Fusion Challenge #5

Haven't played along with the Fusion Challenge in a while but I was particularly drawn to this sketch and the colors in the inspiration photo. I instantly thought of using PTI Ocean Tides which I hardly ever use.

I am liking this combination of Aqua Mist and Ocean Tides. I added a bit of texture to the base with the linen cover plate as it seemed to boring otherwise.

Thanks for taking a peek!

ColourQ #231

Its funny how a card gets created. I often use blog challenges as a jumping off point and my inspiration. Sometimes I'm pretty clear on what I want to create, what stamps and dies I want to use. Sometimes I'll just stare at the inspiration photo or color scheme for a long while and decide its not doing anything for me. When this would happen, I used to force myself to create something in order to flex my creative muscles. But now, if I don't have a burst of inspiration from it within a day or two, I just give it up. I want the challenge but sometimes sitting for hours trying to make something work is just an exercise in frustration for me.

This ColourQ palette was a tad difficult for me. I'm not a huge fan of green in my crafting though if you saw my house you'd think it was one of my favorite colors which it is for all thing except in my craft room. LOL. But the palette was interesting enough for me to make it work. Honestly I don't think any of the palettes at ColourQ have ever completely 'stumped' me which is why its one of my favorite challenges to play along with. So here's what I came up with -

I've been playing around with the PTI Diagonals cover plate and thought it would be interesting to put some texture on it. So I used the picnic plaid(?) texture plate on the diagonals as well as on the leaves. I am liking the white on white. And the Ruby Rose/Reprise blooms are my favorite. I used different kinds of foam dots to put lift the blooms at different heights.

Hope you are getting a chance to flex your own creative muscles today! Thanks for stopping by.

Watercolor Feathers

Unfortunately I need to build up my Sympathy card stash. Lately is seems like I'm having to send one out more often that I would like. :(

I made this simple feather card using PTI's Feather Finery which definitely has not gotten as much ink lately. I used two different shades of purple but before I stamped it, I sprayed the stamp with a mist of water to diffuse the colors. I panicked a little after I stamped because I forgot to use watercolor paper so there were pools of ink on my card stock after I stamped. Thank goodness for my heat gun which dried it up quickly before the paper had a chance to warp. For a little bit of texture without adding another layer, I heat embossed the dots over the watercolor feathers in a charcoal grey.

I was inspired to add water to my feathers by the newly created Virginia's View Challenge (Congrats Virginia! I think your new challenge blog is gonna be a hit!) and the One-Layer Simplicity challenge. I wanted to pair watercolor and feathers in a different way than I did for the card set I made for the PTI February Blog Hop.

I've been having fun with watercolors lately so I'm loving this current trend. I love that watercolors don't have to be so precise and they looks so 'artsy' without trying too hard. Thanks for taking a look.

Another one for Dynamic Duos #92

I'm in the midst of preparing a big package of cards to send to Operation Write Home and was inspired to make one more card using the Dynamic Duos colors this week. I think the little bit of pink with the very masculine blue is perfect for a soldier to send to his loved one at home.

If you are interested in finding out more about Operation Write Home,check them out HERE. As a wife of a soldier, this organization is near and dear to my heart. Plus it makes great use of all the cards I make.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cure For The Monday Blues Challenge #2

I'm playing along for the first time with a relatively new challenge blog - Cure for The Monday Blues - created by the always inspiring Taheerah. I LOVE this inspiration photo - bright, cheerful, and definitely happy. Pair this photo along with The Bachelor:Women Tell All to keep me company last night and I was inspired to make this card.

Patterned paper is from SNAP line, sentiment is from the PTI Keep It Simple series, and flowers are from Ruby Reprise.

Anyone else watch The Bachelor?? I need to dish about this juicy season....

Thanks for taking a peek at my card!

ABSOLUTELY Love This Set

Don't you love it when you find a stamp, die, or other craft supply that you love but forgot about because it was buried in your stash? I totally forgot about the Simon Says Stamp ABSOLUTELY die and stamp set but was thrilled when I came upon it last night.

This first card uses this set with the PTI Tipped Tops dies which I LOVE but haven't played around with much since I got it last month. Absolutely a breeze with these dies to make the trendy design that we see everywhere in blogland. I must admit that I tried making these angled panels without the die and failed miserably to get the angle and cut just right.

I used three shades of gray to play along with the CAS-ual Fridays challenge. Congratulations ladies on your newly redesigned challenge - I'm excited to play along. This gray chevron patterned paper and the two shades work nicely to make a masculine card which I am ALWAYS in need of.

I didn't adhere the letters themselves down, just the panel so that the letters kind of float.

Next card is a feminine card which uses this very cheerful patterned paper from Echo Park. Card design inspiration is from
this week's CAS(E) This Sketch challenge. I didn't adhere the letters again so the word floats above the panel.

Hope all is well and warm in your neck of the woods. Its 25 degrees here but no snow in the forecast so that's a blessing.
Thanks for stopping by!

CMCC #9

Next card to share is inspired by the pretty colors at Colour Me this week. The colors are some of my favorites. I used a chevron pattern from Lily Bee and embossed the sentiment on a Lil Inkers stitched diagonals die.

Oscars....didn't watch Dallas Buyers Club yet but seems like I should check it out soon.

Thanks for taking a peek at my card!

Dynamic Duos #92

I'm sharing a card I made yesterday for our old babysitter who is raising money for a Missions trip to New Zealand to teach music to underprivileged children. We were sending a small donation for her but somehow I just couldn't send her a check with a post-it on it. I had to make a card for her of course. It was very hard coming up with just the right sentiment but I think I captured just what we wanted to say.

A month ago, picked up a new Heidi Swapp mask at Michaels a month ago but wasn't sure how to use it exactly. I hadn't yet invested in any sprays but wanted to use it with ink. So I swiped a dark blue ink pad over the stars on the mask to get scattered softly colored stars. I paired it with a dark pink sentiment. The color inspiration is from Dynamic Duos this week.

I'm watching the Oscars as I catch up on blogposts and computer stuff. Funny and entertaining, so far.

Thanks for stopping by!