BEACHCOMBER HELLO

 Hi friends!

Playing along with this FRESHLY MADE SKETCHES Challenge

(ends 5/18)

and this AS YOU SEE IT Challenge

(ends 5/20)

I’ve been waiting all Winter and Spring to dig out some seashell images - nothing says Summer to me like all things beach!! 

As soon as the newest FMS challenge sketch posted I knew I wanted shells, but didn’t decide on blues/greens til I went pawing through my handmade card stock scrap folder and saw this piece. I’ve hoarded it because it just screamed to me that it had to be beach-related. 

*TIP* When I get a sluggish day in the craft room, I dig out some favorite Distress ink pads, smoosh them on to a slick surface, spritz with water and press white card stock into the mess. If you dry between colors you’ll get brighter more distinct patterning. 

I embossed a 3D folder lightly to get a wavy sand feel on the kraft card stock. The shells were stamped in Versamark onto colored card stock, heat embossed with detail white powder and fussy cut.

*TIP* In this instance I didn’t want any adhesive interfering with the vellum effect so I folded each end over the patterned card stock, then trimmed off at the seam line any vellum that would be doubled over the kraft area. This still left a good size tab to fold over and glue onto the back of the patterned paper. 

Starfish points and sentiment were foam mounted. 

SUPPLIES

sand dollar stamp - PSX #C-194 (1983!!)

starfish stamp - Fred B. Mullett #201

nautilus Shell stamp - JRL Design

word dies - Spellbinders Hello Smile die set S1-154

embossing folder - Altenew Ribbon Waves

flat back dots - Pink & Main Marshmellow

white detail embossing powder

vellum

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MISS YOU BIRDIE

 Hi friends!

Playing along with this CAS Colours &Sketches Challenge

(ends 5/25)

Initially I just had the yellow strip down but it was looking too high and too blah so I did add the green to tie in the grass that I had filled in under the mailbox. I was compelled to restamp, color and pop dot the bird because the first try was way too orange.  Hard to see but I colored the placard in with a gold pen to continue the yellow tones.  

Here’s your nudge to send a card out TODAY to that person who’s been on your mind lately 😃 Don’t let their mailbox sit all empty-like of happy mail. 

SUPPLIES

bird on mailbox and sentiment stamps - unmarked, probably Stampin’ Up! For the Birds set

postage dies - Waffle Flower Nesting Postage die set 

cloud die - Tonic Studios Rococo Petite Layered Clouds #1661e

patterned paper - Stampin’ Up! retired

vellum

 alcohol markers

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GOOGLY BIRTHDAY

 Hi friends!

Playing along with this PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE

(ends 6/5)

and this AAA BIRTHDAY CHALLENGE

(ends 5/32)

All Penny Black animal images are beyond cute, but I’m really loving this one currently. Although it’s new to me, it was actually part of the 2003 Margaret Sherry line. Per usual I’ve colored it in with alcohol markers in the same basic format as the index sticker. I added my own background by using Waffleflower’s mini blending brushes with a chiseled point, and the stencils listed below.  

These arch dies are also new to me, purchased on the last Spellbinders Warehouse Sale, and they did not disappoint. They cut one of poor birds in half, but I cut another one out and colored it, and foam mounted it as shown. It adds a nice unexpected design detail. And of course, googly eyes, every chance I get 😁

A design element I had ruled out was clouds, but as I was adhering the black frame I got a line of glue in the area, and it left a streak that needed covering. Happy accidents. RIP Bob Ross

SUPPLIES

animal birthday stamp - Penny Black “…to you” #2610K

arched dies - Spellbinders Arch Labels and Tags die set S5-624

cloud stencil - Rosie’s Roadshow Cloud Template

grass stencil - Set the Scene - Grass #TESN66

patterned papers - Recollections

googly eyes

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TRIO OF SHROOMS

 Hi friends!

Playing along with this SUNDAY STAMPS Challenge

(ends May 15)

These mushroom dies have been on my desk for quite awhile, and I was happy to get them cut and colored up today. 

The spattered background was stenciled with Distress Oxide Citron ink. The distressed circle was die cut and the bottom two thirds shaded with the same brown ink as the sentiment. 

Mushrooms were cut from oatmeal card stock and shaded with Fired Brick Distress Oxide ink. A white gel pen was used to highlight the speckles and fill in some of the stem areas, with a little brown colored pencil used along the stem edges to give them some shadowing. 

Top of largest mushroom is foam mounted and butterflies are glued down the center only and the wings are bent upwards. 

Sentiment strip has antiqued brass brads attached. 

SUPPLIES

sentiment stamp -  Creative Worship Be Encouraged 2 clear set

mushroom dies - Hero Arts Mushroom and Ferns die set

butterfly dies - Sizzix Stampin’ Up! Embosslits Beautiful Wings

circle die - Sizzix Thinlits #665039

splatter stencil - Tim Holtz

I had a little guy left over so I made a little vignette on the inside corner. 

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KRAFTY CIRCLE SQUARES

 Hi friends!

Playing along with this FRESHLY MADE SKETCHES Challenge

(ends 5/11)

I wasn’t quite sure exactly what direction I was going to head when I first saw the sketch above, but I LOLed at Kim’s mentioning she was going to do squares since there had been lots of circles previously, because I already knew I was going to fill my squares with circles 😂

After I found the paper collection I wanted to use it was just a matter of semi-precision cutting and pasting. Squares were raised slightly with heavyweight scrap card. White elements on the kraft card stock were heat embossed. This card measures approximately 4.75” square. 

SUPPLIES

Hello sentiment stamp - Gina K. Designs Petite Geranium clear set

Best you sentiment stamp - Fun Stampers Journey cling rubber set #SS-0632

splatter dots stamp - Stampin’ Up! random (1998)

patterned paper - Pebbles Spring Fling #733112

white detail embossing powder

And another card I made using my extras:

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BE YOU FLORAL & PENNANT

Hi friends!

Playing along with this ATLANTIC HEARTS SKETCH CHALLENGE  

(ends 5/3)

Also playing along with this The Paper Players Challenge

(ends 5/8)

I do love a sketch to follow along with, and Michelle’s above is a fun one! And Jaydee’s mood board really meshed with the stamps and direction I was heading. 

I really enjoy paper-piecing images, and love these particular stamps. I also wanted to go with some Spring-y feminine colors. Speaking of paper piecing, I didn’t have enough floral background paper left to do a square card and had to get pretty creative paper piecing there as well!

SUPPLIES

female stamp - Jane Davenport Giraffe Wisdom clear set #JDS-053

sentiment stamp - Picket Fence It’s Peopley Out There clear set #S-150

pennant stamp - Simple Stories Always in My Heart clear set #10739

flat back gems - BoBunny Willow&Sage candy dots

Thanks for stopping in today!