Sweet Birthday Wishes

It seems like it's been awhile since I've posted a card. My summer's been full of family,

trips, chickens and children... with 3 BIG summer parties at our house. 

Phew! I need a vacation. No better place than the craft room!

This card's for Ink to Paper, Laurie's Fabulous Favorites, 

this week's it's Background Stamps.

The background stamp is white embossed within the oval die, Cover Up: Grid,

on water color paper. I then loosely watercolored the grid and fit it inside the 

Pierced Feature Frames: Oval (cut 3 times). 

That's Garden Garland on the outside of the oval.

Laurie's card was full of black and white drama.White on white is my absolute favorite 

technique for drama.  

Ink to Paper Tag Creations: Blooming Indulgence Dies

The many dies in this set are fun to play with. I used colored card stock and the banner 

included in the set, and used a sentiment from Just Sentiments Tagged.

Feels so good be be back in the craft room. I have family coming on Monday.

And we're planning another trip to Yosemite. All's good, and very busy. 

Hope you enjoy your summer, and all the warmth that goes with it.

And especially hope you have some time to create. It just seems to refresh and

restore. 

Blessings!

Birthday Wishes

Hey there, are you enjoying your summer? Any craft time in the works?

I have some inspiration using Poppy's Spring Pots Shelves die today on

the Poppystamps blog.

Come visit and see how I made this card.

Stay cool!

Birthday Wishes by Nancy Penir

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!

12 Kits of Occasions: June 'Summer Fun'

Is it really June 30th? Half the year gone! Well, it's time to celebrate summer.

And our sweet friend Birgit Norton has a summer kit to kick off all things Fun

 in the Sun!

Just a quick note: if you fall in love with anything you see, we have a 

supplies list on the 12 Kits Blog.

OK, let's celebrate summer!

This sweet cutie is enjoying her day at the beach.

The papers Birgit included inspired every card!

Loved coloring this bird with copies.

Also colored this duo with copics.

Talk about tropical flair... love this set from PTI.

Seriously live in flip flops ALL summer!

Had to turn one of the sentiment cards into a shaker, topped with these slices

of watermelon, included in the kit.

6 cards and still more to play with later.

A big thank you to Birgit for an over the top summer kit, And to

our favorite composer of arranging our kit photo, Lindsey, as always

thank you!

Hope you enjoyed our summer kit, and hope you visit all the 

designers and give them some love.

Thanks for the visit!

Altenew's June challenge: Friends

Altenew's June Challenge has Virginia Lu and this inspiration photo.

Now, I have to admit, this was a stretch for me. The colors didn't inspire, in

fact I almost didn't come up with anything. But Virginia's card was so beautiful,

and I always love a challenge. And then my Altenew order came...

Sunflower Daisy is a multi-stamp and Die set, and was just what I needed to get

creative juices flowing.

I arranged my large and small blooms in a vase from Versatile Vases. 1st stamped with Olive,

then colored with pencils. I penciled in the stems as well.

Sentiment from Shades of Friendship.

Thanks for the visit and hope your summer is full of

crafty goodness!

Sending Hugs & Squishes

I have a card for the JUGS Card Challenge, ending today. Hope I make it!

Just Us Girls #493 - Photo Inspiration Week

My latest order from the Greetery arrived, and among the new treasures was this

summery themed Sea Scene die, just perfect for the challenge photo! 

Sentiment: PTI's Salt Air Sentiments

Lots of Ranger Distress Oxides applied with brushes, foam sponges and sprayed

with water and Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays.

Betsy's raindrops look just like bubbles!

You have a few hours left to play! Better hurry...

The Card Concept: Cacti Clusters

Hi there, Card Concept peeps!

Today we are challenging you to create a card using our photo promp, 

Cacti Clusters.

LOVE all succulents! 

I'm a huge succulent fan! Love their hardiness, and variety. And a breeze to transplant.

My inspiration for you uses the Greetery's Terrarium Die with watercolored 

succulents, also from the Greetery. Betsy knocked it out of the park with her 

first release. And if you think that was great, her second topped it all!

The baby tears succulents are from PTI's Super Succulents, and the oval

die is Shape Shifter's Oval: 2. Background is from Super Succulents Patterned

Paper Collection.

This sentiment from PTI was the perfect compliment to my colorful succulents,

 but the words were lined up straight (Happy Trails). No worries. 

I taped the 'you' while stamping the 'color my world', 

then reversed the tape, and stamped the 'you' in purple.

PTI Scalloped Tags Die Set.

Play Along for 2 weeks.

Note: We are taking a break for the summer, and will return in the fall.

Hope to see you and your styled creations in the lineup!

Happy Crafting, and have a wonderful summer!

You Are So Loved

Today I have a card made for the latest 'Flower Challenge'.

Each month they challenge us to use our flower stamps with an emphasis on different

techniques 'celebrating cards using floral images.' ~LOVE~

Honestly, what brings more stamping joy than using florals?

I hadn't used Vintage Flower Stamp Set from Concord & 9th yet, and loved an excuse to 

get it inky.

1st stamping a large floral image with Hero Arts Wet Cement, and coloring in only the top left

image, then adding a medallion of the floral image, with a few added pieces fussy cut, 

to the top corner. The initial cardstock color is white. A favorite technique is to color in the

 bg with soft grey to make the stamped images stand out. So vintage!

You can see how the corner piece is popped up with foam and a few berries were added

If you love using your floral stamps as much as I do, play along at the 

Flower Challenge. You can enter 5 times, and this month there's a 

prize for the winner!

Enjoy your week! Hope it's full of crafty goodness.

The Flower Challenge #33 'Focus on Background Stamping'.

Best Wishes

Hello! 

I'm posting on the Poppystamps blog today. Come by and see how I created 

this watercolor card.

So easy with the Sylvan Frame die!

Hope your week is full of crafty goodness!

The Card Concept: Summer Swirls

Summer's here (if you haven't noticed!), and The Card Concept is challenging

us to choose a style and do a card for our latest inspiration photo:

The first thing that hit me (should say, SLAMMED me), were those

bright primary colors! 

And from there I did what I love to do most... Quilt!

A SAHM, I had a cottage company sewing baby quilts for cribs. The 

combining of patterns and colors was something I loved. And you know what

they say... 'do something you love, and you'll never work a day in your life.'

At least I think that's how it goes...

Haven't visited PTI's Quilted: Summer in ages, and just knew that's where I wanted

to start. From there, and with 3 ink colors, CP: Rockin' Red, Altenew: Ultramarine,

and CP: Tiara, I assembled my quilt.

PTI's Tag Sale: Quilted, popped up on a Country Fair double cut die cut.

(Betsy Veldman's Make It Market: Country Fair).

You know how some cards just bring you so much joy to construct? 

This is one that was darn fun! Was it the colors? The summery feel?

The pinwheel pattern play? 

~Don't think I'll put this set away just yet~

Hope your summer's off to a great start.

Don't forget to get your fingers inky, and

while you're at it, play along with us at The Card Concept!

The Card Concept #117 {Summer Swirls}

You Spin Me 'Round

Just Us Girls is featuring Word Week, and the Word is 'Retro'.

Love playing with my MFT Retro Record Player!

My Favorite Things: Stitch, Blooms & Turntable.

The card closes flat and fits inside an A2 envelope with ease. The window gives you a 

peek inside.

closeup of the shimmer cardstock (record) & metallic cardstock (turntable arm).

I used Laura Bassen's measurements and video to create the basic pop-up 

You tube:  Pop-Up Record Player Card 

Just Us Girls #490 - Word Week

NJP

Laurie's Fabulous Favorites this week focuses on framing our sentiments.

My card took on a life of it's own when I found this monogram stamped 

panel I made a while back. 

I added the panel to a piece of card stock included in the Don't Forget

to Write set, and defined it further with Nesting Basics: Rectangle and

Nesting Basics: Pierced Rectangle.

It's been a while since I've sent a monogram card. It's a nice way to personalize a

message to someone. And it's nice to enhance the letters with framing.

I also added a few elements from Community Garden. A bit over what I 

started to create, which was cleaner and simpler. Alas, just not cards I enjoy

doing or sending ~ The more the Merrier is definitely my style ~

Laurie's challenge can be found on Ink to Paper's blog with a 100. gc for 

the winner!

12 Kits of Occasions: May~ June Celebrations

It's 12 Kits time, and this month we feature all the celebrations of June

courtesy Tracey McNeely. Tracey sent us a whole host of images for

dads, grads, teachers, and those we want to thank.

I'm starting off with this Father's Day card for my hubs,

The reveal wheel says it all. As you turn the wheel, a new sentiment is revealed.

Next up, a card for a teacher.

My grandson will give this to his teacher. I love the sentiment!

Tracey included this Gerbera Daisy, I colored with copics. 

Another Thank you card built around the letters that spell 'thanks'. The Concord & 9th

feathers border a panel that is a C9 turnabout I had in my stash.

And one more card celebrating a child's graduation.

Hope you're ready for summer, and summer's special celebrations. And

hope you found some inspiration today.

Lots more on the other 12 Kits blogs!

June Celebrations

Thank you, Tracey! Loved every bit, especially all the fabulous plaid papers!