The stamp set used here is one I’ve had for a while but only used one image from. The DSP is from StampinUp and reminded me of feathers and this stamp set from GKD, so here is my entry for the sketch challenge at Paper Players. There are times when covering up something as pretty as this paper seems like a crime so the sketch allowed me to use it and let it shine at the same time. The additional pp is from my stash and is a piece of mulberry paper. After stamping the Titmouse I looked it up on Google as I couldn’t remember what colours it should be. Some showed a beige brown and some showed a blue gray so I went with the blue gray. I Used a combination of pencils from both Inktense and Prisma to get the tone of how I wanted it to look. As well, I used some Sakura Glaze to highlight the blacks in the feathers. I cut several layers of the bird and glued them together for dimension and stability. Then using an MFT die that came with a stamp set I cut the sentiment and added a small navy bow to one end. The card base is a gray from GKD and I’m happy with the result.

This DSP from StampinUp reminds me of a painting my sister did when in Art College and I just had to use it. Pussy willow is such a lovely sign of spring too. Anyway I die cut the small frame in silver using a new unbranded set I’ve just received. I didn’t want to cover up the DSP although in retrospect I probably should have added a white panel underneath the frame. Using an Easter stamp set by Claire Brennan/GKD I stamped the daffodils and fussy cut them. I used Sakura glaze pens exclusively to colour in the image. Once it was added to the card front I added a few bees and one butterfly all from the same set and coloured them too. The sentiment was added to the circle along with the bees and I added some sparkle to it using a glitter pen. I went round the edge of the circle with a yellow Spectrum Noir pen before adding to card. This is a 2nd entry into the JUGs challenge. I’m not sure if some embellishments should be added so for now am leaving as is.

For me, nothing denotes spring more than a garden full of daffodils and I can already see the spears showing in my garden. For this card I took a piece of DSP from StampinUp and fussy cut around the top edges of the leaves and flowers before adding it to the card front. I left the top edge without any glue but on the photo you cannot see that it is loose with a bit of dimension. The little sheep/lamb comes from an older set by GKD and after die cutting it I added Sakura glaze on his feet and face with the black pen and then did swirls of white over the body which doesn’t show on photo but to the naked eye is evident. I popped him up on some foam tape. The sentiment comes from the same set and was heat embossed in white. I’m entering it into JUG’s although it isn’t anything like the photo.

THINK SPRING is the title for the latest challenge at CYHTP. For my card I used a cover plate die from Cutplorations a Stamplorations product. I cut it from white card stock and then using my Brutus Munroe stick and stamp mat I carefully sponged on the various colours which, to me, represent spring. After it was dry I added it to the black card front. Then I took an embossing folder from Craft Concepts, called In Bloom, along with a piece of shimmery vellum and I dry embossed the band. Even protecting it with some scrap CS didn’t prevent it from splitting a bit which was disappointing. After I attached this piece I took the sentiment strip which came from a gifted package of ephemera and attached it so that it hid the worst of the splitting. I shall have to play a bit to see how best to emboss vellum without damage. Any suggestions are welcome.

Based on this card and a previous post it is obvious that our lovely friend, Angie, is the source of my inspiration at the moment. This card was begun yesterday when I tested out my new cover die from MFT called Lots of Leaves. When I found the reminder about this challenge I realized that I already had the beginning of my entry so I completed it this morning. The beautiful shiny green CS was saved from packaging and I thought it would look good as the frame. Then I found some pale green vellum and cut the second piece from that. Like Angie I reversed the frame before gluing them together. Using a folder by Lifestyle Crafts called Courtyard Roses and some mixed media CS I got the background piece and added the frame to it. With the last piece of the darker green CS and a die from MFT called Twice the Hugs I cut out the word and added it curved slightly as shown. It is a clear CASE of Angie’s card but is still different because the products are not the same and I used a different sentiment on mine. Thanks Angie for being a consistent source of ideas to me.

Recently I saw a card on Pinterest, that had a single black and white flower slightly over black lines and then some black mixed size beads placed strategically among the lines. I loved the simplicity of this design and have used the idea here although in my case more than a single flower. Teal card is from GKD (I love this colour) and the rest is from scraps. Once I had the white layer cut to size I used a ruler and a brown pencil to draw the lines. The die cut is from Spellbinders and came with my platinum 6. I added some teal DSP from StampinUp for the additional flowers and leaves on top of the orange piece as well as for the Hi. The brown hearts are fallouts from a new die I got yesterday and I used those instead of gems for embellishment. One of our contractors requested me to make a Mother’s Day card and I’m using the new die to make it.

What could be better for this theme challenge than a die that cuts circles and a ladybug stamp? The die is by Memory Box and is called sketchy rings and the ladybug is from StampinUp. I also used a swiss dot EB folder that came with a mini Die cutter, a small leftover strip from something I stenciled at Xmas and used here because I didn’t like the bottom edge of the panel and this worked to disguise it. The sentiment is from Itty Bitty Basics by MFT. Black gems from my stash and the rings were cut from a pale shimmery scrap and I used the same piece to cut two tiny stem hearts for the ladybug to hold. I used Sakura Glaze on the ladybug over all the black parts and then coloured the rest with a red glitter pen and gray tone pencils. Once she was fussy cut I added the stem hearts and placed her on the rings which I had already attached to the card front. Its a very simple little card but fun too.

When I saw this challenge I remembered my Hero Arts kit from last year and thought it was perfect to use here. As well I remembered seeing Angie doing a wonderful series of cards using it and this is my take on something she did.

First I stamped and die cut the elements I wanted to use and then I coloured them using a mix of Inktense pencils and Sakura Glaze pens. I found adding the glaze over the spots of the leopard and letting it dry, before colouring it meant that I didn’t have to worry about being too careful. Adding shading was done in several layers and I’m fairly happy with the result. I did the same thing with the branch. I stamped the sentiment and heat embossed in white. Then I took a Hero Arts stencil and added ink using peeled paint and twisted citron distress inks. After adding the sentiment strip I carefully glued the branch and the leopard in a position I liked. Mental note to self, is to use this set more, as it has lots of great pieces and makes good generic or masculine style cards. And an FYI for my stamp group – if you haven’t invested in a Magic Mat, for your die cut machine, it is a worthwhile investment. It has been a game changer for me.

This is from the stamp set I’ve mentioned a couple of times in recent posts. It is from Concord & 9th and is one I’ve had for a while and only now am inking up. I’m also still on my kick of partial embossing only this time I used a folder. As I had 2 folders that are similar and because I wanted to emboss just a part of the card I had the bright idea of cutting the folder in half. I marked it and asked my hubby to cut it for me as his tools are better. He kept one of the hinges, and I added tape for another, to ensure it stays straight. This particular folder is from CTMH. I stamped the rainbow and used some water to spread the inks into any gaps. Then I fussy cut. I added the fussy cut clouds and originally planned a different sentiment from the set but I didn’t like it as it was too big. Instead I used the one you can see. I fussy cut the edge of folded strip which is also partially scored on the back piece. It still needed something so I went over the rainbow and the clouds with opal blaze which makes it really shine. A few raindrops with some Nuvo crystal glaze and a small stamped sun finished the card. No pink on this one but I’m adding it to the Can You Handle the Pressure challenge.

Having finally cleaned and tidied my craft room I am back in creative mode. The card front is a leftover 4X4 piece that I unearthed when sorting through the leftover scraps and putting them away or discarding. The background is something I made last week and set aside for use later. I added a bit more ink to it this morning and then dry embossed it with the brocade folder from Craft Concepts. Sentiment is from a Concord & 9th set left out for me to use, as I’ve an idea for some of the stamps. The butterfly is one from last week and is when I discovered the the die set and the stamp set I thought went with it didn’t match. Seeing as I’m unable to throw stuff away unless deemed totally unusable, I rescued it by adding some colour using mainly Sakura glitter pens and now it looks as though it was supposed to be cut this way. The bling is from the dollar store. The oval shape worked when I put two together as they reminded me of butterfly wings. We have snow today and I can see a lot of fluffy stuff is falling. Hope it doesn’t stick for long.