Crazy Card Party-- Celebrate

This week at Crazy Card Party, it's my turn and I choose "celebrate" for our theme since it is New Year's Eve. 

...but I thought I would be a bit crazy and post this...not very new yearsie...but we could all use a little dose of summery flowers right about now!

    


Happy Near Year!
 
I can't wait to see what the other Party-Ers create this week to celebrate the turning of a new year!

cs~ PTI, Strathmore watercolour paper
stamps~ SSS
dies~ PTI, YNS
inks~ Derwent watercolour pencils

Crazy Card Party-- Layouts of Christmas Past...but not really

This week at Crazy Card Party, Kathryn is asking to see layouts of Christmas past.    


I am waving a white flag to say I couldn't find an appropriate layout to post. Sorry!

So instead I am posting one of my favourite Christmas cards I made this year. 

I hope that is OK Kathryn!

 

I put paste through this gorgeous Tim Holtz stencil that Kathryn gave me! Then I sprinkled glitter all over it. In real life this is STUNNING! I love how it looks against the Soft Stone. The sentiment was cut from a die I borrowed from my scrappy friend Brenda, but she doesn't know who made the die since she bought it at a garage sale! Who sells something that gorgeous? I would love to find it and buy it.

I can't wait to see what LAYOUTS the other Party-Ers create this week! 

Sorry again Kathryn that I didn't play by the rules!

Crazy Card Party~ Christmas Tag!

This week at Crazy Card Party, Rosanne is asking to see a Christmas tag. Great timing since she just hosted her annual tag swap! What a wonderful night that was!

I discovered a very cool non traditional material to use on my tag this year...the adhesive metal tape you use to seal ducts! I adhered the tape to PTI card stock and then I cut my tag bases out of this very shiny material and loved it. So I also cut my ornament top and stitched snow flake out of it as well. 

   

The ornament is embossed in blue and the sentiment in silver. I just love the look of blue and silver together for Christmas.

Then I made 17 more!

  

Thanks Rosanne for a wonderful evening!

I loved all the tags the other Party-Ers created and can't wait to see them again this week!

cs~ PTI, Neenah
stamps~ Simon, PTI
dies~ Simon, PTI
twine~ Lawn Fawn

Simon Says...Tag it!

I am playing along with Simon Says Wednesday Challenge...tag it!

I created a tag featuring a snow globe in a mason jar. I love the gold "snow" falling in the background and around the lamp post!

Have a great weekend!

cs~ Neenah, PTI
stamps~ Neat & Tangled, PTI, Lawn Fawn
inks~ Delicata, Versafine, Versamark
dies~ Mama Elephant, PTI

Crazy Card Party-- Sentiments!

This week at Crazy Card Party, Regan is asking to see sentiments featured in a big way. I love sentiments and love big bold ones! So I took a break from Christmas crafts this week to make this birthday card for my MIL. Her birthday is just after Christmas.

    


I used this great sentiment from Mama Elephant for the first time. I embossed it in clear and then watercoloured over it with Peerless. Some PTI sequins (thanks Regs!) finished it off.

I can't wait to see what the other Party-Ers create this week!

cs~ Strathmore, PTI
stamps~ Mama Elephant
paint~ Peerless
sequins~ PTI
 

All is Calm

I thought I'd play along again with Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge...Let it Snow!

I used my new favourite sets from Neat & Tangled again!

Happy Friday!

cs~ PTI, Neenah
stamps~ Neat & Tangled
inks~ Versafine, Versamark
dies~ Simon Says Stamp, Your Next Stamp

Cozy Christmas

We didn't have a Crazy Card Party challenge this week, so I thought I'd play along with Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge...Let it Snow!

It has been green around here, so I hope this doesn't actually bring on the white stuff.

I used my new favourite sets from Neat & Tangled!

Happy Friday!

cs~ PTI, Neenah
stamps~ Neat & Tangled
inks~ Versafine, Versamark

Celebrate

I decided to play along again with the Simon Says Wednesday challenge...anything goes featuring Altenew. 

I used Label Love along with this amazing Paper Smooches rose die. I used the shiny metallic adhesive tape you use around your furnace for the inside of the rose!

Thanks for stopping by!

cs~ Strathmore, PTI
stamps~ Altenew
dies~ Paper Smooches, Your Next Stamp
ink~ Versafine, Distress ink
twine~ DMC
sequins~ Simon

For You

I am playing along with the Simon Says Wednesday challenge...anything goes using Altenew.

I used my Painted Flowers which paired so nicely with an Avery Elle sentiment.

thanks for stopping by!

cs~ Neenah, PTI
stamps~ Altenew, Avery Elle
inks~ Versafine, Memento, PTI
dies~ Your Next Stamp

Crazy Card Party-- stamped background

This week at Crazy Card Party, Patricia is asking to see stamped backgrounds. 

I stamped a wood grain background in gold and added a few Altenew roses on top. Those gorgeous little wood grain sequins Av gifted us a long time ago really finished it off.

   

I can't wait to see what the other Party-Ers stamp for their backgrounds this week!

cs~ Neenah, PTI
stamps~ Altenew, Recollections, PTI
inks~ Versafine, Delicata, Hero Arts
 

Papertrey November Blog Hop Challenge

I have been having so much fun creating Christmas cards. So I was excited to play along with the Papertrey blog hop this month especially when I saw this gorgeous inspiration photo. I love everything about it!

I decided to play around with the trendy confetti look, using the colours from the photo: Hawaiian Shores, Simply Chartreuse and of course silver and white.

I can't wait to see all the inspiration along the hop!

cs~ PTI, Neenah
dies~ PTI
inks~ PTI, Hero Arts
stamps~ PTI, WPlus9, Winnie & Walter

From our home to yours

I have been having great fun making Christmas cards, especially with my new favourite stamps set by Neat & Tangled! I linked up with the Simon Wednesday challenge this week...Christmas.

I was inspired by Nina-Marie over on the Neat & Tangled blog. 

thanks for stopping by!

cs~ Strathmore, PTI
dies~ Simon
stamps~ Neat & Tangled
inks~ Versafine, Peerless
sequins~ Simon

Let it Snow

This week we didn't have a Crazy Card Party challenge, so I thought I would play along with Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge...Christmas! That's easy since I have been madly working on my cards.

I used my new Simon houses dies and stitched snow dies.  I need more practice sponging on the ink for the sky background. But I know I want to make more of this type of scene!

thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

cs~ Neenah, PTI
dies~ Simon
stencil~ Simon
inks~ Distress Inks, Versafine
paste~ Ranger
stamps~ PTI

Thinking of You

I decided to play along with Simon Says Wednesday challenge..."Thinking of you."

 

I embossed this lovely floral spray from Clearly Besotted and then coloured it in with distress markers.

Have a great weekend!

cs~ Neenah, PTI
stamps~ Clearly Besotted, PTI
inks~ distress markers, Versafine, Versamark

Crazy Card Party~ Create a "Scene"

This week at Crazy Card Party, it's my turn and I want everyone to "create a scene"!  

No, not that kind of scene...a scene on your card.


I created a fall scene...

And then I created a wintery scene...

I can't wait to see what kind of "scenes" the other Party-Ers create this week!

cs~ PTI, Neenah, Canson
inks~ Distress inks, Versafine
stamps~ PTI, Lawn Fawn

You are a Blessing to me

I love making thank you cards. So I decided to play along with Simon Says Wednesday Challenge...Thanks or Thanksgiving.

I made this card for my mom. She is always doing nice things for me. She recently gave me the brilliant idea to use the heavy duty adhesive duct tape  you use to seal furnace ducts for crafting. Pretty cool! I die cut this beautiful Paper Smooches flower out of it.

Thanks mom!

cs~ Canson watercolour paper, PTI
inks~ Distress inks, Versafine
dies~ Paper Smooches
stamps~ PTI

Crazy Card Party-- Die as a Mask

This week at Crazy Card Party, Kathryn is asking us to try a technique I really like...use a die as a mask. She even posted a how to video for us to watch. The woman in the video showed using dies to make masks and stencils. So I actually did both.

   

I made a stencil from acetate with a PTI butterfly die. Then I coloured inside the stencil with my new Derwent watercolour pencils (love!). Then I used the mask part of the butterfly and coloured around the butterflies with yellow. I brushed on a bit of white gesso with my finger and then lightly stamped over it with a script stamp. Av let me used this gorgeous PTI sentiment and my brand new SSS clear sequins finished it off.

I can't wait to see what the other Party-Ers create this week with this cool technique!

cs~ PTI, Strathmore watercolour paper
inks/paints~ Derwent watercolour pencils, PTI, gesso, Versafine

Oh Happy Day

This week at Simon Says Wednesday challenge...it is anything goes! I never seem to get sick of making these watercolour butterfly cards.

I hope it is a happy day!

cs~ PTI, Strathmore
stencil~ Dina Wakley
inks~ Peerless, Distress markers, Versafine
stamps~ Mama Elephant

Favourite Christmas Cards for Inspiration

In order to get inspired to make this year's Christmas cards, I thought I would post a few of my favourites from last year...

Some cool trees with O Tannenbaum...

Boughs and snow with Peaceful Pinecones...

And boughs and tree lights with Holiday Lights...

And of course the painful but oh so beautiful Pedal Pusher...

I may just have to remake some of these again this year...

cs~ PTI, Neenah
stamps~ PTI, WPlus9
inks~ PTI, Versafine, Versamark, Memento
dies~ PTI, WPlus9, Simon Says Stamp

Crazy Card Party-- Texture

This week at Crazy Card Party, Rosanne is asking to see some texture.

 I decided to do some texture paste behind these pretty Ellen Hutson flowers (thanks Av). Regan actually made me this texture paste (it rocks...better than the stuff you can buy) and Rosanne let me borrow her circle stencil. So this was really a team effort!

    
I can't wait to see what kind of texture the other Party-Ers create this week!

cs~ Neenah, PTI
stamps~ SSS
dies~ Ellen Hutson, YNS

Work it Wednesday~ Thank You

I decided to play along with the Simon Says Work it Wednesday challenge.."thank you." I love making thank you cards since I have such lovely friends I like to thank for all the nice things they are always doing for me.

Thank you to all my great friends out there!

cs~ PTI, Strathmore
stamps~ Neat & Tangled,Winnie & Walter
dies~ PTI, Simon
twine~ DMC
sequins~ Simon
inks~ Peerless watercolour, Versamark

Papertrey October Blog Hop Challenge

I have really been putting off starting my Christmas cards, but I decided to play along with the PTI blog hop this month.

Here is the inspiration image...

I usually don't usually use the traditional red and green in my Christmas cards, but I thought they went perfectly with the boughs from Peaceful Pinecones and the lights from Holiday Lights.

I can't wait to see all the great inspiration along the blog hop!

cs~ PTI, Neenah
inks~ PTI, Versafine
stamps~ PTI

Crazy Card Party~ Christmas

This week at Crazy Card Party, Regs is asking to see Christmas.   

I went with gold, kraft and ripe avocado. I made some gold "snow" with paste as a background to the wreath and bow from PTI's Lovely Laurels that Patricia lent me. (thanks!). I really regret not buying that kit. Now it's out of stock. 


I can't wait to see what the other Party-Ers create this week for our Christmas theme!

cs~ PTI, Neenah
stamps~ PTI
inks~ Delicata
dies~ PTI, Your Next Stamp
 

Crazy Card Party-- Turn up the Tunes!

This week at Crazy Card Party, Patricia is asking us to "turn up the tunes" with inspiration from a song. 

Well, recently I have had Meghan Trainor's "All about that bass" in my head. I know the song is NOT about cards, but it made me think about card bases and, dare I say it, ONE LAYER cards!

 I embossed a butterfly on the side and then added some distress markers over top. Simple but I really like how it turned out.


I can't wait to see what music has inspired the other Party-Ers this week!

stamps~ Avery Elle,  Hero Arts
inks~ Versafine, Distress markers
watercolour paper~ Strathmore
 

Merci

There was no CCP challenge this week so I decided to post a card I made to say thanks for a girls' cottage weekend. It was also World Cardmaking Day this weekend so I am linking up with Simon Says Stamp's call to show what we have been working on lately.

I have been perfecting my Altenew Painted Florwers. They require a bit of careful attention but I really love how this one turned out.

Thanks for a lovely weekend Tina!

cs~ Neenah, PTI
stamps~ Altenew, PTI
inks~ PTI, Memento, Hero Arts, Versafine
dies~ SSS

Wonderful Friend

This week at Simon Says Wednesday challenge it's "anything goes." I thought I would post this card  since it uses all my favourite things right now, SSS stamps and sequins, DMC metallic twine and Derwent watercolour pencils.

thanks for stopping by!

Thanks

The Simon Says Wednesday challenge this week is "no designer paper." And because that is my "go-to" way to craft anyway...I thought I'd post another creation. 

Here I embossed my new SSS floral stamp in white and then watercoloured them in with my new Derwent watercolour pencils. I put them on a background I "smooshed" with some distress inks. Kind of cool!

Thanks for stopping by!

cs~ PTI, Strathmore
inks/paint~Derwent, Ranger Distress inks, Versamark
dies~ SSS, PTI
stamps~ SSS

Hello There

The Simon Says Wednesday challenge this week is "no designer paper." That's easy for me since I recently realised I almost NEVER use patterned paper on my cards. I recently brought a bunch of 6x6 pads to a crop and did not even open one of them!

Here I embossed my new Clearly Besotted floral stamp in white and then watercoloured it in with my Peerless watercolours. So simple but I just love how it turned out!

Thanks for stopping by!

cs~ PTI, Strathmore
inks/paint~ Peerless, Versafine, Versamark
dies~ SSS
stamps~ Clearly Besotted, PTI 

Crazy Card Party...What Inspires You?

This week at Crazy Card Party, it's my turn and I want to see what inspires everyone else! 

For me, I picked hummingbirds. They buzz around  my backyard all summer. They are so fast that I rarely get to really see them. But when they hover on a nearby flower...wow...they are so beautiful.

  

I have also had my eye on this gorgeous card on Pinterest for a while. 

So this is what I came up with...

I can't wait to see all the things that inspired the other Party-Ers this week!

stamps~ Altenew, Inkadindado, MFT
inks~ Versafine, PTI, Memento, Versamark
cs~ PTI, Neenah

Simon Says Challenge...die crazy!

This week at Simon Says Wednesday challenge the theme is "die crazy"! I went with a couple of my go-to dies, my SSS stitched rectangle as a base and a Project Life banner for my sentiment.

I embossed a bunch of elements in white: the old fashioned milk jug on vellum and some flowers and leaves on watercolour paper. I watercoloured everything up with my distress markers.

Thanks for stopping by!

cs~ PTI, Strathmore watercolour paper
dies~ SSS, Project Life
stamps~ SSS, Stampendous
inks~ Versafine, Versamark, Distress markers
pearls~ Queen & Co.

Crazy Card Party-- Chalkboard

This week at Crazy Card Party, Kathryn is asking to see chalkboards. Perhaps because this is back to school time?? I kept it pretty simple with a border stamp and a big brushstroke style sentiment. Fun!

   


I can't wait to see what the other Party-Ers create this week!

stamps~ PTI, Ellen Vener

Crazy Card Party-- Featuring Flowers

This week at Crazy Card Party,  Rosanne is asking to see flowers! That is easy. I LOVE using flowers.

   

I played around with Dee's "Gracious Vases" set (thanks Dee!) and decided to feature a big arrangement of flowers in a vase. I dug out my long neglected "On My Couch" set and set a little scene. 

I can't wait to see what floral creations the other Party-Ers feature this week!

stamps~ PTI, WPlus9
ink~ distress markers/inks, Versafine
cs~ Canson, PTI

Layouts!

I thought I would post the layouts that I have been working on these past few weeks. I hadn't done any in so long...it took me a while to remember how! I have been alternating pocket pages and traditional 12x12. Hopefully this fall I can keep it up and finish this album of our trip to Scandinavia in 2013.

Some views around Stockholm... including the 7 Eleven of Lisbeth Salander fame!

The narrow alleys of old town Gamla Stan...

Seaside town near Stockholm...Saltsjobaden and its gorgeous Grand Hotel.

Taking pictures of each other taking pictures!

Love those little red Swedish houses...great excuse to use my die set to create one.

thanks for stopping by!