Calm, Bright and Wonderful

Good Evening

or maybe 

Good Morning!

I can't believe I've been able to craft my little heart out this week! It's been hot, muggy and rainy off and on the past week or so.  We visited my mom and she came back with us for a few days.  Then after taking her back to South Carolina I decided to have another week of laziness except for crafting (and eating, one must eat-LOL). Now I have lots to share!

The first ones are not the first ones I made.  They're a couple of the last ones.  I received the Catherine Pooler Colorbursts this week that I had ordered and so I tried them out.  These two cards are the results of a background I created using the colorbursts and a new CP Stencil, Bear Grass.  

As you can see I created two cards from one background. I used the papertowel technique on them.  I placed a stencil on top of some watercolor paper and then re-wet a soaked paper towel from previous CP Colorburst creations and just dabbed it around on top of the stencil.  I love how it came out!  It looked like a winter wooded scene so of course, I had to make Christmas cards!

CAS Mixup Challenge this month was Paper Towel Technique and I wanted to try and squeeze in even one card for it.  So I'm entering the first card into the challenge.

Stamp Supplies Card 1:
Stamps: Sentiment - Here We Come A Caroling (Catherine Pooler Designs).
Paper: Sugarplum (Stampin'Up); White glitter cardstock; Watercolor Paper(Strathmore).
Ink: Sweet Sixteen (Catherine Pooler Designs Inks); Suede Shoes Colorburst (Ken Oliver Colorbursts for Catherine Pooler Inks).
Extras: Snowglobe Die (Catherine Pooler Designs); Pine leaf dies (Tim Holtz).

Stamp Supplies Card 2:
Stamps: Sentiment - Wonderful Time of the Year (Catherine Pooler Designs); Tree stump and trees - Wild About You (Catherine Pooler).
Paper:  White cardstock. (Neenah); Watercolor paper - Strathmore; Craft foam.
Ink:Sued Shoes Colorbursts (Catherine Pooler Colorbursts by Ken Oliver); It's A Boy (Catherine Pooler Inks); Versamark.
Extras:  Snowglobe circle die and deer die (Catherine Pooler Designs); Tree dies - Wild About You (Catherine Pooler);  Wink Embossing Powder & Frisky Ice Sparkles - part of Flirty Fuchsia Embossing Trio (Catherine Pooler by Wow); Wanderlust emboss glitter (WOW); Sequins - Bourbon Street Mix (Catherine Pooler Designs).

For Following Challenges:

Card 1 Only:

Stamping Blessings!

Krafty Chicks Challenge #469 Color Palette

Hi there!  August and summer are have just flown by!  Summer was a bit of a blur with all the house/yard renovations we had going on.  Yet, I'm looking forward to hopefully a little cooler September and Indian summer.

Anyway it's time for a new challenge at Krafty Chicks Challenge.  Tangii is our host this week and she has a wonderful color palette as our Twist!

Krafty Chicks Challenge #469 - Color Palette

The rest of the team, including our Guest Designer, Betty, has some beautiful projects using the Twist Color Palette so stop by the Hen House and check them out! Then come play with us!

Krafty Chicks Blessings!

CAS Christmas- Noel

Good Afternoon

and

Happy Saturday!

It's midway through the month and so today is Reminder Day 

at 

CAS Christmas Card Challenge!

The Design Team has new inspiration for this month's challenge hosted by Loll!

I went really simple with technique and design.  I used red and white glitter cardstocks to cut out the Noel die (from Lil' Inker Designs).  I also cut it out in white cardstock twice to bump it up a bit on the cardbase.  I stamped and white embossed the border for a little added interest.  

Be sure and stop by the CAS Christmas blog to see the rest of the team's mid-month projects.  Then why not add to your Christmas card stash by playing along with us.  The challenge closes on August 24th so there is still plenty of time to play!

CAS Christmas Blessings!

Hello Crafty Friend

Happy Saturday!

Thought I would share a card I made for the July PenPal swap at Stamp Nation.

I created the background using the Watercolor Wash technique shown by Jennifer McGuire. I used a background stamp stamped in Versamark that I heat set.  Then, using Catherine Pooler Inks of Aquatini, Melon Ice, Lemoncello, Orange Twist,  and Samba with a waterbrush and created a rainbow effect. Next, using my Misti, I stamped flowers from the CP Sursee set, Life in the Bloom, in Twilight and heat set them. I stamped them again in Versamark to heat set Ice Pop Sparkles on top.  I did the same to the butterfly(from CP Wild Garden Set).  I cut down the top and bottom of the background and adhered it to a kraft cardbase.  I cut a stitched scallop die from CP Midnight black cardstock and glued it to the side.  Then I cut three "friend" dies (Altenew) and glued together and three "crafty" dies (Heffy Doodle), glued them and then adhered them to the card. The "hello" sentiment I believe is from the Life In the Bloom set also and I stamped it in Midnight on white cardstock and bumped it up with foam tape.  I love how glittery and sparkly the flowers and butterfly came out.

Crafty Friend Blessings!

Krafty Chicks Challenge #468 - Masculine

Good Morning!  It's a hot one here in NC, although not as hot as the week has been.  I'm ready for more of a cool down though.  It'd be nice to have 70s weather from now til November....I can dream! LOL

It may be hot but there's a nice cool challenge beginning today at Krafty Chicks Challenge.  Amy is our host and she is looking for Masculine projects as our Twist.

Krafty Chicks Challenge #468 - Masculine

My Hub's birthday is in September so I made him a birthday card to serve as double duty --- his birthday and this challenge!  So, sssshhhh! I don't want him to see it before his birthday. I will probably make him another one.  I usually make a couple so my boys can also give him one of my creations.  

I had  created the background die a while back by cutting it from ink sponged cardstock using Catherine Pooler inks.  It is from Lil' Inkers Designs.  The numbers I die cut from a stamped background I had made that mostly failed but I was able to salvage enough to cut the numbers. I cut black numbers to creat a drop shadow behind them and placed them on a white label die.  I decided to stamp and white emboss the rest of the sentiment onto inked cardstock.  The balloons are cut from silver foil cardstock and silver glitter cardstock.

Make sure to stop by the Hen House and check out the rest of the Team's projects as well as our Guest Designer, Betty Roberts.  Then come play along in our Masculine Twist challenge.

Krafty Chicks Blessings!

Magical Birthday

Hello!  It's been a long while since I posted a non-DT card I believe.  My niece turned 3 last week so I had to make a birthday card.  

I decided to do something simple and fun.  So I cased a card by Jennifer McGuire, which I loved, using Pink Fresh's "Magical Unicorn" stamp/die set.

I used Catherine Pooler Inks for the flower and leaf stamps/dies.  I think in Jennifer McGuire's tutorial she uses a light tan ink from Hero arts or Simon Says but I didn't have that.  I decided to try my no line ink by Ink Road and it worked perfectly for the background stamping.  As you see it left a subtle image.  The unicorn horn I stamped in Melon Ice, then stamped it again in Versamark and embossed it with the Melon Ice embossing trio of embossing powder, then the embossing Sparkle. Then glued it onto two white die cut horns.  The ears I die cut three times to bump them up. I lightly sponged some Be Mine in the middle of the ears. I stamped the eyelashes, added some grey shadow and then some sparkle.  Once I laid out the flowers how I wanted them, took a photo so I would remember placement and then glued them on.  I stamped the sentiment in Versafine Black Onyx and embossed in clear and added a little Nuvo Glimmer to pen for a little sparkle.  Lastly, I stamped the stars with the Ink On 3 no line ink all around the perimeter of the unicorn and then adhered it to a kraft cardbase.  And, I added irridescent gems to the flowers.

For Following Challenges:

Seize The Birthday #171 - Flowers

Krafty Chicks #467 - Desert

Good Morning!

It's time for a new challenge at 

Krafty Chicks Challenge!

I'm your hostess this week.  I've chosen Desert as the Twist for this week.  It's been hot and more hot here in North Carolina as it's moving into the dog days of summer.

Krafty Chicks Challenge #467 - Desert

I bought this stamp set by Hero Arts along with the dies and the die I used on another card (below).  Thought it would be perfect for this challenge.  The hubs and I actually have these monuments on our bucket list to see and hike around.  Our youngest may be visiting some of them this fall.  So I will probably send him this card as a "have fun/stay safe" wishes.

Anyway, the background is a grunge stamp by Catherine Pooler Designs stamped in Queen For A Day ink (CP Inks)purple.  The sunset I made by cutting a small circle out of mask paper first.  Then, sponging  Lemoncello, Sauna, Orange Twist, Rouge, Queen For a Day with my brushes from Picket Fence Studios.  On the desert floor I used all the same colors except the purple, and added some light tan (Sand Castle).

I made a second card since I made two sunset backgrounds.  The second one uses a die cut from Hero Arts, Desert Sunset Fancy Die.  The dog is from the Cowboy Adventures stamp set.  And the sentiment is from the set "Find Your Happy" by Catherine Pooler Designs embossed in white.

So now go check out the rest of the team's desert projects at the Hen House.  Then, come play along with us and share a desert themed project for our Twist or play in our always Anything Goes challenge.

Krafty Chicks Blessings!

CAS Christmas - Glitter

Hello!

Happy Weekend!

It's Saturday, August 3rd.  

That means a new challenge is beginning over at 

CAS Christmas Card Challenge!

Loll is our hostess this month and she chose Glitter for our theme.

I decided to do a little multi glitter embossing on my card for today.  I used a Christmas tree stamp from Catherine Pooler Designs, Festive Trimmings, stamped in Versamark.  Then I sprinkled three different green embossing powders (by WOW for Catherine Pooler) and a red one and heat set. Next I inked it up in Versamark again and then this time added embossing GLITTER in the same colors over the same areas as I did with the powders.  This time I heat set from underneath the cardstock until I could see it beginning to set and then made a run on the top side with the heat gun. After it was all dry I die cut it.  I also stamped the red bells in Rockin Red ink then took a Versamark pen and dabbed each one before adding the Rockin Red Embossing Glitter to them.  After this was set and dried I die cut them with the coorindating die and glued them on the tree where the tree stamp design has bells.  I centered it on a vellum die cut "window" which is part of the Adore Die by Catherine Pooler.  I finished the card off by gold embossing the sentiment on vellum and placing it in the center of the tree.

Now stop by the CAS Christmas Card blog and see the rest of the Design Team's projects as well as our August Guest Designer, Michelle!  Then come play along with us this month and create some GLITTERY Christmas cards for your stash!  There's just 4-1/2 months left before Christmas!!!

CAS Christmas Blessings!

Krafty Chicks Challenge #466 Embossing

Hello August 1st! 

It's still summer!  I feel like half of it has been a blur with all the remodeling and work that has been done around here since May.  Hoping he hubs can now find time to finish our brick patio so we can at least enjoy it at least until Thanksgiving!  One perk of living in NC, the falls are still very warm so you can enjoy outside and usually without all the skeeters! 

Anyway, I digress.  It's also Thursday today which means a new challenge at Krafty Chicks Challenge.  Leanne is our hostess this week and her twist is Embossing!

Krafty Chicks Challenge #466 - Embossing

I decided to try a technique showcased by Jennifer McGuire for this one.  I'd tried it before but this time turned out better.  I used a 3D embossing folder that came with my Gemini Jr, embossed on a light yellow cardstock from my stash.  Then I lightly went over the raised areas with Sauna dye ink by Catherine Pooler.  The scalloped stitched oval die is by Pretty Pink Posh and the sentiment and word die and heart die are all Catherine Pooler.  

Stop by the Hen House and see the rest of the team's projects and welcome our August Guest Designer, Elizabeth (Betty) Roberts.  Betty and I met on Stamp Nation and follow each other on Instagram so I asked her if she would like to Guest spot with us.  See her projects this month on her Instagram account, @finestrn.   Then come play along with us this week!

Krafty Chick Blessings! 

Keeping Christmas - July!

Good morning again!

Today is July 25th (my baby brother is 46 today!) and it also is time for a Keeping Christmas Blog Hop!

If you haven't seen these posts before, on the 25th of each month throughout the year the former The Challenge Design Team along with the Keeping Christmas creator, Kelly Lunceford and a few other designers have an inspirational Christmas card blog hop to help inspire you to build upon your Christmas card stash throughout the year.

I decided to go a little bright and modern.   I decided to keep with the same color scheme for both, but I am definitely going to do some like these in other bright colors. 

Now hop through the list below and see what the rest of the team has created this month.  It is sure to inspire you to break out some Christmas stamps!

Kelly Lunceford

Lesley Croghan

Anita Madden

Broni Holcombe

Claire Broadwater

Julee Tilman

Kim Heggins

Lori Tecler

Nance Salkeld (You are HERE!)

Nina Forsyth

Vicki Finger

Nancy Guse

See you next month!

Keeping Christmas Blessings!

Krafty Chicks #465 Tags, Bookmarks

Hello there!

This week has really sped by, it's already Thursday!

That means a new challenge at Crafty Chicks!

Lori is our hostess this week

and 

she has really challenged us with a Twist theme of 

Tags/Bookmarks!

Krafty Chicks Challenge #465 - 

Tags & Bookmarks

So I made bookmarks!

I haven't made bookmarks in years so it was fun doing it again.  I started with some backgrounds I created with Distress Oxide inks on photo paper.  Then, I stamped images on them with Memento black ink and set them aside to dry. Once they were dry I wiped them down with a baby wipe to create a glossy finish. I used images and sentiments from Ink Road Stamps.  I glued the bookmarks to some heavy white cardstock to make them more sturdy. I  then added ribbon, twine and some blingy heart gems for finishing touches.

Now stop by the Hen House and check out the team's projects and bid our July Guestie, Esther, a lovely farewell as this is her last week with us.

Krafty Chick Blessings!

Krafty Chicks #464 Stars & Stripes

Happy Thursday, Chicks!

It's time for a new challenge 

at

Krafty Chicks Challenge!

Tangii is our hostess this week and 

she is looking for a Stars n' Stripes Twist!

I decided to go summery for my stars and stripes and do double duty for my card, combining this challenge with my Stamp Nation PenPal card.  You can have wonky stripes, right? LOL

So go check out the rest of the Design Team's projects over at the Hen House!  Then, come play along with us either with our Stars n' Stripes Twist or our always Anything Goes Challenge!  We love to see what you create!

CAS Xmas - Snowflake

Hello!

Happy Wednesday!

Today is mid-month for 

CAS Christmas Challenge!

It's been a very hectic last two months for the Salkeld household 

and I missed the first of the month installment.

Yet I did manage to pull together a couple of cards for today's mid-month reminder.

I borrowed a snowflake die(by PoppyStamps) from Bonnie with one idea in mind, which morphed into about six more!  Isn't it that how it sometimes happens?  My original idea is the red background, alcohol inked, with the die inlaid in it.  I cut the snowflake out of the red, then out of the white glitter background and then again out of vellum and wound up inlaying the vellum one. The photo doesn't do it justice, it turned out very pretty.  So I decided to use some of the other dies to create a second simple card.

Please stop by the CAS Christmas blog and see the rest of the Design Team's projects, as well as our Guest Designer, Jane.  Then why not play along and create some Christmas in July with some CAS Snowflake cards.  You have until July 24th to play.

CAS Christmas Blessings!

Krafty Chicks #463 Christmas In July

Good Morning, Thursday!

It's time for a new challenge at 

Krafty Chicks Challenge!

Amy is our hostess this week.

She's looking for Christmas as the Twist!

Krafty Chicks Challenge #463 - Christmas In July!

I have had some foiled elements for Christmas cards and so I decided to pull out my laminator and fix one up for this challenge.

I used the Holly & Berries Cutting Plate by Catherine Pooler Designs. I cut a sheet of foil toner paper and added Stick It paper to the back, then ran it with the die through my Gemini Jr.  Once my laminator was hot I placed green foil on top of the die cut piece and ran it through the laminator.

The foiled sentiment I had in my Christmas stash so it was perfect.  To finish it off I took a holly berry die from "Tis The Season" coordinating dies by Catherine Pooler Designs, cut it several times, foiled them and added them where the berries were on the background.

Stop over to the Hen House and see what the rest of the Design Team has created along with our July Guestie, Esther.  Then come along and play with us and celebrate Christmas in July!

Krafty Chick Blessings!

Krafty Chicks #462 Recipe

Hello Thursday!

It's time for another challenge at 

Krafty Chicks Challenge!

I'm your hostess this week

and 

I have a Recipe for our twist!

Krafty Chicks #462 Recipe - 1 Square, 2 Ribbons, 3 Circles

Stop by the Hen House and check out the rest of the Design Team's projects.  Also welcome our Guest Designer for July, Esther from Shoregirl's Creations.

Come play along with us with our Recipe Twist or our forever "Anything Goes" challenge.  

Krafty Chicks Blessings!