Magnolia Hello

 Hello on this extra day for February. And hello to a new sketch challenge from

 Freshly Made Sketches.

Today I've used Good Morning Magnolia to build my card. I've used the small bud from the stamp set because the whole blossom was a bit big for this layout.  I love the Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon because it's thin enough to tie around the stem of the flower. I could easily have left the banner uninked, but I thought the edge of Mossy Meadow helped the banner keep from blending into the background.  The Tufted 3D Embossing Folder and the Stitched So Sweetly Dies help create a soft card.

This challenge ends Monday, March 2 if you're interested in participating or just tuck the sketch away for future reference. 

We're expecting snow today in my little corner of the world; after a number of days of springlike weather.  Winter isn't really over for quite a while yet... Just gotta embrace it.

I look forward to the buds on the trees!

Hope you having a good day.

Thanks for stopping by,

Joan

Cardstock

Mossy Meadow, Petal Pink, Whisper White

Inks-Memento Tuxedo Black, Mossy Meadow, Petal Pink

Good Morning Magnolia - 149298 - $49.00

Magnolia Memory Dies - 149578 - $48.00

Magnolia Lane DSP - 149484 - $15.75

Tufted 3D Embossing Folder - 151785 - $12.25

Stitched So Sweetly Dies - 151690 - $44.00

 

Beautiful Butterfly Silhouettes

 I think all crafters end up with something in their stash that they purchase and then sort of forget about.  That is the case for me with these Butterfly Beauty Dies.  However, I'm having a "Birds and Bugs" class in March so I pulled these dies out of my cupboard - 'cause butterflies have to be included!

I did play with layering the butterflies (in the photo below), but decided to let the See a Silhouette DSP do some work in colouring the background and filling in the butterflies.

For the card below I did some stamping and layering, but I wanted to keep things relatively easy for this particular class.  I did case this card from Elaine Kerr at Swallowtail Papercrafts from Pinterest.

My class will be held March 27 so stay tuned for details.....and a preview of the other cards you'll be creating.

Ta ta for now.  Have a great day.

Joan

Butterfly Beauty Dies - 148536 - $53.00

See a Silhouette DSP - 149443 - $15.75

Stitched Nested Labels - 149638 - $48.00

Hello, Hello, Hello

Today I was given the choice of which Designer Series Paper I wanted to use....the Lily Impressions DSP or Golden Honey Specialty DSP.  I went with the yummy Golden Honey.  The choice was given by the TGIF Challenges

I decided to use the Collar fold to show off both sides of the paper.  I've given the instructions on this fold in THIS POST.   It took a while to decide which sheet of paper to use; I could make a whole set of these cards.  I actually wanted to have a white mat underneath the DSP, but had folded the paper before realizing it needed to be a bit smaller.  So - grab the Stamparatus and add a line of Hellos for embossing in gold...problem solved; and I like how it turned out.

This TGIF challenge closes Thursday, Feb. 27 if you're wanting to participate.

That's it for today.

Thanks for stopping by,

Joan

Honey Bee Bundle - 153792 - $55.75

Golden Honey Specialty DSP - FREE with $60 purchase of Stampin'Up! products

Stamparatus - 146276 - $67.00

Paris Amour

I love challenges that push you outside of your comfort zone. This layout of three different pieces of DSP and cardstock is not something I would go to on my own. But it was the sketch layout for this week at The Paper Players  and I'm content with what I've created. I tried to add the rectangle in the middle of my card, but I didn't like anything I tried....so this is my take on the sketch.

Pretty straightforward for today.  I've used the Parisian Blossoms Specialty DSP, the Parisian Flourish 3D Embossing folder for the centre section of the card, the Parisian Dies and I borrowed a some black sequins from the Peaceful Poppies Sequins.

Someday I hope I can return to Paris.  I loved the time that I spent there.

Do you have a favorite place you've been or dream of going to?

Hope you're enjoying your day,

Joan

Parisian Dies - 151463 - $37.00

Parisian Blossom Specialty DSP - 151192 - $20.00

Parisian Flourish 3D Embossing Folder - 151474 - $14.00

Country Road Birthday

Today's quick post is for a challenge with Just Add Ink.  I decided to create a masculine sort of card for the challenge because I needed to use buttons and the retired buttons were the only ones I had that sparked my interest.  So, I pulled out the Country Road set, dusted it off and got to work. 

The other parts of the challenge were to use stitching or felt.  I don't have any felt flowers so I went with the Stitched Shapes for the weather vane.  The stars are fussy cut and I used the Classic Label punch for the greeting.

Hope your week is off to a good start.

Thanks for stopping by

Joan

When you purchase the main products to create this card  you will qualify for a Level One Sale-a-bration item from the brochure.  Remember there is now more to choose from. Also don't forget Sale-a-bration lasts until March 31 only - a little over a month left.

Country Road - 151356 - $26.00

Stitched Shapes - 145372 - $41.00

Classic Label Punch - 141491 - $24.00

Magnificent Adventure

I've combined two different stamp sets today for this fairly clean card.  I'm doing the challenge from Global Design Project which was to find inspiration from one of their designer's cards.

I liked Charlet's layout with the Eiffel Tower, background script and flowers. So, I went with some tropical trees and flowers combining stamps from Parisian Beauty and Timeless Tropical and the In The Tropics Dies. I figured you can have just as magnificent an adventure in the tropics as you can in Paris....although I've only been to Paris.

I enjoy doing challenges where you have to find inspiration in a photograph or, like in this instance, CASE someone's card.  What inspires you in Charlet's card?

Hoping you have a wonderful day.

Thanks for dropping in.

Joan

Parisian Beauty - 151466 - $29.00

Timeless Tropical Bundle - 151495 - $48.00

Stitched So Sweetly Dies - 151690 - $44.00

Waiting for Spring

Happy Saturday! It's mid winter and I'm thinking of spring.....hoping for spring.  And when you don't get spring for another 3 months - you have to create it.

Today's card uses  "Soft Spring", which is a Host set from the Annual Catalogue.  I'd like to imagine these are delphiniums in my back garden (though the leaves are different) and that I have a lot more than one dragonfly flitting about.

The colour combination comes from the Color Throwdown this week.  I was a bit concerned about the grey, but I stamped the images in Slate Grey instead of black before stamping over with their colour.  It does make for a softer looking card.  I used Granny Apple Green which I thought was a bit perkier than it shows up here....the green is suppose to be more lime.  The flowers are stamped in Melon Mambo and Highland Heather.

There are just two days left of this challenge if you are interested in trying it out. Or tuck the colours away for future inspiration.

Hope your day is going well,
If you are also in the middle of winter just remember we're in the home stretch now.
Thanks for visiting,
Joan

Celebrate Every Moment

 Last Saturday morning I was at my friend Tamara's house stamping.  She had three projects for us to do - one being this little Gratitude Journal.

We used our Pressed Petals Journal and decorated the front using the Peaceful Moments Bundle; no stamping involved, just paper crafting.  It's the first time I've made the poppies accented with their outline.  More of these to come in the future.

Some pages of the journal are printed with writing prompts for keeping track of what you are grateful for - big or small.  The pages can also be removed easily for putting on a card front or in memory keeping pages.  It's a nice little journal to keep for yourself or to gift to someone.

What are you grateful for today?

I'm thankful for this job that I love.....where I am inspired and hopefully provide inspiration to others.

Have a great day,

Joan

Pressed Petals Journal - 149588 - $8.75

Poppy Moments Dies - 151594 - $50.00

 

Ladybug Birthday

Ladybugs must be one bug that almost everyone likes.....or will put up with if they're generally afraid of  bugs.  The ladybugs from the "Little Ladybug" set are so sweet and I love the huge flower that they come with.

This is a special set though, you can only get it for FREE by hosting a class and having sales of $375. Gather some of your friends and family together before March 31, 2020, meet the qualifications and get this set FREE in addition to all the other host benefits.  Want to find out more - click HERE; also contact me and we can set a date.

For this card I fussy cut the flower.  I don't own the dies that go along with this set - yet.  They are part of the Coordinating Products that were released earlier this month.  

Today's sketch is courtesy of Freshly Made Sketches.  This sketch challenge closes Monday, February 24, if you are interested in playing along.

That's it for today.

Soon enough we'll have ladybugs in the yard.

Enjoy your day.

Joan

Little Ladybug - 152384 - FREE with $375 in Class Sales

Ladybugs Dies - 153588 - $39.00

Birthday Vases

Since I played with a annual catalogue set yesterday, I decided to pull another seldom used stamp set off my shelf for today.  I'm working on Hand Stamped Sentiments' colour challenge this time round.

These are three colours I rarely use, so it was good to give them a workout.

The stamp set I've used is Vibrant Vases with the sentiment taken from the Varied Vases set.  I used the Parisian Flourish 3D embossing folder for the background although the detail is hard to see in the picture because it's black.  A bit of Lovely Lipstick grosgrain ribbon  finishes off the card.

The sun is shining here again outside of Edmonton....and that's always a good thing.

Thanks for dropping by,

Joan

Oh, and if you are wanting to participate in Sale-a-Bration by making a purchase and earning some FREE products - remember that the items are on a "while quantities last" basis. The Metallic Baker's Twine and Sequins Combo Pack has sold out.

Vibrant Vases - 148656 - $22.00

Varied Vases - 146644 - $33.00

Layering Ovals Dies - 141706 - $48.00

Parisian Flourish 3D Embossing Folder - 151474 - $14.00

Calm in the Woodlands

Surprise, surprise.....I'm not using a "new" stamp set today.  I had to go digging through my sets to find some sort of creature that hangs out in the woodlands.  In the woods behind our church we have a wetland and we have two herons that return each year to nest, so I went with Lily Pad Lake and the coordinating dies. The challenge that is asking for woodland creatures this week is The Paper Players.

The colours I've used are all subtle, which is unusual for me.  I decided that my water was going to be Pool Party and I went from there adding So Saffron and Mint Macaron.  For the extra grasses I've used Pear Pizzaz and Old Olive.  The sky has be brayered with Balmy Blue and I've used the High Seas 3D Embossing Folder for the background.

Relatively quick and easy for today.

Hope you're staying warm this sunny freezing day (where I am).

Thanks for stopping by,

Joan

Lilypad Lake - 151272 - $30.00

Lakeside - 146351 - $37.00

Layering Ovals - 141706 - $48.00

High Seas 3D Embossing Folder - 149577 - $14.00