Happy Fall

Time to celebrate a fall in summer temperatures (I'm waiting,,,!) and turn to images of pumpkins, leaves, and other fall stuff.  For the challenge at Joan's garden this week we were asked to include a tree, grass, polk-a-dot background, and maybe a pumpkin.  A double layer tree of falling leaves was what I used for a focal image.  To further "challenge" me, I used the current sketch at Mojomonday's challenge 257.

Supplies:
 Paper: Basic Grey, Cardstocks
Stamps: Cornish Heritage (grass), Amuse (sentiment), Penny Black (tree)
Ink: Memento (Rich Cocoa), Distress (Walnut), Copic (R05, BG13, E33)
Misc: May Arts ribbon (pumpkins, leaves, velvet); Swarovski crystals

Ref: http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2012/08/this-weeks-challenge_30.html
        Http://www.mojomonday.blogspot.com  #257

Folded Christmas Cascade Card

Ref: http://justritestampers.typepad.com/justrite-inspiration/

Oh what a fun/frustrating/inspiring etc, etc. challenge JustRite had for us this week.  The rule...make a card with more than one fold.   I knew I wanted to try something I'd never done before, so I went ona search to look for a new card. Found it!  It was called a cascade card and after looking at several tutorials I was ready to try.  I actually had the pieces folded and cut, then sat for a week waiting for me to decide how to "finish  the card".  It is still hot hot hot! but I felt just a little bit ready to start my Christmas cards. So, with a couple of JustRite stamps and a few  Spellbinder dies...this is the resulting card.  A  total of 8 folds just to create the card base! 



Supplies:
Stamps: JustRite Large Fancy Holiday Sentiments; JustRite Christmas Treasures
Spellbinders: Labels and Tags, Circles, Reindeerm Christmas tee
Paper: Specialty print black and silver (unknown)
Inks: Colorbox
Misc: MayArts  red silk ribbon; Glitter (stickles, red)

Wedding White

 White of white is challenge #93 at Myshericrafts this week.  Perfect! I'd just agreed to make a wedding card for an upcoming event.  I gathered some white stuff and began.  I cut circles and circles. Some were embossed, one was stamped, some were used as backing.  All elements were applied to an embossed background which was then applied to a card base.  I think I am beginning to enjoy working tone on tone cards!
Supplies:
Paper: White cardstock
Stamp: Unknown (sentiment), Tim Holtz (damask background)
Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug floral)
Dies: Spellbinders Circles
Ribbon: May Arts silk, seam binding, venise lace
Misc: Pearls (prima mkt), flower (hobby lobby), Zing embossing powder (white), Memento ink

Ref: http://www.myshericrafts.blogspot.com/
 Inspiration: Sharon Johnson card

Lattice Frame with Bird

I made this card after being inspired by challenge 31 at Joan's Garden.  The parameters of the challenge were to use lattice, frame, flower, bird, vertical sentiment.  I cut my lattice out of patterned paper and backed it with another patterned paper.  The frame was then cut out of yet another patterned paper.  I'm sorry I don't know the companies... I had one stamp "Serenity" that was vertical, so wanted to make a "serene" card.  The creams and blues hopefully evoke that feeling of calm.
Supplies:
Paper: various patterned, cardstock, and Olympic Paint Chips (branches)
Dies and punches:  Cherry Lynn (lattice); Spellbinders (frame)' Martha Stewart (branches)
Stamp: Hero Arts (tiny bird)
Ink: Stazon Timber Brown, Copic Marker B23
Ribbon: May Arts 1 1/4" Crinkle
Gems: Hero Arts Sparkle Gems
Embossing Powder: Comotion (Essence of Monet)
Note: Serenity was embossed then overdrawn with a Copic marker to darken it.
Ref: http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2012/08/this-weeks-challenge_23.html

Marker Storage

A question was asked on Splitcoast how people store their markers.  This is what I came up with.  I took one of those storage cubes you can buy at Michaels, Hobby Lobby etc. (I don't remember the brand name).  I bought the one that hade the shelf inserts.  Then I took a set of plastic boxes that I'd purchased as gift containers (somewhere online).  As you can see, I set them on their sides, 4 across on each shelf.  Copic markers are grouped by color category. The bottom tier are other markers,colored pencils, etc.There was a very small space at the end which I use for odds and ends of coloring markers.  This unit can be placed "anywhere".  Mine is just beside my work area.  Hope this   inspires you to create your own customer storage space.

Sweet Baby

I'm clearing out old stamping magazines! But, of course, with each issue I have to page through it one more time.  I saw this layout in a 2006 "Paper made easy" magazine and was nudged to make this card. I stamped parts of a baby themed rubber stamp to make the label on the tag and colored the tiny safety pin with a permanent marker. I had planned to distress the edges of the tag, but forgot and glued it down..next time.....

Supplies:

 Paper: cardstocks,  DCWV, and ?

Stamp: Inkadinkadoo

Misc: Zing embossing powder, May Arts Ribbon, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Prima marketing pearls, safety pin  and unknown flowers

CHF Wolf

Using an animal was the challenge at Cornish Heritage Farms this week.  This wolf's head caught my eye and is my very first attempt at incorporating a digital stamp into my card design.  To make his card, I cut an oval off center in the front of the card.  The space was then backed with a piece of shiny silver cardstock.  After cutting the wolf head out, I placed him in the opening.  Branch punches were also tucked under the opening.  A silver medalion was threaded with black ribbon and placed on the ribbon band.  3 Black glitter dots were then used to finish the card.  (Okay, so the medallion is probably a coyote, but I can pretend it's a wolf right?)

Supplies:

Paper: Grey and silver cardstock

Stamp: Cornish Heritage Farms

Die: Spellbinders

Punch: Martha Stewart

Ribbon: May Arts Silk

Misc: Glitter dots - unknown mfg.

Ref: http://www.cornishheritagefarms.blogspot.com/







Back to School

I was so honored to asked to be the featured guest designer for http://www.myshericrafts.blogspot.com/ Challenge 92.  The chosen theme, Back to School is perfect for this time of year.  Let's see, there's readin', writin', and arithmetic!  Apples for the teacher, sharpened pencils, and remember those plastic rulers?  Looking through my paper stash, I found a sheet of "Teacher's Pet" by Imaginisce.  Then came the layering of images and items that reminded me of school days.  Finally the layer of black was added and the whole was then mounted on a cream colored card base.  It won't be long now!
Supplies:
Paper: Cardstocks, Imaginisce Patterened Paper
Dies: Spellbinders (apple), Die-namics (pennant)
Stamps: Unity (notebook paper)
Misc: May Arts Twine, Ruler tape (unknown), Pencil from my husband's golf bag, and a torn page from and old children's book (Billy Whiskers...1923ish)
An added thank you to my friend MJ for her suggestions.  Without them, this card would have been less!

Triple Rosettes

Where does time go?  I'm trying to squeak under the wire for the blog challenge for My Sheri Crafts and also complete a card for the current JustRite challenge.  Well, it made sense to try to combine the two.  Combined I needed to use opposite colorwheet colors (pinks/greens) and use something fan folded (rosettes).  Cut out circles, make rosettes, figure out a design (as I go) and select a stamp.
Supplies:
Paper:  Cardstocks, Prima, Paper Studio
Stamp: JustRite Mini Sentiments
Dies: Tim Holtz Rosettes, Spellbinders Circles and Labels
Accents: Pearls, Swirls, Butterflies (Prima Marketing)
Embossing folder: Cuttlebug
Inks: Memento Bamboo Leaves, Distress-Barn Door
Ref: http://www.myshericrafts.blogspot.com/
http://justritestampers.typepad.com/justrite-inspiration/

Christmas White on White

Oh goodness beginning to think of Christmas and making those cards!  This one is a white on white with a bit of "toned down" mirror matting.  Joan's Garden's challenge this week was to create a Christmas Card, all white, with something from nature (such as a deer), and glitter or stickles.  I had just received this new embossing folder and thought it would be fun to turn it into a simply styled Christmas Card.  The blank hillside was a perfect place to stamp the sentiment and lots of glitter on the hillside and all the night stars (really glitters in "real" card)  This was a fun card to make.  Maybe I'll make it again with a hint of color ... red nose on lead deer perhaps?
Supplies
Paper: White, Mirror cardstock
Stamp: JustRite Large Fancy Holiday Sentiments
Embossing Folder:  Crafts Too
Ink: Versamark
Misc: White Zing Embossing Powder, Flower Soft Hint of Violet Glitter Frosting, Diamond Stickles
Ref: http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2012/08/this-weeks-challenge_16.html

andMore...Ribbon Lady



Once every couple of months, May Arts ribbon sponsors a creative challenge.  Using their silk, crochet, and jute "ribbon", I created this 3 dimensional ribbon lady.  I used a picture of this lady I'd found on the internet (somewhere), then carefully made a pattern that I could use as my base.  Once I had the dress, bouquet and had made, I placed her on a "placque" I'd made decorated with pearls and die cuts.  The ribbon lady is removable and can be used as a paperdoll, refrigerator magnet, or simply used as is...perhaps in a powder room? 

Winter Butterflies

 

JustRite's 078 challenge was themed "Christmas in July".  As I was going through my JustRite Christmas stamps (whoa I didn't remember I had so many lol!), I came across this cute set that matched butterflies with winter.   What better to do than match the warmth of summer to the joy of Christmas/winter!  I caged the idea of putting butterflies in a wreath from a card made by Amy Butler.  Butterflies were punched from a colorful Christmas paper and from clear and stamped vellum (JR Snowfall Background).  Snowflakes were punch from white cardstocks then layered over a deep pink cardbase that had been distressed with Berry Distress Ink.  A shimmer vellum was cut to cover the front of the card base and attached with a pair of snowflake brads.  The premade butterfly wreath was mounted over the stamped JR sentiment and snowflake.  Lastly, a wreath hanger and bow was make using silk ribbon.

Supplies used:

Stamps: JustRite Snowfall Background, Merry Little Christmas set

Paper: Paper Studio (I think), vellum, pink cardstock

Ink: Distress berries, Memento black, Colorbox popcorn

Punchs: Martha Stewart butterflies and snowflakes

Ribbon: May Arts silk

Misc: Brads and pearls









A bit of Christmas in July

With our temperatures soaring to the 113 degree level, it was actually rather nice to cool off with a Christmas in July theme for JustRite's Challenge 078.  As so frequently happens the card pictued here is nothing like it was supposed to be lol!  It was supposed to be layered vellum...it ended up being textured cardstock.  I love love love JustRite's new Snowfall Background stamp so that became the card's primary image.  I simply added an emossing folder, a sentiment and a little bit of bling...and voila the card is done! The mirrored layer picks up the color in the surrounding area...how fun!  Is it cooling?  Merry Christmas (now in August)
Supplies Used:
Paper: Cardstocks, mirrored cardstock
Stamps: JustRite Make It Merry and Bright, Large Fancy Holiday Sentiments, Merry Little Christmas
Embossing Folder: Crafts Too Swirl Baubles
Ink: Distress Faded Jeans
Misc: Stickles Stardust

With Sympathy

Joan's Graden challenge #28 ( http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2012/08/black-and-red-what-beautiful-color.html ) wanted us to use red and black, have a flower be the focal point, a border at the bottom, and use an embossing folder.  I kind of stretched  the border req78rejeht  at the bottom as anything I put with my checkerboard background just looked "stupid"...so, the design of the checkerboard edge I'm calling my border. First I wove the strips of paper, then embossed the whole.  I then mounted it on red cardstock which I then adhered to the grey cardstock base.  Sadly I needed a sympathy card and didn't want a typical subdued kind of card.  This is what I ended up with.  Thanks Joan for this challenge's criteria which gave me a good jumping off point.
Supplies Used
Stamp:  JustRite Large Fancy Sentiments
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
Inks: Memento/Distress
Dies: Cherry Lynn (leafy swirl) Spellbinders (tags and labels)
Paper: Red, black white, green, grey cardstock
Misc: May Arts Silk Ribbon

Cornish Snowman

Black, White and ? is the challenge over at http://www.cornishheritagefarms.blogspot.com/.  Black, White, and Blue...couldn't help but think of Red, White and Blue...so I chose to make a winter card...and added Blue as the ? color.  Getting ready for holiday mailing I guess.  I took CHF stamp Embracing Christmas and stamped it on white cardstock.  Spellbinder circle dies were used to cut the image out.  I then covered the image with a used fabric softener sheet....there is glitter but it is barely seen on the photo image...  I used a blue Copic marker to shade the night sky and mounted it on a black scallop circle cut out using a Spellbinder Scallop Circle die.  The card base is white, which is then layered with black, then is a layer of white tissue paper upon which I placed Martha Stewart Snowflake punches (in white).  A Navy Blue May Arts Silk ribon bow finishes my Black, White, and Blue Card.  I see more places for a bit of glitter! (love the sparkle!)

Happy Birthday Rose

I am sorry, my picture taking skills don't do justice to this card.  Trust me, Happy Birthday is perfectly legible and the stickles on the pink roses on the tag are not blobs!  That being said....I made this card for this week's challenge at Joan's Garden.  She identfied that entry cards should include:
black patterned paper, pink and black with a touch of green and some green leaves.  Glad I had this swirl die with some leaves on it!  For this card I printed my own background paper from a swatch of something that was somewhere on the internet.  I loved the pink dots (they are pink) on the black background.  The card in the pink base, I photographed it on a green background.
Supplies Used include:
Paper: Cardstocks
Stamps: Unknown
Dies: Spellbinders, Cherry Lynn
Misc:  May Arts Ribbon, Swarovski crystals, decorative brad

Summertime Drink

I made this thirsty card for the challenge at http://www.cornishheritagefarms.blogspot.com/ .  With the scorching heat and lack of water we have this summer,  I'm thinking our birds are looking for a helpful mouse!
  Supplies Used
Stamp: Cornish Heritage Farms
Die: Spellbinders Labels 20
Ink: Memento, Copics
Misc:  Sticker (Serendipity); Bakers Twine (WeRMemories); Button (Studio K) Crocheted Flower, Stickles, Sencil for Corners is from the packaging from swirl gems (Prima)

Summer Butterfly

The challenge this week at Joan's Garden was to create using: Butterfly, yellow and green, 3 layers, something from nature.  See the challenge details on her blog:  http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2012/07/this-weeks-challenge_19.html
Yellow and green are not colors I usually reach for, so this was a fun challenge.  Does it count that the butterfly is cream based with green coloring? My "from nature" are the flowers I made.
Supplies used on this care are:
Stamp: Inky Antics
Dies: Spellbinders, Memory Box
Embossing folder: Sizzex
Flowers: handmade from American Greeting Base petals
Ink: Watermark, Copics, Distress
Embossing Powder: Zing
Misc: brads and gems

Ice Cream Cones

Challenge 90 over at http://www.myshericrafts.blogspot.com salutes National Ice Cream month.  What a fun theme for a challenge!  With the temps around here at more than 100 degrees a cool drippy popsicle or icecream cone is a child favorite.  A few layers of paper, several ink pad colors plu a couple of special touches and this card is ready to share with a friend.  The background paper is a piece of tissue paper I "converted" to cardstock.
Supplies:
Stamps: Wiff of Joy, Technique Tuesday
Paper: Tissue, Glitter, various
Inks: Memento, Copic Markers
Misc: Stickles, Flower Soft
Technique: Fussy Cut (Ice cream cones)

Tag, You're It!

"Tag, You're It" is the theme of Challenge #077 at JustRite.  Tags are definitely not my "thing"... I didn't really even know where to begin.  So, I took an old blue cardstock card and cut it to a tag shape.  Then I just started...a little bit of this...a little bit of that and my garden inspired theme just sort of happened.
Wouldn't this work well for a "can you find" game?  So, can you find where I used:
 JustRite Butterfly Garden stamped image?
 JustRite Quiet Moments stamped images?
 Spellbinders Label 18, circle, Itty Bitty Blossoms
 Where  used Copic Markers?
  Bazzill Fiber Scraps
  Memory Box Flourish
  Cherry Lynn Butterfly
  Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch
 Marth Stewart Branch Punch
 Mulberry Paper
 Cuttlebug Emgossing Folder, Script
Paper Doily
 May Arts Lace Ribbon?
 White Sparkle Brad? Pearls? Twine? Silver Foil strip from Flowersoft? A bit of Stickles?

If you found  everything,you found almost everything I used to make this tag. I did also use White embossing Powder, Distress Inks, and Memento Inks.  What can I say...a little bit of everything and a couple cups of coffee and this tag is done!

Cornish Birthday

I'm so happy...Cornish Heritage Farms is back and will continue with Thomas Kinkade stamps.  Their blog's challenge was make a Happy Birthday card or tag. It was going to be a yellow rose or maybe a pink one...but once I'd stamped it with black, I just loved the depth that was created with all the shades of black.  So instead...I ended up with a black and white.  If you look very closely you will see the white is embossed.
Supplies:
Cardstock: black, white, grey card base
Ink: Memento
Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms
 Dies: Spellbinder Ovals
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug ? (swirls with little birds)  (don't you wish they printed the name on the folder?)

Challenge: http://www.cornishheritagefarms.blogspot.com/

Ivory Flowers

As an enrollee in the online "Stretch Your Stamps" class, I find I am incorporating many of the tips and ideas that have been shared.  Those (use of sentiments/shadow stamping) are evidenced in this card I made for this weeks Ivory and Green card challenge at http://www.atjoansgardens.com .  Joan's challenge was to make a 4 layered card using ivory and green colors and a sentiment.  What! no ribbon? no bling?  Okay....  ....   ....   So, I decided to emboss the floral stamp in white on the green background.  First mistake....I grabbed the clear embossing powder instead of the white.  (Don't they look the same in the jar???) Turning the lemon into lemonade, I stamped again just offset from the original and this time I got the right jar of powder!  Here it is...4 layers, ivory and green, with a sentiment that is finished on the inside of the card.  The complete sentiment is: Flowers Say Hello from the Heart".  Now that this card is finished, I'm thinking it doesn't need ribbon or bling lol!
Supplies:
Paper: Ivory and Green cardstock
Stamps: Stampin Up (floral), Hero Arts (Sentiment)
Die: Cherry Lynn, Spellbinders
Misc: Zing Embossing Powder (clear, white)

Alphabet 4U

Day 3 of Stretch your Stamps online card class was to    s-t-r-e-t-c-h usage of that genre of stamps.  I pulled out a set I had never used (why did I buy it I wonder) and began to play.  From previous class idea, I white embossed the alphabet on white cardstock.  Then took colors of Distress Ink which I stamped on my work mat, then spritzed with water and painted over the embossed letters.  a ribbon, flourish, flower, pearl, and "alphabet" sentiment on a tag completed this alphabet card.   The hardest part of the card was getting the letters off their plastic card.  Several of them tore, but I was able to smoosh them together.  Apparently not using them for a couple of years did not help them much lol!









Supplies: 
Paper: Various Card Stocks
Ink: Distress Inks
Stamp: My Sentiment Exactly
Die: Memory Box, Paper Studio punch, Martha Stewart punch
Ribbon: May Arts

Happy Birthday in Toile

The Stretch Your Stamps online card class today was a fun combination of technique and stamp usage.  One technique that caught my eye was taking a stamp and embossing it in white on white cardstock.   The white embossing "pops" when you then take an ink and apply it all over the card.  Taking a tissue and wiping of excess ink can then brighten the white. (ooops, I forgot to do that on this card).  I absolutely love this Toile background stamp from Unity Stamps!  I decided I wanted the background to be the focal point of the card.  I mounted it on a piece of cardstock, added a strip of ribbon, used a fancy label die, and embossed a Happy Birthday.  A couple of large brads provide the pop of color.  I confess I saw using the bows on each side of a stamped image on a card made by Sharon Johnson and thought it  a perfect design detail for this card.

Supplies

Paper: Cardstocks

Stamps: Unity, JustRite Just a Note Set

Ink: Distress Iced Spruce, Versamark

Embossing Powder: Zing Charcoal

Ribbon:  May Arts

Misc: Brads from ?

Swirl Background

Use your stamps 5 ways?  Online Card Class Day One highlighted the use of background stamps.  Even though I have several (many), I always find it hard to think "outside the box" with them.  For this card I followed one of the suggested techniques...with a bit of a twist.  I made my own "stamp pad" by squirting some Mica Gloss on white glossy card stock.  I then took a second piece of glossy white cardstock and "smooshed" it together on top of the Mica Gloss squirts.  After peeling apart the two sheets of paper, I had my stamp pad.  I then stamped my background stamp on a piece of white cardstock and added a few embellishments.  The end result was adhered to the original "stamp pad" and then mounted on a coordinating piece of card stock.  Colors used for the stamp pad were blue, silver, and lavender.



Supplies:
Cardstock: Glossy White, White
Ink: Mica Gloss
Die Cuts: Spellbinder IttyBitty, Memory Box Florish, Martha Stewart Punch
Ribbon: May Arts Silk
Misc: Swarovski crystals, Prima(?) flower

Like Selma

Like Selma's by Lynn

Selma's Card

I'm always so impressed with Selma's cards!  So feminine, so detailed.   Joan's Garden's challenge this week   http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2012/07/this-weeks-challenge.html was to make a card "very similar" to Selma's using pink and white, embossed background, lace border, and flowers using Selma's tutorial.  What a perfect opportunity to make a card "like Selma's.   Selma's tutorial  http://selmasstampingcorner.blogspot.com/2012/07/rose-tutorial.html is awesome!   
Supplies
Paper: pink and white cardstock and drawing
Dies: Spellbinders 
Punch: Martha Stewart
Ribbon: MayArts
Pearls: JLC Memories and Hobby Lobby
Lace: a scrap I had
Glues, Glue Dots, Tapes
 

Pearls and Lace

Oh yeah!  Cornish Heritage Farms is back.  And ...  they have initiated a Blog challenge.  Take a peak at http://cornishheritagefarms.com This week's challenge was entitled Pearls ad Lace.  Oh my favorite....take a piece of lace (Black) and put it over sticky paper.  Rub glitter onto the sticky paper and tap the excess off.  Then choose a stamp and color it.  Get a fabulous pearl swirl and a couple pieces of paper and ribbon.  Voila! a pearls and lace card!
Supplies
Paper: cardstocks, Webster Pages
Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms
Ribbon: May Arts
Lace: Unknown
Pearl Flourish:  Prima Marketing
Ink: Memento, Copic
Glitter: Art Institute

Celebrate Stars and Stripes

I saw a piece of quilting fabric on an ebay auction (no, I don't quilt so why I happened on that particular auction is a mystery!) and thought it would make a beautiful backdrop for a red/white/blue patriotic card.  This is the first I've stamped on ribbon!
Supplies:
Paper: cardstocks, quilting fabric
Stamps: JustRite Myriad Pro Font, JustRite All Occasion Nested Sentiments
Ink: Memento Paris Dusk
Ribbon: May Arts
Die: Spellbinder Star
Jewels: Swarovski crystals
A couple of brads

The 4th is such a fun time to make cards...patriotic....celebratory...yeah! for the Red, White, and Blue.
I entered this card into several challenges....  JustRite Friday Challenge #076 - "Stars & Stripes", www.Atjoans'sgardens.com and "Oh I Love America" at http://www.myshericrafts.blogspot.com

Baby Boy

Thank you Connie MacFarlane!  I saw her "just like" card on the www.notimetostamp.blogspot.com website awhile ago and snagged it as one I'd like to make sometime.  Mostly I am not a "designer", but I am an "executor" lol!  If she ever sees this, then I hope she is falttered that I made her card.
 My daughter-in-law needed a baby card for she and her co-workers to give a new mother.  I hope all are pleased with this card.  On the inside I covered the brown cardstock with the same blue print paper and printed out a "baby poem" on it.  (Yeah for computers!)
 Supplies:
Paper: Graphic 45, Paper Studio (I think), Cardstock
Stamp: Uptown Rubber Stamps Holly Pond Hill
Cuts: Martha Stewart Punch, Spellbinders Blossom 3
Embossing: Cuttledbug Love Language folder, Comotion Brown Embossing Powder
Ribbon: May Arts Silk

Oldies and Goodies

Oh Joan...this was a difficult challenge for me! (http://www.atjoansgardens.com )  My head swirled with ideas: vintage is certainly oldie/goodie.  Then I thought of taking an "oldie" favorite stamp and creating a tried and true card...but I couldn't find the stamp!  Then I thought I'd take all my Oldie scraps of paper from previous cards (recognize any?) and create a background paper.  Then I thought I'd take my first ever stamp and make the card.  Should have been easy, but trust me, it wasn't!  I fought with the kitty stamp.  Finally a good friend suggested cutting a hole out of the card and having the cat face peeking out.  So here is the card.  A few favorite embellishments (crystals, ribbon, and flowers and the card is ready for the sentiment inside.  Maybe a "Miss You" , because this kitty face sure doesn't look happy! lol!  I wish we lived closer dear friend!

Stamp:  PSX (I miss that company!)

For the Red, White, and Blue

Supplies
Paper: Paper Studio, Vellum,cardstocks
Stamps: Great Impressions
Inks: Memento, Watermark, Copic
Misc: Brads, Stickles Glitter glue

Well, I'm all for the Red, White, and Blue!  Sheri's Challenge #88 www.myshericrafts.blogspot.com inspires those who live in the United States to prepare for our Independence celebrations.  Fireworks and who can resist a patriotic bear?  For help....I followed the MoJo Monday design this week for a square card.  Sometimes having a predefined layout spurs the creative process doesn't it!

Butterflies Abound

Supplies Used
Paper: Various Cardstock, patterned from?
Stamps: JustRite Butterfly Garden Set
Dies: Cherry Lynn Butterflies; Spellbinder Circles
Embossing Folder: Sizzex Butterflies
Ink: Stazon Teal Blue; Distress Wild Honey
Misc: Swarovski Crystals, May Arts Ribbon

JustRite challenge #75 was a color inspiration challenge of orange, turquoise, peach. I started this card using an idea to have multiple circle focal points embellished with ribbon and flowers.  Needless to day, it didn't end up that way.  I saw the "new" Sizzex folder lying on my table top and ... the rest is "history" as they say.  I'll use my circles idea on another card someday lol!

Dad's Shirt

I wanted to play at Sheri's challenge over at www.myshericrafts.blogspot.com where the theme was to create a masculine card honoring the man in your life.  Here's to you Dad!  I found a tutorial by accident that gave really detailed directions on folding a piece of paper to create Dad's shirt.  Oh the possibilities are endless!    Not only a card, but I'm thinking decoration for a box top. 

The supplies were few:

Stamp:  JustRite Font

Paper:  Paper Studio,

Ink:  Memento, Distress, Copic

Tutorial: www.pgarvin.blosgspot.com

Note:  the shirt front can be folded down to reveal a space "inside" for a more elaborate message-a heartfelt message for Dad!

Beach Fun

Supplies for this card:
Paper: Cardstocks, patterned
Inks: Copic Markers YR16, YR68, BG13; Memento Potter's Clay; Distress Ink-Wild Honey
Stamps: JustRite By the Sea
Ribbon: May Arts Silk
Misc.: Plastic sunglasses, seashells, Sand
Inspiration: JustRite Challenge #75; MoJo Monday #246

Both the JustRite "Color Inspiration" challenge #75 and this weeks MoJo Monday sketch challenge #246 were combined to create this card.  Turquoise, Peach and Orange reminded me of summer days of the beach. (Okay, so I live in Oklahoma...but I can recall some favorite summer vacations at Cherry Grove, North Carolina). This card is a tribute for that fun time.  Isn't the JustRite By the Sea Set justrite perfect for recalling the hours gazing out on the turquoise ocean?  I had a little trouble getting this card "justrite" until I thought of spraying the card base with adhesive and sprinkling some of that leftover beach sand (yep, I brought a jar home) on it. Now both the feel and view of that vacation time.   Ready for fun in the sun?

Chocolate Delight

Vintage/masculine is the theme of the current JustRite challenge.  In between visits to my husband who has been in the hospital for 10 days battling post surgery infection; I've been working on this challenge.  It has provided a positive distraction from the worry.  He loves (don't we all) chocolate chip cookies; so I decided to create a cookie basket and added an accompanying card.  I made the card with a Happy Birthday sentiment; but any appropriate message could be used.  A stamp from the

Shabby Chic Labels 4 set was used to create the foldover basket tab.  Even though the stamp seems "feminine", I thought it worked well turned upside down for a masculine image.  What do you think?  The basket label was embossed on vellum,  outlined in a piece of burlap twine, then cut out by hand.

  Once the basket was finished, I spent a little time in the kitchen baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies.  Yum (yep, I ate one...okay two!)

Project Supplies

Paper:  K&Company, Graphic 45, cardstock

Ink: Copic E27 (paper edges on basket), Distress Ink (Honey), Watermark

Stamps: JustRite Shabby Chic Labels 4, JustRite What's Cookin, JustRite Just a Note

Dies: JustRite Nested Oval Medallion Labels Dies, EK Success Punch

Misc: Comotion Chocolate Brown Embossing Powder, May Arts Burlap "ribbon", brads





Bird in White

I love Joan's Garden Challenges because they inspire creating with a variety of requirements!  This week our challenge was to create a card using a bird theme...a frame...blue...a branch.  I really tried to add a branch or two, but it junked up the look so I decided the branch in the stamped image would have to do.  This was a fun card to make...I embossed the stamp image on a blue cardbase, created a frame from a die and added a few pearls.  "Hello" was the chosen sentiment but any could be used.
Supplies:
Paper: blue cardstocks (light and dark)
Stamp: Penny Black (Whispered Wishes); Hero Arts (sentiment)
Die:  Cherry Lynn
Inks: Memento, Watermark, Glacier White Embossing Powder (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Misc: White pearl DewDrops (Robins)

Mr&Mrs

June is Wedding month....and Joan's Garden challenge is to make a black and white wedding themed card using rhinestones/pearls and a flourish.   Circles because wedding rings, years rolling by, etc.
I think I'll make this card again using colors of the wedding...how fun!
Supplies
Paper:  Various cardstocks and printed sheet from Hobby Lobby
Ribbon: May Arts black silk, white sheer sparkle
Stamps: JustRite Wedding Nested Sentiments
Pearls: Say it in Pearls/American Greeting
Flower: from Hobby Lobby silk spray
Die: Spellbinders Nested Circles
Cuttlebug embossing folder

Ladylikebug

I'm sending luck and wishes
All wrapped up in a hug
Good things should come your way
With this tiny ladybug.
~Author Unknown

JustRite challenge 73: create a shaped card/anything but square.  Yikes! shaped cards are not my forte'....so I thought and thought...then looked and looked and found a card by Terrie somewhere on the Internet that became my inspiration...circles to make a Ladylike bug.   A brad punched through the wings, backing, and face allows the wings to be opened and closed.  This was a fun card to create!

 Supplies

Stamps:  JustRite Smile Set and Birthday Celebrations Set

Dies: Spellbinders Circles and Scallop Circles, Flourish

Punch: Martha Stewart

Inks: Versamark (watermark) , Zing Embossing Powder (black)

Coloring: Copic Markers

Paper: cardstocks and  Echo park

Misc: Rhinestones (Kaisercraft), Google Eyes, brad, Candi circle colored black