CAS on Friday: Applesolutely Awesome

I needed a quick card to mail to my youngest son.  My husband recently told me that on their 15 hour drive to take him to college, my husband was fiddling with the car vent scent thing that my son loves and broke it.  So I marched my husband right down to Yankee CandleCompany and had him buy a supply of Macintosh Car Scent Vent Clips.  After all, he broke it - he should replace it! 

As a cardmaker, I can't just mail them - the package had to include a card! And with the apple scented car things, what a perfect time to tell my son he is "applesolutely awesome!"

Whenever I need to do a quick card, I absolutely need a challenge to get me started and preferably a sketch challenge.  And with perfect timing, the CAS on Friday sketch worked!! 

The apples and sentiment are Everyday Doodles and Everyday Punnies by Julie Ebersole at the Ellen Hutson store.  They have been real go-to's for me especially for these quick cards. They are so cute and charming, it doesn't take much to fill the card. The images are just what they say - doodles - with solid images to fill them in. There's quite a variety in the sets to fit many occasions and all really cute.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Essentials by Ellen Everyday Doodles and Everyday Punnies

Dies: Essential by Ellen Everyday Doodles

Poppystamps: Whittle Notes

 I'm on the Poppystamps blog today with four "Whittle" 3x3 notes for our kids' lunchboxes or backpacks and one regular card for the older kids.  Full details are over there, but here's a peek.

Sometimes with small dies, it can be hard to figure out how to fill a full-size card.  I like to group and layer the dies - my Poppystamps card from last week is an example - but another way is creating these smaller format cards.  I have two sons but my "kids" are 24 and 20 and are away at college so I don't have lunchboxes or backpacks to tuck notes into. My kids still need encouragement so I used the same idea of small square, but put it onto the front of a full-size card with a strip of patterned paper.

The Whittle Fox has to be my favorite Whittle just for the expression on his face - he goes perfectly with the sentiment.  This is exactly how my kids are feeling right now.  There's a lot of unexpected adulting - "how many people in this room - do we meet COVID restrictions" and "darn - I'm quarantined for two weeks - how do I keep up with classes" or "I'm president of a club that can't meet - how do I keep the club going".  I love sending them cards and they love whatever gift card I put inside!!

The monthly challenge at Poppystamps also happens to be Cards for Kids.  It's already the end of the month - there's only 3 days left for the challenge but check it out.  There are prizes!  (You do have to use at least one Poppystamps image or die.)

SUPPLY LIST - all Poppystamps unless noted

Stamps:

Whittle Sayings (the four little notecards)

Whittle Everyday (the adult stamps)

Dies:

Whittle Birds

Whittle Wood Frames

Whittle Clouds

Whittle Mouse

Whittle Hearts

Whittle Squirrel

Whittle Oak Leaf

Whittle Deer

Whittle Trees

Whittle Sleepy Fox

Memory Box Stitched Rectangle Trimmings (these are thin rectangle frames with stitched accents - I trimmed a straight piece of it for the ground)

Paper:

Memory Box Garden Folly 6x6 pad

CtS and Inspired by: Turtley Awesome

 I have collected a large number of Poppystamps' Whittle collection, both dies and stamps.  I love them for their quirky look and punny sentiments.  They are fun for my college-aged sons because they are cute but not necessarily cutesy.  So when Inspired By challenge announced their "punny" challenge, of course I had to play along.  Then when I got the sentiment out that I wanted and started planning the card, I was helped along by the sketch CAS(E) this Sketch. It gave me a chance to do some fun stripes and give my little turtle some ground.

As soon as I added the glittery water and the gems, this card is no longer for either of my sons.  They take great offense at "bling" on their cards. If you've seen many of my cards, you know I don't use a lot of bling, but I love three little sequins/gems to highlight the sentiment.  When I try to do a masculine card for my boys without any bling at all, the sentiment just seems empty. So after I changed from plain blue cardstock to sparkly blue water, I figured I might as well throw caution to the wind and add my gems around the sentiment. 

Thank you to CAS(E) this Sketch and the Inspired By Challenge for inspiring me to get out this cute little turtle.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Poppystamps Whittle Everyday

Dies: Poppystamps Whittle Turtle, Whittle Mounds and Orchard Leaves

Freshly Made Sketches: Lift Me Up

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jacquie.

I am using a set that I've had for a number of years - so many years in fact that the person I was going to use it for has gone from a bright-eyed child to a moody tween and the set definitely no longer works.  But it was sitting in my not-yet-used stash and I needed to let it see ink!  I do watch for calls for cards (are you all in the Because Kindness Facebook group?) so I'm sure this will be used.

I haven't colored in longer than I can remember.  Nothing fancy here - I went back to the early days of my coloring - I did a little highlighting, added a bit of shadow around the outside and called it good. I had SO much fun!!  I plopped on a few sequins as sun spots so it sparkles a bit more IRL.

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.  This sketch really lets your creativity shine!

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Simon Say Stamp/Clearly Besotted Lift Me Up (a limited edition Simon Says Stamptember release from years ago - no longer available), sentiment from an old Papertrey Ink set - Everyday Button Bits
Dies: Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Borders
Paper: Honey Bee Stamps Over the Rainbow
Other: Honey Bee Stamps Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Confetti

Freshly Made Sketches: WOW

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Cécile.

I definitely used this sketch - right down to the dotted (or starred) circles!!


I spent last week driving 845 miles to take my youngest son to college. I didn't think it would be as hard as it was to drop him off. I have so many interest and hobbies that I had no doubt that I'd fill my time.  And I'm sure I will.  But it's going to be terribly quiet with just my husband and I.  My son laughed at me multiple times on the trip - stating that I'd spent 19 years trying to get rid of him and in the last week suddenly I was sad.

I am working on a stash of cards that I can send him when he needs a boost (or when I am thinking of him!)  This one is all about his school colors.


I think I'll send it fairly soon because he has totally embraced the college life (although classes just started yesterday so we'll see!)  He loves the gorgeous green campus and he knows his lacrosse teammates through months of social medial and he loves the dining hall.  He loved forming the big "A" on the football field during welcome week and he loved the open air movie.  It all fits him.

I'm happy for him.  I just wish he weren't 845 miles away.  It's a quick flight (I flew back) unless the plane is delayed 6 1/2 hours because it was struck by lightning and needed a part.  The pilot actually thought it was OK to tell us that!  My oldest son is only 90 miles away but he's already said he doesn't want to see me any more often than he already does. 

I'm done whining.  I don't have to cook dinner tonight.  I can turn on the Hallmark channel or HGTV and no one will complain.  I can play my music - loudly - and maybe even dance a little.  Then a glass  or two of wine and reading in bed.  Sounds pretty good...for awhile.

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Birch Press Design Lingo Thanks
Dies: Birch Press Design Big Lingo Type Wow, Essential by Ellen Circle of Stars
Cardstock: Taylored Expressions Blueberry, Pineapple, Gumball

Taylored Expressions: Ink Blending Ideas

With the amazing new product from Taylored Expressions - the Blender Brushes and their Storage Caddy (the brushes are waitlisted here due to the overwhelming responses) - it seemed like the perfect time to share a variety of ink blends!

I used a variety of inks and the Double Diamond Stencil and created a variety of seasonal color combinations.


I couldn't let a good blended background go to waste - so here are the cards that I created, along with more detail on the inks.

These spring-themed colors just called out for a grouping of flowers and greenery.  Then when I had that all together, it seemed like exactly the right mood for a get well card.


Then I moved on to summer. What says "summer" better than watermelon colors!


I splattered on some black for the watermelon seeds.  I adore that sentiment and that little die-cut.  


To be perfectly honest, I didn't start out with the idea of seasonal.  I started with the first blend as soft and feminine and this next blend as masculine.  But as soon as I was done with this blend, it said "winter".



 To mirror the look of the stencil, I used simple triangles for the trees to create this simple, graphic card.

These were fun!!  I really don't do it enough.  I tend toward clean and simple card, but if you look at these, they are very simple - and really quite clean even with the interest of colors fading into each other.  And they are so easy with a great tool for blending it all together!
SUPPLY LISTS


Sending Get Well Wishes

One in a Melon
Winter Joy

Freshly Made Sketches: Applesolutely!

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Amy.

I've had this fun set sitting in my must-use pile for weeks.  I love the set so I didn't care what the sketch was - I was going to make it work!


Then I made it work again!

Truth be told - in just a few months I'll have two sons in college, so I am prepping my stash of way-to-go or you-can-do-it cards.  Since there were plenty of other options in the set, while I had everything out and everything measured - I made another one. 
The sets are Everyday Punnies and Everyday Doodles by Essentials by Ellen. There are so many fun sentiments and so many cute little images - it'll work for anything.  And anything that is this cute on an exceedingly simple card stays at the top of my stash pile!
I hope to see you playing along this week!
SUPPLY LIST Stamps: Essentials by Ellen Everyday Punnies and Everyday Doodles Ink: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade and Lemon-Lime Twist Paper: My Favorite Things Black & White Stripes

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek 2: Floaties and Splashes

It's day 2 of sneak peeks for the June release from Taylored Expressions.  Today we're going to splash in the water!  Everything you see this week will be available on Thursday, June 6th. Be sure to check out each of the creative team members' blogs for all of the sneak peeks - starting with the Taylored Expressions blog.

Floaties make me happy.  I grew up in a town with a creek through it and the best summer day was to throw an inner tube in and float through the entire town - through the golf course, the fairgrounds, by the McDonalds (it was a big deal way back then!) and the grocery store.  Of course, I had a black inner tube - nothing as cute as the floaties in the new stamp set Floaties!


I took a few little pieces from another new set Build a Background - Waves.  Other creative team members are showing off the whole set today - I'll have more on Thursday.  Today it's just the little splashes and the die cut wave.  I painted some Shimmer Liquid Watercolor on the waves and dropped some Nuvo White Blizzard Glitter Drops on the splashes.


There are so many other cute images and sentiments in this set - "you're the air in my floaty", "hope your day is a splash", "thanks for keeping me afloat" and more.  And the little critters in their floaties all make me smile!!

Here's the supply list for this card.  Keep reading because I have another sneak peek and a chance to win prizes!!

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.




Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with a giveaway during each day of sneak peeks! Visit the TE blog to answer Taylor's Question of the Day for a chance to win one of the latest products before you can buy it!

Another way to add water and splashes is with the new Make a Splash Background.


I added the little dots with Nuvo Calming Aqua Crystal Drops. They are a great match to my all-time favorite blue - Confetti Cake!  The splashes are such a fresh background - I love it with these cool colors.

I paired the splashes with the previously released O-Fish-Ally Awesome and a tag from Tag Stacklets 1.  I added just a tiny bit of black to ground it all.


Today we had water with a lot of splashing!  Tomorrow will be a patriotic day.  Hope to see you back!  In the meantime, check out the rest of the creative team starting with the TE blog

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek 1: Gatefolds and Better Half

It's day 1 of sneak peeks for the June release from Taylored Expressions.  You'll see such an amazing variety including crafty friends, lots of water and splashing, and patriotism! Everything you see this week will be available on Thursday, June 6th. Be sure to check out each of the creative team members' blogs for all of the sneak peeks - starting with the Taylored Expressions blog.

I adore products that make it easy to make complicated-looking cards.  The new Gatefold Reveal die is not at the top of my favorites list!

Here's the outside.  All you have to do is cut a 5 1/2" by 8 1/2" piece of paper.  Then score both sides at 2 1/8" so that the two sides fold in.


Now check out the inside!!  This is where the dies come into play.  As you open it - the center opens up to reveal the sentiment on the inside!


The inside piece with the perfectly-sized window and the two little reveal pieces are the die set!

Now let's talk about those fun sentiments.  We all have crafty friends and this stamp set is called Hey, Crafty Friend.  The big sentiment is for the outside and then there's a wide variety of inside sentiments that work for multiple occasions for that special friend. I picked "you're the glitter to my glue" mostly so I could use glitter!  I particularly relate to another the sentiment - you enable me - but there's also birthday and encouragement sentiments too.  It's perfect for any occasion.


For the glittery circles, I used the Polka Party Stencil and coated it with Tonic Nuvo Moonstone Glitter Paste to get those wonderfully sparkly circles.  I plopped my all-time favorite bow on it for a bit more decoration.

Here's the supply list for this card.  Keep reading because I have another sneak peek and a chance to win prizes!!

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.



Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with a giveaway during each day of sneak peeks! Visit the TE blog to answer Taylor's Question of the Day for a chance to win one of the latest products before you can buy it!

Keeping the first card in mind, there's another new product to coordinate with it.  It's the Better Half Cutting Plate which are half-size card front dies (5 1/2" x 2 1/8") so they fit perfectly on both sides of the gatefold card.  However - personally, I don't buy anything if it's a single use product.  So I played around with the two halves and came up with this card.


I love how the two of them look on top of each other.  Almost an optical illusion - so fun!!  I'm not sure where the bee idea came from.  I actually started with blues and was thinking sky or water - but you'll see as the week goes along, we have a lot of new water products coming up.  I wanted a different summery look and remembered this previously released Little Bits - Bumble Bee which I've always thought is the most darling bee out there!  I found the sentiment in the One in a Buzzillion stamp set and added it to the Sentiment Stacker 1.


Today I showed you a gatefold card with a fun reveal inside and two cutting plates that you can decorate it with or use on their own.  Be sure to check out the rest of the design team for lots of other ideas for these products - starting with the Taylored Expressions blog.

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek 2: Inky Notepaper

It's day 2 of sneak peeks for the April release from Taylored Expressions and today I have inky fingers and some all purpose notepaper!  Everything you see this week will be available on Thursday, April  4th. Be sure to check out each of the creative team members' blogs for all of the sneak peeks - starting with the Taylored Expressions blog.  

This release comes with a new addition to the "inky" line of stamps - Inky Fingers - Flowers.  They are so much fun to work with!  Smoosh your finger into the ink and plop it in the center of the flower.

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This card would be fabulous to do with kids - can you imagine a grandma or auntie getting a card with the kids' fingerprints?!  As an adult making and eventually sending this card, I still wanted the texture from my finger but I want it a little more clean.  So I made three little masks - one for the circular flowers, one for the tulip shape and one for the leaves.  Then I could ink up, roll my finger across the opening in the mask and I have cute little flower.  I did use coordinating Copics to just slightly darken their smiles.


I wanted to mirror the texture in the flowers on the borders.  So I cut a piece of paper at 5 1/2" and then I just swiped little ink pads across it.  I cut it down the center long-wise and I had two coordinating borders.


The sentiments in the set will take you through many different occasions.  I picked a friendship sentiment, but there is also birthday, mother's day, love and smiles.


Here's the supply list for this card.  Keep reading because I have another sneak peek and a chance to win prizes!

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with a a giveaway during each day of sneak peeks! Visit the TE blog to answer Taylor's Question of the Day for a chance to win one of the latest products before you can buy it!

Another very versatile addition is the Notepaper Background and the Notepaper Border.  It can go so many different directions.  I think the contrast between soft flowers and a scripty sentiment on the notepaper would be fabulous.  But I am already starting to sweat a little over graduation.  My husband coaches high school lacrosse and mentors church teens.  He loves to come to me just days before graduation and ask for 20 cards.  Ugh.  So I've learned to plan ahead.  A graduation card is a traditional use of the notepaper - but I loaded on a big "congrats" and lots of stars!


All the stars come from the previously released Stroke of Genius - Stars.  Then I used a sentiment from another new set in this release - Color My World.  I used  the regular Stroke of Genius set to add a swoosh of color over the sentiment.  The Congrats is from Simply Said - Grad.  The paper clips is from Office Depot!!


I was thrilled that the die for the edge made it through two pieces of paper because I folded the card and then cut the edge.  It looks so much like sheets from a notebook!

Today we had flowers and graduation.  Tomorrow starts after that - weddings, babies and anniversaries.   Head over to the TE blog for more sneak peeks, then I hope you come back tomorrow.

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.