One seed can start a garden, one candle can light a room, one step can begin a journey, one conversation can start a friendship, one smile from a handmade card can lift one's SPIRIT!

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Colour Q Challenge # 178

                                                                                          Fantastic colors for this weeks challenge.  Go HERE to see the inspiration from the team.
Here is my card.  I have seen some cards where they angled a line or a strip of something...kind of thought that looked cool, so I decided to do it here.

Stamps:  CAS-ual Friday, Beanstalk
Ink:  PTI blueberry sky, enchanted evening, hawaiian shores, memento pear tart
Paper:  PTI enchanted evening white

Muse Challenge # 6

                                                              
                                           You're free to draw your inspiration from any of the elements of Deanna's card, shown above. For example, design/layout, color combination, pattern, texture, image, style, embellishment and technique. Be creative and make a card that reflects your own personal style and flair.   You can read more about the challenge HERE on the MUSE blog.

Well, I am not so clever with free hand drawing lines, so I guess my style is more uniform and using a ruler!  So this is what I came up with.   I liked the cluster of flowers, so I knew I wanted to do that and I liked her colors although mine are a bit more subdued.
    Stamps:  PTI simple sunflower, CAS-ual Friday casual elegance
    ink:  raspberry fizz, berry sorbet, hibiscus burst, limeade
    paper:  PTI rustic cream                          

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Sympathy Cards

These cards are for my 'stash'...actually I will be bringing all my cards to Bible study tomorrow and selling them to donate the money for our monthly cause.  I noticed I was kind of short on this type of card...is it my age that is requiring more of this type of card? 

stamps:  PTI crackle, Turning a New Leaf, Birds and Blooms, Beautiful Blessings
Ink:  fine linen, ripe avocado, pure poppy, melon berry
paper:  PTI Rustic cream

Stamps:  CAS-UAL Fridays (leaf), Beautiful Butterflies (PTI) and Background Blocks (PTI)
Inki:  soft stone, blueberry sky, melon berry, zesty orange
paper:  PTI rustic cream and black

Make It Monday #105: Glitter Trim

Today's PTI Make It Monday is looking at ways to add a little sparkle to our projects with your own custom glittered trim.  Join Dawn McVey as she shows a simple way to whip up your own glitter trims for projects in a snap!  Go to Nichole's Blog to watch the video.
I just received my February PTI package and thought I should use that cute little bunny from Polka Dot Parade # 1.  I added some green chevron cut with new leaf paper and then put it through my xyron before adding the glitter.  The little flowers are from the same set.  This is a little 3.5 x 7 card...the perfect size, I think!   I do think I will go to the fabric store and by some little strips of pom poms for the tail on these bunnies, I think that would be really cute.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

HI HO Silver!!


                                        

                                         Add a touch of silver to your card, that is what it is all about for the challenge this week.  Go HERE to get all the details!  And then add some silver to your card and link it up!


 I cut out my clouds using some pearlescent silver paper I had in my stash.  I die cut the PTI Little Princess castle and put it up in the clouds...the sentiment was selectively stamped from the Daydreamers stamp set. 






Saturday, February 23, 2013

Dynamic Duos #41-Monochromatic Teal Blues... Card # 2




Thanks to my BFF, I realized I may be a little color blind.  I think these colors go more with the Dynamic Duos monochromatic Teal Blue colors.  I used aqua mist paper and stamped the dogwood flower with versamark and embossed with Zing Aqua Embossing powder.  I kept it pretty simple by just adding an aqua twine and a sentiment.  Thanks for taking a second look!!

Want to try these colors out?  Then go HERE and play along!

Dynamic Duos #41-Monochromatic Teal Blues...




It is all about blues over at the Dynamic Duos Challenge...this week it is the monochromatic colors...I do not have the Stampin' Up colors of Island Indigo and Pool Party, so I used PTI's Blueberry Sky and Spring Rain.  I stamped the flowers from Beautiful Blooms II and Embroidered Blooms.  The leaves are fine linen.
If you would like to play along with this challenge, then please go to Dynamic Duos and check out the design team cards.
                                                                          




 

Friday, February 22, 2013

Festive Friday FFC02

                      
This is the inspiration piece for this weeks theme on Festive Friday...a rustic, country theme.  I pulled the burlap texture, the greenery and the reds...oh and I used the glasses for inspiration also.  Here is my card:
I used Mistletoe & Holly...I stamped my sentiment from Think Big # 20 with staz-on ink onto a piece of clear cardstock.  I think I am glad to try to make some Christmas cards throughout the year instead of making all of them in a rush just before the season!

CAS-ual Friday # 91

It is all about silver....so I pulled out a little Hero Arts cling stamp named Antique Brocade...I stamped it with Adirondack Pearl Dabber...heat set it, then using a dauber, I sponged some soft lilac ink over it.  Using the same acrylic Adirondack paint, I dabbed it all over the two hearts pulling it up to give it some texture.  The sentiment is from PTI script sentiment set and I added some pearls to the heart.  Want to play along?  Go Here to CAS-ual Friday to see what the designers made for inspiration.  Then make a card and link it up!

Seize the Birthday #7 {Feminine Birthday Sketch} # 2

This is my second post for Seize the Birthday...a female birthday card.  I used Signature Series:  Dress Form and added some pearls to the neckline!  Kept with a black theme as that is so "slimming"...don't you think?  I wear a LOT of black!!  ha ha!
Here is the sketch...check out the challenge, it goes until Tuesday!

Seize the Birthday #7 and CASology # 1

Seize the Birthday is a fairly new challenge....one that gives you two sketches a month, the first week you use the sketch for a female birthday card, the second week, a male card.  This is a good way to have fun with challenges and fill up with birthday cards!  This week it is about the female card, so I pulled out my Make a Wish set from PTI and the sentiment from Beautiful Butterflies.  I used aqua mist and raspberry fizz for my "female colors"!
I forgot to add the sketch the first time...so here you go!   I am also adding this to the CASology challenge where the cue card word is flame.  You can go HERE to CASology blog to get inspired and link up your card.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge #16 - 3

My third card...I stamped my own background using the four different stamps from the shamrock collection from Verve Stamps.  I stamped them on Spring Moss paper using spring moss ink.  The three shamrocks on the sentiment strip is embossed with the Zing embossing powder "leaf".

Would up like to link up to this sketch?  Go HERE to check it out and to see all the inspiration from the design team!

CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge #16 - 2

Hi again!  Second card for this challenge...you can access it HERE to play with this sketch challenge.  I used the same stamp set from Verve and stamped the shamrocks on ripe avocado paper using versamark and some "leaf" ZING embossing powder (BTW, I am liking this powder!!).  I white embossed the sentiment with ZING also.  I used a strip of chevron pattern paper - not sure where it was from other than my stash!
Here is the sketch I followed for this card!  Thanks again for taking a look, appreciate and of course, love any comments you would like to make!

CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge #16 - 1

Karolyn Loncon gave two sketches this week...landscape and portrait...your choice!  If you follow me at all, you know that I have three elderly aunts who all live in the Seattle area (and I am down here outside of Portland, Oregon) and I try to mail them a card once a month.  They are 93, 90 and 89!! and doing fabulously, if I do say so!  My own dad is 91...two of these aunts are his sisters!  Well, I made three "spring" cards, but just remembered that St. Patricks day is the 17th of March...and of course Easter is the 31st this year...I think they will be getting a few more cards this month!! 

I took the opportunity to use this sketch three ways.  I took the last Online Card Class where you use one stamp three ways.  I thought this would be a perfect time to revisit those and try to do something different with each one, but staying with the sketch.

This first card has PTI paper...the polka dots is part of the simply chartreuse pattern pack and I added some ripe avocado to my sentiment strip as well as the stamping of the shamrocks!  The stamps, dies and sentiment are all from Verve. 
If you would like to try this sketch and link it up, go HERE to the CAS(e) this Sketch Challenge Blog.

Thanks for checking in...two more to post!

Muse Challenge # 5




Here is the inspiration for this weeks challenge over at Muse...you want to check out at all the details?  Go HERE!

And here is my card:
I used Marion's idea of covering the card with washi tape for the background and pulled out my not used much stamp set Hello Sunshine...I love the sentiment inside:  Sending you a Little bit of Sunshine to brighten your day as you always brighten mine.  Isn't that a nice greeting?  Don't you think that would put a big smile and a warm hug on your heart if you received this card?  Have a great day...I don't think we will see the sun today, here in Oregon...right now it is raining...but that is what makes everything so GREEN here!  And we do have little crocus' popping up!  So spring is just around the corner!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge #15 Card # 2

Another card for the CAS(e) this Sketch # 15...this time I went with an Easter theme...figured it is going to be here before we know it...I used the little eggs from PTI's Spring filler Jar set and the sentiment and flower strip from Egg Hunt...nice CAS cards!
Here is the sketch to play along and go HERE to link it up and be inspired by the design team!  Have fun!

OOPS!  Too late to post to the challenge it is closed now!  Oh, well, all I really needed was the card!

CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge #15 Card #1

Here is the new sketch from CAS(e) this Sketch Challenge # 15 .  My first card is a birthday card.  I cut the banner myself and backed it with ocean tide paper. Then I stamped on my balloons, added one die cut balloon and sentiment all from Heart 2 Heart # 2, (PTI).  The faux stitching is from the the Sew Simple set.
thanks for taking a look.   Sorry the challenge is closed, just realized it when I went to add my card...!!

Monday, February 18, 2013

Make It Monday #104: Handmade Pinwheels Card 2

Have you checked out the MIM over on Nichole's blog?  Go HERE to watch Ashley demonstrate how to make a pinwheel without a die...fabulous technique.

The pinwheel was made with some My Minds Eye designer paper...a little easier to work with two sided paper rather than gluing two pattern papers together.  The rest of the paper is all PTI and the sentiment is from We Go Together which was stamped in versamark and embossed with black ZING powder.  The aqua mist paper was stamped with Background Basics:  Tin Type.  I think this will  make a nice card to give as a birthday card to a young person!  What do you think?

Make It Monday #104: Handmade Pinwheels Card 1

Today on Nichole's blog for PTI it is all about making your own pinwheels for cards.  You can watch the video HERE to see Ashley demonstrate this embellishment.  Here is my first card:
Firstly, sorry for the poorer quality of the picture, I took it from my phone as my daughter asked to borrow my camera for the long weekend.  She is down in San Francisco with her 11 year old daughter for a volleyball tournament.  And I didn't want to wait to post this card...

I used winter wisteria and spring rain pattern paper for the pinwheel.  And although you cannot see it in the picture, I used the Background Basics:  Tin Type on the tag and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I backed it with a pattern paper from Summer Sunrise.  I mounted everything onto a Soft Stone paper.  My sentiment is on the soft stone paper and stamped with spring rain from the Fillable Frames # 10, the sentiment is from We Go Together stamped in royal velvet.  The ribbon is PTI spring rain also.

Thanks for taking a look.  Hope you all are having a great Monday...that most of you did not have to work and could be in your studio playing...I was skyping with my BFF as we made our cards!  Skyping is sure a fun way to share in this crafty business that we love!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

A Stamp TV Double Letterpress and Valentine card

 I used a cuttlebug embossing folder and rubbed ocean tide ink on the "depressed" side (smoother side) of the folder, laid my paper on it and ran it through the cuttlebug.  Then using aqua mist ink I ran the whole ink pad over the raised image with a light hand.  Using a dauber, I gently rubbed in some summer sunrise ink to give more dimension and cover up more of the white card stock  The sentiment is from Half and Half with a little heart colored in with copics.  The bottom piece is from BAckground Basics:  Twinkle.
A sweet friend of mine sent me a darling card in the mail and I wanted to try to duplicate it.  I have this cute giraffe wooden stamp from Judiths Stamp that I inked up with dark chocolate ink, I colored in the fleshy part of the giraffe with a copics E01.  The bird is from Little Bitty Bird as is the sentiment.

Just some random cards today!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

PTI Anniversary Water color Challenge # 3

I couldn't resist trying Betsy's technique again...this time I used Larger than Life and the bow from Bells and Boughs.  The sentiment is from Heart 2 Heart # 3.  I white embossed the images first, then inked up the stamp with winter wisteria and simply chartreuse, after stamping them I used a water brush with some more ink on an acrylic block.  The bow was rubbed with the ink pad and then swiped with the water brush...the outline is stamped with royal velvet ink.

PTI Anniversary Watercolor Challenge Card 2

Using the same Wildflower Garden set, I tried to do what Betsy did with her card.  I white embossed the flowers first, then using the ink and water I applied the ink to the stamp and stamped it just off set from the embossed image.  To make the embossed image pop a little more, I used a dauber and added some lemon tart to the bottom of the card, spring moss to the middle and spring rain only to the portion where the flowers bloom.  My sentiment from iconic Images is stamped on vellum, I added two pearls on each side that I colored with a copics, Mauve Shadaow.

PTI Anniversary Watercolor # 1

Today's contest is all about Watercolor.  They have a new stamp set being released on the 15th and it is called Watercolor Wonder.  We were challenged to make some water color cards today.
Here is my first one:
I used the Wildflower Garden stamp set...I put some re-inkers onto a plastic sheet and using a water brush, I brushed on the ink to the stamp.  When it was dry I added some stickles to give it a little shine. The paper is water color paper.

Monday, February 11, 2013

PTI Anniversary Color Inspiration # 2

Color-inspiration-2Brighter colors this time around...I pulled out Day Dreamer and went to town...managed to get all the colors in too!  The sentiment is from Happy Trails.

PTI Anniversary Color Inspiration





Color-inspiration-1I loved all the soft colors shown here, I decided ONE more valentine card...or just an any day kind of card to give to a special person...sentiment is from Happy Trails and the hearts are from Heart 2 Heart # 3.  A clean and simple card.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Third Card for the PTI Sketch Contest

Sketch-3Well, holy moley, I must be brain dead or something...this was a toughie for me to figure out...lining up those angles was not easy, I finally had to go ask DH for some help...of course he just took my pencil and ruler and drew the lines...not ONE eraser mark!  Geesh!!

another Sketch from the PTI Anniversary Contest






Sketch-5This sketch is a good one for CAS!  I love it!  Went together in about 5 minutes or less!  I used the hearts from Back Pocket Basics and the sentiment from With All My Heart.

PTI Anniversary Contest today are sketches!

Sketch-2I started with Sketch #2 and boy as simple as this sketch is, I sure had a lot of difficulties pulling it all together.  I am happy with the final results, simple for sure, I don't know what my problem was...

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Clear and Simple 2 Day 9 - 2 Texture on cards

                                                          Layered Washi Tape
 I had this really pretty periwinkle color washi tape and thought that would make a nice background.  Lisa Spangler again showed a card using this technique in the class.  The flower was cut with PTI felt, the leaves from Turning a New Leaf and Embroidered Blooms.  I added a little yellow button for the center of the flower.  The sentiment is from the Embellishment stamp set.  This card is another that will go to my daughter to send out to those who have supported her during this cancer ordeal.  She finished her 6th chemo and is now in bed with a fever and cold.  Her lungs are clear, her blood work was good, so I guess it is just all the junk that is going around....she does have a five year old son who is in kindergarten and he seems to have a lot of coughs and snotty noses....and he LOVES his mommy so much, he cannot keep his hands off her, as much as she tries to tell him not to touch her when he is sick.  It is hard!

Are you all having fun in this class?  I have sure learned a lot and have quite a stash of cards now too!

Clean and Simple 2 Day 9 - 1 Texture Cards

       Texture on Clean and Simple Cards
Lisa Spangler demonstrated using an embossing folder along with a brayer and some liquid acrylic paint.  The only acrylic paint I had in the house was white, so I chose a blueberry sky card stock and embossed with the numbers cuttlebug folder.  I have another grandson who will be turning 6 so I thought I would go ahead and get a jump on his card.