The Paper Players: Joy

I posted my first Christmas card of the year yesterday - and I already have #2!!  I started the tag for this card last weekend for a "joy" Christmas challenge but I just couldn't figure out what to do with it so I put it outside.  That challenge closed, but in the meantime, I saw The Paper Players sketch for this week and it solved all of my problems!


Because I started with a "joy" challenge, I went through my "joy" dies and felt like using this one by Reverse Confetti.  Then I saw the Reverse Confetti wreath in my not-yet-used stash and from there I just kept pulling out Reverse Confetti Christmas dies.  I really do love layering dies!!

Here's the sketch - thank you to The Paper Players!!

SUPPLY LIST
Dies (all Reverse Confetti): Topped Off Tags, Holly, Winter Words, Hang Ups, Let It Snow, Wreaths
Paper: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, Taylored Expressions Granny Smith, Cilantro and Confetti Cake
Other: Simon Says Stamp Frosted Sequins, Taylored Expressions Corrugated and Lots of Dots Embossing Folders, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (snowflakes)

CtS and Xmas Kickstart: Peace Poinsettia

I have a number of corner dies in my not-yet-used stash so the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch caught my eye. Then I was inspired by the red challenge at Christmas Kickstart, particularly since one of the dies included poinsettias!  With the inspiration of these two challenges, here's what I came up with!


The first Christmas card of the year is done!!  And so quick and easy!  The corner die is from a trio of dies - Tim Holtz Mixed Media Christmas.  I used another Tim Holtz die for the sentiment. Then it still needed something so I checked out my poinsettia dies and found one with the same general look. 
Thank you to these challenges for the inspiration and the "kickstart"!!

SUPPLIES

Dies: Tim Holtz Mixed Media Christmas and Block Holiday Words, Memory Box Small Blooming Poinsettia

Paper: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade

Other: Little Things Glossy Berry Mixed Pearls

Freshly Made Sketches: Scribble Posies

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jen Brum and here’s what I did with it!

I had just ordered these scribble dies with a leaf that was big enough for the banner.  And I had the big sentiment in my not-yet-used stash.  It was meant to be!!  I did struggle a bit with the flower center.  Sometimes it amuses me what part of a card gives me trouble - and how long I can obsess over it.  There's actually a scribble die to go on the center too - so I tried the same coral colors, then I reversed them, I tried black and white, then just black and just white, I tried brown, I tried brown with dots of sparkle - my desk was littered with flower centers and the scribble part.  I waste so much paper because I cannot visualize; I have to see it.  At this point, I can't remember where the idea for copper came from.  Even with that, after I had it there, I walked away from my desk for awhile but glanced every time I walked by and it seemed good.  I'm actually liking it better as I'm looking at the picture.

I hope to see you playing along this week and if you have any flower centers, may you obsess less than I did!

SUPPLY LIST
Dies: Memory Box Scribble Leafy Branch Outline, Scribble Posies Background and Scribble Posies Outline, Hello Bluebird Happy Birthday Words
Paper: My Favorite Things Coral Crush and Peach Bellini, Taylored Expressions Cilantro, Stampin' Up Pear Pizzazz and their older coordinating dsp, Copper
Sequins: Neat & Tangled Copper Penny

Freshly Made Sketches: Forever Young

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by me.  Here’s what I did with it!

I usually make a card before I put together the sketch for the rest of the team.  I just want to make sure that the sketch works and I can do something with it. I didn't do that this time but I did flip through my not-yet-used stash and came up with this half circle die - and the sketch was born!

These dies are from Pinkfresh Studio. There are four arched dies with different scenes that fit into a tag.  Obviously I didn't use the tag, but the dies are an easy way to make a fun shaker!

I hope to see you play along!

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Mama Elephant Birthday Messages
Dies: Pinkfresh Studio Teardrop Tag with Fillable Elements, Taylored Expressions Mini Simple Strips die, MFT Blueprints 24 and 24 (the edges)
Paper: Sunny Studio Dots & Stripes Pastels (the polka dots and stripes), Doodlebug Design Dot-Grid-Daisy-Stripe Rainbow Petite Prints (the flowers), Stampin' Up Granny Apple Green, Papertrey Ink Bright Buttercup
Other: Webster's Pages Party Time sequins

Happy Valentine's Day: Memory Box Hearts x 3

Happy Valentine's Day!  I have one last Valentine this year.


I adore this Butterfly Heart Frame by Memory Box.  I love products that can be used for multiple situations.  I had so much fun with those little butterflies on my Valentine, I kept going and added to my card stash.
Here's birthday (on the next two cards the sentiments are also by Memory Box - Big and Little Words.)

And then an entirely direction ...sympathy. 

Memory Box is having a "heart" challenge right now which seemed like a very good excuse to buy this die that I had had on my wishlist.  You probably know how it is - the not-yet-used stash becomes too big and it's hard to justify buying more until you get that sign that it's meant-to-be!!  Sadly for my bank account, a simple challenge can do that for me.  See yesterday for exactly the same story with animal dies!!

Hmmm...I'm thinking I need an Easter card before I put this die away!

CAS(E) this Sketch: Hang In There

Yesterday morning, I wanted to make a quick card of encouragement for my youngest son. I went to a great source of inspiration - the sketches at CAS(E) this Sketch - and  realized the sketch would be a fun way to use some new stamps and dies that I recently added to my stash.


The new stamps and dies are the Poppy Stamps Busy Squirrel Trio and their Whittle Everyday sentiment set (plus I got a number of other Whittle animals to go with many of the stamps in the set!)  I knew I would be using the squirrel for my youngest son.  He's in his freshman year at a college multiple states away and even with all the big new experiences he's having - somehow he was quite thrilled with the squirrels there - "Mom...the squirrels are black!"  I think my "hanging" squirrel is actually just climbing a tree, but I thought if I put him off-kilter, he would definitely look like he needed to hang in there!

 (Poppy Stamps also has a Birch Stitched Frame die which is perfect for the squirrels and was in and out of my cart a number of times - but I looked at the sheer volume of tree dies in my stash and just couldn't justify it.)

Here is my inspiration!

I also want to credit the challenge at Poppy Stamps - Animal Menagerie.  Three squirrels may not be a menagerie, but if you saw all the other Whittle animal dies on my desk right now, you'll see I purchased the full menagerie!!

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Poppy Stamps Whittle Everyday
Dies: Poppy Stamps Busy Busy Squirrel Trio, Taylored Expressions Birch Tree Border, The Greetery Sentiment Suite Basics die, Lil Inkers Stitched Woodgrain
Paper: Avery Elle Spring Collection

Freshly Made Sketches: So Happy For You

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Linda and here’s what I did with it!

I was looking through my stash for inspiration and ran across a set of dies that I've had for years and years and I don't remember ever using them.  I was thrilled to see that one of them was perfectly sized for a tall rectangle!! From there I just needed a fun paper (also old!) and a few sparkles.  Although I've said it a thousand times before, this story is exactly why I love sketches. This was a 10-minute card because I had a starting point with the sketch!

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

SUPPLY LIST
Dies: Little B Sentiments, Stampin' Up Rectangle Stitched Sentiments
Paper: Bo Bunny Baby Bump
Other: YNS Gumdrops Sugar Rush

AAA Cards: Love from Mom and Dad

Masculine cards are never easy - but I think it's worse for Valentine's day. Especially for college-aged sons when anything too lovey-dovey would be embarrassing for them.  I picked up a recent release from Waffle Flower - the Outline Love Combo which includes the Outline Love stamps, Outline Love die and the Outline Love Word die.  I loved their graphic look plus there's a "from mom and dad" stamp!


There are dozens of fabulous ideas out there for this set.  I loved Channin's use of the dies where she didn't use the fill-in pieces so I started with that look.

Obviously I didn't do the fabulous tie-dye background that Channin did.  I was inspired by the current challenge at AAA Cards: Up to One Third + optional twist Hearts.  I only have one little heart on this card - but it carries lots of love!!

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Waffle Flower Outline Love
Dies: Waffle Flower Outline Love Word die
Paper: Echo Park Note to Self 6x6

Freshly Made Sketches: Hello

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jen Mitchell and here’s what I did with it!

I think this bee is the most fabulously detailed bee that I've ever seen.  He's even daintier than he looks on this card because I added some sparkle on this wings (you might have to click on it to see it). I like the sparkle but it did darken the detail on his dainty wings.

I just got my new Stampin' Up order so be prepared to see more! It's been funny over the years because my Stampin' Up demonstrator and I would meet in my church parking lot when she had my order.  She'd hand a bag out her car window and I'd hand her an envelope of money.  One time her husband was along and commented that it was a darn good thing we were in a church parking lot because it all looked really shady.  Recently we have both moved so this time we met in a grocery store parking lot.  We were quite careful this past weekend (after dark) to get out of our cars, showing off our old lady selves in our comfy sweats and chat for awhile before making the exchange!!

Hope to see you playing along with us this week!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up Honey Bee

Dies: Stampin' Up Detailed Bee, Stitched Shapes

Paper: Stampin' Up Golden Honey

Ink: Stampin' Up Mango Melody

Other: Stampin' Up gems colored with Copics

Birthday Wishes with a Big Bow

My 2020 goal is to use new-to-me products before they get tucked away.  Probably not a viable goal - but I can dream!! Although I've actually slowed down on purchases.  I'm tired of figuring out where to stash things - or not being able to find things when I need them.  This from someone who considers herself highly organized which tells you a lot about the size of my stash!
I'd wanted the Simon Says Birthday Wishes Circle for quick shaker cards and I recently justified purchasing it for birthdays for my two tween/teen nieces.  The bow comes from The Greetery.  I ordered their newest Sentiment Suite (which I had to order right away because it's Love and Valentines) and somehow I always feel bad just ordering one thing so I tucked in their Fit to be Tied bows!

I found some some cheerful birthday balloons, then got absolutely giddy when I realized I had pearlies that matched almost exactly which I think is the perfect reason for a large stash of products! (I'm just full of justifications today, aren't I??)

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Simon Says Birthday Wishes Circle, The Greetery Fit to be Tied, My Favorite Things Blueprints 13

Paper: Bo Bunny Baby Bump, Stampin' Up Petal Pink and Grapefruit Grove

Other: Queen & Co. Toppings - Pearlies Bright