The challenge at AAA Cards Clean and Simple Challenges is to create a card using an inchie…..one inchie, no sentiment with a black and white option. I never really got into or completely understood “inchie” but that didn’t stop me from picking up an Inkadinkadoo inchie stamp set many years ago. I stamped the butterfly inchie in versamark ink on black cardstock and heat embossed in black. I also cut a one inch square to off set my stamped image and rounded the corners of the card base. Hmmmm….looked unfinished so in keeping with the challenge decided to work on the inside of the card. Using Butterfly on the Border die from Technique Tuesday, adding some color and stamping a sentiment from Concord & 9th’s Dahlia turnabout stamp set in versamark and white embossing powder the card seemed a little more interesting.

The first card I made was with a black base with a different inchie and heat embossed in white but opted on the white card base for the challenge. The inside black used the same Concord & 9th sentiment, a flourish die from Cheery Lynn dies and a Bonnie frame. I punched my butterfly with a EK Butterfly punch that creates different cuts of the same butterfly.

It’s a challenging recipe for the As You See It Challenge beginning with Masculine, embossing folder, die cut, twine and earth tones. I was stumped but when I saw Buddy Judy’s card I was inspired to give this challenge a try. Using inks from Kaleidacolor Autumn leaves rainbow ink pad, I inked up and cut down squares to 1-1/4″ and cut them in half for a triangle….my math did not fail me! Then I needed to use my math again and cut off 1-7/8″ from my kraft card base for my decorative triangles on the inner portion of the card. Using brown cardstock and Cuttlebug Herringbone embossing folder, adhered to the front panel. I then decided on a Spellbinder’s Labels 14 die and stamped the sentiment and party hat from Gina K Designs’ Dino-Mite stamp set.

Almost forgot the twine….I ran a line of glue to the edge of my triangle design and stuck my twine down. 🙂 I do believe that is everything: masculine, herringbone embossing folder, labels 14 die cut, autumn inks!

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A birthday card for a friend’s mom who’s turning 95 this month and playing along with the ModSquad Challenge hosted by Judy with a butterfly theme. The sponsor is Gina K Designs so I pulled out my Birthday Blessings stamp set since I wanted a die for my butterfly. I created a partial rainbow background using GKD inks and then stamped my butterflies from the stamp set. The green butterfly was stamped in versamark ink and sprinkled pinches of different color embossing powders to heat set. The top butterfly I stamped in black ink and sponged on the same inks as the background. It’s popped up on another rainbow butterfly that was stamped in clear embossing powder but it didn’t really work out like I hoped so it stayed hidden. Added a little bit of bling for it’s tail winds. This is a mini slimline card. 3-1/2″ x 6″ and the envelope was made using patterned paper and following Jenny Card Designs’ envelope directions.

Looking forward for warmer weather this week. We still have patches of snow in our yard. I would like to put the snow shovel away for the season but know it’s way to early to do that.

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The Two Old Bats Halloween Challenges have begun again in March with an Anything Halloween Goes challenge. They did provide a really fun mood board:

As I am normally drawn to anything witchy and love those legs I decided upon an older red rubber wood mounted Great Impressions stamp. My patterned paper is from my stash and made me think of bubbles. Colored in my cauldron with pencils and a combination of markers for the legs and shoes. I could not resist giving Ms. Witch some red sparkly shoes. My sketch is a Lisa Curcio sketch that I found a while ago and decided to give it a whirl. Sorry I did not save the link but the panels are 1″x4-1/4″ and 1″x3″ with center 1-7/8″ x 3-1/8″ The dimensions worked out well.

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When is a challenge a real challenge? When it requires a clean and simple card design and watercolor. The easiest part should have been the sketch but oh my what a challenge this has been. Following along with the sketch for AAA Cards

provided had me thinking what’s next??? I found a Gina K Designs Brancing Out stamp set (that I believe had a misspelling of the word Branching) that was illustrated by Melanie Muenchinger should have been my first clue that I had trouble ahead. I stamped the image with the branches in VersaFine Clair nocturne ink and heat embossed in clear embossing powder. I chose 4 Gina K Design colors and smooched them on my surface using a water brush started “painting”. The ink colors used were Dusty Rose, Faded Brick, Sweet Mango and Wild Dandelion my portion of the rainbow. Since this is a clean and simple card challenge as well as sketch with watercolor option, I did my best from adding any extra layers by die cutting the image with Waffle Flowers A2 Lacy Layers Die and the Hugs dies from Poppystamps Hugs Heart die.

This was a third attempt to create this card. The first one was put off and on so many card bases that it has extra extra layers for dimension. The second one I tried using text vellum paper and when I taped it to the card base it crinkled…in the trash so since it’s the beginning of spring training and baseball season I didn’t want to be three strikes and you are out so I will be using this card for the AAA Cards Game #184 Sketch challenge + watercolor option.

WOW! February 28th today! Let those March winds blow and bring us some spring weather.

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I received a card using The Stamps of Life Cookie Dog Fold It Die Set which totally enabled me to purchase this fold it die set. Since I received the dies, I have collected a litter of puppies and have had so much fun creating these cards. I previously created a rainbow of Distress Oxide inks that to me turned out beautifully and I was saving it for a special project. This rainbow cookie dog fold it was my….gulp….go for it special project and I cut up that blended rainbow to make this card. I remember my kids having pound puppies and fluffy puppy stuffed animals so I used those cute little things as more inspiration.

I’ll be joining the Just Us Girls Challenge: #572 Color Week – Rainbow Colors.

Just in case you are interested, here are the rest of the cookie dogs in Rainbow’s litter:

They are all up for adoption to good, loving homes. The front left pup has a wobbler head…LOL.

So much fun!!

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Playing along with The Paper Players Clean and Simple Challenge: PP529 with an extra theme Feline Fine (Use a cat, tiger or any feline on your project). I searched through my different cat stamps and this older Inkadinkadoo clear stamp set caught my eye. This cat has a typical pose sleeping away the day and only to run through the house at night. The sentiment is from the same stamp set. To add a little extra but still keeping it Clean and Simple, I used the Hero Arts/Pinkfresh Studios collaboration “You Make a Difference” stamp set that I picked up at my local Joann’s. Stamped part of this frame on my card in GKD honey mustard ink and lightly painted a little Distress Oxide ink onto the leaves and flowers.

I’m not even going to mention that 4 letter word that starts with “S” but yes adding more inches tomorrow.

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Today I received a card from a dear friend with a lovely poem reminding me of the joys of each month. So I’m putting the snow (5 more inches today) behind me and enjoying all that each month can bring. As I enjoy sending cards to my grandchildren and my friends’ grands, this was a good time to start a new supply of them.

My card today was created using the design that I found on the Simply Simple Stamping Blog. Using some Recollections cardstock in their 110 lb weight, Spellbinder’s oval and scallop nestabilities and a Sizzix framelits w/ stamps set, I created my card. Adding some glitter hearts punched with my Martha Stewart and Fiskars punches this will fit the requirements for the Double D Challenge.

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Playing along with The Paper Players Color Challenge PP528

and The Sisterhood of Crafters: Smile challenges. I incorporated both challenges into my card. For the color challenge at The Paper Players, I used some gifted GKD cardstock (thanks, Diana) in red and white die cutting the smile letters using Concord & 9th’s Double cut Alphabet dies, adding some gold embossed Hero Arts Smile stamp and cut set on black cardstock. The challenge at The Sisterhood of Crafters was either using the word Smile and/or a Sun on your card.

Happy Fastnacht Day! Happy Mardi Gras!!

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