Tuesday, January 31, 2017

12 Kits of Occasions - January 2017


Hi there!
The end of month means 12 Kits of Occasions and
this month it's all about LOVE!
Lindsey Larsen, sent us a wonderful kit full of gorgeous papers, 
die cuts, and stamped images most of which I didn't own, so it
was oohs and aaws as I went through my treasures. Fun, fresh and new!
Hope you have a beverage close by, there's a LOT to share.


I watercolored, pieced & placed this floral over 
PTI's Leaf and Sprigs Frame die I had left over from another project,
and added the 'love' die cut with a few of the coral sequins Lindsey gave us.
Tried to keep with Lindsey's color scheme while working with this kit.


I adored this white embossed stamped image Lindsey sent. 
It was so hard for me to use it! Truly, that's the hardest part of getting these
gorgeous kits, wanting to hoard it all!
Watercolored this one too. 


This unassembled box came in the kit that I paired with some of Lindsey's 
paper, and that adorable stamped tag & twine.


Just loved these pineapples, so paired them with 'love you' die cut.


With the seed beads Lindsey sent, made this shaker.


This cute critter I paired with 3 wood hearts I first GAed then copic colored red.


Loved coloring this cake so much, broke down and ordered it from 
Concord & 9th!
Awning die: PTI


And finally did this one with a certain special team member in mind.
Thank you Lindsey!
Loved every bit, & working on 3 more Valentines.
Just ran out of time to post them!
Lots to see from the other 11 Kits Teammies,
sadly saying goodby to Joyce, 
and hello to our newest member, Brigit Norton!
Also welcome 2 guests this month,
Kathy McCloskey from Bdlakebum,
and Leigh Penner from To the Full.
Can't wait to see what each one did with the same 
gorgeous corals and 'love'-ly goodies.

editing to add the fox card to Darnell's Nbus Challenge 10.
Can't NOT enter, think I've been in on every one of her challenges.
Never used the sweetie fox before, of any of the digital images from
Just ME Prints.

                             NBUS Challenge #10!

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Happy Valentine's



Hello and welcome to HLS 2nd Watercolor Challenge!
And this month we're featuring an anything goes challenge,
with an optional twist... dies.



This square card features 'Especially For You'. 
I masked a heart to add the surrounding posies, and watercolored with
my Zig brushes
Play along for a chance to win a 15.00 gift certificate with HLS!
Can't wait to see what you do with this month's challenge!





Saturday, January 28, 2017

Fantastic


Playing along with Color Throwdown, 
where the inspiration are these soft pastels.


And of course, hearts and flowers!


1st time using my new Fresh Bouquet from PTI.
Colored with watercolor pencils and Hero Arts Wet Cement.
PTI's Cover Plate: Scroll Frame 
Lifestyle Crafts Embossing Folder

Friday, January 27, 2017

Queen for a Day


Hi everyone!
 It's time for a new challenge at Tag You're It.
Our Guest Designer is Lynn Put with this warm and wonderful tag!


I see a day of pampering (who couldn't use one of those?)
So here's my take.


A 'Stay in your PJ's' and chill day! 
Now I need to fill a gift bag with some pampering fun,
 attach this tag and watch a smile come to someone I love!

PTI: Tag Sale: Quilted
Quilted: Winter 
Take It Easy
Bitty Blossoms

Can't wait to see how Lynn's tag inspires you! 
Play along at Tag You're It!

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

PTI January 2017 Blog Hop


Greetings sweet Blogging Friends!
It's Blog Hop time at PTI, and Nichole
stole the show with this month's inspiration;


Now I have an enormous love for all things cookie,
and love for anyone who can turn them into art.
Can you just imagine receiving a plate of hand decorated
sugar masterpieces? 
Too luscious to eat?

Anyway, on to the hop!

3 Valentines, inspired by my cravings for sugar cookies...


And it's mirror twin,


and one more while my heart dies were out.


Happy Hopping everyone!

Limitless Layers: Hearts
BB: Text Style, BB: Needlepoint
Bitty Bouquets
Noted Scalloped A2 Vertical dies
Make It Market Mini: Garden Gild
Inspired: Love die
Songbirds (lead Sprig)
Mini Blooms
PTI Inks and cardstocks

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

...And Fabulous Coffee


Good Tuesday Morning!
Made a fun card for Make It Monday, this week, featuring
a spinner die cut. 
Lizzie shows us all the tricks, and how-to's,
on Nichole's blog, here:



This was so much fun to make, and I'm sure, to receive! Sending mine off
today to a daughter that shares my love for all things caffeinated!


The other side of the cup with the heart stamps.
What a fun couple of sets I haven't inked up for awhile!
Actually, 3 sets:
Heart-2-Heart #1
Drips & Dribbles
Latte Love (Sentiment)

Hope your week is full of crafting! 


Sunday, January 22, 2017

NBUS: Sending Thanks


Well, I managed to do another NBUS card, one with a stamp from The Ton,
Sending Peonies. The beautiful corner stamp I've used, but not 
this small single stamp.


With the worst lighting possible, I snapped this card with a flash.
Just had to try this technique one more time. and know, I'll be
doing it again.

Frame: PTI's Cover Plate: Scroll Frame
Thanks Darnell!


If you want to see more, visit Darnel's blog:


Oh, and don't forget to wish her a happy anniversary!

NBUS Love


Squeezing under the wire to post a card for Darnell's 5th Blog Birthaversary!
Challenge #8 is to use pencils on Kraft.


NBUS or Never before Used Schtuff, means anything you've 
not yet used, which is the perfect reason to use it!
I haven't yet inked up Maile's new Splits set, With Love (PTI),
nor used my pencils, so anxious to use both.


Kept it very CAS. No time for frills. Like I said, just in time. 
The challenge closes in a few hours.

         Blog Birthaversary SURPRISE! NBUS Challenge #8!

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

With Love


Make It Monday this week, with Melissa Phillips and
Masked Heart Wreaths.
Melissa's video can be seen on Nichole's blog, here:



Melissa suggests other shapes to use as a mask, but
love the heart shape for my birthday message, and masked with Limitless Layers: Heart.

Love this simple way to showcase a sentiment!
Plan to do several more using this mask technique.
I cut my mask from copy paper, and when I touched up a few flower 
centers, it bled a bit.
Afterwards I remembered Melissa used the heart center
she had left over, and it was card stock. Always follow the instructor! 

All the blooms and leaves from the following:
Mini Booms, Bloomin' Cute, & Make It Market: Garden Gild.
Inks: Pure Poppy, Scarlet Jewel, Berry Sorbet, Pale Peony, & Prairie Grass.
Noted: A1 Die
Pale Peony Cardstock.


Saturday, January 14, 2017

Hello There


Don't you love working with metallics?
Gold, copper, silver, it sure glams up anything and everything! 

The Card Concept's challenge, #65, 'Pretty Things', 
is this feminine office desk top, trimmed in shiny gold objects.


Zoned right in to the pink peonies (a favorite of mine, I just can't grow
in the Central Valley), and of course, the gold stripes on the cup.


Going with 'Classy and Elegant'
Main panel is white embossed with PTI's Peonies On Parade, a set made for watercolors!
When dry, I masked off the images and flicked on some gold paint,
which looks really rosy in the photo.
Twice cut my sentiment from white and gold card stock and PTI's Scripted.
Gold Foil dp, and pink Shimmer on right also from PTI.
All mounted on PTI's Lovely Lady Cardstock.
Far right panel is a gold washi floral, that when laid on the Lovely Lady,
allows the pink to come through the petals. Loved it!
Couldn't resist adding a few metallic sequins.
Play along for a few more days.


Also posting this card with AAA Cards, where the theme is 'Hello',
And Kylie Purtell from HLS is sponsoring a gift certificate!


I know, it says, 'CAS Game' and my card borderlines anything but CAS,
but it is rather flat, and will go through the mail...
I really tried to keep it Clean, but those sequins were calling me...


Enjoy your weekend!

Friday, January 13, 2017

Warmest Wishes


I wanted to make a card for a friend celebrating a birthday,
and having back surgery.

For inspiration I'm playing along with Fusion,
celebrating their 3rd Anniversary.


Really wanted to fuse the sketch with the photo,
but the photo won. Loved the warmth of the red coffee pot and cups.
Stamped with my Misti, so I could sponge Ink 2 colors. (Seem to 
be doing a lot of that technique lately :))



Wanted to show you how we're doing with all 
this rain. 
This is a picture of Ryan, my son and Eli, my grandson,
enjoying our extra full lake.




Today is a dry day, but we've had rain to make up for 
5 years of drought. Although I'm grateful, our ponding basin came to the top,
and over. We lost a few tree limbs during the week's storm, some of 
which you can see floating.


The ducks don't seem to mind the flood!
More rain on Wednesday!

PTI: Cup Of Cheer, You've Been Framed: Oval,
Background: Richard Gary Embossing Folder.
Tray: Tim Holtz Wood Grain rubber stamp
Inks: Ranger Archival Carnation Red, Shaded Lilac Distress,
PTI: Spring Rain, Aqua Mist, Smokey Shadow, Scarlett Jewel.
Play along for a few more days here:

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

PTI's MIM and A La Carte


PapertreyInk's Make It Monday challenges and tutorials
are always the best. 
Each week their talented designers bring us something
to learn, post their gorgeous samples, 
AND there's a prize at the end of the week.
Not only all of the above, but I've met the most 
wonderful friends over the years!
The busy holidays brought us some time off, 
and I missed the PTI posts and challenges,
until now!
This week we look back, and pick one of our favorites.
Dawn's Sponged Stamping is a perfect technique for
the new Swan'sational stamps.
Solid color, ombre blended really gives dimension to the swan.


I paired Swan'sational with Coverplate: In the Woods, cut twice, with
SS White, and Amethyst Allure.
All over an ink blended bg.
Hard to see, Wink of Stella on some of the swan. (top photo)
Honestly enjoyed this technique so much, 
did a bunch more swans for a few more cards.


Paired this pinked swan with To Have and to Hold and Inspired: Love.
Noted: A2 dies.
Heart wreath stamped twice, first in versamark with white
then again in Lilac Grace.
And finally, a set of cards with another scripture from
Inspired: Love


Loved how this turned out on the Kraft, so I did a pair.


Always nice to have a few cards on hand to lift someone's spirits.

And so nice to be back in the crafting groove!





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