A Big Hello

This card is for a quick and easy challenge at Color My Heart Color Dare #387. The requirement is simple: Make a monochromatic card using the color red. Also permitted are black and white. This biweekly challenge begins on Friday, March 27, and runs through Wednesday evening, April 8, 2020.

The sentiment was die cut from white cardstock and adhered to a shadow, die-cut from red cardstock. This was backed with two shadows die cut from black cardstock. Onto a black card base, a background cut from white cardstock was adhered. The sentiment with shadows was adhered to the card front with foam tape. I decided not to add red sequins as planned. The inside of the card was lined with white cardstock trimmed with punched flowers.

I hope you will visit the Color My Heart Color Dare Blog to review our guidelines and play along in Challenge #387. 

Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Real Red & Basic Black
Dies: Reasonable (large Hello w/shadow) &  MFT Die-namics (Floral Fusion Cover-up)
Punch: Stampin' Up! "Boho Blossoms" (inside of card)
Misc.: Foam tape from stash

Santa and Friends

The weekly sketch is available at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #361. This fun challenge began on Monday, March 23, and will end on Sunday evening, March 29, 2020.

I decided to use a Christmas theme with a long and narrow orientation using digital, which I colored and fussy cut. Onto a white card base, panels of red then white cardstock were adhered followed by the green patterned paper. Next, strips of red patterned paper were added along with paper lace and strips of black cardstock. The sentiment was computer-generated. Finally, the images were added using foam pop up tape. The inside was decorated with the red stripe paper and lace.

Visit the AHSC Blog and participate in their weekly challenges!

Materials
Stamp: Computer-generated (sentiment); Bugaboo Digital "Christmas Trio"
Inks: Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Black & Real Red
Paper: CTMH "Holly Jolly" Collection
Misc.: Paper lace (self-adhesive) & foam tape from stash

Thank You

March 25, 2020 Update: Top Three at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #360.

March 22, 2020 Update: Weekly Favorite at Splitcoast Stampers for the week ending March 21, 2020.

Today my card is focused on a paper collection I've had in my stash for several years. I really love this paper and it continues to be a favorite. I used the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #360 to create my card. This weekly challenge began on Monday, March 16, and will end on Sunday evening, March 22, 2020.

I am also submitting this card to Bitten by the Bug 2 for their "Spring Equinox" challenge. Their challenge is biweekly and runs for 14 days beginning on Monday, March 16, 2020.

First, a cardstock panel was dry embossed with a stone imprint. I adhered it to a panel of white cardstock then onto the gray card base. I matted a square of patterned paper with a yellow patterned coordinate, sponging the edges for definition. In place of the vertical rectangle, I placed a gold foiled honeycomb die cut. A few of the hexagons were filled in with gold glitter paper. 

I proceeded to add the remaining layers following the sketch. The bee was fussy cut. The bee images and small flowers were decorated with Wink of Stella. The inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with a strip of paper, another fussy-cut bee, and a bit of honeycomb.

Be sure to visit BBTB2's blog to play along. I always enjoy the sketches at AHSC's blog so if you're looking for inspiration to make a card, look no further!

Materials
Stamp: Stampin' Up! "Free As a Bird"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Gray, Lost Lagoon, Gold Foil, Gold Shimmer
Paper: Dare 2B Artzy "Honey Bloomz" Collection
Die: Hexagons (borrowed)
Misc.: ZIG Wink of Stella (clear), Stampin' Up! EF "Stone", foam tape

Kind Words Are As a Honeycomb

I have always loved the spring season no matter where I was living. Here in Arizona where the transition from winter to spring goes almost unnoticed, the bees are in great abundance. When our cacti are in bloom, you'll have a sore nose if sniff the flowers without checking for bees first!

At Double Trouble Challenge #52, we are celebrating spring with a new theme - "Die-lirious and Punchy." Here are the details:

Thing 1 (required): Troublemaker says she needs to see at least one spring item on your project. This item must be created by using a die, a punch, a Scan n' Cut, Cricut, Silhouette, etc. Even something fussy cut is acceptable.

Thing 2 (optional): Double Dare is daring you to create a project that can also be linked to our partner, Bitten by the Bug 2, where they are also celebrating spring. This challenge usually requires the use of a Cricut but we "cut" a deal with them that you can use any mechanical means to create your items. If you opt to play along at Bitten by the Bug 2 and use fussy cutting, be sure to also include a mechanically made element.

Thing 3 (optional): Twisted Sister is looking for some sweetness. She is hoping to see a bee or its honeycomb on your project. While she's floating like a butterfly I hope she doesn't get stung by a bee!

Using a favorite paper collection, I adhered "English Garden" to a panel of white cardstock and then to a panel of cardstock, adding a length of narrow ribbon. From gold glitter paper, hexagons were die cut and backed with patterned paper. Into a few of the openings, hexagons in gold foil and gold glitter paper were added. I adhered this to the card front using foam tape. A flower was fussy cut and adhered to the background paper over the identical image adjacent to the honeycomb. 

The sentiment was added along with two bees fussy cut from "Artzy Bloomz". The card front was adhered to a white card base. The inside of the card was decorated with a fussy cut flower from "Artzy Bloomz" and another bee along with the remainder of the sentiment. To finish the card, I used a gold-inked gel pen and highlighted all images on the paper that are yellow in color. It measurably brightened the card. Wink of Stella was added to the bees. (The sentiment is taken from Proverbs 16:24.)
"Die-lirious and Punchy" is open from Monday, March 16, through Sunday, March 29, 2020. To enter, visit the DTC#52 Blog or the BBTB2 Blog for details and play along. We look forward to seeing your springtime entries.   

Materials
Stamp: Computer generated sentiment
Ink: Boxun Gel Pen (gold)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Lost Lagoon, Gold Foil, Gold Glimmer
Paper: Dare 2B Artzy "Honey Bloomz" Collection
Die: Hexagons (borrowed)
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Gold Ribbon (1/8"); ZIG Wink of Stella (clear); foam tape from stash

Adventure Bound Birthday - Masculine CAS

Tic Tac Toe challenges are a fun way to challenge oneself. Sometimes the ideas simply fall into alignment with one or more directions on the grid and other times it can be a struggle. I like making masculine cards and one of my brothers will be celebrating his 62nd birthday in April, so this grid inspired my card. I kept the card low profile for easy mailing.

This is a monthly challenge for March, The Joy of Sets #015. In the end, I selected the top row - Birthday, Forest, Silver - although my card is also masculine, which first drew me to the challenge.

I added a panel of dark brown cardstock to a green card base, then adhered patterned paper depicting a forest. Although there was a hint of green in the forest design, I lightly sponged additional color onto the patterned paper so it would coordinate with the card base. Finally, I die cut three sentiments - one each from silver, green and white, stacked them in an offset style and adhered directly to the card.

The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock and decorated with coordinating paper and another die cut greeting, leaving sufficient space for a personal note.

If you enjoy Tic Tac Toe challenges or are looking for one to try, visit the JOSTTT015 Blog and play along!

Materials
Ink: Stampin' Up! Old Olive
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Old Olive, Early Espresso & Silver Foil
Patterned Paper: Stampin' Up! "Adventure Bound" Collection (retired)
Die: Spellbinders "Happy Birthday"

Little Leprechaun

03/16/ 2020 Update: Favorite of the Week at Splitcoast Stampers for week ending 03/14/2020.

It's time for another biweekly color challenge at the Color My Heart Color Dare Blog. Challenge #385 uses a photo for inspiration, which includes a rainbow and plenty of the color green. (There is no requirement to include a St. Patrick's Day theme.)

The leprechaun image on my card was downloaded, resized, printed, colored with Copic markers and then fussy cut. The coins in the pot were colored with metallic gold ink along with the leprechaun's buttons and the buckle on his hat. Onto a white card base, I added two layers of cardstock along with some thin strips of cardstock representing a rainbow for the pot of gold. Wink of Stella was applied to the rainbow. The tree, cloud, grass and dragonfly were die cut. The sentiment was added and the inside was decorated with several tiny gold foil dragonflies.

Color My Heart Color Dare challenges begin weekly and last two weeks. Challenge #385 begins on Friday, March 13, and closes on Wednesday, March 25. For guidelines, visit the Color Dare blog and join us!

Materials
Stamp: Stampin' Up! "Peaceful Moments" & Whimsy Stamps "Little Leprechaun" (digital)
Inks: Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Bashful Blue, Garden Green, Pistachio Pudding, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, Marina Mist, Perfectly Plum, Gold Foil
Dies: MFT (cloud), Memory Box (tree), The Stamp Doctor (dragonfly), Lawn Fawn (grass)
Misc.: Boxun Gel Pen (gold metallic ink), ZIG Wink of Stella (clear) & foam tape. 

You Are Awesome

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #359 is open, beginning Monday, March 9, and ending Sunday evening, March 15, 2020. This sketch has plenty of possibilities!

In my continuing effort to use up my hoard of patterned paper, I found this silver and green stripe with coordinating floral paper. I like the silver metallic throughout this paper. The stripe is different from the sketch but that's what sketch interpretation is all about - right?

Onto a card base, I adhered a panel of white cardstock then the striped paper. The images were fussy cut from the floral paper.  The vellum was added to provide contrast between the floral images and the striped paper. I like the way the silver stripes show through the vellum. Using foam tape, the images were popped up onto the vellum. The sentiment was die cut and added. The inside of the card base was lined with a panel of white cardstock and decorated with paper and another fussy cut flower. 

Be sure to stop by and visit the AHSC #359 blog - you'll be glad you did!

Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry & Vellum
Paper: Stampin' Up! "Sweet Soiree" Collection (retired)
Die: Sizzix
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Candy Dots & foam tape from stash

Craft On - Birthday

Today I am posting a card using a sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #358. They always have great sketches. This weekly challenge started on Monday, March 2, and will end on Sunday evening, March 8, 2020.

First, the floral banner was cut and matted with cardstock then adhered to a matted blue stripe panel. This was adhered with foam tape to a panel of embossed cardstock than onto a white card base. The sentiment was computer generated and adhered with thin foam tape. The inside was decorated with scraps of coordinating paper and a Happy Birthday sentiment.

For inspiring sketches visit Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and join in the fun!

Materials
Stamp: Sentiments computer generated
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White; CTMH Carolina & Bluebird
Paper: CTMH "Craft On" collection
Misc.: Stampin' Up! EF, foam tape

Irish Gnome

Being a family history fanatic, several extended family members and I decided to have our DNA tested. There were no surprises as to the origin of our family but the results showed that I had more Irish than I knew. The catch is that we have Northern Irish roots, meaning my ancestors are represented by the orange color in the flag, not the green. 

But I'm going along with the traditional green for St. Patrick's Day. Double Trouble Challenge #51 is giving a nod to those of us with Irish roots - or not. Here are the "Things" you need to know to play along:

Thing 1 (required): Troublemaker wants to see the color green used in your project. (This does not have to be a St. Patrick's Day project.)

Thing 2 (optional): Double Dare is challenging you to create a project that can also be linked to Heart2Heart - The Wearin' o' the Green. (See the Double Trouble Blog for specific guidelines.)

Thing 3 (optional): Twisted Sister has asked her Twin Sister to present the twist.

Thing 4 (optional): Twisted Sister's Twin Sister insists you include something gold on your card if you wish to earn an extra chance to be the random prize winner.

To create my card, which will be mailed to a sibling, I downloaded, resized, printed, colored and fussy cut this cute gnome. He's not a Leprechaun and I am unsure if there are gnomes in Irish lore, but anyone can celebrate the day - Irish or not. Several panels of cardstock were adhered to a green card base. A panel of wood grain patterned paper was adhered. The "badge" was also a download that I processed and added to the card front with foam tape. The gnome was also adhered with foam tape. The amber, green and gold bubbles were added. The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock and decorated with a glittery shamrock.

Double Trouble Challenge #51 begins Monday, March 2, and ends on Sunday, March 15, 2020. Heart2Heart begins Monday, March 2, and runs through Tuesday, March 31, 2020. Visit these blogs - DTC#51 and H2H and you're in for some great fun!

Materials
Stamps: Whimsy Stamps (gnome); badge (free digital download)
Inks: Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Garden Green, Cajun Craze; cardstock for Copics
Patterned Paper: The Paper Studio "Old White Fence"
Misc.: The Robin's Nest Dew Drops & foam tape

Every Happiness Birthday

03/04/2020 Update: This card finished in the Top Three at AHSC #357.

Today I actually have a card made one day before the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #357 closes! Here is the sketch:

I started out with something quite different than this on my mind but as I developed the elements, things changed here and there. I tend to experiment with colors, layers, techniques, etc. so sometimes end up with a surprise or two. Sometimes they're desirable, other times, not so much.

I layered multiple colored panels onto a colored card base then topped the stack off with a panel of vellum to keep a soft look. The patterned paper was die cut into two coordinating shapes and each was matted with colored cardstock then adhered with foam tape. The sentiment was heat embossed with silver pearl powder, which I thought was soft silvery white but it picked up the pink from the patterned paper. I liked it so kept it that way. The flowers were added in place of the bow and hearts on the sketch. The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock, decorated with patterned paper and stamped with, "Wishing you every happiness this special day will bring."

Be sure to drop by the AHSC blog to view the weekly challenges. This challenge ends on Sunday evening, March 1, but a new sketch will become available on Monday, March 2, 2020.

Materials
Stamps: Stampin' Up! "Peaceful Moments"
Ink: Versamark; Stampin' Up! Wisteria Wonder (inside card)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Old Olive, Blushing Bride, Wisteria Wonder & Vellum
Patterned Paper: CTMH "Sweet Girl"
Dies: Reasonable "Stitched Curvy Rectangles"
Misc.: WOW! Silver Pearl EP, Prima Flowers, foam tape

Purple Poppies

The biweekly Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #383 is open today, Friday, February 28, and will end Wednesday evening, March 11, 2020. This challenge uses a Tic Tac Toe board, meaning you must use three colors in a row. In addition, once a row, column or diagonal trio of colors has been selected, you may add any additional colors on the board. Colors not on the board are not permitted. You may use any product to achieve the colors, as long as the colors are a close match. I selected the third column, Wisteria, Mint and Peach with neutrals of black and white. 

I decided to do a bit of water coloring, making this a genuine challenge. It goes against my grain to get sloppy but coloring outside of the lines is permitted so I rolled with it. The poppies were stamped using a masking technique so only one leaf and one pod are included. I used dye inks with an aqua painter. The lower portion of the card front was embossed for texture, the black strip die cut along one edge then adhered along with the punched butterflies. Wink of Stella and pearls were added to the butterflies. The card front was matted win black cardstock and adhered to a colored card base. The interior was lined with a panel of white, an accent of black and a few more punched butterflies. No sentiment has yet been added.

We welcome you to join our challenges. Every Friday there is a new biweekly color challenge, sometimes with a twist. Visit our Color My Heart Color Dare Blog for the guidelines.

Materials
Stamp: Stampin' Up! "Painted Poppies"
Ink: Staz-on Jet Black; Stampin' Up! Wisteria Wonder (sub for CTMH Wisteria), Mint Macaron (sub for CTMH Mint), Crisp Cantaloupe (sub for CTMH Peach)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Black, Crisp Cantaloupe
Die: Mama Elephant Stitched Zigzag Border Die
Punches: Stampin' Up! Itty Bitty Butterfly & Elegant Butterfly
Other: Stampin' Up! Embossing Folder, ZIG Wink of Stella (clear), pearls from stash

Celebrate Theresa's Birthday

I was asked again to create an A7-sized (5" x 7") card for a member of my husband's Poker Club. The request was also made to try not to get too fancy because a large volume of club members would be handling the card. I decided on a technique that I had not used in a long time. It dishes up plenty of sparkle without adding a lot of stuff. 

In addition, I found my card suited the Joy of Sets Challenge #014 Tic Tac Toe Board requirements, column 3 - Die Cuts, Vellum and Floral as well as row 2 - Gold, Embossing and Vellum. What a happy coincidence!

A panel of cardstock was heat embossed in gold then painted using an aqua painter brush with a touch of coordinating dye inks.  Once dry, the sentiment was gold embossed onto vellum then added to the card front. The embossed panel was adhered to a white card base. The embossed, die cut flowers were added to the card front along with the gold sequins. The inside was stamped with a sentiment and decorated with a few embossed flowers. The envelope was also decorated.

If you enjoy challenges, you will really like Joy of Sets Tic Tac Toe Challenges!

Materials
Stamp: Close to My Heart "Color Your Life" (sentiment); Stampin' Up! "Forever Blossoms" & "Sending You Thoughts"
Inks: Versamark; Memento Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up! Calypso Coral & Crisp Cantaloupe
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Crisp Cantaloupe, Vellum
Misc.: Hero Arts Embossing Powder (gold), Stampin' Up! Aqua Painter, Stickles (orange)