Make It Monday #245

Ashley Cannon Newell's tutorial for the current Make It Monday is called color isolation.

I stamped the background with the smaller butterfly and flowers from PTI's  What the Doodle:Butterfly. Then I stamped a die cut with the large butterfly, colored it with Prismacolor pencils, and attached it with dimensional tape.   The sentiment is from Altenew's Label Love.

PTI Anniversary--Design Team Inspiration

This week Papertrey Ink's anniversary celebration begins! The first challenge is to create a card using one color combination and one sketch offered on Nichole's blog.
I chose this color combination

and this sketch

For my card I used Delightful Dahlia stamp set Wonderful Words Die Collection.

Happy Anniversary PTI!

Papertrey November Blog Hop Challenge

Forecast for today--SNOW!
Expect to see many snow themed projects today for this month's Papertrey Blog Hop Challenge.

I used Damask Snowflake dies as the base for these tags or gift toppers.

I stamped the round label from Label Basics onto a die cut from Limitless Layers 1 3/4 Circle. Then Tiny Treats Christmas provided the cute images and sentiments.  An Aqua Mist  pinked edged circle die cut adds another layer.

Oh, and the little snow drift under the snowman and penguin is a the flourish from Birthday Classics:May, stamped in Soft Stone ink.

A delicate die cut bow (Impression Obsession) and some evergreen sprigs cut with my well used and now contrary Martha Stewart punch.

These tags are easy and quick to produce so I can add these and more to the tag stash.
I like to have some tags ready to share with guests at Thanksgiving to help them prepare for Christmas.

If you are in the states, have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and everyone know that I am always grateful when you stop by.

Feeling Happy

 Power Poppy Stamps Peeps of the Week Challenge  makes me happy because in addition to the beautiful cards created by the Power Poppy design team, the challenge offers more cards that inspire. In addition,  I love coming across a card that with the  first glance just makes me happy.

Speaking of feeling happy, with Power Poppy stamps and Marcella Hawley's incredible images, my love to color has blossomed once again. Yes, pun intended. And the sentiments include some of my favorite quotations as well as fresh new sentiments like the one on this card--LOVE IT!   (Honestly, if  I were get that tattoo of a violet, this sentiment might just have to go with it :)

White eyelet, vintage prints, a quirky flower button, and bouquet of cosmos, poppies, and sage, quite simply make me happy.

One last happy thought---a new release of Power Poppy stamps this week.


Supplies:
Stamps: Country Bouquet (Power Poppy), Bitty Background Blocks (PTI)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), patterned paper (from stash)
Other: Die-namics Washi Tape(MFT), Button Stacks die(PTI), Silhouette Cameo, Prismacolor pencils

Red, White, and Blue

Hi ya, peeps! I'm here today with an oh-so-summery card! When I first saw this gorgeous digital stamp by Power Poppy Stamps, I thought of decorating for a summer picnic. I think I was in Independence Day decorating mode, so I thought blue gingham tablecloth with perky red geraniums, thus the background for this card.

I changed the jpeg file to a png file in Photoshop Elements; then I used the Silhouette to plan my card design and cut the background, tag, and floral image. I pulled out the Prismacolor pencils for coloring and attached the colored image with dimensional tape.
And my Independence Day picnic---well, we changed our plans at the last minute and dined at a local brewery downtown before walking to the city's outdoor symphony concert and fireworks.

I'm linking this to the Let Freedom Ring Challenge on the Power Poppy Blog 

Thanks for stopping by,

Supplies:
Stamps: Geraniums (Power Poppy)
Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Blueberry Sky (PTI)
Ink: Blueberry Sky (PTI)
Other: Prismacolor pencils, Silhouette Cameo

A Glimpse of Spring

What better way to spend some time during the Polar Vortex last week than to  put on the fleece, sip some coffee, and think spring while coloring this beautiful tulip stamp from Flourishes' Tulips for Friends.

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge #253 is to create a shaped card. I used a cut file by Samantha Walker sold in the Silhouette Online store for the card and the cut file sold by Flourishes for the tulips. I used Prismacolor pencils for coloring. Slipping the gingham ribbon through one of the cutouts helps to anchor the ribbon.

Be sure to check out Flourishes wonderful newly released stamps for January and thanks for stopping by,

Kewpies' New Year

This trio of kewpies and puppy from Crafty Secrets digital stamp set Kewpies Christmas are adorable and  thrilled to celebrate a new year and join Crafty Secrets January Linky Party here.

 With Photoshop, I erased the "and" from the sentiment and added 2014 to the song book. I used Prismacolor pencils to color and aged with Old Photo and Antique Linen distress inks. The floral background paper is from iralamija shop at Etsy. Crocheted lace, pom trim and a polka dot rose add a little feminine flair.

Do you send cards or receive cards for the new year?

Let the Treats Begin

Since Ms. Kitty Teapot has donned her witch's hat, it must be time to scare up some Halloween treats and of course, something special to hold those treats. I started with some peat pots that have been in my stash for awhile and painted them with Folk Art Metallic Sequin Black acrylic paint. Although not obvious in these photos, in real life, these tiny pots do have a subtle shimmer. I stamped two labels from Crafty Secrets Halloween Labels and colored with pencils, using a colorless blender pen to blend the colors.  While I used the original acrylic stamps, these stamps are now in digital form, so you can easily adjust the size of the labels.

See the little black cat button above. I used the border stamp from Crafty Secrets Jolly Halloween and masked everything but the cat. I covered the stamped circle with an epoxy circle and attached to a glittered scalloped die cut. Remember to look at your stamps as parts. It's easy to mask with acrylic stamps, and if you use Photoshop Elements with your digital stamps, use the eraser tool to get just the image you need.                                  

I couldn't pass up this crazy variegated yarn on clearance! With green, orange, purple, and blue, it's perfect to use on Halloween projects. One skein should last a long time unless I actually use it for knitting :)

I'm linking this to Crafty Secrets October Linky Party here. Be sure to check out the great projects and tutorials by the design team.

Thanks for stopping by and check back later for more Halloween projects.

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge #237

This week's Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge hostess Katie Sims challenges us to use dry embossing.

I made this acorn shaped card using a Silhouette file  #33026; after duplicating the shape and flipping one,I welded the two pieces to form the card base. I cut a third bottom piece which I embossed and inked with Wild Honey Distress ink. The cap's edges were also brushed with brown ink. A few leaves from Flourishes Falling Leaves, fussy cut and colored with Prismacolor pencils, and some twine finish this fall card.

Be sure to check out Flourishes September release--gorgeous Christmas stamps!
Thanks for stopping by,

Supplies:
Stamps: Falling Leaves (Flourishes)
Paper: Stamper's Select White, kraft (PTI), brown (Paper Studio)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Wild Honey Distress Ink
Other: Silhouette file #33026, Prismacolor pencils, Victoria embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

Celebrate! Flourishes August Release Challenge

Flourishes August Release Challenge is all about color with the rules to use teal, rust,and gray.

Let's start from the bottom layer and work up to those gerber daisies.  A muted teal is the base for this card. A plaid paper of teal, gray, and cream and a gray text patterned paper are matted on rust cs with rust pinking between the two patterns.  I stamped the gerber daisies and butterfly after cutting the shapes with the Silhouette files sold by Flourishes---love the files for Flourishes stamps!  Then I colored with Prismacolor pencils and mounted with dimensional tape.  A little twine and a sentiment from Seasonal Wreaths stamped on a die-cut flag finish the card.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day,


Supplies:
Stamps: Gerber Daisies, Seasonal Wreaths (Flourishes)
Ink: Rich Cocoa, Expresso Truffle (Memento by Tsukineko)
Paper: Vintage Cream, Canyon Clay, Ocean Tides (PTI); Lost and Found:Portobello Road (My Mind's Eye)
Other: Prismacolor pencils; Mini Wavy Pennants die (MFT); Silhouette Cameo; Pinking shears die, rustic twine(PTI)

A Valentine for My Valentine

My husband who never had a cat for a pet, gave me a kitten when we were dating many years ago, and thus began his love of cats. Today we have two sweeties, Lucy and Gus. This little girl sitting in the tree looks much like sweet Lucy since I added those black markings to this stamped image. Lucy has some odd markings, but she also has the sweetest face. Her beau sitting beside her may be from her past when she was a stray. He is not Gus who is black ( a little too difficult for me to color), although Gus says,"I'd date Lucy if she wasn't my big sister because she sure is pretty."

This cute pair are from Crafty Secrets Cutie Cats stamp set, colored with Prismacolor pencils.

I mounted them with dimensional tape on to a heart pocket cut with a Silhouette. I used these Silhouette files: 24996 and 37803. This is ready to slip my Valentine note  into the pocket for my heart's love.

I 'm linking this to the Crafty Secrets Linky Party here. Be sure to check out the other entries.

Magical Monday

 Monday-- the beginning of pleasant possibilities

I'm happy to be playing with CAS(E) this Sketch! this week, using this sketch

After stamping the image and sentiment from Pixie Dust (Crafty Secrets), I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils.

And inside the caterpillar, perhaps with the aid of a little pixie dust, turns into a butterfly.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope your Monday turns into a beautiful week.

"The forward violet..."

     

"The forward violet thus I did chide-                                      Sweet thief, whence didst thou steal thy sweet that smells                                        If not from my love's breath?"                                                                                    William Shakespeare, Sonnet 99

With Flourishes' January release this week, they are sponsoring a  challenge to create a card focusing on love and /or letters. Violets symbolize faithfulness and were often given as tokens of love, so I chose  the violets from Flourishes Botanical Bookplates Vol.1 for the focal point of a Valentine's Day card.

Seriously, you know me; I jump at any chance to use my violet stamps. :)

Wishing you a week filled with promise as violets in January,

Supplies:

Stamps:Botanical Bookplates Vol 1 (Flourishes), Winter Words (Just Rite Stamps)

Ink: Memento London Fog, Sweet Plum 

Paper:  Stamper's Select White (PTI)

Other: Prismacolor pencils, Thank You Set #5 embossing folder (Sizzix), ribbon (Offray)

Fall Favors--Waltzingmouse Stamp Blog Party

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.  ~Albert Camus

I am so fortunate to live in an area where the colors of autumn are as gorgeous as  the colors of spring,
and  I am looking forward to those days when "every leaf is a flower." But for now I am happy for September's Waltzingmouse's  Blog Party where the theme is fall because I know the  hostesses of this blog party will provide some wonderful fall delights.

A fall party! How lovely! 

How about some fall party favors?

I've been having loads of fun with my Silhouette Cameo! Some of the first items I added to my wish list when I got my Silhouette Cameo in the spring were the little containers with different shapes along the edge. This particular file is #21248.  With a little masking, I stamped the leaves with WMS  Text-It.

 I  used  Very Vintage Labels 4 and two sentiments from Vintage Ornaments for the labels.  A fussy cut leaf colored with Prismacolor pencils, a tiny acorn charm and some twine finish the outside of these little favors.

For the inside, how about some fall colored candies or some chocolate/chocolate chip acorn -shaped  mini muffins? ( I love fall baking with my Nordic Ware Acorn Cakelet pans).

 Nibbling on a few of these chocolate muffin acorns and sipping a warm drink will be perfect while I stop by your party. :)


Supplies:
Stamps: Text-It, Vintage Ornaments, Very Vintage Labels 4 (Waltzingmouse Stamps); Falling Leaves (Flourishes)
Ink: Scarlet Jewel, Canyon Clay( PTI);  Memento Rich Cocoa (Tsukineko)
Paper: Paper Studio, PTI
Other: Label 4 dies(Spellbinders), Silhouette Cameo, Prismacolor pencils