Chicken soup for the humor

 A get-well card for someone who could use a smile (or maybe a humorous groan?) It's a digi from the much-missed Bugaboo store, colored in pencils, die-cut and sponged. All of the 1-inch (ish) strips are from the snippet pile, pretty much used as is (or was). The checked snippet was cut into equal thirds to help fill the space. I cut about 1/4 inch off the short side of the mustard colored snippet before embossing it to add some texture.

This card is for these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- add texture.

Word Art Wednesday #768  -- anything goes

Can you Handle the Pressure -- embossing

A Cut Above -- use a die-cut

Pammie's Inkie Pinkies #2637 -- anything goes

Snippets Playground #541 -- use snippets 

Sending smiles

 Everyone loves happy mail, even for no special occasion. Here's a happy mail card. The image is a digi from Polkadoodles, which I colored in pencils and fussy cut. The colors were selected to coordinate with the three patterned papers -- the stripe, the floral used for the  scalloped circle, and the small piece of patterned paper that's peeking out behind the sentiment strip.

This card is for these challenges:

Double Trouble # 224 -- three patterned papers, two colors, one image. (The option is stitching -- does the stitching in the striped pattern count?)

Word Art Wednesday #768 -- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2636 -- anything goes

Pattie's Creations #246 -- use an image

Digi Chooseday -- anything goes

Polkadoodle Challenge-- anything goes

Gem of a Challenge -- anything goes 

Poppy triptych

 This card was inspired by this inspiration photo from the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge you can see below. The image is a large "Stickeroo" from Penny Black, which I made into a triptych by dividing it in thirds horizontally instead of vertically. It's matted on black and on an olive-ish colored panel that is similar to the greenery in the photo.

 

This card is entered in these challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms #44 -- mood board

Pammie's Inky Pinkie's #2636 -- anything goes

Word Art Wednesday # 768 -- anything goes

Digi chooseday -- anything goes

Triple B -- blossoms

Crafter's Cafe -- anything goes

Crafts Galore Encore -- anything goes

Polkadoodles Challenge -- anything goes

Gem of A Challenge-- anything goes 

 

Musical birds

 Sometimes you find the perfect patterned paper for an image. I think that happened with this card. I wanted to use this IO image of birds on a musical staff. While looking though my patterned paper, I found this vintage looking design with flowers and alight pattern of sheet music. The birds are black-embossed, and Distress Antique Linen ink was sponged around the edges of the panel. The sentiment strip is a Stamplorations sticker adhered to a little strip of coordinating paper. Gold watercolor was splattered over the entire card to add a bit of sparkle.

This card is entered in these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- anything goes 

The Paper Funday #90 -- anything goes 

Pammie's Inky Pinkie's #2634 -- anything goes 

Crafter's Cafe #333 -- anything goes  

Word Art Wednesday #766 -- anything goes  

Crafts Galore Encore #150 -- anything goes  

Corn harvest

 I made a fall-inspired card, using a little corn image that I may have never used before. It was stamped in three different colors of chalk ink on a cream layer. The bottom of the cream layer features two layers of torn-edge paper. The main panel is mounted on an oranne layer (with a thin reveal) then on a brown layer, The embellishment is an acorn-shaped button and two die-cut leaves.

This card is for the following challenges:

Pick Three -- orange, stamping, polka dots

Double Trouble #233 -- three colors, two stamps (corn and autumn), 1 button embellishment

Simon Says Stamp Monday -- lots of layers

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2634 -- anything goes

Word Art Wednesday # 766 -- anything goes

Holly-days

 Here's a simple Christmas card using some scraps of patterned papers. This card was inspired by a few challenges, including the Jingle Belles' masculine challenge and the Try a Sketch on Tuesday sketch. Masculine cards often have images of nature, such as a plant, without too much fru-fru or embellishments, so this fits that bill, I think. All the patterned paper panels are edged in red ink to give them some definition. The sentiment circle is popped up on foam tape.

This card is entered in these challenges:

Jingle Belles -- masculine merriment

Double Trouble #223-- 3 patterned papers, two sizes of holly die-cuts, 1 sentiment + TSOT sketch + popped up item  (sentiment circle) 

TSOT -- sketch #702

Simon Says Stamps Wednesday -- going around in circles

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2633-- anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #766 -- anything goes

Digi Chooseday -- anything goes 

Polkadoodles challenge -- anything goes

Gem of a Challenge -- anything goes

 

Sledding toward Christmas

 Still summer, still hot. Let's think cool thoughts. How about a little sledding? I got this sweet penguin image in Alice Keegan's (Kit & Clowder/The Coloring Channel) Advent giveaway. Colored him with pencils and added some clear Stickles to the flying snow around the sled. Three patterned papers with snowflake designs are featured -- the black one, the gray one, and the red around the main image. 

Added some acrylic circles that feature snowflake patterns as a quick embellishment.

This card is entered in these challenges:

ABC Christmas -- P is for penguin

Double Trouble  #233 -- 3 patterned papers, two colors (red and green), one embossed sentiment

Word Art Wednesday #764 -- anything goes 

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2633 -- anything goes 

Pattie's Creations #245-- use an image

Gem challenge -- anything goes  

Beach vibes

 This die-cut sand dollar and shell patterned paper have been sitting on my craft table for a while now.  I was finally inspired to use them after seeing a video of this fun fold. I didn't catch the name of the fold, if it has one. Cut paper at 5.5 x11, score at 4.25 and 8.5. Cut circle in front flap of card, and attach the circle to the inside flap.

I have a variety of seashell stamps, so I used them to decorate the inner flap and inside of the card. The sentiment sticker is from Stamplorations. 

This card is for these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- monochrmatic

The Paper Funday #90-- fun fold

CRAFT #786 -- summer/vacation

Word Art Wednesday #764-- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2632   -- anything goes

Digi Choosday  -- anything goes

Pollkadoodles challenge  -- anything goes 

Inkspirational #373 -- beach vibe 

Sunshine and sunflowers

 The inspiration photo for Inspiration Station challenge #88 shows a beautiful field of sunflowers. To me, sunflowers and sunshine go hand-in-hand, and this lovely image and sentiment from Stamplorations conveyed that idea perfectly. The image is popped up on a stitiched oval, and backed by a sunshine-colored pattern paper.

 

This card is entered in these challenges:

Inspiration Station #88 -- inspired by sunflowers.

A Cut Above -- fall flowers

Stamplorations Never-ending Challenge -- feature Stamploration products

Word Art Wednesday #764 -- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2631-- anything goes

Polkadoodles challenge -- anything goes

Digi Chooseday -- anything goes 

CRAFT 786 -- summer 

 

Spotlight on morning glory

 The last spotlight card I posted, maybe a year and a half ago, is by far the most popular blog post I've ever made. It's been viewed like double the next most popular post, and more than 10x the average post. I remember  being super intimidated by the technique when I first came across it, but it's so easy. 

For this card, I used a morning glory image. I picked out the area I wanted to color, cut it out with a circle die, and referred to an online photo of morning glories when choosing the purple, pink and green colors. Die-cut a slightly larger circle in purple, placed it over the spot the image was diecut from, then placed the colored circle on top, making sure the image lined up. Easy peasy.

This card is entered in these challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms # 43 -- florals

Double Trouble # 222-- 3 layers, 2 colors, 1 sentiment plus optional twist of "more" (4 layers and three colors)

Simon Says Stamp Monday -- birthday

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2631 -- anything goes

A Cut Above -- include diecut

Triple B -- include blossom, bird, or butterfly

Paper Funday #90 -- anything goes

 

Ice cream time

 It's still very much summer, so how about some ice cream? 

This fun cone and sentiment are from Stamplorations. The cone is heat-embossed in black, watercolored with dye ink, and die-cut with the matching die. For the background, the same inks were swiped across an ice-cream-themed EF, creating a fun and colorful debossed side.

This card is entered in these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- anything goes

Can you Handle the Pressure -- use embossing folder

The Paper Funday #88  -- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2630 -- anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #762 -- anything goes

Digi Chooseday -- anything goes

Polkadoodles challenge -- anything goes 

 Stamplorations Never-Ending Challenge -- showcase Stamploration products 

Pressed flowers

 I tried a new-to-me technique that mimics the look of pressed flowers. I started by creating a possibly vintage-looking background by stamping script on tan cardstock, figuring out where to place the paper flowers, and lightly stamping in some leaf shapes around them. The flowers were then adhered to the panel and run through a flatish-pattern embossing folder. (The folder, from Marianne Designs, is a Never-been-used- supply (NBUS) that I have had for at probably 10 years. I can date it because I purchased it at the Atlanta Stamping Show, and it's been a decade since I've been able to attend.) The panel was then mounted on a slightly larger mat, placed on the top-fold card, and accented with dimensional paper flower held on with a brad.

This card is for these challenges:

NBUS #88 -- never before used item is the embossing folder

Beautiful Blossoms #43-- anything floral

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- make your own background 

Word Art Wednesday #762 -- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2629 -- anything goes 

 

Summer butterfly

I

 I have a lot of butterfly stamps and I've kind of neglected them recently. (I miss Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge, which was always a reason to use a butterfly.) 

So, I've made a new butterfly card. The butterfly is black-embossed and colored with watercolors and reinker. After the paint dried, I stamped the butterfly on a Post-it note, cut it out and masked the butterfly to stencil the chevron pattern. Completed the card with a simple sentiment and a few sequins. Used foam tape to attach panel to topfold card base.

This card is for these challenges:

Pick 3 Challenge #7 -- purple, chevron, sequins

Stencil fun challenge -- patterns 

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2629 -- anything goes

Crafters Cafe #332   -- anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #760  -- anything goes

The Paper Funday #89  -- anything goes

Polkadoodles  -- anything goes

DigiChoosday  -- anything goes 

Presents under the tree

.

 Another Christmas card in July. This one is a Zfold, with a focus on die-cuts. I combined a tree from one set with gifts from a birthday set to create this little scene.  All the die-cuts were stamped, black-embossed and cut before being colored with markers.

This card is for these challenges:

Christmas Kickstart #112 -- grace us with your presents

Die-cut Divas -- Christmas in July

Double Trouble #220 -- Christmas in July recipe -- 2 layers, 3 colors, Christmas image

A Cut Above -- anything goes

The Paper Funday #89  - anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #760 - anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2628 - anything goes

 

Waving 'hi"

I made a "wiper" card -- when you pull on the left side of the folded card (see smaller photo to right), the little "wiper" hand pops up with a message. 

This card features a really sweet set of stamps from Simon Says Stamp -- The little tin-can telephone setup cracks me up.  I used silver gel pen on it to add a little metallic sheen, which you can see quite clearly in the pop-up wiper part of the card. The kitty is colored with pencils, and the greenery around him includes both stamped bits and blades of grass I just drew in with markers.  The message goes on the back of the card. (Instructions for the card are found in the SCS tutorials section.)

This card is entered in these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- 4-legged friends

Word Art Wednesday #760 -- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies 2628 -- anything goes

 

Pattie's Creations #244 -- use  stamped or digi image

 

Digi Chooseday -- anything goes

 

 Crafts Galore Encore #149 -- -- anything goes

 

Polkadoodles challenge -- anything goes 

 

Wish I were there

 Oh my gosh, it is SO HOT. A nice sea breeze would be quite welcome. At least I can create one on paper.

This card features a beach scene from Purple Onion Designs, colored in pencils. The striped segment is stenciled. 

This card is entered in these challenges:

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2626 -- water

Creative Inspiration -- Summer sunshine

Paper Funday #89 -- Splash 

Simon Says Stamp Monday -- stripes

Word Art Wednesday #758  -- anything goes

Digi Chooseday -- anything goes

Crafts Galore Encore -- anything goes

 

Christmas candle

 

 The Jingle Belles have a sketch challenge going on.  This is a digi from The Stamping Boutique, colored with pencils and sparkled up with Wink of Stella on the snow on the window mullions and a silver glittery gel  pen on the candle holder. The sentiment is red embossed ( I have two different glittery red EPs, but decided plain red would be better... two sources of sparkle are all this card called for.)

This card is entered in these challenges:

Jingle Belles -- sketch

The Paper Funday -- stripes option

Creative Inspiration -- Christmas in June

Word Art Wednesday#758 -- anything goes 

CRAFT #782  -- anything goes 

Polkadoodles -- anything goes 

Digi Chooseday -- anything goes 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- anything goes

One-layer roses

 I find one-layer cards intimidating, but I challenged myself with this one.  I masked off the central area and ussed blending brushes to apply yellow and coral inks. (The colors look so much smoother in person, I don't know if the eye just smoothes the colors out or what). After removing the masking, I stamped the beautiful roses (Studio Katia) in Memento Black.  I die-cut the sentiment from another piece of cardstock where coral ink was blended.  Added a few gems for a little sparkle.

This card is for these challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms #42 -- florals

Crafter's Cafe -- blooms optional

Pick 3 Challenge #6 -- ink blending, sparkle, sentiment, yellow

CRAFT #782 -- anything goes

Pattie's Creations #243 -- use an image

Word Art Wednesday #756 -- anything goes

 

Snowflake wreath

 A friend shared the idea of using die-cuts to create a wreath. I don't have a snowflake-shaped die, but looking through my stash of embellishments, I discovered a baggie full of snowflake-shapes in a white/slightly iridescent plastic. They have a tiny hole in the middle, so I guess they are sequin-esque? Anyway, I figured they'd work as well as die cuts to create a wreath. The center of each is embellished with a red gem. The sentiment is green embossed. (I don't normally buy EP in colors, but I bought a big box of stamping goodies at the thrift store a few years ago, and it included green EP. I don't think I've used it before today.)

This card is entered in these challenges: 

ABC Christmas -- L is for Let it Snow

Christmas Kickstart #111 -- Snow day 

Creative Inspiration -- Christmas in June

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2624 -- anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #756 --  anything goes

CRAFT #782 -- anything goes

Camping fun

My family, especially my husband, loves camping (although, tbh, we gave up tent camping a while ago and enjoy a little travel trailer.) When the Double Trouble challengers asked for a card representing what "my guy" likes to do, camping was the  obvious choice. I created a starry night sky by blending inks and splattering a shimmery white water color, then die-cut the tent and a few trees to finish the scene of camping under the stars. I used the Try a Sketch on Tuesday layout and incorporated some plaid scraps (plaid = outdoors, right?)

This card is for these challenges:

Double Trouble #218 -- 3 strips, 2 die-cut items, masculine project; TSOT,; my guy twist

TSOT #697 -- sketch

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- add a sentiment

Die-Cut Divas -- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2624 -- anything goes

The Paper Funday #88-- anything goes

A Cut Above -- use die-cuts

Word Art Wednesday #756 -- anything goes