Look on the Bright Side

Hello friends! We have a really fun week for you! For our team member Ina's Just Us Girls Challenge #643 Wild Card Week: CASE a Designer, I chose to make this graphic style card after a quilt called Scrappy Suns by designer Corrine Sovey here and below I added a link to card designer Hannelie Bester whose sun card I just love as well!

Scrappy Suns quilt pattern by Corrine Sovey

Hannelie Bester's card

I have had this quilt photo saved for rainy day, no, pun intended, in case I get good enough at piecing and quilting to make it! Love the colors and patterns!! Hannelie's card is adorable with the octagons and bright colors against the mostly white card. I used a Tim Holtz Idea-ology Small Talk cardboard sticker for my sentiment. The rest was just cutting shapes with  a circle punch and my paper cutter!

We hope you will join us this week for this fun and different approach to cardmaking!

-Carol

Smile

The My Favorite Things Color Challenge #193 uses beachy hues and I had to make a beach lover card using them as well as my new MFT cover up die that I've wanted forever!

Die cutting is the main technique on this card, but I also ink blended the background to look like sand and surf. I literally got this MFT Snow Swirls Cover Up die today and made this card right away! I know it will be put to good use for winter cards too, but I always thought it could have other uses...I've looked at it a long time and finally bought it!

Products used:

MFT: Snow Swirls Cover Up Die

Spellbinders:  Small Die of the Month June 2022

Sugar Pea Designs: Card Front Element Builder dies

Distress inks

Blender brushes

Patterned paper

Silver card stock

Rhinestones

So many ideas swirling in my head (pun intended) for this Snow Swirls die! Check back soon.

-Carol

My Favorite Beach Bum

Do you ever have zero mojo when trying to create something? I have not made a card that I absolutely love lately, and today's card is the result of carefully tearing apart the original card I started a couple of hours ago in order to salvage the chair and leaves without damaging them. My story for this card is a) I went with the colors/leaves/furniture in the photo for my jumping off point and b) the chair is supposed to be a gift with a tag for someone's birthday. I'm hoping it doesn't look like an Adirondack chair on snow (but the sand here on the west coast of Florida is very white and sugary soft). I was just keeping the card to a few colors like the inspiration photo this week for the Just Us Girls Photo Week Challenge #642, chosen by Sue, which is such a really good one! 

Products I used:

Simon Says Stamp: Adirondack chair die, Drifting Stitches Border dies

My Favorite Things: Life's a Beach stamps, leaves dies

Studio Katia: small tag die

Stampin' Up!: ribbon

The Twinery: twine

Wooden-look card stock

Concord and 9th: ink pads

Just realized that my card has a tag on a tag...maybe that's an idea for a challenge in the future?! Check out the team's cards and the variety of ideas they came up with for this week's photo. Their ideas really did help me figure out what I was going to make! Join us and we'll see you in the gallery!

-Carol

You Make Life Sweet

Here is a lemonade card I made for our new Tic Tac Toe Challenge #171 board that Jeanne created. Lots of fun ways to make a summery card from this board! I chose the left column moving down: Picnic, Checks, Ink blending. Lemonade in a mason jar is a picnic drink, right?

Products I used:

Patterned paper: Joanne Fabrics

Recollections: Jar stamp

Stampin' Up!: Pool Party classic ink and embossing powder, Daffodil Delight classic ink, pink striped patterned paper

Paper Smooches: sentiment

Versafine: Archival pigment ink in Onyx black

Versamark: ink pad

Sequins

Vellum

Glue Dots

Ink blending brushes

After using Versamark ink to stamp the mason jar on vellum, I heat embossed it with Pool Party ink. Then I ink blended Daffodil Delight ink on the back of the jar, masked off with a Post-It note to the level where I wanted it to be filled. 

I cut the patterned paper and a strip of yellow card stock and adhered them to the card front. I fussy cut the jar and decided where on the card it should go. I ink blended a little Pool Party ink on the card base to ground the jar, then adhered the straw to the jar and the jar to the card with glue dots where they wouldn't show through to the front. A couple of sequins and it was complete! 

Please join us this week for some summer fun! This board really offers lots of options!

-Carol

Oh Happy Day

Our new post for Tic Tac Toe Challenge #TTTC171 created by Jeanne is live and I have another project for you this week! I chose the diagonal row: bottom left to top right: Ink blending, Yellow, Flowers. I waited many weeks for these flower dies to restock and this is my first time using them. Details below! 

Products I used:

Papertrey Ink: Into the Blooms II dies

Hero Arts: tag dies, stencil

Pink and Main: banner dies

Concord and 9th: sentiment, inks

The Twinery: twine

Stampin' Up!: ribbon

I did not cut apart the flower dies as I figured they would be used all together anyway. I pulled parts of each flower from the die cut sheet and ink blended each layer. After adhering each flower's layers, I added either a rhinestone or die cut to the center. I die cut a tag out of white card stock, and again out of checkered patterned paper. I ink blended/stenciled the tag with yellow ink, then adhered the patterned paper just to the bottom. Next, I played with the arrangement of the flowers and leaves, then attached them to the card with glue or foam tape. I stamped the sentiment, then I die cut a banner around it. I cut a little circle reinforcement for the top of the tag out of the checkered paper, then chose my ribbon and twine to tie at the top.

This took me very little time and it was fun piecing it all together! We hope you will join us this week in the gallery with your projects!

-Carol

Day at the Beach

You have not seen anyone open a package as fast as I did when I got the mail today...my Spellbinders Small Die of the Month Day at the Beach die set arrived! What fun and endless possibilities with this set! I made it with the pretty and beachy Sunday Stamps SSC287 Challenge in mind.

Products I used:

Spellbinders: Small Die of the Month: Day at the Beach

Happy Stamper: Sand stamp

Concord and 9th: Wheat ink pad

Versamark: watermark ink pad

Stampin' Up!: chalks

Card stock

Patterned papers

SugarPea Designs: Card Front Elements Builder dies

This was obviously my first attempt with these dies and I limited myself to the colors in the challenge. I hope you'll come back soon for more uses of this die set!

-Carol

Congrats

My daughter asked me if I could make a Congrats card for her boss who was just promoted...and I know that this woman has a boat and lives not far from the Gulf of Mexico. Our Just Us Girls Challenge #641 Color Week is Coral, Light Grey, and Gold, chosen by Cécile. I thought of seashells and got out this set. I also think her boss is a CAS style person and that is why my card has clean lines and not a lot of fuss. 

Products I used:

Stampin' Up!: By the Seashore stamp set

My Favorite Things: Stylish Congrats

Gold card stock

White and coral card stock

The only tricky thing about my card is that I first arranged the letters on the stamped panel and got them exactly as I wanted them for spacing and to be straight. I grabbed some washi tape and pounced it a couple of times on my clothes to get a little bit of the stickiness off, then I carefully pressed it down onto my letters. I ran my fingers over the letters several times then carefully lifted the tape and letters off the panel. I turned the tape over and applied tiny dots of glue on the back side of the letters. Then I picked up the tape, turned it over, and lined it up on the card where I wanted it. After rubbing it against the card a few times, I carefully peeled back the tape to remove it, leaving the letters there adhered onto the panel. I'm pretty sure that I held my breath during this process, especially not wanting the tape to tear up pieces from my card stock. 

I matted the stamped panel and the card was complete! We hope you will come play along with us this week!

-Carol

You Are My Anchor

I am participating in a summer card swap and this was one of the cards I made. When making it, I was in a CAS mood as well as wanting to go to the beach. Red, white and blue are also summer-long colors to me, not just for Memorial Day and the 4th of July. Are they for you? I am also joining the Four Seasons Challenge Anything Goes Summer here.

Products I used:

Reverse Confetti: tag die

Memory Box: sailboat die

My Favorite Things: You Keep Me Afloat (sentiment)

The Twinery: twine

Ranger Distress Oxide ink (blue)

Concord and 9th: Poppy ink

Hoping your summer is progressing well and you are staying cool!

-Carol

Merry Little Stockings

 For July 2022 at Christmas Craft Creations our theme is patterned paper! I happened to have small prints that would work with my idea of stockings with glittery cuffs, toes and heels. Here is what I came up with for this month's challenge. I am entering it at Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge here.

Products I used:

Stampin' Up!: stocking punch

Simon Says Stamp: Wonky Stitched dies

Sugar Pea Designs: Card Front Element Builder dies

Plaid papers: My Favorite Things

Snowflake and snowman patterned papers, glitter card stock: Joann Fabrics brand

Pink and Main: sequins

Distress Oxide Ink: Tumbled Glass

Ink Blending brush

Merry Die: borrowed from a friend

Glue dots

Foam tape

I started by cutting a white panel with the wonky stitching die. Then I ink blended blue across the center of it. I cut out my stockings from patterned papers, then one more time out of white card stock to add sturdiness. Next I glued all the pieces together...this part is fun! I took another piece of the green/blue plaid patterned paper and die cut it with the A2 sized stitched die. I die cut the word Merry out of white card stock, then ink blended distress inks in Tumbled Glass and Broken China. I assembled all the panels and stockings (popped up on foam tape) onto an A2 top fold card front, then decided to add sequins. There is Wink of Stella on the sentiment for even more sparkle.

We hope you will join us with your patterned papers and a Christmas theme! Don't forget to use patterned paper, our theme's graphic, and a link back to us to be eligible to win a prize!

See you soon,

-Carol

Dropping You a Line

Someone posted this older pop-up card style recently and since I haven't made one in years, I decided to try it again. I also remembered that Color Hues Color Challenge #44 is using red and blue, and another twist: stars and stripes! I chose this stamp set to be able to incorporate a few subtle stars and stripes into my card (sunset, boats, float, fish, clothing) as a nod to Michele Ferguson's Playing Cards theme here with the Color Hues challenge. I'm also entering at the Four Seasons Challenge Anything Goes Summer here.

The link to the tutorial for this type of card is here. I forgot to put the mat I made behind my sky panel and only discovered it when cleaning up after completing the card! Also, even though I DO have the dies that go with this stamp set, I forgot and fussy cut all the bunnies, fish and boats!!! This card folds flat and fits into an A2 envelope, too!

Products I used:

M Favorite Things: You Keep Me Afloat stamp and die sets

Judith: Stars stamp

Waffle Flower: A2 Nested Domes dies

Stampin' Up!: Sea Street stamp set (school of fish), chalks (bunny cheeks)

Tim Holtz: Sunset stencil

Pink and Main: Sentiment banner dies

Copic markers

Prismacolor pencil

Distress inks

Ink blending brushes

Hope you are having a fun summer, heat and all!!

-Carol

Count the Waves

Hello my friends! This week I am the hostess at Just Us Girls Challenge #640 Trend Week: Rocker Cards. In case you are not sure what a rocker card is, it is a circle folded in half and stood on its round edge where it can rock back and forth. Just decorate the front however you like. Super easy! Pinterest has lots and lots of ideas and tutorials. Some rockers even have a step built into the base for a variation on the original folded circle. I wanted to make one this week with something on it that in real life sways back and forth, and I thought of a sailboat. Here is what I came up with!

First I cut a large circle base out of thick white card stock. Then, I scored it/folded it in half. I chose three colors of blue and aqua to die cut the same size circle out of each of them. Then I used wave dies to cut three different heights of waves. I die cut my boat and then my sun (using a smaller circle than the card base). I started by gluing the sun on the front of my rocker base, then added each layer of waves from the top one to the last one on the bottom. I only put glue along the outside edge of each wave so that I could put the boat and mast between the waves. I added the stars, flag and sequin details, then stamped my sentiment. Finally, I stamped the birds flying in the distance. My card measures approximately 5.5" x 5.25" and I will probably make an envelope with my envelope punch board. I also made an easel/stopper for the inside so my card can't do the splits and fall flat when standing. (See my previous post for a picture and description.)

You can make one of these in minutes depending on how simple you decide to make the card front. I know I would be playing with this card all day if I received one and put it on my desk! I hope you will join us this week after you make one and see how much fun it is! Be sure to check out each design team member's blog to see how they made theirs.

Products I used:

My Favorite Things: Wave dies, Life's a Beach stamp set, Sailboat dies 

Simon Says Stamp: Nested circle dies

The Greetery: Destination Summer bird stamp

Buttons Galore: sequins

Stampin' Up!: Classic ink pad

Silver card stock

Heavy white card stock (base)

Blue, red, white, grey, pale yellow, light and dark aqua card stock  

See you back here soon!

-Carol

Seas the Day Rocker Card

Hello and happy summer! At Tic Tac Toe Challenge #169 this week I created the board for you. Can you tell that I was in a summer state of mind when I made it? I made today's card using the middle column from top to bottom: Outdoors, Blue, Water (But it also qualifies for top left to bottom right: Something Round, Blue, Sun) I am also into rocker cards lately too! I have another one posting on Saturday, so check back here to see it!

Really all you need to do for a rocker card is cut a circle from card stock, fold it in half, and you have the base of the card completed! Stand the card on the round edge and it will rock back and forth! You can add a slightly smaller circle to the front and decorate that, or add any shapes, die cuts, etc. to embellish your rocker base. 

For today's card I started with the beach scene die and worked outward from there. I die cut the scene once with white card stock, then took out all the pieces and ink blended them in the colors I wanted. I ended up die cutting the scene a second time to be able to pop up the chair and umbrella so they would stand out. To put it all back together, I got out my nested circle dies and cut a solid circle (the same size as my scene) for a base, then started putting the "puzzle" back together using all the pieces that the scene die cuts, starting with the stitched circle frame that is the outside part of this die. When the scene was complete, I grabbed a slightly larger nested circle die to cut the wave patterned paper, then another slightly bigger circle die to cut the kraft card stock base. I made a little easel "stopper" underneath my card so it won't do the splits and flatten out on my desk. (It is just a 5/8" x 3" strip of cardstock, scored in half and about 1/2" in from each edge. Put adhesive on each end section only. See the second picture for how to attach to the card) My card measures approximately 4 1/2" x 4 1/2 " which is small.  It can sit nicely on someone's desk. (I would play with it often if I had it on my desk!) 

Some handy hints: When making these cards, be sure to have an envelope handy to be sure that you don't add dies or embellishments that extend too far off the base or the card won't fit in your envelope. Also, when adding embellishments, be sure to balance them on both sides of the front of the card so that when it stands, your card won't lean too far to one side from the uneven weight. Leave me a comment if that isn't clear!

Products I used:

Pretty Pink Posh: Vacation Scene die

Simon Says Stamp: nesting circle dies

Hero Arts: Seize the Day Seagulls stamp set (sentiment)

Stampin' Up!: wave patterned paper, craft card stock

Distress inks

Blender brushes

I hope you try a rocker card, but even more I look forward to seeing yours in our gallery this week!

See you soon,

-Carol

I Love You This Much

This week at Just Us Girls Challenge #639 Nancy chose Word Week: Mammals. I have had this new Jane's Doodles Stamp set and needed to ink it up, so what better time, right? These sheep are such characters! The left one with front "arms" open wide is being sarcastic because it takes a real friend to stand and hold the yarn for someone else!

I saw a card by Bobbi Hart Design (here) and CASEd it because it was sooo cute!!!

I stamped the sheep, Copic colored and fussy cut them so I could place them where I wanted on the card front. I found a piece of patterned paper with knitting on it and added that as my ground. I placed my sheep next to each other and wrapped some baker's twine around the left one's arms. Did you ever have to help someone untangle/make a ball from their skein of yarn? I did many times! I added a little bit of background color with a blender brush which matches the "yarn" better in person than in this photo. I cut my clouds twice so I could raise the outline a bit for texture. (They looked flat without that touch.) I stamped the sun, then adhered my clouds. Next I stamped one of the sentiments from the same set and cut it with a banner die. All done!

We hope you join us this week with a mammal of your choice! LOL!

Products I used:

Janes Doodles: Seamus stamp set

Paper Smooches: Clouds dies

Copic markers

Baker's twine

Pink and Main: Banner die

Stampin' Up!: patterned paper

-Carol