Last of March Diva Inspiration!

Hi friends - the Divas have some last of the month inspiration using Sunny Studio products - see them all here! 

I made a quick & easy thank you card using a bunch of border dies:

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio Brights

Dies - Sunny Studio Slimline Basic Borders and

Slimline Scalloped Frame (sentiment);

Hero Arts Nesting Circle Infinity Dies

Other - Jolee Music Note Stickers; foam tape

I die cut three borders, then used the negative of two of them as additional layers. One of the dies imbeds the stitches so I used it on the topmost layer. Kinda reminds me of a fiesta - love the bright colors!! This one went to a Sweet Adeline friend who worked really hard on a project to honor past Regional Champion quartets, including mine - Chord Company - champs 6 times back in the day (retired in 2010).

You still have time to upload your slimline card to the Die Cut Diva March Slimline Challenge - link up ends at 9pm Pacific time today. Our wonderful sponsor Sunny Studio has furnished a $15 gift card to their store; the winner will be announced at Die Cut Divas on April 3rd. Many thanks again to Mendi at Sunny Studio!!

Thanks for stopping and happy crafting!!

Spring Slimline

Hey everyone - I'm the featured designer at Die Cut Divas today, sharing a slimline with Sunny Studio products! Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio Brights; Neenah White;

Momenta Watercolor; Tim Holtz Menagerie;

scrap of pink Heidi Swapp glitter paper

Dies - Sunny Studio Slimline Pennant Dies.

Slimline Scalloped Frame Dies, Slimline Nature Borders Dies,

Layered Basket Dies; Basic Mini Shape Dies 3

Stamps - Sunny Studio A Good Egg (with dies)

Other - Copic Markers, Stickles

If you want fabulous products and great service, check out our March sponsor, Sunny Studio. I've been a satisfied customer since 2016. When I suggested the theme of slimline cards for the Divas to use in March, I already owned 3 Sunny Studio slimline die sets. A fourth one came out January 8th and I promptly ordered it, deciding on the spot to make a pennant-shaped card. I cut two of the large pennants and scored the back one to hinge the opening. I used the next sized pennants to cut two layers. There's also a fourth narrow pennant, great for sentiments or to cut down for little flags. The set also contains two styles of scalloped borders - an excellent value!! 

One of my earliest slimline purchases was the Scalloped Frames set, which includes sentiment dies. I used the "greetings" from that set, combined with the "spring" from the new Layered Basket die set. The little tulip die came free with an order but can be purchased in a mini set to which I linked in the supply list. The grass came from the Slimline Nature Borders set. My chick in the egg is from a favorite stamp set I purchased 5 years ago; finally got the coordinating dies last year - well worth it!!

Had to laugh - I showed my mom this card and she wasn't very enthusiastic about it. "What don't you like?" I asked. She wouldn't be specific - hope you all can find something you like about it! I think it's a a very happy card!! 😉

That's it from me. Thanks for stopping and the Divas & I hope to see your slimline card in the Diva gallery this month!! Please use a die cut of some kind and link up by March 31st at 9pm Pacific time.

Special thanks to Mendi at Sunny Studio for her kindness and generosity, including a $15 prize to our random winner (look for the announcement on April 3rd). Happy crafting!!

Kraft, Red & White Christmas

Happy Saturday - it's a beautiful day here in Minnesota!! I hope to get out and enjoy it at some point!!

Popping in with a card I've been thinking about for the March CAS Christmas Challenge to use kraft, red & white on a clean & simple Christmas card. Big congrats and Happy 3rd Birthday wishes to CAS Christmas and the entire team!!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah White;

Hero Arts Latte (retired); Paper Studio Holiday

Dies - A Jillian Vance Designs Dot Stitched Rectangle Backdrop;

Hero Arts Paper Layering Poinsettia &

Nesting Oval Infinity Dies

Stamps - Taylored Expressions Linen Background

Hero Arts Hero Greetings Christmas

Inks - Frayed Burlap Distress Ink & Memento Rhubarb Stalk

Other - Honey Bee gems

I diecut a stitched rectangle and then a matching mask with an oval cut into it. Sponged Distress Ink over the open oval - sorry it's yellowish in the photo but very matching to the kraft cardstock in real life. I stamped the linen texture on to the A2 card base and added my stitched panel (with a thin red mat). Diecut and assembled the flower, then added along the oval. Stamped the sentiment and added some gems - done!! I just love this poinsettia die set and have used it bunches of times since I bought it - thanks to Hero Arts for creating it!!

So glad you visited and I hope you'll stop back tomorrow for my Die Cut Diva post using Sunny Studio slimline products!! Happy crafting!!

Let's Squash an Embossed Box!

Hey there - hope you're enjoying the week! I wanted to play at Let's Squash It!! for the Box Challenge. Off I went and made my little box, photographed it and was about to blog it. Oops - didn't read the challenge properly - you need to make a FLORAL embossed box. Back to the drawing board and I found an ancient Cuttlebug floral folder to emboss a second box:

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts blush (middle of 3 shades; retired);

Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes

Dies - Taylored Expressions All Tucked In &

Designer Mini Tags (retired)

Stamp - Taylored Expressions Itty Bitty Sentiments (March gift)

Embossing folder - Cuttlebug Stylized Flowers (retired)

Other - Stickles; Picked Raspberry Distress Ink

I die cut the box and embossed it. The flat box is too big for an A2 ef, so I had to emboss the flap separately. For an embellishment I embossed a scrap left over from die cutting the box, placing it over a flower in the ef. The leaves were leftovers from a previous project. The TE March gift stamp set perfectly matches their mini tags dies; I've had them for years & just love! If interested, see a Christmas card with these tags here.

Thought I might as well share the original box, even if it didn't have a scrap of floral embossing.... I used one of the jumbo Cuttlebug folders into which the flat die cut box fit perfectly.

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts blush (lightest & middle of 3 shades; retired);

Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes

Dies - Taylored Expressions All Tucked In &

Designer Mini Tags (retired);

My Favorite Things Flight of Butterflies - Lace (retired)

Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug Kitchen Weave

Other - Baker's Twine from Target $1 bin;

Kitsch Flamingo & Black Soot Distress Inks;

Memento Rose Bud ink

And here's a closer look - I'm holding it in my hand so you can see the petite size.

I'll also add a box to the current NBUS challenge, simply for the sentiment. I just got the set in the mail yesterday and was excited to use it for the first time!! Thanks TE for the gift!!

Thanks for visiting and I hope you'll stop back on Sunday for my Die Cut Diva post - we're doing Slimline Cards with Sunny Studio this month; hope to see you in the gallery!!

 

Happy St Patrick's Day!!

☘☘Happy St Patty's Day crafty friends!! ☘☘ 

Whether you're Irish or not (I'm not), you probably celebrate this holiday somehow. When I worked in downtown St Paul MN (home to many of Irish descent) we would watch the parade out the office windows - so fun! Now I just watch bits on television - still entertaining.

My connection to Ireland is my friend Heather (stamping and stitching) and her beautiful family. I sent them this card to celebrate the day and they loved it!!

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio; Ms Sparkle woodgrain;

Whimsy Stamps St Patrick's Day Slimline

Dies - Impression Obsession Fancy Shamrock;

Frantic Stamper Slimline Frames

LDRS Creative Slimline Corner Scallop

Stamps - Hero Arts Holiday Planner Icons (retired)

Pink and Main Happy (retired)

Other - clear embossing powder, Copic Markers

I diecut the fancy shamrock twice and inlaid the plain green pieces into the glittered one. Die cut the mat from designer paper, the sentiment strip from woodgrain, and the little white border. Stamped and embossed the sentiment. Stamped & fussy cut the little hat from the holiday icon set - easy peasy!

We got our second covid vaccine shot last week so will be considered "fully vaccinated" soon. Can't wait to hug my family and friends when they fall into that category too!!

Thanks for stopping & luck o' the Irish to you!!

Green Deco Trees

Hey crafty friends - it's all about GREEN at Christmas Kickstart - not a problem when you've been doing St Patrick's Day stuff!! Here's my card with loads of green:

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio; vellum by unk

Stamps - Taylored Expressions Linen Background

Dies - Spellbinders Art Deco Trees (retired);

My Favorite Things Blueprints (retired);

CAS-ual Fridays Merry Christmas

Other - Simon Says Stamp Reverse Christmas Sentiment Strips;

Mowed Lawn Distress Ink

I started with a plain card and die cut the three trees (middle one is a bit bigger so I put it behind). Thought the plain card needed something so I stamped the linen texture onto it. Funny story - I nearly purchased the linen stamp again! I was on TE's website ordering some stuff and had the stamp in my cart. At least I checked my stash before I finalized my purchase and replaced it with a different background I'd been eyeing!! I bought the 2016 Spellbinders tree set at Tuesday Morning before they closed the store in my suburb. Darn, I loved to find good buys there!!

I'm also adding my card to Darnell's current NBUS Challenge since the Art Deco Trees and the Linen Background are both getting first play here.

Hope you're having a lovely day! Thanks for visiting!!

Twofer - your choice!!

Happy Sunday!! I've been missing in action this past week but just had to make time for the Twofer Challenge. For Challenge 36 Darnell & team offer the theme of "your choice"!! Here's my Twofer with my choice of dragonflies:

I'd been thinking of making a slimline card with the Hero Arts Color Layering Dragonfly so I started with that idea. When I put it together, I added the bitty dragonflies and I decided they would be my common element, rather than the bigger dragonfly. The slimline became a birthday card with the sentiment dividing the card in two. I die cut a Tulisa Collage from Poppystamps (sadly retired) into each half of the stitched panel, then backed it with a piece of printed watercolor patterned paper. Stitched panel came from an LDRS creative die set; my friend Lin (Sending Hugs) enabled me to purchase this set - a great value with 14 dies!! Here's a closer look with supply list:

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts (retired);

Momenta Watercolor; Neenah white

Stamps - Hero Arts Color Layering Dragonfly

Dies - Memory Box Little Dragonflies;

LDRS Creative Slimline Corner Scallop;

Poppystamps Tulisa Collage (retired);

Hero Arts Color Layering Dragonfly Frame Cuts

Spellbinders Glimmer plate - Everyday Sentiments II

Other - Crystal Stickles; silver foil

So, you need a different occasion for the second Twofer card, even though I had birthdays on my mind. Hmmm, had to think a minute. Then realized my brother and his wife plan to retire soon - I'll need a card for each!! Thought the bitty dragonflies would be pretty with a Spellbinders floral swag on an A2 card for my sister-in-law. Here's a photo of that one alone:

Supplies: Paper - DCWV A2 card;

Momenta Watercolor

Dies - Memory Box Little Dragonflies;

Spellbinders Floral Oval (retired);

Avery Elle Quilted Frame

Other - Michael's gems; Crystal Stickles;

CZ Designs Reverse Sentiment Strips - Happy

I'm also entering the retirement card at Watercooler Wednesday All Things Feminine.

That's it for today. Thanks for visiting and I hope to visit your blogs soon too!

 

Thank you mini slimline

I'm baaaack... Back with another mini slimline for the current Scramble running on the Hero Arts Scramble Facebook group. If you've never done one, for a Scramble you have 90 minutes to create, photograph and upload your card for a specific theme. You must also use Hero Arts products as the focal point since it's a Hero Arts group. Here's today's creation:

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio; 

Lawn Fawn Rainbow Perfectly Plaid 6x6

(retired but LF has a remix here)

Dies - Hero Arts January 2020 MMH kit 

(sold out but pieces available) &

Thank You Fancy Die (retired);

Sunny Studio Slimline Basic Borders

Other - foam tape; Copic Markers for shading;

Mustard Seed Distress Stickles

The pink card I dinged with black ink yesterday worked perfectly to die cut my thank you. Added a black shadow and popped it onto LF plaid. Added an eyelet border and the three flowers. I had the dies out from yesterday so just cut a few more. A smarter person than I would've cut more yesterday.... The eyelet border die is a regular slimline sized one but you can easily trim the cut or, in my case, have a piece already cut to the right size - perfect! This card came together even more quickly than yesterday's. I only used 46 of my alloted 90 minutes with creation, photography and upload. It helped to have the MMH kit out but I still had to search for my thank you die. Luckily I had a vague idea which box to check! 😉😉

Come join our Scramble group, all you Hero Arts lovers! The current Scramble goes until March 8th at 8pm CST - you simply pick your own 90 minute block of time. Just be sure to start so you have enough time before the deadline! 

Thanks for stopping and have a wonderful day!! 

PS - remember the current Die Cut Diva Challenge - regular slimline cards with Sunny Studio as our sponsor. Hope to see you in the gallery!!

Mini Slimline Scramble

It's been a few days - sorry I've been absent! I was able to play along on a Scramble for the Hero Arts Scramble group on Facebook. For a Scramble you have 90 minutes to create, photograph and upload your card for a specific theme. You must also use Hero Arts products as the focal point. The current Scramble theme is mini slimline cards; here's mine:

Supplies: Paper - Ms Sparkle & Co woodgrain;

Paper Studio; & Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes 6x6

Dies - Hero Arts Autumn Bouquet &

January 2020 MMH kit (sold out but pieces available);

Sunny Studio Botanical Backdrop (center of yellow flower);

Kat Scrappiness Zig Zag Nesting Slimline Dies

Other - foam tape; Copic Markers for shading;

Simon Says Stamp Sentiment Strips Birthday

I started out with a pink card and a white background; both got dinged with black ink somehow (I wasn't using any on this card...). So I cut a plain white card (6x6" folded in half) and added a woodgrain panel atop which I liked much better!! I had a red regular slimline sized zig zag panel already cut & sitting on the table. Simply trimmed it to fit the mini slimline length. Die cut my 3 flowers and added a prefab sentiment strip - done!! This card came together quickly; including photography and upload, only 48 minutes. It would be an easy one to mass produce, except the sentiment would have to vary. The sentiment strip packages only have 2 of the same sentiment; there are oodles of others that would work though.

If you're a Hero Arts lover and want to join our Scramble group, just let us know! The Scramble goes until March 8th and you pick your own 90 minute block of time. This gives us all maximum flexibility in all our different time zones! 😀😀

Thanks for stopping and have a wonderful day!! Oh - btw - be sure to check out the current Die Cut Diva Challenge where we're doing regular slimline cards with Sunny Studio as our sponsor. I'll be sharing my Sunny Studio slimline on March 21st so stop back, if interested!!

February Card Chain Reveal

Hey crafty friends - our chain grew in February! Thirty-two people sent cards around the world and I was lucky enough to send my card within Minnesota to Jeanne (Reba Li Creates). You can see the entire chain HERE.

Supplies: Paper - Anchor Paper; BoBunny

Neenah White; Paper Studio glitter

Stamps - Hero Arts CL272 All Occasion Msgs (retired);

Ellen Krans Penguin Holidays

Dies - My Favorite Things Bold Stripes Cover-up (retired);

Hero Arts Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies

Other - Versamark ink, Ranger Seafoam white ep

I used the colors, the sketch (altering it just a bit), theme of friendship, and a polar bear (couldn't resist). I put hearts on the front and a Valentine sentiment on the inside since I had time to get Jeanne her card before Valentine's Day. I loved this card so much it was a wrench parting with it but I was glad it went to a good home!😀😀

Jo (Just a Dotty Pudding) sent me this darling polar bear card - so darling!! Jo runs several challenges I enjoy, including the Card Chain. 

Funny story - Jo meant to include some crafty bits with her card but forgot. She promptly mailed them in a second card for my birthday - thanks again Jo for doubling up in February!! Even funnier, or maybe not, I got the birthday card in time for my Valentine bday but the CCC card hasn't arrived yet. Here's the fab bday card Jo sent:

We're signing up for March cards at the Card Chain Challenge; please go HERE by March 6th if you want to play along. You make and send one card, then receive one handmade card - very easy and fun!!

Thanks for stopping - hope you have a crafty day!!