Anything Goes Paper Smooches

Today I am playing along with the Paper Smooches Spark Challenge.  This week it is Anything Goes.

This was also supposed to be for another challenge - a new Tag challenge - but when I read the rules again it said it had to be CAS.  My tags aren't CAS so I am not entering them in that challenge but the color inspiration and black accents come from that challenge.  I love the brightness of the tags.

The tags were cut out of watercolor paper with a Paper Smooches tag die.  I then colored the tags with distress paints and also some gelatos to intensify some of the colors.  I used the dies from Denim and Daisies to cut out some flowers from watercolor paper.  I also used the center of one of the flowers to stencil the white dots on my tag with gesso.  I used the negatives of some of the flowers and used them with embossing paste which I colored with the distress paints.  I love to do mixed media.  I used sentiments from three different sets for my cards.  Obviously, you can see, I made cards out of my tags.

I had my 45th class reunion this last week end.  I found out one classmate is battling cancer.  The "thinking of you card" is for her.  I think these bright colors will cheer her.  The other card is for the classmate that has been involved in the planning of every reunion our class has had.  It is a mini card.

I am also going to enter the card in the Mixed Media Card Challenge - a new challenge blog - this is my second entry.  The first theme is Nature.

Everyone have a great hump day.  Getting ready to go on vacation so need to stop making cards and pack my suitcase.  Trying to get some things together - I am visiting a card making friend so we need to have something to do.

Birthday Card for Child Struggling With Cancer

Cancer sucks but it sucks even more when it is a child.  They have not even had a chance to live their life to any extent.  When I see a legitimate request for a card fighting cancer, I want to try and help.  On Facebook I saw the story of Danny.  I wanted to make him a card to make him smile.

When I want to make someone smile, I dig out my monkeys from Stampendous.  Guaranteed smiles from these dudes.  I used the weekly sketch from Sketch Saturday.

I used papers from American Crafts.  The sentiment is a sticker from SRM Stickers.  The bubbles have Stickles on them and then a layer of Glossy Accents.

I hope you are able to send Danny a birthday card.  If you can't make it for his birthday - just send one anyway.  Just say hello.  Here is his address.

Danny Nickerson
P.O. Box 212
Foxboro, MA 02035 

CAS Sympathy Card

I am combining two challenges for this card.  Addicted to Stamps' weekly challenge is CAS.  CAS on Sunday is a sympathy card.

I find it very hard to make sympathy cards because when you are making the card, it is for someone you care about who has lost a loved one.  I have decided to get a few made for my personal supply or if someone asks me if I have any for sale.

A couple weeks ago I was playing with my distress inks - and making some backgrounds.  You can see a couple of the cards at this link that I made with my background play.  The cards are all very similar.  I had one more background made and it was already stamped.  This was the incentive to finish the card.  Thank you - you don't know how many cards I have sitting around waiting to be finished.

The background was made with distress inks squished on a sheet, sprayed with water and a damp piece of water color paper dipped in it.  I got a fairly even coating with it and did not do anything else to it.  The stamp is from Hero Arts.  This was the floral stamp and then a outline stamp.  I stamped it first in the turquoise ink and then the outline with black ink.  I added a few rhinestones to the center of the flowers to complete them.  I don't have many sympathy stamps so I used a sticker from SRM Stickers.  I had colored some paper to use for the sentiment.  I placed the sticker on the paper.  Cut it out freehand and to cover the edges, I ran the edge of a black copic marker around it to finish the white edges off.  The image is pop dotted on the card front.  I placed the sentiment directly on the image.  I did not want to make it too bulky for mailing.

Thanks for stopping by.  Thanks for helping me get one more unfinished card done.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Monday - time to show some love to some old supplies.  Found the floral paper in the scrap pile - I love the colors so I wanted to use them up.  I thought they would make some good fall birthday cards.

I was attempting to make a card with a snowman but it did not work out - when I took the image off I scuffed up the paper so had to find something big enough to cover the scruffs.  Then I saw this die cut sitting on my table.  Card made.  Those snowflakes in the background shall be considered flowers.

 These cards will go into my Operation Write Home box.  I need to get that box mailed.

Enjoy your Monday.

Sunday Creativity - Two Challenges Combined

Home from my 45th class reunion.  It was nice to see people again.  I graduated with a good group of people.  We even do reunions for special years.  We had one the year everyone turned 60 and are planning one for the year everyone turns 65.  The off year celebrations are a big potluck at someone's home.  Being an early riser, my drive home was accomplished with very little traffic and even though it takes two hours, I was home shortly after 8 a.m. this morning.  Time to get some things done.

I had laid out a card (started anyway) before I left home on Saturday.  I was able to combine the card with two challenges.

The first challenge is the weekly sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  I just had to move my two strips down to accommodate my sentiment.  Here is the sketch.

The other challenge is a CAS monochromatic challenge from The Paper Players.

Here is my card.

The card is "shades of teal" - one of my favorite color combinations.  The snowman sticker is from Penny Black and the sentiment is from SRM Stickers.  I embossed the white and teal mat with a Cuddlebug snowflake embossing folder.  (shhhh - don't tell anyone - I am using more of my recycled white card stock from commencement programs).  I scattered a few pearls around the white areas to pick up more of the teal color.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Pocketful of Thanks

This week the challenge on the Paper Smooches Sparks challenge is a photo inspiration.  It is a beautiful photo.  Mason jars are so popular.  Yesterday I saw an entire craft book on mason jars.

My colors are not as soft but I still got the three colors in my card.  I did have a chevron strip for the card but it did not fit.  I will have to make another card with it someday in my spare time.  (what is that?)  I had recently gotten a new stamp set when I ordered from Simon Says.  I stamped the pocket and the sentiment on the pocket.  The flowers were all die cut.  I did color the paper for the pink and aqua flowers with ink.  The mat was also colored with ink.  It is the best way to get something to match perfectly - make it yourself.  My favorite embossing folder.  The pocket and some flowers were pop dotted for dimension.  I added a few sequins - that is the first time I have used sequins on a card.  I colored some crochet thread with the same ink I stamped the sentiment in to bring in some of the darker teal color.

Somehow I never get this challenge done until the end of the week.  You really stop by and check out their weekly challenge.

If you want your own Paper Smooches stamps and dies, you just need to go shop at this link.

Well it is time to get moving.  Today is my 45th class reunion.  It will be nice to see whoever attends.  Bonus - I get to also see my Mom today.  Everyone enjoy your Saturday.

Friday - Unity Stamps and Friends With Flair

It is Friday and on my continued quest to use some of my supplies - I try to use my Unity Stamps because they have Friends with Flair on Fridays.  Last week I did not get anything made - I was helping a friend alter a skirt.  My sewing skills are very rusty.

This little doggie was cut out and waiting for me to make a card last week so this week he gets to be front and center on a card.  I love this doggie.  He is so sweet and there is so much you could do with him.  I chose to stamp him on pattern paper and cut him out and put him on my die cut circles.  I used a little off center balancing on my card.  Maybe I have invented a new design word.  Hmmmmmm.

All this paper (except maybe the paper I stamped the dog on) are oldie moldies so I could have posted on Monday.  Some even came out of the scrap bin.  Always good to use some of your older supplies.  This card will go in my Operation Write Home box.  It will bring many smiles.  This is one of the things that inspires me to make cards for Operation Write Home - the smiles - I smile when I make the card - hopefully the OWH shipper smiles when she packs the card to go overseas.  The Hero who picks out the card to send home is smiling and you can imagine the smiles the recipient has when they receive a card from their Hero.

Have a wonderful Friday.  I have the day off so I need to accomplish some things and now I have accomplished one of the first things on my list.  Don't tell anyone I also watched two craft videos.

Big Hugs

I have not done the Clean and Simple Stamping Challenge for such a long time.  I really like the design of the card.

My card only has a stamped sentiment on it.  I used my Silhouette to cut the circle designs from white or cream paper and I then colored then with Copics.  The background paper is a patterned paper with a little design in it.  I glued the big heart circles onto the card front and then I dry embossed it with an embossing folder.  I always feel that when I do that my die cuts are very glued to the card front.  Since this card will be for Operation Write Home, it needs to travel lots of miles and I want to make sure everything stays stuck.  I stamped the sentiment on the same patterned paper as the background.  It is pop dotted on the card front along with a few more circles.  The one circle looks like an olive to me.  I am really happy with how it turned out.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Only one card to share for oldie moldie Monday.  I went to visit my daughter in Milwaukee instead of cardmaking.  There are two other cards on the design table but I thought my sentiment was too small on the card so I took all three and put them on the same card.

The paper is from We are Memory Keepers.

Remember to show some love for your old supplies.  The stamp is new though - it is from Simon Says and it is one that comes with a banner die cut.  Very cool.  I did use the banner on yesterday's card and another one of the sentiments.  The card will go in my next Operation Write Home box.

Mixed Media Retirement Card

I found a new challenge site that does a monthly challenge and it has to do with Mixed Media.  I love to play with Mixed Media.  I have made canvases, ornaments and cards.  I make mostly cards so The Mixed Media Card Challenge blog was made for me.   The cue word for the challenge is nature.

I needed a retirement card for someone on campus who is retiring to start a new adventure with a company in Florida.  I wanted to wish her well and thank her.  I returned to school in my 40's to finish my degree. Chris was the instructor for the two main classes in my major.  She made me stretch my abilities as a student. I am sure she regretted that several times when she had to read the papers I had to write for each class. One paper was 50 pages long.

My card has a background made with distress inks on watercolor.  I swiped the inks on my craft sheet and added water to them and then dunked my paper in the ink/water mixture.  The green was a little muddy so I used my green gelato and added it to the green sections to brighten the color.  The flower stamp is from Hero Arts.  They were colored with a variety of mediums.  Watercolor pencils and distress inks.  I may still add some glitter to the flowers.  It was supposed to be a flower on a stem but I did not like that so please do not look under the flowers.  The top flower is pop dotted for dimension.  I used embossing paste and a Hero Arts stencil to add the colored dots.  I put the embossing paste on a piece of wax paper and then dabbed some distress paints next to it to color the white embossing paste.  I didn't want the dots to jump off the page; I wanted them to blend more with the background.  I think I achieved the right color.  The embossing paste dots made me like the card.  I just new stuff in the mail yesterday and this banner die and sentiment from Simon Says perfectly finished the card.  It is also pop dotted.  The pearls and enamel dots were added around the card to put something in the empty spaces.

I hope you enjoy my mixed media retirement card.  Thanks for the great challenge.

Paper Smooches, Seize the Sketch and House of Cards Unite

I finally got a card made for the challenge on the Paper Smooches Spark Challenge Blog where anything goes.  This is a great challenge because then you can do anything you want, use any color and design.

Just like most cardmakers, we collect stuff.  I had this cute little monkey in my collection of Paper Smooches Stuff and I wanted to use it.  I have not made my Mom a card for ages so I thought this card would brighten her room at the nursing home.  I got to use some of my favorite colors.  Teal and orange - I was never much of an orange fan until I had a student worker who loved orange and she opened my eyes to it's creative possibilities.

I used the sketch from Seize the Sketch.  A great sketch you can do lots with.

I also am entering it in a new monthly challenge I found - House of Cards.  There challenge is to use a bow.  I don't use lots of bows on my cards because the majority of my cards are for Operation Write Home and I try to keep my bulk down on these cards since they travel so many miles.

The patterned paper is from Basic Grey.  I believe the ribbon is May Arts.  I added some extra hearts in the lower left hand corner of the image.  I fussy cut all the hearts.  The little teal hearts have Glossy Accents on them to make them a little dimensional.  The big heart and the image are pop dotted for more dimension.  Did you see our little monkey has her belly button pierced.  She is such a little rebel.

If you wish to buy your own supply of Paper Smooches stamps and dies, you can shop at their online store.

Another VCMP Challenge

I got another challenge done from the virtual cardmaking party on Operation Write Home.

One challenge is to make a card for a teen - well teens love their music so I had this paper out and saw the guitar die cut and knew it would make a wonderful card.

I distressed the edges of all the paper.

Enjoy your Thursday.

Poppy Sketches and SRM Stickers

Enjoying a new challenge site I found - Poppy Sketches.  This week it is a sketch with a color challenge also.  I tend to shy away from color challenges but I was brave and dried it.  I think I like my creation.  I tend to stay away from green.  My Mom does not like green and maybe that is the reason I don't use lots of it unless I am doing Christmas.  My green was very subtle for this card.  Here is the challenge.

I knew I had these green cupcake stickers from SRM Stickers.  That was the beginning of my design and from there I went looking for paper in black, yellow and green.  I liked the subtle black background I used.  I used solid black to mat my square and there is black or noir on the stickers.  The image and sentiments were all pop dotted.  I think this would make a great birthday card with the birthday greeting on the inside.

Thanks Poppy Sketches for making me step out of my comfort zone.  Everyone enjoy your Wednesday - you know it is Hump Day.  Yeah.  The downward slide toward the week end starts at noon.

Unity Monthly Challenge

Well here I come - sliding in at the last minutes, brakes on, gravel flying - phew I made it.  Only a few pieces of paper ruined.

I had forgotten about the monthly challenge from Unity.  I have been trying to use a Unity stamp once a week - so I had one sitting on my design table to be used.  Here is their monthly challenge.

I chose to do the sketch.  The colors would have been great to do with watercolor.  I had a snowman card out so we have a snowy card.  I did lots of paper piecing on my snowman.  I did stamp a couple extra hearts to put on the card also.  The sentiment was too long so I cut it apart.  He is a happy little snowman.

Thanks for stopping by.

Keep It Simple and Mash It Up

Doesn't that Title sound like a good idea for dinner.  Hmmm - mashed potatoes and some chicken.  Oops - I digress - we are talking about card making and two different challenges.

I just found another new challenge called Keep It Simple.  Their challenge for the last two weeks is

Turquoise is one of my favorite colors.

The challenge at The Friday Mashup is color wash and a CAS project with minimal layers.

I dug out my distress inks and starting making color wash backgrounds.  I smooshed the ink on my work area and spritzed it with water.  I also spritzed the watercolor paper and then put the water in the distress ink.  On the Sympathy card, I rolled the ink around so that I pooled ink in some of the areas of the paper so it got a darker in some areas.  I really like how it turned out.  The birthday card started the same way but I got a more even color on this panel.  While the panel was still wet, I sprinkled salt on top and let it dry.  Once dry, you brush the salt away.  It gives a great finish to the color washed panel.   I am entering one of my cards in the challenge on Addicted to Rubber Stamps challenge to Make Your Mark - well I made my own color wash paper.  Hope that counts.

I used the same stamp set from Hero Arts on the cards.  The birthday card uses the outline stamp.  I then colored the flower in the distress ink.  When you use the distress ink without water, it gives you a deep rich color on the flowers.  I added some black gems in the center.

I stamped the flower on this card with the stamp that gives you the all over color.  Sorry the proper name escapes my mind.  I matted the image.  On this card I cut the top edge shorter than the back.  I lined the inside of the card with the same color as the mat.  It makes a very pretty card but it is very hard to photograph.  I added clear gems to the center of the flowers.

Both cards have a embossed background (white on white).  All the white in the cards, is recycled cardstock.  The sentiments are SRM Stickers.  I just cut off an edge on each color washed panel to get a strip that matched the cards.

Sorry for the long post.  I actually have one more card with the same color wash and flower stamp.

Thanks for the great challenges.  I am happy I was able to combine them and also I now have a sympathy card for my own supplies and a belated birthday card.  Numerous people could receive this card since I am a little behind on my birthday cards.

Operation Write Home Virtual Card Making Party

My online friend Yvonne is hosting a challenge.  Her challenge is creature card with a love theme.  Yvonne is also donating a dollar for every entry in her challenge.  I applaud her for her donation and I will also make a donation of $1 for each card on her challenge.

Here is my card.  The panda kinda reminds me of myself - sitting and relaxing - belly hanging out.

Operation Write Home Virtual Card Party

I wanted to participate in a couple of the challenges for the VCMP event on Operation Write Home.

Andrea's challenge is to make a masculine card with a vintage image.  I had taken this paper grouping out for next week's Oldie Moldie Monday - I guess I got an early start on cards using the paper.

Seize the Sketch

Did you hear the squeeling of the die cutter as I slid into the last hours of the sketch challenge at Seize the Sketch.  I have liked this sketch since it was posted and decided I wanted to do it before the challenge ended.

It took two attempts.  I did not like the die cut I first decided to use - it was too small - so thus the 2nd card was born.  Here is my card.

The stamp is from Techniques Tuesday.  This entire set of sentiments in this set are great for Operation Write Home stamps.  The paper is from American Crafts - Dear Lizzy collection.  I think you will see more of this paper in upcoming Oldie Moldie Monday posts.

Here is my second card.  The die cut was too small for the sketch and of course I did not have enough of the darker paper for the sketch card.  This stamp is a $1 stamp I bought somewhere.

Enjoy the remainder of your Sunday.

Freshly Made Sketches, Authentique and Lil' Inker Designs

Once again sneaking in under the deadline with my card for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge for the week.  I love the sketch this week.

The Authentique paper grouping was sitting on my design table (aka the mess) from Saturday's card.  I love the beautiful colors in the grouping.  As I was going through things, I found the stamps I had bought from Lil' Inker Designs.  The image is so sweet and I love all the sentiments that go with it.  It is a great card for my next Operation Write Home box.  

The image was colored with Copics.  The little stars is a punch that I have.  I think they add the finishing touch to the card.

Thanks for stopping by.  Why does the three day week end have to end?

New Challenge Site - Poppy Sketches

I found a new sketch site when I was out cruising the internet called Poppy Sketches.  It is fun to find new ones to try - sometimes you get to participate and somedays life just gets in the way of creating.  This is a great sketch with lots of possibilities.

The sketch has a little challenge attached to it.  This time the challenge is to use polka dots.  Who does not like polka dots.  In fact you have so many options you don't know what to create.  I finally decided on using paper from a 6 x 6 pad from Authentique.  It has some of my favorite colors for card making.  Pink, teal, yellow, gray.  I did have to add that little color in the top corner to add some balance.

This will go in my next Operation Write Home box.

Thanks for stopping by today.

A New Challenge to Try - "The Challenge"

As I was out cruising the net I found a new challenge site called appropriately "The Challenge".  It looks like their challenges are two part - you can choose or or the other or combine them.  I chose to just do the sketch this week.  I tend to shy away from doing color challenges.  Here is the sketch for this week.

Every Friday I try to use stamps from Unity.  I have an entire box full so I need to start using them so I have set a personal challenge to myself to use my Unity Stamps.  They also have a challenge on Friday where you post what you have made.  You get lovely feedback from the group for your creation.

I had already stamped my images when I found this sketch and I thought I could use my little clipboard could work - I am taking creative license with the sketch - as I always do.

The paper is from American Crafts.  I had the paperclip in my collection of stuff.  Do you have a collection of stuff?

This card will go in my next Operation Write Home box.

Happy 4th of July.

Anything Goes at Paper Smooches

This week the challenge on the Paper Smooches Spark Challenge blog is "Anything Goes".  I like these challenges - because I can do whatever I want to do if I have the time.  Unfortunately the last few weeks I have not had time to participate in their weekly challenges.

I was making a second card like the card I made on Sunday and posted on my blog.  When I went to do the one block I did not have any more of that designer paper that had the multi colored trees on it so I had to be creative.  I decided to use one of my stamps from Paper Smooches.  I thought the tree stamp went well with the sentiment which was cut from patterned paper.  I paper pieced the trees and the heart.  I really like how it turned out.  I had those glitter drops for the top of the trees which added the perfect finishing touch for me.

So swing on over to Paper Smooches and check out their store.  I have several sets on my list but I am trying to be good this month.  You can shop at their store.

SRM Stickers, Stampendous and Sketch Saturday

I have been trying to get a summer fun card made for the SRM June Challenge - Summer Fun - finally the last day - I got a more relaxed summer fun card.  I did submit a wedding card because that is lots of summer fun for many people.

There is a little boy in my hometown who is battling cancer so I try to send him a card every month or two.  I thought this sweet monkey would bring a smile to his face.  I hope he gets to relax and enjoy his summer also.  I based my card on the sketch at Sketch Saturday.

I stayed pretty true to the sketch except I put a sentiment in the other corner of the sketch.  The stamp is from Stampendous.  The paper is by We R Memory Keepers.

Enjoy your Wednesday.  One day closer to a long week end.