Happy Thoughts of You {Purple Onion Designs}

I am squeezing in one more card using Purple Onion Designs stamps this month.

I used the Birch Tree Background to stamp the trees onto a Neenah cardstock piece and then colored with Copic Markers. I performed a bit of masking to stamp Timber (beaver) sitting atop a Log onto Copics X-press It cardstock, colored with Copics and fussy cut out. I used a combo of the Pretty Pink Posh Storybook 2 die and a stitched rectangle die to cut a background piece from Blueberry Sky cardstock and then layered it atop the background using foam tape. The sentiment from the Sweet Summer Sentiment set was stamped onto kraft cardstock and cut out with a double fishtail banner die. The grass was cut from New Leaf cardstock using Grass Border CutUps and the cloud from white textured cardstock using the Stitched Clouds CutUps, both dies by The Cat's Pajamas.

Products: Purple Onion Designs stamps, Neenah and PTI cs, The Cat's Pajamas, MFT and Pretty Pink Posh dies, Copic Markers
Copics: Beaver-E30, E33, E35, R20; Trees-W00, E81, E23; Grass-G20, G21, G24; Sky-B0000, B000


As always, see the Purple Onion Designs blog for even more inspiration.

Happy Meow-lloween 2

We are actually feeling a bit of fall in the air. Normally here in Alabama it is usually late October before the temperatures drop. It's a pleasant respite from the unrelenting heat we have been experiencing although I wish some rain would come along with it.

I stamped the cute Franken-kitty and Vampire kitty along with the fence image (x2) from the C.C. Designs Happy Meow-lloween set and cut out with the matching Meow-lloween Kitties die. After coloring all the images with Copic Markers, I stamped the sentiment onto a white cardstock strip. I used a combo of the Pretty Pink Posh Storybook 2 die and a stitched rectangle die to cut a background piece from black cardstock. I filled the frames of the storybook with a variety of patterned papers and then added the images and sentiment using foam tape for dimension.

Products: C.C. Designs stamps and dies, Doodlebug dp, PTI cs, Pretty Pink Posh and MFT dies, MFT ink, Copic Markers
Copics: Franken-kitty-YG0000, YG01, YG23, R20, C00, C1, C3, C5; Vampire Kitty-YR30, YR31,YR23, YR24, R20, C00, C1, C3, C5; Fence-W1, W2, W5

Thank you so much for stopping by. I know there are a lot of blogs out there and I am grateful that you spend time with me.

{The Cat's Pajamas} TCP Tuesday 324 Challenge

It's time for another TCP Tuesday at The Cat's Pajamas with a challenge to use fall colors on your project. The challenge runs for two weeks and The Cat’s Pajamas products are not required although we do love it when you use our stamps and dies.

The outline images from the Sketchy Flowers set were stamped with black waterproof ink and the stems with Forest Moss distress ink onto watercolor cardstock. I then stamped the matching solid images - slightly offsetting from the outline - using Rusty Hinge distress ink for the flowers and Forest Moss again for the leaf. After cutting out the watercolored piece with a stitched rectangle, I stamped the sentiment from the Simply Stacked Sentiments. I used a paintbrush dipped in water to soften and spread the distress ink portions and then added some even messier watercoloring around the flowers and sentiment. I thought it needed a little something else but since it was a sympathy card I didn't want to add sequins or even my go to embellishment of enamel dots so I stamped a small image from the sentiment set to direct the eye around the image. The image piece was matted onto Simply Chartreuse cardstock.

Products: The Cat's Pajamas stamps, PTI and Strathmore watercolor cs, Ranger Distress ink, Simon Says ink
Here are the details:

1. Every other Tuesday a new challenge will be posted on The Cat's Pajamas blog and our Facebook page.
2. If you want to play along you just upload your design to The Cat's Pajamas blog page using the InLinkz button by the Monday, 11:55 EST before the next challenge.
3. You are not required to use a Cat’s Pajamas stamp or die but if you have them we would love to see them.
4. On the following TCP Tuesday, the winner will be chosen from the previous challenge and will receive a Cat Cash Voucher for $10 or $15 if a TCP product is use.

Have the Merriest Season {Purple Onion Designs}

Today's project is Christmas card #13 and features Purple Onion Designs stamps.

I prepared the background with a wash of Evergreen Bough distress ink onto Ranger watercolor cardstock that I cut out with a wonky stitched rectangle die. The sentiment from the set Sweet Occasions Sentiment set was stamped directly onto it. I colored the Cora & Thomas image with Copic markers and then fussy cut out, attaching to the background piece with foam tape. I added a couple of clouds cut with the Pajamas The Cat's Pajamas County Fair die along with a small punched star and a few enamel dots

Products: Purple Onion Designs stamps, Ranger, Bazzill and PTI cs, Doodlebug enamel dots, The Cat's Pajamas and MFT dies, MFT, Ranger Distress and Simon Says ink, Copic Markers
Copics: Bunnies-W00, E50, E51, E53, E57, R20; Large Bunny Clothing-B21, B23, B26, W00, E81; Small Bunny Clothing-E40, E41, E42, BG11, BG13, BG15; Skates-C00, C1, C3

I am submitting this for the Merry Monday #214 Keep Warm Challenge. I love these bunnies in their coats, hats and mittens.

Happy, Happy, Happy Halloween

Today's card is another one using the Papertrey Ink Spooky Smiles set. This version is more overtly Halloween than the one I posted earlier in the month.

After stamping the images onto Neenah cardstock, I cut out with the matching dies and then colored with Copic markers. I created the background by loosely water coloring with the Purple #139 cake from a Kurtake Gansai Tambi set onto Ranger watercolor cardstock cut with a wonky rectangle die. I stamped the sentiment onto a double ended flag using Versamark ink and then white heat embossed. I clustered the images around the sentiment attaching with foam tape.

Products: Papertrey Ink stamps and dies, Ranger watercolor, Neenah and PTI cs, Doodlebug sequins, MFT die and ink, Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolor, Copic Markers

Copics: Pumpkin-YR01, YR04, YR16, YR18, Leaves-YG01, YG23, BG0000, BG000, BG01; Kitty-W00, E81, R20; Bat-C00, C1, C3, C5; Candy-YR23, YR27, YR20, Y21, BG0000, BG000, BG01

I hope all is well your in world.

TCP Tuesday #323 Challenge

TCP Tuesday at The Cat's Pajamas is going strong with a challenge to include 3 or more patterned papers on your project. The challenge runs for two weeks and The Cat’s Pajamas products are not required although we do love to see you use our stamps and dies.

I have tons of 6x6 pads but lately I find myself not using them that much. I still love them but often times watercolors have replaced them for me. So this was challenge was timely in that it made me open up that paper again. I started out by stamping one of the snowmen from the Let the Flakes Fly set, coloring with Copic Markers then fussy cutting out. I used a snowfall embossing folder on the card front and then attached two of the patterned paper strips. The sentiment and musical notes were stamped onto the cardstock and paper strip. The snowman was attached with foam tape as well as the final paper strip. I added a cardinal cut from red cardstock using a die from the Windows CutUps,

Products: The Cat's Pajamas stamps and dies, Lawn Fawn dp, PTI cs, Taylored Expressions embossing folder, MFT and Simon Says ink, Copic Markers
Copics: Snowman-G0000, G000, R11,YR0000, YR01, YR04; Hat-C00, C1, C3, C5, C7, G20, G21, G24; Gloves and Scarf-R22, R24, R27,G40, G43, G46; Horn-Y21, Y23, Y246

Here are the details:

1. Every other Tuesday a new challenge will be posted on The Cat's Pajamas blog and our Facebook page.
2. If you want to play along you just upload your design to The Cat's Pajamas blog page using the InLinkz button by the Monday, 11:55 EST before the next challenge.
3. You are not required to use a Cat’s Pajamas stamp or die but if you have them we would love to see them.
4. On the following TCP Tuesday, the winner will be chosen from the previous challenge and will receive a Cat Cash Voucher for $10 or $15 if a TCP product is use.

Just for You {Purple Onion Designs}

I would like to see it's a happy day but we are in the midst of an environmental disaster in our county so I am really not in a good mood. A Colonial pipeline broke and dumped 336,000 gallons of gas in a wildlife management area. Thank God my son and his family moved away from one of the nearby towns a couple of months ago as there are health concerns as well. The governor of Alabama along with neighboring state Georgia have declared a state of emergency due to the expected gas shortages and to keep stations from gouging customers.

So on to happier things. Today's card features images from Purple Onion Designs.

I created a scene onto a Neenah cardstock triangle using the Birch House, Toadstool Cluster, and Clouds images and colored with Copic Markers. I also stamped and then colored Oliver with Copic markers, fussy cutting out. I cut a frame from electric red cardstock, and then white heat embossed the sentiment from the Hopscotch Sentiments set. The frame was attached with foam tape and I added the sun cut from The Cat's Pajamas County Fair die along with Oliver on foam tape and a couple of enamel dots.

Products: Purple Onion Designs stamps, PTI and Neenah cs, Doodlebug enamel dots, Simon Says and The Cat's Pajamas dies, Versamark and MFT ink, Copic Markers
Copics: Birch House-E50, E51, E30, E33, E35, YG0000, YG01, YG23, W00, W2, W5, G43, G46; Mushrooms-R22, R24, R27, E40, E41; Grass-G20, G21; Mouse-E30, E33, E35, W00, R11, E81, B41, B32, YR30, YR31, YR23

I hope your week is starting off better than ours. Thank you for stopping by.

All is Calm

Today's card features the Papertrey Ink Warmest Wishes set. I've had this set for a while but never used it. While I was preparing the images for this card I also colored up a few more for another card to be posted at a later date.

I stamped the images onto Neenah cardstock, then cut out with the matching dies and colored with Copic markers. I prepared the background with a wash of Evergreen Bough distress ink onto Ranger watercolor cardstock, stamping the sentiment from the set directly onto it. I clustered the various images using a combo of glue and foam tape for a serene scene. A few sequins finished it up. I am hoping the friendly look on the polar bear means he doesn't plan on eating that sweet penguin!

Products: Papertrey Ink stamps and dies, Ranger watercolor, Neenah and PTI cs, Pretty Pink Posh sequins, Ranger Distress, Simon Says and MFT ink, Copic Markers
Copics: Bear-W00, E81, R20; Penquin-C00, C1, C3, C5, W00, E81, Y35, B41, B32; Trees-G0000, G000, G01, B41, B32, B34; Mountains-C00, C1, C3, G0000

Christmas card #11 for 2016 completed. Have a great weekend!

Boo to You!

Today's Halloween card is yet another one using the oh so cute C.C. Designs Happy Meow-lloween set. Actually all of my Halloween cards are done, I am just blogging them over several weeks. With a house on the market, I never know when my craft area will be shut down so I am trying to build up a cushion of projects to share.

I stamped one of the kitties and the pumpkin onto Neenah cardstock, cut out the matching Meow-lloween Kitties dies and then colored with Copic markers. I added a button with twine at the top of the pumpkin and also a spider cut with a die from the Paper Smooches Halloween Icon set. After preparing the watercolor cardstock background with a wash of Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold and Mowed Lawn distress ink I stamped the sentiment directly onto the panel. I cut it out with a stitched rectangle die and mounted to a patterned paper base using foam tape. The cat and pumpkin were attached to the panel with more foam tape for extra dimension. A few sequins finished it up.

Products: C.C. Designs, stamps and dies, Glitz Designs dp, Neenah, PTI and Ranger cs,  Doodlebug sequins, Hemptique twine, Ranger Distress, MFT and Simons Says ink, Copic Markers
Copics: Cat-C00, C1, C3, E81; Pumpkin-YR0000, YR20, YR23, YR24

Happy Hump Day!

Comfort and Joy

I have Christmas card #10 for the year. This week's Merry Monday #212 Challenge was to create a card using gold, black and white. MM had taken a summer break so it's nice to see them back for the remainder of the year.

Of course I decided to go clean and simple although my original idea was discarded pretty quickly. I started out by using an embossing folder on the card front. I then stamped the sentiment from the Reverse Confetti Seasonal Sentiments set with black ink onto white linen cardstock and cut out with a die from the Circles 'n Scallops set. I cut and assembled the tree using the Branch Out set and the snowflake using the Let it Snow die set. I clustered the pieces onto the card front using foam tape to attach.

Products: Reverse Confetti stamp and dies, PTI cs, Michael's mirrored cs, Verve sequins, Darice embossing folder, Simon Says ink

Have a blessed Sunday.

God's Masterpiece

This post will have to be short and sweet. I am so behind in all the things I need to do this week.

I created this card using the first September Viva la Verve Sketch for the general layout. The background was prepared by using a white distress crayon with a stencil on watercolor cardstock piece. When the crayon dried I stamped a sentiment from my newest Verve stamp set, Potter's Clay using black waterproof ink. I then lightly watercolored part of the background with Spun Sugar, Dried Marigold and Tumbled Glass distress ink and added a strip of patterned paper. The background was attached to a scalloped pattern paper background and the whole pieced was adhered to a white card base. The flower was stamped from the same set onto watercolor cardstock and cut out with the matching die from the Pottery Die set. I colored it with a couple of Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers and then attached it with foam tape. I slipped a leaf underneath which was cut from patterned paper using a die from the Loopy Blooms set. A trio of pearls finished it up.

Products: Verve stamps and dies, Lawn Fawn and PTI dp, PTI cs, Kaisercraft pearls,PTI stencil, Lil Inker Designs and MFT dies, Ranger Distress Crayon and inks, Simon Says ink, Zig Clean Color Brush markers
Zigs: 021-Light Carmine, 070-Orange

Off to fold some laundry. Thanks for stopping by.

Merry & Bright

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I am very behind in my Christmas card making. We have just been so busy with getting the house on the market that crafting had to take a backseat for the first 6-7 months of the year. So....I am taking a few short cuts to catch up while also using stamps that have been barely used or never before used.

I bought the Reverse Confetti Merry & Bright set last year but failed to use it so it's been languishing in my stash for a while now. To make up for that I used the same set of stamps, inks and cardstock colors along with the September Sketch For You to Try for the basic layout (with a few liberties) to create a trio of Christmas cards. I stamped the various light bulbs using Pure Poppy, Hawaiian Shores, Green Parakeet and Tuxedo Black inks and then cut out with the matching Merry & Bright die. I colored the top of each light bulb with Copics and then tied matching twine around each. I cut the three tags from white linen cardstock using the Thanks Tag die. The other pieces were cut from Smoky Slate, Pure Poppy, Hawaiian Shores and Green Parakeet cardstock using dies from the Thanks Tag, Gift Card Holder Tag and Stitched Flag Trio sets. The patterned paper panels were cut with a pierced rectangle die. I assembled each card using a a combo of glue and foam tape and then finished all with a trio of sequins.

Products: Reverse Confetti stamps and dies, Avery Elle and Lily Bee dp, PTI and Stampin' Up cs, Doodlebug sequins, The Twinery twine, MFT dies, Memento and PTI inks, Copic Markers
Copics: C00, C1, C3

So this means I have  #''s 7, 8 and 9 Christmas cards completed and as an added bonus, I used a NBUS stamp and die set.

Pumpkin Weather is Here

Even though Labor Day is considered the unofficial end to summer, it is definitely not true here in the  deep south. Not one touch of fall - just unrelenting summer. Despite that I have a Halloween/Fall card today using the ever so cute Papertrey Ink Spooky Smiles. This set is one of the two Halloween sets I purchased this year.

After stamping the images onto Neenah cardstock, I cut out with the matching dies and then colored with Copic markers. I watercolored the background with Wild Honey and Crushed Olive distress inks and then splattered with a touch of Forest Moss. I cut the background out with a stitched die and then attached to the card base. The images were clustered together using a bit of glue and foam tape. The sentiment was stamped onto a kraft cardstock rectangle. Even though I consider this a Halloween card, I was trying for a more muted, fall look.

Products: Papertrey Ink stamps and dies, Ranger Watercolor, Neenah and PTI cs, MFT dies and ink, Ranger inks, Copic Markers
Copics: Pumpkin-YR20, YR23, YR24, YR01, YR14; Leaves-YG01, YG91; Kitty-C00, C1, C3, C5; Candy corn-Y21, YR23, YR24, YR27

It's hard to believe that it is already September. Where does the time go?

Happy Labor Day to all my USA readers!

Crabby

Today's card is for the hubster. I admit I have been a bit crabby lately. The stress of the house on the market is getting to me. I will be the first to admit that I worry, I get crabby, I worry some more. It's been a stressful 2016 to say the least.

Even though I'm doing both Halloween/Fall and Christmas themed cards I haven't given up on summer images. It's still summer here in the south and will be until mid October no matter what the calendar says. I used the Reverse Confetti Tag Me Too die to cut the tag from a Quick Card Panel (oos) and then the lower portion from kraft cardstock with a small strip of Pure Poppy cardstock. I stamped the sentiment from the Reverse Confetti Seaside set onto the kraft portion using Nautical Blue ink. I cut the tag topper from Pure Poppy cardstock with a die from the Hang Ups set, tied with Maraschino twine. The sand dollar was cut from Neenah Solar White cardstock using the Sand Dollar die, then edged with Pumice Stone Distress ink. After stamping the crab from the Seaside set using Pure Poppy ink, I cut it out using the matching die from the Seaside die set, attaching to the tag with foam tape. I prepared the card base by embossing lines at the bottom using my ScorPal, then attached the tag with a layer of craft foam.

Products: Reverse Confetti stamps, dies and Quick Card Panel, Neenah and PTI cs, PTI, Ranger Distress and Memento inks

I hope you have a great weekend.