Happy Birthday with Pressed Flowers

 I love the current MFT sketch featuring a big heart and plenty of scattered elements.  I stamped and cut MFT's Pressed Flowers, layered them on a scalloped panel, and die cut the heart.  It is backed by two more heart dies to create some dimension.  I am happy that the concept in my mind worked on paper!  

Wishing everyone a new year filled with kindness and good health!

Christine

Linking to:

MFT Sketch Challenge

SSS Wednesday Challenge (Sparkle and Shine--iridescent confetti)

Word Art Wednesday

Go Confidently in the Direction of your Dreams

 

My cousin's twins are seniors in high school.  Thankfully, they live in a small town in a more remote area and have been very minimally impacted by Covid, so the kids are enjoying a "normal" senior year.  Needless to say, I made the floral card for the female twin first as I find that so much easier.  This is a go-to design for male graduation cards and adding a bit of shiny card stock in school colors dresses the card up without making it "too frilly" as my husband would say. These stamps and dies are from my beloved Verve collection, and papers are 12 x 12  open stock from Hobby Lobby.

Thanks for taking a peek,

Christine

Linking to:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge (Sparkle and Shine)

Paper Funday Challenge (A/G)

Ellibelle's Corner Crafty Wednesday Challenge (A/G)

Pizza Lover's Birthday

 The MFT Pizza Maker dies and stamps are absolutely such fun to use!  The tiny pizza toppings are adorable and have fabulous detail.  With a pizza lover in my family (well, more than one.....) I couldn't resist this set and it bring a smile every time I use it.  The background was created from scraps within arm's reach, and I love the "Pizza Hut" vibes the colors evoke.  

Thanks so much for visiting,

Christine

Linking to:

Word Art Wednesday

Wish Big!

 

This adorable Trucking through the Seasons die set was a Christmas request, knowing that I need to expand my craft collection to include more masculine images.  I just love this set and had such fun 'test driving' it!  I am sure that more fun is on the horizon with these cute dies, and I noticed that they are on sale now!  

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:

SSS Wednesday Challenge (Sparkle and Shine -- mirror card stock) 

Word Art Wednesday

Sparkly Birthday

 

I might be addicted to the side fold layout explained this SCS tutorial.  Just a little change to a standard A2 layout provides a square panel for decorating, something really handy when working with small images such as these from Lawn Fawn.  The current SSS Challenge is Sparkle and Shine, so I used "The Birthday Wishes" stack from DCWV which includes bright patterns along with some gloss, glitter, or shimmer on each page.

Linking to:

SSS Wednesday Challenge (Sparkle and Shine -- glitter paper)

Word Art Wednesday

Birthday Cupcake

My birthday card stash needs more masculine cards.  I had fun playing with these MFT Frosted Cupcake dies, cutting some of the frosting layers from shimmery and glittery papers.  It adds a nice touch to the otherwise CAS card.

Linking to:

SSS Wednesday Challenge (Sparkle and Shine -- glitter paper)

Word Art Wednesday

Winter Flowers Side Fold Card

 

Last night, I stamped a background using SSS Winter Flowers and made three poinsettia tags, leaving a non-standard rectangular strip to play with. I adapted the 'side-fold' card shown here and used the last of the background to create a slightly-smaller-than-A2 sized card.  I am so happy to have rediscovered Winter Flowers in my stash!  

Linking to:

Double D Challenges

Word Art Wednesday

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Merry Poinsettia Tag

 To say that teaching students all day in the classroom and providing for virtual learners in the evenings and on weekends has kept me busy is an understatement.  I am ever so thankful to have completed the semester and to have some time off before the New Year!  It was a treat to craft for a while this afternoon, and I was thrilled to see the Double D Challenge mood board.  I 'discovered' this abstract poinsettia in Simon Says Stamp's Winter Flowers....that is to say that I'd forgotten this beauty was included in the pretty set.  The die cut bloom creates the focal point while stamped flowers, leaves, berries, and some stenciling create a coordinating background paper from which the tags were cut. I enjoyed the process of creating the background and found this SCS tutorial very helpful.

Linking to:

Double D Challenges

Word Art Wednesday

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Be Mine, Valentine

 What fun it is to have time to make a card!  The current Ink to Paper challenge is to create a Valentine's Day card, and my PTI/ITP stash did not disappoint.  This card features a Shape Shifters Oval, You Have my Heart, and Bitty Bouquets.  The sentiment from  Love in Bloom is heat embossed on vellum for a soft layer.  

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:

Ink to Paper

Word Art Wednesday

My help comes from the Lord

 What  a precious scripture!  I made this card to encourage a friend.  The Altenew frame was die cut twice and layered over a lightly inked card base.  The blooms from Gran's Garden are in my "tackle box" full of layered images that I mass produce when my Misti is all set up with templates.  This is the last of them, so I look forward to the peaceful, repetitive task of creating more.

Thanks for taking a look,

Christine

Linking to:

Word Art Wednesday

SSS Wednesday Challenge (Fun with Dies)

Cocoa Tag

One of the 25 Days of Christmas Tags posts that made me say, "I want all the things,"  was Tammy Stark's adorable cocoa mug shared on Day 14.  The Lawn Fawn mugs and accessory dies created the cutest cuppa cocoa ever!  I tried my hand at creating a similar tag using the usually elegant mug from Stamp Simply's Coffee or Tea? set and topping it off with the icing portion of a cupcake die.  I think that the cute striped paper made it extra fun!

Thanks for visiting, 

Christine

Linking to:

25 Tags of Christmas (inspired Tammy---Day 14)

The Cat's Pajamas (gift tags)

Word Art Wednesday

SSS Wednesday Challenge (a/g)

Merry Christmas Tag

 

I love playing along with the 25 Days of Christmas Tags, and this tag explains why.  I found Lindsey's Day 1 tag to be very inspiring, so I dug through my stash for compatible products.  The faux poinsettias are smaller blooms from the MFT Stitched Flowers die set, and I was thrilled to find tiny pine boughs as some of the embellishments in an Avery Elle set.  Not exactly what Lindsey used, but pretty nonetheless. This is one of the great things that happen when playing along in challenges.   I love this design and will probably combine the tiny flowers and poinsettias on future projects.  

Thanks for visiting, 

Christine

Linking to:

25 Tags of Christmas (inspired by Lindsey---Day 1)

The Cat's Pajamas (gift tags)

Word Art Wednesday

SSS Wednesday Challenge (a/g)

Not the Presents...But His Presence

 

Still playing along with the 25 Days of Christmas Tags--Happy to see my collection growing!  This tag was inspired by Sharma's beauty shared on Day 25.  I had the tiny holly leaves and hearts left from die cutting pieces for a previous tag, and Sharma's design had the perfect place for them! 

Thanks for visiting, 

Christine

Linking to:

25 Tags of Christmas (inspired by Sharma---Day 25)

The Cat's Pajamas (gift tags)

Word Art Wednesday

SSS Wednesday Challenge (a/g)

PIP Challenge

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

 

We had our petite Thanksgiving feast for four today, and my husband and I will enjoy leftovers tomorrow.  I am looking forward to watching the parade tomorrow morning, an easy meal, and maybe a little time to craft.  

These tags are part of a set of five that were inspired by Lin's Day 2 creation for the 25 Days of Christmas Tags.  I love Lin's work, and her sweet double tag all in pastels won my heart.  I used softer colors along with one of my favorite Christmas sentiments from Verve.  The holly leaves were cut with a Little Inker Die, but I substituted a tiny heart for the traditional berries.  Come to think of it, I have done that a lot this season!

Thanks for visiting, 

Christine

Linking to:

25 Tags of Christmas (inspired by Lin--Day 2)

The Cat's Pajamas (gift tags)

Word Art Wednesday

SSS Wednesday Challenge (a/g)

Poinsettia Tag

 I am playing along at the 25 Tags of Christmas and am  slowly creating little sets of tags to give as gifts. The most recent addition was inspired by Norine's (day 3)  beautiful poinsettia layered over a gorgeous soft blue background.  I use the somewhat abstract poinsettia from SSS Winter Flowers by embossing it in gold (another element of Norine's tag) and layering it over a heart die that includes Christmas text and some soft blue inking.  

Thanks for taking a peek,

Christine

Linking to:

25 Tags of Christmas (inspired by Norine--Day 3)

The Cat's Pajamas (gift tags)

O, Christmas Tree!

 After spending the weekend completing school work, I gave myself "a day off" to do a little cooking and crafting.  This is my third set of tags.  I've been making six of each while playing along at the 25 Tags of Christmas in hope of having several sets to give as little gifts.  This one was inspired by Carol's strikingly simple tag on Day 13.  I think I 'busied it up' too much by using the gingham background, but the result is still pretty cute.

Hope everyone is well and busy preparing for a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Christine

Linking to

25 Tags of Christmas (Day 13 Carol)

TCP November Challenge

Jingle all the Way!

 

Lindsey's Day 18 tag caught my eye!  So happy to have found some jingle bells remaining in my crafty stash from last year!  The tag base and topper are RC products, and the adorable sentiment is part of my Verve stash.  These tags worked up so quickly, and I was even able to use some scraps from my Christmas cards.

Thanks for taking a look,

Christine

Linking to:

25 Tags of Christmas (Inspired by Lindsey on Day 18)

Word Art  Wednesday

SSS Wednesday Challenge (Christmas)

PIP Challenge

 

Tiny Snowflake Tags

I was absolutely smitten by Hussena's beautiful Pink Fresh Studio tag created for Day 12 of the 25 tags of Christmas!  I love plaid, so I stamped the PFS plaid background in Versamark, embossed in white, and added some pretty pink ink with a blending brush.  The SSS snowflake die is cut from glitter cardstock, and everything is layered over a scalloped square for a sweet edge.  I hope to complete enough tags to have five sets for gifts.

Thanks for visiting,

Christine

Linking to:

25 Tags of Christmas (Inspired by Hussena on Day 12)

Word Art  Wednesday

SSS Wednesday Challenge (Christmas)

PIP Challenge

 

"Heart-y" Holly Tag

Playing along with Day 10 of the 25 Tags of Christmas.  Ali Farmer's tag using Reverse Confetti's fun pierced rectangle tag was the inspiration for this set of six.  I thought her simple layer of greenery was so striking when layered over the graphic background.  This dainty holly sprig was in my stash, but I didn't have the gumption to cut it twice to have red berries and green leaves, so I added some tiny red hearts in lieu of holly berries. The Dec. 25 image is also from RC, but it's retired, I believe.

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to

25 Tags of Christmas (inspired by Day 10:  Ali)

Word Art Wednesday

SSS Wednesday (Christmas)

PIP Challenge

25 Tags of Christmas --Day 21

 Thankful for a little time to craft this weekend.  I intended to roll up my sleeves and to get busy creating tags for the annual 25 Tags of Christmas festivities, but things happened.  My elementary teaching position includes both in-person learning and virtual learning, and there aren't enough hours in the day.  

My tag was inspired by Ilda's beautiful tag on Day 21.  I love the way she colored the snowman to make it look iridescent---so gorgeous!

Linking to

25 Tags of Christmas (Day 21 --Ilda's Tag)

Word Art Wednesday

PIP Challenge

SSS Wednesday Challenge  (Christmas)

Mojo Merry Christmas

 I am so happy to have achieved my crafty goal for 2020 which was to create with each of the Mojo sketches.  There were a few times since the onset of Covid that emotions and circumstances were "just too much", so I am especially thankful for the inspiring sketches and samples Julee provided to keep us crafting.  

I'd highly recommend setting some fun goals along with the serious ones.  More than once this past year, I'd have not made crafting a priority even though it is something that helps me relax and refresh.

May God bless all as we enter the season of giving thanks and celebrating the birth of our Savior.  I pray that 2021 brings brighter, healthier, and kinder days.

Thanks for visiting, 

Christine

Linking to:

Mojo Monday

PIP Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

SSS Wednesday Challenge (Christmas)

Mercy as wide as the Sea

This peaceful set featuring the serene waterscape and sweet verses about God's mercy was a calming one to use following the difficult week we have just experienced.  The pretty Mojo sketch created a wonderful backdrop for the scene.

Thanks for taking a look,

Christine

Linking to:

Mojo Monday

Word Art Wednesday

PIP Challenge

25 Tags of Christmas Day 5

 I am tardy to one of my favorite parties!  Playing along with the 25 Tags of Christmas has become a fun tradition the last couple of years, and I have learned to make multiples of each tag so that when the celebration closes I have plenty of tags to use and to bundle into little gifts.  

Our elementary parents had a recent opportunity to change learning settings, and half of the fifty students I'd been teaching on-line came back to school in person about three weeks ago.  It was like having the first day in October while continuing to teach another class of 25 in the evenings.  My crafting time has been rare!

I've decided to make time to join Tracy and Friends for the 25 Tags celebration and will probably be better for it!  

Thanks for visiting,

Christine 

Linking to 

The 25 Tags of Christmas (My Day 5 tag was inspired by the project Sue Symens posted  I love the holly background and the fun layout of her big tag.)

Word Art Wednesday

Mojo Monday: Freshly Picked

 MFT had a nice sale a couple of weeks ago, and these Freshly Picked dies were back in stock.  Can't wait it has taken me so long to clip them apart and to play with them.  I was determined to use them and adjusted the Mojo sketch just a bit to make them work on the card.  

So thankful for the beautiful weather we had today and for a little time to craft,

Christine

Linking to:

Mojo Monday

Word Art Wednesday

He will be our Peace

 Shanna provided a wonderful card on the Ink to Paper blog and challenged crafters to recreate it using PTI products.  I love the pretty vertical layers Shanna created using the new wood grain dies.  I don't have them, so I cut strips from a panel stamped with Loosely Woven.  The 'branch' and flowers are pieces from Birthday Bouquet, and the sweet birds are from one of my favorite sets, Brushed Birds.  The little birds seemed a picture of peace, and we definitely need God's peace in our world today.

Thanks for visiting,

Christine

Linking to:

Ink to Paper

SSS Wednesday Challenge (layers)

Word Art Wednesday

Wreath Redo: For Someone Special

 After cutting an assortment of leaves and flowers from Reverse Confetti's "Build a Bunch", I assembled a free-form wreath.  I centered it on a standard card front, and while pretty, there wasn't much of a layout to the card, and it looked dull.  I recycled it by cutting the wreath panel in half and fussy cutting around it.  I think this version looks better, and I still have the other half of the wreath to use on another project.

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:

Double D Challenge (Wreaths)

Reverse Confetti SYS Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

Ham it Up with a sketch

 I enjoy using the punny little MFT set called Hogs and Kisses as we like humorous birthday cards as well as more serious ones.  This one uses the current MFT sketch, and I am happy with the clean look that came from following the plan.  

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:

MFT Sketch Challenge

Tuesday Throwdown

Word Art Wednesday

Hello Pumpkin

 I am completely enchanted with the cream and aqua pumpkins that are popping up all over Pinterest.  DH, who is a truly wonderful guy, doesn't 'do abstract', so I am confining my aqua pumpkins to cards.  The recipient of this one loves aqua and has a birthday coming up.  I think she will like it!

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:

Mod Squad Challenge

PIP Challenge 

Word Art Wednesday

For Someone Special

 

My love of combining challenges comes through in this project.  This card fits the friendship theme at Reverse Confetti featuring RC Rose Garden stamps, RC Wreath die, and a sentiment from Banners in Bloom.  The wreath design (one of my absolute favorites) fits the Double D challenge, and the pretty purple sequins add a bit of sparkle to create an entry for SSS Wednesday Challenge.  

So thankful for a few days to enjoy fall break while crafting and getting some essential chores and errands taken care of.

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:

Reverse Confetti (friendship)

Double D Challenge (wreaths)

SSS Wednesday Challenge (make it  sparkle)

Word Art Wednesday

PIP Challenge

A Simple Birthday Greeting

 The current challenge at Ink to Paper is to create a "Simply Beautiful" card.  I love Bitty Bouquets, gingham, and the A2 Noted Dies.  The card came together quickly and the layout calls attention to that sweet little Bitty Bouquet.

Linking to 

Ink to Paper

PIP Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

Happy Birthday-May your cup runneth over

I wanted to play along with the "use your scraps" challenge at Seize the Birthday.   This sweet little set of stamps and dies called "Coffee or Tea?" landed in my mailbox on Thursday, and I have had such fun with it!  The set can be found right here at Stamp Simply.  I love coffee, tea, beautiful cups, and funny mugs, so cutting these pretties from scraps from an Echo Park pad brought such joy.  The adorable little tag was perfect for a tiny sentiment in my stash, and the blessing from the "Coffee or Tea?" set stamped beautifully on the vellum strip wrapped around the center of the card.

Thanks for visiting,

Christine

Linking to:

Seize the Birthday Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

Autumn Wreath

 Wreaths  are the current theme at the Double D Challenge------ and who doesn't love a pretty wreath?  My card features a die from The Cat's Pajamas.  I like to cut it from watercolor paper and shade it with ink and a blending tool or to use watercolors.  Using watercolor paper makes it a little easier to paint or ink blend without fear of bending the delicate areas.  I used autumn colors this time, but the wreath is very pretty in pastels, too.  The addition of a little gold mirrored card stock and a few gold iridescent sequins adds a touch of sparkle.

Thanks so much for taking a look,

Christine

Linking to:

Double D Challenge

SSS Wednesday (add sparkle)

Word Art Wednesday

The Cat's Pajamas Challenge (fall colors)

Take Life One Cup at a Time---and a big thanks!

 I was recently blessed with a fabulous prize at Word Art Wednesday  where Stamp Simply is a frequent sponsor.  The "Coffee or Tea" set includes sweet scriptures and sentiments along with dies to cut the delicate cup.  My package arrived yesterday and this week's Mojo Monday sketch includes the perfect spot for the pretty scalloped cup.  Many thanks to Sharon of Stamp Simply and to Karen of Word Art Wednesday for this wonderful gift that came at a time I needed a little pick-me-up.  

Thanks, Julee, for keeping card makers supplied with inspirational sketches and your own beautiful examples!

Blessings,

Christine

Linking to:  Mojo Monday, Word Art Wednesday, SSS Wednesday Challenge (sequins added for sparkle)

Autumn Blessings

I had lots of fun watercoloring the sweet sunflowers from Newton's Nook and layering them over a splattered panel and some scraps of autumn-toned papers.

Sharing with these challenges:

Inky Paws Challenge (Autumn Theme)

SSS Wednesday Challenge A/G

 

Some People make the World Special

This sweet sentiment is part of my dearly loved Verve stash and is so very true of the intended recipient!  All of the papers are scraps form a stack that I have greatly enjoyed using, and I was happy to find a way to incorporate small strips of the pretty prints into a layout.

Thanks for visiting,

Christine

Linking to:

SSS Wednesday Challenge----Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday----Anything Goes

SSS WCMD Link up

Choose Joy

Today is World Card Making Day, and I enjoyed carving out a little time to play along with Melissa's Fabulous Friday Feature to make a card with the joy theme.  I'd hoped to get a birthday card made, but that may be a project to tomorrow afternoon.

Linking to:

Melissa's Fab Friday Feature

SSS Wednesday Challenge

WCMD at SSS

PIP Challenge
 

Autumn Blessings

Tomorrow is Custodians' Day and we are honoring the sweet folks who work especially hard to keep our school shiny clean and disinfected during this time when it is so important to sanitize.  I appreciate their hard work and the smiles and kind words they always have to share. 

This card came together quickly after blending two shades of yellow over MFT's Stitched Flowers dies.  They look so nice and warm over kraft, and the sequins are iridescent gold.  They just glow in real life!

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:

Word Art Wednesday

SSS Wednesday Challenge

PIP Challenge

 

Happy Birthday with Seize the Birthday Inspiration

 Seize the Birthday is having quite the celebration for its 200th challenge.   I love the graphic and drew inspiration from the beautiful colors as I cerated my card.  An especially dear loved one has a birthday soon, and she will find this card in her mailbox next week.  I layered Altenew's Garden Pick 3d die cuts over the pierced background, also form Altenew.  As another nod to the pretty graphic, I used the ink already on my blender brushes to add some soft shading behind the flowers.  A splash of clear confetti finishes off this paper celebration.  Many congrats to Seize the Birthday!

Linking to:

Seize the Birthday Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

PIP Challenge

Have a Very Merry Christmas

 

I used Gran's Garden in reds and greens for my Christmas cards last year, and I think they are my favorite Christmas cards ever!   Had to tell myself not to use these pretty blooms again because everyone would remember them from last year.  When I saw that  the current Ink to Paper challenge is to create a Christmas card, I just couldn't resist using some of the pink posies I stamped a week or so ago.  Loosely Woven and the A2 Noted Die make a simple background.

Thanks for taking a look,

Christine

Linking to:

Ink to Paper Challenge

Word Art Wednesday