For Sunday Stamps Challenge

  Funny how things come back around, or full circle! I have been blessed to have been on a number of different Design Teams since my first love of stamping and card making started back in 2013. I also have had the privilege of working with some wonderful inspiring card makers that have been an influence to me and helped with evolving into my own look. I have cut back a bit with my being on challenge teams but I still want to be involved and in the mix! With that being said, I am back with the team that gave me my first chance at being on a team that would bring inspiration to the participants. I am back with Sunday Stamps! Thrilled is an understatement and it feels like coming home. Thanks to Lisa, Heidi, and the rest of the design team for the welcome to come back!! This is my first challenge back so let's get to it!!

Let's do a sketch challenge...

Sketch by Lisa

Challenge is Live 11/1 and ends on 11/13

 My mind started the wheels rolling when I first saw the banners. Whatelse can be used...? Foliage! I just received this great set from STAMPERS ANONYMOUS called French Garden. Yes, I do love a good floral stamp...

I softened the base with a background stamp that has a  cheesecloth pattern. I then took the smaller script, berry clister and element stamps and stamped mainly arune the border of a 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 ivory card base. I cut that out with a large stitched rectangle die and aged the edges all around the base. I stamped the leaf image 3 times using 2 differnt greens. Istamaped once on the base base itself, then on ivory card stock and fussycut the best I could to this delicate image. After following the inspration image for placement I started the hunt for the sentiment. I am feverishly making HB cards because I go through like crazy and that the number card that sells from my portable card box. I used a die cut script from Spellbinders. I cut 2 sets, one in black and one in the green stamped tone on tone with the same cheesecloth stamp. I offset them slightly for some dimension.  I stamped and colored a couple of butterflies instead of using enamel dots for embellishments. I think my card has a vintage, field notes, garden look. Annnnd, I am really trying to completely finish my cards so they are ready to sell or be sent out in the mail.

 Thank you for stopping by. I am hoping to see your creation in our Gallery for this challenge! See you soon...

 Melissa

 Products used on my card from:

Creative Worship Stamps

Stampin Up!

Tim Holz, Stampers Anonymous

For Sunday Stamps Challenge 397

 Hello! My posting is for the current challenge over at the Sunday Stamps Blog .  This time around it's a sketch challenge and I pretty much followed the sketch as it is. I am currently working on a few cross stitch projects for some up coming shows and I decided to create a card that is very similar in design to one of my projects.

 I have had this sweet Tree Die Set from Spellbinders for a little while and decided to pull it out and try it out...

I have also been trying to re-train myself to completely finish a card on the inside also, so the card is ready to go from my stash to the mail!

That's it for now, glad you stopped by to check things out. I'm headed back to the craft room to finish up some almost finished projects. Have a great day!!

Melissa

Use the color Orange

  I do love the Fall/Autumn season probably for the colors first then, for the coooler temps. We just recently just had a cool down here in Florida at the end of Septmember which was a little early for us but NO ONE complained!! So when it was my turn over at Make My Monday to come up with a theme, I thought everyone probably has the color ORANGE .   After going through my stash of cards, I decided to use orange in an everyday theme card. I use to make Fall cards but I don't send out Fall or Thanksgiving cards so I am at the stage in my life where I want to craft smarter! I am currently going through my already made cards and changing the sentiments to ones I use more of:  HB, TY and TOY. Again, smarter not harder. So with that said, see my card with Orange below...

A little stenciling on the base, the foliage stamped onto the base and water colored in. Then, stamped, colored and fussycut the poppies and strategically placed among the foliage with foam tape for dimension. 

A few enamel dots and a fussy cut birthday sentiment (because I use LOTS of HB cards) and this card will hopefully bring inspiration to you to use this vibrant fun color for our new challenge! Looking forward to seeing what you make. See you later...

Melissa

Use Dies/Die Cutting for Sparkles Monthly

  I love to stamp! But even more so, I love Die Cutting. I guess I like the intricate details, shapes and dimension dies can give to a project and sometimes with very little effort. I am the challenge hostess this round and I chose Use Dies /Die Cutting for the new challenge over at Sparkles Monthy

My card is a combo of different company dies that are a few years old but I like to select designs and elements that are not really fadish so in a few years they still have a current look. I did a tone on tone for the base of my card with a pretty lattice die and chose a lovely Aqua color to highlight the crisp whiteness of the flowers. 

 I also wanted to die cut the sentiment to add to the DC theme and that is the only area of the card that is stamped. I love the impact die cutting brings to cardmaking. Stay tuned to my blog and check back here or on my Instagram account to see some upcoming cut out cards I will be featuring. See you later...

Melissa

Fall for Make My Monday

  The things I love about Fall are first, the change in physical temperature. Then, the warm cozy colors of the season, football, baking and knowing the holidays are just around the corner. The new theme at Make My Monday is Autumn/Fall and I am thrilled! In a previous post I mentioned another 5 layer stencil I was going to feature in an upcoming challenge and here it is, a beautiful Fall scene.

For this card, I started with a sand colored cardstock base instead of white. I thought it softened stronger colors ans blended better.

 The stencil is from the Spellbinders September 2026 Stencil of the Month. As I have said in previous blogs, I am looking to downsize and simplify creating/crafting time and I find stencils give a nice presentation with not taking too much time and if you need to whip up a last minute card, stencils can help with that!

I added a fall leaf from an older Stampin Up set as the background for my sentiment(also SU!) just for a little added dimension and this card is done!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and I am hoping you feel ispired to join us this challenge!

 Melissa

Use Colors Red & Green

  I have experimented over the years with differnet colors when decorating for Christmas but I still go back to the traditional colors of RED & GREEN. There is something comforting, cozy and familiar with the colors that I hardly vary from. That is the challenge focus this month at Sparkles Christmas Challenge and I am the challenge hostess. 

My jolly snowman was done with a 5 layer stencil. Have you tried the layered stencils? I am now offically hooked! I had purchased a few but just put them in my stash of stencils and didn't bother playing around at first. I needed a specific theme for a card challenge and rememebered I had one that would fit the bill and wonderd why I waited so long to try them! Now there are layered stencils with matching dies for a more 3D/Layered look but I haven't gone there yet!

Here you can see the 5 different stencils and the colors I choose and also the different intensity of colors of how I applied the colors. I didn't have a color blending brush in black, so I used a navy blue ink I have because It's so dark that it looks black when applied with a heavy hand.

So much fun! I really enjoy using these stencils and I received a new one and will be posting for our sister challenge Make My Monday for the October 5th challenge. 

You have a whole month to think about an decide how you are going to use colors RED & GREEN, looking forward to seeing to seeing what you come up with! See you later..

Melissa 

Pink & Pink Ribbon

 

Hello there! Well time is marching on and here we are heading into Autumn, one of my favorite color seasons. Florida is hot most of the time but we do enjoy cooler weather towards the end of the year into the spring and we are looking forward to the break!  

For the current challenge over at Make My Monday, we are remembering Breast Cancer awareness month coming up in October. We are asking you use Pink & a Pink ribbon on your creation.

  

 I kept my card simple and feminine. The Pray without Ceasing is the hope to never give up! Keep asking, keep seeking. 

I hope you will join us for this challenge and also join in with us to pray for, support and encourage those who are still fighting and those who have survived.

Melissa