This embossed tulip frame layer by StampinUp has been sitting on my desk for a week or two. When I first made it, I wasn’t happy with it for the card I was then creating. I did cut it down a bit and also cut the middle part of the layer out too. Quite by accident the DSP angled piece ended up underneath the frame and I decided that was a good way to use the scrap DSP. I added a woodgrain piece at the bottom before making the flowers. The flowers and leaves are all from an Altenew stamp set and I used Distress oxides to stamp them. After fussy cutting them out I used some foam tape and then added them to the card front. The card front is the same green as you see in the DSP but looks black in the photo. The word was stamped and die cut from a GKD set called Stitched leaves and I added the embossed word to the black shadow before adding to the card. Rather than add any embellishments to this card I just added some sparkle to the flower centers. Thanks for looking.

It seemed to me that using pencils in the way that I have for this card was a great way to incorporate the sketch. As well the stamp set, made by GKD, is one I’ve had for a long time and haven’t used very much. My original idea was to colour each pencil but in the end I just coloured the tips and ends. The little heart stamp and sentiment is from the same set and once I had cut the circles I cut several more and stacked them so they have dimension. The tiny heart underneath the sentiment is from another GKD set called wreath builder. I wish I had dies for this set actually. I added the layer to a black piece to give a small border before adding it to the card front. I also added some Nuvo crystal glaze to the circle hearts and some Sakura glitter pen to the main sentiment. Thanks for looking.

Although today, one would be forgiven for thinking winter is back due to the snowy conditions, the reality is that it is blossom time and many trees are blooming. I thought a folder by Crafts Too with blossom was the perfect way to showcase this card. Once it was embossed I cut it down and then using a fine tip sponge I added some pink ink to the blossom. The Easter basket, sentiment and eggs are from a GKD/Claire Brennan set and the bunny is from another older set by GKD. The eggs were coloured with pencils and the basket with a combination of Copics and pencils. Bunny was done with pencils and Sakura Glaze. I ended up redoing the basket as I messed up the bottom portion on the original and because I had the extra bits I fussy cut the bow and popped it up on top of the original image. Actually all the images were fussy cut for this card. The pink embellishments are from my stash but I’m not sure where I got them and due to the brightness of the pink haven’t used them very much. Even here I’m not sure about the flamingo pink but the sentiment looks better with them than without. The challenge is an anything goes, but must use an embossing folder and the twist was Easter. I think I managed both. Thanks for spending time with me today.

It’s pretty clear which of the images in the mood board inspired this card and I had fun creating it. Products used are DSP from StampinUp, sentiment, wreath and little cat are from a Christmas set by Hero Arts, EF is from Sissix, and gold spray is a punch. After dry embossing the bricked layer I added it to the card front. Then I die cut the window using a die from Art Impressions. I added the PP to the back and once I had the cat stamped, coloured and die cut I added it as shown. I used a combination of Prisma pencils and Sakura glaze to colour the cat. I popped up the window with dimensionals and added the wreath and spray underneath. The bow on the wreath has had some glitter added. I quite like how it turned out and hope you do too.

This challenge stayed in my mind after I had posted a card and entered it so I figured I needed to do a second one. Using a StampinUp set called Kite Delight and some masking I stamped various kites in both pink and green. I used 2 different pinks, Worn Lipstick and the other Victorian Velvet as well as Mowed lawn for the green. I added the sentiment and some tails to the kites along with a couple of clouds. The image panel was cut using scalloped edge scissors as none of my dies worked for the size. I added a hint of gold to the green kite and some sparkle to the kite tails. I kind of like it and hopefully my mind is satisfied and doesn’t wake me up as it did last night. Lol.

When I received this little heart from MFT I was pretty happy. I used it a couple of times but then set it aside. Having several scraps of CS in two tones of purple I wondered if the heart could be paper pieced, so I die cut and pulled them apart piecing them back together using alternating strips of the two colours. That gave me two heart shapes. As I hadn’t added them permanently to a background, I decided to add them to a mirror gold scrap in a similar fashion to doing the floating technique on acetate. I glued them down and then fussy cut around each heart leaving a small gold bordered edge.

Along comes this sketch challenge and here is my card using one of those hearts. The background piece is from a Christmas card that I kept because I loved the colour and texture. I added it to the card front along with a couple of strips top and bottom. I also added 2 mirror gold strips. The heart was added on top and using a matte gold scrap I die cut the word using a hugs die from MFT. A little bit of bling and the card was finished.

Once again the photo hasn’t shown the true colour of something and as I’ve already mailed this card I cannot redo the photograph. It is however tones of pink for the rose and a dark green handmade paper for the leaves. The paper was something I had in my scrap file that was purchased long ago and only a small amount used. It was kind of crinkly with a fleck running through it but none of that shows on the picture. The rose was from a die that came with a craft magazine from the UK. I lost the solid shaped piece in my last craft room so I improvised with one from GKD to get the bottom part. I think the solid shape die went under a built in cabinet but we never found it, sigh! Then I added the layers in 2 different pinks. The little hearts are from a new die I simply had to have and the gems are from my stash. The background layer is a pinpoint die from Altenew and I cut it down before adding it to the card front. Sentiment is also from GKD. Leaves were cut from a SSS set that I love. I really wish you could see the paper as it is quite pretty in the right light. The DT for this challenge will have to take me at my word that it is green and not black or a dark brown. Thanks for looking.

A maple leaf is the perfect way to say Canada so here is my card for this challenge at AAA. I used an old rubber stamp by Petaluma Crafts (not sure they still exist) and Aged Mahogany distress ink to stamp along the bottom edge of my card front. The sentiment comes from an MFT set and I stamped this in Hickory Smoke as I didn’t want it to be really black. I forgot that wooden block stamps are a bit of a challenge to use as you can’t see the placement the way we can with the clear stamps or without the block. To me this card is a bit stark but for a CAS challenge I guess stark is best. I can always dress it up if I send it to someone.

Paper Dragonfly invited me to be a guest designer either April or May and I chose to do one for April. This challenge requires an origami dragonfly. Having been given some links to origami folding I took a look and tried to make one following along with the tutorial. Links viewed:

https://youtu.be/ieZ4OF551RMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–il4SNRhuohttps://youtu.be/tIgB_nxFN9I

Although the folding isn’t technically hard, I found it a challenge and after 4 tries got a bit frustrated. My hands simply wouldn’t cooperate and my folds were uneven each time. In desperation I went to my Japanese friend and asked for help. She does a lot of origami and has sold some of her work in craft markets. The dragonfly on my card is mostly her work and I shall be forever grateful that she was willing to help. Using an infinity die set called Peek-a-boo shapes from Hero Arts and some DSP from StampinUP I die cut the shape and added foam to the back. Using a stamp from an MFT set I stamped the word open and added it to the edge of the flap. With a StampinUp set I stamped directly to the inside of the shape on the card front and coloured the image. Then I added the top layer to the card front. The dragonfly was added to the flap along with a small mirror die cut piece for grounding him. The sentiment was stamped from the same set as the bird image and I used a decorative label die that I think is from Spellbinders but am not sure. It has been a while since I used this die but I know I got it at HomeSense a long time ago. Every once in a while they’ve had some decent craft supplies on sale. I also added a few darker blue gems on the card front. In a way, I find this card a bit on the busy side, but it does look quite nice nevertheless.

The expression on this poodles face reminds me of my own dog, who is a female poodle and can look exactly like this on occasion. We don’t clip our dog to look like this, but poodles have a way of looking at you that is so superior you have to chuckle. The DSP is from StampinUp and the poodle was fussy cut from a scrap piece. The speech bubble is from Divinity Designs and the sentiment is from stampinUp. The bow and gems are from my stash. A quick and easy card to put together except for the fussy cutting.