Freshly Made Sketches #622

Jen Mitchell has the cutest Sketch #622 for us at Freshly Made Sketches and their team really made it shine in many ways.  

Here is how it came together in my studio:

This one features a piece of paper I've been hoarding for years - only the best will do for the friend who will receive this little cutie for her birthday!  My little 'arctic' fox is from the HoneyBee Heart Hugs set of dies and the 'ruffle' is an oldie from 

Pinkfresh Studios: Essentials Lacy Edgers.  I tied a slender piece of grey satin ribbon around this panel to represent the band on Jen's sketch.  A few balloons, a sentiment from CCC and my card is complete!

I hope Jen [and the birthday girl] likes it!  

=] Michele

Color Hues #80 Red and Pink!

I always make more Valentines than I send.  I get caught up in the colors and before you know it, there are four new cards in my stash!  That's what happened when I started designing my card for Color Hues #80 - Red and Pink! 

My binder of stencils was out, and I found an oldie from Artplorations that nearly jumped into my hands.  You may remember the last time I used it in yellow - it is still one of my favorite makes!  Here she is again in a gradient from pink to red - a closeup of all that fabulous gloss seems in order ...

Since red and pink don't ALWAYS have to be saved for Valentine's Day, 

I used a fun sentiment stamp/die from Pigment Craft Co. - but 

added a little heart with it - did you find it?

You know by now that I don't like to waste ink ... here is my 'clean up'

which was die cut before adding another hello friend!

Which card do you think will be sent to the Color Hues gallery?  You'll have to go see and why not play along while you're there? 

=] Michele

p.s. I LOve their new look!

Four Seasons - Winter February 2024

There is always so much to love about the photo boards at Four Seasons' challenge - take a look for yourself... 

I don't think you'll have trouble seeing my inspiration - but I did combine the creamy gorgeousness of the top right, with the frozen berries of the bottom left and then just took it for a little heartfelt spin:

My Stickles 'snow' absorbed the ink from these lovely Winterberries from 

The Greetery - but I'm okay with it!  

They were arranged onto an MFT stitched heart and a sweet little Betterpress-ed sentiment finishes it off!

What's left of the leaves on my own Winterberry bushes are this lovely

brown - the berries have all been eaten by our sweet Bluebirds!

I've taken the hint of grey from the depths of the berry bushes in the photo - but come on, since when do I need an excuse to add grey?

The Greetery's Berry Branch was the perfect stencil to reach for IMHO.

I have quite a list of friends with February birthdays, so this one is ready for the mail - I'd better get a stamp on it!

=] Michele

The Flower Challenge #88

Hello, everyone!  Welcome back to The Flower Challenge - we've had a break and the design team are ready to start sharing our florals with you, and to see all the gorgeous floral cards you share with US!  

It's February and what more appropriate assignment could we have than 'add a heart?'  I did a deep dive into my stash and found a well-loved set that seems perfect for our challenge - you've undoubtedly seen this one before...

Today I made this heart-shaped bouquet to you in my favorite orange...

after white heat-embossing them onto water-friendly, mixed media paper.

Another 'old meets brand new' design today - I added this gorgeous stencil

to my Waffle Flower order in December.  Lightly stenciled onto the same 

paper it gives the look of vellum, right?

I adore this little heart-shaped bouquet of roses.  But you're going to adore all the ways my teamies have found to add a heart to their cards - you'll find them right HERE!  I can't wait to see how YOU will put your heart into your card!

Thanks for stopping by!

=] Michele

FMS#621 - Kinda like those chips...

I couldn't resist taking Jen's circles from her Freshly Made Sketches #621 for a second spin - this time using a square card!  Here's a guy who like me would never stop at one chip...

I subbed in a cloud for the top circle, but it won't rain on his parade.

This old favorite from Ellen Hutson never lets me down - the EF is an oldie

from The Paper Studio... name unknown.

Hope you have some crafty fun planned for this weekend!

=] Michele 

Freshly Made Sketches #621

Jen T. has a darling Sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches - these two couldn't wait to play...

A little bit of stamp surgery allowed me to carry on this sentiment inside my card.

Another 'golden oldie' from MFT that contains so many cute kittens

it was hard to choose which ones to use!  

The circles are from Waffle Flower's Nesting Circle Frames die set 

cut from cardboard - all popped up on a white woodgrain paper.

I'm so happy that January is behind us, aren't you?  Counting down the Winter months is easier when playing cards!  

Happy weekend eve, everyone!  Thanks for spending some of your precious time with me this week!

=] Michele

Can You Handle the Pressure? January 2024

 As much as I love embossing folders, one would think that I'd play along with Can You Handle the Pressure every. single. month.  But, as often as I use them, they aren't often the 'star' of the card .... until today!  SO!  For January 2024's challenge - with the twist of making it a birthday card - I'm making a statement with this gorgeous number from SSS: Lilac Clusters...

I used the EF technique of inking the negative side of the folder with Matcha ink and

spritzing with a fine spray of water before pressing.  It left the lilacs the creamy white of my watercolor paper for simply water coloring with Sugarplum ink!

With the addition of their twist from a Betterpress-ed sentiment from 

Spellbinders' A Little Message once again.

I love the depth of embossing on this one - and hope their team does too!

=] Michele

Thank you for this honor!