*CASE It Instagram Hop*

 Each month, a group of us find a papercrafting creation on Instagram that inspires us enough to want to make a card based on that creation and we share it for the CASE It Instagram Hop  Some months I will copy that card almost exactly, some months I play with the elements to create something different but similar.

This month, I was inspired by Verena Shapiro.  This is her card

I fell in love first with the colours... out of my usual wheelhouse, but so freakin' pretty!  Of course her mini slimline caught my eye as well.  To create my card, I used the same colours and the leaves, but I made a more clean and simple version of her card.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Early Espresso, Cloud Cover, Fresh Freesia

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Prism Studios Essential Greenery

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop*

Each month, the Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop hopes to share a little sunshine through our cardmaking.  We make cards with uplifting messages and happy images in hopes of brightening someone's day.

I was inspired by a beautiful rainbow card that I saw that had a black element that really made the rainbow elements pop!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi Tape: Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses; Waffle Flower Nesting Circles
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Clean and Simple Instagram Hop*

 This month for the Clean and Simple Instagram Hop we are playing with the theme of friendship.  I chose my favourite colour combination and some simple floral dies to create a card to send to a friend...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black and two colours from a stash and I have no idea what they are LOL

*Stamps:  Paper Rose Studio Daisy Bouquet

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Pierced Blooms

*Tools:  Scor Pal; Perfect Layers

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 This week for the This or That Instagram Hop, we are choosing between Leprechauns and Gnomes.  I LOVE gnomes but I don't use them very often in my creating.  I bought this gnome die a few years ago... I just had to have it... and then I used it once or twice and never again.  For today, I played with some fun pattern papers to create this cutie.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Spellbinders Cloud, Chiffon; Stampin' Up! Night of Navy

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Pattern Party

*Stamps:  Paper Rose Gnomies

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Circles; Simon Says Stamp Li'l Gnome

*Embossing:  Lisa Horton Layered Bubbles

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Try A Sketch On Tuesday #690*

 I had some fun playing with the current sketch at Try a Sketch on Tuesday... I will admit that I really wanted to play with the sketch but wasn't feeling overly creative (has been a theme this week) so I'm not sure that the card is exactly what I wanted it to be.  

Here's the sketch...

I started out with stencilling a layer and then added a dark blue frame.  I added some Pinkfresh die cut washi tape elements and a simple sentiment to finish it off.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Night of Navy

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Salty Ocean

*Stencils:  Picket Fence Studio Sunburst

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses, Fluttering Butterlies

*Dies:  Prism Studio Sew Many Rectangles; Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses, Fluttering Butterflies; the Ton Easy Expressions

*Challenges:  TSOT #690

*White on White Instagram Hop*

 Good morning friends...  this month for the White on White Instagram Hop, we are playing with spring holidays.  Our cards will be mostly white on white, however we are allowed one accent colour to use.  So far, the only colour I've ever used has been black to stamp a sentiment.

Today is no different...  a super cute little bunny card

Card Info

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Carta Bella Bunny Buddies

*Embossing:  Spellbinders Loops
*Etc:  foam adhesive (for the tails!)
*Challenges:  All About #3

*My Favorite Instagram Hop*

 This week for the My Favorite Instagram Hop we were challenged to pay with our favourite thing that we will miss about winter...  LET ME BE CLEAR.... I will miss NOTHING about winter!  I hate the lack of daylight hours and long hours of darkness.  I dislike the cold and the wind.  The snow looks pretty but it's a lot of work to shovel it.  I get so frustrated with slippery streets.  Here in Calgary, March is historically our snowiest month of the year so I'm not missing anything about winter yet!

But... all that being said... I LOVE snowflakes.  I think they are beautiful.  So beautiful that I have a tattoo of snowflakes.  If we could get snowflakes (and snowmen) without everything else, I'd be OK with that.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; vellum

*Paper:  Simple Stories Winter Wonder

*Dies:  Memory Box Jolly Snowflake Trio; Stampin' Up! Peace & Joy

*Addicted to CAS #303*

 Happy weekend, creative friends!  We've got a wonderful theme at Addicted to CAS this week, to help get you thinking about spring!

Here in Calgary we don't start gardening outside for a few more months.  March is actually our snowiest month of the year (historically).  But that doesn't stop us from dreaming of all of the beautiful things that will be growing soon!

Card Info

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses; Prism Studios Sew Many Rectangles; The Ton Easy Expressions
*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #303

*CAS on Friday #329*

 We have a fabulous sketch for you this week at CAS on Friday!  I can't wait to see how you each interpret it!

I decided to play with some more gold elements for my card today, choosing some gold mirror cardstock and a beautiful die cut washi piece.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Bazill gold mirror

*Stamps: MFT Something for Everythign

*Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinfkresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #329

*Time Out Challenges #308*

Time Out Challenges is celebrating it's 12th birthday with a CASE Challenge that starts today and runs until the 18th of March.  We encourage you to CASE this gorgeous card created by Stef and enter it in our linky party for your chance to win a wonderful price from Waffle Flower!

I had a lot of fun with this one...  I chose some elements to use on my card and a few to switch up and a few to delete.  I started with those gorgeous flowers and chose two *very* old flowers from my stash.  Stef had two flowers in her design so I used two as well.  I created texture in my background by first cutting the Waffle Flower Postage Collage die and then embossing it with a brick pattern.  I added some black spatter instead of the gold highlights that Stef used.

Card Info

*Stamps:  Waffle Flower Sweet Lattice Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies: Waffle Flower Sweet Lattice Sentiments, Postage Collage

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Brick & Mortar

*Embellishments:  unknown flowers from my stash (maybe Bazill?)

*Challenges:  Time Out #308

*Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop*

 This week for the Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop we are playing with the prompt of "let it shine"...  I chose to use some different foil elements in my card and WOW is it shiny!

I started with a piece I foiled more than a year ago that's been sitting in my bin of extras.  I added a leftover strip of foiled pattern paper and put that layer on to a gold matted layer. 

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Bazzill gold mirror

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Modern Christmas

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Foil Plate:  Spellbinders Blooming Ornament

*Foil:  Spellbinders Gold

*Dies:  The Ton Easy Expressions; Spellbinders Blooming Ornament

*Tools:  Spellbinders Glimmer; Perfect Layers

*Mini Slimline Instagram Hop*

 It's time for another Mini Slimline Instagram Hop....  my creative friends and I all love making mini slimline cards, so we commit to making at least one each month to share in this hop.

I created a card a few weeks ago for the Pattern Paper Instagram Hop where I cut a rectangle out of a piece of fabulous 6X6 paper...  and there was this small part left that I just couldn't throw out... it was a little too small for my mini slimline so I played with some matted layers to create this card to share with you.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Blueberry Bushel, Basic Black

*Paper:  Paper Rose Studio Rainbow Twirl 2.0

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*CAS Colours & Sketches #580*

 We have a fabulous new colour combination to play with over at CAS Colours & Sketches thanks to our host, Joanne...

I really don't stamp much any more, but I sure do have a lot of ink... but only one of these colours!  So of course I went for a die cut card with a stamped sentiment.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Blueberry Bushel, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green

*Stamps:  the Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms; Stampin' Up! Pierced Blooms; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Embellishments:  Spellbinders
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #580

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch #671*

 Happy Monday, creative friends!  Time for a new sketch challenge at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenges!

The colours of the sketch made me think of spring while we were facing a winter storm warning (we got about 8" in a 24 hours period)...  I ended up with a spring-like card as well, using some pretty pattern paper.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Azure Afternoon

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Lighter Than Air

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  The Ton Easy Expressions; Stampin' Up! Hot Air Balloons

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Soft Waves

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #671

*My Favorite Instagram Hop*

 A fun challenge this week for the My Favorite Instagram Hop... we were challenged to CAS another designer that participates in the hop.  We could choose any one of the other players and any of their cards.

I chose this gorgeous card from Kelley.  I was drawn to the butterflies and the pretty stencilled background...

And here is my card, inspired by the one that Kelley made...  I used a similar colour for my stencilling but used a different stencil and only did a portion of my background.  I added some colourful butterflies in almost the same layout as her original card and added a mixed font sentiment like she used.  I also added my most favourite 1/16" black mat around my top layer.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  LDRS My Wish For You
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Salty Ocean, Twisted Citron

*Stencil:  Paper Rose Studio Big Drops
*Washi Tape:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies
*Embellishments:  clear drops

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Just Us Girls #812; Inkspirational #362; Just Add Ink #780

*{BYSHC} Sketch #67*

 Happy March, creative friends!  We are so much closer to losing the snow here in Calgary (and we just got dumped on the last few days)...  I can't complain, we've had a really mild winter and I know we "need the moisture"... but I'm ready for longer days and warmer weather!

It's a new month and the start of a new sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers.  We provide you this sketch each month and encourage you to make at least a couple of Christmas cards using it to help build up your stash of holiday cards so that you aren't left scrambling at the beginning of December.

Here's the sketch for March...

And here's my first card using this sketch...

I love the gold accents from this wonderful pattern paper!!!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, gold mirror

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Modern Christmas

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Christmas

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  The Ton Easy Expressions Christmas; Stampin' Up! Sounds of the Season

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers #67

*Just One Layer Instagram Hop*

 The theme for this months Just One Layer Instagram Hop is paste...  I only have one paste in my stash but I was able to make it work!  

I started by using a layering stencil and inks on my card front.  I left one of the layers until the end and used some Stencil Butter with that layer instead of ink.  Once it was dry, I stamped my sentiment directly on to the card front.

Card Info

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturne; Catherine Pooler Samba, All That Jazz, Grape Crush, Mardi Gras

*Stencil:  MFT Flower Fusion

*Embellishments:  TCW Pearl White Stardust Butter

*Challenges:  Just Us Girls #812; Inkspirational #362; Just Add Ink #780

 

*Rediscover Your Supplies Instagram Hop*

 This month for the Rediscover Your Supplies Instagram Hop, we are digging in to our stash to make a friendship card.  I pulled out the same stamp and die set I used last week and created a different card using that wonderful "friend" die.  This time I cut it out of pattern paper instead of cardstock.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Full of Life

*Stamps:  MFT Anything But Basic Friendship
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies
*Dies:  MFT Friend; Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop*

 Of course I had to play with the Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop this month... it combines two of my favourite things!  First, a Christmas card, second a clean and simple design!

I started by die cutting two of these fabulous snowflakes, adding them to a panel and letting them fall off the edge of the panel.  I trimmed them off and then matted that panel in black before adding it to a white card.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Lawn Fawn Holographic

*Stamps: The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Marie Snowflake; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Tools:  Perfect Layers