Fall Collage

Happy Thursday, everyone! And happy October!  After a few false starts, I finally stamped a card yesterday that I was happy with! I really didn't have anything special in mind when I started it but then I realized I needed a sympathy card, so sympathy it was:

I've really enjoyed revisiting some of my older stamps; this one, Thoroughly Thankful, is from way back in 2006!!! I stamped the image in Stazon on watercolor paper, colored it in with reinkers and an aquapainter, then diecut it and mounted on a Basic Beige panel embossed with the Gathering Leaves embossing folder:

A sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes was added, and I colored a gold brad with a Cajun Craze blend to make it look more coppery!  Here's the simple inside with a sentiment from Hero Arts:

I've got three challenges I want to enter this in:  Hand Stamped Sentiments' mood board; Freshly Made Sketches' sketch, and the Little Red Wagon challenge of Fall Colors:

I took my inspiration from all the colors and fall images on the mood board! So pretty for the season!

And even though I don't have a mouse on my card, here's a chipmunk from Dana:

You can just barely see him peeking out of the rainspout! Thanks so much for visiting today!  Enjoy it and be blessed!  

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Thoroughly Thankful (ret), Teeny Tiny Wishes (ret), Sentiments CL340 (Hero Arts), Itty Bitty Backgrounds (ret)
Card stock & Papers	Watercolor, Basic Beige, Crumb Cake
Ink	Stazon Black, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Calypso Coral, Timid Tiger, Crushed Curry, Old Olive, Pecan Pie, Cajun Craze
Accessories	Dimensionals, Gold Brad
Tools	Big Shot, Gathering Leaves Embossing Folder, Stitched Square Die (Lil'Inker), Easy Strips Dies (Taylored Expressions), Banner Dies (Impression Obsession), Aquapainter

A Note of Thanks

 Happy Thursday, peeps!  Today I get my other cataract done---I am really looking forward to having this procedure over with, LOL!  Meanwhile, I have a card to share for two challenges:  Hand Stamped Sentiments has a sketch, and Retro Rubber has a Tic-Tac-Toe board.  Here we go:

I chose the middle row across of splatter/leaves/kraft!  So here we go:

I was going through some of my DSPs and came across this splatter pattern, and I thought it would make an interesting fall card since the colors are not traditionally used for fall!  I diecut a circle and stitched leaves from Pool Party, Basic Beige and Pecan Pie, piecing everything together, then added a sentiment from the Thank You Kindly set (2008), diecut with a banner die.  A wee bit of Coastal Cabana twine was separated, then made into a bow for a little accent:

I think this is a fun, non-traditional way to use these leaves!  

I wanted to give a shout out to my friends Kathy and Michele for sending me these cute cards as I was "recovering" from my cataract surgery:

First, Kathy's:

I love the colors and the glasses!  And here's Michele's, in her own inimitable style:

I think I could probably see this one WITHOUT glasses or surgery!  Fun colors and I love all the fonts against that cute embossing!  Thanks, ladies!  I appreciate the thoughts!

And I appreciate all of your visits! Thanks for popping in today!  Enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Thank You Kindly (2008, ret)
Card stock & Papers	Basic Beige, Crumb Cake, Pecan Pie, Pool Party, Hobby Haven DSP
Ink	Pecan Pie
Accessories	Cool Caribbean Twine (ret), Dimensionals
Tools	Big Shot, Stitched Shapes Dies (ret), Stitched Leaves Dies (ret)

HSS491 A Little Thanks

 Happy Thursday, all! The Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge this week was a sketch, perfect for the thank-you card I needed!  As much as I like clean-and-simple, I also like a sketch with lots of layers:

It's no secret that Crisp Cantaloupe is one of my favorite colors, so I highlighted it on my card today:

I used Painted Patterns DSP, the small lilies of the valley from the Lily of the Valley bundle, and the pretty Stone & Vine embossing folder:

I diecut the lilies from Barely Blush cardstock and added a little shading with Crisp Cantaloupe ink.  The banner is Soft Sea Foam, sentiment is from the same set!  It's going to be going out in the mail ASAP!  Thanks for popping in today!  Enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Lily of the Valley
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Crisp Cantaloupe, Barely Blush, Soft Sea Foam, In Color Painted Patterns DSP, Vellum (ret)
Ink	Soft Sea Foam, Crisp Cantaloupe
Accessories	Adhesive Sequins (ret), Dimensionals
Tools	Big Shot, Lily of the Valley Dies, Stylish Shapes Dies, Stone & Vine Embossing Folder, Stitched Rectangle Dies (ret), Wink of Stella

HSS487 Lakeside Wishes

 Happy Wednesday, peeps! Another masculine card today for my May birthdays; this one uses the colors from Hand Stamped Sentiments:

Great masculine colors, don't you think?  My card didn't quite turn out as I envisioned it, but I had already spent enough time on it!! It'll have to be good enough, LOL!  So here we go:

I stamped this lakeside cabin image from Stampscapes in all three of the colors and did some sponging and fussy cutting before adhering it all back together and diecutting it with a Stitched So Sweetly die.  In hindsight, I think I should have stamped the cabin in black and added color, or stamped it on Pecan Pie cardstock, but as I said, I'd already invested the time so I went forward!

I added a sentiment from Our Daily Bread Designs, then mounted the image on a piece of Pecan Pie cardstock that was stamped with the retired Woodgrain background stamp.  I added some twine trim and a piece of plaid from Timeless Plaids and it was done!  Hopefully the guy who receives it will like the scene and the message!  

Thanks for popping in today!  Enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Woodgrain (ret), Mini Tag Sentiments (Our Daily Bread Designs), Lakeside Cabin (Stampscapes)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Pecan Pie, Timeless Plaids
Ink	Misty Moonlight, Pecan Pie, Old Olive, Versafine Black
Accessories	Wavy Trim (ret), Dimensionals
Tools	Big Shot, Stitched So Sweetly Dies (ret), Blending Brushes, Sponge Daubers

PP780 A Theme Challenge

Happy Sunday, peeps!  Happy Easter!  I am the hostess at the Paper Players today and we have a seasonal theme:  Spring Showers!   

I took my cue from that cute pair of rain boots at the top center since I have a fun little die that matches perfectly!  Here we go:

My papers are from Echo Park's Bee Happy (love those papers); the boots die is from Impression Obsession, and the flowers are from SU's Pierced Blooms:

The sentiment is from Cutest Crew, which is my new most-favorite stamp, LOL!  I also used the sketch from Hand-Stamped Sentiments for my layout, although I realized AFTER I made my card that the sentiment is in the wrong place!  Ooops!

And since the Inspired By challenge this week is  "Boots", I am entering it there as well!

There aren't many "showers" on this card but it's certainly spring-y!  I hope you'll play along with our theme challenge this week at the Paper Players--lots of inspiration from which to choose!  Thanks for visiting today!  Enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Cutest Crew
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Basic Black, Bee Happy (Echo Park)
Ink	Versafine Black
Accessories	Yellow & White Baker's Twine (ret), Dimensionals
Tools	Big Shot, Pierced Blooms Dies (ret), Boots Dies (Impression Obsession), Small Tags Dies (Impression Obsession), Starstruck EF (ret)

HSS483 Take Care

Happy Wednesday, peeps! Gray and dreary here, eagerly anticipating warmer temps by the end of the week!  The Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge made my blue-lovin' heart go pitter patter:

Oh, so pretty! The lower left image reminded me of a lovely die and embossing folder combo I was recently given, so I pulled it out along with some Cloud Cover cardstock and went to work:

I cut and embossed a panel with the die and folder, then sponged a light layer of Cloud Cover in on top.  Before mounting it on a Cloud Cover card, I embossed the edge with a stitched die to peek out from behind the diecut edge.  The new SU set called Scalloped Wishes provided the sentiment; it went over a luscious Cloud Cover ribbon as well:

I am also going to add it to Can You Handle the Pressure?  I haven't played with them for a while!  

I think this monochromatic card is very peaceful and calming!  Thanks for visiting today! Enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Scalloped Wishes
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Cloud Cover
Ink	Cloud Cover
Accessories	Cloud Cover Polyester, Dimensionals
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Scalloped Wishes Dies, Cascading Floral Border Dies (Spellbinders), Finishing Touches Dies (Kristina Werner), Blending Brush

HSS479 Sending Love

Happy Friday, all! A real quick card today using the Hand Stamped Sentiments sketch:

I needed some samples for my upcoming hostess party using the new Made With Love DSP, and this was a great place to start:

I added an embossed panel of Flirty Flamingo to the DSP panel, a sentiment from the new Prayers & Promises, and a few stitched hearts and sequins:

A retired sentiment from Sealed with Love went on the inside:

These papers are fresh and fun!  Thanks for popping in today!  Enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Prayers & Promises, Sealed with Love (ret)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Flirty Flamingo, Real Red, Made with Love DSP
Ink	Real Red
Accessories	Sequins from my stash
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Give It a Whirl Dies (ret), Dotty Hearts Embossing Folder (ret)

FMS710 Peace on Earth

Happy Saturday, peeps, happy November! The Halloween decorations come down and the Thanksgiving ones go up!  Meanwhile, I'm cranking out Christmas cards, although I am sure I'll be doing some turkey day ones sometime this month!

Linda had a very interesting sketch this week at FMS, and I paired it with the color palette at Hand Stamped Sentiments:

So here we go:

I started with a Pool Party card base, then added a layer of Secret Sea that I embossed with a starry embossing folder.  There was a challenge somewhere that wanted stars but for the life of me, I couldn't find it!  Anyway, I diecut three trees from white glimmer paper and mounted them on my snowy hills and added a wee tiny sentiment stamped in Cherry Cobbler and backed with some Cherry Cobbler glimmer paper.  The final addition were some sweet little Cherry Cobbler cardinals:

I added a simple sentiment on the inside and another Christmas card is added to my stash!  Thanks so much for popping in today!  Enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Tiny Words Christmas
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Secret Sea, Pool Party, Cherry Cobbler, White GLimmer  (ret), Cherry Cobbler Glimmer (ret)
Ink	Cherry Cobbler
Accessories	Dimensionals
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, All That Dies (ret), Card Front Builder Dies (ret), Cheery Cardinals Dies (Poppy), Stitched Hillside Dies (Lawn Fawn), Wishing Stars EF (Spellbinders)

HSS473 No Stamping-Five Minute Cardinal

 Happy Friday, peeps!  This card took me about five minutes to make....easy peasy!  It uses the Hand Stamped Sentiments sketch:

along with some retired DSP and a cute little cardinal element:

I was talking to my friend's mom at our church's yard sale on Saturday.  She shared that she loves cardinals, and they remind her of her dad who passed away several years ago.  Now her grandkids all point out when they see a cardinal too!  I had received some cardinal elements from a sweet little online jewelry company called Chadds Ford Jewelry, (she has lovely things and wonderful customer service, too!); she always encloses a little gift of some sort when you place an order, and these were my little gift.  So I added one to the front of my card, and sent the rest to my friend's mom!  I hope they brighten her day! 

A few  little enamel dots finished it off, and there isn't even any stamping on it!   

Thanks for popping in today!  Enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Evening Evergreen DSP (ret)
Ink
Accessories	Dimensionals, Red Enamel Dots (W+9)
Tools

HSS472 Thankful

 Happy Tuesday, peeps!  I was definitely challenged by the colors at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week:

I admit that Darling Duckling is not one of my favorite colors....I might have used it one time since it came out!  But a challenge is a challenge, so here we go:

I pulled out some older plaid DSP; truthfully, the color in it is Island Indigo, but I thought it was close enough to Pretty Peacock to work!  I diecut some Impression Obsession wheat sheaves in Darling Duckling and Timid Tiger, sponging a little ink on each one to give it a little more depth.  They went on an Everyday Arch diecut that was embossing with the Burlap embossing folder from Honey Bee.  The sentiment was an old Hostess set called Six Sayings, and it was fussy cut and popped up, and I did add a few sequins as well:

The inside sentiment is from the new set called Words for the Season:

And speaking of seasons, it's the season for the Solanco Fair!  Dana and I were amazed at this amazing 530-lb pumpkin!!!  It won, obviously!

There was also a big cow (just an advertisement):

And this was my favorite submission in the photo contest; sadly, it didn't win any ribbons, but it was a winner in my book:

Thanks for visiting today!  Enjoy it and be blessed!

"For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants."  Psalm 135:14

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Words For the Season, Six Sayings (ret)
Card stock & Papers	Very Vanilla, Darling Duckling, Timid Tiger, Pretty Peacock, Autumn Harvest DSP (ret)
Ink	Darling Duckling, Timid Tiger, Pretty Peacock
Accessories	Sequins from my stash, Dimensionals
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Everyday Arches Dies, Burlap Embossing Folder (Honey Bee), Wheat Dies (Impression Obsession)

HSS469 Freesia Birthday

Happy Wednesday, all! I saw a cute fold technique on FB recently but unfortunately, didn't write down the creative person who posted it, so if you know who it was, let me know! I have a couple of birthdays coming up that need cards, so I took the unusual color palette at Hand Stamped Sentiments and went to work!  Here's the palette:

My Sunflower EF has been neglected, so I thought I'd use it; I know there aren't freesia-colored sunflowers in real life (or maybe there are), but in my world, I can make a sunflower any color I want! So here we go:

I cut a panel of Fresh Freesia to 5" x 3 3/4", then ran it through the embossing machine with the embossing folder.  I sponged on Fresh Freesia ink, then diecut the panel with a Textured Notes dies.  I added a mat of Pool Party, then re-attached it to the Fresh Freesia panel.  That all went on a Blackberry Bliss mat and a white card base.

I stamped a birthday sentiment from Year of Flowers and die cut it, again with the Textured Notes dies, and added a wish of Fresh Freesiz ribbon:

And here's the fun fold inside:

It's really easy--cut cardstock or DSP to 10 1/2" x 4".  Score at 4 1/4", 5 1/4" and 6 1/4".  Fold along the score lines to make the little box, then adhere ONLY the larger pieces to the inside of the card.  You can make the pop-up embellishment anything you want!  I have lots of ideas!.  For this card, I pieced together two pieces of Fresh Freesia DSP, using Sticky Strip to make sure the edges were secure, then stamped my sentiment directly on it.  It folds nicely and fits into a regular size envelope!

I promised to show off some of the gorgeous cards I received for my birthday--it will take a while!  Here are the first few!  This stunner is from my Paper Players teammate, Stef!  The image is debossed...and it's gorgeous!

I love orange, so this card really made me smile!  It's from my sweet friend Beth; she always has an encouraging word!

This beauty is from another teammate, Ann! Unfortunately, the mail person was not careful and it sustained some damage (and came in one of those lame apologetic envelopes) but I guess I should just be glad I got it at all!  So pretty!

Thanks, ladies! I have more to share!  Thanks for visiting today! Enjoy it and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Year of Flowers
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Blackberry Bliss, Fresh Freesia, Pool Party, Fresh Freesia DSP (ret)
Ink	Fresh Freesia, Blackberry Bliss
Accessories	Dimensionals, Fresh Freesia Seam Binding
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Sunflower 3D Embossing Folder, Textured Notes Dies, Blending Brush