Wednesday Blog Hop -- March 8, 2017

Happy Wednesday.  Welcome back to our blog hop.  You should have arrived from Liz's blogsite.  We were challenged this week to "Find a card on Pinterest and C.A.S.E. it."

So I searched and found exactly what I wanted to do.  By the time I gathered my paper, ink and dies, and couldn't find the stamp set.  Oops!   The set I was so anxious to use is in my order that arrives TOMORROW.  Oh well.  So the search went on and I came up with the card below.  This card was done by Julia Carmichael.    It is clean and simple and I love it.

So I CASE'd it and came up with the below card.  She used the Wetlands stamps.  However, I changed the sentiment because she used a stamp from the 2012 catalog.  I wanted to use something current so used the sentiment from Wetlands.  I like this clean and simple card.  Her photography is fantastic.  I tried taking my picture on a table under a day lamp, then I tried on a white background at a window in the sunlight, then I tried outside.  In the end, this is the best I could do.  I refuse to believe it is my camera.  I am NOT a photographer, so it has to be my technique.  Any ideas what I am doing wrong?  All my pictures come out rather dull.

You should continue hopping now to Robbie's blogsite.

Hope to see you next week, or sooner.

Sandy

Wednesday Blog Hop -- March 1, 2017

Happy March.  Unbelievable that we are going into another month.  And unbelievable that it was 70 degrees again today, 80 last Friday, and it is still February.  But I love it.

We have some really great challenges for you this month.  We start out today being challenged to "Use a challenge to create your project."   Before you arrived here you should have come from Liz's blogsite.

I went out into blogworld and chose Freshly Made Sketches for the sketch challenge I wanted to work from.  It is a rather simple sketch, and I had an idea right away.  The link to this challenge site is   Here    

So here is the card I made for our challenge.  The technique I used for the dragonfly is sticky glitter.  I have absolutely no idea what the technique is really called, so I am calling it "sticky glitter."  ha ha   I cut the basic dragonfly die in Tip Top Taupe cardstock.  Then I affixed packing tape to the back of the cardstock, which leaves a big, sticky, opening in the paper.  Next, cut out the decorative dragonfly in Early Espresso cardstock.  Affix the Early Espresso dragonfly into the opening.  This will leave the various openings sticky.  Now the fun part.  Dump gold glitter on top and rub some into all the openings.  Shake off the excess, including all that is now on your arms, neck and face (seriously).   Love it.  This is a very sparkly dragonfly.  Then I used Very Vanilla to mat the top piece.  Beneath that is two pieces of Sale-a-bration metallic ribbon, a piece of Falling In Love dsp and all mounted on a base of Marina Mist cardstock.  The sentiment is from Wetlands stamp set.

I had a lot of fun with this challenge.  Hmmmmm, just noticed as I was typing below this photo, there is even more glitter in places on the card and on the table, despite the use of my Embossing Buddy.  I hope my husband hasn't picked up some on his face too.  He just might ban glittering within 5 miles of our house.

Ok, let's go take a look at what Robbie has done with the challenge.  I'm anxious to see the whole hop to see what everyone has done.  So next up is Robbie's blogsite.

Have a happy day.
Sandy

Wednesday Blog Hop -- February 22, 2017

Welcome back to our Wednesday blog hop.  Continuing with our changing themes, this week we are to use a technique, our favorite technique.  You should have arrived here from Liz's blogsite and then continue to Robbie's blogsite when you leave here.

I think my favorite technique is watercoloring.  Add a little sponging, and I am happy, because I think they go together.  Remember the Stampin'Up! watercolor crayons from a few years ago?  I loved, loved those crayons.  I used to take them on trips, color in front of the TV, take them babysitting, they were my most carried craft supply.  Although I don't do quite as much watercoloring now, I still love it.

My card today uses a little watercoloring with our new watercolor pencils and also some sponging in the sky and on the ground.  I wanted the card to be a little whimsical, so I kept the colors very soft.  I love the Beautiful You stamps from our Occasions Catalog.  When I first looked at that set my thought was pretty.  Later I looked closer and not only pretty but appropriate.  I can use just about any of the images and make it appropriate for birthday, friendship, sick, even the lady with the umbrella could be used for sympathy with a nice sentiment.  Or, the sentiment "Wishing You Brighter Days To Come" might be used to send to a friend telling him/her you are hoping things will get better.  I love the set that I originally thought might be one I could do without.

Once I had the set on my craft table I decided to try a couple other cards.  Those were brighter.  I've seen some really nice cards made with this set.  The weeds come from Wetlands, another favorite.

Now you should continue to Robbie's site.  I have a stack of cards starting to develop.  For a while I had a mojo blockage, but lately I've had more ideas than time.  However, blogging is not the easiest thing for me to do.  I make something and then procrastinate putting it on my blog.  I will try harder.  Perhaps I will get a few of the stack on this blog next week?  We'll see.

Have a wonderful week,
Sandy

Wednesday Blog Hop -- February 15, 2017

Hi All.  I am going to be quick today because I am currently bumming off  McDonald's wifi system.  Our internet has been out since Friday and may be out until this Thursday.  Our provider seems to think, after all the things we tried, that their equipment up on the pole (??) is malfunctioning.  They can't come until THURSDAY???  Yikes, we are dying here.  No internet, no cell reception at our mountain (we never have cell), and last night our phones went out because of high winds.  On my.

Anyway, here is my card for this week.  Our challenge is to use something from the SAB catty.  I used Avant Garden.  Love that set.  It is especially nice for thank yous, sympathy cards, and saying something nice to someone.  I love these colors too (Soft Sky, Marina Mist, Sahara Sand).

And here is the inside and the envelope.

You should have arrived from Lizzy's blogsite and then continue to Robbie's blogsite.

See you next week, when I am sure (I certeinly HOPE) I am back up and running and have joined the world of the living again.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

More Balloons

I told  you yesterday I would add another card using the Balloon Adventures Bundle.  Here is one using the popup portion of the thinlits for the cover.  You cut on a 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 piece of paper (1/4 of a piece of cardstock) then trim it down to fit on your cover.  You don't make a pop  up out of it, but you could do a shaker card, which I am working on now.  I then punched Delightful Dijon balloons using the balloon punch (not the thinlit), painted with Wink of Stella Clear, then diecut the 2 styles of balloons using the thinlits in the bundle.   The rest, I believe, is self explanatory.  If you have any questions, please ask.

Here is the inside, using the stamps.

I will be back again soon.  Have a nice day.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Wednesday Blog Hop -- February 8, 2017

Hi all and welcome to another blog hop Wednesday.  We are challenged this week to use something from the Occasions catalog.  I chose the Balloon Adventures Bundle.  I knew I would love that set when I bought it, but once I started making things I couldn't stop.  I've made about 6 different cards and I just got the set about a week ago.  This set will be great for birthdays (duh) but also for just about any kind of celebration.  I bet I will use at least the stamps for my niece's graduation in May.  I was trying to figure how to use it for Valentines Day, but decided for that day to stick with the Love Notes set, which is another wonderful set.

So you should have arrived from Liz's blogsite.  I wonder what she worked on this week.  There are so many nice things to choose from in our Occasions catty.

Here is the outside of my card.  My inspiration for this design came from someone's blog, but I can't find the printed picture, which I often do when I see something I like.  I must have just done my sketch and did not keep a picture.  The design is hers, but I changed it up a little with colors, and the let's celebrate on the front, etc.  I like those packages on the front.

And here is the wonderful thinlit I used for the inside.  Check back tomorrow to see how I used this popup die for the front.  It is sooooo versatile and so easy to use.

Now you should head over to Robbie's blogsite.  She starts the hop off, but if you started with me, then continue to her and around the hop.

See you soon,
Sandy

Blog Hop Wednesday -- February 1, 2017

Welcome back.  Our challenge this week is to create a project.  Something other than a card.  Our inspiration piece included the below items for examples.

You should have arrived from Liz's blogsite.  She and I were working together last Saturday, so we have seen each other's creations.  You will like hers.  Here is what I have created.

This is a box of sorts that can be used for different purposes.  I used the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits.  The Mini Treat Bag is usually a very thin bag which can be used to insert perhaps a candy bar, or a card. Normally you would cut one large piece and one small piece and put it together as instructed.  That will create a flat envelope style holder.  However, if you use the large piece and cut it twice you can put it together to make the opening up to about an inch and a half and have room for larger inserts.   Mine here is about an inch thick.  My picture shows a candy bar, but I plan to put not only the candy bar in the box, but also a Valentine card, or maybe a couple candy bars.  I haven't made a final decision yet.  Other times when I have made this box I've inserted 6 cards and I gave the package as a gift.  Or when I do a school fund raiser I have included it as a door prize with a few Stampin'Up! items inserted.  I love this die and use it often.  The paper I used is Pop of Pink Specialty paper and I also used gold glimmer paper for the heart background piece.  I hope you like my non-card creation.

Now you should continue to Robbie's blogsite,  I can't wait to see what she has done.  Let's go.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy