Underwater

Hello, Crafty pals!

Not to much to say about this underwater scene with a stenciled background and elements are from an old Hero Arts set. I love the ocean and make lots of ocean-themed cards.

This is headed (at the last minute!) to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog.

Thanks for the visit and have a good one, 

Just a Gell Press

 Hi, crafty pals!

The Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, "Anything Goes" encourages getting outside of the box. Earlier I posted a sample of Iris Folding, something I'm new to. today I feature a card made with a Gell press and a Tim Holtz "Splotches" stencil. I've never used this technique, and it is a bit messy for me, but fun nonetheless. The die-cut sentiment is from Concord & 9th "Everyday Sayings" die set.

I'll try more of this technique very soon.

Thanks for the visit,

Just a Mermaid

 Hi, crafty pals,

As can probably guess by my blog title, I've got a thing for mermaids. This is one of my all-time favorite cards and I've never sent it. It is on display in my craft room to enrich my soul! This stamp is from Colorado Craft Company which I used for an embossed resist technique. I did "smooching" for the watercolor. Of course, there is sparkle! This is headed to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge which is "At the Beach". I keep looking there for mermaids......maybe some day!

Thanks for the visit, 

Anything Goes!

 Hello, crafty friends!

I've been waiting for just the right time to share this card and I will post it in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge 'Anything Goes".

Over the past several months I've been learning and practicing the art of Iris Folding. That is iris, like our eyes and cameras, not the iris flowers! This is a papercraft technique that  originated in the Netherlands in the early 20th century. I use origami paper or thin scrapbook printed paper. It is very relaxing. This is so far my best example, a Hanukkah card I made for some friends. 

Thanks for the visit,

At the Beach!

Hi, crafty pals!

I'm back at with a card for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and the topic is "At the Beach". Now, for decades I looked for mermaids every time I went to the beach but I finally got discouraged and gave up. I made this card for my niece who is still a real mermaid fan. She has just the right amount of sparkle and I love the soft waves in the background.

Keep watching and thanks for the visit,

Even More for Wednesday!

  Hi, Crafty pals,

I have been going nuts with butterflies inspired by the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "With Wings". I started off with a lawn Fawn card and then I kept going! I have two to share today because I'm running out of time. These were made using some of my older and favorite products.

This one used Sizzix and 49 and Market's "Painted Pencil Butterflies" and matching papers. I ink-blended the pieces for some extra dimension.

This fun square card is made with Pinkfresh's "Small Butterflies" hot foil plate and stencils. I love this detailed circle die, too!

If you hurry you can play along.

Thanks for the visit, 

More Wings for Wednesday!

 Hi, Crafty pals,

I have been going nuts with butterflies inspired by the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "With Wings". I started off with a lawn Fawn card and then I kept going! I have two to share today because I'm running out of time. These were made using some of my older and favorite products.

This one used Sizzix and 49 and Market's "Painted Pencil Butterflies" and matching papers. I ink-blended the pieces for some extra dimension.

This fun square card is made with Pinkfresh's "Small Butterflies" hot foil plate and stencils. I love this detailed circle die, too!

If you hurry you can play along.

Thanks for the visit, 

Tattered Butterfly

 Hi, crafty pals,

As I mentioned yesterday, I've recently been on a butterfly kick, digging up some older and well-loved products. This card has a "smooched" ink background that was stamped in white pigment ink with the TH Stampers Anonymous "Dots & Circles" red rubber stamp. The die is also older, the TH Sixzzix "Tattered Butterfly". Not my normal style, but I love the colors and the layers! This is headed to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.

You still have time to join in the fluttering fun. Thanks for the visit, 

Big Butterflies

 

Hi, crafty friends!

This week's Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is all about "Things with Wings" and lawn Fawn products are featured. I have always been a critter carmaker, but I've found that in just this past year I've taken a real liking to butterflies. Maybe it's because I'm getting old?! Anyway, this is Lawn Fawn's "I Like Big Butterflies" set. I've also used the "Big Blossom Backdrop - Portrait" die.

If you'd like to play along, you've time to do just that. Thanks for the visit, 

Ring Around the Pineapple!

 Hello, crafty pals!

Today I have another for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge which is "Food and/or Drink". I have to honestly say that this is one of my very favorite recent cards. It uses a stitching die by Spellbinders - it is an older one so I'm not sure if it's still available. The background pierced plate die is from Waffle Flower and the terrific sentiment is from an old Ellen Hutton set by my firend Julie Ebersole. 

I've found that stitching on cards is very relaxing and is something I can do while watching the evening news.

Thanks for the visit and happy stitching, 

Drink UP!

 

Hello, crafty friends!

It's time for another Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge! This week the challenge is food and/or drink. I had to go for my very favorite drink, coffee! I love this braided edge die and the googly eyes on my birdie! The sentiment is from a very old and well-loved set long retired. Everything about this card makes me happy!

You have some time to enter and play along and you should!

Thanks for the visit and have a great caffeinated weekend, 

Shake It Up!

 

Hi, crafty pals!

Here is one more for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge! The challenge is "Add a Sentiment" and it features products from one of my all-time favorite companies, Concord & 9th. This card is made using their "Sweet Stems" stencil set. There is also a matching cover plate die. I've made this into an "infinity shaker" card which provides for shaker fun without the bulk.

Check out this fun challenge. Thanks for the visit,

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

 

Hello!

There is another fun challenge on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog. This week it is all about adding a sentiment and featuring one of my all-time favorite stamp companies, Concord & 9th.

This set is the "Summer Springs" Turn-About stamp and die set. I love their Turn-About stamps. This is an older one, no longer available, but a real favorite of mine. It is very versatile - different color choices can reflect the different seasons. 

If you'd like to play along you have a few more days. This blog is also a great source for inspiration. 

Thanks, as always, for the visit,

Channeling....

my inner Tim Holtz! Not something I do very often, as I am a real "clean freak." I don't like the mess of sprays and pastes. But once in awhile I challenge myself and go for it.

This card is a shiny one (wish the photo captured it better!), full of lots of TH inks and sprayed sparkle and shine. The background is the Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Ledger Components Stamp, the butterfly is from Hero Arts and this perfect sentiment is an old treasure from a former company called Impression Obsession. They had such great stamps, I was sorry to see them go.

Hope you're having a great weekend and thanks for the visit. This is headed to the Simon SaysStamp Monday Challenge.

 

 

Inspired By......

 ...Lawn Fawn's own Chari Moss!!

Yes, Chari is one who inspires me often - I've learned so much from her.  And we share a similar background with our studies and careers in architecture. I love her design ability and of course, the fact she also does not use glitter - we are both "Stickles gals"! She also does great "lives" with Jenn - they are so fun together!

Anyway, I love her take on Lawn Fawn's "Silly Goose, Rain or Shine". And, because I know that Chari does lots of stitching, I decided that I would add a stitched frame to my card.

Here's my inspiration by Chari:

And, here is my version. I've been trying to improve my cloud stenciling, so I used this as an opportunity to practice and, of course, I added Stickles. This is such a fun and versatile set.....I only wish that we had more rain to play in here in California!

I plan to enter this into the Lawn Fawn Challenge Blog. Thanks, as always Chari, for your inspiration and thank you for the visit.

Have Faith

 Sometime ago I made some cards for a fundraiser at our church. I needed something fairly simple and quick to make in multiples and visually impactful. This is what I came up with.

The butterfly is a widely recognized symbol for resurrection, transformation and the soul.  And I happen to have several random (and very old) butterfly stamps.

I made the background with an embossing folder, some sparkly Perfect Pearls and watercolor splatter. The sentiment is also from a very old set, no longer available.

This is headed for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge which is "With Wings"

Thanks for the visit, 

A Stitch in Time...

 Makes this card MINE!!!

Hi, crafty friends!

Having not done it in quite some time I've returned to stitching on cards. I find it is something I can do while watching the news in the evenings.

I used Concord & 9th cardstock for which I have some closely matching embroidery thread. The die is Spellbinders Layered Sitched Background (an oldie!). The sweet butterfly is die cut from vellum with Simon Says Stamp Whirl Butterflies wafer dies  and the sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp Simple Sentiments

This stitching took only about 45 minutes and was very relaxing!

This will be on its way to a special mother and to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge for which the theme is Mother's Day/Feminine. 

Have a great day and thanks for the visit!

Maureen

 One More For Monday!

I've recently been playing with Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and have enjoyed it - sometimes we need a little kick in the pants to think outside our comfy boxes.

This week's challenge is "Whatever the Weather" and I decided to make a shaped card, something that I rarely do. I love rainbows and this one is from Honey Bee called Rainbow Dreams.

This is certainly a sparkly rainbow - I used some terrific glitter paper (glitter flakes are not allowed in my house!). I don't see a bucket of gold anywhere, do you? Ha! I guess that happens next month for St. Patty's Day.

Have a colorful day and thanks for the visit!

 Whatever the Weather

Good morning! I have another post for the current Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. This stamp is a very old, long retired stamp from Hero Arts. I was one of that wonderful company's first customers (Yes, I am old!) and I have never been able to get rid of this stamp. I've always loved cities and, in fact, my career was city planning.

I thought it would be fun to add some silliness to the cloudy sky. The rainbow is watercolored and so happy!

Have a great day and thanks for the visit!

 All Kinds of Weather

This week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is "Whatever the Weather". it sure has been a year of crazy and problematic weather in so many places.

This little fella makes my heart happy and I enjoyed coloring it with Copic markers. I used both some inking techniques and some patterned paper for the background and added some clouds with "silver linings".

Have a sunny day and thanks for the visit!

With Wheels

 This week’s Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is “Things With Wheels”. This gave me the perfect excuse to get out my new Elizabeth Crafts Dogs Dies and stamps. The detail on these dies is amazing and the cute dogs are such fun to put together.

I blended Distress Inks onto the background and the dog. The Lawn Fawn Brick Stencil and Simon Says Stamp Flashy Flare 3D Embossing Folder (with touches of Sizzix Luster Wax) add depth and texture to the background.

My dog is a skater dude with a baseball hat, reflective sunglasses and an attitude!

The heat-embossed gold sentiment is from the Dog Days Sentiments.

 These sets have so much to offer and endless possibilities.

Thanks for the visit, 

With Wings 3

Hello again!

Here I am with my third card headed to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, "With Wings". I didn't realize that I need a separate blog for each entry. 

This is a fun min-slimline card made with a simple canary and some fun paper strips.

Thanks, 

With Wings 2

 Hello again!

I just learned that I need a separate blog post for each entry so here is this again!

My bright and cheery bumble bee with fun colors and some interesting dimension.

This is headed to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, "With Wings".

Thanks so much, 

 With Wings

I was inspired to resurrect my blog with the current Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. I'm not an instagram person, so this is my only format for posting cards. It has been about a year since I've posted....I decided that I really didn't need a job, which is what this became. But here I am!

I have 3 cards to share consistent with the challenge "Things With Wings". As my friends know I don't do floral cards. I am a critter gal, but I also love doing bugs, butterflies, birds and airplanes so I thought this would be fun to enter. And revisiting my blogging skills isn't a bad idea.

This first card is a clean and simple one with an adorable water-colored birdie, a simple sentiment and some splatter.

This bumble bee is bright and cheery! I rarely use yellow, but I love the way color works on this card and it has fun dimension.

Again, I rarely make a mini-slimline but this design, using strips of cute paper, just needed to be this shape and size. Another fairly simple image and design.

I am happy to share these. I hope you are having a good New Year - we are one month closer to Spring!

Thanks for the visit,