*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

*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

*Embossing Folder Instagram Hop*

 This month, the participants in the Embossing Folder Instagram Hop are playing with the theme of Bloom Where You Are Planted.  I thought it was the perfect reason to pull out this lovely product suite from Altenew.  I have the stamp set, layering stencils, die and embossing folder and this is the first time I've used all of them at once!

I started by stamping the floral image and stencilling my colours on to it.  I then cut it out and embossed it.  I also embossed the entire image on to a front panel so that I'd have the frame as well.  I layered my coloured and embossed image on top of the simple embossed image and added a simple sentiment.

Card Info

*Stamps:  LDRS My Wish For You; Altenew The Perfect Gift

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne:  Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Peeled Paint, Picked Raspberry

*Stencils:  Altenew The Perfect Gift
*Dies:  Altenew The Perfect Gift

*Embossing:  Altenew The Perfect Gift

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch #679*

 I really enjoy the sketches at Atlantic Hearts!  Sometimes I make them busy and layered like crazy and sometimes I enjoy making them more in my usual style.  I am in LOVE with how my card turned out for this challenge.

First, here is the sketch...

And here's how I interpreted the sketch...  I kept it pretty simple with an embossed layer instead of a patterned paper layer.  And I couldn't resist pulling out this wonderful Pinkfresh Washi to create my focal point.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  LDRS My Wish For You

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Embossing:  Altenew Ribbon Waves
*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts Sketch #679

*Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop*

 Each month, I join a group of paper crafters on Instagram and we share uplifting cards to try to encourage someone who might have found themselves in a rough spot.  We call it the Sending Sunshing Instagram Hop.  For my card today, I used some soft spring colours, highlighted with some gold...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown gold mirror;  Stampin' Up! Sage Shado, Pale Plum

*Stamps:  LDRS My Wish For You
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Circles; Spellbinders Floral Spray

*My Favorite Instagram Hop*

This week for the My Favorite Instagram Hop, we are playing with our favourite spring flowers... and I totally missed the part that it's supposed to be an Easter card LOL!

I love a lot of spring flowers... but I chose to play with daisies for my card today.

Card Info

*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Crushed Curry

*Stamps:  LDRS My Wish For You

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Embossing:  Lisa Horton Bold Daisy Background
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Embossing Folder Instagram Hop*

 I will admit, I almost skipped this month for the Embossing Folder Instagram Hop.  I have some embossing folders and I LOVE how they look... but I don't have all that many of them.  At least not enough to make a card with a "luck of the Irish" theme... or so I thought.

I pulled out some green cardstock and embossed it with a leaf embossing folder and swiped a little gold ink along the raised parts of the embossing. I matted a lucky sentiment with some gold cardstock and wrapped the front layer with a gold cord before adding it to my card base.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Bazzill gold mirror; Stampin' Up! Garden Green

*Stamps:  LDRS

*Ink:  Catherine Pooler Gold; Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Embossing:  Spellbinders Leafy

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Etc:  gold cord

*Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop*

 Each month, a group of us gather on Instagram to share some sunshine with our cards...  we try to create cards with an uplifting message to hopefully help someone who might need to see it that day.

I had every intention of making this a colourful card.  I started by using my Misti to stamp one flower in the one corner of my panel, turned the panel 180 degrees and stamped it again.  I cleaned everything up and went to start colouring when I realized I hadn't used Copic friendly ink...so I went with it and created a black and white card instead!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Altenew Hennah Elements; LDRS My Wish For You

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges: All About #2

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #663*

 Good morning!  There is a fantastic new sketch at Atlantic Hearts this week... I hope you'll play along!

I have been finding it tough to get back in to the swing of every day card making... I used some items from my die cut stash to create my card today, making the sketch in to something that is relatively clean and simple.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  LDRS My Wish For You

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies
*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Brick & Mortar

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #663

*CAS Colours & Sketches #554*

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

I have a lot of fun putting this card together...  playing with different design elements until I found exactly the look I was hoping for (but not knowing what I wanted in the first place).

Card Info
*Cardstock:  Spellbinders gold foil
*Stamps:  LDRS Creative My Wish For You
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Washi Tape:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies, Vines & Roses
*Dies:  Wafle Flower Nesting Circles; Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies, Vines & Roses
*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #554

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 The This or That choice this week was Flowers or Snowflakes.... and while I LOVE snowflakes, I chose to do flowers instead.  I think I just needed something to remind me that spring is coming LOL

I started with a coverplate die that I cut out of white cardstock.  I used some very soft colours of Copics to add a little colour to the flowers.

Card Info

*Stamps:  LDRS Creative My Wish For You

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies:  Hero Arts Secret Garden

*CAS on Friday #287*

 It's a watercolour challenge at CAS on Friday... and my original idea didn't work out (at least not for this card) so I moved on to another idea.  I did more of a "dry brush" style of watercolour to create a background with some inks... I hope it looks enough like watercolour to meet the challenge.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Images:  Lil Ink Fresh Cut Flowers; LDRS My Wish For You

*Ink:  Altenew Limeade, Lime, Fresh Leaf; Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #287

*Color Hues*

Good morning, creative friends... I found some time on this cool and rainy weekend to play along with the current challenge at Color Hues...  I had this small layered stencil on my desk and decided to play with it.  Sadly my sage looks a little more green than a true sage in my photo...

Card Info

*Images:  LDRS My Wish For You

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Catherine Pooler Hot Tub, Bay Breeze, Sparking Berry

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles

*Stencils:  layering stencil from the 2023 Spellbinders Advent Calendar

*Challenge:  Color Hues #89

*AAAColourful #5*

It's time for a new colourboard challenge over at AAA Colourful.  We want you to take inspiration from our colourboard and create something wonderful.  You do not need to use all of the colours, but make sure that the idea of the colourboard is visible in your creation.

My blue isn't quite as deep as the colourboard, but I hope you can see the idea behind my design...

Card Info
*Images:  DRS My Wish For You

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Salty Ocean

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Stencil:  Lawn Fawn Slimline Cloudy

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Challenges:  AAA Colourful #5

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge#575*

 Happy Monday creative friends...  we had a beautiful weekend here in Calgary and now we have a "special weather statement" advising us that we could see up to 25cm of snow Tuesday and Wednesday.  Welcome to spring in Calgary...  sigh

Anyway... it's time for a new sketch with Atlantic Hearts...  I forgot to get mine posted to the blog in time, but I hope you'll play along!

I chose to do mine as a mini slimline as I prefer that size to a standard slimline...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Granny Apple Green; unknown foil cardstock

*Images:  LDRS Creative My Wish For You

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Pierced Blooms; Pink Fresh Studio Small Butterflies

*Foil:  Spellbinders Aura

*Foil Plates:  Pink Fresh Studio Small Butterflies, solid plate

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #575