Got Game

Another masculine card today, my great nephew is now going to college to be a computer programmer, and so when I saw this die on sale at Hobby Lobby I had to pick it up and thought it would work for others that love computers and playing games.

The background I had in my stash already, one I had done but thought was too dark ended up working great with this card, I put a die cut background over it and it worked perfectly.

The buttons on the controller were embossed, so I added some white gel pen to it so they would stand out a bit, the sentiment comes with the die set. I tried to make a desk for the computer to set on so it wasn't floating in space, not sure if it looks like one or not, LOL!

Spellbinders - You've got game, Symmetry in space and A2 matting basics A dies
Fiskars corner punch for the "desk"
Background made from Colorburst

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Connie

Butterfly

Debbie's beautiful butterflies pictures is what inspired this card, she is a wonderful photographer but I will have to say her birds and butterflies just get me every time, she is such a natural at capturing them!

I made a frame from cutting the oval and floral dies at the same time.  I colored the butterfly with Distress inks and oxide ink and marker for the body.

DCWV - Old World paper
Pizzazz Aplenty - Butterfly die, sponged with Distress ink and Oxides, body colored w/marker
Spellbinders - Floral Oval and classic oval dies to make frame, Labels 4 die for sentiment
Fiskars - Essential Sayings stamp
Prima flowers
Nuvo glitter drops - White blizzard for flower centers

I hope you are enjoying a nice fall season so far, it has been so nice to have our doors and windows open and enjoying the birds singing and fresh air.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Pine Challenge

My stamp group had a Pine challenge for our Christmas cards this month and since I had finished all my cards for September I could play along.

First I went with a new ornament I had bought.  I cut the ornament out and then wasn't sure what to put behind it, I had cut it out of silver and thought a blue would look nice behind but wanted to have yellow around the star area, so I found a background in my stash I had done earlier that had blues and yellows on it and it worked, I just cut around the ornament and then I went searching for paper, I found this one that I thought could look like wall paper.  I showed my hubby and he said oh that ornament clashes it needs to be gold, it will go with your paper better, so off I went and cut again in gold and he was right, so I just layered it on top of the silver I had there.  I also cut the bow again out of the yellow I had left from doing the ornament, although it is hard to see with the pine branches.

Impression Obsession - Pine branch die
DieVersion - Starry Nativity ornament die
Distress oxides for ornament background
Anna Griffin - Christmas paper, shaded with Antique linen distress ink

Second I tried a one layer card using watercolor card I had from a Spectrum noir purchase and this card is so thin that it warped terribly, so bad in face that I cut it off the card and tried to add it to a firmer card base and it still was curling, even with a full taping on the back.

I colored the trees using my Spectrum Aqua markers directly onto the stamp then spritzed with water and stamped them onto the card, then did a second stamping for the trees in the background.  The deer were cut from wood grain paper, I liked the texture it gave to them.  You can't see it but I added sparkle pen to the background in blue and some stickles on the trees.

Rubber Stampede - Pine Tree, colored directly to stamp with Aqua markers
Impression Obsession - Small deer die
Spectrum sparkle marker - moonstone for background
Stickles - diamond on trees

Lastly I went with my trusted Graphic 45 pad and used their image and papers and added a sentiment that I die cut twice. Stickles added to the candles on the trees and some gems to go with the sentiment.

Graphic 45 - Christmas Emporium paper and image
Spellbinders - Holiday sentiments die cut twice
Stickles - Diamond on candles in tree
Ki - black gems

Pretty excited I managed 3 more cards, I can't remember how many that gives me know but I can say I am much farther along than I have been in any other year :)

Thanks again for stopping by,

Connie

New Home

This was the year to buy a new home with my Nieces and Nephews.  I shared a few months back two cards I made for my niece and her family and my nephew and his family both getting new homes, in those I used my neighborhood house dies and this time for my nephew and his family I wanted to go a different direction, so when I saw Donna and I believe it was Darlene using decoupage on their blogs I thought I will have to look through my decoupage sheets and see if I have anything that will work and I think I found one that I liked.

Although they live in the Detroit area I still liked this image so I went with it.
This set had 5 layers you could use and since that would be a bit bulky I went with 3 layers, I am hoping to figure out a way I could use the other two layers on another card. You can see the dimension a little better in this picture.

Since there is a lot of silver in the framing and such I decided to go with my Dazzle stickers for the sentiment.

DoCrafts - Foiled Decoupage sheets- Vineyard
Paper studio - Kirby Teesdale paper
Hot off the press - Dazzles, tiny words and phrases
Spellbinders - Grommet tags die
Making memories - Flower brads

Hope your week is off to a good start! 
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and saying Hi,

Connie

Birdhouse

Using my daily coloring calendar again.  This image had some kind of a swirl or something weird with it, so I just cut around it and used only the birdhouse.  I added a chipboard bird that I first colored with Spun sugar distress paint and used gold mousse on the raised areas, I didn't like how that looked, the colors seem to clash with the house, so I took a chance and added some weathered wood distress stain on top very lightly and the two seemed to blend together fairly well and I ended up liking it better than what I had before.

I wanted the bird house to be on a pole and not just floating, so I added a strip of card stock and some vines crawling up it.  A blog friend gifted me with some paper and I used it for the backdrop, love how it all worked out!

Coloring for calm calendar image, colored w/pencils
Studio 18 - Bird Chipboard shape
Spun Sugar distress paint
Weathered wood - Distress stain
Nuvo mousse- Indian gold
Ivy , Silhouette machine die cut
Basic grey - Periphery paper

Hope you have a wonderful Sunday,

Connie

Jersey

This is the time of year that I have a lot of masculine cards to make, I was having a hard time coming up with what to do for this great nephew when I saw pictures of him in his football gear from last year when he played on the Varsity team his senior year.  I know he is starting college this year but thought he might like to be reminded of good times he had.  The number was his number on the team.

The paper I used kind of made me think of a football field.

My Favorite things - Jersey Die
Taylored Expressions - Whimsy #s die
PoppyStamps - super stars die
Crate paper - Party day paper
DieVersions - Stitched nesting die
Our Daily Bread design - Mini tag sentiment stamp

Autumn has finally come to our area, yesterday was so HOT heat index hit 104 and today is much better, I so love this time of year. 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and say Hi,

Connie

Instant card art

I don't know how many of you that purchased from Paperwishes.com or use to watch their weekly video's but it is so sad to see them going away, they are having sales weekly and right now you can get everything in their store that is regular price half off.  I am sharing this with you because today I am using one of their products that I love for making up quick cards, you just add the paper and any embellishments you may want.  This card is bigger than an A2 but not all of them have to be.

HERE is the link to the one I used

I added a few brads to the Happy tag, some inking to the Birthday tag, some punched flowers and sequins for the center and my paper.  I was going to be late getting a card out and these are just perfect for those times.

Hot off the press - Instant Card art - Pretty colors
Papercraft magazine - Paper
Bazzill Brads
EK Success - Flower punch
White Sequins

I saw this butterfly, when I was out doing yard work and he actually stayed put while I went in the house and got my camera, that never happens to me, usually when my hubby and I are out for our walks I can always spot them really good but they never stand still enough for me to get a picture, so I was pretty excited this one was staying still for me.  We have seen more butterflies this year, I don't know if it is because of the rain we were getting or what but it has been nice to see more.

Another warm one today, getting excited about the temperatures that will be coming next week, I see fall in our future :)

Have a wonderful day,

Connie

Fern w/dragonfly

The other day when hubby and I were out on a walk to one of the parks that has a small lake we saw quite a few dragonflies and it reminded me of this stamp and punch set I have and so that is what I decided to do for my nephews birthday this year.

I first stamped a background with a large fern stamp I have, then I took some sparkle pen applied it to my craft mat and then added a touch of water and applied some splatters to the background with my paint brush. 

Stamped the dragonfly by adding Forest Walk Spectrum noir sparkle pen to the stamp and then stamped onto my cardstock, let it dry and then colored it Olive Jade sparkle pen, I didn't manage to pick up the sparkle in any of my pictures :(

I really liked this paper to go with my image but didn't have quite a large enough piece so I added some washi tape to the end.  Using a scrap that was left over after cutting out my background I used that piece to stamp my sentiment.

Rubber Stampede - Fern leaf stamp
Purple Daisy Design - Dragonfly stamp
EK Success - Dragonfly punch
Spellbinders - A2 Distressed edges and A2 matting basics B die sets
Tim Holtz - Symphony tissue tape
Cosmo Cricket - Fleuriste paper
stamps of life - Standup4 sentimensts stamp
Spectrum noir sparkle pens - Forest walk for Background and Olive Jade for dragonfly

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today and saying Hi,

Connie

Playing in the Rain

I am sharing my last guest design post with the House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge Blog.  This week it is Sports/Activity challenge.  I went with Activity, playing in the rain :)  Even as adults we need to just go out and play in the rain every now and then.  I want to thank Christine and all the other designers for welcoming me and allowing me to be a part of the challenges these past months, it has been fun.

I really love how these two are enjoying a bit of fun in the rain, I think I am going to send this to a friend that is going through some hard times right now and say on the inside that even though we go through some rainy times we will see a rainbow soon.  I think we need to hear that every now and then.

I hope that if you are going through a hard time right now, that you can trust that there is light at the end of the tunnel, I am thankful to have Jesus in my life to get through these hard times.

Stampabilities - Puddle fun stamp, colored w/markers
Colorbok - Homespun paper
Sizzix - Tags, rounded die
Spellbinders - Decorative Labels 8 die
Fiskars - Cloud punch
DCWV - Metallic paper
Spectrum noir sparkle pen clear on raindrops and puddle
Pawsitively pawsome design - Sparkle confetti

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead and thanks so much for stopping by today,

Connie

Little Birdie

When I was at the book store last month and they had this cute stamp set in the Make Special cards magazine I just had to pick it up, I just thought it was too cute.

I liked the cut patterns on the bird and love that big eye, she is sending lot's of Love :)
The set also comes with precolored images you can use for a quick card, I love having those sort of things on hand for quick card making, but I do like to use the stamps when I have the time.  I am trying not to get so stressed out about getting cards to people on time, so when I have things on hand that make card making quicker but I can still let them know I care and was thinking about them, makes it all more enjoyable :)

Make Special cards July 2018 - stamp set colored w/spectrum noir markers
Crate Paper - Party day paper
Spellbinders - Classic ovals and scalloped oval dies
Wink of stella- clear glitter pen on balloon
Gems

Praying for all of those effected by Hurricane Florence, I hope that everyone can get back to their homes soon.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today, Have a terrific weekend,

Connie

Polka dots

I was going through my pictures and realized I forgot to share the Christmas challenge I did last month for my stamping group, although I didn't use any stamping I did use a snowman die cut one of the girls in the group sent me, isn't he adorable, I do love my snowmen :)  I have such a big collection that I wait until after Christmas is over and all the decorations are put away and I get out my snowman collection and have that up until February.

The challenge was to use polka dots and I went with a polka dot embossed background.

I tried to add Glitter embossing powder to each of those dots but it didn't show up very well, I cut a snow drift out of the bottom and popped it up, adding a tree and bird to finish off the scene.  I also added a bit of Stickles to his hat and the snow under the snowman.

Cuttlebug - Swiss dot embossing folder
Snowman die cut, colored with markers
Poppystamps - Stitched landscape die
Frantic Stamper - Oregon tree die, colored with distress inks
Poppystamps - Cheery cardinal die
Stickles - Frosted lace on hat and snow

I am getting there on my Christmas cards but it is slow going, hoping to get to more before this month is over.

Thanks so much again for stopping by and saying Hi, always good to hear from you,

Connie

Soccer

When I was talking to my sister the other day she mentioned her grandson starting soccer, and then I saw a post on facebook and thought I should go with a soccer theme for his birthday but going through all my stuff I didn't have one thing soccer related, so I decided to try and make my own.  I started with a circle die cut, then I cut little Hexagons from a die and started gluing them to the circle, when I had the circle filled I cut around the circle to cut off all the extra I had hanging off.  Ok now I had a ball, (not quite the shape in an actual soccer ball but if you don't look close enough it could pass, well hopefully) but what to do now.  Then I came up with an idea to put in a soccer field and goal.  The same sister had given me some netting fabric awhile ago, so I got that out and cut a frame using rectangle dies, glued the netting to the back but cut off the base, it made it look to much like a rectangle and not a goal.  I used Distress inks to make my background.  As you can tell he is turning 13 this year :)

I hope he liked it as much as I liked how it turned out :)
This side view shows the netting a little better.

Hexagon dies from Papercraft magazine
Spellbinders - Circle and A2 matting basics dies
Background using Mowed Lawn and Tumbled glass distress inks
Hero Arts - It's your day sentiment stamp
Taylored Expressions - Whimsy #' die

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today and say Hi, love to hear from you when you do.

Connie

Baby

The lady that heads up our card making group has a daughter that will be having a baby soon, so her challenge for us was to make a baby card.  Mine will be going to a couple in the church having a baby, they don't yet know the gender so I went with a more neutral color so it could be for whatever they end up having. This is the end of the challenges I had in my card making group.

The stamps are all from the same stamp set, I colored the baby with markers.

Stampin up - Baby talk stamp set, colored w/markers
Spellbinders - Classic square and scalloped squares dies
My Favorite things - Cross stitch rectangle die
Pawsitively Pawsome design - Mini Stitched square die
Paper from a Papercraft magazine

Thanks for taking the time to stop by today, hope your week is off to a great start!

Connie

Shaker card

The next challenge was to make a shaker card, I have been trying to use the Queen & Co. shaker forms that I bought awhile back and I don't seem to have good luck with them, the last one and this one didn't come out very well and I think it is because they don't keep their form well, let's just say they aren't for me.

I went with a bench scene because this is going to a local friend so I can hand deliver the card, no worry about postage and she has just bought a new bench that she is excited to put in her backyard as she likes to sit out there when she lets her dogs out to play.

I used very small beads for the shaker part and when I took a picture of them through the acetate they seemed to make it look blurry.  I used distress inks for the ground and sky and then colored the bench die cut and the bird is part of the die.  I added some prima flowers and a die cut vine to it. The sentiment was stamped onto the scalloped circle, adding a few nuvo drops and I called it done :)

As you can see all my beads almost go out of view when the card is standing

Darice - Bench die
Queen & co. - rectangle pop ups
Distress inks for background
Poppystamps - Climbing vine die
Prima flowers
Spellbinders - Lacey circle die and Special birthday sentiment stamp
Nuvo glitter drops -- Golden Sunset, in flower centers

The rain has stopped and the sun is trying to peak out, still wonderful temperature out there, everyone at church today was commenting how nice it was to have that heat and humidity gone for at least a little while :)

Hope you are enjoying a blessed Sunday,
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by once again,

Connie

Paper Folding

I had made one of these cards quite awhile ago and when our next challenge was to do paper folding, I decided to do another one.  I just cut circles from my circle die cut and then went around scoring just the edges. This is going to a friend that likes quilting.

When I cut one of the circles I realized it didn't have much pattern of flowers in the center so I added a little flower sticker to it and added a gem in the center, the sentiment was in the same pack of stickers but was silver so I colored both the sentiment and the flower with my alcohol marker to match the bottom panel paper.

K&co. - Classic K paper
Spellbinder - Circle and Grommet tags dies
Recollections - Lace on a roll
Stamp on it - Sentiment and flower sticker
Clear gem for flower center

It is now 10:00 am and it has been raining since yesterday around 5 pm. We are so thankful that on the most part it has been a steady rain, so the ditch out back and the street is flooding but it is just over our curb and so far staying there but there is a chance we could have rain through Midnight tonight with the most of the heavy stuff ending around 5 pm tonight.

I hope you are having a good weekend, thanks for taking the time to stop by,

Connie

Under the sea

I am still working my way through the challenges in my group, still have a few more to go. 
This time it was to make and under the sea card.  I don't have many stamps in that category so I went looking through my coloring calendar, I had remembered there were days that had fish and such and this one looked more fun to send to a kid, inside I am going to write, hope you have a whale of a day.

The waves were already with the whale, I colored him with my markers and then added some die cuts in the background and clear drops for water spots.

Color for calm daily coloring calendar image - colored w/markers
DCWV - Linen closet paper
Memory Box - windspwept stems die
Sparkle pen on waves
Nuvo Clear crystal glaze

They are saying we will get hit with the rain tonight into tomorrow morning, coming up from the storm in the gulf, our area could get up to 6 inches, just praying it doesn't come all at once or we will have some bad flooding again.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, thanks for taking out the time to stop by,

Connie

Embossing

The next challenge was to use embossing, either with an embossing folder or powders, I used both on this card.  I will have to say that my embossed background I already had in my stash from an earlier challenge with my stamp group, so I can't say exactly what colors I used.

I stamped and embossed the clock in black and used clear embossing powder. Both the clock and sentiment was stamped on pattern paper. Die cut the gear border and I was done.

Spellbinders - A2 Distressed edges and circle dies
Darice - Steam punk Embossing folder with distress ink background
Taylored Expressions - Sprockets border die
Deep Red - Roman Clock stamp embossed with powder
Papercraft Inpsiration magazine stamped sentiment

Thanks for taking the time to stop in today,

Connie

Inspiration

I am continuing with the challenges my group had, and the next one was to make a card that was inspired by anything other than another card.  I have a shower curtain that I have had for a few years now but I still love it as much as the day I got it, pretty and sheer with stitched flowers and vines on it, I have always thought it would make a pretty card but never tried it so this was my time.  Don't you love how challenges will have you try something you never would other wise.

First I stamped the vines and then I took the flowers and stamped them in a couple different colors like is on my shower curtain, here is my inspiration.

I decided to cut away part of the bottom to add the sentiment and chose to go with a die cut border, which I cut out of another piece of cream cardstock so that I could layer a scalloped border.  Added a couple of pearls on either side of the sentiment and I was done :)

I would also like to put my card in the Sisterhood of Crafters challenge which is bloomin flowers.

RS Tapestry - Trellis leaf vine and Butterfly blooms peg stamps
Spellbinders - A2 curved borders one die
My Favorite things - More Essential Sentiments stamp
Pizzazz Aplenty - 3mm pearls
Spectrum Sparkle pen- Macaroon for flower centers

Thanks for stopping by today and saying Hi,

Connie

Add a number

Hi everyone, I am over at House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge again doing another Guest design card for their next challenge which is add a number.  This paper is very busy but it does have numbers :)  with the paper that was left over I found another 8 that I could cut out with my balloon die for my great nephew who is turning 8.  I added another balloon with birthday wishes.

These guys look like they are having a bit of trouble with their party hats :)

I used some of the streamers for the balloons ribbon from the confetti die set.

Check out the prizes they have this time, and play along, you don't have to add a number you can do whatever you like as long as you use the stamps they allow.

Stampendous - Party hats stamp colored w/markers
Crate Paper - Party day paper
Spellbinders - Labels 37
Taylored Expressions - Balloons and Celebration Confetti dies
Our Daily Bread design - Mini tag sentiment stamp

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today and say HI, and hope you are enjoying the rest of the Labor day weekend.  We will be staying inside again today, the dew point and humidity are just too high. Great day if you want to get in that last summer swim :)

Connie

Shaped Card

The next challenge was to make a shaped card, I will have to say I don't make many different shaped cards but usually try to do something different for my sisters card.  I had made a box card for my other sister a few years back but with hers I had to measure everything out and score and cut it all myself.  This time I was able to use a die I had bought from Spellbinders when they were having their half off dies sale a while back.  The die comes with one panel die so you have to cut it 4 times to get your box, but the tabs and score lines are in the die :)  Then I cut them all again with pattern paper to decorate the box, cutting them apart to fit in the right squares, so it may take the same amount of time to make this but so much easier not having to think of where to cut and score.

The scalloped borders were also dies that came with the set.  I had done all flowers on my other sisters card, so this time I had decided to go with a little scene, this sister has cats so I added one to the scene. As you can see the tree goes above the box a bit so I did have to put it in a bigger envelope but I just loved the way it looked taller than the card.

Spellbinders - Scalloped Pop up box, Sentiments one dies
Cosmo Cricket - Girl Friday paper
Impression Obsession - Bare Tree, Cat set and small grass dies
Fiskars - grass punch
Memory Box - Grove leaves die
Matha Stewart - butterflies and small flower punch
Enamel accents - white

Thanks so much for stopping by today and I hope all of you that are in the states enjoy your labor day weekend, be safe!

Connie