Emboss/Resist Flower 4

Less is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!!  Flower 4 of 4:

Used Fired Brick on inside and Orange Marmalade on outside.  Paper is Tangerine Tango.
Thanks for looking:)!!

Emboss/Resist Flower 3

Less is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!!  Flower 3 of 4:

Used Fired brick in middle and Worn lipstick on outside.  Paper Regal Rose.
Thanks for looking:)!!

Emboss/Resist Flower 2

Less is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!!  Number 2 of 4 of these flowers:

Oh...used glossy paper for flower!!  This one is subtle, but used orange marmalade on inside and mustard on the outside.  The sentiments are Papertrey Ink(Round and Round).  Paper Summer Sun.

Emboss/Resist Flower 1

Less is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!! I've lost count....

I made 4 of these in different colors...what fun!!  I stamped flower with versamark, clear embossed and used distress inks sponging in two colors.  Used fired brick and orange marmalade.  Cut flowers by using circular punch and punching along the edge of the punch on both sides.  Paper Pumpkin pie.
Thanks for looking!

Colored Vines 2

Less is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!!  Post #8:

I was trying for more of the "Fall thing"...so used the same Papertrey Ink set as the last post, but colored with More Mustard, Old Olive and Riding Hood Red). Used textured cream.  Thanks for looking!

Colored Vines

Less is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!! Post #7:

Used a set from Papertrey Ink(Background Basics: Vines) and a Hero Arts sentiment.  Stamped vines in different heights, clear embossed and colored with Mark It markers.  Popped up on PTI cardstock.  Thanks for looking:)!!

Leafy Hello

MLess is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!!  Post #6:

Made with a stamp from W Plus 9 Design and a sentiment from Inkadinkado.  Sprayed with Ink Potion No 9 before stamping and popped up and layered on Artichoke card.
Thanks for looking:)!!

Botanical Silhouettes 2

Less is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!! Post #5:

Used Papertrey Ink sets Botanical Silhouettes and Background Basics: Text Style) and Old Olive and Cajun Craze, Certainly Celery(script) for colors.  Thanks for looking:)!!

Botanical Silouettes 1

Less is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!! Post # 4:

Made this and the next post casing one of Susan Raihala's cards(link to her blog, not the specific card).  Used a set from Papertrey Ink(Botanical Silhouettes and Background Basics: Text Style).  Color is Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink for script. 
Thanks for looking!!

Flowery Thank You

Less is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!! Card #3:

Used a die from Stamping up for sentiment and Papertrey Ink die for flower.  Ribbon Papertrey Ink as well:)!!  Thanks for looking!!

Bubblegum Colored Hello

Less is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!! Number 2:

Made with die from My Favorite Things and a sentiment from Hero Arts..paper A Muse.

Thanks for looking:)!!

Vintage Blessings

Less is More challenge 33 is to have 1000 uploads by the end of the week's challenge...anything CAS goes!!!  Well, I've got a few!   I have made several cards over the last number of weeks that for a variety of reasons, I never posted. You need to put each card in an individual post to count towards the 1000...so I will have quite a few posts! SOOOO....here we go!!   Here's the first:

I don't know that I will give full details of the how to's but if you have a question/s...PLEASE let me know...but with the time it will take to get these all up, I'm basically putting them up:)!!  Made this with Bloom Builders#3 from Papertrey Ink, impression plate(canvas/linen PTI) and sentiment(Fall Elegance) as well.  Crumb cake sentiment and lightly sponged around card.

Casing Diane

Ok...I know...I admit it...I case  cards quite a bit:)!!  What can I say...I LOVE other artist's works!!!  Diane on Splitcoaststampers(fionna51) is a stamper whose work I've admired for a long time!  She made this card back in  July and I loved it so much I used her idea to make a similiar card for a friend of mine's parents when she unexpectly passed away last month.  Then, I just made another for the fall. Here are both:

 Both cards are made with a wheat stamp from Hero Arts.  Diane had made her card with 3 different stamps (I LOVE how that looks, but couldn't find any 3 flower that came close, so chose the huge wheat stamp).The first one was made with 3 different colored papers..none of the colors are known by name, but one is kraft, one a gray/sand and the other a light blue.  I used versamark and clear embossing powder. Cut each strip and lightly sponged ink around each panel(I think I used crumb or sand) and placed and popped a white strip across them all with a Papertrey Ink sentiment(Gracious Vases). Layered on white card.

This second one was done with glossy white paper, using versamark, heat set with heat gun and used distress ink to add color(Mustard Seed, Peeled Paint, Fired Brick)...resist technique.  I used Java Bazzill paper and another sentiment from Papertrey Ink (Fall Elegance) stamped in versamark with white embossing powder.
Thanks for looking, hope you have a great weekend!!

Double and Colored

I made this card for Less is More's challenge 32...Seeing Double...to make a card with a double on it.  I then saw One Layer Wednesday's challenge 64...Color It...to color something on a one layer card... and realized my card met both requirements...oh how I LOVE when that happens!!

I stamped the same flower from W Plus 9 Design Studio(Woodgrains Silhouettes Additions) once straight, the other with the stem of the clear stamp bent on my acrylic block before stamping.  I colored with 2 Stampin Up markers(Summer Sun, Barely Banana), and used my fiskars fingertip control craft knife and cut out some of the petals of each flower.  I pulled them out a little to give the one layer card some dimension.  I added sentiment (Papertrey Signature Greetings) and ribbon.
 Then, I made another one for the Seeing Double challenge using the same set(most of which are solid stamps). I had seen this stamp used this way in a magazine and loved the white on kraft!  Simply stamped twice with Color Box Frost White,heat set the ink, because it is pigment ink and dries slowly...but this morning it had even dried a bit more since last night.  Added sentiment from same Papertrey set as the first and small pearls.  Super simple and easy...

Thanks for looking, hope you have a great day:)!!

Totally Casing Cristina

I decided to post the cards that I made casing an artist whose work is beautiful, Cristina Kowalczyk.  She entered, and WON Gallery Idol on the Papercrafts website!!  She made some beautiful cards, but I was especially taken with this one from Round 2...You can find her wonderful instructions HERE:

I loved this card so very much, that I ordered the dies, got a pair of all purpose snips(Stanley Black and Decker 7" all purpose snips) and cut the Papertrey dies like she did to make her card, and made two...one almost EXACTLY like hers the other, just a tad different(paper and sentiment).  Here are my cases of her amazing card:

 And a side view:

Used Bazzill black, melon mambo and white papers with a sentiment from Papertrey Ink(Iconic Images).

 Then I made one with designer paper and some stamped paper and smaller black dots with a white top layer:

 This view shows the layering:

Used Bazzill white, regal rose dp from Stampin Up, and pretty in pink.  Used 2 sets from Papertrey Ink (Basic Backgrounds: Tin Type, Signature Greetings).
Oh how fun it is to make cards from cards that inspire...thanks Cristina, for inspiring me and sooooo many others with your beautiful work:)!!

CAS-ual Fridays...Red, Black, and White + Inspired by a Book

When Clean and Simple got together with CAS-ual Fridays last month...I thought...another Clean and Simple challenge...well let me try my hand(s) at it!!  This week's challenge is to make a card inspired by a book and is to be made with the colors red, white, and black.  I don't read many books, but when my children were little, a couple of their favorites and mine were Rainbow Fish and Grouchy Ladybug.  Now, the ladybug was PERFECT for this challenge with the red and black...but I thought I would try a fish, too.  Not rainbow...red, black and white, but I did put some shiny gel on his gills to look kind of rainbowy....a little different, but fun.  Not sure about either, the ladybug one was made using a sketch from Papercrafts latest magazine...hmm...just ok:)...Here they are:

 Made with a set from Hero Arts and an embossing folder. Here's a close up of the gills:

 And here's the ladybugs:

 Made with punch from Martha Stewart and sentiment from Hero Arts.  Here's the inside:

What a fun challenge...LOVE red, white and black....the book made the challenge...fun!!
Thanks for looking, hope you have a great weekend!!

EDIT....Oops!! I was a day too late to put my cards in the challenge...my bad for not reading a bit more thoroughly:(!!

Monarch on Mesh

I was inspired by Less is More's metallic challenge, so I had a strip of mesh out from that challenge and then on to Clean and Simple's sketch challenge...so here is the sketch and what I came up with:

I have taken a bit of liberty with the Clean and Simple sketch...something I rarely do, but this all just "fit"!
I used  Sizzix leaf die to make the leaves, a Martha Stewart butterfly punch, and a sentiment from Papertrey's Iconic Images set.  I punched an extra butterfly and put a piece of orange paper behind the extra and cut along the edges of the punched butterfly....thus the orange background.  Super simple...and got to use more of the metal mesh I was given:)!!

Thanks for the sketch inspiration and ladies at Less is More for the metallic challenge...what fun:)!!!  Thanks for looking, hope you have a great night:)!!

Less is More...Metallic

The challenge this week at Less is More is to make a card with a color theme of 
                                                        METALLIC
Chrissie and Mandi have challenged us to use metal on our cards in the form of: ink, embossing, card, charms, actual metal.  I found this challenge really cool...and will probably think of something else by week's end, but came up with a couple cards that I made yesterday(SUPER EARLY for me:)!!):

 I have really had Fall on the mind...so it seems that this challenge fit perfectly with the thought of copper colored leaves!  This first one I made with some metal mesh I had been given by someone who gave up crafting...didn't know where I would use it...thanks, ladies, for challenging me to finally find a use for it!!  I took the mesh, cut it with wire cutters...cut 2 - 1 3/4" squares(package comes with 3 -  6" x 12" sheets of different meshes by Making Memories), patted it on versamark ink and poured copper embossing powder over the wire.  Heat embossed it.  Used the Papertrey Ink sets Leaf Prints for the leaf and Wreath for All Seasons for the sentiment. Stamped on die cut copper metallic textured paper leaf with versamark, and embossed with copper embossing powder as with the mesh.  Attached with glue dots and foam squares for the leaf.

This one I used a maple leaf punch from Martha Stewart with the same copper metallic paper as the first card, and used a sentiment from Papertrey Ink Signature Greetings.  Layered and popped up on same copper metallic paper attached to white card, also popping up 2 of the 5 leaves for a varied look.
Thanks for the challenge, and thanks for looking!!  

More Sunflowers

These are a couple more cards that I made for my daughter's 1st year anniversary:

Used a set from Papertrey Ink(Simple Sunflower and Round & Round for sentiment) along with the sunflower dies.  Used summer sun and soft suede inks, and bazzill java and soft suede paper behind the sunflowers.   I used the linen/canvas texture/impression plate for a little added dimension on the card(love the subtle, but definite texture!)...nice because you can still stamp on it after debossed.

 This card was made with a stamp from Stampabilities and a sentiment from Hero Arts.  I am not much for coloring...don't own a copic marker, but do have prismacolor pencils, so colored and used stump with baby oil to blend colors.  Just thought the stamp was tooooooo sweet, especially with the sunflower, so colored the best I was able:)!! Added sentiment and popped up mouse panel AND sentiment on bazzill java card.

 Got these into the mail yesterday ...thanks for looking today, hope you have a great night tonight....see you tomorrow...oh I am funny, huh:)??!!

FTL 155 +ColourQ 44

Clean and Simple has combined challenges, this week with ColourQ, giving us a sketch and asking us to pick a color combo at ColourQ challenge site. I chose week # 44 and the sketch follows:

                                                                                                         

What a cool site and fun challenges...color combos are a real stretch for me...so it was hard to choose a set of colors...but then to make a card using all the colors...well...I kept my card VERY clean and simple!!!

Used a Quickutz embossing folder, flower punches and a sentiment from Papertrey Ink(flower fushion #7) with the colors of papers for the card and flowers as in the #44 colors.  Thanks for looking, hope you have a great day!!

Sunflowers for Hannah #1

 My daughter Hannah will be celebrating her 1 year anniversary of being married this coming Sunday!!  I have made a few cards to send her (she lives 11 hours away in Tennessee...boo hoo) and will be posting them for the next few days.  She had sunflowers as the theme of her wedding...so if you don't like sunflowers, you might want to check back in in a few days...my cards are all about sunflowers.  The cards are all very different...I am hoping they make her and Nic happy:)!  Here's the first:

I used a couple shapabilities from Spellbinders for the sunflowers and centers(the same ones I used for all her shower thank you notes:)).  Ran the brown middles through to emboss...a side view shows these a bit better:

I popped up the whole panel after cutting the 2 sunflowers that were hanging over the side onto another white card.  I used a sentiment from Papertrey Ink(Mega Mixed Messages) and Early Espresso ink.  The paper: Bazzill white and Java and Summer Sun.
Thanks for looking, hope you have a great night!!

Less is More 30...Recipe: Taking 3 Challenges

The hurricane-rushed wedding we attended on Friday night was lovely...the rain held off until after the reception, then it poured!!  The bride was beautiful...and yes, the couple will have much say about their special day for the rest of their lives!  The hurricane came through our area of Virginia yesterday.  There are 250,000 people without power, a tornado destroyed 5 beach houses(evacuated) and 5 people died.  There is much flooding, but compared to Isabel in 2003, the destruction is SUPER MINIMAL!!  Our lights flickered many times last night, but we never lost power.  An incredible family from our church let us borrow a generator just in case...but quickly came to collect it this morning for a family member who WAS without power. We were spared and feel very blessed today!! Church was cancelled today, but the sun is shining and our backyard is no longer flooded...it is beautiful outside...and best yet...I got to make a card this morning!!!
    Thank you to all who were praying and those who left such sweet, caring comments...it touched my heart!!!
   The challenge this week at Less is More is to make a card combining 3 of the last 29 challenges.  I chose #1:to use black white and pink, # 12: Off center the image and # 25: To use button or ribbon.  What fun!  And although I try to make several cards, I figured if I just make one and get it posted early in the week, I will have more time to comment:)!!

I LOVE black, white and pink...used stamp sets from Papertrey Ink(Flower Fushion #1 and #7) and a Papertrey texture/impression plate for the black panels.  The white paper and polka dotted is Papertrey Ink.  Popped up all the panel and the flower(which was cut with a PTI die).  Super simple..thanks for looking, hope your week is WONDERFUL:)!!

Less is More 28...Things That Move

 I am right under the wire, but have to post this fast...we were invited to a much anticipated wedding that was supposed to have taken place tomorrow night, then moved to tomorrow morning, and will now be taking place in a couple hours due to the hurricane.  My husband and I were not going to attend if tomorrow, the wedding destination being an hour away and having to go through one of only 2 tunnels used for the whole area's evacuation...now it will be in the backyard of her parents(our dear friends)!!
  The theme at Less is More this week was to make a card with something that moves...the possibilities endless...but I guess with so many possibilities, it was difficult!  I settled on a new set(new to me) from Papertrey Ink(Springtime Doodles) and made it super simple.  I stamped dragonfly and cut with fiskars finger exacto knife(not sure what it's actually called).  I colored it with SU markers(Bermuda Bay, Taken with Teal and Close to Cocoa)...used close to cocoa paper and bermuda bay, the white is Papertrey.

So being a dragonfly, he moves and with his wings cut out, he really moves!!  Thanks for looking, hope you have a great weekend!!

Music Cards for Mom and a Redo

Hurricane Irene is coming our way...not sure what the rest of the week will hold.  We are praying and believing that she will be pushed away from our shore.  I got water today and looked for a generator, but they were gone everywhere and I am on a waiting list at Sears(60 are coming in on Friday, I'm 17th on the list).  Even though it does not look like we will have a direct hit by the hurricane, the winds will be super strong.  Remembering hurricane Isabel in 2003, the last strong one to hit our state...it was pretty bad(just google Isabel in Virginia), we were without power in our house for about 4 days...our neighborhood is on the same power grid as the area hospital, so our power is on pretty quick(some didn't have power for WEEKS).  Noah's injury 4 years ago changed our need for electricity.  His bed, the way he's fed...and having at least  a fan...well I'm amazed that we have made it the last 4 years without a thought of having a generator!!
I must admit, I think my mojo left town with the news of Irene, but these are cards that I made for my mom for the music group that she is secretary for and sends birthday cards to the members, last week.  Made with paper, felt, and dies from Papertrey Ink, the sentiment from Hampton Arts(I thought the "to you" went perfect with a music score....like when you sing it:)!!):

This one is one that I did about a month ago as a birthday card.  My daughter's best friend asked me to do this as a wedding card for her to give...so here is the birthday followed by the wedding(I made one for myself for a shabby chic wedding we will be going to in October...it fit the colors, too:)!!):

Thought the versatility was cool...just wanted to share that with you!  The scalloped die is My Favorite Things, the sentiment Papertrey Ink (Giga Guide Lines).
Thanks for looking, hope you have a great night:)!!

Fun with Papertrey Bloom Builder 3

I made this card with a new die from Papertrey Ink(Bloom Builder 3):

I made 2 of each size flower and threaded them with a button on the top through the bottom flower with dark brown floss, I viewed Nichole Heady's blog where she showed how to make this flower in this post HERE  Used a "ribbon" I got from Walmart(I guess it's ribbon, but LOVED the texture and makeup as well as the width of it). I tied a piece of floss around the ribbon behind the flower to gather it a bit before placing the flower over it.  Added Papertrey Ink senitment (Through the Trees).  This is a fun flower...love that it lies pretty flat, you don't have to worry about smooshing it when mailing...SWEET!!  The color of the flower is Riding Hood Red.  Lined the inside of the card with the same colored paper as the flower.

Thanks for looking!!!

Less is More 28...One Layer...Use Ink

This week's challenge kind of eluded me.  I did, however, use ink in a way I haven't before...with a solution called Ink Potion No. 9, an ink blending solution by Tsukineko.  While on an outing last week, I was looking for something "different" at Michaels (I call it Mikes) and purchased a bottle of this solution.  I'm not sure if I'm using it exactly as it's supposed to be used (although there are not much in the way of instructions), but the directions do say that Ink Potion can be sprayed to create a watercolor effect, or to blend inks.  I am thinking, though, that it DOES make the stamped color image a bit brighter than when the image is stamped without it...perhaps because of the added liquid(whatever it is???).  I used it on both cards:

 I used more spray  on the wheat stamp, so it looks a bit more watercolor"y".   The leaves on the second card are a bit bolder and more defined:

The wheat stamp is a very large Hero Arts stamp with a Stampin Up sentiment(Beautiful Borders).  Used Crumb Cake and Early Espresso Ink...the ribbon is from Mike's.
The leaf card is made with stamps from Papertrey Ink(Leaf Prints and Falling Leaves)...the ink colors are old olive, cajun craze, more mustard and soft suede.
I lined the insides of both cards with colored paper...for a one layer card, I think it just adds a little something nicer than just plain :)
Thanks for looking, hope you have a great rest of the week.

Fun with Vines

I made this card this morning, with the new Papertrey Leafy Vine Border.  Love the endless possibilities!!

Used a sentiment from another PTI set and popped up over vines.  Used Melon Mambo, black and bazzill white papers.