National Umbrella Month

 It's been awhile since I've played along with the Crazy 4 Challenges team, and in the process, I learned something...it's National Umbrella Month!  I really dug into some oldies but goodies when I dusted off this umbrella stamp set and die by MFT and used this older 6x6 Splendid Sunshine paper pad by Echo Park.  I also used the Stitched Rounded Rectangles Die-Namics and the Stitched Fishtail Flags STAX Die-Namics by MFT.  I'm using the layout for the MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #266.  I don't know how I got screwed up thinking this was the current sketch.  It was current...FOUR MONTHS ago!  Doh!!  Oh well...it works.  The umbrella base and the sentiment ink is Night of Navy (SU).  Here's a look at the inside...

Spring is in the Air

While it was still only in the upper 40's today, I hear the weather is taking a warmer turn toward spring next week, so I'm pulling out some bright patterned papers to get into the spirit! I kept my card very clean and simple for the current Freshly Made Sketches Challenge.  Patterned papers are all from Hello Sunshine by Doodlebug Design Inc.  The sentiment is from Concord and 9th's Love You, Mean It stamp set and the gorgeous butterfly is from the Floral and Flutter Dies - also by Concord and 9th!  I cut the die twice - once from vellum and once from white CS.  The yellow border is a stitched die by Lil' Inker Designs.

Thanks for stopping by...

Hay There!

I'm playing along with the SCS Ways to Use It challenge to celebrate National Pet Sitters Week by including a pet on our card. The layout uses the current Retrosketches Challenge. 

For years, when our 3 children were young, we had a pet miniature goat!  There are countless stories of the times Smoky got himself into trouble!
He was a salt and pepper color - gray/white and black - and extremely smart!  So, he is the inspiration for my card today. 

STAMPS: The Whole Herd (MFT); Timeless Textures (SU).
PAPER: Crushed Curry, White.
INK: Crushed Curry, Memento Tuxedo Black.
ACCESSORIES: Stitched Fishtail Flags, Stitched Rounded Rectangles, The Whole Herd and Traditional Tags STAX Die-Namics by MFT; Burlap ribbon and jute twine; Gold glitter enamel dots; Copics.

The Card Concept

I'm going with a CAS style for The Card Concept Challenge. With green being my favorite color, I'm always happy to see March arrive! :-)  I used Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn distress inks to do a watercolor background.  I die cut two of the Boddington Tree Border (gorgeous border by Poppystamps) to add more dimension.  I stamped the sentiment twice using a MISTI to get perfect positioning for the repeated stamping.  I thought a tiny black and white border design (paper by Recollections) would add more visual interest - prompted by a wee bit of smudging at the edge of the watercolor paper - lol!  Don't you love how mistakes can often end up being a blessing in disguise?!

STAMPS: Painted Greetings by Altenew.

Thanks so much for stopping by... 

Color Throwdown

Hey everyone! Are you ready for another Color Throwdown Challenge? I hope so, because you won't want to miss Barbara's great inspiration photo that inspired the hot pink, green (note it's a bluish green shade...leaning towards teal), black and white color combination!  It's been awhile since I've played with Altenew's Peony Scrolls and I thought they'd be perfect with the hot pink!

 I used last week's sketch for the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge (missed the deadline unfortunately!).  I die cut the flowers and leaves then stamped the images using Memento Tuxedo Black.  I colored with Copics (RV02, RV04, RV06, RV09, G12, YG45, YG63) then popped some of them with foam tape.  I added a zigzag SRM sticker stitch to the sentiment flag which was clear embossed after stamping in black.  A trio of clear sequins finished off the design.
STAMPS: Peony Scrolls and Painted Greetings by Altenew.
PAPER: Recollections' Black and White printed cardstock; X-Press It Blending Card.
DIES: Stitched Fishtail Flags Die-Namics by MFT; Stitched squares by Lil' Inker Designs; Peony Scrolls by Altenew.

We're happy to announce that Leslie Miller of Running With Scissors is our March guest designer!  I've been a fan of Leslie's work for a long time and look forward to having her join us!

Our guest star stamper is Michele Greenwood of Whimsical Creations!  Congratulations Michele!  Be sure and stop by her blog to check out her gorgeous card!

To get all the details on how to play along, please go to the Color Throwdown blog!  You can also check out the rest of the design teams' creations for more inspiration on the CTD blog or you can clink on their links below.
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe   
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here) 
Leslie Miller - March Guest Designer  

Looking forward to seeing how you use these colors this week!   Happy stamping!

 

Mojo Monday

We're at the end of February (goodbye to my least favorite month of the year!) and that means a different shaped card other than A2 for the Mojo Monday Challenge. Julee has a fun square sketch for us and I knew it would be perfect for this sweet little peep from Verve's Chicks Rule set!  The card is 4 1/4" square so it will still fit into an A2 size envelope.  I'm thinking a special little grand-daughter would love to get this card in the mail or maybe in her Easter basket! :-)

I colored the chick with Copics then fussy cut and popped it with foam dots.  The flowers and leaves were embossed with Melon Mambo and Wild Wasabi embossing powders and lightly colored with Copics.  The sentiment was embossed with Stampendous detail white EP.  Designer papers are all from the Sugar Shoppe pad by Doodlebug Design Inc.

For more inspiration from the rest of the mojomakers, click on their blog links below...or...you can go to the Mojo Monday blog and click on the first nine thumbnails. 
Carole Burrage
Julee Tilman (Owner)
Justin Krieger
Lori Tecler
Marisa Ritzen 
Mary Fish
Sarah Bigelow
Teresa Kline
Wanda Cullen (you are here)

CAS(E) This Sketch

TGIF and I'm off work today! Gives me time to play along with the new CAS(E) This Sketch challenge!  I'm needing to build up my supply of birthday cards, so this sketch was perfect to create another balloon shaped card - inspired by Jennifer McGuire's tutorial HERE.  I changed it up some by using a Versamark pad to "sponge" the dots then heat embossed with clear EP instead of using embossing paste.  This was so much easier and I didn't need to include drying time!  Here's what I used...
STAMPS: Sending and Wishing (Simon Says Stamp)
PAPER: Coastal Cabana, Black, White, Metallic Silver
INK: Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black
ACCESSORIES: Balloons die set (SSS), Wishing die (SSS), Large Dots stencil (SSS), Twine by SU, Stitched Stars (Lil' Inker Designs), Stitched Fishtail Flags Die-Namics by MFT, Clear embossing powder by SU.