WINTER COUNTRYSIDE

The challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown caught my attention.  Christmas cards are the most fun to make and your imagination can run wild.  

I started with some blue background paper and cut a snowy hillside from some white glitter paper.  The wine glass is an old die from Avery Elle called Wine Shaker Set.  I made the buckle from a die set by Spellbinders called Pack It In.  I used the Stamping Bella stamp, Santa Sleigh Silhouette across the sky.  The sentiment comes from Your Next Stamp titled Reinbeer.  Many of these supplies I have had for years and it is fun to mix and match them!

Thank you for visiting and Cheers!

MFT COLOR CHALLENGE 162

 

When I saw the new color challenge from My Favorite Things, I was challenged!  The new MFT Color Challenge 162 was to use these colors:

I seem to have very few Easter stamps and dies, so I had to get creative.  I used the MFT Balloon Shaker die set.  I only used the interior shape which happens to look exactly like an egg!  I made the two grassy levels and attached them to the patterned paper.  Then I cut through all of them with the balloon die in the exact spot I wanted!  MFT has amazing shaker pouches for many of their dies so I used that to include some spring type sequins.  I cut the shape one more time from patterned paper which has every color and used as a backer for the shaker.  I stamped that sentiment in the bottom right corner using Eiffel Tower ink.  The speech bubble sentiment is from MFT stamp set Geek is Chic.  I had to cut the sentiment into two pieces to fit in the speech bubble.  Then I added one more plain egg.  The little bumble bee is a brad that just added the right touch!

Sadly, I think the products used have all been discontinued except the ink color.  MFT makes wonderful stamps and die sets that I have proven never go out of style!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog.

ART IMPRESSIONS - NEW CHALLENGE "TO DIE FOR"

 

                                             

Art Impressions newest challenge To Die For immediately caught my eye.  I am a big fan of Art Impression stamps, especially the animals and people.  

I stamped the Birdie and Egg Carton image (which I think is discontinued) and colored it with Copic markers.  When I mounted it, I cut the feet out so they would stand out since they are one of the funny parts of this stamp.  I stamped some chicken feet all over the background.  The sentiment is a very old stamp and I have no idea where it came from!

Die cutting is now available on many of the Art Impressions stamp sets.  Yeah!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog.  I hope this inspires you to contact an old friend!

2019 CAT LOVERS HOP

Her Peaceful Garden blog is doing a blog hop, all about cats!  There are so many wonderful prizes and I thought this post would be fun.

I recently have been having so much fun, incorporating cross stitch on my cards.  I used the Marianne Design cross stitch die to cut all the holes in the white card stock.  I cross stitched the design and added glass beads for the eyes and nose.  This was mounted onto lemon patterned paper with 4 brass brads.  I die cut the letters from heavy black card stock.  The inside is blank since this silly card could be used for any occasion.  

Although I do not have a cat, my niece and brother send me funny pictures of their cats, every day!  When my niece was in Ireland, she found a stray kitten.  I helped arrange to have it flown back to the United States and it has become the cutest and funniest kitten ever!  Her are some pictures of Maya:

When they found her hiding under a car, she had singed her eyelashes on the hot tail pipe.

She loved riding in the car especially on the dashboard.

When Maya was not being curious, she was sleeping!







Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog.  

MY FAVORITE THINGS SUPERSTAR - INNOVATION MASTER

My Favorite Things Superstar challenge had three groups and this card is for the Innovation Master.  Make something interactive.  Not an easy assignment for me, I am too controlling.  But I decided a shaker card at least had borders and some control!

I started with a Halloween green paper and picked out 6 stamps from the MFT Spooky Sentiments stamp set.  These 6 made almost a perfect square.  I stamped them using Wilted Violet Distress Oxide Ink since I knew it would stay purple on top of the green.  I cut some orange card stock for the frame and placed an acetate window on it.  Green, orange, purple, black and silver sequins were carefully poured in.  I stuck the sets of wiggly eyes so they would stay in place and the sequins would shake around them.  It really is a fun card to play with!

I have enjoyed the challenge of these three groups from MFT.  I at least feel like a superstar with my entries!

Thank you for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS SUPERSTAR - COLORING VIRTUSO

My Favorite Things Superstar also has a coloring challenge called Coloring Virtuso.

When I think of colors this time of year, what stands out for me is the beautiful autumn colors for the leaves.  I used the MFT Autumn Wreath die on some heavy water color paper.  I was going to do a wreath, but instead cut them all apart.  I colored them with Zig Markers and had so much fun blending each leaf all the different shades of fall.  My fingers were bright red!  I then stamped the sentiment from MFT Get Toasty stamp set.  I did an ombre effect with orange and red ink for the sentiment and then embossed it with clear powder to give it a nice shine.

Thank you for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS SUPERSTAR - CLEAN AND SIMPLE GENIUS

My Favorite Things is having a Superstar contest for some great prizes.  I am entering this card into the Clean and Simple Genius group.

I love to make clean and simple.  Usually it is just that.  I cut the tissue box from the MFT Bedside Comfort die set.  I made a little tissue out of real tissue.  I stamped the sentiment from the MFT Deepest Sympathy stamp set.  So many great phrases to use for these sad occasions.  

Sadly, I will have to mail this card.  I hope it helps!

Thank you for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS - SUMMER SCHOOL - DAY FIVE

Last day of Summer School.  The lesson for My Favorite Things; Ombre style card.  Love it, so easy to do.

I die cut the tie using the MFT Suit and Die collection from Bristol paper and blended it with Salty Ocean Distress Oxide ink.  Blends like butter.  I blended a small row of blue on more of the Bristol paper and die cut the letters using the MFT Emmitt alphabet dies. The birthday sentiment was white embossed from the MFT Howdy stamp set, which is the oldest stamp set I own!  I mounted them on some turquoise paper for a more manly look.

After these 5 days of lessons, cards and postings, I am ready to tie one on myself!

Thanks for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS - SUMMER SCHOOL - DAY FOUR

For day four of the My Favorite Things Summer School, Rainbows was the challenge.  

I used the MFT Flying Butterflies die and cut it with 110 pound card stock.  I then cut strips of the rainbow paper and placed them behind the rows of butterflies.  I repeated the red row again at the bottom.  I white heat embossed the sentiment which is from MFT More Essential Sentiments on black card stock, fish tailed the banner and I was done!  Clean and simple if you don't include the 53 butterflies.

Thank you for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS - SUMMER SCHOOL - DAY THREE

For lesson three at My Favorite Things Summer School; Visual Triangle was the lesson.  We probably do this sometimes and not even aware of it, but it does create a pleasing card.

I die cut the background into 3 sections using the MFT Snow Drift dies and did some water coloring and then pieced them back together as one sheet.  I stamped the cactus and llama from the MFT Llama Love stamp and die set and water colored them as well.  I popped them up with foam tape and that created the triangle with the 3 cacti.  My sentiment is cut from MFT Emmitt Alphabet dies, great narrow letters and the "thanks" word came from MFT Toasty stamp set; just the perfect size.  I think my favorite part is his blanket of bright red and orange.

Thank you for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS - SUMMER SCHOOL - DAY TWO

Today's lesson for the My Favorite Things Summer School was Focal Point.  A good lesson with lots of great tips.

You have to look carefully, I dry embossed the yellow background using the MFT stencil Sun Ray.  The rays point towards the flower.  I die cut the MFT Lily from 110 pound white card stock and colored them with Copic markers.  No matter how many colors of paper I have, I never seem to have what I am looking for!  The sentiment is from my very favorite stamp set in the whole world, MFT More Essential Sentiments.  I love that stamp set since all the words are capital letters and it is so easy to get it straight by pushing it along with a ruler.  The sentiment also had "you get me." which I cut off. I popped it up with a little foam tape.  My original plan did not have the narrow black border around the yellow, but it needed it.  Some plans only look good in your mind until you see them!  I put 3 small drops of glossy accents on one petal which look like dew drops.

Thank you for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS - SUMMER SCHOOL - DAY ONE

The first lesson for the My Favorite Things Summer School was Monochromatic designs.  You use a monochromatic palette as the focal point of the card.  Black is a color, right?  

I die cut the six tissue boxes in white and shades of gray and black using the MFT Bedside Comfort die set.  There is a folded tissue die in that set, but I made 6 little tissues from real bathroom tissue paper.  I mounted them on subtle striped vellum paper which I cut with the MFT In & Out Stitched Rectangle dies.  The stitching on the edge of the vellum defines the shape of the box and gives some definition.  Easy to mount the vellum with glue just behind the tissue boxes. I stamped the sentiment from the MFT Deepest Sympathy stamp set in black ink. 

Sympathy cards are typically easy to make since I tend to use a simple palette.  The sentiments in the stamp set are amazing and help to send a sad message with style. 

Thank you for visiting.

IMPRESSION OBSESSION - IT'S A GUY THING! CHALLENGE

When I saw this stamp set, I had to have it.  I have so many dog and cat friends, I knew I would get lots of use from it.  I thought it would be perfect for the Impression Obsession It's a Guy Thing challenge.  That is a man's man dog!

The stamp set is the IO Mini Peekers, #CS861.   I colored the dog in with copic markers.  The brown edge is to look like wood and was also done with copic markers.

The brick wall was made by my IO Cover-a-Card Distressed Brick #CC083 stamp.  I masked off the dog and stamped it with Fired Brick distress ink.  It just looked too red, so I colored in some of the bricks with colored pencils to give that used brick look and I was very happy with those results!  

I used the IO Grass Border Die, #DIE060-I in two different shades of green, slightly offset from one another to put some texture on the card.  

The sentiment was made using the IO Alpha Plain Uppercase, #DIE158-H dies. I had to get creative.  There was no "?" in the set so I took a capital "P", and cut off one side and used a period from the lowercase set for the dot.  Pretty smart!

Sometimes it just all comes together!  Please visit the Impression Obsession store for lots of inspiring stamps and dies.

Thank you for visiting.

MEMORY BOX CHALLENGE - RAINBOWS

Rainbows!  I love to put them on cards, always makes them so colorful.  I was anxious to enter the Memory Box Challenge for Rainbows.

I die cut the Memory Box Dizzy Butterflies die from white card stock.  I used Copic markers and colored the rainbow colors.  I also cut two more of the butterfly die from black card stock and stacked them altogether to give the card some dimension.  The sentiment just seemed perfect!!

A few rhinestones in the center of the little flowers was just the right finishing touch.

Thank you for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS SUMMER CAMP - BONUS DAY DIVINE DRY EMBOSSING

And I thought Summer Camp was over.  Bonus event with Divine Dry Embossing, around the campfire!

Dry embossing is a great technique and the lesson also had some great pointers. I used the MFT Flying Butterflies die on heavy white card stock.  I then die cut 6 of the butterflies and did a rainbow color scheme.  The "thanks" is the MFT Emmitt Alphabet letters, just love them!

I now have all 6 badges and I am proud to display them.

Thanks for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS SUMMER CAMP - DAY 5 GLITZY GLITTER

Hard to believe, 5 days are done.  Day 5 was called Glitzy Glitter.

I love the look of glitter, but being a neat freak, it sometimes get messy.  I used the MFT Sunflower die and cut the petals.  When I tried to cut the center, which has 200 small holes, the glitter fell apart, so I cheated a bit.  I took a piece of silver glitter card stock and colored it brown with a copic marker and then the center cut perfectly.  The word "friend" comes from MFT Blueprints 8.  Clean and simple, but boy does it sparkle!

After cleaning up after this little beauty, I was anxious to display the badge.  Thank you for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS SUMMER CAMP - DAY FOUR SENSATIONAL SLIDERS

For Day Four, a real challenge for me, a slider card.  I am really proud to display this badge.

After giving this lots of thought, I decided to make a waterfall card.

I thought it might be easier, but after several hours of planning, maybe not.

 I used the MFT Get Toasty stamp set.  I stamped the marshmallows, only using the edges to give a roasted effect. The two flames were stamped on the back of the paper and fussy cut.  This fun paper is actually a gift bag from the dollar store. It has great prismatic effects and the camera caught it perfectly.  I stamped the sentiment in white embossing powder to match the white in the card.

When the slider is pulled down, you see the stick.  

Sometimes the things at camp are tough, this was for me!  There is always tomorrow.

Thank you for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS SUMMER CAMP - DAY THREE SPECTACULAR SHAKERS

Day three, another badge in Summer Camp at My Favorite Things.

Shaker cards.  Love to get them, hate to make them!  But if you do something enough, you catch on.  Lots of great tips in today's lesson.  I cut the MFT Layer Champagne glass die into the black paper.  The two glasses are one shaker.  I cut the foam in a square hole to accommodate both glasses.  This allows the glasses to be close to each other and when you shake it, one glass can be pretty empty or full, however you imagine it!  I filled them with just gold beads which look like champagne bubbles.  I cut the stems from silver paper and inlaid into the opening.  Cheers and I was all done!

My Favorite Things has come out with plastic shaker pouches which are amazing.  It makes these cards a breeze to make.  Maybe someday they will have some image shapes in addition to the square, round and heart shapes.

Thank you for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS SUMMER CAMP - DAY TWO REMARKABLE RESIST

Here is my badge from Day Two of My Favorite Things Summer Camp.

The challenge was to create a resist background using embossing ink.  I stamped the MFT Pin Stripes background stamp on water color paper using white embossing powder.  Since I just received my Distress Oxide Inks, I decided to give them a try.  So much fun. I dropped the ink, Broken China and Cracked Pistachio in by mixing it with water and drying in between the layers. My first attempt had been to use the Cheesecloth background stamp, but the pattern was too fine.  But we never throw anything away, so I ended up cutting the tie from that paper using MFT Suit and Tie die.   

I blended those same two inks on a strip of paper to cut out the letters using the MFT Emmit Alphabet. Very versatile alphabet set since they are narrow and tall and fit just about anywhere. These oxide inks blend so easily!  I then stamped Happy Birthday from the MFT Stay Tuned stamp set in the Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide ink to match the tie.

I have done this method many times and I always like the outcome.  I like the shine from the embossing in contrast with the inking.

Thank you for visiting.

MY FAVORITE THINGS SUMMER CAMP - DAY ONE WONDERFUL WATERCOLOR

Day one of Summer Camp with My Favorite Things.  This is my third year and I am looking forward to learning new techniques.

The assignment was to create a water colored background.  I started with Bristol smooth watercolor paper and added Zig Clean Color Markers in a rainbow color palette.  These markers blend so easily on this paper, you can hardly go wrong!  My favorite part is the color does not go to the edge and the watery areas.  There are never two alike! Splattering some black ink was the challenge for me. Hard to control, but I think they all landed where I wanted them.  I used the MFT stamp and die set called Stay Tuned (I don't think it is available anymore).  I have discovered some glitter paper that is amazing since NONE of the glitter comes off and in the light, it sparkles!  I used that for the frame around the TV.  I embossed the TV screen with some silver sparkle embossing powder. 

The card is clean and simple, but hard to say with that background being so colorful!

Thank you for visiting and see you tomorrow.