non-flower flower (PC)

Have you seen the challenges over at Paper Crafts Connection pertaining to the current special issue?

One of them is to create a flower using non-flower stamps.  Well I don't know if this is exactly what they're looking for (maybe that's why it belongs to the species: reject for this exact challenge in the submission call for this issue).  But I think it's mega cool!

Using DD's highlighters I colored a piece of Neenah CS.  Then I stamped a zillion butterflies from Hero Arts Antique Flowers and Butterflies.  Then I die cut a zillion butterflies!  Created my bloom.  Curved a sentiment to make a stem (cool too, no?) One leaf later the card was done.

Hard to photograph, neon is.  But really, oh so cool!

Thanks for visiting.

welcome home christmas (Curtain Call, Stampin Royalty, CFC)

I've made another card for the Curtain Call - Welcome Home challenge.  I just love that blue tone of the weathered wood door in the photo.

Well what started out as Tumbled Glass Distress Ink, a brayer and  glossy cardstock became this...

It kinda took a retro turn.  A Tim Holtz Christmas Memories sentiment heat embossed in red. Some stitching.  Some flat sequins in green and gold - cuz that's how they wouldda done it in the 50s my brain said.  Sometimes I wonder where I come up with this stuff!

I'm going over to the CFC #119 Embossing and the Anything Goes, challenge #200 over at Stampin Royalty too.

Thanks for looking.

Supplies for Merry Christmas:

Paper:  cardbase The Paper Studio, glossy paper Aldi

Stamps: Tim Holtz

Ink : Distress, Versamark

Tools: 

Other: sequins, sewing machine

just saying thanks for this crazy life!

How crazy is this thing we call life?

I've shared with you how I felt last Friday when I read Cath's post that Moxie Fab World as we know it is going away.

Now picture this... checking my email before going to bed Friday night, I notice two messages in my Spam folder.  Huh?  One from Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking magazine.

Have a looksee. Oh. My. Goodness.

Thanks Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking! And thanks to you, my friends, who stop by here regularly.

This card is in the hot-off-the-press Stamp It! Card Challenges. One of over 200 clever ways to use your stamps.  I used the wonderful Folk Art stamp set from Waltzingmouse for this one-layer card.

Crazy, eh? Ellie agrees... What a CRAZY WONDERFUL life!

washi plaid (WPlus9, Catered Crop, SSS)

DD needs a birthday card.  Happy to oblige.  Picked a couple of challenges and here's the result.

Can you say "use up some washi tape?"  Doesn't that sound good? And it's pretty darn easy to create a plaid with washi.  Put your vertical strips down onto a piece of CS, extending them over the edge to hold it down.  Lift every other strip, pulling it back and sticking it temporarily to your work surface.  Lay down a horizontal strip.  Pull the lifted strips back into place and lift the other every-other strips.  Repeat.

TIP:  I used stitching on the banner and sentiment strip cuz adhesive doesn't stick too well to washi.  Plus it fits the mood (as in board).

I'm using the Mood Board from WPlus9 again.  And the recipe to use washi is from Catered Crop Washi's Up?  And since I can, I'm joining the fun at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge one more time.  Who wouldn't love some free shopping over there?  I've got a wish list a mile long.

Here's wishing you a fun week!

upplies for happy birthday:

Paper:  cardbase The Paper Studio, PP Basic Grey

Stamps: WPlus9

Ink : Versafine

Tools: heart die Wplus9

Other: washi, sewing machine

peace (PTI, SSS, Curtain Call)

Here's a card with inlaid die cuts for you, inspired by Betsy V. at Papertrey's Make it Monday #138.

A slightly different take on the original concept (who me? no...).  I didn't actually die cut the card front.  But you may recall this "sugared" card.  Of course when I made the die cut I saved the negative.  It had all that precious double-sided tape on it!

Enter today's card.  I die cut the "peace" again, this time from some lovely DCWV blue metallic CS. After attaching the negative die cut with the sticky tape to the card front, I glued down the blue piece and then peeled off the tape and burnished glitter into the sticky tape.  This really is such fun to do.  And so much sparkle is wonderful for Christmas cards, don't ya think?

Those sparkling sequins just begged to join the sparkly party.

And I'm joining the parties at:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Curtain Call - Welcome Home cuz the blue tone in the inspiration photo spoke to me (blue is not my go to color) and I think this PP has a soft and simple country feel to it like that wispy wreath

Question to you... I'm having an issue with my cheapo clear/white glitter which has significant pink hues to it.  Any recommendations for a nice clean colored one with a fine grain?

Thanks for visiting today.

Supplies for peace:

Paper:  cardbase The Paper Studio, PP KI Memories, metallic CS DCWV

Stamps: 

Ink : 

Tools: die PTI

Other: Score Tape, sequins, glitter

black friday (WPlus9)

No not the shopping kind.  But the it's-a-sad-day-for-paper-crafters kind of black.  Have you seen this post?

Image Credit

Well a card for the WPlus9 Mood Board #22 was on my to do list and it immediately turned into a card for Cath.  Although I'm still in the denial mode, I'm beginning to get to the thankful-for-what-you-had state.

For me personally, Cath was one of the greatest teachers I've ever had.  Not that she set out to, but she taught by presenting the material and then challenging me to use it.  She led by finding and sharing the best of what's out there in this big, beautiful world. She demanded but honored a job well done. She delivered only high quality (did you ever see a typo in a post?!?) and was always one step ahead of the class.

Ha. Class.  Didn't you feel, when you stopped over there in the morning, like you were socializing with classmates when you read comments from fellow paper crafters?

Man, I'm gonna miss that lady.  But I wouldn't be where I am today in this wonderful adventure without her. And for that I'm extremely grateful.

Cath, you bring (brought... sniff, sniff) me joy.

Just saw that PC has a link up for cards to share with Cath.  With a touch of ambivalence, I will hook up.

Supplies you bring me joy:

Paper: CS Neenah, vellum Ursus, PP Pink Petticoat

Stamps: sentiment WPlus9

Ink:  StazOn

Tools: clouds and bird die WPlus9, tag die MFT, embossing folder Craft Concepts

Other: recycled fabric, fabric washi, raffia, acrylic paint

more neon and black (SSS, KIS)

Remember my pink leaves? In case you were wondering what happened to all the others which I die cut, they became a mini garland in our entryway.

What does this have to do with neon and black?  Not much eh?  Well, remember the neon circles I used for my festive wreath? There were more where those came from so I decided to make a garland.  And trim a tree with it.  However, it didn't work.  TIP:  Garlands work best strung across the full face of a card, not necessarily on narrow areas.  So...

The idea was still a good one.  Get the bokeh feel here?  But a garland without the stitching part! Used the Hero Arts Tiny Ink Spots BG stamped in black, a hand cut triangle for the tree and some washi for the trunk.  The chevrons were made with a Crafter's Workshop Mini Chevron stencil and acrylic paint.  The sentiment from Hero Arts Holiday Sayings was repeatedly embossed.

TIP:  I've mentioned this before but if you have a nice juicy pigment ink, you can heat emboss with clear powder for great results.  You save money (don't have to buy colored powders). And you avoid those stray flecks of embossing powder. (Not that it would really have mattered on this card with the BG and acrylic paint seepage ;)

This will also go to the Caring Hearts Card Drive and I'm joining the fun at:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
KIS - #  26 Use Sticky Notes (my circles were Post-Its in their prior life)

Funky, but me likey.

Happy weekend.  Almost.  (It's a holiday here in Germany today. Lucky us.)

Supplies hohoho:

Paper: CS Bringmann, Post Its

Stamps: BG and sentiment Hero Arts

Ink:  Versamark , Versafine

Tools: circle punch, stencil Crafters Workshop

Other:  clear embossing powder, acrylic paint, washi