Cut it Up Challenge #231 ~ Create Your Own Background Paper

Hi Crafty Friends,
We're creating our own background papers for Cut it Up's challenge #231.
I used a LaLa Land Crafts Background stamp to create my patterned papers used for the castle and also the inside of the card.

I put Black Soot Distressed Oxide Ink on the stamp surface and placed the die cuts on the stamp and rubbed.  Then I did some additional ink blending using Hickory Smoke and a blending brush.The project is an remake of one we did at the LaLa Land Crafts LaLa Paloosa Retreat several years ago.  The original was a larger 3-D interactive card created by a LLLC designer especially for the retreat.
It's so much fun to create your papers.  There are so many mediums to use and so many possibilities.  Be sure to visit the Cut it Up Blog to see more ideas from our design team and then share your own.
The winner of this challenge will win a $20 prize code from our sponsor,CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.

Masculine Sympathy Card

Hi Crafty Friends,

My hubby asked me to create a sympathy card for a long time friend who recently passed away.

I think sympathy cards are often difficult because so much emotion is involved.

Hubby wanted something that was representative of his friend.  His friend loved to fish so I used this amazing DoveArt (for Whimsy Stamps) stamp to create this card.

I have used this image (Large Mouth Bass) before and colored it with Copic markers.  This time I just stamped it with colored Momento ink and then heat embossed it.

To create the background I first blended Distress Ink Weathered Wood onto Cryogen paper.  Then I stamped and heat embossed the image.  I placed the LaLa Land Crafts Water Ripples Stencil over the image and ink blended again with the same Distress Ink.  I really like the effect of the background.

I used LaLa Land Crafts Stitched Build-a-Frame Dies and  LLLC Wood Planks Background Stamp set to create the picture frame.  I ink blended Distress Ink Vintage Photo onto kraft paper, cut out the frame pieces, then inked up the background stamp using Distress Ink Walnut Stain and stamped the pieces.  For the sentiment, I used Jaded Blossom Simple Sayings.  I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment onto a gold metallic tag I cut using JB Mini Tag Dies 2.  I think adding the gold brads really make it look like a picture frame plate.  Finally, I added some twine with a gold leaf charm.

I matted the "framed picture" onto gold metallic and added that to the card base.

I'm pleased that this sympathy card has a personal touch representative of the man who passed.

Thanks for stopping by,

Pearly Sparkles ~ January 2020 ~ Anything Goes

Hi Crafty Friends, Happy New Year!!! Our first challenge of the New Year at Pearly Sparkles is ANYTHING GOES. I love making cards for my relatives and special friends.  I shared a wedding card that I made for a young woman that we've known since she was little.  Today I'm sharing the shower card I made her. Once again, I tried to include the things that were meaningful to her, succulents, Indian lore, outdoors.

All of the dies except the bracket die are from La-La Land Crafts.  I also used two LLLC background stamps to create the patterned papers.  I colored the succulents using Prisma Colored pencils. The design of the card was inspired by a card from Irina Blount for a La-La Land Crafts Make n Take held at our local store, Memories for the Making. I hope you'll start this new year by joining in our Pearly Sparkles crafty challenge.

Cut it Up Challenge #187 ~ Celebrate Fall

Hi Crafty Friends,
It's time to Celebrate Fall for Cut It Up's 187th challenge. It was also time to try some stamping techniques in the creation of this card.

Our sponsor, The Cutting Cafe, provided an entire file containing oval and circle shapes with borders.  Although I have lots of metal dies, it's nice being able to use a cut file in order to size the shapes to any size I need. I used the wheat stamp which is included in La-La Land Crafts Simple Joys Background stamp set.  The patterned interior is also from that set.  After cutting out the oval border, I stamped it using LLLC's Wood Planks background stamp then popped it up over the oval base. I hope you'll join us for this challenge.  The Cutting Cafe is providing our challenge winner with her choice of files.  Just follow the Cut it Up link above to play along.

My Time to Craft #407 ~ Inside Out

Hi Crafty Friends,
Our theme for the My Time To Craft challenge is INSIDE OUT.  So, what do we mean by that? We want to see the INSIDE of your card as well as the outside.  I'll admit that I often leave the inside blank but I'm always inspired by Irina Blount (La-La Land Crafts) because she always creates something special for the inside as well.
Here'a a birthday card that was inspired by one of Irina's make n take classes at our local Memories for the Making store.

All of the dies (except the scalloped rectangle) are from La-La Land Crafts.  I also embossed an LLLC stencil for the white background and stamped the gingham using an LLLC background stamp and Distress Oxide ink.  I love that you can use  stencils with inks as well as emboss with them.  I used my Gemini Jr. to cut all of the die cuts.

Please join us for our Inside Out challenge.  Be sure to show us both parts of your card!

Die Cuttin Divas challenge 431 ~ Anything Goes

Hi Crafty Friends,
I love when there are 5 Tuesdays in a month.  That means we get to have an ANYTHING GOES theme at Die Cuttin Divas.
The hubby and I recently celebrated our 50th Anniversary.  We had a party for friends and family and I needed some thank you cards after our special event.  Our theme was Daisies and Ducks - our wedding flower and hubby's passion.  Here's what I made:

I used the same papers and stamps as I did for our invitations.  Daisy background and stamp is from La-La Land Crafts as is the Tag and pocket die.  The sentiment is from Jaded Blossom along with the scalloped rectangle die.  I colored in the daisy using Spectrum Noir Metallic pens.

Come on and join us.  Anything Goes means you can share your favorite creation!

My Time to Craft Challenge #395 ~ Spring Flowers

Hi Crafty Friends,
Here's my second post for this busy crafty Friday. We're celebrating with spring flowers at My Time to Craft.

I fell in love with this floral frame die from Pretty Pink Posh. There are so many ways it can be used but I decided to color the flowers using Copic markers.  I cut two frames then cut off the flowers from one so that I could add a frame to the flowers giving it more dimension.  I used Distress Ink Oxide on the separated frame.  The background was stamped with the same ink using the Hello Lovely background stamp from La-La Land Crafts.  The sentiment is from Jaded Blossom's Spring Signs.
I'm excited to try even more designs using this fabulous die.  I hope you'll join in our challenge. Just link your project to our blog (see above.)