Happy Easter

Hello! Since Easter is just three weeks away this inspired me to create an Easter card for a challenge at Great Impressions, the theme being "Spring Celebrations."

Regal purple is the traditional Easter color in many religious rites. I chose purple for my base card and layered it with white.

On a separate piece of white card stock I stamped a floral swirl from HFC Petite Floral Swirls and colored it with Copics. The sentiment is from GKD Stately Flowers 8 and was stamped in Memento Espresso Truffle ink. This would be my focal panel.

Next, using two (2) separate dies at the same time I cut out my focal panel. For the frame, I used the largest die from Spellbinders Timeless Rectangles. For the cross I used one of the dies from Spellbinders Crosses Two. However, I did not use the die cut cross but left the area of the cut-out open. Instead, I die cut another cross in purple and popped it onto my base card and then popped on my focal panel, the purple cross showing through the open cut out.

That completed my project. Until next time, have a wonderful and creative day!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

Great Impressions  -  March Challenge - Spring Celebrations

Sister Act  -  Challenge #50 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #125 - Anything Goes

Challenges 4 Everybody  -  Challenge #39 - Anything Goes

Aud Sentiments -  Challenge #103 - Easter or Spring Sentiment

Craftitude  -  Challenge #61 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz  -  Challenge #224 - Anything Goes

Butterfly & Poppies

Hello!  Today I made a card for a challenge at Mod Squad where red and brown were the theme colors.

I usually begin with a base card but this time I will begin with my focal point. When I think of red, I think of beautiful red poppies which I love. So, the first thing I did was to die cut a panel in ivory using Marianne Creatables Small Ovals by Petra die.  While still in the die, I sponged GKD Kraft ink around the oval.

In the next step, I cut out poppy flowers using Memory Box Prim Poppy die. In order to have red flowers and green stems, I cut the poppies twice - once in red and again in green - and then paper pieced them. I also added some shading to the poppy flowers, although you may not be able to see it in the photo. I wanted to add some foliage to the stems so I used another poppy die from Memory Box Perky Poppy and used the foliage from that die. I then popped the poppies on my focal panel with dimensionals. 

So that the poppies wouldn't stand alone, I stamped a butterfly in Memento Espresso Truffle ink from GKD Celebrate the Season stamp set and colored it with Copic markers. I stamped the butterfly a second time on another piece of card stock, colored it, cut it out and then popped it over the stamped butterfly.

I then prepared my base card in kraft card stock. I added a layer of ivory and then another layer of red which I had embossed with a lattice embossing folder. My finished focal panel was then popped on to my card and my project was complete.

Thanks for visiting! See you next time!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s);

Mod Squad  -  ColorfuLEE Yours
613 Avenue Create  -   Challenge #64 - Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #28 - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday  -  Chgallenge #125 - Anything Goes
Sister Act  -  Challenge #49 - Anything Goes

Aud Sentiments - Challenge #103 - Spring or Easter
Crafty Girls  -  Challenge #14 - Anything Goes

Celebrate Your Day

 Here is another card I made for Joan's Touch (pink, white, lattice and flowers) challenge.

I had in mind what I wanted as the end result so I knew that I would need a 5x5" card base which I made in pink card stock.  Next, I cut 2 dies in white card stock from Marianne Creatables Anja's Squares, one of which had heart shaped lattice patterns around all four edges. I adhered these two die cut panels together using dimensionals and then adhered them to my base card.

I cut the flowers using Memory Box Bella Bouquet die. I cut these twice...once in white card stock and a second time in green. While still in the die, I colored the white flowers with Copic markers and then cut them off and discarded the white stems. Next, I paper pieced the white colored flowers onto the green cutout flowers which left me with a pretty bouquet of white and pink flowers on green stems. These were then adhered to the white latticed layer of my card.

I stamped my sentiment, from GKD Signs of Spring, on white card stock, cut it out with Spellbinders Beaded Ovals die and sponged it with Memento Angel Pink ink while still in the die. I added a ribbon to the flower stems and attached my sentiment on top of the ribbon. 

Hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for stopping by!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

Joan's Touch  -  Challenge #6
613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #64 - Anything Goes
TTCRD  -  Mara 25-31 - Anything Goes
Fantastic Tuesday  -   Challenge #28 - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #125 - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls -  Challenge #14  - Anything Goes
Sister Act  -  Challenge #49 - Anything Goes

For You My Friend

Hello, fellow crafters!  As in many other states it is snowing here in Ohio. I think this is the longest winter in recent history. The four seasons this year will be: winter, summer, fall and winter. LOL

With wishful thinking, I made a spring-like card today for a challenge at Joan's Touch. The challenge required making a pink and white card, using lattice and adding a flower.

My base card was made in pink card stock. I cut a white piece of card stock for my focal point panel and cut out a rectangle shape in the center using a die from Spellbinders Matting Basic A. Next, I embossed that panel with a die from Spellbinders Timeless Rectangles, positioning it on the cut out rectangle. I used a Cheery Lynn French Lattice die to create the lattice and adhered it to the back of the white panel. This was then matted with white card stock and popped on to the pink base card with dimensionals.

The flower was created with Marianne Creatables Flowers Fantasy in pink dotted Swiss paper, a pearl was added to the center and then the flower was adhered to the focal point panel. I added some greenery using Poppy Stamps Pine Sprigs and Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish dies.

Thank you for visiting! Please stop by again for more creations.

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

Joan's Touch  -  Challenge #6

613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #64 - Anything Goes

The Outlawz  -  GCC0324 - Just Add Texture

TTCRD  -   Mar 25-31  -  Anything Goes

Sister Act  -  Challenge #49 - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls  -   Challenge #14 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday  -   Challenge #124 - Anything Goes

Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #28 - Anything Goes

Love is Music

Hi, crafting friends! Hope your day has been a warm and sunny one. We are still waiting for Spring to show its true face. It's 39 degrees here even though Spring's first day has been said to arrive.

Today I made a quick and CAS card for a challenge at The Outlawz. The challenge included an optional twist....to add texture.  I used dry embossing and score lines to add texture to my card.

I began with a black card base. Next I scored a white layer on all four edges and adhered it to my base. On a black panel I stamped my sentiment (GKD Love is Friendship) in Versamark and embossed it with gold EP. I then dry embossed this panel in Sizzix Stripes Textured Impressions folder and adhered it to my base card. The music notes score is a Memory Box Party Music die which I cut in gold mirror paper and adhered to the focal point panel. And that was it.

Hope you were inspired to create, not just today but everyday. Leave the housework alone. It won't go anywhere.  Have a great day!


This card was submitted into the following challenge(s):
The Outlawz  -  Twisted Thursday - TT0320
Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #124 - Anything Goes
Fantastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #27 - Anything Goes
TTCRD  -  Challenge Mar 18-24  -  Anything Goes
Challenges 4 Everbody  -  Challenge #39 - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments  -  Challenge #102 - Anything Goes

Unforgettable Violets

Hello, everyone!  Before I go into the details of the above card, I want to announce that I have been invited to join the Design Team at The Outlawz Challenge Blog. Needless to say I am so very flattered to have been considered and excited about this new adventure. I hope to get my feet wet in the next week or so and begin my duties beginning with April.

Now on to the card, which was a very CAS one which I made for a challenge at the Mod Squad where the requirements were to use HAND-CUT embellishments, NO die cuts. If you have seen much of my work, you'll note that I love using dies...but not this time.

I began with making a 5x5 inch card base from violet card stock. I added a layer of white followed by another layer of violet. Next, I cut a panel in white and stamped my violets image (a Hampton Art wood mounted stamp) in black ink and colored only the buds.  I also stamped my sentiment (GKD Unforgettable duo stamp set) in black. This focal panel was then adhered to my prepared base card.

On a separate piece of white card stock I stamped the violets image again and colored the three flowers with Copics. I then cut them out and popped them on to my stamped image on the focal panel to make the violets 3D. To give my card a finished look, I made a template in which I cut out an oval opening and used it to place over my sentiment and then sponged PTI Plum Pudding ink around the edges.

The card turned out to be very soft and delicate looking, suitable for a sympathy, thinking of you or serious illness card. In cases such as these, less is always more.

Hope you visit my blog often. Thanks for stopping by today!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s)

Mod Squad  -  Cut-It-Out Challenge
Word Art Wednesday  -   Challenge #124 - Anything Goes
Love to Create  -  Challenge #107 - CAS or Classy/Elegant
Sister Act  -  Challenge #48 - Anything Goes
Challenges 4 Everybody  -  Challenge #39 - Anything Goes

No One Like You

Hi everyone! We've had 50 degree weather here today. What a wonderful change from the last several weeks. I think spring is really on its way. And that is why I chose lilacs for my card project. 

Lilacs are one of my most favorite flowers. They remind me so much of my mother who had 2 large lilac bushes in her yard. Each spring I would be sure to come by and snip several sprigs to put in a vase on my kitchen table. I could smell them as soon as I walked into the room. So I made this card for the color challenge at The Outlawz, where we were to use the colors of lavender, lime green and cocoa brown.

I used white card stock for my base card and layered it with cocoa brown. I added another layer of creme de menthe (my lime green substitute). I put this aside while I worked on my focal point.

The lilac branch is a digital image that I had and which I printed out on white and colored with Copic markers. The sentiment is from GKD Stately Flowers 7 and was stamped with Memento Espresso Truffle ink and embossed with clear EP.

With the artwork completed I cut and embossed my focal panel with Spellbinders Timeless Rectangles and as a last step, popped it on to my base card with dimensionals.

Thank you for visiting and come back again soon!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

The Outlawz  -  Color Challenge  - CC031814

TTCRD - Mar 18-24 - Anything Goes

Tuesday Throwdown  -  Challenge #187 - Tic-Tac-Toe (CAS/Digi/Die cut)

Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #27 - Anything Goes

Love to Create - Challenge #107 - CAS or Classy & Elegant

Open Floral Birthday Wishes

Green is the color for today! And Going Green was this week's challenge at StampTV.

This was a very easy card to create. Starting with a creme de menthe card base from GKD pure luxury card stock, I layered it with GKD grass green. I added one more layer of white.

For my focal point, I used a die from Spellbinders Captivating Squares to create my frame in grass green and a Memory Box Wild Blooms die to create the negative flowers. The sentiment is from GKD Framed Greetings stamp set. And that was it.

Hope this project inspired you to create. Thanks for stopping by!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

The Outlawz  -  GCC0317 - Green
613 Avenue Create  -   Challenge #63 - Anything Goes

Love to Create  - Challenge #107 - CAS

Thinking of You in Teal

 

Hello, everyone! In yesterday's post I promised to share  another card today which I made for a challenge at Joan's Touch. I just love the peach and teal colors together. They are so soft and remind of spring which, hopefully, will arrive here soon.

My base card is white, layered with peach and then teal. For the focal point layer I cut a white panel, scored it on all 4 sides and adhered it to my base card. Next, I cut an intricate circular shape in white card stock using Marianne Craftables Tiny's Hearts die. My sentiment is from GKD Dogwood & Butterfly stamp set and was stamped in this circle in Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Then I matted that with a teal circle created with Spellbinders Standard Circles die. This finished circle was then adhered to my base and put aside while I worked on the actual focal point.

In creating my flower, I stamped HFC Sun Kissed Fleur stamp on white card stock and colored each flower with Copic markers. This stamp is one very large stamp and includes different size flower petals and leaves. Next, I cut the flowers with HFC Sun Fleur die,  a large die which cuts all the flowers petals at once. After cutting I shaped the flower petals and layered them to create the completed flower. I added a peach pearl to the center.

The butterfly is layered: the bottom layer is a peach digital butterfly stamp which I cut out. The top intricate layer was created with Memory Box Vivienne Butterfly die in black card stock. The two layers were then attached to each other.

Finally, I put the card together. I cut two leafy swirls in green card stock using Marianne Creatables Anja's Vintage Swirls die and adhered them, one on either side of the circle. The flower was positioned in the upper part of the circle and popped on to the circle with dimensionals. The butterfly was positioned in the lower portion of the circle and also popped on with dimensionals.

This completed my card. I hope you like it and stop by often to see what I've shared on my blog.  Thanks for visiting and have a creative day!

This card was entered into the following challenges:

Joan's Touch  -  Challenge #4

613 Avenue Create  -   Challenge #63 - Anything Goes

Sister Act  - Challenge #48 - Anything Goes

Challenges 4 Everybody  -   Challenge #39 - Anything Goes

Aud Sentiments Challenge  -  Challenge #102 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #123 - Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #9 - Anything Goes

The Outlawz  -  Twisted Thursday - T031314

Crafty Girls  -  Challenge #13 - Anything Goes

Love to Create - Challenge #106 - Anything Goes

My Craft Creations  - Challenge Mar 3 - 16

Follow Your Dreams

Hello!  Here is a card I made for this week's challenge at Joan's Touch. The criteria for this challenge were:  colors of peach and teal, a circle, and layered  butterflies. 

I began with stamping a clear vase, from GKD Buds and Vases stamp set, on white card stock  in Memento Espresso Truffle ink and coloring it with Copics. I cut and embossed this focal panel with Spellbinders Radiant Rectangles. 

In my next step, using a stamp  from GKD Dogwood and Butterfly stamp set, I stamped the floral image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink, positioning the image to appear coming out of the vase. I stamped the floral image a second time on white card stock, colored it with Copics and cut out just the flowers, not the stem. I then popped the colored image over the stamped image.

The butterfly in the upper left is a colored digital stamp that I found on Etsy.  I cut it out twice and layered one on top of the other, although the photo doesn't show the layers. The other butterfly was created with Spellbinders Les Papillions Two. The bottom layer of this butterfly is in teal and was cut and embossed with the solid die from this die set. The top layer was cut in black with the intricate die from this set. 

The sentiment was computer generated. I Used Martha Stewart's Rose Window punch to cut out the circular shape. Before attaching it to the focal panel, I sponged the edges with PTI Hawaiian Shores ink.

I used white card stock for my base which I layered with peach. The focal panel was matted with teal and then adhered to the base. That completed my project.

Thanks for stopping by. I'll be back tomorrow with another card for the challenge at Joan's Touch.

This card was entered into the following challenge(s);

Joan's Touch  -  Challenge #4
TTCRD  -  Mar 11 Challenge  -  Anything Goes
Sister Act  -  Challenge #48 - Anything Goes

The Outlawz  -  Twisted Thursday - TT030614 -Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #123 - Anything G

Challenges 4 Everybody  -  Challenge #39 - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls - Challenge #14 - Anything Goes

Craftitude   -  Challenge #60 - Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart  -  Challenge #9 - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments Challenge  -  Challenge #102 - Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday  -  Challenge #26 - Anything Goes

Hippie Birthday

This card is a "retro" card (I think) made for a challenge at The Outlawz. I have had this stamp set for quite a while but had never used it. I was saving it for a birthday card to make for a male friend at some point. 

The mini bus and flowers are stamps from GKD So Groovy stamp set. The sentiment is my own, generated by computer. 

The base card was made using GKD Grass Green card stock. I cut a layer in white, scored it on all four sides and adhered it to my base. The pattered paper is one that I found on Etsy. I matted it with the green card stock and adhered that to the white layer of my base card.

I stamped the flowers on the mini bus and then colored them with Copics. Next, I colored the bus, also with Copics, and cut it out. I created the wheels by cutting small circles in black card stock using Spellbinders Standard Circles die. For the wheel centers I used silver mirror paper cut with a regular paper punch.After assembling the wheels on the mini bus, I popped it on my card with dimensionals.

The computer generated sentiment was cut out with Spellbinders Double Ended Tags die. To give it some color, I stamped two flowers on white card stock, colored them, cut them out and then adhered them to either end of the sentiment tag which was then popped on with dimensionals.

Thanks for visiting!  Stop by again!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

The Outlawz  -  CAS030914 -  Retro

Coffee Clutch

 

Hello! Here is a card I made for The Outlawz Greeting Card challenge where the theme was "coffee and friends."

I used red card stock as my base card and added a layer of white. On top of that I layered some patterned paper I had in my stash. 

Both images are digital images and were computer generated on white card stock. The "coffee girl" is from Etsy (Art and Scrap Shop) and the coffee pot is from Sweet Clip Art. Both were colored with Copic markers.

After coloring the coffee girl image, I used Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges die to cut out the panel, sponged it with Memento Summer Sky ink and adhered it to the patterned layer. The coffee pot image was cut out with scissors and then popped onto the focal point panel.

I don't think my mojo was on the right track today because I wasn't completely  happy with the result of this project. Other than the coloring of the images, I had a hard time putting it all together. I think I need more sleep (yawn).

Thanks for paying a visit to my blog. Have a creative day!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

The Outlawz  -   GCC0310 - Coffee and Friends

Great Day

 

This is another card I made for this weeks challenge at Joan's Touch.

I began with a base card in green (GKD's Christmas Pine) card stock and layered it with white. Next, using Marianne Creatables Anja's Squares die, I cut a frame in green and adhered it to my card.

I cut a panel of white card stock slightly larger then the green frame and I randomly stamped leaf branches from GKD's Signs of Spring stamp set in GKD's Green Grass ink. Next, I cut this panel using another die from the same Marianne Creatables die set. Finally, I embossed it with a Sizzix Square Lattice embossing folder and adhered it to the green frame.

The sentiment is from GKD's Stately Flowers 7. I stamped in on white card stock with black ink and then die cut and embossed it with a Marianne Craftable Passe-Partout Oval die. Without removing it from the die, I sponged it with GKD's Grass Green ink, removed it from the die and then popped it on my card as the final step.

Thanks for stopping by and please visit often!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

Joan's Touch  -  Challenge #3
Word Art Wednesday  - Challenge #122 - Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create -  Challenge #61 - Anything Goes
Mod Squad  -  Spring Palette Challenge
Challenges 4 Everyone  -  Challenge #39 - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls  -  Challenge #13
Loves Rubber Stamps  - Challenge #93 - Anything Goes
Sister Act  -  Challenge #47 - Anything Goes
The Outlawz  -  Twisted Thursday - Anything Goes

Aster Greens

Hello to all you crafters! Today's card was made for a challenge at Joan's Touch. It called for using the colors of green and white, an embossing folder (inking inside optional), and an oval. The photo above was taken in a different setting than I usually do so the white panels/layers look cream colored but they are actually white card stock.

I used Christmas pine card stock (we still have snow here, albeit slowly melting) from GKD for my base card and added a white layer.

I cut and embossed a frame in green using a Spellbinders Timeless Rectangles die. Next, I inked the raised side of the inside of a Darice Interlocking Circles embossing folder with GKD Grass Green ink and then embossed a white panel in the folder. This was then adhered to the green frame and popped on to the base with dimensionals.

The green oval was cut and embossed with Spellbinders Radiant Rectangles dies. The sentiment, from GKD Elegant Florals, was stamped in Versamark and then heat embossed with white EP. I popped it onto the framed panel with dimensionals.

The flower, cut from HFC Delicate Asters dies, and the leafy sprigs, from Poppy Stamps die,  were added to complete the project. As a final touch, I added a white pearl to the center of the aster.

Hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for visiting!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

Joan's Touch  -  Challenge #3 

The Outlawz  -  Twisted Thursday - Mar 5-11  -   Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday  -  Challenge #122  -  Anything Goes

613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #61 - Anything Goes

Mod Squad  -  Spring Palette Challenge
Challenges 4 Everybody  -  Challenge #39 - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls Challenge - Challenge #13  -  Anything Goes

Loves Rubber Stamps  -  Challenge #93 - Anything Goes
Sister Act  -  Challenge #47 - Anything Goes

In Honor of Ukraine

I made this card in support and honor of Ukraine. The colors of Ukraine are blue and yellow....the blue representing the heavens and yellow (gold) representing Ukraine's abundant wheat.

I began by using blue card stock for my base. I cut a panel in cream card stock to layer over the blue and punched each corner with an EK Success Victorian Lace corner punch. I matted it with gold card stock in order that the gold show through the punched corners. This was then adhered to the blue card base.

For my focal point, I stamped the wheat bundle image, using PTI First Fruits stamp set, in Versamark and then embossed it with gold EP. Putting that aside I cut and embossed the blue frame using a Spellbinder's Captivating Squares die. Next, I cut out the middle of that frame using a Spellbinders Petite  Ovals die. I adhered my focal image to the back of the frame and then popped it on to my card with dimensionals. The sentiment, which is in Ukrainian, was computer generated and translates as Glory to Ukraine. 

Thanks for stopping by and please come again. My door is always open!

Hello Yellow Crocus

Hello, fellow crafters! This card was made for The Outlawz color challenge where the theme colors were yellow, blue and cream. I also decided to make this card in support and honor of Ukraine, my fatherland, whose colors are blue for the sky and yellow for Ukraine's wheat. 

I decided to make the card a square one, 5x5 inches. I started out using cream for my base. I added a blue layer which was embossed with a lattice embossing folder (unknown brand) and then adhered to the base. 

For my focal point, I stamped the crocus flowers image (from GKD Signs of Spring stamp set) in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on a cream card stock panel and then colored it with Copic markers. Next, I cut and embossed the panel with the largest die from Spellbinders Gold Ivy dies. This was popped onto my card with dimensionals. 

The sentiment is from GKD's Wild Flowers stamp set and was stamped in black ink and then cut and embossed with Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges die. While still in the die, it was sponged with GKD Powder Blue ink and then popped on to my focal panel.

This completed my project. Hope you liked it and looking forward to adding another post shortly.  Thanks for stopping by today. Come back again!

This card was entered into the following challenge(s):

The Outlawz  -  Tuesday Color Challenge  -  CC0304

613 Avenue Create  -  Challenge #61 - Anything Goes

TTCRD  -  March 4 Challenge  - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday - Challenge #122 - Anything Goes

Sister Act  -  Challenge #46 - Anything Goes

Mod Squad  - Spring Palette Challenge
IBS -  Monthly Challenge  - Flowers
Crafty Girls - Challenge #12 - Anything Goes