Flowers & Flourishes 28

Hi Everyone! I hope all of you had a Wonderful Thanksgiving Day (if you celebrated) & I hope you survived the crowds, if you were out shopping on Black Friday!
First, I must share with you the randomly chosen winner of my homespun butterflies from my Buttons & Butterflies post. The Winner is......

Isabel Jett

Isabel, please contact me prior to Wednesday, December 2nd so I can get your goodies to you!!! :)
I have had the Honor of being the November Guest Designer at the Pile it on! challenge site & the pleasure of working along with the super talented DT members! Thank you ladies!!! As a little reminder, Pile it on! is a challenge site that offers a new challenge every Sunday. They would like you to incorporate their challenge with at least one other CURRENT challenge (at the time of posting) to "qualify" to be one of their Three Top Scoops or should there be a prize offered that week. The girls at Pile it on! asked me to be this week's Hostess!!! I chose the challenge to focus on Flowers & Flourishes, TWO of my favorite things, especially when combined :) I played around with Photoshop & made this graphic for the PIO #26, Flowers & Flourishes challenge! I made a Mother's Day card & some fleurettes using the following additional challenges: 2. For color inspiration: Splitcoast color challenge #246 which is to use Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Bermuda Bay or (Taken with Teal) - I used Taken with Teal & neutrals 3. For sketch inspiration: Mercy Tuesday Sketch challenge #49, MTSC49 4. The Cat's Pajamas Tuesday challenge - EMBOSSING & 5. Crazy for Challenges Week 13 - Punch Happy (use at least one punch).

I really enjoy playing along with challenges & I encourage of all you to do the same if you don't already! It is a super fun way to meet many people with a common interest (papercrafting), develop your style & skills while completing your projects!!! :) Please be sure to stop by all of the sites I have mentioned & see what their DT's have created to get you inspired! If you don't play along in challenges, I would love to know why not? Be Sweet!

Here is my Mother's Day card & fleurettes:I inked up several PTI Fancy Flourishes images with VersaMark ink, sprinkled on some Filigree white embossing powder then heat set. The white embossed flourishes "pop" off the SU Kraft cs. I embossed most of the lil' fleurettes using the Cuttlebug Textile texture EF then sponged the edges with Ranger Tea Dye ink.
I gave the BIG pink blossom a vintagey look by crinkling it up then sponging the edges with a little Ranger Tea dye ink. Using the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, I added a lil' texture to the leaves :)
I cut a mat using my Cricut Expressions & the Accent Essentials cart to show the flower emellishments. I stamped some flourish images using VersaMark then embossed with Filigree white embossing powder. Ingredients Used: Stamps: PTI Fancy Flourishes, Damask Designs, SU Fancy Flexible Phrases Paper: SU Pretty in Pink, Taken with Teal, Old Olive, Whisper White, Kraft Ink: Ranger Tea Dye ink, VersaMark, SU Basic Black, Taken with Teal, Craft White Sprinkles: Cuttlebug Textile texture EF, Spellbinders Dahlia & Labels 4 dies, Offray ribbon, SU silver cord, Sizzix Sizzlit tag, Making Memories hardware, EK Success border & flower punches, Filigree white & clear embossing powder

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SANTA BINGO! 39

Hello Ladies! Is ANYONE up for a game of SANTA BINGO? I made this card to simply to add to my Holiday collection :) As some of you know, this month I am the Guest Designer at Pile it On!. As a quick refresher, Pile it On! is a challenge site that would like you, the crafter, to incorporate their challenge with at least one other CURRENT challenge (at the time of posting). Sounds easy right? To make my card I used the following challenges in no particular order: 1. Pile it On! Use 3 flowers & 5 pearls 2. Just Us Girls dry embossing challenge, JUGS7, 3. For sketch inspiration: the lovely Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge #106, WSC106, 4. Cards Blog - BIG ol’ ribbon bow. If you would like to gaze upon some really cool creations, please be sure to check out all these sites that I have mentioned! Hopefully you will join me in one or all of these challenges :) I'd love to know if you play BINGO! Be Sweet!



Here is my SANTA BINGO card:
What do you think of that BIG ol' ribbon bow? I am sure it won't squish into an envelope, so I will definitely have to hand deliver this one :)

You can really see the Swiss Dots all over the Poinsettia from this close up view! After cutting the Poinsettias using the Quickutz die, I ran them through The Big Shot Express using the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots EF :) I like the way it adds a lil' more texture & dimension.

To accentuate the 5 bottom squares, I cut them out, then adhered them with an adhesive foam square. I stamped the leave images directly on the Bingo card by inking up the PTI Poinsettia leaf image with SU Garden Green ink.

Ingredients Used: Stamps: SU Perfect Presentation, PTI Peaceful Poinsettia Paper: Bazzill Pomegranate, SU Whisper White, Kraft Ink: SU Garden Green, Ranger Antique Photo Sprinkles: SU tag punches, Offray ribbon, Quickutz Poinsettia die, Martha Stewart pearls, generic brads & cord, Making Memories hardware

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Best Wishes 15

Hi Girls! So glad it is Friday & the weekend is almost here! I made this card for my "Chemo Buddy". She has received her last round of treatment & is cancer free! :) Yeah!!! If you think you are interested & would like to become a "Chemo Buddy", here is the link : http://chemoangels.net/

For my sketch inspiration, I used this week's awesome Splitcoast Stamper's Sketch from challenge #254, SC254. If you would like to see many BEAUTIFUL creations, I recommend you visit the SCS gallery! Thanks for stopping by & don't forget to join me tomorrow for an ALL NEW challenge with Just Us Girls as well as the SPECIAL challenge for Henry! Be Sweet!

Here is my Best Wishes card:

Using Color Box white ink, I stamped the Kraft cs with a PTI Giga Guidelines image to create the "custom dp" :). Warning: you should either heat set this ink or wait a really long time for it to dry! After heat setting the ink, I used the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots EF to add a whole lot of texture!

To create the BIG blossom, I used the Spellbinders Blossom die to cut all 3 layers, embossed all layers with the Cuttlebug Textile EF then using a sponge dauber, I rubbed on Ranger's Antique Photo ink around the edges to give it a Vintagey look.

Ingredients Used: Stamps: SU All Ovals Paper: Basic Grey DP, SU Whisper White, Mellow Moss, Blush Blossom, Kraft Ink: SU Basic Black, Ranger Antique Photo Sprinkles: EK Success punch, Spellbinders Blossom dies, hardware & button from stash, Offray ribbon

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Croatian Inspiration 23

Hi Everyone! I am changing gears here & shifting to a Vintagey - Old World Style for this card & then some... I needed some Sympathy cards for a few co-workers who recently experienced the loss of a family member so I pulled out some Vintagey-soft looking K&Company DP. For sketch inspiration, I used Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge #102, WSC102. If you have never visited Beate's site, you have no idea what you are missing! You really ought to visit her site as she has so much to share! :) I hope you don't mind, I would like to share some pictures that inspired me in making this card. They were taken in Dubrovnik, Croatia which sits the the Adriatic Sea. Dubrovnik was a port call on a cruise that my honey & I took in the summer of '08. There is so much history in Croatia & the city is full of old buildings, beautiful flowers, countryside & very friendly welcoming people. I would love to know if you have ever been to Dubrovnik, Croatia? Be Sweet!

This is Dubrovnik, Croatia. It is surrounded by a massive wall that served to protect the city during war time.

You can see the beautiful flowers in bloom & rustic old buildings.

This picture is from a lil' countryside town on the outskirts of the city.

This is my DH :) We were eating lunch at this lil' restaurant next to the creek that you see up above. The Croatians are very proud of their wine!

Here is my Praying for you card...

To make that BIG pink blossom, I inked up my SU French Script stamp with SU Close to Cocoa ink, stamped it then using the Spellbinders Blossom dies, I ran the stamped paper through my die cut machine. To give them that distressed look, you just put them in the palm of your hand & crinkle them up a lil'! MAGIC!

I rarely use Gold but since the pearl brad is trimmed in gold, I used a few gold brads on the Label as well. I think the gold gives it a fancy / elegant look?. I inked the edges of the Label under the Pink blossom with SU Close to Cocoa.

To create those distressed leaves, I cut them from SU River Rock cs, then inked up my PTI Damask Designs image then stamped the leaves. After stamping, I used a distressing tool to rough up the edges then once again, I crinkled them up in my hands! :) Easy Right? I hope you give it a try!

Ingredients Used: Stamps: SU French Script, PTI Damask Designs Paper: K&Company DP, SU Pink Pirouette, River Rock, Close to Cocoa, Kraft Ink: SU Close to Cocoa Sprinkles: Spellbinders Labels 4 & Blossom nesties, Offray ribbon, brads from stash, PTI buttons

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Lil' Franky 25

Hi Everyone! This past weekend I was on Fall Break vacation in Southern California with my Dear Hubby & stepkids :) We went to Walt Disney Land for a day. I would like to share some of my favorite photos from our trip:

Here is me & my honey in front of the HUGE Mickey Jack-O-Lantern:

Me, Meredith & Connor (& Mickey):

This is a faux pumpkin carving of Mickey on top of the Railway House:

I loved this wagon full of fall foliage & pumpkins:

My inspiration for my Lil' Franky card came from my visit to Disney :) I squeezed 3 challenges in this card! 1. For Sketch inspiration, I used the fun Crazy 4 Challenges Sketch Challenge 7 C4C7, 2. Pile it on! Challenge #19 - Ready For Halloween & 3. Humble Pie Stamps, Buttons & Bling challenge. When my DH saw this card, he asked me why Frankenstein was coming out of a pumpkin?! He went on to say "You're not going to put that on your blog are you?" Sometimes, I wish he wasn't so brutally honest! I said "Why YES I am!" I'd love to know if you are ready for Halloween? Be Sweet!

Here is my Lil' Franky card:

I stamped the background paper with SU Lavender Lace ink & PTI Polka Dot Basics II. I have yet to master my lil' craft sewing machine, so I hand stitch on my cards LOL.

Using a SU oval punch, I punched 5 ovals, sponged the edges with SU Only Orange ink, then layered & adhered them together with a 2 way glue pen. The Scalloped circle was a lil' plain so I punched holes around the perimeter using the Crop-A-Dile II.

Ingredients Used: Stamps: PTI Polka Dot Basics II, Hero Arts Frankenstein, Studio G "Cute As A Pumpkin" $1 stamp Paper: My Mind's Eye DP, SU Lavender Lace, Only Orange, Green Galore, Whisper White Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Only Orange, Lavender Lace, Copic Markers: Lime Green G21, Yellowish Green YG06, Colorless Blender 0, Sprinkles: Spellbinders Scalloped Circle & Circle, paper punch from stash, PTI ribbon, twine & button, Making Memories brads, Martha Stewart glitter, SU Heat & Stick powder, Oval paper punch, Sizzix jack-o-lantern die, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots EF

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From Our House To Yours 23

Hi Everyone! It is my hopes to get a JUMP start on my Christmas card making this year! LOL I found this cuuute Basic Grey DP from the Eskimo Kisses line on my last trip to my LSS. It had such a HOMEY appeal to me :) I paired it with this HOME image from We R Memory Keepers that cost a mere 99 cents! For Sketch Inspiration, I used Jen del Murro's awesome Sketch For You To Try which can be found at iheart2stamp.com I was also able to combine Pile it on's Challenge #18 - Three Dimensional :) Whether you are looking for some inspiration or a sketch to try, I recommend visiting both these sites as you will not be disappointed with all the DT examples as well as the other participants submissions! I'd love to know if you are getting a JUMP start on your Holiday cards/gifts? Be Sweet!

Here is my From Our House To Yours card & treat bag tag:

This Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses DP looks like it had freshly snowed on this village, so I used my Martha Stewart punches x 3, layered them x 2 & sewed a button right smack in the center of each :)

In this bird's eye view pic, the Cuttlebug Snowflake embossing really shows up on the white center circle behind the stamped house images as well as the Swiss Dots embossing on the light blue strips x 3.

I made this coordinating tag. I love how such a simple lil' tag can really dress up a plain cellophane bag of treats!

Ingredients Used: Stamps: We R Memory Keepers Home, SU Sweet Season, To You & Yours Paper: Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses DP, SU Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Pretty In Pink, Old Olive, Bazzill Pomegranate Ink: SU Cranberry Crisp, Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Pretty In Pink, Chocolate Chip Sprinkles: Spellbinders Scalloped Circle & Circle nesties, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots & Snowflake EF, SU cord, Martha Stewart punches, PTI buttons, generic red button, Offray ribbon, Making Memories brads, We R Memory Keepers eyelet & Crop a dile 11,

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Hello Friend 39

Hi Girls! I hope you all had a GREAT weekend! Are you enjoying FALL temperatures? Here in Phoenix, we actually stayed under 100 degrees for the past few days :) My sister & I rode our bicycles around 6:30 am & today it was cold enough to wear leggings & a long sleeve shirt! BRRR I made this card today for my sister but she doesn't know it yet! She has expressed how she misses ALL the cards that I make using flowers & has been encouraging me to make another tissue paper flower card! So this one is for you Tina, my Dearest, Sweetest, Bestest Sister/Girlfriend :) Many Hugs & Kisses! (I have 6 sisters & 4 brothers, Tina is 10 yrs my senior but closest to my heart. We lost our Mom 6 years ago, so Tina is the next BEST thing!
On to the card: I managed to incorporate 3 challenges with this one! In no particular order: 1. For Sketch inspiration, I used Kisa's fabulous World Card Making Day Sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You, 2. For Color inspiration, the beautiful color combo from The Color Throwdown, CTD62 & 3. Challenge #18 - Three Dimensional from Pile it on (I think my Blossom covers that one!) I have only used this Spellbinders Blossom die once before & this week, Kristin over at Mindless Creativity inspired me to pull it out, dust it off & use it! Whether you are looking to play in some fun challenges or if you are just looking for some inspiration, I recommend visiting all of the sites that I have mentioned here! I'd love to know if you have a near & dear sister? Be Sweet!

Here is my Hello Friend card:
I have to confess, when I first saw these colors, I though YIKES what the heck am I going to do with those?! Then today, Tina suggested I make a Tissue Paper Flower card. Blink! The light bulb went off! Mums are in FULL blossom this time of year & that is what I had pictured in my mind!

To make this Tissue Paper flower, I inked up my brayer with SU Rich Razzleberry ink, rolled it on some tissue paper from my stash, cut a stack of about 8 squares in each pile to fit the 3 different size Spellbinders Blossom nesties, then ran it through my die cut machine! That is basically it, I have said in the past that I will make a video & I will. It is super easy, yet looks so RICH & ELEGANT.
I sewed a Basic Grey rusty button in the center, then fluffed it up! It just POPS off the card! I used the Making Memories tag maker to make a custom tag! When my DH saw the tag maker, he was confused & asked if it was a new toy! I confessed I bought it about 2-3 years ago & never took it out of the package until today! It is pretty cool! Girls, don't be afraid to try something new!!!!

Ingredients Used: Stamps: PTI Damask Designs, Flower Garden Paper: SU Old Olive, Basic Grey, Rich Razzleberry, Really Rust, Very Vanilla Ink: SU Rich Razzleberry, VersaMark Sprinkles: Spellbinders Blossom Die, EK Success punches, Making Memories tag maker, Basic Grey button, Offray ribbon, SU silver cord, Cuttlebug Textile Texture, generic silver embossing powder

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