*Surprise Graduation Hop*

 I participated in a surprise Graduation Hop for another Instagram creator named Brennan.  He is the host of the Crushin' Christmas Instagram Hop.  Brennan is just a young guy, graduating high school today and heading off to college in the fall.  A group of us thought it would be fun to surprise him with a Hop to celebrate the big day!

I don't have a lot of graduation themed stuff in my stash... the one thing I need is a graduation cap die because I am super sick of fussy cutting this one out!  I focussed on the colour purple as that is one of his high school colours.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Gorgeous Grape

*Stamps:  Taylored Expressions The Tassel

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Stampin' Up! Gorgeous Grape

*Dies:  MFT Impact Alphabet

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch #685*

 I messed up my calendar and almost missed making my design team card for this weeks' sketch at Atlantic Hearts!  We did a mini road trip in the new car last week and thankfully I booked the entire week off work which meant I was able to get myself on track to share a card with you.

Let's look at the sketch...

And here's what I did with it...  I took some inspiration for colouring from a card I found on Pinterest.  I added the waves embossing folder to create some movement for this gorgeous butterfly!  I have a little tip for you.  I, personally, hate stamping with anything but my Versafine Clair black ink.  It's so crisp and clean!  But you can't use your Copics (or other alcohol markers as the ink will bleed).  So, I use my Misti, stamp my image lightly with Memento... I colour the image and put the piece back in my Misti and stamp on top of it with my Versafine Clair.  And BOOM!  Crisp and beautiful!

Card Info
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Paper Rose Studio Cleo Butterfly; Waffle Flower Sweet Birthday Sentiments

*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Sweet Birthday Sentiments

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Soft Waves
*tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts Sketch #685

*Build Your Stash Instagram Hop*

 This month, we are creating cards of gratitude for the Build Your Stash Instagram Hop.  The goal of this hop is to encourage the participants to make some basic cards that we might need throughout the year so that they are ready to be mailed when we need them.  I aim to make two cards following each theme.  Some months I fail.  This month I didn't!

In my effort to make more clean and simple cards (as they truly are where my heart is at), I did two simple cards to share today.

For this first card, I used some printed Washi and the matching die to cut out this gorgeous spring of leaves and added a simple stamped and die cut sentiment.

For my second card, I kept it simply black and white, breaking up the boredom with a simple embossing folder

Items Used

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Pinkfresh Studio Happy For You; Simon Says Stamp Thanks Words

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies
*Dies:  PInkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies, Happy For You
*Embossing:  Altenew Ribbon Waves

*Embellishments:  Pinkfresh Studio Iridescent Clear Drops
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Scraps Only Instagram Hop*

 This month for the Scraps Only Instagram Hop, we are playing with our favourite colour using only scraps and left over pieces from other projects.  I started keeping a bin of extras a few years ago that I go through regularly to find pieces that will work on a project.  The larger pieces of cardstock are not scraps, but everything else on this card was found in my bin of extras!

But I cheated... I didn't go with my favourite colour.  Instead I went with my favourite colour combination.  I had coloured up a couple of these butterflies a few weeks ago and the extra one was in the bin of extras!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Stamps:  Gina K You Give Me Butterflies; Honeybee Best of Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics

*Dies:  Unknown stitched rectangle; Gina K You Give Me Butterflies

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Just Us Girls #826

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 This week our choices were COFFEE or ICE CREAM for the This or That Instagram Hop... I am not a coffee drinker (I don't even like the smell of it!) so of course I went with ice cream!  I cut my scoop of ice cream out of a piece of patterned paper and added an embossed strip behind the focal point to add a little interest while keeping the card fairly clean and simple.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Crumb Cake

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Full of Life

*Stamps:  Gina K You Give Me Butterflies

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Memory Box Whittle Ice Cream

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Soft Waves

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*For The Love of Spellbinders Instagram Hop*

 I really should give my head a shake... I've joined another Instagram Hop.  This is is a monthly hop where we share our love for all things Spellbinders.  I should have looked at my stash before I joined because I discovered just how little Spellbinders product I own LOL!

For my card today, I dug in to some of the unused items from the 2024 Advent Calendar.

*Mini Slimline Instagram Hop*

 I'm here today to share with you, the card I created for the June Mini Slimline Instagram Hop.  I used a few leftover pieces of patterned paper and added this fabulous moth that I fussy cut from another sheet of pattern paper.  I had trouble deciding where the sentiment should go...

Card Info

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Moonlit Floral

*Stamps:  Waffle Flower Sweet Lattice Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Rectangles; Waffle Flower Sweet Lattice Sentiments

*{BYSHC} Sketch #70*

Happy June, my friends!  Today is my hubby's and mine 35th wedding anniversary!  It feels like we've been married forever while also feeling like it was all just a few years ago!  Crazy!

I'm here today with my first card using the fabulous June sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers!

I was going to do a fully white on white card for my first card, but I felt like the snowflake got lost... so instead, I cut the snowflake out of some silver holographic cardstock to let it shine!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Lawn Fawn Holographic
*Stamps;  Alex Syberia Christmas Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies: Alex Syberia Christmas Sentiments; Simon Says Stamp Marie Snowflake

*Embossing;  Simon Says Stamp Snowflake Visions

*Challenges: BYSHCardmakers #70

*Just One Layer Instagram Hop*

We are playing with foiling this month for the Just One Layer Instagram Hop.... yup, nothing added to your card to create dimension!  This is hard for me!

I hot foiled my floral in the corner of my card front and did some simple ink blending through the matching stencil.  A simple stamped sentiment finished it off...

Card Info

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Big Day Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; leftover ink on my brushes

*Foil Plate:  Pinkfresh Studio Simplest Gesture

*Foil:  Spellbinders gold

*My Favourite Instagram Hop*

 This week we are playing with our favourite embossing folder for the My Favourite Instagram Hop.  I'm not sure that this is my favourite embossing folder, but it's certainly my most versatile folder ! I use it a lot!

I used the debossed side this time and dragged a grey ink pad across it to create my grout lines.

Card Info

*Stamps:  Waffle Flower Sweet Birthday Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Hickory Smoke

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies; Waffle Flower Sweet Birthday Sentiments

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Brick & Mortar

*Happy Birthday Melissa!*

 I'm participating in a hop to celebrate my friend Melissa's birthday today!  Go check out the hop on Instagram and leave some comments for your chance to win one of the prizes Melissa has offered up!  I"m sure she'd love some more birthday wishes!

I was inspired by a card I saw by Cathy Zielske a few weeks ago.  I cut my panel and then cut my banner out of that panel.  I fit the two pieces back together and put them through my Big Shot with a 3-D embossing folder.  I did some ink blending on the tag shaped piece and tried to get a gradient of colour on it.  I put the embossed panel on the card front and then added the tag shape with foam adhesive.  I finished it off with a simple stamped and die cut sentiment that I popped up on foam adhesive.

Card Info

*Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Big Old Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Salty Ocean

*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Big Old Birthday

*Embossing:  Simon Says Stamp Kaleidoscope

*Rediscover Your Supplies Instagram Hop*

 This month, we are playing with the idea of funny or snarky for the Rediscover Your Supplies Instagram Hop.  While I have some stamps and dies that fit this theme, I was going to pass... but then I realized that this was exactly the reason I joined this hop!  I NEED to use my stash!

So, here's a card made completely from things that have been buried a little too deeply in my stash for too long..

Card Info

*Paper:  MFT Bundles of Blossoms

*Stamp:  MFT Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings 2

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banners

*Addicted to CAS #309*

 There's a fun new clean and simple challenge that starts today at Addicted to CAS...

I almost didn't play in this challenge but then I remembered this cute little fox that I was sent by Michelle V Park Designs.  Isn't he adorable?  I scrounged through my bin of extras and found the little stitched squares and finished it all off with a simple sentiment.

Card Info

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Love from Lizi Stitched Rectangle Nesting Dies; The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday; unknown squares

*Etc:  Michelle V Park Designs (the fox)
*Challenges:  ATCAS #309

*{BYSHC} Sketch #69 Take 2*

Hello Creative Friends... I'm here today with my second and final card following the current sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers.

I was in a creative slump when I sat down to make these cards... but I'm so glad I pushed through it because I ended up liking both of them quite a bit!  This one is definitely a little more elegant that my first one, using this gorgous paper with gold foil accents!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown brushed gold; Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Modern Christmas

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Circles; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers #69

*CAS on Friday #335*

 Challenge #335 at CAS on Friday has a RAINBOW theme...  I love playing with rainbow colours and I love this rainbow die set from my stash as well.  I love playing with the colours of the rainbow and today I made them pastels.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Petal Pink, So Saffron, Pear Pizazz, Pool Party, Purple Posy

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Ink:  Verasfine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Sunshine Vibes; The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenge;  CAS on Friday #335; Addicted to Stamps & More #518

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 This week on the This or That Instagram Hop, we had to choose between INSIDE and OUTSIDE.  I chose to play with an idea by Sandi MacIver.  I cut a panel for my card front and then cut out the centre of the panel as well.  I then put them back together and put them in to an embossing folder.  I took the pieces out and did some ink blending on the inside part of the panel.  I matted the inside panel and added it back to the card front.

Card Info

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Ink Salty Ocean, Mowed Grass

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Rectangles; The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Embossing:  Lisa Horton Peonies

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop*

 Another rainbow colour inspired card for you for the Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop.  Sadly, the paper I chose to use, while rainbow colours, isn't as happy and exciting as it could have been.

I cut the letters out of the pattern paper and layered it on top of two pieces of cardstock also cut with the dies to create a little dimension. I stamped a large floral image in black on a smaller card panel, place my letters on top and then finished off the sentiment with a word stamp

Card Info

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Bright & Beautiful
*Stamps:  Altenew Bouquet of Love; MFT Essential Sentiments

*Dies:  MFT Impact Alphabet

*Birthday Bash Instagram Hop**

 I struggled a bit with my card for the Birthday Bash Instagram Hop...  I always struggle with this hop, but usually it's because I completely forget about the moodboard that goes with the challenge.  This month, I remembered the check the moodboard and knewa floral card would be easy.  And it all should have been easy as I LOVE shades of blues and pinks and purples... but I was running out of time and my ideas weren't coming together.  I almost feel like this is a frankenstein-esque project!  I really wanted to LOVE the goild foiling on that dark blue floral...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stain' Up! Blueberry Bushel

*Paper:  Paper Rose Studio Rainbow Twirl 2.0

*Stamps: The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Ink:  Verafine Clair Nocturne
*Foiling Plate: PInkfresh Studio Simplest Gestures
*Foil:  Spellbinders Gold

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Simplest Gestures; The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Etc: white Posca pen

*CAS Colours & Sketches #586*

 It's time for a new colour challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches...

I had an idea for this card when I saw the colours and then ended up going a different way... sort of.  I was going to do a few die cut balloons using the two shades of blue (with the grey as the tail) and then thought some clouds might be nice.  So I used the lighter shade of blue to stencil my clouds and then the balloon in that colour didn't look right.  So one balloon it is.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Night of Navy, Gray Granite

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Balmy Blue; Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Party Balloons; The Ton Easy Expressions
*Stencils:  Lawn Fawn Slimline Cloudy

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #586

*Embossing Folder Instagram Hop*

 This month for the Embossing Folder Instagram Hop, we are playing with the blackout technique.  After some trial and error, I found a few things that worked for me for this.... 

*ink blend darker than you think you should with your colours
*choose an embossing folder that has a lot of texture on it (not one with a lot of open space)
*use a 3D embossing folder
*use a light hand an MANY passes with your black ink to create the black out

I think this is probably the first time I've had good success with this technique...

Card Info

*Stamps:  LDRS My Wish For You
*Ink:  Gina K Bubblegum Pink, Grass Green, Wild Dandelion; Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Circles

*Embossing:  Lisa Horton Peonies

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #683*

 There's a brand new sketch challenge that starts today at Atlantic Hearts!

I played with some new to me papers to create my card for today...  I'm trying to hone my skills at putting papers together.  I'm not sure I won the battle with this card as the pink layer just wasn't quite enough of a pop against the busy background.

Card Info

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Painted Illusions

*Stamps:  Gina K You Give Me Butterflies; The Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics

*Dies:  Gina K You Give Me Butterflies; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts Sketch #683

*Gina K Appreciation Instagram Hop*

 Once again, I am playing along with the Gina K Appreciation Instagram Hop...  I don't have a lot of her products as I can't find them locally any more... but I sure do love Gina's style and her products!

For this hop, I played with my favourite layering stencil that I have in my stash as well as a rainbow of Gina K inks.  Everything on this card is by from Gina K!