The Flower Challenge 60--Colour Turquoise

Lately I've been playing with stencils and love this coloring medium. Stencils have come 

a long way and layered stencils do all the heavy work for you. Your job is to line them up! 

I used Altenew's Polka Dot Buds Stencil and made several panels in different 

color combos.

 

 When I saw that the latest Flower Challenge was Colour Turquoise, I chose a panel that

fit the challenge. 

 

The blooms and leaves were stenciled with ink from The Stamp Market. Notice the edges 

of the panel? I was inspired by the fabulous Yoonsun and remembered that during my early 

years of crafting, I was distressing the edges of cards like a mad woman. You, too?

Yoonsun uses Tim Holtz Paper Distresser Tool. I owned one before, but used a scissors 

and it did the job. I love the look of distressing. It's very forgiving and you don't have to 

worry about gluing down your panel perfectly or even having the corners curl up. 

It's part of the look!

 

My card was finished off with a sentiment from Waffle Flower Crafts. I thought about

adding some embellishments but didn't want to take away from the busy background.

 

Shout out to Yoonsun for inspiring me to distress again. You may be seeing future projects

with paper distressing on them. Thanks for stopping by!

 

Altenew September 2021 Inspiration Challenge

I found some time to enter Altenew's September 2021 Inspiration Challenge after 

seeing the color palette and photo by Altenew team member Laurie. She shared that

she shot the pic from her patio--what a green thumb she has!

I decided to play with my favorite Altenew stencils--Hill Blossoms Layering Stencil Set

on a slimline card. Here's how I was inspired.

My original plan was to make a one layer card but my inky fingers got in the way 

so I ended up die cutting the images and adhered them to a slimline panel. I added 

the die cut  "hello" and stamped the secondary sentiment beneath it.

The panel was adhered to a slimline card base and finished off with clear sequins.

 I have to add that the "hello" was part of a set that's discontinued. I didn't realize

it until I was trying to link the product. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Online Card Classes -- Crushing on Cardstock Day 4

I'm so happy that I squeezed in a little craft time, after signing up for the latest

Online Card Class--Crushing on Cardstock. Their classes are "go at your own pace"

but after seeing Jennifer McGuire share a technique, I had to give it a go.

 

 Check out the texture inside the die cut circle. Reminds me of mulberry paper.

I can't give out details but if you've been crafting for a while, you might be able

to figure out how the technique was done.

After assembling the panel, I added a Berry Branch from The Stamp Market

and finished off with the Altenew sentiment. I thought about adding sequins or

enamel dots, but didn't want to detract from the texture.

And I can finally display the participant badge!

I'm hoping to work on more projects from this class. I love that it was short n' sweet

and that I managed to join in at least one day. Thanks, Jennifer and Kristina, for a

fun class. Looking forward to the next one!

 

 

 

Leaf Fragments

When Tim Holtz shared his latest release, full of Halloween goodness, I grabbed the

 Leaf Fragments Dies as quickly as I could. I'm a sucker for leaves and the leaf fragments 

are such an original design--Tim said they were his favorite!--I just had to have them.

The leaves were die cut from watercolor paper and ink distressed with inks from Concord 

& 9th and The Stamp Market. I chose three leaves and spattered them with gold

 Kuretake watercolors.

To go with the tattered look on the leaves, I tore the edges of an embossed panel and 

adheredit to a white card base and spattered more gold ink over it. I adhered the leaves, 

then added the gold embossed sentiment.

These days, my crafting time has been drastically cut but I know I'll be making more

cards with these fun dies. Thanks so much for stopping by!

The Flower Challenge #58

 

I'm joining The Flower Challenge #58 because the Coneflower Dies from Honeybee Stamps

arrived and I was anxious to put a flower together. 

 

The theme for the challenge is Add Spots or Stripes and I chose stripes so I could use

some patterned paper from a discontinued MFT pad.

Truthfully, I've never heard of a coneflower but thanks to Google and a few samples 

from the Honeybee DT and others on IG, I colored and assembled a bloom.

 

 

I fashioned a stem, because the die set doesn't come with one, and adhered the bloom

and leaves on a striped panel. I stamped the sentiment, then adhered the panel to a 

mini slimline card base.

I think I'll have to construct a few more coneflowers because mine reminds me 

of a droopy daisy. Thanks for stopping by today!

* * *

Edited to add: Honored that my card was chosen as a Top Pick.

 

Thank you to The Flower Challenge DT!

It's a Good Day

Hello! I hope things are getting back to "normal" where you are.

 

When I saw the new Essentials by Ellen Abstract Sunset Die, I decided to do some

paper piecing using a patterned paper pad with earthy colors. How perfect is that?

It took a while to put together and because they're two sided sheets, keeping them

together was challenging. But I learned a bit of patience and managed to assemble a 

scene with almost all of the colors in the pad.

 

The sun was inlaid in the sky, and the card was finished off with the sentiment from

Good Day, another new product from the EBE release.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you're off to a great week!

Guesting on the Coffee Loving Cardmakers Blog!

I had the honor of having my card for the Spring/Summer 2021 Coffee Lovers Hop

chosen as a Designer Pick by Helen. With that honor came the privilege of guesting

on the Coffee Loving Cardmakers blog. 

 

Here's a peek at my card. 

 

I'd love it if you visited the CLC blog for a full card reveal and while you're there, 

stay a while to peruse the awesome caffeinated projects.

 

Thanks, Amy, for the invite to guest with you! ☕

 

Memory Box Challenge -- Water

 The latest challenge theme at Memory Box is WATER. Have you noticed one of  the current

craft trends is all about marine life? I picked up a few ocean themed products and decided

to enter the challenge.

 

Here's my card.

 

I embossed white card stock with Memory Box Waves 3D Embossing Folder and

inked it in greens and blues. The jellyfish was colored with Zig markers and a

waterbrush. 

 

 I started assembling the card and it looked a little too ordinary so I embossed another

card panel with the Waves embossing folder and trimmed a portion of the colored panel

and adhered it to the card base. I popped up the jellyfish, added the sentiment, then 

finished off with some iridescent drops.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

Essentials by Ellen Mod Floral Die

 

It's no secret that I LOVE dies. My die collection has nearly outgrown my stamps 

and I'm not complaining. In fact, I went out to get a bigger container!

 

Ellen Hutson's newest Essentials by Ellen Release has a Mod Floral Die that I

just HAD to have after seeing Kelly Griglione work her magic with it. I ordered it

on the day of the release and a few days later, it arrived in my mailbox. Yay!

 

 

 Then I pulled out my neglected Kuretake Zig markers and went to work.

 I wet the diecut piece with my water brush, then tapped color on with the Zig 

markers. I was planning to make two cards and painted two diecuts nearly 

identical and at the last minute, I layered them and I'm so glad that I did.

The sentiment is from the Mondo Tulips Stamp set which I'll play with when I 

have the time. But for now, I'll think of different color combos and play with

the Mod Floral die a teeny bit more.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Flower Challenge #55 -- Pretty Pastels

I'm entering a new to me challenge -- The Flower Challenge and their theme is Pretty Pastels. 

Here's my card using Altenew's Tulip 3D Embossing Folder. After embossing the image

I used their ink blending tool and applied color lightly on the blooms. Then I started

coloring the leaves.

At first glance, the coloring looks ok, but I have to confess that I dropped the ink blending tool

not once, but TWICE, as I was coloring the leaves. Here's a close up of the boo boo.

Luckily, the brush happened to fall near to the leaves. Twice.

 

I thought about tossing the panel but if you squint, it's not too bad. I trimmed the panel and 

adhered it to a gray card base. The sentiment was cut from gold card stock and the shadow 

was cut from vellum. I spattered the image with gold ink, then adhered the sentiment.

 

If I have time, I'll attempt a second card...and hold on tight to that blending tool.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

 * * *

I'm thrilled that my card was selected as an Honourable Mention! Thanks so much,

Flower Challenge!