Inspired By...Pink Christmas {may your Christmas be filled with light and love}

Welcome and happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are all having a wonderful, happy day surrounded by those you hold dear! Today is Thursday and that means that there is a brand-new Inspired By Challenge. I'm in love with this week's inspiration photo; I hope you like it, too and get some time to join us! I ended up by making two almost identical cards for this week's challenge!

I was inspired by the colors, of course, but also the cable knit box, the gold stars on the Kraft wrapping paper, the pine boughs, and the bows!

The starting point for today's card was the cable knit background; I used a Gemini embossing folder to dry emboss a 4 by 5 1/4 inch piece of Pale Peony cardstock and adhered it to a top folding A2 Kraft card base.  I also die cut the white panel using the Nordic Frames dies and adhered it to the dry embossed panels using foam squares. 

I used the AMAZING BotaniCuts Pine Bough Die Collection to create the greenery and pinecones. I die cut all of the pieces, enough for two cards, and then added some ink blending and other details to give them extra dimension and a life-like look. Of course they all got a nice dusting of coarse glitter and some white paint splatter.

The sentiment, which is from the Tree Trimmings Stamp Set, is heat embossed in gold onto a strip of Kraft cardstock and adhered using foam squares. The bow is die cut out of specialty gold paper using the Fit To Be Tied die collection and added to the foliage using liquid glue. I also added some small stamped stars and Bright Gold Nuvo Drops for extra detail. I hope you get a chance to join us this week! Thanks for fluttering by!

Ink to Paper November Create-a-thon Day 21 & Inspired By

Hello and welcome to day 21 of the Ink to Paper November Create-a-thon! My card is also playing double duty for this week's Inspired By Challenge. The stamp sets that I am highlighting today are Garden Party and the fun Confetti and Streamers. I wouldn't necessarily think of these two for a Christmas design, but I had so much fun transforming them to use on this festive design!

Because my assignment was to use the two sets I linked above, I used the lights, colors, and patterns as my inspiration. 

To begin, I stamped the Confetti and Streamers image at the top of the red panel and the bottom using Scarlet Jewel ink. Once that was done, I die cut the To Die For Sentiments: Christmas three times out of black cardstock and glued them together using a fine tip 2 way glue pen.

I layered that onto the stamped red panel using the same glue. I added a light coat of Wink of Stella over the top for some sparkle.

I die cut and stamped the banner twice and added that to the red panel using foam squares and trimming off the excess length of the banner. I also added the strings of lights using liquid glue. I didn't add the Nuvo drops until I was finished with the card.

The "this holiday season" sentiment, which is from the Season of Joy stamp set, is heat embossed in gold for some shine. I added it over the top of the banner using additional foam squares. I layered the red panel onto a top folding A2 card base for some definition. Once that was done, I added the gold and red Nuvo drops and let it dry. This was an unexpected design, but I had fun putting it together using the photo as my color inspiration! I hope you get a chance to join us this week! Thanks for fluttering by!

Inspired By...blankets {I can't bear being so far away}

Hello and welcome! My card is pulling double duty today; I'm over on the SugarPea Designs Blog as well as my sample for this week's new Inspired By Challenge. I was thrilled that I was able to use so many unexpected stamps and dies together to use for today's card!

This is one of those weeks where I didn't have "the perfect stamps" or even knowing where to begin, but I love how it all turned out! My post was due for SugarPea Designs so I decided to use that as my starting point! I am IN LOVE  with the Leaf Cover Plate and it reminded me of the pattern in the 2nd blanket from the top, so that was the real starting point! I was inspired by the colors, the fibers and textures, and patterns.

I really wanted to incorporate some Autumn colors and textures to create something a little different for a "snow globe" scene, but I was so thrilled with how it turned out! To begin, I used the Leaf Cover Plate to dry emboss the Teal piece using an embossing mat in my die cutting machine. I love the rich, bold texture that it gives to my designs! I had already decided that I would be using the "I can't bear being so far away" sentiment from the Hey Winter stamp set, so I thought it would be fun to use the Postage Stamp SugarCuts to give it a postal vibe, since this will obviously be mailed to a far away place! I die cut it out of Kraft cardstock for a rustic feel.

I stamped the bear and scarf using black ink and then colored them using Copic markers. So far this bear has only been colored to be a polar bear at my house, so it was fun to give him some warm colored fur this time! The scarf was colored as well, but then I added some plaid using a white gel pen. I love the added visual texture it gives to the card as well as incorporating some of the blanket weave.

I used the coordinating Hey Winter SugarCuts to die cut the scarf and the bear and set them aside while I got to work on the Snow Globe. I die cut the base pieces using grey cardstock and the white portion is stenciled using the Falling Snow Stencil and some Moonstone Glimmer Paste. It's hard to see in the photo, but it gives it some added sparkle and looks so cute!

I stamped the sentiment onto the base portion of the snow globe using black ink. Once the glimmer paste was dry, I added the bear using foam squares and the scarf using liquid glue. I added some sequins here and there to reinforce the feeling of sparkling snow!

I've been having so much fun adding holiday/winter foliage to the snow globe on some of my other designs, but I decided to switch things up and add some autumn berries and leaves. Some of the images from the Meadow Motifs stamp set were the perfect choice and I love how they turned out. I added even more white details using a gel pen. I added these to the card using foam squares. I bow of jute button twine finishes off the design!

I attached the entire card front to a white top folding A2 card base using ScorTape for security. I had so much fun using all of these different stamps and dies to create this autumn design! Thanks for fluttering by!

Inspired By...table runner {Halloween Wishes}

Hello friends! It's been a while since I've popped in, but I've been enjoying a much needed break. We headed to San Diego for the kids' Fall Break which was lovely and relaxing and we all had so much fun! I'm back today sharing a trio of projects using the new Inspired By Challenge. This will most likely be the last of my Halloween crafting for the year, which is always sad. On a happier note, I FINALLY got my house all decorated, which my kids just love and me too, if I'm being perfectly honest! 

This week's inspiration piece is a fun table runner which uses an assortment of Halloween prints which I used as the jumping point for my projects. I was particularly inspired by the spider webs, the bats, colors, and stripes.

My first project uses the Favor It Box 8 die collection, which I used on another Halloween project this year that you can see HERE. I wanted to create a few more, but using some of my all-time favorite Halloween stamps. I also included some Martha Stewart Crafts 3D stickers to bring in some additional detail.

I used the Halloween Prints pattern paper which reminds me of some of the fabrics in the photo. I wrapped it around the box using ScorTape for security. The circle stamp is from the Spooky Sweets II stamp set as well as the "halloween wishes" and "open if you dare" sentiments. The stamp set has a coordinating Spooky Sweets Die Collection that makes using the coordinating images so much easier.

These are filled with an assortment of miniature Halloween candies and then tied off with some True Black Baker's Twine, which adds just the right amount of texture and detail without overwhelming the presentation.

I LOVE these glittery 3D stickers that are from Martha Stewart Crafts. My cute sister bought some for me years ago, and when I was running dangerously low, she bought me two more sheets! The designs include spiders, bats, cats, skulls, and more!

Next up is a fun treat bag using many of the same elements. Confession time: I actually made three of these in different colors and patterns, but the photos looked awful of the other two, so I'm only showing this one! I took color cues and patterns from the table runner for each of the three bags.

Each bag uses two of the Front and Center #2 die, which happens to be on sale for $10! I used a regular brown paper lunch bag in between the two to hold the tricks and treats that will be going inside! I was thrilled to use some of the Jack-O-Lantern jingle bells that my sister got me last year as well! I was hoarding them, but they're just too cute not to use!

My last project uses the inspiration of the bats once again, but this time for some quick pillow boxes to hold some gift cards. I used pattern paper from the Hocus Pocus Pattern Paper Collection and a piece from Hobby Lobby to quickly die cut these using the Essentials Pillow Box Die, which is back in stock! The bat image is heat embossed using Silver powder. This image is from one of my favorite stamp sets from the old Waltzing Mouse company! I sure miss her beautiful images! 

This wraps up my projects for today! I hope you're all enjoying this fun time of year! I still haven't used another one of my favorite sets, so don't be surprised if I pop back in with just one more Halloween post! LOL! Thanks for fluttering by!

Inspired By...Gather {Thankful for all that you do}

Hello and welcome to this week's Inspired By Challenge! I've created something a little bit different than I normally do, but I love how it turned out; bright and bold! You can see the inspiration photo below and you'll be able to see how I ended up with this design!

I was inspired by, well, just about everything! LOL! The bricks, the Kraft colored leaves, the bold black and white patterns, the banner and the bold word! I knew immediately what stamps I wanted to use for this design! It's funny; if I have the "perfect" stamp(s) for a particular Inspired By Challenge,I tend to make something quite literal, but if I don't, I seem to look a little deeper into the photo to pick out smaller details that might be overlooked! I think it's pretty obvious which category this one fits into! ha ha!

To begin this bright design, I stamped the Rustic Brick Background using Weathervane Ink. I chose this ink because the shadows that the bricks cast in the photo look grey. I used my MISTI so that I could get a nice crisp impression.

I die cut the banner using the Garden Party die and then stamped all of the fun patterns using the images from the Garden Party Stamp Set. 

These leaves have been some of my favorites of the season; I have used them so much and they were perfect for today's design. I die cut them out using the Lovely Leaves Die collection; this particular leaf is a solid die so it is necessary to die cut it first. Once that was done, I used the Lovely Leaves Stamp Set to ink them up. The stems and veins are stamped in black and then I used a combination of Fine Linen Ink and Honey Nut ink blended around the edges for dimension.

I was thrilled to find that I had the "thankful" sentiment already to go; it was leftover from another project and is the perfect choice for this card. I die cut the word using the Thankful Thoughts die collection and then stamped the sentiment from the Thankful Thoughts stamp set using Versamark ink. I heat embossed it using white powder.

The "FOR ALL YOU DO" sentiment is also heat embossed and is from the same set. Once I had all of these elements done, it was time to get the card put together!

 

The brick panel is adhered to an A2 top folding cardbase using foam squares. I added the "for all that you do" sentiment using Tombow adhesive. I layered the "thankful" word using foam squares at an angle slightly overlapping the black sentiment strip. The banner is also added using foam squares and then it was time to add the leaves. A few sparkling rhinestones finish off this modern fall design! I hope you'll join us this week! Thanks for fluttering by!

Inspired By...truckload of fall {Sweet Treats for You}

It's October; time for all things pumpkin, all things cozy, all things FALL!!! It's finally sinking in that it's actually this time of year but my porch still has summer flowers out, wreath, etc! LOL! I've got to get my behind in gear! I'm too busy making Christmas cards to transition to fall! LOL! Go figure! Well, today there is a new Inspired By Challenge that should get us all in the fall spirit!

Of course, as soon as I saw this inspiration photo, I knew what had to be done! I just  HAD to make some pick up truck treat containers!

I picked three Autumn inspired colors to create the pick up trucks with; Saffron Spice, Honey Nut, Canyon Clay. I used the Dashing Through the Snow Pick Up Die to die cut everything out. I did it assembly line style so I was quick and effective! I've made these quite a few times so it goes pretty quick!

Before I began the assembly, I added Nuvo Crystal Glaze to all of the windows and set them aside to dry while I got to work on everything else! The metal pieces are die cut from specialty silver cardstock that I purchased at Hobby Lobby.

I stamped the back using the Dashing Through the Snow sentiments. I really love the rusty/worn look of the truck in the inspiration photo so I added some ink splatter to mimic the look.

Once the trucks were all assembled, I made some pumpkin/gourd tags to tie up the treats. I will add those later because I don't always like how bows and cellophane bags look in my photos! LOL!

The tags were die cut using the Scalloped Tag Dies out of white cardstock. I used the Simply Gourd-eous stamp set to stamp the pumpkin and gourd; I tried to use the colors from the photo. Once they were stamped, I used the coordinating Simply Gourd-eous die collection.

The sentiment is from Sentiment Staples: Halloween and is stamped in black. I added it over the top of the pumpkin/gourd using foam squares. These tags also got some "splatter" to give them that same rusty/rustic look! I had a lot of fun putting these together! I hope you get a chance to join us! Thanks for fluttering by!

Inspired By...Tailgate Party {Happy Harvest}

It's Thursday and that means it's time for a brand-new Inspired By Challenge! I decided to create a set of three quick cards to mail out this week! Now that fall is officially here, I can get some of these autumn cards flying out the door! 

I was inspired by the leaves at the top of the photo; there just beyond the tailgate, the plaid of the thermoses, the picnic basket, the twine wrapped around the thermoses and the colors.

To begin these quick cards, I die cut the Bold Borders: Foliage Die out of Olive Twist cardstock. Normally I would stack them about 2 or three times, but for these quick designs, they just got a single layer, which looks great because of the pierced detail! I layered them onto panels of Fall Prints & Patterns pattern paper, using prints that looked like the leaves in the inspiration photo.

I used the Vintage Picnic dies to die cut the picnic baskets and then used the (retired) Vintage Picnic stamp set to stamp them. I did some simple Copic coloring to get some of the fun plaids from the photo incorporated into the design.

After the baskets were cut, stamped and colored, I stamped the pumpkins directly onto the panels of Rustic Cream cardstock as well as the "Happy Harvest" sentiments. I used Copic markers to color the pumpkins and added some highlights using a white gel pen.

I used foam squares to pop up the baskets and the panels using foam squares. I also added a quick bow of Jute Button Twine. Once that was done, I added the entire panels onto top folding A2 card bases using ScorTape. These were a lot of fun to make and I always love pulling this old set out! Thanks for fluttering by!