New Twofer Challenge!

If anyone hasn't heard, Darnell has started her very first challenge! Although I've been very lax about entering challenges, I knew I had to do this one. She has this wonderful idea about getting more use out of our stamps and dies by doing more designs with the same supplies. This first theme is FEATHERS and everyone is to create cards for two different occasions using the same stamps and/or dies. For all the rules and a more complete explanation, please go HERE. There is wonderful inspiration from Darnell and the design team.

I have two feather sets and I decided to use the one from WPlus9, Fanciful Feathers. I was playing around with options when Therese, Lost in Paper, posted this amazing card. Isn't her design wonderful! And I fell in love with the blue!

Thanks, Therese, for the great inspiration. And also your hubby for giving you that wonderful book. 

The blue I chose was Bo Peep from WPlus9. It is such a lovely soft color. I also used a WPlus9 heart die. The sentiment (Chickadees) and owl (Framed Owl) are both from Technique Tuesday.

This could be used as a sympathy or encouragement card, for a man or anyone. The cardstock is SoftStone by PTI and the patterned paper is Black and White Basics, an older pad by them also. The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamps, Handwritten Floral Greetings. I also used PTI's Mix and Mat Pinked Edge dies.

If you haven't yet visited Darnell's challenge blog, you must pay a visit. And help support her new adventure by creating something with feathers! Congrats, Darnell!!!!

Have a wonderful day--and week! Thanks for visiting!

Sharron

WPlus9 Throwback Thursday #7

LINK TO CHALLENGE

I know I'm super late to post for this challenge, especially since I started on my card more than a week ago! It features the Pretty Patches and Country Charm sets from WPlus9. I have all or part of all four of these sets and love the country look.

Another thing I wanted to try was making my own background panel. A sweet friend, Kara from KandRDesigns, is a master at this. Here is a link to one of her recent ones. I am in no way as talented but below is my first attempt. 

I started by embossing a sheet of white cardstock with Sizzix Circles which provided spaces to stamp my images. I'm not ready to plan out a complicated design!! I used the apple set and stamped the gingham heart and a green leaf. Vellum was used as a cover, with the sentiment from the same set. The square was cut from Clear Cut Stackers: Pinking Squares (WPlus9) and a cream-colored twine was placed underneath. For the card base, I used Green Acres cardstock, also by WPlus9.

I've been busy making cards so will be posting more later!

Thanks for coming by,

Sharron

Merry Monday Challenge: Candy Canes

Super busy weekend ahead with daylily meetings and activities so I wanted to get this posted before the Merry Monday deadline. I knew what I would make as soon as I saw the inspiration photo! My candy canes are green and red though as it seemed to give more contrast against the white and silver. Most supplies are from WPlus9. I used the wonderful new Sunshine Layers die set, Preserves die and Under the Mistletoe. The sentiment is from Mama Elephant's Winter Wonderland, the pine branches are Impression Obsession and the bow is from PTI's Tinsel and Tags.

Sorry to be so hurried with my post. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Sharron

CAS-ology #133: LOVE and Another CASEing Maile Card

This card is for sending a little love to my 10-year old niece on her birthday. There is a birthday sentiment inside. Hopefully monsters are allowed in a challenge about love as I'm entering it into this week's CAS-ology challenge. I paper pieced my little monster using images from SSS Monster Hugs. The speech bubble is a PTI die and the sentiment is from Avery Elle's Airmail. That border is from a set of dies called Sunshine Layers from WPlus9. I am soooo in love with these new dies! The difference it makes to add this border on a card is amazing so I will be using these dies a lot! There are many others included that are just as fabulous.

The paper I used for the monster is the same background paper that I used for my card below. I posted another version on Tuesday that I entered in one of the PTI challenges. This is a get well card and I am really happy with the pink and orange combo so I wanted to share. A couple of people mentioned this background paper. I wish I had but I didn't make it! It's from a pad of Provo Craft paper that I bought years ago at Michael's. There are lots of fun graphic and watercolor designs that are right in fashion today. Hoarding can be good thing!!

Are you getting ready for a fun weekend? Hope you have a great one!

Sharron

The 12 Kits of Occasions: October--"I Fall to Pieces" with Jessica

We're back to our regular schedule this month and our wonderfully talented hostess is Jessica, The Paper Parade. Our theme is anything related to fall, Thanksgiving and thank you. I'm needing a bunch of thank you cards so I decided to do all of my cards with 'thank you' sentiments. The collage photo below was done this month by Tracey. Look at all the awesome colors! I just love this time of year. 

Jessica's kit was just stuffed full of wonderful stamped images, patterned papers, embellishments and dies. I was especially excited about the images from Avery Elle's Red & Goldie. It's been on my wish list since it was released. So I loved having a chance to use the adorable little images! Thanks so much, Jessica--your kit was fantastic. 

PHOTO BY TRACEY

MORE ADORABLE IMAGES ARE FROM LAWN FAWN, LIKE THIS SWEET FOX.

I USED A STENCIL AND MODELING PASTE FOR THE HEARTS, THEN COLORED THEM WITH A DISTRESS INK MARKER.

THIS WOULD HAVE MADE A GREAT SHAKER CARD BUT I DID THE QUICK AND EASY VERSION!

STAMPED SENTIMENT & DIE CUT ARE FROM WPLUS9.

THIS STAMPED IMAGE HAD THE 'THANKS' IN WHITE BUT I DECIDED TO COLOR IT WITH A COPIC MARKER. IT CAME OUT GREAT AND LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A VELVET FINISH. SORRY IT DOESN'T SHOW WELL IN THE PHOTO. THE ADDED LEAVES ARE STITCHED LEAVES FROM LAWN FAWN, COLORED WITH DISTRESS MARKERS

Well, that's it for my cards this month. Sorry to be late posting but I have been so swamped for the past two weeks! To find links to all the other blogs, just click HERE to connect to the 12 Kits blog. A complete list of supplies can be found at the top of the post, under Monthly Kit Supplies.

Thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog!

Smiles,

Sharron

The 12 Kits of Occasions: August--It's a Birthday Party with Kara

This has been such a fun month! Kara, KandR Designs, is our hostess and the theme is birthdays. Today is the 12 Kits reveal and I'm sure you are going to love Kara's kit as much as I did. See her photo below. She included so many fantastic supplies--papers in so many bright, cheery colors, lots of die cuts and wonderful stamped images. There was even a stamp set from WPlus9 for each of us plus an extra that YOU have a chance to win! Do you feel like you're at a party yet!! 

PHOTO BY KARA

One of the things I especially loved was that Kara cut the plain cardstock with various dies, leaving two  trimmed pieces that could be used together or separately. It also created a great way to show off the awesome patterned papers!

Another item that was included was a supply of glossy cardstock. Kara has been doing some awesome designs with this over on her blog. Be sure to check our her last few posts. Unfortunately I didn't have as much luck. I tried several inks without any success and I don't have any Copic reinkers which is what Kara has been using. But I love the shiny look and the paper can easily be cut with dies. I used mine to make confetti die cuts, using a Mama Elephant die. They look just like white enamel! Wish the photo could capture the shiny finish. I used stars and hearts on two of my cards. 

To create another card with some shine, I used some paper from Marybeth's June kit. Several of the papers were tone-on-tone with a shine/matte design. The matte part can easily be colored with distress inks, leaving the glossy design--a technique I used before after seeing Kara's post here.

Hope this doesn't look too busy! I got a little carried away after I decided on the 'Happy, Happy, Happy' die cut that Kara included. I used a PTI die to cut out 'birthday' and made four layers so it would add more dimension. And the little girl from Mama Elephant's In My Heart set just seemed like she needed to be there!!

I also did the inside! I used the Ink Splats stamps, colored the 2 and used a 'you' die from the last WPlus9 release. Maybe a little too much--but it was fun!

There is still a lot more to see so visit the 12 Kits blog for a link to all the other members' blogs. We also have a special guest designer, Alanna, Allana's Spot in the World, so be sure to stop at her blog too. To enter the drawing for the stamp set, you need to leave your comment on Kara's blog.

Hope you enjoy the hop and have a great weekend,

Sharron

My New Love: Watercoloring!!

When Dawn at WPlus9 started posts for her last release, I knew I had to have this Flora and Fauna set! I love nature images and her butterflies and hummingbirds are AMAZING. I invested in some watercolors and new brushes and started playing with the stamps are soon as they arrived. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!! At first, I just tried different colors on scrap paper and made a bunch of butterflies. I was initially nervous about the hummingbirds but found them really quite easy, at least after I got used to the watercolor! There are many kinds of hummingbirds so I'm anxious to do more colors. These are ruby-throated, a male and a female--the most common ones in our area.

The above is a sympathy card. On the inside, I used an Altenew sentiment with the smallest butterfly in the WPlus9 set positioned at the top.

I decided to try a different colored butterfly for a birthday card and came up with this. I meant to use the smooth side of the paper but this worked okay. Even though I looked through pictures on the internet, I ended up with just playing with some greens and aquas. I purchased watercolors that are in tubes. with 12 colors. I did find a few more tubes in my old paint supplies. Never know what you might find! Don't even know what they were for since I've never done watercoloring but they had to be from ages ago by the prices on them! Initially I felt pretty intimidated with having to mix colors but as I got more comfortable, I really enjoy them. Makes me feel so creative!

I'm going to enter the butterfly card in the CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge.

Thanks for letting me share,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: Flora and Fauna 2, Basic Banners  (WPlus9); Bird of a Feather (PTI); Sun Sentiment (Lil' Inkers)

Paper: White (Recollections and Neenah); Green Acres (WPlus9); Watercolor (Grumbacher); Solid Mat Pad (K&Company) 

Die: Basic Banners (WPlus9), Banner from First Place Award Winner Die Set (MFT)

Additional: Watercolors (Koi, Grumbacher, Winsor and Newton); London Fog Ink to stamp images, Bamboo Leaves (Memento); Wet Cement Ink (Hero Arts); Embossing Folder-Branches (Cuttlebug); Color Shine Gold Spray (Heidi Swapp)

WPlus9 Step It Up: Seize the Cupcake

There are weekly challenges to celebrate WPlus9's birthday--see all the details HERE! This week is to use some type of layering. My card is from leftover 12 Kits supplies that Christina, SeaGlass Papercrafts, sent last year. It included this wonderful set from WPlus9. And the design is my CASE of a fabulous card that Kara, KandRdesigns, did for the 12 Kits and also sent to me for my birthday. I love this paper! I also used a sheet of paper that I had glued several color strips on. It gave a rainbow effect to the Circle Burst die cut. Of course this resulted in an array of little colored dots all over my desk--just begging to be used for confetti! 

Thanks for taking time to let me share my card,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: Sweets and Treats, Treat Fillers (WPlus9)

Cardstock: White, Lake House (WPlus9); Aqua Mist, Harvest Gold, Hibiscus Burst, Summer Sunrise (PTI)

Patterned Paper: A Perfect Summer (Echo Park)

Dies: Sweets and Treats (WPlus9); Small Circle Burst (Memory Box)

Additional: Clear Glitter (Elmer's), Copics

Happy Birthday, WPlus9!

Time for a celebration! It's WPlus9 Designs' 4th birthday and there is a new release and a celebration over on their blog. This week Dawn is having a contest entitled "Comfort Zone". Everyone has a chance to enter a card or other project that illustrates something in their comfort zone. Pick a favorite WPlus9 stamp set and a favorite color combo and enter your project HERE. It was easy to pick my current favorite go-to set, Fresh Cut Florals. I LOVE this set so much and have used it a lot since its release, often with a similar design. I didn't realize until I checked that I used lace a lot too.

This set is so pretty and fun to cut out & stamp. It's so very easy to stamp and it's like doing a floral arrangement to lay out all the pieces and create your bouquet. I've been using these colors a lot lately too. I ordered Stampin' Up cardstock to match some patterned paper and I've fallen in love with Primrose Petals.

Be sure to visit WPlus9 and check out their fabulous new release products. Products are already available for sale! The contest closes tomorrow.

Thanks for taking time to look at my card,

Enjoy the rest of your day,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: Fresh Cut Florals (WPlus9)

Cardstock: White (WPlus9); Primrose Petals (Stampin' Up)

Patterned Paper: You Are My Happy (Teresa Collins)

Inks: Fresh Peach, Pale Tomato (Hero Arts); Bamboo Leaves, Rhubarb Stalk, Rich Cocoa, Cantaloupe, Moracco (Memento)

Embossing Folder: Stripes (Lifestyle)

Lace: JoAnn's

Fusion Card Challenge #3: Valentine

This week's Fusion Challenge gave me a chance to use more hearts and another angel from my Mama Elephant set. Every image is so adorable--makes me want to use them with everything! I've been able to stay inside while it continues to snow here. I did get out early for a doctor's appointment but luckily hubby drove. It added more than two inches while we were inside! I also got my eyes dilated--before I finished this card! Do you know how hard it is to glue a layer of white cardstock on white when everything is blurry!!

Hope everyone is staying warm!

Have a great day,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: Love from Above (Mama Elephant)

Cardstock: White (Neenah); Cupid's Bow (WPlus9)

Patterned Paper: Bitty Dots (PTI); Hexagon Pattern (Unk.); You Are My Happy (Teresa Collins)

Dies: Of the Heart (Lil' Inker); Heart String (Penny Black); Stacked Hearts (WPlus9)

Additional: Copics; Clear Glitter

The 12 Kits of Occasions: January

SPECIAL THANKS TO KARA FOR THE FABULOUS PHOTO!

Wow, time flies! We are starting our third year with the 12 Kits posts. We've changed names and themes a couple of times and had a few changes of people in the group but it's still as much fun as the first time I posted. And I never get over being excited when the mailman brings a kit or while waiting to see what everyone else had made. 

This has been my month to be the hostess! The theme was Valentines or Anything Loved and it was such fun putting the kits together. We also have a special Guest Designer! All the details are on the 12 Kits of Occasions blog. Just click here to find out who our Guest Designer is and find links to everyone's blog.  

All my cards were made with supplies found in the kits with the exception of the Lil' Inkers clouds on my second card. The complete supply list is on the 12 Kits blog here. You might notice the Mama Elephant angels were a special favorite of mine! Hope you enjoy the hop!!

ABOVE IS A MINI DESIGN USING PTI'S LUNCHBOX NOTE DIE.
IT'S PERFECT FOR A VALENTINE NOTE AND CAN HOLD A SMALL CANDY TREAT.

Thank you so much for visiting. I love being able to share my 12 Kits creations. Be sure to come back next month when our hostess will be Renee, A Patchwork Life!

Have a Happy Valentine's Day,

Sharron

At Last: A Card---Actually Two!

After a couple of weeks of being totally unable to create ANYTHING, I was getting really frustrated!! I also needed a card for our neighbor's birthday. So I thought perhaps CASEing would help. There was this fantastic card  that Cathy, The Empty Nest Crafter, had recently made for a Fusion Challenge. She just recently was selected for their Design Team. YAY!! I know she will be fantastic on the their team and I was anxious to try out a challenge. I loved her layout so kept with the basic design. For the sun I used an PTI impression plate then used the same Lil' Inker die but chose to create a flower and added a butterfly element for the center. Thank you so much, Cathy, for giving me a boost. My neighbor loved her card!

So after getting inspired by Cathy, I was ready to make a second card. I was drawn to the flowers in the Fusion inspiration picture--the white with large black centers--and the woodgrain background. For the flowers I used a dogwood die and Cuttlebug's Branches embossing folder added a little different look. I only had an outline flower die so I cut it out of Smoky Shadow, glued it to white cardstock and then fussy cut. The yellow rolled rose is felt.

I am adding this to the WPlus9 challenge #25 also. The colors work perfectly for both challenges!

My Version of Cathy's Card

Thanks so much for letting me share,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: Fresh Cut Florals, Country Charm (WPlus9)

Cardstock: White (Neenah); Sahara Sand (Stampin' Up): Smoky Shadow, Soft Stone (PTI)

Inks: Onyx Black (Versafine); Slate (Amuse)

Dies: Branch with Leaves (Sizzix); Dogwood Blossom Outline (Memory Box); Sentiment Strips (MFT); Under the Mistletoe (WPlus9)

Additional: Felt (PTI); Embossing Folder-Branches (Cuttlebug); Black Pearl (Queen and Co.); Gold Dewdrops; Gold Paper (12 Kits)

Happy Birthday, Christina!

Happy, happy birthday to a very sweet blogging friend, Christina, SeaGlass Papercrafts. If you haven't already, you must pay a visit to her blog. Christina is so incredibly talented and I love seeing her creations. There is never a time that I am not truly inspired by her work. And I feel so fortunate that I have gotten to know her better through the 12 Kits group.

Christina, I hope your day is very special, just like you! Joyce, Cards-by-the-Sea, has once again been our super party planner and arranged for us all to get together to help you celebrate.

Wished I could say I baked this cake for you!! I would love to know how to do that flower!

PINTEREST

I'm also entering this in the WPlus9 Monday Mood Board #22. Below is the inspiration photo that Dawn's posted. Fresh Cut Florals is one of my very favorite sets. Loved being able to use it here!

So off you go to see what wonderful thing Tracey has made. Enjoy every minute of your day!

Hugs,  

Sharron

Joyce

Cathy

Darnell

Jeanne

Jill

Kara

Kim

Lynn

Marybeth

Renee

Sharron (you're here)

Tracey 

Supplies

Stamps: Fresh Cut Florals (WPlus9); Beautiful Butterflies (PTI)

Cardstock: Ballet Slippers, Oatmeal (WPlus9)

Patterned Paper: Oxford Lane (My Mind's Eye)

Dies: Fresh Cut Florals (WPlus9); Tiny Bow (Memory Box)

Additional: Embossing Folder (Lifestyle); Pearls (Recollections); Lace (Joann's); Inks--Love Letter, Cantaloupe, Bamboo Leaves, Rhubarb Stalk, Rich Cocoa from Memento, Onyx Black from Versafine

Happy Birthday, Scott!

I made this card this weekend for our son-in-law who is an AVID sports fan. And since this is football season, I thought he would like something in the colors of his favorite NFL team, the Kansas City Chiefs. Who, by the way, are so far having a super season!

Love how well the Lil' Inker Pieced Chevron worked for this. The feathers are WPlus9 dies and the sentiment is from On the Line by MFT. I glued two feather die cuts together with some twine in the middle. The twine was threaded through a hole in the circle and secured with a brad. A birthday sentiment from SS Birthdays by PTI is on the inside. The red color seems a little off but I couldn't retake my picture as the card was already in the mail!

Thanks for dropping by,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: On the Line (MFT)

Cardstock: Pure Poppy, True Black, Harvest Gold, SS White (PTI)

Dies: Pieced Chevrons (Lil' Inker); Fanciful Feathers (WPlus9)

Additional: Twine (Martha Stewart); Brad (Basic Grey); Onyx Black Ink (Versafine)

Monday Mood Board #19

Flowers and lace and these wonderful colors inspired my card for the current Monday Mood Board.

This is truly the most amazing stamp set EVER! LOVE!!! I added embossing for a background and a touch of lace. The simple 'hello' means I can use this card for any occasion.

I'm hoping to have more crafty time this weekend. How about you? 

Have a wonderful day,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: Fresh Cut Florals (WPlus9)

Cardstock: White (WPlus9); Kraft, Spring Moss (PTI)

Dies: Fresh Cut Florals (WPlus9)

Additional: Vines Embossing Folder (Lifestyle); Lace (gift from dear friend, Jeanne); Pearls (Recollections); Bamboo Leaves, Cantaloupe; Dandelion, Morocco; Rich Cocoa (Memento Inks); Pink Grapefruit (VersaMagic Chalk Ink)

WPlus9 Monday Mood Board #18

I know I am posting this very late but didn't want to miss another Mood Board. And I think I could use these feathers on everything!! Love the look of cutting them out of patterned paper.

Hope you have had a wonderful weekend. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: Strictly Sentiments 2 (WPlus9)

Cardstock: White (WPlus9); Fine Linen (PTI)

Patterned Paper: Oxford Lane (My Mind's Eye)

Dies: Fanciful Feathers Dies (WPlus9); Stitched Circles (Lil' Inker)

Additional: Corner Rounder Punch (Stampin' Up); Enamel Dots (MME); Onyx Black Ink (Versafine); Ribbon from 12 Kits August Kit (thanks, Christina!)