The Little Details

I generally emboss my envelope flaps, but never remember to embellish otherwise.  Just Us Girls (JUGS) has a challenge to make a matching envelope - good reminder!

Falling For You layered stencils from Taylored Expressions.  Love how there are coordinating stamps to add the veins on the leaves.  Echo Park sentiment.  

Color Challenge

 Just Us Girls color week prompt is coral, grey, and gold.  

Altenew Painted Poppy in Festive Berries and Abandoned Coral Distress Oxide.  I used a swipe of Weathered Wood Distress Oxide for the grey, and placed everything on a shiny gold layer.  The tiny sentiment is from SU.  Like most of my CAS cards, it took a lot of time and pretty trash!!

Primary Colors

 Just Us Girls (JUGS!) has a red, yellow, and blue challenge. 

The yellow layer is stenciled in VersaMark with one by Lawn Fawn, stamped and die cut with Elle's Studio Sincere Sentiments set.  Love the bold colors!

I added in a tiny bit of green and purple to complete the rainbow.  

May Flowers

 Just Us Girls has a Flowers challenge for their Word Week.  

The image and sentiment are from SCT Delivered and were part of Crop & Create.  The "you" was dies cut 4x and stacked, the stamped images were heat embossed in black, and the flowers colored in Crayola watercolors.  I don't color or paint much, but I am quite happy with how this turned out.  Sharing this with:

Flowers and Vellum

At the Crop and Create Delivered back in March, Libby Hickson taught a great class on fun fold cards.  I used her her vellum layout to create this:

I used Pinkfresh Simplest Gestures stamps, dies, and stencil to create the front floral spray.  I cut it twice, and glued the second on the back, putting the vellum in the middle of the "sandwich".  I stenciled the inside with the Hero Arts Square Flower stencil.  I also adhered a green panel behind the stenciled one, making another vellum "sandwich".  I'm sharing this with the Just Us Girls Fold challenge:

Embossing Bonus!!

 Two of my favorite challenge blogs, Just Us Girls and Make the Cards, have the same challenge this week - embossing folders!!  

I used the SU Painted Texture folder on the white layer to highlight the snarky Unity image and sentiment.  

JUGS Trend Week - Make a Stencil

The Just Us Girls challenge is to make a stencil from dies.  I saw a super cute card by Cathy Zielski, and had to make some heart stencils for my own version:

I cut the Spellbinder hearts from acetate, and started inking from the outside in.  Before I inked the smallest one, I made sure the the oxide inks were completely dry.  I heat embossed SU Iridescent Ice powder on the smallest heart, and added a Taylored Expressions Simple Sentiment strip for the sentiment.  Love this!!!  I have been cutting my own stencils from dies and on my Scan and Cut.  Really expands my options!

Texture and Layers Galore!

Happy 600th challenge to Just Us Girls!  What an accomplishment!  In honor of 600, they are challenging participants to include 6 of something on their entry.  

There are 6 layers on this card, 4 textured embossing panels (isn't the cream pearl pretty with the embossing?!?), the sentiment and it's burgundy layer.  I made 3 of these with the various pieces, 1 sadly botched.  This is a fun layout to make multiples.  The JUGs word week:

Color Challenge

Just Us Girls (JUGS) has a fun pink, yellow, and green color challenge.  I recently saw a stencil that looked like a water blob, but it was sold out.  No problem - I made my own with some old drafting film and my Scan and Cut!

Here are their colors:

I used Distress Oxides Spun Sugar, Squeezed Lemonade, and Twisted Citron, and added the Ranger sentiment in Basic Grey.  I flicked on a bit of water, using a fan brush, a trick I learned from Cathy Zielski.  The shape of the brush definitely makes a difference!!

Funky Color Challenge

Just Us Girls (JUGS) has a fun color challenge this week.  

I used a Spellbinders die cut 4x into DCWV adhesive paper and an InLoveArts sentiment die.  I used every scrap and am so happy with the results!!  Here is the original JUGS inspiration:

Sunshine and Laughter

 Who couldn't use a little sunshine and laughter?

Cath Zielski inspired me to break out my Distress Inks to create not just a background, but also the cardstock used for the die cuts.  For the butterflies, I used Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade.  The background and oval were inked with Tumbled Glass and Mowed Lawn.  I added a Hero Arts sentiment.  The butterflies were too plain, so I cut out the black centers from a Cheery Lynn die, and trimmed down to fit.  

Sharing with the Just Us Girls color week challenge:

And with the Paper Craft Crew's sketch challenge:

Love is in the air...

 I don't make many Valentine cards, I prefer to make more versatile Love cards.  Most of my makes go to Send a Smile 4 Kids and Cards for Soldiers, and Love cards can be used all year long.  

The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp, and I love the open look with the plaid.  The sketch is from Laurel Beard.  Sharing with Just Us Girls Word challenge.  

Christmas in August

 The colors at the JUGS (Just Us Girls!) challenge reminded me of Christmas:

Random scraps and ancient stamps for the win!

Slim Card Trend

Decided to jump on board the slim card craze.

The middle strip is from Amy Butler.  I added smokey crystals to the center of each flower, and included a 3D flower.  The card base and layer are both a dark grey that matches the paper almost exactly.  Not sure why it looks black the the picture.  Sharing with Just Us Girls for their Trend Week challenge:

Inspired By Summer

It has been super hot here in Ohio.  Since I live in a high COVID rate area, I have't been leaving the house much.  Bright side - more craft time.  For the Inspired By Summer challenge, I broke out a fun circle die, and ran some bright rainbow papers through my Xyron.  

I made 5 of these since I liked the first one so much.  These will be perfect for Cards for Soldiers.  Here is the inspiration photo:

I am also sharing this with the JUGS Rainbow challenge.  

Learning Lessons

When I start a project, I usually have an idea of how I want it to look upon completion.  I get really frustrated when it doesn't work out, and have pretty things in my trash.  Case in point.  This didn't turn out as expected, so I threw it out.  I pulled it out this morning, and realized that it wasn't so bad, just wasn't what I intended.  And maybe that's OK.  

I started to use Molotow masking fluid to create the "Hello" mask, and then use watercolors to create a rainbow effect.  The fluid was to gummy to use.  OK, I can stamp it and heat emboss it in clear and then add color.  That didn't work either, the colors ran under the embossing.  OK, I can layer white embossing over the clear (thankfully, I hadn't removed the stamp form my MISTI and could stamp directly over the original).  Nope, it didn't cover it all.  OK, try again.  It took three layer of the off white powder to cover the color.  I posted this to remind myself that sometimes the process is just as important as the outcome., and I am sharing this with the JUGS Rainbow Challenge.  

Mixing Patterns

I’m not very confident when it comes to mixing patterns. My projects generally look like a toddler tried to dress themself. In the dark. So the challenge this week from Just Is Girls to include 2 or more different patterned papers made me break out in a sweat. But I tried anyway.

I die cut the letters from a doodlebug rainbow petite print pad, embossed the background, and heat embossed an old SU sentiment. Not sweating any more, but not sure I’m happy with the placement.

Mini Envelopes

I've had this mini envelope die for a while, but didn't know what to do with it.  Just Us Girls has the perfect challenge for me break it in!

I cut a bunch of envelopes out of different colors and patterns, but every layout I tried looked messy. 

I added a little heart to each flap, included die cuts inside, flowers, hearts, a sun, etc. and used repositionable adhesive to close each envelope.  Found the perfect sentiment in a new-to-me Carta Bella Just Be You set.  Tip Top Taupe and Mint Macaron patterned paper and ink. 

Happy Mandala

The JUGS happy color challenge is really needed this week with all of the fear and uncertainty in the world. 

I love the colors of the challenge, and softened them up a bit on my card. 

I blended Blueprint Sketch and Squeezed Lemonade in the middle to create the soft green.  Older Paper Pumpkin sentiment.  The white panel was trimmed and mounted on a black base.  It make ME happy!  Stay well and make pretty things!

Long Time, No Post

I saw the Color Throwdown image I knew I had to play along:

This is one of my favorite combinations.  I love using it for Valentine or love cards, and couldn't wait to use a new die I received for Christmas.  It also works well for the JUGS challenge this week - Put a Bow On It, even if it is a small thin one!

This morning I realized that I haven't posted in almost 6 weeks.  I wish I could say I was busy with fun parties and holiday get togethers.  Instead, I attended funerals, memorials, and life celebrations.  All very different ways to honor the deceased, and all appropriate for the individual.  Never pass by an opportunity to express love and gratitude to your loved ones.