simply create too 99 and goodbye

It's time for challenge #99 at Simply Create Too. Our theme this fortnight is "Snow/Use mostly White". And my card was inspired by both!

I just love the little houses and trees from the Essentials by Ellen Home Hearth die. So I built a snowy little scene with them on a Stitched Rectangle panel.  I backed it with a white panel, dry embossed with stars using a Sizzix Texturz plate.

Added a touch of ink to the die cuts, green on the trees, pink on the stars and gold on the rooftops. And then, my fave of the season, chunky glitter on the trees and along the MFT Snow Drifts.

Isn't it just so peaceful? I only hope there are nothing but peaceful nights around the world this holiday season. 

This is my last post with the lovely ladies over at Simply Create Too. What a great place to play "just for fun" with all types of projects. After two years, I am stepping down from the DT to make way for fresh new faces. Thanks for supporting me and the challenge! 

It would be great to see you over at Simply Create Too too!

I'm joining the Tic Tac Toe challenge at Live and Love Crafts with my card. Glitter, snow, star. Check.

Thanks for coming by today. Have a safe and healthy weekend.

simply create too 97

Welcome to challenge #97 at Simply Create Too. Our theme is "Baby It's Cold Outside". And my card was inspired by a bush I see when out walking the dog on cold mornings. It has a few leaves still hanging on, with the coolest red veins. So I decided to make a card with some white leaves with red veins and some leaf skeletons.

Looks like I used kraft CS, but I didn't. I swiped Antique Linen and Pumice Stone Distress Inks onto a Neenah white CS panel then splattered it with water! Let it dry.

Then I stamped the red veins (Papertrey Leave it Be) with Cranberry Adirondack dye ink and overstamped them with white pigment ink. Did you see my last SCT card using this same stamp set?

I heat embossed the sentiment (Technique Tuesday Sorry) with Liquid Platinum embossing powder onto vellum which was die cut with a Spellbinders leaf die.

A closer look at the water splatters and ghost stamping.

It would be great to see you over at Simply Create Too! I'm joining these fun challenges:

The Paper Players #267

The City Crafter - Into the Wood (hope mine qualifies)

Thanks for visiting.

simply create too 95

A new and fitting challenge is up on the Simply Create Too blog. The theme is Autumn Splendor. Well if that didn't make me think about leaves...

I prepped my cardbase by stamping Impression Obsession's Grunge BG with gold ink. Then I applied Distress Inks liberally to a panel of Neenah white CS. I stamped the Papertrey Leave it Be leaves with water which bleached the CS. When it was dry, I went in with the veins and stamped them roughly where the bleached areas were. And heat embossed a sentiment from Jillibean Soup Handwritten Sentiments.

I used Papertrey Tipped Tops to die cut the stamped panel and a teal layer too. A few enamel dots finished off my card.

Wanna see that grungy background shimmering gold?

Thanks for visiting. Hope to see you at Simply Create Too #95.

simply create too 93

It's a Special Occasion over at Simply Create Too, That's the name of the challenge which begins today and runs for two weeks. Welll my card is for a special occasion, just not a happy one. The Big C, ya know?

Now there is one happy factor to this card. I had Trisha Yearwood's "XXXs and OOOs" in mind when I decided to use the pink bow as my main card element. The "X and Os" from Amy Tangerine followed naturally, as did the "pearl".

The bow is my fave of all those out there, MFT Beautiful Bows. I stamped Hero Arts Tiny Ink Spots background in gold before adhering the die cut letters. The sentiment is from CASual Fridays Calm and Loving.

Thanks for looking today.

simply create too 91

Well it's everybody's favorite, Anything Goes time again over at Simply Create Too! Can you figure out what my card's all about?

I've pulled this one out of the archives - it was made for a submission call requiring the use of text talk. Can you translate?

Used PP from Fancy Pants. The texture plate and alphabet stamp (stamped once in blue and once in dark gray) are from Sizzix. Hand cut the speech bubble shape and used a chipboard exclamation point.

BTW, translated...  "In my opinion, you da man. I love you. End of message" :)
TTFN. CU at SCT # 91!

simply create too 89

Over at Simply Create Too #89 it's all about Getting Ahead for Christmas! (Not that I am any good at this.) But I've got an ornament to share with you that I made last year to hang on a present.

Die cut the star from felt twice and layered a CS star in between. Poked holes and stitched the sides with a blanket stitch. Then I glued on bunches of buttons with Multi Matte Medium. Good way to use up some old buttons, eh? I thought the pink and green gave the red star some pep!

Now it's up to you. Simply create something Christmas-y too!

I'm going to MIA around here for a couple weeks. I'm in MI with Mom and Dad who are having some health problems. CU eventually...

nbus goes us - take 3

Hooray! Another reason this NBUS die is now categorized USed. More fun with PTI Phrase Play #11 die. Hope you're enjoying my series. Today it's about masculine.

Tomorrow you will actually see why I had all these pieces to play with... Well the green remnants spoke to me so I cut a black frame and plunked them in. Grabbed a kraft base and when I saw the color combo I decided I liked it a lot so I did not "fill the holes". Except for that precious little pop of red star in the banner!

Going to Simply Create Too #87 where it's Masculine and you can hook up until the 19th

The Kraft Journal #227 where I've used black, masculine, and a tiny dot of red.

And Paper Players #248 Masculine challenge.

Tomorrow I'm sharing the graduation card(s) which started this whole shebang!

simply create too 87

Ready for Father's Day? Over at Simply Create Too we are challenging you to make a Masculine project. Sounds like perfect timing to me!

I have a retirement card for you however... completely PC-generated cuz I had this idea and it seemed the only way to make it happen.

Whaddya think?

I'm joining For the Guys over at AAA Cards #40

the Make it Masculine challenge at SSS Wednesday and a new-to-me challenge, Perfectly Rustics, where it's all about Letters or Symbols. I think my card fits the bill.

simply create too 85

What's your favorite color combo? Use it and show us your project over at Simply Create Too in challenge # 85.

I really can't say what my favorite color combo is. I love colors and so many work so well together. One that I think is underrated is yellow and purple. I see lots of it these days in the form of pansies adorning people's patios.

I've captured that inspiration on this thank you card using posies from Techinque Tuesday (using the reverse of the stamps to stamp the solid colors) and a die cut from Cuttlebug.

Join us at Simply Create Too, won't you?

simply create too 83

There's a new and great challenge over at Simply Create Too starting today. Create without using a stamp or a digi stamp. For me that's tougher than it sounds. But it's a great time to get reacquainted with my PP stash!

I had an additional challenge. Needed a 50th birthday card. And it needed to be masculine! So I reached for some Tim Holtz PP (kinda has a retro, back fifty years feel to it, right?). I decided the 50 needed to be good sized to hold its own against those patterns, so I printed it onto printer paper using the PC and then used it as a pattern to cut the numbers from cardboard. I grunged them and the PP edges a bit with ink and voila!

This is what I did on the inside of the card. I actually created those shadows of the 50 by placing the cardboard ones there and pouncing over them with my ink applicator.

Thanks for taking a look. If you're an avid stamper, why not take the no stamp challenge and join us at Simply Create Too this time around?

simply create too 81

It's all about "Easter or Bunnies" over at Simply Create Too this time around. I went Easter with this cute Chick Stack from Stamping Bella.

I started by trimming a panel from watercolor paper and watercoloring with yellow and green. When dry, I stamped three different sizes of eggs with white pigment ink to achieve a bokeh look. TIP: You get an even better bokeh effect by sponging white pigment ink through a stencil. But I wanted to use the egg shape so I used the reverse of clear stamps.

Then I temporarily adhered the panel to the card front and die cut the oval. Stamped chicks on the inside of card (with sentiment) peeking through aperture. Tied a bow with crochet thread and adhered it.

How about getting a jump start on your Easter cards? Simply create, too, and join us. Thanks for visiting today.

simply create too 79

It's Anything Goes at Simply Create Too this time around. I shopped my stash after seeing this breath of fresh air on the Runway.

So feminine. So flowing. So lovely. So butterfly-like.

While wrapping a baby present this weekend I stumbled across this wrapping paper I've had forever. It immediately reminded me of the gown at RIC. How to use it on a card??? Then I remembered some butterfly shaped cards I've had forever too! What a happy accident.

I glued the wrapping paper onto the card and trimmed around the edges. Stamped vellum with yellow polka dots and die cut a butterfly with Hero Arts Antique Flower and Butterfly. On top of the vellum butterfly I adhered a WPlus9 Hello die cut from some Basic Grey PB and J PP.

So light and airy. Hello Spring! So, what do you have in your stash that could inspire you to make a card?

Mixed Media Card Challenge #8

It's a two-post kinda day. Please scroll for my CASEplorations post.

Awww. Look at those adorable love birds in the graphic for the February Mixed Media Card Chellenge. May have to pull out an oldie but goodie from Hero Arts soon to replicate those birdies. Remember that stamp?!?

But for now, here's a mixed media love card created for a submission. Don't stare at it too long or your eyes will go wonky ;)

I stamped the herringbone BG from Impression Obsession. Then I made a heart mask and used the negative to sponge on red and pink Distress Inks. Took the negative off, masked the heart with the positive and stamped the grunge dots from Bo Bunny and coffee stains from STAMPlorations Holiday Artsy. Splattered with gold ink. Added some sloppy stitching and adhered the panel to my cardbase.

Then I selectively applied textured embossing paste (it's like it has sand in it) through a triangle stencil and let it dry. Stamped and trimmed my sentiment and adhered it.

Definitely not CAS, although it is mailable! Join us for some mixed media fun this month, won't you?

I'm joining the fun at:
Just us Girls # 278 - where it's all about the sentiment
Inspired by Stamping #90 - where I've got a bit of the Color and Hearts inspiration
Simply Create Too #78 - where it's about Hearts/Valentines

simply create too 75

Challenge #75 at Simply Create Too is easy peasy this time of the year. "Snow, snow, snow" or "Make a card with just white" are the themes.

This is what I made.

Make card from CS. Trim watercolor paper panel. Apply Distress inks (blues and lilac) to large acrylic block, spritz with Perfect Pearls/water mixture and press block onto spritzed paper. When dry, die cut Kesi Art Flocons snowflake from panel, saving all tiny pieces. Die cut snowflake from chevron PP.  Adhere double sided tape to copy paper, adhere watercolor panel, snowflake and all tiny pieces. Adhere aluminum tape to scrap paper and die cut Kesi Art Avent sentiment. Adhere to panel. Adhere panel to card with dimensional adhesive. Punch snowflakes and adhere with sequins.

Voila!

Couldn't resist playing at:

Cards and More #119 - Snowflakes

Check out the DT work for some all white beauties and then simply create, too!

full and great

So one file on my computer is full to overflowing with cards which were made for submission calls, not accepted but waiting for a second chance. Guess it's time to relieve them of their misery.

I'm starting with this one. Modern art meets Distress Inks.

Did it take you a minute to figure it out? Yeah, probably one of the reasons it didn't get picked up.

Did you catch my "brain dump" in yesterday's post?

Well, one additional thing became "abundantly clear" (to quote Mr. Dyerhurden, my fourth grade teacher) when my brain fog cleared. The cardmaking world is a wonderful world. And I'm so grateful to be a part of it. (Even if people's eyes tend to glaze over when I try to explain it to them.)

How do you explain a world where everyone knows what Neenah solar white means? Where competitors cheer for each other at a Friday afternoon FB party and welcome newcomers with arms wide open? Where people in opposite hemispheres work together in a team? Where thousands of cards are born in the internet and end up in sick people's hands? Where strangers travel around the globe to spend time with "friends" they've never met before? To craft together in one's last days? I mean, really, how?

All I know is it's pretty great. And I'm pretty grateful. Just sayin' :)

ETA:
Hooking my leafy goodness up at:
Simply Create Too #74 - Thanksgiving/Thank You
The Paper Players #222 (my first room number in college and the start of four great years)

Supplies:

Paper:  cardbase Buttinette

Stamps: PTI, alpha K & Co.

Ink : Distress, Versafine

Tools: 

Other: 

simply create too 73 (shop your craft room)

Shopping in your craft room. I've had so many people tell me I could open a store in my room. They're right. But that's not what this is about. This post is about the new challenge over at Simply Create Too where you're to shop your own craft room. Kinda along the lines of Darnell's NBUS (never-been-used-schtuff) idea. Use something you bought cuz you just had to have it, but then have never used.

That's what I did here.

I'm thrilled to say I layered two journal cards from Kesi Art, a chipboard frame and the Thickers ampersand which were NBUS. Booyah!

The little alpha stickers from KI Memories are ancient but I love to use them whenever I can.

Challenge yourself to shop your craft room and then Simply Create, Too!

simply create too 72 (Halloween/orange, SSS)

The witching hour has arrived at Simply Create Too. The theme of challenge #72 is Halloween/Use Orange. I did both.

Used the "emboss resist removed" technique to create my inked panel (and one of my favorite Halloween images from Inkadinkado). Tammy T. has a great picture tutorial for this technique here.

I die cut the panel and raised it with foam adhesive for extra interest. Keeping the color scheme going, I stamped the sentiment multi-colored. A square of PP and two rounded corners later, I was done.

Get out your Halloween supplies (if they aren't already!) or just go orange crazy and Simply Create Too!

I'm joining the fun at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where it's about FALLing in love and I love me some Distress Inks in yummy fall colors!

Supplies:

Paper:  CS PTI, PP American Crafts

Stamps:  Inkadinkado, text Rubbernecker, sentiment Cosmo Cricket

Ink : Distress Inks

Tools: iron, square die Sizzix

Other: embossing powder

simply create too 71 (special occasion)

Any special occasions coming up in your life? There's a new challenge over at Simply Create Too - #71 It's a Special Occasion. You can join in on the fun until October 9th.

If you come around here often, you probably caught whiff of some special occasions in my 'hood. We just had a big party to celebrate 161 years of goodness (55 + 50 + 18 + 16 + 1 (our pooch) + 21 years of marriage). What a special year 2014 was for us. And 50 years ago, my aunt and uncle tied the knot. So that is definitely a special occasion worth a special card.

Now if you saw my last post, I shared a bit about how things inspire me to make a card. For this card, it was an IKEA napkin. I dig the retro colors and went with them considering the happy couple married back in 1964 - when did olive green actually become the color??? Lots of die cutting later, this card was finished.

I'm joining the fun at:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where it's Anything Goes this week.

Die Cuttin Divas where #184 is titled Fall is Here (I've got the fall colors going here).

Check out the other special occasion cards from the DT and create one yourself. See you over at Simply Create Too!

Supplies :

Paper:  CS Bringmann and Coredinations

Stamps: 

Ink : 

Tools: oval die Sizzix, alpha die Memory Box

Other:

simply create too 69 (something new)

Challenge #69 has begun at Simply Create Too and it's titled "Show Us Something New". Now, my new schtuff is coming back with me when I return from the US, but I'm sharing a card I made with a new twist on an old technique. Remember string art?

Note: After I had made the aforementioned card, DD made me a string art work of art for Mother's Day. She painted a piece of plywood cream, put the nails into it and threaded the heart with red thread. Love it. 

So, that probably inspired me ...

Get it? I probably either should have stopped at about two feet less thread or used a darker red CS for the die cut "you" so that it would be more visible, but I still like the idea of "have you in my heart" that this technique enables.

I pierced holes around the edge of a heart die and then randomly stitched around and across the heart. I adhered the "you" halfway through the process and then the strip of washi at the bottom of the panel. Adhered the panel to the cardbase and voila!

Thanks for looking.

Supplies for you in my heart:

Paper:  CS Bringmann, PP Studio Calico

Stamps: 

Ink : 

Tools: heart die Sizzix, you die Simon Says Stamp

Other: thread, washi Freckled Fawn