This is my second post today after only two posts in the previous week. It’s been some time since I sat down to create some cards. The first order of business this morning was to get cards for the rest of August ready to send. One anniversary card and one birthday card were already in the card file, but I needed an anniversary card for my sister-in-law and brother-in-law. I’ve seen a lot of stacked die cuts around the blogosphere recently, and decided to give it a try. It was super easy, and I love the effect. 

The background image is from a new Papertrey set called Ombre Builder. It’s not the kind of set I often purchase, but I’m pretty sure it will get a lot of use. I love these little triangles, and am entering this in the Moxie Fab “Trendy Triangles” challenge and the Addicted to CAS challenge:  Geometric. The Love die and sentiment are both Papertrey Ink, “Wonderful Words: Love.” 

The second card was for a much sadder occasion. Another untimely and unexpected death of a man who we knew through Tracy’s best friend. Jack and Louise are next-door neighbors of Pete and Arlene’s and we’ve always enjoyed spending time with them at parties, weddings, and other events.

The idea for this card came from the Online Card Class: Stretch Your Stamps 2 for stamping on dark cardstock. My card is a very simple one compared to the card demonstrated in class. I’ve read a lot about Hero Arts Unicorn White pigment ink, so ordered it the last time I placed an online order. I’m pretty impressed. The stamp is “Harvest Berries” by Papertrey, and the sentiment is from a Hero Arts set (don’t have the name.) I used tiny pearls for the berries.

I made this last card awhile ago, but never posted it. I found it when I was looking through my card files this morning. It’s a perfect card for Virginia’s View’s lastest challenge: Shaped Cards. It will be perfect for one of the grandchildren come October.

All the papers are American Craft textured cardstock, and the features are an old Sizzix die. The googly eyes came from Michael’s.

Off to the gym. Hopefully after dinner, I can get back to the crafting table.

I’m off in a few minutes to a baby shower. It will be their first, a little boy due next month. A happy occasion, and the grandmother-to-be who is my good friend is excited beyond words!

Once again the Papertrey Ink Phrase Play #5 die came to the rescue.

I used piece of American Craft 12X12 scrapbook paper that’s been in my stash for a long time to cut the die, and Spring Rain cardstock by PTI for the card base. The layered felt sticker has been in my stash for a long time, too.

I only have a couple baby-themed stamp sets, and couldn’t find any sentiment that worked so I created on on the computer and ran the card base through the printer before starting the card front. 

I’m linking this to the new Simon Says Work It Wednesday challenge which is BLUE.

Hope you’re having a great weekend. Ours is pretty quiet aside from the fact that we have a busy, happy 2 1/2 year old living with us!

Last night when I should have been packing for our camping trip, I came across the new ColourQ challenge, and thought it would be perfect with the current CAS(E) This Sketch challenge. And I had the perfect (new) stamp set to put to use:  “Doodlie Do” by Papertrey Ink. Here are the challenges:

And here’s my interpretation:

I love these bright colors! I embossed and masked the flower, then the leaves and colored them with Copics. The sentiment is from the same set. And it’s another one for my encouragement card stash.

I’ll pop this into the Curtain Call Anniversary challenge, “Anything Goes,” as well. 

In about an hour we’re off to Selkirk Shores on eastern Lake Ontario for two nights of camping with our friends, Bob and Cathy. It’s supposed to be pretty decent (80’s during the day), but chilly at night (50’s), with a chance of showers on Sunday.  I had lunch with a friend on Tuesday who recommended driving up to Clayton, NY on the St. Lawrence River. There’s an antique boat museum and a classy new hotel that just opened up as well as some “cute shops.” Not sure the guys will be interested in the latter, but I think Clayton’s the plan for Sunday afternoon.

Alexa once again shared her photo and digital gifts with a download this week. As soon as I saw these delightful typewriters, I knew I’d make some simple, one layer cards. Sadly, I’m in almost constant need of encouragement cards, so it’s nice to have a little stash.

After printing the typewriters on Lumijet Fine Art Ink Jet paper, I stamped each with two sentiments I cut apart from Hero Arts “Everyday Sayings.” Then I found color coordinated cardstock in my scrap files to match each of the typewriters, and adhered it all to top folding cards made from Papertrey’s Rustic White cardstock which almost perfectly matches the Fine Art Ink Jet paper.

I just love these, and there are four other colors yet to print and use for another set of cards. Thanks, Alexa, for sharing your gifts!

I’m linking these up to the Curtain Call Anniversary challenge “Anything Goes.“

A quick post to share a card that uses, yet again, a new die for the first time and links to two challenges. I ordered the Block Talk die from Papertrey Ink last month, but haven’t had a chance to pull it out until today. “Celebrate” is just one of three words included with the die.  

I cut the die twice–once in gold metallic and once in silver metallic and inserted the silver strips into the gold die. The stars came from two “matching” dies from Simon Says:  “Holiday Shapes” and “Large Holiday Shapes.” Those dies get lots of use! The beautiful, slightly textured purple paper is (I think) from Bazzill that I picked up during Archivers going-out-of-business sale in January. The silver metallic paper is from Paper Source, but I’m not sure where I purchased the gold paper.

This is another entry to Virginia’s View Die Cut Challenge.

And it will be my first entry to the Moxie Fab “Wonderful Words Challenge,” which was to include a die cut word in your project.