A Gift Bag on a Card!

Hey everyone - Happy Sunday! I had a busy couple of days so just watched Craft Roulette Episode #236 on replay last night. Here's my project:

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A7 card;

American Crafts (map); Basic Grey (bag); many scraps

Stamps - Sunny Studio Color My World 

& Color Me Happy

Dies - Spellbinders For You Gift Card Holder (DOML-Apr19 retired)

& Stitched Fall Leaves (DOM-Sep22 retired) ;

Hero Arts Tag Frame Infinity Dies

Press Plate w/die - Spellbinders You Are Everything Sentiments

Inks - Spellbinders Betterpress Bark;

Taylored Expressions Pumpkin; Hero Arts Cup O' Joe

Other - Hero Arts Orange+Shimmer Spray & enamel dots;

DMC embroidery floss; Hallmark tissue

Host Mary Gunn FUNN had Charlene Madrid (YouTube Dream Craft Create; blog) as her guest for the 4th time! Charlene has only been card making since 2021 & started doing videos pretty quickly thereafter. She belongs to the Hero Arts, Picket Fence, & Honeybee Creative Teams so check out her blog. She's teaching at the Hero Arts Holiday Stamp Along this year (coming up 10/19-20/2024) and you can still purchase a spot HERE.

The wheel spun some interesting parameters, including "Guest's Choice" for random. Charlene very promptly named Splatters as her choice.

• Project - Include a small bag: I made an A7 card with a gift bag atop.
• Colors - Cornucopia: I found a Thanksgiving Cornucopia palette at Lemon Paper Lab showing colors goldenrod, rust, tangerine orange, olive green and moss green. Plus, I own a woven brown cornucopia basket so I used that color too but left off the greens.
• Element - CAS from Last Week's Gallery: They meant copy & share (I've seen it as CASE) some element from an entry last week. There were 524 from which to choose - wow!! I kept it simple and picked from the first page I came to in the Episode #235 gallery when sorting by member contributions. I used the map paper and sentiment elements from Alisa Howard's card; that was her 80th card!
• Random - Splatters: I splattered the map paper.

I had a gift bag die set that I've used before (see a previous gift bag HERE if interested). This time I added the completed bag to a goldenrod A7 card matted with map paper; tried a slimline but didn't like it. Adhered some stitched leaves in more cornucopia colors. 

There was a lot of discussion on the element because CAS to many means Clean and Simple. Plus, the idea wasn't to make the person's project so much as to be inspired by elements of it. I stamped the same worded sentiment on a matted label as did Alisa and added enamel dots. Also added a birthday sentiment among the leaves.

So, typical me, I'd photographed the card and was about to upload when I realized I forgot the splatters!! Had to bring the card out of the photo station & dilute some shimmer spray liquid to apply the splatters with a small brush. I first masked off the bits I didn't want splattered - note to self: splatter background before adding to card!! The splatters are hard to see but in real life they have a nice rusty shimmer.

My card fits at Day of the Month Card Club Challenge #68 where they're celebrating Tic-Tac Day with a Tic-Tac-Toe board. I used the top left to lower right diagonal - Die/Fall Colors/Leaf. 

And since my poor stitched leaf die set is getting first play after owning it for two years, I'll at my card to Darnell's October NBUS Challenge #67. And the theme for Just Us Girls Challenge #748 is Leaves so I'll play there too!

That's it for today - thanks for visiting & I wish you a crafty day!

Stitched Christmas Lights

Hey there - I'm back with my third and final entry at Christmas Kickstart #90 where the theme is embossing. I'm also participating in Darnell's IDEAS program where D is for Dies this week.

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Bermuda;

Paper Studio A2 card; many scraps;

Betterpress Porcelain

Embossing Folder - Sizzix 3D Leaf Pattern

Press plate w/die - Spellbinders Merry & Bright Sentiment Strips

Dies - Spellbinders Stitched String Lights

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - DMC floss 519/602/608/817/973; foam tape;

Spellbinders Betterpress Hydrangea ink

Did I need another stitching die set since I have so many NBUS ones from the Spellbinders Club? No, but oh well - I couldn't resist this light string released in August & getting first play here! I die cut all the elements and stitched the bulbs. When stitching, I always die cut the base layer without the stitching die to glue on the back - helps protect the stitching and gives a nice flat surface for any foam tape.

Next I die cut a stitched rectangle and embossed it. Was unable to find my pines background folder but I thought this Sizzix one did the trick nicely. Adhered the panel to an A2 card & arranged the light string, popping the bulbs with foam tape. A letterpressed sentiment finished the card.

Since my light string is getting first play here, I'll add my card to Darnell's September NBUS Challenge #66 and also to Merry Little Christmas #58 where Anything Christmas Goes.

Now for a bonus! I've been inspired by my friend & sister Diva Cindy (Escape to Stamping) who has been killing it with the Spellbinders 12 Days of Stitchmas. I got the Advent Calendar instead (again, too many stitching sets on Mt NBUS) but won't use it until December. Anyway, Cindy has been sharing one card with stitching and one without so I'll do the same (see her day 11 post from today HERE):

Additional supplies: Hero Arts Dove A2 card;

MFT Sour Apple cardstock

Sentiment from Spellbinders Poinsettia Corner press plate;

white gel pen

While I was die cutting my stitching elements, I cut many lightbulbs without the stitching insert - more than I needed for the stitched backs. Now I can make several of these quick cards to increase the stash.

That's it for now. Thanks for stopping by & have a crafty day!!

May Guest Designer at NBUS!!

Hey crafty friends - with a mountain of NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff) in my stash, I am the perfect fit to play at the NBUS Challenge. Back in February owner & friend Darnell (djkardkreations) started taking on one Guest Designer per month - such fun! I'm delighted to be her GD for the May Challenge #38!! Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - Spellbinders (blue); Neenah white;

 & Anchor Paper (grey linen card)

Stamps - Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Background

Dies - Spellbinders Stitched Petal Frame

Taylored Expressions Simple Strips

Other - Hero Arts gems; 

DMC Embroidery Floss (600, 604, 827); 

Artiste Silver Metallic Floss

Right before Darnell asked to guest design, I'd received a big box from Spellbinders. Not only did I have NBUS, I had brand new NBUS!! Funny thing - the die I used above was one I found at Hobby Lobby the following week - so even newer NBUS - yikes!

I die cut a thick, rich blue cardstock from an old Spellbinders kit using the coverplate. Decided to try silver metallic for stitching on it. Bad idea only because the silver I bought comes 8 strands & was difficult to split in half. The full 8 strands are too thick for the holes. I really liked the look, though, and kept at it for several hours. Then I decided some regular embroidery floss would be perfect on the rest. I split the 6-strand floss in half and 3 strands worked well. I also followed Spellbinders recommendation to use a #22 tapestry needle. Be sure to use a thick paper because you handle it a lot and wouldn't want it to tear! Later I found some beautiful metallic DMC thread that I'll try next time.

I embroidered and did counted cross stitch & needlepoint for many years. With paper, you have to watch out for the needle falling right back through the hole and off the thread - can't tell you how many times that happened...But once I got going, it went well. I secured the thread ends with a bit of glue when I completed a section. Once finished, I die cut a second panel and glued it to the back. This gave me a smooth panel to adhere to my card base. Some gems and a sentiment strip finished the card. If you want to see a gorgeous pastel version using embroidery floss, go here. My friend Lin (Sending Hugs) did a beautiful job on it!! She used some new Spellbinders stitched flowers here - so pretty!

Here's a bonus card, or as Darnell would say, a twofer:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah; Tim Holtz; Anchor Paper

Stamps - Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Background

Dies - Spellbinders Stitched Medallion

Taylored Expressions Simple Strips &

Simple Strips Backer;

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop

After all the stitching on the other card, I decided to try one without stitches - it's still amazing with loads of detail. I simply die cut the stitched medallion (from my big Spellbinders box) with the frame & then a solid panel with just the frame. Layered them and added to my rectangle diecuts and card base. Sentiment strip with backer and done! Very simple and fun to put together...

Thanks oodles to Darnell for offering the NBUS Challenge & for inviting me to guest design! I hope you'll join in this month using some of your own mountain of NBUS!!

Some birthday cards

Hey there - happy November! Did you enjoy the extra hour of sleep if you "fell back"? We didn't hand out any treats this year for Halloween - so sad not to see all the little kiddies in their costumes last night! Instead we ate a jumbo bag of assorted candies - sorry kids!!

This weekend I worked on cards for November birthdays, starting with one for my nephew:

Supplies: Paper - Ms Sparkle green A2 card; 

Graphic 45 & BoBunny patterns;

Poptone Black Licorice; Neenah White

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints (retired);

Hero Arts Nesting Oval Infinity Dies

Other - star gems (thanks again, Heather!);

Simon Says Stamp Sentiment Strips Birthdays;

Hero Arts clear lacquer; 

Copic Markers (C1, C3, BG0000, G00, G02, E30)

Such a fun image for a guy and on the inside I used another SSS sentiment strip that said "You're not getting older; you're increasing in value". Very true of neffypoo! I'm adding this one to Watercooler Wednesday's All Occasion Challenge hosted by Karen.

Next, I used another stitched panel my sister Tami made for me. It's a large one so needed an A7 card. All I did on this one was use Copics to color within the outline stitching, mat the panel and add to a card with a few gems. Tami used her embroidery machine to stitch right on patterned paper (sorry - don't know the brand) backed with fusible interfacing (correction - just plain). So fun!! If you missed my previous post with a different panel Tami stitched, see it here.

That's it for today - thanks for stopping by!!

Stitched Bouquet

Hey everyone - it's been gloomy and rainy here but yesterday I received a package from my sister Tami that really made me smile. Hope you will smile seeing the card I created with one of her gifts!

Supplies: Paper - Gina K Sea Glass & Tranquil Teal cardstock; 

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb 

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 20 (retired);

Hero Arts DI199 Nesting Circles Infinity Dies

Stamp - Hero Arts CM128 Color Layering Water Lilies (sentiment)

Other - Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink; Copic Markers B0000, C1 & C00

In the package, Tami sent a bunch of stitched panels she made using her sewing machine. I took one of them and diecut it with a stitched rectangle. Matted everything and added to an A2 card formed from the Gina K teal. I added some light shading to the base of the jar and to the jar's interior using Copics.

Di invited me to add a card to her current Pixies' Snippets Playground challenge so I'm adding this card there. The snippet is the sentiment circle. I have a lot of scraps laying around - I always figure I can squeeze something out of it! And yes, I was able to squeeze a little circle out of a white scrap - yay!! Don't worry, Di - I'll make something with more creative snippets later. 😊😊😊

Tami made me a card this winter that had some stitched flowers on it and I loved it. She included some stamping right on the stitched panel which I thought was brave since she doesn't own a MISTI. She also added some gems to her flowers. Here's the card she sent me:

Tami wondered if I wanted some panels to play with and I quickly said yes, yes, yes!! I still have a lovely pile of different stitched designs to use on future cards. Thanks Tami!! Tami is an avid quilter and has made me a couple gorgeous quilts. You can see my fave here if you missed it.

That's it for today, friends! Thanks for stopping and have a crafty week!!