Just a few flamingos.

I'm playing along with a couple of challenges today, using this very fun Jen Hadfield paper called Patio Party.  Quick & simple is my thing these days as I build up my card stash:

 This one is using the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches... I added some black zigzag stitching with my sewing machine, a few black pearls & popped up my sentiment with pop dots.

This  next one is just my own simple design, but I am playing along with the inspiration challenge #294 at Hand Stamped Sentiments (first time I've done this challenge!):

Patterned paper is Patio Party by Jen Hadfield; Stamps are both Close To My Heart.

Cool Treats & Inspired By

I've been having fun making cards for my daughter to give to her friends this summer.  I used this week's Inspired By photo to make up a couple more using a stamp set I won on an Inspired By challenge earlier this year - Cool Treats from Stampin' Up.  I went with the colours and the quatrefoil pattern in the little tables:

I used my sewing machine to stitch around the background paper, and added a few sequins for some sparkle.

Patterned paper, cardstock & inks are Close To My Heart; Stamp set is Cool Treats by Stampin' Up;

Glitzy's birthday

It is my daughter's best friend's birthday tomorrow... whom we affectionately call Glitzy, after a small pot-bellied pig of the same name.  So of course when we recently saw this Doodlebug Designs paper, we bought it with her birthday in mind.  I've had the card idea floating around in my head for a few days (pretty simple, just a few stitched dies), and then decided to make a tiny little tea light candle birthday cake to match... and maybe a little gift bag to hold it in.  Kind of piggy overload.

Patterned papers are Down on the Farm by Doodlebug Designs; Dies are My Favorite Things; Gift Bag Punch Board, We R Memory Keepers; Sentiment is Verve.

Fusion Christmas card

I'm on a bit of a Christmas card kick lately, so I'm going with it - and have added another couple to my pile tonight.  I've used the pretty City Sidewalks collection from Close To My Heart, and am using the sketch portion of the Fusion Card Challenge:

Hmm... the colours are a bit neon-ish in the photo, they're a little more subtle in real life.  Here was our sketch:

Patterned papers are City Sidewalks; Glitter tape, sparkles & sentiment - all Close To My Heart.  My Favorite Things Stitched Circle and Jumbo Stitched Fishtail dies.

Masculine Fishing Card

I have a brother-in-law with a birthday this week, so I did a remake of a card that I made a year or so ago.  This time I added some mountains and a few bubbles to the water, otherwise it's pretty similar - but worth reposting!  The stamp set is Reel Great Guys from Art Impressions:

I am going to play along with the current challenge on the Ai blog: Summer Vibes!

Retro Christmas with Sketchy Saturday

Yay.  Two more Christmas cards for my stash!  Laurel always has great sketches for her Sketchy Saturday posts, so I hope to use them for Christmas cards as often as possible.  I pulled out some October Afternoon papers with a distinctly retro vibe, and put a couple of cards together:

Patterned papers are Silent Night by October Afternoon; Dies are Spellbinders, Heirloom Ornament; Pine Bough from Your Next Stamp & Stitched Circle die from My Favorite Things;  Sentiment is This is Christmas from Close To My Heart.

Die Cut negative card

A few weeks ago, I posted a butterfly die cut card that I am teaching at my Ink blending class this week, and tonight I made a card using the negative "insides" of the butterflies.  Yes... this was finicky!  I kept all the little bits, recut the butterfly image in black, and then inlaid the bits inside to make my pretty butterflies.

 Here was my original where I kept the insides:

Patterned paper is Perfectly Plaid by Lawn Fawn; Butterfly Die is Dienamics, by My Favorite Things; Sentiments are Happy Thoughts by Verve; Inks are Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade & Wild Honey - Tim Holtz Distress Oxides.  Black Onyx Versafine ink for sentiments.

Die Cut Hello

 I've seen this technique all around the blogworld over the last while, and finally gave it a try.  I am teaching an ink blending class this week, so I had the cardstock piece ready to go - I just sprinkled some water on it, and die cut the hello.  I cut 3 additional hello's out of white cardstock and stacked them underneath the ink blended die cut, for the subtle, raised effect.  I'm pretty happy with how this turned out!

Inks used: Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lipstick & Candied Apple Distress Oxide inks; Versafine Onyx Black for sentiment.  Hello die is Avery Elle; Hemstitched Rectangle die is Spellbinders.

Parisian Holiday

Yes, I have yet another of these cute little French girls to share today.  I thought this blue polka dot paper looked a bit like a night sky, so I used my Sweet Pea Designs Paris skyline die with it:

 Before I attached the image, and added the sentiment... I thought that this would make a great card as is:

Patterned papers are Beautiful Friendship from Close To My Heart, and Gotta Have Gingham by Lawn Fawn.  Paris skyline die is Sweet Pea Designs; Stamp set is Parisian Holiday by Sweet Pea Designs.  Copic markers.

Freshly Made Sketches & Tim Holtz

I'm using some of the Tim Holtz Mini Blueprints today to make some birthday cards for my daughter's friends.  I had this cute "Patio Party" paper by Jen Hadfield, and used the Freshly Made Sketches sketch to kick start my design:

Patterned paper is Patio Party by Jen Hadfield and Sunkissed by Doodlebug Design; Stamps are Tim Holtz Mini Cocktail Blueprints; Sentiments are My Favourite Things; Enamel dots are CTMH; Copic Markers.

Sweet Pea Designs & Inspired By

I'm combining a couple of challenges today to make a birthday card for one of my daughter's friends who was recently in France.  I started with the inspiration photo from the Inspired By challenge... going with the plaid & floral from the linens (the flip side of the navy floral paper is large roses which I started out with... but the more subtle navy flowers were a little calmer).  I'm using the sketch from the July Sugar Pea Designs mix it up challenge:

Patterned papers are Beautiful Friendship by Close To My Heart; Stamp set is Parisian Holiday by Sugar Pea Designs; Copic Markers; Artiste Cricut cartridge.

Fusion Card Challenge

I pulled out my Art Impressions watercolour stamps today to play along with the current Fusion Card Challenge.  Funny, but it seems that everyone saw the photo and thought "cacti"... but I saw the photo and thought "door!".  I knew that I had this fabulous door image from Ai that I have been dying to use, so I went with a more faded version of the blues & turquoises in the photo and put a couple of cards together:

Stamp sets are WC Door Set, WC Wall Texture Set, Foliage & Flower sets - all Art Impressions.  Marvy & Tombow markers; Patterned papers are Pebbles & Carta Bella.  May Arts twine, Gumdrops and Your Next Stamp.