Struggle and Strength Card

It's time to say good-bye to September and the countdown to Halloween is about to begin. This weekend I was moving things around on my craft desk and I found this Struggle and Strength stamp by Unity Stamps buried in a pile. This afternoon I found a challenge at Just Us Girls to use sunflowers, so I inked it up and made this card. Copic markers were used to color the image and it was cut out with a cross-stitched oval die. The papers are a mix of plaid by Lawn Fawn, woodgrain by Stampin' Up! and a texture design from the new Mad 4 Plaid paper pad by Photo Play. Bermuda Bay cardstock by Stampin' Up! is the accent color and three retired candy dots were added for detail. That's it! So glad you stopped by and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

Challenges entered:

• Always Fun: Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday: Sentimental!
• Just Us Girls: Photo Inspiration
• Make My Monday: Autumn

Photo:

Autumn Mice Card with Leaves

Good day! I have a quick post to share my latest card. This Autumn Mice Card with Leaves started by using the color challenge at Inky Paws to use: Moss Green, Orange, Chocolate Brown and Ivory. Keeping the colors in mind I selected and stamped the Autumn Mice image with Leaves by Newton's Nook and used a plaid paper by Photo Play from the Falling Leaves collection (it's several years old). The images were colored with Copic markers and arranged onto a piece of whitewash woodgrain paper by Stampin' Up!. A reverse pinked die by Avery Elle was used for the brown frame. To finish it off the sentiment and brown leaves were added using stamps from the Autumn Newton stamp set. That's it! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• C.R.A.F.T.: Animals
• Creative Knockouts: Anything Goes
• Inky Paws: Colors
• Little Red Wagon: Fall It!
• Simon Says: Anything Goes

Autumn Greetings Card - TMS #522

Hello and happy Tuesday! This week at Tuesday Morning Sketches we have a sketch that could easily be a one layered card. To create this Autumn Greetings Card I decided to used a retired stamp set by Stampin' Up! called Fall Fest. I stamped several leaves directly onto a piece of woodgrain paper that was sprayed with white Dylusions ink. Then added a few die cuts before matting it to a piece of olive green cardstock. A few drops of Honey Gold Nuvo drops were added and that's it. The design team created a variety of inspiration using the sketch designed by Melissa Craig. Click HERE for all the details and inspiration. We would love for you to join the challenge this week! You have until 8 pm EST on Sunday to link your creation. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Sketch #522:

 

Fox Happy Fall Card

Hooray! Fall has officially arrived here in the United States and that makes me happy. Although our weather is still unusually warm, I'm eagerly anticipating the cooler breezes to arrive. This afternoon I made this Fox Happy Fall Card using a new stamp set by Hello Bluebird called Pumpkin Time. The image was colored with Copic markers and die cut with the coordinating dies. The images were placed onto the focal area that was made using Distress Oxide inks in Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky, Peeled Paint and Fossilized Amber. Patterned papers are from the Fall Market paper pad by Carta Bella and some stitching added for detail. Everything was adhered flat for easy shipping and that's it. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• Always Fun: Cute Critters
• Crafting Happiness: Autumn/Fall
• Creative Fingers: Anything Goes
• Simon Says: Stitch It  

Sunflower Happy Birthday Card

Happy Friday! We have finally received a brief break from the summer heat and that makes me happy. The start to Fall is only a few days away, so I'm hoping for cooler days to come.

This time of year in Oklahoma you can see Sunflowers along the side of the road. I think they are a happy flowers! When Newton's Nook released this Sunflower Days stamp set I knew it was a must have. Copic markers were used to color the image and the coordinating die to cut it out. Last week the lever on my Fiskar's grass punch broke, so I replaced it with the Land Borders Die Set by Newton's Nook. The blue paper strip was made with mixed media paper along with Distress Oxide inks in Tumbled Glass and Salty Ocean. Some water was sprayed onto the panel and lifted with a paper towel, then it was then sprayed with white Dylusions ink. The birthday sentiment is from the Newton Loves Cake stamp set by Newton's Nook. That's it! Wishing you a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by.

Challenges entered:

• Aud Sentiments: Anything Goes + Sentiment
• Creative Knockouts: Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday: Dies and Punches!
• Dragonfly Dreams: Happy Birthday
• QKR Stampede: Anything Goes

Trick or Treat Card

Happy Wednesday! We are half way through the week and the month of September. That means I need to make a couple of Halloween cards every week to have enough to send to family and friends. This year my family might be a little shocked to see dogs on my cards instead of cats. It was time to do something different and the Happy Howl-oween image by Newton's Nook is super cute. Copic markers were used to color the image then the coordinating dies were used. The patterned paper is from the Bootiful Night paper pad by American Crafts (2016). For easy shipping everything was adhered flat and that's it! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

Challenges entered: Crafty Creations (Anything Goes) and Inky Paws (Halloween Theme). 🎃

Heartfelt Sympathy Card - TMS #521

Greetings fellow crafters! It's time again to challenge you to another sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches. This weeks sketch was designed by Debbie Foster and I think you're really going to like it. To join the fun just create a card using the provided sketch and link it to the challenge by 8 pm EST on Sunday. Click HERE for all the details and design team inspiration. Hope you will play along!

This Heartfelt Sympathy Card will be going to my cousin. Her husband suddenly passed away last week and I know her heart is broken. To make this card I dug through every paper pad I had to find the perfect papers. I finally settled on papers from the So Sophie paper pad by My Mind's Eye (2011). It's one of the first paper pads I bought when I started making cards and I've hoarded it because I love the colors. The yellow butterfly was stamped using one of my retired favorites Watercolor Wings by Stampin' Up! and the sentiment was positioned to extend from the butterfly wings. I know a card can't fix the hurt when a loved one passes, but I hope it helps in some way. Thanks for stopping by!

Challenges entered:

• Crafty Catz: Anything Goes w/ Sympathy Option
• Crazy 4 Challenges: Use Dots
• Craftyhazelnut's: Patterned Paper

Sketch #521:

Green Monochrome Sympathy Card

Hello! Last week the husband of one of my cousins unexpectedly passed away. They are young and had only been married a couple of years. I know her heart is broken and her world has turned upside down. This Green Monochrome Sympathy Card is one I made to send to my Aunt and Uncle who live next door to my cousin. They are all very close and it's been such a shock to all of them. There isn't a lot I can do, but I can make them cards to show my support.

This card was made using various colors of green inks. I started with a piece of white cardstock and used a brayer to add a light green ink all over then added a slightly darker green to the edges. Then the Blossom layering stencil by Tim Holtz was used with Peeled Paint distress ink. The flowers are from the Bloom Brighter stamp set by Verve Stamps and were stamped with Mossy Meadow ink by Stampin' Up!. Three leaf sprigs were stamped from the Lawn Fawn Fab Flowers stamp set using Garden Green ink by Stampin' Up! and the stenciled panel was adhered to a piece of Garden Green cardstock. A butterfly was added for more detail next to the sympathy sentiment from the Forever in Our Hearts stamp set by Verve Stamps. That's it! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• Crafty Catz: Anything Goes/optional Sympathy twist
• Craft Rocket: Monochrome
• Simon Says: Monochrome

Autumn Mice Fall Card

Hello! There are 11 days left until the arrival of Fall. That means I need to make a few more cards for my family. This card features the Autumn Mice stamp set by Newton's Nook along with patterned papers from the Fall Market paper pad by Carta Bella. To add more stamped detail I used a Hero Arts stamp with Memento rich cocoa ink to make a background for the little mouse. Copic markers were used to color the images and the coordinating die cuts to cut them out. That's it! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered: Cardz 4 Galz (Welcome Autumn/Fall), Crafty Gals Corner (Fall Colors), Cute Card Thursday (Autumn!), Southern Girls (Anything Goes) and Watercooler Wednesday (All About Occasions).

Autumn Critters Card - TMS #520

Happy Tuesday! I hope you're ready to play along with this weeks sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches. It has some fun angled panels which I always enjoy. The design team has a variety of inspiration for you this week and we are lucky to have two guest designers joining the fun. Click HERE for our inspirational creations and challenge details. To play along with the challenge you'll need to link your creation by 8 pm on Sunday.  😊

To create this Autumn Critters Card I decided to rotate the sketch. I've had this critter image by Bugaboo Stamps printed for awhile and thought it was a good opportunity to use it. The plaid paper is by Lawn Fawn and the leaves are from the Fall Break paper pad by Carta Bella. To finish off the card nine glimmer stickers were adhered to follow the sketch and that's it. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your day!

Challenges entered:

• Allsorts: Autumn
• Catch The Bug: Anything Goes
• Crafty Friends: Autumn Colours
• Dream Valley: Autumn Colours

Sketch #520:

Butterfly Blossoms Card

Good day! Mondays are usually my laundry and errand day. The one good thing about doing laundry is there is some down time to get some crafting done while the washer and dryer do their thing. This Butterfly Blossoms Card is what I made today. I've been wanting to use this butterfly for awhile, it's so pretty. It's from the Butterfly Blossoms stamp set by Reverse Confetti and Copic markers were used to color the image. For the background paper I've used my favorite color purple it provides a nice contrast to the orange butterfly. A little black gingham paper along the side for extra detail and three sequins were added for some sparkle. Everything was adhered flat for easy shipping and that's it. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day.

Challenges entered: Dare 2 B Artsy (Favorite Color), Simon Says (Stamp It) and Stamping Sensations (Anything Goes with Flowers). 

Extra Hugs Card with Bunny

Hello! We are having a lazy Sunday at our house, so while my hubby is napping I made this Extra Hugs Card with Bunny. The image is called Hug a Bunny by Unity Stamps and I absolutely adore it. Several years ago I rescued a Holland Lop rabbit who was on my back porch eating the critter food I leave out for our cottontails. The poor thing was in desperate need of rescue. I named him Snickers and he went to live at my parent's farm. When I found this image it reminded me of him. To color the image I used Copic markers and the floral paper is from the Spring Fling paper pad by Pebbles (2015). Everything was adhered flat for easy shipping. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• Crafty Animals: Anything w/ Animals
• Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday: Something Beginning with "B"
• Watercooler Wednesday: Anything Feminine Goes
• Word Art Wednesday: Anything Goes

Photo of Snickers:

Life's a Picnic Card

Happy Friday! Although I'm counting down the days until fall arrives, I couldn't resist using the Newton's Picnic stamp to create this Life's a Picnic Card. The layout is from the Inky Paws sketch challenge that ends today. All images were stamped with Memento black ink and colored with Copic markers. The coordinating dies were used to cut out the images. Everything was adhered flat for easy shipping and a small white twine bow was added for detail. I'm glad you stopped by and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered: Addicted to Stamps and More (Make Your Mark), Brown Sugar (Anything Goes), Inky Paws (Sketch) and Simon Says (Stamp It).

Note Card with Fox

Hello! Yesterday was the launch of the Stampin' Up! holiday catalog and there are lots of great new products. I'm trying to use good self control, but it's hard. I definitely have a new favorite and it's the Nature's Beauty stamp set. It has some darling critters and for every stamp set sold $3 will be donated to mental health organizations. For this card I stamped the Fox and grasses with Memento black ink and colored them with Stampin' Blends and Copic markers. The Just a Note sentiment is retired, the paper is from the Come To Gather dsp and Mint Macaron twine is from the Nature's Twine set. That's it! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: Anything w/ Critter
• Aud Sentiments: Fall/Autumn + Sentiment
• Cute Card Thursday: Anything Goes
• Love To Craft: Anything Goes

Baby Girl Card - TMS #519

Welcome back and happy Tuesday! Are you ready to join the fun with a new sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches? I hope you will join us this week and share your interpretation of the sketch designed by Debbie Foster. I made a baby card for a family friend who is expecting a girl. To enter your creation just make a card following the sketch and link it HERE by 8 pm EST on Sunday. The design team created some lovely inspiration and we can't wait to see what you make. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Challenges entered:

• Crafts Galore Encore: Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: Anything Goes
• QKR Stampede: Anything Goes

Sketch #519: