BYSHC - Card 2 for Sketch #20

 I am so excited to share my second card using March's Sketch #20 for BYSHC because it is my first-ever slider card!!  The pieces for the card have been sitting on my desk for a couple of weeks because I was going to use them for my initial card this month, but it just didn't come together the way I hoped.  My granddaughter was making a card for her brother's birthday this weekend and she was asking about the Santa image, which started me thinking again.  I realized I had a never-been-used set of slider dies and BAM- ideas gelled and my card got made!
Santa is part of MFT's Joyous Holidays (retired) and "merry" is their Stacked Merry Die-namic.  The flag panel behind "merry" is a snowflake embossing folder and the panel behind Santa is an old SU poinsettia embossing folder which is inked to bring out the flowers.  The red patterned paper isn't really Christmas paper, but it worked well with the green striped paper and the poinsettia panel.

You still have plenty of time to play along with the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers this month and add your card to the folder on the BYSHC FB group page.  Thanks for stopping by my blog!

In kindness, Cathy

 

PPC&F - Whimsy Stamps

 

Back this week with a card for the Passionate Paper Creations & Friends FB Group and an image from our sponsor, Whimsy Stamps.  This flamingo is from their set, Ahoy Matey and colored with Copics. Whimsy is pairing up with PPC&F for a special 25% discount on digital stamps during the March 10-15th sponsorship for members of PPC&F.

I used a variety of products from my stash as I designed my card including Reverse Confetti's Postal Cover Panel and Papertrey's Border Bling Tin Stitch Die, some sequins, baker's twine, and a computer generated sentiment flag.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:

Paper Funday March #39 - AG w/optional green and gold

Addicted to Stamps & More #424~ - any occasion

Time Out Challenge #209 - cute

My Time to Craft #477 - Animal

 

PPC&F - Lee Holland Dragon with Butterflies

 Lee Holland, one of the sponsors of the PPC&F FB group, gave us the chance to work with some new images this month.  My card features Flower Dragon with Butterflies, which was such a peaceful image to color.  All of Lee Holland's images are 30% off this week in his Etsy shop.  He also has a FB group called the Fuzzy Feelings Crafts Inspiration Group, which is worth checking out!

In addition to Lee's wonderful image, I used  "sending" die from SSS; Concord & 9th's Snail Mail die for the word 'love" and Thinking of You stamp set for "hugs";  and colored some jewels with my Copics to match the image.  Four layers of MFT's Stitched Oval Frame die (retired) are glued together so they pop out of the card.  Patterned papers are old "loves" from my stash and scrap drawers.  The main background was cut from a fresh 12x12 sheet!!  (I am still chipping away at that goal of using, not hoarding my paper!!). Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:

As You Like It March 3rd~ - Interactive or NOT!  I think I am in the "not" group.  I do like figuring out how to make them work, but interactives are not my "go-to" card, even for the kids in my life.

Week of 3/12

Tic-Tac-Toe #151~ - Center column (flowers, spring, 3D)

The Flower Challenge #66 - Use scraps

613 Avenue Create March 2022 - AG 

SSS Wednesday Challenge~ - Add a Die Cut

Paper Funday March #39 /AG with option green/gold

PPC&F - The Greeting Farm

 The Greeting Farm is sponsoring the Passionate Paper Creations & Friends FB Group this week and they are offering a generous discount to PPC&F members; I hope you will have a chance to take advantage of the opportunity!   

My card features their stamp Brew It Anya, which was a joy to color!  It comes with both the image and the sentiment.  I thought of a former colleague of mine who had a streak of color in her hair as I colored Anya. (She didn't wear sparkly barrettes, though!) 

I went to my paper stash and found Carta Bella's 6x6 Flora No. 3 for the background of the card. I originally had the papers reversed, but like the light pink behind her.  I pulled out some ribbon, sequins, and left over hearts from the Sizzix Drift Hearts Die on this card.  I have gotten so much mileage out of that die both as a background and using the punched out hearts as accents or confetti on other cards! I highly recommend it.

Pop over to the PPC&F FB group to see what the rest of the DT has in store for you.  Greeting Farm's sponsorship and discount code runs from March 3-6th.  Thanks for stopping by my blog!                                       In kindness, Cathy 

Challenges Entered:

Addicted to Stamps and More #424 - Any Occasion

NBUS #36 - using two dies that have been in my stash (unloved) for years - the arc shaped stitched die and the dome shaped die behind Anya.

BYSHC - March Sketch Challenge 20

 

It's time for a new Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers sketch.  You can find us on the BYSHC blog and join in the FB community.  Crystal has another versatile sketch for us this month.  All of the matted rectangles and the layers are my jam, so I was super excited to see the sketch and look forward to creating a second card with it!

This card features less traditional Christmas colors; I actually started out creating a birthday card, but it wasn't turning out as I planned, so I left it unfinished in my Christmas basket thinking the way I colored the image could be used for a future Christmas card.   My main panel features a sweet image from A Day for Daisies - I treasure the art of Tammy Siemers Thompson and am sad the shop has closed.  Tammy is a thoughtful, gentle, generous artist and I see those qualities reflected in her images.  I fussy cut the fairy and she is mounted on foam tape on an old SU! patterned paper scrap which is die cut with a stitched rectangle die.  The coral patterned paper behind is die cut with Sizzix Drifting Hearts die.  I love this one and use it both for the die and the little hearts that are cut from it as accents!  It's kind of a "two-fer" die.  I added a bow from a spool of Hug Snug seam binding tape (remember when that was the rage on cardmaking?) and finished with some Pinkfresh Studios Sparkling Champagne metallic pearls, and clear sequins. I hope the sketch inspires you to ahead on your Christmas card making and don't forget to share your make on the BYSHC FB page!  Thanks for stopping by my blog!                           In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:

NBUS - Challenge #36 - March; 

Shopping our Stash #465 - Metallics; 

PPC&F and Lawn Fawn

Lawn Fawn is sponsoring the Passionate Paper Creations and Friends FB Group today through Sunday.  Pop over there to read more about the discount they are offering the PPC&F community. 

My card features their Tiny Birthday Friends stamps and Coordinating Lawn Cuts, and Giant Happy Birthday die.  I was playing around with Distress Oxide inks for both backgrounds, which added some fun textures to the card.  I inked up an embossing folder for the white background with Peacock Feathers and Mermaid Lagoon. The other background uses the same two colors, Cracked Pistachio, Hickory Smoke and a PTI Polka Dot stencil with a spray of water .   Hope you will visit the PPC&F FB page to take advantage of the discount!  Thanks for stopping by my blog.     In kindness, Cathy

Challenges entered: Use Your Stuff #442 ~ Birthday; Addicted to Stamps & More #443 ~ Birthdays; As You Like It 2/17 ~ Favorite Occasion - Birthday, love making B-day cards and celebrating one person 

PPC&F - Di's Digis

 Di's Digi Stamps is the PPC&F FB sponsor this week and today is the last day of a special discount.  My card features the image, Wendy's Cupcake.

I used an old stitched flag die from MFT to cut around the image and Reverse Confetti's Postage Cover Panel for the outer portion.   

Hope you will visit the Passionate Paper Creations and Friends FB Group to check out how the rest of the DT used Di's Digis sweet images and take advantage of the discount Di's Digis has for PPC&F FB members. Thanks for stopping by my blog... 

In kindness, Cathy

BYSHC - February Sketch #19

 Back again with a second card using February's Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Sketch #19.

This card features a new-to-me artist, Tara Wakefield.  I bought her stamp set, Merry Reindeer, and just love the whimsey of Tara's illustrative style.  I knew I wanted to use my colored pencils on kraft paper for this card and turn the sketch horizontally, using two different embossing folders.  I used some white ink over the bottom snowflakes to bring out the pattern and finished off with Taylored Expressions Simple Sentiments in Reverse - Christmas and three clear dots.

Hope this month's sketch will inspire you to build your stash of holiday cards and then add it to the February folder of the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers FB group before February 28th!  Thanks for stopping by my blog!                               In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:

Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge #9

Can You Handle the Pressure #1

PPC&F - CC Designs

 CC Designs is sponsoring the Passionate Paper Creations & Friends FB Group for the next few days.  They have a FB Group and online shop for digital and rubber stamps.  This one is a brand new set of 10 cat stamps called, Cat Kinda Day. There's a 20% discount from CC Designs on the PPC&F FB page during the sponsorship; check it out! 

I had lots of fun coloring all of these cute kitties as I created a slimline-sized Valentine card.  

The white panel is run through the January Spellbinders Embossing Club folder and the outer border is Pinkfresh Studio's Essential Blanket Stitch.  Retired products from my stash came in handy - an old MFT window die, and Avery Elle's Simply Said You die and sentiments. I finished with some sequins around the card.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.     In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:

613 Avenue Create - February AG w/Valentine optional twist

NBUS #35-MFT window die and Avery Elle die/stamp - years in my stash and used once.

Use Your Stuff #441- Hearts/Love   

Double D Challenge - February 2nd - hearts

Watercooler Wednesdays #334 - All About Occasions

PPC&F - Stampendous Floral Flutter Butterfly

 There was something about this Stampendous stamp, Floral Flutter, that made me want to "play" with watercolors and embossing powders, so I dug out my rarely used box of Kuretake watercolors (remember when they were the "must have" item for watercoloring?!?).  Honestly, I haven't spent enough time getting the knack of watercoloring to feel like it's easy.  I had to rehearse what I've learned from watching videos- repeating, "Let the water do the work"; "dry it and add another layer of color".  When I finished painting, I wasn't sure the time and effort was worth it and even put the watercolors in a box to donate!  I put the images to the side and came back to them a few days later - happy enough with what I saw to put the watercolors back on my craft shelf to use int he future!!

This one was my favorite at one point.  I loved the white embossing powder with the soft colors.  The watercolor set comes with some metallics; the background is one of the gold paints and the light pink flower has white metallic on top to add some shimmer.  I added splatters of white and black paint.  The card is finished with Pinkfresh Studios' Sparkling Champagne metallic pearls, some old purple jewels from my stash, and an ombre "peace" die cut.  It's mounted on PTI's Tin Stitch Border Bling Die. I thought this would be a lovely sympathy card.

Here's another version of the card with gold embossing powder. I kept the wings mostly blue and added layers of color.  The butterfly is fussy cut and mounted on a background I created by stamping SU's French Script; using a Tim Holtz polks dot stencil with pink inks and running it through my Platinum 6 with an old sun ray Reverse Confetti cover panel.  I finished with some pearls, clear sequins, and purple jewels and popped on the "celebrate" sentiment from Right At Home's Script Greeting Die set.  

My third card has a bolder flair to it with black embossing powder and MFT's gingham paper in the background.  The yellow circle right behind behind the butterfly uses the same French Script and polka dot stencil with a Taylored Expressions Happy Medium Iridescent Glitter Paste on top. The shimmer isn't visible in the photo, but it's there! I finished with Pinkfresh Studios Silver Metallic Pearls, a few mini die cut hearts from Sizzix Drift Hearts Thinlets die and a bold sentiment from Gina K's Just Because stamp set.

I can see lots of uses for this stamp and in the end am glad I pulled out my watercolors for it!  I hope you will check out the PPC&F FB group to read about the Stampendous prize and for other inspiration of both the House Mouse stamp and this one.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.  In kindness, Cathy

PPC&F - Stampendous and House Mouse

 Stampendous has been sponsoring the PPC&F FB Group this week.  You will want to pop over to the PPC&F FB page and follow the directions for the chance at a free stamp!  This stamp,  House Mouse Heart Treats is the first of my two posts today.  I have to be honest, this image sharpened my coloring skills!  Coloring the glass and these cute mice were new challenges.  Then came the background and the overall card design.  In the end, I love how it turned out!

I created a wallpaper behind the mice by masking the images, then inked Concord & 9th's Sketched Stripes with SU's Crumb Cake, doodled the turquoise skinny stripes with Bic markers, sponged with Speckled Egg Distress Ink, and finally added SU's! splatter stamp for the small brown dots.  The "sweet" is an older die from MFT, called #Captions; the word "valentine" is Reverse Confetti.   

Reverse Confetti's Postal Cover Panel Confetti Cuts is behind the mouse panel. I finished with mini-heart die cuts on my desk from Sizzix Drifting Hearts thinlets die. and several transparent Jewelz from Buttons Galore & More.

Copics:

Mice- T3, W3, T1, W1, N5, E51,50, 21; dish- BG72, 32,11; hearts- RV00, 02,13, 21, 55, 63,V01, 12, 15,17

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  Remember to check out the PPC&F FB Group to read more about the prize - I'll have a second post this afternoon using another Stampendous stamp.  

In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:  Shopping Our Stash #463 (My Heart Beets for You); Double D Challenge 2/2/22 - Hearts; Watercooler Wednesdays #334 - All About Occasions; As You Like It 2/3/22 - Love or Fab Friendships (friendships - it's a simpler relationship); 613 Avenue Create - February AG- Optional Valentine

Thanks for the honor, Helen and Watercooler Wednesday Team!