Butterfly Dreams

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend! Welcome back to my little corner of the blogosphere, thank you for visiting with me especially if this is your first time here!

I am playing along with 2 Verve Challenges with this card: the second VLV sketch for September and the new September Diva Inspiration Challenge. I really loved the colors in the inspiration photo. I also found lots of elements that were easy to replicate in a card.

The bed inspired me first...not sure if that's a good thing to admit or not! Haha!! It made me immediately think of this sentiment from Verve's "Blue Skies"
I also loved the wallpaper in the background and decided the Hero Arts "Classic Fabric Design" background stamp would be perfect.
Finally, I also found inspiration in the pattern on the bed spread by using the blooms and dots embossing folder on the large circle.

The color palette was also rather easy to choose for this card and layout as well. I chose Cobblestone and Twirrling Tutu from Simon Says Stamp, along with Seedless Preserves, Broken China, and Walnut Stain Distress Inks.

To me, this picture had a lot of "fancy" elements; but I also felt like it had a rustic theme as well. I wanted to make sure I incorporated that as well into my design. For the tilted color panel behind the circles, I "pounced" my piece of white cardstock into my Twirling Tutu ink pad and then used my ink blenders to blend in some Seedless Preserves and Broken China ink around the edges.

I stamped the small butterfly in cobblestone ink and then used the coordinating die to cut it out. I colored it in with Copic markers (R20, BG53 and V12) I finished it off by adding some Wink of Stella clear glitter pen

I distressed the edges of the large background piece and then also added some Twirling Tutu ink and also added some broken China ink to the edge of the scalloped circle with the sentiment. Finally, I added a few silver stickles to the embossed circle of add a bit of sparkle.

Have a great day; and I will see you all again soon!

Challenges:

Come and Get it Challenges: Lots of Layers
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: Anything Goes
Penny Black: Add a stamped sentiment
Crafting from the Heart: Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion: Anything Goes
Love to Scrap Challenge Blog:: Anything Goes

Supplies: the following are affiliate links, which means if you decide to purchase any of these items through these links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Fiskars SureCut Personal 12 Fiskars SureCut Personal 12 SCBK Tombow Stamp Runner Dot Adhesive Applicator + Refill, Clear, Value-Pack *Tombow Adhesive Craft Stamp DISPENSER & REFILL Dot Pattern Runner 62143 Permanent Mini Misti Stamp Tool - The Most Incredible Stamp Tool Invented RESERVE MINI MISTI PRECISION STAMPER Stamping Tool Kit mistimini *Martha Stewart MINI SCORING BOARD Score Craft Tool 42-05013 New 2012 Martha Stewart Crafts Mini Scoring Board *Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad SEEDLESS PRESERVES Ranger Fall TIM32847 Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad, Seedless Preserves Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad, Broken China Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad BROKEN CHINA Ranger TIM21414 Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad WALNUT STAIN Ranger TIM19534 Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad, Walnut Stain SSS Simon Says Stamp Premium Dye Ink Pad TWIRLING TUTU ink057 Splash of Color Blooms and Dots Embossing Folder: Provo Craft Cuttlebug Embosser and Die Cutter SSS Nested Circle Wafer Dies Petite Scallop Circles Spellbinders Zig Wink of Stella Brush with Individual Paper Box, Glitter Clear Wink of Stella Clear Silver Stickles Hero Arts Cling Stamp CLASSIC FABRIC DESIGN CG245

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You Make the World Better

Hi Everyone!

It's Friday, yay! We get a long weekend because it's teacher work day, so the kiddos are all out of school. I have lots of crafty things I want to get done today, so it's nice to know I don't have to run out and back and forth for various drop offs and pick ups.

I have another card to share featuring my new "You Matter" set from Simon Says Stamp. This time, I wanted to just concentrate on one sentiment. I love the sentiment, "You make the world a better place" I just think it's a powerful statement to share with a special person.

I used my distress inks and a bit of transparency sheet to make a "smoothed" background on some water color paper. I roughed up the edges of the paper and added some ink to the edges as well.
 Then I die cut the "You" three times, stamping one of them with black ink. I layered the die cuts to give dimension and then offset the bottom black layer just a little to create a shadow type effect so that the die didn't get lost on the background.

I added three coordinating smal strips of paper at the bottom, with the rest of the sentiment. I added the faux stitching and a few sequins to finish up the the card.

That is all for me, friends! Have a great day and enjoy your weekend!

I am linking this card to the following challenges:

Crafting with Friends Challenge Anything Goes
Creative Corner Challenge: No Pattern Paper
Simply Papercraft:Anything Goes

Fiskars SureCut Personal 12 Fiskars SureCut Personal 12 SCBK Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents Precision Tip, 2-Ounce SSS Tombow Stamp Runner Dot Adhesive Applicator + Refill, Clear, Value-Pack *Tombow Adhesive Craft Stamp DISPENSER & REFILL Dot Pattern Runner 62143 Permanent Mini Misti Stamp Tool - The Most Incredible Stamp Tool Invented RESERVE MINI MISTI PRECISION STAMPER Stamping Tool Kit mistimini You Wafer Thin Die Simon Says Clear Stamps YOU MATTER SSS101645 STAMPtember Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad, Weathered Wood Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad WEATHERED WOOD Ranger TIM20257 Ranger DIS-27201 Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad, Wild Honey Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad WILD HONEY Ranger TIM27201 Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad WORN LIPSTICK Ranger AIP-31468 Archival Inkpad, Jet Black Ranger Archival Ink Pad JET BLACK AIP31468 Uni-Ball Gel Impact UM-153 White [Pack of 3] Broad 1.0mm Rollerball Uni-Ball Pen Signo Gel WHITE UM-153 *Neenah Environment 80 LB SMOOTH DESERT STORM Paper Pack 25 Sheets Canson Artist Series Watercolor Pad, 5.5 Ranger Inkssentials Non Stick CRAFT SHEET 15 X 18 Reusable NSC20677 We R Memory Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper 1/4 & 1/2 We R Memory Keepers CORNER CHOMPER

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All About YOU! (Simon Says STAMPtember!)

Hi Everyone!

So sorry for the haphazard posting this week! It's been a hectic week complete with an unexpected babysitting day early in the week. It's been a LONG time since I've had to entertain a 4 year old all day! I forgot how mentally exhausting it can be. I'm not quite sure how I managed to get through it 3 times with my own children!
Speaking of my own children, I had one to take to the doctor and then another one home for about a day and a half sick and then there's early release today and no school tomorrow! So, like I said, just a bit of a crazy week.
I did however, get some happy mail on Monday too! My first round of "STAMPtember" supplies from Simon Says Stamp!  I have loved all the ideas I have seen with this "You Matter" set; and I couldn't wait to play with it! I haven't ordered the background set that coordinates with this yet; but I do have the coordinating die and so I wanted to make use of that as well. I got a couple of new ink pads as well in this order (Orange Peel) and (Cobblestone). I decided to pair them with Willow, and Audrey Blue. I used black and white as my neutral and coordinating colors.

I used my Mini MISTI to stamp all the smaller sentiments at one time at the top of the card; and then also used it to stamp directly on the die cut with Cobblestone Ink. I cut an extra die and glued them together for a bit of added dimension to the die cut, as well as adding some Wink of Stella clear glitter pen for extra sparkle

For the two color strips on the side, I took Neenah Solar White (80#) and colored them by pressing the Willow and Audrey Blue ink pads over them. I did the same with the bottom little orange flags using Orange Peel; but I left them a little "splotchy" looking, just for some interest.
I added the die cut hearts from Verve Stamps "From the Heart" die set, covering the larger Willow heart with Wink of Stella and the smaller one with a layer of glossy accents.

I used a cuttlebug embossing folder to add some texture to the white background before adding the main panel with some dimensional adhesive.


That is all for me today! I will try to be back again tomorrow. Don't forget you still have time to link up your card in the very first PCC Challenge: Stamp It! I am loving all the entries that have been linked so far!

Just a quick note, that I have decided to stop listing the supplies at the bottom of each post. It's VERY time consuming and honestly, no one is clicking the links anyhow....

Challenges:

Crafty Girls Challenge:

You Make Everyday Fantastic.

Hello Everyone!

Sorry for the late post this afternoon. Before I get to today's card, let me just say thank you to all of you who reached out to me after my "pity party" post on Friday! Your kind words really helped me a lot. I got some other good news Saturday morning, which I'm not quite able to share yet; but am super excited about!

Also, please don't forget about my first challenge: STAMP IT that I'm hosting here on the blog. You have until Sept 20th to link up! I would love to have some more entries. Spread the word! 

Ok, so now on to today's card. I wanted to make a simple card, so I decided to just break out my mini MISTI and do a bit of repeat stamping along the bottom to make a quick card. Now, I have to say, I have come to the conclusion that the regular MISTI would probably be much better suited to this task. However, I only have the mini at the moment, and unfortunately, it's a little more difficult because there's not enough room to move the paper which is what your supposed to do and keep the stamp where it is. I had to do the opposite, I had to keep the paper still, and move the stamp and just try my best to line it up where it need to be. All in all, I think I managed to do a pretty good job.

I used PTI Sweet Blush card stock for this project and decided to just stamp the colors right onto the front of the card base. For the scalloped piece, I used direct ink to paper with SSS smoke ink because I didn't have a grey card stock that I wanted to use. Once the paper was inked, I used my Fiskars scalloped border punch to cut it out. I added it just above the triangles and then wrapped some embroidery floss around it just to add a little interest along with some faux white stitching. Then I added to greeting to finish up the card!

Just a few challenges today:

Artistic Impressions: Anything Goes
Crafting From the Heart: Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion: Anthing Goes

Supplies:

Fiskars SureCut Personal 12 Fiskars Personal Trimmer Scalloped Sentiment Border Punch Fiskars Tombow Stamp Runner Dot Adhesive Applicator + Refill, Clear, Value-Pack *Tombow Adhesive Craft Stamp DISPENSER & REFILL Dot Pattern Runner 62143 Permanent Mini Misti Stamp Tool - The Most Incredible Stamp Tool Invented RESERVE MINI MISTI PRECISION STAMPER Stamping Tool Kit mistimini Martha Stewart Crafts Mini Scoring Board *Martha Stewart MINI SCORING BOARD Score Craft Tool 42-05013 New 2012 Silver Stickles Simon Says Clear Stamps PERFECT SHAPES sss101586 You Have My Heart Simon Says Clear Stamps HANDWRITTEN GREETINGS SSS101349 Simon Says Stamp Premium Dye Ink Pad CORAL REEF Peach Ink027 Simon Says Stamp Premium Dye Ink Pad SOFT NAVY Blue Ink021 Simon Says Stamp Premium Dye Ink Pad SMOKE Gray Ink026 We R Memory Keepers CORNER CHOMPER We R Memory Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper 1/4 & 1/2 Uni-Ball Pen Signo Gel WHITE UM-153 Uni-Ball Gel Impact UM-153 White [Pack of 3] Broad 1.0mm Rollerball

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