Graduation Slider Card

Hello folks! Before I get started, I need to apologize to my blog for neglecting it. I am no longer on any design teams, which means I no longer have to post cards regularly. In addition, my kids are also out for the summer, which means I have less time for myself.

However, I made time to create a graduation card for my nephew, Cody, who just graduated from high school. Cody is a great kid and I am proud to be his aunt. Congrats, Cody!!

This is a slider card I made for him:

Look at all those people throwing their caps in the air!

Yay! Hats off!

Now, those same hands are catching money that they will be getting as graduation gifts!! Woo hoo!

I used the Avery Elle Hats Off set to create the card with the exception of the dollar bills, which I drew by hand.

https://www.simonsaysstamp.com/product.aspx?id=344522

InLinkz.com

Here is a video that shows how the slider card works. My husband took the video so I could open and close the card. (Thanks, honey!) It's a little washed out, but you still get the idea. Thanks for visiting and again, congrats Cody!

Sparkle and Shine Challenge #29

It's May! You know how the saying goes - April showers bring May flowers - which is why the Sparkle and Shine inspiration photo is absolutely perfect for this challenge!

Create A Smile Stamps is sponsoring this challenge. If you aren't familiar with them, they have the most adorable stamps. Check them out. Then enter the challenge so you can win a $25 gift card to their store!

Here is the card I made from the inspiration photo:

I had fun with this card. Here's how I made it:

1. Create a circle mask by die cutting a circle onto masking paper. Use the negative as the mask.
2. Using a blender tool, blend Distress Inks onto the card base. (I used Peacock Feathers and Evergreen Bough). While the ink is still wet, use a dry paint brush and brush on Perfect Pearls powder just before removing the mask. Spray Perfect Pearls Mist in gold onto the paper.
3. Stamp flowers, leaves and succulents and then die cut or fussy cut them. I used Altenew Vintage Florals, Simon Says Stamp/Altenew Layered Flowers and Simon Says Stamp Cups and Succulents. All ink is from Altenew. Adhere to card base.
4. Stamp sentiment with Versamark and heat emboss in gold. The sentiment is also from Simon Says Stamps Flowers on My Mind.
5. Don't forget to finish it off with some bling. I used pearl gems from Eyelet Outlet.

Altenew VINTAGE FLOWERS Clear Stamp Set	Altenew STAMPtember Exclusive LAYERED FLOWERS Clear Stamps SSS101581	Simon Says Clear Stamps CUPS AND SUCCULENTS sss101483 Stamptember	SImon Says Clear Stamps FLOWERS ON MY MIND sss101501
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad EVERGREEN BOUGH Ranger Winter TIM32854	Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad PEACOCK FEATHERS Ranger Spring TIM34933	Ranger Perfect Pearls Mist HEIRLOOM GOLD Glimmer Spray PPM28314	*Ranger Perfect Pearls CONFETTI WHITE Individual Pigment Powder PPP36807
*Neenah Classic Crest **110 LB** SMOOTH SOLAR WHITE Paper Pack 25 Sheets	Altenew GREEN FIELDS Crisp Dye Ink Pad Pack AN178	Altenew RED COSMOS Crisp Dye Ink Pad Pack AN177	Altenew SUMMER AFTERNOON Crisp Dye Ink Pad Pack AN176
Altenew COOL SUMMER NIGHT Crisp Dye Ink Pad AN200	Eyelet Outlet Pearl Gems

InLinkz.com

Please visit the other design team blogs for further inspiration. Thanks for visiting!

Sparkle and Shine Challenge 28

It's time for another Sparkle and Shine Challenge. If you like purple, this is the challenge for you! Check out the gorgeous inspiration photo below. All you have to do is create a project using the photo as your inspiration. If your project is chosen as the winner, you will receive a $15 gift card to the online craft store Right at Home.

As you can see, I incorporated the color, the circles and the flowers into my card. The flowers are from Avery Elle's Petal and Stems set. Although it's a solid stamp, I added depth and dimension to it by coloring over it with colored pencils. It creates highlights and shadows, which gives it more definition and adds that little extra touch.

Now it's your turn to make something and enter it into the challenge. What are you waiting for? Go!

Merry Monday 200th Challenge Celebration!

Hello friends out there in blog world! I had the honor of being invited by my friend Kathy Schweinfurth to participate in the Merry Monday 200th celebration. All of the challenge designers invited one guest to participate in the challenge, and Kathy asked me! Thank you, Kathy!!

 The photo below is a montage of four different sources of inspiration. You can choose from a sketch, a color palette and/or two photos. Pick one or pick them all!

I went a little out of my comfort zone with this card. I started by die cutting three different sized circles with masking paper. I placed the masking paper onto watercolor paper then stamped an evergreen leaf image onto the watercolor paper. Afterward, I removed the masks and watercolored the ornaments using Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers. I finished it off with a sentiment from WPlus9, some embroidery floss and some gems.

I encourage you to visit the Merry Monday challenge blog and hop along. Then, make your own creation and enter the challenge.

Sparkle and Shine Challenge 27

April is here! With it comes lots of showers and beautiful colors - just like the inspiration photo for the new Sparkle and Shine challenge!

For this challenge, I made a shaker card using stamps and dies from My Favorite Things. I threw in a few sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and Paper Sweeties.

As you can see, I was inspired by the colorful circles and also by the clear background.

 

 Be sure to visit the Sparkle and Shine challenge blog to see the other design team's creations and then create your own project from the inspiration photo. One winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to Create a Smile Stamps!

Sparkle and Shine Challenge #26

Hello and welcome to the Sparkle and Shine challenge #26. This challenged is sponsored by the amazing online store Right at Home!  The winner of the challenge will received a $15 gift card to the store.

Without further adieu, I bring you the inspiration photo:

Here is my card:

I just happened to have some spare burlap and polka dotted ribbon leftover from a wreath I made. I found some green chevron patterned paper in my stash, too. The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp Pure Sunshine collection. I bought it because one of the sentiments is the lyrics to "You Are My Sunshine," a song I like to sing to my kids. :-) I found an orange and white polka dotted flower and a pretty pearl brad to adhere the flower onto the card. The leaves are another SSS die (Clustered Leaves) that I cut with sparkly green paper.

That's my card for the challenge. How does the inspiration photo speak to you? Why not make a card and enter it in the challenge to win a prize!?!

Sparkle and Shine Challenge 25

Today we start challenge number 25 at the Sparkle and Shine blog. It's March, which means people will be celebrating the luck o' the Irish this month. Here is my lucky card based on the inspiration photo below.

I used Altenew Lacy Scrolls stamps and three shades of the Altenew green inks to achieve the ombre effect. The sentiment is a die also from Altenew.

Now it's your turn to create something. The winner of this challenge will received a $15 gift card to Right at Home.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sparkle and Shine Challenge 24

Hello! Hello! I'm back again with a card for the next Sparkle and Shine Challenge. The winner of this challenge will receive a $15 gift card to the online store Right at Home.

Here is the inspiration photo:

 My card based on the inspiration photo:

I actually hand created the herringbone pattern. I took a piece of computer paper and adhered strips of cardstock in various colors and widths at an angle. Then, I cut the entire paper into four strips. I adhered the four strips onto heavy card stock (Neenah 120 lb.) alternating the direction of the stripes to create the herringbone pattern. I ran it through my die cutting machine using a stitched rectangle die from Simon Says Stamp.

Then I stamped sentiments from Altenew Label Love, cut them and aligned them on the base at the same angle as the colored stripes, and adhered them with foam dots to pop them up and make them stand out a little better.

Now, I thought the card was done until I remembered that this is the Sparkle and Shine Challenge, which means I needed to add some embellishments. I found the enamel arrows in my stash from my Eyelet Outlet designing days, popped those babies onto the card and it was done. Finito. 

Please join the challenge. Don't forget to visit the other designers' blogs for more inspiration!!

Time for a new Sparkle and Shine Challenge

Hello and welcome blog friends and followers. It's time for another challenge over at the Sparkle & Shine blog.

Before I get started, I want to share some sad news. Angel Johns, the owner of this challenge, recently lost her husband of fifteen years. He is also the father of her two sons, ages five and 15. A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help Angel with the expenses. The $10,000 goal was met, but if you still feel like helping her, I know the money will be put to good use.

https://www.gofundme.com/AngelJohnsFamily

Back to the challenge ...
Create A Smile Stamps is our sponsor for this challenge. The winner will receive a $25 gift card to the online store and will be asked to be our Guest Designer for next month.

Without further adieu, here is the inspiration photo - just in time for Valentine's Day.

Here is my card. I used the Hero Arts Acts of Kindness set to create the card. I've been wanting this set since it first came out a couple months ago. I finally ordered it and this is the first project I created with it.

If you're planning to make a Valentine's Day card for your sweetie, why not use the inspiration photo above and enter it into the challenge? 

Sparkle and Shine Challenge 22

Hi there! I'm excited to post my second card as a Sparkle and Shine design team member. Winter is in full force here. In fact, my back yard looks a lot like the inspiration photo! We have snow on the ground, ice on the trees and ocassionally, a cardinal makes an appearance.

Here is my interpretation of the inspiration photo:

I realized after working on this card that I don't own any cardinal stamps. That is going to change. The mascot of the high school my kids will attend (once they're old enough) is a cardinal. I am going to need a cardinal stamp in the future!

In the meantime, I had to make do with what I had. I found this bird ephemera buried in my stash. It is from a really old Crate Paper kit. The bird was white, so I colored it red with Copic markers and then added some Wink of Stella for a little sparkle. The fence is a die from Paper Sweeties and the white "snow" hill is a die from Simon Says Stamp.

Here is the supply list:

DCWV Glitter Stack	Home Tweet Home Stamp Set--Paper Sweeties	Simon Says Stamp Stitched Slopes and Hills Dies	Memento - London Fog	MINI ROUND INK BLENDING TOOLS
Hemline Silver Metallic Thread

Please visit my design team mates' blogs for more inspiration and then enter the challenge for a chance to win a $15 gift card to the online stare Right at Home, and be asked to join us next month as our Guest Designer. 

Good luck and happy crafting!

Ringing in the New Year with Some Sparkle

Happy 2016! Each new year brings changes. For example, I'm ringing in the New Year with a new design team opportunity. I am excited to announce that I am joining the Sparkle and Shine design team. As a huge fan of cards with bling, I think I will fit in quite nicely.

Here is the inspiration photo for the current challenge:

I took my inspiration from multiple elements. The blue, pearl, silver and purple color palette, the sparkly tinsel and the circular shapes of the balloons and clock.

Ring Wreath

The Greeting Farm Celebrate and Enjoy

DCWV Glitter Stack

Silver Embossing Powder Ranger

Bazzill White 40 LB VELLUM

I encourage you to enter this fun challenge, which is sponsored by Create A Smile Stamps. The winner of our challenge will receive a $25 gift card to the online store and will be asked to be our Guest Designer for next month.  You have until Sunday, Jan. 10 at 11:55 p.m. to enter!