Life Update and a Vintage Card

Hello friends~  I've been absent from blogging and commenting for a few weeks, but there's a good reason and a not so good reason.  Always start with the good.

My daughter gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl on Jan. 15th.  

Please meet tiny Isobelle.  She weighted 5 pounds 1 oz and she is pure delight to our family.  

 

Everyone is settling in nicely at home.  Mr. "C" is completely smitten by tiny Isobelle, while little "L" doesn't quite understand why this new tiny person is now in his mama's arms.  You see, little "L" and tiny "I" are less than a year apart so my daughter basically has what they call "Irish Twins".  She'll have her hands full for a while, so I've given up all my design team positions so I can be ready to give her a hand whenever she calls.  

 

After the dust settled and life started getting back to normal, I suddenly found myself locked out of my own computer for days, so I still couldn't blog or comment.  In fact, I couldn't access my computer at all.  GAH!  Technology!!  Anyway, after some wise advice from a good friend, I was able to get back online, and there you go!  

 

I'm grateful to be back online because I didn't want to miss the challenge going on over at Double D Challenges.  The theme is "vintage / shabby chic" and as you know, that's one of my favorite styles.

 

I pulled out a very sweet, retro collection called "My Deer Friend" from Memory Place, and let the paper do all the hard work.  I simply added a scalloped die cut trim and stamped the sentiment onto a Spellbinders Label die, and mounted a floral die over the top corner.

 

I'll be adding this card to the following challenges:

Love Those Pretty Papers ~ February

Double D Challenges ~ Vintage / Shabby

Word Art Wednesday ~ Anything Goes 

 We're getting more snow today, so I'm happy to be tucked in at home and will hopefully find more time to spend in the craft room. 

Thanks for stopping by!

A Vintage Slide From The Garden

Hello friends ~  I'm popping in to share a card using the colors orange & brown for the Color Hues color challenge.

 

I have this close up picture from the garden and turned it into a specimen card using dies from Tim Holtz. 

 

I added some random stamping around the specimen card and gave it some good distressing around the edges.  I love the little number tag!
 

Popped onto a super old piece of scrapbook paper in browns and tans, the image really pops!

 

I'll be adding this card to the following challenges:

Color Hues ~ Orange & Brown

 

A Cut Above ~ November:  Anything Goes

Just Us Girls ~ Anything Goes

 

Word Art Wednesday ~ Anything Goes 

Thanks for stopping by!

Playing with Color Hues Color Challenge

Hello crafty peeps ~ I'm popping in with a quick post with a card I made for the Color Hues Color Challenge, using the colors  

PURPLE and ORANGE.

 

 

 I recently purchased this Wild Blooms stencil from Papertrey Ink, after seeing my dear friend Marcia use it to make so many pretty cards.  

 

 

 I stuck with orange colors for the flower petals and purple for the center of the flowers.  The leaves are done in two shades of grey.  

 

 I turned this into a flat shaker card by recycling a piece of packaging from a stamp set.  I added iridescent and silver sequins to the inside pocket and a simple label sentiment. The ornate frame is from Pinkfresh Studio.

 

I'll be adding this card to the following challenges:

 

Color Hues ~  

 

Word Art Wednesday ~ Anything Goes

Just Us Girls ~ Anything Goes Stencil Week 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Rust & Yellow Postage Stamps

Good morning friends ~  I'm popping in with a card I made yesterday for the Color Hues color challenge.  I couldn't let the colors go by, plus my dear friend Marcia is hosting so it's  inspiring me all around!

 

 

 A "go-to" die for me is the postage stamp die from Waffle Flower.  I'm a bit late jumping on board with the Wildflower stencils, but I'm so glad I finally caved and bought them.

 

 

 I wasn't sure if the colors would work well with these stencils, but I kinda like the fall feel.  I would buy stamps like these!  ;0)

 

I left off a main sentiment, so this could be used for just about any occasion.  

I'll be linking this card up to the following challenges:

Color Hues ~ Rust & Yellow

 

Word Art Wednesday ~ Anything Goes 

The Sisterhood of Crafters ~ Anything Fall 

Thanks for stopping by!

Vintage Inspired Musical ~ Double D Challenges

It's the first Wednesday of the month so that means that Double D Challenges has a new challenge starting.  The theme for this challenge is "Music".  You could use sheet music, musical instruments, anything to do with music.  You can even let a song inspire you, just tell us what song it is.

 

I often lean on the side of "vintage" and this challenge certainly opened itself up to this type of card.  You'll see what I mean when you see the inspiration tile that Diane put together for you.

I used some beautiful Spring Meadow die cuts from K & Co., along with a printed background panel and some old sheet music from my stash.

Since the card base is on the darker side, I added a piece of white writing paper to the inside of the card, attached with a strip of washi tape, allowing plenty of space for a personal message.

 

I was inspired by all the sheet music and the pretty flower in the lower right corner.

How are you inspired:

I'd love to see your take on this challenge over at Double D Challenges.

Hope to see you there!

Thanks for stopping by!

Tropical Flamingo ~ CCS

Hi friends~  I have a fun, tropical card up over at the CutCardStock blog today.

 

 You'll find more details there and a list of supplies I used to make it.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Year In Review ~ 2024 Favorites

Hello friends!  As we say goodbye to 2024 and prepare to welcome in the new year, I thought it would be fun to join in on the challenge at A Cut Above with "A Year In Review".

 

I'll jump right in with some of my favorite projects from each month, beginning with "A Little Retro Valentine Fun" in January.

 

 

 Original post found here.

Also for January (it was a tie), a Valentine Ornament Box ~ original post found here.

 

 

 There's no question that I love making these ornament boxes.

February ~ Original post found here

March ~ Original post found here

April ~ Original post found here

 

 

May ~  Original post found here

 

 

June ~ Original post found here

 

 

July ~  Original post found here

 

 

August ~ Original post found here

 

September ~  Original post found here

 

 

October ~ Original post found here

 

 

November ~ Original post found here

 

 

December ~    Original post found here 

 

Upon looking back on my favorite posts, I realize I am more than a card maker.  I love making lots of different things using paper.  Which is your favorite, and why??

 

I'll be linking this post up to A Cut Above ~ "Looking Back" 

I wish you all a safe, healthy and prosperous new year!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Playing Along With Color Hues

Hello friends~   I've been working outside in the gardens when the sun is shining, but it rained all day yesterday, giving me the chance to play with paper flowers in my craft room.  So, I'm popping in with a trio of cards I made using the colors Coral and Teal, from Color Hues Challenge. 

I don't know what the trick is to getting "real" color when photographing cards.  The coral colors look more orangey to me and the teal almost takes on a forest green color.  At any rate, they really are coral and teal colors.

I cut the arch using Scrapbook.com Nested Arches and put a piece of printed scrapbooking paper behind.  That color seems to display the coral color the best.  The Hellebores flowers are from Marianne Designs and the sentiment is a premade foiled sentiment from Pinkfresh Studio.

Since I cut out many flowers and leaves, I went on to make two more cards.

Happily using up more of that printed paper and some of the Pinkfresh sentiments.  

I have a few flower gardens in my yard, but never have I grown Hellebore.  They're a super early spring flowering perennial.  I may just need to find space for them.   Until then, I'll enjoy making them with paper!

I'll be adding one of these cards to the following challenges:

Color Hues ~ Coral & Teal

Cut It Up ~ Send Me Flowers

Word Art Wednesday ~ Anything Goes 

Thanks for stopping by!