Gnome Happy Birthday

 

Today's card was created for the latest Color Throwdown card challenge. I created this card by stamping and coloring the gnome from Inkadinkado's Garden Gnome stamp set onto white alcohol marker-friendly cardstock. I colored him with my Copic markers and fussy cut him out. I then stategically stamped the mushrooms from the stamp set onto a cream cardstock panel and colored them to match the gnome. I diecut a few leaves in the same dark peach cardstock using an etched leaf die from Jillian Vance Designs. I wrapped some light peach jute twine from American Crafts onto the top of the focal panel and adhered the leaves using a glue dot. I created a hillside using some light blue cardstock from Hobby Lobby and a Paper Smooches stiched hillside die. I adhered that to the bottom of the focal panel under the mushrooms. I adhered my little gnome down onto the panel using Stampin' UP foam dimensionals. I stamped the sentiment from Winnie & Walter's The Big The Bold & The Happy stamp set using Versafine onyx black ink. I finished this adorable little gnome card up by added some gems from Honey Bee Stamps Harvest Fesitval crystal gem sticker mix and some white gel details. 

Winter Wishes-2023 Fall Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

I have been hopping along all week on this amazing Coffee Lover's Blog Hop and just couldn't resist submitting a fun card for the challenge. To create my card, I stamped the adorable girl image from Photoplay's Say It With Stamps I Love Fall stamp set onto white Copic-friendly cardstock. I colored her with my alcohol markers and fussy cut her out. I masked off a small area on my white A2 card base and then inked up the Tim Holtz Holiday Knit stencil using Stampin' UP bashful blue ink. I stamped a few snowflakes on top of the stenciling using the same ink and a snowflake stamp from Crate Paper's Snow and Cocoa stamp set. I die cut a white rectangle panel using Paper Rose nesting stitched rectangle dies and carefully created a snow bank using a Paper Smooches stitched hillside die. I stamped the sentiment to the bottom left of the panel using Versafine onyx black ink and a sentiment from Simon Says Stamp's Hand Lettered Winter Wishes stamp set. I popped the focal panel up off of the card using 3M foam tape and adhered the girl to the right of the sentiment using glue and more foam tape. I added some clay polymer candy apple hearts around the sentiment and on the background for a fun pop of color. I finished the card off using some white gel detail. Thank you for stopping by my blog today. I hope you are well caffeinated and having fun on this amazing hop!

 

Happy Birthday

Hello and happy Friday! I hope everyone is staying safe out there. My card today was created for the latest Inspired By card challenge.

To create my card I started by layering some patterned paper from the Pebbles Garden Party 6x6 paper pad onto my white A2 card base. I then stamped the adorable pups and heart from the Paper Smooches Paws For A Cause stamp set onto my white cardstock using Memento inks. I then stamped the sentiment from the Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler stamp set using more Memento ink. I added more patterned paper from the same Pebbles paper pad at the top of the panel. For some added interest and to break up the cardstock and patterned paper I wrapped some dark brown twine from We R Memory Keepers around it and tied a bow. I added some 3M foam tape behind the panel and popped it up off of the card for some fun dimension. I appreciate you taking the time to stop off at my blog today and, if you like my card, be sure to leave a comment. I read and appreciate them all!

 

Gnome For The Holidays-Coffee And Cards With Celeste And Deb

Hello and welcome to the July installment of Coffee and Cards with Celeste and Deb. We decided we would do a Christmas in July theme this month. Those of us who create our own Christmas cards know you have to get a jump start on those. I typically send out anywhere between 50-75 cards per year so this is about the time of year I usually get started on that. To create my card I started by layering some patterned papers from the Heidi Swapp Noel 6x6 paper pad onto my white A2 card base. I then die cut a sloped snow bank using white cardstock and a border die from Simon Says Stamp and adhered that directly on the patterned paper panel. I die cut the tree image from some light green cardstock using one of the Taylored Expressions Evergreen dies. I added some snow to the image using my white gel pen and colored the trunk brown using a Memento cocoa brown dual tip marker and adhered that to the card. I then die cut some sweet little snowflakes using a Paper Smooches die, adhered them to the card, and added a little sparkle to the centers by applying a dot of Nuvo Glitter Drops in white blizzard. I die cut the adorable little gnome using a Gina Marie Designs die and more of the patterned papers from the Heidi Swapp Noel collection, colored his nose and beard using my Copic markers, and popped that fun little guy up using some foam squares from Scrapbook Adhesives. I stamped the sentiment from the Simon Says Stamp Gnome For The Holidays stamp set onto the snow bank using Versafine onyx black ink for a nice, crisp look. I added a sweet little red heart sequin from Pretty Pink Posh to the gnomes hat and finished him off by added some drops of Stickles in Christmas red to his shirt and to the tip of his hat. Love how adorable this turned out!

For my coffee choice this month I opted for a nice, tall iced mocha latte from Duncan Donuts because it's ridiculously hot here and I had to mow my lawn this morning. This really hit the spot!

Now, be sure to stop over at Deb's blog and see what fun Christmasy goodness she's created this month!

Warm Wishes-Coffee And Cards With Celeste And Deb

Hello and happy Sunday! Welcome to the January Cards and Coffee with Celeste and Deb. This month Deb selected this fun image as our inspiration. For my card I wanted to create a background that would seem warm and fuzzy like a warm blanket so I broke out my Tim Holtz Holiday Knit stencil and inked it up onto some crumb cake cardstock from Stampin' UP using fired brick Tim Holtz distress ink. I added a few black dots here and there on the pattern using my Memento tuxedo black dual tip marker. I layered that stenciled piece of cardstock onto my white A2 sized card and paired it with a strip of patterned paper from the My Mind's Eye Yuletide 6x6 paper pad and a sliver of basic black cardstock from Stampin' UP. I stamped the coffee mug onto more of the same patterned paper using Stamplorations Coffee Cup-large stamp and fussy cut them out and pieced them together. I die cut a circled using more of the patterned paper using a Gina Marie Designs dual pierced edge die. I went around the card, the circle panel, and the coffee cup with Tim Holtz distress ink in vintage photo and popped the coffee cup up off the card using 3M foam tape. To finish off my card I stamped the sentiment from the Paper Smooches Need To Venti stamp set using Versafine onyx black ink.

My coffee selection today came from the last of the holiday coffees I got from Bones Coffee this December. The flavor was Oh Fuuudge! after the movie A Christmas Story. It's tasty and cracked me up every time I took it out to make a pot! Now, be sure to hop on over to Deb's blog and see what fun things she created and what fun beverage she's drinking today!

Have A Boo-Tiful Halloween-W2CB October Challenge

Hello, happy October and welcome to another Words To Craft By card challenge. This month our quote is "Always be yourself unless you can be Batman. Then always be Batman"-source unknown. I don't have any Batman stamps but I do have lots of fun bat stamps for Halloween and thought I would let that be my inspiration. To create my card I started by layering some textured orange cardstock from the American Crafts Halloween 6x6 cardstock pad onto my white A2 card base. I then die cut a piece of Canson watercolor paper using a Gina Marie stitched rectangle die and stamped the moon/bats image from Craft Smart onto the panel using Versafine onyx black ink. I poured some Zing clear embossing powder over the stamped image and heat set it. I masked the moon portion of the stamp off and created a night sky using my Tim Holtz distress inks and a blending tool. I added some light water splatters to create the image of a starry night. I also added some additional stars using my white gel pen. I then die cut a hillside using some Stampin' Up basic black cardstock and a Paper Smooches hillside border die. I stamped the sentiment from Darcie's Heart & Home Bootiful Hallween stamp set right above it usine Versafine onyx black ink. I stamped the Dracula image from The Cat's Pajama's Mwahh! stamp set onto some white Copic-friendly cardstock, colored it using my alcohol makers, fussy cut the image out, and popped it up off of my card using foam squares from Scrapbook Adhesives. I can't wait to see how you were inspired by this month's challenge!

Celebrate

Today's card was created for my good friend Freda's upcoming birthday. I will be entering this card into the Cards 4 Galz card challenge. To create my card I started with some gorgeous patterned papers from the American Crafts Stay Colorful 6x6 paper pad, and layered them onto my A2 white card base by cutting them down using a stitched curved edge die from Paper Smooches and added a lacy border using a Simon Says Stamp eyelet border die. I then stamped the beautiful girl image from the Stamping Bella Uptown Girl Posh Has A Present stamp set onto some white Copic-friendly cardstock and colored her in using my alcohol markers in colors that coordinated with the papers. I fussy cut the image out using my detail scissors and popped her up onto my card using some Scrapbook Adhesives foam dimensionals. To finish my card off I rounded the bottom corners using my We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, stamped the sentiment from the Stampers Anonymous Crazy Talk stamp set using Versafine onyx black ink, and added a few turquoise sequins from The Ton around the card. Love how beautifully this card turned out. I know my friend will like it.  

Love You Coffee-February Coffee And Cards With Celeste And Deb

Hello and welcome to the February Coffee and Cards with Celeste and Deb! Since February is the month where we focus on love Deb and I thought it would be fun to step away from traditional Valentine's cards and do a coffee/love themed card. To create my card I layered some grey Stampin' UP cardstock onto the base and layered some patterned papers from the Crate Paper Main Squeeze 6x6 paper pad on top. The sentiment was created using some creative masking and stamping and sentiments from Altenew's Coffee Love stamp set and Versafine onyx black ink. I stamped the awesome coffee cup using the Stamplorations Coffee Cup stamp set and some white cardstock, more of the grey cardstock, and some more the patterned paper from that same Crate Paper paper pad. I fussy cut them all out and adhered them to each other and added some shading on them using my Copic alcohol markers. I die cut a heart using a Paper Smooches die and stamped the "XO" sentiment using Lawn Fawn's Claire's ABC's stamp set and more Versafine onyx black ink. I adhered that directly to the mug and popped it up off of my card using some Scrapbook Adhesives foam squares. 

For my coffee this  month I opted for an iced toasted almond latte from Dunkin Donuts. I know it's cold here in Southeast Missouri but I'd been out running errands and was having a hot flash. This tasty treat really hit the spot! Now, pop on over to Deb's site and show her some blog love in the way of a comment!

Love Ewe-February Words 2 Craft By

Hello and welcome to the February Words 2 Craft By challenge. This month's word challenge is based on a quote from an A. A. Milne Pooh book "Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh" he whispered. "Yes, Piglet?" "Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. "I just wanted to be sure of you." I thought since it was so close to Valentine's Day I would create a sweet card for my granddaughter Maddie. She's 11 months old this month. To create my card I started by layering some black and white heart paper from The Paper Studio onto my white A2 card base. I then added a small strip of pink and cream patterned paper from My Mind's Eye Penelope 6x6 paper pad onto the card panel. I then stamped the adorable sheep images from Unity Stamp Company's Love Ewe onto some white Copic-friendly cardstock and colored it using my alcohol markers. I then die cut it into a panel using a stitched edge oval die from My Favorite Things. I adhered it directly to the card and then added a few die cut hearts using some Paper Smooches dies and colored them with my alcohol markers to match the focal image. I then stamped the sentiment onto a small die cut banner I created using a Jillian Vance banner die and adhered it to the top right of the card. To finish my card off I added some black dashed lines around the focal panel, the fishtail banner, and the focal strip. I added some sparkle and shine with my Spectrum Noir clear glitter pen and a few beautiful soft pink sequins in 4mm and 6mm from The Ton. I can't wait to see how this month's challenge inspires the rest of you!

I love U-Unity Stamp Company Paper Piecing Challenge

Hello and happy Sunday! It's cold, wet, and rainy here today and I'm fighting a cold, so I'm enjoying a lazy Sunday in my sweats with a piping cup of coffee and some Pandora. My card today was created for the latest Facebook Unity {Show & Tell} paper piecing challenge. To create my card I started by stamping the Unity Stamp Company's Love Bug stamp onto some kraft cardstock from Hobby Lobby. I stamped the image again onto some patterned paper from the Crate Paper Little Bo Peep 6x6 paper pad and fussy cut the image. I went around the outer edges with my Memento dual tip marker to give it a nice, clean finished look and adhered it directly to the cardstock. I added some dimension and shadowing to the stamped image using my Copic markers and added some white gel pen to the rearview mirror. I stamped the sentiment from the same Unity stamp set onto the license plate bracket using Versafine onyx black ink. To add some additional interest to the card I cut a small strip of patterned paper from the same paper pad and added a decorative border on the top and bottom using an edge die from Stamplorations. I adhered the strip down to the card base and added some decorative hearts die cut from the same paper pad using a Paper Smooches heart die. I rounded the corners of the panel using my We R Memory Keepers corner chomper and adhered it to my A2 white card base. To finish this card off I added some black dashed lines around the outer edge of the card, the hearts, and the decorative strip. Thank you for visiting my blog today, and if you like my card be sure to leave a comment. I read and appreciate them all!

Ah, Autumn-Words 2 Craft By September/October

Hello and welcome to the September/October Words 2 Craft By word challenge. Your inspiration this month is Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall-F. Scott Fitzgerald. Anyone who knows me knows it's no secret that autumn is my favorite time of the year. I love the cool, crisp air, the foliage, the warmer clothing...and my birthday is in the fall. So, I was excited to create a card that celebrates my favorite season! To start I layered a piece of chocolate chip cardstock from Stampin' UP onto my standard A2 white card base. I then layered a piece of the Autumn Splendor patterned paper from Best Creation Inc on top. I then stamped the gorgeous tree image from the Hero Arts Color Layering Fall Trees stamp set onto some white cardstock from Staples using Memento dew drop inks in fall colors. For the ground I used one of the images from the Paper Smooches Positive Strokes stamp set and more Memento inks. I then stamped the sentiment from the Close To My Heart Always Grateful Seasons & Nature stamp set and die cut the image using a stitched edge rectangle die from Gina Marie Designs. I matted the panel onto more Stampin' UP chocolate chip cardstock and popped it up off of the card using fun foam from Hobby Lobby. I added some coordinating 3mm sequins from The Ton onto the tree image to mix in with the leaves to finish up my pretty autumn card. I can't wait to see how this month's quote inspires the rest of you!

You're Purrfect

Today's card was created for the latest Less Is More card challenge. To create my card I started by stamping the adorable cat and his little ball of yarn onto some Copic-friendly cardstock. I colored the images using my alcohol markers and fussy cut them out. Using some patterned papers from the Crate Paper Story Teller 6x6 paper pad I die cut a stitched edge rectangle with a Gina Marie Designs die and layered it onto my white card base using fun foam from Hobby Lobby. I then die cut a pierced edge circle using more white cardstock and more patterned paper from the same paper pad with a die from My Favorite Things. I stamped the sentiment using Memento London fog ink and a sentiment stamp from the Paper Smooches Feline Friends stamp set onto the circle panel. I adhered the panel directly to the card, mounted the cat onto the panel using Stampin' UP foam dimensionals and adhered the yarn ball directly to the panel using snail adhesive. To finish my card I added two small clear rhinestones from Recollections on either side of the sentiment. Thank you for visiting my blog today and have a wonderful weekend!

Chillax

Hello, happy hump day! Today's card was created for the latest The Male Room card challenge. As soon as I saw the challenge I knew I had to use the Art Impression Catching Z's stamp set. Their stamps are always so full of fun and whimsy and I thought this would make a fun card for any male occasion. To create my card I started by layering some patterned papers from the Little Yellow Bicycle Fern & Forest 6x6 paper pad onto my white card base. I die cut more of the same patterned papers into nesting circles using some Little B nesting circle dies and layered them directly onto the card base. I added some black dashed lines around the inner rectangle panel and the inner circle panel as well. I stamped the sentiment from the Paper Smooches Slang Gang stamp set using Versafine onyx black ink for a nice, crisp look. I then stamped the Art Impression image onto some Copic-friendly cardstock, colored it to compliment the patterned papers using my alcohol markers, fussy cut the image, and popped it up off of the card using Stampin' UP foam dimensionals. I added a few 6mm black sequins from Pretty Pink Posh to finish off my card. I love how it turned out and hope you like it too!

Friends Furrever

Today's card was created for the latest Less Is More card challenge. To create my card I started by layering a piece of muted light blue patterned paper from the Studio Calico's Atlantic 6x6 paper pad onto my white card base. I then die cut a scrap piece of paper from the Pink Paislee Hey Kid 6x6 paper pad using the Tag Stitched Wise die and a stitched border die both from Paper Smooches. I die cut the tag again using the same die and some white cardstock from Staples and layered the patterned paper to the bottom. I stamped the sentiment from the Paper Smooches Feline Friends stamp set on the bottom using Versafine onyx black ink. My bits and pieces were the ribbon and the focal images for my tag. The striped ribbon is what's left over of a roll of American Crafts Halloween ribbon I had, the white gauze ribbon is a scrap I'd gotten in a freebie bag on a blog hop win, and the adorable little dog and his water dish were stamped and colored at a friends house while I was playing with her Avery Elle Furry Friends stamp set. I stamped the images and took them home with me months ago but never colored them. I decided to use them for this fun card. I colored them using my alcohol markers and fussy cut them by hand I adhered them to my tag using Stampin' UP foam dimensionals and popped the whole tag up off of my card using some fun foam from Hobby Lobby. I plan on sending this sweet little card to a dog loving dear friend of mine. Thank you for visiting my blog today. If you enjoyed my card be sure to leave a kind word. 

If You Can Read This Thank A Teacher

Today's card was created for the May/June Words 2 Craft By challenge. This month our phrase is "If you can read this, thank a teacher." I have a friend who is retiring this month after 20+ years as a teacher in our local school system and I plan on giving this card to her as a retirement card. I thought it was perfect. 

To create my card I started with a kraft card base and die cut a white panel using the Lawn Fawn speech bubble border die. Using the Lawn Fawn Claire's ABC's alpha stamp set I stamped the phrase using Versafine onyx black ink. I stamped the small apple image directly under the quote using Memento tuxedo black ink and the Paper Smooches Falling For You stamp set. I colored the image using my Copic markers. I then added some stitched black lines all around the border of the speech bubble panel and adhered it directly onto my card. I then stamped the larger apple image from the same Paper Smooches stamp set onto some white Copic-friendly cardstock and some patterned paper from the Cosmo Cricket Tea For Two 6x6 paper pad. I fussy cut the images, added some coloring to the stems using my alcohol markers, edged them all with my Memento dual tip marker, and adhered them together using my Zig 2 way glue pen. I adhered the green apple directly to the card and then popped the red apple up off of the card using Stampin' UP foam dimensionals. Thank you for visiting my blog today and I look forward to seeing all of the fun creations you all come up with the phrase! 

Merry Christmas

Today's card was created for the latest Christmas Card Throwdown theme challenge. To create this fun all white card I started by cutting a focal panel and adhering a snow drift to it that I had created using a Paper Smooches stitched line die. I then die cut the entire panel using a stitched edge rectangle die from Gina Marie Designs. I then adhered both of the trees from the Taylored Expressions Evergreen die set onto the panel followed by two of the deer from the Impression Obsession Deer Trio die set directly onto my winter scene panel using my Zig two way glue pen. I die cut the Simon Says Stamp Merry Christmas sentiment and adhered that directly onto the panel. I popped the entire panel up off of the card using fun foam from Hobby Lobby and then finished it off with some 6mm and 4mm clear sparkling sequins from Pretty Pink Posh. I love how pretty this turned out. Thank you for visiting my blog today and don't forget to leave a comment if you liked my card. 

Dude, You Rock!

Today I'm honored to be guest designing with the great team of ladies at Send A Smile 4 Kids. Thank you for having me this month ladies! The current challenge is to create a card appropriate for a teenager, so I immediately got out my A Creative Journey's I Just Love You stamp set and started playing with it. I have a tendency to always gravitate towards Copic coloring and I wanted to break out of my comfort zone on this one. So, I stamped the image repeatedly onto some kraft cardstock I picked up at Hobby Lobby using Versafine onyx black ink. I colored the images using my Prisma colored pencils and then die cut the panel using a stitched edge rectangle die from Gina Marie Designs. I layered some real red cardstock from Stampin' UP onto my white card base, popped the focal panel up off of the card using some inexpensive fun foam from Hobby Lobby, and then added a small strip of the same red cardstock for some visual interest. The sentiments are from the Paper Smooches Slang Gang and Sentiment Sampler stamp sets and the dots below the sentiment are from the same A Creative Journey stamp set. I stamped them using Versafine onyx black ink and then die cut them using an MFT oval die. I punched the tiny red heart using the Stampin' UP build an owl punch and added some fun black stitched lines around the card, the inner strip, and the sentiment panel. I hope you like it and thank you for visiting my blog today!

Hope Your Halloween Is Frightfully Sweet!

Hello! I can't believe it's almost the end of October. It seems like summer was just here last week. Honestly, this year is just slipping away from me. I just had to create a fun little card for my granddaughter Journey for Halloween. She (and her mom) love Halloween. They had a fun pumpkin carving party last night and my daughter has been planning their costumes for the past month. To create this fun little card I started by distressing a piece of plain white cardstock using my Tim Holtz distress inks. I created the moon by die cutting a circle out of a piece of masking paper. Using the negative of the die cut I inked the moon using squeezed lemonade ink. After the ink dried I masked the moon itself and then inked the sky using salty ocean, faded jeans, and black soot. Using my MiniMister I sprayed a light spritz of water onto the panel for a nice distressed look and then flicked on some droplets of white using Tim Holtz distress spray stain in picket fence. I then inked a separate strip of white cardstock using mowed lawn and then die cut it using a Paper Smooches lawn die. I adhered the grass onto the panel and then stamped the sentiment from the Darcie's Heart & Home Bootiful Halloween stamp set using Versafine onyx black ink and my Misti tool. I then stamped the bat from an old Stampin' UP stamp set. I adhered the panel onto my white card base. I then stamped the trick or treaters onto some Copic-friendly cardstock, colored them using my alcohol markers, fussy cut them leaving a nice white border, and adhered them onto the card using Scrapbook Adhesive foam squares. To finish my card I added some clear Wink of Stella to the kids and the bat. I know Journey is going to love it! Thank  you for visiting my blog today and if you like my card be sure to leave a comment!

Hey There My Friend

Today's card was created for the latest Freshly Made Sketches. I love to make cards for Send A Smile 4 Kids and am long overdue shipping some out, so thought I'd get busy making a few more. This sketch inspired me to break out some fun kids stamps. I started by inking up the Your Next Stamp Happy Meal images onto some Copic-friendly cardstock and fussy cutting them out after they were colored. I adhered some patterned papers from the We R Memory Keepers Hall Pass 6x6 paper pad onto my white card base. I adhered my images directly down onto the card base and then stamped the sentiment from the Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler stamp set using some Versafine onyx black ink. As a finishing touch I added some glossy accents to the eyes and the soda bottle. Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope you like my card! 

Sending Hugs

Today's card was created for the latest Less Is More Challenge. I created my card by layering some pretty patterned paper from the American Crafts Neopolitan 12x12 paper pad onto my card base. I cut down a piece of Canson cold press watercolor paper and added some dashed lines to the edges by using a Paper Smooches edge die. I wet the paper and added a light circular wash of Tim Holtz distress ink in worn lipstick to the paper and dried it with my heat tool. I inked up the edges of one of the cute little jars I fussy cut from the same American Crafts paper pad using Versa Magic chalk ink in pink grapefruit and added some pretty crinkle ribbon from Diana Larson's shop. I glued an adorable wood veneer butterfly from American Crafts in the center for a nice touch of interest. To finish my card I stamped the sentiment from the Simon Says Stamp Friendship Messages stamp set directly onto the jar and then popped the whole thing up with some 3M foam tape. I plan on sending this to my daughter who is in need of some encouragement right now.  I hope you like it and thank you for visiting my blog today!