Hello & Spring Greetings

 Hi Crafty Peeps,

My crafty "mojo" has been elusive lately, but I did manage to get a couple of cards made using Joanne's sketch for the The Paper Players. 

The stamps for this first card are from the Concord & 9th Rooting For You set. The background is stenciled with a new-ish Gink K Designs stencil.

Here is the inside of the first card.

The second card uses images from the Gina K Designs Elegant Asters stamp set and the corresponding dies. This tine I used a SSS cover plate and some ink blending for the background, and added some elliptical shaped purple gems that I received as a free gift from Kat Scrappiness a few months ago.

The inside of this card.

Have a good day, and thanks for looking in.

Colleen

Supplies

Card 1

Stamps: Sew Pretty and Rooting For You sets from Concord & 9th

Paper: Gina K Designs card stock Layering Weight White and Fresh Asparagus

Ink: Gina K Designs Fresh Asparagus, Ocean Mist, Jelly Bean Green, Turquoise Sea, Charcoal Brown

Other: GKD Master Layouts 2 dies, GKD Bodacious Bloom Layering Stencil, blending brush, Misti, Gemini Jr

Card 2

Stamps: Elegant Asters and  Layered Carnation sets by Gina K Designs

Paper: Gina K Designs card stock Lovely Lavender, Black Onyx and Layering Weight White

Ink: GKD Black Onyx, Lovely Lavender, Copics

Other: GKD Master Layouts 1 dies, Elegant Asters dies, SSS Detail Petal cover plate, blending brush, Kat Scrappiness gems, Misti, Gemini Jr

You Make the Rainy Days Brighter

 Hi crafty peeps,

It's the end of the week already, and I hope you all had a good one. I had lunch with some friends that I used to work with today, and yesterday I went to an afternoon baseball game at Petco. It was perfect BB weather, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Before I headed out to meet my friends today, I made a card for this week's Clean & Simple challenge for The Paper Players. Claire has a fun theme of April Showers for us this week, and I remembered I had this cute duck with umbrella stamp from SSS. I added a few stenciled clouds, also SSS, with a tiny bit of Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Clear Glitter around the edges, and some heart raindrops. The duck image is colored with Copics. I cut the stamped panel out using a stitched rectangle die from GKD, and used foam tape to pop it onto a white card base, which I stenciled with the same clouds. 

The inside just has the sentiment, which is also by SSS.

Happy Friday to all, and thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Showers and Flowers set by Simon Says Stamp and Spring In My Step sentiment set by Simon Says Stamp

Paper: Gina K Designs white layering weight and white heavy weight card stock

Ink: Memento tuxedo black, GKD Sea Glass and Copic markers

Other: Simon Says Stamp Clouds For A Day stencil, blending brush, Misti, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 2 die, Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Clear Glitter Gloss pen, foam tape

Happy Birthday

 TGIF all,

After going for a walk early this morning, I'm having a rather lazy rest of my morning watching stamping videos on YouTube. I find that they do inspire my creativity and I really enjoy watching them. Since I can multitask fairly well, I decided to get this blog post written while watching, as the cutoff for this challenge is later today. I made this card last night using the current Sunday Stamps Challenge sketch.

This sketch is another one that is perfect for using up patterned papers so I pulled out some retired SU DSP, which is called Flower Field. I love the Flirty Flamingo shade of pink in this paper and I used various pink shades of Copic markers to color the stamped images.

Here is the inside of this card. All stamped images for this card are from the GKD set called Delightful Daisies.

Enjoy your Friday and the weekend. I hope you get in lots of crafty time!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Delightful Daisies stamp set and dies from Gina K Designs

Paper: SU Flirty Flamingo card stock and Flower Field DSP, GKD Layering weight white and Black Onyx card stock

Ink: GKD Black Onyx and SU Flirty Flamingo

Other: MFT Scalloped Border die, GKD Master Layouts 4 die, Misti, Gemini Jr, Nuvo clear glitter pen, SU Dimensionals

There Is No One As Kind As You

 Hi again,

Since I had all of those cut paper strips in the colors for this week's Paper Players Challenge, I decided to use them to make another card. This time using a new SSS stamp set and die. I stuck to just four colors, no black this time. 

I glued the 1/2 inch strips to a piece of printer paper in horizontal rows then cut it out using the GKD Master Layouts 2 stitched die and also cut the mat from white card stock. These were glued together then glued to a white card base.

I stamped the flower image on Vellum with white craft ink and heat embossed it with white embossing powder, then used the set die to cut the image out. Using some GKD Connect liquid glue, I glued it to the card front. Using two more of the 1/2 inch strips, I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder and used the same GKD stitched die to cut the ends so I could match up the stitching. The sentiment strips are popped up using SU Dimensioals.

Here is the inside of this card using more images from the same SSS stamp set and the dies from the GKD Master Layouts 2 die set.

Again, thanks for stoping in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Mom's Spring Flowers stamp and die set by Simon Says Stamp

Paper: SU Basic white, Polished Pink, Daffodil Delight and Coastal Cabana, GKD Vellum

Ink: Hero White craft ink, SU Polished Pink and Coastal Cabana

Other: Gina K Designs Master Layouts 2 die set, SSS set die, heat tool, WOW white embossing powder, Misti, Gemini Jr, SU Dimensionals

Handmade For You

 Hi peeps,

I've been playing with the colors for this week's Paper Players Challenge using the newish Stampin' Up set called Handmade For You. I thought I'd see what I could do with it besides use the cute # greetings for the backs of my cards, which is the reason I ordered it in the first place. I came up with a card and some gift tags.

For the card I started by stamping the flower image all around the edges of a 4.25 x 5.5 inch white panel using an acrylic block and black ink. Amazingly, all of the stamping came out pretty even. Next I stamped the sewing dress form image three times using each of the challenge colors. I taped off the top and stand parts before inking to stamp the colors, then taped off the middle to stamp the top and stand in black. The flowers around the edges are colored with Copics that match the challenge colors. I planned to mount the panel onto a black card base, which I did, but it looked like it needed something more, so I pulled out my A2 Hero Infinity Dies and made a frame to go between the dress forms and the flowers. 

The greeting is made from three different stamps from the same set, heat embossed with white EP. I added three enamel SU dots for embellishment.

Here is the inside of the card.

While working on the card, I got to thinking that the dress form would make cute gift tags. I decided to make the background of the tags in the challenge colors this time. I did this by cutting strips of card stock in 1/4 and 1/2 inch strips for the three challenge colors and 1/8 inch strips for the black and gluing them to printer paper. I then cut the tags using MFT tag dies. 

The dress forms are stamped with black ink and fussy cut. I used SU markers to color the tiny flowers in the images and SU Oval Punches to punch out the greetings.

Simple in design, and the bright colors make them fun. 

Thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Handmade for You stamp set by Stampin' Up

Paper: SU Basic white, black, Polished Pink, Coastal Cabana and Daffodil Delight

Ink: SU Polished Pink, Coastal Cabana, Daffodil Delight, Gina K Designs Black Onyx and embossing ink, Copic Markers, SU Stampin' Write markers

Other: Hero A2 Infinity Curved Corner dies, WOW Opaque White Fine Detail embossing powder, heat tool, SU oval punches, MFT Nesting Tag dies, SU black enamel dots, SU Dimensionals, Gemini Jr, Misti, Bakers Twine

Thinking of You

 Hello crafty peeps,

Like many of us, I've been collecting patterned papers for years, but I'm not doing a great job of actually using them. I thought maybe making some card sets would help use some of my stash. My goal is to use fairly simple stamping on the cards, and have the patterned papers be the eye catcher.

Here is the first set. The patterned papers are Stampin' Up DSP called Tranquil Textures, and I've used this week's Freshly Made Sketch. The stamp sets are retired Stampin' Up.

Here is the group of four cards.

Here is a single card, the front first then the inside.

I have another set of patterned papers selected to make cards with over the next week. We'll see how this project goes.

I hope you have a great week ahead, and thanks for looking in.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Stampin' Up sets Summer Afternoon, By the Bay, and Cottage Greetings

Paper: SU card stock white, Night of Navy, Tranquil Teal and Tranquil Textures DSP

Ink: SU Tranquil Teal, Night of Navy, Fresh Fig

Other: Misti, Corner Rounder punches, Altenew and Hero Arts Sentiment strip dies, SU Dimensionals

Friends

Hi peeps,

It's "theme week" at The Paper Players Challenge this week and Ann's theme is "Laughter Is the Best Medicine." I have several sentiments and stamps that would work and at first I was thinking one of my "punny" stamp sets. But, while looking thought my bins, I ran across this older Art Impressions set and decided it would fit just fine.

I think I got this in New Jersey about 5 or 6 years ago when I was there for work. I remember it was snowing when I was out and about, and I found a stamp store. It was the best place to pass a Sunday afternoon.

The image is stamped with Memento Tuxedo black ink and colored with Copic markers. I'm a little rusty with skin tones, but this is a fun image to spend time coloring. After the coloring was completed, I used the GKD ML 2 die set to cut the white panel and the Blackberry Bliss mat. I decided it needed some thing other than card stock in the background and I found this old SU polkadot DSP that worked. The sentiment from the stamp set is heat embossed using white fine detail EP on Blackberry Bliss card stock and then cut out with a GKD stitched flag die.

The inside greeting is also from the same stamp set. I added a Blackberry Bliss wine glass cut with a Taylored Expressions die, and used the GKD ML 2 dies again to cut out the panels.

Today is Opening Day for BB season, so you know I'll be watching later tonight. I hope you all have a great evening, and thanks for looking in.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Girlfriends In the Tub stamp set by Art Impressions

Paper: X-Press It Blending card stock, SU Blackberry Bliss and Bright White card stock, SU polkadot DSP (retired)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Gina K Designs embossing ink, Copic Markers

Other: Gina K Designs Master Layouts 2 dies, Taylored Expressions Wine Glass die, WOW Fine Detail Opaque Bright White embossing powder, heat tool, Misti, Gemini Jr, SU Dimensionals, Sakura White Gel pen

Hello Friend

 Hi to all,

The Color Hues Challenge has one of my favorite color combinations for their challenge colors this time. Pink and green. Just look to nature for inspiration!

I've pulled out a couple of my Gina K Designs stamp sets and the Wreath Builder System to make this card.

Using the GKD mini set called Painted Blooms and the Wreath Builder system, I stamped the wreath then cut it out using MFT circle dies. (my GKD circle dies are not large enough.) I heat embossed the greeting from the same stamp set using white EP, doing three applications of embossing ink and powder to get a nice smooth and raised image. This is trimmed just slightly larger than the sentiment and popped up with foam squares.

I made the wood grain panel using Gina's method with Soft Stone ink. It's cut using some of the dies from ML8. The background panels are cut with ML1 and the white panel is stenciled using Fresh Asparagus ink. The card base is Bubblegum Pink, and I added large green pearls and some tiny pink gems to the center of the Bubblegum flowers for embellishments.

On the inside, I used the same layout as on the front. The greeting stamps are from the GKD Best Flowers stamps set.

I think this is one of my favorite cards that I've made recently. Thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Gina K Designs Painted Blossoms and Best Flowers stamp sets

Paper: Gina K Designs Bubblegum Pink, Black Onyx, Layering Weight White

Ink: Gina K Deisgns Bubblegum Pink, Passionate Pink, Fresh Asparagus, Jelly Bean Green, Soft Stone, Embossing Ink

Other: GKD Wreath Builder system, Master Layouts 1 & 8, Festive Stencil, Blending Brushes, Fine Detail White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, MFT Dia-namics Circle Dies, Misti, Gemini Jr, SSS Green Pearls, Trinity Pink Gems, GKD Connect glue and foam squares, 

Peace - Love - Happiness

 Hello crafty peeps and Happy Weekend,

There is a sixties vibe going on at the Retro Rubber Challenge this week. We are challenged to use bright sixties style colors. To pick the stamps, I used the "Way Back Machine" and found a couple of older stamp sets that are perfect to make a card for this challenge.  (If you remember Mr. Peabody's Way Back Machine, I'm sorry to say, you're as old as I.)

I've used this weeks fun Freshly Made Sketches sketch for my layout.

I made this into a birthday card that will be perfect for a few friends who have birthdays later this summer. Both the front and the inside greetings are from a Taylored Expressions stamp set called Feelin' Groovy.

There's a lot of stamping fun on this card, and it's bright enough for a trip back to the sixties. Enjoy your day, and thanks for looking in.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Beautiful Batik set by Stampin' Up and Feelin' Groovy by Taylored Expressions

Paper: SU Basic white, black, and Pink Passion card stock

Ink: Gina K Designs Black Onyx and Rena K Electro Pop inks

Other: GKD Master Layouts 1 die set, MFT Die-namics border die, Altenew Featured Sentiment strip dies, Misti, Gemini Jr, SU Dimensionals