Fall Fun

 Hi Peeps,

One last post before we fly out tomorrow for our European River Cruise Vacation. Tomorrow will be a very long day of traveling, but then the fun will commence. 

I decided to make a couple cards after dinner tonight, as I'm all set on the packing front. Joanne has the monthly sketch challenge for Paper Players starting today, and I wanted to play along.

I've used some new stamps, dies and embossing folders from Spellbinders September clubs to make these cards.

For the challenge card I decided to forgo coloring the image and instead stamped it in colored ink. The backgrounds are made using both the Spellbinder's 3D EF and the regular EF of the month. The greeting and image are from the clear stamp set of the month.

I made a second card, no sketch this time, and colored the image with Copics.

That's all from me for about three and half weeks. We'll be in Europe for 18 days, flying home on Oct. 11. We will be cruising from Amsterdam to Budapest. It's been 11 years since we were last in Europe. That time southern Spain, a fabulous trip. I expect this one to be equally lovely.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Autumn Wishes set by Spellbinders

Paper: SU Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive, Gina K Designs Layering Weight white and vanilla and Black Onyx card stocks

Ink: SU Old Olive, Gina K Designs Black Onyx and Charcoal Brown, and Copic markers

Other: Spellbinders Autumn Chevron and Pumpkin Patch embossing folders, SU gold gems, SU Dimensionals

Warm Wishes

Happy Sunday evening peeps,

Here's three Holiday cards in non-traditional colors for you. When I saw the new colors for the Color Hues challenge, I thought of these SSS Bottle Brush Tree dies. I bought this die set at the end of the holiday season last year, but never used it. 

I've paired the trees with two SSS stencil sets, Layering Peppermint Stripes and Falling snow, and I've used Jen's sketch for this week's Freshly Made Sketches challenge.

The trees sit on a Lawn Fawn Hills with Trees die, cut from white paper and ink blended with light blue.

While looking through my SSS stencils, I came across the newer Large Snowflake Stripes stencil set and decided to use the Color Hues challenge colors to make a couple of cards. After stenciling, I cut the panel down to make two cards, one a mini-slimline. I really like this color block look.

Have a great week!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Christmas Blessings Sentiments set by Simon Says Stamp

Stencils:  Layering Peppermint Stripes, Snowflakes Stripes and Falling Snow by Simon Says Stamp

Paper: Gina K Designs card stock

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Large Bottle Brush Trees dies by Simon Says Stamp, Lawn Fawn Hill with Trees die, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 2, 7 and 12 die sets, WOW white embossing powder, Nuvo White Crystal Drops, Gina K Designs blending brushes and Micro Disco Ball sequins, silver Stickles, Connect glue, SU Dimensionals

Best Wishes

Hi Peeps,

I hope your weekend was a good one. I've been busy packing for vacation. We are headed to Amsterdam tomorrow morning, spending a day in the city then we will be joining a River Cruise on the Rhine and the Danube, ending in Budapest 15 days later. 

I have a pretty Concord & 9th flower bouquet for you today. It's a birthday card for one of our very good friends. I've used this week's Color Throwdown colors with the C&9th stencils.

 

I love this C&9th stencil set and I think it looks great in these darker shades.

Enjoy your Sunday evening!

Colleen

Supplies

Stencils: Filled With Joy stencil pack by Concord & 9th

Paper: Gina K Designs card stock

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Concord & 9th Sentiment dies, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 12 Stitched die, Gina K Designs blending brushs and black pearls, Connect Liquid Glue

TRICK OR TREAT

 Hello peeps,

I've got a spooky, but cute Halloween frog for you today. This die is the freebie this month if you order the whole "club caboodle" from Spellbinders. As Ann's theme this week at The Paper Players Challenge is Nature, I knew this image would work perfectly. I've paired him with a beautiful full moon, a new layering stencil from Waffleflower.

I started by ink blending the moon using the layering stencil set onto the front of a white card base. After the stenciling I masked the moon then splattered some white paint over the panel for stars. The frog was assembled from the die cut pieces and glued in place. The frog pieces were all cut from white card stock and ink blended with the colors, except the hat is cut from black card stock.

I've added a simple Happy Halloween sentiment on the inside. This is from a Gina K Designs stamp set.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Haunts and Harvest set by Gina K Designs

Layering Stencil: Moon and Stars by Waffleflower

Frog Dies: Happy Halloween by Spellbinders

Paper: SU Basic White Thick and Black card stock

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Blending brushes, white gel pen, Dr ph Martins white paint, SU Dimensionals, Connect glue

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Happy Monday all,

I'm running super late getting my Freshly Made Sketches card posted! I didn't get around to taking pictures yesterday after making these cards and then I got sidetracked this morning.

These cards have some surprising insides and were very fun to make. They are based on a recent Jennifer McGuire post here. She calls them Center Stage Cards. I made two, so far. The first one took a bit, but the second was a lot faster, so I may make some more. I've used older Concord & 9th and Gina K Designs sets.

Card one uses all Concord & 9th stamp sets and fits will with Kim's sketch for this challenge, the front being a large sentiment. The background is made using a C&9th winter Turnabout stamp. The sentiment and trees are from the same stamp set that I used on the inside of the card. I added some small GKD Frozen gems around the front for embellishments.

Here is the inside with the Center Stage technique.

For the second card, I cut a circle out of some masking paper and ink blended a "northern lights" effect in the circle. Before stamping the silhouette images, I splattered some white paint across the front. After stamping, I added a few GKD Micro Disco Ball sequin.

Here is the Center Stage inside for this card. The images are from a different GKD set than the set used to make the front of the card.

As are most of Jennifer's techniques, this is pretty fun and impressive, yet fairly simple to make. I recommend you watch her video and give it a try.

Thanks for checking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Card 1 from Concord & 9th and Card 2 Gina K Designs

Paper: Concord & 9th and Gina K Designs card stock

Ink: Concord & 9th, Gina K Designs, and Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Saturated Inks and Copic Markers

Other: Gina K Designs Masking Magic, SSS Nested Arches dies, Spellbinders Nested Circle dies, Dr pHMartins white paint, blending brushes, Gina K Designs Frozen rhinestones and Micro Disco Ball sequins, Connect glue

Sending Best Wishes

TGIF Peeps,

I'm hoping that you all have a great Friday. 

When I had my Glimmer system out the other day, I hot foiled several plates from my Spellbinders Glimmer of the Month collection. Today's card is one of those and I used Elizabeth's Paper Players Challenge colors again with it.

This Glimmer plate comes with a layering stencil to color the image, if so desired, and I used the stencils with shades of red for the flower. There is no die to cut it out but it was super easy to fussy cut. The background is ink blended with some bright yellow and blue SSS Pawsitively Saturated inks. I added some ink splattering with white ink and added a few black enamel dots for embellishments.

The sentiment is also part of the Glimmer set. The flower is foiled with red foil and the sentiment with navy.

 

On the inside I continued the sentiment and added another lotus flower image. Both of these are from Gina K Designs.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Lovely Lotus and Thoughtful Flowers sets by Gina K Designs (inside images)

Paper: Gina K Designs Layering Weight white and Cherry Red card stock

Ink: Gina K Designs Red Hot and Cherry Red and SSS Pawisitvely Saturated yellows and blues

Other: Tropical Bloom, Spellbinders Glimmer of the Month Set May 24, Glimmer Hot Foiling System, Red and Navy foil, Dr PhMartins white paint, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 2 dies and black enamel dots, SU mini Dimensionals

Merry and Bright

 Hello,

Here's a bright and fun holiday card for you today. I thought I'd play along with the September sketch at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown today.

The background stripes and the wreath are PinkFresh Studio stencils. The greetings are from Gina K Designs and the embossing folder is Spellbinders.

The inside sentiment and image are from Gina K Designs as well.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Festive Phrases, Winter Terrain, and Two-Step Holiday Mini sets by Gina K Designs

Paper: SU and C&9th card stock

Ink: SSS Pawistivitely Saturated inks, Gina K Designs embossing ink

Other: Thrill of Hope Wreath and Border stencils from Pink Fresh Studio, Holly and Foliage 3D embossing folder from Spellbinders, Gina K Designs gold embossing powder, Gina K Designs gold enamel dots, SU Dimensionals and Connect glue

Hello

 Hi again peeps,

I realized that I had not posted my card for this week's Just Us Girls color challenge and it ends in about two hours, or less. I hadn't even taken pictures yet. Anyhoo- I got the pictures taken and edited, so here it is.

This is another Glimmer hot foil plate. This one is called Glimmer Leaf Panel and it was the Glimmer of the month for April 2023. Following the color palette, I foiled the plate twice, once with gold foil and once with navy blue foil. Using the coloring stencil that comes with the set, I colored the leaves with shades of gold and blue.

Next I cut some small postage stamp rectangles and arranged those on the card front. The smaller sentiment is part of the Glimmer set, the Hello is a foiling plate from PinkFresh Studio. I added some additional sparkle with some copper gems.

I have many family and friends with birthdays starting the first of October and going through the end of December. It's the busiest birthday months of the year for me and so I made this into a birthday card with the inside sentiment.

Thanks for popping in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Thoughtful Flowers Stamp set by Gina K Designs  (inside)

Glimmer Leaf Panel Spellbinders Glimmer plate set

Paper: Concord & 9th card stock

Ink: Concord & 9th

Other: Pink Fresh Studio Hello foiling plate, Gina K Designs postage stamp die, Spellbinders Glimmer System, Copper and navy hot foil, Trinity copper gems, Connect glue, narrow strip foam tape

Happy Birthday

Hello to all and Happy Hump Day!

This week's Paper Players challenge is the monthly color challenge, hostessed by Elizabeth this month. She has chosen primary colors for this week. Now I know these colors are perfect for those back to school/teacher cards, but I'm way past needing those so I went the floral route.

My card today is made with a very large sunflower image that is a Glimmer system hot foil plate from Spellbinders. It's foiled with dark blue foil and colored with Copics. The set comes with a die that cuts the top and sides of the image and I've used it to cut the card base so this card front is shaped.

I took a pic to show it open. Please forgive the grill in the background. I took the pic in our courtyard as I wanted the light. (I was too lazy to setup my lightbox, LOL)

This was a super fun card to make. I foiled a few more panels in different foils while I had the Glimmer system setup so I could make some more cards. 

I also foiled a few more plates and finished another card that will work for Elizabeth's challenge, which I'll post in a few days.

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Colleen

Supplies

Sunflower Border Spellbinders Glimmer Hot Foil Plate of the Month for 9/24

Sentiment die from Spellbinders Pocket Full of Spirit Stitching Die set 2/24

Paper: Gina K Designs Heavy Weight White, Cherry Red, and Powder Blue card stock

Ink: Copic Marker

Other: Spellbinders Glimmer System, Navy Blue foil, SU yellow enamel dots, Connect glue, SU Dimensionals

Hello

 

TGIF Peeps,

I was playing around with the Spellbinders Layering Stencil of the Month for August yesterday afternoon and ended up making this spotlight technique card. I thought it would fit Linda's Freshly Made Sketches sketch well.

I inked all of the layering stencils with various shades of gray inks then again with GKD Lovely Lavender, Plum Punch, Jelly Bean Green and Fresh Asparagus. The gray panel was cut out with Master Layouts 1 and the colored panel with a stitched circle die and layered together so the pattern is continuous. 

The embossing folder and greetings are both from Spellbinders.

No picture of the inside as I left it blank to write a personal note.

Enjoy your day!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Spellbinders Colorful Expressions Bloom

Layering Stencil: Spellbinders Colorful Expressions Garden

Paper: Gina K Designs Plum Punch, Black Onyx and Layering Weight White

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Spellbinders Hand Drawn Lines embossing folder, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 1 and Stitched Circle die, WOW white embossing powder, Gina K Designs pastel enamel dots

The Loveliest Day

Happy Thursday peeps,

I have a fun Fall card for you today, but not in traditional Fall colors. Yesterday afternoon I was going through my box of Fall stamp sets looking for one to use for this week's Freshly Made Sketches challenge. I picked an older SU set called Hello Harvest. I remembered that I liked coloring these images and they seemed perfect for Linda's sketch.

I also remembered that the new Color Throwdown challenge started so I went to see what the colors were for this week. Not really a fall palette, but I decided to use it anyway and I really like how these colors worked out with the fall stamp set.

The background is made with two embossing folders, one from Spellbinders and the other from GKD.

On the inside of the card I used a couple of the other images from the same SU set, then cut and matted using the GKD Master Layouts 2 dies.

Have a wonderful day all!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Hello Harvest set from Stampin' Up

Paper: SU Gorgeous Grape, Parakeet Party, and Thick Basic White card stock, X-Press It Blending card stock

Ink: Memento Tuxedo black and Copics

Other: Spellbinders Cascading Leaves & Stripes embossing folder, Gina K Designs Falling Leaves embossing folder and Master Layouts 2 die set, purple candy dots, SU Dimensionals, Connect glue

Big Hugs and Lovely Day

 Hello peeps,

I have two cards to share today. Both are made using fun Concord & 9th supplies and they are inspired by two challenges. Joanne has a theme challenge for us at The Paper Players, and I'm using the colors from the new Sunday Stamps challenge.

The Paper Players theme is dots or stripes. I've used a bit of both on my cards. 

The backgrounds are made with the C&9th Scattered Dots Turnabout stamp. 

On card one, I cut some C&9th fall themed patterned papers into stripes, in various widths, and glued them to a piece of card stock at an angle. Then I cut a large C&9th Heart die from the striped paper.

The large sentiment die is also from C&9th and I added some SU Shimmery Crystal Effects over it. For additional embellishments I cut three smaller hearts from the same die set as the large heart die and I also added some enamel dots from my stash.

Here is then inside of card 1. I did some die inlay for the sentiment and added some more small hearts and a leaf cut from the paper stripes.

Card two has the same background except I changed out the light blue ink for navy and the bright yellow ink for gold. The C&9th leaf die is cut from four pieces of the fall paper pack and I inlayed the small pieces. The greeting is heat embossed onto navy card stock and cut out with a GKD die.

The inside of card two is stamped with a C&9th birthday greeting and the leaves are from the stamp set that goes with the large leaf die.

I'm still enjoying the US Open Tennis matches, although I tend to listen and then watch the replays when I'm also crafting. There has been some exciting matches. My bestie that lives in Sacramento is also a big tennis fan so we tend to do a lot of texting during the evening matches. Almost like watching together.

Enjoy your afternoon and evening!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Scattered Dots Turnabout set, Triple-Step Autumn Leaf set, Tiny Tagalongs set all by Concord & 9th

Paper: Concord & 9th card stock and fall patterned papers

Ink: Concord & 9th, and Gina K Designs craft white 

Other: Concord & 9th Just Say More and Pop Heart dies, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 5 & 12 die sets, WOW white embossing powder, SU Shimmery Crystal Effects, enamel dots, metallic embroidery floss, Connect glue, foam tape, SU Dimensionals

 

Frosty Wishes for Color Throwdown & Just Us Girls

Hi and happy Sunday evening,

For all of my stamping friends in the U.S., I hope you are having a fab Labor Day holiday long weekend. (I'm lucky, as being retired, all of my weekends are long ones. :)

I have two cards to share, made for two different challenges. These share the same postage stamp theme that is super popular right now. Both of these are holiday cards. I'm kind of behind on my holiday card stash, so I've decided when I make one for a challenge, I need to make at least two cards.

First up is a card made using the colors from Color Throwdown. The colors this week are pink, yellow and green. I've used one of the holiday postage stencil sets from Waffleflower to make this card.

Card two is made using the other Waffleflower holiday postage stamp collage sets, but here, I didn't use the large postage die. 

I'm CASEing Carol McFarland's card for the current Just Us Girls Case the Designer Challenge.

Here's Carol's fabulous postage stamp card.

And here is my second postage stamp card. For this one, I used the Holiday Collage accompanying stamp sets and randomly stamped the images on a white card panel in various colors. After stamping, I cut it out with a SU Deckled Rectangle die.

Using the Waffleflower Holiday Postage Collage stencil sets, I stenciled some images, then cut them out with the medium postage die included with the die set and arranged them in the center of the card on a red square panel. It's a bit "busy" but I like the way it turned out, nice and bright.

As you can see, I used the same sentiment on the front of both cards. I also used the same images for the inside of both, just stamping them in different colors. Here's the inside of card two.

Happy Labor Day and thanks for checking in.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Waffleflower Holiday Postage Collage stamp sets and Gina K Designs Wishing You Mini Holiday set (insides)

Paper: Gina K Designs card stocks

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Waffleflower Holiday Postage Collage stencils and dies, blending brushes, WOW white embossing powder, heat tool, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 2 dies, My Favorite Things Stitched square die, SU Dimensionals

Have A Delightful Day - Guest Designing for the Color Hues Challenge # 94

Hi all,

It is a very Delightful Day because I'm Guest Designing for the new Color Hues Challenge that begins today. The colors for this challenge are green and rust, perfect for those fall cards. I've used  dark and light shades of each of the colors to make my green and rust card. All of the supplies are from Concord & 9th today.

The bottom part of my card is made using the C&9th Lattice Corner die set. I cut panels of White, Lemongrass, Cayenne and Spiced Cider card stocks using the lattice die. After gluing the White die cut panel to the front of a white card base, I used the inlay technique to glue pieces in to create a color pattern.

For the top stamping, I masked off the inlayed bottom then stamped the top with the C&9th Delightful Day Turnabout stamp using the four colors of Avocado, Lemongrass, Cayenne and Spiced Cider.

The dies for the front sentiment are also from the Delightful Day Turnabout stamp and die set. Embellishments are C&9th enamel dots in Avocado and Lemongrass.

I always finish the insides of my cards and here's a picture of this one. The sentiment and flower are from the Delightful Day Turnabout stamp set.

It was great fun playing along as this challenge's Guest Designer. I look forward to seeing what you all make with these colors.

Thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamp and die sets: Delightful Day Turnabout Stamp and die set and Lattice Corner die set both  by Concord & 9th

Paper: Concord & 9th Lemongrass, Spiced Cider, Cayenne, and White card stock

Ink: Concord & 9th Lemongrass, Avocado, Spiced Cider, and Cayenne

Other: Concord & 9th Lemongrass and Avocado enamel dots, foam tape, Connect liquid glue