Birthday Bouquet: Thanks a Bunch

Birthday Bouquet by Ink to Paper has been on my wish list for awhile.  It arrived yesterday evening, and inking it up was lots of fun!  Layering a few blossoms over the foliage and adding that sweet little bow made for a quick CAS card.

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:  PIP Challenge

Clean and Simple Thanks

Flourishing Florals just arrived from Ink to Paper, and I have been test driving them with a watercolor technique.  After blending Summer Sunrise and Hibiscus Burst onto the stamp, I lightly spritzed with water before making an impression on watercolor paper.  Layering the blooms over two PTI rectangles created a CAS center-weighted design.  Lots of fun!

Stay safe and well,
Christine
Linking to PIP Challenge

Color Throwdown- Thanks a Bunch

So thankful I caught the Color Throwdown palette this week!  The soft summer colors are so pretty and are ones I love to use.  A stranger's act of kindness was a huge help last week, and I want to send a note of thanks!  It was a pleasure to meet this sweet lady, and her willingness to go out of her way helped to solve a problem that may not otherwise have been solved.  Her help and the opportunity to get to know her was a real blessing.  

Wishing you a great week ahead,

Christine

Linking to Color Throwdown

Sketched Ranunculus--Thanks

Sketched Ranunculus by Simon Says Stamp was heat embossed and "messy watercolored" before layering over a panel cut with a Reverse Confetti Edger die and adding a sprinkling of clear sequins.  I used some of the left over watercolor to tint a scrap of card stock for the thanks word die.  This card was such fun to create and will hit the mailbox tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:

Word Art Wednesday

Just a Little Note for You

This card was created using Floral Sketches from PTI.  The flowers were stamped with Aqua Mist, Lilac Grace, and Harvest Gold.  After misting them with water, I heat embossed the details in gold and added a little Wink of Stella to the centers.  Fun crafting on a Saturday afternoon!

Thanks for visting,

Christine

Linking to:

Word Art Wednesday

SSS Wednesday Challenge

Land of the Free Because of the Brave

I made a criss cross fold card this morning and decided to give it a second try using the inspiration Photo at the Card Concept.  I was inspired by the colors in the photo to create this clean and layered patriotic card.

Thanks for stopping by, 

Christine

Linking to:  Card Concept

SSS Wednesday Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

Criss-Cross: Heartfelt Gratitude

I love a good sketch challenge and often turn to Atlantic Hearts for inspiration.  I must admit that the current sketch had me a bit stumped.  Originally, I thought to cut and layer papers to create a traditional folded card.  A little research revealed that the sketch could be used for a criss cross card.  The criss cross fold creates a pocket holding a panel that pulls out for decoration on one side and a greeting on the opposite.  I used some Glitz papers from my stash and am really glad to have tried this fold.

Thanks for visiting.  Stay safe and well,

Christine

Linking to:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

TCP 

Word Art Wednesday

SSS Wednesday Challenge

                                      

Floral Thinking of You

Just playing around with some dies.....the plaid cut is rectangular, but I placed it inside an oval frame and added a few flowers from Reverse Confetti's Garden Bunch layering set.

Linking to:
Reverse Confetti Stock Your Stash
Word Art Wednesday
SSS Wednesday Challenge

Decorative Donuts: Sweet Hello

I confess to being a "donut snob".  The only donuts I eat come from a local mom and pop shop, and they are the best---though occasional---treat.  I love these Reverse Confetti donut dies, too!   (retired, I think)  I wanted to top them with fun patterns and decided to use a just-right-sized scrap of the floral print and coordinating scraps in pink and green.   I think I like pretty donuts, too!

Hope you are well and are able to find some crafty time,
Christine

Linking to:
Reverse Confetti Stock Your Stash
TCP
Word Art Wednesday
SSS Wednesday Challenge

Thinking of you in pink and aqua

I came across these pink scraps and thought they played nicely with each other.  I love pink and white with gold, so I embossed some flowers and leaves from Reverse Confetti's Build a Bunch in gold glitter EP and sponged some Aqua Mist on the flowers.  It's a good feeling to know that these scraps have found a home on a card.

Thanks for visiting,
Christine
Linking to:
Reverse Confetti Stock Your Stash
The Cat's Pajamas

Inky Paws Sketch Challenge

Playing along with the Inky Paws sketch, and today's weather is   perfect for Newton's Rainy Day stamps.  After heat embossing the image, I colored it with Arteza Real Brush markers, using a water brush for blending.
Thanks for visiting,
Christine

Linking to:
Inky Paws Challenge
Tuesday Throwdown
Word Art Wednesday
The Cat's Pajamas

Kraft and Aqua--Thinking of You

Love the color challenge at Just Us Girls!  I stamped Papertrey's Love in Bloom in Aqua Mist and Hawaiian Shores.  The focal panel is layered over a strip stenciled with Altenew's Watercolor Stripes inked with Aqua Mist.

Take care,
Christine

Linking to:
Just Us Girls
Word Art Wednesday

Summer Fun----A second cup of coffee

This week's theme for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is Summer Fun.  I teach, so on most days my coffee is consumed from a travel mug on the way to school.  I love the slower pace of summer that allows for slow sipping and for a second cup.  This summer, I am trying to stay home, so I am also grateful for a well-stocked craft closet and plenty of e-books.

One of my "favorite photopolymer coffee cups" is this one from Verve.  I was playing around with repeat stamping and was thrilled to find that five cups fit nicely in a large circle.  I watercolored them with Artezas in nice warm shades in honor of our hot Texas summer.

Stay well,
Christine

Linking to:
SSS Wednesday Challenge
Word Art Wednesday

Heartfelt Gratitude

The current Just Us Girlschallenge is to Frame it Up!  The frame on my card was created by cutting the center out of a PTI Shape Shifters Square.  The MFT Stitched Flowers were cut from white card and were inked using blender brushes.  I love having a blender brush for each color family!  Previously, I purchased one make up brush just to see how I liked ink blending with that method and cleaned it carefully between colors.  This way is so much easier!

Thanks for stopping by,
Christine

Linking to:
Just Us Girls
Word Art Wednesday

May Sunshine and Laughter Brighten your Days

It's always fun to play along with the Mojo Monday Sketch challenge.  These bright papers called for a cheerful sentiment, and this one cam from my treasured Verve collection.

Wishing you a bright day,
Christine

Linking to:
Mojo Monday
Word Art Wednesday

Garden Bunch--Hello

I am playing along with Reverse Confetti's Stock Your Stash.  The theme is hello/just because which is perfect for sending encouraging mail right now.  I am off for the summer and staying safe at home.  My husband has gone back to work, so it is very quiet around here.  So thankful for my stash of craft supplies and for the outward focus of card-making.

Thanks for visiting,
Christine

Thinking of You featuring Banner in Bloom

I CASEd one of Jen del Muro's cards to create this card which features Reverse Confetti's Banner in Bloom.  I love that stamp set!

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:

Reverse Confetti Stock Your Stash--Hello

Word Art Wednesday-- A/G

Hello with Build a Bunch

After stamping the larger blooms from Build A Bunch by RC, I colored them with Arteza Real Brush markers and mounted them over a heart die that I picked up at Tuesday Morning.  Our local Tuesday Morning is going out of business as a result of the Covid shut down....sniff...sniff.  The folks who work there are just the sweetest, and I love seeing them as much as treasure hunting for craft supplies and fun home goods.  

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:

Reverse Confetti Stock Your Stash--Hello

Word Art Wednesday-- A/G

Hello Sunshine---Watercolor Stamping

The current Mod Squad challenge is watercolor stamping.  After viewing the Gina K Designs video shared in the MSC post, I practiced with Pressed Flowers stamps by MFT.  This was definitely a new technique for me, and I am glad that I gave it a try.

Thanks for visiting,

Christine

Linking to

Mod Squad Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

Stitched Flowers

The Double D Challenge is to use scraps.  That always seems a little difficult until getting started with a project.  Invariably, I end up liking scrap-based projects whether they are cards, album pages, or sewing projects!  This card uses one of my favorite die sets----MFT Stitched Flowers.  It is always great for using scraps!

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine

Linking to:

Double D Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

Thanks a Bunch with Floral Fringe

The crisp citrus colors of the Inky Paws challenge photo are such fun to use together.  After heat embossing the floral image, I colored it with Arteza Real Brush markers and a water brush. 

Thanks for visiting,
Christine

Sunny Florals

The challenge theme at Just Us Girls is sunshine, so I scattered a trio of sunny florals across my card front, accenting with some brilliant sequins.

Wishing you a sunny day,

Chrsitine

Linking to:

Just Us Girls Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

Hey There--Thinking of You

I stamped some flowers from Floral Sketches in pastel shades and layered them over the Mix and Mat Pretty Brackets die.  I have so enjoyed playing along with Ink to Paper's Project Reach Out and keeping some encouraging cards in the mail.  

Have a wonderful day!

Christine

Linking to:

Ink to Paper Project Reach Out--Thinking of You

Word Art Wednesday

Hugs and Smiles

Melissa Phillips did the prettiest ink blending/resist over the Nifty Plaid background stamp in her Friday Feature.  I used a harlequin background and some similar inking for the inner section of the scrolled frame.  It was so much fun to create the panel and to layer a heart and some Bitty Bouquets over it.

Have a fabulous Saturday and mail some paper hugs and smiles to loved ones!
Christine

Linking to:
Ink to Paper Project Outreach (Hugs)
Word Art Wednesday (A/G)

Blessed is the Man who Trusts in the Lord

I will give this card to my father-in-law for Father's Day.  The papers are from a great masculine Authentique pad, and the wonderful scripture is a Verve Plain Jane.

Thanks so much for visiting,

Christine

Linking to:

The Cat's Pajamas June Challenge 

Simon Says Stamp (Masculine Cards)

Word Art Wednesday (A/G)

Just Us Girls Challenge (Two or More Patterns)

Happy Father's Day

I had fun making three of these cards....one for my dad, another for my brother, and one for my husband.  I haven't decided on the sentiments yet, but I am very glad to have the cards mostly assembled ahead of time!  The cute little bunny is  from The Cat's Pajamas, and the set includes the cutest tiny barbecue tools!

Thanks so much for visiting,

Christine

Linking to:

The Cat's Pajamas June Challenge 

Simon Says Stamp (Masculine Cards)

Word Art Wednesday (A/G)

Rose Garden--Thinking of You

Just a quick share of a card that combines several challenges and was made to help a friend who requested "thinking of you" cards.

Thanks for visiting,

Christine

Mojo Monday:  Sketch

Reverse Confetti:  Stock Your Stash---Just Because/Hello

Just Us Girls---Two or more patterned papers

Thinking of You with Reverse Confetti

Playing along with the Reverse Confetti Stock Your Stash with a "thinking of you" card featuring Garden Bunch, Edgers, Tall Tags, and Wreath.  It is finished with some vellum leaves and a few sequins.

Have a fabulous day!
Christine