Cute Bunny Thanks Card

Hello and happy Thursday! Today I'm sharing this Cute Bunny Thanks Card that I made for the post-op nurse who helped me after my surgery. The bunny image is by Unity Stamps from the Patience & Hugs stamp set and the sentiment is from the Newton's Sick Day stamp set by Newton's Nook. All patterned paper is from the Simple Stories Life In Color paper pad. A little twine was added for detail and that's it.

This card is entered into the following challenges: Cute Card Thursday (Too Cute), Crafty Creations (Anything Goes) and Crafty Gals Corner (Anything Goes).

Enjoy the rest of your day and thanks for stopping by!

Friendship Card with Bird

Are you like me and love your stash of older stamps? The current challenge at SU! Only is A Blast from the Past and the Inkspirational challenge is Oldie But Goodie. I was happy to use my older stash to play along. I started as a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator in 2012, so I dug out that old catalog for inspiration and decided to use the retired Language of Friendship stamp set. It's still a favorite of mine although it hasn't seen much action lately. Many demonstrators will sell their retired stamp sets when a new catalog is launched, but I just can't do it! I usually only buy what I really want and keep it.

Besides cardstock and Night of Navy ink everything on this card is retired. The retired Top Note die was used with retired Flowerpot and Blushing Bride dsp. The Bird Builder and Boho Blossoms punches were used and the finishing touch are three Blushing Bride sequins from the Fancy Frost sequins pack. That's it!

This Friendship Card with Bird is entered into the following challenges:

• SU! Only: A Blast from the Past
• Watercooler Wednesday: Anything Goes
• Inkspirational: Oldie But Goodie
• Cards und More: Anything Goes

Sentiment: 

The language of Friendship is not words but meanings. 

~Henry David Thoreau

Elephant Baby Card

Happy Monday! I have a quick post to share this Elephant Baby Card. I'm sending it in an order from my Etsy shop for elephant baby burp cloths. The customer purchased the burp cloths for a baby shower gift and so I wanted to include a coordinating card. The elephant image is called Emery by Verve Stamps and it was fussy cut and adhered flat to the die cut circle. The plaid patterned paper is by Recollections with a strip of retired Basic Gray stripe by Stampin' Up!. Some twine and three silver sequins were used to embellish the card and that's it. Pretty easy and simple. I'm entering this card in the following challenges: Come and Get It (2 or More Different Embellishments) and Glitter 'N' Sparkle (Anything Goes). Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!!!


Below photo are the burp cloths sold from my Etsy shop.

Cute Puppy Birthday Card

Hello and happy Friday! My nephew will turn two later this year, so I thought I would go ahead and make his birthday card. The image is from the Birthday Puppies set by Bugaboo Digi Stamps and it was colored with Copic markers. I used some fun bright papers from the Playlist paper pad by Hampton Arts (2013). A scalloped die cut from by Taylored Expressions frames the image. The sentiment is by Hero Arts and some sequins were added for sparkle. That's it! I'm glad you stopped by my blog and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day!!!

This Cute Puppy Birthday Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Cute Card Thursday: Bright Colours!
• As You Like It: Fur of Feathers*
• Die Cuttin' Divas: Birthday Celebration
• Crafting Circle: Bugaboo Image 

* When it comes to choosing between fur or feathers that's a hard choice for me. I love them both, but I guess I love the furry animals more than our feathered friends. 

Cardinal Christmas Card

The Cardinal is one of my favorite backyard birds. We have several adults and juveniles that frequent our bird feeders. The males red color makes them a popular choice on Christmas cards. A couple of years ago Stampin' Up! made this stamp set called Beauty of the Season. I loved it and bought it, but this is the first time I've used it. The image was stamped with Memento black ink and then colored with Copic markers. An Avery Elle pierced oval and scalloped frame were used to cut out the image. The red patterned paper has been in my stash for awhile, it's by Pebbles from their Welcome Christmas paper pad (2012). The blue snowflakes is another older one by Recollections. Some retired Pool Party twine was added along with the Peace & Joy sentiment from the retired Good Greetings stamp set by Stampin' Up!. Three small sequins were added and a drop of glossy accents for the bird's eye. That's it! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

This Cardinal Christmas Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Moo-Mania: Birds
• Sweet Stampin' Christmas: Anything Christmas Goes
• The Sisterhood of Crafters: Anything Goes
• Watercooler Wednesday: All About Christmas
• Holly and Ivy Christmas: Anything Christmas Goes

Coral Butterfly Sympathy Card

Hello! I'm feeling much better after my surgery almost two weeks ago. It's easier to sit now and I've been crafting at my computer desk on the pull out keyboard area. Honestly, I really like crafting at this lower level. I can see things better and it hasn't hurt my back. It would be nice if the surface area was larger, but it does force me to clean up when I'm done. Anyway... onto my Coral Butterfly Sympathy Card.

The challenge at SU! Only is to use Butterflies or Dragonflies and I like them both but decided to use the Watercolor Wings stamp set to make a sympathy card. All supplies used on this card are by Stampin' Up!, with the exception of the sentiment, sequins and Tip Top Taupe ink everything else is currently available. Supplies used include: Whisper White, Old Olive and Calypso Coral Cardstock, Petal Garden paper stack, Watercolor Wings stamp set, Calypso Coral and Tip Top Taupe ink, Flourish thinlits, Big Shot, sentiment from retired Simply Sketched stamp set and Fancy Frost sequins. That's it! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• SU! Only: Butterflies or Dragonflies
• RETARTE: Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments: Anything Goes 

Encouragement Card

Life can be hard sometimes! My youngest niece is in the eighth grade and recently a father of one of her friends passed away. Her friend has really leaned on my niece because she lost her mother, my sister, when she was six years old. It's times like these when all those feelings of loss and grief resurface. I made this Encouragement Card for my niece to give her friend. There is nothing that makes this time easier but support and kindness makes a big difference.

Encouragement Card Supplies:

• Paper: White, black and red cardstock along with patterned papers from Simple Stories Life In Color paper pad.
• Stamps: Mouse-Big Flower image by Bugaboo Digi Stamps and One Day at a Time sentiment by Verve Stamps.
• Inks & Coloring: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic markers.
• Other Stuff: Cross-stitched oval die by My Favorite Things, Fiskars Deckle scissors, blue twine from The Twinery and dimensionals.

Challenges entered: 

• Crafting Circle: Bugaboo Images
• Brown Sugar: Anything Goes
• Allsorts: Forest Friends
• Catch The Bug: Bingo (Dots/Stripes, Flowers & Sentiment)

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Masculine Thanks Card

Hello! Tomorrow I have my follow-up appointment with my surgeon, so I made him this Masculine Thanks Card. Blue is the hospital colors and a nice manly color which works well in a monochrome color scheme. I used Night of Navy cardstock by Stampin' Up! and a bright blue from Core'dinations. The background was watercolored using Higgins blue watercolor ink and watercolor paper.  The top is a die called Glass Effects by Spellbinders and the thanks die is by Stampin' Up! Three glimmer stickers by Sticko were added for some extra interest and that's it!

I really like the Glass Effects die for masculine cards. The abstract look is fun and this card was pretty easy to make. It's sad that I've had this die for two years and this is only the second time I've used it. Click HERE to see the first card. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

This Masculine Thanks Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Watercolor Wednesday: Masculine Anything Goes
• Love to Create: Anything Creative/Mixed Media
• Let's Craft and Create: Hey Dude
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: Anything Goes

Dreams Come True Card

Hope you're having a wonderful day! I'm still recovering from surgery and each day I'm feeling a little better. It's still hard to sit for long periods of time, so it took me awhile to finish this Dreams Come True Card. I made this card to play along in the following challenges:

• Newton's Inky Paws: Color 
• Simon Says Stamp: Add a Sentiment
• Crafty Creations: Anything Goes
• Show Us Your Pussies: Furrything Goes

To create this card I started with a piece of white cardstock and a quarterfoil stencil by Clear Scraps along with Peacock Feathers distress ink and Melon Mambo ink by Stampin' Up!. Then I stamped the Newton's Naptime with Memento black ink and colored with Copic markers. A stitched rectangle die by Lil' Inkers was used to cut the image and it was matted to a slightly larger piece of black cardstock. The sentiment was stamped, punched and matted to a scalloped oval punch and then everything was adhered flat for easy mailing. For the final touch three pink sequins were added for sparkle and that's it. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Choose Happy Card with Pig

Hello and happy Tuesday! Today is the start of an Anything Goes challenge at Tuesday Throwdown. After two years as part of the design team at Tuesday Throwdown this will be my last post as part of their team. It's been a lot of fun and it went by really quickly! Thank you for following along over the last couple of years and I hope to continue to see each of you around blogland.

Our sponsor this week is DRS Designs and I'm using their Leonard Pig Blowing Bubbles image. It's such a cute image and could be used for multiple different occasions. We would love for you to join the challenge this week! Click HERE for all the details and design team inspiration. You have until mid-day on Monday, August 21st to link your creation.

This Choose Happy Card with Pig was made almost completely while standing up. Last week I had an outpatient surgery and the plan was to finish my card before, but I totally procraftinated!!! There was some cleaning but mostly procrastination. My pain level after surgery has been more than I expected and sitting is challenging. So, I was able to sit to color the image at my computer desk but after that I stood while I made this card. Everything used was on my craft desk or at a level that I didn't have to bend over. Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see your creation in the gallery at Tuesday Throwdown.

Challenges entered:

• Dragonfly Dreams: Animals
• Crafty Friends: Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart: Anything Goes

You're So Foxy Card

This weekend while cleaning I came across this cute fox image by Meljen's Designs. It was already cut into a circle and partially colored, so I decided to finish coloring and feature it on a card. The fun colorful circle paper is from the Hello Sunshine paper pad by Doodlebug Designs Inc. and the yellow gingham is by Paper Pizazz. It's been awhile since I've used a charm, so I added the little butterfly with some orange twine. The sentiment is by Taylored Expressions and was punched with a 1 1/4" circle punch then matted to a scalloped circle punch. I used an edge punch for the white accents and that pretty much sums up this You're So Foxy Card. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• Cute Card Thursday: Charms!
• Craft Rocket: Animal Kingdom
• Dragonfly Dreams: Animals
• Challenge Up Your Life: Circles

Black and Red Pot Holders

Recently a girl I went to high school with asked me to make some Black and Red Pot Holders for a gift. Last time I made pot holders was in March, so I had to remember what sizes I cut the fabric to get the right finished size. I really should write this stuff down, but I'm one of those that just does stuff without patterns or recipes for that matter. I'll look stuff up and then just do it my way. I'm constantly making things up in the kitchen. My hubby just loves it when he asks "what's for dinner" and I reply that I'm trying something new or throwing something together. Sometimes it's really good and sometimes it's just okay, but it's always fun to watch his face as he takes the first bite. Thanks for stopping by my blog and bye for now. 

Just Bee-Cuz Card

Hello and I hope you're having a lovely day! This coming week I'm having outpatient surgery, so I've been busy cleaning my crafting table and putting things away. It's amazing the kind of mess I can make while crafting! It would be nice if  I would clean one mess before I make another... but where is the fun in that? Eventually and usually when it gets really messy I clean. When I moved a few papers I came across the sketch for the Inky Paws Challenge #52 and decided to make one more card... this is called "procraftinating" and I do it really well. I love Winston by Newton's Nook and was inspired by a couple of the design team examples who also used Winston images. All stamps on this card are from the Winston's Honeybees set and were colored with Copic markers. The patterned paper is from the Garden Party paper pad by Pebbles. A little Pool Party twine by Stampin' Up! to finish it off and that's it! Thanks for stopping by!

This Just Bee-Cuz Card is entered into the following challenges: Inky Paws Sketch Challenge, Creative Knockouts Furry Friends Challenge and Pattie's Creations Anything Goes Challenge.

Feminine 40th Birthday Card

Hello and happy Friday! We enjoyed a nice rain storm last night and it brought cooler weather for today and into the weekend. This will make it much more tempting to get outside and get a few chores done. The windows off my back porch really needs washing.... but I am the queen at procraftinating!

One of my cousins is turning forty tomorrow and this is the card I made her. It's fussier than I usually make but I wanted it to be something special for her to keep. All supplies used are by Stampin' Up!, all the stamps are current but the Twitterpated dsp is long retired. Stamp sets include: Flower Shop, Number of Years and Watercolor Wings. Two of the ink colors are retired and include: Baja Breeze and Riding Hood Red. Island Indigo was used and is current. Other dsp colors include: Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz. I've been trying to use up some of my retired stash before my ink pads run dry. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

This Feminine 40th Birthday Card is entered into the following challenges:

• SU! Only: Happy Birthday
• Crafty Gals Corner: Celebrate
• Making Memories Crafing: Anything Goes

Yellow Butterfly Birthday Card

One of my favorite parts about summer is seeing the butterflies flutter around the yard. We typically have several little yellow/orange butterflies called Orange Sulfur in late summer. I've seen monarchs, black swallowtails and red admirals but the Orange Sulfur are one of the easiest to spot.

The butterfly was my inspiration for this Yellow Butterfly Birthday Card. It gave me another opportunity to use two of my favorite stamp sets: Watercolor Wings and Butterfly Basics both by Stampin' Up!. The dsp is retired but it's still one of my favorites,  Affectionately Yours by Stampin' Up!. Colors used on the butterfly include: Daffodil Delight, Crushed Curry and Crumb Cake. Then I heat embossed the Crumb Cake area with retired Iridescent Ice embossing powder. Other colors match the dsp and include: Watermelon Wonder, Night of Navy, Cucumber Crush and Crumb Cake. That's it! Thanks for stopping by my blog and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• SU! Only: Happy Birthday
• Little Red Wagon: Favourite Products
• Watercooler Wednesday: Feminine Anything Goes
• Mod Squad: Wings as Focal Point

Reach for the Stars Card

Hello and happy Tuesday! We have an Out of this World challenge for you this week at Tuesday Throwdown and the design team did an amazing job with their inspiration. Click HERE for all the challenge details and design team inspiration. Our sponsor this week is MyGrafico and they provided the Space Art Digital Stamps for the design team to create our examples. I seem to be the oddball this week, but that's really "normal" for me. I used the alien, moon and shooting star to create this Reach for the Stars Card. We would love to see your Out of this World creations! You have until mid-day on Monday August 7th to add your link.

This was my first attempt at a space background! I started with a piece of mixed media paper and sponged on distress oxide inks in Broken China and Salty Ocean. Then I mixed in some Lucky Clover but I wanted the background darker and those are my only oxide inks. So... I used distress inks in Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord and Seedless Preserves. Then I used a water bottle and sprayed the paper. To speed the drying process I used a heat gun and repeated until I was happy with the results. The stars and sentiment are from the new Cosmic Newton stamp set by Newton's Nook and they were heat embossed with white embossing powder. The background was then matted to a piece of Navy cardstock. The images were colored with Copic markers. For the moon I printed it on Sahara Sand cardstock by Stampin' Up! and then used a splatter stamp from the retired Gorgeous Grunge stamp set by Stampin' Up! using Sahara Sand ink. All the images are fussy cut, so don't look too close this is not my best skill. Some glossy accents were added to the alien's eyes and that's it! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will play along in our Out of this World challenge.