Happy Easter - Use Stamp Different Ways

If we treated everyone we meet with the same affection we bestow upon our favorite cat, they, too, would purr.

                                                                             -------------------Martin Delany

Hi, Friends....

I'm here with a quick post to share a card I made inspired by the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Use a Stamp Multiple Ways.

I used my brand-new Studio 490 Build a Blossom stamp set to stamp my flower and my leaves on watercolor paper and heat embossed with white.  Then I watercolored them with Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry and Evergreen Bough.  I apologize for the poor photography.  The leaves are very pale, but not thaaaaaat pale!!!  You can see them a bit better in the photo below.

I used the same leaf stamp as a background stamp in my sentiment panel, also using Evergreen Bough ink.


I used some pieces from my DCWV - The Solstice stack for backgrounds on both panels. I also put a piece of vellum behind the flower and leaves to mute the patterned paper color a bit.

Here you can see my sentiment panel with the stamp used as the background.  I inked up the stamp and then misted it slightly.  I stamped off on some other paper first, and then stamped it multiple times for this piece.

The sentiment is from a retired set from Clear Dollar Stamps - Easter Blessings.  

Hope you like my card, despite the poor photos.  I edited this post to add some more challenges!
See you later..........and have a great week!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenge(s):
1. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Use a Stamp in Multiple Ways
2. Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday - March 2015 - Stamping
3. Wow! Embossing Powder March 2015 Challenge - Mood Board - Spring

4. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
5. DL.Art Thankful Thursday #153 - Easter (alt Thank You)
6. Hiding in my Craft Room Challenge #193 - Any Holiday

Safari, So Good.....Friends with Flair 3-27

Our Judith and Brian in the dollhouse.  Awwww....sweet!

"It is impossible for a lover of cats to banish these alert, gentle, and discriminating little friends, who give us just enough of their regard and complaisance to make us hunger for more." 
                                                                                           -------------Agnes Repplier

Hi, Friends......

I am here with a masculine card for this week's Unity - Friends with Flair link up.  I used some pieces from the DCWV Safari Chic stack.  I also used a wonderful Unity Itty Bitty - Enjoy, Explore, Believe.  I received this as a prize from the lovely Gaylynn.  (THANKS so much!!)  I couldn't wait to ink it up.  I used Versafine Onyx Black. 

Some weeks ago, I played around with my Imagine Crafts Walnut Ink Crystals.  I sprinkled them on watercolor paper and misted with water to let the crystals dissolve and blend.  This was a perfect chance to use one as a background for my stamp.  I learned about this product from a Just-Rite tutorial by Darsie Bruno.  I really loved the effects she achieved and waited until JoAnns had the crystals in stock and on sale for half-price.  :) 

I love the look of torn edges on my panels, but I am always afraid my paper will tear in a bad direction.  I discovered that by scoring this cardstock and then tearing it, I was able to get a softly ragged edge without it suddenly veering off in an unplanned direction.  I inked the edges with Distress Ink - Brushed Corduroy.

Do you like my elephant tag?  He's a little oversized for this card, but elephants are supposed to be big, right?  :)  I fussy cut the image from one of the DCWV Safari Chic pages and hit on the idea to make a tag from him.  I just got these fiber yarns from my local thrift store yesterday.  Yay!!  LOVE them with my elephant!!!  

I got a huge package of that crinkly fiber yarn and would love to share it.  If you'd like some, send me your address via my online form and I will send some to you.  :)





















My background stamping is a leaf I got in my recent Unity Grab Bag.  (THANKS, Unity!)  I thought it was perfect for my safari themed card.  I stamped it in Distress Ink - Brushed Corduroy and Fired Brick.   I love how my card turned out and I hope you do, too!!

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Ding, ding, ding!!!  New Follower Introduction Time!!!
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Ardyth Percy-Robb of MASKerade is known to many of us from her fabulous cards over at CASology.  She is an absolute genius with the CAS style, which is very impressive to me.....since I love to use so much "stuff" on my cards!!!  :)  Ardyth has a neat feature on her blog...pages with galleries of her work along the top of page.  Click on one of them and watch the loveliness unfold before you!!  Thank you, Ardyth, for becoming a follower here.  I appreciate it so very, very much!!! 

Thanks, everyone, for your kind comments!  I am slipping this right under the wire at Unity....again!  Ha.

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Unity Friends with Flair 3-27 
2. Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday - March 2015 - Stamping
3. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
4. DRS.Designs Challenge #167 Pet Store - That's some pet store that would carry an African elephant, huh? But the criteria say "any animal". :)
5. Moving Along with the Times - In the Wild 

Let Love Grow - Waffle Flower Challenge

"I was only a small child when the seeds of cat enchantment were sown within me."
                                                                                  -------May Eustace

Hi, Friends....

I am back with another entry for the current Waffle Flower Challenge using their wonderful inspiration photo and color palette.

 

I am not usually much of a CAS gal (even though I adore well-made CAS cards!!), but I loved all the white space in the inspiration photo.  So I went for a super simple look for today's card to let the fabulous image from Waffle Flower - Flower Circles shine.

I had in mind to encompass the complete palette entirely in the images, so I stamped my images on watercolor paper with some brand-new VersaFine - Smoky Gray and watercolored them with Distress Inks - Picked Raspberry, Victorian Velvet, Broken China, and Forest Moss.  

I LOVE how this card turned out.  I had to resist the urge to toss some sequins on it or attempt some "artful" splatters (which prob would have ended in disaster for me!) but I am glad I kept this one simple.  Hope you like it, too!

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Ding, ding, ding!!!  New Follower Introduction Time!!!
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Daniella Hayes of Daniella Hayes - Layers of Creativity
is an amazing artist and I am thrilled to have her as my newest follower.  She is on millions of different design teams and gets published in magazines galore!  I was completely taken with her Broken Book Art Journal tutorial and her gorgeous Hello, Sunshine! card that has orange and white on kraft.  Oh, my!!  Her work is just sensational.  Daniella, thank you so much for becoming a follower.  Your encouragement and support mean more to me than you can know!!!  This ginormous new-follower smile is for you!

:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Thank you, everyone, for visiting my blog.  Your lovely comments bless me!!  Have an amazing week!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Waffle Flower Challenge - March 9-22
2. Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday - Feb. 2015 - Spring 
3. CASology - Week 138 - Blossom  
4. Scrappin Great Deals - Mood Board - I was inspired by the blues and pinks of the flowers and the white rugs and pillows in the two lower photos.

I Like People.....or Not. Friends with Flair 3-20

"My cat does not talk as respectfully to me as I do to her."

                                                                               -------Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette

Hi, Friends......

I am here with a super-fun card for this week's Unity Friends with Flair.  I received this sentiment in a Unity grab bag some time ago and it sat unused in my stash.  It didn't really seem like something I would put on a card.  I didn't have a clue how to use it.......

UNTIL..............................

........I came up with the idea of putting it with a CAT!!!!  lol......

I just got this brand-new Paper Smooches - Feline Friends, and couldn't wait to use it!!!  (THANKS, PS!!!)  I used patterned papers from the DCWV Pet Stack, which I inked with Distress Inks - Walnut Stain and Barn Door.  I stamped the kitty and the sentiment in brown and heat embossed with clear powder.  Love the little guy with the googly eyes that look a bit worried and confused!!  lol...   I even like how the ink doesn't quite give full coverage and so the tummy is lighter than the rest of the kitty. 

A bit of thrift store burlap ribbon and some baker's twine (with one tail left long for kitty to play with!) finished this card off nicely.  I LOVE how it turned out!!!!  Hope you do, too!!!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!!

<3

Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Unity - Friends with Flair Link-Up 3-20
2. MFP Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #253 - Use 4 offset layers
3. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Lions and Lambs, Oh My! - Any Animal
4. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #152 - Anything Goes (alt. Thank You)
5. 4 Crafty Chicks #238 - Inspirational Photo

Pink Trellis - Happy Birthday

Yikes!.....

"And specks of gold, like fine sand
Add vague stars to their mystical eyes."

                                                                                      ------------Charles Baudelaire


Hi, Friends.....

I am back with another card for the current Waffle Flower Challenge, inspired by the colors and flowers in their inspiration photo:

In my never-ending quest to find ways to use my scraps, I made a background of very narrow strips layered in a criss-cross pattern and then dry embossed with my Darice - Ranunculus folder.  I inked the background with Distress Inks - Salty Ocean, Worn Lipstick, and Forest Moss to accentuate the floral pattern.  I think it looks like a garden trellis.  What do you think?

My sentiment is from the MFP - What a Fox stamp set.  I stamped it with Memento - London Fog and heat embossed it with clear powder.  I inked the edges of the panels with the same London Fog ink.  Then I layered some Prima flowers and added an adhesive pearl center to finish up everything. 

Hope you enjoyed my card and that it gives you some ideas for using some of your scraps, too!!  

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Waffle Flower Challenge - March 9-22
2. MFP Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #253 - Use 4 offset layers
3. Verve Inspiration Challenge - Birthday
4. Craft Stamper March Challenge - Anything Goes (must have stamping)

Is it Your Birthday?

"Among animals, cats are the top-hatted frock-coated statesmen going about their affairs at their own pace."

                                                                               ------------------Robert Sterns

Hi, Friends.......

I am going to try to make this post relatively brief because I have two cards to post tonight.  Again, I have an entry for the current Waffle Flower Challenge using their inspiration photo.

For this card, I didn't use any of the orchid pink.  Instead, I made a layered background with scraps from my stash, inspired by the patterns of blue, green, white and gray.  

The inspiration photo just seemed like it called for some vellum and white embossing, so I used a stamp from my brand-new Waffle Flower - Flower Circles set.  (THANKS, WF!!!)  

I have been trying to use my washi tape more often and this was a good opportunity since my "invisible vellum tape" wasn't invisible enough!!!  Ha.  Washi to the rescue.  :)  Besides, I thought this wonderful chevron pattern in gray looked great with my background.  What do you think?


I cut a shimmery gray tag with my new Paper Smooches tag die set (THANKS, PS!!!) and stamped and heat embossed this fun sentiment from my MFP Silly Shells set.

I put a bit of narrow washi on the tag, also, and tied it with a wisp of dotted chiffon ribbon, which I love as an accompaniment to the vellum.  

Thanks so much for coming to visit and for leaving your very nice comments.  They mean so much to me!!!  I am hoping the rest of your week is wonderful!!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Waffle Flower Challenge - March 9-22
2. MFP Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #253 - Use 4 offset layers
3. Verve Inspiration Challenge - Birthday
4. Wow! Embossing Powder - March Challenge - Spring (I was inspired by the photo in the upper right.)

Do Not Give Up - Waffle Flower Challenge Card #2

"In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats."

                                                                             -----------English Proverb

Hi, Friends......

I am back and feeling some better.  I am only starting to get back into my crafting energy mode, but I did manage to make this card for the current Waffle Flower Challenge.  I love the inspiration photo and colors!!!

For my card, I used a lovely verse from the Verve - Scripture Medley 2 that I won recently.  (THANKS, Verve!!)  I stamped it with Memento - London Fog and heat embossed with clear powder onto a pretty piece I fussy cut from my DCWV Solstice stack. 

 My background is layered and dry embossed with my Darice - Interlocking Circles folder.  I inked it gently with Distress Ink - Victorian Velvet to bring in the orchid pink of the palette. 

I added Zva swirls and a butterfly sequin for sparkle.  Then I layered on some Prima flowers.

 

I used the same Distress Ink to gently tint the white flowers.  Some silver photo corners give the finishing touches.

Hope you enjoyed my spring-y card.  I really love making these flowery kinds of cards.  :)  

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Ding, ding, ding!!!  New Follower Introduction Time!!!
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I have a new follower to introduce today:

Carolyn Bounds of T.L.Creations is another friend I have met through Unity Friends with Flair.  Carolyn describes herself as someone who loves to laugh....sounds like my kind of gal!!!  She makes imaginative and punny cards that are just plain enjoyable and, on top of that, she always leaves such sweet and encouraging comments on others' projects.  Carolyn, I am delighted that you decided to become a follower here.  This ginormous new-follower smile is what spreads across my face when I see someone new (like you!) on my sidebar!

:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Thanks so much to each of you who faithfully visits my blog. Your support and encouragement mean more than I can say!!!  Have a lovely mid-week!!!

<3

Janis 

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Waffle Flower Challenge - March 9-22
2.  Craft Stamper March Challenge - Anything Goes (must have stamping)
3.  Wow! Embossing Powder - March Challenge - Spring 
4.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Things that Fly

Life is Beautiful - Friends with Flair 3-13

"She was occupied in her cat world, of all existences most secret and, no doubt, delightful."
                                                                                  ----------Ethel Wilson

Hi, Friends....

Sorry I haven't been on here very much the last couple of weeks.  I've still been feeling very tired and getting my BP meds, that were out of whack, all adjusted.  I have had zero energy.....even for crafting, unfortunately.  (Hey, you know I am tired, when I can't even craft!!!  Ha!)

 Today, I have a card to share that I made for this week's Unity Friends with Flair.  I wanted to make a card with my new Unity grab bag stamps I received this week from GIU, but didn't get that far.  So, instead, I used a lovely image I already had stamped in my stash from the Unity Itty Bitty - Beautiful.  

I am also using the color palette from the current Waffle Flower Challenge.  I love the fresh, clean look of these colors!!

As I mentioned, I already had this pretty bird image all stamped and ready to use in my stash.  I had used a rainbow pad for the color bands and heat embossed it with clear powder.  

I like stamping an extra image or two when I am making a project so I can use the one I like the best.  If the others turn out well, too, I save them for making quick cards.....like this one!  

I resisted the urge (and it was a strong one!) to dry emboss my layers together, but decided to go with a very smooth look for this card.  I also resisted the urge to ink the edges of my layers because I wanted to keep this looking very clean and bright. 

I will let you in on a dirty little secret about me and heat embossing:  my powders always get bits of stuff in them.  I think it's because I do so much craziness with them.....mixing and layering them for my molten backgrounds and double embossing.  Anyway, I find bits of glitter and other stuff in my powders.  These little alien bits become very obvious when I use clear powder.....and I am sometimes aghast at the artifacts I discover....usually after the fact!!  This image had a few uninvited items permanently embossed into it, so I resorted to my usual fix:  my white gel pen.  This image has enough white streaks and spots in its design that a few extra dots from my pen are not easily detected.

Here's a close-up of my stamped and embossed image.  What do you think?

Hope you enjoyed my spring card.  I also hope to be back in the game a little more in the next few days with another card or two!

ENABLER  ALERT:
Right now, JoAnn.com has most of their papercrafting supplies on sale for 50% off!!!  PLUS......they have a coupon code for 25% off your entire online or in-store purchase!!!  (Coupon good through Mar. 15.)  That discount more than makes up for shipping for most orders.....or goes right off the top for you lucky gals who have a JoAnn nearby and can shop in-store.  Oh, do I love great sales at JoAnn.com????  Oh, yes....I sure do!!!

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Ding, ding, ding!!!  NEW FOLLOWER INTRODUCTION TIME!!!! 
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I have some new followers to introduce to everyone today.  Yay!!!

KT Fit Kitty of KT Fit Kitty (interesting how that works!) is not only one of the most prolific cardmakers around, but she also loves cats and includes a kitty image on almost every card she makes!!!  LOVE that!!!  I am always inspired by her delightful cards and I am thrilled that she has chosen to become a follower here. Maybe we really should get a cat blog hop organized, sometime, as someone suggested recently!!
 

By the way, KT has a giveaway on her blog right now celebrating 250 followers!!  Woohoo!!  Congratulations!!! 
Deadline to enter is Mar. 31. 

KT, thanks so much for becoming a follower.  This ginormous  new-follower smile is for you!!

:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Kathy Jo Wood of I'm a Little Teapot is on the DT for Quietfire and has stunningly gorgeous cards.  You'll want to visit her and see the beautiful things she does with those exquisite Quietfire stamps and new dies!!!  You'll be in awe.  Thank you so much, Kathy Jo, for your support and encouragement by becoming a follower!!  This ginormous smile is all yours!!

:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

I hope I haven't missed anyone!  If I missed introducing you, please leave your info in a comment so I can do the honors!!!

Thank you to everyone for your wonderful comments.  They encourage me like crazy....especially when I'm not feeling all that great!!!

<3

Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Unity Friends with Flair - Mar. 13
2. Waffle Flower Challenge - Mar. 9-22
3. Wow! Embossing Powder March 2015 Challenge - Mood Board - Spring

4. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - B is for.....Bird, Beautiful

WINNER of Coffee Lovers Hop Blog Candy

I'm not the only one whose meds were out of whack!!!  lol...

"Everything I know I learned from my cat:  When you are hungry, eat.  When you're tired, nap in a sunbeam.  When you go to the vet's, pee on your owner."
                                                                                ----------Gary Smith


Hi, Friends....

I had a rough time this last week and didn't get any creating done at all!  My blood pressure meds were out of whack and I was barely functioning...ugh!!!  What a lousy week.  I think I am getting things working better now....I hope!  :)

I have a winner to announce for my blog candy for the Coffee Lovers Hop post.

The lucky random WINNER is:

Holly AKA KopyKat

Congratulations, Holly!! I have emailed you.

A humongous thank you to each of you who came to visit during the hop and left such kind comments on my project!!!

I do have some new followers to introduce as soon as I muster up the energy!!!  :)

<3

Janis

WINNERS!!! WINNERS!!! WINNERS!!!

And won even more prizes!!!  :)

"Cats are packed full of music--just as full as they can hold:  and when they die, people remove it from them and sell it to the fiddle-makers."
                                                                                 -----------Mark Twain 

Hi, Friends......

So what happens to posts that were there and then suddenly are not???  Who knows?  Sorry for the technical difficulties linking to this post.  Could not possibly have been something like....umm.... "user error" that made it all go poof!!!  Ha!  Thankfully, it was not my Friends with Flair post that vanished, because I got it in with only 17 minutes to spare.  EEEEEK!!   That squeaking noise you heard right around 10 pm PST was my post getting in just under the wire.....  :)

So I am here to announce a couple of winners.  I reluctantly had to redraw for my Simon Says Stamp Gift Voucher because the original winner didn't leave an email address (or have a blog that I could find) and did not contact me.  

The NEW winner of my $25 Simon Says Stamp Gift Voucher is:

Sandy Lewis

Sandy, I do not have an email address for you, either, and I also cannot find a blog....so I really hope you are reading this!!  Please contact me as soon as possible using the contact form on my sidebar.  

The winner of my little Unity stamp from last week's Friends with Flair on my birthday is:

Carolyn Bounds

I don't have an email address for you either, Carolyn, but I did locate your blog and left you a message in a comment.  Please contact me using my sidebar contact form, too, or with the email address I left in my comment.

Congratulations, ladies!!!  And thank you to everyone for visiting and commenting on my blog!!!

<3

Janis

Laughter is Timeless -- Friends with Flair

Of course, this would never happen to a cat.  Ha!

"The cat has been described as the most perfect animal, the arms of muscular perfection and the supreme example in the animal kingdom of the coordination of mind and muscle."

Hi, Friends......

I am here to squeak an entry in for the Unity Friends with Flair for this week.  Also, please be sure to take a look at my WINNERS POST (sorry...technical difficulties...fixing now...  Fixed now, I hope!) because I had to redraw one of my winners and you might have won from a previous giveaway!  :)

Today's card uses the Unity Itty Bitty - Laughter, Imagination, Dreams.  I already had a card base ready with this DCWV cardstock on the base.....a card starter, of sorts.  



I rubbed the edges of the patterned cardstock with Versamark and heat embossed with gold for an antiqued look.











I stamped the image with Versamark and heat embossed with gold on some subtly patterned DCWV cardstock.  Then I touched the edges of the sentiment panel onto the Versamark pad and embossed a very thin gold edge.  I also sponged the panel with a bit of Distress Ink - Brushed Corduroy.
 
  
I also rolled the corners of the panel slightly before mounting it on the card front with dimensional foam.

To continue the butterfly theme that is on the image, I added a little Zva swirl and a couple of butterfly sequins.

I finished the card with another little butterfly that I heat embossed with gold and added some little rhinestones for sparkle.

Hope you enjoyed the card.  Thank you for visiting and leaving your wonderful comments!!

<3

Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  Unity - Friends with Flair 3-6-15
2.  Unity Be Inspired Challenge March - Color Inspiration

3. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - For a Special Lady/Girly
4. Cuttin and Stampin Challenge #9 - Gold
5. Wow!  March Challenge - Spring!