Merry Monday #288 {NOEL}

Welcome to this week's Merry Monday Christmas Challenge! I'm so happy with my  collection of cards that is growing week by week! 

Deanne has asked us to create cards without stamps! What??? LOL! I thought of making a scrappy card, but in the end, decided to take a more artistic approach and pull out my watercolors that haven't been used in a while.

My design was inspired by my cosmetic bag. It has a Navy background with words spelled out in Red, Fuschia, and Mauve. I just love the bold, graphic quality  and I thought it would be fun to try and translate the idea onto paper. I had to make a few adjustments because of the size of the letters, but I really like how it turned out. I like doing things a little more artistically from time to time and this was the perfect excuse.

To begin, I cut a piece of Strathmore cold-pressed 140 lb. watercolor paper to 4 1/8 by 5 3/8. I used my Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors to do a wash of blues across the paper. I also mixed up some gold really well with water and splattered it over the top. I set it aside to dry while I got to work on the letters.

As I mentioned earlier, I was limited in my design because of the alphabet die cuts I chose to use. They are the Bookprint Alphabet Upper Die set. In the end, I really like that I was only able to get one word onto the design. I just chose to incorporate the 3 different colors by using a different color for each letter. The "N" and the "L" are both red, however! I die cut each letter four times and then glued them together using Tombow Mono Multi glue. I also added some Wink of Stella to each letter as well as a good coating of Tonic Crystal Glaze.

Once the watercolor panel was dry, I ran it though my cuttlebug using one of the "Next Generation" embossing folders from We R Memory Keepers. I also spritzed it heavily with shimmer spray. I glued the letters onto the card using liquid glue as well. I made sure to place something heavy on top for a bit so that they would stick nicely. With all of the grooves from the embossing, it makes it a little more difficult to glue them down.

At that point, I was ready to call the design done. It had a boutique chic feel that I just love, but my daughter disagreed. She DID NOT  like it! Her new favorite word is "terrifying" which is how she described this card! LOL! So...at that point I thought what more I could add {that wasn't a stamp} that wouldn't detract from the original vision I had for the card. I decided to pull out some ancient SU! rub-on transfers. They were just the thing! The texture from the embossing folder made the application a little tricky, but I finally got it done! I added a few Sparkling Clear sequins to the centers of three of the snowflakes for some shine!

I really enjoyed making this card! It was so fun to think a little out of the box and not use stamps! Thanks, Deanne, for the fun challenge! I hope you will join us as well! It's so fun to see your creations in the gallery! Thanks for fluttering by!

Summer Nights and City Lights!

Welcome! Today I'm over on the SugarPea Designs Blog sharing this fun, pastel card! If you'd like to find out how I made it, you can read all about it over there.

I will share a few details about the new products that I used. I am head over heels in love with the new Postage Stamp die collection. It will be well-loved by me!

I also couldn't resist using the new Londonscape die paired with Chic Wishes.

I just love how the ink blending creates such a pretty skyline! 

Thanks for fluttering by!

Keeping Christmas {Believe in the Magic of Christmas}

It's the 25th and that means it is time for another Keeping Christmas Inspiration Blog Hop! Make sure to head to each of the other designer's blogs to see what they have been cooking up this month!

Kelly Lunceford

Lesley Croghan (off this month)

Anita Madden

Broni Holcombe  (off this month)

Claire Broadwater

Julee Tilman

Kim Heggins

Lori Tecler

Nance Salkeld

Nina Forsyth

Rachel Bergfeld

Vicki Finger

For my project, I decided to make some gift card holders. I ended up by making a few of these last year and they ended up by being one of my favorite little gifts I handed out. You can see last year's project HERE. This wasn't the project I had planned on doing, but things changed when this AMAZING Holiday Style Stamp Set and coordinating Holiday Style Die Cuts showed up in the mail yesterday! I saw a beautiful project on Instagram that inspired my purchase and these stamps arrived in THREE days! Can you believe it? Such crazy fast shipping! So...I obviously couldn't wait to play, so I made these! I used the equally amazing Coffee Cup Gift Card Holder Die. 

I think I've mentioned this before, but for some reason when I sit down to pre-make any type of project, I always settle on the amount of 6. I have found that 6 isn't always enough, so I ended up by making 8 of these today. I used 4 sheets of cardstock, getting two per sheet, of 4 different colors. I wanted an earthy feeling project, so I chose: Prairie Grass, Kraft, Pinefeather, and a random speckled white from SU! that I have had forever and I don't think they carry anymore. I also used this for the bands that the cups slide into. I had enough left over from the gift card portion that I could die cut the lid piece as well. I just mixed and matched the lids to the bases in a way that I thought looked nice.

Each of the gift card base front flaps is stamped with a really old background stamp from SU! called Flannel Plaid, but I thought it gave them the texture and detail that they needed. Each band is stamped with the pine bough image from the Holiday Style stamp set.

The bells are stamped using SU!'s Going Gray ink, Smokey Shadow and Palette  black. I am absolutely amazed at the result! So incredible!  The bows are stamped using Pure Poppy, SU!'s Bravo Burgundy and Palette Black. I used the coordinating die cuts, which I linked above, to die cut them. They are adhered using foam squares. I actually ended up by buying the mini "Stampin' Dimensionals" from SU! and I love them! I used them to attach the bows. The sentiment is stamped on the lid portion using Palette Black as well. These didn't take long at all! I hope you enjoyed today's project! Thanks for fluttering by!

Merry Monday #287 Sweet Holiday Wishes

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had a nice weekend and were able to enjoy some time with your loved ones! It's so gorgeous here, I just want to soak it all in! Spring is just heavenly, don't you think? 

Colleen has asked us to use this inspiration photo for our cards this week. I was inspired by the houses/buildings and snowflakes, as well as the colors. 

To begin, I die cut 3 of the sweet shoppes, signs and awnings using the Petite Places Sweet Shoppe Die. I stamped each of the die cut shoppes using Aqua Mist, Pale Peony, and Pure Poppy. I alternated the colors on the awnings and doors as well to give it a good mix of colors. Once all of the pieces were ready, I cut a piece of Stamper's Select White cardstock to 5 by 3 3/4 inches. I added some score lines to separate the three sections of buildings. Once that was done, I was able to place the die cut shoppes.

It was easy to fill in other buildings to create the scene. Once the buildings were all in place, I got to work on the sentiment. I used the Sweet Holiday Wishes stamp set to stamp "Holiday Wishes" directly to the white piece using Smokey Shadow ink. I also added a few snowflake images from the same set to enhance the Christmas feeling, since this card is definitely not traditional!

I die cut the "sweet" portion using the coordinating Sweet Holiday Wishes Die Collection out of Pure Poppy Cardstock. I heat embossed the sentiment using some Nuvo embossing powder to give it a candy/sugary look. 

I added a few sequins as well. I love how cute the awnings look popping up on this card! I hope you get a chance to join us this week! Thanks for fluttering by!

Congratulations on your new baby and a WINNER!

Before I begin, let me announce the winner from THIS GIVEAWAY. I only had a handful of entries, but I enjoyed reading what your favorite tool you can't live without! It looks like most people LOVE their MISTI! Me too!  And the winner is.....

DANA KIRBY! CONGRATULATIONS! 

Email me your address at kellyrory1@msn.com and I'll get your package sent out! Thanks for playing along!

My dear friend had her baby at the end of March but because I was sick and went on vacation, I finally got to see her sweet little bundle. I had purchased some nautical outfits as well as a whale gift sack, so I just couldn't resist making a matching card. This is probably the most CAS card I have made in a long time, but I really like how it turned out! I toyed around with adding some Nuvo drops, perhaps a button?, maybe some twine?, but in the end I resisted and kept it truly CAS.

To begin, I used the always-amazing Stitched Rays Coverpanel by Reverse Confetti. I also used the whale image from the Seaside stamp set and coordinating Seaside Confetti Cuts. I stamped the whale using Broken China Distress Oxide ink and then spritzed it with shimmer spray.

I die cut the "baby" sentiment using the Wonderful Words: Baby Die 4 times out of Stamper's Select White cardstock and then another time out of some Authentique pattern paper. I glued them all together and then added some Nuvo Crystal Glaze over the top for it to really shine. The rest of the sentiment is heat embossed in white onto the same pattern paper. It is from the Wonderful Words: Baby mini stamp set. Thanks for fluttering by!

SugarPea Designs Release Day 5-Sending Sunshine

Well, it's Friday and that means that it is the end of the sneak peeks for the SugarPea Designs new release! Today the team is sharing our projects made with a few new goodies, including the "Sweet Incentive" for this release. 

Head to each of the designer's blogs for some fabulous eye candy and tremendous inspiration! I just love seeing how we all use the new products! There's always something for everyone, not matter your style!

Amy Kolling Amy Rohl Amy Tsuruta Lea Lawson Kelly Lunceford Kerin Sylvester Melissa Andrew Mindy Eggen Natalia Zubkova Raluca Vezeteu Simonne Clay Stéphanie Beauchemin Vera Yates

I couldn't get enough of these bunnies that were shared yesterday and I also took the opportunity to use the new Eyelet Coverplate. I can tell this will be a new go-to for many designs.

I thought these bunnies looked so sweet hovering above the new Sending Sentiments.

To begin the sentiment piece, I die cut a rectangle using the Zig Zag Stitched Rectangles. I heat embossed the "sending" portion in gold and then stamped the sunshine in black for some contrast.

The bunnies are colored using Copic markers. The pink eyelet portion is adhered to a white A2 card base.

I added some pink Nuvo drops to the center of each cut out eyelet flower for some added detail.

For my second card, I used the "Sweet Incentive" for this release called Wagon Wishes. 

I used the red heart that was from my card on Monday...it was just lying there and I thought it would make this wagon of blooms pop and I was right! 

I colored the flowers using quite an assortment of Copic markers to create a colorful display.

The eyelet coverplate is adhered to a black A2 cardbase and I just love how it looks peeking through.

The sentiment is heat embossed using white powder. A few sequins finish it off! I hope you've enjoyed this week and all of the fabulous new products! Thanks for fluttering by!

SugarPea Designs Release Day 4- I carrot about you

Hello friends and welcome to day 4 of the Sneak Peek Week for SugarPea Designs! It seems like you all have been loving the new products so far! I'm so glad, because I love them, too!

Today the team is showing off this darling new set called 24 Carrot Friend. Isn't this bunny just as sweet as can be? I'll be showing these cuties off again tomorrow, so stay tuned! Also, don't forget to stop by the rest of the team's blogs for lots more inspiration! Also, leave comments along the way for your chance to win some new goodies. All details can be found on the SugarPea Designs Blog!

Amy Kolling Amy Rohl Amy Tsuruta Lea Lawson Kelly Lunceford Kerin Sylvester Melissa Andrew Mindy Eggen Natalia Zubkova Raluca Vezeteu Simonne Clay Stéphanie Beauchemin Vera Yates

I mentioned in my Day 2 post that I hadn't used the Diagonal Striped Coverplate that was released last time. I used it for the first time on this release, but I love how well it pairs with so many things. For this card, I just couldn't get the idea of a lattice background, just fitting for a little bunny. I thought I could layer two of the Diagonal Coverplates to achieve the look and I was RIGHT! I was pleased at how well it worked. It gave my card just the feel I was looking for. I layered them over the top of some Pastel Dotted pattern paper.

I stamped and colored the images and then used the coordinating 24 Carrot Friend Sugar Cuts to die cut them. I also die cut a Zig Zag stitched circle that I did some ink blending on for a nice background for this sweet little duo.

The sentiment is stamped onto a gray sentiment strip. I wanted to tie in the color of the bunny. We're also showing the Eyelet Coverplate, but you'll have to wait for my samples with that tomorrow. I combined it with some other fun new goodies, so stay tuned! Thanks for fluttering by!