Patriotic Wreath

 

I am playing along with two challenges. The sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and my inspiration was from the patriotic colors and wreath for The Card Concept challenge. This is a clean and layered style which is my go to comfort zone. I started with patterned paper for the background. My "grapevine wreath" is actually a bird's nest die set from PTI's Into the Blooms: Spring Nest set. I cut it from kraft paper then blended some Dark Chocolate ink along the edges and added splatters.    

The florals were all cut from white paper then color blended with a variety of dye inks. The sentiment was popped up with foam tape. STAMPS: Perfect Pairs Essentials (Papertrey Ink).

INK: Pure Poppy, Bright Buttercup, Blueberry Sky, Enchanted Evening, Dark Indigo, Limeade Ice, Simply Chartreuse (PTI).

PAPER: Stars & Stripes 6x6 pad (My Favorite Things); Stamper's Select White, Classic Kraft (PTI).

DIES: Into the Blooms: Wreath and Into the Blooms: Spring Nest (PTI); Sentiment Suite Basics (The Greetery).

Thanks for stopping by and commenting!  ~Wanda

 

 

Garden Bench

 

I seldom use this stamp set (February 2024 Surprise Box) from Papertrey Ink since it has a gazillion tiny dies to assemble. But...when I saw those spring boots in the inspiration photo for The Card Concept challenge, I knew it was the perfect choice! I used the colors as well as the florals and garden boots as inspiration. I'm also using Michele Ferguson's layout for the new Freshly Made Sketches challenge. I tweaked the placement of the sentiment for better balance on my card.

I die cut all the parts from white paper then stamped all the images. This was the time-consuming step for sure. 

STAMPS: Feb. 2024 Surprise Box (Papertrey Ink); Blooming Tulips (Creative Worship Stamps) for the sentiment.

INK: Versafine Clair Nocturne; Turquoise, Key Lime, Olive, Sunshine, Marigold, Clementine, Soft Lilac, Candy Violet, Bubble Gum (Pink Fresh Studio); Fine Linen, Classic Kraft, Canyon Clay, Terracotta Tile, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink). 

PAPER: Stamper's Select White, Harvest Gold (Papertrey Ink).

DIES: Love to Layer: Rectangles, Love to Layer: Arches, Feb. 2024 Surprise Box (PTI). 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!  ~Wanda 

The Card Concept Challenge

The Card Concept Challenge has a fabulous mood board for inspiration! I used the colors (all but one) and also was inspired to go with a birthday theme as this fun party table suggests. Concord & 9th has a very unique triple stamp happy day set with coordinating dies. It has endless possibilities for combining elements and I always love to add some patterned stamping to the letters and to add some dimension by popping up a few with foam tape.

STAMPS: Triple-Step Happy Day (Concord & 9th).

INK: Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Squeezed Lemonade distress oxide inks by Ranger; Veramark.

PAPER: Lemon Tart, Stamper's Select White (Papertrey Ink); Gold Metallic (Lawn Fawn); Vellum.

DIES: Triple-Step Happy Day (Concord & 9th); Blueprints 27 (My Favorite Things).

OTHER: Queen's Gold embossing powder (Ranger).

 

It's a cloudy morning in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and it's calling for much needed rain. Looks like a good day to hunker down in my craft room!   ~Wanda

 

 

Cake Pops

 

Another birthday card completed...this time for the Inspired By challenge and The Card Concept challenge where I primarily went with the inspirational colors. I would say my style is clean layers for TCC #206.

It was a no brainer to use the Birthday Pops stamp/die set from Papertrey Ink - so fun with lots of options for birthday cards!

STAMPS: Birthday Pops (Papertrey Ink).

INK: Ballet Slipper, Sparkling Rose, Bubble Gum, Waterfall, Turquoise, Rocky Slope, Gathered Twigs, Espresso (dye inks by Pinkfresh Studio).

PAPER: Sweet Stack 6x6" pad by My Favorite Things; Stampers Select White, Hawaiian Shores, Pure Poppy (PTI).

DIES: Love to Layer: Delightful Brackets, Wrap It Ribbons (Papertrey Ink); Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things).

OTHER: Pink & white thread.

That's it for this Monday! Hope your week got off to a great start. We kept 2 grands all day since it was "no school" for what I think was a teacher work day. Thanks for stopping by!  ~Wanda
 

 

The Card Concept Challenge

 

It's a chilly Monday and I'm procrastinating with house chores in order to play along with the current Card Concept Challenge. I took the inspiration photo very literally and used the fun dies in the Spellbinders Tiered Tray Decor set. I added a few elements from Papertrey Ink's With Love stamp/die set (postcard, hearts). The base panel was stenciled using PTI's large dotted hexagon stencil. I layered the tiered tray over the largest of the dies in the Love to Layer: Delightful Brackets die set. 

STAMPS: With Love (Papertrey Ink).

INK: Pure Poppy (PTI), Versafine Clair Nocturne, Grassy Knoll (Pinkfresh Studio).

PAPER: Stampers Select White, True Black, Green Parakeet; Bramble Rose 6x6" pad (My Mind's Eye); Metallic Silver.

DIES: With Love, Love to Layer: Delightful Brackets (PTI); Tiered Tray Decor (Spellbinders); Stitched Rectangle STAX DieNamics (My Favorite Things).

Thanks so much for stopping by!  ~Wanda
 

You Made My Day!

 

It's Memorial Day (yesterday at the time I made my card) and a somber time of remembering all those who gave their lives for our freedom in the US. It's been almost non-stop rain all day and our rain gauge shows 4 3/4 inches so far! 😲

I went with the patriotic colors inspired by the photo for The Card Concept challenge and I used the sketch for the current Paper Players challenge. I used a clean layered style for my design and I started by pulling patterned papers from the Stars & Stripes 6x6" pad then layered a skinny star frame (2 layers) over the base.

I used some new Pentrista paints that I just ordered recently from Amazon and really like the vibrant colors.  After the florals were dry, I added some touches of glitter paste. 

Here's what I used:

STAMPS: Thank You Florals (Papertrey Ink).

INK: Versafine Clair Nocturne.

PAPER: White, Pure Poppy (PTI); Stars & Stripes 6x6" pad (MFT).

DIES: Thank You Florals, Border Bling: Skinny Star (PTI); Stitched Rectangle and Stitched Banner Flag STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things). 

OTHER: Glitter Paste (Recollections); Dew drops (PTI). 

 

That's a wrap for today. Thanks so much for stopping by!  ~Wanda

By the Sea

 

Hello friends! I am back from a week's vacation at Corolla, NC so it was only natural that I join a couple of seaside-themed challenges! The Card Concept has a By the Sea challenge and then Seize the Birthday has one that is themed "Summer Activities". Collecting shells was one of many activities happening last week!

I am calling my design style "Freestyle Collage" for The Card Concept challenge #178. These summer shell dies were released last summer at Papertrey Ink and are a favorite of mine. After die cutting the shells, I sponged soft colors onto Bristol Smooth Surface paper using sponge daubers.The background was created using the two step Pool Water Stencil set just released by Papertrey Ink.  

STAMPS: Just Sentiments: To & From Essentials (Papertrey Ink).

INK: Limeade Ice, Spring Rain, Aqua Mist, Sweet Blush, Mint Julep, Fine Linen, Lemon Tart, Harvest Gold (dye inks by PTI).

PAPER: Bristol Smooth Surface; White.

DIES: Summer Shells, Shape Shifters: Oval 2 (PTI); Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things).

OTHER: Seam binding, Polka dot tulle ribbon. 

 

That's it for today. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!

Happy stamping!

~Wanda

Love is in the Air

 

It's the month where love is in the air and that's the theme with the inspiration photo for the current The Card Concept challenge. I wanted to use a favorite old stamp set from Papertrey Ink called Love in Bloom. It's a layering set using three main colors: Lovely Lady, Raspberry Fizz and Vintage Jadeite - dye inks by PTI. I call my style "clean and layered" and love this color combo!

 

I lightly stenciled the background with a narrow stripe stencil and Vintage Jadeite ink. I then layered the medium Border Bling: Skinny Heart Frames die with inset tiny hearts from die cutting the frame from the Vintage Jadeite card stock - a tiny detail that ties it in with the card base. The heart and sentiment banner are popped up with foam tape.

STAMPS: Love in Bloom, With Love Mini (Papertrey Ink).

INK: Lovely Lady, Raspberry Fizz, Vintage Jadeite, True Black (PTI).

PAPER: Vintage Jadeite, White (PTI).

DIES: Love in Bloom, Border Bling: Skinny Heart Frames (PTI); Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things); Basic Sentiment Suite (The Greetery). 

OTHER: Basic Diagonals stencil (? company); Rain drop embellishments (PTI). 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!   ~Wanda

Colorful Fall

 

The Card Concept Challenge is back again after a summer break and they have a gorgeous, colorful fall inspiration photo to get our mojo going! I love stamping leaves so knew I wanted to play along! I went with a clean and layered style which is what I generally gravitate toward.

I'll admit this card was quite an ordeal to put together! I couldn't find the stamp set to add the "veins" to the leaves until AFTER I had colored them all by ink smooshing with distress inks. My original sentiment gave me fits (I'll spare you the agonizing details - lol!) and I finally went to this favorite sentiment set which worked with the first try.

STAMPS: Perfect Pairs Essentials (Papertrey Ink).

PAPER: Sage Shadow (retired from Stampin' Up), Rustic Cream (Papertrey Ink).

INK: Bundled Sage, Shabby Shutters, Milled Lavender, Seedless Preserves, Mustard Seed, Fossilized Amber, Spieced Marmalade, Barn Door distress inks by Ranger; True Black (PTI).

DIES: Lovely Leaves, Border Bling: Tin Stitch, Perfect Pairs Esentials (Papertrey Ink); Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things).

I've been in fall mode with more than just my cards and have started with some interior decorating. Here's a peek at several vignettes in my dining room, kitchen and family room.

Happy fall y'all!  ~Wanda

 

More Abundant Blooms

In case you hadn't noticed, I really love the Abundant Blooms set from Ink to Paper and have pulled it out again for my card for the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and was inspired by the floral arrangement and colors for The Card Concept challenge! I am calling this a combination style between clean and simple and clean layered. Initially, I wanted the vase to be blue and white but opted to stencil the blue color instead.

 

I tucked in some leftover greenery from Tag Creations: Joyful Jars and added a
linen thread bow on the handle of the pitcher. Do you ever forget you have certain dies in your stash? I came across this small tag die from ITP's Sweet Celebration stamp/die set and it was perfect to add a sentiment here!

STAMPS: Abundant Blooms, Sweet Celebration (Ink to Paper).

PAPER: White (Ink to Paper), Brilliant Blue (retired from Stampin' Up).

INK: Blueprint Sketch & Rustic Wilderness distress oxide (Ranger); Fairy Dust, Silver Lining (WPlus9); Bright Buttercup, Summer Sunrise, Hibiscus Burst, Autumn Rose (Ink to Paper).

DIES: Abundant Blooms, Sweet Celebration, Tag Creations: Joyful Jars (Ink to Paper); Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things); Crimped Circles (The Greetery).

Thanks so much for stopping by! Enjoy your Friday!     ~Wanda