House of Cards July Challenge: Food and/or Inspiration Photo

Greetings my friends!

I have some exciting news to share!  I applied to be on the House of Cards design team again, and was lucky enough to be chosen to return.  I'm super excited!  I am hoping this will help me use up some of the crafty stuff I've been hoarding.  Lord knows I've got a TON of stuff. lol

This month there is an inspiration photo for you.  You can choose to use any kind of food items and/or the colors from the photo.  Here is your inspiration for July.

I love these bright, cheerful colors, and that fruit looks amazing too!  Makes me want to go make fruit salad right now. lol  Here is the card I created.

I was inspired by the colors this week, and I chose to keep it clean and simple.  I watercolored my main focal panel with my distress inks, and added some darker splatters with my Gelatos.  I then cut the butterfly out of vellum, and embossed the tips of the wings with some holographic embossing powder.  Here is a close up of the butterfly, so you can see it better.  I love how it turned out.  It's lovely!

I added the butterfly, some enamel dots, and the sentiment, and called it done.  In real life, the colors are a bit more vibrant.  I really think these butterfly dies are some of my new favorite items.  I will definitely put them to good use.  I'm going to submit this card for the following challenges too.

Freshly Made Sketches #192: Sketch (challenge is closed, but I liked the sketch)
Friday Mashup #215: It's All About 3 (I have three enamel dots)
Can You Case It #76:  Color Challenge (I got as close as I could to Mint Macaron, Watermelon Wonder & Delightful Dijon)
The Pink Elephant #305: Anything Goes
CASology Week 153:  Pop (I kept everything soft, with a pop of bold color)

The other designers have created some amazing cards for you today.  I hope you are able to check them out, and are inspired to join us this month.  You have until July 31st to play along, and I cannot wait to see what you create.  That's all for me today.  I'm off to work, and then another afternoon of softball.

Stay crafty my friends!

What's In It?
Paper:  SU! Very Vanilla Cardstock, SU! Watercolor Paper, Neenah Red Textured Cardstock, Vellum
Stamps:  Paper Smooches Graceful Beauties, MFT Garden Flourish Background
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black Dye Ink, Simon Says Stamp Fog Dye Ink, VersaMark, Mango Mango & Metallic Melon Gelatos, Distress Ink: Spun Sugar, Scattered Straw & Cracked Pistachio
Accessories:  MFT Flutter of Butterflies Lace Dies, Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Rectangles Dies, Freckled Fawn Enamel Dots

Monochromatic Birthday

Hiya!

It was another freezing weekend here in NW Iowa, so I was excited that I didn't have any plans or errands to run outdoors.  Instead, I got to spend the weekend in my craft room, making stuff.  Here is the first card I have to share with you.

I absolutely love this card, although this is attempt #4.  I couldn't get the idea in my head, to cooperate with my hands. lol  Finally, I masked the oval and the butterflies in the center, for an easy (almost) one layer card, added some twine and flowers and was done with it.  It's my attempt to get more comfortable, and better, at the CAS type of cards.  I hope the recipient of this card likes it.  I am excited to combine the following challenges in my card.

Seize The Birthday: Birthday w/optional toppings of hearts and/or arrows (there are hearts on my butterfly wings)
Addicted To CAS #57: Mask
Papertake Weekly: Bingo - I chose blooms, free spot & ribbon (I used twine)
CASology #134: Monochrome
CAS(E) This Sketch #111: Sketch
Show CASe Your Style #9: Birthday

I'll be back soon with another something crafty.  I hope you have a wonderful week!

Hugs!

What's In It?
Paper: Neenah Solar White Cardstock
Stamps: Clearly Besotted Elegant Butterflies & Clearly Besotted Sweet Little Sentiments
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black Dye Ink, Studio Calico Blush Crush Dye Ink, Ranger Spun Sugar Distress Ink, Copics: R46, R59, RV52 & RV55
Accessories: Spellbinders Large Smooth Oval Dies, May Arts Pink Twine, I Am Roses Paper Flowers

With Sympathy

Hello friends,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  We had an amazing time this year.  R and Hulk surprised me by coming up the week before Christmas, and will be staying until after the New Year.  R never really confirmed he was coming, since he swore he would NEVER visit Iowa in the winter. lol I would have been a bit disappointed, but I would have understood.  The drive from Dallas to where we are is over 14 hours, and the weather in KS is usually quite scary around the end of the year.  He spoils me!  Although I'm sure he was not happy about the drive, he made my Christmas, and I am thankful that they made it safely.  I have been blessed beyond belief this year, and was glad that I was able provide an awesome Christmas for my family.  And even though the gifts aren't what we celebrate, it was cool to see their faces.

Unfortunately, one of my dear crafty friends lost her mother on the 23rd of December.  Her mother was a very strong woman, and won several bouts of cancer, before succumbing to it.  My heart breaks for my friend.  I know she was very close to her mother, and I can't even imagine how she must feel.  I cannot imagine  life without my mother, and am getting teary eyed just thinking about it.  We will keep my friend and her family in our prayers, and I will be here for her, in any way that I can be.

Here is the card I made for her.

 

My friend is a huge fan of the CAS style of cards, so I tried to make something that she would really love.  In this time of grief, I am hoping to send her a smile, even if it's only for a brief moment.  You can't tell in this photo, but the sentiment is embossed in silver.  I love the simple, yet gorgeous effect of embossing these days.  I was happy to find the following challenges, to help me pull my card together.

The Friday Mashup #190: Sketch w/Theme (my loose interpretation)

CASology #127: Light (I created a "sun" with my distress inks)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

showCASe your style #5: Die Cut (I used my new SSS Stitched Circle dies)

I'm off to have some brunch (R is cooking), with everyone, and spend time with them.  I am hoping that once things calm down a bit, I will get some crafty time this evening.

Have a great Saturday!

What's In It?

Paper: SU Whisper White Cardstock

Stamps: Clearly Besotted Sweet Little Sentiments

Ink: VersaMark, Squeezed Lemonade & Mustard Seed Distress Inks

Accessories: Silver Embossing Powder, Simon Says Stamp Stitched Circles, Pretty Pink Posh Amethyst Sequins

R

Hi ya'll!

For some reason this didn't go live at 7am, like I scheduled it.  I guess Blogger wasn't in the mood to cooperate with me today. lol  I am excited as today is my Friday, and we get Monday off for the holiday.  That's a whole 4 days that I get to sleep in.  I'm also super excited because R and Hulk will be here tomorrow.  I cannot wait to see them.  I have to be honest, even though I'm independent and strong willed, this long distance thing is hard.  I miss him more and more each day.  I'm thankful that we do get to see each other about every other month though.  And fortunately, my daughter keeps me busy.  I am also happy to be creating regularly again.  That's another fantastic distraction.

So here is the next card I have to share with you.

I'm not sure I (personally) could get any more CAS.  Look at all of that crisp, clean, white space.  It was very difficult not to add more stuff to this.  I had to walk away and put my supplies up, before that happened. lol  I know exactly who will be receiving this card, very soon.  I hope they like it as much as I do. :-) 

I'm happy to participate in the following challenges.

The Card Concept #17: Photo Inspiration (Be Inspired)
The Pink Elephant #265: Anything Goes
CASology Week #110: Letter (I chose a monogram as my interpretation)
Pals Paper Arts #217: Sketch

I don't think I'll have much to post over the next few days.  I do hope everyone has a safe, and happy holiday weekend.

Stay crafty my friends!

What's In It?
Paper: SU Whisper White cardstock, Bazzil Yellow textured cardstock, SSSCK (August 2014) Yellow Floral patterned paper
Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Sketched Alphabet
Ink: Simon Says Stamp Smoke dye ink
Accessories: Clearly Besotted Small Geometric Rose die, Maya Road Natural Twine