AAA Birthday #1 and The Male Room #110

There's a new challenge in town.  AAA Birthday.  Since I make mostly birthday cards this is one I will be playing often.  It's different from the AAA Cards challenge although Jane Taylor is the brains behind them both.  AAA Birthday is a monthly challenge and it doesn't have to be CAS.  You can do any style you like.  This month the prompt is 'Anything Goes'. 

It was actually the challenge at The Male Room that set the tone for my card.  They want an age on our cards and since my grandson will be celebrating his 21st birthday this month I made him this card.  I printed the sentiment on my computer and then inked the background before placing the C9 candles in a tier of 21.

Thanks for dropping by.

The Card Concept #114

My former house used to have a high fence behind it and I would have wanted to decorate it like the photo from The Card Concept.  I did actually have colored paint cans hanging though.

No fence where I am now so I did it on paper.  Yes I got literal again.

I saw a video by Rina K and adjusted her idea to make my fence, using Altenew ink.  The boots are from PB and I colored them with PolyChromos, adding gel pen to the flower centers.  I also used gel pens for the flowers that I put in them.  Both the flowers and the sentiment are from EBE.

Thanks for dropping by.

AAA Cards #139 and CASology #341

AAA Cards has a sketch challenge and I usually go for the option, which in this case was a shaker.

Easy enough sketch so I thought I'd go with the option.  I spent a day working on a cute little shaker card that ended up with glue all over the card, the sequins and me.  I rescued the sequins, discarded the card and washed my hands of the whole thing - literally.  Instead I made this.

I based my flower color on the cue word at CASology. It's been a while since I've played there but their word worked perfectly for this card.

I framed the Altenew Larkspur with a RC Lacy Scalloped Rectangle die, running the color along the edge of the card base underneath.  The sentiment is from Verve.

Thanks for dropping by.

Less Is More #393

Guess what I got in the mail yesterday?  A gift from Altenew.  It's a sweet little flower stamp set and I thought it was perfect to use for Less Is More and their subtle colors challenge.

I also used Altenew inks to stamp them, adding a sentiment from SSS. 

The sad part is since I use my given name when ordering items the stamp that says "handmade by" doesn't say Bobby.  Still it's very generous of them to reward us with a gift.

Thanks for dropping by. 

CAS(E) This Sketch #318 and The Male Room #109

When I saw the sketch for CAS(E) This Sketch I had an idea immediately.  Since it's a retro sketch I went back to see what I did previously and it was the same design.  Oops.  Back to the drawing board.  I originally did this

And this is the new card.

I gold heat embossed the image from MFT and colored in a few of the diamonds with Altenew Inks.  The sentiment from HLS was heat embossed on my new hemstitch die and the layer underneath was colored with the same inks to show through.

I'm also sending this card to The Male Room where they have an "Anything Goes" challenge - not using the optional OLC because of my sentiment.

Thanks for dropping by.  I hope those who celebrate had a glorious Easter.

Just Us Girls #484 - Color Week

Maria is the host for Color Week at Just Us Girls and she chose these lovely spring colors.

I was playing around with a stamp I bought a while ago and hadn't used.  I hadn't even looked at the challenge colors at the time but when I was finished it was the perfect card.

This is the Hello Lovely stamp from Concord and 9th.  It has the open images to color or the loosely shaped layers to ink up and stamp.  You have to get used to the 'messy' look if you want to do it that way.  I used Altenew inks except for the outline which is Twilight by Catherine Pooler.  The sentiment is from EBE.

The Design Team and our guest Designer have some lovely cards to inspire you.  We hope you'll make a card using the challenge colors and enter it in the gallery.  You may be chosen Chic of the Week and have the chance to guest design with us.

AAA Cards #138 and Seize the Birthday #183

You know me.  I almost always do the option but at AAA Cards the option is sewing and because I use my machine for actual sewing I'm afraid to mess it up working on paper.  So here's my 'Along the Edge' card minus the option.

I used the C9 Birthday Stacks, adding a present on either end to fill out the bottom of my card.  Then I picked a variety of Altenew Inks to color them in.  It was so easy to line up that stamp that I actually amazed myself and did it right the first time. 

Seize the Birthday is having an 'Anything Goes' challenge this time so off this card goes to them too.

Thanks for dropping by.

Time Out #133

Embellishments.  Not something I usually add to my cards but since Time Out wants to see at least two, I obliged.

I placed the PTI scalloped die on their Winter Wisteria cs which matches closely with the Altenew ink I used to stamp the Gardenia.  Gardenias are usually white but I love the look of this layered stamping in other colors so let's pretend it's a different flower. ;)  The little dots are iridescent ones that I've had forever and are fairly flat to mail, especially since the flower is popped up.

It's been a busy couple of weeks so I'm getting behind again.  I did have over 12 DT cards scheduled and only two are left.  I have two more ready to post today and then I have to get commenting. I love seeing how creative everyone is when I stop by your blogs.

Thanks for dropping by.

Less Is More #389

It's one layer time at Less Is More and they want the focus on the sentiment.  I played around with a card several days ago that hit the recycle bin.  This morning as I was waking from sleep a new idea came to me. 

This is a 'thank you' stamp from EBE that I thought would make a great card for someone going through rough times.  I stamped it in the Rock Collection colors from Altenew.

Thanks for dropping by.  It's frigid out but I don't mind because the sun is shining, oh happy day.

Inspired By #60

As soon as I saw the photo at Inspired By I had an idea.  Then I got sick and totally forgot about the challenge.  It came back to me last night so I hurriedly made the card I had in mind to get it in before the deadline later today.

I knew I wanted to include my NBUS Gardenia from Altenew and spent quite a bit of time stamping it out to get just the look I wanted.  It's difficult to get a white flower with all the shading and still have it look white.  This one is several layers of Morning Frost with a little PolyChromos to darken some of the shadows.  The frame is from PTI and the little letter is stamped with a postmark from My Craft Spot (OOB) and Penny Black script. 

Thanks for dropping by. 

Color Throwdown #531

They have quite the color combination at Color Throwdown this week.

It's not a decorating scheme I would choose although I love the picture on the wall.  The Design Team had some interesting ways to present these colors, a couple of which I thought of, so I had to go a different way.

Except for the PTI sentiment and cardstock, this is an Altenew card.  Their images and inks were used.  The wood pallet background was stamped on gray and then to add more definition to the boards, I ran darker gray ink along a ruler. 

Thanks for dropping by and have a great weekend.

Freshly Made Sketches #375

I dreamed about a card for Freshly Made Sketches last night so when I got up this morning I pulled out the MFT Fall Florals stamp set.  I looked at it, thought about it, put it back in the case.  After all the deadline is this afternoon. Pulled it out again to play around.  Put it back.  Then I thought 'if I dreamed it, I should make it' so I did.

The other day I posted a card that I thought looked better on the screen.  I think this one looks better in real life. I can't get certain colors to come out right with my camera. This is a really loose interpretation of the sketch so I hope you can see it.  I also hope you can see the embossing in the background that was done with the PTI canvas embossing plate.  I'm still getting out those oldies for my cards including this stamp set.

Thanks for dropping by and have a great week.

Just Us Girls #475 - Color Week

Are you ready for some color?  Just Us Girls host Maria has chosen these colors for the challenge.

I must say I struggled with this because I didn't want to make any more valentines.  After days of thinking about it, an idea came to me in the wee hours of the morning.

I see cards where the flowers are stamped around the edges but I rarely do that.  Using the Altenew wildflowers in the challenge colors around the edge of my card worked just as I imagined. I cut an MFT scalloped oval to stamp my PTI sentiment on and popped it in the middle.

What will you do with these colors?  I hope you'll make a card for our gallery for a chance at being Chic of the Week.  The Design Team and guest designer Lisa Elton have some beautiful cards to inspire you.

The Flower Challenge - February Reminder

There's still time to enter your card at The Flower Challenge using your newest flower stamps and/or dies.  The Design Team has more inspiration for you and here is mine.

I just got this Altenew Anemone Coronaria last week.  I also got the new Altenew purples and greens that I used for the flowers and leaves.  I couldn't decide about a sentiment but since I am low on sympathy cards I turned this into one by heat embossing the PTI sentiment on a strip of black.  I see a lot of people embossing on black strips but I'm not sure I like it in this case.

We hope to see your card in our gallery.

Just Us Girls #474 - Trend Week

It's Trend Week at Just Us Girls and the trend that Carol has chosen is:  Wait for it!

Get out those wood background stamps, embossing folders or paper pads and make a card for this week's challenge.  You could even use wood embellishments.  I went the embossing folder route.

I inked up my TH woodgrain folder with HA Wet Cement before sending through my Big Shot.  The images are from Concord and 9th stamped in Altenew Ink.  I've chosen to leave off the sentiment mainly because I didn't know where to put it.😕 This was a set I thought I needed and have only used once.  I'm making it my priority to use some of my neglected stamps instead of buying new ones, although having said that I must confess I have bought a couple of new ones lately. 

The Design Team and our Guest Designer Lisa Elton have been busy on their wood/woodgrain cards and can't wait for you to check them out.  Your card in our gallery may make you Chic of the Week and a chance to be our guest designer in April.