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! :)

God Gives Me a New Song

 Life has gotten so busy lately!! Hopefully, it will start to slow down soon. Winter is coming and with that, a slower way of life.... I hope. That's my intentions anyway! 😄

My good friend, Rebekah, has the sweetest parents, whom I met over the summer and have gotten close to.  Joy, Rebekah's Mom, sends me random beautiful handmade cards she's made on the computer. I wanted to send her a simple card that would make it through the postal system with minimal damage, but still look pretty.

I chose to use Power Poppy's "Helping Hands" stamp, featuring a sweet bird, chirping a melody.

I stamped out my image and colored it in with Copics, then cut it out with Mama Elephant's "Framed Tags : Union Square" die. 

Then I picked a background design paper from Mintay Papers "Peony Garden" collection, and adhered it to a diecut scalloped edges card, that I cut from Kat Scrappiness "Stitched Frame" die.

After that, I added popdots under the main image and centered it on the card, then I added some green pearls from Honey Bee's "Pastel" collection. Inside I stamped a Bible verse about how God gives us a new song.

I think it turned out nice. I love how CAS it looks :) 

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.

Apple Postcard

I love apples and I'm getting excited that fall is here so I can go apple picking!! I LOVE Fall and I Love Apple Picking!! I always look forward to crisp air, hot apple cider, and warm caramel to dip my apple slices in :) I don't know about you, but there's just something about fall and apples that make me giddy, happy, and cozy all at once.

I made this watercolored postcard on a whim years ago while I was just playing around with my watercolor paints. I actually painted the picture first and realized it would make a great Postcard instead of just a greeting card image.

I used Power Poppy's "Apples in Season" stamp set that I colored in using Distress Inks and watercolor markers. I added the lines with a fine line pen, and then sponged on a border and background color using the Distress Inks again. Super Simple! 

I kept the Postcard sweet and simple, just letting the image shine, as it should. By just playing around and experimenting, I think I stumbled upon creating a sweet looking Postcard by accident. 

Now that I'm hungry and inspired, I'm off to go Apple Picking!

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!

Delight in the Unexpected

 I'm back with a new card and a happy surprise.

This month's card is inspired by Power Poppy's challenge this month : Going Sentimental.

I've been playing around with an idea to make a black and gold card for quite sometime, and after I saw this month's challenge, I knew I had to try to combine my idea with it. 

Speaking of Power Poppy, I'm both stunned and thrilled to find out that I won last month's Blossom Challenge on their blog! I sincerely can't believe it, they have such beautiful stamps!

I stamped out my card and watercolored it, then matted it with Tim Holtz's Metal Cardstock. I placed some Popdots under the gold cardstock to pop it off the black and gold patterned paper background and give it depth. I added some lace and back striped paper from Simple Stories called "Vintage Lakeside" to the black and gold patterned paper. I matted it all in more black and gold cardstock and placed three small black pearls on the card to complete the look.

Every card is a fantastic journey into learning something new or creating a unique look, and I love the process! There are days I get stuck, but I refuse to re-invent the wheel. Rather, I like to find the beauty in an image and enhance it as best as I can while still making sense. I think many of us feel pressured to create something amazing every time, but there's no need because every card is beautiful.

I hope you all have a great day and I'll see you all next week with another card!

Kindness Is The Way

 Kindness. Hard to find these days, at times. I like to remind myself it's a long sought after but rarely found gift. I believe in being as kind as you can to everyone as best as you can.

That's why I love this image.

I used Power Poppy's "Kindness Is The Way" free digital stamp to create this card. I used a lighter paper to print it out on, almost vellum like, and colored it in with Copic markers. I paired it with a very light blue gingham checked paper that just added to the intense POP of color I colored the flowers in with that didn't distract from them. After that, I added a simple border of stitching around the image to keep it looking simple and cheery, like I wanted it to be.

Gerbera Daisies are some of the most colorful and cheerful flowers I have ever seen. I mean, who wouldn't want to be given a beautiful bouquet of them?! If you can't give real flowers, this card could certainly take their place, it's so bold. I could walk in a garden of these for hours, they bring such a smile to my face and heart!

Holiday Hello

 Hello and welcome back! I'm still on a Christmas card making kick and I'm enjoying finally feeling creative again after not being able to craft for so many years! 

So while I was pondering how I wanted my next Christmas card to look like, I knew exactly what stamp set I wanted to use, though I wasn't sure if it would turn out. I'd been itching to break out this set and use it since I bought it, but I gave it a go.

I chose to use Power Poppy's "Under Glass: Christmas Keepsakes", coloring it in with Copics. After coloring it in, I cut the edge of the image with a Spellbinder border die and matted it with some patterned paper. I created the layers I wanted and sponged everything with Antique Linen and Tea Dye Distress Inks to age it and give the vintage look and feel I wanted. I used some "puffy" popdots under my image to pop my items off the card to create depth and interest, keeping everything from looking flat and uninteresting. After that, I added lace, silk ribbon and some dark blue pearls to complete the card.

I love how the card turned out, though I wished I'd remembered to stitch my card while I was creating it! I was so in the groove and excited to color in my new stamp set, and I was loving how it was all coming together so quickly, I'd completely forgot to stitch my card in! More times than I care to admit, I'm always forgetting to stitch around my card. It happens :)

Peace and Joy

 Once again, it's Christmas in July!! In only six more months it will be Christmas Day! I can't wait! All those fun, festive traditions, food, and family fun! I love it!

Until then, I'll enjoy the countdown to the festivities by creating Christmas cards, inspired by Power Poppy's Monthly Blog Challenge. Why not? :)

I chose to create a card using the Power Poppy "Simple Joys" stamp set and coloring it in simply with Copics, only emphasizing the red glass ball ornaments. I chose some fantastic cozy looking patterned paper from Brutus Monroe called "Playful Plaid", adding some simple craft store lace, a blue silk ribbon, and some bronze pearl embellishments. 

I purposely kept everything simple so that the image and sentiment shines, but cheery paper colors to keep it from looking too dull.

I really enjoyed this months' Power Poppy challenge. At times it's great to get the old inspiration gears turning and realize new ideas and creativity by accident, just by participating in a fun challenge! I'm looking forward to next month's Power Poppy Challenge!

 

Happiness

 Hello again, World! 

As I assume you've guessed, I haven't been active in the scrapping, card making, or general crafting community for quite a few years. My family and I have been through a divorce, a move across half the country, a new job that takes all my energy and leaves me no mental clarity for creativity, and more drama then a soap opera that I'll generously spare you from. 

With two growing teenage children, I don't often have much time to sit down for "Me Time". Yet, here I am. I'm enjoying playing with inks, alcohol markers, and pretty papers. I've missed it all and yet, I'm rustier then a Model T Ford in the rain. But like anything, a good challenge can shake that mental dust off..

Power Poppy is offering a month long challenge on their blog, to create a card showcasing Glass. I picked Power Poppy's "Tea in the Garden" set, showcasing my favorite summertime beverage: Lemonade.

I colored the image in with Copics, found some papers from Fancy Pants, and embellished it with some odds and ends pieces of decor items that my Mom bought for me from a nearby scrapstore, keeping everything fresh, light, and fun.

I feel better after starting that challenge and I plan to blog and post when I can, around my busy life schedule, but until then, I'm just happy to be here, playing with my "toys" and feeling grateful.