Peace & Joy

Yes, it's another card that I made with the Graphic 45 Twelve Days of Christmas collection. This is a very simple one that uses a cut-apart, which I matted with a die by Spellbinders. All it needed was some seam binding ribbon because the gorgeous papers did all the work. This pattern was so beautiful that I can barely stand to cut into it...sigh.  

July Rudolph Challenge, Christmas
SSS Wednesday challenge, AG 

BYSHC challenge, Christmas

ABC Christmas challenge, O is for old (old papers and seam binding ribbon) 

Papercraft Challenges, Christmas in July

DL.Art July linky

July Garden Birthday

I had so much fun today with the Graphic45 paper pads, A Time to Flourish and The Children's Hour Calendar pad. The colors coordinated beautifully, which gave me a source of background paper to use with the cut-apart journaling cards in the Time to Flourish collection. As I only have an 8x8 paper pad of each of these, I fussy cut, trimmed off borders to re-use, and combined the papers with scrap from my stash to make it stretch. The sentiment stamp in blue is by DoCrafts.

DL.Art July linky 

Stay Crafty with A Blog Named Hero, birthday 

SSS Wednesday, AG

Inspiration Station July challenge , I was inspired by the summer and outdoor theme 

DL.Art's Thankful Thursday challenge 304, summer fun

Happy Mail

There is nothing like an iced coffee on a hot summer day, or an image of an iced coffee on a hot summer day (if you don't have the real thing). So, I used this cute digi by Verve Stamps, and stamped a tropical background with an old Stampin'Up stamp set to make this summer card. The sentiment strip is by Simon Says Stamp and the stitched circle dies are by MFT.

Allsorts challenge 686, summer
Let's Craft and Create challenge 185, fun in the sun   

SSS Wednesday, AG

Sweet Day

While I worked on my granddaughter's birthday card I decided to go ahead and make a card for my younger granddaughter as well. That way I won't find myself madly rushing to get a card made in time for her birthday when it comes around. I used a paper pad by Recollections, along with the same Spellbinders Spring Icon die set. The sentiment is from a set by Sunny Studios and I used Sizzix circle dies.  That ice cream bar die is adorable, but let me warn you...trying to keep from losing those teeny eye and mouth die cuts gave me a nervous breakdown.

 SSS Wednesday, card for a child

Allsorts challenge 686, summer 

DL.Art July linky

Inspiration Station challenge 34, picnic in summer. I was inspired by the summer food theme  

Pizza My Heart

My granddaughter's birthday is this week and I hadn't even made a card yet, so up to my craft room I went. I used paper from a pad by Recollections, gold foil by Recollections, and a Spellbinders die (the Spring icons set..which is SO perfect for pre-teens). The star dies are by Waffle Flower Design and the sentiment is by Frantic Stamper.

SSS Wednesday challenge, for a child
DL.Art July linky 

Colorful Options july challenge, rainbow colors

Inspiration Station challenge 34, picnic. I was inspired by the theme of food and the striped picnic blanket 

August sunflowers

I don't remember whether I got these Graphic 45 paper pads, or whether they were a prize won by my daughter from Janis, of Her Peaceful Garden. Either way I called dibs on them this week and made several pretty cards with a summer theme. I've been loathe to cut into my Graphic45 papers, but once I took the leap I find that it's really fun and rewarding. Because I can't bear to run out of these pretty papers, I use every little bit and cut out tag shapes or rectangles wherever a layer will cover it. Borders are cut off to use on a different card, and not a smidgen is wasted.

I used the Graphic45 paper pads, Time to Flourish and The Children's Hour calendar pad to make this card. A bit of fussy cutting from the background paper and a twine bow keep it flat enough to mail.

So, funny thing about this card happened as I photographed it. I'm sure many of you have done this and can relate ...but I suddenly realized that I had put this card together backwards on my card base, awk!!

Good thing I used dry adhesive and was able to carefully peel off the panel, position it correctly and go on my merry way!

Allsorts challenge 686, summer
 DL.Art July linky

Inspiration Station challenge 34, picnic. I was inspired by the warm sunny color and summery feel of the photo, plus the outdoors location

 

Butterfly greetings

Here is another card that I made with the Antique Engravings stamp set by Hero Arts. The butterflies were stamped and colored with purple, aqua and pale green, then fussy cut. I layered paper scraps for the background and used a fancy label die by Spellbinders. It's a simple card and has a very peaceful feel to it, don't you think?

Stay Crafty with A Blog Named Hero challenge, birthday
 Double D July challenge, purple blue and green

 Kreativ Tanten challenge 67, birthday with butterflies

DL.Art July linky 

Butterfly Celebration

 I was recently given an older stamp set by Hero Arts called Antique Engravings that had some beautiful butterfly images in it. They were just begging to be stamped and colored in, so I made this. The paper is from my stash, and I stamped large swirls on it with silver Brilliance ink. The butterflies are from the Antique Engravings set and the sentiment is from Many Birthday Messages, also by Hero Arts. I wasn't sure if I liked the stamping on patterned paper but it gives a nice subtle sheen and texture to the finished card.

Stay Crafty with A Blog Named Hero July challenge, Birthday
Butterfly Challenge 171. I used the color options of sky blue, sage, and the theme of stripes  

DL.Art July challenge

Kreativ-Tanten challenge 67, birthday with butterflies 

Double D July challenge, blue green and purple

Holiday Greetings

 I'm on a Christmas in July frenzy here, and having a great time pulling out odds and ends, old papers and stamps, and adding to my card stash. This one uses paper by DCWV, a stamp by Fiskars and snowflake dies by Spellbinders and Crafters Companion. A heat embossed border strip and glittery cardstock plus rhinestones makes this one sparkle and shine.

I have to say that it's much more fun to make my holiday cards early, so I don't feel any pressure! 

Jingle Belles July challenge, Christmas with Bling

Double Trouble challenge 116, Christmas in July. I did Thing 1, Thing 2 and Thing 3 

Colorful Options July challenge, red white and blue 

ABC Christmas challenge, O is for Old (old stamps and papers)

Lost Coast Designs challenge 148, Christmas in July 

DL.Art July linky

Christmas Craft Creations July challenge, patterned papers  

Papercraft Challenge, Christmas in July 

BYSHC Christmas in July linky 

Peace On Earth

I've been under the weather for the past two weeks and haven't had the motivation to work on cards at all, but I actually felt human again last night and got to work on a few Christmas in July cards to add to my stash. I used an embossing folder , two patterned border stamps by Waffle Flower and a bear stamp  by Hampton Arts to make this fun design. As a finishing touch, I added sparkle and shine with Stickles on each of the tiny stars surrounding the sentiment, as well as a few teeny rhinestones inside the stars.

Allsorts challenge 685, Christmas
Double Trouble challenge, I did Thing 1, Thing 2, and Thing 3 

Jingle Belles Rock July Challenge , bling 

DL.Art july linky 

Lost Coast Designs challenge 148, Christmas in July

Colorful Options July challenge, red white and blue or rainbow
 ABC Christmas challenge, O is for old (stamps and embossing folder)

Papercraft Challenge, Christmas in July 

A Partridge in A Pear Tree

As I finally broke out my Graphic45 Christmas stash this month, I made another Christmas card to add to my card stack for the year. This card uses the Twelve Days of Christmas collection, and I used a Spellbinders fancy label die as embellishment. The cream colored mat is cut with a die by Winnie & Walter, and I fussy cut the floral spray and popped it up on foam tape for dimension. A card like this is fancy enough that it looks like I spent some time on it, but is easily mailed without extra postage. 

Snippets Challenge 432, Christmas in July. I used snippets from the Graphic 45 collection, as well as bits of card stock from my snippets stash. 

SSS Monday Challenge, florals

DL.Art July challenge 

Allsorts challenge 685, Christmas

Christmas Craft Creations July challenge, patterned paper  

ABC Christmas challenge, O is for old (old G45 papers)

Graphic45 Sympathy card

I have a few Graphic45 collections in my stash, but am always loathe to cut into them.The papers are so beautiful that I can't bear to use them, but what good is that to anyone? So, this week I pulled out the Gilded Lily paper pack and embellishments, which is an older collection, and made several cards. When I put this card together, I realized that it would make a beautiful sympathy card so I added a stamped  sentiment by Winnie & Walter. First,  I die cut an oval with a Sizzix die and stamped the sentiment. After layering the oval die cut on a chipboard embellishment from the same Gilded Age collection, a small fussy cut flower, was added. The scalloped border was cut with a Spellbinders border die, and I tied on some seam binding ribbon. Many of the 12x12 papers lend themselves to cutting and layering, to form lovely embellishments and card borders, as well as backgrounds.

SSS Monday challenge, florals
DL. Art July linky challenge       

Ocean Birthday

I made this patterned paper with various shades of blue ink and assorted stamps from my stash, for a tropical feel. The batik-type print was made with a rubber stamp that I fashioned by adhering left over bits of rubber to a wooden block. The layered die that I used is the Hero Arts Looking Glass Underwater Reef die and I used an old wooden Hero Arts rubber stamp for the dolphin image. The dolphin is colored with Prismacolor pencils and I added some jute twine. The sentiment is by Simon Says Stamp.

Double D Challenge, Creatures under the sea

SSS Wednesday, make your own background

Ally's Angels challenge 60, AG 

DL.Art July challenge

Colorful Options July challenge, red white or blue 

Under the Sea

 I have a really old wood mounted stamp set by Hero Arts that I've always loved, and so I pulled it out recently and made a few cards with an under the sea theme. The sentiment is by Simon Says Stamp, and the punched squares along the top are made from paint chip samples. Not only did I use an oldie but goodie stamp set, but I dusted off the spotlight stamping technique as well. Some jute and inked edges finished this card, which will go to my uncle for his birthday.

Double D challenge, creatures under the sea

DL.Art July challenge

Stay Crafty with Hero Arts, another year older

Colorful Options July challenge, red white or blue  

Dogs Make our Lives Whole

 A friend of mine recently lost her sweet dog, so I wanted to send her a pet sympathy card. I pulled out papers from my stash (no idea who makes them because these are OLD), and used a sticker sentiment by DejaViews. The zig zag die is by MFT and the dog die is by Amy Designs. I used a stamp by Taylored Expressions inside which says: So sorry for the loss of your beloved friend.

Allsorts Challenge 684, animals

DL.Art July linky 

7 Swans a Swimming

As we make our way through the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas", I also make my way through my Graphic 45 paper pad of the same name. This card uses the spotlight technique whereby I cut out a few images from the patterned paper, backed them with contrasting colors, and popped them up with foam tape for dimension. It's a great way to highlight images on a busy pattern without covering any of it up. I added borders to the top and bottom and a bit of jute twine and chipboard embellishments from the same collection.

Allsorts Challenge 684, animals

DL.Art July linky

Christmas Craft Creations July challenge, patterned paper 

ABC Christmas challenge, O is for old. I used an old G45 collection for this.

Teacher's Pet

Here is another back to school bookmark that I made for my grandkids. This one uses a fun die by Hero Arts, along with cute little bookworms stamped and fussy cut from the Bookworm Messages stamp set. I colored everything with alcohol markers and layered paper from DCWV and my scrap stash. The sentiment is from Henry's Brilliance by Nikki Sivils. Aren't these bookworms with the glasses the cutest?! One year I laminated my bookmarks but I found that it made them too slippery and they kept falling out of the books so I leave them plain now.

 SSS Wednesday challenge, Back to School

DL.Art's July linky 

Colorful Options July challenge, red white and blue or rainbow of colors

Allsorts Challenge #684, animals 

Ally's Angels Challenge 60, AG  

Wise Guy

 I pulled out patterned paper from a paper stack by DCWV and used a combination of die cuts and fussy cutting from a Back to School collection by Imaginisce to make this bookmark. The sentiment is by Nikki Sivils, from the Henry's Brilliance stamp set and I used scraps from my stash. I like making a bookmark for each of my grandkids before the school year begins each so they can have one handy by their bedstand. This year we may make a batch of them to donate to the women's shelter in town so the kids there have cute bookmarks to begin the semester as well.

SSS Wednesday challenge, Back to School
DL.Art's July linky 

Colorful Options July challenge, red white and blue or rainbow of colors

Faith

A friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and I wanted to send her some encouragement. Fortunately, she had a great reaction to chemo to shrink the tumor and just had surgery so we're hoping for the best.  I've had this stamp set by Little Yellow Bicycle for years, but never used it. This was the perfect opportunity to stamp a sentiment from the set on a Spellbinders die cut label  and add a floral die by Elizabeth Craft Designs. I also cut a nested label die from the same Spellbinders set in vellum to help frame the sentiment in a subtle way. The seam binding ribbon is by Snug Hug.

SSS Monday challenge, florals

DL.Art's July linky 

Ally's Angels Challenge 60 

Lottery Ticket Birthday

A friend gave me some old, humorous,  Stampin' Up sets (the old, wood-mounted ones) that I didn't even know existed..and I've been having fun with them. This sentiment and image are perfect for my brother-in-law's birthday card and he got a kick out of it. The inside says, "The chances of getting any money out it are about a million to one!" The arrow dies are Penny Black, and the oval dies are by Sizzix.

SSS Monday challenge, use red, white or blue

Stay Crafty With Hero July challenge , Another year Older

DL.Art's July linky 

Lost Coast Designs Challenge, Celebrate it

 

 

Celebrate

 I made this card last week and almost forgot to post it on my blogs, oops! I used strips of scrap paper to make my background, and a scalloped oval die by Spellbinders. The stamp set is by Papertrey Ink and I added a couple of teeny red rhinestones just for fun.

SSS Monday challenge, red white and blue

DL. Art's July linky

Stay Crafty with Hero July challenge, Another year Older 

Lost Coast Designs, Celebrate it

 

Sunshine & Laughter

Here is a card that uses more of the K&Co die cut embellishments that I've had for over 10 years..this time in a very different color scheme. I used the tag and sentiment elements from the set, and added that little word bubble that says Yes to the tag. Some jute twine, and a kraft doily give it a warm , rustic feel. The dotted paper is from an old paper stack by K&Co called Small Wonders. It just shows that you don't need a coordinating paper pack to use die cut embellishments, as long as you look for similar colors.

 Let's Craft and Create challenge 185, fun in the sun or AG

DL.Art's July linky

SSS Wednesday challenge, AG 

9 Ladies Dancing

As blue is my favorite color, I was thrilled to find a sheet of blue patterned paper as part of this Twelve Days of Christmas collection by Graphic45. Because I didn't have quite enough paper to fit a standard A2 card base, I decided to go slimline instead. I used one of the cut-aparts in the set, and added a frame which I cut from the opposite side of this patterned paper. Four chipboard embellishments are added to cover the seams from the frame pieces, and  I have another card to add to my holiday card stash.

ABC Christmas challenge, M is for Music
Double Trouble challenge 115. I did Thing 1, Thing 2, and Thing 3  

Color Dare Challenge 503. I used squares for Ballerina, red, ivy, avocado, lagoon and Flowers.

DL.Art's July linky 

SSS Wednesday challenge, AG

The Twelve Days of Christmas

 My blog friend, Janis, finally convinced me to dig out my hoard of Graphic45 papers and embellishments and actually use them instead of letting them gather dust. As I turned 70 this year, it became pretty clear that I should start enjoying my craft supplies now, instead of leaving them for my children to toss out! This collection is an older one called The Twelve Days of Christmas, and I combined it with a stamped background, a Spellbinders fancy label die, and a flower die by Sizzix. A few pearl embellishments gives this an extra bit of elegance, don't you think?

The problem with using my Graphic45 papers though, is that now I find myself wanting even MORE of it. And so I try to stop myself from browsing online websites and content myself with drooling over the images instead. 

SSS Wednesday Challenge, AG

ABC Christmas challenge, M is for Music

DL.Art July challenge

Allsorts challenge 683, AG

Double Trouble challenge 115, Christmas in July. I did Thing 1, Thing 2, and Thing 3 

Color Dare #503. I used the squares for red, ivy, avocado and flowers

Get Well Soon

Here is another get well card that I made with the Lawn Fawn, Get Well stamp set and my handmade rainbow. Get Well cards are rather like Sympathy cards in that you never hope to need one, but it's always tough to whip one up when you do.  I cut another rainbow, using my Sizzix oval dies, and used brighter colors than the first card. Made it a little more CAS, but kept the cute little nurse-chick and pill bottle (Lawn Fawn, Get Well Soon).

SSS Wednesday, AG
Colorful Options July challenge, rainbow colors

DL.Art July linky 

Allsorts challenge 683, AG 

Good Times

Another card with the K&Co embellishments, and this time I added a hand cut banner flag, twine bow, lime green brad, and a Bloomdale Bliss die cut by Stamplorations. I am loving this color combo so much.

SSS Wednesday challenge, AG

 DL.Art July challenge

Allsorts Challenge,683 AG 

PIP challenge #2226, AG: