Hydrangeas Two Ways

I created a card today to help a cause brought to my attention by my friend Jinny.  Jinny knows a very special family, who has faced some difficult hurdles in the recent past, and now one more has been placed before them.  Matt Nagel, father and husband to this special family, died very suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 35.  He suffered a stroke while running with friends.  Jinny's special request is to provide some solace for Matt's beloved family by sending a handmade card.  I think I can do that.  :o)  (you can read more on their story by clicking on the link above)

I used a Cardabilities sketch, and am also entering this at Lily Pad Cards challenge (flowers):

I made two of these cards and switched out the sentiment, so I can send the following one to my mother.

The hydrangea and sentiment on the first card are from Stampin' Up!'s Because I Care, and the gratitude sentiment is Verve.

Thanks for joining me today!



Dimensions:  4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Because I Care - SU; Celebration of Thanks - Verve (for second card)
Paper: white - PTI; Basic Black - SU
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Other: Scallop Diamond border punch - EK Success; Big Shot; oval die - Spellbinders; Copic markers; pearls; Lemon Yellow Liquid Pearls; Roses embossing folder - Cuttlebug
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Sweet Baby

Hello everyone!  My blog's been a bit quiet lately (well, only since last Thursday - ha!).  The kids were on spring break last week, and having them home just made the days that much busier.  I was also crafting up a Christmas storm for Paper Crafts' Submission Call (keeping my fingers - and toes - crossed).  

My 13 YO and I joined a yoga class this past weekend, and attended both Saturday and Sunday.  We both really enjoyed it, but I need to find a different yoga studio.  This one keeps the room temperature at 90 degrees, and adds humidity, so that you sweat out the toxins.  I get it, but my asthma doesn't!  I found it hard to breathe toward the second half of class.  There are other studios around, so I'll be checking them out this week.  As far as the workouts went, it was great.  I really didn't think I actually HAD any stomach muscles left, after two kids, years of inactivity, and a hysterectomy.  LOL  Well, they made sure I KNEW they are still there!!  I'm sore, but in a really good kind of way.  In yesterday's yoga class, there was a harpist playing beautiful music.  Oh, my.  What peace and tranquility she brought to me.  I went home with her CD.  ;-)

I do actually have a card to show today.  :o}

Challenges entered:

• Papercraft Inspirations - Punched Shapes (this is a new-to-me challenge) Punched: doily lace border, circle die cut, alpha letters
• CASE Study - inspiration from Laurie Schmidlin's beautiful card.  I took away the ivory lace border, the approximate sketch, and the colors (minus pink, but adding green)
• Featured Stamper - Splitcoast - Shellie Daniel (shellied on SCS) - I CASE'd THIS card, using the approximate sketch, neutral colors and baby occasion
• City Crafter - it's their birthday, and the challenge is to CASE one of their designers cards from the gallery.  I chose my friend Linda Robinson's card. She used green/neutrals, polka dots, a white flower (I used white flower lace) and an animal, so I picked out those features.

The giraffe is cute, isn't he, with his party hat and frilly collar.  He was $1 at Michael's.  I created the background paper, stamping a Harlequin pattern and Manuscript on retired dotted SU paper.  The alphabet die cuts were in one of those $1 Scrap Bags from my SU demonstrator (thanks, Gail!).  I just sponged some white ink to soften their edges.

Just wanted to share that a few of my cards were featured last week, brightening my days.  At Cardabilities, I was the Featured Designer for 'Easter Wishes'.  At Moxie Fab World, I was a  Practical Solutions Challenge Winner for 'Age is a Number'.  And at Frosted Designs, I was Spotlighted for 'King of My Heart'.

I have a new post at my photo blog, bleu hydrangea, if you'd like to visit.

Thanks so much for joining me today!  I hope you have a beautiful day.



Dimensions: 3 7/8” x 5 ½”
Stamps: giraffe - Michael’s; Manuscript Background - Hero Arts; Harlequin Background, Circles and Dots -  Inkadinkado; All Year Greetings - Fiskars
Paper: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Whisper White - Stampin’ Up!; Patterned paper: Stampin’ Up!
Ink: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi, Basic Black - Stampin’ Up!
Fibers:  (lace) Offray
Other: pearls - Queen & Co.; die cut letters - SU; Adhesive: Die: circle - Spellbinders; Punch: Doily Lace border - Martha Stewart
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Play Date Cafe 127 - Bicycle Thanks

Daffodil, hydrangea, kiwi and cherry - our bright, primary palette this week at The Play Date Cafe. 

You know me, I shy away from brights, so again I turn to lots of white with just shots of color:

The bicycle, basket and chevron stripe come from Market Street Stamps, "Riding By".  I won this set last month and this is my first chance to use it.  Love it!  The sentiment is Hero Arts.

I made a set of these for my girls to use.  They are flat - great for mailing - and I only added that little bit of twine for this card you see.  I thought it looked a little plain for blogging.  ;-)

Our sponsor this week is Simon Says Stamp:

We hope you come play with us.  We'd love to see what *you* will create!

Thanks for coming by today.  I always appreciate your visit.



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Riding By - Market Street Stamps; Everyday Sayings - Hero Arts
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: Maraschino twine - The Twinery
Other: markers - SU
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Christmas Blessings

Hello everyone!  I want to thank those of you who recently joined me on the sidebar.  :)  So good to have you here!

My friend Lesley runs a Christmas challenge called Merry Mondays.  I don't get the chance to play as often as I'd like, but had some time to work on this week's sketch:

She usually keeps her sketches pretty simple, which is good news for me.  I like simple.

I broke out a pack of My Mind's Eye Be Merry papers, bought on clearance at the end of the season at my craft store.  The two patterns you see here came from this pack. 

The large snowflake accent came just as you see it, except for the Liquid Pearls I added.  It's from Girls' Paperie Tinsel and Twig collection. 

See the Postage Stamp punch?  That's new to me, bought on clearance recently when my mom was visiting.  It was $4.00!  I fitted it with some pearls, of course.

The gingham ribbon is a steal at 40 cents a yard from Creative Impressions.  In case you're in the market for gingham.  ;-)

The sentiments come from two different Verve sets.  I needed something extra to fill the empty space, so filled it in with bits of snowflakes, too.

Thanks so much for joining me today!  See you tomorrow with a new Play Date Cafe card.  Hint: bright colors comin' your way!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Christmas Blessings, Glad Tidings - Verve
Paper: white - PTI; Real Red, Buckaroo Blue - SU; Be Merry - My Mind's Eye
Ink: Chestnut Roan - Clearsnap; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: khaki/white gingham - Creative Impressions
Other: snowflake accent - Girls' Paperie; White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger; pearls; Postage Stamp, Scallop Diamond border punches - EK Success
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Shimmery Butterfly

Hello!  I am so excited to be part of the Creative Inspirations Paint design team, and today is my first "official" post.

At Michael's craft store, I found some chipboard shapes in the Dollar Bins and bought several packs.  This pretty, embossed butterfly was in there.  I thought it was the perfect specimen to receive some shimmery paints.  :-)

First, I wiped Whisper White craft ink lightly over the butterfly, so it hit the raised areas.  Next, I used a bunch of paints on here (all listed at the bottom of this post), and love the pearly look.  The Fleur de Lis rectangle die seemed perfect for a frame.

The bottom of the card was punched with a new-to-me EK Success Scroll Pattern punch.  Love it!

Paints used:

Thank you so much for joining me on my very first CIP post!  Hope I've inspired you to get out your paints and try this, too.



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Ink: Whisper White craft - SU
Paper: white - PTI
Other: Big Shot; Fleur de Lis Rectangle die - Spellbinders; Scroll Pattern punch - EK Success; pearls, bling - Queen & Co.; Onyx, Evergreen, Green Olive, Winter Frost, Pink Highlights, Citrus, Tutu Pink, Tickled Pink paints - Creative Inspirations Paints
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Happy Anniversary

I've got one last card to show you from the pack of creations I'll be giving my step-mom as a birthday gift, to give away to others.

(I took this photo before getting more acquainted with my new camera, so the coloring on this is a bit off, even with photo-editing.  That sentiment panel is a creamy vanilla color, but it has a greenish cast in the pic.)

The Floral Background stamp from Stampin' Up! is still one of my faves, and I used Garden Green ink to stamp it over a Wild Wasabi base.

And yes, I've mixed cream and white cardstock on the same card.  I love to mix whites.  This always reminds me of the old-fashioned rules about fashion, about not mixing silver/gold, cream/white, or wearing white after Labor Day.  I say, mix those beautiful shades of white together, or the metals!

I have a new post up today at my photo blog, bleu hydrangea, if you'd like to pop over.

Thanks for coming by and Happy Easter!



Dimensions:
Stamps: Floral Background, Four Frames - SU; Happily Ever After - Verve
Paper: Wild Wasabi, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake - SU; white - PTI
Ink: Garden Green, Crumb Cake - SU; Walnut Stain Distress - Ranger; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: khaki/white gingham ribbon - Really Reasonable Ribbon
Other: Decorative Label punch - SU; Doily Lace, Scallop Dot punches - Martha Stewart; Big Shot; Scalloped Oval die - Spellbinders; pearls
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Age is a Number

I think I'm usually terrible at making masculine cards, but I've got one to show today that makes me proud!

It began with a cereal box.  I die cut a panel and brushed Crackle Paint on it.  Then, in alternating brown inks (listed in the details at the end of post), I stamped a FAB border by Lost Coast Designs:

I inked the edges with Antique Linen and Early Espresso to age it.

The panel behind the cereal box is embossed with a herringbone pattern (new to me), its edges also inked.

A sentiment seemed necessary on this card, so I printed my own.  I went to THIS website to get my quote, then created it in Microsoft Word.  Isn't it just perfect for this number stamp??  I printed it out in different size fonts and landed one that fit into a Grommet Tags die.

Challenges entered:

• Moxie Fab World - "Don't Throw It Away challenge" (I've got a cereal box on here)
• Flourishes Timeless Tuesday - "birthday"

Thank you sooo much for joining me today!



Dimensions: 4.25" x5.5"
Stamps: Bingo Border - Lost Coast Designs
Paper: Soft Suede, Whisper White - SU
Ink: Basic Brown, Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Close to Cocoa - SU; Chestnut Roan - Clearsnap; Antique Linen Distress - Ranger
Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions; brown grosgrain ribbon - craft supply
Other: Big Shot; Labels Eighteen, Grommet Tags dies - Spellbinders; copper brads - SU; Picket Fence Crackle Paint - Ranger; Herringbone embossing folder - Cuttlebug; cereal box; printer/Microsoft Word

Play Date Cafe 126 - Framed Flowers

Avocado, Blue Mist, Grey Wool...the new colors this week at The Play Date Cafe.  They seem so fresh and clean and of-the-moment, don't they?

As soon as I saw this color story, my mind went to the floral spray stamp from Artistic Etchings (SU).  Strangely enough, while I was on Pinterest (and really, when am I NOT on Pinterest), I saw a card in almost these exact colors, using this same stamp.  Someone beat me to it!  LOL  So I redesigned my card to make sure it doesn't look like I'm copying that person. ;)

The card base is Kiwi Kiss, embossed with the Tulip Frame folder.  I used a stiff sponge that had been part of packaging of some sort (I just couldn't bear to throw it away!  I knew it had life left in it) to apply Kiwi Kiss ink on the raised portions.  This is my first time trying the technique.

I spy a Cristabel hair!  Can you see it too?

I colored those flowers with Stampin' Up! markers, who had been feeling neglected because of my Copic love.  They came through with flying, er, colors.  Bad pun, I know.  ;)  I did use some cool gray tones of Copic markers to highlight the area around each flower and branch, though.

Want to join our color challenge this week?  Head over to The Play Date Cafe for all the details, and check out the gorgeous creations by my teammates.  Don't forget there is always a prize for one lucky winner, too!
This week's sponsor is:

Thanks a bunch for coming by.  I love when you visit!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Elements of Style - SU
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Basic Gray - SU; white - PTI
Ink: Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: green satin ribbon from scraps
Other: pearls; Big Shot; Tulip Frame embossing folder - SU; Classic Frame, Scalloped Rectangle dies - Spellbinders; White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger; Stampin' Up! markers; Copic markers
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Easter Bunny

There are so many Easter challenges out there right now, with the holiday being just days away.  I wanted to 'hop' on that (I know, I'm a very corny person) with my clean-and-simple bunny card:

I felt badly for not making more than one Easter card, so whipped up a small handful of these today.  The white base is stamped with the Gingham background from Market Street Stamps, in Crumb Cake.

The bunny, from Stampin' Up!'s Tender Toile, is set in a die cut, with softly sponged edges, then mounted on a black scalloped oval.  A simple dotted bow provides some softness, with a small button glued on.  I tried to make these cards as mail-friendly as possible, but the bulk of the bow and pearls made that impossible.  ;)  They're still 65 cents to mail, but I think worth it.

Challenges entered:

• CARDS: create blog - Easter
• CASual Fridays - Name That Tune - mine:  "Here Comes Peter Cottontail"

• Ribbon Carousel - 'Spring is in the Air'
• Really Reasonable Ribbon - 'Buttons and Bows'

That's it for me!  Thanks for dropping by.  I always appreciate your visit!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Gingham background - Market Street Stamps; (bunny) Tender Toile - SU
Paper: white - PTI; Basic Black - SU
Ink: Crumb Cake - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Antique Linen Distress - Ranger
Fibers: dotted sheer white ribbon - Stamp Simply Ribbon Store
Other: pearls; button; Big Shot; Scalloped Oval, Oval dies - Spellbinders
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Easter Wishes

This is my second post for today.  Please scroll down one more post 

for a masculine birthday card, plus a bonus feminine version.  

Hi everyone, hope you've had a good start to your week.  Today is my DH's birthday, and we went out to lunch, just the two of us.  It was so nice.  =)

I didn't make Easter cards this year, just the one you see below.  I'm really hit-or-miss with my holiday cards.  Some years I send, others not.  It all depends on what's going on with me at that particular time.  Know what I mean?

Here's a sketch from Cardabilities...

...combined with challenges from:

• CARDS: create - Easter card challenge
• Aud Sentiments - use "Happy Easter" on your card (can I use "Easter Wishes"?)

This is pretty simple, really.  I took all my patterned papers from a Lost & Found Madison Avenue stack, and used a couple of Stampin' Up! stamps together for the label.

I tried my hand at Liquid Pearls on two of these die cuts; I need more practice making them look just like pearls.  Some are a little too 'oval-ish'.  ;)

Sorry to pound you with two posts today.  Because I am playing in challenges, I need to upload in time for the deadlines.  Thanks for understanding!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Something to Celebrate, Four Frames - SU
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla - SU; patterned papers Lost & Found Madison Avenue - My Mind's Eye
Ink: Basic Brown (remember that old one?) - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: lace - Offray
Other: pearls; White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger; Fleur de Lis Motifs, Floral Doily Motifs, scalloped circle dies - Spellbinders; Big Shot; Decorative Label punch - SU
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