An attempt at a challenging challenge of a clean and simple card consisting of a one inch strip with the optional twist of small stamps. Oh boy, I may be totally challenged but determined to play along with the AAA Cards group. I did find an older Stampin Up stamp set “A Little Bit of Happiness” which should I admit that it may never have been inked until now!! The stamp I chose was my favorite of the set because it not only has butterflies but dragonflies too! After stamping with versamark ink, I heat set with SSS white embossing powder then colored with Arteza markers. Well not really coloring just swiping the marker and attempting to blend the color edges.

I decided to add a little bling and I think my teardrop gems are upside down so now they can be called raindrops. Can I blame the upside down gems on pollen which have eyes itchy and red?

Thanks for stopping in for a peek.

It’s been awhile since I last posted but I have been working continuously on prepping cards for the “Making Cards for Troops” organization. May 8th my girlfriends for life and I will be getting together to assemble these cards. The group has requested all occasion cards but no holiday cards except Christmas so I’ve been working to cover a variety of cards. I believe I am up to 24 packs of 5 cards…..one original in each and 4 to make.

I was totally inspired by Bonnie’s card with the dragonfly about a month ago so this is my version of Bonnie’s gorgeous card. Of course my card is not as complex as Bonnie’s but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. I decided on warm tones in kraft, ivory and brown. I need a nice gray not green gray but gray gray ink!

The stencil is TCW Sunflower Meadow designed by Carmen Medlin that I found at SSS. I inked that with GKD Kraft ink. My frame was made using two Waffle Flower A2 Lacy Layers Dies and a template that Lisa B had sent to me. Thank you Lisa. I use it often. Instead of the dragonfly, I decided on this soaring bird from GKD’s Springtime Silhouette StampTV kit and stamped in and the sentiment that I found on my desk in Vintage Photo Distress Ink. My cardstock was all Recollections from my Michael’s store. They have a nice variety of heavy weight cardstock in shades of four colors. Unfortunately, their layering weight is only 65 lb and not the matchy/matchy with the heavy weight cardstock.

I have to make one more of these for my sample as I decided to give this one to Will for his birthday on May 2nd. Thanks for inspiring me Bonnie and the rest of our Stamp Buddies. Next I’ll be case-ing Lisa B as I have the die cut from her Pantone color challenge card on it’s way to me, too.

The challenge for the AAA Cards is Two Quarters + optional twist Rainbow!!! Hmm! So I made some templated by folding a sheet of copy paper 5-1/2 x 4-1/4 into quarters four different ways. My single card has the two quarters in the middle of the card front. Using SSS Mix & Match circles stencil and Distress Oxide Inks, I completed my rainbow then stamped dragonflies from GKD’s Dreams Take Flight and the sentiment from Verve Stamps Thoughtful Florals.

I had fun creating this one and decided to keep going with my two quarters.

Same Stencil and Tim Holtz Alterations Sizzix Chat Cats stamp set and die and the two quarters are really on the corners of the card.

For this card the two quarters are in the middle and I opted for light blue cardstock. I think I should have stuck with white cardstock. Same stencil and rainbow inks and added SSS word die cut multiple times.

And my final two quarters are on the two edges and also on light blue cardstock with a GKD Massive Messages sentiment. I did add some GKD crystalline drops to my three cards not entered in the challenge. I’m trying to get into the habit that if I make one card to make at least a second or possible four of the same design for Mailing Cards for Troops organization.

Thanks for stopping in and taking a peek. Off to watch some baseball and our Phillies.

My adrenaline was flowing last night watching my Phillies with a come from behind win over the dreaded Mets so I decided it was a perfect time to play along with the As You See It Challenge #247 Blossoms theme Speed Challenge. You have 10 minutes to complete your card project on this challenge. So, taking a deep breath and gathering the cardstock, patterned paper, stamps, ink, markers and paper cutter, I was ready to begin. My blossoms and sentiment from GKD’s Whimsical Spring stamp set were both stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturine black ink on a piece of Recollections Sea & Sky patterned paper pad then colored with some SU and Memento markers. I added a few GKD Crystalline drops and Liquid Pearls in Buttercup adhered all the layers and DONE! Seven Minutes Flat. This came together so easily that I made a second one. Of course, it did take longer thank 10 minutes for the crystalline drops and liquid pearls to dry. Another fun challenge from AYSI.

Thanks for stopping in today and taking a peek.

The April challenge with the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge is Anything Halloween. Using their Inspiration Mood Board, I was focused on using greens and well that cupcake too. I die cut a circle from Spellbinders Classic circle dies and used some removable tape to adhere the circle to my card layer so I could sponge a variety of TH Distress Oxide Inks , then switched the circle with the outer mask to lightly sponge the inner circle and flicked the sponged background with some water. My cupcake was the largest one I could find in my stash comes from TPC Studio Cupcakes stamp set, my witch hat is Recollections Halloween clear stamp set which was stamped in black, clear heat embossed and fussy cut. The sentiment is SSS Halloween sentiment strips and added two green googly eyes to complete my card for this challenge.

With all that green, my first thought was frankenstein (my favorite and misunderstood monster), maybe another card for the challenge.

Thanks for stopping in for a peek.

Stay safe and enjoy your day.

Dies R Us Challenge DRU Challenge#166

A cousin birthday card and two challenges today. The Mix It Up Challenge Blog #48 is an Anything Goes + No Stamping challenge and the Dies R Us Challenge #166 Anything Goes + using any brand of die sold in the store.

I decided to go with a Hero Arts Flower Garden Fancy Die and Sizzix Happy Birthday To You Die (Sizzix is sold in DRU). After cutting the flower garden die, I colored it in the a variety of markers and decided on the larger word die to cover up the dark green leaves in the center. Hard to see but I also lightly sponged SSS Square Dance Stencil on the layering cardstock. The word die was cut in green and blue because I couldn’t decide which color I liked better so I stacked them and ended up with the blue.

I kind of like how this one turned out.

Thanks for stopping in and Stay Safe everyone.

Happy Easter!

Trying to get this card in under the deadline of the challenge for Double D Challenges: Skies. My card uses the Hero Arts City Heroscapes stamp set. I tried Yana Smakula’s sky technique for my sky background. I then discovered some lighting strikes on my card that some 8 year old’s inky fingers made with an ink pad. I thought she was only swiping the pad on scrap paper, I guess not. Oh well! No harm no foul in Gigi’s stamp space.

Here is the gorgeous mood board for the challenge:

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter.

Stay Safe and thanks for stopping in for a peek.

AAA Cards: Game #186

The Card Concept #151

Using one of my favorite dies today to create a CAS card for two different challenges. The challenge at AAA Cards game #186 Along the Edge + Optional Twist of Die Cuts Only. In my effort to keep this a CAS card. I cut the SSS Script Hello die from my cardstock then cut the Technique Tuesday Butterfly On the Border die. I tried cutting the butterfly first and then did not have room for the hello die so that word die went onto another card.

The Card Concept #151 Butterfly Brilliance has a beautiful inspiration photo that I focused on the little bit of teal on the butterfly’s wings as my inspiration. My style is a clean and simple card today for their challenge keeping card to minimal layers which is the other reason that I inlaid the word die.

I do believe that my inset piece for the “o” is a little out of place but I won’t attempt to move it.

Thanks for stopping by for a peek. It’s a rainy day today but I’ll enjoy spending most of my day putting finishing touches on my Easter cards.

The Sisterhood of Crafters – Easel Cards

My last St. Patrick’s Day card for 2020 and I was inspired by the challenges at The Sisterhood of Crafters’ theme of Easel Cards and the Just Add Ink color Challenge of Shades of Green.

Layered my green base card and panels with different shades of green patterned papers, die cut a shamrock and flourish, stamped, colored and fussy cut my Irish gnome from CC Designs Mythical Cuties and sentiment from Colorado Craft Company. I decided on a double easel card that is going out in tomorrow’s mail.

Thanks for stopping in for a peek.