Wonderful Panda

Welcome back, friends - I finally had time to finish a card for the current Day of Month Card Club Challenge celebrating National Panda Day. It's their 61st challenge and celebration of their 5th blog birthday - congrats!!

Supplies: Paper - Recollections A2 card; Neenah white & black;

scrap of purple Momenta watercolor print; 

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain; Tim Holtz Kraft Classic

Stamps with Dies - Hero Arts From the Vault Cute Animals

(dies retired at HA - HERE at Frantic Stamper);

Hero Arts Feb 2024 My Monthly Hero Classic Kit (I have Premium)

Betterpress plate w/dies - Spellbinders You Are Everything Sentiments

Dies - A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

This card wasn't what I intended when the challenge was announced on March 7th! I was pretty set on using a fairly new Spellbinders die set but I haven't found it in the stash yet. I'm sure it's in a safe place...

Meanwhile, I'd found a sweet little panda stamp in a Hero Arts animal set to use - but with what?? Then on Friday, my March 2024 Hero Arts kit arrived with loads of stamps and dies that would work perfectly with the panda! I die cut a stitched rectangle with the fancy window die in the kit - see the hatched line texture? I ran it through the Platinum 6 with an embossing pad to impress it a bit more that I got from die cutting the window. 

Next I stamped the layered mountains and sun onto a scrap of purple paper. Adhered it to a black layer, then popped the window layer over it with foam tape. Added it to a white A2 card. Then I stamped three bamboo sprigs using 3 different inks & layered them along the left edge of the window. Added a stamped/die cut panda & a Betterpressed sentiment - done!!

I'll look for my panda die set later - need to finish up my Easter cards and get a Diva post ready for Thursday first! Since my MMH kit is newly used, I'll also add my card to Darnell's March NBUS Challenge.

Thanks for visiting & have a crafty day!!

Spacy Christmas

Hey everyone - it's been a while! Today I made a card for the November Christmas Kickstart Challenge. Jo and Elves from The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers are doing an unusual Christmas theme using a meme with my favorite Star Trek character, Mr. Spock. My sisters love to call me Spock when I get too logical - LOL. I do adore that series and its many spin-offs so I created a Christmas decorating session in space. Here's my take on "It's Christmas, Jim, but not as we know it!"

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Hero Arts Pitch Black

Stamps - Hero Arts Sparkle Borders (c2015, retired);

Holly Berries Stamp & Cut XL (parts of sentiment)

Stamps with dies - Dec2022 My Monthly Hero Kit (sold out)

Dies - A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Hero Arts clear & sparkle lacquer and

Ocean Blue + Gold Two-Tone Metallic Spray;

Paper Studio star gems; Copic Markers; Black Soot DI

Here's a photo from the Hero Arts site of the 12/2022 MMH kit contents - such a fun one & a great value! I have made a few other cards with this kit (see them HERE and HERE if you're interested) but never a Christmas card! It was fun!!

I started with a panel of Neenah white and sprayed it with the 2-tone metallic spray. Then I ink blended Black Soot over any white left showing - looks like a galaxy, doesn't it?! Die cut with a stitched rectangle and added to an A2 card. Stamped and diecut the ladder & girl images, then colored with Copics. Added sparkle lacquer to the clouds and star.

Stamped and fussy cut the string of lights, then colored with Copics and added clear lacquer. Note, the string of lights stamp is a straight line but, being a flexible clear stamp, I curved it on the MISTI before stamping. Stamped and white embossed a mix of sentiment pieces, including one from the kit. Assembled all the elements and added some star gems - done!

I hope you enjoyed my spacy Christmas card! Perfect for my brother who has the entire Hallmark ornament series which plays the Star Trek "Mirror, Mirror" episode dialogue (a fave episode for both of us). If you love Star Trek, what is your favorite episode (original or any spin-off). I would be hard pressed to pick a single favorite but "Yesterday's Enterprise" (from TNG) ranks high on my list.

Thanks to Jo and Elves for a fun challenge & to you for visiting!! Have a crafty evening!!

Sending Love!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday everyone! After the big Spellbinders/Altenew event the past few days, I spent this morning doing some crafty clean-up so I could do a Hero Arts Make-Along this afternoon. Once a month HA offers a free LIVE (Facebook - watch the replay HERE - or YouTube) session doing a project using the previous month's kit. So after my crafty clean-up, I pulled out the January 2023 My Monthly Hero Kit (still available as of this writing) and separated all the ganged dies to get ready. They offer a pdf of the steps so I knew to get out certain kit stamps, plus my Copic markers. Here's my card:

Simply die cutting, stamping, ink blending, coloring & embossing - done in about an hour. Perfect for an anniversary or Valentines Day! Love the little faux matchbox with the emblem and the coordinating die cut doves! Channin Pelletier created for the LIVE. Had to laugh - she's in AZ and didn't even know which teams are playing in the big Bowl tonight! Must not be a football fan :)

Here's what you get in the kit - such a great value at only $36.99.

Speaking of Hero Arts, they are sponsoring the February Die Cut Divas Challenge! Pop over and check it out - we're using GOLD on those projects so don't confuse today with that - LOL! I'll add my card over at Darnell's February NBUS Challenge since I'm newly using my January 2023 MMH set.

Thanks for visiting and I'm trying to catch up on all I missed on my friends' blogs these past few days! Happy crafting and Go Kansas City!!

More Valentines for Hospitalized Kids

Hey everyone - remember, tomorrow is the last day for the January Die Cut Diva Challenge to make Valentines. I made a few more last week and sent a box off to Cards for Hospitalized Kids with 24 cards. Here are a few more of the designs I made:

The top two used more items I'd stamped, cut and colored from the Hero Arts December My Monthly Hero kit and their Nebula Cluster stencil. The Space Rocket Die is also by Hero Arts. I sprayed a bunch of their White Iridescent Shimmer Mist through the stencil too!! Valentine sentiment on the moon is from Lawn Fawn's Scent with Love Add-On set.

The bottom two used some Hero Arts Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies with some stickers from EK Success & a retired Taylored Expressions sentiment. I stenciled Lawn Fawn's Falling Hearts stencil on the background. The gorgeous red cards came to me as a gift from Poppystamps - thanks, Dave!

Another funny story about not being able to find something... The ladder with clouds (top left card) also has a coordinating cloud mailbox that the ladder tries to reach. I couldn't find that dang mailbox for the life of me when I was creating the card (and I looked through a bunch of stuff!). Can you believe I found it on the floor this morning - don't know where it was hiding?! 

I'll be back tomorrow with an end of the month Diva post - hope to see you then! Thanks for stopping!!

Kids among the Stars

Happy Monday everyone! I'm sharing a couple cards I made yesterday while on a Hero Arts Make-Along. Channin Pelletier did a LIVE using the December My Monthly Hero kit & I watched online and crafted along. You can see her card at the links above; I chose to use a different image from the kit for my first card.

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Pitch Black;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Stamps (with dies except for background & sentiment)

all from Hero Arts Dec 22 MMH kit

Dies - A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Copic Markers; Versamark ink with white ep;

various water reactive inks, Distress & Hero Arts; foam tape

Process - Stamped the background cling stamp onto Neenah white using various inks; spritzed lightly with water & let dry. Die cut with rectangle and added to A2 card formed with black cardstock. Colored a few of the background stars with yellow Copics. Stamped and die cut images, then colored with Copics. Stamped and heat embossed sentiment using black cardstock, embossing ink and white ep, then fussy cut. Added colored images and sentiment to card - done!

Channin covered one card in the LIVE but I had started a different background beforehand, then finished it & made a card afterwards. I used the new stencil, Nebula Cluster, from the December add-ons. This time I used the little girl on a star that Channin used, along with a planet & a die cut rocket. Hard to see the texture of the paste and the shimmer from the mist but it's very pretty in real life.

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Pitch Black; TH kraft metallic;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; scraps of yellow & red

Stamps (with dies except for sentiment)

all from Hero Arts Dec 22 MMH kit

Stencil - Hero Arts Nebula Cluster

Dies - Hero Arts Space Rocket;

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Hero Arts Hero Paste Glitter & Iridescent Shimmer Mist

various water reactive inks, Distress & Hero Arts; foam tape

Process - Stenciled the nebula with grape juice ink, then applied glittery paste over top. Let dry & blended various water reactive inks over it. Spritzed with water then the shimmer mist. Let dry & die cut with a rectangle and inked edges, then glued to card. Stamped and die cut images, then colored with Copics. Stamped and fussy cut sentiment (the "you're" is from a different sentiment in the set). Diecut and assembled the rocket. Added everything to black A2 card. The glitter paste blobbed in a few spots but I'll call it part of the scene - LOL.

I'll add card one to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge since my kit is newly used. Rocket and stencil on card two are new as well but I won't link up twice. I'm sending both of these cards to Cards for Hospitalized Kids, a charity started by Jen Rubino when she was a teen. So inspiring & recently Jen was interviewed for national TV - you can see the video HERE. I'll be making some Valentines too.

Thanks for stopping by!!

A Poinsettia Quad Window!

Welcome - I'm back with another poinsettia card for the October Christmas Kickstart Challenge.

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A2 card; 

BoBunny Winter Getaway; Poptone Black;

Paper Studio Holiday & Glitter cardstock; 

My Favorite Things Very Merry

Dies - Sunny Studio Window Quad Circles 

& Basic Mini Shapes 4;

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Hero Arts Nesting Circle Infinity Dies; 

Sizzix Joy (from a retired stamp/die set)

Other - foam tape

In my earlier post for the Kickstart challenge, I mentioned it not being Christmas card-making season without my Hero Arts Paper Layering Poinsettia set. Well, same goes for my Sunny Studio's Window Quad Circles set! I just love this set and pair it with a little freebie flower that you can find in with Sunny's Basic Mini Shapes 4 set. It makes a fabulous layered flower! Today I'm using the window part for only the second time. You can see the non-Christmas card I made with it back in 2020 HERE. If interested, you can search my blog using "quad" to find more Christmas versions using the flower.

First I die cut pieces for four flowers using red cardstock & green and gold glitter cardstock, then assembled. Next I trimmed a 3 3/4" square panel of BoBunny striped paper & die cut the Quad Circles into it. I also die cut a red circle with part of the quad and a layering circle with my Hero Arts set. Next I die cut several layers of black Joys and a topper Joy of green glitter; I assembled leaving a bit of black as a shadow. I die cut the MFT Christmas text paper with an AJVD stitched dot rectangle & adhered to an A2 card. Adhered the quad window square with foam tape & added three flowers and sentiment. 

What to do with the bottom part?? Hmmmm.... I tried a couple gold glitter strips alone - ugh. Tried with a black strip between the gold - better. With the sentiment taking up one of my circle windows, I had the 4th flower left. Added it to my black strip - finally liked the arrangement. Done!

That's entry two of a possible three for Kickstart and I already am planning card three. Just received my October Spellbinders package and found loads of poinsettia stuff inside!! Don't laugh - I haven't even opened September's box yet.... 

And here's another version of a card using the Hero Arts September 2022 My Monthly Hero kit (you can find my other two HERE). On this one, I stamped the urn bouquet in black which I like better than the brown we used in the Make-Along last weekend. We cut off the urn bottom to make a pumpkin vase during the Make-Along; I left it intact here. I stamped the background with Versamark, rather than Forest Green ink, and used a few darker Copics than last time. Another Thanksgiving card done - only two more to go! The kit contains some gorgeous rub-on urn bouquets and I plan to use them - saves some coloring time - LOL.

Thanks for stopping and happy crafting!

Hero Arts MMH Make Along for the Sept 2022 kit

Hey everyone - hope you've had a great weekend! I spent a couple hours today doing a Hero Arts My Monthly Hero Make Along. A pair of HA designers (Channin & Kelly today) come online (either Facebook or YouTube) and each make a card using the previous month's kit. Here are the two cards I made:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; Paper Studio holiday;

scrap of black; Hero Arts Plum

Stamps & dies - Hero Arts 0922 My Monthly Hero Kit

Other - Copic Markers; Distress Inks; Versamark Ink;

white embossing powder; white gel pen

Sorry - too lazy to photograph them separately. Here's the link to the Hero Arts blog post where you can find the instructions. I watched on Facebook - the recording is HERE if you'd like to watch. I used the bold print background for the bottom card; Channin didn't use it on hers. I also chose a different sentiment from the kit. I made my top card horizontal - Kelly's was portrait. I also used some foam tape on my left of the two bouquets.

I'd never participated in one of these kit make-alongs until now. Will have to do another - it certainly made me get into my kit more quickly!! Since it's getting first play today, I'll add the green card (first one) to Darnell's October NBUS Challenge.

Thanks for stopping!!

May 2022 Card Chain Reveal

Hey everyone - it's reveal day for the May 2022 Card Chain Challenge!! You make and send one card, then receive one handmade card. So fun! Thirty-four people participated in May and cards flew around the world. My card went to the lovely Mia (craftartista) in Greece. She received my May card the day after she received her April card!!

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio A2 card; Authentique Endless 8x8;

Neenah white; Momenta Gemstones

Stamps - Hero Arts April 2022 My Monthly Hero kit (sold out)

Dies - A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

My Favorite Things Blueprints 6 (retired)

Hero Arts April 2022 My Monthly Hero kit (sold out)

Distress Inks - Aged Mahogany, Fossilized Amber & Squeezed Lemonade

Other - Versamark ink; Ranger Princess Gold ep;

friend sentiment strip from an SSS thanks pack;

Copic Markers R59 & Y19

We had these options for the month:

Colour Palette Option

Sketch Option

Theme Options: Desert/Dessert/Friendship

Product/Technique Options: Embossing Powder/Fancy Fold

I managed to use something from all four options this time! I included the embossing powder technique to my usuals of color, sketch & friendship theme. When I received my April My Monthly Hero Kit I knew it would work well for the May CCC. I stamped and gold embossed the kit's large background stamp onto white cardstock. Next I used the coordinating stencils to color the flowers and leaves. I colored the bees with a Copic and filled in the entire background with another. I'd seen it done HERE using a black marker by Jennifer McGuire and liked the look. Thought it would be gorgeous with the terracotta. 

Can you believe the aged mahogany that I stenciled onto the leaves resulted in that peachy color? But it did! Once colored, I die cut three rounded rectangles from the panel using a MFT Blueprints die. I cut a stitched dot rectangle from yellow patterned Authentique paper and trimmed a narrow strip from a woodplank patterned paper in the same 8x8 pad. Adhered to an A2 card. Die cut the "amazing" and its outline & adhered to the card along with a sentiment strip "friend". It said "thank you, friend" but I snipped off the friend. The Hero kit comes with 3 dies with which you can cut out pieces of the stamped background - I cut a bee to add to my sentiment - done! The card, for a change, turned out just as I envisioned, except for the added bee - a last minute inspiration :)

I received this fabulous slimline card from Gundi (papierelle) in Germany, plus some crafty goodies. Just love all the fun stamps she created for her card after I told her I like stamps! Gundi was so generous with the goodies too - isn't that little die cut mouse darling? And I'm to make some stamps of my own with the die cut postage stamps - wish me luck with that! Thanks Gundi for everything!

Care to join us? The sign up link for the June chain can be used until June 6th. 

Thanks for visiting and have a crafty day!

Final Day of Angle It with Hero Arts!

Hey everyone - I'm part of the last day of the month post at Die Cut Divas today. You have until 9p Pacific Time today to enter our Angle It Challenge. The winner, randomly drawn from eligible February entries, will receive a $25 credit from our sponsor Hero Arts. Here's the card I'm sharing at DCD:

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A2 card; Tim Holtz kraft;

Doodlebug Swiss Dots Rainbow Petite & some scraps

Stamps - Hero Arts Lifestyle Faces &

Apr21 My Monthly Hero kit (sentiment) 

Dies - Hero Arts Lifestyle Forms, Lifestyle Picnic Day 

Nesting Cloudy Infinity Dies, &

Thorn Tree and Grasses

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop

Other - Hero Arts flower gem; white gel pen;

Crayola pencils for detail on doll; black Sharpie

Copic Marker C1

I enjoyed playing with paper dolls when I was young. The Hero Arts version caught my eye when I ended up with the Valentine accessories in my January 2022 My Monthly Hero add-on package. Then I found the Halloween accessories on sale at Anchor Paper so had to order the doll & picnic sets, plus the face detail stamps. Very fun! I thought the kite flying away went well with the sentiment.

And here's a bonus card! I made two versions of this card but I'll just share the one I made for Uncle Bert who loves to travel. The other went to my retired pilot friend.

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio (map); Park Lane A2 card;

Authentique red and blue layers; Anchor Paper silver

Dies - Hero Arts Jun16 My Monthly Hero kit;

 A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop

Stamps - Apr21 My Monthly Hero kit (sentiment)

I'll add my first card to Darnell's February NBUS Challenge since my paper doll is new. Thanks for stopping & hope to see you in the Diva gallery!

 

Scramble with Two

Hi all - I'm part of a private Facebook group that has continued the tradition of doing Hero Arts Scrambles - 90 minutes to create, photograph & upload a card featuring Hero Arts products & a given theme. This time the theme was Two - be it using the numeral 2 or having two of something. I chose the latter using 46 of the alloted 90 minutes for my card today.

Supplies: Paper - BoBunny Serendipity;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb;

Teal & Latte maybe Stampin' Up?

Stamps - Hero Arts Old Letter (retired) &

Apr 2021 My Monthly Hero kit (with die to match)

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 18 (retired);

Taylored Expressions Easy Strips 1/8"

Other - Park Lane gems

I die cut two diagonal panel from BoBunny paper using a Blueprint die set. I trimmed off the top panel to leave a gap for my sentiment. Stamped some patches of Old Letter on each panel, then adhered them to a latte colored A2 card. Stamped the My Monthly Hero kit sentiment in grape ink. I die cut and stamped two dragonflies from the same set as the sentiment, adding a gem for each head. I die cut strips using a new Taylored Expressions 1/8" strip die and adhered above and below the sentiment. Done! Very quick & easy. 

I was so excited to find the Easy Strips at Anchor Paper Monday since they were out of stock (and still are as of today) at TE. I'll add my card to Darnell's February NBUS Challenge since my Easy Strips are new.

This card already went out in the mail to the tenor in my former quartet. She took me out last night for an early birthday dinner at the Olive Garden - yummy!!

Thanks for stopping and thanks to Cindy (Escape to Stamping) for a fun Scramble!

A Bee-utiful Birthday

Hey crafty friends - the Die Cut Divas have a new challenge up today and I thought I'd share something even though it's not "my day". We're doing Angle It with our February sponsor Hero Arts - fitting for fans like us! I've been a long time Hero Arts fan and fondly remember my days as a Hero Hostess. I especially love their kits and am only missing one (the one with the octopus) since their inaugural set released in October 2015. Needless to say, I have a lot of Hero Arts! Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - Stampin' Up green;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Paper Studio glitter

Stamps - Hero Arts 01/21 My Monthly Hero Kit 

& Old Letter (retired); Penny Black Sprinkles and Smiles

Dies - Hero Arts 01/21 MMH Kit

Other - Copic Markers

I was flipping through my stash of MMH kits for some Valentine stuff and came across this darling bee kit from last year that I hadn't used yet! I even had to snip apart all the dies which I usually do when the kit arrives.... It's perfect for a friend who likes bees!

I die cut, stamped and colored the floral branch and the bee with Copics, then die cut the honey comb. It's an insert die so I fussy cut the perimeter to make it stand alone. Formed an A7 card with the green cardstock and stamped some Old Letter (from 2011 & still as wonderful now as then!) on the left & right edges. Stamped a sentiment from a fabulous PB set gifted to me by Jean (Right as Rain) - thanks again, Jean!! Assembled the card, angling the branch at a diagonal - that's all it takes & done!

And speaking of Jean, she sent another PB stamp (Botanical Notes) which I used on the card below, along with the same sentiment as above. I started with a piece of white Neenah and blended some Salty Ocean and Speckled Egg Distress ink onto it with a Nuvo brush. Stamped and colored the image, then trimmed and matted onto a Pink Fresh Studio Folk Edge Rectangle.

Spotted my friend Betty's (created by bjk) gorgeous flower card that she made for Paper Players current Tic Tac Toe Challenge & she inspired me to play along with card one. I used the same diagonal lower left to upper right - Birthday, Flower, Die Cut. I think this is my first play over there...

I also will enter card one at Darnell's February NBUS challenge since the MMH kit got first play today.

 Hope to see you in the Diva gallery this month and I'll be here for "my day" on the 21st. Meanwhile, check back tomorrow if you'd like to see the January Card Chain Challenge Reveal.

Thanks for stopping!!

  

Last Day for Florals at Die Cut Divas

Hi all - I'm part of the last day of the month post at Die Cut Divas! We've been sharing sponsor Rachel Vass florals in our designs all month. I did another version of her Floral Heart digi for today's card.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; Paper Studio red & glitter

Digi - Rachel Vass Floral Heart

Die - Hero Arts Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies

Embossing folder - Memory Box Stunning Mandala

Other - Copic Markers; scrap of ribbon from a package

For this card, I embossed the entire card base - it looks so pretty from all angles. You can see another card I made using part of the mandala here. I printed a digi heart, colored it and fussy cut, then sliced in half, placing a half on each side of my gatefold. I adhered a die cut heart to one side, thinking it would hold it closed. Nope.

Here's a photo of the card without the ribbon - that's how closed it stayed so the ribbon saved it. :) Haven't finished the inside yet...but it'll be a Valentine card.

Now for a bonus card using the smallest floral heart digi I had sized & printed. I die cut the printed panel into a square, colored the image and matted it, then added it to a rectangle of patterned paper. Adhered to an A2 card, then added a favorite Sunny Studio die cut sentiment & some gems - done!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; Core'dinations black;

Authentique patterned; Paper Studio glitter

Digi - Rachel Vass Floral Heart

Dies - Sunny Studio Blooming Frame (sentiment);

Hero Arts Square Infinity Dies;

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop;

My Favorite Things Blueprints (retired)

Other - Copic Markers; Park Lane gems

Still with me? Why not another bonus?! This one uses the leafy bits from the jumbo floral heart I printed & cut up for my 1/21 post (I used the jumbo flowers for three cards). I made a Valentine card using the Hero Arts January My Monthly Hero Kit, plus the small flower from HA's Autumn Bouquet Fancy Dies. I used the curved leafy sprigs from the top of the heart and still have the straighter bottom ones already colored for future use!

That's it, friends. You have until 9pm Pacific Time today to add your floral themed card (including any die cuts or embossing folders) to our January challenge gallery. Hope to see you there!!

Thanks for visiting!

October 2021 Card Chain Reveal

Hey there crafty friends - I'm sharing the card I sent to Suze (craftysuze) in New Zealand for the October 2021 Card Chain Challenge. You make & send a card and receive a handmade card - so fun to get cards from all over the world! This month 27 participated; you can see the full chain HERE.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Paper Studio bright and glitter

Stamps - Hero Arts Sept 2021 My Monthly Hero kit;

Divinity Designs Mini Tag Sentiments

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 32 (retired);

Hero Arts Sept 2021 My Monthly Hero kit

Embossing Folder - Stampin' Up 3D Subtle (retired)

Other - Xmas Red Stickles; Parklane Enamel dots:

Distress Inks - Fossilized Amber, Fired Brick & Prize Ribbon

This month, as per usual, I used the colors and the sketch, plus the theme of friendship.

Shortly after I signed up for October, I received my September My Monthly Hero kit from Hero Arts. It contained both the sunflower stamp & some sentiments, a matching sunflower outline die, five stencils to color it, plus a couple sentiment dies. Loaded with value!! I decided my rectangle element from the sketch would be a window to the sunflowers stamped on the inside. I used the challenge colors to stencil the flowers, unfortunately the centers didn't read red to me. So I boosted the color with red stickles - much better. They don't look as red in the photo as in real life - darn it - but they really shine! The stickles lead me to add the red glitter strip and gold (considered a neutral with the white) glitter sentiment. Here's a peek at the inside:

I really liked the look of the blue leaves! The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp's CZ Design Silhouette Sentiments. There was just enough room for a handwritten message at the bottom. I always enjoy sending to Suze because she lives near Rotorua where I visited in 2006 (before I knew her). If I ever get back to NZ, I'll have several crafty friends to visit besides all the Sweet Adelines I know from there!!

**Update 11/3** I received this beautiful card from the fabulous GerJanne in the Netherlands!! It took a little extra time getting here but arrived in great shape! I love the take on the sketch, especially the heart brads! Perfect for a Valentine baby, right? Thanks GerJanne!!

If you'd like to participate in the November Card Chain, you have until November 6th to sign up HERE.

Thanks for stopping and have a crafty day!

Thanks Twofer

Happy weekend everyone - hope you get some time in the craft room! I had a chance this morning to create a couple of thank you cards. I was searching through my crafty stash and, lo & behold, found a binder full of embossing folders - yay!! A old Cuttlebug Thanks folder with loads of letters came forward to play in Let's Squash It! #12 - Sand It! using a numbers &/or letters folder. Also, I'll be guest designer at Day of the Month Card Club next month; my card will work perfectly for their September Challenge - World Gratitude Day. 

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Dove A2 card;

Paper Studio Brights & Glitter cardstocks;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White:

Tim Holtz Classic Kraft Stock

Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug Thanks (retired)

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 8 & 32 (retired);

Hero Arts Sept 2021 My Monthly Hero kit

Stamps - Sunny Studio Words of Gratitude

I embossed and sanded a piece of Tim Holtz kraft core cardstock using the Thanks folder, then distressed the edges too. I had a die cut blue panel that I used to arrange my thanks and some red glitter pieces cut with Blueprints 8. I received the September My Monthly Hero kit in the mail on Thursday & had to play with it. Besides a stamp set and gorgeous layering stencils, there are two word dies. I used the outline portion of one of them. 

The little sentiment strip is from a new set by Sunny Studio. I taped the entire set into my MISTI with washi tape and stamped a white on black panel (didn't photograph it). Also stamped and white embossed a black panel; take a look at how fun this is:

After carefully hand trimming the lower right sentiments, I used my paper trimmer to cut strips from the remainder. Now I have loads of these little sentiment blocks with very little effort!! And now, a Twofer:

Additional Supplies: Paper - Sunny Studio Sweater Weather

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 20 (retired);

Hero Arts Nesting Oval Infinity Dies

I actually embossed this panel first - inked the ef with Salt Water Taffy ink (Taylored Expressions) for a chalkboard effect. Next I embossed the panel & ran blue ink along the raised edges, then sanded it. You can't really see the sanding effect well at all - very disappointing! That's when I went to the TH kraft core cardstock for my Squash It entry.

I'll also enter card one into Darnell's September NBUS Challenge since the thanks die is new and so is the sentiment strip stamp set. Thanks to all for fun challenges!

Thanks for visiting!