Hello Lovely!

It's been a minute since I've spent time in my craft room.  Card making has taken a back seat to seed starting indoors.  Spring is on the way, friends!  

 

I did manage to get this simple but feminine card made.  This lovely embossing folder is called Chinoisery, from Honey Bee Stamps.  

 

I rubbed just the lightest touch of color onto the raised parts using Distress Inks and added a sentiment that also came from Honey Bee Stamps.

 

A simple stitched rectangle frame from PTI framed the image so nicely. 

 

I hope you're getting some spring weather where you are.  We got 2-3 more inches of snow last night, but I'm not letting that dampen my spring spirit!

 

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

Just Us Girls ~ Word Week ~ "Embossing"

 

Word Art Wednesday ~ Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Time Flies When You're Crafting ~ CCS

Hello friends~  Time is whizzing by and the New Year will be here before you know it.  

 

I've got a pretty easel card up on the CutCardStock blog today, featuring many quality cardstock types found at CutCardStock.

 

If you'd like more details on how this card came together, I sure would love a visit from you at the CutCardStock blog. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Using Old Stencils in a Primitive Way

Good morning friends~  A few years ago, a friend of mine gave me all of her craft supplies (as if I didn't already have enough of my own).  It was so much fun going through the supplies as a lot of it was much older stuff. 

 

 One item that piqued my interest was a set of four bird stencils that came with velour panels for painting on.  I always thought it would be fun to try the stencils on cardstock, but I tucked the set of stencils away and well, you know how that goes.  They got forgotten.

  

I found them just the other day and decided to give one of the birds a try.  I was pleasantly surprised by the results.

 

Except that I smudged on some of the black from the bird onto one of the flowers.  Can you see it??  As a way to hide it, I added on colored pencil details, in hopes of making it less visible.  I also randomly stamped some script in a few of the negative spaces.

 

Once that was done, I cut the panel using a stitched rectangle and did some ink blending while the panel was still in the die.  While the ink smudge is still noticeable, it looks more at home with a primitive background.

There are three more birds in this set that are just waiting to be used again.  I looked for a date on the papers but couldn't find one.  I'm guessing this is from the 80's.  I'm so glad that our craft is always being reinvented and we can use the old stuff right along with the new.

 

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

The Sisterhood of Crafters ~ Anything Fall

Word Art Wednesday ~ Anything Goes

Neglected Stuff Challenge ~  Stencil went unused for way too long.

Stencil Fun ~ October 

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 Fun!

Hello friends~  Today's card is full of tropical fun!

 

  

I have a dear friend who loves pink flamingos and she just celebrated her birthday at the beginning of this month.  

 

Every year I make her a pink flamingo card.  Sometimes it's a challenge to come up with fresh new designs for her, but this card ended up turning out super cute. 

 

I used Marianne Designs Pink Flamingo Floatie paired with this leafy Sylvan Frame by Poppystamps.  I made it into an easel card for something slightly different.  I'm so glad to say she loved it.

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

Word Art Wednesday ~ Anything Goes

Four Seasons ~ Summer Challenge

 

AAA Cards ~ Summer Activity

 

 

Hope you're enjoying some beautiful weather in your neighborhood.  It's been gorgeous here on the east coast.  Summer if fleeting by way too quickly.

Thanks for stopping by!

Simple Designer Paper Cards

Hello friends.  I've been keeping quite busy working outside in the gardens and haven't spent a whole lot of time indoors, let alone in my craft room.  We recently had a couple of rainy days that kept me inside, so I set to work in my craft space to add a few cards to my stash and perhaps put a small dent in the massive pile of design paper I've held on to for years.

I also recently purchased a few dies from Honeybee Stamps.  This Lovely Layers Birdbath was one of them.  I love feeding the birds and was quite taken by this recent release.

 

 The embossed details on the birdbath, and the layered details give this a wonderfully realistic feel.  

 

 

The printed papers came from various packs.  I went through and pulled out papers that I thought complimented each other and made up a few backgrounds and then added the die cuts to the card fronts.

 

This Lovely Layers Topiary somehow made it into my cart as well.  Funny how that happens.  It's hard to see on the vase, but there's a pretty embossed detail.  I used a textured cardstock to cut the vase out of, so it lost some of the detail.  On smooth cardstock, the design really stands out well as you'll see in the photo below. 

 

 

 The sentiments were also pulled from various sets from PTI and Pinkfresh Studio.

 

I believe this sentiment is from an older Sweet N' Sassy Stamps set.

 I'm happy to have put a small dent in my patterned papers and added a few cards to my stash at the same time.

 

I'll be entering one of these cards into the following challenges:

Word Art Wednesday ~ Anything Goes

A Cut Above ~ Anything Goes

Love Those Pretty Papers ~ (I did not use the option of "Wedding")

Thanks for stopping by!

Frames ~ A Mini Album ~ Double D Challenges

It's time for a new challenge over at Double D Challenges.  This week the theme is "Frames".  This challenge had me stumped, so I started looking through my vast pile of scrapbooking papers and found this kit from Mintay called "Home For Christmas".

"Where are the frames" you say?  I'll get there, I promise. Because Mintay papers are so beautiful, it's hard to narrow down to make just one card, so I opted to make a mini album.

 

 Lets start with this handsome nutcracker.  He filled the cover of the mini album perfectly.

Open the album and now you'll see where the "frames" came into play.

This paper pack had an entire sheet filled with frames, perfect for adding photo's or captions, to preserve some beautiful Christmas memories.

Each page holds a different surprise.  From flaps that lift to add more space to removable tags for journaling.

The paper has the most beautiful scenes which easily made into a tri-fold flip out panel.  

This page has a hidden pocket....

Which reveals another wonderful tag!  Just look at how gorgeous these paper are!!

A few more frames to find on this tri-fold pull out.

A little pocket at the back of the album makes for a great spot to save more of those lovely frames.

The album in its completion, tied closed with a vintage lace ribbon.

I hope you enjoyed today's project and will be inspired by this wonderful inspiration panel:

Please do stop by Double D Challenges to see more amazing designs from the entire talented team.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Pond Life

Hello friends~  I'm just popping in with a card I made using The Pond Postage Collage stencils from Waffle Flower.  There are so many on the market today, it's hard to keep up.

 

 

 I chose to use muted colors for this card.  Keeping things calm in my craft room.

 

 

 I didn't add a sentiment as I thought the card was busy enough on it's own.

 

 

Wishing you all a safe and happy Memorial weekend.  May we always remember those who've made the ultimate sacrifice.

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

Stencil Fun ~ Optional theme of "bouquets", which I did not use.

Word Art Wednesday ~ Anything Goes

Just Us Girls ~ Stencil Week

Thanks for stopping by!