Holiday Branches

Hello Stamplings!

I hope you're having a great week! I'm knee-deep in all products Christmas and am shocked (as I am every year) by how much of it is NBUS. Do you think Hammy has figured out how to get on the computer in the middle of the night and order things?! I'm not complaining because it's like Christmas when the mail comes, but he needs to finger out a way to give me more hours in the day to USE everything!

Anyhoozle, we're all busy this time of year, so I'll prolly do more posts, but quick ones, just to share the cards I'm making which may spark ideas for you. Today I have cards I made using a NBUS full-size Holiday Branches stamp from Echo Park. The design itself is a CASE of a card made by Jenny Mullens, which  I saved from a Craft Stamper magazine ages ago. Thank you, Jenny!

The great thing about using a full-size stamp is that you can cut it in half and make two cards using the same design, as I've done here, or you can cut it into even smaller pieces for borders, small panels, etc. Wait. What? Clumsy me. What I meant to say was you can cut the stamped panel in half, not the actual stamp! (Is it bedtime yet?)

To begin the card, I did a watercolor smooch panel on mixed media paper using shades of green Distress Ink. (It's Evergreen Spruce that takes on a bluish tint.) For the first card above, the white heat-embossed sediment is from The Ton. The die-cut sediment on the second card is from Creative Expressions. The white paint lines on both cards were made with a Pen-Touch paint pen, a gift from Lolly, and the schplatters are watered down gouache paint.

Challenges for card one:

• Addicted to Stamps and More: Make your mark.
• CAS Watercolor: Monochrome.
• CAS Christmas: Warm and cozy.

Challenges for card two:

• Country View: Hand-stamped.
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas: Anything Christmas goes.
• Krafty Chicks: {Winter.}

 

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Here's one of another Twofer I made using the same stamp heat-embossed in white. I wanted to show you how pretty it looks on gold paper. The yummy-textured snow paper is from my friend Chrissie. I'm don't know the manufacturer of the Be Merry die. I used an American Crafts gold metallic pen for the transition line.

Challenges

• Addicted to Stamps: Anything goes.
• Cards for Galz: Let it snow.
• Christmas Kickstart: Snow.

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Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!* Please keep the residents and fire fighters in New South Wales Oz, in your prayers as they deal with the catastrophic fires.

As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower! Please let me know you came by so I can be sure and return the flavor!

Note to Bette: I don't have your email address, so I hope you see this. Chester's card was made by Cornelia. The stamps used for Chester are from Cats on Appletrees. In the future, if you ever have any questions about the card illustrations on The Back Stories, you can always click on Cornelia's name at the bottom of the story and that will take you to her blog for details about her amazing cards. Thank you for asking!

*Life is too short!

To open the pop-up comment box that let's you jump to the end w/o scrolling: Click CTL + Home. Click the Home tab under my blog banner which resets the post. Click Page Down to reach the end of the post. Click Comments and a pop-up box opens. Click "Jump to Comment Form" and wallah, no more car pool tunnel! Mwah! (p.s. If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave me your email address so I can respond. Thank you!)

Friendship needs no words, but sometimes it needs Depends

Hello Stamplings,

Oh, dear, that hasn't happened for years. My whole post just went belly up and disappeared. Pfft! And I was all finished. Total operator error, I'm sure, but that doesn't give me any solace, especially since I'm not sure prezackly what I did wrong. Since everything I write is spontaneous, it's weird to start over so we'll just move on as soon as Hammy returns with my wodka. Thank you, buddy.

Okay, that's better. Here's my Onefer:

It's hard to get more QACAS than this card with no stamping on it. This lovely friendship text paper (from PTI?) is from my stash. The NBUS die cut called "Sweet Tulip" is from Simon Says Stamp. I'm tickled to say that I haven't had it on Mt. NBUS for two years like usually happens. In fact, it only arrived a few days ago! The sediment is a store-bought button, also ancient and also from my stash. I backed it with a matching stitched circle die cut.

BTW, I just found out I have a Super Power! Yup, I do. I have the uncanny ability to complete the purchase of craft items online just hours before they go on sale! It happens with different companies and this is the third time in a row that it has happened with SSS! (Don't tell the Mister.)

Challenges

• Double D Challenges: Pink and white.
• The Flower Challenge: Use your latest stamps or dies.
• Inkspirational: Text. Designer's choice: Use your stash.
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: No stamps allowed.
• Stamp Ink Paper: Monochromatic.

 

Twofer

See, now the title of my post makes sense! This card is a reminder of the Best Friends challenge currently going on at Words 2 Craft By (W2CB) where I have the pleasure of being the Guest Designer this month! 

The NBUS girlfriends and the sediment are from the Art Impressions stamp set called "Laughing." It was a gift from my friend Brenda when I went to visit her last fall. (Thank you, mf!) I paper-pieced and Ziggified the girls and then I masked them in order to brush antique linen Oxi ink through a water drop stencil to make the background. The panel was then inked around the edge and adhered to the card base.

I hope you'll be able to make a friendship and/or kindness card and play along this month at W2CB! 

Challenges

• Addicted to Stamps: Anything but a square.
• Mod Squad: Brand name clear or rubber stamps.
• Pixie's Snippets Playground: Anything goes with snippets.
• The Library Challenge: Spark Joy by Marie Kondo. (Title.)

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Caught this little guy on the fence yesterday. Don't know whose yard the orange came from, but you can't blame him for stealing it. This is, after all, cold and flu season!

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Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!*

As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower! Please let me know you came by so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

To open the pop-up comment box that let's you jump to the end w/o scrolling: Click CTL + Home. Click the Home tab under my blog banner which resets the post. Click Page Down to reach the end of the post. Click Comments and a pop-up box opens. Click "Jump to Comment Form" and wallah, no more car pool tunnel! Mwah! (p.s. If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave me your email address so I can respond. Thank you!)

First Day of Spring and a Birthday!

Hello there!

Thank you for whooshing your way here to Friday where this part of the world is celebrating the First Day of Spring! It's a pretty day here today, but I know the East Coast is getting snow again! Oof!! Hang in there, people, it will be spring soon because the calendar says it's so.  I mean, right?

BTW, in additional to the spring equinox, today also brings us a solar eclipse, and a super moon!

And if that weren't enough, it is also the birthday of my friend and fellow BABE, Kim Heggins of Cupcakes, Cards, and Kim!! I sent Kim one of my Hammy cards, but I thought she might like this cyber card today.

The NBUS embossed side panel which says, "On Your Special Day" is from Darice. The little NBUS vase is Poppy Stamps "Round Vase." And the little heart blossoms are from Impression Obsession "Die 053-M." Oh, and the shadow is from Paper Smooches "Shadows," inked with SU going gray. Very, very CAS and very sweet and purdy in real life, just like Kim!

Kim, I hope you enjoy your special day!! I'm looking forward to spending time with you and Harriet on Sunday to continue your celebration! But today, today we all need to head over to our friend Bev's Happy Dance. Bev is Blogland's "Hostess with the Mostess" and she is throwing an outrageously fun party for Kim!

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For my second card, I went even more CASerer! 

Here you have a NBUS vase cut from the Paper Smooches die "Crystal Clear 3." The sediment is from Hero Arts "Lots of Hugs." This time I did the shadow myself with a gray colored pencil. Swish, swish, done! QACAS!

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Challenges. One or the other of my cards will play in:

• AAA Cards: CAS (2)
• Addicted to Stamps: Anything Goes.(2)
• CASology: Blossom. (1 and 2)
• The Challenge: The Colours (gray, pink, white, lime). (1)
• TIME OUT Challenges: CAS. (2)
• Uniko Studio Challenge: Anything Goes. (1)

The links will provide you with information on the challenge rules, sponsors, and prizes and with mega inspiration!

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New Friends Corner

I'm pickled tink to introduce you to these new friends!

Violetta of Violetta's Crafts, "Something Old, Something New." Violetta is from Bulgaria and she has been blogging since 2011. Her 3D cards and exemplary projects will amaze you!

Regina of The Creative Corner. Regina has been blogging since 2008! WOW! Regina also makes fun 3D projects and such pretty card art! I really love her passion for this fun hobby!

Barb of The Buzz. Barb has been blogging since 2007 from The Hive! After scrapbooking since junior high, Barb started making card art. One thing you'll notice about Barb's cards is that none of them leave The Hive without bling! Barb's wonderful cards range from CAS to multilayered and everything in between, so there is something for everyone! 

Thank you for joining, ladies, and welcome to the Playhouse!

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Hammy Pinterest

Hammy wants me to thank all of you for your compliments and enthusiasm about his appearance on the last cards! You guys are the BEST!!

Oh, and now he wants a cape! Lawn Fawn, are you listening? You had a sharp uptick in the sales of your hamster set after my post, so how about making Hammy a cape?! We thank you in advance! (Or, I could make one with scissors. Gasp.)

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I'll be back tomorrow with NBUS Challenge #4! In the meantime, enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy.  LITS!* 

Thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to leave a comment and/or join as a follower! 

Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor!

  

 

*Life Is Too Short!

To open the pop-up comment box that let's you jump to the end w/o scrolling:

Click CTL + Home. 
Click the Home tab under my blog banner which resets the post.
Click Page Down to reach the end of the post.
Click Comments and the pop-up box opens.
Click Jump to Comment Form; no more car pool tunnel! Mwah!
If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave
me your email address so I can respond. Thank you!

Happy Birthday, Kylie!!

Greetings!

I hope all of my American friends had a wonderful 4th of July celebration! Between my birthday and the 4th, my party hat has made a permanent indentation under my chin. I like how it gives me an automatic wattle lift so I'm thinking of just wearing it all the time. Trends have to start somewhere and it's cheaper than surgery.

Today we are here celebrating another July birthday! Lots of us were born the last week in June and the first week in July.** (I think we can surmise that Halloween costumes really turned on our freaky parents.)

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The Birthday Girl for today's party and blog hop is the well-known and well-loved Kylie Purtell of Kylie is Addicted to Stamps! You can find the party headquarters for Kylie's birthday over at Loll's blog, "Stamping with Loll." Thank you, Loll, for hosting the party!!

Kylie is a sweet and sassy, fun and funny Australian who inspires me again and again with her incredible card art! She is also the owner of two challenge blogs I love: Addicted to Stamps and Addicted to CAS and she has recently started a craft forum called Happy Little Stampers. (You should check it out and register!) If there's one thing I've always said about Kylie, it's I wish that girl had more energy.

Here is my card for you, Kylie:

I used one of my favorite watercoloring techniques of applying ink with markers directly to the stamp and then spritzing the stamp with water before stamping it onto watercolor paper. The stamp used here is a Penny Black brush stroke image called "Pastoral" (2952K). For a little more interest I used two pieces of diagonally cut paper in colors matching the marker ink as my mat. I applied the sticker sediment and enamel dots to a vellum overlay and wrapped it around one side of the card top, which I then popped up with foam tape.

I hope you have the best birthday ever, Kylie, and many, many more!! Mwah!

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I am entering my card in these current challenges:

 Addicted to Stamps which is "Make Your Mark."

Congratulations to Kylie for achieving over 500 followers for this challenge blog and congratulations to the very talented new and returning Design Team members!

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Keep it Simple (KIS) which is "Lots of Turquoise."

Be sure and click out the challenge links for the details on rules, sponsors, and prizes!

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**Just before post time, I learned that today is also the birthday of our bloggy friend Shery of Stamplorations! Happy birthday, Shery, and many, many more!! Mwah!

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New Friends Corner

I'm delighted to resume introducing all the new friends that have come to the Playhouse! Here are five more sensational card artists:

Hilde of Happy Glitzy Girl. Hilde has been blogging since 2010 and makes the most amazing bright and glitzy cards. She is a breast cancer survivor, wife, mother of three and grandmother of three who has always loved crafts. I love her colorful and happy cards!

Angel Johns of My Whole Stampin World. Angel is a Stampin Up demonstrator who has been blogging since 2011. She is mother to Caleb and Noah and lately she has managed to spend more time on challenges and blogging. You will love her upbeat writing and cards!

Carmen of Carmen's Creations. Carmen is a Canadian, wife, and mother of four who has been blogging since April 2013. She loves to work with cut files and digital images and creates terrific and well-executed cards. Carmen is a designer and challenge participant whose cards have won her many awards!

Chrissie of Simply One Of A Kind. I've known the very kind and talented Chrissie from the beginning of my blogging days and to me her blog name fits because she herself is one of a kind and her cards certainly are! I'm sure a lot of you already love Chrissie's card art and know her as the co-creator of the popular and fun "Less Is More" challenge. If you've never visited her personal blog, you're missing a treat and a ton of inspiration!

Debi Brile of That Might Look Good on a Card. Debi has been blogging since 2012. She is another designer, award-winner, challenge participant, and all-around crafty and happy card artist! As you can tell from the hilarious name of her blog, Debi is a hoot and I'm sure you'll enjoy your visit with her!

Thank you for joining, ladies, and welcome to the Playhouse!

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Take it easy this weekend with those leftover fireworks and that potato salad that sat outside for hours yesterday!

Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy.  LITS!* 

As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to leave a comment and/or join as a follower! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor! 

  

 

*Life Is Too Short!

To open the pop-up comment box that let's you jump to the end w/o scrolling:

Click CTL + Home. 
Click the Home tab under my blog banner which resets the post.
Click Page Down to reach the end of the post.
Click Comments and the pop-up box opens.
Click Jump to Comment Form; no more car pool tunnel!

Mwah!