August Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: Be Joyful

 Welcome back to another Beautiful Blossoms monthly challenge!! Are you having fun and getting inspired? I know I am!

This month's photo inspiration is so cheery! I love sunflowers! I also love the color of blue this vase has. So pretty!

I chose to use the sunflower colors as my inspiration and play off those cheery yellows they have.

I chose to use a stamp from Flourishes, a company that went out of business years ago, and colored it in with Copics. I matted that over some Kraft Cardstock and rounded the Kraft paper's corners. I paired my image with some yellow design paper (I cannot seem to find it anywhere or I'd name it), and used a corner punch to clip the corners into a decorative design. I added some peachy orange grosgrain ribbon and bow, and then added a sentiment from Simple Stories.

I rather like how it turned out. Clean, simple, and cute. Just the way I like them. I like my cards with minimal fuss so the images can take center stage. But every now and then, I'll fancy it up for fun.

Thank you for stopping by and I'll see you here for next month's Beautiful Blossoms Challenge photo!

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!

Hope Your Day is Sweet

 Good morning, Friends!

I have another card created from a challenge today. 

Color Throwdown : Pink, Brown & White

I chose to use Colorado Craft's Coffee House stamp and the coordinating dies, placed over a Distress Ink sponged background in Old Paper and Antique Linen.
I matted the main piece over some Kraft paper that I stitched together with Simple Stories Textured Cardstock in Mauve. Then I cut a banner using MFT's Skinny Strips die, and added my sentiment from Honey Bee Stamps "Mini Messages : Sweet" set.

I enjoyed the color challenge and I have a couple other ideas I might try with it.

But that is all I have for today. Until the next blog post, I hope you have a marvelous craft day!

Friends

 Hi Friends! I wanted to share with you another card I created for a blog challenge.

Over on Addicted to CAS, they're code word this week is : Center Focus .

I chose to use Colorado Stamp Company's "Bunny & Ducking" stamps with dies, and coloring them in with Copics. I masked off a border and sponged in Mermaid Lagoon & Prize Ribbon Distress Inks, then embossed a single line around the sponging with my Scor-Pal, to frame my images. I matted the scored and sponged paper with Kraft cardstock, to keep everything clean and non-fussy looking, then placed popdots under my bunny, to further give it depth, so it wouldn't feel "flat" and further reenforce the size difference, then added the duckling.

I love how it came out! So simple, gentle and clean!  I almost stamped a sentiment on the card but felt it would detract from the clean lines and the images. 

Thanks for joining me in my little craft corner. Until we meet again, have a great crafting day!

Let's Celebrate!

 Good morning Craft Friends! I'm back with another blog challenge from Lawn Fawn (my first!). This week, their challenge is : Let's Celebrate!

As crafty as I am, I thought I had more Lawn Fawn stamp sets. But alas, I searched my stash, and I actually only have one, long since retired set, called "Blue Skies".

So I decided that my card would be great for a recent graduate, and that's still a great reason to celebrate!

I stamped out my hot air balloon from 'Blue Skies" and lightly colored it in with Copics, then fussy cut it out and around the image. I stitched around the design paper from Lawn Fawn, called "Daisy", and adhered it to some Kraft cardstock, then backed that with Bazzil cardstock called "Chiffon". Then I added some clouds from a random die from my stash that I have no idea where I got it. Then I used Lawn Fawn's Stitched Sentiment Banner die to cut a banner out and stamped out the sentiment from the Blue Skies set.

I really love how this card turned out! I won't lie, it was difficult since I only have one stamp set, one die, and one DP from Lawn Fawn, but I'm still proud of how it looks. Once again, a blog challenge really made me think and I love the results!

Thank you again, Crafty Friends! Join me again when I post another craft challenge to my blog :)

Peace on Earth

 Ok, I'm back again with a new card I made from a challenge I found online that I'm pretty excited about! I have never heard of this challenge, but I stumbled across it while looking for online paper craft shops. It's called Addicted to CAS. CAS means Clean And Simple. I love that!

So the theme is : BRRR!

I chose a stamp set that I found at a crafter's Garage Sale. It's a cute stamp without a name, but I think it's from a UK company called Lily of the Valley. I watercolored it in with Letraset Watercolor markers.

Then I used Spellbinders "Scalloped Symphony Notecard" die set to create the card base, with Kraft paper. I cut out a banner for my sentiment with MFT's "Skinny Strips", and stamped a sentiment from Power Poppy's "Heavenly Peace Dove" stamp set.

I kept everything CAS and though the card feels a little naked, it's nice to keep the focal point on the stamped images and the message.

I'm looking forward to their next challenge! :)

You've Been On My Mind

 Ever had a card that you had all these great ideas for but nothing actually worked? Yep. That's this card, for me. I must have remade this card 3 times before it actually came together smoothly! 

Splitcoast Stampers Monday CAS challenge this week is : What brings you JOY?

For me, it's Family, Friends, Coffee/Tea, and Crafting.

I stamped out my image using MFT's "Latte Love" set and used the coordinating MFT die. Then I colored the image in, keeping it very light. Then I created a background using Taylored Expressions Fanfare Cutting Plate and MFT's Stitched Rectangles. I used scrap pieces of Kraft and Bazzil "Teal" design paper. I used the discard piece of Teal paper I had used MFT's Stitched Pinking Rectangle on, stitching it with my sewing machine, to the Kraft cardstock. Then I used some scrap black cardstock to cut a banner out with MFT's "Skinny Strips", and stamped it with Honey Bee Stamps sentiment from their "Latte" set.

I love how fresh, clean, and uncluttered it looks. Sometimes I think I add too much to cards, so it's nice to see a clean and streamlined card, even if it did take some effort! 

Creating

 I'm back. But where has the time gone? Where has the creativity gone? I don't know about you, but I used to have endless creative ideas. But then life takes over and when you finally have a minute, you're creatively done. Nothing. Toast. 

It used to bother me until I realized, that's life. There's an ebb and flow to everything. It's been a year or more since I have had the energy to create. And that's ok. I re-joined my favorite craft site, SplitCoastStampers, and I'm using their weekly challenges to inspire some new ideas in me.

This week's CAS (Clean And Simple) challenge is : Recycle. You can recycle anything to use on your card.

A couple weeks ago, I attended a store that was closing and found a badly damaged hymnal with many loose pages. This was the perfect way to reuse them in a way that they would be appreciated again.

So, I created the following card from the challenge.

I stamped out my image and colored it in with Copics, fussy cutting it out.
I cut down my music sheet to what size I needed. Then, I matted it against some Chiffon Bazzil Cardstock, that I matted over some Kraft cardstock, making them the base of my card.

I Cut out a frame, using Avery Elle's Pierced Birthday Frame die, and put PopDots under the frame to pop it up a hair off the card, for some small form of depth. After that, I glued my chipboard down, and placed the colored in image of the Cross on top of it, and added a few pearls for some interest.

I'm not certain if I can actually call it a CAS card anymore, but I love how it turned out!!

So, if you're ever finding yourself stuck in a crafting rut, or feeling uninspired, don't let it get to you. Eventually, it'll come to you! Until then, don't be too hard on yourself, it's all just the ebb and flow of life :)

Flourishes Release Week: In Nature

Welcome to Day Two of Flourishes June Releases!  We're thrilled to show off more nature-inspired offerings for you today.

One of the things that makes summer so special are those tranquil moments spent in the outdoors.  Think of those peaceful places of recreation or solitude away from the hectic schedule, celebrating the beauty and restoring power that nature has.  Today we bring you...

You can feel the solitude in this beautiful and earthy set penned by Lauren Pope. Whether it's catching the great outdoors by canoe, or sitting by the lake front cabin, this set delivers a serene dose of nature. This 4 by 6" set offers two main images plus three beautifully scripted sentiments. Images are great for nature lovers or even for the men in your life!

I used Flourishes In Nature that I stamped out onto Kraft paper in Versafine Onyx Black and colored in with colored pencils. I tucked some Turquoise Ruffled Edge Trim and some Ivory Laurel Venise lace on top of my yellow striped background paper and added some Ice Green Pearls that I colored in with a B05 Copic marker from the Flourishes Copic Sky Collection.

We'll have some beautiful creations to show you with the In Nature set, so take a trip on over to visit the Design Team today to see them, and don't forget about today's…

One of the Design Team Members is today's Mystery Blogger.  If you comment on her blog you could be chosen to win today's great set!  The more you comment the better your chances!

Amanda Havon
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Heather Jensen
Julie Koerber
Maki Jones
Silke Ledlow
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker

Along the way today you'll be introduced to the beautiful Trail Mix 123 Create Kit for this month too - here's a sneak peek at what's in it...

AND NOW DO YOU WANT TO WIN OUR ENTIRE RELEASE?
How would you like a chance to win all four of our soon-to-be released June sets?
You can always play in our  Textures of Nature Challenge – there will be multiple winners there! Deadline for entries is Friday at 5 PM EST.  OR, play along with the gals for this week's Timeless Tuesday Open Sesame Challenge! Check out the links for the official rules!

Also, if you like what you see on our designers' blogs today, you can pre-order this set (along with the other three sets as well). You can also take advantage our New Release Bundle and get 10% off when you purchase all four together in a bundle. All sets will be live first thing Friday morning along with the coordinating cut files for this release. So, be sure to come back and join us each day this week as we unveil a whole new host of paper crafting fun!

Come back tomorrow when we'll show you something that's pretty and tasty-sweet!

Timeless Tuesday : Happy Challenge

Good morning fellow Flourishes friends!! Are you ready for another fun challenge? This week our hostess is Broni and she is challenging us to create a: Happy Card! 

I really love this challenge, because there are so many ways to interpret it! So I decided to create a card that shows what I love and what makes me happy. Our family loves to travel and I have been to much of Italy, also visiting Florence where the colors of the landscape are absolutely stunning and fabulous! I hope my card reflects the feel of the culture and my love of all things Italian. 

I used Flourishes new "Dreaming of Florence" stamp that I stamped onto watercolor paper, then colored in with Letraset Aqua Markers.

Grazie per la visita e buona giornata! 
(Thank you for visiting and have a nice day!)

Cindy

Heather
Broni 
Denise
Ally 

Karen Wallace - November's Guest Designer