Simply The Best

Hi all!  Just a quick post to link up to some challenges. I'll try not to babble on too much. :-). Take a look at my card...

I tried out a new stamp I got from Michaels with a gift card from Christmas. It's by Heidi Swapp. It is a huge wood grain stamp and it was on clearance!  Bonus!  :-). I stamped it with soft suede (SU!) on white cardstock and cut a strip of it to fit on the side of my card. I added a small strip if orange underneath one side. I stamped my sentiment (Wallflower set by CAS-ual Fridays) I the corner in black. Then I stamped my butterflies (STAMPlorations, Trendy Butterflies set ) in blue, lime and yellow and fussy cut them out. I attached them to my card base. Love the colour combo. :-)

I'm linking up to the following challenges:

My Favorite Things - colour challenge

Time OUT Challenge - inspiration photo

Craft Stamper - Take It, Make It Challenge - "take a stamp", use a stamp.

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful day. Thanks for visiting!

Hello Bow

Hiya!  It's been cold here again, unfortunately, in the Maritimes.  -25 (celcius) with windchill making it -33.  Brrrr...  Luckily that's been overnight.  During the day its a balmy -13 to -8.  :-P.  I'm sorry, but winter sucks.  It is going to be a bit warmer but with that comes the snow.  Can't wait until spring/summer!

Anyway, I digress.  (What else is new?)  Today I have a card that was inspired by a few challenges. It made me use some things I had been hoarding.  Check it out...

So, first I cut out my circle from white cardstock.  Then I sponged SSS Sea Glass ink creating an ombré effect.  Then I stamped my NBUS berry branch (Casual Comfort set by CAS-ual Fridays) in the sea glass, grey and black.  I did the stamping off technique with the grey to create even more depth.  Then I stamped my sentiment (Wallflower set by CAS-ual Fridays) in black.  I matted this with black and adhered it to my white card base.  I had these green felt bows I had gotten from
Michaels but never used.  So I attached one underneath my circle.  I added three white sequins (Neat and Tangled, Winter Wonderland mix) underneath the bow to finish it off.  Loving the colour scheme and that felt bow.  :-)

I'm linking up to the following challenges:

Craft Stamper - Take It, Make It Challenge - "take a stamp", must use a stamp.

CAS-ual Fridays - use felt and sequins.

ShowCASe Your Style - use the colour combo

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - the berry branch stamp, the felt bow and the sequins are new.

CAS-ology - cue word is NBUS.  They've teamed up with Darnell!  :-)

Well, I'm happy you stopped by for a visit!  Have a wonderful day!

One Layer Christmas Card Challenge Reminder

Hey everyone!  Just wanted to remind you about the One Layer Christmas Card Challenge going on right now.  It's our very first challenge and we'd love to see you link up there!  There's still time!  You have until January 19th.  Here's a recap of the challenge.

Also, if you link up a card that uses the twist you are entered in for the prize drawing!  Just visit the OLCCC blog for all the info.  We've got some new inspiration cards from some of the DT members too!  I've made a new card to try and entice you to play along.  Take a look...

I was a little more subtle with the red twist this time.  Just my tiny berries are red.  Here's how I made my card.  First I stamp my pine bough in forest moss distress ink and I sometimes would stamp twice before re-inking to get a lighter shade.  I added some pine boughs in mown lawn distress ink as well.  Then I took a paint brush and some water and lightly brushed it over top of my pine boughs to make the ink bleed a little bit.  Then I added my berries in Memento Lady Bug ink using some small dot stamp from the Wallflower set by CAS-ual Fridays.  Then I stamped my sentiment (STAMPlorations) in black.  Simple card to make, really, but I quite like the results.

So I hope you take the time to get ahead on your Christmas cards and join us over at OLCCC!  Love to see you there!  Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

I'm linking up to the following challenges:

ABC Christmas Challenge:  "A" is for Anything (optional twist of antlers that I didn't do).
Christmas Cards All Year 'Round - anything goes
Crazy 4 Challenges - Clean and Simple
Virginia's View Challenge - "clean slate", lots of white.

Hello Butterfly

Hi there!  It's been a few days since my last post.  Things are getting back to normal after the holidays.  My son is back at school and is quite happy about it.  I love that he likes school so much.  It's been super cold here in the Maritimes.  Too cold for my liking.  It's warming up some today but it will bring snow which is not my favourite.  I'll take it over the cold though!

Anyway, I have a card to share today where I played around with some distress inks.  I now have two more colours of distress ink that I got for Christmas but I didn't use them for this card.  Go figure.  :-). In any case, here's my card...

I broke out my one of my big butterfly stamps (by Stampendous) and I dabbed my two colours of distress ink (broken china and forest moss) randomly around.  Then I spritzed some water on my card stock and stamped a couple of times.  I used the water lightly as I only wanted some slight bleeding.  Then, once that dried, I created a mask and I stamped the same butterfly in dove gray StazOn ink.  I stamped the sentiment (STAMPlorations) in black.  I took a white card base and adhered some strips of silver glitter tape (Darice) and then attached my butterfly panel.  I love the colours of this card.  And that glitter tape. So sparklely!

I'm going to link up to the following challenges:

Virginia's View Challenge - "clean slate".  I've got lots of white in my card. :-)

Little Tangles -  challenge #52: saying hello

Thanks so much for visiting me today and I hope you'll have a wonderful weekend!

One Layer Christmas Card Challenge #1

Hey everyone!  It the first challenge for the new challenge blog, One Layer Christmas Cards!  I'm very excited about being on this Design Team.  I'm among some very talented ladies and, as most of you are well aware, I love making Christmas cards!  Now some of you may be tired of making Christmas cards after the frenzy of making them for everyone just last month but just think if you made one Christmas card for every challenge we had you'd have a pretty nice stash all ready by next Christmas!  In any case, I hope to see some of you join in on the fun.  Be sure to check out the other DT girl's projects as well.  They are all amazing!

On to the challenge!  Like it will be for all challenges, its Anything Goes.  But there is an optional twist!  For this first challenge the twist is to use Red.

I have decided that I'm going to try and use the twist for each challenge so I've got some red in my one layer card.  Take a look...

So, first I masked of an area on a kraft card base where I stamped my poinsettia in red (STAMPlorations) by flipping it over and using the solid backside.  Then I stamped right side up with versamark and embossed in white.  I took the mask off and created another just above where I stamped my circle (Stampology) in black.  I removed this mask and created a small one under the poinsettia section to sponge a small stripe of black.  Using a ruler I drew a line between the two stamped sections with a gold pen.  Then I did the same above and below the sections but dragged the ruler through the ink several times to smear it somewhat.  Then I stamped my sentiment (Hero Arts) in versamark and embossed it in white.  It's amazing how something can seem to have many layers yet be just one.

So, I really hope you'll break out your Christmas stamps and supplies again and play along with us!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

I'm linking up to the following challenges:

Crazy 4 Challenges - clean and simple
Christmas Cards All Year 'Round - anything goes (Christmas).

Guest Designing at STAMPlorations - Sketch #25

Hi!  I'm guest designing over at STAMPlorations again!  This time it's for their sketch challenge #25. It is such an awesome sketch too!  Take a look...

So many possibilities!  I didn't change much as I really liked the sketch as it was.  I was able to use a new stamp set that Shery, owner/designer of STAMPlorations sent to me as a gift, for this card.  It's the new set called Trendy Butterflies.  Love this set!  Here's my card...

First I took my white card base and masked the edges.  I sprayed my heirloom gold perfect pearls mist and then removed the mask once it dried.  I trimmed a piece of gold glitter tape (it was too wide for my taste) and adhered it to the card.  I stamped my sentiment (from same STAMPlorations set) in black StazOn ink (I find that it works better overtop the perfect pearls mist).  I stamped my butterflies on white cardstock in broken china distress ink, SSS sea glass ink, and SU! bermuda bay ink, then fussy cut them out.  I attached them to the card with some foam dots.  This really is a lovely set.

I hope you'll join us for this challenge.  There's usually some kind of prize up for grabs and the DT's cards are sure to inspire you!

I'm going to link up to the following challenges:

STAMPlorations - January challenge, "stamps and ink".
STAMPlorations - their ongoing "anything goes" challenge.
AAA Cards - use a little gold.
Darnell's NBUS Challenge - "anything goes".  The trendy butterflies set was brand new and never used!

Enjoy your week and thank you so much for visiting me today!

Inkspirational Challenge - Prompt Word, "Note"

Greetings and Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a lovely time ringing in the New Year.  It was a quiet one for me and my family but I'm good with that.  :-)  I'm rather a homebody at heart.  Anyway, it's the first challenge of the new year for Inkspirational and it's a prompt word this time.

Interpret it as you will.  I was rather literal with my interpretation.  I got to try out some new inks I got for Christmas though, which was fun.  Check it out...

So, I stamped my feathers (STAMPlorations, Trendy Feathers set) in my new Memento inks (Dandelion, Cantaloupe, Tangelo, Lady Bug) along one side.  Then I used my Heirloom Gold spray (Perfect Pearls Mist) and sprayed overtop.  I then stamped my sentiment (same STAMPlorations set) in black.  I attached my panel to a kraft card base.  I love the brightness of this card. I am totally loving the Perfect Pearls mist too.  It's so sparkly but its kind of subtle.  I hope you can see it better in the detail photo.  It doesn't do it justice though.

I do hope you will join us over at Ink and play along.  The other DT girls have created some really lovely cards so you should definitely check them out.  Plus, we have a wonderful Guest Designer with us this challenge.  Please go visit, Marika of Me and Minime Crafting.  She is a truly talented card artist and has made a fabulous card for this challenge.

I'm going to link up to the following challenges:

STAMPlorations - January challenge is "Stamps & Ink".
STAMPlorations - their ongoing "anything goes" challenge.
CAS-ology - cue word is Light.  Ever hear that saying"light as a feather"?  Well, that's how I interpreted the cue word.
AAA Cards - "use a little gold"

I'd also like to take a moment to welcome some new followers.  Vickie of On The Fringe, Shery of That One Layer Mixed Media Girl and STAMPlorations, Bridget of Bridget Larsen, Lee-Anne of Creatively LA, Joey of Joey's Stuff, and Desire of Doing Life.  All very talented card artists and well worth going over to their blogs for a visit.  Welcome!  :-)

Well, thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!