IB66 Speckled Eggs

Happy Thursday, peeps!  Hope your week is going well....I haven't felt very crafty lately, my craft room has been a disaster so hopefully in cleaning it up I might find my mojo!  Today is Inspired By day, and I have to admit that this is one of my favorite challenge photos ever.  I nudged my mojo along enough to make this:

And here is Laurel's prompt:

Aren't they pretty?  And when I saw this photo, I knew just what I wanted to use!  I had this SU stamp Soft as a Feather many years ago and sold it....and then regretted it!  I found it again on ebay a while back and this is the first time I have "re-used" it!  I began by painting a page from an old book with some white craft paint, then stamping the nest on it with Early Espresso ink.  I stamped the eggs from the same set, along with some others from Nature's Walk and colored them with Pool Party Blends, then cut them out and popped them up:

I diecut the book paper with a Spellbinder's die (thanks, Claire) and mounted it on a Pool Party card that I ran through the Woodgrain embossing folder, then sponged with Crumb Cake ink.  (Since this folder really weakens the fibers of the paper, I adhered a piece of cardstock to the inside left side of the card to stabilize it.)  Finally, I added a linen thread bow, some tiny punched hearts, and stamped a sentiment and some "stitch" lines, both from Close to My Heart sets:

I left the inside blank; it might be an encouragement card, a sympathy card or an Easter card....I haven't decided yet!  I hope you'll play along with our pretty challenge this week at Inspired By too!

I saw directions to make a little Easter basket in the latest BH&G, so I thought I would try it out with Cassidy....and it was a bust!  It was a little too fussy for her, although she really gave it a good try! 

She was relieved when I told her she didn't have to finish it, LOL! (Grammy even thought it was a challenge, LOL!)

Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Soft as a Feather (ret), Nature Walk (ret), Stitched Borders, Inspired Words (both Close to My Heart)
Card stock & Papers	Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Soft Sky (ret), page from an old book, Naturals White
Ink	Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
Accessories	Linen Thread
Tools	Big Shot, Woodgrain EF, Curved Matting Dies (Spellbinders), Triple Heart Punch (ret), White Craft Paint, SU Blends, Sponges

AYSI196 Easter Greetings

Happy Friday, peeps!  Yikes, it's the end of the week and I had to scurry to make this card for our latest As You See It challenge!  I almost missed it!  This week, we have an interesting color combo for you:

My mind drifted to several different ideas....but in the end, I chose to make an Easter card with this cute little bunny I got last year from Close to My Heart; he looks sweet watercolored in Soft Suede ink:

Little bunny was inked in Stazon on watercolor paper from SU, then watercolored with Soft Suede; I added some grass in Shaded Spruce and Granny Apple Green, then attached a piece of gingham paper to a Granny Apple Green card that was embossed with the Vine Street EF.  

I used the FMS sketch, turning on its side as well as orienting it to the right instead of the left:

Originally I had planned to do something with leaves, twigs and greenery, but I ended up using them as embellishments behind the main image:

To soften the look of the leaves, I brushed them lightly with a wet aquapainter.  Finally, I stamped a sentiment from Fable Friends to finish it off!

Now, be sure to visit the AYSI blog to see the fun creations all the designers made, and add yours to our gallery too.  We have had some awesome submissions lately...it's been hard to choose the winners!  Maybe yours will be one of them!  Thanks for popping in today!

Yesterday was some sort of special day at school...maybe career day or something?  Anyway, Cassidy had to dress as a businesswoman and she was going to visit other third grade classes.  I was so enamored of her outfit (especially those shoes), I think I missed most of her explanation!  Check her out:

 She's growing up!  Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Rooted in Nature, Fable Friends, Easter Animals (CTMH)
Card stock & Papers	Granny Apple Green, Whisper White, Soft Suede, Watercolor, Gingham Gala DSP
Ink	Stazon, Soft Suede, Granny Apple Green, Shaded Spruce, Blushing Bride
Accessories
Tools	Big Shot, Nature's Roots Framelits, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Seasonal Layers Framelits, Aquapainter

TMS492 You Are Wonderful

Happy Wednesday, peeps!  I have a couple simple cards today, both using this sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches:

I love things in threes, so when I saw this, I knew I had to play!  I sort of did the sketch from memory once I saw it, so I "forgot" that the sentiment band went all the way across...hopefully it will be okay!  The first card is for someone who did a really nice favor for me, so I made her a thank-you card using some American Crafts Shimelle papers and a couple of stamp sets:

I stamped the little feather from Papertrey's What the Doodle Feather set in So Saffron, Mint Macaron, and Merry Merlot (stamped off once), then fussy cut them out and mounted them on some stitched circles:

The sentiment from Rooted in Nature seemed perfect, also stamped in Mint Macaron:

I mounted the whole shebang on a So Saffron card base...I just think these colors and patterns are so fun!

My next card is a little note card made for the cancer center; it uses the same sketch, but the color challenge from Hand-Stamped Sentiments:

This is one REALLY simple; a layer of Highland Heather on a white notecard, then a layer of Twinkle Twinkle DSP, and some words and a sentiment from Close to My Heart's Inspired Words:

I stamped the dragonfly from Touches of Texture with Highland Heather ink, then colored it with Blends and some Wink of Stella, then popped it up on a mini dimensional:

I hope it brings some encouragement!  Thanks for popping in today!

Speaking of encouragement, Dana had been talking at dinner about work issues, and when she opened her lunch the next day, she found another little lunchbox card from Cassidy:

I guess we probably all wish for a day like that, LOL!  Enjoy yours and be blessed!  And remember...little pitchers have big ears!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Rooted in Nature, Touches of Texture, Inspired Words (Close to My Heart) What the Doodle Feather (Papertrey Ink)
Card stock & Papers	Whisper White, Mint Macaron, Pool Party, So Saffron, Highland Heather, Twinkle Twinkle DSP, Little by Little DSP (Shimelle)
Ink	Mint Macaron, So Saffron, Pool Party, Merry Merlot
Accessories	Mini Dimensionals
Tools	Big Shot, Layering Circles Framelits, Rectangle Stitched Framelits, Radient Sunflower Die (Simon Says Stamp), Blends, Stamparatus

FF0027 and SS551 Wish Upon A Star

Happy Monday, peeps!  I have a day off today for President's Day, and it's a good thing cuz I have a busy week coming up! I squeaked in some stamping time yesterday for two challenges:  Festive Friday and Sketch Saturday:

At first I was going to pass on the Festive Friday challenge, as I have NO stamps that are fairy-tale related, but I found this cool hologram unicorn paper that my friend Martha recently gave me, and I also received a new die from my friend Renita, so I thought I would put them together to create a dazzling, star-struck birthday card!  I did turn the sketch on the side to accommodate the paper:

After die-cutting the paper, I added a piece of silver foil behind the cut, heat embossed a sentiment from Lawn Fawn's Upon a Star, and added some glimmer paper stars!  

And on the inside, a sentiment from the retired Perfectly Wrapped along with some Swirly Stars from Close to My Heart:

So happy you popped in today! 

Armed and dangerous, ready for Nerf Night..and sitting in her car seat!

 Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Perfectly Wrapped (ret), Upon a Star (Lawn Fawn), Swirly Stars (Close to My Heart ret)
Card stock & Papers	Whisper White, Silver Foil, Glimmer Paper (ret), Unicorn Paper (unknown)
Ink	Memento Black, Silver Encore (ret)
Accessories	Dimensionals
Tools	Big Shot, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Star Dies (Nestabilities), Small Star Punch (ret), Curved Stitch Die (Penny Black), Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool

IB55 Warm Winter Wishes

Hi everyone!  Happy Thursday!  Time for another warm, cozy Inspired By challenge!  I usually love making Christmas cards at any time of the year, but for some reason, I have not been very inspired since 2019 rolled around!  I had to give myself a kickstart to get in the spirit with this card!!:

And here is Laurel's prompt; warm and cozy for sure:

My DSPs are all retired from SU; the darker blue one actually had white flowers, but I brayered them with some Soft Suede ink to give them a more distressed apperance!  The sentiment was heat embossed in white ink and embossing powder, and the little coffee cup was stamped in Memento Black, Night of Navy and Soft Suede, then I added some coloring with a Bronze Blend:

I stamped the horizontal panel with the Buffalo Check stamp in Night of Navy, and I embossed the background with the Cable Knit embossing folder.And here's the inside:

All other sentiments and images are from Close to My Heart, and I used the Tuesday Morning Sketches sketch for this week:

 

If you've not ever played along with the Inspired By challenge, I encourage you to give it a try!  Can't wait to see your creation!

I recently joined the Spellbinder Die of the Month club, and got a cute little paper doll-style die that I thought Cassidy would like:

Most of the pieces are small and fiddly, but she did a great job; true to her tomboy-style (regardless of the Mardi Gras beads she is wearing!!!), she chose to create a boy with neutral clothes....although I am not too sure about those shoes, LOL!  To each her own, right?!  She added the buttons, pocket and fingers herself!!!

Thanks for popping in today--enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Buffalo Check, Love with All the Trimmings (Close to My Heart), Just Treats (CTMH)
Card stock & Papers	Crumb Cake, Night of Navy, Delightful Daisy DSP, Warmth & Cheer DSP (both ret)
Ink	Craft White, Memento Black, Soft Suede, Night of Navy
Accessories	Braided Linen Trim, Dimensionals, White Embossing Powder
Tools	Big Shot, Layering Ovals Framelits, SU Blends, Brayer, Embossing Buddy, Sponge Dauber, Cable Knit Embossing Folder, Stamparatus, Heat Tool

IB49 Cozy Peppermint

Hi peeps!  Happy Thursday to you all!  Brrr...it's cold here in PA, we even had a few snow flurries yesterday!  My Inspired By card for this week should warm you up:

And here is Laurel's sweet prompt; don't those candy canes look pepperminty-delicious?!

My layout was inspired by Try Stampin' On Tuesday:

I had several candy cane stamps but wanted to do something a little bolder, so I stamped the Buffalo Check stamp with Real Red ink on some white cardstock and used the candy cane die from Scentsational Season to tuck inside the mug from the same set, heat-embossed in silver:

I embossed the circle with a knit embossing folder and added a silver glimmer paper scallop, a Soft Sky tag and some Soft Sky seam binding:

The sentiments on the front are from Papertrey and on the inside, Close to My Heart!  I also embossed the Smoky Slate card base with the Subtle EF, just for fun!  I hope you can find something that inspires you in our latest challenge prompt, and share it with us at Inspired By!  And just for fun, Laurel has encouraged me to add this to the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!!

Santa visited Dana's work....Cassidy got all dressed up in her Christmas finery to tell him what she wanted:

Thanks for visiting today--enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Buffalo Check, Scentsational Season (ret), Just Treats-September Stamp of the Month (Close to My Heart ret), Holiday Treats (Papertrey), Christmas Script (Close to My Heart)
Card stock & Papers	Whisper White, Smoky Slate, Silver Glimmer, Soft Sky (ret)
Ink	Real Red, Encore Silver (ret), Soft Sky (ret)
Accessories	Soft Sky Seam Binding and Baker's Twine (ret), Silver Embossing Powder, Dimensionals
Tools	Big Shot,  Circle and Scallop Dies (Nestabilties), Cozy Knit EF (Fun Stampers Journey), Tag Die (Papertrey ret), Scentsational Season Dies (ret), Heat Tool, 1 3/8" Circle Punch

CAS Santa

Happy Saturday, peeps!  It's a dreary day here; I took a walk and now I am doing some stamping!  I am squeaking in my one-layer CAS Santa card for two challenges:

CAS Christmas wants Santa

and Less Is More wants a holiday one-layer card!

My card is 4 1/4" square; I stamped a Santa on it, made a Post-it note mask to cover him up, then cut a square reverse mask so I could stamp the burlap as a background:

I used the Stamparatus to get a good image!  Then I stamped the sentiment beneath it and my little Santa was done!

Now off to stamp some more!  

A little Thanksgiving cousin interaction:

Have a pleasant day and be blessed!  Be sure to come back tomorrow for a new Paper Players challenge too!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Burlap, Love with All the Trimmings (CTMH), Santa Claus (CTMH ret)
Card stock & Papers	Whisper White
Ink	Real Red, Soft Suede
Accessories	Stamparatus
Tools