Sunday, May 28, 2023

May 2023 Instagram Rediscovery Hop

Hello Friends and Happy Sunday!  I hope everyone's weekend is going along as planned.  It's a holiday weekend in the States.  Tomorrow we honor and mourn the U.S Military Personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.  Today, it's all about the Instagram Rediscovery Hop and the theme this month is Birthday.

The premise of this monthly Hop is to use what you already have in your stash to create something according to theme.  This hop has so many wonderfully talented makers and I encourage you to join us HERE.



For my card today. I've used the Altenew/Simon Says Stamp Collaboration Set "From the Rose Bush" to create a feminine birthday card.


This is a layering stamp set and I've used shades of purple ink from Catherine Pooler for the Rose.  I had this rose and leaf sprig left from a prior project and they were waiting in my "extras" die cut box for the perfect project.


While looking through my die binders, I found a border die and thought it would add additional interest to the card front, so I cut it from the panel and backed it with yellow card.  Lastly, I've added Pearl embellishments for the added detail.  

Please visit the Hop and see all the wonderful ways my friends have used their "stash" to create some lovely birthday cards.  There's loads of inspiration!  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:






 




Saturday, May 20, 2023

You Radiate Awesome

Hello Crafty Friends and Happy Saturday!  Today I have a quick share featuring some dimensional Gerber Daisies and a highly textured card made with 2 lovely young women in mind.


My nieces are celebrating milestones this week.  My older niece graduated college with a degree in Respiratory Therapy.  The younger one graduated High School and will soon be in Atlanta Georgia studying Design.  I'm so proud of them, they have the world by the Tail!

I've created this card with them in mind, because they both radiate awesomeness.  One is studious and the other is adventurous.  They are both hard workers with the sweetest personalities, obedient, caring and helpful.  Oh what it would be like to be their age again...would you change anything?  


The flowers are from Spellbinders and I've colored them with Distress Oxide and Catherine Pooler Inks, the background is smooshed with Salty Ocean Distress Ink.  The Pink and Orange flowers are popped on craft foam for dimension, the sentiment is a premade strip from Simon Says Stamp, I've splattered everything with white acrylic paint and added some confetti sequins for that extra WOW factor.  I also tucked in an Altenew Crosshatch die cut but it's hard to see.

McKenna and Madison - Congratulations on your achievements!  The world is your Oyster! Remember to love and protect yourselves, enjoy life and Make Your Mark!  We love you!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:
Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Blue. Free, Any Shape

AYLI - Feminine because I have WAY more stash for feminine than masculine, and I love Florals










Monday, May 15, 2023

Patriotic Poppies by Jan's Digi Stamps

Hello and Welcome Back!  Today is the mid-month inspiration post for the Jan's Digi Stamps Challenge Blog.  Today I'm featuring 1 of the 2 new sets Jan released at the beginning of the Month.  My card features the Patriotic Poppies image and sentiment, the other set released was Butterfly Frame. Both sets are lovely and worth adding to your collection, not to mention they are listed at a reduced price for the month of May.  And don't forget to shop the Father's Day Sale, 10 handsome sets on sale till the month end.

Let's get to my card:


I've colored the image using Prismacolor Pencils, the patterned paper is from a digital paper pack, and I've cut the focal image using a Tag die from Gina K. Designs.


I've die cut 2 mini stars to "anchor" the tag; all 3 have been popped on craft foam for dimension, I've added black twine and blue gems to complete the design.  This set is perfect for Remembrance Day, Memorial Day and Veteran's Day

I want to encourage you to please visit the challenge blog and see what lovely projects my teamies have created.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna 

**Challenges Entered:




Beautiful Blossoms Floral Challenge #5

Hello Friends and Happy Monday!  Today begins a new challenge month at the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge Blog.  An Anything Goes Flowers Challenge, where Florals must be the Focus and an optional Mood Board is provided for inspiration.  The Mood board this month is:



I love the warm, bright colors in this mood board and again, I "shopped my stash" for this card.  I found a package of embellishments/stickers and thought they would work perfectly for the floral theme of the challenge and color of the mood board.


I also couldn't resist trying the Split Lattice design; I followed a tutorial by Maymay Made it on You Tube HERE.  I cut strips from the front flap of the card base and adhered them to a panel of acetate.  


I've added a pink card mat inside so the color would show through the acetate.  I've arranged the embellishments, being careful to adhere strategically to the strips, so the adhesive wouldn't be seen from the other side of the acetate.  The sentiments was cut with a stitched nesting oval die and red pearls added for additional interest. 

We hope you will visit the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge and join in.  We hope to inspire you with our projects and would love to see yours.  Until next time. Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:










Saturday, May 13, 2023

Hope, Believe, Dream

Happy Saturday Friends!  I missed my craft table last week, so it was nice to sit down yesterday evening with a cup of Chai Tea and create a card to share.  It's a quick and simple one using die cuts, ink blending and glitter.


I love silhouette images and I was inspired to create this Fairy card from several I saw on Pinterest.  I leafed through my die binders and found these dies.  The words have been die cut multiple times and layered for dimension, the fairy has been cut once and adhered directly to the panel.


I've ink blended 4 Distress Oxide Inks Shades, then splattered the panel with water, white acrylic gloss spray and black ink spray. I wanted the effect of glitter spilling from her Wand so I dotted liquid adhesive from the wand tip to the panel bottom and covered in Stickles Distress Glitter. 


No bells and whistles, I thought the glitter was enough but.....I HAD to add Wink of Stella to her Wings as no self respecting Fairy would fly around with naked wings! Thanks for visiting me today, have a fantastic Saturday.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:
Park Hopping My Happy Place - Inspired by Tinker Bell at Disney









 

Friday, May 12, 2023

Rainbow Birthday Snail

Hello Friends and Happy Fri-YAY!  I had made this card last weekend but didn't get an opportunity to post before we left for our week on the High Seas.  We took a Cruise and had so much fun (we always do!).  We ate like Henry the VIII (visited the midnight Buffet too many times), had cocktails (but NOT as much as Henry!), sat on the Balcony and listened to the Sea, went to Broadway type Shows, played Bingo, participated in the Scavenger Hunt and sat by the Pools. I can't tell you how nice it was to plan (and actually take) a getaway post COVID.  

I have a cute Birthday Snail to share today.  He's from the Rainbow Snail Stamp and Coordinating Die Set from Trinity Stamps.  I'm not a fan of Snails but I like this little fella, he's adorbs!


The background panel was created using the Swirling Hearts Stencil from Creative Expressions, I've used Catherine Pooler Inks to stamp the image.  The blue mat was created using another CP ink color, as I didn't have any colored card to match, I made my own!


The Circle and Frame were cut using the Diagonal Stitched Circle Dies from Pink Fresh Studio and the I've embossed the inner circle using a Birthday Embossing Folder from Cricut.  To finish, I've added holographic confetti from Pretty Pink Posh.

Thanks for visiting me today, I hope you have a great weekend.  Now to unpack, do the washing, love on the fur babies, telephone the Kids, go to the Grocery and REST up for our next adventure. Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:
Craft Challenge - and all the Hop Stops!
AYLI Challenge - Living in Florida, we don't have a Spring (it's always Summer LOL) but if I had to choose, I say Spring because of all the baby animals being born and all the flowers blooming












Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Paper Funday Challenge #53 - ATG

Hi Crafty Friends!  Today begins a new challenge month at The Paper Funday Challenge Blog.  Our themes are Always Anything Goes with an Optional Twist.  The Twist for May 2023 is Emboss It! - either heat or dry.

For my design team project, I've used another decorative napkin from my stash.  I am so proud of myself for shopping my own stash, it's amazing I have all these wonderful things to use.


This card played double duty , one was for the challenge and the other was, unfortunately, to send.  A friend of mine lost her granddaughter to Huntington's Disease 2 weeks ago.  The young lady was only 18 years old and was diagnosed with Juvenile Huntington's at the age of 8.  You can read about Huntington's Disease HERE.

After adhering the 1st layer of napkin to the card panel, I've embossed with a basket weave embossing folder and die cut the bird using a nesting oval die.  I also die cut the sentiment using a stitched oval die and added a gold thread bow and nest behind the sentiment. Lastly, I've added clear gems for added interest.


The embossing and other card details may be easier to see in this photo.  I am planning more napkin cards soon, they make quick and easy cards, and I have more gorgeous designs.

Please stop by The Paper Funday Challenge and check out what my teamies have created using the Twist of Emboss It!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:


  



Monday, May 1, 2023

Jan's Digi Stamps Challenge - May 2023

Hello and Welcome Back! Today begins a new challenge month at the Jan's Digi Stamps Challenge Blog and Jan has released 2 new digital sets for May 2023:  Patriotic Poppies and Butterfly Frame.  Also, the Monthly Sale, featuring 10 digital Father's Day sets, is effective now through May 31st.

My team project features the Father's Day digital Set; which is on Sale this month.  This is a great set, I like the vintage vibe of the images.  The images and sentiments are separate within the set and I've added 4 of them together to create a collage.

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In keeping with an antique theme, I've colored the images using Prismacolor Pencils, the paper are from the "Manly" Collection by Authentique.  The card base is vanilla colored cardstock with Kraft and Black Mats.


To finish the design, I've fussy cut the images, popped them on foam pads and added a nest of gold thread behind the focal image.

Please visit the challenge blog to see what my teamies have created and make certain to visit the Digi Shop for Father's Day Sale Sets and the Freebie Section!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna 

**Challenges Entered:

Inspiration Station Challenge - Inspiration Prompt #49

Hello Friends and Happy May Day, also known as International Worker's Day!  The 1st day of the month signals a new challenge month at The Inspiration Station Challenge Blog.  Our May Inspiration Prompt #49 is:


This appears to be a celebration, dancing around the Maypole.  I remember in elementary school, we used to celebrate May Day with a dance around the Maypole.  This photo inspired me to use the color Red and create a card of Friendship.  I'm inspired by friends getting together for fun in the sun. 


I have several decorative paper napkins, some gifted to me and others purchased through Ninny's Napkins.  When I purchased this napkin, my thought was to upcycle a home decor item but I put it away, and never completed the home decor project.  When "shopping my stash", I remembered all the lovely cards I've seen made with paper napkins.


The card design is very simple to create.  I glued the top layer of the napkin to a card panel and after it was dry, I die cut an 2 nesting ovals from the center.  I've adhered the napkin panel to a card base, it's hard to see in the photo but each layered oval has a graduated step of dimension and I've also dry embossed the napkin before die cutting


To finish, I've die cut the sentiment with a stitched oval and added a bit of twine.  Please join us at The Inspiration Station, we would love to see how the photo prompt inspires you.  Everyone's interpretation is unique and we hope to inspire you with our projects.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered: