Easter Bunny

Hi again!  Sharing one of very few Easter cards I made this year.  When I realized how I was struggling with them I decided to call it good enough.  This stamp is not an Easter image but, hey, it's a bunny and it's a pretty thing with all the flowers.  Add an Easter sentiment and it works, I think.

I watercolored with Twinkling H2O's, added sequins and a scalloped edge.  There are dots of white acrylic paint in the flowers.  A simple enough card, but the coloring took forever with the Twinks on such a detailed image.

I'll be playing along in Double D's Easter Challenge today.
Also, the bunny stamp is fresh out of the package so I'll join the rest of the NBUSers in Darnell's NBUS Challenge #37.

Thanks bunches for stopping by today.  I'll see you again soon!

Stamps:  Creative Expressions Running Free  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, 49 and Market Sage designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir  Coloring:  Watercolor with Twinkling H2Ox  Other:  Sequins, SU Subtle embossing folder, Impression Obsession Easter Joy die, Spellbinders A2 Curved Borders One, Sue Wilson Pierced Flags

Wisteria

Hi there!  I made a card "just because".  Isn't that the best reason?  I saw a picture of wisteria recently and it reminded me of this Beeswax Small Wisteria stamp I've had in my collection since 2014.  Not the first time I've used it, but it's been a while.  I was surprised to see there is still a Beeswax site with this stamp available.

The wisteria is stamped in Memento London Fog and colored with Copics.  I wanted a no-line look but it wasn't easy to see the detail.  Very frustrating and I almost scrapped it.  In the end I'm glad I persevered.

  

Before commencing with the coloring I loosely masked the wisteria and stamped the brick wall (another old stamp).  I hate to tell you how poorly that turned out.  No matter how many times I stamped I couldn't get the bricks anywhere near the wisteria.  Finally, I removed the mask and stamped the brick wall one more time right over top of the wisteria.  Thank goodness for the MISTI. 

The frame is popped up.  The Bird Scroll corner was gilded by pressing in my Versamark pad and then embossing with Ranger Queen's Gold.  The sentiment was gold embossed as well.  The photo below shows more of the golden shine.

Spring is coming along beautifully here, but you know how fickle she can be -- warm and sunny one day, cold and wet the next.  However, I'm looking out my windows and seeing blooms and fresh greens no matter the weather, and that is a happy sight!  Wishing you a happy spring, too!

Stamps:  Beeswax Small Wisteria, Son Light Impressions (Cornish Heritage Farms) Brick Wall Backgrounder, Hero Arts Flowers are Poetry  Paper:  Neenah 80 & 110 lb white, SU Perfect Plum textured  Ink:  Memento London Fog & Toffee Crunch, Versamark  Coloring:  Copics  Dies:  Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangles, Bird Scrolls, misc rectangle for sentiment  Other:  Ranger Queen's Gold embossing powder, foam mounting tape

A Mouse for Two Seasons

Hello again!  I want to say first how I appreciate all your comments on my previous post regarding to blog or not to blog.  I'm never sure what each day will bring, but isn't that the way for all of us?  Truthfully, it's my connection with this crafting sisterhood that keeps me coming back here.  I'm really not sure what I would do without you, so for the time being I carry on and today I have two cards I made with my edger dies.  These cards were made in either January or February, sheesh.

They're subtly patterned with very little contrast.  It's what I was feeling at the time and I still like them.  When favor endures it's a good thing.  I've always found that, for me, simplicity and subtlety have longer lasting appeal.

The first is for springtime.  This Toadstool Mouse Edger die is probably meant for fall, but I think it looks right at home with the daffodils and yellow (my favorite color).  The mini-slimline measures 3 1/2 x 6.  The paper on this one is 49 and Market Sweet Reflections - Butter.  I applied some old-timey self-adhesive rain dots for embellishment.

The next card feels more like fall and is one of the first I made when I was experimenting with design ideas.  Ultimately I decided less is more and even the string and tag feel like too much.  Each to her own, right?  Most of my fun with these edger dies comes from combining them with designer papers.  Some work better than others.  On the card below are older papers by Prima.

Even though I made these cards a while back, it was a first time use and today is a first share, so I will send a picture over to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #37 for the month of April.

Additionally, I'm playing in a new-to-me challenge:  Colorful Options.  It's a color challenge and this month they're asking for yellow!

 

I wish you all a happy spring.  It's so good to see the flowers blooming!  Till soon...

Easter Cupcake

Hello!  It's good to see you after all this time.  My apologies for being away so long.  I've had some other things on my mind and sometimes wonder if I'll be able to continue blogging at all.  Today I'm giving it another try.  You are kind souls to bear with me.

'Tis the season for Easter cards.  I do not have any new Easter stamps or dies, but I've always been partial to this oldie Impression Obsession Happy Wishes cupcake which I've probably only used once before, tsk tsk.  I colored with Tombow markers and blender, then nestled into a pretty Tutti Butterfly Oval which I'd cut from a previously made background piece.

The Greetings sentiment is twinkling with Wink of Stella.  I added clear gems, a silver self-adhesive border strip, and extra flowers cut with the Tutti die.

I'm going to join the April Spring challenge over at Four Seasons.  Anything goes spring, and that includes Easter!

Thank you for sharing your time with me.  I'll be back soon, I hope.  Take good care till we meet again!

Dragonfly Edger

Hello again, friends!  I'm sharing something pretty today.  At least I hope you agree.  I've used another of my new-to-me edger dies by Creative Expressions.  This one is called Dragonfly Edger.

I love how some of the parts lift, rather than cut out all the way.  The pretty 49 and Market paper provides the garden effect, and it appears to me as though the dragonfly is hovering over the edge of a pond.  The flowers have clear gem centers.

There is no sentiment on the front, but this was a birthday card for a friend.

I'm sending my card over to play in the following challenges:

Tic Tac Toe Challenge #152.  I've chosen the bottom row -- Die cuts(s), spring colors, floral
NBUS Challenge #36.  Darnell challenges us to play with some of our never-been-used stuff.

 

Thanks so much for visiting today.  You know I love it when you drop in.  Take care!

A Frog in my Pocket

Hello and welcome!

I'm crafting with 100% older supplies today.  The mood board at the current Double D Challenge made me do it.  They're asking for something with pockets.  Coincidentally I was looking at this old pocket stamp recently and loving it anew.  Doesn't it look authentic?

I tucked in a little frog which I stamped and embossed, then colored with Tombow markers and a homemade blender pen.  Cut down the frog in such a way that he could hang over the edge.  I think you can make out how it's all put together, and supplies are listed in the recipe below my signature.

I embossed the white panel with a daisy folder, but not sure it was a good idea.  Something seems off.  You know the feeling?  I do love that little frog and pocket, though!  It's already on its way to a friend.

About that frog... it's one of the first stamp sets I ever bought -- a very long time ago -- way back when we had a craft store in a local mall with a small section for stamps and patterned papers.  I still love the stamps.  Pictured below is the index sheet that came with it.  Mind you, I did not color the following image; it came that way in the package:

Fun, isn't it?  Love the oldies!

Double D Challenge:  Something with Pockets

Additionally per Darlene's reminder (thanks Darlene!):

Sisterhood of Crafters -- Use an old neglected stamp.  My pocket stamp is 10+ years and the frog set is probably 20+ years.

Thank you for coming to visit.  Have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Judith frog set - name unknown, Deep Red Stamps 'Denim Pocket'  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, Neenah White, SU Buckaroo Blue, scrap yellow, scrap gingham  Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, SU Buckaroo Blue and Old Olive  Coloring:  Tombow markers and homemade blender pen  Dies:  Die-namites Daisy Bunch, Memory Box Swirly Tree, Taylored Expressions Ric Rac Borders, Paper Smooches Hello Words  Other:  Detail clear embossing powder, Darice Large Daisy embossing folder, SU Subtle embossing folder (on card base), foam mounting tape to pop up daisies in pocket

Daisy Heart

Hi there!  I was pleasantly surprised when I randomly won this Cottage Cutz Daisy Heart die in a Double D challenge recently.  Thank you Double D!  Might as well play with it right away rather than put it in a basket with the rest of the NBUS dies.

And I did play!  The die cuts are layered for dimension then glued to white cardstock and trimmed around the edges so it has a solid base.  I punched little white flowers, colored the centers with a yellow Copic marker, then added a drop of Diamond Glaze in each.  Sorry, it was a dark day for picture taking and several attempts could not show detail any better than this, sigh.

I decorated the card with Mintay Farm Life designer paper, added a sentiment from a stamp and die set.  Gloss on the "sunshine".  The top of the card is embossed with a Basket Weave folder.

I hope this card looks like springtime because I made it to play along in the Can You Handle the Pressure Challenge with the optional twist of THINK SPRING.  I love my embossing folders and I always like to play the twist.

I'll wrap this up and wish you a wonderful day.  I hope springtime comes to you soon!

Stamps:  Sizzix Sending You Sunshine stamp and die set  Paper:  Neenah white, scraps green and yellow, Mintay Farm Life designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black for sentiment, Copic Y06 (yellow) for flower centers  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Daisy Heart, Spellbinders A2 Bracket Borders One  Other:  Darice Basket Weave embossing folder, flower punch, Judikins Diamond Glaze

Blue and Yellow for Ukraine

My whole reason for making this card is to express my solidarity with the people of Ukraine.  You've probably heard of one cardmakers' movement or another for this cause... this one is a Color Hues Challenge with two options, one being blue and yellow -- the colors of the Ukrainian flag.  My little card won't help anyone, other than to join the flood of blue and yellow that may touch the hearts of those in distress if they ever get a chance to see it.  I'm sure I don't need to say more.

My card was made with the Concord & 9th set, Blooms Fill-In.  The solid background was inked with Distress Oxide Chipped Sapphire.  I had planned to even out the coverage with a brayer, but then decided I rather liked the swirls that were left when I swooshed my stamp pad directly onto the stamp.

I stamped flower centers in Chipped Sapphire, and the yellow is Distress Oxide Scattered Straw.  The sentiment was stamped in Chipped Sapphire, then clear embossed.  It has a glare in the photo, but is quite rich in real life.  Stitching and sequins add a little something extra.

You can join in here:

Color Hues Special Double Challenge

Thank you for coming by today.  Sending love all around.