Holiday Lane

Dear Ones~
Well, we got 8" of heavy, wet snow last night. Needless to say Himself has a sore back tonight. That stuff is heavy.

Today I thought I would share a little ornament that I made this year. It was really fun to do, although very labor intensive and time consuming. I made 8 of them.....and that was enough.

Here's the little gem:

 

It's about 3" high and is square. I used kraft card stock for everything, and stamped with GKD inks. The stamp set is from Papertrey Ink, called Petite Places: Holiday Lane, and has a set of companion dies. The little gazebo style ornament is a die set called Petite Square Ornament, also from PTI. All the little shutters, as well as the door, were die cut separately and glued on, as was the roof. The snow is Liquid Applique.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD Kraft Card Stock

GKD Pine Green Card Stock

GKD Red Hot Card Stock

Papertrey Ink Holiday Lane Stamp Set

Papertrey Ink Holiday Lane Die Set

Papertrey Ink Petite Square Ornament

GKD Inks~

*Pine Green

*Black Onyx

*Red Hot 

Marvy Liquid Applique

I will be entering this in:

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Winter Wonderland

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you are staying warm and have power....there have been a lot of outages lately. Oh, and I adore your comments!!

Foiling Fun

Dear Ones`
It's the Holiday Lull.....the time between Christmas and New Year's Day when we all step back and take a deep breath. Maybe even feel a little at sixes and sevens because we have been so busy that now we don't know what to do.  Well I have the solution - go create something.

For Christmas Himself gave me a laser printer. I already have a laminator (not a Minc, unfortunately), so I have been foiling my little heart out.

Here is something I came up with:

 Of course it's difficult to photograph foiling. It's never as pretty in a photo as it is in real life, but there you just are. I did an A2 card with a little curvy die cut border. The inside is lined with Blue Raspberry card stock so that it shows along the bottom. I stamped the image and greeting in black ink, photocopied it with my laser printer and then ran it through my laminator with silver foil. Then I stamped the patterned circles in different colors. I have been having a great time playing with my new toy.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White Card Stock

GKD Blue Raspberry Card Stock

GKD Pretty Patterns Stamp Set

HOTP 11 Labels and Trims Stamp Set for Greeting

Spellbinders A2 Bracket Borders

GKD Inks In:

*Grass Green

*Turquoise Sea

*Blue Raspberry

Heidi Swapp Silver Foil

I'm entering this in:

The Mod Squad Challenge - Anything Goes 

Simon Says Wednesday - Make it Sparkle

Hope you all are relaxing and enjoying the quiet of the moment. We are expecting a storm, the first bad one we have had. We will see if it happens. Stay warm, dear readers, and thanks for stopping by. I adore your comments!!

Solice

Dear Ones~
I am hosting this week over at The Mod Squad Challenge. Come and join me if you can. The challenge is to create anything but a Christmas card....it's about time. I know we are all tired of creating a Christmas ANYTHING!

This week our sponsor is the wonderful stamp company Kitchen Sink Stamps.

 

  These stamps are amazing. Most have a multi-stamp feature that lets you get great detail in your images using several colors. There is real dimension with a 3-D effect! And one of the best features of this stamp company is that there are color recipes for most of the multi-step stamps, so you don't have to guess what colors to use. There are even alternative colors if you don't have the inks that are suggested. Maria from Kitchen Sink Stamps is a member of our Mod Squad Challenge Facebook Group so feel free to say Hi or ask any questions.

THE PRIZE

$25 GIFT CERTIFICATE to the store. 

You can pick your own goodies and there are lots of choices!

 

Here is the sample I created:

I used the stamp set from Kitchen Sink called Multi-Step Pine Trees. This is just a lovely set, with 3 different size trees. The dimension on the final image is amazing. And here's a tip I learned from Frenchie Martin. Take a dark brown marker and color in the trunk of the tree here and there, as I have done here. It makes the trees so much more real. On this card I stamped the largest image using all 4 stamps on a piece of white card. Then I masked the tree and sponged in the sun using a circle mask. After I was done sponging I took the 2nd step stamp for the medium sized tree and only stamped with that. I love the delicate image you get with just the one stamp. Then I stamped the greeting with the Kitchen Sink 3-Step Baseball Stamp Set on vellum and white heat embossed it.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White, Dusty Rose and Wild Dandelion Card Stock

KSS 3-Step Base Ball Stamp for Greeting

GKD Inks In:

*Grass Green

*Fresh Asparagus

*Lemon Drop

*Peach Bellini

*Dusty Rose

*Cranberry Tart

Memento New Sprout Ink

SSS Olive Ink

GKD White Embossing Powder

Stash Vellum

Judy Dots

You have until next Tuesday at noon to enter the challenge. Hope I see some of your lovely creations over there. Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments!!

Angel Sisters

Dear Ones~
Hope your holiday plans and pleasures are coming along. It's a busy time, but I like to still play and do something for myself. This card reflects that.

Here's my card:

This is a stamp that I bought specifically to make my sister a birthday card. It's called Angel Sisters, and it reminded me so much of her and me. Not that we are anywhere near being angels, but I love how they are embracing each other. I think this is meant to be a Christmas stamp, so I have made a Christmas card here, but the card I made for her was completely different. One of my BFF's, Barb Campbell is hosting the Mod Squad Challenge this week, so this will be entered in her challenge. Barb is super talented, go visit her BLOG and see what I mean.

Here are the Ingredients:

Stampin' Up Rich Razzleberry Card Stock

GKD White Card Stock

Bo Bunny Altitude Patterned Paper

Stampendous Angel Sisters Stamp

Technique Tuesday Stamp - Believe

Vellum and White Embossing Powder

Impression Obsession Snowflake Dies

Recollections Glitter Paper

Zig Clean Color Pens

Stickles and Stash Gems

This card will be entered in:
The Mod Squad Challenge - Here are the Ingredients, You Make the Card
Simon Says Wednesday - Let It Snow
Work It Wednesday - Make a Holiday Card

Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments. Don't get so busy you can't enjoy the season!

Craft Your Kraft

Dear Ones~
Himself just brought the tree home from our storage - guess it's time to decorate for Christmas. Not quite yet, though. I need to finish my Christmas cards first.

This week in Make it Monday over at Papertrey Ink, Dawn showed us how to do some wonderful stamping on kraft paper. Kraft is one of my favorites. Watch Dawn's video HERE

Here is what I came up with:

This was such a fun technique!! I love the effect that comes from stamping on kraft with white first, and then stamping with the color. I also did some white spatters and I think they really stand out on the kraft color. The PTI Rosie Posie stamp set lends itself so well to this.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD Kraft and White Card Stock

Papertrey Ink Rosie Posie Stamp Set

Hot Off the Press  Christmas Greeting

GKD Inks in:

*White Pigment

*Red Hot

*Cranberry Tart

*Evergreen, Stamped Off Once

*Evergreen

Dylusions White Spray

This will be entered in:

PTI Make it Monday - Layered Stamping on Kraft

Simon Says - Anything Goes 

 

 So that's it for me right now. I adore your comments, thanks for stopping by!!!

Pattern Your Paper

Dear Ones~

 This week I am the host over at the Mod Squad Challenge. Our sponsor is the wonderful stamp company Kitchen Sink Stamps. Kitchen Sink Stamps offers us a discount. CODE: ModSquad.

  

These stamps are amazing. Most have a multi-stamp feature that lets you get great detail in your images using several colors. There is real dimension with a 3-D effect! And one of the best features of this stamp company is that there are color recipes for most of the multi-step stamps, so you don't have to guess what colors to use. There are even alternative colors if you don't have the inks that are suggested. Maria from Kitchen Sink Stamps is a member of our Mod Squad Challenge Facebook Group so feel free to say hi or ask any questions.

THE PRIZE

$25 GIFT CERTIFICATE to the store. 

You can pick your own goodies and there are a lot of choices!

Here are a couple of samples for you~

For this card I used the Kitchen Sink stamp set  

Friends of the Moon. 

I stamped the shooting stars and firework sprays all over the card, heat embossed it with white embossing powder from GKD, then sponged with Dusty Concord and Faded Jeans Distress Ink. 

The card stock is GKD White and Navy, and Stampin' Up Rich Razzleberry. Greeting is from the GKD Mountain Wilderness stamp set. I die cut the star from glitter paper and attached the silver thread to it.

 

This one was done using the Kitchen Sink stamp set  

3-Step Butterflies. 

I stamped the image on GKD Wild Wisteria Card Stock with GKD Wild Wisteria Ink for a tone on tone look, using 2 of the 3 stamps. Then I splattered with gold paint and used my white gel pen to add dots of white. The greeting is from a Mama Elephant stamp set Sunday Sentiments, and it was embossed with GKD Gold Embossing Powder on vellum. 

The butterfly is a Martha Stewart Punch.

Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments. You still have until noon on Tuesday, November 24th to join in, so run right over there and be a part!! 

Happy Snowman

Dear Ones~
It's raining again here, and our grass is still green. What's up with that????? Thanksgiving is only a week away!!!!
I made this card today for the StampTV challenge. One of my dear online BFFs is hosting this week. Barb Campbell is so talented, she always inspires me. Check out her blog HERE. She asks us to use a snowman on our card.

Here's what I came up with:

 I just love this particular snowman image from Gina K Designs. It's so conducive to paper piecing, which is what I did here. The patterned paper pack is one I just purchased recently. Very Christmas-y, but all purples and blues. I love it. I got out my white gel pen and gave his scarf some texture.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White and Edible Eggplant Card Stock

GKD Winter Wishes Stamp Set

GKD Merry and Bright Stamp Set for Greeting

Cheery Lynn Flourishes Die

Bo Bunny Altitude Patterned Paper Paack

Stickles and Wink of Stella

Copic Markers
Stash Gems

This card will be entered in:

Stamp TV Weekly Challenge - use a snowman

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - make a Christmas card 

Great Impressions - bling on the holidays

Power Poppy - embellish this

We are heading to Traverse City in a little while to have our anniversary dinner. Our anniversary is on Thanksgiving this year, so we thought we would celebrate early. 49 years!! I was 9 when we got married....haha. Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments. Stay warm, my friends.

Motif

Dear Ones~

I had such a good time making this card. Taking a bunch of little stamps and making a motif is super fun, and I love the results. Betsy Veldman over at Papertrey Ink has a wonderful video showing how to do this. Check it out HERE.

Here's what I came up with:

I used several stamp sets for this card (see below), and the inks I used are all Distress Inks: Fossilized Amber, Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon and Abandoned Coral. This was stamped on GKD White Card Stock and mounted on a GKD Blue Raspberry card base. I was amazed how well the Mermaid Lagoon ink matched that blue paper.

Here is a side view--->

The Ingredients:

 GKD White and Blue Raspberry Card Stock

Papertrey Ink Rosie Posie Stamp Set

Papertrey Ink Day Dreamer Stamp Set

Day Dreamer Matching Die Set

GKD Folk Filigree Stamp Set

Distress Inks

Stickles

This card will be entered in the following challenges:

Papertrey Ink Make It Monday - Motif Building

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Thinking of You

I will definitely be doing more of these - they are really so much fun. Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments!!

Just a Little Sparkle

Dear Ones~
What a beautiful day here in Northern Michigan. Why am I not out enjoying the sunshine and 60 degree weather? I'm playing in my craft room of course.

Today's offering was made for:
 Mod Squad Challenge - silver or pearl in recogniton of lung cancer awareness.
Power Poppy - embellish this.

Here's my card:

This was a pretty simple card to make. I heat embossed those poinsettias from Melanie Muenchinger's A Year of Flowers stamp set using GKD silver embossing power. They are embossed on vellum, then placed behind the "frame" of holographic snowflake paper and popped up using foam tape. Then I embellished with sequins and gems.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White Card Stock

Vellum

GKD Silver Embossing Powder

GKD A Year of Flowers Stamp Set

Paper Wishes Silver Snowflake Holographic Paper

Paper Wishes Christmas Collection Stamp for Greeting

Stash Sequins and Gems

This card is so sparkly - the photo, of course, doesn't do it justice. You just can't photograph sparkle. Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments. Hope you have had a wonderful weekend!!

CASEing Butterflies

Dear Ones~

The card I have for you today was made for the Challenge over at Kelly Latevola's Blog.
Her Challenge celebrates the One Year Anniversary for this series, CASEing Genius Challenge. Check out the blog to see all the details.

 

I decided to CASE (Copy And Share Everything) a card by Wanda Guess. She has such great style, and I loved this card in particular. Isn't it gorgeous?

 

So here's my take on her card:

 

I decided to switch it up a bit and use this beautiful butterfly die from Stampin' Up. I also chose to use bright colors for the background, which was done with the watercolor smooshing technique.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD Black Onyx and Peach Belini Card Stock

Strathmore Watercolor Paper

Aged Mahogany  and Wild Honey Distress Inks 

Tim Holtz Mixed Media Die from Sizzix

Stampin' Up Bold Butterfly Framelit

  The last part of the challenge asks us to nominate another talented artist to be a future genius. I have so many creative wonderful friends, it was hard to chose just one. I finally settled on Cindy Horvath.  I really love her style, she has such an eye for color and design. I encourage everyone to check out her wonderful work.

Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments. We are looking forward to a little snow at the end of the week. I can't think about that right now....haha.

Draagonfly and Fern

Hi Again~

Here's another card that I enjoyed making:

I have recently gotten a new color from Stampin' Up called Tip Top Taupe, and for some reason I just LOVE it. Got the card stock and the ink. I popped up the two panels on fun foam, so this card has some dimension. Used the stamping off technique for the soft background and then did the focal images with full strength ink.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD Ivory Card Stock

Stampin' Up Tip Top Taupe Card Stock

Stampin' Up Tip Top Taupe Ink

Stampin' Up Awesomely Artistic Stamp Set

Mama Elephant Sunday Sentiments Stamp Set

Darice Basket Weave Embossing Folder
Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch

Stickles

I am entering this card in:

The Mod Squad Challenge, Give Thanks-hosted this week by my fabulous bestie Barb Champbell

Simon Says Wednesday, Thanks/Thanksgiving

So that's it for me tonight. Hope everyone has an awesome week. Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments.

With Thanks

Dear Ones~

the Wild Thangs have gone and it's quiet around here now. I finally have a chance to do a couple of posts.

Here's my first card:

This was a fun card to make because it really went fast. The focal is the greeting, I kinda like making these kinds of cards. I love the papers here, I think they make the card.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD Navy and Ivory Card Stock

Craft Smith Chelsea Lane Patterned Paper

GKD Frame and Flowers Stamp Set

GKD In the Navy Ink

Spellbinders Scallop Circle Dies

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Circle Die

Various Punches for the Flower

Judy Dots

I am entering this card in:

The Mod Squad Challenge, Give Thanks-hosted this week by my fabulous bestie Barb Champbell

Simon Says Wednesday, Thanks/Thanksgiving
Just Us Girls Challenge, Word Week: Stripes

I have another card to show you today too, so stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments.

Black Eyed Susans

Dear Ones~
One more card done with just stamping. I'm lovin' this - so refreshing.

Here's my card:

I used the Flower Favorites stamp set by Papertrey Ink. It uses multiple stamps to create a dimensional look. Love using different colors of ink to make the image pop. And don't you adore that cute little bee? I'm so partial to those buzzy little things!

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White Heavy Weight Card Stock

Papertrey Ink Flower Favorites Stamp Set

GKD Inks In:

*Honey Mustard

*Sweet Corn

*Fresh Asparagus

*Jelly Bean

Stickles

Judy Dots

This card will be entered in:

Mod Squad Challenge, Bold and Beautiful

Just Us Girls Challenge, One Layer Card

Simon Says Monday, Throwback, July 13, 2015 Anything Goes!

Simon Says Wednesday, Anything Goes

Whew, that's it for me. This is my third blog post today. Guess I'll go find a cup of coffee. Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments!! 

One-Layer Wonder

Dear Ones~
I had forgotten how much I love stamping. I think I have become so ensconced in using dies and trying new techniques that I didn't stamp for stamping's sake any more. The Just Us Girls Challenge is hosted this week by my dear friend, Sharyn Polesel. She is uber talented. Visit her BLOG and check out her work. Her challenge is to do a one layer card EEK - what???? No layers? C'mon!!!! But I found out that just stamping on a card front is very fun.

Here's my card:

 

I used a stamp set by Papertrey Ink called Flower Favorites. This is a multiple stamp set, so you get some real dimension by using several colors. 

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White Heavy Base Weight Card Stock

Papertrey Ink Flower Favorites Stamp Set

GKD Inks In:

*Lovely Lavender

*Wild Lilac

*Fresh Asparagus

*Jelly Bean

Judy Dots

This card will be entered in:

Just Us Girls Challenge, One-Layer Card 

Simon Says Monday, Throwback, July 13, 2015 Anything Goes!

Simon Says Wednesday, Anything Goes

Hope you are having a lovely weekend. Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments!

Fall Wreath

Dear Ones~
I recently watched this VIDEO by Kelly Latvola. It looked intriguing, and I had to try it.

Here's what I came up with:

 

I really had fun with this one. I used a stamp set from Papertrey Ink called Day Dreamer, and several different Distress Markers to color on the stamps. Then I broke out my Stickles for some added sparkle. I highly recommend trying this technique - not that hard, and very pretty.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD Tomato Soup, Wild Dandelion and Cream Card Stock

Strathmore 140# Watercolor Paper

Distress Markers in Various Colors

MFT Die-Namics Blueprints 20

GKD Birthday Blessings Stamp Set for Greeting

Judy Dots

This card will be entered in:

 Mod Squad Challenge,  Bold and Beautiful

Simon Says Monday, Throwback, July 13, 2015 Anything Goes!

Simon Says Wednesday, Anything Goes

 

I have a couple of other posts to do today as well, so stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by, I adore you comments!!

 

Apple

Dear Ones~

Today we are picking up our 2 grandsons so they can be here through the weekend, so I thought I had better get this done now before they arrive. I certainly won't have time after they get here...lol.

My offering was made for the Stamp TV Monday Challenge, hosted this week by my dear friend and the very talented Joyce Erb. She has challenged us to use red and gold on our card.

Here's what I came up with:

For the background I took some watercolor paper and used the paper smooshing technique with Distress Inks. Then I did a cool thing with watered-down glue and gold glitter. You use liquid glue, thin it down a little with water so you can splatter it, do the splatter and then sprinkle on the glitter. Dawn Griffin has done a couple of videos recently with this technique and I think it's just so pretty.

You may notice the texture on the apple. I just found this medium called Crackle Accents. It's like Glossy Accents, only when it dries it cracks. I LOVE the effect. Here's a closer look:

Isn't it cool?? I colored the apples with Distress Markers, and the Crackle Accents brings out the shades so they are even brighter and deeper.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD Ivory Card Stock

Stash Gold Foil Card Stock

Strathmore 140# Watercolor Paper

GKD Harvest of Wishes Stamp Set

GKD Dark Chocolate Ink

Dried Marigold and Barn Door Distress Ink

Distress Markers

Crackle Acents by Ranger

Stash Gem

So thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments. I'm anxious to see my boys. Today is the youngest's birthday, so now they are 8 and 10 - really fun ages. Course I think they are fun at any age!  Anyway, have a great weekend, and I'll catch ya later.

Ornament and Snowflakes

Dear Ones~

What glorious sunny day it is. A welcome site after the 3" of snow we woke up to last weekend. Wish it would stay this way.

I am entering today's offering in the Mod Squad Challenge Blog. This challenge requires that you make a winter card using at least one die. The blog is being hosted this week by two of my favorite people, Donna Phelan and Joyce Erb. Both these ladies are over-the-top talented. Click on their names to visit their blog.

Here's my card:

 

 

I used several dies on this card. The blue ornament was done with Brushos on watercolor paper. After I painted the paper I added some gold splatters and die cut a circle that perfectly matched the ornament die. LOVE that die, I won it some time ago, and can't remember when or where. ~scratches head~  For the panel I embossed some white card with Cuttlebug's Swiss Dot folder, cut an oval out of the middle, and then attached that beautiful, delicate oval snowflake die cut on top. That panel was attached with foam tape so the ornament is seen through the oval.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White Card Stock

Strathmore Watercolor Paper

Cuttlebug Swiss Dot Embossing Folder

Poppy Stamps Winter Frame Die

Marianne Designs Christmas Bauble Die

Impression Obsession Snowflake Die

Brushos

Greeting is a Stamp from my Stash

GKD Gold Embossing Powder

Stash Ribbon

So that's it for me. Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments. Hope you are enjoying the beautiful fall color. And if you live down under, hope you are enjoying your spring!!! XOXO

Fall Spendor

Dear Ones~

Here's another card I made for the Mod Squad Challenge "Get Your Fall On":

I had a little left over from the Yupo and alcohol inks piece, so thought I better use it up. I used 2 embossing folders and a leaf punch for this one, along with the Martha Stewart Branch punch and some gold thread.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White, Honey Mustard and Red Hot Card Stock

Yupo Synthetic Card Stock

Alcohol Inks

GKD Beyond Baskets Stamp Set for Greeting

Darice Fall Leaf and Basket Weave Embossing Folders

Maple Leaf Punch

Martha Stewart Branch Punch

Judy Dots and Gold Thread

Thanks for taking a look, your comments are always appreciated. Have a lovely week and enjoy these beautiful fall days!

Golden Fall

Dear Ones~
Kind of a dreary day here.....a good day to go shopping at Hobby Lobby. Course that means spending money - and I'm good at that...haha.

Today's offering is for the Mod Squad Challenge, hosted this week by one of my BFFs, Barb Campbell. Check out her BLOG, you won't be disappointed. Her challenge is to "Get Your Fall On".

Here's my card:

I thought I would try some alcohol inks on Yupo paper to see how they would behave. I love how it turned out. Did a little gold heat embossing with a leaf stamp from Gina K Designs and added some ribbon and bling.  This card will be sent to my BIL for his birthday.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White and Fresh Asparagus Card Stock

Gold Foil Card Stock

Yupo Synthetic Card Stock

Alcohol Inks

GKD Fall Foliage Stamp Set

GKD The Wetlands Stamp Set for Greeting

Stash Ribbon

GKD Gold Embossing Powder.

Thanks for stopping by, your comments are always so sweet. I have one more post to do, so I'll see ya on the flip side!!!

Stripes

Dear Ones~
It's been so long since I have posted anything here on my blog I'm not sure if I can remember how to do it. We had an awesome time out West - my head is STILL spinning.

Today's offering was made for:
Make It Monday Challenge over at Papertrey Ink, to create stripes
Just Us Girls Challenge,  hosted by my dear friend Nancy Leppek this week, to use a stencil.

Here's my card:

I used a die by Spellbinders called Diagonal Chevron, die cut it with light blue card stock, and then layered it over the white card which had been stenciled with translucent paste and spinkled with clear glitter. The glitter looks pink in the photo, but it's really just sparkly clear. Then I put some die cuts from Ellen Hudson on top, and silver heat embossed the sentiment. I have to say I'm not really happy with this photo - I think I need a new camera...lol.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White Card Stock

Stash Blue Card Stock

Spellbinder's Diagonal Chevron Die

Ellen Hudson Wild Garden Die Set

Sparkle and Sprinkle Graduation Stamp Set

Tim Holtz Bubbles Stencil

Dreamweaver Translucent Embossing Paste

Recollections Ultra Fine Glitz Glitter

Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments. It's been far too long since I have been here - I promise not to stay away for so long next time!!!

Blue Bird

Dear Ones~
This may be the last post I make before our trip out West. Maybe I'll be able to post along the way and share some photos - that would be awesome.

Today's card has been made for the Mod Squad Challenge, hosted this week by one of my over-the-top talented besties, Barb Campbell. You MUST go check out her BLOG and see how talented she really is. Her challenge is to do the whitewash technique. To watch a video with this technique visit the Mod Squad Blog - she has a link to a video by Melanie Muenchinger there.

Here's my card:

I LOVE this little bird, and I love the GKD stamp set he came from, Winter Wings. I just think he's so sweet. Here I used kraft card stock to do the whitewash, and I really like that soft light blue with it.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White and Kraft Card Stock

K & Company Pastel Basics Patterned Paper

GKD Winter Wings Stamp Set

GKD White and Ocean Mist Ink

Enamel Accents

Seam Binder Ribbon

Stash Pearls.

I am beyond excited about our trip out West. We will be gone 3-4 weeks. I'll try and post once in awhile if I can - we should have internet access sometimes. Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments. And enjoy your fall!!!

Banner Card

Hello Again Dear Ones~

This is my second post of the day. I know - two in one day is unusual for me. Trying to do any posts has been hard this summer. ANYWAY......this card was made for the StampTV Monday Challenge, hosted this week by my dear friend Karen Hightower. Her challenge is to make a masculine card.

Here's what I came up with:

I was searching through some of my old GKD stamps and came across this one. It's a bunch of banners in different sizes with different patterns. Sadly, I didn't keep the packaging, so I have no idea what the set is called.  And I'm pretty sure it's retired because I didn't see it anywhere in the shop. I stamped the polkadot banner on some ivory card stock with GKD Tomato Soup ink, and then I poked a hole at the tip, wrapped some twine around the panel and threaded it through the hole. Make sense?? Pro'ly not, but I think it looks cool.

Update: My online BFF Donna Phelan ferreted out the name of that stamp set - it's called Perfect Pennants, by Tami Mayberry. Thanks so much, Donna!!

Here are the Ingredients:

Gkd Navy and Tomato Soup Card Stock

Stampin' Up Tip Top Taupe Card Stock

  GKD Grateful Heart Patterned Paper

GKD Tomato Soup and Navy Ink
GKD Perfect Pennants Stamp Set

GKD By the Sea 2 Stamp Set for Greeting 

Okay, now I gotta go back into my craft room and keep on making cards. Thanks for stopping by again, I adore your comments!!

Butterfly

Dear Ones~
This card was made for the Mod Squad Challenge. This week we are to make a birthday card with some glitter. There are two sponsors, Sparkle and Sprinkle and Connie's Crafty Room. She is a Stampin' Up demonstrator.

Here's my card:

I love this butterfly die from Stampin' Up. And there is a companion stamp set that you use first so that the butterfly has some color. I did a lot of layers on this one, and each layer is embossed with a different embossing folder. There is Stickles on the wings of the butterfly, just not showing up too well in the photo.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD White and Navy Card Stock

Cuttlebug Swiss Dot Embossing Folder

Darice Circle Interlock & Cherry Blossom Embossing Folders

PTI Petite Doily Die

MFT Delicate Doily Die

HOTP Flower Frenzy Flourish Die

Stampin' Up Butterfly Thinlits Die

Stampin' up Watercolor Wings Stamp Set

Stash Gems

Stickles

We will be leaving soon for a trip out West that will take up most of September, so I'm trying to get ahead of my cards for the month. Makes me crazy when I have time constraints.....haha.

Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments. Hope your weekend was grand.

Seize the Daisies

Dear Ones~
It's starting to feel like fall. Temps have plummeted and it won't get past 60 for the next 3 days. I know many of you are looking forward to fall - me, not so much. I love summer and the warm weather.

Today's card has been made for the Great Impressions Challenge, to add a sentiment. Great Impressions is a wonderful stamp company, and my online BFF, Donna Phelan, is on the design team. Stop in sometime and check out what they have to offer.

Here's what I came up with:

 I love this little guy. Colored him with Copics and dotted the daisy centers with yellow Stickles. Easy peasy, but I think it came out really cute. It a smaller card, measuring 4 1/2" square.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD Cherry Red and White Card Stock

Patterned Paper from my Stash

Great Impressions Seize the Daisies Stamp

Great Impressions Harry with Daisies Stamp

Copic Markers

Fiskars Sea Pearls Corner Punch

Stickles

Thanks for stopping by. I'm off to make another card. We had the grandsons here all weekend, so I need to catch up with some projects. I adore your comments, have a wonderful day!

Lovely Layers

Dear Ones~

Hello and hope you are having a good week. Today's card was made for the Stamp TV Monday Challenge, hosted this week by my bestie Barb Campbell. She is so talented, go check out HER BLOG and find out for yourself. Her challenge this week is to use as many layers as possible.

Here's my card:

What a fun challenge this was. I just kept adding more and more layers, I think I counted 18 or so. The little button is a PTI die, and I layered 3 together and then heat embossed the whole thing with clear embossing powder. For the butterfly I did the rock and roll technique with Navy and Dusty Rose ink by Gina K Designs, and then heat embossed the whole thing with clear embossing powder too. It's really shiny and looks like it's made out of enamel. 

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD In the Navy and Ivory Card Stock

Craft Smith Chelsea Lane Patterned Paper Pack

GKD Birthday Blessings Stamp Set and Die

PTI Button Stacks Dies

Spellbinder Circle Dies

GKD Navy and Dusty Rose Ink

Clear Embossing Powder

Judy Dots and Twine

Thanks for stopping by, I adore your comments. Oh, and stay cool, my friends. It's "wicked" hot and muggy here.......UGH!!!

Summer Dragonfly

Dear Ones~
It's still pretty warm here. The Princes went back home on Wednesday, but I have been so busy this is the first chance I have had to play in my craft room.

Today's card was made for:
Mod Squad Challenge - make a tri-fold card. This challenge is hosted this week by my dear friend, Barb Campbell. Check out her blog HERE. I love her work.
Stamp TV Monday Challenge - make a summer card. My sweet friend Sharyn Polesel is hosting this one. HERE is a link to her blog. She is over-the-top talented as well.

Here's my card:

I must apologize for the poor quality of this photo. I just got a new MacBook Pro, and I'm having a heck of a time finding stuff in it. My photos seem to be lost in cyber-space somewhere, so this one will have to do. I think the cattail looks like a hot dog....lol. But I digress. We live in a town that has a wonderful river called The AuSable running through it, and we will often go canoeing. The dragonflies flit around in the sunshine while we paddle along, so seeing a dragonfly always makes me think of summer. And of course this is a gate fold card.

Here are the ingredients:

GKD Dark Chocolate Card Stock

HOTP Nature's Walk Patterned Paper

GKD The Wetlands Stamp Set

Zig Clean Color Brush Pens

Memento Inks in Summer Sky and Pistachio

Stickles and Stash Ribbon

So, thanks for stopping by - I adore your comments. Hope you had a good weekend.

Study in Ivory

Dear Ones~
I'm getting ready for a visit from the Adored Ones, those Princes of Michigan. They will be here from tomorrow until next Wednesday. Let the games begin!!! This post will be short, but I wanted to make sure and enter a card into the Mod Squad Challenge this week, because it's being hosted by my dear friend, Kathy Krug. Check out her blog, her work is amazing!!! The challenge is to use any die that is sold on the One Happy Cut website.

Here's what I came up with:

I have been wanting to do a monochrome card for awhile, so I thought this would be a good time to try it. It's kinda fun, but challenging to not introduce at least a little color. The card stock I used is pearlized, so it has a pretty sheen.

Here are the Ingredients and Dies I Used:

Core'dinations Pearls Card Stock

Spellbinders Asters and Poppies D-Lites Die

Die-Namics Mini Circle Doilies Die

Die-Namics Happy Hello Die

Paper Studio Embossing Folder

Stash Ribbon and Enamel Dots

So that's it. Back to getting ready for the Wild Thangs. Have a great weekend my friends. Oh, and I adore your comments!!!

My Favorite

Dear Ones~
Boy, it's been a long time since I posted here on my blog. You can just call it summer. And it's retched HOT here, not the usual for Northern Michigan. Today it will get up to 92!!!

Today's offering was made for the Great Impressions July Challenge. My Online BFF, Donna Phelan, has been made a member of the Design Team for this great stamp company, and I'm so happy for her. Go check out her blog, she is over-the-top talented. The challenge this month is to use your favorite stamp. Really??? How can I even pick, I have so many favorites.

But here is the one I chose:

This is a stamp from Designs by Ryn called Water Effects 1, and was a gift from a very dear friend. I love Ryn's beautiful images, they are so unique. The silver swirls in the background are from another stamp by her called Sea Bubbles. I heat embossed the image with silver embossing powder. This card is definitely in the collage style, kind of fun to do once in awhile. The background for the water droplets was done by coloring Zig Clean Color Brush Pens on my craft sheet, spritzing with water and smooshing watercolor paper on the ink. Love that technique.

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD Ocean Mist Card Stock

Best of Basic Grey Patterned Paper

Zig Clean Color Brush Pens

Strathmore Watercolor Paper

Designs by Ryn Water Effects 1 Stamp

Designs by Ryn Sea Bubbles Stamp

 GKD Silver embossing Powder

Paper Wishes Janie's Girls Stamp for Greeting

Martha Stewart Butterfly Punches

Silver Thread, Button and Fuzzy Stuff from my Stash

I am also entering this in the Designs by Ryn July Blog Challenge.

That's it for me. I need to go get a cold drink and sit under the fan. I hope you check out the Great Impressions Stamp Company, their images are awesome! Stay cool, my friends, and thanks for stopping by. I adore your comments!!!

For Josh

Dear Ones~
This is my second post of the day. Also to be entered in the Mod Squad Challenge, to use water or sky on our card. This time I chose water, and I used one of the beautiful water droplet stamps by Designs by Ryn. Her work is amazing, so realistic.

Here's my card:

I made this card for our son, Josh, whose birthday is next week. I thought it would be a good masculine card. The water droplets are one stamp - don't they look real? I used a white gel pen to point out the reflecting light and then covered the drops with Stickles to make them sparkly. The holes on the upper part of the card are made using a Sizzix die from a set called Mixed Media. I created the background by smooshing Dusty Concord Distress Ink onto my craft mat, spritzing with water, and then applying watercolor paper. You do it several times, drying the paper in between. I love the effect.  

Here are the Ingredients:

GKD Black Onyx Card Stock

Strathmore Watercolor Paper

Silver Foil Card Stock

Dusty Concord Distress Ink

Designs by Ryn Sideways Droplets

Sizzix Mixed Media Die

Paper Wishes Birthday Wishes Stamp Set

GKD Silver Embossing Powder

Silver Thread from my Stash

Stickles

I am also entering this in the Designs by Ryn July Blog Challenge.

So that's it for me today. Still staying inside because of the heat. Thanks for stopping by, as always I adore your comments.