Addicted to Stamps & More #487 - Christmas

 Welcome back to a new two-week challenge on the Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge Blog.  The theme for Challenge #487 is Christmas.  I went to my Spellbinders Better Press for my card's main image.

 I kept it simple with just the inked image and used Taylored Expressions arched dies to cut the shape.  The background is made with fun Echo Park papers, some Pinkfresh gold embellishments and a small bow.  The sentiment seemed perfect for the times.

I hope you have time to play along with the ATS&M Christmas Challenge.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge #486 - Make Your Mark

 Back with a new challenge for the Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge Blog.  This one is a Make Your Mark challenge . . . we want you to use paints, markers, inks, colored pencils, or other media which can make a mark!

I used a variety of inks for my card this time.  I started with some new "toys" from Altenew.  I fell in love with the flowers from their Spark Joy: Ornamental Bouquet set which includes a hot foil plate and layering stencils.  I don't have a hot foil system, so I used the hot foil plate like a press plate by inking it up, running it through my machine, and then used the layering stencil for colors.  An old-favorite piece of patterned paper from my scrap drawers pulled all of the colors together as a bottom strip of paper.

I went crazy with creating lots of different color combinations with this set and they ALL look amazing!  It was worth the price of the hot foil plate and stencil set, plus it's coming into tulip season in MN, so I know I will pull this out again!

I hope you will make time to join our Addicted to Stamps & More "Make Your Mark" Challenge over the next two weeks.  Thanks for stopping by my blog!

In kindness, Cathy

Dragonfly Dreams February Challenge - CAS

 This month's Dragonfly Dreams Challenge theme of CAS was chosen by Francesca. I have gotten out of practice with CAS cards so I had to really pull back from adding things to my card!

The flower die cut is called Cheerful Flowers from Concord & 9th.  I die cut it from white paper and a second time from a scrap of patterned paper.  I then did some shading with inks.  The "thanks" is from Gina K and is foiled in gold and backed with white.  I added a little bit of ink behind the flower and a strip of patterned paper to ground the flower. Three pink sequins finish it off.  I am not sure if this is Francesca's version of CAS, but there is lots of white space on this one!!  Hope you have a chace to play along with us this month.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy