The Card Concept: Our Redeemer Lives

 It's time for a new challenge at The Card Concept: Spring Garden. My Clean and Simple card was inspired by the spring theme, the garden of flowers and the colors. 

I meant to use the colors identified on the bottom of the inspiration. In fact, the colors are what inspired me to pull out this die.  I thought a kraft-colored cross surrounded by flowers would be gorgeous but I got it all together and I just felt it needed to be brighter. The flowers on the boots include yellow so I traded out my kraft colors for yellow and it's just the bright and cheerful look that I wanted.

I know it didn't show up well in my photos, but the sentiment is gold-embossed and says "Our Redeemer Lives". I sponged the edges of the cross with some yellow to give it a little dimension. I layered the die cut three times and then cut it again in blue, green and deep pink using the individual pieces in my die cut.  For a bit more dimension, I added three little pearl "berries".

I want to send hugs and prayers to the Card Concept team - it's been a tough few months for many. 

Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
All fear is gone
Because I know
He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives

I hope to see you playing along with us at The Card Concept.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words Faith

Dies: Simon Says Stamp Outline Floral Cross, Reverse Confetti Stitched Rays Cover Panel, Trinity Stamps Modern Embossed Rectangle Stack (the edging on the white panel)

Cardstock: Taylored Expressions Fruit Punch, Peapod and Gumball, Stampin' Up Soft Saffron (along with Soft Saffron ink brushed on the ends of the cross)

Other: Taylored Expressions Fine Gold Embossing Powder, Studio Katie Champagne pearls

Poppystamps: Flower Fields For You

I'm on the Poppystamps blog today with clean and simple "for you".  There are beautiful flower dies in the newest release at Poppystamps and there's also beautiful new paper at Memory Box. The Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad has metallic and pearl papers in lovely soft colors.  So I kept it simple and put the focus on these new products.

I cut the Flower Field Corner die and the For You Poe Script, then arranged them to fit into the square. I did trim one extra tiny little flower out of the corner die for the top left corner. I LOVE the way this turned out. I can see it in so many different colors - what about navy blue and white - or black and white - or go folksy with red and white.

Check out the shine on the mirror paper!

There are more pictures and details on the Poppystamps blog - be sure to check it out.

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Poppystamps For You Poe Script, Flower Field Corner and Flower Field Tall Curve Border, Memory Box/Open Studio Stitched Square Layers

Paper: Memory Box Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad

Other: Open Studio Pastel Jewels

Freshly Made Sketches: Hope for Ukraine

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

 

I have been wanting to create a card that speaks to the fear and suffering in Ukraine. I can't imagine there is much hope  - but yet there has to be given the fact that the people are fighting back and standing firm. With their national flower being the tall and very solid sunflower - I used it with a sentiment of hope. It feels so simplistic and even naïve on my part that this sentiment has meaning but I think all people often have to find hope in small things. A flower can make a difference. 

I found a bold sunflower by Simon Says Stamp. I back it with a postage frame as I am "sending" hope.  The paper is old paper by Stampin' Up - their Pacific Point seemed like a good match for the Ukrainian blue. The sentiment is from one of the many Verve stamp sets that will stay in my stash forever even though they are closed.

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

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Verve Stamps Hope Blooms

Dies: Simon Says Stamp Radiant Sunflower, Avery Elle Postage Stamp die

Paper: Stampin' Up Brights 6x6 dsp (an older version), Stampin' Up cardstock in Granny Apple Green and Early Espresso, Taylored Expressions Lemon Meringue

Other: Sunny Studio Blue Sapphire Jewels

Freshly Made Sketches: A Big Easter

I had a second idea for this week's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches (created by Karren).  My first card is here. I recently got this large Easter Bunny & Butterflies die by CottageCutz and it fit perfectly with the sketch.

With all of the detail in the die, I wanted the full focus on it - and that's what drew me to use this sketch!  I added a kraft background with a little bit of texture and a few very softly colored pink stripes.  Then with the die I added a few pink pearls and gave my bunny a little bow.

I love how this simple card came together. It's a charming die.  Plus it's hard to go wrong with white and kraft - and then just a hint of pink - LOVE it!

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: CottageCutz Easter Bunny & Butterflies

Other: Stampin' Up Subtle Embossing Folder, Studio Katia Rose Pink Pearls

Freshly Made Sketches: Alleluia

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

 

With all of that wonderful open space, I wanted something dramatic.  I have a number of wonderful flower builder stencils and decided to add a full meadow of flowers. This is Pinkfresh's Enchanting Meadow. 

After I got the colors layered up, I didn't love my choice of dark greens. I didn't want to start over so that led me to the sentiment. I had planned on a sentiment strip so as not to hide any of the flowers - but I ended up with the bigger "alleluia" so the green I don't like just peeks out. I think it ended up working beautifully especially with my need for Easter cards.

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.  I'm looking forward to seeing what everybody does with the open space!

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Simon Says Stamp Alleluia

Stencil: Pinkfresh Enchanting Meadows and die

Other: Stampin' Up Brick & Mortar embossing folder

The Card Concept: Spring Joy

There’s a new inspiration challenge at The Card Concept and the theme is Wearing O' the Green.  I don't think I've ever made a St. Patrick's Day card so I took some liberties with the theme.  I skipped the first holiday of the spring and moved on to Easter! My Clean and Simple card was inspired by the colors and by the pops of patterns on the pillow.

 

There's such a variety of ways to find inspiration in this photo. There's the beautiful tree - or the bike - or go full St. Patrick's and use shamrocks. I found the Floral Burst Collage die and thought it had the look of the shamrocks. Then I pulled out greens and yellows - even one in polka dots - and it was so fresh and springy.  I still wasn't sure where I was going with it so I tried a variety of sentiments.  It's always in the back of my head that Easter is about 6 weeks away and I typically send about 40 cards - so "Easter Joy" was my choice! I did it in brown based on the inspiration and then added some sparkle (you can see that better in the first picture.)

I hope to see you playing along with us at The Card Concept!

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Simon Says Stamp Floral Burst Collage, Impression Obsession Easter Joy

Addicted to CAS: Snowflake Love

The current challenge at Addicted to CAS is "snowflake".  Other than leaves, I think snowflake dies are the most out-of-control part of my stash so I definitely had to play along. I went to my not-yet-used stash and this is the first snowflake I saw. It's gorgeous and the detail in it creates such a beautiful clean and simple card.

My original plan was to add to my Christmas card stash but then I saw my mini set of snow sentiments from Papertrey Ink. I love the various fonts - and this sentiment tucked into the snowflakes so nicely.  It may still be used for Christmas but it could also be used for a winter encouragement card.

I used Stampin' Up's Balmy Blue which is one of my favorite blues (outside of the many aquas that I have).  I also have an older set of gingham papers from them - and the jewels. I am a very matchy-matchy person and it certainly helps me with my clean and simple cards to just pull out all the matching items and start creating!

Thanks to Addicted to CAS for the challenge and inspiration.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Just Sentiments: Snow

Dies: Paper Rose Snowflake Circle

Paper: Stampin' Balmy Blue and retired gingham paper

Other: Stampin' Up Blue Adhesive-Backed gems