Butterfly Sympathy Card

I had a good time this weekend at the retreat reconnecting with crafty friends. I spent part of the time coloring and the rest working on my digital photos. I didn't get as much done as I would have liked (some yucky personal stuff keeps affecting me), but so appreciated the chance to escape into the crafty world. Plus I won a few door prizes which is always exciting.

A good friend of my hubby's wife passed away this weekend. I wanted to make a special card for the family and turned to my go to sympathy sets from PaperTrey Ink. I have a huge association with butterflies as our loved ones who have passed on and find them so appropriate for sympathy cards.

Sketch Inspiration ~ My Grafico Sketch #36

Color Inspiration ~ A Passion for PaperTrey ~ Black and White

I meant to stick to black and white, but ivory kind of overtook the white.

Inspiration

Little Red Wagon #16 ~ Ribbon

Simon Says Challenge ~ Recipe (3 types of embellishments, 2 patterned papers, 1 image) My embellishments are 1) Ribbon, 2) Butterfly Punch and 3) Vellum Wedding Favor Butterfly; the 2 papers are the butterfly base and the dotted panel; and I used a verse as my image.

Belli Challenge #85 ~ Butterflies & Dragonflies

Corrosive Challenge #52 ~ Wings

KL Stampin N Scrapin Challenge ~ Go Green We were to recycle an element in our card. The wide grossgrain ribbon was secured on a small bag of candy I received at Christmas time. I've been holding on to it for the perfect card.

 My Creation

I know this is really ivory and black, but when I saw the butterfly paper I knew it was perfect for my card and hope the PT girls will understand. :o)

Image Detail

My butterfly is double layered. The bottom piece is a wedding decoration I picked up at Michael’s and I used my new Martha Stewart Monarch butterfly punch for the top layer.

Inside of Card

I used a verse from PTI’s With Sympathy set and their small butterfly.

INS AND OUTS ~ Butterfly Sympathy Card
Stamps: Through the Trees & With Sympathy (PaperTrey Ink)
Paper: DCWV LaCreme Stack, The Paper Studio Butterfly print, Misc Black, Neenah Classic White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: SU Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Recycled Ribbon, Ivory Chocolate Butterfly (Brides), Monarch Butterfly Punch (Martha Stewart)
Challenges:
My Grafico Sketch #36
A Passion for PaperTrey ~ Black and White
Little Red Wagon #16 ~ Ribbon
Simon Says Challenge ~ Recipe
Belli Challenge #85 ~ Butterflies & Dragonflies
Corrosive Challenge #52 ~ Wings
KL Stampin N Scrapin Challenge ~ Go Green

Simple Take on CPS Sketch 154

I’m on a roll with my Through the Trees cards. I should probably ink up one of the other cards in the set, but I’m in love with this ‘window view’ of the bare branches.

I’m attending a craft weekend and am forcing myself to spend most of the time working on my digital photos. I have about 5 years of pictures on my computer that need to be sorted and cleaned up. I kept thinking I could take care of it in my ‘free time’, but that doesn’t seem to happen. So, my laptop is packed and ready to get to work. I did pack a ‘small’ bag of images and my Copics in case I need to get inky. Typically when I attend a weekend crop, my DH has to help me set up (I pretty much bring in most of my craft studio). He called me this morning to see if I was ready and started laughing when I said, “I’m all packed and hardly have anything to bring.” Can you believe he doubted me? I think he was crushed I wasn’t going to plead for his manly muscles to help me out. The down side is that I’ll have spent 22 hours dedicated to crafting (tonight and tomorrow) and won’t have any cards to share. But, I should have my photos all ready for scrapbooking.

Okay, on to my quick and simple card…thanks for hanging in there with my ramblings.

Sketch Inspiration ~ CPS Sketch #154

Inspiration ~ Pals Paper Arts ~ KISS 

KISS stands for Keep it Simple Sweetie, and this card is all about the paper. A few layers, a simple stamped image and flower 'embellishments' cut out from the DP.

My Creation

INS AND OUTS ~ Simple Take on CPS Sketch 154
Stamps: Through the Trees (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: DCWV Cafe Mediterranean
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, SU Marker Taken with Teal
Accessories: None
Challenges:
CPS Sketch #154
Pals Paper Arts ~ KISS

The Spring Through The Trees

In an effort to use up my scraps instead of just tossing them into the 'someday' bucket, I opted to make a few more cards with the papers I had out. I also had a few extra Through The Trees images ready to go so this card came together very quickly.

Sketch Inspiration ~ Friday Sketchers #89

Color Inspiration ~ Spring

Like much of the country we've expirenced our fair share of snow. One of my favorite signs of spring is when the trees start to bud. It seems like one day they are just bare branched, and the next leaves have sprung to life. I used bright colors for my card and added the birds to the bare branches to signify the coming of spring. It will get here, right?

Your Next Stamp Challenge #10 ~ Spring Colours

Inky Impressions Challenge #30 ~ Spring

A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge #91 ~ Spring is in the Air

Inspiration

Cupcake Craft Challenge #78 ~ Keep it Simple

Only ink and paper were used here, no embellisments - egad, not even glitter!

Pile it On Challenge #6 ~ Flowers

I used some fun flowered designer papers. The yellow base actually has a tone on tone flower pattern, but it doesn't show up very clearly.
Our Creative Challenge ~ Something Old that’s New

You are to use something you’ve had in stash for awhile but never used. Well, I just HAD to buy a new set of SU Markers almost 6 months ago (there was a really great promo and I wanted a set that no one else could use) and it's been sitting gathering dust. I broke it in slightly, but just using one of the beautiful markers. I colored the birds with marker before stamping them on the branches.

My Creation

INS AND OUTS ~ The Spring Through The Trees
Stamps: Through the Trees (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: DCWV Cafe Mediterranean
Ink: Memento Summer Sky, SU Marker Taken with Teal
Accessories: None
Challenges:
Friday Sketchers #89
Your Next Stamp Challenge #10 ~ Spring Colours
Inky Impressions Challenge #30 ~ Spring
A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge #91 ~ Spring is in the Air
Cupcake Craft Challenge #78 ~ Keep it Simple
Pile it On Challenge #6 ~ Flowers
Our Creative Challenge

One Card Two Ways

I fell in love with the IA sketch when it was posted and am happy I manged to play with it before the deadline. When I saw the challenge for There She Goes this week I knew exactly what I wanted to do. The challenge is to make 2 cards using identical images, but give one card a masculine feel and the other a feminine feel. Unfortunately I needed a few sympathy cards. I’ve very please with how they turned out and urge you to give the challenges a try. What do you think?

Sketch Inspiration ~ Inspiration in Action Sketch Challenge #119

I used the same sketch for both cards. It was PERFECT for multiples and I’ll be sure to use it again.

Color Inspiration

My Grafico Challenge #36 ~ Plaid out!

My masculine card includes plaid paper.

Stamping 411 Color Inspiration #110

I used the colors from this challenge for my feminine card. I added the pop of pink with the butterfly and bow. The bedding set was the inspiration for the color combo.

Inspiration

There She Goes Challenge #42 ~ He/She Card

Charisma Cardz ~ Male

All Sorts Challenge ~ Recipe 3, 2, 1 (3 of one thing, 2 of another and 1 more)

My masculine card fills this challenge. There are 3 designer papers, 2 forms of ribbon and 1 image.

Hand Full of Stamps #16 ~ Open the Fun Any creation is welcome.

My Creation

Inside of Cards

INS AND OUTS ~ One Card Two Ways
Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Through the Trees, With Sympathy)
Paper: DCWV Natural & Café Mediterranean Stacks, Kraft, Neenah Classic Natural White
Ink: Memento (Rich Cocoa, Summer Sky, Bamboo Leaves), SU Positively Pink
Accessories: Shirleys2Girls Velvet Rick Rack Ribbon, Twine, Misc Ribbon, SU Grosgrain Ribbon
Challenges:
Inspiration in Action Sketch Challenge #119
My Grafico Challenge #36 ~ Plaid out!
There She Goes Challenge #42 ~ He/She Card
Charisma Cardz ~ Male
All Sorts Challenge ~ Recipe 3, 2, 1
Stamping 411 Color Inspiration #110
Hand Full of Stamps #16

Valentine in a Bottle

I’ve heard of using empty beverage containers as fun ways to mail something and thought this would be a fun way to send a Valentine to someone very special in my life. I think this would be so much fun to receive in my mailbox and am sure she'll be thrilled.

Color Inspiration ~ 365 Cards Day 345 ~ Ad Inspired

The colors, hearts and LOTS of pieces inspired my bottle filled with love.

Inspiration

LOVE/VALENTINES: Everybody Art Challenge #78 ~ Valentine; Jacksonbelle Embellishments Tuesday Challenge ~ Love is in the Air; Simon Says Challenge ~ What’s Love Got To Do With It; Cute Card Thursday #99 ~ In the Name of Love

Creative Inspirations #47 ~ Anyone for Leftovers? (Use scraps - all the 'fillings' in my bottle were punched from scraps.)

365 Cards Day 311 ~ Find a Substitute (Substitute a word with an image; my secret message has a heart for the word love.)

My Creation

Here's the rolled up secret message tucked in the bottle.

And a close up of the pile of punched love to cushion the note.

INS AND OUTS ~ Valentine in a Bottle
Stamps: SU Happy Heart
Paper: Scraps
Ink: Versamark, SU Real Red, SU Pastels
Accessories: Misc Punches, Empty Pop Bottle
Challenges:
365 Cards Day 345 ~ Ad Inspired
Everybody Art Challenge #78 ~ Valentine
Jacksonbelle Embellishments Tuesday Challenge ~ Love is in the Air
Simon Says Challenge ~ What’s Love Got To Do With It
Creative Inspirations #47 ~ Anyone for Leftovers?
365 Cards Day 311 ~ Find a Substitute
Cute Card Thursday #99 ~ In the Name of Love

Transparent Friends

I've wanted to make a transparent card for ages (again, I'd seen them on other blogs but was too intimidated to try). How exciting to have the fixings for one in a card kit. I really like how it turned out and feel confident to try more. The only thing I don't like is that my tape adhesive shows through on the back. I know it's futzy, but I like to try and keep things clean. I'll have to try different adhesives and see what I can figure out.

Sketch Inspiration ~ Midnight Madness #40

Inspiration

ABC Challenge ~ N is for New Just broke out my spanking new card kit for the month!

Stamp Something Challenge ~ Love Somethings

Pile it On Challenge #5 ~To the One you Love

Flourishes Challenge ~ What’s Your Cup of Tea Be inspired by your favorite beverage - I used the warm color of tea throughout my card.

Crafty Creations #54 ~ Friends

My Creation

Image Detail

The verse is stamped in Stazon on the outside of the card (the clear base).

Inside of Card

INS AND OUTS ~ Transparent Friends
Stamps: SU Vintage Vogue
Paper: SU (Creamy Caramel, Not Quite Navy, Bella Blue, Natual)
Ink: SU (Not Quite Navy, Creamy Caramel), Stazon On Black
Accessories: SU Twine and Ribbon
Challenges:
Midnight Madness #40
ABC Challenge ~ N is for New
Stamp Something Challenge ~ Love Somethings
Pile it On Challenge #5 ~To the One you Love
Flourishes Challenge ~ What’s Your Cup of Tea
Crafty Creations #54 ~ Friends

Medallion Birthday

I've been IN LOVE with SU's Medallion stamp since I first saw it featured on someone's blog. I hesitated to buy it because I kept thinking, 'Seriously, what can I do but just have this giant circle on my cards.' Well, the more I saw it being used, the greater my desire to own it became. Here's my first card (with card kit supplies) using the image.

Sketch Inspiration ~ Get Sketchy #24

Inspiration

365 Cards Day 343 ~ Interacting Images (Use two separate images from different sets/companies and make them interact. I used images from SU's Wanted with their Medallion stamp.)

My Creation

Image Detail

The center punched out images are from Wanted and pair perfectly with the larger Medallion image.

INS AND OUTS ~ Medallion Birthday
Stamps: SU Medallion and Wanted
Paper: SU (Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue)
Ink: SU (Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip)
Accessories: SU Chocolate Satin Ribbon, SU Circle and Scallop Circle Punches, SU Pretties Kit
Challenges:
Get Sketchy #24
365 Cards Day 343 ~ Interacting Images