Easter 2021

This photo really doesn't do this card justice.  The wreath is 3-dimensional, surrounding the sentiment.  The wreath was die-cut and the flowers and leaves were created with a stencil. stamped images, inks, Copics pens and colored pencils.  Many techniques but so much fun to create!

A New Start!

Wow!  Between multiple hand surgeries and changes in the paper crafting industry, I haven't used my blog for more than a year!  --in the last few weeks several friends have asked about my card making and if I had a blog, so I'm going back to it. It was so interesting to see some of my creations from years ago and realize how how much my designs and style has changed!

For one thing, there are a lot more designs that are inspired by a gorgeous piece of paper.  In the card below, I put together and colored two Botanicuts Lilies.  They fit so perfectly on this piece of Authentique paper!  

Make It Monday Inspiration

This morning's PTI Monday challenge involved using a frame to enclose a sentiment.  

Laurie created a lovely card using the "Humming Along" set.  I have a good friend who loves hummingbirds - she has at least 3 feeders out for them in the summer.

Right now my friend is in the hospital with the flu and I thought she would like to have this little hummingbird.

PTI Challenge: Stripes!

One of the fun things about a challenge is that it can take you to a new place creatively.  

Today's challenge was to use stripes as a dominant element on a card.

I discovered a PTI set that I've rarely used - "Enclosd: Present."  

In addition, I love lots of different colors and was surprised that I came up with a monochromatic design instead.

But it works!

PTI Color Challenge

Another PTI challenge that I have some time for-- I  chose the colors on Laurie Schmidlin's card:

Pure Poppy, Orange Zest, Harvest Gold, Green Parakeet, Hawaiian Shores, and Amethyst Allure. All thr details were diecut and stamped with color.  Love the 50's look of the vase!

PTI 11th Anniversary Challenge - All Die Cits

Another fun  challenge from PTI, celebrating their 11th anniversary.  And this time I happened to be working on some more Valentine cards anyway.  All I had to do was dive into my pile of dies, and here it is-- one more Valentine!

Floral Challenge - PTI Eleventh Anniversary

I was inspired by the subtle and elegant looks of Lizzie Jones and Strphanie Gold's cards posted on today's PTI blog.  I used double stamping and water misting to create this softer look.  Flowers are my most used images and I can't wait to get th "Mixed Bouquet" Anniversary stamp set!

PTI Stmp set: Gathered Garden

Various PTI inks and cardstock

PTI Elevnth Anniversary Sketch Challenge

PTI - Eleventh Anniversary Activities are just the jolt I needed to kick in that creative energy that seems to have been missing in these cold days of winter!  I chose Laurie Schmidlin's design because we sure could use more sunshine and some signs of spring around here.  The flowers are from Floral Sketches and the butterfly die cut from Life is Beautiful, both PTI.

Make It Monday -Fan Brush Trees

It has been ages since I've done a MIM challenge - but I couldn't resist this one!  Winter trees are my favorite Christmas card image,  I love to use watercolors when I can.  AND I actually own 2 fan brushes!!  The fan brush makes it easy to create a dappled effect for trees and grasses.  

Used PTI Enchanted Evening for the mat and card.  The sentiment come from "Ways to Say - Merry Christmas,

Some glitter makes the snow come alive. Loved making this!  

One more Christmas card done!                                                                            

Stamp Affaire #8 - a second bronze challenge

Another Bronze Anniversary challenge. This time I decided to make my own "bronze". 

I used a combination of orange zest and dark chocolate inks on white cardstock, from which I had die-cut the filigreed Mix and Match Scollops.  I sponged on Versamark and then dusted with gold Perfect Pearls, since I didn't have bronze.  Actually, it turned out pretty well!

Stamp Affaire #8 - Bronze

Yay!  No brown!!!

The focus of this challenge was bronze and we had metallic bronze paper on hand!

It looked awful plain when I first finished, but leave it to Barb to figure out that we needed to add a bit of bling to ours. This was easy and fun --and we have time to grab a bite of lunch before the next challenge starts.

Stamp Affaire #7 - Another Wool Challenge

Well we were supposed to make "cookies" out of felt for this one. I opted to make mine with Copic pens and PTI's Friendship Jar.  Some gingham and old fashioned wallpaper seemed to go well with the Halloween cookies!

Stamp Affaire #8 - Wool

Here we go again- another day of Stamp Affaire!  This morning's first challenge involved using some fall leaves made of two pieces of wool felt, stitched together..

Our sewing needles wouldn't go through the felt, so we "stitched" ours with copic markers. I loved the fall theme of Heather Nichol's design. 

Stamp Affaire - #6 Iron

I can not make another brown card!

This challenge was to create something resembling rusted iron. 

Our texture paste wasn't working anyway so I went off on my own and opted for something that would look like oxidized copper instead. 

At least it's colorful!  I blended several inks - Orange Zest, Hawwaiian Shores, Tropical Teal, and dusted here and there with gold Perfect Pearls.

Stamp Affaire - Wood #2

I LOVE color!!!  So when the second challenge involved wood and autumn leaves and wood, 

I went to town!

I used Zig watercolor pens on dampened cardstock. The rest came together in a snap. 

Stamp Affaire #5 - Wood

This time the challenge was wood - I didn't have a piece balsa wood so I just used a wood theme and did inlaid piecing with a double die-cut.  Melissa Phillips came to the rescue again with a sweet saying that fits between the branches. It needed something for a pop of color and a bluebird seemed to fit in perfectly .   

Stamp Affaire - #4 Another Linen challenge

The original idea for a card using linen was to use a die cut embroidery hoop. 

But as I started working on this little piece of linen, I began to remember the afternoons spent as a young girl over at one of the professor's wives living room having tea and the most delicious cucumber sandwiches and learning all the embroidery stitches.  It just seemed right to make a little sampler, happily remembering those sweet days. 

Stamp Affaire #4 - Linen

,k

This challenge was to use linen to wrap  package, Japanese style.

This was really fun to make - I used some simple flowers and leaves --

Simplicity is beauty!

Stamp Affaire - Second Leather Challenge

At first I really did not think this technique of creating a leather look would work at all - 4 layers of tissue paper ans a glue solution plus 2 layers of a coverplate design to bring out texture  

But it actually worked.

This reminded me of an ancient manuscript containing wise sayings, so I went to my favorites Melissa Phillips sayings from "Choose Joy". I really liked how this one turned out!

Thanks Nicole Heady!

Stamp Affaire #3. Leather

Wow! A totally new technique!  Ashleley Newell did a challenge for us on turning cardstock into leather.  Barb and I agreed that this is something we're definitely adding to our repertoires. 

Perfect for a mssquline card. I used an old-fashioned script for the Happy Birthday sentiment.