May Card Chain Challenge Reveal

Hey there - hard to believe it's June already and time to reveal the May Card Chain. My card went to Robyn in Australia. It took just over three weeks but luckily she received it before the end of May!! Gail sent me this beautiful card all the way from Norway - thanks Gail!!

Supplies: Paper Studio cream A2 card; BoBuny Cottontail & Valentine

Stamps with matching dies - Sunny Studio Everything's Rosy

Sentiment stamp - Momenta Smile/Sparkle

Other - Michael's gems; various inks (see photo)

I used the May colors & the sketch, plus have repeated flowers. I added green leaves - don't hold it against me! It was a bit difficult for me to have the largest flower at the top and the small ones at bottom - but I went with it!!

I typically do my color layering using a stamping tool and stamp first on printer paper for lining up. I align the negative and pop my die cut flowers into the negative for stamping. I did a bunch of flowers in this color combo (plus others), some for Robyn and some for other projects. For some reason I had trouble getting the fifth layer on the medium flower so I ended up stamping it twice into what looks like a full circle - didn't really mind this look and stamped all of them this way!! Here's a photo of the inks I used - the My Monthly Hero kit inks didn't have color names, sorry! Interesting how differently the inks combined on cream vs white.

I ordered the rosy set last year to take to my friend Heather in Ireland. While I was there I stamped a few roses to bring home. You can see cards I made with them last year here, here & here, if desired. Loved the roses so much I finally ordered the set with matching dies (plus other stuff....no surprise) not long into the pandemic. Was delighted with the service from Mendi - very timely despite the pandemic! Thanks Mendi!

I might share a couple of the cards I made with a blue color combo - not a common rose color but it matched the patterned paper I was using!! Will try to do that later this week.... Because - hey, this is a celebration (Kath was the 3000th participant) and a bit of a blog hop! Use the links above to go to the "before and after me" in the hop. And be sure to check out The Card Chain Challenge blog from June 2nd-28th for some fun games and prizes. Hope you can play along and also note, the June sign-up is on until June 6th.

Thanks for stopping and have a crafty June!!

Stay Crafty with Hero Challenge 9

Hey there - I'm playing along with the current Stay Crafty with Hero Challenge, running until Thursday June 11.

I just love sketch challenges and had fun with this one - first, here's the sketch, from Julee Tilman (Poetic Artistry):

Here's my take on it:

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Sunshine A2 card (retired); 

various Lawn Fawn 6x6 patterns

Stamps - Hero Arts CL184 Thoughtful Messages (retired)

Dies - Hero Arts DI128 Daisy Cutting Set by Lia Griffith (retired), 

DI197 Tag Infinity Dies and

DI145 Kelly's Documented Stamp & Cut (retired)

My Favorite Things Blueprints (retired)

Other - Memento Rosebud ink; Michael's gem;

Hero Arts ribbon from some My Monthly Hero kit

I loved Julee's inspiration card with the neutral papers! I chose something a little brighter for my mom's friend Dot who likes color & flowers. I substituted a tag for the rectangle element - just love these Infinity Tags!! I tend to have my sentiment on the right so I arranged my sketch elements running that way. Before the pandemic closed stores, I found some retired Sunshine A2 card packs - love, love, love!! Please, can you bring these back Hero?

I bought a bunch of these Hero Arts/Lia Griffith flower die sets years ago and haven't used any until now. Not sure why not; they're darling! Especially love the veins on the leaves in the Daisy set I used today. Sorry but now I can't find it to list the name - duh! Guess my crafty clean-up went a little too far!! Since this is my first time using the flower die, I will add to Darnell's NBUS challenge for never-before-used schtuff. ** Update - found the set in its packaging sitting under my address book - I was getting cards ready to mail and it got covered!! I added it to the supply list.**

Thanks for stopping by! Stay safe, healthy & crafty!!

More Small Joys

Hey everyone - hope all is well with you!! I realized the latest Hero Arts Stay Crafty challenge runs through May 28 at 5pm PDT. Had some time today so decided to make an anniversary card for my friends Deb and Dave. I was in their wedding many years ago and always try to send a special card since I don't see them very often. I have many sets with bitty hearts that I thought would work for my small joy stamp.

Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - DCWV A2 card; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Stamps - Hero Arts CL268 Warm Wedding Wishes (retired),

CL954 Many Everyday Messages

Dies - Hero Arts DI334 Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies

DC184 Ribbon Messages Stamp & Cut

Other - Hero Arts Intense Black ink, Stickles, 

Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide ink,

Crayola markers & pencils

I combed through my stash and settled on an old Hero Arts clear wedding set with a small pair of toasting glasses as my main image. Using an A2 card (nearly the color of the bridesmaid dress I wore in the wedding), I cut a heart shaped window. I stamped the pair of glasses on the card inside through the window. I added a couple hearts (another small stamp in the set), colored them and added stickles. I drew a black heart around the window, masked the rest of the inside and inked the border. A bit of a mess there, oh well..... Next I shaded the glass and bubbles. I took a straight horizontal sentiment and curved it using a stamping tool to fit the negative of my diecut banner. Popped the banner into the negative to stamp it - I thought it fit the banner's curve pretty nicely.

Here's a view of the card's inside:

Inside sentiment - Taylored Expressions The Inside Scoop - Anniversary

Finally, here's the wedding set I used. Had to have it years ago, mainly for the wedding cake but I love the sentiments too!

That's it for today, friends! Thanks for stopping and thanks to Hero Arts for this fun challenge! I was able to use two small stamps that had never seen ink!!

More Christmas Wreaths

Hey all - I've got a twofer for the current Christmas Kickstart Challenge to be Wreathed in Christmas Smiles (use a wreath). When I made my first card for this challenge (and for CAS Christmas), I happened to stamp two additional wreaths  & various add-ons. Mixed and matched then decided to go ahead make a couple cards with the finished wreaths. Would love to hear which is your fave of the three.

I'm calling this card 2 (card 1 being on the other post):

Supplies: Paper - DCWV A2 card; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;
Taylored Expressions Playful Patterns Holiday

Stamps with coordinating dies - Hero Arts CL907 Color Layering Wreath (retired)

Inks - Memento Rhubarb Stalk, New Sprout and Bamboo; Twisted Citron Distress Oxide

Other - Michaels clear gem; Paper Studio red gems; foam tape; 
Copic Markers for shading; red washi from Target

And this next one will be card 3 if you're voting :)

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio Holiday; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White';
Doodlebug Swiss Dots; Taylored Expressions Playful Patterns Holiday

Stamps with coordinating dies - Hero Arts CL907 Color Layering Wreath (retired)

Dies - various My Favorite Things Blueprints  (retired) 

Inks - Memento Rhubarb Stalk, New Sprout and Bamboo; Twisted Citron Distress Oxide

Other - Paper Studio red gem; foam tape; Copic Markers for shading

While the card base and mat looks a bit brownish in the photo, they're actually a dark burgundy which matches the lattice paper exactly - go figure, different brand entirely!! And I used the darker red gems from the same set as the previous card.

Thanks to Jo and her elf Robyn for a fun challenge!! Thanks to you for visiting and for voting if you choose to do so!! Happy crafting!!

Small Joys

Hi everyone! Hope you're having a great day! Restrictions have loosened up in Minnesota so a trip to my craft store is possible!! They even have restricted the first couple hours of the day for "by appointment" shopping. Don't think I'll need that, after all the grocery shopping I've done during our 7 weeks of lockdown!! Anyway, hope you're all safe and well and looking forward to in-store crafty shopping too.



Hero Arts continues with its Stay Crafty with Hero Challenge - the current one revolves around using the little images contained in many stamp sets. I chose a few from a Christmas Stamp and Cut set, along with a wreath from a different Christmas set. I used them to make an encouragement card. Hope it doesn't look too much like something that would go around the winning horse at the Derby!!

Supplies: Paper - DCWV A2 card; Neenah white

Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes; Poptone Black Licorice

Stamps - Hero Arts CL474 Special Wishes and

DC218 Christmas Banner Stamp & Cut (both retired)

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 20 (retired);

banner is from the stamp & cut set

Inks - Hero Arts Intense Black;

Distress Oxides - Pine Needles, Cracked Pistachio, 

Peeled Paint, Twisted Citron

Other - Michael's gems; ;foam tape

I first stamped the wreath using a stamping tool and centering it on a 6x6" paper. I then rotated the paper and stamped with another ink, then did it again. I added the little branch here and there in two different colors of ink; mainly you see the Pine Needles. Then I cut the paper with a stitched rectangle die, matted with black and added to my card base.

I got the Christmas banner Stamp & Cut set at an outlet store right before the lockdown. The banner came from this set (stamp and die) but there are also a few bitty stamps in it. I used the small flower and branch. No die for the flower unfortunately; I had to fussy cut (covered up an flaws with a black marker on the edge...). I popped the banner with foam tape and added the flowers and some gems. Done!

This was my first play with the banner set so I'll add it to Darnell's NBUS challenge too. It always feels good to use something languishing around the craft room! Thanks for hosting this challenge, Darnell, and thanks to Hero Arts too for another fun challenge!! Finally, thanks to you for visiting me and any kind comments you leave. Really - tell me if the wreath looks too Derby winner!!

Wildflowers

Hi all - I had some time in the craft room yesterday to create cards for Darnell's Twofer Challenge #27 with the theme of flowers. I made sure that one of the cards meets the current Stay Crafty with Hero challenge ending today. Here's my Twofer:

The flower stamp used for both cards comes from a Hero Arts/Basic Grey collaboration. I stamped it once in black for card one and four times in green for card two. I colored the flowers over the green ink with a dark purplish blue pencil. I've been making weekly cards for a friend so the "thinking of you" card will go to her. The thanks card will go to a friend who has had extra work challenges during this pandemic but still makes time to help our chorus have rehearsals on Zoom. Here's a look at each card with supply list:

Supplies: Paper - DCWV jewel A2 card; Poptone Black Licorice;

Momenta Watercolor patterns

Stamps - Hero Arts CL549 Butterflies and Wildflowers 

and CL980 Mother's Day (both retired)

Dies - My Favorite Things various Blueprints (retired)

Ink - Hero Arts Intense Black (from April My Monthly Hero kit - love it!)

Other - Foam tape; Michael's gems 

Supplies: Paper - DCWV green A2 card; Cardstock Warehouse navy;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; 

My Mind's Eye On the Bright Side (patterned)

Stamps - Hero Arts CL549 Butterflies and Wildflowers

and CL434 Just Find Me (both retired)

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 20 (retired)

Ink - Memento Paris Dusk and Bamboo Shoot

Other - Michael's gems; Prisma colored pencils

Thanks for stopping! Thanks to Darnell and to Hero Arts for the fun challenges! Hope all is well in your part of the world!!

Christmas Wreath with Berries

Hey friends - I'm back with a card to suit two challenges: CAS Christmas Winter Berries and Christmas Kickstart Wreathed in Smiles. I used a fun Hero Arts set with a layered wreath and loads of different elements to add, just sticking to groups of berries this time. Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - special grey linen from Anchor Paper; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Stamps with coordinating dies - Hero Arts CL907 Color Layering Wreath (retired)

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 20 (retired) & Rectangle Peek-a-Boo Window

Inks - Memento Rhubarb Stalk, New Sprout and Bamboo; Twisted Citron Distress Oxide

Other - Stickles; Paper Studio red gem; foam tape; Copic Markers

After checking out the two challenges, I flipped through my stash searching for likely stamp sets. I had a large pile but the one landing on top was the fun Hero Arts wreath set I chose. For some reason I have trouble lining up the second and third layers of the wreath but I just go with however it turns out!! The pale grey card with the white window layer reminded me of a door; I always have a wreath on my front door that changes with the seasons. I'm just realizing I forgot to take down the wreath with an Easter bunny on it - oops. Will have to remedy that asap!!

Thanks to Loll (host at CAS Christmas this month) and crew & Jo and her elf Robyn (coincidentally the person receiving my May Card Chain Challenge card) for fun challenges!! I probably will pop back in with another entry since my Christmas card stash needs building!

Thanks for stopping by!!