Violet Garden - Thank You

 

11/26/2023 Update: Splitcoast Stampers "Favorite of the Week" 

ending 11/25/2023.

Serving on Design Teams occasionally steals a little time from participating in other challenges. I had a little spare time today so chose to use this week's sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. This is Challenge #552, ending Sunday evening, November 26, 2023. The sketch is below:

I recently created a collection of 12 cards from a 6" x 6" pad of patterned paper along with some die cuts that were included. (I have a few family members who enjoy receiving bundles of cards as gifts.) I still had a fair amount of the paper remaining and it was on my desk so I decided to use it for this card. I can always use a few extra thank-you cards in my stash during the holiday season so I duplicated the card as well.

My niece was visiting and crafting with me, making shadow boxes as gifts for family members, so I availed myself of her green cardstock because it was a great match with my floral paper. I adhered my little hand-cut squares and rectangles to the green cardstock, and with foam tape added the sentiment and the floral die-cut. A few shiny green gems were added. The holographic paper did not photograph well - it looks wonky in shape and the bright, shiny hues of silver don't show. This card layer was adhered to a white card base. I enjoy decorating the inside of my cards, so I added a matching floral die-cut leaving sufficient space for a personal message.

Be sure to visit the AHSC 552 Blog and join in their challenges! 

Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate your comments.

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White; green & lilac mirror from an unknown source

Paper: Paper Rose "Violet Garden" including cut-apart, sentiment, and ephemera; Scrapbook.com holographic paper

Misc.: CTMH thin foam tape; Honey Bee gem stickers

Scene of Serenity (Sympathy Card)

Upon seeing the sketch for the Try Stampin' on Tuesday Challenge #634, I was pleased to see the optional theme was trees. In my stash, I have had an unused die with a silhouette of trees for some time so I was able to use it here.

I redesigned the orientation to be landscape to fit the die-cut image. I used the circles to represent a blue sky and a yellow sun and otherwise kept the background clean to create a serene mood so I could use this as a sympathy card in the future. The original sketch is below.

Option: Trees

The inside of the card was decorated by lining the lemon card base with a panel of white cardstock framed in green, cutting a second die-cut tree image, and adhering a few of the trees individually. I left sufficient room for a personal note.

There is always an open challenge at TSOT. Challenges are biweekly in duration, beginning every Tuesday morning. This challenge runs through Sunday evening, December 3, 2023. We welcome you to the TSOT Blog #634 to view the Design Team's cards and to try our challenge.

Please join us! Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate your comments.

Melanie

Materials

Stamps: Stampin' Up! "Gingko Branch" (sentiment on front); GinaK "Natural Silhouettes" (sentiment inside card)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Lemon Lolly, Mossy Meadow, Boho Blue

Dies: Hero Arts "Infinity Circles"; Stampin' Up! "Gingko Branch"; Kokorosa "Trees in Silhouette"

Prayers & Hugs

These challenges provided me with the opportunity to create a card for a close family friend in need of prayer and hugs. I am sure she will enjoy receiving my card. Double Trouble #154 is a biweekly challenge ending on Sunday evening, December 3, 2023. As usual, we have three "Things" for our challenge. 

In summary, Thing 1 is an acknowledgment of Pins and Needles Day with a theme of "Stay Calm and Stitch On," which requires stitching on your project. 

Thing 2 is optional. We are asking you to link your project with Tuesday Morning Sketches #734 but be sure to check their guidelines before creating your project. 

Thing 3 is also optional. This option is to use the sketch that was provided by our partner, Tuesday Morning Sketches. Their sketch is below. For complete details, visit the DTC 154 Blog.

Sketch challenges always provide inspiration even if one's interpretation creates a few variances. I found that to be true with the sketch above. I had a specific plan but as I worked through my process, I changed elements here and there. I can identify the sketch in my work so I was happy with the result. The inside of the card was lined with one layer of colored cardstock and one layer of white, decorated with a die-cut image of a Hyacinth, and stamped with a sentiment, "Prayers & Hugs".

Please join us for some challenge fun and you may win a prize in our random drawing. Just be sure to follow the guidelines for both challenges. Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate your comments.

Melanie

Materials

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up! Pistachio Pudding

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Orchid Oasis, Pistachio Pudding

Paper: Paper Rose Studio "Violet Garden"

Dies: Honey Bee "Lovely Layers Greenery", Spellbinders "Winter Borders"(double stitching)

Misc.: CTMH thin foam tape

Cascading Hearts

Why do I fret over color challenges? Once completed, I am glad I played along but getting started always seems to be daunting. This is Color My Heart Color Dare #575 - an "Only Two" challenge. The color board is below and as shown, there is one required color and then one optional color.

I like colors in the pink family so I selected Ballerina as my optional color with Rosy. My pinks are the closest match using items from my stash because I don't have the precise colors as seen on the board. In addition, I used black, white and metallic gold to complete my card. It isn't my habit to make cards too far in advance of an event or holiday, but the pink hues reminded me of St. Valentine's Day in February, so I made a card about love.

Onto a black card base, I added two panels of patterned paper with a thin horizontal band of gold foiled cardstock. (It is difficult to discern the pattern on the lower panel.) Using a border die, a cascade of hearts was cut from the gold, backed with white vellum and adhered to the right side of the card front. The word "love" was die-cut from black cardstock three times and layered onto the card front. Hearts created from the gold heart border were adhered for decoration. The inside of the card base was lined with white cardstock and decorated with pink patterned paper and gold hearts. 

Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #575 is biweekly and runs through Thursday evening, November 30, 2023. A new biweekly challenge begins every Friday so there is always an active challenge underway.

Please join us for some challenge fun! Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate your comments.

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White & Basic Black

Paper: Stampin' Up! vellum and gold foiled paper, 49th and Market "Art Options - Spice"

Dies: Spellbinders word die "love", unbranded heart border die

Happy Harvest

My vegetable garden is done for the season now that we've had a few nights with freezing temperatures. Only a few flowers in my flower garden are still in bloom. The trees have also shed their pretty colors. In spite of that, autumn is still my favorite season. The roadside stands where farmers are selling apples, pumpkins, and gourds along with cider and Confetti Corn (formerly called Indian Corn) are a welcome sight, and the anticipation of a traditional family gathering at Thanksgiving fills my thoughts.

We have combined two challenges that include similar themes and a sketch. The sketch is from Try Stampin' on Tuesday #632, with an optional theme of Thanksgiving and is posted below. This challenge, which has a start date of Tuesday, November 7, 2023, ends on Sunday evening, November 19, 2023. 

A description of biweekly challenge Double Trouble Challenge #153, with a start date of Monday, November 6, 2023, and closing on Sunday, November 19, 2023, follows.

Thing 1 (required): Trouble Maker is needing some help with her 3-2-1 Harvest Recipe. Use at least three patterned papers in your design, along with at least two embellishments, and at least one image that represents the season. You are not required to use the sketch but we hope you will.

Thing 2 (optional): Double Dare urges you to link up with Try Stampin' on Tuesday #632. Just be sure to follow their challenge guidelines.

Thing 3 (optional): Twisted Sister has made it easy for this challenge. She is suggesting that you utilize the sketch provided by our partner. The sketch will give you an added chance in our drawing.

In creating a fall or Thanksgiving card, I thought about using several types of images but settled on patterned paper with a trio of colorful pumpkins. I gathered other bits of coordinating patterned papers that were left from other fall cards and using the TSOT 632 sketch, included the three DTC 153 "Things" to complete my card. I elected to omit a sentiment on the card front but stamped one on the inside. The three patterned papers are all from the same paper collection. The plaid and dots are visible but the pumpkin images on the orange paper are barely visible.

Please join us for some challenge fun and you may win a prize in our random drawing. Just be sure to follow the guidelines for both challenges. Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate your comments.

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Basic White, Just Jade

Paper: Photoplay "Fright Night" and 49th and Market "Art Options - Spice"

Misc,: Black dots and CTMH thin foam tape 

Halloween Fun - I've Got My Eye on You!

As I was writing this, I realized that by the time my blog post is published, Halloween will be over for 2023. Although I am not a big fan of the day, I make a few cards each year and pass out candy to the neighbor children. I have two grand-nephews who enjoy wearing costumes and going to neighborhood events to celebrate, so this card is for one of the boys. (The other card can be viewed HERE.) By the time this blog is published, the cards will have been mailed and received.

I made this card in conjunction with the Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #573, beginning on Friday, November 3, 2023, and closing on Thursday evening, November 16, 2023. The required colors are Pumpkin, Acorn, and Jade. Black and white plus neutrals are free to use but the three challenge colors must all be present in your project. The color board is below.

I decided to use some Halloween paper that has been taking up space in my stash. I still have plenty of it for next Halloween so perhaps I should have made more cards this year. Onto a vanilla card base, I adhered a layer of cardstock tilted to the left that matched the acorn color. Next, I added a layer of patterned dot paper in the jade color, tilting it to the right. I used a cut-apart piece with the big eyeball from the paper collection, backed it with vanilla cardstock, and then a scrap of orange-dotted black paper. This layered cut-apart was adhered directly to the card, again at a slight tilt. 

The eyeball was illustrated with spots that represent light reflection so I added rhinestones for sparkle to those spots and then a black enamel dot for the pupil. Going along with the dots, I added two more rhinestones and two more black dots just for fun. The inside of the card was decorated with more patterned paper and a stick-on spider.

We hope you will join us at Color Dare Challenge #573. The colors are ideal for an Autumn card as well as Thanksgiving or Halloween. Our challenges are biweekly, beginning every Friday morning so there is always an active challenge to join.

I appreciate your visiting my blog and thank you for your comments.

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla & Baked Brown Sugar

Patterned Paper: Photo Play "Fright Night"

Misc.: Rhinestones, enamel dots (black)

Let's Get This Par-TEA Started!

Yes, indeed, let's get this par-TEA started and win some Blog Candy!

My aunt is in her 90s and she is a great admirer of my cards, so of course, I keep mailing them to her! She is a tea drinker so I thought she would be the perfect card recipient when I came across this image of a teacup in my stash. The card layout came from a sketch that I used in a previous challenge ages ago.

Double Trouble Challenge #152 is participating in the Fall-Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop. It's  worth playing along! Double Trouble lasts for one week only to coincide with the Coffee Lovers Challenge.

There are specific details at the Double Trouble Blog but in summary:

Thing 1 (required): Trouble Maker is reminding us that the time is here to create at least one card for the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop. You are free to enter cards continually for the duration of the challenge at Coffee Lovers but no more than four cards at Double Trouble.

Thing 2 (optional): Double Dare is asking you to be sure to link your coffee-tea-cocoa-cider project HERE. Then watch on the days that drawings are made to see if you have won a prize.

Thing 3 (optional): Isn't it just like Twisted Sister to change things up? She wants you to include a sentiment that uses a pun. I really did not want to add my pun to the front of my card, so inside of the card, I handwrote, "Let's get this par-tea started."

We've made a change in our routine for this challenge - we have BLOG CANDY! Each Design Team member has a giveaway for those who wish to play along. We hope you'll visit each member's individual blog, view the prize, and leave a comment - BUT - this will not qualify you for the prizes. After viewing each individual blog, go back to the Double Trouble Blog and leave a comment. From those comments, we will randomly select the names of Blog Candy recipients. Please join in the fun. A photo of the items in my Blog Candy giveaway is below. 

To clarify, the Double Trouble Challenge #152 closes on Friday, November 10, 2023, along with the Coffee Lovers Challenge. Be sure to check back at both challenges to see if you have won any prizes.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate your comments and wish you good luck in winning blog candy.

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White & Basic Black

Paper: Paper Rose "Katie's Tea Party"

Sentiment: Paper Rose Sentiments Sheet

Misc.: Clear droplets and CTMH thin foam tape

BLOG CANDY:

La-la Land Crafts "Astronaut Marci and her Stellar Friends"

(One of the stamps has been gently used, the dies have not been used.)

Includes two stamps with four images and a variety of sentiments.

Also includes three die sets - a four-piece spaceship, a three-piece satellite, and a one-piece  moonscape.