Seize the Birthday - No Toppings

It's time for another challenge at Seize the Birthday. 

So If you are not a toppings kind of person, this is just for you! 

This challenge has No Toppings!  

Just remember to make it an Anything goes Birthday.  

The choice is yours.  

I recently watched a video from Jenny Mcguire and I will link it here.  I had to give it a go.  Jennifer called it Stamp Fold Design card and used fishes and a large stamp flower. 

 I pulled out my newer stamp and die set from MFT, called Four Legged Friends. 

I think that you could use any stamp set that you may have.  Take a new look at what you have.  

Here is my Birthday card altered a bit from the ones that Jennifer did.  

 Look at these cute dogs all lined up on the front fold of the card.  

 The first inside fold was embossed with a dog paw embossing folder by Darice

 

This is like a tri-fold card and the inside has the birthday sentiment from the same set. Notice the matching envelope. 

Don't forget our new Surprise Party guest for you too.

 Her name is Sonjak and you can find her blog Here

Looking forward to seeing if you give this technique a try. It was fun.  I'll be seeing you! 

 

Double D Challenge - Butterflies

This is going to be a long post, so get a cup of coffee and sit down.  The challenge this week from Team Darlene is..... Butterflies.  Simple enough and is there a crafter that doesn't have a butterfly or two in their stash?  Maybe my problem was that I have too many, but I started out making my card for this challenge.  I could not get what was in my mind onto paper. That is why I made four cards until I got one that I liked enough to share and inspire you.

I was loving that embossing folder that I got from Stampin Up.  It is called Fluttering, and I used it on three of the cards.  Then I did a complete switch and when with Papertrey Ink stamps and dies.  I thought I had one! I was so excited.  I think that I told you last challenge that I was cleaning and reorganizing my room. Well, I found a panel of beautiful card stock with the EF that I loved and this card just sprang forth.  I loved it and I am going to use it for your inspiration on the challenge.  But I will let you see the other ones too.

Here is the inspiration board.  Beautiful butterflies in all colors.  

                                 

Here is my card and matching envelope for this butterfly challenge.

 This view shows the shine, but you still can't see the shimmer on the sentiment and butterfly.

For this card, I used the new color cardstock and ink from Gina K Designs called Tangerine Twist.
The EF is Stampin Up Fluttering.  I rubbed some copper ink over the top and cut it from black cardstock. The butterfly is Memory Box Vivienne cut from vellum. I added some embellishments from my stash too.  Frantic Stamper rectangle die was used to cut the whole panel so that it looks framed.  I used black fun foam to raise up the center and give it dimension.

                                                           There is a prize, of course.

 Please check out what the other team members from Team Diane have to show you. Here

If you are still here, I promised that I would show you the other cards that didn't make the cut.  They will be used to send out, but not good enough for you. 

The inside

I really liked this one too, but I can only post one card. 

 Thanks for staying with me and I hope that you had a chuckle and enjoyed your coffee while I talked your ears off. Love your comments and they do brighten my day.

Another Round Card

I needed a card for my granddaughter as she graduated to the 7th grade.  How did that happen? Well, I decided to make it a round card and then I can add it to the challenge at Power and Spark.  This month they are asking us to make it Round and Round.

 I had these round cards and the envelopes for them in my stash, so I thought I would used them up. Just added some embellishments and a sentiment on the front. I used a gingham layer and then a woodgrain layer.  The stars were an experiment with embossing powder. You put layersof embossing powder on Chipboard.  These were the best of the bunch. Then I added sentiments from two different stamps.  Small but Mighty Affirmations and Prairie Cheer.

Eliza did like the card but was probably more interested in the gift inside.  Lol
Thanks for taking the time to come and look.  I love your comments and the way they make my day.

MSC Challenge - 2 Come to the dark side

What do you do on a dark rainy day in June?  When your work is done and you can't read a book all day?  Right, you go into your craft room and make something.
I am still stuck on the dark side and so I make another card, this time on black cardstock.
                                                                 I'll get right to it.

I saw a picture of a White flower on Instagram and I got an idea.  I remembered an old stamp that I got from a friend a long time ago and have hardly used it.  I pulled out the water lily from GKD Stately Flowers 3 by Melanie Munchinger.  I only have the large water lily from this set.  Remember I said that I got it from a friend we traded extra stamps that we had.  I bet Sharyn remembers. Anyway, I digress.
                                                     
I wanted to make a white flower on this black cardstock and tried several mediums to achieve that without success.  I tried white ink, then white pencil, but not of them left a white flower like I wanted.
Finally, I used white embossing powder and heat set it, masking off the center flower.  Then I got out my acrylic white paint and painted the flower.  After it was dry, I used colored pencils to shade it and give it a bit of color.  I left the other two flowers outlined as I didn't want to distract from the center flower. Or, I was too lazy to color them, so that is my story and I am sticking to it.

This is how it looked before I used my colored pencils.  I layer this up on a piece of white and them some fun foam and then on a base of black.
I will be added this to the challenge at the Mod Squad.
Thanks for your comments, I do appreciate them.  I am also having fun with the 30daymarker challenge.  You can do it too.
                                                                                                                    

Mod Squad Challenge - Come to the Dark Side

My good friend Judy Woodland is the host for this Mod Squad Challenge.  It was one that I could not pass up.  She wants us to color an image on dark card stock! 
Her example was gorgeous and I wanted to join in the fun. 
Here is my entry. 

 Here is what I used to make this card. 
Sending Love stamp kit
Charcoal brown cardstock and ink from Gina K
White embossing powder and my Prismacolor pencils. 

After embossing with white I colored the flowers, but didn't get the contrast that I wanted.  So I went over the images with my white gel pen.  Still not enough, I grabbed my yellow Zig brush and did the flowers and then I was happy. I added dark brown gingham ribbon on the bottom and pulled out a stamp set that I have never used, ( imagine that) to make a border on the inside. It is Petite Borders.
I will be entering this one in the challenge at The Mod Squad 

Seize the Birthday - Beachy Birthday

Yes, it is that time again for another great challenge at Seize the Birthday. 

 

Our "Toppings" option this time is...

Beachy Birthday

                               If you're not a toppings kinda person, well.....you can just
                                       stick with our usual "Anything Goes"Birthday!

The choice is yours!

 

Here is my example for your inspiration.

 My thoughts went right to the beautiful beaches of Naples Florida.  We are able to spend our winters there.  The sunsets are an experience for sure.  So I made my card a scene of that famous Naples pier and the beach.  I used two of the Stamp sets from Gina K designs, By the Sea 2 and Framescape Tropical Skies.  A little water coloring for the ocean.  Notice my huge sun. How can you not, I think I overdid that.   

Naples Pier

Have fun and let the celebration begin!!!

We have a new Surprise Party Guest for May and June. 
Her name is Sonjak and here is where you can find her gorgeous creations.

 

 

Challenge Rules (to keep things fair):

1. You must make a BIRTHDAY PROJECT, however, our topping is always optional.

2. You may link up to 3 projects for each challenge.

3. Please add a direct link to your blog or to an online gallery.

4. Please include one of our graphics and a link back to our blog.

5. You may combine this challenge with up to 4 other challenges. 

6. As always, please have fun! All products are welcome!

Thanks for stopping by and for your comments, they really make my day better.  

Double D challenge - Color Challenge - Teal & Red

We have a color challenge at Double D this week.  I have to say that this was quite the challenge for me.  I wonder what you will do with it?  I love teal and never thought to put red with it.  I finally decided to tone down one of the colors and that is when inspiration came to me.  Oh, and added neutrals are ok too.

      

                                             

Here is the inspiration board for you.  

And here is my card.

I printed out the digital image from Power Poppy called Hobnail and Tulips. Notice that I used a linen-like card stock.  I have no idea where that is from, but I was cleaning out some drawers and found it.  It added to a rustic look.  The image is colored with my Copic markers ( love them for coloring) and then die cut with my square spellbinder die.  I also cut a border and used my teal marker to color it to match the teal on the image.  When you have no paper that matches, you can simply color it. Lastly, I used some raffia ribbon to add to the bottom. Using the Gimp Program to print my image, I was able to put the sentiment right across the vase.  So much fun to accomplish something that I have been wanting to get better at. Gimp is free and can be complicated, 

but with a friend ( Cheryl Scrivens ) and Youtube, I finally got it.  

Team Diane is sponsoring the challenge this week, but you need to see what Team Darlene has for your inspiration too. Just click HERE

There is a prise too!   Not just one die, two!

Thanks for stopping by to take a closer look.  I sure do appreciate your comments, they really brighten my day.  

 

Power and Spark Challenge - Round and Round

      What does Round and Round mean? 

Here is what Stacy wants us to do.  

 

“Round & Round”. Round those corners, use a rounded mat or take it to the extreme and make your entire card round. 
I was going for a totally round card but decided to add a base and then just round the corners. 

 Using the brown family of card stock and envelopes and ink, I stamped the Power Poppy Natural Beauties stamp in Memento Rich Cocoa ink.  I was going to color this up, but just love the vintage look, so I just colored it with my Prismacolor pencils.  I shaded the cast shadows and just left it as is. I also used a cream linen cardstock that added to the vintage look that I got. 

Those jumbo raindrops are from my stash.  Something that I found recently when cleaning up my stuff.  Never know what you have.  I also found the  6X6 brown envelopes that completed this card. 
 I think I may make another one of these round cards.  Lol
Thanks for your comments they really and truly are appreciated.