AAA Cards sketch challenge using ALTENEW!

 Hi all!

Super quick card today for AAA Cards challenge!  

Small stencils, stamps or dies are perfect for this challenge.  I used Altenew's Mini Delight series Cupcake.  The stamps in this series have dies to coordinate with them, usually including a word as well.  It's a great subscription to get for a small amount of money.

For this card, the layered stamp image was stamped repeatedly on the card front instead of using the coordinating die to cut them out.  The die word sentiment 'happy' was added from the set along with the word stamps.  I think it took me all of 10 minutes to make this card.  It's so cute and fun!

Go check out the other DT members and make a creation with for this challenge!  We'd love to see what you create.  Have a colorful day!

Happy Valentines Day with SISTERHOOD OF CRAFTERS!

 Hi all!

It's been a while since I posted anything.  I'll share below the major changes that have been happening around here, but for now....

It's time for another Sisterhood of Crafters challenge!  In honor of Valentine's day, we ask for you to make a creation with either Red or Pink.  Easy eh?  I can't wait to see what you come up with, in the meantime, the DT and I are here to inspire you!

This card started off with Altenew's Tufted Elegance embossing folder on pink cardstock.  Its a simple and lovely folder that goes with so many things...it's a must have in my book.

On top of that,  a die-cut heart from vellum using an old Spellbinders nesting set that's been in the stash for over 10 years!  Goes to show you, dies last a LIFETIME and are worth the investment!  Over that, a non-licensed die cut...I know, I'm bad...

Since this is for my mom, flowers are a must and Altenew's Vintage Garden flowers were so easy to make.  They were stamped and ink blended with the coordinating stencil set then a light wash of watercolor using the same inks were placed over it.  Finally, the flowers and leaves were die-cut  with the coordinating die, and a sentiment from the XOXO & More die set from Altenew were placed with some coordinating enamel dots.

If you want the deets on my absence, keep reading, otherwise head over to the SOC blog and check out more inspiration!

I haven't really been creating for about 2 months due to the holidays and lots of personal changes.  January started off promising...a NYE trip to our beloved @the_greenbrier with our daughters, God-daughter and our oldest's boyfriend.  Then January
quickly down-spiraled with my 84 yr-old dad getting sick while we were gone.

Grappling with the rapid advancement of my dad's Alzheimer's and his limited physical resources to recover from a bout of Norovirus, it left our family with the difficult decision; how to best care for him and my mom in their twilight years. With a very heavy heart, we chose to place him in Memory unit with Hospice care. My charismatic, funny, vivacious, loving and devoted dad is getting exceptional care, and mom and I can now transition from being care-givers, to being wife and daughter once again. The grief and guilt is very overwhelming, but we know this is the best choice we could make for his and mom's care. Thankfully, we were able to make his space incredibly homey (complete with wallpaper)and he has adapted incredibly well to his new place. We continue to pray God walks with him as he continues his life journey.

Adding to this, we received news our sweet 2 yr-old God-daughter, who has been living with us for a year, would be leaving our care in February. This revelation is shocking and scary, but unfortunately, we have zero control/say over her future. She is a HUGE fan of both Princess Tiana and Minnie Mouse. We had plans to go to Disney World in May for a big family trip for all of us and we hated her missing the experience of Disney magic. So I planned an amazing 4-day trip for her in only 3 days! Only hubby and I could go with her, my youngest had school and my oldest made sure she didn't burn the house down while we were gone. She had the time of her life with lots of princesses and Minnie, it couldn't have been any more special! We are praying continually for God to grace her with comfort and safety as she transitions from our care.

Thanks for letting me share my grief and journey with you all...

 AAA Cards FOLLOW THE LEADER Challenge!

Hi all!

It’s time for a new challenge at AAA Cards!  This time we are CASE-ing one of our fellow DT members Mariles.  Her gorgeous card is sure to inspire you!

See what I mean?  It’s a stunner!  I kept my card very simple and opted not to use die cuts.  I have very limited time in the studio right now due to lots of changes happening in life, and a simple stamped card makes for an easy quick card.

There are SO many gorgeous creations form our fellow DT members, please be sure to visit them for more inspiration.  Them make your card and link it up so we can be inspired by you.  You may even win a guest designer spot!  Hope to see you there!

Have a colorful day!

Let it snow with Sisterhood of Crafters!

 Hi all!

I hope you have all had an incredible Christmas and New Year!  It's been a bit of a rollercoaster around here.  Norovirus hit my entire family a couple days before Christmas so we were unable to celebrate with my parents until the 28th.  We left the next day to go to the Greenbriar Resort in West Virginia for the New Year, and my dad took a turn while we were gone.  Today it was apparent hard decisions will need to be made in the next few days, so I'm glad I was able to get in a little crafty therapy!

This time around we are celebrating winter with the Sisterhood of Crafters, and we want to see your creations with SNOWFLAKES!  It's my favorite icon to use when decorating for the holidays and I have MANY snowflakes in my stash!

The card base for this card was created forever ago!  I think I made it in September?  It's made with pigment watercolor powders which are VERY messy, but SO fun and the results are STUNNING.  After the panel was dried, it was run through with the Simon Says Stamp Cheery Snowflake embossing folder.

The snowflake placed on top of the panel was die-cut from iridescent glitter paper on hand using Spellbinders Snowflake Card Creator Etched Die.  The large snowflake is so beautiful and the die set can be used to make a shaped snowflake card.  Unfortunately, the piece of cardstock on hand was too small for a shaped card, but fit perfectly on an A2 card front.

Finally, Altenew Iridescent Gem Sparkles were added to the snowflake for some added shimmer and the sentiment was added from my sentiment scrap box.  It's from Pink Fresh, but that's as far as I can recall.

I hope you were inspired by this sparkly card today, please go check out all the DT inspiration creations and make a snowflake card!  Our challenges last the entire month, so. make a few!

Have a colorful day!

AAA Cards Transportation Challenge with SPELLBINDERS CRAFTY ADVENT CALENDAR!

Hi all!

I hope you have all had an incredible Christmas and New Year!  It's been a bit of a rollercoaster around here.  Norovirus hit my entire family a couple days before Christmas so we were unable to celebrate with my parents until the 28th.  We left the next day to go to the Greenbriar Resort in West Virginia for the New Year, and my dad took a turn while we were gone.  Today it was apparent hard decisions will need to be made in the next few days, so I'm glad I was able to get in a little crafty therapy!

Today AAA Cards is back with a transportation challenge!  I have only a few items that would match this theme...however....The Spellbinders Crafty Advent Calendar this year had the PERFECT item to use so I pulled it out!  The calendar was so fun to use this year.  If you haven't seen my creations using each day from the calendar, check them out here on my Instagram.  There were so many amazing goodies in this box, like this adorable hot air balloon from Day 1!

This card is all about ink blending!  First, a rectangle was masked off with some mint tape.  Then, with Altenew's Sea Glass Fresh Dye ink and their blending brush, clouds were added using a homemade stencil.  To add a bit of interest, using the Altenew Score Board, embossed lines were added around the clouds.

The balloon shapes and stripes were strategically placed and die-cut from one of my scrap ink-blended panels, as were the bows on the sides.  The bunting was cut from vellum and the basket with ropes from kraft paper.  All pieces were assembled and glued to the front of the card panel.

Finally, this adorable sentiment was included in Day 1 of the advent calendar, so it was added beneath the balloon.

It's pushing the CAS style a bit with all the die cuts, but definitely meets the challenge in the design.  Be sure to check out the DT's creations for this challenge...they are adorable...then add your creation to our link!  I look forward to seeing them!

Have a colorful day!

Christmas tags with SOC!

Hi all!

It’s the crazy holiday season but you still need to create!  Join us for Sisterhood of Crafters challenge this time around.  It’s an easy one…CHRISTMAS!

 This card was created a while back for Scrapbook & Cards magazine…one of many really.  They assigned me a sketch and I came up with 10 different cards.  They chose 2 from them all and this was one they passed on.  I really loved the tags with the embossing and of course the glitter! 

What will you create for this new challenge?  Be sure to link it up HERE!

Have a colorful day!

It’s DieCember at SIMON SAYS STAMP!

 

Hi all!

It’s that time of year, DieCember at Simon Says Stamp!  There are so many gorgeous dies released today, and I’m honored to be a part of their release party today!  I will be showcasing the Whirl Nordic Plate wafer die each day this week so be sure to visit here or my instagram page for continued inspiration with this fabulous die.

Today I’m sharing a very simple card made with the die used as a window to a background panel.  During the busy holiday season, it’s sometimes hard to make time in our schedules to create cards if we procrastinated with our holiday card making.  This is a great card to CASE if you’re in that boat.

The background was created with watercolor pigment powders I had on hand.  They really pack a punch with color and are super easy…and messy…to use.  This is a project I used to do with my students, I called it the Tinkerbell Pixie Dust project!  A perfect name for preschoolers…  Just sprinkle down a VERY small amount, then spray with water and watch the magic happen.

The Whirl Nordic die over it is perfection since it lets peeks of the background show through.  Just enough to give the card a winter-y feel.

The addition of the All the Joy sentiment die with the glitter paper just adds to the icy-ness of the card.  Just to add more sparkle…since I LOVE sparkle…I added some sequins at the center of each snowflake, 

That’s it for today, now be sure to visit Simon Says Stamp for all the amazing dies released today!!!

Anything Goes with Sisterhood of Stampers!

 Anything Goes with the Sisterhood of Stampers and SCRAPBOOK & CARDS MAGAZINE!

Hi all!

It’s time for another round of Sisterhood of Crafters!  This time I decided to share with you a card which was featured in the Fall/Winter issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine!

I was so lucky to have been asked to create 2 cards using a specific sketch.  One needed to be following the sketch as close as possible and the second could have a little flexibility.

This is the card I created to follow the sketch loosely.  I chose to use Picket Fences Polar Bear Christmas and Fancy Christmas Sentiments. The polar bears are the 3 main subjects and I built the stage using the various stamps from the set!  

If you want to see this in print, pick up the latest issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today, or get the online version here!  I’m on page 31.  Have a colorful day!!

Soc

Hi all!

It’s time for another Sisterhood of Crafters  Challenge! This time we  Challenge you to create a card with a Landscape.

It has been a crazy Two weeks from me, my mom Was in the ER two different times this last fortnight… Once with a broken foot and the other time with Covid. I have been playing Nurse made for her and my father. Thankfully, this stencil set from Altenew is super easy and super quick to make!

This stencil should be released soon by Altenew, so you get a sneak peek here.  It was part of their recent Comfort and Cozy event. It was also ink blended using five of their new colors soon to be released as well.  They are amazing!

After ink Blending the landscape, I trimmed the image into three pieces so I could get some dimension. The layers were popped up with foam adhesive. I framed the landscape with a die from Spellbinders called Nested Postage and Labels.  It’s a staple in my craft space.

Finally, I finished off the card with some vellum leaves From my stash, created with a vintage Papertrey Ink Set And a sentiment from the same Altenew event.

That’s it for me today! Be sure to visit the other design team members inspiration, and link yours on our blog. Have a colorful day!

 

AAA Cards challenge sketch!

 Hi all!

It’s been a crazy 2 weeks…my moms been was in the twice!  Once for a broken foot, and the other is still an anomaly.  I’ve been nursemaid and care taker for her and my dad and have spent many nights there as well.  Hubby has been a rockstar taking over my duties at home…he’s a great partner!

I was able to squeak out a card for the AAA Cards challenge using some left over die cuts I’ve had on my desk from Spellbinders.  

The circle die cuts are from PinkFresh slimline essentials set and they thankfully fit in my card front!

Some added sparkle for the berries and a sentiment from Pink & Main round out the card!  Be sure to visit our DT member for inspiration and share your card on our blog!  We hope to see you there…have a colorful day!

 Fall leaves with ALTENEW's Cozy Comfort Retreat!

Hi all!

We are back with another challenge for the Sisterhood of Crafters!  This time around the challenge is LEAVES.  What will you do to incorporate leaves into your creation?  It's that time of year so there is tons of inspiration all around you, and our DT has some gorgeous creations for you to see as well.  Be sure to visit them and give them some love, won't you?

In the meantime, here is something I created during the Altenew Cozy Comfort retreat in a class taught by the AMAZING Jaycee Gaspar!  He is such a talent, is absolutely adorable and I adore him!  I had the chance to meet him a couple time in person and he's just as charming in person as he is in his videos.

I chose to change up the class a bit by using different colors than what he was sharing.  The background is this lovely icy blue color, and against the oranges it really makes the image pop off the card.  The dies used for this card are not quite available, but be on the lookout, because they will be soon!

The inks used for the the ink blending are also new colors.  That's always the bonus of taking these classes, you get the new stuff before anyone else does!  I highly recommend attending them if you can.

That's it for today, I hope you join us for our LEAVES challenge, have a colorful day!

Christmas gift tags for Limoncello with PINKFRESH! 

Hi all!

Have you started your Christmas cards yet?  I've gotten quite a few done over the year.  A little here and there adds up fast and I've developed a full stash of cards ready to get mailed out!  What I don't have prepared are gift tags for our handmade gifts yet.  So I've decided to get cracking on them...using the Pinkfresh Monthly Challenge as my jumping off point and complement it with the Colorful Options challenge for one of my tags.

 

Last year, I made generic tags for our handmade gifts (you can see them here and here).  This year, I'm creating tags based on the gift I've made to make them a bit more special.  My Cello's were a huge hit in last years baskets; limoncello, grapefruitcello and orangecello.  All 3 were delish, but honestly the grapefruit was my favorite, and I don't even like grapefruit!  

The Holiday Spirits set from Pinkfresh I think is a perfect complement to the gift and I love changing the colors to fit the drinks!   I didn't use all 5 colors from their challenge on each of the tags, but I did use all the colors while creating the tags.

The tag base is made from the Rounded and Braided Corner dies then decorated with the citrus slices from Citrus Twist stamp and stencil set.  3 die cuts were used, 2 of them were layered to give the tag stiffness, and the third connected at the top to fold open like a card for us to sign for the recipient.  The die cut holly and branching from their Holiday Foliage set is a great complement to take this to the feel of the holiday.  The leaves for all the tags were ink blended using a mix of Eucalyptus, Spruce Tips, Grassy Knoll, Sweet Mustard and Waterfall.  For the Limoncello tag, the citrus and the beverage were inked using Lemon Whip, Sunshine, Limoncello and Citron.  All elements were layered onto the tag base then embellished with Stickles and sequins.

For the Orangecello tag, the citrus slices and beverage were stamped with Clementine and ink blended with Peach Fuzz, Apricot and Clementine.  I kept the colors all orange for the Colorful Options challenge

Finally for the Grapefruitcello tag, the citrus slices and beverage was stamped using Peony, Limoncello, and Cherry Blossom.

I really love how these turned out!  Now that I have the prototypes completed, I will mass produce them while the cello's are simmering in the buckets waiting to be bottled!

Have a colorful day!

Quick and EASY card with THE TON stencil!

 Hi all!

Super quick post today, Just like my card! For the next challenge with AAA Cards, We have a sketch for you to follow.

I chose to use a stencil from The Ton called Emma Pumpkin.  It is a great stencil for a cute graphic pumpkin. How amazing would this be in pink?

I used Altenew inks for all the layering with the stencil.  The colors coordinate perfectly with each other so there is zero guess work.

I only have one Halloween stamp set, and I used it for the bats in the corner.  It’s from a very old Lawn Fawn set, I don’t even have the name!  Either way, it was perfect for the highlight to follow the sketch.

What will you do for this weeks challenge? Make sure you link it to our gallery so we can stop by and say hi. Have a colorful day!.

'Wicked' SOC post with JIM HOLTZ Products!