Big Hugs

Five birthdays in January, so time to put away Christmas things and play with some new things.  I was doing some iron on letters on T-shirts, and since the iron was out and on 'dry' setting, I decided to try the wax paper resist technique.  I ran waxed paper through the Cuttlebug in an embossing folder, and then used a breyer to apply color. I used a Kaleidddacolor pad.  The circle was cut with stitched circles from SSS, and Hugs sentiment from a cute new stamp + die set  from Avery Elle.

 The HUGS is inlaid in the circle and was brush with Wink of Stella. Sequins are Pretty Pink Posh.

 

I am linking this to Sunny Day Crafting blog "Anything Goes" Challenge #29

 

Birthday Star

My card uses  Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #191 and the CTMH Oh Deer! papers.


The sentiment, from a CTMH Workshop your Way set, Just to Say, was stamped first with Sea Glass ink, then with Versamark and heat embossed with a transparent crystal powder, then sponged some Sea Glass ink over it.  I cut banners and stars from some matt gold paper in my stash. The stars are a die cut from Verve.  I splattered some gold ink on the card base to carry the splatter pattern on the paper.  The sentiment bubble is part of the workshop set stamped in Sea Glass and fussy cut, then gold embossed.

 

Snow?!

They are predicting some lowland snow very early this morning.  We don't often get much, and I must admit I really hope it will stick for an hour or two. 

It's time for a new sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge today, and I pulled out an old favorite set, Snow Friends. I have been writing Christmas cards, and only need five more. But I also need three or four December birthday cards, and this card would be just right for one of those.

Hope you will join the AHSC this week!  Go over on Wednesday to check out the rest of the Design Team inspiration.

Happy crafting!

 

Light in My Life

Friends have been the great treasure I have been blessed with over the years.  I feel so fortunate to have so many people in my life that provide support, laughter, inspiration, wise words, and open hearts.  I immediately thought of this CTMH set, Candlelight Garden, when I read the Week 226 CASology challenge this morning.

I stamped the sentiment on Outdoor Denim card stock with Versamark, and heat embossed with Hero Arts white.  The front panel (Strathmore Bristol paper) was cut with Simon Says Stamp stitched die. The image was stamped with Verafine black and colored with Zig water brushes. I added a bit of Liquid Glass to the flame and around it.

AHSC #187 Winter Wishes

My, this has been one busy week and it's not about to let up!  But all my activities have been spent in creative fun with dear friends.  Almost forgot to post my card for the new challenge at Atlantic Hearts. Go check it out!

I am trying to use all my Christmas sets before I let some of them go.  The trees and 'snow' from my card are from a much older, and well-loved CTMH set called Tis the Season.  The sentiment is from the CTMH Frosted Cardmaking Workshop stamp set. Card stock used is Fern.

I clear embossed the snow dots and then sponged with Juniper and Sea Glass inks, with some Fern at the bottom of the panel. The trees were stamped with Fern and hand trimmed. I added a snippet of shimmery gold paper from the stash. The tiny stars were cut with a Verve Cut Above die.

Time to get back to felt ornaments I'm making for my two year old granddaughter's Advent tree, and Thanksgiving baking.  Really this is my favorite season.  Best wishes to all who are gathering with family and friends this week!

 

 

 

Purple & Gold

It's a Colour Challenge #301 this week at Less Is More, Purple & Gold.  So I have tried to create a night sky with stars behind the gold embossed sentiment.  The watercolor was done with Zig clean color brushes - violet and lilac. The 'stars' are splatters of shimmer gold water color.  Sentiment is a Close To My Heart stamp. The paper is Strathmore 140# cold press.

 

Giving Thanks

A second post for me today.  This card was one we made Thursday at my P.E.O. meeting. The ladies, most first time stampers, had a lot of fun getting inky with this Papertrey stamp.  It was inked with Hero Arts Ombre ink.  The dark circle was cut with Simon Says stitched circle die, and popped with foam tape.  The wheat was stamped with CTMH Golden Ember ink, and cut with the coordinating Papertrey die.  The leaves are Lawn Fawn Small Stitched Leaves dies cut from various fall shades of card stock. Fern and crimped Dessert Sand card stock strips were wrapped with twine, placed behind the sentiment.

I am linking this card to two fun challenge blogs:
The Paper Players #320                                  and     TIME OUT #69 Give Thanks theme

Atlantic Hearts #185 Joyful!

Loving my new Christmas set from Close To My Heart!  These pine sprigs and cones are lovely.
The latest sketch is up at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  The design team inspiration will post on Wednesday, but you can get started now.

I began by punching a 2 1/2" circle from some copy paper and sponging with the new CTMH Sea Glass ink.  The pine was inked with Fern and the cones are Bamboo and Desert Sand.  I used a stitching die from Simon Says on a strip of Fern card stock, and cut the sentiment from some gold paper using a Savvy Die.

Then I sprayed the stamped panel with Shimmer Spritz. It is a very subtle sparkle, and I wanted more...so I splattered gold from the Yatsumoto Shimmer water color set.  Though my camera can't capture it, the two are just right for a bit of sparkle.

 

 

 

 

Sweet Sketch Wednesday2 #101

Orange you glad it's your birthday???   This is the favorite color of my friend, and so I created her card all in orange this year.  I used the sketch here at SSW2 for my design.

Paper Smooches dies used for the balloons. Close To My Heart Wise Guy Birthday set for hat and sentiment. 

 

CAS(E) this 197: Birthday

CAS(E) this Sketch #197.  This is a wonderful sketch and it has been used on a lot of my cards lately!  I've used it for a Thanksgiving card, and today I changed it up to a sparkly birthday card.

Random stamped images from Simon Says Stamp Baby Party Animals set with Versafine black, and colored with my new Zig watercolor brushes. Love them!! The sparkle tape is Close To My Heart, and a few random sequins from the stash. 

 

 

 

Atlantic Hearts #183 NOEL

Even a beautifully simple sketch can really stretch your crafting muse!  I adore CAS cards, but know they are usually more complicated to get 'right.'  My attempts one this one created a small pile of trash in my paper recycling! lol   But I am so happy with the final result. It's shiny and festive...and pretty CAS.

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #183 - play along and have some fun!  You can go there Wednesday to see what the other Design Team members have created. Lots of inspiration there for you.

The ornament was cut twice with the Artbooking Cricut cartridge, p. 56, once on gold paper, again on white. I used the smaller Winter Snowflakes die (Savvy) to cut the center of the white ornament, and again on a separate piece of gold. The snowflake was inset in the white shape and backed with another circle of white. I trimmed off the ornament cap from the white one as well.

I cut a piece of Fundamentals- All About the Gold acetate on an angle, and adhered it to the card base with Glue Dots behind the 'trees'. The rectangle is 2x3". The sentiment is from a retired CTMH set, Christmas Love, and was heat embossed. Both the panel and the ornament were popped with foam tape.  See the Less Is More challenge to use acetate or vellum here.

 

 

Gift Card

 

Jennifer McGuire's blog is one of my absolute favorites. She never fails to teach and inspire.  Recently she had a post about using some new Pretty Pink Posh dies for making a pocket gift card holder. She also said you could use a craft knife or other frame dies to achieve that kind of flap as well. You can watch her video here.

Since I had learned how to do a partial cut from her as well, I used one of my Spellbinder dies to cut the top flap using that technique.  The stamps are from an older CTMH set, Sweet Music. The ink I used is Memento Tuxedo Black. The thanks die is from Hero Arts STAMPtember, Simon Says Stamp cut from a snippet of shiny gold paper. The twill design paper is CTMH, La Vie en Rose. Ribbon also CTMH.

The card is for a thank you for the person providing the music for a program Thursday for my P.E.O. group.  It is very cool!! This was easy to put together and is very unique.  Check out Jennifer's blog link and try it.

Slide the gift card into this pocket 

Fabulous Fall

Windswept tress and rain. Love the movement in this older CTMH stamp.  I did a wash with some watercolors, and then stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black.  The panel was cut with stitched shapes die from Simon Says Stamp.  Inspired by and linked to CAS(E) this Sketch. I did rotate the sketch.

 

 

Eight is Great!

Hard to believe how quickly time flies by...but my little grandson was eight yesterday.  This is the shaker card I made for him.  I used my Cricut to cut the 8 from patterned paper at 3", and then again from solid card stock at 31/2".  The sentiment 'Big Birthday Wishes' Simon Says Stamp was heat embossed with Hero Arts white.  All papers are from Close To My Heart.  I seem to be having color issues with my photographs.  Looks better in my file view than this washed out version. Anyhow, I chose these colors for him because the gift was a Minecraft set- lots of bright green and brown.

Linking to Seize the Birthday Anything Goes challenge.

 

 

 

Thanks

This card was inspired by the Freshly Made Sketches #258

The random stamped panel was cut with a die. The sentiment was cut four times - the top one was from a glittery gold paper. I glued them together and then applied Versamark on the top and heat embossed with clear powder twice. So it is shiny and dimensional.

Paper: CTMH, Pathfinder; Goldrush, Champagne and Olive  card stock
Inks: Champagne, Versmark
Stamp: CTMH, Dandy
Dies: Simon Says Stamp,Stitched Panel; HeroArts, STAMPtember set (SSS)

 

Kindness + AHSC #181

Life has been incredibly busy...helping a friend with a large party, and having the grandsons and grand-dog here while parents have a much deserved adult trip.  It has been quite a long time since I have done the breakfast, pack lunches, drive to school, pick up from school, help with homework, play, serve dinner, nighttime routine!! It is enormous fun and also exhausting.

But I put together this card that has a very graphic feel to it.  I've used the CTMH Enchantment Fundamentals for card base, mat, and banner, with a snippet of La Vie en Rose.  The white panel was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder, Twill Stripe. It repeats the design in the banner and adds some dimension to an otherwise flat card. The enamel dots are from my CTMH stash. The sentiment is one of the new CTMH Create Kindness set. I added a swoosh of color using my water brush.

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #181  Please hop over and play along!