buh, buh, buh Bird is the WORD!

I have a second card for you today ... I'll make this quick as I know you are all getting ready for the weekend!

Just us Girls #718 and Time Out #259 have teamed up for their challenges - what a dynamic duo they are!  It's Word Week at JUGS and BIRD is the word!  Time Out's theme is Birds of a Feather!  I brought out a set from way back in 2016 that continues to make me smile... hope it makes them smile, too!

Is it crazy that I miss hanging out the laundry?  There are so many

Bluebirds that 'flock' when I open the patio door - I'm sure it

would soon be covered by their 'beautiful mess!'

I think it's those walking between the buildings in my urban scene

who need to watch out below!  LOL

Thanks, JUGS and Time Out for giving me a reason to bring these fun Wplus9's Happy Birds out to play again.  Altenew's Masonry Wall embossing folder had its first spin through the machine today!  I did a little 'precision' cutting to create the windowsills from which the clothesline stretches between buildings.  My very appropriate sentiment also comes from Altenew: Crafty Friends... I even found the 'droppings' there!  A few MFT clouds were subtly stenciled in the sky and I used Altenew's Orange Blossom dies to make the trees!

Happy weekend, everyone!  Thanks for hanging out with me this week!

=] Michele

The Flower Challenge #89 Reminder

I hope by now you are all aware that it's HIP to be square - at least it is over at The Flower Challenge #89 - and you have until the 25th of the month to get those cards in our gallery!  

I found another wonderful image from Altenew for my reminder: Book Engravings - stamps, dies, and embossing folder all made it into my cart back during the

inventory reduction sale in December.

I reached for a handful of pretty aquas and greens from my Copic collection:

... then mounted the die cut pieces over top of the embossed image on my 

5" SQUARE card base!

Here's another sentiment from Spellbinders' - A Little Message.

I finished it inside: Big birthdays, deserve BIG wishes!! 

I know just the perfect person with the best sense of humor who will appreciate that one!

Okay!  If you haven't added one or more squares to our gallery yet, you have plenty of time - so what are you waiting for?  Maybe a little more inspiration will help?  You'll find everything you need over at The Flower Challenge blog!

=] Michele

Freshly Made Sketches #627

I have a very sweet little teacup die from Waffle Flower Crafts to share today - after assembling it, I thought it was a perfect fit for Karren's Sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches #627!  Just what the weatherman ordered on a dark and rainy day!

As you can clearly see, the flowers are all one piece - I simple cut

them from white and used a damp brush and ink to carefully add color.

BTW micropore tape is great for holding it all together on the back.

ANOTHER Betterpress-ed sentiment and eyelet trim from my snippets - even the turquoise Hemstitched oval was found there!  Talk about quick and easy!

I'm enjoying every minute of this rainy day - hope you have a day to play!

=] Michele

Double D and Four Seasons Spring 2024

Hello, my friends!  I had a little time yesterday for stamping between loads and after seeing the adorable inspiration from Darlene and Diane, Spring flowers won the day!  

I love my Altenew tulips!  I can't resist them year after year!  Today I was feeling peachy - peachy orange-y more like...

My panel of paper was a little off-sized, so I created a secret 

space for an additional sentiment by hinging one side and 

securing it to the top of my card base with double-sided tape.

The other edge was treated to more of that lovely PF edging, and EH

x-stitching.  

I lined up two of the 'eyelets', marked them with a pencil and then used my

poke-y tool to punch through just the top of my card base for some quilting thread.

I'm wondering if the recipient will know there is something behind

'door number one?' lol

My newly planted tulips are peeking out - I only hope they are as pretty as these

First Signs of Spring from Double D!

For my second card?  I just repeated the inks for these Altenew Narcissus...

Not quite as pretty as those Jonquils in the Four Seasons inspiration photo but

as Farmer Hoggett would say: 'that'll do pig.'

Maybe there will be more stamping today?  Ya think?  I hope your day includes a little stamping - if so, I know D & D would love to have you play along, too!

=] Michele

Freshly Made Sketches #626

My sweet friend has gone home - I'm going to be mighty lonely tomorrow I just know it! I had a wonderful time and I hope TK did, too!  More from our play day with Marcia, soon!

Yesterday while TK was stamping, I threw together what I 'thought' would be a cute card for Freshly Made Sketches #626... man, I should have taken a photo of Cecile's wonderful Sketch!  I even forgot it was supposed to be a SQUARE!  Oh well.  Here's my card...

This card measures 4 x 7 inches and features a cute CCC set called Birthday Wishing and

a few very old die-cut balloons from SSS cut from very old MFT paper.

Though it can't be seen, I Wink-of-Stella'd the top balloon, and the ribbon on their gift.  

Sorry I didn't have time for second helpings, Cecile - I promise I'll do better next time!

=] Michele

Color Hues #82

We had BIG thunderstorms during the night last night - I had high hopes of finding beautiful green grass this morning... okay, the neighbors' lawns look pretty green! ha!

Tracey's colors over at Color Hues #82 gave me the chance to get all the green I'd hoped for in paper form... here are the shades of turquoise and green I used on my card.

I found the perfect GREEN cover panel in my snippets - it was even better after running 

it through my machine with an irregularly inked-up Timeworn Type embossing folder 

from Stampin' Up.

Today IS a perfect day to be happy - I'm heading to the airport soon to pick up my friend - she and I have never met!  Good thing we exchanged photos, right? Hey! Maybe we'll make second helpings together?

=] Michele

The Flower Challenge #89

Hello, my friends!  It's that time again - this month at The Flower Challenge we're changing the shape of things... okay maybe just the shape of your card!

Square cards are great for tucking into a gift, for a quick note, and are easy to fill up with some of those larger image stamps in our stash.  Take this gorgeous image from Altenew's Build-A-Garden: Pristine Peonies for instance.  

I stamped the largest of the two images in the set onto Neenah 80# cardstock and used the coordinating stencils to add shades of purple and green.  The image was cut using its die and mounted onto a 4x4" piece of purple card that had been embossed with my SU Tasteful Textile folder before adding it to my 4.25" square card base.  Easy peasy!  Another sweet little Betterpress-ed sentiment from Spellbinders' A little Message set completes my square card.

So, are you willing to be a little square along with us this month?  We sure hope so!  You'll find tons of inspiration over at The Flower Challenge Blog!

=] Michele