Just a quickie post!

My friend Birgit mentioned a red, white, and blue challenge on her blog yesterday - and made a gorgeous card!  Betsy, from The Greetery shared a card on their blog yesterday and an idea in my head just had to come to fruition!

For Color Throwdown #795:

=] Michele

Altenew: mini - Fireworks

The Greetery: Harvest Home

MFT: Wonky Squares

Freshly Made Sketches #638

If you have that Spellbinders Fresh Anemone set, you know that the dies cut in sets of three - you know me well enough to know that there is no flower left behind from my playtime yesterday! 

I'll be sending this one over to Freshly Made Sketches #638 - Narelle's sketch is a good one!

Here is my rendition using that little leftover Anemone:

my friend Two Ls sent me a bunch of these embossed panels. 

EF unidentified - sorry.

And just like that, it's Friday!  Hope you have a wonderful crafty weekend!

=] Michele

Double D's Polka Dots for Doni

It is never easy to lose a teammate.  But isn't it wonderful when a challenge team honors them?  Take Double D for instance.  They pulled together and have given us each an opportunity to honor her, too.

This one's for you Doni - rest in peace knowing you are being remembered in a loving, crafty way!

I hope won't mind a few more of these Spellbinders' Anemones?  I came across a trio of polka dots that my friend Bobby gave me years ago!  I just loved the colors of these papers - thanks again, Bobby!

Altenew's Dotted Starburst debossing added gazillions of dots, too!

Are you a lover of all things Polka Dotted?  There are a few days left to join in!

=] Michele

Bokeh! with the Group of Seven!

No new supplies, and very little mojo?  Leave it to those fab gals at the Group of Seven to give my day the spark of inspiration I needed!  It's a BOKEH party!

I loved that the group shared Dawn's video - yes, I made one of her 'homemade' stencils years ago and was happy to get it out again today.  I might not have added as many bokeh dots as Dawn, but I did have fun topping them off using some of the Lindy's Magicals I FINALLY added to my stash - thanks for teasing me with those all these years, Loll!

I started with a panel of Evergreen card stock from SU - embossed it with

SSS Tall Pines EF, and then started creating the bokeh with SSS white pigment ink

that stayed tacky long enough for a little coat of Lindy's Lucky Shamrock powder.

The tiniest dots were created with the pounce of a pencil eraser, then circled with

the cap off of a mechanical pencil.

Here's a little attempt at catching that shine:

My favorite PTI Deer to Me seem right at home and HoneyBee brought the JOY.

And just LOOK at the mop-up from that playtime...

 

More on that soon!  For now, I'm sending this one to Rudolph Days!

Thanks for inspiring my day, GO7!

=] Michele

Memorial Day

In the US, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance of those who have died in service of this country.  The History Channel has a wonderful history of Memorial Day if you care to read it HERE.  It is an honor to remember those who served today.  

May God Bless you for your supreme sacrifice, and those who were left behind to mourn and remember you.

Second helpings! FMS637

I love Karren's Sketch #637 so much I made another card!  Thanks, Karren, and Freshly Made Sketches!  this time, I turned that Sketch around:

One might wonder why there isn't a frog sitting on one of these

 [Altenew] lotus leaves!

Due to a disappointing location, we cut our trip short ... the hour spent on the Ambassador Bridge [each way no less] could not have helped... live and learn, we say.  Besides, there's no place like home - especially for the holiday weekend!

=] Michele

Freshly Made Sketches #637

We're heading out for a little getaway but before I frog-get, here is my card for Karren's fab Sketch at Freshly Made Sketches:

I found a unique way to add a little 'dappled' color to my Waffle Flower leaves:

I used this shelf/drawer liner to wrap one on TH blenders!

Kinda fun, right?  Here's a closeup of those sweet little Poppystamps Pond Frogs c. 2015:

Thanks for spending a little of your time with me this week!  Have a wonderful weekend!

=] Michele

A [layered] flower by another name?

It's so wonderful having all of you to inspire my crafty time even when I'm alone you each take turns 'sitting on my shoulder' saying try this color!  why not do this?  embossing would be great here! 

When I last played with that wonderful new Elegant Peony die set from Alex Syberia Designs, Therese's thoughts on changing up one layering floral die set to make another whispered in my ear... here is that Peony I shared on Monday - the way ASD intended it:

Now look closely... do you see it?  A gorgeous Iris!  by using just 

the last four layers!

Okay, I changed up the leaves from an older Altenew Iris set but I had to make them 

white in honor of those I inherited from Tom's grandma.  

Now. See that background?

Guess what I did with all the ink I mopped up from that COLORFUL MONDAY

day of inking?  Yep, that's it in the background!

It's a trick I learned years ago from Loll and her CAS Mix Up team.  When you are

done with the ink, simply mop it up with a baby wipe, or paper towel!

I took mine while wet straight onto a piece of Neenah #110 card, tucked it into this

Spellbinders Leafy 3D embossing folder...

...ran that through my Sizzix Switch and BOOM:

Peel the baby wipe off and let that panel dry.  When completely dry it's pretty easy to realign it in that folder if you need to reinforce the pattern.

So, will YOU be looking twice at your own floral layering dies?  Did you see that Iris as I did?  Watch Therese change up a Magnolia HERE. 

I'd love it if you shared your changeup with me!  

=] Michele

ZOOM playtime with Therese!

Even from another hemisphere, playing cards is always fun when played with friends!  When my friend Therese Calvird scheduled a ZOOM call you can believe I answered that call!  In just 30 minutes, we had each chosen our preferred stencil and started inking it while chatting... is it any wonder we chose the same stencil?

You can SEE Therese bring her stenciling to life on her LIVE YouTube session here in the States today, Wednesday, May 22 at 6 pm EST ... I'll be happily answering questions and chatting with her guests in the background.  Hope you can join us! 

Until then, here's my finished card using Altenew's Blooming Delight stencils, and stamps:

My chosen inks:

It's hard to tell on my finished card - but it started with a 7 x 10-inch card base of Neenah Solar White 110# cardstock.  I partially die cut the floral piece from the front of my base.  

After stenciling that floral on another piece of card, I stamped the outline using my MISTI, cut it out with the coordinating die, then added a bit of

dimension by cutting a second one and running it through my Platinum 6 using

this old Cuttlebug dotted embossing folder:

It all came together beautifully until I realized it couldn't stand up on its

own - clear acetate to the rescue!

Pay no attention to that reflection - I MIGHT have been in my pjs!

This lovely 'sending' word is a two-part die set included in the Blooming Delight coordinating die set - the hugs are part of the stamp set that I've stamped in Altenew's Obsidian pigment ink onto a tiny little pierced circle - MFT very old!

There you go, Therese!  I can't wait to see YOUR finished card and watch it come to life LIVE!

=] Michele 

Go jump in the Lake!

Sorry to barge into your space again - but it's heating up nicely and I just had to get out my favorite Waffle Flower Craft set again... gotta hurry that JUGS #727 is about to take off!

I blended over the top of a Betterpress'ed Gilded Marble press plate from Altenew for my Lake!

There's my handy Dymo Xpress label maker at work again!

Let's just assume he's taken a big dive in that bottom left photo, shall we?

Okay.  As you were! lol and I hope that means you're getting crafty, too!

=] Michele

Playing Cards at Marcia's - In a purple phase!

Hello, my friends!  Marcia and I had a wonderful day together last week ... crafting back-to-back, sharing our stash and lots of laughs!  Top that all off with a wonderful lunch - all combined we DO make a very good team in the culinary department, too! 

My little travel bag was packed with goodies for Marcia to use while I helped myself to a few of her fabulous stencil sets from The Ton ... I'd have them all, if I could afford them.  Marcia saves me so much money!  LOL  

I brought along my blending brushes and a few purple inks - must be I was in a purple mood?  The yellows and greens came from Marcia's stash of inks.

SO!  Are you ready to join me in my purple haze?  Here you go...

I had my way with The Ton's: Calming Cosmos adding a bit of Copic color when I got it home + Concord & 9th Friendly Florals die set + Subtle Texture embossing from SU.

In case you're wondering... here's the starting point:

So pretty - I don't know what I was thinking, but after the first stroke, there was

no turning back!

The Ton: Climbing Peonies + Altenew Organic Linen embossing + 

The Greetery: Opposites Attract + SU Butterfly die cuts: a gift from Marcia

The Ton: Precious Poppies + PTI: Into the Blooms Dahlia fern die

that I cut from black cardstock and glued onto a panel of black for my background...

here's a little closeup...

One more purple... this time Marcia had done all of the work by

having a whole bunch of these wonderful Botani-cuts: Lilacs from The Greetery all cut and ready for a little purple ink and a Crimped Circle from PFS!

Hey, it's [almost] perfect for Four Seasons Spring!

That sentiment says it all: YOU are a great friend, Marcia!

Thanks for another wonderful, crafty day!

[did Chris ever get a bite of that last piece of cheesecake? bwaahaha!]

Of course, you know you ALL were there in our hearts, right?  Right where you are always!

OH! before I go... Marcia and I share a love of MFT's Pure Innocence kids.  She reminded me we had not played with them in a long time.  Sadly, there are only a few of them left in the MFT store, but this little cutie is going to The Color Hues Challenge, and to celebrate my granddaughter's birthday and opening day at their pool tomorrow ... hope it warms up quickly!

Now let's go see what Marcia was making 'behind my back' shall we?  It

is always a treat!  and so are your visits!

=] Michele

The MOST colorful cards of the year 'round here!

That quick delivery from Alex Syberia Designs added a new floral layering die set to my stash.  I was channeling brightness today while it rained!

Meet ASD's Elegant Peony:

After cutting all the layers in white I proceeded to add lots of bright color 

using these inks:

You surely agree that such a gorgeous flower deserves a brightly inked background?  

This one was created by smooshing ink onto my glass mat, spritzing with water and picking up the ink with a scrap of acetate from packaging.  Then it's a matter of laying it down randomly onto TH watercolor paper.  After it dried, I ran it through my Empress with ASD's Mermaid's Melody cover die.

Now you had to know one was never going to be enough, right?  Let me start

with her closeup... this time cut from linen vellum and inked with Citrine with just a kiss of dragonfruit... it got a little 'mixed media' with ASD's Pureland Fan stencil

and some of that leftover ink.

Both of my sentiments are from another ASD set called Tulips Treasure -

you've certainly seen that one here before.

I had stamped an extra Heartfelt Bloom - no time like the present to color it

up in some 'moody' hues ...

My Spellbinders Four Petal Floral embossing folder got a workout with some curry cardstock from The Stamp Market.

THAT was a most colorful Monday I've had in a while!  What rain?  What clouds? Hope you like them!

=] Michele

Good Gull-y!

With all the new things we have to reach for, it's good to remember a few of those oldies but goodies, too... thanks to Carol Mc. at Just us Girls #727 for bringing this EH Stay Salty set to mind.

Oh, even if you can't see them

in that moodboard, by gull-y you can believe they are there!

Not sure about the message in a bottle but where there's a beach there

is a gull stealing a chip!

[yes, Bobby, I added an action wobbler, too!]

Scene created on an ASD tag... Spellbinders' Splish Splash embossing in the background.

Have a great weekend, my friends!

=] Michele

Color Throwdown #793

Choices can be hard, but after my mail arrived there was no disputing what I was going to do with that stack of inks I'd chosen for Color Throwdown #793!  First, let me tell you about fabulous service...

Alex Syberia Design has been on a hiatus while sorting out moving her distribution center.  I'm very happy to report that it now resides in the USA - more importantly: in Michigan!  So yesterday when I placed an order at 11:02:57 AM I never could have imagined that the order would be filled and shipped at 12:03:54 AM the same day NOR did I ever in million years think my shipment would arrive at approximately 10AM the NEXT DAY!!  Friends - THAT is what I call exemplary service!

So it is with extreme gratitude that I'm happy to introduce my latest from ASD:  Heartfelt Blooms!  I bought the stencils and stamp set [and a few more].

ASD Meadow Magic cover plate, and a sentiment from 

A New Dream [a collaboration with SSS].

and just a few inks...

I'm sure you are all SHOCKED that I didn't use tulips!

I have not been asked to promote Alex's products, but I'm happy to do so! 

=] Michele