Seize the Birthday #338

We are winding down the year a bit early here at the Seize the Birthday challenge blog.  Things tend to get a bit hectic around the holidays so we're going to take an extended break until January.  Shirley is our hostess and she's chosen Masculine as our final Topping of 2026.  I cannot understand why but creating manly cards has always been difficult for me.  Today was no exception.  I'm not particularly happy with this one but that's how it is when the mojo just isn't there.

This is an older die set that I've had in my stash quite awhile but it's my first time using it.   It's actually designed to be a box card but I used only the front pieces as the focal point to my card.  The final size is 4.25" x 6.0".  The colors used were two shades of brown, tan and brushed gold cardstocks.  The background papers are extremely old and as of now, unknown to me.  If I had to guess I'd say PaperTrey ink.  After assembly it was just a matter of stamping a simple sentiment and I called this one done.  

Supplies:

Spellbinders - Retro Television die set

Clearly Besotted - Sentimental Type stamp set

old designer paper

I personally plan to take a little break to create some holiday cards and then will be back to work on our upcoming 2027 challenges.  I invite you to play along with us in the gallery.  The Topping is optional but your card must reflect a birthday theme/sentiment.

Thanks for visiting!

Jules

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #280

We here at the Sisterhood were heartbroken to learn of the passing of our dear friend Toni.  We have lost too many over the years and our love goes out to her family.  

Our November challenge is to incorporate Snow into your design.  Snark is not required but highly encouraged.  That is, after all, what this challenge is all about.

I realize that the holiday season is currently in the infancy phase but give me two weeks and I'll be over it.  That's what inspired today's card.  LOL!

Me thinks Edna needs a coat.  

Damn, she's a tough ole bird.

I began with a panel of blue cardstock.  The edges were inked, the panel embossed and then splattering commenced.  All elements were die cut from colored cardstocks.  The sentiment was heat embossed in white.  

Supplies:

Spellbinders - Little Birdies die set

Hero Arts - Off Beat Holiday stamp set (a total fav of mine)

Simon Says Stamp - Swirling Snowflakes embossing folder

I hope you'll join us on the blog and in the gallery.  It's not too early to start those holiday cards!

Thanks for visiting!

Jules

AAA Christmas Card Challenge plus more holiday cards!

 

In my recent Color Hues challenge post I mentioned that I had created five cards using our red and green challenge colors.  Today I'd like to share with you the remaining three cards, one of which I'm entering into a new holiday challenge blog where my friend Carol is a Design Team member.

I used the same die set for all five of my designs.  This first one is the only one to include the bird.  

To the Spellbinders Christmas Bird Poinsettia set I also used an old window die from Mama Elephant along with another sentiment from my favorite Hero Arts snarky holiday set.  I also added Glossy Accents to the berries and large leaf.

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My next card was created on kraft cardstock with gold splatters.  I added touches of black to this design.  The sentiment die set is from Spellbinders.  I am also adding this one to the new AAA Christmas Card Challenge blog where the theme is Traditional Christmas.

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My final card is very similar to the two I shared on the Color Hues post.  The front panel was cut a bit shy of even and a gold scalloped border was added.  The sentiment is a foiled sticker from Pink Fresh Studio.

These will all definitely be hitting the mailbox this holiday season and I'll be back soon with others.  As always, thanks for visiting!

Jules

Color Hues #144

Today's Color Hues challenge reflects the upcoming holiday season.  Bonnie is our hostess and she's chosen the very Christmassy duo of Red and Green.  I ended up making four cards with my chosen supplies, two of which I'll share here.

This one is featured on our blog.

Followed by a bonus card.

Most all of my elements came from the Spellbinders Christmas Bird Poinsettia die set.  The assembly is pretty straightforward.  All elements were die cut from colored cardstocks sans shading however the poinsettia was splatted in gold paint.  What may appear as tan is actually brushed gold cardstock.  The black/white sentiment is from a pre-printed set.  The sentiment for card two is on the inside.  What isn't totally clear is the 2/3 front panel on card two.  When folded the top panel closes just over the edge of the inside centered sentiment with the poinsettia going off the double bordered edge.  

Supplies:

Spellbinders Christmas Bird Poinsettia die set

Taylored Expressions - pre-printed sentiment set

Mama Elephant - Peek a Frame die set

Picket Fence - A Bow for Any Reason die set

A Jillian Vance Design - Top Stitched dies

Honeybee Stamps - Gold Pearls

If you haven't started your holiday cards now is the perfect time to start.  Come join us on the blog for more inspiration and in the gallery with your Red and Green creation!

Thanks for visiting!

Jules

Seize the Birthday #337

 

Hello my lovelies!  I hope all is well with everyone.  We got our first taste of North Carolina cold weather this week and are in the middle of a game of thermostat wars.  My poor mama is an icecube and needs heat.  I want the windows open.  And my husband is somewhere in between.  For now we've solved the Mama problem with a little space heater for her room and a bit of heat.  Mind you, I closed all of the vents except the ones in her room and bathroom. *wink* It doesn't keep out all of the heat but it's for now it's tolerable.   I'll keep you aprised on our Floridian blood as the real winter weather sets in. LOL!!

Today we have Nance hosting our Seize the Birthday challenge.  She has a two fold Topping.  She wants to see Geometrics combined with a word die.  I will admit I took a bit of liberty with my geometrics (I can usually find a loophole) but technically it does fit.  See what you think....

The background die is divided into squares and rectangles.  

Geometrics, right?

And for your viewing pleasure I made a two-fer.

On my challenge card the background was stenciled and then die cut with the collage die.  The sentiment is stacked two high.  Some sparkle to the flower centers and white gems finished this one off.

The second card uses kraft cardstock.  I first stenciled in white pigment ink, allowing it to dry thoroughly before adding the dye ink layers, offset just a bit.  The panel was then embossed with a cover plate and popped up on the card base.  The sentiment has a shadow layer in green along with white lettering.  Again, a few white gems were added for a finishing touch.

Supplies:

Waffle Flower Crafts - Postage Stamp Collage die

Spellbinders - Simply Perfect Mix and Match Sentiment dies

Simon Says Stamp - Blooming Beauties layering stencil set

Honey Bee Stamps - white gems

Distress Oxide Inks

Extra Card--

Simon Says Stamp - Blooming Beauties layering stencil set

Simon Says Stamp / CZ Designs - Thankful die and shadow

Hero Arts - Woodgrain cover plate

Honeybee Stamps - white gem

dye inks

white pigment ink

I invite you to play along with us in the gallery!  The Topping is optional but a celebratory birthday greeting is not.  

Thanks for visiting!

Jules

Color Hues #143

 

Welcome back Crafty Friends.  Today I'm sharing a Halloween card I created for my daughter.  She's wanted a Porch Goose since moving into her new home last year but with their newlywed budget she couldn't justify the expense.  Have no fear, Mama's here.  LOL!!!  I figured 15 months was long enough to wait so I recently surprised her with one along with some fun outfits.  I'll share a couple of photos at the end of this blog post.

I used to love to color but over the past several years I've found that I much prefer assembling die cuts for my cards.  For that reason I was easily able to pass up all but one thing from Simon's Stamptember event...the Brutus Monroe Silly Goose set which I used for our new Color Hues challenge....

Tracey chose the perfect October color pairing!

  

These were obviously very easy images to color and I didn't do anything fancy.  What you can't see in the photo however is the embossed spider web background and the Action Wobbler behind the goose.  Together they up the card fun just a bit.  This stamp set did not come with dies but I generally use my Scan and Cut to cut out the images to save some money.  (I've had my machine forever and it's a work horse.)

Supplies:

Brutus Monroe/Simon Says Stamp Exclusive - Silly Goose stamp set

Simon Says Stamp -Spooky Web embossing folder

Honeybee Stamps - tiny gold stars

Art Impressions - Action Wobbler

As promised, here are a couple of Porch Goose photos...

          September Scarecrow Goose      

October FrankenGoose

Thanks to a fabulous friends, I will soon be borrowing the new Spellbinders Porch Goose set that is only available in their huge October crafty bundle so I'll soon be sharing a whole gaggle.  :-)

I invite you to visit our blog for more Orange and Black inspiration and hope to see your card in our gallery!

Thanks for visiting!

Jules

Seize the Birthday #336

 

My card share today is for the latest Seize the Birthday challenge.  Nancy is our host and she's chosen a fun Topping for us to try.  Let's see what you can do with  Double Frames.  

I used an rectangular frame die set to create two sets of frames.  I began each one by first die cutting the large rectangle followed by another cut inside with a smaller rectangle to create the two frames.  I used these same dies to create the designer paper insets.  The pig was die cut in blush cardstock while the accessories were cut from the same papers.  All that as left to do was stamp the sentiment.

Supplies:

Spellbinders - Ham It Up die set

Pink Fresh Studio - really old designer papers

Penny Black - Antique Frames die set

I invite you to visit our blog for more inspiration from our designers.  We would love for you to play along.  The Topping is optional however make sure it's clearly identified as a birthday card.  

Thanks for visiting!

Jules