Fusion: Rustic Flowers

The sketch and inspiration at the Fusion Card Challenge was just perfect for a new-to-me stamp set that's been sitting on the corner of my desk for way too long.  It's a dainty floral bouquet with multiple layered color options. Thanks to Fusion, I opened it up, paired it with some woodgrain and I have a sweet card!


Here's the challenge. I think you can see why I credit them for the inspiration!

There are actually three layers for the flowers but I didn't want my flowers to get any darker so I skipped the top layer. The colored layers of the leaves are split into multiple stamps so I did the leaves closer to the flower in a slightly darker color. 

I found the sentiment from a different set by the same company.  I do tend to stick with one company on a card.  It has nothing to do with the company - and everything to do with narrowing down my search for sentiments.  I can really obsess over my sentiment.  It has to say the right thing, be the right size, and match the style.  If I mentally limit myself to the same company as the image - it limits my time to obsess!  I'm only telling you this today because this is one of the times that I'm extra thrilled with the outcome - I love everything about that sentiment paired with the flowers!

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Stamps: Altenew Ditsy Print, Painted Encouragement

Dies: Altenew Ditsy Print

Cardstock: MFT Coral Crush

Patterned Paper: MME 6x6 Wood Necessities

Ink: MFT Peach Bellini, Coral Crush, Simon Says Stamp Sparrow, Cobblestone and Stone, Versamark

Misc: Gold Embossing Powder, sequins and vellum

The Paper Players: Unsupervised Child

I had a couple of sets on the corner of my desk that I just had to use - and they were absolutely perfect for the current challenge at The Paper Players: Humorous.

Here are Fluffy Friends and Binge Worthy.


I love these - that is so me.  I am not an adult when it comes to my treats.  I'd take a Hostess Ho-Ho over a gourmet brownie.  My favorite treats right now are SweeTarts Whipped & Tangy Chewy Bites (They are not easy to find so I'm guessing other adults aren't as enamored of them as I am and they will soon be a thing of the past.)  Don't even get me started on need for potato chips!!  So I feel like that "unsupervised child" - and unfortunately, my cheeks look a bit like the bunny's cheeks!!

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FYI: I used a frame from Frame in Frame 2 but I cut it down a bit.  I cut about half of it, then slid the die down to shorten it and cut the other half.

Freshly Made Sketches: Joy

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

I love the possibilities with this sketch.  I had a tough time deciding whether I want to do a pattern across that strip - or a big word.  As you can see, the big word won (but only because I picked up my mail as I was deciding this and had an order with "joy". It's an older die but new to me.)


I broke into some of my favorite Christmas paper that was retired years and years ago.  I use it sparingly but felt strongly about backing "joy" with something that made a statement. Fabulous soft colors mixed with some gray and silver.

And since I had cut into my stash of paper, I did two others - so my Christmas card stash is up to twelve.  Woo-hoo!!
I hope to see you playing along with us this week.
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Dies: Simon Says Stamp Big Joy and MaryAnne Snowflake Patterned Paper: Martha Stewart Snowflace (this is not a typo!) Cardstock: Stampin' Up Mint Macaron, My Favorite Things Gravel Gray Embossing: Stampin' Up Softly Falling Embossing Folder Other: Your Next Stamp Magical Pastel Gumdrops

Taylored Expressions: Leafy Backgrounds

I've been doing quite a bit of playing with watercolors lately. It's been a difficult medium for me to embrace because I have to let go of some control which is not my best thing! You have to be able to embrace random puddles, splatters and swooshes of color but generally I want to know where everything ends up.  Having said that, there really are fabulous uses that work even for me (and as I play more, I find that I am becoming more and more comfortable)!  I like a simple wash of color in the background.  I like painting in a heat embossed image (where the embossing holds the color in one place).  And it turns out I love creating nature scenes - because random works for that!

As I was playing around with Taylored Expressions new Liquid Watercolors, I found a way to create leafy backgrounds for those nature scenes.


I did it with a plastic sandwich bag.  If you lightly paint some color on a plastic bag, it beads up - then use the bag to smoosh the color in the area you want on a dry piece of watercolor cardstock. You get leaves!!  I did some leaves in Peapod, then I added some Lemon Meringue to another drop of Peapod to get yellower leaves and smooshed that on. Finally I loosely painted a light wash of that yellower green over the tree tops and a light wash of Chocolate Truffle mixed with some Candy Corn to get the ground. (I love that  you can mix to get the color you want!).  And of course, a watered down wash of Cookie Monster for the sky.


I pulled out some of my all-time favorite nature products from Taylored Expressions to finish up the scene.


I am really looking forward to playing around with an autumn scene using this technique!  I love that I can embrace the random look of watercolors in a controlled way!!

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Taylored Expressions Release Day: Wraps and Thanks

It's the big day! All the Taylored Expressions products you've seen through sneak peek week are now available - and I have a few more to show you. Be sure to head over to the Taylored Expressions blog for a few more peeks - and to see if you've won a prize.

I'm loving the two dies called Under Wraps.  One is a vampire and one is a ghost and they hold candy!  FYI - because of the way that that I did these cards with the new Spiderweb Stencil on a white background with white embossing paste, I didn't want a white "ghost".  So I cut him out in black because I think he could be a bat also!  A two-fer!


I stuck these on cards, although in fairness it gets very thick with the candy bar so it really won't fit in an envelope.  I'm thinking of them more as big tags.  I'll put them on top of a big bag of candy because, after all, that's definitely what my men and boys are really wanting.


The other fun thing that isn't clear on my cards - these little guys can hug the candy!  Check out how my teammate Jean Manis used them.

Finally, the type of candy is important and it's really fun to experiment because you get to eat the unused candy bars.  I had a bag of Nuggets and they fit just fine.  What they do though is fold up the wings a bit more because it's thicker in the slot.  So I went back to the store and got the size in my photos (and then we ate them too!)


The dies come with three little faces each so you can change their expressions.  The sentiments come from previously released sets (see supply list)

Here's my supply list for this card but keep scrolling down for another peek!

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Now we'll move on to a final Thanksgiving card - or really this could be anytime!  The stamp set I'm using is So Many Thanks.  It has four big scripty words - and a variety of add-ons to make phrases.  Here are three of the big words with one of the add-ons.

Here's a bit of a different angle so you can see the gold on it.  I also used the new Mosaic Leaves Stencil just along the edge using Granny Smith, Toffee and Sweet Potato Pie. 

Since I already had all the words lined up on my Misti tool, I decided to do a slightly different version.  I spread out the words a bit to leave room for these leaves and then changed to brighter colors.  

I used the leaves earlier this week too.  They come with the new Falling Leaves Cutting Plate and I like their cut out centers. I sponged a scrap of Sugar Cube with the ink colors before I cut them so it wasn't the solid look of cardstock.
I've made these focused on Thanksgiving - but it's important to note this set is year-round set.  With all of the other words, you can easily stamp "Thanks so much" or "So very blessed" and many, many more.
I should stop typing - because the store is open!!  Have fun and be sure to check to see if you've won a prize.
SUPPLY LIST WITH STENCIL
SUPPLY LIST WITH SMALL DIE CUT LEAVES

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek Day 3: Chicks and Prayers

It's the third day of sneak peeks for the August release from Taylored Expressions. Today I'm stepping away from fall for a bit (although I still made one of my non-autumn themed products into a very autumn-themed cards, can you tell I love the season?!)  Everything you see today will be available tomorrow - Thursday, August 2nd. 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 often give Taylored Expressions a big shout-out for their focus on Christian-theme products (see yesterday or the second card today) but I don't always give them enough credit for their sarcasm!!  After all, it's a worthy goal to make a card recipient smile or even laugh out loud.  The Grumplings line of products is one of my all-time favorites for sarcasm.  Now we have the Sarcasti-chicks!!


Not only is this little chick wildly sarcastic, but she also has mix and match facial expressions and a closet-full of clothes and hairstyles.  I've dressed her in the basic Sarcasti-chick's Closet but if you browse the rest of the design team you'll see she also has a Halloween closet!!


Behind her I used the new Shattered Stencil because it had that slightly crazy look that matches her attitude!  (There are five new stencils this release!)

I like this little chick.  Maybe because I can relate to the humidity problem or maybe it's because she also comes with a wine bottle and appropriate sentiments!!  Here's the supply list for this card, but keep scrolling down for a totally different style card.

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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!

On a totally different note, this release brings us the Prayers Script Backer - Mixed Media die to go with the previously released Prayers Script (which also goes with the stamp set You're in my Prayers).  The mixed media dies are thicker and can cut other materials such as the Cut & Color Me - White Chipboard.  I love this ability because I can pop sentiments without cutting tons of layers and gluing them all together.


There's no reason for the fall theme on this card because clearly prayers are part of every day of the year - but I was loving the rich colors and leaves.  The leaves are an extra included with the Falling Leaves Cutting Plate. It's a lovely cutting plate but I didn't use the whole thing here - just those extra leaves.  I really like the look of them with the open centers.


As I mentioned the backer was cut with chipboard.  I didn't want it to stay bright white, so I brushed the edges with Dijon ink. Then I used Gold Foil Cardstock for the "prayers" and Gold Fine Detail Embossing Powder for the stamped sentiment.  Definitely an autumn-themed card, but as I move back toward summer crafting, I want to do exactly this card, but maybe in pinks with flowers instead of leaves and the scalloped frame from Frame in Frame 2 - a totally different look!

Tomorrow is release day and I have a few more Halloween and Thanksgiving themed products.  Be sure to check out the TE blog and the rest of the creative team members' blogs for more inspiration.

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Freshly Made Sketches: Bloomin' Birthday

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

My mother-in-law's birthday is coming up and I saw a chance in this sketch to prepare ahead.  She loves flowers and I decided this sketch lent itself to four bright cheerful flowers!


I didn't actually plan on vases or pots.  My plan was just a big bright stamped flower in each of the squares.  As I was paging through my floral stamps, I realized these tiny little images could fit into those small squares.  I started out planning to color them, but when I decided to do something more detailed in the background with that cutting plate, I kept the images a bit simpler with white embossing.  I'm not sure the sentiment is quite right for my mother-in-law but it does fit the card!

There are so many fabulous options with those four squares.  I thought about animals peeking out.  I thought about a little girl stamp I have in one of the bottom squares with a kite in one of the uppers.  I thought about four mini frames - all different!  It's fun to have a sketch with options - and it's going to be even more fun to see what you each do with it. 

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