Sweet Cactus

Hello crafty friends I am so pleased you stopped by.  Today I want to share a few cards I created using product from Penny Black's newest release, Sweet Spring.

Aren't those cactus sweet?  I am finding a new found love for cactus as a result of the time we have been spending in the southwest.  I used a cactus vase in my pictures today that my sweet hubbers gave to me for Valentines Day.  I am looking forward to a lot more cactus in my future : ) heeheehee


My first card is a 5" square card.  I cut a top panel from the new "Stitched Square and Circles" die before stamping and coloring my images.  All my cards were colored with Prisma colored pencils.

For my second 5" square card I used the "Stitched Stackers" die to emboss a frame directly to my card face then I stamped and colored the image before attaching my "hello" sentiment.

With some careful masking I was able to create all my cards using the same stamp. Using smaller sections of the image really stretch the use of just one stamp!

My third card is an A2 size.  It is another one layer card using only a portion of the whole cactus stamp.

Here is an easy reference for the supplies I used:

Happy Together #30-465

Stitched Squares & Circles # 51-422

Birthday Love #30-413

Stitched Stackers #51-416

Doodles #51-128

April Showers #30-172

That is it for me today.  I hope you are having a great week so far!! : ) and that you are getting to play with your favorite hobby.

BIG (((HUGS)))

Better than ice cream!

More CAS cuteness from Penny Black : )

We are home from New Mexico!! We arrived tired and happy last night.  It was a wonderful trip and the weather was great : ) It was a little bit hard coming back to the snow and cold and it was also sad because as we drove in we were reminded again what a beautiful area we live in.  Bitter sweet as it is we are on to the next adventure : ) and planning to move before next winter.   We didn't find the perfect home to move to so we will need to keep searching but if the Lord makes a way we will be a lot warmer this time next year : ) woo hoo!! bring on the roadrunners! : )

Here is a card I created earlier this month for my kid brother. Who cares that he towers above me these days : ) but he'll always be Jr. to me!    He is a super good sport too! he had FIVE sisters! and no brothers to help him : )

Please visit the Penny Black Simplicity Blog! we love it when you do!!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope your day is SWEET!


BIG (((HUGS)))

All supplies by Penny Black:
Summer Love # 30-328
Line of Hearts #51-285

Simple Hugs from Penny Black

It is my turn as Penny Black's Simplicity Sister hostess.  Each month you will find some delightful CAS cards from my fellow DT members!  I really am honored to be a part of this talented team.

It's February and there is love in the air! Here is a peek at my card.  I hope you will be tempted to fly over to see my whole card on Penny Black's Simplicity Sisters blog.

BIG (((Hugs)))

Happy Valentines Day Bella

This little cutie is for my cat loving BFF : )

Even if you were not a cat lover it would be hard not to love this sweetie huh?!

Happy Valentines Day friends!!  I pray your day is spent with the ones you love the most!

Oh! and Bella, if you go to my house and look in the dryer you will find a surprise that I hid before we left for New Mexico : )  We miss you!! and wish you were here.

BIG (((HUGS)))

Supplies:
Dotlets Stencil #25-007 by Penny Black
Purrfect #30-396 by Penny Black
Bow by Poppystamps

Scalloped tag by Papertrey Ink
 : ( sorry I can't attach the link to this product. I am no longer able to access Papertrey Ink

Gotcha!

Hello friends : )

Here is an easy peasy card I created with some of my favorite Penny Black supplies : )

Valentines Day is almost here : ) I will see you on Wednesday with a special card for my BFF. : ) Until then have a wonderful LOVE filled day!

Please visit the Penny Black Simplicity Blog if you are looking for some CAS inspiration : ) you'll never be disappointed by what you find there friends : )

BIG (((HUGS)))

All supplies by Penny Black:
Heart Dart #51-287 
From the Heart #30-207

Penny Black Stitched Flowers

These Stitched Flowers by Penny Black might just be my all time favorite PB flowers!! I think they are both playful and sweet.  I guess you can tell I really like them because I found I couldn't stop using them!! : )

I colored my flowers with something of a Southwest color scheme in honor of my vacation! Yeppers!! When you read this I will be in sunny New Mexico soaking up as much   Vitamin D as humanly possible : )   So many of you cheered me on as my husband, Bob, and I made our way from Wisconsin to South Dakota to the beautiful Black Hills (that we dearly LOVE!!) We never ever wanted to leave the Black Hills but after getting sick last year we find the weather in SD is just too cold in the winter and so I'm afraid we are being "forced" to search for a warmer climate that will be friendlier on my feet and hands.  Sigh!! This translates to mean that we are again searching out a new home and planning another BIG move! Double Sigh!! We don't like leaving SD nor do we look forward to a big move again so soon but honestly we are happy and blessed and trust that the Lord has good things for us in the next chapter of our adventure!  Stay tuned! as I share more about this in the months to come.

Thank you so much for stopping by and if you have the time please pop in and see some beautiful CAS inspiration by my team mates at Penny Black's Simplicity blog.

BIG (((HUGS)))

All supplies by Penny Black:
Stitched Flowers #30-418
Words of Kindness # 30-353
Festive Snippets #30-387
Love Expressions #51-025
Birds and Banners #51-352

True Confessions

Ok! so my friend and yours, Darnell of djkardkreations blog announced that she was planning a new challenge blog called Twofer! that was to go live on January 10th. Despite evidence to the contrary -  I read all the rules and then reread them.  I have not been able to play a lot of challenges of late and I wanted to be sure that I could support Darnell so I created not one but two sets of "Twofers" just so I would be ready in plenty of time..... umm well luckily I let Darnell know that I was ready to go with my cards a day or so before the deadline.  As sweet as pie Darnell interrogated questioned me to ascertain how on earth I found out in advance what the prompt word was going to be!
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Much to my great surprise and embarrassment I realized my mistake! when I re-read the rules again : ) The funniest part of it all was that one of the sets of cards I made included Flamingos! so when the challenge went live on kick off day and the prompt word was "feathers" it turned out I was ready anyway! LOL I waited until someone else posted a card before I posted mine, thank you Michele, because I'm a fradie cat giggles.  Oh! and Darnell forgave me for giving her a heart attack : )

My cards today are the second set of cards I made in advance for the Twofer challenge.  I decided not to wait until such time as the prompt word might be "sweaters" and go ahead and post them "for no reason"! : )

BIG (((HUGS)))

Supplies:
Winter Woolens by Papertrey Ink

I apologize for not linking the supplies to PTI but ever since they started their new blog I cannot access the blog or the store any longer : ( I know my computer is using an old operating system but I am SAD that I can't play or shop with PTI anymore : (

Just plain cute!

Hello friends this little cutie doesn't even need an introduction does she!?!

I've been working hard on some Valentine cards for my father's Assisted Living community.  I wanted to make them all one layer cards.  When I saw the challenge at Less is More I decided to let this little Valentine make her appearance early.  I hope you will join me in the gallery at Less Is More.

And for all you CAS lovers out there please visit the Penny Black Simplicity Blog where my fellow team mates will dazzle you with some brilliant! "SAS" that's sweet and simple! heeheehee




SWAK!

Supplies:
xoxo stamp set #30-330 by Penny Black
SWAK die #51-284  by Penny Black

Merry Monday - Let it Snow!

I love snow! but lately I love it much better from inside a warm house or better yet I enjoy snow in pictures while I sip ice tea poolside! LOL Ok, so I haven't been poolside lately but even though I am sick of winter I never get sick of snowmen!.  Back in late December I saw a card that Birgit of Crafting While I Wait blog created.  I fell in love with her vintage looking snow people so naturally I had to shop! (see Birgit's card HERE)  : ) I received my stamp set on Monday - the same day I found THIS CARD made by  Linda of Lin's Craft Corner.  You can easily see why I had to join this weeks Merry Monday!

 One of the things I remember about vintage Christmas cards is the use of glitter on them : ) so I went wild with the glitter.

Here is a shot I darkened a little so the glitter would show up better : )

 I hope you will join the fun at Merry Monday where the snow is really piling up : )

BIG (((HUGS)))

Supplies:
Snowman stamp by AveryElle
Tree border is a retired Stampin Up die

Sledding with Penny Black

"Back in the day" January was my favorite month of the year for sledding at the local golf course on our new Christmas sleds! : ) These days I am content to sitting in the warm house playing with sled die cuts! giggles

Today is my turn to share on Penny Black's Simplicity Sisters blog.  This little sneak peek isn't enough! how about you grab your sled and meet me there! : ) 

Stay warm friends : )

FMS Challenge under the wire

eeek! I was so busy playing with my new Penny Black stamp sets that I almost forgot to post my card!

Here it is in all it's cuteness : )

Inside: Your voice is mew-sic to my ears

I am really enjoying having more time to play with challenges and the Freshly Made Sketch Challenges have always been one of my favorites!!  It might be a little late to join this one LOL but I hope you'll check out the DT and gallery for some sweet inspiration!

BIG (((HUGS)))

Supplies:
Purrfect #30-396 by Penny Black
Filled with Love die  #51-284 by Penny Black
Heart die cut by Spellbinders
Scallop heart die by Spellbinders

Sending Sunshine

Hello crafty friends : )

Just popping in from a busy busy week to share a SIMPLE card I created as a Penny Black Simplicity Sister! : )   One of the best things about being a part of this talented DT is the amazing products we get to showcase!  Please visit the Penny Black Simplicity blog for more inspiration!

I created this card for a very good friend of mine with a January birthday : )  As you can see it really was a simple card to make.  I masked off a section of my card and inked a soft blue "sky" next I stamped this sweet sentiment and finally glued three die cut trees.  I popped up the center tree for added dimension and off it went to the post office!

I forgot to take a shot of the inside of the card so I snapped a quickie with my phone.  I masked off a little platform for my inside sentiment to sit on : ) I have not done this before and I really liked how it turned out.  The inking is super soft and really compliments this delicate the delicate font. : )

That is all for me today. I hope you are having a wonderful day - doing something inky : )

BIG (((HUGS)))

All supplies by Penny Black:

Treasured Sentiments #30-356
Tall Trees # 51-273

Twofer Challenge kick off!

Hello friends : )  I am here today with a couple of cards I created for Darnell's new challenge!

This is not only going to be a fun challenge it is going to help me to build my card stash back up!  Every January I review my calendar for the cards I will need for the year and I was super shocked to see how low my card stash has become.

I am also planing a "Secret Pal" program in the Assisted Living home my father moved to last month.  My poor Dad would rather be almost anywhere else! but it was "just time" for them to get a little bit of help.  My step Mom fell in November and had a brain injury so she is recovering in a nursing home a few miles away.  As soon as possible (if possible)  she will move in to the assisted living facility with Dad.  Until then I have been sending oodles of cards to keep their spirits up! : ) I am hoping to enlist my Dad to help with the Secret Pal program there which will also get him out of his room to meet some of the other clients at the facility.  So that means I need LOTS more cards! : ) yahooee! : )

inside: feel better soon

This one will go in the mail for my step Mom tomorrow : )

This is strange I can't get the caption under my cards to show up.  They are there but wont show up when I publish the post.  I checked the font color and it isn't white LOL but.... let's try it this way -  

inside card #1:

Feel Better Soon

Inside card #2

Happy Birthday to you and many more

I hope you will join Darnell's challenge.  She has a pretty outstanding DT and I know it will be lots of fun.  You can link to the new Twofer Card Challenge here.

Oooh! I gotta go! I'm having a hard time concentrating on my post because I made some soup today and I can smell it is ready for me to EAT! : )


Supplies:
Flamingos by Reverse Confetti
Sentiments on the card face by Technique Tuesday
Inside sentiments:
      Feel Better Soon by Serendipity Stamps
      Happy Birthday sentiment by Penny Black



Have a wonderful day friends.

BIG (((HUGS)))

Birthdays are a Llama fun!

Hello friends : )

Welcome to a new year and my new blog look! compliments of one Blogland's sweetest friends - Loll Thompson, owner of Stamping with Loll blog.  Loll has updated my look and given my "stationery" some Style! : ) of which I am incredibly grateful and blessed! (((Hugs))) LOLL!!

The components of this card have some of my favorite product on it.  I love this sweet looking Llama from SU and those steamers are just too too cute and last but not least one of my FAVORITE new sentiment sets from Penny Black!  All together it makes for one huggable card!

Supplies:
Birthday Fiesta Llama - SU retired
Linked Garland Confetti Cuts by Reverse Confetti
Birthday Love #30-413 by Penny Black

Some great challenges I encourage you to join!:

Seize The Birthday - Anything Goes
Just Us Girls - Anything goes
Simon Says - Something New


Have a wonderful day and I hope you get to do something you love!

BIG (((Hugs)))

Welcome 2018!

Happy New Year to all my blogger friends!! 

Last October my friend Jill invited me to join her for a six week Watercolor Class at the local Arts Center.  We had a lot of fun together! I came to learn that I was very interested in Watercolor painting for not only my card making but also, surprisingly to me, creating "fine art".

I painted these cards for two of my sisters.  They are not rubber stamped - and yet I cannot draw! so I found sketches on-line - transferred them to watercolor paper and painted them : )   They were quite easy to complete.

I also painted a larger painting for my friend for Christmas.  I forgot to photograph it before giving it to her but I will ask her to let me get a picture of it and include it here later or write a new post for it : )  It is full FULL of mistakes! but for a beginner I was pleased.

As you can see I added a new die cut sentiments and - what you cannot see - some Wink of Stella for the perfect touch of sparkle!

Dipping my toe into Watercoloring caused me to search for more classes.  I found this AMAZING artist on-line:

Dylan Pierce Watercolor

I will be taking his classes eeek! I could not begin to hope to create art like he does but I am certain I will have a wonderful time under his direction!

That is just one of the things I am hoping to do in my spare time in 2018 : )

I am excited to see what the coming year holds for us all! : )


Edited to add my picture : ):

This is about a 13 x 15.5" finished frame. 

Thank you so much for stopping by!

BIG (((Hugs)))
Patti