Here for the BOOs!

Kim has such a fun idea for Freshly Made Sketches #653... it's almost a non-sketch!  Take a look...

 

I'm taking a break from Christmas cards as I just cannot let a Halloween go by without using this fun sentiment from SSS... or Waffle Flowers Halloween bear and friends ...

 WF's Nesting Circle Frames to cut my moon and a Gelli-roll Platinum 

pen for adding stars to my spooky sky!

Hope Kim likes it!

=] Michele

Just us Girls #743

My friend Bobby is the host with the most fabulous color combination for us and the Just us Girls #743 Color Week!  Okay, I won't lie - it was a little bit challenging, Bobby - but fun! 

I found some beautiful inks and one big, beautiful stencil from Altenew and got to work... I LOve how it turned out - hope you do, too!

Altenew's Golden Days stencil - Ornate Nesting die set- inks and Featured Sentiments die set

and a sentiment from Meadow Reflections

The Stamp Market - Boho Botanical die

Have a great weekend everyone!

=] Michele

Freshly Made Sketches #652

I'm pleased as punch to play along with Linda's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches #652!  It's a doozie and I brought just the guy home from NC for it!

I found Mr. Snowy in Bonnie's stash WITH the coordinating die, so I jumped right into stamping/cutting a few!   

I kept my water coloring quite simple today to best match the PFS patterned paper I found in my stash.  The 'hill' was cut using the Drifting Die from The Greetery once from on the patterned paper and another custom cut for the snow in his Tall Snow Globe which is an oldie from MFT.

Finally, I topped it with a stamped/die cut sentiment from ASD's Angel Bells set and a bit of Stickles for a bit of snow.

I'm very happy with how this one turned out - bonus: another Christmas card for the seniors!

=] Michele

There's nothing like a road trip to meet a crafty friend!

Tom and I hit the road again and had a wonderful 2,080 mile drive all the way to Cary, North Carolina and back!  Why Cary you might ask?  I have had this visit on my bucket list for a while now!

You will no doubt recognize that sweetie in the middle is none other than our friend Bonnie Klass!  Yes, that's me on the left [with all that gray hair smiling so big that my eyes disappeared!] and on the right is another friend Nance Salkeld of Soul Stampin'!  [thanks, Nance for this photo!] Bonnie and I had a few hours on Friday to share tons of hugs and have a tour of her fabulous studio - I've never seen a bigger, more well-organized space!  Bonnie teaches classes there and I think there was seating for at least 14!  

On Saturday, Tom and Bruce headed out to a flea market - Tom's first experience and he really enjoyed it - Bonnie and I shared a few stamps and press plates and just did lots of visiting while doing so.  Nance came for lunch and some more stamping after.  It was so wonderful to meet these gals in real life!  Oh, and I delivered all those hugs as promised from a few of you, too!

Okay, home again on Monday, and I had a little time between travel-laundry loads on Tuesday to get my craft on - it's amazing how rusty one feels after just a few days, isn't it?  Speaking of rust...

I had just the right floral die set for those colors from Carol at Color Hues #94 - yes, it's those Spellbinders' Anemones again!  Hope you don't mind...

So gorgeous cut with Rust and two greens from The Stamp Market - and be still my heart with that dark, steely grey from MFT that I debossed with an old favorite, out of business, debossed woodgrain cover-die from Lil' Inkers.

Now why did I make this so dark?  I was inspired by the fabulous BLACK base of Elizabeth's card over at Just us Girls #742 - it's CASE the Designer time!  Thanks for the Spellbinders inspiration, Elizabeth!

I'm going in for seconds on those gorgeous colors ... can you blame me?

3 1/2 x 6 3/4-inch midi card with a small panel debossed 

with Altenew's Dotted Geo Cover plate.

I'll be back soon now that I have my laundry done, my rhythm back and TONS of fun things to color that I stamped at Bonnie's!

Bonnie, you and Bruce were such wonderful hosts - great fun, food, and all topped with lots of love! xo

=] Michele

The Flower Challenge #95

Have you stamped a flower lately?  Well, you're right on time as we are looking for cards that include a stamped flower at The Flower Challenge #95!  

I brought out lots of inks and my Altenew Stamp Wheel to get the job done well, 

and efficiently, too!

That little journal card [Elizabeth Crafts] slides out - a perfect place to write a special note or stick a gift card!  

Creating that secret hiding place was easy by popping these Altenew Nature's Blossoms up on a diagonal piece that was cut using my MFT Stitched Scalloped Edging die [no longer available] and given a bit of texture with my favorite SU Subtle Texture folder.

Isn't this color combo a lovely surprise?  I think so, and I hope the recipient will think so, too!

SO, will you stamp a few flowers for us and our challenge this month?  We sure hope to see your stamped flowers in our gallery soon!  There is lots of beautiful inspiration from the team waiting for you at The Flower Challenge!

=] Michele

Seconds, anyone?

A few more flowers couldn't hurt, could they?  A duo of cards using what are considered fall flowers around my neck of the woods.  Mums from Alex Syberia Designs to be exact...

My hues of yellow and orange get a little dark - but AT LEAST I didn't

forget NOT to use green! lol

And yes, my friends, all of those little ASD die cut +'s are still sitting on my desk!

I love this deep orange cover panel, don't you?  When you've pressed but are

too lazy to die cut, those Betterpress sentiments still make a 'banner'

statement IMHO!

Off to Color Hues #93 then it's back to the laundry - I'll be packing for a little excursion this week with my bestie - on his birthday!! 

=] Michele

Just us Girls #741

Hey, my friends!  I have one more post for you today - then let's get on with the weekend, shall we?

My friend Stephanie is the host at Just us Girls this week - I totally dropped the ball last week during my funk!  

It's stencil week and I have TWO beautiful cards today using stencils for coloring the images without the outline stamps! A lovely set from a suite of Pinkfresh products called Garden Roses.

First in those blues that have convinced me to love them!

 Look closely and you'll see I have used

Spellbinder's Nature's Botanical Wreath embossing folder to provide a little lift!

And sentiment from one of their Betterpress sets.

Thanks, Stephanie for the win!!

Next up: some pinks and those scrumptious yellow/curry colors from Pigment Craft Co....

No ink wasting around here - I just spritzed my stencils and press the

leftover inks onto a panel of Bristol card stock.... you can just see it

in the background.  I waited until it dried and then used my favorite debossing plate

to add interest and to mimic the movement of those trailing roses.

That sentiment is just so beautiful - from LDRS Creative - inked with an Altenew ink.

Now. How do I decide which to send to the challenge - I think I'll ask Tom who just got home to start our weekend a little early!

See you in the JUGS #741 gallery - and have a great weekend!

=] Michele