JOY!!!

 Hi all!

I have a talent...professional problem solver!  I trained myself...accidentally...to be a problem solver.  Having ADHD (diagnosed in 1992) has gifted me with the opportunity to create a lot of problems for myself growing up.  I was always messing up one way or another, and had to figure out how to get myself out of the jam, without asking for help!  I'm 😉a bit of a control freak I guess...  But with this talent also came the ability to think outside the box.

For Sisterhood of Crafters challenge, I decided to pull out my items from Altenew's latest release...it was intended for Christmas, but not this time!  The beauty of using stamps and stencils is you can use your supplies anyway you want!  You're not trapped in someone else's idea of how the item should be used.  

This card background was created using my 'tip' for cleaning brushes that I shared HERE on my YouTube channel.  Watch the video to see it in action, or continue reading as I try my best to explain it.  While ink blending, its my practice to always have an A2 piece of cardstock next to me to 'clean' off the ink from my brushes...I hate wasting anything...  Once the piece is filled its set aside until inspiration to use it hits me!  Generally, there are several pieces of cardstock going at a time, so I can create a paper with a good color combo and not just add random inks together.

Starting with my 'scrap' ink card panel, I pulled some darker inks that complemented the inks on the paper.  Using the Starburst Stencil from Altenew, I inked the colors coordinating with the background.  Easy peezy!  The Joy die was cut from white cardstock then placed on the vellum...we couldn't hide that gorgeous background could we??

The little coordinating sentiments are from the stamp set Joyful Greetings.  Think outside the box everyone...those supplies can be used for more than what they are intended for!

Thank you SO much for visiting my blog, I hope I've inspired you to try something different for this challenge!  Have a wonderfully colorful day!

Does this count? - JUST ADD INK HONORABLE MENTION!

 Hi all!

I'm winding down my very busy weekend, and hoping this week I'll get a little bit of a reprieve from the chaos!  Not really sure how or when that will happen, but I'm putting it out there...manifesting rest an relaxation...if I say it, it will come....😂😉

In the meantime, I'm here to share this card for the Just Add Ink challenge this week, spotlighting.  Now I learned spotlighting was when you separated out a portion of a stamped background, and made it different, generally with color. 

I think I followed the 'old way' kind of when I die cut the Ornate Nesting Die from Altenew, but also added a 'new way' of spotlighting by adding die cut of the same image, colored, over top of the cut-out part...am I overthinking this?  

Either way, I like the effect of the spotlighting I did.  The floral image and sentiment are from Altenew and will be released in November!  It's a great mini set and there are 2 others just like it!  If you like coloring and don't want to spend a ton of time doing it, these smaller image sets are perfect for that.  I'm still working on my alcohol ink skills, and practice makes perfect they say, so I'll keep going at it.  I do love the colors I picked for these florals though...

That's it for today...  Thanks for stopping by, and have a colorful day!

Final color story...COLOR HUES RUNNER UP! - AS YOU SEE IT FEATURED ARTIST!

 Hi all!

I've now completed my projects for the Instagram Create 3 Ways challenge!  It's a really fun challenge, and if you're into that sort of thing, check out my Instagram tomorrow at 3 pm for all the details.  In the mean time, here is the update on what I've created for the last card using the Color Hues  and the As You See It challenges for this week!

  

I originally was going to make a pink card for my last creation, but when I saw the challenge for Color Hues this week, I HAD to do it in yellow and craft!  I'm a sucker for yellow, and yellow with craft is one of my favorite combos.  I'm also obsessed with making these leaves with just the veining from vellum...simple and gorgeous.

I again followed the same layout and products from this and this card I made earlier this week.  I have to admit...I love this one the best!

The ink colors are from Altenew.  For the yellows, I used Fresh Lemon, Maple Yellow, Honey Drizzle, and Yellow Ochre, then Rocky Shore for the craft color.  For the pumpkins, I did add Vanilla Cream for the first 2 layers then the Honey Drizzle for the last one.

So that's it!  I finished my Instagram challenge and worked on some blog challenges as well!  Not bad for a few days work...

Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you have a colorful day!

On a mission... THE CARD CONCEPT CHALLENGE WINNER!

 Hi all!

I've been participating in a new challenge later in the week on Instagram as an 'influencer'😂 and I'm prepping my cards for it now.  It's a 'Do it 3 ways' challenge.  I decided to use my card from earlier today as my inspiration and launching point.  Do you have try this type of challenge?  It certainly helps me to build my card stash that's for sure...

Using my layout and the items used (stencils and dies) I've decided to change up the color palette for few challenges here on the blog-o-sphere.  First the colors were inspired by The Card Concept's lovely color combo; and the Sisterhood of Crafters challenge with pumpkins.

The background uses a plaid stencil by The Greetery, and although I used all 5 stencils,  you can only see the 3 copper ones...bummer.  The next panel has the sweater stencil from Altenew's Cozy Comfort webinar (which should come out soon) inked with gray ink and dry embossed with the stencil.. It gives a nice subtle texture, though it's a bit lost on the dark color.

The pumpkins are from the Ton, and I had to fussy cut them as I did not invest in the coordinating dies...which I have just rectified as I HATE fussy cutting.  The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp and it cuts out this paper MUCH better than the mirror gold paper in my last card...more user error than the die itself I'm sure of it!  I even embossed the background for the sentiment with a wood folder to match the image from the Card Concept.

Finally, the leaves are from an old 'vintage' set from PTI called Leaf Prints.  Great set, too bad it's retired.  Alright...now to make my 3rd card for the Instagram challenge...I think I'll do it in pink for a little variety!

Thanks for visiting me, I hope you have a color filled day!!!

Fall find! - JUGS SHOUT OUT! - TTTC #230 TEAM PICK!

 Hi all!

So I guess I lied...I DO have something Halloween in my stash!  I found this pumpkin stencil in a bin of old product, which is a shame because this stencil is fairly new to me...  Does anyone else do that?  Misplace items then discover them after you needed them?  I can't be the only one...can I?  Either way, it was a happy find!  

I was inspired by the challenges at Inspired By, this weeks JUGS challenge and the current Tic Tac Toe challenge.  Since I did find my pumpkin stencil, I needed to put ink on it for the first two challenges.  For the 3rd, I followed the top line, leaves, Thank you sentiment and plaid.

This fall card is a mis-mash of lots of different vendors.  I used a vintage PTI Leaf Prints set, the Greetery Diagonal Tartan plaid stencil, the TON new-ish Ella pumpkin stencil, the new Simon Says Stamp Fancy Giving Thanks sentiment die and the new Altenew Sweater stencil from the Cozy Comfort webinar with them, which may be available to the public soon!

I do love mixing and matching up items from different vendors, it's like a trick or treat bag.  Lots of different types of candy and they all make me very happy!

I also need to figure out how to avoid the little hairs on my die cut sentiment.  It only happens with the metallic gold paper...any suggestions?

Thanks for visiting me over on my side of the blog-o-sphere...I hope you have a very colorful day!

Attempting to hold onto the last bit of summer... FRESHLY MADE SKETCHES PRINCESS!

 Hi all!

Super quick creation here...

I wanted to work on a challenge today, so I chose the Freshly Made Sketches challenge.  I actually had an entirely different plan, but when I openend up my scrap bin...it took a 180 degree turn!

I was actually going for a fall card, but saw these lemons I made a while back, and realized I had to use them!  It is my last grasp to hold on to the loveliness of summer.

I used a really old embossing folder inked with Sunray Fresh Dye ink and finished it with a sentiment strip from my bin as well.

Now I really need to finish these fall cards....

Thanks for stopping by, have a colorful day!

EXCITING NEWS!!!

 Hi all!

I have some MORE exciting news today....I have been selected to be a member of the AAA Cards Challenge Design Team!!!  WOOP!  WOOP!!!  They asked me to get started right away, so here I am with my first post with them and I hope they keep me around after this creation...

The challenge for the next 2 weeks is to create something SPOOKY but keep it CAS in style.  I don't have ANYTHING in my stash for Halloween, which is surprising considering Halloween is one of our favorite holidays!  NOW...I have to say, this particular card is not my normal type of creation, and I had to dig down into my mixed media stash for inspiration to create this card...I hope it's not too creepy...  But when I found the sentiment in my bulk sentiment bin from Altenew's Classic Greetings stamp set (to be released in November and NOT AT ALL creepy!) I literally laughed out loud with how it correlated with the imagery...I mean, it could go either way, right?

I used some old Tim Holtz images and lumped them all together to form a little group.  The little pictures of kids already lean a little creepy all on their own, but I amped up the creep factor and blackened out their eyes....  Seriously, what is wrong with me!!  😂😱

Keeping the design CAS, I mounted everything on a black card front and added some purple metallic splatters using the Altenew Metallic Watercolor pan set.  

So there you go...my first post on the AAA Cards Challenge DT.  I promise my future creations won't be so....out of the box?  Creepy?  I'm really a normal person......I promise!!!

Since it is the Halloween season, and I do love this card, I am entering it in the Festive Friday challenge using black, watercolor (metallic purple splatters), and spooky sentiment.  I thought I'd add it to the Shopping our Stash challenge and the Four Seasons challenge as well!

Thanks so much for stopping by, have a colorful...not creepy...day!!

CAS Autumn on Friday!

 Hi all!

Isn't it funny how old things become new again?  Like 80's and 90's fashion.  My girls are wearing things I wore when I was a teenager in high-school.  Occasionally, I'll show them a picture of something I wore that looks similar to their outfit of the day...they immediately go change!  Don't they know vintage is cool?

I decided to use that mindset for today's challenge at CAS on Friday, all the items used are 'vintage'!   The challenge is to create something with an Autumn theme, I just threw in the vintage twist for my own fun.  Making an autumn card is easy enough right?  Just make sure it is CAS in design...

I found this paper I created using metallic spray ink in green, orange, gold and a pomegranate color.  The colors got muddy, so I wasn't thrilled with it really.  I threw it in my scrap paper bin and it's been there for a few weeks, but the colors were very fall-ish, so I started from there.  

I decided to die cut the paper  pulled out a SUPER old die set for the feathers. I don't even know where it's from, but I would guess Spellbinders circa 2008?  Vintage...like me!  I then added a die cut leaf with gold embossing on it from an old PTI set I have called Leaf Prints, another vintage set from 2010...I never throw anything away.

To complete the design, I used some metallic copper paint for a stripe and a few splatters for good measure.  The sentiment I found in my scrap sentiments bin, I do know that's from Altenew, Essential Sentiments.  It's a great set, and with the die, you can make a few sentiments and use them as needed like I do.

That's it!  This is my second post on the CAS on Friday as a design team member...I'm so excited about that! I am also entering this is in the Time Out Challenge this week, Vintage...70's theme. Please be sure to visit the other DT members, the love to create as much as I do!

Thanks for stopping by, have a colorful day!

Altenew New October 2023 Stamps, Dies, Stencils, and More Release!

 Hi all!

Welcome to Paperfiori, I'm so glad you're here!  Today I'm honored to be participating in Altenew's October 2023 Marvelous Monthly Series Release Blog Hop + Giveaway!  You should have arrived here from the amazing Agnieszka Malyszek, but be sure to hit all the AMAZING artists on this hop by starting here.

I am featuring today the fantastic Joy die, foil and stencil bundle, the Festive Greenery embossing folder and stencil bundle, and a touch of the Joyful Greetings stamp set. These products are wonderful for holiday projects or even for everyday happy occasions.  They are perfect for quick and simple cards when you're busy with life...or the holidays!

Each of the cards above are created using the same layout and processes.  However, with a change of color, a switch of the coordinating sentiment and embellishments, the possibilities with these products are endless!

This first card is my traditional holiday card.  The Joy bundle includes a foil plate, dies and a stencil.  Such variety!  The stencil allows you to create a bold statement stripes or solid colored if you want some variety.  I used the die set and stencils from the bundle for this bold sentiment.  The sentiment strip in the center was created from the new Joyful Greetings stamp set, which has a great combination of sentiments that coordinate.

I also adore the Festive Greenery layered stencil background! I love layered stencils, as you can make endless patterned papers in any color combination of your choice, which makes them a fantastic investment.  

This second card layout and technique is the same as the first, but using non-traditional holiday colors and actually is geared more toward New Year celebrations. 

I only used the Joy foil plate and the background die for the large sentiment and again the Joyful Greetings set for the center sentiment.  With a few added sprigs of 'greenery' from Altenew's Create-A-Wreath die set using vellum paper lightly inked with a coordinating color and Blue Crystals Gradient Glitter Paper set, the sentiment really shines!  

This final card moves more toward an everyday celebration instead of the holidays.  I used the Festive Greenery again for the background with pale pinks and greens making it perfect for celebrating a new addition to a family.  The foreground white panel was embossed with the coordinating folder and laid out to continue the pattern.

The Joy die bundle again is featured in the center, with the background die cut out from the white panel and the Joy outline pink to complete the bold sentiment.  If you'd like to see more cards non-holiday cards using the Joy bundle, check them out on my  Instagram @kristinsluhan.  

Now for the fun part! To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $100 gift certificate to 1 lucky winner and a $50 gift certificate to 4 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog AND each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by 10/10/2023 for a chance to win. Altenew will draw 5 random winners from the comments left along this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew Winners Page on 10/12/2023.  That's $300 total in prizes!!

THANK YOU so much for taking the time to visit, read and comment here and at the other stops along the hop!  It really brings each of us so much JOY...yes I went there😉...to share our work with you! 

Now head on over to the lovely Amy Tsuruta for your next stop on the hop!

Have a wonderfully colorful day!

Birthdays galore and a SNEAK PEEK! - AAA BIRTHDAY CARD CHALLENGE TOP 4!!

 Hi all!

I have several family birthdays this month, 2 of them on the same day!  I shared a card for my sweet teenager's birthday here from a previous challenge.  She is only 1 of the the important people in my life with a birthday within a 30 day period.

Today, I'm using the AAA Birthday Card challenge to inspire this next card.  Since I am an ex-preschool teacher, my students loved to ask me, 'what's your favorite color Mrs. 'Luan?' (its hard to pronounce double S's at that age😆).  I always said 'rainbow color because I love ALL the colors!", so that's what I did here!

This is a soon-to-be released stamp and die set from Altenew called Cut the Cake. It doesn't release until the middle of the month, but you can see some of the inspirations from it here.  

I used all the fun rainbow colors for this, and love how it came out!  The background is also a new embossing folder from Altenew called Stellar Cascade, but that one is being released on THURSDAY!!!  Stop back for a blog hop then...

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you have a colorful day!!

Paradise...

 Hi all!

What's your version of paradise?  Relaxing on a beach?  Snuggled up to a fire?  Lounging in bed?  Holed up in your crafting space without ANY other responsibilities, or demands on your time?  I'll take all 4 thank you....  Since my mom's fall in July, we had to cancel our immediate family vacation plans until next year, but we all need a break!  4 days in New York or at beach?  Hmmmm....  we will see...

Until then, I'm in my studio for a few minutes this morning whipping up a card for the new AAA Challenge #250, ink blending.  I'm even throwing my hat in the ring for their open DT spot...keeping my fingers crossed!

Ever since I found the mini blending brushes from Altenew, I can't stop doing ink blending!  I love it...I even have a trick I use while creating you can see HERE.  I hate wasting ink...

I always head toward a good rainbow blending, it's the pre-school teacher in me!  I then used a simple tropical leaf to die cut my rainbow paper from the Hibiscus flower die set.  The design of this leaf allows the white background to show, to keep my CAS design as simple as possible.

After the leaf was cut, I added a few little splatters of the rainbow with my watercolor paints.  Next, I added a sentiment from a new set debuting in November which is too cute...more sneak peeks on that set soon.  Add it all together and you have a simple yet impactful CAS card design!

Thanks for visiting my blog today, I hope your day is filled with color!!!