Be Merry

This week for Just Us Girls #849 it's Word Week: Merry and sweet Carol Mayne is our hostess. For the challenge I made a snowy city scene using La La Land Crafts "In the City" Paper and Altenew "Jack Pine Tree" dies with snow on its branches. The sentiment is The Stamp Market "Candy Cane Christmas" stamp and die sets.

Make sure you stop by the team's blogs to enjoy the stories about their makes and maybe learn about products and techniques. I do every week. Our November guest Jane also has made a card specially for this challenge and you will want to read all about it as well!

 

I also used a 12" x 12" patterned paper by Carta Bella called Christmas in the City and cut off an A2 section for my background. I covered that in vellum to soften the colors, before assembling the fun pine tree die set. Then I heat embossed the sentiment with Gina K Fine Detail embossing powder in white and matted it with red card stock.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you in our gallery for a merry week!

Carol

So Grateful

It's "Inspired By" Week at Time Out Challenges #326. Just in time for Thanksgiving in the US, we are looking for projects that are inspired by GRATITUDE. Gratitude changes how we look at the world. It is the mental act of zooming in on a tiny, beautiful detail that others might walk right past, or zooming out to see the bigger picture during a tough time.

Our wonderful sponsor, Poppystamps, is generously offering a $20.00 store credit as a prize for our Challenge Winner, who will also get an invitation to join us as Guest Designer for a future challenge.

We are joined by Stef Perry of Perry Papercrafts, and winner of Time Out #321 as Guest Designer. She is a frequent player at Time Out. Stef is an incredibly talented crafter with a keen eye for design and color, and her coloring skills are stellar. 

What I used to make my card:

• Spellbinders Everyday Windows, Curtains and Flower Boxes dies
• Concord & 9th Window Shoppe Pop-Up dies
• Sizzix Christmas Minis dies
• Pink Fresh Studio Built on Dreams stamp set
• Red glimmer card stock
• Red glitter card stock
• Altenew Obsidian black ink pad

After a long time choosing colors, then lots of die cutting, I assembled the windows, curtains, wreaths and bows. I fussy cut my own snow and after stamping the sentiment, used my paper cutter to cut around it, rounding the corners by hand.

We hope you will play along and maybe you will end up with a card for a hostess on Thanksgiving!

Thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Merry Christmas

It's time again for the Gorgeous Gift Tags Instagram Hop. There are always endless ideas for fun tags. The optional theme this month is "Celebrate" and I am participating! This is a fun new stencil set from Simon Says Stamp and I couldn't wait to use it!

What I used:

• Simon Says Stamp Christmas Tree Halves stencil set, Holographic sequins
• The Stamp Market Candy Canes stamp and die sets
• Concord & 9th ink pad
• Ranger Distress Oxide ink pads
• Ribbon from a quaint little shop I visited on vacation a few years ago

I stenciled, die cut, stamped and assembled in no time to make this tag. The colors and patterns are non-traditional but fun I think!

We hope you'll hop along with us and you can start at my account if you wish: @sawithadtomakeit. 

See you there!

Carol

Let's Chat Over Coffee

Well, November is here with changing colors on the trees (in most places) and at Just Us Girls #848 . Our fun teammate Lisa has chosen Acorn dies for the specific theme. Your card must have acorn dies on it. Here's my card with acorns on the decorative sleeve, or "zarf" as it is defined. LOL.

Visit the team's blogs for all the details on their great designs and techniques. We would like to give a warm autumn welcome to our November guest designer, Jane Delén! Be sure to visit her blog and leave her some nice words for her cards along the way through the month as well.

What I used for my card:

• Poppystamps 2795 Nordic Acorn Squirrel die

• Altenew Coffee Love stamp set

• Hero Arts Hero Hues ink pad, Graphic Patterns Stencil Pairs

• Simon Says Stamp circle dies

• Sugar Pea Designs Cardfront Builder stitched die

• Stampin' Up! Scalloped Circle punch

• Ranger Distress Ink pad

First I did all of the die cutting and assembling. Then I stenciled a pattern randomly all over an A2 panel in a dark coral color. I stamped the sentiment on the lid of the cup, then put the completed cup on the panel and card base. ( I also die cut and stacked three lids for a dimensional look.)

We hope to see all sorts of creative acorn die cards in the gallery this week. See you there!

Carol

A Surprise Gift Card

If you are like me, you seek out ways to wrap gift cards and I have a few store-bought favorites that we keep in our immediate family to use each year. One is a circular red tin with a spinner on top that lands on fun/funny sayings pie-shaped spots. Another favorite has a pop up bubble like the game Trouble where you push on it and the dice inside change position. Today I have a surprise-reveal wrapped box gift card holder on the Poppystamps blog. Here is a look at it.

What I used to make it:

• Poppystamps 2427 Lattice Plate
• Poppystamps 2803 Satin Ribbon die set
• Poppystamps 2794 Trimmer trees die set

The bow is so pretty and you can use more or less loops and tails as you wish. I ink blended shadows on the ribbon where there might be darker areas due to light on a bow. I also used the negative pieces of the Lattice Plate instead of the frame to get a textured pattern. Finally, the pine sprigs were made to be little trees, but I think they can work as both!

Hop on over to the Poppystamps blog to see more pictures and a tutorial for the gift card holder. 

Thanks for visiting today,

Carol

Trick or Treat Street

I've wanted to make a Halloween card with these Concord & 9th stencils since I first got them. A sweet friend shared some die cuts from her stash with me recently and I knew I would use some of them with this background. A few snafus later, this is my card for our Just Us Girls #847 CASE a DT challenge this week.

Products I used:

• Hero Arts Heroween dies
• Concord & 9th Seaside stencils, stamps and dies, ink pads
• Stampin' Up! Spooky Bits stamp set
• Ranger Distress Oxide stamp pads

I like "cute" Halloween and besides the bat, I think this is a fun trick or treating street where kids can get their candy. Will you be handing out candy where you live? In our neighborhood the kids start coming while it's light out and people are still getting home from work. The good part of that is that they are done early. Most adults sit in the driveway and chat with the parents and kids while handing out the treats. This year we change the clocks that night before going to bed, too, and it's a Saturday. This could be a crazy year.

Happy Halloween,

Carol

Adventure is Worthwhile

Our Theme Challenge at Time Out #325 this time around is based on the idea of Friendship/Encouragement/Support. As I was growing up we took trips near and far away. I was encouraged to travel and I have never regretted experiencing new places, even when it meant traveling alone sometimes. We've encouraged that same love of travel with our child who now shares the eagerness to explore the world. Travel is also something that brightens one's mood when it's needed. Taking a drive to a favorite place, or doing a quick getaway can change your perspective and mood quickly.

Stamplorations generously gifted me this Boho Landscapes A2 Card Front (among others) that has such gorgeous fall colors and only needs a sentiment to complete a card. I added a black clay heart (Picket Fence) to show the love of adventures and exploration. The sentiment is from Tim Holtz Small Talk sentiment stickers.

 

Our wonderful sponsor, Birch Press Designs, is generously offering a $20.00 store credit as a prize for our Challenge Winner, who will also get an invitation to join us as Guest Designer for a future challenge.

The team and our guest Rita have made fabulous cards for your inspiration, so take a moment to browse through their blogs to read about their techniques and insight.

Can't wait to see your cards in our gallery!

Thanks for visiting, 

Carol

Home Sweet Home

This week at Just Us Girls #846 it is Stencil time with our lovely hostess Bobby. I pulled out an older set of stencils. These Pink Fresh Studio Built On Dreams stencil, stamp and die sets work really well together and it's fun picking out colors to use with them. I went with a fall colorway. 

Be sure to check out the design team's cards on their blogs where they share the products they used and lots of techniques too. Carrie Sheridan is our guest this month and don't forget to visit her as well.

The house outline stamp was heat embossed with copper embossing powder. I like the fall look it gives. I used some tiny Spellbinders Gold Color Essentials gems for added sparkle to a very matte looking card and various inks to stencil the floral patterns onto my shaped card base. I die cut two houses and joined them on the left with a "hinge" I made using a narrow rectangle scored in half. I used glue on each side of the rectangle's fold to attach the hinge between the two houses on the left side in order for the card to open and close. I chose "home" as the sentiment from this stamp set because during the fall holidays families often travel home and I can use this card that way.

We hope you will come play along with us this week!

Carol

Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun!

I wasn't done using these cute ghost dies this year and have had this card idea in my head for a while. It's fun to "dress them up" with different colors and die cut versions. For our Just Us Girls Challenge #845 Carol chose a sweet fall Moodboard. I went with pastels (for the most part) and a girly feel to pair with the sentiment. Be sure to check out the team's terrific cards on their blogs, and that of our October guest, Carrie Sheridan.

 What I used to make my card:

• Hero Arts Free Spirit die set
• Taylored Expressions Stayin' Alive stamp set
• Altenew Obsidian black ink pad

That's it for today. It's a beautiful day to be outside with clear blue skies!

Thanks for visiting!

Carol

You Are Tea-rrific

It is time for a Photo Inspiration Challenge at Time Out #324 and I happened to get this mini stamp and die set from Altenew recently. It's called Afternoon Delights and has the cup dies and a floral stamp with great sentiments as well. I took the fall colors and the coffee/espresso cups idea for my focal point. There is also good looking pastry, fruit and pumpkin and squash as well for your inspiration!

Photo Inspiration: Photo credit: Kateryna Hliznitsova - Ukraine

https://unsplash.com/photos/a-table-topped-with-plates-of-food-and-a-cup-of-coffee-rSspoWKoJCU

Stamplorations is our wonderful sponsor, generously offering a $25.00 store credit as a prize for our Challenge Winner, who will also be invited to join us as Guest Designer for a future challenge.

We are joined by Ashwini Rao of Experiments With Card Making Etc, and winner of Time Out #319 as Guest Designer.

We hope you will take part in this fall-inspired challenge. The team has a variety of great ideas for you and it would be worth the time to browse their blogs to read all the details!

See you in the gallery!

Carol

You Warm My Heart

It's fall and we can't deny it any longer. At Inspired By Challenge #IB410 Fall Mugs, there are some of the cutest mugs you'll see for the season. I zeroed in on the mugs with the fox, and next to it the one with the leaf, but I added a ghost for the third one on my card. I used shades of brown with a bit of orange and green thrown in like the changing leaves in Autumn. I got the idea to hide each mug behind the prior one. Here's what resulted.

What I used to make it:

• Poppystamps Nordic Waving Fox 2786 dies
• Pretty Pink Posh Winter Mugs die set
• MFT Perk Up stamp set
• Hero Arts Hero Hues Core Ink in Espresso
• Patterned paper

I really like this fun-fold because you can attach shapes and images to each page. Here is the link to the tutorial. Easy!! I may add a stamped sentiment on the ghost page that says, "Thanks a Latte."

Hope you are having some fall drinks these days. Anyone maybe doing some baking yet?

Thanks for visiting!

Carol

A Pink Tree for Christmas

If I remember correctly from pictures in my first photo album (my mother's) we had a tabletop tree that was pink. I love those pictures and today's card reminds me of them. I am taking part again in the CASE It Instagram Hop and I have done my own version of Karen Walker's beautiful tree in a cloche card. She gave me permission to CASE one of her cards, and this is what resulted after looking through her fabulous Insta account. (@karen514) You should take the time to check it out.

What I used to make my card:

• Waffle Flower A2 Nested Dome Dies
• Spellbinders Classic Christmas Tree dies, Glitter card stock
• Patterned paper from my stash

I just love Karen's CAS design with the beautiful tree in a cloche, and with stars from glitter card stock. The pine sprig is also so pretty with the snow detail and jingle bell. I don't have pretty pine sprigs like it so I did without. I also didn't add a sentiment as it crowded my busy tree. I also love her blue-aqua background of patterned paper so I had to hunt for something like it but in pink.

We hope you will hop along and see all of the beautiful cards that were CASEd and what our hop friends made that were inspired by something they saw.

Thanks for stopping by,

Carol

 

Ciao Bella Pasta Box

It's Word Week at Just Us Girls #844 and I am hosting. I chose the word Move, and that means that something on the card/project must physically move, shake, slide, open, etc. Some examples are: Interactive, fun fold, a rocker card, pop-up, easel card, bridge card, shaker, wobbler, spinner, a tab to pull something, a sliding mechanism, etc.

I went with a shaker as a box of Ciao Bella Brand pasta! (My very own pretend line of pasta.) I have seen a few of these box look-alikes online and have wanted to try to make one. I made a box and put this panel on the lid. The box will hold cards and envelopes.

Be sure to visit all of the team's blogs and our guest Carrie Sheridan's as well. There is always  something to learn from their posts each week!

What I used to make this card:

• Spellbinders Pasta Friends dies, Ciao Spaghetti dies, Stay Saucy stamp set, Notched Corner Frames Nested dies
• Altenew Obsidian black ink pad
• Acetate
• Gina K Fine Detail White embossing powder
• Versamark watermark ink pad
• Foam tape

In a nutshell: I did all the die cutting first, then the stamping and heat embossing. I also added chalk (SU!) for the girl's cheeks. Next, I adhered the face to the A2 panel so I would know where to place everything else. I die cut the window opening, then addd acetate to the back of it. I added the pasta she is eating and Ciao below her face. Then I made the shaker element and put the macaroni inside and attached the panel to the top of my box.

We really hope you will join us this week with the fun variety of cards/projects I expect people will make. Have fun creating and Pinterest is your friend if you need tutorials!

Thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Round Tags Hop

For the October Gorgeous Gift Tags Instagram Hop (Optional: Circle-shaped) I decided on a Christmas theme since I will need them sooner rather than later. I found the blank tags in my stash and went to work die cutting things that would fit them.

What I used to make them:

• Simon Says Stamp Be of Good Cheer dies
• Concord & 9th Tree Topper dies, Joyful Noel dies
• Glitter card stock, rhinestones, ribbon, patterned paper

After looking at Pinterest for round handmade tag ideas I settled on a wreath and accordian pleats. The Santa and snowman have lots of pieces but are easy to assemble. I popped the snowman up on foam tape to make him more prominent on the wreath and the accordian pleated one showcases Santa perfectly. I used glitter card stock for the beard, hats and scarf for a festive touch. Finally, I topped them off with curly ribbon for attaching to packages.

You can start the hop at my stop:@sawithadtomakeit over on Instagram and go from there. I really like all the ideas the ladies come up with each month and I am thinking this will be fall themed even though it wasn't specified.

Thanks for visiting!

Carol

Boo!

It't time for a Halloween card using my new Free Spirit ghost dies! At Just Us Girls it is Die Week: Use a Halloween-themed die. I can't wait to see the gallery this week! Here's my surprise-front card. Also, be sure to visit the team's blogs and that of our October Guest Designer Carrie Sheridan to read all about their Halloween-inspired cards.

What I used to make my card:

• Hero Arts Free Spirit die set
• My Favorite Things Watercolor Wash Free Form die
• Simon Says Stamp Circle dies
• Stampin' Up! Spooky Bingo Bits stamp set, Speech Bubble dies, Classic Ink pad, Designer Series papers (All of these SU supplies are retired.)
• Tear Tape

This inlaid flower ghost is fun to make. It comes with extra flowers as you can see. I was perusing Pinterest and saw some acetate-front cards for other occasions and thought why not make this ghost card with one. I have hidden a white die cut circle on the teal DSP for a second sentiment or a hand-written note. A note could also be written on the back of the card.

To make the card I cut a 4 1/4" x 6" white panel out of sturdy white card stock and scored one end at 1/2" to make a flap. 

The teal designer series paper is adhered to the front side of the white panel below the score line. 

Next, I sandwiched the acetate between the folded down flap and a strip of the DSP with tear tape.

I die cut the free form shape out of some long hoarded kitchen-themed paper for the ghost to fly in front of and to cover any adhesive on its back side.

After adhering the completed popped up ghost and flowers to the free form shape I die cut and stamped the speech bubble. It is popped up on foam tape too. 

The gingham shape is adhered to the acetate with tear tape as well. I cut a second free form shape to adhere on the back side of the gingham one to hide the adhesive on the front one.

I hope that was clear. It was fairly easy once I figured out how I should make the card base.

We are anxious to see your Halloween die cut creations this week! Happy cardmaking!

Carol

You're the Apple of my Pie

We're back at Time Out with our Pick Two Challenge #323 with the following words:

Gingham, Circle, Basket, Harvest, Baking Apple

I used all the words but basket. You only have to use two, but you may use more! 

I used all the words but basket. You only have to use two, but you may use more! 

Fall baking is just around the corner and apple pie sure sounds good to me! I've made this pie in a box before here. It's a fun project but I have to make the box from scratch, so it did take a good portion of my day. (I didn't buy the die at the time) We hope you will join us with a fall card over the next two weeks!

Lawn Fawn is our wonderful sponsor offering our winner of the challenge a $25.00 gift card to their store. The winner will also be invited to be a future Guest Designer at Time Out.

We are joined by Cathy Preissing of MARKERS, INK & PAPER, and winner of Time Out #317 as Guest Designer. Cathy is a very talented crafter with a great eye for design and who has mad coloring skills! 

Here's what I used to make my card:

• Spellbinders Sky View Pies, Dish It Up and Delicious Decorations die sets, Perfect Pie Sentiments stamp set
• Pink & Main Spring Ginghams Patterned papers
• Altenew Obsidian Black ink pad
• Silver mirror card stock
• Acetate
• Twine

The box took the longest to make because I had to do math, make a prototype, make the real one, and figure out how to complete a couple of steps that I did out of order and still make it turn our correctly.

Making the pie was so easy... just die cutting, adding ink blended "browned crust" and assembling it. I decided to put the gingham on an angle and then also added the box off-kilter. I love cutting the fork and knife out of mirror card stock to look like the real deal.

It took me a dozen or so tries to stamp the sentiment and not smudge it or get a partial stamping from it. It stamped fine on scratch paper!!

So, see you in the gallery??!!

Carol

Happy Halloween

The Global Design Project #GDP567 has a Halloween theme this week and I just made this card with new products from Simon. I went with trick or treating ghosts and a pumpkin house! I love the Jack o' lantern candy bucket.

What I used to make my card:

• Simon Says Stamp Costume Ghost Parade dies, Little Pumpkin House, Reverse Spooky Halloween EZ Strips
• Stampin' Up! stars wooden stamp, plaid designer series paper
• My Favorite Things Watercolor Wash Free Form die
• Altenew Obsidian black ink pad

I wanted to go non-traditional colors for the card and did as much as I could. A pirate and Count Dracula need to have their real colors though. I also wanted to make a nighttime trick or treating scene, so I went with a teal sky to go with the aqua plaid and the aqua pumpkin house.

Well, I am off to make another Halloween card and will post it soon. Thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Collab with a Photographer

A new friend and a talented photographer jack.dw asked me to do a collab where I remake one of his photos into a card. I knew right away that I wanted to try my hand at one of his desert landscapes from Valley of Fire in Overton, Nevada. Here is the abstract view of the curving road between the bold colored rock formations.

Here is a link to Jack's photo on Instagram.

What I used to make the card:

• Spellbinders Colorbock Landscape dies (desert scenery)
• Papertrey Ink Build a Sailboat dies (clouds)
• A Stamp in the Hand (wooden stamp of a "cool guy")
• Altenew Obsidian black ink pad
• Copic markers

I gathered the colors of card stock first, then did the die cutting. There is no white card stock, just greys, black and oranges. I pieced it all together and popped the scene up on foam tape. Then I stamped the skateboarding guy ( I drew his skateboard with a Sharpie) and fussy cut him. He is popped up too. I mounted the scene on a diagonal grey/black mat I made that purposely avoids the gray part of the mat blending into the grey of the scene. I did the same with the black portion of the mat. I think I successfully created a "guy card," which can often be difficult.

I hope you will give Jack's Instagram and Etsy shop a visit to see his incredible photography from all over the world. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Carol