Three on Thursday

Checking in finally with some non-DT cards. Been crazy these past couple of weeks with family, Mother's Day and my birthday. Both days within a week of each other so my kids are extra nice to me. Got a FitBit so I've been a little obsessed with getting my steps and workouts in. :)

First card was inspired by this week's ColourQ challenge. I used the Catherine Pooler's Enchanted Garden and the All About You sets from her last Stamp of Approval kit. I masked off a diagonal line and stamped a flower image in the challenge colors. I added two thin strips of matching cardstock and the die cut You. 

Second card was inspired by the One Layer Simplicity Fruit Smoothie Challenge. My stamp stash is limited to apples. I again masked off a section of the card and stamped a pattern of apples from PTI Back to School, added a stitched line from PTI Sew Simple Borders and the sentiment from Catherine Pooler All About You. Gonna use this card for my end of year thank you gift for one of my daughters' teacher. 

Last card was inspired by both this week's CAS(E) This Sketch and Inspired By All The Little Things challenges. Love the colors in the Inspired challenge. 

I embossed the front of a cardbase made from Simon Says Stamp Smoke cardstock (my favorite grey!) with a small triangle pattern embossing folder from Lifestyle Crafts. I cut out a few triangles from PTI Smokey Shadow, Orange Zest, Soft Stone, and October Afternoon patterned paper and arranged them in a cluster inspired by the CAS(E) This Sketch challenge. Added a die cut HAPPY and stamped birthday. 

So much fun creating...I'm due happy mail package from PTI and MFT soon so more to play with (not that I really need more!!). Thanks for popping in! Have a great day. 

Creating Like Crazy Instead Of....

Hello friends -

Good news is that I've been busy creating a lot lately. Bad news is that its keeping me from working on what I really need to be doing - TAXES! UGH. The evil procrastination monster strikes again!

But on to fun stuff! My first card was inspired by the Muse challenge this week where the fabulous Tracey is the inspiration. I wanted to make something light and airy so I went back to my tried and true PTI Circle Scribbles set. I stamped in the same colors and general placement of her flowers. In place of sequins, I stamped smaller scribbles in gold (like Tracey's embossing).

Tracey's gorgeous card - 

Next card is for the fun ColourQ challenge this week - 

I used the PTI diagonal stripes coverplate to create my black and white background. This is so easy to use when you adhere the card stock to a double sided adhesive sheet first. Easy peasy to place down on the card base using the coverplate as a guide. I die cut the Hip Hip Hooray from the Phrase Play line in Hawaiian Shores. The stripes look even better in real life. 

Next up is my card for the PTI Make It Monday this week which challenges us to customize our patterned paper. I definitely wanted to try this because I have SO MUCH patterned paper that I never use. I have a few of the PTI patterned paper packs but I NEVER use the big polka dot paper. Lizzie's idea to stamp randomly on the paper is brilliant.  It took me a while to find a good image that I liked and was the right size but I ended up loving this little flower from the Cup of Cheer set. 

Patterned paper is the from the soft stone collection. I stamped flowers in Enchanted Evening, Melon Berry, Aqua Mist, and Sweet Blush. Sentiment and die from Sentiment Splits. 

Last card for today is for the February One-Layer Simplicity challenge - FRIENDS. 

Sentiment is from PTI Choose Joy, flower from Flower Fusion, and "grounding" lines from Ombre Stripes. 

Whew, that's it for now. I'm really gonna stop crafting now and eat the frog. REALLY! :)

Have a great weekend! Thanks for popping in!

Two More to Share

Hello - Two more cards to share this weekend. First is a simple one layer card (for One Layer Simplicity Challenge - Multitude of Gratitude) using the Brushed Off set which I stamped in the various ColourQ challenge colors along the bottom. Simple sentiment from Thank You Kindly and scattered a few enamel dots along the bottom. 

My next creation is a wine bottle tag I am looking forward to using during the upcoming holiday season. Always nice to have these on hand to add to a last minute gift of wine. I was inspired to make to play along with Tracy McNeeley's 25 Days of Christmas Tags festivities. So much fun stuff going on there! I was inspired again by Laura Bassen's wreath tag HERE.  For my tag, I created an outline using an image from Spruce & Sprigs and added a few berries. It ended up being similar to THIS card I created the same night. I die cut the top portion of the wine bottle tag in red and attached it to give more color and reinforce it. I plan on writing the to/from info in the center of the tag when I decide to give it. Colors inspired by the Colour Me....Striking challenge. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Gotta a Bunch to Share

I have a bunch of cards to share. I'm grateful that I've gotten more crafty time in and I've got plenty of my TV shows to binge watch.

First card is a single layer card inspired by Laura Bassen's card HERE. I just LOVE what Laura does with color! Mine ended up being more pastel than bold bright color like Laura's card.

I heat embossed the flower from Ruby Rose in white on white card stock and applied a little bit of ink to the centers with worked outward so the flower has a sort of colored halo. Sentiment is from SSS Tilted Banner Sayings. Linking with the One-Layer Simplicity challenge - Multitude of Gratitude - this month.

Second card is inspired by the CAS(E) This Sketch challenge this week. I pulled out one of my old favorites - PTI Feather Finery. I heat embossed the feather in white on watercolor paper. I used Tim Holtz watercolor panels - love the texture and durability of this paper vs. a watercolor pad I have which I would have just cut down to size. I watercolored teal over the feather like the sketch after I heat embossed the sentiment in black. 

Took me three tries to do this though. First time I my sentiment was crooked. Second time it smudged because I did the heat embossed sentiment AFTER watercoloring. So third time was the charm. All heat embossing first, then watercoloring. 

I gave the panel a little edge of black matting to help it stand out against the Tropical Teal card base. 

My third card is inspired by THIS card by Dawn McVey. PTI usually does a Create Along With Us challenge each month to make a new card inspired by a DT card. They haven't posted this month's challenge yet but I'm was excited to CASE Dawn's card anyway. 

I stamped snowflakes from Snowflake Serenade on a Plum Pudding panel and split the card on top of a Royal Velvet card base. I added pale purple sequins to each snowflake for some added sparkle. 

Last card is a holiday card I made using the new PTI Spruce & Springs set. I used the Vintage Cream Linen card stock for the first time. What a wonderful texture! I created a border of leaves around the edge of the card and added a few berries. Simple sentiment from Wet Paint finishes it off. Color inspired by Colour Me....Striking challenge. 

Finishing up a couple more cards so hopefully post them soon. Hope you are having a great weekend! Thanks for popping in! 

Big Bloom

So got to playing around with the new Winnie & Walter - Simon Says Stamp collaboration set Big Bloom that I got during the SSS Stamptember celebration and can already see this will become one of my favorite sets. It goes so well with gold embossing powder.

First is a card which inspired by the Pinterest Inspired Challenge this month. Love this mix of colors.

For my card I heat embossed the big bloom on watercolor paper and used watercolor to paint in the petals. Sentiment from Mama Elephant heat embossed in gold as well.

My second card pairs the gold embossing with deep purple. Love how regal it looks. I used a different center for the big bloom. 

Also linking to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Thanksgiving challenge as well as the One Layer Simplicity Gratitude challenge. 

That's it for me. Thanks for stopping by! 

Three for Thursday

Hi my friends...long time no post. Things have been crazy with my various volunteer roles I have this year so little time for crafting. Next year, I will adopt a "just say no" attitude in order to get some ME time back into my life!

DH was away last two days so had a chance to escape in my craft room for a few hours.

First card is for the One Layer Simplicity Challenge this month which features "Whatever The Weather". I used a Memory Box cloud stencil and white embossing paste to create the textured clouds on the light blue card panel. Sentiment is from the PTI Up, Up, and Away set.

Second card uses the largest Simon Says Stamp die. I created a folded die cut balloon, heat embossed stars on the balloon, added a simple sentiment banner and a touch of twine around the balloon end.
Colors inspired by the Colour Me....Subtle! challenge this week.

Last card uses a PTI set I've been dying to use since the summer. I created a focal cluster (PTI Make It Monday challenge this week) by stamping a swoosh from PTI Brushed off along the bottom white panel to ground the sentiment and image from PTI Fashion Sense. Love this model and the way the dress stamp isn't quite perfectly lined up. Colors inspired by ColourQ challenge.

That's it for me! Thanks for stopping by! Have a good weekend!

Three on Thursday

Hello -

I've got three cards to share with you today...all created last night during three episodes of Gilmore Girls (LOVE that show!).

First card is inspired by the Create Along With Us challenge at PTI. I was completely inspired by THIS card by Ashley Cannon Newell. It was simple and pretty and gave me a chance to open up my new patterned vellum pack. For my birthday card, I used similar colors as Ashley's as well as the challenge colors at Colour Me....! this week. Sentiment is from Tucked In:Birthday and flowers from PTI Birds and Blooms. I used Lil Inkers Stitched Rectangles for around the sentiment panel.

My second card is inspired by the CASology cue card:Aquatic. To me Aquatic is nautical....maybe being a Coast Guard wife all these years has really influenced how I see things! :) I used PTI Out to Sea since I don't have any fish or sea themed stamps. I stamped the Crackled background in Soft Stone using my MISTI to ground the compass stamped in Enchanted Evening. Kept a good amount of white space around the light background to keep it CAS. 

My last card is for this month's One-Layer Simplicity Challenge - Striped Down. I masked off a large strip along the bottom of the white cardstock base. I embossed the birthday from PTI Swoosh in white and blended a rainbow of inks over the embossed sentiment. Still getting the hang of the ink blending technique. Hard a hard time with the middle colors like the green looking smooth. But Iove the crisp clean edge masking gives on white cardstock.  

Off to MD for my annual visit to my sister's! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! Thanks for stopping by!