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!

One More Daisy Card

Hi again!  Pardon me while I slip in a card I made way back in early August.  This was my third use of Spellbinders Fresh Picked Daisies and I think maybe my favorite.  I pulled a watercolor background from my stash and coordinated that with a Stampin' Up Marigold Morning card base, and Marigold Morning ink on the sentiment.  The daisies and leaves are Copic colored.

It's interesting how the leaves in this die set are very pretty and graceful, and the daisy flowers rather fun and funky.

I think I can put the daisies away for a while.

I'll leave you with the recipe, below, and a wish for a daisy kind of day!  Thank you!

Stamps:  Inside only  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Stampin' Up Marigold Morning  Ink:  Marigold Morning, other forgotten for watercolor background  Coloring:  Copics for image, watercolor smooshing for background  Dies:  Spellbinders Fresh Picked Daisies, Creative Expressions Happy Birthday sentiment  Other:  Stampin' Up Subtle embossing folder for card base

Deco Blossoms

Hello!  There's something brand new in my collection today -- Simon Says Stamp Deco Blossoms.  It's not at all like anything else in my toy box so that's why I was drawn to it.  I ordered it with the matching die set which cuts the blossom panel, the individual blossoms, and the corner flourishes.  It's fun to play with, whether simple or fancy.  I guess I went a bit fancy this time.

I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black and layered up using old-timey Spellbinders dies and a not-so-old-timey Spellbinders 3D Tile Motif embossing folder.  The blossoms were die cut and colored with Copics.  They're not popped up, but they're shaped a little.  The sentiment, as well as others, came with the set.

Challenges today:

Addicted to Stamps and More #523 -- Birthdays
Triple B August Challenge -- Always birds, butterflies, or blooms.

NBUS Challenge #89 -- My never before used schtuff is the SSS Deco Blossoms stamp and die set.

 

Thank you for visiting!  Have a craft-happy day!

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Deco Blossoms with dies  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, black from stash  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Spellbinders Divine Eloquence, Labels Twenty Eight, 3D Tile Motif embossing folder, miscellaneous small rectangle for sentiment

Magnolia Wreath

Hello there!  I was on my way to making something else entirely when a magnolia wreath happened instead.  I can't tell you what a common occurrence that is in my craft room.  I believe I was looking for foliage in my spare parts at the time.  Ah, well, no regrets.

This will be for a local friend's September birthday, and she won't care one whit that the flowers are entirely out of season.

I used all the spare leaves left over from past cutting of my Memory Box Curved Magnolia Branch.  I just added ink and arranged on a die cut circle.  Behind the flowers I have bits of The Greetery Pine Bough in white, and a super oldie Spellbinders Floral Flourishes which was also in my spare parts already embossed in gold.

For the front and inside sentiments I happily broke out a brand new Simon Says Stamp set -- Daisy Frame.  The set with dies is worth it for the sentiments alone, but I can't wait to color the pretty flowers that come with it, too!  Oh, if only I had more time in my craft room!

I'll play along in the the AAA Birthday Challenge #88 where their theme this month is "flowers".

I'm also just in time to play with the girls at Just Us Girls Challenge #835 -- Die Week.

 

Thanks everyone!  I'm glad we could visit today!

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Daisy Frame sentiment  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, pale pink Bazzill  Ink:  Stampin' Up Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, Barely Banana, Pretty in Pink, Versamark for sentiment  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  Memory Box Curved Magnolia Branch, The Greetery Pine Bough, Spellbinders Floral Flourishes  Other:  Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder, foam tape to pop up one flower

Birthday Wishes

Hello again!  Wrapping up the week with a second-time use of these Spellbinders flowers.  They're so easy I could go on and on with them, and maybe I will when my not-yet-used baskets are empty.  In my dreams, right? 

The embossing folder, circle dies, and sentiment are all Spellbinders, too.  For the yellow embossed panel I used a double sided sticky sheet to adhere thin vellum to SU's Barely Banana cardstock.  The reason I ever started doing this with the vellum and sticky sheets in the first place is because I have a whole pack of vellum that's way too thin, and I have a whole pack of sticky sheets that I can't imagine ever using up, so I put them together and it's magical!

Moving along...  I've been very busy both in and out of my stamp room lately and I have a tidy garden and a surprising lot of cards to show for it.  I hope I'll be back with more soon.

Today I'd like to play along at The Sisterhood of Crafters where the theme this month is flowers.  They have a really cute inspiration board:

I'm so glad you stopped by.  Take care and have a happy day!

Stamps:  Spellbinders Very Best Wishes with dies  Paper:  Hammermill 100 lb premium white, Stampin' Up Barely Banana, very lightweight vellum  Ink:  Stampin' Up Regal Rose, Rose Red, Blue Bayou, Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Ink Blending with brushes  Dies:  Spellbinders Stylish Oval Hello You Floral, Blossom Nestabilities, Standard Circles Small  Other:  Double sided adhesive sheet, Memory Box Fairy Jewels, dimensional foam dots, Spellbinders Criss Cross Motif 3D embossing folder

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)

Double D Challenge: Potpourri

Hello friends!  Double D Diane has a fun Potpourri board for you today -- anything goes that's somehow inspired by the board.  Have a look:

What's not to love?  I focused on the colorful candies in the lower right corner and was inspired to make some pink lemons.  That's where pink lemonade comes from, right?  I even made a pink lemonade butterfly.  Isn't it fun?

Well, it was fun for me.  The pretty lattice frame and butterfly have been with me for a long while, but the Sizzix sentiment and the Lawn Fawn Zesty Lemons are newish to me.  However, I confess the lemons have been in the not-yet-used basket for at least a year.  I adore everything in those baskets and I often wonder what takes me so long to get around to them, but it has occurred to me that anticipation is half the fun.  Can we agree?

All the coloring was done with inks and brushes.  So much crafty joy!

I know you'll enjoy the Double D team's inspired samples.  I can't wait to see yours!  Have a happy day!

Dies:  Lawn Fawn Zesty Lemons, Sizzix Happy Birthday to You, Marianne Designs Anja's Oval, Impression Obsession Medium Butterflies

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

Vellum, Die Cuts, and NBUS (Three Challenges)

Hello again and welcome!

I recently moved several items from my not-yet-used baskets to a use-next basket on my work desk and I'll be happily working my way through those in due time.  Spellbinders Fresh Picked Vase Bouquet was plucked from one of their warehouse sales who-knows-how-long ago and today it has made its way onto a card.  I intended to use it on a darker or more vivid background, but I had this embossed yellow piece, and Seize the Birthday is asking for vellum or acetate.  Now that I've got my mind around it I think it's kind of okay.

Using a double-sided adhesive sheet I adhered thin vellum to pale yellow cardstock and then embossed with Spellbinders Criss Cross Motif 3D folder.  I thought I'd be okay with cutting all the flower parts from colored cardstock, but I ended up doing a little sponging on the blooms and then adding sparkle and shimmer, none of which shows much in the photo.

I added cardstock strips and a string bow to the vase, and stash sentiment "happy birthday" with Spellbinders Very Best Wishes die cut.  There is a vellum shadow under the "wishes".

Today's challenges:

Seize the Birthday #328 -- Use vellum or acetate, or anything goes as long as it's birthday.
NBUS Challenge #87 -- My never before used schtuff is the Spellbinders Fresh Picked Vase Bouquet.
A Cut Above -- Anything goes with die cuts.

  

I'm off and running again.  Life outside the craft room awaits.  Enjoy your day!

Double D Challenge: Tropical

Hello crafty friends!  It's time for another Double D Challenge and our theme today is "Tropical".  The inspiration board gives us so many fabulous places to start.  Check it out:

I did handsprings when I saw the fish on the board as I have lots to choose from and I love them all.  For the tropical theme I chose my Memory Box Ocean Fish 3D embossing folder with matching dies and stencils, along with the MB Underwater 3D embossing folder.  What fun!

I brushed SU Pool Party ink on the Underwater background.  I was thinking I grabbed Pool Party sandable cardstock for the base but, oops, I realized later this is Soft Sky instead.  No matter, I carried on with all my different blues.

I don't do a lot of stenciling, but these fish are actually pretty fun.  I can see how a person could get hooked on stenciling.  There are so many avenues and possibilities in this craft!

How about taking a trip to the tropics with us?  The Double D team will help get you in the mood.  Enjoy!

Also sending my fishies to play along here:

Can You Handle the Pressure -- Anything goes with an embossing folder or optional "Boys to Men".
Stencil Fun Challenge -- Anything goes with stencil or optional "butterflies".

 

Thanks!

Stamps:  Frantic Stamper Shaaaark! sentiment  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb White, SU sandable cardstock maybe Soft Sky  Ink:  Various Stampin' Up  Other:  Memory Box Ocean Fish 3D embossing folder with dies and stencils, Memory Box 3D Underwater embossing folder, rectangle die from stash for sentiment