With all the turmoil surrounding our world lately I am glad I have such a rewarding hobby to keep me sane. This card is made with two challenges in mind, Double D and The Paper Players.

The card base is from GKD and is called Innocent Pink. The pp is from the internet and is a wallpaper pattern. I liked the softness of it. I cut it down to size and then die cut the word friend using a Die from Simon Says. After adding some foam to the back I glued it to card front. Then I paper pieced the letters back into the spaces keeping it very simple. I added the sentiment using a stamp set also from GKD called Happy Spring. Added a few gems to complete the look.

This card fits 2 challenges – Mod Squad and As you See it. Regarding my preference of which cards I enjoy sending I would have to say that I love making and sending all the cards I create, with most of them being birthday cards. I pride myself on not missing a birthday for someone I care about, although on occasion I am a bit late with the mailing. This card can be used as a birthday greeting or a just because card. I enjoy sending those as well.

I had this napkin that I’d saved as I really liked the foiled design angled along one corner. I separated the layers and glued the foiled pretty piece to some cs which I then adhered to the fun fold card piece. I added some mirri card on the folded back section. Using my new Divinity Design stamp set called bear hugs I stamped the little bear, hand coloured with Inktense pencils and die cut him. Using a scrap piece of purple card layered onto some black I added that to the folded part. After which, I added the die cut along with the sentiment strip from same set. I also stamped the hello on the back section and glued some fall out bits from another die I had used earlier for some added interest. The hidden folded part is blank but ready for a personal message.

Sadly I needed another sympathy card this week so while doing the other challenge card I also did this one and will include it in the same challenges.

Using the same stencil and the emboss resist technique I added the larger dragonflies and heat embossed. Using the small stamp I repeated the process. I then sponged the colours over the top and polished the embossed bits to remove excess ink. I added some shimmer to the piece with my Shimmer Stix dauber. After cutting it to the correct size I added the different colour twine and bow at the side. Layered it onto the coloured piece and then added to card front.

I stamped the vertical greeting and heat embossed in gold and then did the same thing with the dragonfly stamp from a set called the Wetlands, GKD. Fussy cut them out and popped them up as shown. Added the greeting on the side. I like how this turned out as it has a softness to it that to me, seems perfect for sympathy.

Did a colour challenge and a flight challenge on one entry with this card. I kept it fairly simple in concept too.

Started by stenciling the dragonfly in the challenge colours or as close to those colours I could get. I used a small metal stencil and sponges for this. Then I took a small dragonfly stamp from a set called vertical greetings and things by GKD and stamped a few random smaller ones. Used a Perfect Pearl mist in gold to create some spatter. Cut this layer down and added it to a black layer. Added some ribbon on the side and then glued to card front. On a scrap piece I stamped the sentiment, by Hot of the Press, in versamark and heat embossed in my favourite powder. I cut this with a shaped Crafters Companion die added a gem and then popped it up on an angle.

I have nothing in my collection to do with St. Patrick’s day so I took a leaf out of my stamping buddy Gerry’s book and found a freebie on line. I resized it, coloured and cut it out.

Using a GKD card front in grass green I added a stenciled piece on top. First I used a fern stencil with versamark and then heat embossed verdigris on top. Then using twisted citron ink I sponged through another stencil from Memory box over the top. I added a wobbly to the back of the leprechaun and glued to top of stenciled piece. Added a sentiment piece that came in a word set of pre-cut shapes. I didn’t really want to say Happy St. Patrick’s Day so this piece suited my idea much better.

Our good friend and neighbor is turning 65 this week and is having a party to celebrate. I made him this card while trying to make it fit the As you see it challenge.

These colours are as close as I can get to the ones showing on the challenge. I don’t own much in StampinUp and didn’t have the lipstick red in my stash from GKD either. It is a bit of guess work to get the right colours but I tried my best. I started by die cutting the numbers using an alphabet die I recently acquired and stupidly forgot to write down from whom and from where. I hand cut the squares in the yellow and peach colour and then stamped the letters using a set from Recollections. The inside reads as follows:

I added the red dots from some leftover bits from the original die cutting. I think I like it, but it sure is bright.

My first card since arriving home from our recent vacation and I’ve made it to fit the JUG’s weekly challenge.

While touring around the Netherlands I came across a small hobby shop that had a sale going on. Just had to go in there and found a few useful items at decent sale prices. This tulip die was one of those items and is made by Craft Emotions. I mean tulips and Holland go together right so a must buy for me.

After cutting the die twice once in green and then once in pink I put the pink part over the flowers on the green and glued them together. Using a colour pencil I added a few details to the flowers. Taking a design idea from a stamping buddy I added the die cut to the dark green panel. After cutting, scoring and folding the main card I adhered some pp found on the internet and printed at home, to which I also added some get well (CTMH set) words in gray. I took a scrap piece of green cs for the folded back portion and using a tulip stamp from a set called A Year of flowers (GKD) I stamped a faint impression in pale pink. Unfortunately the photo doesn’t pick up this detail very well so you may not be able to see it. The sentiment is one I created on my computer.

Basically this came about because I wanted to use the scraps on my desk. I had the letters and the tiny glitter heart along with the mirri circle and I wondered how I should use them. Going through my stash of embellishments I found the swirly heart and hey presto. I remembered I had the no brand heart die for the background piece and using another scrap cs left over from yesterday I cut the frame and adhered it to white card front. I popped up the circle on top and resisted the temptation to add anything more. Again I can use this for an anniversary or a wedding occasion.

In general, I’m not one for doing Valentine cards, but think this one can be used for a wedding or anniversary so it will go into my stash until needed. PP and sentiment stamp is from Divinity Designs. The two hearts are from projects last year that didn’t get used and the birds are a new Impression Obsession die that I won in a challenge late last year. I had some scrap glitter silver cs that I used to cut them. Added a strip of silver washi tape to ground them. This was a very quick card to put together and I love the sentiment.

Started with the die cut which is a Flower frame from Gemini. I mounted it on top of the mirri card using tiny pop dots and then added that to the contrasting card front. Added a few pearls for accent and to hide the foam dots behind. Using another gemini die I cut the disc for the bottom corner backing this piece with some almost red scrap cs. Added the flower with florish in the center but made it completely flat except the pearl center.

It is funny how a photograph will change the colour of a mirri card stock where it hits the light.