give it up for love fest 2013 (SCS, SSS, Paper Playtime)

Eleven challenges and this is my number 10.  Love Fest 2013J is sponsored by Verve Stamps and they want to see their colors (aqua and brown) with either yellow or pink.  Not my go-to colors, but I gave it a try...

Inspired by their banner I was... Faux letterpressed the flourish using Broken China Distress ink on aqua CS.  Stitched around the edges with yellow.  Mis-used my Tim Holtz Bird on a Branch (again) to get a gnarly branch for my butterfly (see it in the banner?).  She was die cut, stamped, painted with pearlescent watercolors and inked around the edges before being mounted on the card over some saved-from-the-bin threads.  I misted a CS scrap before stamping the sentiment in brown.

Also hooking up to:
Paper Playtime #4 - Use a Sentiment Stamp (the sentiment on my card plays a huge role)
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Appreciate your fluttering by.

Supplies for Life:

Paper: cardbase Buttinette, CS DCWV, PP Ursus

Stamps: butterfly Hero Arts, sentiment Skipping Stones Design

Ink : Distress Ink, Versacolor, Glimmer Mist

Tools: branch die Sizzix, butterfly die Hero Arts, sewing machine, embossing plate Sizzix

Other: pearlescent watercolors Yasutomo, water brush, thread

folds and flaps (SCS)

I dnd't really intend to do all the challenges in the Splitcoast Love Fest 2013, but here I am trying to get the last three done!

Love Fest 2013D sponsored by Scor-pal is looking for flaps or folds.  OK.  How 'bout both?

Start with your Aunt's birthday approaching quickly.  Pick a card from your stash and grab the set of rainbow cards you just made (but haven't posted all of yet).  Cuz of course, to get one rainbow you had to die cut 7 different colors.  And of course you can't throw all the rest away.  So you made rainbow cards.  I digress.

See how many cards you can get into a padded mailer for the lowest postage.  And that will fit through the mailbox slot so that you don't have to go to the post office which is a sure way to ruin your day.

Take set of cards and a piece of PP to your scoring board.

Use the envelope making guide that comes with the board (see that triangle thing?) for the very first time.  Duh.

Use score tape to glue the envie sides together and leave the flap unglued so Auntie can use it to store your purty cards.

Dress it up with  a scrap of ribbon and little tag (still totally mailable, mind you) and be proud of yourself.  You've got some flaps, some folds and somethin' sweet for Auntie.  Bye.  I'm off to the mailbox.

Thanks for looking.

Supplies for envelope:

Paper: PP and tag K& Co.

Stamps:  PTI

Ink :Memento

Tools: scoring board and bone folder

Other: score tape, ribbon

behind the clouds (SCS, CASE)

Creating again with Teri A.'s card over at CASE Study # 129 in mind.  I love me a rainbow and I happen to own the rainbow die from MFT so I used it for the SCS Love Fest 2013G Challenge sponsored by MFT.  It's called Make My Day and the challenge is to create a card of encouragement.

I love the sentiment on Teri's card and it reminded me of a banner I made back in high school.  We're talking  3' by 6' to hang on the cafeteria wall!  Used blue burlap, cut white clouds out of felt and wrote the sentiment - the one I've computer-generated on my card - with glued-on orange yarn.  The sun was actually "Son" on my banner.  I've always been inspired by rainbows and by that saying.

My neighbor/Zumba instructor is having thyroid surgery today and the doctors are not sure what they will find.  Figured this card covers all bases...   Hoping for the best of course.

Thanks for visiting, folks.

Supplies for Behind the clouds:

Paper: CS Bringmann, white The Paper Company, vellum Ursus

Stamps:  PTI

Ink : Cat's Eye

Tools:rainbow die MFT, cloud die PTI

Other: computer generated sentiment, glue dots

monogram for gertrud (PTI)

Knew this blog hop was approaching.  Totally forgot about it until an hour ago.  Was going to sit it out but then I was chatting with Kelly G. about having lots of ribbon and never using it and I need a card for Gertrud's 70th (this lady is in my workout class!) so I decided to go for it.

Was I thrilled to find that little branchy stamp in the Lovely Layers set?  Yep.  Did I iron my ribbon scraps?  Nope.  Should I have?  Yep.   Was I totally inspired by one of the the photos in the inspiration board over at Papertrey?  Yep.  Recognize it?  Magenta, gold, circle, stripes....

Happy hopping.

Supplies G:

Paper: cardbase Buttinette, CS Neenah, other Bringmann

Stamps: PTI, alpha Hampton Arts, circle frame Kelly Panacci

Ink :Versamark

Tools: die MFT

Other: gold embossing powder, ribbon scraps

retro freestyle (SCS, Retro Sketches)

Quickie.  Had the kraft paper out.  Opted to use a sketch I loved over at Retro Sketches #45 on a mini scale for the SCS Love Fest 2013I Challenge from Taylored Expressions to make a set of 3" cards.  Also hooking up at Retro Sketches #52, where in honor of their 1st bday you can use any previous sketch you'd like.  Must say I really love their sketches.

Again, I'm thinkin' these could adorn a bottle of wine given as a gift, like these.  A lined BG stamped horizontally and vertically with white pigment (definitely need a new white ink pad).  Two strips of washi, a heat embossed sentiment and a rolled flower (made from old clothes) topped things off.  In case you've not yet rolled your own flowers, here's a tute.  Good to go.

Have a great week.

Supplies for tags:

Paper: kraft ?

Stamps: BG Prima, sentiment Klartext

Ink : Adirondack white pigment, Versamark

Tools: 

Other: embossing powder, washi, rolled flowers, cotton twine

bloggiversary thanks (SCS)

Time flies when you're having fun!

Took a while for me to take the plunge and start a blog, but it's been a great year.  To those of you who  have visited my cards and made me smile with your comments, "Vielen Dank".  What a wonderful world of cardmaking-loving-blogging-creative-souls there are out there in blogland!

I appreciate your visits - followers and others.  It's nice to know that you like my work now and again, and that I may in some way inspire you to make a card that will make someone happy.  That makes me happy!
This is for all of you.  (And for the Love Fest 2013K Challenge to use a die at SCS which is sponsored by The Greeting Farm. C'mon - you didn't really expect a card without a challenge, did ya?)

And I've put together a little something for you if you're interested. Some metallic peel offs, a Penny Black cling stamp, some Claudine Hellmuth foam stamps and a Shell pigment ink pad from Amuse.

I recently had to pick my favorite card of mine.  It wasn't an easy task.   I'd love to see your favorite card of yours.  Maybe you know immediately or you might have to give it a day's thought, but please leave a link to it in my comments section.  I'll pick my favorite (yeah, totally subjective here folks) and announce a winner on March 20th.  So raise your glass with me... Here's to another good year of happy cardmaking.  Prost! :)

Supplies thanks:

Paper: kraft, white CS American Crafts

Stamps: Hero Arts

Ink :Distress Ink, pigment inks Aladine

Tools: die Memory Box, sewing machine

Other: 

happy springy anniversary (SCS, CASE, Charisma)

Here's an anniversary card (what's your favorite stamp set for anniversary cards?) that I made with the Splitcoaststampers Love Fest 2013H in mind.  It's sponsored by Unity Stamp.

Which I don't own so I went with Paper Smooches.  Dry embossed a die frame into the CS then masked and stamped around it with orange and turquoise.  Love the bright colors comin' back at us (even tho' we have snow flurries here again in the Germany Tuscany today!)

Also hooking up to:
 CASE Study #129 - went with the orange and blue and flowers from Teri A.'s card
Charisma Cardz #7 - One layer cuz it is!

Thanks for visiting.

Supplies Happy Anniversary:

Paper:  CS Neenah

Stamps: Paper Smooches, sentiment Technique Tuesday

Ink :Versacolor, Versafine

Tools: die Spellbinders, corner punch EKS

Other: embossing powder

mod squad (RIC, SCS)

Remember a show called "Mod Squad" back in the (I'm guessin' 70s)?  Not sure why, but this card made me think of it...

A die cut tag.  Some stamping.  Some masking.  A border punch.  Some twine.  A Happy Birthday sentiment on the inside.

My inspiration came from Runway Inspired Challenge #30.

That dress on the right.  Yello and black.  Graphic.  Some splashes of color.  A few flowers.  I put that into effect but chose a chartreuse cardbase instead.  Just felt funkier.  Thought the tag was a nod to fashion, though I'm sure those outfits don't have price tags!

Also playing at SCS Love Fest 2013F where The Cat's Pajama has an inspiration board, also with yellow and black graphic elements.

Thanks for stopping.

Supplies:

Paper: cardbase DCWV, CS Neenah, striped scrap

Stamps: SEI, BG WMS

Ink :Versafine

Tools: die PTI, punch Fiskars

Other: twine

saved by sequins (1) (muse, SCS)

 I played at Muse for the first time.  Marion Vagg is the muse for Challenge #5.  This is her card:

This is my card.  I went with the colors, the washi, die cutting and the message.  The card was actually to use up the die cut flower which was laying on my ironing board.   I actually created the next card first.

I am entering the SCS Lovefest2013B (sponsored by Sweet n Sassy Stamps) with this although I kinda turned the sketch on its side.

I think the dark blue panel is a bit much.  Those three delicate little sequins are doing their best to compensate :)  And I definitely need to keep practicing my die placement to get a striking negative...
I gave it another try and that was this card.

Thanks for looking.

Supplies :

Paper: cardbase Craft UK, PP Basic Grey, CS DCWV

Stamps: Hero Arts

Ink :Hero Arts

Tools: label die PTI, sm. label die and flower die Memory Box

Other: washi Rayher and Bella Blvd., sequins, letter stickers October Afternoon

saved by sequins (2) (muse, CASE, SCS)

Finally took the time (I'm actually procrastinating on another project) to play at Jackie R.'s new Muse, where we're to be mused by the Monday muse.  This is Marion V.'s card for inspiration:

There was (as there often is) a creative journey behind my card.  I'll share it with you tomorrow.  There were actually two other cards born before this one.  But let me say that I was mused by Marion's colors, washi, use of dies and Debby H.

Do you get a Debby H. vibe on this?  Suffice it to say I had an idea, but it didn't work like I'd planned.  The birch bark paper came to mind (maybe that's what makes my card limedoodley?!?!?) so I tried a better placement of my die and am happy with the result.  Tomorrow you'll see what I mean...

Also joining the fun at:

CASE Study - #128

SCS - LOVEFEST2013E Die Crazy sponsored by Simon Says Stamp

p.s.  I know birch bark grows the other way.  Creative liberty, ya know ;)

Go get (a)mused.

Supplies for just saying hello:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK, PP Basic Grey

Stamps: Hero Arts

Ink :Hero Arts

Tools: label die PTI, flower die Memory Box

Other: washi Rayher and Bella Blvd., sequin

smile! (Moxie Fab, HIMCR)

You may remember this photo from yesterday's post.

My mind, working in its strange ways, decided to use this photo as the inspiration for a bday card for a 60-year-old.  Male.  Trust me, he can handle it.  

There's a Camera Craze Challenge over at Moxie Fab so I upped the ante by limiting myself to the one camera related stamp set I own.  Which I can highly recommend if you don't want to overdo on this trend.

Probably more for scrapbooking than bday cards, eh?  I remembered an old Retro Sketch that I really like and revisited it.  This is what happened.

A scrap of magenta on a white cardbase.  A "polaroid frame" (you can make this pretty easy without a die).  A cool chalkboard speech bubble from the Pebbles prize pack I won from Paper Crafts that I heat embossed with one of the sentiments from the stamp set.  And for the main image I stamped the camera in red, masked it, stamped "memories" as a BG using generational stamping and then heat embossed the camera image slightly offset.  Brought in some more funkiness with some KI Memories letter stickers and washi.  I'm likin' it.

Hooking up at Hiding in My Craft Room where she is challenging us to use embossing.  Don't have to ask me twice :)

Thanks for stopping by.  I read that an average person in the UK is caught on surveillance camera 300 times a day!  Whoa.  So smile!  Ya never know...

Supplies for smile ur 60!:

Paper: CS American Crafts, magenta scrap, PP K&Co

Stamps: Maya Arts

Ink :Jenny Bowlin, Versamark

Tools: square die Sizzix

Other: embossing powder Zing, chipboard Pebbles, letter stickers KI Memories, washi Bella Blvd.

better than 50... (CTS, SCS)

What do you get when you cross this CAS(E) This Sketch

and this inspiration photo from PTI's anniversary challenge (yeah, I was late for the party but oh-so-taken with that gallon of magenta)?

Here's the "mutt".   BTW, the inside reads "Better than 50!".  This, BTW,  is the predicament I will also find myself in this year...

A gallon magenta (was my fave color in the Crayola box), a quart lime green and a pint each red, yellow and blue.  Gold is of course a neutral ;)  In retrospect, I could have made the blooms happen like in the inspiration photo by using a different PP on the tag, but I was lazy and using up scraps that were laying around from my other card inspired by the photo.  That was more of a challenge and that will come at ya tomorrow...

There are fun challenges happening at Splitcoast with some of their tried and true manufacturers.  Since I finally used my win from HYCCT and placed my order with Stamping Bella (and oh, woe is me, Jane Girl appears to be sold out) I am putting this card in the gallery for the Bling Challenge.

Thanks for visiting.

Supplies for you are 49!:

Paper: CS American Crafts, magenta DCWV, gold and blue scrap, PP K&Co

Stamps: Hero Arts

Ink :Versamark

Tools: tag die Amuse, number die Memory Box

Other: red embossing powder Ranger, embroidery floss, needle, paper piercer, bling

ode to an old fave (PTI, CFC, Daring Cardmakers)

Have you ever posted a card to a challenge 3 min under the gun?  I just did.

There I sat leisurely browsing my reader.  New challenge at Casual Fridays.  Yippie for the new DT girls - some of my favorite designers all in one spot.  One thing leads to another and I discover that there is still time (30 min at that point) to enter the PTI anniversary challenge.  Deja vu 10-minute Craft Dashing.

Well, this was easy cuz one of Maile's favorite cards is also one of my favorite cards of hers.  It was the reason for me to buy the stamp set.  Still one of my fave sets for gorgeous sentiments.  IMHO.

Recognize the card?  I totally CASEd Maile's.  But used the Casual Friday's challenge:

And Daring Cardmakers is looking for Butterflies.  Found one.

Whew.  Thanks for looking.

Supplies for Smile:

Paper: CS American Crafts, Neenah

Stamps: PTI

Ink : Versafine

Tools: circle die MFT, butterfly PTI

Other: bling

they said "red" (CASology, Loves Rubberstamps, Neat and Tangled)

Red.  OK, with a touch of heat embossed pink.  And gold since it's trendy right now.  Must admit I'm lovin' the metallic touches showing up everywhere.

This is not a Valentine.  Thought it was gonna be, but then I decided to go the wedding or anniversary route. No inside sentiment yet.

Do the sequins push it over the edge of CAS to not-CAS-anymore???

Playing at:
CASology - Week 31 Red
Loves Rubberstamps - #39 All about Love
Little Tangles - Love Love Love

Hope your day's love-filled.

Supplies for love x4:

Paper: cardbase Buttinette, PP Studio Calico

Stamps: Fancy Pants

Ink : Jenny Bowlin, Versamark

Tools: 

Other: pink embossing powder Zing, gold embossing powder, sequins

happy love day (HA, RIC)

Well, good morning.  I'm blaming it on the "fifth season" here in Germany, but I nearly missed Valentine's Day. Just dawned on me, yesterday, that I hadn't made cards for DS and DD.  Know what they say about the shoemaker's kids...

So here they are.  Happy VD DS.

Inside reads "always... my little angel" (Clear and Simple stamps).  Just to remind us both!  Stamped the HA Crossword BG onto PP, die cut the heart and then used HA Alpha to heat emboss the "Love You".  Some echo park PP and an alpha sticker and this was pretty easy thanks to the HA February sketch.

And Happy VD DD.

I was a lucky winner at Ellen Hutson around Christmas and got a box of Hero Arts goodies.  Put the dots BG stamp and some yummy new inks (Bubble Gum and Butter Bar) to use.  And tried the faux letterpress that Julie E. presented on the Hero Arts blog.  (So not sure that I did it right.  Which side of the embossing folder are ya supposed to ink?!?!?)  So I'm playing in Hero Arts February challenge:

Love?  Check.  Lace?  Check.  And a sketch.  Check.

And in the corners of my mind I was stuck on hot pink (the HA Bubble Gum ink color) after seeing the Runway Inspired Challenge #29 - DSquared2.  I had wood on the brain too, but now looking at the photo I'm not sure where I got that from...

Happy Love Day, lovelies.

Supplies for LOVE YOU:

Paper: cardbase Buttinette,  PP echo park.

Stamps: Hero Arts

Ink : Versafine

Tools: heart die Sizzis, circle die MFT

Other: black embossing powder,  enamel sticker

Supplies for you touch my heart:

Paper: cardbase Papermania,  CS Neenah, black scrap

Stamps: dot BG and sentiment Hero Arts, floral BG CHF

Ink : Hero Arts, Versamark

Tools: heart die Sizzix, embossing folder Craft Concepts, sewing machine

Other: lace scrap, alpha sticker making memories

prefer snow to gray (KIS, Catered Crop, SSSS)

Coming from MI, "the four seasons" are an integral part of my make-up.  Twenty-some years ago when I moved to Germany, I would tell people at home that Germany was gray from November to April.  What happened to my change of seasons?

Well, two things.  I moved to a Karneval-Krazy area which insists on adding a fifth season to the year AND Mother Nature has seen it fitting to dump the white stuff on us on a more regular basis in the past few years. And the past few days.   I'm happy.

And therefore I'm also willing to partake in the KIS Challenge #7 asking for Snowmen cards.  And since I can't resist a polka dot challenge I'm also playing at Catered Crop's Polka Dot Recipe Swap.  And since I got my fingers nice and messy when smearing white paint on the PP BG (the jury's still out - does it give a snowy feel or just a messy feel?) I'm hooking up at Simon Says Stamp and Show's - Something Messy.

I applied glitter to a few teensy snowflakes.  Got your magnifying glass handy?

So, join me in adios-ing winter (cute as this little chica is, I don't think I wanna make any more snowman cards) AND the fifth season (tomorrow is Ash Wednesday).  And hello to my second year of blogging.  I feel a giveaway coming on...

Supplies for welcome winter:

Paper: cardbase Buttinette, CS Neenah, polka PP echo park, floral PP MME, vellum The Paper Co.

Stamps: Paper Smooches

Ink : Jenny Bowlin, Versamark, Versafine

Tools: sewing machine

Other: acrylic paint, orange colored pencil, embossing powder Ranger, Stickles, thread

hearts, hearts and more hearts (SSS, CFC, CTD)

Howdy folks.  Stumbled upon this photo over at CardMaker which I love for two reasons.  Hearts are probably my second favorite graphic shape, after circles.  And I love bokeh.

Had to make a bokeh heart card.

Started with  the Tim Holtz Bird on a Branch die.  Minused the bird and half the branch.  Decided where I wanted the branch and then generation stamped the bokeh-y hearts to mimic the string of heart lights in my inspiration photo.

Didn't want to take away from the image with a sentiment so I used a new-to-me-but-age-old die to cut "thanks" from vellum.  Stitched it on with some pink thread and voila!

Cuz heart challenges are the rage at present, I'm playing at:
Simon Says Stamp - Have a Heart
CASual Fridays - #89 Love Song (cuz Love is in the Air everywhere I look around ;)
Color Throwdown - #228

Hope you're having a good weekend - not buried under snow.  We continue to get snow showers here.  Just enough to make the ground white.  Love it.

Supplies for thanks:

Paper: cardbase Buttinette, CS American Crafts, vellum gray CS Ursus

Stamps: Paper Smooches

Ink : Distress Ink

Tools: branch die Sizzix, sentiment die Provo Craft, sewing machine

Other: thread

thump (PS, ATCAS, KIS, SSS, TPE)

Don't make a lot of lovey dovey cards... This is as gushy as I get.

I do love the humor in Paper Smooches stamp sets!  The inside reads "i'm in love".  Decided upon the design of frog on a log and stamped Mr. Frog in his spot with the sentiment at his feet.  Had to give him a heat embossed gold crown.  Of course.  Ever seen a frog without a crown?  Added PP strip to the bottom and the dry embossed woodgrain piece with two cross-stitches with dimensional adhesive.  Added the two red hearts and two green blings to balance things out and make a triangle (I do remember some of what I learned in Moxie Fab design school).

Challenges I'm parking at:
Paper Smooches Sparks - Feb 4 Trend Watch polka dots
Addicted to CAS - #5 Hearts
Keep it Simple - #6 Dry Embossing
The Pink Elephant - #185 for my red/white color choice

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes (cuz 1120 is my lucky number ;)

Happy Mardi Gras week.  Off to another "Sitzung-gucken-dass-ist-schwer"...

Supplies for thump:

Paper:CS Neenah, PP October Afternoon

Stamps: Paper Smooches

Ink : Versacolor, sentiment Versafine

Tools: embossing folder Craft Concepts

Other: twine, embossing powder, bling

helau hearts (ATCAS, TPE, SSS, BGC)

Quick one folks.  Gotta party to go to.  Neighbor guy.  Die-hard soccer fan (nearly as bad as DH).  So he's gettin' a gift certificate for the fan shop.  And this is what it looks like all purtied up.

First off, like my laundry room backsplash?  And the lousy lighting?  It's dark outside and I have to give this to him tonight!  Apologies.  The certificate is in a purty red envelope inside the bag.  Our team?  Mainz 05 case you're interested.  The moved up into the premier league a few years ago and they're pretty easy to love.  Anyhoo...

The motto printed on the bag translates roughly to "The 05ers - in our hearts."  So I die cut a heart out of some fabby Basic Grey birch bark PP and placed it to highlight the word "hearts".

Die cut a tag from the same PP, stamped a circle outline, masked it and stamped the little hearts BG.  Adhered an aqua die cut heart with the sentiment on it.  A closer look at the tag...

Are you wondering about the balloons and streamers?  Well, helau!  It's Mardi Gras time again.  They call it the fifth season of the year in Germany - at least in our region.  It's party time, folks.

Linking up at:
Basic Grey Challenges - #86 Love is in the Air
Addicted to CAS - #5 Heart
The Pink Elephant - #184 Hearts
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Have a fun weekend.

Supplies for tag:

Paper:CS DCWV, PP Basic Grey

Stamps: American Crafts

Ink : Distress Ink, sentiment Versafine

Tools: tag die PTI, heart die Sizzix,

Other: twine