Framed Poppies Make Me Smile

Such a simple card today.  I had the idea of a framed field of poppies spilling out but not too fussy.  So I impressed the square die then used the MISTI to do the flowers and sentiment.  What would I do without that thing?

The Details:  PTI Reasons to Smile stamps, Hero Arts Ultra Pink and Lime Green, Memento Tuxedo Black, Simon Says stitched square die, Recollections 110lb white cardstock

I'm entering this in Simply Create Too #91 Anything Goes, Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes, Addicted to Stamps and More Inspiration Photo

Masking, Big and Bold

Hello!  Today is the start of a new monthly CAS challenge at Happy Little Stampers, this time calling for masking.

Usually when I mask, I'm doing it because I want to create a scene (no pun intended!).  This time I felt like going bold and beautiful with a burst of monarch butterflies.  I am so glad I had the MISTI for this one.  On my test butterfly I colored into the black--because it's black so the other colors shouldn't show, right?  Wrong!  I colored over the black with Copic 100 (black) which was fine but made everything very uniform and flat.  Ugh.  My solution?  I stamped a butterfly, masking off other areas if necessary, colored it right on the MISTI then restamped so the scribbles into the black would be covered up.  Sweet. I placed a piece of scratch paper beneath the card front as I stamped and colored.  I like doing that in general with the MISTI so any extra ink isn't absorbed into the foam base and show up unexpectedly later (ask me how I know that happens?)

Now it's your turn to show us your masking skills.  Come join the fun!  You have an entire month to play along!

The Details:  Recollections 110lb black cardstock, Hammermill cardstock for coloring, Copic YR02, YR04, YR07, Y11, Y15, MFT Inspired by Butterflies, Avery Elle So Happy sentiment, Stampendous Detail Fine black embossing powder, Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, foam tape, Doodle Bug Designs black Sprinkles, Wink of Stella

Hello, GI friends

Today is the start of a new, super easy challenge at Great Impressions.  You just need to use a sentiment.  Told you it was easy!

With this card, I used the H226 Butterfly Frame and masked off the C366 Hello Summer stamp for my sentiment. Doesn't that butterfly look like it's going to flutter right off the card?  Triad colors at work.  I could have also colored the butterfly twice, cutting out one and gluing the body on top of the other.  Thought about that after the fact, of course!

Don't forget about the GI monthly challenge!

You don't have to use GI stamps but it'd be totally awesome if you did!

Also, if you do use GI stamps, be sure to link up to the customer gallery to show us your fabulous work and for a chance to get a little year-end prize.

The Details:  Great Impressions Butterfly Frame and Hello Summer stamps, Memory Box die, Copics, Paper Studio embossing folder, Hammermill cardstock for coloring, Recollections 110lb white cardstock, Liquid Pearls

Feelin' Groovy

Time for a new House of Cards challenge--woo hoo!  This time your card must include a metallic element.  

In my card I used silver metallic embossing powder which is a combo I absolutely adore with green.  It was my first time coloring up a Some Odd Girl image (thanks to Kimberly!)--super fun.  Her hair was inspired by Julianne Moore from Still Alice.  I don't know who colors her hair but they do an amazing job making it look natural.  I popped her up on a bit of folded card; a technique that Lisa shared with me.  Now the card will be flat when mailed but little Mae will pop right up when she comes out of the envelope--surprise! 

The Details:  Some Odd Girl Music Mae, Lil' Inker Shiny Happy Sentiments, Copics, Versamark, Recollections silver detail embossing powder

Sweet Day

I have such a sweet morsel of a card to show you today.  It was super fun to work up and quick too.  This one has been tucked into my pick-me-up category in my card file.  I love the Great Impressions E842 sentiment's versatility.   You could use it as is as I've done here or you could use snippets of it like "Wishing you a wonderful day" or "Wishing you a happy day" or "Sweet you."  Did I tell you it was versatile or what?

Now hop on over to the Paper Sweeties blog and join in the fun challenge they've got going on. Check out that inspiration pic--love the colors and the petal frosting.  Petal. Frosting.  Can it get any cuter?  I think not!

The latest Great Impressions challenge starts very soon so be sure to stop by there too!

You don't have to use GI stamps but it'd be totally awesome if you did! Also, if you do use GI stamps, be sure to link up to the customer gallery to show us your fabulous work and for a chance to get a little year-end prize.

Breaktaking Sunrise

Hello!  Time for another Great Impressions card for you.  I absolutely love the F252 Life is Not Measured sentiment I used.  Love, love, love.  I wanted the sentiment to take center stage so I did a simple background watercolor wash with Distress Inks to represent a beautiful sunrise.  Doesn't the sentiment just capture that feeling so well?  I have filed this card in my any occasion section but will keep it in mind for sympathy too.  Such a versatile sentiment.

See you next week with another GI design!  Toni 

Don't forget about the GI monthly challenge!

You don't have to use GI stamps but it'd be totally awesome if you did!

Also, if you do use GI stamps, be sure to link up to the customer gallery to show us your fabulous work and for a chance to get a little year-end prize.

Live Colorfully

I am totally on a butterfly kick.  Totally.  I randomly stamped butterflies on a piece of card then colored them up with Copics.  I love the vibrancy.  Love.

The Details:  Great Impressions Elegant Butterflies, Hero Arts Glow Girl sentiment, Copics, Stampendous Detail Fine black embossing powder, Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI 140lb white cardstock base, Scotch foam tape, Hammermill color copy cardstock, Simon Says stitched rectangle die

I'm entering this in Addicted to Stamps & More #154 CAS, Just Add Ink #272 Butterflies, Fab 'n' Funky #269 No Patterned Paper

Butterfly Freedom

Hello!  Time for another Great Impressions card for you.  I love how this turned out.  Lots of white space but full of texture that works so well with the E149 Said the Butterfly sentiment stamp, don't you think?  I added a few tiny butterflies for a jot of color and used a dark blue ink for the sentiment rather than my usual black. 

See you next week with another GI design!  Toni 

Don't forget about the GI monthly challenge!

You don't have to use GI stamps but it'd be totally awesome if you did!

Also, if you do use GI stamps, be sure to link up to the customer gallery to show us your fabulous work and for a chance to get a little year-end prize.

Find Beauty

A few weeks ago I got together with the PNW Crafters for the first time over at Amy's house.  Yay!  It was lots of fun with lots of chatting, sharing and crafting.  Katie (I think) had brought along a Hero Arts sentiment which I stamped a couple of times to play with later.  And play I did. 

I used one of my new Memory Box dies, coloring it with Copics.  I thought a bold b/w stripe paper would spark it up nicely but didn't have any so worked up my own.  The MISTI helped a lot with this to allow me to stamp multiple times for uniform coverage and easy alignment.  I popped up the main panel with sticky fun foam and adhered the flower stem in just a couple of spots.  Love how this turned out!

The Details:  Hero Arts sentiment, MFT plaid background builder, Memory Box die, Copics, PTI 140lb white cardstock base, Recollections 110lb white cardstock panel

I'm entering this in TIME OUT #35 Nature (without animal twist), Paper Players #254 CAS 

Just a Note

Hello!  Time for another Great Impressions card for you.  I love how this turned out.  All that white space really lets the F269 Summertime Flowers stamp sing.  It was super simple to color too which is great when you need a card on the quick--like everyday, right?!  I used Copics but could totally see this being done with watercolors or pencils.  And how about coloring and cutting out an extra butterfly to mount on top for extra dimension?  What about glossy accents on those  So many possibilities!

See you next week with another GI design!  Toni 

Don't forget about the upcoming GI monthly challenge!

You don't have to use GI stamps but it'd be totally awesome if you did!

Also, if you do use GI stamps, be sure to link up to the customer gallery to show us your fabulous work and for a chance to get a little year-end prize.