August Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Get Well Soon

 Welcome back, Beautiful Blossom Challenge Friends! This month we have a beautiful challenge photo! I absolutely love this image! It's so pretty and inspiring!

I literally made three cards, just trying to match the beauty and those gorgeous colors. Nothing I made was good enough, I felt. They weren't as pretty as the image was inspiring me. Or so I thought. Sometimes you just get a great inspiration piece that pushes you to try harder and do better!

I stamped out my image from Flourishes "Tulips" stamp set. I cut the main image into a rectangle shape, then used an old Spellbinder border die on the bottom edge, and placed some I placed some thick foam tape under the image to lift it off the background design paper. I used an old piece of scrap design paper for my green background under the tulip image, then cut out a scalloped background edging using Spellbinders "Heartfelt Thanks and Scallops" die set. I chose a sentiment from Say it with Stamps "Get Well" set, then added some dark forest green pearls from Honey Bee Stamps "Pacific Northwest" pearl collection, for beauty and interest.

I love the colors on the flowers. I really tried to keep it light colored because the challenge photo shows light colored flowers. I also decided to feature the image vertically and cut in half using a border die for more visual interest just to see how it looked. I'm glad I tried it!

Thank you for joining me for this month's Beautiful Blossom Challenge, I really enjoy your comments and views! Have a great month and I can't wait to see your submissions for this month's challenge!!

Classic Design Team Challenge : LeAnn's World 101

 Hello crafty Friends! Welcome back to June's Classic Design Team Challenge, and I'm so excited to share with you a new-to-me digital creator. This month we're featuring LeAnn's World 101. I haven't ever used her images, but I am certainly looking forward to using more of her cute images!

I chose to feature Azalea's New Dress as my first image from LeAnn's World.

I printed the image off and colored her in with a combination of Copics, Ohuhu, and Altenew alcohol markers. Then I cut out it out using Pink Main's Stitched Rectangles, then added a neon green cardstock from Bazzil under that, then cut out a pink gingham patterned paper from 49 & Market, using a scalloped rectangle die. I stamped my sentiment in Momento "Bamboo Green" from a sentiment stamp set that I found at a second hand store, long ago, then I added some pearls from Honey Bee Stamps, and left it as clean and simple as I could.

I wanted a vibrant party goer that just popped off the card. Her hair is inspired by my oldest daughter's "Unicorn Hair" that I love. She dyed her hair various muted shades of pinks, mauves, blues, violets, with silvery lavender grays. It truly gets all kinds of second glances, it's so pretty and unique. So I thought this little party goer might have the same kind of vibe and look, too.

I truly enjoyed coloring this image in and as you can see, I used, and was inspired by one of the Color Cube's color cards. Handy for those times when you can't decide what colors work best, or just want some ideas.

Thank you for joining us in this month's challenge. We look forward to seeing what inspired you and to see what you created! 

February Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Love & Thanks

Happy February fellow "Bloomers"! Welcome back to another Beautiful Blossoms Design Challenge! 

Let's just jump right in, shall we? I'm so excited because this month's challenge photo because I love how cheery and spring-y it looks! I'm so ready for spring and summer to come back around again. This month's photo has purples, yellows, whites, and some blues. 

I didn't want to get too many bold colors going on, but try to create a softer approach while featuring all the colors I could, without making it color chaotic! LOL!

I chose to stamp out my image using Gina K's "Let's Celebrate" and coloring it in with Copics, then die cutting it out with the coordinating die. Then I cut out a decorative "banner" using Studio Light's "Slimline & Label" die so I can put the flower wreath image on it. Then I stamped the sentiment from Power Poppy's "Nice Things To Say" stamp set. I cut out the base of the card using Kat Scrappiness's "Mini Slimline Fancy Scalloped Die" using the 49 & Market's "Tranquility" design paper. Under the decorative middle piece, I placed popdots, to give it some lift and dimension off the design paper, and under the wreath too, to give some depth. Then I added some purple & blue colored gems from Honey Bee Stamps "Perfect Petals" gems.

I try to learn something new with each card that I make and I really love how the sentiment font seems to really go with the wreath. I learned that sometimes you can choose a different sentiment for the card you created, that often goes better than ones that usually goes with the stamp set. I also realized something else, fonts and illustrated image styles matter. Mis-matching the styles often look...odd. That is why some images and sentiments just seem to give off an odd vibe. Have you ever notice that? Am I the only one?

Oh well. Sometimes the things I figure out are only important to me. LOL!

Have a great month and I will see you back here next month for another Beautiful Blossoms Challenge photo and inspiration!

Classic Design Challenge : Fall Dance

 Good day everyone! Welcome back to another Classic Design Challenge! I'm looking forward to this challenge because it features my favorite season : Fall!! I love the colors, smell, feel, the weather and the need to bake!

This month, we're featuring RAM Stamps, by Rachelle Ann Miller, the owner. I have always loved her images for years and years. I have a few of her clear stamps, but didn't know she had a digi shop, too. I'm drooling over all the other images I had no idea she offered.

I chose to feature her "Fall Dance" image, because I absolutely Love, Love, Fall!!

I printed my image off on Gina K's copic paper, and cut out the image with one of AALL & Create's "Quirky Post" dies, then colored everything in with copics. After coloring the image, I sponged on Shabby Shutters Oxide & Rustic Wilderness inks on the bottom of the image, then sponged the sky area with Tumbled Glass Oxide ink. Then I cut out 49 & Market's "Botanical Buzz" matting with another AALL & Create's "Quirky Post" dies.

I kept it all clean and simple so the fun fall colors and whimsy would shine through. I believe that sometimes the simpler the card is, the better you can focus on the image and the handiwork in it.

Thank you for joining us today and enjoying our Design Team samples using the challenge images! We look forward to seeing all of your creations this month! 

Classic Design Challenge : Scottish Lass

 Hello and welcome back to another Classic Design Team Challenge. I missed last month's challenge after an unfortunate two week internet outage, but I'm back with this month's inspiration.

This month we are featuring Moondrea Designs and we had plenty to choose from!! I chose the design I did because I immediately pictured a Scottish princess in contemplation.

I printed off the image, then colored it in with Copics. After coloring it in, I cut the image out with a die I bought from Amazon, which I matted with 49 & Market paper that I die cut with a MFT Scalloped Rectangle. I found some old DP that I used as my background paper, then matted with a co-ordinating cardstock. I layered a leftover piece of lace, swirly pearls, and pieced together flower and leaves. 

I love how it all turned out!! I'm glad I chose the deep green to really contrast with her red hair, it all looks so pretty.

I'm so glad you joined me for another Classic Design Team Challenge. Join us next month for another Classic Challenge! Have a great day!