You Are My Favorite Reason to SMILE!

Happy Saturday!  Popping in with a quick (for me) card to share. 

I am playing along with a couple of challenges today.  I just love this week's MFT Weekly Sketch Challenge.  Of course, I just had to flip it around in some way.  I  am also using this week's Colour Me.....Playful Challenge.   

After looking at the colors and the sketch, I thought I could make some yellow legal paper.   I started with MFT  Card Stock Sampler pack (lemon drop, blu raspberry, jellybean green, primitive white).  I then used the following...   MFT Blueprints 1, Blueprints 12, Blueprints 13, and Blueprints 15.  I also used Office Supplies die-namics, Vertical Stitched Strips, CS Smile, MPD Distressed Hearts (splotches image) stamp sets, BG Notebook Paper Background, BG Typewriter Text Background, and Premium Dye Ink in Gray Grout.  I am working on getting more inks. 

I recently started heat embossing more.  I decided I needed some fun colors. I purchased some colorful Zing Embossing powders the other day.  Since I could not get them all, I had to make some decisions.  I laugh because I could not decide between green or turquoise.  I thought I would use the green more.  When I decided to emboss the SMILE I thought the turquoise would have looked better, but did not have it.  I guess I need to get that one now, too.  I love the spotchy image to make it look like I spilled something on the paper.  I also used a Copic C1 to create some definition around the embossed SMILE.  Makes the letters pop even more.  I am also playing along with Simon Monday Challenge:  I Ought to Use it More!  and Simon Wednesday Challenge:  Anything Goes!



As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty

Wishing You the Most Fabulous Birthday EVER!

Happy Friday!   It is time for Week 4 of the Viva La Verve Weekly Sketch Challenge!  This week we have a sketch by Christyne.   Check out the VLV blog for more details.  

For my card I am using Verve's  Better Together and Sunny Days stamps sets along with Verve's Cut Above Goodness Flower and Banner Bundle die sets.  I finished the card with a few buttons with coordinated hemp cording.  I accented the card with Verve's Pastel and Shine Bright Sequin Mix. 

"Neat" Distressing?   I got this really cool paper pad in the mail full of bold colors and geometric patterns.  I just knew I had to create some distress, but did not want to tear or ink distress the edges on these pretty papers.   I wanted a clean distressed feel, but not too distressed.  I wanted neat and clean edges...no torn or jagged edges, or vintage inky edges for that matter.  I wanted the slight distressing to come through in the loose tension stitched border,  zigzag stitching, and flyaway threading.  

To add even more neat distressing, I stamped the green panel with the background image from Better Together several times overlapping to create some dimension and less than a perfect look.  I also left the extra stray black embossing pieces that I normally brush off prior to heat embossing stay.  I decided it would add a cool and "neat" effect.   If you click on the pic, you can see all the little black pieces...so cool!   I liked that the paper sort of warped on me, too, during the heat embossing part.   I chose not to try and flatten it with something weighty or adhesive, but use it like it was.  So, did I accomplish some neat distressing? 


I am also using these other products on my card.  Glitz Finnley paper pad,  Scor-Tape, TomBow Mono Aqua Liquid glue, and Watermark/Resist Ink Pad & re-inker from Ranger.  

Playing along with Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge:  Anything Goes,  Simon Says Monday Challenge: I Ought to use this more! (heat embossing I rarely gravitate to heat embossing til recently.  I actually went out this week and purchased some fun colors), and  Seize the Birthday:  Anything Goes.

As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty 

PTI June 2014 Blog Hop!

 Happy Wednesday!  Today I am playing along with PTI June Blog Hop Challenge.  This month is an inspiration piece with optional color combo and/or sketches to choose from.  I opted to play with the colors and parts of the inspiration piece for inspiration for my card.

I guess it is no surprise I reached  for my Shakers and Sprinkles kit.  I just love figuring out new ways to use the dies and stamp set.  I had a lot of fun with the dies on this card.   I used all the colors listed to create my stitched frame die cut background onto rustic white card stock.  I added some of the die sprinkles, too.  I must remember to use these little pieces just to add some accenting to cards. They are not just for sprinkles.

I decided to add a piece of vellum die cut with the larger of the Basic Banners die to mimic one of the slices in the colorful pie circles on the rug.  I added the largest of the Circle Scribbles die that I die cut with gold foil card stock.  I just loved the touch of gold on the lamp in the inspiration piece and just knew I had to add a few splashes of some gold on my card. I added the gold foil scribble in front of and behind the vellum, I embossed the sentiment, then added some stitching to adhere it to the card.  Since this week's PTI Make It Monday Challenge is vellum overlays, it worked perfectly for that challenge, too.  I finished my card with the slightly skewed layered Sprinkles.  I love how it turned out!  I used Tombow Mono Aqua Liquid Glue on this card.  The dual end application makes it a breeze on the tiny pieces as well as the larger pieces.  Plus, it works!  I am also adding this card to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge which is Anything Goes!

As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty

You're Brilliant!

 I had a chance to play along with this week's Fusion Card Challenge who joined with CAS this Sketch this week.  I decided to use both the inspiration picture and the sketch.  

When I looked at the inspiration picture, I really liked the cut out look on the candle.  I also saw in the top left corner what appears to be a wrapped star.  I decided to focus on those two elements for the CAS Sketch.     I used some new gold foil card stock that I die cut with MFT Modern Morracco Cover Up.  I used  TomBow Mono Aqua Liquid glue  to adhered the die cut to a piece of rustic white card stock.  I then die cut a piece of vellum to using MFT Fishtail Flag Stax.  I used MFT Watt's Up?  stamp set and gold embossed the sentiment using Watermark / Resist Ink Pad & re-inker from Ranger. 

Next, I die cut a star with some rustic white card stock and used Watermark / Resist Ink Pad & re-inker from Ranger again to distress ink the star with a direct to paper technique.  I then gold embossed the areas.  I wanted to make sure it was not perfect and some white areas were exposed.  I then use some memory thread in gold metallic to wrap around my star.  I added some foam circles to pop the star up a bit.  I finished the card with a gold metallic memory thread bow.  

As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty 
 

JOY! A Sketch, Color, and Inspiration!

Happy Saturday!  I had a chance to play in my craft room this morning.  I am playing along with a few challenges with this card.  I am trying to get a jump on some Christmas cards, too.

I am playing along with  MFT Weekly Sketch Challenge. I am using the inspiration from Festive Friday Challenge, and the colors from Colour Me.  

I saw all the sparkle and shine in the inspiration picture and decided to use my glittered card stocks.  I started with MFT Rectangle Frame die.  I cut the largest frame.  I die cut it once in the glitter card stock and two more times in regular card stock.  I glued them together with Tombow Mono Aqua Glue which is quickly becoming my favorite liquid glue.  Love this stuff.    Next, I used some MFT sweet tooth card stock.  I inked up the BG Striped Background and stamped at an angle.  I  then used the inside frame leftover from the Frame die to cut my horizontal piece.  I stamped that with MPD Starry Christmas stamp set using the Christmas tree and repeatedly stamped it to create a starry background panel in pastel pink.  Next, I used MPD Starry Christmas die set and die cut the Christmas tree in gold glittered card stock.  Next, I die cut the Pierced Circle Stax with sweet tooth.  I stamped the tree using pink ink.  I layered the gold glittered die cut tree over with foam tape for some dimension.  I wanted the soft pink stamped tree to show from both sides.  I die cut the letters J-O-Y using MFT By the Letters die using some more glittered card stock.  I finished the card by decorating the tree with some sequins.

I really like how this card turned out.  Not too bulky for mailing, either. 

As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty

Beautiful! VLV Sketch + Inspiration!

 

Happy Friday!   It is time for Week 3 of the Viva La Verve Weekly Sketch Challenge!  This week we have a sketch by Chaitali  +  inspiration picture. Check out the VLV blog for more details.  

For my card I am using some Beautiful Moments Carta Bella dp.  I combined Verve's Poppy Birthday with Beautiful PJ stamps with Verve's Build a Poppy  and Flag It die sets.    I finished my card with Verve's Shine Bright Sequin Mix. 
   
I have been experimenting with different types of products to add to my cards so adhesives have become a big concern for me.  They must be easy to use and have staying power. Here are some I got that I am just loving! 

I have been using Scor-Tape for awhile now.  Very affordable and it seriously works!  I just needed to add some to my stash.  Never want to be without this adhesive.   Something new I tried on this card to glue the sequins is the TomBow Mono Aqua Liquid glue.   I really love it!  The dual ended dispensing makes exact application perfect.  Love the clear liquid, too!  Dries fast and stays put! 

 I also used X-Press It Foam Mounting Tape.  Love this stuff!  Great dimension and the adhesive really sticks. 

Since I embossed the sentiment on this card, one of the things I usually use is Versamark.  I have used it for years.  However, I needed a new pad so I thought I would try the Watermark / Resist Ink Pad & re-inker from Ranger.  I must say not all watermark pads are created equal.  I am truly loving the rich watermark look achieved with this pad as well as the rich embossed finish when using embossing powders.  Seeing is believing!  I just found a new "go to."

I am playing along with the NBUS Challenge:  Something NEW or unused with "Anything Goes."  (NEW: pierced circle Stax).  Also, playing along with Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge:  For a Friend.

As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty 

Happy Birthday! MIM, a Curtain Call, and a Sketch!

Schools Out For SUMMER!  WooHoo!   I am popping in with a late post today!  I am playing along with this week's PTI  Make It Monday #168: Combining Chalk and Stamps with Impression Plates.  

I was concerned at first that I would not be able to find my chalks.  It has been years since I have used those.  I found one of the smaller containers right away and decided to focus on the greens since I am using PTI vineyard impressions plate.  I impressed my plate in two passes.  I wanted a top texture and a bottom texture to follow the sketch design from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  I loved this sketch and thought it would work fabulously with this technique.  I scored the lines to add emphasis on the separation.  I swiped some pink chalk through the center of the sentiment portion.   I chose Ruby Rose stamps.   I combined simply chartreuse, winter wisteria, harvest gold, berry sorbet, scarlet jewel, and hibiscus burst inks for the floral portion of my card.  I like that the textured portion made the stamping look a bit distressed.  Patchy in spots.  

For the sentiment I chose Bigger Blooms and did not want it perfect.  I wanted a slight tilt to follow the less the perfect stamping look.  I added a couple of layered butterflies.  At first I did not emboss the vellum butterfly, but I felt like it need some texture to show up against the rustic white background.  That bit of texture made all the difference.   I am using a new piece of my harvest gold felt from the felt swap!  I topped off my layered butterflies with a scarlet jewel button.  I really love the contrast of textures and colors with this card.  I must say this technique surprised me.  I really like the finally look.  I am playing along with The Curtain Calls Inspiration Challenge, too!

As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty 

Let Your Light SHINE Tag!

Popping in with a couple of cards that I am just now getting a chance to post.  There were a couple of challenges I wanted to play along with this week.

I wanted to play along with MFT Color Palette Challenge.  I really love this color combo.  For the first card, which isn't a card at all,  I used Blueprints 9 to die cut the tag with the seam at the bottom of the tag. I am calling it a  TAG FILE.  It opens from the top of the tag.  I thought this tag file look along with the sentiment would work great for Vacation Bible School name tags.  Students can add their own names to the top.  There is also room inside for VBS kids to write a Bible Scripture or important information that happens during VBS week.  Sort of a memorabilia tag file to add to a scrapbook later.  I embossed the SHINE with white embossing powder.  I used some seam binding ribbon to create the bow and tag loop.

MFT products used on Tag File.
MFT Card stock Sample Pack
Blueprints 9
Horizontal Stitched Strips
Watt's Up stamp set
Watt's Up die set
Cheerful Blessings stamp set

For the second card I wanted to play along with this week's Retro Sketch.  I just love the look.  Since I already had these colors cut out from making the tag, I decided to go ahead and use the same colors again.  I kept this one very simple for me.  I added the sentiment, hemp cord bow, and topped with a button.  Easy peasy!


MFT products used on Tag File.
MFT Card stock Sample Pack
Horizontal Stitched Strips
Birthday Greetings
Hemp Cord

As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty

Happy Birthday! A Throwdown, Inspiration, and a Sketch!

Happy Saturday!    I feel I have been counting down the last days of school for a while now.  When is it going to end?  LOL!  Actually,  the students are already out, but I still have 2 days of workshops then I am home free!  Not much longer!  

My son  informed me that he has a Birthday Party to go to this evening for a friend at school. So, I had to head to my crafty space and pop up a quick girly Birthday card!  I think it turned out fresh, fun, and young!  

I am playing along with Fusion Card Challenge and The Color Throwdown!  I combined the colors from The Color Throwdown with the inspiration and sketch from Fusion Card Challenge.  I was inspired by the trellis look, the newsprint, and the staggered flowers.  I used the Lifestyles Trelis border.  I used Verve's Chevron Love stamp set.  I stamped the sentiment several times going up the side.  I used the larger butterfly to stamp pieces of the trelis in coordinating inks.  I added some newsprint dp.  I finished my card with a seam binding bow using Verve's Truly Madly Deeply Ribbon Collection in Cotton Candy and Verve's Shine Bright Sequin Mix. 



As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty

Peace on Earth! A Throwdown and a Sketch!

Happy Sunday!  I am popping in with a Christmas card!   I know it is only June, but last year I was short a few and had to make some in a rush.  I like have a nice stash ready to go when it is time to start mailing them.   I figured an earlier start could not hurt.  

I am playing along with The Color Throwdown Color Challenge and MFT Weekly Sketch Challenge.  

My card uses the following MFT Products.  Card stock sample pack, Blueprints 2 and 13, Horizontal Stitched Strips dienamics, Stencil on the diagonal(embossed),
MPD Starry Christmas stamp set and Starry Christmas dies  You Mean the World to Me dienamics cut with vellum, and
Sequin dienamics cut with white glittered card stock.  I cannot get over how easy it is to emboss with these stencils.  I went over the embossed paver red with some versamark to make the embossing stand out even more.  I embossed the bubblegum pink dove with some white embossing powder.  Love the soft peaceful feel of the pink with the vellum.  

I really like the simplicity of this sketch for Christmas cards.  May need to make some more in different colors.  

As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty

Scatter! Papertrey MIM Notebook Challenge!

Happy Saturday!  It has been a long week of  final exams and end of year testing at school.   Schools not out yet!  Students have three more days and I still have over a week!  Soon, though!  Very soon!  Anyway, I was ready to shake off the week and play in my craft room for awhile.  My craft room relaxes me and keeps me sane!

I am playing along with PTI Make It Monday Challenge!  This week we were challenged to create a notepad.  I chose to use the PTI file folder dies and kraft card stock for the base.  The colors I chose inside for my notes are harvest gold, hawaiian shores, and spring moss.  Once again, I reached for the Shakers and Sprinkles kit!  Seriously!  I cannot help myself!  I decided to go for an inlaid die cut focal image.  This meant that I had to back the notepad cover in another piece of kraft.  I was okay with that as it offered some more reinforcement.  I figured with a notepad, the word "Scatter"  made sense.  Scattering notes of joy!  

I did a bit of distress stamping with the Venice BG stamp and some harvest gold ink.  I did not want it perfect.  I added one of the memory clips in rustic white that I layered with a piece of kraft for added stability.  I stamped the tiny heart from the Shakers &  Sprinkles kit in the three colors included in the pad.  I tried to keep the pad front simple.  I did add a few buttons to tie in all the colors. I am also playing along with NBUS Challenge!  This week is Anything Goes with a focus on Friendship. My new and unused item is the Scatter die.  Not used it yet til now!


As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty

Verve's June Diva Inspirations Hop!

Welcome to Verve's June Diva Inspirations Hop. It's the 5th of the month and that means it's hopping time again! So climb aboard Destination: Inspiration for a fun trip through Verveland today. In addition to a comment prize hidden along the hop, we're debuting our June inspiration challenge as well! Play along for another chance to win!
 

Our June challenge is Winged Whimsy:

Let your creation soar by featuring wings! Think butterflies, birds, feathers or related sentiments. Celebrate the beauty of flight! Whether you draw inspiration from the graphic or fly a solo mission, let's see some winged beauties!

For my card I am using Verve's Wings of Love and Borderline stamp sets along with Verve's Cut Above Wavy Hearts and Heart Quartet dies.   I finished my card with Verve's Summer Sailing Ribbon Collection in Sky Blue and some Verve's Shine Bright Sequin Mix.   I  am using the sketch from Retro Sketches.

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we've got a prize for one lucky commenter along the hop! Check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize info and deadlines, and a little bit about our brand new Diva!

	1. Julee	8. Sony
	2. Amy	9. Susan
	3. Anya	10. Stacey
	4. Betty	11. Maureen
	5. Karen	12. Marisa
	6. Sankari	13. Charmaine
	7. Sarah	14. Andrea

As always thanks so much for stopping by!  
Next on the hop is Karen! 

Betty 

Best DAD Ever!

Happy Sunday!  I had some time this afternoon in between loads of laundry to play in my craft room.  I made a Father's Day card.  I found making this card very therapeutic.   

I am playing along with MFT Weekly Sketch Challenge and The Curtain Calls Inspiration Challenge.  


I combined the following MFT products on my card.  Card stock Sampler Pack(I used chocolate brown and primitive white).  I used MFT Vertical Stitch Strips dienamics, Blueprints 2, 10, and 13.  

I stamped MFT BG Woodgrain stamp set in a light gray color.  I tried stamping off a bit to create some distress stamping look with the woodgrain.  I ink distresssed all of the edges.  I use MFT Negative Dot Alphabet die namics and By the Letters die namics to create the sentiment.  I finished with some brushed metallic metal dots and hemp cord bow with added red glitter card stock hearts.  I like it!  I think it is a very simple, yet vintage guy card for Father's Day.  I am also playing along withSimon Says Challenge.  This week is "Anything Goes!" As always thanks so much for stopping by!Betty