Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 307

Hi there, happy Tuesday!

I am playing my favorite, Cupcake Inspirations Challenge, earlier this week. 

The last two posts on the cards I made for this challenge were published on Saturdays, and I totally forgot to link them before they closed! UGH! 

Spring is my favorite season!

The fondest spring memory I have is the cherry blossom trees when I was growing up in Japan. Every spring, my parents and their friends would take us kids to "hanami", literal translation is flower watching, but it is a picnic under the cherry blossom trees. The petals of the cherry blossoms fall down from the trees like snow, and they are so soft and smelling so nice. It is just so beautiful! 

So this is my spring:-) A singing bird on cherry Blossoms. 

It took me way too long to make this card, I was making it way more complicated than it needed to be... Do you ever do that!? 

I don't even remember if it was my mom, my sister, or my best friend who sent me, but I got these puffy, fuzzy cherry blossoms stickers from Japan a few years ago. I just put them away and they got buried... Well, I was looking for something in my little drawer of embellishments, and found them a few weeks ago! Ha Ha 

Aren't they fun and cute!?

The sentiment is from one of the Paper Pumpkin kits All Shook Up, it's the kit that had Shaker cards. I just wanted something small and simple:-) It's perfect, isn't it?

My notes...

Stamp: All Shook Up (Paper Pumpkin), Flower Bush Robin (Your Next Stamp)

Paper: Soft Sky, Crumb Cake, Pistachio Pudding

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Encore Gold Ink

Accessory: Cherry Blossoms Stickers (From Japan)

Tool: Die-namics Stitched Rectangle Frames (My Favorite Things), Stampin' Dimensionals

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hope you enjoyed it!

MFT Sketch Challenge 225

Hello, hello!

Here is a card I made for My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge 225.

I had to play along when I saw this sketch and the cards made by their challenge team! They are all so creative and gorgeous! I had to give it a try, too:-)

Here is my take.

Unfortunately, my MFT collection is still small and do not own any blueprints yet, so my round corner is not very pretty...Ha Ha

I started out with the splatters, it is from the Gorgeous Grunge (who else loves this stamp set!?). I inked up the stamp, then sprayed some water with the spritzer and stamped.  Then added a little more water with a paint brush to mix some of the colors. I love that look! 

In case you haven't noticed, I LOVE cats, I even call myself crazy cat lady! So when My Favorite Things released this cute cat stamp set, I simply had to have it! 

I also pre-ordered this cat bundle from Studio Calico, and it just arrived yesterday! It is super cute, and it even came with this tote bag that says "Crazy Cat Lady". How perfect is that!? LOL. 

Inside of the card, I used one of the sentiments from the I knead You set. I didn't stamp the "you" part because it's on the front. When I glued the sentiment die, I really wasn't thinking 4th dimensionally... Good thing this stamp set comes with cute sentiments like this one!

I was going to attach the end of that ball of yarn onto a loop border, but I couldn't figure out a good position for it. So I decided to make my little kitty a naughty one and he made a quite mess with his yarn! 

My notes...

Stamp: Gorgeous Grunge, Perfect Pennants (heart on the inside), I Knead You (My Favorite Things)

Paper: Baked Brown Sugar, Pistachio Pudding, Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cantaloupe, So Saffron, Watercolor Paper, Vellum

Ink: Pistachio Pudding, Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cantaloupe, So Saffron, memento Tuxedo Black, Water

Tool: Thank You Designer Die (W Plus 9),  Die-namics Looped Border (MFT), Stampin' Spritzer, Paint Brush

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hope you Enjoyed it!

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 306

Hello lovely stampers!

I am playing one of my favorites Cupcake Inspirations Challenge again!

I am very much ready for some pretty flowers in my gardens!

We had snow on Easter Sunday, then it was 80 degrees the next Sunday (or Monday...?), then had some nice spring weather, but it snowed again!! The weather here in upstate New York is nothing but crazy!! I'm originally from Tokyo and this extreme weather is still hard for me!

Anyway, here is my card...

This card may seem so simple, but it is actually very well calculated...

Nah, it was simple! LOL 

Don't you love photopolymer stamps!? You can see exactly where you're stamping!

I used Pistachio Pudding, Gumball Green, Wisteria Wonder, Elegant Eggplant, and Encore Gold Ink Pads.

I used one of the stems for the frame, I just stamped unevenly. Then stamped the solid flowers in purples, solid leaves in Gumball Green, then the scribbles over them in gold. I was not going to stamp a sentiment but it looked unfinished.

Here is the inside of the card. 

This no layer, no glue, no cutting card turned out to be simple yet elegant, thanks to the beautiful color combo! I love purple and green together, just gorgeous!

My notes...

Stamp: Circle Scribble Flowers (My Favorite Things), Sending & Wishing (Simon Says Stamp) 

Paper: Very Vanilla

Ink: Pistachio Pudding, Gumball Green, Wisteria Wonder, Elegant Eggplant, Encore Gold Ink Pads

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hope you enjoyed it!

shine & sparkle

Hello there!

I found this lovely new challenge over at Ellen Hutson last month, but I couldn't play because you need to use the Essentials by Ellen Products to participate. I quickly ordered a few beautiful items so I could join the fun!

And here is this month's Pin-Sights challenge!

Don't you just LOVE the colors! I also loved so many things in these photos!

Here is what I came up with...

I used Strawberry Slush (Pink), Gumball Green (Green), Basic Black (Charcoal), and Champagne Glimmer (Bronze).

I absolutely LOVED the pink flowers, the bedding with the black polka dots on white, the white pillow with black rectangles, and the pillow with the watercolored flowers. To kind of recreate them, I used the My Favorite Things Die-namics Stitched Rectangle Frames for the big pillow. 

For the bedding, all I had was light gray polka dots on white, but I think it worked out better as a quiet background.

The sentiments are W Plus 9 Sparkle & Shine Trio Designer Dies. 

I originally only had the "shine", and another small flower with the Strawberry Slush Cardstock and the Champagne Glimmer Paper, but the sentiment was too small so I traded the small flower with the "sparkle". Of course I had to add some depth by layering Basic Black underneath. 

I am so very much in love with these Bold Blossom Dies, they're simply beautiful and lovely! 

My notes...

Paper: Smokey Slate, Basic Black, Strawberry Slush, Gumball Green (Retired), Champagne Glimmer Paper, Neutral Designer Series Paper Stack (Retired Patterns) 

Tool: Bold Blossom Stand-Alone (Essentials by Ellen Designer Dies), Stitched Rectangle Frames (My Favorite Things Die-namics), Sparkle & Shine Trio Designer Dies (W Plus 9)

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Waffle Flower Challenge

Hi there, friends!

I am playing along with Waffle Flower Challenge today!

Look at this gorgeous photo! 

These colors are so In-Color 2015-2017, aren't they!?

I wanted to play this challenge so badly, but I couldn't come up with anything! Then, I was feeding my baby girl at 3am, and this design came to my very sleepy head!

I really loved that beautiful butterfly, and the way the photo only captured half of it. So that's exactly what I created. 

Can you see a butterfly!!?

There is nothing complicated, design or techniques.

This must be the shortest post ever...Ha Ha

My notes...

Paper: Crumb Cake, Blackberry Bliss, Tangelo Twist, Lost Lagoon

Tool: 1" Square Punch, 1/2" and 3/8" Circle Punches, Round Corner Punch

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hope you enjoyed it!

More Challenges!

Hello there, lovelies!

My little challenge patrol Nina found me some more fun challenges, and 2 of them gave me an idea so I decided to play along with both of them!

This super simple sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch seemed too simple first...

And this color combo from House of Cards looked too bold for me.....

BUT.....

Together, they made the perfect pair! 

I stamped the stars from Avery Elle Look Up set with Versamark, heat embossed with the Black Stampin' Emboss Powder, then watercolored in Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, and Real Red.

I die cut the sentiment in Basic Black and Whisper White, layered them slightly off from each layer so that 2 pieces of Basic Black are easily visible as a shadow. I painted the top layer with the Glitter Pen.

So there you have it, with the simple sketch and the bold color scheme, they balanced each other and made such a fun card! 

My notes...

Stamp: Look Up (Avery Elle)

Paper: Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Basic Black, Watercolor Paper

Ink: Versamark, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, and Real Red Stampin' Ink Refills, Water

Tool: Heat Tool, Black Stampin' Emboss Powder, The Big, The Bold, and Party Cutaway (Winnie & Walter), Wink of Stella Glitter Brush Pen, Paint Brush

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hope you enjoyed it!

The Gossip Column

Hi there, lovely stampers!

I found this brand new challenge over at Winnie & Walter, and it is just fabulous!

The name of this challenge is The Gossip Column with Taheerah Atchia, and the very first challenge is Color Crush. Look at this gorgeous color palette. 

I used 6 of them to create my card.

I used The Chevron Border Die from Your Next Stamp on the Smokey Slate cardstock first, then  So Saffron, Tangerine Tango, Coastal Cabana, Marina Mist, and Midnight Muse. I simply nested them inside the Smoky Slate cardstock. 

Isn't it fun!?

I watercolored a piece of watercolor paper with the same 5 colors as the Chevron Border. Then die cut it with the Cheers Cutaway from Winnie & Walter. 

I love how it turns out!

For a finishing touch, all it needed was a few sequins.

These are Pretty Pink Posh 1st Birthday Bash Sequins Mix that I got from Winnie & Walter. Aren't they pretty!?

My notes...

Paper: Smokey Slate, So Saffron, Tangerine Tango, Coastal Cabana, Marina Mist, Midnight Muse (Retired), Watercolor Paper

Ink: So Saffron, Tangerine Tango, Coastal Cabana, Marina Mist, Midnight Muse (Retired), Water

Accessory: Pretty Pink Posh 1st Birthday Bash Sequins Mix

Tool: Chevron Border Die (Your Next Stamp), In a Word: Cheers Cutaway, Paint Brush

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Challenges

Hello there!

Today's card was made for two of my favorite challenges, Freshly Made Sketches 181 and Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 304! 

I love this sketch! 

And look at these beautiful colors!

Here is what I got.

I started out with a totally different design, but I just couldn't get happy with it, so I did what I normally do. I looked through my DSPs and dies. That always gives me fresh ideas!

I didn't have any DSP in Gumball Green except the Christmas pack, so I brushed some big, bold stripes on the watercolor paper.  Then I wanted to use the Designer Vellum, can you believe this was my first time using this pretty paper!?

My eyes caught the Essentials by Ellen Hutson You Rock Die set first. Then the Paper Smooches Glasses Die, and I wanted a heart. This one is from the Becky Higgins Cut Your Own PL Card Die set.  I thought it was the right size.

That cute little loop border was the first thing I picked out for this card. I believe it's from Your Next Stamp? It was one of the die cuts that Nina sent me, and I was waiting for the right opportunity to use one. I think it adds such fun! I just ordered a very similar (I actually think it's exactly the same) loop border die from My Favorite Things along with other goodies! Oh the anticipation of waiting...

My notes...

Paper: Very Vanilla, Melon Mambo, Gumball Green, Gold Fancy Designer Vellum Foil, Watercolor Paper

Ink: Gumball Green, Water

Tool: On Film Framelits Die, Becky Higgins Cut Your Own PL Card Die Set, Paper Smooches Glasses Die Set, Essentials by Ellen Hutson You Rock Die Set, Your Next Stamp Awesome Border Die Set One, Paint Brush

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Naki and Nina's Double Dare Challenge

Hello there!

It is time for another Double Dare Challenge!

This card doesn't look my card! 

Sentiment Die

White on White

I am not sure what I was thinking when I chose White on White... It certainly made this challenge, well, challenging!! 

The sentiment die I used is from Winnie & Walter The Big, The Bold, and Party Cutaway. I layered 2 pieces to give a bit of depth to make it easier to see. I also painted it with the Glitter Pen from Your Next Stamp. 

I was not very happy with the heat emboss job on those feathers. The white looks yellowish white...

Those pointy things are the Chevrons Die from Your Next Stamp, awesome, isn't it!? I wanted to use the negative side but I didn't like it, so I decided to glue those little guys one by one, trying to keep them in a straight line, spacing them evenly... Sometimes I impress myself with my patience!  Now why can I not be this patient when my kids are screaming and out of control! LOL

And of course I had to add some sparkles on this very white card!

My notes...

Stamp: Four Feathers

Paper: Whisper White, Vellum

Ink: Versamark

Accessory: Sequins (from Winnie & Walter), Whisper White Organza Ribbon (Retired)

Tool: Feathers Framelits Die, Winnie & Walter The Big, The Bold, and Party Cutaway, Your Next Stamp Chevrons Die, Heat Tool, White Stampin' Emboss Powder, Glue Dots

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Now let us head over to my partner in crime, Nina, and see her beautiful white card!

More Kids Party

Hi there!

My son had a couple more parties to go to, and I want to share the cards and wrapping I made for them.

This is a CASE from one of the Pretty Pals, Tricia, her blog is Butter Dish Designs. 

Here is her card.

I just loved how she used the Gorgeous Grunge stamp on a baby card, and the colors and wahi tape... everything was just perfect together! My favorite part of all is that one round corner, it gives a softer look!

I stamped my super kitty right on the Very Vanilla cardstock first, but I didn't like it. So I stamped him again on another piece of cardstock, snipped him out, and placed him slightly off from the original image. I don't know why he didn't come with some super hero disguise like his dog partner. 

And here he is, all ready to back up his kitty partner on the inside of the card!

I wrapped the gift with one of those packing papers that was used in some package. I try to reuse anything and everything I can.  You should see my glass jar collection! I don't know what I'll do with them...LOL

This was for another party. She likes Frozen and Ninja Turtles. 

I didn't know what the theme was going to be, so I made Olaf into a ninja! He looks a little confused! Ha ha

His arms are a couple of branches from this tree die from My Favorite Things Spooky Scene Die-namics. I trimmed extra twigs.

I actually stamped a little snowflake with the Silver Encore Ink Pad all over the wrapping (this was some tissue paper that I reused) but I forgot to re-take photos...

My notes...

Super Kitty Card

Stamp: Gorgeous Grunge, Cool Kid (Retired)

Paper: Very Vanilla, Baked Brown Sugar, Coastal Cabana, Tangerine Tango

Ink: Baked Brown Sugar, Coastal Cabana, Tangerine Tango, Gold Encore Ink Pad (on the gift)

Accessory: Retro Fresh This and That Washi Tape

Tool: Corner Round Punch 

Ninja Olaf Card

Stamp: Dear Santa (Snowflake on the gift: Not photographed)

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Soft Suede, Pacific Point, Pumpkin Pie, DSP Stack (Retired), Silver Glimmer Paper

Ink: Silver Encore Ink Pad (On the gift)

Tool: 2" and 1-1/4" Circle Punches, Large Oval Punch, Owl Builder Punch (Small circles for the buttons), My Favorite Things Spooky Scene Die-namics 

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hope you enjoyed it!