Tic Tac Toe Challenge #106

 

I'm squeezing in crafty time whenever I can get it.  Today's card was created for TicTacToe Challenge #106 using the board below.  

The bottom row of Metallic Element, Gray and DieCut was a no brainer choice for me.  

This was made super simple because all of the die cut elements are from a single set.  I cut the geometrics from metallic silver cardstock and used a combination of different gray cardstocks for most of the elements as well as the card panel and card base.  The sentiment is heat embossed in white onto the same silver metallic cardstock as the geometrics. I finished it off with a generous helping of XXXX

Supplies:

Sizzix - Geometric Winter die set

Simon Says Stamp - Tiny Words stamp set

MFT and PTI - cardstocks

Trinity Stamps - Silver Stones

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

CAS Colours and Sketches #413 - DOUBLE CHALLENGE

 

Today marks the fifth Tuesday in March which means we have an extra challenge for you at the CAS Colours & Sketches blog.  For this week's challenge we've combined a new color trio with a new sketch, both of which must be used in your card.  Here's our new Double Challenge.

For our color challenges, you must use all of the stated challenge colors. You may also use neutrals such as white,

 ivory,  black, brown, grey, or metallics; however, no other colors should be added to your card. We use Stampin' Up 

color names for reference, but you are welcome to use any other companies' products as long as you match the

 challenge colors as closely as possible.  Also, you're free to flip or rotate the sketch when creating your card.  

Just remember to keep it clean and simple in style!

Here's my card, incorporating both the colors and the sketch.

I can't seem to get enough of my new Colorado Craft Company/Anita Jerome stamps.  I am totally in love with them.

I began by first stamping and coloring (Copics) my little mouse and tea cup.  The sentiment stamp is from a different CCC set but I thought it went perfectly with this little hug.  I then die cut the image using a stitched circle die and added a bit of foam underneath for dimension.  

I cut the darker blue cardstock with a notebook edge die and added some interest to the peachy cardstock with some white heat embossing.  After assembling my card according to the sketch I finished it off with some gems.  

I hope you're inspired to play along!  

Supplies:

Colorado Craft Company - Tea Time Fun stamp set

Colorado Craft Company - Thank You Kindly stamp set

Altenew - Notebook Die 

Simon Says Stamp - Crackle Background stamp

Pretty Pink Posh - Pearl White jewels

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

Seize the Birthday #210

I am finally back home for at least two weeks (I hope) and decided to take some crafting time before tackling all the things I really should be doing.  After all of my traveling I believe I'm entitled.

One of yesterday's crafting projects included creating two cards for the current Seize the Birthday challenge.   I love that they chose a sketch rather than a prompt this time around.

One of the perks of living in Florida is the almost instant gratification you get from the awesome shipping services of MFT Stamps.  (Their boutique is about 2.5 hours away from me.)  I ordered their new Cat and Plants Kit on release day and it was here waiting for me when I returned home on Saturday.  (Sorry, not sorry Lindsey.)  

The sketch is perfect for a mini slimline sized card.  Everyone seems to use different measurements but the finished size I prefer is 3.5" x 6.25"  

I began by stamping, die cutting (Scan and Cut) and coloring (alcohol markers) my selected images.  The background is from the 6x6 paper pad included in the kit.  The assembly of my card is straightforward.  I grouped my images on the left side of a horizontal strip of patterned paper, stamping the sentiment towards the right.  Simple but cute.

Supplies:

MFT Housecats stamp set

MFT Wallpaper Patterns paper pad

Taylored Expressions - mini slimline envelopes

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

Color Hues #14

 

I'm writing this post "on the road" so it's gonna be a quick one.  Today I'm playing along with Nancy and her gang at the Color Hues challenge blog.  The current color duo is my all time favorite.

 

Without further ado ..

This one was extremely simple to create.  I die cut the black lattice panel and added it to the front of a heavy weight white card base.  I stamped the floral image with a crisp black pigment ink and fussy cut it out.  The sentiment is white heat embossed onto black cardstock.  And of course, it wouldn't be complete without the addition of clear droplets.  I think this one packs a lot of bang for the buck.

Supplies:

The Greetery - Square Dance cover die

Altenew - Versatile Vases (sentiment)

Altenew - Best Mom (florals)

Ellen Hutson - clear droplets

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

 

Twofer Challenge #36

 

You know the old Willie Nelson song, On the Road Again?  That's exactly how I'm feeling.  I have traveled up, down and across my state every week for the past month.  All good things but it's left very little time for anything remotely resembling crafting, blogging or social media.  I have a 36 hour window of time at home and managed to get in some crafting time.  My challenge of choice today is The Twofer Challenge.

I chose a stamp set from the Colorado Craft Company called Birthday Wishing.  

My first card uses three critter stamps from the set.  

For my second card I used only the single mouse in a vertical stack.

 

My Two-fer. 

Card One - I stamped the image with the two rats in the center of the panel.  I stamped the sitting mouse on the tail of the right rat and the tippy toe mouse on top of the gift.  When I realized I'd stamped him a bit too high I added the balloon from the rabbit (not used on this card) to make it look as if he were floating up in the air.  (Neat save, don't you think?) I then colored the images with Copics,  stamped the greeting (Birthday) beneath, added some dots with a Copic marker, cut down the panel, matted it and adhered it to a blush card base at the top center.  

Card Two - I decided to use only the tippy toe mouse, stacking him to create a vertical border of sorts.  Rather than greys, I went with a soft pinkish brown color (thanks for the inspiration Michele!) and gave him some tummy speckles using a white gel pen.   I stamped the Thank You sentiment on the left side of the panel.  I cut down the panel vertically, added a thin border of rose gold washi tape and popped it up with foam tape onto a wood grain card base.  As you can probably guess, this card is a mini slimline with a finished size of 3.5" x 6.25".  It's my first but definitely not my last.    

Supplies:

Colorado Craft Company - Birthday Wishing stamp set

Colorado Craft Company - Thank You Kindly stamp set

Ellen Hutson - woodgrain cardstock

Ellen Hutson - clear droplets

 

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

CAS Colours and Sketches #412

 If it's Tuesday it means there's a new challenge up at the CAS Colours and Sketches blog.  Today YoonYoung has a fun sketch for us to try.

I am actually in need of a wedding card so I incorporated that theme into this week's challenge, creating two cards both using the colors of white and cream.  

I began with the three vertical stripes.  I opted not to make mine go the whole length of the card.  I used a stencil and some crackle paste to create the fabulous background texture onto both a white card panel as well as a linen cream card panel.  I die cut a vellum oval for the front of both cards and heat embossed the word "wishes" along the lower half using a platinum embossing powder.  To create the word "best" as well as the champagne flutes I used a pearl embossing powder, three layers thick.  I adhered the die cuts to the vellum and then carefully applied liquid glue to the back of the vellum where the die cuts lay.  The finished white panel was adhered to a cream card base while the cream panel was adhered to the white card base....and easy and elegant two-fer!

I invite you all to come play along.  I'd love to see your take on the sketch in our gallery!

Supplies:

PoppyStamps - Best Wishes die cut

Clearly Besotted - A Little Sentimental stamp set

MFT - Stitched Rectangle and Oval dies

MFT - Clear Glass Charms die

Ranger - Liquid Platinum embossing powder

Ranger - Silver Pearl embossing powder

PaperTrey Ink - Vintage Cream linen cardstock

MFT - Rectangle Trio stencil

Nuvo - Crackle Mousse in Russian White

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #181

 

Our new challenge at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers will mean different things

 to different people and a peek into our blog illustrates this very point.  

So what's Edna up to this fortnight? 

Layers.

Isn't this graphic amazing?

After contemplating the prompt, the graphic and my stash an idea emerged 

that is actually a "backdoor" into the idea of layers.  Intrigued?  

Layers...

as in "this guy needs a few more." :-)

Somebody get this poor man a blanket!

The creation of this one is pretty self explanatory.  I stamped and Copic colored in my old geezer image and then added the stamped sentiment below.  I die cut the image to create a smaller panel and matted it onto a slightly larger piece of gray cardstock.  I then cut a panel of patterned paper using a larger die from the same die panel set, adhered it to an aqua card base and then offset the focal image into the top right corner.  I added a few silver stars for effect.  

So just how will you interpret this multilayered prompt?  Check out the blog for ideas from the rest of the Sisterhood.  

Supplies:

Art Impression/Hampton Art - Get Well set ?  

My Minds Eye - paper pack

Memory Box - Cross Stitched Frames die set

HoneyBee Stamps - tiny silver stars

 Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

21st Birthday Card

 

My niece turns 21 on Saturday which of course warrants an extra special card from Aunt Julie.  Incorporating her favorite colors of lavender and teal I created this card.

For the background I alternated Peacock Feather and Dusty Concord Distress Oxide inks in horizontal rows.  I die cut the lattice panel from white cardstock and adhered it to the top of the blended panel.  The numbers were die cut from matte silver cardstock.  The sentiment is heat embossed in silver over a narrow white cardstock banner.  I die cut the florals from additional ink blended pieces, adding in a bit of Spun Sugar for a third color.  I decided they were a bit plain so I ran them through my die cutter with a cover plate to add a bit of interest.  The flower centers were cut from the matte silver cardstock.  The panel was adhered to a teal card base and I finished it off with a generous amount of clear droplets for some shine.  

Using many of these same supplies, I created a second card.

This one uses a kraft card base onto which I adhered an ink blended lattice panel using foam tape.  I paired the Spun Sugar Distress Oxide of the panel with Faded Jeans for the sentiment and scattered diamonds.   I finished this card off with iridescent pearls which play off the colors very nicely.

Supplies:

The Greetery - Square Dance die

MFT - Bitty Birthday Wishes stamp set

Spellbinders - DOTM Dec 2018 floral dies

Altenew - Dotty Swirls cover plate

The Greetery - Written in Ribbons stamp/die set

Studio Katia - Iridescent Bubbles

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   

_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

CAS Colours and Sketches #411

 

Are you ready for spring?  Don't hate me but the weather here in south Florida is absolutely gorgeous right now.  It's my most favorite time of the year (here) but it only lasts a few weeks. Our dreaded heat and humidity will be creeping back in very soon.

In anticipation of spring, YoonYoung has chosen a delightful spring color palette for us to try this week at the CAS Colours and Sketches challenge blog.

For our color challenges, you must use all of the stated challenge colors. You may also use neutral colors; 

however, the challenge colors should be the most noticeable ones featured on your card. 

We use Stampin' Up  color names for reference, but you are welcome to use any other companies' 

products as long as you match the challenge colors as closely as possible.   

I began with a simple sunflower die cut from white cardstock and then blended it with different inks to match up to the challenge colors.  If I were a better photographer you would see that my colors match this week's trio far better than the image suggests.  But alas, I am not.  

I cut a decorative edge from the left side of a white card panel and adhered it to the right edge of a larger yellow panel.  I assembled my florals adhering some directly onto the cardstock while other pieces are popped up with a bit of foam tape.  I white heat embossed the sentiment onto a yellow blended cardstock scrap.  All that was left to do was assemble my card front.  I really love how bright and cheery this turned out and will probably use it as a birthday card.

Supplies:

SimonSaysStamp - sunflower die

Altenew - Notebook die

Felicity Jane - sentiment

I do hope you'll find some time to play with this wonderful color collection this week!  I hope to see you in the gallery.

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   

_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

'Just for Fun' Card Trio

 

I put some extra play time this week to good use and created a trio of (what I think are) sweet birthday cards.  No DT assignments.  No challenges.  Only good 'ole "just for the fun of it" cards.  :-)

I used three different Copic marker color palettes and three slightly different card panel designs to make them just a wee bit different from each other.

I followed the package illustration for my coloring/shading technique.  I got the idea of the dots from the packaging as well.  (I really love this look so be warned, you'll probably be seeing it a lot.)  I can't wait to play with the other Anita Jeram stamp sets that finally found a home in my craft room.  

Do you have a favorite card?

  

Supplies:

Colorado Craft Company Birthday Wishing stamp set

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   

_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

Color Hues #13

Since I'm apparently a glutton for crafting "anxiety" *wink* I'm once again playing with the folks at the Color Hues challenge blog.  The color duo this time around is Blue and Yellow.

I went with a design that's heavy on die cuts as I really just love the look.  

Look at me getting all fancy with my photograph.  ha!

I began by die cutting the pitcher and florals from one shade each of blue and yellow cardstock along with a set cut from white cardstock.  I decided the pitcher needed a bit of oomph so I did some stamping and white heat embossing onto the image.  I layered the florals onto the white cardstock leaving some of it exposed.  I added a bit of detail to the petals with a gold gel pen and then positioned the arrangement inside the pitcher.  I added some Distress Oxide ink blending to the background panel and followed that up with some splatters in black and gold.  The background striped piece is actually from a very ancient Heidi Swapp pocket page kit. I cut it down and it worked perfectly.  I finished it off with a white heat embossed sentiment layered on a gold cardstock banner.   (I'm sure hoping that gold is considered a neutral but then again, in this case it could be considered a shade of yellow, right?)

I think I'm finally getting the hang of two color combinations.  I'm not saying my cards are any better but my frustration level has decreased tremendously.  Oh to have such problems, right?  

Supplies:

MFT Freshly Picked die set

MFT Bitty Birthday Wishes stamp set

MFT Elegant Folded Banner die 

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

CAS Colours and Sketches #410

 

It's Tuesday which means another weekly challenge is up over at the CAS Colours & Sketches blog.  YoonYoung has a fabulous sketch for us to try.  

And I had the perfect half wreath stamp in my stash for this sketch.

I stamped the layered wreath using two different colors of blue ink.  I nestled the die cut dove into the arc and decided it made a perfect sympathy card. I added my usual of clear droplets and adhered the white panel to a blue card base.  

I had no inkling at the time that I would need this card so soon.  My neighbor lost his 10 week battle with Covid on Friday so this will be going to his wife, a very good friend of mine.  So hard to believe.  

Supplies:

The Ton - Pragmatic Wreath stamp

Simon Says Stamp - Turtle Doves die set

Ellen Hutson - clear droplets

I add this to the bottom of each of my posts but it is even more meaningful today....

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

Happy Little Stampers - March Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

It's time for another Anything Goes with Die Challenge over at the Happy Little Stampers blog.  I'm loving this month long no fuss challenge.    

I combined my DT assignment with my nephew's birthday to create this month's card.  I wish teenage boy cards were as simple as our Anything Goes challenges.  LOL!  Here goes....

I combined die sets from two different manufacturers to create this simple beach scene.  I layered the VW van in red and white cardstocks, added a aqua/teal colored surfboard and a layer of vellum to the backside of the windows.  I layered the coconut palm with two different greens.  I used an aqua card panel but decided that my bus needed a bit of grounding so I cut a narrow strip from some fog cardstock.  The sentiment is from yet another manufacturer.  (I love mixing and matching.)  The panel was adhered to a card base made from 110 lb cardstock.  

While he drives a sports car and not a hippie van he does live only a block from the beach so hopefully this will do.  (Money inside always helps.  Ha!)

Grab a die and come play along!!!  You have an entire month to enter!

Supplies:

Taylored Expressions - On the Road Surf Bus die set

MFT - Beach Surf Builder die set

Avery Elle - Surf's Up stamp set

It's a New Year!  Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

Seize the Birthday #209

 

St. Patty's Day Green seems to be the color of the month for many of the online challenges.  I do love green but I usually reserve it for leaves and assorted greeneries when it comes to cardmaking.  I decided to do something a bit different for today's card, inspired by the current Seize the Birthday prompt to use three shades of green.  

I pulled out a layering stencil and three shades of Distress Oxide inks to create the background of my card.

You really can't go wrong with products from The Greetery.  I used Betsy's square dance stencil to create the background.  I'm sure you're noticing that I didn't get it lined up correctly however it's still quite striking.  I die cut the florals three times and stacked them for some dimension.  I white embossed the sentiment onto black cardstock and used the coordinating die to cut out the word Happy and created a strip with Birthday.  I was fairly generous with the bling this time around, sprinkling in a mix of green and clear rhinestones.  I have a friend with a March birthday who will be receiving this card in a couple of weeks.

Supplies:

The Greetery - Square Dance stencil set

The Greetery - Opposites Attract stamp and die set

The Greetery - Written in Ribbons stamp set

Penny Black - Flower Flock die

Studio Katia - Mint Dream jewels

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #180

Twenty-twenty was the year that made Zoom a household word.  It's become the go-to platform for virtual schooling, business meetings, book clubs, exercise workouts and well, just good ole checkins with family and friends.  Never one to be left out, Edna is challenging us to a Z is for Zoom challenge this fortnight. 

I recently added some new Art Impressions biddies to my collection and Super Maude here is one.  I thought she worked perfectly for an early morning Zoom meeting with the office staff.  

To get the full effect of the card you need to look to the greeting which is continued on the inside.    

You tell 'em Maude!

I began by stamping the computer monitor onto a panel of white cardstock.  I masked off the bottom edge and then stamped and colored dear old Maude using Copic markers.  I then fussy cut the monitor and adhered it to a panel of hounds tooth patterned paper.  I die cut the flooring which I am using as a desk, adhered it to the bottom half of the patterned paper and then die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle die.  I stamped, colored and fussy cut the coffee cup and notebook and adhered them to the desktop.  The pencil and paper clips were stamped directly onto the desk top as was the "What?" sentiment.  The finished panel was adhered to a heavy weight white card base.  I printed my inside sentiment from my computer and matted it to another piece of the same patterned paper.  

I don't think I'll ever tire of staring at this card.  She totally makes me chuckle.

Supplies:

Art Impressions - Super Maude stamp

Ellen Hutson - Voices in my Head Accessories stamp set

Penny Black - Wood Floors die set

Hero Arts - May 2019 My Monthly Hero kit (desk accessories)

Concord and 9th - Banner Alpha Bits stamps

Kelly Purkey - Hot Mess stamp set (blah, blah, blah)

Sugar Pea Designs - Sugar and Spice paper pack

It's a New Year!  Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   _____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules 

Inspired By Challenge #163

 

Ready for another drive-by post?  Today I'm playing with the folks at the Inspired By challenge blog where the prompt is Numbers.

  

Perfect timing for me as my parents are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary tomorrow.  I apologize for the imperfect photo.  I had to get this in the mail to them today and of course, there was no sun this morning.  

I did a bit of stenciling and splatters to create the background.   I die cut the front panel twice gluing the outer frame directly to the white card base and the inner panel with foam tape.  The numbers are die cut from holographic cardstock and grounded with a label cut from an ink blended piece of woodgrain cardstock.  Clear droplets finish it off.

Supplies:

PinkFresh Studio - Simple Plaid stencil

The Greetery - Opposites Attract stamp set

PaperTrey Ink - number dies

PaperTrey Ink - label die

Distress Oxide - Speckled Egg

Hero Arts - woodgrain vellum

Simon Says Stamp - holographic cardstock

Continue to stay safe and healthy my friends.   

_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules