CTS #196 CAS[E] for a Cause

I'm dropping in for a very quick reminder of our CTS #196 CAS[E] for a Cause ... these guys made me do it:

That little card was made years ago, after we'd lost these two ... it may have been my very first water coloring, and among my first posted in Flickr, before I was blogging!  I still think it 'says it all!'

We are happily reminded, every day, how lucky we were to have these little fur babies.

Won't you join us in sending a little card, or five?

TYPE OF CARDS REQUESTED:
 

They are looking for mostly general and thank you pet themed cards (no wild animals please).   Some birthday, sympathy and anniversary cards are welcome too.  Please leave the inside of the cards blank for the humane society to write personal messages.  Please include envelopes.  No plastic sleeves.

 MAIL CARDS TO:

Karen Howard

9088 Country Avenue

Monticello, MN 55362

Thank you!  I'm off to see your wizardry!

=]  Michele

Inspired by All the Little Things #30

No words ... just feast your eyes on this magnificence:

Need I say more?  There may be caramel on my brain/chin ...

I was truly inspired by the caramel, pumpkin, and cinnamon-y gorgeousness of the colors in this superb photo ... I even caught a bit of the silvery glimmer on the pumpkin's stems.  You see it, right?

For challenge #30: 

For the glimmer, a little close-up:

Glimmer compliments of Gansai Tambi Starry Colors -

Distress colors: Gathered Twigs, Brushed Corduroy, and Rusty Hinge -

Cups from none other than May Park, for Neat & Tangled!

 

Hoping you all have treats, and NO tricks tomorrow!

 

=]  Michele

 

 

 

Let's be Thankful! 12 Kits Style!

Being the Hostess this month, making those 12 Kits, and thinking of how to please everyone's style - a labor of love!

Speaking of love, I have invited LeAnne Pugliese of Wee Inklings to join us as my guest this month.  You will love her style as much as I do - she has such a talent for creating layers - one that I sorely lack! 

LeAnne lives in one of my favorite States for a road trip - especially in the Autumn - because of the gorgeous hills, winding highways, and rivers.  She has been a Stampin' Up demonstrator for 12 years!  I know you'll stop by to give her a little 12 Kits-style love!

Now.  On with my own cards ... I cannot believe I included any patterned paper - I use it sparingly, but love to push myself beyond my comfort zone.  Here are a few cards - I want you to spend your precious time with the rest of my talented team - and I cannot wait to see how they've played cards with me!

DCWV patterned papers.  MFT die cut Thanks; perfect words from Lisa Elton's fab set!

With a closeup view, you might see that I've used Nuvo Drops to give it dimension!

 

Concord & 9th die cut leaves, MFT Thanks.

 

Neat and Tangles journaling card - modified.

W&W friend die

PTI Smoky Slate cardstock - embossed with Darice folder

Outside sentiment & Inside: " ... just what I need!" from Technique Tuesday

 

MFT kitty - another I'll send for the CTS Cards for a Cause this week.

If any of the team wants to join me, please do!

 

The best thanks are those given for the best reason!

 

Thanks to someone during sad times

can be sent beautifully on butterfly's wings!

 

Thanks for spending some of your precious time

with me today ... and any day!

Thank you to LeAnne for joining us!  Now off you go

to the 12 Kits of Occasions blog - there is so much to be thankful for there for you!

 

=]  Michele

 

 

Simple Stamping with Fresh Inks!

I can't believe my luck when I won 5 Fresh Ink pads from Impress during the Fall Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!  Yes ... 5!

It is seldom that I just stamp ... most of the time a die cut of some type.  Not this time ... it's all about the ink, and a few darling Impress stamps, too!

#impressprojects

 

It's a lovely day today ... a walk on the Lake Michigan shore is in store for us!  Thanks for spending a few moments of your weekend with me!

 

=]  Michele

Freshly Made Sketches - #260

I was so happy to have a few hours with a crafty friend this week ... you know her, right?  Bobby of Bits & Pieces?  She is so much fun to hang out with - and MAN can she make a pie!!!

Bobby surprised me with a first try of Brushos this time - I loved how she'd used embossing paste, so gave that a go.  I trimmed it up, and added a few little embellishments, and bingo:  I had unintentionally created a card perfect for Kim's sketch #260 at Freshly Made Sketches - don't you LOve when that happens?

 

 

Bobby always has so many fun new goodies for me to play with ... I brought a few of my new sets, then we play for hours, and it feels like we got double the bang for our bucks!

I had just received the darling Holiday Houses, and Be Merry sentiments from #Wplus9 ... and Bobby had some of that cool puffy paint for snow ... this is what became of that little collaboration:

 

I could be wrong ... but I think this is John Mellencamp's neighborhood.  pa dum dum ...

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

=]

P.S. Thank you Bobby ... and thank you to Melissa Bickford @justdandystudio for those fabulous little pink snowballs!

CAS[E] this Sketch for a Cause!

We are creating for a very good cause this week for CAS[E] this Sketch #196 ... here is the Sketch - another wonder from Sam Simpson:

 

We're joining Karen Howard, of Feline Creative, with:

Cards for a Cause! 

Run by to see how you can help, won't you?

 

Here is the card I've created, and will send to Karen:

 

 

You'll forgive me if my card is a little solemn.

Tom and I had two cats, litter-mates, who were with us for 17-18 years.  They both had feline diabetes from age 2 and 4... yes, that does mean insulin shots, and lots of emergency trips to the Veterinary Hospital, a strict diet, and no leaving them on their own.   Yes.  We gave up 18 years of vacations for those guys.  I often said they were the luckiest cats in the world because they had 'pet parents' who didn't give up on them.  So supporting this cause has special meaning for me ... thanks, Karen, and your chosen cause.

 

Now I cannot leave you on a sad note!!!  So here is a totally fun card using our Sketch:

 

 

However ... read the fine print at Karen's blog if you choose to send a card ... no wild animals allowed for the cause!  But I am WILD about this elephant!!!  [thanks Barb!]

 

We hope to see a whole menagerie in the gallery this week!!!

 

=]  Michele

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inkspirational Challenge #120

Yes.  I'm back ... sorry to interrupt your Monday twice, but you know, when mojo strikes twice in a day?  a girl has to take advantage! 

I hope you enjoyed the first pressing [for the day] of that Lawn Fawn stitched leaf, because another just dropped from the tree!

For Inkspirational Challenge #120:

 

Avery Elle's Laurels provided the words, and

the perfect 'asterisk.'

Inside:

* you are just the perfect spot of color I needed in my life!

 

Ready for her close-up?

 

 

I am off to have a day of playing cards with my awesome friend Bobby Hagen tomorrow!  ALWAYS fantastic ...

See you on the flip side of our day ... we may have a few photos, and cards, to share!

 

=]  Michele

Inspired by All the Little Things #29

This challenge was a cinch ... between the GORGEOUS photo, and their fabulous guest?  My card practically made itself!

Here is their inspiration photo:

gasp!! ... and their special guest designer happens to be a fellow 12 Kits of Occasions team-mate of mine! 

Yay, Kim!!

 

 

Now tell me how I could possibly not have fun

playing cards with Kim?

 

Ready for it?  Just for you, Kim and Challenge #29 at

Inspired by All the Little Things:

 

and a bit of a close-up =]

I will tell you that I was also inspired byTracey McNeely [another teamie]

who created a gorgeous card - check it here -

using a favorite of ours:  Lawn Fawn Stitched leaves dies. 

 

Inside sentiment:

"Take solace in your belief that, though she has fallen,

one day you will be together again."

 

I hope your week is starting out beautifully!

 

=]  Michele

 

Thrilled to be chosen:

Where Creativity Meets C9

When Lynn Put's card for the Challenge hit my email box: mind blown!!!

 

Followed very closely by a delivery to my door step ... I knew it was time to be done with that Christmas card order,

and to just have FUN!!!

 

Fun was had, too, trying to do a little of Lynn's water coloring style into my project!  Thanks, Lynn, for your inspiration!

 

 

I made this one for a certain friend who brings Joy to my life every.  single.  day.

Of course it will first be posted to the Watercolor Challenge 2 at Where Creativity Meets C9 ... have a great weekend, everyone!

 

=]  Michele



So very honored to add:

 

 Thank you =]

 

 

CAS[E] this Sketch #195

Our fearless leader, Chrissy Larson, just lets us go without a net with her awesome Sketches ... check out this week's, and PLEASE visit her blog, because her card this week is particularly beautiful!!

You know me well enough by now to know I see things ... even when they aren't there ... and simply must laugh at myself, if no one else appreciates my humor!!!

For CTS #195:

Ellen's Essentials - oldie but goody: edited a bit =]

 

We've had some really fun cards in the CTS gallery ... I know we won't be the least bit disappointed this week either!  See you there?  Hope so!

 

=]  Michele

Freshly Made Sketches #259

I'm finally finding a spare moment to catch up with a few favorite Challenges ... Freshly Made Sketches #259 played right into my crafting today.

I have a really wonderful cousin in Denver who not only sells my cards, she ordered her Christmas cards from me this year.  Now you might know that I don't like to make the same card twice - that isn't as much fun as starting something brand new.  But, in this case, I made an exception ... this card was made in 2015 and continues to be one of my own favorites:

When Linda, our hostess this week, suggested 'any shape' I decided it was time to not only recreate it for the order, but also to change it up a bit!

I do love plaid, and let its fun pattern represent the horizontal detail in Linda's sketch ... tricky, huh?

See you in a few minutes with another fun sketch from CTS!!

=]  Michele

A two-for Sunday!

The Curtain Call has lured me in ... well, honestly, it was the card Leigh Penner made - OH goodness, it's a beauty!  Now by this I don't mean that my card is anything at all like hers ... in any way!  But she's brought me here, and for that, I am grateful:

I've already confessed to my lack of pumpkins, so my little eye spied that vase ...  et voila!  a little embossing folder comes to my rescue for that fabulous texture!

Ellen Hutson Essentials Mondo Hydrangea, and Christmas Scribbles

Everyone displays Hydrangeas at Christmas, right???  I dry mine, upside down for weeks, and display them ALL YEAR!

Blessed Sunday everyone! 

=]  Michele



E.H. October Mix it Up Challenge

It seems to me it has been ages since I've had the chance to play cards at Ellen Hutson's challenges!  I'm not letting this one get by me.  Pink Fresh Studios' middle name says everything you need to know about their fresh, modern, trendy style!  Mix it Up with Ellen's style, and you're sure to come out with something beautiful!

Felicity came out to play today along with E.H. Essentials: Up the Happy! stamps, and dies:

Okay, I think I hear those birds chirping in shear delight ... oh, maybe it's me!!

Rebecca from Pink Fresh's DT used tassels ...I love how my little paper tassels turned out!

 

My sweet hubby is insulating our garage ... yes, we are preparing for Winter in Autumn - Michiganders know to 'make hay while the sun shines!'  It's time I lend him my two capable hands ... thanks for the visit!

 

=]  Michele

Time Out for a little CASE

The team at Time Out has invited us all to CASE Ardyth!  Here is Ardyth's beautiful card:

 

It was a pleasure to CASE, but very hard not to make a little 4.25" card!  Not one bit hard to put my Wplus9 Happy Wishes set to use again ... in fact I may have gone a little overboard!

 

Wplus9 inks and Happy Wishes Die - Delicata Gold - Nuvo Crystal black

 

Here's a little close-up so you can see the double stamping, and that pretty Delicata Gold in lieu of the gold cardstock.  I know they'll forgive me if I tried my hand at a one-layer card!

 

 

Now it was being kept on the down-low, but I happen to know our One is with a group of my own favorite stampers ... have TOO much fun, ladies!  Hugs all around!

 

=]  Michele

 





Where Creativity Meets C9 Challenge



 

Water-coloring is on my brain this week ... what is going on?  Could be the beautiful Autumn colors showing up in my world!

Where Creativity Meets C9 Challenge #2 has given me one more reason to keep it up ... it's a Watercolor Challenge!!!  Concord & 9th has provided the stamps and dies!

Here are two creations:

 

You're probably wondering where the color went, right?  In my defense, I was going for that 'leaf skeleton' idea ... but the color did get lost ... so here is the solution!

 

 

Better, right?  I used the die to impress the leaves, then added a bit of glitz with Delicata Gold and the vein stamp... a bit of gold foil, and voila!  I thought they deserved gold stars =]

 

By the way, my water-colors of choice  today come by way of Wplus9's dye inks - using the dip/spritz/stamp technique!  I sure hope this meets the criteria =\

 

I'm so happy to be playing cards again!  Oh that doesn't mean I'm totally done with the unpacking ... whatever is in those last few boxes I have not missed!

 

Hope you're having a wonderful Autumn day!

 

=]  Michele

 

 

CAS[E] this Sketch #194

I love that N@ Ali has followed Leigh's lead with a simple Sketch this week ... simply fabulous, that is!  See for yourself:

I had the strongest urge to break out a few Washi tapes, but resisted!  With a pretty little Key Lime Pie colored linen paper from a friend, and a fresh coat of Versafine on a new stamp set, here is what I managed ... hope you like it!

We'll be watching the CTS gallery for your wonderful renditions of the Sketch ... always a pleasure!

=]  Michele

The Flower Challenge! and Second helpings!

There is a NEW Challenge on our horizon, and I couldn't help but play along!  Aileen Ryan - this one's for you, and your fabulous new The Flower Challenge!!

Since it's an "anything goes with florals" challenge, I thought I'd combine it with a few blooms I cut from the left over water-colored panel I created yesterday.  LOve using snippets!

Congratulations on the new Challenge, Aileen!  You've tons of gorgeous entries in your gallery already - so happy for you, and your fabulous design team!

Here's my card ...

SSS Hydrangea Petals

Altenew Floral Sprig set for sentiment

Distress inks for water-coloring

Finally using that Glass Glitter I HAD to have

because of the fabulous Therese Calvird - here's her card! - so stunning!

 

I think it's only fair that I also send it over to Inspired by All the Little Things, too!

 

 

Sorry about the double dip today ... but thanks, if your day allowed a second visit, I appreciate it so much!

 

=]  Michele

So happy to be honored!