>

Friday, April 17, 2026

BUTTERFLY

I was rummaging thru my box of half finished cards, embossed card fronts, and other bits and bobs and found this card with only the base and embossed front.  It went perfectly with the butterfly I had just been playing with and here's the finished product.

I embossed the butterfly in gold and then smooshed broken china distress ink on it.  Did the same with the leaves using rainforest ink.  I did the embossed piece so long ago I don't know what colors I used.  Added the little sentiment and done!

Crafty hugs,


Sunday, April 12, 2026

CARDS FOR CRAFT BAZAAR

I am going to participate in a small craft bazaar this coming weekend so have been in kind of a crunch to have enough cards to put out on my table for sale.  I don't like to have exact duplicates so try to do a variation of color or design on every card.  I usually have about a third of cards that have a sentiment on them and rest I leave blank.  Then I have a variety of sentiments from which to choose if someone wants to add a sentiment to a blank card.

My first card was inspired by Therese Calvird where she added some butterflies to a black and white background.

I didn't have the butterflies she had so used some from Spellbinders.  Same went for the flower - mine is from when Hero Arts and Altenew did a collaboration ages ago.  I blended some darker pink on the butterflies and gave them a gold body.  Added the leaf sprigs, added some gold spatter and put it all together.  Made another card with yellow butterflies and different colored leaves.
 
My second card was inspired by Carrie Sheridan - she called it a panel bridge card and had five strips across her card.  I simplified my version by only using three strips and I think her card was larger also.  Mine is an A2 and folds flat in A2 envelope.
 
I used Honey Bee's coneflower die and blended on the flowers petals and leaves.  Embossed the center strip with a leafy folder.  Added a simple sentiment and done.  Pretty fast and easy after I figured it out.  I am entering this card in the Creative Creases Challenge.
 
Thanks for stopping by today.

 


 

 

Thursday, April 9, 2026

TICTACTOE #290

This week's board is by our DT member, Rosanne and offers many fun ways to design your card.  My card has all the elements if you count that the flower is in the shape of circle.

For the background I used a very old SSS stencil (2013) and used white heat embossing with it.  The magnolia die is also an oldie.  I used Altenew nimbus cs for the background and nimbus ink for the shading in the flowers.  The embellishments are Altenew's tranquility enamel dots.

Our challenge is open for two weeks beginning today so pick a row, any row and join in for an opportunity to be one of our guest designers!

Crafty hugs,  




 

 

 

Friday, March 20, 2026

ALCOHOL INKS REVISITED

How long has it been since you've used your alcohol inks?  For me, I think it's been at least 4 years!  The activity Director where I live is doing alcohol ink on a ceramic tile tomorrow and I'm helping her with the class and then next Saturday we're doing an alcohol ink on Yupo paper and making a card.  Here are the cards I've designed as inspiration.

It's sort of positive and negative - die cut from their piece or use it as a background.  I used an old SSS leaf die and various TH alcohol inks. Then added bits of gold with Deco-foil.  I'd forgotten how much fun it is to play around with these inks.

Thanks for stopping by,


 


 

Thursday, March 12, 2026

COREOPSIS

TicTacToeChallenge #288 is up today and I'm here with a monochromatic card.  I chose to go down the right side with spatter, die cuts and embellishments.

I used Altenew's coreopsis dies cut out in white and inked with their nimbus ink.  The base cardstock is also in nimbus.  I spattered the background with some white acrylic paint.  The center of the flower is filled with Altenew's tiny sequins and then I added a few larger ones around the sentiment.

 I am also entering my card at SimonSaysStamp's IG challenge (#SSSIGChallenge) where the theme this month is monochromatic.

Our challenge runs from March 12 - 26 - plenty of time to create with this board!  So please join us!

Crafty hugs,