Main Squeeze

As I mentioned in my last post, I packed a whole bunch of nothing in my craft bag for this winter's trip south. Therefore, I'm having to challenge myself to improvise and use those stamps in different ways. 

Not that citrus is different from citrus, but rather than lemons, I've used this set to color limes and oranges. Ok, so it's not really that challenging, but I did have to go a little off track and I like the result. Hope you do too.

The background needed a little something, so I used the Tim Holtz stencil 007, burlap, and inked it in a light peach color. The orange blossom border around the outside is a from the You Shine stamp set by Simon Says Stamp, stamped randomly in grout gray ink by My Favorite Things. Lastly, I added iridescent pearl drops by Pinkfresh Studio.

My Favorite Things, Sketch Challenge 626

Today's card is for the current sketch challenge at My Favorite Things. I've also incorporated two colors for the color challenge. 

I hope you won't be to tired of the lemons. I did a horrible job packing my craft bag for this winter trip - I packed THREE lemon stamp sets (what?!) and virtually little else. LOL Really, no idea what I was thinking but it has left me so limited in what I have to work with. Anyway, here's what I came up with for the sketch.

The stamp set is Main Squeeze, from My Favorite Things. I did, however, add lemon blossoms from the Squeeze the Day stamps from Ellen Hutson, and the sentiment is from the You Shine set from Simon Says Stamp- also a lemon set. LOL

The two colors I used for the band on the left are Y08 and BG57, color matches to MFT Lemon Drop and Caribbean Sea inks.

My Favorite Things, Sketch challenge

My Favorite Things, Color challenge

Top Ten from 2022

Can you believe 2023 is upon us? I'm still thinking 1990s, but then I'm old and isn't that what old people do....live in the 30 years ago? LOL Really, though.....what the holy heck! Anyway, that means it's time for the annual best of the year post. I've done a top ten faves from Instagram comments and a couple of my own personal faves as well. Hope you enjoy a little look back at 2022. 

Happy New Year, crafty peeps! Sending you all much love and wishes for health and happiness in 2023.

My Favorite Things, Recipe for Happiness stamp set

My Favorite Things, Main Squeeze stamp set

Ellen Hutson, by Julie - Nature Walk stamp set

Ellen Hutson, by Julie - So Matcha stamp set; Pinkfresh Studio, Whimsical Blooms washi tape

Ellen Hutson, by Julie - Nature Walk stamp set

Ellen Hutson, by Julie - Seaweeds stamp set

Ellen Hutson, by Julie - Seaweeds stamp set; Simple Stories Vintage Seas 6x8 paper pad

Catherine Pooler, Summer of Stamping collab with Ellen Hutson, Float Your Boat stamp set

My Favorite Things, Main Squeeze stamp set

Ellen Hutson, by Julie - Happy Trails stamp set. This one was the inspiration for my Christmas card this year. After searching so I could share, I realize I didn't get a single pic of the Christmas version!!! Wow. Anyway, envision a gold star at the top of the tree, a few red gem dots on the tree, and the sentiment is Merriest Christmas Ever. I did some in pink and some in green. 

There you have it; a peek back through the year of cardmaking. I did get some family albums put together this year as well, but nothing super scrappy that is worth sharing. I am hoping to spend some time scrapbooking layouts again in the coming year, so do send any extra vibes you can spare. I love cardmaking, but my heart is in scrapbooking. 

Happy 2023!

Greetings from the North Pole

Again with the striped paper from the Simple Stories, Hello Summer 6x8 paper pad. I love using non-traditional colors for Christmas and this seemed the perfect paper choice for a Christmas themed card.

This fabulously bold stamp set from Ellen Hutson is called North Pole Greetings by Julie. I also love the perfect extra images of the Santa hat and holly and berries. 

All but the lemon card were made with just one 6x8 piece of paper!

You Make Life Sweet

I'm not sure why the sentiments with this lemon set refer to sweetness, but hey, I'll work with it. Also, I don't know what it is about lemons, but I sure loving coloring them. Pretty weird, huh. Well, that's me. I also like to eat lemons. Always have been a little (or a lot) on the weird side.

For this card I used the You Shine set by Simon Says Stamp. The small flower clusters are from another lemon stamp set; Squeeze the Day from Ellen Hutson by Julie.  

The flower centers are by Pinkfresh Studio, and the heart die cut from Ellen Hutson, Folk Hearts (retired). Background papers are Simple Stories, Vintage Lemon Twist 6x8 paper pad. Notebook edge die by My Favorite Things. 

Sneak peek of another card coming soon using the You Shine stamp set. This lovely lemons and flowers window box image. 

Copic colors

All but the lemon card were made using one 6x8 piece of paper from Simple Stories, Hello Summer paper pad. I love that I could get so many looks using just one piece of paper! 

 

Let's Chill

Another summery-type card, this time using this super cute stamp set by Simon Says Stamp, Beach Huts. Again, from the Hello Summer 6x8 paper pad, I used more of the multicolor striped paper. 

Can you guess, from other cards I've shared, what the fence is from? It's a piece of the cross-hatch die piece by My Favorite Things! It's amazing what you can find to substitute or modify when you have limited supplies. I was pretty impressed with my cleverness, if I do say so! 

I color coordinated the little huts to the colors in the paper, and added tiny gold pearl drops for doorknobs. Don't they make cute little knobs? 

My Favorite Things, Color Challenge 202

Today's card is a masculine birthday card. I used the colors for My Favorite Things, Color Challenge 202. I think the colors are great for a boy/man card as much as any card! 

Super simple border created by masking off an area and ink blending, then stamping images over that. I used My Favorite Things ink cubes, Limelight, Blue Beyond, Lazy Day, and Jalapeno Popper, with coordinating copic markers for the balloons. 

The stamp set I used for the party images is Bear Ware by Julie for Ellen Hutson. The sentiment is from the You Shine stamp set from Simon Says Stamp.

Sweater Weather

You know when you're just playing with your crafty supplies and make things that you end up not using right away? I do it all the time and have a big box of pieces for later use. This background was one of those. It didn't fit what I was working on at the time, so into the box it went. It seemed the perfect piece for this card. 

From Ellen Hutson I used the Fallish stamp set by Julie. I randomly stamped the background panel with the images from the set. Instead of using it as a flat panel card front, I cut the center out and popped up the outside frame with foam tape.  

The lattice is a die by Hero Arts. The mushroom, wheat and sentiment are also from the Fallish stamp set. I added the mushroom and grass, the sentiment, and the paper strips, again from the same 6x8 paper I used on the other cards, before adding the center panel in the frame. 

Peony Fantasy, Pinkfresh Studio

For this card, I used the Pinkfresh Studio, Peony Fantasy stamps, stencils and die. Background stencil is basket weave by My Favorite Things. The multicolor stripe edge is from the 6x8 Hello Summer paper pad by Simple Stories. 

I love the Pinkfresh flower sets, with or without the stencil sets. They are fun to color either with the stencils or with markers. The gold metallic pearl drops are also from Pinkfresh Studio.

Sentiment is by Ellen Hutson from the Pumpkin Season stamp set by Julie. 

All cards except the one with the lemon were made using just one 6x8 piece of paper!