Summer Lovin' Challenge

Flourishes is having a Summer Lovin' Challenge. If you'd like to play along, make a card inspired by the photo above or inspired simply by SUMMER. You have until Friday, April 12 at 5 pm EST to enter your card, and please make a card only for this challenge. You'll have an opportunity to win the entire Flourishes April Release! If you use Flourishes stamps, your card counts as two entries -- this is what I have done (stamp set is Flourishes Sweet Days of Summer) and here's my card that is inspired by summer.......

Does this stamp ever make me think of summers of my childhood! I don't remember a sprinkler but we definitely had a water hose and that provided hours of fun during hot Mississippi summers! Thank goodness I had a sister -- we'd take turns squirting each other!! And how much fun was it to hold that hose straight up and have the water fall back down on you. (we also had lots of fun playing out in the rain too when it was hot outside!)

Since my card has a red color scheme going on, I thought I'd share a picture of a little red visitor to our yard. This is a Vermilion Flycatcher and is the most beautiful red and black -- it's hard to miss them when they are perched outside on the fence or utility line because their color is so brilliant!

Adios for now,
Betty

Go Green!

This is my entry for the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge to incorporate green into our card or project.  I've used the Flourishes set Calla Lilies to create this sympathy card. I colored the image with watercolor crayons and a blender pen. Here's the inside...

Looks a bit like a watermarked image and verse. I inked the image with Momento London Fog ink and stamped off first on a piece of scratch paper and then stamped again on the card.The verse was stamped with dark green.

Get your green on and join me in this challenge .... wouldn't you love to win their March release??? I know I would!!

Betty

Girl with Watering Can

Here's another card made with a silhouette stamp from Flourishes Sweet Days of Summer. I do like these silhouette stamps -- I added a bit of pink to the flowers on this one. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink, Gracious Vases.

We enjoyed playing Mexican Train with friends last night. Out of 12 players, I had the 11th highest score. Now, in some games that would be a good thing, but in Mexican Train -- not so much!! Still, it was a fun evening and the food was extra good.

If you're snowed in, hoping you have electricity, and if not, soon. Take care all.

Betty

Floral Birthdays

I have two cards to share with you today. Both use my newest stamp set from Flourishes, Bloomin Aussie Florals. I used watercolor crayons and a blender pen to color each of the images.

I have heard that my Aussie friends are experiencing very hot weather, while those in the US and Canada are experiencing just the opposite -- extremely cold. Whatever your weather, hope your day is truly wonderful!

Betty

Gracias

The challenge at Flourishes' Timeless Tuesday is "Lace and Scallops". Since this week is New Release Week, the winner will win the entire March new released stamp sets. Can't get any better than that! Actually, there's more than one way to win the March New Releases. Check out the blogs at flourishes.org and get a a card entered in one or all of the challenges.

For the lace and scallops, I used a Martha Stewart punch that not only looks like lace, it is scalloped! I stamped my image and sentiment and then cut them out with a Nestabilities Oval Scalloped die. A lady at the Monday Market where I sell my cards requested a thank you card in Spanish.

By the way, I took pictures at the market this week but failed to get a picture of my own table!! So, next week I hope to be able to share a little bit of how I spend my Monday mornings!

Betty

Country Comfort

Before I begin my second post today, I have to warn you that you may need your imagination to follow the inspiration for this card! The Timeless Tuesday challenge at the Flourishes blog is "Country Comfort". We are to create anything inspired by country living…. a farm-theme, gardening, country patterns (calico, gingham, plaid), quilts, wildflowers… whatever you interpret as country comfort!
I have used the sketch at The Paper Players Challenge #84 for my card.......

Now to my "Country Comfort" explanation: My thoughts of Country Comfort went to gingham checked kitchen curtains and the "down-home" tradition of borrowing a cup of sugar from a neighbor. Not having a stamp I wanted to use of kitchen curtains, I chose apples instead (they have a country feel too) and stamped an outlined image on red gingham paper and cut out each apple. As to the "borrowed" item, I used a piece of ribbon from a packet of candy that a friend gave me for Valentine's Day. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Gracious Vases and it was cut out with a Spellbinder's die and embellished with red rhinestones.

Thanks for stopping by again. Hope you enjoyed the card!
Betty

Glad Tidings of Peace

I have a Christmas card today; it's made with a Layers of Color set, Glad Tidings. For once, I didn't start with a sketch challenge -- I actually came up with my own layout! I had stamped the image several days ago and it was just sitting on my desk so I combined it with a couple of pieces of scrap green and red card stock.  I had actually thought of doing another mat layer with the red but this was the shape of the first scrap I found and I liked how it looked, especially with the addition of the pearls. The background piece is dry embossed.

I would like to enter this card in the Timeless Tuesday Challenge #156 at Flourishes. We are to make a card for someone we love (I love the folks that are on my Christmas card list!) and we are to use the color red.

Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday!
Betty

Thanks with Satin!

Oh My Goodness!! Have you al seen the calla lilies blooming at Flourishes? Beauty, beauty, beauty!! This is one that I definitely need to add to my collection!

There is a Noon Day Challenge there today and another one tomorrow -- today, we are to be inspired by the following photo....

The beautiful satin ribbon was the inspiration for my card. All of my colored satin ribbons were not the proper color, so I went with white. I added a strip of ribbon to the horizontal stripe and then added a bow. I think that I would feel properly thanked if I were to receive this card!

Another wonderful challenge going on today is at Nicole Heady's Papertrey Ink blog, Capture the Moment.
If you follow this link you will not only find today's challenge, but their new products for February. This challenge inspired my color choices. Each one of the PTI design team picked a favorite color combo and we were to choose one for our card, using at least one Papertrey Ink product. Yesterday, or maybe it was the day before, Nicole gave us a freebie download with a number of wonderful images. The little flower with the stem "frame" was designed by Tiffany Pastor and provides the focal image for my card. The sentiment is from a PTI set, Gracious Vases. The color combo is a favorite of Dawn McVey:

The sketch that I used is from Freshly Made Sketches, #21, with its clean beautiful lines.

I hope you enjoyed my card and that you will join me in one or all of these challenges!
Betty

Birthdays - A Bird and A Bear

I have two cards to share with you today. The sketches for the layout of both of my cards come  from Card Positioning Systems 5th Anniversary challenges.

This card uses the sketch from Card Positioning Systems 5th Anniversary Day 9. The papers are from Basic Grey and the sentiment is from AnnaBelle Stamps. The image is a photo that I shared on my blog several days ago of an oriole who has been making himself at home on my hummingbird feeders. What a blessing it has been to watch these beautiful birds!

I would also like to enter this card  at the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #155  challenge - "Fly Away With Me" (use a bird on your project).

My next card is for Card Positioning Systems 5th Anniversary Day 7. 

The image is from Sassy Cheryl's and has been colored and blended with colored pencils and baby oil. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up and the embellishments include a flower of several layers and a little clothespin that I colored with a Bic Marker. I'm thinking it will be a cute birthday card for one of the children in our church.

Have a joy-filled day,
Betty

Love These Colors!

I'm going CAS with this card even though something makes me want to do more with it!!  The layout is from

Card Positioning Systems 5th Anniversary Day 8. I have flipped the sketch but I think you can still see it in my card. Here's the sketch:

There is another 5th Anniversary to celebrate -- Papertrey Ink! This is Day 2 of their festivities and there are free downloadable, printable images to be had for the taking (and thanking, of course!) I've used a beautifully colored  image by Melissa Bickford for this card as well as Papertrey Ink white card stock for my card base. The printed papers are from a Stampin' Up Designer Paper Kit and the mat is SU Rose Red. Melissa's image provided the inspiration for my paper choices.

I would also like to enter my card at Flourishes - Bring Back Beautiful - The Beauty of Love challenge.

Hope you enjoyed my card -- the colors make me happy!

Betty

Star of Wonder, Star of Night

I won this beautiful stamp set, The First Noel, from Flourishes toward the end of last year but because I live in Mexico, I was unable to get my hands on it until after Christmas. Since I'm getting an early start on Christmas cards for 2012, I had the chance to get it inky today!

There are two special challenges where I will be entering this card. The first is at Flourishes, and this gives me(and you too, if you enter) a chance to win their entire February release -- how fantastic is that? The challenge is to use black and white and a pop of one other color. The deadline to enter this challenge is Feb. 10, 5 pm EST -- plenty of time for you all to join the fun!

My next challenge is Merry Monday Sketch #6. This is a site that I have found recently and have really been enjoying Lesley's terrific sketches. Follow the link and check it out if you haven't had a chance to do that yet.

I was having trouble with my computer earlier, it even had me growling out loud! Picasa wasn't letting me crop my photos normally; finally got it to work but when I went to save my file, I wasn't able to rename it. So, going with the old file name I was able to load the photo to Blogger but then was not able to type in a title. Actually, was not able to type anything at all. I just happened to think to pull out my wireless keybord and this is working (for now). Guess my laptop keyboard isn't communicating properly. Man, I really don't want to have to take my laptop to the shop, but it may be my only option if things don't get better. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Betty

For A New Baby Boy

My card today is made with four different challenges in mind.

Flourishes New Year challenge -- I have chosen to make a card for a new baby.
StampTV Friday Free For All -- make a baby card
Our Craft Lounge / Lily Pad Cards Challenge -- color challenge -- Navy/Silver/Light Blue (card entered at both sites)

I found some light blue patterned paper with baby phrases and another piece with dots. Cut one piece with a Nestabilities die and traced around the outside of the die on the navy paper to make a mat which I then outlined with a silver pen. Added a little bow and some silver pearls for embellishments.

I will be giving this card to the owners of our favorite restaurant here in Chapala. This will be their third son and is to arrive some time this month. The restaurant is located at their home so I'm sure we'll enjoy watching the little fellow grow up!

Here's the inside of the card:

Punched the corners with a Martha Stewart punch and added another piece of the "baby phrases" paper which was matted the same as the outside. Congratulations sentiment in Spanish from a set from Stampin' Up.

Thanks for stopping by,
Betty

Timeless Tuesday Challenge

Here is my card for the Timeless Tuesday Challenge at Flourishes. Click on the link and it will take you to the tutorial that Beate has written to make a  telescoping image for your card. I used the Paperwhites set from Flourishes, stamping on watercolor paper and then cutting with Nestability Petite Large Oval dies. I used a waterbrush and watercolor crayons to color my flowers. Next I adhered each layer with dimensionals and painted the background with Twinkling H20s, so it has a nice shimmer. Next I dry embossed the background panel and added a wide sheer ribbon at the side and a pretty satin bow at the top.

This was a fun technique; hope you'll join in with me on this challenge.
Betty

Flourishes Day or Night Challenge

Flourishes is having their new stamp release festivities; for this they have a special challenge that is posted at noon. When I saw that the challenge posted yesterday was to made a card that indicated either day or night I knew that I wanted to use Geri Utterbeck's Sunray Technique. See tutorial here.
I also knew that I wanted to use this particular scripture stamp about God's mercies being new every morning. I also know that I am going to hear of someone who needs to be blessed by this particular card because it all came together too perfectly!! The lace and embellishments were given to me by Melisa Waldorf (thanks, friend!). The flower center is a stick pin and I have added a pearl to the center of it.

If you use Flourishes stamps you will be entered into the drawing twice but you can enter this challenge even if you don't use one of their stamps. The lucky winner will receive the entire December Release! Winners will be announced Saturday in Flourishes' Winner’s Circle Post – check back Saturday, December 17th at noon CST to see if you’re one of the lucky winners!

There will be another challenge announced at noon today. Be sure to check it out too!

Betty

Flourishes Feminine Flair Challenge

Hello friends! I have been busy lately getting the Christmas tree up and decorated and just getting caught up from  being away for two weeks. I have finally had the urge to create a card today, and it came with a challenge from Flourishes.

This is copied from their blog~
HOW TO PLAY: Lace, pearls and flouncy ribbons – these are the things that make up a creation with a truly feminine flair. That’s what is at the heart of this month’s challenge. To enter, let’s see how you add a dose of femininity to your cards or creations! Link your project up here (below using our inlinkz widget). If you upload to SCS, please use the key word FLLCDEC11. Use Flourishes stamps if you have them, but if you don’t please play anyway! The winner will recieve our entire December release. You have until December 16 at 5 PM Easterm time to submit.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to win the entire December release??? And if you don't have Flourishes stamps, you can still play in this challenge -- I bet if you win some, you'll want to get more and more!

Here's my card:

This beautiful Victorian lady is an image from Graphics Fairy. All I had to do was print it and cut out with Nestabilities. Adding the rhinestones took a little bit of time but the job was made easier by using Embellie Gellie. I finally got the Fancy Tags dies when I was in the States at Thanksgiving; I sponged with SU Bordering Blue and used a portion of a stamp from Annabelle Stamps "Ballerina Rose" for the sentiment. Oh yes, the stick pin is from an old corsage.

Good to be stamping and playing with paper again!

Betty

Back Home!

Made it back home around 10:30 last night. Is it possible that the flight was much longer coming back???? It sure did seem that way! Had a wonderful time visiting with family but it sure was good to see home again!

Here's a card I made this morning that I will be demonstrating tomorrow at our card making class. Hope they enjoy the emobossing technique -- it's still one of my favorites! Love seeing that powder change its appearance when the heat is applied.

The angel stamp is from Inkadinkadoo -- a set called Holiday Silhouettes that I purchased used from Nina Brackett; the sentiment is from a Flourishes' set called Glad Tidings.

We're heading off to a birthday party in just a little while so I'll not have time to do any blog visiting until tomorrow afternoon. See you all then!

Betty

A Santa for Brianna

Here's a card I made to take to my granddaughter, Brianna. I'll get to see her and her brother Ashton on Thursday when they come to pick me up at the airport! Can't wait to see those two rascals again, and my sweet daughter too!

I want to enter this card into the following challenges:
Dutch Dare Card Challenge -- use punches or dies
Crafty Hazel Nuts Christmas Challenge  -- use bright colors and/or sparkle
  edited to add:  oops, missed the deadline for Hazel Nuts!

Santa is a Flourishes stamp; the sentiment and banner are from Layers of Color. Cut out my image with a Nestabilities die and cut another slightly bigger by tracing around the outside of the die that I used and fussy cutting it. I added the red rhinestones to the doily borders and then thought that they would be cute as the holly berries. Sure glad I thought about it because I think it's my favorite feature of this card!

Did you see that I won one of Flourishes new releases this week? The First Noel is a beautiful set and is sure to be enjoyed by my church stamping group when I return on Dec. 1; our group will be meeting on the 3rd and I bet one or two of them are going to want to get this set inky!

I may not have any more cards to post for a bit -- will be trying to clean up my craft area so it will be neat and tidy while I'm away and then I have to decide what to put in my suitcase -- probably should take some winter clothes with me and leave the sandals behind!!

Will be trying to get in a few posts while I'm away so you all don't forget me!! Till then, be happy!
Betty

A Flourishes Color Challenge

Here's a card I made this afternoon after we got back from a quick trip to Costco in Guadalajara. After we unloaded and put away groceries I headed to my computer to see what the Flourishes noon time challenge would be today.

It is a color challenge using Red, White and Soft Green. I used a stamp with four Christmas trees from Stubby Stampers and the sentiment is from Layers of Color, Glad Tidings.  If you use Flourishes' stamps you are entered into the challenge twice but using other stamps is allowed on this challenge. As a part of their November release, Flourishes revealed a terrific snowglobe stamp today with three cute scenes that can be stamped inside the globe.

The Christmas tree brads started out dark green but I embossed them with the challenge colors. Hope you enjoyed the card; I had lots of fun making it! Why don't you join me -- head over to Flourishes to get all the details. If you don't have any of Flourishes beautiful stamps, you may get lucky and win some!

Betty 

Flourishes Challenges

I have two creations to share with you today. The first one is for the Timeless Tuesday challenge at Flourishes. The challenge is to make a card where you emboss a portion of the card and leave a portion smooth for the image. Here is my card, made with my favorite Flourishes set, All That Glitters. The sentiment is from Christmas Music by Flourishes.

My next creation is for the Wednesday noon time challenge at Flourishes, Tag, You're It! As you might suspect, the challenge is to make a tag or use a tag on a card. This challenge celebrates their November release. Again, I used the All That Glitters set and made a Christmas gift tag. It looks like it could be the offspring of the card above -- they have very similar characteristics!

The shading on the front of the tag was done to cover up a boo-boo (but don't tell anyone, okay?) Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the set which includes the "to" and "from" stamps.

If you want a terrific Christmas set, All That Glitters would be a wonderful choice if you're like me and are really into Christmas ornaments. And Flourishes has even come up with a companion set this year titled Holiday Sparkle. Here's a picture --

Isn't this another set of beautiful vintage glass ornaments? Both of these sets take me right back to childhood and decorating the tree -- such beautiful memories!

Happy papercrafting dear friends! Hope you'll come back again tomorrow for some more Christmas goodies!

Betty

Make it Round Like a Wreath

I just love beautifully colored Christmas ornaments so this inspiration photo caught my eye immediately! It is for  Flourishes Christmas Spirit Challenge 19 which is to "make it round like a wreath." And here's my card:

Made use of my Circle and Scalloped Circle Nestabilities to fashion the card and cut out the layers. Stamps are from Flourishes -- Doves and Holly and Holly (background stamp). The holly was all that I colored on the center image and some shading was added around the inside of the die. (I also colored the red berries of the background stamp). Sentiment was also cut out with a Spellbinders die and little pearls added to all the outside scallops.

I'd really like to encourage you to join me (and Theresa P.) in this challenge if you have any Flourishes stamps (that is a requirement -- thanks, Patti, for bringing that to my attention). We've both been winners for the last two challenges -- how exciting is that?! The prize this month is the retired set Christmas Wreath. This set can no longer be purchased so this challenge is an excellent opportunity to have a chance to make it part of your collection. Christmas Wreath has an elaborated scrolled Merry Christmas sentiment that I used on two cards in my previous post. Hope to see you entering your round creations!

Betty