Seize the Birthday #291

 

Hello my crafty friends.  Today we start a new challenge over at Seize the Birthday.  Linda is our host and she's chosen Stripes as our new Topping.  Let's get to it!

My stripes are rather subtle but I've been itching to use this die, borrowed from my friend Chris from the Sisterhood.  She lives less than an hour from my son in North Carolina and we try to meet up whenever I visit.  I can't believe I didn't purchase this cutie myself (shark and all) so I appreciate her kindness.  

The card assembly is pretty straightforward.  I die cut the focal panel in white and added some swirly embossing.  I also die cut a focal panel in black to serve as my grounding for the white heat embossed sentiment.  All that was needed was a bit of surgery to combine the two.  Chris had previously die cut the shark in white so I used my inks to color him up.  I adhered the striped paper to a heavyweight A2 card base, adhered the focal panel and then adhered the shark with an action wobbler.  For some reason I can't upload the little movie I took of him but I'll showcase it on Instagram.  He's so stinking cute.  I also made a second similar card that I will also post to IG.  He's cute too but not nearly as adorable as this guy.

Supplies:

MFT - Baby Shark dies

MFT - Sharky Sentiments stamp set (my own)

Spellbinders - Notched Corner Frame die set

Fun Stampers Journey - Wind and Water embossing folder

Art Impressions - Action Wobbler

We have quite the variety of card designs showcased on our blog.  I invite you to take a look-see and think about joining us in the gallery.  If your card is chosen you will be invited to Guest Design with us in the future.

Thanks so much for visiting!!

Jules

Creating for Fun - Part 6

 

Hello Crafty Friends! Today I'm sharing another card made just for fun.  No rules, no committments, no featured products...Just for the Fun of crafting.  

My beautiful bird is another die cut given to me by my friend Chris.  She die cut it in white and I added the color with Distress Oxides.  I die cut the gorgeous floral from a piece of textured cream cardstock and used the same hue of Distress Oxide to color a couple of the floral pieces as well as the sentiment shadow.  (Sentiment stamped with crisp black pigment ink.)  I used the blues to shade a bit of a white panel before embossing it.  

Supplies:

Honeybee Stamps - Bluebird die

Simon Says Stamp - Blossom Field embossing folder

Concord & 9th - Picked Posies die set

Simon Says Stamp/CZ Designs - Clean Line Gratitude stamp/die set

Thanks so much for visiting!!!  I don't get a lot of traffic for cards that aren't part of my Design Team assignments so I really appreciate you stopping by!

Jules

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #254

 

If it's the first Saturday of the month then it's time for the start of a new challenge over at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers blog.  And being early September we're challenging you to create Autumnal themed cards....preferably (but optional) with a bit of humor or snark.  Rather than go the pretty fall leaves route I opted for a Halloween themed card.

Somebody's sure got a lotta raking to do.  Not it!

I began my card with the blending out of the panel.  I like to do this first when possible so it has time to dry before adhering my elements.  And speaking of elements, I stamped, colored (Copics) and fussy cut the images.  I am giving myself a pat on the back for my patience however you can see that I opted to stamp the spider and web 'cause "ain't nobody got time for that!"  I die cut the fence, assembled my elements and finished with the heat embossed sentiment.  

Supplies:

Art Impressions - Fright Night stamp set

MFT - Animal Farm Fence

I invite you to visit our blog for my autumnal inspiration where Leslie is our Reigning Queen.  You could be next!  

Thanks for visiting!

Jules

Color Hues #94

Hello again, my dearest crafty friends.  We have another color combination for you to try out at our Color Hues blog.  Carol is our host and she's chosen the perfect duo for autumnal cards but of course, don't limit yourself.  Anything goes as long as it uses just our two colors and our select neutrals.  You will see I added browns, tans and golds to my mix.

As I often like to do, I die cut my elements in white cardstock and then used Distress Oxide inks to color them.  This makes my die cutting process far more streamlined and allows me to choose colors along the way rather than right at the beginning. (Read that as .... I change my mind a lot.)

I die cut an assortment of leaves, twigs and acorns and used shades of dark orange (rust), greens, and browns.  We don't get fall here in Florida but I really do love the season.  I always try to get up to North Carolina in October to see my son's family as well as smell the frest autumn air.  

I gold heat embossed the sentiment and positioned it onto a small panel.  Too bad you can't really see the shine but at least it didn't mess with my photo this time.  I placed the foliage underneath until I found the "perfect" design.  (Ha...do not be fooled.  It took me hours.  LOL!)  I embossed the background to give it some additional fall feels and adhered it all to a piece of designer paper before assembling my card.

Supplies:

Scrapbook.com - Autumn Leaves die set

Erin Lee Creative - Loved stamp set

Simon Says Stamp - Layered Vine embossing folder

Spellbinders - very, very old deckled edge panel die set

Distress Oxides

gold embossing powder

Our guest designer is Colleen.  How do you become a guest you ask?  Play along and if your card is chosen from our gallery you automatically receive the honor of being showcased on our blog.  What are you waiting for???  Come play along!!!

As always, thanks so much for visiting!!! Your time is important to me.

Jules

Creating for Fun - Part 5

I am so fortunate to have Real Life crafty friends just a few hours away.  We have been trying to get together every few months and it's something I really enjoy.  This is a nod to Nancy and Carol who both live on the opposite coast of Florida.  We get together and craft, eat, drink and laugh.  The upside is that we also get to share supplies.  My cards today were created with dies I borrowed from Carol.  

My process in "borrowing" involves taking my little Empress mini die cut machine (TOTALLY recommend, by the way) and die cutting three replicates of the elements in white cardstock.  Once home (and often months later) I will color them and create my cards.  These elements are from an April gathering.  

Because these were all cut in white I had to be creative with patterns.  You may notice that many elements were run through embossing folders for texture.  I also added some white trim to the clothing and used the floral wrap ties as shoe laces.  You may also notice that the gait is different between the cards.  The first card was assembled as per Concord and 9th's website.  I got a bit creative on Card 2 by flipping one leg upside down and having her "kick" forward rather than backward.  I'm not sure if I invented this but I've not seen it before so I'm claiming it.  LOL!!!  I also stenciled the backgrounds and added some grass with dies.  All that was left was sentiments.

Supplies:

Concord and 9th - Weekend Market (borrowed from Carol)

The Stamp Market - Floral Diamond stamp set (sentiment on Card 2)

MFT - English Brick Wall stencil

Fun Stampers Journey - Cozy Knit embossing folder

Fun Stampers Journey - Love Stripes embossing folder

Lawn Fawn - grass die

Spellbinders - Better Press sentiment (borrowed from Nanc)

We're hoping for an autumn get together so I need to start stalking their IG galleries for more "wanna try dies."  LOL!  Thanks so much for visiting!

Jules

Creating for Fun - Part 4

 

I am so very late to the Postage Stamp cardmaking trend but better late than never.  I'm here today to share another card, made Just for Fun.  

I still don't own any of the awesome coordinating stencils so I made do with just the background die.  At first I tried to "stay within the lines" however after that proved a bit tedious I just went with my gut.  And I'm happy I did.  

I chose four colors of Distress Oxide inks to color my white die cuts and then arranged them until I was happy.  Not rocket science but I did purposefully leave a section for my sentiment.  (I often forget that part.  LOL!)  Everything was adhered flat to the card panel with liquid glue.

Supplies:

Waffle Flower - Postage Collage die

Spellbinders - Stylish Oval Birthday Wishes stamp set

Spellbinders - Simply Perfect Layered Blooms die set

Spellbinders - Little Chickadee die set

Thanks so much for visiting!!!  I'm really enjoying my extra time lately and love making cards without restrictions.

Jules

Seize the Birthday #290

Hello my crafty friends!  It's my turn for hosting the Seize the Birthday challenge this fortnite which means I had the honor of choosing the Topping.  After far too much deliberation I chose the theme of Retro.  If you're stuck for ideas think 60s/70s colors, old fart technology, vintage, antique, old font styles, etc.   

I pulled out a van die and used Scooby Doo as my theme, right down to the late sixties/early seventies color palette.  (I'm showing my age, aren't I?  LOL!)

My card front uses products mixed and matched from a variety of different manufacturers.  I die cut the van in what I think are fun mod colors, adding the flower die for a touch of sixties flower child.  The background is a fun stencil which I blended with "far out there man!" sixties/seventies colors.  I stamped the Groovy portion of the sentiment directly on my Scooby Doo van and added the heat embossed Birthday underneath ....because this IS a birthday challenge, after all.  I have to say, my background reminds me of the afghans that my Grandmas made way back when.  (And I still own and use to this day.)

So!  What does Retro mean to you?  Be creative and strut your stuff.  I can't wait to see what's in store for our gallery.

Supplies:

Erin Lee Creative - A2 Flower Layering Market stencil

Taylored Expressions - Surf Bus die set

Ellen Hutson - Trippin' stamp set

Ellen Hutson - HB2U stamp set

Spellbinder - misc flower

Thanks so much for visiting!!!

Jules