A day with Bobby!

It was great fun to have both Bobby and Marcia here together but don't think the fun stopped there!  

Bobby and I had the better part of the next day together and shared lots of our supplies.  I got right to work putting all those die cuts together and today I'll share what became of our playtime together and Bobby will, too!

Believe me when I tell you that Bobby's supply of HoneyBee die sets is out of this world!  Let's start with her Autumn Bouquet tucked onto the HB Rattan Basket:

I found a really dark wood design paper from Craft Consortium [cut with an EH rectangle die] that really let that bouquet shine!  Then I tucked in a teensy sentiment from

The Greetery's Market Basket sentiments.

Of course, I couldn't stop at just one...

this time, they were tucked into her HB Wooden Crate and topped

with one of two birds from HB Winter Birds: the Chickadee!

My card front wears a panel I've embossed with SU! Exposed Brick 3D EF

As Bobby often does, I've left this one without a sentiment - I

think it would be a wonderful masculine bd card, don't you?

While I had those Winter birds in hand, I cut the Cardinal, too!

I couldn't craft for a day without making a Christmas card - or two!

Anybody recognize that string of lights??  If you guessed this guy 

from Spellbinder's Festive Friends you're a winner!

Bobby and I actually FINISHED one of our cards together!  Here's mine:

We cut his sweater out of those new Scrapbook.com papers - I just

love the little snowman that landed right where it should be... can

you find it?  

I loved seeing you again 'for reals' Bobby!  It has been a very long time.  Thanks for coming, for your wonderful gift, and for sharing in our 'Blondie' adventure! 

Thanks, my friends, for stopping by - I can't wait to see all the cards Bobby has to share - join me, if you haven't already been there, please!

=] Michele

Group of Seven: Embossing with Dies!

The Group of Seven Cardmakers are at it again and I happen to LOVE their current technique so here I am joining in the fun! 

I have used many of my cover dies as embossing plates before, but this set of circular Penny Black Ripples has never been cut apart!  So, each time I use it there are multitudes of frames cut, and many are tucked into the packaging for later use... we all know how that goes.  

Take a look at it used to emboss...

Just in case you're wondering, here is how I was able to create all those lovely

HoneyBee Peony layers using Distress re-inkers on Bristol paper!

Thanks for always inspiring me to try another technique with you ladies!

Maybe you have a secret disappearing laundry trick up your sleeves?

=] Michele

The Paper Players and Just us Girls!

I love it when I've made a card, and it just so happens to fit in a challenge or two!  

Carol at Just us Girls #790 is asking for stenciled images, and The Paper Players #753 has a tic-tac-toe board for us this week!  I've chosen the top row: Celebration, Flowers, and Stencil...let's see if Joanne will accept 'thanks' as a celebration of friendship as this card wouldn't be possible without one friend in particular!

I couldn't resist some bright bold colors for Marcia's PTI In the Meadow stencil.

She fussy-cut one of those pretty blooms for this card last week - I dug 

into my stash and found one of those emboss-and-cut sets from SSS.  Those

stenciled blooms reminded me of this Alstroemeria!

Of course, because this was a stenciled creation, it fit Carol's challenge at JUGS, too!

Hope your weekend has been grand!

=] Michele

Playing Cards with Friends - for reals!

I had such fun hosting a real-life card making party at my home last week with my wonderful friends Bobby and Marcia!  Bobby had a construction-laden, THREE+ hour drive from her summer cottage here in Michigan to join me - I made sure I made it worth the drive [at least I hope I did] ... lots of fun stenciling amongst friends so we could have a good old-fashioned gab fest while inking!

Marcia brought along her newest PTI In the Meadow stencil collection, Bobby brought a beautiful SSS Elegant Rose [and a lovely card made with it tucked into a wonderful hostess gift!] and I pulled out a trio of Ella Pumpkins from The Ton - not new, but 'tis almost the season for it!

If course there was too much gabbing, eating, sharing and laughing to actually make cards from our inked images so we each made a trio of cards in our own crafty spaces to share on our own personal blogs and with YOU!  Ready. set. go... in alphabetical order:

I took my time fussy-cutting one edge of Bobby's Elegant Rose stenciled image so

I could tuck in a bit of texture with my SU! Exposed Brick EF on old olive.

A true statement that is - even though it looks a little crooked after editing! OY!

I added just a sprinkle of teensy black gems from Spellbinders and popped 

it up with thin foam strips for dimension.  Here are the inks used:

next up: Marcia's wonderful PTI In the Meadow...

I really did NOT want to cover any of this beauty - a thin 'thanks' from C&9th and a smattering of gems after embossing with my SU! Subtle Texture and my card seemed just right!

And one final card - my Ella Pumpkins - there was one guy at our Farmers' Market

who always had the most wonderful Cinderella Pumpkins in his stall.  They

are the inspiration for my colors...

The plaid is stenciled, too - an oldie from Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous #thm097

all topped off with a little PTI sentiment on a speech bubble from Pretty Pink Posh.

I do love our sisterhood of craft and am blessed by your friendship, ladies!

As Porky would stammer be dee, be dee, be dee that's all folks!!

Let's go see what wonders came together at Bobby and Marcia's blogs, shall we? 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I sure wish I had room for ALL of you at once, 

but know my door is open if ever the opportunity arises for each of you!

=] Michele

The Paper Players #752

I'm back!  and it looks like I'm just in the nick of time! Jaydee's sketch is a fun one over at The Paper Players #752 - you do know that I love a good sketch, right?  Take a peek ...

Bobby brought me a very beautiful hostess gift last week - it is never expected but always appreciated - besides, who would say no to this C&9th Eclectic Garden die set?  Thanks, Bobby!

Our hummingbirds are arguing over the three feeders we have for them - thus the

zig-zagging stitch lines [C&9th Kristina's Finishing Touches]to represent their flight!!  My 'polka-dotty' paper is from HoneyBee's Pinstripes and Polka Dots collection. A C&9th sentiment from their Spring Print Sentiments was perfect for the last detail!

Now, I'd better get this card into the PP752 gallery before that window closes!

=] Michele

Freshly Made Sketches #701

Thanks so much for all the wonderful cards made to celebrate last week's 700th Sketch!  We have a very fun Sketch from Jen Brum this week for Freshly Made Sketches #701!  

I am doing a little advance planning for my brother-in-law who is retiring in November.  He loves nothing more than fishing - in his boat or even through the ice - and I know he'll appreciate this a-LURE-ing card... yes, I did give Jen's sketch a tip onto its side, but I know she won't mind a bit!

Anytime these HoneyBee Lovely-Layers: Lures can come out to play is a-okay with me - and their sentiments from Hooked on You are so clever, too!

Be sure to check out Jen's card to see how her sketch was inspired and how all the other designers brought it to life, too!  Right HERE!

=] Michele

Color Throwdown #839

When I see this color combo, I normally reach for my Christmas supplies as it is a favorite for the holiday cards I make.  But, this time, I had something else in mind.  Take a look at the colors Vickie has chosen for us at Color Throwdown #839...

These sweet little cherries were too perfect to go with a holiday card...

BUT I did find that sweet diagonal aqua/red/white stripe among

the new Scrapbook.com papers I recently purchased!  Isn't it so sweet

with these darling Concord & 9th Cherry Sweet dies?  I added a debossed

scallop from Reverse Confetti - out of business - and popped those

sweet cherries up on a PTI Love to Layer: Delightful Bracket panel and tied my sentiment tag [The Greetery- Tear Strip Tags die] with red and white twine 

and my card is complete!

Thanks, Vickie - I LOve your color picks!

=] Michele

Color Hues - second helpings!

Hello again!!  a wonderful gift from a darling friend [thanks, T!] arrived and it jumped right out of its packaging and into my crafty hands!  I have to thank Donna M. for inspiring my first use... and my shopping choices! mmmwaaaaaah!

 Pinkfresh Studios: Field Florals die and stencils.  Hello from The Stamp Market.

Splatters with Tambi Gansai white gold watercolor paint.  And an embossing folder

that Donna sent me years ago called Pinstripes... oh, and these inks:

Julie's color combo at Color Hues #116 and all the inks I used yesterday were still out on my desk this morning - it warranted second helpings with this new set!

HoneyBee Burlap embossing on Cornflower blue cardstock from The Stamp Market.

and a premade silver-foiled sentiment... maybe Pinkfresh?  and these inks:

I'm going back in!  Can you imagine how many color combinations I could use on those wonderful flowers - I see tulips everytime I color them!

=] Michele

Color Hues #116

Julie Beech has a wonderful color combo for us this time at Color Hues #116 - sorry it has taken me so long to get a card made for you, Julie!

I had my hot little hands on this stencil, and I wasn't going to let it go again until

I used every color combination I could think of ... this one's just for you!

For someone who claims to not like blue, these 

shades of blue leaves make me quite happy! 

Sorry I've been MIA - don't think for a moment that I haven't been

creating cards!  Lots to share at the end of the week - hope you'll stop back!

=] Michele

C&9th hello

SU! Timeworn Type

PTI In the Meadow stencils

Freshly Made Sketches 700th Challenge!!

14 years!!  Now THAT is cause for a celebration!  Congratulations to Freshly Made Sketches - I haven't played along since the beginning, but you've surely been a regular in my roundup of challenges for at least 10 years!  AND I cannot even tell you how honored I am to be on your design team now!  YIPPEE!!

Are you ready for our Sketch?  We're playing with FMS#14! This one is from December 7, 2011!  Jen Timko has made it even more fresh... thanks, Jen!

SURPRISE!!!  not the card you were expecting??  This is the first Freshly Made Sketch card I ever made, and it was for their 200th Celebration!

I couldn't have a 700th party without bringing the girls home again...

And here is that card you were expecting ... how can there be a party without boos?

I've stretched Jen's square into a rectangle this time and found some

really fun Halloween papers in a new set from Scrapbook.com's Spooky collection!

That little BOO is from EH and the die-cut sentiment is from Cathy Z at SSS.

I sure do hope you all join us in celebrating our 700th Sketch!  We can't wait to see what fun you bring to the party!

=] Michele

Color Throwdown #838

Marcia and I celebrated Christmas a tad bit early this year - and she even gave me my birthday present in July, too!  I couldn't wait another moment to share my first card using this wonderful SU! Sunflowers EF - thanks, so very much, my sweet friend!

a simple sentiment was all it needed!

I couldn't believe my luck when I saw the challenge at 

Color Throwdown #838...

I hope you've had a wonderful weekend!

=] Michele

The Flower Challenge - Reminder #105

Besides the usual stickles, sequins, enamel dots, and an occasional button, I seldom 'embellish' my cards much.  But THIS card made in 2015 kept coming to mind and I couldn't help but remake it for my reminder at The Flower Challenge #105.

I've used the same background stamp from MFT: Roses All Over which was white heat-embossed onto clear heat-resistant acetate.

But here are the differences: I added lots of glamour with the glitter card panel which you are able to see through the acetate cover, and the ribbon found in 

my stash - a very old collection from Dear Lizzy:

You'll look beyond my reflection - there is nothing but creamy white and glitter here.

Okay, okay - there is one of those Betterpress-ed sentiments using Altenew Sicilian Amber ink.

Of course, we've been loving how you have embellished your floral cards - you have time to make another!  There is plenty more inspiration from our TFC team HERE!

=] Michele

Freshly Made Sketches #699

Hello my friends!  May I ask: if it's okay for Christmas cards in July, can it also be okay to make Halloween cards in August?  Verena gave me all the Halloween vibes I needed with her fun Freshly Made Sketch #699 ...

Are you feelin' the vibes??  How about now...

Clean. Simple. boo-ti-ful.  Maybe too cute to spook?  How about this...

But don't think that YOU have to go all spooky with it!  No!

You can make that circle into anything your heart desires!

Let's go see what Verena had in mind when she designed FMS699!

=] Michele

Color Hues #115

Now how could I pass on a challenge that includes grey??  no WAY!  I just so happened to have made a Christmas card recently and it conveniently uses the current Color Hues Challenge, colors!

Looking at my card, you'll see that even my pink has grey 

undertones... I hope that's okay!

A few more papers from Scrapbook.com's Winter pattern collection

combined with an older EH set and Wplus9's Postage die set.

Whadayaknow!  It's die day at D's place!

=] Michele