Yellow Poppies

I found out a few days ago that the dear, sweet lady who lived across the street from us when I was growing up had passed away.  She was 97 years old, bless her heart!  What a wonderful, giving life she had!  She crocheted slippers every Christmas and my Mom, sister and I always got a new pair, and my Dad always got a tin of her famous Chex mix.  Even at 95 years old, and in a rehab facility because she had taken a fall and broke a bone, she insisted on having her daughter bring her to my Dad's funeral back in December 2013.  My sister and I were so touched to see her there!  I HAD to get a card made to send to her daughter this week.  So here's what I came up with...

These poppies from the Botanical Silhouettes stamp set from Papertrey Ink have always been a favorite, and I often think of using them for sympathy cards.  This was an anniversary set that is no longer available, so I'm sorry there's no link.  I stamped the flowers in Daffodil hybrid ink from My Favorite Things, and the stems were stamped with Olive hybrid ink on a piece of watercolor card stock.  I then added a bit of a gray wash amongst the flowers using my Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens.  Since I stamped the flowers with hybrid ink, I was able to watercolor around them and the ink doesn't react to the water. 

For the layout, I was inspired by the sketch this week at CAS(E) this Sketch #156, and I used the colors for the Color Throwdown #377.  And I'm also entering this in the current Word Art Wednesday challenge #218 - Anything Goes.  (Can I just say how GLAD I am to have discovered that challenge?  Not only does it inspire me to create, but the ladies on the team are so kind and supportive!  I've received the nicest comments from them, AND won a $25 Simon Says gift certificate for my entry a few weeks ago!)

That's all for me today.... thank you for stopping by my blog!

Two cards…

Hi friends!  I have two more cards to share with you that I made this past weekend.  I think I may have rediscovered some stamping motivation this weekend, so I’m hopeful that this trend will continue!

This first card was made for someone at church, and I used the Colour Q #324 colors for this week…



I used Peerless watercolors for the background, painted over the Large Grid background stamp from Simon Says Stamp.  (I think that background stamp is seriously one of the best stamping purchases I’ve ever made!)  I created the sentiment by using part of a lable stamp from Altenew’s Label Love stamp set, and the You die from Simon Says.  I did two layers of black and one layer of celery card stock for the die cut, and coated it with Glossy Accents, then layered it over a silver thread bundle.  I added a silver metallic card stock band behind the main panel and embellished with some clear sequins.

This second card is for my dear aunt, who had a birthday yesterday (and I hope will be happy with my card even though it’s late!)  Aunt Thead is my oldest aunt and has always been more like a Grandma to me… she is my Dad’s oldest sister, and two years later is still taking his passing pretty hard.  I think this was her 91st birthday (I can never keep it straight!) and I haven’t had the chance to visit with her in months as she lives 3 hours away.  I miss her so much, and pray that her birthday was a happy day.



Several weeks ago I had some stamping friends over to my house, and we played around with ink smooshing.  My friend Sherri created a gorgeous piece using this Roses All Over background stamp from My Favorite Things, and a combination of Abandoned Coral, Worn Lipstick and Picked Raspberry distress inks.  So for this card, I thought I’d give her beautiful color combo a try!  I added a vellum strip with the “birthday” sentiment stamped from the DC Happy Everything set from MFT, and the happy was die-cut in silver metallic card stock using the Happy Duo Die-Namics.  I embellished simply with a few silver sequins.

If you’re lucky enough to have today off work (as I am!) then please enjoy your Monday!  Or well, regardless of what your Monday brings, I hope you are happy and blessed!

Sending You Prayers

Hello friends!  I’m back today with another card I just made.  I’m still struggling with a lack of motivation for stamping so this time around I CASE’d this card from one of my talented stamping friends… Lisa Henke!

I combined two challenges on my card.  The first one is a challenge I just discovered, the Word Art Wednesday challenge.  Their challenge #217 is Anything Goes, as long as your creation is family-friendly and includes words of encouragement.  And I used the colors for Color Throwdown #375, as well.  Here’s my card…



The gray tag was die-cut with a retired die from My Favorite Things, and I added two flags of patterned paper also from MFT.  The “sending you prayers” sentiment is from the Hero Arts Exclusive Prayers Stamps and Dies set from Simon Says Stamp, and the large Grid Background stamp is also from Simon Says.  On the tag, I added a white Double Garland Confetti Cuts banner from Reverse Confetti.  I embellished with some plaid ribbon (NO idea where I got that ribbon, but it’s perfect for the Throwdown colors!) and some golden yellow sequins.

Sending this card to my aunt in Florida who had a pacemaker placed today!

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Seriously...

Hello friends!  Happy New Year!  I just  have a quick card to share with you today, using the colors for the current Color Throwdown #374, and the sketch from The Challenge #55.  You may or may not have noticed that I’m no longer a member of the Color Throwdown team.  After almost 7 years, I decided it was time to step down from the team I helped found.  I’m so grateful to all the girls on that team who have stepped up to take over several of the tasks I kept up with each week, and I hope they keep going for many, many more years!

So here’s my card using the colors that Broni chose for this week…

The last time I used this Seriously Word die from Lil’ Inker Designs I mentioned that it was quickly becoming my go-to for belated birthday cards.  And here I am, using it again!  (Thinking maybe I need to address the fact that I seem to be sending a lot of late birthday cards?)  I added a stamped sentiment from the Seriously Awesome Sentiments stamp set, and die cut some flowers from the Perky Posies.  The Posies and the die-cut circle were watercolored, and I embellished with some enamel dots and clear sequins.

I used the sketch from The Challenge, flipping it like a mirror so my flowers ended up on the left side.  (Realized too late though, that the deadline to enter had passed.)

That’s all for today… it’s the first card I’ve actually made in a long time.  I’m hoping it inspires me to get another one made very soon!  My mojo is still missing… whoever has it, please send it back!

Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by!