Mice Happy!

Or, maybe it's Happy Mice! Anyway, I love all the cute Penny Black critter stamps, so decided this would be a cute child's birthday card. I used the sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch #  33 for this card. This also fits the bill for the "Less is More" challenge #125, clean and simple 'Happy Birthday'.


















Even tho this is a simple card, it seems as though it took me forever. To begin with, it took me several tries to get the mice spaced just right. (It really does help to use a 'Stamp-a-ma-jig' ;) ;). The mice are from Penny Black 'Make a Wish' clear stamp set, stamped with SU Basic Black and colored (but not blended) with Prisma Colored pencils. I added a bit of Sakura Jelly roll to the daisy and the stems and lines on the dandelions, but it really doesn't show up well here.
The sentiment is from Sweet N Sassy stamps Happy B-day set, stamped with Versa Magic Ocean Depths. The DP is from DCWV Nana's Kitchen mat stack.Solid cardstock is SU and from my scrap basket. Gotta use up those scraps! Cute and simple, or simply cute?

Just a Note........

Happy Summer everyone! We have gone from freezin' cold at last week's Little League game to die-ing of heat and especially humidity this week. Such is life in Upper Michigan. Ya never know, we may need those winter coats again tomorrow.

 

   

This card I made for the Pals Paper Arts Sketch Challenge#161. I know the sketch is square, however I have made my card an A2 size as it will go in the box for Operation Write Home, and that is the size they prefer.
 I have challenged myself to use up as many of those items I had stamped, colored, embossed, etc., as I can. I had stamped and embossed this collage image from Stampin' Up Garden Collage a looooong time ago, and it kept poppin' up, saying "use me, use me". So I finally listened to it and this is the results. I colored the image in a bit with Prisma colored pencils and a gold Sakura Gelly Roll pen. The sentiment is from Flourishes Mix n' Mugs set, and border is from SU Six Sided Sampler, stamped with Versa Magic Ocean Depth ink and clear embossing powder and heat embossed.
DP's Poppy cardstock are from DCWV Citrus Matstack and  the Turqoise was from my scrap basket, but I think it is Stampin' up paper.
I'll be back later today with another post. I just have to find a challenge that it fits!

CAS poppies

Today I have a CAS card for the Clean and Simple Challenge #244, a sketch challenge. I originally intended it for a couple of other challenges, too. But I missed those deadlines-of course.

 Simple, right? Piece of cake, right? Oh, no, not for me. It took me 4 tries to get this right! Yes, FOUR!  And they all went well until I stamped the sentiment. Even using the Stamp-a-ma-jig I couldn't seem to get it straight. So, finally, FINALLY, break out the ruler & I drew a line with a pencil, and I was able to get it straight.

I stamped the flower image from SU "Simply Sketched' four times on white cardstock with SU Pool Party ink and colored with Copic markers (BG10, BG11, BG13, and W0). I stamped the sentiment with Momento Tuxedo Black. I sponged around the edges with Pool Party and mounted it on a mat of SU cardstock (Bermuda Bay I think). Added a bit of Star Dust Stickles for a bit of shine. And it only took me 3 nights to get this done!:b But I like how it turned out.

Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge

Wow! May was quite the month! All the nasty weather down south really made me appreciate even more the area of the country I live in. While we get wild snow storms, and really weird 'spring' weather (like snowflakes in the air on May 23-actually over the past couple days it has been cold enough to snow). The apple trees and wild blueberries are all in bloom, and wouldn't you know it, we had frost 2 nights in a row. Won't really know for awhile if it affected the fruit. I sure hope not, especially the blueberries. Didn't get any last year, and very few the year before.
And not only the strange weather-'Old Bessie' (my van) croaked a little over a week ago, so had to run around to find a new vehicle. Forty miles in one direction Friday, 50 miles in the other direction Saturday, then back in the other direction on Tuesday after Memorial day. Finally settled on leasing a new Grand Caravan. Here's what I ended up with-love the color, rides nice, lots of nice features like the stow-n-go seats and windows in sliding doors that open, and lots of room for hauling grandkids and craft supplies :)

I made this card for the Flutterby Wednesday #243 and The Sweet Sunday Sketch #185 Challenge.  In the process of straightening up my craft area I came across some more K&Co. stuff, so now I am trying to use up the "Poppy Seed" papers and stickers. I really love these colors-So bright and cheery. This card will go into my box for OWH. Getting close to having one filled to send off. 

Supplies Used:

Stamp set: SU Ciao, Baby

Papers: DP-K&Co. Poppy Seed, CS Bazzill-purple, SU Tempting Turquoise

Ink: Versa Magic Pretty Petunia (around edges of purple DP and for sentiment), Memento Bamboo Shoots (around mat)

Accessories: K&Co. Poppy Seed Sticker, Spellbinders Classic Scalloped edges and insert, Wonky Rectangles, Sakura Jelly Roll pen-purple, SU Petite Curly Label punch, scrap ribbon.

 

Favorite embellishments-gold and silver stickers

The challenge over at Fab 'n'Funky #171 this week is to use your favorite embellishment. STickers, especially the gold and silver lines and corners, are at the top of my favorites list.Going way back to when our craft group started this crazy obsession, um, addiction, oh, no, I mean craft, one of the first embellishments we started working with were these border & corner stickers we were ordering from a site in New Zealand. (Have since been able to find some closer, but still not the huge variety Australian Crafts Supplies carries) They just add such a touch of elegance to the finished product.

I've used Bazzill deep purple and lavender cardstock. The purple background is a piece from my scrap box. The green check is from K&Co. Poppyseed mat stack. The Ovals are cut using SB Scalloped Ovals. The flower sticker is also K&Co. The silver borders just finish this off so nicely. I added a tiny silver butterfly sticker, including the 'innies', which I colored with a Copics. The HB is also one of the silver stickers I colored with a Copic. The little bow started off white, but I colored it with the same Copic as the sentiment and butterfly.
Please leave a comment and let me know what's your favorite embellishment.

True Love Story

Hope all are having a great weekend. It is finally a warm Sunday here. Cloudy and humid, tho. Have to go to my grandaughters' dance recital this afternoon, so this will be a short post.

I have used the sketch from Monday Lunchtime sketch # 263, and over at Operation Write Home Mid Week Throwdown So Sentimental, the challenge is to use a sentiment as your focal point. So here's my take-

The Design papers are from K& Co. Poppy Seed collection. The verse is from Verve's "Love Story" Stamp set, stamped in Memento BAmboo Leaves. The frame image is from Our Daily Bread "Ironworks Borders" stamped in SU Wisteria Wonder on SU Shimmer White cardstock. I added some Basic Grey square bling to the corners. The button and floss are from my old (really old) stash. I made this for my dear friends Kathy and Donny's 40th wedding anniversary, a real milestone in this age.
Leave a comment if you will. Have a beautiful weekend.

Exotic Butterfly

Hello peeps! Life has been crazy again. Maple syrup making is over, had a really good run this year. Then we were away from home for a week to visit my sister and family. Was soooo beautiful in 'The Shores', sunny and warm, everything in bloom, windows open all day long with a nice breeze blowing through. Then we came back to Upper Michigan-and snow again! It was mostly gone, just a few patches here and there, then we got 2 inches one day-gone by the end of the day....Another 3 inches a couple days later, Then a really cold blast this weekend and more snow, including Mother's Day-which took 2 days to all disappear.. Warming up today, though. Hopefully will stay warmer now.

This card is for the "Sweet Sunday Sketch' challenge #184.

I love gingham! Designer Papers & light green are from K&Co., Poppy Seed and Amy Butler Sola. Dark Green cardstock and White Shimmery  is Stampin' Up. Butterfly sticker is also K&Co. White CS is cut out with Spellbinders Labels 22, mounted on green cut with SB Decorative Labels 22. Gold bling is from Basic Grey.