Guest Designer Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge #24 -- SNOWMAN

 

Me and my gnomies were chosen as the Top Pick for Caffeinated Christmas Card  

Challenge #22  and I was invited to guest for the last challenge of the year with the 

theme of SNOWMAN.

 

The prize sponsor for this month is Frantic Stamper. 

 

 

 Fran is generously offering this trio of goodies to the winner:

 

One (1) Frantic Stamper Precision Die -- Irish Coffee 

One (1) Frantic Stamper Precision Die -- Coffee Grinder

One (1) Frantic Stamper Precision Die -- I Love Chocolate and Coffee

My card uses one of my favorite snowpeople from Paper Smooches and all patterned 

paper is from  Catherine Pooler's Daily Grind which is sadly discontinued. 

I love his plaid attire!

The sentiment is from Catherine Pooler (also discontinued) and I stamped it 

before running the card through a falling snow embossing folder. To finish off the card, 

I added a mug from a Casual Fridays set and some snowflakes from my snowflake stash.

 

Kim Hughes closed her Paper Smooches shop and blog three years ago, but you can 

now find some of her products at Queen & Co and a few Catherine Pooler products 

can be found at Frantic Stamper.

* * *

Huge thanks to Amy and Lisa for the invite and we hope you'll join the last

challenge of the year. You have until 11:55PM PST on December 25th, 2023

to link up your caffeinated creations.

 

The Card Concept #201 -- Fall Leaves

I'll have to admit that the leaves drew me in to The Card Concept #201. 

Check out the gorgeous inspiration photo.

 

 

Here's how I was inspired--I may have been a bit too literal.

 

Assorted leaves from Honeybee Stamps were cut from Bristol card stock and inked with

Concord & 9th inks, then spattered with black ink. 

A black panel was embossed with Altenew's Organic Linen folder and adhered to a black

card base. The leaves were adhered to mimic the photo and finished off with a gold

embossed sentiment.

The card style is definitely Clean and Layered as i tried to follow the inspiration photo

with layering of the colorful leaves.

 

 Wishing those who celebrate a very Happy Thanksgiving and hope you snag some

Black Friday deals! Thanks so much for stopping by!

* * *

Edited to add: My card was chosen as the winner of the challenge!

Thank you to The Card Concept! 

 

 

A Kind and Magnificent Friend

My dear friend Michele Ferguson chose today, World Kindness Day, as our Playing Cards 

with Friends date and I accepted in a flash. 

 The "rules" for our play date is to make a card for someone who has done something 

kind. Not necessarily for me, nor does it have to be someone in our card making 

community. Just an act of kindness that deserves notice.

 

Well, duh, it was a no brainer to choose my playmate and creative card maker

as the inspiration for my card.

 

 

I'm not sure when I "met" Michele. I always wondered about this gal whose blog was called

"I Card Everyone". She would stop by and leave the sweetest comments on my blog.

 

 She has since sent me annual Christmas and birthday cards as well as "just because" cards

which are the very best kind. We managed to FaceTime just once, but it's an event 

I'll always cherish and hope to do it again!

For my card, I purchased Spellbinders Stitched Etched Alphabet Dies and didn't think I 

would be doing any stitching. But I did some for Michele. I watched Yana Smakula's video 

on Analogous Colors and found a color palette that reminds me of Michele.

 

The stamp set has matching adjectives for each alphabet and I only wish hers was

"kind hearted". But she's magnificent just the same.

 

She decided to keep photos of our cards a secret from each other so I'll join you over

at her blog to see her masterpiece. I can cross "playing cards with Michele" off of my

bucket list now. Thanks so much, kind friend--it was tons of fun!

* * * * *

If you want to learn more about World Kindness Day 2023, visit this helpful link.

Personally, I think there needs to be more kindness in the world, not only today, 

but every day 💗

Inspired by Challenge #262 -- GNOMES

When I saw that this week's Inspired by Challenge #262 was all about GNOMES, I was in.

And just look at the adorable inspiration!

 

There's even a sketch by Laurel.

 Here's how I was inspired.

I assembled two gnomes with (retired) Photoplay papers and added a red heart

 on each of their hats. A woodgrain embossing folder was used on the background 

panel and the gnomes were adhered over it. The card was finished off with a red 

die cut sentiment. 

I don't know why but gnomes always make me smile. Supposedly they're not the

cleanest in terms of hygiene, and have grumpy personalities. I guess they become

as cute as we can make 'em!

Thanks for stopping by!

* * *

Edited to add: My card was chosen as the winner of the challenge!

Thank you, Laurel!

 

Hello FALL -- 2023 Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

 Thank goodness for Daylight Savings as I have extra time to enter the

2023 Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop with a few hours to spare.

 

I went with a fall theme and I mixed and matched products from four companies.

The cups are Mama Elephant's Boba Shaker Dies, cut from different colors of card stock.

I ran the band through a corrugator before adhering it to the cups. The background is

the new Basket Weave Card Front from Concord & 9th.

The leaves are from Papertrey Ink, die cut from white card stock and colored

with dye inks. I attached three leaves and a twine bow to a cup, then adhered 

all three to the card. A gold embossed sentiment finished off the card.

Thanks for stopping by--I'm off to link this up!

Freshly Made Sketches #609 -- Guest Designer

 

I was invited to join Freshly Made Sketches 609 after my card, along with other winners,

 was chosen for their celebratory Freshly Made Sketches 600.

 

Here's the fantastic sketch--just look at all of the elements!

 

 

I was a little overwhelmed, so I simplified the sketch to more my style.

I used a rounded arch for the central element and substituted branches for the fishtail

strips which helped to perch the bird. A strip of kraft was embossed with a wood plank 

folder, then distressed with white pigment ink. I embossed the sentiment and adhered 

all of the elements to the card base. The finishing touch was a spattering of snow with

some white paint.

 

You have until Monday, October 30th at 3:00 PM EST to enter. Come and join the fun!

Huge thanks to Karren and the rest of the FMS team for inviting me to join you this week.

 

 

Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge #22 -- GNOMES

I'm squeezing in a card for Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge #22 with

the challenge theme of GNOMES. 

 

 My card uses gnomes from a Gnome for the Holidays Kit by Gina K Designs in collaboration 

with Thermo Web that was sold (and sold out) about 3 years ago. I'm glad that I bought a kit

and was able to finally use it for the challenge.

I assembled three gnomes in different colored hats and let each one hold a coffee

mug. I added some snowflakes and stamped the sentiment. Oh, and I gave them some

hands although the kit didn't include any because, how are they supposed to

hold their mugs? Aren't they the cutest?

Ok, I'd better finish and link this up since I have about a day left to do so.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

* * * * * 

 

Edited to add: My card was chosen as the Top Pick which means I'll be guesting

with them in December! See you then, and thank you, CCCC!

 

The Flower Challenge #85 -- Anything Goes and TFC's 7th Birthday

I couldn't miss the celebration over at The Flower Challenge. It's their 7th Birthday

with the theme of Anything Goes. But sadly, two of the team members, Aileen and Viv,

are stepping down.  

 

 

I've had the honor of guesting at TFC and worked with both ladies via email. They are

both kind and helpful and PATIENT and will surely be missed. Thankfully, Karren 

and the rest of the creative design team will continue with TFC's challenges so we 

won't go through "floral withdrawal".

 

Here's my card assembled with "unfinished" pieces that came together for the

finished project.

 

  I swiped white pigment ink over an embossed panel and topped it with Altenew's

Impressionist Bouquet. I added the sentiment and finished off with some clear

sequins. 

Happy 7th Birthday, The Flower Challenge! And much love and thanks to Aileen and

Viv for your years of dedication and inspiration! Hopefully you'll now have more time 

to "stop and smell the roses". 

Color Throwdown #762

I'm entering Color Throwdown #762 because my PTI order arrived and I thought the 

color palette matched perfectly with the dies.

 

Here's my card using Into the Blooms: Christmas Sprigs Dies.

 

 After embossing a kraft card with SSS Vine Canopy I adhered the foliage and berries

to the corner. The sentiment was triple stacked and adhered to the card.

Off to link this up--thanks for stopping by!

Inspired by Challenge #253 -- SUNFLOWERS

Squeezing in a card for Inspired by Challenge #253 -- Sunflowers.

Here's the challenge graphic and sketch.

 

 

Here's my card. I was inspired by the sketch, and of course, the sunflowers.

 

I cut a strip of Craft Consortium patterned paper and ran it through a wood plank 

embossing folder. To add to the weathered look, I distressed the edges with a scissors.

 

After adhering it to a card base, I added the sunflower and a sentiment that was

in my scrap bowl. It's so old, I don't know which stamp company it's from, but I like 

that it was cut and ink distressed and fit perfectly on the card.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Featured Stamper for Color Throwdown #758

I was so surprised when I found out that my entry was chosen as the random winner for

 Color Throwdown Challenge #756 and that meant an invitation to be the Featured Stamper 

for CTD #758. And I graciously accepted.

The colors are pink, green, magenta, and white. 

 

Here's how I was inspired.

I chose The Greetery's Spring Meadow set paired with some new Concord & 9th inks.

Dragonfruit and Carnation were the best choices for my project although CTD

allows for some leeway with the color palette. 

I was trying to create an OLC but stenciling the image on an angle was a bit too 

challenging so I decided to stencil, then cut out the bouquet. I adhered it to a panel, 

stamped the sentiment, and finished off with some clear sequins

You have until Monday, September 4, 2023 at 6PM EST to link up your projects.

Thanks to the CTD team for the invitation to join you for this week's challenge

and we hope to see you n the gallery!

Freshly Made Sketches #600

With twelve years and 600 sketches under their belt, Freshly Made Sketches is

 celebrating a milestone! I couldn't resist joining in with a card using this fun and

simple sketch.

 

 

Here's my take on it since I had some extra leaves floating around.

I ran a piece of patterned paper through an Altenew embossing folder and adhered

a maple leaf over it. The two part sentiment was added, then finished off with some

tiny gold sequins.

I'm still a newbie at Freshly Made Sketches after being on the CAS(E) this Sketch!

team for many years, and I'm happy to play along whenever I can. I love a good

sketch as a starting point for a card design and being able to use "bits and bobs"

from my scrap bowl is a bonus!

Congrats on the 600th sketch, FMS, and here's to many more years of sketches

and inspiration!

Color Throwdown #756

I love leaves. I must own a zillion leaf dies and stamps. So when I saw that the

color palette for Color Throwdown Challenge #756 was green, orange, and brown,

it was a no brainer to enter.

 

I chose a large oak leaf and smooshed, blended, and spattered three of them. 

A woodgrain piece was distressed on the edges and adhered to a card base.

The leaves were adhered and finished off with the sentiment.

Off to link up my card. Thanks for stopping by!

* * *

Edited to add: My card was chosen as the winner for CTD756 and I'll be the

Featured Stamper for a future challenge! Thank you, CTD!

Color Throwdown #753

I'm entering a card to Color Throwdown #753 just under the wire, as always. 

Here's the challenge colors: pink, aqua, yellow and lime.

 

 The colors made me think about flowers and I pulled out The Greetery's

Spring Meadow Stencil which fit the bill.

I used inks from The Stamp Market and Altenew. I'm not really sure of the names

because I was just grabbing colors and stenciling as I went along.

I stamped the sentiment and used a set of matting dies to cut out the panel.

I adhered it to a light gray card base and finished off with some clear enamel dots.

I'd better link this before I miss another deadline. 

Thanks for stopping by!

The Flower Challenge #82 -- Clean and Simple

It's a new month--I can't believe we're into JULY!--and a new challenge over at

The Flower Challenge. This month the challenge theme is CAS, Clean and Simple,

one of my favorite card styles.

 

I chose Honeybee Stamps' Lovely Layer Coneflower Honey Cuts as my flower of choice.

The background was made using Altenew's Organic Linen 3D Embossing Folder.

The coneflower petals were colored and assembled and I DIY'd a stem. The bloom was

adhered to the card and finished off with a gold embossed sentiment. I wish you could

see the shiny sentiment. I always struggle with capturing metallic embossing.

 

While the overall design is CAS, I'm wondering if all those layers make this a

"clean and layered" project? Well, either way, I'm off to link this up.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Bear Hugs

Waffle Flower's Intertwined Bear Hugs Dies just HAD to come home with me. I wasn't

going to wait for a blog hop to try and score one, and I'm glad I grabbed it right away 

because most craft sites are sold out, or there's a reserve/waiting list.

 

 After watching several You Tube videos for inspiration, I came up with this.

This set is ingenious and cute! When separated, the bears open up to share a hidden

message. I'm still waiting for my sentiment set to arrive so the inside is blank for now.

The sentiment is Waffle Flower's Classic Sentiments and part of the "h" went over 

the tummy fur but I can live with that. 

 

I have other ideas for this set, now I just have to find the time to put them down.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

A Little Weekend Marketing

 

I'm so into die cutting now, more than coloring, and when I saw Concord & 9th's

Weekend Market Dies, I fell in love. Yes, the set has over 20 dies but I watched a video

by Jennifer McGuire and she shared tips and tricks for making the most out of

die cutting "en masse". 

 

Cutting multiples may seem daunting at first, but it's actually time saving and

you'll have a bunch of elements ready to choose from.
 

I wanted to give her a printed top and found some vintage MFT papers. Altenew's  

Organic Linen and Deck Planks 3D embossing folders helped to create the background 

and ground the image. I finished off the card with a sentiment from Altenew.

 

I'll be putting together a few more cards using this set. It's very relaxing to choose the 

outfits and pick out what she's carrying--it's just like playing with paper dolls!

 

Thanks, always, for stopping by!

 

The Flower Challenge #81 and SSS June Flickr Challenge #212

The Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge for June is Stencil It--use stencils on 

your project. I chose Poppy Field Stencils and went with red as the color choice

for the blooms.

 

 After stenciling the poppies, I die cut the piece with an arch shaped die and adhered it

to a light gray card base. I added a strip of dotted paper on the bottom and the

sentiment was cut from black card stock. Black enamel dots finished off the card.

 

 

I'm also entering the card to The Flower Challenge #81-- Use Your Favourite Flower.

 

While the poppy isn't a favorite flower, per se, I have fond memories of an elderly

neighbor who would pass out a Buddy Poppy at a local shopping center on Veteran's Day.

I would donate a few dollars and sometimes score TWO poppies and attached them 

to my purse straps.

Sadly during the pandemic, Buddy Poppies were no longer passed out and the 

neighbor has since passed away. But he always comes to mind whenever I see the red

poppy and I recall how lucky I was to have a Buddy Poppy. Or two.

Thanks for stopping by!

* * * * *

Edited to add: My poppies were chosen as Honorable Mention for June!

Thank you, The Flower Challenge!