Take Care for Queen Ruth

I was honored to be asked to me a Guest Designer for the Queen for the Day challenge this week.  Our queen is Ruth, aka RDey.  You can see her fabulous and extensive gallery here.  I chose her Spring card and turned into a Thanksgiving card.

Cuttlebug Mania's challenge this week is.  I've used my Big Shot to emboss the woodgrain background and stitching.

Less is More is asking for  String or Twine

Simon Says Monday Challenge is having an ANYTHING GOES challenge this week.

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge is also having an ANYTHING GOES challenge this week.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe
Stamps:  Take Care, Lovely as a Tree
Ink:  Cajun Craze, SU Markers (Baked Brown Sugar)
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Baked Brown Sugar
Other:  Stitched Mat Rectangles (Lil Inkers), Jute twine (Michaels)

I found this leaf all colored and cut out in my UFO box.  I honestly don't remember how I stamped and colored it. Wish I did!

Thanks for the visit.

Enjoy!

Glimmer Ornament for Queen Priscilla

Another Queen for the Day and another fabulous gallery to CASE.  This is the card I used for my inspiration. I flipped the layout and used a NBUS Christmas Ornament die (actually 2 dies) for an ornament instead of a butterfly.

The solid ornament is actually cut from a Silver Foil sheet from the Holiday Mini catalog.

You can see the shine better here.  The ribbon is silver too and also from the Holiday Mini.

Addicted to Stamps and More wants us to make something CLEAN AND SIMPLE

Christmas Cards All Year Round is looking for something on our card that has to do with Getting Ready for Christmas.  I love my sparkly glass ornaments and hang them on my Christmas tree and in the bay window during the holidays.

Pixie's Snippets Playground is always looking for cards using snippets.  I have snippets of Glimmer Paper, a leftover piece of embossing and ribbon.

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge is ANYTHING GOES.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps: Greetings of the Season

Ink:  Encore Silver

Paper:  Whisper White, Silver Foil, Silver Glimmer

Other: Classic Ornament and Swirl Ornament Dies (Memory Box), Vintage Wallpaper EF (retired), White Ribbon (Offray), Silver 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Thanks for the visit.

Enjoy!

Magnificent Maple One Layer

I haven't made many one layer cards lately, but this leaf just begged to be put on a one layer.

I love this stamp.   With the minimum of stamping you get maximum impact!

Addicted to CAS is hosted by Kylie this week and she wants to see 

Karen, at Snippets is hosting the One Layer Wednesday challenge this week.  She says....

'Orange' You Glad You Played Along- create a card with Orange on it.

Simon Says Monday Challenge is ANYTHING Goes.

Susan at Simplicity is hosting a Thanksgiving Crusade so I'll take this over there.  Thanksgiving should be a most important holiday.  We all have so much to be thankful for.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps: Magnificent Maple, Holiday Best

Paper:  Pip

Ink:  Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Cajun Craze, SU Markers (Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Always Artichoke)

Other:  Washi Tape (Hobby Lobby)

I'm so glad you could stop by.  I'm sorry I didn't get by to visit over the weekend.  Between company and a big Stamp Stack, I was swamped.  Hope to catch up soon.

Enjoy!

Merry Monday Santa

Whoosh! We're back to Merry Monday time again.

Lesley came up with a another fun challenge this week.

photo source

It's the jolly old elf himself!

And here's a peek at the inside of my card.

This card is a bit larger than I usually make.  It measures 5" x 7".  Is that an A-6 size card?

Anyway, this Santa was kinda big so he needed a bigger home.

My layout is a CASE of this card that I saw at SCS by MDO Susan.

I'm going to join the gang at Rudolph Day where we take something festive between the 25th and the last day of the month.  Sarn has a wonderful prize this month.

CAS on Sunday has a sketch.  I think this is pretty close.  It is off center a bit and my sentiment is lower, so I'm not sure if they'll keep this or not.  I haven't been over there for a while so I'm going to try it.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Vintage Santa (Stampabilities), Many Merry Messages

Ink: Encore Silver, Copic Markers

Paper:  Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler

Other: Silver EP, Ovals Collection Framelits, Northern Flurry EF, Basic Rhinestone

I stamped and embossed the sentiment and Santa thenI lightly colored the face with Copics. I placed him behind the embossed card front where I had cut ovals from Whisper White and Cherry Cobbler.

I hope you'll pull out your Santa stamps or punches or whatever you have with Santa on it and make a card to share with us at Merry Monday!  And, if you need inspiration, the Design team has some awesome cards!  Be sure to check them out.

Thanks for the visit.

Enjoy!

Best of Butterflies Featuring Marie-Alice

I thought all our butterflies were gone.  Then I saw a Monarch today!  What a blessing!

This isn't a Monarch but I thought I'd share it anyway.  It's to honor the Featured Stamper at SCS this week, Marie-Alice (aka ladybug91743).  What a lovey gallery with so much inspiration!  I chose this card as my inspiration.   Here's my take.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Best of Butterflies, Inspired by Nature, Wetlands, Too Kind

Ink: Soft Suede, More Mustard, SU Marker (Soft Suede)

Paper:  Watercolor (Strathmore), Whisper White

Other: Neutral Brad, Corner Rounder Punch (EK Success)

Nothing much to talk about here.  I stamped the butterfly in Soft Suede and the grasses in More Mustard.  I mixed in some of the wheat from the Wetlands set in Soft Suede.  I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of Whisper White and stamped some of the grass and wheat on that.  I rounded the end with a corner rounder punch that the guard has broken off. Glad I didn't trash it!  A brad was inserted in the end and the sentiment was popped up on dimensionals.

Thanks so much for the visit.

Enjoy!

Loons for Queen Susie

The Queen for the Day this week is Susie (aka susie australia).  She hasn't been posting cards on SCS for long, but there were several beautiful cards in her gallery that caught my eye.  This is the card I ended up going with.

This is what I came up with.

I pretty much kept the layout but used cardstock strips instead of decorative paper.

Cuttlebug Mania has challenged us to use Black and White.  

You can use any manual (not electric) die-cutting/embossing machine,

dies or embossing folders to enter our challenges. 

Please tell us what products you've used in your post!!!

  This weeks prize comes from

Kenny K Downloads

and there is a prize of 3 digis of the winners choice from their shop.

I used my Big Shot with the Woodgrain Embossing Folder (SU), Window Frames Framelits (SU), Circle Nesties (Spellbinders)

Paper Players is hosted by my friend LeAnne this week.

Seize the Birthday is up with a new gallery of anything as long as it's a birthday card.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe
Stamps: Loons (Northwoods), Wow Flowers
Ink:  Basic Black, Versa Mark
Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black
Other:  Black EP, Woodgrain EF, Window Frame Framelits, Circle Nesties (Spellbinders)

Thanks for the visit.

Enjoy!

Frightening Feline Trick or Treat

Here's a little card I whipped up for Halloween.

It fits in lots of challenges so I'm going visiting.  The how to's are at the bottom of this post.

Dynamic Duos is asking for 

This piece of decorative paper was in my scrap box.  I don't think it's Stampin' Up! because it wasn't double sided.  I thought it looked close to Tangerine Tango and it definitely worked for Halloween.

Friday Mashup wants to see.... 

1. Create a project with a  "Tree or Leaves."
2. Create a project using the "Color Orange."
3. Or Mash it Up and create a "Project with Leaves/ Tree & the Color Orange."

What beautiful leaves from their DT and in the gallery.  I don't have leaves but the color orange is covered.

Simon Says Monday Challenge says make it SPOOKY

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge is asking for HALLOWEEN or HALLOWEEN COLOURS

Inkspirational is having an ANYTHING GOES challenge

Shopping Our Stash is asking for Halloween OR Orange and Black.  The Frightening Feline stamp and DP were in my stash.

Pixies Snippets Playground will get a visit.  The DP, frame and spider were made from snippets.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe
Stamps:  Frightening Feline, Holiday Best
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper:  White (Pip), DP (?), Basic Black
Other: Window Frames Framelits, Basic Rhinestones, Washi Tape (Hobby Lobby)

After adhering the paper to the front, I cut the window from the card front. I lightly marked the boundaries with a pencil and stamped the cat on the inside.

The frame was cut using 2 of the framelit dies cut from the black.

The sentiment, Washi tape and rhinestones finished her off.  The spider you can see on the inside is from Memory Box.  I had some scrap pieces of black and die cut lots of spiders.  I have a box full. 

I think it took longer to write this post than it did to make the card!

I'm so glad you could come visit! 


Enjoy!  

Merry Monday Christmas Caroling

We're going Christmas caroling at Merry Monday this week.  So crank up that Christmas music and get inspired!

This is one of my favorite Christmas stamps this year.

Are you singing along yet?

Here's Lesley's fun challenge this week.

photo credit

This image reminds me of a Christmas carol book I had as a child and it was so tattered that I didn't try to move it last time.  What fun we had singing carols from that book.

Some of my fondest Christmas memories from my youth are of the times our youth choir went Christmas caroling.

I believe that Judy Garland was the first to sing this song in 1944.  That was even before I was born!  I remember listening to it on some of my dads old records.  How we loved to play those Christmas songs.

And sing along.

Kept us busy and out of trouble.

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge is looking for Christmas cards this week.

Addicted to Stamps is having a Make Your Mark week You can create ANYTHING you like, just remember to use your markers, pencils, chalks, watercolours etc. I used my markers to ink this stamp.

Pixies Snippet Playground will let me come play.  Did you see the tiniest of snippets?  Miss Di is still on vacation but I know she's keeping a close eye on things since she commented on the cards from last week. 

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Merry Little Christmas

Ink: SU Markers (Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive

Paper:  Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler

Other:  Stylish Stripes EF, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Stitched Mats Rectangles (Lil Inkers)

Now start singin' and craftin' and join us at Merry Monday.  If  you need inspiration be sure to go check out the Design Team's cards.  Wow!

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy!

Merry Monday Smoosh Snowflakes

It's Merry Monday time again.  How are you coming on your Christmas cards?  Only about 8 more weeks before they need to be sent.

Here's Lesley's fun challenge for this week.

photo source

Just look at those beautiful snowflakes.

I have tried and tried to get this photo to look as pretty as the actual card, but this is the best I can do.  Here's a close up that I think gives a better idea of the shine.

The 52 Christmas Card Throwdown is asking for a Christmas card without any red or green.

I saw this technique done on a video a couple of years ago but I can't find the video now.  It was done by Catherine Pooler. Edited to add the link to the tutorial here.

To do this technique take a cellophane bag (you can also use a plastic sandwich bag) and cut off 2 sides so that it opens up flat. Put a drop each of Baja Breeze, Marina Mist and Island Indigo in the bag and a couple drops of Frost White Shimmer paint. Spritzed a couple times with water and foldthe bag closed letting all the colors smoosh together.  Open it back up and lay a piece of cardstock on one side. If you miss a spot, just lay it down again.  I colored another piece with the other side of the bag.

I got too much shimmer paint in this.  Instead of a drop or two, I had a glob. 

You can see another smoosh background on this card. 

Maybe my photo editing skills have improved.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Snow Swirled (retired)

Ink:  Island Indigo

Paper:  Whisper White, Island Indigo, Glimmer Paper

Other:   Re-inkers (Baja Breeze, Marina Mist, Island Indigo), Frost White Shimmer Paint (available on the Clearance Rack), Snowflake die (Impression Obsession), Basic Rhinestones

I hope to see a snowy card from you in the Merry Monday gallery.  And treat yourself to a look at the Design Team's cards. They're awesome!

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving

To all of my Canadian Friends, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

My friend Benzi inspired this card.  In fact it is a shameless CASE of this card.

It's one of the cards that we did in our class last week.  Thanks, Benzi!

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge wants cards that used a clear or rubber stamp. The sentiment is a clear stamp by Verve.  This set has several wonderful Fall sentiments.  

Pixie's Snippet Playground lets you play if you use snippets.  The leaf, stem and banner were cut from snippets.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Happy Fall (Verve)

Ink:  Soft Suede

Paper:  Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip, DSP

Other: Circles Collection Framelits, Distress Stripes EF (Cuttlebug), Leaves #2 Bigz Die, Raffia (non SU), Packing Shreds (non SU)

The pumpkin card was cut with the largest of the plain circles in the Circles Collection Framelit set.  I cut the card at 8" x 4 1/4" and scored at 4".  To cut the circle, I laid the folded card so it didn't fit all the way at the top and bottom.  This left some fold for the card and allowed it to sit straight without rocking.  The inside has smaller circles cut from Very Vanilla on both the top and bottom to add sentiments and add stability to the embossed card.

This is making me want some pumpkin pie!  Yum!

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy!

Halloween Happiness for Queen Pat

Luke says it's about time I got ready for Halloween.  I had hung a wooden pumpkin on the front door and I was told that I was pretty late getting started.

One of the ways I decorate for Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving is with cards.  They sit on the mantel and the side table.  And of course there are cards adorning the craft room to inspire those who stamp there.

This image was a discard from cards we did in the class Thursday.  When I saw this card by Queen Pat (imastamper), Splitcoast Stamper's Queen for the Day this week, I knew this piece could find a home.

While looking through Pat's wonderful gallery, I saw lots of other cards that I would love to CASE.  I'm hoping I can get my work done so I can CASE some more.

I'm going to share this with a couple of challenges.

Addicted to Stamps is having an Anything Goes challenge.

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge  wants us to use a Rubber or Clear Stamp.  The pumpkins and the sentiment are stamped.

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Halloween Happiness, All Holidays (retired)

Ink:  Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip, SU Markers (Soft Suede, Old Olive, More Mustard, Daffodil Delight)

Paper:  Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, DSP

Other:  Raffia (craft store)

We stamped all the pumpkins in Pumpkin Pie ink and colored the stems, leaves and vines with markers. Then we stamped the Jack-0-lantern again. After fussy cutting it out, we placed it on the design with a dimensional.  I separated the sentiment from the main body of the stamp so we could use this image for a Fall card.  It can easily be added when we want the sentiment.  Here's the card they did.

I don't do many Halloween cards, but it's nice to have some on hand for the boys to give their teachers.  And my DDs love to do Halloween in a big way, so I try to give them a card to sit on a shelf for the month.

Glad you could stop by.  Are you ready for Halloween?

Enjoy!

Merry Monday Warmth and Wonder

Another Merry Monday.  Can you guess what the prompt is this time?

Lesley comes up with the best challenges!  This week it's...

photo source

I love birds on Christmas cards.  The rest of the design team has done a fabulous job to inspire you.  Be sure to take a peek.

And I just happened to have this little bird that hadn't been inked yet (NBUS).  I haven't had him long.  He came from the Warmth and Wonder hostess set.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Warmth and Wonder

Ink:  SU Markers (Real Red, Garden Green, Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black)

Paper:  Whisper White, Real Red, DSP

Other:  Real Red 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Square Lattice EF, Extra Large Oval Punch, Ovals Bigz Die (retired)

I inked the stamp with markers then hightlighted the wing with a Cherry Cobbler marker and around the eye with black. 

The banner was already embossed in my red snippets and the DP is the last piece of this sheet of paper that retired several years ago.

I'll take this over to Pixie's Snippets Playground since I got to use several snippets.  And many thanks Di for spotlighting my card from last week. I was super excited to see it there and I think I bumped Parsnip with my excited jumping.

I'll take my dotty outline over to Simon Says Wednesday Challenge that's GOING DOTTY this week.

My friend and fellow Merry Maker, Loll, is on the Design Team for a new Christmas Challenge that Nonni is holding.  She says Let's Get Inky - Stamp a Happy Christmas. I hope there's enough stamping on this.

I hope you'll stamp a bird on a Christmas card and bring it over to share at Merry Monday.  Christmas will be here before you know it!

Thanks for the visit.

Enjoy!

Rustic Sunflower for Queen Jan

I'm seeing Fall everywhere I look.  The leaves are not really colorful here, but they're falling rapidly.  It's impossible to keep the walk swept up.  But it's kinda fun to crunch those leaves under our feet.

The Queen for the Day at SCS today is Jan (aka Precious Kitty).  I didn't have to go far to find an inspiration.  I chose this beautiful card to CASE.  Jan CASED her card so I guess it's a CASE of a CASE.  This is one of my favorite layouts.

All supplies are Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Ink: Smoky Slate

Paper:  Naturals White, Summer Sun (retired), Chocolate Chip

Other:  Simply Scored, Burlap Ribbon, Perfect Polka Dots EF, Daisies #2 Bigz Die (retired), Twine (non SU)

To do the faux wood siding, I scored a piece of Naturals White on my Simply Scored then dragged my Smoky Slate inkpad over it very gently.  The bow is 4 loops on my bow maker.  I cut the stitching off the edges of the burlap ribbon to give it a more rustic look. Now I wish I hadn't. I got more of a rustic look than I wanted.  

There are a lot of challenges to do Fall/Autumn cards. 

Addicted to CAS

Sunflowers always make me think of Fall.

Addicted To Stamps

See the sunflowers in the picture?

CASology

Aren't sunflower seeds harvested in the Fall?

I love the colors of Fall, the promise of cooler weather, the smell of wood smoke and fallen leaves, pumpkin bread and gingersnap cookies.  What do you like best about Fall?

Thanks for stopping by today.

Enjoy!