CR84FN Color Challenge #51

It's time to play with the colour challenge over at CR84FN!  I have not played for a while which is really a shame because they do have some awesome color challenges, and I love that it's only 3 colors, that's about the max I can handle!  Here is what I made.

I pulled out a very, very old piece of patterned paper for the pink layer, so I have no idea who the manufacturer is and it was purchased in South Africa.  The peach layer is made using some PTI card stock on which I stamped the PTI Houndstooth in Versamark and heat embossed.

The light blue layer is once again some very old paper from way back when.  The sentiment is from WPlus9.  That rose bud is from a PTI Year in Flowers set which is inked up with some distress inks.  It took me a while, but eventually I decided that I liked it!  I would never dream of combining those colors together, but actually, they don't look too bad. 

I did get the idea for this layout from a card in the Papercrafts Magazine called 365 Cards ( an older issue). I liked this sketch so much that I actually used it for my card which I posted on Sunday.

Wishing you the most fabulous day!

Playing with CR84FN # 47

I just had to find some colours to play with and went along with this gorgeous colour palette from CR84FN.  It's too pretty to let up.  Once again I went really, really CAS.  I wonder if I am becoming too boring!

Paper: MME; PTI
Ink: CTMH; Versamark; Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps: CTMH; PTI Think Big Favourites 3
Other: Butterfly Punch (MArtha Stewart); Border Punch (EK Success); Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers); Gem; Stickles

Another fairly straight forward card.  I used some stickles on the outline portion of the "unusual" blue rose!  A big thank you to my friend Lisa for that gorgeous sentiment set from PTI, we wont say why she gave it to me:)!

So, what are your plans for the weekend?  It looks like it's going to be a wet one here, the school has just canceled the fun run we were going to have tomorrow.  I'm off to run with my group in the morning, rain or no rain.  After that I need to make a birthday card for a six year old whose party we are going to in the afternoon.  Sunday hubby and I are going Spinning and then weather depending, maybe a trip to the zoo!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Sending Monster Love

(This is my 2nd post of the day, so please scroll down if you want to see my Christmas card).

I finally broke out the lovely "Falling For You" set from Paper Smooches which Kelly had sent me in our RAK exchange.  There is a challenge over at CR84FN blog, to use yellow, orange and brown, and I though I would give it a bash using this set.  I know, the inspiration photo is Fall, and I feel quite silly posting my rather, well, silly card, but it's a colour challenge, so, I used the colours!

Paper: notecard (Hero Arts); Neenah; cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Walnut Stain DI; Memento Tuxedo Black & Tangelo; Copic marker
Stamps: Paper Smooches (Falling For You); Hero Arts (Envelope Pattern); PTI (Bakcground Basics: Houndstooth)
Other: Twine (The Twinery); dimensional tape; Large Scallop Edge Die (MFT)

I stamped that monster onto some Neenah white cardstock and overstamped him with that gorgeous Houndstooth background from PTI, and trimmed him out.  I then stamped him again and cut out the tooth and the two eyes, coloured them with Copics and adhered them back onto the main image.  My monster is popped up using dimensional tape to the background mat which was stamped using the Envelope Pattern stamp from Hero Arts in Walnut Stain.  I added a strip of chocolate brown cardstock which I had used a scalloped die on and a little bit of twine.  The entire centre panel is also popped up on the notecard.

It was a quick, fun card to make and it has me smiling! 

Create for Fun

So don't laugh, I am not big into acronyms or figuring out what they actually stand for, and whenever I want to quote the CR84FN blog I always say the letters!!!!  Ok, so you are all laughing, fine, go ahead!  Well, my friend Lisa helped me out and let me in on the secret, so now at least I can sound a little more intelligent and less cryptic!

I am submitting a second card for their wonderful colour challenge of Light Blue, Turquoise and Neutral.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah; My Mind's Eye
Ink: Memento; Copics
Stamps: PTI (Wonderful Words Addition; Up, Up & Away)
Other: EK Success Scalloped Border punch; Cuttlebug embossing folder; Dimensional Squares; PTI dies

I used my trusted friend's PTI Cloud die and die cut two clouds out of my neutral (white) cardstock and then ran it through the cutlebug for some texture.  I put some turquoise patterned paper behind it.  The little hot air balloon and scalloped border were coloured with copics.  I then die cut the "YOU" from the same patterned paper and the card was done.  The white panel is raised with some dimensional squares, (my new favourite thing to do)!

Just short and sweet today!  Thank you for visiting and have an awesome day!

CR84FN37

Have you seen the colours over at the CRFN blog for this week?  Wow, light blue, turquoise and a neutral!  I wanted to make a card for my Mom to tell her how much I miss her and I thought I would use these colours.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); patterned paper (My Mind's Eye - Hattie Papers 6 X 6 pad)
Ink: Memento; CTMH (Heavenly Blue)
Stamps: SU ( Elements of Style  ); PTI (Take Three Summer - sentiment)
Other: Wonky Rectangle Nestabilitie; Dimensional adhesive; Pearl Flourish (Prima); Seam Binding; Sewing

I thought it was going to be an easier process somehow and then I got stumped when I was trying to decide what colour my card base/notecard should be!  However, I settled for white and added a pretty turquoise paper from My Mind's Eye after stitching around it.  I stamped the flower stamp with a soft blue ink while the nestie was still in place and then inked the edges whilst I was at it.  That way I still get to keep a neat white border.

I actually made a bow!  (Rosemary, if you are looking, I hope you are proud of me!) It's nothing fancy, thank goodness for soft seam binding!  But it's a start!  And then I did something I never do, and I used some pearl flourishes (Rosemary, sorry, but I think you are the inspirational culprit here as well!!!).  I have to say, those pearls are really nice to use, this is my second card out of the one and only small pack I purchased, and I still have enough left to make another card.  And they really are easy to just cut up as you see fit.

I might have to play with those colours again and use a different neutral, something about the stark white against the turquoise just does not look completely right to me.  Maybe I will go for cream/ivory next time.

Thank you for coming to take a peek!  And thank you to all my new followers, wow, I am thrilled!  I hope I can keep you coming back!  Wishing you all an awesome start to a new week!

Yellow Roses

We are back from an extremely hot vacation in Pensacola!  Hot as in Farenheit! I thought Texas was bad, boy or boy, it was opressive over there!  I was expecting more of a constant sea breeze and during my first morning run the whole romance of running by the sea went out  of the window in bottles of perspiration!  However, the beach did grow on us by the end of the week and we found that we loved it from 5pm until dark!

Coming back after a break from crafting I thought I would rush into my craft room and within seconds I would be literally popping out one card after another!!!  Yea, right!  No such luck, in fact, it has been a very frustrating two days!

I eventually turned to the CR84FN blog for some inspiration and to my delight, I found this:

This is this weeks' colour challenge!  I love yellow and kraft together! Don't you!

I made a very simple card using Mustard Seed distress ink, embossing powder and vellum basically.

Paper: PTI cardstock; Neenah
Ink: Versamark; Mustard Seed DI
Stamps: Hero Arts (CG179; CL383); Unity
Other: White embossing powder; Pearls

I love that Rose Background stamp from Hero Arts.  And a butterfly from my favourite set (Antique Engravings) embossed in white on vellum, yum!  And then this awesome sentiment from an Itty Bitty Unity stamp and I was a happy girl once again.

Hero Arts is also having a challenge this month and one of the options is to feature "creatures".  I have no idea what their specific definition of "creatures" is but Shari showcased a beautiful  example with a bird the other day, so hopefully a butterfly qualifies.

Ok, enough for one night, let me go and see if I can put a few more cards, or at least ideas, together!  Thank you for visiting! (And listening!)

CR84FN Color Challenge #34

I have been wanting to play with this color challenge since the first time it was posted at CR84FN, lucky for me it runs for 2 weeks at the moment.  Eventually, it dawned on me that I could possibly make something using a Penny Black stamp that I needed to ink up.  Once again, it's fairly CAS.

Paper: cardstock (PTI); Neenah; patterned paper (Recollections)
Ink: Copic Markers; Memento (Tuxedo Black & Lilac Posies); Antique Linen DI
Stamps: Penny Black (Garden Poems 3869K); SU (Bitty Basics)
Other: Dimensional squares

Forgive me but I had to make the leaves green, so I hope that in this context this qualifies as a neutral colour!

The image is stamped twice and coloured in with Copics.  I then fussy cut the three flowers and adhered them onto the main panel, but only glueing the centres so that the petals float free for dimension.  To help the petals along I curled up the edges a bit.  I inked the edges of the main panel with a bit of Anique Linen.

The little heart and sentiment is from a Stampin Up set that a lovely lady in my suburb gave me.  I stamped the heart on the same light pink cardstock and then stamped the sentiment with a matching dark pink ink and adhered it on top of the heart.  The heart is adhered with dimensionals.

That's it for now!  Thank you for popping by and leaving me your sweet comments!  I love checking my blog at the end of the day and first thing in the morning, and your comments really make it that much more of an enjoyable experience!

Colour Challenge #31

It's time for the colour challenge over at CR84FN although their schedule has changed to biweekly until the 4th of September to allow for summer vacation.  Here is the inspiration photo:

And here is my take, just a nice soft card.

Paper: PTI Cardstock; Neenah Solar White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Hero Art Soft Leaf Shadow ink; CTMH Baby Pink Dye ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (CG187); PTI; Itty Bitty Unity
Other: Stampin Up Scalloped Punch; PTI Tiny Tags Die; Brad (Recollections)

I have to mention that the card base is actually a soft cream colour, I am not sure why it looks pinkish in the photo, well, I guess I do know, it must be my lack of photographing skills!

I love that Floral Brocade cling stamp from Hero Arts, one does not have to add much to it as it is good enough to stand on its own.  And that sentiment from one of the Unity Itty Bitty stamps sets really packs a meaningful punch! And thank you PTI for making those Tiny Tags, they really are one of the most useful inventions I have come across in a long time!

Thank you for looking!  Have a fabulous day!

CR84FN Colour Challenge #30

Love this inspirational photo with it's beautiful colour challenge:

Play along if you can, these colours are so soothing and calming, you can find the challenge here.  And this is what I made:

Paper: PTI
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa; Versamark; Antique Linen Distress Ink
Stamps: Hero Arts (CG102; CL404)
Other: Pearls (stash); MFT Rolled Flower Die; Clear embossing powder; PTI Edgers Die #1; Paper Piercer

I did a little bit of paper piercing around the yellow mat and then stamped it with the Antique Brocade stamp from Hero Arts using versamark and heat embossing it with clear embossing powder.

Love those little flowers made the My Favourite Things "Rolled Flower Die"!  Another really simple and plain card, I was just loving those colours!  Thanks for the inspiration Mona! (Oh, and Martha Stewart, which is where the graphic comes from!).

Wishing you a fabulous day!

I'm In Love....

.....with my new Hero Arts "Simple Frame" wooden stamp!  Thanks to Jacqueline, Susanne, Nancy and Lin (from the Hero Arts Flickr pool) who all make beautiful cards using this stamp - you all pushed me over the edge and  I just had to get it!  So I played with it a bit today trying to make something for the current CR84FN colour challenge, and in doing so I managed to paper piece (so in it goes at Simon Says Stamp) and I also used Hero Arts flowers and my coloured pencils (so in it goes to the May Hero Arts contest)!  But most of all, I am just happy I created this piece today, something about its gentleness spoke to my heart!

Now I am not sure if I am supposed to try and get all three graphics on my blog, but seeing as the one is a colour challenge I will post that graphic, hoping the other two companies understand!

The pink on this graphic looks really, really bright!  I just want you to know that the coloured pencil I used from Derwent said "Bright Pink" on it, but it's not as bright as on the graphic! This first photo shows you the paper piecing from the side.

So this is my card, and I really, really like it!  Is that ok to like one's own card!  You know, I just feel good about it, it's exactly as I wanted it!



Paper: Cardstock (PTI); Grey cardstock (old stash); Neenah Solar White
Ink: Versafine Smokey Grey; Worn Lipstick DI; Memento Tuxedo Black; Derwent Coloursoft Pencils
Stamps: Hero Arts (Frame S5324; Rose & Bird CG152; Sentiment CL342)
Other: Dimensional Dots

I stamped the frame with the Smokey Grey ink and then masked it to stamp part of the rose and to also ink around the edges with the Worn Lipstick DI.  I stamped the bird and roses on a seperate piece of cardstock, coloured them in and adhered them with pop dots. The cream by the way is on the birds belly. I did not want to add anything else, I thought of a few gems perhaps, but I just love it like it is.

Thank you for visiting!  I am loving all your beautiful comments!

Not Too Shabby

I decided to challenge myself and play with the current CR84FN colours, kraft, pale yellow and gold. It just looked really pretty.

Gold!  Ok, well, I have gold embossing powder, that's it.  The best I could come up with is by using Scattered Straw DI on pale yellow cardstock, and somehow that looks goldish to me.  I am not a gold person, therefore the challenge! And here is the outcome:

Paper: PTI; Neenah Solar White
Ink: Scattered Straw DI; Rich Cocoa (Memento); Versamark
Stamps: Hero Arts; PTI
Other: Brad (Recollections); Crinkle Ribbon; Pearls (stash); Spellbinders Scalloped Oval Nestibilitie; Gold EP

I was not aiming for a shabby kind of card, it simply turned out that way and I am quite happy with it.  I stamped the pale yellow cardstock with the Large Fabric Design cling stamp from Hero Arts, using the Scattered Straw DI.  That little heart you see is from an old Hero Arts set of 4 wooden heart stamps called "Patterned Hearts".  I made it by stamping with Versamark and embossing on Kraft with Gold EP.

To stamp on the oval die cut I simply left the paper die cut in the Spellbinders die and inked up an image from the PTI "Embellishment" stamp set with Scattered Straw DI and very carefully stamped a part of it repeatedly around the inside of the Spellbinders die.  I like how that turned out.  It had been an idea that was on my mind for the last two days and I am so glad that I followed through with it.

It's another beautiful day here in Houston.  I have just had a Mother's Day breakfast with my daughter at school, even though she forgot about me within the first 5 minutes, it's always nice to chat to the other Mom's and see how they are doing.

I hope you are all having a good day!  And hopefully you have a brilliant weekend ahead!