BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY

It's time for #300 TicToeToe Challenge!  I went across the bottom with die cuts, patterned paper and bright colors on this  board designed by Roseanne.

The whole background is a piece from Altenew's Recollections from probably 10 years ago.  You all know about that "it's too pretty to use" syndrome!!  The piece had a lot of white space so I lightly inked it with some DO spun sugar. I cut it down to 5 1/14" x 4" and then die cut from the center of that piece a 3 3/4" by 3" piece.  Next I die cut the butterfly from the center piece.  Attached the bottom layer to the card base and then popped up the center piece with some foam tape.  Then I glued about 4 layers of small pieces of cardstock to the center of the butterfly so it could be popped up.  Added the vellum lacy butterfly on top with the gold body and popped the butterfly in the spot from where it was cut.  Finally decided to add some greenery and some tiny pinkish sequins as it all looked rather bland.  The butterfly's wings aren't glued down so will pop up when on display.   No sentiment - maybe one inside.

I hope you'll join our challenge - it runs from today until September 10th!

Crafty Hugs,

 

SKETCHY FLORAL

It is Stencil Week at the Just Us Girls Challenge and my last week of being their guest designer for August.  I have never done very much with stencils but went through my stash and found a very old (maybe about 2019) Altenew stamp and stencil.  It's a very large stamp and you can easily make two cards from it. I embossed the stamped image and using the stencil, ink blended with DO iced spruce and worn lipstick.  Sponged a bit of DO pumice stone for some shadows around the flower.

I used a stitched frame die to cut out the center and added four layers of die cut frames to raise up the center part for some dimension.  Sequins in several sizes were used for the flower centers.
 

Create a card using a stencil and enter by 6PM Wednesday, September 2 - Just Us Girls Challenge.

Crafty hugs,

 

 

SUNFLOWER

 I probably spent more time on my card as guest designer on the JUGS Challenge Mood #837 than ever before!!  I was being pretty literal in creating my card - colors and design following the photo pretty exactly and that's probably why.

I cut two circles in the lighter green, trimmed a bit off and made little flaps to fold over the sides of the single layer of dark green.  On the back I covered the flaps with a piece of white cardstock slightly smaller than 5.5" x 4.25".  With the flaps and the sunflower, I didn't want too thick a card.  Under the flaps is a small birthday wish.  Recipient will have to prop this card up to display.

The dark green background is subtly embossed with Altenew's Geo Steps and the side flaps with Curving Leaves.  The sunflower is from Honey Bee, the butterfly and smaller leaves from Altenew.

 

 

You have until Wednesday, 6PM 26 August to enter your card here - https://justusgirlschallenge.blogspot.com/.

Crafty hugs,

 

  

 

JUGS CHALLENGE

This week the challenge at JUGS is "WATER" - stamp, die cut or use water are all fine.  Have you ever done blowing bubbles on paper??? I've used watercolor paper and Bristol paper and both work well - you just need a heavy weight cardstock.  Here is a short video demo - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/opZK-szVjXM.  I used acrylic paints, a few drops of Dawn and not very much water - I've also used tube liquid watercolor, but acrylic is much cheaper.  Deep colors work best.  I've done this technique with my card class several times and it's always popular.

These are my two bubble colored pieces before I cut them out. 

I made a Z fold card using side panels embossed with Altenew's Curving Leaves folder and then Grand Dahlia flowers and leaves dies.  Will wait until I need a special card for someone before adding a sentiment.

I hope you like my inspiration card and will join in the challenge this week.  You have a week to design and enter. 

Crafty Hugs,

 

 

 

 

 

BOOKMARK CARD

On the second Tuesday of every month, I teach a card class at a senior living apartment complex.  Today we did a really easy card and with a little help everyone went back to their apartment with a pretty card to mail.

When I have a class, I precut everything so there's usually just gluing to do.  Today was really easy.  I had the base, polka dot piece, black piece for holding the bookmark and bookmarks precut.  The bookmarks were made from used greeting cards that I have collected.  I had 20 in the class (2 men and 18 women!!} so had about 40-50 bookmarks for them from which to choose.  Every bookmark was different.  Had a variety of narrow ribbons out also with scissors so everyone chose a bookmark and cut ribbon of color choice.  Measurements for the polka dot piece is 4" x 5 1/4", black piece is a little under 2 3/4" x 5 1/2" and the bookmark is 1 3/4" x 5" and all on a topfold A2 card base.

 

During National Library Week this past April, a group of us made just the bookmarks for about 350 kids at a nearby elementary school - used old greeting cards cut to size for this project too.

Crafty hugs,

 

 

WHITE ON WHITE

Vicki Dutcher from Just Us Girls Challenge contacted me recently and asked me to be the weekly guest designer for the month of August.  WOW!! What an honor and challenge!  I really have had to get those creative juices flowing!

The first week's challenge is Dies and Anything Goes.  Since flowers are my "go to" for creating, I went through my favorite Altenew florals and chose their Cape Marguerite dies. I intended to ink blend on them but couldn't decide on a color.  Put the flowers aside and did the background by die cutting a side fold card with Spellbinder's Essential Arches layered up with a smaller arched piece and all embossed with Altenew's Geo Steps.  Put this base together and began arranging the flowers (still not colored) and liked the white on white look.  Die cut some white leaves, put it all together and had my first ever white on white card.  Added white enamel dots and done!  I think this might be a future wedding card when needed.

I hope you like my inspiration card and will join in the challenge this week.  You have a week to design and enter.

Crafty Hugs,