Twofer Wreath Challenge - Take Two

Couldn't resist doing another pair for this month's Twofer Card Challenge featuring wreathes.

My common wreath element is a beauty from a Spellbinders Wreath Stamp & Die set. I colored one in more summery colors and the other in mostly dark reds & greens. For the Christmas card I added pine needles to some of the wreath's twiggy branches. Here's each card separately with supply list:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; 

DCWV Ms Sparkle pastel card

BoBunny Serendipity; Graphic 45 Botanical Tea

Stamp & Die - Spellbinders Love, Peace, & Hope Holiday 2017 SDS-093

Dies - My Favorite Things Die-namics various Blueprints

Other - Copic Markers; Michael's gems; Hero Arts pearls;

Memento Rich Cocoa Ink

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Paper Studio Glitter;

Lawn Fawn Spruce Notecard; Poptone Black Licorice

Stamp & Die - Spellbinders Love, Peace, & Hope Holiday 2017 SDS-093

Dies - My Favorite Things Die-namics Joy

Other - Copic Markers; Stickles; Michael's ribbon;

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

I'm adding the Christmas card to this week's Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: All That Glitters is Gold. With a friend on the Design Team (Lin) and friends playing along (Sally, Darnell & Heather as of this post), how could I not contribute?! Besides the gold bow and hanger, I used gold Stickles on the flowers. My Lawn Fawn is the card base - just love these smaller top-fold cards; I have oodles of them!!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a crafty week!!

  

Twofer Wreath!

Hi all - the November Twofer Card Challenge was announced yesterday and I was eager to play along since I missed last month. Darnell and company are using wreaths this month - yay!

Something new this month & ongoing, stencils are allowed as the common element. So - two cards, two different occasions, same stamp, die or stencil. I'm working on Thanksgiving cards now so it made sense to start there. For my second card, I decided to get in another Christmas card. Since Merry Monday ended, I haven't kept up on my production quota - woe is me!! My common element is a twig wreath die from an old Hero Arts My Monthly Hero kit - long sold out, unfortunately.

Here's each card individually with the supply list:

Supplies: Paper - DCWV A2 card; scraps of colors &

scrap of Authentique Thankful (2012)

Target glitter paper

Stamps - Lawn Fawn Happy Feast (retired)

Gina K. Designs Autumn Wreath Builder

Dies - Hero Arts September 2016 My Monthly Hero kit

Other - scrap of ribbon; Gathered Twigs Distress Ink

Copic Markers

Supplies: Paper - DCWV A2 card; scraps of colors & glitter;

Tim Holtz Metallic Kraft

Dies - Hero Arts September 2016 My Monthly Hero kit;

Dee's Distinctively Wreath Builder; 

Whimsy Stamps Build a Poinsettia; Impression Obsession Merry Christmas

Other - silver gel pen; orange Stickles; Pine Needles Distress Ink

Neither photo of the Christmas card captures the beautiful jewel tone blue of the card base. I was shopping (big surprise?) yesterday at JoAnn and they had boxed cards 60% off - practically free! Well, I have many of these boxes in the stash but allowed myself one box of the DCWV Ms. Sparkle Jewel cards. Five great colors and I started using the pumpkin colored ones right away for my Thanksgiving cards. When I was trying different card bases for the Christmas card, the blue caught my eye - what do you think? The scripty sentiment was a pain - so delicate! I layered a white one under the silver one (a second white one became a hopeless tangle) - of course, glue got all over. I covered up some glue drips on the blue card with some strategic silver dots, then added a bunch more dots.

Thanks to the Twofer folks for a fun challenge! And thanks to you for stopping!!

Happy Halloween!!

Hey there - hope Halloween's shaping up to be a great day in your neighborhood. Looks pretty dreary here but it's supposed to get to 54F.

I didn't make a ton of Halloween cards this year. I always need a card for my longtime friend Denise who has a Halloween birthday. On this one I stamped and masked the haunted house, then stamped the ghost coming out of it. I hand drew a hill and path, then colored all with Copic Markers. My shading around the house and ghost got a bit messy but I decided to think it looks spooky - LOL!

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Layering Paper; Poptone Black Licorice;

Target orange glitter, scrap of Momenta Marbled; 

Neenah Classic Crest; Doodlebug Pumpkin Party

Stamps - Simon Says Stamp Creepy Cute; Hero Arts CL468 Frightful (retired)

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 20 (retired) and 26

Hero Arts DC197 Halloween Trimmings Stamp & Cut

I usually send a Halloween card to my friend Heather and her family. For 2018 I cut a jumbo BOO on the Silhouette and added a ghost peeking out of it. Simple but fun! I was so eager to get it off in the mail that I forgot to photograph it. Heather sent me a photo this morning so I could blog it today - thanks, Heather!! She sent me a darling card too but she hasn't blogged in quite a while so you probably won't see it. ***Update - she posted it - yay!!**

Supplies: Paper - Michael's green; Neenah kraft; Bazzill purple

A2 lilac card by DCWV 

Neenah Classic Crest; Doodlebug Pumpkin Party

Stamps - Hero Arts CL468 Frightful (retired)

Silhouette text - can't remember the font....

I love how she artfully displayed it with some Halloween decor - you don't see much of that at my house! I'm terrible about decorating for any holiday but Christmas. Anyway - hope you have a wonderful Halloween and don't get sick eating too much candy!! I should try not buying the kinds I like!!

Thanks for stopping!!

It's Been A While!

Hello friends - sorry I've been offline quite a bit in October! Chorus activities kept me busy, as well as visits to family. City of Lakes Chorus had our "send off" show, then we went to the Sweet Adelines International convention & competition in St Louis. After coming home I went to visit my parents and attended the Land of Lakes District convention (Barbershop Harmony Society).  Then chorus began rehearsals for our upcoming Christmas show - I stay busy!

If you're interested, our performances at the competition can be found at the links below:

Semi-finals

Finals

We earned 8th place (same as 2016). Last year was an "off" year as we can only compete every other year, after qualifying at a Regional contest which we did in Spring 2017.

Now on to a card. Last week was my dad's birthday and I was able to celebrate with him. Here's the card I made:

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Layering Paper, Poptone Black Licorice

scrap of Authentique blue; Echo Park Reflections 6x6 pad

Stamps - Hero Arts CL661 It's Your Day

DC150 Happy Stamp & Cut

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 13

Other -  black & silver gel pens, washi tape; 

Copic Markers; Stickles

Thanks to my friend Heather for sending me the train and the candle number diecuts!! Several members of Dad's family worked for the railroad and he loves trains - the diecuts came at the perfect time to make his card.

This month I missed a bunch of challenges I enjoy, including the Twofer Challenge and CAS Christmas. Hopefully I can play along again in November! I have also missed commenting on my friends' blogs and hope to get back to you all soon!!

Thanks for stopping and hope you have a crafty week!!

Penny Black Birthday & Anniversary

Hi all - back with a couple of cards made with some new items to my stash courtesy of my extremely talented blogging friend Jean. Many thanks to Jean for the incredibly generous sharing from her stash - it'll take a looong time for me to use all the fabulous goodies!! I started with a darling Penny Black bicycle image over a Poppystamps die that I dry embossed.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Poptone Black Licorice

Hero Arts Pool Layering Paper

Stamps - Penny Black Touch of Whimsy

Die - Poppystamps Happy Birthday Background

Other - Copic Markers; washi tape; gems

I made this card for my baby sister who had a bday last week. She was delighted with the bicycle because it reminded her of our childhood. I used to pop her little self into my bike basket and haul off to the local swimming pool. We practically lived there all summer - this was back in the day when a 13 year old could roam the city with a 5 year old in tow.... Our other sister plus our only brother (both younger than I) joined us for the fun. Guess you could call me the leader of the pack!

Next I have a card for friends' anniversary. I flipped through more of the PB transparent sets Jean sent and found this darling pair of birdies on a floral heart - perfect!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Poptone Black Licorice;

BoBunny Penelope Collection (green pattern); 

Momenta Marbled Pastels (blue for label)

Stamps - Penny Black All Abloom; Hero Arts CL342 Everyday Sayings (retired)

Die - Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles Two; 

My Favorite Things Blueprints 13 (retired)

Other - Copic Markers

I created this card today & had to pop it into the mail right away. Please forgive the photo colors - it was an extremely gloomy day here! I had to edit a lot to get a yellowish cast off my white; the big flower was a deeper red in real life.

Thanks again to Jean for the goodies & for her inspiration over the years!! I'm sure I'll be back to post often using fun items she sent. And thanks to you for stopping by. Happy crafting!!

Twofer Challenge Leaves - Guest Designer!!

Hey everyone - I'm excited to be a Guest Designer on the Twofer Card Challenge this month!! I won the July Beverage Challenge with my champagne cards here. This month, get ready for some fun with leaves.

I'm not quite ready for fall so my cards have more summery leaves on them. I actually ended up using die cut leaves from two different Spellbinders sets on both cards:

You probably can spot the leaf die cuts I used - they're around the outside of the leafy wreath at left. They popped up at the end of the branch in the card at right. The sprig of leaves also found its way onto both cards. Here's a closer look:

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts pool; Paper Studio yello

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; scrap of vellum

Stamps - Hero Arts CL772 Written in the Stars (sentiment - retired)

Dies - Spellbinders Sweet Tweets, Flower Garden, & Royal Monogram Set

Hero Arts Nesting Circle Infinity Dies

My Favorite Things Die-Namics Blueprints (scalloped border -retired)

Other - Copic Markers; Hero Arts black ink

For this card I started with the leafy monogram frame from the Royal Monogram set (die cut from a green vellum), then added sprigs from the Flower Garden and leaves from Sweet Tweets. Finally added the flowers and a sentiment circle. It was missing something so I added the scalloped panel die cut from some Blueprints set - not sure which one....

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio green and red,

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White,

Lawn Fawn Plaid, scrap of kraft, scrap of marbled Yupo

Stamps - Hero Arts CL342 Everyday Messages (retired)

Dies - Spellbinders Sweet Tweets & Flower Garden

Stencils - Tim Holtz Mini-Stencils Set 10
Other - Copic Markers; Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide ink;
Hero Arts black ink

The die cut pieces to this card are all part of Sweet Tweets, except the sprig in the birdie's mouth. The sprig came from the Flower Garden die set. I die cut the sprig from a scrap of Yupo I had marbled with alcohol inks. To form the card I simply cut two of the scalloped panels and scored the back one to adhere to the front one. I mostly cut the scene bits from white paper, except the roof, leaves and heart. Colored the bird house yellow and then stenciled it with Distress Oxide ink. Also stenciled the branch. I colored the bird to be a bluebird, following a photo from the Internet - sorta looks right?!


Thanks to Darnell and crew at the Twofer Card Challenge for having me Guest Design this month! I just love that challenge and am glad to be sharing inspiration this month! Be sure to stop by and see the rest of the beautiful creations by the team. Hope to see your cards in the pool too!

Thanks for stopping and have a crafty week!!

Wreath for CAS Christmas!

Hey everyone - I'm getting an entry in for the September CAS Christmas Card Challenge. Loll, Bonnie & company would like to see a wreath on this month's card.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Paper Studio red

Stamp & Die - Spellbinders Love Peace Hope Holiday 2017 (Wreath)

Silhouette for J & Y (can't remember the font)

Other - Copic Markers, Wink of Stella, gold gel pen, Joy Ultra thin foam tape

I was lucky enough to win a $25 Spellbinders prize during a recent blog hop; my comment on friend Virginia's blog was randomly chosen. Yay!! I couldn't resist this delicate wreath (nor a bunch of other goodies - LOL!). Many thanks to Virginia & Spellbinders!!

I cut and stamped the wreath and colored it with Copics, then added Wink of Stella to the roses (hard to tell in photo). What to do with the wreath??? The stamp & die set includes the little words PEACE, LOVE & JOY. Could've used one or all of those but seeing the JOY made me decide to use the wreath as the O. Yes, it's been done by legions but I couldn't resist. I found a font I liked in the Silhouette and cut the J & the Y. Note to self - be sure to write down the name of the font before you cut! I couldn't for the life of me find it afterward, even after trying a bunch of them - sigh... I added everything with my favorite thin foam to a top fold A2 card - done! This would be an easy card to mass produce and it's nice and flat for mailing.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll visit tomorrow when I'll be guest designing for the September Twofer Challenge. You'll see more of my new Spellbinders goodies in action.