Thanksgiving Rescue

Hi there!  I decided to make a Thanksgiving card with a not-yet-used stamp which I thought was so cute and would be fun to color.  Sure enough, it was fun!  However, something about the stamp got to bothering me as I was coloring... I don't know why I didn't think about it before:  The turkey is alive and plucked and laying in a roasting pan!

I know it's all for fun, but at that point I couldn't unsee it.  With the "grateful for you" sentiment in a speech bubble I hoped to convey the impression that the dog had rescued the turkey from... well... you know.  Now they're running off to enjoy the pie together.  Whatever.

I watercolored with some paints that came free in a kit, plus some Stampin' Up inks, and a Tombow marker or two.  Played with designer paper and an older embossing folder, added white splatters and a twine bow.

I'm sorry to be rushing off, but that's how my week has been.  Our son came to visit over the weekend, and I'll be out of town for a few days this week.  It's been busy, but fun.  Pictured below is Saturday's outdoor excursion with Sophie and Ridley:

We were in the dunes again.  There's so much room to run and explore.  My beautiful children.  I'll miss snuggling and loving on them for the next few days as they're staying home with Rich (😔).

I'll catch up with you later.  Till then... have a wonderful week!

Stamps:  Purple Onion Designs Thanksgiving is here, Impression Obsession Grateful for You  Paper:  Arches 140 lb cold press watercolor, Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, DCWV Fall Forest designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black, various other  Coloring:  Watercolor  Other:  SU embossing folder (name forgotten), Impression Obsession Small Leaf Set, Cottage Cutz speech bubble from Telephone set, Scotch brand foam mounting tape to pop up sentiment

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

Southwest Greetings

Hello friends!

Moving right along to more not-yet-used supplies, in this case it's the Tim Holtz Funky Cactus set.  I thought the set was cute and different and, the fact is, I needed a thank you card for some friends who treated us to Mexican dinner.  So...

I reached into my drawerful of southwest style woodblock stamps that haven't been touched in ages.  I still love them a lot and that's why they haven't been purged.  The frame image here is an ancient Anita's stamp with no name on it.  It's all one big woodblock stamp and in order to make it a multi-color image I stamped in a light, but easily visible Copic-friendly ink, and then colored over the lines with Copics.  I think it makes a super cute frame for the cacti.

Here's an extra picture so you can see the before and after:

I've been wanting to play along with Amy Tsuruta's Woodblock Wednesday challenge which falls on the last Wednesday of each month and it's only open a few days (maybe 5?).  I'm not good with short term challenges, but I was ready for this one.

Woodblock Wednesday -- Must use a woodblock stamp.

Also:

Neglected Stuff Challenge -- All of my southwest stamps have been neglected far too long.
NBUS Challenge #87 -- My never before used schtuff is the Tim Holtz Funky Cactus die set.

 

I don't usually post two days in a row, let alone three, but tomorrow I'll be here again.  Sorry, not cards, but maybe you won't mind a few pics of Sophie and Ridley.

Enjoy your day!

Double D Challenge: Humor

Hi there!  At the Double D Challenge today Diane is asking to see our creations which evoke a grin, a giggle, a chuckle, a chortle, a smile, a snicker... we could all use a good laugh any day of the week.

Here's a little bit of inspiration...

... and a prize for a random winner:

The team votes for creative winners.  There's always more information on the challenge blog.

**********

Although I found I have quite a few stamps that would fall into the humorous category I immediately thought of this old woodblock stamp called Happy Couple.  It's seen a fair amount of ink in its day and still going strong.  The sentiment is from Rubbernecker.

The inside sentiment is "Happy new year".  I rarely send new year's cards because I've generally just finished making and mailing 60-80 Christmas cards, but in 2027 I'll be mailing at least one new year's greeting.

I brought in stars and streamers and paper that brings to mind fireworks and late night partying -- all oldies from the toybox, save for the Waffle Flower Dreamy Frame which is fresh from the not-yet-used basket.  The picture below shows the shimmer and glitter from Wink of Stella and Stickles glitter glue.  In real life the effect is somewhere between the first picture and the second.

Come have a good time with us at Double D!  The team is sharing cards that are sure to bring forth a hee-haw, a whoop, a guffaw, or a titter.  Let's fill the gallery with laughter!

Have a happy day!

Stamps:  American Art Stamp Happy Couple, Rubbernecker Slow Down  Paper:  Hammermill 100 lb premium white, black card base and streamer, SU Rose Red stars and streamer, BasicGrey Euphoria designer paper (very old)  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics for minimal coloring  Other:  Waffle Flower Dreamy Frame die, Memory Box Banner Parade (2015), Wink of Stella, Stickles Diamond and Black Diamond glitter glue

Sweet as Honey

Hi there!  Last month after Christmas cards were finally made n' mailed I sat with my baskets of never before used stamps and made up a few card kits.  For each kit I stamped the images, chose papers and embellishments, and in most cases I prepped the card base to the point that all I had to do was add the focal panel and embellishments.  There are a few different reasons for doing this, but mostly it was just plain fun.

A few days ago I pulled this kit out of the basket and finished the card.  I paired a not-yet-used Unity stamp with an old favorite Spellbinders die combo.  It was all prepped and ready to go with ancient SU designer paper peeking from under the decorative die.  I colored with Copics, then glued the image panel to the card base and added the sentiment and gold sequins.  Sweet as honey!

I'd like to play in the following two challenges

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge -- Anything goes or optional mood board as shown below.
NBUS Challenge #82 -- Never before used schtuff (Unity Sweet as Honey stamp)

 

I'm so glad we could visit today.  We'll get together again real soon, okay?  Take care!

Stamps:  Unity Sweet as Honey, Stampin' Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds (retired)  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, retired SU designer paper  Ink:  Memento London Fog and Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Other: Spellbinders A2 Divine Eloquence and Labels Twenty Eight, gold sequins

Double D Challenge: For the Kiddos

Hello there!  The Double D challenge is all about the kids today.  We have a fun board for inspiration...

... and a cute stencil prize for a random winner.  As always, creative winners are by team vote.

The board is full of Disney characters, which I don't have in my collection, but I was inspired by Pooh Bear to pull out one of my oldest stamps by DJ Inkers (or Hooks, Lines, and Inkers -- 1993).  I've used this guy many times in the past, but it's been more than a minute since he last saw ink.  He's just so easy and fun and cute, and he goes perfectly with my Cottage Cutz bamboo frame.

The sentiment is an oldie from Stampin' Up.  The background is a Sizzix 3D folder called Fallen Leaves -- another oldie and one of my most gorgeous favorites that WOWs me every time.  I brushed on yellow and blue inks for a soft suggestion of a bamboo forest.

Just for fun I cut an extra frame and trimmed off a piece for the panda to play with.

The team has some cute cards to share with you on the Double D blog!  If you need a card for one of the kids in your life perhaps you'd like to play along.  We'd love to see you there!

Have a wonderful summer day!

Blue and Yellow

Hello again!  I have a few cards made... some of them came together quickly, but not necessarily this one.  I made it for the Color Hues Challenge, hosted this time around by my friend, Marcia.  She chose blue and yellow, which I quite like, but typical of a challenge, it took me to an unexpected outcome.

Looking through my NBUS basket I landed on this Unity stamp which is near and dear to my heart.  I first saw it shortly after Wally and LuLu passed in 2023, but I was too heartbroken to think about ever using a dog stamp again.

Then along came Sophie.  There's still a crack in my heart that will never heal, but after 21 months with Sophie life is getting better.  These things take time.

Most of what I used on my card is old(ish), but it's all listed in the recipe.  The image is embossed with WOW black powder, and I made the grassy die cuts glossy by applying clear packing tape to black cardstock before cutting.  The card is actually 4 1/4 x 5", cut down to make all the dies fit together more evenly.

It reminds me of the end of a perfect day -- like this perfect day, just a few days ago.  Even my Rich walked a mile and a half, oxygen pack and all.

The Color Hues Challenge #109 -- Blue and Yellow
NBUS Challenge #74  -- My never before used schtuff is the Unity Oodle & Retriever stamp.

 

A lot has changed since since those long treks with Wally and LuLu (April 2012).

Wishing you a perfect day!

Stamps:  Unity Oodle & Retriever Silhouette  Paper:  Copic X-Press It Blending Card for image, SU Brocade Blue, Cougar Natural, black  Ink:  SU Brocade Blue & Barely Banana, Versamark  Dies:  Spellbinders Scored and Pierced Rectangles, Memory Box Tall Grassy Stem Right Corner and Dragonfly Stems Left Corner, Verve A Cut Above Amazing Adjectives, Creative Expressions Leafy Frame (in the background)  Other:  Black embossing powder, clear packing tape, TH Sizzix Lumber 3D embossing folder

Seize the Birthday -- Milestone

Hello!  I'm back again for Seize the Birthday.  This time we're creating milestone cards.

A milestone can be a lot of different things, but remember we're thinking "birthday" here.  If you're not a toppings kind of crafter, then just do a regular birthday card.  We'd love to see it!

The milestone topping stumped me at first.  I knew I wanted to do a sweet sixteen card for a friend's granddaughter, but I don't have number dies or stamps.  Then I remembered my Memory Box Wooden Alpha letters and figured I could just spell it out.  So here you go:

Keeping it very sweet and feminine, a lot went into this card, playing across it's 6 3/4" length.  The letters were cut from a very bright pink cardstock.  Too bright, in fact, so I smooshed over them with my white pigment ink.  Now they're softened with a whitewashed appearance.  Lots of pretty die cuts and papers, too much to mention here so I put it all in the recipe below.    I think you can see the Stickles glitter here and there. The one stamped element is the little violets cupcake.  Did you notice it?  It's a diminutive and pretty Lockhart stamp from many years ago.

Don't forget to say "hi" to the talented team at Seize the Birthday, and then share your own card in the link up.  It's going to be another fabulous players' gallery, I'm sure.  Take care and I'll see you again real soon!

Stamps:  Lockhart Violets cupcake  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 110 lb, Stampin' Up Pixie Pink, Mintay Lovely Day designer paper  Ink:  SU Pixie Pink, Barely Banana, white pigment ink  Coloring:  Copics for cupcake, brushed ink for other  Dies:  Memory Box Wooden Alpha, Cottage Cutz Sweet w/Shadow (did not use shadow), Elizabeth Craft Bunch of Flowers 4, Impression Obsession Balloons, Memory Box Precious Hearts (for balloon strings & bows)  Other:  Stickles Diamond glitter, 1/4" circle punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Ladybug and Flower for the Neglected Stuff Challenge

Hello again and welcome!

I'm all excited about the Neglected Stuff Challenge, brand new this month.  It's another of the umpteen challenges run by our friends, Diane and Darlene.  It runs for a month, and all neglected stuff is welcome -- stamps, dies, papers, embellishments, ephemera...  endless stuffs -- anything that's been sitting unused for far too long a time.

My thoughts turned first to the many woodblock stamps I've loved enough to keep through multiple purges.  The one I chose today goes way back to my earliest days of stamping and it's still one of my favorites.  It's been many years since I've used it.

It's a Great Impressions stamp with no name on it.  Alongside is a Heartfelt Creations sentiment which was in my spare parts drawer.  The patterned paper is 2009 BasicGrey Origins which had only been neglected 2 or 3 years until I pulled it out for my previous post.  I have so little of it left that I decided to work on finishing off the pad.

I colored with Copics, created a frame with one of my oldest Spellbinders dies, and embellished with tiny gems.

If I saw this stamp today I would still want to buy it.

I get so intent on using my newest purchases that I skip over some of the best stuff.  I use oldies, but they tend to be mostly sentiments, dies, papers.  It's not often that the focus is on the oldie.  Hoping to change that going forward.

The Neglected Stuff Challenge

Thanks for visiting with me today!  I hope to see you again soon.