Mermazing!

It is time for another The Three Musketeers post. We are ready to showcase the card we all created with the sweet image that Kelly sent out for August for Card #84!  All three of us sure have enjoyed the challenges every month and we hope that it continues for a long time!  I am up for the September challenge, so be sure to come back to see what we create!  

For our card this month, Kelly sent out this sweet image from Neat & Tangled called Mermazing--it sure is dang cute!  Some of the images were die cut and she also sent some coordinating sentiments!  I colored the image with my Copic Sketch Markers.   I then took a piece of aqua Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes from the 6x6 pack and die cut a few "waves" with some My Favorite Things Stitched Basic Edges.  I then layered the waves over another piece of a blue from the same paper pack. The sentiment was placed in the corner.  I then placed the sweet mermaid between the waves and added a few sequins for the bling!  I hope Jeanette and Kelly along with you enjoy my card!

Please check out the other Musketeer's cards.  Here is the link to Jeanette's blog along with Kelly's blog.  I am sure you will not be disappointed and will see a couple of great cards!  They may post today or tomorrow, so be sure to check out their blogs for their card!   As I mentioned before, I am up for our September challenge.  Please be sure to join us again.  

Image/Sentiment:  Neat & Tangled Mermazing

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  Recollections 110# White; Stampin' Up Night of Navy; Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes 6x6 Paper Pack

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; 

Accessories:  Copic Markers; My Favorite Things-MFT Stitched Basic Edges; Sequins

Call Me Over!

This is my August Crafters of Faith card.  This is a great group that my friend Kelly started on SCS.  She hosted for 5 years and now Faith has taken over for year #6. We will continue as we have in the past with each month a new hostess gives us a scripture and challenges us to make a card with that theme.  Lisa is the hostess this month and gave everyone this challenge:

Scripture:  Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Challenge: We can use the verse for inspiration to make a happy card or an encouragement card.

I thought this month would be a fun one to use this cute stamp and sentiment.  I think it is an encouragement card--how about you?  I inked up my Unity Jillibean Soup image called When Life Gives You Limes and colored it with my Copic Sketch Markers.  I added a bit of a new product to me--Hero Arts Sparkle Clear Lacquer Pen on the rim--salt or sugar!  I  fussy cut the glass and layered it over the stamped sentiment.  The background paper is from Reminisce called Cocktails and Dreams--I love the shimmer of this paper.  I also added a layer of Silver Glitter cardstock from The Paper Cut for more sparkle!   I added some TE Clear Drip Drops on the card.  I really like the look of this card! 

I hope you and the others from the Crafters of Faith group like my card this month!  We are to post on the 7th of each month, so if you look on my sidebar, you may see other creations.  I know that there will be many posted in the COF thread on SCS too! 

Image/Sentiment:  Unity Jillibean Soup When Life Gives You Limes/The Rubber Cottage Call Me Over

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  The Paper Cut Cougar Opaque 110# White, Silver Glitter; Stampin' Up Tangerine Tango, Baja Blue; Reminisce Cocktails & Dreams

Ink:  Simon Says Stamp Intense Black; 

Accessories:  Taylored Expressions Clear Drip Drops; Copic Sketch Markers; Hero Arts Sparkle Clear Lacquer Pen; 

Thank You Sweet Friend

This is my One Plus Twelve card for August. This was the brainchild of Kelly and she asked Jeanette and me to join her in this challenge in 2019. We are to use just one stamp, to make a card every month and post on the 3rd of each month.  It was so much fun that the three of decided to continue for our third year and pick a new image to use.

For 2021, I picked a Gina K Designs set called Thankful Greenery.  I think this set is so pretty and I can see in my mind many ways that I can use this image.  Plus--I will have 12 thank you cards at the end of the year!

For this month's card, I embossed the image with white embossing powder on Strathmore White Watercolor Cardstock.  I then used my Taylored Expressions Liquid Watercolors--Pineapple and Guava--to add color to the image with a brush. I die cut the image and the layer with my Gina K Designs Master Layouts 4 heart dies. The added sentiment is from the same stamp set. The background is my Stampin' Up Subtle Dynamic embossing folder for some added dimension.   I used the same Master Layouts 4 to die cut the embossed panel and layered it on a white card base.  

Please be sure to check out the other One plus Twelve cards.  Here is a link to Jeanette's and Kelly's blog. I am sure you will enjoy checking out what stamp set each of them picked for 2021 and will see a couple of great cards! I hope Kelly and Jeanette like my card and that you might too! Be sure to check back every month on the 3rd to see our cards!

Image/Sentiment: Gina K Designs Thankful Greenery

Cardstock:  Strathmore White Watercolor; Stampin' Up Flirty Flamingo

Ink:  Versamark; Gina K Designs White Embossing Powder; Stampin' Up Flirty Flamingo; Taylored Expressions Liquid Watercolors-Pineapple and Guava

Accessories:  Stampin' Up Subtle Dynamic Embossing Folder; Gina K Master Layouts 4

Creative Crate Cards

I wanted to post these fun cards I have made in the past two weeks.  The week of July 10th and 11th, I participated in a virtual stamping retreat called Great Outdoors Creative Crate, sponsored by Firefly Farms in Minnesota.  This is the second stamping event that I have taken from Trisha Studer, the owner of this stamp store and both have been awesome!  I know I am ready for the fall one too!

We had three classes and a make 'n take by Trisha.  One class was talked by Jenn Shurkus that featured Lawn Fawn items and we made the three fun camping cards on the top left.  Then, we had a class by Cindy Sartain from Dare 2b Artzy and she taught us how to make the fun flip cards on the right.  Then, Lea Lawson from Pink Fresh Studio, taught a class with the beautiful floral cards on the bottom left. And, the beverage card on the bottom right was the make 'n take by Trisha.  All 9 cards were so fun to make!  And, I have many of the stamp sets along with dies or stencils to make more of them!!!!!!

We all received a great box fill with the kits and many fun items for stamping and pampering us too.  One of the fun parts is that Trisha has 3-4 different items that are wrapped for us and we open each one on a different day.  She does some Facebook lives during the week to ramp up the excitement for the weekend classes.  It is an outstanding event and then there is of course some additional shopping opportunities--enabling at its best!

I hope you like these pictures and you too are able to enjoy some virtual stamping events.  With the way things are going now, these opportunities might be around for a long time..................................

Watercolor Hello!

Today is the day I am posting my card for our Challenge Your Stash group on SCS.  This is our 55th month of de-stash and we are in the middle of our 5th year of our challenges.  

The premise is to create a card or something else that uses only items that are in your own stamp room--nothing new is to be purchased.  The hostess each month posts their challenge to the group. Each person in the group creates their card with their own image, their own papers, their own embellishments with their own supplies--using up items from their own stash!  The card can be for any occasion and each person is encouraged to send the card on its way to someone so it can be admired.  It is a way for us to step out of the box a bit and create something that follows a challenge--isn't that what a challenge is supposed to be.  And--no money is spent as all items are to be already available in each of own stamping spaces.

Vickie posted our July challenge--July is International Watercolor Month; create a card or project using a little or a lot of watercoloring!

I heat embossed with extra-fine white a Hero Arts background stamp called Starry Night Brushstroke Bold Print on water color cardstock.  I then used my Taylored Expressions Liquid Watercolors and a brush to follow some of the lines of the background image.  I then die cut the panel with my MFT Blueprints 20 die.  The word Hello and backer is from Concord & 9th's Everyday Saying.  I used Stampin' Up Bermuda Bay and Gorgeous Grape. A few Picket Fence Studios embellishments are the final touch!  

Here is the inside of my card:

If you check some of the blogs on my sidebar, you may find others who have posted their cards in the next few days. There may be more posted in the thread on SCS, so you might want to check out the link here.  We also have a keyword for the SCS Gallery--it is CYSJUL.  You might see many cards there if you do a search.  They probably will be posted today or in the next few days.

I hope you enjoyed my card and I know I am excited to check out what my other hoarders, I mean stash reducers have made!  Thanks for stopping by today!  For August, Maggie is up for our challenge.  Be sure to check back to see what we create then!

Image/Sentiment: Hero Arts Starry Night Brushstroke Bold Print Background Stamps; Concord & 9th Everyday Sayings Die Set

Cardstock:  Strathmore White Watercolor ; Stampin' Up Bermuda Bay, Gorgeous Grape

Ink:  Versamark; Lawn Fawn Extra-fine White Embossing Powder; Taylored Expressions Liquid Water-colors

Accessories:  My Favorite Things-MFT Blueprints 20; Picket Fence Studios Embellishments

Hello Friend!

How about a fun card using Taylored Expressions Bubble Greetings!  I colored the letters with my Copic Sketch Markers. I layered the image and added some lien thread behind the layers.  The background is an embossing folder from Taylored Expressions called Weathered. I added a few enamel dots as the final touch.  It is a pretty simple card, but I think it is a perfect card to send to a guy!

Here is the inside of my card, with a strip of washi tape:

I think this is a fun card and hope you do too!

Image/Sentiment:  Taylored Expressions Bubble Greetings Stamp Set

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, 

Ink:  Stampin' Up Early Espresso

Accessories:  Taylored Expressions Weathered Embossing Folder; Copic Sketch Markers; Stampin' Up Linen Thread; Enamel Dots

Gnome of the Brave

Today I am showing you a card for my monthly challenge for 2021--At Home With Gnomes. Each month I will create a card using one of my many gnome images. 

For this card, I picked gnome and sentiment from the Unity Stamp Set called Gnome of the Brave!  I colored this cute image with my Copic Sketch Markers. I used some fun patterned star paper from We R Memory Keepers.  I picked a fun sentiment from the many in this set.   I added a few red pearls along with red, white and blue baker's twine for the final touch!  

Here is the inside of my card:

I am sure I have more than enough gnome images to use a different one each month.  I will be back in August and will show you another gnome, so stay tuned!

Image/Sentiment:  Unity Stamps Gnome of the Brave Stamp Set

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  The Paper Cut Cougar Opaque 100# White; Stampin' Up Marina Mist, Cherry Cobbler; We R Memory Keepers Stars Patterned Paper

Ink:  Simon Says Stamp Intense Black

Accessories:  Copic Sketch Markers; Red Pearls; Red, White and Blue Baker's Twine

Christmas in July

Today is the 25th and it is 5 months until Christmas-are you ready?  For this Christmas Card, I went with a fun alphabet set from Reverse Confetti called Letter Cuts.  I recently won this set in an Instagram give-away.  The letters were cut three times from Forest Foliage and layered for dimension. I layered the letters on a Gina Marie Cross Stitched circle cut from patterned paper and layered over a green circle.  The background is from the Simple Stories Cozy Christmas line called Wander.  A tree brad is the added touch!

I hope you like my Christmas Card in July!

Image/Sentiment:   Reverse Confetti Letter Cuts

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler, Forest Foliage; Pebbles Welcome Christmas-Merry Christmas; Simple Stories Cozy Christmas-Wander

Ink:  None

Accessories:   Tree Brad; Gina Marie Cross Stitched Circle Dies

Ready-Set-GO! Delayed!

Today is NOT the third Wednesday of the month--BUT this is my Ready, Set, Go Challenge Card! I messed up this month and went up north for a few days and did not make my blog post.  Cards were done--just not posted.  But--I am here now!  The 3 of us, Kelly, Jeanette and me, are back with another challenge for July, our 51st month!  That means we are into year #5 for us-WOW!

Kelly provided the challenge for us this month: Cut It Out!  

I don't know about y'all but that was a popular saying in my house growing up!  My mom was constantly telling my brother and I to knock it off or cut it out!  So your challenge is to use that phrase, literally! 

Your July RSG challenge:  Create a card or project with 'cutting it out' as the main focus.  You can be as creative as you like!  You can use a simple die like an oval or get fancy schmancy and REALLY cut up your card - it's up to you!  BUT! Because we are 3 and we 3 like being 3, you must use at least 3 cuts on your card! I will leave it up to you how you interpret where those cuts will be :)  Everything else is as you wish - colors, theme, etc!

I hope you have fun with the theme. Ready Set Go! 

I went with a fun Birch Press Designs trio of dies called Fiori Plate Blueprint Craft Dies. Each panel was cut with a different color of cardstock. The bottom was White, the middle is Pink Pirouette and the top is Pink Mirricard. The card base is a silver sparkle cardstock. The die cut is a newer fun die set from Concord & 9th called Everyday Sayings--love the boldness! This was also cut from white cardstock and layered three times for added dimension.  

So--my three's are 3 layers of Birch Press Blueprint Dies along with 3 layers of the word HI.

Here is the inside of my card, with a strip of washi tape:

Please be sure to check out the other Ready, Set, Go cards.  Here is a link to Jeanette's and Kelly's blog.  Remember--they probably did post on the scheduled date of the 21st so be sure to look back........   I am sure you will not be disappointed and will see a couple of great cards! I hope Kelly and Jeanette like my card. I am up for the next theme, so be sure to check back to see what we are up to on the 3rd Wednesday in August.

Image/Sentiment:  Concord & 9th Everyday Sayings Die Set

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  The Paper Cut Cougar Opaque 100# White. Pink Mirricard, Silver Sparkle Cardstock;  Stampin' Up Pink Pirouette; 

Ink:  None

Accessories:   Birch Press Fiori Plate Blueprint Craft Dies

Double Duty and Hero Arts

Here we go.  This is month #6 of another challenge for our group of 4 stampers—Barb, Jeanette, Kelly, and Carol!  This was a thought that I had in the middle of the night, similar to what Kelly has had in the past.  Plus, it is a bit of offshoot of our Stamp What Challenge! This one is called Double Duty!  AND--I am a day late in posting, so be sure to check back a day when you click on the links in my post below............  Time got away from me.  Cards were done--I went on a getaway to northern Wisconsin for 4 days and forgot to create my blog post!

 

Each month, we get to pick a stamp set from a predetermined company. Then, we will use that one stamp set and make two cards from the set.  Different images and sentiments from the same set can be used, or use the same image two different ways—Double Duty either way!  But, as an added challenge, one item must be used on both cards—same color cardstock, same ribbon, same stencil, same something.  Double Duty Again!  We will post both cards on our blog on the the 22nd of each month.  See-Double Duty again!  We will be sure to have fun getting doubly inky each month with a different stamp company.  Let’s have fun!

For July, the company that I picked was Hero Arts. They have been such a great company for so many years and really have awesome stamp set  There are so many different varieties and so beautiful.  For our challenge this month, I picked a a set called Hot Air Balloons that was a gift from a stamping friend from Texas!    

First, I decided to make the hot air balloons with different mediums and papers.  I also wanted to use an embossing folder on both cards, as the second part of the Double Duty!  Also, both of the sentiments are from the same stamp set. 

For my first card, I stamped the image on white cardstock. I then used some Taylored Expressions ink cubes in red and pinks along with my new bitty blending brush--love the tiny size! I then fussy cut the image.   I embossed the background Flirty Flamingo cardstock with a Stampin' Up embossing folder called gently falling.  I then added some Cherry Cobbler ribbon and the Dream Big sentiment from the same stamp set.

For my second card, I stamped the hot air balloon image on a piece of Yupo that I had made with Tim Holtz Black Alcohol Inks. I also fussy cut the image and added it to my Cloudy Sky embossing folder from Darice.  The sentiment was embossed with silver powder on black cardstock.   This time I added purple rhinestones embellishments for the bling!

I had a number of Double Duty elements on these cards.  I used the same hot air balloon image and sentiments from the same set and an embossing folder. 

Here are the insides of both cards with a strip of washi tape:

 

I hope you enjoyed my card for our group.  Please be sure to check out the other Double Duty cards.  Here is a link to Jeanette's,  Kelly's  and Carol's blog-they may have posted yesterday--our true date of the 22nd or like me, today, so be sure to check around!   I am sure you will not be disappointed and will see a couple of sets of great cards! I hope Kelly, Jeanette and Carol like my card. Altenew is the company we will use in August so be sure to check back to see how we double up and make two cards on the 22nd!

Image/Sentiment:  Hero Arts Hot Air Balloons Stamp Set

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up Basic Black, Gorgeous Grape, Bermuda Bay, Flirty Flamingo, Cherry Cobbler; Yupo Alcohol Ink Paper; The Paper Cut Cougar Opaque 110# White

Ink:  Hero Arts Intense Black; Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks; Versamark-Silver Embossing Powder; Taylored Expressions Ink Cubes-Bitty Blending Brush

Accessories:  Darice Cloudy Sky Embossing Folder; Stampin' Up Gently Falling Embossing Folder, 1/2" Cherry Cobbler Satin Ribbon; Purple Rhinestones