MIM #309 with Melissa

Hello! Enjoying some create time today. We've had 2 days of much needed rain here in 

the Central Valley, and it's a perfect excuse to stay home and make cards.

Melissa Phillips is up this week at PTI, and has a wonderful tutorial for us, 

Heat Embossed Stencil Backgrounds.

You can see her video and gorgeous creations using this technique on PTI's blog.

I made 2 cards, the first, have to admit, wasn't a favorite, so came up with one I 

liked better. Sometimes, if you have the time, it's better to keep going until it pleases.

So here's the first.

I created my own stencil using Coverplate: Gemstone Die & vellum, and embossed it with silver

on an Amethyst Allure cardstock.

Beautiful Butterflies & Beautiful Butterflies Additions, with a hint of Wink of Stella.

Sentiment: New Every Morning.

The antenna are wires I shaped and curled at the ends.

But, like I said, wanted to try this technique again, so brought out the Market Street kit,

and did my bg with one of PTI's stencils: Wood Block Prints

Heat embossed in Zing's Rose, with a little inking (Spring Rain & Blueberry Sky.)

Like this better, maybe because the message can be extended.

I love interactive cards right now. Sliders, and hidden messages and pop up boxes. All such fun

for the recipient! Not to mention fun for me who makes them!

Happy crafting everyone!

And want to thank all who sent prayers my way on behalf of my mom.

Quick note on her condition, my sister and I were advised to bring in hospice care at this time, and they've been wonderful! So thankful for their caring kindness!

She continues to hang in there, with so many issues. 

One of the reasons I love you all is our sharing and caring, and especially prayers!

Just wanted to say, 'thanks'.

A Sad Goodby

Hello everyone! 

I have some sad news to share.

We at Tag You're It are saying goodby to the challenge.

Tag You're It was the brainchild of Tracey McNeely, from In My Creative Opinion

and it was truly a joy for me to be on the team.

Our goodby post today features one of our own favorite tags.

My husband and I raise chickens for their eggs, and my home is full of farm images,

especially chickens, roosters, and even an egg sign!

        

 Just had to choose a favorite from Karen Lockhart, a rubber stamp mounted on a block. This stamp has seen a lot of ink over the years!

I will miss the regular posting and inspiration from some of the most talented

designers in blogland. It was a joy and privilege to have Tracey ask me to be

among them.

Thank you Tracey, and to all who also enjoyed Tag You're It, 

it's never goodby, but 'see you around'!

Pink Mailbox

Happy New Year!

And just so happy to be back in my craft room.

Had a houseful over the holidays, and enjoyed a trip to Tahoe, 

only to come home to my mom very very ill. 

So the craft cave was eerily quiet for a while.

Just means I LOVE being back, well, doing what I love!

PTI has been going through some changes lately, but one thing that is the same

is their yearly 'A La Carte', where we can choose from the many wonderful MIM tutorials

and play again with a favorite.

I choose a few to combine, Melissa's Background Stamping, and Laurie's Love of Layers.

Now, truthfully, I'm all about layering, and combining my sets, which just seem to all

play well together.

Hope you enjoy a little crafting too. It just starts the year off great!

Make It Market: Post & Parcel,

Make It Market Mini Kit: Bloom & Grow

To Have and to Hold

Love You to Pieces: Additions

PTI inks & cardstocks. 

Off to visit the craft room.

Valentines will be here before we know!

           Make it Monday #308 – 2017 A La Carte           

12 Kits of Occasions December: Fashionista

Good Morning and welcome to 12 Kits' December with Tracey McNeely from

In My Creative Opinion as our Hostess! 

So much fun with fashion as our muse!

Let's get right to the goodies created this month.

Starting off with my favorite, a tribute to all of us 'Warrior Princesses'!

All images and papers courtesy Tracey. These came together so easily!

Love this paper!

Ooh La La!

OK, who doesn't love a day at the spa?

And finally a big thank you to our hostess, Tracey

Loved every bit!

Be sure to visit all the blogs of the 12 Kits' ladies for more fashion beauty, and a

chance to win a kit for yourself.

And a special treat from Jeanne, our hostess for next month. 

Happy New Year all!

Faux Stained Glass

Merry Christmas! 

Can you believe we're at the end of 2017?

Just had to play along despite the busy time. PTI's MIM this week, is with Laurie and

creating Faux Stained Glass.

Laurie suggested a cover plate, and I chose Winter Woods.

My vellum is colored with copics, and I loved the effect it gave through the trees.

Silver White Winters snowflakes and the tops of the trees

were sprinkled with glitter, rather hard to see.

You can see a bit of the glitter in this closeup.

MAKE IT MONDAY #307: FAUX STAINED GLASS

Create Along With Us: December

Merry Christmas to you!

Playing along with Create Along With Us, at PTI,

and this Melissa Phillips' darling Valentine card.

Went with her style, layered, Central focal point, and embellies.

Wonderland kit, Mix & Mat: Plaid

Off to do some late shopping!

The Card Concept: Parisian Postal

Good Morning, and welcome to the Card Concept's new challenge,

'Parisian Postal'

'Brown paper packages, tied up with strings..."

Reminded me of an old Stampendous wooden stamp I had, called "Postcard Pair".

A charming duo stamped with Tim Holtz' Distress Ink, and colored with copics.

PTI: Mix & Mat Plaid

Poppystamps: Shiny Snowflakes, Pinpoint Mainstreet Tag

I'd call this card layered collaged, Mix Media. Remember, you can combine the styles.

Play along for 2 weeks! 

Happy Holidays, and Happy crafting!

HLS December Watercolor Challenge

Happy December 1st! 

And a big 'Happy Holidays' to everyone!

The countdown's on, and I'm here to offer inspiration for HLS

latest Watercolor Challenge.

Our optional twist this month is: Christmas!

HLS: Christmas Joy, has the sweetest freeform tree, which I used for a focal,

stamping it 3 times with Versamark and embossing with white.

Gave it a contemporary flair with pink and lime colors.

Did the same with the bg using the holly stamp from the same set.

Sentiment also from Christmas Joy.

PTI: Berry Wreath Tag Die.

Kuretake Watercolors

Play all month for a chance to win a $20. gc to the HLS store.

Happy Holidays, and Happy Stamping!

12 Kits of Occasions November '17

Hello! And welcome to the last day of November and 12 Kits of Occasions.

Our hostess this month is Jessica Davis from the Paper Parade.

and her kit was a magical mix of holiday fun!

Take a look

Is he not the cutest? Blue Yeti is holding star decorations (fussy cut) and he's in front of

a shaker of snow and stars. 

All the fun papers Jessica included in the kit... LOVE!!

For this card, I colored and decorated the baking elements Jessica sent, along with the darling bear. All are arranged around PTI's Sprig Wreath, which I stamped in blue.

More fabulous papers for my sweet snowglobe. There's diamond Stickles on the fairies wings and

snow on the rooftops (hard to see in the photo)

PTI's A2 Scallop die & MFT Wonky Stitch

I mean, how cute are these bears? I used some leftover red paper to create a rug for the tree,

and die cut a circle to stencil on light rays. 

Poppystamps Stitched Pinpoint tag.

Jessica stamped and sent the 'Deck the Halls' sentiment, which I bordered with her

felt snowflakes. 

And that's all for me. Plan to do more with what's leftover.

such sweet characters make the perfect cards for grandchildren.

Sleigh Bells Ring

Laurie Schmidlin from PapertreyInk has the spotlight this week with her MIM 

tutorial: creating layers on our cards.

Loved it from start to finish. Gave me the nod to create all the lovely layers I want!

Beginning with an Ocean Tides and Pinefeather color scheme, I cased Michelle Phillips'

card using Mix & Mat Plaid, where she edge embossed the corners, as though kissed by snow.

Stampendous Shabby Blue Embossing Enamel has flecks of white, gold and aqua.

The Dash Away All stamp and die set haven't left my table since they arrived. 

I love how the deer seems to take flight no matter where I use him!

Peaceful Pinecones and a big red bow with lots of foam,  just as Laurie instructed,

gives the card my Love of Layers.

See Laurie's video on Nichole's blog here:

Make it Monday #305: Love of Layers

Happy crafting!

Papertrey Ink November '17 Blog Hop

It's PTI's November Blog Hop, and I'm getting this in just under the wire.

Had family all week, it was wonderful. But itching to get crafty 

with Nichole's inspiration.

Our large family celebrates several birthdays in November, and I needed a card for a special aunt.

I had this idea for a cuckoo clock and combined several sets to create one.

Only the stag head and wood grain stamp is not PTI, everything else on the clock is.

For the life of me, I can't find or remember where the stag head came from. 

If anyone knows, please jot down the company so I can mention it.

Hands of Time

Give Thanks

Holiday Greens

In Stitches

Stitched Sentiments

Gatsby Glamour

Canyon Clay Pattern Pack

Off to see what you all did! 

Hugs and hope your Thankgiving was wonderful!

November 2017 Blog Hop