Even though I don't live in the UK, it's pretty hard to have missed that this year marks Queen Elizabeth's 70th year on the throne, which is impressive in so many ways. Most people can barely wait to retire at 65 these days, and that only comes out to be about 45 years of full employment. Seventy years just boggles the mind. As Pixie's Snippets challenge has decided to combine their usual challenge with the Platinum Jubilee celebration (complete with two chances for a prize and promises of cocktails and sweets by Sarn and Di) I had to rush into my craft room to put this snippets card together. One of my early craft prizes happened to be a paper collection by Ruby Rock-It (The Vintedge collection). As I've never been to England, I couldn't quite figure out how to use this for scrapbooking, and so this paper kit has been in my stash for 10 years. It's about time I used it, right? I used papers and an image of Big Ben from the paper collection, along with a sentiment by Spellbinders. The banner across the top is a stamp by My Minds Eye, which I stamped in both navy and cranberry, then fussy cut and layered for a two color effect. A silver crown sticker and some rhinestones are added in honor of the Jubilee. Funny story to go along with this is that I knew I had this paper somewhere in the garage, but wasn't sure where. So, last night, when my husband was already asleep, I opened the garage door to pull his car out in order to access a large cabinet along the side wall, which is blocked by his car. There I stood, in my slippers and robe, before I decided to wait until morning to rummage around. My husband startled me when he suddenly appeared in the doorway, having heard the garage door open. He thought we had been burglarized!
5/29/2022
Jubilee Celebration
5/28/2022
All Is Calm
We had a short heat spell about 4 days ago, but the past 3 days have been overcast and cold! It feels more like winter than spring, so it was easy to work on a Christmas card last night. I used one of my favorite stamps by Mark's Finest Papers (sadly, no longer in business). I stamped the image twice, once in navy blue ink and once in silver embossing. I then fussy cut the covered bridge and truck, and layered it over the silver embossed version. Some metallic silver embroidery, an embossing folder by Park Lane, and a sentiment by Tim Holtz, completes my design. The silver edging along the top and bottom of the image is cut from an old silver gift box.
May Rudolph Challenge, AG Christmas card
Christmas Craft Creations May challenge, two colors. I used blue and silver
DL.Art May linky
Allsorts Challenge #678, anything but a birthday
5/27/2022
Thinking Of You
I recently got this Orchard Leaf Frame die by Poppystamps, and decided to combine it with a stamped flower by Pink Fresh Designs, and a sentiment by Altenew to make this card for a friend. The dotted kraft paper is by DCWV and I added bakers twine and an eyelet. The leaf frame is cut from an old envelope that I kept, because it was such a nice color. Upcycling is one of my favorite things to do when I craft.
Double Trouble challenge #111. I did all 3 Things, used kraft, spots, and entered at Crafters Cafe
Crafter's Cafe challenge 285, use spots or stripes
Poppystamps challenge #PSC94, use Poppystamps and flowers
5/23/2022
Happiest of Days
I've been digging through a lot of very old stash, and finding unfinished cards along the way. This background was stamped years ago but I never turned it into a card. So today was the day. I pulled out scraps of old-school Stampin' Up card stock and ink, and used a sentiment from Papertrey Ink to finally finish it. Another unfinished card done and only about 500 to go!
SSS Wednesday, layersDL.Art May linky Word Art Wednesday week 543-544
Inspiration Station challenge #30. I was inspired by the flower shop image
5/21/2022
You Look Marvelous!
I usually make a humorous card for my sister on her birthday and this is one using an old stamp set by Stampin' Up. The sentiment on the card front says, "It's your birthday and I must say that you look marvelous", and the inside says, "and on my birthday you must say that I look marvelous!" I combined the stamp with fun patterned paper and colored it with alcohol markers. The stack of birthday presents are from a stamp set by Studio G, and the dotted rectangle die is by Stephanie Barnard.
Allsorts challenge 677, birthday
Teacher Thanks
My granddaughter, who is in the 2nd grade, needed a teacher thank you card, and I only had a day to whip one up. Apparently, her teacher loves cats, as does my granddaughter, so I went the whimsical route and used this adorable stamp set that my daughter won from Rebecca Yahrling last year. https://www.flickr.com/photos/133625822@N05/. I combined the kittycorn with a sentiment by Gina K Designs, and stitched oval dies by LDRS. It's not my usual teacher card style, but captures my granddaughter's personality perfectly.
MFT May slimline challenge, thank you card
5/16/2022
Owl Good
Here is another one of the matchbook notepads that I made. This one is for my daughter, who loves owls. The paper is from the Green Stack by DCWV, and I used an owl stamp by Hampton Arts, with a sentiment by Technique Tuesday. The stitched label dies are by Stephanie Barnard. I made these notebooks larger than the usual matchbook mini notebooks, so used two brads to hold them together with the papers inside. The front flap tucks under the brads to keep it closed.
Word Art Wednesday week 543-544
Balloon Besties
Here is a card that I made for my granddaughter to give to a friend for her birthday. I used the adorable MFT stamp and die set, "Balloon Besties", and colored it with alcohol markers. The stars are cut from white glitter paper (although you can't tell in this photo), and I used star dies by Paper Smooches and Jillbean Soup. The rainbow colored background is made with scraps from my stash.
Colorful Options May Challenge, pink or rainbow colors
5/15/2022
Butterfly Dream
I like to make a lot of backgrounds with alcohol ink all at once, and then keep them on hand for projects as I feel inspired. This time I used a small, wood mounted stamp by Hampton Arts, and a heat embossed floral image by Stampin' Up. The sentiment is from an old magnetic tamp set that I've had for years, and not sure who makes it. The floral image is colored with alcohol markers. I like using my alcohol backgrounds to make ATCs, as I can get a lot of ATC bases from one sheet of inked paper.
SSS Monday challenge, alcohol theme or alcohol ink
Reach For The Sky
I pulled out another few stamp sets by Lawn Fawn and made this fun card for a guy. The airplane, clouds and banner are from the "Plane and Simple" stamp set and the sentiment is from an old Lawn Fawn set called "Sunny Skies". I used the Stitched Rectangle die set for the chocolate brown rectangle mat, and colored everything with alcohol markers. The sentiment is heat embossed in white.
Lawn Fawnatics challenge 124, cards for guys. I used the colors brown and blue from the inspiration board as well.DL.Art May linky
Honk Honk
I've had this adorable stamp set by Lawn Fawn, "Car Critters", for awhile now, but this is the first time I inked it up.The cloud stamps and dies are from another Lawn Fawn set called "Plane and Simple". I colored the image with alcohol markers, and added some white gel pen highlights. The sentiments are from a set by MFT.
Lawn Fawnatics challenge 124, Cards for guys, I was inspired by the colors blue and brown in the inspiration photoDL.Art May Linky
5/14/2022
Butterfly Garden
Spring weather always inspires me to pull out floral papers and add a butterfly or two to my cards. This time I used the Garden Poppy Stitched Frame die by Poppystamps, along with the "happy" part of the Splendid Happy Easter die set, also by Poppystamps. I added stamped butterflies by Inkadinkado and part of a birthday sentiment by Stampin'Up. You don't always have to use the full die cut or sentiment for every card...you can snip and cut just the part that you want.
Butterfly Challenge # 71 . I used the colors Asparagus, and Amaranth, plus a butterfly
Poppystamps Challenge PSC#92, floral fantasy. I used the Stitched Poppy Flower frame die
Word Art Wednesday week 543-544
Cut It Up Challenge 251. Use a die and any insect or animal
5/09/2022
Sunshine and Rainbows
I don't have a rainbow die set, but once I realized that I can use circle or oval dies to make my own rainbows, there was no problem at all. My circle dies are already a favorite, but now that rainbows are a possibility, they're even more fun. I combined my Sizzix circle dies with a Lawn Fawn unicorn stamp and cloud stamps by Dear Lizzie. The sentiment is by CardzTV. I colored the unicorn with alcohol markers. Not only is this a fun way to make a rainbow, but it's also the perfect way to use up scraps of card stock.
Colorful Options May challenge, pink or rainbow colors
Allsorts challenge 675, my favorite die is my Sizzix circle set
SSS Wednesday challenge, feminine
5/06/2022
Teddy Bear Picnic
I nearly forgot to make a Mother's Day card for my daughter, who I will be seeing this Sunday. She is an amazing mom to my three grandkids, and I couldn't be more proud of her. She has hosted a tea party for a few past Mother's Day celebrations, so when I remembered this stamp set by Elizabeth Craft Designs (which I've had for several years but hadn't even inked up yet) I had to pull it out. I also used a cloud stencil by MFT, a sentiment strip stamp and die set by Taylored Expressions, and a scenic stamp by StampaBella. Way more fussy cutting than I had anticipated made this a project that lasted long into the night, but I think she'll be tickled by it. I had to stamp, color and cut extra baby bears and teacups to match the grandkids, but I couldn't leave anyone out!
Inspiration Station challenge 29, Mother and Child
5/05/2022
Tweet Birthday
Springtime brings lush greenery and birds to my garden, so I combined them both to make this cheerful birthday card. The dies and stamp are by Stampin' Up and Spellbinders. Happy springtime everyone!
DL.Art May linkyDouble D Designs, birds or bird cages SSS Wednesday challenge, feminine