*My Favourite Instagram Hop*

 It's been a while since I've played along with the My Favourite Instagram Hop.  I took a break last month because the themes didn't inspire me right away and I've started giving myself permission to skip hops and challenges that don't speak to me.

But the challenge for today speaks to me!  We are playing with our Favourite Pattern.

I love both flowers and stripes, so I used both!

Card Info

*Paper:  MFT Black & White Stripes
*Stamps:  Hunkydory Crafts

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Dies:  Hunkydory Crafts; Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*{BYSHC} Sketch #73*

 It's September and time for a new sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers.  I love seeing how everyone interprets these sketches every month...

I had just gotten this new stamp and die set in the mail and I couldn't wait to play with it!  I love how crisp this snowflake stamped up!  I LOVE how this card turned out... not quite as thrilled with my second card that you'll see in a few weeks.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  American Crafts
*Stamps:  MFT Christmas Wishes; Simon Says Stamp Christmas Star Flakes
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Christmas Wishes; Simon Says Stamp Christmas Star Flakes

*Embossing:  Simon Says Stamp Snowflake Visions

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers Sketch #73

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #697*

Hello creative friends... it's Monday which means there's a new sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenges.  This sketch is honestly something like what I often lean to when I'm creating...

And even though it is something similar to what I normally lean towards, I struggled with this card!  I knew I wanted to keep it pretty clean and simple by using a lot of white elements, but then I struggled with what I wanted to do with the corner decorations.  I LOVE this Pinkfresh Washi (and the matching dies) but honestly, I struggle to know which way to play the pieces so that they make sense.

Card Info

*Stamps:  unknown
*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Dis:  Pinkfresh Studio Vinces & Roses; MFT Stitched Rectangles
*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #697

*Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop*

 Good morning friends... I'm here today to share my card for the Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop.  Each month, a group of us play with the colours of the rainbow creating a somewhat clean and simple card.

I started with this beautiful butterfly, stamped on a white piece of cardstock.  I did a reverse mask and did some ink blending on it to create my rainbow  I then overstamped the butterfly to make sure that the outline was nice and crisp.

Card Info

*Stamps:  Paper Rose Studio Cleo Floral Butterfly; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry, Carved Pumpkin,Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron, Salty Ocean, Shaded Lilac

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Pattern Paper Instagram Hop*

 We are playing with the theme of "black and white" for the Pattern Paper Instagram Hop this month.  I used some pattern paper as part of my focal point... and I love how it looks in all black and white!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  MFT Black & White Strips; Stampin' Up! Pattern Party

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Fern & Flora; Spellbinders Floral Spray; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Time Out Challenges #320*

 We have a photo inspiration challenge for you this week at Time Out Challenges.  Here's the photo...

Just look at that beautiful stained glass window!  WOW!  I saw it and immediately thought of the gorgeous holographic paper in my stash.  I paired it with a simple silhouette die...

Card Info

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

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

*Dies:  Memory Box Dancing Dragonflies Collage; The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Challenges:  Time Out #320

*Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop*

 This week for the Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop, the theme is "Leaf it to me".  I was recently in need of a few sympathy cards so I decided to use these pretty rainbow washi leaf prints to create a simple card for today...

Card Info

*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic Black

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

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses; The Ton Easy Expressions
*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Challenges:  Paper Players 799; Simply Clean and Simple

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #695*

 Hello friends... there's a brand new sketch today at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenges...

This is such a versatile sketch... I can't wait to see what everyone creates using it!  I chose to keep my card clean and simple with a basic black and white theme.  My centre panel is embossed for a little interest.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Gina K Wreath Builder

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Scallop Circles; Waffle Flower Nesting Circles

*Embossing:  Lisa Horton Peonies

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #695

*AAA Colourful #31*

Hello friends... it's time for a new colourboard challenge at AAA Colourful.  I just love this inspiration piece... So many beautiful colours

I see a little hit of purple along the left hand side and some beautiful shades of blue and aqua. I took four colours of cardstock and cut them in to 3/4" wide strips.  I put them through an embossing folder and then put them on a panel with foam adhesive. 

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Gorgeous Grape, Brocade Blue, Blueberry Bushel, Coastal Cabana

*Stamps:  Hunkydory Crafts
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Hunkydory Crafts

*Embossing:  Daisy Swirl

*Challenges:  AAA Colourful #31

*CAS on Friday #340*

 The new challenge at CAS on Friday is to make a clean and simple get well soon card... I got this new stamp last week and couldn't wait to play with it... and when I was finished, I realized my card isn't all that clean and simple!  But I loved it and decided to go with it anyway...  and look!  I coloured!

Card Info

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything; Concord & 9th Flower Field

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

*Challenges:  CAS on Friady #340

*Create It 3-Way Instagram Hop

 This month for the Create It 3-Way Instagram Hop, our theme is "thinking of you"... each of us plays with at least one common item from our stash to create three cards following the theme.  I chose to play with the same stamp set, the same die set and the same pattern paper...

Here are the up close photos of each of the cards I created... going from clean and simple to less clean and simple...

First, the clean and simple version...

This second one has an fully embossed background which takes away from it being truly clean and simple (although there are many who would still classify it as clean and simple.

And finally, a mini slimline that isn't at all clean and simple...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Stampin Up! Full of Life

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Floral Squares; MFT Something for Everything

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Soft Waves

*CASE It Instagram Hop*

 I'm here today to share my creation for the CASE It Instagram Hop... each month several of my online friends and I choose a card that inspires us on Instagram and we use it to create something of our own.  Sometimes we copy the card outright, sometimes we each use elements to inspire something of our own.

This month I was inspired by my friend VonMarie...  this is her card.

I loved the distressed strips of colour and the big beautiful mostly white flower.  I changed it up a little bit by using some different shades of colour in a smaller aspect and instead of a flower, I used a big butterfly.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Hunky Dory Sparkling Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean, Twisted Citron

*Dies:  Paper Rose Studio Alora Layered Butterfly

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 This week on the This or That Instagram Hop, we had to choose between sweet and sour.  I chose to make a sweet card using this fun popsicle paper and a sweet sentiment...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Unity Here's The Scoop

*Stamps: Gina K You Give Me Butterflies

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Circles; Love From Lizi Nesting Stitched Circles

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Time Out Challenges #317*

 It's time for a new challenge at Time Out Challenges... this time sponsored by one of our design team members!  How generous!

I am really wanting to colour more... to allow myself the time to play with the markers.  I was watching a Cathy Zielske video the other day and she made me realize that I don't need to be an artist to colour...  I'm a crafter and my colouring doesn't need to be perfect.  So instead of worrying about shading and blending really well, I've decided to just have fun!  

To that end, I pulled out this cute stamp of a girl with her umbrella and had some fun!  I stamped her with Memento ink (ink my Misti), coloured her and then stamped over her again with my favourite Versafine Clair as I find it gives a much more crisp outline.  I paired her with a little rainbow striped pattern paper.

Card Info

*Paper:  Unity Yay It's Today
*Stamps:  MFT Rain Or Shine
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics

*Challenges:  Time Out #317; All About #7

*Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop*

 I had to play with the theme of "where you're from" for the Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop today... I didn't feel super inspired to make a red and white card so instead I went with a Calgary Stampede themed birthday card... anyone who knows me is probably surprised as I am not a country girl, I am not interested in Stampede... but it's probably what the city I live in is best known for.

I started with a Spellbinders alphabet and cut out the iconic Stampede "yahoo" and then used a wood grain embossing folder on them.  Super simple!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Pecan Pie

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Big Day Birthday

*Dies:  Spellbinders Be Bold Alpha; MFT Stitched Rectangles

*Embossing;  Alten New Deck Planks

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Scraps Only Instagram Hop*

 Each month, I play along with a group of friends on Instagram where you do a hop that focusses on using up the scraps and extras that we have hanging around, waiting for a rainy day.  Our theme for this month is Red, White & Blue... and since I'm not a patriotic American (but instead, a proud Canadian), I didn't do a patriotic themed card...  These are some of the pieces of the Pinkfresh Washi that I've cut and that get ignored in my bin of extras...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic BLack

*Stamps:  Gina K Wreath Builder

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies, Vines & Roses

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Nesting Ovals; Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses, Fluttering Butterflies

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Build Your Stash Instagram Hop*

 I almost didn't participate in the Build Your Stash for Everyday Occasions Instagram Hop this month...  the theme is "baby" and I don't have a lot of variety in my stash for baby cards (nor a reason to be sending them at this point in my life)... I was digging through my stash and changed my mind when I cam across this sentiment stamp set that I don't think I've ever inked up before...  I usually try to make at least two cards for this hop, but this month you get only one.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up Bubble Bath, Balmy Blue

*Stamps:  Honeybee Stamps Hooray

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Art Impressions Baby Mini DIes

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 This week for the This or That Instagram Hop, we had to choose between sandcastle and snowman...

Was there even a choice here?  Of course I had to play with the snowman theme!

Card Info
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Only Orange

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Filled With Joy; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday
*Embossing:  Simon Says Stamp Snowflake Visions

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Pride Hop*

 Today I am happily participating in the Pride Hop on Instagram... a group of us are playing with the theme of inclusion and tolerance for members of the Pride Community as we celebrate the end of Pride Month.

I revisited my idea from a few months ago but created a line of interconnected rainbow hearts.  I cut each heart to allow the interlocking element and hid the cut line with a gem on each heart.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler, Pumpkin Pie, Bumblebee, Shaded Spruce, Night of Navy, Blackberry Bliss

*Stamps:  MFT All Smiles

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Tall Type Alha

*Rediscover Your Supplies Instagram Hop*

 We're playing with a "celebration" theme for the Rediscover Your Supplies Instagram Hop.  For this hop, we try to dig in to our stash to create cards following the common theme.  We are trying to use what's in our stash instead of buying something new (not that I'm not buying new still LOL)

I had an idea for this card and honestly, it took a few turns before I ended up with this... and I'm kind of glad it did!

Card Info

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Modern Christmas

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Foil Plate:  Pinkfresh Studio Butterflies

*Foil:  Spellbinders Aura

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Buterflies; MFT Something for Everything

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Brick & Mortar