Playing Cards with Friends - Christmas in July!

Hello, friends!  It's time for another Playing Cards with Friends session.  But before I introduce July's friend, allow me to introduce our newest bird-family members:

Meet two of the five new Tree Swallow nestlings, at two weeks old, 

about a week before they left the nest box!  

They are now flying solo, and learning to hunt bugs on-the-fly with their parents!

Ask, and you shall receive!

Now, back to my Christmas in July guest...

My July card-playing friend is Jen Shears, a wonderful friend, and card-maker, who blogs at Jen Shears Designs.  Most often Jen can be found posting on Instagram @jen_shears where you'll be treated to very cute cards, but let me tell you - this girl has a green-thumb, too! Be sure to follow her there, I envy her cut-flower garden - and the friends and neighbors who receive her most wonderful bouquets!

When Jen accepted my invitation to play cards, I couldn't have been more happy to plan our Christmas in July theme with these parameters:

We will both use Papertrey Ink's Two Feet Deep 
with Red, and Kraft as our main colors, 
and one of the PTI Limitless Layer sets!

OKAY!  With those three things in mind, I headed into my craft studio and completely forgot the last guideline: Limitless Layers!!!  UGH!  But it's too cute not to share, and there's always room for one more Christmas card, right? 

Studio Katia European Window die, with a few hand-cut snow drifts of vellum.

So, back to the drawing board I went! My friend Jen is a downhill skier - how could I not use these darling skis from that set?  AND I remembered the Layers!  Sadly, this set of layer dies is no longer available.  sorry.

Hmmm.  I wonder if Jen will use the skis, too?  Let's not wonder any longer!  Join me, as I head over to visit Jen's blog here.  

Thanks so very much, Jen!  I sure hope we can make our dream of card-playing together for reals happen one day - I cannot wait to come back to the PNW - and appreciate you keeping 'my room' at the ready!  wink! xx

=]  Michele

I used MFT Natural cardstock as my 'white', and Neenah Desert Storm as my kraft.

Here are the inks used today:

CAS Mix Up July 2021

I'm briefly interrupting my unplugged stay-cation to play cards with my friend Coni over at CAS Mix Up July 2021 - here's the fun theme Coni has chosen ...  

My AI's really don't see the light of day often ... but I love how they worked on my PTI Linen vellum, Coni!  Hope you like it, too!  

Here are the inks, I've used...

With the help of a little pipette [thank you Tom] I was able to add a bit of interest, and depth to my Altenew Modern Poinsettia after embossing, without disturbing the original inking!  I've chosen gold heat-embossing as my one other Mixed Media element.

Here's a little closeup...

                                  

Okay back to my regularly UNscheduled day!  I'll be back soon!

=]  Michele

P.S.  Nearly forgot to add this one to the CAS Christmas Challenge, too!  Thank you for the reminder Christine! xx

The Flower Challenge Reminder #58

 

You may have noticed I haven't been around much?  I've been

stay-cationing with my husband, which included shutting down, and tuning out  blogging, social media, and crafting!  But I have enjoyed seeing the wonderful cards you have all made - from the sidelines!  Here is a little something I got done before shutting down! 

It's time to remind you that there is still time to enter 

The Flower Challenge #58 - Add spots, or Stripes!

I found the perfect bloom to wear the spots today - complete with a few stripes 

of its own design!  

Because it's nearly six months 'til Christmas, another card for my stash!

Yes, it's one of my favorite tropical Christmas blooms again...

the line design of this Altenew Modern Poinsettia combo provided the stripes I was

looking for - but those dots?  All mine, added with two shades of

pinkish red for my spots!

Have you played along?  You know you can play again, right?  But be sure to read the rules about how many times, okay?  I don't want to be the one to lead you astray!  Find our link, and rules here!

=]  Michele

Hey! Since this card features a Poinsettia, I'm sending it over to Linda, our host at 

CAS Christmas Challenge July 2021!

The Flower Challenge #58 - Spots or Stripes

Hello again, my friends!  Glad you stopped by - and hope you'll join us at The Flower Challenge this month as we find creative ways to add spots, or stripes to our floral designs!  

I may have been the luckiest crafter in the world for this challenge - see if you agree... here's a closeup to help...

Stripes, and spots! 

Altenew's Beautiful Heart is a layered stamp set - I've used the outline,

and just two of their 'stripe-y' layers to add color!  See how sneaky I am?

Our Guest Designer this month is the fabulous Enna from Ritzybaubles.com  do check out her blog/Instagram if you have a minute as she makes such fabulous cards.

Which will you choose?  Spots or Stripes?  Either way, don't forget to add a flower!  Let's go see what my teammates have chosen, shall we... The Flower Challenge crew always inspires me!

=]  Michele

Waffle Flower Pastel Rainbow in a Cup!

I'm normally not a rainbow and Unicorn kind of girl, but let me tell you... I just can't stop playing with this sweet wonky Rustic Rainbow from Waffle Flower!  Good thing they keep having Challenges to use them again, and again!  Thanks, ladies, for Week 3's inspiration!

Using blending brushes to color my rainbow arches helps to keep the colors more pastel...

My husband thinks my card is magical ... hope Waffle Flower does, too!

JJ's Oversized Rainbow combo completes my rainbow cards so perfectly!

a bit of me inside:  I have a latte to share with you - let's have a cuppa soon!

Even if my day doesn't begin with a rainbow, it always seems brighter after my first cuppa!!   My big mug was created with WF's Nested Domes dies - those steamy clouds [attached to heavy acetate] are the perfect counter balance to keep my cup upright!

Hope your day is magical!

=]  Michele

New Inks!

Hi, my friends!  June is about to be ripped off the calendar!  It's HOT it's Summertime, and I was feeling the need for more color in my crafty life!  

I had wonderful guidance about The Stamp Market inks from my friend Marcia who recently purchased two of the purple shades that she was missing from her own collection ... it didn't take much convincing, believe me.  We have similar taste, and share certain wants/requirements when it come to coverage, depth of color, and the type of pad we like the most.  I trusted her judgement!

I have been, and will continue to be, a big fan of Catherine Pooler inks.  The Stamp Market colors I chose fill the gaps in my CP collection, and add some really fun ones, too.  

Ready to see my first play?   Here you go!

I brought out that sweet stencil from The Greetery again - you all seemed to love it

as much as I do!  But after stenciling, I won't waste a bit of that ink [Citrine is quickly becoming my favorite!] left on the stencil!  Oh no, I just spritz the inky side and quickly flip it over onto a piece of Canson water color cold press paper - waste not, want not!

Here are the inks I used for these first two cards:

Because I also bought a few greens, and darker shades of ink, my next card is a bit more on the moody side... it reminds me of the colors used in vintage upholstery fabrics, or an Audubon painting!  [see how beautifully that Citrine plays with the greens?]  Jade, and Navy leaves?  Yes, please!

FINALLY I've found a true, dark, saturated Navy!  Here are the rest of the inks:

To all of my PNW, and friends in Northern California - stay cool, my friends, and SAFE!!  Your temperatures bring new meaning to hot, Hot, HOT!!!

Thanks for your visit - and even more for leaving me your thoughts...

=]  Michele

The Stamp Market:  Tropical Blooms and dies, Petal Perfection and dies, So Very Much and dies, and Leafy card stock.

Altenew:  Angled Mosaic 3D embossing folder, Rounded Rectangle die set

Papertrey Ink:  Dark Indigo card stock

The Greetery:  Berry Branch - thanks again my friend!

Pinkfresh Studio's Jewels 

Playing cards with Shirley again!

I've had another day of play with Shirley Bampton, and her fun Bee's Knees products from Stamplorations ... you'll never guess which set I used for this split-four panel:

Here are the citrus-y colored inks - there's a hint...

Have you guessed yet?  Here it is:

Here are my four cards that I've stamped with just the solid stamps, then cut into four panels, and either embossed, or debossed, for some extra fun!

A few die cut sentiments, and these are ready to wrap as a notecard set!

Shirley has made a batch of her own citrus-y cards!  Let's head over to see them, shall we?  You'll also find her at Stamplorations today!

Thanks so much for dropping in!

=]  Michele

Supplies:

Stamplorations Layered Citrus 

Cutplorations cover dies: Circles all Over, and Wonky Stitched Grid

Altenew Mod Squares, and Geo Steps embossing folders