Life Happens . . . Chocolate Helps!

Today's card was inspired by the photo inspiration at Just Add Ink.

I was inspired by the chocolate and really wanted to try my hand at a box of chocolates with a stamp and die that had been in my set for quite some time.

My one regret was not using gold paper for the wrappers for each candy. The last box of candy I had was from a company in Ohio who has gold foil box covers, which I did go with if you see the outline of the box. Their papers for each candy were brown, and I knew that wouldn't stand out so I used white. I felt like the gold would be too much, so I went with white. 

My overall goal was to create a card with chocolates that looked real, with that shine upon them. I used embossing powder to get the shine, and it definitely has shine. I may take this in a different direction next time.

But now I crave chocolate.

Debbie

Supplies Used - Life Happens . . . Chocolate Helps

Stamps and Dies:  Quilted Heart Backdrop Landscape (Lawn Fawn); chocolate2stamp and chocolates2Love Dies (The Stamps of Life);

Ink & Embossing:  Embossing Pad and French Toast Embossing Powder (Wow); Jet Black (Lawn Fawn);

Paper:  White Cardstock (Scrapbook Cards Today); Brushed Metallic Cardstock (Stampin' Up); Solar White (Neenah); Cranberry Cardstock (Concord & 9th); Early Espresso Cardstock (Stampin' Up);

Other:  Liquid Glass and Resin Mini Hearts (Close To My Heart);

My Favorite Color?

My card today was inspired by Seize the Birthday's inspiration of favorite color. 

I'm horrible with favorites. From colors to music. Movies to books. Beverages to foods. I never can choose. And if I do choose, it can only last about 42 seconds, and then my mind changes. 

And so my card today is inspired by my favorite color across the span of time it took me to create the card.

I am drawn to color combinations, and nothing beats a rainbow card. There is something about it that just makes me happy. I had the pattern paper on my desk from cards over the last few weeks, so I brought it in some matching inks to create my birthday card.

Am I the only person that stinks at determining favorites? (I secretly tell all my dogs they are my favorite.)

Crafting is my favorite! 

Debbie

Supplies Used - Celebrate

Stamps and Dies:   Celebrate Today Dies and Cardscapes Stamp Set (Concord & 9th);

Ink:  Honeysuckle, Buttercup and Oceanside Ink (Concord & 9th); Jet Black (Lawn Fawn);

Paper: White Cardstock (Scrapbook & Cards Today); Pattern Paper (Concord & 9th);

Other:  Clear Sequins (Concord & 9th); Silver Trim (Concord & 9th);

3 of the Same for Inkspirational

My card today was inspired by Inkspirational Challenges' prompt of "3 of the same". 

I used this set from Concord & 9th to create three pair of eyeglasses, and I honestly could not have had more fun. As an eyeglass wearer, this was right up my alley. Such a fun die set. 

I have to admit that I have a pair of glitter rainbow frames in my collection, and while they aren't wire frame, they were a bit of the inspiration for these three pair.

I hope you can find some glittery, rainbow fun in your craft room.

Debbie

Supplies Used - Great To See You So Happy

Stamps and Dies:   Buttercup Cabin Gift Die (Concord & 9th)

Paper: White Cardstock (Scrapbook & Cards Today); Oceanside, Parsley and Pattern paper (Concord & 9th); Disco Ball Glitter Paper (Reminisce);

Other:  Enamel Dots (Concord & 9th);

Snappy Birthday - Water Fun for Just Us Girls

My inspiration today comes from Just Us Girls. It was Word week, and the word was "water" which is perfect for a good summer birthday card.

I love creating waves with torn paper, and especially love the bubbly, frothy edges I get when combining some stickles with those torn edges. 

I added some Ranger Glossy Accents to many of the swim elements that the crocodiles are enjoying. Love these Pink & Main images. 

I hope you have some fun summer creations happening in your crafty space. 

Debbie

Supplies Used - Snappy, Snappy, Snappy Birthday

Stamps and Dies:  Smile Crocodile Stamp Set and Dies (Pink & Main); Spring Showers Dies (Lawn Fawn);

Ink & Embossing:  Jet Black (Lawn Fawn); Copic Markers; Oceanside (Concord & 9th)

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock (Close To My Heart); Gingersnap Cardstock (The Stamps of Life); Birthday Candles Watercolor Wishes (Lawn Fawn);

Other: Unicorn Stickles and Glossy Accents (Ranger); 

Belated Birthday Card with Critters

Wild animals were the challenge at Make My Monday, and so over the weekend I created this card which is full of desert critters. I've got a road runner, a fennec fox, a snake and a scorpion. 

And while not a critter, I also have a flying cake.

And a "Happy Birthday" sentiment that sneaks in. My pattern paper is from Dear Lizzy.American Crafts and was perfect for this card. 

I love interactive cards and find them so fun to make.

Debbie

Supplies Used - Sorry I'm Running Late

Stamps and Dies:  Peek-a-boo Pop-up Die, Critters in the Desert Stamp Set and Dies, Henry's Build-a-sentiment Stamp Set and Simple Banner Die (Lawn Fawn);

Ink & Embossing:  Jet Black (Lawn Fawn); Copic Markers;

Paper:  Gingersnap Cardstock (The Stamps of Life); Happy Place Pattern Paper (Dear Lizzy/American Crafts); Solar White (Neenah); Tide Pool (Lawn Fawn); Grasshopper Cardstock (Concord & 9th);

Other: Stardust Stickles (Ranger); Acetate (American Crafts);

Party Pups

Today's card was inspired by the prompt at As You Like It, which was "favourite critter" (domesticated critter, that is). 

Shocker, but as the photo on my blog shows a picture of a dog, I fess up that dogs steal my heart. 

My dad inspired my love for dogs. My mom didn't want pets in our house, she didn't want the mess, chaos and dog hair. I wanted a dog so badly as a child, and I asked Santa for one when I was five. "Santa" delivered. He convinced my mom with a non-shedding dog. The rest is history. And so still have a non-shedder, but my life has been filled with shedders too. 

I love that Photoplay had this fun paper with the pups and a die set to match. I cut them all out and have been slowly creating cards, mixing them with other pattern papers, stamps and dies. 

Today's card mixes my critters with Pretty Pink Posh and Catherine Pooler Designs stamps/dies. 

Find some time to create with a critter today! And use some chunky glitter!

Debbie

Supplies Used - PARTY, Yappy Birthday

Stamps and Dies:  Bow Wow Stamp Set and Dies (Photoplay); Balloon Alphabet (Pretty Pink Posh); Party World Die (Catherine Pooler Designs); 

Ink & Embossing: Party Dress, Aquatini, Tiara and Midnight Ink (Catherine Pooler Inks);

Paper: Bow Wow Pattern Paper (Photoplay); Premium White Cardstock and By the Yard Pattern Paper Pack (Catherine Pooler Designs); Spiffy Speckles Pattern Paper (Lawn Fawn); Doodlebug Designs Pattern Paper;

Other: Twine (Concord & 9th); Pearly Pastel Confetti (Trinity Stamps); Diamond Stickles (Ranger); Chunky Glitter (Lawn Fawn);

Let's Eat Cake!

 Last week I had the amazing opportunity to get into my craft room, dig into my crafty stash, and dig out some fun stamps, dies and embellishments. 

Dots were the challenge at Seize the Birthday. I pulled out an old die set from Concord & 9th's summer camp. I think this one was from 2022, so it was overdue for a play date. 

So I brought in products from other companies and got busy creating a birthday card with some dots. They're big dots, in the form of the pattern paper. 

The yumminess of the sparkly decorative frosting was compliments of Nuvo Confetti (also in my stash for quite some time). 

Chocolate cake with a white buttercream frosting. I'm hungry now.

I love a good interactive card. 

Find some time to create something yummy in your craft room.

Debbie

Supplies Used - Cake Interactive Card

Stamps and Dies:   Let's Eat Cake Stamp Set and Dies (Concord & 9th); Notecard Frame Die (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Ink:  Aqua Sky, Oceanside, Honeysuckle, Sprout and Parsley (Concord & 9th); Embossing Pad and Clear Embossing Powder (Wow)

Paper: White, Oceanside, Aqua Sky, Buttercup, Sprout and Pattern Paper (Concord & 9th); Soft Suede (Stampin' Up);

Other:  Aqua Flakes Pure Sheen Confetti (Nuvo); Stardust Stickles (Ranger);

Hope

The prompt at Just Us Girls reminded me of a song from the 90's by Janis Ian. The lyrics mention that "hope" is just a four-letter word. I had the song in my head as I created this card. 

I had received the butterfly stamp set and the dies as part of a challenge back in August, so they were on my desk and ready for play. I also had just ordered the sentiment set used here, and it was close-by and waiting for me to break open the packaging.

Turnabout stamps are a fun challenge. I went with tertiary colors in the hopes it would blend together nicely. 

Supplies Used - Hope

Stamps and Dies:  Defined Stamp Set and Die, Fluttering By Turnabout Stamp Set, and Butterfly Perfectly Pairing Die (Concord & 9th);

Ink & Embossing:  It's a Boy, Serenade, Sixteen Candles, and Be Mine (Catherine Pooler Ink); Embossing Powder and Opaque Bright White Embossing Powder (Wow); Vellum (Concord & 9^th);

Paper:  White Cardstock (Scrapbook & Cards Today); Black Cardstock and White Glitter Cardstock (Concord & 9th); 

Seize the Birthday Inspired

It has certainly been a while since I've posted.  Life has been a bit on the busy side, and it always puts a damper on my crafty fun.  

I managed to get some craft time the last couple of weeks, and this weekend was inspired to create a card using the inspiration at Seize the Birthday.  

I went with wet embossing, because nothing is more magical than melting embossing powder.  I stamped my cupcake images with Versafine and embossed with clear embossing powder.  My three sentiment pieces were all embossed with white embossing powder.  

Such a fun and easy card to create, and bit on the masculine side which is always a plus.

I hope you find some time to get inky!  

Debbie

Supplies Used - Happy Birthday to You

Stamps and Dies:  Hello Cupcake Stamp, Die and Stencil (Photoplay Say it With Stamps for Let's Stamp Together SCT Magazine);

Ink & Embossing:  Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers, Blueprint Sketch and Squeezed Lemonade (Distress Ink from Ranger); Versafine; Clear Gloss Regular (Wow); Alabaster White  (Brutus Monroe);

Paper: Daisy White Cardstock (Close To My Heart), Black Cardstock (Concord & 9th);

Other: Portsmouth Sequin Mix (Catherine Pooler Designs); 

Let's Eat Cake

Mmmmm  . . . cake!  Inspired by the colors at The Paper Players, I created this card.  Admittedly, I have two hues of blues that combined might be the color depicted in the challenge.

 I got this set from Concord & 9thand just love the interactive element. 

 

Pulling reveals chocolate cake . . . and three layers!  

 

Such a fun card to create.  

Go create something fun!  

Debbie

Supplies Used - Hooray Birthday Wishes

Stamps and Dies:   Let's Eat Cake Stamp Set and Dies and Cardscapes Stamp Set (Concord & 9th); 

Ink:  Aqua Sky, Oceanside, and Buttercup (Concord & 9th); Embossing Pad and Clear Embossing Powder (Wow)

Paper: White, Oceanside, Aqua Sky, Buttercup, Silver Foil and Sprout (Concord & 9th); Soft Suede (Stampin' Up); Disco Ball Glitter Paper (Reminisce);

Other:  Aqua Flakes Pure Sheen Confetti (Nuvo); Stardust Stickles (Ranger); Sequins (Concord & 9th);

Thanks a Melon

 "Blending In" was the creative prompt at Shopping Our Stash.  And blending in was the process for my card today.  I used supplies from Concord & 9th's Summer Camp, and chose the watermelon stencil to create my card.   

Blending for watermelon slices is absolutely the perfect way to color them, because watermelon has so much variation in shading.  So I really loved how these came out on my card.  

 

Admittedly, I struggled a bit with my seeds.  I used Art Alchemy Matte Wax in Charcoal Black, and when lifting the stencil there were some stray splatters and drag marks.  Grrrr!  It's more noticeable in the pictures than it is on the actual card.  

I hope you find some time to do some creative blending today.  

Cheers!

Debbie

Supplies Used - Thanks a Melon

Stamps and Dies:   Oh So Sweet Stamp Set, Die and Stencil (Concord & 9th);

Ink:  Midnight (Catherine Pooler Designs); Honeysuckle, Parsley and Sprout (Concord & 9th);

Paper: White Cardstock (Scrapbook & Cards Today); Honeysuckle Cardstock (Concord & 9th);

Other:  Charcoal Black Matte Wax (Art Alchemy); Clear Drops (Concord & 9th)

 

Holly Jolly Stencil Fun for Christmas Craft Creations

This month's challenge at Christmas Craft Creations was stenciling.  I've become a huge fan of stenciling whether is blending inks over them or getting crazy with some shaving cream and ink.  Today I used some layering stencils to create a background, and then used those same ink colors to color some stamped images. 

There were three stencils in my layering set, and I decided to use two off them and blend on some Martini and Uptown ink from Catherine Pooler. 

My stamp set has these adorable birds with scarves, and so I stamped one and used the same inks to color.  I also stamped some hearts onto my stenciled background and heat set some embossing glitter onto them.  And then there is all the added sparkle!  What's not to love about added sparkle?  

I do love mixing up my supplies.  Stencils from Close To My Heart; stamps and dies from Catherine Pooler Designs, and a sentiment die/banner from Concord & 9th.  Finding ways to creatively mix it up is so much fun. 

I hope you find some time to create!  

Debbie

Supplies Used -Sending Love - Holly Jolly

Stamps and Dies:  Flock of Friends Stamps and Dies (Catherine Pooler Designs); Holly Jolly Banner Die (Concord & 9th);

Ink & Embossing:  Jet Black (Lawn Fawn); Wow Embossing Pad and Uptown Embossing Glitter (Wow);  Uptown and Martini (Catherine Pooler Inks);

Paper: White Cardstock (Scrapbook and Cards Today); Solar White (Neenah); Black Cardstock (American Crafts);

Other: Card Front Stencil Bundle 3 (Close To My Heart); Black Glaze Pen and Quickie Glue Pen (Sakura); Prisma Glitter (Lawn Fawn);

Joy - Inkspirational Challenge

I saw the inspiration photo at Inkspirational Challenges and immediately was drawn to the pillow with "Joy" on the front of it.  I have a die that I've been playing around with and some pattern paper scraps from a recent virtual crop.  I mashed them together for today's card.  

I used the pattern papers for my background, and the back of a pattern paper that was solid (with a little variation in the color) for my "joy" die.  But I continued that pattern paper theme to cut the small dies within my large sentiment die.  You can see the tiny variation in color on the inlaid pieces.  I used a red buffalo plaid which had three variations of reds, a sweater print for my greens which had two different tones and those tiny white pieces of some flecks of cream. 

This was a fun card for me, as I love piecing dies together.  

I hope you find some time to create today!  

Debbie

Supplies Used - Joy

Stamps and Dies:  Holly Jolly Dies (Concord & 9th);

Paper: Ivory Cardstock (Neenah); Cozy Christmas Pattern Paper (Fancy Pants);

Other: Enamel Dots (Fancy Pants);

Hey Happy Camper!

 I took a few days off and was able to do some crafting.  Created this card inspired by Time Out Challenges where the challenge was to use a colored card base.  

I had card bases left from my Concord & 9th summer camp session, so I paired them up with some of the stamps to create this card.  

I had a blast creating this card and pairing all the colors together.  Such a fun set! 

I hope you find some time to create today.  

Debbie

Supplies Used - Hey Happy Camper

Stamps and Dies:  Happy Camper Turnabout Stamp Set and Dies (Concord & 9th);

Ink & Embossing:  Midnight (Catherine Pooler Inks);

Paper: Midnight, White, Honeysuckle, Stardust, Clover, Evergreen, Peacock, Mushroom, Wheat Cardstock (Concord & 9th);

Other: Sequin Mix (Concord & 9th);

Stencil Inspired

Sharing two cards created for World Card Making Day and using a stencil, which was inspired from Little Red Wagon.  

This one was inspired by brick, and I used some new, cool product that was in my stash to give it a metallic look.  

My second card was also created using a stencil.  This one used distress oxide inks. 

This one is a bit simpler, but was perfect for a sympathy card.  

I hope you find some time to create very soon. 

Cheers! 

Supplies Used - Imaginary Neighborhood

Stamps and Dies: City Stacks Stamp Set (Concord & 9th); Postage Stamp Dies (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Ink & Embossing:  Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick, and Peeled Paint Distress Inks (Ranger); Midnight (Catherine Pooler Inks);

Paper:  Desert Storm (Neenah);

Other: Mini Bricks Stencil (The Crafters Workshop); Pearl Luster Metallic Gliding Paste (Creative Expressions); 

Supplies Used - With Sympathy

Stamps and Dies: Salutations (Paper Smooches);

Ink & Embossing:  Icing on the Cake (Catherine Pooler Inks); Forest Moss and Stormy Sky Distriess Oxides (Ranger);

Paper: Desert Storm (Neenah) and Brown Cardstock (Bazzill);

Other: Espresso Jewels (Pretty Pink Posh); UFO Stencil from my stash;

No Pattern Paper for Cards in Envy

No pattern paper was the challenge at Cards in Envy.  I played around with some card panels and ink that I knew would coordinate well, as it was my original colors from Catherine Pooler inks  They are my go to inks these days.  The first collection released were such a great combo.

And so, no pattern paper . . .

And I went with no sentiment . . . as I thought this would make a nice note card to send any type of note.

And with the same color combination, always fun to stamp away! Did some splattering on both cards. 

 I hope you find some time to create today!

Debbie
 

Supplies Used - Floral Card

Stamps:  Hello Lovely (Concord & 9th)

Ink: Orange Twist, Fiesta Blue, Grass Skirt, Rockin' Red and Midnight (Catherine Pooler)

Paper:  Premium White and Premium Midnight Cardstock (Catherine Pooler)

Accessories:  Sparkling Clear Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh)

 

Supplies Used - Congrats

Stamps:  Way to Go (Close To My Heart)

Ink: Orange Twist, Rockin' Red, Fiesta Blue, Grass Skirt, Black Jack and Midnight (Catherine Pooler)

Paper:  Premium White and Premium Midnight Cardstock (Catherine Pooler)

Accessories:  Sparkling Clear Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh)