Classic Design Team Challenge : Seas the Day

 Hi again, Friends! I am thrilled to announce that I have been accepted onto another monthly design challenge team! I'm so excited!! This Design Team works with various digital stamp creators. I have dabbled once or twice in digi images, but am not very familiar with using them creatively, and it's been an adventure figuring this whole thing out. But as you know, I like a good challenge, and I'm enjoying both the stamps and the process!

This month, we are featuring Angie Blom Digital Designs. Angie a wide assortment of designs to choose from and I couldn't decide which one I wanted to try for a digi card. I decided to start small for my first one.

For my first ever Classic Challenge, I chose Seas the Day, featuring a sea gull, a pillar, and a heart! 

I chose it because as a first foray into digital stamping again, and it's a good place to start. Especially since I don't have a laser printer and need to be careful about how much shading and alcohol ink I use when coloring the image.

I cut out the main image with MFT's Stitched Rectangles, and colored it in with Copics, keeping it simple. I put popdots under the main image just to give it some lift off of the diecut beneath it, for visual interest. I layered my main image over a Penny Black Simple Stackers die cut in Bazzil Navy, then placed popdots under that, over my card base. Again, keeping things Clean and Simple.
 

I think the card turned out pretty good looking for my first digital card attempt in years. Many years ago I received a couple to play with and they were nice, but haven't used them since. So it's like learning it all over again like it's new! 

I hope you check out her designs. She has so many, I'm sure you'll find something you love! 

I'll see you next month for another Classic Design Team Challenge!

Happy New Year 2025!!!

 Welcome back and Happy New Year to my erratically posted, blog 😆 

You know, I could really try harder to post more often, so I will. My goal is to post 2 cards a month, this 2025 year. So lets begin. 

I decided to participate in Color Throw Down's color challenge : Black, White & Gray. 

Super simple, right? But it's actually tricky to do cards in monotones without getting bored or challenged by the lack of pizzaz or color pops. A master or intermediate card maker would enjoy this challenge and blow it away, but for little more than an amateur card maker like myself, I struggled. I ended up making two cards because I felt the first one was way too simple, so I went back to the drawing board and tried harder.

I stamped Altenew's "Enjoy Your Journey" on Neena Solar cardstock, and cut it out with MFT's Selfie Square & MFT's Stitched Mini Scallop Rectangle in Black cardstock. Then I added Gem Stickers from Honey Bee Stamps from the "Farm Fresh Holiday" collection.

Then, I decided to try another card, and really challenge myself again.

I stamped out Avery Elle's "Look For Rainbows" bunny, out on Lawn Fawn's "Narwal" gray cardstock, and fussy cut it out. Then I masked off the face of the bunny, and sponged a pattern from Gina K's "Leafy" stencil, in Distress Ink "Weathered Wood", to add some texture on the umbrella. I created a background by stamping out MFT's "Scene Builder" on some more Narwal cardstock, in Memento " London Fog" ink.  After that, I used popdots placed for dimension on the back of the bunny, and placed it in the scene on my card.

Then, I diecut a pennant out for my sentiment by using MFT's "Skinny Strips" dies, and stamping out the sentiment from Penny Black's "Rain or Shine" set, in white ink from Pink Fresh, called "Calico White". To add just a touch of sparkle, I added some Gem Stickers, from Honey Bee Stamps, from their "Farm Fresh Holiday" collection.

This was quite the challenge, and one that I want to challenge myself with again, because I enjoy the effort to think outside the creative box! I still wish I could add some pink to the nose and ears, but those are the rules! 😄

Until I post again, Enjoy your crafting day!

Feel Better Soon

 Many times I don't feel like creating a card, but I want to color in an image. I have many colored in images that I have collected, waiting for inspiration, or a good idea, to hit. 

One of those images is of a cat and a mouse with an umbrella, under a shower of hearts. Usually, I don't choose images with animals because I find them harder to color in and get the colors right. But I couldn't help myself and bought this set because it was sweet.

I stamped & colored the image in, then cut it out with MFT's Double Stitched Rectangle Stack. Then I cut out a blue polka dot scrap paper with MFT's Stitched Mini Scallop Rectangle die.
Then I added my sentiment from Say it With Stamps, at the bottom, and my card was complete.

Sometimes, you just have to color in an image and wait until things come together. No pressure. Creating is supposed to be fun, not hard :)

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!