Seize the Birthday #274

 

Hello crafty friends!  Happy Thanksgiving to all of those in the United States.  And happy everything day to those elsewhere in the world.  

Seize the Birthday has the perfect challenge for today and the next two weeks.  Barbara is our host and she has chosen Fall Items as our Topping.  

I am still enjoying all of them autumn themed dies so deciding on a wheelbarrow full of pumpkins was an easy choice.  I cut them from colored cardstocks and added in a bit of ink blending to give them a bit of dimension.  The background panel is a mix of two designer papers.  I used a large leaf rubber stamp (no idea of the maker) to create a focal design on the upper section using the rock and roll stamping technique.  I also edged the background in ink to give it a bit of a distressed look.  I die cut the large sentiment from gold cardstock and added a strip of it to separate where the two papers joined.  The sub sentiment was stamped.  I really love the fall vibes on this one.  

Supplies:

Honeybee Stamps - Wheelbarrow die set

Papertrey Ink - Happy die

The Greetery - Sentiment Squared stamp set

Honeybee Stamps - 6x6 paper pad

Leaf stamp - unknown

I invite you to visit our blog for more birthday inspiration using fall items.  The toppings are optional but the birthday theme is mandatory.  As always, thanks for visiting!!  Your time means a lot to me.  

Jules

Color Throwdown # 769

 

After making tons of autumn themed cards it was refreshing to see a spring color palette over at the Color Throwdown Challenge blog.  I pulled out a set of five layering stencils and went to work.

I didn't set out to create a wedding themed card but that's how it goes sometimes when you're winging it.  

I pulled three Distress Oxide colors along with a white pigment ink and went to town stenciling.  I die cut the doves and sprigs in white cardstock, coloring them with the same Distress hues.  I also blended the back side of a vellum circle to serve as grounding for my images.  The sentiment was heat embossed in silver onto a white strip of cardstock.  I also created a narrow border of pink to set off the white panel before adhering it to a white card base.  I'm pleased to have a pretty nuptial card in my stash.

Supplies:

Pinkfresh Studios - Layering Stencil (anyone know the name???)

MFT - Say I Do dies

MFT - Peaceful Greenery die set

Clearly Besotted - Tiny Type sentiment stamp set

Thanks so much for visiting!!!

Jules

Color Hues #76

 

Good morning fellow crafters.  It's my turn to host the Color Hues challenge for the next two weeks and with the holidays sneaking up on us I thought it was time for a festive Christmassy (is that a word?) color combo.  Of course your card needn't be holiday themed ... just remember to use only these two colors and approved neutrals.  Let's get this party started!

My card....

My card uses stamps and dies from The Greetery.  I had to have this bow die the instant I saw Betsy's video.  It is just perfection!

I die cut the bow from red cardstock and then did some selective inking in a darker red, followed by a generous spritz of gold metallic spray.  I cannot rave about this bow enough and you'll be seeing more of it in future posts.  

The background was die cut from a gold metallic cardstock and adhered directly to a red card base.  I set the "ribbon" cardstock pieces on a diagonal, positioning the bow in the upper left corner.  I heat embossed a tiny gold tag which may be a bit hard to read in the photo but it says "Sending Warm Thoughts."  (It isn't easy stamping and embossing slick metallic cardstock.)

Supplies:

The Greetery - Big Beautiful Bow die set

The Greetery - Woven Cane die

The Greetery - Thinking of You stamp set

Heidi Swapp - Gold Metallic spray (mine is ancient but still works like a charm.)

I invite you to visit our blog where you'll see so many wonderful designs in red and metallic gold.  The colors are perfect for Christmas cards but I'm hoping to see some non-holiday inspiration in the gallery.

Thank you so much for visiting my little corner of the blogosphere.  Your time means a lot to me.

Jules

Just Us Girls Challenge #705

 

One can never have too many Thank You cards so it was an easy decision to hop in and play along with my friends at the Just Us Girls Challenge blog.  Here's my card for their Word Week prompt of Thanks/Thanksgiving.

I don't make or send Thanksgiving cards (oh hell, let's just be real here....I have gotten so bad at sending out ANY cards lately) but I did want to keep with the fall theme.  I die cut the elements out in white and blended them with Distress Oxides, adding in some gold splatters for interest.  I used an embossing folder for the brown panel and delightfully decided that I preferred the debossed side over the embossed side this time around.  The sentiment was heat embossed in gold onto a matching brown cardstock strip.  I'm rather pleased with the way this turned out.

Supplies:

The Greetery - Autumn Harvest die set

The Greetery - Macrame Open Basework die set 

Simon Says Stamp - Layered Vines embossing folder

MFT - Bitty Thanks sentiment stamp set

Spellbinders - Gold Pearl stickers

Thanks so much for stopping by!!!  You are much appreciated.

Jules

Seize the Birthday #273

It's time for a new Topping over at the Seize the Birthday challenge blog.  Ashwini is our hostess this fortnight and she has chosen Neutral Colors Only as her challenge to you.  Of course, any birthday card qualifies for our gallery but we'd love to see you take on her challenge.  I went with the most neutral palette of all....Black and White (with a little bit of silver mixed in.)  

Now would be a good time to point out that Seize the Birthday

 considers Gold and Silver to be neutrals.

My Glimmer Hot Foiling machine has been collecting dust for a couple of years now.  I pulled it out one evening and started practicing.  For the record, this card only took six hours to make.  Ha!  

I began by foiling the sentiment in silver onto black cardstock.  I used a die to create the circular cut out design and then added die cut florals to decorate.  The finishing touch was to sprinkle clear droplets in opposite corners...something I do quite often.  

Supplies:

Spellbinders - Large DOTM October 2019 (florals)

Spellbinders - Elegant Twist Circle die

Spellbinders - Birthday Hugs and Wishes hot foil plate

I invite you to visit our blog for more birthday inspiration using only a neutral palette from not only our Design Team members but also our Guest DT, Loll.  As always, thanks for visiting!!  Your time means a lot to me.  

Jules
 

Christmas Kickstarter #80 - Guest DT

 

Many thanks to Jo Avery over at the Christmas Kickstart Challenge blog for inviting the Sisterhood to play along with her this month.  When you see her challenge prompt below, my card may make a bit more sense.

Unless of course, you're not a Star Trek fan.  *She says gasping because Sistah Jules has been a loyal TOS Trekkie since the early 1970s*

For clarification, Jo is looking for non-traditional Christmas elements or colors however I couldn't help but JUMP at the chance to create my very own Star Fleet uniform.  And naturally, I'm Captain Kirk.  (No Red Shirts for me, thank you very much. *wink*)

I had a shirt/vest/sweater die that I knew would work so I cut a shirt from yellow cardstock.  The Star Fleet emblem was hand designed and cut.  I added the shirt to an ink blended galaxy background (complete with splatters) and die cut the lettering from red cardstock.  The Merry is one die.  The Trekmas was created with individual alpha dies.  

Supplies:

Marianne Designs - COL 1434 (shirt die set)

Altenew - Simple Alpha dies

Ellen Hutson - Merry & Bright die set

Ranger - Distress Oxides

I invite you to play along with her month long challenge.  Personally I'd love to see your Star Trek themed cards however any out of the ordinary holiday card will work.  

Thanks so much for spending a bit of time with me!

Jules

Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - November 2023

 

How's the Christmas card crafting going?  Happy Little Stampers is here to help!  Our prompt for November is Bah Hum Bug....which is certainly one I can embrace.  LOL!  

I began with the sentiment, which is one I just adore.  The little elves are part of a different set but I thought they were the perfect accompaniment.  Because they're so small I opted to put them on a tag to create my focal point.  The red panel was ink blended around the edges and then embossed with a 3D folder.  I used a red/kraft/white color scheme which happens to be a favorite holiday color combo of mine.

Supplies:

Hero Arts - Offbeat Holiday stamp set

Hero Arts - Irreverent Elf Messages stamp set

Sunny Studio - Build a Tag 1 die set

Papertrey Ink - Linen Cover Plate

Altenew - Checked Diamond 3D embossing folder

I invite you to visit our blog for more holiday inspiration.  Prompts are always optional but remember that only holiday cards qualify.  We would love to see your card in our gallery.  

As always, thanks so much for spending a bit of your day with me!

Jules