This Little Piggy Says Happy Birthday

Happy Thursday! It's time for a Team O challenge at the Tic Tac Toe Challenge! We have a fun board with some of my favorite elements - coloring and critters!

 

I chose the right column down and used this cut pig to create a fun birthday scene. I said a few weeks ago that I was cleaning out my stash. This adorable stamp set is on the retiring list at Stampin' Up! and somehow I haven't used it before. So before it's gone I thought I'd give it a whirl. My favorite image in the set is the piggy with flowers, but I needed a birthday card and the Vespa riding pig did it for me!

I chose my colors based on the shaker bits I have flying from the Vespa. I had thought about different colors but when I found these retired bits in my stash I thought they would be perfect. Shaker bits are things that I buy and always have leftovers; you just don't use that many in a card. These were not difficult to adhere - I sprinkled some on my desk, added tiny dots of glue to the card front and used my Take Your Pick tool to pick up the pieces and put them down. Super easy and fast.

This retiring stamp set and the matching dies are on sale right now through the end of the month at a real bargain price. Get yours today!

Products used - Stampin' Up!

If you choose to place an order with me please use Host Code XWBM2UPA. Some of these products go away May 1 so act soon! (If your order is $150 or more do not use the code so YOU get the host benefits.)

• Stamps: This Birthday Piggy
• Dies: Playful Piggy
• Stampin' Blends: Petal Pink (for the piggy), other colors to preference 
• Shaker Elements: your preference
• Accessories: Take Your Pick Tool

Thanks for visiting today!  Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Bloglovin'

Bloom

Happy Tuesday! It's time for the sketch challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches. We have a challenge featuring a slimline design this time.

 I have a love/hate relationship with slimline cards. On the one hand they give us another layout that can be used to create some wonderful scenes. On the other hand they offer up a lot of real estate on the inside that needs to be filled up. The larger the sentiment on the inside the better!

This card sketch features a nice big sentiment on the outside as well. I used a new Taylored Expressions stencil from Crop & Create. It's actually a stamp (the stems) and then four stencils to create the flowers and leaves. I did a whole A2 size panel and then used a die to cut the square.

When it came to the sentiment I had trouble trying to decide my colors so I reminded myself that "it's just paper". I ended up die cutting three versions in different color combinations and decided upon this one.  Now I have two to use later and it ultimately saved me a LOT of time because I am one who can ponder a design decision forever! I also cut a few of the shadow layer from Daffodil Delight and stacked them underneath to add some dimension.

Products used:

• Stamp / stencil set: Taylored Expressions Bud & Blossom
• Stamp / die set (sentiment): Honey Bee Stamps Bloom
• Dies: Stampin' Up! Stylish Shapes
  
• Ink: Altenew Moss, Olive, Orange Cream, Sunkissed, Warm Sunshine
  
• Cardstock: Granny Apple Green, Peek A Boo Peach, Daffodil Delight

Thanks for visiting today!  Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Bloglovin'

Hello Blossoms

This is my card for the color challenge at Splitcoaststampers this week. While Karen's colors are lovely, they threw me a curve since I usually don't make pastel cards. I decided they were perfect for a floral image and so I went searching.

As I've recently mentioned, I am cleaning out my supplies and making a craft room. It's amazing how you can have ALL THOSE STAMPS and yet still have a hard time finding the right one. This was one that I've had but never used. It was in my "should it stay or go" pile of stamps and after making this card it's a keeper.

I watercolored the image on mixed media paper. I like it better than watercolor paper as it's smoother. I used just a touch of Merry Merlot (a SU neutral and allowed by the challenge) in the center for a bit of depth. I also added another neutral, Soft Suede and subbed Stazon Toffee (very close) to stamp my image for watercoloring.

I wasn't sure how to add a sentiment but decided that this tiny tag looked nice. And I did something I never  thought I'd do - I ripped the trim apart to get a thread to tie the tag to the trim. I see people do that and think "why"...? However to get a match for my braided trim I needed to. I now have tiny bits of jute all over my desk and floor. What a mess but it worked!

Although this set is long retired, Stampin' Up! is having a clearance sale on selected retiring products. And this Wednesday, April 19 there is FREE shipping with a $75 order!

Products used:

If you choose to place an order with me please use Host Code XWBM2UPA. Some of these products go away May 1 so act soon! (If your order is $150 or more do not use the code so YOU get the host benefits.)

• Stamp/die set: Forever Blossoms and Cherry Blossoms dies
• Stamps: Go To Greetings
• Dies (tiny tag): Meadow (Quiet Meadow stamps would make a lovely substitute for the cherry blossoms)
• Ink: Blushing Bride (retiring), Soft Seafoam,  Soft Suede (retiring), Merry Merlot (retiring)
  
• Cardstock: Very Vanilla Thick, Soft Suede (retiring)
• Accessories: Cane Weave 3D embossing folder, Rhinestone Basic Jewels

Thanks for visiting today!  Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Bloglovin'

Spring Butterfly

I'm the hostess this week at Splitcoaststampers Color Challenge. I chose some of my favorites of the retiring Stampin' Up! products.  These are only available for a limited time - until May 1 or sold out (whichever comes first).

I used just the dies on this card along with the coordinating paper, Butterfly Kisses. The dies make all kinds of mix and match butterflies which is very fun to play with.  Unfortunately the matching stamps are sold out in English but still available in French if you don't mind having just the images. The images consist of different upper and lower wings in various patterns along with bodies so you can get a playful mix of butterflies. I have purchased sets in another language in the past when a set is sold out in English. As with this card I am usually using a sentiment from another set anyway.

I hope you will find time to join us this week for the challenge!

 

Products used - all Stampin' Up!

If you choose to place an order with me please use Host Code XWBM2UPA. Some of these products go away May 1 so act soon! (If your order is $150 or more do not use the code so YOU get the host benefits.)

• Stamps: Go To Greetings; (Best Butterflies available only in French - Les Plus Beaux Papillons)
• Dies: Build A Butterfly, Stylish Shapes
• Paper: Butterfly Kisses, Parakeet Party, Fresh Freesia, Calypso Coral, Night of Navy
• Accessories: Fun Flowers Resin Shapes

Thanks for visiting today!  Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Bloglovin'

Welcome Spring

Happy Thursday! It's Team O week at Tic Tac Toe Challenge. Silke gave us a board perfect for spring or Easter. I chose the right column - Bunny, Wreath, Free.

 

I used both a stamp and a die that are retired but still among my favorites.  The animals in this set are adorable.  Although it does not have dies to match, I used my Scan 'n Cut to cut out a bunch of the critters.  I saved them to color later and used one of those here.

I used the colors from Splitcoaststampers color challenge this week - Balmy Blue, Granny Apple Green, Pumpkin Pie with your chaoice of another color or two.  I added Daffodil Delight.

I hope you will join us this week for another Team O challenge!

Products used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up! Springtime Joy
• Dies: Stampin' Up! Wreath Builder

Thanks for visiting today!  Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Bloglovin'

Wildly Grateful

This card is for this week's challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches. I rarely think of Shaded Spruce as a Spring color (more Christmas) so this combination at first really threw me. But when I thought about the Spruce as just another green it became easier and a floral come to mind.

I've been cleaning out my stamps and moving into a new craft room (aka daughter's old bedroom) and came across this set. It was on the "should it stay or should it go" list and made it to stay. It's actually pretty versatile and I really like the script font. So you may be seeing some older things in the next few weeks (or months) as I purge my stash and discover "new" stuff!

Products used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up! Lovely You
• Markers: Stampin' Write Shaded Spruce, Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry
• Accessories: Washi tape, linen thread, label punch

Thanks for visiting today!  Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Bloglovin'

My Forgotten Card

I meant to post this card last week and then got so busy I forgot. But it's an Easter card and I need to get it posted before the weekend.

I learned this very cool technique at Crop & Create. It uses stencils with an embossed image. The products are from Altenew and they got me hooked. It really makes for a gorgeous card! There was a learning curve which I'll talk about in another post.

Although I've made a vow to stop buying SO MUCH STUFF. I see a few more of these in my future.

This is also for the challenge at the Can You Handle the Pressure challenge.

Products:

• All products Altenew

Thanks for visiting today!  Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Bloglovin'