*AAA Colourful #18*

 What a wonderful summer image to inspire us for the latest AAA Colourful challenge that starts today!  Take a look!

I don't know what it is about brightly coloured straws, but they've always made me think of summer and pool parties and fun with friends in the sunshine!  I pulled out these colours and created a beautiful floral spray...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Daffodil Delight, Sage Shadow, Garden Green, Melon Mambo, Mango Melody

*Paper:  MFT Black & White Stripes

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Prism Studio Sew Many Rectangles; Spellbinders Be Bold Bloom; MFT Something for Everything

*Challenges:  AAA Colourful #18

*My Favourite Instagram Hop*

 I'm playing along with another week of the My Favourite Instagram Hop... this week our challenge was to make a card featuring our favourite sea creature.  I love dolphins, and have since I was a kid and watched the show "Flipper"... they seem so smart and if I could, I'd cuddle one.

I don't have a lot of water themed stuff, so I had to improvise...  I chose some water coloured cardstock and used a fun embossing folder on the strips to create the feeling of waves.  I cut the dolphin out of white cardstock and coloured up the majority of it with a grey Copic

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Spellbinders Seaside, Breeze, Windy

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Noturne; Copics

*Dies:  Poppy Stamps Whittle Dolphin; MFT Something for Everything

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Soft Waves
*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Just Us Girls #783; Simply Clean and Simple

*CASE It Instagram Hop*

 Each month, I host a CASE It Instagram Hop... a group of us chooses a card we've seen on Instagram and we use it an inspiration for a card of our own.  Sometimes the inspiration card and our card are very very similar to each other... sometimes we just take some of the elements and make it our own.

For my card today, I am using inspiration from Denise Morgan....  I LOVED her card that she created for the Gina K Appreciation Day and while I was going to CASE that, I actually CASEd the INSIDE of her card instead of the outside!

Here's her gorgeous card...

And this is the inside of her card...

And finally, my card....  I used similar colours, a different stamp, placed the simple sentiment in a different spot... and instead of cutting off my design complete, I used the cut off pieces on the card front to add a little more flair.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Pinkfresh Studio Happy For You; MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair; Copics

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles; Pinkfresh Studio Happy for You

*Toos:  Perfect Layers
*Challenges:  Addicted to Stamps & More #496

*Addicted to CAS #287*

 Christmas in July seems to be the common theme for my design teams this month!  Be prepared to see a lot of Christmas cards in the coming weeks LOL!  Not that I mind... I LOVE making Christmas cards!  We are looking for clean and simple Christmas cards at Addicted to CAS!

I saw a card similar to this on Pinterest recently.  I changed up a few things to make it my own style.  I love how it turned out.  It's fun to prove that you can use patterned paper and still make a clean and simple card.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Tidings of Christmas

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Scrapbook.com Nested Hexagons; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Embellishments:  silver cold

*Etc:  foam adhesives

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #287; Inkspirational #345

*Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop*

 Each month, a group of us gather together on Instagram to post cards meant to encourage or lift someone up... we call it the Sending Sunshine Hop.  I played with some scraps of patterned paper to create my card for today...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Paper:  MFT Bundle of Blossoms Brights

*Stamps:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Slim Strips

*Embellishments:  Michael's Bridal Flowers; Kaiser Pearls

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Freshly Made Sketches #694

*{BYSHC} Sketch #59*

 There's a new sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers... a great one for patterned papers or anything else you want to use!

I chose to keep my first card rather clean and simple... using a huge snowflake as my focal point.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Lawn Fawn Holographic; unknown shimmer

*Stamps:  Mama Elephant Jingle Greetings
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Picket Fence Studio Alice Snowflake; Waffle Flower Nesting Circles

*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Challenges:  BYSHC #59

*CAS on Friday #313*

Good morning, creative friends!  I'm back with my card for the new challenge at CAS on Friday.  For this challenge, we are making clean and simple Christmas cards.  I could have made this one a layer card but I seem to be addicted to 1/16" borders on my cards LOL!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Dies:  Hero Arts Joy

*Embellishments:  Stampin' Up! Wonderful Snowflakes

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #313

*White on White Instagram Hop*

 Today I'm sharing my July card for the White on White Instagram Hop... this month our theme is birthday.

I am loving having an excuse each month to play with white on white cards...  they are a challenge, but in a good way!  Remember, if you want to try white on white, layers and texture are your friends!  Otherwise it all just looks flat.  I used a vellum shadow layer under the sentiment to help it stand out just a bit... and layered up a couple of the "birthday" words to help with that as well.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Vellum

*Stamp:  Stampendous Big Words Happy

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Create a Smile Birthday

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Dotted Circles

*CAS Colours & Sketches #564*

 Happy Tuesday, creative friends!  It's time for a fun new sketch challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches!

I reached in to my bin of extras to create my card today.  These Pinkfresh Washi Tapes are fabulous since there are so many different images on the sheet that you then die cut out all together.  I tend to do several of them at once, so I don't know that they really qualify as "extras" LOL!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies
*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CC&S #564

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch #637*

 I'm back with my take for sketch #637 for Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenges...  I'm not honestly sure how I feel about that solid green layer...

First, the sketch.

And now my card...

Card Info
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Pear Pizzazz, Marina Mist, Always Artichoke

*Stamps:  MFT Bitty Birthday Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Floral Spray

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Soft Waves

*Embellishments:  iridescent ribbon; Kaiser Pearls

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #637

*My Favourite Instagram Hop*

 It's Sunday, so it's time for the My Favourite Instagram Hop....  this week it's our favourite summer pastime.

I love to sit outside in the sun in the summer... but as I've gotten older I don't tolerate the sun or the heat as well as I used to.  It sucks.  But I still like to sit outside... and I enjoy watching butterflies and dragonflies flit about our yard.

Card Info

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Espressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies
*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Dotted Circles

*Build Your Stash Instagram Hop*

 This month for the Build Your Stash Instagram Hop, we are creating retirement cards.  I have NOTHING in my stash for retirement cards (like no sentiments) so I turned to my laptop and my laser printer to create a few things to work with.

I ended up with two retirement cards...

Card Info
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Flowers & Field

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Tasteful Labels

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; vellum

*Stamps:  Altenew Gracious Peonies

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; tampin' Up! Granny Apple Green, Melon Mambo

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Addicted to Stamps and More #496

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 I took last month off from the This or That Instagram Hop as none of the choices appealed to me.  I promised myself that I would play a little more again this month.  This week, the choices are fire or fireworks.  To be honest, I didn't have either of those things in my stash, but I thought that this fun turnabout stamp could look like fireworks...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Melon Mambo

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Bitty Burst Turnabout; MFT Bitty Birthday Wishes
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Stampin' Up! Bermuda Bay, Mango Melody, Granny Apple Green, Poppy Parade

*Dies:  MFT Celebrate

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Time Out Challenges #292*

Happy Thursday creative friends!  It's time for a fun new challenge at Time Out Challenges!

A patient at work was talking about his birthday gift to his wife last week... for her 75th birthday she wanted to go on a hot air balloon ride.  He was telling me how amazing it was.  That was in my head when I got around to making this card... hot air balloons are a form of travel!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basicd Grey

*Paper:  Stampin' Up Lighter Than Air

*Stamps:  MFT Bitty Birthday Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Hot Air Balloons

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #292

*Whoops*

 This card has been sitting in my pile of things to share for a few months now.  I'm not sure how I missed sharing it with you all!  

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Gumball Green

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Pattern Party

*Stamps:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterlies

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles; Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies; Stampin' Up! Layering Ovals

*Addicted to CAS #286*

 It's time for a new clean and simple challenge at Addicted to CAS...

Since I still had a scrap of vellum on my desk from a card I shared earlier this week, I decided to play with it again for this card.  It's just a highlight circle behind the floral element.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  vellum
*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versfine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles; Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses; The Ton Easy Expressions

*challenges:  Addicted to CAS #286

*{BYSHC} Sketch #58 Take 2*

 I'm back with my second card using the June sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Card Makers...

For my card today, I decided to use an embossed background instead of patterned paper.  I just absolutely LOVE snowflakes!  I used a small strip of holographic cardstock to cover up the spot where the two papers join up.

Card Info
*Cardstock:  Spellbinders Windy; Lawn Fawn Holographic; dark blue shimmer

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

*Dies:  unknown snowflakes from my bin of extras; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Embossing:  Simon Says Stamp Snowflake Visions

*CAS on Friday #312*

 We have a botanical themed challenge for you at CAS on Friday...  anything botanical will work, as long as you keep your creation clean and simple.

I had a few ideas in my head, but decided to play with some vellum (which then lead to at least two more cards being made using vellum). I haven't used vellum in forever!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Pear Pizzazz; vellum

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

*Dies:  Spellbinders Floral Spray; The Ton Easy Expressions
*Embossing: Spellbinders Leafy

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #312

*Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop*

 Every month, I participate in a rainbow themed hop on Instagram.  We are talking about the colours, not the shape.  To add to the challenge, we are all trying to create only clean and simple cards as well.

For my card this month, I used a circle stencil from my stash but I masked off all but one circle.  I then blended my rainbow colours to create a background for this fun celebrate stamp...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Visible Image Best Birthday Ever

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Gina K Red Hot, Sweet Mango, Wild Dandelion, Jelly Bean Green, Blue Raspberry, Wild Lilac

*tools:  Perfect Layers