My other favorite Elf!

 I promise to make this quick... have you watched Elf yet this season?  I plan on a viewing every year!  And with that...

For Jen M. at Freshly Made Sketches #663

You'll appreciate that it took me most of the day to bring it to life! LOL

=] Michele

A new Poinsettia!

You will all be so proud of me...I only bought one new Poinsettia this year to add to my collection... Ms. Debby Hughes provided some beautiful inspiration for that purchase!  I'll link her card HERE.

With a bit more time on my hands these days, I will continue to make Christmas cards... maybe one or two a day?  I'd love to fulfill the number needed for the Seniors who live in my area next year.  

Here are my first two using SSS Poinsettia Swag - can you wrap your head around an orange Poinsettia?  This time I stamped the image in Gina K Skeleton Leaves Amalgam ink onto Canson cold-press watercolor paper.  

I found a beautiful Betterpress plate [SB Poinsettia Corner] in my stash that so well

matches this swag that I used it to deboss my background

panel... here's a better view of that:

The sentiment is from the SSS set and I treated myself to the coordinating dies 

and a bit of splattering fun in Debby's honor with white gouache and gold.

The gals at Four Seasons might like the color of Fall!

If orange doesn't tickle your fancy, here is a traditional red!

Stamped in SSS Fossil ink on Canson cold-press watercolor paper:

... and the inks I used to watercolor them, left off the splatters, but cut

the panel down using a stitched rectangle from PF.

I won't lie - this is a very detailed image and a Poinsettia that has the most petals I've ever seen!  But really beautiful.  Hope you think so, too!

=] Michele

Color Hues #99!

Another color challenge?  Yes, please!  This Color Hues #99 and a sweet color combo from my friend Marcia who is our hostess with the most-est this time! BONUS: my sweet friend Bonnie is the newest member of the CH team - congratulations, Bonnie!

Although the combo doesn't really sing Winter or Christmas, I had two friends

who were not ready to get put away, and they proved me wrong!  

They said 'Let's play' so play we did!

A plain old piece of pink, and a paper pad from HoneyBee, provided all the pink and aqua a girl could need for her Spellbinder friends.  A little embossing on the

pink [cut first then emboss], and glossy accents on the aqua bulbs were just enough glitz to pair with that glittery star that topped the tree bear.

Okay.  Say 'see you next year', my Festive Friends!

And I'll see YOU all soon, too!

=] Michele

Color Throwdown #820 Featured Stamper!

Imagine how thrilled I am to be playing cards with Color Throwdown this week as their Featured Artist for THIS card!

Hello again, my friends!  I am getting more and more comfortable using color on my cards and I have my friends at Color Throwdown to thank for it.  Each week we are given a new trio of colors - and some pretty incredible photos to be inspired by, too.

What's my dilemma each week?  Which set do I use!  SO many sets from my [huge] stash of products will do nicely for Color Throwdown #820:

My floral-loving eye was drawn to all those lovely Fall flowers.  So, I picked a few Copic markers and went to work using a lovely swag from Wplus9 ...

I may be a bit obsessed with my newest Bark embossing folder

from Simon Hurley for Spellbinders'   

Just look at that detail!

I skipped that original choice of sentiment for this little sentiment strip from my

stash - it left nearly all those flowers showing.

What do you think about the 'kraft' tones on the leaves?  Gosh, I do love neutrals.

Know what else I love?  This guy... Spellbinders' Small Die: October 2024

Hey!  I used TWO shades of rust, and that amber plaid with

tons of kraft card both embossed [SSS Fall Foliage] and 

die-cut [Gina Marie Designs - remember that day, Marcia?]

I sent both of my card photos to Susie at Color Throwdown - let's go see which one she picked!  While you're there, check out all the amazing cards from their talented team and why not play along?  I'll be watching for you!

Thanks a ton, CTD!

=] Michele

Love those Pretty Papers Fall: November 2024

Just a quick little post with a card made with Spellbinders' Woodland Tales 6x6 paper pack.  Honestly, I was a bit disappointed with the paper as it is thinner than I like. BUT, after playing with those stackable 3D characters from Marcia a few weeks ago, I put my thinking cap on and just had to use this guy... probably the reason I bought the pad in the first place!

There are two sheets of each design included in the pack.

One was cut to 4 1/8" by 5 1/4" - I fussy-cut out the fox from the second

and glued him to a sheet of Hammermill paper - heavy enough to give him stability, and thin enough to cut without my hand cramping - hey, it's a thing!

I mounted the hand cut fox over the top using foam squares and

was happy with the 3D effect I had hoped for!

I added some script with Delicata Silver ink which added a lovely bit

of shimmer to the paper.  A sentiment strip from my stash, and another left 

over from tomorrow's card was lifted in the same manner as the fox. 

Three pretty grey enamel dots topped it off.

Thanks for stopping by!  I'm off to deliver this one over to 

Love those Pretty Papers: Fall 

Michele

It's that [most wonderful] time of year!

It's not a record-breaking performance, but I've written the sentiments, signed and stuffed 195 one-of-a-kind Christmas cards for Bring Smiles to Seniors!  Yay!

2024 will be extra special as this year, I'm hand-delivering these to two assisted living centers in my very own community - if only I could be present when each one is opened! 

Now, I have plenty of time to get those holiday cards I send to family and friends ready for the post!  

A few weeks ago, I shared a new stencil from Alex Syberia but haven't shared the die set I added to my stash: Whimsy Blooms Bouquet!  Here are the first cards made using this fun set - two styled as Mistletoe:

I only wish I owned that SU! Dashing Designs embossing folder - but I know just where to

go to make a few more as needed - Thanks, Marcia!

The debossed detail on this card base is using ASD's Mermaid's Melody

cover plate on PTI Scarlet cardstock.

I'm sure you will all 'get it' when I tell you the final push to 

buy this set was that gorgeous bow.

Okay, the blooms are darling - yes, whimsical - too!

The 'dots' are another cover plate from ASD: Tiny Dots.

Speaking of Mistletoe - one more... Marcia brought me the sweetest little PB set for my birthday!  Thanks tons my sweet friend! [btw I now have the die, too!]

I found this embossed C&9th Juniper panel in my stash -

let's just say it steered my coloring today.

That PB Classy Frame has really had a workout - I love it!

I'll be back soon - until then, stay crafty my friends!

Michele

Penny Black on Saturday Challenge reminder!

Me again! lol Just a quick post to tell you that we're thrilled to see all the 'scenes' you've made for the November Penny Black on Saturday Challenge!  I have a cute reminder for you - so many PB stamps... so many scenes possible!

This time my scene shows these Copic-colored PB's Cuddle Up cuties have a Christmas card to post - looks like they've had plenty of snow, but they don't mind a bit as they are bundled up very well and sweetly! 

Supporting Products:

PB Double Frames

PB Music Background [on card base and first frame] with Delicata Silver ink

Wplus9's Vintage Ephemera [on upper frame] also in silver ink

HoneyBee: Pinstripes & Polka Dots pp

PB Cuddle Up sentiment in a Pinkfresh Studio label die

The Greetery: Drifting [snow] die

You have plenty of time to make a card or two to share - remember that scene is an optional thing!  We can't wait to see you in the Penny Black on Saturday Challenge gallery!

Thanks for stopping by - and thanks again to the PBSC team for the honor of being their November 2024 Guest Designer!

=] Michele

The Flower Challenge #97 Reminder

There's still plenty of time to get those FLORAL thank you cards made to share

with us before delivering it to your Thanksgiving hostess!  Wait.  If you're cooking, I hope someone will deliver their thanks to YOU!

I promised I'd use that 'leftover' panel of curry paper - after all, 'leftovers' are

the best part of Thanksgiving!  I softened the look with a slip of vellum:

But I just couldn't bear to cover much of it - it is a THANKS challenge!

This old SSS Sunflower outline die was just the ticket!

I finished it off with a sentiment that was gifted to me by my friend Nora - I stamped it in Versafine Tuxedo black and fussy-cut it!

Okay, friends.  I'm off to see if YOU have added your own 

thank-you card to our gallery!

BTW there's much to be thankful for in our team reminder gallery, too!

Michele

How do you bring light to a gloomy day?

The view outside my studio window is pretty gloomy - 

A little game of 'where's Waldo' with Mr. Cardinal helped bring a smile...

Did you find him?

This gives me the perfect opportunity to share that I discovered the 'culprit' with

linking my card the other day... it was the TITLE or FILE NAME of my photo!

Yep, take it from me: do not use punctuation in your file names - one lousy 

little apostrophe caused a great big headache with that Linky Tool! lol

I decided to embrace the day with an all-neutral card made with another birthday gift from a very dear friend - Concord & 9th's Autumn Inlay had been on my list

for a while... thank you for giving it a tick sweet friend!

The sentiments here are from Pigment Craft Co.'s Split Sentiments: Autumn.

a smattering of gold paint brought all the light it needed - see if you agree...

When my world gets a little too dreary, all it takes is a very white, beautifully bright CAS card to brighten my world.  Every year I make some iteration of this card, but today's is especially for Jen T. at Freshly Made Sketches #662!

A few old favorite dies from EH backed by a brand-new embossing folder

Bark from Simon Hurley for Spellbinders!  

This sentiment from The Ton allows

me to share it with Just us Girls: Word Week JOY!

Thanks for dropping by today - your kindness always shoos that gloom away!

Michele 

Just us Girls - one more time!

This is not a duplicate post - I'm just testing the workings of Blogger and making another attempt to post this card to the JUGS #752 challenge!  OY - why does this happen?  I haven't done anything differently!

 

If you'd like to know more about this card, please visit my last post!

Thank you! 

A [much-needed] Playdate with Marcia!

I'm so thankful for the light and friendship my friend Marcia brings my way!  We had a much-needed playdate last week!  Today we'll share the fruits of our friendship and shared supplies with all of you... btw you are ALL there in our hearts!

Penny Black is getting the spotlight - is there anyone who doesn't adore their little characters?  Marcia had a few that I asked to play with again - and I brought a few sets for her to play with the last time the playtime train stopped at her house!

Ready. set. go.... I love this little tike so much that I thought I owned her... that was remedied right after I colored this one...

PB Sweet Sledder stamped in black and Copic colored.

Her little friend is from the PB Sharing a Song set.

I framed this scene inside one of the layers from their Double Frames set.

PB Bundled Buddies the look on this little guy's face says it all!  His buddy is

indeed 'opening wide!'  Cut with a Wplus9 rectangle die of yore and 

mounted over a piece of PF patterned paper.

And then, this little sweetie that Marcia 'forgot' she had!  OH, am I glad 

she found it tucked among her PB supplies!

PB Let's Chill is the star of this little snowy scene.

I love their attention to detail - look at that frosty breath!

Those PB Classy Frames... could be among my favorite purchases of the year.

Bobby sends me a stack of these embossed panels - I only have one left, Bobby!

It's perfectly drifting snow, I think.

I'll be sending this one to Just us Girls #752 Blue and Gold color challenge:

Can you handle two more?  Marcia generously shared her stash of Craft Consortium 3D Decoupage pages with me... such fun!  When done they reminded me of Christmas cards my parents used to receive!

Christmas Market

Christmas Carolers that I made into a shaker card!

[note to LeAnne - this might be a good stand-in for that blue

Concord & 9th Powder]

The sentiments on both of these were in my stash.

Okay. that's enough for today... thanks so much for stopping by!  I'm off to see the wizardry Marcia has up her sleeve using my sets - you'll join me, right?  

Michele

Spellbinders' Florals through the Year Collection

My friends at Spellbinders reach out on occasion and I'm happy to say yes quite often - especially when the release includes Betterpress items.  I'm honored and happy to help them introduce their Florals through the Year collection for Betterpress!

I chose November, December, and January from the collection.  There is a flower, month, and flower name in each set!  Here are the cards I created:

You might imagine how easy it was to ink each portion of 

this pretty Chrysanthemum, right?  The floral name and month

are each separate so you can place them where and as you wish.

Inking up December's birth flower: Holly was a bit more difficult,

but I found a way - ink the entire plate, then clean the ink off of the berries

and use a corner of the ink pad to add red - in this case BP Mulberry -

to just the berries.  Easy peas-y!

It was also easy to fussy-cut this one - did you notice?

Do NOT give me credit for cleverness - it was a little 'cover up' job!

Okay - this next month was the tricky one:  most of us know that Snowdrops

are white, right?  but I didn't want to veer from my CAS white card design.

The answer?  Make them icy blue which worked its charm, I think.

Of course I sneaked in a bit of grey - wink.

I reached for one of my favorite set of dies to finish the edges of my panels: Hemstitched Rectangles!

Have you noticed that cute little easel?  Yep, it's a die from Spellbinders' too!

The DIY Easel contains three dies [that cut and score] with the 

addition of a strip that completes the base.

With a bit of tape or glue it practically puts itself together.

There are big savings when you buy the 'bundle' of monthly plates, but at $9.99 it's nice to choose just the flowers you like or for the members of your family!  

You may be interested to know that there is a Calendar Press Plate set for 2025 that allows one to create a custom calendar using the Floral plates - or anything else that you think suits each month of the year!

Thank you, Yana for the invitation - and Spellbinders for these lovely new Florals through the Year collection of Betterpress products!

Until the next time, thanks for stopping by ... 

Michele