Sending Birthday Wishes

Try Stampin' On Tuesday sketch challenge also included a challenge to use brown, yellow and orange. I used a Verve stamp inked in brown pigment, then heat embossed it with clear powder before coloring the flower.  The 'sending you' sentient is the top of a CTMH birthday stamp.
Patterned paper is Bo-Bunny Shabby Princess. Stampin'Up! Ribbon, CTMH antiques copper bitty brads, and a Martha Stewart border punch on CTMH Goldrush card stock.

Also linking to  Stamplorations September 'stamps and markers' challenge. Whoohoo! I managed all three this month.

 

Paint the town!

This sketch from Stamplorations - sketch challenge #20 has been in my head for days.  I wanted to do something a little different, but wasn't sure what.  Then Paper Players blog challenged a clean and simple masculine birthday card.  That helped get my sluggish mojo going.  It feels like I've been stuck the past few days.  It's feels good to have messed up my craft table again.

Used Plantin Schoolbook cartridge to cut the cityscape, a CTMH birthday stamp, and computer generated the 'paint the town' sentiment.

 

 

Happy Autumn Thoughts

The weather turned chilly and a light rain...perfect for crafting. My second post today.
I used  retro.sketches #132 to start, and kept it very simple. No bumps which makes it easy to mail.
The paper is CTMH Ivy Lane (retired), stamps CTMH Happy Autumn and Sincere Expressions inked in CTMH Hollyhock and Red Barn.  I stamped the larger flower second generation on the design paper and added two smaller flowers on top. That piece was matted with Hollyhock card stock and adhered with some foam tape to give a little dimension. The card base is a textured palest pink from the unnamed stash. That texture also helped give the design more interest.
A quick, simple card!

 

May Your Day Blossom

This card uses the chevron embossing folder and stamp set Funky Blossoms, both from Close To My Heart.  The card stock colors are Olive and Goldrush.  The stamps were inked with a Kaleidacolor pad:Creole Spice.  I stamped the smaller blossom several times, and the center one is three layers popped with some foam tape.

I took a bit of liberty with the circle piece, but the sketch that inspired my card is Atlantic Hearts #73 found here.

 

Wonderful You

Atlantic Hearts Challenge #72 - almost missed it.  I tried to watercolor, and though I love it, it is very challenging.  Must keep practicing and sign up for a class!

The main image was stamped in Archival brown on watercolor paper. Then I taped off the rectangle and tried a water wash and then touched down some color.  The stamps and sentiment are CTMH Fabulous You.

 

My Nicest Thought

Lovely evening with friends tonight, and one who has just returned from many years teaching in Germany gave me two sheets of gorgeous die cuts. Very different from things I've seen here in the states. I've used one on this card with Whisper, Slate and Sweet Leaf papers. The sentiment, from Verve, is stamped in Slate ink.  Pearls and ribbon from my stash.
Some of the nicest things about the great outdoors - the theme this week at
Sweet Stampin'- are watching birds and listening to their sounds. 

Grateful

It was cold today, and was nearly 2 PM before the sun managed to break through and burn off our clouds.  It was a soup-for-lunch day.  I really love autumn and it's colors, greys, browns with bursts of oranges and reds.  Today my card is subdued.  The papers are Kraft, Barn Red, Black, and White Daisy.  The stamp set is a favorite CTMH long retired, November Word Puzzle. The wheat was stamped with Champagne ink, and random leaves around the edge were a combination of champagne and Barn Red.

The sketch at Little Tangles #44 was used.

 

Ah, Autumn!

My second post for today - after cleaning up the space for some pictures, I messed it up creating.
This card uses lots of leaves for the Just Us Girls  #257challenge.
Some of the metal leaves (from Blue Moon) are strung on metal wire and wrapped around some bronze brads for the Card Makin' Mamas CMM88 | Precious Metals x3  challenge. And arranged using STAMPlorations Sketch #19.
Papers are Brazill kraft, Close To My Heart textured Autumn Terracotta, Colonial White, and Cocoa run through the new CTMH wood grain embossing folder.
How fun is that?!!

 

New Space

So I retired and bought a little house this summer.  That meant a new space for crafting.  It has been such fun to organize and get this set up.  It isn't complete, but I can work in it now and find almost everything!  Still several boxes in the garage - mostly paper, project supplies, and sewing things.
I love that so much can be in the closet. The other end of this room is a TV sitting area and washer/dryer.  Thinking I will just about live in this room!

Coolest repurpose - clear shoe caddy holds lots of punches

 

Boo!

Playing with my new CTMH Scaredy Cat paper and Trick or Treat Sweets stamp set. Such fun to play with new things! This card uses  CAS(E) This Sketch #91, embellished with some googly eyes and sequins.

 

Autumn Thanks

Don't you adore autumn colors?!  It puts me in my happy place to ink up these leafy stamps.  I used the rock n' roll technique on CTMH Many Thanks set (retired) with Honey, Goldrush, Terracotta and Chocolate inks. I fussy cut them, and cut Thanks  from Paper Loft paper using the CTMH Artiste cartridge on the Cricut @ 1 1/4".  It looked too plain so I tried a technique new to me. Rather than spritzing a color, I daubed inks on the acrylic block and spritzed with water for the 'splatter' background. 
Leaves and sentiment were popped with foam tape.

The card was designed with Freshly Made Sketch #152 as my inspiration.

 

Happy Haunting

Try Stampin' On Tuesday challenge #183 has a fun, versatile sketch this week.
Perfect inspiration for using washi tape! 

Stamps: CTMH Halloween Fun, Wicked (retired)
Paper: Sunset, Black, White Daisy
Ink: CTMH Sunset, Memento Black Tuxedo

 

First Christmas

My first card for Christmas this year!  Today I used another of the gifts in my Impress bag- an embossing folder.  I inked the folder before embossing the paper. The piece was cut and matted with a silver vellum.  The sentiment is from a retired CTMH set, Christmas Love, embellished with some Silver liquid pearls.
I have linked to both Sweet Stampin' Challenge blog and the CAS(E) this sketch! blog.
Sweet Stampin' challenge is to use embossing, the sketch is from CAS(E) This Sketch #90.

 

Sweet Sunday Sketch

Wow!  I am back after a very long absence.  I retired, moved across town, and have had a very busy summer.  Today was my first day to try out the new craft room.  So wonderful!!!  I am still searching for a few things - not all boxes are opened yet.  But I have missed it dearly and am glad to be able to begin again.

A friend and I went to the Impress Holiday Opening and got a delightful bag of goodies free.  (We got there very early!) One treat inside was a set of  polka dot card bases.  So today I colored up a Bugaboo digi, trimmed with White Daisy, Cranberry and Indian Corn Blue card stock, added some Close To My Heart buttons and embroidery floss.  I use the Sweet Sunday Sketch for inspiration.

Since you are here reading this: thank you for not giving up on my blog!