Washi tape...who knew? - CAN YOU HANDLE THE PRESSURE - TOP WINNER!

Pink Fresh Washi Tapes...What do you think?

Hi all!

Do you use a lot of washi tapes in your creations?  It's not something I have ever really gotten into, until recently.  I've had a few of Pink Fresh's washi tapes in my stash for a while, but have never really worked with them before.  After the recent Create & Connect, I decided to pull them out again and give them a whirl.

This card is inspired by...well... the current Inspired By Challenge! Liberty was taken on the colors however but the photo did give a starting off point.  For the background, the current Can You Handle the Pressure challenge helped with the decision of the embossing folder, circles.  This is a recent purchase from Simon Says Stamp called Dibble Tile.  Isn't it gorgeous?!?  Running your finger over it is like reading braille.  

On top of the background, a tool that has been in a drawer for YEARS finally got its day in the sun...the envelope punch board.  It's never been used...for shame...probably because the measurements on the board were printed in centimeters...we use inches here in the US and math isn't a favorite around here.  Luckily, the sticker was able to be removed, revealing inch measurements!  Who knew?  Not this lazy crafter...   

With the envelope created from white cardstock, and the edges highlighted with a little metallic gold watercolor paint, the Pink Fresh Artistic Dahlia washi tape was finally put to work.  It is really easy to attach the tape to a piece of card stock and die-cut it with the coordinating die...really easy.  Shamefully easy.......  Then with all the fabulous little paper flowers, the arrangement was created, with a little help from Papertrey Ink's Elegant Notes Foliage stamp set using gold pigment ink.

The butterflies, the heat embossed sentiment, and coordinating dies are from the new PinkFresh set given at the Create and Connect.  They promise it will be released soon, so keep your eyes out for it... it's beautiful!  The card was finished off with Cherry Blossom enamel dots.

I think I'll continue to play around with these washi tapes...I have 2 more styles in my stash that haven't been used yet.  That must be remedied!

Have a colorful day!

New and Old combined

Altenew NEW RELEASE Die Cut Flower, April Kiss Camellia!

Hi all!

Have you visited yesterday's Altenew video hop?  Yours truly has a video in it...eeekkk!!!...  There is a giveaway that is open until 3-11, so be sure to visit and make a comment to get entered to win a part of a $300 giveaway!

Onto today's card...I was inspired by the Inkspirational Challenge image with the peachy coral, pinks, and mint green deliciousness in the photo.  Make want a cookie real bad....

I have challenged myself to use items I haven't touched yet, or used in forever for the next 60 days.  With that in mind, this card started off with some lightly shimmered heather grey cardstock that has been on the shelf for ages.  It's a very pretty color and the shimmer bits are a lovely touch, but where it's from...no idea... it's been there that long.  For the background, it's been paired with Altenew's new Moonlit Silver glitter tape...which comes out in a couple weeks.... with a panel of Honeycomb Daisies in white cardstock over the top.  That die is a little like the edge of the cake stand, don't you think?

Altenew April Kiss Camellia flower die set

The new April Kiss Camellia flower die set is so beautiful!  It's also incredibly versatile, as you don't have to use all the layers to create your flowers, and they can even be made in different sizes!  If you want to see a sample of that, visit Jennifer McGuire's video from yesterday's hop.  She showcased this die set in all it's glory...I love how she thinks outside the box...

The edges of these flowers were inked with layers of Pink Pearl and touches of Coral Bliss inks to give it that peachy-coral color.  The leaves were then inked with all the inks from the Green Meadows collection of inks.

That gorgeous sentiment was die cut from Timeless Sentiments which was cut from white cardstock and the shadow, cut from a panel of cardstock with the glitter tape on it.  Easy way to add some sparkle don't you agree?  Finally, Frosted Foliage enamel dots were added to finish off the look.

Hope you head over the the video hop and check out all the designers and enter to win a part of $300!

Have a colorful day!

Are they real???

Triple B Challenge, are those birds REAL?

Hi all!

Have you seen the challenge photo for Triple B this week?  Are those birds real??  I need some if they are, they are breathtaking.  It's a perfect photo for the challenge, so kudos to whoever chose it, it inspired me to do the challenge!

I don't have many bird stamps, dies, or stencils.  The ones I do are very stylized and didn't really fit the tulip I knew I had to use for this challenge.  I've challenged myself to use all the items in my stash that have never seen the light of day...or ink... and unfortunately, quite a few items fit that description.  I think I have a collecting problem...I'm sure many can relate😂!

The tulip is a gorgeous image and sentiment from Alex Siberia Designs called Tulip Treasure.  This set has a stamp, die, and stencil sets as well as a hot foil plate...which would have come in handy for this card, but I didn't invest in that one. This is the open tulip image.  They have others that are more closed, but there is something special about an open tulip.  They are reminiscent of Finish trompe l'oeil paintings, just beautiful!  

The inks for the tulip are Pink Diamond and Pinkalicous inks, and for the stem and greens, Mint Choco, Limeade and Lime inks.  The greenery inks were never used before either, so that was a bonus.  After stenciling the tulip, the outline and sentiment were heat embossed with Antique Gold embossing powder and die cut with the coordinating die set.

The background, frame die and butterfly are from the Create & Connect event Pink Fresh put on last week, they should be available soon, but they haven't given a time-line yet.  Keep your eyes peeled for them, they're a must-have!  A bit of Dew Drops ink was added to the background to make the tulip pop then a few iridescent enamel dots were added in keeping with the color theme.  The corners of the card were trimmed off by hand which is the perfect finishing touch.

Let me know if those birds are real...and if I can get some...  Have a colorful day!

I'm Back!!

Altenew Video Hop and GIVEAWAY!

Hi all!

I'm so excited to share I am a guest designer with Altenew for this month's release!  There are SO many fabulous products being released today, and I'm eager to share them with you.  It's so much fun to be a part of this and to get back into making videos.  I took quite a while off due to my mom's accident and becoming my parents' caregiver, but she's made a fantastic recovery so I now have the time to make videos again.  

In today's video, I am sharing the new Paint & Stamp: Flowers.  This new stamp series from Altenew allows you to channel your inner Bob Ross and I had SO much fun!  I'm not much of a watercolor aficionado, and this set may have changed my mind.  So grab a cup o'Joe, your favorite tea....or for some extra relaxation, a glass of wine....and peruse through the entire hop.  This time around Altenew is asking you to watch the videos from beginning to end to help with the algorithm, to help with that, we are asking for specific emojis in your comments which are shared during the video.  I think everyone got to pick their own, what do you think I went with?

Since you were able to see the step-by-step process, I won't bore you with the details here.  However, here are the closeups of the card showcased.

Creating gorgeous leaves and flowers really is that easy!  I will share a card with the flower parts of the stamp set with you soon, so you can see how cute it can be.

Isn't that glitter tape fabulous?  I like it since it is much thinner than glitter cardstock and doesn't add too much bulk to the project.

I am adding the direct links to all the supplies I used on this project.  These links are affiliate links and as a hobbyist of card making and paper craft, I earn a small commission from you clicking on these links and purchasing from my affiliate shops. The best thing is, this is at NO additional cost to you. Feel free to use your regular online promotional codes if provided.  I personally use the affiliate commissions and paid in-kind content to build this blog and to purchase giveaway items for my followers. 

Altenew StampWheel 

Square Grid Flip Plate 

Alignment Guides 

Paint & Stamp: Flowers

Watercolor 36 Pan Set 

Metallic Watercolor Pan Set 

Watercolor Brushes 

Silver Embossing Powder 

Enchanted Garden Enamel Dots 

Fine Blade Scissors 

Instant Dimension Foam tape  

Tape Runner 

Thank you so much for checking out the video.  Please be sure to like, comment with the emoji listed and follow both my channel and Altenew's for your chance to win a gift certificate!

Have a colorful day!

Hummmmm...TIC TAC TOE #242 TEAM PICK!!

 New Challenge with AAA Cards Challenge, Join us!

Hi all!

Welcome to another challenge with AAA Cards Challenge!  This time, we have a sketch to help guide you, join us won't you?

 

For this card, I used a new Pretty Pink Posh set I received from the recent Pink Fresh Create and Connect event.  This little stamp set comes from the Hummingbird Florals and is very simple and sweet, I had to use her for this sketch.  This set will be released by Pretty Pink Posh sometime soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

Did you know that hummingbirds are different colors?  Just like we have different colors of hair, hummingbird feathers have different shades as well.  Up close they are so incredibly beautiful and don't weigh anything in your hand!  We had one fly into our sunroom one day and it kept bopping itself against the windows until I could catch it...I'm so glad it didn't get harmed too terribly.

These little birds were colored with alcohol markers in the same 4 shades, Dew Drops, Citrus Burst, Pink Pearl and Frayed Leaf.  All four of these are my favorite colors, so I thought I'd add this to the current Tic Tac Toe challenge using the diagonal, CAS, Free and Favorite Colors.  They were then die cut so they could be arranged at different angles.

The sentiment is included in this set, and I adore the script used!  A perfect ending to a sweet CAS card!  Now go create your own card based on the sketch and share it with us in the AAA Cards gallery, we look forward to seeing it!

Have a colorful day!

I HAD to do it....

 Princess Bride card?  Thank Inigo Montoya...

Hi all!

It's that time again...CAS on Friday has a new challenge today!  Thank you everyone that has played along with us so far, we love seeing your creations there!  The challenge them this time around is HELLO...you can get creative on what type of card, but be sure to keep it CAS in design.

When I saw the challenge for this fortnight, I thought of the many, many hello stamp sets and dies I had on hand.  I even went through all my scrap sentiments during the search.  While thumbing through all the stamp sets, I came across a set I had never used before.  As a matter of fact, it's been in my stash for over 8 years and has never seen a touch of ink...

All my Gen Xers will appreciate this set!!  This stamp is from The Ink Roads As You Wish set with a quote from the movie The Princess Bride!  It is one of the best movies ever made, my hubby and I quote it often in our conversations.  It even had a resurgence during Covid, many Hollywood actors were recreating scenes from the movie when quarantined, they were quite hysterical...

This set is unfortunately retired...but they do have a ton of sassy and sweet stamp sets and lots sets based on movies if you like a to make cards with a good giggle!

It was stamped with Altenew Crimson and Permanent Black inks with a little bit of masking to get both colors on the image.  It was then fussy cut and added to a card front with a foam strip.  It's finished off with a few black enamel dots, and viola!  A super easy, CAS hello card.  Now, go make your CAS cards and share them to the gallery...we'd love to see them!

I think I'll go and whip out a few more cards to make my hubby smile...have a colorful day!

A Twist on a Class Project

 NEW PinkFresh from their Create & Connect event!

Hi all!

I had the absolute pleasure of being a participant in the Create & Connect event this past weekend!  It was the first one I have ever done with them, and I must say I am IMPRESSED!!!  The product arrived far in advance, the booklet explaining the projects and products was thorough and well thought out, finally the classes were tons of fun with lots of ideas and instruction.  Have you ever attended one of their events before?  If not...sign up for one...seriously.  They have posted their upcoming card classes for the year, and unfortunately I am out of town for two...  I may just sign up and watch the videos on my own time, I'm that excited about it!

This is a card I made using the new products from the classes.  For this card, I sort of follow one for the classes with the layout and shadowbox technique...which is SO cool... but I used my own colors and a different stamp and die set.  The colors are a perfect match for the current Inkspirational color challenge and I'm all about them...  And since all these products are new and never used before this weekend, I'm sharing with NBUS too!

How yummy is this?!?  I love the layout and the technique featured by Anett Gelencser...she's a smarty-pants that lady!  I will be using this more often for sure.  They haven't released the items from the classes except for one...which I'll share on another post... but they said they will come out in the near future, so if you like anything you see, keep your eyes peeled in the coming months.  The card started with die cutting several border panels, including the window box using the Notched Corner Frame.  It has a total of 10 dies for multiple options.  A fancy little zigzag fold was used to make the window box.  Let me know if you the instructions aren't on her site and I'll share them if you're interested.  

Next the flowers and strawberries are from the new Berries and Blossoms stamp set, which also has a coordinating die and a press plate!  The images were stamped, heat embossed with antique gold embossing powder and the coordinating stencil was used to add my peach, pink and mint colors.  I don't have a single Pink Fresh ink pad...which I just rectified with a purchase today...so I used my Altenew Pink Pearl and Coral Bliss ink pads for the flowers and the strawberries.  Minty Mint for the leaves and Sunray for the touches of yellow flowers finished off the colors for the card.  

Finally, the sentiment came from the new Extra Special Sentiments stamp and die set.  I opted not to use any embellies for this, I felt it had a LOT going on, and sometimes you just have to refrain from adding another element....or not...

That's it!  Check out all that Pink Fresh has to offer...I think they may have converted me...

Have a colorful day!

Curvy Stripes and Dots

Join me for the Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge!

Hi all!

Welcome to another Sisterhood of Crafters challenge!  The challenge this time is Dots and/or Stripes, what will you create?

I've felt like I've been in a creative slump lately, but this card brings me hope my mojo is returning!  Slim line cards are not a go-to for me, but each one I've made, I really like...so I will have to make them more often!  As I was creating, the current Tic Tac Toe challenge in the back of my mind as well, Flowers, Stripes/Dots and Green.  

Altenew's Double Rainbow Slim stencil was an alternative to the traditional vertical/horizontal stripe, it gives off stripes still, right?  The panel was first ink blended with Minty Mint Crisp Dye ink to make the paper a pale green.  Then the stencil was placed on top and ink blended with Sweet Leaf.  It didn't have the punch I was looking for, so I spritz it with some Fresh Leaf Metallic Shimmer Spray.  That definitely made the stripes pop!

Next, the flowers are from Altenew's Wildly Loved mini set.  If you haven't tried their mini sets, I highly recommend!  They usually a layered stamp set with coordinating dies and a die sentiment.  They're adorable!  Keeping in the same color family, the lighter flowers are stamped with Minty Mint, Sweet Leaf, and Just Green, while the darker flower was stamped without the Minty Mint, and finished with Hunter Green.  These flowers definitely give me Greenbriar vibes...  The leaves in green would have blended in, so instead Dew Drops, Aqualicious and Teal Cave to give a subtle contrast but keep the card as green as possible.

The sentiment is from the Wildly Loved set and so sweet.  'Loved' was die cut from some of the scrap of my ink blended paper with a little bit of Aqualicious and Hunter Green was added to the base to make it stand out.  The coordinating stamp was stamped in Hunter Green as well.  Finally, I've had these glitter gems in my stash forever and had to use them for my dots!!  How pretty are they?!

Now go make your card with stripes or dots, and if your a double challenge maker like myself, you could even head over to Tic Tac Toe...Hope to see you in our gallery!

Have a colorful day!

Minty Lavender goodness...

 Minty Lavender Color Throwdown Challenge accepted!

Hi all!

Do you stamp or make multiples of things as you're working?  Like extra sentiments or extra die cuts?  I ALWAYS make multiples of my extra pieces for my cards.  I have 4 different, organized scrap bins filled with my extras to be used whenever I need them.  As I was creating for a DT card...more on that on Sunday, so come back...I made a plethora of extra flowers and leaves.  Since they were Minty Mint Crisp Dye ink was one of the colors, I thought I'd make something for the Color Hues challenge, which then morphed into including the Tic Tac Toe challenge this go around as well...

 

I did use some other green inks in the Altenew Green Meadows family, like Sweet Leaf, Just Green and Hunter Green to make these flowers.  The leaves were the challenge...how to make green leaves stand out with green flowers?

I opted for some colors from the Sweet Dreams family with Dew Drops, Aqualicious and Teal cave.  It kept collection on the green side, but gave it enough contrast to be a little different.

The lavender shimmer paper was found in my scrap papers and I opted to use the Radial Circle cover die.  It was my first time using it, and you may be seeing more if it in the future...it's really fun!  AND since it's dots with green AND flowers, it fits in the Tic Tac Toe challenge as well!

The 'hello' was made from Sweet Sentiments and came out of my sentiment scrap bin...like I said, I have a ton of scrap pieces...so I added black enamel dots and a very small black border around the edge to bring it all together.

Keep those scraps around peeps, they do come in handy!  Have a colorful day!!!

Rebound heart...HAND STAMPED CHALLENGE ARTISTS PIC!

 Spellbinders Monthly Die Club take 2!

Hi all!

I had to rebound from my last card...it was killing me!  Since I had another die cut heart just sitting there, I decided to make a CAS card with it.

 

I've redeemed my self confidence and am entering this card in the Inkspirational, Hand Stamped Sentiments, AAA Birthday Cards, Simply Clean and Simple and the Flower Challenge challenges...there are little tiny flowers on the heart...can you see them?  

It was very simple to make, just a little pink and peach watercolor paint blobbed onto the bottom right corner of my card front panel.  This is a new cardstock brand for me and I'm experimenting with different techniques to see how it holds up.  Water is a no go...the results are only ok, and it took forever to dry since it's 140 lb paper.

After the initial paint dried, I added a few splatters of the colors I used along with copper metallic watercolor paint.  Can you see the shine?

Since I added the metallic splatters, a copper colored sentiment was called for.  Altenew's Sweet Sentiment was small enough and gave me a birthday theme as well.  It was finished off with some Copper Stickles.

I feel better having whipped this one out and officially consider myself kicked off the struggle bus for the day!

Have a colorful, struggle-free day!

Have a heart...

 My very first Spellbinders Monthly Small Die!

Hi all!

What do you do when you're having a hard time while creating?  Do you keep going through it, no matter what?  Do you set it aside and save for another day?  Do you toss it and start over?  If I set it aside, I'll think about it constantly.  Throwing away something that isn't working feels like throwing away a piece of time...and my time in my studio is valuable, so I can't to that!  I generally power through...not with great results most times, like today....

 

 

I'm trying to again make challenges a priority in my creating, and with February being the month of love there are MANY heart challenges happening right now!  With the inspiration from Inkspirational, Hand Stamped Sentiments, Just add Ink and the Flower Challenge; I decided to use my very first Spellbinders Monthly Small Die, a Lotta Heart.  It's no longer available, but it's new to me and is totally cute. 

I was riding the struggle bus with this one...front row...seat belt fastened.  I am not a fancy fold kind of card maker, but this die is perfect for creating a gate folded card so I had to try it.  I may have been a little distracted while making this so I overlooked the fact the paper moved on the die cut until after I started glueing down the pieces...and you can't really see the ink blending done on the pink paper behind the die cut ones it was assembled.  ***sigh***

Coloring the center floral die was also a struggle...What is your favorite coloring medium for little intricut die pieces?  Watercolors and beautiful and soft, but they're hard to control on small spaces.  Alcohol markers are wonderful with saturated colors, but can seep outside of where I want them to go since I tend to be a bit heavy handed.  Altenew's new Acrylic Markers are FANTASTIC, but the tips were too large for my little spaces.  So, colored pencils were the choice for this project...still up in the air about the results.

The sentiment was from my sentiment scrap bin and is from Altenew's Essential Sentiments foil set.  I cranked a bunch out and just have them in my bin for cards like this one.  It was finished off with my favorite satin gold sequins.  

So.....struggles are real...keep working through them.  It gives you a sense of accomplishment if you push through them...even if you don't like the results all that much.

Have a colorful day!