Confetti

Today's card was created for the latest Tuesday Throwdown card challenge. I created this card by layering some basic black cardstock from Stampin' UP onto my white card base. I then layered a piece of graphic patterned paper from the 7 Gypsies Postale 8x8 paper pad on top. I took a piece of 110 lb white cardstock and heat embossed the sentiment from Unity Stamp Company's Confetti Kindness using Versamark ink and Recollection embossing powder in snow. I inked the entire panel using Tim Holtz distress ink in picked raspberry. To finish this fun and simple card off I popped the panel up off of the card using a piece of fun foam and added some Pretty Pink Posh sparkling clear sequins in the 6mm and 4mm sizes. So fun, right? 

Hop Hop Hop

I got up and ran 4 miles with some friends today and it's still quite chilly and windy here, so making springtime cards seems strange to me. But I love sending cards to kids in hospitals. It brightens my day thinking about one of them smiling when they get a handmade card. So, that being said today's card was created for the latest Send A Smile 4 Kids card challenge. This week the challenge is to create a card celebrating Easter. I just picked up the latest Stampendous Spring Short Stack stamp set at my local Hobby Lobby during a sale and knew it would be the perfect stamp set to create a sweet and simple spring card for the kids. I started by stamping the rabbits onto some Copic-friendly white cardstock, coloring with my alcohol markers, and then fussy cutting them out. I die cut another piece of white card stock using the stitched rectangle dies from Gina Marie Designs and then stamped the sentiment from the Alley Way Stamps Spring Has Sprung stamp set onto the panel. I hand drew and colored some grass onto the panel and the popped my adorable little bunny images up off of the panel using some Stampin' UP foam dimensionals. I then cut down some patterned papers from the We R Memory Keepers Simply Spring 6x6 paper pad and adhered them to my card base. I finished the card off by adding some black dashed lines around the outer edge of the cardstock and some clear Wink of Stella to the bunnies outfits and ears. I hope you like my card and thank you for visiting today!

Warm Thoughts

Today's card was created for the latest Watercooler Wednesday card challenge. I am addicted to Unity Stamp Company's stamps and probably have way more of them then I should. I bought the Planner Gal Stay Cozy stamp set after the holidays and have only inked her up once since. I thought she would be nice to use for this challenge. I stamped the image on some Copic-friendly cardstock and colored her using my alcohol markers. I die cut the image using a pretty stitched and scalloped rectangle die from Gina Marie Designs. I added some layers on my white card base using patterned papers from the American Crafts Dear Lizzy Neapolitan 6x6 paper pad and popped my focal panel up off of the card using some inexpensive fun foam. To finish the card off I added some Spectrum Noir clear glitter pen to the image and added some black dashed lines around the outer edge of the card and the center strip. I plan on sending this to a crafty friend who is hospitalized right now. I hope you like my card and thank you for visiting my blog today!

The Unkown Always Passes For The Marvelous

Today's clean and simple card was created for the latest Addicted To CAS card challenge. Those who know me know that I struggle with CAS cards. I love layers and patterned papers and dies so I really have to reign it in to do these cards. But the Unity Stamp Company's Other Side Of Fear stamp set really lends itself to a clean and simple card. The images are so striking and so beautiful that they really don't need much else. So, when I saw this latest challenge I knew I had to break that stamp set out and get it inky. I colored it using my Copic markers and die cut the image down using a stitched rectangle die from Gina Marie Designs. I popped it up off of the card using 3M foam tape and this card was done! I hope you like it! 

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!

Hi...Coffee And Cards With Celeste And Deb

Hello, and welcome to our first Coffee And Cards Collab of 2018. This month we have the talented Paula McClane joining us for our collab. She and Deb are both on the Growing in Unity design team together! Our theme this month is "beautiful minds inspire others." I love the image but the quote is what I used for my inspiration. Deb sent me the most adorable Brutus Monroe stamp for Christmas and I decided to let her kind gift be my starting point for my card. To create my card I started by laying some smoky grey Stampin' Up cardstock onto my white card base. I then layered some fun patterned papers from the Jen Hadfield Home Made 6x6 paper pad onto the card. I stamped the mug from the stamp set Deb sent me onto some of the patterned papers in the paper pad and fussy cut them out. Using a small Stampin' Up circle punch I cut one of the sentiments from the paper pad and used it for the center of the mug. I die cut a piece of patterned paper from the same pad using a circle die from MFT, adhered it to the card, and then popped my mug up off of the circle panel using foam dimensionals from Stampin' UP. A few scattered clear Recollections rhinestones finished this fun card up nicely. Thank you so much for the great stamp set Deb...I simply love it! 

As for my coffee selection, I opted for a plain jane cup of black French roast coffee served up in the awesome new mug my son and daughter in-law got me. We have a warped sense of humor in my family. LOL. Now, pop on over to Deb and Paula's blogs and show them some love by checking out their creations and leaving a comment. Have a great day and thank you for visiting my blog!

Just A Note To Say

Today's card was created for the latest Addicted To CAS card challenge. As many of you know, clean and simple has never been my thing. I struggle with it because I love layers and patterned paper but it's good to break out of our comfort zone, right? To create my card I die cut a piece of patterned paper from the 7gypsies Postale 8x8 paper pad down using a Gina Marie Designs stitched rectangle die. I stamped the musical note elements from the Skipping Stones Design Heartsong I stamp set twice onto the focal panel using Gina K warm cocoa ink. I then stamped the bird, sentiment, and musical notes from the same stamp set onto the panel using Memento tuxedo black ink so I could add some Copic coloring. The leaves at the end of the branch are from the Heartsong II stamp set. The patterned paper was a bit flimsy so I die cut another rectangle panel using 110lb cardstock and backed it against the paper. I went around the edges of the panel with Tim Holtz distress ink in tea dye just to give it a nice vintage look. I popped the panel up off of the card using some 3M foam tape and added a few clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh for a finishing touch. I hope you like it and thank you for visiting my blog today!

Send A Smile 4 Kids Valentine

Today's card was created for the latest Send A Smile 4 Kids challenge. The challenge is to create anything goes or something Valentine's Day. To create my card I started by stamping the ketchup and mustard bottles and the hotdog from the Sweet Stamp Shop's Perfect Match stamp set onto some white Copic-friendly cardstock and colored them using my alcohol markers. I also took an extra piece of the same cardstock and covered it with same red marker I used to color the ketchup. I cut two small strips of paper and die cut a few hearts using Stampin' UP's build an owl punch. I love the tiny little heart on that punch! I fussy cut the images out and edged them with my Memento tuxedo black dual tip marker. I then adhered some patterned paper from the Cosmo Cricket 2twenty thr3e 6x6 paper pad onto my white card base. I stamped the sentiment from the same stamp set and adhered the colored strips I created. I popped the images up off of the card using Stampin' UP's foam dimensionals and glue the hearts down. For a finishing touch I added some black dashed lines at the top and bottom of the main focal panel to help divide the accent paper. I think it turned out super cute! Thank you for visiting my blog today!

Butterfly Birthday

Today's card was created for the latest Less Is More challenge. I really struggle with clean and simple cards but I do love the color purple, so I had to come up with something pretty but CAS. To create my card I started by layering some dark lavender cardstock from Hobby Lobby onto my white card base. I then layered some white cardstock on top and added a few clear Recollections rhinestones to each corner. I then added a focal panel by die cutting a piece of patterned paper from the Authentique Essentials Collection 6x6 paper pad using a cross stitched edge circle die from Gina Marie Designs. I stamped the butterfly from a Hero Arts stamp set and sentiment from Winnie & Walter's The Big, The Bold, and The Happy stamp set directly onto the patterned paper. I stamped the butterfly again onto some white Copic-friendly cardstock and colored it with my alcohol markers in pretty shades of purple. I fussy cut the image, edged it with my Memento tuxedo black dual tip marker, and adhered it down to the focal panel using a glue dot and some Stampin' UP foam dimensionals. As a finishing touch I added tons of clear Wink of Stella and a few clear rhinestones to the butterfly's body. I love how this card turned out! I only wish my photo had better exposure. Unfortunately, our area got hit with a nasty ice storm last night and the sun has not really showed itself much today. Anyway, I hope you like my card and thank you for visiting my blog!

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!