Peace on Earth Christmas #54

 

I just could not resist that darling park bench and bird!

For Peace on Earth #54:

Wplus9: Snow Scenes, and Winter Greenery for the Cardinal

PTI: Winter Bench stamped on EH Oyster Grey card in CP Twilight and Black Jack inks

White Gouache for splatter.

A very quick post but very BIG wish for all the best in 2024!

=] Michele

Thank you, POE!!

Color Hues #77 Second Helpings

A very quick post and wish for a very happy, healthy New Year to you all!  AND second helpings for Color Hues #77 - a very appropriate card in pink and silver!

I used a few fun 'older' sets from Waffle Flower Crafts and used silver Delicata Ink or embossing powders and Catherine Pooler Party Dress for my pink again.  The cute polka dot is from PTI's Beautiful Beads pink and orange mix.

Extra thanks to you all today for all the support you've gifted me with this year!  Now let's look forward to all the crafty fun we'll have in 2024!

=] Michele

Color Hues #77

If I looked, I could probably find at least 4 more pink Poinsettia cards ready for 2024, but today I wanted to share the newest addition to my collection of Waffle Flower Postage Collage stencil sets: Roses!  Just in time for Color Hues #77: Pink and Silver challenge!

You'll have to trust that the Party Dress ink used for the roses is the same

ink I used for stamping. AND that the stems and leaves and diamonds are

stenciled using Delicata Silver ink!  I've backed this panel of stamps using

a silver glitter paper, too!  

Of course, I had to have the new LOVE stamps that coordinate!

Here are a few more renditions - honestly the orange might have been my first - 

I really love orange roses:

The next two cards might have been inspired by a little visitor outside my window:

Mr. Bluebird in the Winterberries!

You know me and my love of all that's debossed - this WF Tiny Crosses plate

looks just like xx kisses to me!

We seldom have a February without snow so this WF Dashed Snowflake 

works a treat for my background panels - one cut with WF Nesting Ovals!

I know, I know - it might be too early for Valentines, but I just couldn't resist!  You'll understand, I'm sure of it!  Thanks!

=] Michele 

A Christmas Playtime with Marcia!

I had the pleasure of spending a few fabulous hours with my sweet friend Marcia a few weeks ago ... for those of you who think we actually finish anything, think again!  We spend the most time gabbing, laughing, eating - all the things we love as much as crafting!  In fact, it's taken all this time to complete our cards!  But we're so happy to share them with each other today - and, of course, with all of you!

Marcia brought this gorgeous Magnolia Wreath from The Greetery to share.  I cut quite a few from different colors - three of which landed on one slimline card:

SU Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent, and Old Olive card stock.  Spattered with white gouache.  My cover panel was embossed with a Sunny Studio Woodgrain folder, and the red flowers and sentiment were found amongst my snippets!  Perfect!

The next wreath was doubled - one Old Olive, one Blackberry Bliss

to represent what I think of as the 'underside' of Magnolia leaves.  A splattering of  Gansai Tambi gold, and a sweet gold bow from The Stamp Market and all

was perched upon a debossed panel [Altenew] and topped with another Pinkfresh Holiday banner. A few of their jewels finished it beautifully, I think.

One more - same papers and embossing... but with an old favorite bow and branches

from a set from Altenew by that very name: Bows and Branches!

Marcia also brought her gorgeous Colorado Craft Co. Snowflake and left it for me to play with - and play I most certainly did!  Thanks again, my friend for this sweet little topper die from The Greetery!  I won't bore you with individual photos, but here are the white on kraft:

and four more heat embossed on navy, grey, and vellum!

All of these [except one] are for Christmas 2024!  

Ready for some fun?  I was delighted to spend some time with Twig and Stump:

I think Sizzix and Tim should have a 'name this set' contest - 

Shorty and Stretch is what I always call them!  But these snow dudes are the 

'fun-est' no matter what their names!  Who wants a hug?

By now, you must be wondering if I brought anything to the party, right?  Well, I did make fresh egg rolls and egg drop soup! Ha!  One of the things Marcia and I love to do is to stencil together ... here's one of my new sets we didn't have time to play with when I visited her in November.  From Pinkfresh Studio: Lush Peonies.

I used some very Spring-y colors for this time of year... but it was fun just the same!

I used a few CP inks, die cut it and popped it up over a card base that had a debossed cover, and a snippet/frame found in my stash... a few pearls, and a fun sentiment from Honey Bee and my playtime is done!  For those of us that live where it's cold, this is such a warm reminder of seasons to come!

Thank you, Marcia, for lending me all these goodies from your stash - and always for sharing your time and friendship with me!  Now we wait for Spring - which seems so far away!  Hey, who knows?  We might have this 'no snow' reprieve for a while yet!  What are you doing for New Year's Eve?  lol

Thanks, my friends, for spending some of your time with me today - you know you're always welcome to join us, right?  Be sure to see ALL the wonderful things Marcia has made right HERE!  I'm heading there right NOW because I can't wait!

=] Michele

Playing Cards with Friends - Christmas edition!

WAAAAY back in February 2023, Tom and I had a fun little getaway to Buffalo and had a very brief but wonderful little meetup with our friends Michelle and Tony Leone - you might know her by Pretty Periwinkle?  Her days of designing for Papertrey Ink, or the Fusion challenge, or my fellow teammate at 12 Kits of Occasions?  Or Two Ls, as I like to call her!  

Michelle has her hands full these days, but I begged her to Play Cards with me and I'm so happy she said YES!  Here is our fun assignment:

In honor of National Look for an Evergreen Day, make a card using dies only = no stamping!  Our cards MUST include an evergreen die!  All are welcome: pine, spruce, fir, etc.  Your evergreen does Not necessarily need to be the focal point; it can be a supporting character on your card! 

Well, I had just the perfect dies in my hands [thanks, Marcia more on those tomorrow!] Meet Twig and Stump:

They are from a Sizzix set that was a released in 2022!  But I can't get enough of them!  All of the dies were cut from Neenah 80# card and scraps of colored card from my stash.  The background is a paper from Honey Bee that had a Spellbinders' Hemstitch circle cut from it.  I love this neutral with my steel-y gray card!

Of course, there is my required evergreen, decked out with snowballs, of course!  It made my spirits bright to make a big 5 x 7" card - my Wplus9 Postage set served its purpose well.  

Okay, Two Ls!  Ready or not, here we come!  I can't wait - I've missed your gorgeous creations for so long!  You'll all come with me, right?  Let's go together - HERE is Michelle's link!  

Thanks so much for stopping by today - it's been such fun Playing Cards with Friends in 2023.  I'm not sure if I will carry on this tradition in 2024 - we'll see.  But if I do ask you to play, I hope you'll say yes!

=] Michele

Freshly Made Sketches #616

We've come to the end of the year of challenges, and I am so happy to enter the 2023 finale over at Freshly Made Sketches!  Amy's Sketch #616 is such an inviting open canvas - take a peek...

Fun, right?

I'm so happy I had a few more lures - I think they are the perfect bait!

...the best sentiment from The Cat's Pajamas! and some really fun papers

from Stampin' Up cut with Torn Edge dies from PTI.

However, I'm quite sure my knots would not hold up to 'the big one!'  

=] Michele

The Flower Challenge #87 - Reminder

 

Remember my rule?  When making one, why not two?  Yes, today I followed my rule as I created both of my DT cards at once.  Are you ready for my reminder to play along with The Flower Challenge #87 - Use gold?  Here you go...

Here is my 'recipe' for today's card:

   - a new die from The Stamp Market for those gorgeous Boho Botanical leaves

   - another Poinsettia from Honey Bee Stamps - I used three shades of red card today - and another glittery gold floral bit!

   - a snippet of green card embossed using my SU Tasteful Textile folder

   - last but not least a beautiful sentiment from Pinkfresh Studio's Holiday Large Sentiments, heat embossed in gold - and my gold splatters once again.

Head over to The Flower Challenge for even more gorgeous GOLD inspiration!  Then play along - we love it when you do!

=] Michele

An a-LURE-ing Christmas card!

Hello, my friends!  I have another fun Christmas card to share - this one goes to my brother who owns a tackle company here in Michigan.  I have been ANGLING for a few of our favorites - hope this LURES him in...

I was happy to find these Honey Bee dies on sale after Thanksgiving!

The Snowflake, and 'stick' are from Honey Bee, too.  The cover plate is from 

Alex Syberia: Mermaid's Melody.  The tag from Pinkfresh Studio.

I'm delighted to find a few Christmas cards in my mailbox each day!!  Thank you!

=] Michele

That's NOT a hotdog!

How's that for an attention-grabbing title??!! Ha!  This big guy and his little boo boo should watch what they eat from the contents of my Honey Bee Vintage Picnic Basket...

Papa bear is from the Honey Bee Heart Hugs set - and 'Boo Boo' is the main body of the Hedgehog from the same set - pretty resourceful aren't I!  I adore this Vintage Picnic Basket in Plaid from their Holiday Wishes paper collection.  The Stamp Market provided the background - one of an old Halloween collection!  Those cattails were found in the Holiday Blooms die set from Spellbinder, and a few bits from HoneyBee's Winter Greenery set.

Sunday is a day for making - and this one really makes my spirits bright.  So does the bread Tom is baking - yum!  I am gifted the 'heel' which I always eat warm with butter and white sugar in honor of my dad.

Thanks so much for dropping by - YOU also brighten my spirits!

=] Michele

Is a Quail a bird?

Or will the gals at Triple B cry FOWL??  Ha!  Just kidding - I did my homework and found that Quail are among the bird family, along with Partridge, Turkeys, and Chickens!  I fell in love with this pair from Honey Bee!

The layering/inking guide that comes with this set of Lovely Layers: Quail dies is incredible!  Here are the Oxide inks I worked with today:

I took advantage of a 5x7 card today - it doesn't happen often, but this Spellbinders' embossing folder was so perfect for this scene I wanted to take advantage of all that real estate!  The pine boughs, holly and berries are from Honey Bee's Winter Greenery set.

Hope you're getting your craft on this weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!

=] Michele

Thank you, Triple B!

Double D December 2023 - Christmas Animals!

OH, what fun is THIS mood board from Double D's December challenge:  Christmas Animals...

I'd give anything to have a sled-riding chicken in my stash, and

that goat living in my back yard!!

Something tells me those Double D ladies will be just fine with my 

decorating Hedgehog!

I'm very happy to FINALLY call this HoneyBee Heart Hugs set my own!  I even used it for my MIL's birthday card... I love that they will hold anything, including those hearts in the set!

I'd better get to work on the inside sentiment and get that little Hedgehog in the Double D gallery!

Thanks so much for spending a few of your spare moments with me!

=] Michele

Honey Bee Heart Hugs, Winter Gems embossing, Lovely Layers Large Snowflakes, and Lovely Layers Winter Greenery. The Stamp Market Merry Ornament.  Waffle Flower Nesting Rectangle Frames

Second Helpings for FMS#615

I'm hearing that some of my Christmas cards have arrived in the UK and Australia - such good news as in prior years they took more than a month to arrive!  

Karren's Sketch #615 at Freshly Made Sketches kept me crafting - always a good thing - this time a non-holiday card!

I had the Pinked Stars version of that fun ribbon maker from The Greetery - as soon as I saw it, I knew just the thing for the 'circular' shape of Karren's Sketch!  Isn't he a cutie?  Another set from PTI - Happy Owl-O-Ween!

There's a second owl in the set - he is going to be added to our Paper Village along with a small herd of deer, and a little fox!  If you follow me @mfergu01 on Instagram, you'll see photos from this year's display.  If you don't 'do' IG here's a link to see it before my owl is added.

Hope you've had time to stop by because ALL of your holiday chores are complete!  Thanks so much!

=] Michele

Freshly Made Sketches #615

I have been such a lazy crafter since mailing all my Christmas cards!  What a joy, what a relief when the last few get in the mail - am I right?  I'm already making for next year!  Spurred on with a few fun sets I borrowed - more on that soon!

I was coaxed into crafting by my friend Karren... she has a mighty cute Sketch for us over at Freshly Made Sketches #615:

I found a few more oldie but goodies in my stash recently - more PTI, a little Altenew, and a beauty from The Greetery to be exact... they turned out to be perfect for Karren's sketch - I hope you agree!  All of the bits of flora came from Joyful Florals; the framed circle is not even labeled it's so old; but that sweet little bow is Altenew's Bells and Bows set that finds its way out every year.  The star of the card might be that gorgeous Lattice ribbon die from The Greetery. 

All tied together with another Pinkfresh sentiment banner.

Hope your December days are merry and bright!

=] Michele

The Flower Challenge #87 - Use Gold!

'Tis the season for glimmer, glitter, and glam - right?  Well, I usually keep those to a minimum but found the perfect spot for a bit of gold for The Flower Challenge #87: Add Gold!

 

Back in September I made a card using color blocking for my card base - I loved it!  So much I decided to make another one!  Here's that gorgeous HoneyBee Poinsettia die again ...  this time with a few bits of greenery from their Lovely Layers: Winter Greenery cut from kraft!  I love it with these gorgeous papers from Craft Consortium.  Another of my Pinkfresh banners [stamped in a gold-ish ink] and my card is complete!

As I build my Christmas card stash, I try to remember the gentlemen in the Senior homes, too.  This one should do.  

Did you spot my gold?  The 'flower' of the Poinsettia was cut from glittery gold washi tape, and I splattered the entire card with yellow, champagne, and white gold Gansai Tambi watercolor paint!  Just the right amount of gold to satisfy my appetite for it!

You can use WAY more gold as I have by the way!  We'll love it!  Speaking of loving it... wait until you see the glamour my teammates have brought to the party!  Let's go, shall we? 

=] Michele