Watercolor Butterfly Birthday Wishes

Hello! As so many people are right now - I am still loving any opportunity to use watercolors on my cards - love the punch it gives, and yet is so simple at the same time!

I made this one for the current CAS-ual Friday's Challenge - Must Love Watercolor:

I used two different Altenew stamp sets on this card - Ori Kami for the butterfly, and Label Love for the sentiment. I stamped the butterfly on my watercolor paper, and added a wash of purple watercolor over the top. Once that dried, I added Glossy Accents over the butterfly, then let that dry. The sentiment was heat embossed, then hand trimmed out. I added a bundle of silver thread under before attaching the sentiment with foam adhesive. Finished off with some DCWV pattern paper and a few Pretty Pink Posh sequins. I love how the shiny embossed sentiment and the Glossy Accents accent the watercolor with a wet look - such a perfect compliment to watercolors, especially with a few sequins to finish it off!

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a wonderful day!!!

Distress Bleed Technique Card

Good morning! I'm back to share a previously made card that I hadn't shared yet:

I also wanted to link this up with Virginia's View Challenge - All Things Distressed before it was too late!

I also thought I would link this up with this weeks Simon Says Monday Challenge - Anything Goes:

For this card, I used a technique that I saw from Jennifer McGuire's blog (her post is HERE) - basically I inked up my image from Unity Stamp Co called Rejoice for our SILENT NIGHT {wit and wisdom} with a few different colors of distress ink, stamped it on watercolor paper, then stamped again with Versamark black ink. Then I misted it with water, and allowed it to dry, bleeding wherever the colors decided to land. I added a bow cut with a My Craft Spot die from some handmade paper, a heart cut with a Paper Smooches die, some bling, pattern paper, and a black mat.

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a wonderful day!!!

MCS Challenge - Shape Cards

Good Monday morning! It's time for a new challenge at My Craft Spot - Shape Cards! It has been too long since I made a shaped card, so I really enjoyed this challenge - here is what I made:

I started off by welding together this little telephone cut file from the Silhouette store, and cutting it out with my Cameo using SSS gray cardstock. Next, I cut it out of the pink paper without the window, then again out of the red - both from a DCWV 6x6 paper pad. I adhere the pink behind the red, slightly offset for a shadow effect, then adhered it onto the cardbase I created, tucking in the "cord" that I cut using My Craft Spots Fancy Edges 2 die set. I adhered the heart in the center with foam adhesive, added some sequins from Tickled Pink sequin blend, and then heat embossed my sentiment from the new Robots stamp set.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you will come play along in the challenge - can't wait to see what fun shape cards you come up with! Have a wonderful day!!!

Growing in Unity May Hop

Hello! I'm super excited today to be joining in with some of the recent Growing in Unity gals and hopping along with the newest Stamp of the Week. You should have arrived here from Patti aka scrapunzel1 - if not, head back to An-Jenic to start at the beginning!

The new stamp of the week is so fresh and fun and summery! And I couldn't resist a little more watercoloring - so here is my first card with it:

I picked up some new watercolors recently at Michael's - they were the same inexpensive brand I had used before, but this set was iridescent! So pretty! So I created a simple watercolor wash for the background, then stamped my image and sentiment over the top with Versafine ink. Added some flicks of color, some Icicle Stickles to the centers, a few enamel dots, some rounded corners, and some jute twine tied on a tiny Tim Holtz paperclip to finish it off. Mounted some bright papers from a DCWV paper pad at an angle on a white cardbase to use as a backdrop.

Next, I decided to go with a much simpler and more modern feeling card:

For this one, I head embossed the image and sentiment on vellum, tore the bottom edge, then used machine stitching to attach over some pattern paper from Glitz Designs. I guess it still has a bit of a watercolor feel to it anyway, doesn't it? Oh well! I matted that in white, then mounted on a cardbase made with some of the new Simon Says Stamp gray cardstock - LOVE the color of it!

Here is the rest of the blog hop line-up in case you get lost along the way:

1. An-Jenic

2. Maria Levine

3. Anna Natalia

4. Brittany Morgan

5. Erica Bass

6. Donna Baes

7. Amy

8. Patti aka scrapunzel1

9. Heather Hoffman (you are here!)

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Have a wonderful day!!!

Jar of Happy - MCS Monday Challenge

Good Monday morning! Hard to believe that it is Monday already! But, since it is - it also means it is time for a new challenge at My Craft Spot! This week the challenge is Banners or Tags - I decided to use a tag for my jar of butterflies:

I used the Jar Basics stamp set, and coordinating Metal Dies to stamp and cut out my jar using some pattern paper. I used Jar Full of Flowers to stamp the butterflies on the inside. I inked them up them stamped them a few times to get darker and lighter butterflies.

Next, I used Tiny Tags Dies to cut a tag, and stamped a sentiment from Tiny Tags 3 Stamp Set. Tied it on with some Natural Jute String. Added some white cardstock that I used my PTI Linen Impression plate on, and some pattern paper from DCWV, and added some machine stitching to finish it all off. 

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope your day is full of happy!!!

Live Your Life Happy - Unity FWF

Good morning! Sharing a card this morning for the Unity Itty Bitty a Day Challenge going on the Unity Facebook page, as well as the usual weekly post for Unity Friends with Flair:

For this one, I used the itty bitty called "happy to be me" and some pattern paper from DCWV that I got from Michael's. I heat embossed the image, and my sentiment is cut out from some pattern paper in the same paper pad. Added some green washi strips, and some pretty ribbon from my stash to finish it off. 

Hope you are having a wonderful Friday! Yikes...can't believe the weekend is almost here! Have a great one!

Thanks so much - Paper Smooches and Watercolor Challenges

Good morning! Yesterday I was excited to have some time to play with some new goodies I had gotten either in the mail, or on our drive last weekend to Salt Lake City to do some shopping. Anyway - here is one of the cards I made:

First up - I was itching to use some new Paper Smooches supplies that arrived - so I am linking this up with the Paper Smooches SPARKS Anything Goes Challenge for the week:

Next up - I absolutely ADORE any form of water-coloring technique on cards! So when Virginia Lu started up a new challenge blog - Virginia's View Challenge - and this was the first theme, I just HAD to play along (in fact I have more than one card that I made because I was inspired by this and will be sharing them soon!)

For my card, I wanted to make a watercolor effect, but using stamps only. So I used Paper Smooches Positive Strokes stamp set to stamp with Hero Arts ink on vellum, then heat set it so it wouldn't smear. Next, I stamped my sentiment from Scripty Sayings and Many Thanks in black pigment ink, then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. Love that it adds a little shine, but still a slightly softened black tone as well.

I then took my vellum panel, attached it to my doily with a tiny Tim Holtz paper clip, then tied some twine in a bow onto the paper clip. I mounted that to some pattern paper from DCWV that I picked up at Michaels, and added that little wood veneer flower that I found at Michael's as well!

Trimmed it so that there was a strip of my white card base showing at the top and bottom, then finished off with some enamel dots.

Oh - I can't wait for spring! I think this card makes me want it even more! 

Hope you are having a great day!!!

Neat and Tangled Wreath

Somehow I missed this and didn't get it posted before Christmas - sooo...here it is late!

I used Neat and Tangled Simple Christmas Stamp set, some MFT ink, and some glittery DCWV paper cut with a Lil' Inker's die to make the bow.

Thanks for stopping by to see my (VERY) late Christmas project! 

Love is...Unity FWF

Good morning! So excited to be playing along with Unity Friends with Flair this morning using the current December 2013 Kit of the Month:

I recently saw a technique that Jennifer McGuire used (you can see her post HERE) that I wanted to give a try! She used clear embossing paste with a stencil, then sprinkled embossing powder over and heat embossed. I didn't have any clear embossing paste, so I used the white I had and sprinkled over some Zing embossing powder on the top and bottom corner, leaving the center just white. I really like the effect this gave, and will probably be trying it again!

I stamped my image on chalkboard paper and heat embossed it in white, then added some smudges of white ink as well, then attached it to my card base with foam adhesive.

Added some silver sequins, and a wrap of Twinery Baker's Twine to finish it off.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful Friday - and a Happy New Year!!!

Stitched Nativity Peace on Earth

Another Christmas card to pop in and share a day late! (smiles) Used some Webster's Pages and DCWV pattern paper, the Market Street Stamps retired set again, and some machine stitching. Super simple!

Have a wonderful day!

Candy Cane Lane!

Hi there! I'm over on the My Craft Spot blog today sharing a holiday card with you - a very bright and festive card!

I love creating with the chalkboard technique - simply stamp your image on chalkboard or black cardstock and heat emboss with white embossing powder. Next, stamp again slightly off the first image with white pigment ink. Finally, add some details with a white colored pencil, and add some smudges of the white pigment ink to complete the effect.

These Candy Cane Brads from Eyelet Outlet just make me feel festive - so bright and fun! I thought they would look beautiful on a chalkboard paper tag - and I do love how they pop!

I used Bazzil Cardstock for my cardbase, and a Mister Huey's mask and embossing paste to create my background. The chalkboard tag was cut with a Paper Smooches Die, and I also used some pretty White Sheer ribbon, Black Jute Twine, and Cherry Red Traditional Twine for the top of my tag.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!!!

Gold and Navy Thanks

Good morning! Just popping in with a quick card for the current Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Thanks/Thanksgiving. I used some Navy cardstock from Bazzil to make my cardbase, and inked the edges with some blue distress ink. It is a little hard to see in the photo, but adds some fun depth in real life! Cut a feather from glitter paper using a Simon Says Stamp die, the Thanks word is by Paper Smooches, and the bling is from Michael's. 

Thanks for dropping by! Have a great weekend - we are off to help some friends move today!

MCS Challenge - Pinterest Inspired Jar

Good morning! After all the excitement of the new release at My Craft Spot (and a week off to recover!) - we are starting a new challenge up this week, a Pinterest Inspired Challenge! Here is what I made:

Here is our photo for inspiration - isn't it LOVELY?!?!?!?

I love all the textures and colors - and tried to capture that a bit in my card. I used Jar Basics Stamp set and the coordinating Jar Basics Metal Dies for my jars, and tied some Natural Jute Twine around the top of it.

Cut some snowflakes using Snowflake Borders Metal Dies out of glitter paper and layered them in my jar, and under and around it. The tag at the top was cut using the Straight Ribbon Banner Dies, and I stamped a sentiment from Ornate Labels Christmas Stamp set using PTI ink. Added some lace trim to the bottom, and attached it all to a blue PTI cardstock base, then added a sprinkle of sequins from Tickled Pink Blend to finish it off.

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you will join us over at My Craft Spot on this fun challenge - and can't wait to see what you create!

MCS New Release Day 4 - Sparkly Snowflakes

Good morning! Welcome to day 4 of sneak peeks for the Winter Release at My Craft Spot! Today we are sharing projects made with the newly releasing Snowflake Border Metal Die and Joy Filled Christmas stamp set. Here is what I made:

I wanted to play with those fun snowflake borders, and it occurred to me that they would look marvelous in glitter paper! I had to make my card 5x7 for them to fit well - so this is not your standard A2 card size. I used DCWV Glitter paper to die cut the snowflakes. As always - I loved how clean and crisp the die cut image was!

I attached them to my cardbase, then split the sentimnet from Joy Filled Christmas so I could stamp it all in a line in coordinating ink colors. Added the little "sparkles" from the Jar Full of Christmas stamp set we shared peeks of earlier this week, and a few tiny bits of bling to add some extra shine.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Make sure and head over to My Craft Spot next to see what the rest of the design team put together, and enter today's giveaway!

My Creative Time - New Release Hop and Giveaway

Good morning! The end of the week has finally arrived, and sneak peeks are finished - the new release from My Creative Time is available now for purchase! Don't forget to SAVE 20% on your ENTIRE order with code OCT2013!

I am hopping one last day as a guest designer with Emma's fabulous design team - if you have just arrived here from Veronica, you are the right place! If not, make sure and head to My Creative Time to start at the beginning! I should warn you - this is a pretty picture heavy post...I just couldn't seem to quit creating! Up first, a couple of fun Christmas postcards with the new Build a Postcard and Postcard Add-ons, as well as the new Holiday Tickets:

I started off by just trimming a piece of PTI cardstock to standard A2 card size (4.25" x 5.5") and rounding the corners. 

I built all the different elements, using some red and green zing embossing powder to heat emboss, then adding some grey Versafine ink to soften things up a bit.

I finished off by using some Tim Holtz distress ink on the edges. LOVE the texture that the heat embossing adds, while still keeping it one layer.

Next up I made a two sided postcard in must softer, more neutral colors. I used Stitched 4x6 Journal Die to cut out the solid cardstock, and a 5x7 photo that I had on hand.

My photo was a soft sepia toned picture, and I stamped the "Missing You" sentiment, as well as the brackets and arrow from It's All About You using Staz-on Black ink, so it wouldn't smudge off the photo.

I stuck them together, then decorated the back, and my daughter's wrote a note to their "adopted" Auntie Tara, and we dropped it in the mail. I'm happy to report it arrived in one piece as well! YAY! I will definitely be making more of these to send to family and friends! As my daughter's said: "Now we can use our OWN pictures for postcards, and not just go buy them!"

And finally...I just HAD to use this sweet Scallop Stitched Envelope Die to make another gift package! This time I glitzed it up quite a bit!

I used some DCWV Glitter paper to cut the Small Stitched Scallop Bow, as well as the tie closures for the envelope - and used some blingy brads to anchor them.

I tucked a little piece of doily under the bow, added a jewel bling to the center, then decorated up a Stitched Fun Ticket Die with the new Holiday Tickets Stamp Set.

After I finished this, my daughters begged to have me make an envelope for them as well! They decorated them all up cute! I didn't have a chance to get a picture of them, but I will get those photographed and posted soon! I'm the last stop on the hop - so now you are free to go SHOPPING! Before you leave, here is the giveaway info and blog hop line-up in case you get lost:

BLOG HOP GIVEAWAY!

For our blog hop giveaway, we will have 2 winners! 

Winner #1 ~  $50 gift card to "My Creative Time's Store'! 

Winner #2 ~ will be our "Guest Designer" for our Next Release! 

All you have to do is leave your comments on our blogs! You are NOT required to comment on ALL blogs, but the more you comment on, the better chances you have! 

GOOD LUCK! :)

Blog Hop Lineup:

Emma~ http://www.creativetimeforme.com/ 

Amy ~ http://www.scrappingmommy.com/

Cassandra ~ http://www.ctimz3.blogspot.com/

Cathryn ~ http://inthepinkcathryn.blogspot.com/

Cheryl ~ http://dragonflydesigns58.blogspot.com/

Cindy B. ~ http://www.cindybcreations.blogspot.com/

Courtney ~ http://courtscrafts.blogspot.com/

Glora ~ http://glorascrafts.blogspot.com/

Katie ~ http://www.craftingwithkatie.com/

Kim ~ http://www.scrapinmomofoneinspiringlittleboy.blogspot.com/

Leanne ~ http://createdbyleanne.blogspot.com/

Liz ~ http://www.lizspaperloft.com/

Micia ~ http://yellowbirdcreation.blogspot.com/

Nancy ~ http://scrappingoutofcontrol.blogspot.com/

Nikki ~ http://scrappinnavywife.blogspot.com/

Rosy ~ http://sweetdelightspapernmore.blogspot.com/

Ruthie ~ http://septemberninth.blogspot.com/

Shar ~ http://scrapendipity.blogspot.com/

Tracy ~ http://tracyscricutcorner.blogspot.com/

Veronica ~ http://www.vkcreate.blogspot.com/

Heather ~ http://housesbuiltofcards.blogspot.com/  (You are here)

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!!! Thanks again Emma for the fun opportunity to guest design for you this week! I had so much fun playing with the new goodies!!!