SWEET BEE TRIO

Hi friends!

Playing along with this very cool sketch by Jen M for FRESHLY MADE SKETCHES challenge  

(ends 7/27)

I kept seeing one of these sweet little bees used on a sample card in my nearest papercraft supply store, and finally inquired.  A customer overheard my question and generously searched the web, figuring the source out in no time.  But my heart fell a bit at hearing it was a monthly kit item, and from years back 😭 

After buying a few of my newest treasures in-store, I got in the car, held my breath, and searched for the set online.  I was determined to buy the stamps with the dies, and the only set preowned and available, was listed for more than a few pretty pennies!  But I was grateful to find it at all, and I don’t have any buyer’s remorse. The seller sent it fast and it was just as I had imagined.  I can’t wait to make many more cards with it…

 

THE PROCESS

First steps: I cut the honeycomb from yellow glitter card stock, then used the same circle die to cut a solid yellow card stock circle to back it. After gluing these pieces together, I backed them with a white card stock circle for stability, and to give the back view of the card uniformity. The excess honeycomb scrap from the glitter card stock was glued along the bottom edge as shown. 

*TIP of the Day*

The easiest way to get even spacing when using up die cut scraps is to lay down a die cut piece and while gluing, just rest the desired scraps in the spaces they came from. Use the glue sparingly and remove the die cut pattern as soon as possible to avoid gluing it to your project accidentally - ask me how I know 😂

All the bees were stamped, colored with alcohol markers and die cut.  The wings were dabbed with glitter glue. 

To finish: I used some Distress Peacock Feathers ink to lightly shade the top of the card front. I used the black ink to stamp the sentiment. 

The stacked circles and bees were adhered as shown.  Some of the wings have small foam dots underneath. 

A few black enamel dots were applied to help ‘round out’ the scene 😁

THE SUPPLIES

bee stamps and dies - Hero Arts January 2021 monthly kit

sentiment stamp -  “    “

honeycomb die -  “     “

circle die - Spellbinders Nestibilities

black ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

blue ink - Distress Peacock Feathers

alcohol ink markers

black enamel dots - Altenew

glitter glue - Stickles Frosted Lace

yellow glitter cardstock - Hero Arts January 2021 monthly kit

Thanks for stopping in today!

FAITH TULIPS

Hi friends!

Playing along with this CAS ON FRIDAY Challenge 

#338 / Use Dies & Word Stamps

(ends 7/22)

I’m not sure how I feel about this tulip die set. It was purchased pre-loved, but this is its first outing with me. There are a couple things one could do differently next time to improve perspective, etc, and I think cutting from a handmade watercolor wash would be beautiful.

 

PROCESS

To start: The white panel was die cut with the ornate distressed openwork corner pattern and glued to a white card. 

*TIP of the Day*

With openwork fancy dies, just a dab of glue at each main juncture, and then around the entire edge of the pattern, is enough to keep it flush to the base. I like to place a large acrylic block over the card while it’s drying to keep it weighted down and drying flatly. 

Tulip parts were die cut from colored card stock and shaded a bit with ink blending before gluing together. Some glitter glue was added to the lower half of the flowers. 

To finish: Green leaves/stem piece was glued flat, and flower heads were mounted with foam tape. I used a thicker rectangle piece vertically in the center of each, and thinner strips on each side to get a rounded effect. 

Sentiment was stamped directly onto the card front in a dark pink ink. 

SUPPLIES

sentiment stamp - Creative WorshipThe Future #SNS-14-006

tulip layering dies - unmarked

ornate distressed corner die - Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits #660220

Thanks for stopping in today!

SELFIE BEAR

 Hi friends!

Playing along with this FRESHLY MADE SKETCHES Challenge

(ends 7/13).

UPDATE:

Thrilled to get a shout-out from Cecile as a Princess of Clean!

and this CRAFT ROCKET Challenge #138 Animals

 (ends 7/31)

Well I just love Donna’s Polaroid theme! Unlimited possibilities, but you know I’m going to pick a sassy animal every chance I get 😂

 

THE PROCESS

Starting out: I built my little bear using kraft card stock and a couple patterned papers. He got a bit of flush on his cheeks using a mini blending brush and pink Distress ink. The phone was die cut from silver card stock, and lined with irredescent vellum. The frame was cut using a couple basic rectangle dies. I lightly blended some blue behind where his head would be.  Red stars were punched out and affixed as shown. 

Next: I needed to computer print the sentiment I had in mind, and I mounted that on some heavyweight card stock, and then to the frame

Finishing up:. The frame was foam mounted, and also the bear and phone. I actually couldn’t find a star embossing folder so apparently I don’t own one 😂 In lieu off, I punched out some larger stars and glued them down randomly. 

*TIP of the DAY*

You can use nearly any die or punch to create the look of an embossing folder. Just cut out shapes matching your background paper, and glue down tightly!

THE SUPPLIES

bear dies - Dress My Craft Cute Teddy Bear #DMCD5742

phone dies - Miniature Mobiles #DMCD7205

rectangle dies - Spellbinders Nestabilities

star punches - assorted from stash

blending brushes

random patterned paper

assorted colored card stock

silver metallic cardstock

iridescent vellum 

Thanks for stopping in today!

BIRTHDAY CHICKENS.

 Hi friends!

Playing along with this ALPHABET CHALLENGE

D for Double (ends 6/25).

A newly acquired, pre-owned die consisting of chicken wire and wood frame in one inspired this little farm scene. I die cut the piece in brown and used darker brown ink to provide some low lights to the knotty wood frame, then trimmed the wire portion out using an Exacto knife. I ran the frame die through again using silver card stock and mounted it behind the brown frame so that the silver wire shows in the open area. 

The chickens and quips are from a fun older Stampin’ Up! set I’ve always loved but never actually used. The background is just blue and green inks blended onto the white card front. 

SUPPLIES

  chickens, egg and small sentiment stamps - Stampin’ Up! Hey, Chick Sale-a-bration set

frame with wire die - Dies…To Die For Chicken Wire and Wood Background #TDF269

quote bubble dies - Picket Fence Word Bubbles #PFSD144

happy birthday die - Memory Box Happy Birthday Chic Script #94871

silver card stock

alcohol markers

Thanks for stopping in today!

PUPPY B-DAY FEATURING SPINNER.

 Hi friends!

Playing along with this SEIZE THE BIRTHDAY 

#326 Feature an Animal

(ends 5/26)

and this WE LOVE STAMPING challenge with option 

All Creatures Great and Small 

(ends 6/3).

and this ALPHABET CHALLENGE “B” is for Balls 

(ends 5/28) 

Update!

I was excited to try these nail art spinners on a card, and this ball is perfect for them! 

A few helpful hints about these:

 *TIPS* The spinners are tiny! Craft tweezers make the job easier, and the best adhesive I found is some of my old stock Ultra Strength Small Clear Adhesive Permanent Dots by Zots / Therm O Web. It’s also helpful to back the die cut item to spin with an additional piece of card stock. Since the spinner is dimensional, raising surrounding images with foam tape distracts from that. Normally you’d want to center the spinner on the reverse side of your object, but if your object is slightly out of round like the red ball shown, it’s better to mount the spinner slightly higher so at rest your object is always balanced. 

Images were stamped in Memento black, colored with alcohol markers, fussy cut and then foam mounted. The sentiment was heat embossed, die cut and foam mounted. Clouds die cuts were ink blended with Distress Speckled Egg blue. 

 

SUPPLIES

dog and ball stamps - Rare Image Rubber Stamps* 

hat stamp (trimmed down) - Simon Hurley #HUR85560 Big Hugs clear set

sentiment stamp and die - Fun Stampers Journey Birthday Candles set

scallop circle die - Spellbinders Scallop Journal Cards #S4-1438

cloud dies - Tonic Studios Rococo Layered Clouds set

patterned papers - My Mind’s Eye Kraft Funday Happy Days 6x6 pad, and red polka dot from Recollections pad

spinner - Leelosp Nail Spinners (Amazon #X004KK6HQ3)

alcohol markers

Thanks for stopping in today!

MISS YOU BIRDIE.

 Hi friends!

Playing along with this CAS Colours &Sketches Challenge

(ends 5/25)

Update!

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

Thanks for stopping in today!

NEVER ENOUGH GARDEN TIME.

 Hello!

Playing along with this Freshly Made Sketches#727 challenge (3/16).

and this Little Red Wagon challenge (3/16).

and this Coloring with Pencils challenge (ends 4/5).

and this Love Those Pretty Papers challenge (ends 3/31).

SUPPLIES

countryside patterned paper - unknown, old stash

frame and leaf dies - Stampin’ Up! Stitched Seasons Framelits set

boy watering stamp - Rare Image Rubber Stamps

Sentiment sign stamp - Stampin’ Up! Sweet Herbs set

Thanks for stopping in today!

 

JUST BECAUSE FOLIAGE.

 Hello!

Playing along with this Freshly Made Sketches challenge.

UPDATE! 😊

Yay! Verbena named me a FMS Princess of Clean - thank you, thank you!

and this Simply Clean and Simple challenge - Anything CAS Option of Greenery (ends 2/28).

Distressed circle background was die cut through the green card stock, which is pretextured. Green panel was mounted on a white card front. Foliage branch was embossed in gold, colored with alcohol markers, die cut and foam mounted. Preprinted sentiment stamp is also foam mounted. 

SUPPLIES

background die - Sizzix Mixed Media #1 #660220 thinlits set 

greenery stamp and die - Altenew Retro Plantines set

flat back enamel gems - Altenew

gold embossing powder

flat black enamel dots 

preprinted sentiment strip

Thanks for stopping in today!

SPARKLE RAINFALL.

 Hello!

Playing along with the following challenges in no particular order:

this Addicted to CAS challenge (ends 3/6) I sure hope I am CAS enough to play along.

and this I Spy with My Little Eye challenge - Something You Love (ends 3/15) because I love a good rain day!. :o)

and this All About challenge (ends 3/4).

This is a pretty straight forward CAS card - a few die cuts, and the stamped image is colored in with alcohol markers *TIP* die cut images with a lot of white edging can be minimized if desired by running a neutral marker that blends with the background along the white edge.

Main image mounted on foam tape. Embellishments are random flat back rhinestones from stash. 

SUPPLIES

girl and sentiment stamps - Spellbinders Cute Boots clear set 

cloud die -Darice set

background panel die - Penny Black Antique Frame set

flat back aurora rhinestones 

Thanks for stopping in today!