Friday, March 13, 2015

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!!!

**********************************************
Ding, ding, ding!!!  NEW FOLLOWER INTRODUCTION TIME!!!! 
**********************************************
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

41 comments:

  1. great card and lovely paper too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey, Janis! Thank you for the warm welcome! You have an awesome blog! So sorry you've been under the weather. And yes, you are definitely tired when you don't have enough energy to do some crafting! Unfortunately, I've had times like that myself. No fun at all! Your card is adorable - gorgeous design and nice spring-y colours!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, KT!! I appreciate your encouraging comments!!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  3. Lovely card! Love the multi colored stamping on the bird. Fabulous layout and GREAT colors ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Brandi, for mentioning the multi-colored stamping. I thought the colors worked really well for this stamp.

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  4. Beautiful card and I love the sentiment of your stamp!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Angie!! I love that sentiment, too!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  5. Thanks for sharing your beautiful card.
    I spied your project at Unity's FWF.
    Crafty hugs,
    Dawn
    DesignsByDragonfly {blogspot}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Dawn, for your nice words!!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  6. Wow! JANIS your card is beautiful I love the pink and the green, I saw your beautiful masterpiece at FWF. HAVE A BLESSED WEEKEND.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Diana!! Your sweet comments are always so encouraging!!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  7. So sweet and pretty! Love it! Thanks for joining us at the Waffle Flower Photo Challenge!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Shelly! I love playing along at WF!!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  8. Really sweet card. What a great emboossed image, too!

    Big ginormous smile right back at ya! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Kathy Jo!!! I appreciate you stopping by!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  9. Very pretty spring card. I like the embossing. Hope you are feeling better soon--I was just diagnosed with high BP :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Sue!! Sorry to hear abt your BP. Fortunately, most high BP is easily treatable. This is the first time in several years of taking my meds that I have had any problem with them.....aside from breaking out in shingles when I first started. That was a bummer. But otherwise, I have felt soooooooo much better since beginning my meds. I thank the Lord for the blessing of medical research!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  10. Hi Janis. I would have never guessed you had bits and pieces included in your embossing. The bird looks beautiful. You may want to hop on over to my blog. Wink wink. Hope you get to feeling better. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Gaylynn!!! I appreciate you mentioning that my embossing looks okay. I thought the "fix" worked pretty well. Maybe I am the only one who has trouble keeping their EP clean!!!
      Thanks, too, for the heads up on winning your blog candy. :) So fun!!! You are the best!!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  11. So pretty. Love the colours and your cute bird. Hugz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Gail!! I appreciate the sweet comments that you always leave!!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  12. Pretty card! Enabler alert...that's so funny!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehehehehe.....I put my order in....did you? lol...

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  13. Janis, I am sorry to hear you have been under-the-weather, I hope you will be feeling better and back to your regular self soon. I know how difficult it is to create when your health does not want to cooperate with you. As for your lovely card, I love every beautiful detail!! The soft, spring colors...the beautiful stamp...the wonderful layout...everything is perfect!! I think I may have to CASE this beauty...if you don't mind? Have an awesome day and upcoming week! Happy hugs being sent your way! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Carolyn, for your well-wishes and your very nice words abt my card!!! Happy hugs back to you, too!!!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  14. I hope your energy is restored it is no fun to not feel well enough to be crafting. Beautiful bird and card! Love the pretty pleasing color combo you used. Thanks for playing along with us this week at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Suzanne, for your well wishes. I appreciate you stopping by!!!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  15. Meds can be such a bugger until they get going... Hope you are in the pink soon! Beautiful card, Janis!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Mary Anne!!! I appreciate your nice words and well-wishes!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  16. I love this bird stamp and how you colored it! Those colors are so pretty and springish, feeling very fresh! I hope you are feeling better soon and know just what you mean about being too tired to craft. Let's hope we both get our crafting energy back soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for mentioning how I stamped the bird image. I thought it turned out nice. Thanks, too, for your well-wishes. Here are some for you, too, and hoping the kids get adjusted to Daylight Savings time soon....so Mom can craft!! :)

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  17. I hope you are getting your energy back and your meds figured out You used one of my favorite stamps. I love the colors you chose. Beautiful card.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much!!! This stamp has been around for awhile, but I do love it, too!! Thank you for your well-wishes!!!

      <3
      Janis

      Delete
  18. Beautiful spring card and I would never guess about the bits and pieces embedded in that image, which means that you did a masterful job of covering it up! You and your white gel pen are unstoppable..!!! I giggled about your struggle against embossing the background because I know just what you mean. When I've been embossing all my card bases, the smooth ones look positively naked! Hoping you get your BP to settle down ....and get back to your craft table soon!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi, Janis! So sorry to hear about the lingering fatigue. Until someone has to deal with it day in and day out for weeks on end, I don't think they can fully comprehend what it means, or what it does to a person. Your crafting looks beautiful to me! I do know what it is like to contaminate glitters and embossing powders. One thing I keep on my desk is several clean coffee filters. As I dump and spoon colors on, I change the coffee filter to capture the appropriate color. In the end, before tapping it all off, I do that over a garbage can, because I know the colors will be mixed.

    Hope you are soon feeling more energetic, Janis! hugs, de

    ReplyDelete
  20. Such a pretty birdie. So Spring-y.

    ReplyDelete

THANK YOU so much for taking the time to leave a comment. Your kind words encourage me so very much!!!

Have a lovely day!
<3
Janis