Trying something new...

 Hi all!  Its late here, I've enjoyed spending time in my studio this evening trying something new!  I was inspired buy the Shopping Our Stash challenge #495 this week, Fun Folds.  I am not generally a fancy fold card kind of girl, but when I saw the Sunday Stamps #308 layout challenge...my creative juices started flowing!  Also, since I'm trying to re-establish myself in the blog-o-sphere after my 2+ year hiatus, I'm also entering this in the Krafty Chicks #661 All Occasions challenge and the Addicted to CAS #236 Window Challenge, it's not exactly CAS...but it has a window?

Please forgive my horrible photo...like I said it's late here and my lighting is terrible!

The layout is where I started.  I have this window die for the panel to the left, used the flowers on the die cut for the circle in the layout and reversed the sentiment strip.  Also, in keeping with the 'shop my stash' theme, the roses are from a project I did a couple weeks ago but went another direction and the 'Hello' die has been in my sentiment left over box for YEARS!

This is also a tri-folded card, in that the sentiment and the flowers are folded over the card base...

Here is what the fold over looks like open...

Have a colorful week!

Better late than never...

Wow has it been a crazy week!  I am consulting at my old job, helping my 'protégé'  with implementing the year end art show at school.  With nearly 2,000 projects, it can get very overwhelming for your first time.  Thankfully, things were organized and we are almost ready for our Thursday show.

Since I've been distracted, I haven't been in my studio for my own crafting all week, but knew I HAD to make another card for the Altenew April Inspiration Challenge hosted by Joy D'souza.  I wasn't really happy with my other one, so I've had it in my head on what I'd do for another one.  Also, since I'm trying to get back into my blog-o-sphere and creating, I'm entering this into the Paper Players Challenge #638, using sparkle, die cuts and embossing

Please excuse the photography...its 10:30 pm and I don't have the best lighting...  

I am using my Craft Your Life Engraved Motifs kit for this time around.  I am LOVING this set...it reminds me of patterns by Dorthy Draper and Carleton Varney at the Greenbrier.  It has so many possibilities for color combinations or making monochromatic patterns with depth.

I used Altenew's Green Valley inks for the green flowers on SU! Garden Green paper as well as Velvet, Crimson and Heart Beat for the red flowers.  Everything was colored using the stencil.  The main flower I embossed BEFORE I stamped the outline image...so the image isn't a clean as I would like.

I stamped a sentiment from the stamp set with coordinating die as well as adding Mountain Pine and gold metallic splatters.  Finally I added some rhinestones in matching green.  TIP-use your alcohol inks to color your clear rhinestones to match your creations!

I hope you have a colorful week!!

Don't judge a book...

 Hello all!

Have you ever signed up for a monthly subscription?  I recently signed up for the Altenew Craft Your Life Monthly Kit.   I received my first package, and was immediately skeptical over the March set, the Engraved Motifs set.  I LOVE Altenew images, but when I opened this one...I wasn't impressed.  BOY WAS I WRONG!!!

The image and sample wasn't my normal style, but as I worked on this project, I became OBSESSED with it! It reminds me of my favorite place, The Greenbriar.  Fabulous prints with gorgeous colors.  Visit if you can....  Any hoo...The kits come with a stamp set, stencil set, embossing folder and dies to match. I only used the folder, stencils and die for this card and am excited to try out all the pieces and parts to set!  You will be seeing a lot more of this set...

Inspired by this weeks Color Hue Challenge #62, Purple and Green; I used Altenew's Enchanted Garden and as well as their Tropical Forest ink sets for the flowers and the leaves.  I found these glass iridescent crystals in my embellie drawer and thought I'd try them...eh...they're ok.  Only had 2 smaller sizes in the bag, which I didn't realize until I started attaching.  I like more variety in my sizes.

Hope you all have a colorful day!

Slimline CAS Flowers

 Hello all!  I may be able to embrace the CAS style...these cards can be super quick to make!  The design team at CAS Colors & Sketches are continuing my CAS journey this week with this sketch challenge:

 This is my first slimline sized card.  I absolutely LOVED this card from the design team, its so pretty and the popped die cut is fantastic. I started with the Altenew Dainty Bouquet stamp set for the decorated panel. 

I love this set, but still struggle with lining up the image perfectly.  Practice makes perfect, so I will keep working at it! I used Altenew Mountain Mist, Silver Lake and Cloudy Night inks.  I loved the mist color, it's so soft and beautiful!

Since I needed another thank you card, I decided to use the Altenew Script Words 2 die set.  Its a go to set of mine.  I cut 3 in white and 1 in gray, then stacked them together to give it dimension.  I completed the sentiment with an item from the Sentiment Strips set with the Mountain Mist ink.

I'm headed out of town to celebrate my daughter away at college this weekend, so I'll see you all on Monday!  Have a colorful weekend!!

Squeeze the Day! - CHALLENGE WINNER!

 Hello all!  Just a quick little card here for the Inkspiration Challenge #287.  The challenge is for a CAS (Clean and Simple) creation with the option of sunshine or rain.  I don't really have anything that is weather related in my stash, so I thought I would use the Altenew Main Squeeze to evoke the feeling of sunshine.

I also used my new stencil from the Altenew Craft your Life Garden Rose kit and added some splatters with my Jet Black water based ink.

I kept it VERY simple...not at all my style, which it why I wanted to try this challenge!

Have a colorful day!

Grateful Garden - SHOUT OUT!

 Hello all!  I was able to spend the day in the art studio, making thank you cards for the sweet people that sent me get well wishes for my surgery.  

I was inspired today by this weeks Just Us Girls challenge.  The JUGS challenge was the last one I did before I took my hiatus!  I loved the photo they used for this inspiration.  Such pretty colors.

I used my new Pink Fresh stencil set, Grant Yourself Grace.  I wish I had purchased the die and stamp set with it, I had to fussy cut all the flowers and leaves. I used Altenew colors Blush, Frosty Pink and Coral Bliss for the roses.  I love those colors!

The leaves were done with Altenew's Shadow Creek, Mountain Pine, and Fire Fly and the background was created using their Grid stencil and Mountain Mist ink.  I think used the Mountain Pine ink with some water and created some splatters on the back ground...I had some of the green splatter go a little crazy in the corner.

I finished off the card with a couple sprinkles and it's ready to be sent! 

Have a colorful week!

Recovering and Honors!

 Hello from the land of convalescence!  I am 13 days post op from having my gallbladder removed.  Besides popping and internal stitch on Monday, I'm doing pretty good...not great yet...but not bad.  I was  able to get back into the art studio today and do some 'therapy', and much to my surprise and HONOR, I was picked as a winner of the Altenew March Inspiration Challenge!  I LOVE their florals and will hopefully be able to complete the Educator Program soon.  HERE is the card that won.

The Altenew April Inspiration Challenge was a challenge for me...  The inspiration comes from guest host Joy D'souza and a beautiful photo she took of a red rose.  Now...as a former florist, I LOVE roses!  However...red roses cause me PTSD twitches.  I've spent DAYS making THOUSANDS of vases of red roses for Valentine's day for YEARS.  I would seriously have nightmares of the repetitive nature of the arranging, and fear of miscounting or running out...yes, I'm weird.  

I think that's why this was a difficult project for me!  I think I made 12 different red roses with the same colors and stencils and stamps.  Some with white borders, some on red paper, some fully covered with ink.  I think I made 5 different background papers, just trying to make it 'right'.  I finally put this together.  Its not my favorite creation, but I needed several thank you cards for sweet people that gave me get well wishes and was seeing them tonight.

I have signed up for the Altenew monthly Craft Your Life Kits and received the Garden Rose kit.  I embossed the background panel with the embossing folder in the kit, after inking up the panel with 2 green inks to deepen the embossing.  The rose didn't photograph well, but it is pretty in person. 

After I created the rose and the leaves, I assembled the card and die cut 'thanks' from the Script Words 2 die set out of gold mirror paper.  I finished off the card with a splatter of metallic gold water color and some rhinestones I colored green with a Copic marker.  I will try to make another one since I'm not really thrilled with this one.

That's it!  Have a colorful day!

For my other girl - CHALLENGE WINNER AND GUEST DESIGNER SPOT!

 Even though the blog is under construction, I'm still posting! I think it will be completed while I'm resting after gallbladder surgery next Thursday.   Future posts will have more project details.

So...I'm feeling guilty.  I couldn't just make something for my eldest...I had to create something for my littlest.  Although, at 14 years and nearly 6 foot, she's not little anymore! She struggles with being a "different" than the other girls, but has faced any challenge head on, she's incredibly courageous!  I whipped this one out, inspired by the challenge over at Color Hues .  Not a color group I would lean toward, but there are some STUNNERS made by the design team over there!  This one and this one were my two favs...

 

All of the products I used here were from Altenew; Dainty Bouquet stamp set and dies, Better Together sentiment stamp set and the Quilted die I used to emboss the card front.  I love their florals...  The sentiment die was from Spellbinders

Have a colorful week!!

You are Capable!

 Even though the blog is under construction, I'm still posting! I think it will be completed while I'm resting after gallbladder surgery next Thursday.   Future posts will have more project details.

I have begun to dabble into art journaling.  Its a new media for me and of course had to get all kinds of fun things to make it happen ;).  My daughter is away in her first year at college, so I had her in mind while creating this. I used the Inkspirational Challenge #286 colors as my starting off point for this, and as much as I try, I can't upload the image to show you here!  Follow the link so you can see the beautiful colors and images. 

    We had a white persian cat when she was growing up, so I had to add Oscar in there!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!  Have a colorful and inspired day!

Birthday Fairy Tag - CHALLENGE WINNER! PTI

 Even though the blog is under construction, I'm still posting! I think it will be completed while I'm resting after gallbladder surgery next Thursday.   Future posts will have more project details.

It has been SOOO long since I've been posting so my stamp inventory is 'vintage'.  I have tons of the old PTI tag sets for baking, bookmarks, school tags and more.  Tags are always something I've enjoyed and had a few published in magazines.  The Papertrey Ink challenge this month is right up my alley, as well as this weeks Seize the Birthday Challenge!  I'm glad I was able to spot this challenge before they ended...

I've used 2 different 'vintage' PTI stamp sets with their coordinating dies as well as a current 'oldie but goodie' die.  I also coordinated them with patterned papers and the adorable glittery fairy.  Since we love fairy gardens at our house, I thought this was a good fit for the STB challenge as well.  I plan on using this for a little one's birthday that's coming up soon, she's all things girly!

Supplies used:

Stamp sets and coordinating dies (all PTI): Gran's Garden, Half and Half

Die (PTI): Mix & Mat Postal Die (this one is still available!)

Thanks for the Challenge - CHALLENGE WINNER AND GUEST DESIGNER SPOT!

Even though the blog is under construction, I'm still posting! I think it will be completed while I'm resting after gallbladder surgery next Thursday.   Future posts will have more project details, until then here is a creation for this week's Altenew's March Inspiration Challenge.

The majority of my stamps come from Altenew, I just LOVE the floral images!  The layered die cuts and layered stamping is to swoon over!  I was participating in the Altenew Educator Certification Program before Covid, but after giving up my studio for my daughter, I was not able to complete it.  BUT, I'm here now and will engage them soon to try and complete it.  For now, I'm just enjoying being back here being inspired and creating!

This was a difficult challenge for me, as I do NOT gravitate to these colors at all.  The beautiful florals just didn't seem to fit for me, but I will challenge myself to try again with them.  Instead I chose the classic Leaf Cluster stamp and die set as well as the Script Words die and Sentiment Strips.

The colors of the photos here are much darker than in person or on my camera....hopefully it's just my computer?

Have a colorful day!

Easter Skirt Inspiration

 Even though the blog is under construction, I'm still going to post! I have returned to my art studio after a hiatus since November 2019.   Future posts will have more details, until then here is a creation for this week's Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Easter/Spring.

This card is inspired by my Easter Sunday church skirt this year:

I love the simple classic look of blue and white.  Its crisp and fresh and reminds me of spring!  I used Spellbinders Four Petal Bloom Reflection etched die set...I HAD to have this...Its so beautiful....

 

Thanks for coming by, please come back soon to see the changes!

MFT Sketch Challenge 638

 Even though the blog is under construction, I'm still going to post! I have returned to my art studio after a hiatus since November 2019.   Future posts will have more details, but these cards are for the MFT Sketch Challenge 638.  I LOVE MFT Stamps, I have quite a few.  This stamp set and coordinating dies are retired...I will invest in new ones once I revisit the sets I have...until then, enjoy this great set and my creations!

I made 3 cards, as both our daughters will have a tough week at school, and a friend is completing her training test as well.  They are all strong women and definitely 'got this'!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!

 Please be patient with the appearance and loss of links.  We are currently changing LilyBeth Boutique/Lilypad Designs to