MERRY MONDAY

Amazing tho it may seem, I actually created a card for the Merry Monday challenge on a Monday!!!  The challenge this week is newsprint.  I have had a digi poinsettia (no longer available) from Jane's Doodles on my Mac forever and printed it in different sizes on "Dearest Jane" paper from PTI (hope this counts as newsprint 'cause I really didn't have anything else that would go thru my printer).  I think this is my one and only success with a digi stamp!!

After fussy cutting three sizes of the flower, I took my new Hero Arts pink to red ombre ink pad and just smudged it over the papers.  For the leaves I used ripe avocado and simply chartreuse inks from PTI.  The card base is Neenah astroparche and the "merry" die is from Hero Arts.  The pearls are champagne colored from Michaels.

Thanks for visiting today and your kind comments.  Betty

HIBISCUS

I recently bought some of the new Hero Arts products from their new summer catalog - so today was the day to create with Color Layering Hibiscus.  After I figured out the layering positions and used my MISTI, the process was pretty easy and I tried out all sorts of color combinations.

I had Fusion's latest challenge in mind for the colors - couldn't quite bring myself to make the aqua that bright tho.  The leaves are die cut from Memory Box Fresh Foliage.  The clear gems in the flower centers are from Hero Arts but no longer available (they're similar to PTI's rainstones).  I am also entering this in Stampin' Celebration sketch challenge.

  

Thanks for stopping by and always enjoy reading your kind comments.  Betty                                             

MERRY MONDAY CHALLENGE

This week's challenge on Merry Monday is "non-evergreen trees".   After a bit of a search I settled on the Meadow Leaf die which I thought looked like a little tree.

 I die cut it three times from glitter paper and then snipped to create three sizes.  Cut the peace sentiment from PTI gold foil paper.  The base is Neenah white gold metallic cs.

Thanks for visiting and your kind comments.  Betty

PINE CONES

This week's Muse: Christmas Visions inspiration is a card with pine cones.  I used an old Technique Tuesday stamp as my focal point.  I colored the stamp with distress markers and then used my MISTI to repeatedly stamp until the colors were what I wanted.   Stamped an extra set of pine cones so that I could layer them over the edge of the frame.

The base of the card is SU crumb cake embossed with an old HA embossing folder.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts die cut from Neenah metallic cs.  The frame was die cut from MFT stitched rectangles.  The looped gold thread bow is DMC thread.  Although it's not apparent in the photo, the greens and pine cones are accented with Wink of Stella.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy reading your kind comments.  Betty

YELLOW AND GREY

I had Fusion's latest challenge in mind when I started creating this card a few days ago - unfortunately I procrastinated too long and missed the deadline.  So on to plan B - Paper Players has a "girly thanks" challenge and The Challenge colors are the same.

I have succumbed to buying more watercolors - this time it's the Kuretake Clear Color Brush Pens - love love love them - so easy to use.  The flower is Divine from Penny Black stamped in Ranger Archival ink.  The watercolored piece (die cut with MFT stitched rectanges) was mounted on HA wet cement layering paper and then on PTI soft stone.  The sentiment is from HA Messages with a Flourish stamped on PTI vellum in HA black dye ink.  This is my first attempt in watercoloring with these pens and finally feel quite successful in watercoloring.

Beverley suggested I add this to the challenge at Uniko Studios which is "flowers" - thanks, Beverley!

Thanks for stopping by and love to read your comments.  Betty

JOY TO THE WORLD

Another Christmas card for some more challenges today - Freshly Made Sketches #186 and CAS-ology.  After a suggestion from Hazel I am also entering this in MUSE : Christmas Visions (didn't even know about this challenge when I designed the card - is that serendipity??)

 

The poinsettia from Jane's Doodles Vintage Christmas was stamped and fussy cut.  The "joy" and little sentiment are from Ellen Hutson's Brushstroke Christmas.  Card base is Neenah Astroparche and enamel dot is from MME.

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

SEASON'S GREETINGS

The challenge this week at Merry Monday is to use a stencil.  I have had this Hero Arts stencil forever and have never used it as the tree - only to stencil circles.  So decided this was the perfect time to give it it's rightful use.

I used gold HA ink for the stenciling on Neenah metallic white gold paper.  The large "sending" sentiment is from SSS cut from Neenah gold metallic cs and the smaller is from Jane's Doodles embossed in Ranger gold tinsel powder.  The little gold star is from Teresa Collins.  Am also entering this in a2z Scrapbooking's May challenge.

Thanks for visiting today and always love to read your kind comments.  Betty

BUTTERFLY TRIO

The Hero Arts scramble today is to use numbers in some way.

Used Hero Arts stamps embossed with Ranger liquid platinum.  The background paper is DCWV foil vellum and the card base is Hero mocha layering paper.  I die cut the trio openings from PTI's Take Three.  The sequin and sparkle enamel dot are from discontinued Teresa Collins.

In my rush to finish, photograph and post in 90 minutes, I forgot to put a sentiment on the front (had already layered it with foam tape).  Oh well...

After suggestions from some of my friends, I am entering this in Muse Challenge #117 - I think maybe their design was in the back of my mind when I created my card and didn't realize it - loved the dark neutral color of Michelle's inspiration with the gold accents!

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

FEATURED FRIDAY BY BECCA

About a month ago I met up with Becca Cruger while visiting in Fargo, ND.  We spent two hours just talking and enjoying a latte at Starbucks.  Vast age difference and in the style of cards we create but I think stampers can relate no matter what!!  Anyway, today I am her featured Friday stamper so hop over there and check it out.  We each cased a card that I had made - had never done that before on one of my own cards and it was really fun - and Becca's card is fantastic.

Here is the CASE of my card that I did - used Neenah white gold metallic card for the base, retired Technique Tuesday Greenhouse Society flower, MME “Fancy That” pp, Ranger liquid platinum embossing powder, PTI Keep it Simple: Wedding Stamp Set, Hero Arts black dye ink, DMC gold metallic thread.

THANKS so much Becca - I really am honored!  Be sure to check out Becca's complete post at The Damsel of Distressed Cards and also the rest of her creations!

Thanks for stopping by today and your kind comments.  Betty

A BUTTERFLY FOR 3 CHALLENGES

I think I'm sort of fixated on gold and vellum this weekend!!  So here's a card for CAS on Sunday (white with a color),  Happy Little Stampers (die-cuts) and CAS-ology (flight).

The background is Neenah white gold cs which was splattered with HA gold shimmer spray.  The layered strips are PTI striped vellum and DCWV "Foiled Vellum".  The large butterfly is a die from PTI, the next two are MS punches.  Used Neenah gold metallic cs for the base and center butterflies and a bit of the PTI striped vellum in the center layer.  DMC gold floss and a Teresa Collins gold heart were the finishing touches.

Thanks for visiting and love reading your kind comments.  Betty

BELIEVE

A last minute card for Merry Monday where the challenge is pine cones, greens and "believe" - also my first Christmas card for 2015!!

Stamped the pine cones from an old Technique Tuesday set using my MISTI - had colored the greens and brown with Memento markers and sometimes I miss spots so it was so easy to reink and stamp again.  The card base is Neenah white gold metallic paper and the overlay of striped vellum is from PTI.  The "believe" is from a Jane Doodles stamp set embossed with Ranger liquid platinum powder.  I cut the overlay with MFT's stitched edges die. 

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

HERO ARTS SCRAMBLE #108

Today Kanan gave us three cards as inspiration and we could choose one of them for our creation in 90 minutes.  Have some new patterned papers - the two used for the background are from MME "Fancy That" and the butterfly was cut from "Vellum Foil Papers" from DCWV using a HA butterfly die.  Sponged a little ink around the edges of the plain pink paper as it was embossed on the other side so the pattern was brought out a bit.  Also put some foam tape on the back of that section to raise it up a bit.  Added some DMC gold thread behind the butterfly and some gold confetti on the body.
The first card is mine and the next one is the inspiration card.

Thanks for stopping by and always enjoy reading your kind comments.  Betty

BRONZE BLOOM

Ellen Hutson's latest Pin-Sights Challenge is to use pink, green, bronze, charcoal and some dots and I think I've covered all the bases with this card.

The flower was cut with Bold Blooms in Neenah bronze metallic cs.  The base is Neenah white gold metallic cs and the layered background papers were scraps die cut with MFT stitched rectangles.  The leaves were die cut with a scrap.  I stamped the sentiment in bronze Encore metallic ink and then embossed it with HA clear embossing powder. 

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

DOTS AND FERNS

Here's a sneak peek of my last post for a2z Scrapbooking as I need to step down due to other commitments.   It's been a fun challenge for me to create with Hero Arts supplies and I am thankful for the opportunity to be on my first design team.

So hop on over there and check out the whole card.

Thanks for stopping by and always love to read your kind comments.  Betty

BLACK, WHITE AND GOLD

Barb, the hostess for the new challenge on Addicted to CAS, chose black, white and gold for the card design - so absolutely HAD to join in on this one!

The flower from Technique Tuesday's Greenhouse Society (no longer available) was stamped in Versamark on Neenah white gold cs, embossed with Ranger liquid platinum and fussy cut.  The black white striped paper is from MME Necessities.  Embossed a piece of cardstock with the liquid platinum and cut a 1/4" strip to add to the side.  The sentiment from Clearly Besotted on the little tag was also embossed in the liquid platinum.  Added some gold thread behind the flower which is popped up with a bit of foam tape.

Thanks for stopping by today and as always love reading your comments!  Betty

WHITE WITH A LITTLE TOUCH OF COLOR

PTI's Make-It-Monday had a fun challenge this week to create basically an all white card with die cuts and add a pop of color.

Cut multiples of the "happy" die to make the background.  Stamped a few roses and leaves from PTI's Rosie Posie, colored with copics and added a bit of Wink of Stella, a little birthday tag and some gold thread.  Done and dusted!

Am also entering this in Die- Cuttin' Divas challenge "In the Garden".

Thanks for visiting today and always enjoy reading your kind comments.  Betty

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY A2Z SCRAPBOOKING!!!

Hello everyone, and welcome to a2z Scrapbooking Birthday Blog Hop Bash!!!  You should be arriving from Barb's Studio Creations.  If this is your first stop you'll want to begin at a2z Scrapbooking blog so you don't miss out on any of the fun and beautiful creations we are sharing today.

The base of my card is PTI soft stone cs which I spattered with some HA pool ink mixed with a little water.  The two tags are were die cut with MFT stitched tags dies using Teresa Collins Studio Gold paper (no longer available).  The "happy" was cut from PTI gold adhesive paper and the "birthday" stamped with HA black ink - both die and stamp are from Happy Stamp & Cut.  After adhering the tags to the card, I added some looped gold thread.  The Hero Arts Stamp & Cut series are  my "go to" sets lately - so versatile and easy to use - love them!!  Check them out at the a2z store and get a 15% discount using my coupon code BETTY15.

Now your next stop is Chark whom I'm sure will have something amazing to inspire you.  Be sure to comment along the way as there's a $25 gift certificate as a prize.  You have until Sunday, April 26th at 11:59pm EST to complete the hop.  For a complete list of all the blog hop stops go to a2z Scrapbooking.

Thanks for visiting today and always love reading your comments.  Betty

PAINTED FLOWER CARD/TAG

In between doing several loads of laundry today, I had a little play time and decided to enter a few challenges - something I haven't done in ages.  Every week I bookmark challenges but then never seem to do anything about it.  Have never entered Tag You're It challenge so used the design of their tag inspiration.  Love the colors and striped wallpaper in the Card Concept photo inspiration  - the category I'm entering is "Clean and Layered".   Lastly, Virginia's View Challenge this month is layering and dimensions.

I first stamped the flower outline from Altenew's Painted Flowers onto Canson watercolor paper and then colored with Ranger picked raspberry and peeled paint distress inks - when dry I fussy cut them. I die cut the tags using MFT's stitched tags in charcoal cs and PTI patterned velllum.  The sentiment from HA's Messages with a Flourish was stamped on vellum with Versamark and embossed with HA silver.  Added a little grey and white twine to my tag and then mounted it all on charcoal cs.  As a last minute thought, added a little Wink of Stella to the flower centers.

Thanks for stopping by today and always enjoy reading your kind comments.  Betty

GORGEOUS GARDENIA

For this month's April Card Chain Challenge I basically followed the colors and sketch and also used a die as prescribed by Deb Nolan.

I used Memory Box's Gorgeous Gardenia Outline die and backed it with some vellum which I colored with a Ranger picked raspberry distress marker.  The sentiment from HA Messages with a Flourish is stamped on a scrap of PTI sweet blush striped paper and then on a piece of HA charcoal layering paper.  My card went to Sara in Missouri.

Thanks for stopping by and always appreciate your kind comments.  Betty

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAG

Just a little sneak peak at a card I made for a2z scrapbooking blog today.  Hop on over and check it out.

a2z has a stencil challenge for the month of April - a chance to win a $25 gift certificate for great Hero Arts supplies.  Put April 24th on your calendar for a blog hop celebrating a2z's first birthday - great inspiration from the team and prizes!!

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty