Saturday, October 31, 2015

Happy Little Stampers November Sketch Challenge

Hello and happy November!! I'm here with a card for this month's
Happy Little Stampers Sketch Challenge.

Here's the sketch:


Now here's my card:

I used papers from My Minds Eye "Vintage Christmas for the layout and the sentiment is from Mixed Christmas Sentiments.

Be sure to stop by the Happy Little Stampers Blog to check all the designers fabulous cards for inspiration and then join in on the fun for your chance to win a super great prize!!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Friday, October 30, 2015

Tag You're It!

Ok, one more post for today because I want to get this added to the linky over at Tag You're It!


Since I don't have a need for Halloween tags, (no grandkids & no trick-or-treaters), I decided to go with a lighter messaged tag for this challenge. (Hope that's not breaking the tag-making rules). I used MFT's Tag Builder set along with their Gerbera Daisy die and a couple of Layered Leaves from MFT. I stamped a typing text background onto the tag in smoky shadow on smoky shadow cardstock to get a tone on tone look. I also don't have that cool flippy tab to make a folded tag so I added a die cut index file. The sentiment is also from MFT's Cheerful Blessings set.

Thanks so much for visiting! Blessings~ Birgit

Playing in Time Out!

Good morning friends~ I'm here with a card for Time Out Challenges. I even used their optional twist of using pink and/or purple on my card!

I have two vintage style cards to share with you today using images from The Cameo Shoppe on etsy.

I stamped my own plaid background for both of them prior to making these cards. I didn't have any images in mind when I was stamping plaid backgrounds in my craft room, I just wanted to have some on hand. When I found these two images, they fit the colors perfectly!

These cards came together super quickly since the plaids were stamped way ahead of time and just adding a few die cut embellishments here and there.

I'll also be adding one of these cards into the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit! Blessings~ Birgit

Why Yes, It Is Still Fall!

Hello friends~ I've been so caught up in Christmas challenges that I'm wanting to take a step back and remember that it is still October, almost November, so I'm entering this card into the Sisterhood of Crafters challenge, FALL Is In The Air.


I started by cutting a Comic Strip Die Cover Plate from PTI in rustic cream cardstock and applied it to a kraft card base. The pumpkins and the pie are cut using old Quickutz dies and the flower cluster is from PTI's Quilted Spring. The sentiment is an old wood mounted stamp from a company called Repeat Impressions, right here in Freeport, Maine.


This next card uses images from Simon Says Stamp, Just Rite Stamps and Cornish Heritage Farms.

I'll be entering one of these cards into the following challenges
Word Art Wednesday
Sisterhood of Crafters
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge
Simon Says Monday Challenge ~ throwback to Autumn Is In The Air

Thanks so much for looking! Blessings~ Birgit

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Merry & Bright

Here's another post for today! I've been wanting to make a card for the Merry Monday Lights & Glitter challenge and I just emerged from my craft room with this card.

I used lightbulbs from my mom's Sissix and added lots and lots of glitter. I am now covered in glitter on my face, my hair, my clothes and the carpet but it's all worth it. The sentiment is from WPlus9.

I'll be entering this card into the following challenges:

Word Art Wednesday
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

HEARTFELT WISHES ~ A CASology Challenge

Hello... I'm just popping in to share this CAS card I made and add it to a couple of challenges.

I used MFT's Blueprints #20 for the quilted panel cut in white cardstock. I added color to the heart and popped it up using foam tape to make it stand out. The cute little gal is from MFT's Birdie Brown "Warmest Wishes", colored with copics. I just loved coloring her up and giving her life!!

This card came together so quickly and I'll be entering it into the following challenges:
CASology ~ using a heart
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ~ anything goes
Rodolph Days Challenge
Word Art Wednesday Challenge
Pixie's Snippets Playground
Classy Cards 'n Such ~ Squirrel-y friends

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

PTI's Make-It Monday ~ Pearlized Blending

This week's MIM video is from Lizzie Jones, on pearlized blending. What a fun and easy technique and I love the results!!

This was my first card and I was going to do something more in line with what Lizzie did, by adding an image and sentiment banner to the bottom of the circle. But, when I finished pearlizing my circle it looked like an ornament to me so that's what it became. I noticed that Connie's card was an ornament, and a stunning one at that, so I decided to try it again.


This time I changed the layout, putting the pearlized circle in the center and adding some small snowflakes using first and second generation stamping.

Sorry for my poor photography skills. The sheen from the pearlized blending was hard for me to capture with my ipad. I used the sentiment and sled from "Six Feet Deep" to finish the card off.

I'm also adding this into the following challenges:
Word Art Wednesday
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Thanks so much for looking! Blessings~ Birgit

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Happy Little Stampers Second Release Blog Hop

Welcome to my little part of the Happy Little Stampers Second Release Blog Hop!

Take a good look at all the fabulous new sets that have been released this month, visit each of the designers blogs and leave a comment for your chance to win one of 4 fabulous prizes!!

I've got lots of cards to share so let's jump right in.

I'll start with the cutest little critters from Birthday Friends.


Aren't these little fellas cute? All the stamps I used are found in this set, plus more fun images and sentiments. Perfect for creating fun birthday cards. You don't have to use these little guys just for birthdays either. Look what I've done with my next couple of cards.

Is this Hippo, not the cutest hippo ever? I stamped tiny bells and some hand drawn strings tied to his tail and paired him up with Mixed Christmas Sentiments


On this card, I stamped the elephants in a row and colored them in soft pastels to create a sweet little baby card.

Next up, I'll be showcasing "Thinking Of You". The fonts in this set are so classy and elegant!

For this card, I stamped the beautiful text background image onto these two postage stamp die cuts and lightly aged them with distress ink. The butterfly from Butterfly Birthday was stamped and heat embossed in gold as well as the sentiment and pretty little scroll from Thinking Of You.

Check out the lovely font and sentiments in these next three cards using Thinking Of You.


That's it for me today, but be sure to make your way along the hop to each of the designers blog and leave some love along the way for your chance to win.

You can find all the new products at Happy Little Stampers.

Blessings~ Birgit


Happy Little Stampers
Kylie Purtell
Loll Thompson
Joyce Mehrberg
Gloria Lee
Tanja Kabel
Susan Bridgman
LesLee Stone Ramus
Gail Townsend
Carol Steedman
Melissa Lane
Linda Walmsley
Birgit Norton ~ That's me!
Kim Heggins
Valentyna
Sue Trembeth
Bonnie Klass
Toni
Chrissie
Anita
Carol Dunham
Ingrid Blackburn

PTI October Blog Hop

It seems like just yesterday I was enjoying the warmth of the summer sunshine and the beauty of our flower gardens and here it is, late October and I'm thinking about Christmas already!! My, how time has flown by!! This month's PTI blog hop is inspired by the scene's and scents of the holiday season coming quickly upon us. Take a look at this beautiful inspiration photo and tell me you don't feel a little bit excited about the coming Christmas season.


I was so wishing I had PTI's new Spruce & Sprigs stamp set for this challenge but I made do with what I do have.

I used Out On A Limb and the sprigs from Peaceful Pine Cones to create my scene. The berries were stamped from the Ruby Rose set and covered in stickles. I die cut the top layer of the Holiday Double Cuts word "Merry" from the panel and then added the bottom layer of the die cut, in pure poppy.


I made this bonus card because I was inspired by the Christmas ornament in the box of greens.
I used Tag Sale #4 in pure poppy and added a strip of white that I cut using a landscape die to give it the curved angle. Some white dots were added with a gel pen. I stamped a snowflake from Peace Be Still and heat embossed the sentiment in gold, bending it slightly to fit the curve. Die cut sprigs and cones from Peaceful Pine Cones frame the ornament. I added a fun little Melissa Phillips "junk bow" to the top and a cute little dove to the bow.

Have fun along the hop!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Friday, October 23, 2015

Making Cards with Marcia

Happy Friday everyone!! I'm here with a monthly post that my sweet online friend Marcia and I started a couple of months ago. We have a new challenge each month and this month was using free and/or purchased printables that can be found online.
Here's some of my cards

On this card I used a printed panel and added leaves from PTI's Songbird set that I colored with copics and a die cut butterfly that Marcia sent me, as we also recently did a die cut swap. The sentiment is from Happy Little Stampers, "Thinking Of You", embossed in gold

I think this made for a very elegant card.


This next card was made using a printed bird image. I used another sentiment from the Happy Little Stampers "Thinking Of You" set and heat embossed it in black on a pre-cut and printed round tag.


Vintage seed package printables can be found all over the internet! I love anything vintage so this card is right up my alley!!


I think this one is my favorite using two free printable images found online. The Thankful card is so old, saved from my scrapbooking days. I stamped the "for you" to the bottom of the card. I added some clear Wink of Stella to the eggs in the nest.

I'm not sure if it shows up in the picture or not, but it's really a sweet touch in real life!


On this card I used a preprinted scrapbook panel and added my sentiment from Simon Says Stamps "Absolutely Delightful" and fussy cut out the printed flower image found online. A little pink bow and some gems finish it off.


And last but not least, I used a printed vintage sales receipt found online that I printed and distressed a bit for added "age". The wooden sign is a die cut that I've been hoarding holding on to for years. I'm glad I finally found the right project to use it.

Be sure to stop by Marcia's blog and see the beautiful cards she made using printable images.

I'll be adding one of these cards to the following challenges
Word Art Wednesday Challenge
Stampin Smiles Design Team Call using leaves, embossing & sparkles
The Shabby Tea Room for color & pattern
City Crafters Challenge using wood

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Focal Clusters with PTI

Good morning PTI friends. It's a dark and dreary day here in Maine but the sun is shining with this cheerful card! I finally found time to get in my craft room to make a card for the MIM Challenge. This week was Lexi's turn and I love her idea of creating focal clusters. I have to admit that this one really challenged me in a good way. I had a hard time thinking of sets that I could put together to do this technique with. Here's what I came up with.

I used the second helping of Bowl of Sunshine and Tea for Two Additions to make my focal cluster. The colors are a bit bright and were hard to photograph. I did add some clear Wink Of Stella to the lemons but I don't think you can see it in the photograph.
I wanted to give it another try, but this one isn't a favorite. I used the colors from The Card Concept



For this card, I used Note Niblets and went with the angled panel like Lexi did on one of her cards. I love that look and don't think to do it very often.

I'll also be adding this card to the Word Art Wednesday Challenge.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Happy Birthday MIMI

I had a request to make a birthday card for a "mimi" and the colors are perfect for the Color Throwdown challenge.


I used an MFT Blueprints #22 die for the curved panel and pink strip. I used Ranger Ink Peacock Feather to blend in some squares using MFT's Square Grid Stencil. The flower is stamped using PTI's Rosie Posie and the leaves were cut using MFT's Layered Leaves.

I'm also entering this card into the Word Art Wednesday Challenge

Thanks so much for looking! Blessings~ Birgit

Santa's Little Elves ~ Tag You're It!

I just couldn't resist adding one of these tags into the Tag You're It challenge this week.
Here's the inspiration photo:

I made them to put on my two little nephews and little nieces gifts for Christmas this year

I used MFT's Pierced Tag Stax and WPlus9's Landscape Border Dies for the tags and added the little elves from MFT's Santa's Elves.
I added Wink Of Stella to each of the bells on all three tags and the ornament on this one. I'm surprised that it actually showed up in the photo!
This tag is for their newest little one born just about 4 weeks ago!

There you have it! A trio of elfish tags and I've got a start on my tag making this year. Woohoo!

I'll also be adding these tags into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Creating Along With PTI

I finally found some time to play in my craft room this morning
and join in on the fun to Create Along with PTI

My card ensemble was inspired by Lizzie Jones' CAS style card and pillow box found in this post.


I like her CAS layout and went with the die cut tea cup, backed with gold and filled with a Painted Poinsettia. I heat embossed the sentiment from Happiest of Holidays in gold.

While I had my supplies out, I decided to make a pillow box also inspired by one that Lizzie made in that same blog post.


I'll also be entering this card into the following challenges
Word Art Wednesday Challenge
Classy Cards 'n Such

Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings~ Birgit

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

It's All About YOU

Is it really all about you?? Well, these cards are! I'm entering one of them into the CASology Challenge this week where the theme is "YOU".

These cards were inspired by my dear friend Marcia and her card found here. It made me think of vintage ladies handkerchiefs and I just had to give one a try, maybe two... or perhaps four!


I used MFT's Blueprints #20 to cut the scalloped panel, which is the base for my hankies. Then I used PTI's Embroidered Elegance and Stitched Sentiments to create the floral patterns on the hankies.
I'll also be entering one of these cards into the Word Art Wednesday Challenge.

Thanks so much for looking! Blessings~ Birgit