Time Out #52...Reminder...Sending Birthday Hugs & Wishes

There is still time to play along with our CASE with a twist challenge at Time Out.  Our inspiration is this gorgeous card from Marjan.

I was inspired again by Marjan's flowers and colors.  I decided to use water directly on my stamps. After inking up my stamps, I sprayed the stamp with water before stamping.

My flowers are from PTI Mum's the Word and the sentiment is from PTI Stylish Sentiments Birthday.

I am linking this card up at Addicted to Stamps and More #186 Anything Goes.

I hope that you will take some Time Out to play along with us over the next two weeks.  Please see the Time Out challenge blog to see more inspiration from the Design Team.

Thanks for Visiting

Congratulations and Birthday Cards

I have a card for this week's Make it Monday #165:  Artsy Watercolor Backgrounds.  Watercoloring is so trendy now, and I really like how easy it is.  I used some Ranger water color paper and Mum's the Word stamps in Berry Sorbet, Lavender Moon, Harvest Gold and Simply Chartreuse ink.  I stamped my sentiment in Versafine Onyx Black after everything was dry.  I am also entering this card at Less is More #172, where the theme is Flowers, and Simon Says Monday where the challenge is Botanical.

I have 4 cards using the color scheme at this week's ColourQ cQc #242.  What--why 4 cards?  Well, I wanted to play around with these colors first using Copic markers and then distress inks.  I used my PTI Text Block Birthday die, and because I cannot bear to waste a die cut, each method ends up with two cards.

First up are my cards using Distress Inks.  I used 4 colors and sponged them on a piece of white card stock, blending where the colors met.  Then, I ran that piece through my Xyron machine, before cutting it with the Text Block Die.  I also took a plain piece of white card stock, ran it through the Xyron machine and then cut it with the die.  

The cards are made by adhering the die cut sentiment piece to a card base, and then filling in the bits from one die cut on to the card base with the other die cut.

I used a similar method for my cards using Copic markers.  I used 4 markers and colored a piece of white card stock with them, overlapping the colors where they met.  Then, I ran that piece through my Xyron machine, before cutting it with the Text Block Die.  I also took a plain piece of white card stock, ran it through the Xyron machine and then cut it with the die.  

 It is very hard to tell the difference between the two sets of cards in these photos, but it is a little more obvious in person.  The ones with distress inks have more blended flow between the colors.  It was fun to play around with these colors, and now I have 4 birthday cards to add to my stash.

In this side by side comparison, you can see the Copic card on the left and the Distress ink card on the right.  If you look closely, you can see how the colors are blended where they meet.

I am also entering these cards at Seize the Birthday--(no toppings--anything goes).

Thanks for Visiting

PTI Blog Hop Take 2, The Card Concept and ColourQ

I am sneaking in with yet another post for today--a second card for the PTI March Blog Hop, inspired by this tutorial on Damask Love, the photo at The Card Concept #6, and this week's ColourQ #234.

I used a partial die cutting technique to cut part of a Mum's the Word flower out of the front of my card, then stamped the sentiment on the outside, and stamped a very colorful inside.  This is incredibly easy to do, but I have to admit I either smudged or didn't line things up or messed up in some other way, and this card is my 5th attempt.  When I smudged the inside of what I had determined to be the final card, I used a little sequin stamp from this Mama Elephant set, and we will just pretend that I wanted sequins inside and outside my card.  Those sequins are coated with glossy accents--and are the 'high gloss' for the PTI blog hop.


Outside:

Inside:

Thanks for Visiting

The End of the Weekend

Well, it is Sunday night--time for my last post of the weekend.  I really don't like it when we lose the hour, but I must say I enjoyed a walk late this afternoon with DH and DD (dear dog) during our extended daylight.

My first card of the day came together rather quickly this morning, because I realized I needed to link it up to The Challenge by noon.  I linked from Flikr, and am now posting properly so I can also link at this week's Color Throwdown ctd282.  I used a few Lil Inkers dies on this card--Stitched Rectangles, Stitched Stars and Fanfare.  My colors are PTI--Limeade Ice, Pure Poppy and Harvest Gold.

My next card is my last entry for this week's Make it Monday #154:  Color and Texture Tips for One Layer Cards.  I used masking, score lines, and generational stamping for my card.  The leaves are from Meadow Greens.  I just love those ferns.

I fell in love with this week's sketch at Retro Sketches rs#105.  I liked it so much, I used it twice--once for a guy using new stuff, and once for a gal using some older favorites.

Here is my masculine version, using Leave it Be and the Burlap Impression plate.  The sentiment is from my all time favorite Paper Smooches set--Sentiment Sampler.

Here is my feminine take on the sketch, using Mums the Word and Background Basics Wrought Iron.  On second thought, I wish I had used a different sentiment--maybe one with a more feminine font.  Oh well.  Those mums are stamped in Summer Sunrise and Raspberry Fizz, and coated with Wink of Stella.

Well, that's it for me.  Based on my last few posts, I am feeling like a bit of a slacker for only posting 4 cards.  Ha Ha.  I start the online card class tomorrow, and am excited about all the new things I'm sure I will learn.  Anyone else in that class?

Thanks for Visiting

Muse #38

I am squeaking in at the very end of this week's Muse #38 challenge.   Our inspiration card is this beauty by Therese Calvird.

I loved her idea of a cupcake bouquet and made one of my own, using the Shape Up Cupcake die and a bunch of mums from Mums the Word.

Supplies Used (PTI):
Stamps:  Mums the Word, Mini Blooms, Embroidered Blooms
Paper:  Kraft, White
Ink:  Autumn Rose, Memento Angel Pink, SU Baja Breeze, Spring Moss, Simply Chartreuse
Dies:  Shape Up Cupcake, Mums the Word, Tiny Tags, Turning a New Leaf
Other:  Twine, Sakura Jelly Pen

Thanks for Visiting

Monday Mood Board #19 and Dynamic Duos #69

I am sneaking in at almost the last moment with a card for this week's WPlus9 Monday Mood Board.  I was inspired by the colors and all that beautiful white space.  I also wanted to use my new Fanciful Feathers stamps and dies.  I just love those feathers.  This card came together very quickly and simply--just my kind of card.

I chose to make a bookmark with this week's Dynamic Duos colors.  Way back when, I bought some plastic bookmark sheaths from a friend at the PTI Forum.  I stamped a random pattern of mums and leaves from Mum's the Word in Pacific Point, Pear Pizzazz and Kraft.  I stamped 'This is where I fell asleep' and 'Life is Short Read Fast' on the front and the back, and then masked with a die cut circle.

Supplies Used (PTI):
Monday Mood Card
Stamps:  WPlus9 Fanciful Feathers, Strictly Sentiments
Paper:  White, Kraft
Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, SU Calypso Coral, Crisp Cantalope, Pear Pizzazz
Dies:  WPlus9 Fanciful Feathers, Woodgrain IP

Bookmark
Stamps:  Mums the Word, All Booked Up
Paper:  White
Ink:  SU Pear Pizzazz, Pacific Point, Versafine Onyx Black, Kraft
Other:  Ribbon, Button, Plastic Bookmark Case

Thanks for Visiting

ColourQ 204, CAS(E) this Sketch 42, Dynamic Duos 67 and Simon Wednesday Challenges

I finally have a bit of time to get back to some of my favorite challenges, and I have two cards to share today.  This first card is for this week's ColourQ cQc 204 and CAS(E) this Sketch CTS42.  I broke out one of my new PTI sets--Bubble Talk stamps and dies for this card.  I used a negative cut for the largest speech bubble and raised the smallest speech bubble with dimensionals.  It's hard to see in this picture, but the littlest heart is covered with glossy accents.

My next card is for this week's Dynamic Duos DD #67.  I was very happy that I had the right ink and paper, as my friend Jeanne has been helping me build up my stash of SU colors.  I used that inking technique where you cover the stamp in the lightest color and then roll the edges in the darker color for my flowers on this card.

This week's challenge at SimonSays Wednesday Challenge is Anything Goes, and I will be entering both of these cards there as well.


Supplies Used (PTI):

You're Super
Stamps:  Bubble Talk
Paper:  White
Ink:  Limeade Ice, Plum Pudding, SU Bermuda Bay, Calypso Coral
Other:  Bubble Talk Dies, Aida Impression Plate, Sequins

Feel Better Soon
Stamps:  Mums The Word, Asian Fusion
Paper:  White, SU Crisp Cantaloupe
Ink:  Crisp Cantaloupe, Calypso Coral, Versafine Onyx Black
Other:  Memory Box Piestra Tile Die, Mums the Word Dies, Woodgrain IP, Sequins

Thanks for Visiting