June Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : You Are My Shield

 Welcome back, stamping Friends! We're already into our June challenge! WOW!  This challenge I am really excited about, because the inspiration image is just So Beautiful!! I mean, how could you not just fall in love with a bouquet like that?!

Look at those beautiful colors and textures! Whew! What a bouquet!

I stamped out Colorado Craft's "Thinking of You Magnolias" and cut it out with the coordinating die, then colored it in with Copics. I cut out a "base" for my image and sentiment, using Papertrey Ink's "Scalloped Ovals" in Ivory cardstock, then stamped out my sentiment, also from Papertrey Ink called "Psalm 3:3". I cut out some design paper from Simple Stories "Front Porch", using Pink Fresh's "Stitched Rectangles", then more Ivory cardstock under the Stitched Rectangle diecut. I placed some foam popdots under the double matted Stitched Rectangles diecut to give it some lift off of the Bazzil "Aqua" cardstock base, and foam popdots under my Magnolia branch to lift it off the paper for dimension. I added some light green Pearls from Honey Bee Stamps "Pastel" collection to finish the look.

Thank you for joining us this month at Beautiful Blossoms Challenge. I hope you are as inspired as I am by this month's inspiration photo! We can't wait to see your inspired creations!

March : You Bake Me Happy

 Happy March, Ya'll!!! Is it spring yet?! Not so much here, but it hasn't been the worst winter, so I can deal.

This month, the Classic Design Team is featuring Dr. Digi's designs again. Dr. Digi has a huge selection of great images to choose from, and at a reasonable price, too. Take a look at the store here : Dr. Digi

I chose to use Bertha's Bread Baking Bonanza image. I chose it because I struggle and look as lost as Bertha, when I make homemade bread!!

I printed off the image and coloring it in with Copics. After coloring the image in, I taped off the edges of the image and sponged Antique Linen and Weathered Wood Distress Inks around the edges. I used Taylored Expressions Easy Edgers die to cut a pinking edge on some soft brown gingham paper from Simple Stories, from their "Gingham" collection. I adhered the gingham paper to a heavy Kraft cardstock, and added a ribbon from Maya Arts to the base. After tying the ribbon on the card, I placed the image over the front of the card base, then stamped my sentiment from Honey Bee stamps, then added three pearls from Honey Bees "Warm Pearls" collection.

I really had a hard time picking an image to color in, but I love how nice Bertha turned out!

I hope you're having a great spring and enjoying the warm weather!! Or I hope it's at least headed your way, soon! :) 

June Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : A Little Hello

 Hi Friends! Welcome back to my little blog, I'm glad you're here!

It's actually June, can you believe it?! The year is half over! And it's time for another monthly blog challenge. This month's photo is my favorite so far. So patriotic :)

I was so inspired by the Red, White & Blue, I made so many card attempts. I just couldn't get the right shades of reds and blues for my card without it looking so strongly garish. I really wanted it to be soft but distinctly Red, White & Blue.

I chose a stamp that I picked up at a local scrapbook store's stamping Garage Sale event. After I stamped out my image and colored it in, I diecut out the image with the corresponding die. I cut out some light blue background paper with a stitched rectangle die from MFT, and put it on some white cardstock cut out with MFT's Mini Scalloped die. I put some popdots under the image and placed it over the design paper and base. I cut out an oval piece of white cardstock and stamped out the sentiment.

I like how the card lightly touches on the red, white, and blue color requirements, but without it being so strong. My favorite kind of cards are the clean and simple kind :)

Thank you for joining us at Beautiful Blossoms this month and we can't wait to see you next time for a new challenge!!

Welcome Little One

 Hello again, Friends!

I'm back again with another challenge card, and this time I am using a new stamp & die set from Ebay, called Better Together by My Favorite Things.

I stamped out the main image of the ark and the rainbow, diecut them out and colored everything in with Copics & Touch Twin markers. The design paper is a soft neutral brown gingham from Honey Bee Stamps Gingham Galore Holiday collection, that I stitched around with my sewing machine. Then I matted the stitched DP with some Bazzil Kraft paper. I used a long since retired bookplate die to layer under my images, then started layering my diecuts over it, and adding some clouds from a retired MFT die called Cutest Clouds Ever. I placed some podots under my ark just for some depth and interest, then added my sentiment from the new stamp set, using MFT's Skinny Strips die.

Here are the Blog Challenges I am entering with this card :

Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Inspired By ... Gingham 

Thank you for stopping by and I hope to see you at my next post!

JUST BECAUSE

 Have you ever done something or blessed someone "Just Because"? I have and it's such a joy and blessing when I am able to! So I translated that message and sentiment into a card.

I chose Power Poppy's "Everything's Even Rosier" set that I stamped in Versafine Onyx Black and colored in with Copics. I lightly sponged "Antique Linen" Distress Ink around the edges of the image and patterned paper, and added half a white, paper lace doily, white and gold polka dot washi tape, and some light gold pearls.

I wanted the image to pop, and everything else to have a calming influence in the background, keeping it super simple so the message and the image would shine. Sometimes less is absolutely more, as it is in this case.

Especially For You

 My grandma loved Iris flowers so much that she was always giving them away every fall when she would separate them out, and buying or trading in for new ones. When she went to sell her house she asked if I wanted any of her precious Iris plants, but living in the California desert, I knew they'd absolutely wither and burn in the heat. So I passed up the opportunity to have some heirloom flowers. I wish I had taken a few anyway, since she passed away within 4 months of her moving out. 

I don't have any pictures of her many gardens or of her beautiful Iris flowers, so I had to remember them from memories as a child and of the ones she gave my Mom.

I chose a stamped image that'd I stamped out a few years ago. I can't remember if it's from Flourishes (a stamp company that closed years ago) or if it's from Power Poppy. I matted it on some 4x6 Paper Studio patterned paper. I stamped my sentiment from Penny Black's "Treasured Sentiments" set. Then I mounted the image and the patterned paper on Bazzil's "Aspen" cardstock and cut out a decorative edge at the bottom using a retired die from MFT (I can't remember the die name).

I kept everything pretty clean and simple. I was going to stitch around the card but my sewing machine kept eating up the paper, so I cut it down and decided I'll work on the sewing machine later and cut away the chewed up paper before I lose it all and I have no card left! Oh well. Things happen.

I'll be back next week with another card, and until then, take care!