Last day of Die Cut Diva's September Challenge!

Hey crafty friends - if you plan to make a holiday card for the current Die Cut Diva Challenge be sure to link up by 9pm Pacific time today!! The Divas have an end-of-month post here which features some of the team, including me with this card:

Supplies: Paper - Ms Sparkle & Co A2 card; Stamp on It vellum;

Graphic 45 Twas the Night Before Christmas 6x6 patterns;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Paper Studio green

Stamps - Paper Smooches All Year Cheer (NLIB)

Dies - Impression Obsession Patchwork Tree (sold at Cheapo Dies)

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle;

Hero Arts Nesting Oval Infinity Dies

Other - Michael's gems; Pine Needles Distress Ink; Stickles

Thanks to this month's sponsor, Cheapo Dies!! When I created this card, the patchwork tree die was still available but dies sell out quickly there. Check them out for lovely discounts on many of your favorite brands!

For my tree I started with just the patterned layers, then I thought, why not add a little green shadow layer to each section? The shadow became a bit longer but I really love this look & isn't the tree the cutest? My Graphic 45 text paper was a bit busy so I put an oval of heavyweight white vellum atop it to showcase my tree. Stickles, gems and a sentiment strip - done!! Another card for the stash.

Thanks for stopping and be sure to check at Die Cut Divas for a new challenge tomorrow and for September's winners on October 3rd!!

Holiday cocoa

Hey all - I'm playing along today at the new Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Festive Sweet Treats. Jo & elf Chrissie inspired me with candy canes and cups. My take is a cocoa cup with some candy canes.

Supplies: Paper - Bazzill A2 card; Lawn Fawn Peace Joy Love

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb; Paper Studio brown

Stamps with coordinating dies - Lawn Fawn Love you a Latte

Dies - My Favorite Things Blueprints 20 (retired) 

Other - Copic Markers, foam tape

For some reason I didn't have the dies to the Love you a Latte set but I ordered them and got them today - yay! Really wanted to make a coffee card for National Coffee Day - guess I'll just settle for sipping my Venti Iced Latte!! 😍

Very simple card - I die cut and stamped the cup, saucer & candy canes, then colored with Copics. Die cut a stitched rectangle in the heart paper & stamped the sentiment to be steam coming out of the cup. Added a patterned strip as a table for my cup & a brown mat layer. Adhered all to green card - done!

Thanks to Jo & Chrissie for a fun challenge and thanks to you for visiting. Have a crafty week!!

Rainbow colors

Hey friends - another gloomy day here but rainbow colors brightened it up for me! The September challenge at Pink Fresh Studio is Rainbows and I decided to play along using the amazing PFS Floral Circles die set. Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - Momenta; Neenah; Paper Studio

Dies - Pink Fresh Studio Floral Circles

Other - sequins from Target; Michael's gems;

Reverse Happy Sentiment strips by CZ Designs

I spotted my friend Greta's beautiful entry to the Pink Fresh Studio challenge and she inspired me to give it a try. I own exactly one PFS set (first of many, I'm sure) and decided the delicate circles would be gorgeous in rainbow colored glitter paper on a slimline card. I used sequins to tie the circles together and some fun premade sentiment strips. The inside of the card will have a happy birthday message. Done! If you'd like to see a previous card with the Floral Circle dies, go here.

Thanks for stopping and if you have time for a quick white-on-white Christmas card, please enter at Christmas Kickstart before 6pm Central time!!

Anything But a Card

Hey crafty friends - hope you're enjoying your day, whatever you're doing!! Yesterday was a gloomy one here so I stayed inside and worked on a project for the latest Sisterhood of Crafters challenge. You need to make anything but a card. I waited until this morning to get a decent photograph but the daylight isn't that much better than yesterday, oh well. Here's my gift card holder that looks like a little gift bag:

Supplies: Paper - Graphic 45 Twas the Night Before Christmas;

Paper Studio red, green & glitter;

Hallmark gift bag tissue

Dies - Spellbinders April 2019 Large Die For You Gift Card Holder &

Sunday Drive with Santa (pines)

Sunny Studio Window Quad Circle (flower);

I'm fairly new to the Spellbinders Die of the Month Club but I've been able to pick up some of the past offerings when they didn't sell out at the Club. While I didn't get April 2019 Large Die at the clearance price that's current available at Spellbinders (only $5 - practically free!), I got a good deal. It sat around here all summer until now. I thought of it immediately when I spotted the Anything But a Card challenge via Debbie Mageed (Secrets to Stamping). She made the most beautiful lanterns as a design team member!!

I started out die cutting the pieces using various papers I thought would go together well. These die sets can have some confusing pieces so I'll usually check for a video. I found this one by Nichol Spohr sharing how to assemble the gift bag. I consulted it when I hit the piece that looks from the packaging to be like tissue paper. I wondered how it was assembled, given all the funny score lines. I had die cut it in vellum but mine was heavy weight and didn't want to fold. Nichol seemed to have the same issue with her cardstock. I finally decided to go for real gift bag tissue but did cut it out using the die and sorta folded along the score lines. Nichol cut 3 of this diecut so I did too. I didn't use the little gift tag included in the set, figuring I could do it later, even though it'll mean tying it on versus slipping onto the handle before gluing it down!!

After the gift bag was assembled, I decorated it using the For You dies included in the set plus a flower from Sunny Studio and pines from Spellbinders. Done - whew!! A bit fiddly but soooo worth it! I can see making a bunch of these for chorus friends at Christmas but it's unlikely we'll be able to have a large party by then, given the pandemic. Sigh.... Here's a photo of the bag with the gift card showing:

Since my gift bag die is newly used I'm also adding this to Darnell's NBUS Challenge. She's probably getting sick of me because I have oodles of NBUS needing love. Her challenge forces me to use it!! Thanks, Darnell, and thanks to the lovely women at The Sisterhood of Crafters for a fun challenge.

I'm glad you stopped to visit! Thanks & have a crafty day!!

Fall and Halloween at Stay Crafty with Hero

Hey friends - hope you're having a great weekend!! I took some time and made a Halloween card for the current Stay Crafty with Hero Challenge just announced by Hero Arts yesterday. This makes #15 since the pandemic began and I so appreciate Hero continuing this challenge!! Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Poppy (retired);

Poptone Black Licorice;

Stampin' Up green; Momenta watercolor;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb

Stamps - Hero Arts CL239 Owl-oween & 

CL628 Ghostly Greetings (both retired)

Simon Says Stamp Creepy Cute (retired)

Dies - Sunny Studio Slimline Nature Borders &

Slimline Scalloped Frame

Other - Hero Arts clear lacquer; Copic Markers;

Black Soot Distress Ink & Ranger clear ep;

Darice googly eye (not sure of the size)

Most of my Hero Arts Halloween sets are retired but I love them soooo much!! I brought out an oldie but goodie with cute owls dressed as a witch, a ghost and a pirate. I've used them before (see an ancient Flickr post with them here, if interested - oh, how our styles change!!) but I still can't get enough of them. After I stamped, clear embossed and colored my owls and their accessories, I decided it was a big enough crowd for a slimline card. Thought it would be fun having them marching up to a house for treats. I used the same Simon Halloween set for the haunted house as I did on my Twofer card here but I snipped off the top floor. While the house extends past the card, I made sure it wouldn't be too tall for a #10 envelope. The sentiment is from a different Hero Halloween set, perfect for my trick or treating owls.

My slimline is 3.5x8.5 which made it a bit too narrow for the scalloped layer from my newest Sunny Studio slimline set. Instead I used the stitched rectangle die from it, plus the grassy hill from the SS Slimline Nature Borders. I used my paper trimmer for the black mat layer. I lacquered the windows and the witch owl's eyes. Mr. Pirate got a googly eye.

Will also link up to the current Watercooler Wednesday Challenge where All Occasions are being celebrated. That's my third and final link-up there (max of 3 allowed). Also adding to Darnell's NBUS Challenge since my Sunny Studio slimline frame die is getting its first play. Finally, I'm linking to Virginia's Show and Share for my fourth and final entry there (max of 4 per month allowed).

Thanks to all for the fun challenges and thank to you for visiting! Happy crafting!!

Crazy for white-on-white

Help - I can't seem to stop - LOL! TGIF and I'm back with another white-on-white card as inspiration for the current Christmas Kickstart challenge where I'm Jo's elf. I'm hoping to encourage some participation over the weekend - you have until Monday UK time to play along. A new challenge will start on Tuesday. Here's my latest white-on-white with a touch of silver:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb;

Ephemera from Spellbinders October 2019 card kit

Dies - Kat Scrappiness Crafters Essentials Winter;

Hero Arts - DI064 Snowflake Fancy Die (retired)

Embossing folders - Sizzix 3D Winter Snowflakes;

Spellbinders Laurels and Bows (I used the label it cuts)

Other - Crystal Stickles

I started with an A2 card formed from Neenah, then die cut a white panel cut using a cover die new to me from Kat Scrappiness. This company sponsors challenges at Die Cut Divas (up again in December) and since I'm new on the team, off I went to become a customer. Absolutely couldn't resist their Crafters Essentials - Winter set with fabulous scene elements and a nice sale price. I also picked up a couple of Mini Tipsy Glue Holders by Crafters Solutions - perfect for holding my Gina K. Connect Glue so it drains down to the tip!

The cover die embosses some bitty snowflakes and cuts some stitched swirls. I wanted more embossing for my card so ran the die cut panel through with a 3D snowflake folder - fabulous! Glued this to my card, then added a die cut label and 3 snowflakes stacked for dimension. The top snowflake was painted with Stickles for subtle shimmer. What next??? During Spellbinders recent sale I picked up some old card kits - couldn't believe these beauties were still available! Oh, the ephemera - so fabulous! The bits add so much to a card and so quickly!! I was just opening the October 2019 package to see if there was a quick sentiment strip I could use - yes, but also the jumping stag and the stars popped out - yay! Layered all that onto my card - done!!

I'm linking up to Darnell's NBUS Challenge since my cover die is new, to Virginia's Show and Share, and to Watercooler Wednesday All Occasions. Will also add to the gallery as inspiration at Christmas Kickstart.

 

More white on white!

Hey there - hope you're having a great week! It's week two of the current Christmas Kickstart challenge to use white-on-white for a Christmas card. Neutrals and a pop of color are also allowed for this one - hope you can join Jo and her elf (that would be me) for the fun!! I have a couple of cards to share using some new to me Spellbinders cut & emboss folders that just came in the mail Tuesday - yay!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb;

ephemera by Spellbinders

Cut & Emboss - Spellbinders Laurel and Bows

Dies - Taylored Expressions Birch Tree Accessories;

Penny Black - Red and Greens

Other - Stickles

Bad on me - didn't read the product description closely - this folder was designed for an A7 card. Oops, I mostly make A2s, oh well. Turns out the A7 size worked perfectly for the large Christmas sentiment that came from the November 2019 Spellbinders card kit. We'll call my doe a neutral since she's taupe (do you see the white stag behind her?) and my color is the bitty navy merry, both bits of ephemera from that same kit. I die cut the stag from a fab Taylored Expressions set. The kit contains two sets of everything so I'll be able to make another of these, maybe with the blue stag in the kit next time.

Next, a super quick & easy card with an A2 size folder (practically free on sale at Spellbinders!):

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb

ephemera by Spellbinders

Cut & Emboss - Spellbinders Classic Christmas

I embossed a 4x5.25 panel and added it to a white card. Popped on a sentiment banner - done!

I'm adding these to Darnell's NBUS Challenge since my cut & emboss folders are new here. Also linking up to Christmas Kickstart as inspiration; you have until Monday to link up there. And finally to Watercooler Wednesday where Michelle hosts another favorite All Occasions. Thanks for all the fun challenges!!

That's it for today, friends. Thanks for visiting!!