*Mini Slimline Instagram Hop*

 Today I am sharing my card for the Mini Slimline Instagram Hop.  I've been having fun playing with this large embossing folder that I received last Christmas.  It's an open frame with a bunch of pointsettias around it.  It's been fun figuring out different ways to use.

For this card, I put my white cardstock in to the top portion of the folder only, creating a partial panel that is flat for stamping.  I added some gold gems and a simple sentiments to finish it off.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Winter Greenery

*Embossing:  Spellbinders Notched Corner Pointsettia

*Embellishments:  HAI Supply
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*CAS on Friday #346*

 Happy Friday, creative friends!  It's time for a new challenge at CAS on Friday.  Our challenge #346 is to use an embossed background. 

Now, I struggled with this because in my view of a true clean and simple card, an embossed background is a no-no.  I almost skipped this challenge...  but I had these scraps in my bin of extras and while I didn't emboss the entire background, I do have an embossed background!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown gold glitter;  Stampin' Up! Handsome Hunter

*Stamps:  MFT Christmas Wishes
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Iconic Christmas; MFT Christmas Wishes

*Embossing:  Gina K Christmas Flora

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #346

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #705*

 It's time for a wonderful new sketch at Atlantic Hearts...

... and I chose to go Christmas for mine!  I used a simple pattern paper to cut some very simple trees as my focal point.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown gold sparkle

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Peaceful Prints

*Stamps:  Mama Elephant Jingle Greetings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Iconic Christmas

*Tools:  Perfect Layers; Stampin' Up! Scallop Border Punch

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #705

*Another Linky Party Post*

 It has been so fun, diving in to my stash of holiday card supplies!  Part of me wants to run out and buy so much more, but I also enjoy playing with the items I already have.

For this card, I mixed a foil cardstock with a glitter cardstock and a simple tree die.

Card Info
*Cardstock: unknown brush gold foil; unknown gold glitter; Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  MFT Christmas Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Iconic Christmas

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party

*One Layer Instagram Hop*

 Hello my friends... I'm here with my card for the One Layer Instagram Hop.  For the month of October, we are playing with the theme of splatter.  I had a few ideas go through my head including using some of the ink splatter stamps and stencils I have... but I decided to go super old school and do some actual ink splattering using some reinkers and a fan brush.  I started out by stamping my greeting and then masked it off before starting with the ink splatter.

*CAS Colours & Sketches #594*

 Hello friends... it's time for a new colour challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches. I hope you'll play along with us with this challenge!

Let's start with the colours you need to use...

These colours made me dream of spring (I am NOT a fall loving girlie)...  so I went with some beautiful flowers.  I will admit that I saw a card very similar to this on Pinterest so it's not totally my idea

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Peaceful Pine, Highland Heather, Bubble Bath

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Big Day Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Stiched Blooms
*Tools:  Scor Buddy

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #594

*One Layer Instagram Hop*

 The challenge for the One Layer Instagram Hop for this month is "Markers"...  Using Copics on a one layer card requires a little creativity on the one layer idea.  I stamped my floral on a card sized panel and coloured it with my Copics...   I wanted to overstamp the image but I was so afraid I wouldn't get a clean stamp!  I just felt like my cardstock wasn't quite in the right spot.  So I didn't do it.  I stamped my sentiment and then attached this panel to the front of a card.  It's the same size as my folded card so it works... without doing the panel, the ink would should through the inside of my card.

Card Info

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Flower Field, Big Day Birthday

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

*Addicted to CAS #315*

 I'm here today with my design team card for the current challenge at Addicted to CAS...

I went with a basic black and white card for my Anniversary card today...  I love this heart die because it cuts but the inside heart and the outline as well.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' UP! Basic Black

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Tall Type Alpha; Love From Lizi Sitched Circles; MFT Something for Everything

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #315

*Happy Birthday Diane*

 Today we are celebrating my friend Diane with a birthday hop!  I hope you'll head over to see her Instagram profile to wish her a happy birthday.

I was inspired by Diane's two favourite colours... orange and teal! Not in my wheelhouse, but I like how it turned out!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Altenew Stamp a Splash of Colour; Concord & 9th Big Birthday Wishes

*Ink:  Catherine Pooler Tiki Torch, Aquatini; Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Embellishments:  Pinkfresh Studio Iridescent Clear Drops

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*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

*CAS on Friday #339*

 Happy Friday, my friends!  So hard to believe we're nearing the end of July already!  It feels like summer just started but I can already tell that the sun is spending less time with us!  

It's time for a new challenge at CAS on Friday.  For challenge #339, we are playing with FLOWERS.  I decided to incorporate this challenge with my final card for the Christmas in July Linky Party so my flower is a pointsettia.  I am SO thrilled with how this clean and simple card turned out.  I added just a little sparkle with some glitter paper that I think made all the difference...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler, Evening Evergreen; unknown gold glitter

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Winter Greenery

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Christmas Blooms

*Etc:  gold cord; gold flat backed gem

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #339; BYSHCardmakers Christmas in July; Addicted to Stamps & More

   

*White on White Instagram Hop*

We are playing with a celebration theme for the White on White Instagram Hop this month... I chose to play with an idea that Sandi MacIver shared recently with an embossed panel that you cut in to strip and then adhere the strips to the card front alternating each strip either raised or adhered directly to your panel.  Please pop over to see her fabulous creations!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Big Day Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Big Day Birthday

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Dotted Circles

*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

*One Layer Instagram Hop*

 I'm here with my card for the Just One Layer Instagram Hop...  we are challenged each month to make a card that is just one layer following a common theme.  This month, our theme is stencil.

I grabbed this fabulous ink splatter stencil and created a rainbow through a portion of the stencil directly on the front of my card.  I then stamped my sentiment right on top.

Card Info
*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Big Day Birthday Stamps
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry, Mustard Seed, Salty Ocean
*Stencil:  Lawn Fawn Paint Splatter

*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

*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

*Addicted to CAS #306*

Good morning friends... it's time for a new clean and simple challenge at Addicted to CAS...

I don't have much for postage related items in my crafty stash, but I did recently purchase some Waffle Flower postage themed items.  I played with some soft colours with the stencil and used one of the "stamp" die cuts to create my card.  To add a little extra interest, I used an embossing folder on a white strip.  I used a lot of newer stuff (to me) on this card... always good to use the new stuff you buy instead of ignoring it!

Card Info

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Big Day Birthday
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Shaded Lilac, Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocent
*Stencils:  Waffle Flower Collage Peony Stencil

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Postage Collage

*Embossing:  Altenew Ribbon Waves

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #306; Addicted to Stamps & More #515

*Build Your Stash Holiday Card Makers Spring Into Christmas Linky Party*

Wow!  That title is a mouthful!  

It's time for the Spring Into Christmas Holiday Linky Party, your chance to win one of MANY prizes for simply creating and sharing holiday cards over the next week!  We are so excited to watch you grow your stash of holiday cards!

I was happy to dig in to the favourite part of my creative stash to make some Christmas cards!  I was inspired by a similar card that I saw in Pinterest... 

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Granny Apple Green, Cherry Cobbler; vellum

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Winter Greenery

*Ink:  Versamark

*Embossing:  Wow! White Detail powder; Tonic Studio Bountiful Baubles

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Alphabet Al A Mode

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 This week for the This or That Instagram Hop, we are playing with Lightning Bolts or Hearts... I have no lightning bolts in my stash so I went with hearts (even though I am totally tired of playing with hearts!).  I used just the outlines of that great two piece heart die I have, cut one out of white and one out of black.  I layered a colourful piece of pattern paper behind them and added my sentiment right on top to keep things tight and clean and simple

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Full of Life

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  The Ton Easy Expressions; Concord & 9th Tall Type Alphabet

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Paper Crafters United Against Racism Instagram Hop*

 Today I am joining many of my papercrafting friends in an Anti-Racism Instagram Hop.  I saw the opportunity and with the state of the world right now, I jumped in with both feet to participate.  But then it came time to create my card and I froze.  I'm an white woman in Canada who has never experienced racism first hand.  Sure, I've heard comments and seen stuff directed at others, but I've never had to live that life for myself.  

I finally came up with a card idea and then I started to panic about what to say in my post about the hop.  How can I know what to say?  How can I know what to tell others.  But then I realized, my silence wouldn't help anyone...  but just showing up and letting others know that I stand for humanity might just make a small difference in the world.

I love my neighbours and the people in my world... no matter where they came here from, what languange they speak at home, what colour their skin might be.  I accept others as I expect them to accept me.  I am a safe spot if someone needs it.  And I hope that by standing up and declaring these things that I can help make a difference.  Racism is never OK...

So... on to my card.  I am in love with the shape of this double heart that's part of an alphabet die set from Concord & 9th.  I dug through my stash and found several shades of cream and brown and cut the heart(s) out of all of those shades.  I glued the outside of the hearts directly on to my card, overlapping them slightly... and then used foam adhesive for the insides of the hearts, also overlapping them.  I hope it conveys the idea of love and holding hands with our neighbours and friends...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Close to Cocoa, Crumb Cake, Pecan Pie, Sahara Sand

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

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Tall Type Alphabet; Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banners

*Challenges:  Just Us Girls #809