Dragonfly Dreams September Challenge - Monochromatic Colors

I’m back with the September Dragonfly Dreams Challenge, and this month we’re creating with monochromatic colors!

I recently added some new “toys” from The Greetery to my craft room and have been having lots of fun using them on my cards. For this card, I featured the Shortbread Shapes Rectangle Tiles embossing folder and BotaniCuts Pussy Willow die cuts.

I started by inking the flat side of the embossing folder with a soft yellow ink and then ran it through my die-cutting machine. This technique allowed the raised images to remain white while adding a wash of yellow to the background. I then inked around the edges for a little contrast and added splatters using gold, yellow, and just a touch of brown.

After trimming the embossed piece into a square, I mounted it onto two layers of white cardstock and added it to a soft yellow card base. I tied the pussy willow branches together with a ribbon and placed them next to the die-cut sentiment. A few yellow-gold sequins finished everything off with a little extra sparkle.

I hope you’ll join us for this month’s challenge! I’m looking forward to seeing your monochromatic inspiration. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!  

In kindness, Cathy

Addicted to Stamps & More #525 - Die Cuts or Stencils

 Die Cuts or Stencils is the theme of the newest Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge, and I had a lot of fun with the die-cutting for this one!

I started with an embossing folder from my stash for my card base—because sometimes those old favorites are just too good to retire! Then the die cutting began. 😊

I layered a Slatted Oval Die from Craft Addiction with yellow paper behind it to create a bright focal point. Then I brought out my Bottled Up Stamps and coordinating die from The Greetery to create the vase. I filled it with a cheerful mix of die-cut flowers from my collection.

I just love how this card turned out! The layering stamps add so much dimension to the bottle and really give it the look of a glass vase.

Now it’s your turn! I hope you have some time to play along with us at Addicted to Stamps & More. I’d love to see what you create with die cuts or stencils! Thanks for stopping by my blog. 

In kindness, Cathy

Color Dare Challenge #718

Today starts a new Color Dare Challenge, featuring four possible colors. For this card, I used all four colors, along with a few neutral choices for the splatters and white heat-embossed sentiment.

For the main panel, I used The Greetery’s Shortbread Shapes Embossing Folder. I inked the flat inside of the embossing folder with blue ink and then ran it through my embossing machine. The result was a fun reverse effect, with the embossed pattern appearing white against the blue background.

I die cut several florals from my stash and tucked them behind the Shortbread Shapes Rectangle Label Die, which I cut from a scrap of patterned paper. For the blue and purple dashed border and the sentiment inside the label, I used Kristina Werner’s Bold Stripes Greetings Stamps.

I love how all the different elements come together to create a cheerful card using this week’s Color Dare combination!  Hope you can play along.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge #524 - Any Occasion

 I’m back with an Any Occasion Challenge on the Addicted to Stamps & More Blog!

For my wedding card, I combined a variety of products from The Greetery’s Capsule Basics collection. I used the card-shape die for the base, along with a detail embossing folder that add the double embossed lines and stamp for the outer gold embossed border.

The flower and sentiment are from Kristina Werner’s Long Line Roses stamp, die, and stencil suite. I heat embossed the design using Brutus Monroe’s Gilded embossing powder, which creates a beautiful gold that isn’t too warm or too cool. A few Pinkfresh Studio Gold Dust gems add the perfect finishing touch.

This card came together pretty quickly, and I love how the unique shape gives it an extra-special touch. I hope you’ll have time to join us for the challenge!  Thanks for stopping by my blog. 

In kindness, Cathy

Color Dare Challenge #716

Another fun color challenge is up on the Color Dare Challenge Blog! This week you can add any color of your choice to the two colors provided. I chose navy as my third color and paired it with a new stamp and die set from The Greetery's latest release.

I have to admit I went a little crazy with this release and there are a few new additions to my craft room!  This card, made to celebrate my niece's engagement, features The Greetery's Canned Die along with the Something Fish stamp  and sentiment die set.

I made the mistake of watching the release unfold in real time—which is never good for my checkbook! I wanted almost everything they released, but I did manage to practice a little restraint. I also justified this purchase because, after all, it's not another flower set! Who would have thought a can of sardines could look so cute on a card?

I can't wait to see what color you add to this week's challenge. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!

In kindness, Cathy

Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge #521 - Make Your Mark

Welcome back to the newest "Make Your Mark" challenge at the Addicted to Stamps & More Blog!

For this challenge, I was asked to create a good-bye card for the Community Manager in my 62+ active living cooperative here in Minnesota. The theme for the card was "You Are Our Sunshine," and I had so much fun bringing that idea to life. This is one of the two cards I created, and I absolutely love how it turned out! I made this version a little less literal than the first card (which I'll post at the end of the month for a Color Dare Challenge) and had fun pulling together a variety of supplies from my stash.

I started with Waffle Flower's A2 Postage Collage Die and added several of the Postage Collage Wild Flower Stencil panels. To keep with the sunshine theme, I colored all of the flowers in cheerful shades of yellow.

The two bolder sunshine panels with the sweet smiling faces are from Concord & 9th's Pure Sunshine stamp, stencil, and die bundle. I also pieced together the sentiment from that same set.

The bottom right rectangular panel was created using candle flames from the Make A Wish birthday set by The Greetery—a fun way to create a unique sunburst effect! I finished the card with a layered die-cut sentiment from Cathy Zielske and Simon Says Stamp, using a contrasting salmon cardstock color. I think that pop of salmon adds just the right amount of warmth and dimension.

With all of the layered elements, this card ended up measuring just under 5" x 7", making it a wonderfully substantial card.  Can' wait to see how you "make your mark" in our latest challenge.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge #498- Birthday

 The next challenge on the Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge is a Birthday challenge.  I created this card with an old Greetery stamp set for my granddaughter's 16th birthday.

Lots of stamping took place to get those 16 candles in place!  It's been a while since I last pulled out this set and I forgot how much fun this stamp is to use! I bet if a company made this now, it would come with a layered stencil set rather than so many stamps!! I hope you are able to join our challenge and pop your birthday card into the ATS&M Challenge #498 gallery.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

{BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party - Day 6

 Hi All,

Back on my blog with a card for Day 6 of the Christmas in July Linky Party.  I pulled out some "must have" purchases from last Christmas season were use for this first time this week!

This one features a stamp from sponsor CCC called Snow Globe Bear. I used the coordinating dies to cut out the bear, penguins and snow globe.  The elements are stamped on to heavyweight card stock and given a faux watercolor look with Distress inks.  The background is one more piece of paper I made stretching the Make A Wish stamp set from The Greetery.  I splattered a little bit of red ink, added a scrap of red striped paper, used a sentiment from Pinkfresh studio, and finally popped on some jewels and sequins to finish off the card.

The Linky Party runs through July 28th at midnight CST.  You still have time to add your card to the {BYSHC} gallery! Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:

NBUS July/ CCC Stamp and die

Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge #44/ AG

My Time to Craft Christmas #65 /Cute Christmas

12 Months of Christmas #102 - AG

{BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party - Day 2

 Hello Friends!   

I hope you are popping into my blog to take a closer look at the card I have for Day 2 of the {BSHC} Blog's Christmas in July Linky Party.  I am really excited about this card.  It came about from trying to think creatively about the stamps in my collection.  The background is made from some stamps in The Greetery's Make A Wish Stamp Set. I started out making some birthday cards and then flexed my creative muscle using a variety of stamps for this Christmas card.  

The striped part is made using 2 of the candle stamps with the polka dot candle embellishment in between.  The side panel uses a variety of the sparkle stamps in the set.

The Snow Globe Stamp image is Woodware Crafts. It is heat embossed with TE Fine Detail Copper Embossing Powder from Linky Party sponsor, Taylored Expressions.  The sentiment is from TE, too.  It's called Simple Sentiments in Reverse - Christmas.  I reach for these all of the time! (It doesn't look like they are available in the TE store though, so I found another link.) 

I hope you are able to play along with our Linky Party.  It's simple - make a winter themed holiday card and Link it up in the gallery on the {BYSHC} Blog.  I always love seeing people's entries!  You just might win, too! Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

 

Let's Craft & Create Challenge #197 - Add Flowers

 It's the fifth day of the month and that means time for a new challenge on the Let's Craft & Create Blog.  This month's optional challenge theme is "Add Flowers" so I thoroughly embraced it!

I started with Takes the Cake Stamp & Stencil from The Greetery.  When I saw it during their May release, I knew it would become part of my collection!  I love the layered stencil flowers that are part of this set!  I did limit my purchase, thinking I could fussy cut the cake rather than buy the die!  It hasn't been too bad!  (Of course - that decision gave me permission to buy another stamp from the release!!). The floral background is a 3D embossing folder from Spellbinders called Four Petal Flower.  In addition to the flowers that are part of the cake, I finished the card off with variety of die cut flowers - some are from a Spellbinders die and others are from Taylored Expressions.  

The "happy birthday" banner is a die from The Greetery.  You may notice a little heart between the words happy and birthday.  It says "half" because I forgot my SIL's real birthday and decided I would make it up by sending her a "half-ty" birthday card!! I am crazy about how this card came out.  I hope you can play along with our challenge.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.

  In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:

Happy Little Stampers July Birthday - AG

Addicted to Stamps & More #449/ Any Occassion (7/9)

Can You Handle the Pressure? /EB folder/optional twist butterflies 

Let's Craft & Create - June Challenge

 Remember the 80's song, "Hip to Be Square"?!?  We are bringing it back as the theme of this month's Let's Craft & Create Challenge #196. I went to my stash of papers and found a square card back and envelope and started from there.

The background is created by inking a 3D embossing folder with gray Distress Oxide ink before running it through my Spellbinders machine.  After it dried, I blended some light aqua on top.  The dragonflies are Jumbo Curiosity: Dragonflies stencil and die set from The Greetery.  I finished off with a Pinkfresh foiled sentiment and some embellishments.  

I hope you have time to play along with our challenge this month! Thanks for stopping by my blog.                          In kindness, Cathy