home

Hello and welcome back!

You know I've been enjoying the oldies lately, but today I decided to switch my focus to some not yet used supplies.  I felt this Simon Says Stamp Soaring Layered Bird and Cozy Birdhouse paired up nicely.

It's a bit busy, perhaps, with the designer paper and everything on an A2 card, but I was determined to fill this garden with warmth and flowers.  I die cut some flowers from the SSS Country Basket Bouquet to grow in front of the birdhouse post and give it the impression of being in the garden rather than simply in front of it.  The post, by the way, is not part of the birdhouse set.  To finish, I managed to tuck in a little "hello".

Coloring is all ink blending with brushes.  Love the woodgrain on the birdhouse.  I'll be having more fun with that later!

I'll be sharing in the following challenges:

Love those Pretty Papers -- Anything goes or optional pastels
NBUS Challenge #87 -- My never before used schtuffs are the SSS Soaring Layered Bird and Cozy Birdhouse.

 

Aside from crafting, I've been planting flowers and enjoying the garden.  I pause to throw the ball for Ridley and visit with the passersby.  Sophie has taken on the job of Neighborhood Greeter and is not to be resisted.  Everyone knows her and Ridley.

I hope you're having a lovely day wherever you are.  Thank you so much for dropping by!

Stamps:  Inside greeting only  Paper:  Lightly hammered green cardstock from stash, Cougar Vanilla, Hammermill Premium 100 lb white for die cuts, Paper Rose Bees & Butterflies designer paper  Ink:  Various Stampin' Up  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  SSS Soaring Layered Bird, Cozy Birdhouse, and Country Basket Bouquet, Cottage Cutz sentiment from Telephone set, Penny Back wood floors for birdhouse post, Spellbinders Essential Arches

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!

Double D Challenge: Add a Bow

Hello friends!  Double D has a challenge for you today that is bound to inspire some pretty cards -- put a bow on it!

I knew I wanted to use my pretty SSS Double Loop Bow, and might as well use the SSS Country Basket Bouquet which I bought at the same time.  The brown basket was a spare already made up, so I commenced to filling it with flowers.  So much fun!  As it happens, I had two spare Chickadees from the SSS Chickadee Gathering 3D embossing folder with dies, so I colored them as well.  Too dark on the wings and tail feathers, oops, but there's always a next time.  I think they look very comfortable tucked into the flowers!

The background was embossed with the Chickadee Gathering folder and brushed with ink.  Just enough of it shows to add texture and to help the card appear a lot more dimensional than it actually is.  As I made this card near Mother's Day I was thinking of my mom who passed years ago, and I may never mail it.  I still have the card I made while thinking of her on last year's Mother's Day.  I wish I'd started a card tradition years ago... a special collection just for Mom.  It's not too late to start.

Lastly, I added some tiny SSS gold star embellishments, and a sentiment from The Ton.  Further details are in the recipe below my signature.

Drop by Double D and see what the team has to share with you.  Pretty stuff there!  I hope you'll have time to share yours as well!

Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions w/dies  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, brown scraps for basket  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black and Versamark for sentiment, Distress Oxide Shabby Shutters for leafy background, SU Close to Cocoa to shade basket  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  SSS Country Basket Bouquet and Double Loop Bow, SSS Chickadee Gathering 3D embossing folder with dies, Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder for sentiment, SSS gold star embellishments, Scotch brand foam mounting tape to pop up basket

A Sympathy Card

Hi!  I'm back again with some not so moldy oldies.  This one is for The Paper Players Challenge where LeAnne has provided a sketch.  As soon as I saw it I knew I had some spare parts that would work just perfectly.

I cut the card base and embossed with SU's Subtle 3D folder (retired), and I cut a mat for the leafy embossed panel, but everything else was already made:

Die-namites Resting Birds
Paper Smooches Foliage 1
The Ton Easy Expressions
Sizzix Tim Holtz Fallen Leaves 3D embossing folder

I brushed on SU inks Apricot Appeal, More Mustard, Close to Cocoa, and stamped some black sprinkles via SU Itty Bitty Backgrounds.

Here's The Paper Players sketch:

Turns out I like this sketch a lot and will save it for future makes.  Thanks, LeAnne!

I'm going to have to quit making cards and get back to my organizing project, but I keep getting distracted by all these fun toys!  I have a few posts ready for later so maybe now...

Have a happy day!

Bird Tapestry

Hello and welcome!

As I go through the process of consolidating my dies -- several like dies onto one magnetic sheet -- I'm becoming reacquainted with the oldies.  It's funny how they can look brand new and I'm eager to use them again.  Such is the case with this Tutti Designs Bird Tapestry.  I found one in the envelope already cut in white and just waiting for a card.

 

Dainty and feminine, isn't it?  Just sweet.  I cut another panel and layered it, then layered that over a panel of BasicGrey Euphoria paper (quite old).  I think the small flowery print looks pretty peeking through the negative cut.  The blue panel it rests on is from the same Euphoria pad, and I cut the sentiment from that blue as well.  Before cutting the sentiment I glued the designer paper onto a heavy white cardstock so it would be easier to work with, as well as having a bit more dimension.

To finish, I punched 1/8" cardstock circles with a hole punch, placed them as shown, and coated with JudiKins Diamond Glaze.

Sharing here:

The Neglected Stuff Challenge.  The last time I used this die was 2018.  It seems like yesterday.

I'm thinking I need to designate a few hours a month to the oldies.

I have a long way to go on the die project.  I've done Banners & Flags, Beach, Birds, Birthday, Borders, Bows.  I'm about to start on Butterflies & Bugs and that will finish the "B's".  The categories end with "Words", so you can guess it will take a while.

I appreciate that you took the time to stop by.  Wishing you a lovely day!

Christmas Dove for May

Hi friends!  I have failed this month to reach my goal of two or more Christmas cards, but I do have one, and it's made with oldies I uncovered during the extensive cleaning, tidying, organizing project I've undertaken in my craft room.  The most time consuming project is the process of consolidating my dies to group several dies or die sets onto one magnetic sheet.  I'll have to share more on that later, but it's saving a lot of space and looking much tidier.  It's a long process and I'm not even done with the birds yet.  There are a LOT more letters in the alphabet!

Anyway, that's where this card comes in.  I found two doves already made up and sitting with the die in its envelope.  Per this organizing project I'm no longer keeping the spare cuts in with their dies because that was adding bulk, so there goes another whole job of organizing the spare parts.  In this case I decided to simply layer the two doves and make a card.

At the start of the project I went through all the dies to see what I might possibly relinquish.  There are currently 10 die sets sitting on the give-away pile, and this wreath was up for consideration, but I decided its time has not yet come.  When I opened its envelope I found one wreath cut in green, so I cut another in white and layered it.  To make the die appear more dimensional I Copic colored just the bow (it's all one die), then went over the bow with a Ranger Distress Embossing pen and embossed with clear powder.

The sentiment was already stamped, cut, and waiting.  In the photo below you can almost see that the card base was stamped in Versamark with my old SU Flannel Plaid background and embossed with clear powder.  It makes for a glossy textured card front with a hint of pattern, much more visible in real life (and actually very cool).  Put it all together and there's one more Christmas card for the box.

That's lots of talk for one rather simple card, but there's so much more to this craft than just putting a card together.  The thing is, I love all of it -- shopping, creating, organizing, sharing.  I feel so fortunate to have such an interest.  How about you?

Total Christmas cards in the box:  14

Happily, I'm able to play along with Jo and Guest Joanne in the Christmas Kickstart Challenge this month as their theme is Season's Tweetings.  I do have a bird or two in my collection (ahem).

Thanks for putting up with me.  Stay crafty, my friends!

Stamps:  Poppystamps Christmas Banners (dies included), SU Flannel Plaid  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 110 lb, SU Always Artichoke (bottom wreath layer)  Ink:  SU Real Red for sentiment, Versamark for Flannel Plaid background (barely visible on card base)  Coloring:  Copics for bow  Dies:  Cheery Lynn Peace Dove, Tutti Designs Wreath with Bow  Other:  Ranger Distress embossing pen, detail clear embossing powder, Scotch brand foam mounting tape to slightly lift dove's wing and tail

Birds on a Flowering Branch

Hello and welcome!  I finally have a card to share.  Actually, I made this card maybe two weeks ago, but my big (old) computer where I edit photos simply would not start one day.  It wouldn't even start in the shop for the tech guru.  He was able to save my hard drive but not my programs (also old), so here I am, starting over, learning new software.  Even my monitor wouldn't start with the new computer, so off I went again...

Pictured below is a beautiful Penny Black stamp from last year.  I watercolored with Twinkling H2Os, then added an Easy Expressions from The Ton, and embellished with a few small gems.  I miss my old editing programs, but I'll get the hang of it.  During the cropping and straightening process things went a little wonky.

I'm playing along in the following challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge:  Anything goes or your favorite Penny Black Stamp.  I love all my PB stamps from cute to beautiful, but I'm drawn to anything with a bird, so today it's this stamp called Confidant.  Are they whispering secrets?
Triple B Challenge:  Birds, blooms, or butterflies.  I can't resist.  Look at all that pretty pink in their inspiration board!
NBUS Challenge #86:  Never before used schtuff.  Yes, this beautiful stamp has been sealed in its package since last spring.

 

That's all for now!  Life is busy, but I'll try to be back soon.  We have out of town visitors next week, so housework must be done.  Sophie has already been to the beauty parlor.  An adventure dog can start to look a little scruffy after a while.

Scruffy Sophie

Stay crafty, my friends!

Stamps:  Penny Black Confidant, The Ton Easy Expressions  Paper:  Strathmore 140 lb cold press watercolor, natural white card base, Neenah white sentiment  Ink:  Ranger Archival Watering Can, Stampin' Up Brocade Blue & Memento Tuxedo Black for sentiment  Coloring:  Watercolor with Twinkling H2Os  Other:  Clear gems, foam tape to pop up sentiment