*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

*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!

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 This week on the This or That Instagram Hop, we had to choose between Masculine and Feminine.  You all know that I struggle with masculine cards, so of course I went more feminine... but I put a masculine twist on my card by using a wood plank embossing folder and by colouring my flowers in what is considered a more masculine colour.

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

*Stamps:  Pinkfresh Studio Circle Florals; LDRS My Wish For You
*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Verafine Clair Nocturne; Copics
*Dies: Waffle Flower Nesting Circles; Pinkfresh Studio Circle Florals

*Embossing:  Altenew Deck Planks

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Pattern Paper Instagram Hop*

 This month for the Pattern Paper Instagram Hop, we are playing with the idea of a distressed edge.  We are all trying to use up some of the papers already in our stash, so I dug out this great floral paper to play with.

To create my distressed edge, I simply tore my pattern paper.  To get the white edge (since this paper has a white core), I tore the scrap piece towards me, leaving a white edge on the strip I wanted to use.  I then used another pattern behind that first strip to highlight the torn edge.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper;  Stampin' Up! Flower & Field

*Stamps:  Pinkfresh Studio Circle Florals

*Ink:  Verafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Rectangles

*Etc:  gold cord

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop*

 This month for the Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop, we are playing with stencils.  I don't have a lot of stencils and I don't play with what I do have too often.  I got this stencil from Kraftin' Kimmie about a year ago and decided to pull it out.  I used some stencil paste with the stencil to create my winter themed background.  Once I created the background I had no idea what to do next!  I played around with a few items in my stash and ended up with this.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Certainly Celery, Barely Blush; Spellbinders Windy

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Christmas

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Poppy Stamps Stacked Mittens; The Ton Easy Expressions Christmas

*Embossing:  Altenew Deck Planks

*Stencil:  Kraftin' Kimmie Wooly Winter

*Etc:  TCW Pearl White Stardust Butter

*My Favourite Instagram Hop*

 We were challenged to do a masculine themed card this week for the My Favourite Instagram Hop...  I almost skipped it because I don't feel like I do masculine cards well.  I did some searching on Pinterest and found a card using this colour combination and thought "why not?".

*Create It 3-Ways Instagram Hop*

 It's time, once again, for the Create It 3-Ways Instagram Hop.  Each month, a group of us plays with a common theme... the twist is that we each choose (for ourselves) at least one thing to showcase in three cards using that theme.  It could be a stamp or die set, a colour scheme, a technique, a layout...  Our goal is to stretch our supplies a little more by creating different looks using the same items.

This month, our theme is "celebrate"

I used all of the same products on my three cards... but made them in three different layouts.  I also used the same size matted front panel for all three cards.

This was the card I made first... I just LOVE this pattern paper!!  I also think this is my favourite of the three (do you have a favourite?)

And then I created this one...

And finally, this one...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Misty Moonlight

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Moonlit Flora

*Dies:  MFT Celebrate

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Addicted to CAS #308*

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

Playing with these challenges makes me realize how narrow my crafty stash is...  I buy what I like, not what I think I might need for challenges.  To that end, I couldn't think of any stamps in my stash that would work for this challenge.  Then I remembered the suite of items from Stampin' Up! with the hot air balloons.  I've made a few cards by cutting out the balloons from the pattern paper but I didn't feel like doing that for this card... instead I just used a piece of the the pattern paper.

Card Info

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Lighter than Air
*Stamps:  Pinkfresh Studio Happy Birthday Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #308; Simply Clean and Simple

*{BYSHC} Sketch #69*

There is a wonderful new sketch over on the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers blog... we are encouraging you to use our sketches to help build up your stash of Holiday cards so that you don't feel like you're in a mad rush to get them done later in the year!

I had fun with the sketch this month...  todays card is a lot more playful than the one you'll see later this month.  I had fun with a brand new die I purchased and some paper that has been sitting in my stash for quite a while.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Bubble Bath, Seaside Spray

*Paper  Simple Stories Winter Wonder

*Stamps:  Gina K Holiday Wreath Builder

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  The Ton Winter Mitten Dies; Waffle Flower Nesting Circles, Additional Nesting Circles
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers #69; Addicted to Stamps & More #517

*CAS on Friday #334*

 It's time for a new clean and simple challenge at CAS on Friday...  for challenge #334, we are playing with the theme of "envelopes".  I have this Stampin' Up! stamp and die set in my garage sale bin so I pulled it out to create the card I'm sharing today...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper;  Stampin' Up! Full of Life

*Stamps:  Stampin' Up! Snailed It

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Snail Dies

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  Pinkfresh Studio Iridescent Clear Drops

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #334

*AAA Colourful #28*

 It's time for a new colourboard challenge at AAA Colourful... I can't wait to see what you create using this colourboard as inspiration!

I was thinking about skipping this month as I am feeling behind on my design team duties... but when I saw the colours, I had to play along!  They are my favourites! But then I had to decide what I wanted to do.  I decided to pull out a layering stencil and have some fun.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Stamps:  For The Love Of Stamps Sparking Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Ink Salty Ocean and Wilted Violet

*Stencils:  MFT Flower Fusion
*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Circles
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  AAA Colourful #28

*Clean and Simple Instagram Hop*

 This month, we are playing with florals for the Clean and Simple Instagram Hop.  I used a few things from my bin of extras to create my card... and I feel like it's almost 1970s inspired with the dark brown and the coral and orange!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up Flirty Flamingo, Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso

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

*Dies:  Prism Studio Sew Many Rectangles, Essential Greenery; Spellbinders Floral Spray; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 We had to choose between LEGS and WINGS for the This or That Instagram Hop this week... and of course I went with wings (and of course I played with this gorgeous butterflies some more).

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Waffle Flower Sweet Birthday Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses, Fluttering Butterflies

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses, Fluttering Butterflies; Waffle Flower Sweet Birthday Sentiments

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop*

 Good morning friends.... today we are playing cards with "movement" for the Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop.  I was honestly going to skip this week because I didn't feel like I had anything in my stash that would work.  But then I remembered I can interpret the challenges however I want... it didn't have to be a car or a bike or a card using a wobble or something... instead I did a swinging flip fold card.  I found the instructions thanks to Paper Crafting Threads.

I used some beautiful pattern paper for my card front and for the inside panels as well.  This is what the card looks like when it's folded flat.

I really should have done a little video of what it looks like when you open it, but some some still photos will have to do...  You can see from this photo, that when you open the card, the centre panel flips to show inside as well.

And here's another photo of the opened card.

Card Info

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Moonlit Flora

*Stamps:  For The Love Of Stamps Sparkling Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Rectangles; Love From Lizi Stitched Circle Nesting Dies