The Joy is in the Journey

Hello friends!  Today I'm sharing a birthday card that I made for my nephew and am playing along with Ann's challenge to create a masculine card at The Paper Players.

PP643

The Paper Players always has great challenges, I have found myself not having time (making time?) to play along, so this week I made sure to do so.

I used Altenew's Spectacular Adventures stamp and die set.  I think the idea of the reflection in glasses is so clever and there are three different scenes to choose from - obviously I chose the mountain scene.  The glasses were stamped in black, then I used Gina K's Warm Glow Amalgam ink to stamp the scene.  It's a light ink to use for that "no-line" stamping look.  Copic markers were used to color the scene, then the piece was die cut.

I used one of my favorite plaid prints from the retired Stampin' Up Plaid Tidings DSP - I hoard this paper pack lol!  The panel was trimmed down and layered on a white card base.  The sentiments were stamped on a white strip, layered on a slightly larger one of Garden Green cardstock, the adhered to the card.  Lastly the glasses were added with foam tape for a bit of dimension.

Thanks for talking time to stop by.  I hope you're having a great week!

Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Altenew Spectacular Adventures, PTI Stylish Sentiments: Birthday

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Garden Green, Plaid Tidings dsp

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Clair Nocturne, Gina K Warm Glow Amalgam

Die:  Spectacular Adventures

Copics:  G46, 43, W1, 0, BG000, 0000

Peony Birthday Wishes for The Flower Challenge

Hello friends!  The new month also brings a new challenge at The Flower Challenge.  This month the theme is to use your favorite flower - how easy is that?  Well, unless you have multiple favorites, then you'll have to choose one - or even better, make more than one card for the challenge!

The Flower Challenge

I'm also joining the current Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.

If you follow my blog, you may know that peonies are my very favorite flowers and I have a one to share today that I colored in what I guess is my current favorite color - peach!

This gorgeous image is from Altenew, and as a peony lover, one I could not resist adding to my collection of flower stamp sets.  I used Copic markers to color it, then it was die cut with the coordinating die.  The sentiment is from Spellbinders, foiled in gold and die cut with a sentiment label die.

Next the Diamond Frame cover die was cut from Concord & 9th Nectar cardstock, then adhered to a white panel that was ink blended around the outside with the same shade of ink from C&9, and added to a white card base.  The floral image was layered with two additional die cuts for dimension, adhered to the card front, then the sentiment was added with both glue and then foam squares.  To tie in the gold on the sentiment I added three sparkling gold gems and that finished it off.

I'd love to know what your favorite flower is and I hope you'll share with us this month!  The challenge is open through the 25th.  In the meantime, be sure to take a peek at the stunning array of flower cards from the other DT members!

Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Altenew Build-A-Flower:  Pristine Peonies

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Hammermill, C&9 Nectar

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Nectar

Dies:  All from Altenew - Pristine Peonies, Diamond Frame Cover and Featured Sentiments

Foiling:  Spellbinders Everyday Sentiments II Hot Foil Plate and Gold Glimmer Hot Foil

Gems:  Spellbinders Aura Color Essential Gems

Copics:  R32, 11, E00, YR23, Y15, YG67, 17, 25, 03

Lighthouse Birthday for Color Hues

Hello friends!  The start of a new month brings about a new Color Hues challenge and this time the lovely Jules P. has chosen the fabulous color combo of red and aqua.

Color Hues Challenge

I'm also sharing my card over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where this week's theme is Anything Goes.

I love this color combo and had fun using it with another die set, this time from Hero Arts.

Rather than try to do an inked background or even color the individual pieces of the cover die, I opted to inlay multiple colors of cardstock - white for the frame and clouds, three aquas for the water and sky, red and gray for the lighthouse and cream and black for the sailboat and birds.  Once everything was cut out, it was pretty simple to inlay all the pieces.  

I kept the sentiment simple, stamping in Altenew Obsidian then die cutting with the coordination die.  Once that was adhered the card was finished.  With a large number of summer birthdays coming up, I was happy to have another card in my stash.

So what are you inspired to make with these colors?  I do hope you'll join us for this challenge, it will be open until 9:00 am Wednesday June 14th.  In the meantime, be sure to slip over to the challenge blog where the other DT members have a fabulous assortment of cards to spark your creativity!

Thanks for visiting!  Take care.

Stef

Stamps:  Waffle Flower Elegant Sentiments

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Hero Arts Ivory, Concord and 9th Oceanside and Aqua Sky, Simon Says Stamp Sea Glass, Fog and Smoke,, Stampin' Up Real Red and Black

Dies:  Hero Arts Lighthouse and Sailboat Cover Die, WF Elegant Sentiments matching die

Happy Birthday for Sunday Stamps

Hello, friends!  It's time for a new challenge at Sunday Stamps and this time we have a terrific sketch created by Heather.

Sunday Stamps

As you'll see if you pop over to the challenge blog, there are a variety of interpretations of this sketch.  I opted to go with a rectangle rather than a square card, as it worked best for my design.

I was totally smitten by the Hero Arts release a while back and just had to have this cute Fancy Die kite set!  For the three background elements on the sketch, I used a cloud stencil with Concord & 9th's Aqua Sky ink to create three sets of clouds. The panel was trimmed down and added directly to the card base.

The kite elements were die cut from Stampin' Up Real Red, Black and Daffodil Delight cardstock.  After adding the frame to the kite, it was popped up on the panel with foam tape.  The tail was aligned below then I added the four bows and topped them with mini pearls from my stash.  The sentiment is from a long retired SU Sale-A-Bration stamp set.  I was planning on stamping it directly on card front, but it's a cling stamp and I was afraid I wouldn't get it straight, so I opted for stamping on a separate piece of cardstock, die cut it with an oval then added it with foam tape.  I thought I was finished but the sky seemed a bit empty, so the birds were added after die cutting using a different HA Fancy die set and that was it!

Thanks for visiting! I hope you'll take a moment to visit the challenge blog and see the wonderful inspireation the other DT members have to share, and hopefully be inpsired to play along with us.

Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Ret. SU Sky is the Limit

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, SU Real Red, Black, Daffodil Delight

Ink:  Concord & 9th Aqua Sky, Versafine Clair Nocturne

Dies:  Hero Arts Fancy Kite and Fancy Cloudy Sky Scene dies, Ellen Hutson Essential Ovals

Stencil:  MFT Mini Cloud Edges

Festive Noel for Christmas Craft Creations

Hello and welcome!  It's time for my reminder card for Christmas Craft Creations, where this month the challenge is no stamping - none, nada, zip!  So many things you can do instead of stamping - stenciling, ephemera, or as I've done here, use all dies for my card.

Christmas Craft Creations

I bought this Spellbinders die set on sale over a year ago and now it appears to be discontinued, but there are others that spell out different holiday words.  I have another one that spells out Joy and it is still available on their website.

I just love how this turned out! All the sparkle from the glitter paper die cuts is sooo pretty!  I started out by using the Simon Says Stamp Snowflake Visions embossing folder with a panel of SSS Sea Glass paper, which was adhered directly to the white cardbase.  The noel base was die cut from SSS Silver Matte, then everything else was die cut from Simon's White Glitter and Assortment Glitter paper packs.  

After adhering the silver base to the card front, the letters were mounted on foam strips so the small pieces could be tucked underneath if needed.  The die cutting was the most consuming part timewise; once that was done, adding all the tiny bits went quickly and I had such a great time putting it together, I plan on making a few more. 

So now it's your turn to add to your 2023 holiday card stash!  I hope you'll join us, the challenge is open until 9 am EDT on June 13th.  In the meantime, be sure to pop over to the CCC blog, the inspiration by our talented DT and guest designer, Heather, is fantastic!

Take care!

Stef

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, SSS Sea Glass, Matte Silver, White and Assorted Color paper packs

Dies:  Spellbinders Festive Noel Shapeabilities dies

Embossing folder:  SSS Snowflake Visions

Vintage Birthday for Color Hues

Welcome back, friends!  It's time for a new Color Hues challenge and the lovely Julie Beech has chosen the combo of orange and slate gray.

Color Hues Challenge

When I saw this color combo I knew exactly what I wanted to use for my card.  Let me take us back a few decades....

...back to those ancient times before computers lol!  I've had this MFT Typewriter die and sentiment set for a while and was more than ready to play with it.  All the parts/components were die cut, some  multiple times, with orange, slate gray, white, black and silver card stock. Of course that meant I had enough for two typewriters and two cards.  The dies include one for the sheet of paper to be inserted in the typewriter, so I stamped in black ink the two different sentiments on white cardstock, then die cut them out.

For the remainder of the card, I wanted kind of a graphic background.  First I stamped the Sketchy Lines Background stamp in gray ink, then die cut that panel and the orange panel with dies from Altenew's Mix and Match Frames die set.  Both layers were adhered to the white card base, the sheet of "typed" paper inserted in the typewriter and adhered on the back, then I used foam tape under the top part of the typewriter and glue for the lower part to add them to the card fronts and I was done.

Thanks for stopping by! And if you're looking for more inspiration with these colors, head on over to the challenge blog, where the endlessly talented design team will not disappoint.  I hope to see your card in the gallery - you have until 9 am May 28th to play along. 

Take care!

Stef

Products used today:

Stamps - MFT Typewriter Sentiments:  Friendship, Simon Says Stamp Sketchy Lines Background

Paper - Neenah Solar White, SSS Slate Gray, Black and Matte Silver, SU Pumpkin Pie, Concord & 9th Clementine

Ink - Altenew Obsidian pigment ink, SSS Charcoal

Dies - MFT Typewriter, Altenew Mix and Match Frames

Pastel Peonies for The Flower Challenge

Hello friends!  It's mid-May and time for my reminder post for The Flower Challenge, where this month we are enjoying Pretty Pastels!

The Flower Challenge

At the beginning of the month I shared my dogwood card here in pastel pinks and blues and for this card I decided to use peach and mint.  I have really enjoyed using peach this year as nice change up from pink.

Last month, Altenew celebrated it's 9th birthday and their special stamp set for that occasion was Billowing Peonies, and I totally fell in love with the beautiful images.  They are huge - the peonies used on my 5"x 7" card today are from the smaller stamp! (I hope to use the larger peonies on a card sometime in the near future).  I loved coloring these beautiful flowers in pastels using my Copic markers, and then the image was die cut with the coordinating die.  Two additional layers were die cut from white then adhered to the back for some dimension.

Moving on to the card base, I layered the Top and Base Plaid A7 Cover plate dies from Honey Bee Stamps on a 5"x 7" panel of Simon Says Stamp Mint cardstock, then adhered that to a white card base.  The sentiment from Altenew's Everyday Sentiments Hot Foil Plate set was foiled using Spellbinders Matte Gold Hot Foil and die cut with a circle die.  The flowers and sentiment were then adhered and I added a few Altenew Antique Gold sequins for the final touch.

I'm so please you took time to stop by!  Now I hope you'll take a couple more minutes to pop over to the challenge blog where the design team has some incredibly beautiful inspiration for you - and hopefully you'll have time to join us, the challenge remains open until May 25th.

Take care!

Stef

Copics:  R32, 11, E00, G16, 02, 00, Y15, 13, 11