Some People Strengthen Others

Hello and welcome to the March Words 2 Craft By Challenge. Our inspiration word quote is "All the best heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary." Gerard Way. My card completely embodies that sentiment with a simple statement, so I chose to keep it simple and let the sentiment be the star. I chose some pretty vintage rose patterned paper from Authentique's 6x6 Essentials Collection paper pad and cut a rectangle out of the center. I adhered the panel down to my white A2 card base and then stamped the sentiment from the Stampabilities Some People stamp set directly onto the cardstock using my Mini Misti for good placement and ink coverage. Using my Copic markers I highlighted some of the words to match the paper and then added some shimmer using my Spectrum Noir clear shimmer pen. To finish my card I added some clear rhinestones from Recollections, a pink satin bow from my ribbon collection, and some dashed black lines around the outside of the card using my Memento tuxedo black dual tip marker. 

Life Is A Beautiful Ride

Hello and thank you for stopping by my blog today! It's a dreary rainy day here in southeast Missouri so I'm taking this opportunity to get crafty. My card today was created for the Freshly Made Sketches and The Sisterhood Of Crafters card challenges. To create my card I started by stamping the Unity Stamp Company's Lexi Girl image onto some Copic-friendly white cardstock using my mini-Misti stamping tool and some Memento tuxedo black ink so I could color her using my alcohol markers. I used a piece of patterned paper from the Dear Lizzy Stay Colorful 6x6 paper pad for my color inspiration. I cut the colored panel down and adhered it to the card with a strip of that patterned paper to mimic the sketch design. I colored a strip of white cardstock with my alcohol markers to match the patterned paper and adhered it the card to divide the focal panel and the patterned paper. I stamped the sentiment from the same Unity Stamp Company stamp set and cut it down into a small rectangle panel and adhered it to some more cardstock that I colored to match. I also die cut some adorable little butterflies using the Sizzix Beautiful Wings embosslit and more colored cardstock. I popped the sentiment panel up for some added interest and added the butterflies around the card. To finish things off I added some petite clear rhinestones from Recollections to the butterflies and the woman's sweater and then added some shimmer to the flowers using my Spectrum Noir clear glitter pen. I love how this turned out...so spring time and feminine!

Happy Birthday-Coffee And Cards With Celeste And Deb

Hello, and welcome to another Coffee and Cards with Celeste and Deb! I can't believe it's September already! Unfortunately we are still experiencing summer weather here in Southeast Missouri so not really fall here yet but I'm sure it will be here before we know it. Deb and I decided to create cards this month using washi tape as our focal point. I am ashamed to admit that I have tons of washi tape that I've accumulated over several years that sit in a container in my craft closet completely unused. I simply forget I have it. So, I thought it would be fun to pull it out and use a large portion of it on a card. I love these gorgeous patterns and colors and thought they  complimented each other nicely. It was fairly easy to pull together. I started by layering a piece of soft pink cardstock from Hobby Lobby onto my white A2 card base. I then cut down a thinner panel of white cardstock from Staples and adhered my washi tapes (all from Recollections) at a diagonal onto the panel. Using my mini-Misti I stamped the sentiment from the Verve Stamps Poppy Birthday stamp set directly onto the panel using Versafine onyx black ink. I adhered the panel directly to the center of the card. I then stamped one of the floral images from the Stampin' UP Flower Shop stamp set onto more of the same pink cardstock using Versamark clear ink and heat embossed it using Recollections detail embossing powder in snow white. I then punched the image out using the coordinating punch. To finish this card off I adhered a bit of pink bakers twine to a blue button I had in my stash and adhered it to the card using a glue dot and some foam squares from Hobby Lobby. Love how beautifully it turned out!

As for my coffee choice I opted for a cool salted caramel iced coffee. So very yummy! Now be sure to pop over to Deb's blog and check out her card creation!

Butterfly Happy Birthday

Today's card was created for the latest Watercooler Wednesday card challenge. To create my card I started by cutting a piece of Stampin' UP basic black cardstock into a pretty decorative border using a Stamplorations Cutplorations decorative edge die. I adhered it to some pretty patterned paper from the Studio Calico Atlantic 6x6 paper pad and layered it onto my standard white card base. I then stamped the sentiment from the Winnie & Walter The Big, the Bold, and the Happy stamp set directly onto the card base using Versafine onyx black ink and my mini-Misti to ensure nice, crisp lines. I stamped the butterfly image from the Bo Bunny Flutter Stamp stamp set onto some Canson watercolor paper using Versafine onyx black ink and heat set it using some Zing clear embossing powder. I watercolored the image using some Tim Holtz distress ink and attached it to the card using some glue dots and some foam dimensionals. I added a few clear rhinestones from Recollections and some clear Wink of Stella glitter to the butterfly for a nice finishing touch. Thank you for visiting my blog! I hope you have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend!

You're So Sweet. Thank You Berry Much

Today's card was created for both The Paper Players and Addicted To CAS card challenges. To create my card I started by stamping the beautiful berry wreath from the Clearly Besotted Simply Scrumptious stamp set onto white card stock using both fresh asparagus and red hot inks from Gina K Designs. I stamped the center sentiment from the same stamp set using Versafine onyx black ink and my mini-Misti for a nice crisp look. Then using a pretty scalloped die cut from Gina Marie Designs I cut the image down into a focal panel and mounted it to my card using some fun foam from Hobby Lobby. I then stamped the second sentiment from the same stamp set using more white cardstock and Versafine ink. I cut it down into a small strip and mounted it up off of the focal panel using a thin strip of fun foam. To finish my card off I added some black dots to the strawberries using my Sakura black gelly roll pen and some Glossy Accents for a nice finishing touch. I hope you like my card and thank you for stopping by my blog today! 

Spread Your Wings & Fly

My second card today was created for the latest If You Give A Crafter A Cookie challenge. As soon as I saw the inspiration photo I knew I had to break out my Unity Stamp Company Kennedy Girl stamp set and ink it up! I stamped the image and the sentiment from the stamp set onto some Copic-friendly cardstock using my mini-Misti and Memento tuxedo black ink to get a nice crisp impression. I colored the image using my alcohol markers and then went over the sentiment, the wings, dress, and her hair with my Spectrum Noir clear shimmer pen and then die cut the image using a wonky stitch rectangle die from Gina Marie Designs. I layered some patterned paper from The Paper Studio's The Shoppe On The Square paper pad onto my white card base and then popped the focal panel up using fun foam from Hobby Lobby. For a finishing touch I added some sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and some Stickles to the wings and dress. Thank you for stopping by my blog today!

A Real Woman

Hello, and welcome to the March Words 2 Craft By challenge. This month we have a quote from Maya Angelou..."I'm a woman. Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman. That's me." I know everyone who visits my blog must roll their eyes when they see me use yet another Unity Stamp Company Angie Girl but they really have the most amazing images and beautiful sentiments. This one really stood out to me and I thought it really embodied the essence our quote this month! 

To create my card I started by layering some rust colored cardstock from Hobby Lobby onto my white card base and then covering it with some patterned paper from the Pink Paislee Country Meadows 12x12 paper pack. I stamped the beautiful image from the Unity Stamp Company's Angie Girl Rebuild Herself stamp set using Memento tuxedo black ink and my mini-Misti and colored her with my alcohol markers to compliment the patterned papers. I cut the image down into a focal panel, matted it onto the same cardstock, and adhered it to the card at an angle for some visual contrast to the busy paper. I stamped the sentiment from the same stamp set and mounted it onto some of the same cardstock. I popped it up off of the card using some fun foam and called this card done. I look forward to seeing all of the beautiful creations my fellow design team members and the participants create!

Thank You Tuxedo Card

Today's card was created for the latest Cards In Envy card challenge. To create my card I started by layering some black cardstock onto my white card base. I then layered some pretty black and white patterned paper from the Ki Modern Elegance 6x6 paper pad directly on top. I added a small strip of grey patterned paper from the same pad directly in the center as a way to break up the busy patterned paper. I then stamped the flower from the MFT Inspired By Flowers #4 stamp set onto some white cardstock and the sentiment from the Skipping Stones Design Heartsong II stamp set using my mini-Misti and Memento tuxedo black ink. I absolutely adore this floral image and use it a lot on simple sympathy and thank you cards. I popped the focal panel up off of the card using some cheap fun foam I picked up at Hobby Lobby. And that finished my card. Thank you for visiting my blog and if you like my card please leave me a comment below. Have a good day!

New Beginning

Hello, and Happy New Year! I am so excited to announce that I am the newest design team member of Words 2 Craft By! We have a quote this month and it comes from Meister Eckhart..."And suddenly you know: it's time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings." It seems very apropos given it's the beginning of a new year and we all know we all try very hard to focus on change in the new year. So, when I saw the Unity Stamp Company KOTM Never Be Afraid stamp set I knew I had to use that beautiful quote and the leaf. To create my card I stamped the leaf and the sentiment onto some Copic-friendly cardstock using my mini-Misti stamping tool and some Memento tuxedo black ink. I colored the leaf to represent the changes of fall and added some Sakura gelly roll ink in clear shimmer to the veins and heart of the leaf. Love the beautiful shimmer it gives it! I die cut the image and sentiment out using a Gina Marie Designs stitched rectangle die and matted it onto some Stampin' UP black cardstock for a nice mat. I adhered more black cardstock to my card and then topped it with a piece of brown gingham patterned paper by Gina K Designs. I added some 3M foam tape to the back of my focal panel and adhered it to the card at a wonky angle for some added interest. Thank you for stopping by my blog today and if you like my card be sure to leave a comment! 

Merry Little Christmas

I just picked up the fabulous Essentials By Ellen Christmas Scribbles stamp set on a Facebook destash and knew as soon as I saw the newest Just Us Girls photo challenge that I would have to use it! I wanted to keep the card pretty clean and simple, which is a difficult task for me. I like layers and lots of embellishments, but this stamp set made it easy. I started by layering some cherry cobbler cardstock from Stampin' UP onto my white card base. Using my mini-Misti stamping tool I stamped the branches, pinecone, snowflakes, and two ornaments from the stamp set onto some Copic-friendly white cardstock. Using the inspiration photo I colored the images trying to stay close to the color palette. I then die cut the colored piece of cardstock down using a Gina Marie Designs stitched rectangle die and mounted it onto the card using some 3M foam tape. I took another strip of the same red cardstock and heat embossed the sentiment from the same stamp set using Recollections snow white detail embossing powder. I ran that strip of paper through my Cuttlebug using the same rectangle die so the edges would match the panel and mounted it directly onto the panel. To finish the card I added some clear Wink of Stella to all of the stamped elements. I only wish I could have captured all of the wonderful shine it added! I think this would be a fun card to mass produce. I hope you like it.

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!

You Make An Ugly Sweater Look Good

Today's card was created for the latest Fusion Card Challenge. I chose to stick to the sketch only on this one. I love the simplicity of it but chose to turn mine on its side for a landscape card. I started by layering some cherry cobber cardstock from Stampin' UP onto my white card base and then cut a smaller panel of patterned paper from the American Crafts Wish List 6x6 paper pad down and adhered it directly onto the card. I stamped the sweater image from Simon Says Stamps Ugly Sweater stamp set onto some Copic-friendly cardstock using Memento tuxedo black ink. I then stamped the Christmas tree from the same stamp set onto the image and colored it in using my alcohol markers. I die cut a fun x-stitched edge circle using a Gina Marie Designs die and then adhered it directly onto the card. Using my mini-Misti I lined the sentiment up onto the card and stamped them right where I wanted them. I fussy cut the sweater image out and popped it up off of the focal panel using Stampin' UP foam dimensionals. I added some shimmer to the sentiment and a few select images by using my At You Spica clear shimmer pen and then added some Stickles to the ornaments and some of the elements on the sweater. I love this fun and whimsical card!