Last Day for Die Cut Divas January Challenge!

Hi all - it's the last day of January so you only have until 9pm Pacific Time today to enter our January Die Cut Diva Challenge featuring something never before used on a project. I'm part of the last-day-of-the-month team posting inspiration for the challenge. 

Whimsy Stamps has generously donated a $15 gift voucher - to be awarded Feb. 3rd to the winner of our random drawing from eligible January entries. Thank you Whimsy! Here's my card using some of my Whimsy stash for the first time:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; Park Lane A2 card

Stamps - Whimsy Stamps Peekaboo Dots

Dies - Hero Arts Nesting Circle Infinity Dies;

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Inks - Memento Tuxedo Black; Hero Arts Bermuda

Other - May Arts string twine; foam tape;

Hero Arts Aqua Enamel Dots

I stamped some of the newly used Peekaboo dot circles with black, some with Bermuda & some with black then Bermuda over top. The birthday circle was stamped in the cascade but then again separately. The separate one was cut with two circles to make a little washer. After die cutting the panel with a rectangle, I added string to the washer and put it over the stamped one with foam tape. Adhered the panel to an A2 card & added some enamel dots - done!

I'm adding my card to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge since my circle stamps got first play here. I looked up when I bought the set - July 2022 - not hideously untimely for me - LOL! Also adding to the current Seize the Birthday Challenge using the Anything Goes theme. This card will go to a pilot friend & I think he'll love the graphic look of it.

How about a bonus? I'm sorry to say the Whimsy items I've used below for the first time have already been retired - it happens....too often to me.... At least I can say I've used them now!!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; kraft A2 card;

BoBunny Botanical Journal 6x8"; Paper Studio red

Stamps - Art Impressions Sweet Wishes MTF

Dies - Whimsy Stamps Card Builder Many Thanks & 

Handstitched Nested Rectangles (both retired)

Spellbinders Thanks Enclosed Sentiments

Inks - Memento Tuxedo Black; Hero Arts Red Royal

Other - foam tape

I die cut the red mat using the rectangle in the Whimsy card builder set; it cuts holes that almost look like little hearts or arrowheads. Next I layered BoBunny botanical papers die cut using handstitched rectangles. They have wonky stitching and while retired, Whimsy still has a Wonky Stitched Rectangles set with double stitching. I have that set too but have used it before.

I die cut two birthdays and layered for dimension, then added to the pink rectangle that I'd stamped with the Valentine sentiment. The bird with heart and envelope came from the same AI set as the Valentine sentiment. I stamped and fussy cut it, then added to the pink rectangle with foam tape. This card will go to my friend Lynn who's my birthday twin!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope I've inspired you to join the Divas & hope to see you in the January gallery by 9pm Pacific Time today!

Some Never-Before-Used Whimsy!

Hi all - I'm providing inspiration over at Die Cut Divas today with the card below. We're doing Never-Before-Used-Stuff for our January Challenge. My friend Darnell calls it "Schtuff" on her challenge blog NBUS, always using new! She coined the acronym and I play there often, otherwise I'd never use new schtuff - thanks, Darnell!! Here's my card using new Whimsy (not a sponsor but a $15 prize donor - thanks!):

Supplies: Paper - White (brand unk); Acetate;

A2 card from Paper Studio; Sunny Studio Rainbow Bright

Stamps - Whimsy Stamps Comic Book Page

Stamps with Dies - Whimsy Stamps A Bunny Birthday (retired) &

Hey Ostrich (dies HERE)

Dies - A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Darice sequins; Copic Markers; 

SSS sentiment strip; foam tape; white gel pen

Diva Arlene (A Bit of This and That) sent me some stamp-offs of the Comic page, the ostritches (I used one of the four images here), and the birthday cake (plus some bunnies from the same set for future use). I have plenty of never-before-used Whimsy that I was ready to employ but I was taken with the cute ostriches. I thought one would make a fun birthday card for my friend Debbie.

I diecut the comic book page Arlene had stamped, then fussy cut the center. Inked the edges and colored with Copics, put acetate behind the window and created a shaker with foam tape & another rectangle (dotted paper from Sunny). Shaker mix was mostly sequins but there were some other random things in there like bitty hearts. Added the cake and ostrich, also colored with Copics, & a sentiment strip. Adhered everything to an A2 card - done!

How about a bonus? I love making ATCs (Artist Trading Cards), little works of art to exchange with friends. Years ago on the Hero Arts group, we had many ATC exchanges. I was taken with a group of Whimsy items designed with ATCs in mind & had to add them to the stash. Of course, they went onto Mount NBUS & I'm just finally using them!! First up - a trio of Ostrich ATCs:

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Latte (retired) & Bermuda; Neenah White;

Whimsy Ugly Sweater Slimline (retired); MFT Canvas

Stamps with Dies - Whimsy Stamps Hey Ostrich (dies HERE)

Dies - Whimsy Stamps Slimline ATC Windows Die Set;

CAS-ual Fridays Smile (NIB)

Other - Copic Markers; SSS sentiment strips

I love how the ATC die cuts two at a time, plus there are plenty of layering dies. Next, I made an ATC book box for them; here's a shot of the top, plus one of the ATC backs:

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Bermuda

Dies - Whimsy Stamps ATC Book Die Set

Stamps - Whimsy Stamps ATC Frames and Signatures

Stencil - Hero Arts Script

Other - Hero Arts Bermuda Ink & 

Ocean Blue+Gold Two-Tone Metallic Spray

Here are a couple more views - side & open:

I like to leave the boxes detatched from the book so you can slide them out without wearing out the clasp & tab. I used some of the pop outs from the top's corners to embellish the label and tab. I'm adding my box to Darnell's January NBUS Challenge since my box die set is newly used, as is the ATC stamp set & die set - so fun!! 

Hope to see you at the Divas January Challenge too! Thanks for stopping & happy crafting!!

Outdoor Winter Fun

Hi everyone and a Merry Monday to you!! This week at Merry Monday, Colleen challenges us to create a Christmas card with a winter activity on it. I knew right away that I'd pull out the darling Whimsy stamp with a polar bear and three penguin friends on a toboggan. I first learned of Whimsy Stamps via a former Merry Monday Design Team member Kristie. She made an adorable penguin card for one of the challenges last year and I couldn't resist ordering the set she used, plus a few other winter stamps.

My siblings & I spent many happy winter hours tobogganing on the steep rolling hills around my cousins' house. And I've heard my Dad's story many times of him & his cousins taking a toboggan down the nearby hills. They headed towards a tree and all but one rider bailed. The crashed rider (broken arm) and toboggan meant no more fun for them that day! I decided to make a slider card but since I didn't have a channel die, I just used a hillside die cut twice. Here are three views to show the toboggan sliding downhill:

Supplies: Stamps - Whimsy Stamps Snow Fun & Hero Arts CL983 Holiday Messages and Tags

Dies - Hero Arts DI318 Holiday Tags Frame Cuts & Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders; snowflake by ?

Inks - Ranger Archival Watering Can (Wendy Vecchi); Tim Holtz Distress Ink Fired Brick

Paper - BoBunny  Tis the Season Collection (6x6), Neenah Solar White

Other - foam tape, Copic Markers, Hero Arts red metallic accents, Michaels gem,

3M plastic furniture disks (I sandwiched two together to make a button for the slider).

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the inspiration at Merry Monday - the Design Team created some fabulous cards with this weeks theme! Only a few weeks until it'll be time to start mailing out our Christmas cards - I think I'm ready!!

More penguins!

I'm excited to be a Guest Designer at Merry Monday for this week and next! We're making penguin cards for Wendy's challenge and I hope you can join us.

I can't get enough of penguins lately and, after being inspired by Kristie's darling card here, I ordered a bunch of stuff from Whimsy Stamps. I placed my order on Monday as soon as I saw Kristie's card and I had my package on Thursday - woo hoo, great service!! I stamped a bunch of stuff Thursday night right away but didn't have time to finish a card until last night. I finally got a good photo this morning. Here's my card:

Supplies: Hero Arts latte card and snowflake gem, Basic Grey Aspen paper,Doodlebug  Kraft in Color paper, 
MME Wood paper,  Spellbinders die, Whimsy Stamps, Distress Inks; Neenah cardstock, Glossy Accents, Copics

I stamped and die cut the skating penguin from Whimsy Stamps Penguin Fun. My MISTI made it easy to get a deep black on my penguin. A bonus - the eyes come as a separate stamp so I stamped them in blue then added black pearls for the pupils. Then I colored the beak and skates with Copics and added the earmuffs from the same set. So... there my penguin sat - what to do with him?? I saw this post by Sandi and she referenced a My Favorite Things sketch that I liked. Here is is:

                                             

I love sketches and don't use them enough. Wonderful designers come up with these great patterns and it only makes sense to use them! I replaced the banner with a solid strip, the circle became a scalloped oval and I stamped/clear embossed the sentiment right on the background paper.

Thanks for stopping and be sure to visit Merry Monday for some amazing cards by their Design Team and the other participants. Have a great weekend!!