Sweet "Sweet Williams"

I love Sweet Williams. Both my husband and I remember them at our childhood homes. So I bought some plants this year and when I went to plant them, some had popped up from last year - plants that I thought did not make it. I was so surprised because I thought they died before they even bloomed last year.  So now I have a beautiful mix in my flower garden.  Here is a photo of the bouquet I picked yesterday.

For the card, I knew I wanted to use the Sweet William stamps by Our Daily Bread and I knew I wanted to do red, white, and blue.  But then what? I have used these stamps before but wanted to make a cluster of flowers like they grow, rather than just an individual flower.  So here is what I came up with:

I think I like the way it turned out.  I wish you could see the ribbon IRL.  It is really elegant.
If you look at Sweet Williams up close, you will see they have little white stamens in the center so I tried to get a little of that with white gel pen and liquid pearls.  After I cut out each flower, I snipped the petals toward the center and then curled some of them forward. I maybe should have added a few more flowers but I didn't want it to look too heavy.
I used the very simple sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches.

Hope you enjoy what you see.  Hope you have a wonderful day.

Our Daily Bread - red, white, blue
Simon Says - anything
Sister Act - anything
Crafty Catz - flowers
House that Stamps Built - summer

It Takes Courage To Serve

Here is a card I made to send to one of our Heroes to express some of my thanks.

I used the ODBD stamp sets "Not Forgotten" and "Old Flag Background".  For the sentiment, I just inked up one line of the block sentiment.
I inked up the flag background stamp before stamping and then sponged some blue ink onto the soldier image after stamping it with the cocoa ink.
The sketch is Your Next Stamp:

Challenges:
Kraft Outlet - ink, paint, markers
Created With Love - red, white, blue
Sister Act - anything
Chocolate, Coffee, Stamps - July 4th
Brown Sugar - men or boys
Simon Says - anything
PartyTime Tuesday -anything
Our Daily Bread Design - red, white, blue
Your Next Stamp - sketch
Word Art Wednesday -encourage

Strawberries - Yum

While most of the strawberry fields around us are finished, my few rows in my garden will be putting out yummy berries until September. (I have the ever-bearing variety.)

 This pre-colored image and sentiment are by Doodle Pantry.

Nothing very special about the making of this card.  The sketch is OWH 154
Base is Kraft.  DP is from an old 12 x 12 stack. 

Do you want a few Patriotic digitals?  40% off until July 4.  One for FREE ? Go to Doodle Pantry and get yours. But hurry.  You only have a few days.

Sun is shining, thank goodness. And I think I am over the flu (how does one get that in the summer?) so I think I will go pick some strawberries.  Have a great day  

Challenges:
Craft Your Passion - in the garden
Stamp and Create - summer
Simon Says - anything
2 Sisters - summer
Your Next Stamp - photo inspiration
Repeat Impressions - summer 
Sister Act - anything
Dutch Dare - photo inspiration

Going with Bloglovin'

This is my announcement that I am going with bloglovin"  I have admitted before that I am computer challenged so I hope I get this all correct as I do this.  I have transferred the list of all the wonderful blogs that I follow and if I do this right, you will be able to follow me too !
I have added a follow button in the side bar.

Hope to see your soon!

Hooray For The Red, White, and Blue

AND Hooray for our wonderful heroes in the military service.
I've been making a few cards featuring  red, white, and blue this week.  A few of my grandkids were visiting and one wanted to make "USA" cards.  These are the stamps onee chose so I made a card too.  The stamps are clear stamps but I don't know the maker.

I streaked some white ink onto the Navy Blue background then added some white embossing.  The stars are Verve die cut.  Star designer paper is Doodle Pantry.
The sketch is at Your Next Stamp:

Challenges:
Get Inky - red, white, blue
Your Next Stamp - sketch
Created With Love -Our Daily Bread
Verve - Puddles of Color
Our Daily Bread - red, white, blue
Clearly i Stamp - red, white, blue

A Shining Example

I fell in love with Julee's (Vervegirl) card and just had to CASE it.  I need inspiration like hers to get me out of my box..  The Verve challenge is to use ink, paint, or some other form of color.  I use Prisma pencils a lot and some embossing but it took her card to jolt me into using some white Craft ink, DTP, and embossing.   Here is her card

And here is mine - a tad bit more simple but along the same lines:

The base is Dark Kraft.  Instead of using blue paint, I did Direct to Paper with Close to Cocoa ink .
The stamp and die cut are both Verve.
 As you can see, I really can't get my head around the mixed media idea but I do like how my card came out.

Challenges
Pile it On - shabby
Kraft Journal - ink, paint
PartyTime Tuesday - anything
CASual Friday - off the page
Verve - inks, paint, color
Sister Act - anything
Simon Says Stamp - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything

Above the Storm

God moves in mysterious ways.  Sometimes we do not understand those ways; they don't make sense.  That is when we rely on our faith ("the just shall live by faith"), on the past, on scripture, on stories God has left us in the Bible, on events in our lives.  Stories of things that did not make sense to the people going through it but which makes sense on this side of the story .
I like the quote on this card because it is a reminder that God is in control.  Nothing takes Him by surprise.  We can trust Him.

the card base is Kraft, first blue layer is Stampin Up's Baja Breeze.  The layers behind the printed piece are Kraft and Blue Bayou.  The printed piece is from the 4.5 x 6.5 Travel Stack by DCWV.
Sentiment is ODBD.
Sketch is Our Daily Bread

Challenges:
Our Daily Bread Design - sketch
Word Art Wednesday
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Kraft
Kraft Outlet - burlap
Sister Act - anything

Not Just Hot Air

Second post for today.  I just finished this card, liked it, so thought I would post it too.

I used a sketch at Tuesday Morning but was thinking it was a two week sketch so I missed the deadline for that challenge.  Oh, well.
The image and sentiment are by Repeat Impressions.  I really like this balloon.  The stamp actually has 3 balloons but I inked up only one.  Colored with Prisma pencils.

Challenges:
Really Reasonable Ribbon - dots and ribbon
Stamp and Create - summer fun
Ribbon Carousel - fun in the sun
Dutch Dare - things that begin with "B"
Brown Sugar - summer
2 Sisters - summer fun
House that Stamps Built - summer 
Sister Act - anything

Playin' With Digitals

Here is another card using a digi (the dragon) that Dustin Pike offered us during the OWH Memorial Day Bloghop.  So cute.  AND  the sheet of paper as well as the background paper by Doodle Pantry.

I love playing around with digital images -so many possibilities.   I "shrunk" the sheet of paper digi down using Microsoft Publisher and then super-imposed the words onto it before printing.
The sketch is MFT.
I think this will be a cute card for a dad or mom to send back to his or her child, maybe even signing "dad" or "mom" on the paper.  I love making cards for OWH.  If you love making cards and need a place to send them, please check out OWH.  This card is going into a box of 40 that will be mailed soon.  That will make 246 so far this year.  You can't believe how good I feel every time I go to the Post Office with a box for OWH.  It is GREAT.

Thanks for looking and for commenting.

Challenges:
A Blog Named Hero - tag or tag inspired
MFT - sketch
Really Reasonable Ribbon - dots
Craft 4 Eternity -spots and stripes
Sister Act - anything

Fabulous Scallops

Using  more of my textured, scalloped card stock, trying my hand at layered scallops.

The challenge at Unity is for a sketch or colors.  I chose colors.  Using the same cardstock, I made three flowers,  filling the centers with matching gems. Leaves are Verve die cut.
The sentiment is from the Unity set "Where You Should Be".

Challenges:
Timeless Tuesdays - scallops
Dutch Dare - things that begin with "B" (blue)
Marks Finest - photo inspiration
Unity - colors
Unity- Friends with Flair
Party Time Tuesday - colors
Sister Act - anything
Crafty Catz - anything

Hey, Superkid!

This digital image is by Studio Garden.  So cute to send on to a little boy, telling him he is a super kid.

Colored it with Prisma pencils and keeping it flat and mailable, I used cut out stars from a Verve die cut. The image is popped up a bit to go over the ruffled ribbon.
Sketch is Seems A Little Sketchy.

Challenges:
Verve - color
Craft Your Passion - dress up
Dutch Dare - things that begin with "B" (boy)
Get Inky - men and boys
Pink Gem - male

Harold and His Friend

One more card with Harold.  This time with his friend, Fred.

Talk about cute.  You can find this image here at Doodle Pantry.  I used the pre-colored image this time.
The scallops of one of my decorative scissors reminds me of waves so I used that for the blue piece.  Ric rac is fabric.  Polka dot paper is the coordinating paper that comes with this image.  Sentiment is Stampin' Up from a set that has a tandem bicycle.  I don't remember the name of the set.  I forgot to save names when I converted my stamps to "woodless".
The colors of blue in the papers kept coming out darker in the photo than IRL. They are in the turquoise family. (Although, you probably don't care.)  The solid pieces are GKD Raspberry Blue and SU Bashful Blue.
Sketch is by Pamela

.
See you tomorrow.  Thanks for commenting. 

  Challenges:
Stamp and Create - summer fun
Whoopsi Daisy -  fun in the sun
Ribbon Carousel - fun in the sun
PartyTIme Tuesday - color inspiration
Timeless Tuesdays - scallops
Really Reasonable Ribbon - dots

Call Me Mellow Yellow

Here is a card just for the fun of it.  Harold, the duck, by Doodle Pantry.  Laurie has a new version of him holding a frog.  Both are just plain cute.

This was an enjoyable card to put together - so many things I love: yellow, plaid, buttons, twine, the image,  grass die. Yellow just makes me happy and gives me a "sunny" disposition - hahah. In fact, the walls of my entry room and living room are yellow. I think it helps.  The sketch I used was an easy one  for me to use from Seems A Little Sketchy . 
Funny how some sketches just click.  I put this one in my sketch file - just so user friendly. 

We have sun today - love it.   Hope you have a sunny day too.

Challenges:
Stamp and Create - summer fun
Whoopsi Daisy - fun in the sun
Ribbon Carousel - fun in the sun
Speedy Fox and Friends - image that starts with "Y" (Yellow duck)
Created with Love - favorite things
Sister Act - anything

Antique or CLassic

Here is another fun fold card. 

I used this wonderful paper from Doodle Pantry as background to one of the antique cars from Doodle Pantry.  This is the outline version that I colored to match the paper.  There are precolored cars to match some of the other coordinating papers too.  I super-imposed the sentiment onto a suitcase that is in the set.
Layered it all on Kraft paper.   The little squigles in the corner are really dark brown but kept showing up as black in the photos.  They are what is left over when I use a border punch. 
Simple to make card but great for a guy.  Check out the sentiments in this set - so fun.

Have a Great Weekend and I hope you all have someone to honor for Father's Day.  If your dad is gone, as is mine, find someone else to honor.

Challenges:
the Kraft Journal - for him
Love to Create - vintage
Craft Your Passion - masculine
Crafty Cardmaker - father's day
PartyTime Tuesdays - fancy folds
Timeless Tuesdays - fancy folds
Simon Says - transport
Dutch Dare - for dad
CASual Friday - travel related

Fun Fold and Fun New Images

It is not very often that I take time to do fancy folds or fold techniques but there is a challenge at Timeless Tuesday featuring  a pop up fold and I have not done one for ages so I decide it was time to take some time to do one.  Also, I wanted to use some of the new digital images Laurie put out for her mid month release at Doodle Pantry.

This is one of the sets.  I know these images could be used as accessories for Laurie's birds, worms, ants, and other critters but I wanted to used them as images on their own. You can find it here.  So here is my surprise pop up fold card closed.

And here it is open. It was difficult to take a picture so you can tell what is going on. Hope you can figure out what parts are moving.

I used some of the small images, precolored and outline, to make a background paper.  Enlarged one of the top hats for my main image.  Then used one of the sentiments for the inside.
If you would like to make one of these surprise cards, Splitcoaststampers has a tutorial.  I used the video tutorial as my guide, making it into a card that can have writing on the inside.
All the papers and images are from the set.
I used a variety of black buttons which I threaded with red thread.

Thanks for looking and make sure you head over to Doodle Pantry to check out all the new digital sets for this month as well as entering the challenge at Doodle Pantry Digital Doodle Challenge.  Receive the darling Quirky Stork set for playing along.

Thanks for looking.  Hope you are inspired to make one of these fun cards too.

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp and Show- buttons
Craft Your Passion - masculine
Crafty Cardmaker - father's day
Created With Love - anything
Our Daily Bread - masculine
Party Time Tuesdays - fancy folds
Timeless Tuesday - fancy fold
Bearly Mine - anything
Get Inky - masculine

More Banners For Dad

Just in case you missed me, (I hope someone did- heehee)  I am back.  I took a few days to fly off to another state to visit some grandchildren.  Now I am anxious to make some cards but the grass needs mowing and flower bed and garden need weeding.  So until I have time for a card, here is one I made back in ? and sent to OWH.

It was fun using up some scraps.  My granddaughter teases me about my miniscule pieces but I keep reminding her that they do come in handy.  Besides the little strips that I turned into thin banners, I also stamped and cut a banner with the Verve "Super Dad" stamp and matching die cut.

Challenges:
Craft Your Passion - masculine
Crafty Cardmaker - Father's Day
Created with Love - anything
Bearly Mine - anything
Word Art
Aud Sentiments - anything
Craft 4 Eternity - for the boys
Wags n Whiskers  - Father's Day
Get Inky  - for men or boys

Fisherman Father

DearieDollsDigiStamps has so many great digital images.  This fisherman made a great Father's Day Card.  The sentiment is Doodle Pantry.

I used a little wire on the corners - resembles fishing line a bit, don't you think?  I'm glad I ordered so much burlap "ribbon" when I did because I love using it on masculine or outdoor cards.

Challenges:
Love to Create - father's day
Crafty Cardmaker - masculine
Created with Love - anything
Ribbon Carousel - fun in the sun
PartyTime Tuesday - father's day
Crafty Creations - masculine
Simon Says - father's day
Really Reasonable Ribbon - masculine

Brown Sugar - fabric
Wags n Whiskers - father's day
Sister Act - anything

Another Guy Card

This is the second post today.  And, yes, another guy card. 
I love this precolored digital by Doodle Pantry.  Laurie is coming out with more and more colored digis and I love them!  I really enjoy making cards but sometimes, I just want to make some quickly, not take the time to color.  And since I don't have copics, these pre-colored digis are WONDERFUL.

Had to use my tire tread embossing folder - so great for vehicles.  I was going to use the screw brads but decided just to use the gray ones.  The card seemed busy enough without the large brads.
This card is going to OWH.  Should be good for a birthday card or just a card touching base with dad.

Have a great weekend.

Challenges:
Simon Says - masculine
Simon Stamp and Show - letter S = stripes
Crafty Creations - masculine
Really Reasonable Ribbon - masculine
Sister Act 
Craft 4 Eternity - masculine
Pile It On - stripes

Love to Create - masculine
Crafty Cardmaker - masculine

Dad, You're a Star

Here is another Father's Day card idea.  I  used up some scraps, stamping the sentiment with the Super Hero set by Verve  and the Verve banner stamp and die and the stamp set  which I really love.  Also used stars from the GKD set "Stars".

I've been wanting to use the banner as a banner so came up with the idea of hanging it with wire.  I hardly ever use eyelets and have a bagillion .  Maybe I will think of ways to use them specifically.  Could be a fun personal challenge.

Hope you like this idea.  Love to read your comments. 

Challenges:
A Blog Named Hero - masculine
Pile it On -  stripes
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Letter S = stars, stripes
Simon Says - masculine
CASual Fridays - banners or flags

Do You Wish You Had A Laundry Fairy?

Don't you wish that sometimes you could have little fairies or pixies come in and do your housework?  Now that my kids are grown, I don't have much laundry and I must admit I used to love hanging up clothes to dry on the clothesline.  But if I had had a laundry fairy, maybe she would have looked like this:

My three year old granddaughters is really into the TinkerBell videos.  She can name every fairy and what kind they are. She probably would not go for a Laundry Fairy!
This image is by Inky Impressions .

Lady Anne's Challenge is to create a card depicting The Great Outdoors.  The winner will receive a $10.00 Gift Certificate to spend at the Inky Impressions Store. You have all month to create a card and enter it at Lady Anne's Challenge.
Here is the sketch I used:

Challenges I am entering:
Simon Says Stamp and Show - letter s - spots
Created With Love - anything
Pink Gem - summertime
Chocolate, Coffee, and Cards - fairies
Craft 4 Eternity - 3 elements, same letter : clothespin, chipboard, clouds
Sweet Sunday Sketch 
Crafty Catz - story book or nursery rhyme:  Tinkerbell Stories, Peter Pan

Best Dad Ever

Every year around Father's Day,  I miss my dad.  He was one of the best.   I thought about him a lot while I was making Father's Day Cards to send to OWH.  Here is one that I made with the Verve set Super Dad and  Verve's coordinating banner die.

I have had these green papers for years. No idea what company.  I pulled out a lot of "forgotten" papers and just got busy using up colors and patterns.  Made up 4 cards, same sketch, different looks. I don't do that often but he mojo was going so I went with it.  Time to do that again. Fun.

Challenges:
A Blog Named Hero - masculine
Pile It On - stripes and/or plaids
Crafty Creations - super hero
Really Reasonable Ribbon - masculine
Word Art Wednesday - uplifting

Men and Their Toys

I don't know what it is about guys and old cars and trucks.  My hubby has way too many for projects.  But there is something about the old cars and trucks that are appealing.  One of the things that my DH and son likes is they can work on the old ones, not like the newer ones with the computer parts.
I sent my Father's Day cards to OWH a month ago but they always need cards to send to their dads for birthdays or whatever.  So I am making up a few Dad cards. 

This is the first time I have inked up this stamp by Mark's Finest Papers.  I chose to use SU's Artichoke ink on the leaves and Momento Rich Cocoa on the rest.  The "Dad" is GKD.
The sketch is OWH #62
Papers:  Light Kraft, SU Cocoa
Twine and Burlap - Really Reasonable Ribbon

Challenges:
Simon Stamp and Show - in the woods
Kraft Outlet - any sketch
Craft Your Passion - natural material
Created With Love - 3 or more layers
Clear It Out - earthtones
Simon Says - anything
Craft 4 Eternity - 3 elements, same letter = brads, burlap, browns
Really Reasonable Ribbon - masculine

June 1st

It is always fun to usher in a new month (and always a shocker to know that a whole month has already gone by).  But with each new month, there are new releases.  I LOVE the new digital sets at Doodle Pantry.  One of my least favorite types of cards to make are Baby cards.  But I had so much fun working with one of the new sets.  In fact, I had so much fun, I am showing you three cards!

I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch as seen below.  The strip of darling background paper is included in the set of digis.  I sponged the clouds.

For this card in blue, I used a sketch at Seems A Little Sketchy

Using the same sketch, here is one in green.

For this card, I used the digital cloud paper at Doodle Pantry and a strip of the background paper that comes with the Quirky Stork set.
For each of these cards, I colored the stork and the paper with Prisma pencils.  But the set comes with pre-colored images too.  Here is a pic of the set:

Make sure you hop over to Doodle Pantry and see all the sets for the June Release.  They are great - one of my favorite releases yet.

Challenges:
Sweet Sunday Sketch 
Pile It On  bird
Craft Your Passion  natural materials, lace, ribbon
Created with Love   3 or more layers
Craft4Eternity -3 elements that start with B = baby, bundle, blue, background paper, bird
Simon Says  -anything
Sister Act 
Seems a Little Sketchy
paper Creators - anything