Outpost

 I realized I never posted my Hubby's birthday card from earlier in the month.  I did the inking of the background first, then stamped over it.  I should have probably embossed the stamp first and then did the background then maybe the stamp would have stuck out better but I went with it this way.

• Artistic Outpost - The Outpost stamp
• Distress inks for background - Tumbled Glass, Carved Pumpkin and Dried Marigold
• Tim Holtz - Small Talk sentiment

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year with good Health and much Happiness!!

Connie

Nature

 Broke out my stickers again for the next card, used a few diecuts to layer under the main sticker.

• Miss Elizabeth - Layered Stickers
• Spellbinders - Labels 29
• Paper scraps

You can see some of the foiling on the stickers in the close up.

I think this sticker was supposed to be an embellishment tag but with a little layering it became a great focal for the card.

Update on my brother he is now home and for that we are very thankful, he is still extremely tired and has more healing to do but thankful that things are improving!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by today.

Connie

Thinking of you

 A lady from our church is going through Breast Cancer treatment, when making her card I decided to go with a white and pink combo.

I started out embossing the background with a frame embossing folder and then lightly inking the background of the card with some soft pink ink. I cut every other layer of the flower with pinks and whites.

• Gemini - Peony die cut in whites and inks
• Distress ink - Pink Flamingo
• Darice - Doily Lace embossing folder
• Hero Arts - Everyday sayings sentiment stamp

I am sharing todays card with Double D Challenge blog which is to use lots of white.

Here is an inspiration board.

Thanks so much for the prayers for my brother, he is off oxygen and is sitting up, still very tired when getting out of bed but he said that will probably take time to get better.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Merry Christmas

 For unto us was born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord!!

May the joy and happiness we are feeling today, live in our hearts all year long.  May we forever be thankful of the most important gift we have ever received, Jesus coming down to show us the way we should live our lives and save us from our sins!

I do not have a card to share but thought I would share a nativity I made many years ago when I use to do tole painting.

A prayer request today, my younger brother is in the hospital fighting Covid, please pray that he will heal soon and come back home.

Hugs,

Connie

17th

 It is so hard to believe my great nephews and nieces are getting so old.  This Great nephew is turning 17, once again it is hard to think of something to use for the teens so I went looking through my goodies and decided to check out my sticker drawer this time and found, these epoxy dragonflies and leaves, the numbers are from another set, now how to use them on a card?  I came by these frame stickers and corner stickers, I think some of the very first supplies I bought.  I also had some stitched rub ons that I used.

• Creative Imaginations - Crackle sticker frames
• Just Add Imaginations - Epoxy dragonfly and leaf stickers
• DCWV - Rub on stitchings
• Corner Sticker
• The Philadelphia Group - Alpha Bubble stickers (numbers)
• Tim Holtz - Small talk sentiments

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

Connie

Sunshine Light your day

 I love this sentiment to go with this image and since my daughter has gone through a rough year I thought it would be perfect for her birthday card.

• Inky Antics - Butterflies & Garden stamp set, colored w/markers
• Spellbinders - Majestic Labels one die
• Crate Paper - DIY Shop paper
• Spectrum clear sparkle pen 

I had colored the image and decided to cut it out with this die, well it didn't cut right so I had to cut away a little of the die to make it work I didn't want to lose all that coloring I had done, so it may look a little different to you then the original die.

I know how busy everyone is getting this close to Christmas so I appreciate you taking the time to stop by today,

Connie

Cozy Knit

 I am using another of my backgrounds I made for this card, but this time I used some color burst I believe, I am trying to remember when I make them to write on the back what I use, but of course forgot this time.  I thought it would make a nice background for my embossing folder.

I also used a stamp and die set combo for my sentiment. I cut the merry out twice to give a little dimension and layered them.

• Fun Stampers Journey - Cozy Knit embossing folder
• Background made with color burst
• Hero Arts - Merry Stamp and die set

I am playing along once again with the Let's Squash it Challenge which is anyway you want to use an embossing folder.

My second card I used my Metallic markers on black card stock that I embossed with the ornaments.

I used four colors, a gold, blue, silver and red.  I wish you could see the sparkle it leaves.

• Darice - Hanging Ornaments embossing folder
• Spectrum noir - Metallic markers
• Starform stickers - Merry Christmas silver

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by, hope you have a great weekend!

Connie

Snow day

 I have a few attempts I tried on my Gelli plate, that didn't turn out like I was hoping but I saved anyway, well this one worked out good for a snowy background, I used white paint on this one.  The snow is a new product I tried called snowy grit paste, hubby and I both think it looks more like slush, I think I need to go back and watch the video, maybe I applied it wrong. The front archway die was raised with foam tape for a bit of dimension.

I played along with Memory Box Challenge which is snow cards.

• Memory Box - Grand Forest Archway, Small Forest Archway, Contempo birds dies
• Poppystamps - Mama baby bear die
• Background done on gelli plate with white paint
• Tim Holtz - Snowfall Grit paste

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

Connie

Embossing

 Both my Stamp group and the Let's Squash it challenge blog has using embossing folders doing any technique you want.

I went with embossing this snowman and then sanding it to showcase the embossed area.  Can you believe I have used another 6x6 paper pack again, I do have a few small pieces left but they went into my scraps pile, to be used up with die cuts.

I added some stickles to the ornament and hearts on the snowman.

• Sizzix - Christmas set 655841 Embossing folder
• My Mind's eye - Lost and Found Christmas paper
• Platinum - Stickles
• Starform - Silver Merry Christmas sticker colored w/marker

My second card I swiped the background with white ink after embossing and cut the embossed image out with an oval die and sanded that too.

• Sizzix - Christmas Set 655841 Embossing folders
• White ink on the kraft cardstock and sanding of the image
• Ranger - Enamel Accents inside snowflakes

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

Connie

Berries in Pitcher

 Well I think I have enough cards done for this year but have a couple extras just incase I forgot someone. So why not get a head start on next year :)

I am sharing today's card with the Time out challenge blog they have a photo for inspiration, I loved the white vase with berries in it. I also liked the headboard with lights, I first stamped the stars across the top and stamped two berry branches directly on the background. I then embossed the whole background with my embossing folder.  I did not have a pitcher, my hubby came in my craft room right when I was starting to try and draw one, he said do you want me to draw one for you, I said sure.  I cut out the one he drew on scrap paper then took my light box and copied it onto some white cardstock, when cutting the handle I cut a little close in places but thought it looked ok. I took a marker and gave it a little color around the edges, it just blended into my background too much.  I also stamped and fussy cut 3 of the berry branches to give it a touch of dimension, as well as the using foam tape on the pitcher.

Here is the inspiration photo

I am also sharing with Retro Rubber Challenge Merry Christmas, I used the berries and Merry! My stamps are over 2 years old, I purchased them on HSN.

• Vase drawn by my hubby, I fussy cut and colored with marker
• Cuttlebug - Swiss Dot embossing folder
• Diamond press stamps - Christmas collection (stars, berries and partial sentiment)
• Delicata - Golden glitz ink for the starts

I wanted the Merry on the Pitcher instead of the cup, like in the photo and all my Merry's had Christmas with them so I took a Spectrum Aqua pen and inked my stamp with that and stamped it onto the vase.

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

Connie

Sorry For your Loss

 My friend lost her Stepdad of many years, just a couple short years of losing her mom.  I turned to more of my 49 and market to make this card. I popped up the greenery and the butterfly for more dimension.

• 49 and Market - Vintage Artistry In the Leaves 12x12 papers, Ephemera bits
• Hero Arts - Everyday Sayings stamp sentiment

We had tornadoes go through our area and one hit an Amazon Ware house 25 miles away, sadly so far 6 people have been found dead, they said they will still be working through the rubble for the next 3 days during daylight hours. I know there were many more areas hit by these tornadoes and I pray for all those that have been touched by them.

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

Connie

Bird on limb

 This is another background I had tried and wasn't too happy with it so put it in my pile of backgrounds, later I stamped the wreath and wasn't too sure about that, so once again laid it aside, this time I added some stamped script and then a cut I did on my silhouette machine and I now think it all came together ok :)  Has that mixed media look to it.

• Silhouette Cameo machine - Bird on branch die cut
• Spellbinders - Floral Wreath stamp
• Background smoosh distress inks
• Glitz design - Distressing stamp (script)
• Bobunny - Sentiments stamp
• Sequins - white

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

Connie

Joy

 Back to Christmas and this time with  Double D Challenge  Joy challenge.

• Spellbinders - Baby Buntings and Font one dies
• BoBunny - Father Christmas Collection paper
• Tim Holtz - Funky Festive dies (holly and pine cone)
• Circle punch from glitter paper for berries

Here is the theme board to give you some ideas

I also have another quick card I made to put inside another card, they are going to the same address, this one measures 3 1/4 x 4 3/4.

• Fancy Pants - Saint Nick paper
• Martha Stewart - snowflake punch
• DCWV - Foiled Cardstock

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

Connie

Enjoy the little things

 Taking a little break from the Christmas cards for some more birthdays, they don't stop just because Christmas is coming. I used a lot of pattern paper on this one, I stamped my image on pattern paper and also the sentiment that I hand cut and then placed on black cardstock and cut around that too. The gold foiled butterfly and fern are extras that you can buy to go with the stamps and paper.

• Hot off the press - Mystic Garden, papers, stamps and Foiled Fancies
• Ribbon
• Sequins

I guess I didn't get a side view of this card, I popped up the stamped image.

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

Connie

Candle Light

 Back in October when I went to the stamp store over in Missouri, they had this candle die, this was before I bought the lantern die, and it came with two styles of candles, I used just the one here, I like how it has a separate die for candle wax to give it more dimension.  

• PPD - Burning candle die
• Tim Holtz - Funky Festive dies
• Momenta - Lot 6864 die for the branches
• Paper studio - Have a cozy Christmas paper

I am sharing my candle card with the  Card Concept Challenge The candles and the Pine swag and the wood wall background is what inspired my card in this challenge.

I have one more card to share today, I went looking through my coloring calendar images and found this star, colored using a few different yellows and added some sparkle to it. Embossed background to go with it, very clean and simple.

• Color for Calm 2017 coloring calendar image- colored w/markers
• Crafters Companion - Snowy Corner embossing folder
• Simon Says stamps - Tiny words Christmas

I still haven't addressed my cards yet but hoping to get that started today, how are you all doing?

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

Connie

HB2U

 Today's card will be shared in the Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge which is Music or something Musical.  Have I got you singing Happy Birthday to You :)

I needed a birthday card for my great nephew who is a teenager, I have the hardest time coming up with ideas for teen masculine cards, when I saw this challenge I decided to look through paper packs that were a little more on the masculine side and see if there was any sheet music in them and I found this piece, I went through the rest of the papers in the pack and one sheet was full of letters and numbers, so I cut them out, inked them up, and put them along the card, popping up a couple with foam tape.  The ticket was also in the paper pack so I just added a star I cut from glitter paper and a brad to attach it. Inked around the edges of the card too.

• DCWV - Tattered Time paper pack (paper, letters and ticket)
• DieVersions - Stitched Nesting stars die, cut from gold glitter paper
• Recollections - Brad

We finally have had time to get our Christmas lights on outside.  Now I just need to find time to get the inside done, hoping to get the tree set up today :)

 Hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend!

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

Connie

Wood

 Back to using more of the wood slices. I decided to do a stenciled background behind it, stenciling over some leaf pattern paper, hoping it shows depth,  like it is in the forest.  

• The Greetery - Robin and Wren stamp and die set, Wood Slices die and Mason Jar Filler stencil
• Provocraft - Soft Serenity paper
• Tim Holtz - Funky Floral #3
• Cardmaking magic - Birthday Verses stamp set
• Pen dots
• Butterfly sticker - gold in the stencil

I am sharing today's card with the Inspiration Station Challenge which is wood, it reminded me of our walks in the woods when we see falling trees and birds all around.

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

Connie

Light

 In my stamp group our challenge for the month of November was to use Light on our cards, I had recently bought this lantern die at Hobby Lobby and so you know I had to use that.  The first two cards uses the greenery that comes with the die but the last card I used my other die cuts to embellish.

I have to give a thank you to my hubby, I just didn't know how to do the lantern because the candle seemed to blend in with my background, then hubby said do you have any vellum you could put behind and add ink for a glow, yes I do and off I went, love the results.

• Momenta - Lantern die Lot 6864
• DCWV - Gold foil cardstock
• Vellum inked w/ fossilized Distress ink
• Paper Studio - Have a cozy Christmas paper

Momenta - Lantern die Lot 6864

Black Mirri card

Vellum inked w/ fossilized Distress ink

My Mind's eye - O Christmas tree paper

• Momenta - Lantern die Lot 6864
• DCWV - Gold foil cardstock
• Vellum inked w/ fossilized Distress ink
• Paper Studio - Have a cozy Christmas paper
• Tim Holtz - Funky Festive dies 

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

Connie