DT May/13 - Mosaic - Butterfly Circle

It's my turn over on the Quietfire Creations blog today.

Had fun making the background - waste not, want not as the expression goes.

You can see more details and descriptions by click on card image or on my website HERE

Enjoy

MC May/13 - Blizzard HB Book

I'm so happy with the way this booklet turned out. Most of you know I taught a "No Sew Booklet" class this weekend and I added this booklet as a surprise to the repertoire. It's originally design by Hedi Kyle and I remember making a few of them about 4 years ago and thought the students would really enjoy this structure... Time does fly by too quickly.

This time I made the pages larger than the height of the structure, relying on the pages for the support.
I forgot to mention in my web site description, that as a final touch I added a punched out butterfly sitting on the top of the pages. Love that little detail. BIG GRIN. Also that the structure was made from off white Canson Ingres paper.

Anyway you can see lots more views and descriptions etc by clicking on booklet image. Enjoy.

I even got to use some of Suzanne's rubber stamps (Quietfire Design) in and on it besides my own calligraphy.

And it fits for these challenges:
Scribbles Designs  Monthly #5 for a special lady with flowers
Marianne Designs  Monthly  use your dies
Card Maniac Challenges  #21 spots or strips
Crafty Cardmakers  #91 Use 3: embossing, Distressing, masking, make your flowers, paper piecing, shrink plastic
Kaboodle Doodles  #172 circles or stripes
Anything Challenge  #93 make your own DP (each butterfly body is my own DP)
Everybody Art Challenge  #237 Flowers
Flourishes  #221 butterflies
Papertake Weekly  Paper Piecing (several of the interior flowers are paper pieced)
Top Tip Tuesday  #101 make a box
Belli Challenge  #170 Flowers
Crafts & Me Challenge  #134 Lots of layers
Delightful Sketches  Bingo: buttons, add dimension, DP; tag, ribbon/lace, punches/dies; stitching, glitter, flowers

Penny's Challenges  #128 have at least 1 circle (all the BFly bkgr'ds have circles & spots on them)
Aud Sentiment  #81 Friendship
Divas by Design  #86 Friends
Southern Girls Challenge  #69 spots or dots (every solid BFly part or wings has spots or dots on them)

MC May/13 - A Smile That...

I wanted to do a black decorative die cut... and the rest evolved.

I'm using a quote stamp from Quietfire Design and an Elizabeth Craft Design butterfly die

You can see more details and descriptions by clicking on card image. Enjoy.

And it fits for these challenges:
Lexi's Creations  #90 Black, white + 1 color (red)
Crafty Catz Weekly  #183 3, 2, 1 (3 layers, 2 flowers, 1 butterfly)
Frosted Designs  Black, white + 1 color (red)
Wags n Whiskers  #104 anything goes for a female
2 Sisters Challenge  #144 3, 2, 1 (3 layers, 2 flowers, 1 butterfly)
Opus Gluei  #157 Chat Noir (use black and or a cat)

MC May/13 - Quill Daisies - Hum of Bees

one of the ladies in my quilling group was playing with a daisy design and I got inspired... I'm also using one of the newest "Bees" die from Elizabeth Craft Designs.

I'm using a quote stamp from Quietfire Design

You can see more details and descriptions by clicking on card image. Enjoy

And it fits for these challegnes:
Digi Stamps 4 Joy  #67 spring has sprung
One Stop Craft Challenge  #229 anything goes
Corrosive Challenges  #174 use a sentiment

MC May/13 - Quill - Lattice HB

Had a wonderful quilling session again and was productive to boot... Made all my quilled elements so only had to put it together and that took almost a little longer than the quilling BIG GRIN.

Love the lattice and especially the little drop out pieces. Stay tuned on may 24th for a card with little guys...

I've been saying I made a gadget from mini craft sticks to do those fern/pine branch type leaves which you can see on this card. But I also went a step further and made a gadget with larger craft sticks to do the curly leaves. Makes life a lot easier...

I'm using a birthday sentiment stamp from Quietfire Design.

Click on card image to see more details and descriptions etc or to see more of the gadget thingie...

And it fits for these challenges:
By The Cute & Girlie  Monthly May  Flowers
 Fresh Brewed Designs  Monthly May  Flowers
Cupcake Craft Challenge  #242 lots of layers
Pause Dream Enjoy  #10 fill in the blank "Happy..." (birthday)
Tuesday Throwdown  #147 flowers
Simon Says Stamp Challenge  Flowers
Sisterhood of Crafters Use at least 1 flower
Shelly's Images  Anything goes
Alphabet Challenge  G for glitter & gems
Opus Gluei  #156 flowers

MC May/13 - Circle Gate - Never Give Up

Really wanted to use the "Gold Elements 1" triangle die... and then I wanted to make something a little different and this is the result.

I'm using one of the companion stamp sets from Quietfire Design. It was only recently that we got permission to use the stamp and I've been itching to do that since I got it, BIG GRIN...

You can see more details and descriptions by clicking on card image. Enjoy

And it fits for these challenges:
Divas By Design  #85 Shaped Card
Fab n Funky  #171 favorite embellie (pearls)
Penny's Challenge  #126 Dies or punches
CCEE Stampers  #1320 something that hangs out or over
Old Back Porch  #72 card a week

No Sew Booklet Birthday Card

I'm teaching a "No Sew Booklet" class next Sunday and thought I'd make a larger version of the booklet the students will be making. And then we were having a Gelli Plate evening this past Friday and again my brain was working  BIG GRIN - thought I'd try mine at home (just bought it recently...) and pull a bunch of papers for my backgrounds etc. WOW was that easy and addictive. Also went to my Friday Frolics evening and pulled more backgrounds for another booklet coming eventually...

And since it's a friend's birthday coming up soon, thought I'd turn this booklet into a Birthday card especially for her, so did a bunch of calligraphy inside.

You can see more details and descriptions etc  by clicking on the booklet image. Enjoy

I'm using a Quietfire Design calligraphy stamp for the cover "How old would you be..." love this stamp.

And it fits for these challenges:
Pin & Tack Challenge  #9 anything goes
Anything Challenge  #92 shaped but not square
Divas By Design  #84 anything goes
Crafty Ribbon Challenge  #45 no DP
Crafty Catz Weekly  #182 anything goes
Old Back Porch  #71 card a week
Simply Create Too  #37 anything goes
Wags n Whiskers  #104 BD for a female
Scribbles challenge  #4  shaped or easel

Mike Gold's Contemporary Scripts class

I took a 2 day workshop with Mike Gold last weekend "Contemporary Scripts". Way out of my comfort zone. I'm not really in to abstract or unreadable calligraphy. Not that we were going to those extremes in this class, but that's the direction contemporary calligraphy seems to be going...

Anyway, I've uploaded the work I did HERE during the class. Enjoy.

DT May/13 - Faux Stitching - Be Not Forgetful

This month, Holly did some faux stitching/faux quilting technique that was really pretty. you can see her card HERE. I went a few steps further and made my background with the quilt squares and stitching... Love the look.

I'm also using one of the newest stamps from Quietfire Design "Home/Congratulations" set.

Anyway to see more details and descriptions, click on card image or click here to go to my web page. Enjoy

And it fits for these challenges:
Squigglefly Chalenge  #1813 monotone
Papertake Weekly  anything goes
Trimmie's Craft Challenge  #205 stitching
Fussy n Fancy  #88 anything goes
My Time to Craft  #220 sentiment as focal
Fashionable Stamping  #47 anything goes
One SDtitch at a Time  #162 anything goes
Penny Black At All Sorts Challenge  Monthly May  sewing faux or real

Shimmer Sheetz - Els Class Cards

I had a wonderful afternoon today over at Paper Pastimes taking a class with Els Van deBurgt. It's been a while since I've done that... So we made 3 flip type cards all using Shimmer Sheetz in some way along with Els newest dies - love them.

You know how I feel naked when a card doesn't have some words on it, so came home and added sentiments and stamped quotes from Quietfire Design etc. as well as a bit of my calligraphy and some rub-ons.

I goofed on this first card with the lotus... I put the center rectangle on the wrong side. So had to improvise and added a neutral toned piece of Chiyogami paper. The Birthday wishes are white rub-ons and then I shadow outlined them with a black Micron pen. Stamped the quote (slightly altered... the first line is actually "may your home..." so cut the quote apart and realigned the words, then masked off what I didn't want) with Versafine Black Onyx on white cardstock and clear embossed. Trimmed down and adhered to inside.

The Shimmer Sheetz was colored with Alcohol inks, then embossed, then lightly sanded. The lotus is a Peel Off (love this peel off) on watercolor paper colored with Distress Markers and a waterbrush, then cut out and adhered to card with 3D foam dots with the center area having 2 layers of foam for a more rounded look. The edge of the card was outlined with black Peel Off lines.

Goofed a little again, but not drastically this time. We colored the tulips with the Distress markers etc on watercolor paper. But what I thought were two single leaf shapes - which I colored green, was actually another flower petal to give it more of a 3D look. So had to color another one (only had 1 so the other flower is missing the 3D look...). Wrote in "Spring Blooms" with a Micron pen in my "Fickle" font that I created.

Again we colored the Shimmer Sheetz with alcohol inks, embossed and sanded. Stamped the quote (Quietfire Design) on white cardstock with the black and die cut with Spellbinders "Tear Drop Circle". Sponged some Distress yellow and red around the edges and adhered to card.

Well finally got it right... Embossed the shimmer sheetz with the honeycomb pattern, then went over the high points with a Staz-On teal pad. It activates the Shimmer which is really neat. (something new for me). Those bees are so cute. We die cut them from a pearlized Shimmer Sheetz, then the body from yellow and black flocked paper and assembled. Some of the  flowers were dipped in Els Micro fine glitter. Stamped the quote (Quietfire Design) with Versafine Imperial Purple on white cardstock and clear embossed. Sponged some Distress Broken China and Peacock Feathers around the edges.

Click on any image to enlarge. Enjoy

And it fits for these challenges:
(Lotus card)
Lexis Creations  #89 Birthday
Aud Sentiment  #79 Birthday

(Tulip card)
TSG Clear Stamps  #205 April showers bring May flowers
Pile it on Challenge  #17  April showers bring May flowers

(Bee card)
A Lot A Rubber Stamps  #106  put a bug on it

(All cards)
Paper Playtime  #9 wet or dry embossing
Top Tip Tuesday  #101 something that moves (all cards flip)
CCEE Stampers  #1318  make it shimmer
Southern Girls Challenge  #68 put a sentiment on it
Crafts & Me Challenge  #131 Flowers
Old Back Porch  #70  Card a week
City Crafter  #157 Spring has sprung (inspir image below)

MC Apr/13 - Quill Poppy - Live In The Moment

I love poppies and have several varieties in my garden... of course I won't get to see them for a few more months - sigh!! One of my quilling friends was making poppy petals using the instructions from one of the quilling books. Her petals are at lease twice the size of mine so I think her flower will end up being pretty big, an in your face type flower. Anyway, I don't normally build petals with a bunch of shaped coils, so I thought I'd give it a go. Needless to say making 14 small coils to make one petal takes a lot more time than just making one big petal... but I do like the look of them so will probably continue to make them. BIG GRIN

side view

I side folded a white card and dry embossed with Cuttlebug
"Diamonds in the Rough" embossing folder.

Stamped the quote (Quietfire Design) with Versafine "Black Onyx") on a separate piece of white cardstock and hand cut in a wonky diamond shape. Sponged a bit of Distress "Barn Door" around the edges. Cut a piece of lace ribbon the length I needed and colored with Distress stains "Barn Door", dried and adhered to back of wonky rectangle with Sookwang tape. Adhered to card front. Adhered the small white half pearls in each corner.

Adhered my quilled elements. PS. the black stamen in the flower are made from 4 ply waxed linen thread, knotted at one end. Then added Liquid Pearls "White Opal" on all the faux crossed stitched areas.

Click on any image to see a larger version. Enjoy.

And it fits for these challenges:
Craft Your Passion  #159 use diamond shapes or diamonds etc.
Top Tip Tuesday  #100 use sewing - but not with a machine
Totally Papercrafts  #164 flowers & lace

MC Apr/13 - Quill Roses - A Bit of fragrance

And a bit more of the napkins... this time adhered to coffee filters with the Saran Cling Wrap. Then I decided to try with rice paper... And created another put together type quilled element - the baby's breath.

So click on card image to see more details and descriptions etc. Enjoy.

And I'm using a quotemarks quote from Quietfire Design.

And it fits for these challenges:
Marianne Design Divas  monthly Going girly (LR0162)
A Lota Rubber Stamps  #105 Lace/ribbon + round shape
Crafty Ribbon Challenge  #44 anything goes + ribbon
Stampin 4 the Weekend  #33 die cuts or punches

MC Apr/13 - Cosmos cards - As You Dream & Love Lives Here

Continuing on with another napkin card... I demoed to my last quilling class how to iron napkins on to cardstock with Saran Cling Wrap and of course had to use what I demoed... right?? I love cosmos, so making those type of flowers was a no brainer, which I did during another quilling session, this time with the 2nd group of ladies over at Paper Pastimes. Was an extremely productive session. I came up with some feathery leaves for my cosmos which I absolutely love.

Anyway click on either card to see more details and descriptions for that card. Enjoy

I'm using quotes and sentiment stamps from Quietfire Design.

And it fits for these challenges:
Kaboodle Doodles  #168 Spring
Oh La La Creations  #128 Easel
Paper Playtime  #8 more than 1 fold
Pause Dream Joy Challenge  #8 friendship (the easel card - my best friend lives out of town)
Everybody Art Challenge  #233 only 2 colors (pink & green)
Tuesday Throwdown  #144 make your own background
Belli Challenge  #168 spring
Color Throwdown  #239 celery, light banana, blush & pink
Crafty Creations  #219 pink + 1 color (green)
Penny's Challenges  #124 anything goes
The House that Stamps Built  #331 shaped card (the easel card)
Simon Says Stamp Challenge  anything goes
The Sisterhood of Crafters  anything goes
Stamp with Sarah Kay  #192 lots of die cuts (easel card)
Old Back Porch  #59 card a week

DT Apr/13 - Napkin Cards

It's my turn again on the Quietfire Creations blog. Well with these two cards - you can't get any simpler than this...

Our quilling group had a napkin exchange this past week. Now I have two huge drawers filled with napkins, so I really don't need anymore... BIG GRIN But then again some fresh designs might change my mind set and it sure did. Can't believe that with all the ladies that were exchanging napkins and the amount we all brought with us, there weren't any duplicates. AMAZING!!

Ok, then one of the ladies said, what do you do with them... Normally I use a gel medium to adhere my napkin to my cardstock, applying the gel to the cardstock and then laying my napkin on top. Works well, but does have a tendency to warp. I also use a glue stick in the same manner and like that as well. And I've done it with bee's wax, which I really loved, but is messy.

Now I know, adhering napkins with plastic wrap and a hot iron was supposed to work, but hadn't tried it, so that's what I used this time. What a breeze. I first tried the cheaper plastic wrap that you get in those jumbo rolls for the big dispensers, and even though it worked, I was a bit leery about it coming apart at some point. Then I tried it with Saran Cling Wrap and what a difference. Who woulda' thought... It adhered immediately and when cooled down, was stuck real good.

You got to admit, these napkins have beautiful images... So I lay a piece of cardstock (white 110#) on my work surface, a piece of plastic wrap and then my napkin face up. NOTE: If you've got any plastic wrap showing around your edges, you will need to put a protective layer on top so you don't ruin your iron. Using a dry hot iron (almost cotton setting), iron over your napkin. Allow the napkin to cool completely before seeing if it adhered properly. PS You'll see a difference in the look of the napkin where it adhered.

For the orchid card, I used Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics dies, cutting first the napkin piece, then I adhered it to my white cardstock, and placed the next die over the layers, centering it and then die cut that. Tied the ribbon around the two layers. PS the ribbon is just tied in a knot, and before pulling taught, slipped a small piece of ribbon into the knot, then pulled taught. Easy... Adhered everything to my light apple green card front (4.25"w x 5.5"h).

Inked up my stamp (Quietfire Design companion Stamp set "We Cannot Tell") with versafine Black Onyx, masking off the rest of the stamp with a piece of Magic Tape, then removed the tape after inking, then stamped onto card. Did the reverse masking of the stamp for the inside of the card, inked it up with the black and clear embossed.

For the roses card, I used the saran wrap. I die cut with Spellbinders Classic Ovals large and used an out of the box technique to have the rose bud outside the oval. I die cut the Floral Oval from some cream cardstock and adhered my rose oval. Scored and folded Kraft cardstock to make my easel card (5.5"w x 4.25"h) and adhered my elements to the center front.

When I die cut the rose, I cut into another part of the design, which I trimmed down and used for my easel floor, splicing some edge pieces to it.

Stamped the quote (Nature Quotemarks) with the black and die cut with the same oval die set. Folded it after the 2nd sentence and used it as a stopper for my easel. Adhered to card floor. When it was all done, I really wanted some bling... so added the rhinestone flourishes. I'm totally content and they both took less the 15 minutes to make, and that includes some of the thinking...

Hope you give it a try, it's addictive. Have a great day
Click on any image to enlarge.

And it fits for these challenges:
Digi Stamps for Joy  #65  easel & bling
2 Sisters Challenge  #140 use blue & /or Green
Fashionable Stamping  #46 add a sentiment

MC Apr/13 - Quill - Deepest Sympathy

I seem to be making a few sympathy cards... I'm pretty sure some friends and relatives will be passing soon, so I figure better be prepared.

I'm using a quilling technique I recently learned, but altered for the orange flowers. Also using my home made quilling comb gadget to make the fern type leaves. Still have to take a pic of it to upload... Something else on the to do list.

Using my absolutely favorite cardstock - Ruche - which isn't available anymore - sigh!! So I almost bought out the store so I wouldn't run out any time soon.

Anyway, you can see more details and descriptions by clicking on the card image. Enjoy.

I'm using a sentiment stamp from Quietfire Design.

And it fits for these challenges:
Cuttlebug Mania  Sentiment only no images (to cut out both ovals)
Flourishes   #216 Frame it
Tuesday Throwdown  #143 sentiment as primary focus
Old Back Porch  #68 card a week

MC Apr/13 - Coffee Filter Flowers - Memories

There are a bunch of new things I've been meaning to try and in the past few days I got the impetus to do them BIG GRIN...
This card uses coffee filters for the roses and multi petaled flowers. I enjoyed using it. The paper has a nice suppleness to it, great for shaping and forming. Picks up color beautifully, so I can see myself using them again.

To see more of the details and descriptions, just click on either image and enjoy.

I'm also using a sentiment & quote stamp from Quietfire Design.

And it fits for these challenges:
Inspiration Images  Blossoms
Lexis Creations  #88 lace or ribbon
Creative Card Crew  #34 Hand Made blossoms
Everybody Art Challenge  #232 glitz or bling
Scrap Creations  Lots of Flowers
Tuesday Alchemy  #53 garden & gold element
Crafts & Me Challenge  #129 lots of bling
Blog Ozak  Monthly #13  lace, pearls & ribbon
Card Makin Mamas  ribbon
Penny's Challenges  #123 use a sentiment
Crafty Ribbon Challenge  #43 pink & green
Shelly's Images  flowers
Alphabet Challenge  E for emerald - use green
Crafts 4 Eternity  #120 lots of flowers
Fussy 'n Fancy  #87 vintage
Wags 'n Whiskers  #102 May flowers
All Sorts Challenge  #203 Flowers
Mark's Finest Papers  #155 punch or die cut border
One Stop Craft Challenge  #225 not square
Totally Gorjuss  #180 embossing (gold embossing on ribbon and on inside)
Pile it On Challenge  #16 color inspir (see below)

MC Apr/13 - Fairy Dust Digi - A Journey Shoes

click on image to enlarge

I was asked to be a guest designer on Lexi's Creations with a theme of lace/ribbon. I was also given a choice of a digi image and I thought the Vintage boots (Fairy Dust Crafts) would be just right for lace and ribbons. BIG GRIN.

I printed it out on 110# white cardstock and cut out the upper section so it stood above the card fold. The card is 8.5"w x 4"h.

Colored the shoes with Prisma colored pencils and a Lyra Splendor Blender. Printed the shoe image again from regular cardstock and cut out the brown area to use as a stencil to stamp a background stamp (Impression Obsession "Flourishes") decoration on the shoes using Versafine Vintage Sepia and embossing with a rusty brown embossing powder.

Taped the cut out back onto the shoes and then cut out around the whole shoe design to use as a mask for stamping my background using the same stamp as above with Perfect Medium and clear embossing. Sponging with Distress Antique Linen & Spun Sugar.

Stamped the quote (Quietfire Design) with the Vintage Sepia and clear embossed.

Stamped the lace edging (Kaiser Craft) with Perfect Medium and clear embossed.

Punched out holes around the background and threaded a burgundy narrow ribbon. As a final touch, added Liquid Pearls "White Opal" for the faux buttons.

It fits for these challenges:
Lexi's Creations  #88 ribbons/lace

MC Apr/13 - A Little Birdie

Thought I'd make a one layer card again... a birthday card for a guy friend.

I stamped the image (Local King Rubber) onto a tall narrow white card (4"w x 8.5"h) using Versafine Black Onyx and clear embossed. Sponged Distress (Faded Jeans, Broken China & a touch of Worn Lipstick) in the sky to mimic clouds, then spritzed and misted water - dried.

Wrote in my words with a Micron pen in my Fickle lettering I created recently.

Click on card image to enlarge. Enjoy.

And it fits for these challenges: 
Quirky Crafts#135  #8 wings & clouds
Cardz  OLW135  Tall & Skinny

MC Apr/13 - Circle Easel - Sleeping Under

Love the quote I used on this card - it is so true...

I was checking out various challenges and assembling my elements together and this is the result. I'm content.

I cut my easel & Circle with my EK Success Circle Scissor. Didn't have a Spellbinder's Large circle - c'est la vie. The card base from white cardstock and the front circle from Kraft cardstock. Stamped my quote (Quietfire Design) using Versafine Black Onyx and clear embossed. created a mask with tracing paper and then stamped the background (Hero Arts "Flowing Flowers & Vines") using Perfect Medium and embossing with white embossing powder. Adhered the circle to the easel part of the card front.

Gathered up a bunch of elements from my stash. The flourish (Sizzix Tim's "Elegant Flourish") was white cardstock. I saw one of the challenges was to use something wooden, so I die cut the flourish from Wood Veneer and adhered it to my white die cut for strength and durability.

The bird cage was a Memory Box die which I had cut a bunch of experimenting with different faux techniques - this one with rust paint. It even feels rusty.

The bird on branch was die cut from some very plain decorated paper, so I colored it in with Prisma colors and added blue & pink glitter.

The base of the easel is woven from strips of paper that I throw in to my slivers drawer for just this reason - weaving... They're from all kinds of decorated papers I've made over the past year or so. Takes a long time to use up slivers...

Another challenge was to use something that starts with the first letter of your name. Ummm!! "Y" - ok - yarn is something and then I added the yellow ribbon bow to another wooden element the button.

Stamped the words "My Friend" (Quietfire Design) with the black on translucent vellum and adhered it to the card base with Sookwang tape.

Click on any image to enlarge. Enjoy

And it fits for these challenges:
Penny Black at All Sorts  Monthly April  Blossoms & bows
Paper Take Weekly  Bingo: glitter, punches, lace; die cuts, free, buttons; blooms, ribbons, gems
Tuesday Throwdown  #142 Fancy Folds
Delightful Sketches  Circle Shaped card
Crafts 4 Eternity  #119 something with wings
Fussy & Fancy  #86 use a faux technique (rusting on cage)
Old Back Porch  #67 card a wekk
Simply Create Too  #35 use your stash
Stampin 4 the Weekend  #32 Friendship
Totally Papercrafts  #162 use Kraft
All Sorts Challenge  #202 use something starting with the 1st letter of your name (Y for Yogi - yarn & yellow ribbon)
Crazy 4 Challenges  #181 wood (wood veneer flourish & wooden button)
Marks Finest Papers  #154 use white embossing
My Time to Craft  #217 something found in the sky (bird)
Pile it On challenge  #15 embossing

MC Apr/13 - Dreamweaver Singing in The Rain - Music

Dreamweaver's challenge this month is "rains, clouds, mists"... normally that would be a depressing subject and something to be avoided... but then all of a sudden this song came into my head - and I'm happy again. BIG GRIN

I stamped the background (Impression Obseesion CAC "Clouds") using Distress Stormy Sky & Salty Ocean. The card is larger than the stamp, so repeated in the bottom section. You can't see the join because I strategically put my fence along the join line. ROFL.

I seem to get good use out of this musical notes stencil (Dreamweaver LJ853) which I pasted with Dreamweaver's Glossy Black, masking off the words on the stencil that ran in the center. Used the same paste for the cats at the bottom (LM266) - love these cats, it's another stencil I use a lot... BIG GRIN. Let everything dry, then wrote in my lyrics by Gene Kelly, using a .02 Micron pen and my "Fickle Font" I created recently.

Die cut the fence and gate (Memory box) from black cardstock, adhered it to card, cutting away around the cats.

Now the cats needed something to be so engrossed in, so I punched out a little dragonfly from some yellowish decorated paper I had made. I added Glitter Ritz "Cool Highlights" on the wings and colored the body. Must admit it's a bit surrealistic with the cats sitting on the clouds... I guess I must be in a strange mood.

On the inside I stamped the quote (Quietfire Design) with Versafine Black Onyx and sponged Distress Black Soot through the cat stencil. I'm probably going to give this card to a friend for her birthday. She loves cats and since I'm not a wordy person... music says it all.

Click on either image to see a larger view. Enjoy.

And it fits for these challenges:
Dreamweaver  Monthly April - clouds, rain, mists
Card Maniac Challenges  #18 dies/punches
Cupcake Craft Challenge  #237 cats or dogs
Die Kreativen Stempel Freunde  #74 punches
MIM Challenge  #90 create your own background
TSG Clear Stamps  #202 blue, yellow & neutral
City Crafter  #154 BD
Creative Card Crew  #33 clouds
The House That Stamps Built  #329 CAS
Simon Says Stamp Challenge  April showers or spring flowers
The Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge  put an animal on it
One Stop Craft Challenge  #223 BD

MC Apr/13 - Quill Weeds - What is a Weed

I came across an interesting quill combing technique on Chris's blog "A Journey into Quilling" and thought I'd try it. Love the results and went a step further adding tight coils and creating the weed type flowers.

The other leaves are created with a combing tool I made and will have pics of it later. I first tried making that leaf shape with a quilling comb, then tried husking it, then tried it with a regular hair comb, all of those were very tedious... So came up with my gadget and makes life so much better. BIG GRIN

I'm using a Nature Quote Marks quote from Quietfire Design

Click on card image to see more details and descriptions etc. Enjoy

And it fits for these challenges:
By the Cute & Girly  Monthly Vintage
Lexi's Creations  #87 punches or dies (2 Spellbinder die sets)
Pause, Dream, Enjoy  #7 use dew drops or rhinestones, or pearls etc.
Dessert Island Crafts  #51 use any 3 items: lots of colour, based on a song, stickles, buttons, home made, shiny, 2 + dies, BD, candles, sentiment
2 Sisters Challenge  #138  Anything goes
One Stitch at a Time  #158 Anything goes
Colour Q  #183 see below

DT Apr/13 - Modern Grid - Friends Are Those

My turn on the Quietfire Creations Blog today and I'm taking up Holly's challenge to try the Modern Grid technique. It's a fool your eye technique where the background appears to recede.

You can see Holly's version HERE.

I stamped the Gingko (Quietfire Design) leaves all over my white 5"w x 7"h card front using Versafine "Smokey Grey", then colored with Prisma colored pencils.

Die cut a bunch of Spellbinders "Basic Matting" rectangles from regular cardstock and used them as masks to color and draw the outlines. I sponged Pan Pastels.

Stamped my quote and sentiment (Quietfire Design) with Black Onyx and used the rectangles to outline the text. Colored with the pencils.

I then drew my inner square details and colored with blue pencils.

I added vein lines in the Gingko leaves with a Quickie Glue Pen and sprinkled with Glitter Ritz "Peridot"

I filled in the area of the plant word with Glossy Accents.

A one layer card with a lot of faux dimension.

And it fits for these challenges:

MC Apr/13 - CAS - When You Get to The End

Click on image to enlarge

I side folded a 5"w x 7"h kraft cardstock.

Stamped my quote (Quietfire Design) using Versafine Toffee and embossed with white embossing powder.

Created a mask for the quote with tracing paper, then stamped the butterfly/leaf image (Artful Stamper) as above. put a layer of white colored pencils then colored with normal colors blending with a Lyra Splendor Blender.

Stamped the two smaller butterflies as above (Quietfire Design - lower left & unknown make at right). Added color to them as well with the Prisma colors.

Drew in lines to create 3 stripes and colored them with a layer of white and then using the same colors as the large butterfly.

Added Glitter Ritz "Cool Highlights" to the large butterfly wings and some flocking to the body.

Adhered three holographic blue Peel Off dots

And it fits for these challenges:
Cupcake Craft Challenges  #236 Color on Kraft
One Layer Wednesday  OWL#134 Use combinations of 3's (3 stripes, 3 BFlies, 3 Dots, 3 colors)
CCEE Stampers  #1314 things with wings
Moving Along with the Times  use kraft
Southern Girls Challenge  #66 use stripes
All Sorts Challenge  #201 spring
My Time to Craft Challenge  #216 single layer card
Totally Gorjuss  #178 Sparkle
Fashionable Stamping  #45 add journalling
Opus Gluei  #154 use either all pastels or all bright colors (I used pastels)
Pan Pastel UK  #14 use a stamped image