Whimsical Flower Vine for Color Hues

Hello friends!  Yes, a second post for me today because it's time for a new challenge at Color Hues. (If you're here for my DT post for the Paper Players, you can find it here)  The amazing Bonnie is hosting this week and has chosen the color combo of coral and yellow.

Color Hues

I love nearly all colors, but I have to admit coral is a bit of a struggle for me, and I have no idea why.  But nevertheless, I made a fun little card using my default - flowers!

Last fall I'd purchased a couple of these modern floral design die sets and thought I'd use this one from Altenew (watch for the other one from Spellbinders, it will be coming soon!).  It certainly was easy to put together once the die cutting was complete and I added it to a panel where I'd inked up a bit of light yellow ink blending so the white leaves would be more visible.  But the card needed a little somethin' somethin' since die cut doesn't fill a full card front, so I layered up a frame and the helped a lot.

Since the frame was black I thought a black sentiment strip would work well along with a few black enamel dots.  But still...it needed something more, so I added the Baker's Twine and called it good!  

We'd love to have you join us for Bonnie's challenge and I encourage you to visit the challenge blog for loads of wonderful inspiration from my very talented teammates and our guest designer,  Teresa.  The challenge remains open until Thursday 2/27 at 9 am EST.  I do hope you'll play along!

Thanks for stopping by and take care!

Stef

• Altenew Whimsical Flower Vine and Picture Frames dies
• Simon Says Stamp sentiment strip
• Concord & 9th Sorbet cardstock
• SSS Lemon Chiffon cardstock
• Altenew Lemon Ice ink
• Altenew Essential Black and White enamel dots

Geo Happy Birthday for the Paper Players

Hello friends!  It's Sunday and you know what that means - a new challenge at the Paper Players.  This week Jan is hosting our CAS challenge with a theme of masculine cards.

Paper Players

 

Like many, I struggle with creating masculine cards.  But one of my fall backs is to use geometrics.  For todays card, I used a geometric foil plate and matching stencils that has been retired, but there are many stencils and stamps available for creating something similar.

The geometric pattern was created with silver foil on a Spellbinders Glimmer machine, as was the sentiment.  I then used the matching stencils to create the colored pattern.  There are three stencils but I only used two because I liked leaving part of the pattern white.  I actually made creating four cards in one day using this and another geometric foil plate/stencil set and different colors.

After the stenciling was complete I used a rectangle die to trim down the panel and adhered it to a white card base.  The sentiment was layered on two additional die cuts then added to the card.  This is a ridiculously simple design, but I like the clean and crisp look to it.

So glad you came by and I encourage you to visit the challenge blog because my talented teammates have loads for masculine card inspiration for you.  The challenge ends on Friday, Feb 21st at 3pm EST. I hope you'll join us!

Stef

• Pinkfresh Studio Geo Tiles hot foil plate and stencils
• PS Fancy Script Words hot foil plate and die
• Altenew Water Dyacinth and Alpine Aster Fresh Dye inks
• Spellbinders Glimmer hot foil in silver

Festive Poinsettias for The Flower Challenge

Hello friends!  I'm here today sharing my reminder card for The Flower Challenge, where this month we are featuring the color pink.

The Flower Challenge

 

Earlier this month my card for TFC was a bold vibrant pink birthday card.  This time I took the opportunity to add to my stash of Christmas cards.

A couple of months ago I purchased this beautiful poinsettia Betterpress, intending to use it for 2024 Christmas cards, but it never got inked up.  So I thought it would be fun to make a card with pink poinsettias.  I was in somewhat of a hurry to get this card done, so after inking it up in black pigment ink, I clear heat embossed it, then used the stencils to color the images.

The panel was trimmed down and splattered with a bit of white paint, then added to the silver panel after drying.  The sentiment is from an old package of foiled holiday sentiments, which was popped up on foam tape over the foiled strip.  It was quite easy to make, so I made a second one only using red rather than pink.

If you haven't yet had a chance to join us this month, why not take a moment to pop over to the challenge for more inspiration from the design team, then head on into your craft room!  We'd love to see your card (or a 2nd card!) in the gallery.  The challenge remains open until 2/25.

Thanks for stopping by and take care!

Stef

• Spellbinders Festive Poinsettias Betterpress plate and stencils
• Pinkfresh Studio Foiled Sentiments 4 Holiday
• Altenew Baby Pink, Fuchsia, Magenta, Grass Field, Mountain Pine & Sunray inks
• Simon Says Stamp Rhubarb, Cranberry, Latte, Cappuccino and Mocha inks

Flamazing Day for The Paper Players

Hello friends!  I'm back with my card for this week's challenge at the Paper Players.  It's color week and LeAnne has chosen a beautiful combination that offers lots of options for creativity.

Paper Players

What immediately leapt to my mind with these colors was a tropical scene of some kind and below is what I came up with.  I didn't have all the papers and/or inks in these colors, so I tried to come as close as possible. 

As soon as I saw Flirty Flamingo as one of the colors, I knew I had to use this fun flamingo die from Ellen Hutson.  It was cut from Flirty Flamingo cardstock, then I used a bit of ink blending on the body and top wing but it doesn't show up well in the photo.  I cut a second flamingo from white, colored the legs with yellow Olo markers, removed the pink legs and added the pink body to the white die cut.  The beak was cut from white and colored the same as the legs, then the black die cut piece was layered on top.

The arch panel was ink blended with Distress Inks to simulate a beach scene, then I stamped the sentiment and added the flamingo.  I used a tropical leaf die that had a larger and smaller leaf, cutting it four times from what I think is Coastal Cabana cardstock, used some Distress inks for shading, adhered them around the edges of a white panel, then added the beach layer.  This really was an easy card to make thanks to all the dies and using some colored cardstock.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll do the same over at the challenge blog (linked above) where my talented teammates have some wonderful inspiration for you!  The challenge will remain open until Friday, Feb 14th at 3 pm EST.  Hope to see your card in the gallery!

Stef

• Ellen Hutson Flockstar die and Inner Flamingo sentiment stamp
• Simon Says Stamp Tropical Leaf Bunch die
• SSS Nested Domed Arches die
• Evergreen Bough, Peacock Feathers, Squeezed Lemonade and Antique Linen Distress Inks
• SU Flirty Flamingo and Coastal Cabana (?) cardstock

 

Anemone Birthday for The Flower Challenge

Hello friends!  The Flower Challenge returns for 2025 and this month we're looking to feature pink on your floral cards.  

The Flower Challenge

 

I went all in for some vibrant pinks on my card!

I started by coloring the Anemone Wreath from Simon Says Stamp.  It's a large stamp, roughly 5" x 5 1/2", and it does not come with a die, so when I was done coloring, I started fussy cutting it. There are more leaves that complete circle but they have single line stems, so I omitted them and ended up with two sprays to edge the opposing sides of a white die cut octagon panel.

I then embossed an A7 panel of Dragonfruit cardstock with the Tufted folder (I'm so in love with that one!) then adhered the white panel, florals and the sentiment.  I know the photo makes the bottom half on the panel look less embossed but that's just a trick of the lighting.  The folder equally embossed the entire panel.  I had plenty of open space on the octagon so I thought some sparkly gems would be appropriate to complete card.

Won't you come join us this month?  Time to get back to florals!  My lovely and talented teammates have oodles of inspiration for you over on the challenge blog (linked above) and I'll be back on the 15th with a reminder card.  The challenge is open until the 25th of the month and we'd love to see your card in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stef

• Simon Says Stamp Anemone Wreath
• Honey Bee Stamps Birthday Wishes stamps and dies
• Pinkfresh Studio Blanket Stitched Octagon die
• Spellbinders Tufted ef
• Concord & 9th Dragonfruit cardstock
• SSS Taffy Dazzling Gems
• Olos - RV1.7, 1.5, 1.3, 1.1, YG1.6, 1.4, 1.2

Hugs & Kisses for The Paper Players

Hello friends! It's Sunday and time for a new challenge at The Paper Players.  This week, the lovely Ann has chosen a theme of love to start off the month of February.

The Paper Players

 

The stamp set I used for this card is not new but it was unused until I was reminded of it and inspired by the lovely and talented Donna Mikasa when she posted this card. I initially used the stamp set for my card posted here yesterday and had so much fun making it that I created another with a slightly different layout for this challenge.

I started with the stamp set, which has three stamps that create different designs on nine hearts.  I then used the matching die to cut them all out.  I did this twice, once with the reds and once with the aquas.  

I thought I would layer them on a panel sprayed with Distress Mica spray but it was too busy.  So I searched through my unused embossed panels and decided on one with a wavy pattern, using the debossed side for adding the hearts.  All the layers were added to the card base with foam tape, including the hearts and sentiment, which is from the same stamp set.  Easy peasy (kind of) and I'll be sending this one off to one of my grandsons.  All three of my grands are adults but they still like getting Vday cards from their grandmother. 😍 

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you'll take a moment to visit the challenge blog (linked above) and see all the amazing cards the rest of the DT created.  The challenge remains open until Friday February 7th at 3pm EST and we hope to see your card in the gallery!

Take care!

Stef

• Simon Says Stamp Printmaking Hearts stamps and dies
• Stampin' Up Seaside embossing folder (ret.)
• Spellbinders Postage Edge Rectangle die
• Shiny Bauble Distress Mica Spray
• SSS Guava, Watermelon, Cherry, Seafoam, Surf and Ocean inks

A Valentine for Color Hues

Hello friends!  Did the month of January fly by as quickly for you as it did for me?  Wow!  But the good news is that it's time for a new challenge at Color Hues! The amazing Tracey will be hosting for the next two weeks and has chosen the timely colors of red and pink.

Color Hues

We are also excited to share with you that we are partnering up this challenge with the Inkspirational Challenge!

Inkspirational Challenge

 

Inkspirational is a two-week challenge that features a rotation of: Word Prompt, Designer's Choice, Mood Board, Clean and Simple, Use Stencils and Seasonal.  We are teaming up together in order to perhaps introduce challenge participants of both to another challenge that maybe they weren't familiar with.  We hope you'll play along with us by linking up to both challenges!  

I'm also playing along with the lovelies over at the Time Out Challenge, where they have a fun new challenge called Pick Two.  I've chosen heart and layers.

TOC #281

So, now after all that, let's get on to the card!

A little back story here too...I purchased this stamp set last year but never used it.  I was reminded of it and inspired by the lovely and talented Donna Mikasa where she shared this card for CH101.  And since it was hearts, I knew it would make the perfect Valentine card for Tracey's pink and red challenge.

I started by stamping the hearts with the three layering stamps that create nine hearts with different designs, six of which you can see above.  I just love that!  And then there is a single die that cuts them all out.  

I decided to make a square card, so I cut a white panel that was large enough to include the sentiment in the middle, layered that panel on a black mat, which was added to the pink scallop square and popped up on a white 5"x 5" card base.  Rather than add embellishments, I painted the hearts with a shimmer pen then covered them with glossy accents to make them shiny and pretty!  This card will be heading off to my granddaughter in Oregon (yes, my adult grands still like getting Valentine's from me lol!).

So what are you inspired to create with these colors?  It doesn't have to be a Vday card, just as long as it includes pink, red and neutrals of your choice.  For an abundance of incredible inspiration, please visit both challenge blogs (linked above) to see what our two very talented design teams and guest designer Trina Phan, have created.  

The CH challenge will remain open until 9 am EST February 14th. We hope to see your card in the gallery and don't forget to link up over at Inkspirational too!

Stef

• Simon Says Stamp Printmaking Hearts stamps and dies
• SSS Love You Greetings stamp and die
• Pink and Main Layered Square dies
• Hero Arts Nested Scallop Square dies
• SSS Guava, Watermelon and Cherry inks
• C&9th Pink Lemonade cardstock
• Glossy Accents

Season's Greetings for The Paper Players

Hello friends!  The Paper Players has a new challenge starting today and we welcome you to play along.  The amazing Joanne is hosting our monthly sketch challenge, and she's created a great one.

The Paper Players

 

I took this opportunity to add to my small stash for the 2025 holidays with a quick and easy card.  In fact, so easy that I made two!

I did use some "artistic license" with the layered section in the middle but hopefully Joanne will give me a pass lol!

I started with two panels of white and used the same colors on both to stamp the design using Concord & 9th's Turnabout jib and specifically designed stamps.  After the panels were stamped, I die cut the coordinating layered sentiment and some leaves.  I thought the card needed a little something more, so I used a fluted border die to create the decorative edges.

The panels were added to white card bases, then the sentiment and leaves centered in the middle and added with some foam tape.  To finish things off, I used a shimmer pen to paint sparkle on the leaves, frame and sentiment. Unfortunately, my camera didn't capture the sparkle in the photos.

How are you inspired to use this sketch?  For more inspiration, I encourage you to head over to the challenge blog linked above and see what my talented teammates have created!  The challenge remains open until 3pm EST Friday, January 31st.  

Hope to see your card in the gallery!

Stef

• C&9 Holly Berry Turnabout stamps and dies
• C&9 Turnabout jig
• Spellbinders Fluted Classics Rectangle die
• C&9 Evergreen, Cranberry and Tidepool cardstock