CASology: Ombre, Take 1

After learning my lesson from Christmas and Valentine's Day (that I should start making holiday cards waaay in advance, instead of procrastinating and rushing at the last minute), I decided to get a  start on Mother's Day cards well in advance.  Here's my first of what I'm sure will be many...

I'm entering this into CASology's challenge, where I cue word is Ombre.

It's a bit busier than I had wanted, mainly because I got some gluey blemishes on my card and had to cover them up with enamel accents and flowers.

And, here's a fun little glimpse of the madness before I finished up my card.  What a fun mess!

Thanks for looking!

Supplies:
Stamps: Mama Elephant Happy Everything
Dies: Mama Elephant Happy Script
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress (tumbled glass, peacock feathers)
Other: white embossing powder, flower sequins, enamel accents

cas(e) this sketch #119

I was so moved by an image I saw on Instagram by @hannexstitch, where she made the most gorgeous banner with gold letters and gold-dipped wreaths.  Just breathtaking.  So, I asked what technique she used and she directed me to Danielle Flander's tutorial on gold-dipped die cuts...I was hooked, and made this...

I die cut some flowers from colored paper, brushed some of the petals with an embossing pad, and then heat embossed the tips in gold.  Its a bit hard to see, but up close, I find it quite pretty.

I'm entering this into CAS(E) this Sketch, where we used this sketch as our inspiration.

Thanks for looking!

Supplies:
Stamps: Mama Elephant Many Thanks; Paper Smooches Reflections
Dies: Paper Smooches Reflections Flowers
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black; Versamark Champagne
Other: Patterned paper, gold embossing powder, sequins

wplus9 tbt #2

I just found a challenge that's new to me, so I decided to to give it a try.  Here is my card for WPlus9's Throwback Thursday Challenge.

We were challenged to use some of our older WPlus9 stamps, so I used Written on Ribbon and Fresh Cut Florals, along with their accompanying dies.

Thank you for taking a look:)

fusion card: cupcake inspiration

It has been a while since I participated in my first Fusion Card Challenge, so I decided to give it another go…especially since it’s a cupcake inspiration challengeJ  Here is the card I made to give to my mom on her birthday.

Here is the inspiration provided by the Fusion Card Challenge.  I was drawn to the photo and started out thinking I’d make a monochromatic yellow cupcake/bunny/balloon scene, but I remembered that my mom really likes bright colors, so I added spring colors to the mix.

Thank you for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps: Mama Elephant Carnival Cupcakes & Party Kit; Simon Says Stamp + Mama Elephant Summer Garden

Dies: Mama Elephant Creative Cuts: Carnival Cupcakes & Party Kit; Simon Says Stamp + Mama Elephant Summer Garden

Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Inks: peacock feathers, picked raspberry, squeezed lemonade; Versamark: onyx black

just wanted to say thank you

I had so much fun with the current CAS(E) this Sketch challenge that I decided to give it another try.  Here's my card:

I used the Simon Says Stamp Summer Garden set, designed by Mama Elephant, with the accompanying dies.  The sentiment is from Mama Elephant's Many Thanks, one of my most frequently used stamp sets.

I am entering the first card to CAS(E) this Sketch, where we are using this sketch as our inspiration:

Thank you for stopping by!  

Supplies:

Stamps: Mama Elephant Many Thanks; Simon Says Stamp + Mama Elephant Summer Garden

Dies: Simon Says Stamp + Mama Elephant Summer Garden

Inks: Gansai Tambi Watercolors, Versamark Onyx Black

Other: patterned paper, sequins

cas(e) this sketch #116

My best friend's daughter just arrived in China for an exchange program.  Before she left I made a trio of thank you card for her to take on her trip.  One thing I learned from my recent trip to the Philippines is that you should always have thank you cards on hand.  Being away from home and my comfort zone meant that I had to depend on people more than I'm used to.  I was very thankful for the family and friends who made my trip wonderful.

Here's the first card I made.  My favorite of the three...

I used the Simon Says Stamp Summer Garden set, designed by Mama Elephant, with the accompanying dies.

And my second card, using a few blingy sequins.

This is my final card.  It always feels good put scraps of patterned paper to good use:)

The whole set...The sentiments used in all three cards are from Mama Elephant's Many Thanks.  I use the set probably more than any other stamp set I own.  Thank you cards tend to be what I make the most of.

I am entering the first card to CAS(E) this Sketch, where we are using this sketch as our inspiration:

Thank you for stopping by!  

Supplies:

Stamps: Mama Elephant Many Thanks; Simon Says Stamp + Mama Elephant Summer Garden

Dies: Simon Says Stamp + Mama Elephant Summer Garden

Inks: Derwendt Inktense Pencils, Versamark Onyx Black

Other: patterned paper, sequins

treat yoself

I used one of my current favorite dies, the Treat Yoself die by Essentials by Ellen, to make this card...

The little heart embellishments are from Heart and Hearth, also from Essentials by Ellen.  And, the triangles are from a Kelly Purkey craft die I purchased from Simon Says Stamp.  I think that craft die is no longer available.

I made this card using a bunch of paper scraps that I've seemed to accumulate over time.  My goal is to use my paper in different kinds of creative projects (cards, gift wrapping, tags), not necessarily to make room for more, but rather to share what I enjoy with other people.  Pretty paper brings me lots of joy, and I'm sure it'll bring other folks joy, too.

I'm submitting this card to both the Essentials by Ellen Pin-sights Challenge and CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge.  Here is my photo inspiration and sketch.

  

Thanks for stopping by!