Dynamic Duos Challenge #91 - Daydreamer

It's triple threat week over at Dynamic Duos.  We get to use 3 colors instead of just 2 this week.

I decided to use these colors to make a birthday card I need for the end of the week.  I used Stampin' Up's card stock "Wild Wasabi", "Melon Mambo" and "Tangerine Tango" along with Gina K's white card stock.  I also used SU's "Wild Wasabi", "Melon Mambo" and "Tangerine Tango" inks and PTI's "Daydreamer" and "Keep it Simple: Birthday" stamp sets to make this card.  Other than starting this card over a few different times, because I didn't like how it was turning out, it didn't take too long to do.  I had fussy cut out 3 of each flower last night on typing paper, because I knew I wanted to mask the flowers on my card today.  I finished the card off with Ranger's "Diamond" stickles and orange bakers twine.   Thank you for stopping by and be sure to check out the other great cards over at Dynamic Duos this week.

Merry Monday's Challenge #97 -- Aqua, White & Sliver Christmas

What an honor it is to be a guest designer for Merry Monday's Challenge #97.  This week's challenge is to use Aqua, Silver and White in your card.

After mulling over "so is aqua more blue or more green" and asking for a few opinions and researching online...I concluded it's more blue than green.  So off to my local scrapbooking store to search for aqua paper and coordinating designer paper, too.  Well, I did find aqua card stock, but not any coordinating designer paper.  I have never left that store feeling defeated.  It's my happy place to go, besides stamp stores!

So I came home and went through my designer paper stash again and came across a white and silver dp by TPC Studio called "Winter White's A Little Snow" and a Copics marker #BG01 (Aqua blue) and colored over the dp paper and low and behold, I have my coordinating dp!  Happy again.  So here's my card.

I started out with the aqua cs and then used the Copics (BG01) colored Winter White's A Little Snow dp paper and then mounted a matte silver.  I stamped the fir tree from SU's "Lovely as a Tree" stamp set in Versa Mark and embossed it with a silver-white glitter embossing powder that I mixed together a few years back on Gina K white cs and mounted it on a piece of aqua cs and mounted it to the card.  I die cut out the Merry (Penny Black's "Love & Joy" die cuts) in Aqua cs to finish off the card.

I hope you get a chance to play along with MM's Challenge this week and check the rest of the Design Team's cards for inspiration.   They are all very beautiful!   Thanks again MM design team choosing me as a guest designer this week!

Thank you for stopping by.

Snowflake Medley for Festive Friday #25

Deep down I love to see snow falling, shoveling afterwards...not so much.  God's creation of snow is just so magical and relaxing to me.  I love to watch big flakes fall so gracefully from the sky.  And there is nothing better than seeing fresh snow covering the bare tree limbs.  I don't love the cold weather that goes with snow, but I know how to admire the snow from inside my warm house...lol!  Today it is cold out, but the sunny is shining and that is such an added bonus during the winter months here.

This week's Festive Friday's Challenge is Red and White.  So here continues my love for snowflakes.

The snowflakes are from PTI's "Snowflake Medley" and the sentiment is from PTI's "Stylish Sentiments: Holidays".  The red card stock is SU's "Real Red".  The White card stock is from Gina K.  The ink is SU's "Real Red".  The red ribbon is from Michael's.  I softened up the edges of the white cs by sponging "Real Red".  I punch the snowflakes out of Gina K's white cs and SU's "Real Red" cs.  The circle punch is out of SU's "Real Red, too.  I finished off the snowflake by pop dotting all three layers and adding Ranger's "Stardust" stickles.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your Sunday.  Don't forget to stop by Festive Friday's website to check out the other beautiful red & white cards.  They all look great!

I just wanted to leave a quick note today to thank Darnell for pointing out an error in my blog set up.  I am truly sorry if anyone was getting error email messages from me after leaving a comment on my blog.  I have fixed the issue.  I didn't have any idea that was happening until Darnell emailed me about the problem. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Merry Monday's Challenge #96 - Use Holly in your card

Well Merry Monday's design team had me searching for a stamp I knew I had, but never used (as Darnell says NBUS).  I can't even tell you when or where I bought it. I don't think the company even exists anymore...that's how old it is!

I used Fresh Asparagus and White card stock from Gina K and SU's Cherry Cobbler card stock.  The wreath stamp is from Imaginations #I827, which I stamped in Tim Holtz "Forest Moss" Distress Ink.  I use a Copics marker #YG97  and TH's "Forest Moss" Distress Marker and colored in the holly leaves.  I used a Sakura Glaze pen (#XPGB #822) and colored in the holly berries.  I then went over the berries with Smooch Glitz #11320 (fire red is what I call it) to add some dazzle.  I used many strands of DMC floss #221 to make the bow and I die cut out the word Joy (from PTI) from some leftover holly designer paper (don't know who manufacturer is because it was in my scrap folder) to finish off my card.

Thanks for stopping by and check out all the great holly cards at Merry Monday's site!

Dynamic Duos #90 - Thoughts & Prayers

This week's challenge on Dynamic Duos was to use the colors of Black and Daffodil Delight.  It was definitely a challenge for me this week.  I've never put these two colors together, other than for a bumble bee.

Stampin' Up's "Daffodil Delight" card stock and ink
Momento's "Tuxedo Black" Ink  
Stampin' Up's "French Script"
Stampin' Up's "Thoughts and Prayers" stamp set
Stampin' Up's sentiment "just because I care" -- I couldn't find which stamp set it came from...sorry.
Black card stock from local scrapbook store
White card stock from Gina K
Stampin' Up's "Label Collection" die cuts
EK Success butterfly punch
Black ribbon from Michaels
DMC floss from local store
Button from Stampin' UP collection

I started with a black card base and then mounted "DD" card stock.  I inked up  "French Script" with "DD" ink and made a watermark effect on the "DD" card stock.  I used Gina K's White card stock and again inked up the "French Script" stamp with "DD" and off stamped it once and then onto the white cs.  I inked up the tree stamp with "Tuxedo Black" ink and used one of the dies and cut out the tree image.  I punched out 3 butterflies with an old punch and added some tiny pearls to each butterfly.  I also sponged around the edges and sponged lightly over the cut image with "DD".  I mounted the butterflies with pop dots and pop dotted the image, too, and put a black ribbon behind it.  I cut out a flag from left over Gina K cs and added the "just because I care" sentiment in "Tuxedo Black" and sponged around the edges with "DD" and also off stamped "French Script" on the flag.  I pop dotted the flag to the card and  finished the flag off  by adding a button with black DMC floss to one end with a pearl center and the third punched butterfly to the other end.  Thank you Dynamic Duos Team for making me think outside the box.  Thanks for stopping by.

Warm Winter Wishes

I have been wanting to post this birthday card for weeks, but I had to wait to give it to my sister, Carla, before I could.  Her birthday was the end of January, but do to a snow storm we had postponed celebrating with the family until this past Sunday.  NOW, I can post this card.  I just love how it came out...

I started out with Gina K's white cs and put part of through SU's "Pretty Print" embossing folder.  I then  cut out part of a page of DP from an old pack of 8x8 "Text Prints" paper from Die Cuts With A View and then wrapped the snowflake ribbon around the card and mounted it flush on SU's "Bashful Blue" cs. 

I then used the stamp from PTI's "Winter Hills". and colored the barn with Copic's R27 and the barn door and walkway with Copic's C5 and the house with Copic's B12 markers.  I then used a glue marker and covered the hills with it and then sprinkled Tim Holtz's Distress Glitter in "Clear Rock Candy."  Here's a close up of that part of the card.

I then mounted it on silver paper and then SU's "Bashful Blue" and mounted it on the card. 

I don't usually use the cool colors...but the dp paper was calling these colors and I just love how it turned out.  I also have to confess that PTI's "Winter Hills" is one of my favorite stamp sets, too! 

Thanks for stopping by.

In the Meadow with Merry Mondays #95

I have to thank Marcia for the idea for my card this week.  She had a birthday and as is our tradition,  we go to our favorite restaurant, Arnie's, and we both have French Dip with provolone and fries.  My hubby just finds this so comical to think we both love the same restaurant and the same sandwich...why not, we are best friends after all!  She was the one who introduced me to stamping too!   Anyway, to get back to my card idea.  Marcia loves PTI's stamps and she has two certain sets of dies, but not the actual stamp sets that went with them, so that was my present to her this year.  I think her favorite Christmas stamp set from PIT is "In the Meadow" which was one of the stamp sets I bought her.  It dawned on me, as she was gushing over the set, that I could use the horse and carriage out of that stamp set for this week's MM challenge (ding, ding, ding).  I made a Christmas card last year with the horse and carriage, but did change it up some for this challenge.

To make this simple, all the stamps used on this card are from PTI's "In the Meadow" Stamp Set.  I used SU's" Black" card stock as my base and mounted SU's "Crumb Cake" card stock.  I stamped the Pine tree in SU's "Pear Pizzazz" and off stamped some trees in the background, too.  I then used the snowflake stamp with SU's "White Craft" ink all over the card.  I cut out the horse and carriage from PTI's "In the Meadow" die set with SU's "Black" card stock and also stamped the snowflakes on it too.  I pop dotted  the horse and carriage and added a little of Gina K's "White" card stock as snow.  I stamped "Dashing through the Snow" in Memento's Tuxedo Black.  I finished off the card by using Ranger Perfect Pearls "Perfect Pearl" with some water and using a paint brush splatter some over the entire card and painted it on the white card stock to make the snow sparkle.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!  We are off to celebrate our January and February birthdays with my family.  Thank you for stopping by.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I didn't send out many valentine's this year, but I did send a few.

I wish I could remember which Stampin' Up stamp set the flower heart came from, which was stamped with SU's "Cherry Cobbler" ink and fussy cut.  They are pop dotted to the Gina K's heavy white cardstock, which is mounted on SU's "Cherry Cobbler" card stock.  The embossed hearts is also from Stampin' Up, as is the "Love You much" stamp from "Well Scripted", which was also stamped with SU's "Cherry Cobbler" ink.  I just love the font SU chose for this stamp set.  I finished off the card with a small heart from SU's "Embosslets Fashionable Hearts" which I glittered and SU's "Cherry Cobbler" baker's twine. 

I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day.  My hubby did buy me a Hallmark card, which had a vintage Mickey and Minnie Mouse magnet attached, which is now on my fridge.  I really liked the magnet :)  Have a wonderful weekend.  I'll be back tomorrow to post my MM challenge card.

Serene Silhouettes for DD#89

The sun is shining here today.  I heard on the news yesterday that since Dec. 1, we have only had 11 days of sunshine as of yesterday.  How depressing is that?  I have a ton of birthday and Valentine's Day cards to make this week, so I decided to make a bunch of different CAS cards.  Here's the one I made for Dynamic Duos #89 challenge for this week.

I started out with white Gina K card stock.  I cut an oval shape out of scrap paper and covered the card stock with it and sponged SU's "Pistachio Pudding" and "Blushing Bride" inks.   I removed the oval scrap paper and  then used VersaMark Dazzle in "Frost" for the flower stamp from SU's Serene Silhouettes stamp set and embossed the image with Stampendous "PEARLuster Pearl White" embossing powder.   I stamped "Happy Birthday" from SU's Happiest Birthday Wishes stamp set.  I then used ribbon from Michael's to finish off the card.  1 card down...10 to go!! 

I have to get a few Valentine's cards done today to have them in the mail tomorrow.  I hope the ideas for them start flowing very soon.  Thank you for stopping by. 

Stockings Hung with Care for MMC#94

Stockings, huge part of Christmas, right?  I did find some stocking stamps, but they were so tiny, I couldn't think of what to do with them for this week's Merry Monday Challenge #94.    Ding...ding...ding...light bulb goes off Monday at a class Marcia and I took at a local scrapbook store making valentine treat holders...I could use my new Silhoutte Cameo that my hubby got me for Christmas (gave him a huge hint...sent him the link...box that is covered with "Scrapbook.com" arrives a week later.  I thought it was hilarious, but awful at the same time, since I knew what it was, and couldn't have it for three more weeks!!!).  Good thing I was busy trying to get everything done before kids came home for Christmas.

I downloaded the stockings, the "Stockings Hung With Care" saying and the Santa boots from the Silhoutte store.  I used cardstock scraps I had in my scrap box for all the cutting.  I also used Tim Holtz's "Bricked" embossing folder and colored over the brick with Stampin' Up's Bravo Burgundy" ink.  I then used Stampin' Up's "Woodgrain" embossing folder on SU's "Soft Suede" cardstock for the mantle.  I used the Martha Stewart "branch" punch for the greens on top of the mantle and I hung the stockings with silver brads.

I had this card floating around in my head since Monday afternoon and finally was able to put it to paper Thursday afternoon.  Was very impressed that my idea actually worked on paper.  That doesn't happen every time.

Thank you, Merry Mondays, for really making me think outside the box.  I don't usually make cards without stamping something, so this is new for me!  Thanks for stopping by.

Happiest Birthday Wishes for Dynamic Duos #88 Challenge

I needed to make a birthday card for an upcoming birthday.  I decided I would use Dynamic Duos #88 colors and enter the card into their challenge.

I used "Real Red" card stock from Stampin' Up and stamped SU's "Print Pattern" and the scattered dots from SU's "Gorgeous Grunge" in "Real Red" ink for the background.  I cut SU's "Island Indigo" cardstock 2" x 5.5" and embossed with Cuttlebug's "Seeing Spots" and attached it to the "Real Red" card stock.  I colored  the happy Birthday stamp, from SU's "Happiest Birthday Wishes" stamp set, with SU's  "Island Indigo" and "Real Red" markers on white card stock and attached it to "Island Indigo" and "Real Red" card stock.  I attached a small silver brad to the "I" on the happy birthday stamp.  To finish off the card, I attached 2 brushed silver brads on each side of the happy birthday.  Thanks for stopping by.

Delightful Decorations for MM#93 and FFC#24

Here's another entry for both Merry Monday (MM#93)

and Festive Friday's Challenge (FFC#24).  Christmas is such a special time of year for a lot of us.  I grew up in a family of seven.  We lived in a small town and I went to school with most of my cousins.  Needless to say, we had large Christmas gatherings.  That was what I loved most about Christmas growing up in that small town.  We still have large Christmas gatherings, which are the best, in the house I grew up in.  One of the many traditions is my parents buying each of us kids (and now grandchildren) Hallmark ornaments.  I have also handed this tradition down to my kids and someday, my grandchildren will be getting ornaments from us.  The first ornament I have is from 1977, which I believe was the first year our local drugstore started carrying Hallmark ornaments.  If they weren't put away for the year, I would have shared a picture of it with you.   So seeing these two pictures of ornaments touched me very much.  Here's my card for both challenges this week. 

I started out with Stampin' Up's "Smoky Slate" and "Wisteria Wonder" Card Stock.  Then used Echo Park's "Winter Wishes Designer Paper.  I stamped two ornaments from Stampin' Up's "Delightful Decorations" in both Stampin' Up's "Wisteria Wonder" and "Elegant Eggplant" inks.  I punched both of those ornaments out the SU's "Ornament Punch".  I then used Impression Obsession "Ornament Die (#DIE032-J)" on white card stock and stamped "Merry Christmas" from Inkadinkado's "Warm Holiday Wishes" stamp set in SU's "Elegant Eggplant" ink.  I used SU's "Smoky Slate" for the top of the ornament (part of the die set), attached silver cording to two ornaments and white gauze ribbon with a snowflake button to the large ornament.  All three ornaments are pop-dotted.  Thank you so much for stopping by.