Keeping Christmas: February

Hello! And welcome to February's blog hop for 'Keeping Christmas'.

It's a card hop for inspiration, and just plain joy for doing our 

Christmas cards any time of year. 

2 cards with the same layout and stamp set from Concord & 9th's Christmas Florals

and a stamp called Woven Stripes.

1st card is stamped with Momento Northern Pine, and colored with copics.

The Merry and Christmas letters are die cut with shimmer card stock.

The centers of the poinsettia, Nuvo Gold drops. I wanted a down home country

very traditional look to my card, so the stripe stamp was turned and stamped

again for a plaid look.

If you like a more contemporary look for a card, this card's chrome and black is 

on target. Same background stamp, this time, 1st white embossed, then stamped

with silver ink. Both times on the vertical.

Stamped with Jet Black Archival, and painted with Metallics, one of my

favorite mediums on rich dark cardstock.

If you look closely, the silver mirror letters are placed just above the stamped 

black letters for a bit of shadow.

2 more cards for the Christmas pile! Still a long way to go, folks! But

it feels so good to get a stash going. Do you like creating Christmas cards

throughout the year? It sure helps during the busiest time of year, to have

some if not all of my Christmas greets done!

Be sure to check out all the designers on the hop for more inspiration.

Here's a list:

Kelly Lunceford (Creator)

Vicki Finger

Claire Broadwater

Lori Tecler

Nance Salkeld

Nina Forsyth

Nancy Guse

Marybeth Lopez

Nancy Penir (me)

Carol Hintermeier

Valentines

Hello there. Getting close to Valentines, and had some time to play with Betsy's

February release, and all the great new stamps and dies that came with my order.

I followed Dawn McVey's lead with my double background stamping and

angling the plaid stamp. Couldn't resist also double stamping the envelope flaps.

One card with red interior and sweet heart seal,

And one with double envelopes and messages and a postage stamp. 

I LOVE these sets. I understand some of them sold out, but if I were

you, I'd add them to my collection when they're restocked. I already

have plans for Easter cards, using the florals and envelopes for my

holiday cards.

The first card I made with the Ribbon Words, a birthday card.

And this one made with Poppystamps Heart Plate, used as a stencil.

The frame was made by cutting the 2 Postal frames at the same time.

Tag You're It Challenge: Bookmarks

There's a new challenge up on the Tag You're It Blog today, and we are challenged to

create a tag that's a bookmark. 

All 3 tags MFT and covered with Altenew Washi.

This one stamped with PTI's Bibliophile. 

Floral Image: Altenew's Daisy Sunflower.

PTI's Berry Summer

A sweet little reminder of the joy of reading!

I covered this bookmark with Altenew's Washi then added a vellum die cut 

with the word 'Books' from PTI's Bibliophile. The floral swag is a fussy cut

from the flower Washi added to card stock. 

Again a Washi covered tag with the Greetery's Fleur Impressions and PTI's Summer 

Berries.

Hope you play along with this theme of bookmarks. You don't have to do 3. Or you

can do 6. Have fun and I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Tag You're It Challenge #91: Summer Fruit

If you love making tags, the Tag You're It Challenge is for you!

Every two weeks you're challenge with a photo to get you started

with samples from great designers, and a chance to earn a guest

spot on the blog.

The fabulous Marybeth Lopez has selected Summer Fruit as our muse:

Strawberries are a favorite, and so is this set from C9.

I created a tag using PTI's Tasting Tag, and added Concord & 9th's Berry die and stamp

set. Background C9's 

Play along for a Guest Designer spot. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

thanks for the visit, and have a crafty week!!!

Check out our newest member at Tag You're It, Kim Heggins from Cupcakes Cards

and Kim. Welcome Kim!

Tag You're It: Reminder

Hi friends! I just love making tags, don't you?

I have a reminder tag for the current Tag You're It Challenge.

I started with the PPP Decorative Tag 2, and backed it with the Stamp Market's

Floral Background. No sentiment yet. Definitely going on a feminine gift for

someone special. 

When the doors are open you see more of the floral bg. The tag is decorated with PTI's

Humming Along.

Are you playing along? 

Hope to see your creations in the lineup! 

And hope you have an extra crafty week!

Tag You're It #87

Hello Sweet Friend

Hello, sweet friends! I'm up on the Poppystamps blog today, with a 

 watercolor card full of spring blooms! Pop on by to see how I used my

new Arteza pens to create my scene.

Can't wait for the real thing, (blooms that is) in my neck of the woods!

Have a blessed weekend!

Hello Sweet Friend by Nancy Penir

PTI's newest Giveaway

PTI has a new 'giveaway' on their blog, and I'm so excited to play along!

Michelle Leone has created this beauty:

and we are asked to post it to our instagram account. Extra bonus is to create

our own card using one of the sets she has used.

The Heart Coverplate has not seen use for awhile, and I just had to bring it out

and show it some love.

I've been playing with alcohol inks, reminding myself how much fun they are.

Dawn McVey took them to a new level with her touches of gold.

(Dawn McVey on Instagram)

If you've never used alcohol inks, I suggest You Tube, or Pinterest for  great

tutorials.

This is the piece I worked on. It's a special paper called Yupo (amazon),

 with Ranger Alcohol Inks (Watermelon, Sailboat Blue & Pool).

Together with Blending solution and gold foil, the finished product

looks like precious agate. LOVE!!!

I did 3, no use wasting the messy work surface, and yes your work 

surface should be covered. Gloves... optional.

Here's a shot of what I used to make my card. PTI shimmer card stock, onyx, white

 and pink cut with the dies. Before gluing them to the colored surface, 

I staggered the 3 colors just a bit so the hearts would look like little frames of color.

A few sequins, and done.

You can see the shimmer in this photo.

If you play along with the 'Giveaway', be sure to post your card on Instagram,

for double prize! 

I'd love to know what you think of alcohol inks. Do you enjoy them? 

Happy Crafting, all!

Winter Watercolor

Ashley shows us some wonderful tips to creating our Winter Watercolor

cards, this week for PTI's Make It Monday. 

My card is slightly larger than an A2, because I wanted my Amaryllis to take center stage.

Watercolor paper makes the technique a breeze, blending and dragging one color

into the next. 

A closeup of the Amaryllis blooms and a few drops of Nuvo to highlight the stamens.

Not exactly a one layer, as was Ashley's example, and I didn't add any gesso.

Loved that dimensional addition of gesso, but did stamp the leaves onto

my background for a bit of dimension of my own.

Stamps and dies link directly to the PTI item. Happy Shopping!

Blooming Amaryllis Stamp Set

Papertrey Ink - Blooming Amaryllis Die

Words to Live By: Happiness Mini Stamp Set

The 12 Kits of Occasions: December 2018

Welcome to 12 Kits of Occasions, where 12 designers play with a new kit each

month, and wow the pants off each other (and hopefully you), with their takes

on all the kit's fun elements!

Speaking of welcome, help us welcome Marcia Hill from Marcia's Stamping Pad

to our group. I first met Marcia through blogging, and we met up in person at 

the Kraft House in Newton, Kansas. 6 of us became best buds from then on, and

I'm tickled to embrace her talent onto this team!

Ok, what's in store this month? Michelle Leone sent us stamps and dies I don't 

have, and folks let me tell you, they, along with joyous card stock colors made 

card making a delight. 

My stash ran very low, especially birthday cards, and I used almost ALL

the fabulous die cuts and designer paper she sent us! 

Are you comfy? Let's take a look.

Oh those colors! And this card assembled itself! (well practically)

Note those gems (included in the kit). Think I used

them on almost all my cards.

I didn't have one llama in my stash, and Michelle sent 3! Can you believe it?

 Grandma to 11kiddies had not ONE llama. 

Well, now I'm on a mission... a llama mission!

Michelle sent this little guy with an option to use a flower, a nut or an apple. 

The flower and scarf seemed perfect to give to someone on the road to healing.

Llama no. 2 needed some sparkling in front of a night sky filled with gems.

Michelle is well known for her daring combos of both color and pattern, 

and she sent us somany gorgeous patterns in corals and blues,

 I just had to case her style!

Love the PTI Mandala, and it's on my wish list! What fun in these bright colors!

My last card wishes you all a Happy New Year. Let's start with today, and a shaker full of 

blessings! 

Thanks, Michelle! What a kit. Can you tell I loved it?

Before I send you off to the other ladies, help me sadly wish Michele Ferguson

and Jessica Davisthe best as they leave our group. 

Honestly wish they could stay forever, but you 

know how life can get in the way of crafting... 

Love to you my friends!

And some huge XOXO to Michelle Leone for a wonder filled kit!

Peace & Joy

I had some time to play with Papertrey's MIM, and Melissa's 'Deck Your Dies', 

and did a couple of cards for my stash with the new Floral Fantasy set.

I really love the reindeer in red, so festive and bright. I had a few

stamped die cuts left over from the last MIM, and combining them with 

my 'decked out' die cuts showcased that darling deer.

First I cut a window with an oval die, and decked it with 2 more die cut ovals from

silver glitter paper, angling the 2 die cuts a bit.

Scalloped frame provided an addtional dotted die over my stamped BG Basics: Gingham

stamped in black on red card stock.

What to do with the oval cut out? Another card!

Same layout, with my reindeer embossed in white on red, a reverse of the first card.

A little hard to see on this card, but the die cut sentiment is backed with black glitter

card stock.

A close look at the greenery and berries, you can see some double inking and Copic coloring.

Love seeing what everyone does to their die cuts to enhance them, don't you? 

Play along on PTI's blog through the week.

Hope your crafting isn't too stressed this time of year. I know mine is... just hoping

yours isn't! <3 

Floral Fantasy: Christmas Stamp Set

Papertrey Ink - Floral Fantasy: Christmas Die Collection (set of 2)

Forest Floor: Winter Stamp Set

Papertrey Ink - Forest Floor: Winter Die

Papertrey Ink - Noted: Scalloped A2 Die Collection (set of 9)

Papertrey Ink - Scallop Stackers: Small Die