Good Day for The Flower Challenge

Hello friends!  The fourth of September brings us to a new month for The Flower Challenge.  This time we have a sketch to inspire you!

The Flower Challenge

 

Great sketch with lots of potential, don't you think?  For my card, I pulled out an older favorite floral die and a newer sentiment die. 

I'm also joining in with my friends over at Just Us Girls since it is die week and my card is loaded with them.

JUGS 791

Let's take a look!

After I chose the floral and sentiment dies, I looked through my collection of cardstock and settled on a couple from Concord and 9th for the flower and one from Spellbinders (one of my new favs!).  After die cutting, I ink blended some shading on both the flower petal layers and the leaves, although that's mostly hidden.  The flower was put together then set aside as I worked on the sentiment and background.

An A2 panel of Blue Spruce was die cut with an Altenew frame die, ink blended with a dark blue and a dark teal around the edges, then adhered it to an A2 kraft panel.  After die cutting the sentiment and flower center from matte gold, all the elements were added to the card front.  I found some gold sequins that matched the metallic paper, and that finished things off.

What are you inspired to create with our sketch?  For more inspiration, I encourage you to visit the challenge blog, where my talented teammates have some amazing cards to share.  The challenge remains open until the 25th of the month; I hope to see your card in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stef

• Honey Bee Stamps Lovely Layers:  Coneflower
• Altenew Timeless Sentiments 2 and Mix & Match Frames dies
• C&9 Sprout and Nectar cardstock and Nectar and Grapefruit ink
• Spellbinders Blue Spruce cardstock
• Altenew Brushed Gold cardstock and gold sequins
• Simon Says Stamp Limelicious, Pearfection, Ocean and Galaxy inks

Hugs for Color Hues

Hello friends!  I'm here today with my card for the new challenge at Color Hues.  This time the lovely Julie is hosting and has chosen wonderful pair of colors.

Color Hues

I'm also sharing over at Just Us Girls, where Bobby has chose the word green for their word week challenge.

JUGS #766

My intention in the new year was to limit buying of crafty products but this die set was too fun to resist.

I can't grow them but I sure have fun creating them with paper!  I chose three shades of lime-y cardstock along with yellows for the flowers and grays for the pot.  I then ink blended each die cut to create a bit of dimension, then put everything together to create my hanging houseplant!

When my husband and I bought our current home a few years ago, we were delighted that it had nicely textured walls and that's what inspired me to emulate it with an embossing folder.  I used a rectangle die to cut the white panel before embossing it.  I layered it on a panel of the same yellow that was used for the flowers, then "hung" the house plant and added the sentiment, which is part of the die set.  Lastly, I added a gold pearl as a "hanger".  

What does this color pairing bring to mind to you?  For more inspiration, head on over to the challenge (link above) where my super talented teammates and Guest Designer Michele have their lovely creations to share with you.  The challenge remains open until Saturday March 29th at 9am EDT and I hope you will join us!

Thanks for visiting and take care!

Stef

• Altenew Houseplants Layering die set
• Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics Rectangle die
• Stampin' Up Painted Texture 3D embossing folder (retired)
• Altenew Honey Drizzle, Lime, Moss and Silverstone inks

There's Snow Buddy Like You

Hello friends!  I'm here to share a card that I made for the current challenge at Just Us Girls.  They have a terrific winter mood board for inspiration. 

And I have a fun little winter card that I made recently using the January 2025 card kit from Simon Says Stamp.

Isn't he the cutest little yeti?  I had so much fun putting this card together.  I started by stamping and Copic coloring the trees, mountains, yeti and the two hearts, one that he's holding and one up by the sentiment.  Everything was die cut with the matching dies and the neat thing is that the yeti die cuts his hands so that you can insert little items like the heart I used.  The sentiment is also from the same set.

Next I used a piece of patterned paper that looks like snow falling for the background, then layered on a "snow hill" that had been die cut with a hillside border.  I left enough room to tuck in the mountains and tree, then added the trees and yeti.  I used Copic markers to add a touch of blue shadow atop the hills and underneath the yeti and two trees.  The sentiment and little heart were added and I called it done.

Thanks for taking a look and I hope you have a great weekend!

Stef

I also invite you to come on by tomorrow when my new Paper Players card goes live.

• SSS Get Yeti stamps and dies
• Honey Bee Stamps Horizon Slimline Borders die
• Photoplay Yeti for Winter Custom patterned paper
• Copics - R39, 37, 35, 20, G29, 17, 05, BG78, 75, 72, 000, 0000, E29, 37, 33

Season's Greetings for The Paper Players

Hello friends!  It's time for a new challenge at The Paper Players and it's sketch week, which I am hosting.  I hope you're inspired by my sketch and play along us this week!

The Paper Players

 

I'm also joining my friends over at Just Us Girls, where the sweet Carol Mc has chosen a great mood board for this time of year.  I don't have anything specific to tie my card to other than they are both wintery and Christmasy.

JUGS #754

I created this sketch prior to deciding on what I was going to use and it worked out best for me to flip the sketch to a portrait layout, so feel free to do the same if you join us, which I hope you will!

When I received the Simon Says Stamp November card kit, I knew I had to use something from it with this layout and I ended up using this adorable deer.  I was definitely inspired by the card made by Nina Marie Trapini here, especially since I already had the scalloped dies she used.

I started by choosing a piece of patterned paper from the kit, then matched up Copic markers for coloring the banner, leaves, berries and the deer's bow, which were then die cut with matching dies.  

Next the rectangle dies were used to cut the patterned paper as well and a panel of vellum.  I glued together the stamped images then added them as one piece to the vellum piece, using foam squares, then used glue on the backside just where the images were to adhere the vellum panel to the background paper.  A strip of gorgeous turquoise glitter paper was adhered to the card base, then the main image adhered over it.  The final touch was to use Stardust Stickles to add glitter to the bow and the berries.  I love how this turned out.

What are you inspired to create with this sketch?  I hope you'll join us this week, the challenge remains open until 3 pm EST on Friday November 29th. For even more inspiration, take a moment to visit the challenge blog (linked above) to see all the beautiful cards my talented teammates created with this sketch.

Thanks for visiting and to those celebrating Thanksgiving this week, I hope you have a joyous day with family and friends!

Stef

• SSS Christmas Cheer Stamp and Die set
• Memory Box Fringed Scalloped Frame dies
• Prima Candy Cane Lane Patterned Paper
• Tonic Turquoise Lake Glitter cardstock
• Copics - E37, 35, 33, 31, 30, R39, 37, 35, BG78, 75, 72, 70

Christmas Joy

Hello friends!  I'm back with another card today, this time for the challenge at Just Us Girls, where it is word week and Sue has chosen a most appropriate work for this time of year.

JUGs #753

 

If you dropped by looking for my Color Hues DT card, you can find it here.

When I received the Simon Says Stamp November card kit, it had in it some darling decoupage images from Craft Consortium.  I'd never used them before, typically preferring to stamp and color myself, but these are soooo cute, I couldn't resist.  

There are five scenes included in the pack, and you pop out the images and layer them up with foam squares.  Each one was four or five layers, which I thought was too thick to mail, so I sorted the images for this particular scene so that I could make two cards from it.  In the photo above you can see the layers from the front snowman and the lantern.

I found the perfect patterned paper for the background.  It was die cut to fit on the largest of SSS's Chunky Scallop rectangle, then the snow people were added.  Isn't that the cutest little scene?  I especially love the birds.  Before adhering the panel to the scallop rectangle, the large joy sentiment was die cut from red metallic paper, added to the panel, then the sub-sentiment stamped in black.  I decided to go ahead and make this a shaped card using the scallop rectangle die.  This was a fun and quick way to create some holiday cards.

Thanks for taking time to stop by. Take care!

Stef

• Craft Consortium Christmas Market Decoupage papers
• SSS Christmas Cheer Stamp set (sentiment)
• SSS Fanciful Joy die
• Whimsy Stamps Flurry Blurry patterned paper
• SSS Chunky Scallop Rectangle die

Flat Shaker Valentine for Color Hues

Hello friends!  I'm here with my card for the new challenge at Color Hues!  This time the lovely Sheri has chosen red and pink, so perfect for those making Valentine cards, but would certainly work for many other occasions.

Color Hues

And how about our new badge? I think it's a wonderful way to reflect what the challenge is all about.  Also we have the talented Bobby Hagen joining us as guest designer!

I'm also joining my friends over at Just Us Girls, because their colors for this week's color challenge are also red and pink.

JUGS 712

This time I tried something new - making a flat shaker!  It's not edge to edge but it still has lots of sparkly goodness when you shake, shake, shake it!

I started with the stencil, using a light pink ink on white cardstock, then applying the same ink to blend around the edges, darker on the outside and lighter in the middle.  I cut some old packaging to size, put Score Tape on the back of the stenciled panel, wrapped the acetate around three sides, waiting to seal the fourth side until after adding the clear sequins.

Next I put double sided adhesive on the back of a panel of Rich Red Matte cardstock, then die cut the sentiment.  This alleviated the problem with glue smearing on either the acetate or the metallic paper when adhering to the front of the shaker.  It was then layered on a slightly larger panel of the red metallic cardstock, adhered to the white card front, with the final touch of adding the red sparkly heart.  This was so easy to do and it's a great way to use up my sequin stash, which isn't large, but I don't use them as on my cards very often anymore.

I look forward to seeing what you make with this color combo!  Be sure to take a look at the beautiful cards created by our guest designer and the other DT members and hopefully are inspired to join us.  The challenge will remain open until 9 am 2/14.

Take care!

Stef

• Simon Says Stamp Hugs & Kisses die, Hero Arts Nested Rectangles
• SSS Heart Blooms stencil
• SSS Bubblegum ink
• SSS Rich Red Matte metallic cardstock
• SSS Rainbow Splash Sparkly Hearts, Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear sequins

Bountiful Banner for Just Us Girls

Hello friends!  I'm back with my final card as guest designer for Just Us Girls and this time we are having fun with stencils!

JUGs 711

 

At the last minute, I'm also joining the lovelies at Inkspirational with another stenciled edition to their gallery.

Inkspirational #307

I love stencils because they can make card creation so much quicker and/or add wonderful detail to card backgrounds.  Today I used them to color a floral image.

I have been eyeing the Honeybee Stamps Bountiful Banners suite since it was first released earlier this year, so when HB had their fabulous sale at year end, I decided to pick it up.  I started by stamping the image with black pigment ink, then using the stencils and a variety of inks to color it up.  I think this color palette is one of my favorite combos.  I know I am usually drawn to cooler colors, but I do love the pop of yellow-green along with the teal and pinky purple.  

After the stenciling was complete, I added some additional contrast to all the flowers and leaves with Copic markers, which is something I often like to do.  The image and sentiment were then die cut with the coordinating dies along with two additional pieces for layering to provide some dimension (although that's difficult to tell in the photos).  The final touch was to use my white gel pen to color the flower centers.

A big thank you to the entire design team at Just Us Girls, it was just a pleasure joining you this month!

Be sure to head over to the challenge blog for some wonderful inspiration and hopefully play along this week.

Take care!

Stef

Stamps, dies and stencils:  Honeybee Stamps Bountiful Banner

Ink:  Simon Says Stamp Taffy, Sweets, Bubblegum, Fairway, Sprout, Tropic, Tidepool, Orchid, Iris and Latte; Versafine Clair Nocturne

Other:  Sakura White Gelly Roll pen

Copics:  RV69, 66, BG49, 15, YG67, 17

My Favorite Human Bean for Just Us Girls

Hello friends!  Well, the month of January is flying by and today I'm sharing my 3rd card as guest designer for Just Us Girls.  This week we have a wonderful mood board that I think is one of the sweetest and coziest I've ever seen.

 Just Us Girls

I know the photos are a bit hard to see but if you head over to the JUGs blog, they have a larger version where you can see all the details.  

I'm also joining the current Inkspirational Challenge, where the theme is Stencils.

Inkspirational #307

I just love this JUGS Mood Board!  I was inspired by the kitty's warm cuddly sweater and hat, along with the cup of coffee.

I started with Altenew's Sweater Pattern stencil and used light brown and medium gray to create the pattern on a panel of white, which was then cut it down with a rectangle die and added to a white card base with foam tape.

Next I used the MFT Coffee Talk Bundle to create the die cut coffee cups and stamp the sentiment.  I laid the coffee cups on a sticky mat, then colored them with Copic markers.  Two additional dies were cut for each cup and they were layered up before adhering to card front around the sentiment.  The last thing was to add a heart.  I have some clay hearts from Trinity Stamps but the color was a little too tomato-y, so I just used a dark red Copic marker to change the color and after adhering it to the cup, I covered it with Glossy Accents for some shine.  I was tickled pink by how this card turned out because I've never used this bundle before although I think I bought it over a year ago.  Time to keep shopping my stash, I guess!

So, what inspires you on the mood board?  Please take a moment to visit the challenge blog and see what inspired the DT and hopefully play along!  Thanks for visiting.

Take care!

Stef

Stamps and dies:  MFT Coffee Talk Bundle, Hero Arts Nested Rectangle die

Stencil:  Altenew Sweater Pattern

Ink:  Simon Says Stamp Latte and Earl, Versafine Clair Pinecone

Other:  Trinity Stamps Candy Apple Hearts, Glossy Accents

Copics:  R39, C2, 1, 0, 00, E35, 31, 30

Winter Wishes for Just Us Girls

Hello friends!  It's time for a new challenge at Just Us Girls, where I am the January guest designer.  This week is Word Week and we have one that is apropos for this time of year.

Just Us Girls

  

I'm also playing along with the current Time Out Challenge, where the theme is new.

TOC 254

I recently bought a new snowflake embossing folder and snowflake die cut set and was excited to put them to use for this card.

I started with a panel of mixed media cardstock and ink blended a trio of purple inks, then embossed it with the snowflake folder.  Next I used my white pigment ink pad and very gently rubbed it across the top of the raised part of the embossing to give it some dimension.

I used four dies from the HoneyBee Stamps Lovely Layers: Large Snowflakes set to cut snowflakes out of two colors of purple and one of white.  The background panel was added to the white card base, the snowflakes adhered together and then added to the card along with a foiled sentiment to finish things off.  Super easy and oh, so sparkly!

Thanks so much for visiting, I appreciate it.  Be sure to head over to the challenge blog where the DT has loads of inspiration to share with you!

Take care!  

Stef

Stamps:

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Vicki Boutin Mixed Media, Pinkfresh Studio Foiled Sentiments 4 Holiday, Simon Says Stamp White Glitter, Winter Glitter and Be Mine Glitter

Dies:  HBS Lovely Layers: Large Snowflakes

Inks:  SSS Lilac, Orchid, and Amethyst, Hero Arts white pigment

Embossing:  HBS Snowflakes folder

Yeti or Not for Just Us Girls

Hello friends!  I am so honored to be the January Guest Designer for Just Us Girls!  And this week we're starting off 2024 with a fabulous color combination that I absolutely love!

Just Us Girls

 

I'm also sharing over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where this week's theme is Something New, which is perfect since I used a new stamp and die set for this card.

I knew right away that I'd be using these colors for a birthday card for our great-nephew because they are perfect for creating a snowy scene.

I started with a panel of mixed media paper and ink blended the teal sky with Altenew Teal Caves.  Next I combined some Tim Holtz Distress Snowfall Grit Paste and Sparkle Paste then spread it through a snow stencil.  While that dried, the images were all stamped, colored with Copic markers and die cut.

Before adding the cute little Yetis, the background was added to the panel.  I used a Copic marker to add teal around the edges then used Stardust Stickles to add sparkle on top and also on the tree branches.  The Yetis were then added with thin foam squares, as was the sentiment, and lastly I used Glossy Accents on the balloon to make it nice and shiny.  I think my nephew will get a kick out of this card, especially the punny sentiment.

Thanks for taking time to stop by, and I hope you'll do the same at the challenge blog, where the DT have some fabulous inspiration for you!

Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  MFT Yeti or Not

Dies: MFT Yeti or Not, MFT Grounded

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Vicki Boutin Mixed Media

Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne, Memento Tuxedo Black, Altenew Teal Cave

Stencil:  MFT Heavy Snowfall

Copics:  B39, 37, 34, BG07, 45, 53, YG67, 17, 03, E29, 25, 11, 21, 00, W3, 1, 0, C3, 00

Caroling Owls

Hello friends!  Just popping in with a fun card that I made for this week's challenges at Color Throwdown and Just Us Girls.  I was inspired by the pinks and greens in both challenges.

CTD #769

JUGs #706

I decided to use a darling stamp set from Stamping Bella to create a few Christmas cards. 

These happy owls just make me smile, like so many SB stamps.  I stamped them in an alcohol friendly ink, colored them with Copic markers using pinks, greens and a couple of grays (warm for the owls, cool for the shadows), then restamped them with black pigment ink.  The sentiment is from a Purple Onion holiday sentiment set.

I used two Spellbinders Essential Stylish Ovals to die cut the image and a green mat and added the die cut sentiment with thin foam squares. The embossed background was sprayed with Hero Arts White Iridescent Shimmer Spray.  When that dried, it was adhered to the A2 card base, then the owls added with thin foam tape for a small bit of dimension. In my stash I had some small snowflakes die cut from silver glitter cardstock, so I added a few of those then finished things off with a white gel pen on the scarves and Star Dust Stickles on the brim and poms of the hats.  I love how this turned out!

I hope you've had a great weekend and if you're in the US, that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  

Take care and thanks for visiting!

Stef

Stamps:  Stamping Bella Three Owls Caroling, Purple Onion Winter Wishes Sentiment Set

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, C&9 Evergreen, SSS Silver Glitter

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Clair Nocturne

Dies:  Spellbinders Essential Stylish Ovals, Altenew Featured Sentiment die, Hero Arts Snowflake Confetti Fancy die

Embossing Folder, SSS Icy Snowflakes

Other:  Hero Arts White Iridescent Shimmer Spray, White Sakura Gelly Roll pen, Star Dust Stickles

Copics:  W3, 1, 0, C3, 1, 0, R43, 32, 20, E08, G28, 09, 02

Spooky Forest

Hello friends!  I have another Halloween card to share with you.  I'm sharing it over at Just Us Girls (card #2!), Festive Friday and the Four Seasons Challenge (card #3!).  

JUGS 701

FF#0145

(I went with black, stencil, witch and moon)

Four Seasons - AG Fall

So I went a little crazy on stocking up with new Halloween stuff and this card mixes and matches die cuts from Simon Says Stamp and Tim Holtz.

I LOVE making Halloween cards so this was so fun to put together.  I started with the SSS Arched Forest embossing folder and die.  I used two shades of brown (all inks used are Distress Oxide listed below) to ink blend a panel of Tim Holtz Heavyweight cardstock that I'd embossed with the Arched Forest folder, then used the matching die to cut out the background, leaving just the trees.  I re-embossed the tree section as it got flattened out a bit in the die cutting process.

Next I used a moon mask on another panel of the same cardstock and ink blended the spooky sky.  I then used a moon stencil to added layers to the moon, then the panel was splattered with Hocus Pocus and Unravelled Distress Mica Stain Sprays.

While the panel dried, I die cut the fun trick-or-treaters from black cardstock three times, then adhered them together for some dimension. I just love the kid with the pumpkin head lol! Before adding the embossed trees to the background, I stenciled the bats with some black pigment ink.  After adhering the trees to the background, the panel was slightly trimmed down and added to a black card base.  After the trick-or-treaters and sentiment were adhered, I used a white gel pen to add just a few highlights from the moon and that finished things off!

If you like Halloween cards, take a peek at a couple cards I made last month here and here.

Thanks for taking time to visit.  Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Stamping Bella Frightful and Delightful (sentiment)

Paper:  Hero Arts Pitch Black, TH Heavyweight white

Ink:  Versamark, Versafine Clair Nocturne;  Antique Linen, Scattered Straw, Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, Gathered Twigs, Walnut Stain, Black Soot, Villainous Potion and Wilted Violet Distress Oxide

Die/Embossing folder:  SSS Arched Forest, Tim Holtz Halloween Night

Stencils:  Picket Fence Mini Haunted Moon Blending Stencils, SSS Layered Bats

Sprays:  Hocus Pocus and Unraveled Distress Mica Stain Sprays