Inspiration Station Challenge #67 - November 2024

Hello Friends and Happy Monday, I hope your weekend was awesome! On Saturday, we had lunch with my youngest brother and his fiancé...yes, that was a surprise and the reason we were invited to lunch.  I'm over the moon happy for them, they couldn't be a better match, and I know our Mama in Heaven is smiling down on them. 

Today begins a new challenge month at The Inspiration Station Challenge Blog.  Our inspiration photo is a yummy one, I'm a huge fan of lattes and cappuccinos, especially Vanilla Caramel, doesn't this photo give all the Snuggly feels?

I was directly inspired by the Cappuccino and leaves in the photo.  I have a few "coffee" themed sets but I love the designer series papers from the Latte Love Bundle by Stampin' Up.  The dies included cut out the cups from the paper, so this card came together quick.  My color theme doesn't match the photo, but I love light blue and brown together. 

The card base is Pecan Pie from Stampin' Up as well as the patterned paper, which is from the A Little Latte paper pack.  I've used the nesting Ruffles and Dashes Dies from Catherine Pooler for the mats. The bottom cup as well as the sentiment strip and small middle panel have been popped on foam pads for dimension.  

Lastly, I've added Baker's Twine and gold leaf embellishments for that Autumn vibe and shine.  We would love to see your inspired projects this month, we are always amazed how the photo inspires everyone.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

Double Trouble Challenges

A Cut Above

A Place to Start

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

613 Avenue Create

All Sorts

Crafty Calendar

Inkspirational Challenges

Give a Crafter a Cookie

Crafty Catz

Cut It Up

Pumpkin Blessings by Penny Black

Hello Friends, I hope you're doing well and enjoying the Autumn Season.  I have a quick share for you featuring the lovely Autumn Splendor Stamp Set #30-372 from Penny Black.  I've featured 3 cards created from this set recently, and I can't get enough of the pretty artist drawings.

To start, I've stamped the image on Tim Holtz Watercolor card, using the textured side, and painted using Gansai Tambi watercolor paints.  A tip I like to use, and one I picked up from watching Micheline Jourdain videos on You Tube, (she's fantastic with painting and creating scenes using Penny Black sets) is to leave the stamp in my Misti stamp positioning tool, and after the painting has dried, re-stamp the image for to darken up the lines.  

I've taped off a 1/2" border around the image, using Mint Tape from Scrapbook.com and blended Vintage Photo Distress ink to create a "frame", then splattered using Dr. Ph. Martin Pen White ink. Once the splattering was dry, I've stamped the sentiment from the Autumn is Calling Set #30-863 from Penny Black, and this card was complete.

That's all for today, until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Krafty Chicks

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Double D Challenges

Fab 'n Funky

Word Art Wednesday

Ciao Bella Moth of the Night

Hello and Happy Wednesday Crafty Friends!  I have a quick share today featuring a Moth of the Night, from the Ciao Bella "It's All Good" Stamp Set.

To start, I've stamped the image on Tim Holtz Watercolor card and painted using Gansai Tambi watercolor paints.  The card style is clean and simple in terms of how I create CAS cards.  

When the watercolor was completely dry, I've ink blended black ink around the perimeter and stamped the sentiment, then splattered black ink on the panel.  The watercolor card has a nice texture on one side, smooth on the reverse, and I like how the this textured side gives a bit of vintage to this card.  The card has been mounted on a black card base. 

Halloween is in a few days, and this is the last of my Halloween cards for 2024; I thought it would be nice to have a simple design.  That's all for today, until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Simon Says Stamp Wed. Challenge

Digi Choosday

Fab 'n Funky

Everybody Art

Cardz 4 Guyz

Make My Monday

AAA Card Challenge

Addicted to CAS

Sweet Stampin'

Snarky Stampers

 

Autumn Silhouettes with the Double Trouble Challenge

Hi Friends and Happy Tuesday!  I'm back to share my second Guest Designer project with The Double Trouble Challenge.  This challenge is for 1 week and it's a Something, Anything, Everything Challenge. The are other optional twists you can play along with if you choose.

I've created a CAS styled Autumn card using the Autumn Silhouettes Stamp Set from Gina K. Designs and blended a pretty sunset in the background using Catherine Pooler inks.

After stamping the image, I heat embossed and masked off a thick border using mint tape from Scrapbook.com.  I ink blended the colors and once dry, splattered using Dr. Ph. Martin's Pen-White ink. I like this white ink because when it's dried, it does not take on any color from underneath, it stays bright white.

I've popped the focal panel on craft foam for dimension, not before adding natural colored linen thread.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set.  I'm very pleased with the look of this card, CAS just isn't my forte but I do like how this card turned out.  

I thank Double Trouble for having me as a Crazy Cousin this month, I always have a great time creating with the gals and we hope you'll stop in a play along!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

A Place to Start

613 Avenue Create

Aud Sentiments

Outlawz Monday Greetings

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

Creative Fingers

Crafty Catz

C.R.A.F.T Challenge

Creative Knockouts

Creative Inspiration

Ghouls OWL-ways Want to Have Fun!

Happy Sunday Everyone, it's Sunday Eve here and time to put this weekend in the books.  In the run up to Halloween, I have a few more cards to share.  This one was created with the Darcie's Heart and Home set titled Owl You Doin'.

The patterned papers are from the "Happy Halloween" 6x6 paper pad from Carta Bella.  I've watercolored the image using Gansai Tambi watercolors onto Tim Holtz Watercolor card.  The focal image and mat have been die cut using nesting circle dies from Kat Scrappiness, as well as the sentiment, which has been heat embossed also.

To finish the design, I've added extra large orange sequins from my stash.  It will soon be Halloween Night, do you get Trick or Treaters?  We don't have as many as we used to, all the kids in the neighborhood have grown up, moved away and now have children of their own.  It's amazing how time flies.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

All Sorts

Gem of a Challenge

Sweet Stampin'

Polkadoodles

Love Those Pretty Papers

Send a Smile 4 Kids

Krafty Chicks

Creative Knockouts

Digi Choosday

Creative Creases Challenge - Love & Gratitude Gift Bag

Hello Friends and Happy Fri-YAY!  I'm back with another Guest Designer project for the Creative Creases Challenge.  I'm honored to be invited to help Debbie and the team, I had such fun making this adorable Gift Bag of Gratitude, and it was incredibly easy using a Stampin' Up Paper Pumpkin Kit.

The kit contains the supplies for these gift bags:  die cuts, pre-cut bag templates, small note cards, sentiment strips, a stamp set with small images and greetings, embellishments, small ink pad and dimensional foam pads.  

I stamped on the front of the notecard using the image contained in the stamp set and the ink pad included in the kit.  I arranged the die cuts, popping them on dimensionals; the bag is easy to construct as there are instructions included and the kit also comes with double sided tape.

I punched holes through the notecard and bag, added linen thread and embellishments and called it complete.  I love the pretty die cuts in this kit and plan to make up a few more of the gift bags to use as place settings at our Thanksgiving Day table, and put a nice treat inside.  

Please visit the Creative Creases Challenge and join us, we would love to see your Fancy Fold projects.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Dragonfly Dreams

Outlawz Saturday Challenge

Crafty Catz

Tic Tac Toe Challenge:  Fall, Twine, Embellishment.  Fun Fold, Free, Embellishment.  Gift, Twine, Free

Classic Design Challenge - Monique

Hello Crafty Friends and Happy Saturday!  I'm a bit late sharing my design team project for The Classic Design Challenge, which started on the 15th...better late than never eh?

Our sponsors this month are the Paper Nest Dolls and The Paper Shelter.  I've colored up the sweet Monique from The Paper Shelter, using Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers. 

I've given her an Autumn color palette, the patterned papers are from the "Welcome Fall" 6x6 paper pad by Carta Bella.  The sentiment is pre-cut and foiled, from Pink Fresh Studio and they are handy to have on hand. 

I've inked around the focal image using Vintage Photo Distress ink, I didn't like the stark white and needed to knock it back a bit.  I've also trimmed the corners with a punch.  The sentiment die cut has been popped on foam pads and brown sequins added to finish the design.

Please stop by and join in the challenge this month.  The optional twist is Anything But a Card.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

All Sorts

Gem of a Challenge

Polkadoodles

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Outlawz Festive Fridays

Pattie's Creations

Just Us Girls

Craft Rocket

Digi Choosday

Penny's Challenges

Magic Time!

Hello Friends and Happy Wednesday!  We've finally recovered from Hurricane Milton, we've had contractors in and out with estimates for repairs but it's a small price to pay, and I consider ourselves beyond blessed as it could have been so much worse.  Our prayers continue to go out to South Florida, North Carolina and all areas hit with damages.

I've had some time to play in the craft room and wanted to share this cute card, created for Halloween/Autumn, although I don't think the set was created for Halloween or Autumn. It's the Magic Time Stamp Set from Colorado Craft Co. and I love how big the images are.  Folks, the images in this set are large, the entire pumpkin didn't fit on the A2 sized card panel.

I've stamped the image on Tim Holtz Watercolor Paper and painted using my Gansai Tambi watercolor paints.  After the painting was completely dry, I used a circle mask from Lavinia Stamps to create a halo around her wand.  Then trimmed the panel slightly, and adhered to a black cardbase.  

To finish the design, I splattered with gold watercolor paint, no other bells and whistles were added, I intend to post to a dear friend overseas and didn't want any bulkiness going through the international post.  

I hope you like her and her big pumpkin, I think she may represent Cinderella, what do you think?  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Digi Choosday

Double D Challenges

Fab 'n Funky

Word Art Wednesday

Creative Inspirations

Crafty Gals Corner

I Spy with my Little Eye

Stamping Sensations

We Love Stamping

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

All Sorts

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #22 - Oct/Nov 2024

Hello Friends and Happy Tuesday!  It's the 15th of the month and time for a new challenge at The Beautiful Blossoms Challenge Blog.  Our optional mood board contains rich and vibrant colors, perfect for the Autumn Season, or any season for that matter:

 

Using the Simply Spring Stamp Set from Altenew, I've water colored the image onto Tim Holtz Watercolor paper, using Gansai Tambi watercolor paints.  In my opinion, just because the set is named Simply Spring, that doesn't mean you have to use it only for Spring themed cards.

After stamping the image, I heat embossed it in order to make the watercoloring a bit easier, this is a detailed image and I didn't want to worry about colors running into one another, the embossing adds a bit of a "wall", that contains the water. I've also heat embossed the sentiment.

Once the image was completely dry, I inked around the edges to give the piece a "frame".  Lastly, I've added clear. waterdrop embellishments to complete the piece.

The team and I would like to invite you to visit the challenge, and show us your floral focused projects.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Ally's Angels

Creative Crafters

A Place to Start

Path of Positivity

Stamping Sensations

We Love Stamping

613 Avenue Create

Outlawz Sunday Song and Rhymes

Creative Fingers

AYLI - my "go to" shape is the rectangle A2 size, mainly because it's easy to photograph

It's Halloween...Owl You Doin'?

Hi Friends!  I hope you're well and enjoying your Wednesday.  While we await the arrival of Hurricane Milton, I've been crafting to de-stress and pass the time (while I have electricity - fingers crossed it stays on).  I've been working on Halloween cards and this one features the cutest lil owl and jack-o-lantern.

Using the "Owl You Doin'" Clear Stamp Set from Darcie's Heart and Home, I've watercolored this cute image using Gansai Tambi watercolor paints.  The image has been stamped on Tim Holtz watercolor paper.  After the image was completely dry, I've die cut using a Slanted Edge nesting square die from My Favorite Things.

The patterned papers are from the "Spooktacular" 4.25" x 5" paper pad from Waffle Flower.  I've heat embossed the sentiment and added purple sequins to finish out the design. The sentiment and focal image have been popped on foam pads for dimension.

That's all for today!  I hope you have a fabulous rest of the week and weekend.  I'll be back soon, as long as Milton is kind to us and we keep the electricity and internet flowing.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Polkadoodles Digi Choosday

Double D Challenges

Fab 'n Funky - Feathers

Penny's Challenges

The Sisterhood of Crafters

Word Art Wednesday

Crafty Gals Corner

Shopping Our Stash

Unicorn Challenge

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Love Those Pretty Papers