Paper and Such Father's Day Challenge

Time for another challenge at Paper and Such, and this time we're creating cards on a Father's Day theme!  I pulled out the fantastic Deer Dad set again, it's perfect for masculine cards.  

I grew up in the Copper River Basin in Alaska and enjoyed the beautiful Wrangell mountains in full view every day.  Sometimes when the sun set over the mountain range there would be a pink, gold or purple glow which was absolutely radiant.  I was trying for a bit of that look on my card, then realized my sun wasn't low enough for a sunset!  

But it was fun to make and I love creating scenes around this regal buck.

I used post-it-notes as masks for the mountains and sun and

MFT's Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics to make the dp banner. 

I hope you're inspired by the Father's Day creations the Design Team have created for the challenge - I've really enjoyed being a Guest Designer with these talented ladies!

Supplies include:

Paper and Such Deer Dad

MFT Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Ranger Distress Spun Sugar ink

SU Old Olive, Lucky Limeade, Orchid Opulence, Baja Breeze, Basic Gray, Yoyo Yellow ink

SU dp

SU Early Espresso cardstock

Brads

Copics

Post-it-notes

Morning Glory Sympathy

Today's Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers is Candance Pierce, aka candylou.  

I love Candance's style and chose this clean card with lots of white space to CASE: Happy Birthday.

I love the embossed background and the pink and white color combo she chose.

I changed the theme from birthday to a sympathy card - it's a sad fact of life that we always need to have sympathy cards on hand, and the all white background suits the clean style I prefer for sympathy cards.

This flower image is Morning Glory from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and I love how easy it 

is to color - the leaves on the image are every bit as beautiful as the flowers.

The sentiment is from the SNSS set Elegant Blessings.  A simple sympathy sentiment in an elegant font is absolutely invaluable as far as I'm concerned!

I changed the card to a square and offset the image to the left.  Instead of using liquid pearls I used half pearls.

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Elegant Blessings

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Morning Glory

Paper Mill Shop white linen cardstock

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Ribbon

Pearls

Copics

Sewing machine

Lighten Your Load

Someone asked me to make a retirement card and the Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers seemed perfect for using Papertrey Ink's On My Couch set...it's always fun to paper piece, kind of like a mini interior design job!  I popped up the seat cushions and the pillow adding a tiny brad.  

The main panel of the sketch is tilted, which makes this cozy little living room look a bit like it's in an earthquake zone!

All the panels were stitched, I'm kind of stuck using a zig zag stitch as I can't seem to get my tension adjusted properly for a straight stitch.

I sponged the main panel - the ink was a little too pink and a deep coral was the color I was aiming for so I lightly added some rust sponging to bring the color closer to the matching shade I was looking for.

I combined two sentiments from the set for this...I'll add the persons name using a tiny tag also.

The seam binding is crinkled by spraying it with water and scrunching, and I added buttons and ric rac to finish.

Supplies include:

Papertrey Ink On My Couch

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Sewing machine

Buttons

Twine

My Minds Eye Miss Caroline Howdy Doody dp

DCWV dp

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Versamagic Pixie Dust ink

Praying for you

The Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers today is TracyMac - what  a gallery full of beautifully colored images!  HERE is the card I chose for my inspiration today.  

I sponged the circle while still in the Nestie die with Ranger Distress ink and then popped up this Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Rose Blossom image on it.  I love coloring this rose and it's also easy to cut out.

I used three panels to the left instead of one - my mother recently sent me MFT's Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics, and once I started making those, I couldn't stop!  

My Mom is a card maker herself and is always sending me fun and useful things - thank you, Mom!  Mother's Day was in March here in the U.K. and Ireland, but I know those in the North America are celebrating today...for all of you who are mothers or who care for others with a mother's heart....have a very happy Mother's Day today!

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Rose Blossom

MFT Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics 

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Twine

October Afternoon button

Ranger Distress Scattered Straw ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Copics

My Minds Eye, Cosmo Cricket, SU dp

Big Day

A dear friend and I were out shopping this afternoon for another friend's birthday present - I came home to design a card to go along with our gift and here it is!  

I used the My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Club #71 sketch by Julie this week and got my inspiration at Hard to Find, the website Anne picked for today's Inspiration Challenge at Splitcoaststampers.  Several items made me think of dp that I had - this Floral Frame and the French Rural Red Pin Board.   That pin board is right up my alley!

All edges have been sponged with Distress ink and I used Versafine Black Onyx ink for a good strong black color on the sentiment.

The flower is made using MFT's Loopy Bloom Die-namic - I have some shimmery gold organza in my fabric stash which I folded over before cutting with the die, then rolled up two of them since the fabric is so fine.  

At the end of April I was delighted to be named a Favorite Find at My Favorite Things and won a gift voucher - I got this fabulous set Big Greetings - I love it!

Supplies include:

MFT Big Greetings

MFT Loopy Bloom Die-namic

MFT Fancy Flourish Die-namic

MFT Dizzy Doily Duo Die-namic

My Minds Eye, October Afternoon, Cosmo Cricket dp

Twine

October Afternoon buttons

Organza

Sewing machine

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink

Versafine Black Onyx ink

Paper and Such May Release Hop

It's release time at Paper and Such and there are two fabulous sets to showcase for you today!  

I'm enjoying the opportunity to be a Guest Designer with the talented Paper and Such team!

I made this card using a fantastic set called Deer Dad - what a regal, proud image which is very easy to color.  

I masked the deer image and then using post-it-notes, added some mountains.  I added the clouds using a Papertrey Ink cloud die-cut.

All the dp's have been sponged with Distress ink for a natural, out-door look and I added hemp twine and some leaf die-cuts to complete that theme.  The set has several sentiments for various occasions but I used the one for Father's Day so I'm all set for June!

Supplies include:

Paper and Such Deer Dad

K & Co. dp

Echo Park dp

My Minds Eye dp

Stamping Up Baja Breeze, Creamy Caramel, Soft Suede ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Joy Craft leaf dies

Hemp twine

This card was made using a new set called Strawberry - it includes this strawberry plant along with three smaller images and three sentiments.  What a pretty, summery image, I loved working with it!

 I had all kinds of plans with different dp's and eventually went with a more CAS bg.

I added some green cardstock behind the doily for more definition, and then added some flourish die-cuts and gingham ribbon - gingham makes me think of summer picnics!

Supplies include:

Paper and Such Strawberry

Copics

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Cheery Lynn Designs English Tea Party doily

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die

Ribbon

October Afternoon button

White twine

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Stampin Up Real Red, Lucky Limeade cardstock

Paper Mill Shop White Linen cardstock 

Here's a full list of all the designers participating today so that you can check out every creation with the new sets, don't miss out on any of  the fabulous inspiration from the design team!  By leaving comments along the way, you could be the randomly chosen winner of both stamp sets - you have until Friday night!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Paper and Such

Bridget Finlay - Guest DT

Laurel Seabrook - Guest DT

Janice

Julie 

Kendra

Kim

Meredith

Mindy

Naomi

Pattie

Stephanie

Paper and Such

Paper and Such May Flowers Challenge

I'm delighted to be a Guest Designer with Paper and Such this month along with the talented Laurel Seabrook, and it's time for one of the twice monthly challenges - it's all about "May Flowers"!

I adore poppy images and Paper and Such Poppies was so much fun to color - 

I sponged the oval with Ranger Distress Scattered Straw and colored the poppies with copics.  

I used MFT's Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics for the panel and sentiment banners.  For finishing touches I added a button and gingham ribbon!
I hope you get the chance to play along too, I'm looking forward to seeing your creations!

Supplies include:

Paper and Such Poppies

Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals Petite Large, Small

My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics

Memory Box dp

Ranger Distress Scattered Straw ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Ribbon

October Afternoon button

Sewing machine

Copics

White gel pen

Postal Collage

  The Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers yesterday was Heather Telford (Heather T) and I used her style of masking and sponging for my card - I loved the look so much I decided to make another one today, a collage card using lots of fabulous Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps!
You could use any combination of stamps  for a similar look but I based mine around the postal theme using the Vintage Postcard set - I'm finding it to be such a useful, fun set of stamps to work with!
I started by measuring a 3/4 in. border around my square card and adding a post-it-note frame as a mask.  I then took various inks and sponged inside the square.  Again, any combination works, but colors which blend well together are easier, ie. pinks into purples, blue into green, green into yellow, etc.

I began stamping by using the Light of Christmas stamp for a script bg - by wiping away some of the ink on the inside edge of the script bg stamp, you achieve a faded edge instead of a hard edge.  I then took various images and stamped them randomnly for the collage look.  I thought that "God Bless You" inside the postal mark was just the sentiment I was looking for and simply added a pink pearl as an accent.  

I found this to be an easy, quick card, which was really fun to do and I hope you will too!

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Vintage Postcard

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Butterfly Flourish

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Serene Silhouettes

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Everyday Miracles

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Light of Christmas Background

Stampin Up Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Orchid Opulence, Lavender Lace ink

Versafine Black Onyx ink

Post-it-notes

Pearl

Tough Times

I made this card for today's Inspiration Challenge at Splitcoaststampers - the website featured today is the Victorian Trading Company and there was so much fabulous inspiration that it was hard to choose, but as soon as I saw this American Beauty Umbrella, I knew I would be heading for the MFT Mini Rolled Rose Die-namics and the red felt - I never get tired of rolling those sweet little roses!  I added some black brads and leaves using the Martha Stewart Rose Leaf punch - using a scoring tool to add lines to represent veins makes the leaf pop up with lovely dimension and texture.

This is also the MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #70 sketch this week given to us by Frances (stampowl).  

My mom just sent me MFT Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics, so making banners has become a lot easier!  Thanks, Mom!  I used my Perfect Layers tools to add a small black frame behind it.

This sentiment is so very true and the card will be going to a friend of mine who's going through a nightmare time at work - she knows we're right behind her in prayer through the whole thing, so I hope this will encourage her.

Supplies include:

MFT Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics

MFT Mini Rolled Rose Die-namics

MFT Umbrella Die and Stamp set

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles, Lacey Circles

Martha Stewart Rose Leaf punch

Ribbon

Brads

Sewing machine

Felt

Versafine Black Onyx ink

SU Lucky Limeade, Real Red, Basic Black cardstock

SU dp

Echo Park dp

Perfect Layers Tools

Welcome Puppy

I used the MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #70 sketch for my card and bottle tag to make this set for someone who is celebrating the joy of getting a brand new puppy!

The bottle tag is on a bottle of doggie shampoo...I'm planning on doing a pampering set for a friend along the same lines, I just love being able to make a tag for all kinds of bottles so easily with the MFT Let's Toast Die-namics.

I also made a tag for a little rawhide chewbone to complete the set.

Here's a photo of the card itself:

All edges have been distressed with Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink.  I was wishing I had the MFT Pet Charm Die-namics and the Pinking Edge Die-namic for this, but I just used my old pinking shears - not that easy to get it straight!

I recently found some twine by Creative Expressions which is cream instead of white mixed with the colors, and I love it for distressed, vintage or retro cards.

Supplies include:

MFT Fishtail Flag Stax Die-namic

MFT Let's Toast Die-namic

MFT Flower Trio and Leaf Trio Die-namic

MFT Pure Innocence Puppy Girl

Verve From the Heart die set

Creative Expressions twine

Basic Grey brads

October Afternoon buttons

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Sewing Machine

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

SU Red Riding Hood cardstock

Jenny Bowlin dp

Pinking shears

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps May Release Blog Hop

Hi, and welcome to the SNSS May Release Blog Hop - so glad you could join us!  Once again, we've got some exciting new stamps and dies from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps to showcase for you today!  You'll want to visit each and every stop on the blog to enjoy all the inspiration - and don't forget to leave comments because one lucky commenter will win the entire release - they will be chosen randomnly from one of the blogs, and you've got until Saturday, May 5, 8:00 pm EST! Get comfy and enjoy each and every creation the Design Diva's have come up with....here's my first card:

I absolutely love this new set called Nature Silhouettes with it's birds, butterfly, dragonfly and various botanical images....the possibilities are absolutely endless, I feel like I could make cards all day with this one!

I chose to use the Queen Anne's Lace and thistle flower images here.

I sponged a sky using a cloud die-cut before stamping this scene.  I used a sentiment from the set God's Purpose...you can never have too many Thinking of You cards!  

The dp panel is stitched onto cardstock and I used a Memory Box vine die-cut.

Supplies include:

Paper Mill Shop White Linen cardstock

SU Melon Mambo, Old Olive cardstock

Echo Park Victoria Gardens dp

Ribbon

SU Cool Caribbean, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Lucky Limeade, Cool Caribbean ink

Sewing Machine

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large, Small

Memory Box Delicate Vine die

I created this card  using a new set called Wedding Collage...the main image comes with all kinds of fabulous sentiments for the very special occasion!

I dry embossed the main panel and then embossed over that with gold ink and embossing powder for a thick enameled look.  I also embossed the edges of the image panel with gold ink though it's hard to see here.

The flourishes have been cut with metallic gold cardstock to match.

All edges have been sponged with Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink.  

To finish I added gold cording and a vintage pearl brad.

This card actually fits in a square envelope because of the image at the top of the tent fold.

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Wedding Collage

Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish die

Cuttlebug embossing folder

Gold embossing ink, powder

Versafine Black Onyx ink

Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink

Gold cord

Vintage button

Pearls

Paper Mill Shop cream linen cardstock

Fiskars Corner Rounder

Here's a full list of all the bloggers participating today so you don't miss a single creation - if you're following along, the next stop is with the fun and talented Taylor Usry:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog

Korin Sutherland

Dina Kowal

Giovana Smith

Bridget Finlay 

Taylor Usry

Monika Davis

Holly McMillen

Kim Singdahlsen

DJ Rants

Cathy McCauley

Jennie Harper

Kim Schofield

Mary Faus

Jessica Fick

And don't forget the May Release Party over in the SNSS Member Forum at Splitcoaststampers tonight at 8:00 pm EST.  There'll be full reveals of the stamps and dies, plus fun challenges and chat!
I hope you're enjoying the hop, thanks so much for stopping by!

Pet Sympathy

I've always wished that I had a sentiment for a pet sympathy card and I now I've found a very meaningful one at Paper and Such!  This sweet little doggie and sentiment are part of a set called Patriot and Friends which includes several lovely pet images and cute sentiments as well.

And I'm absolutely delighted to be a Guest Designer for Paper and Such along with the very talented Laurel Seabrook for the month of May!

I made this for the CAS challenge at Splitcoaststampers to use brown, green and white or ivory, and feeling that I had to stick close to the challenge colors, I sponged the sky with distress ink in "brown tones" - I used a cloud die-cut (Papertrey Ink) and added grass with copics.

The little flowers are part of a Rubber Stamp Tapestry set and though it's hard to tell in my photo, there are little gems in the centers.

The little dog is colored with copics and poppped up.

Supplies include:

Paper and Such Patriot and Friends

Paper Mill Shop white linen cardstock

Twine

Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals Petite

Button

Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Copics

Gems

Papertrey Ink cloud die