Guest Designer at The Flower Challenge

 

Several months ago I was invited to guest at The Flower Challenge and I humbly 

accepted. The theme for this month's challenge is to Add Sparkle in addition to 

featuring flowers as the focal point.

Here's my card featuring some subtle sparkle.

I'm such a fan of Honeybee Stamps' Lovely Layer flowers. This time I used the Coneflower

Honey Cuts. I cut all the pieces from white card stock and inked them with various dye inks.

The sentiment was silver embossed and the card was finished off with a rounded right

corner and some sparkling sequins.

So grab your bling and join the challenge! You have a full month to join and

you can enter more than once. Hope to see you in the gallery!

Many thanks to Viv and the DT for the kind invite to guest with you! 💝

A Card for Elysha

When blogging friend Aileen (huh_what_pardon) requested a card for her

sweet daughter's 30th birthday on Instagram, I couldn't resist. Judging by the 

responses and comments, Elysha will be receiving a ton of well wishes, and Aileen's

husband will be building a second mailbox just for Elysha's cards.

 

I asked Aileen what were Elysha's interests and favorite colors and made my card

per her responses.

 

I finally took out the rainbow sets from Honeybee Stamps from its packaging. I usually like 

to ink distress, but sought the easy route because I want to get this into the mail as soon

 as possible. It's quite a distance between Hawaii and Australia.

 

I liked the pastel colors in this patterned paper pad and finished off the card with a

sentiment from Simon Says Stamp and some iridescent drops.

 

Wishing Elysha the happiest birthday with many more to come! 

 

 

The Flower Challenge 71 and SSS August Flickr Challenge

I'm linking up this card to two challenges: The Flower Challenge 71--Circle/Circles, and

Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge for August which is Anything Goes.

 

 

 

The circle diecut is from an old deckle edge set that is so old, I don't remember 

the company I bought it from. I want to say it's from Papertrey Ink but there was

no packaging so maybe it's not. Lil' Inkers, maybe? I miss that company.

Here's a closer look at the diecut. If anyone knows where it's from, I'd be much

obliged. It came in two sizes and I also have a rectangle set of two dies.

The hummingbird and flowers are from Simon's Dream Big release. I've never seen

a real hummingbird, and I think I colored him a bit too bold. The sentiment is 

from Avery Elle.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Color Throwdown 705

I'm not one to enter color challenges--because I'm color challenged. Unless

the colors jump out and I have an idea, then I'll pass. But this week's challenge 

at Color Throwdown did just that. Jumped out at me and I had an idea.

 

 

Leaves came to mind, although the purple made me decide to use gingko leaves.

I colored three of them, spattered them with white paint and adhered them to a 

white card base. Clear sequins, a Memory Box sentiment and rounded off corner 

finished off the card.

And that's a wrap. Thanks for stopping by!

The Flower Challenge #70 -- CAS

This month's challenge theme at The Flower Challenge is CAS, probably one of my

favorite card styles.

 

And my order from Simon Says Stamp arrived with new goodies that fit the

challenge perfectly. 

 

 Jennifer McGuire enabled me yet again when she shared some cards on her 

You Tube channel using the embossing folder/die combo. Spotlighting the

flower was a good way to keep the card clean and simple and I'm such a fan

of 3D embossing. All that texture!

I chose a sentiment from Altenew and some clear drops to finish off the card.

Thanks for stopping by!

Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge #200 -- Summertime Fun

 

I like to join Simon Says Stamp's Flickr Challenge whenever time permits. 

I have SO MANY SSS products that haven't been used or even opened from the

original packaging.

 

After inking the Organic Fruits diecuts I saw that the theme for their 200th challenge

 was Summertime Fun and decided to squeeze my card in before the June 30th deadline.

 

 

 

Two reverse wonky rectangles were cut from white card stock and the sentiment

was stamped on one panel, then run through a 3D embossing folder. 

The fruits were popped up on the panel, then adhered to the second panel,

forming a hinge so the card can stand on its own.

In hindsight, I should have turned one of the roundish fruits into a peach which

is more "summertime" than a pear. Oh well. 

Thanks for stopping by!

The Flower Challenge #69 -- Colour Blue & Yellow

Challenge #69 over at The Flower Challenge is to use the colors blue and yellow 

to show our support for the brave citizens of Ukraine.

 

Here's my card--a shaped butterfly. A butterfly? Again?? Yes, I can't stop using the 

Spellbinder sets of butterflies and have so many ideas for them.

I die cut two of the largest butterflies from watercolor card stock, then ran half of one

butterfly through an embossing folder. Zig markers and a waterbrush were used to 

watercolor the butterfly.

Just the flowers from Altenew's Hill Blossom stencil were inked in with yellow ink.

The leaves were left white and die cut with the matching dies. Additional sprigs

were cut and adhered to the butterfly.

I stamped the sentiment, then added a hinged butterfly piece so the card can stand. 

Sequins finished off the card.

I'm not sure if my card shows too much butterfly and not enough flowers but I'm

taking a chance and entering it with fingers crossed.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 *****

Edited to add: My card was given an Honorable Mention shout out!

Thank you, The Flower Challenge!

Butterfly Thanks

Since my Copics are drying up and a buying trip to Itoya in Japan isn't likely in

the near future, I've turned to using dies and stencils on my cards. My latest

purchase is Spellbinders Butterfly dies by Bibi Cameron. 

 

I've had them for a while now and finally used them on a project after seeing

Yoonsun's beautiful butterfly cards here. 

Flowers and leaves were cut from watercolor card stock and colored with dye inks. A large

butterfly was inked with Distress inks and spattered with water and inks. The flowers

and foliage were adhered on the butterfly, and Nuvo drops were added to the

flower centers. 

The butterfly was adhered to a quilted panel and topped with the sentiment cut from

vellum and dark gray card stock. Iridescent sequins finished off the card.

Thanks to Yoonsun for the inspiration and to you for stopping by!

Online Card Classes Spring Card Camp 2022 -- Day 10

I made some time to participate in Online Classes Spring Card Camp 2022 with this

one project for Day 10 -- Rainbows and Patterns.

 

I got the rainbow part, but not the pattern. I started off with a pattern but in the

end, I added more sprigs and pretty much winged it. Sorry, Gina!

I used Altenew's Branches and Berries Die Set and colored them with Zig markers

and a waterbrush. The branches were arranged on a square card base and the

sentiment was stamped in the middle of the wreath.

The bottom corners of the card were rounded off and the card was finished off with

iridescent sequins.

And I can proudly share this participant badge, even though I "winged it".

Thanks for stopping by!

CASology Week 403 -- BOTANICAL

I seem to be entering challenges more often, and the reason being I'm discovering

products that I've purchased that were "hidden", aka buried under even newer goodies. 

 

The theme for CASology is BOTANICAL so I chose Simon Says Stamp's Fine Textured 

Leaf Dies for my project.

 

After die cutting some fronds from watercolor cardstock, I colored them with

Zig markers and a water brush. I mounted them on a Reverse Wonky Rectangle

panel and finished off with the Gina K Designs sentiment.

I know the colors are somewhat non traditional, but it's such a dreary day here 

that no amount of greens or yellows could brighten it up for me. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stay Crafty with A Blog Named Hero May 2022 Challenge -- Get Scrappy

 

It's been a while since I've joined a Hero Arts challenge. This month the Stay Crafty 

Challenge is Get Scrappy, to use your scraps on your project.

Everything except the Thank You Message Cover Die was a leftover scrap. I have 

several alcohol ink backgrounds and chose one to place behind the cover die.

 

 

I wanted to "dress up" the panel and found some Spellbinders flowers and leaves in a

scrap bowl on my desk. After popping up the panel, I tucked in some leaves and

adhered the flowers on the panel.

It felt good to participate in a Hero Arts challenge and use up some scraps, too.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

The Flower Challenge #68 -- Use a Number

This month's challenge theme at The Flower Challenge #68 is to Use a Number.

 

 

 

Here's my card using the new Lovely Layers Peony Honey Cuts for the bloom, and

one of my favorite number dies--Penny Black's By the Numbers.

 

The numbers die was debossed into a white card stock top folding card and set

aside. The peony and leaves were diecut from white card stock then colored 

with inks. The flower was assembled and spattered with gold ink.

The bloom and leaves were adhered to the debossed panel and finished off with

the white embossed sentiment.

This was probably a lazy way of adding a number so I may redeem myself and

enter another card. Stay tuned, and thanks for stopping by!

* * * 

Edited to add: So honored that my card was chosen as the Challenge winner! 

Huge thanks to the Flower Challenge design team and congrats to the Top Picks

and Honorable Mention.

The Flower Challenge 67 -- Add a Heart

I was about to mail a card to a friend who is recuperating from surgery, and happened

to see that the latest Flower Challenge was to Add a Heart. I decided to enter my card.

Can you spot the heart?

I embossed a panel with the new Sizzix Doily 3D Embossing Folder, then added the

Lovely Layers Tulip from Honey Bee Stamps. I finished off the card with the sentiment

from Pinkfresh Studio. 

Now do you see the heart? I'm not sure if this card will qualify for the challenge, 

but I'm sending it off with good wishes to my friend. Thanks for stopping by!

* * *

Edited to add: My card was chosen as a Top Pick! Thank you, TFC!

 

The Flower Challenge 65 -- Occasions

This month's theme at  The Flower Challenge 65 is OCCASIONS.

 

I've been playing with Altenew's new Blobby Roses Stencil Bundle and thought I'd link up

to the challenge. Here's my entry for a birthday.

The stencil is full sized and you can use it as a background or cut out individual blossoms

with matching dies, which is what I did. I used Altenew inks and layered colors, then

cut out some blooms.

The panel is Concord & 9th's Stitched Stripe Card Front Die. The sentiment is a hybrid

using Yana's Layered Script Sentiments and MFT's (discontinued) Label Maker

Sentiments. Some sparkling sequins finished off the card.

I might link up a second card using the stencil "as is". Stay tuned! 

Thanks for stoppin' by.

Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge #193 -- Love is in the Air

I'm linking up a project to Simon Says Stamp's Flickr Challenge #193 which is 

Love is in the Air. I used some older Simon Says Stamp products which, I'm happy to

report, are still available in their online store.

 

I stenciled in hearts from their Bursting Hearts Stencil in pinks and oranges on

watercolor card stock. After spritzing on some water, I let it dry and cut out a slimline

panel mainly because I didn't want to "waste" the heart background.

The sentiment was cut from white cardstock and gold for the shadow. After adhering

the sentiment to the panel, it was finished off with some Pretty Pink Posh sequins.

I can now chalk up my first Valentine card for the year--it may also be my only one 😆

Thanks for stopping by!

The Flower Challenge 64 -- Monochrome

I'm entering this card in The Flower Challenge 64 --Monochrome. 

 

 

 

I kept it pretty simple with several shades of orange on The Stamp Market's

Ready to Bloom Die. I inked and die cut it twice, then layered them on a kraft

card base, popping up the second layer. I rounded off a corner and finished off 

with a simple sentiment.

Thanks so much for visiting!

So Thankful

Happy New Year! I am so in love with Papertrey Ink's Feathered Friends series. 

When I think back (way back!) my first pet was an olive green budgie, so birds 

were always a fave.

 

I recently acquired Feathered Friends 13 and I'm not familiar with what type of

bird he is, but I've turned him into a red breasted robin. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

 

I assembled the bird after coloring him with inks and daubers. For the background

I used branches from Penny Black's Nestled set and I was going to color them but

decided to leave them white for an embossed look. 

 

 I finished off the card with a sentiment from a Spellbinders stamp set.

Here's wishing you a Happy 2022. I am so thankful for your visits here and

for your sweet comments too!