Easter Gnome!

 I am participating in a Rediscover Your Supplies Hop over on IG.  The challenge theme this time is "Easter" so I went to my stash and found Stamping Bella's Gnome On An Egg and Easter Sentiments (retired) stamps that rarely get any love.  To keep with the theme, I also pulled out my Kuretake watercolors (remember when they were the rage?!?) It's another item from my stash that hardly gets used because I put my time and attention into my Copics! Silver embossing powder on the image helped make sure the watercolors didn't bleed into each other. I wanted the egg to have a design, so I went to my stencils and found these fun polka dots, which I inked with two colors of Distress Oxide inks.  

I am in love with the colors and the pattern of the floral around the gnome - and it was a "free with purchase" layering stencil from Taylored Expressions.  What a great addition to my stash for some spring cards!!  I broke it open for this first time for this card because I was inspired by another crafter for the color combination.  The quilted backdrop is TE's Pierced Lattice cutting plate.  A few splatters and TE Drip Drops finished off the card!

Playing along with challenges that encourage digging into the stash of supplies I have on hand has become a favorite past time.  If you have the same idea, take a look at the IG Hop and join us!  Darnell's NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff!) challenge is another one to check out each month! Thanks for stopping by my blog! 

In kindness,

Cathy

Challenges Entered:

Happy Little Stampers March Stencil Challenge (So glad you are back!!)

March NBUS 

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge #31 - Winter Fun

 Back with my second card for this month's {BYSHC} Sketch Challenge.  This simple card came together quickly thanks to a fun package of 12x12 Echo Park paper.  I picked it up during one of their "warehouse" sales for a song!

I decided to use the sketch in a mini-slimline shaped card.  The only part of the card that wasn't included in the paper pack is the die cut snowflake.  A little bit of glitter glue gave some sparkle to the band on the snowman's hat and nose.  I popped on three enamel dots and the card was finished!

There is still time to play along with the March sketch challenge.  Just add your card to the album for sketch #31 in the {BYSHC} FB Group.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness,

Cathy

Let's Craft & Create Challenge #193 - Add Buttons!

 As usual, the Let's Craft & Create Challenge #193 is AG, but the optional twist this month is to add buttons!  I used to have a great collection of buttons, but got rid of them when I downsized from a house to a condo.  My current pool of buttons is pretty scarce, so I elected to use them for a few of the flowers and use a visual triangle.

The variety of products I used are from Taylored Expressions.  Most are stand-alone dies. The bucket is Rustic Pail and cut from gold foil paper; the flowers are a die set called Garden Variety and blended with TE inks.  The frame is one I use a lot, called Frame in Frame 3 Cutting Plate. The frame and three center flowers are mounted on foam to give dimension to the card.  To create the background, I foiled a Flower Patch Foil It card front with Mystic Rainbow Deco Foil.  Both of the foiling items came as part of a foiling package I bought during TE's holiday sales.  I finished the card off with one of their Simple Strips in Reverse Everyday Occasions sentiments. I hope you will make time to play along with the LC&C challenge this month!  Thanks for stopping by my blog!

In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:

The Flower Challenge March #78 - Die Cuts or Stencils

Die Cut Divas March - Anything is Possible

NBUS March Challenge #48

Papercraft Crew #507 - Hello Spring

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge #31

 A new month means a new sketch on the {BYSHC} Blog and sketch #31 has so many possibilities!!

I knew right away what I would use for my first card this month!! I was part of a destash Secret Santa exchange in December.  It was great fun!! My Secret Santa sent me some stamps, dies, and patterned paper from her stash - so using my gift was the focus of my card.  

Most of the patterned paper is from a Tim Holtz 8x8" pack released in 2017, called "Christmas".  The only exception is the star paper - and that is Winterberry, a Foil It panel from Taylored Expressions which was sold as part of a holiday foiling package last December. Truth be told- I bought it just for the Winterberry Foil It cards and do not have one ounce of regret! I foiled it in gold and then colored with Copics after I die cut the star.  The card front is Deco Foil's Reverse Polka Toner Card Front. It's gold foil on kraft paper.

Speaking of star - it is a fabulous Christmas Ornament shaker set from Kat Scrappiness and I am in LOVE! It was so quick and easy to make and packs a punch to a card! Even the inside of the shaker is part of the Tim Holtz paper set.  Kind of gives everything a vintage feel!

I can't even tell you how grateful I am to my Secret Santa (who happened to be Kat from Kat Scrappiness!!) for this treat of a gift.  I love destash exchanges!!  If you want to be part of next December's fun, join the Crafty Fun with Friends of LV Handcrafted FB Group and you will be sign up!

{BYSCH} Sketch Challenge #30 - A Wobbling Santa!

Back with a second card for {BYSCH} Blog Sketch 30 and this one was fun to make because Santa is a wobbler!!

My card features images from MFT's retired "Joyous Holiday" stamp set. It's been in my collection for a while.  Santa is fussy cut and on a wobbler device! It is so cute! Who doesn't love a wobbler?!?  It makes me so happy; I want to wobble everything!! I love how the sun's shadow looks in the photo - maybe like Santa might look as he sneaks in at night and adds a star to the top of a Christmas tree!!  

Hope you are able to join the {BYSHC} Challenge this month. Upload your cards to the album here.  Thanks for stopping by my blog!   

In kindness, Cathy

ADFD Birthday Card

 I have been working on birthday cards that I donate to a local organization for their "birthday room".  Most of the time, it seems I am in "mass production" mode to crank out lots of cards.  I decided to slow it down with this card!

I used an image from one of my all-time favorite stamp companies, A Day for Daisies. This sweetie is called Holding A Flower. There is something about Tammy's images that bring a sense of peace and goodness into my heart when I color them. She is colored with Copics. It's actually the first time I have used her and she has been in my collection for years.

I paired it with MFT's Big Birthday Wishes die, which I die cut in two parts.  The lower section is from patterned paper and the top is cut from pink paper that is stamped with in magenta using Hero Arts Tiny Stars background stamp.  The background is Pinkfresh Studio's cover plate, Dotted Scallops.  I just love how this turned out!  Thanks for stopping by my blog!

In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:

The Flower Challenge #77 / Use flower stamps or dies

NBUS #47 / February

Colorful Option February / Pink

Seize the Birthday #255 /AG (optional topping use your initials)

Let's Craft & Create Challenge #192 - Say What?!? Use A Sentiment

 February's Challenge #192 on the Let's Craft & Create Blog is AG with the optional twist to use a sentiment.  

I leaned into this one and made a Galentine card with lots of sentiments on the candy heart background. This is a very old die from my stash from Sugar Pea Designs and every February, I am grateful I have kept in my collection!  For this card, I die cut it twice - once from the striped patterned paper.  The second time from white, inked each row in a different color, placed them randomly, and then stamped a word on each heart.  

The die cut sentiment is called "Sweet Senti-Mini" from Trinity Stamps.  I recently found it in the clearance area of my local stamp store.  I love the font! The white background is a cover plate that has been in my stash a while too (probably from Pinkfresh or Papertrey Ink).

I am part of a Galentine exchange in a group I belong to, so I masked a Valentine sentiment for this card.  It's been fun to make other cards and send them to female friends!  Gives me a whole new reason to think about beefing up my stock of Valentine stamps!!

Hope you will join us this month and link your creation on the Let's Craft & Create Blog. Thanks for stopping by my blog. 

In kindness, Cathy 

{BYSHC} Sketch #30 Challenge

 February 1st means a new sketch for the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmaking community.  This one is sure to inspire creative ideas from your stash of supplies!

I have been itching for the chance to use a new-to-me stamp and die set from Papertrey Ink and this sketch was a great reason to pull it out.  My card uses an oval instead of the circle you see in the sketch.  

I did a little shopping after Christmas at a scrapbook store in my area.  When I visited the half off room, I  scored the holly and the "joy/comfort" paper for 50% off; the rest are scraps from my stash.  I love this Papertrey stocking set.  There are lots of little pieces, but it is so cute IRL!!  Using pinks in my card was an idea inspired by some cards from {BYSHC} teamie, Cindy Messer, last season.  I was in love with the way she used pink for this sweet CCC image and this card with an elf from A Day for Daisies caught my eye right away last March!!  

I hope you will add your card to the {BYSHC} Sketch #30 Album in the FB group.  I'd love to see how the sketch inspired you!  As for me, I am going back into the craft room to work on a second card!  Thanks for stopping by my blog!

In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:

Sparkles Christmas Challenge #145 / Non-traditional Colors

52 Christmas Card Throwdown Jan. 28th / Paper Piecing

My Time to Craft #52 / Patterned Paper

Christmas Craft Creations January / Snippets

Guest Designer Spot - AAA Birthday Challenge Group

  

Today's card is one I made as a Guest Designer for the AAA Birthday Card Challenge Blog.  February's theme is "Use a Stencil".  I feel honored to join such a talented DT for this month's challenge.

The stencil theme made Taylored Expressions' "Celebrate" Triple Slim Layering Stencil the perfect choice for this challenge.  It came with an added bonus of ability to create three birthday cards from one stenciling session!

For this project I wanted to make A2 cards instead of mini slimlines, so I went to my scrap drawers for some extra accent papers for each of these three cards.  I kept the additions pretty simple for two of the three cards.  The balloon and candle cards just have a heat embossed sentiment.  

The open center area on the confetti card was begging for something fun, so I pulled out my MFT Happy Birthday Circle Frame and a freebie ice cream cone die.  I created a shaker card using variety of little do-dads I have in my stash between the layers.  

This is a fun stencil set to help build your stash of birthday cards!  Hope the team has inspired you to join along with this month's AAA BIrthday Challenge. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

 

{BYSHC} Blog- Challenge #29 in a Mini-slimline

 Hi Friends, 

Sketch #29 for the {BYSHC} Blog inspired me to try the sketch as a mini-slimline card and I love the outcome! 

I picked up some paper and an adorable Sizzix set of toy soldier dies at my local scrapbook shop after-Christmas, and decided to use them for my card.  The striped paper is actually the reverse image of a toner ink foil panel!  It's a 2-fer when I use double sided adhesive sheet on white paper and I am in love with both versions!!  

The toy soldier die is so stinkin' cute that I don't mind all of the pieces in the set!! The black sparkly paper in the photo is a scrap of black glitter paper I found in my stash.  Lots of shine on this card!!  The frame around the soldier is Pinkfresh's Mini Slimline Stitched Scallop Rectangle die.  Using Scoretap on the back of the die keeps the frame thick as you see here, otherwise it can be two narrower frames.  I popped on a foiled sentiment and a few embellishments and this sweetie is ready to go next Christmas!!

I hope you will use Sketch #29 as a springboard of inspiration for your own card.  Can't wait to see what you add to the gallery.  You never know - you might win a prize at the end of the month!  Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:

Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday January Challenge/  AG

My Time to Craft Christmas! January 20th/ Patterned paper

12 Months of Christmas #96 - Out with the Old & In with the New

Christmas Craft Creations January Theme - Snippets

ABC Christmas (January) - A for Anything Christmas; B for Bear

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #48 - Anything Christmas Goes

{BYSHC} Sketch #29 for January!

 The {BYSHC} Blog Challenge is continuing with Sketch #29 for January.  Once I got the hang of how easy this was to make in doubles, I created a few different sets of cards!  

For this card, I turned the sketch on its side and decided to keep Pinkfresh's Poinsettia Washi Tape set the "star of the show".  I die cut it using a an off-white cardstock and then went to my scrap drawer for the green striped paper.  I paired it with Taylored Expressions' Holly embossing folder to add texture, but keep it simple with color.  I layered the extra Poinsettia washi tape flowers over the wreath,  To finish the card off, I popped on a Pinkfresh foiled Holiday sentiment with some gold thread behind it. 

I hope you keep playing with us this month.  All you have to do is add your card to Sketch #29's Album in the {BYSHC} FB group to be eligible for this month's prize!! Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

Challenges entered:

12 months of Christmas Challenge #96 - Out with the Old, In with the New

Christmas Craft Creations January - Snippets

ABC Christmas - A for AG Christmas & B for Bear 1/11 to 2/4  (A for AG Christmas)

Merry Little Christmas January - AG