Rainbows + Sequins = Happy

 

Hello! Today I am excited to share a card I created for my second week as the May Paper Smooches Stamps Guest Designer!

 

To create my card I used the new release Daisies and Denim stamp set with matching dies. The sun, and sunshine sentiment are from the Paper Smooches "Spectrum" stamp and die set.

 

This is my record for most sequins EVER used on a card.  Something I found that made the process go a bit faster, I applied the glue to my card first, let it dry a bit, and then added the sequins. The glue I used was Tombo Mono Adhesive. Love that stuff!

 

I am happy you stopped by, and I hope this brings a little bit of sunshine to your day!

Hello Lovely

 

 I hope you had a nice weekend, ours was busy, but great. Today I have my second entry for this years Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking Gallery Idol - Washi Tape contest. My card features the Papertrey Ink stamp set "Reason To Smile, and "Wet Paint". To achieve my faux watercolor effect I inked up my stamps, and lightly spritzed the inked stamp with water before stamping. I love the subtle watercolor look. I added strips of black polka dot washi tape to the bottom of the top layer, and added two rows of black thread machine stitching. I finished my card with a PTI Button Stack die-cut using silver card stock by American Crafts. I am glad you stopped by today and I hope you have a nice day!

 

 

Is This The Year?

 

Hello and Happy Friday! Today I have a special card to share you, a card I created for my first entry into this years Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking Gallery Idol contest! I have never made it to the top 20, so maybe this is my lucky year! The challenge for the first round of Gallery Idol is "washi tape". I knew there would be plenty of entries using it in the traditional fashion, but to win a post into the top 20 you HAVE to think out of the box. This is what I came up! First, using four colors of Doodlebug Designs washi tape I adhered several strips to a thin piece of card stock. Next using the Papertrey Ink Phrase Play #3 die I die-cut my card stock. Using the same die I die-cut a white piece of card stock and carefully glued it behind my washi-cut frame. To make sure the "hello" and the arrow didn't fall out I taped the back to keep the secure.

I stamped the sentiment using the companion stamp set. I really love the way my card turned out, and I hope Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking magazine does to! Thanks for stopping by!

Silver Stripes And Everything Nice

 

I know gold is all the rage right now, but I have always been more of a silver girl. The beautiful Silver Fancy Foil vellum in the Occasions catalog is so pretty. It is one of the supplies you hate to use because you enjoy looking at it just as much as you do using it! My color inspiration comes from the current ColorQ challenge:

 

 

 

  To create my card I used my "go to" Stampin' Up! floral set - Stippled Blossoms. I stamped the blooms using Pink Pirouette, and Strawberry Slush ink. The leaves were stamped using Pear Pizzazz and Old Olive. (I don't have any Sage Shadow ink!) Now, the color medium I do have of Sage Shadow is a set of SU chalks from 10 years ago. So, it is difficult to tell from the picture but, the doily on my card was colored using Sag Shadow chalk, and a foam makeup sponge! I knew it was a good idea to hold onto my chalks! The sentiment is from the April SU Paper Pumpkin kit. Using white embossing powder and the SU Hardwood background stamp I heat embossed my wood grain background to add a subtle touch of texture. I also added a bit of machine stitching on my silver striped vellum. Speaking of stitching I am also adding this card to the current Virginia's View Challenge which features, you guessed it, stitching!

           I totally love this card, and I hope you do to! Thank you for stopping by!

 

 

 

Paper Smooches May Guest Designer!

 

Wow, just typing out the title of my blog post makes me giddy! I am very excited, and honored to be the May Guest Designer for Paper Smooches Stamps!

 

Today I am featuring a card using the newly released stamp set Denim and Daisies and matching dies. I love the larger size of this pocket compared to other pockets I've seen. I stamped a floral bouquet with gold centers. After I die-cut my stamped flowers I added a piece of foam adhesive to the back. This created a sticky surface in the flower center so I sprinkled gold glitter and lightly pressed it in. Easy!

 

I'm happy you stopped by and please stop by the Paper Smooches Blog to see what the rest of the design team has to share with you today!

Zoo Babies Love

 

      Hello and welcome! "Zoo Babies" by Stampin' Up! is one of the cutest sets in the catalog, now pair that set with the SU photopolymer stamp set "Sweetie Pie Frames" and you have instant cute overload! I stamped my frames using Memento Tuxedo Black, and colored them with alcohol markers. I stamped the zebra, lion, and monkey using Wisteria Wonder, Crushed Curry, and Baked Brown Sugar. I used the Hardwood background stamp to create my card base. I used the SU Just Sayin' stamp set and covered up the inner sentiment before inking the stamp. Then  I removed the tape and stamped the word bubble. The heart stamp from Sweetie Pie Frames fits perfectly inside the word bubble. I love discovering stamp sets that coordinate with each other! I am glad you stopped by, and I hope I gave you a little inspiration along the way.

Big Bloomin' Birthday!

 

Welcome, welcome! Today I am happy to be playing along with the current Case Study Challenge # 189, which happens to be featuring one of my favorite people in craft land:

 

Wida Miller!

 

This is the beautiful card that Wida created as our inspiration this week:

 

           My card features the stamp set by Avery Elle, "Fill In The Blanks". I've had this card laying around and thought it would be perfect for this challenge! Firstly, the die-cut card layers, secondly, the poppies! Wida loves poppies. I cut out several circles,  spritzed them with water, and scrunched them up into a loose ball. I smoothed the circles back out, and put something heavy on them to keep them flat and set them aside to dry for an hour or two. Once dried I assembled the flowers and stitched them together using a button, , needle, and thread. I finished off the bloom with burlap, hand cut leaves.  The patterned paper is by Simple Stories.

                                                      I am happy you stopped by today!

 

 

Mother's Day Inspiration

 

   Today I am sharing a card that was a true labor of love. My card features the Stampin Up Stippled Blossoms stamp set. I started out stamping and fussy cutting 4 flowers, and four leaves, and decided I needed a few more. So I got out my Stamp-a-majig and stamped a few more of each. I tried out a few ideas, and just couldn't find a design that made me happy. I needed more flowers and leaves. After stamping, and  hand cutting out a crazy amount of flowers and leaves I final picked out a design that was exactly what I was looking for. A floral wreath for Mother's Day!

 

I stamped my flowers and leaves using Strawberry Slush, Pink Pirouette, Pear Pizazz, and Old Olive. The sentiment was stamped and embossed using a photopolymer stamp in the April Paper Pumpkin kit and Stampin Up Gold embossing powder. I used the same technique with the Hardwood background stamp and heat embossing with gold powder. I added a banner and doily from the Banner SAB kit, and used Strawberry Slush as my card base. I added a bow, and machine stitching to finish off my card.  What do you think? If my Mom were still alive I know she would have loved it.

 

Thank you for stopping by!

Thinking Of You Using Altenew!

 

My blog title is catchy isn't it?  Well, another "catchy" item on my blog today is the stamp set I am featuring today, Painted Flowers by Altenew. This set is just so beautiful, and if it didn't scare away my blog readers I would use it every day!

 

I stamped my blooms using Stampin' Up! ink in Summer Star Fruit, Cantaloupe Crisp, Pistachio Pudding, and Wild Wasabi. The colors are stunning, and stamp so richly. If you haven't tried out Stampin' Up! ink you are in for a treat. Send me a message at alwaysctr @ yahoo.com if you would like to learn more about SU ink. Honestly, it has changed the way I stamp. The sentiment is from a stamp set by Simon Says Stamp.

 

I am happy you stopped by today and I hope you have a wonderful Friday!

Gettin' Foxy With Life In The Forest!

 

Hello and Happy Wednesday! Today I have a fun card to share featuring Stampin' Up!'s Life In The Forest,  Just Sayin' and Itty Bitty Banners.  I created a cute forest scene using patterned paper from Lawn Fawn, and colored cork paper from DCWV. The photo frame is by Cosmo Cricket. I paper pieced the fox using SU's Tangerine Tango and Whisper White card stock.

 

I hope you like it!

 

I am happy you stopped by today!