My March CAS Christmas entry - Deer baubble

Hi all - skating in almost at the eleventh hour (well, about 7 hrs left) to post an entry for this month's CAS Christmas Card Challenge. I almost thought I wouldn't make it since I was out of town most of the past two weeks, then home for a meeting this afternoon. Meeting ended early and I had time to make use of items I had cut last week potentially for this challenge (use a deer).

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Poptone Black Licorice

Silhouette Design ID 70497 Circle Flourish Reindeer

Die - Spellbinders Ribbon Banners

Stamp - Hero Arts CL343 Holiday Sayings (retired)

Other - Tumbled Glass, Broken China, & Black Soot Distress Oxide Inks; Stickles

I started with a Silhouette design I used once almost four years ago (see card here). That was for a vintage challenge; this time I was going with white on white but ended up coloring my offset layer with shades of blue Distress Oxide ink. I tried stenciling some birch trees behind but rejected that idea as too busy, given the flourishes on the deer. I spritzed the blue with a bit of water but the effect is very subtle. Wanted to use diamond stickles on the deer but the bottle was empty - dang! Instead used crystal ones which turned out fine. I had cut a bunch of white and black deer so decided to layer for a slight shadow effect.

Sorry for the bad photo; it was already clouding up here after a fairly sunny day. Thanks to Loll, Bonnie & team for another fun challenge!! And a big Happy Birthday to this fabulous challenge blog - one year old and going strong!!

Twofer #14 - Balloons!

Hi all - it's been awhile again. I'm having difficulty trying to find time to make cards & blog them. Oh well... I do what I can. Popping in today with a pair for this month's Twofer Card Challenge to use balloons.

Supplies - Paper - Hero Arts pool card; Paper Studio colored papers; 

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Kaisercraft Provincial patterned papers

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 26 plus a label from another set

Spellbinders Die D-Lites Sentiments One

Tattered Lace Couple

Stamps - Hero Arts Happy Stamp & Cut; Ultimate Crafts Script (retired)

I needed a birthday card for a friend and had already pulled out a fun Blueprints set I like to use (hope I didn't use it for her card previously!!). The set has a balloon edge and I was inspired to use it to create a gatefold card for the second card. Cut it in white and, next thing I knew, I had a wedding congrats card.

Hope all is well with everyone and sorry that I'm not getting to your blogs as often as I'd like. Thanks to Darnell and the Twofer team for another fun challenge!

Thanks for stopping!!

        

Star Twofer

Hi all - another quick post in my crazy busy life. I wanted to play along with the Twofer Challenge again & realized that a card I just made yesterday would work for it! But I had to create a second card and then try to combine the two photos. My first collage attempt in PicMonkey and it's not good - sorry about that!! Pretty obviously, my item in common is the die cut star.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;

Bazzill color pack; Poptone Black Licorice;

Authentique (retired 4th of July themed pad)

Stamps - Hero Arts CL661 It's Your Day;

Our Daily Bread - Mini Tag Sentiments

Dies - My Favorite Things various retired Blueprints and

LLD Stitched Alphabet;

Hero Arts Nesting Circle Infinity Dies

and retired Stylish Stars (I used the smallest one);

Spellbinders Sentiments One

Other - stars from Michael's

I created the bottom card for a chorus friend who became a US citizen on my birthday!! I couldn't attend the ceremony as I was out celebrating with my family but heard all about it at chorus. Maria was one of only two from Germany to become citizens out of around 950 in her group; she didn't know a soul but made a few new friends. A bunch from the chorus was able to join her and found it very inspiring. The other card will go to my brother with a birthday coming up.

Thanks to the Darnell and crew at the Twofer Card Challenge - be sure to check out all the inspiration over there!! Thanks for stopping!

CAS Christmas February Reminder

Hey there - I'm back with a reminder for the February CAS Christmas Card Challenge. I'm guest designer this month - such an honor!! And with this challenge, you get a reminder so the guest gets to design a second card - fantastic!!

Peace theme - can't get enough! This time I went with a colored card. Because we need plenty of "white space" on a clean and simple card, I tend to shy away from a card that isn't white. Well, I was drawn to a red card for my green bauble. Plenty of red (aka white) space around it - LOL!

Supplies: Paper - DCWV Ms Sparkle A2 card; Paper Studio holiday cardstock

Die/Stamp - Hero Arts DC166 Merry & Bright Tag Set by Lia (retired) 

Other - Hero Arts gold ink & embossing powder; Stickles; 

recycled red ribbon of a Hero Arts My Monthly Hero kit

You can see all the challenge details & inspiration from the initial challenge announcement here. Be sure to link your creation by the deadline on the 24th and look for the winner announcement on the 28th. Thanks again to the lovely ladies at CAS Christmas for inviting me to guest design this month & thanks to you for stopping by!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Hey everyone - hope you're having a wonderful Valentine's Day! My mom's favorite day of the year since I was born that day - LOL. She'll always remember my birthday because her Valentine celebration was interrupted when her water broke! As first babies often do, I arrived a few weeks early - surprise, surprise.

Mom & Dad are getting the birdie Valentine I made for the January Twofer Card Challenge. Here are the other Valentines I made this year:

I used a new Memory Box die for many of the cards - Butterfly Heart Frame, minus the butterfly. What a gorgeous die and it cuts beautifully! The yummy stained glass heart is a new cling stamp from Taylored Expressions - Big Heart. I can't resist adding heart stuff to my stash and this year was no exception!! Other supplies were Hero Arts Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies and a retired Valentine clear set, Copic Markers and various stickers and papers. I sent my friend Heather a Valentine too - I'm afraid it's still in transit somewhere over the Atlantic....

I die cut the heart frame from three different colors, then mixed and matched them. I just love the different looks you can achieve just by switching the papers! I saved the narrow hearts that cut when I cut the frame and the pierced heart at the same time - using them for a card of their own.

Finally, here's a Valentine birthday card I made for my birthday twin, Lynn:

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

Patterned papers by unknown

Stamps - Penny Black Sweetheart & Hero Arts sentiment stamps (retired)

Other - Copic Markers; puffy heart sticker 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day! PS - How are you doing on your CAS Christmas card using the PEACE theme? We'll be doing a reminder post (I'm a guest designer this month) on the 17th and you have until the 24th to enter. I'm already behind on my 2019 Christmas card production but playing at CAS Christmas will certainly help me! Hope to see you there!!

Guest Designing at CAS Christmas Challenge!!

Hey everyone - I'm delighted to be guest designing this month at CAS Christmas - woo hoo!!!! Just love that challenge and was gratified to have my December card chosen as a winner (see that CAS Christmas post here).

Don't we all need a little more peace in the world?! Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; 

Paper Studio glitter; Tim Holtz kraft metallic; Poptone Black

Stamps & Dies - Hero Arts Peace; Penny Black Peaceful Wishes

Other - Hero Arts Tide Pool Dauber

When crafting a peace theme I frequent start with the Hero Arts Peace Stamp & Cut set. I'm very fond of all my HA S&C sets but especially the ones with a large word (both in stamp and die form) plus a bunch of little words to go with it. I often neglect the stamps in favor of the dies but this time I utilized some of the little words for my sentiment, along with a diecut.

Fun fact, the Penny Black dove was diecut back in December when I was making my winning star card. I tried it several ways and in several colors but it didn't make the final design (good thing!). When I diecut the dove from glittery silver card, it didn't cut all the way through. Decided I liked it, so trimmed the outline carefully, leaving the parts within. Too pale alone for this card, so I diecut a gold dove getting the whole outline cut and glued it over the silver glitter. The silver Peace diecut needed something too so I gave it a black shadow with a second diecut, swiping some dauber on the card before I glued it down. I added the little words as an afterthought (yay for the MISTI) and really liked the look. I'm always amazed how I start with one idea and end up with some totally different!!

Thanks again to the CAS Christmas crew for inviting me to guest design and I hope you get a chance to play along!! Be sure to check out all the challenge details and wonderful inspiration from the team - deadline for entry is the 24th.

Many thanks for stopping by and I hope to visit your blogs soon!!

Twofer Birds

Hey all - I'm skating in with a quick pair for this month's Twofer Challenge. I caught an obnoxious cold and my head feels like it's going to explode. Didn't prevent me from pulling out my crazy birds set - LOL. Just had to stop often to blot the tears streaming from my eyes...

Like I said, I pulled out the crazy birds thinking I'd make a crowd for a thinking of you card and a pair of birds for a Valentine card. First stamped and masked two of the birds, then stamped three more behind. Then I stamped two more birds and die cut with the matching dies. Colored up with Copics, arranged on cards - DONE! Could've done more detailing but I'm in a hurry these days. I'm so excited to have been able to squeeze in a twofer this month!!

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

Michael's Vintage Valentine 6x6 pad

Stamps - Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection Bird Crazy;

Paper Smooches All Year Cheer; Hero Arts retired for musical notes and sentiment

Dies - My Favorite Things various retired Blueprints; Bird Crazy matching dies

Other - Paper Studio heart stickers

Looking forward to visiting your blogs more often when life is a little less hectic. I appreciate your visit - many thanks and happy crafting!!